Top 30 Anime Fights Of The Century (So Far)
Script written by Garrett Alden
Top 30 Anime Fights of the Century So Far
Top 10 Anime Fights of 2022
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 30 anime fight scenes of the 21st century thus far.
#30: Natsu vs. Sting & Rogue
Top 10 Fairy Tail Fights (Ft. Todd Haberkorn - Voice of Natsu!)
“Fairy Tail” (2009-19)
The Grand Magic Games in this show has plenty of exciting fights. Indeed, this one begins as a 2v2 with Gajeel and Natsu matched against their fellow Dragon Slayers from the Sabertooth Guild, Sting and Rogue. However, to get back at their cocky opponents, Natsu sends Gajeel off alone and decides to solo the duo himself! Despite Sting and Rogue entering the powerful Dragon Force state and throwing their most powerful combo attacks at him, Natsu easily overcomes it all. After seeing Sabertooth look down on Fairy Tail, seeing Natsu flex all over 2 of their strongest fighters for minutes on end is incredibly satisfying.
#29: Bojji vs. Bosse
“Ranking of Kings” (2021-)
Bojji is the adorable prince protagonist of this show. Initially, his deaf/mute status had few people believing in him. However, by the time his literally giant dad Bosse has possessed his brother Daida, everyone is behind Bojji. When Bosse’s former retainers refuse to follow him, Bojji fights to protect them. Faced with the image of his titanic father, Bojji dodges Bosses’s immensely powerful blows, all while whittling down his club until it’s mere splinters! The incredibly fluid animation, as well as Bojji triumphing against all odds makes this a stirring and exciting, if rather short, fight.
#28: Dai vs. Vearn
Top 10 Anime Fights Everyone Needs To Watch
“Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai” (2020-22)
As the final conflict of “Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai,” Dai and Vearn’s confrontation has the weight of the entire series behind it. The young hero and the Dark King’s clash spans a dozen episodes and sees both combatants go through multiple power-ups, use several ultimate moves, and their combat even takes them to outer space! Finally, Dai uses his sword to slice Vearn in two, defeating the villain and triumphing at what he set out to do! It’s a classic shonen final battle, but it’s executed nearly to perfection!
#27: Eva-01 vs. Zeruel
Top 10 Anime Fights of 2021
“Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance” (2009)
When Rei is consumed by the titanic Angel Zeruel, Shinji decides to be brave (for a change) and rushes to defeat Zeruel and rescue her. Despite his impressive resolve and some even more impressive animation, Shinji’s Eva Unit runs out of power. At least, until the enormous mecha responds to Shinji’s anger, and goes berserk. It manages to overpower the Angel, allowing Shinji to reach inside to rescue Rei. And sure, the result of the fight may be the apocalyptic Third Impact, potentially dooming the world, but hey! At least it was a cool fight!
#26: Bercouli vs. Vecta
“Sword Art Online: Alicization” (2018-20)
Turns out when the hero’s not OP, “SAO” can deliver a pretty awesome fight! Bercouli chases down Emperor Vecta on dragonback. After cutting down Vecta’s ride, Bercouli engages him in a furious duel. Even losing an arm isn’t enough to stop the Integrity Knight! However, Vecta’s ability to halt Bercouli in place proves overwhelming. The grizzled badass’s only chance is to use his sword, which can cut the past, to end Vecta before the fight even began! Bercouli may meet his end here, but this electrifying fight is one hell of a send-off!
#25: Reg, Riko, & Nanachi vs. Bondrewd
Top 10 Incredible Anime Fights Of The Year (So Far)
“Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul” (2020)
This franchise is a strange mix of nightmare fuel and enchanting adventure, and this fight exemplifies that perfectly. Young adventurers Reg, Riko, and Nanachi face off against the vile, despicable…we don’t have enough words to describe how terrible Bondrewd is. Dude shields himself from the Abyss with mutilated children, including his own daughter! Thankfully, as Reg holds off the gradually mutating Bondrewd with his Incinerator, Riko and Nanachi devise a scheme to defeat the creepy bastard! The soaring score, rapid movement, and one of anime’s most hateable villains getting blown in half help make this fight we love “deep in our soul.”
#24: Araragi vs. Kiss-Shot
“Kizumonogatari Part 3: Reiketsu” (2017)
In terms of pure insanity, few fights can match this one! Koyomi Araragi faces his vampiric “sire,” Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade, in the hopes of stopping her (and therefore him) from feeding on any people. The pair of them can regenerate from any wounds, so the fight is violent to an absurd degree, with heads being blown off, torsos reattaching backwards, and all manner of ridiculous, bloody action. It’s completely bonkers throughout, but the animators go for broke!
