So, I'm looking for some inspiration. What is your favorite fight scene in an anime film/series? What makes it so awesome?

Well all the bighitters like DBZ, Bleach, One Piece, etc. have some pretty epic fight scenes. Its good to have special/signature attacks. Better when they come with lots of flashes and bangs.
The recent string of Shippuden fights have been pretty good too, tend to incorporate some strategic elements into the fights. Which is really needed since even the most nooby shuriken/kunai attacks used on that show would be pretty deadly in reality. I know, it doesn't need to be realistic, etc. etc., but its just a good idea if every attack is potentially fatal that there's some balance. There's a lot more dodging in that show than most others, even with superhuman abilities they show some mortality.

Samurai Champloo has some neat sword battles (there are some parts that are beyond believable, but they look cool). XD

My favorite fight scene in anime is from Hunter X Hunter, Gon Vs the Bomber, Boma. [SPOILERS] I like this fight because this is the first fight where he won against a far better experience fighter. Boma was older, experienced in fighting, could blow people up and place unnoticed bombs on people shoulders. Gon is a kid who just after 50-60 episodes learning how to control energy power. He isn't powerful, he doesn't get a sudden boost of anger power and win the fight.

He use his mind and hard earn training against a far better fighter. It was a very tough battle where he actually lost a arm in the process, but won with a good head on his shoulder. These are the kind of battles I like. For awhile, we seen Gon run from very strong opponents that can kill him in 2-4 hits. A fight against a very though opponent, and the underdog has no secret weapon but just a good brain is my type of anime fighting scene.

indeed, but this series is sooo classic yet pretty. I could watch it over and over again..especially Jin and Mugen's sworslshing!

But tbh, I love the Avatar..but its just not an anime xD
Yu Yu Hakusho and the first season of Naruto is always great.
Not to mention the Eureka 7(not many fights,though)

The Unlimited Blade Works movie. Archer vs Shirou. It's just awesome, there's no other word.

Uhm... Clannad with a fight between gangs =o..
I haven't really seen many anime with memorable fight scenes XD

In no particular order:

Afro Samurai: Afro vs Kuma, brutal and pretty emotional. And Afro vs Robo-Afro. Ridiculously epic.
Cowboy Bebop: All of them. Especially Mad Pierrot, Vincent and Vicious.
Akira: Final battle between Kaneda and mutated Tetsuo. A complete mindf**k, yet utterly mindblowing at the same time.
Pokemon: Sort of a guilty pleasure. First series fights were genuinely entertaining. The First Movie end fight was just...wrong.

Most the fight scenes in soul eater where pretty good except the final battle was kinda lame the best in my opinion was any of the ones where black star fought DBZ had a lot of awesome fights but everyone knows about those

Soul Eater fights aren't bad, if you can forget that the anime barely covers one third of the manga. Stein's first appearance, when he beats Maka and the attention-whoring idiot to a pulp while sitting on his chair is particularly memorable.

most epic mage fights = Fairy Tail

Shaman King had a lot of sick fights if I remember right (which I probably don't as I was like 10), though the show ended on a major cop-out. Only remember 'cause I just stumbled across the theme song
I'd also maybe recommend Trigun. There's not a whole lot of fighting in this show, but its always pretty slick.
I haven't finished either series but here are a few with promise:
-Hellsing - simply 'cause Alucard's so powerful and he's gotta meet his match eventually, otherwise it'd be kinda lame.
-D. Gray Man- looks to be some FMA clone. I'm probably not gna bother completing this because I've not liked the story but the whole body parts to weapons thing looks pretty promising.

He doesn't really meet his match though, just a creepy little boy who happens to cause quantum existence failures...

Usagi and Mamoru in the last episode of the Japanese version of Sailor Moon season one (the America dub is very heavily edited). The build-up to this fight and the intense dialogue, along with Usagi getting her ass kicked, make this a very emotional scene that will stick with me forever.

Cool. That should get me started. I'm more interested in the Visual/Animation style then this special attack or that special ability. I'd really like to see the battler look more like a really great anime scene then a video game. I'm just trying to come up with a formula of visual styles to work with.

Nah..its Maka vs Kishin~
xD

Minato vs Tobi



A quick fight, but absolutely amazing. Minato <3 win.

Here is the SM scene I referenced. What I like about it is that the animation is relatively simple compared the SM's usual ridiculously long attack and transformation sequences (for SM fans, notice how the background doesn't go all crazy with seizure-inducing colors and Usagi doesn't spin around when yelling "Moon Healing Escalation!").

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIkV0Rqeits

I am beginning to see that suspense is an important element.

Honorable mention to Shijima vs Yoite in Nabari no Ou, but it's more due to the fact that Shijima is downright creepy.

Luffy vs Moria and OZ...............cause luffy was battling in order to get his shadow back from him before the sun will rise.

Not even a competition. Ryougi Shiki vs Araya Souren in Kara no Kyoukai:

I think it's probably the context that matters in any fight scene above all else. Quick and well done animation helps set the mood, alongside a tense soundtrack, but really it's the context that gets people going. I'd say the best way to get that context going on a visual field would be the emotion in the characters' faces, or the tone of their voices if they speak (or think) during the fight. A lot of the time there isn't a measure for fight scenes. They happen a lot, and a good deal of the time they're fairly one-sided. We only know if the battle means business by the context, and so in some part to the facial expressions. If this is the most epic fight scene in the history of the story so far, then you can bet your ass we'll see some complex emotions on at least one of the character's faces.
Even more important contextually would be the plot, but I guess that would be difficult to portray using visual means.

Just my two cents on the matter.

God dammit. I was gonna post that.