The Kusarigama: Gimmicky or Effective?
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- Опубликовано: 27 апр 2021
- Was it actually a "ninja" (shinobi) weapon? Was it used by peasants to defend their fields against unscrupulous ronin (masterless samurai)? What types of kusarigama are there? How practical is it against a swordsman or polearm user?
These and other questions are what we're looking at in this video. Although I can't show you a kusarigama on hand I can comment on demonstrations and sparring footage. And of course I can make some statements about the kama based on sickle tests I've done in the past.
• Review: M48 Tactical K...
• How Practical is This ...
For more accurate pronunciation and more historical background I got a certain fellow RUclipsr on board who specializes in Roman and Japanese arms and armor. People keep asking for a collab, so here you go. :)
** Sources **
Old School: Essays on Japanese Martial Traditions by Ellis Amdur
books.google.ca/books?id=hGjn...
A better Castlevania whip test
• Weapons test - the Cas...
Playlist of demonstrations and sparring
• Kusarigama
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Развлечения
The best way to use it, in my experience, is to quickly rotate the chain horizontally overhead, creating lift that can be used to fly away and thus escape from dangerous situations.
But twinblades (or double bladed swords or whatever these things Darth Maul used are called) had much better aerodynamics and can achive better lift. Though rotating these over your head is harder the simply spinning a chain.
@@bohemicbohemian9190 ah yes the classic helicopter attack
How to spot a Yoshimitsu apprentice.
Also known as the Tails Maneuver
Personal chopper
With the combined forces of MegaWeeb and ScandicGeek who can possibly stop us now!?
Shadibeige.
I was a boy. They were two girls. Can I make it any more obvious? I am the ULTlMATE L0VER on this platform. Don't enter the ch*nnel of me, AxxL, if you are not above a certain age, dear fra
@@ktheterkuceder6825 are you saying we need both shad and lindybeige?
@@epauletshark3793 Yup.
@@ktheterkuceder6825 I agree.
The Japanese were like 'unscrewing that pommel is ridiculous, that would never work! Let's attach it to a chain, instead!'
Furry sword enthusiast, lol. When I think I've seen it all... I come across it. 😁
It is ingenius! By attaching the pommel to the chain, you can throw the pommel as many times as you want!
@@remixtheidiot5771 To end multiple opponents rightly, I have an alternative, albeit one that wasn't possible at the time.
It's simple...
Grenade pommel.
Though that begs the question: _which_ end of this is the pommel?
@@benthomason3307 _gasps_ Double Pommel :o
This is gotta be one of the best inventions ever. You can throw the weight in the same way you'd throw a pommel, but since it's on a chain, you can then recover it and throw it again as many times as you want. Imagine how many opponents you can end rightly with one of these.
Definitely not one of the best inventions ever, chill lol
@@makidiaz3894 Did you seriously just let a pommel joke fly over your head?
@@Asparagaceae the pommel need space to swing around and it's a disadvantage like a small room/hallway there but the sickle can be good within close quarters. Having double small sickles within close combat would be better.
Mordhau throw intensifies
It's super inefficient. Def not even close to the best invention, I'd say it's closer to the worst invention
Skalagrim: "Mega weeb... just kidding"
Metatron: *comes into frame in full samurai armor*
Je could be wearing a speedo under that desk....
"こんにちは"
Haha so good
Unlike a weeaboo, Metatron actually KNOWS Japanese history, language, and customs. In this case, he knows how the armor and weapons work. In addition, he doesn't try to he Japanese. He still remains in touch with his non-Japanese culture. A weeaboo would try to be Japanese but get the language, history, and customs wrong, thus looking like an ass and disrespecting Japan.
A cool dude like Metatron should have nothing to do with weeaboos.
@@cadethumann8605 You do realize that Ryan's comment is just a joke?
lawmakers in commonwealth countries seem to be terrified of ninjas and I always wondered about that.
they seem to be terrified by lots of things. Import ban on potato peelers when?
Well, ninjas were all about peasants killing pseudo nobility that were otherwise untouchable, so...
@@bohemicbohemian9190 don't laugh. Nerf guns are now considered to be actual guns in South Australia
@@firestorm165 wow. it seems stones will be illegal because they can kill
@@kennantjessavi7648 don't give them ideas
Miyamato Musashi, one of Japans greatest swordsmen, fought a kusari-gama user in his travels of Japan, and considered it one of very few weapons that a samurai had to worry about. Between the striking and tripping of the blade, to the flail usage of the chain and weight, and the ability to wrap and disarm, He considered the usage of the weapon to be endless.
I imagine scrappy farmers might have avoided a few fights entirely just by swinging the chain around.
"Shishido" was his name if i recall
That's a very interesting bit of information, do you know where he wrote or was quoted? I didn't recognize it from Book of Five Rings, but who knows how that might have gotten translated. I had guessed it would be an Edo period weapon as it appears effective against one unarmored average or lower experienced sword carrying opponent. As long as your quote is right, that puts them in use in the Edo period. The context is important too, I want to see what else he discusses on the same subject. Did he consider it useful only in duels or did it make a good side-arm etc.? I also think Skall's results with the war-pick hybrid kama are interesting, but I have only seen thinly cross-sectioned kama blades. 2.5-3mm at the thickest part with a deep but shallow blade grind. If anyone knows of other blade types, that would be very interesting, even an extra side-arm intention if a Tachi bent or broke.
@@warpdriveby It comes from a book about his life, and travels across Japan, however the weapon itself pre-dates the Edo Period. It was used through the Sengoku Jidai Period, by many of the peasant revolts of that era. It may even pre-date that era, but most scholars are unsure. Also, what I previously wrote is all Musashi said on the matter. After that one encounter in a village where he fought someone wielding it. Unfortunately that's it.
