Yes, I really liked it as well. I was particuarly impressed when I read the description on youtube and found that the girl who starred in it was an 18 year old 8th kyu when it was shot - her taijutsu is excellent for someone who is a junior kyu rank, and I think it was a great idea to get her to do it.

A great promo that shows a mature and grown up approach to presenting the art. Well done all involved!

Beautifully done and I LOVE the ending!

Thank you very much guys, that you took the time not only to watch our video but to comment on it as well! Although we disabled the possibilty to leave a comment via Youtube on purpose, we really appreciate all your feedback! It feels really good to know that the video is valued not only by lay persons, who are the main target group of the video, but as well by those people, who know what really matters in our art!

Best wishes from Berlin,

Philip

--

Shidoshi Philip C. Dao
http://www.ninjutsu-kreuzberg.de/en/

A well thought out and professional production. Love it.
Well done.

Nick

People on Facebook have been practically tripping over themselves going into paroxysms over this thing. I honestly can't understand why.
I admit that it certainly is well produced; the closest iteration of a NIKE commercial from the Bujinkan thus far. But the movement displayed in it is utter garbage.
Yes, on the one hand, it could be construed that the intention on the part of those producing the clip was to provide a subtext commenting on victimization broadly or maybe female empowerment specifically. If this was the case, then I suppose the clip works.
However....given the fact that, upon finding herself in a situation where she was under imminent threat of the ultra violence, the female in that video would have, in my humble estimation, ended up in intensive care or worse attempting to employ the stratagems while utilizing the physical dynamics she displayed.
The irony here is that the video actually works best as a cautionary tale for females of what NOT to do in a life threatening situation.
I would strongly urge those females who are watching this video and are now reading this and who feel that they have a genuine need to pursue some form of self-defense training to do as much serious research on the subject as possible BEFORE investing in such training. Not because of the potential waste of time and money....but because of the potential waste of the most valuable thing you possess: your life.

I would agree that it works best as a broad comment on victimization and empowerment. That it expresses this so effectively and professionally is where my praise comes from.

What impressed me most was the simple fact that, after all the build up with the martial arts training, they DIDN'T try and show her kicking someone's butt. That was a very nice play on the viewer's expectations which is what great storytelling is all about. For the reasons you describe, doing so would have broken the spell of credibility.

Could she handle herself in a physical confrontation? Could she not? We don't know, because, by virtue (ideally, if not realistically) of her training and it's effect on her as a person, the fight never happened.

Which is great!

Most attackers of "victims" do not ever think they themselves could be at risk, that is why they pick a perceived "victim" like this young girl. As soon as she showed that she would not be an 'easy' victim the whole dynamics changed as is most probable in real life. Not having the attack even happen is the most desirable result. One other comment, if a woman or smaller person knows what to attack it doesn't require a lot of strength. If a defensive move happens as a surprise on one of these targets, it will have the desired effect. I repeat, nice job on that video.

Quote:



The notion that a female could effectively deter let alone fend off a larger male attacker nearly twice her body weight simply by presenting herself as a formidable opponent while attempting to utilize poorly taught, ineffective martial art technique is callously stupid, ugly and irresponsible.

It’s not simply a difference of opinion; it’s simply wrong, either to believe it or to foist that belief on naive students, whether in a dojo or in a promotional video for a dojo. No one, especially the members of this forum, should be promoting this fantasy. And no amount of estrogen powered “I’m not a victim!” attitude can repair fractures, lacerations, or gunshot wounds.


- Mark Spada

What would then be the right and proper reaction for a girl in THAT situation? I sometimes have to deal with these kind of things, so I'm just curious...

Quote:

What kinds of things are you referring to specifically? Being physically assaulted by large, violent males?

If that's the case, I would suggest seriously evaluating where and with whom you spend your free time.

In terms of what would be right and proper for that particular situation....I could spend a few paragraphs discussing movement, angling, and spacial relations.

One of the ways in which the video irritated me was how it pretends to convey a patina of reality through contemporary imagery; the cliche of the innocent female walking alone in an urban environment.

Okay, then....why is she walking alone in the first place? Where were all the denizens of this urban environment in broad daylight? Where is this city that all its inhabitants vanish from the streets in the middle of the day?

I could go on, but this is already irretrievably silly.


- Mark Spada