History Main / RazorWind

* In a scene of the Chinese movie ''Film/{{Hero}}'', an assassin who just killed her lover is pursued by a vengeful disciple of his. She doesn't want to fight, but the DualWielding disciple really wants... the assassin only reacts [[MinorInjuryOverreaction after having a little hair cut]], by using her sword to create Razor Winds that lift all leafs in the ground. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8tMp1qUszE Hard to describe,]] I know.

This is OlderThanSteam, partly thanks to [[TheZerothLawOfTropeExamples Shakespeare]]. Before him, Japanese folklore tells of the wind yōkai called [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamaitachi kamaitachi]], weasels with razor sharp claws that attacked in groups to knock people down and leave bloodless cuts on their legs -- all while moving with such blinding speed that the victim never saw his attacker. This was originally just a pun on "kamaetachi," which meant roughly "attacking sword", bringing the trope full circle.

* ''{{Pokemon}}'' has both the aforementioned Razor Wind, Air Cutter, and Air Slash moves.

* The UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn game ''VideoGame/DragonForce'' gave this move, called "Sonic Boom/Wave/Blast" to most basic Soldier and Knight generals, allowing them to cut a swathe through ranks of enemy soldiers.

* Rayte from ''TrintonChronicles'' could create sharp-as-knives air blades.

* The Wind Cutter and Air Thrust spells in ''TalesSeries'' are the most recurrent examples of this.

* In season 5 of ''[[TMNT2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' (2003) Donatello, who, like all of the turtles had temporarily gained access to several super-abilities via {{Upgrade Artifact}}s and magical weaponry, would occasionally call upon the "cleaving wind" as his super-move.

* In the ''ShiningForce'' series, the Blast spell (renamed to [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Tornado]] in Shining Force 3) does exactly this.

* Sort-of demonstrated in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' with Dante's Drive shockwave, created by slicing into the ground. It actually comes out rather slowly, contrary to expectations. Closer to the "ideal" is Vergil's Judgement Cut, where he uses battojutsu to "create" purple spheres at a distance to cut opponents.
** Also seen in the fourth game, where Dante uses Vergil's sword to cut through a building in the distance. In fact, Razor Wind is the Yamato's standard form of attack.
*** It's sort of played with in regards to Yamato, since it's described in-game as a sword that can ''cut through dimensions''. Dante's special attacks with Yamato in the fourth game are even called ''Dimension Slash''. They're not so much shooting wind at you as they are ''slicing through reality'' to attack.

* In ''[[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Fate/Stay Night]]'', Berserker (the demigod hero Hercules) is capable of a form of this. Given his excessive brawn, madness-induced strength, and his simply enormous sword, he violently displaces air with * every attack* . Dodging just the sword isn't enough -- you have to dodge the shockwaves as well to avoid getting cut. These shockwaves are much shorter in range than normal for this trope, so it can't be used as a distance attack. (Ironically, he actually has a skill that might have allowed him to completely fulfill the trope and more, if he wasn't in the grip of constantly induced madness.)

* Youmu Konpaku from the ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' games is another noted exponent; as a player-character she can use a constant stream of ''rapid-fire'' Razor Wind, and as an opponent she has a couple of attacks which basically fill the screen with it.

** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' has the sacred tome Excalibur, whose animation is a green-tinted, razor-HURRICANE. It can only be used by an S-Level mage, and it grants + 5 speed. The combat animation is slightly impractical, but [[RuleOfCool incredibly fun to watch]]--especially when used by a sage, since they have [[TheCape ankle-length capes.]]
*** It IS called the ''Wind Knife'' in certain promotional or other references.
*** There was also a B-rank tome called Alacalibur that was a lesser version of Excalibur, but it got DummiedOut.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'' has Air Render, a melee class ability that damages enemies at a distance, although despite the name, the attack isn't considered as Wind.
*** It's also in the sequel, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2''.

* There is a spell in the game ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden 2'' called Art of the Wind Blades. The in-game description refers to razor-sharp areas of vacuum created by incredibly fast movements of the caster's hands. Usually ends up taking off enemy arms and creating a huge mess.
** The Fiend Spider Ninjas can do it too, though to a much lesser extent.

* Jack's Sonic Buster from ''[[VideoGame/WildArms1 Wild ARMs]]'', a Fast Draw technique he created based on the strong mountain winds.
** And from the same game, Zed's Garyu Ichimongiri/whatever it might be called in ''VideoGame/WildARMsAlterCodeF''.

* In ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' Krizalid can do a kick that creates a circular razor wind attack that almost fills the whole screen.
** And before Krizalid, there was Goenitz. His main attack, the Yonokaze, was a tornado that drew blood like any other blade attack, but he also had the Wanpyou, where actual wind blades would appear from his hand.

