24 Best Anime Fights of All Time

Midoriya Vs. Todoroki (My Hero Academia)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

One of the most recent fights in anime, the showdown between Midoriya Izuku and Todoroki Shoto shows how great a shonen anime fight can be.

Built up over the first half of the series’ second season, their fight for their beliefs on what it means to be a hero culminates in a clash of powers unlike anything the series has brought to the table before.

Limbs are shattered and the arena is decimated as Midoriya launches blast after blast using One For All, while Todoroki creates literal mountains of ice and torrents of flame to counter him.

By the end, both have put their ideals of what it means to be a hero to the test, and the world is irrevocably changed by the birth of two new legendary heroes.

Saitama Vs. Boros (One Punch Man)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

In a world where nothing has survived more than one punch from the protagonist, it’s only natural for the ultimate villain to be the only one capable of surviving such a blow.

Able to regenerate the second he lands his trademark blow, Boros provides a glimpse of the challenge Saitama has longed for throughout the series, taking their fight to new extremes he’s only dreamed of.

Brawling to the moon and back, their exchange ends in the birth of a new, more powerful attack from the hero, as well as a renewed hope that life still holds equals for him to face.

Ed Vs. Father (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

It’s all come down to this. After taking on chimera, homunculi, and genocidal State Alchemists, Edward Elric stands toe-to-toe with Father, the first homunculus.

The fight has come at a price though: Ed’s brother, Alphonse, sacrificed himself to ensure his brother wouldn’t be killed by the all-powerful ringleader, restoring his lost arm at the cost of his soul.

Engulfed in rage, Ed springs full force at Father, unleashing everything from a barrage of iron missiles to flying punches in a final assault on the wannabe god.

It’s the fight fans of the original series had always hoped for, leaving viewers on the edge of their seat all the way to the decisive final blow.

Alucard Vs. Walter (Hellsing Ultimate)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Once an ally of the Count-turned-vampire-hunter Alucard, Walter betrays his friends and family for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kill the immortal Dracula.

Teaming up with the Nazi Vampire forces of Millennium, he bares his razor wire gloves against Alucard in the ruins of London, triggering a bloodbath incomparable to anything ever seen before, even in a series filled with buckets of the crimson liquid.

Both monsters pull out all the stops, leveling buildings as summoned hellhounds tear through the rubble and wires rend demonic flesh at a breakneck pace.

Fans of gore, monsters, or over-the-top battles didn’t, and still don’t, leave this fight disappointed.

Akira Vs. Ryo (Devilman Crybaby)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Building to a crescendo by the end of the series, the tensions between the two former friends boil over by the last episode as Ryo’s actions result in the end of the world and the death of Akira’s loved ones.

Seeing no other course of action, the two meet for one last world-shattering battle: Akira as the vessel of the devil Amon, and Ryo as the fallen angel Lucifer.

Each leading their own demonic armies, the two rend the earth, sea, and sky with their struggle, sending each other flying across the planet with meteoric punches and space-tearing energy blasts.

When the dust settles, nothing remains except for the remains of two former friends left to watch the end of the world together. This is all done in the same striking art style as the rest of the show, presenting a visceral treat for any who see it.

Nanashi Vs. Luo-Lang (Sword of the Stranger)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Where other series take their fights to cosmic scales of insanity, Sword of the Stranger captivates with how it makes a realistic and grounded clash of steel feel visceral.

Standing in the ruins of an occult ritual, the only obstacle between the wandering swordsman Nanashi and his friends reaching safety is Luo-Lang, the leader of a band of assassins who have pursued them across Japan.

Both master swordsmen in their own right, the action never lets up once it begins, with slashes, stabs, and counters flying out like machine gun fire.

It’s a testament to how impressive a properly animated fight can look, and still stands as one of the most gorgeous battles ever animated even a decade later.

Team Gurren Vs. The Anti-Spiral (Gurren Lagann)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

The sky was always the limit with Gurren Lagann, which took its fights higher and higher in scale with each passing arc.

