The world of anime is expansive and offers many unique stories with compelling characters, engaging plots, and epic moments. While some anime come and go, many deliver unique and memorable experiences. Those types of anime typically contain well-written storylines and characters.
For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best anime, we’d like to highlight the best anime martial artists of all time. Whether they’re adored for their excellent fighting ability or their charming personalities, these fighters deserve to be recognized for their effort and abilities on the battlefield.
Feel free to give your thoughts about our picks in the comments below!
Goku (Dragon Ball)
Goku is regarded as one of the best martial artists of all time. His mastery of various techniques and incredible abilities have made him a formidable opponent against any foe that dares challenge him. His training regime is intense with Goku training himself to fight in intense gravity to him combatting foes capable of harming him severely.
However, Goku isn’t without his feats. He has incredible speed and agility, allowing him to dodge many foes’ attacks and retaliate with a more powerful blow. His mastery of techniques has only gotten better with each new season of the series. From his early days with Kaioken to his current True Ultra Instinct form in the Dragon Ball Super manga, Goku continues to grow as a fighter.
Fighting techniques aside, Goku is a humble and respectable individual. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect his loved ones from enemy harm, even if it puts his life in jeopardy.
While Goku can come off as a selfish person at times, his strong sense of justice and kindred spirit make him worth admiring as a martial artist.
Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)
Kenshiro is a powerhouse in Fist of the North Star. His story and design went on to influence many creators in the shonen and seinen demographic. With Kenshiro’s mastery of his Hokuto Shinken technique and his formidable strength, he’s a force to be recked with in any fight. On top of his unique technique, Kenshiro knows how to read his targets’ movements and attacks.
His enhanced senses and sharp reflexes allow him to dodge any attack with ease. He can even disable his foe’s movements swiftly with his excellent pressure point techniques. However, Kenshiro didn’t attain these incredible skills in a day. He puts in the work and endures severe training that allows him to overcome adversaries that should be more formidable than himself.
Despite his intimidating presence, Kenshiro’s known for being compassionate toward the innocent. He’s willing to put himself in dangerous scenarios to protect those who can’t guard themselves from harm. Therefore, Kenshiro embodies the strength, skill, and compassion necessary to be an excellent martial artist.
Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)
Grappler Baki (Baki The Grappler)
Baki The Grappler is an anime series that’ll appeal to fans who love intense fights. Grappler Baki is the protagonist of this martial arts-themed series and is considered one of the best in the medium. He has a distinct fighting style and remarkable physical prowess that make him a fierce combatant on the battleground.
His training regime may be grueling, but it’s helped him achieve the skills needed to be strong. For instance, Baki’s capable of utilizing multiple fighting styles like boxing and wrestling proficiently. Baki has a vast knowledge of human physiology, allowing him to exploit his opponent’s disadvantages swiftly.
Moreover, Baki’s mental fortitude and discipline are unparalleled. He’s insanely determined and willing to break his limits to be the ultimate fighter. His many fights prove that he’s someone no one should underestimate.
With his incredible strength, discipline, and creative ways of defeating his enemies, Baki is a true fighting prodigy and has earned his spot as one of anime’s best martial artists.
Rock Lee (Naruto)
Although he’s not the main protagonist in Naruto, Rock Lee’s widely considered to be one of the best fighters in the show. Unlike others who utilize supernatural-themed attacks, Lee specializes in taijutsu. This is a physical-based fighting style that gives Lee incredible strength, endurance, and agility. Lee’s also someone who loves to train effortlessly to impress his sensei Might Guy and himself.
Lee’s marvelous speed and agility allow him to perform acrobatic feats with ease. His inhuman pace and swift movements have enabled him to get the better of many strong opponents like Sasuke and Gaara. Lee’s self-discipline and diligence helped push him to greater heights than some of the series’s prolific characters.
Overall, Lee is a great and underutilized character in the Naruto series. Therefore, he deserves to be praised for his immense effort and dedication to his craft.
