List of fictional martial arts

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Many works of fiction such as movies and books have characters that practise martial arts. Usually they practise existing martial arts, such as Judo or Aikido, but sometimes a martial art is made up for dramatic purposes or to lend a fictional world a sense of authenticity. This is a list of such martial arts, sorted by the medium of the fictional work they appear in.

Contents

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Books and comics

  • Ankh-Morpork Streetfighting - in the city of Ankh-Morpork in the Discworld series, Ankh-Morpork Streetfighting is particularly intense, as fighting fairly and honorably will most likely get you killed. Masters of the art are perfectly willing to hit anything with anything.
  • Baritsu - Japanese wrestling style used by Sherlock Holmes, probably a typographical error for the real martial art of Bartitsu
  • Cards as Weapons - mock martial art of throwing playing cards with extreme force and accuracy, as presented in magician/card-scaler Ricky Jay's book of the same title.
  • Coup de vitesse - practised by Honor Harrington in a series of books by David Weber.
  • Dagor used by the people of Arkon (like Atlan) in the fictional Perry Rhodan-Universe
  • Delkaiba - An old martial art that Sammis learned from his mother in L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s "TimeDiver's Dawn". He comments that he only learned enough to be wary of using it. He later learns considerably more techniques from a ConFed subforcer, although whether these moves were also Delkaiba isn't made clear. Later in the novel and in the sequel, "The Timegod", Sammis is almost unbeatable, except possibly by Loki.
  • Dimac - "the deadliest form of martial art known to mankind", referenced in The Brentford Trilogy of Robert Rankin. The art's code of honour requires that practitioners give their opponent a fair and reasonable warning that they are exponents of Dimac. The name comes from Dim mak, the "death touch", purportedly an extremely dangerous pressure point strike.
  • Enton - The brutally efficient martial art used by the Yd people in B. I. Flight’s monster-hunter fantasy/thriller series, “The Lonely Winds.” Enton is similar in form and style to American Kenpo, particularly with regards to its economy of motion and its versatility. It also bears some similarities to certain Filipino martial arts.
  • Hoda Korosu, or Naked/Kill - the martial art practiced by master assassin Nicholai Hel in the book Shibumi by Trevanian (published 1979), which allows common objects (plastic cup, magazine) to be used as lethal weapons. Sometimes seen as "the art of improvised weapons" the translation of "naked kill" implies one is dangerous with anything at hand.
  • Jew-do - Self defense taught by monks to Joshua and Biff in Christopher Moore's Lamb
  • Kostapa - a martial art specifically created for bodyguards, as mentioned in the book Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer.
  • Kung Digitsju seems to be a martial art practised by the extraterrestrial Kung species in Terry Pratchett's book Strata.
  • Omnite - eclectic unarmed martial art taught to the Sandmen, the enforcers of the 1967 science fiction novel Logan's Run
  • Shajadpa Boxing - A martial art used in Roger Zelazny's book This Immortal. It seems to be invented by Vegans (extraterrestrials from Vega) and is practised while wearing spiked cesti on one's hands.
  • Shun Leep - A style practiced in the Gold Digger series. It originates in the fantasy realm of Jade.
  • Sinanju - A Korean martial art handed down for many generations in The Destroyer series.
  • Sumito - The martial art of the Holy Order of the Siblings of the Shroud in Steve Perry's The Matador series.
  • Traffkicking - A Termight martial art Practiced by Purity Brown in Nemesis the Warlock.
  • Trigade - from Selina Rosen's novel, Queen of Denial. A martial art practiced by the United Peoples of Trinidad on the planet Caldeed. Intended to be used by groups under siege, it is described by Drewcilia Qwah as "the fighting style of a country which has lived with war for twenty generations." The first four rules of Trigade are: 1) Anything goes. 2) Use your anger. 3) Save yourself. 4) There is no such thing as safety in numbers. The third rule, at first glance, seems to make this a poor choice for siege defence, but it is further explained that "You can't hold your post if you're dead." Drew further points out that it is better to run for help when you are threatened than to die and leave a hole in the defenses.
  • Tri-Jitsu is a martial art practiced exclusively by the Carggite race in the Legion of Super Heroes comics, leveraging their unique ability of instantly splitting in three identical bodies or fusing back into one.
  • Twisting is a martial art practiced by Hari Seldon, the hero of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. It's said that the best twisters come from Helicon, Seldon's home planet.
  • Weirding Way - psychic/martial art featured in the Dune series of novels and the TV miniseries; characterised by extreme discipline and the development of superhuman body control incorporated into the Prana Bindu training. This technique was left out of the Dune motion picture in favor of a sonic weapon known as the Weirding Module reportedly because it was felt that a pitched combat of Fremen fighting Sardaukar while using the Weirding Way would look like a campy kung-fu movie. Conversely, the Weirding Module provided the opportunity for the use of special effects
  • Several martial arts occur in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Unless otherwise noted, these are practiced by the History Monks in Thief of Time who use their mastery of time to appear to move supernaturally fast. Most of the History Monk's martial arts can be assumed to resemble shaolin kung-fu more than a little.
