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Black characters don’t appear often in anime, and when they do, it’s not uncommon for their portrayal to be problematic. “Not all representation is a good representation,” Professor Nor Azlili Hassan from Malaysia’s University of Tunku Abdul Rahman told The Toronto Observer. “The representation that we’ve seen of the BIPOC communities was racist and stereotypical. There are still existing negative attitudes towards Black people, which can lead to offensive and problematic portrayals of them in anime.” It’s definitely been an issue over the years, though it’s not an industry-wide one — there are several examples of Black characters being done right in anime, and many of them are extremely powerful.

This ranking focuses on sheer power rather than how likable a character is. And, so that certain series don’t completely dominate the rankings, we’re limiting this list to one character per franchise (with the exception of one notable double act). We must also acknowledge that a lot of darker-skinned anime characters don’t have a clearly defined ethnicity. Many anime fans have head-canonned characters like Yoruichi Shihoin from “Bleach,” Uub from the “Dragon Ball” franchise, and Enrico Pucci from “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” as Black, but this list will stick to examples where the characters’ Blackness is widely recognized.

It’s hard to assess the exact power level of Canary from “Hunter x Hunter,” given how little the manga and anime depict her in action. Still, the young apprentice butler of the Zoldyck family can clearly put up a fight. Growing up in the slums of Meteor City, she picked up advanced techniques like Shadow Step and Rhythm Echo without any formal training, just her own strength and wits.

When she was just 10 years old, three years before her introduction in the Hunter Exam arc, Canary defeated a Blacklist Hunter and a hundred henchmen without even breaking a sweat. She can use Ten and sense Ren, indicating ability in at least two of the Four Major Principles of the Nen magic system. Yes, she lacks the required battle experience to be deemed one of the strongest characters in “Hunter X Hunter,” but even mid-range “Hunter X Hunter” characters are incredibly powerful, and, as such a fast learner, her power has plenty of room to grow.

Pyunma, aka Cyborg 008, is the African member of the international cyborg team from the “Cyborg 009” franchise. On land, he’s as strong as any of his teammates — he’s skilled in hand-to-hand combat and he is also the smartest tactician. Underwater, Pyunma is even more powerful, thanks to his cybernetic lungs. If the 00 Cyborgs were the Justice League, then he would be the group’s Aquaman.

Looking at the different versions of 008 across the decades really shows how depictions of Black characters in manga and anime have improved. While Shotaro Ishinomori wrote 008 as a strong and complex character in the original manga (which ran from 1964 to 1981), he drew him in an extremely offensive manner, something that was sadly common at the time. Subsequent anime adaptations have given Pyunma better, more realistic redesigns. His backstory has also been updated from being an escaped slave to a guerrilla fighter.

Atsushi Ohkubo has put more of a concerted effort into creating strong Black characters than most other mangaka: This list features two characters from shows based on his work. First up is Ogun Montgomery from “Fire Force.” He’s the grandson of the Immigrant Hero, a sea captain who helped people escape apocalyptic catastrophe and find safety in the Tokyo Empire. Seeking to live up to his ancestor’s heroic deeds, Ogun earned the highest marks in the Special Fire Force Training Academy before becoming a member of Company 4.

Named after the Yoruba god of metalworkers, Ogun uses his pyrokinetic abilities to forge any weapon he desires. His most powerful fighting technique is called Flamy Ink – he has tattoos that light on fire and increase his strength, speed, and durability. The only weakness when it comes to Flamy Ink is that Ogun can’t keep it activated for very long, or he runs the risk of burning himself up. However, when used efficiently, it’s a very powerful technique, and it also looks extremely cool.

“Stardust Crusaders,” the third and arguably most iconic arc of “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure,” follows a team of Stand Users on a journey to Egypt to defeat the evil vampire Dio. Muhammad Avdol, an Egyptian astrologer and fortune teller who wields the bird-headed Stand Magician’s Red, is the first to discover that Dio has returned. He guides the group on their quest, with his combination of knowledge and strength proving vital to their survival. With Magician’s Red, Avdol can control powerful short-range fire attacks, though this Stand wasn’t enough to save his life. Avdol was actually killed off twice — first with a fake-out death in the battle with Hol Horse, then with a real death, with Avdol sacrificing himself to save Polnareff and Iggy from Vanilla Ice (one of the best “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” villains).