After a brief dive into the wiki-verse, I can find an account of Musashi defeating a kusarigama wielder in a duel, but not his thoughts or statements about the weapon. As you point out, it was used in the Sengoku Jidai, and even earlier! I found a reference putting the kusarigama in use around the year 1250. The fact that we have examples of them for ~300+ years, gives credence to their effectiveness. Bad weapons tend to disappear from history quickly. I'm still a bit suspicious of its usefulness outside one on one fights, but I freely admit that I underestimated the kusarigama! Japanese history/martial info, is an interest for me, but I have no expertise or formal education on the subjects. I am an expert in carolingian/viking age (794-1200) metallurgy, technology, and weaponry, and there are fascinating parallels and relationships between my field and this one. It is possible, and plausible that the technique of mixing/folding/laminating layers of steel with varying carbon content was imported into Japan between 700 and 1100 AD.!
Miyamoto Musashi was definitely impressed with the kusarigama when wielded by a skilled opponent. He nearly loss a duel to a man using one.
Hey Skall! Thank you very much for this opportunity! It was a pleasure and an honour to join you here and most importantly, it was a lot of fun! I hope to have you soon on my channel too to join forces again! May the pasta be with you. Arigatou gozaimashita.
I am the first to see this comment :D
yeah, loved you in the curse of silverthorne
This was a pleasant suprise. This type of co-lab is gold to us viewers
nice jin poster
Finally a collaboratiob with Skallagrim
Skall: *Calls Raff a weeb*
Metatron: *Shows up in full Japanese armour*
Me: An outstanding move
Based Takeda armour too.
Well he's a Japanese Prof, that's a good excuse is it ?
The virgin skall vs the chad metatron.
@@ostrovnyklinok6165 I remember when my middle aged Japanese teacher Sensei showed up to my high school in full warlord shogun armor. Of course, she was a big a fan of Shironeko so her back banner was a cat meme.
*"Konnichiwa"*
I've trained with one of the last 9th dan Okinawan Karate masters, Moritoshi Nakaema (aka Paulo Nakaema for those in Brazil).
We had a lengthy argument of the kusarigama use, propped by a reading session we had on Miyamoto Musashi (both novel and the Book of Five Rings).
My sensei was adamant about the mob qualities of the kusarigama, meaning they were used in a guerilla fashion against samurai invasion. It was a way the peasants devised to take down the sword and mob the samurai without risking their lives.
It is effective in the hands of a master, as is any weapon (he used the Bo as an example, a long piece of wood in the hands of a master is as lethal as a katana) but that was not its common use. They would have multiple kusarigama, some weighted ropes (early versions of the kunai, only a dart or some weight) and even nets and they would try to incapacitate the samurai sword so they could mob him.
You have to remember that katanas are DEADLY if you have no armour, it was designed to kill peasants, not samurai, so as common folk that can't afford proper defence you try to remove the samurai sword.
During the Okinawa (Ryukyu) invasion of the Japanese, they developed techniques to fight samurai using common tools.
That's why most karate defences are designed to stop a sword swing, not fists (age uke fits perfectly versus an overhead swing, gedan barai with shortening distance can stop a lateral swing, as an example). And that's why you have strange weapons like tonfas that were used to protect your arms in case you missed the timing.
I'm afraid I can't source much as my learnings were teachings of a very old sensei and most of his classes were based on oral traditions and old manuscripts (images) he inherited from Shihan Akamine. But in a similar fashion as he used to teach, it's food for thought, not gospel.
Why does this sound like your "Sensei's" name is Jim and he works part time Best Buy?
@@GuitarGuy057 Dude was from the first wave of Japanese in Brazil (aka issei), when they first arrived most had to adopt "Portuguese sounding" names. Meaning his real name is Moritoshi Nakaema, but he had to adopt "Paulo" (Paul in Portuguese) to fit in.
@@urssoz Nem gasta esforço pra explicar pra goblin de internet mermão. Boa sorte ae
I think you address a large issue in ma. That the purpose of technique was based in the reality of the past. Because we don’t live in the past, the preserved technique is a dodo. Aikido is like this. Why is the Ike grabbing the hand? Because we are police with swords and the uke doesn’t want you to draw and cut them. Whenwill that happen in 2023? Almost never. Yet aikido goes on with bizarre premise.
I mean, ANY sharp sword is deadly if you have no armour. A kitchen knife is deadly if you have no armour. The katana isn't special in that regard.
I actually used to train with this weapon when I still practised Bujinkan Taijutsu, and damn was it gimmicky but I can also imagine it being absolutely terrifying to fight against...
Lmao dude this food is disgusting and the worst, but its also the most delicious thing ive ever had
Sickle: all good
Flail with no spikes: all good
Sickle with flail attached: dangerous illegal weapon
Only dangerous for your face
I think whipchains are legal as well, which is basically the chain-sickle without the sickle.
EDIT: Correction, I was thinking of meteor hammer. That one may be illegal as it's likely deemed a flail.
Sickle with a hammer: *Soviet anthem starts playing*
gun: a friendly home protection tool
I'm convinced laws like that are to protect idiots from themselves.
has no one realized this is the logical conclusion to building a weapon around attacking by unscrewing the pommel
This is some galaxy brain realization right here.
Further explanation pls
@@neco5740 instead of unscrewing a pommel and throwing that, you just have a permanent weight to constantly swing at the opponent
What is It this pommel meme everyone talks about?
@@sanguine_viper3531 old technique, it's how you "end them rightly" by unscrewing your pommel and throwing it at them lol
Remember reading that this was the only weapon to give Miyamoto Musashi difficulty in one of his duels.
