How to Sanjuro's Final STAND-OFF Strike

This video explains how to perform the cut seen in the final stand off of Kurosawa film called "Sanjuro".
Special Thanks to:
Junichi Kodama (Actor)
Lisa Itabashi (DP)
CHAPTERS
Demo Scene 00:00
Stand-off 00:32
Intro 01:11
Quick Break Down 01:58
Detail - Reverse Grip 03:22
Detail - Unsheathing 05:42
Background Knowledge 06:18
Detail - Unsheathing Con't 11:23
Recap 12:41
Trivia 13:23
*Please note that the technique explained in this clip is what the lead actor was doing on set to shoot the film. Therefore it is intended for performance and is not taught as a martial art.
As a member of the film industry, I recommend renting the film "Sanjuro", but for those of you who prefer KZbin, try checking out the following links to see the final stand off.
• Video
• Sanjuro (1962) - The F...

[@BryanCrowson]

Ace, you are a great teacher. You have a very relaxed, patient demeanor. I have especially enjoyed your spin-sheathing videos. Please keep producing your content! I am eager to see and learn more. :)

[@diogenes42069]

Would highly recommend getting some training with someone who can point out your mistakes at some point otherwise you're just going to cement yourself in your bad habits no man is an island every man has bad habits

[@ttestates1]

Even after 20+ years on Kenjutsu (Iaido) Mifune is "The Samurai" Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Miyamoto Musashi's life. He's an actor but truly learned from real masters by Kurosawa.

[@ATJ-sTAt]

Check out "Kuroda" on YT. Okami seems like a toddler in comparison!

[@rietzhu]

Been watching his films for years, love black and white, Japanese cinema! SAMURAI! This is great thanks!

[@ATJ-sTAt]

I guess you've already seen the original "Zatoichi flash-cut", where he slice a sake pot in half, lengthwise, and whithout modern technology we can't even see the blade in action.

[@ATJ-sTAt]

Please do go into details! I'm 51 and have been a student of Iaido off and on since I was 16. I'm still learning!

[@TopLob]

As someone who practices Koryu, I appreciate that you're upfront and clear about this being a movie technique. You also do a great breakdown of it, because it's a rather puzzling move. It just happens so fast in the movie, and doesn't make sense from what's typical in traditional sword arts. Which happens to be why that scene is so brilliant. He moves and cuts in a direction which is completely unpredictable from what's common, it happens so fast, and it's largely obscured. As a viewer, I was left probably as confused as the samurai in the background.

[@MachaBREATH]

Beautifully demonstrated I see through all the days you were gone my swordsmanship and yours have increased And thanks for the the draw I'll be practicing this one every day

[@TheBladepolisher]

Why ? Just interested in what drives others to learn these draws. No disrespect.

[@FedoraRose]

Finally you’re back!! I’ve been waiting so long, thank you

[@thebillyteam121]

he needs to come back to youtube

[@thewandering01]

I think I heard that Mifune was using a shorter sword than normal for that scene, which probably helped considerably with doing the unorthodox draw.

[@backroadsentertainment814]

Toshiro Mifune was my favorite Japanese actor of all time, and will never be equaled. Sanjuro is one of my favorite Japanese films. Great little behind-the-scenes trivia. Thanks.

[@bluknight6944]

Welcome back. Great video

[@trumpetwizard7250]

Thank you for uploading! I love learning awesome stuff from your videos!

[@artemvang9454]

Thank you for video, I hope to see more of your awesome content!

[@kanehodder3811]

ACE, been a practitioner For years I was always fascinated by the Japanese culture!!! I've always been a fan of Miyamoto Musashi and his teachings..I subscribed love your lessons!!! Thanks again!!!

[@zachparade2791]

Excellent instruction! Thank you!! 🙏

[@gr2192]

I'm loving your videos, you're so good at explaining the steps!

[@YaofuZhou]

Thank you so much for your videos!!! They answered so many of my questions that I held for a long time!

