Although it's commonly believed that actions speak louder than words, sometimes, nothing can be more soul-stirring and inspirational than a powerful string of words said at the right time. Every time anime characters make their voices truly heard, be it in a motivational speech of encouragement or a heart-wrecking final monologue, their sincere sentiment has an impact both on the audience and those they're addressing.
An intense speech has the power to shift worldviews, persuade minds, and even change the course of history. And anime's best orators long since mastered the art of the spoken word. These anime speeches have become their shows' most memorable and epic moments, and the words uttered by their declaimers are unparalleled in their magnitude and eloquence.
10 Rider's "The True King" Speech (Fate/Zero)
What makes a truly admirable leader? For the heroic spirits of Fate/Zero, many of whom were once rulers and kings, this question holds a lot of meaning. Yet, the answer each of them comes to is entirely different. For Iskandar, Rider-class Servant of Waver Velvet in the Fourth Holy Grail War, a king is someone who leads his people — louder, greedier, and more drunk on life than any of them.
Such a figure, to Rider, is an inspiration his people will envy and adore. In his iconic speech to Saber, Rider mocks her for being a martyr and a saint but never a true ruler. In his powerful declaration of leadership ideals, Rider offers Saiber a contrasting perspective to her narrow-minded vision.
9 Tanya Degurechaff's "Taking The God's Place" Speech (Saga Of Tanya The Evil)
The titular protagonist of Saga of Tanya the Evil is far from a conventional picture-perfect leader. So, it's very telling of her character that her motivational speech to rile up the troops before battle is unorthodoxly violent yet captivating.
Starting with generic statements about war and soldier's duty, Tanya suddenly drifts into theological questioning. Her speech, raw with emotion and venom, is a declaration of war not against the army's foes but against God himself. Tanya sees God as a violent, arrogant creature who shouldn't have the power to dictate fate. Instead, on the battlefield, those who fight take God's place.
8 Simon's "I'm Simon The Digger" Speech (Gurren Lagann)
Beneath the seeming goofiness and over-the-top absurdity of Gurren Lagann lies a truly impactful story about accepting oneself and persisting in one's fight against impossible odds. Simon's character arc is dedicated to the once timid and self-conscious boy growing to realize his worth.
The moment Simon's development begins to build up to that cathartic conclusion happens soon after the boy loses Kamina, his best friend and mentor. Upon finding the strength to overcome his grief and continue fighting without Kamina to cheer him on, Simon delivers a powerful speech, reclaiming his identity as Simon the Digger.
7 Korosensei's "The Value Of Losing" Speech (Assassination Classroom)
Despite his unconventional methods and circumstances, Assassination Classroom's Korosensei is a surprisingly wise and gentle teacher, capable of saying just the right words to his students in moments of doubt and frustration. His speech about the value of losing, delivered to one of his brightest yet most overconfident pupils, Karma, is the most poignant example of Korosensei's mastery as a teacher.
Korosensei's declaration that a loss can be a much more constructive educator than countless meaningless victories had a profound effect on Karma. This speech was the moment the viewers saw a real change in Karma's approach not only to fighting but to the world at large.
6 Reigen Arataka's "Grow Up" Speech (Mob Psycho 100)
While Mob's con man of a mentor Reigen is one of the only characters in Mob Psycho 100 with no psychic powers, he has the strongest presence in the entire cast. His strength doesn't come from supernatural abilities but from mature, realistic observation of life.
The closest to an authentic portrayal of adulthood in the series and a master spokesperson, Reigen destroys the confidence of Claw's 7th Division by shaming them for living in a fantasy. Reigen states that real change doesn't require psychic powers, and posers who torment defenseless children have simply lost touch with reality and don't deserve to act all high and mighty.
5 Sakata Gintoki's "Strawberry Milk" Speech (Gintama)
Only anime's king of comedy, Gintama, could take such an earnest and inspiring trope as a motivational speech and turn it into a brilliant, hilarious farce. Gintoki's Strawberry Milk speech is an iconic piece of Gintama's comedy in which the protagonist delivers a highfalutin monologue about peeing the bed after drinking too much strawberry milk.
Gintoki's ridiculous speech is as pompous and enthusiastic as they get, and, somehow, he manages to rile the people around him up, basking in the crowd's chants like what he said made perfect sense. While not anime's most serious speech, Gintoki's monologue is definitely impossible to forget.
4 Dr. Hiliruk's "When Does A Man Die" Speech (One Piece)
One Piece has many moving emotional moments, and countless characters in the series turn to powerful words in moments of desperation. Yet, no speech in the show has quite the touching power and thematic relevance as the final words of Dr. Hiliruk.
"When does a man die? A man dies when he is forgotten!" is the iconic declaration of Chopper's dying mentor, a person who, despite suffering through countless failures, recognizes his life as one of joy and undeniable worth. Linked to One Piece's underlying themes of eternal legacy and the immortal power of dreams, Dr. Hiliruk's speech resonates with every listener, as it encapsulates every inspirational sentiment the series strives to convey.
3 Pain's "Cycle Of Hatred" Speech (Naruto: Shippuden)
It's not surprising that one of the most thought-provoking speeches in Naruto comes from a villain, namely the Akatsuki leader Pain. After raiding the Leaf Village, Pain delivers his brilliant monologue to Naruto, one who seemingly couldn't be more different than him, yet, according to Pain, fights for the same reasons.
Pain's Cycle of Hatred is a compelling think piece on ideology in which he states that what he battles for is peace. In Pain's eyes, everybody fights for their beliefs, only concerned with their own version of justice and vengeance. As a result, humanity is stuck in what Pain calls the indefinite cycle of hatred.
2 The Major's "I Love War" Speech (Hellsing)
No speech in anime holds quite as much poignancy and eerie enthrallment as the Major's monologue on war from Hellsing. One of the most heinous, despicable villains in anime history, the supreme commander of Millennium and the former SS lieutenant under the direct command of Adolf Hitler, the Major is an unforgivable war criminal one can't sympathize with.
Yet, it makes it all the more interesting that his one opportunity to explain himself is dedicated to a disquieting monologue about his earnest fascination with war, chaos, and mindless violence. The cruelty and devastation of warfare bring him nothing but glee and excitement, and this unfathomable immorality is what makes the Major such a fascinating villain.
1 Erwin Smith's "My Soldiers" Speech (Attack On Titan)
The character of Commander Erwin Smith in Attack on Titan was always a picture of perfect leadership — an inspirational, respected figure who makes impossible sacrifices for the good of humanity. So, it's fitting that Erwin's last sacrifice was his own life and dreams of learning the truth about the world.
As the last attempt to stop the Beast Titan, Erwin leads the remains of the Survey Corps on a suicide charge, convincing the soldiers to follow him on this deadly mission with a truly magnificent speech. Erwin bravely declares that it's better to die fighting than running and hiding, all while courageously charging toward his certain death.
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