Line #159 Main/AnimalThemedFightingStyle


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6	[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snake01_6.png]]]]
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8	The animal kingdom is host to all manner of vicious and terrifying creatures. It is therefore appropriate that some fighters will base their techniques or fighting styles on animal movements.
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10	In RealLife, there exist several forms of martial arts based on the behavior of animals. The most famous examples are [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Animals the Five Animal fighting styles]] which originated south of China's Yangtze Rniver around the late Ming early Qing Dynasties, as well as the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Praying_Mantis Northern Praying Mantis]] style.
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12	In some cases, this can [[TellMeHowYouFight reflect a character's personality]]. For instance, a person who uses a tiger-based fighting style might be characterized as aggressive and quick to anger while a snake martial artist may be [[SnakesAreSinister sneaky and untrustworthy.]] Count on some characters with animal themed fighting styles to have their design reflect their animal as well.
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14	SubTrope of AnimalMotifs. Can potentially overlap with AnimalisticAbilities if the fighting style is a [[SupernaturalMartialArts superhuman martial art]] that also grants animal-like abilities or if the animal-like power allows the opponent to create a fighting style based on the animal source. May also be a result of RaisedByWolves.
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17	!!Examples:
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19	[[foldercontrol]]
20
21	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
22	* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'':
23	** Shinobu's Insect Breathing Style mimics insects, specifically their flight and lethal stings. Shinobu developed this style to compensate for her lack of physical strength and durability.
24	** Inosuke [[RaisedByWolves was reared by a wild sow]] and calls his fighting style Beast Breathing, though these moves have little to do with actual beasts. However, Tanjiro observes that Inosuke has a peculiar way of attacking when he's barehanded, making extremely low strikes as a boar would.
25	* ''Manga/DragonBall'':
26	** Yamcha's "Wolf Fang Fist" technique involves him [[RapidFireFisticuffs rapidly]] punching and clawing the opponent like a wolf.
27	** In Jackie Chun and Goku's 21st World Martial Arts Tournament match, Jackie uses DrunkenBoxing to surprise and confuse Goku. Goku responds with his "Mad Dog" and "Crazy Monkey" techniques which have him imitate a wild dog and monkey, respectively, to catch him off guard.
28	* ''Manga/EdensZero'': Most of Homura's techniques invoke animals in their movements, names and stances.
29	** Her "Leopard Stance" attacks focus on quick simultaneous slashes invoking a leopard using its speed to attack its prey.
30	** Her "Dragon Flash" has her lunge towards the opponent and knock them off balance while thrusting off the ground, then spinning towards the opponent before slashing downward across the chest. The move references the movement of an Eastern Dragon.
31	** Her [[BladeSpam "Snake Strike"]] and [[ArmorPiercingAttack "Snake Bite"]] consist of sword thrusts that mimic a snake lunging and biting.
32	** Her "Crane Form" is a stance that has her balancing on one leg like a crane.
33	** Komura's "Tiger Form" attacks revolve around use of [[WolverineClaws claws]] [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation she creates out of Ether]].
34	* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': We're introduced to [[BigGuy Buccaneer]] of the Briggs Mountain Soldiers when he erupts from the snow to ambush the Elric brothers. The weapon he uses is an automail arm equipped with a giant pincer and motorized teeth inlaid with which he tries to grab the boys. The model name of the automail? The Crocodile.
35	* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': The Inuzaka clan's "Four Legs Technique" is based on animal movements and enhances speed and accuracy.
36	* ''Anime/OnePunchMan'':
37	** "Snake Fist" Snek is an A-Class hero who fights using "Biting Snake Fist", a FantasticFightingStyle based on Snake Kung Fu. All of his attacks are accompanied by an image of a viper striking.
38	** S-Class hero Watchdog Man attacks and defends on all fours while wearing a costume resembling his namesake. This fighting style allowed him to [[CurbStompBattle trounce]] Garou who was unaccustomed to facing an opponent with such techniques. Garou later decides to copy Watchdog Man's fighting style in his battles with Genos and Bang.
