One of the best parts about watching anime is the fight sequences. Watching your favorite characters go up against antagonists is always thrilling. Plus, the story and narratives behind each fight are always fun to explore. So, here are the 14 best anime fights you’ll never forget.
14. Midoriya vs. Todoroki – My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia has had its fair share of fights, but the final tournament fight between two classmates, Midoriya and Todoroki, is on another level. This is not a fight between good and bad; it’s a fight for approval and standing for your ideals.
On one side, Midoriya, who recently got One for All, is still struggling to control it. While All Might is mentoring him, Midoriya still feels burdened with inheriting a quirk such as One For All. On the other side, Todoroki is fighting his battles, including his traumatic upbringing and the pressure to prove that he doesn’t need his father’s quirk to be a hero.
All of this combined resulted in a fight that was pure bliss to watch. It was a battle between the students of the top two heroes of that time, All Might and Endeavour, and is one that fans won’t forget, even after the manga has ended.
Watch: My Hero Academia
13. Guts vs. Griffith – Berserk
“Your life, your death, they are both mine.”
This snow-covered duel between Guts and Griffith is brief but profoundly significant. After serving the Band of the Hawk for years, Guts finds himself spiraling into an existential crisis. He decides to leave his comrades to carve his path. However, Griffith is an iron-willed leader, and he won’t let Guts go so easily. He challenges Guts to a duel, allowing him to leave if he wins.
Guts’ wish to be free is strong, but so is Griffith’s ideology of control and dominance. To Griffith, Guts is more than a comrade – he’s a vital piece of his grand ambitions. The clash represents a deeper conflict between individual freedom and destiny, not just a physical struggle. In one fast and decisive strike, Guts defeats Griffith to break from his past. This shatters the foundation of their past and sends Griffith spiraling into desperation. It’s a pivotal moment that marks the end of an era and foreshadows the dark path that lies ahead for both characters.
If you’ve seen the anime, you know what happens next, and it’s not pretty. The Eclipse is one of the mortifying events in any anime or manga, and this duel sets in motion the series of events that lead up to it.
Watch: Berserk
12. Uzui, Tanjiro, Inosuke & Zenitsu vs. Gyutaro & Daki – Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer continues to produce some of the most visually appealing fights every season. Whether it’s Nezuko and Tanjiro vs. Rui or the Stone Hashira vs. Muzan, all of them are pure eye candy.
However, none of them compare to the level of the Entertainment District Arc’s final battle. The clash between Uzui, Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu and Gyutaro and Daki is one of the best fights the anime has produced.
It’s the beautiful animation, amazing fight choreography, and the dramatic sound design; all of these factors combined resulted in a spectacle of a fight.
Watch: Demon Slayer
11. Naruto & Sasuke vs. Momoshiki – Boruto
No anime has had as high of expectations as Boruto. However, while the start was a bit shaky, the anime delivered a final battle that fans will remember.
The fight between Naruto and Sasuke and Momoshiki was pure nostalgia and a testament to how strong our favorite characters had gotten. Plus, a long period of not seeing them on screen made the fight even more exhilarating.
Both Naruto and Sasuke went all out trying to defeat an Ohtsutsuki, a literal god in the franchise. It also gave a chance for Boruto to shine and understand the responsibilities Naruto carries and the struggles he faced to become the Hokage.
All in all, the entire fight was amazing – the animation, the sound design, and the choreography were all near perfect.
Watch: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
10. Sukuna vs. Jogo – Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Shibuya Incident Arc has made a lot of fans traumatized. From watching some of their favorite characters die to Gojo being sealed, the entire arc was just a big loss to the sorcerors. However, it did result in some of the best fights in the entire show.
While some might argue that Mahito vs. Yuji might be the better fight, Sukuna and Jogo’s fight had another level of chaos that the previous one didn’t have. It showcased how brutal and strong Sukuna can get if not under control. The aftermath of the battle was the destruction of most of Shibuya
It also put the spotlight on Jogo, who, until that point, was a joke after Gojo fought with him. It goes to show how strong Jogo truly was. All in all, the entire fight is something fans of the show will never forget.
