When it comes to shōnen and action anime, they are always marked by their pivotal fights. You’ll often see the classic conflict between good and evil, but the fights in our favorite anime can transcend that usual dichotomy and embody everything that makes the series (or even anime as a whole) stand out.
The anime we’re highlighting today feature just some of the many epic and memorable fight scenes that have captivated anime fans for years. Our inclusions pay homage to some of the ones that fans return to regularly, the fights that have defined the genre for fans all over the world. Here are some of the best anime fight scenes that have impacted us over the years.
Rock Lee vs. Gaara (“Naruto”)
Training to become a ninja is no easy feat. Some people are natural-born talents who hone their skills and can easily dominate the competition. Others have to overcome physical hardships and put in blood, sweat, and tears to make their mark. The Chunin Exam fight between Gaara of the Hidden Sand Village and Rock Lee of the Hidden Leaf Village represents those two different worlds perfectly.
Gaara’s mastery over sand techniques allowed him to excel as a deadly shinobi-in-training from an early age. Meanwhile, Rock Lee was born without the ability to manipulate chakra and is incapable of performing basic jutsu. Because of his disadvantage, Lee poured his heart and soul into learning taijutsu, a purely physical ninja art. His hard work and dedication honed him into a lethal fighting force, allowing him to stand well above his peers despite his atypical training. He puts these skills to the test and holds his own against Gaara, who is forced to expend more effort than he usually does against his opponent.
Watching Rock Lee drop his weights and prove his true speed and strength was literally an earth-shattering moment for anime fans. The amazing soundtrack and stellar animation complemented Lee’s efforts perfectly as he held his own against a formidable opponent. This fight locked many a millennial into lifelong anime appreciation.
All Might vs. All for One (“My Hero Academia”)
The battle between heroes and villains is endless and arduous. Few people know this better than Toshinori Yagi/All Might and All for One, two pillars of the previous generation of hero society on polar opposite ends. All Might remains one of the greatest and beloved heroes in history, though he had to retire from active duty after his Quirk weakened his body. Meanwhile, All for One became infamous as one of the worst villains, stealing powers and terrorizing his subordinates as he fought to retain his status.
The last of the old guard faces off several times throughout the series, but their battle comes to a pulse-pounding conclusion in the final arc of “My Hero Academia.” All Might resorts to using a highly-advanced combat suit to keep up with All for One, whose heightened abilities cause him to rapidly de-age. It becomes a race against the clock as these two longtime adversaries fight their own battle for the fate of the world, but the new generation isn’t far behind to help bring that era to an explosive end.
Levi vs. Beast Titan (“Attack on Titan”)
Levi Ackerman is one of the greatest soldiers in the Scout Regiment. He can easily take down scores of Titans without a scratch on him. But even he has his limits, and they’re put to the test when he fights the Beast Titan. Unlike the other mindless giants, the Beast Titan boasts sentience and even remarkable intelligence, being able to converse with humans normally. Not only that, but his throwing ability allows him to take out several troops in one fell swoop all while keeping a distance.
When Levi, Commander Erwin, and their Scout Regiment soldiers are up against the wall, Levi makes an impossible call. He orders Erwin and his troops to charge the Beast Titan and his companions to create an opening for Levi to take them out. He does this knowing that the vast majority of his soldiers will not survive this final push. In exchange, Levi swears to take down the Beast Titan in their memory.
The soldiers, terrified though they were, followed his command. They charge toward their foes and are almost easily eliminated. However, Levi does his best to make good on his promise. He quickly dispatches the surrounding Titans and even manages to incapacitate the Beast Titan, though he manages to escape. Even when the odds are stacked against humanity, soldiers like Levi will do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Tanjiro and Nezuko vs. Rui (“Demon Slayer”)
Family is one of the most important elements in the storytelling of “Demon Slayer.” After all, it was the loving bond between siblings that allowed Tanjiro Kamado to save his sister from fully becoming a demon. As they begin their career as fledgling Demon Slayers, they are forced to continually prove their worth due to the other Slayers’ distrust in having a demon in their ranks.
But their bond remains rock solid in the fight against Rui, a powerful demon and one of their first opponents. He wielded the ability to conquer the wills of other demons and force them into servitude as part of his “family.” Though he boasted similar bonds to that of Tanjiro and Nezuko, his own familial ties were forged through torture and coercion. In the end, Tanjiro used his growing skills and teamed up with his sister to prove that bonds made through affection were stronger than those forced onto others.
The Anti-Spiral Fight (“Gurren Lagann”)
The final battle in “Gurren Lagann” may just be one of the literal biggest fights in all of anime, but it’s why it made a massive impact on the history of anime. Team Dai-Gurren prepares to face off against the Anti-Spiral on their home turf at the edge of creation. With the fate of the whole universe in the balance, both sides square off in giant mechas that are larger than entire galaxies. In fact, both of them are even able to use said galaxies as their own weapons in the universe-spanning brawl.
But the mech repping humanity, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, is the literal combined form of the hopes and dreams of every living soul on the planet. Its massive form represents the boundless optimism and capacity for change that humanity wields on a daily basis. Our will to survive is manifested as one of the coolest giant robots in all of anime and watching it take down the bad guys is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
What’s your favorite anime fight? Let us know in the comments!
