Tag Archives: Death Battle

Ranking all Season 2 Death Battles

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It’s time to finally dive into season 2 of watching all of the Death Battle fights! This one certainly took me a long while but in my defense it’s much longer than season 1 and may be the longest out of all the Death Battle fights. Over 30 fights in a single season is absolutely crazy. You can feel the animation starting to improve quite a bit in this season and it’s all a precursor to how eventually some of the fights would feel like real animated events! Now lets see which fights were the best and the worst!

32. Ivy VS Orchid: Verdict: Correct

They really didn’t try much with this fight. Not only is it potentially the shortest Death Battle in the series but there really just isn’t much to it. It feels like the fight was made in a rush and there are many season 1 fights that would still manage to defeat this one as well. I’m not the biggest fan of either character though so if a fight had to be sacrificed then it might as well be this one.

31. Fulgore VS Sektor: Verdict Correct

Definitely one of those fights that feels like a season 1 battle. The fight is ultra short and there’s really nothing to it. No story or any lore that could make the fight reach the next level. Ultimately as a result I would have to give it a thumbs down, it just doesn’t have any replay value.

30. Hercule Satan vs Dan Hibiki: Verdict: Correct

This fight was definitely more about the gags and pointing out how both fighters were really weak. I get it thematically but I would have liked to have seen more actual fighting. The guest stars and easter eggs were fun but ultimately this would have to be one of the weakest Death Battles on the basis that there just wasn’t enough of a battle here. It goes against the concept of the show if you think about it.

29. Beast VS Goliath: Verdict Correct

This fight’s another really short one and both fighters are just hand to hand style combatants so there isn’t a lot of variety. It’s a good fight for what it’s worth and the sound effects are intense but this is definitely going to stay near the bottom of the list. It just isn’t memorable.

28. Chuck Norris VS Segata Sanshiro Verdict: Incorrect

Ties are never a good idea. Beyond that I thought this was a pretty fun battle though. They went all in with the memes and letting the characters really go all out. It was one of the highest stakes Death Battles with the whole universe in the battle. It may have been played for laughs but it worked out pretty well in the end.

27. Shao Kahn VS M. Bison Verdict: Incorrect

This was a pretty fun fight and definitely a retro one as it felt like something out of season 1. It may not have had the highest production values but I did appreciate the various fake outs here. Bison nearly managed to do something at the end but ultimately he was outgunned in the fight. The battle could have popped out a bit more though.

26. Ryu Hayabusa VS Strider Hiryu Verdict: Correct

Strider really went hard with the speedblitzing here! As always it’s fun to see the battle use the various gameplay mechanics and everything to feel super authentic. It may not have had too much dialogue or extra polish to feel more cinematic but the sprite fight itself was really sharp here. I can’t say that I had any main complaints.

25. Luigi VS Tails: Verdict: Correct

It’s always fun to watch an episode that Death Battle got right back in the day where you think it could falter in a rematch. It’s a fun battle but it does get beat by some of the other fights coming up since it just isn’t quite as cinematic. They could have done more to make the characters really shine and do something iconic.

24. Batman VS Captain America: Verdict Correct

Technically Batman fights guys with super strength all the time so this shouldn’t be too difficult for him. It’s a fight that I wish could have happened in a later season though because it definitely feels very dated. It’s a fun visual fight but there’s not much of a story and it’s also very fast so unfortunately it will go down as one of the weaker Death Battles.

23. Gaara VS Toph: Verdict Incorrect

Toph is strong but Gaara’s just way too versatile and his defense will always overpower her offense. A fun fight though and the retro sprite look definitely helps add some charm. It’s not quite able to hang with the best of the Death Battle adventures but I was glad there was a lot of interaction going on here. The quieter death battles tend to be the weaker ones although I doubt we’ll see any more of those after this season.

22. Godzilla VS Gamera: Verdict Correct

It’s always nice to see Godzilla fighting and not just standing around to get hit. His battle with Gamera is pretty fun. Their movements are going to be a little limited due to their size but I did appreciate the backdrop for the battle. Additionally the serious tone is fitting for such a grand kaiju battle. It may not be my personal favorite fight but it is a strong battle within the season.