    • Okidoki Is a common martial art used by the History Monks. It is not much described beyond the monk Lu-Tze's derisive "just a lot of bunny hops".
    • Shiitake Never described beyond Lu-Tze's brushing it off by saying that "if [he] wanted to thrust his hands into hot sand he would go to the seaside"
    • Upsidazi Described as "a waste of good bricks" by Lu-Tze.
    • Tung-pi never described beyond a contemptous comment by Lu-Tze: "bad-tempered flower-arranging".
    • Sna-fu is never described at all. See SNAFU.
    • Toro-fu is never described at all.
    • Chang-fu is never described at all.
    • The Way of Ms. Cosmopilite is both the name of the personal philosophy practised by Lu-Tze and a martial art practised by the monks of time. The martial art with this name is described as 'babbling incoherently and hitting one another with your broom' and is based upon the behavior of Ms. Cosmopilite after too many monks have come to gaze reverentially upon her.
    • Deja fu is Lu-Tze's martial art. It is possibly known only by him and is apparently powerful enough to defeat the avatar of time.
    • Path of the Scorpion is a martial art taught in mail-order lessons sold by C.M.O.T. Dibbler, under the name Lobsang Dibbler. If it has the quality of Dibbler's other wares it is guaranteed to be entirely useless.
    • Path of the Happy Jade Lotus is taught in a book of martial arts accidentally bought by Lancre's king Verence II of Lancre. It is not much described, although it seems to be functional, unlike the Path of the Scorpion.
    • Sloshi is a martial art practised by the fools, or clowns. It is described as being basically the moderate violence that clowns normally use but without the moderation.
    • Tsimo Wrestling is a martial art/sport practised in the Agatean Empire. It is basically exaggerated sumo wrestling.
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Games

  • CQC or Close Quarters Combat, the art of battlefield judo, is said to have been developed by the Boss and her protègè, Big Boss, in the PlayStation 2 video game Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Big Boss went on to teach this fighting style to his students at Outer Heaven, among them his own protègè, Solid Snake.
  • DWN-Infinity (∞) Self-styled fighting technique involving the use of the Z-Saber.
  • An unnamed Ki-based martial art practiced by a distinct few Reploids in the Mega Man X series; the style is very reminiscent of the ki-based moves of Ryu, Ken, and Akuma in the Street Fighter series.
  • Hakkyoku-Seiken (Japanese, Eight Star Holy Fist) is another fictional martial art practiced by Tung-Fu Rue, Geese Howard, Jeff Bogard and his sons: Terry and Andy in SNK's Fatal Fury and King of Fighters fighting game series. In later installments of the Fatal Fury games, Geese's son, Rock Howard, also a practitioner of this style, trained by Terry Bogard.
  • Insult swordfighting, enployed in the Monkey Island series. It´s a combination of fencing and insulting the opponent as a form of art.
  • Kailindo, practiced by certain tribes of Garou in the roleplaying game Werewolf: The Apocalypse. This technique makes use of claws and teeth, superhuman strength and speed, and the power of shapeshifting; consequently only werewolves and their transforming relatives can make use of it.
  • Kyokugenryu Karate (Japanese: 極限流空手) is a fictitious fighting style employed by several characters in the Art of Fighting fighting games produced by SNK Playmore. However, many elements are derived from Okinawan Karate.
  • Mishima-Style Karate (Tekken) - Heihachi Mishima developed an unorthodox form of karate. It involves a series of supernatural moves which can be only be done by Heihachi Mishima or anyone else in the family due to the devil gene, which coarses through their blood.
  • Wardancing - not to be confused with the performance of earthly wardances, which are typically danced before war. This is a martial art/dance performed by the wood elven wardancers in Warhammer Fantasy. It consists of several savage dances which are performed while fighting one's enemies.
  • YumFu - Mr. Higsby from Megaman Battle Network claims that he learned YumFu in Yumland.
  • The role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons contain some fictional martial arts, such as:
    • Astral dancing - a martial art meant to be used on the astral plane. Since the astral plane lacks gravity and ground, but lets sentient beings "fall" in any direction they choose, it allows very different techniques from those suitable to earth-like environments to be used. Astral dancing is mainly practised by Githyanki and Buommans, although some Githzerai practisioners exist.
    • Bladesong -a martial art for mastery of the sword, either a longsword or rapier. Invented by the elves and practiced exclusively by them, learning the art requires lengths of time approaching a normal human lifespan. A technique combining song, dance, and magic use, it is designed to be beautiful as well as deadly, and concentrates primarily on defense and speed. It is named for the humming "song" created as the blade of the sword cuts through the air during use of the style.
