Reverse Grip: Difference between revisions
m
clean up
m (update links) |
m (clean up) |
||
Line 5:
Basically, holding the grip of a [[Knife Nut|dagger]], a [[Sword Fight|sword]], a [[Katanas Are Just Better|katana]] or [[Weapon of Choice|whatever]] so that the blade points the direction opposite to the thumb. Usually only done with single-edged blades.
In the TV Land, the [[Rule of Cool]] usually is the reason why the reverse grip is used, rather than practical considerations. First, that's how [[
While rare for full-length blades,
With full-length swords,
See also [[Gangsta Style]], this trope's equivalent with regards to guns.<ref>with the difference that reverse grip can actually be a useful technique</ref>
----
===
== Anime and Manga ==
Line 23:
* In ''[[Gekiganger 3]]'' they used the Gekigan Sword this way against a ninja-like robot once.
* Kadaj of ''[[Final Fantasy VII: 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 [[Real Life]]. He gets away with it, though, thanks to the [[Rule of Cool]].
* Kaku occasionally uses
* Caldina from ''[[Magic Knight Rayearth]]'' favors this style when she's not just [[Master of Illusion|manipulating her foes into offing themselves]].
* [[Digimon|Leomon]] wields his sword reverse grip.
Line 49:
* This grip is favored by [[Zatoichi]], which makes sense since it saves him the trouble of changing his grip on his [[Sword Cane|walking stick]].
* John Preston absolutely ''owns'' everyone when he switches his katana(s) to
** It was only ever one Katana at a time, though he does manage to use a scabbard to lethal effect in his off-hand in one of the final scenes.
* Bride vs Copperhead in ''[[Kill Bill]]'', where the Bride uses the reverse grip. And wins.
Line 59:
* [[Avatar (film)|Colonel Quaritch]] holds a knife not only in reverse grip, but with the blade [[Up to Eleven|towards the arm]], too. While in a [[Mini-Mecha|three-meter-tall]] [[Powered Armour]]. I think it won't surprise anybody to say [[Screw You, Elves|that]] [[Colonel Badass|he's a]] [[Badass]] [[Villainous Valor|of the first]] [[Rooting for the Empire|water]].
* In ''[[The Chronicles of Riddick]]'', this is how the eponomous [[Anti-Hero]] holds his blades.
* Per the below example,.
* Used in ''[[Hero (film)|Hero]]'' several times, both by the Nameless Hero and Broken Sword.
* In ''Faster'', [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]]'s character wields an icepick against a man with a larger knife. Ironically, it's The Rock who flips his weapon into reverse grip.
Line 66:
== Literature ==
* There is a lightsaber combat style based on
** The style described in ''I, Jedi'' is a two-handed variant, with one hand on the grip and the other grasping the pommel, allowing the wielder to lever the blade around by its end using the grip hand as a fulcrum.
* A key point raised by the dissenting juror in the play ''[[12 Angry Men]]'' is that the accused was seen plunging a knife down into the victim's chest. The juror points out that the switchblade found on the accused is not held using that particular grip, but with the blade pointing upwards.
Line 72:
* In ''[[Wheel of Time]]'', the sword form Heron Wading in the Rushes has the sword held reversed over the head, while standing on one leg. According to the main character's teacher, it's good for practicing balance and [[Reality Ensues|getting yourself killed]].
** Used ([[Chekhov's Gun|at the end of the book it was introduced in]]) as sort of a weaponized [[Taking You with Me]] or [[My Death Is Just the Beginning]]: by exposing himself to lethal damage, Rand gets his opponent to over-commit and thus expose ''himself'' to lethal damage.
