Isao Machii - Modern Day Samurai or Just Another Guy?

[@AGS363]

Fun Fact: Being a samurai had nothing to do with skill or martial prowess. The meaning of the term means serviceman. A warrior (bushi) who pleageed allegiance to a Lord. Even when he had no martial training whatsoever and spend his live counting bags of rice!

[@algi1]

Yeah, samurai are romanticized now. We don't imagine them as lazy, out of shape and never touching a sword.

[@ohlawd3699]

True.

[@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin]

There were some knights who were like that too, I believe. Made enough money to pay the knight's fee, and not have to go to war themselves.

[@bskorupk]

The Edo Period in a nutshell, nobody left to fight, then becoming hereditary Bureaucrats/Firemen/Swat team/Lawyers/Or teaching swordsmanship as a sport or discipline with wooden swords.

[@od1401]

Didn't you have to be born into it?

[@TheAquarius1978]

He was featured once in a show called " Stan Lee Super Humans " i belive it was the name, however they never used " Samurai " bullshit on him, he was featured on that show because of his " hand / eye " coordenation and speed since he did the bb cutting.

[@dcs3395]

That's where I've seen him, cheers mate

[@thesapientsapiophile]

yeah, saw him there too! Also saw that Shaolin monk that lives in New York. Now where are they going to find a knight in kansas?

[@TheDelbertB]

TheAquarius1978 that's where I know him from, I thought he was skilled at what he does, but never thought of him as a samurai.

[@sralneman5929]

TheAquarius1978 wasnt this bb cuttung debunked? the guy just shot a short sec. after he pulled his sword. so nobody could tell the differrence.

[@TheAquarius1978]

Sral Neman I never heard that mate, so i really cant tell.

[@mrnobody6354]

Simple answer: not a samurai, because being a samurai is more than being able to cut well with a sword, a lot more...

[@mrnobody6354]

DrTheKay Well, you summed up a samurai in one word.

[@leonthomas4680]

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar where's Ginger?

[@mrnobody6354]

The God of Hellfire Died a few years ago unfortunately, but I'm still going strong, won't rest until my nemesis is defeated.

[@ivanharlokin]

Exactly. Someone wouldn't be a "modern day knight" just because they can cut well with an arming sword.

[@lktop1532]

He is a kenutsu expert not a samurai, samurai is the warrior who served feudal japan

[@weltanschauung2221]

But can he slice an incoming pommel in half?

[@elsaturn5775]

Himura Kenshin yes?

[@weltanschauung2221]

noep

[@hristokuymdjiev4225]

Now hold on. He can't even cut a second grand canyon let alone a thrown a pommel.

[@19Koty96]

But what about fire arrows...

[@spoonman73]

lol

[@GreyFootballChat]

whatever might that guy be, he is surely a badass

[@phantom3969]

Sagrotan Or, if you had actually cared to listen carefully, you would have known he is actually an Iaido master and the Head of his school...

[@whatisahandlebruh]

pol ara Uhh, he’s still a badass.

[@23Disciple]

@@whatisahandlebruh Did you read what Pol Ara writte?

[@Fedorchik1536]

About cutting sheet metal. I saw video made by Thrand and Eldgrimr about cutting sheet metal with bronze sword. Should we call them modern day bronze age warriors? xD

[@siekensou77]

Nick Fedorov got the urls handy?

[@mkall]

hahaha nice one xD

[@keloid123]

+siekensou77 just search bronze cut steal like a normal person

[@siekensou77]

i found it afterwards. the sheets that were used had different thickness. the one in the show was held further apart and had less movement. the one used by eldgrim curved back and forth despite being held at a closer distance. i don't know how much of a difference it would have made but the metal not being the same difference might have been a significant variable.

[@keloid123]

Or the station is not stationary

[@galumir]

You know these KZbinrs who reuse the same old intro in every video for over two years? Our dear Mr does a new one every day :O Just saying ^^

[@metatronyt]

ahah ;)

[@lugzx]

I think before saying he's not a modern samurai, one must analyze what is a samurai? What made a person a samurai? what are the qualifications to be a samurai? I think in that we can truly find our answer.

[@Mr-R.R.]

you are talking about philosophy at this point(which isn't incorrect) but we are also talking about the actuality of the matter. That is, samuari's no longer exist. yes you can think and act like one, but never can anyone be one.

[@grizwoldmayor6671]

The issue is in so many people conflating animerai and Samurai. The Samurai were not *just warriors who fought* - they/it were/was an entire class in society. Somewhere between the real nobility and the commoners. Philosophy aside, 'being a Samurai' is a *lot more* than just knowing how to use a sword in a single style/martial arts method. Whatever the case: Samurai, as has already been said all over the comments section, no longer exist. You can pretend to be one, call yourself one, and even prove yourself similarly-skilled to one, but you literally cannot be an 'official Samurai'. They lost nearly all of their power by/during the Restoration, and following that became purely honorary/ceremonial, before eventually disappearing entirely.

[@chiblast100x]

Much like being a knight, being a samurai was first and foremost a social class thing. The meaning and value of the samurai as a social caste effectively died during the reign of Emperor Meiji with the modernization of the military and the institution of conscription even if there is a minor trend for those who would, by heredity, be part of the samurai class to make a thing of that fact. Despite their co-opted resurgence during the early 20th century the philosophical aspects of being a samurai, which were reasonably important part of being part of the social class, have largely been out of favor since the modernization of the military as well and, anymore, mainly seem to have the most social stock among Japanese martial arts practitioners. These two aside there is the skill set of the samurai. Both the martial and civil skills practiced by the samurai live on, but one effectively needs to be independently wealthy or else able to make a living off all of these skills in order to have and justify the time to put in all the dedicated practice needed to have each of these skills honed to the level that would historically be expected.

[@lugzx]

vlademir1 very well said. I think that is very close to the answer, but let's look at this more simply. You see if someone wishes to be a knight, it's as simple as being knighted by the queen herself. He may not have any qualities typically associate with a knight, but if deemed worthy by the queen, then it is made so irregardless of his qualities. Can this this still happen in japan today? Is there a similar process that person can take to become a samurai?

