Kata is one of the vital three K’s that make up karate – Kihon, Kata, and Kumite. They are an integral part of the study of Karate-do, and much emphasis must be placed on its study.
When you think of kata, you don’t necessarily think of little drawn men punching and kicking. I expected to not really like this book. I thought, how can a book full of drawings truly convey the significance of Kata? When the book arrived however, my initial judgement was somewhat altered. True, little drawings cannot - with all the will in the world - illustrate the attitude and feeling of practicing kata, for the drawings are expressionless. However, on the other hand, human beings have errors. Human beings have technical faults. In many ways, as shown here in this book, technical points are to some extent easier illustrated through diagrams, for you can always make a diagram look perfect. You cannot always do this with a human. Therefore, when you study the technique of these drawings, they are more technically perfect 100% of the time than any human could be. In some strange way, these little men inspire you, and you want to become as perfect as something created by pen and paper. All the same, you are inspired to become better.
The first thing that struck me as I looked at the book is how beautifully presented it is. Not just the drawings of the karateka (who are technically awesome by the way!), but the general set out of the book. From cover to cover, clearly, every little detail has been thoroughly thought through to maximise the aesthetic potential of the book. When you open the book on the first page, you see a small graphic man bowing, with the quote ‘Karate begins with respect’, then on the very last page again a figure bowing with the quote beneath ‘and ends with respect’, ignoring the small typo here, (they have written end ends, rather than and ends) this is a very nice touch, which increases the professionalism of the book.
Language: English
Download: HERE