Memorialized in countless books and movies, the history of Japan's fearsome samurai warriors is known all over the world. Who can forget these Japanese masters' skills with the sword? Today, samurai warriors no longer exist, but their legacy of swordsmanship endures. Now, the way of the samurai sword is learned in the martial arts Iaijutsu and Kenjutsu. This book is the perfect introduction to using this beautiful and ancient weapon. In Mastering the Samurai Sword, you'll learn the sword's fascinating history, its evolution, and the philosophy behind its use. You'll also learn practical guidance for mastering the sword itself. Full-color, step-by-step photographs detail many of the most useful and famous samurai moves, including: drawing the samurai sword guard positions, cutting blows, and blocking falling and rolling techniques, and evasive strategies standing forms and kneeling forms All of the martial arts techniques discussed in the book are performed for readers in the downloadable material to help you perfect your form. Beginners will learn everything from proper attire and behavior in the dojo to how they might practice at home, while more experienced samurai swords people will find a new appreciation for the deeper meaning and tradition behind the graceful way of the sword.

To the Japanese, the sword is a spiritual weapon. It possesses a particular divinity, reflecting the soul of its maker, owner, and user. Around its mystical powers has grown the centuries-old ritual and practice of Samurai swordsmanship which is still avidly practiced today as is a fascinating and intricate martial art. This unique guide unlocks all the mysteries of the ancient tradition of Iaijutsu—explaining the history and significance of the sword in Samurai culture and documenting the techniques of swordsmanship as found in no other martial arts book. Darrell Max Craig is one of the foremost teachers of Kendo in the West. He spent many years in Japan competing and training at the very highest level. His book, Drawing the Samurai Sword, provides a thorough examination of all aspects of Iaijutsu—including information on sword care and selection, necessary gear, sword and dojo etiquette, and useful drills for practice and demonstration. This book also teaches readers about: How to evaluate your Samurai sword and handle it safely How to wear the traditional Hakama uniform How to perform the Kata forms to hone your technique The brutal history of sword testing, and today's more humane equivalent The classic and exciting story of "The Forty-Seven Ronin" And much more! Featuring a new preface by the author, original color photos and added information about sword testing, this generously-illustrated book is a treasure trove of information for aspiring students and experienced practitioners alike.

MR. BIG WEALTH presents an exceptional guide to mastering the ancient art of Ninjitsu. Delve into the secrets of this legendary martial art and unlock your true potential. Explore the intricate world of Ninjitsu weapons, techniques, and meditation, as we take you on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. With MR. BIG WEALTH, you can embark on a path of enlightenment and become a true master of the art of Ninjitsu.

Please note: The content in the new Manhattan Prep GRE Verbal Strategies is an updated version of the verbal content in the Manhattan Prep GRE Set of 8 Strategy Guides. Written and recently updated by our 99th percentile GRE instructors, Manhattan Prep's GRE Verbal Strategies features in-depth lessons covering strategies for every question type on the Verbal section of the GRE. Included in this comprehensive guide are memorable and practical techniques for efficiently tackling Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence problems. In the Reading Comprehensions chapters, you will learn strategies for grasping difficult, unfamiliar content and a process for answering general questions, specific questions, and logic-based questions. Throughout the guide you will find tips for avoiding common traps, along with plenty of opportunity for practice via problem sets followed by detailed answer explanations written by GRE top-scorers. The guide also includes easy-to-understand, user-friendly strategies for writing the AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment) portion of the test, also known as “the essays.”

The Sword Polisher's Record, originally a monthly column that appeared for more than a decade in three magazines, including Kungfu magazine and Black Belt magazine, brought a sense of authenticity to the kung fu, which had long been overly-commercialized and filled with misconceptions. Highlighted with over 60 illustrations, The Sword Polisher's Record: The Way of Kung-Fu, is an anthology of the monthly column, is organized into eight inter-connected sections, each examining a different aspect of kung-fu including its foundations, theories, important concepts and principles related to kung-fu styles and forms, usage, and training, and discussions on the future of kung-fu and its place in our lives.

