Fairy Tail is no stranger to fight scenes. After all, there are seemingly no moral struggles, philosophical quandaries, or nation-wide wars that can’t be settled with some good ol’ fisticuffs! It’s a good thing, then, that Fairy Tail is bursting at the seams with great fight scenes. Whether it be fluid animation, a bombastic soundtrack, tense story stakes, or (ideally) a fusion of all of the above, Fairy Tail is home to some of my favorite brawls in all of anime. In honor of that, let’s take a look at my Top 15 favorite, as I had such a hard time narrowing it down to 10 that I made it 15 instead!
I’m fired up now!
15) Gildarts and Cana vs August
For its various faults, the Alvarez Empire arc is certainly a memorable conclusion to Fairy Tail, and one of the reasons why is for its myriad exciting action scenes. One such scene is Gildarts teaming up with his daughter, Cana, to take down the seemingly invincible old sorcerer, August. It’s awesome to finally see Gildarts and Cana fighting side-by-side, and August puts up a significant threat that Gildarts can’t just steamroll over (not that the earlier curb-stomp fights he had weren’t entertaining).
I also like that Cana uses her quick thinking to suss out August’s weakness and create an opening for her father, and that even Mavis plays a small (incidental) part in August’s downfall. The tidbits of August’s backstory are the icing on the cake.
14) Erza, Jellal, and Kagura vs Neinhart
Another Alvarez Empire fight, and one that leverages the power of nostalgic fan service to the hilt. While it could come off as cheesy in another show, Fairy Tail really puts Neinhart and his power to resurrect fallen foes to good use. While some side characters have a few enjoyable bits (Gray and Lyon face their former master Ur, while Wendy stares down the demon Ezel she barely beat), the real stars of the show here are Erza, Jellal, and Kagura, forming an exceptionally unexpected trio given their violent shared history.
Erza shines the brightest, facing off against three of her toughest fights over the show’s history (Kyoka, Azuma, and Ikaruga), and she bests them all through the sheer intimidation of her force of will. Then, exhausted, it falls to Jellal and Kagura to deal the finishing blow to Neinhart, with Kagura finally putting her burning desire of vengeance towards Jellal to rest by saving his life.
13) Natsu vs Jackal
For about two full episodes, Fairy Tail has let Jackal walk around strutting his stuff with reckless, smug abandon. After all, this is the man (or jackal demon, rather) that is responsible for blowing up the magic council and killing prominent minor character, Lahar. Jackal then goes on to terrorize a small fishing town, beat up the main heroes, and even threaten a pregnant woman’s life right before Lucy’s eyes. He seems unstoppable, what with his explosion powers…but explosions are basically made of fire, right?
Natsu sure assumes so, and quickly proves himself to be the complete counter to Jackal by simply eating the demon’s explosions and charging himself up with their power. It’s incredibly cathartic to watch Jackal be reduced to a simpering fool as Natsu quite violently smashes him through the town over and over, to the tune of the main theme song.
12) Natsu vs Zeref (Round One)
Having spent an entire year training himself and honing his powers to be able to take down Zeref, the moment that Natsu finally confronts the big bad himself is nothing short of bombastic and spectacular. Ignoring all the advice of his comrades, Natsu blasts across the battlefield on the wings of Happy, decimates a huge chunk of the Alvarez Empire’s army, and then goes toe-to-toe with the Black Wizard himself.
Though a relatively short fight in the grand scheme of things (since it’s thirty episodes later that they settle their feud once and for all), this fight really shines on the music and animation front. For some reason, Fairy Tail really dedicated a huge chunk of its animation budget to this fight, and it’s a joy to watch. On top of that, this is the fight scene that gives the exposition dump about Natsu being Zeref’s younger brother, which is suitably a shocking revelation to our protagonists. Happy also has a nice moment at the end where he saves Natsu from taking himself out in a giant blast.
11) Juvia vs Meldy
Juvia’s a great character, but she hasn’t exactly been known for her prowess as a combatant over the course of the series…until this episode, that is. Faced with the revelation that her opponent, the young mage prodigy Meldy, is seeking to kill that man that Juvia loves, Gray, the blue-haired water warrior goes absolutely ballistic. And yet, it’s a controlled sort of rage, wherein she begins to pour all of her desire to protect Gray and keep him safe into powering-up her own attack and defense.
Alongside the debut of a unique battle theme just for her, Juvia’s fight with Meldy also brings with it some great animation and a back-and-forth dynamic, as even powered-up Juvia can only barely hold against Meldy. It gets crazier when Meldy links herself to Juvia and Gray with her sensory powers, then threatens to kill herself and take all of them down. This, in turn, leads to Meldy being hit by a barrage of Juvia’s senses of love and longing, and the young girl breaks down in tears admitting that all she wants is a happy life with her adoptive mother, Ultear.
