Demon Slayer is considered one of the greatest, most visually spectacular action anime series of today, and its praise is well-deserved. Demon Slayer consistently treats viewers to state-of-the-art animation within an immersive, dynamic story that lends itself perfectly to high-stakes action. However, the series has also faced a lot of valid criticism since becoming the biggest modern anime franchise.
While there is no denying that Demon Slayer looks gorgeous, many fans also take issue with its predictable plot development, underdeveloped power system, and overall “style over substance” approach to storytelling. Few anime series are as technically impressive and flashy as Demon Slayer, yet plenty surpass it when it comes to high-quality action.
Every Clash Has Weighty Consequences in Attack on Titan
A series that has already earned the reputation of a near-unanimously acclaimed modern classic, Attack on Titan makes the high-stakes, ruthless nature of its narrative apparent from the get-go. The series begins as a grim survival fantasy narrative, in which humanity has been hiding behind giant Walls for an entire century from mysterious man-eating Titans, whom only the bravest soldiers dare to challenge on their own territory. Attack on Titan’s approach to action is fittingly ferocious for this kind of setting.
To have a fighting chance against these monsters, the military had to get creative, inventing the Omni-Directional Maneuvering Gear that allows soldiers to soar through the skies. In action, this makes characters feel both fierce and highly vulnerable, and the show doesn’t shy away from showcasing how deadly Titan encounters can turn.
All action scenes in Attack on Titan feel peerlessly suspenseful because viewers, and the characters themselves, know how likely they are to lose their lives in combat. Be it clashing with Titans, transforming into monsters themselves to fight, or, later in the story, warring against their fellow humans, every aspect of their lives is dangerous.
Visually, Attack on Titan’s action is also outstanding. With the first three seasons produced by Wit Studio and the final installment handled by Studio MAPPA, Attack on Titan is remarkably cinematic and kinetic throughout. But above the visual splendor, Attack on Titan’s action stands out in how it serves the story, forcing its characters into lethal encounters that, by the end, challenge not only their skills and devotion to their cause but also the fundamental righteousness of their actions.
Gurren Lagann’s Action Is Delightfully Inventive & Over-the-Top
Hiroyuki Imaishi’s 2007 mecha classic, Gurren Lagann, is one of the most joyous and elating action anime series one can possibly experience. Following Simon and Kamina, who escape their underground village to fight for humanity’s liberation from Beastmen in grand mecha battles, Gurren Lagann has a totally different approach to action from the grim and bleak likes of Demon Slayer and Attack on Titan.
Instead, Gurren Lagann harnesses the energy of old-school “super robot” mecha shows – bombastic, optimistic action flicks that throw logic out the window to fully embrace the inherent coolness of giant robots. Gurren Lagann is a bright, upbeat, and unapologetically over-the-top anime.
In its world, willpower and determination win against impossible odds, complex machinery doesn’t need to follow any rules, and the scale of encounters can escalate without limits, even reaching an absurd cosmic scope where galaxies become weapons. And yet, instead of coming off as childish and inconsequential, Gurren Lagann infects viewers with its irresistible energy, making everyone believe in the impossible and find joy in vibrant, fast-paced mecha clashes.
Of course, Gurren Lagann isn’t just a mindless, fun ride. The series, despite its seeming lightheartedness, allows space for much graver emotions and themes to bloom: grief, responsibility, and resistance against stagnation. Not every fight in Gurren Lagann ends in a spectacular victory. Nonetheless, at its core, Gurren Lagann remains resolutely inspiring and optimistic, and its absurd, gorgeous action scenes never fail to lift the viewers’ spirits and make them feel capable of taking on all the challenges of life with unwavering tenacity.
Hunter x Hunter Revolutionized Battle Shonen With Its Genius Power System
A renowned shonen adventure, Hunter x Hunter follows the journey of Gon Freecss, a young boy who leaves his tiny home island to become a Hunter and find his missing father. The story, however, hardly follows the conventions of the genre and soon reveals to audiences that its world is considerably more elaborate, complex, and dark than it appears at first glance.
This underlying sophistication, which effortlessly coexists with the straightforward excitement of boundless exploration, is also reflected in Hunter x Hunter’s approach to action – a pillar of all battle shonen anime. Hunter x Hunter is revered for the intricacy of its power system, Nen, which combines clear, well-developed rules with remarkable creative liberty.
As a result, Nen gives way to some of the most inventive and clever battles in the entire genre, with every confrontation feeling very layered and unpredictable, as raw strength or the narrative importance of a certain character rarely determines the outcome of any given fight. Action in Hunter x Hunter lacks the flashiness of many other shonen series, like Demon Slayer, yet it doesn’t require over-the-top animation feats to be many times more suspenseful and engrossing.
