Monstrous creatures, magical beings, and characters with raw strength, the anime world is full of such unique characters. Fighters who rely on weapons or who simply like to get their hands dirty, whether they be thestrong old characters, there is something for every anime fan. And, well, this list tackles characters who can be considered the best anime fighters of all time.
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Some fighters rely on their physical prowess, and some on the monstrous strength they acquired through hard training, making them a force to be reckoned with. Having put their strength to the test multiple times during the course of their particular storylines, these fighters have shown their mettle.
10Kazuma Kuwabara (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Stong Fighter With Spirit Energy (But Lacks Battle Intellect)
Yu Yu Hakusho
Kazuma’s Best Fighting Moments:
In the anime, Kuwabara possesses incredible physical strength, which sometimes surpasses the human levels, and is a brawler-type fighter. The character boasts telepathy, immense spiritual energy, and an elevated spirit awareness, which he uses to the fullest in his fighting style.
While Kuwabara is definitely one of the best fighters in anime, his power and fighting style are heavily influenced by his emotions and oscillate as per his emotional state. Kuwabara’s notable fighting moment comes when he goes against Risho, who single-handedly defeats the series' many characters. During the fight, not only did Kuwabara hold his own, but he managed to defeat Risho and prove why he was among the best fighters in the Yu Yu Hakusho anime.
Release Date
Where to Watch
June 22, 2025
Crunchyroll
9Levi Ackerman (Attack On Titan)
Agile Body, Seasoned Fighter (But Relies Heavily On ODM Gear)
Attack On Titan
Levi Ackerman’s Best Fighting Moments:
Regarded as humanity’s strongest soldier, Levi Ackerman is also the captain of the special unit within the survey corps inAttack on Titan. Having set the record for most titan kills in the anime, Captain Levi does most of the dirty work of killing titans by himself.
Levi is shown as calm and cool, but he never hesitates to go ballistic when it comes to killing Titans. With precise movements and deadly combinations to attack Titans, Levi is considered to be the best at using ODM gear. However, it’s safe to say that Levi won’t be this dangerous without the ODM gear.
His most notable fight was with Zeke Yeager in his titan form, where Levi took down Zeke’s Beast Titan with the utmost ease despite Zeke overpowering the rest of the survey corps. His maneuvering and landing fatal blows repeatedly to take down the Beast Titan show why Levi is among the best anime fighters of all time.
July 17, 2025
8Manjiro Sano (Tokyo Revengers)
Flexes Superhuman Kick (But Lacks Supernatural Fighting Skills)
Tokyo Revengers
Mikey’s Best Fighting Moments:
Manjiro Sano, aka Mikey, can be considered the perfect embodiment of “looks can be deceiving.” Manjiro’s physical fighting capabilities surpass not only his gang members but arguably all other characters fromTokyo Revengers. The best example of Mikey’s physical prowess was displayed when he kicked Kazutora on his head while the gang member was still holding on to his leg. Similarly, Mikey thrashing several gang members in the parking lot alone is yet another example of his fighting abilities.
Over the years, Mikey is seen taking down many of his opponents with nothing but kicks. Top it off with immense endurance, martial arts training, a composed personality, and enhanced intuition; all this makes Mickeyone of the best fighters in anime. It’s evident that Mikey is a beast, but he’s only a human and doesn’t have any supernatural fighting skills (unlike some other fighters on this list), which is why he got the eighth spot.
June 01, 2025
7Saitama (One Punch Man)
One Of The Strongest Anime Characters (But Lacks Fighting Skills)
One Punch Man
Saitama’s Best Fighting Moments:
Caped Baldy, aka Saitama, who initially became a hero just for the fun of it, doesn’t seek any fun fighting anyone anymore simply because he can defeat the mightiest of foes with a flick of his finger. One glance at Saitama, and you may’t judge the sheer amount of strength this averagely built baldy possesses.
Saitama has his fair share of splendid momentsthroughout the series, where he shines above all. However, his most noteworthy encounter was with Boros. It was when Boros smacked Saitama so hard that the hero landed on the moon. Soon after, Saitama smashes Boros with his immeasurable strength and makes his body explode in a single punch, thus giving fans another example of why he ranks among the best fighters in anime.
While it’s true that Saitama is one of the strongest anime characters, he’s not exactly a fighter. He doesn’t possess any fighting or martial arts skills, and he doesn’t need to because the baldy can defeat anyone with a single punch. And since he’s not exactly a “great fighter” in that sense, we’ve ranked him lower on this list.
June 27, 2025
6Akaza (Demon Slayer)
Martial Arts Prodigy With Regenerative Ability (But Can’t Withstand Sun)
Demon Slayer
Akaza’s Best Fighting Moments:
One of theupper moon demons from the Demon Slayeranime, Akaza, is a powerful demon with incredible fighting skills. As a human, Akaza was a martial arts prodigy, a quality that the character has carried on even after turning. His martial arts knowledge, topped up with the incredible strength he gained after becoming a demon, is why Akaza ranks third among the upper moons.