10) Kagura vs Yukino
This battle is instantly interesting from the word “go”, because of two things. One: we as viewers know absolutely nothing about either of these combatants, except that Yukino is from the country’s strongest guild, and Kagura has apparently been ranked as the strongest female mage in the kingdom. Two: before the fighting begins, a cocky Yukino proposes a wager with the black-haired swordswoman, stating that the winner of the fight can lay claim to the loser’s life. Though Kagura finds the frivolity of a wager exhausting, she still accepts.
Yukino comes out the gate swinging, revealing herself as a Celestial Spirit user just like Lucy, and she even demonstrates two new Zodiac keys we haven’t seen before (Libra and Pisces). Then, Yukino even pulls out the massively intimidating and fantastically animated giant serpent Ophiuchus. And yet, it’s all for nothing, as Kagura effortlessly slices through Yukino without even drawing her blade, obliterating the girl and laying claim to her life as per their wager. It’s a shocking fight that wonderfully sets up the threat Kagura will pose later on.
9) Natsu, Elfman, and Romeo vs Imitatia
It hurt me a little to only put one fight from my second favorite arc on this list, because there are plenty I love in the arc (like Mirajane vs Racer, and Gray vs Angel). I definitely had to put this fight on here, though, because it just has so many interesting layers to it. For one, it’s already a bit rare to see Elfman take part in a fight, and even rarer to see Romeo pitch in at all (though, to be fair, he’s actually a pretty important character in this arc). Then there’s the stakes, wherein Natsu and crew are on a timer to beat Imitatia before Lucy is fully absorbed into the cursed Infinity Clock.
Problem is, Imitatia’s functionally invincible. Seeing as how she’s just a childhood doll given retroactive memories and physical form, there’s nothing that can be done to hurt her (she even twists her neck back into place after taking a rough hit from Natsu). She’s genuinely the most threatening opponent Natsu has ever come up against, and it isn’t a stretch to say that he loses this fight, as it only ends once Imitatia turns on her partner, Midnight, to try and free Lucy herself.
Also, it should go without saying, but the music and animation is great, especially with Imitatia’s freak-out near the end.
8) Wendy, Carla, and Chelia vs Dimaria
(Trust me, I’m as surprised as you are that so many Alvarez Empire fights are on this list…and this isn’t even the last one!)
For all intents and purposes, Dimaria is one of the single strongest opponents in the entire universe of Fairy Tail. After all, she’s got the soul of a Time God trapped within her, and can pull upon its power whenever she desires. At the snap of her jaw (which is so memorably creepy to see/hear), Dimaria freezes all of time for however long she desires, and she can thus act with impunity. The only reason her opponents don’t immediately die against her is because she’s an unrepentant sadist who’d rather have fun than kill instantly. This is good, of course, because when we do get a glimpse of her without holding back, it’s brutal.
That’s later in the arc, though, and for now she’s up against Wendy, Carla, and Chelia near the start of the Alvarez Empire’s invasion. As one might expect, she feels unstoppable…and yet, upon the reveal of her Time God powers, Chelia proves for the first time that the so-called “God Slaying Magic” she and a select few others have (that has seemed like nothing but talk up until this point) is nothing to laugh at. What follows is a brutal beatdown between Chelia and Dimaria that only ends with Dimaria barely unconscious, and Chelia having burned up every last drop of magic within her, rendering her de-powered for what could be the rest of her life.
Plus, we even get a nominal appearance from a thought project from Ultear, who helps turn the tide of battle…and more Ultear is always awesome!
7) Mirajane vs Freed
One of the most iconic scenes of the entire show absolutely had to secure a place on this list! From the moment Opening 4 begins to play at the start of each episode, the moment that catches most people’s eye is a brief shot of Mirajane absolutely losing it and everything around her exploding. Ever since we met her, there have been teases about how wild and monstrous Mira used to be, before the loss of her younger sister brought on some deep trauma that led her to suppress her magic and seek peace instead. However, the other Fairy Tail guild members still recognize Mira as a S-Class wizard capable of immense strength…and we finally get to see it in action.
Watching her friends be cut down left and right, the prospect of her brother, Elfman, being killed is what finally pushes Mirajane over the edge. The sweet and kindhearted persona shatters as Mira is consumed in a typhoon of darkness and emerges in her powerful Satan Soul form, becoming the dreaded “She-Devil” she used to be referred to as. Mira then delivers an effortless and violent beatdown of Freed, and it’s cathartic to see the as-yet-untouchable Freed be humbled by a truer display of power than his own. However, Mira’s real strength lies in her heart, as she pulls herself back from the brink of rage right before killing Freed, and instead offers her former guildmate a chance for forgiveness instead, in yet another classic Fairy Tail emotional beat.
