There are literally hundreds of styles and variations. They can be divided up into dozens of different major categories by country of origin or primary focus as well as style of art.
Many martial arts have the Axe kick, maybe just known by different names.
Martial arts have developed over many many centuries in many different places. It was not created by a single person.
I view manga of many different types (Including martial arts) at: www.onemanga.com or www.mangafox.com
Too many and too many variations of each.
In many schools, there are different levels either based on age or talent. There are not official levels in ballet, unlike martial arts.
I have noticed that there is quite a selection of martial arts books at Borders found in the sports section. Many different martial arts are coverered as are the various aspects of each, including philosophy. There are also books that are a collection of information on the various martial arts in the world.
Donnie Yen was a Hong Kong action star and martial artist born in China. He is well known for his knowledge of martial arts and his role in many martial arts films and series.
You become a martial arts master by studying a single martial art for many years. It is not something that is easy.
No. Black belts are typically found in Japanese and Korean martial arts. Some Chinese martial arts use colored sashes, and some martial arts use no rank at all - except for delineating student and teacher. Many non-eastern martial arts, Boxing, Savate, Fencing - may use different types of rankings based on organization.
Most likely Taekwondo or Karate, these martial arts have many families involved and most studios of these take both children and adults as students, compared to martial art styles like BJJ that may not.
Many cultures have occupied Florida. The martial arts of Florida are the martial arts of these cultures. The martial arts of native American cultures included the arts of working with knives, spears and bows. The martial arts of European cultures included the arts of working with swords, rifles and cannon. Unarmed fighting and wrestling were also practiced by both cultures.
Ranma ½ isn't based on any one style of martial arts, but several of them, and many of them are parodied or are inaccurate. The school of martial arts that Ranma and his father, along with Akane and Soun Tendo practice, is known as the Anything-Goes School of Martial Arts, so while it incorporates numerous actual martial arts techniques, it also uses ridiculous "techniques" and fictionalized martial art styles.