39	* ''Manga/OPartsHunter'': Having been trained by a wolf, Jio's fighting style is often compared to a wolf's movements.
40	* ''Manga/{{Vagabond}}'': Sasaki Kojiro uses the "Swallow Cut" technique his real life counterpart was known for. See the RealLife folder below.
41	[[/folder]]
42
43	[[folder:Comic Books]]
44	* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'':
45	** Spider-Man's rogues gallery contains several enemies who follow this pattern to go with their animal motifs. In fact, for a time this was almost the only type of foe Spidey fought. Rhino, Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Kangaroo, Scorpion, Leap Frog, Puma, and Razorback are a very short list of villains who, through one method or another, tend to fight using the same kinds of attacks and tactics as the animals they're patterned after. How effective this is varies.
46	** In ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManDanSlott'', Spider-Man's SpiderSense was temporarily disabled. To compensate for this, Peter underwent martial arts training from Shang Chi to develop a fighting style called "Way of the Spider" which focused on spider-like strength and reflexes.
47	* ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'': [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in the [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage original Mirage Comics]] -- Splinter was the pet rat of ninjutsu master Hamato Yoshi. Splinter learned martial arts from Yoshi by mimicking his movements.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
51	* ''Franchise/KungFuPanda'': The Furious Five are a more literal case of this, as they are anthropomorphic animals whose fighting styles are based on real-life animal form martial arts. The [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda1 first film]]'s BigBad, Tai Lung, who is a snow leopard, uses the leopard style. And Po, the eponymous panda, primarily uses bear style.
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
55	* ''Film/AroundTheWorldIn80Days2004'': One scene has Lau Xing telling a bunch of kids about the Ten Tigers, a team of fighters who specialize in animal martial arts. Fogg dismisses the idea of learning to fight by mimicking animals as a silly legend until he witnesses the Ten Tigers in battle himself.
56	* ''Film/{{The Batman\|2022}}'': Selina's fighting style is based on a cat, fitting her AnimalMotif. [[https://www.indiewire.com/2021/12/batman-zoe-kravitz-cat-fights-catwoman-1234687228/ Zoe Kravitz even watched footage of cats and lions fighting, and integrated their movements into her character's fight scenes.]]
57	* ''Film/{{Bloodsport}}'': One of the Kumite fighters uses a fighting style based on monkey behavior, with lots of evasion and Combat Rolls. His stance even keeps him crouched on his haunches.
58	* ''Film/TheKarateKid'':
59	** ''Film/{{The Karate Kid\|1984}}'' (1984): The Crane Kick is the move Daniel uses to defeat Johnny in the tournament. It consists of balancing on one leg, while lifting the other and spreading the arms similar to how a crane spreads its wings.
60	** ''Film/{{The Karate Kid\|2010}}'' (2010): Inverted and played straight. Han takes Dre to a Taoist temple in the Wudang Mountains where Dre witnesses a woman making a cobra reflect her movements. In the climax, Dre uses the woman's snake stance to defeat Cheng.
61	* ''Film/KillBill'': The Bride is trained in Tiger Crane style Hung Ga. Unfortunately for her, it was no match for [[OldMaster Pai Mei]]'s Eagle's Claw.
62	* ''Film/KungFuHustle'': The Beast's "Toad Style" technique allows him to mimic a toad's stance, headbutting force and leaping ability.
63	* ''Film/TheManWithTheIronFists'': Jungle Town runs on this, with each of the warring clans being named for an animal, which informs their fighting style. This doesn't just cover normal animal themed kung-fu disciplines, but other animals as well, such as:
64	** Rat Clan, who use camouflage and skulking about to conceal large numbers of fighters for sneak attacks. They're individually fairly weak, but specialize in coordinating their attacks to confuse and incapacitate stronger opponents.