Watch: Jujutsu Kaisen
9. Netero vs. Meruem – Hunter X Hunter
Hunter X Hunter’s Chimera Ant Arc is considered one of the best arcs in the show, and this fight was the conclusion of the story. Meruem, up until this point, looked unbeatable, literally toying with some of the strongest hunters. Most fans thought Netero had no chance against the monster Meruem was.
However, the fight showed what it meant to be the head of the Hunter’s Association. Although Netero lost the battle, he pulled off a final suicidal attack. Not to mention, Netero’s 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva is one of the coolest Nen abilities in Hunter x Hunter.
Watch: Hunter x Hunter
8. Takamura vs. Hawk – Hajime No Ippo
You can’t disrespect the trainer of one of the strongest boxers in Hajime no Ippo and get away with it. This was the case with Hawks and Takamura. While Takamura was always portrayed as calm and collected, Hawks crossed the boundary by abusing his teacher. The fight was set, and Takamura had only one goal: to knock out the Hawks.
But it wasn’t as easy as Takamura hoped. Hawk’s unusual boxing style caught Takamura off-guard, and he got pummeled for the first half of the fight. Plus, he also messed up his weight reduction and lost too much weight, making him weaker.
But even with all these disadvantages, Takamura still managed to put on a strong fight. Each of them exchanged blows, and you couldn’t tell who was going to win. The fight concluded with Takamura landing a knockout punch on Hawk, ending the fight. For a show that’s all about fighting, this duel is one of the best Hajime no Ippo offers.
Watch: Hajime No Ippo: The Fighting!
7. Scar vs. Bradley – FMAB
Scar vs. Bradley was one of the most anticipated fights in the entirety of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (FMAB). Bradley (Wrath) had the power to see a fight’s conclusion before it even started, making him extremely powerful.
Meanwhile, Scar had alchemy tattoos on his hand, allowing him to destroy and reconstruct anything he touches and making him a dangerous foe to fight against. The entire duel was filled with great animation and dialogue. While FMAB had a lot of iconic fights, this one takes the top spot.
Watch: Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
6. Ichigo vs. Ulquiorra – Bleach
It’s always exciting to see the main character lose control and tap into his monstrous power. That was very much the case for Ichigo during his fight with Ulquiorra. While Ichigo had trained to control this power using the Hollow Mask, Ulquirroa pushed him to limits he had never seen before.
Ulquirroa’s first release almost killed Ichigo at his strongest, so there was no way Ichigo was winning this fight. The second release managed to kill him. However, it was death that finally allowed the Hollow inside Ichigo to break loose, unleashing a form that was as strong as it was cool.
Even with his extremely strong powers, Ulquirroa struggled to keep up with Ichigo, getting hit left and right. Ultimately, Ulquirroa loses the fight but has a change of heart, making his death a bittersweet ending.
Watch: Bleach
5. Rock Lee vs. Gara – Naruto
It’s always interesting to see the battle between hard work and talent, and that was the case for Rock Lee vs. Gara.
One could not perform any ninjutsu and trained hard every day in taijutsu to keep up with his friends, while the other had a tailed beast inside of him, capable of destroying cities.
The fight started as expected, with Gara having the upper hand. It wasn’t until Guy asked Rock Lee to lose his training weights that things changed. Most of the characters expected the weights to be nothing special, a few pounds at max. However, that wasn’t the case, as Rock Lee was fighting with extremely heavy weights.
Losing the only disadvantage Rock Lee had, he became lightning fast. Gara’s sand wasn’t able to keep up with it, and he was getting hit left and right.
While Rock Lee lost, he managed to show what true hard work is capable of and instill fear in an enemy who had never seen defeat before.
