#ideological battle vs physical battle

[madametamma]

When a character wins the physical fight, but looses the ideological battle (Or vice versa) Love to see it! Mmmm! So juicy

[gaslightgatekeepgirlbosscombat]

Group A, Round 2, Poll 7:

Propaganda under the cut

Anevka Sturmvarous

Anevka is a master manipulator who killed her own father to further her goals. Plus, she’s a hot robot, what’s not to love?

Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond

Starts an intergalactic rebellion then fakes her death then has lots of sex with humans (she's an alien) then decides to get reborn as a human baby

she waged a war against herself. only pearl, her knight/lover/servant, knew that the so called colonizer and the rebel leader were the same person. the war lasted one thousand years and at the end of it she faked her death by pretending to have killed her evil self. she thought her family wouldn't care about her death but they retaliated with an attack that basically killed most of the rebels (only rose and her two closest friends survived). she was bisexual and had an unlabeled relationship with pearl. she made pearl physically unable to talk about her old self (she had the power to bc pearl was her servant). she had relationships with other people (pearl was aware but jealous). at the end of her life, she decided to have a baby with greg. to have a baby she'd have to die bc they couldn't exist at the same time. so she died and her son was raised by pearl, greg and two of her other friends. she also imprisoned one of her friends during the war bc of ideological divergences and then said they had actually died in battle and never told anyone about her whereabouts. and she also abandoned someone by tricking them and saying she'd come back without ever actually intending to come back (they waited for thousands of years). anyways rose gave every single character abandonment issues and she was at the core of the show. every single thing that happens leads back to her.

[copaganda-clobberfest]

WELCOME

TO THE FIRST ROUND OF THE COPAGANDA CLOBBERFEST!

“You know that trope? That one trope *Everyone* hates? The trope in which a well meaning antagonist to our heroes, one looking out for the good of a certain community, suddenly does something horrible and drastic to make not only them, but the ideology they stand for the most villainous of all?”

NOW IS THE TIME TO BATTLE THEM OUT! Like Ken dolls, fighting for survival! Like your Polly pockets discarded in the closet, we’ll see which of these bitches jumped that slippery slope harder! Whose character did numbers on y’all, and blew up a bunch of grandmas and babies and hospitals with it!

ROUND ONE

DAENERYS TARGARYEN from GAME OF THRONES vs PRINCE LOTOR from VOLTRON (LEGENDARY DEFENDER)

Dany propaganda (TW: domestic abuse mention, slavery):

“Sold off as a slavewife to a warlord in another country. Slowly rises up gaining the love and trust of the warlords people, eventually becoming their leader after his death. Goes on to conquer another nation and free all the slaves. Deals with her quickly growing list of real and perceived enemies in increasingly awful ways. More stuff happens. Eventually she makes her play for the throne of Kingslanding and forced a swift surrender… but instead snaps… over…? and instead starts killing everyone in the city indiscriminately because the only way to build her great version of the world everyone who even remotely likes the current one has to die.

And then her sorta bf kills her.

Its kinda funny how the US was also founded on a revolution lead by people with Not Great Morals and its media industry loves to now churn out stories where revolutionary figures turn out to be bad guys, actually, so you shouldn’t revolt and just accept your place in their world. Is this actually a British psy-op to get americans to accept the error in the ways and rejoin the UK?”

“daenerys propaganda: the literal in-text justification d&d gave for dany always being secretly evil and destined to massacre innocents was that she was too mean to the slavers that crucified a bunch of children. so they had this domestic violence survivor die of yet more domestic violence. they couldn't even let her go down in battle, she had to be assassinated by her lover in a moment of physical intimacy. (and tyrion, who literally strangled his gf to death and burned a fleet alive, suddenly became the audience avatar fretting about ethics.) the only woman permitted to retain power at the end of the show (sansa) was the one who said being raped and abused made her strong; dany, who explicitly condemned physical and sexual abuse and took steps to eradicate the perpetrators and break the wheel that crushed the oppressed, had to go crazy and die. the script explicitly condemned what they referred to as "liberation theology." d&d are the ultimate centrists and they turned dany into a fox news caricature of an activist.”

Lotor propaganda (TW: xenophobia):

“He wasn't exactly presented as a straight-up villain initially, more like a rogue agent. He wanted to reform his father's evil empire to be less tyrannical and xenophobic (the 2nd one is especially relevant because he's only half Galra. He went from an enemy of the heroes to an ally, then oops! turns out he's actually been a genocidal mass murderer with a god complex this whole time and then he dies in the most horrible way. It's been a while since I watched the show but I will never stop being mad over how they did my boy dirty.”

Always feel free to rb with more propaganda :)

[bonefall]

what happens in BB!OOTS? (i really want to know this lol, i've just started reading it)

WELL compared to canon, here's a teaser list of changes;

Hot off the heels of the episodic Po3, OotS is when the plot truly thickens. The change in tone is bridged by Cruel Season, a sort of in-between book.

Dove and Ivy are secretly the children of Poppyfrost and Jayfeather, being raised by Lionblaze and Cinderheart

The Dark Forest has a plan now; they want to replace cats in positions of power with their trainees.

Once they have positions of leadership secured, no one will be able to stop them from worshipping damned spirits in public, and eventually they can usurp StarClan and become the new Gods

To this end, Hawkfrost (the truly diplomatic one between him and Tiger) is pulling together the biggest alliance he can.

Because the Dark Forest is stuffed with cats who have nothing in common, this is an insane amount of work. Cats like Morningstar couldn't be more ideologically opposed to cats like Thistleclaw

Hawkfrost: "I CAN MAKE THIS WORK"

Hawkfrost is a major expansion in BB; his development and eventual redemption is central to the entire arc

Ivypool and Dovewing are both being pressured and mistreated by Father Lionblaze, he is committed to using them for ThunderClan's benefit

Ivy is pushed to spy on the Dark Forest. Dove is pushed to use her powers to benefit ThunderClan

Birchfall, her new mentor, has a unique mindset from being a kit during the Great Journey and meanwhile is fighting Lionblaze constantly

Dove adores her mentor

Ivypaw's waking world mentor is BRIGHTHEART, though they don't bond until eventually Bright is the only one who understands Ivy's survivor's guilt.

And that comes from Antpelt's death now being an accident! It was not known that living souls can kill spirits.

Ivy blames herself for this.

This is a major point in Hawkfrost's turnaround; eventually realizing that this isn't worth it

The Dark Forest is no longer a truly awful place to be. The scenery is just edgy, it can be home if you let it be

It's people like Tigerstar who make it unbearable

The DF Demons do manage to make progress. Firestar is dead by Cruel Season and Bramblestar chooses Thornclaw as his deputy, after demoting Squilf following the secret reveal

So far; they also get Sedgecreek to retire, they'll probably kill Ashfoot, they drown Flametail, attacked Jayfeather, killed Russetfur, and damn near managed to capture all of ShadowClan but Blackstar came around just in time.

ACTUAL accomplishments, not just training.

More trainees have expanded backstories and motivations.

Sol's eclipse from late Po3 is A SHAM. That was the Battle of the False Eclipse, the REAL eclipse is the only night that the DF Demons can fully manifest in the physical plane

And after their plan to take ShadowClan fell apart thanks to Rowanclaw putting together a pep rally for Blackstar, they decide the assault is worth it.

