Taste My Steel: The 8 Best Swordfighters In Anime, Ranked

Traditionally sword-wielding anime characters are one of the most popular ones. Primarily, of course, because of the powerful visual aesthetics of being armed with an elegant and deadly weapon while also being in an impeccable physical shape that is required to make a masterful use of it. But not only because of that.

Another crucial reason that makes fans gravitate towards swordsmen — are their magnetic personalities. Combat with melee weapons and its mastery by their definition demand not only physical prowess but also grit, willpower, rigorous discipline and — most importantly — an ability to have both a stone-cold self-control and a blazing inner fire that can incinerate any enemy if let loose. In other words — a cool head and an ardent heart.

This impressive amalgamation of traits combined with anime's great storytelling naturally make for incredible larger-than-life personalities that can't help but make legions of fans fall in love with them. In this list we have not only collected 8 fan favorite swordsmen from various titles but also attempted to rank them in accordance with their power level.

8. Saber (Fate\Stay Night)

Coming in at number 8 we've got the one and only Artoria Pendragon a.k.a. Saber — an alternative reincarnation of legendary King Arthur wielding Excalibur itself. Her extraordinary skills make her all but unmatched inside her own universe — which is another common trait for the majority of members of this list. On top of that, she is also a competent magic user, capable of utilizing various spells that can further increase her combat capabilities.

7. Sousuke Aizen (Bleach)

With Bleach's cast being pretty much stocked full with incredibly competent swordsmen it is hard to determine the best one. However, if we look at this issue purely from the standpoint of 'swordfighting skill' (rather than 'power level' in general), it becomes clear that it's Sousuke Aizen who's the best. His unparalleled technique and outstanding reflexes allow him to not only take on several enemy captains at once — but also to emerge victorious. And that's saying something.

6. Sakata Gintoki (Gintama)

Among Gintama's constant flow of jokes, gags and overall carelessness it's very easy to lose track of who Sakata Gintoki actually is. A swordsman with a reputation so massive that it earned him a nickname of Shiroyasha — an insatiable flesh-feasting demon that cannot be stopped no matter how hard you try. His deadly arsenal includes a combination of both brute strength and quick wits which allows him to find an ideal approach to any kind of opponent.

5. Afro (Afrosamurai)

Deeply traumatized as a child, abandoned by friends and driven by revenge. Afro might not have magic abilities or cool-sounding nickname but he's earned his spot on the list in the same manner he managed to avenge his father — through sheer grit, determination and utter refusal to give up.

Also he somehow managed to consequently win duels against enemies armed with gunpowder weapons (including revolvers) — and that's saying something.

4. Dante (Devil May Cry)

Son of a powerful demon, part-time devil hunter and an unmatched swordsman Dante has a variety of superpowers that perfectly complement his impressive swordfighting skill. And even though he sometimes prefers to rely on pistols to get the job done — he's won more than enough sword duels to show that he is a true force to be reckoned with.

3. Mugen (Samurai Champloo)

When describing many characters from this list we make a big deal about their technique — Mugen, on the other hand, is a man of pure chaos. A reckless swordsman who fights in an erratic, manic fashion that makes him totally unpredictable for his enemies while also nullifying any technical superiority that any opponent might have over him.

2. Atomic Samurai (One Punch Man)

Atomic Samurai (also known as Kamikaze) is, for the lack of a better word, kind of overpowered. An S-class hero with inhuman speed and reflexes, magic-like abilities and a signature move that sees him slash him opponent 100 times in just a single second. He probably would make an easy work of anyone on this list other than number 1.

1. Guts (Berserk)

Among the many amazing fighters on this list in our opinion it's the famous Black Swordsman who takes the number 1 spot. He is not only a master of the blade (as pretty much anyone else on the list), but also a genius strategist who has repeatedly fought and defeated all kinds of supernatural opponents who, on paper, were supposed to walk right through him. It's this incredible resourcefulness that makes him stand out among his peers on the list and will most likely yield him a win against any of them in a duel.