anime’s with top tier samurai / swordsman

I’m thinking like Samurai Champloo, Hells Paradise, and that one guy in One Punch Man season 3. I want their strength and agility to be really apparent, and would prefer them having a decent amount of screen time

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AutoModerator2026-01-03 05:28

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Prince_Uncharming2026-01-03 05:31

Anime is already plural. You don’t need “anime’s”.

No_Percentage_73812026-01-03 05:39

sorry english isn’t my first language. got any recommendations tho?

Defiant-Photo67032026-01-03 05:44

Afro Samurai, Gangsta. and Drifters

beckychao2026-01-03 06:51

Gangsta VERY underrated!!! Also a surprisingly great story about surviving sex trafficking and domestic abuse

BostonSamurai2026-01-03 15:07

Sucks so bad that the studio went under it was a great show

humantrashcan62026-01-03 05:45

Ruroni Kenshin, preferably the reboot. Second time I’ve recommended it in 2-3 days lol. ETA 90’s version Trust and Betrayal OVA is good too; the reboot is closer to the source material and has better animation IMO. I enjoyed this because they based/inspired characters on real life swordsman/samurai. It was a bit less magical than Demon Slayer which I also liked, but I preferred Kenshin. Hells Paradise is also one of my favorites

PikeandShot16482026-01-03 06:25

Really love the Kenshin OVA Trust and Betrayal. That's an all timer for me.

humantrashcan62026-01-03 11:00

I cried lol. I hope the reboot does what’s covered/in the manga service. That series became my top 3 favorite anime/manga combination easily.

MusubiKazesaru2026-01-03 05:45

Rurouni Kenshin. Check out the original 90s anime and the Trust and Betrayal OVA.

Kuramhan2026-01-03 06:40

I love how some comments are adamant the new one is better and others are 100% behind the OG.

MusubiKazesaru2026-01-03 07:42

The new one was supposed to be a more accurate take on the manga and to a certain degree it was and hell it even has better animation on average for the fights...but it's directed far worse, has far worse music, inserted filler into a canon arc that made it worse, and looks worse too. Also circling back to the animation, when the old one goes all out, it's leaps and bounds above the new old.

Currently it hasn't even covered all of the content the old adaptation did so there's just no good reason to recommend the newer one at the moment.

PsychoSushi272026-01-04 09:53

I think the remake has better voice acting and the characters are more true to the manga (Kenshin acts less silly and Kaoru isn’t as tsundere). However the direction and music is vastly superior in the OG.

The OG Saitoh vs Kenshin blew my mind as a teenager and the farewell scene was so heartbreaking. These two pivotal moments were such a letdown in the remake.

MusubiKazesaru2026-01-04 16:34

I'm not sure I agree about the voice acting. While Megumi Ogata even at her huskiest doesn't sound manly enough to play a 27 year old man, I think her performance is still excellent and we have a superior casting for characters like Saito (Hirotaka Suzuoki is amazing and sadly died too soon) and Hiko Seijuro (Shūichi Ikeda is very hard to beat) among a few others. As much as I like Rie Takahashi I'm not sure she fits Kaoru.

I can agree with the characterization up to a point, but it has its strengths like when things get serious you feel it in your bones and Kenshin wanting to blend in and become a civilian is believable. The problem with modern pacing is that it doesn't know when some scenes need to breathe or build up and the farewell is one of those times. The significantly worse music doesn't help either. I think what you're saying is part of my issue with the remake. It can be good and even on rare occasions be better, but it will never blow our minds.

beckychao2026-01-03 06:48

Disclaimer: author of the series was a major child pornography distributor

MusubiKazesaru2026-01-03 07:40

He never distributed to my knowledge and that is not reflected in the work.

notanfan2026-01-03 08:39

iirc he had so much csam content that police thought he was a distributer

beckychao2026-01-03 09:43

He did

He had enormous quantities of child pornography and the police suspected him of being a distributor

In the United States, he would have been likely jailed for life for the amount of child porn he possessed, and they would've pursued him for distribution

Supporting his work means bringing in income to a convicted child pornographer who got a slap on the wrist due to Japan's lax sex crime laws

Tidzor2026-01-03 12:28

One of those instances where sailing to the high seas is acceptable I guess 🤔

MusubiKazesaru2026-01-03 16:18

Who said anything about support?

ali941272026-01-03 05:47

Rurouni Kenshin

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (There are several swordsmen characters, but only one with a samurai aesthetic. Only a few appearances, but important.)

Noragami

SchemeCivil57062026-01-03 05:55

Kingdom

ThinYogurtcloset40662026-01-03 13:47

Is the anime good cause like I've heard it's not good at all.

Outrageous-Bowler2962026-01-03 14:04

First two seasons have horrible animation. After that it's really good. War tactics and historical conquest, but not really swordsman focused.

SchemeCivil57062026-01-04 21:48

Great storyline and character development, literally all sword.

2otally2026-01-03 05:57

Afro samurai

NoHead17152026-01-03 06:01

Samurai 7

Joeyjoe802026-01-03 06:19

Seen Demon Slayer yet?

IamRichYourDead2026-01-03 06:20

Ruroni Kenshin fam. The OG is hella fire bro.

mendecj8122026-01-03 06:23

it's not really anime but i'd recommend checking out Blue Eye Samurai

I_like_food_1232026-01-03 09:24

Was just going to say, this was genuinely amazing and I can't wait for season 2.

Lol_A_White_Guy2026-01-03 12:16

Yeah I’ll co-sign this recommendation with you. I was going to mention it if nobody else did.

Not quite anime but just such a good show in general.

echoshadow52026-01-03 06:24

Sword of the Stranger - it’s an anime movie bad ass sword fighting.

