Top 20 Greatest Anime Transformation Sequences Ever

“High School DxD” (2012-18) The dude already has a dedicated harem, along with an insta-strip technique that dismantles women’s clothing, did he really need a badass set of dragon armour as well? Apparently so, and shockingly enough, it turned out pretty damn cool. It might be the biggest power fantasy you could give to a man with the moniker of Lord of Boobs, but the way in which the Breaker Booster Scale Mail latches onto him, the deep crimson of the armour, the overall excellent design, by itself you’d never guess something so awesome would belong to a ecchi king like Issei.

“Kill la Kill” (2013-14) They’ve tried to slice each other to ribbons countless times via their respective Kamui in all their spectacular, turbo-charged, erotic-esque glory. What makes this one so special? Because unlike before, these long-lost sisters have got each other’s back. Following on from the reveal of their twisted parental heritage, Ryuko and Satsuki cast aside their previous rivalry, and leap into battle together to defeat their wicked mother and the Primordial Life Fibre…but not before simultaneously kick-starting Senketsu and Junektsu into action.

“Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt” (2010) Deviously divine and devoted to their desperate cause to dispense deliciously decadent justice against those devoid of humanity, all in the hope of buying their way back into heaven. They basically slay ghosts with their unmentionables before heading out for a quick romp and some dessert. Of course, when it comes time to do some angel busting, these sisters need to get into character, where not only do they perform anime’s most lethal strip-tease, but also get a massive boost in animation quality, going from Powerpuff Girls to Powerpuff Mamas in the blink of an eye.

“SSSS.Gridman” (2018) No matter how old you get, there’s nothing quite like a healthy dose of nerdy nostalgia to really bring the shine to an already stellar fight scene. Once again taking on one of Akane’s kaiju, the iconic robot takes a page out of his classic tokusatsu days by linking up with his five Assist Weapons all at once. Now in his Full Powered Form, Gridman is easily able to unload on the monster of the week thanks to the numerous bells and whistles now strapped onto his body. Trigger’s signature flashiness channelling those days of watching Superhuman Samurai? Can’t go wrong there.

#16: Yugi Muto

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“Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters” (2000-04) If you’re going to have your ancient Egyptian body double swap places with you right before a duel, you might as well do it in style. Leaping right out of his prison within the Millennium Puzzle, the Pharaoh takes over Yugi’s body as his own, with the only real difference being a sudden change of height and a much deeper voice to show for it. Try not to think about the same, non-sensical hair and the fact his clothes didn’t stretch, and just marvel at how flashy, cheesy and glorious it is!

“Puella Magi Madoka Magica” (2011) This show may be a master of subverting the genre and expectations, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t know how to nail the classic tropes. After she and her young charges are caught inside a Witch’s Labyrinth, Mami does what she does best and brings the pain as a veteran magical girl, but not before ramping up the animation quality and suiting up. Despite the design of her outfit being far more on the simplistic side, every twirl and movement made, combined with the elegant soundtrack, elevates the whole thing, to the point where you truly believe her beret is unstoppable.

#14: Eren Yeager

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“Attack on Titan” (2013-) There have been multiple incidences where this Survey Corp member’s shift into a rampaging, giant monster transcended into the realm of pure-hype territory, but to our mind nothing can compare to his fight against the Armored Titan. Following Reiner and Bertholdt’s reveal as the traitors, Eren is overcome by both despair and rage, prompting him to bust out his Rogue Titan form, and deliver one hell of a knockout punch while he and Reiner cascade down the walls. The emotional ruination and the impact of that first punch remains staggering!

“Star Driver” (2010) Move over you slack-jawed, unfabulous anime protagonists, because here comes the galactic pretty boy! When one imagines a mecha pilot, you’d expect to see a grizzled veteran or a wide eyed child in control of an engine of pure distraction. Not Takuto, who ramps up the glitz and glamour to such a degree that you’re honestly blind-sighted at how he could make something so flamboyant look so badass! Just look at that hair! Though to be honest, when you’re piloting something as slick as the Tauburn, everything looks ten times cooler!

“Penguindrum” (2011) To describe the madness that happens on screen when Himari puts on the Penguin Hat would be a lost course, because this psychedelic fever dream has to be experienced, since it blurs the line between seductive and bizarre with the slightest tine of WTF?! After being possessed by the spirit inside of her hat and becoming the Princess of the Crystal, Himari proceeds to go from good girl to latex-bound domanatrix courtesy of a rocket that becomes a giant bear which becomes a giant walkway. Yep, this is definitely a Kunihiko Ikuhara anime.

“Bleach” (2004-12) While it would ultimately prove totally useless against Ichigo and his Final Getsuga Tensho, there’s no denying that Aizen’s fourth form was pretty slick! Further merging himself with the Hogyoku, the traitor Shinigami ascended to a being that wasn’t so much all-powered mullet man as it was butterfly of death, complete with horrific, living wings and a monstrous maw that split his original face in half. It’s the best kind of final boss material, we just wish he got to show it off in all its foul glory before getting wrecked…

#10: Akira Fudo

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“Devilman Crybaby” (2018) Out with the beanpole, in with the beast. Starting off as a crybaby with not an ounce of machismo to his name, Akira’s life goes to hell in a handbasket when he’s roped into an underground club by a former friend…only for a bunch of demons to pop out and start slaughtering everyone. Normally someone like Akira would be instant dead meat, if not for him merging with the soul of a rogue demon, leading to one of the most hellish and brutal transformations to date. Glazed in blood and crimson light, Akira slowly shifts from man to demon, while also ripping apart everything in sight with his bare hands.

