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.

 

Not Ichimonji No Kamae in Black Dragon Ninjitsu

 Both are Taisabaki images... above

This is Fudo Kamae... above

A fun little comparison brought up from a still image of the Jukyu DVD was that it looked like Ichimonji no Kamae. Allow me to explain this simply, this is not Ichimonji no Kamae. I was simply demonstrating taisabaki, the lead arm is passive and is raised only to demonstrate the range for hand strikes. It is used to help understand the basic element of striking distance in the scope of moving through the three dimensional space of one's "battle field."

Now it is very important to realize the differences in how Ichiminji no Kamae is applied & how Fudo Kamae of Black Dragon Ninjutsu is applied. Fudo Kamae is merely a platform for striking techniques, Black Dragon Ninjitsu uses explosive power, the snapping of the hips (called Fajing in Kung-fu, Chinkuchi in Okinawan Karate), thrust of the arm and transfer of body wieght along the knees to generate an explosive thrust into the target. The application of Ichimonji no Kamae is more often then not similar to the application of Kokutsu Datchi of Karate.

Fude Kamae is a fluid platform used to teach principles like balance, movement and positioning. They are similar in principle but not application the generation of power comes from the movement of the body. Strikes in Black Dragon Ninjitsu from Fudo Kamae are similar to a whip snapping and once the concept is learned, the Black Dragon Ninjitsu disregards the posture for the principles of balance, footwork and movement existing in the kinetics of the moment.

Comparing the two is like comparing apples to oranges... Omoto Ryu Jujutsu/Taijutsu (we should I know by now I used the "i" and "u" interchangably in "jutsu/jitsu") is very fluid almost Aikido-like in application but also far more aggressive in application. As in Karate, Budo Taijutsu, Aikido, Judo & Jujitsu taisabaki plays a big part, because you are not just moving your knees but positioning your body to avoid and even counter your opponent's action. However, to generate power you must also apply Koshi-Waza (Hip Technique) also called Fajing in Chinese arts  & Chinkuchi in Okinawan Karate. This is the concept of explosive power being delivered behind one's strikes and not merely "leaning" into the strike.

The difference in power of impact as well as the ability to change targets is very simple. The passive raised arm of taisabaki exists only to show the potential range of one's strikes while moving away, around or closer to one's opponent. Allow me to show you exactly what I am referring to.

Here is an online course from a Bujinkan Dojo, I grabbed it to highlight the differences here... That said I'm talking about technical thinking and not the individual here. The principles are sound, the execution for his art is fine but to my level of thinking no so much...

The attacks lack power and in a fight strikes are not so easily seen. Consider that both men have extended arms and that both art outside of striking range for throwing a jab. The attack is telegraphed & moving inside at a 45 degree angle don't protect you from being hit by the reverse hand (I point this out because it is something taught in the Bujinkan which is false). Consider that one person is striking an attacking limb while moving inside at a 45 degree angle and counter striking with a knife hand to the side of the neck.

Compare this to say Karate were here we see in a Tournament a person the person on the right using a much larger and more telegraphed lunge strike & it is countered by stepping back and executing a faster reverse punch to the chin. The Winning Karateka also used their positioning on the inside of the attacker's guard to position themselves for the strike. The fact that the Losing Karate was also in a position to counter with a reverse punch is still there.

The Logic as to why 45-degree angles exist and why they don't always work is simple. Take my very bad Paint drawing of boxers, fighters if you will... I point to boxing because Boxing uses the 45 degree angle, as well as a host of other arts... almost all of them to be honest.

Now just so you understand what everything is we have this image, the term centerline is found in Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do it refers to an imaginary line from the area above the upper lip & below the nose and goes to the groin passing through the solar plexus/diaphragm. I passing along a path that includes almost all vital areas on the torso.

Here were see the idea of offsetting or aligning to the strike the centerline area and targets like the chin, nose, throat, solar plexus & diaphram, the floating ribs, various organs along the belly and the groin. If the fighters were to stand square or even off set such as above they create a "triangle" that reveals the essential angles for striking.

Following the triangle we can see that both hands are equal distance from the centerline and our "triangle" is created. The base of the triangle is the line of intersecting for defense while the two sides are paths to strike (excluding the potential for hooking strikes) for arguments sake. By standing offset the trangle changes to place on fist closer to the target area then the other.

As you can see here the left hand (ok its circle but it represents a hand) is closer to the target then the right. This is the position the Karate fighter used to deliver a reverse punch for the win in the above video. If each one is standing at an angle the triangle changes.

Here see this triangle elongated and this is looking at the square up for two orthodox fighters (meaning two right handed boxers). The range of the reverse punch is extended and less lightly to deliver a blow, were as the lead hand is capable of delivering jabs and hard leads to the opponent. Something the passive lead hand floating represents in Taisabaki.

