It’s hard to believe but the anime adaptation of My Hero Academia has been going strong since 2016. The manga, of course, has been going even longer, having first debuted back in 2014. This anime series is jam-packed with some of the best fights in anime history.

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Not only that but they could even give Marvel or DC a run for their money in terms of comic hero fights. In fact, some people would go so far as to say that the best fights in My Hero Academia are way more enjoyable than anything featured in any western comic.

Updated March 21, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: My Hero Academia is one of the biggest anime around right now, with the sixth season reminding fans why this anime is such a masterpiece. Watching Deku transform from a Quirkless civilian into one of the most powerful heroes around makes for a great time, and fans can't wait to see how the story of this anime ends given just how many plot points have already been set up. The anime is full to the brim with some of the best fights in shonen history, with the best of the bunch being mentioned below.

20 Deku Vs Shinso

Midoriya vs Shinso in My Hero Academia

While this might've been a rather brief encounter, it still served as a great challenge for Midoriya to overcome. After all, he was trying to get through the Sports Festival without injuring his body too much, and Shinso's Quirk served as a major barrier in this regard.

However, by injuring himself, he managed to overpower Shinso's Brainwash Quirk. Following this, Midoriya was able to gain the upper hand in a physical confrontation and advanced to the next round.

19 Yaoyorozu & Todoroki Vs Erasure

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

Up to this point in the anime, Yaoyorozu seems like she has it all. She’s got a wealthy family, has a cool Quirk, and is both smart and popular. However, after a few encounters between villains and the school festival, she starts to develop self-doubts.

In the teacher matchup against Erasure, Todoroki is finally able to help her see that she is indeed as smart as she appears to everyone else. This one takes place in season two, episode twenty-two.

18 Uraraka Vs Bakugo

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

This fight takes place in the second season of the anime, episode nine, wherein the kids all compete in a festival. Most of the fights shown are pretty quick, but the one with Uraraka versus Bakugo is given special care. Up until that point, Uraraka had helped in fights before but never really fought.

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She has a dream of becoming a great hero to aid her parent's financial situation. She gives it her all in this fight and even gives Bakugo some surprises. While she doesn’t win, seeing her try her best is still something worth remembering.

17 Deku & Bakugo Vs All Might

All Might vs Midoriya and Bakugo in My Hero Academia

The Final Exams arc was a decent arc that featured a team-up of two students against their teachers. In the case of Midoriya and Bakugo, their opponent was none other than All Might.

The fight might've been a brief one, but it allowed Bakugo and Midoriya to put aside their differences for a while as they teamed up to surpass All Might's threat. It was a great moment that allowed both these characters to develop their relationship.

16 Mirko Vs High-End Nomus

My Hero Academia: Mirko, The Rabbit Hero's Quirk, Explained Luna Move Set  Season 6 episode 2

The Rabbit Hero: Mirko didn't really get a ton of screen time to shine before Season 6. However, all of this changed when she showed just what she was made of while fighting against multiple high-level Nomus.

Despite incurring substantial injuries and being maimed, Mirko didn't stop and powered through the laboratory in a bid to stop Dr. Garaki from awakening Shigaraki's full power. It's easily one of the most brutal battles in My Hero Academia and showed just was Mirko was made of.

15 Deku Vs Class 1-A

My Hero Academia Deku Vs Class A Season 6, episode 23

While he did leave U.A. to protect his classmates, Deku got a rude awakening when the entirety of Class 1-A came to bring him back. What ensued was an emotional battle where Deku tried to escape his friends without causing too much harm.

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It was a frenetic confrontation, where both Deku and his classmates put it all on the line to achieve their goals. By the end, Deku was too exhausted and fainted, letting his friends bring him back where he belonged.

14 All Might Vs Nomu

All Might's smash in My Hero Academia

The first appearance of a Nomu in My Hero Academia showed just how powerful these genetically engineered foes could be. After all, they even gave the powerful All Might a run for their money!

However, the Symbol of Peace wasn't going to back down anytime soon. After breaking his limits, he put the Shock Absorption Quirk of the Nomu to the test and defeated him with a Plus Ultra Smash that was immensely satisfying to witness firsthand.

13 Endeavor & Hawks Vs High-End Nomu

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

Season four’s finale has Endeavor prove to himself, and the world, that even without All Might there is still a symbol out there worth fighting for. Up to this point, the character has been hard to watch. He’s always been powerful but knowing about his history concerning his family abuse, made him a hard character to root for.

He still has a long way to go to fully redeem himself but this fight was a good start. Plus, Hawks made a good debut in the series as his backup.

12 Kirishima & Fat Gum Vs Rappa & Tengai

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

Kirishima was at first set up as one of the background heroes of class 1-A. Then, as soon as he started to get chummy with Bakugo, his status started to rise. This episode in season four not only shows how he came to be at the academy and why, but also how strong he is.

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While he didn’t do much damage against Rappa, he did buy time for Fat Gum to build up his power. His secret Quirk was also quite surprising to see released. This one takes place in season four, episode nine.

11 Deku Vs Gentle Criminal

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

This might be one of the lowest-stakes fights in My Hero Academia and even paints Deku in a bad light. Deku understandably wants to make sure the hard work everyone puts into the festival does not go unrewarded, but Gentle Criminal doesn’t want to hurt anyone.

