I found this pretty difficult considering how the action can be fast paced and pretty technical. It seems almost impossible to describe the movement and such as simply "flurry" this and "slash and slash" that. And it seems that writing it out kind of logs down the reader with a lot of information which kind of takes them out of it. Has anyone ever written a fast paced, technical fight out? How do you cut to the meat while accurately describing the skill and movement of your fighters?
I think most anime fights involve lots of jumping, and the characters get breathless easily. I usually would just stick to the emotions of one character. Maybe as he is taking a quick break, he can think, Man, this guy is quick! I've never seen anything like it!, then the opponent charges him again at almost rocket speed. You can have a few descriptions about how one or both of them leap, kick, punch, block, dodge, etc.
Yeah, but that doesn't really paint a good picture of what's going on, especially if you have more than one fight. After reading one, the others would look pretty much the same. Like staring at the same stripper the entire night, lol. It might be worth just writing around like you said, but it seemed like a fair challenge to take up.
I don't know much but you could always check out Visual Novels like Fate/Stay Night which has lots of anime battles to see how they write about it. Warning: Fate/Stay Night some adult scenes (around 1% of all content).
Is it possible to write an anime fight scene? Huh, that's a question I thought I'd never see asked. My opinion is yes. Anime fight scenes may seem daunting when thinking of all the rapid movements and the quick pacing , yet an experienced writer could handle it. I think. The main thing I would focus on would be the emotions, the intent, the will, the inner monologue of the fighter. Not only would a battle of epic proportions be draining physically, it would be mentally as well. The way the fight flows is an important factor when considering one's readers. I would keep details short, abridged. Honestly, the writing seems like the easy part. The research is what terrifies me. By the way, outlines are magic.
I think Fate/Stay Night is the best example, there are TONS of fights in that VN. You can get a version without the adult scenes but I suggest not to, as a few of them are actually relevant to the plot. However, bear in mind that VNs are different from books and Kinoko Nasu had artwork and special effects to help with the scenes. Also, the way he writes suits a VN perfectly, but might not work at all in a written book.
It's cool to see there are members here who read VNs! I'm currently checking out Little Busters! and Rewrite . Like Man in the Box said, VN and novels are different. Without the help of visuals and sound effects, it's more challenging for a novel to express a fight scene. Too much detail could soon bore the audience.
Sure it's possible. Describe what is happening in the least amount of words possible to create the pace, since short sentences are read more quickly. Remember you don't have to describe every muscle twitch; you can imply movement. In the case of anime, some moves may be more complicated/fantastical than others, so the reader may appreciate a slightly more thorough explanation before 'returning' to the fight. Since I study martial arts, when writing fight scenes I enter the same brain space I use when sparring. Try to put yourself in one of the characters' shoes and plan moves and reactions that would suit them and their opponent. Don't be afraid to include dialogue or thoughts. I think it's better to keep them short and sweet. Introducing an interesting element, such as a new or unexpected move, can alleviate boredom from repetition, as can simply summarising less important fights, or even parts of fights. But that's just my experience so far, and what I've written is far from perfect. It's best to experiment and seek the opinions of others.
I don't kn ow about easily. If I had to run a 100 yards in 3 seconds while yelling at the top of my lungs I'd be out of breath too. Nah but seriously I think it can be written. Like Terri-Chan said, you don't describe everything, you can imply, and try and keep a good pace.
Sure it's possible, but why on earth would you want to? Now I'll admit it, I don't like most anime. I can think of only one, of the good number that I've seen, that wasn't ridiculous - about under-dressed teenagers being improbably 'awesome' with little effort. It's unrealistic and honestly quite boring. The only anime I've ever really liked was Cowboy Bebob, and I haven't seen that in years.
Is it possible to write anime fight scenes? That's like asking if it is possible to write movie fight scenes or manga fight scenes. They are all fight scenes, so yes, you can write a fight scene. But each medium has its own presentation methods, and a good writer makes the best use of his or her chosen medium. No matter how you write a fight scene in a story or novel, it is not an anime fight scene, because what you are writing is not anime. If you try to keep all the elements of the anime scene in a novel or short story, you will have a mediocre fight scene at best. Master the medium you are working with.
