How Would a Katana Swordmaster Fight with a Rapier? (Shocking Findings)
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2024
- In the video's comments where we had Seki Sensei try out the longsword for the first time in his life, we received hundreds of requests for him to try fighting with a rapier too. So here we are. Just like the long sword, owning a real one is illegal. So I bought a stage tool that’s claimed to be approximately the same size as a real rapier. Sorry, this was the best thing I could get in Japan.
So today, Seki sensei, the 22nd headmaster of Kobudo Asayama Ichiden Ryu with 400 years of history, will try fighting with and against a rapier and see what he can do. We did some free sparring with the rapier and katana this time, so please watch this video until the end. However, as we said in the longsword video, we have absolutely no experience or knowledge of HEMA. So if we are doing something incorrectly or have any misunderstandings, please let us know in the comments. By the way, tickets for the 3-day training camp in Japan held by Seki Sensei and Let's ask Shogo are now on sale! Check out our Patreon page for more information!
*The content of our videos is based on the teachings of Asayama Ichiden Ryu and personal studies/experience | There is no intention of denying other Ryuha styles, theories, and cultural aspects
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Interested in taking lessons directly from the 22nd headmaster of Kobudo Asayama Ichiden Ryu, Seki sensei? Sign up to learn authentic samurai skills with 400 years of history, with perfect English interpretation from Let’s ask Shogo. Every lesson will be recorded and will be available to rewatch anytime. No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime. On the other hand, even if you already belong to a different dojo or Ryuha, as long as you’ve clarified it with your Sensei, you are free to join. (Learn more about the online lessons: ruclips.net/video/ZBXqjXbbknM/видео.html | This is an example of our lessons: ruclips.net/video/E8_0vDlV-8E/видео.html)
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🎵Original Opening Theme Song "Hyakuren"🎵
Performance: Hanafugetsu (Singer/Suzuhana Yuko, Shakuhachi/Kaminaga Daisuke, Koto/Ibukuro Kiyoshi)
Compositions & Arrangements: Suzuhana Yuko
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💰Please support this channel through Ko-fi (a donation platform like Patreon)💰
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The Kobudo Asayama Ichiden Ryu, of which Seki Sensei is the 22nd headmaster, was one of the most popular Ryuha styles during the Edo period. In our golden age, we had over 7,000 students nationwide. Today, we only have 100 students. Our dream is to revive the golden age of Asayama Ichiden Ryu while Seki Sensei is still the headmaster. We want future generations to remember Seki Sensei as the legendary Sōké who brought back the glory of our Ryuha. Your donations will be used to cover Shogo's travel expenses to visit the main dojo from Kyoto, RUclips video shooting costs, online lesson operation costs, and training camps in Japan and overseas.
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The intro gives me chills every time love it
purpleheart armoury should send you their whole catalog
rapiers do cut many are only fully sharp on tip but it depended on the sword some had a full edge down blade. most of your movement in a rapier usualy comes from wrist though if your offering the point.
the first step is controlling the tip usually. he is right. i also do a similar thing with my 2 hander but if they just move sword out of way u do open yourself up to a riposte.
but rapier on rapier it usualy starts with both circling each others tips till 1 gets a bind and can move others out of way to perform a lunge
I am playing catchup to your channel. Something that bolted into my brain watching this. You can see your opponents eyes yet you're not paying attention to them, you're watching his core. Learned a lot in batojutsu. May have not been long still tasked with teaching hanbo and sword in ninjutsu rather than sensai. Bruises, good times
I would love to see you try an officer’s saber. British military sabers are some of the best balanced weapons in the world. Seki Sensei would love it, I think.
A good teacher never forgets the excitement of being a student.
Beautiful observation
actually its impressive how fast he learns and adapts.
The good master is forever an apprentice.
OMG!?!?!!!!! TRIGGER FROM ACE COMBAT 7 NO WAY?!?!???!!!!!
...man lernt nie aus...!
(lit.: you never stop learning)
Ive sparred HEMA guys with rapiers using my katana and sensei is correct about its advantages. Alot of "experts" in katana say that if you just hold it w 2 hands it can defeat rapier, but in my expirence, you cant use conventional kenjitsu techniques because rapier fighters are trying to keep their distance from you. One thing you might need to know though is that rapier fighters move bery linear and always have it pointed out according to their style. Thus enhancing its "scary" elements. The only way I had victories against it was when I was able to press in and take advantage of the the katana's close range pluses against the rapier's minuses
Sounds fun. I’m an Iaido practitioner that’s looking to get sparring in with Hema guys. I googled Hema and found a club nearby. We’ll see if I too can make some Hema friends to spar with.
I would say it depends on the katana. Katana just means sword. The uchigatana I'd say you're correct, but the battlefield katana, such as tachi and nodachi, I think would have the advantage due to length and weight. It's similar to a rapier versus a greatsword.
The statement about always moving in one line is not correct. This applies mostly to sport fencing, where moving outside of straight line is prohibited by rules. From what we know of europian sword technigues in history, to circle around your opponent was crucial part of swrodfighting, as circling around is used to acutally attempt to confuse your enemy prediction of distance. For example in spanish schools you usually walk around your opponent with very direct guard stance, tip pointing at the enemy ofcourse, trying to find a right angle.
@@jaxirraywhisper741 As an epeeist with a decent sense of timing and distance, I do think a rapier fencer would benefit immensely from dynamic footwork like what one might find in modern sports fencing. Fence in absence to further confuse the opponent who may wish to leverage their bladework.
A lot of MODERN rapier fighters fight in a linear fashion because that's what is taught these days for guys/gals learning "fencing", but older techniques were quite different - the focus wasn't on linear fighting. Take a bit of time and look into "La Verdadera Destreza", one of the key concepts is using off-line footwork to gain a tactical advantage in an attack. You don't see that in Olympic fencing which is what is taught these days but back in the 15th and 16th century when the destreza was being codified, "killing the other guy" was more important than scoring a touch. Many other "popular" schools back then did specialize in linear footwork but the destreza was the first to teach offline footwork. The destreza was probably the most deadly fencing style taught in Europe for about 300 years, from my research and brief familiarity with it.
A thing I heard once was that back when sword duels were common throughout Renaissance Europe (especially Italy) you could instantly tell a saber duelist from a rapier duelist. A saber duelist was an older gentleman with many scars along just arms and face. A rapier duelist was a young man without a single scar on his body. This was because most duels were to first blood, and a slash from a saber was painful but rarely lethal on its own. Meanwhile, rapiers excelled at puncturing vital organs and so “first blood” was also enough to kill.
All this to say, being intimidated by the rapier is a valid response. It’s a remarkably deadly and reckless weapon, sacrificing the versatility and defensive capabilities of heavier blades for shear killing power.
True rapiers are not light weapons; they weigh roughly the same as longswords/hand-and-a-half swords, and all that weight is in their length.
@@Vanastar Hand and a half would make sense to me, but I'm genuinely surprised to imagine a rapier weighing the same as a longsword. I'd figure that would be more of an estoc?
@@archsteel7Hema fencer here- of course "it depends" but yeah, rapiers are very heavy. I would say that strengthwise, it is by far the hardest weapon to use.
It is very long, and not that thin, the guys in the video are using something that I'd say is way too short, in my experience. For the style we practiced, the rapier end to end should reach from the floor to your nipple to be the correct size.
@@codmv2 Interesting! Well, thanks for educating me on that. I never meant to imply that rapiers were light, however, but I had assumed that most 2-handed swords would be heavier.
@@archsteel7 The longsword in particular will, on average, be only slightly heavier than a rapier, but using both arms to hold it and the points of balance make a world of difference in perceived weight.
It's so exhausting using a rapier, definitely gotta condition those arms and shoulders.
As a HEMA student, I would say regarding whether you can perform a sword deflection with a rapier really depends on the rapier. The typical design of a rapier we would use for sport in HEMA wouldn't work very well for it, the blades are quite light and flexible, they focus on subtle redirections of the opponent's sword rather than large sweeping movements. They take advantage of the robust hand protection they are often equipped with to do so safely. It takes very little force at all to pierce someone with a rapier, even at somewhat awkward angles. If a full out lunge were to strike the opposing fencer clearly and without incident, it's relatively likely the entire sword could penetrate straight down to the hilt and run them through quickly.
However, historical artifacts of rapiers with heavier blades -do- exist, and from their appearance they'd be more suited to techniques like deflecting and cutting in general. Some of these examples are similar to what is sometimes in HEMA called a "Sidesword", a cut-and-thrust sword which is used in one hand, often with a buckler, dagger, or cape in the off hand.
