History Main / FightingWithChucks

It should also be noted that the real life inspiration for ninja never actually used nunchucks (though there ''were'' peasants and farmers among them). Since they were spies more than warriors, when they had to fight someone, they normally had to kill their opponent quickly and effectively, and nunchuks were definitely not up for that kind of job. It was more a weapon used by farmers and peasants to defend themselves from attackers, since they were easy to make, they could be mistaken by farmers' tools at first glance (specifically threshing sticks used to loosen grains from plants), and don't require such a high level of skill to use effectively. Or at least to use without hurting oneself permanently. Furthermore, the purpose of the weapon is not to strike your enemy (common physics decrees that in most situations, the weapon would just smack your own body right back afterward,) but to force them to submit by cutting off circulation to their limbs by using them as a tourniquet. All in all, not a bad ImprovisedWeapon.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} 8'', nunchaku are weapons available relatively early on for use by the "eastern" classes (monk, samurai, and ninja). While they're short range, and all three classes tend to eventually specialize in other areas ([[BareFistedMonk unarmed]]/[[MartialArtsStaff staves]], swords, and [[FlechetteStorm thrown weapons]], respectively), nunchaku make for decent early weapons with their relatively high chance of [[StatusInflictionAttack knocking enemies unconscious]].

** [[MonkeyKingLite Sun Wukong]] wields a pair of ''[[ShotgunsAreJustBetter shotgun-nunchaku]]'', which also functions as a MartialArtsStaff. And he doesn't kid around: he unloads ''[[MoreDakka 40 blasts in 5 seconds]]''.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} 8'', nunchaku are weapons available relatively early on for use by the "eastern" classes (monk, samurai, and ninja). While they're short range, and all three classes tend to eventually specialize in other areas ([[BareFistedMonk unarmed]]/[[SimpleStaff staves]], swords, and [[FlechetteStorm thrown weapons]], respectively), nunchaku make for decent early weapons with their relatively high chance of [[StatusInflictionAttack knocking enemies unconscious]].

** [[MonkeyKingLite Sun Wukong]] wields a pair of ''[[ShotgunsAreJustBetter shotgun-nunchaku]]'', which also functions as a SimpleStaff. And he doesn't kid around: he unloads ''[[MoreDakka 40 blasts in 5 seconds]]''.

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'''s Dante generally fights with [[PowerFist fists]], [[TheMusketeer swords or guns]], but one of the more exotic weapons he owns is a three-piece nunchaku, consisting of three bars that are chained to a central ring, made from the collar of a [[{{Hellhound}} Cerberus]] that he defeated. In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' he gets another version of a weapon that is made out of an Alpha Cerberus' soul that can transform into a bo staff and a sansetsukon.

* ''The Escapists'' lets you make one yourself, with two logs and some wire. It's one of the deadliest weapons in the game (fitting, as you're a prison inmate). It also requires a high intelligence to MAKE in the first place.

-->-- '''Film/NapoleonDynamite'''

* In ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} 8'', nunchaku are weapons available relatively early on for use by the "eastern" classes (monk, samurai, and ninja). While they're short range, and all three classes tend to eventually specialize in other areas ([[BareFistedMonk unarmed]]/[[SimpleStaff staves]], swords, and [[FlechetteStorm thrown weapons]], respectively), nunchaku make for decent early weapons with their relatively high chance of [[StatusEffects knocking enemies unconscious]].

[[quoteright:290:[[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/michelangelo_chucks_0.png]]]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} 8'', nunchaku are weapons available relatively early on for use by the "eastern" classes (monk, samurai, and ninja). While they're short range, and all three classes tend to eventually specialize in other areas ([[BareFistedMonk unarmed]]/[[SimpleStaff staves]], swords, and [[FlechetteStorm thrown weapons]], respectively), nunchaku make for decent early weapons with their relatively high chance of [[StandardStatusEffects knocking enemies unconscious]].

* Mikey, again (''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' provides the page image). Though in [[WesternAnimation/TMNT1987 the original cartoon]], he was resorting to alternatives like tonfas and a grappling hook in the last seasons (probably because nunchucks are forbidden in some countries). In ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'', he can convert his nunchucks into a kusarigama.

** One of the holy weapons supplied to the [=McNinja=] family by the Vatican is nunchucks made with the bones of Mother Theresa.

* ''{{VideoGame/Warframe}}'' has the Shaku and Ninkondi, with the latter having earned a Prime variant.

For a greater variety of flail weapons, see EpicFlail.

Nunchucks, like the katana, are the Japanese weaponization of the RuleOfCool. All ninjas that don't use swords use chucks and anyone that knows karate knows how to use them. They are even so easy to make that you can just chain two things together and make InstantChucks. Unfortunately, nunchucks are to katana as [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Luigi is to Mario]]: badass on their own but never given the lime light.

* ''They Call Me Bruce?'' (1982). While learning martial arts, Bruce starts waving around some numchucks without being trained for it and breaks a PricelessMingVase, so gets thrown out of the class. When he tries to return the numchucks, the old master tells Bruce to go practise with them...in the closet! Then he's confronted by some gang punks who challenge him to a fight with them, but fortunately he talks them into fighting each other. When two police officers see the chucks and threaten to arrest Bruce, he pretends they're his chopsticks. And during a BarBrawl, an FBI ActionGirl does a ''Series/WonderWoman'' twirl that transforms her into a ninja gal wielding a three-stick flail version.

The nunchaku are a popular martial arts weapon developed from the rice flail in China, Okinawa, and possibly other places in the Far East, consisting of two hard sticks of wood or metal joined together by a cord or chain. In addition to being used for powerful strikes, the cord can also be used for strangling enemies. A three-stick variant of this weapon exists called the three-sectional staff (''sansetsukon'' in Japan and ''san jie gun'' in China), which is primarily used in Chinese kung fu.

It should also be noted that ninja never actually used nunchucks (though there ''were'' peasants and farmers among them). Since they were spies more than warriors, when they had to fight someone, they normally had to kill their opponent quickly and effectively, and nunchuks were definitely not up for that kind of job. It was more a weapon used by farmers and peasants to defend themselves from attackers, since they were easy to make, they could be mistaken by farmers' tools at first glance (specifically threshing sticks used to loosen grains from plants), and don't require such a high level of skill to use effectively. Or at least to use without hurting oneself permanently. Furthermore, the purpose of the weapon is not to strike your enemy (common physics decrees that in most situations, the weapon would just smack your own body right back afterward,) but to force them to submit by cutting off circulation to their limbs by using them as a tourniquet. All in all, not a bad ImprovisedWeapon.

* Freyjadour, the hero of ''VideoGame/SuikodenV'', uses an ornamental sansetsukon that (unlike real-life ones) can transform into a one-piece staff. Roy, in keeping with his role as the hero's BodyDouble, wields an exact copy of it.