Top 10 Times Skilled Masters Destroyed Cocky Punks in Anime

“Baki” (2018)

Given how the death row inmate had just blown up his dojo with a dust explosion, you can see why Orochi might want a little bit of payback. A swift and brutal act of revenge on the part of the martial arts master, not even Doyle’s altered body was enough to save him from getting himself thrashed via a barrage of precise karate strikes. Keep in mind Orochi had only just recovered from having his face blown off, and he still wiped the floor with a fighter who had hidden blades inside his body. That’s what happens when you mix Baki logic and karma altogether.

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

The old coots still got it. After spending years relegated to the background, the OG fighter was finally given his time to shine in the Tournament of Power. While still nowhere at the level of his students, Roshi was able to prove that he still knew how to hold his own. Despite getting wailed on by a giant bird, his faith in himself and his proteges allowed him to muster up one last Kamehameha, and in doing so inched Universe 7 towards salvation.

“Record of Ragnarok” (2021)

Turns out that even the gods aren’t a match for someone who dedicated their life to the art of the sword. While retaining the title as the world’s ultimate loser, the aged samurai was still able to hold his own against that of a merciless deity, with his decades of practise allowing him to predict and overcome Poseidon’s strikes. Coupled with the encouragement of his fellow swordsmen, Sasaki closed the metaphorical ocean between himself and the Greek God, before promptly removing his head. Score one for humanity.

“Kengan Ashura” (2019)

Even with talent, sometimes there’s just no besting experience. As the Kengan Tournament continues, Rihito and his Razor’s Edge takes on the likes of Kuroki and his Devil Lance; where it becomes quickly apparent that the former is totally outmatched. Kuroki completely dominates this fight with superior technique, incapacitating Rihito with every blow, while also puncturing his body full of holes. Given how this bearded beast is on the same level as the Fang of Metsudo, we’d say Rihito got off lightly.

“Bleach” (2004-12)

The Captain Commander may be getting on in years, but he’s still the strongest Shinigami the Gotei 13 has to offer. Created purely for the purpose of sealing Yamamoto’s unstoppable zanpakuto, Wonderweiss was very much Aizen’s ace in the hole to use against his former employer. After all, what does the old man have if he doesn’t have his flames? We’ll tell you what he’s got – one hell of a right hook. Turns out Yamamoto’s got muscles for days under that robe, which allowed him to tear apart the Arrancar with a single blow.

“Boruto: Naruto Next Generations” (2017-)

He may be a little bit older, and have more than three ninja brats to deal with this time, but don’t think for even a second that a former Hokage was going to lose to a bunch of amateur shinobi. Once again challenging the students to the bell test, Kakashi demonstrated that retirement had done little to loosen his skills, Sharingan or not. It took the combined might of every genin just to come within an arm’s reach of snatching the bell and passing the exam, and even then they all got the stuffing kicked out of them!

“Overlord” (2015-)

It Is a butler’s job to take out the trash, and that includes wiping out an entire criminal organisation single-handedly. In an effort to free a young belle he had taken a liking to, Sebas takes on the leader of Six Arms in a final punch out. Though it isn’t so much as a battle as it is a one-sided curb stomp. Even after Zero channels the entire animal kingdom into a single punch, Sebas is able to end it all with a swift heel to the head. Elegant and effective.

“One-Punch Man” (2015-19)

While many of us were rooting for Garou and his quest to reveal the hypocrisy of hero culture, no amount of instinct and willpower was enough to overcome being double-teamed by his former master and his brother. By themselves, Bang and Bomb are capable of wiping out monsters with their fists alone. But together? They’re a maelstrom of pain that Garou had no chance of defending against, eventually reducing him to a broken state. Had he been purely human, this beating may well have ended his life.

“Yu Yu Hakusho” (1992-94)

This isn’t so much a fight as it is Genkai flexing on some poor bastard for minutes on end. Probably one of the funnier moments to come from the Dark Tournament, Genkai doesn’t hesitate to dish out a painful lesson to a substandard fighter. The wannabe jester is put through hell several times over, with the short-stacked, elderly trainer beating his torso in, using his spine as a trampoline, and rearranging his face until it's unrecognisable. The only reason she didn’t turn the rest of his insides into mulch is due to restraint!

“That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” (2018-)

Revenge is a dish best served with a blade to the neck. Following the Otherworlders rampage through Tempest, Rimuru and his crew saddled up to get some much-needed payback. Without the anti-magic field to weaken him, the elderly Ogre was finally able to settle the score with the arrogant little shmuck that had bested him previously. Even with Kyoya’s infinite number of swords and hyper-awareness, his skills were nothing compared to Hakarou’s mastery. There’s honestly nothing more satisfying than seeing an A-Grade jerk lose his head in such a sublime manner.