Summary
Battles in anime often end in tragedy: sometimes the hero dies, and other times victory comes at such a cost that it makes the victor feel worse. Some fights stand out thanks to their excellent animation, while others stand out thanks to the tragic stories behind them. Tragic battles can also involve two heroes facing each other, and their endings are often bittersweet.
Warning: Contains spoilers for Attack on Titan: The Final Chapters Part 2Fighting anime are a staple of the medium, and certainly, it’s all too common for them to end in tragedy. Sometimes it’s the result of the hero losing and dying, but other times, the tragedy that comes from winning puts the heroes in a situation that only makes them feel worse in the end.
There are many battles in anime that end in tragedy, and there are a few that stand out the most. Some work on the excellent direction used to animate them, thus allowing the tragic stories being told to be conveyed in the highest possible quality. Other battles stand out for their tragic stories, as they were the culmination of countless events, both good and bad, that ended in ways that often left no one satisfied, regardless of the battle. How necessary might it be? To be.
10 Saber Vs. lancer
Fate/No
Episode
#16
Release date
April 21, 2012
Where to stream it
Crunchyroll
The first great anime battle to end in tragedy is Saber vs Lancer in Fate/No. Throughout the series, Saber and Lancer maintained a friendly rivalry built on being two of the only Servants who cared about honor, but that was ruined when Kiritsugu forced Kayneth to use Command Uncle to make Lancer commit suicide. That action devastated Lancer to the point that he cursed everyone present with his last breath, and Saber not only lost what little trust she had in Kiritsugu, but she was once again forced to face given the shortcomings of his ideology, there is therefore no longer any reason to rejoice in his victory.
9 Domon Vs. Asian master
G Mobile mobile fighter
Episode
#45
Release date
March 3, 1995
Where to stream it
Crunchyroll
Another great battle that ended in tragedy despite the hero’s victory was Domon vs Master Asia in G Mobile mobile fighter. There has always been an element of tragedy in the conflict between Domon and Master Asia, but their final battle adds even more to the tragic element when it is revealed that Master Asia attempted to use the Dark Gun to save Earth. during the past. The revelation that Master Asia had not become a monster made his death even sadder for Domon, as he later realized that Master Asia was right about the Battle against Gundunda, and all of which make it one of the saddest battles in the entire series. Gunma franchise.
8 Gon Vs. Neferpitou
Hunter X Hunter
Episode
#131
Release date
May 28, 2014
Where to stream it
Crunchyroll, Netflix
The Chimera Ant arc of Hunter x Hunter is filled with many tragic battles, but the most prominent is Gon vs Neferpitou. When Gon was forced to accept Kite’s death, the full extent of his rage transformed his body to the point where he was able to defeat Pitou. Aside from the fact that it’s difficult to see Gon fight so brutally, what makes it tragic is that Gon’s transformation nearly kills him and robs him of his ability to use Nen. The fight’s surprising direction further highlights its seriousness, and it remains one of Hunter x Hunter’s most haunting moments.
7 Spike Vs. Vicious
Cowboy bebop
Episode
#26
Release date
April 23, 1999
Where to stream it
Crunchyroll, Hulu, Funimation
Another anime war where the tragedy is even further enhanced by direction is Spike and Vicious’s final battle in Cowboy bebop. The fact that their fight was so tragic in the end showed that Spike couldn’t let go of the past, but the animation and music on offer perfectly sold how tragic it was. dramatization of Spike’s death. One of Cowboy Bebop’s greatest strengths is its willingness to not end its story on a happy note, and Spike dying for choosing a fight he didn’t need to fight is the ultimate culmination of it all. there.
6 Yugi Vs. items
Yu-Gi-Oh!
episode
#221-#224
Release date
September 8, 2004-September 29, 2004
Where to stream it
Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
Tragic battles can also happen when two heroes confront each other, and a perfect example of that is Yugi vs Atem in Yu-Gi-Oh! While Yugi needed to defeat Atem in their duel to both allow Atem to pass on to the afterlife and prove that he could stand on his own, Yugi’s victory still meant that he had to say goodbye. separate from one of his closest friends and the person responsible. let him grow up. It’s a bittersweet ending that plays to a lot of Yu-Gi-Oh!’s strengths, and it perfectly shows that a war can be so tragic that no one dies.