6) Natsu and Gajeel vs Sting and Rogue
With twenty-two episodes of hype building up towards this conflict, it was inevitable that the showdown between the twin dragons of Sabertooth and the fire and iron dragons of Fairy Tail would be incredible. All of the foreshadowing and talk amongst the characters and the arena crowd has pushed towards this moment (and Opening 14 places most of its emphasis on this showdown as well).
The push-and-pull of this fight is what really makes it such an entertaining spectacle. Natsu and Gajeel lead into the fight with one of the most viscerally exciting sequences in all of Fairy Tail, as the two bash the smug grins off of Sting and Rogue (to the tune of the main theme) in impeccable fashion. Then, Sting and Rogue fight back fiercely, only for Natsu and Gajeel to shrug it off and pull into the lead again. Then, Sting and Rogue activate Dragon Force (to the shock of the crowd and the viewer) and seem to really push on the offense, destroying the arena floor in the process. THEN, Natsu gets back up, pushes Gajeel out of the fight, and proceeds to solo Sting and Rogue all by himself!
It’s not hard to see that a lot of time, love, and money was poured into this showdown, likely because it’s the final fight in the entirety of Fairy Tail‘s original run (before it’s hiatus and redesign). I especially love the animation on Sting and Rogue’s fusion attack. For a multi-episode battle, this one really keeps the pace and excitement going from start to finish!
5) Erza vs Kagura vs Minerva
As the consistent B-plot of this arc, it was only a matter of time before Erza and Kagura came to blows over their shared history with Jellal. While Erza certainly pulls off some incredible feats during the Grand Magic Games, the looming threat of Kagura’s all-consuming rage towards Jellal still looms large, especially as the dark-haired swordswoman continues to win every fight she participates in without difficulty. In fact, it’s Kagura’s hatred that throws a wrench in the otherwise solid gameplay Fairy Tail has to try and win the final round of the Grand Magic Games.
Then, as if that wasn’t enough of an issue, Minerva decides to wade into the mix by throwing down with Erza and Kagura, and then taking an unconscious Millianna hostage to force Erza and Kagura to fight for her amusement. It’s shocking to see Kagura beat down Erza so effortlessly (and I love the reveal of her being Simon’s sister), only for Erza to turn the tables by using Kagura’s unbalancing anger against her.
We close off with the cathartic final climax, as Erza pushes past her limits to wipe the floor with Minerva, finally putting the arrogant sadist in her place after nearly twenty-five episodes of her tyranny.
4) Gray vs Ultear
This is yet another fated fight that viewers have been anticipating ever since the finale of the Galuna Island arc confirmed that Ultear is the long-lost daughter of Ur, Gray’s dearly departed master. Yes, it gets bonus points from me because it features my favorite antagonist and favorite protagonist duking it out, but this is my list after all!
After seeing through Ultear’s manipulations and lies, Gray and her finally have the chance to throw down. Ultear’s Arc of Time magic allows her to instantly melt Gray’s ice, proving to be a difficult challenge to overcome. Never one to go a battle without using her wits, Gray infuses his ice with his own blood, and since Ultear can’t interact with living things with her magic, he launches a counterattack. Ultear then pulls out her own Ice Make magic, and it’s the same style as her departed mother’s ice (foreshadowing that Ultear doesn’t hate her mother quite as much as she claims).
Ultear’s not the leader of the Seven Kin of Purgatory for nothing, and her hand-to-hand is more than enough to overwhelm Gray. However, after falling into the ocean, Ultear is hit with the memories of her mother, and she realizes everything about her traumatic childhood is skewed by her perspective, and that her mother always loved her. It’s a beautiful scene, and Ultear willingly surrenders herself to Gray, needing time to reflect after realizing her whole life has been formed by a misunderstanding.
3) Erza and Wendy vs Irene
There’s a pretty consistent theme throughout Fairy Tail of children confronting their parents (often coming to blows in the process) and re-shaping their relationship as a result. Nowhere is this more evident than when Erza confronts her mother, the strongest female wizard in the world. With Wendy by her side, Erza and Irene’s showdown spans nearly three straight episodes, and presents the most thrilling and emotional action climax in the entire Alvarez Empire arc.