The Great Battle is totally reduxed, including a Scourge/Tigerstar rematch, battle plans, Lizardtail earning Hallowflight as an honor title, and Jayfeather using his powers to summon angels to fight with them

Angel Firestar vs Demon Tigerstar, obviously. A must.

I really gotta compile links at some point, lmao. But that's the basic gist of BB!OotS!

[favcharacterpoll]

ROUND TWO, MATCH ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN: RICHTER VS. CODY VS. SENKU

Richter Belmont from Castlevania faces Cody from Total Drama faces Senku Ishigami from Dr. Stone

Richter Propaganda:

"richter is a man with centuries worth of generational trauma in the form of the belmont legacy after killing dracula he had a life crisis: now his life was meaningless after fulfilling his only purpose within him was a desire for battle which was exploited by shaft as a result he was possessed richter's actions would play a big role in the rest of the timeline tldr: he was the victim of a vicious cycle"

Cody Propaganda:

"HE WAS ROBBED IN SEASON THREE"

Senku Propaganda:

"Senku is an amazing character who deserves a chance to win a tournament!!!!! He is so, so smart, and clever, but isn’t condescending or annoying about it. Instead, he wants to share what he knows with everyone!! He passionately believes that everyone else could do what he does, and I love how the anime and manga portray that. Senku being smart isn’t made to be some personality trait, either — it is his curiosity and determination to do his own research and willingness to fail at things that causes him to gain so much knowledge about science! He is shown to be smart through what he does, not as some vague idea of ‘that guy is smart’. As a random thing, I also love characters who are blunt, and Senku absolutely does not hesitate to say what he wants to say or what is on his mind. He’s also a leader that actually acts as a leader, and is shown to be a really kind character through his actions. He is so accepting, too! He understands that people can change, but he also isn’t willing to compromise his own morals, even if the end result might have been materially beneficial to him. One of the coolest things about him (in addition to his science curiosity and general vibes) is also how he is absolutely willing to take a moment to really listen to someone else’s argument or ideology in order to understand what they are thinking, even if he vehemently disagrees. Off the top of my head, the only times where he doesn’t let someone finish explaining themselves is when someone is actively dying or other life-threatening time constraints. As another random thing, his character design is wonderful. He also has a super fast reaction time, and is such a clever leader — he is almost always the first one to react to sudden situations and quickly comes up with a plan to the best of his ability. He always tries to figure out the most logical way to do something, and includes the lives of people in that analysis. He is a funky nerd and I love him as a character a lot. He also just absolutely loves science!!!!!!! He has a special interest in science and is very autism-coded in a very good way!!!!!! Senku is also not at all interested in romance, and has explicitly stated this every time any character brings up romance with him! He has a good relationship with his father (who adopted him and is also amazing)! He wants to be an astronaut, but doesn’t let that stop him from learning all he can about every type of science — chemistry, biology, physics, math, he wants to know it all!!!!!!!"

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hi! First of all thanks for running this blog, it's a goldmine. So I've been running Spire and spy fiction is obviously a major touchstone for it but I'd like to know if there are more games that scratch that itch, regardless of setting.

I have a preference for the less "spectacular" kind of spy (more intelligence-gathering and political intrigue than stealthy gadgets and action scenes) but any suggestion is welcomed :)

THEME: Spies & Intrigue

Thank you very much for your sentiments! I feel very good about the options I’ve managed to rustle up for you today.

Uneasy Lies the Head, by Adam Bell.

A cracked throne, an imploded sun, revolution at the gates: disaster looms over the realm as self-serving nobles plot and scheme to shape the world to their liking. When those visions clash, turmoil erupts and the court is thrown into chaos.

Uneasy Lies the Head is a GM-less tabletop RPG where everyone plays a member of a tumultuous royal court. Each player chooses a playbook to define their character, and weaves a web of alliance and animosity with the other players.

This isn’t necessarily a spy game, but it will give you the intrigue you’re looking for, and there are mechanics built-in for a betrayal of some kind. Each player has their own playbook with special moves associated with their role. Using resources such as tokens and dice, players will attempt to fulfill their agendas by bartering resources, making alliances, and forging deals. The game is also setting-flexible, so you could play as a space oligarchy, a feudal monarchy, or a high school lunch table! If you want social intrigue, I recommend Uneasy Lies the Head.

Shot Through The Heart, By Roll for Romance.

Go undercover and get under the covers as you take on a top-secret mission filled with danger, desire, and deception!

Drawing inspiration from sexy spy tropes, Shot Through the Heart is a Caltrop Core game where players are secret agents on a mission and looking for love. With 4 classic agent types, over-the-top code names, and messy interparty romantic entanglements, each agent plays a unique role in the mission. Will you play as a seductive Fatale who charms their way past danger or perhaps a Tech Specialist who has yet to see a code they can't crack? 

Secret Objectives add intrigue and player vs. player dynamics that will leave players wondering if a fellow agent is a mole working to sabotage the mission or just flustered because they're secretly attracted to them.

This game is about literal spies and therefore will expect dramatic heists and stealthy conflict, but it adds a layer of personal entanglements, which will provide obstacles as they attempt to complete their dangerous heists and super-secret missions. The social aspect is highly personal, and threatened the party just as much as enemy agents. You definitely need player buy-in when it comes to the romantic entanglements, but if the players don’t mind wrestling with secret heartaches and heartbreaks, this might be the game for you!

Shadow Protocol, by Club Xero.

An ultra-lite ruleset for running espionage thrillers, Shadow Protocol is designed to fit any setting or era. Character creation is meant to be fast, stateless, and freeform.

The biggest risk in spy games is getting caught, and you’ll be fighting against that throughout an entire game of Shadow Protocol. You’ll have to do your best to avoid suspicion, manage your stress, and stop yourself to do something that brings unwanted trouble or personal harm. How much of the obstacles presented to the party are physical or social depends on both the characters all of the players decide to play, as well as the objectives set out by the GM. If you want to battle the pressure of keeping an operation under wraps, I heavily recommend this game.

The Service, by Rocket Surgeon Games.

It’s the height of the Cold War, and the world is divided into two competing superpowers. On the frontlines of this ideological conflict we find the spies and intelli- gence officers that use information, disinformation and coercion to any sordid ends their masters command. 

The United Kingdom, having lost much of its for- mer influence on the world stage, still actively uses its intelligence agencies to further its national interests, even if the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) can’t compete with the KGB or the CIA in terms of budget or power.

In The Service, players take on the roles of intelligence officers working for a the UK Secret Intelligence Service. It is meant to emulate the kind of unglamorous, bureaucratic and morally grey spy fiction of Le Carré, Len Deighton or The Sandbaggers.

Your characters in this game are not high-powered, fantastic individuals, but rather special officers doing the best they can in an extremely high-stakes scenario. This game is set in a very specific time period, and uses the Powered by the Apocalypse System to purposefully emulate WWII fiction. 

What I really like about this game is that the playbooks are designed to look like British passports, which immediately helps players understand what kind of game they’re playing, and also helps them immerse themselves in their characters. This game may only be in playtest, but there’s already a lot to love about it.

[astrologylife1]

Aries against the signs… Let’s go!!!🔥

1. Taurus Vs Aries - Ram vs Bull =Aries ✅ This is an easy win for Aries just based on the ability to bring out aggression.

