Ghost Tsusima. Fencing in the game and reality.

Sucker Punch Productions Ghost turned out to be a damn colorful and cinematic game. Even never taken care of quite deeply Japanese culture, during the game you begin to penetrate its aesthetics and philosophy. However, you need to understand that this beauty is more cinematic.

Despite the fact that the game has a basis from real historical events and the historical era, much of what we see in the game is the fruit of the imagination of gamedes and scriptwriters and was created to add a picture of entertainment/cinematography or added as a game conventionality for the sake of gameplay. (In no case is there nothing wrong with this. I am categorically against historical reliability to the detriment of gameplay or colorfulness. If the player is interested in the period, he will be able to learn from the non -artistic sources of information that interests the details)

In the course of the game, the fencing system is of the greatest interest. Personally, to me, as a layman far from fencing, it seemed very tactile, tangible and realistic. And if something seems realistic-it becomes curious to compare this “something” with reality.

Posters that are used in the ghost of Tsushima when fencing fell under the sight.

Immediately make a reservation, fencing, and the author never engaged in Ken-jutsu, he never did all the information in open sources, so if there are specialists in Japanese art of owning a sword among the readers, I will be glad if you complement it or indicate inaccuracy.

First, a little about the historical context. The game shows the period of the first Mongol invasion, which occurred in 1274. This corresponds to the historical period of Japanese history called Kamakura (named so in honor of the city of the first shogunate in Japan). This period is not a heyday of samurai in Japan, it is rather a period of the formation of samurai, which is with which the difficulty in finding information is connected.

All classic attributes of the samurai are in its infancy and have not yet been sufficiently formed so that they can rely on them when analyzing the game. The Code of Samuraev “Busido” (Warrior Way) already exists in general form as a certain set of rules for the warrior as a whole, but is not yet formalized and not fixed as the Code of Honor of the Samurai. Katana in its canonical sense and method of manufacture will appear only after 2 centuries. Ken-jutsu already exists, but has not yet taken shape in Ken-do (the first is the art of a battle on swords that does not affect the spiritual part of life, the second-teaches not only the possession of a sword, but also to faithful spiritual and moral development, hence-which means “path”). Samurai at this time priority learning to shoot from onions and riding, and the battle on the swords occupies a secondary role.

Thus, most of the information that is about every aspect of the life of Jin Sikay (the protagonist of the game) affects later periods of the history of Japan. It seems that everything that he uses already exists, but most of the information about this is in later periods of history. Nevertheless, let’s try to figure out where the legs grow from the fencing system of the ghost tsusima.

A little about weapons used by the main character. (We will not touch the armor, this can pull on a separate material.)

At the disposal of Jin Sikay, the sword called in the corresponding menu “Katana”. At the time of the events of the game, Katan was not yet used samurai, and Katana is exclusively weapons of civil battle against an unhumulated enemy, t.To. The classic katana is pulled to the maximum possible severity and the tip is tempered. This makes Katana as dangerous as possible when hit by unprotected flesh, however, when struck by armor, the blade of such a design will quickly become dull, or even completely cut off. For a fight in military conditions, with protected opponents at that time, Japanese warriors most often used swords (or spears, stumbled upon disputes about belonging) “Nagamaki”. They allowed to keep the enemy at a sufficient distance, and a large shaft (handle) made it possible to apply stronger chopping strokes.

The sword of that time closest to Katan was the sword “Tati”. In fact, the same katana, only less sharply sharpened, and the angle of sharpening is greater. This is due to the fact that the razenly sharp blade that Katana had after a pair of blows on armor would be unusable. Tati was also mostly longer than katana. Over time, when Katani began to make katans in Japan, they did not replace Tati swords. These two types of swords divided their spheres of application. Katana was a purely civilian sword of wearing samurai in everyday life, and Tati was exclusively military and was worn only with complete vestments in the armor.

Thus, we can assume that Jing Sikai is equipped with Tati’s sword. However, there is a nuance. Currently, the word “katana” in the Japanese language has a wider meaning and indicates the word “sword” in general. Therefore, the developers had the right to name the blade of Jin – Katana. To avoid confusion and in order not to be stuffy, I will also be called the alleged “tati” – “katana” in the future.

A few words about the features of Japanese https://luckstercasino.co.uk/ swords and the features of fencing with them. Katana is always a two -handed sword, in connection with which any fencing school with it involves a grip with two hands. Such a grip is also necessary because Katana, unlike European swords, does not have an “apple” (a weighting agent at the end of the handle), which is why the center of gravity of the katana is shifted closer to the center of the blade. This makes it difficult to hold the katana in the right position, but enhances chopping blows), t.To. In order to lower the blade with greater force, it is necessary to make less effort.

Well, now directly about the racks in the game and in life:

In the ghost of Tsusima, the main character knows how to use 4 racks: a stance of stone, water stance, wind stance, moon rack. There is also a ghost rod, which is more “super-jar” to eliminate especially tenacious enemies from one blow.