I was thinking that a basket hilt would make it a lot harder to knock the rapier out of someone's hand...
i used to do saber and one day out of fun i went to a rapier student and ask if he wanted to spar, the fight overall was strange becouse neither of us really knew how to fight against the other weapon, he struggled a lot with my swings becouse blocking them was really hard, often just pushing through his guard with the momentum, and while i did a bit better against them becouse saber also has thrusts so i knew how to mostly counter them (although the diference in reach was very notable) i will never forget the pain that the thrusts caused, i was used to even get hit in the head with sabers and just get annoyed by the noise but even with a thick jacket and an plastic underplate the rapier managed to leave a bruise that lasted for a couple weeks, that thing is an instrument of death no doubt
Dude, rapiers were invented in spain and the spanish style of destreza always had cuts in it...Rapiers always been a cutting sword, i dont know why anglos keep the myth of it being just a stabbing sword...
@@Trikipum Guess it depends on style of rapier. As mentioned there are heavy bladed ones that can cut and deflect, but from there someone come up idea to swap the weight and cutting capability.. and defense to almost purely thrusting weapon that might even defeat armor, least chainmail and that mad lad went for the kill, closing in before enemy could even swing putting end to fight then and there. For new fighter that would be almost automatic death sentence and i dont know how many seasoned fighters could deal such offensive style and pure thrusts. From all the bladed weapons stabby rapier are my nightmare since hand is faster than eye. Only weapon that could be better against rapier might be spear to keep enemy at the distance, but it would need to be really light weight spear to react fast enough and not let enemy past it.
Another thing is German rapiers are generally built like side swords and are cut and thrust at least according to Meyer. The synthetics we used in our class were side swords because that was the closest we could find to what’s described in the manual.
That said, there might be some of the skinny ones that are also German. I’m not 100% on that.
To answer Seki Sensseis question: A rapier fencer would usually not smack aside an oponents blade, but much rather prefer to push it aside. Rapier fencers try to keep blade contact as much as possible in order to controll their oponents sword. Since their hands are protected by a large cupped hilt or basket hilt, they do not worry so much about their hands.
And one important note: What he is holding is not actually a rapier, but a type of sword called "Smallsword" as it was popular in the 18th century. But many of the concepts of rapier fencing still apply.
Historic sources for fencing with rapier would be:
Jerónimo Sánchez de Carranza (1569)
Domingo Luis Godinho (1599)
Salvator Fabris (1609)
In the video they did say it was the best they could find in japan
@@TheMaxCloud It makes a difference though as the rapier's very specific hilt and basket contribute to technique.
A rapier is often held with one finger above the crossbar, which is why the 'fancy' basket reaching up above the crossbar is necessary. This completely changes your ability to control the blade and make very fine moves that are defining for rapier fencing.
That is quite possible, but there are some major differences. The smallsword is a lot shorter, they often had a blade around 36 inches or shorter, while 36 inches is about the minimum length for something to be called a rapier, and rapiers were commonly found up to around 45 inches, most rapiers had some ability to deliver cuts but most smallswords didn't have sharpened edges, or at least blunt edges were much more common on smallsword than rapier, and rapiers had much more substantial guards that covered a significantly larger area and had large quillons that play a substantial role in parrying with the rapier. @@TheMaxCloud
Meyer does advocate taking out (ausnehmen) with the Rapier, but its always against incoming cuts.
@@coopercummings8370Well, it doesn't matter, since that was a practice sword made of some lightweight material; if you make it of the correct length, it would be too flimsy for you know, practicing.
That aside, I would hesitate to call that a smallsword... if I ever had to describe it to someone else I would call it "a practice foil with a tsuba"... but again, sword classification is not exactly a science and the meaning for the words we use vary a lot with the period so what we call it doesn't really matter either.
Either way, is not exactly the same beast, and I would love to see him handling a historically accurate replica, with proper sword geometry, length and hilt. I would also love to see a followup in which he checks some videos of HEMA practitioners using whatever swords he reviewed and give us his thoughts. Specially in this case that he is slightly outside his comfort zone.
As fencing student and HEMA practitioner I’m very impressed at how quickly Seki Sensei picked up the strengths of the rapier and discovered how best to use it. Rapier and other thrusting swords do require very quick, small, and precise movements, and those small circular parries and opportunistic attacks against openings are exactly where rapiers excel. One thing Seki Sensei did not pick up on, however, is the footwork that goes with it. Some rapier styles utilize a lot of circling footwork and move the body out of line as attacks are made, so you’ll often sidestep or angle your body away to attack your opponent diagonally, or attack straight on while moving your body to one side. Imagine all the fear that comes with not being able to see the thrust, but add the confusion of your opponent stepping away at a completely different angle while they do it to dodge your own attack. It’s a very deceptive weapon that, in the right hands, accomplishes a lot with just a few subtle twists of blade and body.
Yeah I noticed he was more focused on the parry, which is understandable given his use of katanas. However the true strength of the rapier is how light the weapon is. It allows for rapid movements, and the counter attack from a rapier is brutal. Recovery time is minimal vs more heavy weapons so its better to sidestep a blow than to defend it directly. Especially since the Rapier is more flimsy and could snap under a direct blow.
Yeah, as far as I know, this is a major strength of the rapier against a katana
@@zerieth6620 As a minor disclaimer, a rapier is not.. truly lighter than the conventional sword. It has the same amount of metal in it, its just longer. However, its much much more well balanced in the grip which makes it feel lighter than a katana, or an arming sword.
That balance is a little more unfortunate though cuz it makes it a lot easier to knock out of the way, with no real staying power.
fencer here, came here to make this comment about footwork and displacement
@@zerieth6620 It's not particularly light, just light relative to its length. It is about the same weight as a medieval one-handed arming sword, but about the same length as a longsword.
It really shows how much of a master sensei Seki is that he can actually figure out a lot of legitimate rapier techniques on his own without having actually studied with one before. I love seeing this sort of crossover
Honestly I don't know anything of value, I'm just really enjoyingall this mutual appreciation and respect of craftmanship and skill across cultures.
Same, I've got no training or experience in any sort of sword-fighting but seeing Seki Sensei appreciate the strengths and weakness of each weapon and seek rational ways to use or counter an unfamiliar weapon is very illuminating.
yup! :D
It's telling that the sword master was _afraid_ of the rapier. Swords are cool but they are highly refined tools specifically designed to kill humans. They _ARE_ scary. One of the things I like about Seki Sensei is that his ryu is grounded in the realities of _combat_ because that's really what weapons are for. I love his openmindedness and humility. You can tell he loves to _LEARN_ and that is the hallmark of a great teacher.
Rapier masters have mentioned in their treaties that thrusts are inherently more dangerous than cuts since thrusts have little visual stimulus to convey compared to cuts, not to mention the lethality of surviving a thrust.
its sad that he couldn't get hold of a more authentic rapier though, I would love to see what he would think about the complex ringed hilt. I guess the next step is to take Seki Sensei to a trip abroad to visit a HEMA club.
Well said!
Not only kill, but also designed so that, even a “failed” kill shot would maim and disable whatever it did hit. Such as eyes, muscle groups (“spear and flick”), tendons, any nearby organs… back of the throat…
I think teachers are usually more stubborng because in katana techniques you have to be stuck in the past with no innovation as you are technically just upkeeping cultural heritage. I mean there is no practical use for any sword these days so they just want to show how people fought in the past. This guy seems fun for sure to put a little bit of fantasy spin on these videos as obviously in reality there was never any rapier vs katana duels. At least not enough times to make a manual out of it.
You can definitely tell Seki Sensei is an actual swordsman, as he fairly quickly figured out the best strategy to engage a rapier swordsman. He is correct in that large motions will not work against an experienced rapier swordsman due to the rapier's speed and difficulty inherent with trying to see a rapier thrust. Instead he adapts to small cuts and thrusting attacks of his own in order to keep the katana between himself and the other fencer at all times. During my time in Japan I was asked by some kendo students if I would fence against them with my rapier and they with their shinai. They learned a lot from our sparring about what does not work but they did not discern a plausible strategy as did Seki Sensei.
Kendo students also really like the stop thrust and withdrawing the front leg as a solution against attack to legs. Since kendo students do not have to think about leg attacks in kendo, they don't have to worry about leg attacks.
actually its impressive how fast he learns and adapts.
Did you ever trade off? It looked like Seki Sensei really began to understand the nature of the rapier once he was facing off against it. In the beginning section of the video it looked like he was still getting a handle on the capabilities of the weapon.
