Last Samurai Clones....

[ap skeritt]

All martial artists brace yourselves, Tom Cruise has done the Oriental Samurai movie and it looks like Japanese Swordsmanship will be the next craze.

Stand aside all you Ninjas, a new wave of Bogus Boys will be in town, riding on the popularity of Mr Cruise's latest offerings.

For those of us old enough to remember the martial arts fads that have come and gone this will perhaps be the start of something new.

After all, we had Judo in the 1950's.

Kung Fu Caine and Bruce Lee did the Chinese Martial Arts in the 60's and 70's.

It was all ninja's in the 1980's.

The 1990's saw kick-boxing and capoeria (sic?), perhaps 2003 will bring the Kenhutsu / Kendo fad?

I will be keeping an eye out for any new schools in town and any 'masters who studied with and received the secrets if kenjutsu from reclusive ascetic swordmasters', heh heh heh

Andy

[StanLee]

Then I guess that all of us in "proper" kenjutsu should challenge these new comers then!

BATTO SHITTA!:D

[ap skeritt]

The age old question, what do you do about a fraudster?

I was once taken in by a fraud martial arts instructor myself. I found the best thing to do was to vote with my feet. (yes, I am a pacifist). Luckily I walked into a legit martial arts instructor almost straight away.

I will leave the martial arts law enforcement to more vocal people.

Martial arts fraudsters are a real laugh at times.

Only a few days ago I had a bloke in a pub tell me about this fantastic system he knew that gave him a black belt in a year and combined traditional karate and aikido. (He was a 3rd Dan no less)

Funnily enough, when I asked a few questions about where the style originated from etc... he changed the subject.

I am sure we will hear of some new, secret and obscure Koryu or Kenjutsu Ryu in the next year or so.

:) Andy

[Kreth]

Originally posted by ap skeritt
The 1990's saw kick-boxing and capoeria (sic?), perhaps 2003 will bring the Kenhutsu / Kendo fad?
Actually, I think BJJ was much more popular than either of the above, especially in the latter half of the 90s.

Jeff

[monkeyboy_ssj]

Originally posted by Kreth
Actually, I think BJJ was much more popular than either of the above, especially in the latter half of the 90s.

Jeff

But there hasn't really been many fakes in BJJ at the moment, they usually do "Shoot fighting" "smack fighting" "Crab fighting" and the other UFC take offs.

I think we will see an up count in people in silly hakama, holding katana back to front and teaching people how to cut through billy bully punch bags.

I can't wait...

ja

[Onmitsu]

perhaps 2003 will bring the Kenjutsu / Kendo fad?

I suppose it really depends on the box office success of 'the Last samurai'.

[Kreth]

Maybe those of us in the x-kans will be lucky, and the neo-ninja crowd will be reborn as neo-samurai/neo-kendoka... :D

Jeff

[pgsmith]

We already went through that phase back when the Highlander was popular. You don't know how many people showed up wanting to learn how to use their stainless steel with plastic handle Highlander swords. Boy were they disappointed to find out that it takes more than a couple of months! Most of them didn't last through the first couple of weeks, but a couple of those Highlander wannabes turned into good students and are still with us today.

You used to have the ninja all over, then you had the jujutsu craze. Lately it's been aiki. Aiki-something is everywhere now. I guess it's gonna be our turn again, kinda like bell bottoms from the 70's, they just won't go away!

Cheers,

[Steve Williams]

Originally posted by StanLee
BATTO SHITTA!:D

I am assuming this has a true meaning...... and not just the excrement of flying nocturnal animals ;)

[monkeyboy_ssj]

Originally posted by Steve Williams
I am assuming this has a true meaning...... and not just the excrement of flying nocturnal animals ;)

LOL!

Who knows, sounds like a Count Dante move if you ask me...

Cheers

[ap skeritt]

Guys, I'm posting from sunny Western Australia. We missed a lot of the BJJ craze here, (we have the most isolated capital city in the world).

