World War II Course Offered at Shadow Warrior Press

The World War II Combatives Course at Shadow Warrior Press is a first of its kind course. World War II Combatives is the root of the Modern Combatives movement created by Major W. E. Fairbairn as a "field stripped" version of his Defendo. Now this course is unique in that it is not a continuation or separation from the original material. It is, in point of fact, the original material produced by Major W. E. Fairbairn.



The Shadow Warrior Edition of Get Tough, this is W. E. Fairbairn's original work, with added insights by myself (Ron Collins), who was a Hand-to-Hand Combatives Instructor in the U.S. Army for 1/503d Air Assault infantry out of Camp Casey Korea. These insights include a bit of history on the Get Tough material as well as my own "home boot camp" training formula for the individual to learn the material through self-teaching.

The actual award with the paperwork (above) presented behind it (with explains the "fold" which was used by that fraud Barron Shepherd to claim it was fake. One more in an attempt to ruin my business. However, despite his lies & what the Bujin-cult chooses to believe... Yes, I was a teamleader, hand-to-hand combat instructor and did serve as such in the US Army.

This course is unique in that this course relays the original material, from original sources including my own suggested training tables, observations and thoughts as a former hand-to-hand combatives instructor. Now for those not familiar with the story of how I became a hand to hand instructor; in 2002 when the Modern Army Combative Program was in Generation One (Generation 2 came about after I left the US Army in 2005) it was basically reliant on the Gracie Combatives program. During a Combatives competition during Sergeant's Time, I tapped a fellow soldier with a flying armbar. This resulted in a discussion on my previous martial arts training and as Private First Class (PFC) I was permitted to teach Hand-to-Hand Combatives by my Platoon Sergeant. My additions, maintained the Gracie Combatives groundfighting methods but added Vital Point & Karate Open Hand strikes, Boxing Combinations & Muay Thai style knees, elbows & clinch work. My Company Commander took notice and decided it resembled the Kosho Ryu Kenpo Jujitsu he studied in Hawaii and I was soon teaching my own form of Hand-to-Hand Combatives at the Company level. This is very much similar to the techniques I teach Street Focus Jujitsu.

While I am not certified in Defendo or World War II Combatives I do find it a remarkable system and an excellent place to start. Sadly, many people don't view these historical systems as worth while and other put too much hype into selling the material. So I put together this historical package from material which is pretty much free, adding only my insights and innovations to the Get Tough book. The certificate is only a Certificate of Completion, offered as a gift with the package. It does not grant lineage to Fairbairn, rank in his system or allow one to claim to be an instructor. It is simply an honorary certificate saying you received the material and completed your own training in said material.

I hope people enjoy this little piece of history.

Ninjas are Bullshit! Black Dragon Ninjitsu & Omoto Ryu Budo.

So when I addressed the root of the problem, i stated Fujita Seiko was a Naval Intelligence Officer, in Ninjas are Bullshit!  The root of the Problem. Don Roley disputes this... Calling me a slut, obviously not knowing when I called him a whore not to long ago I was calling him a sell out, for sale.

Actually, a translation of an article on Fujita Seiko I had found online years ago said Fujita was a Naval Intelligence Officer but the Nakano Espionage school was an Army facility. So there are debates concerning this... Especially, considering a biography on Motokatsu Inoue, the founder of Yui Shin Kai Karate, mentions Fujita Seiko's military record only vaguely.

However, in order demonstrate Don Roley's taste for falsifying information to substantiate his claims (God knows he's lied on me enough) I was hoping I could manipulate him into making a false statement concerning Fujita Seiko. I did just that...

       Here is an image of Fujita Seiko, on the left is Fujita Seiko during his time as a Holy Man when he was believed to be a "Living God" (One more thing Takamatsu has tried to mimic, well Hatsumi crediting to Takamatsu in common with copying Fujita Seiko's legacy). On the image to the right are three men standing together, in the middle is Fujita Seiko in what appears to be a M98 or 98shiki Gun-i World War II Japanese Army uniform... One to the left is Iwata & to Fujita's right Mabuni. Guess Don Roley just ran straight into that one didn't he..?

Because once we come to deal with the issue of modern ninjutsu, which has a different set of issues in dealing with historical ninjutsu, you start to see it is a lot of Bull Shit. One, get the idea of a traditional or koryu ninjutsu system out of your head. All ninjutsu is a modern recreationist system, with a few Koryu bujutsu systems containing ninjutsu as an auxiliary area of study.

Whether it is something Takamatsu and Hatsumi invented in Japan or whether it is something I invented in training with others who invented their own styles of Ninjutsu, or just someone making something up and calling it ninjutsu comes the issue that we cannot rewrite or change History. Historical ninjutsu is a constant, it is history that has passed by on that constantly flowing river we call time & been recorded as the past.

Two, the roots of any system of modern ninjutsu whether in Japan or in the US do not change the reality of historical ninjutsu. That all we have of historical ninjutsu is written documents & a few Okuden (Oral Traditionals) of one or two, Samurai Koryu systems; such as Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu. Studying Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu isn't likely to provide you with access to Ninjutsu but, Koryu (literally Old School) Bujutsu; Swordsmanship, Staff, Spear, Halbred, Shuriken and Jujutsu.

I state all this because, much like with Don Roley above there is a great deal of misinformation and disinformation spread about ninjutsu, from the Bujinkan. Since ninjutsu is so heavily bastardized in both America and Japan it does little good to concern yourself with it as a whole. If you want stories of ninja, then their are more fictions and folktales in Japan then in American 80s cinema. Many of these folktales extend to the Ashuka era and beyond. As well as, real events in history. You don't need to study ninjutsu to learn them.

It was one thing that Kioshi Omoto (Westernized Pronunciation) used to always remark on. His Dojo in Canada was called Omoto Ryu Jujitsu and Budo. His brother called it simply Koga Ryu Ninjutsu or Koga Ryu Omoto Ha. It was system of martial arts, philosophy, tactics and strategy.

The thing is I only met Kioshi's brother once, and that was at his son in law's house, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He told me these fantastic stories of secret Yakuza ninja clans and his family being in the Kokuryukai. All stories I wanted to believe, because I wanted them to be true.

Anyone of my haters already knows I stated years ago almost a decade ago I stated the Omoto Ryu system was originally taught using a simple systems of titles that was a reflection of traditional ranking in martial arts. These were Deshi (student)  and Sempai/Sensei (senor student/teacher) and Shihan (Master). What was a Sempai to the Shihan was a Sensei to the Deshi.

As a belt system this Kyu Grades (Deshi), to a Dan Grade (Sempai/ Sensei)  and a Godan (5th Dan) was a Shihan. As the Menkyo system this is a Deshi ranging from an Okuiri someone who begins training to a Mukyu (no grade) and continues on to 6th Kyu, to a Mokuroku or, Certificate, Holder. This is split between a Shomkuroku (Basic Certificate) basic certification in the art (1st Kyu) and Gomokuroku or certification in advanced forms equal to Dan grades with a Menkyo teaching license issued to Shihan or Godan. All Jugaro Kano did was apply the school grades for students as martial arts rank, thus kyu-dan system and belt rank replaced Menkyo. It doesn't matter what ranking system you use, the issue of rank is one of ego and not content.

We have no Soke nor desire to mimic the Iemoto trade system, in Omoto Ryu. A friend of mine from the old days online before I was arrested and held in jail awaiting trial for terroristic threats, who was a Bujinkan member from the early days of Bujinkan, had heard of the Omoto Ryu Dojo in Canada & went looking for it. Only thing is Kioshi Omoto taught the art commercially, using the modern Kyu/Dan system.

All that needs to be known is that everything they (Reginald Martin & Kioshi Omoto) wished to teach me, had been taught to me. Adding to that Reg chose to use the title system, while Kioshi used the belt system because he was teaching commercially and I used both. Sadly, because this title system reflected the Menkyo system more closely, Don Roley took notice because I was not a native Japanese speaker and didn't even know about the Menkyo system back then. And me and Don go back to issues from 1999 when I first discredited his Koga Ryu is Dead article and brought up own systems faulty lineage claims from the early 2000s. Don has largely tried to remain in "hiding" (not confronting me) online. Instead letting his online following of paper tigers attack me using Barron and his own lies. Now we have been face to face with Don Roley having the issue that Black Dragon Ninjitsu has been proven closer to the Ninjutsu of the Bansenshukai or Shoninki then his own claimed "Legitimate Ninjutsu from Japan."

The big issues are that in the raw footage shows Don's Roley's major goal to make everything seem like the Bujinkan is the sole source of ninjutsu. Ignoring the many smaller Japanese martial arts schools which used Fujita's research mixed with Karate, Judo and/or Aikido.

