1 comments about Judo Mastering Judo Koshi Waza Hip Techniques.

1. This DVD is a good library of some important throws in judo. The techique of the demonstrators looks good. It's clearly filmed with each throw shown in both real time and slow motion from a variety of angles. Watching the video carefully, you can see exactly how the throws are done. There is almost no verbal instruction though, hence the four rather than five stars.

3 comments about Mike Swain Ne-Waza Judo Groundfighting.

1. This DVD develops a very coherent approach to NE-Waza . Mike Swain presents a logical progression of attacks, from standing to ground, fighting off one's back , attacking UKE's back and some very nice arm-lock entries.
   
   The simplicity of presentation is first class and most of the moves are interlinked one way or another.
   This tape doesn't have the clutter of other Judo or JiuJitsu tapes but presents each move correctly, explaining the finer points of each move so they really can be applied in randori or competion. The only thing thats missing is perhaps some competitive examples.



2. I have been doing Judo and Jujitsu for a while and this dvd here is outstanding! Now I have his other dvd as well Judo Complete which is real great but this dvd breaks down all of his steps even more and he goes over his techniques in slow motion. If you are interested in improving your grappling game on the mat of rondori, shai, or even in the streets this dvd is a must.



3. a must get for any grapplers libary, professionaly made,clear and concise. Swain is 1st class

2 comments about Throw down.

1. Throw Down is a real crowd-pleaser despite being more interested in the quirky characters than the judo bouts in the film. Johnnie To's tribute to Kurosawa and filled with references to Sugata Sanshiro (far more than the one that To admits to), it actually feels more like a Hong Kong version of Britcom Black Books, with Luis Koo's drunken former judo prodigy staggering his way from scam to scam with his two employees between mismanaging his nightclub with about as much grasp of conventional reality as Bernard Black.
   
   It's a redemption story, of course, with the cocky young challenger Aaron Kwok and the death of a friend eventually spurring him to clean up his act. Although it's filled with great moments of pure filmmaking, from the slow-motion bar-room judo brawl that spills out into the street to Cherrie Ying running joyfully through the streets with her hands full of stolen cash while her pursuers sporadically stop to pick up the stray notes that fall from her arms, it's not really an action movie: even the final fight between Koo and Tony Leung Ka-Fei is almost thrown away. It's the disparate characters and the sheer enjoyment To takes in them that makes this work. Even one of the villains of the piece, Siu-Fai Cheung's Brother Savage, who lives to humiliate children and customers by beating them at the games in his arcade, is impossible to really hate, while Leung's character is never turned into a monster who must be destroyed but simply an adversary who must be beaten fair and square. Great fun.



2. This is a beautiful movie. Not just for judokas.But judokas will fall in love with it. There are many references to Kurosawa and Sugata Sanshiro, his first movie. This is not a martial arts movie, it is really a drama, but the action scenes are just beautiful.

5 comments about Pride Fighting Championships: Critical Countdown 2004.

1. This DVD had some great fights on it. As a Mixed Martial Artist myself I had to get this DVD. I have quite a collection of PrideFC and UFC DVDs and this one is one of my top 5 favorites. I even picked up a few Submission moves from this DVD which I have used when I'm training in MMA.
   
   The first fight is with Big Nog vs. Heath Herring. This was a great fight between two masters of the ground game. Heath Herring doesn't get the credit he deserves but he is a fighter I do enjoy watching. I learned the Anaconda move from watching this fight but I don't want to give up any spoilers.
   
   The second fight was with Fedor and Randelman which is already a classic fight in MMA history. If you never saw this fight you are going to be amazed when you do and you will see why Fedor is so great.
   
   The rest of the fights are awesome as well. Wait until you see the fight with Arona and Rampage Jackson. Your jaw is going to drop again like it will when you see the Fedor and Randleman fight.



2. ...Another very good Pride DVD. Most of them are...lol! Good action, with some shocking slams. Nice fight card as usual. I recommend it for sure.