[@pastlast158]

Thanks for this wonderful and educational video👏👏

[@furnioofurniture]

super cool !!! thanks for making the video...

[@livyintheskywithdragons]

OH MY GOD I just found this channel and watched everything in a row, you've got AMAZING content!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤ PLEASE keep making more videos!!!! 😄😄😄😄

[@JLoC.2479]

Thank u for this gift , my flash cut is getting good

[@pharyleboddie5799]

Very good tutorial. Great detIls.

[@samuellin8776]

my god, u are finally back!

[@willfilms7297]

this is really helpful, im currently making a samurai film using heavy inspiritation from kurosawa and this just made my job much easier with composition and choreography. keep it up!

[@daveradiofm]

Well articulated, Ace. Thanks very much for breaking down that scene. I'm big fan of Mr Mifune's samurai movies :)

[@InTheBasementProduct]

Just found this channel! I hope to see more from you soon!

[@youngnicgaming]

i love these videos keep it up!

[@BarryHarrellYouTube]

Yea, you got it right but I think his hand position was different on the push-through. The way you have it, I think the blade could easily slide up and off of your bent wrist. Toshiro had an almost straight wrist at the end and in the Sanjuro video link you have in the notes, still frame it at 1:32 and you will see that his wrist is straight. At least that is what it looked like to me. I am guessing that he used the back of hand so that the blade was supported more by his hand than wrist. The pressure on the blade came from his arm position more than his wrist I would think. The wrist is weak and pushing hard like that might end up hurting your wrist. Just my two cents. Good job on the explanation and video.

[@micheledimauro5742]

Grazie, ottimo lavoro. Aspetto il prossimo video. 👏👏👏🌸👍👍

[@philippedemonneron5278]

Très intéressant et très bien expliqué, merci beaucoup !

[@user-wo9gl6tc4f]

A recommendation: keep the handguard as close as possible to your body, so there's enough space in front of you to draw the sword. It's my personal experience.

[@Guven9000]

Thank you for sharing!

[@oysterman962]

I just came across this channel by accident and I'm hooked. Thanks for the great lessons! I've been studying token for many years as an art object but now it's interesting to learn techniques on drawing. With regard to the dueling at such close quarters, I think the wakizashi short sword may be the better option as it has the advantage of a shorter time to draw and is perfect for the technique in this exercise.

[@razelle1353]

Bonjour, merci pour la vidéo! It s very nice réflexion and practice, with détails and sens! Please do others...😊

[@johnemmons9087]

Great video. I got my 1st katana 50 years ago and still train. Your teaching is a little different than traditional and it’s very refreshing. Please honor an old Ronan’s request and do many more videos! Many many than⚔️!

[@insanitypepper1740]

Thank you! I remember rewinding Sanjuro over and over trying to understand how Toshiro Mifune did the draw and could never figure it out until now.

[@kayaserhat7246]

Please post more you are the best

[@cleopatra862]

Nice…thank you very much for sharing! You taught me so much! ❤

[@edwardcaiken3567]

Thank you young sensi!

[@addictedtoblades2]

Very cool move brother, thanks for teaching me this ❤️🔥😎

[@jimanHK]

nice. thank you for sharing

[@takeruhs]

Finally, the legend is back

[@danielhopkins296]

Awesome, thnxs Brodhisatvva 🙏

[@billyr81]

Please I need more videos!!! You' re really great! Greetings from argentina

[@padyyiustanding]

Master Aoshima your video is so inspiring, the level of skills and concentration, I hope can change my life Thank You.

[@keanuwong4681]

Welcome back!

[@alexeireyes3683]

Awesome video! I love how your analytical and step-by-step approach puts this bewildering move into perspective. I'm recommending friends interested in Kenjutsu and / or theatrical sword arts to subscribe to your channel. Keep up the great work, sir!

[@doomslayer8857]

Finally he’s back

[@g3nj1]

Very cool.

