The epic battles of vengeance, competition, and power played a major part in defining the Japanese anime landscape that fans know today. A focal point for most of that action is the anime swordsman – fighters of a special, mid-range martial art that itself has come to be defined by Kurosawa-esque noble warriors, epic clashes, and ridiculous displays of power.
Yet, it is these simple weapons that make sword-wielding anime characters so engaging and innately stoic. They have honed their craft as well as their mind to become the best swordsmen possible.
Update on May 22nd, 2023 by Louis Kemner: swordsmen always rank among the coolest and most popular characters in anime, and anime fans are eager to know who’s the best sword-slinger of all. These characters take swordplay to the next level, often employing advanced tactics, incredible techniques, and even supernatural abilities to slash their foes apart time and again. This time, anime fans will also see videos of the best swordsmen in anime in action, often using their signature moves.
20 Kento Nanami (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Kento Nanami combines his powerful cursed technique with a blunt sword that can cut through anything, even with its cover still attached. The sword works particularly well with his ratio technique since, once he has pinpointed his target’s weakest spot, the blade allows him to cut them down seamlessly.
Even if he has to create multiple weak points by wearing his opponent down, Nanami’s accuracy and precision never fail him. Nanami can cut through moving targets with immense speed and impressive precision. As a grade-one sorcerer, it is clear why people in the Jujutsu Sorcery industry respect Nanami so much.
19 Yato (Noragami)
Yato is a lowly god from Noragami trying to regain followers to get back up to his once esteemed reputation. To do this, he rebrands himself as a delivery god, but paths are not always easy when they are lined with spirits. To combat them, Yato enlists the help of his new regalia, Yukine, who becomes a wrapped-hilt katana.
Though Yato and Yukine have trouble cooperating at first, the pair eventually bond so much that Yukine transforms into dual blades. With his new weapons, Yato becomes one of the best anime swordsman and a nearly unstoppable force against those who would wish him or his beloved Hiyori Ikki harm.
18 Stain (My Hero Academia)
Stain, or The Hero Killer, from My Hero Academia has cut down countless heroes with his paralyzing Quirk in combination with his peerless swordsmanship. A villain with a strong moral compass, Stain wants nothing more than to see false heroes who only care about fame and fortune fade away from society’s consciousness.
Stain’s Quirk requires him to cut somebody and then take a lick of their blood to paralyze them. The paralysis lasts longer depending on someone’s blood type. Regardless, without such a long katana, Stain’s Quirk would be pretty much unusable in most fights.
17 Aki Hayakawa (Chainsaw Man)
Most anime swordsmen can use their weapon of choice without any repercussions, but that is not the case for Chainsaw Man’s Aki Hayakawa. He can only use his sword as a last resort since it shortens his life span.
Aki has a contract with the Curse Devil and has a sword that resembles a nail. To use the contract, Aki has to point the nail at his target, then say “fire.” The Curse Devil’s hand will flick the nail at wherever Aki aimed the sword. After three stabs from the nail, Aki can then summon the Curse Devil to either permanently injure them or kill them.
16 Levi Ackerman (Attack On Titan)
Attack on Titan’s Survey Corp members have, in many ways, reinvented how sword fighting works. Sword fights typically involve close-quarter fights with finesse. In Attack on Titan, however, that same skill is combined with explosive and exhilarating speed as the swordsmen launch themselves at their targets to cut them down.
In Attack on Titan’s horrifying world, there are few as respected and feared as Levi Ackerman. Though he is far smaller than both the Titans and his compatriots, Levi’s tactical mind and skill with a blade can more than level the playing field.
15 Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer)
A fresh, loveable face within the world of animated swordsmen, Demon Slayer’s Tanjiro Kamado has quickly won the world over during his adventures. Besides having his series break all manner of sales records, Tanjiro is a humble, aspiring underdog who has managed to surprise and inspire everyone with his fights against horrific evils.