By the series’ end though, they rocketed past the sky and into space, taking on the villainous Anti-Spiral in a mech the size of creation.

The two hurl galaxies at each other, fire off blasts with the same energy as the Big Bang, and clash with drills that could tear through entire universes with ease.

With animation and fluidity on par with films, it’s exactly what the final battle of Gurren Lagann should have been, and continues to lend credence to the phrase “ridiculously cool.”

Gon Vs. Pitou (Hunter X Hunter)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Built up over the course of several months of the storyline, this fight was destined to be decidedly brutal.

After Pitou kills his former mentor Kite, Gon is hellbent on delivering vengeance against the battle-crazed chimera ant, to the point where his sanity is taken to the very edge.

The only thing saving him is the hope that Pitou can reverse what they’ve done and revive Kite, and once she tells him it’s impossible, his rage awakens his dormant power.

Animated in a stark, rough style compared to the rest of the show, viewers feel each crippling strike Gon lands on Pitou. It’s equal parts terrifying and hypnotizing, and well worth the build-up to this landmark shonen anime brawl.

Takamura Vs. Bryan Hawk (Hajime No Ippo: New Challenger)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Don’t let the series’ genre fool you. This boxing anime has fights that can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone, especially this nail-biter from the second season.

One of the main characters of the Hajime No Ippo series, Takamura’s world title match holds high stakes.

Not only does he have to prove to his coach that all the effort they’d put into training was worth it, but he has to silence the boisterous and violent villain of a champion, Bryan Hawk, once and for all.

Punches are delivered with crisp animation that makes you feel the impact, and the ways in which characters’ emotions are portrayed lend further weight to each scene.

Constantly teetering back and forth with who has the upper hand, viewers will find themselves fully absorbed by the tension of each down and jumping for joy when the last punch is delivered.

Naruto Vs. Sasuke (Naruto Shippuden)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

The final fight between Naruto and Sasuke was always going to have the odds stacked against it. Hyped up for years in openings, story hints, and fan speculation, it was almost impossible for it to live up to fan expectations when it finally aired.

And yet, it surpassed them. Boasting some of the cleanest animation in the series, or even in anime, this battle between two super-powered shinobi was a treat to the eyes and validation to years of fandom.

Shadow clones swarmed, Amaterasu scorched the earth, and Rasengan clashed with Chidori until finally, the fight turned into a bare-knuckle brawl in the mud.

It’s a truly satisfying end to the bitter rivalry between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, and proof that few, if any, other mediums can present a fight in the same way that anime can.

Gohan Vs. Cell (Dragon Ball Z)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

In a series filled to the brim with iconic fights that have shaped the shonen genre itself, the battle between Gohan and Cell stands as the best.

From the moment Goku surrenders and offers his son the chance to unleash his powers in full, each hit and goad by Cell against Gohan feels like it’s building to a grand climax until finally, Gohan snaps.

Gone is the calm and gentle boy who doesn’t want to hurt anyone or anything, and in his place is an unstoppable force of Super Saiyan rage.

What follows is the essence of what makes Dragon Ball Z great, from the rapid-fire exchanges of blows to the final, do-or-die Kame-hame-ha blast launched by father and son.

Ichigo Vs. Aizen (Bleach)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Among the many foes Ichigo Kurosaki faces during his tenure as a Soul Reaper, Sōsuke Aizen is by far the most cunning and dangerous.

Staging the creation of the Hollow-infected Vizards, the attempted execution of Ichigo’s friend Rukia and the full-on assault by the Arrancars, he carefully and meticulously takes down any and every obstacle between him and the pursuit of power, dragging Ichigo and those he cares about into the fray as a result.

As such, it’s no surprise that the two’s final confrontation is charged with all of the anger and malice that has built up between the two over the course of their relationship. And with the fate of the world on the line no less.

Each sword strike, block, and special ability threatens to tear the world asunder, and by the end, it becomes clear that neither will walk away from the encounter unscathed.