Fujita was a supporter and endorsed Okinawan Karate and Kobudo. Among his associates were Iwata Manzo of Shito-Ryu Karate who was instructed to study under Fujita Seiko by Shito Ryu founder Mabuni Kenwa (of Okinawa), Satsoshi Saito who inherited Fujita Seiko's Shingetsu Ryu Shurikenjutsu and was Soke of Negishi Ryu Shurikenjutsu and other arts, Kenei Mabuni the second Soke of Shito Ryu and claimed student of Ninjutsu from Fujita Seiko (student not heir) and had been in contact with Funakoshi Guchin (founder of Shotokan Karate-do), Miyagi Chojun (founder of Goju Ryu Karate) and Motobu Chuki (founder of Motobu Ryu Karate or Okinawan-Te), since Mabunni Kenei was a child. Certainly Fujita Seiko had such an impact on Japanese Karate, it is not hard to see why some Japanese Karateka would study Fujita's written works and claim ninjutsu knowledge...

And here I was claiming a ranking structure similar to the Menkyo system, something that appeared creditable. How important is rank? Let me ask you what rank does a boxer have? They don't have rank, they have skills and get rank by fighting in their respective circuits. Like Kioshi told me when he awarded me my 5th Dan or Shihan ranking, "What I am giving you is a gift, the gift of knowledge. You must decide what to do with that gift and improve it for those you pass it on to."

And I have done exactly that, I made Omoto Ryu Budo my own art. I called it Black Dragon Ninjitsu because I was a member of the Black Dragon Fighting Society and Ashida Kim's Koga Hai Lung Ryu (a merger of Koga Ryu Ninjutsu and Hai Lung Gung Fu) resembled the Ninjutsu I studied, not in fighting techniques but in actual strategic skills. So even though Kioshi Omoto tried to set me up with Nine Shadows of the Koga Ryu in Canada and introduced me to Toshitora Yamashiro (Kenneth Sato, I never met the man as anything but Toshitora Yamashiro), to form a lose association because of my desire to learn & practice the mysterious art of Ninjutsu.

Because of this I named my school the Omoto Ryu Black Dragon Dojo. I added weapons like the shoge from the time I trained in the Bujinkan. I also added firearms training based off my army infantry training and developed a modern combat survival system. Even codified this work in Army of Shadows.

However, unlike Barron Shepherd, Don Roley and Phil Elmore... Who claim I never ran a commercial school, I present proof. My old business registration certificate.

Now the fact that I did own a commercial school, not counting when I was teaching at New River Park for free and eventually charged a whopping $5 a lesson back in 1999 or out of a spare bedroom in my apartment in 2011 and 2012. Is something so many want to deny online because it makes it easier to claim my art doesn't have merit, that it was never taught to anyone.

The fact that Black Dragon Ninjitsu, even as far as the first book published on the art (a thin pamplet) back in 2000, talked about herbal medicines and pyrotechnics in 2000 shows far more then martial arts. This booklet is still available (though out of print from Dojo Press), though never printed by Shadow Warrior Press. Remains a standard all its own. I still teach seminars on the very elements which make Black Dragon Ninjitsu unique compared to the Bujinkan; herbal medicine, survival training, pyrotechnics and psychological manipulation. This is why I created the American Kokuryukai so that non-Ninjutsu styles could train in paramilitary tactics and ninjutsu, without having to be a "Ninjutsu system."

Hell... I have even used that Psychological Manipulation online. First on Bullshido (whom Dux proved had Bujinkan roots) with the Force Recon Marine claim... That started as some idiot on Ashida Kim's old message board claiming some bad firearms training drills (right out the Bujinkan's doctrine) claiming it was taught in the USMC. When I disagreed, having just came from Paris Island (so I knew what was taught there) this anonymous person claims they were a Marine. So I one upped them by claiming to be a Force Recon Marine and for years all that the investigators did was try to trick me into admitting it to them. Course I had actual Marines and a former Force Recon Marine giving me information to throw them off.

Its a popular claim or was at the time, that Force Recon was the Marine Special Forces. US Army Special Forces, 75th Rangers, Navy SEALs and the Airforce PJs (?) are Special Operations because they are under USSOC or US SOCOM. U.S. Special Operations Command. The Marines (who wanted to be Special Operations prior to 2003) never had a Marine Special Operations branch, being a department of the Navy, they simply became Navy SEALs.

This meant Marine Force Recon was the equivalent of the US Army Rangers. Least until 2003 when MARSOC was created, Marine Corps Special Operations Command bringing the Marines under US SOCOM. Meaning no one who mattered Ashida Kim, my students or people in the real world heard that BS. No the truth didn't come out until I started dealing with Phil Elmore & disproved his arguement for Reality Based Self-Defense and why he didn't need to be physically fit. Something about old women learned to defend themselves and no one would tell them they were too old, so no one should tell him he was too fat. Phil's investigation proved that Bullshido never investigated. This was before Chuck Harden of POWNetwork was caught fabricating evidence that someone, who wasn't a fraud, was a fraud.

Even then Phil is quick to pretend he never tried to interfer with my business... I had a free public seminar on criminal violence & civilian counter terrorism oriented self-defense cancelled and commenced slandering my name online. This doesn't even count trying to have me arrested.

Even this time around these guys have filed complaints with the police about my possession of a firearm. Which I am legally allowed to do. All because of this Meme:

You see I proved Barron Shepherd a liar about my criminal history here and here. As a consequence proved Don Roley lied here and lied about his lies here (on his own site), with the same evidence I used against Barron.

You see I am a product of 90's Ninjutsu market. During the 90's there was a big push online to defame and disgrace people teaching Ninjutsu, people not in the Bujinkan. Even attacking those who broke from the Bujinkan like Robert Bussey.

The Bujinkan has had a habit of claiming their art was superior to Kung-fu, Karate, Aikido and Judo, even Japanese Jujitsu itself, to such an extent it was almost gospel. That was until Scott Morris in the UFC. Take Mind of the Ninja by Kirkland C. Peterson, with the forward by Stephen K. Hayes, published in 1986.

Here in selected page above we can see a few outright historical lies...
1. Comes a statement about how the skills of the Ninja, Ninjutsu, was considered "dark" or dishonorable by the ruling elite, the samurai.
Fact: We know, thanks to the research of Anthony Cummins & the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team, that Shinobi was a job and that samurai, elite samurai, were chosen to be shinobi or ninja. So there was no Ninja Vs Samurai, Ninja or, more properly Shinobi, were Samurai.

2. That the Bansenshukai is a spiritual text, like the Tibetan Book of the Dead or the Secret Teachings of the Sorcerer Don Juan.
Fact: The Bansenshukai is a pretty straight forward military text. With no mystical and quasi-mystical teachings. It can be compared to the Go Rin Sho (Book of Five Rings) or Sun Tzu's art of war, from which it claims to be drawn (and where Ashida Kim places the roots of ninjitsu in Secrets of the Ninja).

In fact, with careful examination we find additional lies told about the historical texts of the Bansenshukai.

Here, again Kirkland Peterson makes several comments concerning the historical text of the Bansenshukai.
1. That the second chapter dealt with the ninja's spirituality.
FACT: Chapter deals with spiritual matters much like the Hagakure deals with spiritual matters. It doesn't... The second chapter deals with psychological and philosophical aspects like motivation and personality traits, but not spirituality.

2. While I certainly agree with Kirkland Peterson that the ninja were not common Mercenaries and terrorists, I am aware they were in many ways Jizamurai warlords and mercenaries. Jizamurai or Kokujin, who where rural/country samurai and that the Iga and Koga domains where without a Shugo (Governor) making the area basically lawless and dominated by smaller constantly warring factions.
FACT: The "Ninja Families" of Iga & Koga were country samurai and professional soldiers in their time with many warriors supporting other forces in other wars outside their domain for the support of said domains they were aiding or supporting. Because their land was basically lawless, the Iga & Koga Jizamurai fought among themselves constantly, with continually shifting alliances and yes... They did hire themselves out as mercenaries or fight in support of third parties. From Fujibayashi's description there was little to no spiritual-philosophical prospective. Certainly they used Terrorist tactics of sabotage and arson.
According to the Bansenshukai the Iga & Koga, translation by Anthony Cummins & Yoshie Minami The Book of the Ninja page 25; "The people of Iga & Koka had never had a shugo governor and each clan was self-governing; they constructed small castles in each estate independently and had free rein. As having no shugo or a lord. there was not a governor to oversee them. There were numerous instances of them fighting each other to take away the other's land. Therefore, their main concentration was set on battles, each morning and every evening, and their life revolved around armament and defence. They would search for a gap within each other, send shinobi to infiltrate and set fire on each other's castles, get inside information on the enemy, interfere with the enemy's plans of alliance by disinformation, carry out raids or night attacks, and conduct strategy with innumerable changes to catch the enemy of guard."
From The Book of the Ninja goes on to say starting on page 25 and ending on page 26: "Therefore, the result was that they thought that, in order to defeat the enemy's greater forces by using a small number of people and defeating the hard and strong, it is best to use the flexible and supple, and nothing is better than the use of the shinobi to do this. Therefore, they had every samurai hone himself with the skill of the shinobi and the lower people or genin [kanji] learn in-nin or 'stealth' techniques."
A footnote on page 26 says that "...it appears that high-ranking people performed predominantly yo-nin as it required a high level of education; however, it is difficult to assess how much of each discipline the different classes learned."
So clearly, the term Iga or Koga no Mono (Man of Iga or Koga) was due to constantly warring smaller factions training their samurai (actually Jizamurai or Kokujin) in Shinobi no Jutsu (Ninjutsu) and using smaller strategic forces against their enemy.

