Gary Goltz 
For my Black Belt Judo Blog this week I want to share this article recently written by James Hurtado. Judo is on the rise in the gaming community. Hopefully, this will lead to more interest in taking it up for real!
Ippon Again! brings the art of Judo to audiences around the world this January 2023. Here’s why it’s a great introduction for those new to the sport.
Ippon Again!, produced by BAKKEN RECORD and published by Pony Canyon, is an anime adaptation of the ongoing judo-centric manga series written by Yuu Muruoaka. After deciding to quit judo at the end of middle school, due to changing her priorities to being successful in her high school education and upcoming entrance exams, Michi Sonoda is suddenly reminded of how much she loved the sport and her training. Together with Hiura Towa, the competitor she lost her last match to, and Sanae Takigawa, her childhood best friend, they decide to start up the judo club and find themselves participating in tournaments once again.
Ippon Again! is heavily focused on the competitive aspects of judo; with countless demonstrations of different techniques and stances, the series also gets quite technical and informative. This makes the series an ideal starting place for individuals wishing to learn about one of the world’s most popular sports at a reasonable pace. Here’s why Ippon Again! is must-watch for fans of combat sports.
Ippon Again! Teaches the Fundamentals of Judo
Judo, the art of throwing and grappling was invented by Dr. Jigoro Kano in 1882 by combining jiujutsu with the various features from different jiujutsu schools. The biggest difference between judo and jiujutsu is the fact that judo is more based around throws, while jiujutsu focuses on submissions. Judo later became an Olympic sport in 1964.
While unbeknownst to many living in the Western hemisphere, judo is one of the most popular competitive sports in the world next to soccer, with over 200 countries being members of the International Judo Federation. Judo, like many other combat sports, can also be quite dangerous because the emphasis is placed on throwing the opponent to the ground.
The martial art of judo is often overlooked because it isn’t talked about as much, due to being shadowed by other martial arts such as boxing and jiujutsu in mainstream media, however, some of the most legendary fighters in the UFC have used judo moves quite often. The UFC’s First Female Champion Ronda Rousey, a multiple gold medalist in judo, and the UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and his protégé Islam Makhachev, both of whom have performed many brilliant judo throws throughout their careers, are excellent examples of well-known martial artists who have used judo.
Ippon Again! is a fantastic place to start learning more about the Japanese wrestling sport, as the series goes in-depth enough for anyone new to Judo to comprehend the sport thoroughly — such as the application of the judogi, the utilization of distance and balance, and the huge diversity of throws and submissions. Audiences will also learn the rules of judo matches such as the scoring methods: ippon and waza-ari. This is all portrayed by our three main characters as they compete from tournament-to-tournament against a long list of diverse opponents.
Real judo techniques, like the yagura nage and sode tsurikomi goshi, are frequently used in the series, hence why current judokas will also greatly appreciate it. Ippon Again! is a rare gem to have been adapted, as anime about combat sports that portray the sport in a non-fantastical way come only once in a blue moon. Ippon Again! is a series chock-full of waza-ari and ippons that shouldn’t be missed.
Ippon Again! is based on the manga of the same title, published in the Weekly Shōnen Champion on October 18, 2018. The manga is currently ongoing and has 20 volumes released. Ippon Again! will be available for streaming on HIDIVE January 8, 2023.
Here is another related article
Judo black belt breaks down how legit Guile’s back throw is in Street Fighter 6
Posted by Steven ‘Dreamking23’ Chavez • 1/6/2023
How Legit is Guile’s Throw from Street Fighter 6? #shorts
Judo Black Belt, Pak, Breaks Down one of Guile’s judo throws from the video game, Street Fighter 6 (2023).#scenicfights #martialarts #streetfighter #streetfi…
The Street Fighter series is home to a bevy of fantastical attacks that defy the laws of physics and sometimes logic. However, many attacks take inspiration from real life martial arts, but just how accurate and legit are said IRL-inspired moves?
