History Main / BareHandedBladeBlock

* Eric used this technique to catch a knife thrown at his head in ''Film/TheCrow'', after dodging one such knife and deflecting a second.

** In ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'', Master Shifu manages this trick by catching a thrown sword, spinning it around his body, and then burying the blade in the floor.

* The KNIGHT boss fight in [[Creator/SonicTeam Sonic Team]]'s ''[[VideoGame/SonicFrontiers Sonic Frontiers]]'' features, among a lot of [[HoistByHisOwnPetard tricks]], a series of [[PressXToNotDie quick time event]] in which [[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll Super Sonic needs to block]] KNIGHT's blade with his bare [[WhiteGloves (actually gloved)]] hands.

** Wearing leather gloves was also recommended if trying to grasp an opponent's blade. It did catch on enough that dueling daggers were made with wave-edged blades: grabbing the blade only stands a chance of working if the cutting edge of your opponent's weapon is straight; a wave-edged blade essentially acts as serration so that, if your opponent makes the mistake of trying to grab your dagger, the simple act of pulling the blade from his hand will give him a nasty slice, and may actually lop off a few fingers. This is why in sport fencing, the off hand is traditionally ungloved in order to prevent this sort of nonsense.

* In ''Manhua/InfinityGame'' Trishia attacks the previous DM with her laser sword after he kills her sister, but he blocks it with his forefinger. Justified as he's technically god and has unlimited power.

* The KNIGHT boss fight in [[Creator/SonicTeam Sonic Team]] 's ''[[VideoGame/SonicFrontiers Sonic Frontiers]]'' features, among a lot of [[HoistByHisOwnPetard tricks]], a [[PressXToNotDie quick time event]] in which [[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll Super Sonic needs to block]] KNIGHT's blade with his bare [[WhiteGloves (actually gloved)]] hands.

* The KNIGHT boss fight in [[Creator/SonicTeam Sonic Team]] 's ''[[VideoGame/Sonic Frontiers Sonic Frontiers]]'' features, among a lot of [[HoistByHisOwnPetard tricks]], a [[PressXToNotDie quick time event]] in which [[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll Super Sonic needs to block]] KNIGHT's blade with his bare [[WhiteGloves (actually gloved)]] hands.

* The ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' AdaptationExpansion ''The Inspector'' includes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FfN65U1OIM an iconic scene]] where Sanger Zonvolt acquires his Dygenguar SuperRobot. Vigagi has the inactive Dygenguar on the ropes until its OS is rebooted... at which point it responds with lightning speed and massive strength, allowing Sanger to stop the Galgau's multi-ton armblade bare-handed.

** ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'': In addition to the MMPR example cited above, ''Zyuranger'' also has Goushi doing this in [[Recap/KyoryuSentaiZyurangerE44JapansBestSwordswoman Episode 44]] during his IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight with kendo practitioner Sayaka when she's possessed by Dora Chimera. It works, but his hands are bloodied afterwards. So, [[AdaptationExplanationExtrication if you've been wondering why Zack's hands were bandaged and bloodied in the equivalent episode]], ''Lions and Blizzards'', that's why.

* In both the ''Videogame/{{Tekken}}'' series and the fairly obscure Squaresoft fighter ''VideoGame/{{Ehrgeiz}}'', characters can grab an incoming blade attack and flip the opponent via his sword. Though in ''Tekken'', at least, attacks made with bladed weapons are unblockable, and reversals are shown as grabbing the attacker's arm rather than the blade itself.
* Mikoto in ''VideoGame/RuneFactoryOceans'' mentions the fact that certain warriors can stop a blade with bare hands. Then [[TakeThat remarks]] that such a technique is more suited for showmen than for swordsmen.
* ''VideoGame/WarioWareIncMegaMicrogames'': "Wario Kendo", one of the late-level microgames, asks you to do exactly this. On the easiest difficulty level, you have to catch a ''daikon radish''. On its hardest difficulty level, the ''bokken''-wielding {{samurai}} accidentally lets his blade slip, and you have to catch the falling sword before it bops Wario in the nose.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'':
** One of the "Reaction" abilities of the Samurai class, Shirahadori (original translated as "Blade Grasp"), allows you to stop any physical attack in this manner. That includes swords, axes, bashing with a blunt object, and (courtesy of a programming error) ''arrows and bullets''. Depending on a character's Bravery stat, this could have as much as a '''97% chance of success'''[[labelnote:*]]If the character's Bravery is at 100 for the fight, this gives a 100% success rate, but also means enemies won't even bother trying; 97 is the maximum ''permanent'' Bravery stat and more than sufficient for normal use[[/labelnote]], though only for the first swing in an attack round (meaning a dual-wielding enemy can bypass it). Considering that magic is really lack-luster in this game (it's fairly easy to become completely immune to it), this ability is absurdly broken. Note that most special abilities are physical (including the magical physical abilities) and yes, Blade Grasp have a near 100% chance to block those too.
** ''Tactics Advance'' has Strikeback, which allows you to block a basic attack and counter attack. For some reason, Tactics A2 changes the animation to have the character do a spinning dodge rather than stopping it with their hands.
** The Samurai class in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' (from which ''Tactics'' had its job system modeled) has an ability called "Blade Grasp", or "Shirahadori" depending on the translation.
* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'':
** Played completely straight by Jester in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening''. Seems like everyone in that series either has a HealingFactor or is just plain MadeOfIron anyway...
** The opening cutscene of Mission 20, also in ''3''. Vergil attempts to deliver a vertical downward slash to Dante [[spoiler:using Force Edge]]. Dante, in retaliation, pulls the same attack with Rebellion, and the twins catch each other's swords with their off hands. Granted, those hands bleed profusely, but [[HalfHumanHybrid these are the sons of Sparda...]]
** Happens to Nero in [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry4 the 4th game]] when he first confronts Agnus. On the note of ''4'', Gloria executes a Bare THIGH Blade Catch.