@@danjager6200 No, the kendo students never did adapt to adjust for the speed of the weapon. In most exchanges the kendo students charged, only to take a thrust to the face or torso. I am chalking it up to perhaps they were not as experienced as others I could have faced.
@@RobertChildsRapier That actually makes sense. In unarmored combat, the rapier is a very good weapon. What I was actually asking was if you took a katana in hand and gave them the rapier to try. I would be interested in what they did.
I love how he was so excited about figuring out how to properly counter fighting against the rapier, and figured out its main strength was the small but quick movements so one was to counter was just to use extreme pressure instead of half heartedly attacking because of fear. So cool to watch someone who's mastered their craft be so humble and excited to learn something outside his scope of knowledge
Sensei has the right idea. He's using the rapiers strong vs your blade's weak correctly, his movements and instincts are very good. After a while of him using it he starts to figure out timing attacks and some of the soft and tight parrys I'm used to seeing in our practices. It's really nice to see. I used to practice with bokken in my youth, before I got into rapier dueling (id say it was about 26 years ago now, maybe 28) and I do feel that it helped me become a more well rounded combatant... I think sensei would be very scary with a small amount of practice and correct gear to take some of the fear element out of learning.
Attacking the hand is possible, but usually made harder because of the protection of basket hilts and a proper grip helps keep you from being disarmed. Try a finger over the Ricasso, it'll help you keep a hold of the blade. Also keep in mind the grip of a rapier is slightly stronger than that of katana, you will want to hold it a little bit tighter. Not to strangle it, but a firm handshake. Also I'm sure Sensei tells you this too, but move with purpose. :) your movements should be more deliberate.
Overall, this was great to see, and great fun.
It was amazing to see him immediately understand the thrusting capabilities of the rapier as soon as it was pointed at him. You can clearly see the skill, knowledge, and experience of Seki Sensei, and his on the spot strategies were also very good.
I’m not even into sword fighting but I make an exception to watch the sensei. Seeing how he can pick up a weapon for the first time and figure it out in minutes using his vast knowledge is very, very cool.
A lot of it is probably intuitive, to be fair.
thats because he said it is similar to another sword he knows that is like the japanese version of the rapier ... abit weird that you think that he only knows katanas ...
nahh he already knows another japanese sword that is like rapier . do you think japan only has katana ? @@kylestanley7843
@@myname-mz3lo but that thing not really thrust but smack. meanwhile, when the other man use the rapier "kinda" the right way, now master seki can see how scary that thing is due to how thin and how it makes you cannot see the rapier at all in some angle.
I've been a practitioner of Rapier Fencing for about 10 years focusing my study on Aggripa, Capo Ferro, Gigante, and Esgrima Vulgar from Godihno. It's not my best system but I'm familiar with it's theory and application.
For Sensei's first question about beating away blades with two tempo actions depends on the era of the sidesword or rapier, how you are fighting, and what weapon you are matched against. As time progressed sideswords, which were generally shorter and more cutting oriented, could be fought with like the Kanamuchi as he displays. However, rapiers became longer and more thrusting oriented. The attacks made with them are more like when he intercepts Sukada-san's weapon and almost hits his face. They are single time thrusting actions meant to spend as little time as possible and simultaneously divert the opponent's weapon.
They were also matched against each other, and so could not make such large movements, because in the time it takes to make that movement your opponent would intercept your weapon and thrust you. Against a katana for example you can afford larger motions since it will likely be shorter and cuts simply take more time than thrusts. They also bladed their bodies more sideways over time to present less area to be attacked, and would lunge at each other to try and make these attacks from a safer distance.
Also, dueling rapiers were very rigid yet flexible. They are not as likely to beat a weapon away but can easily hold "lines" in a thrust. You would block a cut and simultaneously thrust, and the sword would generally be able to do so. They were also more likely to perform the circular motions to divert a cut and counterthrust, just with smaller motions than Sensei displays. You can beat away a blade, but it is done in specific circumstances.
Sensei's observations about dodging, footwork and distance are right on. The only things he didn't display are movement of the upper body and deflecting with the off hand. A thrust can be batted away with the off hand while gloved especially. Rapier fencers often move their upper body forwards and backwards to cover distance or create a perception of distance. He is also missing that rapier fencers will take diagonal steps to create new lines of attack or to dodge and counterthrust.
He is also correct in that the thrust cannot be easily perceived. Very often fencers will cross and "gain" each other's blades so they can feel superior leverage. More experienced fencers will do this process and attack in one motion. This is so the opponent's weapon is controlled as it is very scary and common to both thrust each other at once and "double", inexperienced fencers are frequently suicidal in their attacks in this fashion by attacking without gaining or even covering their opponents weapon. Eventually you learn to perceive the distance of the weapon at a glance.
His perception of using large attacks to beat the weapon out of an opponent's hand are well founded. Rapier fencers can end up using a looser grip to maximize thrusting distance. An experienced fencer can using a guard to divert a larger cut and countercut. It is similar to many techniques I've seen Sensei apply. It is a weaker grip to gain even more distance, but an experienced fencer will be prepared and you would need to do the technique as displayed in a single moment or when you opponent is static and not prepared.
this is highly informative Thank you
I say olde boy, you know what you are writing about..
@@ENIGMAXII2112 I don't know why, but I read this in Foghorn Leghorn's voice.
I don't have anything constructive to add to this thread.
@@webbowser8834
You do not have to add any thing else, just a thank you would do.
It was meant as a "thumbs up", a cheers to you if you will.
Please do set aside that silly cartoon character..
I've done a tiny amount of fencing. I noticed that the sensei didn't use his wrist to parry and maintain point on target.
These guys are incredible. Super skilled, but not at all pretentious about it, and so enthusiastic to try new things. I really appreciate the balanced takes on pros and cons.
I studied George Silver's English backsword (a straight single-edged, single-hand sword with basket hilt) for a few years. He wrote his treatise "Paradoxes of Defence" partly as a response to people teaching Italian rapier fencing in England and getting people killed. Rapier duels can be especially deadly if both fighters lunge at the same time. And even if you hit your opponent first, the blade will sink into their body and can bring them close enough to do the same to you.
Silver's opinion was that "The blow [cutting strike] requires the strength of a man to be warded, but the thrust may be put [turned aside] by by the force of a child." Especially with the long and heavy rapiers of the 16th C, the main danger lies in getting past the point. If you can turn aside their thrust and close the distance, you have the advantage with a cutting weapon.
Rapiers could be used to parry swords such as katanas, but only really with the forte. As others have mentioned, the basket hilt protects the sword hand very well against cutting attacks, therefore parrying close to the hilt is not so dangerous.
I don't know if it's apocryphal, but my instructor once told us that Polish sabre duellists used to say "In a backsword duel, one man walks away. In a rapier duel, neither man walks away. In a sabre duel, both men walk away."
The way sabre duels worked, you could get a scratch and that would be called first blood.
So yes in terms of dueling it was definitely the safest option.
@@bazzfromthebackground3696 Prussian nobility considered it a badge of honor to have a sabre-duelling scar, and scars were sometimes given as a "reward" for good swordsmanship. This cultural practice even continued into the early 20th century; during the Great War it wasn't uncommon to see German officers with duelling scars.
Otto Skorzeny was a particularly infamous bearer of duelling scars.
When Seki sensei said that it was hard to manage the distance, I was reminded of something my fencing club instructor taught. That a commonly used skill was to line up one's elbow, hand, and blade tip with the opponent's eyes in order to make it even harder to judge your range. When it comes to thrusts, misjudging by even a small amount can get you stabbed.
So the same concept as hiding your jabs in boxing?
Also, you hide your back foot behind your front foot to make it difficult for your opponent to judge the width of your stance with their peripheral vision while keeping their focus on your sword and arm.
@@ericgauthier7040 It's also because rapier fighting arose during a time where court fashion emphasized motions that used tucked feet and tilted body angles. The curtsy, bowing in similar motions, and ballet developed from the same aesthetics, and a significant element of rapier fencing's upper-class entrenchment demanded that people look pretty while they're fighting.
Just a layman, but I always thought those courtly mannerisms came from rapier fighting and then went into larger society, not the other way around. Am I wrong?
@JustWillB it was probably done around the same time, and one complimented the other, eventually meshing with each other.
Sensei is a sincere sword nerd. He gets as excited as I do over a new sword. This is so beautiful.
I don't even watch this stuff besides random recommendations on the front page but I've got to say that seeing the longsword and HEMA content creator response videos and just the entire host of positive feedback from all these different martial weapon practitioners really makes me feel like I'm living in the best timeline of a community. This is great!
