History Main / SingleStrokebattle

One character falls to the ground, defeated or dead. They may start bleeding at this point, or be [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe entirely]] [[DiagonalCut into]] [[OffWithHisHead pieces]]. Often this happens at the same time that the victorious character sheathes their weapon, or turns back to face their opponent.

A {{beat}} goes by.

One character falls to the ground, dead. [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe Sometimes]] [[DiagonalCut in]] [[OffWithHisHead pieces]] after a [[DelayedCausality dramatic pause]]. The other stands.

* Considering that the non-leaping non-ninja version of this phenomena is essentially the most extreme form of Iai or Battoujutsu, it's rather surprising that ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' doesn't make heavy use of the technique; whenever Kenshin uses a battou attack, the location of the weapon in his opponent is clearly shown. That may have something to do with the fact that since Kenshin's sakabatou is a blunt weapon, he's not exactly capable of cleaving enemies to pieces with it.

On cue -- sometimes triggered by an outside event, such as a slowly falling flower petal touching the ground -- they break into a sprint toward each other, leaning far forward, hands on weapons. Each character is shown in a frontal shot from the other's perspective.

* ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' played it straight in the fourth episode -- Mugen and a yakuza clash in a single blow, with Mugen walking away -- and subverted it in a later episode -- as Mugen approaches two people who betrayed him, one reaches for his sword and Mugen cuts him down without even stopping. In the first case, Mugen and the yakuza respect each other, and both being {{Blood Knight}}s they just ''had'' to fight a duel to the death to know for sure who's better. In the latter example, Mugen was out for revenge rather than for a challenge.

* Subverted in one of the theatrical films for ''The LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' -- what falls to pieces is not Lina's opponent, but Lina's opponent's cheap-ass wicker armor and wooden sword.

* Also subverted in ''Seishoujo Senshi SaintValkyrie'' -- Yuuki wins one of these in the first episode by stealing a pair of pink panties from the jacket pocket of the MonsterOfTheWeek.

* Much of Goemon's battles from ''Franchise/LupinIII'' are like this. One of the best examples is in the movie ''Anime/TheMysteryOfMamo'' where he faces off against Mamo's lead henchman Flinch; when they land, Goemon has a deep cut on his arm and a broken sword-tip. Flinch laughs at him only for his head to separate into three pieces -- the broken sword was still plenty sharp.

** Also in ''II'', BonusBoss [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Sephiroth]] always opens up the battle with and afterwards periodically uses a move called "Flash", where the screen darkens, Sephiroth makes a short remark ("That's enough."), and he dashes past Sora with quick footwork. If Sora doesn't use the "Reflect" reaction command (or--with ''very'' good timing--use Reflect or even jump), Sora is struck by multiple invisible blows that usually bring Sora's health down to critical levels (if underleveled/unprepared, this almost certainly spells [[OneHitKill disaster]]).

*** Naturally, this is also the ending to one of the multiplayer scenarios-- the vampire and the yeti do this, and depending on which player played better (or maybe they tied, it's surprisingly common), one (or both) of them falls down in defeat.

* ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' played it straight in the fourth episode -- Mugen and a yakuza clash in a single blow, with Mugen walking away -- and subverted it in a later episode -- as Mugen approaches two people who betrayed him, one reaches for his sword and Mugen cuts him down without even stopping.

%%** Was also done during Zoro's battles with Mihawk, T-Bone, and Mr. 1.

--> '''Koromon''': "Uh, I think you forgot something when I was Wargreymon!" ''*Top third of Machinedramon slides off and disintegrates, then the middle, and then the bottom disappears*''

--> '''Koromon''': You missed what I did when I was Wargreymon. '''I sliced you like an onion!''' ''*Cue sliding and dissolving as stated above*''

* ''VideoGame/GhostOfTsushima'' has showcased this as something that can be done in combat as a honorable samurai.

* Pictured above: Shiki cutting through zombies in the fifth ''LightNovel/KaraNoKyoukai'' movie like butter. And it was awesome!

[[quoteright:246:[[LightNovel/KaraNoKyoukai https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cit_kara_no_kyoukai_-_Shiki_-_your_zombie_asplode.jpg]]]]

%%* Any number of battles in ''TheHakkenden''.

* Also parodied in the first Slayers TV series, when Zelgadis fights Dilgear. Both of them land a hit, but both escape unscathed because neither can be hurt by normal swords (Zelgadis' half-golem body is too tough to damage, and Dilgear's half-troll body heals within seconds).

* Setsuna in ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' suggested she and Negi do this to finish their match in the TournamentArc seeing as they only had 15 seconds left in the match.

* This pretty much happens in the Cloud fight during the Ring Conflict arc of ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn''. Mosca flies at [[{{Delinquent}} Hibari]] of the AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil, and it looks like he might be in trouble. But unsurprisingly for him, [[CurbStompBattle Hibari one-shots him]] and can't even walk away fast enough before he turns to attack [[BigBad Xanxus]]. Granted, Mosca was a [[spoiler: CapedMecha who ran on the power of a [[CoolOldGuy Nice Old Man]] who loves puppies, and is a Mafia Boss at the same time. ''And'' it was playing dead. All apart of Xanxus' EvilPlan]].