It’s arguably the best the series has to offer, and one of the best anime has had the pleasure of claiming to facilitate.

Spike Spiegel Vs. Vicious (Cowboy Bebop)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Once comrades in arms for a crime syndicate, Spike Spiegel and Vicious are on less than ideal terms throughout the series.

Torn apart by a sordid love triangle, it comes to a head when Julia, the recipient of their affections, is marked for death and killed by Vicious’ men before Spike can get her to safety.

Broken, tired, and deadset on vengeance, Spike decides to make a suicidal assault on Vicious’ headquarters, tearing through his henchmen before setting on his old friend.

Clashing with sword and gun in rapid succession, the two’s battle is short, sweet, and decisive, resulting in an ending to the series that is well worth its notoriety.

Eren Vs. Reiner (Attack on Titan)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Despite being a gory fantasy shonen about massive monsters eating people, Attack on Titan delivers one of the most grounded and technically impressive fights in anime via its second season.

After it is revealed Reiner is the Armored Titan in disguise, Eren launches into his titan mode to take the behemoth traitor down.

It becomes quickly apparent, however, that the Armored Titan’s size and defenses render his usual attacks useless, forcing him to get creative and tactical with every move he makes.

Utilizing weight distribution, proper arm locks, takedowns, and the environment itself, the fight turns from the usual “punch each other until someone passes out” fare into a truly impressive display of how one would, and should, address a close-quarters battle.

Kiritsugu Vs. Kirei (Fate Zero)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

The two wild cards of their Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu and Kirei’s clash is enough to put those between the many heroes of legend to shame.

The last of the masters left alive after the bloody conflict, each brings their all to the final encounter at the doorstep of the Grail’s birth. Kiritsugu, wielding time manipulation magic, puts his life on the line to place every shot and explosive in the exact right position, while Kirei uses his almost inhuman physical abilities to attempt to crush Kiritsugu into a paste.

This is only enhanced by the chess-like strategic analysis each brings to the fray, making each move and its counter-move feel exact, precise, and maximized in its deadly intent.

Jotaro Vs. Dio (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

A confrontation that was generations in the making, Jotaro’s battle with the stand-equipped vampire Dio is one for the ages.

Armed with world-breaking powers and an even distribution of Deus Ex Machina, both combatants throw chaotic attacks at one another in rapid succession.

For every rain of punches delivered by Jotaro’s Star Platinum, Dio’s The World matches it with a barrage of time-altered blows of his own.

For every steam roller hurled by Dio with the intent of crushing Jotaro into nothing, Jotaro returns it with the discovery of his own split-second dashes through halted time to survive.

It’s zany, nonsensical, and more than a little reliant on happenstance, but it’s a blast to watch through to the end all the same.

Mugen and Jin Vs. Kagetoki and Toube (Samurai Champloo)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

Though these are technically two different fights, the two are intertwined enough to contribute toward the same, perfect conclusion.

Separated by two different factions out to kill the wandering samurai, both are forced to tap into their skills like never before to survive.

Mugen must utilize his break-dancing sword style to avoid chains, blades, and projectiles in rapid succession, while Jin must predict and dodge strike after strike from a master swordsman with years more experience than him.

By the end, both are bettered, bloodied, and bruised, but still alive enough strength left to try and confront each other for one last bout.

Full Armor Gundam Vs. Psycho Zaku (Gundam Thunderbolt)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

There are many phenomenal fights in the long and storied history of the Gundam series, but the battle between the Full Armor Gundam and the Psycho Zaku in Thunderbolt stands out most.

Decked out in heaps of experimental tech and weapons, each is at the top of the line for its army’s scientific research, built for the sole purpose of taking down any and all opposition.

It shows in the battle between the two as well, with each blast or movement matched by an equally well-placed decision on the opposing side’s part.

What clinches this battle’s greatness, though, is the fact that neither pilot is the supposed hero.