[@Mr-R.R.]

Lugz X no. there is not if so we would still have samurai like we do knights. Although being a Knight today is not nearly the same as being knighted back then. so really knights also don't exist (if we are talking about "real" knights like we are samurai)

[@Fede_uyz]

metatron, i fully agree with you, the issue with the point on cutting the metal sheet, is this: that demostration is showing the ability to cut with perfect alignment, as the shit was so thin and under such tension, the minor deviation would translate in the sword cuting to one side or the other, and not straight down

[@Betrix5060]

True, but is it really that impressive? Serious question is getting that kind of edge alignment of a vertical cut that far above the norm? I don't have any real evidence to go off of, which is why I am asking, but my gut tells me no.

[@biggsydaboss3410]

Imperium Americanum A straight cut down without much or any deviation isn't that difficult. In relation to other cuts you can do. For one thing you are going with one major forces in existence, gravity. Rather than having to compensate for it. I probably could've done that with one of the cold steel machetes I own. Assuming I sharpened it a bit before hand & though they have weight to them, preventing deviation. They are not known for finesse.

[@siekensou77]

Federico Olivares i dont think it was that thin of a sheet. but he was still required to cut a basically flat piece of metal from the edge to the opposite edge. i think this is more difficult than cutting on the side as with a pair of scisors or punching through the side. you can punch through glass on one of its faces but can you punch on edge and clear it to the other edge? it is tougher to go directly through edge to edge. would be nice to see the width/depth of that sheet though. i wonder if some personal tests could be done for this. also how much more difficult would varying degrees of curves (on the sheet) make? curved outward or inward? paper cutters cut along the face rather than directly through the edge.

[@grizwoldmayor6671]

It's not more difficult to go through the 'edge'. The 'difficulty' comes from the fact that you have to strike (punch/cut/etc.) through *more [insert material]*. If we take a glass sheet, for example, it is fairly easy to punch through it, as there it's fairly thin. But to punch through one 'edge' to another requires you to go through more material, making it much, much more difficult. I suppose what I'm trying to say is: if the distance between two 'edges' is a short one, there should be very little (if any) difference in trying to strike through it, and trying to strike from one edge to the next. Of course, surface area is also a factor.

[@lucakillen3901]

Federico, ther's no need of particular tests, simply think about one finger, pushed against a side of a paper sheet, if u try to pass through it u're going to pass it side by side. Matter of mass, with a sharp edged sword I think that a few skilled man could do so.

[@jimdigriz2923]

I saw him long before before catching this video and was blown away by his ability to not only cut the BB, but the grain of rice and when he went 'Toe to Toe' with a robotic arm. He shows what someone with true dedication to his art is capable of, I loved the throwaway "No sweetheart, he couldn't" in relation to him cutting through the thin sheet at the end. As to him being a modern day Samurai, I'd say no, not in traditional use of the term, but he does his best to emulate one in the art of Iaijutsu

[@RaggaDruida]

I think ThegnThrand did a video cutting a metal sheet like that with a bronze sword...

[@reddokkfheg9443]

Yes they did but the thing is not about the sword. Pretty much any sword can cut a thin steel plate like that or sheat of steel maybe as it is soo thin. To do it perfectly and cut it really straight takes skill. You can do it with any sword but if you dont align the cut perfecly the cut wont be straight. So it is not about the sword its about the wielder.

[@Gloin79]

it's definitely a feat of skill but the certainly not as amazing as the audience thinks :p

[@reddokkfheg9443]

No not the cutting of the steel sheat. It do require skill to cut it that straight but still noting extreme. But things like cuttign the baseball and such that do require a lot higher skill. And what anoy me is that many see the video where he cut the steelsheat and go like "Yeah look how amzing katana is. it can cut steel"

[@Gloin79]

yeah the exaggerated gasps really tick me off

[@weltanschauung2221]

Diego De León Their videos are very useful at destroying bullshit.

[@H4hT53]

I pretty much agree with you. But I would add that Samurai weren't *only* supposed to be good at cutting stuff, but were expected to be able to do many other things as well.

[@9SS94Cr]

Well, I personally won't refer him as a "samurai" because he is not as skilled as a real one in the history. See, he is an Iaito master, not a sword fighting master. Iaijutsu is only a very small part in samurai swordsmanship. A samurai needed to be well versed in all weapons and all aspects of a particular weapon that were available to him at the time. I have no doubt Sensei Machii is one of the best in what he does but calling him a "modern day samurai" is simply inaccurate. It has more to do with modern media and popular culture, though. I doubt he personally takes joy in being called like that.

[@9SS94Cr]

To my understanding, knives and swords are heavily regulated by law in Japan. You won't be allowed to have them unless you have legit reasons. Conveniently, practicing Iaito is considered a legit reason since they need a real sword to cut tatami rolls. So Iaito practitioners are the few people in Japan who can hold and wield a real sword. Thus, lacks of accessibility contributed to ignorance and misunderstanding in the public.

[@HiragamaIkunai]

Stipulations in the laws allow people of samurai lineage to own, and wield their ancestors stuff for purposes of training and carrying on the legacy, if a heir is not established upon death the items are eventually collected and put in museum. The second stipulation is you have to practice the school of which your ancestor was registered under in the case of the schools extinction there are exceptions allowing for substitutions. To add to this people who are registered as inheritors of samurai lineage in the case of assault you are charged much more severely, should you continue your families lineage by practicing the school of your ancestor. Then there are the modern replica laws ...that you must have sufficient reason to own and carry one IE practitioner of Koryu, Sword laws are kind of a mess and have been since the Meiji.

[@9SS94Cr]

Thank you for the clarification. It is indeed way messier than I thought.

[@HiragamaIkunai]

9SS94Cr Thats just the rough gist, most law text is in kanji... and I suck at kanji....like most of japan

[@oblongjr]

wow that was a lot of info. thanks, mate. didnt know that sword laws in japan was that complicated

[@ctam79]

It's a lot harder to cut metal than you think it is. If the angle of your blade is off by a fraction of a degree, the sword will stick in the metal (like a bullet in a sand bag) and not go all the way through. It's more about skill than strength or speed.