    • Motion Camouflage - also called Neraph Camouflage, is a martial art used by the Neraphim, found in the Planar Handbook. It is based upon appearing to move slower than one really does, enabling one to catch many foes by surprise. Only two Motion Camoflage techniques are ever described in the planar handbook. The first is the Neraph Charge, which consists of charging while appearing to stand still, or at least moving to slowly to be dangerous. The second is the Neraph Throw, which consists of throwing objects (such as daggers or annulats) while concealing that they are moving at any appreciable speed.
    • Sheshan Talarash Dasyannah - which roughly translates into "Dancing with the shadows on the path to light", or more commonly into "The path of shadows" is a martial art/dance found in the Eberron Campaign setting. It practised by Kalashtar, generally of the monk character class. It consist of smooth, fluid motions whose beauty lets it be practised as either a martial art or as a dance, somewhat like capoeira. Those who focus on its dancing aspects are said to be "staying in the light", while those who focus on the martial parts are said to be "facing the shadows".
    • Way of the Arcanamach - a martial art developed for use against arcane spellcasters. It was invented in the Suel Empire, an ancient empire where magic was common and the leaders were practically all wizards. Although the Suel Empire is long gone, the Way of the Arcanamach can still be learnt in the ancient tomes "Suel Arcanamacha" and the practitioners of the way are still known as "Suel Arcanamachs".
    • Zerthi - a martial art used by the Githzerai monks inhabiting the Monastery of Zerth'Ad'lun. It emphasizes anticipating one's opponent's actions and even allows the most trained fighters to see a short time into the future. Since the Githzerai monks live in monasteries where "down" is towards the nearest surface, and the world outside those monasteries, limbo, is a place where "down" is any direction one chooses, it can be assumed that Zerthi works differently from martial arts on earth regarding balance.
  • A number of "supernatural" martial arts styles exist in the Exalted role-playing game, such as:
    • Charcoal March of Spiders style
    • Prismatic Arrangement of Creation style
    • Violet Bier of Sorrows style
  • There are several martial arts styles in the Fading Suns role-playing game Universe, like:
    • Shaidan A style similar to Karate
    • Koto A deceptive sport with philosophies not unlike Zen Koans.
    • Mantok The secret art of Brother Battle Monks.
    • Iron Heel A down-and-dirty combat art used by the Muster Guild. Somewhat no-holds-barred.
    • Jox Kai Von (Jox Boxing) An Ur-Ukar art that makes Iron Heel seems honorable and serene, involving eye gouges and groin strikes.
    • Graa The Vorox martial art utilizing all six of their limbs.
    • Barada Zho Veda The martial art of the Eskatonic Order.
  • There are several martial arts styles developed in the GURPS role-playing game system, intended to illustrate methods of adapting the martial arts rules of that game to unusual situations. It should be noted that they are not all intended for use in the same background. They include:
    • Engaijutsu A powerful style developed by a hedonistic alien race
    • Kronin Karate A style which makes use of its practitioners' psionic powers
    • Aerie Fighting A style developed by a winged fantasy race
    • Dragon-Man Kung Fu The art of an order of monks who have figured out a secret method of breathing fire
    • Smasha Developed by orcs, this style relies on a vicious set of dirty tricks, from eye gouges to rabbit punches
    • Sylvan War Lore An elven style centered around the staff
    • Cyberninjutsu A combat technique designed for assassins with cybernetic augmentations
    • Force-Swordsmanship A specialized art, dedicated to the mastery of the force sword, and very similar in concept to Lightsaber combat
    • Spacer Kung Fu An art designed for use in zero- or micro-gravity environments
    • Reticulate A style developed by the Kaa, an alien race with snake-like bodies
  • Capcom's Street Fighter fighting game series contains some fictional martial arts, such as:
    • Goutetsu-ryū Ansatsuken (Goutetsu-Style Assassin's Fist) is a martial art practiced by Ryu, Ken Masters, Akuma, Sakura Kasugano, Sean Matsuda, Gouken, and Goutetsu. Originally, mistaken to be derived from Shotokan.
    • Saikyō-Ryū - "The Strongest Style," a mix of Goutetsu-ryū Ansatsuken, Karate, Muay Thai, and endless taunting developed by the hapless Dan Hibiki. It pretty much treats taunting as a form of fighting.
    • Kanzuki-ryū Kakutōjutsu is a martial art only practiced by Karin Kanzuki in Street Fighter Alpha 3.
    • Mizugami-ryū, a style used by Hokuto Mizugami in the Street Fighter EX series.
