Hail, traveler! Pull up a seat and rejoice in the most splendid day on the Fódlan calendar.

For you see, this day of December the 20th (AKA the month of the Ethereal Moon), is the birthday of Lord Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd — heir to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, the venerable Boar Prince, and a certified hottie, despite what that weird Reddit post once claimed.

By fist, blade, or fighting spirit-fueled drill, there’s something enthralling about a good fight in anime. Oftentimes representing the climax of an arc or storyline, it culminates everything the viewer has invested themselves in, with wills and ideologies on the line along with the characters’ lives. Common sense goes out the window as each new attack tears through the air, sometimes as the swing of a sword and other times as a cataclysmic laser meant to rend the planet in half.

Since the medium was first created, we’ve seen a number of great fights, but these ones in particular are among the best anime fights of all time.

With a wealth of anime streaming services across the board, you’re never short of choices to make. If you want to know what Netflix has got on the anime front, here are some of the highlights (in no particular order beyond pure whimsy).

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Twinfinite is a gaming website, after all, so it makes perfect sense that we would kick our list off with an anime based on one of the most significant (albeit divisive) video games of this generation.

Heroes are all well and good, but when it comes to great anime, there’s almost always an iconic villain bringing them to new heights. Whether they were a hitherto ally whose true agendas are laid bare, or a mustache-twirling tyrant without a hint of subterfuge, they are amongst the most compelling and intoxicating characters in any given narrative.

That’s why we’re here today to rank the best anime villains of all time. Like the medium itself, this list is always evolving and ever-changing as new seasons come and go, so be sure to check back in to see the risers and fallers of villainy!

Love ’em or hate ’em, it is eminently apparent that Resident Evil remakes will remain in Capcom’s pipeline for the foreseeable future. In the last four years alone, we have received the spectacular Resident Evil 2, the rejuvenated Resident Evil 4, and Resident Evil 3, which was also a thing.

Between them, they have netted over 25 million units sold, with RE4 likely to supplant RE3 in Capcom’s top 10 all-time bestsellers before all is said and done. No bones about it, the remakes are here to stay, and the only question remaining is which game is next in line.

Cast your mind, if you will, to the distant era of 1998. This was the year that Pocket Monsters finally landed on western shores, and you took the reins of a plucky young trainer for the very first time.

As you wandered the streets of Pallet Town, it became apparent that your ambitions laid elsewhere. The ocean to the south, foreboding walls flanking you to the left and right, and a mere two houses and a mysterious laboratory acting as its only landmarks. Where did everyone else live? Is this really a suitable environment for raising a child?

In case it wasn’t clear from the title, I want to get one thing out of the way: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are by far the worst mainline games in the series, in my opinion at least.

I’m not even talking about the technical issues — which are representative of a punishing development cycle as opposed to the creative vision — but rather, the gameplay itself. In an arbitrary push for an open world, Paldea sacrificed the integrity of the journey in favor of big, open spaces that amount to very little.

The rumors were true! As part of the latest PlayStation State of Play livestream, it has been confirmed that Resident Evil 4 Remake will be receiving the long-awaited Separate Ways DLC on September 21.

First introduced in the 2005 original, Separate Ways is an additional series of chapters starring the mysterious agent, Ada Wong. The events would run parallel to Leon’s campaign, offering insight into some hitherto unexplained moments, such as who rings the church bell that calls off the villagers’ initial onslaught (unless of course, that person happens to be you).

To the broader Pokemon community, there are usually a few familiar candidates that are touted as being the pinnacle of the franchise. Some attest that it was the nostalgic beginnings in Kanto, which shaped our imaginations in entirely new ways. Others believe the second generation pushed the envelope to impossible limits, offering two flourishing regions for us to explore. Others still believe that Scarlet and Violet’s open world gave us the most complete and immersive Pokemon experience yet. Those people cannot be trusted — do not turn your back on them.

Not every generation is treated equally, however. The DS era, in some eyes, was when the series faltered, taking smaller steps forward that were less impactful overall. I have my grievances with Diamond and Pearl, but for finally assigning physical or special distinction to individual attacks, that generation is okay in my book.

Among all of the lauded gameplay philosophies found in the Pokemon series, one of its finest is the way in which you dictate your experience right from the jump. By choosing one of the three available starters, you will find some battles easier, and others far more difficult.