The “Black guy dies first” trope was all too common in the ’80s and ’90s, and “Stardust Crusaders” — written between 1989 and 1992 — seemingly fell right into it. However, the creator of “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” says that killing Avdol was more about him being too strong. The truth is that Hirohiko Araki decided Avdol’s attacks were overpowered and a pain to draw, which is why he had to go. “Drawing Magician’s Red was a bit of a struggle for me,” he said. “I think in terms of ‘JoJo,’ flames and poisonous gas have become off limits for me.” Araki also revealed that he regrets not making the most of Avdol after revealing that he was still alive. “Now that I think back on it, since I killed him once, I probably should have made him more important in the story.”

Afro from “Afro Samurai” might not have any explicit supernatural powers like the other characters on this list, but when you can survive seemingly any injury and are such a skilled swordsman that you can slice RPG missiles in half, you deserve a spot on this list. The character design by Takashi Okazaki (who would go on to create a memorable new take on the Dark Knight for the film “Batman Ninja”) is fantastic. Also, how could anyone ignore a character voiced by Samuel L. Jackson when putting together an article about awesome Black anime characters?

The high-tech feudal world of “Afro Samurai” has its own power ranking system: Whoever wears the “Number One” headband is basically a god, and the only person who can challenge them in battle wears the “Number Two” headband — but anyone can challenge Number Two. After witnessing Justice (Ron Perlman) kill his father and take the Number One ranking as a child, Afro swears revenge. He becomes Number Two and eventually Number One, confirming him to be the strongest fighter in this brutal land. To get to this position requires so much bloodshed it becomes a curse, and he’s even more merciless in the manga, where his killer instinct often takes over.

One of three fire-based characters on this list, Nathan Seymour from “Tiger & Bunny” is a pyrokinetic superhero operating under the codename Fire Emblem. “Tiger & Bunny” was ahead of its time in terms of representation — not only is Seymour a Black character, they’re also queer and non-binary. They are strong in battle, and they’ve delivered some powerful quotes that LGBTQ+ fans love, such as: “They say a man is made of courage and a woman is made of love. So what does that mean for people who are both? We are invincible!”

Seymour’s relatively low ranking among the competitive heroes in the first season of “Tiger & Bunny” was, if anything, a result of Fire Emblem’s powers being too strong — fire is a dangerous and risky ability when working in a no-killing profession. Their ranking improved in Season 2, where they got to show off more of their skills partnering with Sky High, the King of Heroes. In addition to hero work, Seymour is also the owner of the Helios Energy company, making them the only hero who is their own commercial sponsor. They’re definitely one of the coolest gay superheroes.

Before Naruto Uzumaki learned to master the Nine-Tails, Killer Bee was by far the strongest of the jinchuriki thanks to his complete control over the Eight-Tails. The aspiring rap star can access all of the tentacled beast’s transformations without risking his own self-control, and he has enough chakra to keep fighting all day long even in his transformed state. He’s no slouch in his regular human form, either — Killer Bee does kenjutsu with seven swords and he excels with lightning-natured powers. He also developed the dance-like fighting style of Disturbance Taijutsu.

While a few different Black characters from the Hidden Cloud Village in the “Naruto” franchise warranted consideration for this list, Killer Bee comes out ahead of even the Third Raikage, Killer Bee’s adoptive father who’s widely considered to be the village’s strongest leader. The Third Raikage’s battles with the Eight-Tails came down to a draw, so Killer Bee combining the Eight-Tails’ raw power with his own sharp intelligence means he would likely dominate this theoretical father-son showdown.

“Soul Eater,” the second Atsushi Ohkubo title recognized on this list, makes power rankings easier to determine with its star system. Sid Barrett is an elite meister with a three-star rating, the highest attainable rank at the Death Weapon Meister Academy. His demon weapon, Mira Naigus, is just as impressive, even teaching martial arts at the academy. Since meisters and weapons work together, we’re including them alongside each other on this list — though this formidable pair of Black characters are both very powerful in their own right.

As a human, Sid was already exceptional with knives, guns, and martial arts techniques. He was killed in the line of duty, but when Franken Stein brought him back from the dead as a zombie, he was stronger than ever, digging through the ground at a great speed and even using his own gravestone as a weapon. Mira not only serves as Sid’s most dependable weapon in her Demon Knife form, she can also put up a fight with her own fists, which is rare for a weapon. Her skill at setting traps is her most celebrated talent, one which proved particularly useful during the big battle on Lost Island.

