Shouting the names of abilities.

[CarburetorThompson]

Seems to be a pretty common troupe. Personally I find it kind of corny. From personal experience I don’t think you’d have enough time to think about something like that while fighting.

See it in a bunch of stories, so curious about what you think.

 

[Rhaps]

Its a cultural thing. You don't see many Western stories have people shouting out attacks. While in Eastern stories, they go overboard with it.

You don't see gangsters shouting "Point Blank Glock!", it is much cooler to just pull the trigger. While in Eastern story, especially in North Asia, you have things like "Seven Star Heaven Splitting Force!", which ended up just being a front kick, it adds hype.

It just depends on what you prefer. For me, I like to use both.
In my stories, speech has power, it is a way for characters to hype themselves up. And mixing in with my magic system, it became the comfirmation of power.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

I like it, overall. But especially like, in Bleach where there's lore that using the name makes the attack stronger.

 

[GlassRose]

It depends. Could be a tool for focus, a trigger for a shortcut to activating whatever the ability is, or it could be that verbally invoking your spell/ability/whatever increases it's power. It's probably at least somewhat instinctual too, and usually the name isn't being pulled out of nowhere on the spot. Unless it is. In which case, yeah it's dumb.

 

[beast_regards]

It's an anime trope.
While corny, use is semi-plausible under the circumstances often presented, since they are usually what single handedly end the fight. If it doesn't, you lose anyway, by the logic of the setting it is used. Of course, under the premise that magic involved is real in the first place.

 

[J_Chemist]

I want my super hero in spandex to scream their attacks so loudly that the Gods hear them.

If they ain't screamin, I don't want it.

 

[Rhaps]

Its a cultural thing. You don't see many Western stories have people shouting out attacks. While in Eastern stories, they go overboard with it.

You don't see gangsters shouting "Point Blank Glock!", it is much cooler to just pull the trigger. While in Eastern story, especially in North Asia, you have things like "Seven Star Heaven Splitting Force!", which ended up just being a front kick, it adds hype.

It just depends on what you prefer. For me, I like to use both.
In my stories, speech has power, it is a way for characters to hype themselves up. And mixing in with my magic system, it became the comfirmation of power.

Also in my story, there are only two types who shout out their attack names. First because they have to for the attack to activate. Second is my MC, who does it for the fun of it.

 

[WaterFish]

Why not? Jujutsu Kaisen and others justify it all the time. Even if not shouting names, it’s still giving them.

 

[Sola-sama]

MC: Mystletainn Kiiiiick!!!
*Chansaw noises intensifies*
Enemies: THATS NOT A FUCKING KICK!! *gurgle as their whole bodies being split open by a chainsaw*


Personally I think it's fun to add them. Adds more flavor in the battle. Imagine if the moves they used is [The Goal of All Life Is Death], or [Arrival of Dragon Snake With Dust Fog And Explosive Soul Wind] or [Shocking Departure of Year Dream Wave and Dang Hun Sound]. The more mouthful the names, the cooler they are. I have yet to see a move with a paragraph length, but I hope to see it one day.

Why not? Jujutsu Kaisen and others justify it all the time. Even if not shouting names, it’s still giving them.

In Jujutsu Kaisen's case, the logic is that if your enemies know how their moves work, the more potent it is. You can see characters explaining their moves towards their enemies, which is a pretty cool trick since you can't easily counter curses.

 

[Syahardian]

For me, I'd like the ability have a name of itself. But I find it pretty corny if the character shout said ability way too many times even if it adds to the hype.

 

[RepresentingPride]

I have them shouting the name of the attacks, mostly for focus, having hand sign or a name attached to an attack help visualize it and create it more easily.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

MC: Mystletainn Kiiiiick!!!
*Chansaw noises intensifies*
Enemies: THATS NOT A FUCKING KICK!! *gurgle as their whole bodies being split open by a chainsaw*


Personally I think it's fun to add them. Adds more flavor in the battle. Imagine if the moves they used is [The Goal of All Life Is Death], or [Arrival of Dragon Snake With Dust Fog And Explosive Soul Wind] or [Shocking Departure of Year Dream Wave and Dang Hun Sound]. The more mouthful the names, the cooler they are. I have yet to see a move with a paragraph length, but I hope to see it one day.



In Jujutsu Kaisen's case, the logic is that if your enemies know how their moves work, the more potent it is. You can see characters explaining their moves towards their enemies, which is a pretty cool trick since you can't easily counter curses.

Bro, what the fuck are you talking about? Megumin only uses paragraph move. So many animes where they speak in paragraph. Like towards the beginning of Naruto when Kakashi is fighting Zabuza, and all they are doing is casting water dragon. Shit was hype.

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

Purge of Intrusive thoughts!! ? ?
Charge of Encouragement!!! ?
Cool it! ?

 

[ArchlordZero]

In my stories, I do have a workaround with it.
For example, if it is magic, I treat it as a "Speed Cast" where the caster only needs to shout the spell name and not a whole paragraph. If it is sci-fi, explain that the skill is activated via voice command.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

Seems to be a pretty common troupe. Personally I find it kind of corny. From personal experience I don’t think you’d have enough time to think about something like that while fighting.

See it in a bunch of stories, so curious about what you think.

its dumb in a serious fight, but in a comedic setting i kinda like it. Especially if its to just mock the opponent. But make the names really ridiculous or dumb, to add salt to the wound. Like, "did i really just get my ass beat by a guy shouting 'SUPER BOMBASTIC LATINA CHRYSANTHEMUM BURSTER!!!!"?

There just aint no recovery from that, man.

 

[LuoirM]

If you cast a powerful ability but don't give it a badass Latin name Imma drop the story

 

[Sola-sama]

its dumb in a serious fight, but in a comedic setting i kinda like it. Especially if its to just mock the opponent. But make the names really ridiculous or dumb, to add salt to the wound. Like, "did i really just get my ass beat by a guy shouting 'SUPER BOMBASTIC LATINA CHRYSANTHEMUM BURSTER!!!!"?

There just aint no recovery from that, man.

Don't forget, [Sexual Harassment Breathing: 1st Style, Flood Dragon Claw towards the Ass]

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Purge of Intrusive thoughts!! ? ?
Charge of Encouragement!!! ?
Cool it! ?

It's basically just like Spyro and learning the elements.

 

[AYM]

Don't forget, [Sexual Harassment Breathing: 1st Style, Flood Dragon Claw towards the Ass]

[Sexual Harassment Breathing: 2nd Style, Thunderclap Cheeks]

 

[prognastat]

When supernatural elements involved it can at least be excused as some minor form of incantation where either it is required to use the technique like a Harry Potter spell or it makes the technique more efficient or powerful like in Bleach where the kido techniques can be cast chant-less, just with the name, an abbreviated form of the incantation or the entire name and incantation with each step making the end result more powerful.

Just screaming it for the sake of it is pretty stupid though so if you want your characters to scream the name of their moves at least make an in universe reason for why doing so doesn't make them impossibly stupid. Because doing so if it doesn't give you some kind of benefit would be stupid when it gives away what you're going to do and costs time and effort.