Crossovers have become all the rage these days, and that definitely includes anime. There have been some cool crossovers released over the years, but the ones that have really stood the test of time are the crossovers that are truly wild. These crossovers not only bring together some major fan favorite properties into a single adventure, but they have managed to stick out even more so thanks to just how unexpected many of these crossovers were when they first launched. Some of these crossovers have been much more successful than the others, but there’s no changing their impact since their debut.
There have some big anime crossovers from across the decades, and some combine their franchises in such notable ways that they are often referred to as major events by those who check them out. Whether it be different generations of a franchise coming together to face off against a major enemy, entire universes crafted around a single creator’s projects, or even pulled together for special promotional materials, these are some of the wildest crossovers anime fans have ever seen.
7.) Gundam vs. Hello Kitty
Gundam vs. Hello Kitty was a special animation crafted to celebrate milestone anniversaries for both the Gundam and Sanrio franchises that, as advertised, saw Hello Kitty invade the Gundam world and face off against its most iconic mech. It sparks a much larger battle between the two as Hello Kitty is trying her best to save the iconic pilot Amuro, and there’s a lot more care put into it than you would ever guess for such a crossover. But there’s just no getting past just how funny it looks to see a giant Hello Kitty mobile suit flying through the Gundam franchise’s war torn space.
6.) Digimon Xros Wars
Digimon Xros Wars (released as Digimon Fusion in the United States) was a special iteration of the long running franchise that had one episode in particular where a Digimon had control over time and started summoning various foes from across its history. But to combat all of these entities, DigiDestined from across the previous series returned to the spotlight and helped out the new generation save the day. This was taken even further as fans got to see the original incarnations of these characters interact for the first time. Because while DigiDestined like Tai and Davis had crossed paths before, they weren’t young at the same time. Fully unleashing the full scope of their Digimon abilities, it was basically Avengers: Endgame before Marvel even thought to do it.
5.) Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Bonds Beyond Time
Along those same lines is Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Bonds Beyond Time. This film brings together Yugi from Yu-gi-oh!Jaden from Yu-gi-oh! GX and newly introduced (at the time) Yusei from Yu-gi-oh 5dsfrom across different points in time to take on a dangerous new foe. It’s unfortunately far too short, so it’s pretty much over before it can really dig into this dynamic. There’s a much better version of the idea in Yu-gi-oh! GX ‘s final episode as Jaden dueled against Yugi, but this one goes the extra level to include all three of its protagonists and some of their most iconic cards. It’s a fun trip down memory lane while also being just a fun crossover.
4.) Hanma Vs. Tray Kengan Ashura
As one of the more recent crossovers on the list, BAKI HANMA VS. Kengan Ashura came out of pretty much nowhere. With both anime franchises doing well with Netflix, the streaming service united both of these brutalizers into a single series. This is also one of the most in depth crossovers on this list as it lasts for a few episodes, and even settles some of the debates fans have had about who was actually stronger than who. There are very rare opportunities to actually get that these days, and even rarer to get a crossover that looks as good as this does with the result. If you want to see some brutal battles that actually do manage to clash separate universes well, there’s no better example.
3.) Dream 9 Toriko & One Piece & Dragon Ball Z Super Collaboration Special
Likely the most famous crossover on this list, Shonen Jump brought together Dragon Ball Z, One Piece and Toriko together for a fun showcase of each of the franchise’s characters. It unfortunately did not age well as Shonen Jump really overestimated how beloved Toriko was at the time (and continue to overlook the creator’s past misconduct), so we’re seeing a weaker series try to fit in with these icons. It’s like that “bro thinks he’s part of the team” memes you’ll see everywhere of someone who clearly doesn’t belong, and that’s the vibe that’s throughout this crossover. Especially when it’s expected to believe that the titular Toriko is on the same level of Goku or Luffy.
2.) Isekai Quartet
One of the more expansive crossovers on this list is Isekai Quartet. Kadokawa has a ton of Isekai light novel turned anime franchises under their umbrella, and decided to celebrate that fact with a full chibi crossover series (and movie). This combines four of their hottest Isekai anime at first with a fun new adventure that unites the massive character rosters of each series in a fun way. Then it expanded with even more anime in the follow up seasons to the point where now there are hundreds of characters that can be in the mix at any given time. This is all the funniest crossover on the list, hands down, as the inherent comedy of each of these franchises is ratcheted up to a great degree without ruining the appeal of any of the franchises involved either. It’s a wild balancing act to see in motion.
1.) Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
But there’s truly no anime crossover wilder than Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. CLAMP, the creator group behind franchises like Cardcaptor Sakura and xxxHoliccrafted an entire combined universe of their various franchises to launch an entire new series inspired by each of them. It’s a long series in its own right, and borrows characters and designs from the others for a fantastical new tale. It’s such a great crossover in concept that you can jump into it without really knowing any of the series involved and still enjoy it. It’s all baked into the development, and comes out the other end a unique experience unlike anything else CLAMP has released to date.
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