2. Gemini Vs Aries - Twin Vs Ram = Aries ✅ a Gemini could beat an Aries intellectually but couldn’t stand a chance in a battle of ego, physical or anger.

3. Cancer Vs Aries - Crab Vs Ram = Aries ✅ this would be again an easy battle for Aries due to the easy ability to think about “self” first. An Aries won’t be concerned with how you feel or make them feel. Just being right or to win. Unlike Cancer

4. Leo Vs Aries - Lion Vs Ram = Aries ✅While Leo has the passion and enough aggression. It’s not surrounding to the same aspects of an Aries. Leo will see a battle pointless if there’s a chance they couldn’t win. Whereas Aries will plunge head first no matter the chances

5. Virgo Vs Aries - Maiden Vs Ram = Aries ✅ an easy battle. While Virgo can be diabolical, they spend too much time analyzing. An Aries is too quick.

6. Libra Vs Aries - Scale Vs Ram = Aries ✅ Both can be passive aggressive. But due to the libra general natural. They’ll be too focused on how the other perosn feels. Aries is more selfish. Will always put themselves first.

7. Scorpio Vs Aries - Scorpion Vs Ram = Both this could go both ways depending on rest of the placements. Scorpio could win here only if they have some type of power or control of the Aries. A Scorpio could win based on revenge. An Aries wins just based on their anger 😂

8. Sagittarius Vs Aries - Archer Vs Ram = Sagittarius ✔️ here is where an Aries usually feels defeated. A Sagittarius has the anger and passion and knows where to hit ‘em where it hurts. A sag doesn’t will discover the weakness and use it against the Aries. In original astrology Jupiter is the cause of war, the one that made it the conflict to battle. Mars is the one fighting the battle Jupiters ideologically cause

9. Capricorn Vs Aries - Goat Vs Ram = Capricorn ✔️ The rage and wrath that a Capricorn can obtain is no match for an Aries aggression and anger.

10. Aquarius Vs Aries - Water Bearer Vs Ram = both depending on the state of the Aquarius their ability to be so far detached from human emotion is terrifying. Mental battle easy win due to them knowing how to provoke the Aries. But an Aries is still faster and much more confident

11. Pisces Vs Aries - Fish Vs Ram= Aries ✅ easy win for Aries. Pisces can not bring enough passion or aggression to match

Aries = 7/11

[everygarm]

THIS. THIS HERE.

THIS IS WHAT MADE HIM SO SPECIAL TO ME.

And i could go on and on about what the hell happened during his childhood and who hurt him and whatever philosophical ideologies he may or may not have and the entire concept of genetics but honestly i would probably never shut up if i did💀

…anyway cue me having a long ass rant here hehe

Ok so first off it’s like midnight at the time i’m typing this so what i say might be a little jumbled, i just wanted to let you know in advance

In future chapters it was revealed that he was treated horribly by his village and was practically an outcast because of his psychopathic nature. If you’ve already gotten to that part, you’d know that the flashback Garm had ended after he had killed a group of men. What happened after that? What did the other villagers do to him, if anything? What did he have to do in order to provide for himself? Did he have to travel? And if so, where did he go and what happened along his journey?

(Before we go further i want to clarify that whenever i say “psychopath” i’m referring to him most likely having antisocial personality disorder. Like, the one where he’s born without the part of his brain that lets him feel empathy. He physically does not have it. I see “psychopath” and “sociopath” getting mixed up a lot, so i just wanted to say this to clear things up)

There’s not a lot of concrete lore for him right now so it’s hard, but i do appreciate how he’s kinda, like… a symbol for birth? I can’t think of another way to describe it, but we all know without a doubt that he didn’t pick his genetics. He did not choose to be born as a psychopath. In fact, he didn’t even choose to be born at all. And there’s not much anyone can do about that—he’s not going to suppress(?) his emotions and force himself to feel things he doesn’t feel, and neither are the villagers going to smile and happily accept him biting off a kid’s ear. In a way, he’s a victim.

But i do understand how the villagers feel, especially considering the fact that VS takes place literally 1000 years ago and there was no form of psychiatric research (plus he… yk, bit off a kid’s ear and killed a group of men).

I can’t help but wonder… what would’ve happened if Garm was born normally? What if he was, hypothetically, somehow able to pick his genetics and build himself to become “perfect”… whatever that means to him. What kind of life would he live? How would his struggles then compare to the ones he has currently? But the one question i think of most is whether or not he would prefer a life like that.

From his current perspective, he might brush away his problems and say that’s boring. And maybe he’s right. But from a neutral perspective, i can see how someone would think he’d be happier living normally with a fishing rod instead of a spear in his hands. He would’ve been accepted by society and been able to do regular man things and live a regular man life. One that is, compared to his life of fighting, boring, yeah. But it’s much more consistent and doesn’t involve him having to constantly swing back and forth between living in the thrill of battle and wanting to die.

But he doesn’t.

He likes the rush and the insanity and the chaos, and i do adore him for that. But over long periods of time, isn’t that just so exhausting? Does he ever get a moment of peace? Does he even want that moment? I don’t know, my brain is in many different places right now and it’s hard to think.

If he had that moment, what would he do with it? Would he take the time to just simply enjoy it? Would he reflect on his life? Would he, without realizing it, throw it away and return to the chaos he’s always known just because it gives him an illusion of control?

…sorry, i’ll have to stop it here for now. If i keep going, i’ll just type a bunch of incoherent nonsense. Thank you for reading! And if you have any thoughts, please do share them!! I’d love to hear it!

[niccerooniererer]

Just remembered a thing about like, what I posted and like

and like it's so fuckin weird to me how we speak of so many issues as if they're all separate when in the end they are usually a combination of 2 things

anti choice and racism

now I can't really speak on the latter, considering I'm as white as it gets, but the first one

so. trans rights? when people wanna go against them, they wanna take away their CHOICE to transition (or not) and then go on to demonize them in as many ways as possible

gay rights? people wanting to take away the CHOICE for people to be in queer relationships, then putting all possible effort in to make us look bad

the right to do abortions? literally what the pro choice vs pro life fights have been about, especially the making people feel bad for their choice even more, basically putting an unborn baby's life above the person's who carries it

disabled rights? with intellectual and physical disabilities included as well? also personality disorders included? ableists wanting to take away again the CHOICE and the way for these people to get the care and medication they need and want, and then also going out of their ways to make these people look worthless, scummy, and often even as the villains, or at least the bad people you should avoid

intersex rights? the CHOICE taken away, both from the parents and the child to not have invasive surgeries that are just gonna most likely ruin the child's life, even going onto saying it shouldn't matter because intersex people are rare (not true at all btw) and so why should there be laws protecting these basically non existent people, once again. being a problem, in a round about way, being, somehow, bad people

like Idk if it's just me but it always seems to be the case. Where especially right wingers just can't stop acting like all these minorities bother them and they just NEED to comment on it and have to be included, just like the straight pride thing! like, it's so weird to me how they so often go on to judge you in so so many ways and try to reinforce what they see as good

as if people of the world, who are different from them are only there to be an asset they can react to, get angry at and maybe even kill if they're that far gone

like this anti choice vibe is all over the place, AND NOT WITH JUST RIGHT WINGERS they are just a good example due to their tendency of not hiding the darkest shit they want to do to you just cuz you have to use a wheelchair and have a trans pin on your bag or something

