Summary
Some of the bestWeekly Shonen Jumpmanga have prided themselves on their action, and that, of course, has led to them having great fights. Whether in stories that revolve around fighting from day one or stories that stumble into it at some point, whenever aShonen Jumpmanga delves into a fight, it’s almost always a great experience from start to finish.
Weekly Shonen Jumpmangahave produced a lot of great fights over the years, and some, naturally, have stood out more than others. The best fights inWeekly Shonen Jumpare always the ones withgreat artwork, fight choreography, and emotional stakes from everyone involved, and the manga that have the best handling of that have gone down as some of the best manga of all time.
A fewShonen Jumpmanga, in particular, have fights that especially stand out, and with how great they all were, they’re all plenty worth highlighting.
Near the end of the first half ofUndead Unluck, when it became clear that Ragnarok couldn’t be prevented, the Union and Under gave up on the timeline and left it to Fuuko to use the Ark and start over in the 101st loop. The Ark needed time to activate, though, and in that time, everyone needed to work together to stall the ultimate enemy of humanity, God.
After two years of buildup, God more than lived up to His reputation of being the ultimate enemy with how powerless everyone was against Him, but at the same time,the lengths everyone went to protect Fuuko from God made the fight great from start to finish, and it perfectly encapsulated how everyone needed to work together against God. It was one of the biggest moments ofUndead Unluck, and it was a perfectly bittersweet way of ending its first half.
Chainsaw Man
Cast
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a young man burdened by debt, who teams up with his pet devil Pochita to fight devils under the yakuza’s control. Released in 2022, the series portrays Denji’s struggle to achieve his dream of living a simple, peaceful life.
After fighting off a sudden assault fromthe Gun Devil, Makima, now revealed to beChainsaw Man’s Control Devil, fused Aki with the Gun Devil and forced him to attack Denji and Power. Denji kept trying to wake Aki up, but as it became clear that he had been reduced to a monster who would destroy everyone and everything around him, Denji was left with no choice but to kill him.
Between the irony of Aki being possessed by the Devil he spent his whole life wanting to kill and how the cruelty of the fight was contrasted with Aki imagining himself having a snowball fight with Denji,Denji and Aki’s fight was the fight that best showed off both the emotional depth and cinematic quality ofChainsaw Man’s writing. There’s never been quite a fight like it since, both withinChainsaw ManandShonen Jumpmanga, as a whole.
Kinnikuman Chapters 381-387
Kinnikuman
Kinnikuman is a Japanese anime series that follows the adventures of Suguru Kinniku, a clumsy and cowardly superhero from the planet Kinniku. As Kinnikuman, he fights against various evil wrestlers and monsters to save the Earth and become the greatest hero in the universe.
In the climax ofKinnikuman’s Scramble for the Throne arc, with all of Kinnikuman’s friends dead or otherwise incapacitated, it came down to a battle between him and the last challenger for the throne of Planet Kinniku, Kinnikuman Super Phoenix. Super Phoenix had long since established himself as Kinnikuman’s strongest opponent to date, and with Kinnikuman’s sudden heart problems worsening, victory had never seemed less assured for him.
Not only was the action in Kinnikuman and Super Phoenix’s final fight top-notch, especially when Kinnikuman regained his Burning Inner Strength and finally won, butthe writing ofKinnikuman’s final fight did a great job of showing off the protagonist’s newfound maturity, both in how he deflected Super Phoenix’s selfishness and how he effortlessly maintained the story’s themes of friendship and brotherhood. It was an emotionally cathartic ending to a legendary manga, and it still holds up almost 40 years later.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders Chapters 98-103
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Hirohiko Araki. It follows the adventures of the Joestar family, spanning generations, each with unique abilities and battling supernatural enemies. Known for its eccentric characters, distinctive art style, and creative battles, it includes manga, anime, games, and merchandise.
Not long afterJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusadersshifted locations to Egypt, Jotaro and his group, still in search of DIO, encountered another one of the Nine Egyptian Gods, Daniel J. D’Arby. Rather than force them into a physical fight, D’Arby challenged them to a series of games, all of which were rigged in his favor, and with the power of his Stand, Osiris, every time someone lost to him, their soul would be taken and turned into a poker chip.
The battle against D’Arby was incredibly tense thanks to how well Hirohiko Araki emphasized the psychological elements of every game, especially when it came time for Jotaro’s escalating mind games against him. With its artwork, pacing, and overall creativity,the battle against D’Arby is one of the most engaging in all ofJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and it’s one of the best showings of what makes the manga so unique.
My Hero Academia Chapters 387-410
My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia is a multimedia franchise that follows a young boy named Izuku Midoriya, who dreams of becoming a hero despite being born without superpowers. These superpowers, known as “Quirks” are found in most people after birth, but Izuku wasn’t so lucky - until a fateful encounter with All Might, Japan’s greatest hero, Izuku inherits his Quirk and enrolls in U.A. High School to learn the true meaning of heroism. Alongside his classmates, each endowed with unique abilities, Izuku faces rigorous training and lethal threats from villainous forces.
The tension inMy Hero Academia’s final arc reached a tipping point when All For One used Eri’s Rewind Quirk to make himself younger and more powerful than ever. Just as it seemed like no one could stop him from taking control of Shigaraki,All Might appeared and donned anIron Man-esque suit of armorto challenge All For One to one final battle.