21. Darth Vader VS Doctor Doom Verdict: Correct

This was a pretty fun fight. It started out a bit basic but lasted long enough where each character really got to show their stuff. I was definitely on Team Doom all the way because he just has way more options at his disposal and overall higher stats. It’s a quality fight which may not be near the top but holds its own.

20. Guts VS Nightmare Verdict: Correct

It’s always good to have a classic swordfight and I was not surprised to see this be a very solid one. We had some solid fake outs and the choreography was on point. In a way there isn’t a ton to say about this one but that’s not always a bad thing. Just a quality fight from start to finish with good technical elements.

19. Ragna VS Sol Badguy: Verdict Incorrect

I’d have to lean on Ragna here. He’s just a quicker fighter and his combat style is also so savage that it will be hard for Sol to hang in there. It’s a good fight that really shows off the fast combos. Perhaps a little forgettable next to some of the other fights but a good all around battle either way. I would definitely recommend checking this one out and hopefully Ragna gets to return at some point.

18. He‑Man VS Lion‑O Verdict: Correct

This was a pretty fun battle with a solid amount of homages to both series. The music was definitely on point with both characters getting some narrow comebacks in there. Definitely a fight I could see myself going back to with all of that polish.

17. Pokémon Battle Royale Verdict: Incorrect

A battle royale between the big 3 starters of Kanto is a fun idea and each one got to really show off their stuff. That being said, we all know Charizard would definitely win this one. I appreciated the remix of the classic battle theme at the end of the episode and this one was definitely thematic. Definitely has that old school violence Death Battle was known for so you’ll feel bad for the fallen Pokemon though. A fairly solid Death Battle.

16. Donkey Kong VS Knuckles Verdict: Incorrect

Cmon now, Knuckles would destroy Donkey Kong in a fight! Ah well this was still a pretty fun fight overall and we got a whole lot of changes in scenery. I can appreciate the effort that went into this one since it’s just a lot of fun overall. Try finding the unofficial remake of this fight where someone showed how it would really go down. Either way this is certainly a classic battle.

15. Fox McCloud VS Bucky O’Hare Verdict: Correct

Gotta say it was pretty nostalgic seeing the Super Smash Bro combos for Fox here. He really gave it to Bucky throughout the fight. I definitely don’t remember seeing this one back in the day. The music and everything was fun, plus I liked the intro to set up the fight. All in all, a lot of good things to say about this battle.

14. Green Arrow vs Hawkeye Verdict: Correct

At the end of the day these two may both be pretty close in terms of actual archery skills but I’d say that Hawkeye’s feats are simply better. He’s done way more over the years than Green Arrow and I would trust him to make the critical shot every time. It was fun to see the difference in their arsenals as well as they both like messing around with arrows but in different ways. A simple but effective battle.

13. Ryu VS Scorpion: Verdict Incorrect

Scorpion’s regen is good but ultimately he’s definitely not taking out Ryu. Ryu’s hits are far too powerful for that and the damage would be way past anything Scorpion can endure. Still, it was a really good fight with a lot of back and forth so I can definitely appreciate that. The fight was a good credit to both series and the dialogue was really sharp.

12. Tigerzord VS Gundam Epyon: Verdict Correct

The story was trying a bit too hard on this one but I did enjoy the lyrical song at the end and the fight was definitely intense. I’m not particularly familiar with either character but you could still get the context of what’s going on here. The fight had a lot of good back and forth although it doesn’t stick out as much as it could have.

11. Kirby VS Majin Buu: Verdict Incorrect

This fight is very creative and really allows Buu to go through all his forms so I have to give the fight a lot of credit. That being said, Kirby would stand absolutely no chance here. He’s definitely not built for this level of power. I did enjoy the fight though and so this is a bit higher than I would have expected going in. There was clearly a lot of passion that went into this one and the visuals/songs were great.

10. Terminator VS RoboCop Verdict: Correct

This one was definitely really good. I was impressed and it shattered my expectations. For starters the fight was nice and long which was really cool. It felt like a full on saga at that point with each character really getting to show off a lot of what they can do. The gun spin that Robocop did near the end was also really hype.

9. Mega Man vs Astro Boy Verdict: Incorrect

Astro Boy is powerful but how are you going to take down Mega Man? I did like seeing the Rush fusion form since that always looked like a really cool finishing form though. Mega Man also got to show off a whole lot of his super forms and power ups which was nice. It was a good battle and I just wish it could have had more of a fancy setup/intro to really get things rolling.

