Budo: The Art of Killing is a detailed, respectful panorama of modern budō (gendai budō), brought to life through demonstrations by renowned Japanese martial artists from the late 1970s. The film treats its subject with measured reverence, weaving together practical display with a deep appreciation for Budō and the broader tapestry of Japanese culture.
The journey opens with a stark, historical note as Kunishirō Hayashi reenacts seppuku, then swiftly moves into yabusame archery and a glimpse of a samurai cavalry clash. The narrator sets up the enduring link between Budō and its universal symbol—the nihonto—before showing how the sword’s effectiveness is countered by techniques developed by Okinawan farmers. Here, Teruo Hayashi, a Karate-do master, steps in to demonstrate Okinawan weapon techniques, providing a bridge between the sword’s ancient legacy and martial arts practiced on the ground today.
The film continues with a sequence of ground-based training: makiwara training shown by Fujimoto features a striking moment where he hits a locomotive and chops a beer bottle, underscoring the extreme discipline and confidence built through conditioning. The nunchaku is then showcased by Satoru Suzuki, a weapon popularized in modern cinema thanks to figures like Bruce Lee. The narrative carries on to traditional Judo drills—mat rolls, pole-hops, and hip throws finessed with rubber bands stretched around trees—before turning to naginata-do, a budō especially favored among female practitioners in Japan.
[Aikido] is presented by Gozo Shioda, the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido, intercut with serene imagery of leaves drifting into a brook. To emphasize the film’s core message that mind and body are inseparable in Budō, Shioda’s demonstration sits alongside Shinto fire-walking scenes, highlighting the fusion of spiritual discipline with physical art. The narrative then shifts to a harsher, more disciplined side of training in a sumo stable, where rikishi Takamiyama endures grueling practice, providing a stark counterpoint to the more refined arts.
Interspersed are scenes of young people practicing kobudo on the beach, prompting the narrator to discuss how Budō is handed down to younger generations. The film returns to the practical heart of karate with further kata and kumite demonstrations by Teruo Hayashi, reinforcing the idea that rigorous training can be severe and cruel, yet necessary to master a sword’s life-and-death potential.
> karate training can be both severe and cruel, yet a sword can take away a life with one swing.
The sword becomes a central thread as the program moves into sword arts: iaido, tameshigiri, and kendo are performed by Shuji Matsushita and Tomoo Koide, while the narrator reflects on the fear that the Japanese sword can instill. The exploration of Zen and Budō follows, with Matsushita experiencing a kyosaku strike during zazen, underscoring the “limitless” bond between Zen Buddhism and martial arts.
A dramatic highlight arrives with Taizaburo Nakamura, who demonstrates a variety of sword cuts, captured in slow motion to reveal the astonishing speed of a single, precise strike. The film then turns to the craft behind the nihonto with Amada Akitsugu, a master swordsmith regarded as a national living treasure, depicting the long, patient process of forging the blade.
Budo: The Art of Killing closes with a contemplative look at Noh theater, as the narrator frames the enduring spirit of Budō within the timeless truths of heaven, earth, and humanity.
> As long as the universal truths of heaven, the earth and man remain, the spirit of Budo shall endure.
