The original Matrix movie trilogy is a landmark in the world of cyberpunk cinema, telling the tale of Thomas Anderson/Neo and his quest as the One who will save humanity from the tyrannical Machines. This legendary trilogy is groundbreaking and packed with fascinating ideas, but even the Matrix needed inspiration, and the Wachowskis borrowed ideas from Japanese animation.
In particular, The Matrix borrows some cues from the famed Ghost in the Shell seinen manga/anime franchise, and given the chance, Neo would plug into other anime series and save humanity all over again from other tyrannical threats. He has already vanquished his nemesis, Agent Smith, so it's time for a new challenge. These anime villains wouldn't stand a chance against Neo if they fought him within the Matrix.
10 Rappa's Fists Won't Ever Reach Neo (My Hero Academia)
My Hero Academia's Rappa is one of the Eight Bullets who serves under the terrifying villain Overhaul. He is a melee warrior who took on both Fat Gum and Eijiro Kirishima and almost won. Even without the benefit of his ally's barriers, Rappa is a devasting fist fighter who can knock any Pro Hero flat onto their back if he can land consecutive punches.
If Rappa was plugged into the Matrix, he wouldn't last long against Neo, who could see his punches coming from a mile away. Neo could easily evade Rappa's blows, slip through his defenses, and pummel him senseless up close. Anyone who can defeat Agents has nothing to fear from Rappa.
9 Neo Would Smash Combustion Man's Face (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
The mysterious Firebender assassin known only as "Combustion Man" is a long-range specialist who can set off explosions with his mind alone and it's difficult to predict or evade his attacks. Avatar: The Last Airbender's Combustion Man is also a large, brawny fellow with a metal arm from the elbow down with which he can block swords and other attacks.
Neo would be too quick for Combustion Man; he could easily leap out of harm's way during this fight. Neo could easily close the distance between them and engage Combustion Man in a melee duel — a fight that Neo would be sure to win.
8 Hyoga's Spear Will Do Him No Good (Dr. Stone)
Dr. Stone's Hyoga is a tough and talented fellow who can wield a spear with terrifying skill in battle. He can even take on the legendary Tsukasa Shishio, who is already stronger than most adults. Hyoga is fast, agile, and deadly with his spear — he can use it in unexpected ways before slashing his opponents to bits.
Neo has experience dealing with swords, spears, and maces, as his battle against the Merovingian's henchmen in The Matrix Reloaded showed, and he would have no trouble taking Hyoga down if they crossed paths in the Matrix. Hyoga would likely be impressed and vow to become Neo's henchman from then on.
7 Bacchus Groh Can't Beat Neo At His Own Game (Fairy Tail)
During the Grand Magic Games tournament, Fairy Tail's martial artist villain Bacchus Groh was a fearsome antagonist who nearly defeated Elfman Strauss in single combat in the Crocus arena. Bacchus, true to his name, is fueled by alcohol and he becomes nigh-unstoppable in close-range combat.
Bacchus could give Neo a good fight if they ever fought in a dojo inside the Matrix, but Neo, as the destined One, wouldn't be taken down easily. In fact, Bacchus would forget that he doesn't have to get tired in the Matrix and that would slow him down. Neo, immune to such fatigue, would eventually defeat him.
6 Wrath's Blades Won't Touch Neo (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's Wrath is a cold and ruthless warrior who shows no mercy in battle. He usually fights with twin sabers with which he can slice anyone apart. He can even cut bullets down in mid-flight or dodge shells fired from a battle tank — feats that Neo and the Agents could certainly replicate.
Wrath is tough, but Neo would eventually triumph over him. Unlike the other six homunculi, Wrath cannot regenerate his flesh and Neo would wear him down with relentless melee attacks. If the Ultimate Eye comes into play, Neo could bend the rules of the Matrix and move in ways that not even the Ultimate Eye could see.
5 Kyoya Tachibana Can't Touch Neo Either (That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime)
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime's minor villain Kyoya Tachibana is much stronger than his plain appearance would suggest. He was summoned into the isekai world along with Kirara and Shogo to fight for the Kingdom of Falmuth and he was a trained fencer on Earth. He can use a sword with remarkable skill, enhanced by his all-seeing eye magic and boosted reaction time.
Kyoya is remarkably similar to Wrath and he wouldn't go down easily if he was summoned into the Matrix. Sooner or later, Neo would bend the digital world's rules, outmaneuver Kyoya's sword, and beat him down.
4 Charon's Ignition Ability Won't Help Him Against Neo (Fire Force)
Fire Force's Charon is an anime villain who is only powerful in the context of their native combat system. Charon can use his second-generation ability to absorb an enemy's fire and store it as energy, which makes him practically unbeatable, even for the likes of Shinra Kusakabe. He is also tough and has excellent martial arts skills.
Neo doesn't use fire, however, so Charon wouldn't get a chance to power up in their fight. Instead, Charon would have to fight Neo with his bare fists and that wouldn't cut it against the One. Neo would deliver the knockout blow before too much time had passed.
3 Thorkell Can't Handle An Opponent Like Neo (Vinland Saga)
The huge Viking warrior Thorkell from Vinland Saga would be in for the adventure of his life if he ended up plugged into the Matrix and he would probably retreat to Norway's rugged coast to feel more at home. There, he would challenge all comers with his twin battle axes — not even Thorfinn could defeat him.
But Neo could — he would impress Thorkell with his impeccable technique and fearlessness. Try as he might, Thorkell wouldn't be able to land a blow on Neo with his axes and he would take more than a few kicks to the face before finally giving in.
2 Bando Wouldn't Last 5 Seconds Against Neo (Elfen Lied)
Bando is a surprisingly sympathetic villain in the notorious Elfen Lied sci-fi anime, though he is also quite brutal and not that easy to like for some viewers. He is a tough-talking gunman who is determined to exterminate Lucy/Nyu and he'll do absolutely anything to take her down. He also learned how to deal with her vectors.
Bando could easily take down any ordinary human opponent with a few bullets, but as Matrix fans know, guns are just toys in Neo's eyes — he could easily stop Bando's bullets in midair. Then, Neo would get up close and personal with Bando and beat him senseless.
1 Kotaro Amon Is Used To Fighting Ghouls (Tokyo Ghoul)
Kotaro Amon is an antagonist in Tokyo Ghoul, but he is not a bad person deep down. In fact, he is fiercely determined to protect humanity from ghouls, but he won't find any ghouls inside the Matrix. So, he would challenge Neo to a fight to test himself, bringing any quinque he likes.
Kotaro has some serious skills, but he's not ready to face the One, who could easily outmaneuver him in battle and pummel him from head to toe. None of Kotaro's quinques would help him in this fight and he would give in before long.