He just wants to put on a show and Deku is acting like he needs to stomp him down like he’s All For One or something. As low stakes as it is, it is a fun fight to watch in season four, starting in episode twenty-one.

10 Hawks Vs Twice & Dabi

My Hero Academia Season 6 Episode 6 Dabi, Hawks, Himiko and Twice Bubaigawara's Death

Twice was a pretty great character who ended up being quite endearing despite being his status as a villain. Even Hawks realized that Twice was a stand-up guy, but he was also a villain who needed to be stopped to protect civilians from a tough onslaught.

This led to a fight between Hawks and the duo of Twice and Dabi, which was a pretty emotional battle where the lines between a hero and villain were blurred. It was an intense confrontation that led to Twice losing his life.

9 Deku Vs Muscular

Muscular in My Hero Academia

The third season of the anime featured one of the best fights in My Hero Academia as Midoriya took on Muscular in an intense brawl. The current One for All holder was pushed to his very limit... but managed to defeat this powerful threat at the cost of his arms.

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This fight showed that no hero was safe from an untimely demise, not even the protagonist himself. However, in a bid to save civilians and show what heroes are all about, Midoriya put his body on the line to fight for what he believed in.

8 Todoroki, Deku, & Ida Vs Stain

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

Stain is a fan-favorite villain in that what he’s doing seems like a good idea. One could sympathize with his ideals to remove false heroes. That and his skills as a ninja are great to watch go up against Deku and Todoroki.

In the end, Ida helps out as well but for the most part, he’s down for the count just like Native. That being said, he still has his moments and has the most stakes in this fight, especially given how Stain viciously assaulted his brother. This one takes place in season two and starts in episode sixteen.

7 Deku Vs Lady Nagant

My Hero Academia  Lady Nagant Makes Her Move As The Hired Gun Lady Nagant vs Deku

After leaving U.A. High School in a bid to protect his classmates, Deku is hunted down by the once-hero Lady Nagant. She was paid by One for All to bring this hero back, leading to an intense confrontation where Deku revealed the power of Fa Jin for the first time.

It was a brilliant confrontation that allowed viewers to see just how fast Deku could get if he really allowed himself to let go. His gentle nature was on full display here, helping Lady Nagant redeem herself and taking her out without outright incapacitating her.

6 Deku Vs Todoroki

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

This fight takes place in season two, episode ten during the school festival. Not only is it an action-packed fight, but Deku is finally able to break through Todoroki’s icy heart. He pushes him to the limit, forcing him to confront his feelings for his father and unleash his flames to beat Deku.

It’s great in that the anime turns the trope on its head which seemingly sets Todoroki up to be one of those nasty silent types but gives up on that idea fairly quickly. This was also one of the best fights in My Hero Academia, which helped to make it all the more memorable.

5 Lemillion Vs Overhaul

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

The entire Shie Hassaikai episode arc against Chisaki is one of the best in the series. The mob hideout itself is full of some of the best fights. While Deku is the one to finish him off, the best part about this bout was the beginning and seeing Togata in action as Lemillion.

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He really does seem like he could have made a better hero with All Might’s Quirk. He has the strength, determination, and heart to prove it. Even after losing his powers he still puts on one heck of a show. This one takes place in season four, episode eleven.

4 Deku Vs Overhaul

Deku fighting Overhaul in My Hero Academia

The fight between Midoriya and Chisaki is easily one of My Hero Academia's best fights by a country mile. After all, it allowed Midoriya to use Eri's Quirk and use One for All at 100%!

This led to one of the most satisfying beatdowns in the entire series as Overhaul finally got what was coming to him. The years of abuse he made Eri suffer through were finally avenged as Midoriya absolutely smashed the living daylights out of him.

3 All Might Vs All For One

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

This was the fight that was built up from the very beginning. When is All Might going to lose his powers and or die? In the fight against All For One, fans were not disappointed by the amount of sheer power displayed by both combatants.

If not for his incredible fan base and belief in himself, All Might would have lost. Thankfully he knows full well how to push the limits and go Plus Ultra. This one takes place in season three, episode eleven.

2 Bakugo Vs Deku

My Hero Academia anime screenshot

This fight was also set up from the very beginning of My Hero Academia. These two definitely have a Naruto and Sasuke-like relationship except that Deku believed in Bakugo from the beginning and also Sasuke was never as explosive.

The best part about this fight was finally seeing things from Bakugo’s perspective. As powerful as he is, he too is just a child with fears and doubts about himself. It isn’t a complete breakthrough like Todoroki’s, but it’s a start. This one takes place in season three, episode twenty-three.

1 Deku Vs Shigaraki/All For One

Shigaraki's Decay Quirk From My Hero Academia

The Paranormal Liberation War arc was one of the best moments in the entirety of My Hero Academia, serving as an amazing payoff for all the time viewers invested in the show. The arc featured numerous confrontations, ending with an earth-shattering battle between the heroes and a reinvigorated Shigaraki.

After a point, Deku was the only person holding down the fort against this imposing threat. It was an awe-inspiring battle that showed just how much both characters had developed since the start of the show.

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