History Main / SoulPower

* Kulkumatz in ''VideoGame/TheReconstruction''.

* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath''s Deities gain the power for their weapons this way, either through prayer or [[spoiler: harvesting human souls by killing them. The Karma Fortress has [[ReadingsAreOffTheScale 7 TRILLION Souls]] powering it up.]]

* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'': Raziel has the power to devour souls and use them to power his Wraith Blade, a sword that is made up of [[spoiler:Raziel's future soul.]]
* The Feys in ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': Mostly this is used for channeling the dead, but spiritual power can also be used as a sort of lie detector. (One, likely non-canon, manga shows that there's even a hidden technique to "channel" people who are still alive, just to get them someplace they can't go at the moment.)

* ''Creator/FromSoftware'':
** ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'' is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. Pretty much every game mechanic -- leveling up stats, upgrading equipment, learning new spells and miracles, etc. -- requires souls of some kind. The game specifically refers to this as "Soul Arts", and unfortunately, overuse of this kind of power also [[AndManGrewProud caused the whole mess]] that you're trying to fix in the first place.
** ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' uses souls as currency, much like ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls''. The souls that are really important to the plot are the Lord Souls. These Souls manifested themselves as flames that appeared before a select few -- Gwyn the Lord of Sunlight, Gravelord Nito the First of the Dead, the Witch of Izalith and her seven Daughters of Chaos, and the oft-forgotten Furtive Pygmy -- and granted them the power to slay the immortal Ancient Dragons and shape the world to their liking. The Pygmy's Lord Soul, the Dark Soul, [[spoiler:was inherited by the player character whose true destiny is to bring an end to Gwyn's Age of Fire and begin the Age of Darkness.]]
** ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' even has spells that [[CastFromMoney cost souls to use]] (they're pathetically weak if you don't have any) and an InfinityPlusOneSword that does more damage the more souls you are holding (it needs ''one million'' to do full damage).
** ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' has Ludleth of Courland, whose specialty involves using an artifact known as a Transposing Kiln and boss souls to create spells and equipment.
* In ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSin'', Source is a cross between this and LifeEnergy. All living things as well as their very souls are made from Source, and in ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'' the PlayerCharacter can use Source magic to commune with the dead [[DeaderThanDead and potentially consume them for power]].
* ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasy'' has a primal beast named Deus Ex Machina. It can move souls around, however, it can't destroy or create new souls.

* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath''s Deities gain the power for their weapons this way, either through prayer or [[spoiler: harvesting human souls by killing them. The Karma Fortress has [[ReadingsAreOffTheScale 7 TRILLION Souls]] powering it up.]]
* In ''VideoGame/ShiningForce'', the Desoul spell literally rips someone's soul out of their body and [[OneHitKO blasts them to the afterlife]]. It's not seen as evil, though; the heroic wizard Kazin from ''Shining Force II'' can learn it (assuming he doesn't choose to become a [[SummonMagic Sorcerer]] instead).
* In ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'' The ghost of [[spoiler: Lady Comstock]] has the ability to raise the dead, leading to battles where your enemies are repeatedly resurrected until you destroy the ghost itself.
* [[Franchise/StreetFighter M. Bison]] literally uses his soul as a weapon with his infamous "Psycho Power".
* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateSiegeOfDragonspear'' has a character class called Shaman (which was [[http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Shaman part]] of the wider ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' lore, but not available in other games of the ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'' series). The class is based on being able to see and manipulate spirits.
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', Enchanting is carried out by [[YourSoulIsMine ripping out the souls of creatures using specialized spells, trapping them in gems]], and using these gems to enchant items. This is typically done with the souls of beasts and other monstrous creatures - more powerful creatures usually have stronger souls that can make for stronger enchantments. [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential It is possible to do this to sapient races as well]] and their souls make for some of the most powerful enchantments, but require rare and special gems to capture them. Trapping the soul of a sapient being is among the most heinous acts possible, since it robs the target of its afterlife and sends them to the Soul Cairn instead. The Soul Cairn is a rather... [[EldritchLocation unpleasant]] place.

* In ''VideoGame/MinecraftDungeons'', some Artifacts require you to absorb Souls[[note]] Which manifest as a meter in gameplay terms[[/note]] from enemies in order to use. Several item perks and enchantments also directly aid the collection of Souls.

[[quoteright:254:[[TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RemoveSoul_8618.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:254:Don't worry, having a soul is [[TheSoulless overrated]].]]

** In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'', [[spoiler:Chariot Requiem can manipulate the souls of all living beings within a large area, using this ability in such ways as [[FreakyFridayFlip swapping peoples bodies]], turning [[FightingSpirit Stand]] Users' own Stands against them, and, with enough time, [[BodyHorror transforming all living beings in the area into]] {{Humanoid Abomination}}s]].