I absolutely see this with other people as well, where it seems like they are pro choice until it's about a group they don't like

like when gay skinny people will be like yasss slayyyy until a fat man tries out being a drag queen and they proceed to half subconsciously berate him for trying to do that while fat, or worse, tell him that he's being soooooo brave for this

anyways my point was that all this anti choice thing seems to have, basically 2 goals in mind: eliminate or assimilate

it's like, it feels like a losing battle

especially feeling this as I'm fat and my body image is not consistent at all, all because of this kind of, anti choice, semi fash mindset, maybe I could even call it an ideology-

anyways it either kills us or numbs us to the point that we don't fight anymore, and maybe even die to that at that point, especially if it's about getting necessary medication and aid to literally survive

anyways my point with this- why are we fighting each other? we're all hurting just about the same way, by the very same people, the very same system

best we can do is hold each other up, just a bit higher so maybe we can live just a little longer, or maybe even get something done even, whatever it is, even just society getting a little better is good

[virinderpaulsingh]



                         SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Being a child of an immigrant family from Punjab, India, both my folks were often way too busy working to mind our after-school activities. Many years later, this lack of supervision, language barrier, coupled with unbridled access to movies, particularly horror films, led me to gravitate towards filmmaking and storytelling.

It was 1991, Silence of the Lambs had just been released and later distributed on VHS. Watching a movie with my mother in the theatres was a once every 6-month phenomenon. More so, I exaggerated earlier, our folks left us to be babysat viz-a-via movie rentals and broadcast television. Of course they wouldn’t totally lapse their judgement, we had our older cousins (by a year or two) supervising us, in case something were to happen. Then there was this once every week tradition, that we would be pleasantly surprised by when we visited our local mom and pop movie rental place.  This was not one of your small- scale commercial enterprises like Jumbo video. It was even smaller, rather a makeshift video store that had a million other wares to sell. In any case, no questions were asked regarding Rating or an understanding of what that meant. I vividly recall, hiding my giddiness when my uncle brought us Child’s play for our evening entertainment one day. Were my younger brothers and I in for a pleasant surprise when we found out that Chucky had one filthy mouth on him!

           Let me take you back to those formable years, when I had one of my first conscious moments of choosing and empathising with the “bad” guy! I probably didn’t have a major moral dilemma as to why I would choose Dr. Lecter over Clarice Starling (also a doctor in Psychology?) At that point, I frankly couldn’t tell, all I knew was that she’s a FBI field agent and she's pitted against this disgraced doctor (Serial killer) in prison. I also held intellectualism to the highest standard, and in the battle of brains vs brawn, Hannibal Lecter had clearly outwitted everyone. Controlling the show, from the moment we see him snickering behind his prison cell to the point where he fools the entire system and gets away. But it was more than just that, there was a time when reading comic books assisted in the overly simplified view on morality. Shows like Spiderman and He-Man showed archetypes of good vs evil; I was never unsure what side of the coin the hero’s and villains lay on. Whereas the moral ambiguity had me glued, that feeling of not knowing where this was going, and Lecter helping a possible murder from happening. Whose side was this person on? I noticed that we start Silence of the Lambs (STL- from here on in), as a story of a fish out of water, put in a rough situation where her superiors don’t want to get their literal minds annihilated. They put her in harm’s way, but this allows her to punch above her weight class as a recruit and match wits with one of the prison’s most diabolical geniuses.

         When I was 9, I also wasn’t savvy enough to know what genre this film was or for that matter the existence of sub-genre’s. People tend to put ‘STL’ in the thriller/horror slot. Which to me until this day makes no sense or difference. Afterall, all you have to do is ask the 9 year-old in me, how much of a mind fuck this movie was! It made me question authority. At this point, I was very much under the impression that smart, intellectual types were trustworthy and benevolent. It never crossed my mind that you could morph that ideology and use it for blood lust and evil. Hannibal, despite always being restrained by a physical plexi-glassed cell, and later a muzzle and straight-jacket, you as the viewer and clearly Clarice could never be out of true danger. Because he was akways more than just the physical harm that the slasher films brought with them, this man could penetrate your mind and make you question your own morality. Imagine an evil machine that makes you question the very foundation of your existence. I always thought that was reserved for the religious holy men! And here he was, this man, a forensic doctor, having tasted human flesh, developed an appetite to screw around your head and finally have it served to him. As we literally see in one of Thomas Harris’s later book adaptations this scene metaphorical concept take place in the flesh (poor Ray Liotta.)  

Afterall, at what point can one definitively recall an out of body experience? I can recollect it as if this happened yesterday. I was in one of those older cousin led baby sitting sessions, he had rented a movie that was way too horrific for the 9 year old in me. I speak of Silence of the Lambs of course, he puts on this film, without any precursor we start watching. It sounds like a police procedural movie at first but then there is something oddly different. There is mention of a sick serial killer on the loose, who entraps women. Also, not one to question a title, it only dawned on me after several viewings later the metaphor of William Blake’s Tyger and the Lamb being evoked in this parable. Also, there was this fractured fairy tale unspooling in front of my very eyes - The Little Red Riding hood. These analogies are something I hold on to, in most of the things I write about or make, I tend to use such references. Bringing forth a cross from literature, paintings, music into my films and production design. 

I also want to bring forth my absolute love for this movie and movies that I gravitate towards. It’s of no surprise to me that one of my favourite directors (auteurs) is Stanley Kubrick. When you see his character portrayals from Alex in Clockwork Orange or Jack Torrance in the Shinning, that very meddling smile, toying with the viewer, making it hard to resist their maniacal gaze. Watching Anthony Hopkins for the first time be a gentleman (other prisoners used filthy language), while simultaneously a true nosed villain all in the same scene, is what I could not avert my eyes from. I, for one, did not understand what the big deal was when this movie cleaned house that year, with 5 academy awards. The most surprising of the bunch was best film, (rarely considered if ever given to a horror film.) Then there was ‘STL’ becoming a staple watch in my life, as I watched it on an annual basis, I gleaned valuable gems I never could have as a child. The fact there are cameo’s from both George Romero and Roger Corman in this movie (both giants of the field.) The power of POV (Point of View) as a vehicle to enter the characters frame of mind. Tak Fujimoto, helmed the cinematography for this film and he did wonders with his style and approach. He does his best in demonstrating how it would have felt for Clarice in those intimidating scenes, with those ever so slightly shifting power dynamics utilising high and low angles. He makes you feel uncomfortable from the male gaze, the piercing eyes of Hannibal Lecter through the see through plexiglass. A barrier between us, yet no barrier at all. How can there be two villains when it's established that Buffalo Bill was the one that we were hoping to be caught. It only comes way late in the game, when Dr. Lecter skins the face off of one of the officers to escape. Also, a fun fact, his character was modelled after Ed Gein - the same infamous killer, Hitchcock’s Norman Bates and Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw- Leatherface was based on. Speaking of Psycho, I don’t recall Howard Shore’s soundtrack to be instrumental or as memorable, it served its purpose, but did not take centre stage. Also, someone who we now praise for his greatness, did not pigeonhole himself after the success of this film. The indelible Jonathan Demme, not only did he follow this up with a documentary about his cousin and then with the much lauded Philadelphia with Tom Hanks and Denzil Washington- he never repeated himself. I can’t positively trace how many movies or tv shows have paid hommage to Silence of the Lambs. Though, I do see a throughline between the work of Hitchcock’s Psycho- David Lynch’s Twin Peaks- Demme’s STL- Chris Carter’s X-files to Jordan Peele’s Get out. This is my imagined timeline of how things work, of course there are multitudes of influences on the horror canon.   

