Regardless of how accurate it is, the action genre is almost synonymous with anime as a medium. Most people who got into anime did so after watching an action series, whether it was one of the Big 3 or another iconic anime series, like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Yet while there are tons of action anime, it’s hard to find a truly great series.
The best action anime will always have incredible fights, but that isn’t all they are. An action anime masterpiece has strong characters and a plot that viewers want to stick with, because being invested makes every fight that much better. Series that achieve the level of being a true masterpiece are remembered decades after they first air.
Kingdom Gives Viewers A Huge War Epic
Main visual of Kingdom anime with Fei Xin and his allies behind him, including Ka Ryo Ten, Kyou Kai, Ying ZhengImage via Studio Pierrot
Kingdom might be one of the most underrated anime, given how long the series has been running. The manga is almost 80 volumes deep and the anime’s over 150 episodes long, but it flies under the radar normally. Its focus is on two young protagonists: a young prince trying to unite all of China, and a peasant boy with dreams of becoming a great general under the heavens.
Given it’s premise, it’s not surprising Kingdom offers as much palace intrigue and politicking as it does actual combat. That said, unlike most series, Kingdom is an anime about large-scale war, meaning fights take place between groups of soldiers, with a focus on the aces over time. It’s ability to properly convey the scale of the fights the viewer’s watching is unmatched. Still, it ranks last because its animation started out weak for its first season, making it a hard sell despite its incredible quality.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Is Still A Classic Across Multiple Parts
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has been a staple anime for over a decade now. Going back to the premiere of the original series in 2012, fans have followed every new part of Araki’s long-running series, watching it switch protagonists and settings. While most series could never get away with that, JoJo really is just that good.
It’s also one of the most action-packed anime of the 2010s and 2020s. With Stands, Araki created one of the best power systems in anime, making every victory come down to which character can be the most creative. The most seemingly mundane abilities are suddenly world-breaking in the hands of a JoJo character, leaving fans curious as to how every fight will play out.
Samurai Champloo Is The Most Fun Samurai Series
Jin, Fuu, and Mugen standing together looking nonchalant while Fuu leans over to whisper to Mugen in Samurai ChamplooImage via Manglobe
Despite being a flawless anime, it feels like Samurai Champloo doesn’t have nearly the influence on the anime fandom it did in the mid-2000s. At the time, having director Shinichiro Watanabe’s next project be a mix of samurai fiction set to lo-fi hip-hop was the coolest idea in the world. Like Bebop, the story focused on a cast of strays brought together by chance in two swordsmen, Jin and Mugen, who agree to help a young girl named Fuu as she searches for the samurai who smells of sunflowers.
The action in Samurai Champloo is unlike anything else of its era. Jin and Mugen couldn’t have been more different, and Manglobe made sure to showcase that in each of their fights against other enemies or each other. Jin brought fans traditional samurai action, while Mugen brought a cool, free-flowing style that felt more like watching a sword-wielding breakdancer. It all worked perfectly, creating one of the best action series of the early 2000s.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Raised The Standard For Great Animation
Tanjiro Kamado is staring intensely at his enemy before engaging in battle in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle.Image via Ufotable
Arguably, Demon Slayer is responsible for the obsession fans have now with hype animation. After all, ufotable established itself as one of the best anime studios around with their work on the series, starting with season one. The series follows Tanjiro Kamado, a boy that decides to join the Demon Slayer Corps to find a cure to save his sister after she gets transformed into a demon.
While people think Demon Slayer is carried by its animation, that’s short-changing the show’s excellent character work, as it features one of the most well-developed casts in shonen anime today. Still, the animation makes every fight scene a joy to watch, bringing a special flair not just to Tanjiro, but to all the Hashira in their different fighting styles. There’s no show that comes close to the quality of its sword fights, in this or any other era.
Dragon Ball Z Is Still Iconic Even Decades Later
An angry Gohan advances on Bojack after transforming into his Super Saiyan 2 form in Dragon Ball Z: Bojack UnboundImage via Toei Animation
It’s impossible to talk action masterpieces without discussing one of the most iconic anime of all time. An excellent example of a series growing up with its viewers, Dragon Ball Z follows another great action series in Dragon Ball. Taking place years after Goku finally defeated Piccolo to bring world peace, Dragon Ball Z sees Goku and the Z Fighters immersed in another war to stop villains from making wishes on the Dragon Balls.
Dragon Ball Z might have some awful plot devices when it wants characters to lose, but ultimately the show is too good to ignore. It did hype moments and aura before everyone else, offering some of the coolest transformations in anime history. While some of its fights are just a ton of speed lines, many of its best scenes are more traditional, and have become unforgettable because there are always new fans being introduced to the series.
