pan, i know you monitor this thread and let me tell you.
WATCH ZENSHUU!
now i'm not suggesting you should copy the show but it shows an interesting premise that could inspire to your series. I believe your battles require more polishing like maybe artists are still developing their OCs further by sketching more things to solidify their characters, working on their bible as it is called, but not every sketch they draw lands and fails the result so they trash the paper and draw again until it synergize with style and character but paper is not only limited but the pencil as well rans out of ink so they have to think careful what to draw. Perhaps the mysterious gem in his hand was a concept that landed but the artist has no idea how to make it work so that's why it ends in tragedy everytime. Maybe that same concept can be translated on different styles like maybe the CGI have clip errors or rigging isn't as flexible, etc.