Great video! Two things I'd like to comment on:
First, Seki Sensei is absolutely correct about using small movements. Due to the rapiers length (your substitute is actually too short for an average rapier but I understand the difficulty you had in finding an approximation) even small movements of the wrist and forearm can generate very high tip speeds and rapier fencers definitely take advantage of that.
Second, it's important to note that high quality European swords were usually made of spring steel, so they were less rigid and had more ability to flex and warp without permanently bending compared to a traditionally constructed katana. This is important for several reasons, but in this case if you attempt to knock the rapier out of your opponents hand a lot of the initial energy is going to get absorbed by the spring action of the blade. By itself this probably isn't enough to negate the technique, but it might give a moderately experienced fencer enough time to adjust and keep hold of a weapon he would otherwise lose were it more rigid.
The strike to the rapier is done closer to the handle, knocking it out of the opponent’s grip. Flexability of the rapier doesn’t really come into play with this move.
@@styrbjornulfhamr9404This is a great point in isolation. However, it hinges on whether or not you can get close enough to deliver that strike in the first place.
I would suspect that given the length and speed of a rapier this would be highly unlikely in actual combat. For example, if you're using a katana vs a full length rapier (which it's important to remember that the substitute used in this video is really too short to be a rapier), you'd be well within the lethal range of the rapier before you got close enough to make a strike near the hilt as you suggest. So a moderately skilled rapier fencer would have a good opportunity to end the fight before you made your attack.
Now, to your point, *IF* you can get inside the rapiers range by catching your opponent off balance or over extended then this might be a viable technique, but as it requires you to enter the lethal range of your opponent by a good margin I can't see it as a "go to" technique for countering the weapon (which was my take on the video's intent, which admittedly could be wrong).
Still, great point and a good reminder that actual combat has a lot of factors going on that short demos like this simply can't capture.
As others have pointed out the trainers is closer to a smallsword or spadroon (which could cut) in size. It also lacks the intricate hilt guards of most rapiers which would be much longer.
The rapier is a very thrust centric weapon- may historical documents disdained cuts and some versions didn’t even have a cutting edge though many did especially ones meant for more practical use. Though a lost of Spanish Destreza would use cuts of a downward nature especially.
Seki-sensei is absolutely right that attacking the weapon and ‘clearing the way’ is best in this case especially if the opponent is trained enough to keep his point in line and only use small motions to parry cut or thrust.
His advice is actually quite in line with George Silver’s- who disdained the rapier preferring more old-fashioned swords (a basket hilted broadsword being his preferred rapier counterpart) and wrote some very interesting stuff about the advantages and disadvantages as well as the principles of his own system:
“Therefore ever respect his rapier point & remember to make & keep narrow space upon it with your sword point, that you may be sure to break his thrust before it is in full force.”
It might be a bit niche for youtube but I’d love to see an analysis of Silver’s preferred weapons, tactics, and advice from Seki Sensei.
Respecting the difficulty in ordering one there, it should likely be much longer. Thibault recommends going shorter than his contemporaries on blade length, and his recommendation for someone around 182 cm is about a 117 cm blade ( General guide (height X .65) or more generally, blade should be floor to navel, hilt about another 15-25 cm). Given that a katana is usually 60-80 cm, the rapier presents a bit of extra reach and threat.
Still really cool to see. Seems like Sensei would be very well disposed towards a more cut heavy rapier. There are good clips of tatami cutting with a rapier, but you definitely want to lean into thrusts unless targeting hands or wrists.
@@znghl Yeah, Shogo mentioned early on that the trainer he got was the best that he could do due to Japan's weapons laws. But I wonder if he would have been able to get his hands on a fencing epee. It would have had a longer blade and weighed a bit more than what he had, plus it has the benefit of being the trainer weapon for a rapier.
@@Riceball01 I wish they would ease up on these laws.
I love it. He gets so excited by the possibilities of a different weapon. Something content creators in the west often lose in the battle of what’s best.
The next best thing 🤔never seen that before. 🤣
whats best is what you have on you at the time so its usually your foot :P or a bar stool or similar
This is actually very true. The ultimate goal is the comparison, not how the user can take advantage of the weapon.
@@notsans9995 You're dull. If that were the case, he wouldn't have thought of ways to counter it. A weapon is only as good as the person using it. You guys come out of your holes every time.
I largely agree that the wielder is a key feature here. I personally would rather have a rapier in an unarmored fight against a single opponent, but there are situations where I would prefer a katana. Rapiers do not have an advantage against armor. Two opponents in medium armor, one with a rapier and one with a katana might go completely differently.@@blumiu2426
this and the long sword video put a huge smile on my face
I think it also speaks to a combination of how swords are made and Saki Seneis skill at how quickly he picks up how the foreign swords are meant to be used
The sword being used here is more similar to a small sword than a rapier. Rapiers tended to have a slightly longer blade and more flexible than a small sword. The small sword (essentially point-only weapon) was developed as people preferred not to be slashed in less-than-lethal duels. Duels to first blood wouldn’t result in ugly scarring with small swords as they often did with rapiers which were both flexible and edged.
To the point regarding attacking the weapon, it really depends on the basket (which the sword in the video does not have) as many were developed with grip enhancers to ensure the weapon was not lost to a blow.
I studied the small sword and rapiers many years ago and my suggestion for fighting long thin blades is bring a long thin blade. One of the attacks which couldn’t be demonstrated here due to the weapon stiffness was a slashing thrust - essentially meeting the blow of the katana while thrusting from outside of the opponent’s guard and allowing the material of the sword to absorb the impact with a heavier/stiffer material and flex around it inside the opponent’s guard for a touch while remaining outside of the opponent’s range of motion.
I certainly appreciate the video and the perspective of those unfamiliar with the weapon, but there’s also a very noticeable lack of speed with the weapon due to inexperience and also just the handle not being correct. Rapiers are incredibly fast and a good duelist would easily maneuver the weapon away from any unwanted binds and quickly counterattack the openings created by a missed bind.
The advice about making smaller movements against a rapier resembles George Silver's detailed advice for using his "short sword" & dagger against a long rapier & dagger. Silver's "short sword" was actually fairly long, with a 94-102cm blade, but he described rapiers as having 109-117+cm blades. He wrote to keep one's space narrow against a long rapier, meaning to keep the sword close to the rapier, & to thrust or cut after deflecting the rapier. This differs dramatically from Silver's style for "short sword" against "short sword", which involves lots of cuts from an overhead guard.
I think I read one of your posts on other forums.
Make the point narrow iirc
Regarding the question of if it's possible to fight like he does early in the video, it depends. Some rapiers were heavier and sturdier, and had a cutting edge, and they were generally meant for proper battlefield use. However there were also dueling rapiers that were as light as possible as they needed to be as nimble as possible, and had a minimal cutting edge as the fighting style of the time focused so much on thrusting. This cause the rapier came into prominence during a time when extensive armor was becoming very rare
a cold steel branded rapier is sturdy enough to do all this in the video, i should know, i own one, but yeah, rapiers arnt a one size fits all sword, theres more variations in the blade than ways to cook an egg
It's true that some dueling rapiers could be quite light. On the other hand, many rapiers intended for the civilian context weren't particularly light. Plenty of rapiers circa 1600 weighed 1.2kg or more. It's not accurate to say extensive armor was very rare at this time. Men-at-arms had mostly disappeared, but lancers & reiters still typically wore three-quarters harness or more. Pikers often wore three-quarters or half harness. Civilians sometimes wore armor too, particularly mail. Salvator Fabris, an iconic rapier master, used a rapier that could cut & encouraged using cuts in armor & against multiple foes. (He sadly did not explain the rationale for using cuts in armor.)
Yeah, like a lot of European swords, they changed a lot depending on year and area. What most would think of as a "rapier" would probably bend, it's not a blocking weapon.
@@b.h.abbott-motley2427 most armour was attached by straps often on top of other plates u can easily cut it with a slash also unless u hit a very vital point with a stab from rapier, your sword tip will be controled by being stuck in opponent giving them and anyone near them a free shot at you so if u can get a cut in its going to have better chance of not getting stuck and could do more damage over time bleeding than a thrust
@@b.h.abbott-motley2427 That is true, with dueling rapiers I was thinking more in the vein of those that eventually evolved into the small-sword and epee, whilst the swords you are talking about were more robust and intended for self-defence.
And whilst the bit of the armor is also true, by that time the military swords were often less rapiers, more broadswords, cleavers and the like still, like falchions/messers, katzbalgers, sideswords, and such.
