NOTE: This article contains spoilers for these series, in order:

Let’s face it. Every once in awhile, a fight resolves in a way that’s really hard to believe. Maybe the hero received a timely power-up, or found more strength from friendship. Whatever the case, the villain falls, and it doesn’t really make sense. Just to be clear, this doesn’t mean I necessarily liked any of these enemies. I may have been happy to see some, or even all of them drop, but that doesn’t excuse a nonsensical fight to the finish, either.

1. Berserker – Fate/stay night

Image © Studio Deen

One of Hercules’ greatest strengths in most mythos, aside from his great strength, was his immortality. This translates in Fate/Stay Night to his having a dozen lives. Fair enough, having an immortal hero would’ve made it a little too challenging for the competition to win.

His loss, however, is a joke. Rather than have his lives whittled down in a battle with Saber, she runs him through with one of her ultimate attacks, ending six of his lives in one blow… Regardless of how powerful a blow is, I have to wonder: How can you die six times from one strike?

2. Crocodile – One Piece

Image © Toei Animation

This one was a little more believable. Luffy’s battles with Crocodile were grueling, happening one after the other, and always leaving Luffy a bloody mess. Considering his two consecutive losses, however, the third win was a little hard to swallow. The power of naps, I guess?

3. Naraku – Inuyasha

Image © Sunrise

It blows my mind that this guy lost. He had at least 300 chapters of advantage of Inuyasha. There’s something to be said for capitalizing on a weakness, especially when you see a foe slowly growing stronger. Ah well, maybe I’m a little salty he stuck around so long.

4. Aizen – Bleach

Image © Studio Pierrot

When you can literally make the world see whatever you wish, it’s hard to imagine failure. Somehow, Aizen managed that, in no small part thanks to Ichigo’s sudden power up and discovery of the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho. Ichigo’s hollow abilities actually made sense, but that? How many secret abilities can one man have?

5. Team Rocket – Pokemon

Image © OLM

I kind of just want to throw them a bone on this one.

6. Silcardo Jenazad – Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple

Image © TMS Entertainment

To reiterate, just because I think he should’ve won doesn’t mean I’m unhappy he lost. Like many on this list, Silcardo was, in many ways, scum. Kidnapping and murder were perfectly normal if a student failed him, and his strength was infallible, comparable perhaps only to Hayato Furinji, one of the strongest characters in the entire series. Unfortunately, he forgot the double tap, and an opponent he thought was down for good managed one last surprise attack to finish Silcardo off instead.

7. Esdeath – Akame ga Kill

Image © White Fox

Come on. I mean really, come on. I can’t speak for the manga yet, but her anime finish? There’s a funny moment earlier in the series where Akame mentions having difficulties cleaning her blade because a single cut to her finger would be lethal. In order to defeat Esdeath, however, she does just that, with the weapon miraculously giving her a massive temporary boost of strength to defeat Esdeath. Ultimately she is banished from the kingdom, but you have to wonder. How does that work, exactly?

8. Pegasus – Yu-Gi-Oh

Image © Studio Gallop

Nobody this fabulous should ever lose.