#23: Shinra vs. Sho
“Fire Force” (2019-)
Brothers often fight each other, in anime or otherwise. But Shinra’s attempt to reconnect with his brainwashed little bro is unlike any battle between siblings. Sho’s ability to stop time allows him to effectively beat the stuffing, though not the smile, out of Shinra. Shinra’s attempts to go faster ultimately take him past the speed of light, effectively letting him catch up to Sho’s time stop or surpass it. He can’t keep it up for long though. Thankfully, some shared memories leave Sho (and us) in tears. Full of emotion and blinding speed, this battle of brothers gives us the feels like a sword through the chest-...too soon?
#22: Ryuko vs. Satsuki
“Kill la Kill” (2013-14)
Way before these sisters were battling it out against their mother, they were trying to hack each other to pieces. Both armed with their respective Kamui, Ryuko and Satsuki ditch their embarrassment and break out their blades for a showdown that could only come from the minds of Trigger, each ripping up the Academy as their Life Fibre synchronisation continues to expand. Combine it with its booming soundtrack, and this mini-calamity is a delight to watch, especially as Ryuko comes into her groove and holds her own against Satsuki.
#21: Mob vs. Suzuki
Top 10 Most Emotional Anime Fights Ever
“Mob Psycho 100” (2016-22)
This series is loaded with jaw dropping, well-animated fights. However, the climactic battle of season 2 is our pick. Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama faces off against Toichiro Suzuki, head of an organization of psychics bent on world domination. Mob, the empathetic cinnamon bun that he is, tries to change Suzuki’s mind to no avail. The two powerful psychics fly above their city, blowing through each other’s barriers, and even using skyscrapers like projectiles. However, as Suzuki’s power increases, it becomes too much for him to handle. Mob makes a sacrifice play, though the result is less explosive as it is…”vegetative.” Regardless, this is Mob going all out to “fight on” for his friends - and we love it!
#20: Baki vs. Yujiro
“Baki Hanma” (2021-23)
There are father-son fights, and then there’s this! Nearly the entire “Baki” franchise builds to this moment, and it doesn’t disappoint. A simple dinner between Baki and Yuujirou escalates into an epic brawl! The restaurant is half-destroyed. Cars are totaled. And it’s all witnessed by a crowd of people, including a cave man and a ghost! Father and son throw every punch, kick, and crazy technique they can throw at each other! The last of these include Baki imitating a triceratops and wetting his pants, and Yuujirou treating his son like nunchucks! It’s at once a knockdown brawl full of resentment, and a moment of understanding between father and son. Plus, it’s topped off with a bowl of imaginary soup! “Baki” is so gloriously weird!
#19: Everyone vs. Father
Top 10 Father vs. Son Anime Battles (ft. Todd Haberkorn)
“Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” (2009-10)
He went from dwarf in the flash all the way to the being that swallowed the embodiment of God, with all the perks that come with it. While his newfound immortality was instantly nerfed by the Elric boys, the Father of the Homonculus was still very much a threat, one capable of being able to hold his own against all of Central and pretty much every one of Ed’s allies. It took the sacrifices of both Alphonse and Greed to give Ed the chance he needed to go all out and smash apart Father’s physical body, before cracking his Philosopher’s Stone and sending the sinful blob back into the jaws of the Gate of Truth.
#18: Escanor vs. Estarossa
“The Seven Deadly Sins” (2014-)
Just in case the Lion Sin of Pride’s introduction left you in any doubts that Escanor is the VIP of the fantasy anime scene, then this battle against the Ten Commandments all but cements it. Despite Estarossa being able to heal himself with Darkness, immobilise anyone who feels any kind of hated towards him, and is capable of reflecting any physical attack against his foe back with twice the force, he STILL falls under the magnificence of the Escanor’s unshakeable belief in himself, and as such gets a miniature sun right to the face!
#17: Kamogawa vs. Anderson
“Hajime no Ippo” (2000-14)
Ippo and Takamura may have their shining moments as boxers, but even their triumphs pale when compared to the unrelenting brutality of their mentor, who in his youth was forced to battle it out in the ring with a prejudiced American soldier, who had every intention of adding a little fatality to his victory. In response, Kamogawa trained his fists to the point of permanent damage, but in doing so allowed him to deliver punches of such magnitude that he didn’t so much break Anderson’s body as he did shattered his spirit with only two blows. It’s so visceral that it’s almost beautiful.
#16: Yuji vs. Choso
“Jujutsu Kaisen” (2020-)
This series has a lot of fantastic fights, but we’d argue that Yuji Itadori’s fight with Choso is its best, so far. Choso is determined to get revenge on Yuji for killing his brothers, and confronts the protagonist in a subway station. Yuji has trouble with Choso’s long range blood projectiles, and so lures him into a nearby bathroom. The sprinkler-soaked room brings the action back to hand-to-hand. The intense, close quarters contest pushes the choreography and animation to their absolute limits! Yuji may not win the fight, but the battle itself is a victory for anyone watching it!