[@theaussiebogan9680]

ctam79 not with the thin sheet metal. If it was off, then the cut would just be wonky

[@RockerMarcee96]

ctam79 you can do it with a butter knife with a little training, and you cut at it from the edge of the material.

[@ctam79]

"you can do it with a butter knife"...LOL bullshit.

[@RockerMarcee96]

ctam79 we are talking about at most 0.5 mm mild steel sheet being supported from both sides. It is more likely something 0.2-0.3 mms thick. If you were to throw a puch at it it would be certainly ruined.

[@ctam79]

0.2 mm? wtf are you talking about sheet metal or tin foil? For sheet steel used in construction, it's got to be on the order of at least 2 or 3 mm and even then this is steel, not aluminum or some other cheap metal. And even if it was only 0.2 mm, the metal would tear like paper if the angle of the blade was off, not create a clean cut like it was cut with scissors.

[@muskyelondragon]

I watched this master on Stan Lee's show. He is absolutely amazing! His skill is over 9000!

[@Van12B]

What 9000!? There’s no way that can be right... can it?

[@Isaac_El_Khoury]

"No, sweetheart, he couldn't." That gave me a laugh. XD

[@animula8322]

To be a soldier is much more than to know how to shoot guns.

[@datalt7873]

What does that have to do with America? Strongest nation in the world but they forgot about what's being a soldier all about? What you are saying is all Americans claim to be soldiers because all they know is how to shoot firearms when in reality not everyone owns a gun and not every single American claimed themselves as "soldiers". Soldier = Army Marine = Marines Sailor = Navy Airman = Air Force You can call anyone anything you like, but you won't be taken seriously or appreciated for your lack of knowledge.

[@BirdTurdMemes]

@James Black huh?

[@claemiller]

his accuracy and speed sound phenominal but im curious how he fairs sparring

[@paweandonisgawralidisdobrz2522]

He wouldent be as good as sparring as in cutting projectals becouse no one will AIM for his blade like they do in film

[@Rookie64v]

He has extremely good accuracy and reflexes, this makes a big point in he potentially being a good fighter too. Then again, sparring (in my experience with Shotokan karate at least) is much more than that, but all the timing and ability to recognize opportunities is wasted if you do not react very fast. My opinion is if he had practiced sparring for any decent amount of time he is probably a very skilled opponent, potentially losing to someone with not-as-godly reflexes but tons of experience with timing, feints, baits and all other amenities that make the middle-aged martial arts master kick the butts of the younger and fitter athletes and students while showing how to spar.

[@frequencydecline5250]

"if he had practiced sparring for any decent amount of time he is probably a very skilled opponent,..." Which is applicable to pretty much anyone.

[@Rookie64v]

Not really. Take your average guy, make him practice sparring for 5 years, he'll be your average opponent. Take a particularly talented guy and make him practice 5 years, he'll be a very skilled opponent. I've been practicing karate for 6 years and I cannot possibly be considered "very skilled opponent" by any means

[@penttikoivuniemi2146]

They actually show his failed cuts in the full video. I just happened to stumble on it yesterday.

[@8ferarry8]

Skilled swordsman - yes. But samurai were more than just swordsman.

[@paweandonisgawralidisdobrz2522]

Sometimes less

[@juliafudala3691]

They were soldiers.

[@roteakualmawi8852]

Knights are more than what elton john etc are

[@arbhall7572]

Ive seen his sheet cutting video before. Didnt remember the dudes name. I have to agree, he is no Samuri, and that he is supremely skilled. I wonder if he does Kendo on video. Im curious to see how his skills translate to a more fluid situation. Thank you sir. Great video. PS- Cutting that BB is really impressive.

[@TheSchuetzeP]

I actually enjoyed the bit of music playing in the end while looking for the next video to watch, Metatron. I don't know if it was a cutting mistake, but it was nice. (Of course the video itself was alo interesting and entertaining :D )

[@metatronyt]

Thank you very much and no it wasn't a cutting mistake I left it on purpose for 2 reasons, reason numeber one I know you nobleones like the music, reason number two, videos which go past 10 minutes monetize more ;)

[@tommytom1591]

Metatron Metatron you dog! Jk I love your videos man.

[@tommytom1591]

Metatron Metatron you dog! Jk I love your videos man.

[@nathanksimpson]

I also just enjoy the music.

[@OjiOtaku]

Skilled? Yes. Impressive? Yes. Samurai? Never met one so I can't say yes or no. I never heard of him until now. I would watch his exhibition as I would enjoy it.

[@BE02Raziel]

I've seen a video of him once, a long time ago. In fact, I didn't even know his name back then. I only knew him as "the Japanese katana guy who could cut a speeding BB". Anyways, back then - obviously, I was younger - I thought it was amazing that he had cut through metal. Today watching this video - even before you mentioned it - seeing it again, I was like "eh... that's sheet metal..."

[@peacebewu]

Honestly, the first time I saw that video I thought it was a thick metal lol.

[@fernandouseodysee5027]

I must be blind, I thought it was a plank of wood, and I asume that it was the kind of plank that are used for the karate showups or something like that. Then the sword cut it perfectly and then I thought it was some kind sheet of paper and I was wtf. It was suposed to be metal but it doesn´t seems to be like one.

[@themetaldragon666]

Hi my name is chad and yes I agree with you because I'm also a prationer of battojutsu, iado , akido hapkido and my own personal style of Marshall arts so I can understand just how hard you have to train yourself every day to get to that level it's a lot of hard work in know from experience.

[@DukeBrave7]

Actually on the metal cutting, as you said you could probably punch through it because it was so weak or flimsy, but that is actually what was impressive about it. The metal was so weak that most people would have bent the metal but instead he managed to get a perfect clean cut through it without it bending which displays his accuracy and precision, not that he can cut metal

[@mattm56]

good point, just as punching (cleanly) through paper actually takes some good hand speed.

[@Juarqua]

I have seen him the first time in this video and I agree with you, Metatron. For me he is an extraordinary skilled swordsman but no Samurai. I've come to this conlusion because of the fact that he is only practicing with the sword but not with a naginata, not with a (han-)kyu or any other weapons a Samurai had also to be skilled at using.