The last couple of posts have totally gone over my head.

Anyone care to explain?

I hear that the Last Samurai is not too bad, so brace yourselves.

The highlander swords will be dusted off and selling like hotcakes in second hand shops all around the western world.

I think a lot of the nijutsu guys might become 'Samurai Ninjutsu' schools, hah hah.

Funny story, my sensei used to run a martial arts shop.

A well known local martial arts figure (fraud) walks in, buys every book in the store on Ninja's and, four weeks later, opens a ninjutsu school. Apparently he was secretly taught the true ninja style and has been a secret grand master for the last 30 years, hah hah hah lol..

Cheers,

Andy

[StanLee]

Originally posted by Steve Williams
I am assuming this has a true meaning...... and not just the excrement of flying nocturnal animals ;)

Steve, I wasn't sure of the spelling. But this means "swords drawn" and used in the context of a preveiling fight or duel.

I found it on a site with different japanese word meanings. It even had a name for "female hand puppetry"...:D

But I was sure that had it in my favorite links...

I'll post it when I've found it.

[StanLee]

Here's that link:

http://www.corrieweb.com/japan/glossary1.htm

Enjoy!

[El Guapo-san]

Looks like I will have to dust off that Takagi Yoshin Muto Dori video and review my seminar notes from last year, just in case some neo-Musashi-kabure wants to demonstrate something he saw on the Shogun boxed set he borrowed last week from the library.

J. Vlach, Amsterdam

[ap skeritt]

I remember Brackthorn-San and the Shogun series. Good stuff!

Never knew there was a boxed set. I will have to get a copy to put next to the seven samurai on the bookshelf.

(Who ever would have guessed Richard Chamberlain was gay? I mean honestly, the chicks used to really dig him man...)

Heard some enlighted guy discussing the Niten Itto Ryu the other day, said that he had heard that Musashi had picked up his two sword techniques from portugese rapier and dagger techniques being used by GaiJin sailours.

Has anyone else heard of this, or is it B/S??

As for the Last Samurai, instuctors watch out, there are some budding Musashi's out there...heh heh heh. Let's just hope they bathe and shower, unlike the old master himself.

On a serious note, the movie might actually spur a bit of interest in some of the traditional sword arts. The more the merrier. Some will come and go, (good sparring practice in the short time), others may stay.

Over all a good outcome. (perhaps)

Cheers,

:) Andy

[larsen_huw]

Originally posted by ap skeritt
...

(Who ever would have guessed Richard Chamberlain was gay? I mean honestly, the chicks used to really dig him man...)

...

Surely you know there's no better way to attract women than be gay???? :D

[Soulend]

Heard some enlighted guy discussing the Niten Itto Ryu the other day, said that he had heard that Musashi had picked up his two sword techniques from portugese rapier and dagger techniques being used by GaiJin sailours.

I've read this somewhere..it's in one of my books. Our resident Musashi expert, Hyaku, told me there is nothing to substantiate that claim though. There are several other koryu that use nito techniques as well.

[Jmorgan]

I think Mr. Smith said it best here:

"but a couple of those Highlander wannabes turned into good students and are still with us today."

Remember, we all had to get our start somewhere, I saw “Karate Kid” as a child and thought “that looks cool” then years later in high school a friend convinced me to take karate lessons with him, he fell by the way side and 12 years latter here I am still going.

We will always have those people who see a movie or TV show that decide to take a martial art, some will be taught by frauds, some will look to be frauds, and some will become good students.

I’m not going to lie, I liked the original Highlander movie and the old Samurai movies that would be on the TV on a Saturday afternoon as a kid and wanted to learn to use a sword. Because of this, A few years ago I tried out kenjitsu. I eventually called it quits when I found out the style was not all that authentic. (I would rather learn nothing than be a part of a fraud)

All we can do is hope that those people who see these movies and then go looking for a school will find a reputable one and become good students, and for those that don’t you can’t save everyone from the martial arts frauds of the world.