Breakdown the Ichimonji no Kamae and the inside 45-degree angle places you in danger of a reverse hand strike. You are literally lining yourself up for the reverse hand strike.
 

Breakdown the Ichimonji no Kamae and the inside 45-degree angle places you in danger of a reverse hand strike. You are literally lining yourself up for the reverse hand strike. Positioning yourself with the reverse hand's "triangle" of threat range. It would be useless against a boxer or kickboxer, a karateka and potentially even against an untrained fighter who is going to come in with both arms swinging.

This is just to point out both that the Taisabaki image is not Ichimonji no Kamae and that the principle foundation of Ichimonji no Kamae is not something endorsed by Black Dragon Ninjitsu on a technical level.

On training with Ashida Kim & Why I left the Bujinkan...

It is sometimes a surprise that I am associated with Ashida Kim, yes some people do not know this... but, I am. I have been asked some stupid questions to try to discredit me and its honestly entertaining.  Discredit me why because I think Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, formally Bujinkan Ninpo Taijutsu & formally Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu is a crappy martial art and the Bujinkan organization is a cult. Yet, I associate with Ashida Kim "the notorious ninja fraud" & fly the Black Dragon Fighting Society flag proudly...

To understand this you have to understand why I left the Bujinkan. Now I started in the Bujinkan 1993 and got my shodan and left the same year, my shodan had less to do with how awesome I am then Dojo politics. I love throwing the shodan, however undeserved, to tick off the Bujinkan guys. Its entertaining to watch them squirm... Prior to the Bujinkan I trained in Shotokan Karate, Goju Ryu, Judo and Sport Jujitsu. I already knew the same throws, pressure points and joint-locks and I learned Shotokan, Judo and Jujitsu in a McDojo that was a belt mill. If you know anything about Sport Jujitsu it blends Karate striking with Judo ground fighting and throws & Jujitsu standup grappling into a single sport.

So I was living in Charlotte, North Carolina when I started taking classes at a Bujinkan Dojo, why? Because I watched way too many ninja movies and wanted to be a ninja. Why is a long story but what I'm going to tell you will destroy some "sacred cows" & for now why doesn't matter. I don't remember what all I had to do at each rank but I remember being told "no sparring" until shodan (not even then really what they call Randori is a joke) and, book reports. That's right I was required to buy books and write book reports on them... History & Traditions by Hatsumi, The Grandmaster's Book of Ninja Training & one of Hayes books I can't think of the title right off, just to name a few.

Now that's not so bad but, don't ask questions... don't disagree with the "official story" and most of all don't think competition is a good thing. You basically have to accept the line "because Soke says so." Now one of the strangest things to this whole affair is that I hate the Bujinkan style of punching, and the big exaggerated stances. So I asked questions... Now I'm more then happy to say that I could take anyone there in an open competition, I even got into trouble for not using "official" techniques. But when my friends (Asians btw) heard I was training in the Bujinkan dojo they started giving me grief. I don't speak Japanese beyond Dojo and technique terms but, its funny when my friend's Japanese-American parents & grandfather are saying things like "There are no Japanese in your dojo?" I started asking questions. I always took it as a question but now that I think about maybe it was a condemning statement "There are no Japanese in your Dojo."

Now here is something to consider, there are Kung-fu schools, Tae Kwon Do schools, Karate schools and Judo and Jujitsu schools and a pretty sizable Asian population in Charlotte... you saw Japanese in Karate, Aikido and Judo schools, Koreans in Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do schools and Chinese in the various Kung-fu schools (even knew Chinese kids who learn Kung-fu under an American, not a Chinese-American but a "white guy") but we never had any Japanese in our Bujinkan dojo. In fact, it was kind of a joke with them. Now I don't doubt I got promoted to shodan to keep me in the school because when I started asking questions, others started asking questions even if our instructor didn't like it, he was easily losing creditability. So I was a shodan and got take part in Randori (Sparring)... here I was taught a lesson, that I couldn't use non-Bujinkan techniques. I couldn't punch like boxer, they have no defense for this... I couldn't use Jeet Kune Do fight strategies because (yep you guessed it) they have no defense for that... and God help me I couldn't say I thought other MAs were good. God forbid I mention other "ninjutsu instructors" from "other styles." I mentioned reading Ashida Kim's Secret of the Ninja at a public library and all I heard was only "Soke Hatsumi is the true Ninjutsu master" for about 3 days (Classes were Mon, Tues and Thursday so, those 3 days was our training week).

So lets directly address my issues and why I left...