[@lifedelay]

I really enjoyed this video/topic. Wanted to say thank you for uploading everyday, I know you are very busy. That's one thing I love about you as a content creator, you always put out quality content. As always, I look forward to your video's every evening.

[@CatholicismRules]

Not a samurai, possibly incredibly skilled. I say possibly because if you have ever watched any Dude Perfect stuff they obviously don't get those things on their first tries and I am doubtful that he cut that little pellet or BB on his first try. Not to down on that achievement, but give all the people on Dude Perfect (or anyone) a few days and it will happen. If he pulled that off first try then either he got really lucky (still a possibility) or he's incredibly skilled.

[@penttikoivuniemi2146]

The video at least made it seem like it was the second try.

[@Valdo0511]

Finally! Proof that the katana can cut through solid steel! Now we only need someone who is skilled enough to unveil the true power of the katana and cut through space and time

[@ArchFiendAF]

i havent thought about isao machii in quite a while, though i remember seeing him on some show talking about him cutting a an airgun round out of the air. for a long time that really impressed me, and im sure there is a great deal of skill in doing such a thing but with the more skeptical mind i have as an older person i have to wonder how much control he has on where the airgun is being aimed. because if he were to be able to have the airgun always aimed at the same spot, he only needs a certain level of precision in order to simply have his sword in the right place at the right time and practice having that sword there. the question then is really how important his skill is in the scenario because if the gun always hits the same target then you could have a blade sitting between it and the target and it would do the same feat that he does swinging it. i dont doubt that isao is incredibly skilled but i think that the feats he preforms require more scrutiny to truly give him as much credit as they are hyped.

[@ArchFiendAF]

they are fast and knowing when to swing your sword and swinging it very quickly are factors that you clearly need and isao is clearly incredibly good at, but i think the most important thing to ask is if he could cut a BB fired at him from any angle. what he is doing is impressive, i don't mean to belittle what he is truly capable of, at the same time i think it is being hyped as something fair greater than what it really is because its not advertised as "isao machii draws and cuts a BB fired from a gun he had angled so that he could predict where to swing in order to hit it" its advertised as "isao machii master of iaijutsu cuts a BB out of the air fired at him" or worse "isao machii master of iaijutsu can slice bullets out of the air" which puts him on the same ground as anime and deadpool. you know what kind of test would impress me more? if he were cutting some material by reacting to a laser pointer being flicked on and landing on a random area of that material and the stipulation was that he must cut the material over-top of where the laser touches and he is judged by accuracy and speed. its not as flashy but i think it would be a much clearer benchmark of skill.

[@cameronbreeze6918]

I would go further to say can he even consistently cut one in a controlled environment designed to make it as easy as possible or is it simply the result of a series of attempts.

[@takeoffmwmc2256]

I just wanted to tell you that I really love your channel and I look forward to your new videos everyday...I'm watching from Northern Arizona, USA. , Best wishes to you, thank you so much for sharing the wonderful content that you create, it's brilliant. xoxo

[@mkall]

in regards to the metal he cut. i am willing to bet this is aluminum and from the thinkness he might as well had cut a soda can. not only that but notice how after he cut the sheet it had really high separation? well that means that there were stresses acting on the sheet. for the educated eye this is not impressive. heck i could do it*, probably a lot more clumsy but still. I recognise his skill and it would be far more impressive if he cut a brick, but ofcourse this was targetted to the general public and it had the shock value. *actually on a second thought i can do it 100%, whenever i drink soda i always cut the can to drink all the sweet drops, dont judge me. btw what is the ending song?

[@mkall]

on second inspection thats definately aluminium, iron/steel wouldnt have bent forward.

[@metatronyt]

I think they said "tetsu" in Japanese, so it would be iron ;)

[@breaden4381]

Thrand cuts steel sheets occasionally, even with a bronze sword.

[@mkall]

metatron, lying is not an option?

[@loganschaeffer9047]

Your channel deserves more subs than 120k

[@Dantick09]

1:32 I bet he is defending against a turret from portal, they fire the entire bullet xD

[@sadakotube]

saw it before you posted this video. i was amazed with his skills when they demonstrated the BB slicing, but when they showed the metal sheet slicing, it was like... meh.

[@IZokoraI]

So being a Samurai is all about showing off? I thought a Samurai was a warrior.

[@RevRaptor898]

Read some of the historical stuff, samurai loved to show off, knights did too. If you are really good at something you are going to want to show it off, that's just how humans are :)

[@IZokoraI]

Rev Raptor Just to clarify. The point was about ALL about showing off. Of course you can show off what you can do. But I do not believe, being a Samurai is only that, isn't it?

[@vrvrpppp]

Exactly, would he cut and run when blood starts to spill in the chaos of battle? Its more than just sword skill against inanimate objects that don't move.

[@RevRaptor898]

That actually really depends on the period the samurai lived in. Some were warriors and some were only bureaucrats who never even entered a battle.

[@IZokoraI]

Rev Raptor Good argument, but I think it is a point with limited scope. I guess, we could all agree that there were Samurai who were bureaucrats but also there were those who actually had to know how to fight. So we're talking about different contexts, which leads to nothing, of course ;-)

[@Nathual]

As usual Well thought out! Cheers from an old warrior! Love your channel!

[@benceszabo5515]

5:33 Ling ling 40 hours a day? Nah bruh I practice 10 years per day.

[@CarrolGhiacciolo]

Well, I would not call him samurai because samurai did more than just swordfighting: they were a caste of nobles, they also worked as functionaries and served a lord. This guy however is amazing swordman nontheless.

[@DioDiablo702]

The most revered samurai in Japanese history was a ronin named Miyamoto Musashi. Who are we to really question if someone is a samurai by status alone?

[@Sebomai-b8i]

Isn't that the guy that invented dual katana style because he was abnormally tall and long limbed (for Japan) and needed a way to defeat highly skilled samurai as quickly as possible? Then he went around the land killing samurai and declaring the superiority of his style only to be rejected as dishonorable for both his swordsmanship and his ronin status? Cool dude but I don't think he achieved much respect until late in his life when he mellowed out a bit, or maybe even after his death.

