Contents
Introduction
Anime fights are a staple of the medium and with every uniquely inspired drama that pushes the boundaries of narrative structure. Both choreography and pacing are important in fight scenes. Too little build-up will have the fight feeling forced whereas too much exposition will lead you into Dragon Ball territory of powering up for five episodes! Similarly, a fight with little structure to it will leave the viewer feeling confused as to what happened or to the level of injury of each fighter. Anime fights come in a variety of different sub-genres be it fists, swords, motorcycle card game duels, or whatever else you can think of. However, one thing for certain is that a particular track supporting an anime fight can enhance the scene so much more than a generic backing track.
We're here today to look at some of the best anime fight scenes that would not be the same without the underlying track in the background. These fight scenes are made so much more epic thanks to the music supporting them but are also choreographed in such a way to hit the highs of the music they are playing alongside. It is not an easy task to hit this balance but, here, we'll check out some of the best!
So, without further ado, let's get started!
Guilty Crown - Bios
Not a traditional one-on-one fight but this could technically be seen as Shu vs. Inori's captors. After making his way to track down Inori, Shu finally succeeds in his goal as the two reunite. As Shu floats up towards her and Inori floats down, it is not until they finally touch where Shu uses his Power of the King to remove Inori's sword and let loose onto the establishment he harbors so much anger towards. The graceful chanting in the lead-up to their connection gives relatively no hint as to the explosive action that will soon be upon us. However, we as viewers know that this scene has been building for some time now and we can expect a shift in musical style when Shu decides to finally fight back.
Then, as Shu begins to unleash his power, the chorus of Bios kicks into action with a beautifully melodic vocal performance. While less of a traditional fight scene and more of a character showcase, the music of Bios certainly elevates the scene to new heights and that cannot be overlooked.
Bleach - Number One
During the first true arc of Bleach, Ichigo is forced to invade Soul Society in order to save Rukia from execution. He and his loveable band of cohorts make their way through the city taking down whatever enemies stand in their way. This was such an amazing arc and one that finally showed the extent of Ichigo's power. After being forced to sit through seventeen episodes of exposition dumping, Soul Society is where Bleach really starts to kickstart its engine! Ichigo fights a lot of Shinigami over the course of the arc but eventually reaches the execution platform and snags Rukia just in time. Byakuya, at this point, is the ultimate obstacle for Ichigo. We had seen their power difference before and this is the first time they have met since that initial encounter. We need something to prove to the viewer that Ichigo is now on the same level as Byakuya. How on earth could we do such a thing…?
Yes, Ichigo is given a mini-montage to show off his power as he takes on three vice-captains who seek to stop him in his tracks. Having trained for only two days to release his bankai, the music slowly builds as the vice-captains release their shikai. Ichigo, on the other hand, lowers his sword to the ground. Then, as the track explodes into the chorus, so too does Ichigo explode into battle only using his fists, destroying the sword of one of his opponents. With a quick turn, he uppercuts another before pushing the third to the floor. This fight does an excellent job of hyping us up for the eventual Ichigo vs. Byakuya clash and proves that will not be as one-sided as it may have been at some point.
Soul Eater - Paper Moon
During the early episodes of Soul Eater, Black Star happens across a swordsman named Mifune who he easily dispatches. Black Star is as egotistical as it gets so, naturally, when they two cross paths again later in the show, he is overconfident as ever when it comes to the power gap between them. However, what Black Star failed to realize is that Mifune has a love of children and could never fight at full strength against a pre-pubescent foe. Unfortunately, in such a situation as the two find themselves at this point, there is little room for anything other than a tussle. As Mifune announces his infinite sword style and blades fly into the air, the familiar opening riff of Paper Moon echoes into the room.
Everything in this fight is eclectic. As a viewer, we have already heard the opening "Paper Moon" before and so we can recognize the rise and fall of the song, keying us into when a dramatic clash will occur. The show plans the entire interaction around a brief window, making sure to include all the necessary exposition in the song's lulls before doubling down on the action during the crescendos. As the song progresses and we hit the choruses, the tension starts to build as Black Star realizes just how unmatched he really is. Then, as we draw to a close, Mifune spins his sword to not inflict lethal damage onto Black Star (showing his love for children still holds strong even in such a situation). As Black Star falls to the ground, the screeching guitar echoes, and we as viewers are left utterly speechless. Truly, this is one of the greatest anime fights to ever grace a screen.
Kimetsu no Yaiba - Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (Kamado Tanjiro's Song)
After a long and bloody battle between Tanjiro and Rui, there is only one way this fight is going to end. We've sat through the exposition, we've sat through the flashbacks, and we've sat through the twist reveals. Now, the only thing left to do is send Rui to hell in a blaze (pun not intended) of glory! After Tanjiro steadies his resolve he makes his way over to Rui. However, we discover that Rui has the ability to increase the strength of his threads even further! Luckily, Tanjiro's hinokami ability allows him to cut through the threads! However, Rui decides to enclose around Tanjiro so he can't cut them! The final moments of this fight are a rollercoaster all culminating in a perfect combination attack from Tanjiro and Nezuko to finally take Rui down. Kimetsu no Yaiba as a show is centered around this idea of sibling bond and family connection. Nowhere better is this exemplified in the fight against Rui.
Now, let's talk about the song that supports this fight which we will refer to as Tanjiro's Song. This song starts out slow and melancholic as we learn about Rui's tragic past as well as experience the suffering of Tanjiro in the present. However, it slowly rises into a bombastic climax as Tanjiro makes his way to Rui to deliver the finishing blow. The mix of highs and lows in this track perfectly mirrors the ups and downs of the fight itself. At certain points, things look all but over for our hero. Then, he manages to claw his way back from the brink of defeat, only to be sent hurtling to the ground once again. Tanjiro's song is a beautiful piece of instrumentation and a perfect closing theme to the final arc of the original Demon Slayer series.
Music's Impact
Music can be so much more than just background noise used to fill dead air. Music can supply viewers with much-needed exposition without having to bog down your narrative in unnecessary dialogue. Viewers can listen to the audio cues set in place by a writer and use them to gauge how they should be feeling. Whether they should be tense or excited, sad or enraged. Anime fight scenes run the risk of being either too expository or not expository enough. Most fight scenes will either be action followed by a jarring break to expose dialogue. Music does so much heavy lifting in these scenes and can be the difference between a great fight and an unforgettable one.
Naturally, there is so much amazing music circulating about the anime sphere. So much that we couldn't include every great anime fight put to music. However, we are keen to hear about your favorite epic anime fight and the music track that made it possible! After checking out some of the recommendations we have listed above, be sure to return and let us know yours!
