In anime, strength is often packaged in lean muscles and lightning-fast agility. But every now and then, a character comes along who completely shatters that mold, proving that power doesn’t always come with a six-pack. Whether they’re heroes,villains, or somewhere in between, these characters may be fat, but they’re far from weak.
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This list highlights 6 underestimated figures. Characters who may be mocked for their appearance but revealstrengththat leaves allies in awe and enemies in pieces.
6Akira Takaoka
Assassination Classroom
At first glance, Akira Takaoka doesn’t seem like a real threat. He’s rotund, loud, and seems far too unfit to be taken seriously. But in Assassination Classroom, appearances are often misleading. Takaoka was once a respected soldier in the Japanese Ministry of Defense, known for his battlefield experience and lethal training methods. He arrives at Kunugigaoka Junior High School to replace Karasuma and train Class 3-E with far harsher, militant techniques.
Unlike Karasuma, who teaches with respect and logic, Takaoka relies on fear, abuse, andmanipulation. His sadistic nature becomes apparent when he violently assaults students under the guise of “toughening them up.” Despite his bulk, he moves fast and strikes hard, giving him a physical edge that momentarily overwhelms even the trained students.
But strength without control breeds downfall. His arrogance and unstable temper ultimately lead to his humiliating defeat by Nagisa, a student who uses intelligence and composure instead of brute force.
Dragon Ball Z
King Kai is the perfect example of how “fat” and “formidable” are not mutually exclusive. Introduced early in Dragon Ball Z, he’s the quirky, round god of the North Galaxy who lives on a tiny planet at the end of Snake Way. Despite his constant puns and his love for jokes that only he finds funny, King Kai is an elite martial artist who’s trained some of the strongest fighters in the Dragon Ball universe, including Goku.
It was under King Kai’s mentorship that Goku learned the Kaio-ken technique and the Spirit Bomb, two of the most iconic and powerful moves in the entire series. The Kaio-ken in particular allowed Goku to temporarily multiply his strength, speed, and durability at great personal risk,. something that played a crucial role in battles like the one against Vegeta.
4Choji Akimichi
Among the members of the Naruto universe’s original Konoha 11, Choji Akimichi stands out, not just for his size, but for the power that comes with it. As a member of the Akimichi Clan, Choji’s strength is literally tied to his calories. He converts the energy from food directly into chakra, allowing him to perform techniques that amplify his size, mass, and raw force.
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The most iconic example is during the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. When Choji consumes the Three Colored Pills, each more dangerous than the last, his body undergoes a massive transformation. By the time he takes the red chili pill, his chakra wings emerge, and he gains enough power to obliterate one of the Sound Four, Jirobo, who had been overpowering the group moments earlier.
My Hero Academia
Taishiro Toyomitsu, better known by his hero name, Fat Gum, is a professional hero in My Hero Academia whose body is as large as his sense of justice. His Quirk, “Fat Absorption,” allows him to absorb attacks into his body fat and convert them into stored energy. Once he’s taken in enough, he can unleash it in a devastating counterattack known as the “Fat Burn,” shedding his plump form temporarily to reveal a lean and muscular frame underneath.
One of the most impactful moments showcasing his strength comes during the Shie Hassaikai arc, where he fights alongside Kirishima against the villain Rappa. Fat Gum absorbs blow after blow from a villain who’s basically a human wrecking ball. It’s not just his physical toughness that shines here, it’s his protective instinct, absorbing damage meant for others.
2Marshall D.Teach
In the vast sea of characters that make up One Piece, Marshall D. Teach, better known as Blackbeard, is a terrifying anomaly. He’s big, he’s boisterous, and he’s built like a man who enjoys far too much rum and roasted meat. But under that jolly appearance lies one of the most cunning and dangerous pirates the world has ever seen.
Blackbeard is the only known character in the One Piece universe to wield two Devil Fruit powers. He first stole Whitebeard’s Gura Gura no Mi, which allows him to create earthquakes strong enough to destroy islands. Combined with his original Devil Fruit, the Yami Yami no Mi, he can manipulate gravity and darkness itself. The latter allows him to pull enemies toward him, cancel out other Devil Fruit abilities, and essentially turn the tide of any battle.
Majin Buu’s presence in Dragon Ball Z marked a shift in the tone of the series. Gone were the morally complex villains like Cell or Vegeta, Buu was chaos incarnate, wrapped in pink skin and fueled by sugar. His original form, Fat Buu, looked harmless, goofy, and even childlike. But this version of Buu was powerful enough to defeat Super Saiyan-level fighters without breaking a sweat.
Fat Buu had abilities that defied logic, he could regenerate from almost any attack, transform enemies into candy, and blow up entire cities with a flick of his hand. And despite his size, he was incredibly fast, often shocking opponents who underestimated him. His rubbery body absorbed damage like it was nothing, and his healing abilities even extended to others, as seen when he revived a dog and a boy who had been shot.
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