Some of the longest-running conversations in the fandom center on ranking the strongest anime characters, or who would win in a fight. These debates are likely to go on for as long as new anime air every season. Anime can tell a broad range of stories, and the nature of animation allows anime to tackle just about every genre of fiction, from slice-of-life to sci-fi. However, combat-focused anime (usually in the shonen category) tends to be some of the most popular and commercially successful anime around.

With so much combat in anime, it’s no surprise that debates about which character is stronger than another are a staple of the fandom. Of course, with more anime airing than ever before and heroes of ongoing tales constantly receiving power-ups, these debates can change from day to day. It may be impossible to say for sure who would win in a one-on-one fight,...