3. That the fourth volume of the Bansenshukai, gets the Yo- or Yonin from the Chinese concept of Yang.
FACT: This is somewhat true, In is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese Yin. Yo is the Japanese equivalent of the Chinese Yang and Tao is the Chinese root of the Japanese Do. However, there is no deep philosophical concept to Innin, which is gathering information while being openly observed.
In Volume Eight, titled Yo-Nin (Page 100 of Book of the Ninja) the Bansenshukai says "Shinobi no jutsu consists of yo-jutsu and in-jutsu. Yo-jutsu in to infiltrate the enemy in plain sight with elaborate plans of ingenuity, while  in-jutsu is to 'steal in,' hiding yourself from people's eyes. In this volume are written the techniques to infiltrate by inventing innumerable plans which should be ever changing according to the situation, and finding and taking advantage of any gap within the enemy while you are in plain sight - that is why it is titled yo-nin."
Why is it important that these historical inaccuracies are being taught in the Bujinkan? Because not only are they providing false information concerning Ninjutsu and Japanese history to advertise their "Ninpo" but, they are doing so while attacking others for either doing the same thing or avoiding spiritual (religious cult) aspects of a ninja themed Eastern Religion, by talking about skills.

What makes this even more tragic is that Takamatsu and Hatsumi are Japanese and have no reason to provide such false information, except to take advantage of ignorant Western minds. This is the type of mysticism which Count Dante/John Keehan fought against in his denouncing of Eastern Martial Arts.

Add to this that Black Dragon Ninjitsu is a tested system used to confront corrupt cops, lawyers and judges and that the personal attacks, libel and slander against me are used to not only discredit me but, to cover up for my exposure of the Bujinkan's lies. Lies intended to proclaim the Bujinkan (Takamatsu-den) as the sole source of ninjutsu in the world.

I don't claim to have never been arrested. I don't claim to speak Japanese or not have been associated with criminals. In fact, back in the early 2000s I said I learned in a McDojo that awarded me a black belt before I hit puberty. I also said I wasn't concerned with rank because I had used my martial arts in the real life, this did include some "underground" fighting events as a teenager.  When I spoke of being in a family of criminals, even been in a local gang in Charlotte, North Carolina and having fought in "underground fights" for money as a teenager because I was homeless (because my mom and me were running from her ex-boyfriend). I was called a liar.

Well until we see that the State of West Virginia, actually Prosecutor Kristen Keller, Assistant Prosecutor Pat Lamp, Troopers Duckworth, Moore, Efrid & Palmateer. Judge Hutchison, Magistrate Steve Massy and former Magistrate Mary Jennings all conspired to conceal evidence of false charges brought against me. That was the Child Pornography charges used to defame and discredit me, to conceal evidence of wrong doing by the state by attaching the worst crime imaginable to my name.  I made a hypothetical legal argument which resulted in the Terrorist threats charges which were dismissed without ever going to trial because, they refused to dismiss the case, provide discovery and/or go to trial. This resulted in me getting evidence that Kristen Keller falsified evidence in my case to have me chemically tortured to try to force a false confession out of me to something I didn't do; make a threat, terroristic or otherwise.

Ninjutsu in the 90s:
During the 80s ninja hype there was a lot conflicts over who was the "real ninja." The 90s brought up the mainstream us of the internet and the conflicts went from dojo trash talk to online trolling. Yet, from the very beginning we know see that Koga Ryu Ninjutsu has always been a set of skills involving stealth and strategy and Bujinkan Ninpo has always been a form "spiritual training." During the 90s Bujinkan sites sprang up and the Bujinkan produced one of the first video black belt courses in martial arts marketing history to spread it's cult-like message & martial arts franchise.

This works in tandem, with the message that "only the Bujinkan is real" because, while the video courses are blasted as fake, watered down or not the real thing, they are the only link people who want to learn ninjutsu have to Real Ninjutsu. But, we've already covered how all that is Bull Shit.

As far as I am Concerned:
I am not trying to push religion or spiritual training on the individual. I don't want to be the Wal-mart of Ninjutsu that the Bujinkan has become. Yes... I said that in the light of a mega-franchise pushing the "lil guy" out of business. I am just someone tired of bull shit and fighting battle after battle with so many different people at one time. I am also tired of cultists trying to slander my name in a sad attempt to promote their fraudulent business.

Here is the thing, if you don't want to train with me because you might get harassed by the cops... Cool that is your right. Most of my students are black anyway so they are kinda used to it. If you don't want to train with me because I have been associated with criminals, fine... That is your right to do. If you don't want to train with me because, I am anti-cop and think the whole occupation is government extortion and jack booted thuggery... I accept that. If you think I am liar or a fraud, I don't care...

That simple, you are entitled to your opinion. But, if you want to listen to lies and slander, if you don't want to train with me or associate with me because of those people's lies and slander. You are a victim of either Bujinkan cult-thinking, harassment or defamation as tool for racketeering and fraud. A pattern of lies and slander, even lies about historical texts which were never before available to West until recently, is right here on display for you.

Doesn't Matter if the Bujinkan has a pattern of lies, Ron Collins is Crazy:
Ah... Yes, they claim that the Terrorist Threats case was dismissed, because I was found incompetent to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity (which doesn't exist in West Virginia its Guilty of Reason of Mental Illness WVC 61-7A-3(b) & 18 USC 922 of Federal Law). Pity the court document below proves Pat, Phil, Barron & Don Roley all lied, again.

The case was dismissed without prejudice. It also says this is because "[t]he conditions that the state requested be met during this period of abeyance have been fulfilled and by agreement both parties are moving to a dismissal of this matter." which nothing of insanity pleas or findings...

Ninjas are Bullshit! The Root of the Problem.

I can see everyone reading this and thinking "WTF Now!?" Did Ron Collins the Black Dragon Ninjitsu guy just say Ninjas are Bullshit!? And the answer is, yes... yes, I did. Ninjutsu is the most bastardized system on the planet and you have to understand why and how...

Now don't go getting your happy in this, just yet. You see, when I say Ninjas... I mean every ninjutsu practicer on the planet is full of it. Allow me to explain this whole problem begins with Fujita Seiko "The Last Ninja." Now that title of "the last ninja" is a shorthand for what he was "the Last Ninja employed by Japan." So Fujita Seiko claims to have been a "ninja" and he tough ninjutsu at the Nakano Espionage School in Japan from the Bansenshukai. However, Fujita Seiko was a Japanese Naval Intelligence Officer. This means his was military intelligence, so to give you an idea there are 3 types of Mission Intelligence;

Tactical Intelligence is gathered, analyzed and prepared at the soldiers in the field level. This is things like using scouts to provide over watch security for a main force of soldiers on their way to engage an objective. If the scouts can find and mark enemy defenses on the map, the main forces can simply avoid them. If they need to hit one position with a raid to draw enemy for there to create an opening this is also produced at the Tactical Level.

Operational Intelligence deals with the support and planning of a strategic operation. So while tactical intelligence deals with providing an idea of what soldiers in the field will engage on their mission and how to complete the mission. Operational Intelligence deals with supporting them so that they can complete the mission and this branches into things like counter-intelligence (providing the enemy false or misleading information or outright denying them intelligence all to gather) operations.

Finally there is Strategic Intelligence, and this deals with forming a strategy to win the war. This comes into evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of an enemy and knowing how to attack them. This means examining the Economic Strength, Technological Strength, Military Strength and other aspects like diplomatic relations, national/religious ideologies and cultural traditions in this as well. A strategy is just a plan and a strategy is simply planning in reverse. Look at the end result and figure out what you have to do to reach that goal. Then what steps you need to take to reach that point and the steps needed to reach that point and you just keep doing.
Given that Fujita Seiko was an officer and an instructor at Nakano, I can pretty safely assume he was dealing with Tactical & Operational Intelligence. So Fujita Seiko was a Ninja Master & a military intelligence officer. So he had the then modern equivalent job of being a ninja and a claim to a Ninjutsu lineage. Now if you understand what I am saying, its like saying you have Army Survival Training from SEREs School and all your merit badges from the boy scouts.