It's my own fault for not being specific enough
As for cuts against armor: you were unlikely to be able to just stab through plate with ease, so your better option was to slash at them and at least deliver extra blunt impact, which has a better chance of at least staggering or stunning your opponent, especially when the blow is aimed for the head. Cuts were also more damaging against limbs, as unlike stabs, slashes could sever muscles and tendons.
The rapier is the single greatest dueling weapon under these conditions. It is perfectly suited for this context. Its only downside is that it takes a *lot* of wrist, arm, and shoulder strength. Constantly holding up a 5lb sword with only one hand is much harder than it looks.
The average rapier weighed 2.2 pounds. No single handed sword has ever weighed 5 pounds, most are 2-3 pounds.
Even my arming sword was only 3 pounds and it was 26" blade about 1" across.
Hi! I've done a bit of fencing, and first off I'm impressed by how quickly Seki Sensei acquired the proper stance, and identified that "maybe it's not strong enough to smack away a thicker sword".
I think I can offer an insight into countering Seki Sensei's strategies. He's correct that you need to keep your blade in front of you to keep distance, but if we assume a Rapier operates on the same rules as an Epee a skilled user will press the length advantage of their weapon to attack your wrist. Attempting to disarm your opponent is a viable strategy, but the first technique students learn while practicing Foil is to slip around an opponent's attempts to control your blade/tip, referred to as a "circle six".
The best counter to the Rapier is to think of it as a miniscule spear; the majority of the danger comes from the tip. Once you press into your opponent's close range, the Katana's ability to be held vertically like a wall can block most common methods of disengaging. The fencer will be forced to block across your cutting edge, allowing you to overpower them with a two handed grip.
This content is delightful, definitely subscribing!
A second smaller weapon is also an option also employed with a rapier. Maybe a jitte or similar would be best to control the weapon. I think you're always at a disadvantage here though with a weapon designed for backup in armoured combat vs a primary dueling sword.
Closing with a rapier has that risk of a second blade, I'm not sure its so 'safe'
Of course, to most of your body a rapier isn't immediately lethal, you can trap the blade in your body. The US found the small calibre revolvers weren't the best in Japan as one method Samurai occassionally employed was to be bad sports and kill you after you'd already shot them 6 times.
Katana was favoured for its immediately catastrophic effects, as sabres were. Slicing off a limb is much more effective than stabbing it.
A bit grotesque sorry for that but a basic advantage of a slicing weapon - one with just enough to sever bone that can't be assessed as well outside of deadly use.
Seki Sensei’s enthusiasm about training with and fighting against weapons not native to Japan is a wonderful sight to see. As other users below me have commented, Sensei was very smart about figuring out the proper ways for a katana to counter a rapier, because doing so is not an easy task. Rapiers are very thrust-centric swords (only certain variants have cutting capabilities) and rapier users like to keep their distance from their opponents because of the reach advantage they can exploit with the rapier’s length (some rapiers can get as long as 48 inches in length). But even if you close the distance, you’re not out of the woods yet, because very often the rapier is paired with a dagger commonly called a Main Gauche (literally translates as “left hand”). This dagger is somewhere between a tanto and a wakizashi in terms of its length (I don’t remember the exact length, so don’t quote me on this) and it is typically used only for defense while the rapier is used only for attack (they will be doing a lot of deflects with the dagger to try to make their opponents over-strike and leave them vulnerable).
If at all possible, I want to see Seki Sensei look at, use, and/or fight against a European polearm known as a halberd/pollaxe at some point. I would love to hear his opinion(s) on this weapon and how it compares to Japanese polearms like the naginata and yari, especially when it comes to fighting against such weapons.
Absolutely YES!
Wonderful idea.
China had a halberd that was almost identical to the European one. Chinese halberds usually have a crescent moon-shaped reverse curve, while Eueropean halberds tend to be a lot more varied in blade shape.
All that said, I'd love to see Seki-sensei compare, say, the European boar spear to the Japanese Yari, as these weapons worked on the same principles and in similar contexts.
Well done and it was very great to see such an exchange.
A couple historical notes, which I hope you find beneficial. The Rapier was not a specific design with only one type of characteristics. Like the Longsword it was a category with a lot of variation within the type.
Similar to the longsword (European Swords overall) which had a range of lengths & blade profiles. Depending on the methodology and preferences of the user. That said to simplify the two general typologies: military & civilian.
Civilian rapiers tended to be thinner, highly tempered and point centric. This was to aid its use in self defense in European life at the time. Military rapiers on the contrary weren't point centric.
Rather, military versions tended to utilize a cut-thrust blade. Which was more optimal for usage on foot or mounted. As a result, military rapiers tended to exhibit broader & stiffer blades to make both the edges & point viable. Tended not to be as broad or blade heavy as say Scottish Baskethilt Broadswords or some Saber types.
Thank you for taking the time to do this video! If Sensei would have interest, please take a look into other prolific & chronologically similar sword types.
- Messers (Lange, Grossé and Krieg)
- Dussack
- Arming Swords (up to Hand-Halfs)
Did the rapier originate from France? Also did the town layouts at the time had anything to do with the design of the sword, I'm imagining old large towns being limited in height and thus having much narrower side streets that wouldn't allow "conventional swords" to be effectively bein utilised in self defence? So small movement back and the thrust would be possible, unlike swings from side to side. Just a quick random thought I had :D
@@Vahlsten
Rapiers don’t really have an origin point beyond just “Western Europe”
They were the evolution of the earlier Arming Sword, which modern people would think of as the stereotypical one handed knightly sword. Which was an evolution of the earlier Migration period sword (modern people would call those Viking swords), and that was an earlier evolution of the Roman Spatha, which came from the Gladius.
Swords got longer because being further away from your opponent was deemed safer, however since swords couldn’t get much heavier they also became thinner as a result. Which ended up causing an emphasis on thrusting over cutting
Große/Grosse without é. There are no accents in German.
The Western European origin might be due to the emergence of pike and shot warfare which the rapier were heavily utilized mainly used by the third rank of musketeer during a push of pikes.
@@lettuceman9439
Rapiers Predate the dominance of early modern pike warfare by a bit
These insights are fantastic! I’ve always heard HEMA practitioners stress the importance of the bind in rapier sparring, always with the explanation that it helps you feel the opponent’s movements through their blade. While I did see the advantages of this the full weight of the importance of it was not made clear to me until I heard Seki Sensei comment on how difficult it was to visually see the thrust coming. As I said brilliant insight, and a joy to hear the perspectives of others, so that we all might learn more together.
I love listening to his takes, thank you for providing them. It's VERY FUN to watch this very experienced swordsman reach the right conclusions despite being unfamiliar with handling the weapon in question. Facing a rapier IS scary. It is VERY HARD to see and gauge that direct thrust. Etc...
I'd love to see what Skallagrim and Matt Easton have to say! Also the rapier was not so generic a sword - it depended on time period - as I recall, earlier ones had more of a broadsword flavor (cut-and-thrust) while later ones were specialized for thrusting. It's so interesting watching Sensei explore handling an unfamiliar weapons!
A believe those broader rapiers are known as sideswords
@@xavierhugo9269 Yes and no. As i understand it the rapier developed from the the sidesword over time and i guess sometimes it could be difficult to say if something was a very broad balded rapier or a very slim sidesword. Ultimately it doesn't even really matter as those terms are quite modern and back in those days people would have just called everything in that realm a "sword" without any "great-", "side-" or "broad-" attached.
I'm glad you mentioned this, I was only aware of rapiers with a focus on thrusting strikes, it just seemed really odd to me watching sensei use slashing motions with it.
I guess the earlier forms would be far more compatible in this scenario.
you're describing arming and smallswords which are related but not the same in my non expert opinion
@@xAxCxSword families can be difficult to classify, though schools of the day use rapier rather loosely- in effect, any western straight, two edged sword with a complex guard *can* be called rapier.
2 obvious thoughts.
1. the decorative hand wiring is actually important. it prevents 2 hands holding it, but it can be used to entangle an opposing sword thrusting.
2. a lot of times, people used the off hand for either balance or with another weapon. the 3 most popular was a dagger, a buckler [a small shield that looks like a large pot lid] and a cape. the cape was used for parrying thick long swords and was pretty effective.
Iirc, didn’t they also like the Half-cape that covered the sword arm because it would further obfuscate both the movements of their arms and also the position of their body?
It can be done, but can also interfere with your own movements and become tangled on the hilt so it takes quite a bit of practice. More commonly they would have the cape in their off-hand and hold it in front of their hilt to maintain complete control of both the cape and sword without restricting movement.@@aggressiveaquamarine7522
@@aggressiveaquamarine7522 This was very common in some cases but rarer in others. Like most things, it depends.
