I Handed a Sakabatō (Reverse Blade) to a Katana Master and THIS Happened
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
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Seki Sensei, the instructor of the online lessons, will carefully give you instructions on how to handle the katana regardless of your level. You will also be able to access all the videos of the past lessons, so you can watch what every other student has learned in the past. You can also send us videos of your progress, and Seki Sensei will be happy to give you feedback.
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🧐Frequently Asked Questions About Our Online Lessons:
Q❓: I have no experience with katana. Will I still be able to catch up?
A💡: You don’t need any previous katana martial arts experience to participate in our lessons.
Seki Sensei, the instructor of the online lessons, will carefully give you instructions on how to handle the katana regardless of your level. You will also be able to access all the videos of the past lessons, so you can watch what every other student has learned in the past. You can also send us videos of your progress, and Seki Sensei will be happy to give you feedback.
Q❓: What is the right length of the Iaito (zinc alloy training katana) I should use?
A💡: Please purchase an Iaitō that is at least two blocks longer than the standard length.
The standard length for Seki Sensei is about 177cm, so he should use a 2.45 Shaku long katana. However, he uses a 2.6 Shaku-long katana that is supposed to be used by someone 190cm tall. If the katana is too short, it becomes too easy to draw, which is not good for training.
Q❓: Can I join even if I belong to a different Ryuha style?
A💡: Yes, it’s not a problem at all.
The Seki Sensei himself has trained in more than five styles and various other weapons. If you don’t want others to know that you are participating, you can join the online lessons with your camera off. To have the Sensei check your progress, you can send us a video of you practicing.
🗡Join the Online Iaido Training with Seki Sensei🗡
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❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
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❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style
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How old is the sleeves blade? Is it trying to copy the cartoon or did it exist before cartoon?
Does the Sakabato actually exist? Because every google search that I have made about the Sakabato has resulted in Rurouni Kenshin!
pardon me, two youtubers shadiversity, and Tyranth recently made a modification to a katana putting a European style cross guard and pommel onto it (its a long story and looks as silly as it sounds lol). That being said it changed the balance point of the sword significantly, im kinda curious what Seki sensei would think as it is very different from a standard katana
would it be possible to get a video like this about the Odachi? it looks cool but also really unwieldly and I don't understand how it could even be utilized
To know 1 way is to know 10,000 ways!
"I vow to never kill a human being ever again, instead I will just hit them with hardened steel moving faster than the human eye can see." - Himura Kenshin
With enough power to send you flying in the air with a very thin metal weapon
Never mind the concussion or risk of paralysis. 😅
@@maggot216as long as they're not dead, right?
why does the sword have an edge at all if the guy vowed not to kill? the sentiment is lost
@zoeblopaistinpannu5278 I answered this in another comment here:
The blade serves two functions for Himura. First and most obvious is a reminder of the past and not falling into temptation. Adding to the guilt he feels for his actions in the war, bearing the burden on himself rather than his opponent.
There's also a video here on UA-cam that may go into it deeper. called The metaphors of Rurouni Kenshin.
Thank you sir for bringing these videos to us, I have been really enjoying watching them. You and Seki Sensei God bless with long life and much success. I can see the host of the channel will learn many many techniques because he is humble and eager to learn.
I love how this is basically saying that Kenshin's weapon that was supposed to be "less lethal" would actually be more dangerous lmao
because it is. The falx - the actual name of the wepon - was used in ancient europe during the roman times , by the dacians and it was proven to be a very brutal wepon of war, able to hook and slice around shields , helms or other swords. Just google a "falx"
Amazing demos. Usually I have to watch videos at 1.5x speed but for this one I had to turn it down to 0.75%.
Hello, fellow romanian here, our country actually made this weapon, well, not this exact one, but its close! In old Dacia we created the Falx, wich is a katana with the reversed blade
The move is 2:50 is devilish. It seems like a cheap shot on the opponent but I must applaud the ability to harness ones advantages that it demonstrates.
Imagine being a robber trying to rob the old dude and he pulls out a sword
So if a normal katana had a dagger like edge profile in the first six inches, so that it was sharp on both sides only at that point, it would be interesting.
Amazing.
In another note. As some one who use to play gunz the duel. We call this glitch the butterfly. If u know, u know
I want to a second video going over it’s weaknesses
“Se so did it so quickly and smoothly”
Tf 😂 Guy is moving at the speed of chilled molasses.