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Manga and anime

  • Champloo Mix Kendo is the made-up martial arts style employed by Mugen in the anime series Samurai Champloo. "Champloo" is a type of stir-fry, and relates to the mix of styles Mugen put together into a single fighting system. This style is a literal mish-mash of various styles and movements, combining everything from Capoeira to Zui Quan to Akido to break-dancing into a single form that is difficult to defend against and impossible to predict. The sword-work is like that of advanced forms of Kendo practiced by samurai, able to take on multiple opponents at a single time. Judging from his criminal background, Mugen probably invented this style to defend against wandering samurai or Yakuza that might cross his path.
  • Dragon Ball Martial Arts - There are several martial arts mentioned in the anime series Dragon Ball, many of them studied by the protagonist, Son Goku. Most of the fighting styles and techniques in the series require the application of ki - life energy - to use. Only one who is trained in the art of ki control can use ki to fight.
    • Kaio-ken (literally "fist of the gods") is the martial art taught by North Kaio to Son Goku during the year he spends dead. The primary focus of this fighting style is to remove one's internal limitations and allow a greater yet more-controlled flow of ki to exit the body.
      • The main technique, simply called kai-ou-ken, or King Kai Fist, which opens up the body's energy floodgates, giving the user a temporary yet immense boost in both speed and power. The user can even use multiple kaiō-ken in succession for further increases in power, but doing so does more and more damage to one's internal organs. Kaio-ken in use is signified by the body's ki aura changing from white to a deep, blood red in color.
      • Genki-dama (also called the "spirit bomb") is the most powerful technique in kaio-ken. It takes a long time to charge and is easy to lose control of. If the user is not highly skilled, they may miss the target or drop the bomb, which has enough power to destroy an entire world. The sheer amount of power required for the spirit bomb does not exist in any single lifeform, even a Saiyan. It is borrowed from all forms of life on a planet - plants, animals, people - and compressed into a bright, glowing sphere of pure ki. The user then throws it at the opponent, using his own will to direct the flight and forcing to make contact. Most opponents will mistake this as an energy attack and attempt to guard against it. This is their undoing. All the bomb has to do is make contact. The pure energy of the bomb reacts with negative emotions. The more the opponent attempts to fight against its power, the stronger the bomb becomes. No evil can withstand its power.
    • Kame-Sennin Ryu is a style of martial arts discipline taught only by the Kame-sennin ("Turtle Hermit"), Muten Roshi. The kame style is focused around endurance and strength, as much of the training involves wearing weighted clothing. At the very beginning of Dragon Ball story, Roshi's first two students, Son Goku and Krillin, wore weighted turtle shells on their backs while performing menial tasks meant to train and condition their muscles. All of Roshi's students wear orange gi (uniforms), some with weighted shirts, boots, and armbands. Later on, the bandit Yamcha starts wearing Roshi's uniform in honor of Roshi accepting him as a student. Here is a list of Kame-sennin style techniques:
      • Kame-hame-ha (literally "Turtle Devastation Wave") - One of the most often-used techniques in the Dragon Ball story, the kame-hameha is a beam of energy fired from the hands, palms forward. The act of charging up energy for the attack can take some time, meaning that this is not a quick-shot attack. Pulling the hands together, wrists almost touching, palms out, fingers curled, the user mumbles, "Ka-me..." Allowing a ring, and then a ball, of energy to appear in the gap between the palms as the user says louder, "Ha-me..." Then, thrusting the arms forward with great force, the user screams, "Ha!", forcing a blue-white beam of energy to shoot out from the hands. While in flight, or on the ground, if the user has enough experience they can redirect the head of the beam of energy in the event the opponent attempts to dodge it. The width of the beam is directly proportional to the amount of energy poured into the attack, and can vary from one to one-hundred feet. The destructive potential of the kame-hameha is unparalleled, as Master Roshi uses the attack at one point to destroy Earth's moon. Son Goku devises some interesting uses for this technique, like firing it from his feet in order to fly a short distance, or even controlling it after the beam has left his hand in order to distract an enemy from his real position.
      • Kienzan, translated into Destructo-Disc in the anime, is a technique that was actually added to the kame school's repertoire by one of Roshi's students, Krillin. It involves taking a ball of ki energy and compressing it into a disc with a razor-thin edge. Unlike most ki attacks, which explode or pierce the target, this one spins at an extreme speed to literally saw through the target.
      • Zanzōken (also called "invisible jumping") is not unique to the kame style, but is used most often by its students. It allows the user to vanish in a blur from one position and appear in another, almost as though they teleported. Goku is a master of the zanzoken as he uses it in conjunction with his natural Saiyan speed.
    • The Namekian Piccolo has his own fighting style, most of it discovered from his genetic memory from his father, Piccolo Daimiao.
