Aikido seemed fake to non-practitioners but not if you understand and master the concepts. It’s like a drop of water in a big ocean. The Aikidoka focused and direct his energy where he was grabbed/attacked hence neutralising the attacker’s power. You need to “let go” first for it to work as holding on impedes that natural flow which is in us all humans inherently. Hence. Aikido only works if we don’t resist and fight.