The Complete Martial Arts of Japan Volume One: Gekken

It's pretty decent. The translator have a bit of a casual tone, and some of the sources are just Wikipedia and blogs, but otherwise pretty good. Too bad Sugawara seems to be a bit dull witted, as he makes many mistakes both in writing and illustration, some of which even the translator felt like pointing out. The illustrations are fairly inconsistent, showing kata with two fighters step by step, one in black clothing and the other in white. Yet, Sugawara doesn't manage to keep it consistent, sometimes they suddenly change color, or are not colored in at all. He also will describe something very complex, and point to an illustration, claiming it shows what he means, but he might describe a block, while the drawing shows just the two just standing, not doing anything at all.Having said all of this, I still recommend it for those who have a historical interest, as these are historical texts. I can appreciate them as of historical value, but as an experienced swordsman, I still would have a hard time trying to follow the instructions in this book.

Filled holes in my knowledge of the period, I intend gradually to purchase other volumes of the series as and when shelf space permits!

ritengo questo volume utile a tutti coloro che si iteressano alle arti marziali giapponesi anche a livello storico e non solo tecnico.

Une belle approche de la forme ancienne du combat au sabre pratiqués par les Samurais, ainsi que l'utilisation d'autres armes. Je recommande cet ouvrage à tous les chercheurs dans les arts martiaux japonais.

VERY GOOD THANKS!!!