The 17 Greatest Final Fights In Anime History
From the Bride vs. Bill to Link vs. Ganondorf, an epic final battle brings a storyline to an explosive and worthwhile conclusion, and anime final battles get just as gripping as any Hollywood scuffle or video game brawl. When staged correctly, the greatest anime final battles display the finest things the series offers – the crispest animation, the most dramatic dialogue, and the perfect atmosphere. The characters, who each honed their skills and prepared over the course of multiple episodes, now get the chance to show off their maximum capabilities.
Some anime battles play out as thrilling, large-scale conflicts, such as the epic space fight in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, where actual galaxies are used as weapons. Some conflicts take darker, moodier tones; the unsettling endings of Psycho Pass and Devilman Crybaby stand as excellent, if upsetting, examples. An especially great final anime battle might include a 2 vs. 1 anime fight, letting all your favorite characters a moment in the grand finale. However they play out, the best final anime battles offer all the suspense and action you want in a conflict.
Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha sported a rivalry since the very beginning, a rivalry that suggested to viewers the series wouldn't end without a serious showdown between the two powerhouse ninjas.
The animation and choreography combine to form fight-scene magic. In long-running anime like Naruto, this can feel hit-or-miss, yet Studio Pierrot put forth some of their finest efforts here. Viewers watch Sasuke and Naruto defend their differing worldviews while still showing a level of respect. The battle continues even after their incredible powers burn out, devolving into an exhausted fist fight atypical of Naurto's usual flashy choreography. In short, it gives the fans what they waited for as well as some surprises they never expected either.
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Father comes across as a formidable villain, but at heart, he exists as a sad, pathetic, selfish imitation of man who amassed a terrifying amount of power beyond his ability to control. Incapable of caring for anyone but himself, Father even abuses his homunculi creations, whose existences are meant to take him to godhood. For this reason, it feels supremely satisfying to watch him lose his grip on everything he set into motion.
Although alchemy is involved in the fight, Edward Elric ultimately defeats Father with his bare hands. Edward relies on his humanity to defeat an enemy who tried to surpass the confines of earthly existence – exactly what Ed does when he tries to resurrect his mother. More than anything, this fight reaffirms the power of human resilience.
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In one of the most iconic final battles in anime history, Spike Spiegel and his long-time rival, Vicious, duke it out with a pistol and a sword. The two originally hail from the same crime syndicate, one which Spike abandoned and Vicious now rules with an iron fist.
The fight scene works because of, rather than in spite of, its feelings of a desolate conclusion. For most of Cowboy Bebop, Spike tries to outrun his past, but through this battle with Vicious, he must confront it. Fighting Vicious and acknowledging their time together in the Red Dragon Syndicate allow Spike to finally free himself of his sordid past.
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Most final battles occur between rivals who faced off at least once or twice in the past. Kiritsugu Emiya and Kirei Kotomine never meet before their final battle, but they definitely consider each other formidable foes. While most of the fights in Fate/Zero involve supernatural abilities, this one is a magic-free conflict between two men in a concrete basement, where guns, swords, and fists are the weapons of choice.
The stark backdrop puts the spotlight on the dueling pair, and the dramatic camera angles and wide movements make it nearly impossible to look away.
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- 5
Akame Vs. Esdeath - 'Akame ga Kill!'
As the only person left standing on the empire's side, Esdeath refuses to surrender. Esdeath proves that she is truly one of the best villains in this final battle. Her only desire is to "win" and create more war. Akame decides that she must put an end to Esdeath and they battle it out in one last fight. And while Esdeath is much more skilled and powerful, Akame stabs Esdeath just at the right moment. Esdeath dies while holding Tatsumi's corpse, full of regret.
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- 6
Korosensei Vs. Shinigami and Yanagisawa - 'Assassination Classroom'
Korosensei faces his former apprentice and creator in this intense, emotional battle. The stakes are high as beloved characters sacrifice themselves in order to buy Korosensei more time, and the result is a gut-wrenching finale that keeps you at the edge of your seats. While we get to see Korosensei unleash his full powers, this final battle is more noteworthy for its emotional impact. You're lying if you say that you didn't watch this finale with tears in your eyes.
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Dio Brando just comes across as unbeatable. If you are able to stop time, that means your opponent will never, ever be able to lay a hand on you. But in the middle of an epic battle involving knives, bullets, and more, Jotaro Kujo suddenly awakens his own time-stopping ability, one that rivals Dio's and allows him to get the upper hand, stopping Dio from dropping an actual steamroller on him.
Right as things appear most hopeless to Jotaro, he turns it around in a completely unexpected way. The seemingly undefeatable Dio dies, and his blood manages to revive Joseph after he suffered a serious injury in an earlier fight.
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When it comes to fight scenes, Dragon Ball Z offers some of the very best, meaning the final battle between Goku and Kid Buu was destined for greatness from the beginning. Kid Buu ranks among the most powerful foes Goku and friends ever face; with no particular goal in mind, Buus simply exists as a vessel of chaos and destruction. Goku can't take him on alone, needing help from Vegeta and Mr. Satan to finish him.
After much struggle, the group utterly destroys Kid Buu using a massive spirit bomb, making Kid Buu one of the only villains Goku actually kills. The battle caps off with Goku and Vegeta acknowledging they actually make a good team – a poignant end for two former enemies.
