<p>To add on to Rarst's answer, the pyramid-shaped stance naturally channels the viewer's gaze to the sword, especially to its tip. This places focus on the "warrior spirit", typical of a declaration of victory. The "warrior spirit" is raised to a high position by the stance, which further befits the idea of "dominance".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-04T12:30:34.663Z
2013-02-04T12:30:34.663Z
Arturia Pendragon
<p>I don't think there is a hidden meaning behind this. In my opinion, it is just a pose that shows determination. It could be also used a salute. For example, a "classical" sword salute looks like this:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mZkCJ.jpg" alt=""></p>

<p>The Olympic Flame is also carried this way:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/UcQvi.jpg" alt=""></p>

<p>So I would say that this pose means just that, no special hidden meaning involved. And yeah, it also looks cool.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-03T07:51:05.303Z
2013-02-03T17:08:27.670Z
2013-02-03T17:08:27.670Z
SingerOfTheFall
<p>I don't think it is reference to anything specific since it's overly common whenever swords are (and sometimes when they aren't) involved in media. </p>

<p>In general:</p>

<ul>
<li>it looks cool </li>
<li><p>it's usually a show of triumph by combining display of:</p>

<ul>
<li>dominance (as other poses that make body "unwrap") </li>
<li>combat impracticality (no one is doing this in the middle of it)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

<p>tvtropes call it <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StabTheSky">StabTheSky</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-04T13:41:56.063Z
And it shows the audience that the user can still rise his sword and isn't destroyed to the bone, maybe.
Tartori
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-04T17:44:33.313Z
In both the above pictures, the characters took up the pose not during a battle, but to signify a "badass moment", so this makes sense. I think it would look quite lame if someone just stands in that pose for long during a battle. :P
Masked Man
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-04T17:51:32.643Z
Yep, that's under combat impracticality point - it can signify "everyone who can take advantage of me doing this posh vulnerable pose is lying around in pieces" - Erza's case. :)
Rarst
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-17T12:09:14.573Z
As said above. I would say it is not specific to anime / manga, Frazetta painted barbarians with this attitude long before manga was popular in the USA... See for example the http://galaxywarriorsbysungold.blogspot.fr/p/artwork.html page showing several of these poses.
PhiLho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-03T12:25:42.470Z
2013-02-03T12:25:42.470Z
Rarst
<p>Does this pose of raising your sword with your right hand have any significance? For example, is this a famous pose used by a real life legendary swordsman? Both Zoro of One Piece and Erza of Fairy Tail have used this pose.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rlLUE.png" alt="Zoro&#39;s pose">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RBJB4.jpg" alt="Erza&#39;s pose"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-03T06:29:16.903Z
Please let me know if the images used are a problem. I will replace them depending on what the problem is.
Masked Man
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-03T18:10:19.870Z
I don't think the images are a problem based on the replies I got to [this meta question](http://meta.anime.stackexchange.com/questions/334/how-graphic-is-too-graphic).
Cattua
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-04T19:47:28.387Z
The images are not a problem because they are *needed* to illustrate the question. In other words, they are not a problem because they are not added gratuitously.
Robert Cartaino
<one-piece><symbolism><fairy-tail>
Does this swordsman pose have any significance?
# Does this swordsman pose have any significance?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-02-03
Does this pose of raising your sword with your right hand have any significance? For example, is this a famous pose used by a real life legendary swordsman? Both Zoro of One Piece and Erza of Fairy Tail have used this pose.

![Zoro's pose](https://i.sstatic.net/rlLUE.png)
![Erza's pose](https://i.sstatic.net/RBJB4.jpg)
**Tags:** one-piece symbolism fairy-tail
> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Please let me know if the images used are a problem. I will replace them depending on what the problem is.  
> **username_1**: I don't think the images are a problem based on the replies I got to [this meta question](http://meta.anime.stackexchange.com/questions/334/how-graphic-is-too-graphic).  
> **username_2**: The images are not a problem because they are *needed* to illustrate the question. In other words, they are not a problem because they are not added gratuitously.  
---
## 3 answers
### Answer by username_5 on 2013-02-03. Score: 14 | Accepted answer
I don't think it is reference to anything specific since it's overly common whenever swords are (and sometimes when they aren't) involved in media.

In general:

* it looks cool
* it's usually a show of triumph by combining display of:

  + dominance (as other poses that make body "unwrap")
  + combat impracticality (no one is doing this in the middle of it)

tvtropes call it [StabTheSky](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StabTheSky).
> **Comments:**
> **username_6** (2013-02-04): And it shows the audience that the user can still rise his sword and isn't destroyed to the bone, maybe.  
> **username_0** (2013-02-04): In both the above pictures, the characters took up the pose not during a battle, but to signify a "badass moment", so this makes sense. I think it would look quite lame if someone just stands in that pose for long during a battle. :P  
> **username_5** (2013-02-04): Yep, that's under combat impracticality point - it can signify "everyone who can take advantage of me doing this posh vulnerable pose is lying around in pieces" - Erza's case. :)  
> **username_7** (2013-04-17): As said above. I would say it is not specific to anime / manga, Frazetta painted barbarians with this attitude long before manga was popular in the USA... See for example the http://galaxywarriorsbysungold.blogspot.fr/p/artwork.html page showing several of these poses.  
---
### Answer by username_3 on 2013-02-04. Score: 4
To add on to Rarst's answer, the pyramid-shaped stance naturally channels the viewer's gaze to the sword, especially to its tip. This places focus on the "warrior spirit", typical of a declaration of victory. The "warrior spirit" is raised to a high position by the stance, which further befits the idea of "dominance".
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2013-02-03. Score: 1
I don't think there is a hidden meaning behind this. In my opinion, it is just a pose that shows determination. It could be also used a salute. For example, a "classical" sword salute looks like this:

![](https://i.sstatic.net/mZkCJ.jpg)

The Olympic Flame is also carried this way:

![](https://i.sstatic.net/UcQvi.jpg)

So I would say that this pose means just that, no special hidden meaning involved. And yeah, it also looks cool.
---