3. This dvd features the rematch of sakuraba and schembri also the number 1 contender match of jackson and arona and 4 matches of the heavy weight grand prix
   
   best fights:
   1)schembri vs sakuraba 2)arona vs jackson 3)kharitonov vs schilt 4)nogueria vs herring



4. there are several good fights on this 2 discer and it does not disapoint. rampage and arona both wanted a shot at the belt and the fight did not let me down one bit. great event overall



5. Anyone who considers himself an mma fight fan, this dvd is a must. You have to see the most brutal slam EVER when Quinton Jakson slamed Ricardo Arona, then Fedor survived the second most brutal slam at the hands of Kevin Rendalman. You won't be dissapointed

2 comments about Learn Judo with the Gokyo Gang - DVD#1.

1. This was a gift for a 7 year old who is learning judo. I had trouble finding an interactive tool to supplement their class time until I found this DVD - there is nothing like it on the market. She is really enjoying the 3D characters, which are helping keep her interested and excited about her classes and the sport. She did find it a little difficult to navigate through the DVD menu's at first, but she seems to have the hang of it on her own now. The menu navigation could be made a little more simple, and maybe add a "start" button instead of "lesson plan."
   It can be difficult for children to maintain focus on activities, so i think this is a great educational (and fun) supplement for children taking judo classes.



2. very good video. explains technique well. for beginners. would have liked to see more throws for the price.

3 comments about Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl.

1. There was a Golden Age of anime in the late 1980's. Takahashi Rumiko had scored a mega-hit with her series Urusei Yatsura, and the studios were looking for the next big thing. Two animated projects were developed side-by-side, both with a martial arts/love story theme and both adapted from popular comics in the Shonen Sunday magazine. One was another Takahashi comic, with a more fantastical feel, called Ranma 1/2. The sister series had a more realistic take on martial arts, in this case judo, but was no less popular in Japan. "Yawara: The Fashionable Judo Girl" was in fact more popular in Japan, and consistently scores higher on "Top 10" lists than its more American-famous companion. Yawara was so popular that when judo athlete Tamura Ryoko took the silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, she was instantly given the nickname "Yawara", which she still is referred to by to this day.
   
   "Yawara" is a long-running series, with over 100 episodes, so it is impossible to encapsulate the entire story here. The basic set-up has Inokuma Yawara as a judo prodigy, a young high school girl who has been trained from birth by her grandfather, 7th dan judo master Inokuma Jigorou, with one goal in mind. She is to win the gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and later receive the National Medal of Honor as a result of her prowess. Yawara, however, doesn't want to be a judo star, and just wants to act like all the other girls her age; dressing in pretty clothes, having cute boyfriends and frivolously gossiping over cake in fashionable cafes. Jigorou has his work cut out for him, as he pushes and prods, connives and schemes, all to get Yawara on the path of judo. He creates a rival for her, in the form of Honami Sayaka, a spoiled rich girl who has succeeded in every sport she has ever tried, and isn't about to let a plain girl like Yawara get the better of her. Between Yawara and Sayaka is the smooth-talking playboy and judo coach Kazamatsuri Shinnosuke, who captures the hearts of both tough ladies. Needless to say, hijinks ensue.
   
   Staying on the realistic side, "Yawara" never goes for the slapstick physical comedy of Ranma ½, but reminds me a lot more of Takahashi's other series Maison Ikkoku. The characters are so well-developed that you find yourself quickly sucked in and gasping for a new episode. Serious subplots develop, new characters enter the playing field, but never with the "joke a week" sense that they are temporary throwaways. One character, Jody Rockwell, is particularly heartwarming as a giant Canadian judo champion who comes to Japan in order to test herself against Yawara. The plot isn't a dead giveaway either. I honestly don't know who Yawara will end up with, if she will go to the Olympics, what will happen to other characters...all of which keeps me coming back for a new episode. Yawara also does a daily countdown towards the Olympics, something that I remember fondly from the first Japanese animation I ever saw, Space Battleship Yamato.
   
