Since the inception of Shotokan Karate, instructors have yearned to produce a complete, comprehensive exposition of orthodox training and technique.
And we know that, because Gichen Funakoshi himself wrote books, finally including Karate-do Kyohan (The Master Text) in an effort to achieve that goal.
And Sensei Nakayama undertook a quest for the same Holy Grail. In his case, the efforts included the early 35 millimeter films in black and white, with subtitles; it was a good effort, given the resources he had, and the level of training of his students at the time.
And he bettered that early effort when he had the chance, with a series of videos that have since morphed into dvds; and of course also with the “Best Karate” series of books, which were one of my major references many, many years ago when Sensei Koyama taught karate at Phoenix College and Arizona State University, as well as his dojo on 7th Street in Phoenix, where I make my pilgrimage every week in the hope that someday he will be able to turn even me into a passable student. At the time, the “Best Karate” series was the sine qua non of orthodoxy in Shotokan Karate, prior to the sad death of Sensei Nakayama, when Shotokan Instructors worldwide schismed like Protestants.
But the quest for one central repository of orthodoxy (“orthodox” really just means “straight” as opposed to “crooked”, hence “orthodontist”; but I digress) continued after the death of the head of the Japan Karate Association.
I have previously commented on a simple, inexpensive attempt at that goal by Sensei Kanazawa, which is carried on Amazon. That three volume set is an excellent reference, particularly because you can see all of the Shotokan Kata on one of the dvds.
And I recently had an opportunity to screen the five-volume set of dvds (as well as the rest of the basic technique that defines Shotokan) authored by Kanazawa’s opponent in the first All-Japan Karate Tournament, Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda.
It is, in a word, orthodox. Really, really, orthodox. And excellent. Really, really excellent.
And I strongly recommend it. It gets the full five popcorn tubs, or five karate gis, or five stars, or whatever else makes sense in this context (five kuro-obi?).
The five-volume set contains the essential techniques and kata of the Shotokan system.
The production values are excellent. The technique of Sensei Enoeda is very good. His assistant, who demonstrates about half the kata and basic techniques, is Sensei Ohta.
Frankly, Sensei Ohta is a kata machine. He demonstrates remarkable technique, and zero ego. His basic technique is not good, or excellent, or fine; it is flawless. His relatively unsung contribution is one of the various reasons you need to buy this series of dvds. The production values are great, and the price/content/quality ratios are excellent.
Anyone who has an interest in Shotokan Karate owes it to himself to buy this series; while it may be a bit depressing at times (and no, you will NEVER have technique as good as Sensei Ohta. Give it up. Release your tears. It ain’t happenin’.) because of the amazing, remarkable and, well, perfect technique demonstrated here.
The one major hole in this series is the bunkai, or application, sections that are scattered after the kata.
Now, there has been a remarkable amount of ink, or electrons, or photons, poured out in connection with bunkai. A fair amount has come from me.
So please understand that while I absolutely sing the praises of this series as a resource demonstrating and explaining the syllabus of Shotokan Karate, the bunkai exhibited here would, in general, get you seriously killed if you ever tried to apply it on the street.
For bunkai, you will need to cut and paste from Iain Abernethy’s astonishing Bunkai-Jitsu series of dvds (get them; get them now. You must have them. Really. Otherwise you are dancing, not practicing kata; and don’t snivel to me that he’s a Wado stylist. I know it, but the kata are the same kata, you goofball!), and the excellent Encyclopedia of Goju Ryu dvd series by Mario Higaonna, of which I have previously spoken.
If you have this series, or the similar three volume set by Kanazawa, and you supplement those with the Abernethy and Higaonna bunkai sets, you will be well on your way to as complete an understanding of Shotokan Karate as you are likely to get without going to a dojo.
And if you’re going exclusively to group classes, with the best Sensei on the planet, you still need this five volume set entitled The Master Text by Keinosuke Enoeda, simply so you can watch what you were taught in class when you were stuck behind that tall guy, or so you can watch it in slow motion and see that the foot swivels on the ball of the foot sometimes, and sometimes the heel.
It matters, you see.
p.s. notwithstanding the quality of the instruction in The Master Text DVD by Enoeda, and the excellent prices and excellent information and technique and production values, there is this small irritant: the first ten minutes of all five volumes contain a commercial trailer for the dvd “Enoeda, the Legend”. You have to fast forward through it every time you want to watch the content. On the other hand, that’s a very small price to pay for the very high quality technique in this series.
p.p.s. there are other reviews of this dvd series , and they are also overwhelmingly positive, although there is not much objectivity in them, either. But you can believe me, because I don’t have a dog in the fight. These are excellent dvds, and the price is absurdly low for the quality and quantity of information.
