Product Details

• Actors: Toshihiro Oshiro
• Directors: Paul Moser
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Dragon Associates Inc.
• VHS Release Date: April 16, 1999
• Run Time: 55 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305435472
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #466,896 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Yamanni Ryu, the most aristocratic of the Okinawan weapon arts, was previously taught only to the most dedicated martial artists, by direct transmission, master to student. Preserved and nurtured as a cultural treasure of Okinawa by just four senior instructors, it is presented here for the first time since its creation by a member of this distinguished group.  Includes all fundamental techniques and training methods of Yamanni Ryu, static and dynamic, as well as: kata, Suuji no Kun, Choun no Kun Sho and Dai, Ryubi no Kun and Kumi Bo combat techniques. A comprehensive and culturally significant treatment of an art previously spoken of, but very rarely seen.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Four Kata o Yamani Chinen Ryu, December 14, 2001

By 

"bojutsu1" (Paducah, Kentucky United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yamanni Ryu - Okinawan Karate Bojutsu (Tsunami) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Excellent film quality with professional special effects. Content: about 5 min of intereting but unnecessary historc comentary of Japanese influence in Europe, 20 min basics, 15 min of kata; "Suuji No Kun" (Shushi No Kun) claiming ot have originated in Yamani ryu though not sure if meant the short Shushi No Kun or ALL Shushi No Kun Kata origines, "Choun No Kun Sho & Dai" (created by the aurhot's teacher, they are NOT the classic Choun No Kun nor even resembling Choun No Kun with the kneeling jab, leap back & out and turning long sweep of sand-flicking, but rather with similarities to Isshin-ryu's three bo kata and a few other, useing multiple horizontal & vertical striks), and Ryubi No Kun (with elements of Sakugawa No Kun katas and again perhaps similar influences to Isshin-ryu's bo katas, though maybe jsut common contemporary influences of both styles at the time of their kata creations), then ending with 7 min of Kumibo and a geneology chart glimpse. Yamani Chnin Ryu seems to be a branch of Shorin-ry but it was never actually said, nor sure if these are it's only 4 bo kata, as I had thought there was a "Chinin No Kun" kata existing. The kata shown are clear and shown from different angles. The only thing being the historic portion, unrelated to the style, that probably should have been instead, a specific history & background of Yamani Chinin Ryu it's self. If there are other bo kata, I hope a volume 2 will someday be done to cover the rest, as well as the specific history & perhaps even describign the influences leading to it's differences of other Shorin-ryus or at least that it is indeed a branch of Shorin-ryu or an independant weapons branch onto it's self?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent bo video, July 15, 2003

By 

magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Yamanni Ryu - Okinawan Karate Bojutsu (Tsunami) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Excellent bo video covering four katas in this style's repertory, with professional production qualities (music, commentary, filming angles, etc.) as usual from Tsunami. The forms are filmed from both front and side, and at normal and slow-motion pace, which is very useful. I echo an earlier reviewer's very informed comments that these kata, syushu no kun, choun no kun sho and choun no kun dai, aren't the classical versions of these katas. I study Matayoshi-style kobudo and these katas are all different from ours, which I assume are closer to the classical tradition. The video mentions that the founder of the system was unhappy with current technique and changed some things, and created special kata that are unique to the system, so I was prepared for some differences, and they are certainly significant, such as a different turning low block, an overhead baseball-bat like strike that is different, and different striking combinations from the Matayoshi-style versions except for the use of the 5-strike gorenda combo, which appears in ryubi no kun, although that isn't a Matayosh form. Sensei Oshiro also does a more extended foreward nukibo thrust with the back of the bo positioned under the armpit, rather than on the outside of the elbow, as in Matayoshi-ryu. There's a very nice combo at the end of the ryubi no kun kata that I liked, also. I suspect the style is an offshoot of Shorin-ryu but as the other reviewer noted, this isn't stated. Whatever the genesis or origin of these forms, they're certainly quite impressive forms also and I added Ryubi no Kun to my repertory of existing bo katas from several styles. There's a section with about 10 kumibo (one-step sparring) techniques to round out the video.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yamanni Ryu - Okinawan Karate Bojutsu, June 2, 2001

By 

Sensei, Jeffrey Gonz (Aikido of the Triple Ci... (Binghamton, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yamanni Ryu - Okinawan Karate Bojutsu (Tsunami) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have trained with Toshihiro Oshiro Sensei learning Bojutsu, Saijutsu, Tunfajutsu and Kumibo. This video is an indispensable tool for the practitioner or instructor of any weapons art. The video is perfect for the beginner or the advanced student. Tsunami has done a great job.