Marshall D. Teach, better known as Blackbeard (not to be confused with Edward Teach, the real historical Blackbeard), stands out from all other pirates in “One Piece” thanks to having the powers of not just one, but two Devil Fruits. With the Dark-Dark Fruit, the “most evil” of the Devil Fruits, he controls the power of darkness, able to create black hole-like vortexes and nullify the powers of opponents’ Devil Fruits. The Tremor-Tremor Fruit, meanwhile, lets him cause earthquakes of varying intensities — he uses smaller shockwaves in battle, but he can also cause quakes big enough to destroy the world if need be.

Looper’s ranking of the most powerful “One Piece” characters placed Blackbeard ahead of even Monkey D. Luffy himself, which should tell you just how formidable he is. He’s certainly used his skills to further his cause over the years: Having murdered Whitebeard and handed Ace over to the Marines, this pirate Emperor — who “One Piece” creator Eiichiro Oda says would be from Somalia if he existed in our world — is one of the most villainous characters in the series. With the long-running pirate manga and anime now in its last stretch, many have speculated that Blackbeard will end up being the final boss in Monkey D. Luffy’s epic journey.

“Bleach” has one of the most diverse casts of any major shonen anime, including many powerful Black characters who could have made this list if we weren’t sticking to a one-character-per-series rule. When picking the most powerful Black character in “Bleach,” Lille Barro surpasses all other contenders. With his Schrift power, The X Axis, Lille is unbeatable as a marksman. His bullets travel to any target within his sight instantaneously and are impossible to block. If anyone tries to shoot back, he can use The X Axis on himself to become intangible, letting gunshots and other objects pass through him.

With his winged Quincy: Vollständig, his spiritual power reaches even higher levels. If any part of his body somehow gets injured, he can regenerate it in Vollständig’s second form, making him effectively immortal and unkillable. Lille’s only weakness is ultimately his own power. Others’ attacks don’t hurt him, but Nanao Ise was able to reflect Lille’s Trompete blast attack back at him — and that hurt badly, costing him much of his godlike power. Yet, even weakened by this defeat, Lille is still a strong fighter and a force to be reckoned with in the world of “Bleach.” As far as we’re concerned, he’s the strongest Black anime character around.

Taco Bell is planning to test a new chicken item later this month: The fast food giant’s upcoming Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa features tender chicken prepared in a traditional Mexican style, nestled in a warm, bready shell. This limited-time offering will debut in Minneapolis, Minnesota, so if you’re in that area, get ready.

Known for its fun and ever-evolving menu, Taco Bell continues to win over consumers with its innovative, crave-worthy, and affordable offerings — everything from Mexican Pizza to the Vegan Crunchwrap and Grilled Cheese Nacho Fries. I had the opportunity to visit Taco Bell’s test kitchen for a taste of the brand’s newest creation. Here’s everything you need to know about the Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa. It may not be around for long, but you might want to keep your eyes peeled and ears open for its release nationwide if it tests well in Minneapolis.

The Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa is Taco’s Bell’s first-ever innovation inspired by the flavors of al pastor, combined with the chain’s fan-favorite Cantina Chicken, which was introduced in early 2024 and can be ordered in tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and a bowl. Tender chunks of Cantina Chicken are seasoned with savory Mexican spices and a hint of pineapple for that signature al pastor sweet-savory kick. A sprinkle of freshly chopped onion and cilantro brings a bright, fresh bite to the flavorful meat, all wrapped in not one, but two cheesy street-sized Quesalupa shells.

For those unfamiliar with the Quesalupa, it’s a hybrid marvel that combines the crispy-chewy chalupa flatbread with the gooey goodness of a quesadilla. It first made waves in 2016, with its beef-filled version quickly becoming a favorite before mysteriously disappearing. When it reappeared in 2021 for a limited time, its iconic shell — a chewy fried chalupa flatbread stuffed edge-to-edge with melted cheese — reminded fans why they loved it so much. Though the original beef-filled Quesalupa remains elusive, Bell Heads can now rejoice with this new take, starring that irresistible cheese-stuffed chalupa shell with a fresh chicken twist.

Taco Bell is jumping on the flavor train with the launch of its new Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa, set to be tested starting October 31 exclusively in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But here’s the catch: It will only be available at select locations around the city. To avoid disappointment, it’s best to call ahead to find out if your local spot is serving up this new item. And remember, this is a limited test run, so it could disappear as quickly as it arrived. An order of two Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupas costs between $4.99 and $5.49, depending on location.

