On Fri, 23 Aug 1996, Doug Murphy wrote:

1. All about Chi. I've heard that being able to focus chi into a projectile 
type attack depends on heavy martial arts training. Just what is Chi? How can 
someone gain the ability to use it? And what types of attacks (or defenses) 
can be created with it?

Chi = life energy.

2. Ki. I know little about Chi but Ki  know nothing of. I have seen it in a 
few fanfics.  Same basic questions arising. What is ki and how can characters 
gain the power to use it.

Ki = Japanese equivalent of 'chi.'

That much was already stated in other replies, but this is where I want to
add some other information . . . 

My knowledge of Chinese is non-existent; my knowledge of Japanese is
marginally better, thanks to anime and fanfic-writing/RPing.
The kanji for 'Ki' can be translated as spirit or soul or mood.
(this topic continued after Q.3)

For both chi and ki: there are no known ways to learn life-energy
projection techniques in real life. *HOWEVER*, there are Eastern martial
arts that deal quite a bit with chi focusing. Tai Chi Chuan is one of
these, *if* you're studying the internal as well as the external.
	That probably sounds more exciting than it actually is.
	Within the human body, Chi energy flows along pathways called
'meridians.' The flow of Chi is interrelated with your state of mind, and
health. Basically, if you're calm, then your Chi flow is good, and your
internal organs are 'fed' by the flow of Chi throughout your body. But if
you're tensed, then the Chi pathways are constricted, which lessens the
flow of Chi, which in turn can lead to poor health. (This is extremely
simplified, by the way.)
	The slow, rhythmic movements of Tai Chi serve as an exercize to
loosen the joints, relax the muscles, and allow Chi to flow more freely.
In addition to the physical exercizes, meditation also aids the flow of
Chi.
	Meditation is the key word in learning to focus and direct Chi, or
Ki. In writing the Shuriken Cycle, I hit points where characters other
than Ranma and Ryouga would have to learn how to focus their Chi; Shuriken
helped them to learn this by giving them meditation exercizes to do.
	In summary, anyone who's going to learn to focus Chi (or Ki) will
*very probably* need to spend some time in instructed meditation.
	I can give more suggestions if you're interested.

	(Oh, and the above information about Chi energy and Tai Chi Chuan
is remembered/adapted from the book _David Carradine's Tai Chi Workout_,
by David Carradine and DAvid Nakahara, published by Henry Holt & Co.
Please note, this is the book, not the video of the same name.)

3. Special attacks in Ranma. I know enough about the characters in Ranma to 
try at a fic. I shouldn't have any problems with that, but I know a (drum roll 
please) total of 3 attacks from the Ranma-verse. Shadow Fog, Shishi Hakoadon, 
and Happo Fireburst (Yes I know I spelled them wrong.) Some Ranma crazed fan 
please update me. I need the name of some attacks, who uses it, and a short 
description of what it does.

I don't know if anyone mentioned the Hi-ryuu Shoutenha . . . ?

(continuing previous subject)
Westerners dealing with anime or fighting games will usually refer to Chi,
the Chinese term. 
However . . . the Japanese term, Ki, also can refer to mood.
And in Ranma 1/2, your mood has a definite affect on your Ki.
	Ryouga is a very depressed sort; his Shishi Houkoudan ki-blast
draws energy from the emotion of depression. Ranma's Mouko Takabisha draws
its power from Ranma's self-confidence.
	For purposes of my writing, I treat Chi as basic internal
life-energy, and Ki as an *emotionally powered* form of life- or
spirit-energy.
	And the concept of emotion-charged Ki energy definitely has a
place in the Ranma 1/2 canon. Take the Hi-ryuu Shoutenha: for Ranma to do
it properly, he must remain calm, keeping his Ki cool, while his opponent
becomes angrier - their Ki becoming hotter and hotter. When Ranma performs
the Hi-ryuu Shoutenha attack, he releases his cool ki energy in a punch at
the center of a circle. His cool ki then interacts with the opponent's hot
ki to form a tornado.
	The interaction of different Ki is what gives the Hi-ryuu
Shoutenha its power.

I hope this helps somewhat.

4. Crossover magical abilities. Say a hardened black belt in some form of the 
martial arts from our universe gets somehow sent somewhere where magic 
exists... Does this person suddenly gain great power because he is a skilled 
martial artist, or is he doomed to never have the joy of throwing fireballs?

Neither of the above, in my opinion. If he finds a sensei who's willing to
teach him, and he's willing to spend a while (probably a fairly long one)
training, then he *could* learn to focus chi into attacks.

Thanks for reading this. I'll be starting a Ranma fic in a few weeks (enough 
time for me to see a few more episodes and read fics) and if I have tons of 
cool stuff in it it's because a cool person replied and told me everything I 
need to know ;)

(I keep meaning to start posting the Shuriken Cycle again, but I don't
have enough time to upload the next part . . . gyaaah! - But keep your
eyes open for it on rec.arts.anime.creative; I have a pretty substantial
backlog to catch up on.)

				Tim Miller/Shuriken
					trmiller@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us