The mind-bending 1996 classic from studio Gainax, Neon Genesis Evangelion, has a reputation among anime fans as being a sort of cerebral, introspective, and psychologically oriented show. While it might be the nuances of the characters that really bring the themes of the story to life, the action sequences peppered throughout the series are a big part of the appeal as well.
Characteristically of director Hideaki Anno, the fight scenes in Evangelion are extremely diverse; some are contests of brute strength, while others are slower-paced tests of the characters' tactical or technical knowledge. In a series with as many strange and inventive action sequences as Evangelion it can be difficult to pick favorites, but there are a handful that make a strong case for being the best.
Asuka vs. Sandalphon
The NERV operation against Sandalphon in episode 10 is a unique fight scene for the Evangelion for a number of reasons, but mainly because it takes place inside an active volcano, and involves Unit 02 being lowered down into said volcano wearing something resembling a pressurized diving suit.
The operation begins as one to capture Sandalphon, but as no plan ever seems to survive contact with the enemy, it quickly becomes a battle for survival when the angel mutates into a combat form. Asuka is forced to engage the angel at close range with her knife, with the help of Shinji in a supportive role.
Shinji, Asuka, & Rei vs. Matarael
Matarael is one weird-looking angel, with its freakishly long legs and ability to secrete a torrent of highly corrosive bile from its eyeball, so it follows that the battle with this monster is inventive as well. With Matarael melting into NERV headquarters and invulnerable from all directions but below, the Eva pilots have no choice but to expose themselves to attack to deliver a decisive blow.
There aren't all that many battle scenes in Evangelion that feature all three pilots operating their Evas in concert, which makes the battle against Matarael stand out as one of the best examples of the show's protagonists actually cooperating to accomplish a shared goal.
Shinji vs. Samshel
The second major angel battle in the series sees Shinji trying to rescue his idiot friends from the fearsome Samshel, and is arguably his first conscious fight against an angel since his lucidity wasn't exactly the best during the fight with Sachiel in the first episode.
In anime circles Shinji doesn't exactly have a reputation as a tough, confident sort of guy, but the Samshel fight is a powerful counterpoint to that notion as it shows that Shinji is willing to put himself at great personal risk to keep people safe, even when he knows the odds are stacked against him.
Shinji vs. Sachiel
While episode 01 features the debut of the first angel the audience meets, Sachiel, viewers don't get to see the actual battle between Shinji in Unit 01 and Sachiel until the end of episode 02, leaving them in tantalizing suspense as they see the aftermath of the battle before the battle itself.
The first fight scene in Evangelion quickly disabuses the viewer of any notion they might have of Evangelion being a "typical" mecha series; when the fight finally does reveal itself it becomes clear that Unit 01 fights more like an animal than a giant robot, and clearly has a spirit of its own.
Gendo vs. His Child Rearing Responsibilities
Without a doubt one of the most decisive confrontations in Evangelion happens in the very first episode, featuring Gendo Ikari's Earth-shaking struggle against being a good Dad. Shinji, having been contacted by his father for the first time in who knows how long, travels to NERV headquarters to confront him only to have Gendo force him into piloting a nightmare death machine.
While Gendo soundly routed his responsibilities as a parent this time, one can't help but wonder what would have been had he not emerged victorious from the struggle. What if instead of forcing Shinji to battle alien horrors in a giant robot, he had just taken him bowling or something instead?
Asuka vs. Gaghiel
Memorable not only as Asuka's debut battle scene, but also as the only water-based confrontation in the series, Asuka's fight with the fish-like angel Gaghiel forms the climax for episode 08. Asuka's introduction swiftly characterizes her as a self-proclaimed combat expert, and she certainly lives up to that claim at the end of the episode.
The fight with Gaghiel features some really interesting choreography, with Asuka hopscotching Unit 02 across battleships to engage the aquatic angel, and then being forced into a fight underwater to execute a plan that involves forcing the angel to eat some battleships. The strategies in this show are often extreme.
Shinji & Rei vs. Ramiel
The giant screaming shape, Ramiel, is one of Evangelion's more memorable angels for just that reason: it's a giant screaming rhombus that shoots death rays. Ramiel is so deadly at long ranges that NERV cannot field Eva units against it to take it down by conventional means, so Shinji and Rei have to set up an elaborate sniper arrangement to destroy it in one shot.
This battle exemplifies what makes Evangelion's action sequences so great: it's not just about overpowering an opponent, but about executing complex strategies to deal with unconventional foes. The drama when Shinji has to finally take the shot is palpable, and there's some great character stuff afterward too.
Asuka & Shinji vs. Israfel
Episode 09 of Neon Genesis Evangelion, "Dance Like You Want To Win," is a polarizing one because it deals with Asuka and Shinji learning a complex dance routine so that they can engage the angel Israfel in perfect synch. However, to say nothing of all the great scenes Shinji and Asuka have in this episode, the fight at the end is impressively innovative.
The battle between the Evas and the two halves of Israfel is great because it serves as payoff to the hard work the characters have been going through over the course of the episode, and seeing them obliterate the menacing angel as part of a well-rehearsed dance routine is really cool.
Shinji vs. Zeruel
Without a doubt one of Evangelion's definitive battle scenes, this scene has Shinji going up against the most fearsome angel yet faced in Unit 01. The threat that Zeruel poses to humanity is stark, and the episode makes it clear that without immediate, decisive action it'll be over for mankind as we know it.
The actual fight is impressive as well: Shinji has Unit 01 bursting through walls to grapple with the monster at close range, but what really makes this confrontation memorable is its climax, where Eva Unit 01 goes completely berserk to destroy Zeruel in a visceral display.
Asuka vs. Mass Production Evas
Many fight scenes in Evangelion are notable for the inventive solutions that the anime's characters have to come up with to address the unique challenges posed by a given monster, but Asuka's battle against the Mass Production Eva units in End of Evangelion deserves to come in first on account of its spectacular animation and sheer brutality.
This is one of those fight scenes that shows the audience Asuka at the height of her combat potential, and also of the animalistic brutality that the Eva units are capable of when pushed to the limit. The sense of scale and weight in this fight is also just spectacular; when the Evas flatten structures and displace terrain the audience can feel the scope of the fight.