No comments about Iaido (VHS).

2 comments about Cutting Through the Mystery Japanese Military Iai-Batto-Do Swordsmanship Toyama Ryu Iaido.

1. In this work, the authors describe in detail the swordsmanship of the Toyama Ryu, which was the official sword curriculum of the Japanese Military up until WWII. As the title suggests, they present the material very directly without mystification, which makes it a very practical guide especially when read along side the DVD version of the same name (availble through Actionflex.com). There is much in the way of insightful advice throughout. The pictures demonstrating the techniques are a little grainy (why my rating is 4 rather than 5 stars), but clear enough to understand. Overall, a very good guide to this very practical style of Japanese swordsmanship.



2. I have just recently purchased this DVD and find that it is a very well explained and set out DVD for anyone who has no access to a teacher of Toyama Ryu and wishes to learn on their own. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is the fact that some of the filming is a little bit hazy. But overall a good well set out DVD.

No comments about Hataya Yoshitoki Toyama Ryu Iaido.

3 comments about Beginner's Guide To Kendo And Iaido vol.2.

1. A really good training dvd ..it has given me lots of great kendo moves and defences that I can practice ... a very worthwhile investment..



2. This dvd was much better than Vol. 1 which suffered from audio difficulties. I found the demonstrations to be very well executed and explained in great detail.
   
   This dvd would be an excellent aid to augment regular instruction and training



3. I can tell that this is junk. He's not wearing a kendo keikogi. He was not wearing one in the first volume either. His saya is flat against his stomach. How was he supposed to draw his sword? Did he draw it correctly, and then move his saya to the front? What is his left hand doing? Is he going to catch the opponent's sword before it slices through his head? What's he supposed to do with all his weight on his rear foot? Why is his grip on the sword so square? What is he going to strike. Is he going to push the back of the sword with his left forearm? I never saw a corduroy hakama in Japan. Must be really old. I never heard any real kendo sensei call himself a master. I have seen sensei give really cursory instruction to foreigners. I have seen foreigners pass tests that they had no business taking. So, just because a foreigner claims that they were taught by Japanese sensei, that means absolutely nothing to me. It sounds like he doesn't speak Japanese or else he would use the correct term instead of "take away". There are no secret waza in kendo. I have known Japanese sensei teaching foreigners kamae from a manga as a joke. Maybe that's what happened here.
   
   Anyway, this looks like junk kendo. If you want to learn, go to a non-profit dojo. It's cheap, and you'll meet nice people. For the price of this DVD, your whole family can just about get a month's worth of instruction.

1 comments about Bujinkan Keiko Kai Volume:1 Koto-Ryu and Katana Kihon.

1. I am a student of Bujinkan and I have studied quite a bit. This video was AMAZING and I highly recommend it. My friends who were familiar with Bujinkan in North East America told me that Christopher Carbonaro is a trusted name in Bujinkan(heard this from a lot of people). They were right! This video was truly enlightening. I really enjoyed my purchase.

2 comments about Iaido- The Art of Fast Draw! - Japanese Swordsmanship Vol. 2.

1. This DVD gives great insight into the art of Iaido. I learned a lot about the kata. It also details the two man fighting kata which I really enjoyed. This dvd finishes with a really great instructional portion on how to really cut with a sword. A lot of bang for the buck. Excellent quality production.



2. As a practicing Iaido student, I found the layout clear and easy to understand. A beginner would find their way through it no trouble. I particulaly liked the emphasis in all examples on the safety aspects of working with live blades. The Bokken work also needs to be controlled as these weapons can do considerable damage if miss-used. Very happy with the disk.

2 comments about Complete Introduction to Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido DVD with Didier Boyet.

1. Good DVD, but I did not feel it is worth the selling price. The DVD primarily concentrates on 12 basic striking movements starting from the seated position. There is a bonus feature from one of his seminars. This feature was helpful because he gives additional tips on the movements and points out common mistakes. I would have preferred sections of his live seminar edited into the main instructional section. One has to refer to both the seminar and the instructional section to gather all the information provided in the DVD.



2. Just starting out in iaido, I found this to be just what I was looking for. Boyet explains all the nuances of why the grip is the way it is, why the foot placement etc. All of the little details I haven't picked up on in class were explained here. The seminar section was also a nice feature that shows him teaching a group of students and walking around to make corrections to their form. I'm not sure if advanced students would get a lot out of this dvd, but for beginners like me, I think it will help a lot.