On the eve of achieving everything he has always worked for, Yukihiro finds his world suddenly shattered. Gentle Sensei Naha, who had been both teacher and father to him, has expelled him from the dojo in a blind and inexplicable rage. The darkly beautiful Aki, who had promised to become his wife, has been carried off by the insatiable warlord Takara. And Yukihiro, only yesterday his province’s most celebrated young warrior, now finds himself in exile, disguised in beggar’s rags, searching for answers. To uncover them, and to survive the mortal challenges his enemies have in store, he will have to go beyond all he knows of the way of the warrior, and begin to grasp the way of the master.

Twenty-five years have passed since the secret murder of Mr. Amazing and Baxter McGill by their creator, the enigmatic Dr. Janus. A mysterious man starts to piece together long-forgotten events, playing a deadly game of cat and mouse and is getting closer to exposing the truth while being followed by his own mysterious shadow. Meanwhile, Max Tromm, the world’s richest man, plans his metamorphosis into a superhuman and his grim vision for a new world with him as Earth's Emperor, with only Agent X (Mr. Amazing’s deadly and possibly psychotic replacement) standing in his way. Janus tells the story of the fight for humanity’s future and safety, and what it means to be super, and what it means to be a hero. Janus is an exciting, fast-paced, transgressive, and funny story that introduces new characters and continues the adventures from the first installment, The Three Lives of Mr. Amazing.

Angel Warriors is an action/adventure fiction novel about the extraordinary missions tasked by the Archangels to the chosen human beings, who are known as Innocents, in the fight against the Demons, who threaten to annihilate the human race and rule over the Angels in Heaven. Specifically chosen from the different parts of the world, the protagonists, who are eventually called the Angel Warriors, find themselves caught in many bizarre events during their earthly life, which leads to their higher calling in the afterlife, where they are prepared by the Archangels to carry out their important mission. Together with the leaders of the spiritual realm, the Angel Warriors ultimately perform their tasks but take a toll on themselves as they go through different odds against the villains in various encounters, which are full of twists and unexpected turns.

Samurai tells the story of the courageous and highly disciplined fighting men of this time, showing how they evolved from the primitive fighters of the seventh century into an invincible military caste with a fearsome reputation. In the early seventh century, the samurai rose to prominence during the struggles between the emperor and the military leaders (shogun). They took part in the invasion of Korea, as well as helping to keep Japan free from foreign influence. From the Heian period through to the Onin wars, the history of the samurai is replete with tales of heroism and bloodshed. Although the samurai is most famous for his use of the sword, he also used a wide variety of other weapons, such as the crossbow, the dagger and the spear. Samurai armour and costume were constantly evolving, and by the twelfth century most samurai were wearing the box-like yoroi armour. Samurai examines samurai fighting tactics, as well as acts such as ritual suicide (hari-kiri) and the taking of enemy heads as trophies.

Written by our 99th percentile GRE instructors, Manhattan Prep's GRE All the Verbal features in-depth lessons covering the facts, rules, and strategies for every question type on the Verbal section of the GRE. This edition of GRE All the Verbal has been reorganized to start from the basics—words, in this case—and build to more complex sentences, paragraphs, and passages. You’ll learn how to build your vocabulary in an organic way that allows you to use these words in grad school and at work, not just to regurgitate the words for the test. You’ll also learn how to deconstruct complex sentences, a skill crucial not just for Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence (aka vocabulary) problems, but also for Reading Comprehension passages. And finally, you’ll learn how to parse complicated meaning across multi-sentence blocks of text, a skill you’ll need for Reading Comprehension and for multi-blank Text Completions. You’ll also learn how to spot and avoid common traps and you’ll have plenty of practice problems with detailed answer explanations, all of which have been constructed by our 99th percentile GRE instructors. Finally, you’ll learn how to use all of these skills to tackle the AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment) portion of the exam, also known as the essays