      • Makankosappo (a.k.a. "special beam cannon")
      • Makosen - Piccolo's size-increasing technique
      • Masenko
    • Tsuru-Sennin Ryu is another style of martial arts discipline in the Dragon Ball universe. It is taught by Roshi's lifelong nemesis, the Tsuru-sennin ("Crane Hermit"). The Tsuru style is similar to the Crane-style Kung-fu, using advanced moves to avoid the enemy and perform a precise application of force as well as redirecting the opponent's force. Tsuru-sennin's malice towards Roshi filtered through his teachings into his students. As such, the two main practitioners of this art, Tenshinhan and Chaozu, have a natural distrust of Roshi's students. Students of Tsuru-sennin wear green clothing, just like their master. After Tsuru-sennin displays his lack of honor at the Tenkaichi Budokai, Tenshinhan and Chaozu break with him and become de facto students of Kame-sennin's teaching philosophy, which is where his students start learning some of the Tsuru style techniques. Here is a list of Tsuru-sennin style techniques:
      • Buku-jutsu (literally, "air dance") - This technique is what makes the characters in the world of Dragon Ball able to fly. On Earth, only the students of Tsuru-sennin are taught to fly, but it seems to be a more common technique on other worlds in the galaxy, like on the planet Namek. Piccolo, for instance, knows how to fly instinctually and teaches this skill to Son Gohan.
      • Dodon-pa (a.k.a. "dodon ray") - This is the tsuru style's main energy technique. Unlike its kame style equivalent, the kame-hameha, which uses brute force, the dodon-pa is a thin beam fired from the fingertips that can literally pierce through a target, even with thick armor. Another advantage over the kame-hameha is that the dodon-pa can be fired in rapid succession. This technique is a mainstay of Tsuru-sennin's younger brother, the assassin Tao Pai Pai, who likes it for its ability to kill an opponent with one shot at great distance.
      • Kiai is a technique first used by Tenshinhan. It involves using one's will to send an invisible wave of ki toward a target. It can be directed through the hands or the eyes. Later on, many other characters learn to use this technique.
      • Kikoho (also called "tri-beam cannon") is Tenshinhan's ultimate technique. Due to its destructive power, he can only perform it while floating in the air. Forming a triangle with his hands, he targets an opponent or location, a zoomed view appearing in the triangle. He then forces a large amount of ki through this targeting technique, blasting away a perfectly-rectangular area on the ground below. Roshi, after seeing Tenshinhan and Goku in battle, has noted that the Kikoho is even stronger than the Kame-hame-ha. A Kikoho from Tenshinhan is comparable to a blast from a Saiyan, despite a Saiyan's inherent superiority in power. The disadvantage of this technique is that it requires some of Tenshinhan's own life energy to perform, severely weakening him after every attack.
    • The Saiyan (Saiya-jin) Vegeta has his own form of martial arts. Unlike most other characters in the world of Dragon Ball who have styles that are structured disciplines, Vegeta's fighting style is more so an interstellar, bare-knuckles, street fighting style. Here is a list of his techniques:
      • Big Bang Attack
      • Final Flash
      • Gyarikku-Hou (a.k.a. "Galick Gun") is a massive beam of ki similar to Goku's Kame-hameha. It fires rather quickly, and has an explosive head on the beam. Due to the Vegeta's base power level (18,000, as stated in the manga) being higher than Goku's before kaiouken ×3 (and as illustrated by their first fight, Goku was equal -- if not stronger -- than Vegeta when using kaiouken ×3), it is often thought that this attack is stronger than the Kame-hameha.
      • Renzoku ki dan is Vegeta's quintessential rapid-fire attack.
  • Jurai Royal Family Sword Forms is the fictional sword style used by the royal family of the planet Jurai in Tenchi Muyo! While resembling kenjutsu at first glance, it appears to rely on high agility and hand-and-a-half techniques to a much greater extent. Notable users are Katsuhito Masaki and Tenchi Masaki.
  • Karin Zanjutsu is the fictional sword style used by Akutabi Gamma, the protagonist of the unfinished manga Zombie Powder. It is said to take up to 40 years for a normal human to master, but Gamma -who is hardly normal- did it in only four years. A master such as Gamma can generate "black flames" from his body and sword and use them to greatly increase the range or potency of his techniques. Despite the resemblance to fire, these flames seem to be more aking to forcefields. The Karin Zanjutsu should not be confused with Zanjutsu (see below) despite having been created by the same author.
  • Kamiya Kasshin Ryu is the fictional discipline of Kenjutsu of the manga and anime protagonists Kamiya Kaoru and Myojin Yahiko of Rurouni Kenshin.
  • Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is the fictional discipline of Kenjutsu of manga and anime protagonist Himura Kenshin of Rurouni Kenshin.
