Ask John: Why do Anime Characters Shout the Names of their Attacks?

Question:
I was wondering why it is that whenever a character in anime has some kind of special power or special “move,” they have to say the name of the move while they are doing it? A great example of this is Ronin Warriors (AKA: Yoroiden Samurai Troopers). Whenever anyone is about to unleash a killer move he has to say the name of the move, and here the name of the move is actually even written across the screen too. Why do anime writers feel that they have to tell the viewing audience the name of the character’s power blast while he/she is preforming it?

Answer:
The straightforward and simple answer lies in marketing. It’s very likely that this tradition is rooted in the 1970s and early 80s tendency for anime characters and theme songs to shout the name of the show’s main robot. This name shouting reinforces brand recognition and encourages toy sales. It’s very possible that this very practical tradition has simply evolved over the years into a convention used to add drama and excitement to anime.

I may be totally off base with this theory, but I’m going to guess that this may also be rooted in Japanese martial arts tradition. Part of samurai heritage and honor was to announce one’s personal name and sword technique or school of training before a duel. Examples of this are seen in both the Lone Wolf & Cub manga and in numerous classic Japanese samurai films. The point of this was to spread the fame of one’s name and swordplay style, give a fair and honorable advantage to one’s opponent, and show respect to an opponent. In modern anime, it’s probably safe to assume that the shouting of an attack name serves a dual (no pun intended) purpose. First of all, an accompanying shout or exclamation makes a dramatic scene or attack more startling and exciting, at least in theory. Furthermore, shouting an attack name and alerting one’s enemy may be considered an evolution of the samurai’s honorable gesture in combat. It’s possible that the presentation of the technique name in writing, especially when it fills the screen, may be a throwback and homage to the traditional samurai battle flags and the traditional Japanese elevation of calligraphy and writing to the level of martial art.