Watch: Naruto
4. Dio vs. Jotaro – JoJo’s Stardust Crusaders
It’s no surprise that JoJo’s has had countless anime fights over its long run. But no battle is as iconic as Dio vs. Jotaro.
“Stardust Crusaders” is considered to be the best JoJo’s part by a lot of fans. While some might disagree, they have to admit it’s at least the most iconic. The part’s conclusion was the ultimate fight between the Jotaro Kujo and Dio Brando, ending the rivalry that started with his great grandfather, Jonathan Joestar.
Dio could stop time for five seconds, making it look like Jotaro had no chance. However, out of the blue, Jotaro manages to unlock this ability as well. Whether it was the Joestar bloodline that inherited this ability or just JoJo’s being JoJo’s, the plot twist was one no one ever expected. And what followed is a classic JoJo’s brawl we all know and love.
Watch: JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure
3. Luffy vs. Kaido – One Piece
Luffy has had his fair share of enemies during One Piece. While he had near-death fights with a lot of characters, such as Rob Lucci and Doflamingo, none came close to Kaido.
When Luffy stepped into the Land of Wano, he had only one goal: to free the land from the clutches of Kaido. But it wasn’t as easy as Luffy or any of the Straw Hats expected, with them getting beat down multiple times. During the last skirmish, Kaido manages to land a fatal blow, killing Luffy – or that’s what he thought.
It was at this point one of the wildest plot twists in anime history was revealed. The fruit Luffy ate was actually Hito Hito no Mi: Model Nika, not the Gum-Gum Fruit, meaning he had the powers of Joy Boy.
The entire sequence of Luffy resurrecting and unlocking Gear Five was the biggest anime moment in 2023. For the rest of the battle, Luffy played with Kaido; it wasn’t even a fair fight.
Watch: One Piece
2. Goku vs. Frieza – Dragon Ball Z
Goku’s first Super Saiyan transformation is one for the history books. While the actual fight between our favorite Saiyan and one of the most iconic anime villains spans multiple drawn-out episodes, it’s all worth it in the end. After watching his childhood friend Krillin get brutally murdered, Goku’s rage explodes, unlocking a power unseen before in the Dragon Ball saga.
As Goku turns Super Saiyan, the fight transforms into an all-out brawl where Goku gives Frieza the fight of his life. The sheer scale of destruction, intense visuals, and Frieza’s cruel actions amplify the tension even more.
Goku has the upper hand for a while, but Frieza decides to damage the core planet Namek out of desperation. Even then, it’s not enough to beat the greatest fighter in the Dragon Ball universe.
It’s more than just a fight about power – it’s a clash of wills. Frieza refuses to dial back his viciousness, but Goku is determined to end his reign of terror once and for all. The Frieza Saga is not only peak Dragon Ball but peak shonen.
Watch: Dragon Ball Z
1. Kakashi vs. Obito – Naruto
All the anime fights mentioned until now are ones that fans will always remember. But if there is a perfect anime fight, it’s Kakashi vs. Obito. You could argue the final battle between Sasuke and Naruto might be the best the show can offer, but Kakashi vs. Obito had everything down.
The entire narrative is about two friends fighting for the one they love. Obito started an entire war to avenge his love, Rin, while Kakashi had to sacrifice the same girl to protect the entire village.
This feud is amplified by the animation and sound design of the anime. There was no dialogue during the entirety of the fight and no music. It was complete silence, revealing what this fight meant to each character. It also showed how well they knew each other, predicting each other’s moves easily and counter-attacking.
The fight kept the transition between the main fight and the duel they had as Genin, which was just beautiful to watch. Finally, the battle manages to convince Obito of his wrongdoings, and Kakashi gets to knock some sense into his old buddy.
In short, the fight was a spectacle to watch and has cemented itself as the best anime fight ever animated.
Watch: Naruto
And those are the 14 best anime fights you’ll never forget.
Published: Sep 12, 2024 08:17 am