Which Anime Characters Were Personally Trained In Martial Arts?

I love how a lot of voice actors don't just lend their voices to characters — they actually train to perform live, and that effort shows in concerts and stage events. From my concert-going experience, the most obvious examples are the big idol-style projects where singing and dancing are part of the package. Groups from 'Love Live!' (μ's, Aqours, Nijigasaki, and newer units) go through deliberate singing and choreography coaching so the actresses can deliver live shows. Similarly, the cast members behind 'THE IDOLM@STER' are groomed to sing live and keep energy for long sets; you can see tight harmonies and stage presence that come from intensive rehearsal. Beyond straight idol franchises, bands assembled from anime also get serious training. The performers in 'BanG Dream!'—the members of Poppin'Party, Roselia, and other in-universe bands—were taught to play real instruments and sing simultaneously, which is an especially tricky skill. Projects like 'Wake Up, Girls!' and '22/7' had structured training programs where the actresses were coached in both vocals and stagecraft. Producers often bring in vocal coaches, choreographers, and live-sound technicians for months before a debut show, so what looks effortless is actually the result of personal, hands-on training. I've seen the difference live: trained seiyuu handle mic technique, breath control, and on-the-spot harmonies with far more confidence, and they keep character energy onstage while still delivering as singers. It's one of the reasons these concerts feel electric — you can feel the training pay off in every note and move, and I always leave inspired.

Walking past my old DVD box of 'Code Geass' got me thinking about the man behind Lelouch's voice. Jun Fukuyama, who breathes that cunning, theatrical energy into the character, was born in Fukuyama in Hiroshima Prefecture. That regional origin always feels fitting — there’s a quiet, resilient vibe in a lot of his performances that I like to imagine comes from growing up outside the Tokyo bustle. He didn’t pop fully formed into the industry; he moved into the world of voice work by training in Tokyo. Like many seiyuu, he refined his craft through dedicated voice-acting classes and workshops, picking up acting technique, narration skills, and the breath control you can hear in his whispery turns of phrase. After that foundation, he cut his teeth with auditions and agency support, which is how he landed heavier roles across anime, games, and drama CDs. Honestly, hearing his range from sly Lelouch to more goofy or tragic characters makes me appreciate how much training and stage discipline go into a seiyuu — it’s a craft I love watching evolve, and his work on 'Code Geass' still gives me chills.

I still get a little thrill when the opening credits of 'Ninja Assassin' roll — that scene sets up Raizo’s whole tragic arc. In the movie he isn’t self-taught or a lone wolf: he’s taken as a child by a secretive group and shaped into a weapon. Specifically, Raizo is trained by the Ozunu Clan, the shadowy ninja organization that raises orphans to become assassins under a brutal, disciplined regimen. Their leader — often referred to as Lord Ozunu in discussions about the film — represents the old-school, authoritarian master who enforces loyalty and cleanses anyone who questions the code. Watching Raizo’s arc, you can see how the Ozunu Clan’s training is both physical and psychological: they strip identity and instill a single purpose. That backstory is what makes his rebellion and eventual defection so compelling. I always find myself thinking about the small details — the chanting during training sequences, the way the novices move like one body — that communicate how complete the clan’s control is. So, short version without spoilers: the Ozunu Clan (under its leader) trained Raizo from childhood and molded him into the assassin we watch on screen. It’s a grim origin, but it gives the character weight and explains his skills and inner conflict.

Giddy doesn't cut it; the idea of 'Prison-Trained, World Shaken' getting animated sends me into full-on speculation mode. From where I sit, there are a few practical signals to watch: a manga or manhwa adaptation kicking off (that usually draws studio interest), sudden surges in official translations and physical sales, and any publisher tweets dropping hints. If a major publisher or streaming service snaps it up, you'd often see an announcement followed by a key visual and PV within 6–12 months, and a broadcast window within 9–18 months after that. So, in optimistic-but-real terms, if a project was greenlit today, I'd pencil in somewhere between late next year and two years from now for a first season. That said, timing depends on production choices. A high-budget studio aiming for cinematic frames and top-tier CG might take longer—think 12–24 months. A straight-to-TV cour with a smaller team could be faster. Historically, big hits like 'Solo Leveling' and 'Re:Zero' showed how source popularity and publisher backing can accelerate schedules, while niche titles sometimes simmer for years before landing a deal. Merch, drama CDs, or a sudden official English publisher are also strong precursors. Personally, I'm watching the usual channels and fan translations, but I try not to ride every rumor train; the last few anime surprises taught me patience. If it happens quickly, I’ll be glued to the PV; if it’s slower, I’ll re-read key arcs and hype my friends anyway. Either way, I’m hyped and ready to scream into the void when that first trailer drops.