Jay Morgan

[ap skeritt]

Morgan San,

Definitely words of wisdom, I had some similar experiences on the path to finding my way in the martial arts.

I started studying Karate under a guy who had either never been taught, or was self taught out of a book. After thinking "This is Crap", I walked away and ended up in a traditional dojo where the chief instructor was legit and had spent time in Japan and was affiliated with a Japanese organisation.

Many years later I am a happy chappy and am closer to finding a better way.

As for the effect of the movies on the martial arts, hey, I'm all for it if it spreads enthusiasm for the martial arts.

I am just interested to see if any new dojo's will suddenly appear teaching kenjutsu or some of the koryu arts.

Perhaps I am a little bitter, having been taken in by a fraudster once before.

I note your points however, perhaps I should temper my past experience with a bit of a more compassionate outlook. I will meditate on this.

Also, for the guys who answered my question about Musashi, thanks. I saw a video of someone performing nitten ryu over the weekend and I think it would be quite speculative to saw that there is a great portuguese / eurpoean influence, especially given the way the rapier uses the point, as opposed the the 'cut' of the katana.

Cheers,

Andy

[chris MS]

Has anyone seen, "Kill Bill"? I saw it over the weekend and think it'll more than likely have the bad effect you guys are talking about here. It's more over the top.

[monkeyboy_ssj]

Tarentino Ryu :laugh:

well, at least they won't be wearing hakama...just yellow tracksuits instead :)

[StanLee]

Yellow tracksuit = Bruce Lee?

[monkeyboy_ssj]

I don't think they can do spin offs for Bruce arts due to jeet kune do is already established and no Jeet kune do is really used in the movie...

But maybe some Jeet kune Do/ Jun Fan Gung Fu spin offs may happen with yellow track suits.

You can order them Via Hayashi, i get mine in a couple of weeks :D:D:D

Cheers

[Kimpatsu]

From the Guardian (www.guardian.co.uk) film pages:

'A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams." In the months to come, cinema will be offering plenty of cryptic oriental wisdom like this. And it will come amid scenes of elegant dismemberment and improbable sprays of blood. Because, in the realm of action movies, samurai is all the rage.

Think of Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu in Quentin Tarantino's samurai tribute Kill Bill, the first volume of which opens this week. In a few months, we'll also be able to see Tom Cruise learn the way of the eastern warrior in his epic The Last Samurai, and Japanese tough guy Takeshi Kitano swapping guns for swords in his award-winning Zatoichi.

After a long and bloody reign, the gun has fallen from favour as the action-movie weapon of choice. No one, it seems, wants to see gun movies any more. It could be a reaction to real-life gun violence, from Columbine to Iraq, or sheer boredom with the macho laziness of shoot-outs. Either way, from the historical battles of Gladiator to the magic feats of The Lord of the Rings and the swashbucklers of this summer's hit Pirates of the Caribbean, audiences have made it clear they want to see their heroes do something more athletic than pull a trigger.

But there's more than weaponry behind the samurai vogue. There is the samurai code of honour, bushido - "the way of the warrior". The west, and its movies, have always had a bizarre fascination with bushido. Based on Zen and Confucian wisdom, its seven principles - courage, honesty, courtesy, honour, compassion, loyalty and complete sincerity - are almost the opposite of everything Hollywood stands for. Perhaps that's why it appeals to elite players like Cruise, who seems to be on a personal quest to transcend his movie-star status. "Bushido is really the reason I wanted to make this film," Cruise says of The Last Samurai. "I strongly identify with those values of honour, loyalty and passion. It's a very powerful code; those are wonderful things to aspire to in life."