#15: Demon Slayers vs. Daki & Gyutaro
Top 20 Demon Slayer Fights
“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” (2019-)
Tanjiro and his fellow demon slayers’ mission to defeat the Upper Rank demon in the entertainment district is complicated when it turns out to be not one demon, but twin siblings. The protracted battle between them all is filled with standout moments! Everyone gets their moment to shine, from Zenitsu’s Godspeed, to Nezuko going berserk, to Uzui’s flashy comeback, to the final, epic strikes that ends Daki and Gyutaro for good! Filled with rapid-fire attacks, and movement that takes them from the rooftops to the streets, and back again, this jaw-droppingly beautiful fight goes all out and leaves us breathless!
#14: Kiritsugu vs. Kotomine
“Fate/Zero” (2011-12)
One is a hired gun who will kill anyone if it means becoming a champion of justice and freeing the world from conflict. The other is a lethal executioner who will kill everyone just for the chance of finding a new purpose in life. Put them in a room together and what do you get? A battle of such intensity that it puts all Servants and their Noble Phantasms to shame. Between Kiritsugu’s accelerated reaction time and gunplay trading blows against Kotomine’s infinite supply of blades and inhuman reflexes, it’s a miracle either one of them walked away from this alive.
#13: Asta & Yuno vs. Licht
“Black Clover” (2017-21)
In spite of all the magic knights, elves and devils, there’s only one aerial assault that continues to hover above the rest as one of the greatest magical battles of the series, if not the genre! And wouldn’t you know it, it features both Asta and Yuno working in tandem. As the body of the half-awakened Licht goes on the attack, it falls to the Clover Kingdom’s most iconic rivals to push him back, Yuno with his Spirit Dive and mastery of mana, along with Asta in his Black Form and unshakeable determination. It’s fast, it’s furious, and just another reason why this series stands tall as one of shouen’s best.
#12: Gintoki vs. Takasugi
“Gintama” (2006-18)
When Odd Jobs Gin fall out with one another, it’s hilarious. When the former students of Yoshida Shouyou fall out, it’s a literal bloodbath. With the life of the Shogun hanging in the balance, the White Demon and the Black Beast let their inner savages out the bag and proceed to nearly tear each other apart with their signature weapons. You haven’t seen punishment until you watch Gintoki take a broken blade to the shoulder while simultaneously slashing with enough force to turn to break Takasugi’s entire torso with just a wooden sword.
#11: Atsushi & Akutagawa vs. Francis
“Bungo Stray Dogs” (2016-19)
Nothing brings hated foes together quite like the threat of a crazy capitalist with superpowers. While the were-tiger and the vessel of Rashomon would love nothing more than to rip each other a new asshole, Francis F and his plan to flatten their city forced the ultimate act of cooperation, leading them to combine their abilities and let loose to one hell of a tag-team against the leader of the Guild aboard the flying whale fortress that is the Moby Dick. Turns out that all the money in the world has got nothing on a defiant orphan with one hell of a fluffy bunch.
#10: Ichigo vs. Ulquiorra
Every Bleach Ichigo Fight RANKED
“Bleach” (2004-12)
Sometimes to kill a monster, you’ve got to become one yourself. In spite of his victory over Grimmjow, Ichigo is woefully unprepared for the likes of the fourth Espada, and that’s even before he accesses his Resurrección. You’d think after getting beaten within a blink as well as a gaping hole blasted into his chest, that would be the end of the strawberry. At least until Orihime’s desperate cries and his own inner Hollow bring him back, now taking on a much more fearsome guise, with little room for anything other than destruction. It’s a comeback that’s so devastating that you almost feel sorry for the bat man as he gets wrecked.
#9: All Might vs. All For One
Top 10 Anime Fights That Blew Everyone Away
“My Hero Academia” (2016-)
Ever wondered what it would look like if the OG’s of the silver age of heroes and villains clashed? Might look something like this. Stepping out of the shadows, the mastermind behind the League of Villains risked it all in a re-match with the Symbol of Peace, pitting the dying embers of One for All against an accumulated arsenal of stolen Quirks. Pulse-pounding and inspirational, watching All Might push himself beyond his limits and nail his nemesis with the United States of Smash remains the pinnacle of this superhero slugfest of a show.