But, Fujita Seiko got some stuff wrong and tried to fill in his gaps with other systems of martial arts and other areas of study. There was a great deal of interest with the historical ninjutsu documents and Fujita Seiko even made a partial translation of the Bansenshukai in the 1930s as well as published his partial translation as Ninjutsu Hiroku (Secret Notes about Ninjutsu in 1936), in 1942 Fujita Seiko published Ninjutsu Kara Spy Sen He (From Ninjutsu to Spy Warfare) & in 1958 published Doronron: Saigo no Ninja. There is no translation for Doronron, it is an reference to a particular Taiko (drum) roll used in plays and Japanese theater when a ghost appears and disappears from stage. Saigo No Ninja means "The Last Ninja."  Doronron: Saigo no Ninja is a Japanese phrase for a Taiko drum series and words Saigo no Ninja or The Last Ninja. Fujits Seiko also produced a book on Naban Sato Ryu Kenpo in 1958 called Kenpo Gokui Atemi Sappo Kappo Meikai or The Technique to strike vital points from the kenpo to kill and revive. These same points are reference to Dim Mak points or Kyusho points. Different names but same arts. I have explained the intricacies of Kenpo as a Japanese term already, in Okinawan martial arts, they are drawn from Chinese White Crane Gung-fu which at the higher levels does teach Dim Mak. And Fujita Seiko's Naban Sato Ryu Kenpo was developed from Okinawan fighting systems. So it is possible that those who have read Fujita's works, as well as the many Okinawan martial artists he associated with might have used the Chinese term Dim Mak which was a reference to the original system used in Kung-fu.

Regardless Fujita Seiko was an instructor at the Nakano Espionage School and a Military Intelligence Officer in addition to being a "Ninja." Japan experienced a Ninja Boom in the media akin to the 1980s ninja boom in American media and cinema. Fujita's book Ninjutsu Kara Spy Sen He states that ninjutsu is in essence a form of espionage or intelligence warfare. Je was an intelligence officer and as such will always be the Last Ninja to serve the Japanese Government.

However, the 1960s Ninja Boom in Japan used to hype, the folk image of the Ninja as a Sorcerer or Magician who could fly, shape shift into animals, become invisible or summon demons. Fujita Seiko had no proof of his claim to ninjutsu and he mixed other elements to said ninjutsu. One such element was the addition of Shugendo.

Now this comes from a friend in Japan who has visited the Yamabushi temple in Togakoshi village in Japan. Shugendo and the Yamabushi, specifically those Yamabushi have no connection to ninjutsu except for that a Ninja trained with them a ninja named Fujita Seiko. Fujita Seiko mixed the Yamabushi art of Shugendo, the way of gaining great mystical power. Many people doubted Fujita Seiko and many researchers noted that Fujita's demonstrations of ninjutsu was simply common Yamabushi demonstrations of their mystical powers, by historical researchers in Japan.

Now it could be speculated that Fujita Seiko was playing the role of a entertainer to gather information about the crowd via observations and then tell them these observations. It is also possible that Fujita Seiko lacking the training of a true ninja used Shugendo to supplement said training to allow him to go without food, sleep and withstand long periods of discomfort. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Regardless the Yamabushi temple in Togakoshi is important because Takamatsu "misspelled"  the kanji calling it Togakure, as in Togakure Ryu and, claiming an older lineage to a non-existent school of ninjutsu. Takamatsu blended elements of his Kukishenden Ryu, pirated from the Kuki family's shrine and his transcribed copies of the Kuki family scrolls. Bastardizing the Kuki family tradition with elements of his own made up Shugendo style and created 5 other schools of martial arts, including two other schools of ninjutsu. I have already addressed the incestuous nature of these 5 schools coming from Toda Shinryuken (who was a bone setter, like Hatsumi which is only one point of reference that Hatsumi might have conspired with Takamatsu to create this Ninja Mythology).

Now it should be noted that there is a pattern here that shows that Takamatsu used Fujita Seiko's research, and to a native Japanese it would be easy to follow Fujita's research. As well as the work of other researchers...

Fujita Seiko says he learned Ninjutsu from his grandfather...

Takamatsu claims he learned ot from his grandfather or, uncle, accounts vary, named Toda Shinryuken.

This isn't important... But, other similarities exist...

Fujita Seiko adds Shugendo to fill in gaps in his Ninjutsu training and trains at the Yamabushi temple in Togakushi Japan.

Takamatsu claims his ninjutsu is Togakure Ryu from Togakoshi and claims a link to the Yamabushi in Togakushi Japan. This means that Takamatsu is claiming his Ninjutsu is older then Fujita Seiko's ninjutsu and comes from the same root and claiming that he (Takamatsu) gained full transmission means he is insinuating a purer and more complete form of ninjutsu. The issue is the Yamabushi of Togakoshi claim no connection to Ninjutsu, except that Fujita Seiko trained with them and added their brand of Shugendo to his Ninjutsu.

This goes into the bastardized form of Kukishin Ryu Kenpo (kanji here means Sword Law) which refers to the a Sword Combat art and a combat philosophy as well, called Togakure Ryu Ninpo. It is important to note I have addressed this in the past in detail here. So Takamatsu attached his art to Fujita Seiko for legitimacy by claiming an older tradition and using Fujita's research as a base.

Shugendo however also applies a similar philosophy of facing danger to gain enlightenment. These ritualistic tests of courage and endurance are known as Shugyo, such as piercing the body with needles and meditating under waterfalls in mod winter. Shugenja also embark on a dangerous pilgrimage known be the same name, which involves passing along dangerous mountain paths and praying to various gods (kami) at different shrines along the way. Regarded as a form of sorcerery this has nothing to do with the Art of Military Strategy or Ninjutsu the art of espionage, though it might as well...

However, like Takamatsu many modern Ninjutsu schools copy this Shugendo link to Ninjutsu. Additionally, many Bujinkan trolls online began harassing those claiming ninjutsu and demanding they prove their lineage (something Takamatsu couldn't do) and stating that all other ninjutsu schools should resemble their art. Many people did exactly that copying the Bujinkan theme of Ninjutsu.

This is all made up by the way... As the only connection to Shugendo and the Yamabushi is Fujita Seiko. This makes Hatsumi's ninja museum in Togakushi Japan look like a stunt to appear legitimate, especially given that Kawakami of the Koga Ban Ryu (not proven either) would be named an expert by the Iga Ninja Museum. Creating the additional conflict that the Iga Ninja Museum says ninjutsu is not a martial art but ancient Japanese espionage methods.

Fujita Seiko was a Naval Intelligence officer who acting served in Japan's military and as as an instructor at the infamous Nakano Espionage school.

Takamatsu spent many years in China and is claimed to have written letters home describing his spy missions for the Japanese government.

The Fujita Seiko and Takamatsu pattern:
1. Both men claim to have learned there art from a family elder...
2. Both men have a history of covert operations, Takamatsu claimed bt himself by writing letters home about his secret ninja missions in Japan. Fujita Seiko by enlisting in the Japanese Navy and training covert and clandestine operations operators at the Nakano Espionage School.
3. Both men apply certain "mystical practices" to their arts.
4. Both were amateur researchers, Takamatsu copying the Kuki family scrolls, copying various ninjutsu documents available to the public. Fujita published a partial translation of the Bansenshukai, researched various other documents and even wrote books on Ninjutsu.

Where the pattern breaks up is that, Fujita Seiko having studied Naban Sato Ryu Kenpo had a certain respect and favored the Okinawan Kenpo (general term for any striking dominant art) and Kobudo arts as a martial arts system. This goes into Fujita Seiko's huge influence on karate.

Takamatsu and Hatsumi claim their art is better then Okinawan arts of Karate/Kenpo and Kobudo.

While Fujita's ninjutsu was claimed to be a partial study of the art, for which he researched historical documents and esoteric practices to fill in the gaps. Takamatsu researched the same historical documents and plagiarizing Fujita claimed a complete esoteric system of martial arts called ninpo.

The biggest difference is timing Fujita claimed his Ninjutsu before he even published his Partial Translation of the Bansenshukai in 1936. And thanks to Anthony Cummins research we know Fujita got some stuff wrong like the Genin, Chunin and Jonin rank structure of the ninja.

The 60's US Servicemen Ninja Connection:
What gets better is that US Servicemen and women stationed in Japan saw the cinema image of the Ninja during the Ninja Boom in Japan in the 1960s. Many were training in Shotokan, Judo, Aikido and so on.

When Americans showed an interest in Ninjutsu and the ninja. Some instructors offered classes on "ninjutsu." Their information came mainly from the Fujita Seiko's works and research.

For example, Ashida Kim claims he learned Ninjutsu from his Shotokan Instructor in Hawaii. That all he had to do was break a break, to prove he was skilled enough in Karate (which was offered only to Judoka as an advanced course on military posts).

The late great Ronald Duncan learned ninjutsu in the service and used it to create his Way of the Winds system of Koga Ryu Ninjutsu.

Mark Allen who only people in the local area will know, told he learned ninjutsu refering to it as "Japanese James Bond Bull shit." When he studied Karate in the US Army during his time with the 75th Rangers (only Ranger unit under USSOC, US Special Operations Command out of Fort Bragg in Greensboro North Carolina) during his service during Vietnam. As it provided an Asian doctrine of clandestine and covert warfare similar to what the Viet Cong were using.

