A superpower is a special or extraordinary ability far greater than what is considered normal, possessed by those of

superhuman The term superhuman refers to humans, humanoids or other beings with abilities and other qualities that exceed those naturally found in humans. These qualities may be acquired through natural ability, self-actualization or technological aids. ...

status. Superpowers are typically displayed in

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

and

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

media such as

comic books A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...

, TV shows,

video games A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

, and

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

as the key attribute of a

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...

. The concept originated in American comics and

pulp fiction ''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American independent crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence ...

of the 1930s and 1940s, and has gradually worked its way into other genres and media.

Definition

There is no rigid definition of a "superpower" beyond the general idea of them being a set of capabilities and traits exhibited by characters in fiction that are considered beyond the limits of normal beings or are

paranormal Paranormal events are purported phenomena described in popular culture, folk, and other non-scientific bodies of knowledge, whose existence within these contexts is described as being beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding. Not ...

to some degree. In popular culture, it is often associated with unusual abilities such as

flight Flight or flying is the motion (physics), motion of an Physical object, object through an atmosphere, or through the vacuum of Outer space, space, without contacting any planetary surface. This can be achieved by generating aerodynamic lift ass ...

, super-strength, super-speed, invulnerability, etc. However, it can also describe natural abilities that reach the peak of human potential, such as advanced intelligence or weapon proficiency. Characters like

Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...

and

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...

may be classified as superheroes even though they have no actual superhuman abilities beyond their exceptional talent and advanced technology, yet their capabilities are still considered far superior to that of the average individual and even comparable to overtly paranormal beings with explicitly supernatural capabilities. Similarly, characters with superhuman abilities derived from artificial, external sources, like Green Lantern’s power ring and Tony Stark's

armor Armour (Commonwealth English) or armor (American English; see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, e ...

may be described as superpowers even though the wearer is not necessarily superhuman on their own. In fiction and fantasy, superpowers are often given scientific, technological,

pseudoscientific Pseudoscience consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method. Pseudoscience is often characterized by contradictory, exaggerated or unfalsifiable cl ...

, or supernatural explanations. They come from sources such as magic, technology, or the character's own physiological nature (being an alien, a

supernatural being Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...

, or a

mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It i ...

In animation

Superpowers are commonly used in animated television. In shows such as '' Ben 10'', '' American Dragon: Jake Long,'' and '' Danny Phantom'', young protagonists are bestowed with transformative powers which lead them to live a double life. ''

Winx Club ''Winx Club'' is an animated television series co-produced by Rainbow S.p.A., Rainbow and, later, Nickelodeon. It was created and directed by Italian animator Iginio Straffi. It premiered on 28January 2004, becoming a ratings success in Ita ...

'' and '' He-Man and the Masters of the Universe'' feature characters who adventure in fantastical worlds which put their inherent superpowers to the test. In ''

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (''TMNT'') is an American media franchise created by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Leonardo, Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), D ...

'', '' Road Rovers,'' and '' Street Sharks'', the characters' superpowers are the result of being transformed into anthropomorphic animals (either from animals or humans) combined with combat training. Other examples include: '' Biker Mice from Mars'', '' Toxic Crusaders'', '' Samurai Pizza Cats'', '' Loonatics Unleashed'', '' Darkwing Duck'', '' Gargoyles'', '' Drak Pack'', '' Ghostforce'', '' El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera'', '' The Mighty B!'', '' Three Delivery'', '' Teamo Supremo'', '' Mummies Alive'', '' Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!'', '' The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest'', '' Totally Spies!'', '' Code Lyoko'', '' Storm Hawks'', '' Zevo-3'', '' Chop Socky Chooks'', '' Butt Ugly Martians'', '' Kung Fu Dino Posse'', etc.

In manga and anime

Superpowers are a commonly used concept in

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

and

anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

— particularly in the shonen genre. The types of powers featured vary from series to series. Some, such as ''

Dragon Ball is a Japanese media franchise created by Akira Toriyama in 1984. The Dragon Ball (manga), initial manga, written and illustrated by Toriyama, was Serial (literature), serialized in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from 1984 to 1995, with the 519 indi ...

'' and '' Fullmetal Alchemist'', feature many different characters who have the same types of powers. Others, like ''

One Piece ''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as he explores the Grand Line in search of the myt ...

'' and ''

Bleach Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color from (i.e. to whiten) fabric or fiber (in a process called bleaching) or to disinfect after cleaning. It often refers specifically t ...

'', feature characters with a wide range of different powers, with many powers being unique to only one or a few characters. Examples include: ''

'', ''

Saint Seiya , also known as ''Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac'' or simply ''Knights of the Zodiac'' (translated from the French title ''Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque''), is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada. It ...

'', ''

YuYu Hakusho is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. It tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is struck and killed by a car while saving a child's life. After several tests presented to him ...

'', ''

Black Clover is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yūki Tabata. It started in Shueisha's Shōnen manga, manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' in February 2015. The series ran in the magazine until August 2023, and moved to ...

'', ''

Naruto ''Naruto'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. T ...

'', '' Fullmetal Alchemist'', ''

'', '' Code Geass'', '' Fairy Tail'', ''

Hunter × Hunter ''Hunter × Hunter'' (pronounced "hunter hunter") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. It has been serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' since March 1998, although the man ...

'', ''

Attack on Titan is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama. It is set in a world where humanity is forced to live in cities surrounded by three enormous walls that protect them from gigantic man-eating humanoids referred to a ...

'', ''

Bungo Stray Dogs , also abbreviated as ''B-S-D'', is a Japanese manga series written by Kafka Asagiri and illustrated by Sango Harukawa, which has been serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Seinen manga, manga magazine ''Young Ace'' since 2012. Each cha ...

'', ''

My Hero Academia is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi. It was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from July 2014 to August 2024, with its chapters collected in 42 volumes. Set in a wor ...

'', etc.

In live-action TV series

Superpowers feature in subgenres of

tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live-action films or television programs that make heavy use of practical special effects. Credited to special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya, ''tokusatsu'' mainly refers to science fiction film, science fiction, War fi ...

, a form of television characterised by heavy use of special effects. This is embodied by the franchise ''

Super Sentai The is a Japanese superhero team media franchise consisting of television series and films produced by Toei Company and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi. The shows are of the '' tokusatsu'' genre, featuring live action characters and colorfu ...

'', known for ''

Power Rangers ''Power Rangers'' is an American media franchise created by Haim Saban, Shuki Levy and Shotaro Ishinomori built around a live-action superhero television series, based on the Japanese tokusatsu franchise ''Super Sentai''. It is currently ow ...

'', and its counterpart ''

Kamen Rider The , also known as ''Masked Rider Series'' (until ''Kamen Rider Decade, Decade'' and except Thailand), is a Japanese superhero fiction, superhero media franchise consisting of tokusatsu television programs, films, manga, and anime, created by ...

''. In Western television, superpowers are often depicted in adaptations of comic books. However, series such as ''Heroes'', '' Misfits'' and ''Henry Danger'' are original to television. They use superpowers to heighten the conflicts of otherwise ordinary characters, without strong ties to other superheroic tropes such as codenames or costumes.

References

External links

8 Super Powers
an online ''

Wired Magazine ''Wired'' is a bi-monthly American magazine that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. It is published in both print and Online magazine, online editions by Condé Nast. The magazine has been in public ...

'' article on how certain superpowers might work
The Physics of Superheroes
by James Kakalios- a book examining how the powers of several comic book characters would work if they were real. {{Superhero fiction Superhero fiction themes

Definition

In animation

In manga and anime

In live-action TV series

See also

References

External links