What Makes Tournament Arcs Stand Out?

 

Tournament Arc is probably the most common arc in anime specially Shōnen. Because of this commonality, it’s easy to presume that they might be easier to pull off and that’s why they are so common. But nothing can be further from the truth; tournament arcs are quite complicated as there are so many elements to it that need to be taken care of.

It might appear on the surface that tournament arcs are merely a bunch of fight scenes which often helps the protagonist stand out. This is a very shallow view many people take of them. They are not just useful in making the protagonist stand out but they also create scenarios for understanding deeper psychological and emotional aspects of the characters, which the anime audience seems to love since tournament arcs are so famous. The evidence of this can be seen from the success of The God of High School, which has become one of the biggest hits this summer. 

The tournament arcs are deliberately made to be confrontational which helps in much deeper characterization. Anime such as sports are even made to culminate in a tournament arc. Even though they usually portray a one-on-one fight between characters, there is much more to it than what meets the eye. They are not only about action but a necessary part of the entire plot and characters. 

The most important elements of a good tournament arc are the razzmatazz, which helps keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Action, as well as good animation, are an essential element, but they are not enough on their own to ensure greater audience engagement. It is a strong storyline that leads up to the fight that creates the hype necessary for drawing audience attention. Also, the emotional aspect of these combats makes them even more exciting. It is very common for tournament arcs to make not just enemies, but friends stand up against one another in an emotional roller-coaster for superiority. The high-tension matches put friendships and rivalries to test as the tournaments open up past conflicts, that are resolved in the battle. The character often is shown to have visions of past events that motivate them to avenge the past wrongs. All of this only adds to the hype and help tournaments arcs to be successful.

Every man has to stand up for himself for their long-held beliefs and goals. There is no other option but to compete and stand out. This leads to battles in which the characters show what they are made of, as their strengths and weakness are there for everyone to see, which helps in getting a better understanding of characters. At the same time, it is also very common to introduce new and interesting characters in the tournament arcs to enliven the show. The strengths and flaws once exposed make characters stand out by the way they react to these situations. The tournament often projects the protagonists as the underdogs who has to fight hard but eventually comes back on top and proves himself, while he matures and shows significant improvements in his skills and temperament. 

The tournament arcs make character backstories, ambitions and relationships come together to make a great show for the audience. Although in tournaments the characters are usually chasing an ulterior motive, the storylines become personal somehow. The characters are tested not just physically and mentally but also emotionally and psychologically. They often are shown to be fighting some inner demons as well when they are in some tough situation. The decisions and the choices they make in those scenarios help them mature while it makes for an epic display of character development which helps fans know their favorites more and understand them deeply.

When done rightly, the tournament arcs become much more than just a competition. The outcome becomes irrelevant in most cases as characters show their hidden emotions and conflicts. It is usually not about who would win the competition but instead showing the human side of the characters that the fans love. They get to see the challenges and problems that the characters have to go through. The internal conflicts put raw emotions come out which makes the characters much more relatable to the fans who themselves have something going on in their lives, watching their favorite characters face the challenges with bravery, undoubtedly gives them hope that they too can get over them.

 The true essence of tournaments arcs has nothing to do with how big tournaments turn out in real life where winning only matters. The drive for greatness, some ulterior goal, determination, perseverance, and hard work, all of these things stand out to show the very emotional side of the characters who give their all on the battlefield, losing or winning becomes irrelevant at this point. The characters overcome their inner demons and show how tough they are. Often these competitions help characters display what they have learned over time.

The biggest factor that makes these tournament arcs stand out is the element of relatability. The character, when faced with personal issues overcome them to become a better version of themselves. The fans watching realize that they too can do the same. This emotional bond that characters form with the fans makes the tournament stands out as compared to all other arcs. There is no doubt that they are going to remain just as popular and relevant in the future as well since they have been able to sustain their popularity even though they are so common now.

David Root is a self-professed security expert; he has been making the people aware of the security threats. His passion is to write about Cyber security, cryptography, malware, social engineering, internet and new media. He writes for Norton security products at norton.com/setup .

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