Fight Scene Tutorial [featuring Samurai Deeper Kyo fandom]
by MorganMorrow333​

I. Overview:

1. The fight scene should have a purpose.

​​A. Advancing the plot is the most obvious reason for a fight scene.
Whether there is an enemy standing in the way of the heroes progress, there is a conflict between characters that can't be settled with words, or perhaps a new character is being introduced and is testing the strength of another character. The first thing to decide about a fight scene is why that fight is happening and what it will do to move the plot forward.

​​B. A fight is also a great way to inform the reader about characters. A challenge or declaration of intent to battle is a useful way to introduce names. The fighters should always be described so it's also a good time for showing what a character looks like. Most importantly, there is a lot about a character's personality that can be shown in a fight though their actions, words, and emotions.

​​C. Describing the setting in detail is critical to immersing the reader in the fight scene. Take some time to show where the characters are, and then keep in mind how that setting will affect the fight. Is the ground level, or are there tripping hazards? Is there bright sunlight? Are there innocent bystanders around? Is there a cliff, river, fire, or some other obstacle nearby?

II. Writing the Scene:

​1. Start with the broad strokes.

​​A. Begin by setting the scene and initiating the action.

Example:

​The masked man watched from the shadows, taking care not to be seen by the samurai walking along the forest path. The young man's black kimono and hakama had been made of fine silk, but were tattered from years of wear. Short, unruly black hair framed his face. He walked with his back straight, a hand on the hilt of his sword. His distinctive crimson eyes showed neither fear nor surprise when a group of armed mercenaries burst from the undergrowth to surround him, the edges of their weapons glinting in the dappled sun.
​"Demon Eyes Kyo, we're here for your head and the one thousand gold coins that it will bring," a man brandishing a rusty sword said as he stepped forward.
​The samurai said nothing, his mouth twisted slightly in irritation as he surveyed the opponents facing him.
The leader signalled to attack and his men charged. Kyo smoothly dodged the first strike as he drew his weapon and casually sliced through the tendons on both wrists of the sword wielding leader. The man screamed as his weapon dropped from his now useless hands. In a fluid movement, Kyo pivoted and drew his sword down the back of a second opponent before returning to the first and finishing him with a quick slice to the throat.

​In the example above I described the area where the fight will take place, described the protagonist, informed the reader of his name and that he is a wanted man, and then showed his lack of fear when outnumbered.

​​B. How the fight ends. Have a goal in mind before you begin writing the scene.

Example:

​They separated for a moment and Kyo feigned an opening which the man went for with the intention of finishing the fight. Kyo deflected the blow with his sword. He then turned his own blade and struck quickly, cutting his attacker from shoulder to navel. Blood fountained from the gaping wound and the shock quickly faded from the man's face as he fell, lifeless, to the ground.
​Kyo grimaced as he cleaned and sheathed his sword. He walked a few steps down the road before his strength gave out and he collapsed among the bodies of the bandits who had tried to kill him.
​The masked man, who had been watching with interest, soundlessly turned away from the bloody scene and disappeared into the forest.

​In the example above I showed the tactics that went into deciding the battle, Kyo's lack of emotion over having slaughtered a gang, the toll the fight took on him, and the mysterious watcher's reaction and departure. I knew this was how it was going to end before I wrote the fight. Having a goal or destination in mind when starting a scene helps keep it from losing focus.

​​C. Turning points in who has the advantage.

​​​i. Is there an emotional trigger to increase the ferocity of one of the fighters?

Example:

​Realizing that he was no easy prey, the rest of the bandits attacked at once, yelling in fear and anger as they charged. Kyo moved like a shadow in their midst, always on the attack as he felled one opponent after another. He didn't even attempt to avoid all of the blades seeking him out. As his blood began to flow, a fierce grin broke out on his face.

​In the example above the bandits change their tactics upon realizing the strength of their opponent, and Kyo increases his ferocity only after he receives wounds. Other useful emotional triggers are taunting, or the threat to the safety of a loved one.

​​​ii. Do additional enemies or allies arrive?

Example:

​While he was fully focused on the group fighting in close quarters, an archer hiding among the trees nocked an arrow and aimed. The arrow thudded into Kyo's back just below the shoulder and he staggered slightly. The men surrounding him shouted to finish him off and lunged forward as one.

​In the example above I show that the gang of bandits is only being used as a diversion by the archer. There are countless ways unseen or unknown enemies, allies, or third parties can effect the flow and outcome of a battle.

​​​iii. Has one of the fighters been hiding their true strength? (I am not left handed!)