[@lupahole]

Love your videos! That being said, people really need to stop asking "what do you think" in the ending of their videos all the time. We get it, you want the comments. You are gonna get them regardless of if you ask or not.

[@Vettespeed]

not saying for this video but other u should get straight to the point. like for the for honor one just say that the samurai or knights would win in the beginning then explain why. (maybe?)

[@che3se1495]

Lucas Simms That just leads to fan boys down voting and leaving without listening to the explanation.

[@Betrix5060]

But that wasnt the point of the video, not by a longshot. The point was that Matpat made a video touting his utterly shit understanding of history as fact. The only relevant part of the "who would win" thing was the Knight and Viking not being, between their hauberks and shields, neigh invulnerable to arrowfire.

[@Vettespeed]

i honestly didn't watch the whole video because i just wanted to hear who he thought would win

[@che3se1495]

I don't really know why you're subscribed then, this is a channel all about historical information and its eccentricities. It is all about how we get to our conclusions as apposed to the conclusions we make.

[@KillerTacos54]

Haha great video as always. Made my day per usual

[@sladikk]

reminds me of the guy who could rapid fire a bow who went viral in like 2014 lol

[@dcs3395]

Lars confuck Anderson?

[@sladikk]

Yeah, the WOAH LOOK AT HIM HALF DRAW AND QUICKFIRE AFTER (insert unknown number here) TAKES HE IS THE GREATEST ARCHER EVER guy

[@dcs3395]

sladikk You forgot the I REDISCOVERED THIS ANCIENT TECHNIQUE guy

[@JimGiant]

Pretty much my thoughts, both highly skilled at stunts which have very little to do with actually using the weapons. What sets them apart as far as I can see is Isao isn't lying and saying he's revived mythical lost techniques.

[@sladikk]

Jim Giant Well, the media is lying, not him

[@Ch4oTiK]

You are absolutely correct in your analysis I think man. Taking into consideration the time he spent getting his muscle reaction time on point, to eliminate hesitation and strike on anticipation, so on and so forth as well as the ability to know when to draw preemptively and accurately so that the blade makes contact with a very fast moving, very small target...he has some extreme talent. When he cut the BB for example, he failed initially but the second time, remembered the timing necessary to pull it off as well as did so accurately and confidently. Very impressive. Having the mental capability to perform these feats is what it takes to be a natural, so I think had he existed back then during any prolific samurai era with the same mental acuity but *also* with the correct training and battle experience, he would have made a name for himself at a very young age. At the very least he'd put on shows cutting arrows for nobility, if such a thing happened.

[@desertratz307]

I'd heard of him before, and he's a badass, just not a samurai.

[@deliriousaquarius5799]

I love your intros. makes me hype to learn about history!

[@iconoclastic23]

he's a master of the art of bullshido.

[@alexjones4386]

iconoclastic23 very possible

[@paweandonisgawralidisdobrz2522]

Bullshido won my day

[@420potsofale8]

He can probably cut you down faster than you can yell "bullshido!" though.

[@Green-tf8uw]

Bullshito

[@epherium8177]

Mauricio Nice job picking up on the joke, bud.

[@hpmelo]

Hey Metatron! Please make a video about Mafia and Yakuza comparing both (maybe debunking the show Deadlist Warrior when they did the same).

[@seapeoplesdidnothingwrong1307]

No, not everyone can do everything with enough practice. Genetics play a HUGE You roll in learning new skills. Can anyone get relatively good at something with enough practice yes, but 99.999% of people could not be as good as Mozart regardless of how much they practiced. Same thing with fighting you couldn't be as good as Anderson Silva. Or football Adrian Peterson. Some people are geniuses at the age of 10. Some people are just genetically freaks and gifted well beyond what the average person could ever achieve.

[@TheOnlyToblin]

he's a performer, which is obvious. But his speed, precision and reaction time is truly something to behold when he's cutting BBs I admit.

[@omgwateverlol]

ooooOOooo drama

[@robertneal4244]

I first became aware of him on an episode of Stan Lee's Superhumans on the History Channel. They not only tested him with baseballs and a plastic pellet but they also electronically measured his speed and reaction time. In a non-combat test it was found his basic eye-hand reaction time was good but not "superhuman" so it was his anticipation and skill that helped more than how fast his hands react to what his eyes tell him. I have seen nothing to show his other skills which a Samurai may have. Horsemanship, archery, calligraphy, poetry, etc. All the same, he is an amazing human being and hopefully an inspiration for others to follow.

[@quixotika3232]

If someone was as skilled or even more skilled than this man in historical times, do you think he could block or cut an incoming arrow. I know it sounds crazy but if he could cut a bb in half then just imagine someone who has practiced since they were old enough to walk. Like if he saw the arrow comming from far away and it happened to be windy and maybe the archer was drunk or something.

[@alchopakachino7987]

On german television i once saw an episode of an "educational show". They once tried to recreate his cutting a speeding projectile, but the only way they could manage to do it was via setup: the barrel was fixed in a certain position, which the swordsman then aligned his cut with and after countless tries finally succeeded. It got me thinking, did Isao Machii use the same setup or does he cut the bullet coming from a more or less "unpredictable" flight path?

[@bee2hive]

Did you guys look at the setup? The metal sheet is an inch apart after the cut. Look at the heavy wood frame. The metal was under extreme tension.

[@jeffwhite7214]

I think your analysis is spot on, and I agree in your dissent of the critics that don't like the cutting on non-traditional objects. The skill on display is what's important. If we had a historical document accounting the story of a samurai who split a pebble fired from a sling, those same critics would be praising that feat, but it would essentially be the exact same display of skill; probably inferior, actually, since the BB would be traveling at a faster speed than a sling, but you get the point.

[@narciska0]

The fact he sliced a 6mm BB bullet is not only evidence of his speed, accuracy and his skill with a katana, but also an evidence of his intuition, his paranormal seeing accurate enough to locate and hit something you can't see. You have no chance to see such little thing travelling that high speed and even Isao did not saw it. He sliced it although he didn't saw it and after he saw a high-speed camera record he saw that he did it.

