Every action anime fan will have to deal with disappointment eventually. They will experience enjoying an otherwise excellent series when suddenly one of the big fight scenes becomes a problem. It’s not necessarily a bad scene, but it’s certainly not what the series needed it to be to maintain the show’s momentum.
Some fight scenes go on for much too long and by the time it finishes, the viewer doesn’t care. Others are too short given the build-up they’ve had, making the resolution anti-climactic, or end with a Deus Ex Machina answer to the fight, which makes the viewer wonder why the fight was there at all. In the end, the viewer is left confused, and definitely frustrated.
10 Maka VS Asura Shouldn’t Have Been Solved With A Single Punch (Soul Eater)
Though it was never the most popular shonen, Soul Eater still had a massive fanbase. The series featured a gothic setting and a female protagonist, unique for shonen anime.
It was a beloved series, but it had to end a bit sooner than the manga did. In cases like this, the ending is often unsatisfying, and Soul Eater’s ending fight isn’t legendary. At the end of the series, Maka battles against Asura, and defeats him with a single punch that she gets from believing in herself and her friends. Not the best way to end a great series.
9 Vegeta VS Cell Should Have Been The End Of The Cell Saga (Dragon Ball Z)
Vegeta fans rejoiced when he faced off against Cell. Fresh from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Vegeta emerged with strength unlike any other Z Fighter. He’d learned a new Super Saiyan form, and was prepared to take on Cell.
For the first time in Dragon Ball Z, it was his time to be the hero, and defeat the bad guy. But Cell took advantage of Vegeta’s Saiyan blood, bragging about the power of his Perfect form. Vegeta allowed Cell to go looking for Android 18 to achieve his Perfect Form, only to find himself humbled by Cell’s increased power.
8 Meliodas VS Escanor Is Wasted Thanks To Poor Animation (Seven Deadly Sins)
Seven Deadly Sins was one of the most popular anime series of the 2010s. The idea of the Sins being the protagonists along with the variety of powers introduced made it easy for audiences to get hooked.
But when it came time for two of the strongest protagonists on the show to fight, fans were out of luck. Instead of getting the incredible one on one showdown they got in the manga, they got disappointment instead. By this point in the series, Studio DEEN had taken over, and the animation took a steep hit. The characters looked off-model and watching the two trade blows lacked impact.
7 Jin Mori VS Han Dae-Wi Takes Too Many Liberties With The Original Fight (God Of High School)
God of High School was set up to be the next popular anime series. Everyone loves cool looking martial arts and dramatic fight scenes, and Crunchyroll put plenty of hype behind the series’ premiere – but they still blew it. The adaptation wasn’t faithful, and rushed through several key moments.
The end of the tournament was meant to be series protagonist Jin Mori versus his best friend Han Dae-Wi. In the webtoon, their battle is intense and shows Jin trying his best to survive against an opponent with better training. By comparison, the anime series casts Mori as an invincible protagonist. This major change destroys the fight’s tension.
6 Shoto VS Bakugou Sees Shoto Hold Back (My Hero Academia)
The first tournament in My Hero Academia had a lot to live up to. Shonen tournaments are often the best remembered arcs in a given series. Though the sports festival had a lot of positive things going for it, its final match was frustrating. Two of the strongest members of Class 1-A going at each other should have been a no-holds-barred brawl.
However, Shoto held himself back because of a refusal to use his dad’s flame powers. Without his full strength, Shoto lost and it deprived the fans of a rare opportunity to see two heroes at their best. Even Bakugou hated how this match ended.
5 Kirito VS Heathcliff Relies On A Deus Ex Machina Solution (Sword Art Online)
Fans were so focused on everyone getting out of the original game in Sword Art Online they all overlooked the true culprit. The main villain was the leader of the Knights of the Blood, Heathcliff. The arc’s last battle features Kirito fighting Heathcliff, but it’s not a very satisfying battle.
Because of how powerful Heathcliff programmed himself to be, Kirito’s only able to defeat him thanks to magically surviving after his HP hits 0. Sword Art Online has tons of amazing fights in Seasons 2 and 3, but the first climactic battle is a disappointment.
4 Neferpitou VS Kite Was Done Mostly Off-Screen (Hunter X Hunter)
Hunter x Hunter is excellent at throwing its viewers curveballs. When Gon and Killua were taken in by Kite, a friend of Gon’s father, it was easy to believe they’d travel together for a while.
But before the two could get comfortable with him, they ran into one of the first royal Chimera Ants, Neferpitou. Kite ordered Gon and Killua away to keep them safe, but it cost him a limb. After they escaped, fans never got to see the rest of Kite’s last battle. It feels like being cheated out of one of the best parts of the show.
3 Joey VS Marik Saw Joey Defeat Marik But Lose Because Of Marik’s Rules (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Not a battle in a traditional sense, but Yu-Gi-Oh! Duels are battles. Marik was the Battle City arc’s main antagonist, and most of the time he manipulated other duelists into battling for him. But once it was down to the final participants in the tournament, Marik was forced to duel himself. After Marik beat Mai, Joey decided he wanted revenge.
Although everyone expected him to lose, no one expected him to basically beat Marik. He only needed to attack one last time, but Marik’s mind games caused Joey to no longer have the strength to keep going. He passed out standing up, giving the victory to Marik by default. To this day fans struggle to accept this loss.
2 Four Wizard Saints VS God Serena Wasted The Ten Great Wizard Saints (Fairy Tail)
The Four Wizard Saints in Fairy Tail were perhaps the most pathetic “named” group in anime. In every appearance, they’ve been a joke. But their worst appearance is when they battle against the most powerful of their number, God Serena.
Fans expecting a lengthy battle won’t just be disappointed, they’ll be furious. Master of eight different Dragon Slayer powers, God Serena drops all of his fellow Wizard Saints with zero effort. If that’s not ridiculous enough, Serena is defeated by Acnologia seconds later.
1 Goku VS Frieza Took 12 Episodes For Five Minutes (Dragon Ball Z)
Goku vs. Frieza is an incredible battle, but it stretches believability just a bit. After Frieza realizes he can’t beat Goku, he uses an energy blast in an attempt to destroy Namek. It’s supposed to take only five minutes to destroy the planet, an explosion he would survive but Goku wouldn’t.
However, Dragon Ball Z stretches this battle out to a dozen episodes, with Frieza occasionally mentioning the planet “survived longer” than he thought it would. The Dragon Ball Kai version of this shortens the fight considerably, but the original version is a mess.
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