  • Hokuto Shinken, or "North Star God Fist," practiced by Kasumi Kenshiro of Fist of the Blue Sky and his far future descendant, Kenshiro, in Fist of the North Star. The martial arts is heavily based on the application of pressure points, which, when high strength is applied and/or in sequence, can cause paralysis, blindness, and massive explosive hemorraging. This knowledge can also be used to heal, in addition to harm. Its only weakness is that it doesn't work as well against an obese man (as the fat protects the pressure points from being hit). There is also a rival martial art, called Nanto Seiken, the "South Star Holy Fist", which focuses on piercing and penetrating attacks to literally rip through the opponent's defenses.
  • Ittō-ryū - martial arts school in the manga Blade of the Immortal. It's basic philosophy is "whatever works". It cannot be cathegorized as the art of using any particular weapon since it's practitioners use anything from double-pointed spears to rotating, many-bladed rings.
  • Panzer Kunst and Maschine Klatsch, cyborg martial arts in Battle Angel Alita (Japanese title, GUNNM). Developed on Mars, Panzer Kunst is considered the most powerful cyborg martial art in GUNNM, with its most powerful techniques being the Hertza Haeon, which causes a low frequency wave to resonate and ricochet through an opponent's body, and the Einzug Rustungen, an armor penetrating technique that synchronizes with an opponent's fighting rhythm to strike at precise moments. Maschine Klatsch is similar, but considered weaker because of its heavy basis around rhythm, although a Maschine Klatsch master can defeat a practitioner of Panzer Kunst with effort. Both names are German and translate into "armor art" and "machine slap(ping)."
  • In the anime and manga Ranma ½ the main hero Ranma Saotome meets and fights with students of all manner of bizarre and often humorous martial arts. Some of these martial arts are:
    • School of Indiscriminate Grappling, aka "Anything Goes Martial Arts", or Musabetsu Kakutō Ryu in Japanese, is the school Ranma himself practices. It is far more conventional than most martial arts in Ranma ½, although it contains some very strange techniques (such as those described in the scrolls of "Saotome school underhanded trick secret techniques"). Despite the main branch, originally created by Happosai, it was later broken into two schools, Tendo Ryu and Saotome Ryu. It is unknown what differences there are, but the best guess is that one focuses on ground manuvers and armed combat; while the other focuses on the opposite, air manuvers and unarmed combat. Though, according to some fans, each school does teach a little of the other into their respective styles, in order prepare each heir for the unexpected. After all anything does go.
    • Kunō-Ryu (Kuno School/Style) is the kenjutsu school of the Kunō family. It incorporates both conventional kendo and the art of shaving one's enemies. It is evidently quite powerful, as the Kunō Ryu master Tatewaki Kuno is capable of cutting through trees and statues using nothing more than a wooden bokken.
    • Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, or Kakutō Shintaisō in Japanese, is a martial art/sport where the fighters must use gymnastics equipment as their weapons. All body contact is forbidden, although little else (such as razor hoops, boiling water or spiked clubs) is. Kodachi Kuno is a practictioner of this style
    • Martial Arts Skating is the martial art of fighting while wearing skates. It is often practised with pairs of skaters fighting each other, resembling pair figure skating. Apparently some rule of anime physics allows practitioners of Martial Arts Skating to kick each other in the face with their skates without causing more damage than bruising.
    • Martial Arts Tea Ceremony, or Kakutō Sadō in Japanese, is a bizarre martial art/ritual where all fighters are required to fight while sitting in seiza and using the tools normally used in the Japanese tea ceremony as weapons.
    • Okonomiyaki Kakutō is the martial art used by okonomiyaki cooks such as Ukyo Kuonji. It uses war-like variations of things commonly used in okonomiyaki making, such as throwing-spatulas, flour bombs and rubber-yakisoba.
    • Kakutō Demae is a martial art used by some food delivery services.
    • Creative Indiscriminate Martial Arts, or Ganso Musabetsu Kakutō in Japanese, is the martial art practised by the diminutive Happosai. It seems to be based mainly on sneaky tricks, such as throwing bombs taken from hammerspace, but this may be caused by Happosai's age making him prefer tricks to other techniques.
    • Hidden Weapons, or Kanuma Emono in Japanese, is an Chinese Amazonian martial art used by the only Chinese male Amazon in the Ranma ½ series, Mousse, or Mu-Tsu. More of a technique than a school of martial arts. It allows the user to create pockets of folded chi, or voids, on themselves or within their clothing. This allows them to carry many weapons on them; chains, shuriken, kunai, senbon needles, etc. The type of clothing they wear aids them in their art; the more volumous, baggier, the clothing the larger the weapons and amount of storage within as well. It also teachs the practitioner to use almost anything as a weapon; a broken table leg becomes a club; a mop, a bo; a teddybear, a shield; etc.
    • Martial Arts Cheerleading is the martial art used by a few cheerleaders. Its main purpose is to defeat the opposing team and help one's own, by means more physical than simple cheering. The weapons used in martial arts cheerleading are generally the tools normally used for cheerleading, such as pom-poms or batons.