   As usual, Animeigo has set a new level of excellence with their boxset release of this series. You never just get the movies from Animeigo, you get an entire cultural package, which is really helpful. Shows like "Yawara" don't exist in a vacuum, and much of the cultural references wouldn't be caught without Animeigo's handy pop-up information. I have also found their subtitles great for studying Japanese, as they take the time to explain certain words rather than just translate them.
   
   This boxset contains the first 40 episodes of the 124 episode series. I am looking forward to the release of the remained of the series, and hopefully (fingers crossed!) the 1989 live-action "Yawara" feature film as well. After seeing this boxset, I am a confirmed Yawara fan! Ippon!



2. I'm sorry Amazon I love you but $125.99 (on sale???) when I could get it from Best Buy for $80.00 and AnimEigo for $90.00 is just wrong. I know you have to make money, but seeing prices listed from other sites tells me that the retail price is lower than you quote. Usually Amazon is comparable and I don't mind it being a little higher for the convenience of it arriving at my home. Again I love Amazon, the service has been great and I have gotten some good deals. However, I think your pricing should be updated on this item.



3. I watched this anime when I was 14-15 and I have always love it. It's awesome. I have always liked Judo ( I practised it when I was a child) but I liked it a lotmore after after watching Yawara.
   
   I loved that girl. Probably one of the manga characters I love more.

3 comments about The History Of Judo.

1. The previous reviewer was probably right - for a person who is not a judoka and has no clue about the sport, this DVD won't make much sense. But for a big fan of judo, it is great!!! You'll love it!



2. This is a very interesting documentary about the history of this Japanese discipline. It shows some people who has practiced JUDO as the French man of science Frédéric JOLIOT-CURIE.



3. Good primer on judo history up to ca. 1997. Some good competition & demo clips.

5 comments about Budo: The Art of Killing.

1. This dvd was exactly what I thought it would be, a comprehensive view of all of the major martial arts of Japan: karate, kendo, iaido, judo, sumo, Okinawa kobudo,and yabusame(archery on horseback). Anyone serious of martial arts should have a copy of this dvd.



2. I really enjoyed "Budo: The Art of Killing." I usually watch and review instructional videos, and it was a nice change to watch this documentary on the martial arts of Japan. One thing that really stands out is the beauty of Japan that is shown throughout the film. Seeing some of the scenic settings reminded me of places I visited while living in Japan, and how there are so many beautiful and peaceful places in the land of the rising sun. It's not a fast paced DVD, with some scenes in slow motion with slower music, but that added to the beauty of the film.
   
   Peace and beauty in a film about the art of killing? Yes, and I found the relationship between the two to be calming and reflected on some of my own training. Seeing some of the masters train with Mt. Fuji in the background, on beaches, or in other aesthetically pleasing places (most dojos are simple elegance) or the scenes in fields or forests, made me think of how often it is my training in martial arts that calms me and becomes the most serene time of the day. Meditation and physical training go together.
   
   The training scenes in the film are not instructional. You are not going to learn how to do the things you see from this film. Nor does the film elaborate on the training that got the people in the film to that point other than saying it takes a long time and much dedication. However, watching this can motivate one to pursue their training to reach the higher levels.
   
   For those interested in the various martial arts of Japan, this DVD serves as a nice introduction. You get to see people training in Judo, Karate, Sumo, Aikido, and more. The section with women training with the naginata will be interesting for females to see the samurai art practiced by women of all ages. There was also a lot of time spent on the sword, which the Japanese samurai are known for. Besides seeing some masters of the sword, the film shows a blade being made as well. I was surprised that the Ninja and Ninjitsu were not covered.
   
   Overall, I enjoyed this DVD, just as I enjoy reading the older Samurai writings that have been translated to English, and books about the samurai, ancient Japan, Korea, China, and related works. If you are interested in an artful film about the martial arts and beauty of Japan, you will enjoy this film.
   
   Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.



3. Saw this a long time ago on VHS and was glad to see
   it was available on dvd, takes you through many of the
   disiplines of the Samurai, as well as showing how a
   sword is crafted, more a documentary but a good one!
   G2



4. Documentario eccellente, ottima fotografia. Forse molto retorico, conoscendo un po' i maestri di cui si parla direi che sono stati descritti con troppa enfasi, tanto che a volte alcune situazioni possono apparire "comiche" ad uno spirito moderno e disincantato, ma ritengo in ogni caso che lo spirito che dovrebbe animare le arti marziali è stato chiaramente evocato.
   Perfino la colonna sonora è degna di nota.
   Da consigliare.



5. I have always loved martial arts,from a young age.This dvd captures the essence of martial arts,very realistic.Now that im older, i try to life the life of of harmony,health,peace,still practice martial arts.This dvd would be a graet teaching tool for any martial arts [...]

5 comments about History Channel: Human Weapon - The Complete Season 1.

1. This should be a part of everyone's collection. You learn a little about each countries culture, art, and some fighting techniques for the ring and street. The two hosts grow on each other each episode, and their interaction is both fun and frustrating. But unlike most TV they do grow and learn and work together. Great stuff.
   
   -Dan



2. I love everything martial arts. I train myself and watching this show pumps me up to learn more, practice more, and strive hard. I recommend this DVD to all fighters out there!! Also check out Fight Quest, a just as great show!!!



3. This is a series where two individuals travel around the world studying (or, more accurately, skimming) through various martial arts, and at the end of each episode one of them engages in a match with a practitioner of that particular discipline. In spite of the hype, they are not fighting "masters" per se, just proficient practitioners or former competitors. One is a former wrestler and football player and the other is (or was) a MMA fighter. This series has its good and bad points. This sort of thing has some good points in that it exposes people to many different types of martial arts, of which there are legion. It also showcases, to a small extent, the culture from which it sprang. I say to a small extent because the lack of historical accuracy on some of these episodes is astounding, to say the least. You would think on the History Channel of all places they would try to be more accurate and up to date on some of their facts. Another thing I found some what annoying is the condescension, rudeness, and sometimes outright arrogance of the testosterone driven hosts, who seem, in many cases, to act like they completely understand to the fullest degree what they are being taught after only a few hours instruction. The outright banality of this is usually evident at the end of each show when one of them gets into a match with some one who actually does know what they are doing in that particular discipline, and then one or both of them usually makes excuses why they didn't do better. While most of these episodes do have their good moments, personally I found the episodes on Marine Corps martial arts and MMA to be the biggest wastes of film in the entire series. The krav maga episodes was marred by the poor attitude of many of the instructors, who seemed, to me, to act like bloodthirsty thugs rather than martial arts instructors. I'm giving this a three because it does showcase many different martial arts and would be of interest to anyone interested in the martial arts in general, but it is not something I intend to watch on a regular basis; I would more or less use it as a reference for very basic information on some of the martial arts presented.



4. not as good as discovery channel's fight quest but still fun to watch and it definitely makes you want to learn martial arts or work out.



5. I enjoy watching the tv series that is why i bought the season of human weapon.

5 comments about Follow That Dream.

1. This is the only Elvis movie I never had, and found it very hard to get, it is not particularly good, but Elvis is Elvis, and you can't get enough of him.
   Thanks Amazon for finding Elvis for me....Geraldine



2. One of the better Elvis movies. He was charming, the scenery was good. The supporting cast was fun. All in all a fun, feel good movie.



3. I love this movie, it's entertaining and good for the whole family, Elvis was at his carefree, comical best. The whole experience was good, good shipping time, good conditon.....highly recommended



4. The DVD is very good. The quality is very good, good color, very good sound.Very enjoyable.Follow That Dream



5. the dvd follow that dream made a dear friend so happy! thanks for the quick delivery too!