The success that Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has found in the box office should come as no surprise to anime fans. Just like the anime series that have managed to earn international respect over the last few decades, Shang-Chi prioritizes good storytelling and action-packed scenes over everything else.
Not even Korra's battle with Amon's Lieutenant can live up to the action set pieces in Shang-Chi. The action in this film is more than just good. It is great. Only a select few anime series have ever managed to match the captivating hand-to-hand fight choreography that was filmed for Marvel's new big hit.
10 Jin Mori's Introduction To Park Ilpyo Turns Into A Short Dance That Rivals Xu Wenwu & Jiang Li's First Meeting (The God Of High School)
The first exchange between Jin Mori and Park Ilpyo may be short, but it demonstrates just what makes The God of High School so enjoyable. Most of this fight is animated from Jin Mori's point of view as Park Ilpyo attempts to surprise Mori with a quick display of his Practical Taekkyon fighting style.
The dance that these two share in their first encounter is reminiscent of the introduction between Xu Wenwu and Jiang Li from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Both scenes show their characters playfully putting on a display of martial arts that makes the action seem more like a dance than a battle.
9 Yuji's Encounter With Todo During The Kyoto Goodwill Exchange Event Helped Push JJK To The Top Of The Anime Ranks (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Throughout the first season of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, fans are treated to a plethora of captivating action sequences. From Gojo's incredible display of jujutsu sorcery against Jogo to Megumi's fight with Sukuna, fans of JJK have plenty of action to fawn over.
The best of the best in terms of JJK's hand-to-hand combat sequences comes after Yuji meets Todo during the Kyoto Goodwill Exchange Event. Not only is Yuji's battle against Todo incredibly well-choreographed, but his exchange with Team Kyoto and the tag-team battle against Hanami also all rival the action in Shang-Chi.
8 The Setting Of Spike's Battle With Vincent Might Remind Fan's Of Shang-Chi's Trip To Macau (Cowboy Bebop)
The Cowboy Bebop movie has some of the best anime hand-to-hand fight scenes of all time. The short fight between Spike and Electra is iconic, but the real winner of this film is the final climactic battle between Spike and Vincent.
After the two characters put bullet holes into their opponent, they leave their weapons in the dust and start showing off some of the best martial arts anime content that has ever been put to screen. This battle is long, grueling, and set atop a construction site that might remind viewers of Xialing's club from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
7 The Showdown Between Toman And Valhalla Pits Two Rival Armies Against Each Other In An Epic Fist Fight (Tokyo Revengers)
Tokyo Revengers may not have the fight choreography to match the action sequences found in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, but its storytelling is top-tier in anime. After following Takemichi as he fights his way into the ranks of the Tokyo Manji Gang, anime fans are led into an epic battle of massive proportions. The finale to the first season of Tokyo Revengers is epic enough to rival the end of Shang-Chi, though it does admittedly fall short in terms of choreography.
6 Gon's Struggle To Land A Punch On Hisoka Gives Fans A Glimpse Of HxH's Best Hand-To-Hand Combat Scene (Hunter X Hunter)
After the 287th Hunters Exam, fans waited patiently for the next time Gon would get to face Hisoka. The Heaven's Arena Arc offered the protagonist a chance to practice his newly discovered Nen abilities and face off against his rival.
This arc also gave viewers the chance to marvel at a few of the best action sequences in the entire Hunter X Hunter anime. The fight between Gon and Hisoka is no exception. During their battle, Gon and Hisoka exchange blows in a fight primarily centered around hand-to-hand combat until Hisoka whips out his Bungee Gum and sends Gon flying.
5 Naruto & Sasuke Have An Incredible Battle Against Momoshiki (Boruto: Naruto Next Generations)
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has had some trouble living up to the hype of its predecessors since its debut. Luckily, Boruto: Naruto Next Generation still manages to win over fans with each new epic battle that it puts to screen. One of the best hand-to-hand combat scenes in the new series showcases the combined might of Naruto and Sasuke against Momoshiki. This is one anime fight that might even surpass the action found in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
4 Ouya's One Man Army Fight Rivals Even Shang-Chi's Ability To Take Down Multiple Opponents In Combat (The Outcast)
The Outcast is a lesser-known anime series that focuses heavily on combining realistic hand-to-hand action sequences with elemental abilities. This might sound a lot like Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the battle that pits Ouya against three elemental martial artists in Season 3 of the anime proves that this show deserves its own independent recognition.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings surprises viewers with its supernatural martial arts near the end of the film, and The Outcast regularly does the same. The anime somehow finds a way to make the simple act of strapping a water bottle to a waste band so captivating.
3 Kakashi's Fight Against Obito Is Paired With Flashbacks (Naruto)
Just like many anime series, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings makes great use of flashbacks. Of course, no live-action film can match the masterful use of flashbacks seen in anime.
To prove this point, fans should make time to rewatch the epic hand-to-hand battle between Kakashi and Obito. This battle combines incredible fight choreography with flashback storytelling at a level that live-action has yet to achieve.
2 Makashimi Proves His Dominance Over Kogami In A Beautifully Choreographed Hand-To-Hand Fight (Psycho Pass)
If Wenwu is the king of the underworld in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then Makashimi is his equivalent in Psycho-Pass. The battle between Makashimi and Kogami proves just how powerful the king of the underworld is by showing the white-haired antagonist take down Kogami. This battle's impressive hand-to-hand choreography and eventual outcome may remind viewers of the many battles set between Shang-Chi and his father Wenwu.
1 Edward Elric Blends Alchemy With Martial Arts While Taking Down Greed (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Though there is no alchemy in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, there is a certain degree of supernatural abilities mixed in with martial arts that fans can also get a taste of in the original Fullmetal Alchemist.
The original series gets less love than Brotherhood, but it does have moments where it outshines its successor. One of these moments comes from Episode 34 of the original anime when Ed faces off against Greed. The battle between the young State Alchemist and Greed is filled with a mix of hand-to-hand combat and alchemy that rivals the best action from its sister series.