Different anime series may have their own characters and storylines, but anyone who watches a lot of anime will spot similarities from time to time—and sometimes those similarities are a wee bit suspicious.
This doesn't only happen in anime, of course. Lots of superheroes in TV shows, movies, and comic books have repeat powers. And it's not like you can copyright the effects of an ability or spell. It's not wrong for different anime jutsus to resemble each other.
But it can still raise a few eyebrows when it happens, especially for techniques and jutsus that are more complex and involved. Here are some of the most notable examples of anime abilities, powers, techniques, and jutsus that are similar between series.
8. Mud Wall Technique (Naruto) vs. Mud Wall Partition (Black Clover)
Cast during their training in the Ultime-Volcano's hot bath and used to prevent the guys from peeping, Sol Marron's Mud Wall Partition ("Doheki Odan") in Black Clover is surprisingly similar to Hatake Kakashi's Earth Style: Mud Wall Technique ("Doton: Doryuheki no Jutsu") in Naruto Shippuden.
Although all Earth-style ninjas from Naruto can use this common technique, it's Kakashi who we always see using the move for defense. But earthen walls are about as unoriginal as fireballs when it comes to elemental magic, so we'll give this one a pass.
7. Kaiou Kaku (Baki: Raitai Tournament) vs. Eiji Date (Hajime no Ippo)
The defensive Shaori of Kaiou Kaku is a defensive move that surprised even the world's strongest man, Yuujiro Hanma, in Baki: Raitai Tournament.
It's an ability that involves great relaxation and concentration to counter destructive punches by having no resistance against the force. It can even lessen the blow's damage by going with the blow.
The same technique was used by Eiji Date against the powerful punches of Ippo Makunouchi in Hajime no Ippo. He twists his neck with the direction of the punch so that it would cause less impact.
7. Great Tree Misteltein (Black Clover) vs. Deep Forest Emergence (Naruto)
The Great Tree Misteltein, as well as the Magic Tree Descent, were cast by William Vangeance of the Golden Dawn in Black Clover to protect a village from intruders. It's also said to be made of immense magic that's noticeable even from afar.
This ability resembles the Wood Style Secret Technique: Deep Forest Emergence ("Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan") of the Hidden Leaf's First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. It's a powerful technique that was later imitated by Madara Uchiha in Naruto Shippuden.
5. Thread Magic (Black Clover) vs. Chakra Puppetry (Naruto)
Vanessa is a member of the Black Bulls Squad in Black Clover. She uses Thread Magic to create strings that can be used offensively and defensively. She can also manipulate objects and humans, as she did with Asta during the battle at the Seabed Temple.
Her magic is a lot like the Hidden Sand's Puppeteers in Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, who use chakra strings to manipulate their puppets. The most notable examples are Kankuro, who uses several wooden puppets, and Sasori, who uses human bodies.
4. Thunder God Boots (Black Clover) vs. Godspeed (Hunter X Hunter)
Thunder God's Boots ("Kaminari Sōsei Mahō: Raijin no Nagagutsu") is Luck's reinforcement magic in Black Clover that greatly enhances his movement speed along with his other spells.
It greatly impacts his fighting style, which he often uses on the battlefield. With his incredibly fast lightning attributes, this makes his spells unavoidable unless the opposing attribute is stronger and faster than his own.
That reinforcement magic is the same as how Killua Zoldyck uses his Nen ability Godspeed in Hunter X Hunter. He can move at the speed of light, that even his brother Illumi has a hard time chasing him. With his Transmuter Nen type, he managed to change his aura into electricity and use it to enhance his already deadly skills.
3. Hiken (One Piece) vs. Fire Dragon's Roar (Fairy Tail)
As one of the most loved characters in the One Piece series, Ace has the power of the Mera Mera no Mi that gives fire attributes. He was one of the strong pirate commanders in a Yonko's fleet. He uses pillars of flames and even flame guns from his hands to attack enemies.
While Ace's Hiken attack is similar to Natsu's Fire Dragon's Iron Fist in Fairy Tail—they both use flame-enhanced punches—the Hiken is almost identical to Natsu's Fire Dragon's Roar, which is more like a flamethrower that matches the Hiken's thrown column of fire.
2. Glamour World (Black Clover) vs. Tsukuyomi (Naruto Shippuden)
A harmless-looking captain of the Magic Knights Squad Coral Peacock, Dorothy Unsworth of Black Clover has a deadly spell up her sleeves: the Glamour World. It's a world in her dreams where she traps her enemies. It's supposedly inescapable, but Yami Sukehiro managed to cut through it with his dimension-cutting move.
Unsworth's Dream Magic is almost the same as Itachi Uchiha's Tsukuyomi in Naruto Shippuden, where he traps his target's mind inside a dream-like illusion to be tortured for what feels like days and months, but is only a few seconds in the real world.
The difference between the two abilities is that the Glamour World even traps the target's physical body, while the Tsukuyomi only traps the target's consciousness and leaves their physical body vulnerable to attack in the real world.
1. Sea Dragon's Roar (Black Clover) vs. Water Dragon Technique (Naruto Shippuden)
Noelle Silva's offensive magic Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Roar ("Mizu Sōsei Mahō: Kairyū no Hōkō") in Black Clover was used at the Seabed Temple against Vetto, one of the Third Eyes.
This powerful attack is surprisingly similar to the Second Hokage Tobirama's Water Style: Water Dragon Technique ("Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu") in Naruto Shippuden.
Both the skills invoke a dragon-shaped column of water that charges forward and strikes down enemies with immense power.