Of all the fights in One Piece anime, Kuzan and Garp’s duel was truly cinematic. It was a spectacular fight with Toei’s brilliant animation and detailing and from flashbacks to foreshadowing, the series laid out key details.

But that is not all considering the plethora of anime that debuted this year. 2024 marked an era of new-age anime especially in the shonen genre.

Kuzan and Garp’s fight in One Piece | Credit: Toei Animation

From Dandadan to Solo Leveling, these five series have their iconic action scenes. Through their brilliant animation and action sequences, they easily match up to the iconic duel from One Piece.

1. Frieren and Fern versus Frieren’s clone – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End wasn’t supposed to be a massive hit in the Shonen genre. This is especially true with the series being a gag manga initially. But most of all it redefined the shonen as well as the fantasy genre as a whole.

Moreover, Frieren proved herself as a mage and a strong foe for her opponents. Such is the case with her fight against her clone alongside Fern. Hands down, this is one of the best fights in the series.

Frieren fights with her clone | Credit: Madhouse

Frieren’s fighting her clone effortlessly cemented her strength and determination in the scene. No wonder it is deemed the Best Anime of the Year by fans.

But what topped it all was the collective efforts of both Fern and the Elf Mage to take down the clone. Fern delivers a fatal attack on the replica while Frieren uses her Zoltraak to incapacitate the clone. The fight is a complete visual treat.

2. Shunsui vs Lille Barro – Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War

Shunsui is known for his laidback attitude along with his flamboyant outfits. Beyond the guise, however, is the formidable captain of the 1st Division. He lives up to his title during his fight with Lille Barro.

Shunsui Kyoraku and Lille Barro in a still from the TYBW series | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Barro is one of the strongest Quincy Sternritters who proved to be daunting. And while he unleashed his attacks, Shunsui was quick to humble him. With each move, the Captain was able to overpower him.

Related Hayao Miyazaki’s Biggest Nightmare Is Already Coming to Life With the Anime Industry’s Growing Reliance on AI

This duel is one of the most iconic showdowns in Thousand-Year Blood War anime. It clearly outlined Shunsui’s badassery. While Shunsui is left weakened by the attacks, Nanao Ise delivers a fatal blow to Quincy.

3. Hajime Umemiya versus Choji Tomiyama – Wind Breaker

Wind Breaker may not be as popular as One Piece but it is glorious nonetheless. One of the key elements of the series is its power-packed fights. From Sakura’s duel with Togame to Hiiragi’s showdown with Sako, the series has iconic fights. But there’s one that truly tops the charts in every aspect.

Hajime Umemiya blocks a kick from Choji Tomiyama | Credit: Cloverworks

Hajime Umemiya is swift and smooth in his moves against Choji. His blocking of the latter’s attack is simply poetic and effortless in every sense.

Throughout the fight, Umemiya defends his opponent’s attacks only to defeat him with his signature punch. This further proves that fights do not have to be flashy or laden with overpowered attacks.

4. Sung Jinwoo vs Igris – Solo Leveling

It isn’t often that manhwa makes it to the list of best fights. But here we are with Solo Leveling’s finesse and brilliance. The series is soaring heights through its animation and unique concept.

This also ties well with the fights in the anime. Jinwoo’s duel with Igris is a perfect example of this. Igris, also known as Blood-Red Commander is one of the strongest knights in the series.

Igris vs Sung Jinwoo in the anime | Credit: A-1 Pictures

Throughout the fight, Jinwoo faced obstacles in sparring with the knight. Not only were both characters unevenly matched, but the knight overpowered him. The duel is inconsistent in terms of both characters’ abilities.

Related My Dress-up Darling Countered the Most Controversial Anime Trope by Making a Subtle Change in the Main Character

While Jinwoo leveled up, he proved to be no match for the Red Commander. By and by he managed to defeat the knight eventually. Some fans even deem it “pure luck” due to the power differences between the characters.

5. Momo and Okarun versus Turbo Granny and Earthbound Spirit Crab – Dandadan

Dandadan outclasses most shonen series in terms of its unconventional storytelling. This is also reflected in the action sequences in the series. In Episode 4, both Momo and Okarun take on Turbo Granny along with location-bound spirit.

Momo fights with Turbo Granny and the Crab | Credit: Science SARU

This was no less than a task. With Momo’s intelligence and Okarun’s Full Throttle, they were able to defeat Granny. Part of it was also possible because of Seiko Ayase’s expertise in the matter. The fight was enthralling, spectacular, and hilarious mostly.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire