History Main / SliceAndDiceSwordsmanship

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* While Guts of ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' is very, very given to slashing and smashing enemies apart with his oversized swords, the times he gets his hands on a regular-sized sword, such as when he's battling his way out of Count Julius's mansion, show that he is quite adept at other techniques, at one point using a half-swording technique to stab a guardsman in the groin.
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* Soma in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow'' averts this. Rapiers thrust, short swords slash, etc and both are considered different kind of damage (others including bludgeon and light). The same went for the earlier ''Aria of Sorrow'', prequel to ''Dawn''.

It can be [[JustifiedTrope justified]] if the wielder is untrained and defaults to swinging, either because swinging and flailing come more naturally to an unskilled, panicked person, or because they're trying to imitate what they saw in a movie. It can also be justified if a fighter who's trained in cut fencing but not in thrusting play [[DamnYouMuscleMemory can't help trying to use]] the unfamiliar weapon to perform their familiar moves, or if two characters are Flynning in-universe and not actually trying to hurt each other.

** Also [[AvertedTrope averted]] to hell and back in general, since carefully exploiting every weapon's weaknesses is the only way relatively-normal Shirou can survive more than a femtosecond against most of his enemies. In a separate case, Saber calls Assassin a coward when the latter duels from the edge of his longer Katana's range and refuses to engage her directly; Assassin apologizes and points out Saber's heavier European broadsword with cut through his weapon effortlessly and waiting to exploit a weakness is the only way he can fight.

* This trope zigzags in ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'' by Creator/{{Koei}}, depending on character, franchise, and sequel number. Sometimes characters will use their weapons appropriately.

It can be [[JustifiedTrope justified]] if the wielder is untrained and defaults to swinging, either because swinging and flailing come more naturally to an unskilled, panicked person, or because they're [[TheCoconutEffect trying to imitate]] what they saw in a movie. It can also be justified if a fighter who's trained in cut fencing but not in thrusting play [[DamnYouMuscleMemory can't help trying to use]] the unfamiliar weapon to perform their familiar moves, or if two characters are Flynning in-universe and not actually trying to hurt each other.

Animation - whether traditional or for video games - often produces the same effect for entirely different reasons. After consuming media with this trope in effect, the audience may expect it, and so a fight scene with [[RealityIsUnrealistic realistic techniques]] may not look right. Second, in video games, if multiple weapons must be animated being used in different ways, this can drive up the cost in terms of memory and budget for animation. This is less of a factor in current-gen games, but examples from earlier eras of gaming may have fallen prey to this. Additionally, just like in live action, sweeping cuts are easier for a viewer to follow. In games, the player also generally has to believe they can counterplay an attack or the move will feel cheap. Since thrusts can be subtle in their movements, animating a big swing can make it easier to both follow the action and react to it. Finally, the choice can be stylistic. Realism is rarely a priority in animation.

Put a sword [[HeroesPreferSwords in the hands of an]] {{RPG}} [[TheHero hero]], and he will use it to hack and slash at his enemies, even if he is given a thrusting weapon. This is not limited to swords either. Daggers, stilettos, etc. will be used to slash at opponents even though these weapons were specifically designed to thrust, sometimes even lacking a cutting edge.

Put a sword [[HeroesPreferSwords in the hands of an]] {{RPG}} [[TheHero hero]], and he will use it to hack and slash at his enemies, even if he is given a thrusting weapon. This is not limited to swords either. Daggers, stilettos, etc. will be used to slash at opponents even though these weapons were specifically designed to thrust.

It can be [[JustifiedTrope justified]] if the wielder is untrained and defaults to swinging, either because striking and flailing come more naturally to an unskilled, panicked person, or because they're [[TheCoconutEffect trying to imitate]] what they saw in a movie. It can also be justified if a fighter who's trained in cut fencing but not in thrusting play [[DamnYouMuscleMemory can't help trying to use]] the unfamiliar weapon to perform their familiar moves, or if two characters are Flynning in-universe and not actually trying to hurt each other.

