Best Anime Battles Ever, Ranked

Anime is filled with big, bombastic battle scenes. It is one of the first things that comes to mind when defining the medium. Fight scenes resolve conflicts between characters in spectacular fashion, often showcasing the best animation a series has to offer. Emotions run high as we root for the heroes: can the power of friendship trump evil once again?

Some anime battles serve as the defining moment where a good series becomes legendary. Others transcend the show and affect the entire medium as a whole. Here are some of the most exciting. This is what the edge of your chair is made for.

10

Goku VS Piccolo Jr.

Dragon Ball

The final confrontation in the original Dragon Ball series, Goku's fight with Piccolo Jr., was the pinnacle of his character development. Faced with the reincarnation of King Piccolo, Goku does everything to win the World Martial Arts Tournament and save the world from Namekian rule.

A lot of Dragon Ball was Akira Toriyama making it up as he went along, but Goku losing the tournament twice before winning was always planned to show readers the importance of perseverance. Dragon Ball not only left an indelible mark on the shounen genre and popularized anime worldwide; it taught life lessons.

9

Eva Unit 01 VS Zeruel

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Evangelion is a deeply unfortunate anime; the climactic battle between Unit 01 and Zeruel is the point of no return. Forced once again to enter the robot to defend NERV headquarters, Shinji completely loses his temper. His Eve is destroyed by the seemingly unstoppable angel, whose shield makes it immune.

Evan, no longer controlled by his timid pilot, goes berserk and tears the Angel apart, devouring it like a rabid chimpanzee. Its roar echoes through the night, signifying the end of hope.

8

Saitama VS Boros

One Punch Man

Anime experienced a second surge in popularity in the 2010s, and One Punch Man was at the forefront. When this comical tale of a superhero so powerful he was bored didn't make us giggle; it took our breath away with its amazing animation.

Give Boros some credit: he's one of the few villains who made Saitama land more than one punch at all. Try as he might, he can't make a dent in Saitama's shiny bald head. Once the hero breaks out his Serious Punch, it's over for him. Thanks for the wonderful animation, Boros. Next!

7

Yuji And Todo VS Hanami

Jujutsu Kaisen

After Attack on Titan took anime's first victory as the most in-demand TV series in the world, it passed the torch to Jujutsu Kaisen, which has held it ever since. With battles like this, it's easy to see why. This isn't the most high stakes battle, but it's definitely one of the most memorable.

Yuji and Todo encounter an arrogant cursed spirit: during their mid-battle banter, Todo learns that Yuji loves tall women too. He immediately declares Yuji as his best friend and creates a neat new move where he and Yuji can switch places and keep Hanami at bay until they knock him into the dust. We could all use a brother like Todo.

6

Goku vs Frieza

Dragon Ball Z

No anime battle has had a greater impact on the shounen genre than this one. Aboard the planet Namek, Goku and Frieza battle relentlessly for enough episodes to fill an entire season arc. There was a reason for this: they needed to give Akira Toriyama more time to write the manga, since the anime adaptation had almost caught up.

All that waiting paid off when Goku broke out his Super Saiyan transformation, one of the most memorable moments in anime. Every shounen anime since has had to compete with this battle to have its own iconic moment.

5

Karasuno High VS Shiratorizawa Academy

Haikyuu

Haikyuu is an underdog story, and although the anime continues for another season and concluding movies, its triumph came here. Once a regular contender, Karasuno High's volleyball team had weakened to the point that no one showed up to their games anymore. Shiratorizawa on the other hand was the team to beat.

Led by ace Ushijima, Shiratorizawa is confident of victory. But through hard training and an indomitable fighting spirit, Hinata and his teammates manage to turn the tables and become the little team that could. Future sports anime will struggle to recreate the emotional intensity of this match.

4

Simon VS The Anti-Spiral

Gurren Lagann

For some reason Gurren Lagann is often forgotten. There isn't much discussion about it now, and it doesn't make many top-ten lists (although it does on TheGamer.) This is a mistake. Gurren Lagann is one of the best anime of all time. Its final battle encapsulates a shounen epic that has yet to be surpassed in scope.

Simon's mecha grows to half the size of the observable universe as he and the Anti-Spiral Duke take the final say in humanity's freedom. Entire galaxies are thrown, the laws of physics are bent and broken, and the super galaxy Gurren Lagann proves beyond doubt that nothing is stronger than the human spirit.

3

Attack Titan vs Female Titan

Attack on Titan

The Survey Corps' first confrontation with the Female Titan was terrifying. The moment she covered her neck with her hand to protect herself, you knew: Titans could think. It made humanity's situation seem all the more hopeless. Her capture, after an intense hand-to-hand battle between her and Eren's Attack Titan, is a defining moment in the series.

This fight is not only exciting because of its wonderful animation and the thrill of seeing two titans face off. It's filled with emotion: the Survey Corps confronts its traitor and interrupts her escape as Eren gains the upper hand.

2

Tanjiro And Nezuko VS Rui

Demon Slayer

When people talk about Ufotable, they think of Demon Slayer. When they praise Demon Slayer's animation, this is the fight they have in mind. This anime is a cultural phenomenon, and its nineteenth episode gave it that status. While Demon Slayer continued to excel, its greatest moment is a testament to the bond of siblings.

With the spider-like antagonist effortlessly gaining the advantage and taunting his family, Tanjiro is faced with the challenge presented by the twelve Kizuki. Memories of his father allow him to switch powers, and Nezuko uses her blood to render Rui's webs impotent. The fight ends in a flurry of red flames, which fade to the credits over a beautiful theme song.

1

All Might VS All For One

My Hero Academia

The biggest fight in My Hero Academia, and in the entire anime, is the final fight between All Might and his archenemy, All For One. All Might is the symbol of peace, the one in whom everyone puts their hope. All For One, true to his name, wants everything for himself: he is the ultimate villain.

Due to a stomach injury, All Might had been weakened for a while now and hid it from the public. The fight takes so much out of him that he can no longer keep up his strong appearance. Stripped of his invincible image, even the spectators doubt All Might. All For One taunts the dying hero and crushes his frail body.

When all seems lost, All Might uses up the last of his power to free Smash's United States. He raises his fist to the sky one last time, bringing his student Midoriya to tears. All Might kept the evil at bay for another day, even though he had nothing left to give. This is as good as it gets. As a fan of anime, you couldn't ask for more.