Celebrity Kendoka

[ChaShu]

Hello all! I was just wondering the other day, do any of you know of any famous people who play/study kendo or iaido who do not live in or are originally from Japan, Korea or Taiwan? And I don't mean of the Lopez-Knowles-Beckham school of kendo where you use two tsuba and don't cut off the red string from your shinai... :D Nor do I mean people who are famous because they perform martial arts either. Kapoeira has Wesley Snipes, fencing has Gen. George Patton, pentathalon has Dolph Lundgren AND Gen. George Patton. I was just wondering about our arts/sports. I can think of two (sort of):

Sensei George Nakano - California State Assemblyman
Steven Segal (aikiken, since he is a high ranking aikido practitioner) - actor, although eh does kind of fall into the whole famous because of martial arts slotJust wondering...

[Mr. T.]

Hello all! I was just wondering the other day, do any of you know of any famous people who play/study kendo or iaido who do not live in or are originally from Japan, Korea or Taiwan? And I don't mean of the Lopez-Knowles-Beckham school of kendo where you use two tsuba and don't cut off the red string from your shinai... :D Nor do I mean people who are famous because they perform martial arts either. Kapoeira has Wesley Snipes, fencing has Gen. George Patton, pentathalon has Dolph Lundgren AND Gen. George Patton. I was just wondering about our arts/sports. I can think of two (sort of):

Sensei George Nakano - California State Assemblyman
Steven Segal (aikiken, since he is a high ranking aikido practitioner) - actor, although eh does kind of fall into the whole famous because of martial arts slotJust wondering...

Don't think Seagal should be on the list. Aikiken isn't kendo or kenjutsu. Aikiken just a tool to improve your aikido. And if you ever seen him use a sword in a movie, baseball bat grip comes to mind (sorry Steve, you suck).

Obata, founder of shinkendo, from the movie Black rain and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles :tongue: , maybe? Not sure if he has even done kendo, but he's a well established swordsman. Ok he’s not very famous and has been in some terrible movies, but he’s still kind of famous.

[Ignatz]

How about our own rock star David Lee Roth?
Before you all get your panties bunched up, when he still had the radio show he did a kendo morning and he mentioned coming to NYC Kendo Club and he was introduced to Kataoka Sensei as a world famous rock and roll star who trained in kendo and wanted to train at NYC.
Kataoka sensei smiled and handed him a broom and told him to clean the floor.
He did.:wink:

p.s. Kataoka sensei was in Black Rain too.

[ScottUK]

What's Davey up to now? Still doing iai or kendo?

[Pan-Chan]

I doubt he still practices it, but Tom Cruise did a few monthes of kendo or some kenjutsu ryu when getting ready for 'The Last Samurai'. And so did Samuel L. Jackson for the Star Wars movies he was in.

I hardly think that counts, though.

[ScottUK]

I remember Tom demonstrating some sword work for a reporter/interviewer when The Last Samurai was due out - it looked remarkably like what he was doing with a pool cue 20 years earlier in 'The Color of Money'... :rolleyes:

[Kitsune]

And you want to know if there's any celebrity kendoka because....?

[Andou]

I believe most of the Star Wars fight choreography was based off of kendo. I think there was a mention of the fight between Obi-Wan and Vader in the original series.

I don't know if he's celebrity AND he was born in Japan, but I believe that Car and Driver or Motor Trend mentioned the CEO of Honda was a San-Dan in kendo. Which led me to buy my Civic.

[nebosuke]

I doubt he still practices it, but Tom Cruise did a few monthes of kendo or some kenjutsu ryu when getting ready for 'The Last Samurai'. And so did Samuel L. Jackson for the Star Wars movies he was in.

I hardly think that counts, though.

Along those lines Arnold Schwarzenegger (and one of the female so-stars) learned kendo for a few weeks from Miyahara sensei when preparing for Conan the Barbarian. But, as you said, it doesn't really count.

[Kenshi]

Heres a snippet from a tv inverview with Tom Cruise about the Last Samurai:

Interviewer: 'You have obviously mastered the art of Japanese swordsmanship, how long did it take you?'

Shorty : 'About 8 months'

[Budo Angel]

believe most of the Star Wars fight choreography was based off of kendo
yes, and if I heard the rumour correct, many of the Aussie Kendo people were roped in as extras

[Ignatz]

What's Davey up to now? Still doing iai or kendo?
Word is he has a dojo at his house in California.

[ScottUK]

One of the uncredited extras in Star Wars (Episode IV) is very highly ranked in a koryu art. I won't publish his name to avoid him embarassment...! :)

[Anjin-san]

Obata, founder of shinkendo, from the movie Black rain and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles :p , maybe? Not sure if he has even done kendo, but he's a well established swordsman. Ok he’s not very famous and has been in some terrible movies, but he’s still kind of famous.

Ninja Vanish!

[Nokori 3byo]

The martial arts stunt coordinator in the Sean Connery Bond film, "You Only Live Twice" was none other than the sainted Mr. Draeger. There's some footage of a bujutsuka doing what looks like TSKSR iaijutsu infront of Himeji castle (or, as the film would have us believe, the secret ninja headquarters).