* In the MMORPG ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' [[AllMonksKnowKungFu Monks]] have a skill called ''Blade Stop'' that consists basically of this trope. The skill-user and the attacker go into a BladeLock giving the Monk an opportunity to activate {{combo}} chain.

* Part of the barehanded gameplay of the ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' games, at least the first four. Still, few players knew of its existence, and fewer still could use it effectively. Notable example is [[OldMaster Nicotine Caffeinne]] in the second game, who can do it with ''one'' hand.
* Jin blocks Margulis' sword when he is disarmed during a fight scene in ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}} Episode II'', cementing his status as a BadassNormal.
* In the UsefulNotes/{{P|layStation2}}S2 version of ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soul Calibur II]]'', Heihachi is a GuestFighter from ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'', a fighting series in which the characters don't use weapons. (Some characters have them, but don't actually attack with them.) In ''Soul Calibur'', all the characters do have weapons and fight with them. Despite this, Heihachi has the best blocking ability in the game.
** ''Soul Calibur 3'' has Nightmare block Siegfried's BFS this way. {{Justified|Trope}} as he's using his mutated claw hand to do it.
** Apart from these instances, ''Soul Calibur'' as a whole is generally pretty good at averting this trope - blocking one weapon is done with another, and attacks cannot be grabbed to counterattack.
* Played straight in ''Videogame/{{Yakuza}} Kenzan!'' when an OldMaster does this with TWO FINGERS.
* In the otherwise unremarkable BeatEmUp ''VideoGame/EOEEveOfExtinction'', the first sign (other than being TheStoic) that TheDragon isn't entirely human is when she does this to the protagonist's {{Laser|Blade}} [[EquippableAlly sword]][=/=]{{Love Interest|s}}.
* In ''VideoGame/PunchOut Wii'', Piston Hondo is shown doing this as training in Title Defense mode.
* This is how UsefulNotes/OdaNobunaga is shown to ''[[BladeLock blade lock]]'' against all incoming attacks (or, perhaps, via telekinesis) in ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors''.
* In ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', Ezio does this all the time while waiting to disarm guards. Although he blocks them with his arms, and seeing as a certain metal plate was added to his hidden blade during the story to make it double as a vambrace, it is sort of reasonable. Other Assassins in later games can do this as well.
* Tatsuya in ''VideoGame/Persona2: Eternal Punishment'', but his hand bleeds.
* Ghirahim in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' does this with ''three fingers'' when facing off against Link. Justified, as he's a powerful sorcerer and [[spoiler:he literally is a sword himself]].

