Biggest Anime Battles of 2023

ComicBook.com breaks down the biggest anime battles of 2023 so far, including series like One Piece, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and more.

By Evan Valentine - July 26, 2023 05:50 pm EDT

What would the anime medium be without its fights? While the medium has taken the opportunity to stretch its legs over the decades by creating stories that focus on elements including horror, drama, comedy, and much more, it's hard to deny that "battle anime" aren't at the top of the heap for all things anime. In 2023, there have been more than a few fights that have taken place featuring some of the biggest heroes and villains of the medium and we narrowed down some of the biggest.

Luckily, it wasn't hard to find some of the major battles that shook the world of anime, as various shonen series have focused on world-shattering encounters. From One Piece's War For Wano Arc to Jujutsu Kaisen's Hidden Inventory/Premature Death Arc, shonen series have benefited greatly from the increasing technical aspects of animation. As technology helps to boost the anime world, we should expect anime battles to benefit as a result and 2023 is a prime example.

What was your favorite anime battle of 2023? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of anime battles.

One Piece: Zoro Vs. King

While the fight featuring Kaido and Luffy rages on in One Piece's War For Wano Arc, the battle that shook the anime world was Roronoa Zoro taking on the Beast Pirate, King. Toei Animation has been going the extra mile in the animation department when it comes to showing off their skills, and this fight is no different. The confrontation was also able to come to an end, concluding in a dazzling fashion that might be overcome by the Straw Hat Captain taking on the Beast Pirate Captain, but not in time for this list.

My Hero Academia: Deku Vs. Lady Nagant

On its face alone, watching the wielder of One For All using his variety of Quirks to take to the sky and fight against a master sniper would earn a place on this list, but the allegories apparent in this confrontation make it one of the best. In My Hero Academia's sixth season, Lady Nagant is employed by All For One to capture Midoriya, looking to take a swing at a society that pushed her to her limits. Performing bloody deeds in an effort to keep Hero Society together, Nagant finds herself eventually being persuaded to assist Deku and lay down her arms. Studio BONES had quite the task in adapting this high-flying fight but the anime studio did so with flying colors.

Vinland Saga: Thorfinn Vs. Snake

Vinland Saga's second season is one that is quite introspective, focusing on the protagonist Thorfinn as he struggles with his bloody past while searching for meaning in a violent world. While a good portion of the season focuses on farming and struggling with the status of a slave, that didn't stop the anime adaptation from giving us one of the best anime fights of the year. Thorfinn taking on Snake for the fate of Arnheid and Gardar was a masterclass in choreography from Studio MAPPA, pushed forward by its emotional heft in terms of character development and storytelling.

Attack on Titan: Hange Vs. The Rumbling

If there's one character this year who "went out like a boss", it's sure to be Attack on Titan's Hange. Placed in the terrible scenario of buying her friends time as an army of Colossal Titans threatened to stop their progression toward Eren Jaeger, and take their lives, this was a fight that the brainy soldier was destined to lose. While Hange died in the face of insurmountable odds, she cemented her place in anime history and was re-united with her fellow fallen soldiers in quite the touching scene.

Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Brawl

Demon Slayer's third season is effectively one giant battle, as Tanjiro and some old and new friends assemble in the Swordsmith Village to fight against the Upper Moons 4 and 5. For its faults, the anime season certainly didn't hold back on the action as Tanjiro, Nezuko, and company learned new skills while attempting to fight two of Muzan's strongest lieutenants. The anime studio behind the shonen series, Ufotable, was able to show off their skills once again in this battle royale.

Black Clover: Sword Of The Wizard King - Asta Vs. Conrad

Shonen fans had been waiting quite a while to see Asta and his allies make a come back following the conclusion of Black Clover's first anime series, and the first film of the franchise gave them that and much more. The big brawl of Black Clover: Sword of The Wizard King saw Asta testing his mettle against Conraf, a former Wizard King who was dead set on bending the world to his wishes. Studio Pierrot might be best known for the Naruto and Bleach franchises, but it still is able to stretch its legs with Black Clover.