    • Indiscriminate Martial Arts Ultimate Secrets, or Musabetsu Kakutō ōgi in Japanese, is the art of sucking one's enemies' energy out of their bodies. This is usually done through the hole in the middle of Japanese yen coins, although it can be done using almost any ring-shaped object (such as a basketball hoop).
    • Yamasenken (Mountain of a 1000 Fists) and Umisenken (Sea of a 1000 Fists), are two very powerful martial arts developed by Genma Saotome. They have the same basis, in that both use fighting techniques based on various ways of stealing the valuables of a house. They even see the human body as a house, with the head as the front door and legs as the support. The difference between the two styles is that Yamasenken is based upon a brutal robber breaking through the front door of the house, while Umisenken is based upon a stealthy burglar sneaking in through the back door. A more thorough description of these two styles can be found with the profile of said martial arts master of the Saotome Anything Goes Style.
    • Nekoken, or Cat Fist, is a conditioning fighting style that is taught by subjecting the trainee through vigorous training that will mentally break them. Taught by wrapping and binding them with fish produce, and then throwing them into a pit of rabid cats repeatedly until they learn the art. This results of this being only one of three things: One, the trainee does not survive the training and becomes cat food, if they are lucky. Two, they develop a deep fear of cats and a cat-like split personality which has them believing they are cats, if they are not completely lucky. OR three, if they are completely without luck, go into a deeper version of two, permanently staying in a feral state of cat mode with no escape for the rest of their lives. Those who fall under the second category, like Ranma Saotome, develop a sort of a ki cutter attack. An instinctive ability to draw out and shape ki into what appears as invisible cat claws from each hand, and maybe even each foot, that can cut through anything.
  • Senjutsu - In the world of Outlaw Star, Tao magicians of the Chinese guild use mystical forces to cast spells. They also train more combat-capable in the art of combining Tao magic with advanced martial arts. This combination of fluid fighting and mystical force is difficult to defend against. Tao magicians and senjutsu masters chant the mystic litany "pa-gua-sun-fa" to summon spirit energy to cast their spells.
  • Zanjutsu - the art of using the Zanpakutō in the manga Bleach.
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Movies and television

  • Anbo-Jitsu, from Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Icarus Factor"; involves wearing helmets that don't let you see and using large pugil sticks that signal when they're aimed at the opponent. Practiced by William Riker and his father Kyle.
  • Arcturan Kung-Fu - from the TV show Futurama
  • Bending- from the series Avatar: The Last Airbender; the four arts of psychokinetic manipulation of the elements: waterbending, earthbending, firebending and airbending, are modelled after real-world martial art disciplines.
  • Breakdance Fighting as seen between Hansel and the Evil DJ from the movie Zoolander.
  • Brazilian Ninjitsu from the TV show Angel. Used by resurrected hellgod Illyria. The writers probably meant Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which is a real martial art that focuses on ground fighting, where ninjitsu is the Japanese art of stealth and spycraft. However, Illyria is never shown to fight on the ground like a jiu-jitsu practitioner.
  • Deathwand fencing - A form of martial arts combat using glowing crystal "deathwands" (resembling short, frozen lightsabers), as featured in the TV series "the Legend of William Tell". A thrust from the deathwand could kill whereas a strike or cut simply paralyzed the opponent.
  • Denn'na - The martial art used by the Anla'shok - the Rangers - from the science fiction television show, Babylon 5. This style uses a five-foot-long polearm, called a denn'bok (fighting pike), as the primary applier of force and employs it as a total weapon, both offensively and defensively. It originated on the planet Minbar around 12,000 years ago, and used collapsible staffs that were easy to carry into battle. These, however, were not very sturdy weapons, and have in modern times been replaced by weapons that use matter compression to shrink the five-foot weapon into a six-inch handle.
  • Digital tranquilization - non-violent martial art of pressure point manipulation, featured in the '70s science fiction TV series The Powers of Matthew Star
  • Echani, from Star Wars is both the name of the echani race and a martial art. It is trained by, among others, the Emperor's Royal Guard.
  • Ecky-Thump - a Lancastrian martial art from The Goodies, which uses the black pudding as a weapon
  • Fuck You - A Scottish martial art mentioned in the film So I Married an Axe Murderer which contists mostly of head-butts and kicking the opponent while they're on the ground.
  • Gun Kata practiced by the main character of the movie Equilibrium and the organization to which John Preston belongs, the Tetragrammaton Clerics.
  • Kosho - bizarre ritual martial art/combat sport featured in several episodes of the cult '60s TV series The Prisoner, featuring hand to hand combat between two fighters wearing dressing gowns and football helmets who attempt to throw each other into a trough of water positioned between two trampolines.
  • Lightsaber combat from Star Wars, seven distinct sword combat styles incorporating various Jedi skills.