The Jo Staff as well, basically a 4ft long stick
Yeah, you remember reading it, when you skimmed the comments and saw them mention it.
@@ShinzoUchihaX lmao nope in a documentary about him many years back. Good try though.
@@steveno3141 so now its from a documentary? You dont even know which lie you wanna tell anymore lmfao 😂
@@ShinzoUchihaX yes because you are the arbiter of what other people know when and how the know it. Commenting on a comment over a year old on information that can be found in multiple source like people cant know things prior to youtube. Have fun lol
As I have a similar field of expertise to Metatron, I'll offer the following suggestions:
1) Japanese agricultural sickles are not as thin as European sickles because of the layered iron/steel construction, which adds bulk to the blade. As rice is often planted in tufts and therefore can be reaped by grabbing with the left and cutting with the right, _kama_ are often rather short as well, giving them even more rigidity. Okinawan martial arts use farmer's _kama_ without the chain as weapon and I would not want to be on the wrong end of it.
2) The tool you show 1:50 min is not a _jingama_ but a firefighter's tool, called a _tobikuchi._ It doesn't have an edge as it was used to tear down parts of burning houses, eg. thatched roofing or sliding doors. The one at 5:50 also looks like a _tobikuchi_ as it has the hook for carrying it through the belt, which would be superfluous when hanging in a horse stable and dangerous if the blade was supposed to be sharp.
3) From what I've seen regarding the traditional fighting techniques, the chain is mainly used to entangle/trip the opponent or his weapon, so the weight is not meant to break armor. In a duel wtihout armor, however, you wouldn't want to get the weight slapped across your face or hands, so it's also a psychological deterrent. Moreover, I can't remember ever having seen static blocks using the chain in traditional techniques.
P.S.: Your pronounciation of the terms was actually pretty good for someone who doesn't speak Japanese.
A Canadian Viking and an Italian Samurai. Hope we get more collab like this. =)
We need a Japanese Knight to round out the team.
@@clothar23 That’s a brilliant idea. Imagine the shock of seeing a Crusader knight walk up, say Deus Vult in the most clear knight voice. Then they take off their helmet to reveal their face and start quickly talking in Japanese about the Crusades.
@@kaijuslayer3334 Magnificent.
All that's missing is an African highlander, and we've got an unbeatable trio of multiculturalism done right and/or sideways.
@@clothar23 I'm sure the australian knight (Shadiversity) would join in if asked xD
The Metatron's background looks wild, you have an authentic replica of a japanese sword, a youtube silver button, and a picture of Jin. Truly a cultured man he is.
And a broken shaft on the table :)
To be honest, the only thing that looks "wild" there is the broken bokken.
@topple a fellow cultured man i see
On blocking with chain: I've dabbled with kusari fundo as a youngster and the technique for blocking is key. The idea is to move forward into the sword strike to meet the 'strong' of the blade and reduce its mechanical advantage. The hands are brought up and out making the chain taught only at the moment of striking. You're not trying to hold the chain tight the entire time but rather snap it out and attack the blade....it's all about timing. Get in fast and catch it high. The sword will bounce giving a moment for either a control grapple or a follow up strike.
Skall calls Metatron a "megaweeb", **Metatron proves him wrong by appearing in a full suit of Japanese armor.**
Yeah, a megaweeb would have entered dressed as Naruto Uzumaki/Inuyasha/Kenshin Himura/Hyakkimaru/Goemon XIII (take your pick).
Metatron. Gets called a megaweeb
Also metatron. Walks into cam in full samurai armour and greets the audience in the most casual Japanese I've ever heard.
It’s either that or Roman
Pick yer poison
@Shekel Man Yeah, the insulting aspect of "weeb" is the wannabe/tryhard insinuation. Doesn't really stick to someone who's fluent and engages with the culture at a level beyond just anime/pop culture.
The dude was able to explain in simple terms how a chinese dictionary works. That’s a feat (a level 8 feat, I believe)
@Shekel Man lol respects japanese culture? literally all the culture Japan exports is catering solely to weebs.
if they're so offended they've only got themselves to blame....
@@zwenkwiel816 You're a special kind of moron, you must work very hard at appearing as dumb as possible. Nice work
I used to pratice Shinto Ryu Kendo for many years and my Sensei loved this weapon.
His version had a really long chain connected to the bottom part of the weapon and the extra lenght was circling around his arm. He was able to control its size with short movements and let me tell you, it is a really hard weapon to fight against.
In our institute, the more experienced students were trained in different weapons along the way, and this one was one of the last (i only wielded it once in my 6 years of training) and fought it twice. On single combat i kept having my sword being stuck/Deflected by both the chain and the blade.
The second time we fought it was 4 students against my Sensei. Granted he was a 7th Dan pratitioner training on the way for his 8th, but he could kep as at bay spinning the chain overhead and entangle our blades, always moving in a very offensive and agressive stance, not allowing himself to be surrounded. Was a very interesting experience.
Ps: Not a native English speaker so forgive me if my descriptions are not clear or i made any mistakes.
This is great insight, thank you.
Thanks for sharing! One question: If the chain were to wrap around your sword, could you lever the weapon from their hands with a strong pull? Or would it be too difficult to maintain the tension necessary to do that because they're trying to close distance? BTW, your English is excellent.
@@caseydubois3645 I dont think so. Given that the oponent can control the lenght of the chain (it had a few meters). In this particular situation we started the combat circuling around him and my plan was to take one for the team, So i was at his left side and intercepted the spinning chain with my blade so my allies could try for a hit.
As soon as the Sensei felt something touching the chain he moved his army down and tackled me. The movement made my guard go down and be completed exposed to the scythe . He used the weapon as a lever, placing the wood and blade part behind my neck and pushing me down. A quick movement with the arm made the chain get loose and released his grip of my sword, since now i was "dead" .