1. I am a Christian, the Bujinkan was the name of Hatsumi's Dojo in Japan and later became the name of whole organization. Bujinkan means Hall of the Warrior God, and you always find a Shinto shrine to Takamatsu in the Bujinkan Dojo. You bow and clap and say some Japanese gibberish, which amounts to the  “Shikin Haramitsu Daikomyo” (The Benevolent Heart; Does what is Right) & "Onegai Shimasu" which doesn't translate well into English literally but has a general meaning "I wish or I pray for good fortune in our present & future relationships." The whole of “Shikin Haramitsu Daikomyo” is in fact a Buddhist like mantra that reflects Takamatsu's teachings... So you bow to Takamatsu's image and say his mantra & offer wishes/hopes/prayers for mutual benefit. You are in essence envoking a dead man's image to provide you with good fortune. Oh and the name Bujinkan, is what Hatsumi named his Dojo, because he felt Takamatsu was a "Divine Being." Thus Hatsumi is the ninja pope... and Takamatsu is Ninja Jesus...
2. You were completely limited to only using Bujinkan techniques... Now granted I can't "thai kick" someone in a Judo competition but, Judo doesn't claim to teach "no rules fighting" either. And you basically did "point sparring" and called it Randori, where you could only use then Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu.
3. You can't question anything said by Takamatsu or Hatsumi even when it conflicts with things they've said. Takamatsu wrote letters to Hatsumi telling him about "spy missions" he conducted in China during WW2 & its been claimed that Takamatsu taught ninjutsu as Nakano. Ok, so a man who couldn't join the Army (Takamatsu) was sent to preform clandestine operations overseas and wrote letters to his student, that thought he was a "god" (Hatsumi) about secret mission he did as a spy? He taught at the Nakano espionage school, without any proof because the records were so super secret. I believe Morihei Ueshiba & Fujita Seiko had proof they did. HELL, I'm more inclined to believe that 007 can bang every bag guy's girlfriend, introduce himself with his real name and no one ever know who is, then I'm willing to believe a clandestine agent would write letters detailing his missions him to his little buddy back home. I'm more inclined to believe Frank Dux (take that however you want)... You must accept anything said at face value, Takamatsu says he trained in Ninjutsu for 70 years at 68 years old & didn't take lessons in ninjutsu until he was 4. You have to accept it because he was a divine being... And you have to accept Takamatsu's divinity because Hatsumi said so.

So not long after this I left, I only stayed because I kept being told about ninja secrets... I was a Shodan for a week and quit. Dishearted and disenchanted, I was already training with Reginald Martin in Omoto Ryu Ninjutsu, I didn't start calling it Black Dragon Ninjitsu until 1999. In 1999 I was awarded my Shihan, my Godan in Omoto Ryu Budo under Kioshi Omoto (who openly called his school a Jujitsu and Budo school, even if it taught ninjutsu, i.e. tactics & espionage, so yes it is the same system) and he introduced me to the Nine Shadows of the Koga Ryu but I went more with Ashida Kim's Black Dragon Fighting Society. I started training with Omoto-Sensei in 1996.

A little secret about me, I still liked the idea of "ninjas" largely thanks to the lessons of Kioshi Omoto & Reg Martin and, Ashida Kim has always taught "ninjutsu" as a separate art of strategy and never tried proclaim to be the sole source of the "truth" and he has never bashed another Martial art. Cross training with Ashida Kim was mandatory, students and BDFS members were often sent on "ninja missions" to learn about other martial arts, methods and systems. There are even Bujinkan members who train with the BDFS to learn things like strategy, espionage principles and so on but keep their way of fighting. The fact is those are fun things to play with but have little use outside of those in the professional military, law enforcement & security fields, like business and marketing fields. Ashida Kim has always separated ninjutsu from martial arts...

 Here we see Ashida Kim's Secrets of the Ninja, Right off Ashida Kim discusses Espionage Principles and using intelligence gathering as a weapon. He addresses basic meditation and kuji-kiri as basic ninjutsu & then Inpo and Tonpo. Below in Ninja Hands of Death Ashida Kim breaks his book into 3 sections, Kata Dante, Submission Holds & Ninjutsu. Huh in 1981 Ashida Kim was calling ninjutsu espionage in Secrets of the Ninja & again in 1985 in Ninja Hands of Death.

Ashida Kim was awesome, I didn't have worship his master or him. I could question him and use different techniques from systems he wasn't trained in and on occasion he'd ask the "student" to become the "teacher." If I didn't want to use Ashida Kim's martial arts, I could still train in survival skills, intelligence gathering and strategy. Oh sure Ashida Kim gets his shots taken at him and has been harassed to no end by internet tough guys and keyboard commandos. And guess what all that lineage stuff that people say makes him a fake... I never had it force down my throat by the claim to unquestionable authority.

