Top 10 Anime Fights of 2022

“Overlord” (2015-)

If there’s one thing this titular warlord does better than anyone, it’s win with style. In the middle of recruiting new adventurers, Ainz decided to head to the colosseum for a real hands-on interview. There, he confronts the so-called Warrior King, who proceeds to get royally kicked off his throne. Ainz ends his life, revives him, and then uses it as a sales pitch to recruit more underlings. And all without his most powerful spells, too. It just goes to show that watching Ainz dominate an unsuspecting opponent will never get old. Apparently, both his power and his recruitment skills are second to none.

“Chainsaw Man” (2022-)

Airfare atop a flying monster always comes with some risks. Like, say, a crash landing in the middle of Tokyo. Except, this time, Denji revved to life in the name of copping a feel from Power. Yeah, his chainsaw runs on a different kind of fuel than most, but at least the result was the same. The devil was gloriously dissected limb by limb until he wished he’d stayed in Hell. The impeccable production values sell the weight of each attack, but the added comedic edge ensures the scene is never stained too red. Though, rest assured, Power and Meowy are still definitely going to need a shower afterwards.

“Made in Abyss” (2017-)

There’s no real winner in this fight. At least, not in the traditional sense. Faputa gets a clean K.O. on Reg, but there’s no satisfaction in winning a game that neither wanted to play in the first place. The show emphasizes the mutual heartbreak by interspersing the combat with memories of their forgotten meeting. It adds a deeply personal element to the conflict that turns it into more of a philosophical debate. It’s Faputa’s instinct to destroy against Reg’s determination to protect, which sculpts the series’ main themes into two fantastic character arcs. The fight is not quick, it’s not exciting, and it’s certainly not fun, but that’s also the whole point.

“Attack on Titan” (2013-)

For the sake of their lives, their country, and really the whole world, humanity’s fight for the port became an actual all-hands on deck situation. The only issue: the Yeagerists stood in the way. So, Titans, Marleyans, and Survey Corps all mounted a bloody, frenzied assault full of the high-octane action that no show does better. The stakes are so high that there’s barely time to dwell on the fact Mikasa just made it rain with the blood of her former comrades. By the time it's over, there’s as many epic moments as there are dead bodies. It’s the kind of unforgettable setpiece that only a series in its endgame could truly pull off.

“Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” (2022)

In a lesser show, a buzzy cameo could have easily overshadowed the impact of the final battle. But, this is “Edgerunners,” and it’s not content being ordinary. It doesn’t take cybernetic enhancements to see why this is a throwdown to remember. David’s low on time, Adam Smasher makes a surprise appearance, and there’s a fantastic song behind it all. The unique framing and expert use of color make it a true visual tour de force. But, beyond its technical merits, there’s a deep emotional gravitas that gives the techno-world a real heart. The end is as tragic as it is exhilarating. But, fittingly, David still went out laughing.

“One Piece” (1999-)

A thousand episodes deep, and the wannabe Pirate King is somehow still stretching to new heights. The debut of Luffy’s Red Roc technique collectively shattered both Kaido and the internet as a whole. But, astoundingly, the fight has only continued to ramp up since then. There’s more punches, more knockouts, and more absurd animation than the series has ever seen. The sheer scale of it all makes it feel like anime history in the making. By now, it’s definitely one of “One Piece’s” best brawls in what is already one of “One Piece’s” best arcs. For a show that’s been on the air for over twenty years, that’s saying something.

“Ranking of Kings” (2021-)

On a pure visual level, this handily takes the crown. The camerawork is nothing short of stunning, especially since it comes with remarkably fluid animation, too. It’s a downright unforgettable sequence, and not just because it’s pretty. No, the fight really ascends the throne in how well it culminates the season’s emotional beats. After all, the seemingly-unbeatable King Bosse fell to the boy no one expected anything of. If that’s not poetic, we don’t know what is. In the end, this fight was so much more than Bojji defeating his father. It was about proving the world that ‘small’ and ‘mighty’ are not mutually exclusive.

“Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai” (2020-22)

Sure, great music and excellent animation are always appreciated, but even that can’t replicate the epicness of a fight like this. The series spent nearly a hundred episodes building towards the inevitable confrontation between Dai and Vearn, Dark King and Dragonoid, and good versus evil. To say it met expectations would be a massive understatement. There’s flashy choreography, dramatic exchanges of power, and a certain weight that’s only possible through meticulous plotting. The best part of the fight isn’t that it goes to the sky and beyond. No, it’s the feeling that, as early as episode one, this was always the way Dai’s adventure was supposed to end.

“Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War” (2022-)

These two haven’t seen each other for a thousand years, but it’s safe to say they picked up right where things left off. That is, with the mightiest clash of strength that “Bleach” has ever seen. Thankfully, the callbacks to their first duel ensures the scene never loses its impact in all the flashy animation. Rather, it proves the only thing that burns brighter than Captain Yamamoto’s Bankai is his willpower. If he’d been fighting the real Yhwach, he may have very well won. Unfortunately, the actual Quincy King took some advice from Aizen, and ended Yamamoto once and for all. But he can hold his head high that he went out with a real blaze of glory

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” (2019-)

The Entertainment District arc really had it all: three slayers, two Kizuki, one Hashira, and an insane final fight. Together, the results totally lived up to the word “entertaining,” and that’s putting it lightly. The breathtaking animation is a spectacle in every sense of the word, but even that's second to the utter hype of some of these moments. After all, there’s no better metaphor for the series’ willingness to raise the stakes than with not just one, but two decapitated demons. From Tengen’s clutch entrance to Tanjiro’s chilling final scream, this represents not just “Demon Slayer” at its best, but all of shounen. Suffice it to say, this fight definitely slayed.