This is why the Bujinkan, trolls online have demanded any "would be ninjas" online look like their style of fighting. Though it could be argued anyone using anything from the Fujita influenced systems would resemble established arts like Judo, Karate and Kobudo.

In fact, Fujita's association with Karate is why Donn F. Draeger in Ninjutsu The Art of Invisibility on page 75 refers to Karate as the Ninja's martial arts. In fact, the Takamatsu-den claims can also be viewed on page 76 when refering to te-kagi or hand claws.

Recreating Ninjutsu:
In recreating ninjutsu Fujita drew a lot from Okinawan martial arts,  which have an influence in Chinese Kung-fu and Wushu, as well as Okinawan peasant weapons like nunchaku, sai and kama. It's also possible the urban myth that Karate developed as a peasant fighting art, was also imposed on ninjutsu being invented as a peasant fighting art due to Fujita Seiko's influence.

Takamatsu however seems to have drawn elements from Chinese arts like Chinese Long Fist Kung fu and did invent some rather interesting tools. Te-kagi for example are rather useless for scaling castle walls almost useless for climbing trees but obviously influenced by modern ice hooks used in ice houses. The Shoge is another ingenious ninja device invented by Takamatsu. The Shoge's name means to "run over hills and valley's" influenced by the mitsukagi or three hooked spear mentioned in the Bansenshukai, used to thrust and hook enemies in battle but also to hook onto trees and ledges or stabbed into the ground and pull the shinobi up for traveling up mountain passes. And single hook grappling hook. The Shoge of Takamatsu's design is unique weapon which could be used in the same or similar manner. Best of all it could be easily concealed. And of course always wanting to be unique Takamatsu claimed a 3rd unique item, the four pointed shuriken unique to Togakure Ryu.

Addressing the long fist kung fu aspects, all kung fu can be classed as long fist or short fist striking arts. Long fist kung fu is associated with striking with the lead hand. According to Takamatsu two of his incestuous five arts, are Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu which os the parent art of Koto Ryu Koppojutsu. Gyokko Ryu is a long diatance striking art... Much like Paochui Chaun or Cannon Fist which uses the lead hand like a spear to strike from distance using the advantage of long reach. Koto Ryu claims to be a close range style and both schools claim a lineage centuries before the Japanese codified their arts into fixed schools. With Gyokko being listed as an art brought to Japan from China to explain the similarities. The infamously unique skills of Chinese Chin Na or grappling arts also includes Dim Mak or pressure points (another reason for the ise of the term Dim Mak). The muscle and tendon tearing chin na, is called Fen Jin or Zhua Jin Chin Na. The basis of Gyokko Ryu Kushijutsu and Koto Ryu Koppojutsu seems to focus on the bone misplacing or Cuo gu, which involves not only joint manipulation/destruction, but also the striking the weak points in the bone structure such as the xyphoid process or the floating ribs.

Aspects not seen in Japanese Jujutsu because the samurai wore armor and related more to the Chinese arts Takamatsu would have studied in China. Arts Takamatsu would have wanted to claim as Japanese because the of Ultra Nationalist attitude of the Japanese in the late 19th and early 20th century. Claiming to know Ninjutsu or its "Higher Order" Ninpo to make a quick buck or get some notoriety would also allow Takamatsu to invent some schools tied to his study of Chinese arts and systems in the decade he spent in China.

So if you are looking at Ninjutsu thinking it is all bull shit. Now you know why and what all the childish drama is over... Frauds declaring others, and yes... Other frauds, frauds.  All to hide the truth that they are frauds. Ninjutsu and Ninja lineage claims are all Bull Shit... So called "Ninjas" are either liars or lied to.

Stay tuned for Ninjas are Bullshit! Black Dragon Ninjitsu & Omoto Ryu Budo...

Of you want to lead learn to follow... Another discussion on Rank & Politics.

I was sitting here watching over past Game of Thrones seasons. And, I came across a phrase I heard many times in the military, "If you want lead, first learn to follow."

Most people don't get this but, you will hear it in team sports as well. What does it mean? It means that you must first learn to do things you would not enjoy doing. To place a greater focus on duty, to follow orders to fulfill a goal, then do what is comfortable or desired. You learn to do this under the command of someone else.

But, the thing is this person doesn't just command, they lead. Leaders lead the way, as the saying goes. A leader sets the example by action. They don't tell you to suffer being cold, wet, tired and hungry. They do it with you, suffering in silence as they place duty above comfort. They take satisfaction in things they have suffered through. They set the example. They might be telling you what to do but, they are following someone else's orders. Someone else is telling them "go here be miserable and do it for a reason they may not fully understand." More important then leading you is following the orders they are given to reach goals needed to fulfill the mission.

That kind of experience prepares you to lead. Leading means you set the example. In terms of martial arts this is seen as instructors who lack the discipline or resolve to lead by setting the example. Setting this example can go from lying about others, drawing out conflicts and drama and, making up stories about themselves.

A self-styled "master" or "Soke" is not so much a concern to the martial arts world, it is often other frauds declaring others to ne frauds. Nor do they really matter, as far as that goes that someone is legitimate or not. What is a legitimate martial art anyway? A system useful for self-defense is legitimate to some. A system with a long lineage is legitimate to others. A system with aliveness practiced in sporting competition is a legitimate martial art to others... What someone considers legitimate is of no real consequence.

Why? I know your mind is riddled with that word, that question of why not? Or why this or what if that? It doesn't matter because by and large the martial arts is a joke. Rank is not of much concern as ability. A boxer with no rank and a certain amount of ability holds a great deal more respect in a fight then someone with a belt or a piece of paper saying they are 10th Dan grand guru.

When discussing the matter of rank, I have heard people argue which is better the Kyu/Dan system or the Menkyo system. This is honestly a pointless debate. A Menkyo license was simply a means of controlling a trade within a geographic area by means of granting certain members of incorporated families to practice a trade and to what standard. Menkyo could be given or taken away based on internal politics and carried as much weight as a grade in the Kyu/Dan system.

In the Kyu/Dan System, martial arts rank and a teaching license among the various organizations are regulated by the parent organization. Much like the Menkyo system, a license to teach must be issued by the parent organization. If a person doesn't have the ability to follow someone who taught them their art, they don't have character or experience to make a good teacher. They were never a student.

If you want to lead, you must understand how to follow. We've covered how a good leader leads by example. A good teacher doesn't just show you techniques, they build you up and set the example by doing it themselves. Of you want to teach, you must understand what it is like to learn.

This is vitally important for a teacher to do this because, they must put themselves in a position of a student. Rank is not a sign of skill, it is a sign of position. The only sign of skill is ones ability to fight... A good fighter doesn't aways make a good teach but a good student makes a great teacher.

You see, the Kyu/Dan system is based on the grades in the Japanese public school system. Each belt, each grade is a level of training based on learning certain material. Using this system you would learn certain techniques, principles and forms at each grade. A person who was studying and practicing advanced levels of training (Dan or Black belt grade) students. Much like the Menkyo system a licensed instructor would have a teaching license issued by the parent organization. They would meet certain qualifications and standards.

In Brazilian Jujitsu, rank is awarded based on the standard of how well one does in competition. Now there are a host of things competition doesn't prepare you for. But, there are a host of things competition does provide.

In some styles of Karate, competition and kata are part of the standard for gaining rank. In other styles of karate only kata are used to determine rank. Some styles of karate use non-contact or light contact sparring, something common during the early years of karate in the 40s to the 60s, others are more concerned with full contact sparring (something pioneered by the late Count Dante/John Keehan).

What you study produces the results for skill and knowledge. I could easily point to "legitimate martial arts" which are utterly useless in real life self-defense situations. The simplest truth is that, rank has no bearing on skill. Rank is much like going to college, before you can have the rank to teach you must first "pay your dues."

A student learns the basics, gains the knowledge just as a college professor must start with kindergarten when they are child, graduate from basics of grade school to attend Jr High and High school. Graduate from high school attend college. The more vital the course and harder to requirments to graduate. Martial arts are no different the harder the training the higher the standards placed on the student.

In my little country state of West Virginia we have people who graduate from the school of hard knocks. Often many street fighters having been raised in violent homes and associating with violet people they develop traits that most martial arts, except for the full contact competitive sports, don't produce.

So in viewing martial arts as physical skills with technical knowledge akin to automotive repair or being an electrician. Rank is either a social position within an organization or a grade of learned knowledge and physical skill.

In terms of tradesmanship, I have friend who would make an excellent example. She is a wonderful mechanic. She is a better mechanic then her husband and while he has a certification in automotive repair she has years of working on cats with her father. She lacks the certification to get a job in a autoshop but, she has the knowledge to repair a car and could as an uncertified mechanic open her own automotive shop.

It doesn't matter what the rank structure is Kyu/Dan system, Menkyo Kaiden System or a simple system of titles. Perhaps a hybred system of all three...