Excellently done.
I know rapier incredibly well. Scherma(italian fencing style) especially.
What we see Seki Sensei do a lot against rapier is known as suppression cut in HEMA.
This is useful,etc, but remembering that rapier footwork can also pivot, avoid ,transverse step,etc, and also disngagement of the blade is a tactic used by many who have proficiency of the rapier, I would simply focus on good footwork. I would not enegage a long sword or katana until the moment the cut passes through, I would lunge and take the opportunity to land a stab, I would disengage whenever the "bind"( aka what "Miyamoto Musashi seems to discuss with his idea of "sticky feeling" in Go Rin No Sho) happens.
So yeah, I would definitely make sure that my opponent could not attack me except indirectly by using foot work, I would focus on counter thrusting and lunging a opportune moments, especially against the katana, which owing to only having one edge as opposed to the tsurugi, must be "reset" before it can cut,again, and then I would immediately how the adversary why the point should be feared . My point would be driven across.
On this end, though, I would like to give you my compliments again.
Your engagement with crossing between western and eastern MA providees a good dialogue in the martial arts community at large. I would also say that some of your techniques you discovered by applying your principles to thd rapier are fairly close to many legitimate techniques found in rapier schools. Your view that smaller cuts and thrusts are used mostly in rapier shows that you understand blade well, for this is precisely what the old masters taught . Ridolfo Capo Ferro, Giganti, etc.
I think the most interesting thing was him slowly working out how a rapier’s actually used. Initially he tried slashing but when he had it used on him, he realized it was more of a thrusting weapon. Then he noticed how it’s hard to see it when it’s pointed at you and smaller movements means keeping it harder to anticipate.
this is my first time seeing seki-sensei spar with anything, but the ease to which he adapts to weapons, his experience, and his personality are all amazing. I would love to learn under a man like him!
Seki-sensei summed up the rapier's strong points quickly: blocking and thrusting simultaneously, especially when the thrust is so hard to see! I'm amazed, but not surprised :D
It's not uncommon to hit an opposing _weapon_ with a rapier. Sometimes we call this a 'beat.' With good leverage, you _can_ knock heavier/two-handed swords aside, though the margin for error is larger. You can even use the handguard to _punch_ a weapon out of the way during a bind!
Whether or not you can smack _your opponent_ is based on the specific measurements of each individual rapier. Some rapier blades are heavy enough that they can chop through limbs, similar to a one-handed katana. Jyutte techniques should work fine in these cases. Other rapiers are so light that you'd only be able to cut _soft tissue_ using draw cuts.
As scary as the rapier can be, sometimes it lacks the 'stopping power' of a katana. There are documented cases in history where two rapier fighters stabbed each other's internal organs, walked away bleeding...eventually healed and lived on. Even if a thrust is deadly, it may not _knock the opponent down_ the way a fatal cut with a katana would, so they might still be able to attack you a few more times before they finally fall over.
Another excellent video!
Regarding 5:00
The traditional response to an attempt to batter the sword from your hand would ideally be the disengage followed by a quick thrust.
A disengage is a small conical rotation of the sword. The rotation happens around the balance point (just ahead of the hand) and the base of the cone is the tip of your sword.
Because of the way most rapiers are balanced, the disengage can happen very quickly. And if successful the batter just misses, giving you time to attack while the opponent is checking the momentum of their swing.
What Seki did would be somewhat less effective if the rapier simulator could be held in one of the ways rapiers usually were. With a crossguard and finger rings, you can put one or two of your fingers over the crossguard and get a pretty secure grip.
I love how humble you all are in your videos. Definitely interesting!
I love how he picks up on techniques that actually exist. Just shows his experience and understanding of how the human body moves.
Rapiers are actually somewhat heavy in real life, they have about the same amount of steel as an arming sword. Plus the elaborate guard adds a lot of weight. Since the blade is thin you can likely smack their blade away but I don't imagine it would be that easy to disarm a real rapier
Typical rapiers would be able to cut but are primarily meant for thrusts, so while it is possible to strike with it I don't think it would be an optimal strategy.
I do think that leveraging the intensity of a larger sword is a good strategy. It at least puts your opponent on the back foot. However rapier fighting is all about probing for opening and lunging in to strike. So be very careful for counter attacks.
Also the elaborate guard would usually contain an area to place the forefinger, which in addition to helping cut more forcefully and bringing it more in line with the arm, I find also gives a more solid hold.
funnily enough, the fancier swept hilt rapier i owned was so much heavier than the cup hilt one i used as a loaner in the club i joined LOL, the lightness was genuinely staggering
@@yeen.7209 yea it's wild the variety of designs you get, especially if you include sideswords and other similar blades across time/culture
@@yeen.7209 Exactly. They not only varied in weight by time and place, but also by swordsmith, and even what style of swordsmanship the wielder preferred.
They look light and airy but try and hold one extended for 15 minutes!
The intro is great
I joyfully agree
Indeed all is great
I liked it
Always good to watch a master of one form try another form and give their take.
To see two masters, one from each of their forms, swap swords and duel it out would be a marvelous thing to see.
Each woukd have a different take on the others weapon, they'd instantly pick the pros and cons, and most likely enjoy teaching each other.
This was great, thank you for your content! Seki Sensei fights so intuitively! It's very cool to see (:
I'm loving this series trying different weapons, from the point of view of a JSA instructor.
You mentioned you can't get real swords because it's illegal, so if I may suggest, you can try blackfencer synthetic trainers, they're correctly weighted and balanced, and they have a japanese distributor as well, no need to import.
They're synthetic, much like the longsword trainer, but I own a couple and they're both really good and somewhat inexpensive when compared to a steel sword! It'd be really interesting to see what everyone thinks of their synthetic katana too, as a practice tool.
Long time SCA rapier student here. This is wonderful. I'm tempted to do a breakdown/reaction video. I love the spirit you had when approaching this and I loved hearing your insights based on your experience.
I have over a decade of self taught weapon experience. But I have recently started fencing. The rapier or more specifically the foil is a very interesting and fascinating weapon. Could you perhaps give me some advice for during a duel or spar? Like how to get the posture right and reading opponents moves and things like that?
Seki Sensei, thank you for sharing your experience with weapons that you have never used before. The videos you have done have be fascinating. I hope you continue this journey.
I recently found out about this. But there was a rapier made in Japan during the late 16th-early 17th century called the Minakuchi rapier. It was a ceremonial piece that belonged to Kato Yoshiaki, as he was known for his strong appreciation of European arms, armor, and culture during the time when Portuguese and Dutch merchants arrived to Japan.
I expect those reaction videos within the day. There is something so damn wholesome about this. I love it.
I'm waiting for skall reaction
Seki Sensei is a master, so it's great to see him learn via experimentation on what the rapier is capable of. I wouldn't doubt that he would make a fine fencer.
For the question in 3:30, if the heavier sword is static and in line (or the sword is pointing at the opponent), the rapier can beat attack the heavier sword to make it go offline. In motion would be more difficult, but the rapier's forte can parry against the heavier sword; in fact, the best time to stop a heavier sword's cut is in the beginning of the action, which the Italian rapier prefers to attack in.
The offensive action in 3:45 is actually a time thrust, not a parry riposte. A time thrust is a counteroffensive action that make the parry and riposte indivisible, making the time thrust an one tempo action compared to the parry riposte which is a two tempo action.
To attack a person with a rapier in 4:50, you must also ensure that the rapier is off line, or not pointing at you. The engagement on the rapier ensures that you can attack person while their rapier is offline but your weapon is in line. 5:10 confirms this that you must deal with the rapier that is in line.
OOOh yay, I was looking forward to more like this since the longsword video.
Would love to see something with colaboration with a european sword specialist.
Maybe in -person, maybe as a series of question and response video's where you each try various thing and point out counters / discuss potential openings and tactics that each style my be more aware of due to the differences in swrodsmanship culture.
Man it's fascinating watching an expert going through the process of quickly figuring out a new tool.
That sword is a pretty good analog for a rapier. Typically, it would have a basket guard, a downfacing bowl that can fit the hand, or a type of swept guard, many wires sweeping down to the pommel and around where the hand would fit. I wish it was possible to get a pistol grip rapier because I would have loved to see him fight with that. Pistol grip rapiers have the standard handle and guard, but in the guard there would be two metal wires coming out from what would be the sharp ends up the blade that you hook your index finger around. It's meant to give more point control
That was my favorite part about epee. Once you got the elbow lined up it just gave you so much precision
One thing to note is that there are two major styles when fighting with a rapier. There are the various Italian schools, which tend to be linear, with a low stance and a fast lunge, and there is Destreza, Spanish rapier fighting which uses a more upright stance with a focus on circular footwork.