All Might and All For One’s rematch was a great way of giving All Might one last moment in the spotlight, and beyond that,everything following Bakugo’s revival featured some of the best artwork in all ofMy Hero Academiathat paved the way for a cathartic end of All For One.My Hero Academia’s final arc had entered a bit of a lull by that point, and All Might and Bakugo’s final fight was the perfect way to make things exciting again.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen follows Yuji Itadori, a high school student with extraordinary strength, who becomes intertwined with curses after ingesting a cursed object. Under the guidance of sorcerer Satoru Gojo, Yuji joins Tokyo Jujutsu High School to combat malevolent forces and navigate his new, perilous existence.
The end ofJujutsu Kaisen’s Culling Games arc saw things take a turn for the worse with Sukuna taking over Megumi’s body and Kenjaku taking control of Tengen, but amidst it all, the heroes had a sole silver lining: Gojo was finally freed from his imprisonment. With Gojo back to take charge of the situation, everyone still had a fighting chance, and to kick that off, Gojo challenged Sukuna to a decisive battle in Shinjuku on Christmas Eve.
Not only was the artwork and fight choreography forGojo and Sukuna’s fightsome of the manga’s best, butthe way Gojo and Sukuna were constantly pushing each other to their limits always made for an amazing spectacleand highlighted just why they’re the strongest characters in the series. Gojo might have lost the fight, but even that doesn’t detract from how great a read it was from beginning to end.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai is an animated television series based on the iconic Dragon Quest video game franchise. It follows the young hero Dai who embarks on a journey to defeat dark forces threatening his world. With the guidance of various allies, Dai hones his skills and confronts formidable enemies. The series features a blend of action, adventure, and fantasy elements, appealing to fans of epic tales and heroic quests.
In the final arc ofDragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, the Dark King Vearn revealed that his elderly form was just a cover for his true form, one much younger and more powerful than the Vearn Dai and his friends knew. Defeating Vearn seemed more impossible than ever, but with the fate of the world on the line, Dai had no choice but to keep fighting until his last breath.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Daiwent all-in on its JRPG inspirations with an ever-evolving final boss and a cast of heroes running on nothing but willpower, and as always,the artwork and sincere character writing forDragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai’s final battle effortlessly sold its charm and overall quality. The final battle ofThe Adventure of Daiencapsulated everything great about the series, and overall, it helped it end on as high a note as possible.
Yu Yu Hakusho Chapters 104-111
Yu Yu Hakusho
Yu Yu Hakusho is a multimedia franchise that began as a Japanese manga series in 1992 by author and illustrator Yoshihiro Togashi. The franchise ventured into anime in 1992 from Fuji Television, and there have also been two animated films. In 2023, Netflix released a live-action TV series starring Takumi Kitamura, Shuhei Uesugi, Jun Shison, and Kanata Hongō.
After one arduous battle after another,Yu Yu Hakusho’s Dark Tournament reached its final fight: Yusuke vs. Toguro. Thanks to his latest training with Genkai, Yusuke was stronger than ever and was ready to give it his all against Toguro, but even that wasn’t enough when Toguro finally unleashed his full power and showed how large the gap between their power truly was.
Yusuke and Toguro’s final battle inYu Yu Hakushomore than lived up to the hype; Toguro’s full power was as menacing as it needed to be, Yusuke’s final beatdown of Toguro was incredibly cathartic after everything he put Yusuke through, and the artwork and choreography that accompanied all of it was great to see and still holds up after 30 years. The Dark Tournament is easily the most iconic part ofYu Yu Hakusho, and its final battle is a big reason why that is.
One Piece Chapters 409-427
One Piece
Created by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a multimedia franchise that began as a manga series and follows the adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates as led by Monkey D. Luffy. Luffy, an enthusiastic pirate with a thirst for adventure, is afflicted by a mysterious curse that gives him various powers he uses to protect himself and his friends. The manga eventually gave way to the anime series, with the two being some of history’s longest-running anime and manga series. Along with over fifty video games made over the years, the series entered the live-action world with Netflix’s 2023 adaptation.
InOne Piece’s Enies Lobby arc, Luffy fought against Rob Lucci, the strongest member of CP9 with a notable thirst for blood. Lucci pushed Luffy to use one new technique after another at the expense of his health, but with Robin’s life on the line and a Buster Call about to commence, there wasn’t anything else he could do if he wanted to beat Lucci and save his friends.
Between the stellar fight choreography, the way Lucci pushed Luffy to the brink to a degree that’s rarely been matched, and the absolute gorgeous artwork accompanying it,Luffy and Lucci’s fight was the perfect showing ofOne Piece’s strengths as an action storyand was an all-around perfect conclusion to a stellar arc. Luffy and Lucci’s fight is often regarded as one of the best fights in all ofOne Piece, and overall, it’s easy to see why that is.
Dragon Ball Chapters 307-327
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
After Goku finished recovering from the fight with Captain Ginyu inDragon Ball, he returned to his friends just in time to take up the fight against Frieza in his final form. Sure enough, though, Frieza initially proved too powerful for even Goku to handle, and fighting Frieza meant that Goku had to push himself to his limit and achieve his destiny by becoming the legendary Super Saiyan.
Between its stellar artwork and fight choreography, the way Akira Toriyama masterfully built up tension over and over again, and the absolute catharsis of Goku becoming a Super Saiyan and dominating Frieza,Goku and Frieza’s fight inDragon Ballis the perfect encapsulation of everything that came before it. Goku and Frieza’s fight is easily one ofDragon Ball’s best fights, and it’s hard to see it as anything other than thebest fight in the history ofShonen Jumpmanga.
