Martial Arts Cheerleading

Martial Arts Cheerleading is a fighting style based upon the arts of cheerleading. Similar in many ways to Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, Martial Arts Cheerleading is a style practiced by young women and very common place -- so much so that it is easy to purchase beginner's guides to the style, as Akane does to inform Ranma after s/he challenges Mariko Konjo.

Much like Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics, Martial Arts Cheerleading is more of a sport than an actual method of combat, intended to assist sport teams and provide spectator interest rather than fighting real battles. Its emphasis is on flashy stunts and acrobatics that look good, but it also seems to involve some level of ki manipulation: by using their skills, Martial Arts Cheerleaders are actually able to emotionally, mentally and even physically boost the person they are cheering for, making them more confident, energetic and able to better play, as well as countering depression and discouragement. The style is still physically orientated, and attacking the other team's players is as much part of the style as the flips and rousing cheers.

While Martial Arts Cheerleaders may fight one on one, fighting as a team is more frequent -- even in a one on one match, a captain of the style may call on her underlings to support her in certain techniques, even though they will not directly attack. .

Techniques
Signature Weapon: The Cheerleader's Baton is the signature weapon of Martial Arts Cheerleading, comparable to the sword in Kendo or the Gymnastics Ribbon in Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. A highly versatile weapon, the practitioner can use it both in melee and as a throwing weapon, either launching it as a javelin or spinning it like a boomerang. The baton can be used either singly or in two hands, further adding to its versatility.

Love Bursting Out All Over: Using their companions to launch them into the air, the practitioner envelops their body in their oversized cheerleading pompoms and spins rapidly, making it impossible for the opponent to see what the practitioner is going to do next.

I Get A Kick Out Of You: A follow-up to Love Bursting Out All Over; the practitioner launches a kick at their foe after hiding inside their pompoms, preventing the target from successfully dodging or deflecting due to being unable to see the attack coming.

The Fireworks of Love: The practitioner throws a specially prepared pompom that then explodes in a spectacular fireworks display, boosting the morale of their ally. When Mariko uses this technique, her fireworks spell out "Kuno Love" in blazing characters.

The Shower of Affection: The practitioner showers their partner in love letters to boost their morale. Used by Mariko.

Photo Album Fu: The practitioner showers their partner in photos of themselves to boost their morale. Used by Ranma as a counter to Mariko's Shower of Affection, using the same principles but with a stronger effect.

Boomerang of Love: If the practitioner's partner loves another woman, the practitioner attempts to secure a greater place in her partner's heart by dramatically crying and running away in an attempt to compel their partner to follow. Mariko uses this technique to counter the fact her chosen partner, Tatewaki Kuno, is in love with her opponent but not her.

Love's Unkind Cut: The practitioner launches a volley of boomerang-style spinning batons at a foe, usually their partner's opponent.

The Lover's Rendezvous at Waterfall: The practitioner counters Love's Unkind Cut by throwing batons at the flying batons like spears, hitting them in midair with such accuracy that not only are the opponent's batons deflected, but all of the batons will subsequently fall on the opponent's partner's head. Ranma Saotome invented this technique to counter Mariko.

Nyoibo Baton Crash: Using a specially rigged baton, the practitioner extends it suddenly across a great distance, allowing them to deliver a painful thrust attack. This technique is named in reference to the size-changing Nyoibo, the iconic magical weapon of the legendary Monkey King character from the saga "Journey to the West".

Kintoun: The practitioner summons her teammates with a whistle, who bundle their pompoms together above their heads into a cloud-like mass which the practitioner can then stand on. This technique is named in reference to the magical flying cloud ridden by the legendary Monkey King character from the saga "Journey to the West".

Quicksand of Love: If an opponent is foolish enough to follow the practitioner onto the Kintoun, her teammates will grab the opponent's legs and lower clothing, dragging them down and holding them immobile.

Deafened by the Clarion Call of Romance: The practitioner loudly and suddenly plays a trumpet to spook the opponent's teammates, breaking up the Kintoun formation and nullifying the Quicksand of Love.

Black Widow Ensnaring of the Lover Ribbons: The practitioner uses cheerleading ribbons like whips to grab an opponent's weapon or similar object and yank them from their grip.

Liberation of the Heart Slicing Kick: A high-leaping kick that moves so quickly it can cut ribbons. Used specifically to counter the Black Widow Ensnaring of the Lover Ribbons.

Flying Sea Urchin Pompom Love Bomb: The practitioner uses special pompoms that can stiffen their fluff into a mass of razor-sharp spikes when a hidden trigger is pressed. After the pompoms are turned into needle-balls, the practitioner throws them at a target, putting a spin on them as they go flying to turn them into whirling blades.

Cupid's Arrow Incoming: The practitioner leaps high into the air before dropping down onto their opponent, jabbing them in the head with their cheerleading baton once in range.

Love's Fatal Embrace: The practitioner's partner grabs a foe and holds them in place whilst the practitioner clubs the immobile target on the head with the baton.

Kick of Love's Betrayal: The practitioner pretends to be running to embrace an opposing player, then kicks them in the head when they fall for it. Akane Tendo uses this to defeat Kuno.

Zombie of Love: The practitioner's team grabs the unconscious form of their side's player and puppeteers their unconscious body.

Midair Clash of Hearts:' After the Zombie of Love is thrown into the air by the practitioner's team, the practitioner leaps up and clings onto their unconscious partner's back.

Puppet of Love Baton Storm: After using Midair Clash of Hearts, the practitioner hides behind their unconscious partner's body whilst launching a rapid-fire volley of thrown batons at their opponent.

Puppet of Love Atomic Bomb: After using Puppet of Love Baton Storm to pin an opponent to the floor, the practitioner and their Zombie of Love fall onto the pinned target in a powerful diving attack.

Last Second Trajectory Changing Leg Scissor Crash: The practitioner does a handstand and uses their legs to catch the Puppet of Love Atomic Bomb in mid-descent and alter their trajectory into a crash-landing, rather than a dive into the practitioner's partner.