[@buubbliex2.019]

Please make more videos like these❤

[@theknifemartialarts.9053]

thank you so much sir

[@AnnhilateTheNihilist]

Brilliant. U are a kindred spirit. Hope to train with you one day.

[@kahtrellscott1436]

Awesome

[@Stasis247]

this is perfect, accidentally found this channel whilst I’m waiting for a katana myself

[@sleepy857]

I love the trivia! I’ve always wonder how he did it lol i keep repeating that scene

[@emersonfagundes8296]

thanks very good.

[@rohnbarton]

Everyone seems to enjoy Entertainment. Whether it's Chuck Connor's The Rifleman cocking the Winchester. I always enjoyed Kichiemon Nakamura's spinning katana moves in the Kirisute gomen series. He also made Onihei hankachô for 9 seasons as Heizo-nobutame Hasegawa. Of course, your intro to this Sanjuro strike was none too shabby. I thought you should have replayed it after the breakdown. More than a strike, Your pushing your blade to the enemy's ribs as he passes by opening him up like a can opener!

[@alexisaica9055]

:3 en serio en serio que muchas gracias por tan maravillosa explicación, Muy detallada y sin tanto rodeo... Nuevo miembro de el calan y dejó mi like :3 Muchísimas gracias por tus consejos e ilustraciones :3

[@tonyelbows8045]

Ace is back!

[@prasadkaja2737]

Wonderfull

[@changowowowoezzy9617]

Love it

[@stephenbivens3224]

You come for the incredibly niche and difficult draw, you stay for the great breakdown of drawing mechanics and fundamentals.

[@PostSasso]

No detail on the footwork. The body is doing 25% of the work.

[@sleethmitchell]

i didn't study iaido; only kendo. our instructor (from japan) recommended all of toshiro mifune's films. i watched that scene in wonderment fifty years ago. even with a bokken, i could NEVER even approach the move. the weapon is simply too long. your explanation makes complete sense. (i wondered if the sword in the scene wasn't slightly shorter than standard.)

[@jrocks6969]

Thanks

[@johnnyfit6688]

Amazing! Where are the new videos? This channel is so cool,you are a good teacher,we need contents every week,come on,bro! 😂

[@ATJ-sTAt]

I've been pondering this off and on since I first saw it. My observation is that it looks pretty damn good! Worthy of Kozure Okami or Kamui!! But, it isn't a cut. You simply push the edge forwards. That way it doesn't do any damage. A razor can be pushed straight downward on to a palm without breaking the skin, but if you move a mm then it is blood all over the place. You might argue that the angle of filming says so, but still, even if you did go more diagonally it still wouldn't cut through even a komono. Especially since you use the back of the hand to guide the blade, which wouldn't add to any cutting motion. So, I'll just go back to admire the move as a great thing in the movies. :)

[@roowanmadokkusu1411]

You have a good point but maybe this can answer your question ( this may or may not be the answer ) in the first moments of the video , we see a small movie scene . The guy comes forward that wants to supposedly rob mr.samurai ( can think of his name 💀) at the same exact moment when the robber pulls out his weapon and lunges forward , mr.samurai does that move . I believe the move is all about adding force , allowing the enemies body to add weighted contact , and then finally with the force and the weight against the blade ..he glides past his enemies side , thus gliding the blade right against the opponents abdomen. It’s kinda like quickly slicing your finger with a paper cut , there was no force ..no push ..just a quick clean glide with a fine edge

[@ATJ-sTAt]

@@roowanmadokkusu1411 Maybe. I like to think you are right until I try it myself. (Katana pawned as of now)

[@TheBladepolisher]

@@roowanmadokkusu1411 Still, I found ATJ's statement to stand. If you look at the weak point of the draw, it would have to be the wrist muscles at the top of the right hand where the hand is joined with the wrist. This is the weakest and most vulnerable part of the hand. If the blade were to meat an object of strong resistance, the musculature at this weakest part of the wrist could and most definitely injure the right hand and possibly cause a life threatening forfeiture of maneuverability of the right hand when returning to the two handed standard grip.

