Iai, Kenjutsu or Kendoists?

pearsquasher

Any of you guys study Japanese Sword arts?

Were any of you at the Irish Film Institute to see "Sword of Doom" this week?

There so many great sword fighting scenes from competitive matches with bokken to assasinations to massive one vs many sword-fights. I was wondering if you saw it, what did you think? Plenty of Iai, Kendo AND kenpo action.

For me it's one of the best "samurai" movies about in terms of real-time swordplay and dramatic tension. It shows the imprtance of footwork and openings of strategies and shielding. It's a refreshing change from the ballet-like stylisations of the nu-wire-fu films that are out now I reckon.

(Theres also a few nice jujutsu moves in it too by the way - well worth getting out on DVD for you MA fans)

pma-ire

pearsquasher wrote:

Any of you guys study Japanese Sword arts?

Were any of you at the Irish Film Institute to see "Sword of Doom" this week?

There so many great sword fighting scenes from competitive matches with bokken to assasinations to massive one vs many sword-fights. I was wondering if you saw it, what did you think? Plenty of Iai, Kendo AND kenpo action.

For me it's one of the best "samurai" movies about in terms of real-time swordplay and dramatic tension. It shows the imprtance of footwork and openings of strategies and shielding. It's a refreshing change from the ballet-like stylisations of the nu-wire-fu films that are out now I reckon.

(Theres also a few nice jujutsu moves in it too by the way - well worth getting out on DVD for you MA fans)

Sounds mad!

I'll look out for that one

Any bit like Shogun Assasin/Baby Cart/Lone Wolf Series? They are FF'ing brill !!

pearsquasher

Any bit like Shogun Assasin/Baby Cart/Lone Wolf Series?

No.. absolutely nothing like those films. They showed "Lone Wolf Shogun Assasin" last weekend and i enjoyed it but "Sword of Doom" is more of a period drama. It shows keen and insightfull swordplay and is very Shakespearien - like Kurasaw's films - whereas "Lone Wolf" is more like Mary Poppins with rediculous Highlander-type swordwork and too much makeup
- a world of difference.

Walsingham

Lone Wolf, featuring the Japanese spokesman for the excessive use of fake tan association.

pma-ire

Walsingham wrote:

Lone Wolf, featuring the Japanese spokesman for the excessive use of fake tan association.

Ah but it's still cool!

Remember the fight with "The Masters of Death" at the end? He splits the guys head in two and the blood sprays out like a fountain

Then the last guy he nicks in the neck, and the big story yer man goes into while the blood sprays out of his neck while he's dieing :P

Walsingham

Sounds like you are a fan. I have not seen the films but when I was in Japan I did get to see some of the series. It was in Japanese but not understanding the language did not in anyway take from the overall effect..

If you saw a man like (lone wolf, - the fake tan man) that walking about with a small child you would probably try to have him arrested...
that would undoubtably be your undoing...

I think it would have to be a toss up between Yojimbo, The Seven Samaurai, Kagemusha or Samaurai Banners. Yojimbo is pretty good for sword action.
But for overall story and content TSS or Kagemusha are excellent, well in the whole samaurai genre anyway..

Stephen1481

Sorry if this is hijacking your post but does any one know of an Iaido class in the midlands area, namely Westmeath or even Mullingar.

Thanks.