National Geographic's Fight Science

[Po5i]

National Geographic's Fight Science didn't suck as Discovery's XMA.

Thats my opinion, I think they found real martial artists, and make more scientific tests with greater results, its more educational and I can saw a sensei performing tameshi-giri.

Any other opinion?

[Mr. T.]

The show sucked. The only good part was Obata sensei and his students and the MT guy and boxer wheren't that bad, but the rest sucked. This was pop-science BS and it sucked. The best MA folks, my ass. They invited a modern wushu guy and a ninjer, nice show but their MA sucked. Did I mentioned the show sucked? No? it sucked.

They let the TKD geek hack into a gelatine dummy (he sucked), that was the biggest hint that this was nothing more that a Bullshido-program. It was almost as bad as the XMA docu. It sucked...

But that's just my opinion.

[KhawMengLee]

Hahahaha...OMG I saw that the other day...the TKD guy spouting shit about how the katana was his favourite weapon and then doing the twirly baton girl spin with the blade was hilarious...especially the bit where he went pork butcher stylee on the gelatine dummy.

[Dervish]

They let the TKD geek hack into a gelatine dummy (he sucked)

I didn't get to see the movie, but I'm hoping it wasn't this bad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaUbdIDowJQ).

[KhawMengLee]

I didn't get to see the movie, but I'm hoping it wasn't this bad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaUbdIDowJQ).

Well...I sorta came in halfway through the documentary and saw a guy doing kyudo. It looked pretty legit and good so I was like...'Oh, this should be interesting."

Then it started to go downhill with some wannabe ninjer guy throwing shuriken into a tatami mat and the katana demo with this TKD guy who probably spends his free time waxing his muscles or jacking off to his own picture started to give a 'demo' with a katana.

Then I watched the rerun and saw the first half with the silly crouching tiger crap and the documentary turned into a comedy session for me...

I was really dissapointed in the fact it was a National Geographic program that has degenerated into Britney and Kevin on MTV.

[Po5i]

Of course were crappy things like the ninja guy, but the kyudo man and the tameshi-giri man were legit.

The katana demo with the TKD guy really suck, btw, the TKD guy sucks hehe

[mingshi]

I think it was quite nice to compare (and explain) the level of damages different weapons can make on a scientific level. Never thought Nunchaku can do so little.

Guest-starring Obata and Tanaka (Fumon) added some serious value to the show, as the muscle guy only sent me, my little bro and my dad ROTFLOL.

[Mr. T.]

The show sucked. The only good part was Obata sensei and his students and the MT guy and boxer wheren't that bad, but the rest sucked. This was pop-science BS and it sucked. The best MA folks, my ass. They invited a modern wushu guy and a ninjer, nice show but their MA sucked. Did I mentioned the show sucked? No? it sucked.

They let the TKD geek hack into a gelatine dummy (he sucked), that was the biggest hint that this was nothing more that a Bullshido-program. It was almost as bad as the XMA docu. It sucked...

But that's just my opinion.
Ohh and I forgot about Mr. Gracie . He was great, as usual and the kyudo was good. The rest still sucked. :confused2

[DarQik]

I haven't seen it, but this show came up on e-budo (http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35036) some time ago with some folks involved in the production commenting on it.
they originally asked us to hack away at the balistic gel mannequin, and I told them no - "Japanese swordsmanship is a dignified art, and we don't want to film testing such as that for the general public to watch". So of course, they ignored us and got someone else to do it. Link to show's National Geographic site (http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/channel/fightscience/index.html)

[Manuka]

I especially liked the part where Mr. TKD twirled the Katana round his neck.

It is a good primer on what NOT to do with any sharp tool.

Pure bovine excrement.

Mr. Ninja looked like he was doing Jackie Chan stunts, mooohahahahaha

[Maro]

The TKD guy wasn't a good advert for either art. As for his technique - what Crock!

[a.hong]

Then it started to go downhill with some wannabe ninjer guy throwing shuriken into a tatami mat

Actually, that "ninjer guy" was Nathan Scott from e-budo, the moderator of the naginata forum there. He's done an extensive amount of koryu training and I doubt that his shurikenjutsu was anything but legitimate.

But yeah, most of that show was...interesting to say the least.

[Aegean Warrior]

I didn't get to see the movie, but I'm hoping it wasn't this bad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaUbdIDowJQ).


Funnnnnnnyyyyyyyy!!!!!!

[KhawMengLee]

:silly:
Actually, that "ninjer guy" was Nathan Scott from e-budo, the moderator of the naginata forum there. He's done an extensive amount of koryu training and I doubt that his shurikenjutsu was anything but legitimate.

But yeah, most of that show was...interesting to say the least.

oops! apologies all around!

[Po5i]

It looks like he trained a lot, but, the way he performs ninjutsu was the exact form like te ninjas from the old Japan do their art?

[neko kenshi]

Honestly, it shouldn't be that difficult for people who are making a huge investment in a film to take a second to realise that a practitioner of a korean hand to hand art isn't likely to be a great representative of a japanese sword art. Is it that difficult to do a little research? Or do they just not think what they find is jedi enough?

