"Shinobi Soldiers" Anthony Cummings-"Togakure is probably not real" ....

[Bruno@MT]

Phew, I read through that. I think I can summarize as follows:

- Anthony seems to insist that the X kans are misguiding people into believing that ninjutsu are solely fighting techniques. We already know this is not the case, and we also know that ninpo taijutsu is a modern system based of different ryuha, and contains virtually no ninjutsu. Roy Shihan has posted about this many years ago.

- Anthony seems to insist that Togakure ryu is fake because noone is willing to show him the original scrolls, and noone is able to show him fighting techniques that are radically different from other koryu systems. He completely seems to miss the fact that the difference is not so much in the techniques, but in the underlying strategies in which they are used. The difference is not in the wrist lock itself. The difference is in how the wrist lock is used, and what it is supposed to achieve. The difference is in the principles, not the techniques.

- Anthony seems to do his very best to claim a moral high ground from which to talk down to people that have been practicing the art for most of their lives, insisting that he really knows better than them.

In short, I have the impression that he is trying to shill for his own books by hyping up something that is old news to anyone who actually trains and is interested in the background.

And the post where he asked for a free copy of Don Roleys annotated translation was just priceless

 

[Muawijhe]

What saddens me is that Mr. Cummings seems to have a genuine interest in ninjutsu but his paradigm was shifted and he's run off on this new crusade-like tangent. Really, Mr. Parker summed up a lot of it best in his response to me about Antony in another thread.

I'll admit they were a bit hostile on MAP, but he appeared there with an attitude of knowing all that they did not, instead of showing up with an open mind willing to learn new things. I've seen similar behavior in occult studies, where someone comes across a piece of information early on that revolutionalizes what they thought, and runs off half cocked searching just for more information to prove that inconsequential piece of a puzzle that the more patient and experienced practitioners already see the whole of.

I think ninjutsu could learn a lot if people shared information instead of trying to define, prove, and stamp "true ninjutsu" into everyone's heads. It is about as redundant and annoying as religions clashing to prove the "Truth".

Then again, it is ninjutsu, so sharing information isn't par for the course... :boing2:

 

[Chris Parker]

Okay, I read through it as well (about 4 hours, including distractions....), and honestly he's far worse than I realised. Admittedly I had only gone through his "academic lecture" youtube clips, but after going through his "action" ones as well.... how do these people get book deals?!?!

 

[Muawijhe]

Quite simply. If you can sound like you know more of a subject that people don't know about (especially the publisher), then you are golden. That, and you paid your money up front.

Plus, people will show desire to read these things that give them the ideas they want. Look at Ashida Kim. He plays up to the media ninja stereotype, with secret masters, über deadly techniques, black masks, reading minds and dodging bullets. It feeds those who want to find that.

Antony, on the other hands, is feeding to those cynics and disenfranchised who wanted the ninja stereotype, found out it wasn't quite what they were expecting, and have gone so far as to try and burst ninjutsu students' bubbles.
"You know what? Ninjutsu wasn't what I thought it was...and screw you, it's not what you think it is either!"

 

[Cryozombie]

I'll admit they were a bit hostile on MAP, but he appeared there with an attitude of knowing all that they did not, instead of showing up with an open mind willing to learn new things.

The thing I don't understand is I read thru MUCH of the MAP thread, and I went and watched a bunch of Antony's videos... what stands out in my mind was one video where he was all about saying he was the only one who knew, the only one who had the info, etc... but then on MAP he was like well this is my belief, and understanding etc... It doesn't surprise me that they became a bit hostile, given that. That, and well, at one point it read to ME like he was calling Don Roley's knowledge into question like Don knew less about the translation than he did.

Yeah. Uh huh. No reason for them to get hostile with Antony.

 

[Muawijhe]

I never said they didn't have reason.

But I mean, what does Don Roley know anyways? He couldn't even answer the lunar mansion question... :duh:










(mmm, sarcasm)

 

[Bruno@MT]

But I mean, what does Don Roley know anyways? He couldn't even answer the lunar mansion question... :duh:

(mmm, sarcasm)

Technically, he didn't answer. I otoh couldn't answer.