The Last Samurai is being talked of as Cruise's Gladiator. It is set in 1870s Japan, when the samurai's sword-based supremacy was being undermined by firearms, and its story is tailor-made for the star. Cruise's character is a disaffected American soldier brought over by the emperor to train the Japanese army in western warfare; instead he regains his purpose through his adoption by the samurai. Cruise trained for the part with samurai-like rigour: eight months learning swordfighting, hand-to-hand combat, horse riding and the Japanese language, and no doubt thumbing through samurai text Hagakure in his trailer.

Tarantino put his own actors through similarly intense training: the members of his "Deadly Viper Assassination Squad" studied Japanese, kung-fu and kenjutsu sword techniques, the latter from veteran samurai movie star Sonny Chiba. They may not be the first American movies to take in samurai influences, but Kill Bill and The Last Samurai are aiming for an authenticity that previous Hollywood visions of Japan (like Richard Chamberlain's 1980s mini-series Shogun) have lacked.

The samurai's infiltration of Hollywood has been a slow process. After the second world war, samurai values were associated with kamikaze pilots and Japan's wartime hostility. In Frank Capra's 1945 propaganda movie, Japan: Know Your Enemy, bushido is described as "the art of treachery". Since then, however, samurai movies have served as a useful bridge between the US and Japan. In fact, bearing in mind that the real samurai class was officially abolished more than 30 years before the invention of cinema, most of what the US knows about samurai it knows from the movies.

In Japan, there was no such thing as a "samurai movie" before the second world war - although it was making plenty of jidaigeki, or historical movies, and, given that samurai had been a part of society for more than 1,000 years, it would have been very difficult to leave them out. When the American occupation government took over at the end of the war, it limited production of jidaigeki, fearing that they could reignite Japanese nationalism. Especially forbidden was the depiction of samurai swords, which were closely associated with feudal loyalty.

But, by 1950, Japan's film industry had returned to normal and was starting to make an international impact. This was largely thanks to one director: Akira Kurosawa. His Rashomon opened the doors in 1950, but Seven Samurai, four years later, laid out the vocabulary of the modern samurai movie. The director was descended from a famous samurai family, and his father wore the samurai topknot when he was a boy. His seven samurai are noble, honourable, virtuous heroes. But much as Kurosawa loved the samurai, he also loved John Ford and Howard Hawks. It's debatable how authentically "Japanese" Seven Samurai is - Japanese critics certainly attacked it for being "too western". But it was a huge international hit, and Kurosawa followed it up with several more - Yojimbo, Sanjuro, The Hidden Fortress - all using his signature actor Toshiro Mifune.

What followed was a period of cross-fertilisation between westerns and samurai movies. Their heroes were similarly rootless loners, operating in similarly romanticised versions of their country's histories, with similarly black-and-white views of good and evil. Their themes and stories (and, of course, their weapons) were interchangeable. Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo were remade, respectively, as The Outrage, The Magnificent Seven and A Fistful of Dollars.

But Kurosawa's influence spread to all action genres. War films like The Dirty Dozen and The Guns of Navarone rehashed Seven Samurai's themes of noble teamwork. French director Jean-Pierre Melville translated bushido to 1960s France in his noir masterpiece Le Samouraï, with Alain Delon as a solitary hitman whose samurai-like values appear pathological in 1960s Paris. In more recent times, Jim Jarmusch's Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai successfully fused Japanese warrior sensibilities with those of urban America. And Cartoon Network's hit series Samurai Jack has been bringing bushido to pre-school kids worldwide.

But the Hollywood product that has perpetuated samurai values more than any other is Star Wars. George Lucas is a Kurosawa devotee and has admitted borrowing plot elements from The Hidden Fortress. But there is also more than a hint of samurai about the Jedi, a noble order of warriors who spout Zen-like wisdom, follow an ancient code and fight with swords (Lucas cottoned on to the limitations of gun action well ahead of the pack). Even the word "Jedi" was inspired by Lucas hearing the word jidaigeki. And before Alec Guinness took the role, an early choice for Obi-Wan Kenobi was Mifune.