5 comments about Beginners Guide to Kendo and Iaido - d.

1. Hmmm ... where to begin. While the author may be a successful martial artist, it is painfully obvious from watching this video that he has NO knowledge of kendo at all, and very little of iaido. The movements and techniques that he espouses as correct are so sloppy as to be almost unrecognizeable. His movements and precision are laughable. Combine this with the terrible quality of the video, and it wasn't even good enough to enjoy for its comedic value, although I did laugh out loud several times.
   
   Definitely a waste of time and money for anyone that is truly interested in the Japanese sword arts.



2. While I can't speak for his skill in other martial arts, I know for a fact that this man knows next to nothing about kendo. His technique is sloppy at best and all of his movements are laughable. He may have had some training but it is obvious that, at the most, he attended a handful of practices, thought he "mastered" kendo, and decided to produce this film and make money off of it. Please, do yourself a favor and do not waste your time on this man or this DVD.



3. Just by looking at the cover, I can tell that this person knows nothing about kendo. If this is for beginners, then he shouldn't even be bothering with joudan no kamae. Besides, it's all wrong. When you hold a bokken, the left hand doesn't grip the end of the handle. Basic joudan no kamae is done with the body essentially square to the opponent. His right hand is in a useless position. His left hand is too far from his forehead. It is also too low; his hand is blocking part of his field of view. In basic kendo, both hands are supposed to grip the sword evenly. You control the swing of the sword with your pinkies and the ring fingers. Because his right shoulder is so far back, his right hand is gripping with his index and middle fingers. If I attack from the direction of the camera, he'll have to shift his body around so he can use both hands to swing. Or he'll have to try a kata te waza, which is not a beginner's waza. And I can tell you right now, he would miss. His left wrist would turn out, and his blade would veer off to my right.
   
   Don't waste your time with this. You can't really learn much from a video without real, personal instruction. Until just recently, all the sanctioned kendo dojo in the U.S. were non-profit organizations. I don't know why it changed. But in any case, the really good sensei are volunteers. So, the fees are very minimal. If you're really determined to learn correct kendo, you'll find a sensei who will teach in Japanese. Kendo is not something you master in a year. Even people who have been doing it for 20 years are called beginners. Just my opinion.



4. Although I have not seen this video in it's entirety, I have seen excerpts of Mr. Wilson's "kendo". It's obvious for any knowledgeable person that he has had little or no formal training in kendo. This is my opinion based on 25 years of practicing kendo.
   
   If you must have training videos, e-bogu sells some that are made by Taro Ariga, a well-known international competitor. But really I'd recommend you find a dojo if kendo interests you.



5. After studying kendo and iaido for nearly a decade with non-profit dojos from Massachusetts, DC, Maryland and Virgina, I have never seen this type of kendo from any of the teachers I've have the fortune enough to learn from. This video is difficult to appreciate since it does not represent anything that I have been taught. There are more enough free short kendo videos on the Internet to gain some appreciation of the art. Anthony Bourdain's video at [...] demonstrates a better representation of the art that I know then the type of Kendo that this person professes to understand. However one comment, I have never known any sensei to call themselves a master of kendo. I think I read somewhere that the Japanese refer to a teacher as a master of any art form, only after they're dead.

3 comments about Samurai Swordmanship Vol. 3: Advanced Sword Program by Masayuki Shimabukuro.

1. This video is an excellent reference for anyone studying Iaijutsu! It does not however replace the proper instruction of a qualified Sensei. See www.jikishin-kai.com to find a qualified instructor in this style of Iaijutsu in your local area today!
   
   NEWS FLASH!
   
   Shimabukuro Sensei will teach a seminar in Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaijutsu in Pensacola,FL on March 6, 7 and 8, 2009. The seminar will be held at the dojo (Big Green Drum Japanese Martial Arts.)
   
