History Main / ReverseGrip

* Frequently employed by Duncan McLeod in ''{{Highlander}}'' with his katana. Used at least once with a regular sword.

* Used in an episode of ''{{Highlander}}'', with a regular sword.

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[[caption-width:274:Get the point?]]

* Some styles of Kung Fu, when using a short knife as a weapon, will teach students to use a backhanded grip. Most techniques from this grip are strikes or jabs with the pommel, rather than blade techniques; it's the defensive techniques that use the blade, and mostly for non-flashy disabling cuts. "Yeah, you're not using that arm without some serious surgery..."

* In ''WheelOfTime'', the sword form Heron Wading in the Rushes has the sword held reversed over the head, while standing on one leg. It's a good way of killing yourself.

[[caption-width:274:[[IncrediblyLamePun Get the point?]]]]

* There is a lightsaber combat style based on ReverseGrip in the ''StarWarsExpandedUniverse''. It is seen, for example, in Stackpole's ''[[JediAcademyTrilogy I, Jedi]]''.
** There is, actually. It's called Shien (not to be confused with the Form V variant of the same name), and several other EU characters use it, including Adi Gallia, [[TheForceUnleashed Galen Marek]], and [[StarWarsTheCloneWars Ahsoka Tano]]. Vader might also be accomplished in this style, considering that he taught the latter two.

* More SoulCalibur fun. Taki carried two ninjato into battle; her primary seemed to be held conventionally, while her secondary, on the rare occasion it's used, is held this way. In addition, in ''Soul Calibur 3'' you could give the 'Wave Sword' skill set to a generic character; these were twin swords, but held and used reversed.
** Actually, Wave Swords are held normally, they just curve around the wielder's hands sort of like a basket hilt then continue downwards.

Not to be confused with ReverseBladeSword. See also GangstaStyle, this trope's equivalent with regards to guns.

* Krauser in ''ResidentEvil4'' holds his knife this way. Justified as he's clearly had military service (apparently Spetznaz).

* Per the below example,. ReverseGrip DualWielding [[BeyondTheImpossible ''of lightsabers'']] is actually seen briefly in the background in {{Attack of the Clones}}.

* There is allegedly a lightsaber combat style based on ReverseGrip in the ''StarWarsExpandedUniverse''. It is seen, for example, in Stackpole's ''[[JediAcademyTrilogy I, Jedi]]''.

* Edge of Final Fantasy IV does this in the DS remake after you've input a command but before he's done it, as well as his artwork for The After Years

** Note that the manga ''Kamui No Ken'' (Dagger of Kamui) was a major influence on the artist, Cutter gets his technique straight from Kamui (which makes him some sort of elf-ninja).

* ''TwelveAngryMen'' uses the trope as a point of contention between the jury. Allegedly the accused stabbed downwards into the victim using the reverse grip. However, one of the jurors who is from the slums points out that nobody who had experience in knife fights would ever use that grip with a switch blade as it is awkward and unwieldy.

* Kaku uses ReverseGrip DualWielding on a pair of katana in ''OnePiece''.

* Kadaj of ''FinalFantasyVII: Advent Children'' does this with a double bladed (as in the blades are side-by-side) katana, despite the fact that this would be incredibly difficult in RealLife. He gets away with it, though, thanks to the RuleOfCool.

* Integra {{Hellsing}} reveals just how badass she can be by facing an army of vampires holding her saber in a reverse grip. On a side note, Alexander Anderson who appears soon thereafter switches from reverse grip to normal and back with ease all the time.

* [[BadassGrandpa Old Man Fuu]], [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Ling Yao]]'s manservant from FullmetalAlchemist, wields his sword this way.

* Shiki of KaraNoKyoukai often switches her grip several times several times over the course of a fight, and at one point even throws her knife from a reverse grip.

* In The Room, Tommy Wiseau's character holds a bouquet of roses in a reverse-grip, with the flowers pointing down.

* Halle Berry in ''[[JamesBond Die Another Day]]''.

* [[ConanTheBarbarian Conan]] does this sometimes, usually as part of a combination, but only for an attack or two before he switches back.
* In DragonHeart, Bowen briefly uses DualWielding two broadswords, holding one in a reverse grip.
* TwelveAngryMen uses the trope as a point of contention between the jury. Allegedly the accused stabbed downwards into the victim using the reverse grip. However, one of the jurors who is from the slums points out that nobody who had experience in knife fights would ever use that grip with a switch blade as it is awkward and unwieldy.