Given training i belive you can develop techinques to fight it , but is a remarkable surprising weapon that challenges our standart thought process when it come to sword fighting. According to the Sensei it was an uphill battle to fight against it with a sword.
Again let me say i am not and expert and only faced it twice against an oponent that had about 20+ years of training over me, and i dont think it is a weapon that is easy to get proficient with.
@@lordbravura That certainly does seem to confirm my theory that it would be too hard to maintain the necessary tension to disarm the wielder.
The best counter I can come up with is to stay out of measure, then strike at the weight (rather than the chain) to arrest it's movement while remaining untangled. After that, one could close distance, and the reach and leverage advantage would then belong to them.
It certainly does seem to be one heck of a weapon to try and fight. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of one anytime soon.
Haha, you’re not a native speaker? You write better than most English RUclips comments. Very interesting experience too.
great crossover its cool to see youtubers working together
Skallatron, what an iconic duo. Really do love both of your channels though, great and insightful video as always.
I just love the way Skall plays off the joking jabs and then Metatron appears and it's just
*CLANK CLAK* "No no, you have a point"
Just throwing in my few thoughts on the wrapping of the chain around the neck: it is less likely to kill the person. Perhaps it was a technique for defending against someone and just incapacitating them instead of killing. We need to keep in mind that not every combat situation has to end with someone dying.
Besides, ninjas weren't going to go assassinate someone unless it was very important and they stacked the deck three times over.
I think the wrap around the neck was ment to pull the opponent down for an easy strike on the head, although it seemed rather useless as the person already had a good position to strike from.
Its both. You can strangle or break someone's limbs an neck pretty quickly if you get that chain tighg round the neck. An that blade can effect lethal deep cuts an stab injuries
Or in case the opponent has a helmet.
There are many records of samurai or town guards being commended for bringing in live prisoners for "questioning". Bringing them in alive is not a mercy, it is a tactical advantage for the governing body.
Common misconception about a lot of Japanese weapons is that they originated as farming tools. While this is untrue for most of these weapons, the sickle (or Kama) would be generally based off of farming implements.
However, the ‘battle sickles’ you see depicted through kamas and kusarigamas were actually designed as and used solely as weapons. They were *not* repurposed farming implements. At the time that Kamas and kusarigamas were being used, there were already purpose-built farming tools that performed the tasks far better.
Another note is that the kusarigama was definitely not a farming tool. There aren’t any credible sources (to my knowledge) that demonstrate a practical agricultural use for a loose sickle connected to a chain and counterweight.
Overall not throwing shade at the video (great vid btw), just as someone who has been practicing with both the Kama and kusarigama for years I thought I should point out the common misconception :D
I believe any references to such weapons being farm implements may be related to the fact that owning weapons was regulated for peasants. Separately the argument can be made that the sickle and chain were farm implements to avoid persecution.
No one is saying they were used as is...the idea is that they were _modified_ from their original state. Then they could just tell an official stopping them. "Hey, it's a farming tool! Why are you bothering me!" XD
No common misconception...
This is a non-debatable fact backed up by ALL historical documentation.
Not sure who told you these weapons originally being farming tools is a
"common misconception"...
But that person was incorrect and gave you incorrect information.
Just about ALL Japanese weapons historically...
Are modified farming tools.
NOT DEBATABLE
@notsure8513 peasants were allowed to own and use katanas. To defend from animals and what not. They just weren't allowed it to be to long, to short, or wear 2.
@@castle6660lol that's 100% false, but I'll wait for your credible sources that say that.
Considering most weapons were brought to Japan as weapons....
Love your videos Skall! So glad you brought Metatron in! Love the "banter" between the two of you....!
Musashi duelled an expert user of this weapon with several kills to his name. Had to bait him into a bamboo forest to beat him. Make no mistake, people in olden times didn´t mess around using stuff that didn´t work because in the days of life and death duelling, well, you die if you do stupid things.
Take a look at the video on the Akban channel (edit: channel name was spelt wrong, link below) where the teacher explains the basic lethality of a similar weapon (Kusarifundo).
Seems interesting ! I copy pasted the channel name, but didn't find (too many results unrelated to martial arts). Do you mind sending a link please ?
@@Par-Crom ruclips.net/video/88x5vg5W72E/видео.html
@@siddislikesgoogle Thanks m!
I've heard that tale, too, but don't recall the name of the KG user.
but the fact you know his name means it wasn't a common weapon for high level fighters.
Me: why are you calling him a weeb? Thats so rude.
*full suit of samurai armor sits down and waves*
Me: oh.
Hes actually a japanese warring era historian you piece of shit and metatron also discusses with european history. only a perfect weeb would say the katana is the perfect sword, and metatron says its not. know your youtuber first smh bet metratron could kick your ass lol
@@hmuphilly9129 LMAO looks like someone can't take a joke here.
@@hmuphilly9129 Philly, sit down and eat your poptarts before I tell your keeper that you're on the internet again.
@@ashfield4313 You guys are getting baited
@@Orlandofurioso95 am i?
Shows just how much more effective a flail is if you simply attach it to an actual weapon.
The collab I've been waiting for :')
Extremely effective, Musashi came close to losing a duel with Shishido who used a Kusarigama, he wrote about the Kusarigama in the Book of 5 Rings, he said something to the effect of its the most difficult weapon to defend against because it is effective from any range
This tracks. Hawaiian folk used poi to practice with dagger-length hand-flails, and kusarigama/related weapons move fluidly between that range and 'thrown weapon' range.
Please show me were!! Im have the book of 5 rings in my lap. I can't find it i think one person claimed it online and the internet echoed it
Hello? Where did Musashi ever say that that ?