8. Wolverine vs Raiden Verdict: Correct

All right this is one of those fights that I completely did not remember so it was pretty fun to see it. The CG has aged really well and Raiden’s speedblitz was really on point. This is more or less how I would picture the fight to go down, albeit it a bit quicker. Wolverine is strong but regeneration will ultimately not be a match for pure speed and skill. That will give you the edge as well as the win every time! A real impressive fight.

7. Pokemon vs Digimon Verdict: Correct

This was always a pretty intense fight and it stands the test of time. Low key I do think Red would put up way more of a fight but Digimon do tend to scale above Pokemon. It really should have been called Red vs Tai or something though instead of just generally Pokemon vs Digimon since this was a true 1 v 1. I suppose this title would get more clicks though. Either way it was definitely a real fun battle and you feel bad for Red in the end.

6. Deadpool VS Deathstroke Verdict: Incorrect

This fight is as crazy as you would expect with a lot of 4th wall breaking gags and Deadpool messing with Deathstroke. Definitely a good way to do this kind of battle and the 3D was nice because the fight was long and they got to do a whole lot with it. It may lose to some of the other 3D fights of the season but beats most of the traditional ones. It’s also nice hearing the tunes they picked for this episode. As the series goes on they would use less licensed music like this.

5. Boba Fett VS Samus Aran: Verdict Correct

Another fun thematic fight right here. The artstyle really looked like it came out of a Metroid Prime cutscene and the fight was high action from the start. I definitely had no issues at all with this one. It may not have the length and story needed to pass some of the higher ranked fights but this was a really good one all the way through. Definitely a fight that was worthy of being a good remake.

4. Iron Man VS Lex Luthor Verdict: Correct

This was a super fun battle, the 3D ones always are right? The dialogue was super good and this plays out how you would expect the fight to go down. It’s a long fight with plenty of time for both characters to get their shots in and will always be a very memorable battle. One of Iron Man’s final lines is one of the most iconic ones in all of Death Battle!

3. Solid Snake VS Sam Fisher: Verdict Correct

Wow, I was extremely impressed with this one. The fight is seasons ahead of time in terms of overall quality and it only didn’t get higher because the top 2 are absolutely insane. The animation for this fight is really incredible and the length is impressive. Both characters are really portrayed to perfection here and the fight is intense. The music is the only miss in this video.

2. Goku VS Superman 2 Verdict: Incorrect

At this point it’s a bit of a meme on how out of character Superman was the whole time in this fight but at the same time you have to appreciate just how intense the fight is. The battle is really solid and I would say it holds up well as a solid rematch. Naturally Goku should be owning him the whole time and the ending to this fight can be pretty annoying with how condescending it is. It doesn’t take away from the fact that the actual fight is still really on point though.

1. Yang vs Tifa Verdict: Correct

Tifa may be strong but most of the best feats from her game are with Cloud. Tifa has shown time and time again how fast she is and to date this is still one of my favorite Death Battles. The actual fighting is incredibly polished and has easily withstood the test of time. The song is also pretty catchy while watching the fight, it’s hard to really top this one.

This season got 21/32 of the fights correctly so they actually had better accuracy than season 1 which just barely broke the halfway point. Pretty impressive I have to say. I hadn’t seen quite a lot of these fights back in the day and I expect that will continue into season 3 since I was still a really casual viewer back in the day. I look forward to seeing which fights will end up being the best over in that season. The gap shouldn’t be quite as long until the next rankings, particularly since season 3 shouldn’t be as long…I think. I haven’t actually looked it up yet so I’m just guessing.

Ranking all Season 1 Death Battles

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It’s time to rank all of the Death Battle fights from season 1! This was the really old days of the series so it’s fun to see just how much things have changed. These battles usually had less of a plot and were really just about getting the popular characters to have a quick fight. It’s definitely nostalgic but of course I am also eager to see the new fights coming up where things really began to be a full spectacle.

I’m ranking the fights based on the animations themselves and not the analysis. That said, I will let you know in the title if their verdict was accurate or not. I want to say Death Battle usually gets it right but they are definitely more solid in some reasons than others. Season 1 was their younger days so we can probably expect a few issues here and there.