* Subverted when Darkness fights Beldia in ''{{LightNovel/Konosuba}}''. They both swing dramatically, only to realize after a brief pause that Darkness missed him.

* The fight between Shirahime (Sai) & Suzuka (Hatoko) in ''[[Anime/KidouTenshiAngelicLayer Angelic Layer]]''. [[spoiler: Suzuka loses]].

* ''Manga/GingaNagareboshiGin'' and all it's sequals are known to do this, in tune with the idea that ''The dogs are like Samurai. [[http://www.onemanga.com/Ginga_-_Nagareboshi_Gin/16/03/ For example.]]

* Parodied in the second opening of ''LightNovel/HaiyoreNyarkoSan''.

* Also parodied in the first Slayers TV series, when Zelgadis fights Dilgear. Neither can be hurt by normal swords (Zelgadis' half-golem body is too tough to damage, and Dilgear's half-troll body heals within seconds).

* ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': In "Absolute Candor", Elnor requires only one swing of his sword to win a fight against Tenqem ([[OffWithHisHead who loses his head]]) and two other gang members.

* The UsefulNotes/{{P|layStation2}}S2 game ''VideoGame/{{Shinobi}}'' carries this to its logical conclusion: upon defeating an opponent, a timer would start to count down at the bottom of the screen, and each time another opponent was defeated the timer would start over. Meanwhile, the protagonist's magical vampiric katana would glow, with the glow intensifying with each successive kill, and the damage inflicted by an attack also increasing. When all goes well, every enemy in an area is killed within the fairly limited time available, at which point the camera flashes to each defeated enemy in turn before returning to the protagonist (in a suitably cocky victory pose, sword sheathed), at which point every enemy would simultaneously slide apart. Also, several boss fights are effectively impossible without the extra damage potential that comes from killing six monsters in seven seconds.

** The finale of [[Franchise/StarWars Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Franchise/{{Naruto}} Kakashi Hatake]] has the two charge each other with their lightsaber and Chidori respectively. [[spoiler:Mid-charge, Obi-Wan uses the Force to destroy Kakashi's eye, but he keeps coming. Obi-Wan comes out without a scratch, while Kakashi gets cut in half at the waist.]]

** This is how the duel between Trent and his evil clone ended in ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder''. "I guess you wanted it more. Goodbye, White Ranger."

** Taylor and Zen-Aku have this in ''Series/PowerRangersWildForce.'' After they strike each other in passing, it is Taylor who falls and involuntarily demorphs, allowing ZA to snag two of her Animal Crystals (and thus control two more of the Rangers' HumongousMecha. ZA was all about the GundamJacking.) However, the previously-untouchable ZA was made to bleed a little - red blood, proving he wasn't what he seemed.

* ''Series/KaiketsuLionMaru'', ''Manga/KamenNoNinjaAkakage'', and ''Manga/HenshinNinjaArashi'' have all had battles like this at one time or another.

* Satirized in ''Series/KamenRiderKabuto'' in a single-pass duel between makeup artists (both male). Whoever ends up prettiest (due to the opponent's makeup application) loses.
* Subverted in ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', in Sara's duel with a samurai. They run at each other, each strike a single blow, and then the samurai staggers and collapses... and then Sara reveals the bloody knife in her left hand with which she struck the actual fatal blow. After all, Sara isn't a samurai, she's an assassin.

One character falls to the ground, dead. [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe Sometimes]] [[DiagonalCut in]] [[OffWithHisHead pieces.]] The other stands.

* The fight between [[BattleButler Willikins]] and [[PsychoForHire Stratford]] near the end of ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}''. Willikins doesn't even bother to do the runup.

* The ''Franchise/StarWars'' fan film ''Duality'' uses this quite nicely when [[spoiler:the two Sith wannabes simultaneously kill each other, leaving the Emperor to grieve at the lost opportunity.]]

* PRIDE 10. Garry Goodridge vs. Gilbert Yvel. Two [[ScaryBlackMan scary black men]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky9VTC4QeRk one well timed head kick]], fight over.

** Guts' first confrontation with Serpico in volume 17 consists of one simultaneous draw and cut from each of them. Serpico first pretends to leave peacefully so Guts will let his guard down, then turns about and cuts at Guts' head while leaping into the air to avoid the Dragon Slayer. Guts gets a [[PaperCutting shallow cut]] on the cheek, and Serpico gets his boot cut open by a strike that narrowly misses his toes, so Serpico decides to throw in the towel and live to fight another day.

** After a CurbStompBattle as the result of heroic UnstoppableRage because [[spoiler: his new girlfriend and partner got killed]], Part 4 ends with SnowBall delivering a FlashStep punch to the BigBad. After a second, the BigBad starts coughing up blood, then he stumbles forwards and expires on the floor.