Samurai katana halfsword techniques and European martial arts

1:55 do those swords have disc guards in the middle of the blade?

I once tried to halfsword a hand-and-a-half sword.

Somehow wound up with three quarterstaves.

half swording in kenjutsu is preeeeeeetty popular. well depending on ryu.

You know why they don't grip the Katana? Because once the sharp part of the blade touches anything, it disintegrate the object.entirely. 😀
In more serious note, is there any instances that African weapons would benefit from half-swording. As far as I know, there was minimal armor and their blades were either very curves or simply double-edges and wide. Doesn't seem like easily half-swordable weapons. Also really hard to find instances where they needed half-swording since their blades seemed fairly short and the lack of armor…

dont try this at home

10:06 – DOOM DOOM DOOM!!!!!!!!!! ._.

Before I watch past 6.00… why would you even bother to get out your sword to fight someone in full plate? Wouldn't you be better off just grabbing a dagger? Easier to stab through small holes with a dagger than a sword I would have thought. Or did knights typically not carry daggers because they were usually just cutting down unarmoured footsoldiers rather than other knights?

Does anyone know what flag is hanging in the bookshelf?

I can't imagine having a hobby where the focus is working out ways to stab someone. Obviously your in it for the swords, but the whole going into detail on their use is a bit off.

Matt would you mind saying where you bought that Katana? I would like a sword for cutting practice but not a very expensive one.

Every time you show a source I feel warmer inside

But can you half sword with a lightsaber?

It's funny how so many people are surprised that someone fighting to save their lives will do the simplest most effective thing to stop the other guy. hahahaha

4:17 Ending him swifltly, I would say…

In Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu we do quite a bit of this. The first kata has a "block" performed while on one knee using the left hand on the blade. The third kata has an interesting use of it too. It's also used a lot in our Iaijutsu and extensively in the Gogyo. (Please can you learn to say Katana though; it's ka-ta-na, not ka-taaaah-na.)

Donggggg! The ancient way of deafening the enemy! Ancient viking battle axe technique.

What does katana mean?

Although possessed of a wealth of HEMA knowledge, when it comes to Japanese swordsmanship, Mr. Easton should spend more time trying to learn than trying to teach. However, I think this video is a good example of the positive contribution that he can make, by showing some of the cross-cultural commonalities. He would still be better served by bringing in guest commentators with actual experience in JSA rather than offering speculations and inferences, but this video is a step in the right direction.

1:38 Wow that fade effect.

This dude looks like he about to go Kill Bill

To my knowledge the "grappling" part of half-swording survived in certain Aikido techniques. Maybe an Aikido practitioner may elaborate on this more.

"And you're going to tug tug tug tug tug…"

I halfsworded with a katana once.
It cut off my fingers and split my house in two.

Adidas? Have you changed your outfitter?

Ive seen halfswording similair to the kenjutsu halfsword with eastern european sabers or even ottoman and other eastern sabers! They predominantly tent to hold the blunt spine of the saber.

0:22 turn your hand 90º to the right.
You are exposing your fingers like that, they need to be hidden behind the blade.

When did two edge swords die out?

In the final duel in the movie "Sanjuro", Mifune's character does a reverse, left-handed draw and sweeps the blade through by pushing with, what appears to be, the back of his wrist/hand. Sort of a halfsword technique. It's on YT, watch in slow-mo. I wonder if that's a real technique. I've read that some of Kurosawa's films used iaijutsu masters to choreograph the sword fights.

For a few seconds I thought Matt is wearing yellow jumpsuit like the one in Kill Bill.

Did they ever make zig-zag eye slits to prevent all but very narrow blades from getting too far in?

I love the tempo of this video! Sound and video are also superior to older vids. Keep it up, Matt! Excellent content as usual.

Is he trying to look like the Kill Bill chick?

13:16 sounds like a great night in

Hey Matt – what do you think about half-swording to help parry a heavy blow (e.g., with one-handed sword against a polearm)?

Hey Matt, didn't get a notification for this video for some reason

Halfswording with lightsaber plz.

Was the Kill Bill look intentional??? Or just happy mistake?

Half-swording is quite common in Japan to an extent, and is probably more so compared to the European counterpart.

Very nice video, but you have no idea how to swing a katana conventionally XD. Thanks for the video!!

Not entirely on topic, but I wanted to shout out thanks to you, I just attended my first HEMA lesson and it was awesome… can't wait for more.
BTW the lady from Kill Bill wants her sweatshirt back… just kidding.

Awesome video and surprisingly I had the same thought in my personal study in HEMA and my interest in Japanese Martial arts. Keep up the great work!

Lloyd (Lindybiege) relates a story in one of his videos about an attack on British troops in Lebanon by men halfswording with scimitars.

Teaching people to stab where there isnt any armor? This is terrorism-training! Wait until the Daily Mail hears of this!

Why would somebody try to kill me? I'm lovable and charming.

I feel like half-swording is probably the closest thing to how you'd actually fight with a bat'leth. Unfortunately I don't think anyone makes cheap sparring bat'leths, so I'll never know for sure.

With the Katana, it seams the supporting hand is usually turned the other way than in hema!?!