The reflection on rank is also a reflection on attitudes and political ideologies. Those obsessed with rank and titles are often obsessed with what rank others have or claim. Who cares if a person claims to be a grandmaster in a martial art? I don't remember Royce Gracie claiming to ne a grandmaster or even claiming to ne a master. We know je is a master by his competition record and demonstrated skills. I don't think he is a master as Tae Kwon Do style jump spinning back kicks or Wing Chun style trapping. I also don't want a proctologist doing my open heart surgery either. I mean they are both doctors right?

In American politics we have seen a similar argument about professional politicians and how Donald Trump isn't one. We see an idea of "experts" being used to declare someone without said and presumed "expert certifications" as a basis for taking away said "non-experts" rights. This is seen in the justifications for the anti-Trump rioting and for every 2nd Amendment Argument where it was said people don't need guns (non-experts) because we have police officers (experts). Yet even the experts have issues with exessive force and wrongful death based on mistakes that have been made.

When addressing rank does the rank matter or the context of the knowledge and context of the claimed expertise? Do you demand the world comform to your desires for how they should think and act, like the millions rioting because they did not get the president they wanted or, do you make the best of what you have and accept the ranks of others as imperfect productions outside the context of your martial arts system?

The Election of Donald Trump: What it says about America & Martial arts in America

So Donald Trump is our president elect and we see rumblings pf race wars, protests and riots. There was a peace rally in Beckley today because people are scared of "race war.

If you Don't Understand why Trump One

In the link above you get an idea of the opinion of the "common man." The idea of making America be more American. Now many don't like what American means, they think American means White, Christian and Conservative. But, that's not true... Being American being citizen of this nation and accepting the ideas of what this nation stands for.

Whether Trump keeps his promises or not is yet to be seen, but President Obama is still in office. While Obama is in office his & Hillary Clinton's supporters are rioting in the streets and attacking there fellow Americans. These are some who are claiming to be Trump supporters openly being racist ass holes and carrying out violence against their fellow Americans as well...

I am not making excuses for either side but, lets be real and see this for what it is. Liberal or Conservative, Gay, Straight, Bi, Muslim, Jew, Christian, Black, White, Asian, Latino or Native. We are all Americans we need to examine the events and ideologies at play here.

1. George Soros the Billionaire Jewish Nazi-Sympathizer (yeah) is funding these Anti-Trump riots and the destruction of property on a national scale.

Soros has funded such political violence and revolutions in other countries and now we are watching him do so now, in our nation. He funded Ferguson Protests in hopes of sparking a civil action. Soros has funded Revolutions in the Ukraine and other countries, including the "Bull Dozer Revolution" in Serbia & unrest in Egypt. Soros is not the first person, nor will he be the last to try to tear Americans apart based on income, sexual orientation and ethnic background (what most call race). If we understand that there is a "puppet master" we also understand that this is "puppet show."

2. America has a long history of being influenced by Socialist ideologies. Even as far back as the 1800s, the 19th Century did Socialist philosophies come from Europe to America. In these communities, socialism was practiced as a community social-economic platform. Most of these communities fell apart within a matter of year. Socialism also had a huge impact on my home state of West Virginia where Coal Miners wanting to unionize staged the second largest rebellion on U.S. Soil since the Civil War, known as the Battle for Blair Mountain. The "Red Neck Army" comprised of Miners who were red bandanas around their necks and were both white & black men fighting for mutual dignity as laborers.

Socialism and its variation Communism, became the seen as the enemy ideology of the United States of America. In part due to socialists attempting to keep the US out of World War I and for interfering with conscription (draft) laws and using labor parties to disrupt labor which was supported our soldiers deployed overseas. This included Sabotage and Espionage linked to the support for the Central Power (Germany, Austria-Hungry, Bulgaria & the Ottoman Empire) against the Allied Forces of France, Britain, Russian Empire, Italy, Japan, Greece and the United States, as well as others... mainly by German Immigrants seeking

During World War II and afterward, Socialists rallied against the unfair practices of sending the poor to war for the rich, as is a common complaint even now against Capitalism. A well as the Jewish holocaust by the Socialist German Workers Party, also known as the Nazi Party. After World War II, the US took to watching being weary of the Soviets (also Socialists), the number of socialist revolutions funded and supplied by the Soviets (Apparently, killing innocent people to spread capitalism and democracy is wrong but, to spread the fairness of socialism) caused a great deal of concern in the US. And Socialism has been seen as an Un-American idea.

Regardless of the History lesson, one need only look at Karl Marx who said “there is only one way in which the murderous death agonies of the old society and the bloody birth throes of the new society can be shortened, simplified and concentrated, and that way is revolutionary terror.” (Yes, Marx was a terrorist),Vladimir Lenin or other socialists/communists to see that Socialism requires a violent overthrow of the government or by the government to occur.

During World War II the Japanese attempted to cause division among whites and blacks, the Japanese also use Islamic terrorist groups in South East Asia as proxy forces against Allied forces and other nations. This isn't say one side is or was the "bad guys" but that America has endured a short history of conflict and internal strife. Much of this is our own doing as a nation and, it is only egged on my outside forces (some internal) each seeking to divide Americans even more and reshape this nation to something that will grant them some form of political power to control the lives of others.

3. We are Americans... We are Americans regardless of what box or label others wish to impose on us, are country men and women. Fighting amongst ourselves is pointless... We have a Soros funded Black Lives Matters attacking people for being white. We have the KKK attacking people for not being white, also receiving funding from other assholes like George Soros. These aren't right-wing or left-wing groups they are left-wing socialists fighting other left-wing socialists to see who gets to control America. All the while blaming right-wing conservatives...

America is a nation of many people, ethnic colors, cultures and religions. But, regardless we all have a shared history... sure its not a glorified history some of you have ancestors who were conquered, some brought over as slaves and none were perfect. I can't undo something I didn't do and I can't turn back time. I can say be proud that you came from people who had the strength to survive, when so many did not. Be proud that you have forebears who suffered for their fellow man and so the their children and grand children would enjoy the freedoms many do today.

We all want to make America better, we have different ideas. Instead of being the puppets to rich men who throw money at us and watch us jump like dogs seeking a treat. Let us stand as Americans and help out fellow Americans. For America this says that all Americans have a need to feel safe and be able to defend themselves and that perhaps it is not the Asian Culture steeped martial arts of Japan or China but, American martial arts drawn from those far away places, carried here by immigrants like Bruce Lee, James Mitose and Tsutomu Ohshima all spread their martial arts to America where they become in so many ways American Martial Arts.

Debates over style and lineage, are in effect matters of race. What is the superior race? For they would have developed the superior martial art... Yet, in truth there only one superior race, the race of mankind. And it has the greatest martial art of all, the art of compromise, understanding and self-discipline.

Donald Trump was elected for the reason as Obama in his first term... We hoped for change and no longer be the tools of the wealthy and well connected. Yet, they are funding civil unrest and hatred to hold onto their power and keep us divided. Trump won't make America better, Obama couldn't make America better because, we as Americans have to make America better by being better... Better Americans and better people. Then we won't need martial arts to defend ourselves from our fellow men.

Osu...

What is Rank..?

I had a nice discussion with a friend when talking about rank in martial arts... We both have two separate levels of thought, his is shaped by what his "Sensei" (I don't know the Korean word for it) says "That Rank cannot be taken away it is a sign of skill." I say rank is meaningless and can be taken away just as easily as it can be lost. There is a different in having rank taken away and losing your rank. To see where my thinking goes on this, you need to understand how I see rank and why I don't put much stock in it.

What is rank? Lets start with what is rank in the first place. The Kyu/Dan grading system as we know it was invented by Kano Jugaro, who copied the Japanese school system grading for progression in public school and took some insights from an English school uniform where the students of different grades wore colored school suit jackets. The older Koryu systems in Japan used no such measure but instead had a simple method of grading the students in martial arts... They used a simple ranking structure Deshi (student) and Sensei (teacher). Sensei taught Deshi, the Sensei was the Sempai (senior student) of the Shihan (master). A Shihan was someone awarded the status of teaching those who did the teaching. Now that sounds awesome right, a Master Teacher!

The reality is that the "Sensei" might not be in a great position to stand out as a teacher because the "sensei" might only be a Deshi who is a little further along then you. While you are learning from him, you are also his test from the real Sensei who wants to see if he understands the ideas and how to demonstrate them. In the old system of ranking and in martial arts a Deshi was give a series of certificates showing they had studied a certain art... this is not limited to martial arts but to flower arranging, tea ceremonies and so on. This system was called Menkyo or License and referred to licensing someone in a martial art.

Someone who starts training was sometimes given a Okuiri or a license that says they had entered into the art and what day. Okuiri is made up of two words Oku meaning secret and iri meaning enter and can be translated to mean to enter secretly or to enter into the secrecy of learning an art or trade. Many times this is a contract between the student and master to uphold the Dojo Kun or Kun of the art. This is symbolic of the student's oath to never teach methods to those outside the organization. After a time following basic training, one was given a Mokuroku license meaning one had been entered into the official school roles as a student. Again it varies between traditions and many such systems simply don't issue a certificate to the student for the Okuiri or Mokuroku grades, some do. One is not a student until they are a Mokuroku student. Shomokuroku is a license to learn the basics of an art. Many arts do not award a license until one can gain a Shomokuroku license can mean you have learned the basics of an art or system or that you are permitted to learn. A Gomokuroku holder is someone who has learned the Advanced methods of an Art. Most times Mokuroku was a blanket for Shomokuroku and Gomokuroku rank.