It helps that Tanjiro has trained to test his sword against all manner of fantastical, demonic dangers. With grace and power to hype up any shonen faithful, Tanjiro has become a swordsman for everyone.
14 Ryuko Matoi (Kill la Kill)
Ryuko Matoi is a girl on a mission to destroy the villain who killed her dad in the anime Kill la Kill. All she has is a giant scissor half and a sentient sailor suit, but she is ready to pounce. With her Kamui Senketsu and her scissor blade, Ryuko becomes a nearly unstoppable force. She even beats the more experienced members of Satsuki Kiryuin’s Elite Four.
Though Ryuko’s sword skills are a tad rough-and-ready at the beginning, she eventually learns to work with Senketsu to control her power and use it to her advantage. With Senketsu, her blade, and help from her friends, Ryuko finally finds the justice she craves, making her one of the best anime swordsmen.
13 Akame (Akame Ga Kill!)
Akame is the titular, deadly assassin from Akame Ga Kill! whose special ability allows her to kill any living being with one cut. With her blade Murasame, she can inject a lethal curse that can quickly infect anyone she cuts.
However, even without said curse, her opponents still would not live to tell the tale, as Akame herself is a talented, super-soldier capable of defeating all manner of beasts and weapons with her agility and decisive strikes. If anything, Murasame is a blessing that keeps her enemies from seeing just how deadly she can be.
12 Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail)
Some Fairy Tail fans believe Natsu Dragneel is the main character. Others think it is Lucy Heartfilia. However, going by pure hype, everybody knows that the real star of Fairy Tail is none other than Titania herself, Erza Scarlet. Erza is certainly more than a master of the sword. She is proficient with all manner of weapons meant to beat down rogue wizards and demons.
However, Erza has proven time and again that she is talented and powerful with a blade. Sometimes, she does not even need to carry armor as her sword skills are more than enough to handle some of the world’s toughest fighters.
11 Afro Samurai (Afro Samurai)
While many people fondly remember Afro Samurai as that one anime that has Samuel L. Jackson, the sheer amount of action it contains should never be underestimated. Colder than the blade he wields and more powerful than Sam Jackson’s voice, Afro is a brilliant and vengeful samurai looking to avenge his father and become the best fighter in the world.
It does not help that everyone else is looking to dethrone him to claim the title as well. With plenty of opportunities to show just how deadly he is, there is very little question as to why Afro is one of the best samurai in all of anime.
10 Kirito (Sword Art Online)
Sword Art Online’s Kirito showed just how cool fighting in fantasy video game worlds could be when he applied his real-world kendo training. Despite being trapped in the video game world, Kirito never faltered and let his sword skills do the talking.
Kirito dominated the ranks, gained the exclusive Dual Blades ability, took on boss-level nightmares like the Gleam Eyes, and quickly disposed of some of the gaming community’s worst like the hero is.
9 Sakata Gintoki (Gintama)
As much of a great comedic romp as Gintama is, viewers should not forget the legend that is Sakata Gintoki. His own “White Yaksha” moniker was earned on the battlefields of the Joi War, as he singlehandedly wiped out Amanto hordes in a brutal fashion.
Though he has hung up the steel blade, Gin still manages to be incredibly powerful with his wooden, Lake Toya sword. With it, he somehow manages to take on the steel of the Shinsengumi and slash through entire, giant robots. That is not even mentioning his epic battles against Yato King Hosen, Oboro, or Takasugi.
8 Clare (Claymore)
Clare is part of an elite group of demon-hunting knights solely comprised of women known simply as the titular Claymore. These knights are put through harsh training and imbued with Yoma blood so that they can partake of the superhuman feats necessary for slaying ravenous Yoma threats to humanity.
Raised under the number one Claymore, Teresa, to be her successor, Clare is a cold, calculating Claymore who uses her wits and profound ingenuity to take on monsters way above her level. Despite this, Clare has still managed to walk alongside and battle against some of the world’s leading Claymore, proving that rank is not everything.