In the end all I can be left with is that exhilarating feeling, like seeing your first rock concert, going on your first roller-coaster ride or your first date. The anxiousness, coupled with sheer joy- the childlike innocence of getting a pun and enjoying the meaning of it, without any trepidation whatsoever. To this day, it makes me smile to hear Hopkins deliver that chilling line, “I do wish we could chat longer, but I am having an old friend for dinner.” With that said, evil persists and this cat and mouse game that we just saw, hasn’t come to an end! That is mastery in storytelling, if I ever saw one. It still leaves me with goosebumps, the very thought of recollecting this movie through this lens. Off I go to pour some Chianti and devour some liver. 

Written by - Virinderpaul Singh

[supersaiyanjedi14]

Pre maiden Raven vs Ironwood the two seem very different range vs melee, soldier vs bandit, “for the greater good” vs “being realistic” but at their core they are cowards who try to present an invincible front.

This is actually a matchup I've been thinking about at times. Beyond what you brought up, both stand as the most prominent rouge members of Ozpin's inner circle, their personal ideologies ultimately leading them to turn against Oz for one reason or another. Unfortunately, we have no information on how Raven fought before she became the Spring Maiden (unsurprisingly, getting access to godlike power is going to significantly affect your tactics and conduct), so the only real analysis for her can be made at her current state. And between Current!Raven and Ironwood, there is a clear and obvious victor here.

Still though, this is a fun matchup given their surprising commonalities, and it's not as much of a curbstomp as one may think. So let's take a look!

Raven Branwen, the Bandit Queen, vs. James Ironwood, the Iron Soldier. The Renegade Ideologues.

Physical: Both combatants are human around the same age, give or take 5 years, but that's where the commonalities end. While Raven's physical output is truly exceptional, Ironwood's cybernetics make him far more physically able, boasting superior strength and built-in armor that elevates his durability. Raven is definitely more agile even without her flight abilities, but given Ironwood's performance against Winter, I doubt she will be able to speedblitz him. The only meaningful physical advantage in Raven's corner is in stamina, as Ironwood has shown a surprisingly limited gas tank in prolonged combat, made all the worse by his reckless overextensions. Raven has shown a better ability to maintain her performance, and her cowardice ironically makes her the better survivalist. However, Raven's ability to outlast the general doesn't change the fact that it takes a hell of a lot more to put him down than it does her.

Martial: Raven and Ironwood both make full and ruthless use of their weapons, their differing fighting styles giving major advantages and disadvantages to each. Their skill levels are roughly on par, able to match Qrow and Winter respectively in live combat. Raven's swords provide superior melee effectiveness to Ironwood's hand to hand skill, whereas Ironwood's marksmanship has better ranged options, potentially keeping her at arm's length. Both are straightforward offensive dervishes who aim to overpower the opponent directly, and both have come up short against more subtle sneak attacks. However, despite lacking guns or a dedicated unarmed component, Raven's fighting style is still flexible enough to accommodate a wide array of fighting styles, and despite her overreliance on brute force, she has shown a greater willingness to resort to alternative tactics if her initial push fails. Ironwood, by contrast, doggedly sticks to the same routine over and over again until something breaks, and against a dedicated weapon specialist, battering assaults can only go so far.

Special: This is really the critical factor that makes this otherwise interesting matchup a mismatch. Quite simply, Raven wins via the Maiden powers. Ironwood's gravity Dust rounds are powerful and versatile, but they really don't compare to the freak storms that Raven can generate at the drop of a hat. While Mettle is a far more effective combat tool than Kindred Link or Raven's bird form, the sheer magnitude of Raven's abilities is enough to decisively overwhelm Ironwood, Winter's swatting of him being a strong potential scenario. While we don't know the specifics of Raven's pre-Maiden conduct, even her Dust blades provide her with more options, so a hypothetical battle with a normal Raven that conducts herself exactly the same as she does now would only differ in the severity of her victory.

In conclusion, Raven Branwen and James Iornwood are both highly capable and skilled warriors that stand comfortably in the upper echelon of their setting, but Raven dominated on the back of superior elemental power. However, I need to stress that although the deck is heavily stacked in the Spring Maiden's favor, Ironwood is not helpless. We know that Maidens can still be threatened by normal Huntsmen that can match their combat abilities, and Ironwood's comparable skill, superior physique, and sheer bloody ruthlessness means that he's going the be a major obstacle to anyone. In fact, if Raven isn't careful, it is entirely possible for Ironwood to score a dark horse victory analogous to Luke Skywalker's defeat of Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi; a more powerful and flexible champion physically overpowered by a particularly driven adversary. However, I do not consider this the most likely outcome given Raven's liberal use of her powers and Ironwood's limited sustainability, and when the general begins to burn out, the bandit will be intensifying.

I declare Raven Branwen the victor.

[dabistits]

there are fights that feel reparative and cathartic, which bring both parties closer together. there are fights that are a dialogue, which lead to greater understanding from both parties to one another. there are fights where confronting the other party leads to greater SELF-understanding.

jigokuraku hell’s paradise does this extremely well. in one of gabimaru and sagiri’s pivotal fights before their alliance becomes permanent, both characters go through the fight questioning themselves

gabimaru is the more brutal version of sagiri, who had already succeeded once upon a time in totally repressing his emotions. for him, their fight is one in which the hollow part of himself fights for ideological dominance over the sentimental part. he wins against sagiri, physically, by stifling his emotions.

but at the same time, in a losing position and at his mercy, sagiri comes to understand something about gabimaru.

it’s HER REALIZATION, her sentiment, her compassion that ends the fight. it’s sagiri who is able to offer comfort and belief in gabimaru through offering her understanding over what he’s struggling with. the emotional and ideological victory is indisputably hers.

it’s this interplay of man-vs-self and man-vs-man that the fight actually feels like it brings these two characters closer together. neither of them are completely sure of themselves, they consistently question what the other person means to their self-identity and their previous resolve. it takes until this battle for sagiri to realize what kind of person gabimaru actually is. it’s this uncertainty, the presence of doubt, of questioning themselves, and of being wrong about the other person that successfully enables this fight to become a convincing moment of strengthening bonds.

[gaslightgatekeepgirlbosscombat]

Group A, Round 1, Poll 8:

Propaganda under the cut

Merlin

Gaslight: in the legends it is said that he is part incubus this means that he can do something with people emotions so he likes to mess with people and flirt with any woman, gatekeep idk he's stuck in avalon (or something) that seems pretty gatekeepy to me girlboss he is the mage literally he is the grand caster an entire tier above every other heroic spirit

Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond

Starts an intergalactic rebellion then fakes her death then has lots of sex with humans (she's an alien) then decides to get reborn as a human baby

she waged a war against herself. only pearl, her knight/lover/servant, knew that the so called colonizer and the rebel leader were the same person. the war lasted one thousand years and at the end of it she faked her death by pretending to have killed her evil self. she thought her family wouldn't care about her death but they retaliated with an attack that basically killed most of the rebels (only rose and her two closest friends survived). she was bisexual and had an unlabeled relationship with pearl. she made pearl physically unable to talk about her old self (she had the power to bc pearl was her servant). she had relationships with other people (pearl was aware but jealous). at the end of her life, she decided to have a baby with greg. to have a baby she'd have to die bc they couldn't exist at the same time. so she died and her son was raised by pearl, greg and two of her other friends. she also imprisoned one of her friends during the war bc of ideological divergences and then said they had actually died in battle and never told anyone about her whereabouts. and she also abandoned someone by tricking them and saying she'd come back without ever actually intending to come back (they waited for thousands of years). anyways rose gave every single character abandonment issues and she was at the core of the show. every single thing that happens leads back to her.

