tournament arc
Structured battle narrative
A tournament arc is a narrative structure in serialized fiction—especially anime, manga, and video games—where characters compete in an organized competition over multiple episodes or chapters.
The format provides natural escalation, introduces rivals, and showcases abilities through successive matches: Every shonen anime eventually has a tournament arc.
The term sometimes describes any extended competitive sequence in storytelling, whether formal tournament or not.
- bracketSupport or category
- championTop competitor, or advocate
- fighterOne who engages in combat
- arenaVenue for contests
- eliminationAct of removing entirely
rival · one on one · showdown · battle royale · finals · world championship · underdog · training · training montage · plot armor · montage · opponent · final boss · victory · defeat · clash · battle · combat
tournament, arc, tournaments, arcs, tourney, tourneys, arcuate, arcade, arcades