Battle Shonen anime are known for their fighting scenes. Over the years, the industry has increased in size by many folds, and, judging by the current pace, it won't be long until the time comes when it will be impossible to choose a single favorite anime.
As the industry continues to grow, the competition also increases, so the creators have to put in a great deal of effort to keep things interesting and fresh. One way of achieving this is by producing iconic characters, who have a special aura around them. These characters have a unique way of fighting, and, with time, their fighting stances have become just as iconic as they are.
5 Gear Second (One Piece)
Monkey D. Luffy is the protagonist of One Piece. At a very young age, Luffy set out on his journey to become the Pirate King, but, before long, he realized that he couldn't accomplish his dream with his current power. After suffering a crushing defeat in Water 7 at the hands of CP9, Luffy understood that if he wanted to get Robin back, he needed to become stronger.
When the Straw Hats finally arrived in Enies Lobby, it didn't take them long to engage the enemies. Luffy's first opponent was not Rob Lucci. Instead, it was Blueno, who was no slouch having demonstrated tremendous physical abilities in Water 7. It was during this fight that Luffy used Gear Second for the first time. He squatted down and used his legs to pump extra blood to all the parts of his body. Luffy's body emitted steam and his skin turned pink. Even though the other Gears offer more power, the stance taken by Luffy whenever he used Gear Second will be iconic forever.
4 Shadow Clone (Naruto)
After the Fourth Great Ninja War was over, Naruto stood at the very top with no one to match his strength, but things weren't always good for him. At the beginning of the series, no one expected Naruto to become so powerful. His development started when he fought against Mizuki.
Mizuki was obviously too powerful for Naruto, but the latter wanted to save Iruka at all costs, so he decided to go through the forbidden scroll. In the scroll, Naruto found out how to use the Shadow Clone Technique, and, without wasting any time, the young ninja used the technique to take down Mizuki. After the fight, Naruto started using the Shadow Clone technique more and more, and, eventually, it became Naruto's signature move. He would simply make the hand seal and shout the name of the technique and, over time, it became a truly iconic stance.
3 Jonathan Hamon Breathing(JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Jonathan Joestar was the first Joestar to be introduced in the series. He was raised by his father, who taught him to be a gentleman. Jonathan was an incredibly kind person, who cared about humans and animals alike. When DIO arrived at the mansion, Jonathan thought of lending him a hand, but DIO was offended by his kindness. Jonathan tried to form a bond with DIO, but it never worked out. Eventually, DIO turned into a vampire and killed Jonathan's father.
Jonathan then started to learn about Hamon under Will Zeppeli, who immediately noticed that the Joestar had a lot of untapped potential. It didn't take long for Jonathan to master Hamon and face DIO and his underlings. While getting ready to face his opponents, Jonathan often opened his mouth to take a deep breath to stabilize his breathing, which ensured a better flow of Hamon. As the story progressed, Jonathan started to use the stance more and more, which made it extremely iconic.
2 Gon's Jajanken (Hunter x Hunter)
Gon is the main character of the Hunter x Hunter series. While he seemed like an ordinary boy, Gon had enough power to beat opponents, who were bigger than him. After learning about Nen and its usage, Gon developed his own fighting style known as Jajanken.
Jajanken has been heavily inspired by the popular game of rock-paper-scissors. The most used version of Jajanken is Jajanken: Rock. In order to use this technique, Gon gathers all of his aura in his fist using Ko, and, after he has amassed enough power, unleashes a lethal strike that is capable of taking down veteran Hunters. Another thing that makes Gon's Jajanken unique is the chant that comes before the attack. He starts the attack by chanting, "First comes rock. Rock, paper..."
1 Meliodas Counter(Seven Deadly Sins)
Meliodas is the captain and strongest member of the Seven Deadly Sins. Born as the heir to the throne of the Demon King, Meliodas was blessed with an immense amount of power. Meliodas had no equal in the Demon clan, and this made him a feared individual.
In order to ensure that his son reached his potential, the Demon King entrusted Meliodas' development to Chandler, who was a high-ranked demon. Under Chandler's tutelage, Meliodas improved a lot, and he learned how to use Full Counter, which is a very powerful technique. While fighting an opponent, Meliodas would assume an unnatural stance where he slightly arched his back and placed his sword in a defensive position. When a magical attack is launched at him, Meliodas can return it with double power.