There are some European weapons shaped like this, Falcata is a short Iberian sword great for slashing and some good stabbing with a broad blade tip, and the falx as a larger Dacian and Thracian two handed sword.
While this is a fascinating video, examining the potential of this unique weapon, I feel like the main point is missed, with all this discussion about still trying to cut your opponent. The point of the sakabato (at least in the Kenshin franchise) wasn't to cut, but to bludgeon while still using practiced sword techniques. It's meant to be a reflection of the main character's philosophy and how he's chosen to change himself.
If you do a follow up video on this, I would be more interested in the viability of Kenshin's non-lethal approach towards someone using a katana normally. Does the sakabato allow a swordsman to use their normal moves and techniques in a non-lethal, non-cutting manner? Is it reasonable to break down an opponent's will to fight this way instead of just cutting that down? That kind of thing.
Of course the other thing that benefited Kenshin with the Sakabotou was being able to move at the speed of light.
Seki-sensei looks so happy using a sakabatō. It's so endearing how excited he seems to use such a unique weapon.
@@joebloggs5318 thank you for adding your own desperate need for intellectual superiority to this comment implicitly talking about a reverse bladed katana.
It's almost like he was aware of it and was hoping to handle one someday, but didn't want to go out of his way to do so. You can just see the joy in his eyes.
@@fwoqmabut he is correct yes it may not be nice but he is correct. Forward curving swords are around so a reverse egge katana is just a falx
@@martinhg98 never said he wasn't correct. this kind of 'correction' is entirely unnecessary on a comment merely highlighting the joy someone has using a reverse bladed katana. the only thing either of you have accomplished here is muddying the waters of a wholesome observation with needless, pedantic semantics. god forbid someone ascribe the word unique to a katana with the edge on the opposite side, i guess.
@@fwoqmaThey already deleted their comment. Probably went off to seek attention elsewhere
I love how he's never seen it before but he's instantly a master with it.
It seemed like he had such a mastery of how to fight with a normal katana hr knew where there were problems with the defense and was able to use the abnormal nature of it to exploit those weaknesses.
If you are a driver your whole life its not a big deal to drive a car with weal on the oter side
same goes for art, you can quickly adapt to a new style once you got down the basics
@@Vatras888what other side? Your car is 4 dimensional?
@@CornellD.Cavendish In different countries the drivers side and the passengers side are reversed.
I expected the samurai master to be super serious and stern, but instead, he was happy, excited, and appeared to have an amazing time with this. On top of all that, he still carried himself with grace, wisdom, and demonstrated his pure mastery of his craft. Awesome video
I wonder to what extent pretentious and unfairly critical behavior is born from insecurity. As a master, perhaps Seki sensei has the perfect level of confidence to find joy in the unknown instead of anxiety and balance respect for his craft with perspective? Of course, he may also have been that way his whole life!
That's one of the things that gives me the impression Seki-Sensei is the real deal. He doesn't seem like someone putting on airs. He seems like someone who's /very/ good at something, and who is enjoying exploring the space around it with the skills he has, whether it's the reverse-blade or the European longsword or whatever else.
I think it's more about knowing to read the room, since this is pretty much an introduction and promotion he don't have to be serious and stern. Most if not all of the Sensei i've met is the most stern and scariest person when we're on an actual practice, but become the sweetest most joyful person after the practice end.
I think when it comes to stuff like perfecting your craft, you should always be open minded. People are clever, and just because something is a classic for generations does not mean something new cannot appear, potentially being better. This is how we drive cars now instead of still being on horseback. It's all one big progress that requires an open mind.
When you’re extensively knowledgeable in a craft, learning new things becomes increasingly more difficult. Maybe he’s just happy to have a opportunity to stretch his skills and learn intuitively again.
I was cringing and groaning at how awful those wrist attacks looked! Just a flick of your own wrist and your opponent is literally disarmed. An incredibly savage yet sophisticated weapon indeed.
Thank you so much for sharing with us your knowledge and wisdom, Seki Sensei!
From disarmed to dis-ARM-ed.
@@chadbrochill19 technically dis-hand-ed
Well, if you wanted to make it so that your aggressor could never use a sword to hurt anybody again without outright killing them, that's a good way to do it. At least in the 1800's when surgery wasn't as good as it is today.
