History Main / PowersInTheFirstEpisode

* In ''LightNovel/OthersidePicnic'', Sorawo and Toriko encounter an otherworldly monster in the first volume/episode, which leaves Sorawo's eye and Toriko's hand supernaturally altered, giving them their powers.

* In ''Manga/BlackClover'', Asta is chosen by the five-leaf grimoire containing an AntiMagic {{BFS}} in the first chapter. The anime waits until the second episode before he uses it to {{curbstomp}} [[StarterVillain Revchi]].

* Usagi becomes ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' in the first episode of the 1990s anime after being given the power to do so by Luna, because TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive.
* ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'': Shu finds the object that gives him his powers (the Void Genome) halfway through the episode, but he doesnt get implanted with it until the last two or three minutes of episode one. When it does happen, there's a massive AnimationBump and a ThemeMusicPowerUp to boot. Did we mention that the music was composed by the wildly popular J-pop band, Supercell?
* ''Anime/MazingerZ'': In the first episode Kouji finds a HumongousMecha in his grandfather's underground lab and is told it will be his power from that day on, and he can become a god or a devil with it.
* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': The first few episodes quickly have Shinji in an [=EVA=] confronting an angel. He gets his ass kicked around a bit, and then he enters his [[UnstoppableRage berserker mode]] for the first time...
* ''Manga/ZatchBell'': They introduce the lightning shooting beforehand, but Kiyo only figures out how they work when they need it.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' does this with Ichigo gaining shinigami powers.
* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'': Simon finds a drill bit in the very first episode, then finds a not-so-humongous mecha to which the bit just happens to be the key. Oh, and he can pilot it.
* ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'': Pikachu proved it was much more powerful than it appeared even before Team Rocket ever made their appearance when it defended Ash from the Spearow flock.
%%* ''Manga/FlameOfRecca''

* ''Anime/MyHime'' has a variation: Mai's [=HiME=] powers manifest for the first time in the first episode when she [[DieOrFly involuntarily]] creates a shield of flame to protect herself and Mikoto, but she only receives her Element in the second episode and her Child in the third.
* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'': Similarly, while the main character first realizes her powers as a mage by activating [[EmpathicWeapon Raising Heart's]] [[MagicStaff staff form]] and creating a full [[DeflectorShields Barrier Jacket]] on the first episode, she only casts her first spell on the second episode, and unlocks her oft-used [[SmallGirlBigGun Shooting Mode]] on the third.
** For that matter, most every single MagicalGirl show in existance (except those with {{Cute Witch}}es, since the heroines of those shows already ''had'' powers.)
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', on the other hand, is one of the few exceptions to this rule. While a ''mahou shoujo'' does show up and clean house in the first episode, the main character doesn't gain her powers [[spoiler:until the very last episode]].
* ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'' reveals its {{Immortality}} premise within the first third of the introductory episode when, after Firo's fingers are severed, the bloody digits slowly pick themselves off the ground and reattach to his hand. The effect is both unnerving and extremely cool.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'': [[RubberMan Monkey D. Luffy]] ate his [[SuperPowerLottery Devil Fruit]] in the first chapter.
** Averted in the anime, where the first few episodes had Luffy already as a RubberMan. He gets his powers in a fourth episode flashback instead.

* The first chapter of ''Manga/YuGiOh'' features Yugi Muto solving the millennium puzzle, and thus being introduced to his SuperpoweredEvilSide.
** The first episode of ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'' has main protagonist Yuya Sakaki inventing the new Pendulum Summoning method.
* ''Anime/{{Kamichu}}'' opens right off with Yurie saying that she woke up that morning as a god.
* Franchise/{{Naruto}} discovers that he is the vessel for the Kyuubi and learns the [[SignatureMove Shadow]] [[DoppelgangerAttack Clone]] ability in the first episode.

* In ''Anime/PowerpuffGirlsZ'', every episode is made up of two parts. The very first episode's first part is a story about the PPGZ defeating Mojo Jojo. The second part goes back to the beginning and shows how the girls got their powers. The next 2 or 3 episodes show how they came to meet up and form the titular Powerpuff Girls Z.

* In ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}! Yume Kira Dream'' episode 1, Yumemitchi and Kiraritchi receive the Yume Kira bags they use to transform and save the day throughout that portion of the series.
* In ''Anime/BackArrow'', while [[HumongousMecha Briheights]] were always present in the setting, the eponymous protagonist's use of one without Conviction and being able to defeat other Briheights without killing their users marks him as highly unique.

* ''{{Series/Misfits}}'': Everyone but Nathan gets supernatural powers in the first 15 minutes. [[spoiler: It's revealed in the season finale that Nathan's power is being immortal.]]

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': Pikachu proved it was much more powerful than it appeared even before Team Rocket ever made their appearance when it defended Ash from the Spearow flock.

* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'' reveals its {{Immortality}} premise within the first third of the introductory episode when, after Firo's fingers are severed, the bloody digits slowly pick themselves off the ground and reattach to his hand. The effect is both unnerving and extremely cool.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'', Bloom accidentally discovers and uses her magic powers in the first episode.

* ''Fanfic/GodsAngelsAndKings'': In the first chapter Shinji bonds with an alien and becomes the super-hero ''Series/ZoneFighter'' (Series/{{Ultraman}} in the second version).

* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' does this as a traditional standard for its Riders, as often they gain their powers within the first episode. The occasional exceptions[[note]][[Series/KamenRiderStronger Stronger]], [[Series/KamenRiderAgito Agito]], [[Series/KamenRiderBlade Blade]], [[Series/KamenRiderHibiki Hibiki]], [[Series/KamenRiderKabuto Kabuto]], [[Series/KamenRiderKiva Kiva]], [[Series/KamenRiderWizard Wizard]], [[Series/KamenRiderBuild Build]], and [[Series/KamenRiderGeats Geats]].[[/note]] are when the Rider is instead an ExperiencedProtagonist who already has their powers and has been fighting for some time already.

* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' does this as a traditional standard for its Riders, as often they gain their powers within the first episode, to the point where it's easier to mention the ones that subvert the trope. [[note]][[Series/KamenRiderStronger Stronger]], [[Series/KamenRiderAgito Agito]], [[Series/KamenRiderBlade Blade]], [[Series/KamenRiderHibiki Hibiki]], [[Series/KamenRiderKabuto Kabuto]], [[Series/KamenRiderKiva Kiva]], [[Series/KamenRiderWizard Wizard]], [[Series/KamenRiderBuild Build]], and [[Series/KamenRiderGeats Geats]].[[/note]]

* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' does this as a traditional standard for its Riders, as often they gain their powers within the first episode, to the point where it's easier to mention the ones that subvert the trope. [[note]][[Series/KamenRiderStronger Stronger]], [[Series/KamenRiderAgito Agito]], [[Series/KamenRiderBlade Blade]], [[Series/KamenRiderHibiki Hibiki]], [[Series/KamenRiderKabuto Kabuto]], [[Series/KamenRiderKiva Kiva]], [[Series/KamenRiderWizard Wizard]], [[Series/KamenRiderBuild Build]], and [[KamenRiderGeats Geats]].[[/note]]

* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' does this as a traditional standard for its Riders, as often they gain their powers within the first episode, to the point where it's easier to mention the ones that subvert the trope. [[note]][[Series/KamenRiderStronger Stronger]], [[Series/KamenRiderAgito Agito]], [[Series/KamenRiderBlade Blade]], [[Series/KamenRiderHibiki Hibiki]], [[Series/KamenRiderKabuto Kabuto]], [[Series/KamenRiderKiva Kiva]], [[Series/KamenRiderWizard Wizard]], and [[Series/KamenRiderBuild Build]].[[/note]]

* This is very common in superhero shows aimed at kids and teenagers in general.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{LoliRock}}'', Iris discovers her magical powers and that she's the lost princess of Ephedia in the first episode.

* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'': Similarly, while the main character first realizes her powers as a mage by activating [[EmpathicWeapon Raising Heart's]] [[SimpleStaff staff form]] and creating a full [[DeflectorShields Barrier Jacket]] on the first episode, she only casts her first spell on the second episode, and unlocks her oft-used [[SmallGirlBigGun Shooting Mode]] on the third.

* In the first episode of every incarnation of the ''Anime/PrettyCure'' franchise, the main Cure of each season will transform for the first time.

* ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'': The titular protagonist gains the powers of the elements in the first episode. His friends are also granted their own respective powers in the following episode.

* ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop2012'' begins with Blythe using the dumbwaiter in her new apartment only to have an accident and hurt her head, which gives her the ability to talk to animals and understand them.

* Just about any Digimon series so far has had the main characters get their partners in the first episode. Frontier is the exception, in that the humans ''became'' the Digimon after receiving their Digimon Spirits. ''Fusion'' has Taiki gain powers both in the beginning of the first story arc and the ''end'' of that same story arc (AKA episode 30). First he learns how to make Shoutmon [=DigiXros,=] then in the end he learns how to make Shoutmon Super-Digivolve, which is abused thoroughly in the next story arc, whenever the plot calls for it (that is, once in every battle against the Death Generals).

* ''ComicBook/ElfQuest'': Redlance's tree-shaping powers. They don't appear at a critical moment, they just come in handy when he's doing a spot of gardening. They do help to save the day in later issues, though.

* In the first episode of every incarnation of the ''Franchise/PrettyCure'' franchise, the main Cure of each season will transform for the first time.

* In ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}''! Yume Kira Dream'' episode 1, Yumemitchi and Kiraritchi receive the Yume Kira bags they use to transform and save the day throughout that portion of the series.

* In ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}! Yume Kira Dream'' episode 1, Yumemitchi and Kiraritchi receive the Yume Kira bags they use to transform and save the day throughout that portion of the series.

* ''Anime/MaiHime'' has a variation: Mai's [=HiME=] powers manifest for the first time in the first episode when she [[DieOrFly involuntarily]] creates a shield of flame to protect herself and Mikoto, but she only receives her Element in the second episode and her Child in the third.

* Just about any Digimon series so far has had the main characters get their partners in the first episode. Frontier is the exception, in that the humans ''became'' the Digimon after receiving their Digimon Spirits.
** Xros Wars has Taiki gain powers both in the beginning of the first story arc and the ''end'' of that same story arc (AKA episode 30). First he learns how to make Shoutmon [=DigiXros,=] then in the end he learns how to make Shoutmon Super-Digivolve, which is abused thoroughly in the next story arc, whenever the plot calls for it (that is, once in every battle against the Death Generals).

* In ''Anime/BackArrow'', while [[HumoungousMecha Briheights]] were always present in the setting, the TitleProtagonist's use of one without Conviction and being able to defeat other Briheights without killing their users marks him as highly unique.

* In ''Anime/DemashitaPowerpuffGirlsZ'', every episode is made up of two parts. The very first episode's first part is a story about the PPGZ defeating Mojo Jojo. The second part goes back to the beginning and shows how the girls got their powers. The next 2 or 3 episodes show how they came to meet up and form the titular Powerpuff Girls Z.