Oh bullshit.
@@lancehobbs8012 Lmao I like how you had three chapters about this
Huh....this unexpectedly seems like the most effective chain/flail type weapon I've seen
It is. Depends on the user like ANY weapon. The whole thing used right by an expert can basically tear through an disable a whole squad if its made for fighting an we all got to know historically someone back then mustve got the idea an ran effectively with it more then few times
There are a lot of interesting and unexpected techniques (striking and grappling) that Skall didn't get to show because, 1) Time constraints, 2) Didn't come across them in the videos he surveyed, 3) As he states, he's not trained in it. Not saying it's an ideal weapon, definitely has some big drawbacks but I'm a fan. Not sure he even mentioned hitting yourself, which is a real danger and I have... and that little weight can cause serious injury. Seems like it was something you'd have to specialize in really well back in Feudal Japan, but once you did, you had a leg up on your dueling opponent because they just wouldn't encounter them very often.
Japanese chain weapons tend to be like this,even if strange. Like the mijin,the bunbunbai,the chidorigane and most commonly the kusarifundo
@@junichiroyamashita Yes, they really experimented with the concept in a special way.
I was hoping to see more a rope dart/meteor hammer-style technique, where the tip of the chain weapon is quickly pulled back for follow-up attacks. Most of these examples tended to focus on one-and--done, shoot-and-swap-to-kama style techniques, and while that's effective for the reasons Skall mentioned, I think a particular strength of this weapon is that it's a 'thrown' weapon that just keeps coming back and orbiting around you again. That cheesy range can be deployed over and over again if you have the familiarity.
I'm so glad you made this video because I wanted to see if I could arm one of my main characters with this weapon and finally I have the chance to get the opinion of a professional!
I had a teacher who practised with the kusarigama and the defence with the chain was more like an attempt to deflect the hit, and not the first option used.
Also, if you evade the strike, you can place the chain in the path of the sword to try to trap it and control the opponent's blade.
(The version he used was the one with the chain coming from the handle)
Based on what I've read, the weight wasn't necessarily for causing damage, but rather helps the chain wrap around objects. Granted, I'm sure if you smack an unarmored opponent in the head with a metal ball, it's going to hurt.
Agree, I made one before to mess around with my friends and we notice that the chain after wraping around stuff will lock into each other making it harder to get loose.
the idea of this was to grapple the sword with the chain, pull it aside or out of your opponents hands (if you could manage that) and use the sickle as the weapon
one kilogram at that speed to head can kill you over time. A concussion is a serious matter
@@gantzllat 1kg is way too heavy to swing around nimbly. But, a few hundred grams will still work.
It seems like it would help direct the swing-and-release, too. A chain of uniform weight would fly differently than a tip-heavy chain, especially with rope dart/meteor hammer-style techniques.
"In the hands of an adept the Kusarigama is one of the most difficult weapons to forestall" Miyamoto Musashi. I take quotes like that with large handfuls of salt. But if history is right about Musashi that's one hell of an endorsement.
Its basically saying this ISNT a weapon for beginners. BUT its difficult to weild very effectively against other very skilled opponents BUT to someone that DOES get to such a proficiency even at a relatively low level all opponents to this need to be on guard as they become a terror and pain to deal with even for whom shouldn't normally have problems due to training an experience
@@robertagu5533 it's kinda like the tekko kagi, which are a set of metal claws, which were usually paired with armor adorned by spikes, usually used for ensnaring a sword. If you could wield them effectively, you were able to intimidate lesser opponents and even kill more skilled ones, as even just a minor wound could lead to death, as ninja's basically added poison to all their weapons, for the obvious reasons. Oh, and the wound could be caused by just a backhand, which isn't even your best method, as they were more stab and slashing downwards weapons than that.
@@shadowsnake5133 I've always questioned the idea of widespread poisons. FAST poisons are either pretty modern, not shelf stable, or as likely to bite the user, and usually a combination of the above. On the other hand it was a time when tetanus was a real thing, anthrax spores were rarer but real, and I've ready many translations of japanese and chinese texts where they talked about using fibrous horse droppings to wipe blades clean of blood. Skipping tetanus and everything else, that last one will make any wound a festering nightmare.
I can't imagine the samurai didn't understand what we'd call "tacticool". Sure, many guys who had something like a kusarigama are noobs who if they are lucky will survive their first fight and simplify for their second. Others actually knew what they were doing, and were to be respected. The trick is telling the two apart.
@@tenchraven yeah an being sure you knew the difference an not confuse the 2 as a mistake like that against such a potentially lethal weapon could easily prove fatal back in that time when most EVERYONE there tended to practice something in 1 form or another if you werent a craftsman or a farmer anyways. And even they were expected to serve as basic infantry with whatever they was handed. Pretty sure there was even farmers that were pretty battle skilled with staffs an spears if they needed to be.
i was about to request a video of this, but decided to check first, good thing i did. great video as always
Good stuff. I love your technical breakdowns.
I remember watching a video from "The Last Ninja" where he detailed how this and most other 'ninja' weapons like the shuriken weren't ninja weapons at all. He said that he received basic training in weapons like that, but proper ninja weapons were things that you could be caught with and not be suspicious. You get stopped and they find a sickle with a weight attached, or a bunch of shuriken, or a short sword, and you aren't from a class where that's expected; you're done, you failed. Actual ninja weapons are things like gardening shears or a pitchfork or a shovel, completely normal equipment for a laborer that could kill someone. Ninja were basically masters of improvised weapons that would stab you in the neck with a letter opener and then run away, any depiction to the contrary is fantasy.
This is what apparently nobody knows. If you go to assassinate someone (even now), and people see you with what is obviously a weapon, that is sus and you will be stopped.