* The "Hope" trailer for ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' features Satele Shan doing this '''[[ExaggeratedTrope against a lightsaber. It works.]]''' This is due to the Force Ability known as Tutaminis, which allows a user to absorb energy. Justified in that the ability is extremely rare, and Satele is a very powerful force user, being a descendant of Bastila Shan and Darth Revan.
** Valkorian (the Sith Emperor in another body) does this when his son, Arcann, betrays him, using the Force to stop the blade centimeter away from his hand.
* Darth Vader in ''VideoGame/JediFallenOrder'' does this as well to Cal and Cere's swings.
* Asura from ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'' does this to a blade than can extend up to '''[[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill 380,000]]''' Kilometers in Length, even when being forced back to the planet Earth from the Moon...for a while. Eventually, the force of the strike coupled with slamming his back against ground of Earth makes him him lose his grip and the sword starts punching through his torso ''and out the other side of the planet''.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'':
** [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Nah]] attempts to learn how to do this in one of her potential support conversations with Morgan, feeling she needs a way to defend herself against a Wyrmslayer sword. Morgan enlightens her on how impractical it is, which culminates in her realizing she'd been wasting her time, as she'd been practicing how to do it in her ''human'' form, when it's her dragon form that needs the protection, plus the form's shape makes it impossible to pull off in the first place.
** In actual gameplay, when two units are paired up on defense, it doesn't matter what class the support unit is, what weapon they have, or even if they're armed at all--they can block attacks, complete with a [[SoundOfNoDamage metal-on-metal clink]] that ''probably'' shouldn't happen when someone blocks a sword with their ''bare hands''. (It's not limited to melee weapons, either--a unit can use their bare hands to block arrows and spells, too.)
* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'':
** Zelda/Sheik's congratulatory image for clearing Adventure mode has Sheik stopping Link's sword with her bare hands.
** The reveal trailer for [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Lucina and Robin]] in ''Wii U/3DS'' has [[VideoGame/FZero Captain Falcon]] pull off a more realistic variation by parrying Lucina's sword using the back of his hand.
* ''VideoGame/MadWorld'': Has the protagonist Jack Cayman stopping a boss' chainsaw with his bare hands until it stops, allowing a counterattack.
* ''VideoGame/BushidoBlade'': Many of the blocks in the 2nd game in the series involved variations of this - even if your opponent is using a broadsword!
* In ''VideoGame/BillyVsSnakeman'', attacking a village whose leader has the Ascension theme playing means you're automatically defeated as they strike you down. However, if you have The Wind, The Sun and The Rain playing, you catch their blade with your hand and take them down instead.
* In ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', while it is not possible to block without a shield equipped in the left hand or a weapon held two-handed, is ''is'' possibly to parry barehanded. It's actually ''easier'' than it is using some shields! So go ahead and effortlessly swat away that invader's lightning-enchanted {{BFS}} with one hand. Or better yet, do it to the FinalBoss!
* ''Videogame/DwarfFortress'': Adventurers, and occasionally AI fighters, can pull this off quite well if they spot the enemy is about to attack them, and grab their weapon before it can happen, interrupting the attack. Not just bare hands either; any grab will do. It's actually ''recommended'', as you can quickly steal their weapon this way and incapacitate a potentially lethal blow. Even easier to do than a PunchCatch, too, as unarmed opponents are much more unpredictable, while an armed foe will just use the weapon.
* It is ''always'' possible to block melee attacks (to what extent depends on your ''Block'' skill) in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'', either with a [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shield]], a weapon... Or your bare hands if neither of the previous options are available. Since you actually use your ''forearms'' to block, it can be [[HandWave hand-waved]] if you are wearing heavy armor gauntlets.
* In a flashback cutscene in ''VideoGame/HaloWars2'', Atriox does this to an [[LaserBlade energy sword]]-wielding Sangheili, of all things, that was sent to execute him. [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome The blade ends up cutting into his hand]], but this doesn't stop him from easily killing the Sangheili after.
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV''[='s=] cinematic story mode. One of Bison's [[{{Tykebomb}} Dolls]] attacks Zangief with a [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]]; at first it looks like he's going to try this, but then he makes it even ''more'' absurd by letting the blade hit his chest, {{No Sell}}ing it, and then '''shattering''' the blade simply by flexing. All thanks to "Muscle Power".

* This is the main objective of the Clap Trap Endless Game in [[VideoGame/RhythmHeaven Rhythm Heaven Fever and Megamix]]. In the former game, two players need to sync the crash dummy’s arms to catch falling blades before they can bonk their head. Megamix has one player control both hands at once instead.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' Season 1, Brock Samson throws his knife at Molotov Cocktease, hitting her square in the head-- she catches it in her ''teeth.''

* In the first ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' gamebook, ''Literature/TheWarlockOfFiretopMountain'', the vampire demonstrates it being [[NighInvulnerability Nigh-Invulnerable]] ([[InformedAbility sort of]], it just has high combat stats) by grabbing the player's sword when the combat begins.
* ''Literature/ReturnToFiretopMountain'' have a (perfectly avoidable) encounter against a monster called a Metallix, who doesn't look threatening but is actually immune to weapons made of metal, hence it's name. If you chose to attack the Metallix with your sword, it will snatch your weapon away from you ''by the blade'' and use it against you - you can only fight it by pelting it with rocks.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': The Force-Wielders of Mortis casually push aside lightsabers by the blades to show how completely they outclass everyone else.

* ''[[Characters/MarvelComicsPeterParker Spider-Man]]'' once blocked a katana between the foreheads of two {{ninja}} that he had rolled up into a carpet.

* In the duel between Legolas and Bolg in ''Film/TheHobbitTheDesolationOfSmaug'', Bolg does a variant by trapping Legolas' sword under his armpit.

* In ''Dead Man's Hand'' crossover, Characters/{{Daredevil|MattMurdock}} managed this on a knife-wielding [[Characters/ThePunisherFrankCastle Punisher]]. The Punisher, an experienced knife-fighter, then whipped the knife out with a slight twist, leaving DD with two handfuls of blood.
* ''[[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Spider-Man]]'' once blocked a katana between the foreheads of two {{ninja}} that he had rolled up into a carpet.

* Seen in the [[NeverTrustATrailer opening sequence]] for the second half of season 2 of ''Manga/GunslingerGirl''. [[spoiler:[[TrailersAlwaysSpoil Then seen again]] in the finale of said season, where Triela catches Pinocchio off-guard by breaking his knife with her bare hands, then stabbing him in the arm with his own blade.]]