[@BlazeLeeDragon]

I've seen him before, he is very skilled. I agree with you that I personally would not use the term "Modern Day Samurai" but I was also under the impression from research that the Samurai where horsemen that used bows. The whole concept of the wondering swordsmen was after the era that the Samurai where at their peek.

[@justmitch4583]

im very pleased you made this video. needed to be done.

[@bowmanc.7439]

In the cut metal video, it was explained quite clearly that the point wasn’t that it was metal, the point was his cut was so vertically downward and fast, it didn’t bend the metal sheet forward or backward

[@kevinharrigan2727]

Whatever Isao Machii is, he’s a freak of nature in the best way when it comes to muscle memory and his brain-body communication is on a completely different level. Hitting a bb at the speed of an air soft gun is absolutely bonkers. Such a cool guy.

[@coryredmr2]

Didn't know about him before your video, just the fact that he is Guiness world records is impressive enough for my respect.

[@ronyozamoto2216]

Just FYI, think it (the sheet of metal that he cut) looks like coated iron we use for roof cladding and flashings for building.

[@guilhermepuppim8471]

Thanks for the speach about endure until the end to learn something. That motivated me to go back to Jiu Jitsu once again.

[@youtubevoice1050]

The BB round cutting requires an incredible amount of precision and timing. I remember, it has been said, that he has to anticipate where the round will be, rather than relying on his eyes - otherwise he wouldn't make it in time to hit the projectile. Even if the whole setup will aid him, hitting something as small is still incredibly difficult. Considering how small these rounds are (6mm?), he only got a few millimeters of error margin (2-3?) - definitely less than the size of the round, since he needs to hit it relatively close to the center in order to cut it in two.

[@tonywalsh6054]

Modern misconception about Samurai has led to people assuming they were all top grade martial artists, they were not. Samurai were a social caste, and they weren't all warriors. The skill of the gentleman in question is incredible and clearly demonstrates many many years of defication to training in his art.

[@tiawheeler1153]

I actually have never heard of Machii-sensei, but I do find the fact that he can cut through a BB pellet rather impressive. PS: Seriously man, you have the most interesting outros and intros.

[@WiseSnake]

1:31 That clip cracks me up. Reminds me of the Portal turrets firing whole bullets. (65% more bullet per bullet.)

[@ZorroLocoStudios]

Yes, I had heard of Isao Machii before. I think he's amazing, too. He's an inspiration to many of us swordsmen.

[@80Jay71]

Ok. You asked for an opinion about "the modern day samurai". So, here it is. I agree with you about the muscle-momory-thing with the bb-pellet, but, still, seeing him cut a pod of peas in half in one cut is pretty amazing. Also the slicing of the enoki-mushroom isn't too bad either. All in all, after I saw the episode of Mythbusters when they invited him to prove his skill, I stand amazed!

[@simeongeorgiev1107]

I didn't know about this man, I am new to this stuff and I find every video particularly interesting! Much respect to that guy's swords mastery! I can imagine the steady hand that is required to cut the metal sheet but still, it is just a metal sheet and the way it was put feels like the most beneficial for him bcz he applies the most pressure that way!

[@e.zponder7526]

The distinction between modern Japanese martial arts and pre-Meiji martial arts is an important consideration in comparing Isao Machii's skills and those of the samurai. I don't know enough about classic iaijutsu and kenjutsu to comment on the differences between his training and theirs, of course, but it is significant that he will have practiced and trained without the real expectation of using a sword in combat, as they did.

[@nordattack]

A Samurai was a warrior and a killer of men. Some of them may have been able to do sword tricks like Isao, but at heart they were warriors. If Isao is to be classified as a Samurai then he must have top skills as a warrior. It reminds me of a short conversation between a cowman who is very fast with his gun and a Lawman. This is from the movie, Lawman, starring Burt Lancaster. Cowman: "Ryan thinks you're pretty good. He says you could kill me anytime you wanted to. I see it different. I think I'm faster." Lawman: "Are you asking me who's faster or whether I could kill you when I chose to? Because if it's the second, the answer is yes." Cowman: "You're pretty damn sure." Lawman: "I'm pretty damn sure. You think it's a game, don't you? A contest between gentlemen. You ever kill a man, Crowe? You're a cowman. You carry a gun for protection -- snakes. You learn to use it, sometimes fairly well; sometimes you become really good; but you're still a cowman. I'm a lawman. Do you know what a lawman is, Crowe? He's a killer of men. That's what the job calls for. There are nicer ways to put it, but it reads the same. That's the difference between us, and it's all the difference I need."

[@uglett]

im more impressed by his reflexes and speed than other things that should be more revelant. As a competitive ping pong player im absolutely mesmerised just watching him cutting through that bullet. The reason is, in ping pong, when you have to return a powerful smash while you are really close to the table (can reach 110 KMh at 3 meters away) you barely see the ball coming and its extremely difficult to return them. At this speed its eating those 3 meters in 0.11 sec, which is 3 times faster than the blink of an eye. Even when you know exacty when the other player will hit the ball its quite an achievement to just have the racket at the right place to return it (without talking about the returning accuracy). Now if you consider the ball and racket size which are significantly bigger than a sword edge and a bullet, which wont give you any margin for error its even more impressive (that small make it incredibly harder to see coming). And this is even without considering the fact he do not know when the bullet will be fired or the amazingly greater speed this one have. Im completely blown away

[@wotwott2319]

1:30 "we fire the whole bullet. That's 65% more bullet per bullet."

[@quixotika3232]

For a second there I thought he cut clean through paper without a single wrinkle and I was like OH SHIT but then the Metatron had to spoil the moment by saying it was sheet metal.

[@SoAwesomeKillz]

820km/h is about 227.7777m/s, which accounts to an object moving a distance of 20 meters, for example, in less than 100 milliseconds. Far faster than people with incredibly fast reaction times, like 180ms, could even react. So if he was able to cut a ball moving that fast without a countdown it's not just a matter of skill anymore, as the reaction required would have to be essentially instantaneous. Remember he doesn't just have to react, as in just blink an eye or move a finger, but also draw the sword. I don't really know the circumstance of the record so this is just an assumption... Or I may just suck at math.