Now imagine how crazy a katana with the front AND back being sharp would be!
@@CritStanley It would actually be considerably weaker that way.
That technique of striking with the scabbard is one that Kenshin actually uses. He calls it "Sōryūsen". I'd enjoy seeing a video examining how Kenshin actually does use the weapon, and how much of his "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū" is practical and how much is fantasy. Given the fictional style's emphasis on battōjutsu techniques, an Iaidō expert seems like the perfect person to break it down.
I always tried to imagine how a "real-life" hiten mitsurugi style would be like. Minus the ridiculous acrobatics, I imagine the user just being really agile and evasive while also having an extremely swift and insanely strong strike that often cuts through an opponent's katana. It would probably have a lot of techniques to fight against several opponents as described in the manga/anime. Just an overall overwhelming style to fight against
It doesn't work*....all weebiness and animephile tendencies aside. We already have tons of recorded history on what works and what doesn't Musashi, never used a scabbard to fight with or implement in combat, as most are flimsy, do no damage and get in your own way of effectiveness . Leave anime world moves, in anime.
@@vandalg282 Part of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū is that the scabbard of the sword is made of metal rather than wood.
@@vandalg282I imagine getting hit by a 3’ piece of wood would do damage, because it is wood flying at the opponent. Not quite as much as a baseball bat, mind you. It would definitely distract the opponent though.
@@IntuitiveYakOfAllTrades Certainly good enough to break or damage your opponents fingers or wrist.
As someone who grew up in the 2000's, this was my favorite anime. It sparked my interest in learning kenjutsu. So glad to find out how effective a sakabato really is! Thank you Sensei and Shogo!
I suggest watching the incredible live action movies if you havent seen them already
You're watching the new episodes that are coming out right now too right?
Of course, I still love the look and feel of the original... But the new version is clean and the combat is much more grounded and on display for viewer. Suffice it to say I thoroughly enjoy both.
@@nickaschenbecker9882 Orro?
use kenjutsu if you want to die in a sword fight
Fun fact: there is a sword of Filipino origin that has a reverse katana-shaped blade called the ginunting. They're only available in arming sword length, though; I've yet to see a longsword length ginunting. Perhaps if I had the money and connections...
The reverse curve gets more and more difficult to control the longer it is. There are dozens of one-handers from West and South Asia and even Greece throughout history. The ginunting might well be the only one still in active combat use because of the Philippine Marines Pekiti-Tirsia connection.
Dacian falx: *ahem*
Ginunting... translated basically says "cut by scissors" i believe...
Edit: because gunting is used to refer to scissors.
@@fransthefox9682Good to see im not the only one that knows this sword
It's really unexpected to see how many special kata making reverse blade practical in the ryuha. Thank you, Seiki sensei.
Whoa he did that sheathe strike Kenshin used against Jine
I saw it too!
Been ages since I've seen it. What part of the video was it?
@@Kyrazlan at about 0:14
With the blade on the inside, it's basically a Dacian falx. A brutal slicing weapon that, as shown a bit in this video, one can use the inward curved tip to reach over swords and shield especially in the bind.
And we all know how deadly the falx was. A terrible weapon for a terrible warrior.
My ancestors would be delighted to see this weapon reborn in the modern day Far East.
couldnt you just do the same thing with a normal katana? the point doesnt change, just the blade
@@DrippUP There are sabre techniques for that, but the cut matters.
The turn of the hand at 5:25 is an entire guard in Fiore di Liberi’s longsword system. It’s a guard that with longswords presents a very stable point to your opponent that is more difficult to hit aside. Very interesting to see it in this context.
Yeah, this seems to allow someone to effectively apply a few very European-looking techniques with a Japanese weapon, among its other tricks. Definitely a good way to take somebody off-guard, although those who knew what they were dealing with would be able to even the odds.
It is why you should use a proper sword that is sharp on both sides.
@@sanderspijkers2495you forgot to code your chauvinism and racism chief
It's interesting how much the series of Rurouni Kenshin manages to sell the idea that a really skilled swordsman can immediately translate his skills to fighting effectively with a reverse blade sword, using it like a regular katana, but less deadly, when so much of the use of a katana relies on the fact that it's sharp and can injure an opponent without heavy contact.
not to mention he is still hitting his opponents with what is essentially a heavy slab of metal. its like stabbing someone with a screwdriver and claiming its not deadly force because you used a torque head instead of flat head.