There are so many phases to this fight that it’s almost like Irene is some sort of final boss in a JRPG. She begins by testing the waters with her magic against Erza, only to body-swap and possess Wendy, combining her knowledge and skill with Wendy’s youthful stamina. Thankfully, Wendy swapped into Irene’s body as well, and she and Erza manage to withstand a tense standoff and get everyone back into their proper bodies.
But, of course, Irene is the mother of dragons, and so she simply turns into her dragon form and threatens to consume the continent with a meteor. So, what does Erza do? She slices the meteor in half, obviously, and then plummets back to earth bloodied and with a broken arm. With a magical enchantment power-up from Wendy, Erza slices Irene in twain, reverting the older woman to her human form…and Irene still isn’t down for the count! On a technical level, Erza actually loses this fight!
Thankfully, seeing her daughter hurt and bleeding but still smiling is just enough to thaw Irene’s hard heart, and make her realize that she can never bring herself to kill her own daughter. Knowing she has to die to end the Alvarez Empire onslaught, Irene turns her blade on herself and spares her daughter, dying with the final thought that her daughter can live to be a better woman than she.
2) Erza vs Erza
In what possible universe could the heroic Erza Scarlet squaring off against her doppelganger, the villainous Erza Knightwalker not be amazing? After all, who else could possibly stand up to someone as powerful as Erza other than Erza herself? These two redheaded warriors colliding is the stuff of legends, and the theme song they bring with their clash is one of my absolute favorite music tracks in the show.
From the instant they first clash their weapons together, it’s clear that this will not be a one-sided bought. With Erza able to change her armor at will, and Knightwalker capable of morphing her weapon’s form and abilities at will, the two are evenly matched (evidence by their first strikes giving each other mirrored facial scars). Even the rest of the cast knowns to back up and give them space, especially as they go flying through the nearest wall in a massive magical explosion. To come between them would be to spell one’s certain doom.
And so, Erza and Knightwalker spend the rest of the Edolas arc clashing, their fight garnering the moniker of the longest un-consecutive showdown in the series (since it’s spread across so many episodes through intercut scenes). One second it looks like our heroic Erza will triumph, only for Knightwalker to push back stronger than before. The two fight through a garden, an armory, on the back of a wyvern in the sky, amidst ancient ruins, and finally on a crumbling piece of rock plummeting to the ground.
And then, in the beautifully typical Fairy Tail fashion, more than brute force wins the day. Recognizing her own shortcomings in her opponent, Erza pushes Knightwalker to see the big picture, admit her weaknesses, and accept the help of those around her. Erza knows there’s a better woman lurking under the surface, and a tearful Knightwalker relinquishes her fighting will as she and Erza crash to the ground, both unconscious. It’s a draw, folks, and what other way could Erza vs Erza end, really?
1) Gray vs Lyon
It’s almost incredible that my favorite fight in the entire show comes at only Episode 16 (out of 328), but it truly does. Part of it is my personal bias, of course. Gray is my favorite protagonist in the show, the arc that this fight is in (Galuna Island) is one of my favorites in the show, and Lyon is an incredibly antagonist in this arc, and subsequently one of the show’s most compelling reoccurring characters. Gray and Lyon scrap a few episodes prior to this, and Gray loses handily. With his composure regained, the two former peers square off for the fate of Galuna Island.
This is another fight that moves through distinct phases yet does so at an incredibly compelling and engaging pace. The entire fight takes place in a single episode, and yet feels so full of substance that you hardly recognize the admittedly short runtime. Through a combination of some absolutely stellar voice acting, impeccable music selections, and gorgeous animation, Gray vs Lyon introduces viewers of Fairy Tail very early on to just how amazing of a show they are getting themselves into. It’s no exaggeration to say that this fight is what solidified my obsession with Fairy Tail all those years ago.
Gray and Lyon being the fight with old fashioned fisticuffs, seemingly proving themselves equal to each other. However, a history of stubborn duels with Natsu has a child has given Gray more drive and persistence than Lyon ever has, and Gray pushes through as the superior fighter. Reflecting his cowardly nature, Lyon then begins casting his Ice Make magic against Gray, as Gray hastily tries to assemble a defense. Once he gets his footing, Gray keeps Lyon at bay, as the latter’s reckless anger makes him an easy target for the former’s patience.
Finally, we hit my favorite moment of the fight. Earlier in the arc, Lyon brags about his “one-handed” casting method, which allows him to attack faster. Gray argues that their master taught “two-handed” style, as it is more balanced and safer. In the closing moments of this duel, Gray blocks a pivotal attack from Lyon, as the latter’s “one-handed” style makes the attack easily defendable. Caught in the open, Gray launches a final move to obliterate Lyon in a crescendo of guitar riffs and blistering animation. It’s now clear who Master Ur’s best pupil is, by far.
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 