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In the same way sports fan curate fantasy teams, anime fans orchestrate their perfect what-if battles. The medium is an expansive one with all sorts of genres, but shonen is the name of the game for many. Over the years, dozens of franchise have risen into popularity, and many of those shows did so thanks to their stellar action sequences. So, it’s only natural for audiences to wonder what it would be like for so-and-so to go a few rounds.
No, this idea is a traditional one that has been explored in everything from fan-fiction to fan-comics. Even animators have tried their hand at bringing these impressive fantasy matches to life, but there are so many match-ups out there that picking is hard to choose.
Here at Konichiwa Magazine, we are breaking down a few of the best fantasy fights the anime fandom has to offer, and they’ll be hard-pressed to beat. Obvious picks like One Punch Man versus Goku may make an appearance, but there’s something to be said for deep cut battles you don’t hear about on the regular. So, fair warning – if you have forgotten about Trigun, you may want to brush up before reading on!
VASH V SPIKE
What do you get when you pit a famed criminal with a massive bounty against one of anime‘s most famous bounty hunters? Well, if you let Spike Spiegel of Cowboy Bebop hunt down Vash the Stampede, you would get the best cat-and-mouse crossover in recent history.
Fans winner vote: Vash
KENSHIN HIMURA V RORONORA ZORO
Sure, Kenshin Himura may have a thing against killing people, but there is nothing stopping the famed swordsman from showing Roronoa Zoro what he’s capable of. That is, so long as the One Piece pirate doesn’t hack the gentle fighter to pieces with his three-sword style.
Fans winner vote: Zoro
GUNDAM SUIT V EVANGELION
Mecha remains one of anime‘s top genres, and the medium has Mobile Suit Gundam to thank for that success. The prodigal series helped fans realize what sci-fi could do with mecha, but anime has evolved since then. If audiences got the chance, you know they’d jump to see RX-78-2 go up against an Eva suit.
Fans winner vote: Gundam
GINTOKI V DANDY
At face value, Gintoki and Dandy have little in common. The former is a samurai of a bygone era in an alternate universe were aliens invaded during Japan‘s Eto period. As for Dandy, space bounty hunter likes to hunt down aliens with his robot companions. However, if you let the two guys fight, you can be sure the showdown would be as eccentric as its famous combatants.
Fans winner vote: Gentoki
SAITAMA V GOKU
For decades, fans have pitted Son Goku in their fantasy match-ups with varying degrees of success. For a long time, audiences wondered whether the Saiyan could take down Superman, but there is another superhero challenging the Dragon Ball star these days. So, if One Punch Man thinks he can take out Goku with a single blow, fans are more than ready to see the hero give it a go.
Fans winner vote: Goku
AFRO V MUGEN
When it comes down to character, Afro and Mugen don’t have much in common. The star of Afro Samurai is best-known for seeking justice while Mugen kicks off Samurai Champloo as a hot-headed bodyguard. Still, their anime‘s stylized swordplay is famous with animation fanatics, so a fight between the two protagonists would be a must-see.
Fans winner vote: Mugan
ALL MIGHT V GENERAL ARMSTRONG
All it takes is a smile from All Might to know the day is saved, but he isn’t the only anime hero out there with rippling muscles. My Hero Academia may capitalize on the Symbol of Peace’s physique, but Fullmetal Alchemist did the same with General Alex Louis Armstrong. So, doesn’t it seem like the two should fight…?
Fans winner vote: All Might
ITACHI V BYAKUYA
One is a ninja, the other a Soul Reaper. At face value, Itachi Uchiha and Byakuya Kuchiki have little outward in common, but their d experiences as older brothers make them a solid match. Their heavy histories spurred them to act controversially with their younger siblings, but neither Bleach nor Naruto could deny these brothers’ love for their family.
Fans winner vote: Itachi
SABER V ERZA
When it comes to shonen, your first fantasy fight drafts may not include heroine, but that would be a mistake. Erza is one of the scariest characters to come from Fairy Tail, and her love of armor is matched only by Saber from the Fate/stay night franchise. If you let these two girls duel, you can bet blood will be shed.
Fans winner vote: Saber
NARUTO V LUFFY
If you are into anime, it is almost impossible to not know Naruto Uzumaki and Monkey D. Luffy. The pair are two of the most popular characters to ever come from the medium with Naruto and One Piece having millions – if not billions – of fans each. So far, the pair have remained separate in the world of shonen, but fans are curious to see how Luffy would dodge a Rasengan. Oh, and you can bet Naruto would have a field day over Luffy’s fearsome Gear Fourth form.
Fans winner vote: Naruto
Do you agree with the Japanese anime fans votes on all these character fights? Let me know in the comments