Example:

​Gritting his teeth in sudden anger, Kyo began hacking through the poorly trained bandits like a woodsman through brush. All the while he was dodging and cutting the arrows that continued to fly toward him. With the power of his anger fuelling him, the crimson eyed samurai was unstoppable. His blade carved through flesh and bone and the forest clearing was stained red with blood.
​The three remaining attackers all lunged simultaneously. Kyo dropped low to the ground to avoid a cut to his neck and attacked from below, slicing up the leg and abdomen of the first before turning and cutting across the torso of the second. The last man standing didn't even have time to realize he was alone before losing his head to a final strike.

​The example above is not only another turning point; it shows that Kyo's true strength only emerges when he is angry. It's a common trope for powerful fighters to keep their full strength under wraps until it is needed.

​2. Once you have the structure of the fight figured out it's time to add detail.

​​A. Visualize the action as it happens and describe what you see with your mind's eye. If you're having trouble doing that it's helpful to watch videos of people fighting, either in movies or in competitive fighting sports, and think about the best way to convey in words the actions that you are seeing. In the examples I used above I mapped out the fight in my head, wrote a play by play first, and then revised it to add detail.

​​B. Use all of the senses to immerse the reader in the scene.

​​C. Include details about the emotions of the fighters. Fear, confidence, and even maniacal joy can all have their place depending on the characters involved.

​​D. Remember to show the different levels of experience of the participants and how that effects their actions, reactions, and feelings. An inexperienced fighter might panic upon losing their weapon, while someone who has survived many battles could have multiple back up plans already in place.

​3. Signature moves and special attacks.

​​A. One approach to these moves is to do your best to describe the original content in a way that is new and fresh for the readers.

Example:

​Wind blew between the two warriors as they squared off. The hulking bandit towed over Kyo as he brandished his massive hammer.
​"The weak must die. I am going to kill you," a grin slowly spread across the man's rough face as he eyed the many bodies scattered around the road, "You've killed many people, your sword is so covered in blood it won't cut as well anymore!"
​Kyo's eyes closed briefly as he shook his head in amusement, "You're stupid but at least you're trying to use your head. Well, let's see if you're right."
​"Die!!!" the bandit shouted, swinging his hammer with such power it tore through the air with the sound of ripping cloth.
​The heavy head of the hammer hit the ground with such force it felt like the impact triggered a small earthquake. The man lifted his weapon and the smugly triumphant grin on his face fell, replaced by puzzlement as he realized his target was nowhere to be seen.
​"What are you staring at?" Kyo asked tauntingly from a distance behind the man, his sword propped on his shoulder.
​As the bandit turned Kyo leisurely extended his arm so his sword was held in front of him, the blade parallel to the ground at eye level. Placing two fingers on the blade near the hilt he slowly began to slide them toward to point.
​"This time, it's my turn," he said as he finished his preparation and took the hilt of his sword in both hands, "Muyou Jinpuu Ryuu, Satsujin Ken."
​As he spoke the incantation the air around Kyo began to shimmer and the wind seemed to dance at his feet. His crimson eyes glinted as he raised his sword to strike. The hulking bandit began to charge, roaring in anger as he lifted his weapon to attack.
​"Mizuchi." Kyo leaped from his spot and swung his blade as the bandit bore down on him.
​The dust cleared and both men stood, apparently untouched by the exchange of blows. The bandit grinned and cracked his neck, "Hmph, I don't feel anything at all. Your sword is beautiful but I'm stronger than you. Now die!"
​Kyo stood motionless as the brute lifted his weapon to strike. The hammer began to whistle through the air toward his head when blood suddenly spurted from the bandit's arm. The bulky weapon fell to the ground, still clutched by the severed hand that had wielded it.
​"Ahhh! My arm! It hurts! I am going to kill you!" the bandit cried, taking a heavy step toward Kyo.
​"You shouldn't move," Kyo said mildly, not even bothering to look at the man bearing down on him.
​As the bandit stepped forward a thin red line appeared on his calf, with the next step his foot and lower part of his leg was left behind. The bandit collapsed, crying out in pain and fear as blood began to flow from cuts that appeared all over his body.
​"You heard it, right?" Kyo asked calmly, turning to look at the panicking brute of a man cowering in the dirt behind him.
​"Eh?" the man asked, sweat breaking out on his face.
​"The voice... of the divine wind." As Kyo spoke blood began to spurt from the lines crisscrossing the man's body.
​His strangled scream died as his body fell to the ground in pieces.

​The example above is a scene from the manga described as best I could in written form. I decided to leave the incantation in Japanese, mainly because I think 'Mumyou Jinpuu Ruyy, Satsujin Ken" sounds better than "School of the Divine Wind, Killing Technique." I think the most important, and most difficult, thing to do in a scene like this is to describe the action in a way that shows it instead of telling the reader about the technique.

