etoile wrote:

I didn't see Musashi used his famous style of swordfight with two swords. I had been wanting to see that

He used that technique when he defeated the entire Yoshioka school at Ichijoji and when he fought the chain and sickle technique of Shisedo Baiken...

etoile wrote:

I didn't see Musashi used his famous style of swordfight with two swords. I had been wanting to see that

I think that's because Musashi didn't use the two sword technique in the most of his battles. He used more those wooden swords ...
_________________

In the book by Eiji Yoshikawa, it is mentioned that Musashi had some sort of a teacher, who's also a priest named Gudo. I wonder why Gudo was not in the drama?

I don't remember in which episode, but there's time when Katsu (Mizuno Miki) bit Musashi. I don't get what it means

etoile wrote:

In the book by Eiji Yoshikawa, it is mentioned that Musashi had some sort of a teacher, who's also a priest named Gudo. I wonder why Gudo was not in the drama?

Gudo??

The only priest I recall is Takuan...

Quote:

I don't remember in which episode, but there's time when Katsu (Mizuno Miki) bit Musashi. I don't get what it means

I think that was her "revenge" for killing her husband, Shisedo Baiken...

bmwracer wrote:

I think that was her "revenge" for killing her husband, Shisedo Baiken...

An wild revenge ...
_________________

Betsy Hayashi wrote:

An wild revenge ...

I thought that story with her and Baiken was one of the more interesting sub-stories in Musashi...

bmwracer wrote:

I thought that story with her and Baiken was one of the more interesting sub-stories in Musashi...

Me too. And that fight scene with Baiken was one of the best of the whole drama !!!!
_________________

Betsy Hayashi wrote:

Me too. And that fight scene with Baiken was one of the best of the whole drama !!!!

And Musashi did use two swords in that duel.

bmwracer wrote:

And Musashi did use two swords in that duel.

Yeah, one of the few scenes in witch he didn�Lt use a wooden sword ...
_________________

Betsy Hayashi wrote:

Yeah, one of the few scenes in witch he didn�Lt use a wooden sword ...

Didn't he invent/develop the two-sword style? I'm surprised he abandoned it for the wooden sword...

bmwracer wrote:

Didn't he invent/develop the two-sword style? I'm surprised he abandoned it for the wooden sword...

Yeah, strange indeed ...
_________________

Betsy Hayashi wrote:

Yeah, strange indeed ...

Not quite sure if the Yoshikawa book mentioned why he chose the wooden sword for all of his post-Kojiro battles...

bmwracer wrote:

Didn't he invent/develop the two-sword style? I'm surprised he abandoned it for the wooden sword...

I have read Eiji's novel three times or more? Hmm can't remember. But it certainly says that Musashi developed this two sword style in the battle in Ichijoji. Although at that time he didn't realize that he had actually invented that style. As for wooden sword, in the book it says the first wooden sword he had was when he and Matahachi stayed with Okoh. Okoh stored lots of stuff she'd looted among the corpses but of course it wasn't her who did the looting but Akemi. Okoh gave Musashi the sword as she was actually trying to hit on him. But he refused her so she turned to Matahachi. Am I right?

Yes, Gudo. It's true that Gudo isn't mentioned much in the book. But according to the book, Musashi went missing for almost three years after going out from Himeji castle, one of which he met a priest named Gudo and became his disciple. Although the book mentioned about it quite later and also it doesn't tell exactly the whole process of him learning from him. Later on the book says that amidst his confussion between living on the way of sword or having a settled life with Otsu, Musashi managed to find Gudo again to ask for guidance. At least that's what I have read. Unless I am wrong?

Looks like I'm gonna have to re-read the book again to verify this...

Too bad there's not a complete online version so I can search for these names/items...

The death of Koto. She's such a beautiful woman. Her death is a very moving scene. Though she's no part of the book. I think that her love story with Kojiro is the best invented item of the movie.

Sorry to interfere in your conversation

According to the book by Eiji, the reason for Musashi to fight Kojiro with a wooden sword was because he wanted to avoid bloodshed. Having reached a certain level of wisdom, I guess, in the art of swordfight, a samurai like Musashi felt that it was important to defeat his opponent without smearing his sword with blood. I guess..

etoile wrote:

According to the book by Eiji, the reason for Musashi to fight Kojiro with a wooden sword was because he wanted to avoid bloodshed. Having reached a certain level of wisdom, I guess, in the art of swordfight, a samurai like Musashi felt that it was important to defeat his opponent without smearing his sword with blood. I guess..

Wasn't it more strategy than philosophy: to counteract Kojiro's long and deadly "clothes rod" sword, Musashi chose to use a shaved-down oar to battle Kojiro....

bmwracer wrote:

Wasn't it more strategy than philosophy: to counteract Kojiro's long and deadly "clothes rod" sword, Musashi chose to use a shaved-down oar to battle Kojiro....

This is what I thought too. I have heard too that he used the wooden sword because using a real one wasn't challenging enough for him and he didn't necessarily want to kill his opponent...just defeat him.

In theory...to combat Kojiro's long sword...Musashi could have just gotten one himself but instead he used the oar.

I remember in the Musashi series from the 80's, after Musashi defeated Kojiro I believe he checked to see if he was still alive and hoped that he survive.

BmwM3Rod wrote:

I remember in the Musashi series from the 80's, after Musashi defeated Kojiro I believe he checked to see if he was still alive and hoped that he survive.

You mean the one starring Yakusho Koji?