Blitz
The Blitz is an ancient martial art native to the Esper Dimension. Although the origins of the art are somewhat mysterious, many scholars believe that during the War of the Magi there was a secretive order of "Mage Monks" somewhat analagous to the ancient "Mage Knights" of Thamasa, though instead of focusing purely on spellcasting, these Blitzmasters channeled magical power through physical combat, particularly unarmed combat, making them capable of superhuman feats, including projectile blades of pure air, healing chakras, and great bursts of strength. Some have speculated a link between Blitz and the geomantic dances of the moogles native to the Dimension.
Presumably many of them were persecuted and killed with other magic practitioners after the War of the Magi, but a few select lineages and families managed to keep the art alive.
New Esperian Martial Arts
Even though the more fantastic and powerful techniques of the Blitz are all but lost, many of its more basic moves (those that don't involve superhuman strength or invocation of crazy elemental energies) are more widely accessible. These include aggressive striking (the rapid-fire "Pummel" technique) combined with a strong grounding in wrestling (the so-called "Sabin Suplex"). Influenced from other Web martial arts such as Karate, the resulting combat system "New Esperian Martial Arts" or NEMA (because Esperians apparently really love acronyms.) NEMA does have a bit of a reputation as a more aggressive, attacking style of combat, adhering to the philosophy that 'the best defense is a good offense.' Whatever spiritual philosophy or undertones the Blitz may have originally had are long gone; the Esper Union preferred to focus on it as a kind of 'national art'.
More than a few NEMA students hope that they will be the ones to "relearn" or unearth the Old Teachings, and once again wield air blades and wrestle trains.
Noted Blitzmasters
- Sabin Figaro, one of the Fourteen Against Kefka
- Duncan
- Vargas
- Fergus the Fist