While Hollywood quietly adopted the samurai, Japan turned Kurosawa's mould into a whole genre. Pulp samurai movies were churned out in 1960s and 1970s Japan, usually recycling existing legends, historical incidents and previous samurai films. Many took as their subject Miyamoto Musashi, a real-life 17th-century folk hero. The original Zatoichi, the blind swordsman, was played by one actor, Shintaro Katsu, over dozens of movies from 1962 until 1989. As much as Kurosawa, it is these gory but populist movies that Tarantino makes reference to in Kill Bill.

By the 1980s that craze was over, and the cash-strapped Japanese film industry drifted away from the samurai into gun-toting yakuza movies. Since then, there has been little appetite for a samurai action revival. Nagisa Oshima's 1999 drama Gohatto offered an arthouse, homoerotic revision of samurai history, but Japanese youth have tended to associate samurai movies with their parents. So Kitano's update of Zatoichi, with plenty of computer-generated bloodshed, is a significant development, as was veteran director Yoji Yamada's success at the Japanese Film Academy awards last year with his Twilight Samurai. The release of Kill Bill and The Last Samurai, meanwhile, can only add momentum to Japan's samurai revival.

The question is whether Japan's domestic samurai movies will be able to compete, now that Hollywood has thrown down its guns and picked up a sword. It could be one hell of a fight but, judging by the history, it's more likely to be a fruitful collaboration.

[StanLee]

Mmm Interesting read the Guardian...

[Kimpatsu]

Originally posted by StanLee
Mmm Interesting read the Guardian...
My favourite newspaper; I read it online every day.

[monkeyboy_ssj]

Originally posted by Kimpatsu
My favourite newspaper; I read it online every day.

Do you get G2 online? best supplement from the Guardian ever...

They had extracts from Micheal Moore's new book, very interesting.

The Sun for pictures, The Guardian for news amd information ;)

Cheers

[Kimpatsu]

Originally posted by monkeyboy_ssj
Do you get G2 online? best supplement from the Guardian ever...
They had extracts from Micheal Moore's new book, very interesting.
The Sun for pictures, The Guardian for news amd information ;)
Cheers
Don't really like the Current Bun, but yes, G2 comes online too--I get the whole paper. I read both the interview with Michael Moore and the extracts from Dude, Where's My Country? Very good.

[Ronin055]

Noticed you mentioned Shogun above.. Just wanted to let you know its out in DVD now. VERY AWSOME.. I got it for 50$ at Sams Club.

[AlexM]

Hello,

I help in the "run" of the McGill Kendo Club here in Montreal (which explains are level of disorganization). We are anticipating a larger than usual influx of new students for the coming semester (we already have quite a few more than usual at the moment). We're assuming that this will be in response to Kill Bill and The Last Samurai films being released... so yes, I would think that the films are going to impact people joining up to something like kendo (at least at first). There is no kenjutsu (well, not legitimate kenjutsu) or much iaido in Montreal, so we're one of the only options for the hoards of samurai wannabe (the first newbie that comes in with a topknot will be submitted to torture by mockery).

My poor sensei is already being inundated with emails about kendo and the particulars of the course offered.

For some reason many people want to know how long it takes to get a "black belt" in kendo (there are no "belts" of course). Why is this? Is this such an important statistic? I have this feeling that people think that the "black belt" signifies the end of the road, that they have mastered the art and can thus stop afterwards. *sigh* If only it were so... :D

[SLeclair]

Originally posted by AlexM
Hello,
There is no kenjutsu (well, not legitimate kenjutsu) or much iaido in Montreal, so we're one of the only options for the hoards of samurai wannabe (the first newbie that comes in with a topknot will be submitted to torture by mockery).


