Top 10 One Hit KOs in Anime
For this list, we're going to be looking at the times in anime where a character ended up getting either knocked out or killed after just one strike. Whether they're hero, villain or something inbetween, you can expect plenty of spoilers and startled faces ahead.
#10: Jotaro vs. The Sun
“JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders” (2014-15)
While not exactly the deadliest Stand he’s gone up against during his tour towards Egypt, Jotaro and company still ended up feeling the heat when facing off against a literal sun. Stranded in the desert while being belted with scorching temperatures, for a moment it looks like Jotaro’s goose is well and truly cooked…until he catches onto the Stand user’s whereabouts and uses Star Platinum to launch a rock at lightspeed. The result of which finally put an end to the Sun and left its owner with what we can only imagine to be permanent brain damage.
#9: Akira vs. Koda
Top 10 Akira Toriyama Creations
“Devilman Crybaby” (2018)
Any sympathy we may have had for this track champion was lost when he gave into his hellish urges and joined Satan’s forces. After all, just because your boyfriend was killed doesn’t mean you should lead the charge to mankind’s extinction. During the apocalyptic final battle, Koda tries to gore Akira before he can reach Ryou, confident he can end the Devilman once and for all. Unfortunately for him, Akira ain’t got no time for that, and so promptly tears him in half during his descent without a second thought.
#8: Natsu vs. Laxus
Top 10 Fairy Tail Fights (Ft. Todd Haberkorn - Voice of Natsu!)
“Fairy Tail” (2009-)
Given how explosive their initial encounter earlier in the series was, you can bet your britches that fans were eager to see both the Fire and the Lightning Dragonslayers duke it out once again. With the rest of the Guild watching, the two power up to their maximum and lash out in a true clash of the elements…only for Laxus to win a second later. Sure, it’s played for comedic effect, but we have to wonder why Laxus waited until now to dish out a punch like that. Could have saved him a lot of time and effort if he’d used it a couple of arcs ago.
#7: Asta vs. Sekke
“Black Clover” (2017-)
Say what you will about Asta and his annoying as hell scream, at least he knows how to come through when it counts. In a bid to become a Magic Knight, he soon finds himself facing off against the less than modest Sekke, whose confidence in his mastery of bronze magic proves to be his undoing. Despite boasting an impressive shield, it’s unable to handle the shear force of the Demon-Slayer Sword, which Asta sends hurtling down onto his face. Guess you should never underestimate a Wizard King in training.
#6: Tatsuya vs. Hanzo
“The Irregular at Magic High School” (2014)
We’re starting to think the reason this guy has no personality is due to the fact he traded it in for an in-built God-Mode. While he decimates more than his fair share of magical students across the series, the one that ended up dropping the quickest was this cocky vice-president. Despite showing an impressive aptitude for magic, Hanzo is woefully unprepared for Tatsuya’s overpowered-ness. Not only does he end up blindsiding Hanzo with sheer physical speed, but also manages to pull off a magical thug-life headshot in under two seconds.
#5: Vegeta vs. Frost
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“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-)
Given how he slaughtered his people and destroyed his planet, it’s easy to see why Vegeta would still have such a hate-boner for Frieza after all this time. This spells bad news for Frost given how he’s essentially the Universe 6 duplicate, looks and all. In a burst of rageful catharsis, Vegeta delivers a blow that sends the wannbe space emperor flying from the ring. Still not sure how Vegeta managed not to kill him in the heat of the moment, but oh well - yay for pseudo-vengeance!
#4: Sebas vs. Zero
“Overlord II” (2018)
Jeez, the inhabitants of Nazarick are so powerful that even the butlers are top tier. After his new lady love is kidnapped by the deadly crime syndicate known as Eight Fingers, Sebas sets off to do what he does best and take out the garbage. Not only does he pop the heads off the group’s most elite members with a series of light jab, he even manages to take their leader out of commission with a single heel to the skull. Must suck for Zero, he went through all that trouble of showing off his magical tattoos for nothing.
#3: Kenpachi vs. Giriko
“Bleach” (2004-12)
One of the saving graces of Bleach’s final arc was by far the sudden appearance of everyone’s favorite murderous captain, and what do you know, he’s just as trigger happy as ever. After each captain is forced to fight a member of Xcution one on one, Kenpachi finds himself going up against a seriously roided Giriko. Not that it does him much good mind you, since Kenpachi finds the whole thing rather dull and so slices him in half with minimal effort. Not sure what’s shaper, the sword slash or that biting insult at the end.
#2: Luffy vs. Bellamy
Ranking All Of Luffy's Major Fights in One Piece
“One Piece” (1999-)
And this is what happens when you chat shit to Luffy. While the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates had let a beating from earlier slide, he drew the line when this devout member of the Doflamingo Pirates started berating him over the nature of dreams and determination. After finally getting fed up with his taunts, Luffy unleashes a punch so fearsome that it not only stops Bellamy mid-spring, but also indents the shape of a fist into that smug face of his. That’s what you get for dissing another pirate’s ambitions you jerk!
#1: Saitama vs. Anyone
Anime Duel: Goku Vs Saitama
“One Punch Man” (2015)
He may not have been the first to practice the art of the one-hit kill, but he certainly perfected it. With enough power to destroy any opponent with but a single swing, Saitama managed to take what many would consider a mundane trope and turn it into an endless source of entertainment. It’s impossible for us to pick out a particular moment given how each opponent ends up meeting their end after just one hit, though watching Marugori and the Deep Sea King go down despite their immense sizes never gets old.