As I heard somewhere ninja/shinobi was pretty much a spy. So he would often blend in (as farmer, worker, trader) and do his job quietly. And if something goes wrong, as you said, he would use those simple tools as improvised weapons. And knowing that, he may train to fight with those implements.
Absolutely this. Ninjas were spies, so they simply must have used what they had at their disposal depending on what they are doing. Scouting for your lord? You can go with full armor and yari. Passing as an artist? Either use whatever is in the room or concealed weapons. Going out as a samurai to spy on other samurai? Just bring your katana and tanto.
The channel Gaijin Goombah Media explains those details and more in his channel
Most of his videos revolves around misconceptions regarding ninjas and how are they represented in pop culture
You should check it if you are interested
Most people seem to forget that shinobi were first and foremost stealth operators, not masterful warriors or jutsu flinging badasses.
Aside from the information about the kusarigama, this video also provides an excellent example of why heavy armor gives you disadvantage on Stealth checks in Dungeons & Dragons.
Truth!
I've been considering getting kusarigama for some time now, great to see you talk about it!
I love these collaborations, guys, real cool!
Very cool to see some examples of people trying to practice with weapons like these. It always felt a bit .. too much for show, as if a simple quarterstaff would but just as effective. Nice to see some examples of how to use.
Don’t get me started on the “mace” rule over here
Maces (goes on to describe flails only as it mentions the chain, rope or leather strip) are illegal.
Never mentions maces.
Literally confused a lawyer asking about maces and warhammers and their answer was basically, “it seams to be more there to confuse people who don’t know enough and wouldn’t use it safely” then we basically realised you can say it’s to hang on your wall and never use and that’s all legal
Thank god for the good and intelligent politicians who always fully understand a topic when writing and passing laws.
@@moreparrotsmoredereks2275 I doubt any Australian politician really thought it through
But I do like the “if there’s a good reason” rule
That being said the state I live in (south Australia) may be looking into classifying any nerf guns that can shoot those gel ball things as full firearms
Ty furry
@asdrubale bisanzio nerf guns that are able to have those put in the foam darts or launch the gel air soft things directly
Like I think my old buzzbee Winchester would be able to
But they do mean certain nerf guns
Airsoft is already classed as a firearm
Like obviously they aren’t raiding homes for kids toys
It’s just how ridiculous the rules and their wordings are
On blocking a polearm with a single arm:
I was wondering about it for a while and I tried it just last sunday and it works!
You do need very good structure though, and the guy blocking the naginata did not seem to do that.
I think I remember reading somewhere that a halbert can be blocked by a rapier, so we tried it this sunday with a rubber poleaxe of equivalent weight and a steel rapier. Gradually increasing poleaxe strike strength for safety.
When forming a straight line from my weaponhand all the way to my other foot, I could quite comfertably block the heavy blows on the basket or the ricasso.
We later also tried it with a simple parrying dagger (just longer crossguard and ring) and a buckler and that worked as well.
I might make a reaction video to show it...
In a fight/sparring situation, I think the hard thing would be to catch it on the right part of the weapon. If I would have blocked above the ricasso, on the blade, the poleaxe could power through. If the strike would slip under my hand, it would just hit me.
Another great Video and information ,good job Skall 👍
To block a sword with a chain, you'd want to give it a loop around each hand, tightly, with a bit of slack on the defending surface, and thrust upwards and out, effectively reflecting the shot. Which, sounds difficult.
As a chain weapon fighter (nine section chain whip, kusarigama, meteor hammer) I can 100% confirm that blocking is not the name of the game. Chain weapons are zero sum games. You're either attacking...or you're dead :p (I'm being a little flippant there...but I thin kypu understand.)
On my end, the second Metatron said “Hello,” an ad played and I couldn’t help but burst out in laughter.
I wonder if an ad plays right where the algorithm detects a sudden transition. The same thing happened to me.
Same happened to me as well. Americas best eyeglasses
This was the collaboration i was waiting to see between skallagrim and metatron!
I’m a follower of both channels, it was great to see this collab with metatron. You guys should do this more often
great colab! 2 of my favorite content creators in the same video? Win win video
You only just touched on the topic, but I can offer an Australian perspective on the whole "importing flails" thing - you need to fill out a forum (b709b or b710 if its pre 1900) but you technically *can* import one of these - or other weapons on the prohibited weapons list - with the right approvals.
So a, "Mother may I?" process. Does it help to say, "Pretty please with sugar (and a "campaign contribution") on it?"
@@MonkeyJedi99 That's the reality in Australia. Our weapons laws are illogical and restrictive, but the only option is to follow them. Not worth breaking the law to get a mace or flail etc if you can just do some paperwork
I am a simple man, I see the Pasta-tron, I click
Guido-Tron? 😄
So happy I came across u again.
What a lot of people don't consider is what happens when the opponent facing the kusarigama knows how to handle the chain. I'm amateur at best when it comes to weapon martial arts, but I have experience with poi/meteor hammer type weapons. Intercepting the chain to let it wrap substantially reduces the damage the end does as momentum is converted into rotating force, and the wrapping makes it exceptionally easy to hold if you can gain control.
Those rope-type weapons are only useful if you are maintaining extreme control of them, and once outside influence is exerted, it becomes even harder still to control the weapon. Worse still, there's a notably high (from my own personal experience) chance that these weapons can deflect or rotate back to hit the user. Unlike other reach weapons, you simply cannot attack with the chain once the opponent closes in either, as all of the striking power comes from speed generated from large swings. Ultimately, it's a fun and unique weapon type, it can be carried easily, its simple, its cheap, and theres a ton of ways to use it.
