From the crisp, clean lines of traditional Japanese art to the bold and explosive expressions of modern anime, anime has evolved into a diverse medium with a multitude of styles and visual aesthetics. But no matter the style, we all love anime when it is defined by action and its stunning animation quality.
The fights in these anime will blow you away with their breathtaking sequences of actions, presentations, and visually stunning animations. It’s exciting to watch a series full of elaborate fight scenes with incredible choreography and fluid camera movements. Today, we look at the 10 best anime with the most visually stunning action scenes.
Here are 10 best aesthetically pleasing and visually stunning action anime
When you think of the best anime, you might not immediately think of the word “visually stunning.” But if you watch a handful of action anime, you’ll understand why they’re some of the best in the genre. Action anime doesn’t have to rely on intense plot and character development to deliver exciting action scenes.
Instead, the fast-paced fighting, movement, and visually pleasing animation are enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. If you’re ready to watch something new and exciting, then here are the top 10 best visually stunning action anime.
10. Beyond The Boundary
Beyond The Boundary is probably not in everyone’s expectations when we talk about visually stunning action anime and it’s easy to see why. It had a niche fan base before when it was airing, but now it’s been almost a decade since airing, no one remembers the show much.
It’s not the first name to come up with when you go through your castle of Kyoani’s shows (Kyoto Animation) and it’s a shame. One of Kyoani’s first foray into full-on supernatural action is an experiment gone right, in my opinion. Fluid action sequences and a perfect atmosphere for this dark action series. Helped boy this show that unfortunately had good but not spectacular reception.
It’s not Shinkai but for its time beyond the boundary also had some of my favorite sceneries and visuals out of anything airing in that season. We can also thank Kyoani’s visual directing for that one and I think it’s easily one of the studio’s strongest points.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 1(12 Ep.)
09. K
Those who were around in the early 2010s likely know K for one thing, the filters. Before No Game No Life made it cool, K was known as the charismatic show that had the unique tint being plastered on the screen all the time. I also meant that it’s known for one thing its stunning action sequences.
Make no mistake, K is a show that carries a lot of cool rebel energy, and that strong point gets accentuated even more with its art and animation. Overall, K just looks simply beautiful. The visuals vividly capture the atmosphere of the bustling city filled with skyscrapers, and the fights are visually stunning as the article’s title suggests.
It gets especially great when the people start soaring and the camera angles capture the impact of each object’s motions. K and the succeeding season in the movie are a series that takes you on a literal thrill ride and while the screen filters can be a bit hit or miss, the animation is definitely a thing to look at.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 1(13 Ep.)
08. Sword Art Online
In contrast to the first entries, this is a show that needs no introduction. With the series still going relatively strong for its decade long run, pretty much everything that can be said about SAO has been said somewhere on the internet.
No matter what your opinions on the franchise are, however, one thing cannot be denied: SAO is king in terms of production values. SAO is a show that undeniably looks good. A-1 Pictures themselves don’t have the most stellar reputations, but if you want a show for them to demonstrate their skill, you can just point to what’s become their flagship title.
By the time the series reached the War of Underworld Arc, almost every other episode had come at us with some of the most extravagant lights and fireworks the franchise has ever seen. Though over 100 episodes, two movies and counting, and all the extra anime content, one thing has remained consistent with SAO, and that is its excellent art and animation quality.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 3(73 Ep.)
07. Kekkai Sensen
Nowadays, people know Kekkai Sensen more for its ending theme. You know the first season’s very popular ending sequence has been parodied quite often. That fact gives me mixed feelings because while I love how the show’s getting some love, moving past the ending sequence, I legitimately enjoyed this supernatural foray into Hellsalem’s lot with the ever-trusty Leonardo Watch on our side.
The episodic nature of most of the episodes may not be a lot for people, but for those who just wanted their dose of urban fantasy action, you’ll be in for a hell of a treat. Studio Bones really went all out for this decent niche title to produce what I believe is one of the best-animated action series in 2015.
The great art and animation help support the character writing, which many appraised and what you get is a title that unexpectedly exceeded all expectations that I had. It’s also got another season that likewise delivered the same goodness, so the fun doesn’t end in just 12 episodes.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 2(24 Ep.)
06. Garden of Sinners
Garden of Sinners is mostly known for its very intricate storytelling, the mysterious aura that it carries, and to a lesser extent, the breathtaking visuals. Perhaps because people expect great visuals from a theatrical production, but the Garden of Sinners movies go beyond those expectations and shatter them throughout seven movies.
The mid to late 2000s is still quite early in their history, but Ufotable already started showing glimpses of the future with how the Garden of Sinners movie was animated. Very fluid and well-choreographed action sequences get coupled with those melancholic backdrops and detailed environments that create the mysterious air the movie series has most of the time. Overall, I guess it’s a prelude of things to come for Ufotable.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 8(Movies)
05. Jujutsu Kaisen
It’s finally time to talk about the cool kid of the 2020s, Jujutsu Kaisen. To say the Jujutsu Kaisen’s best point is that the animation I feel would be doing the anime a minor disservice. When it comes to the world battle of Shounen, I feel that Jujutsu Kaisen is more than the sparks and flashes.