65	** Spider Clan, who run the local brothel and are quite adept [[ImprovisedWeapon at using the normally decorative curtains in their home to move about when fighting]]. They also possess [[PoisonedWeapons poisoned needles]] they can mount on their tongues to deliver a powerful toxin that almost instantly paralyzes and kills their targets.
66	* ''Film/SnakeInTheEaglesShadow'': The film lives by this trope, featuring featuring three schools, each with their own focus on an animal martial art (Snake, Mantis and Eagle's Claw). TheHero develops his own "Cat Claw" technique after watching his pet cat kill a cobra.
67	* ''Franchise/StarWars'': The Jedi teach distinct forms of lightsaber combat, each named after a creature whose overall nature it emulates.
68	** Form I, called Shii-Cho or the Way of the Sarlacc, is the oldest and simplest and employs a stubborn and direct approach to combat, emulating the ambush predator's great patience.
69	** Form II, called Makashi or the Way of the Ysalamiri, is primarily used for lightsaber duels and employs deliberate, precise and elegant strikes over power and strength, seeking to disarm and tire out foes. It is named after creatures know for, among other things, their stubborn tenacity.
70	** Form III, called Soresu or the Way of the Mynock, is primarily defensive and especially effective against blaster fire. It is named after the creatures' skill in avoiding attacks.
71	** Form IV, called Ataru or the Way of the Hawk-Bat, is a very aggressive form useful against single opponents and which makes extensive use of acrobatics and jumps, emulating the swift aerial predator it's named after.
72	** Form V, called Shien, Djem So or the Way of the Krayt Dragon, uses a combination of powerful attacks and defenses immediately followed by aggressive counterstrikes, emulating the ferocious reptilian titans that rule the deserts of Tatooine.
73	** Form VI, called Niman or the Way of the Rancor, is a JackOfAllTrades form that combines the previous ones into a synthesis that lacks strong advantages but also significant weaknesses.
74	** Form VII, called Juyo or the Way of the Vornskr, is an extremely aggressive form that uses a constant barrage of ferocious, erratic attacks to unbalance opponents; it is named after a species of cunning and vicious pack predators. It has a variant, Vaapad, that employs attacks that are too fast, furious and omnidirectional to count or react to; in the ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' continuity, this is named after an eponymous predator whose tentacles strike too fast to be countered unless the creature is dead.
75	* ''Film/WendyWuHomecomingWarrior'': Wendy's martial arts training involves learning from four Kung Fu masters trained in animal martial arts. The snake master teaches her flexibility, the leopard master teaches her speed, the the crane master teaches her balance and the tiger master teaches her aggression.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Literature]]
79	* ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'': '''The Black Gryphon''' gives us Zahneel, a female gryphon who manages to take down three [[EvilKnockoff makaar]] solo by using her greater speed and ability to gain altitude to perform strike and run kills on them. Skandrannon, another gryphon known for unusual fighting styles, likens this to a falcon diving after much larger, stronger prey. This serves as subtle foreshadowing that Zahneel's body type is deliberately based more off a falcon than the eagle traditionally associated with gryphons, both in the series and in real life.
80	[[/folder]]
81
82	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
83	* ''Franchise/SuperSentai''[=/=]''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
84	** ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'': PlayedForLaughs in "Plague of the Mantis". Inspired by Trini's Mantis Kung Fu, Bulk and Skull decide to charge people to learn their newly-invented "cockroach kung fu". Their "style" is basically a bunch of comical, uncoordinated moves, culminating in the two headbutting each other unconscious.
85	** ''Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman''[=/=]''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy'': Each Ranger has a fighting style based on the individual animal their helmets and Starbeasts/Zords are based on. However, this is downplayed in ''Lost Galaxy''.
86	** ''Series/HyakujuuSentaiGaoranger''[=/=]''Series/PowerRangersWildForce'': The Rangers fight in a manner resembling animals, running on all fours (or in the case of the Yellow and Blue Rangers, flying through the air) and slashing with their [[WolverineClaws claw-tipped gloves]].