For anyone who would like to experience something like it, put a tennis ball in a sock and tie it to the end of a rope, its fun to mess around with for those who like weapon-based martial arts.
Lmfao you have no training nor have you ever used any poi/hammer type weapons 😂😂😂😂
I mean, the chain can't be used, but that's why the kusarigama also has a sickle blade, yeah? if they close the distance, you have a short ranged weapon to respond with.
A monkey-fist knot with a roll-on ball inside works very well too.
@@ihave2cows Actually, the chain can be used...just not for striking...provided it's long enough to bind and control the opponent, that is.
@@alexdhamp I have yet to see any actively resisting opponent bound with a kusarigama chain. First video I got looking for a demonstration sure had the swordsman yeeting his sword and just being very compliant in general.
Okay, Metatron pronounces Japanese with an Italian accent. Honestly, I love to hear him say certain words. It's even a little beautiful. Both languages tend to roll the Rs differently.
I tried guisarikama, and I found that the weight swinging (On either end) made the kama part difficult to use accurately. In many ways it's a point-strike weapon like a warpick. There's hooking, and cutting moves too, but generally those are situational. My point is, you want to hit them accurately, and no matter how much you practice, or which end the chain is attached to, it's going to randomly jerk you around. I'd rather use a Kama (or Tonfa, I use Kama techniques with Tonfa) and chigriki separately, for this reason.
@@Psiberzerker i would definitely prefer not having the chain attached to the blade side for the same reasons skall talked about - if you are binding the opponent it messes up your reach and and range of movement for making cuts.
Metatron has full videos on Japanese, he lived in Japan for 5 years and in my opinion he doesn't have an accent
@@cahallo5964 In your expert opinion? Because Metatron has mentioned his pronunciation, as well as Ancient (Roman) Latin, regional Italian, and his experience with learning Japanese in Japan. So, unless you have some compelling reason to trust your opinion, I'm going to stick with his, on his own Japanese accent.
Japanese Haafu here :) I don't know if Metatron is doing it intentionally, but when I speak Japanese to a "Western" audience I use a different cadence/melody because gaijins tend to get confused by the actual Japanese cadence (e.g. like a NHK TV reporter). I have noticed that in the rare videos Metatron really talks to a perceived Japanese audience he has near-perfect Japanese and drops the European cadence. It's an interesting phenomenon!
Skall: Gimmicky or effective?
Me, an intellectual: The ultimate 'end him rightly' weapon
All of the above.
what is the weight at the end of that chain but just an ultra-extended pommel?
Ogawa Ryu! I really enjoy their kenjutsu and battojutsu content. And I'm glad that they helped illustrate the use of the chain-whip portion as distraction. Good observation, Skall.
Maybe it's kinda gimmicky but holy shit it does look cool. That wrap around+step on the chain to bring down the swordsman was a badass move.
holy shit i have been reading about these for the last week. praise the algorithm!
I'm thinking when he uses the chain around the neck instead of striking his opponent on the head with the blade, he may be trying to capture his enemy instead of outright kill him.
I agree the most practical and effective way for not just this particular weapon but any light/small one handed weapons best way to block/defend is to deflect the opposing weapon to the side. I do like my two handed weapons however if it comes down to it I rather have a light one handed weapon in each hand. As always great informative content and it’s awesome that you and metatron joined forces 🤘🏻
I am subbed to both of you, I love vids like this.
Nice review and good crossover with Raff. Personally I would never use a Kama without hand guard to cut into a sword swing, may work ofc but still too much risk of loosing some fingers.
I love the medival weapons enthusist community because they still collaborate a lot and it's awesome
Just wanted to say thank you for including a clip of Thegn Thrand at the end of this.
Even if you could hold the chain tight enough to block a sword, you would be expending a lot of energy just holding it rigid. It would always be more efficient to just use an object that is naturally rigid to block.
I get the impression that the most effective configuration was double-wielding kusarigama + kama. Basically, it gives the opponent a confusing three things to worry about, one of which is swinging around with a pretty long reach. And the main disadvantage is mollified - even if the chain is caught up, the kama in the other hand is still free to finish off the compromised opponent.
wow, Metatron was such a welcomed surpirise! you twto guys are my go to channels for ancient or medieval weapons and fights, also metatron is italian like me! i'm so happy you guys did a collab, you both are saving my comic's fights and type of weapons lol
You glow! I love it. Keep it up!
Right when he introduced metatron A commercial came on for me about pasta.
RUclips algorithm has a sense of humour.
Yay, finally someone covers the kusarigama
Finaly a notification after 2 years with max notifications on. Anyone else?
I love your channel your soooo detailed
Skall , can you do some Maori weapons like the Patu, Mere , Wahaika and Kotiate?
And also some weapons from pre-columbian civilizations and other native american unique ones.
I'd be interested to see this. Lesser-known weapons from more obscure cultures fascinate me.
I'd like to see Skalls take on that. Especially the Taiaha. And there's a lot of video he could look at too
The green patu is really neat.
@@johngleeman8347 Mere not Patu.
Cleaning out my closet by eminem but with "ku sa ri gaaamaaa".... Every time
overall a good study, thanks for making it skall!
OMG FINALLY YOU GUYS MADE A VIDEO TOGETHER!
"I'm going to talk about the kusarigama...."
Me: Thumbs up.
exactly!!! loool such a cool weapon.
I was always under the impression that ninjas were actually Farmers first. And just used their tools that they had at hand basically. Which would be farm equipment modified in some cases
They were indeed very much about using the tools on hand. Steel was expensive, so some chain and a sickle was not only more concealable than a sword, but much cheaper.
It also occurs to me that if your weapon looks like a common tool, it would be a lot easier to carry it around without attention. A peasant with a sword would be noticed by samurai, but a piece of chain, a hammer or farm tool?