The folks over at Scenic Fights — a small group of experienced martial artists who analyze, breakdown, and recreate fight scenes from pop culture — recently took a closer look at one of Guile’s regular throws in Capcom’s upcoming major fighting title, Street Fighter 6. Pak, one of Scenic Fights’ Judo black belts, aimed to figure out if Guile’s Judo-style back throw is actually legit or just another fantastical maneuver.
Looking at the footage, the Judo expert begins by explaining that Guile is likely using a seoi nage for his back throw. This move sees the user grab the wrist, pull the opponent’s collar in, and rotate to throw the foe over their back. “It also looks like an Uchi Mata because at the end you see Guile lift up his leg,” says Pak. The expert goes on to state that “Uchi Mata” means “inner thigh throw,” which appears to be what Guile is also incorporating here with this attack.
What’s interesting is that Pak notes how the leg lift and transition into an Uchi Mata is completely unnecessary for Guile to complete the throw. His opponent, Luke, is already halfway to being thrown over and already off the ground by that point, so he really didn’t need the second move to finish the maneuver.
After the breakdown, Pak demonstrates a throw that closely resembles Guile’s Street Fighter 6 back throw called the “Split Hip Ippon Seoi Nage.” Aside from the leg lift, Guile’s throw looks to be fairly legit when it comes to real life martial arts moves. And Yet Another Link on this Subject!
Calendar:
(Note – several tournaments have been cancelled since the AJA was not renewed by USA Judo)
April – 2023
1st Saturday & 2nd Sunday – High School & Collegiate Nationals, San Jose, CA
15th Saturday – Couchigan Memorial Tournament, Las Vegas, NV
16th Sunday – Ryoku’s Amarilis Savon Clinic, Las Vegas, NV
16th Sunday – Garden State Open Judo Classic, Wayne NJ
22nd Saturday – Arizona State Championships, Tucson, AZ
29th Saturday & 30th Sunday – Golden State Open, Azusa, CA
May – 2023
7th Sunday – CJI State Championships, San Francisco, CA
20th Saturday & 21st Sunday – Senior National Championships, Spokane, WA
June – 2023
4th Sunday – Nanka Spring Tournament, Westminster, CA
16th Friday to 18th Sunday – USA Judo Junior Olympics, Shreveport, LA
24th Saturday – Sensei Gary’s Birthday Scrimmage, Claremont, CA
25th Sunday – U.S. Adaptive Judo Championships, Riverside, CA
July – 2023
7th Friday to 9th Sunday – USJF & USJA Summer Nationals, New York, NY
16th Sunday – CA State Games, San Diego, CA
August – 2023
6th Sunday – Nikkei Games Budo Tournament, Cypress, CA
September – 2023
17th Sunday – Nevada State Judo Championship, Las Vegas, NV
24th Sunday – Nanka Fall Tournament, Westminster, CA
October – 2023
1st Sunday – Capitol Open Judo Championships, Sacramento, CA
22nd Sunday – Fresno Invitational Tournament, Fresno, CA
29th Sunday – Fight for a Cure Women’s Tournament & Clinic, Riverside, CA
November – 2023
1st Wednesday to 3rd Friday – IJF World Veterans Championships, Abu Dhabi, UAE
5th Sunday – Nanka Team Tournament, Westminster, CA
19th Sunday – Presidents Cup National Championships, Irving, TX
December – 2023
8th Friday to 10th Sunday – Nanka Winter Nationals & Clinics, Azusa, CA
April – 2024
7th Sunday – Nanka Spring Tournament, Westminster, CA
May – 2024
5th Sunday – Nanka West Coast Invitational, Westminster, CA
June – 2024
28th Friday to 30th Sunday – USJF & USJA Summer Nationals, Tacoma. WA
September – 2024
29th Sunday – Nanka Fall Tournament, Westminster, CA
October – 2024
20th Sunday – Nanka Team Tournament, Westminster, CA
December – 2024
6th Friday to 8th Sunday – Nanka Winter Nationals & Clinics, Azusa, CA
I’m always looking for new subjects to write about regarding judo as well as contributions from my readers. Please send them to gary@garygoltz.com.
Judo blog, Entertainment, Martial arts tv, Judo
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