The principle of the name of the racks in the ghost of Tsusima is taken from Ken-jutsu (art of the sword) that really existed in Japan. Racks in Ken-jutsu are called “kamae”. There are five main racks in Ken-jutsu, which in turn correlate with elements of the elements.

Chudan but Kamai – (median stand), it is also called Mizu but Kurai (water level) or hito but kamai (man’s stand).

Dzedan but Kamai – (high stand), it is also called Khurai (level of fire) or ten but kamai (position of the sky).

Hasso but Kamai (eight -migrated stand), also called Moku but Kurai (wood level).

Gedan but Kamai (lower stand) – it is also called Tsuchi but Kurai (Earth’s level).

Vakigamai (femoral stand) – it is also called kin but kurai (gold level).

However, if you look at Jin’s racks from the game, we will understand that only one of the racks corresponds to the classic Ken-jutsu rack, this is the first stand open in the game. In all the other racks, Dzin holds Katana with one hand, which makes him make additional efforts, t.To. the sword is not balanced, and also reduces the power of a chopping strike. Also, in three of four racks, Dzin is open before the enemy strike. In the classic Ken-jutsu, openness to the enemy suggests only one of the racks that is used in the case when the fencer is already visible and known to the weaknesses of the opponent.

Let’s try to disassemble the racks from the game and still correlate them with racks from real life.

The first as the game is a stone stand. Stone stand is basic and universal. It can be applied to all opponents, well suited for parrying, blocking and deviations. Visually, this stand is most like a hassso rack but kamai (wood). This stand is a less aggressive version of Dzedan but Kamai. That is, this rack is aggressive, not universal, and is designed to strike ahead of the fencing, as soon as the fencer sees the enemy’s movement, he strikes ahead of the manner. However, the description of the rack indicates that in it you need to be able to adapt to any enemy actions. Perhaps from here is universality.

Summarizing, we can say that the stone stand in the game is the closest to a really existing rack and does not cause questions even among professional fencers. On the network there is a video where the ghost of the tsusima show the master of fencing Daniel T. Ebihara, who praises just a stone stand in this game.

The next, as the game advanced, the water stand will open. In this rack, Jin Sikai chopping with sweeping, strong blows. The stand is designed to disable opponents with shields. Moreover, when Jing is in this rack at the earnest he holds Katana with one hand, which is generally wrong, moreover, his torso is completely open, which is why it is difficult for him to parry the blows. We can assume that the open torso is due to the fact that this rack is used against enemies with shields, and apply a lightning punch, which is more difficult to react to any attack.

With this persistent of the game, perhaps, Dzedan but Kamai is best correlated. This stand completely opens the torso of the attacker and is used when the fencer sees all the opponent’s open and vulnerable places. But the most important thing is that this stand is used to apply the most strong chopping blows from above. That the jin is needed to knock out opponents from the balance with shields.

Dzedan but Kamai

The third opens the wind stand. This stand is intended against the speaker. This stand involves lunges, evasion and reduction of the distance between the jin and enemies. The errors are standard. Katana in one hand, but at the level of the torso. In theory, in this position, Dzin is more protected, although it risks losing his hand, but it is possible not to get a blow to vital organs.

Perhaps the closest to this rack in the visual plan of Gedan but Kamai. But solely due to the fact that the sword is at the level of the torso and directed down. Gedan is the position of protection/defense. The fencer is waiting for gaps in the opponent’s defense in order to strike. You can draw an analogy with spears. T.To. The enemy of the penny also does not imply a thoughtless reduction in the distance.

The moon’s stand in the game opens the latter and involves the battle with strong opponents or animals. It is characterized by heavy blows.

However, looking at the rack and at its characterization, it turns out that the game in the “racks” did not work out and it is difficult to sprinkle the remaining stance of eccentric but kamai to the moon’s rack, since it involves finding the vine of the blade at the level of the opponent’s chin and this is a universal stand from which you can make any other movement, while the moon is designed for heavy strokes.

The moo of the moon is more likely to relate to Dzedan but Kamai. Open torso, strong blows.

Ghost – Fire/Heaven

The ghost rod in the game mechanics is essentially not a separate stand, but exists in the form of a special regime in which all enemies are killed from one blow. However, it is perhaps the closest to the real fencing on the katan who is taught by the art of Ken-jutsu. Firstly, the stand itself perfectly copies Dzedan but Kamai, but besides this mechanic also perfectly reflects the essence of the rack in real martial art. The fencer applies this rack when he completely calculated the enemy and is sure that he can cause a deadly or decisive blow in the fight. The stand is intended for a strong and accurate blow, which reflects the behavior of the protagonist, who, taking this rack in the game, inflicts single blows neutralizing rivals. Perhaps the primacy in reliability can be given to this rack in the game.