[@Alyxandeyr]

I have to disagree that this technique couldn't cut. Actually miming the movement, even without a katana (I say, only if you do not have access to one. It is more readily apparent when you are holding one) the cutting force is derived precisely from the rotation of your hips, the rotation created between your guiding hand and the wrist of your drawing hand, and the movement of your opponent and yourself in opposition. TLDR: The mechanics of the strike are such that the force comes from your mantis-strike right hand, the force is absorbed by your body, and the actual cutting motion comes from the forward movement of your step and the rotation of your body to the right as you strike, and your arms rotate during extension. The force of the strike comes entirely from the guiding hand, similar to half-swording in hema. There are a number of katana performances that I've seen which employ a hand on the mune of the katana (the non-cutting edge), but I am unaware or unable to immediately locate any authentic techniques that use the method at the moment. That said, it's not a completely illogical practice. If you practice with a katana, you will observe that during a cut, the right hand provides guidance and the left hand on the lower part of the tsuka (the handle) provides the power. This is because you are using your two hands on the handle to create a lever action, with your right hand functioning as fulcrum (the thing that the lever pivots around). This is where the katana derives its power if all of the rest of your body is perfectly still. If you do this, though, without moving the rest of your body, you will realize that there is no slice to your cut. You are moving the blade in a circle around a stationary point, and the blade will strike the target with a 'slap' more than a 'slice.' Do not misunderstand: you are wielding a two-handed sword, with a considerably sharp blade and a reasonable heft to it. Swinging a katana like an axe (which is fundamentally what you're doing in such an instance) is /going/ to cut something. However, much like an axe, your blade will push into the target and probably bury itself before it goes too far. If you want to believe that this will not cut something, then I ask you to perform a mental exercise --completely mental, please. Please do not attempt anything like this, ever-- Imagine yourself placing your katana on the ground, holding it by the tip of the blade, standing on the handle, ready to topple over to the ground. Now, lean it over and place your hand on the floor below the blade. Now ask yourself: Would you feel comfortable dropping that blade on your hand? The visceral reaction is "No, of course not." Well, that is your brain identifying that the blade of the katana under its own power is enough to remove your fingers. If at any point you imagine that a katana cannot cut something merely because it is not slicing, imagine either an axe (which is similarly forward-heavy to a katana, albeit moreso) or a falling katana landing flat on its edge, and remember that you do not need good technique to cut with blade, you merely need a blade. Good technique can compensate for a poor blade, but a good blade doesn't even need you there to do its job. One of the things katana practioners hear a lot is that the blade is almost alive. That what is happening when you are holding a katana is that you are merely learning how to allow the katana to do its own job. The blade will self-align in the absence of a wielder. Mini-Katana did a pretty cool demonstration of this on KZbin not terribly long ago. The blade will cut without even having you hold it. You are not, some people say, using the katana, instead it is using you. Placing a hand on the mune of the katana extends the lever that you are using to add power to the strike. Normally, the lever action is between your hands on the handle. Now, the lever action is extended over a foot or more, which increases the power magnification inherent in a lever. (A longer lever will lift a heavier load than a shorter one, given the same force.) So you are able to apply more force to the strike, which, as we talked about a short while back, can definitely cause damage on its own. But that is thinking of this attack in a completely isolated way. We are not sitting on a stool, slapping a katana against a target. Our entire body is in motion. We must close the distance to our opponent, we must angle our body away