Despite the fact that isekai anime ordinarily pit regular people in battle with powerful monsters, it has surprisingly less action than might be expected. Part of the reason action is toned down in isekai is that many of the protagonists tend to be overpowered, thus making any real conflict rather short-lived.
Another reason isekai lacks the action of other anime subgenres is that it often focuses on the drama of its protagonist getting acclimated with their life in another world. When isekai does decide to get its hands dirty, however, it has the potential to deliver some of the best fight scenes in anime.
10/10 Ainz Al Gown Vs Shalltear
Overlord
Momunga, aka Ainz Al Gown, is the classic overpowered isekai protagonist, which is made clear from the outset of Overlord. However, even though his enemies never truly stand a chance, that doesn’t stop him from enjoying some good PVP action. However, instead of fighting an enemy, Ainz ends up having to fight his subordinate, Shalltear Bloodbourne.
Whereas many isekai with overpowered protagonists don’t know how to set up the tension, Overlord does this surprisingly well by allowing Momunga to fight in a way that’s exciting despite the fact that he’s never put in any real danger against his inferior opponents.
9/10 Log Horizon Vs The Raid Boss
Log Horizon
Log Horizon is not particularly known for its plethora of fight sequences. Instead, it’s the narrative and story that keeps fans watching. However, when it does come down to intense fight scenes, Log Horizon proves that it’s more than capable.
One of Log Horizon‘s best moments is the last battle against the raid boss in the finale of season 2. Shiroe demonstrates why he is a great leader and battle strategist as he guides the party to victory using unprecedented tactics.
8/10 Sora & Shiro Vs Izuna
No Game No Life
Sora and Shiro already show their prowess for being great fighters and gamers in the first episode of No Game No Life, so it’s no surprise that they pull out all the stops against Izuna, who is by far the best gamer and fighter they encounter.
At first, it seems Izuna has them completed cornered and utterly defeated. However, viewers can never count out Sora and Shiro’s unbeatable brother-sister combo in any competitive game. Still, no matter who wins or loses, Sora and Shiro remind Izuna that games are all about having fun.
7/10 The Four Cardinal Heroes Vs The Pope
The Rising Of The Shield Hero
It isn’t every day that people would think of the Pope as a villain, but alas, The Rising of the Shield Hero isn’t your everyday show. The battle between the Pope and The Four Cardinal Heroes is a high point in the show’s critically acclaimed first season.
Part of what makes this scene so powerful is the fact that all the heroes have come together to fight as a unified force. Throughout much of the show prior to this, the Shield Hero was looked down upon by the others, but at this point, he was acting as a leader in the fight, demonstrating the drastic change in their collective perception of him.
6/10 Garfiel Vs Elsa
Re:Zero
From her first appearance in Re:Zero, Elsa is a truly terrifying character. Every encounter that Subaru has with her ends horribly, and her creepy demeanor is accompanied by a horrifyingly powerful aura that raises the stakes that much more. She is not someone that just anyone would want to battle.
Elsa is a horrifyingly sadistic and creepy character, and Garfiel is the only one vicious enough to be able to do the job. The result is a gruesome, bloody scene that underlines the ever-present darkness in Re:Zero.
5/10 Rimuru Vs Hinata Sakaguchi
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime
Hinata is an incredible warrior and possesses an extremely powerful sword, Dead End Rainbow. This, combined with her high battle IQ, leads to the most dangerous situation Rimuru finds himself faced with in That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime.
Being that Rimuru is normally much too overpowered to ever be put into real danger, the fact that Hinata completely corners him adds greatly to the tension in this fight scene. No other fight in the series really shows Rimuru in this kind of dire situation, and it shows him having to become resourceful and creative in order to survive.
4/10 Dead End Vs Dragon God Orsted
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Rudeus’ party, Dead End, first encounters the Dragon God Orsted by a matter of chance, but it turns ugly when Rudeus tells Orsted that his archrival appears in his dreams. Though this is undoubtedly a fearsome battle, it is also one of the most emotional moments in Jobless Reincarnation, as Rudeus comes gave to face with his weakness in the face of the Dragon God’s unfathomable power.
In fact, this isn’t really as much of a fight as it is a massacre. Though Rudeus and the others put up their best effort, Orsted barely breaks a sweat as he easily defeats each member of the party one by one.
3/10 Saber Alter Vs Berserker
Fate/Stay Night
Explosions, sword fighting, more explosions — Saber and Hercules’ battle is truly one of epic proportions. Their amazing clash occurs in the 2019 movie, Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel II. Lost Butterfly.
The corrupted alter ego of Saber is extremely overpowered in almost every way, but Heracles the Berserker’s own power makes the fight incredible to watch. It’s definitely a one-sided battle from the beginning, but Berserker’s 12 lives allow him to last long enough to make this a classic anime fight scene every fan should see.
2/10 Kirito Vs Administrator
Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online gets a lot of criticism from anime fans. However, there’s one place where Sword Art Online excels that most fans can agree upon: the fight scenes. Sword Art Online has some cool action sequences with great animation, the best of which occurs at the end of the Alicization arc in the battle between Kirito and Administrator.
Administrator is an all-powerful being who easily defeats Cardinal and summons the sword golem consisting of 30 blades combined. Though Kirito is initially outclassed, he brings out his famous duel-wielding ability and turns the tides in one of the most intense fights in isekai.
1/10 Sesshomaru Vs Inuyasha
Inuyasha
Inuyasha and Sesshomaru’s battle in the final act of Inuyasha had a lot of build-up. Sesshomaru was in pursuit of the Tetsaiga’s power from the very beginning, leading to many confrontations between him and his brother. Despite this, only Inuyasha’s selflessness was able to unlock the Tetsaiga’s true power, making him the rightful heir to the sword.
Sesshomoru is aware that Naraku is trying to manipulate him to attack Inuyasha, but ultimately it fits into his own plans to steal Tetsaiga’s abilities, so he decides to go through with it. With the long history behind them, there was bound to be a lot of pent-up emotion behind their fight.