.
I think sub category brackets within the Martial artist section would help relieve some of the clutter. Like I had mentioned before, even though some of the characters are rightfully placed there like Ryu, Gen, and Elena for example, they could further be diversified by putting them in a bracket within the martial artists section, but closer to the mystic corner.
You could also apply this to the characters who use weaponry that’s not necessarily “advanced”. Because like you mentioned, a technology can be classified as any tool whether primitive or otherwise. I feel someone like Cody could be classified with someone like Sodom and Ibuki because of the stones and shank he uses.
In fact, we could use Cody’s fighting style to explain my point a bit better. We have 3 kickboxers who each have a different format of the style; Joe, Cody, and Dee Jay.
***Martial Artist (bracket closer to mystic “fighters can sense, or manipulate ki”)
Dee Jay
*Martial Artist (bracket closest to top “fighters don’t manipulate ki, or have an apparent background in it’s use”)
Joe
*Martial Artist (bracket closest to technology “fighters are armed”)
Cody
Wrestlers can follow the same pattern.
*Martial Artist (bracket closer to mystic “fighters can sense, or manipulate ki”)
Zangief (greenhand), Alex (flashchop)
*Martial Artist (bracket closest to top “fighters don’t manipulate ki, or have an apparent background in it’s use”)
R. Mika, E. Honda
*Martial Artist (bracket closest to technology “fighters are armed”)
Birdie, Sodom
**
This would allow for the unarmed styles like Sumo and Boxing, to be differentiated from something like Ninjitsu, or Ansatsuken, but also be used to differentiate between Sagat’s ki based Muay Thai, vs Adon’s non ki based. But we would also have to take into account that some characters who may not have an evident display of ki , but have control of it, (Gen and Makoto for the best examples).
Also, their would be some characters who would uniquely fall into all three sub categories. Ibuki is the perfect example of this because she is trained all across the board; unarmed/ armed/ and ki manipulation.
I also feel we should take into account fighters who have hinted mystic abilities only through story interactions. T.Hawks and Elena’s ability to feel the spirit and nature of person are only given through victory quotes. So while their fighting styles may be purely physical, they themselves have an ability to sense special characteristics about their adversary that other physical fighters may not be so keenly aware of.