The Twelve Kingdoms Forum

Anime and Chinese action flicks have the habit of giving adept swordsmen the incredible ability to make astonishing leaps into the air, in contrast to "normal" men-at-arms' -- such as guards -- inability to do such things. In so much anime this ability is attributed to one's skill as a warrior, which is truely fantastic indeed. In Juuni Kokki, however, do you suppose it is appropriate to say that such an ability is limited to those with a Hinman?

Yeah, some kick-ass fights are on the way. And not only from those that possess hinman ^_^

Well, yeah, one doesn't have to have a hinman do be a kickass swordsman. . . My concern is just regarding the jumping. As I mentioned, in many anime features and Chinese movies it appears that the ability to make such impressive jumps is due to either "special" training or extreme skill.

Personally, I think it's great that Juuni Kokki attempts to explain issues like being able to fight. Handling a ssord is difficult for someone who doesn't have experience, as we can see from the Youko vs. Sugimoto fight at the end of the first arc. Few other shows take things like that into consideration.

I'm a little curious whether the Hinman user learns anything from the experience, though. Obviously, the Hinman is controlling their body when fighting, but I'd probably feel a desire to at least study what I was doing in case I suddenly didn't have a Hinman, a la the water dragon incident.

Well, the "jumping" is more like flying. But anywho, I don't believe normal people would be able to do it. I believe the Hinman accounts for this ability. As for learning, perhaps maybe over a time the possessed will just subconsciously pick up those skills.

Now, onto the kick-ass fights shinkun mentioned!! *drools in anticipation*

So, do you think a Hinman gives a fighter special powers or just the skill level necessary to perform the cinematic feats? I'm inclined towards the later, as En-Ou seems to be equally capable when he and Youko were fighting the Youma together and there is no evidence that he possesses a Hinman.

I think, while having surely the option to use a hinman, most of the time En-Ou doesn't. Thinking back, in the second arc Gyosou ones talked about how he sparred with En-Ou and won one out of three times. I don't think this would've been possible, if En-Ou was fighting with a hinman.

I think the Hinman is story concept that gives the reason what Youko can do bad ass fighting stuff being from japan and having no training.

On the story side i think it is not nessesary to have a Hinman to do all sorts of kick ass stuff. I doubt Gyousou or En-Ou have an Hinman. Remember Youko never really fought anyone really good in the 12K. Also Koshou was pretty powerfull and so was the bear guy and they did not have hinman. I am willing to bet En-Ou would kick Youko's ass in a fight. So in the end Training>Hinman. Besides in this world there are horses that can fly, physics and natural laws are right out.

I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that the critters in 12K that can fly (without wings) can do so due to magic and that it's not a matter of physics. Also you might want to note that the only people ever seen leaping on top of roofs other other high places (Youko and Yuka) were using hinmen.

Acording to a translation of the start of the novel:

http://www.eugenewoodbury.com/shadow/shadow_title.htm

Youko is aching due to the stresses and stretched muscles from the stress the hinman in putting on her body when she fights. This implies, at least to me, that it doesn't grant any enhanced physical abilities and that her enhancement is entirely due to the fighting skill granted by it. However, if you have wuxia laws of physics, these skills can include amazing jumps and other things that would be physically impossible in real life.

I also think that if she wasn't immortal or had the healing stone attached to the scabard, she could end up crippled due to this.