25th Boba Fett VS Samus Aran Verdict: Correct

This was the first ever Death Battle so naturally they were still learning but the main problem is that it absolutely feels old. This is not a fight that has gotten better with time or that I could even look at nostalgically. There just aren’t many reasons to watch this one which is the main problem.

24th Haggar VS Zangief Verdict: Correct

This fight mainly suffers from the fact that both opponents are so similar. Their power sets are basically parallels after all so you’re not going to get to see a lot of fun things here. It’s the kind of fight that definitely ends up being very forgettable without any real replay value here.

23rd Justin Bieber VS Rebecca Black Verdict: Wrong

Ties are always a wrong verdict. The fight is interesting novelty value but also feels a bit pointless since they played it so safe. Either pick a winner or just don’t do the fight in the first place. This fight had a lot of people running around and there was quick paced action but ultimately that was not quite enough to make this fight good enough to go any higher.

22nd Akuma VS Shang Tsung Verdict: Correct

The fight focused a little too much on the copy abilities the whole time for my taste. It should have worked more on their individual talents and then things could have been better. I was glad to see Akuma running around but it’s still clear that the fight didn’t have as much creativity as there could have been.

21st Goomba VS Koopa Verdict: Wrong

Ties are always a cop out. The fight should have been a stomp since everyone knows that Koopa always beats Goomba. I did like that they turned this a bit more into an adventure though. At least I could say that this makes up for the bungled fight to an extent but it definitely would have needed something more in order for me to really have called this a great fight.

20th Pikachu VS Blanka Verdict: Wrong

The ending to the fight has gotta be one of the most mean spirited ones out there. The fight wasn’t bad but it also didn’t have quite as much movement as the fights that could come up later on. So it was nothing crazy but it would have definitely needed a whole lot more in order to rise up from this spot.

19th Felicia VS Taokaka Verdict Correct

I may not be the biggest fan of either character here but it still made for a fun fight. It’s one of those battles where just from the sprites it feels like Felicia is outmatched from the jump. We still got some good blows from each side during the battle even if it may not have had the same impact as some of the fights that will be coming up.

18th Bomberman VS Dig Dug Verdict: Wrong

Bomberman owns Dig Dug any day of the week. The guy is a good explorer but he’s definitely not touching those big bombs. Bomberman can light up the sky at any time and his power ups just make this even more true. Dig Dug would have no escape but it was fun seeing those gameplay mechanics at the ready the whole time.

17th Starscream VS Rainbow Dash: Verdict Wrong

The fight had a lot of animation and dialogue but it doesn’t quite have the usual Death Battle tone which is what holds it back a bit. It’s one of the only Death Battles that you just don’t take super seriously the way you would for the others. Rainbow Dash winning is definitely a funny one though, not what I would have expected back in the day.

16th Chun-Li VS Mai Shiranui Verdict: Wrong

This fight is fairly straight forward, both combatants are really impressive martial artists who know how to strike at an opponent’s weak points. I enjoyed the battle even if Chun Li should have dominated the whole time. It’s one of those battles that doesn’t need any gimmicks or anything. It’s just solid all around.

15th Yoshi VS Riptor Verdict: Correct

This was definitely an old fashioned slashing battle with two characters who really pack a punch. I was certainly rooting for Yoshi the whole time of course so it was fun to see him pull ahead. There wasn’t a whole lot to this battle though and it ends up feeling short. So it’s a good fight but that’s why it isn’t higher.

14th Zitz VS Leonardo Verdict: Correct

I have to admit that just from the design I started rooting for Zits here but it’s true that he doesn’t have as many good speed options as Leonardo. The fight was fun with how they actually incorporated the ninja traits here. It helped the battle stand out a whole lot more than it would have otherwise. I still can’t believe Leonardo got two fights in a row. That was supremely lucky and will likely never happen again.

13th Luke Skywalker VS Harry Potter Verdict: Correct

This fight definitely took a lot longer than you might have expected here but we got to see what the two fighters could really do. This involves a lot of mental abilities the whole time which is definitely a shift from the usual physical battling going on here. The matchup was also a fun one which holds up well.

12th Rogue VS Wonder Woman Verdict: Wrong

Wonder Woman’s base stats definitely get underestimated at times but Rogue is certainly strong in her own right. This ended up being a pretty good fight even if the ending was questionable. I enjoy a good speedblitz and we got several of those in this battle. The tables kept on turning over and over again which kept you glued to see who would win.