So a Shomokuroku grade would call a Gomokuroku a Sensei when they were helping them to learn the basics but a Gomokuroku would call a Shomokuroku Deshi and Menkyo holder, a lincensed teacher would call both Deshi or the Shomokuroku Sempai. Menkyo means license and means the bearer is a licensed teacher. A holder of a Menkyo Kaiden was a license of full transmission and a founder or successor known as a Soke.

You have to understand were this form of ranking comes in and what it means... This isn't a form of martial arts rank but a form of Iemoto or Soke system ranking for trade guilds/clans (families tied togather via politics, marriage and economics) that became common after the Sengoku period of war. The "martial artists" during this time were in fact warriors and many were in fact conscripted farmers and tradesmen. A samurai, even a Jizamurai or country samurai, might be trained in a particular school of combat using the same Menkyo system as the trade guilds for pottery, painting and so on.

A student's dedication might be judged by giving them pointless tasks to judge the student's worth and character. This is entering into the Okuiri status, certain students or prospective students would be trained and skip the Okuiri status because their family had to serve in a particular function. Others had to be Okuiri for a time to judge them, this is a copy of systems for licensing trades during the feudal Japanese system. Graduation from the Okuiri status or just by being born into the position. Mokuroku/Shomokuroku meant was learning the basics and being licensed or certified in the basics meant one was a low level martial artist or bushi/warrior.

During the Sengoku period many peasants and even some lower status merchants were given a Shomokuroku license to be used as Ashigaru (Light Feet or Light Infantry) warriors. Some wealthier merchants and low ranking samurai or even a few jizamurai (country samurai) acted as Non-Commissioned Officers or Sergeants leading groups (or squads if you like as Ashigaru). Some such samurai even made up whole columns of elite shock troops & mounted archers in battle, these warriors were ranked in a particular school of warfare or combat as a Gomokuroku. With many high ranking Jizamurai in the country and many lower ranking samurai from the cities ranked as Menkyo or licensed teachers.

Only a Soke held the Menkyo Kaiden (License of Full transmission) but during times of war the Soke often made sure his students were "over qualified" as the better one's school proved in warfare, the better it's reputation and more people paid to be trained. So for this reason Menkyo was awarded sparingly and each Menkyo holder had to pay the Soke to teach their traditions. During Tokugawa period the schools of combat were limited to geographical regions and training became more expensive, as not only could one pay to learn a system of combat and/or warfare but one could also pay to be protected by those trained within said schools. Thus, under the Tokugawa Shogunate Ashigaru became part of the Samurai caste of warrior governors, below the Jizamurai. This also limited training to the Samurai caste (a form of peasant disarmament).

Many schools of warfare and combat died off and a few survived being passed down along family lines. Some started new schools but it was of little concern with staged Shiai or Contests between rival schools that was basically as realistic as modern professional wresting. One Soke would argue and challenge the other Soke, then student's would fight in tournaments, Shiai, that charged people to watch said bouts. Both Soke were in on the rigged and dramatic displays to attract spectators. How does this answer the question of what is rank?

Because it demonstrates that rank is nothing more then a means of controlling competition and generating revenue or social status. In some cases when the head of family died and heir did not earn their Menkyo Kaiden, they were given a Menkyo Kaiden to "rubber stamp" Licenses while they learned their whole art in secret often from instructor holding only a Menkyo themselves. In trades the rank of Menkyo Kaiden is awarded only after one has been a part of the art for 30 or more years but it does not make one a Soke in the Iemoto tradition.

If this ranking system is based around making money and limiting competition to from one's own students what does it really say about the Menkyo ranking system? Rank is like this, I can train in a martial art and have a Menkyo after many years. I can teach and pay a Soke (if the Iemoto system was active) to do so in his name, and use the name of his art. If I failed to pay the Soke for using his art to teach my Menkyo could be revoked. Just like if I was a Ashigaru who rose to being a minor samurai in the country, a jizamurai and I displeased my Shugodai (governor appointed by the Shogun) I could find my status dropped to Ashigaru again and lose control of the lands I managed/ruled. So rank once given could always be taken away...

More so, can rank be lost? Rank can be lost... If Rank is a sign of skill then one must always work to achieve greater skill. If one fails to train due to illness or injury, or because one has to spend more time working and caring for one's family in today's complicated, fast paced world... skill gets degraded and in time can be lost. Its like being a doctor, you can be an awesome heart surgeon... but, if you stop operating for a year, you might have all the knowledge you always had but you don't have the practice. This is why, non-martial arts Menkyo systems require only a Menkyo to achieve full transmission and why Menkyo Kaiden is awarded after 30 years of practicing said skills.

Rank is an illusion mankind's need to seek status... What to prove your skills are effective, fight someone. Want to prove your rank means something, show it! In nature the Alpha is the strongest who proves his strength and the others fall to wayside. In our unnatural human civilization, tokens of status such as rank is the illusion of having proven ourselves. Rank does not will a fight, skills do and skilled fighter might not have rank to show for it.

Don Roley Character Assassin for Hatsumi/Takamatsu-den Cult Monoply

This blog is going to deal with the how Troll Bridges and backly the Racketeering behind the actions of certain online trolls and haters.

Lets start with Don Roley "King Troll" for the Bujinkan. Me and Don got our start online at about the same time. Me with Ashida Kim's Dojo Press and Don Roley publishing his Koga Ryu is Dead article. At the time Don Roley did this he made several claims about the Bujinkan and the Takamatsu-den lineage as well as, several historical text such as the Bansenshukai and similar documents trying to prove Takamatsu authentic.

Now Don is fluid in modern Japanese, lived in Japan for 15 years and used modern Japanese translations of the historical ttext in his arguments online. However, its been all shot down before... By me on Ashida Kim's old message board.

Two being an easy means of disproving the whole thing...
1. The terms Iga and Koga Ryu are historical terms for the origin of various schools. There were several schools of fighting methods, tactics and military strategy in the Iga and Koga provinces. They were all Iga or Koga Ryus. Just any martial arts school in Los Angelos or even Beckley, West Virginia is a Los Angelos school or a Beckley school of martial arts.

Citing Seiko Fujita (Americanized pronunciation) as Roley does, Fujita says ninjutsu was a family tradition. Meaning that if one studied the Hidden Leaf School of Martial Arts, one might implicate one's own life or occupation into your own tactics.

In modern Comparision so its easier to grasp, John is a Locksmith. John is drafted into service by an a local militia to protect Johns town from invaders. John learns Militia X-rays methods of warfare. John uses his Lock Smithing knowledge to stealthly pick a lock on a building the gang is using as a base and slip inside to look at the gangs plans of attack and listen to their talk about the plan.

John is a spy by modern thinking and as a spy John used his available spycraft skills of picking a lock. Johns son who is also being taught to perform the family trade of lock smithing is also taught the family spycraft of picking locks. Bill by contrast repairs electronics and Bill's spycraft is built arounding building listening devices to hear what others are saying or radio jammers to cut off communications during raids.

Militia X-ray has a set of skills and an SOP related to scouting and patrols. Both Bill and John have their own individual methods of using what they call spycraft. David is a Captain in the militia and has a Phd in Psychology so his spycraft is built around manipulation. David has an SOP for the militias Special Operations Group & suggests the SOG members learn the ways of lower ranked people.

Now replace the term spy with ninja and spycraft with ninjutsu and you get the odea behind "family styles of ninjitsu."

2. Ryu didn't codify "ninjutsu" into their schools until the Tokugawa era. This was the era of peace following the warring states period of Sengoku era. Togakure Ryu claims it was codified 400 years before said era of peace.

Once we get past that, we come to the fact that during the earily years of the Meiji era. Samurai used "ninjutsu" like methods during the Saga Rebellion. These were Kishu Ryu methods if any...

This means that Ninjutsu existed as part of most Koryu Schools at some point and that ninjutsu was not specifically limited to schools of martial arts. Nor is it as special as many seek to believe. Ot was something done in secret and a bit taboo to Japanese cultural ideas of the noble samurai.

More so, it becomes even more ridiculous when you think about a codified school of martial arts claiming to be the root of all ninjutsu, when those Koryu Schools who did codify it only did so to preserve it the skills and methods for future generations is not, as Hatsumi claims, a secret ninja martial art built around Shinto rituals and the worship of Takamatsu as a deity.

Now this brings us to a singular problem, what I just said... You can examine a free breakdown of the Bansenshukai amd read my earilier blogs on the Bujinkan cult is you so choose, for reference.

Additionally, you have to understand the nature of the word Soke and why not all Japanese Koryu arts use the title. In short it is a feudal term used by various trade guilds in Japan during the Tokugawa period upto the later Meiji era.

