Help: Who Is Nodan?

Does anyone no anything about a man that calls himself "Nodan" and that sends DVDs unsolicited to various dojo? A friend of mine just got such a DVD at his dojo. He was looking for some more context and/or background -- since nothing at all came with the DVD.

Looking on the Web I came across only these things:

(a add for the DVD with a video clip) --

http://www.customflix.com/206098

(and this review at the Iaido journal) --

http://ejmas.com/tin/2005tin/tinart_Schweer_0105.html

The "bizarre" part is that, at least in the way things are presented, there is a touch of insanity to it all -- only it is combined with some above average skill (if not higher).

Has anyone seen this DVD and/or know who this person really is, etc.?

dmv

Judging from his Gi, I would say he does Hapkido.

His name No Dan, makes me think it's somewhat of a joke though. This can't be for real.

someone who has seen "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" one too many times ?

someone who has WAY too much time on their hands.

it's a lot of trouble to go through for a joke.

It could be a stunt to prove people in martial arts will buy any garbage as long as there is some asian trappings to it no matter how poorly acted.

David Valadez wrote: Has anyone seen this DVD and/or know who this person really is, etc.?

At best I think he is probably an ikkyy. He is certainly no dan.

Mike

Craig Hocker wrote: ...It could be a stunt to prove people in martial arts will buy any garbage as long as there is some asian trappings to it no matter how poorly acted.

The title is currently on hold status and cannot be bought.

This looks like the work of Paul Schweer. He's the guy in the blue tee shirt and the one who wrote the Nodan review. His picture fits the general body type and the review is suspiciously too well informed. Also the postscript for Nodan's enlightenment is similar to Paul's style of writing in his AikiWeb columns. There are also discrepencies between the two DVD covers.

Yeah - we got the Remo William's, Master Chun reference as well. lol

Well, rank is all relative. He still does some nice breaks in the video that would normally lead one to not think he's a bit loopy. Who ever knows though - really?

So, Ted, are you saying it looks like Paul Schweer - that Paul is Nodan? Where's the picture of Paul "in the blue shirt"? Do you have any pics of Paul Schweer as Paul Schweer - on the Net somewhere?

The thing is that my friends school isn't even Aikido and/or Japanese related. He's doing a mixture of American sport karate and Korean arts. For what it does, his school is very good (excellent I would say) and very reputable in the area.

How about this question: Has anyone besides Paul and my friend received and/or heard of someone receiving said DVD unsolicited?

a final note: everything in Paul's review is really gained from viewing the DVD - the review doesn't really seem all that well informed (above what is in and on the DVD).

dmv

David Valadez wrote: How about this question: Has anyone besides Paul and my friend received and/or heard of someone receiving said DVD unsolicited?

I have met Paul at the Aiki Expo and I don't recall him being that scrawny. Granted behind those glasses and fake beard you could hide just about anybody. I don't see Paul paying money to send out unsolicited DVD's for a prank.

Now if Yakov looks like Mongo I would be suspicious.

Regardless, it's all pretty bizarre.

David Valadez wrote: ...So, Ted, are you saying it looks like Paul Schweer - that Paul is Nodan? Where's the picture of Paul "in the blue shirt"? Do you have any pics of Paul Schweer as Paul Schweer - on the Net somewhere?...a final note: everything in Paul's review is really gained from viewing the DVD - the review doesn't really seem all that well informed (above what is in and on the DVD). dmv

Click HERE to see his picture.

Paul doesn't just say Nodan wore thick glasses he was very specific.

He wears big black spectacles, as seen in Bugs Bunny Nips The Nips.

He's giving too much specific information. He gives the exact cartoon the thick glasses appear in.

It sounds like an interesting parody. I don't think I would have gone through the trouble to make it though.

Hi Ted,

I'm afraid the link only takes me to a gif file of the aikiweb icon. Is that what it is doing for you? Perhaps you can just send the url instead?

I took that to mean he just knew of that cartoon and of those glasses. When we watched it we recognized those glasses in a similar way (very much a 1940's U.S. caricature of the Japanese).

dmv

http://www.aikido-l.org/seminars/200...y/AUT_0005.JPG

Thick glases have always been a comic prop. How do you get to a specific reference unless you know it to start?

Getting the aikiweb gif also. Have emailed pic via your dojo contact address.

I don't want to waste anymore bandwidth on this. Although I do think this is all hilarious.

Thanks a lot Ted. Yes, it is very funny in a kind of Andy Kaufman sort of way. :-)
d

I don't know who this guy is or what its all about, but several dojos in Arizona have recieved the nodan DVD in the mail unsolicited. And I agree that it is quite insane but at the same time he has some skill and some valid things to say, but its still insane and what is up with his partner that growls as he swings the knife?

Brad,

Did you happen to note where they all got the DVDs from? Like what was the return zip and/or the postage stamp saying?

d

Looking at Paul's picture, I came across Neil's - is there a resemblance here?

Also, for what it is worth, as a mystery, the guy does some Okinawan/Karate form in the DVD.

I just thought of something. This may not be funny at all.
We'll just have to wait and see where this thread leads.

confused

Ted Ehara wrote: I just thought of something. This may not be funny at all. We'll just have to wait and see where this thread leads. confused

Now I'm confused by what you mean?

Now that E-budo is back up you might check over there. I remember a similar thread there at one point.

Bronson

Hello all-

We received a copy of Nodan's video at my dojo. We watched it after our New Year's Eve training session over a couple of glasses of sake. It was truly hilarious, especially when his "uke" with the pirate patch over his eye steps on the mat to help him out. It was really weird how we received the video completely unsolicited, and in fact their was no return address and the postage hadn't even been marked so it couldn't be used again. After some discussion, some of us believe that the impetus behind these videos being distributed around could be some fundamentalist religious group trying to save our souls from the occultist practices we have been divulging in (I mean hey, we are a Ki Society dojo after all). If you've seen it, you'll recall that the recurrent theme throughout the video is that one need not participate in occultist practices to achieve power (as he shows by proving himself against countless, defenseless boards). Anyway, the video was great entertainment, and for what it's worth, I thank whoever sent it to our dojo. I don't think they got any converts, but we will always fondly remember that accent, something between French and Japanese if I remember correctly.

-Joe

jeez, being in Texas with all the bible thumpers we got here, why haven't I gotten my copy ?

Like I said, my friend's dojo is totally into the American sport-karate scene. It's about as secular as one could get - and as wholesome (if you into the whole discourse on how athletics, etc., makes for a good citizen). Just wondering out loud: Wouldn't a bible-thumper aim a little bit better since there are indeed dojo out there that are into the occult and/or that could be mistaken by such folks as being into the occult?

I'd think that sending his DVD to a dojo that was into mysticism or whatever would be a waste as they would be a harder target as they have probably found their "thing" already. Better to go after those who are in the big part of the bell curve. If that is what the Nodan thing is about?

Craig Hocker wrote: jeez, being in Texas with all the bible thumpers we got here, why haven't I gotten my copy ?

You can always come up to Lawrence for a private screening if you'd like, or I suppose we could bring it along to Vegas, if you are going to be there for Shinichi Tohei's visit. But sorry if you feel left out of the loop, we too have our fair share of thumper's around here (evolution debate, anyone?? ) but there's plenty of Nodan to go around.

Joe

I saw the video selling on the "International Combat Hapkido Federation" website for $5.

I called them to ask who he was, and the lady didn't know.