Samurai Spirit Aikido (documentary)

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[BAP]

I found this video documentary series relating to aikido which really was pretty interesting (especially after the first one and a half) the last part is pretty interesting.
The Part 1 and first part of Part II is a little cheesy but after that the substance improves.
The last Part of II and Part III and Part IV give a good basic discussion of some of physics of force and body movement involved in aikido.
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKqiFNGXPFU&feature=player_embedded[
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pw5txcdpJo&feature=related
part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBTOWXUmKZg&NR=1
Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7w_s2O0rVw&NR=1
Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj3SHadv89g&feature=related

[Tony Wagstaffe]

Nice to see a sport fighter appreciating the true spirit behind Budo....:straightf :)

[David Maidment]

The whole series is shown on NHK World every now and again. I particularly like the Kobudo, Sumo and Kendo episodes (there is a clip of Moriji Mochida sensei which is breathtaking).

[BAP]

Under episode 5 the demonstration against the front kick, the result being a choke hold was interesting in that it is a big deviation from what is anticipated with aikido, but a more real world application.

[Richard Stevens]

I thought it was a pretty good series. When I get some time I'm definitely going to check out the Kendo and Sumo episodes. Thanks for the links.

[Rabih Shanshiry]

I found it interesting that they chose to profile Shodokan and Yoshinkan as the representative styles of Aikido. I wonder whether there was an underlying reason for that.

[Tony Wagstaffe]

I found it interesting that they chose to profile Shodokan and Yoshinkan as the representative styles of Aikido. I wonder whether there was an underlying reason for that.

Not afraid of a challenge maybe?:D ;)

[Krystal Locke]

Best line, part 4. "Please, make good use of this experience." Sounds like a sensei to me.

I do find it true that Yoshinkan is generally less camera-shy than the AIkikai folk. I can think of lots of reasons why to be either way.

[Michael Neal]

I have not seen a lot of Shodokan and Yoshinkan before but I like what I saw here