Ninjutsu isn't the big deal in Japan it is in America. Even then the Japanese image of the ninja is more of a warrior magician then the Western version of a spy-assassin. Though the historical reality of a soldier-spy is closer to the American image.

Now, I am sure you are going to say what does that have to do with anything. Well I have been the poster boy online for pointing out those holes in the argument by Roley. Antony Cummins (whom Don and others in the Bujin-con Cult have tried to discredit) seeking academic credibility translated the historical documents proving what ninjutsu was historically, has produced works which will substantiate these facts for many non-Japanese.

Now remember when I said about Don Roley getting his start online? That would be in 1999, same time as me and the same time he was doing everything to get the other Bujin-con cultists online attacking people for being frauds.

However this isn't new for the Bujin-con. The date for the post by Don Roley is pretty, significant since it shows he was in Japan all that time. And, I could argue that Roley's actions were permissible by the Hombu Dojo and perhaps Hatsumi himself.

I have stated many, many, times before that Don Roley's "fraud busting" was directly tied to making money but, perhaps uts not making Roley money except that he is making Hatsumi money.

How many people over the years have been harassed and stalked by Don Roley online because they were "frauds?" What is seriously funny is the "pot calling the kettle black" mentality of Don Roley's loes and personal attacks. I have mentioned Don many times in the past, showcased his unstable cult-like devotion to the Bujinkan Takamatsu cult.

I know there are 9 schools, that's 6 from a man no one can prove existed. 5 of which has a kind of incestuous link to them Togakure Ryu Ninpo is a form of Koshijutsu, is the oldest of the Nine schools and is linked to Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu (using the same Koshijutsu methods) yet Gyokko was started in Japan in 1156 to 1159 and claims to extend back to the Tang Dynasty in China in which ended in 907. Togakure Ryu was founded in in 1161. So why is there a Soke in both lineages who was only 18th Generation in Gyokko Ryu and 24th Generation in Togakure Ryu? This gets even more alarming when looking at Koto Ryu which was begin by Toda Sakyo Isshinai during the Temon Era 1532 to 1150 who was a student of the Soke Gyokko Ryu and inherited the art from him. Gyokko being a close range style and Koto Ryu being a long range style compliment each other. But, keep them separate for so long? Why one Soke of two very different styles?

Now Togakure Ryu was founded in 1161 by Daisuke Nishian who changed his name to Daisuke Togakure. Kumogakure is supposed to be an Togakure Ryu founded in 1532 to 1550 of the. Teman Era by Iga Hainaizen Ienaga.

Gyokushin Ryu another Ninpo school has no date for when ot was founded but has something in common to all four other schools. They were all passed to Toda Seiryu Nobutsuna in from 1624 to 1644. Koto Ryu which has had the same Soke since the founding of Koto Ryu with Gyokko Ryu, though Gyokko Ryu claims further or is said to, is 9 generations removed. More so why are they so different if Koto Ryu draws from Gyokko Ryu?

On seperate but also conflicting nature, Koto Ryu became the basis for Togakure Ryu Taijutsu. This could not have happened until 1624 to 1644 when Toda Seiryu inherited the five schools. Yet, why did Togakure Ryu merge part of the teachings for Koto Ryu, taught along side Gyokko Ryu to the shared Soke of both Ryu and not the other schools? Having learned Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo from a third line of transmission(?).

Now Takamatsu did have legitimate claims to teach Shinden Ryu and Takagi Yoshin Ryu. Gikan Ryu is debatable since he didn't start claiming to know it until the Ninpo/Ninjutsu claims popped up. Takamatsu then copied the Kukishin Ryu denshi and presented his imbellished copies to the Kuki family before making up a story about the Kuki shrine being burned by US firebombing flights and proclaiming himself Soke of Kukishinden Ryu a sibling art to the Kuki families Kukishin Ryu.

Takamatsu was a licensed teacher of Kukishin Ryu and Takagi Yoshin Ryu arts.

Regardless Takamatsu was an established fraud having stolen the Kuki family legacy to enhance his status by naming himself Soke of Kukishinden Ryu, saying he was chosen to replace the offical Soke inheritor because they thought he was dead and using the copies of the Kuki family scrolls as evidence of his status of Soke of the Kuki family's traditions and teachings. Before inventing the Ninja Lineage with Hatsumi and using modern translations of historical documents (many made available by Fujita Seiko's 1930s research) to claim to have authentic ninjutsu in the 1960s.

So it is very easy to see where the Bujinkan motivations are at, make money selling people on the idea of a long lost ninja legacy and all the fraud busting is just hiding their own lies and fraudulent claims. Six supposedly, Koryu traditions with Densho written by Takamatsu and five with  list of shared Soke before coming to Toda Shinryuken who picks up a sixth art in Shinden Fudo Ryu. Shinden Fudo Ryu being a form of Jujutsu with a long and strong lineage but sharing no connection to the Shinden Fudo Ryu claimed by the Bujinkan except to say that they are the same as Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru founded both schools. However this does not stack up to independent research.

Nor do Hatsummi's Densho match the Densho published by the "other" Shinden Fudo Ryu. Thus making it appear that Takamatsu used the name of an art already in existence with a strong lineage to try to justify the five incestuous Ryu. A basic claim by the Bujin-con cultists is, to claim that because Shinden Fudo Ryu can be proven a real and established ryu (in someone else's lineage) it is a legitimate school and offers proof that Toda Shinryuken was a real person and that other five ryu are legitimate schools.

No, it really doesn't. First you have to prove that the Shin Fudo Ryu you are claiming has a real lineage and ties to the Shinden Fudo Ryu that is proven prior to Takamatsu or Toda Shinryuken. Then you must prove that Toda Shinryuken existed to proven it was even passed down to Takamatsu. No such evidence exists... Its a bit like printing off a certificate that says you graduated BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL School), we all know BUD/S is real and that it is a proven historical school for elite navy operators. You just can't prove its connected to you outside of the certificate you printed up... Same issue but, I digress.


Once you understand the issues the Bujinkan is trying to hide you understand the financial gain of people like Don Roley in trying to silence me. And you see Don usually makes a good show of issuing online challenges and spinning however he wants to make people look bad and harass them into silence. So Roley will never come at me in dark alley and he wouldn't even meet me on neutral ground. And Roley doesn't publish were he teaches at for fear that someone might come to his school and well, without cameras it would be fun. I don't know where Don Roley teaches at; I know where he lives, Don Roley's middle name is James and he is 49. And, little image above about Don Roley saying he was in Japan when he started his whole fraud busting game back in 1999 basically comes down to this. We can assume that Hatsumi is involved or was aware of and that Don Roley is carrying out his activities in an illegal attempt to define Hatsumi as a true Soke.

A Soke is the head of a trade guild in pre Meiji Japan, under the Soke or Iemoto system a family functioned like a corporate entity. The Family trade was licensed and no one could practice the family trade; poetry, blacksmithing, pottery or whatever... without licensing from the family who dominated the trade. After the Sengoku era, the Tokugawa era of peace, brought with it many new schools of martial arts and many martial arts, due to the castes becoming locked, having been used by various Samurai families in certain areas adopted the Iemoto or Soke system. Meaning only the Soke or head of the family would have full transmission. Under the Iemoto system, one could not practice pottery or blacksmithing without paying the family who has Soke dominance over a particular trade.

So it is quite clear that the Bujinkan cultists are seeking to use the internet fraud busting to create a ninja monopoly. This is especially interesting because as I pointed out, Hatsumi is a fraud who draws his lineage from a well known fraud and who's only attempt at any true status of being a Soke is to implement the Iemoto system under the guise of claiming legitimate authority through fraudulent means...

 

I mean doesn't the Bujinkan claim that only the Takamatsu-den lineage is real? Don't they attack even Kawakami's claims to Koga Ban Ryu Ninjutsu? Don't they tell you to be a legitimate ninjutsu practice you have to study Bujinkan arts? Wasn't the Historical fact of the ninjutsu recently revealed closer to the fantasy of ninjutsu taught by so called frauds like Ashida Kim, Frank Dux and myself?

 

Ever wonder why my Ninjutsu taught making smoke bombs and herbal medicine, even when it was a small red pamphlet named Black Dragon Ninjitsu? Ever wonder why Ashida Kim split many of his books into categories like Kata Dante, Submission Holds and Ninjitsu or why Ashida Kim spoke of Espionage as a Weapon, yet was dismissed as being unhistorical? Compared to Hatsumi's claim that Ninjutsu evolved from the mystic practices of the Yamabushi called Shugendo (The Path to Achieving Spiritual Power) and claims of esoteric secrets of the universe? Ever think this copyright on the secrets of the universe is cult-like in its devotion and principles?

Simply read Mind of the Ninja and you will see the cult-like religious worship of Takamatsu and Hatsumi in the belief of magical powers.

Don't worry I will review this book soon, I just have to buy a new copy because it is complete Bull Shit where I am concerned.