This title has been floating around niche translation circles and I dug into it over a few late-night searches — what I found is patchy but interesting. 'Prison-Trained, World Shaken' appears to be a fan-translation name rather than a direct original English title, which is why tracking a single, definitive author is tricky. Many online communities treat it as a localized rendering of a Chinese or Korean web novel where the original pen name isn’t always carried over; sometimes the credited writer is a handle or pseudonym that varies between translation groups. Because of that, mainstream bibliographic databases don’t always list a clean author entry for the English title. What I can say with more confidence is what inspired the plot and tone. The story leans hard into classic prison-revenge and rebirth tropes — think the structural DNA of 'The Count of Monte Cristo' and the redemptive grind of 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption' — mixed with cultivation/skill-up elements common in modern web fiction. You get the claustrophobic training montage of prison life, the slow-burn building of power or status, and then the eventual outward impact that literally shakes the world setting. It also borrows from martial-story and action-epic sensibilities: long payoffs, betrayals, and the sense that the protagonist’s forged strength will alter political and supernatural balances. If you want to trace the original writer, the quickest route is usually to look at the earliest translation posts or the original serialized chapter headers in Chinese/Korean on major web-novel platforms; those usually show the original pen name. Personally, I love how the hybrid inspirations make the plot feel both familiar and fresh — it scratches the revenge itch while delivering big, sweeping consequences, and that combination keeps me hooked.

Big news if you've been following 'Prison-Trained, World Shaken' closely: the author publicly confirmed that a direct continuation is in the works. I caught the announcement on the author's blog and a follow-up interview with the magazine that serializes the novel, and they were pretty clear — there will be a sequel arc that picks up a few years after the original ending. From what was revealed, it's planned as a multi-part follow-up rather than a single novella, with the main character's world expanding into new territories and a few previously minor figures stepping into the spotlight. What excites me is how they're approaching it. The team wants to maintain the tone that made the first book popular while exploring deeper political and psychological stakes; there are also promises of side stories and short spin-offs focusing on fan-favorite supporting characters. Translation and licensing talks are supposedly underway too, so international readers shouldn't be left out for long. I know release schedules can slide, but right now it feels like the universe is getting the continuation it deserves — I'm already making a reading schedule in my head for when the next volume drops.

Good timing—this is exactly the kind of hunt I enjoy. If you want to read 'Prison-Trained, World Shaken' legally, the safest starting point is to look for an official English release or the original publisher. If it’s a light novel or web novel that’s been picked up by a publisher, you’ll often find it on major ebook stores like Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, or BookWalker. For serialized web novels, platforms such as Webnovel or Tapas sometimes carry licensed English translations. If it’s a manhwa/webtoon, check Webtoon (LINE), Tapas, Tappytoon, Lezhin, or Piccoma—those are where official English webtoons usually live. Another tactic I use is to search for the author or illustrator’s social media and the title in quotes—authors or official publishers typically announce licensing deals and provide links. Also look up the ISBN or publisher imprint; that’s a dead giveaway that a print/ebook edition exists. Libraries aren’t to be forgotten either: OverDrive/Libby and Hoopla occasionally carry translated light novels or graphic works, and borrowing is a legal way to read. If you instead find it only on scanlation sites or aggregators with unclear licensing, steer clear—that’s not legal and it harms creators. If no legal English option exists yet, consider supporting the creator via their official pages or Patreon so a licensed release becomes more likely. I’m honestly excited whenever a niche title finally gets an official release—makes the wait feel worth it.

One of my favorite recurring moments in the Pokémon world is when a protagonist actually gets coached or straight-up trained by a gym leader — it feels like a real mentor arc, not just another battle. In the anime, the clearest and longest-running example is Ash with Brock. Brock is the Pewter City Gym Leader and he spent years traveling with Ash, acting as cook, medic, and tactical adviser. He taught Ash fundamentals: how to care for Pokémon, how to think about team composition, and gave him battle strategy hints that Ash used through the original series and beyond. Later on, in Kalos, Ash gets hands-on help from Korrina (the Shalour City Gym Leader) around Mega Evolution; she’s not just a namesake you fight once and forget—Korrina helps Ash understand aura and the mechanics behind Mega Evolution for Lucario in a way that’s explicitly instructional. Clemont (the Lumiose Gym Leader) is another example: he travels with Ash in 'XY' and constantly provides technical help, training ideas, and even devices that change how Ash approaches battles. Those relationships are textbook “protagonist trained by a gym leader” in the anime space. May’s arc is another one that jumped out to me, because it’s more familial and personal. May is the daughter of Norman, the Petalburg Gym Leader, and that home connection means she has a mentor, parent, and Gym Leader in one person. Norman gives her critiques, advice on contest and battle technique, and that shapes how she grows into her role as a trainer and coordinator. That’s a neat dynamic because the training comes from someone with official standing in the Gym system, not just a casual mentor. Serena, while not trained in battle by a gym leader in the same formal way, receives mentorship from Clemont and other friends during her journey — it blurs the line between coaching and formal Gym-style training, but you can see the influence of gym-leader-level expertise on her development, especially in performance and battle pacing. If you nudge over to the games and manga, the idea still shows up but often in different flavors. In games the player character rarely has a long-term travelling Gym Leader coach the way anime protagonists do, but familial links exist — Norman is not just an anime dad; he’s the Hoenn Gym Leader in the games too, and that creates moments of mentorship for his child (and rival) characters. In the manga 'Pokémon Adventures' (which treats Gym Leaders and rivals differently than the show), you’ll also find protagonists learning from and clashing with Gym Leaders in ways that force growth. Overall, the best places to watch this play out are the early 'Indigo League' episodes for Brock-and-Ash mentorship, the 'Advanced Generation' arcs for May-and-Norman family training beats, and the 'XY' arc for Korrina and Clemont’s direct influence on Ash (Korrina’s episodes around Mega Evolution are especially satisfying). If you like mentor-style growth, those arcs hit that sweet spot where a Gym Leader isn’t just an obstacle — they’re a teacher, and the protagonists come out measurably better for it.