Tournament Arc

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Richard Kielbasa

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Mar 31, 2026, 5:58:30 PMMar 31

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Tournament Arc

Homer’s Iliad is one of the first uses of a structured tournament as a narrative device in fiction

Achilles organizes formal athletic competitions, a subnarrative with rivalries and disputes over prizes.

The modern codifier —> "every subsequent tournament arc in manga is looking back on Dragon Ball" i.e. Hunter x Hunter, Naruto, etc.

Did you know, [redacted], Kishimoto’s editor forced him to include the Chunin Exams with an explicit “You're going to make a tournament”

Modern power system tiers & progression are derived from chinese cultivation fiction.

Tolkien developed the canonical races —> elves, orcs, dwarves, etc. (1937-55).

Dungeons & Dragons integrated this and in 1974 innovated:

(1) the party system —> fighter, mage, and cleric

*By 1977 there were more familiar names added —> thief, ranger, paladin, druid, monk, assassin, bard

and (2) numerical ability stats —> Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma

Portal fantasy is Western (Alice In Wonderland, Narnia, etc.)

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