7 Saber (The Fate Series)
Saber is one of the best sword fighters in the entire realm of Japanese anime. Wielding the almighty Excalibur, she has undergone profound training to rival some of history’s best. Saber has proven time and again to be a favorite pick for the Holy Grail War in the Fate franchise.
Beyond just her sword fighting, Saber is a major player given her long experience, granting her great battle acumen and strategic mind necessary to take on an enemy even off the battlefield. An all-around noble warrior, Saber has truly earned the title of “Saber.”
6 Mugen (Samurai Champloo)
Samurai Champloo’s Mugen is an incredible example of someone with a savage style that is as great for evading enemy attacks as it is for dishing out unpredictable moves of his own. Bringing the dirty, sleazy style of a true vagabond with modern flair, this greasy hero somehow manages to fuse a variety of martial arts and swordplay with hip-hop breakdancing.
Mugen constantly showcases some of the coolest moves ever seen on both the battlefield and dance floor. Combined with his nerve-racking demeanor and tendency to use a few dirty tricks, Mugen is easily one of the most dangerous samurai out there.
5 Hyakkimaru (Dororo)
Hyakkimaru was essentially a sacrificial lamb for his father’s ambitions to bring prosperity and power to the land. He was robbed from an early age of several limbs and organs that were sacrificed to various demons. Given new life by a wandering prosthetist, Hyakkimaru traveled the land in search of the demons who took his body.
Hyakkimaru uses his innate ability to see people’s true nature and the heightened senses that go with it to guide a superhuman level of sword fighting skill. For a time, even his blades were part of his prosthetic limbs, allowing him to attack from a wide variety of angles. Having taken on samurai and demons alike, there is a trail of bodies left in Hyakkimaru’s wake.
4 Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach)
Bleach’s Ichigo Kurosaki is just one of the series’ illustrious swordsmen, and very few are as skilled as him. Ichigo trained for years as a Soul Reaper and became virtually invincible by the end of the series. Ichigo’s Bankai gifted him immense agility and a serious upper hand in every battle.
Ichigo is the ultimate cool guy that most shonen protagonists strive to become. His unparalleled swordsmanship on top of his tough-guy attitude is more than enough to make fans fall in love with him.
3 Guts (Berserk)
Even without the Berserker armor or demon blood fueling his anger, Berserk’s Guts was a mighty, unholy force to be reckoned with from day one. Never being one to show off, Guts bears his gigantic broadsword at all times, swinging it wildly if even a fly so much as passes him.
Channeling all the angst of living in the medieval nightmare of Berserk’s world, Guts has been known to tear man, steal, and beast alike into tiny pieces and is known to do so against massive waves of them for long periods. With the added benefit of his heavy metal armor, Guts is even a threat to the Gods of his world, showing everyone around him who truly has the biggest sword.
2 Himura Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin)
Kenshin was once a tool of death and destruction. He now wanders the land as a rurouni, trying to find some way to redeem his past sins and protect the land. However, despite his polite demeanor and passiveness, Kenshin should not be underestimated.
Kenshin has risen through the samurai ranks at a tender age, eventually pulling off some of the most iconic feats known to anime. These include lightning-fast slashes, dicing limbs so cleanly that they can be reattached, and, of course, cutting through pure steel.
1 Dracule Mihawk (One Piece)
Dracule Mihawk is not called the greatest swordsman in the world for no reason. While there are plenty of talented sword fighters within One Piece’s world, Mihawk’s insurmountable feats and illustrious status make him top-tier. It is clear why Zoro wants to steal his title so badly.
Mihawk does not even need all that big or powerful of a sword to take on his enemies. A simple dagger is more than sufficient for him to take on well-trained samurai. However, when he does pull out his infamous Yoru, Mihawk can elegantly fight and wave the heaping piece of steel as if it were a natural extension of his arm.
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