Back in those halcyon days on the humble Game Boy, this infamous decision was between the fire-breathing Charmander, the aquatic Squirtle, or the plant-like Bulbasaur. People had their preferences based on aesthetics, surely, though for some it was a simple matter of practicality; whereas Charmander would struggle against the earliest Gym Leaders, Bulbasaur was the preferred route for beginners.

As long as there have been Pokemon, there has been a meticulous grind attached to their mastery.

Gaining access to the very best battlers required thorough tinkering from the moment they are first acquired; breeding for top IVs, a suitable nature, the correct ability, any relevant Egg moves, subsequent EV training, and an infinitesimally small chance that they will be a shiny…

Despite being targeted toward a younger demographic, the gameplay systems of Pokemon are rich and deep enough to allow various levels of commitment from the player.

At its simplest, you can merely attempt to get from start to finish, clearing the Gym Leaders and beating the Champion. Roll credits, you’re done. Head to your local GameStop and trade it in for a tidy $3 in your pocket (while they resell it for $40). If you want to take things up a notch, you can try to track down all of the monsters in the region and complete the Pokedex. Game Freak have even made it easier than ever by removing most of your favorites. Thanks for that!

It may be hard to believe, but 2023 will mark 25 years since the Pokemon anime first premiered in the west. That’s a quarter century of battles, exploration, and boneheaded decisions by Ash Ketchum.

To commemorate this momentous landmark, we’re taking a look back by rewatching the earliest days of Pallet Town and beyond. Join us on this most marvellous trip down memory lane, and remember to stock up on Super Potions for the journey ahead!

The 2023 Pokemon World Championships event is now in the books, and on the video game championship front, Japan has plenty of reason to celebrate. Sora Ebisawa (Juniors), Tomoya Ogawa (Seniors), and Shohei Kimura (Masters) successfully defended their home turf, with the Japanese players claiming victory in convincing fashion.

Though the Rapid Strike Style of Urshifu is obviously the staple of the metagame, appearing in all six rosters of the finals, the MVP in the end was likely the diminutive Amoonguss. Armed with the dreaded 100% sleep chance of Spore, the menacing mushroom imposed its will — most notably in the Masters Division, where its infuriating defensive play style had the opponent on the ropes early on.

It may be hard to believe, but 2023 will mark 25 years since the Pokemon anime first premiered in the west. That’s a quarter century of battles, exploration, and boneheaded decisions by Ash Ketchum.

To commemorate this momentous landmark, we’re taking a look back by rewatching the earliest days of Pallet Town and beyond. Join us on this most marvellous trip down memory lane, and remember to stock up on Super Potions for the journey ahead!

If you frequent the OG realms of Azeroth, you’ve no doubt seen the buzz surrounding the venerable “HC” (amidst the LFG and innuendo posts that otherwise flood the general chat channel).

Since it was first revealed in June, the notion of a hardcore version of World of Warcraft Classic has got everyone prepping themselves for the devastation of permadeath, plying their trades in the PTR (public test realm) servers while they wait for the real thing.

It may be hard to believe, but 2023 will mark 25 years since the Pokemon anime first premiered in the west. That’s a quarter century of battles, exploration, and boneheaded decisions by Ash Ketchum.

To commemorate this momentous landmark, we’re taking a look back by rewatching the earliest days of Pallet Town and beyond. Join us on this most marvellous trip down memory lane, and remember to stock up on Super Potions for the journey ahead!

The realm of the otome game is a weird and wonderful place. Sometimes, you’ll pursue a variety of pretty, non-threatening suitors after exchanging a series of group texts. Other times, you’ll look to seduce a lovable single father, or a responsible pet owner.

As for Hatoful Boyfriend? You date pigeons. That’s right: YOU. DATE. PIGEONS.

It may be hard to believe, but 2023 will mark 25 years since the Pokemon anime first premiered in the west. That’s a quarter century of battles, exploration, and boneheaded decisions by Ash Ketchum.

To commemorate this momentous landmark, we’re taking a look back by rewatching the earliest days of Pallet Town and beyond. Join us on this most marvellous trip down memory lane, and remember to stock up on Super Potions for the journey ahead!

It may be hard to believe, but 2023 will mark 25 years since the Pokemon anime first premiered in the west. That’s a quarter century of battles, exploration, and boneheaded decisions by Ash Ketchum.

To commemorate this momentous landmark, we’re taking a look back by rewatching the earliest days of Pallet Town and beyond. Join us on this most marvellous trip down memory lane, and remember to stock up on Super Potions for the journey ahead!