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A Fighting Series, as its name suggests, is one that places a lot of emphasis on fighting. Different fighting styles and learning new moves and abilities are a major part of the plot. There will be lots of emphasis on training, technique, and practice (and especially Fight Scenes where there isn't an arena). The main character may or may not be aiming to become the best fighter in the world; regardless, he usually is by the end. Common in Chinese movies from the 1970s and ubiquitous in Shonen anime/manga.
Note that simply having a lot of fighting does not mean that a show is a Fighting Series - in order to qualify, the fighting has to be integral to the plot, rather than a means to an end.
See Fighting Game for the Video Game equivalent. Should not be confused with Dueling Shows
Tropes common to this genre include:
- Arrogant Kung Fu Guy
- Bullying a Dragon
- Dangerous Forbidden Technique
- Determinator
- Improvised Weapon
- Kung Fu Kid
- Magnetic Hero
- Martial Pacifist
- Mooks / Men of Sherwood
- Mugging the Monster (usually in Slice of Life scenes)
- My Kung Fu Is Stronger Than Yours
- Old Master
- The Rival
- Rival Dojos
- Rule of Cool
- Sorting Algorithm of Evil
- Spirited Competitor
- Tell Me How You Fight
- Time to Unlock More True Potential
- To Be a Master
- Took a Level In Badass
- Tournament Arc
- Training From Hell
- Training Montage
- Wax On, Wax Off
- When You Snatch the Pebble
Anime[]
- Airmaster
- Baki the Grappler
- Bleach
- Dragon Ball
- Fist of the North Star, which launched the entire Shonen fighting genre.
- G Gundam combines this concept with Humongous Mecha.
- Hajime no Ippo-Although it leans more towards to Gaming and Sports Anime And Manga, the series showcases many of the tropes commonly found in Fighting Series. The fact that it is focused on boxing helps.
- Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
- Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Vi Vid combines this with Magical Girl.
- Mahou Sensei Negima, combined with the Harem Genre.
- Master of Martial Hearts
- Naruto
- Pokémon
- Saint Seiya
- Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School
- Taboo Tattoo
- Yu-Gi-Oh!, especially before the Card Games appeared; in fact, the original concept was that of "a fighting series where the main character never throws a punch."
- Yu Yu Hakusho
Film[]
- The Karate Kid series
- Legend of a Fighter, and in fact almost anything Bruce Lee appeared in.
- The Rocky movies
- Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
Live Action TV[]
- Cobra Kai
- Kung Fu
- Mortal Kombat: Conquest
- Tokusatsu
Video Games[]
- Asura's Wrath is influenced by these types of series in japan, with the idea that's it's an Interactive version of this type of Anime series. It works.