Not much iai in Montreal? Man, I wish I lived were there was much Iai. Here we are in Ottawa, 1 Iai club, and I thought montrealers had it nice with all the clubs they had. There's the Shidokan Iaido (and kendo) club (Iai under Robert Miller, MSR), Kimochi Iaido (under Serge Laporte, MSR), Nihon Shiki (under Robert Thivierge, MSR), and I know there's a Jikishi-kai (MJER) affiliated group too, I just can't find the details at the moment. Heard that it's headed by Miura Takeyuki's daughter or relative in some way.

At least 4 clubs in there, and that's not much Iaido? *shakes head*. I guess living in Japan should be the only option then, because I sure don't know anywhere with that many Iai clubs near here other than Montreal. Not that I'm disappointed with my dojo or anything, it's still great :).

---
Sebastien Leclair

[SLeclair]

You also have other options for Kendo. CKF lists the University of Montreal Kendo club, Kendo Isshin, and the montreal Kendo club. That should be enough options to minimize the influx of all the last samurai and kill bill fans for you. You're not alone :)

Although we, in Ottawa, pretty much are. There's that other kendo club, but I think that's it for us. And we're running out of dojo space. Hrm. Wonder if anyone will try and join because of the new samurai wave...

--
Sebastien Leclair

[Ryan Leonhart]

I seriously hope that The Last Samurai bombs. Not just your average run-of-the mill crap like Kangroo Jack or Biodome but really really crappy movies, the kind of stuff you'd need therapy after. The reason for this is for us new comers (not all of us noobs are influenced by movies) it is hard to tell which schools are real or are plain, well, crap. I have done my research, so me getting in to a crappy school is unlikley
(though that onezulujutsu (http://www.zujitsu.com/) sure looks intresting! :p) But For some uninformed noobs, disaster stricks. Spinoffs of ninjutsu, akido, kenjutsu, and even kyudo are out there seeking prey. The thing is, more and more people are falling for fake arts, mainly due to a heavy movie influence. So if the movies in general suck, then there will be less public appeal and less crappy/fake dojo's out there.

Thats my 2cents ;)

[rinpoche]

I think many people were influenced in their decision to study a martial art due to movies and television. However, most people realize how much time and effort go into becoming proficient at a martial art and drop out - particularly if they aren't serious.

Sure - with every media craze you will find imitator instructors. The martial arts are particularly sensitive to fads - which tend to last a couple years.

Personally I welcome anything that takes some of the attention away from Ultimate Battlefield Navy SEAL Commando fighting. Not that there's anything wrong with that stuff, but the current thought amongst many of the ignorant is that traditional arts are worthless. If people get back to arts that also provide spiritual, ethical, and aesthetic development alongside the combative practices - fantastic.

I'd love to see more people in the US practicing Kendo, Iaido etc - maybe we'll have less road rage.

Eventually most of the crappy schools will die out.

It's funny, I have a friend that, in the mid-90s used to work in a cutlery shop that sold knives and swords. He had a scale based on what young males that came in the shop told him:
1. "I've done some Kendo"
Translation: I've seen Star Wars.

2. "I do Kendo"
Translation: I've seen Highlander and I believe it.

[AlexM]

Originally posted by SLeclair
Not much iai in Montreal? Man, I wish I lived were there was much Iai. Here we are in Ottawa, 1 Iai club, and I thought montrealers had it nice with all the clubs they had. There's the Shidokan Iaido (and kendo) club (Iai under Robert Miller, MSR), Kimochi Iaido (under Serge Laporte, MSR), Nihon Shiki (under Robert Thivierge, MSR), and I know there's a Jikishi-kai (MJER) affiliated group too, I just can't find the details at the moment. Heard that it's headed by Miura Takeyuki's daughter or relative in some way.


---
Sebastien Leclair

I know little about iaido, only to say that someone at our kendo club tried to find a high ranking sensei in the city to practice with and couldn't (or at least not to his liking). Shidoukan no longer exists by the way.

