Fight scenes with excellent animations are one of the hardest to pull off, and when it’s done well, it’s proof of how talented the animation team is. Different animation studios showcase their unique techniques and innovations, and we win because we get to see those fight scenes. Here are our picks for the best animated fight scenes in anime, from beautiful magic to stunning choreography.
14. Seirin vs. Rakuzan (Kuroko’s Basketball)
There are many badass moments and insanely animated scenes in the series Kuroko’s Basketball, including the cool Zone moments of the Generation of Miracles and the smooth and fluid body movements of the players on the court. But the scene where the whole Seirin team entered the true Zone, or the Direct Drive Zone, is one of the most amazing and visually appealing scenes of the series. It features the whole team in sync with Kagami’s Zone mode, making the scene explosive with every pass and dribble.
13. Luffy vs. Katakuri (One Piece)
The Luffy versus Katakuri fight gave us the badass Clash of Conqueror’s Haki, but this one is the final moment of their battle, which finally settled the score between them. With Katakuri powering up his final blow using the momentum of his spin and Luffy unleashing his fast-paced punch (all enhanced by Armament Haki), their final clash didn’t disappoint watchers. It was a one-of-a-kind moment that decided the winner.
12. Mob vs. Koyama (Mob Psycho 100)
Everyone loves the rage moments from Mob Psycho 100, featuring Shigeo Kageyama and his sinister presence once he reaches his limits. This scene is the moment where he jumps in to save his brother, who was attacked by another esper. The explosions and wide-scale, ground-shattering attacks thrown by Mob made the scene intense and exciting. No wonder his opponent pulled a trick and then ran for his life instead of playing fair!
11. Mages vs. Zagred (Black Clover)
In their final battle against the devil who orchestrated everything from hundreds of years ago, Asta, Yuno, Licht, and Lumiel joined forces to defeat Zagred. This episode has more in it than just the fight scenes. Zagred, the devil, was well-crafted and well-animated. Though his appearance is just one of the depictions of demons in popular media, he gives off an ominous and sinister aura that’s perfect for his character. This scene also gave us the Dark Cloaked Dimension Slash: Equinox, where we saw Yami Sukehiro use Mana Zone to turn his surroundings monochrome, making everything in the zone his target, no matter how far.
10. Entertainment District Battle (Demon Slayer)
Demon Slayer gave us tons of stunning scenes with cool animations, including the Uzui versus Gyutaro battle of the Entertainment District Arc, with Gyutaro’s Demon Blood Art: Blood Sickles flying around and Uzui blocking and evading them using his Sound Breathing. With the clashing of their blades and explosions filling the air, it’s just amazing how much detail was put into that very fight. Let’s not forget that Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke have their own stunning techniques to contribute to the overall badassery of the battle.
9. Zoro vs. Kamazou (One Piece)
The Straw Hat’s swordsman Zoro (or Zorojuro in the Land of Wano) went wild in his battle against Kamazou. After losing his Shusui, he was left with only Kitetsu III and Wado Ichimonji, but he improvised and used his opponent’s weapon for his Three-Sword Style: Purgatory Onigiri.
8. Giyu Tomioka vs. Rui (Demon Slayer)
Giyu Tomioka is one of the Hashiras of the Demon Slayer Corps, along with Tengen Uzui and Kyojuro Rengoku. He showed us the Water Breathing’s 11th Form: Dead Calm, featuring raging waters that literally calmed down. It also portrayed a sword style that cuts with precision and minimal effort, with his physical body in a state of total tranquility.
7. Itadori and Nobara vs. Curse Brothers (Jujutsu Kaisen)
What makes this battle from Jujutsu Kaisen so intense is the fact that it’s a gamble with their lives truly at stake. Kugisaki Nobara and Itadori Yuji face the Curse Brothers in a two-versus-two team battle. Yuji’s Black Flash and Nobara’s Resonance make the scene awesome to witness, giving off sparks when they hit, resounding with such force and impact that we can feel the weight of the punches and kicks. Plus, there’s the moment when Yuji carries Nobara away from danger, with Nobara surprised by the speed that Yuji is capable of.
6. Hollow Purple (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Satoru Gojo is one of the more overpowered characters in the Jujutsu Kaisen series, with the ability to prevent his enemies from making direct contact with him. During the interrupted school event, he showcased a stunning and destructive ability called Hollow Purple. It’s a combination of the Cursed Technique Amplification: Blue and Cursed Technique Reversal: Red, forming the Hollow Purple that he fired in the direction of Hanami, causing massive damage not only to the Special Grade but also to the path it took.
5. Endeavor vs. Hood (My Hero Academia)
Endeavor was the current Number 1 Hero after All Might retired. During his visit to Hawk’s place, he was targeted by Hood (a Nomu) who surpassed other Nomus that the heroes faced before, with multiple Quirks (including a regenerative ability). The scene really kicked off when Endeavor stood up after a near-defeat. He carried the Nomu up into the sky, then unleashed a destructive flame without affecting the community: the Plus Ultra Prominence Burn. The flashy animation showed how hot and powerful the new top hero became as he surpassed his limits to defend the people below. The flames didn’t allow his opponent to regenerate.
4. Wang Ye vs. Masked Fighters (Hitori no Shita: The Outcast)
Hitori no Shita: The Outcast is a not-so-famous anime series from Japanese and Chinese studio teams, featuring martial arts skills and fight scenes. The series gives off similar vibes as martial arts movies, especially in this scene where Wang Ye fights three fighters. The scene is well-choreographed and the details are stunning, placing emphasis on every hit, punch, and kick. One of the best parts is when Wang Ye clipped his tumbler back on his waist, which is just for showing off but looks immensely cool given the scene.
3. Two One For All vs. Nine (My Hero Academia: Two Heroes)
Midoriya’s Quirk (One For All) was already awesome in what it could do and how it was animated, including its signature cracks and green sparks. But the movie My Hero Academia: Two Heroes took it to another level, featuring two One For All after Midoriya passed it on to Bakugo. The scenes are visually stunning and hair-raising, featuring both heroes fighting the villain Nine, with Izuku Midoriya utilizing the remaining flames of One For All in him and making this an all-out final battle for him.
2. Kyojuro Rengoku vs. Akaza (Demon Slayer)
The fight between Kyojuro and Akaza is probably one of the highlights of the Mugen Train Arc, and one of the reasons why we love the Demon Slayer series and its Hashiras, Demons, and the story as a whole. In this 30-second clip alone, you can see how intense the battle is, with the Flame Hashira resorting to his final move. The extraordinary animation of the flames and the aura are incredible, providing serious thrills to the cool-yet-heartbreaking moment.
1. Luffy vs. Kaido and Big Mom (One Piece)
How strong should a Pirate King be? Well, this scene where Luffy hits Kaido with his Red Roc technique says it all. Announcing that he’ll be the Pirate King in front of the two Emperors is quite ballsy. From the moment he ordered Law to bring Oden’s followers to safety, up to the moment Ryuo starts enhancing Luffy’s giant fist, the scene raised the hairs on our neck up until his fist landed on Kaido’s face. Read next: The best One Piece captains, ranked