from their incoming strike, and we must pivot our upper body to ensure our proper draw and to be able to place our hands in proper position. Everything from your feet to your head must be moving in order to make this motion. For an example of just how subtle motions like this can drastically affect cutting ability, one needs look no further than a school of swordsmanship that has been made popular by films such as this and by anime and media the world over: iaijutsu/iaido/battojutsu/battodo. This strike is a form of draw-strike or 'nukiuchi.' The word simply means to draw and strike the opponent with the same motion. In some schools it is more apparently a two-motion strike which utilizes both hands, and in other schools and often in media it is often seen as a one-handed strike, much like Kenshin Himura's signature strike in Rurouni Kenshin or Zatoichi's flash-cut. Regardless of the method, the draw-strike is a fast but often weak strike. Many schools use draw strikes as a distractionary measure, or a technique to control their opponent, striking at the eyes or the face, in an effort to force the opponent back to gain an advantage over them or to disable them. When used as a method of controlling your opponent, a draw-strike is referred to as 'nukitsuke,' with 'nukiuchi' being used for techniques intended to actually end your opponent rather than to create openings or opportunities. That long point said short, the difficulty of performing a nukitsuke 'controlling' strike is in the speed and precision required to get your sword to where it needs to go, knowing that it doesn't take much force to cut through someone's face or eyes, and the blade will do that on its own, merely by being brought to flesh. The difficulty of a nukiuchi 'finishing' strike, is being able to generate enough cutting force with such a short motion that you are able to inflict a deep enough wound to incapacitate or disarm your opponent. It takes very nearly no force at all to cut through an opponent's face, and many people are put off the idea of fighting when they have lost their face in the first few seconds of combat. To cut through an opponent's torso or a limb, it takes a combination of force and technique. The more technique you have, the less force you need, although with enough force, you wouldn't require any technique at all. A katana welded to the side of a car would easily cut someone in half, despite being completely still in reference to rotation. Tameshigiri (mat-cutting) is a powerful example of this spectrum of force vs technique. You can very easily see when someone cuts a mat using force, and when one cuts the mat using technique, merely by the way the fibers stand and the way the cut is made after the mat is examined. A more physically powerful person can cut a mat with less practice, but a more technically skilled person can cut a mat with more precision, and with less effort. Truly masterful tameshigiri practitioners will often describe how they merely allow the blade to pass through the target, almost effortlessly, merely by using their body and aligning their blades correctly. Ignoring the effects of your body on your swordsmanship is a mistake that many people make in the beginnings of their practice. But if you were to approach someone who has practiced with katana for many years, they would universally implore you to focus on the movements of your body more than the power of your hands. They would, almost to a man, recommend mat-cutting or mindful kata to lifting weights, because they would understand that technique trumps power almost every time. This is all to say that as you lean forward to deliver this strike, you flex your core, and bend your knees. Your feet begin to angle upward (the opposite of going tippy-toe) as you bend your knees. Your right arm is brought back into an almost mantis-like position, ready to push the mune forward. This movement is not mindless. Try the movement of the right arm with your palm against your imaginary or physical blade, and then try it with the back of your hand, in the mantis-styled push. The body mechanics of the mantis-push allow more direct engagement of your chest and the tricep, but it also allows for a more lateral motion, in line with the ground, and -especially when hunched forward- prevent a tension that would be created inbetween your right shoulderblade and the ribs on your right side. It is merely more ergonomic, and thus more fluid.

