Melee Combat

Melee Combat is a fighting style adopted by several characters in the Fairy Tail series.
==Description==
Melee combat is a fighting style which, as the name itself suggests, revolves around close-range confrontation, with users assaulting opponents physically. Widespread around Fiore, this form of combat can be employed by normal people and Mages alike. While the latter ones were described by the Vanish Brothers as lacking the ability to fight at close range due to their time being devoted to studying Magic,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 7, Pages 6-7 some Mages are in fact shown to be fearsome melee fighters, even specializing in such form of combat.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 1, Pages 55-56 Magic itself can be a valuable asset when engaging foes in close quarters, with many forms of Magic being focused around melee combat.
Melee combat can be performed both unarmed, with users assaulting foes with punches, kicks and other moves, and armed, with users wielding weapons of various kinds, and is thus divided in two main classifications: Hand-to-Hand Combat and Armed Combat.
==Hand-to-Hand Combat==
Users of Hand-to-Hand Combat engage into melee confrontations employing unarmed moves. A variety of such moves has been shown, with the most recurring ones being different types of punchesFairy Tail Manga: Chapter 3, Page 15 and kicks;Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 3, Page 12 headbutts, elbows,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 62, Pages 8-10 kneesFairy Tail Manga: Chapter 96, Page 11 and palm strikes are also used to various extent.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 155, Page 4 The way such form of combat is harnessed varies from user to user: some are shown to employ an aggressive, direct attack style relying on mighty blowsFairy Tail Manga: Chapter 62, Pages 7-10 and body slams Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 226, Page 15 while others prefer performing more fluent and acrobatic motions to strike opponents.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 270, Page 20 While most fighters aren't stated to employ any specific fighting style, some named martial arts exist:
*Chop Hanging Palm (劈掛掌 Hikashō): A martial art which revolves around the use of palm strikes. Users of such art usually assume a typical fighting stance, diagonally stretching their arms upwards and bending their knees, in order to more easily perform these attacks. The only known user of this style is the Quatro Cerberus guild's S-Class Mage Bacchus Groh.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 278, Page 13 
*Drunk-Chop Hanging Palm (酔劈掛掌 Sui Hikashō): Bacchus' exclusive version of Chop-Hanging Palm, which he employs after consuming alcohol. Doing this makes the pattern of his strikes unpredictable, at the same time drastically boosting their power. This variation is more reminiscent of Zui Quan, also sometimes known as "Drunken Palm", a traditional Chinese martial art whose users imitate the movements of an intoxicated individual to attack foes and evade their blows.
The unarmed prowess, predictably, varies from user to user, with some being more experienced or physically prepared than others.
===Master Hand-to-Hand Combatants===
Masters of unarmed combat possess the greatest prowess of all, being capable of easily taking on several opponents at once with ease. Some of them are known to employ hand-to-hand combat as the main element of their fighting style, and can overwhelm foes even if they are armed or larger than the users themselves.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 6, Page 6
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===Expert Hand-to-Hand Combatants===
Expert unarmed combatants possess remarkable prowess in the use of such art, being able to use it to great extent, and to take on more than one opponent at the same time.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 48, Page 11 Some of them, while not employing hand-to-hand combat as the main element of their fighting style, are shown capable of holding their own against masters of such discipline.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 118, Pages 5-6
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==Armed Combat==
thumb|left|Armed combat between Scarlet and Knightwalker.
Armed combat, as the name itself suggests, revolves around the usage of weapons, which users employ against their opponents at close range. A variety of melee tools is commonly utilized throughout Fiore, with swords, coming in different shape and size (among which are longswords, katanas, sabersFairy Tail Manga: Chapter 14, Page 6 and rapiers),Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 106, Cover being the most common ones, and with other weapons being daggers,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 16, Page 19 spears,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 1, Page 74 staves,Fairy Tail Anime: Episode 139 axes,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 3, Page 9 whips,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 8, Pages 17-19 scythes,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 10, Page 20 guan dao,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 223, Page 16 war hammers and kanabō.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 254, Page 9 Even curious tools such as oversized frying pansFairy Tail Manga: Chapter 7, Page 3 and elongated nailsFairy Tail Manga: Chapter 33, Pages 4-5 have been shown to be employed as weapons.
Due to swords being the most popular weapons, Swordsmanship is a known discipline, with swordsmen found throughout the Kingdom possessing various levels of mastery. Most forms of swordplay, similar to most forms of unarmed combat, aren't properly classified as specific fighting styles. However, so far, three named art of the sword has been revealed:
*Mugetsu-Style: A sword art that specialises in very quick slashes using a Magic Sword, as well as delivering precise strikes such as cutting throwing cards down the middle. The precision is perfect enough to slice a body’s inner nerves without damaging the clothes or flesh. Attacks from this style are strong enough to cut through virtually anything, even spatial divides between pocket dimensions as well as deflect powerful shockwaves. The user’s sword is also capable of generating fire and cause a massive explosion.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 90, Page 14 & 16Fairy Tail Anime: Episode 38Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 91, Pages 7-12
*Style of the Undrawn Long Sword (抜かぬ太刀の型 Nukanu Tachi no Kata): A style of swordsmanship involving the use of a sheathed blade. While technically not exposing the weapon's blade, users of this style have been shown capable of slicing foes as if they were wielding an unsheathed sword. The stances assumed in the performance of this form are vaguely reminiscent of those typical to Iaido, where the swordsmen wields the sheath of their sword with one hand, and rests the other on the hilt. Kagura Mikazuchi is currently the only swordswoman shown employing the Style of the Undrawn Long Sword, making use of it with the "Blade of Resentment," Archenemy.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 280, Pages 14-15 It is unknown as of yet whether the unusual slicing capabilities that this form of combat relies on stems from personal skill or from the weapon employed.
*Kurnugi-Style Sword-Drawing Art: A particular sword art that involves on quick-drawing techniques, skilfully slashing targets at incredible speeds, even slicing intangible targets such as flames. The style of these techniques is seemingly reminiscent of those of Iaijutsu, where the swordsmen quickly draws their sword. This swordsmanship employs the use of a Dragon Slayer Magic; Sword Saint Dragon Slayer Magic, combining a physical sword with this brand of Magic to utilize said style, granting it the power to deal damage to Dragons, which is near impossible for most weapons and magic.
===Master Swordsmanship Specialists===
Masters of such art possess impressive swordplay, demonstrating great speed, accuracy and power,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 201, Page 9 and being capable of fighting several foes at the same time.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 79, Page 10 Many master swordsmen who are also Mages actively employ Sword Magic.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 58, Page 18Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 91, Pages 6-9Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 211, Pages 13-15
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===Expert Swordsmanship Specialists===
Expert swordsmen possess advanced swordplay, enough for them to hold their own against several opponents,Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 80, Pages 14-15 or to slice things which are usually considered impossible to slash, such as spells.Fairy Tail Manga: Chapter 111, Page 10
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===Master Weapon Specialists===
This category details Mages who demonstrate great mastery of other weapons besides a sword such as spears, whips, axes, firearms, etc.
Master Weapon Specialists	Master Weapon Specialists	Master Weapon Specialists	Master Weapon Specialists	Master Weapon Specialists
 	 	 	 	
===Expert Weapon Specialists===
This category details Mages who are able to expertly make use of other weapons besides a sword such as whips, axes, etc.
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==References==