Both have people they need to return home to and reasons to survive, and with each landed blow, it feels less like just an exciting battle between state-of-the-art mechs, and more like a clash between two humans hoping to survive.

Shinichi Vs. Gotou (Parasyte the Maxim)

Best Anime Fights of All Time

After months of searching out and uncovering alien life forms that have taken over humans to spark an invasion of earth, Shinichi is tracked down by a collective of these parasites intent on eliminating him.

Faster, stronger, and infinitely more skilled in the use of their abilities than he is, the odds are heavily stacked against his survival and force him to get creative by using stealth and the environment to his advantage.

Perfectly paced, heart-pounding, and topped off by an excellent climactic exchange, this fight perfectly rounds out the series and is an excellent example of how to change up the framework of a series’ fights even in the eleventh hour.

Tanjiro and Nezuko Vs. Rui (Demon Slayer)

Demon Slayer took the anime world by storm when it started airing in 2019. Viewers soon found themselves obsessed with its fluid animation and unique art style.

The fight between Demon Slayer-in-training Tanjiro, his demon sister Nezuko, and Demon Moon Rui put that celebrated animation on display and cranked the action up to 11. Tanjiro switches up his breathing technique from water to fire in spectacular fashion as he faces his most powerful opponent yet.

The soundtrack, emotions, and sibling team-up resonated with fans so much that the show trended on Twitter soon after the episode containing the fight was released.

Yuji and Nobara Vs. Eso and Kechizu (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Much like Demon Slayer in 2019, Jujutsu Kaisen has had viewers wanting more and more from the minute it started airing in 2020. Itadori Yuji and Kugisaki Nobara are first-years at Jujutsu Tech, where they learn to exorcise Curses using special powers known as Cursed Techniques.

All that time spent learning throughout the show’s first season is on full display in its final episode as Jujutsu Sorcerers Yuji and Nobara take on Cursed Wombs Eso and Kechizu.

The two students show all of the growth that they’ve undergone in a flashy, fast-paced brawl. They fight through poison and pain with perfect teamwork, perform a dual Black Flash, and show exactly why they get nominated for a rank increase by their upperclassmen.

Naruto and Sasuke Vs. Momoshiki (Boruto)

No matter how you may feel about Boruto, this sequel series has given us some of the best fights in the entire franchise. They’re so good that they can be seen as some of the very best that the shonen genre has to offer. Naruto and Sasuke vs. Momoshiki is one of those fights.

Despite this duo being on the same team for almost the entirety of the original series, this is one of the few times that we actually see Naruto and Sasuke going all-out against the same enemy — and it’s amazing.

There’s a great mix of taijutsu and ninjutsu, with callbacks to memorable moments from the original Naruto, including tricks used against Zabuza, moves first seen against Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, and more. This fight is one of the best you’ll ever see in anime and it’s a must-watch, especially for longtime Naruto fans.

Tengen, Tanjiro, Inosuke &, Zenitsu Vs. Daki & Gyutaro (Demon Slayer)

Even if you don’t like the story or characters of Demon Slayer, there is no denying that its animation and fight choreography is top-notch. As such, it makes complete sense that it has multiple entries on this list, and that one of them is Tengen, Tanjiro, Inosuke &, Zenitsu Vs. Daki & Gyutaro.

Across multiple episodes, this fight features a myriad of twists and turns, including the reveal that two people are actually the Upper Rank Six demon, Daki and Gyutaro, and that they are siblings. Each one of these characters contains unique abilities that really allow the team at Ufotable to go nuts when creating fight scenes.

Daki’s colorful and constricting clothes make for an endless array of movement flowing across the screen, while the sharpness and speed of Gyutaro’s sickle create devastating scenes painted with blood. Combine all of this with all the elemental effects and techniques that the Demon Slayers have at their disposal, and it makes for one of the craziest fights in all of anime.

with one able to shoot out deadly and constricting clothes and the other able to

That does it for the best anime fights of all time. Which ones are your favorites? Let us know in the comments down below!