@@Mr2ghost2 It's the batman rule. He will close to cripple them, but hey they aren't dead!
You clearly have never been hit by a blunt sword at full power let alone by someone skilled. Hiten Mitsurugi focuses on maximizing centripetal force through proper biomechanics hence why its specializes itself in batojutsu. A sakabato turns a katana into a blunt weapon hence inhibiting the techniques from slicing. In the hands if a supreme skilled swordsman like kenshin it become a great self defense weapon.
Only a master of his craft can maximize a weapons potential through dexterity and execution.
@@nickaschenbecker9882 According to who? You?
Reverde blade katanas were real in Japan. Just rare
@@joweydelanota7421It only seems to come up in relation to Ruroni Kenshin. Figures who needed to non-lethally defeat enemies tended to use things like batons or man-catchers. Besides all of that, why does Kenshin even have a sword blade? The whole premise is he doesn't want to use it. So, he could just use a completely blunt sword if he needs a sword for some reason.
Its freaking awesome how he slowly got the grasp on how to use it. I was also a nice touch on how he explained on the correct manner of drawing and sheathing it which directly explained why Kenshin draws and sheathes it that way.
I know from the story that Kenshin used sakabato for not killing his opponents. However it didn't come to my mind that using it in its ‘lethal mode’ was in fact quite different from the regular way and that it had its own tactics and mechanics. Thank you for enlighting me!
The blade serves two functions for Himura. First and most obvious is a reminder of the past and not falling into temptation. Adding to the guilt he feels for his actions in the war, bearing the burden on himself rather than his opponent.
In reality, it would actually be extremely dangerous to use this blade as a normal katana. It's mentioned in this video briefly but not really explained.
Blocking and parrying with swords largely relies on the interactions with the edges of the blade in what's called "the bind", where the edge geometry of one sword interlocks with the edge of the other at a microscopic level, like teeth of a saw. This friction is essential in being able to push an opponent's blade off-course. Using the blunt edge of the katana would give no control whatsoever over the opponent's blade, freeing them to simply push past your own sword and strike.
In practice, this weapon would require the use of what you call "lethal mode" just to defend oneself. Using it like a regular katana would just be lethal to oneself.
Those wrist-slicing moves were slick! Would be a quick and unexpected way to end a sword fight
@joebloggs5318 @joebloggs5318 I wasn't talking about the draw cuts at all. I was clearly talking about the wrist-slicing moves during the bladelocks, which would clearly be unexpected if one were fighting a sakabato wielder (which has zero historical instances, adding yet another layer of "unexpectedness" to this extremely fictional example)
@@joebloggs5318 I don't know how did you get that conclusion when a noob like me understood it as that one move where the opponents wrist gets slash during a swordfight , not the actual sword drawing. I've been a Star wars fan I see that instances sometimes so I registered it that way
Thanks for showing some actual attacks with the reverse blade.
But i hoped you would ask sensei of some of the non lethal attacks with the blunt side of the blade would actually work to knock out an opponent without killing them just like the anime
Hope you can do a follow up video on it.
Because i would love to see non lethal attacks using the reverse blade
.... I mean.. hate to be obvious but real human can die from most innocent hit - you know, we all have very different health
Considering the wrist strike in the video wouldn't kill the attacker but would debilitate them, preventing someone from adequately holding a sword and the fact that most samurai were forced to be right-handed, this is a devastating non-lethal technique. I would see Himura using this as a major last-resort attack if his attacks were more grounded in reality.
If you're hitting someone in the head with a piece of metal hard enough for them to lose consciousness, that's not a non-lethal attack. You're giving them a traumatic brain injury and probably also fracturing their skull.
Even just breaking someone's wrist carries the risk of infection, which can be just as deadly as getting cut. There's no real way to non-injuriously incapacitate someone by clubbing them, they're just less likely to die from *external* bleeding.
Breaking bones in the hand would be easy with a hard hit from a blunt sword. Instead of slicing you would be hitting hard with it I guess.
@@jaketheasianguy3307 Traumatic amputation is about as lethal an attack as one can pull off with a bladed weapon. It's checkmate.
