Best Anime Battles Ever, Ranked

Anime is filled with big, bombastic battle scenes. It’s one of the first things that come to mind when defining the medium. Fight scenes resolve conflict 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 one more time?

Some anime battles serve as the defining moment where a good series becomes legendary. Others transcend the show, impacting the entire medium as a whole. Here are some of the most thrilling ones. This is what the edge of your seat was made for.

10

Goku VS Piccolo Jr.

Dragon Ball

The climactic final confrontation in the original Dragon Ball series, Goku’s battle with Piccolo Jr. was the peak of his character development. Facing the reincarnation of King Piccolo, Goku pulls out all the stops 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 didn’t just leave an indelible mark on the shounen genre and popularize anime worldwide; it taught life lessons.

9

Eva Unit 01 VS Zeruel

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Evangelion is a deeply unhappy anime; the climactic battle between Unit 01 and Zeruel is the point of no return. Forced once again to get in the robot to defend NERV headquarters, Shinji loses his nerve completely. His Eva gets wrecked by the seemingly unstoppable angel, whose shield renders it immune.

No longer controlled by its timid pilot, the Eva itself goes berserk and tears the angel apart, devouring it like a rabid chimpanzee. Its roars reverberate through the night, signifying the end of hope.

8

Saitama VS Boros

One Punch Man

Anime enjoyed a second surge in popularity in the 2010s, and One Punch Man was at the forefront. When this comedic tale of a superhero who was so powerful he was bored wasn’t making us cackle; it was taking our breath away with its stellar animation.

Give Boros some credit: he’s one of the few villains who got Saitama to throw more than one punch at all. No matter how hard he tries, 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 gorgeous animation, Boros. Next!

7

Yuji And Todo VS Hanami

Jujutsu Kaisen

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

Yuji and Todo face an arrogant cursed spirit: during their mid-battle banter, Todo learns that Yuji loves tall women, too. Immediately declaring Yuji his best friend, he creates a stylish new move where he and Yuji can switch places and keep Hanami off guard until they beat him into the dust. We could all use a bro like Todo.

6

Goku vs Frieza

Dragon Ball Z

No anime battle has had more impact on the shounen genre than this one. Aboard the planet Namek, Goku and Frieza fight relentlessly for enough episodes to fill out an entire season arc. There was a reason for this: they needed to give Akira Toriyama more time to write the manga, as the anime adaptation had nearly 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 then has 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 films, its triumph came here. Once a regular contender, Karasuno High’s volleyball team had languished to the point that nobody showed up to their matches anymore. Shiratorizawa, on the other hand, was the team to beat.

Led by the ace spiker Ushijima, Shiratorizawa is confident in their 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 animes will struggle to recreate the emotional intensity of this match.

4

Simon VS The Anti-Spiral

Gurren Lagann

For whatever reason, Gurren Lagann is often forgotten. There’s not much discourse about it now, and it doesn’t make many top-ten lists (though 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 still yet to be surpassed in scale.

Simon’s mecha grows to half the size of the observable universe as he and the Anti-Spiral duke it out for the final say in humanity’s freedom. Entire galaxies are thrown, laws of physics are bent and broken, and the Super Galaxy Gurren Lagann proves beyond all 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 fight between her and Eren’s Attack Titan, is a pivotal moment in the series.

This fight isn’t just thrilling because of its gorgeous animation and the excitement of seeing two titans clash. It’s filled with emotion: the Survey Corps confront their traitor, cutting off her escape once Eren gets the upper hand.

2

Tanjiro And Nezuko VS Rui

Demon Slayer

When people talk about Ufotable, they’re thinking about Demon Slayer. When they praise Demon Slayer’s animation, this is the fight they’re thinking of. This anime is a cultural phenomenon, and its nineteenth episode earned it that status. While Demon Slayer kept excelling, its greatest moment is a testament to sibling bonds.

With the spidery antagonist effortlessly gaining the advantage and taunting his family, Tanjiro is faced with the challenge the Twelve Kizuki present. Memories of his father enable him to switch powers, and Nezuko uses her blood to render Rui’s webs impotent. The fight ends in a flurry of crimson flame, fading to the credits over a beautiful theme song.

1

All Might VS All For One

My Hero Academia

The greatest fight in My Hero Academia, and in all of anime, is the final battle between All Might and his archnemesis, All For One. All Might is the symbol of peace, the one everyone pins their hopes on. All For One, true to his name, wants everything for himself: he’s the ultimate villain.

Due to a stomach injury, All Might had been getting weaker for some time now, hiding it from the public. The fight takes so much out of him that he can’t keep up his strong appearance anymore. Stripped of his invincible image, even the spectators doubt All Might. All For One mocks the dying hero, breaking his frail body.

When all seems lost, All Might uses up the last of his power to deliver the United States of Smash. He lifts his fist skyward one last time, bringing his pupil Midoriya to tears. All Might kept evil at bay for one more day, even if he had nothing left to give. This is as good as it gets. As a fan of anime, you couldn’t ask for more.