5 Luffy Vs. Usopp
A piece
Episode
#236
Release date
June 19, 2005
Where to stream it
Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix
Another tragic anime battle that pitted two heroes against each other was Luffy vs Usopp in A piece. Luffy’s poor handling of the news that the Going Merry needed to be replaced, combined with Usopp’s refusal to accept it, led to Usopp leaving the crew and the two fighting over ownership of the Merry. Usopp never had a chance to win, so his refusal to bend down made every blow Luffy inflicted on him extremely painful to witness, and with Luffy forced to say goodbye to both his ship and one of his closest friends, it easily stands out as one of the most tragic and moving battles in One Piece.
4 Sasuke vs Itachi
Naruto Shippuden
episode
#135-#138
Release date
November 19, 2009-December 3, 2009
Where to stream it
Crunchyroll, Hulu, Viz
Naruto: Shippuden is another anime filled with tragic battles, and the most prominent one is definitely Sasuke and Itachi’s battle. Sasuke finally got his revenge on Itachi, but any satisfaction he got from it was taken away when Obitio revealed that Not only was Itachi ordered to kill the Sasuke clan to protect Konoha, but he also secretly told Protected Sasuke all this time. Sasuke hates him. That revelation changed everything Sasuke thought he knew about Itachi, but it was too late to do anything about it, and the tragedy of it all would shape Sasuke’s character for the rest of Naruto. .
3 Majin Vegeta vs Majin Buu
Dragon Ball Z
episode
#236-#237
Release date
August 17, 1994-August 24, 1994
Where to stream it
Animation, Crunchyroll
One of the most iconic tragic battles in anime is Majin Vegeta vs Majin Buu in Dragon Ball Z. After accepting his change of heart, Vegeta attempted to atone for his recent actions by sacrificing himself to destroy Majin Buu, but despite the attack that No matter how hard he unleashed, Majin Buu ultimately survived. The purpose of Vegeta’s sacrifice was to show how much he had grown as a person, so it more than got the job done, but him dying without being able to hurt the Majin Buu, even a little bit, still creates a lot of tragedy. to fight, regardless.
2 Global Alliance Vs. Eren
Attack the giant
episode
Final Chapters Part 1 & Final Chapters Part 2
Release date
March 4, 2023 (Part 1), November 5, 2023 (Part 2)
Where to stream it
Crunchyroll, Hulu, Funimation
The long-awaited ending of the Attack on Titan anime once again shows how tragic it is the war between the Global Alliance and Eren used to be. It was one thing for Armin, Mikasa, and the others to have to fight Eren after years of being friends, but the revelation that Eren did everything to try to protect them made the Alliance’s victory bittersweet. confused. What’s worse is that the story’s ending shows that Paradis Island is still destroyed at some point in the future, meaning that everything people do to protect their loved ones is meaningless, thus creating another Another layer of tragedy to the war and the ending in general. .
1 Joe Vs. Mendoza
Ashita no Joe
episode
#124-#126
Release date
August 17, 1981- August 31, 1981
Where to stream it
Unavailable
Perhaps the most iconic tragic war in anime is Joe vs. Mendoza in Ashita no Joe. As the bantamweight champion of the world, Mendoza was Joe’s final and toughest opponent, and although Joe refused to give up and scared Mendoza so much that his hair turned white, Joe did not just lose in Technically he even died in the end. from the wounds he suffered during the war. It was a truly heartbreaking scene as the series ended and it has since become one of the most iconic scenes in all of anime.
As simple as action-based anime can be, they still have the ability to evoke a sense of tragedy with their fights. The death of a hero or a fallen friend is an easy way to achieve that, but it also happens that victory comes at such a cost that it makes the victor question whether it was worth it. deserved or not, and in most cases, it’s resounding. did not. However, that sense of tragedy often adds depth to these stories. The anime has a war that ends in tragedy can make it even better than ever.