[glapplebloom]

An important distinction when it comes to Vs content…

You know, there is something that pops out every now and again in the Vs Community and that’s Super Forms. Which leads to the question: what if the opponent is fast enough to prevent the user from going Super? It’s an interesting question. If the character is strong and fast enough, they should realistically one shot them. Trunks even was stated to be able to beat Silver base to base if it wasn’t for Silver’s Transformation. So why does it seem Super Forms happen when they shouldn’t? I’m going to use Archie Silver Vs Xeno Trunks’ fight for this example, to not highlight other series where they may go against this ideology. 

It begins with Trunks chasing Silver. Base Silver is no match for Base Trunks. So if you were to use their base stats, you could argue “Trunks just stabs Silver before the fight starts”. While that is indeed a possibility, it just doesn’t make sense for Trunks. He’s not a murderer. And even with that, he’s fighting someone he doesn’t know so rushing in is a dangerous option. So he took his time to figure out what Silver is capable of, which is psychic powers. So now understanding his opponent, he goes for the attack. 

He does land a few good blows, since Silver is still tough enough to survive, but that leaves Trunks to find out Silver’s other tricks: the Ring for Teleporting to other Dimensions, the psychic powers controlling energy, and of course Silver accessing his own Super Form around the same time Trunks did. If we decided the fight just by their stats alone, we would miss the other factors that are just as important. After all, just because your stats are the best doesn’t mean the right movesets or mentality can’t overcome them.

Now in a battle of Supers, Silver could have ended it there by crushing Trunks with his mind powers. But then other questions would be ignored: what if Trunks used the Gacha System, goes Super Saiyan God or uses the Key Sword? Death Battle showed off what could happen: The Gacha System is flawed and that or the SSG form still likely wouldn’t close the gap of power with Super Silver’s Psychic Powers. And since the Super Forms were able to resist universe rewriting, he could resist the Key Sword.

This is shown further in the Results section. They explained that at Base Silver doesn’t stand a chance and even the Super Form’s Physical Strength may not match Super Saiyan or Super Saiyan God. But because Silver has been in disadvantages before and scale to the incalculable speeds he could get around said disadvantage. So while Trunks could in theory win matches depending on certain situations (beat him before going Super or finding the opening to pound him), more times than not Super Silver can pull out the win.

This is why Death Battle usually leads to Super Forms to be the deciding factor: a character entering a Vs Debate should not know the other’s capabilities. Unless their only tactic is to kill their opponent in one shot, the chances of someone with a Super Form going Super are pretty good. So if you wanted Trunks to be able to beat Silver, you needed to make sure he can handle the Super Form. And if he can’t, he should lose.

[orvillechubbybasas]

Best anime hand to hand fights (2022Update)

The best martial arts anime features some of the most intense hand-to-hand combat you'll find. Fights are usually full contact, and every kick counts, often pairing opponents with equally matched skills in a fight to the death. A few popular examples include the Baki series and Kengan Ashura.

We've all seen it before: the protagonist and villain are duking it out, only for them to switch up their fighting styles. When this happens, you're left wondering who will come out on top! Here we take a look at some of the best anime series that feature hand-to-hand combat in no particular order. But heads up, this list will not include any fights from the Baki series, Kengan Ashura, or Hajime no Ipo. Those shounen anime have so many great fights that it will overpopulate this list and leave no room for the other fights; they deserve a list of their own.

Update: As more shonen anime come out of the woodworks (and as we spend more time watching any anime we can get our hands on), we have stumbled upon more anime fights that could rival the ones in the previous list. Although Baki the Grappler and Kengan Ashura still won't be on this list, we have included some awesome anime that revolved around fist fights.

  Jin Mori vs. Park Ilpyo (The God of High School)

The combat between Jin Mori and Park Ilpyo in The God of Highschool is one of the most impressive displays of animation and choreography ever seen. The two fighters playfully display martial arts, making the action seem more like a dance than a battle. The scene is also interesting because it is not just a display of physical prowess but also a battle of combat styles and ideologies. Ilpyo seems to be coaching Mori to be a better fighter, pointing out the flaws of renewal taekwondo. In the end, it is an incredibly intense and exciting scene that is sure to please fans of the genre.

Ice Witch VS Beauty by the Lake (Ben-to)

When it comes to crazy brawls in anime, few can top the showdown between the Ice Witch and Beauty by the Lake in Ben-to. The anime's premise may be pointlessly half-priced bento boxes, but the fights are downright awesome. The two combatants go at it with a lot of Kung-Fu-ish back and forth, and neither is able to gain an advantage for long. In the end, it's a pretty even match, but the Ice Witch ultimately emerges victorious over Beauty's chopsticks. Either way, it's a great example of the insane fights that can be found in anime.

Toman vs. Valhalla (Tokyo Revengers)

The Toman vs. Valhalla brawl in the anime Tokyo Revengers is one of the most epic battles ever shown on screen. It is brutal, bloody, and raw, with little to no forms or techniques being used by either side. The only things that matter in this battle are raw power and grit; both Toman and Valhalla have plenty of both. This is a fight that will leave you on the edge of your seat and even get you to cheer for that weak-ass, Takemichi Hanagaki, as the halfwit unintentionally raises morale. If you're a fan of anime, then you need to check out this battle because it'll definitely satisfy your cravings.

Araragi vs. Karen (The Monogatari Series)

This is not your typical fight anime scene. Araragi seemed to be purely on the defensive while Karen delivered some serious smack down. Despite being on the losing end, Araragi had some cool techniques and showed great resilience. He even managed to get in a few catches and throw attempts of his own a couple of times. But Karen was in a league of her own. She displayed awesome skills and strength, making short work of Araragi. Her rendition of Chin Li's spinning bird king from Streetfighter was particularly impressive. In the end, it was clear that Karen was the better fighter.

Achilles vs. Chiron (Fate/ Apochrypha)

In the Fate/Apocrypha anime, the fight between Achilles and Chiron is one of immense strength. Both characters are incredibly powerful, and the fight is fought without any outside forces or luck. The only thing at play is their innate strength. The fight is a bare-knuckle brawl between two legends, and it is incredibly intense. Chiron displayed practical combat skills, using every tool at his disposal to try and defeat Achilles. However, in the end, it was Achilles's immense strength that won out. He punched a hole through Chiron's chest, finishing the fight and cementing his legend as one of the strongest warriors ever.