[@lordlard2833]

First time ever seeing Isao Machii. He's obviously got skill but every sword has its limits. It might be harder for any old person to cut the metal without getting alignment right. Thanks for the video!

[@germanvisitor2]

Does he really intercept the bbs in mid-air or isthe guy with the bb-gun timing his shots to hit the blade?

[@weltanschauung2221]

germanvisitor2 Good point

[@peacebewu]

This is a question that must be answered!

[@germanvisitor2]

You also need to be able to see where the bb actually is and so on.

[@peacebewu]

+Sagrotan still, it's pretty hard to make a bb and a blade meet, well not unless the one shooting is good at it(which I suppose is a possibility). I was thinking it was just cg lol, but it actually happening without any sort of trick is still possible. I might agree with the multiple tries though.

[@penttikoivuniemi2146]

There is a countdown. The strike itself is straight from the sheath, but he first watches how the pellet flies, then misses his first attempt, and then hits it.

[@GabrielCopony]

Hey Metatron do you like the black background? if you don't like it, i will point you to a DIY video , if you like to see an alternative

[@wayakamejima4771]

You can cut a 2mm thick piece of mild steel plate with a properly tempered copper sword. Geometry of the blade, force on impact, inertia, and straightness of cut will all effect it more than the metal used for the weapon... And metal may not even be needed.

[@houghwhite411]

he is amazing, just heard about it just now. most amazing part is the bb cutting bb size is typically .5 cm that is so precise for fast movement

[@mcrekkr]

I don't know if anyone else noticed but when he cut the metal the poles went to either side into a 'Y' shape as if it was under uneven tension.

[@mattm56]

IMO one of his most impressive feats was slicing a pea pod resting (not fixed) atop a stand, horizontally. FROM THE DRAW! That makes it many times harder.

[@mateuszoszust2997]

I agree with you. He isn't a samurai but he is very skilled. He must have trained for long time and I respect him for his hard work.

[@Youngimperialist]

I did not know of Machii. After seeing him in action I have to say I'm impressed.

[@Beefyrulz]

1:21 6mm BB at 350 km/h, which translates to about 318 fps, that's a weak ass spring sniper. They usually come stock at like 400-500 fps, depending on the model. After doing a little research, any videos I find of Isao Machii cutting any airsoft BB's, it's always from a gun shooting around 300 fps. At 300 fps, I figure the BB's are flying slow enough (especially with 0,2g bb's) that you could actually visually process its position in space, and in fact in a lot of airsoft videos, especially sniper videos, you can occasionally see a player who is aware of where they're being shot from, look at incoming BB's and actually dodge them, and mind you these are BB's coming from (more often than not) much more powerful airsoft guns (anywhere from 400-600+ FPS depending on field regulations). So all this is to say, I don't think it's so unbelievable that this guy is actually just 'seeing' the bb's, though I will admit it must take a lot of training and body control to be able to move your body and swing a sword with such precision so as to actually 'cut' the bb, which is impressive in its own right.

[@DaveN80]

He is truly skilled. I agree with you they make him do crazy things for tv but his cutting and strength portrays the true ability of the samurai skill set. No there are no true samurai anymore but he maybe the closest thing to one as he has dedicated his life to the craft. Samurai enough for me truly a joy to watch him cut. The bb is amazing really!

[@xxAntiOtakuxx]

I think the main idea behind cutting metal is that if his cut shifted from a straight cut it would stop in metal or be easily identified upon inspection. That's just my take on it.

[@tessajalloh3914]

He's an incredibly skilled practitioner of a difficult to learn art. He deserves great respect for what he does and for the japanese he represents the ideal of keeping traditions alive and not allowing them to fade away just because of modern life. Which to them is exceptionally important. Do i think he lives up to the classical Samurai? no, probably not. But if he's keeping his arts in the spotlight, and making people more interested in the Katana, Iaijutsu, and the Samurai of old then i can commend him for that. I can't say there's an equivalent for much of European historical warfare. It somewhat saddens me that there aren't more youth becoming engaged and interested in English archery for example.

[@davedave81atall48]

I have seen this guy before and he is very very good and incredibly entertaining... however, his Hasso no Kamae is a little off at 1.01 lol! (also there is a difference between Iaido and Kenjutsu and perhaps his Ryu differentiates an alternate variant.) that said, I have trained in Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu for 8 years and he is much faster than me lol. I greatly admire his skill but I agree he, or indeed any of us, is not what would be called a samurai- as martial artists we can only emulate the spirit and practice of Bushido, we cannnot be Bushi ourselves. great video as always Metatron, keep up the good work!

[@PadraicSmith]

The way you just popped up at the start like Punch and Judy at a puppet show....that was beautiful. I don't really think you could call him a modern samurai either, because, does he follow the code of bushido? I don't know anything about him really, this is the first I've learned, so I'm not sure. I certainly agree he's wildly skilled though.

[@TheGuardian163]

The metal sheet thing, I originally saw it from another video and the hard part was not cutting the metal sheet, it was doing it without warping it. It should fold unless you do a very clean cut. Otherwise the metal sheet would warp around itself I that's what I understood from the video of it I initially watched, if you speak Japanese maybe you could find out if that's correct

[@Ging_10]

I totally agree with you. His precision and speed are very exceptional. Its not even a matter of the eyes seeing the target. I would like to ask you though. What do u think about all those videos on KZbin showing of with the Katana cutting mats? Cause I heard one katana master say once that its the alignment that matters and not the act of cutting itself. While I see many videos of people especially from the US showing off like they are professional katana masters just because they can cut some mats. Take for example the channel of "Cold steel" pretty funny stuff I think lol.