* The sword technique "Wind Cutter" in ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}''. It's ''explosive'' razor wind.

* Cornell the werewolf in the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series has this as his primary attack, using nothing but his bare hands and claws. He can rapid-fire it as well, basically using it as a wind-based machinegun. AND he can use it in human form as well (though he does have small claws as a human).
** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia'' has the Pneuma Glyph, which grants Shanoa the ability to throw around wind attacks and is listed as dealing Slash damage.

* In the ''VideoGame/StreetFighter'' series, [[{{Woolseyism}} Early localizations]] implied this to be the source of Guile's ''Sonic Boom'' and ''Somersault/Flash Kick'' special attacks, as a result of him swinging his arms/legs at super sonic speeds. Nowadays they appear to just be regular KiAttacks like everyone else's moves.

*** It's sort of played with in regards to Yamato, since it's described in-game as a sword that can ''cut through dimensions''. Dante's special attacks with Yamato in the fourth game are even called ''Dimension Slash''.

*** It's sort of played with in regards to Yamato, since it's described in-game as a sword that can ''cut through dimensions''.
Dante's special attacks with Yamato in the fourth game are even called ''Dimension Slash''.

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', this is [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing Stormtiger]]'s main superpower.

* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ':

* Omi in ''LightNovel/{{Kanokon}}'' has this as his main attack technique. This makes sense, as he is actually a kamaitachi in human form.

* This is precisely what "Fuuhazan"/"Wind Slash" attack does in ''VideoGame/HarukanaruTokiNoNakaDe'' (also counts as a SwordBeam). In the TV anime, [[{{Samurai}} Yorihisa]] performs the move the very moment he receives the [[PowerCrystal Dragon Gem]] (albeit without the associated [[CallingYourAttacks incantation]] the first time around).

* In {{Worm}}, this is [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing Stormtiger]]'s main superpower.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* Nearly every ''SuperSentai''/''PowerRangers'' character or HumongousMecha ever to wield a sword or other bladed weapon (and a few with staff-like weapons, in fact) is capable of an attack like this. As the show [[LongRunners continues to stand the test of time]], these attacks become more and more elaborate to keep it interesting, such as arcs of energy that fly around crazily before striking the opponent, or the wielder slashing several times at once (as several ghostlike images occupying the same space in a manner resembling Film/TheMatrix's bullet-dodging.) When a Ranger goes from real space to a fancy background, you know his bladed weapon is about to finish what lasers, cannons, fireballs, and HumongousMecha could only start. Even, no especially, if the enemy is about twenty yards away.
* ''Series/KamenRiderHibiki'''s Armed Saber was capable of this.
** Pretty much any Kamen Rider with a sword can do it. Series/KamenRiderDouble doesn't have a sword until they get Xtreme Form, but they manage to do it with the Metal Shaft using the Metal Twister Maximum Drive.
[[/folder]]

** The legend of the Kamitachi was originally thought to come from the cuts on skin created by the vacuum in the center of whirlwinds. However the established theory now is that the sudden cooling, caused by the vaporization of moisture on exposed skin, in very cold, windy conditions causes the skin to split open and become chapped. Thats why the Kamaitachi legends are common in snowy regions and is why there is little to no blood, and the pain will set in later, and you’ll suffer for days as the wound heals.

* One of the melee-based [[FunctionalMagic charms]] in ''{{TabletopGame/Exalted}}'' enables the use of an energy-shockwave variant.
** Iron Raptor Technique specifically (the 'Sandstorm Wind Attack' variant). Ironically, Shining Razor Wind is *not* this trope, just really deadly.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons 3''/3.5ed features the Blood Wind spell, which invokes this trope to allow melee attacks to function as ranged.

** Ichigo shows the ability to do this [[spoiler: after getting his powers restored.]]

* The Kamaitachi from Japanese folklore are said to resemble weasels with sharp, sickle like claws, the attacks happen instantaneously, with the weasels moving faster than the eye can see. Accounts of their attacks vary; some claim that they attack in trios,the first sickle weasel attacking with a strong gust of wind(or a whirlwind) knocking their victim to the ground the second weasel attacking using it's sickle-like claws to cut a deep gash into the skin, and the final weasel applies a medicine that numbs pain and stops bleeding. While others claim the monster works alone attacking with razor sharp wind that cuts the victim, and the Kamaitachi then licks the blood off the victim till the wound is dry, and continues this till the victim is dead.
** The legend of the Kamitachi was originally thought to come from the cuts on skin created by the vacuum in the center of whirlwinds. However the established theory now is that the sudden cooling caused by the vaporization of moisture in very cold, windy conditions causes the skin to split open and become chapped. Thats why the Kamaitachi legends are common in snowy regions.