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The final episode of Code Geass makes for an utterly brutal ending. First comes the fight between Kallen and Suzaku. Two powerful warriors on opposing sides of Japan's fight for freedom from the Brittainian Empire, both characters lay into each other using Knightmares, a type of mech weapon. Kallen fails to kill Suzaku, who survives to go on and kill Lelouch. However, Suzaku does manage to destroy the Lancelot, a powerful mech that served as a symbol for the so called "purity" of Suzaku's intentions, which have always been far more complex.
Deeper meanings aside, the battle also looks spectacular from an aesthetic point of view.
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- 10
Team Dai-Gurren Vs. The Anti-Spirals - 'Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann'
Few fights take place on a grander scale than the final battle between Team Dai-Gurren and the Anti-Spirals. The two opposing factions take their fight into outer space, using entire galaxies as shields and weapons. The energy and passion of this high stakes battle over the fate of humanity feels nearly impossible to avoid getting swept up in.
Ultimately, Team Dai-Gurren wins, freeing them to live and thrive on the surface of the Earth, no longer relegated to the stifling underground world they began the series in.
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- 11
Vash Vs. Knives - 'Trigun'
In this fated battle, the two brothers finally confront each other. It starts off as a classic gun fight and then turns into an explosive battle with Vash using his Cross Gun. This particular fight holds a lot of emotional weight for both the characters as they represent opposing ideas of peace and war. And while the ending is ambiguous as to what happens to Knives, it's a fitting conclusion as Vash stands over his brother claiming that he will survive.
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The final battle of Kill la Kill features just about everything you could possibly want from a boss fight – a ridiculously overpowered villain, major revelations about a character's past, and the entire cast taking off all of their clothes at the battle's conclusion. Yeah, that really happens. Though certainly cathartic and hilarious, Kill la Kill's wild ending makes sense in context and underscores the show's themes of freedom from societal norms.
If you really want to know, the final battle consists of Kill la Kill against the concept of convention; needless to say, the show decimates its opponent.
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- 13
Yusuke Vs. Yomi - 'Yu Yu Hakusho'
Yusuke's last fight is an unconventional one for a shonen anime, but that's what makes it so great. While Yomi comes out as the victor, viewers realize that it doesn't matter who the strongest fighter is. Yusuke is no longer motivated to fight for power or strength which makes Yomi infuriated. Instead, he discovers that the true power comes from protecting his friends. Yusuke has come a long way since the beginning of the series as he's finally found his place in the world. He doesn't win the fight but he manages to weaken Yomi enough so that he can't fight in the tournament. It's a poetic and fitting conclusion for an amazing series.
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Shinya Kogami wants revenge on Shogo Makishima. Not only does he have a long list of brutal murders under his belt, Makishima also killed Kogami's partner back during the duo's detective days. So when Kogami finally tracks Makishima down, he arrives fully prepared to kill him.
The ensuing battle, which features both gun-fighting and hand-to-hand combat, showcases a moral fight as well as a physical one. Akane Tsunemori, the protagonist, tries to persuade Kogami not to kill Makishima, because she believes in Kogami's benevolence, and that good people obey the law in order to create a just society. She believes this despite knowing full well the laws of her country are cruel and unjust. When Kogami exacts his vengeance and kills Makishima, Tsunemori ends up disappointed, a discontent made worse by Kogami's own admiration of Tsunemori.
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- 15
The Battle Of Heaven And Earth - 'Attack on Titan'
At the end of Attack on Titan, Eren Jaeger has sent hundreds of Titans marching across the planet, crushing or burning everything they encounter. The only way to stop them is to defeat Eren, which is exactly what a ragtag group of his former comrades and former enemies have joined together to do.
This fight featured absolutely stellar art and animation, made possible by the fact that MAPPA decided to include it in a special rather than a weekly episode. Not only was the action on point, the practical and emotional stakes could not be higher. It's a great way to cap off an incredible series.
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- 16
Everyone Vs. Mob - 'Mob Psycho 100'
Once again, Mob Psycho 100 is knocking it out of the park with its final fights. In Season 3 - the final season - Mob gets hit by a car. This unleashes his “other self” which is composed of all of his repressed emotions. As his other self rampages through the city, attacking people and destroying buildings, Mob is trapped inside his own body, trying desperately to control his other self.
But he isn't the only one. Just about everyone else in the series, from friends like Ritsu and Teru to former foes like Toichiro Suzuki, tries to take him down. Some approach him reluctantly and try to reason with him, since they think Mob is in control. Others - like the military - are more concerned with stopping the danger. Ultimately, it's his mentor Reigen who gets through to him - by finally being honest with him about something important.
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- 17
Akira Fudo Vs. Ryo Asuka - 'Devilman Crybaby'
Akira Fudo and Ryo Asuka lived as best friends for years, but their dramatically opposing goals make any future friendship, much less compromise, impossible. As the human manifestation of Satan, Ryo wants to destroy humanity, something Akira tries desperately to prevent. Their final battle gets emotionally intense, both characters devastated that their friendship must end in violence.
Accompanying the main battle, a clash between marauding devils and what's left of humankind also runs alongside Akira and Ryo's own brawl. When Akira finally dies, the genocidal Ryo becomes blindsided by the loss of his friend, a loss felt quite poignantly as angels descend to Earth to bring about its destruction.
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