What do you think of master Kanazawa Bunkai?

I'm not all that familiar with him, so I cant make all that good an evaluation. However, I know that at least in Chinese martial arts. No two forms will ever look the same, I feel that forms are like paintings, you are painting the same subject, but they will always look different. As far as application. I feel that 1plus 1 equals seven, meaning one move can be applied thousands of ways. If you limit yourself in your Taolu or Kata, to the moves you only see, your forms and your art will not be alive. I feel because the movements are alive, they have endless possibilities. This is a zenith of martial arts worthy of recognition, when a master's art, transcends the shell of Kata, and becomes a pattern of concepts. That's when they say the form becomes formless. I think the best martial artists are the ones who innovate. When someone puts together a Kata, they aren't just making a sequence of moves, they are telling a story, it says this is what I accomplished, this is what I was working on, this is why I do what I do. The stories of the ancient masters are understood by only a few. They are like artifacts that preserve what that master was trying to say. I feel martial arts transcend self defense and self improvement and all that, I feel they are ultimately an art that one uses to express one's self. So even though I am not familiar with master Kanawaza, I'm sure his expression is unique.

Great question Judomofo. I do believe many techniques were hidden. Now many of those techniques are lost because no one knows what they are today. Some of them have been passed down while other were forgotten. Today it leave for private interpretations. There are 1001 possibilities within any kata. Much like when you are working on self defense techniques separate from your kata. How many ways can you block a punch? How many different ways can you counter attack? How many way can you finish off the attacker? How many ways can you control the attacker or use them as a shield if there are multiple attackers? How do I respond to an attack without leaving myself open to a counter attack? As we can see it is an endless amount of possibilities. I believe something were taught by the old masters many years into a karateka studies. Some never completed the training and never learned. Some were never taught because the old masters past away without teaching them. The knowledge was left that there were hidden techniques. This left other with private interpretations. This also left other not teaching the art correctly simply because they do not know. Hence a kata being a dance for lack of a better term. Like Shihan J said the kata is your style. Id a person knows the style Shorin Ryu, they would know that the styles is made up of joint locks and pressure point strikes. It is very little kicking. The kicks are low kicks. But I dare you to go into most shorin ryu schools and you will find students practicing high kicks and jumping spinning kicks. Hmmmm. Many of those student will not be able to execute a simple wrist lock let alone a bent arm lock. I don't even need to mention a reverse bent arm lock

I did a quick search and went to a video of him showing bunkai for the Heian Shodan Kata they do. There is nothing wrong with the bunkai he shows. BUT, you must understand that many Asian masters show only the lowest level of the bunkai to just anyone. I suspect that in private he would show much more advanced Bunkai to students he knows well and trusts. It is common to not release or allow the average student or observer to see the more advanced Bunkai.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it appears that of those that do show very advanced Bunkai, what I have observed over the years seems to show that it is the Okinawan masters, not the Japanese masters, that show/teach high level bunkai/Kyusho/Tuite. But then I also believe that when the Okinawans introduced Karate to Japan they left out some things, and modified others. When comparing most Okinawan styles to most Japanese styles it is obvious that there are differences.

This also fits with what I was told by a friend that trains in Okinawa often since the 1960's. He said that his Soke says that many Japanese Karate masters in Japan are coming to Okinawa under false pretenses. Then once in Okinawa, they travel to the smaller villages and seek out well known masters asking them to teach them. This is a major issue since the Japanese ideas about what is honorable and what causes a loss of Face comes to mind. These Japanese masters obviously have realized that they are missing something in their training. They are willing to travel and ask for training, yet they do it secretly.

NOTE: My comments are not intended to make it look like Japanese Karate is inferior to Okinawan Karate in any way. Japanese Karate is very effective. I'm only saying the the highest levels of application seem to be missing from some of the Japanese styles/masters.

...

I have seen much of his bunkai over the years, though I have never had the privilege of meeting or training with him. I trend to agree with pugpaws2 on this one, he shows very good BASIC beginner bunkai. I also agree that Japanese styles like mine (shotokan, same as Kanazawa Sensei) were altered. Both to suit Okinawans who didn't like to share secrets, and the Japanese who wanted something of their own. Shotokan bunkai is pretty good for most applications, but I feel pretty strongly that I received more advanced technique from some goju-ryu friends. Goju is Okinawan, and whether better or not, Okinawan bunkai differs from the Japanese version. Now I just hope I said what I wanted to say!

Depends which one, some of his bunkai you are talking about

Some of his bunkai I think is very good other are just so.

Kanazawa sensei him self is very good. I have know him for a long time.

edit

i also agree with Pugpaws. he is right about the level of bunkai given by the japanese, the okinawans in my opinion have a much better understanding of bunkai. the chinese have an even better understanding.