87	** ''Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger''[=/=]''Series/PowerRangersJungleFury'': Both the heroes and villains each have their own unique fighting style based on their AnimalMotif.
88	** ''Series/PowerRangersMegaforce'': In "Spirit of the Tiger", Jake and Emma receive martial arts lessons from Casey Rhodes, the Jungle Fury Red Ranger. After learning to get in touch with their animal spirits, Jake and Emma defeat the MonsterOfTheWeek using animal-like martial arts moves.
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
92	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition'':
93	** The ''Unearthed Arcana'' proposes an array of fighting styles that can be adopted by monk characters as alternate class features, giving the opportunity to learn some special ability in exchange for a more rigid feat progression. Among them:
94	*** The "Cobra Strike" school of martial arts emulates the venomous snake's deadly fast strikes, emphasizing mobility and accuracy. The masters of this style have a reputation for cruel training methods resulting in skilled but hardened students, with rumors of dire fates for those who fail their teachings.
95	*** The "Sleeping Tiger" style uses powerful strikes and smooth motions, favoring ambushes and a first-strike approach, just like the tiger it is named after. It is a rare and challenging style, requiring lots of strength and agility to properly master.
96	** The ''Tome of Battle – Book of Nine Swords'' introduces nine martial disciplines with poetic names, two of them invoking animals:
97	*** The "Tiger Claw" discipline makes use of short slashing weapons (including actual claws) and emphasizes jumping on the enemy, close contact combat and bloodlust. Several of its maneuvers are also named after ferocious animals, such as the wolf, wolverine, mongoose, bear or [[MultiArmedAndDangerous girallon]].
98	*** The "White Raven" discipline, on the other hand, favors cooperation and group tactics, like a flock of ravens.
99	** A couple tactical feats, each granting three separate maneuvers, are also animal-inspired:
100	*** "Drow Scorpion Warrior", only mastered by the dark elves, studies the deadly tactics of the scorpion, and its maneuvers are called ''Deadly Sting'', ''Lunging Sting'' and ''Rending Sting''.
101	*** "Raptor School" is a set of martial arts techniques inspired by hunting birds, including ''Eagle's Swoop'', ''Falcon's Feathers'' and ''Hawk's Eye''.
102	* ''Onitama'' depicts a martial arts contest between two rival martial arts schools, and all of the maneuvers the player can perform are named after animals.
103	* ''TableTopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'': Mr. Fixer's "Alternating Tiger Claw", "Driving Mantis", and "Grease Monkey Paw" style cards all depict him in a stance mimicking the animals these styles are named for, as well as stylized images of the animals.
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Video Games]]
107	* ''VideoGame/BloodyRoar'': The games revolve around fighters who can transform into werebeasts. Naturally, every character's fighting style takes some influence from their respective animal.
108	* ''VideoGame/BrutalPawsOfFury'': The game has a cast of anthropomorphic animals who integrate some of their bestial features into their martial arts.
109	* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'': Ayla attacks by running on all fours and clawing her enemies like a cat.
110	* ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'': [[EvilBrit Christie]] uses Snake Kung Fu.
111	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
112	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'': Gau learned to fight by copying the attack patterns and special attacks of the monsters and animals that migrated to Veldt.
113	** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'': Pugilists and Monks fight with various techniques relying on rotating through three combat "forms" -- raptor, coeurl, and opo-opo.
114	* ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'': The martial arts styles depicted in the game include Leaping Tiger (which makes the fighter's hands sprout WolverineClaws when used), Viper (which makes the fighter's strikes inflict DamageOverTime), and Monkey Paw.
115	* ''VideoGame/{{Judgment}}'' combines this with a StanceSystem.
116	** The Crane style features wide sweeping kicks meant to manage large crowds of people, and it's notably acrobatic.