* In [[H. Beam Piper]]'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"
* Abbie Hoffman, in a section of ''Steal This Book'' focusing on knives, advocates against using this grip:
{{quote|"Having seen too many Jim Bowies slash their way through walls of human flesh, they persist in carrying on this inane tradition. Overhead and uppercut slashes are a waste of energy and blade power. The correct method is to hold the knife in a natural, firm grip and jab straight ahead at waist level with the arm extending full length each time. This fencing style allows for the maximum reach of arm and blade. By concentrating the point of the knife directly at the target, you make defense against such an attack difficult."}}
Line 94:
* In ''[[GURPS]]: Martial Arts'' holding a weapon this way makes certain attacks more effective and others more difficult. It's most effective with knives and tonfas.
* The Red Mantis Assassins in [[Pathfinder]] are noted as [[Dual-Wielding]] _both_ their serrated sabers in
== Video Games ==
Line 109:
* Grey Fox of ''[[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 ''[[Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater]]'' when he's whittling the grip on his shiny new 1911.
* Baiken in ''[[Guilty Gear]]'' does this with her katana (which is her main
** Can't bring up ''[[Guilty Gear]]'' without mentioning Sol's fighting style, too.
** Or [[Blaz Blue|Ragna's]].
Line 118:
** He also defies part of this trope in that, in his knife-fight with Leon (who usually uses a sabre grip), he didn't win. The fight was also something of a showcasing of various knife grips, seeing as they both switched from one grip to another so many times.
** [[Older Than They Think|People who didn't start the series with part 4]], however, may have noticed that Jill held her knife in a reverse grip in the original 1996 title.
* In ''[[Diablo II]]'', all dagger-class weapons are wielded in
* In ''[[Final Fantasy XI]]'', "katana" (which are actually ninja-to, kunai, and wakazashi) are always held like this. Naturally, the one class that gets skill in these weapons is Ninja, and it quickly gains access to [[Dual-Wielding]] capability.
* Hawkeye from ''[[Seiken Densetsu]] 3'' holds his [[Dual-Wielding|two daggers]] this way.
Line 127:
* Kid from ''[[Chrono Cross]]''.
* Fiora from ''[[Xenoblade]]''. She holds her knives this way, paired with [[Dual-Wielding]]. {{spoiler|Although she changes her [[Weapon of Choice]] after she is turned into a [[Robot Girl]]}}.
* Jyuji Kabane from ''[[Gungrave]]: Overdose'' deserves a special mention as he '''[[Dual-Wielding|dual-wields]] [[Cool Guns|gun]]-[[Katanas Are Just Better|katanas]] in
* Knives in every ''[[Call of Duty]]'' game starting with ''[[Modern Warfare]]'' can only be used in this way - it may be interpreted that the reason for this is a quicker draw, since the knife may not be held out alone, unless paired with a pistol for the [http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Tactical_Knife Tactical Knife] attachment in ''MW2''.
* In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]] Brawl'', Pit can split his bow into two swords. He holds one normally, while the other is held like this in order to speed the reattaching process.
Line 136:
** To say nothing of Saïx, who reverse-grips a frickin' ''[[BFS|claymore]]!''
*** And in ''358/2 Days'''s Mission mode, secret character Sora flips to a reverse grip for the last hit of his ground combo when wielding the Dream Sword.
* The Spy from ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' uses standard grip when attacking normally, but switches to Reverse Grip when [[Back Stab
* Knife-wielders in the ''[[Fire Emblem]]'' games, or at least Sothe and Volke, appear to wield their knives this way in combat.
** Though in ''Path of Radiance'' it appears to be limited to the Thief class, as Volke switches to a much more relaxed forward grip.
Line 177:
*** The above cases hold the light end of a flashlight overhanded in order to wield the body as a weapon in a conventional, underhand grip. Some security officers may also use lighter, mid-size flashlights with the entire body in an overhand grip in order to grapple an assailant with the crook formed by the flashlight and forearm.
* 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..." The stabbing motion with the backhand grip also uses the same action as the (karate) chop, which lends itself well to open-hand styles.
* Parrying daggers are often used in this way. As the name suggests they're mostly for blocking the other guy's sword. And they often are more useful when held in a
* Butcher knives are meant to be held this way.
* A [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBfsIL0VBoY real life example] in a "real life" category.
|