[@SchmokinJoe]

Another great video, thanks for posting! Here's something I was just thinking about on katanas being portrayed as unstoppable (esp. by the Japanese): A lot of cultures have the idea of the "uber sword" or "uber swordsman" but in Japan, since they only had one type of blade shape, wouldn't it stand to reason that any Japanese "super swordsman" would wield a katana-like weapon? They're usually fighting guys who are also wielding katanas but those guys are never a match for the power of the "super sword(sman)"! It seems like in the last several decades people outside of Japan were exposed to anime and Japanese films and just took that as _"Every katana is magic!"_ instead of _"This _*_particular_*_ sword (or swordsman) is supposed to be special."_ Recently the Japanese have adopted the "invincible katana" mythology but I think they just noticed the Americans have a hard on for katanas so they were like _"Oh yeah, definitely, katanas are like lightsabers!"_

[@Cavouku]

Going to leave behind the "modern samurai" bit, because I don't think it has much meaning, but there's something to discuss with his martial ability. His speed and precision are impressive, perhaps even top-tier, but the ability to cut a projectile coming towards you, even if it isn't directly towards you, shows excellent ability to anticipate action. I'm pretty sure he would have had to begin drawing the sword before the pellet was fired (though I could be wrong), and then get it to where he predicted the pellet to be at the time it arrived there. If I'm quick and precise on a punching bag, I can look cool all day and that's fine, but without partner drills or sparring if I don't know where their next attack is coming from and how to respond to the motions in the right time I'd be doomed. I think that's one of the most important skills of a martial artist, personally.

[@RexSpec]

It's always a pleasure to watch Machii-sensei perform. He is an extremely skilled Iaido practitioner, and good showman but I would like to correct some misleading statements here. First, let me start by introducing myself: I've practiced a variety of martial arts--from U.S. Army Combatives, Shotokahn, and Aikido to Iaijutsu under the Toyama-Ryuu school. I don't consider myself a Master. Heck, I probably won't reach Dan until I'm middle-aged. But I can say with confidence that, in regards to martial arts, the only difference between a person with talent for a particular martial art, and a person who has worked tirelessly to be on the same level as this "talented" individual is time. To give an analogy, yes. It's safe to say that masters of (for example) piano, like Beethoven or Mozart, were skilled at a young age, but is it fair to say that a person who has practiced until their sixties cannot reach the same level? Of course not. It's like comparing talented musicians like Beethoven to a composer like John Williams: Both are exceptional musicians, but the way that both of those masters attained the mastery of their same art couldn't be more different. Beethoven, after all, was talented at a young age. By his adolescant years, he was already performing sonatas for nobility. By contrast, John Williams was the son of a relatively unknown jazz percussionist. His father worked in CBS broadcasting services, and various hollywood scores, but no one actually knew who he was. John Williams didn't start making a name for himself until late in his life when he wrote the score for Jaws and Star Wars. By then, he was well into his thirties and forties. Heck, John was even asked if he ever had a "eureka" moment when he wrote some of his most recognizable pieces. And he said he WISHED he had those moments. By all accounts, John was a man who worked tirelessly to write compositions that were even close to comparable to that of Beethoven or Mozart. By contrast, Beethoven and Mozart also worked immensely hard on their pieces, but what does it say about Beethoven when he often refused to play for noblemen? Despite living on practically nothing? What does it say about Beethoven when he often wrote concertos on whimsical inspiration as opposed to the need of constant labor? This tells me that these respective masters became "masters" on rather different methodology. With the major similarity between them coming from the fact that their was a powerful need to create (I.E. write music compositions) but this need came from wholly different places. Indeed, John Williams did enjoy composing, but found the most success when put under the yolk of labor; the need for work to sustain himself. As opposed to Beethoven who HATED being tied down to his need for employment by the nobility, but created his most memorable pieces in private/personal moments, unfettered by the next commission/contract. Bring this analogy back to martial artists, and Machii-sensei specifically: Yes. I do believe Machii-sensei is an incredibly skilled practitioner and--dare I say--Kensei, but I think it's rather presumptuous to say that someone could not get to Machii-sensei's level--even with hard work and practice. After all, the standards in Toyama-Ryuu are exact and strict. As are the standards of man, many martial arts. But, to give an example of the standards imposed on masters of my own sword-school, by First Dan level a Toyama-Ryuu practitioner is expected to be able to cut within an inch of the intended target, and do-so consistently regardless of obstacles or exhaustion levels of the Dan. By Fifth Dan, a Toyama-Ryuu practitioner is expected to be able to cut within AT LEAST a half-an-inch of the intended target (at minimum) and the standards become even more extraordinary, harsh, and exact as you go further up through the Dan rankings. If I may be so bold, I'd say that many martial schools have masters who can perform in a similar fashion to Machii-sensei, but Machii-sensei can perform at these levels with incredible consistency. I don't think it's too far of a stretch to assume that, given the fact that, in Japan, a martial discipline was a way of life, that many Samurai who performed successfully on the battlefield could also live up to these standards--and do-so by way of practice/experience, blood, sweat, and tears. Not merely by raw talent.

[@MichelLinschoten]

Samurai were the military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan. In Japanese, they are usually referred to as bushi or buke.. He is not simple answer. Can he cut like a Samurai, we will never know unless he will start chopping into people with armor as such was the case "back" in the day. It's one thing to cut a tennis ball in half with accuracy, or actually effectively taking on an armored foe that will STRIKE back will similar skills. That takes a whole different skill-set!

[@MageMelonVT]

I have never heard of this man before now, but I would agree that he is highly skilled. As Metratron said, as skilled as some of the best samurai in history. However, I wouldn't call him a modern day samurai. Samurai were not just about cutting things with their katana. Samurai were highly skilled in many different things. Obviously iaijutsu, and kenjutsu were two of them. But as commonly is pointed out, samurai rarely actually used their swords for actual combat. They would use bows, naginata, yari, firearms, staves, and clubs. Additionally, they would practice unarmed combat, horseback riding, and horseback archery. I believe they would also practice all the things stated above both armored and unarmored. Then there is also the philosophical side of being a samurai with bushido. He is highly skilled at what he does. But I would say he wouldn't be a samurai due to his focus in only one aspect of the wide range of skills samurai developed.

[@SomeGuy-em1pn]

what he does, he does incredibly well, essentially trick-shots, with a sword, it's impressive, and respect to him for his ability, and the dedication and discipline it required to obtain.