Even in Japan, they make fun of the Bujinkan: I'm not a bullshido.net fan but the have their moments... and this was it. Thank you, Bullshido.net & random Japanese show for the laughs.

Compare it to this video of Judo Randori where the Vast Majority of students as actually Japanese (Asian at the very least). So your Dojo has so no Japanese...

If you want to waste the money buy a copy of the book; Mind of the Ninja: Exploring the Inner Power by Kirkland C. Peterson.

This book is an example of everything wrong with the Bujinkan. About half this book is bashing Ashida Kim, calling him the "Terrorist ninja." And that's not the worst part, the worst part is the last 1/3 of this book is focused on the spirituality of Shinto & the pseudo-intellectualism of calling eastern religion "superior." This book reinforces much the cult teaching I've said makes up the Bujinkan. Including a rant on how superior the Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu is to all other martial arts. The best part is it flat out denies ninjutsu as (I'm quoting the author citing Ashida Kim) as an art for "espionage, sabotage and assassination" strangely years, decades later really... Ashida Kim is proven correct by the English translations of the historical texts by Anthony Cummins. Cummins in turn is "discredited" (well accused of being discredited but not really) and inspired members of the Bujinkan, namely Don Roley, to make his own translations of the historical texts to justify the Bujinkan's stance on ninjutsu.

Now I admit, a bunch a non-Japanese teaching "ninjutsu" is suspect, but so is a cult to a dead Japanese man who told some cool stories and his disciple who thought the man was divine. I don't care if Ashida Kim said some made up BS about Atlantis; it was actually a pretty interesting point because he was comparing the legends of the Great Floor from different cultures, Atlantis to the Greeks, Noah to the Jews and Christians & the Pole Star School and Shangri-La to the Chinese. Hell I don't care if he made up his ninjutsu, its still better then being forced to Worship a dead man. Because it was an explanation that basically equates to here is some BS to brag about and sound like an idiot, because you want to talk and not train.

The Omoto family has been pretty cool about the ninjutsu thing, they wanted nothing to do with the "ninjutsu culture" and ninjutsu isn't a mainstay martial art it is a supplementary course added to their Budo; philosophy, jujutsu & weapons training. Omoto Ryu doesn't have a Soke who is head of the tradition, the highest rank award is Shihan (Master). In fact, they directed me to other schools of ninjutsu because that's what I interested in... Most people don't hear me talk about Kioshi Omoto a lot, that's because our relationship was very straight forward, learn "x" and practice "x." He wasn't a mentor or a drinking buddy and certainly not a father figure, he was a taskmaster. On the few occasions I got to ask him about things like "ninjutsu" and "lineage" his answers were short and vague. I honestly had a warmer relationship with my Drill Sergeants in Basic (and they were mentors and taskmasters, and I got to drink with them after graduation).

In my school (which I am in the process of reviving) we had boxers, karateka, hapkido practicers, BJJers, MMA wonnabes & street fighters, even a Sheriff's Deputy who studied the Bujinkan style. I didn't sit around doing Kata, non-resistant taijutsu/jujitsu drills and, talking about how our art is combat proven because our tradition is Koryu (a disputed opinion of the Bujinkan) with my students. We train... Sometimes we train in basic boxing, common for my newbies and sometimes I have guys who trained in BJJ or wrestling teach from those arts. I've had a student trained in Hapkido teach hapkido and became the "student" for that day. I've certainly done this when "Abomination" (Matt) was teaching BJJ. I'm practical, an art is only combat proven when, YOU use it in combat...

I'm also a dick, so most of my students don't want to have pictures of them with me online. Especially, those connected to the Bujinkan or the local police force. So when I seem like prick, well I am a prick but, I'm the guy who left the cult. If seem to not respect martial arts, that's cause I don't respect them out of context. When I say out of context let me explain, I don't know if Frank Dux is legit or not but Blood Sport inspired me to compete in Karate & Sport Jujitsu as a kid. When I was 15/16 year old and fought in local "street fighting" tournaments I was kid with Hollywood fantasies. I know that, I admit that but I got a black belts from belt mills, and grew up around a family of criminals. Violence was pretty common in my life and I used what knew when I needed it. Hell I even got a black belt by challenging the instructor and he wanted teach me a lesson. I learned a lesson all right, I learned martial arts are a baby sitting service for children and a fantasy camp for adults. You do it because you enjoy it and, claiming its worth based on who won what trophy or who else learned the art or claiming to have some great lineage is a sure sign of delusion. Look you can learn Navy SEAL Hand-to-Hand Combatives but that won't make you a Navy SEAL. Or to put it another way, you can train in Gracie Jiu-jitsu it won't make you a UFC champion.