Video Provider: Rising Sun Productions
DVD Name: The Offical Kubotan
DVD Cost: $29\4.95
Length of DVD: 55 min
Number of Moves: Numerous
Return Policy: ?
Instructor: Takayuki Kubota
Company Address:
Company Phone Number: 310-926-7808
Email:
Web Page Info: http://www.warrenerentertainment.com/kubotan/

Primary Grading Criteria:

Production Quality: 5
Instructors demonstrated skill level: 7
Comprehension Score/Immediate Understanding: 5
Degree to which this will make someone a better Martial Artist: 5
Score on Delivery vs Hype: 5
Degree to which you would recommend this product: 5
Wasted time (The Higher the number, the less “Fluff “/repetition): 5
Playback score/watching it over and over again: 3
Would I purchase more of this company’s products: 5
Overall grade: 5

Grand Total: 50% (Fair = 2.5 Stars)
Secondary Grading Criteria:

1. Beginning Student Benefit: Fair
2. Intermediate Student Benefit: Fair
3. Advanced Student Benefit: Fair
4. Time to benefit: estimate a week or two
5. The need to buy additional tapes to understand this one: None
Written Summary:

Here we're taking a look at a dvd done by Takayuki Kubota, the creator of the Kubotan. So let's get right to it.

Kubota shows us how to defend ourselves with the Kubotan. He defends against various types of punches and self-defense type grabs. Often he'll hold onto the Kubotan itself, and rake with the keys he has attached to it, across someones eyes, and then thrust the Kubotan into either the ribs (similar to a reverse punch), into the solar plexus, or whip the keys up into the groin. We're shown various angles of attack, but I didn't see what I felt was full-use of the 9 angles of attack. Other times Kubota will strike with the Kubotan into the arm or hand of an attacker, and he even shows how to do wrist locks with the Kubotan.

My gut feeling? This video was okay, but it didn't do much for me. I question much of what was shown, regarding its street effectiveness and to what extent it would work for non-martial artists. I felt Kubota over-used formal Karate stances for street attacks, which I think could be problematic for non-martial artists. It also became appartent to me that many of the complex moves Kubota showed he was able to pull-off due to his years of Karate training, and that a non-martial artist looking for something self-defense oriented, likely wouldn't be able too with the same timing, speed and effectiveness.

Kubota also shows how to defend against a knife, kicks, etc, and pulls-it-off nicely due to his level of martial arts skill, but I have doubts that much of what he showed would work that easily for those with no martial arts skill, or limited skill. They too likely won't have the split-second timing or speed that someone like Kubota has, to pull-off what was shown. And to me, a video about a device like this should be produced in such a way that it appeals to everyone, and not just those with a high level of martial arts skills.

Now for the worst criticism. Kubota didn't break-down the details of the techniques shown, nor did he provide detailed explanation. Kubota did very little talking and his heavy accent made it difficult to understand the few words he did try to say here-and-there. And to make matters worse, practically no camera close-ups were shown of the techniques, to help compensate for his lack of explanation!

While watching this video I began to have thoughts about the issues I had with a couple of Wally Jay's videos. I felt as if this video was more about watching Kubota demonstrate his skill, technique-after-technique, versus us being throughly taught something. To me, this often seemed more like a demonstration video than a teaching video. And due to the lack of explanation, combined with Kubota pulling-off many techniques due to his years of skill, I have serious doubts about non-martial artists, or those with limited skill, repeating and learning much of what was shown. And top that off with excessive repeats of the same technique, that should've offered detailed verbal explanation, but didn't, and I just don't understand why this video was produced/directed this way!

Kubota is talented, no question about that, but I'm literally sitting-on-the-fence at 50%, regarding what I feel about the value of this video. Let's call it a 50% video and move on.

FYI - On a personal note, I'm not as big a fan of the Kubotan as I am the "Iron Maiden" aka Ninja or Spike Keychain. To me, I feel I could do more damage with it, if need be, and it might be something to consider versus a Kubotan.

EM

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