The true final bad guy in Kenshin's story should be a guy who uses a Sakabato like this.
The exact principle of this weapon also existed in ancient Europe. Over here it's known as a falx and was used to great effect by the Thracians and Dacians against the Romans. The curvature was perfect for hooking around shields and delivering devastating, puncturing strikes to helmets. I couldn't find any indication that the Japanese had used a sakabato in history and am led to believe that it originates from the manga/anime. I wonder if the creator of Rurouni Kenshin used the falx as inspiration or not.
Given how Seki was using techniques to use the sharp part, it kinda gives you an idea of (and makes you wish it was actually portrayed) how Kenshin would have fought if at some point he fully regressed to his Battousai persona.
No. If he regressed, he'd just get a normal sword.
I like this it's a reminder of how it's not about killing the enemy, but about protecting what you love.
Why not both?
@@KeterHiramekiBecause unnecessarily taking human life is morally incorrect. Do you actually need to be told this? Stay away from weapons if you really don't understand that.
@@FFXI_Addict
"Morally incorrect" lol
@@FFXI_Addict It's OK maybe Hirameki needed to know why I felt that way. We are all learning after all.
@@KeterHirameki maybe you should hang around weapons. With a brain like yours you're more likely to harm yourself.
Do Zatoichi next! (straight sword with no tsuba which doubles as a walking stick)
We all know that Seki Sensei’s real name is Battousai
Using a sakabato against a katana seems tricky.
Now, what would happen in a dual with two sakabato wielders?
Now let there be a entry of a swordsman with both sides dull and other with both sides sharp
"They were both bottoms..."
Lots and lots of *_C L A N G ! ! !_*
The sakabato was forged with Maru or Kobuse technique?
I find it _very_ interesting that Seki Sensei _immediately_ started using - _intuiting_ - techniques that remind me of European swords with blades on both sides, when in some kind of a blade-lock; attacking the opponent with the sharp part of the blade that's bound nearest to them. Indeed, we saw him intuit some of these same attacks with the longsword.
Rurouni Kenshin is one of my favorite shows. I had always just thought the sakabato scenario a gimmick; but this was great to see. Thank you all for sharing this with us!
There are many historic examples for forward curved swords, so the Sakabato is definitely usable. I think the closest one would be the Dacian falx, it looks very similar (just without the tsuba, and it usually has a wooden grip), and it was quite effective against the Romans.
I’ll save you guys the watch. He stabbed him in the chest. He freakin killed him 😢
He's a true master. That draw reversal looks amazing
It's crazy to think of just how deadly a weapon that exists only in pop culture really is, and shows just how deadly Kenshin could have been if he actually applied these techniques. A very good demonstration of if a reverse blade katana is all you have in this period of time or in this fictional setting, you can still make it work
Even Hiko Seijuro said that The Sakabato because of being a reverse blade was not suited for Batto Jutsu. So to apply it in real life will be quit difficult indeed.
Yes but kenshins added half step AND pushing draw [which was only possible due to the reverse edge] made his final attack superior.
Honestly a reverse blade Katana could be used like a European faulx
All I'm hearing is that a reverse blade is the best blade and that kenchin was a also the best anime of its time.
A fun note on this topic is that a normal katana's curve aids the catch of its slicing. With the curve reversed, the opposite is true that the curve does not aid leniency to the catch, but good technique can slice even better than the normal curve as it applies more contact at once. Someone did a video on this, and it might've been about shotels.
kogarasu maru katana could be really interesting to see
Even though it's from a different culture & time the Rhomphaia is fairly similar to a Sakabatō. The Rhomphaia was a close-combat bladed weapon used by the Thracians as early as 350-400 BC. Rhomphaias were weapons with a straight or slightly forward curved single-edged blade attached to a pole, which in most cases was considerably shorter than the blade. The Rhomphaia is related to the Falx & possibly related to the shorter. Single handed Greek Kopis & Iberian Falcata (although Falcata is a modern term as we dont know the historical one).