One other thing is that rapiers are frequently paired with a sidearm, usually either a buckler (a type of small shield) or a parrying dagger, but sometimes a second rapier or even some sort of improvised weapon.
In my experience, the standard response for someone attacking your rapier is to move the rapier out of the way of the strike, then counter with a thrust as they try to recover.
Just from having watched fenching and understanding a bit of the strategy, it's really intriguing to see a master of another sword pick up on the idea of keeping control of his opponent's sword, the need for speed, the advantage of a long thrusting weapon against larger blades, and the weaknesses.
At Sensei Seki's level, he can adapt to any long bladed weapons quickly after a few round of testing, that is a real testament of being a person who have mastered swordmanship
I’ve practiced a bit of Spanish and Italian rapier and read a bit of German rapier in my HEMA journey. I have sparred against rapiers a bunch. it’s an interesting weapon and I find it fascinating seeing a master of one weapon or school look at and use another weapon they aren’t used to.
Thank you
I love how quickly he figured everything out. you can tell this man is an actual Swordsman.
Rapiers were considered swords for decorated officers. They were used primarily in duels against other rapiers for sport or even for honor disagreements, but would buckle easily under, for instance, the longsword from the previous video.
very good prediction, sensei!
I would love to see a follow up video from this and the longsword video after reviewing the response videos from other creators.
great video as always
There were a lot of swords over the centuries that people tend to lump in together as "rapiers" including estocs/tucks (which had a sharp point but with a diamond cross section so no real edge for cutting), small swords (extremely light versions of the military rapier that were meant for formal dress in European royal courts but were still useful for dueling) and the spadroon ( which had a dual purpose blade primarily meant for stabbing but still capable of being used for light cuts). The focus in all was on the one handed thrust with the right leg leading but the estoc could be used for some of the older half-swording techniques similar to what was used at 2:30 in the video.
The primary attack might be aimed at the body but most schools seemed to have favored attacking and crippling the lead hand or arm first before committing to an attack on the body. An alternative would be a beat parry to deflect the opponents sword before committing to a thrust of your own. In either case it wasn't impossible for both fencers to end up impaled by the others swords. A bit like a knife fight there might not be ay real winner.
Rapiers are balanced to feel light and nimble in the hand, and the blades are such that they don't hold an edge well being too diamond-shaped. Ergo, they are mainly thrust-centric. Basket hilts provide a lot of protection to the hand, also you can wrap your index finger around the guard for better grip and control. Ideally, the party and attack are done in the same time. That is, utilizing sort of a corkscrewing motion forward to parry and attack in the same maneuver. There are lots of great RUclips videos about how to use them.
There are rapier blades of all kinds. Rapiers generally aren't the best cutters, but they can hold an edge, and some rapier styles (La Verdadera Destreza) are quite cut centric.
Just a little nitpick, but you can't wrap your finger over the guard with a basket hilt (nor are rapiers known to have basket hilts.) I think the term you are looking for is complex hilt (or perhaps cup hilt?)
@@chaos_omega Could have meant swept hilt.
As for wrapping the finger around thing, that most likely refers to the finger rings above the cross guard. Which generally exist even with cup hilt and pappenhein hilt style rapiers just under the cup/shells.
As a casual viewer with no on-hand experience, I've seen so many unique techniques with a rapier that I would never have imagined.
The blade of a rapier is surprisingly long, longer than even a two-handed sword. The alternative you guys are using is surprisingly close to a side-sword but with a longer handle.
Rapiers can cut through a tatami mat, but is more focused on the thrust.
Also note that the sword ways just as much as a two handed sword do to the weight being put into the guard and handle.
Also because it's a single handed sword it works great being pared with a parry dagger or buckler.
It's always awesome to see people from a non-western culture experiment and experience a "medieval" European swords.
I'm curious to see Seki Sensei using a Zweihander/Montante next
It's fascinating to see such a graceful swordmaster learn by experimenting. Thank you for posting this
I absolutely loved this and the longsword video. It warms my heart to watch Seki Sensei's pure enthusiasm and curiosity when handling European style blades. Looking forward to more videos down the line. 😊
The thing about the rapiers is that most of the weight is in the handguard, leaving the the point of balance right where the handle and guard ends, this allows for exceptional tip control for thrusting while providing exceptional hand protection, that prop is more like a side Sword that is often mistaken for the rapier but is analogous to a rapier so it works as a fair standin considering the circumstances .❤
I haven't found a rapier yet but i fence one handed amongst my blades versus other cutting styles.
Sensei is 100 percent spot on for his judgement with the type of technique one might slip in via thrusting! Blocking and dodging is what a fencer wants opponent moves to become. Straight up blasting full force and disarming a straight sword in almost every discipline is nuts but effective when you can send a direct-hit. Barrage of that principle of quick, intense and able to get away quickly makes rapier one of the best. Wicked sweet deconstruct of the sword play sensei 🙏
This is so cool, European swords like rapiers are so different from traditional Japanese blades. "when the katana fighter swings his katana, you dodge it and thrust when you have the chance." He figured it out perfectly! That is why dodging attacks and footwork is so important with rapiers. Look for openings to strike! Also your assistant really liked using the rapier, he should become a fencer😄
I found that keeping a bind with the rapier blade using my katana/longsword, and maintaining contact with it, helps me manage the opponent using my blades superior mass and strength (two handed vs one handed) to apply pressure and control them better
I really enjoy it when you guys make hema related content or anything cross cultural! Keep it up!
I would have loved to see seki senseis thoughts on how he would have dealt with specific western techniques, and not just him handling the weapon as a "first impression"
Longsword strikes that utilize the fact that is has two edges (like zwerhau) are a good example, really curious as to his thoughts on the matter
Yes, maintaining contact with the rapier is vital to any offensive actions against someone with the rapier. As he said in 5:10, he must deal with the rapier before attacking. If the rapier is in line, there must be a preparation to make the rapier offline otherwise during one's attack, the rapier has an easy path to thrust.
Mat Easton actually has 2 videos on rapier vs katana would love to see his response to these videos!
I have just discovered this channel. I used to practice Kendo at university in England. Our sensei was always getting challenged by the fencing instructor. He was smart/wise enough to decline, but this was interesting to see. I haven't fenced for years and sadly there is no where close enough for me to get back in to kendo. Thanks for bringing a big smile to me face today.
Your videos are amazing!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to make them!!
He said he would rather not fight the rapier because he is afraid to get stabbed and bleed. And now I imagine him fighting against a razor sharp katana with no fear at all because he trained his own life to do that. Oviously when you face properly functional weapons (fully sharpened or pointed) fear plays a huge factor on anybody but that sentence made me dream 🤩
To be fair Rapiers emerge during the rise of gunpowder warfare mainly use by musketeers during the pike and shot era where they were meant to by use during a push of pike to go in-between the literal forest of pikes and stab someone on the other side
I've haven't had as much experience using a rapier but I have fought in tournaments against a rapier using a side sword, think long sword but sized for one hand instead of two (but you can use two using the pommel for leverage.) I ran into similar issues with the rapier. It's also where you start seeing more unbalanced stances to achieve a higher amount of range. One misconseption is that rapiers are heavy tools (about as heavy if not heavier than the longsword due to the ornate but protective guards on the handle). I had a hard time defending or diveritng the blade due to its weight and it's weight is far back allowing for a quicker tip. I loved how Seki Sensi actually utilized familiar Fiori Dei Leibri longsword techniques in halfswording (hand on blade) it's similar to the guard Breve la Serpantina la Suprana (High serpent's guard) and the follow up was so clean and a parallel to what we train, covering the line of attack and winding down to the stomache, the pits or the elbows. I agree with Seki Sensei. Primarily thrusting weapons are scary. Thank you for sharing more of his insight.
I think of the best things about the rapier, is that one hand remains free.
You could use a parrying dagger, a buckler, a cape, you could throw sand or dust at your opponent, all sorts of stuff and tricks you can pull.
I love that he realized the strengths and weakness of Rapier like on point. He wasn't wrong what Rapier is strong against and how to counter it. Really amazing.