#8: Eren vs. Jaw & War Hammer Titans
Anime Duel: Guts vs Eren Yeager
“Attack on Titan” (2013-23)
We can admit - we take a certain perverse enjoyment out of Eren Jaeger transforming into his titan form and eating the dude that just declared war on his people! But Willy Tybur’s sister Lara, the War Hammer Titan, and the Jaw Titan, Porco Galliard, are less than enthused, and attack the Attack Titan. With some backup from his friends, Eren fights off the two Marleyan Titans, with the War Hammer’s remote-controlled body proving a particularly tough nut to crack. Thankfully, the Jaw Titan proves to be the perfect nutcracker! This fight may not have the speed or creativity of some other “AoT” fights, but, in addition to marking the beginning of Eren’s villain arc, it’s undoubtedly one of the most brutal spectacles in anime!
#7: Luffy vs. Kaido
Ranking All Of Luffy's Major Fights in One Piece
“One Piece” (1999-)
The future Pirate King’s rooftop duel with one of the Four Emperors is a long, drawn-out brawl. Monkey D. Luffy throws every form and technique he can at the world’s strongest creature, even gaining several new ones during the fight! The animation goes to 11 and beyond throughout, and their blows split the heavens themselves - literally! Still, it’s Luffy’s awakening of Gear 5th that had everyone’s eyes popping out of their heads - again, literally! His newfound, silly, reality-bending powers manages to mix some of the goofiness of classic “One Piece” with the hype of its latter half to create a fight unlike any other. Luffy says it himself - this is peak!
#6: Dai-Gurren vs. Anti-Spiral
Top 10 Miraculous Anime Victories
“Gurren Lagann” (2007)
It’s a mecha battle of cosmic proportions, one that saw the will of humanity along with their gargantuan sized robot battling an extinction event given form. With Nia in tow, it fell to Simon and the rest of his band of crazy rebels to prevent the Anti-Spiral’s single-minded goal of wiping out all life in order to halt the Spiral Nemesis, which naturally led to a tussle of epic proportions, in which entire galaxies are used as arenas, and the dreams of all living things rest on the use of a giant drill. It is utter madness and we love it!
#5: Jotaro Kujo vs. DIO
“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders” (2014-15)
It took three generations of JoJo, a shit tone of Stands, and Jotaro’s unbridled badassery, but finally, the vampiric nemesis of the Joestar bloodline was defeated, in the most explosive way possible. While Dio’s immortal body, enhanced form, and time-stopping power of the World ensured that Jotaro had to go through a whole lot of crap, he and Star Platinum still emerged the victor, all thanks to a combination of some last second time manipulation, as well as a punch that encompassed a whole family’s worth of pissed off! How’s that for muda?
#4: Netero vs. Meruem
“Hunter x Hunter” (2011-14)
We won’t deny Gon punching Pitou’s face in didn’t make for a series highlight, but there’s just something otherworldly about the King of the Chimera Ants taking on a veteran hunter with one of the most staggering Nen abilities we’ve ever seen. Desperate to discover his true name, Meruem, takes on the full might of Netero and his ninety-nine hands of pain. As flashy as it is frantic, just when you’ve recovered from the sight of seeing the Zero Hand unleashed, along comes the reveal of the Poor Man’s Rose to cap off a clash between two giants of their species.
#3: Saitama vs. Boros
Anime Duel: Goku Vs Saitama
“One-Punch Man” (2015-)
There are few things that encapsulate anime hype quite like watching the world’s strongest hero tussle it out with a galactic tyrant who actually makes him put in just a tad bit of effort. Exchanging blows all over a spaceship, melting everything they come into contact with, kicking Saitama into the moon, nearly eradicating the planet in a single blast – Boros was truly a cut above the rest. Of course, like everything else in life, not even his unrestricted form could measure up against Saitama’s fist, though in this instance he certainly upped his game, courtesy of the Serious Punch!
#2: Naruto & Sasuke vs. Momoshiki
Top 10 Naruto and Sasuke Team-Up Fights
“Boruto: Naruto Next Generations” (2017-)
Just goes to show that things do indeed get better with age, and that apparently applies to ninja as well, since years after apparently letting their children take the spotlight, shinobi frenemies Naruto and Sasuke left jaws agape as they teamed up to take down the jutsu demi-god that is Momoshiki, with spectacular results. With fluid combat, dynamic team-work, as well as a mind-boggling demonstration of just how OP these two have become since they put their teenage years behind them, this onslaught of animation might just be the singular reason for you to watch Boruto!
#1: Goku vs. Jiren
Top 10 Kid Goku Fights
“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)
Harkening back to the glory days of DBZ while simultaneously bringing its iconic battles into the current era, there’s a reason why the finale of the Tournament of Power literally broke the internet. It has everything. A killer soundtrack, Goku once again obtaining a new form that puts all others to shame via Ultra Instinct, a blistering fight that doesn’t let up for even a moment. All before concluding with the unexpected yet oddly welcome sight of Goku and Frieza teaming up to best the strongest fighter Universe 11 has to offer.
Is there a centenary defining anime fight we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
