Question about swordplay...

[estee]

Okay I was just scanning the pages for Usagi 101 and it has Chizu fighting some Neko ninja. She has a cane-sword and is using an underhand stroke to fight.

Now is that the normal way you use a cane sword? Is there some kind of advantage to holding underhanded like that?

Just curious.

[Steve Hubbell]

That is how Shintaro Katsu always used his cane sword in the Zatoichi film series.

I have a pair of articles from Martial Arts Movies Magazine which are about the swordsmanship used in Japanese samurai films and how it evolved from the stylized form used in kabuki to the more realistic styles based upon real martial arts.

If you are interested, I can email you scans of the articles.

[Thomas Froehling]

Hello,
I only now a little bit about sword fighting, but from what I've heard and seen I can tell that the advantage lies in the element of surprise; and not just the surprise that you've actually got a sword rather than a cane....

If you hold a sword the conventional way, your opponent can see the tip of the blade most of the time, thus knowing when and where he has to parry. Most sword fighters find it discomforting to fight against someone utilizing underhand strokes; they try to parry a striking blade that is not there, only to be hit by a stroke that it slightly set off in time. Your hand seems to strike first, it passes, and then comes the blade (or rather: the tip of the blade). Irritating....

But, of course, no advantage without a drawback: you've got a slightly shorter reach with an underhand stroke, so you have to draw closer to your opponent to be effective; when you are close, however, your opponent will have a hard time knowing where and when you'll strike....

[Leonardo-san]

Yes. That is a valid attack. And the Zatoichi movies used it well.
You want to use the right attack based on the situation you are in with your opponent.
In addition to situational choices, certain sword styles/schools favor certain types of attacks over others, including reverse/underhand movements.
And then there's the specifcs around the weapon itself--speed time for the draw and cut, etc. Cane swords tend to be smaller, lighter, and more prone to breakage. So if you're going to use the suprise element of suddenly having a sword in your hand instead of a cane--you're probably going to be pretty close when you attack. If your opponent has a really long sword and you're already in super close, that's an advantage to you. The reverse handed slashes can be quite useful in that case.

[Steve Hubbell]

In the final duel in Kurasawa's film Sanjuro (the sequel to Yojimbo), Toshiro Mifune uses a underhanded left-hand draw to beat Tatsuya Nakadai....

[go]

Dear Readers,
All this talk of swords reminds me of the new dvd release of Yojimbo and Sanjuro by Criterion in a very nice slip case.
If you have seen the latest Criterion release of the 7 samurai, you know how great the quality is. Well, Yojimbo and Sanjuro new Criterion release is just as great! Stephen Prince does the illuminating commentary with an abundance of sword technique discussion using the Japanese terms.
I balked at the $66 price from my local Bestbuy store. After viewing the content it is worth the money in my opinion. Dvds also include Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create documentary, trailers, teasers, stills, booklets and really goood subtitles.
Best wishes to all!
go

[Fanfan]

I have some Criterion Edition of some old french movies that i cannot find in France... Criterion is a really good DVD edition (try to see Les Enfants du Paradis by Marcel Carné).

are those Akira Kurosawa's movies released by criterion subtitled in french ?
(i was very astonished because i just received Avatar and other zone 1 dvd and i discovered a french version on the dvd or at least french subtitle...)

[go]

are those Akira Kurosawa's movies released by criterion subtitled in french ?
No, english subtitles only and monaural sound.

[MikeM]

Dear Readers,
All this talk of swords reminds me of the new dvd release of Yojimbo and Sanjuro by Criterion in a very nice slip case.
If you have seen the latest Criterion release of the 7 samurai, you know how great the quality is. Well, Yojimbo and Sanjuro new Criterion release is just as great! Stephen Prince does the illuminating commentary with an abundance of sword technique discussion using the Japanese terms.
I balked at the $66 price from my local Bestbuy store. After viewing the content it is worth the money in my opinion. Dvds also include Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create documentary, trailers, teasers, stills, booklets and really goood subtitles.
Best wishes to all!
go

I thought that today when my wife and I went shopping. It was 109 dollars Canadian though! She said I could buy them, but I couldnt bring myself to do it without shopping around first.

MikeM

[Steve Hubbell]

$41.00 (US) for the Yojimbo / Sanjuro set at deepdiscount.com (which is now merged with the Canadian Deep Discount site) with free shipping availble. Criterion Collection 40% off sale ends on the 16th of March.

[estee]

In the final duel in Kurasawa's film Sanjuro (the sequel to Yojimbo), Toshiro Mifune uses a underhanded left-hand draw to beat Tatsuya Nakadai....

I noticed that too...but considering they were so close the advantage would be the underhand stroke.

If you put the duel in slow-motion you'll see that it takes Sanjuro's opponent an extra movement to strike, while Sanjuro's stroke is one single movement.

Thanks for the help.