Ranma Saotome (Ranma 1/2)
Ranma Saotome is an iconic warrior created by the illustrious manga author Rumiko Takahashi. Ranma’s capable of overcoming difficult odds and developing new techniques on the fly. For example, there’s a moment when Ranma’s up against a foe who can copy his moves. Ranma switches styles to catch this person off-guard and emerges victorious in the fight. This shows how Ranma’s capable of being highly versatile on the battlefield, despite the odds stacked against him.
Ranma’s capable of utilizing many creative on the battlefield too. He can seamlessly incorporate his surroundings into his fighting style, utilizing objects and elements in his area to gain an advance. Together with Ranma’s incredible determination and willingness to improve his skills, he’s a remarkable martial artist worthy of praise.
Mugen (Samurai Champloo)
Mugen is one of the main protagonists in Samurai Champloo. Together with his unorthodox fighting style, speed, and strength, Mugen’s proven to be a formidable martial artist in every battle he’s a part of. There are times when Mugen combines breakdancing and swordplay into his fighting style to catch his opponents off guard and overwhelm them with his swift movements.
On that note, Mugen’s swordsmanship is amazing. He knows how to wield and strike any foe with his blade at intense speeds. Even when he’s up against fellow swordsmen, Mugen knows of ways to disarm them during battles to leave them vulnerable to his precise and swift attacks. Fans will adore Mugen’s bravery and drive to fight anyone, even if they’re not on his level.
In addition to having an excellent personality and background, Mugen’s character will impress everyone whose a major martial arts fanatic.
Isaac Netero (Hunter X Hunter 2011)
Isaac Netero is a skilled martial artist in Hunter X Hunter 2011. He’s endured intense training and earned the respect of many people before his final fight with the Chimera Ant King Meruem. Netero’s speed, strength, and technique are awe-inspiring. His mastery of Nen is one of his defining traits, though. He not only has an immense aura and nene control but has a technique that’ll damage anyone. Meruem knows well of this technique since this is the tactic Netero uses against him during their epic fight.
Furthermore, Netero’s relentless determination and unconquerable spirit make him worth cheering for. As mentioned earlier, Netero spent years training and surpassing his physical and mental limits. Even if the foe in front of him can end his life, Netero won’t back down without a fight. While he may be an old fellow, fans shouldn’t let Netero’s age overlook his tremendous might and skill.
Garou (One-Punch Man)
Despite Saitama stealing the show in One Punch Man, the anime delivers some interesting side characters who are interesting and fun to watch like Saitama. With his relentless training and unique fighting style, the “Hero Hunter” Garou proves to be a formidable fighter in the One Punch Man series. He tends to observe battles and discovers ways of incorporating others’ fighting styles into his own.
Furthermore, Garou’s physical prowess and reflexes make him a skilled combatant. He possesses incredible speed, strength, and agility, allowing him to evade attacks and deliver powerful precisive strikes. His fluid movements make him a tough fighter to read, adding another layer of depth and intrigue to his character. He’s one of those martial artists who learn from his losses and return wiser and stronger. With that said, Garou’s adaptability, physical prowess, and ability to learn from his defeat, make him a great martial artist.
Kenichi Shirahama (Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple)
Kenichi Shirahama is one of those protagonists who starts weak but gradually transforms into a tough, determined, and motivating lead by the series’s end. Under the guidance of multiple masters, Kenichi studies different styles like Karate, Muay Thai, Judo, and others. He’ll combine what he learned to create a style that’s offensive and defensive. This heightens his versatility and makes him an unpredictable adversary to the people he fights throughout this anime.
Kenichi has a strong sense of justice and his desire to protect others fuels his passion for martial arts. He’s the type of person who’ll motivate viewers to break their limits and improve upon their strengths. Even when he’s fighting people who’ll overshadow him in different fields, Kenichi never backs down from a challenge. This aspect of his character is inspiring and will help people grow more attached to him and the journey he embarks on.
With his incredible personality, excellent fighting ability, and desirable goals, Kenichi’s a respectable martial artist many will adore.
So, there we have it, our picks for the 10 best anime martial artists through the years!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!