It’s been a long time between seasons, but Netflix’s most deranged action anime is finally back. I’m, of course, referring to the legendary (or infamous, depending on your perspective) Record of Ragnarok (2021). It’s a shameless action series that abandons any semblance of narrative in favor of just watching Gods and humans duke it out. There are laughable super moves, plenty of cheesecake to ogle over, and a reckless abandon that’s infectious. Is it trashy? Yes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
But Record of Ragnarok isn’t the only action anime that revels in its absurd premise. There are plenty of anime that go all in on being completely off their rockers, to the point where you just have to throw your hands up and embrace the chaos. These shows, with many of them on Crunchyroll, may be niche action series, but are nevertheless gripping and command your attention. If you’re looking for more ridiculous battle anime and have some time to spare, consider giving these eight anime, ranked from least to most unhinged, a watch.
8. Akudama Drive (2020)
While plenty of action anime are all about showcasing off-the-wall fight scenes, Akudama Drive doesn’t… at least at first. Good things come to those who wait, though, and those who are willing to let the series cook for its 12 episodes will find a dystopian sci-fi series perfect for the anarchist in you.
Akudama Drive, much like The Suicide Squad (2021) or Danganronpa: The Animation (2013), is what you get when you hire a group of eccentric anime villains and force them to work together. They’re pretty straightforward (There’s a character named Brawler whose entire purpose is to punch things really, really hard.), but each character relishes in the mayhem they bring. You’ll grow to love this group of psychopaths as they carve their way through the futuristic city and help burn it to the ground. There’s plenty of explosions, conversations about justice, revolution, and a man who uses a motorcycle as a grappling hook. What more do you need?
7. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (2012-Present)
Depending on which season of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure you watch, the plot can be pretty straightforward. However, thanks to the oftentimes incomprehensible nature of the superhuman Stands, viewers are almost always treated to some trippy and unfathomable fights that can’t be found anywhere else.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is incredibly melodramatic and makes every fight scene a life-or-death encounter, even if it sounds ridiculous on paper. Do you want to see a cat turn into a plant and shoot air bullets at a man who collects fingernails? What about watching our heroes fight a chain-smoking orangutan with a porn addiction that controls a freighter? You may laugh, but Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure plays each of these moments with deadly seriousness and still has style to spare. These fights are stunning to watch and channel the comical brutality of Fist of the North Star (1984), giving action lovers plenty to admire. It’s not for everyone, but if you want an unconventional action anime, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is the poster child of nonconformity.
6. Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc (2024-Present)
If you’re a fan of ridiculous action, then there’s a chance you also love professional wrestling. There’s pageantry, drama, weird gimmicks, and plenty of people beating each other up, and no other anime captures the spirit of professional wrestling better than Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc.
While people in the States may be more familiar with the localized version from 4Kids Entertainment, Ultimate Muscle (2002), the recent remake captures the essence of what makes professional wrestling such a fun watch. Each character has their own odd yet distinctive appearance, and some of them are just objects given sentience that carry super moves like they’re from Ultraman (1966). It may appear goofy because of that, and at points is even weirder than Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, but the action is on point, and it never forgets to be a spectacle to watch as the show continuously tries to one-up itself. If you’re the kind of wrestling fan who knows what “one fall” means, then Kinnikuman is for you.
5. Kill la Kill (2013-2014)
Studio Trigger is known for being extreme. The studio’s character designs, fight choreography, and scale are highly distinctive and unlike any other animation studio out there, but by far its best and most unhinged action series is Kill la Kill.
At first, Kill la Kill may seem like a trashy show that gawks over its female leads and their incredibly revealing clothing, which they utilize to fight each other. However, the show uses its trashiness to tell a shockingly progressive story about objectification and the importance of freedom. It embraces its action pedigree for 24 episodes and delivers a constantly escalating threat that never slows down. It’s as irreverent as FLCL (2000) and as crass as Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt (2010), but never undermines its own premise. Sure, you may laugh at the thought of a girl using alien clothing to fight a fascist regime, but Kill la Kill is perfect for those who want an action anime with a loud and brash feminist perspective.
4. Kengan Ashura (2019-2024)
Sometimes you want to watch an action anime with magical deities using god-like powers to fight their foes, and sometimes you want to see two people just slug it out with their fists. If you want a martial arts battle series in the purest definition of the word, Kengan Ashura is ready to answer the call.
There is a plot to Kengan Ashura, but it firmly takes a back seat to watching its characters beat the life out of each other. Almost every character has their own weird quirk, like a man who decided to turn his femurs into swords. Does it make any sense? No, but there’s an artistry to the violence, since the anime has a shocking amount of knowledge on various martial arts styles and painstakingly depicts them. At points, it feels like a more brutal Fighting Spirit (2000), and the use of CGI elevates the technical acumen of the fights. Kengan Ashura may not be for everyone, but if you get a thrill from watching two people just slug it out, it’s for you.
3. Baki Hanma (2021-2023)
Baki Hanma is what you get when Kengan Ashura decides it no longer wants to take itself seriously. The two series share similar fanbases, but if you were to ask a Baki fan what makes the series so good, it’s how it relishes violence.
Sure, the characters may not be gods like in Record of Ragnarok, but they certainly act like them. The feats of strength they’re capable of are absolutely laughable to the point where it’s perfect popcorn entertainment. It doesn’t try to hide the fact that this is a battle anime about giant, burly men beating each other up in the most excessive way possible. Ripping off faces, fighting elephants, and smashing concrete with ease may be jaw-dropping in other shows, but in Baki, it’s just another Tuesday. The muscular monstrosities of Baki Hanma are pure fighting machines, and if you want two seasons of unadulterated violence and nothing else, no anime does it quite like Baki.
2. Mad Bull 34 (1990)
There’s an argument to be made that anime today is too sanitized and not as eager to go completely off the rails. Every now and then, an anime comes along that is so far gone and mad that you can’t help but admire it. Mad Bull 34 is demented and not for the faint of heart.
Mad Bull 34 is the kind of anime that lovers of trash will be head over heels for. It’s the kind of ultra-violent shlock that littered the anime scene in the early ‘90s, and sits comfortably alongside other infamous relics of the era like Demon City Shinjuku (1988). There’s undeniably a comedic edge to the series that Mad Bull 34 embraces on its war path to cause as much destruction as possible. After all, this is a series where a cop has a bunch of grenades attached to his crotch. Is the anime problematic? Undeniably, but you can’t turn away from it. There are explosions, curses, and plenty of blood, and a reckless abandon you can’t help but respect.
1. Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (2005-2007)
No matter how ridiculous you may think these seven other anime are, they’re, at the very least, rooted in some logic. There’s a reason that these fights are taking place, and viewers can easily comprehend what’s going on. Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo has abandoned all logic, and because of that, it’s impossible to resist.
At its core, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo is a gag anime much in the same way as Gintama (2006). There are constant threats for Bobobo to fight with his sentient nose hairs, including a man made of jelly and a man who fights with farts. To describe what a single episode of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo is like is an effort in futility. It throws everything and the kitchen sink at viewers to make them laugh, including violent fights, bizarre comedic bits, and plenty of reactions to the farcical action taking place over the show’s 76 episodes. It’s just fight, after fight, after fight with no attempt to rationalize any of it. Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo is the definition of chaos, and if you need to laugh, it’ll make you roll on the floor in seconds.
