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In some instances, these tournaments are so great that they easily become one of the best parts of the entire show. It’s a monumental achievement indeed, with the following anime being a great example of how to execute a tournament arc properly. The fights featured in these arcs are in a class of their own and show why these tournaments are one of the most effective settings for any anime, shonen or otherwise, to excel on multiple fronts.
Updated October 5, 2022, by Ritwik Mitra: There can be no denying that tournament arcs in anime are pretty exciting for a whole host of reasons. The structures of these tournaments build up anticipation quite naturally and let certain matchups shine quite bright indeed. As a result, the tournament arcs in certain anime end up being their biggest highlight, which speaks volumes when it comes to the effectiveness of these leagues.
14 Duelist Kingdom – Yu-Gi-Oh!
There’s no denying that Duelist Kingdom is an arc that might not hold up on a rewatch. However, there’s just something special about this arc that got many fans into the spirit of dueling in Yu-Gi-Oh!
The fact that this tournament was arranged by the devilishly entertaining Maximillion Pegasus made things even more engaging. All in all, Duelist Kingdom is a great watch that displays what Yu-Gi-Oh is all about.
13 U.A. Sports Festival – My Hero Academia
The Sports Festival was a great celebration that helped all the students in the series showcase their powers brilliantly. After some preliminary competitions, the arc ended with a bunch of one-on-one fights in a tournament.
The highlight of this arc was easily Midoriya’s fight against Todoroki, which helped the latter embrace the full extent of his powers. It was a great clash, although the fact that it happened in the semifinals did take the wind out of the sails in the finals when Todoroki and Bakugo faced off.
12 The Grand Magic Games – Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail is a pretty popular shonen series, although it might not be the most groundbreaking one. However, there are moments when this anime shines, with the Grand Magic Games being a great example of the same.
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This was the moment when the Fairy Tail guild would finally prove its worth once again. The battles in this arc are amazing, with the final fight between the Dragon Slayers being a thing of pure beauty.
11 The Royal Knights Selection Exam – Black Clover
Black Clover got off to a rather slow start, prompting many people to drop the show before it got to the good parts. However, after a pretty long wait, Black Clover finally showed why it’s worth all the hype.
This was especially prevalent during the Royal Knight’s Selection Exam, where the most intimidating fighters around tried to get into this powerful group and defeat the Eye of the Midnight Sun. The matchups in this arc are great and set the stage for Black Clover to become even more riveting to watch.
10 The Interhigh Volleyball Tournament (Haikyu!!)
Sports anime can be a bit of a hard sell for many people. However, shows like Haikyu!! prove why these shows are worth a watch, with the Interhigh Volleyball Tournament being a major highlight indeed.
The emotions during this arc are pretty high, with the struggles of the entire volleyball team to even get into this tournament keeping the stakes as high as possible. Karasuno High’s team is one to root for, with other groups also being quite likable in their own right.
9 Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Jujutsu Kaisen is easily one of the most popular anime these days, with each arc being quite incredible in its own right. Such is the case with the Kyoto Sister-School Goodwill Event, which takes on the guise of a friendly tournament before turning into something else altogether.
This arc introduces many great characters, including fan-favorite Aoi Todo. There are many highlights in this arc, such as Itadori learning Black Flash and the Zenin sisters facing off in a pretty emotional battle.
8 Tournament Of Power – Dragon Ball Super
It would be impossible to talk about tournament arcs in anime without mentioning Dragon Ball. After all, the various Martial Arts Tournaments that take place in this series have already become the stuff of legends.
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The Tournament of Power is the final arc of Dragon Ball Super, and it’s truly brilliant in every way. However, the Tournament of Power does place style over substance, which is why it still doesn’t reach the lofty heights set by the other arcs in the series.
7 Corrida Colosseum – One Piece
The Dressrosa arc is one of the best arcs in One Piece by a country mile. The Corrida Colosseum is just a small part of this story arc, yet easily feels like one of its more important segments.
The cast of new and returning characters that appear in this arc is pretty great and memorable in their own right. It sets the stage for what’s about to come in the Dressrosa arc and does so in brilliant fashion.
6 Heaven’s Arena – Hunter X Hunter
Hunter X Hunter is easily one of the best shonen arcs of all time, featuring the brilliance of Yoshihiro Togashi at its very best. Heaven’s Arena is a pretty great tournament arc in this anime that’s infinitely watchable.
The fact that Heaven’s Arena isn’t even the best arc in the series shows just how high the quality of this series really is. Gon and Killua take their time learning the basics of Nen before facing off against Hisoka once again.
5 The Survival Game (Future Diary)
Future Diary is a riveting series that gives twelve people diaries that can see into the future in unique ways, before pitting them against each other in a battle to become the next god. This, coupled with the riveting duo of Yuki and Yuno, makes this show quite a blast.
Future Diary doesn’t pull any punches while showing just how low humanity can sink to become a divine figure. It’s an incredible watch, with the Survival Game being riveting all the way to the end and easily one of the best tournament arcs in anime.
4 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament – Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball’s final arc involved the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, where Goku was slated to face off against Piccolo. The battle is easily one of the best fights in the series and serves as a great sendoff to the first part of Dragon Ball’s story.
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Goku used everything in his arsenal to try and best Piccolo during this amazing battle. It ended with the Demon King finally getting defeated and failing in his quest to take over the world for his own nefarious purposes.
3 The Chunin Exams – Naruto
The Chunin Exams is easily one of the best arcs in Naruto by a country mile. All the tests featured in this arc serve as a great way to give the side characters some much-needed screen time while also letting them develop and showcase the full extent of their powers.
The sheer number of incredible fights in this arc is simply astounding. Highlights include Naruto Vs. Neji, Hinata Vs. Neji, Shikamaru Vs. Temari…and obviously, Rock Lee Vs. Gaara as well.
2 Cell Games – Dragon Ball Z
The Cell Games serve as the culmination of Gohan’s potential from the very first episode. His massive power has been a constant source of intrigue over the course of the series, and watching him attain the legendary Super Saiyan 2 transformation never gets old.
The Cell Games feature multiple amazing battles against both the titular villain and his army of Cell Juniors. It takes a herculean effort from Gohan to finally defeat this enemy, coming at the cost of both Goku and Trunks’ life.
1 The Dark Tournament – Yu Yu Hakusho
The Dark Tournament is easily one of the most legendary shonen arcs of all time. Most people consider it to be the best Yu Yu Hakusho arc, and understandably so.
Watching the four fighters showcase the full extent of their powers during this arc is a thing of beauty. This is especially true in the case of Yusuke and Kuwabara, who prove to everyone that their abilities are nothing to scoff at.
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