10 Anime Heroes Who Become Literal Gods

Yuki Yuna (Yuki Yuna is a Hero)

Being a magical girl comes with many dangers in this anime, which are taken to extreme lengths. However, Yuna's ultimate sacrifice puts her in an elevated position of power that is far more than just being a great warrior. In the end, she merges with the Shinju-sama (the divine tree) sacrificing her human soul to transform into a deity that will protect humanity. It is a bittersweet moment that makes all fans extremely emotional as they watch the protagonist ascend to peace through her selflessness.

Lelouch vi Britannia (Code Geass)

Despite not gaining godly wings or energy powers, Lelouch still qualifies for an ascension into the heavens by becoming the god of humanity. Using his Geass, he orders the Collective Unconscious to eliminate the old world and create a new one. He is essentially giving an order to God's Will to commit suicide. His ascension proves that supreme intellect can be used to rule as effectively as powerful magic.

Shinji Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

In the wild ride of The End of Evangelion, Shinji is gifted with godhood when the merged entity of Unit-01 and Lilith Reisei allows him absolute authority over human fate. The show later reveals that the boy will make the decision about mankind's future: whether they will should to individual forms or exist as a collective consciousness. Watching a severely traumatized person deciding upon the fate of the entire human race is a chilling experience for many fans of this anime.

Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon)

From an average middle school girl to the goddess Sailor Cosmos, Usagi Tsukino comes a long way through many arcs and battles. Her ascension provides Sailor Moon with near-omnipotence because of the power of the Cosmos Crystal. Now she has godlike power over time, space, and reality, and she is the goddess of stars and light who can remake reality. This makes her a rather overpowered character.

Simon (Gurren Lagann)

In this anime, Simon progresses from simply digging holes in the ground to throwing galaxies as if they were mere Frisbees. He and his machine, Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, master infinite Spiral Power, which allows them to warp reality and probability. Although he denies the divine title at the end and remains a regular human, Simon reaches a god-like state of evolution and willpower.

Tetsuo Shima (Akira)

As Tetsuo discovers the full extent of his psychic powers, his physical body becomes mutated and transformed into a horrific mass of flesh that engulfs half the city. His accumulated energy compresses and explodes into a Big Bang that destroys all matter. The film ends with the terrifying declaration, "I am Tetsuo." The character transcends reality to become a supreme deity who creates a brand-new universe.

Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

Madoka Kaname's story could be considered the best subversion of the magical girl genre. Madoka ascends by changing the very laws of the universe. By making an impossible wish of erasing all witches from existence across time, she transforms herself into the omnipresent "Ultimate Madoka." Madoka transcends human existence, transforming into a beacon of hope that is completely separated from reality.

Lain Iwakura (Serial Experiments Lain)

Lain's journey is a psychedelic experience that challenges the boundaries between reality and cyberspace. As Lain integrates into the Wired, she begins to realize that she is the very deity of the digital world. After this awakening, she can reset the memories of the physical reality and become its overseer, existing only as a concept that can see and control all things digital.

Goku (Dragon Ball Super)

For decades, Goku had been breaking his own limits. But unlocking Autonomous Ultra Instinct finally ascends him to godhood. From that point onwards, he does not just use godly energy, but works on the principles of divine instinct itself. He becomes the equal of gods in strength. Seeing his hair turn silver when fighting on equal terms with gods is something that always leaves fans in awe.

Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)

Ichigo is a hybrid with the DNA of a Human, Soul Reaper, Quincy, and Hollow combined in one. Such a combination of characteristics makes him the perfect candidate for Soul King—the deity responsible for the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the Human World. He is such an integral part of the universe that his spiritual pressure can even change reality.