From what I've read the Rhomphaia was used mainly to deal against shields as it could reach the body even if it was blocked due to its curve and edge on the inner side of the blade. On the other hand, this weapon would be terrible to use on backhorse as it could get stuck on enemies bodies and thats when you want a regular curved sword :)
@@chettone8080 head, not body. there are lots of roman helmets from the 2nd century which show romphaia damage - this actually lead to the improved version we now call "Mainz" type, with the typical cross bars on top. One thing to consider though: beating Shield wall warfighting concepts like the legion often aims at breaking it at one point, and then forcing the defensive formation to unravel from there. This breaching (which was really hard to do) is something the rhomphaia excels at with it's reach.
3:43 Does the 'break' maneuver only work with the sharp edge? I'm surprised the edge doesn't 'bite into' the opponent's sword o:
Yep, this summer I am crazy about Rurouni Kenshin. I watch a lot of fight scenes from the movies. Also the sakabatō is a very interesting sword, because you can fight with the blunt side, which the enemy would consider sharp and then you twist the blade and surprisingly attack the opponent while still in a bind and the adversary can do nothing to defend. Where can I buy that thing by the way?
honestly, the live action movies are one of if not the only well done. faithful and successful anime adaptations.
the Sakabato reminds of the blade profile of the Ginunting, a Philippine sword that has the length of a wakizashi. It's still used by some Philippine Marine Special Operations units to this day. If it still works today, the Sakabato should as well.
I just feel the joy in these two communicating and I think, what a real treasure to be a part of a culture, tradition, and heritage so rich as this.
We have established that having a reverse blade would not necessarily help you keep your vow of not killing an opponent....
You could easily take someone’s life away with the dull side too…
Sensei is so fast even his skilled pupils get caught off guard. When he did that first tanto draw the pupil thought his head was going to come off 🤣
I'm curious if any samurai actually used a reverse blade
I can see with my soul's eyes how I accidentally cut off all my fingers with that Katana..😧
With some of the techniques Seki-sensei came up with on the fly like the wrist-cutting, I’m surprised the double-edged katana blade styles like the one that can be found on Kogarasu Maru (小烏丸) didn’t catch on more during eras with a lot of dueling samurai
I'd be interested to see sensi's take on some signature moves from the show. Specifically, one called Kuzuryūsen Nine-Head Dragon Flash. Would it even be humanly possible to strike all 9 points in such quick succession? If he had to attempt it, or attempt to block it, what would he do?
Very impressive! I would have a bloody hand for sure.
4:10 was absolutely BRUTAL. For that reason alone I want one for home defense against the inevitable Samurai invasion
I get the feeling Seki Sensei enjoys these challenges.
Oh, dream come true! Moves from my favorite show being demonstrated by seki-sama in real life! The kid inside of me is screaming right now! So is the adult outside!
Wow, surprisingly lot of advantages by using sakabato, but i guess to regular swordsmen, its awkward to use.
Oh sensei did a soryusen as well 😮 cool!!
It is so amazing to watch what a master can do to adapt technique to a novel weapon. I understand this is not a protracted formal process but the thought, wisdom and skill that go into just exploring the possibilities offered by the differences are pretty remarkable to see. Thank you Seki Sensei. Thank you all, gentlemen!
I think a nice spin off to this is the double-bladed katana. The offensive advantages of both, but you can't really touch the blade yourself.
You can. Halfswording is very much possible. The important thing is gripping the blade in such a way that it doesn't slide
I always finded funny that European or HEMA dudes always try to show the real combat or the real type of weapons they used in the era
While japanese teachers with the katana feed that popular fantasy things BUT IN GOOD WAY xD thats probably why katana in the first place has more fans
(PD: I'm not trying to start a discussion, it's just an observation, I'm a sword enjoyer)
Really interesting to watch. I assumed it was just a silly idea from an anime, but Seki Sensei found several useful techniques with it. It looked like from the expression on his face he was having a lot of fun testing and working with it.
Jeez a master of an art can really decipher somethings way better than us normies I had to slow this down just to catch some of the stuff he was doing. Was awesome to watch thank you.