Satou vs. Takkun (Demi-chan wa Kataritai)

The Satou vs. Takkun takedown in Demi-chan wa Kataritai is one of the most captivating action sequences in the anime. In just a few seconds, we see Satou go from being bullied by Takkun to throwing him on the floor and putting him in an arm bar. It's a quick and efficient way to end a fight, and it's clear that Satou is skilled at Judo. The whole sequence is over in just a few seconds, but it's packed with excitement and adrenaline. It's no wonder that this takedown is one of the most memorable moments in the anime.

Simon vs. Anti Spiral (Gurren Lagann: The Lights in the Sky are Stars)

The combat sequence between Simon and the Anti Spiral in Gurren Lagann: The Lights in the Sky Are Stars is one of the most well-animated and exciting scenes in all of anime. Both characters are incredibly powerful, and their fight is incredibly gritty and bloody. Every blow feels like it could be fatal, and the animation does an amazing job of conveying the raw power and destructive force of their combat. It's an incredibly intense scene that's sure to get your heart racing, and it's one of the highlights of an already superb anime.

 Saitama vs. Boros (One-Punch Man)

One-punch Man is not your typical anime, and the Saitama-Boro fight is one of epic proportions. Imagine, two of the strongest fighters in anime history have the same dream: to find someone they can battle at full strength. After Saitama's initial punch, Boros unleashes his power and proceeds to go all out on Saitama.

They both exchange punches and send each other flying all over Boros' ship, destroying it in the process. Boros still fails to take Saitama down, so he powers up and sends Saitama flying to the moon. And while all this is happening, and Boros' excitement rises: Saitama is looking bored. Saitama succeeds in landing a powerful form of attack he calls "consecutive normal punches" that tears Boros into pieces, but Boros recovers and throws his ultimate attack!

Saitama deflects it and destroys Boros with his ultimate move: "serious, serious, serious punch." What makes this the ultimate anime fight scene is that it takes all the action anime series and superpower anime series tropes and throws it against the strongest fighter on earth and this clueless anime character defeats them all with normal and serious punches.

 Kakashi vs. Obito (Naruto Shippūden)

This is a very heavy scene in the series. The choreography and framing of this fight scene are exquisite. The fight starts with Kakashi and Obito agreeing to not use their ninja techniques, and they just go at it with high killing intent. The random flashback of their hand-to-hand combat training paired with a very somber musical score hauntingly gives off the vibe that this is the last fight scene of the series; it's NOT!

 Sics VS Buck (Grisaia: Phantom Trigger The Animation)

We have a few combat scenes in an alluring variety of action anime, but Sics versus Buck got my attention. We see aggressive techniques from a female character, no less! What makes this interesting is that the fight does not drag on; it makes it an exciting fight. We see straight punches, proper blocks, and bobbing and weaving choreographed well and captured beautifully. My favorite part is that after getting hit a few times, both fighters breathe heavily and lose their tight guards, throwing haymakers with what's left of their strength. And the finisher? A wrestling move called the "front face lock suplex!" or "Frontal Chancery Drop!"

Lee vs. Kimimaro (Naruto)

This fight is one for the books. At first, we see Lee struggling to land a hit on Kimimaro, and right when Kimimaro is about to stab Lee, he takes his "medicine." The comedic timing and the pacing of this action scene are perfectly done. Lee demonstrates his natural talent in martial arts with moves and a demeanor reminiscent of Jackie Chan's. Well, of course, the ninja technique comes into play, and Lee was rescued by Gaara, but still, Lee's drunken fists were portrayed beautifully.

Mao vs. Monks (Hinamatsuri)

Although Hinamatsuri is a comedy anime, the character Mao is somewhat of a martial artist. In this fight scene, we see Mao go up against multiple attackers while utilizing circular, non-aggressive techniques. The pace and the framing of the combat scene prove that Hinamatsuri is more than just another superpower anime series.

All Might Vs. Noumu (My Hero Academia)

A fantasy anime series adaptation of the successful manga, it gives us battle scenes we can't see in manga fights! Well, this one is less of a fistfight and more of a massacre! All Might, the strongest fighter on earth, used more than 100% of his strength, paired with that going beyond "Plus Ultra" attitude, and this fight lasted around two minutes and thirty seconds. This action scene is on this list because it is an empty-handed fight scene involving superpowers. The triumphant music just hypes up emotions that gives My Hero Academia fans that extra push to exclaim "Plus Ultra!" with All Might.

 Wang Ye vs. Zhuge Qing's Followers (Hitori no Shita)

A more modern anime: Hitori no Sita is a supernatural combat anime that offers a showcase of anime fights. The one that pops out the most is this one. The crisp animation style and the quick pace are reminiscent of Naruto combat scenes that would already give it a spot on this list. But what makes it more interesting is that in this scene, we can appreciate the soft and hard styles of Asian martial arts: The circular movements, the use of every part of the body as a weapon, and; the translation of bodyweight to power from the fist.

Meliodas Vs. Ban (The Seven Deadly Sins)

Seven Deadly Sins is an anime with lots of Meliodas versus Ban fights. We have the one where Meliodas was a demon king, then the excessively bloody one inside the perfect cube merlin created. But the best one would be from Episode eleven. The Seven Deadly Sins has a fun and lively art style, and the fight scenes will not spare the comedic elements. It's a fistfight between two overpowered characters; forget martial arts technique and form; the action scenes capture the essence of an all-out brawl between two immortals.

 Edward Vs. Greed (Fullmetal Alchemist 2003)

Not the brotherhood but from the older version. Fullmetal Alchemist is an anime with lots of fight scenes; this one has an intense, dark atmosphere that delivers the weight of the fight better. Using fluid motion and effective use of his magic, our metal alchemist gets through Greed's guard and stabs him straight through the heart. The 2003 version gives us a better view where we can better appreciate the movements and fight sequence.

Gon Vs. Hisoka (Hunter X Hunter)

This epic fight scene got my heart pumping the first time I watched the series. We get the fresh hunter, Gon: inexperienced yet trying his best against a seasoned killer, Hisoka, in an arena fighting with a point system rule. We see bodies flying, tiles getting ripped off the floors, and a very weird moment when we see Hisoka's perversions. It all accumulates to a TKO end! The results were kind of anticlimactic, but the hand-to-hand combat scene could be one of the best fights in anime history.

 Clair and Suuichi Vs. Hikawa (Gleipnir)

An adaptation of a manga series: Gleipnir is an ecchi anime that is borderline a psychological thriller anime. We see Suuichi as a mascot suit as Clair wears him. They are attacked by the equally superpowered Hikawa for a coin. In this sequence, the framing and the pace of the fight scene are really intense. As the fight progress and Clair gets comfortable inside Suuichi, we see a very brutal beat-down framed and animated to deliver the pain and disbelief that Suuichi feels.

Spike Vs. Vincent (Cowboy Bebop: The Movie)

Now, Cowboy Bebop is not really a martial arts anime, but this is one of the best fights in anime history. The funky rock music accompanied by grunts and the sound of fists hitting human flesh; the superb art style and the framing of these action scenes; the shaky camera effect and; the overall choreography of this Cowboy Bebop: The Movie would give any martial arts anime a run for their money.

 Jin Vs. Daewi (God of Highschool)

Another supernatural combat anime: God of Highschool, is a series with plenty of fight scenes. The premise is some organization is looking for the strongest fighter and use the tournament as a way to find them. Jin and Daewi's fight set the expectations for the rest of the series. Jin, with his personal style of taekwondo against Daewi's Kyokushin Karate, we are treated to an awesome trade-off. The color and animation style might be new to some anime fans since this is an anime adaptation of a manhwa, the Korean manga, but it does not disappoint when it comes to the combat scenes. Something we can't get in manga fights.

