One of the reasons that Japanese anime has grown into such a universally successful medium of animation is because there's such versatility to each series and their stories. Anime excel when it comes to heightened visuals and storytelling, which are able to turn altercations between characters into seismic showdowns.
There are lots of prolific shonen series that are known for their big battles, but Dragon Ball Z has practically become emblematic of lengthy brawls and extreme transformations. Admittedly, Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball is no stranger to exciting fights, but there are lots of other anime that feature conflicts that are even more satisfying and unbelievable.
10 Demon Slayer Turns Demon Slaying Into A Gorgeous Artform
Demon Slayer is only in its second season, but it's already solidified its status as one of the biggest shonen series of all time. The anime's first feature film, Mugen Train, even set new box office records for animated feature films in Japan. Ufotable is a newer animation studio, but they've established a beautiful and detailed aesthetic for themselves through masterpieces like Demon Slayer.
The wide variety in both the various demons that strike, as well as the contrasting breathing style techniques that the Demon Slayers utilize, result in explosive showdowns. The fights from the anime's second season have set a new benchmark in quality.
9 Mob Psycho 100 Is At Its Finest When Mob's Psychic Powers Fully Let Loose
The highly anticipated third season of Mob Psycho 100 is on the way, but fans have revisited the iconic fights from the first two seasons while they wait for the next chapter in the story. Studio Bones always delivers breathtaking animation and the heightened level of psychic powers that the characters possess in Mob Psycho 100 allows the visuals to get particularly chaotic and abstract.
Part of the joy in Mob Psycho 100 is how its protagonist esper, Mob, constantly fights against unleashing his powers. This makes the moments where they burst out even more exciting. Powerful attacks are brought to life through gorgeous techniques.
8 The Stands In JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Create Battles That Are Always Unpredictable
Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has transformed into a genuine phenomenon where a bevy of memes and fresh fans have recently come out of the woodwork. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has an inherent advantage over Dragon Ball Z and other shonen series due to its generational journey through the Joestar bloodline.
The series is never afraid to start over, which has resulted in hundreds of unique Stand abilities, some of which are extremely complicated and difficult to overcome. These radical manipulations of time and space, paired together with the show's distinct art design, create unforgettable fights that consistently feel different.
7 Kill La Kill Embraces Heightened Visuals For Chaotic Combat
Studio TRIGGER have built a prolific name for themselves in the anime industry as a studio that always pushes the limits when it comes to animation and unconventional visual styles. Nearly all of TRIGGER's projects are masterpieces, but Kill la Kill is an effective and concise mix of action, science fiction, and deep Shakespearean family drama.
There's such a freestyle to the fights that Ryuko recklessly engages in that never grows old. It's easy to see why Kill la Kill also received a fighting video game that recaptures these powerful moments from the series.
6 My Hero Academia Has Hundreds Of Fascinating Quirks To Power Its Battles
With 100 episodes now under its belt, as well as three feature films, My Hero Academia has emerged as one of this decade's biggest shonen hits. The anime came along at the perfect time where it's able to combine shonen sensibilities with superhero stereotypes for a touching coming-of-age story.
The anime has been careful with the development of Izuku "Deku" Midoriya's powers, but after five seasons he's matured into a truly impressive hero. The wide variety between My Hero Academia Quirks, as well as the exaggerated nature of the heroes' and villains' costumes, allows the anime to always feature fights that are visually compelling and dramatically intense.
5 Jujutsu Kaisen Turns To Terrifying Energy Battles To Exorcise Its Demons
Jujutsu Kaisen is a fairly recent anime series, but it's already one of the most successful series of the past few years. Its prequel film, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, continues to set new records. Jujutsu Kaisen elegantly combines action together with the horror genre as Yuji Itadori grapples with a horrific curse and the ongoing war against demonic spiritual beings.
The anime's primary energy force, Cursed Energy, manifests in dark ways. This leads to fights that are unpredictable, but they also have a real edge to them and create genuine terror.
4 Attack On Titan Pits Man Against Monster To Create All-Out War
Attack on Titan has set a new standard in serialized storytelling and the series exhibits tremendous restraint when it comes to the plot twists that irrevocably change the scope of its war between man and monster. Attack on Titan succeeds with its tragic character development and thematic storytelling, but it's also filled with unbelievable clashes of power.
The different abilities between the pivotal Nine Titans all result in unique clashes, especially when the Titans are fighting one another to the death. However, the use of omnidirectional maneuvering gear, thunder spears, and the rest of the humans' creative weaponry also add so much to the series' brutal battles.
3 Vinland Saga Taps Into An Intimidating Brutality To Its Fight Sequences
Vinland Saga is a brutal story of revenge that's set back in the 11th century amidst vicious battles between Vikings. Vinland Saga isn't based on a true story, but Thorfinn's mission to get vengeance for his father's death presents a completely different style of combat than what's present in Dragon Ball Z.
Vinland Saga is the more grounded of the two series, but this only emphasizes the brutality of these Viking showdowns. Every fight includes stunning choreography, animation, and pacing, courtesy of Wit Studio.
2 One-Punch Man Lampoons Heightened Battles In Order To Help Them Grow
One-Punch Man is a delirious anime series that both lovingly mocks the shonen and superhero genres while also gleefully leaning into their stereotypes. Saitama, the titular One-Punch Man, laments that he's able to take out whoever he encounters with a single blow.
Saitama's strength results in some very abrupt conclusions to fights, but the show's supporting cast and creative villains all engage in lengthier skirmishes. Despite Saitama's strength, the fights from the show's first season are beautifully animated by Madhouse, who resort to chaotic art styles. Unfortunately, this level of artistry is lost in season two when J.C. Staff takes over, but many fights still deliver.
1 One Piece's Devil Fruits Provide Thousands Of Episodes Of Entertaining Combat
Dragon Ball Z maintains a legendary reputation as a shonen staple, but One Piece is one of the few series that's arguably achieved an even greater level of fandom. Eiichiro Oda's manga has been telling the same story for nearly 25 years and the corresponding anime has just passed the rare milestone of 1000 episodes.
One Piece's lengthy run has allowed Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates to drastically grow as both individuals and as fighters. The eclectic range of powers that One Piece's Devil Fruits provide frequently allows for spectacles that transcend Dragon Ball Z's typical use of energy attacks and transformations.