Using martial arts in a real fight?

Not all martial arts schools are the same. Karate is an excellent self defense system, but like anything, only when it's taught correctly. Unfortunately, there are bad Karate schools, and those are the ones that get most of the publicity. In this day and age, people are more interested in the flashy stuff that has nothing to do with self defense than the original style.

Forms, Kata in Japanese, is actually anything but a choreographed fight. They're a guide into technique, and the technique you're performing isn't always the same technique in its application. The moves on Kata are not performed verbatim all the time when studying application. It's not always what it looks to be, and Kata is only one of the many training methods in Karate, though it is a very important aspect.

Forms are a training method thousands of years old and still is just as valuable a training method.

There are hundreds of martial art styles. I wouldn't recommend studying a style for the sake of the style itself. Look for a school that has a teacher that can properly show you the correct ways of self defense. If the only Karate schools around you are only interested in belts, testing, performances, demonstrations, tournaments, competition, and/or exercise, then you should look else where.

First things first: The greatest lie in martial arts today is that all martial arts are created equal and you can take something valuable from all martial arts. Don't listen to that. It's nonsense. There are objectively worst techniques out there than others. Everybody wants to feel like they're in a valuable art, so few people are willing to come out and admit that what they do just doesn't work.

There are many forms of karate that are super valuable in a self defense context. But, because it's so wide spread, there's also a lot that's just there to make the instructor a few bucks. The key is to look for a karate school that trains with aliveness. If self defense is your concern, look for a place with that in mind. Look for a place that has hard contact sparring. Get punched in the face. Learn what it feels like and learn how to avoid it. Don't fall for the choreographed fancy stuff where you do a bunch of moves to an opponent who doesn't resist, you need to be fighting a resisting opponent and learn to deal with the unpredictability.

Not all karate is bad. Matter of fact, quite a lot of it is good, but I wholly disagree with the notion that all martial arts will help you with self defense. I've seen too many that make people thing a string of elaborate moves will work when they won't.

The founders of karate are well aware of what real fights look and feel like and have devised a rock solid martial art which can be used in a real fight... otherwise what would be the point?

The way kata and bunkai is performed is the "ideal", the founders are under no impression that a real fight looks like that and they were never intended to be performed like that in a self-defense situation. The techniques are supposed to be mixed and match to suit the situation.

Karate also includes defense against random wild swings, you will find it in the katas.

Karate: Means empty hand. You are likely to defend yourself with nothing but your hands. Yes they use weapons. But those are not always available. According to fight science, karate doesn't have the hardest punch (thats boxing) or the hardest kick (taekwondo). But in my opinion, they are the best art for self defense that is not only self defense. The katas are not useless, there is an advanced principle called Bunkai. I am just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding it.

Here is what good karate teaches you:

Punches, kicks, elbows, knees, wrist strikes, striking with pretty much your whole body.

Blocks, evasion and counters.

In some styles, how to use basic weapons like the bo, the knife, escrima, etc.

Weapon defenses.

Grab defenses.

Gun defenses (arguable, but watch this):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWP3vZcKUvo

I'd say thats the only gun defense that works.

Defense against multiple attackers.

Now, have I left anything out that karate does not cover? Ah, yes, ground fighting. You will learn that Karate's Bunkai ties deeply into Jujitsu and Judo, as they all originated from Japan. But that was not enough for me. So I am now learning BJJ. I would not go to the ground unless either I was sure its a 1 on 1 or I was taken there. But thats it? No groundfighting in the average style. Looks like karate has alot to offer.

I have used what I have learned in a few fights, and it has been effective. You should really reword you question because the "willing participant coming at you in slow motion" remark could come off as disrespectful. When you begin to learn you learn the movements slowly so you can learn the proper technique. As you get better your practice speed will increase. If you don't practice what you've learned your wasting your time. There are people that are natural fighters, people who have learned how to fight, and people who are natural fighters that practiced and learned the tools to be great fighters. As for you example of a fight someone has used their techniques in. I feel your trying to start a pissing contest, but here ya go. When I was 18 I was in an altercation with a guy over your average stupid girl that was trying to work 2 guys at once. Rumor had it he was a real tough guy fought all the time and beat up everyone he fought We exchanged words and he made the decision to start the fight the way most guys do. A shove... I stepped to the side avoiding the shove threw three punches one to the liver, one to the floating ribs, and one to the jaw. The only thing that would have made that technique any more perfect for that moment was it involved the placement of a pillow for his head to land on. This was a technique that I was taught when I was five years old and practiced thousands of times before I used it. My father taught me this technique as well as several others taken from Lima Lama, Muay Thai, BJJ, and Judo. I also started stick and knife training at 8 years old.

Any type of martial art training or self-defense classes will help you in any actual real fight.

Find a good program/teacher and train diligently. There are other arts that you can check out other than karate, check out all the ones that are near where you live or where you go to school or work, then you can always train regularly and have no excuse. Better if it is in your school or place of work.

All martial arts work in a real self defense situation. No matter who the opponent or what the attack, Karate will show you how to defend yourself. As long as you have a good instructor, you will be all set.

Any martial art generally used in defence to rendered your opponent incapacitated so you can make good your escape. Its all about self defence, get your opponent down and basically run! Legally once you have incapacitated your opponent you are legally required to get help and them help too. If you continue to strike an opponent you could injure them or even kill them. Also it gives them an opportunity to catch you of guard and incapacitated you!! Martial arts teaches you discipline, not to kill (unless its essential for your training or job) how to defend yourself legally. Its well worth doing. Try a self defence class. These aren't graded and last about six weeks. If you enjoy it try ju jitsu or karate. Have fun

Protection and fighting are not the same thing.

Sports fight.

Martial arts protect. Two different things entirely, with different technique, and different mindset.

Fighting is for sportsmen/women, and protection is for surviving adversity.

You I know what kind of person you are.