** Suguru Geto's Cursed Technique allows him to absorb and later manipulate cursed spirits, forcing them to act as extensions of his will and fight on his behalf. He infamously orchestrated an event known as the NightParadeOfOneHundredDemons, in which [[ZergRush mongolian hordes of cursed spirits under his control attacked Shinjuku and Kyoto at the same time]], forcing Jujutsu HQ to summon every able-bodied sorcerer available to repel them.

* [[spoiler:Aang]] in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' learns to do this as a form of bending. It is implied that this is the purest form of bending, or the original form of it. It's likely that [[spoiler:entering the Spirit World]] and [[spoiler:entering the Avatar State (merging all the Avatar's souls into one body)]] were subconscious uses of this power.
** [[spoiler:Amon]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' can do more or less the same, though whether it's authentic is somewhat questionable. In the finale "Endgame" it's revealed [[spoiler:to be fake -- he's really using Bloodbending.]]
** [[spoiler:After being restored by Aang and the rest of her past lives, Korra can also Energybend.]]

* The Sorrow in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater''.

* The Sorrow in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3''.

* ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'' provides an [[LovecraftianSuperpower supremely disturbing]] example in [[TheHeavy Mahito]]: His Cursed Technique, "Idle Transfiguration", allows him to touch the soul of either himself or his victim and alter its shape. Because [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody the shape of the body]] [[InvertedTrope is determined by the shape of the soul]] in this universe, Mahito can radically change a person's biology and physical make-up with just a touch. An ability he uses primarily to transform his unlucky victims into [[HumanArchitectureHorror art]].

* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', half of the setting is this, since Nox Nyxtoires are powered by human souls. Also, the titular [[ArtifactOfDoom BlazBlue/Azure Grimoire]] is this in a nutshell.

[[folder:Visual Novel]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', all the characters use Aura, the physical manifestation of a soul, for a variety of effects. For the most part, Aura is used as a shield to protect and/or heal the characters from blows that would kill an ordinary person, although it also allows them to enhance their physical prowess. You need to focus on your Aura to manifest a shield, and even then it can be shattered by sufficient force. Aura also fuels Semblances, [[OnePersonOnePower special powers unique to each character]]. Once Aura is broken, Semblances can no longer be used, but the level of damage Aura has taken doesn't affect Semblances, suggesting Aura acts as more of a conduit for them than anything.
[[/folder]]

* [[DarkMessiah Lucius Zogratis]] from ''Manga/BlackClover''. His innate magic is Soul Magic, transforming the soul, the source of human life, spirit, and magic, of anyone he [[TheMagicTouch touches]]. He uses it to transform himself and [[spoiler:Sister Lily]] into the angelic "true form of humanity".

* ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'' provides an [[LovecraftianSuperpower supremely disturbing]] example in [[TheHeavy Mahito]]: His Cursed Technique, "Idle Transfiguration", allows him to touch the soul of either himself or his victim and alter it's shape. Because [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody the shape of the body]] [[InvertedTrope is determined by the shape of the soul]] in this universe, Mahito can radically change a person's biology and physical make-up with just a touch. An ability he uses primarily to transform his unlucky victims he into [[HumanArchitectureHorror art]].

* The Cancer saints in ''Manga/SaintSeiya'' have a [[SupernaturalMartialArts cosmo affinity]] and an [[KiManipulation attack spread]] based around summoning or banishing the dead. This means they routinely travel to the underworld, attack with the ghosts of the dead, and are pretty hard to kill. Even Thanatos, the [[TheGrimReaper god of Death]], had a handful and [[spoiler:got [[SealedEvilInACan shoved into a box]].]]

* Several characters in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' have variants of soul power. Yusuke, Genkai, Kuwabara [[spoiler: , and Sensui ]]all have attacks based on "reiki" or spirit energy. Kuwabara also has a [[SpiderSense heightened spirit awareness]]. Kaito [[spoiler: is able to remove souls from bodies by the application of his taboo power.]]
* ''Manga/SoulEater'' characters have Soul wavelength which they can use to resonate with others usually between Meister and Weapon.
** Black*Star and Stein can attack using their soul wavelength without a weapon.
%%* ''Manga/ShamanKing'' obviously