​​B. Another method, the one I used for my story, is to not use the exact technique or magic from the source material but to invent something similar that is original. That is the path I took for my story, and here is the first scene where Kyo uses the technique that is based on Mizuchi.

Example:

Yuya's musing was cut off when a sudden instinct caused her to leap back from her spot. A blade pierced the tatami where she had been standing, and an instant later an assassin leaped up through the floor throwing a flurry of knives at Kyo's back. He turned and knocked them all away with a powerful arching cut, then faced down the newly appeared enemy.
"So you've finally decided to show yourself. I've been waiting for you," Kyo said.
This one opponent was skilled enough to challenge Kyo more than the entire group of lower level fighters, who were all lying about the room either dead or dying. As Yuya backed away Benitora put himself between her and the other two. He watched with an intensity that was surprising in someone who at first impression seemed to completely lack the ability to be serious. The assassin fought Kyo into a corner where he had set an explosive trap and the fiery blast sent Kyo flying through the wall into the next room.
Yuya covered her mouth with her hands as she tried to see through the billowing smoke. Benitora caught her by the arm when she began to run forward.
"Wait a bit little lady, this fight isn't over yet," he said.
At that moment the smoke cleared enough for Yuya to see the form of Kyo. He stood among the smoke and flames, his crimson eyes were shining and he wore his usual cocky grin. She felt a familiar instinct to run, but it was balanced against a surge of relief that caught her by surprise. He was, after all, the most unpleasant traveling companion she had ever been around. In spite of that she had to admit that she didn't want to see him die.
"All right, dirt bag. I've seen what you can do, now I'll show you what I can do," Kyo said, holding his sword up in a stance Yuya had never seen before.
He drew in a deep breath and the air around him seemed to shimmer with some kind of mysterious energy. The assassin charged and Kyo brought his blade down in a strike so powerful a gust of wind rushed out from him and caught at Yuya's hair. Though Kyo's sword only cut through the air the body of the man charging towards him was split in half.
Yuya and Benitora stood in stunned amazement, watching as the enemy fell and Kyo calmly sheathed his sword.

III. Things to Keep in Mind:

​1. POV - Know whose head you're in and what they will and will not be aware of.
​2. Commentators - Occasionally you can have a bystander explaining the action to another character.
​3. Detail - A play by play description of the fight is nice for important scenes, but can become tiresome for the reader if there are a lot of fights in your story.
​4. Fight scenes with multiple protagonists - If you have a band of heroes taking on a gang of villains, it becomes more difficult to show every move made by every participant. In that case you can zoom out for an overview of the action, especially if the fight scene is not particularly important.

Example:

​As the men above began to fall, her companions sprang into action and the group surrounding them was driven back under the fierce onslaught. Yuya drew her sword and leaped into the fray to strike down a bandit who was aiming for Mahiro's back. The two of them fought together against the men who targeted them thinking they would be easier to kill.
​Meanwhile the rest wreaked devastation on the enemies in their own unique ways. Kyo and Yukimura fought with joyful ferocity as they sliced through the enemy ranks, while Sasuke flitted like a shadow as he felled one bandit after another with deadly efficiency. Bontenmaru raged with the power of a bear as he knocked and flung men away from him, while Benitora carved a wide path with his whirling spear. Okuni caught men who charged her with strangling wires while Akari moved like a goddess of war through their ranks, men dying wherever her knives flashed.
​In mere moments the situation turned from what looked like an ironclad ambush into a rout of the unsuspecting bandits.

​In the example above I gave very little detail, allowing me to wrap up the fight in paragraphs instead of pages. I sacrificed detail for efficiency by giving an overview of the different fighting styles being used and the strength of the group as a whole instead of showing everything that happened.

III. Conclusion

​Fight scenes can be fun and exciting, but they need to have a reason to be in your story beyond just inserting action. Like any scene, they need to convey information about the characters and their world, and they need to move the plot forward. Showing the action in a way that is engaging and understandable can be challenging, but with effort and practice you can learn to write scenes that will keep people on the edge of their seat and hook them into your story.
​Finding your own voice is the first step to developing your own style of writing fight scenes. I chose to emphasize swordsmanship and play by play action because I spent years learning about swords. Other authors focus on the emotion, the damage done, or invent flowery terminology to take the place of technical details. All of these methods are valid; the important thing is to find something that works for you.

I studied Kenjutsu for more than five years out of the hope that it would help me write a decent sword fight, what's the craziest thing you've done to improve your writing?