117	** The Tiger style is a heavy one-on-one style focusing on devastating attacks and doing high damage.
118	** Introduced in ''VideoGame/LostJudgment'' is the Snake style, which is softer and more defensive with an edge in dealing with armed opponents.
119	* ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'':
120	** Sie Kensou is trained in Dragon Kung Fu.
121	** [[BrainwashedAndCrazy Wild Leona]] has a fighting style based on feline moves instead of ninjutsu[[note]]Team Ikari's fighting style is called Heidern style assassination techniques. Heidern and Leona use a ninjutsu based style while Ralf and Clark use a wrestling based style.[[/note]], running like a cat and using her nails to scratch her opponent instead of [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation forming energy blades]] like she normally does.
122	* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'': The [[VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes second game]] introduces Spider-Man whose movements are based on a spider.
123	* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'':
124	** ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Deadly Alliance]]'', ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Deception]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon Armageddon]]'' featured a StanceSystem which allowed characters to alternate between fighting styles. A number of martial arts based on animals were featured, such as Dragon (Sub-Zero, Jarek), Crane (Shang Tsung), Crab (Reptile), Mantis (Kung Lao, Shujinko) and Monkey (Noob Saibot).
125	** ''VideoGame/MortalKombatShaolinMonks'': Liu Kang uses Dragon and Monkey Kung Fu as his fighting styles.
126	* ''VideoGame/NickelodeonAllStarBrawl'': [[WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys Nigel Thornberry]] attacks with movements that mimic animals. These include a straight punch while in a hunched-over ape pose, a woodpecker-like bite, and contorting his legs to kick forward while laying down like a scorpion stabbing with its tail.
127	* ''VideoGame/OneFingerDeathPunch'': The game features Praying Mantis, Eagle Claw, Flying Crane, and Shaolin Tiger styles.
128	* ''VideoGame/PowerInstinct'': As Poochy, Kinta's moves are based on dog mannerisms and movements such as digging at the ground and jumping onto the enemy.
129	* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'':
130	** Adon is trained in the Jaguar style of Muay Thai while his master Sagat is trained in the Tiger style. Their signature moves are named after their respective theme animals, i.e. Sagat's Tiger Uppercut and Adon's Jaguar Tooth.
131	** T. Hawk is trained in the Thunderfoot martial arts style which mimics movements of various animals. His battle stance even resembles a hawk hunting its prey.
132	** Gen is trained in Mantis and Crane Kung Fu.
133	** Blanka's fighting style consists of wild, animalistic attacks he learned from surviving in the jungle and mimicking animals, including somehow learning how to copy an electric eel's ability to generate electricity.
134	* ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'':
135	** [[OldMaster Wang Jinrei]] is trained in Xing Yi, a Chinese martial art based on ten animal forms (Bear, Eagle, Snake, Tiger, Dragon, Chicken, Horse, Swallow, Goshawk, Monkey).
136	** [[SuperCop Lei Wulong]] is trained in the Five Animal martial arts (Tiger, Crane, Leopard, Snake and Dragon). His gameplay revolves around [[StanceSystem switching between these forms]] [[DifficultButAwesome making him a very versatile character in the right hands]].
137	* ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'': Lion is a master of Mantis-style Kung Fu and Eileen uses Monkey-style Kung Fu.
138	[[/folder]]
139
140	[[folder:Webcomics]]
141	* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'': {{Supernatural Martial Art\|s}}ist Jazza Ng/"Jabberwokky" has the superpower to copy any animal-based kung fu style, including some made up on the spot. These styles don't even have to follow physics, and it's theorized her power taps into the BackgroundMagicField. For example, her Cheetah style lets her bounce around the room, and her Rhino style lets her tank the attacks of much larger opponents.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Western Animation]]
145	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Earthbending, firebending, and airbending were developed by observing the "original benders" -- badger-moles, dragons, and flying bison, respectively.
