Customer Reviews

Shihan Te: The Bunkai of Kata

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

 

 

Positives: the authors provide a fairly clear distinction between various types of "applications" of movement sequences in kata (bunkai, oyo, henka, and kakushi), as well as strong arguments for the importance of classical (as opposed to sport and performance) kata

Negatives: this book needed a really good editor. Poor grammar, typos, unnecessary repetitive passages, descriptions and diagrams that don't match up... all detracted from the message of this book.

In summary, there are some wonderful conceptual gems in here, but they are obscured by the flaws. Still an informative book and one I found useful for its concepts, but could have been so much better!

The book is ok, but it does have a few major errors:
1. It is a total grammatical nightmare.
2. A lot of the sections repeat the EXACT SAME information! I kept thinking I had already read a certain chapter, when it turns out they just repeat themselves!
3. Darrel Craig must have one big ego. At the beginning of each chapter, he has quotes from famous martial artists, i.e. Musashi. However, at one point, he quotes HIMSELF. How egotistical is it when someone quotes his/her self in their own book!?
4. The explanations and analogies are not well formulated.

The book does contain relatively interesting concepts, but it merely scrapes over the surface of the book. Henka, one of the four elements of kata that is talked about, gets a ONE paragraph explanation. No only is this paragraph SOLELY an analogy (NO explanation), but the analogy hardly makes any sense! I was disappointed- it seemed like I was going to learn a lot of the four main elemts of kata, and while these elements were listed, only two recieved any in depth discussion (Bunkai and Kakushi). Oyo was talked about quite a bit, and Henka was hardly even covered, except for the vague confusing analogies. If the book was meant to cover a wider variey of material, I would have understood. But the purpose of the book was to discuss these specific four elements- and the discussion is grammatically flawed, repetitive, and contains ambiguous analogies and confusing explanations. I would recommend borrowing the book from a friend so you can at least (somewhat) familiarize yourself with the terms and concepts, but save your money.

I have over 175 martial arts in my library, and this one is by far the worst. First off, he spend the first 80 pages or so going on a rambling tirade about how karateka today don't even know the definitions of bunkai and oyo. By his definition, bunkai is the kata, performed either solo or with a partner, but performed exactly as it was created, roughly what we in Cuong Nhu refer to as "formatted kata" and "formatted applications." Oyo is any modification from that format. He spends many pages giving metaphors and stories from "Craig Sensei" (himself!) trying to explain his concepts and ideas. Its all "Craig Sensei says this..." and "Craig Sensei explains that..." It was not uncommon for him to call himself "Craig Sensei" over ten times on just one page. A few pages have it 15 or 16 times! It was wrong on so many levels, and started driving me nuts.

On several points he contradicts himself on terms he himself is very emphatic about. For example, at one point on page 41 he condescendingly says of instructors "They do not, however, understand any of them (kata). 'Oh, this is a block,' is heard so many times." Then, on page 71, he himself states that, in reference to the opening move of Pinan 2, "This is a block. It is a block whether you do it on the left side or you do it on the right side, it is a block and has always been a block." The book seemed to contain several such contradictions.

He repeated series of photographs under different names, first saying that a given series was kakushi, or "hidden technique", and then later presenting the exact same series as regular bunkai, which it wasn't, because it had been modified slightly, making it oyo. This may seem confusing, or that I am splitting hairs over terminology, but Darrell Craig spent the first half of his book (which is called "The Bunkai of Karate Kata") making one point, that bunkai and oyo are different, then spent the second half of the book demonstrating oyo, not bunkai.

For all of his training "...under some of the finest karate practitioners in the world...", Darrell Craig's book on "Shihan te: The bunkai of karate kata" was about everything but good applications. I should have known when I saw the pictures in the front of the book showing karateka demonstrating poor technique and Craig working on the sets of "Sidekicks" and "Batman." My copy of the book is now marked throughout in red pen, pointing out the many inconsistencies and weaknesses of Darrel Craig's presentation. The lack of attention to detail was astounding to me. The only reasons I stayed with it was for the intellectual exercise of critiquing the text and to then post a review on Amazon so no one else wastes $25 on this book. It is truly amazing to me as to what passes as expertise sometimes. In the end, it is my hope that the knowledgeable reader will be able to discern between what is good bunkai and what is just bunk.

I hold the same opinion as some of the earlier reviewers. This book is an editors nightmare with poor writing structure and repeating information. The author does quote himself in his own book which is very egotistical. How many authors qoute themselves in their own books? A real martial artist is humble not an ego maniac. There are much better kata books out there than this one and if you really want to learn katas the best way is to have an instructor teach you. It is like reading about boxing and then going to try and box someone which is a big mistake. Same goes for katas. You can read about it but can you do it?

This is a very great book for those who practice kata. Even for those that do not. It gives great insight on the bunkai of katas that alot of martial artists neglect. Excellent work.

Watching people on tv showing off with various kicks and jumps can be very impressing, and you can enjoy it like watching a dance. However, in real life, few of these "dances" have much value, and the real "dance" is something you rarely see anymore.
The real "dances" I am referring to, are the ancient kata's which are the basic foundation in martial arts. They do not show those on tv, because they are not about impressing flying kicks and other entertaining movements, but can seem borring to the audience who do not understand the meaning of them.

Darrell Craig does a very good job making you understand what a kata is, and why it is so extremly important that every martial art teacher should teach their students the ancient kata's and their bunkai's.

This is one book that I am glad I bought.

I appreciate that the authors have gone deeper into the meaning of Kata; it gives the reader something to think about. Craig also gives some "goodies" not given in other books like it. It is a must read for martial artists.

I appreciate that the authors have gone deeper into the meaning of Kata; it gives the reader something to think about. Craig also gives some "goodies" not given in other books like it. It is a must read for martial artists.

Mr.Craig's book gives an indepth explanation of the theory, application, and multiple levels of learning associated with karate kata. A long time student of both Japanese and Okinawan martial arts, Mr. Craig's decades of experience shine through in this book. The illustrations are drawn very well, and illustrate the points he makes very clearly. If you thought that kata was just step, punch, kick, and block then this book will change your mind. For the beginner or advanced student this book has something for everyone in it.