This is really interesting to see! I bought a Reverse Blade Katana Carbon Steel from a renaissance festival because of the Kenshin anime series. With training and discipline, the katana could simple be a deceptive weapon and your opponent wouldn't even realize before it's too late. I guess the only issue would be how it cuts.
this thing i would argue is more damaging long term for the opponent as a weapon as it is likely to cause blunt force injuries cracking bone possibly the skull if striking the head it will also be more effective against armoured opponents because of this as a sharp edge is unlikely to penetrate armour but an armour bypassing weapon (heavy impact implement) can damage the opponent through the armour thus bypassing it allowing the energy to reach the other side causing harm to the wearer also this blade reminds me of a dacian falx a reverse like blade used very differently from a katana the falx is designed to be used in such a way that the force of the weapon is concentrated towards the front directed through the tip of the blade the main purpose being like a hoe or pickaxe penetrating the target like the beak of a bird pecking at the helmet or other armour piercing or cracking through their defense to damage the opponent underneath or do damage to their cranium through the helmet if this cannot be done
with it still being able to be used for cutting and slashing as it is a bladed weapon
while still being able to stab like a normal blade
this is the reason the Romans began adding reinforcing bars to their helmets in order to break the impact of the weapon
I researched this kind of thing about 6 years ago while I was doing my reading and studying of different forms, mostly out of a hypothetical weapon without even knowing the anime existed, as a 'reverse-edged sword' allows for a lot of restraint while still being able to deliver a proper strike. I actually came to a few of the conclusions that Seki Sensei did(And a few others to make up for the shortcomings, for example keeping your parries further out to allow for back-hand counterattacks, or turning a block into a straight-out attack by cutting _around_ the opponent's blade). I actually prefer double-edged, _tsurugi_ style blades for teaching myself swordsmanship for defense or as a form of exercise, and I've put a lot of effort into training some of what Seki Sensei explained into automatic movements when I practice. I've found it lends well for practicing high-precision Chinese _Jian_ strikes, especially the ones aimed at the thumbs, face, and wrists.
I did _not_ know about the drawing technique, though! I do hope Seki Sensei does not mind if I borrow that for my personal practicing, it's an absolute honor to have been able to acquire knowledge from him, and I mean no disrespect by taking it without properly attending his schooling.
Sheathing would feel so wrong
Nice, I actually have one of these, so it's nice to see what an expert does with it.
Same. Only bought it because of the mange/anime, and didn't think it could be used this effectively
Would you consider doing Shigurui next? I've always wondered how practical Nagareboshi and Mumyou Sakanagare were as attacks...
That would be a great idea!
Id love to see a demo of Kogan Style techniques
That was wonderful to watch, thank you so much to you and Sensei Seki for sharing your knowledge. I too was a huge fan of Samurai X (still am) and have been laughed at before for talking about the reverse blade, because you know it’s from a Japanese cartoon. Hope to see more; stay safe in your training and best wishes
this mf said samurai x
@@cashnelson2306that's what its called, weeb
okay, so I did not see it in the comments, so pls redirect me if there was one. Question: if normal and reverse katana can be soo, why does a katana have two sharp sides? :d thanks
I always assumed that the whole reverse blade was a myth and would make fighting MUCH harder but seeing a master show the reality was a treat! Thank you for making this video.
It probably would, at least if you're not highly skilled in sword fighting.
I think even then, you'd still take a few moments to try and understand how differently you have to use it.
@@TheDukeOfBlaze I'm sure you're right. I meant that even a master would be unable to use it with ANY efficiency and seeing otherwise was cool.
This Sensei has around 4 decades of weapons experience. He himself is the weapon.
A lot of those attacks seem pretty lethal. Which would useful for actual combat, but not really quite in theme for Kenshin. I could see him using the wrist cutting technique though or the other attacks on the grip though. I also wonder if the thicker edge would give you an advantage in sword clashes, maybe letting you break an opponent's sword easier? Would be hard to show off or test though.
It's interesting how the weapon isn't strictly better or worse. It's actually a sidegrade with drawbacks of its own. Mainly being that it seems to have a hard time actually killing someone if you can't get a good thrust in. It also seems to have a harder time defending. But otherwise it's a much more aggressive weapon that wants to always be on the attack
I never noticed it until you pointed it out but you're right. In fact, this in turn brilliantly makes sense why Kenshin would use one. He was always on the attack since his light figure doesn't let him tank many hits, and he's very rarely (if ever? I can't recall) shown doing thrusting attacks with the sakabato. It simultaneously forces him to be on the offensive while also providing less opportunities for his training-evolved instincts to accidentally do something that would kill someone if he used the normal sword (the aforementioned thrust).
