Customer Reviews

The Cat - Gogen Yamaguchi, 10th Dan

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The DVD contains everything that the editorial review promises but in really poor quality. The DVD disc is a DVD-R that the manufacturer reproduced very cheaply and although the cover says that it is digitally remastered, the quality of the DVD is really quite appalling, being very amateurish and in some parts, simply not watchable. Although the content will make me watch it again, I'm really disappointed that I've had to pay so much for something of such poor quality.

The quality of this DVD is appalling, and virtually unwatchable. Althought I understand that the footage is old, I had no idea that it would be so bad that it makes most amateur videos look like award-winning examples of cinematography!

It is difficult to see the kata being performed clearly, and due to the absence of audio in the clips (the only sound is the narrator and the funeral scene at the end), the breathing cannot be heard.

The video is blurry, dark and visually "noisy". The funeral scene at the end is so dark, it is difficult to see anything at all.

Don't waste your money

I have been searching for a dvd with all of the Goju Ryu kata on it so that I could learn and practice them and this dvd not only has them all on it but many of them are done by Gogen Yamaguchi himself. I couldn't be more excited about this dvd. It is amazing.

This looks to have been put together quite awhile back. If you want High Quality,bring Gogen Yamaguchi back from the dead and do a retake. This footage is very rare and you probably won't find it anyhere else (I haven't). So quit whining and watch it for what it is-- Very rare footage of Grand Master Gogen Yamaguchi. Excellent Historic Footage!

Although the DVD does show historical footage of Gogen Yamaguchi, the quality is extremely bad. The faces of the practioners cannot be seen and the colour is dark and running.

Generally, the quality of the picture is very poor. It's understandable, though, because this DVD is a reproduction from an old footage video. However, as a Goju Ryu student, seeing Yamaguchi himself performed Sanchin and Suparinpe kata is already worth the money.

If you are a Goju Ryu student, especially from Yamaguchi style, you may want to have this DVD in your collection. If you are a general practitioner from other style and looking for some references and instruction material, this is not what you are looking for. Morio Higaonna's Kata series is a better instructional aid, but this Yamaguchi DVD is definitely a wonderful historical document.

I am a Goju practiotner x 2o years. I believe this video does offer historic footage of Gogen Yamaguchi and you can see him personally perform many of the katas on the Goju Kai curriculum. It is inspiring to see him enter the waterfall too. At the end is footage from the funeral where Sanchin is performed by the group. Also 3 karateka perform Seipai, Suparinpei and Kururunfa simultaneously. The cameraman focuses mostly on the Seipai kata performer. Lastly, Goshi Yamaguchi performs Hakatsuru Kata (I believe this may also be known as the Master's Kata Genkaku). Do not confuse with Shotokan's Gankaku. Unfortunately the quality here is very poor. The narration by Mr Alexander is informative. The content is fantastic. The quality should be a little better. A probably must have for one in the Japanese Goju lineage. There is a paradoxical lack of any published footage from Gogen Yamaguchi after this 1960's reel from one of his training camps. Osu!

A truly awesome dvd. It is an incredible honor to be able to watch Yamaguchi perform. I highly recommend this rare historical video.

Gogen Yamaguchi video contains only shadows moving in the dark!

No resolution, no contrast...looking at the same video on internet is much much better! I bought a DVD!!!!!!!!

Completely dissatisfied!!

This video is from an old film that was done back in the early 1960's in Japan. It is taken from a 16 MM film that was sent to various Goju Kai Karate schools all over the world back then and was not seen for many years until this DVD became available. It features many high ranking goju karate people of the day , performing their art in class settings as well as outdoor training. It is a fun video for any lover of old time karate.