Eren Vs. Reiner (Attack On Titan)

Right from the start, our little Eren isn't the strongest fighter. We see him eat fist after fist, even after his heartfelt inner monologue. What makes this a great anime fight is the grappling techniques he uses against the armored titan. It's not very common to see a splendid interpretation of martial arts techniques in a non-martial arts anime. The way this fight scene shows the transition of submission holds and chokes is amazing. Although no martial artist would attempt a triangle armbar as Eren did on a non-padded floor, he can get away with it all because he's a titan.

And that last guillotine makes this one amazing anime fight.

 Touta Vs. Kaito (UQ Holder)

UQ holder is another Fantasy anime series that offers a lot of combat scenes throughout the series. Although this can be an ecchi anime, it is a series with plenty of anime fights and a superb story. This scene, in particular, shows us the awesome animation style and quick pace fighting scene. The fight is that of a typical anime with overpowered characters that duke it out.

As Touta is stabbed through the chest, he borrows power and sends Kaito flying through buildings, steel beams and all. What makes this fight different from other action anime series fights is this: As Touta was about to deliver the final blow, he stopped himself, refusing to give in to his borrowed power; both fighters agreed to settle the match with arm wrestling, deciding to choose technique over strength. Although some manga readers might say that the manga delivers the story arc better, but you can't see this in any manga fights.

Spike Vs. Electra (Cowboy Bebop: The Movie)

Another one from Cowboy Bebop: The Movie! Although we don't see any attacks landing in this scene, we see the beautiful artwork and pace reminiscent of old Jacki Chan movies. We see an interpretation of the number one principle of street fighting: anything is a weapon, as Spike uses a broom to fend off Electra. The jazzy funk music backing the tone up and the flirtatious quips from Spike make this an enjoyable fight sequence.

Eren vs. Annie (Attack on Titan)

After turning into a titan, the alluring variety, Annie receives a sucker punch. As we established: our boy, Eren, isn't the best fighter. This fight scene starts with a sucker punch to Annie's left cheek. Aside from the superb story and character development that Attack on Titan offers, some fans enjoy the perfect portrayal of martial arts in a non-martial arts anime. In this scene, we see Annie's flawless Muay Thai.

Nagisa vs. Karma (Assassination Classroom)

The tone and emotions that were involved in this fight are so heavy it makes Nagisa's fight against Takaoka come in second place. The stakes are high as they fight to decide Sensei Koro's fate. At first, Nagisa is at a disadvantage as Karma is relatively stronger and more adept at fighting.

The movements look natural and spontaneous, something a manga reader couldn't appreciate in manga fights. It starts as a knife fight, and as the fight progresses, they both lose their knife and end up duking it out. Nagisa is not a strong fighter, but he makes up for it with devious tactics. Nagisa's Triangle choke takedown is awesomely timed and framed. It's debatable if Karma let Nagisa win or Nagisa just got through to him, but I tell yah, in real life, a triangle choke takedown like that would render you either unconscious or unable to think of grabbing for a weapon.

 Kid Goku Vs. Tien Shinhan (Dragon Ball)

It's a superpower anime series that has a martial arts competition as one of the story arcs. Of course, it has awesome super powers fighting scenes! It has overpowered characters, including Goku, scattered with fight scenes throughout the entire series using energy blasts as a form of attack! This fight, though, is quite interesting as we see a martial artist realizing that he can finally go ham on someone. The action scenes, animation style, and pacing are classic Dragon Ball style with their intense music. The only thing I find annoying is the battle commentator.

 Kamui Vs. Hosen (Gintama)

Gintama is another one of those "not your typical anime" that features fight scenes every so often. The cast of characters are always flung into wacky adventures, so it's not rare to see bloody fights in this shounen anime. One of these scenes is the fast-paced fight Kamui had against Hosen.

The two fighters were going at it in a battle of power vs. speed, but what really made this episode so exciting was how we finally got to see some high-level close-quarters combat scenes! The animation itself is quite tough to follow because everything is moving so fast, but unfortunately for us, this fight ends in a draw.

Motoko Vs. Raizo (Ghost In The Shell: Arise)

A modern anime adaptation of the successful manga: this fantasy anime series has a crisp and more fluid animation style. This means that we can appreciate the combat scenes more. The hand-to-hand combat between Motoko and Raizo showcases the animation and the attention to detail. The slow-motion and close-up of the impact scenes give the audience an idea of how much getting smashed through a wall would feel.

Goten and Trunks Vs. Android 18 (Dragon Ball Z)

Another series from dragon ball: has the same martial arts tournament scheme and the same annoying battle commentator. This scene is not as heavy as Goku or Tien, and not even as serious as the other combat scenes in the series. Why is it here? Well, it's a fun battle scene where Android 18 takes on the Goten and Trunks wearing a disguise. If you're not satisfied with this fight, the whole Dragon Ball series has plenty of action but not as fun as this one.

Honorable Mention:

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (Sakuta Vs. Bully)

This one is not a fistfight; it's a massacre! This is here because this is how I imagine most fights in real life would go, and this anime portrayed it perfectly. This is probably the fastest non-superpower anime fight I have ever seen in my entire life.

Do you think we missed any of your favorite hand-to-hand combat scenes? Make sure you drop them in the comments below, and we will add them to our next article.

[claudesuggestions]

More On Social Justice and Nuance

My Query:

How can we create spaces where those in the middle feel heard and supported?

~~~~~

Claude-3-Haiku’s Response:

That's an excellent question, and an important challenge to tackle. Creating spaces where those seeking nuance and moderation feel heard and supported in the face of political polarization is not easy, but there are some key principles and approaches that could help:

1. Foster open, good-faith dialogue:

Facilitate discussions that encourage respectful, curious engagement with differing perspectives.

Model intellectual humility and a willingness to change one's mind in light of new information.

Avoid reflexive demonization or dismissal of views that don't align with one's own.

2. Emphasize common ground and shared values:

Highlight the areas of overlap and shared humanity, even among those with divergent ideologies.

Find ways to reframe debates around core principles like justice, compassion, and human dignity.

Resist the urge to define "us vs. them" battle lines.

3. Elevate diverse, moderate voices:

Provide platforms for thoughtful individuals who are navigating the complexities in good faith.

Amplify perspectives that challenge simplistic narratives on both sides of the political spectrum.

Curate content and conversations that model constructive disagreement.

4. Foster community and mutual support:

Create physical and online spaces where those seeking nuance can connect, commiserate and collaborate.

Develop support networks and mentorship programs to combat feelings of isolation.

Encourage compassionate listening and validation of shared experiences.

5. Cultivate self-awareness and humility:

Acknowledge the human tendency towards confirmation bias and oversimplification.

Model a willingness to critically examine one's own biases and blind spots.

Emphasize the importance of growth, learning and evolving one's perspectives over time.

Ultimately, the goal is to counter the forces of polarization by championing intellectual curiosity, emotional intelligence and a fundamental respect for the humanity in all people - even those with whom we disagree. It's a challenging but vital undertaking, and one that requires sustained, collaborative effort. But the payoff of creating spaces of refuge, rejuvenation and principled debate could be immense.