Waza Ari (Japanese: 技あり) literally "half a point", is the second highest score a fighter can achieve in a Japanese martial arts ippon-wazari contest, usually Judo, karate or Jujutsu.
A Waza-Ari is the second highest score a fighter can achieve, the others being a yuko (advantage) or, formerly, a koka (small advantage). An Ippon would be the highest score, that once awarded, ends the match in favour of the athlete who scored it. The Referee raises his arm laterally parallel to the ground to award 'Waza-ari'. Its value is higher than any other sum or combination of lower scores. No matter how many Yukos or Kokas, when times runs out, a waza ari still counts more.
In Judo, a Waza-ari is awarded after an action in which the opponent is thrown with control and accuracy, but not to the extent of an ippon, or held on the back for between 20 and 25 seconds on the mat. To achieve an Ippon, four elements are required: landing on the mat flat on the back, force, speed and control. If one out of the four elements is not expressed or it is expressed poorly, the referee can still award the waza ari.
It can be awarded also as a penalty, formerly named 'Keikoku'. A penalty can be given for infractions such as non-combativity, improper hold, false attacks, etc.. In judo, penalties are always awarded in a progressive way, e.g. first infraction - first penalty (Shido), second infraction - second penalty (Chiui), third infraction - third penalty (Keikoku), fourth infraction - disqualification (Hansoku make, see Ippon).
Waza-ari is the only cumulative score in judo. If an athlete scores two Waza-ari during a bout, they each count for half an Ippon, thus giving victory to the athlete. To signal this the referee raises his arm laterally parallel to the ground to award the second waza ari and then continues rising the arm vertically as if to mark an ippon, saying "Waza-ari, awasete Ippon", before ending the match ("Soremade").
In many styles of karate competition or shiai, a score of waza ari is awarded to a competitor that successfully strikes an opponent within the rules of the competition, but in a way that is not considered to overpower the opponent sufficiently to end the match.
In the shobu ippon kumite practiced by the JKA and its offshoots, waza ari is awarded when a strike makes contact with the opponent but without fulfilling all of the criteria for a decisive strike, either due to the target area, distance, focus or other judging criteria.
In knockdown kumite as practiced by offshoots of the kyokushinkaikan organisations, waza ari is awarded for a blow that temporarily stuns the opponent but does not render them unable to continue for longer than 3 seconds.