Customer Rating: 
Summary: Only small information for the present time
Comment: The work of Choki Motobu is very intersting, but the comments of the editor are not sufficient. The predominent part of the book shows only one charcoat figure on one page and a few words on the other page. There are no words about the basis of Motobus interpretation of Okinawan Karate. In the figures he shows a lot of sequences out of the kata naihanchi ( shodan, nidan, sandan) and some sequence of the Bubushi. He shows atacks to kKyusho points very exactly. But there is no explanation of the new editor, no comment. People who dont know the backround of the special content of Motobus techniques cannot understand the book.
H,Kogel M.D., Professor of surgery, 5th Dan Karate ,Kobudo Renshi, Reg.Dir.IMAF Kokusai Budoin
Customer Rating:
Summary: A step toward true karate.
Comment: If you're interested in true martial art, the art of war, you should buy this book. Don't pay attention to the quality of the photos and don't forget any detail.
Enjoy!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Reprint of a Karate Classic
Comment: This was the second of what are now 4 special edition reprints of older karate books issued by Master Publication of Canada, run by Don Warrener (Goju). Although this edition of Karate pioneer Motobu, Choki's book is useful and should a part of any historical karate collection, there are several issues which anyone wishing to purchase this edition should be aware of.The photos have been retouched, severely. Most of what you will see are not reproductions from an original text, but apparently paint or charcoal reproductions (or extreme enhancements, if you will) of the photos from an earlier edition. I found these no more difficult to understand than photos in earier reprints, although some of the ambiance is lost. This Masters Publications "translation" bears a striking resemblence to the English translation put out nearly twenty years before by Okinawa Karate teacher Oyata, Seiyu in 1977("Okinawa Kempo: Karate-Jutsu on Kumite"). Comparing the two texts sentence by sentence, I could not help feeling that the Masters Publications "translation" was simply lifted from Oyata's earlier work, although neither Oyata nor any other translator is credited with this book's work, unlike other volumes in this series. I also found it odd that Masters Publications was not able to translate into common pharmacological terms the exact same herbs Oyata left untranslated. Certainly a professional with today's resources would have had better luck?
Although This newer edition is beautiful (cloth covered boards, cloth covered box, dust jacket, etc.), I must admit that I treasure more the unretouched little booklet translated by Oyata in 1977. For an English translation of Motobu, Choki's OTHER book, contact Patrick McCarthy of the International Ryukyu Karate Research Society.