These videos are some of the best things to happen in the sword community in a very long time! This is proof that we never stop learning
While attacking the rapier handle directly to try to disarm your opponent is a solid strategy on paper, there is a problem with it in execution, as most rapiers have a guard that goes down and covers the hand. Unless you can can slip the blade in between the slits that make up the guard, its probably not going to work
Indeed the basket would protect the hand, but because the rapiers have a thinner grip, I think in most cases it is possible to hit it out from the hand of the opponent
It is mostly about the force you can produce with a katana, but mostly can't with a rapier, due to it's slim and nimble build
he isn't attacking the handle, he is attacking the blade directly. If the blade is stiff, it would create a lot of torque at the grip, knocking it out of the hand or at least making unwieldy.
@Hans-qm8qq a proper rapier grip has the cross guard between your index and middle fingers, so disarming is more difficult than it seems.
@@halfstache1070 More difficult but not impossible. I think the main issue is the fact that if the point of a rapier is trained on you, you have to something about the blade before the wielder. For unarmored sword duels, the rapier is about as good as it gets.
@@Hans-qm8qq Actualy, if look at a lot of duels with steel katanas and rapiers, it's impassable beat off a rapier with a katana, because the thin steel blade is very flexible and absorbs the blow in first; also, the rapier blade is very light and the rapier wielder’s wrist instantly returns the blade back and usually this maneuver of the katana owner ends with a riposte to the chest or head mask. It should also be added that the length of rapiers is generally longer than most swords and uchigatana in particular, so it is rarely possible to hit the base of the blade, since even if the sword wielder manage to overcome the distance, the rapier wielder can quickly move his hand back and then up and forward, quickly perform a riposte in head from a hight position. Therefore, as Sensei said, against the rapier need to use trusts with short cuts, any strong swing opens the body for the rapier wielder.
As a weapons enthusiast and hema enjoyer, id personally love to see his reactions to some of the larger western weapons, and perhaps even have a reaction to seeing such weapons in the hands of armored fighters
My experience as a fencer was limited at school, but what astounds me - and fills me with admiration - is how quickly Seki Sensei figures out the gist of some of the most effective basic fencing moves, such as the parry riposte. It's fascinating to see the outside view on on what might be called one of our traditional weapons.
For my part, I'd suggest that a lot of the defence against a katana, including against slashes, would be to step outside the line of attack and divert the blade downward, or even simply avoid the strike entirely, before lunging.
I have a lot of respect for Seki Sensei. He is open minded, eager to learn and try out different things. That is the mark of a true master.
Small swords also have an advantage of not requiring as much force to penetrate into flesh because of the small profile. Using the off hand (probably with a dagger or coat or buckler or anything else for a quick parry) allows for a passé attack if the opponent thrusts with a weapon or is using something with little cutting power, and then a point blank thrust with the rapier held behind the body could help. Against a katana, you’d probably lose your arm doing that. If, however, the person with the rapier can close distance and grab their opponent’s arm or block its mobility, the same could be done. Attacks from behind the back and behind the head aren’t easy to pull off, but that can possibly work too. Essentially, using the superior thrusting weapon at close range in order to avoid the full swing of the cutting weapon. It’s easier from the full length distance, but if the opponent is seeking to close, it might be best to also close and meet him in tight proximity.
A rapier’s strength is its thrust, reach, and sometimes flexibility. Flick thrusts over a high guard with a flexible blade might work as well. It could be fun to see all the possibilities with 2 experienced practitioners.
First of all, I would like to thank you for making this informative and entertaining video.
If I may, I would like to thank you offer a point of constructive criticism: Rapiers are not only defined by a long, slender blade that is optimised for thrusting. Quite a lot of rapier fencing is dependent on the use of the complex hilt design that enables you to present you hand and stick it in front of the body without endangering the hand. Furthermore, the quillions of the sword are used in blocking and trapping the opponent’s blade.
Lastly, rapiers have a cross-section where you can loop your finger over, to gain more point control. All put together the sword used in your test was not a very suitable analogue for a rapier.
Since you cannot get an actual rapier in Japan, I would suggest checking out the company named Black Fencer. They make synthetic swords, very much like the one used in the previous longsword video and they also make synthetic rapiers. Using a training tool like that would most definitely help in getting a better understanding of rapiers and their possible uses.
That all being said, thanks again for the video.
Halberd! We need a Seki Sensei halberd session! (And great content as always 👏👏👏)
We need a Rapier Fencer to Collab with them to see how it really Compares. The Rapier is underestimated in movies it's one of the deadliest swords ever made, all it takes is one good little poke to the wrong spot and you're done for, doesn't need any big arm cutting flashy slashes to take someone out.
I like the way that Seki Sensei can adapt to almost any weapon you give him, mastery of the traditional arts has clearly given him the ability to use any sword. What I would really love to see is Seki Sensei sparring with Matt Easton, who has also covered rapier vs katana.
Semi sensei is such a delight. Extremely humble while being amazingly skilled and knowledgeable. It’s a pleasure seeing him experience weapons of western martial arts from his perspective
It so awesome seeing a expert Sensei like him never have seen a rapier before and understanding so much of it only by sparring once. It really tells how much of a expert swordsman he is, plus is reallya pleasure to see him swing any kind of sword with that finesse. Amazing.
It's unfortunate that you couldn't get a real one. I would've guessed that plastic simulators would've been ok, but I am not familiar with the law so I digress.
What I wanted to point out, is that there is one major factor that is missing from the sword you use for the video and that is the finger-ring over ricasso, the unsharpened part of the blade.
Putting the finger over the guard gives you a much better leverage than a regular hammer grip and gives excellent point control which is crucial for a thrusting weapon.
[EDIT: After properly looking at the video (yes, I know, you shouldn't write comments before seeing the whole thing), the finger ring would've been excellent against Saki-sensei's attack.
Dodging the attack against the blade would've been easier and you wouldn't have lost your weapon as easily either. There's even historical debate over managing disarmament.
French sources point out that you could break your finger in a disarming grapple while German sources would explicitly prefer to break their finger over being disarmed in a fight.]
Of course it needs to be said that rapiers were most definitely also cutting weapons, they were just optimized for thrusting. They are relatively heavy metal blades after all.
I'd go so far as to say that even triangular bladed smallswords, which are not shaped for cutting, can use cutting motions to give a nasty welt with essentially a thin metal baton/whip.
[EDIT: Or a kanamuchi, of course!] It would be unlikely to cleanly kill anyone, but it would definitely hurt and disorient an unarmored opponent.
Synthetic rapiers are exceptionally hard to acquire due to low supply despite high demand.
I love this series, and the respect that is shown here and the reaction videos. I hope that at some point there could be an actual face to face collaboration between these amazing people.
One very important thing about the rapier is that it is a one handed weapon, meaning that you can use an offhand weapons with it for added protection. Combinaisons like rapier / dagger or rapier / buckler are quite common
Genuinely Great Video. I really enjoy watching these kind of videos, as it's interest to see a swordsman figure out how to use a weapon they are unfamiliar with. It seems he got much more insight fighting AGAINST the rapier on how it should function than with it, which is fascinatiing to me. Would love for him to take a look at a falchion and messer to see how he thinks these compare to traditional Japanese swords.
I would say his impressions are spot on: The rapier is very flexible, so blocking attacks from a heavier weapon is close to impossible. Parrying with a rapier is more about deflection. And the thrusting attack is very much an all or nothing endeavor. Rapier experts might go several minutes during an encounter simply positioning and maneuvering between attacks, because that one attack will win the fight, but is also when they are most vulnerable.
seki-sensei is an absolute delight of a man and he always brings a smile to my face
The Rapierist’s best defense against you using the Katana’s weight and intensity to bat away the weapon would likely be to block with a dedicated parrying device in the offhand. Rapier and Buckler (small handheld shield you could wear at your hip as a sidearm), Rapier and dagger (usually daggers with big crossguards like on the longsword, but curved more strongly towards the opponent so a twist of the wrist can bind the blade), and the like were common weapon set in the time the rapier was in common use, and while they were useful against other rapiers, they were likely so popular because they gave you a better chance to stop attempts by wielders of more forceful cutting swords to go after the rapier itself.
Sensi's points about the ability of the rapier to parry are pretty spot on, so it is common in some rapier traditions for it to be accompanied by a long knife or specialized parrying knife that can vary in design based on when and where you take your example.
I cannot wait for experts in rapier combat to watch this and share their findings and opinions, I love this! Seki Sensei has inspired some wonderful back and forth content with these videos, I would LOVE to watch more videos of him trying out different weapons if its at all possible for him to try them!
I'd love to see his take on such things as a pistol grip or a full basket hilt.
There are so many fascinating variations on any given weapon and the insights that a master unfamiliar with them could give would be priceless.
I love these videos. I always learn something new and get my mind expanded. Thank you all very much.