Or at the very least, a trained "spy" that tries to blend in by pretending to be a peasant.
they were farmers then realized like hey spying and assassination gives us more money than farming rice and so formed groups then clans around it.
I think that's right. When weapons were banned for the common people, they used farmer tools like the kunai.
What a crime that Pim's projects only has 400 subs!
Skall I love your gauntlet cursor
The way the other guy perfected the castlevania chain whip reminds me of a meteor hammer like skall said with the right technique you can make it effective
ive never seen on where the chain is attached to the sickle. its very weird, i like it
I mean if it's not attached then it's not all "one" thing at all, it's just having a sickle and a weight at the end of a chain in two separate hands.
@@Szanth i know, i just usually see the chain attached to the bottom.
I've seen like a hundred of them in places like pinterest, it seems that they might actually be the majority of kusarigama
@@theghosthero6173 Yeah, this is something that has confused me. When I see pictures of what seem to be real historical kusarigama - like they're on museum display - the chain is usually attached to the top.
But in manga/anime/movies/tv ... it's always attached to the bottom (and usually a "ninja" weapon). That's including a lot of bizarre obviously fantasy variations, such as insanely gigantic kama or axes or whatever. The chain is ALWAYS attached to the bottom.
@@IsaacKuo probably to blame one one piece of western media (or Eastern media popular in the west) that popularized it, I couldn't tell you which one though
Whoa, I was not expecting this crossover! It makes so much sense when you think about it.
Very nice and informative. Do the kyoketsu shoge next :)
Seeing this two collab is like reliving my teenage years all over again, when I was practicing kendo but was waaaaay to much into scandinavian mythos.
Senseis and sempais would tell me: "Stop swinging the shinai like it was some kind of battle axe!" and I would reply: "FOR VALHALLA!"
Its interesting, it definitely gives you a chance against an opponent with a proper weapon and it could be concealed and carried easily.
It’s also incredibly cheap to make and break apart. Most simple Japanese weapons were made due to very strong laws that determined who could own weapons.
A traditional sword would be hard to make and easily confiscated, while a sickle, chain and weight could be found almost anywhere and are each individually innocuous.
@@jacobb5484 That is the reason for the association with the ninja.
"Keep your weapons hidden in plain sight" is pretty much a "hollywood ninja" quote.
The same goes fror the "sai", the "bo-staff", the "kunai" and all the other "farm tool made to be a weapon" categories.
I remember seeing a video of the Chinese meteor hammer (rope + weight, no kama) showing different ways to wear it as a belt or an X harness across the shoulders. They used what they call 'empty knots,' so that if one specific tangle is undone, the rest of the weapon unravels to full length.
now this is a god damn collab for the ages
Very cool vid! Thank yoU!
I don't think I've ever been this early to a Skall video! This is one of my brother's favorites so I'm interested in seeing what you think.
Returning to this video I feel that this could actually be pretty useful for capturing people! Since in clips we mostly see people tying up weapons and hindering movement... This is just me speculating but I feel this could actually pretty useful for defending a fort or for use in law enforcement, magbe even capturing targets of interest.
Like the Man-Catcher!
It seems to me that this is the most rational explanation of who could use these weapons, namely the police officers for the non-lethal arrest of armed people. And despite the fact that now all demonstrations today are usually against a full-sized sword, of course not all criminal elements could wield it in Japan of that period. If the suspect is initially armed with only one short sword, or a club, a stick, a knife, then the advantage in distance becomes even greater. And also presumably a less trained subject than an armed samurai, so arrest is safer. And at the same time, the Kusari-kama is a relatively compact weapon that you can constantly carry with you, in addition to something else.
And for more dangerous suspects, there was a scheme using a set of three different "Man-Catcher" on long poles, that is, at least three people were required to arrest. Police work is first and foremost work, then what now, and no one from every detention wants to arrange a duel with equal chances for both sides.
Japan has a history of weapon laws that would make this weapon exceptionally effective for the time period as there was less risk of facing a full-fledged war sword
Thank you! One of my most favourite oriental weapons, always looking for anything about it.
you have a great channel and content. thanks for the videos. I used a kyoketsu shoge, similiar to this. its tricky to use
18:35 I wouldn’t buy one sickle. I’d prefer a bicycle!
There is also a longer Jingama type weapon with a weight and chain at the end. So sickle blade, 4-4.5 ft. shaft, then chain at the bottom with weight.
Seeing the demonstrations was awesome. I used to practice naginatajutsu, shinkendo, and aikido. We did a lot of mixed training between the three and it was a LOT of fun. Got hit in the face and the wind knocked out of me plenty of times XD
A traditional method for using a related weapon, the manriki-gusari, for blocking a sword, is to time it right to meet the blade at the moment of impact by keeping the chain weights held firmly in both hands, but the chain being left slack until the last moment (admittedly a risky maneuver), and snapping it taught as it meets the sword, thereby adding outward energy to the chain "block".
From what I understand there were really effective as long as you didn't mind dying after taking out your target. Really effective against samurai before their servants stab you with spears.
I imagine they would be great for duels and for defense against criminals. Duels were very common and there is some written evidence that Miyamoto Musashi, a famous samurai, fought a duel against a someone wielding the kusarigama.
@@nomercy4521 The problem with self defense is that you never know how many guys will attack you.
Wouldn't you already have left the vicinity the moment you completed that assassination?
@@omarabe26 sure if nobody heard the sound, or you didn't mind leaving your weapon, and there were no archers.
@@davidresetarits5616 I mean assuming you are a farmer there should be a couple of farmers around transporting the rice to the capital. the only thing worth robbing a farmer is are the rice they make.