With its latest offering, Taco Bell is bringing the iconic flavor of tacos al pastor to fast food in a bold way, blending pineapple with tender Cantina Chicken and the beloved crispy-chewy chalupa. The history behind tacos al pastor is quite interesting — this type of taco originated in Mexico in the 1930s thanks to Lebanese immigrants. Traditionally, the al pastor recipe features thin slices of pork marinated in spices and chiles, cooked on a spit with pineapple and then served on warm tortillas with onion and cilantro.

It’s been a few weeks since I tried Taco Bell’s Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa, and I’m still daydreaming about it. The flavor was a perfect balance of sweet and savory, with moist, tender chunks of Cantina Chicken that held their own as a solid substitute for traditional pork. The pineapple added just a touch of fruity sweetness, with a smoky undertone that whetted the appetite. The onion added a bright crunch, while the fresh cilantro brought refreshing, citrusy notes. And while the heat was a mild level that most will enjoy, adding a squirt of Avocado Verde Salsa took things up a notch in the most delicious way.

My one gripe? It was a bit too bready; I found myself wishing it was packed with more of that amazing al pastor filling. The chicken was so good that I kept digging through the bready chalupa shell, hoping to find more of it, but there just wasn’t enough to satisfy my craving.

Taco Bell’s new Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa marvelously combines the flavors of al pastor with the brand’s Cantina Chicken. The warm, pillowy chalupa shells layered with melted cheese are a proven fast food wonder. Inside, juicy chunks of chicken are perfectly complemented by fresh onion and cilantro, bringing that Mexican street food vibe straight to your hands.

My verdict? The Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa is a bold, flavor-packed win — though a bit on the bready side. But here’s a tip: Since you get two chalupas per order, double up the fillings in one to solve the breadiness and save the extra shell for later. (Stuff it with scrambled eggs in the morning, and breakfast is served.) The new Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa is only available in Minneapolis for a limited time, but I’m hoping it’ll make its way to Taco Bell locations across the country. If you’ve never tried al pastor, don’t wait — this chalupa might just be the perfect introduction to a Mexican street food classic.

After an unauthorized Crumbl pop up that charged Sydney fans $17 per cookie left its Aussie fans severely disappointed — quickly realizing that the cookies they spent over triple the price for in the States had been flown in from Hawaii and were actually many days old — Crumbl has committed to making it up to them. Following the internet turmoil around the event, Crumbl Cookies hinted at the possibility of expanding to Australia in an official statement to People. Meanwhile, a TikTok posted by Crumbl co-founder Sawyer Hemsley included the text, “It appears we need to expedite our visit to Australia.” But, Crumbl also clarified that any information about international locations would only be shared through its official communication channels.

Now, just about a week later, that time has come. In an official press release, Crumbl announced, “The team at Crumbl has been amazed by the support of fans in Australia over recent weeks. Crumbl has been inspired to accelerate plans to provide all dessert-loving Aussies with a true Crumbl experience.” It appears that those plans are now officially in motion with the launch of an actual Crumbl Australia Instagram account (NOT @crumblsydney, as was used by the unauthorized pop-up location). Under the username @crumbl.au, Crumbl Australia posted its first official Instagram post with the caption: “Aussies, we heard you loud and clear. The REAL Crumbl is coming soon.” Co-founder Sawyer Hemsley even endorsed the post, commenting “PS: THIS IS REAL!” underneath with a winky face emoji.

While an exact location isn’t set in stone just yet, Crumbl fans are encouraged to follow the Crumbl Australia Instagram account to get regular updates. In the last 24 hours, the page has shared content following the CEO, Jason McGowen, as he tours potential store locations in Australia. A poll posted via the @crumbl.au Instagram story invited followers to cast their vote between three potential cities: Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. McGowen’s travels kicked off in Sydney this week, and one can only assume that he’ll be sharing his experience as he travels to Brisbane and Melbourne later on. But no matter where Crumbl Australia lands, it will be the brand’s first location outside of the US and Canada.

Crumbl has kept details about the new international location and any potential menu items to a minimum. However, if it’s anything like its stores in Canada, or more unique U.S. locations like Hawaii and Puerto Rico, you can be sure to expect some special things. Crumbl Hawaii released Hawaiian-themed flavors, like pineapple whip and macadamia nut, while Canada has seen maple bacon flavored cookies shaped like hockey sticks. The Crumbl Australia Instagram post teases both cookie and non-cookie desserts, so perhaps Aussie fans might get a Crumbl take on their national cake, the lamington cake — or possibly even a Vegemite cookie? Either way, this likely wouldn’t have happened so soon if it weren’t for last week’s pop up disaster, so you have them to thank after all.