11th Kratos VS Spawn Verdict: Correct

This was a fun fight that really shows what a beast Spawn is. He’s the kind of fighter who just keeps on going and going no matter what is in his way. The absolute durability that he’s got is really crazy. He was an easy character to root for and the fight was handled very well with several solid fakeouts.

10th Batman VS Spider-Man: Verdict Correct

Prep time is a fun meme of course but realistically Spider-Man will always have this. He’s just stronger and faster by large degrees. I’d really enjoy a remake with some fun banter but all in all this was still a really fun fight with a lot of choreography. Spider-Man was definitely not holding back.

9th Zelda VS Peach Verdict: Wrong

Peach is a fun character in an ironic sense. I like how she’s always yelling for Mario but in a fight if we’re being super real here, she should have no shot. Her sarcastic victory celebration line was a really nice touch though. The fight looked good and had its share of humor though so I definitely had no qualms with that. If you’re going to do a fight like this, then this was the right approach.

8th Master Chief VS Doomguy: Verdict Wrong

This is definitely one of those fights where it’s like the Chief is going up against a wall. Nothing slows Doomguy down and I really like how imposing the guy he. He’s got crazy aura the whole time and just doesn’t back down. Master Chief even throws in some real disrespect by the end which Doomguy would be sure not to forget. It’s a well made fight from start to finish.

7th Thor VS Raiden Verdict: Correct

Raiden’s sprite ended up looking more funny than anything with the way that he was moving around. It did make for a fun Death Battle though and he really showed his stuff. Definitely not the kind of opponent to go down easy and it was also fun seeing Thor in action. A very solid Death Battle all in all.

6th Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Battle Royale Verdict Correct

Raphael may be my favorite but I can see how Leonardo takes this one. Ultimately the swords are just the better weapons with the longer reach and everything. He is the leader for a reason and it was fun seeing this group fight. Poor Michelangelo was more than a little out of his league though. He never stood a chance.

5. Vegeta VS Shadow Verdict: Correct

They definitely had fun with this battle and pointing out how similar the characters were. Shadow vs Vegeta will always be a fun rivalry and the fight had a lot of pizzazz to it. Certainly the kind of fight you could watch several times over. A sound addition to near the top of the Death Battle ranks.

4. Mario VS Sonic Verdict: Correct

Mario is strong but Sonic’s always had the edge in this matchup so that was nice to see. Mario is an all around type which is good for many fights but Sonic is near invincible! It was nice to see them running through all of the different abilities because both definitely have many tools up their arsenal. Ultimately it’s a fight that is a lot of fun to watch.

3. Link VS Cloud Verdict: Wrong

Death Battle may have missed on the verdict here but the fight was a lot of fun. I liked the CG used for this one and making the fight be in 3D made the whole thing feel like a cutscene out of their games. This was a really good way to do things. Cloud’s arsenal also makes for a naturally fun fight because all of his moves are certainly flashy and Link definitely holds his own as well.

2. Eggman VS Wily Verdict: Wrong

Any time you end with what is essentially a tie then you’re going to have the wrong verdict result. The fight itself was a whole lot of fun though. I loved seeing Metal Sonic really show up and absolutely dominate throughout each round of the battle. He is definitely not someone to underestimate that’s for sure. Also team battles in general are always a lot of fun as you try and see just how many fighters they can squeeze in. A modern remake of this would be even more crazy.

1. Goku VS Superman Verdict: Wrong

They may have gotten the verdict wrong here but the fight itself is great. It was nice seeing Goku go through all of his different transformations and really take it to Superman. The fight itself also illustrates why I confidently have Goku taking this. Many agree that Goku and Superman is a good fight when Goku is at base or super saiyan mode and with the multipliers then it’s over. I liked how Goku would not take no for an answer here and was absolutely going to have his fight no matter what. That’s just the kind of guy that he is. Always ready for action.

Well that’s all of the fights for season 1. In the end they got the verdict right on 13/25 fights so they just made it on over half of them. I’ll be back at some point with the season 2 battles for even more hype. That season has the most fights in the series so it’ll be pretty nostalgic as well. You may even see some live improvements between fights in the same season since that’s a lot of time to improve. Either way I’d recommend checking these season 1 fights out if you haven’t watched them yet.