   
   We will have more details up on our web site soon.
   
   http://www.aikidowestflorida.com/index.htm
   http://www.aikidowestflorida.com/iaijitsu.htm
   
   Contact: patty@aikidowestflorida.com
   For more information about Shimabukuro Sensei, see www.jikishin-kai.com



2. you are learning from a master. get all 3 in the series



3. This series of videos is a must have for any sword enthusiast who does not have access to in-class training. The first video shows the new "practitioner" how to bow and show respect, as well as gives direction to quite a few simple techniques and katas. The second and third video allow the viewer to experience progressively more complex forms and techniques. I have personally read many articles and own several books written by Masayuki Shimabukuro and have found that every product that he and his American student have put out, is of the highest quality. Great video quality and very informational. Well worth the purchase.

5 comments about Samurai Swordmanship Vol. 1: Basic Sword Program by Masayuki Shimabukuro.

1. This is a great companion DVD for Flashing Steel, 2nd edition: Mastering Eishin-Ryu Swordsmanship.
   
   It covers Nukitsuke, Furikaburi, Kirioroshi, Chiburi, Noto, Tameshigiri. It also has two 2 person exercises.
   
   Production values are first rate, the demonstrations are masterful, and the voice "acting" is acceptably good.



2. This video deals with the MJER (muso jikiden eishen-ryu) style of iaido, which is probably the most popular and has a very large number of kata (around 60, and even more if one includes the jodo techniques and waza), providing great diversity and range in the techniques and waza.
   
   I am primarily an instructor of other arts (Kali & JKD), but earned my black belt under Hanshi Shimabukuru a few years back. I wanted to get some knowledge and skill in this famous art even though my main interests lay elsewhere.
   
   I'm glad I did, and that I hooked up with Hanshi's organization. It's a class act in every way, from the quality of the instruction to the people involved, who have always been very professional and dedicated in their desire to disseminate the art of iaido. To help with that end Hanshi came out with this volume.
   
   I've seen many iaido books and videos and sets and this is still my favorite one. This volume goes over basic techniques and principles that are essential to the art, from how to hold the sword to the basic drawing and sheathing techniques. It also covers some etiquette, construction of the sword and its parts, cutting straw mats, and a bit of history. I own the earlier five volume series that Hanshi did back in the 90s also, and that's worth picking up too and has all the waza series, from basic to advanced. Overall a fine video that will help you get started in your iaido studies, or to help you review if you already have an instructor.



3. Okay, so I'd had a couple of swords hanging on my wall for a while now. Both very good and combat ready, but I didn't know the first thing about how to use 'em. Yeah, we've all seen the Samurai movies, and those guys make it look so easy, right? However, I'm not gonna start swinging around a sharp blade without first learning something about it. So I thought this was a solid investment.
   
   After watching the first little bit (Blah, blah, sword terminology, yadda, yadda, tradition, etc.)I started learning. And learning a lot. First and foremost, what I was doing WRONG. Now it had my attention.
   
   Yes, this is a "Basics" DVD. They're not gonna make you an instant badass off of one video. This is the building blocks of it all, like, oh, for instance, HOW TO HOLD A SWORD IN THE FIRST PLACE! You'd be amazed how many are doing it wrong. Even in those fancy samurai movies. Hell, I was doing it wrong! This is some seriously great stuff. If you're looking to learn how to take care of your sword, know your sword, and know how to USE your sword, this is a great buy. I'm looking forward to getting the next two as well.
   
   .......When I've got the basics down. :)



4. I bought this video because it was the style I wanted to learn. The closes school is in Kansas and Missouri, except for a siminar I will not be making that trip. However, I am not totally new to the katana so this is a great learning tool for me. I know you can't really learn everything from a dvd but this guy is smooth and I do have his 2nd edition Flashing Steel book. I'm sorry, Masayuki Shimabukuro Hanshi is smooth. You can tell he has been training a long time. Very confident and sure of his actions. This is a basic dvd set but we all must crawl before we can walk. This is one of three dvd's by Hanshi Masayuki Shimabukuro, might I suggest you get them all.



5. This series of videos is a must have for any sword enthusiast who does not have access to in-class training. The first video shows the new "practitioner" how to bow and show respect, as well as gives direction to quite a few simple techniques and katas. The second and third video alow the viewer to experience progressively more complex forms and techniques. I have personally read many articles and own several books written by Masayuki Shimabukuro and have found that every product that he and his American student put out is of the highest quality. Great video quality and very informational. Well worth the purchase.