Solo Leveling Built A Legend Off Incredible Fight Scenes
The epic battle between Sung Jinwoo and the Ant King in Solo Leveling Season 2, Episode 12 (Episode 24, overall), “Are You the King of Humans?”Image via A-1 Pictures
Solo Leveling has been the biggest breakout success of the 2020s. After nearly a solid decade of isekai being one of the biggest genres, Solo Leveling found a way to make the reverse isekai a big deal as well. Solo Leveling takes place in a world where Hunters are responsible for clearing “Dungeons” that randomly appear throughout the world, only for E-Rank Hunter Sung Jin-woo to gain an ability no one’s ever heard of: growing stronger with each battle he survives.
If there’s one thing for sure about Solo Leveling, it’s that every season is going to be packed with hype moments. While Sung Jin-woo is overpowered, A-1 Pictures still makes all of his fight scenes a technical showcase worth going back and rewatching repeatedly. That said, it still ranks fifth on the list because while the battles are amazing, the characters leave much to be desired. After all, no one matters aside from Sung Jin-woo.
Trigun Provides Intense Gunfights
Vash looks forward with a sorrowful look in his eye while holding his hand in front of his face in TrigunImage via Madhouse
It’s not an understatement to say Trigun is one of the best anime from the golden age of the ’90s. The series followed Vash the Stampede, a legendary marksman, constantly hunted thanks to the sixty billion double-dollar bounty on his head. While Vash himself was skilled, he’s a pacifist at heart, choosing violence as the last option, even if it comes at great personal cost.
As hinted by the name, Trigun is a series that focuses entirely on gunfights. The battles are often short, but full of tension, as Vash wonders how he can get out of each situation without anyone losing their life. Though he starts off beating easy opponents, over time he’s challenged by more impressive enemies, forcing him to get more creative with his solutions.
Yu Yu Hakusho Sees Humans Fighting To Protect Earth From Demons
Yusuke Urameshi looking at Younger Toguro after he’s transformed into his 100% form in Yu Yu Hakusho.Image via Studio Pierrot
Yu Yu Hakusho is another classic that stands out even among a ton of classics from the 90s. The series follows Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage boy who gets a second chance at life because he saved a child from being hit by a car. After being revived, his spiritual awareness makes him a prime candidate to become a Spirit Detective, where he deals with cases of demons interfering in the human world.
Yu Yu Hakusho‘s small cast means everyone gets their fair share of development as a character, and their own cool fight scenes. Even prior to Hunter x Hunter, Yoshihiro Togashi was never afraid to get creative with his fight scenes. Best of all, the show’s relatively short length for a shonen anime means every fight is compact and well-paced.
One Piece Has Some Of Anime’s Most Memorable Characters
Luffy with his arms around Zoro, Usopp, and Nami with the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates behind him in One PieceImage via Toei Animation
One Piece is definitely the greatest long-running anime of all time, no question. Oda’s ability to not only maintain the fans’ interest in his story, but reward them for remembering every subplot is simply unmatched. Everyone’s still locked in to see Luffy become the King of the Pirates by discovering the One Piece, even decades later.
Despite One Piece having some ridiculous character designs, they work perfectly with the powers Oda gives to his characters. The series also knows how to connect the viewer’s emotions to each fight, making fans excited to see a character win, or get their well-deserved comeuppance. It shouldn’t be a surprise that this beloved series has resulted in some of the most iconic battles in anime history.
CBR Exclusive · One Piece Quiz WHICH ONE PIECE LEGEND ARE YOU? Set sail — Quiz sequence initiated ⚓ The Grand Line stretches endlessly before you. Across its treacherous waters, legends are born — forged in Devil Fruit power, unbreakable will, and the fierce loyalty of a crew that would sail into any storm. Twenty questions. One legendary result. Your adventure begins now. 🌊
🍖Luffy
⚔️Zoro
🗺️Nami
📖Robin
🍳Sanji
01
The Going Merry is ready to leave port. What’s your first move? 🚢 How you set sail says everything about who you are at sea.
02
A Marine warship is blocking your route. You: 🏴☠️ Crisis response reveals your true pirate nature.
03
You find a Devil Fruit on the table. What do you hope it is? 🍈 The fruit you crave is the power you were always meant to have.
04
What is your one, unshakeable dream? 🌟 Every great pirate sails for something deeper than treasure.
05
The Thousand Sunny docks at a new island. First stop? 🏝️ What you do first in port reveals your deepest priorities.
06
Your greatest weapon aboard the ship? ✨ Every Straw Hat has one thing that makes them irreplaceable.
07
What’s your natural role when things get tense? 🪝 The pressure moment is where your true function reveals itself.
08
Honest confession — what is actually your biggest flaw? 😬 Even the greatest pirates have one thing they’re still working on.
