Every action anime has at least one character who lives for the fight. Their zest for battles and hunger for finding worthy opponents often become the driving force of the show when they are the protagonist. Even when they aren’t the main character, they make every scene they are in dynamic and full of energy. Let’s have a look at 10 of the most popular characters who live for the thrill of the fight.
1. Son Goku - Dragon Ball Series
The blood of Saiyans runs hot. Son Goku being a Saiyan himself is always in pursuit of becoming stronger and finding stronger people to go up against. Goku often ensures his opponents are in their best physical condition. Even in possibly world-ending scenarios, Goku has given Senzu beans to his opponents just to have the best possible fight.
You’d think Goku’s tendencies would get himself and others in trouble all the time and you’d be right. Goku almost put the fate of all the universes in jeopardy to have an inter-universe Battle Royale tournament! Thankfully, however, there aren’t many people in the DragonBall Universe capable of defeating our Super-Saiyan.
2. Gon Freeces - Hunter X Hunter
Gon is an athletic, rustic, and friendly young man on the lookout for adventure. Our simple-minded and determined young boy is constantly striving for more power, often becoming exceptionally strong in his rage.
However, Gon's rage leads to some extremely reckless behavior. When his emotions are heightened, Gon becomes irrational and completely unconcerned about anything else. While his will is stronger than most and he can be very level-headed, this level-headedness can also cause him to be very cold at times.
Gon admires strength in people regardless of their nature. He once thanked Binolt, a serial killer, after he helped him get stronger. Additionally, in spite of being aware of how dangerous he is, Gon admires Hisoka for his might.
Tulisha Srivastava
3. Kenpachi Zaraki - Bleach
Kenpachi Zaraki is the current captain of the 11th Division in the Gotei 13. He is the eleventh Kenpachi to hold the position. Despite his reputation as a violent fighter, Kenpachi's actions are usually for the better.
Kenpachi lives for battle and enjoys a good fight above all else. He even holds back in an attempt to prolong any fight. He claims that injury and death are simply the cost of a good fight.
Despite his brutality, Kenpachi usually ends a fight if his opponent is too injured to fight back, claiming that he is not interested in fighting "weaklings who can't fight anymore," and he does not feel obligated to deal a death blow to anyone who cannot fight anymore. However, if his opponent refuses to end the fight, he will kill them without hesitation.
4. Inosuke Hashibira - Demon Slayer
Inosuke is a short-tempered and proud young man who believes he is the strongest fighter in any situation, constantly challenging most people he meets and wanting others to respect and praise him for his skill.
This frequently puts him in unnecessary danger because he tends to overestimate his abilities in comparison to the opponent and refuses to accept defeat. This constant desire to be the best can lead Inosuke to be very provocative, as he frequently attempts to provoke others, most notably Tanjiro Kamado, into fighting him.
However, as the story progresses, Inosuke learns to recognize the strength of others in addition to his own, though he retains his proud nature and constant desire for praise. He also begins to think more strategically when engaging in combat, employing smarter tactics learned from more experienced Demon Slayers rather than simply charging into fights head-on.
5. Aoi Todo - Jujutsu Kaisen
Aoi Todo is a character from the Jujutsu Kaisen series. He is a third-year Kyoto Jujutsu High School student and a grade 1 jujutsu sorcerer. Aoi is an extremely eccentric individual who appears to all of his peers to be nothing more than a battle-crazed meathead at first. He enjoys posing, flaunting his muscles, and the thrill of combat.
When Aoi first met Megumi, he savaged the first year for being "boring." This is because Aoi despises boredom and was concerned that his last Goodwill Event would be uneventful without Okkotsu's presence. That’s just Todo’s madness of going up against a worthy opponent. Later in the series, Todo thoroughly enjoyed teaching Yuji to become a stronger fighter.
6. Katsuki Bakugo - My Hero Academia
Katsuki is a crude, arrogant, short-tempered, and aggressive character, particularly at the start of the series. For those who are unfamiliar with Katsuki, he comes across as unheroic, if not downright villainous.
Katsuki, who is determined and thirsty for victory, smiles weirdly in the midst of a battle. He is intensely focused on achieving his own genuine victories and has learned never to underestimate his opponents.
Katsuki is not only very athletic and talented in combat, but also extremely intelligent and perceptive, capable of strategic planning and improvisation. Above all, he craves victory and can't stand it when he doesn't win.
7. Kyoko Sakura - Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Kyoko can be somewhat stubborn but she has a fiery and tomboyish personality. One of the first things viewers notice about Kyoko is her aversion to defeating curses before they become full-fledged witches. There's a logical reason for this: only witches drop Grief Seeds, which are required to extend a magical girl's lifespan.
This dynamic makes it critical for the smart and practical magical girl. Besides being as strong as she is, Kyoko is self-assured in her abilities and appears unconcerned about the possibility of defeat. She is arguably the most powerful magical girl of the original quintet.
Kyoko appeared to be very rude at first, and would often get into fights, almost killing Sayaka during a battle due to her own rage. However, she proved she was actually someone with good intentions.
8. Natsu Dragneel - Fairy Tail
Natsu is a carefree and reckless person, and despite his constant brawls with the other Fairy Tail members, he is a fiercely loyal and protective friend. He is willing to die fighting for his friends, no matter how futile it may appear. Natsu has a straightforward mind and frequently approaches problems "hands-on." His solutions to problems are frequently violent.
Natsu is constantly attempting to demonstrate his strength to others. He has challenged Erza, Laxus, Mirajane, and even Gildarts (in short, all of Fairy Tail's current S-Class Mages) to fight him at various points in time, but he has always been defeated, every single time.
Anjali Mehta
9. Roronoa Zoro - One Piece
Zoro has been absurdly reckless in the face of major battles, often at the expense of his own safety. Many times, he has suffered injuries that would kill a normal person and has muscled through them through sheer willpower. He also has a habit of ignoring his severe injuries and fighting on, sometimes even before he is fully healed.
When Zoro intends to fight seriously, he ties his bandana (which is normally tied around his left arm) around his head. He thrives on the adrenaline rush of combat. Scratchmen Apoo remarked on his "insane killing intent," admitting that Zoro was a "real beast." Zoro often smiles in satisfaction when he faces a specially skilled opponent, unnerving his friends and foes alike.
10. Saitama- One Punch Man
Saitama is the series' main protagonist and the titular One-Punch Man. In the series, he is the most powerful being. Saitama is experiencing a self-imposed existential crisis because he is now too powerful to enjoy the thrill of battle. In fact, the whole show revolves around Saitama looking for someone who can put up a fight against him.
Saitama is a person who is unconcerned. Even the mightiest foes are no match for him, so he doesn't take his hero duties seriously and breezes through everything with little to no effort.
This might give viewers the impression that Saitama doesn’t have fun while fighting. However, the truth is he yearns for an opponent worthy enough to make him use his strength to its fullest. In that sense, Saitama’s desire to have a good fight is probably the strongest one on this list.
Tulisha Srivastava