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While his fighting skills are not fully shown in anime yet, in the Mugen Train arc, we get to see him go head-to-head with the Flame Hashira Rengoku. During the fight, Akaza was seen fighting Rengoku playfully and not unleashing his true strength. Being able to defeat a Hashira while casually fighting is proof enough of his fighting capabilities. Lastly, Akaza could have taken on other strong characters on this list, but sadly, he can’t step out in the sun.
August 17, 2025
5Guts (Berserk)
Incredible Strength, Speed, And Fighting Spirit (But Lacks Battle Strategy)
Guts Best Fighting Moments:
The swordsman clad in black, who wields a blade thrice the size of a Zweihander, Guts, was given the name by his adoptive mother, who found him in his mother’s corpse.
Trained to be a mercenary at the mere age of 3, Guts progresses throughout the series to be a fearless and relentless warrior, no matter the odds. Having started training at a young age, Guts had to get used to fighting with a sword. As Guts grew in size, the sword he used also got bigger.
Throughout the series, there are several instances where Guts has shown immense raw strength through his fighting skills as a mercenary with his iconic Dragonslayer sword. Guts taking down an Ogre single-handedly and using his teeth to swing his giant Dragonslayer are some of the best moments Guts had throughout the series, which puts him among the best anime fighters. However, an area where Guts lacks is Battle Strategy. He is a warrior who charges at an enemy, showcasing immense strength, but he’s not someone who can figure out when to retreat.
June 29, 2025
4Kenshiro (Fist Of The North Star)
Master Of Hokuto Shinken Style (But Is Not Unbeatable)
Fist Of The North Star
Kenshiro’s Best Fighting Moments:
Etched into the anime history and meme culture by his pet dialogue “Omae wa mou Shindeirou,” Kenshiro has become a well-known face among anime fans. Kenshiro is depicted as a strong, selfless, stoic, and kind-hearted man in the anime and is also among the very first male anime figures to break the stereotype of “Men don’t cry.”
This gentle monster’s mastery over martial arts and his minimal fighting style are shown multiple times during the series. However, the most prominent use of Kenshiro’s abilities is the use of his Hundred Crack Fist, which consists of a continuous barrage of rapid punches precisely aimed to rupture internal organs before the opponents realize what Kenshiro did. Despite such overwhelming strength, Kenshiro is not exactly invincible, and that’s why he loses against other characters like Souther.
Where To Watch
June 16, 2025
3Yujiro Hanma (Baki Hanma)
Overpowered Physical Strength (But Can Get Riled Up Easily)
Baki Hanma
Yujiro’s Best Fighting Moments:
This titular antagonist from Baki goes by many names throughout the franchise. The strongest creature on Earth, Ogre, or the Mighty One, is to name a few. Among the characters from Baki, Yujiro Hanma stands on top in terms of strength and his sheer fighting prowess.
Standing at 6 feet tall and built like a tank,Yujiro’s presence is second to none. His persona is enough to put fear going through his enemy’s veins at a single glance. The series portrays Yujiro as a powerhouse able to put down anything or anyone who comes his way. Ripping his opponent’s face off with his bare hands, pushing back a riot team, and taking down full modern armies are but some of Yujiro’s capabilities shown in the series. Yujiro is definitely someone who can tremble buildings with his strength, but it’s his arrogance that could be used against him.
July 25, 2025
2Might Guy (Naruto Shippuden)
8 Gates Offers Immense Power (But It’s a Double-Edged Sword)
Might Guy’s Best Fighting Moments:
The Taijutsu master fromNarutoShippuden is a top-tier Jonin of Konoha and the perfect example of hard work prevailing talent. Guy’s supervision of Rock Lee and enabling him to become a fine shinobi is perhaps what the fans remember the most about this character.
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As for his fighting genius, Might Guy has crushed many opponents in the series, most prominently, theAkatsuki memberKisame. Using his secret technique, Eight Gates, Guy enables his body to undergo an impressive transformation, which astonishingly increases his physical powers. Having put both Kisame, who was known as the tailless-tailed beast, and the mighty Madara to near death, Guy proved himself to be among the best fighters in anime. However, one downside to Might Guy’s strongest ability, Eight Gates, consumes his Chakra and, using the Final Gate can ultimately kill him.
August 06, 2025
1Goku (Dragon Ball Z)
Can Overcome Any Opponent Once He Makes Up His Mind
Dragon Ball
Goku’s Best Fighting Moments:
Kakarot, aka Goku, has become a household name among anime fanatics ever since the series' inception. Goku’s personality trait thatsets him apart from any other fighter in the anime worldis that he constantly strives to overcome any difficulty he faces, whether it’s an overpowering enemy or any difficult situation.
Throughout the series, Goku has undergone various transformations, each time overcoming his previous limits and gaining the upper hand. Over the years, Goku has proved his mettle by fighting dangerously powerful opponents like Frieza, Cell, Jiren, and many others and somehow surviving them all and getting stronger.
Even thoughGoku lost several timesin the series, he always came back after training even harder and becoming even stronger. Goku’s love for training and learning new skills makes him a formidable opponent. He’s someone who can even think with his feet in the battle. We all remember how he dodged Kefla’s attack in mid-air and used that against her to drop Kamehameha. That is one of the many reasons why Goku deserves to be called the best anime fighter.