09
A crewmate is in serious danger. You: 💪 How you protect the people you sail with is who you truly are.
10
Halfway across the Grand Line. What keeps you going? 🌟 Not the crew’s reason. Yours. The private one.
11
You lost the fight. The crew is watching. Now what? 😳 How you rise after falling is what separates legends from passengers.
12
Your bounty poster just went up. What’s on it? 💰 The World Government describes you the way your enemies see you.
13
Free day on a peaceful island. What actually happens? 🌴 How you rest is a window into what drives you when no one’s watching.
14
What does your crew actually say about you behind your back? 📋 The people who sail with you see the version you can’t.
15
Which Haki do you feel most aligned with? 🔮 The Haki you master reflects the deepest truth of who you are.
16
What does it truly mean to you to be a pirate? 🌊 Not Garp’s definition. Not the Marines’. Yours.
17
In a hundred years, what will they say about you? 🎬 The Void Century has room for one more name. What does yours mean?
18
A Warlord of the Sea is blocking the path forward. You: 👀 Warlords don’t intimidate legends. They reveal them.
19
The crew celebrates a big victory. Your contribution? 🎉 How you celebrate says as much as how you fight.
20
You reach Laugh Tale. The One Piece is real. What do you do? 🔥 Twenty questions. One truth. No turning back now.
⚓ The Grand Line has made its judgement ⚓ YOUR ONE PIECE LEGEND
Your scores are revealed below! The character with the highest number is your One Piece counterpart. Read their profile to discover your true pirate destiny. 🌊
🍖 Luffy
⚔️ Zoro
🗺️ Nami
📖 Robin
🍳 Sanji
You don’t understand the word impossible — not because you’re naive, but because you genuinely never accepted that it applied to you. You charge into every situation with the full force of your personality, your body, and your heart, and somehow the universe rearranges itself to accommodate you. You don’t lead through command; you lead through being so completely, recklessly yourself that everyone around you becomes a better version of who they were. You eat too much, feel too loudly, and care too deeply. The world calls it recklessness. Your crew calls it home. 🍖
You have made exactly one promise and you have organised your entire existence around keeping it. Stoic to a fault, terrifying in combat, and somehow always facing the wrong direction — you are the immovable foundation that the whole crew leans against when everything else shakes. You don’t ask for recognition. You don’t need it. The work is its own reward. The sword is the path and the path is the sword. You will lose a thousand times before you reach the top, and you will get back up every single time. That is not stubbornness. That is who you are. ⚔️
You are sharper than anyone in the room and you know it — but you also know exactly when not to show it. Pragmatic, resourceful, and carrying more than you ever show on your face, you are the reason the ship reaches anywhere at all. Every route was planned by you. Every impossible weather reading, every near-catastrophe avoided — that was you. The world tried to take everything from you once, and you built something extraordinary out of the wreckage. You love the people you’ve chosen fiercely, quietly, and without much ceremony. The map isn’t finished. You’ll get there. 🗺️
You spent so long being hunted for what you know that you forgot — briefly, painfully — that you were also worth loving for who you are. You carry the weight of erased history in your memory and the quiet certainty of someone who has survived what should have been unsurvivable. Calm where others panic, perceptive where others miss everything, and in possession of a dark humour that still catches people off guard. You don’t trust easily, and when you do, it is the most complete and devastating loyalty imaginable. You want to know the truth. You deserve to live to read it. 📖
You have principles carved so deep they function like a skeleton — invisible, structural, and the thing holding everything else upright. You cook for people because food is love expressed at its most honest. You fight for the crew because protecting them is the most natural thing in the world. You are elegant, occasionally absurd, capable of extraordinary tenderness and absolutely terrifying combat in the same five-minute span. You came from darkness and chose light so deliberately and so completely that it became your defining act. The sea called and you answered. All Blue is out there. You’ll find it. 🍳
Edward Elric and Roy Mustang together at sunset in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.Image via Studio Bones
There’s a reason people still regard this as one of the greatest anime of all time. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood remakes an already amazing anime and improves on it by hewing closer to the source material. The series starts with Edward and his brother Alphonse Elric, on the search for the Philosopher’s Stone, hoping to restore their bodies after an alchemical accident. However, it isn’t long before the two are pulled into a nationwide conspiracy, leading them to discover the secret of alchemy in their world.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood might not be the traditional battle shonen with power-ups and transformations. However, BONES still gave fans some incredible fight scenes, like Wrath vs. Scar, and Roy Mustang against Envy. While they might not have the ridiculous powers of other anime, their comparatively more grounded battles are still exciting to watch. Brotherhood ranks as the best action masterpiece because it’s the total package–offering incredible characters, an intriguing mystery plot, and incredible action, all in a single series.