Himura was dubbed Battosai for his proficiency with battojutsu. Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū doesn't really use thrusting in its stances that I can think of. His nimble frame just made it easier to parry thrusting stances.@@Doomerang01
This is incredible, so rare to see a master swordsman.
Absolute thank you for making this video, this technique has always made me wonder how it's done.
I love the idea that, despite this weapon supposedly being 'less lethal,' it's ability to surprise and confound an opponent using traditional techniques makes it potentially more lethal. I could even picture a character that carries both a normal Katana and a Sakabatō, intentionally selecting one or the other to gain an advantage.
I wonder how he would measure up against an olden times actual samurai in terms of skill.
I want to see Seki Sensei react to the game Hellish Quart lots of neat sword styles in that game.
You’re so close to 100 k subs! Congratulations 🙏 been here since 50 k
He looks pretty excited by the novelty of using it as well
long ago i got a sakabato replica alongside another more normal sword, it was way before i met with the main channel so i really just knew about animes and basic sword techniques, so i played various times with my brother obviously both swords were dull from both sides but i have a doubt if using it agaisnt another sword would have the advantage of hitting with a bigger dull side that could damage the oponent's sword, that's pretty much what happened with my second sword but i don't know if it would happen with real swords or if hitting with the dull side would have any side effect with the sword
Sensei is like "the hell is this? Oh what do you know I'm a master with it already cool"
Currently watching Kenshin and had to learn more about the Sakabato; thank you for the video!
Great video as always!
I was curious, since you had said in a response to my comment a few months ago that the tachi isn't a sword used in your ryuha. From your knowledge, would the tachi kata and techniques likely be the same as a katana?
Also any chance of making a video with a nagamaki in the future?
As a fan of Ruroni Kenshin this is incredible to see actual practical use of such crazy weapon. It gives you a weird advantage inside of its disadvantages but the surprise of the blade would ultimately give you the advantage in the fight. I may be completely wrong but ITS SO INTERESTING to think about regardless
I doubt it'd give you any real advantage in a fight. You're losing your main methods of attacking just to gain an advantage in very specific scenarios. If it really was advantageous in a fight, we would've seen historical evidence of such blades.
Was the Sakabatō ever used in real life or was it only used in Rurouni Kenshin?
It's completely made up. Real katana are curved precisely because of differential hardening the blade during forging. If the blade was on the other side of the curve it wouldn't be sharp and the curved non blade side would be too brittle to hit anything with it.
NICE! I could pass a entire day asking Sensei about Saitou's moves and how it can be used in battle. Amazing video, thank you!
Hehe, of course this modern-day sword master takes this 'less-lethal' sword and immediately gravitates to how to make it as lethal as possible.
Not what I was expecting............and that's awesome! Well done!
One thing that always bothered me about the Rurouni Kenshin franchise was contradicted by the Berserk franchise in the first chapter: "It was too big to be called a sword. Massive, thick, heavy, and far too rough. Indeed, it was a heap of iron," alongside "My sword has gotten very dull, however, it's 3x as thick and does 3x the damage of a normal sword. You better pray you die quick or it's going to be painful." Guts proved time and time again that, with enough speed and force, a big buster sword like the Dragonslayer can easily cleave through dragons, let alone people.
Kenshin was the deadliest assassin because his technique was all about speed + power; the likelihood that any of Kenshin's opponents while he wielded the Sakabatou survived their encounters is extremely unlikely. Katana were among the best swords developed in the old world; it's hard to imagine a dull katana incapable of cutting with sufficient power + speed. If anything, Kenshin should have wielded a wiffle bat, or better yet for the time period, a bamboo stick. He could have had the "Superman changing room" schtick where Kenshin must run around town looking for bamboo before he can fight properly, or better yet, not used his sword to take down opponents that didn't deserve the chance at death.
Would it be possible for Seki Sensei to show us about kissaki-moroha-zukuri? (I own one and think they're neat)
Uchigatana have one edge on the front, sakabato have a back blade, moroha-zukuri have two!
Sakabato is almost identical to a Dacian Falx.
And we all know how deadly the falx was, especially Roman soldiers. A terrible weapon for an equally terrible warrior.
My ancestors would be delighted to see this weapon reborn in the modern day Far East, derived from another legendary weapon: the katana.
As someone born in the 1500s, it's amazing how you brought back a childhood memory. Thank you, sensei.