For a long time I wanted to write an article about what and how many of us get interested in Samurai and Katana swords in the first place, to the point of picking up a proper Budo like Iaido or Kendo. The truth is that manga, anime and videogames do play an important influence on that, even more than most of the non-Japanese Budo community would like to admit. Take my case: when I was in my late teens I loved to regularly meet up with friends on lazy afternoons and play videogames like Samurai Showdown IV, Last Blade 2 and later the Soul Calibur series. I always found myself attracted to characters wielding the almost mystical katana sword and, in the meantime, buying and reading the WHOLE Kenshin manga didn't help me get over it. Almost by chance, I started to look online if it was at all possible to learn how to use a sword in modern times... and an incredible world that eventually brought me to Kendo and ultimately Iaido opened up to me. Of course, almost nothing of what you see in media, including all of the above comic books, adult oriented-cartoons, computer games but also movies, tv shows etc. etc. is really reflected in what the actual study of the Japanese sword is. Well, the katana is there, the clothing somewhat, and, in many ways, the spirit of those characters is there; but the methods and actual movements are totally different. But then again this is the same with guns: in the brief period I practiced competitive shooting with .22 and later 9x21 caliber guns I understood that the biggest portion of what we see in media is totally a made up version of what a gun is and works (and its accuracy). That being said, the difference between fantasy and reality doesn't deter or remove anything from the fact that these media and these subcultures are breathing life in a traditional martial art system that in Japan has been suffering for a while, all to the benefit of soccer and baseball. Indeed, I met many great Sensei in Japan that are moved by the passion we non-Japanese have for their arts, the kokoro (heart and dedication) we put into it and that, by reflection, is also rekindling many own Japanese young hearts. As when you see foreigners SO passionate about something you have and that you give for granted or you find boring, you yourself get curious to check it better and rediscover your roots. So never be ashamed of you sword anime passion or your love for a ninja character in the latest console's game: you are contributing keeping alive a millennial tradition in this relativistic, quick-burning and postmodern world. We regularly hold Iaido courses here in Singapore. The Way of the Sword might be different than what you thought, but the satisfaction of a well performed cut in a difficult form will stay with you forever! Contact us to join up or for a trial practice.
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