  • Lhang - martial art of using the Elvish two-handed sword, developed for the Lord of the Rings movie series.
  • Llap Goch - a Welsh system of self defence created by Monty Python's Flying Circus and based on the twin principles of attack being the best form of defence and surprise being the best form of attack; therefore a master of Llap Goch will lash out at potential assailants before the thought of attacking has even entered their minds.
  • Lok'nel - An ancient form of Jaffa martial arts in Stargate SG-1
  • Mastaba - Goa'uld martial art in Stargate SG-1
  • Mosh-T - Also known as mash ti, this occidental (western) improvement of the eastern martial arts exists in the 22nd century world of the science fiction television show, Time Trax. The show's protagonist, Darien Lambert, is a master of Mosh-T.
  • moQ'bara, The martial art of the Klingons, fictional aliens from the television series Star Trek.
  • Mutai or Muta-Do was featured on the episode "TKO" in the first season of Babylon 5
  • Plumb Fu is the "martial art of plumbers" featured in the Super Mario Bros. television series. In one episode, the brothers Mario and Luigi learn this fighting style, with one using a long-hafted plunger as a bo staff and the other using a pair of pipes as nunchakus.
  • Rex Kwon Do - the martial art developed by a martial arts instructor called Rex after "2 years fighting in the Octagon" (a UFC reference) in the movie Napoleon Dynamite.
  • Suss Mahn Vulcan martial art used by T'pol in the series Star Trek: Enterprise. Named after producer Mike Sussman.
  • Tae-Kwon-Leep - The martial arts taught in the sketch by The Frantics that coined the phrase "Boot to the head!" Also the martial art practiced by the hero of the computer game Shadow Warrior.
  • Tai Shing Pek Kwar - aka Monkey Kung-fu, is a mystical martial art shown in Disney's Kim Possible. Known practitioners and "Mystical Monkey Power" users: Lord Monte Fiske (aka Monkey Fist), Ronald "Ron" Stoppable, and Ron's naked mole rat pet, Rufus. Based on the real Chinese Kung-fu form.
  • Tang-Lash - ritualized martial art in which two gladiators employ rope weapons tipped with weights, as featured in the "Combat" episode of the fantasy TV series "the Legend of William Tell"
  • Teräs Käsi - A martial art in the Star Wars extended universe that makes use of some properties of The Force.
  • Venusian Karate (also called Venusian Aikido) is a martial style emphasizing judo throws and immobilizing pressure-point strikes. It is employed by the third incarnation of the title character from the British science-fiction series Doctor Who.
  • V'shan Vulcan martial art first mentioned in the Star Trek spin-off novel 'A Time To Kill' by David Mack
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Webcomics

  • Anime Style Martial Arts - a martial art practised by Elliot and Nanase in El Goonish Shive. It imitates martial arts as they are typically pictured in anime.
  • Red Dragon Zanbatou - the sword style practised by Kenta Daisuke in No Need for Bushido. Kenta practises it wielding a sword several metres long and about one metre wide.
  • Rock Jutsu - a martial art practised by the ninja Bunzo in No Need for Bushido. It is the art of throwing rocks at people.
  • The webcomic 8-bit Theatre features several fictional martial arts, such as:
    • Elf-fu is a martial art practised by the elves in Elfland. It is never seen used and explicitly identified, although thief at one point fights in a way that may be elf-fu.
    • Spider-Style Kenshido is the sword style practised by Drizz'l. It can be assumed that at least the higher levels of Spider-Style Kenshido are practised wielding one sword in each hand. This is because Drizz'l fights with two swords and because the penultimate Spider-Style Kenshido technique, eight fang strike, seems to require two swords.
    • Wu Xia is the martial art practised by Blackbelt. It is almost certainly named after the wu xia genre. It seems to focus on unarmed combat, although Blackbelt is seen using a pair of nunchucks at times.
    • Zodiac Kenshido, also called The Twelve Schools of Vargus-do Zodiac Style Swordplay, is the sword style practiced by Fighter. It was invented by Vargus and consists of twelve different styles, reflecting the twelve signs of the zodiac. They all have their individual weaknesses and strenghts, and range from normal fencing to such bizarre techniques as the ram form breaker maneuvers. According to Vargus, one must understand the underlying unification of the twelve styles to truly master zodiac kenshido.
    • The Art of Sticking Pointy Things Into Fleshy Things, is the type of kenshido Fighter is trying to develop out of the zodiac kenshido Vargus taught him. He is not yet finished, but has already invented techniques such as the me-doken and swordchuckery. This last being the art of using nunchucks with swords instead of sticks, invented to fulfil fighters dream of using four swords at once.
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Other

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See also

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Sources

Retrieved from "http://www.onthemat.com/wiki/index.php/List_of_fictional_martial_arts"
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