** The Estoc is a straight example, being effectively the opposite of the Side Sword (thrust with R1, slash with R2). Its in-game item description in VideoGame/DarkSouls mentions that the blade has been sharpened to allow for slicing.

* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'':

** ''Videogame/TheEndTimesVermintide'' and ''Videogame/VermintideII'' zig-zag this trope with weapons. First, Sienna's ceremonial dagger and Kerillian's daggers are very rarely used in the thrust. Kruber's and Sienna's one-handed swords never are used to thrust. While spears are sometimes used to swing, Kerillian swings hers with surprising frequency. Victor Saltzpyre uses slashes with his rapier as his primary light attack, though his primary power attack is a clean thrust. Inverted when hammers and even axes are sometimes used in clumsy thrusts. Finally, while most HEMA today believes the halberd favored the spear head while also using the axe head, Kruber's halberd favors slashes heavily even if he does thrust on about a quarter of his attacks.

* Averted in ''Series/{{Rome}} where professional soldiers Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo use the gladius exactly as it was designed.
** In one scene ProfessionalKiller Timon is sent to assassinate Glabius, who grabs a sword off his slave and takes a big swing at Timon, only to fall to a stab to the chest.

A subtrope of ImprobableUseOfAWeapon.

Animation - whether traditional or for video games - often produces the same effect for entirely different reasons. After consuming media with this trope in effect, the audience may expect it, and so a fight scene with [[RealityIsUnrealistic realistic techniques]] may not look right. Second, in video games, if multiple weapons must be animated being used in different ways, this can drive up the cost in terms of memory and budget for animation. This is less of a factor in current-gen games, but examples from earlier eras of gaming may have fall prey to this. Additionally, just like in live action, sweeping cuts are easier for a viewer to follow. In games, the player also generally has to believe they can counterplay an attack or the move will feel cheap. Since thrusts can be subtle in their movements, animating a big swing can make it easier to both follow the action and react to it. Finally, the choice can be stylistic. Realism is rarely a priority in animation.

The reasons for this are largely the same as for {{Flynning}}. Cutting motions tend to be showier and easier for the audience to follow than thrusts. There is also much more danger of accidents in live-action choreography when thrusting is involved, because the actors are almost always doing it without the kinds of hand and face protection that are mandatory in fencing practice. Even the tips of dull or foiled blades can puncture such delicate, unprotected body parts with relatively little force, and since even stage sword blades are rarely able to flex as dramatically as those of Olympic fencing foils, a properly-lined-up point will inflict InertialImpalement upon a lunging attacker even if the defender stays in place. Striking an unprotected body part with a dull edge can also injure, but the blunt force is spread over a larger area, while the blade and wrist have more freedom to give way to the oncoming body. Furthermore, it's easier to redirect the force and targeting of your cut so that it can be safely parried while still looking like a serious strike to the audience, while you can't really make a "fake" thrust look convincing without introducing some real danger. Since an exchange of cuts and parries can be made to look quite energetic to the audience while actually carrying little risk of real injury, choreographers consider it both safer and more entertaining than trying to simulate the way these weapons were used historically.

The reasons for this are largely the same as for {{Flynning}}. Cutting motions tend to be showier and easier for the audience to follow than thrusts. There is also much more danger of accidents in live-action choreography when thrusting is involved, since the actors are usually doing it without the kinds of hand and face protection that are mandatory in fencing practice. Even the tips of dull or foiled blades can puncture such delicate, unprotected body parts with relatively little force, and since even stage sword blades are unable to flex as dramatically as those of Olympic fencing foils, a properly-lined-up point will inflict InertialImpalement upon a lunging attacker even if the defender stays in place. Striking an unprotected body part with a dull edge can also injure, but the blunt force is spread over a larger area, while the blade and wrist have more freedom to give way to the oncoming body. Furthermore, it's easier to redirect the force and targeting of your cut so that it can be safely parried while still looking like a serious strike to the audience, while you can't really make a "fake" thrust look convincing without introducing some real danger. Since an exchange of cuts and parries can be made to look quite energetic to the audience while actually carrying little risk of real injury, choreographers consider it both safer and more entertaining than trying to simulate the way these weapons were used historically.