I get into odd conversations with my friend Scott over stories in videogames and cartoons. We started bouncing ideas around that famous trope in shonen manga (and by extension, anime too), the FIGHTING TOURNAMENT ARC. Why is it used so much? Why does it keep falling flat? (Why do we collectively groan when we see it coming? )
Bouncing ideas back and forth, I figured out my own little theory. The authors use it as a delaying tactic!