As I said before, there was a real heavy focus on the actual fighting, and I think I know why. The mangaka, Makoto Niwano, was originally a wrestler, and before making the Deltora manga he created several wrestling mangas. So, of course, the Rithmere Games was probably as good an excuse as any to depict gruelling battle scenes.
I could probably rant a whole lot more about the decline in art quality and several other choices, but I'll look as though I'm whining. XD;