In anime, stakes are often used to keep audiences engaged and are proportionate to the current point in the narrative. For instance, a battle at the beginning or middle of a story may simply have personal risks for the hero and his friends.
However, many climaxes have such absurdly high stakes that it's difficult to fathom what actually might have happened if the heroes lost.
10 The Entire World Would Have Been Lost If Team Seven Didn't Defeat Kaguya (Naruto)
Kaguya was the final antagonist of the Forth Shinobi War and arguably the most powerful villain of Shippuden. After the infinite tsukuyomi was cast, she immediately prepared to harvest the planet's denizens and take their chakra for her own.
Fortunately, Sasuke was willing to put aside his differences and work alongside Naruto to defeat her. By combining the essences of Indra and Asura, they managed to seal her away for a second and (hopefully) final time.
9 All Might's Battle With All For One Was A Struggle For The Soul Of Japan (My Hero Academia)
When Japan's professional heroes were on the verge of capturing Shigaraki, All For One knew he needed to step in. He appeared at Kamino after years in hiding, much to the shock and horror of all onlookers.
His battle with All Might would determine more than whether or not the League could survive - it encapsulated a struggle for the soul of society itself, with the embodiments of heroism and villainy engaged in an uncertain struggle. While All Might ultimately prevailed, he would never be able to fight as he once did again.
8 The Demon King Would Have Caused Disaster If Ban Didn't Stop Him (Seven Deadly Sins)
Despite Merlin's best efforts, the Demon King was able to possess Meliodas' vessel and use it as his own. Having spent decades in his domain, Ban was the only remaining Sin qualified to fight him.
Meanwhile, Meliodas struggled against the Demon King from within his mind. Fortunately, their combined efforts were enough to return the captain to his body as the Demon King could have single-handedly destroyed Britannia if he wasn't stopped immediately.
7 Father Fought Edward Moments After Losing Godhood
Father used a transmutation circle in order to become the strongest villain on Earth. However, he failed to devour God since Edward and his allies depleted his energy, forcing an abrupt fall from grace.
Father was still far from powerless. Should Edward not have been able to defeat him, he could have recreated his Homunculus children just as he did with Greed and continued his plans for divinity at any cost. Fortunately, Edward managed to defeat him before he could escape. Greed reduced him to carbon dust in a surprising, final act of selflessness.
6 Kars Would Have Massacred Humanity If Joseph Didn't Defeat Him (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
After absorbing UV light through the Red Stone of Aja, Kars became the most adaptable and powerful life form on the planet. He was strong enough to shred fighter jets with his feathers and resilient enough to withstand the temperatures of a volcano.
Should Joseph not have been able to defeat him in their final battle, Kars could have massacred humanity just as easily and ruthlessly as he did his own people. Fortunately, the Hamon user prevailed - albeit due to a stroke of blind luck.
5 Ozai Would Have Committed Genocide If Aang Didn't Stop Him (Avatar)
After training diligently, Aang fulfilled his hundred-year destiny as the Avatar to defeat Ozai and bring balance to the world. This was not without a great deal of risk. Sozin's Comet was active at the time of their battle, augmenting the Phoenix King's already formidable strength.
However, Aang could not afford to wait until the comet had passed. If he did, Ozai would have been able to wipe out the Earth Kingdom just as savagely as he exterminated the Air Nomads.
4 Whitebeard's War At Marineford Reshaped The Future (One Piece)
When the Marines captured Ace and announced his execution, they intended to challenge Whitebeard's strength and provoke a brutal reckoning with the strongest pirates on the Grand Line. The battle that occurred had widespread ramifications for the rest of the world, especially since Whitebeard used his final breath to confirm that the One Piece was real.
Blackbeard became an emperor in the aftermath of the conflict by stealing one of the most powerful devil fruits in existence. Additionally, the war increased Luffy's global recognition and significantly raised his bounty.
3 Kirito's Fight With Heathcliff Would Decide The Fate Of Everyone Caught In Virtual Reality (Sword Art Online)
After spending time in his guild, Kirito came to realize that Heathcliff had to be Aincrad's creator. Despite reaching the seventy-fifth floor, he was almost never scratched and could even freeze reality during their duel.
This prompted a battle that would decide the fate of everyone entrapped within the NerveGear. Although Heathcliff was still a better player, Kirito managed to defeat him with raw tenacity and resilience.
2 Akira's Battle With Ryo Defined The Future Of Earth & Ended In Disaster (Devilman Crybaby)
After revealing himself to be the devil incarnate, Ryo had a final, epic battle against his friend, Akira. The latter's newfound demonic form allowed him to pose a significant threat, one that kept the king of hell himself on his toes.
Should Akira have defeated Ryo, he would have been able to save what remained of the planet. Unfortunately, he failed his mission and was ripped in half. The devil would only realize how much he cared for Akira after there was nothing left to destroy.
1 Eren's Battle Against The Scouts & Warriors Decided The Future Of Humanity Itself (Attack On Titan)
When Eren began the Rumbling, it soon became evident that he wanted to wipe out all of non-Eldian humanity. After a great deal of struggle, Armin finally confronted his friend, and a battle between Colossal Titans ensued.
Although Eren managed to get the upper hand due to his access to the Founding Titan and significantly greater combat affinity, Armin's sole objective was to buy Mikasa time to breach his mouth. Should she have failed to kill him, Eren would have exterminated the final twenty percent of humanity and effectively committed global genocide.