The holiday season is quickly approaching and Starbucks is gearing up to make it a memorable one. This inside scoop comes from Markie Devo, whose Instagram account is well-known for leaking the latest releases from all your favorite food spots — and there’s a lot to look forward to here.

Last year, Starbucks released four new holiday cold foam flavors, which we tried and ranked. Chestnut Praline was our favorite and it’s coming back this year along with the other three: Peppermint Chocolate, Sugar Cookie, and Caramel Brûlée. The leaked 2024 holiday menu speculates two new flavors you can look forward to as well: Gingerbread and Salted Pecan.

The signature drinks expected to come in tow are predominantly focused around these flavored cold foams, which means we’ll be able to get our hands on drinks like the Caramel Brûlée Latte, the Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte, and the new Salted Pecan Cold Brew. Hot drinks are popular at Starbucks in the cold winter months, but most beverages can be made either hot, iced, or blended. The Starbucks holiday menu is speculated to drop nationally on November 7.

Coffee cold foam isn’t the only exciting thing coming to the Starbucks holiday menu, according to Markie Devo. For those of you who prefer something a little more refreshing, you ought to try the new Cran-Merry Orange Refresher. It’s a sweet and spicy cranberry orange delight that will keep you hydrated and happy on a blustery winter walk through the park.

The holiday food menu is also full of exciting items. Some of them are brand new and some are returning favorites, like the Sugar Plum Cheese Danish and Cranberry Bliss Bar which were delicious last year. New items include a Dark Toffee Bundt for all you chocolate fans and a Turkey Sage Danish for anyone feeling something more savory than sweet. But the desserts really are too fun to pass up. The Penguin Cookie looks cute enough to eat and the Snowman Cake Pop is a friendly companion.

Of course, you could still order all your favorite drinks from Starbucks’ secret holiday menu, but it seems like the front facing menu will be overflowing with fun options too. Whatever you decide to sip or bite, Starbucks is definitely bringing the holiday flair this year.

As of October 10, Taco Bell is making a lot of its fans doubly happy by reviving one of its best-loved menu items nationwide — the Double Decker Taco is back. But you have a pretty limited time to grab one, because the chain is ending this latest as soon as October 30. In case you need a refresher, the Double Decker Taco is a hard shell taco with ground beef, shredded cheese, and lettuce, which is then wrapped in refried beans and a soft flour tortilla. It’s crunchy, chewy, meaty, cheesy, goodness that basically gives you two different taco experiences in one. So, it’s no wonder the Double Decker Taco is such a hit.

“I don’t know why they make these limited time items, they’re so dang good!” @m_a_wyatt commented on @markie_devo’s Instagram post about the item’s return. Taco Bell is known for releasing, taking away, and re-releasing classic menu items from different times in its multi-decade run. Back in October 2022, the chain had fans vote between the Enchirito or the Double Decker Taco for a revival — the former won but many heartbroken taco lovers clamored for the latter, and looked for ways to fill the Double Decker Taco void with hacks at other fast food spots. The Double Decker then popped back up in 2023, but as usual, the window was short-lived.

It’s important to note the low price of this year’s Double Decker Taco: Just $2. When it showed up on menus in December 2023, it was $2.99, so that’s a win right there. For $2.69, you can upgrade to the Double Decker Taco Supreme, which adds diced tomatoes and reduced-fat sour cream. By comparison, the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, which is pretty similar swapping out the Double Decker’s beans for cheese, is $4.99, as is a Chalupa Supreme. If you were to order a soft taco and a hard shell taco to get some version of the Double Decker experience, you’d be looking at two times $1.79, or $3.58. So, no matter how you slice it (or wrap it up and bite it), the Double Decker is a deal.

That makes the sorrow of the parting date of October 30 that much sweeter. It’s such a short window for us Double Decker devotees, but still gives us 20 days to enjoy this gem for a steal of a price. And after October, Reddit user Nitemare2020 recommends trying to hack your Taco Bell order to essentially create a version of the Double Decker by asking for a hard taco wrapped in beans and a soft tortilla. Not all locations will do it, but it’s worth a shot — or, you can wait and hope for a Double Decker return in 2025.