* Natsume of ''Manga/NatsumesBookOfFriends'' has it, which [[ISeeDeadPeople lets him see youkai]], [[MagneticMedium draws youkai to him]] and [[SupernaturallyDeliciousAndNutritious makes him taste good to them]], and [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu lets him punch youkai clear across a room]] even though he only has average strength.
* In ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'', the [[ElementNumberFive fifth branch]] of [[ElementalPowers Shamanism]] is Astral/Spirit Shamanism, which focuses on spells dealing directly with souls and the astral plane. Example spells include blasts of pure astral energy that can actually harm [[TheLegionsOfHell Mazoku]] (which are pretty much immune to other forms of shamanistic offense) and dispelling effects. The form of WhiteMagic has been hinted at by the author as being a specialist form of Astral Shamanism focusing on healing and exorcising.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'', the D'Arby brothers each wield Stands with power over human souls. Daniel J. D'Arby's Stand Osiris can steal human souls when they admit they are defeated and store them in physical objects he can manipulate. His younger brother Telence D. D'Arby's Stand Atum has a broader range of soul powers: he can steal souls after they admit defeat, but can also act even when a soul falters to restrain them, and even read a person's soul to answer yes or no questions.
** In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'', [[spoiler:Chariot Requiem can manipulate the souls of all living beings within a large area, using this ability in such ways as [[FreakyFridayFlip swapping peoples bodies]], turning [[FightingSpirit Stand]] Users' own Stands against them, and, with enough time, [[BodyHorror transforming all living beings in the area into]] {{Humanoid Abomination}}s]].
* ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'' provides an [[LovecraftianSuperpower supremely disturbing]] example in [[TheHeavy Mahito]]: His Cursed Technique, "Idle Transfiguration", allows him to touch the soul of either himself or his victim and alter it's shape. Because [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody the shape of the body]] [[InvertedTrope is determined by the shape of the soul]] in this universe, Mahito can radically change a person's biology and physical make-up with just a touch. An ability he uses primarily to transform his unlucky victims he into [[HumanArchitectureHorror art]].
* Despite it being explained in-universe as a scientific AppliedPhlebotinum, the Void Genome power in ''Anime/GuiltyCrown'' is referred to numerous times as this, as its user can [[YourSoulIsMine temporarily extract]] a [[EquippableAlly physical manifestation]] of a person's [[AnatomyOfTheSoul true, hidden personality.]]
* ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'': Keiji Mogami can control the evil spirits he has absorbed over his lifetime. However, there is a limit to how many he can use at a time.
* [[DarkMessiah Lucius Zogratis]] from ''Manga/BlackClover''. His innate magic is Soul Magic, transforming the soul, the source of human life, spirit, and magic, of anyone he [[TheMagicTouch touches]]. He uses it to transform himself and [[spoiler:Sister Lily]] into the angelic "true form of humanity".

* Thanos from ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour'' has power over souls, and may transfer the soul of someone into another body as a way to reward or punish. He has also shown the ability to project his own presence into the bodies of others, quickly burning them out in the process.

* Comicbook/KidEternity, due to temporarily winding up in Heaven too early, came back with the power to summon spirits of the dead for advice--and, for some reason, also people from mythology. He's a decidedly heroic version of this trope, though Comicbook/PostCrisis he's had a DarkerAndEdgier reboot.

* Hraesvelgr in ''LightNovel/UnlimitedFafnir'' can manifest its soul outside its body, giving it complete immunity to physical attacks. It can also do this to humans, which paralyses them and allows it to consume their souls.

* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' and its [[{{Prequel}} prequel]], ''LightNovel/FateZero'', the Holy Grail [[spoiler:and the true artifact powering it, Greater Grail]] is actually this. It recreates the souls of dead heroes throughout the ages [[spoiler:including from the future,]] and summons them as familiars called Servants. Even the way it grants wish, it materializes the desire inside the Holy Grail War winner's soul and turn it into reality. Makes sense, since the Holy Grail [[spoiler:is actually an attempt to recreate the [[RealityWarper Third True Magic]], whose domain is to materialize and manipulate soul.]]

** There has been a Ghost user in every generation except for Generation VI: Agatha, Morty, Phoebe, Fantina, Shauntal, Acerola, and Allister.

* This applies to every man, woman, faunus, and animal in ''Fanfic/RWBYSecondGeneration''. Just like in the main series, everyone has an aura that is a manifestation of their soul. The kicker? The manifestation is different for every individual.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': All living things on Remnant have a soul, which produces Aura. Once unlocked, Aura can be used passively to [[HealingFactor heal injuries]], act as a [[SuperToughness defensive shield]], and protect against harsh weather conditions. It can be used actively as an [[KiManipulation offensive power]], to manifest a unique [[PersonalityPowers individualised superpower]] known as Semblance, and to enhance [[AppliedPhlebotinum Dust-based weapons and technology]]. A Semblance or even raw Aura can also be combined with Dust to give the user ElementalPowers. Every use of Aura drains it until it shatters upon running out. A person who has lost their Aura must wait for it to [[RegeneratingMana recharge]] before they can use it again. The [[AnimalisticAbomination Creatures of Grimm]] do not possess Aura, which is regarded as proof that they're neither alive nor have a soul.

* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'', [[spoiler:Chariot Requiem can manipulate the souls of all living beings within a large area, using this ability in such ways as [[FreakyFridayFlip swapping peoples bodies]], turning [[FightingSpirit Stand]] Users' own Stands against them, and, with enough time, [[BodyHorror transforming all living beings in the area into]] {{Humanoid Abomination}}s]].

* ''Fanfic/TheLUNAverse'': This is revealed to be Lucian's true semblance in "Blood Moon Rising", which allows him to manipulate aura and copy semblances.