Have you seen Kuro Obi? (The Black Belt) a Shunichi Nagasaki Film.?

I will look for it.

I never really thought of it as a Kurosawa film, but that's just me. I liked it the moment I saw the kata and makiwara training at the opening credits a couple of years ago, it showed authentic training and not just some actor who learned a few choreographed moves. The fact that the 3 lead stars were authentic blackbelts from Shotokan(Naka Tatsuya of JKA), Goju Ryu(Yagi Akihito of Meibukan) and Kyukoshin (Suzuki Yuji) helped alot. This film definitely rekindled my love for Karate. I have always wanted to train in it since I was young, but never found a qualified instructor before until last year. So I'd say this film helped influence my decision along with some of the TMA contributors here to start my training in Shotokan. @Fat Cobra & jwbulldogs It came out in 2007. I remember seeing someone posting a subtitled version on youtube a few months ago. Dunno if it's still around though.

This is the movie that been shown up last 2007 with the title BLACK BELT, starring Tatsuya Naka, Akihito Yagi and Yuji Suzuki.

It is about the story in Japan during 1930s, presents a Karate dojo being dismantled by the Japanese military. The master dies before choosing a successor, and his top three students must face both the military and each other as they try to live up to the standards they believe in, and inherit their master's school. Unfortunately their philosophies are quite different, and a clash is inevitable. The main actors are all accomplished Karate practitioners, and the presentation of martial arts is far more realistic than recent wire fu efforts.

Here I paste a link for some information regarding this movie;

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809922359/info

I really like the story and it signified me a lot the worth of preserving loyalty to our personal beliefs and tradition, I like the movie a lot, It reminds me of being ourselves and for what we are, sometimes a person must give consideration of what is necessary for the worth of Martial Arts, not just through brotherhood ideas but as well, according to superiority.

This movie is already a part of my collections.

Good luck

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I never really thought of it as a Kurosawa film, but that's just me. I liked it the moment I saw the kata and makiwara training at the opening credits a couple of years ago, it showed authentic training and not just some actor who learned a few choreographed moves. The fact that the 3 lead stars were authentic blackbelts from Shotokan(Naka Tatsuya of JKA), Goju Ryu(Yagi Akihito of Meibukan) and Kyukoshin (Suzuki Yuji) helped alot. This film definitely rekindled my love for Karate. I have always wanted to train in it since I was young, but never found a qualified instructor before until last year. So I'd say this film helped influence my decision along with some of the TMA contributors here to start my training in Shotokan.

@Fat Cobra & jwbulldogs

It came out in 2007. I remember seeing someone posting a subtitled version on youtube a few months ago. Dunno if it's still around though.

I have NOT seen it, but you most certainly peaked my interest. I love Kurosawa's films, and the martial arts! One of my all time favorites is 7 Samurai. Is it a recent film, or an older one? I hope it's on netflix.

EDIT - Shienaran, thanks for the heads up. I'm going to check it out.

EDIT - I have always wanted to write a martial art movie, or a movie involving realistic fight sequences.

EDIT - It is in my netflix and I'll be watching it on Monday! Woo

I thought it was awesome. I place it as the prime cinematic example of traditional karate, with another film, "Fighter in the Wind" (A Korean biopic of Mas Oyama) as the prime cinematic example of modern knockdown-karate. The quality of the martial arts featured is pristine; from the kata, the training methods, the fights, and to its core philosophy I have yet to see another movie of karate top it.

i love that movie. when i first brought it, i didnt know what to expect. it seemed alittle generic lol the cover ...just seemed like a rip off lol. i watched it and man...! it seemed so real. the story was great. so philosophical man. . . i hope ppl understood it...especially the scene when the two guys were fighting one another.

the best part of the movie was when the forceful karateka went around capturing schools for the government. when he came across that teacher that had a similar style...lol i thought man thats really cool...but very interesting....i liked it man.

oh yea the little scenes where they were doing kata...nice

you should check out the hidden blade. its a nice movie. samurai with a great story line

I thought the movie was great; and I really appreciate the way it dispensed with flashy fight choreography and starred actual, high ranking karateka.

(Warning: Spoiler alert!)

But story-wise, I was rather disappointed with the stereotypical "jedi vs. sith" characters: the harsh, fame-seeking and overly violent "bad" student vs. the soft-spoken "good" student who is so adamant about not hitting other people even if it means that the girl who saved his life was sold off into prostitution.

Still, a great movie for martial artists. If anybody needs a more in-depth review, I heartily recommend http://www.midnighteye.com/reviews/black-belt.shtm...

I truly enjoyed it and as a fact I showed it to my entire Karate dojo one night so they could get an idea of what a "Karate movie" should be...some of them wanted Jet Li and others wanted Van Damme but regardless it was a great movie.

Hey buddy! Since you brought this movie up, I assume that it is something you liked? I'll have to find it. Until now, I had not heard of it.

EDIT: I see my pet troll is still following me and making sure that he gives me a thumbs down, no matter what I write.

Sit, Sit,...... Good boy!

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I haven't seen it. Is it on Netflix?