#9: Luffy

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“One Piece” (1999-) The Captain of the Straw Hats may prefer to just keep punching than constantly level up, but that’s not to say he can’t pull it off. While all the other Gear forms were impressive, Gear Fourth was truly the showstopper. How else do you expect him to bring down a monster like Doflamingo without upping his game? Now a Bounce Man, Luffy’s new thickness might seem a bit disconcerting, but then you see his Haki-laced fists punch the crap out of the Warlord and fly through the air with nothing but the force of his kicks.

#8: Naruto Uzumaki

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“Naruto: Shippuden” (2007-17) Turns out that no matter how much training you do, how many ninja skills you perfect, once you see your future wife get stabbed, all bets are off, time to unleash the demon fox. Hinata’s sudden confession combined with her apparent demise at the hands of Pain proved to be too much for Naruto to handle, immediately letting the Nine Tails take control, succumbing to such rage that he automatically reached his Six Tails form, complete with a half a skeleton overlapping his chakra-filled body. Rabid and uncontrollable, it’s one of Naruto’s most monstrous forms, and certainly delivered when it came to raising the tension.

“Star Twinkle PreCure” (2019-20) Oh, and you thought magical girl transformations couldn’t get any more whimsical? Well, say hello to the new generation, where all bets are off! After gaining access to her very own Star Color Pendant and Pen, Madoka gains the power to turn into Cure Selene to assist her fellow princesses in the battle against the Notraiders. That is, after she completes a transformation sequence that is utterly dazzling. The animation is beautiful to behold, she sings her heart out, literally draws on her own costume, creates blinding shapes, to the point where, by the end, you feel like you watched a whole idol performance.

“Yu Yu Hakusho” (1992-94) It wouldn’t be the finale to a tournament arc without the villain pulling out a last second ace in the hole. In Toguro’s case, it’s unleashing a hundred percent of his latent power, wherein he mutates his body into what might be one of the most unsettling things that Yoshihiro Togashi ever created. Hulky, deformed, layered with disgusting muscle, the sight enough is alone to freeze Yusuke in his tracks, but then there’s also the fact that Toguro also slaughtered the majority of the demon audience with his excess energy alone!

“Digimon: The Movie” (2000) This is the scene that made all Digi-freak’s in the cinema lose their minds. Surrounded by a million copies of Diaboromon, it appears that both WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon are moments from getting deleted, until they find their spirits renewed via the most powerful force in the universe – the internet! Imbued by the hopes shown through countless emails, the two unleash the very first Fusion Digivolution, becoming a Mega level capable of purging the world’s biggest virus with nothing more than a sword and a cannon!

#4: Gon Freecss

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“Hunter x Hunter” (2011-14) When a good soul is willing to exchange all they have just for the strength to kill, you’d better start running. Broken by the revelation that Pitou had lied about reviving Kite, Gon gives into the despair inside, and decides that it’s time to skin this kitty. Exchanging his very life force for the power needed to exterminate the Royal Guard, Gon’s Nen explodes, forcibly aging his body, to the point where he is on par with the Chimera Ant. It’s as astounding as it is horrifying, especially as his shrouded form screams bloody murder. No surprise, Pitou did not last long after this…

“Gurren Lagann” (2007) Sometimes, bigger does mean better, especially if your final battle consists of two galaxy sized robots duking it out for the fate of all life in the universe. After saving his beloved Nia from the Anti-Spiral, Simon and the rest of Team Dai-Gurren channel their Spiral Power to such a degree that all of their various gunmen fuse together, reaching such gargantuan size that they tower over the stars, and are all set to drill through anything and everything to achieve victory. Leave your brain at the doorstep, and just enjoy the magnificence of mecha machismo at its best!

#2: Sailor Moon

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“Sailor Moon” (1992-97) We’ll take your typical magical girl transformation and raise you some Moon Prison Power! The architect of all shoujo superheroines everywhere, Sailor Moon along with her fellow Sailor Senshi are arbiters when it comes to putting the glam into morphing sequences, with Usagi literally lighting up the screen as she accesses her signature natural satellite, along with her accompanying tiara, nails and short skirt. It’s so over the top, yet brimming with the same exuberance that fans adore the franchise for, making every pre-battle costume montage a feast for the eyes.

#1: Goku

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“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96) There’s been no shortage of incredible moments where Goku attains a new level of power, often complete with a new hairstyle, but for this list we’ll have to go with the time Goku revealed Super Saiyan 3 for the first time. Everything from the dramatic music to Goku's most imposing scream to date solidifies this as one of the most memorable scenes in Dragon Ball Z. There’s just no beating that many hair spikes.