I've been putting together some ideas for a system that would do well at simulating action-centered-anime in the vein of Hellsing, Ghost in the Shell, Fire Emblem, Darkside Blues, etc etc.

Card based system. Numbers represent ability. Higher-powered characters have all of the number up to their ability.

When you want to take an action, play a card. You narrate in the style of the power of the card, if it's Expert-level-combat, for example, you narrate impressive combat ability but avoid being too pulpy. Other characters in the scene can oppose you by playing a card of greater or equal value:

if another person plays a Master-level-combat, than they can narrate fantastic stunts that completely counteracts the actions of the person who played Expert-level-combat.

If both cards are of equal value, than you roll dice for each particpant and the winner narrates the results.

Of course, people can keep one-upping each other by showing increasingly more fantastic ability. Before one person raises you have the option of "Folding", which means you let them win and try to escape with minimal "damage".

The power scale I'm not quite sure of, something like:

2/3/4 = Expert
5/6/7 = Master
8/9/10 = Superhuman
J/K/Q = Exceedingly superpowered
A = Godlike

I'm not sure about how damage would work, or how people get cards in the first place, I know I'd want the system to encourage people not to use their higher powers until climatic moments, and to have a very big thing on posturing, intimidation/bluffing.

(note that "combat" can be read as "any conflict" in most instances)

*glomps the topic*

I would fervently argue against the concept of this whole thing; the idea that any RPG resolution systems fit the style at all, period. You can get something that looks like anime on the surface, but it's shallow won't stand up to any real scrutiny.

First: check out WTF? from Daniel/gobi. I hold this up as the pinnacle of anime-style roleplaying. Everything else is a pale imitation!!1 </rabidity>

Second: Combat in anime has to do with how much you want it. What you've got On the Line. Lesser components are Talent and Techniques but quite frankly, those are special effects as far as the style is concerned. They're not important.

The other major component in anime combat besides Wanting It is the Action Clock; the big shots, the ones that count, never happen in the first two minutes of the episode, they either happen in the last 5, or carry over into more episodes. This is not because all the little shots "soften the guy up" or anything; it's because it's more dramatic, it's better TV if you build up to it.

The only time it ignores this is when you're doing a Badass/Mook switch; sure, the guy looked tough for the past 20 episodes, but this new character walked in and took him down in one shot! We are so fucked, et cetera.

Summary: traditional rpg resolution mentality is pure fallacy when trying to apply said rules to anime. You can emulate the movements, but there is no understanding, no soul to it, and anyone who's looking deeper will come up unsatisfied.

..okay, so MachMoth chastises me a bit and suggests that maybe that post was a bit too rant-ish, and not enough help-ish. ;) I totally stand by it; however, I'll look at the system you've presented based on what your intent seems to be.

First, I'd consider having each person make their own sub-deck. One suit must have 2/3rd of the majority of the deck, the other third can be matched up amongst 2 of the other suits. So you'll always be out at least one suit.

Second, work on a rock-paper-scissors interplay for the suits. This is pretty classic stuff in most of the action settings anime explores; the Heavy Revolver will blow that guy apart, but the other guy has pretty special training.

Third, draw a card (from a full deck) each new episode or session. The suit is what your type is considered (for the RPS mechanic above) and the number is the level of card you have access to for the episode. This sets up more interplay with mechanic 1, because you have to decide whether to load your deck with small cards that you know you'll always be able to use, or big cards that are cool, but maybe you won't be able to use them this episode (because, for example, you Don't Really Want It that much).

You'd want players to quantify what their suits represent, what their cards are in general, just for color if nothing else..

So.. yeah. I mean, what you've got, with some fleshing out, will give you the appearance of your sources, but I'd still reaalllly strongly fight you on the "authentic" label.

First off: Yes you *can* make a system that fits the style, because the style is shown to conform loosly to a system. What I was presenting was something that's trying to model the rythm within one fight, the rythm of fights/action overall is important, but it's way past overexplained.

I think the concept that you can't simulate anime-style action resoloution working from mechanics is just incredibly close-minded... I mean, what would make you come to that conclusion? Do you think all attempts at capturing a flavor of combat is just shallow and pointless? Than you probably shouldn't be reading this.

I don't understand what you mean by -shallow-, or -scrutiny-. I'm trying to make something that -looks- like a certain sort of anime from the surface, and encourages decsion-making inline with the genre. What -I- want from the game is for combat to be largely about one-upman ship, counterattacks, etc, which I identify as a big part of the anime I specified, and the way I see it, the system would encourage it... so what's the problem? -Soul-? I see soul as a system's functioning beyond color, whether it emulates that style without relying entirely on the player choosing to act in-genre or the GM fudging. Your description of soul doesn't hit me as anything beyond navel-gazing.

"Second: Combat in anime has to do with how much you want it. What you've got On the Line. Lesser components are Talent and Techniques but quite frankly, those are special effects as far as the style is concerned. They're not important. "

I've heard this everywhere but I don't really see why people keep taking it as gospel. It's very commonly an element but I can't recall anytime it seemed like the only factor in the anime I favor. I'll throw out an example from an anime I provided.

Hellsing: The most powerful characters in the series are the ones that kill because there wasn't anything else to do that day. Alucard casually fights vampires because he doesn't really care for their style. Several of them have much deeper and exagerated motivations. He wins because of his talent and abilities.

We seem to be getting confused here over the meaning of "anime". Ick.

Instead of arguing over anime, people, reserve your energy for discussing the design goals of the system, and how the proposed system accomplishes or fails to accomplish those goals.

Which I did with my second, more-focused post, which was ignored. <shrug>

Anonymouses second post should get some comment, it was interesting and the helpful one of the two.

But I'll ask...how far away do these get from something like lunch money described in an anime way (and I take it that although the mechanics reflection of anime battle is nice, the anime element will really come from description). I mean it in a good way...can you work from the proven formula to help develop somthing?

If you wish to encourage people to save their most powerful maneuvers for the end,
you need to make them rarer -- right now, there are as many exceedingly superpowered
cards (nine in the average deck) as there are expert cards.

For your purposes, consider this mechanic instead :

For general fighting, attempting to one-up each other, opponents compare
card values as well as levels.
2/3/4/5 = highly skilled: basic maneuver against one target
6/7/8/9 = expert: advanced maneuver against one target or basic
maneuvers against two targets
10/J/Q/K = master: fantastic maneuvers against one target or advanced
maneuvers against two targets or basic maneuvers against up
to five targets
A = raises the value of any accompanying card by one level and one value

However, when a player wishes his/her character to "go for broke", he/she can turn
in all his/her remaining cards at once. This results in an incredible attack which can
only be matched by a similar incredible attack. Of those who partake in an incredible
attack, whoever had the most health prior to the attack is the only one to win the
bout of incredible attacks.

Since both using all one's cards and using one's last remaining card both result in
incredible attacks, and since softening up one's opponent increases the likelihood
that the opponent will be the one to fall, this system encourages players to wait until
the last minute before attempting that freeze-frame vivid-colors all-out anime' attack.

You'd want other mechanics to factor in such thing as Marshalling One's Strength,
Inspired by Duty, etc.

I would suggest that you specify which subgenre of anime' this is intended to reflect,
as there seem to be a number of genres according to books such as Antonia Levy's
*Samurai from Outer Space* and Patrick Drazen's *Anime Explosion*.

I hope that helps.

Doctor Xero