[@ATJ-sTAt]

@@Alyxandeyr That's your prorogative.

[@narekbeglaryan4228]

Ես հիացած եմ ձեր վարպետությամբ,և ես ձգտում եմ սովորել ձեր դասընթացները։

[@pitergrey1491]

Красивый приём! 👍

[@DEATH-THE-GOAT]

I need to buy a katana! thank you for teaching us this cutting move it looks great. 🙏

[@Smiling_Waffle]

In the demonstration, my man put his coins in his armpit.

[@methepsychic]

Really love your 'mon' .

[@ATJ-sTAt]

Also, I'm quite sure that you are using a "theatrical" katana in demonstrating this. If you wouldn't mind I'd like to see you do the moves with an Iaito even if it means slowing down the motions. My katana is a shinken so it has considerable weifght to it. All my practicing is slow until the cut.

[@johncartwright8154]

Don't think I would trust myself practising this with a shinken! :)

[@ATJ-sTAt]

@@johncartwright8154 The key is Veeery carefully! :) Knock on wood.. I havent managed to cut myself yet. But, I'm still young. :)

[@narusawa74]

anyone knows where to get those stunt katana? it's called takemitsu but I can't find anything in English about them. thanks.

[@ATJ-sTAt]

@@narusawa74 Actually, I wasn't aware of them until recently. Kozure Okami takes on a whole new perspective.. Unfortunatly...

[@cloudkicker-gx7gb]

I remember reading that everyone who uses a shinken will one day bear the mark of its sharpness. 2 years later I did, my technique improved greatly after that.

[@ConanDuke]

Great Mullet!

[@sarakajira]

Haha this is really cool, I'm totally going to practice this! Though, in real life, (haha), that move would be so dangerous because all your opponent has to do is push your hand into you, (even accidentally, like if they bumped into you while rushing you), and you'd stab yourself though your abdomen. Like it's basically holding out your sword in front of your belly and being like, "stab me please!" Hahaha but I could see if you were **really** good at it, you might be able to pull that off fast enough. And you'd definitely want your opponent to be on your right side, and not square in front of you, to increase safety. New to your channel and love your videos though! Great presentation!

[@klourdas]

The best trick was when katana appeared on your right side, and automatically swopped on the left.... By the way, great explanation..🙏🙏

[@MashyM3llow]

please teach more!

[@dannyreyna2821]

Toshiro Mifune lives forever⚘

[@RRedKissaki]

Don’t stop uploading bro… please make iai from sitting stand

[@fillfruity]

Thanks for the video, very nice. Do you have a link where i can buy a nice takemitsu like yours?

[@namazuryusshugyo5214]

Thank you for sharing! 😁 especially love the trivia at the end. Please do check my rendition of Sanjuro end scene if my performance does it justice 😆

[@salomonbernardovinitsky5262]

OBRIGADO!!!.

[@arterialblue4535]

I like these videos, do you use a special safety demonstration sword, the metal looks different? If so what are they called I'd like to shop for one.

[@SaturnDrawsStuff]

So much subscribers with just six video

[@rolmanlugo643]

UN ESTILO UNICO Y MARCIAL PARA HACER EL NOTO .

[@ryuki4500]

that's for real so cool ! - could you maybe try to recreate some poses and strikes from demon slayer / kimetsu no yaiba ? that would be so interesting if some of those breathing techniqes would actually work out in real life :D

[@sexosalvaje717]

more videos please

[@nowi_saldat]

Please make more videos

[@user-do1fq8oy9c]

Why doesn't this guy make more content? He could easily be as big as Shogo!!

[@SHADOW_CRONUS]

my samurai, pls teach me more.

[@stmeainus1922]

Cool :D

[@Rachebart]

Pls more videos. Train us.

[@realisticseinen6957]

SUBARASHI!!

[@TheBladepolisher]

One question for you Ace would be whether or not there's a risk of injuring the the wrist joint at the back of the hand should the katana not cut or reach it's intended completed posture. Should the joint section at the top of the wrist be deflected for some reason, an injury in this area would affect the two handed grip on the tsuka neh?

[@HM-fc7nd]

Can this movement be done with a wakizashi ? the shortness of the blade becomes an advantage

[@shadowlancer45]

2 years ago? what happened bro? You upload no more videos?

[@adityaekaputra8925]

Make a new video again

[@faye_hoshino]

Hello, did you know where can i learn the Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu style ?

[@stefanjames1365]

Do Kenshin's ultimate move next Amakekeru no hirumeki

[@cosmiceclipse]

Question can a sword thrust or stab cut a wooden log or meat, like if the user is weak to do a swing and it relies on thrusting and stabbing will it cut the meat or log in half???

[@reynardus1359]

Katana does not make that sound either against the body or when placed in the scabbard.