Hunter x Hunter also often uses action as a tool for emotional character development, with many key fights serving to demonstrate the internal transformation of heroes and villains. In terms of animation, Hunter x Hunter maintains a high standard of quality throughout, managing to pull off both bombastic, large-scale battles and more intimate clashes in which the emotional weight of the encounter takes center stage instead of showy animation.
Fate/Zero Is a High-Stakes Action Masterpiece From Demon Slayer’s Creators
Demon Slayer might be Studio Ufotable’s most well-known anime project, especially today, yet it was hardly their first successful action series. Before Demon Slayer, Ufotable was primarily known for adapting various Type-Moon projects, most prominently within the expansive Fate franchise. All Fate anime series produced by Ufotable are excellent and visually stunning; however, to this day, many consider Fate/Zero, the prequel to the original Fate/stay night story, the studio’s magnum opus.
Like all Fate narratives, Fate/Zero chronicles the events of a particular Holy Grail War – a vicious battle royale where mages, together with summoned heroic spirits from history, fight to obtain the titular wish-granting artifact. Despite premiering way back in 2011, Fate/Zero still looks more gorgeous than most action anime produced today.
The show’s cinematic direction, immersive lighting, and masterful blending of 2D and CGI animation are all staples of Ufotable’s style that elevate Fate/Zero’s already fantastic story to a whole new level. The numerous action scenes are where the animators’ skill really gets to shine. Action in Fate/Zero is not just eye-catching – it also has grave narrative stakes.
Due to the battle royale nature of the Holy Grail Wars, a winner is very difficult to determine from the get-go, and every character truly fights to the death, protecting, first and foremost, their ideals. Fights in Fate/Zero are both physical and philosophical; they have palpable narrative weight and, despite the story largely centering on these high-octane clashes, do not pull the focus away from the much more significant ideological conflicts at the narrative’s heart.
Jujutsu Kaisen Is the Best-Looking Action Anime of Today
One of the only modern shonen titles that can rival Demon Slayer’s popularity, Jujutsu Kaisen transports viewers into a violent world where humans’ negative emotions manifest as monstrous curses. Upon accidentally becoming the vessel for the all powerful King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna, series’ protagonist Yuji Itadori joins the ranks of sorcerers who fight to protect people from this invisible threat.
Jujutsu Sorcery is a thankless, immensely dangerous task most are prepared to lose their lives completing. Although similar in tone and premise to Demon Slayer, JJK is, arguably, an even darker and far less predictable series packed with far more experimental action.
Jujutsu Kaisen is a fast-paced visual marvel that revels in subverting fans’ expectations. Virtually no character in the series is ever safe from meeting a bloody, gruesome fate. However, watching the heroes clash with curses is always endlessly thrilling. The series boasts an incredibly in-depth power system that allows for the exploration of numerous inventive abilities, and no character is ever shy about using their powers to completely obliterate their opponents, raising the stakes of every encounter.
In terms of visuals, Studio MAPPA has, so far, been raising the bar of quality for the entire medium with its treatment of Jujutsu Kaisen. While the first two seasons of the show are already visually spectacular, production quality skyrocketed in the series’ most recent installment.
Adopting an experimental, cinematic style one wouldn’t typically expect from a battle shonen anime, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 marvelously elevates the story through its distinct look and dynamic and innovative direction. Every gorgeously animated action sequence is enough to take viewers’ breath away.
- Release Date
-
2019 – 2024-00-00
- Network
-
Fuji TV, Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV, Kansai TV, Tokai Television Broadcasting, Fukui TV, Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting, Iwate Menkoi Television, Sendai Television, SAGA TV, TNC, OHK, Ishikawa TV, Kochi Sun Sun Broadcasting, TV Shizuoka, UMK TV Miyazaki, Television Shin Hiroshima System, NST, NBS, Sakuranbo TV, TSK, Ehime Broadcasting, KTS, NIB, Fukushima TV, TOS, AKT, Toyama Television, TV Kumamoto, Okinawa Television Broadcasting
- Directors
-
Hideki Hosokawa, Shinya Shimomura, Akihiko Uda, Takuro Takahashi, Shuji Miyahara, Masaru Takeuchi, Toshiyuki Shirai, Takuya Nonaka, Yuki Ito, Ken Takahashi, Takahiro Majima, Yusuke Shibata
-
Natsuki Hanae
Tanjiro Kamado (voice)
-
Akari Kito
Nezuko Kamado (voice)
