Episode 20

**Champions** is the twentieth episode of the anime adaptation of *Kengan Ashura* and the eighth episode of the second part in Season 1.

Okubo Naoya is known as the King of Combat, but crowd favorite Kanoh Agito is undefeated with 157 straight wins. It's a matchup for the ages.

## Appearing Characters

* Akiyama Kaede
* Akoya Seishu
* Atami Hisashi
* Gaolang Wongsawat
* Hanafusa Hajime
* Hatsumi Sen
* Himuro Ryo
* Hiyama Shunka
* Imai Cosmo
* Jerry Tyson
* Julius Reinhold
* Kaneda Suekichi (flashback)
* Kanoh Agito
* Katahara Metsudo
* Katahara Sayaka
* Kiryu Setsuna
* Kurayoshi Rino
* Kure Raian
* Kuroki Gensai
* Muteba Gizenga
* Mikazuchi Rei
* Okubo Naoya
* Omori Masamichi
* Rihito (flashback)
* Sekibayashi Jun
* Takayama Minoru
* Tokita Ohma
* Wakatsuki Takeshi
* Yamamoto Koishi
* Yamashita Kazuo
* Yoroizuka Saw Paing

## Summary

The final match of the first stage begins, the crowd is heavily anticipating Fang's entrance. Naoya, representing Muji Television Network, is paired against him, confident that he will win. Fang enters, representing Dainippon Bank. Metsudo watches from above, this match being the one he has waited for. Naoya banters with Fang by calling him a last boss, but the reference goes over Fang's head and asks literal questions about the final boss as if he is a real person.

The two take stance, Naoya on defense and Fang lowered to offense. The tension between the two is so great that even the referee is sweating. Even blocked, every hit Fang delivers causes severe damage. Lucky for Naoya, he is strong enough to take one of Fang's hits and successfully pin him to the ground. Naoya has a history of fighting different styles and excelling at them, but not remaining in that field for long. Due to his experience in wrestling, he finds grappling techniques to be essential to gaining leverage in MMA.

Naoya and Fang are exchanging holds of dominance on the ground, breaking from locks and landing blows on one another equally. Naoya barrels fists down onto Fang's guard, finding Fang's lack of resistance to be suspicious. Fang sends Naoya flying off of him with his hips, to which Metsudo comments that it is time to witness his true power.

A grin breaks out on Fang's face as he exclaims he has witnessed all of Naoya's tactics and that it is over for him, but Naoya takes charge of this moment to land a throw on Fang's temple. He barrages Fang without allowing him to react, his attacks shifting from grapples, throws and blows without pattern. Despite Fang being superior to Naoya, the skill Naoya possesses may just provide him with the means to win.

Naoya delivers a lethal kick, but Fang rises up again in maniacal amusement, having survived due to his ability to relax all the muscles in his body to disperse the shock. Fang responds to every shift of attack Naoya makes reflexively, the times in between seemingly too short for prediction. Fang takes Naoya in a belly-to-belly suplex and halts before finishing Naoya off. He thanks Naoya for making him stronger and regains his composure to leave as the winner.

Naoya awakes in a hospital bed, unable to fathom how he was to beat someone that could evolve during battle. Fang has a pattern of breaking the fighting spirit in his opponents, destroying them as fighters.

Ohma declares to Fang and Wakatsuki that he will be the one to win the left block. Fang knocks Ohma out, stating his next opponent is Raian and that he will lose.

## Anime and Manga Discrepancies

* Prior to Okubo leaving to go out and fight Kanoh Agito, he encounters Wakatsuki and Sekibayashi. In the manga, he encounters Wakatsuki, Kaede and Sakura instead.
* Okubo's past incendiary public statement is omitted.
* Takayama Minoru's heated rivalry with Agito is omitted.
* After Agito's fight, when he encounters Wakatsuki in the hallway and Ohma appears to declare himself as the strongest on his side of the bracket, Yamashita Kazuo is present with Ohma. In the manga, it is Kaede and Sakura who are still alongside Wakatsuki, having been with him the entirety of the Okubo Naoya-Kanoh Agito fight.
	+ In the anime, Agito converses primarily with Ohma and barely makes a passing comment to Wakatsuki. In the manga, the reverse is true.
	+ In the anime, Agito knocks Ohma out cold whereas in the manga it is Takayama Minoru and Omori Masamichi who subdue Ohma after his outburst against Agito.