* In WheelOfTime, the sword form Heron Wading in the Rushes has the sword held reversed over the head, while standing on one leg. It's a good way of killing yourself.
* In HBeamPiper's "Last Enemy," Verkan Vall picks a knife duel and blinks in astonishment when he notices his opponent using this style. After killing the fellow -- "Only eight seconds from the time you closed with him" -- Vall, who learned knife-fighting from pirates, remarks that he feels like a murderer of children; evidently Piper didn't think much of the Reverse Grip.

* Vader's apprentice does it in ''StarWars: TheForceUnleashed'' and ''SoulCalibur IV'' with a [[LaserBlade lightsaber]].

* Ayame from {{Tenchu}} uses her daggers in this fashion. The prequel indicates that she started off using a reverse grip in one hand and a forward grip in the other before switching to a double-reverse grip later on.
* Used in ''DragonQuest: DaiNoDaibouken'', for the 'Avan Slash' attack and other based on it... Dai does this with knives, short swords and BFS alike.
* Grey Fox of ''[[MetalGear Metal Gear Solid]]'' holds his katana this way.
** Snakes (as in Solid (Old) and Naked (Big Boss)) hold their CQC blades this way, but that makes sense as it's in their off hand and it's basically dual-wielding, but with a firearm in the strong hand. Big Boss actually talks about it in [=MGS3=] when he's whittling the grip on his shiny new 1911.
* Baiken in ''GuiltyGear'' does this with her katana (which is her main weapon -- she doesn't have an offhand weapon because she only has one arm, but she stuffs a lot of weapons in her other sleeve InspectorGadget style). In her case, however, it's partly out of practicality and partly out of habit - she lost her right arm, which was most likely her dominant arm. Considering the weapons crammed into her right sleeve, a sheath there might get in the way, and so she wears it on the left, usually drawing it in a reverse grip because that would be the easiest way to draw it when the arm and sheath are on the same side. Of course, some of her fancier slashes have her doing some kind of exaggerated twist so that she can draw it in a standard forward grip, which is - funnily enough - where the [[{{Main/RuleOfCool}} Rule of Cool]] steps in.

*** Or [[BlazBlue Ragna's]].

* Krauser in ''ResidentEvil 4'' holds his knife this way. Justified as he's clearly had military service (apparently Spetznaz).

** And Rei from ''BreathOfFire III''.
** And Rikku from ''FinalFantasyX-2''.

* From the teasers in ''KingdomHearts 2'' it would appear Ven wields keyblades this way making him the only seen character to actually use the teeth rather than the flat end to strike when wielding one...though technically that would make everyone else the reverse grip wielders. Alternatively, one could say that he is, for whatever reason, hitting with the part meant for manipulating locks, as opposed to the straight edge.

* SamuraiShodown's Nakururu seems to use this form often. It also applies to Cham Cham; even though it's a giant boomerang, when she holds it in paw and swings it, it's done this way.

* The Crowmaster enemies in PrinceOfPersia: Warrior Within are seen wielding scimitars in a reverse grip.

* Tatsumaru from {{Tenchu}} 2.

* The [[SuperSoldier SPARTANs]] from {{Halo}} Reach do this with their assassination knives. ALL the time. Even in midair.

While rare for full-length blades, ReverseGrip is still common in RealLife knife fighting (essentially giving the user more leverage/power and making it easier to parry, at the cost of range). See [[http://www.jayfisher.com/knife_grip_tactics.htm this link]] for more details. In fiction, ReverseGrip is used to show that a character is an experienced street fighter or hardened killer (indeed the grips are sometimes known as the "murderer's grip" or "[[SlasherMovies slasher's]] grip" because of this). So if you see a KnifeNut face off against another and one of them holds the blade backwards, you know who's gonna win.

* Aoshi Shinomori from ''RurouniKenshin'' uses a single ReverseGrip kodachi during his first fight with Kenshin. After wondering why he uses a defensive swordfighting technique, the characters soon realize it's because he uses his fists for offense: blocking sword strikes with the blade and punching as a counter attack. It's very effective against Kenshin, who uses a sword-only style.

* In ''ChroniclesOfRiddick'', this is how the eponomous AntiHero holds his blades.

Compare ReverseBladeSword and GangstaStyle.

** There is, actually. It's called Shien (not to be confused with the Form V variant of the same name), and several other EU characters use it, including Adi Gallia, [[TheForceUnleashed Galen Marek]], and [[StarWarsTheCloneWars Ahsoka Tano]].

** Vader's other apprentice, Ahsoka Tano of StarWarsTheCloneWars also wields her lightsaber that way. Seems Anakin has a tendency towards teaching this style.