Jaw-Dropping Anime and Manga Moments That Lived up to Their Hype

By Nicolo Manaloto

Another recent show that comes to mind is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, specifically the First Class Mage Exam arc.

This part of the story did not exactly get much hype, though I remember reading a discussion among manga readers about how excited they were for the exam.

Even though I had doubts about it, given that it’s essentially a tournament arc, Frieren did it well.

While it does have a focus on action, it still features signature elements of the series, including a focus on the past and how it affects the future generation of mages.

By Tarun Mazumdar

The Shibuya Incident arc is easily one of the most hyped arcs in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, and the hype continued when it was adapted into anime in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2.

Out of all the amazing fights, Choso and Yuji Itadori’s underground battle stole the show for me.

The anime adaptation was far more intense compared to the manga but making it grander and slicker only made the fight more impactful.

Choso’s first-person POV shots as he attacked Itadori using Convergence were breathtaking and stellar.

Moreover, Choso and Itadori’s battle was remarkably balanced, as both fighters were not willing to give up.

I also enjoyed the brilliant close combat scenes as they took their fight into the restroom. The narrow restroom made the fight feel claustrophobic but incredibly intense.

READ MORE: The Best Fights in Jujutsu Kaisen's Shibuya Incident Arc Ranked

By Will Taylor

I don’t remember many more hyped series than Chainsaw Man – the first trailer remains one of the most-viewed videos ever on MAPPA’s YouTube channel (only beaten by other Chainsaw Man videos).

I read the manga between that initial concept trailer and the series being released, so I was on board the hype train when actual footage from the series arrived.

While a lot can be said about the adaptation’s art style, I remember seeing Power’s entrance in that first real trailer and feeling that her presence, alongside the great voice acting by Fairouz Ai, perfectly captured the energy from her boisterous introduction in the manga.

By Cathlyn Melo

Countless manga and anime moments have lived up to their hype, but my favorite is Solo Leveling’s Statue of God scene when Sung Jin-Woo and his companions come face to face with the Statue of God, the gigantic stone copy of the Absolute Being in episode 2.

It is a thrilling and unforgettable moment that highlights the epic scale and intensity of the series.

The way the Statue of God shows its sadistic smile, glowing red eyes, and black sclera to Jin-Woo and the others is a nightmare-fueled scene to some, but a dream come true for fans.

This is just one example of how manga, manhwa, and anime can build anticipation and deliver truly unforgettable experiences for fans.

By KC Mendoza

One of the best moments that lived up to their hype is from the hit shonen series Jujutsu Kaisen when Satoru Gojo utters the iconic line, "Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the honored one' during his final showdown against the assassin Toji Fushiguro.

Manga fans have long since lauded the original manga panels depicting that moment, as they show how frighteningly powerful the newly enlightened Gojo has become.

It also marks his transformation from being a happy-go-lucky teenager to becoming one of the most powerful sorcerers in the series' universe.

When that particular scene was adapted in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 4, both manga and anime fans showered it with praise.

They were fascinated with how well the anime team translated that moment and turned it into one of the series' most cinematic moments.

It lived up to the hype because of the fluid animation used for the action scenes, the bright and vivid colors, and the hauntingly mellow background music.

Gojo's voice actor, Yuichi Nakamura, also delivered the iconic line to aptly depict Gojo's authority after mastering his god-like powers.

It was a remarkable scene that left fans in awe and will surely go down in history as a memorable adaptation of one of the series' most climactic moments.

By Nicolo Manaloto

Oshi no Ko’s premiere episode had a lot of hype behind it from manga readers.

Ahead of the first episode, I was also excited to see it, as I’ve read the manga and was impressed by how gripping the first 10 chapters are.

That episode became a huge trending topic when it was released, and for good reason.

The anime depicted Ai Hoshino’s story and eventual shocking moment well. This is thanks to the work of the staff at Doga Kobo, along with the voice cast members.

By Will Taylor

While it’s almost impossible to avoid being spoiled when talking about anime in your job, there are a few moments I try to know as little about as I can. One of these for me was The Rumbling.

As an avid follower of Attack on Titan since season 1, I wanted to enjoy the finale as spoiler-free as I could.

Thankfully, a lot of anime moments have vague names – I knew that something called The Rumbling was going to happen, and it was a major moment, but I didn’t exactly know what it was or when it would arrive.

That moment when The Rumbling happened was fantastic and completely lived up to my expectations.

Attack on Titan is one of the best-ever anime at creating catastrophic events that change the world forever, and that felt like a fitting way to start the beginning of the end for a great series.