As for kendo, well... we currently have the largest club in terms of membership in the city and I just know we're going to get alot of these Last Samurai guys. Not that it's a bad thing. I'm sure some of them will actually enjoy kendo for what it is and not think they're going to learn how to cut heads off and whatnot.

We only have four kendo clubs in the city by the way. That's quite a paltry sum compared to Toronto actually. No Team Canada members live here either (although my sensei is an ex-team Canada member). Kendo is the only "sport budo" where Quebec doesn't dominate the rest of Canada! :D

[rinpoche]

The other sport Budo being Hockey?:D

just kidding of course.

[kenshorin]

Originally posted by ap skeritt
All martial artists brace yourselves, Tom Cruise has done the Oriental Samurai movie and it looks like Japanese Swordsmanship will be the next craze.

Stand aside all you Ninjas, a new wave of Bogus Boys will be in town, riding on the popularity of Mr Cruise's latest offerings.


'Fraid you're right... I guess there was a rediculously bad katana sequence in the recently aired "Xtreme Martial Arts" program on Discovery Channel. Seems like the phonies are out trying to hawk their wares already.

I think movies like this can be a double edged sword (not intending this to be a pun...) - on the one hand, it will definitely encourage some goon to open a bogus school and enroll a bunch of people with his bogosity (<- new word - the state of being bogus :p ) but there are also those who, more than likely completely by chance, will fall into learning the real thing, and possibly be the ones propagating it. Can go either way, although you usually hear about the bad ones because they tend to be more over-the-top.

[ghp]

Originally posted by StanLee
BATTO SHITTA!:D Well, I haven't read through all three pages yet to see if someone has addressed the translation of "batto shitta". I offer advance apologies if it has been adequately addressed.

Literally, this is "Swords drawn".

Hatsu/Batsu/Nuki = draw, pull, extract
To/katana = sword
Suru = irregular verb "to be"; shite (shee-tay, not the English "shite" :laugh: ) is the gerund form - "being"; shita is past tense "has been [done]" or "did it" --again, depending on context.

Spelling it in romaji as "shitta" -- with a double-t implies a kanji-compound of "shitsu" and "ta" [drop the "tsu" and double the consonant of the following kanji; in this case, ~tt]. Dunno what that would be, would have to see the kanji.

Depending on context of the exclamation "Batto shita!", the meaning could mean:

1. They (implied) drew swords.

2. We (implied) drew swords.

3. Swords have been drawn.

If you want to make it into a command, shout BATTO!!!!!.

Regards,
Guy

[AlexM]

Originally posted by rinpoche
The other sport Budo being Hockey?:D

just kidding of course.

Hockey is "the way of the loosened teeth" or as we say "tabarunakudou". I believe that in New England it's known as "the way of the murderous parent". :D

And for the record I meant judo, tae kwon do and karate as "sport budo" (i.e. something with competitions, medals, steroids, underfunding and whatnot).

Sorry about briefly hijacking the thread. You may now resume calling Tom Cruise a gigantic wanker.

[Martyn van Halm]

Originally posted by El Guapo-san
the Shogun boxed set he borrowed last week from the library.

J. Vlach, Amsterdam
Hoi J,
Don't know when you were last in the Amsterdam library, but martial arts books and vids are the first items to be stolen - makes one wonder about the mentality of those want to know more about martial arts...:D

[Chrono]

Originally posted by Ronin055
Noticed you mentioned Shogun above.. Just wanted to let you know its out in DVD now. VERY AWSOME.. I got it for 50$ at Sams Club.

I just finished the book and am looking to get the DVD. What special features are on it?

Jon

[David T Anderson]

Originally posted by Chrono
I just finished the book and am looking to get the DVD. What special features are on it?



LOts of good stuff...mainly extensive interviews with some of the lead actors and producers, lots of film clips and pictures of the original production activity, lots of great stories about the making of Shogun. Definitely worth the price of admission...