Few_Highlight11142026-01-03 06:53

[deleted]

maxblockm2026-01-03 18:53

[Ninja Scroll (1993)](https://youtube.com/shorts/wTKEfATh7ag?si=Qx4wXzScKmW7F4SD) is the spiritual predecessor to SotS imo.

Still a great watch even after 30 years!

But beware, I would probably give it a hard R rating for two SA scenes (on top of the bloody/gorey violence).

u/General-Homework3906

General-Homework39062026-01-03 08:18

Totally agree with you Sword of the Stranger is a masterpiece. The final fight literally sets the standard for every samurai anime fight that came after it. The animation, choreography, and emotional stakes are insane. Honestly, even people who usually skip older anime should give this one a shot.

Hockeyfanjay2026-01-03 06:25

Country bumpkin to master swordsman

J250582026-01-03 06:27

Naruto has some, Gintama too.

Just_Cricket_38812026-01-03 06:29

Afro samurai

Exist502026-01-03 06:35

Chivalry of a Failed Knight, perhaps.

AngelicaSpain2026-01-03 06:37

"Blade of the Immortal."

JustOrdinaryUncle2026-01-03 06:37

Dororo

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgHPBwLu0BA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgHPBwLu0BA)

beckychao2026-01-03 06:52

ooo nice one, I liked Dororo a lot!

Tayschrenn2026-01-03 06:39

Sword of the Stranger (2007). Absolutely excellent anime film with some great swordplay.

beckychao2026-01-03 06:47

Shigurui - Death Frenzy is a must-see for samurai action fans
Original Basilisk, too (don't watch the embarrassing and unnecessary sequel series)
Fate/Zero and Fate/Unlimited Bladeworks has some really awesome swordplay and sword vs spear scenes
Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit has some really terrific sword vs spear and spear vs spear scenes as well
Vinland Saga has some great action as well, main character does magic with daggers and his fists
Claymore has awesome sword vs hideous nightmare monster combat and some claymore vs claymore action (too bad the makeshift ending to end the series very early in the story is a huge letdown, alas)
Blade of the Immortal is another must-see for you
Afro Samurai
Samurai 7 (someone else mentioned this - I second it)
Demon Slayer (another person mentioned it - I second it as well)

Disclaimer for all the replies telling you to watch Rurouni Kenshin: the author of that series was a major child pornography distributor. You're watching the creative output of a really sick mind who distributed - not just viewed - child pornography to other sick minds.

urban2872026-01-03 06:51

Katanagatari - but its highly stylised. Good fun though.

Fearless_Gas99112026-01-03 06:56

Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal

Left-Night-11252026-01-03 07:06

Sengoku Basara

Claymore

Samurai girls (bride)

paladinvc2026-01-03 07:07

Sword of the demon hunter

Bleualtair2026-01-03 08:29

One piece

KerberosPanzerCop2026-01-03 08:51

Outlaw Star has a samurai lady that has a good amount of screen time.

And not an anime but its still an adaptation of a manga, so it feels very anime

Last Samurai Standing

Zefiris82026-01-03 09:11

Lots of good recommendations so far.

From Old Country bumpkin to master swordsman. Trope of MC doesn't realize how strong he is. The anime and manga use actual sword techniques apparently. Overall story is a bit generic but I found it an enjoyable watch.

mr-sprinklzzz2026-01-03 09:43

Absolutely INSANE nobody has mentioned Samurai Champloo.

Chiptoon2026-01-03 09:56

Basilisk is pretty cool.

SnooWoofers1862026-01-03 17:14

The full OST is very good

Vindicare6052026-01-03 10:03

The main classic anime swordsmen that you are missing are Guts from Berzerk (the original, do not watch the 2016 remake), Kenshin Himura from Ruroni Kenshin (original or remake is fine here), Zoro from One Piece, Claire from Claymore, and Hiei from YuYu Hakusho.

You could also add Demon Slayer (all characters use swords), and Black Clover (Asta, Yami) for more recent Swordsman in fantasy series.

ChampionshipPale54812026-01-03 11:01

Watch kingdom but try to get over season 1 and 2 animation. You can watch the movies as replacement

ghostpickleonastick2026-01-03 12:15

Goemon from Lupin III deserves a mention. He's one of the main cast and a master swordsman.

SnooWoofers1862026-01-03 17:12

Katanagatari

TanyaTheEvill2026-01-03 18:52

Bleach,

Has some of the best swordsman in all anime

maxblockm2026-01-03 18:57

[Ninja Scroll (1993)](https://youtube.com/shorts/wTKEfATh7ag?si=Qx4wXzScKmW7F4SD)

[FOCBTMS](https://www.tiktok.com/@jae_riddle/video/7491685519424851231)

[Beserk: The Golden Age Arc](https://youtu.be/wxsufTcl5ZQ?si=_u_utO17c-IWexwR)

Vinland Saga

Claymore

maybe Sword Art Online

Eminence in Shadow

Not *swordsmen* per se, but similar type combat skills:

[Baccano!](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MtuNdtfMlJ0)

[Darker Than Black](https://youtu.be/upx-_9-RjoE?si=IP2WAEjaaB9VLLYS)

Battle Angel ([the 1993 original](https://youtu.be/8pzPhlNzfKY?si=K8YbU5MtDLwWq99i) and [2019 remake](https://youtu.be/w7pYhpJaJW8?si=e_ZEUCNQGiZTKM56))

[Parasyte: The Maxim (2014)](https://youtu.be/dT1TA-KANac?si=tAw-iefItEcMcaVQ)

Mashle

Calm-Cartographer1892026-01-07 00:46

Sword Art Online, Inuyasha, Yaiba