Don't know if there's been mention of Takakura Ken (Black Rain, The Yakuza, and countless nikyo yakuza films of the early 60s) yet. He was 5dan, I believe. And so was celebrated novelist and histrionic closet case, Mishima Yukio.

I think a Wikipedia entry might lists Steven Segal as having studied kendo. Could be wrong...

Oh, and of course, Kurosawa Akira, who showed promise in kendo at a young age.

[ChaShu]

Don't think Seagal should be on the list. Aikiken isn't kendo or kenjutsu. Aikiken just a tool to improve your aikido. And if you ever seen him use a sword in a movie, baseball bat grip comes to mind (sorry Steve, you suck).

Ok, I was reaching there a bit... :D

[ChaShu]

And you want to know if there's any celebrity kendoka because....?

Just out of sheer curiosity. Kendo and iaido, while to us are world spanning arts and sports, to most of the public, and even to those who practice other arts, they are quite obscure. It would be interesting to note how many very public figures actually practice an art wherin they wouldn't necessarily receive that much publicity, as opposed to those that are quite public with their martial arts "prowess" (or even those who profess to "mastering" sword arts in eight months... :D).

[Nokori 3byo]

Peter Weller studied iaido for a while, and may still be studying for all I know. Not sure if he ever attained a notable degree of proficiency.

[ScottUK]

I remember a thread on here or E-Budo about a Japanese porn star who studied iai. Anyone remember her name?

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Y'all forgetting Chuck Norris; many centuries ago it was predicted: a being so powerfull it couldn't be defeated bare handed - hence the sword was invented in hope to take him out when that day arrived. Little did they know, cuz Chuck cant be deafeated at all.............

[ScottUK]

Shame such a hairy dwarf has such a cool online fanclub.

[Lloromannic]

Mil Mascaras (http://www.santoandfriends.com/MilMascarasBiography.htm), a very famous mexican wrestler (lucha libre) who practiced Kendo with my sensei.

[ChaShu]

Found this David Lee Roth clip from another thread...

http://www.megachump.com/vanhalen/Co...os/sword.shtml

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5383

[Kitsune]

Mil Mascaras (http://www.santoandfriends.com/MilMascarasBiography.htm), a very famous mexican wrestler (lucha libre) who practiced Kendo with my sensei.


No way! He's one of the actors from las Momias de Guanajuato... I think that was the name, a zombie movie.

[Nokori 3byo]

Kataoka sensei smiled and handed him a broom and told him to clean the floor.
He did.:wink:



Wow! That's a gold star for Diamond Dave. Can't imagine Sammy Hagar doing that.

[Lloromannic]

No way! He's one of the actors from las Momias de Guanajuato... I think that was the name, a zombie movie.

Yes, that's one movie he's in. My sensei acted as his stunt double for some Kendo scenes in another movie. Another ex-wrestler is also a sensei, and a respected artist (pic here (http://www.absolutearts.com/cgi-bin/portfolio/art/your-art.cgi?login=santi&title=PRETENDIENDO_LAS_ESTRELLAS-983519488t.jpg)). Much to my disapointment, Mil Mascaras did not wear his mask under the Men.

[chidokan]

Arnie did some for Conan the Barbarian. But obviously not a lot....;)

[Kitsune]

Yes, that's one movie he's in. My sensei acted as his stunt double for some Kendo scenes in another movie. Another ex-wrestler is also a sensei, and a respected artist (pic here (http://www.absolutearts.com/cgi-bin/portfolio/art/your-art.cgi?login=santi&title=PRETENDIENDO_LAS_ESTRELLAS-983519488t.jpg)). Much to my disapointment, Mil Mascaras did not wear his mask under the Men.


BUUUU, anyway at least you're with MIL MASCARAS who is LO MAXIMO! In this moment I really really envy you!

[Lloromannic]

I think Mil Mascaras quit Kendo around the same time I was born, my sensei said it was because of a wrestling injury.

[Charlie]

Before you count Hagar out please know his dad was a boxer and he is a boxer. Now, I'm no fan of Van Hagar - love the old stuff with David Lee - but I think Sammy can duke.

[nebosuke]

Before you count Hagar out please know his dad was a boxer and he is a boxer. Now, I'm no fan of Van Hagar - love the old stuff with David Lee - but I think Sammy can duke.

But can he come in with humility and sweep? That was the question Nokori 3byo was asking.

I have no idea, I know nothing of Hagar, but wouldn't doubt it. It's not like he's an 18 year old pop-star, he's been around and probably been knocked around. SHould be old enough and in a profession to know the ups and downs, and when to be Mr. Charisma and when to be real.

[male73]

Found this David Lee Roth clip from another thread...

http://www.megachump.com/vanhalen/Co...os/sword.shtml

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5383

Whoa, I'm a Van Halen fan and this gives me one more reason to like DLR.:cool:

Link's dead though.