146	** [[spoiler:When Zuko and Aang sought out the original firebending masters near the end of the Hundred Year War, they were brought to the last two surviving dragons, who taught them an ancient firebending form called "The Dancing Dragon".]]
147	** Toph Beifong learned her unique earthbending style after encountering badger-moles as a small girl. In a meta-example, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Praying_Mantis the real-world martial art on which her style is based]] is inspired by the postures taken by the praying mantis.
148	* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'': Every move in Hak-Foo's repertoire is patterned after some animal movement. Even when leaping into the air he [[CallingYourAttacks yells]] "Angry Crow Takes Flight." This gets taken to ludicrous extremes when he finds himself fighting the J-Team in space and his normally lightning fast punches and kicks are slowed down by zero gravity. Undaunted, Hak-Foo breaks out his "Turtle Fist" and "Sloth Kick".
149	* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': [[StevenUlyssesPerhero Lord Montgomery Fiske]], a.k.a. Monkey Fist, is obsessed with all things monkey related. Naturally, this extends to him mastering Monkey Kung Fu and gaining [[KiManipulation Mystical Monkey Power]]. Ron also has Mystical Monkey Power but cannot take full advantage of it due to lack of control over it.
150	* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'': When Bug Gribble tries to apologize to his son Dale for an indiscretion years earlier, Dale responds by attacking him with "monkey style" martial arts, complete with screeching and hooting.
151	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'': Dareth claims to be a master of animal fighting styles which are really just animal impressions that have no effect on his opponents. However, this becomes useful in [[Recap/NinjagoS3E30TheCurseOfTheGoldenMaster one episode]] where he [[SpeaksFluentAnimal talks to sharks]] using this technique and saves a group of students.
152	[[/folder]]
153
154	[[folder:Real Life]]
155	* China:
156	** The aforementioned Five Animals, and Southern and Northern Praying Mantis styles.
157	** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xing_Yi_Quan Xing Yi Quan]] is based on ten primary animal shapes (bear, eagle, snake, tiger, dragon, chicken, horse, swallow, goshawk and monkey). Other animals that may be present in a particular lineage are crane, crocodile, tai and turtle.
158	** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hung_Ga Hung Ga]] has roots in the Five Animals. One of its disciplines is the Tiger Crane Style.
159	** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Claw Eagle Claw]] is a martial art which focuses on joint locks, takedowns and pressure points. The stance often involves shaping the hand like an eagle's talon.
160	** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu_Jow_Pai Fu Jow Pai]] ("Tiger Claw System") is based on Tiger Kung Fu.
161	** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunken_Monkey Drunken Monkey]] is a variation of Monkey Kung Fu which imitates an intoxicated monkey.
162	* India:
163	** [[http://4thyearproject1200691.blogspot.com/2015/12/research-into-different-types-of.html Kalaripayattu]] has eight postures based on animals - boar, elephant, cat, lion, snake, cock, peacock and horse.
164	** The unarmed component of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silambam#cite_note-ChrisCrudelli-10 Silambam]] draws inspiration from animals.
165	* Japan: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasaki_Kojir%C5%8D Sasaki Kojiro]] was a famous swordsman during the Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods. His SignatureMove was the ''Tsubame Gaeshi'' ("Turning Swallow Cut"), named for how it mimicked the motion of a swallow's tail during flight.
166	* Myanmar: Offensive forms of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bando#Techniques Bando]] are based on animal movements, likely taking influence from animal styles from India and China. The highest form is panther.
167	* Germany: The [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_school_of_fencing#Guards_(also_known_as_huten_or_leger) Ochs]] (Ox) guard position of the Lichtenauer longsword tradition, where the sword is raised to the side of the head and pointed towards the opponent, in the manner of an Ox’s horn; like an Ox, the fencer is able to constantly threaten their opponent while their head remains passively protected, making the position ideal for delivering thrusts as well as receiving blows to deliver a counter strike.
168	[[/folder]]

Context Main / AnimalThemedFightingStyle