What Powers Does The Protagonist Have In 'Jitsu Musume -A Different Story'?

The protagonist in 'Jitsu Musume - A Different Story' packs a punch with abilities that blend supernatural and martial arts. Her core power is ki manipulation, letting her enhance physical attacks to shatter boulders or move at blinding speeds. What makes her stand out is the ability to absorb others' ki mid-fight, weakening enemies while fueling her own reserves. She also has predictive reflexes—her body reacts to threats before her mind processes them, making her nearly untouchable in close combat. The story hints at dormant dragon energy within her that occasionally surfaces, unleashing devastating area attacks when she's cornered. Her training lets her weaponize everyday objects; a paper fan becomes a steel cutter in her hands.

I've analyzed 'Jitsu Musume - A Different Story' extensively, and the protagonist's power system is a brilliant fusion of traditional martial arts and mythic elements. Her foundation is rooted in five animal styles—tiger, crane, monkey, snake, and dragon—each granting distinct combat advantages. The tiger style gives her crushing strength, crane enables aerial maneuvers, monkey boosts agility, snake allows fluid grappling, and dragon (when activated) triggers temporary berserk modes with fire-based attacks.

Her ki control goes beyond enhancement. She can compress energy into needle-like projectiles or create defensive domes that deflect bullets. The absorption technique isn't just stealing power; it temporarily copies opponents' fighting styles, letting her counter them with their own moves. During the Kyoto arc, she demonstrates ki synchronization, merging her energy with allies to create combination attacks.

The most fascinating aspect is her 'Empty Mind' state, achieved through meditation. This nullifies all supernatural detection methods, making her invisible to ki sensors or magical tracking. The latest chapters reveal she's developing reality-warping punches that distort space briefly—a technique even the series' villains fear. What makes her progression believable is the constant physical toll; overusing dragon energy burns her muscles, and ki absorption causes temporary memory loss if abused.

This protagonist redefines overpowered in the best way. Forget generic super strength—her abilities have creative limitations that force ingenuity. Take her signature 'Hundred Petals' strike: it looks like one punch but actually lands dozens of microscopic ki hits that explode sequentially. She can't spam it though; each use cracks her bones slightly. Her perception shifts during fights—time seems to slow, letting her count individual raindrops in a storm while dodging attacks.

Her defensive skills are wild. By vibrating ki around her body, she phases through solid objects for 3 seconds max (longer risks internal hemorrhaging). The manga shows her using this to escape a collapsing building by running through walls. She also reads muscle tremors to predict moves, but this backfires against opponents with artificial limbs.

Cultural elements shape her powers too. Using Buddhist chants, she creates sonic booms that disrupt evil spirits. During the Shinto festival arc, moonlight amplifies her abilities, letting her manifest temporary armor from ancestral memories. The series balances these fantastical elements with gritty realism—she still needs bandages and painkillers after major fights.