Its got some creative usage of its cast goes slightly past norms while keeping in line with the genre’s established tropes and introduces us to some really nice fight setups, but I can’t blame you if the first thing strikes out to you for Jujutsu Kaisen is its animation.
We can talk about the Hanami fight or half the things Gojo does, or Fushiguro’s glorious moment at the tail end of the series. Almost every episode, there’s something in the visual spectacle that Jujutsu Kaisen makes people’s jaws drop. Jujutsu Kaisen is the newest addition to the ever-growing library of anime titans to take the world by storm and made the best entrance that anyone could hope for.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 1(24 Ep.)
04. Demon Slayer
To no one’s surprise, Demon Slayer is on this list. Yes, I intentionally placed it next to Jujutsu Kaisen because the two shows feel like successes given their similar trajectories and success in a more meta sense. Settings changed, characters change, but the whole premise of a team of specialists fighting supernatural and demonic beings lives on.
For Demon Slayer, everyone can talk about Rui, but have you seen what Ufotable did with the movie. How about the time Zenitsu showed off how badass he can be? Heck, even in the currently airing “Red Light District Arc”, there’s no shortage of Demon Slayer just being visually stunning.
Vivid backgrounds, a bright art style that captures the vigor of the era, and spectacular post-processing effects that enhance every moment they’re in. It’s rare for it to happen, but Demon Slayer is a title that manages to surpass its source material thanks to these extravagant visuals.
It’s a no-brainer that Demon Slayers on here, and if you’ve been in the anime community for the past year or so, you wouldn’t have needed to hear that from me.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 2(37 Ep.)
03. Mushoku Tensei
We open our top three with Mushoku Tensei. Of course, the granddaddy of isekai isn’t going to disappoint. I wouldn’t blame you if you had your doubts. However, given how saturated isekai is these days, we have a lot of these low-budget filler works.
It will be a crime against humanity if the anime gods dare saddle Mushoku Tensei with that treatment, right. All those fears were put to the test when the first episodes dropped and the momentum just kept going. Mushoku Tensei is a title with a very lush and vibrant setting.
Much of the world-building and the feeling of discovering a whole new world were brought to life thanks to the studio’s skill, background design, and fight animation. Mushoku Tensei boasts many fights that give off that much-needed impact a fight has to have, thanks to the animation team.
Not every show gets the honor of having a studio made solely for adapting it, and that’s how we know these guys are serious about Mushoku Tensei and it’s up to us to enjoy the fruits of the team’s labor. Controversies and all, this is by far one of the most well-made isekai out there.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 2(23 Ep.)
02. Mob Psycho 100
Again, I don’t think that I need to tell you anything about the amazing visuals of Mob Psycho 100. An amazing series in its own right. People all over the world have loved Mob Psycho for its interesting characters, engaging plot, and of course, the godly animation and fight sequences.
You could be around back when people were up in arms because the title didn’t win the best animation in one Crunchyroll award, but that’s beside the point. I’m here to highlight the cinematic aesthetics that Mob Psycho has. It looks deceptively simplistic, but just prepare to be blown away when you start seeing the fight sequences or how the powers get presented and how everything just moves and reacts according to the events you see on screen.
Art and animation are not Mob Psycho’s strongest suit for me, but it sure is the one that strikes out among its peers. Mob Psycho 100 is an adaptation that showcases the power of an adaptation. Like Demon Slayer, it’s a title that shows how seeing and hearing things brings you a way better experience than just reading something.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 2(25 Ep.)
01. Fate Series – Ufotable
The most visually stunning action anime for me is none other than Ufotable’s Fate. Fate Stay Night didn’t have the most glorious art. It’s not that dean’s Fate/Stay Night is absolutely awful, but it’s a show that didn’t do too much to bring the Fate franchise to the mainstream.
Back in the mid-2000s, you’d be laughed at if you thought that this little vian adaptation would soon turn into a money printer in the world of mobile games and anime. Fate struck gold when Ufotable got handed the reigns to adapt both Fate Zero and Unlimited Blade Works and it just snowballed from there.
Finally, Fate had an adaptation done right and it couldn’t have found a better studio to do it. One of the best modern vian adaptations, the two anime continued the series momentum, and before you know it, we have a multibillion-dollar franchise on our hands.
From the very smooth fight animation to the amazing presentation that really drove home how overwhelming the noble phantasms are. Ufotable’s Fate has everything you’d want from an action anime if we’re talking about visual presentation and that’s not even getting to Heaven’s Feel movies.
If you’re looking for a long franchise that can fill you with hours of exciting fights and visual spectacles, Ufotables Fate is here for you, and don’t worry about the notorious watch order; you can just go Zero then UBW or Heaven’s feel.
Dubbed – Yes
Season – 7
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