Demon Slayer‘s latest episode, “Hinokami,” garnered a lot of attention this past weekend thanks in part to a spectacular fight scene between Tanjiro and a member of the Twelve Demon Moons. Shonen anime fans hungry for more incredibly awesome action can’t go wrong with any of the shows below, as each offers brawls that are just as beautiful and brutal. So if you liked that fight in the last Demon Slayer, you should check out these anime too.
Anime like Demon Slayer | My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia follows a young man named Izuku Midoriya after he inherits super strength from his hero, All Might, and enrolls into a prestigious hero academy called U.A. High School. As he and his classmates learn how to control their powers, or quirks, they face off against the League of Villains, the likes of which includes the master of disintegration, Tomura Shigaraki, and a quirk-thief called All For One. Class 1-A’s students fight against one another too, as evidenced in the Sports Festival Arc. While My Hero Academia‘s altercations aren’t as stunning as those in Demon Slayer on the surface, it’s fascinating to witness Izuku’s strategies succeed and fail in the heat of battle.
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Anime like Demon Slayer | One-Punch Man
From the outset it’s clear that Studio Madhouse poured its heart and soul into One-Punch Man‘s first season. The titular hero may not put much effort into his fights (as he’s able to defeat anyone with just one punch), but the animators working on the project went out of their way to make every one of his movements seem absurdly powerful. Watching deranged behemoths explode with a quick jab or an intergalactic space thief succumb to a few measly Consecutive Normal Punches is jaw-dropping, to say the least. Though sidekick Genos aspires to learn the secret to Saitama’s strength and loses more fights than one can count, his fire-based moves that are just as impressive as his idol’s.
Anime like Demon Slayer | Fate/Zero
The Fate universe sees magicians known as Masters summon legendary heroes called Servants every 60 years in order to determine who will win the right to the Holy Grail, a chalice capable of granting any wish. Fate/Zero takes places during the Fourth Holy Grail War and follows protagonist Kiritsugu Emiya as he attempts to win the contest with the help of his Saber-class hero. Skirmishes with historical and mythological figures like Alexander the Great and Gilgamesh ensue, and a variety of enchanted arms clash in and around the Fuyuki City. Servants aren’t the only beings capable of immense bloodshed, as Kiritsugu’s ruthless battle with rival Kirei Kotomine may be the best fight the show has to offer. Fate/Zero‘s sequel series, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, is also chock full of phenomenal battles to gawk at.
Anime like Demon Slayer | Mob Psycho 100
Mob Psycho 100 may not be the first anime that comes to mind when one thinks of spectacular fight scenes, given the fact that the show doesn’t feature fancy sword-fighting or muscular dudes. Instead, it stars a small, average-looking middle school student named Shigeo Kageyama, or Mob. Though Mob enjoys life as a typical young man in Seasoning City, his psychic abilities often land him in trouble. When the boy’s accumulated feelings reach 100%, he unleashes the full extent of his reality-shifting power, punching around foes with bright fists and deflecting shots with ease. Though an evil esper organization called Claw would like to harness Mob’s powers for itself, the feat is easier said than done. Mob Psycho 100 may be different from most shonen out there, but it’s a psychedelic joyride that deserves to be experienced by all fans of the genre.
Anime like Demon Slayer | Naruto Shippuden
Naruto Shippuden takes place two years after the original Naruto series and sees the titular protagonist reunite with his friends in order to take down an organization known as the Akatsugi, the likes of which wishes to capture all of the world’s tailed beasts and use them as weapons of war. Each member of the group harbors imaginative abilities that makes battles interesting. Deidara, for instance, can spawn explosive clay from his hands. His partner, Tobi, has dominion over all six chakra elements. The series culminates with a satisfying duel between Naruto and Sasuke, as each young man wishes to prove that he is best ninja the world has ever known.
Anime like Demon Slayer | Dragon Ball Z
Anyone who’s a fan of ridiculously awesome fight scenes should know Dragon Ball Z well. The 1989 anime features an adult Goku and sees him fight against an array of villains like the nefarious Lord Frieza, the megalomaniacal Perfect Cell, and the voracious Majin Buu. Moments like Goku becoming a Super Saiyan for the first time and Gohan achieving Super Saiyan 2 are unforgettable, especially considering how each character wipes the floor with his opponent shortly afterword. Shonen fans who have yet to watch Dragon Ball Z in full are missing out on some of the greatest fights of all time – if not the best ever.
As long as anime exists, they’ll be no shortage of devastating punches, flashy power-ups, and roaring Kamehamehas. Demon Slayer itself may have more breathtaking fight scenes in store, but fans will have to wait until the weekend to see what exactly the Demon Slaying Corps will run into next. Thankfully, the shows above offer plenty of all-out brawls to occupy us in the meantime.