[xvikingx]

Honestly, it shouldn't be that difficult for people who are making a huge investment in a film to take a second to realise that a practitioner of a korean hand to hand art isn't likely to be a great representative of a japanese sword art. Is it that difficult to do a little research? Or do they just not think what they find is jedi enough?

Good point.
National Geographic (society) is a scientific organization that covers a broad range of sciences, including sociology and anthropology. With all the resources that National Geographic has you’d think they could at least get that straight wouldn’t you? It’s not like it is that difficult research, considering that just regular everyday people who practice kendo (or whatever you all do) can point out major errors in their “Fight Science” presentation. It shows that they consider entertainment to be far more important than academic merit, and that ruins the credibility of National Geographic (for me at least).
If they are going to BS people about this who know what else they BSing about.

[KhawMengLee]

Good point.
National Geographic (society) is a scientific organization that covers a broad range of sciences, including sociology and anthropology. With all the resources that National Geographic has you’d think they could at least get that straight wouldn’t you? It’s not like it is that difficult research, considering that just regular everyday people who practice kendo (or whatever you all do) can point out major errors in their “Fight Science” presentation. It shows that they consider entertainment to be far more important than academic merit, and that ruins the credibility of National Geographic (for me at least).
If they are going to BS people about this who know what else they BSing about.

Yep...I remember MTV being about rocking out...then they degenerated to features about no talent losers like Kevin Feathercrap...

Hopefully, National Geo isn't going the way of flashy crap over in depth information and programming.

[Maro]

Maybe someone from KW could contact them?

BTW, on E-budo, Nathan Scott is very humble and states that his Shuriken-jutsu is self taught. He claims no Koryu.

[a.hong]

Maybe someone from KW could contact them?

BTW, on E-budo, Nathan Scott is very humble and states that his Shuriken-jutsu is self taught. He claims no Koryu.

My mistake. I know that he is a member of certain koryu, and I assumed that his shurikenjutsu was a part of it. I apologize if I mislead anyone.

[Maro]

My mistake. I know that he is a member of certain koryu, and I assumed that his shurikenjutsu was a part of it. I apologize if I mislead anyone.

I think you need to possibly check his profile on E-budo. Shinkendo is definitely Gendai, not Koryu. I am not sure if he is a practicioner of a Koryu style.

NB - not knocking Nathan at all here btw! :wink:

[Po5i]

I think that the sensei who did tameshi-giri refused to cut that gelatin model in the way that national geographic want it to be cutted. It's only an asumption.

[razorblade2099]

It's been said before for people who don't read back. (but really... it's only one page. Least you can do is read that page)

Here it is for the lazy folks:


I haven't seen it, but this show came up on e-budo (http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35036) some time ago with some folks involved in the production commenting on it.

Link to show's National Geographic site (http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/channel/fightscience/index.html)


Well, funny enough, they originally asked us to hack away at the balistic gel mannequin, and I told them no - "Japanese swordsmanship is a dignified art, and we don't want to film testing such as that for the general public to watch". So of course, they ignored us and got someone else to do it. Better him than us, but I still felt shamed to have been a part of the segment after seeing him wildly hack at a human shaped gel mannequin. That wasn't "science" of fighting, that was just stupid, and I hope the public doesn't think that is what Japanese Swordsmanship is about.


For the reasons I explained in my last post. From a modern swordsmen's training perspective, it would be useful to test technique against balistic gel. On the other hand, straw and bamboo are time tested human-simulations. I wouldn't be opposed to cutting up balistic gel in my own dojo, or even doing it off camera at the location and having them just explain what the results were (or maybe motion capture it). But this show was clearly not an "academic" piece, it was largely entertainment. I don't see how cutting up simulated human bodies on TV would be an appropriate representation of the value of training we aspire to by training in budo.

[Masahiro]

i think it's interesting..

[a.hong]

I think you need to possibly check his profile on E-budo. Shinkendo is definitely Gendai, not Koryu. I am not sure if he is a practicioner of a Koryu style.

NB - not knocking Nathan at all here btw! :wink:

Actually, I'm pretty sure he practices koryu, seeing as I just did Tendo ryu naginatajutsu with him a little over an hour ago :puzzled:

From what people have been telling me I was under the impression that he did other things within koryu.

[razorblade2099]

i think it's interesting..

I thought there were some really interesting parts too, but overall it was just far too cheesy. The TKD guy especially annoyed me.

[xvikingx]

Actually, I'm pretty sure he practices koryu, seeing as I just did Tendo ryu naginatajutsu with him a little over an hour ago :puzzled:

From what people have been telling me I was under the impression that he did other things within koryu.

I think he was referring to shinkendo, because for the most part only naginata people know what Tendo-ryu is.

[a.hong]

I think he was referring to shinkendo, because for the most part only naginata people know what Tendo-ryu is.

It all makes sense now...