June 2022

Greetings and salutations, Splendid Seven devotees and martial arts aficionados. Antoni here. Rewatching Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo, and Power Rangers Dino Thunder made me gain a deeper appreciation for one character who commenced the franchise as a breakout character and remained as the face, moves, and skills of the Power Rangers. I am talking about Tommy Oliver portrayed by Jason David Frank. I bring Hanshi Frank up because, aside from portraying one of the Power Rangers franchise’s most popular characters, he is also a martial arts instructor in a style that he created called Toso Kune Do, which combines various martial arts including Karate, Judo, Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Wing Chun, and Aikido. Power Rangers fans dare not forget that Hanshi Frank opened his own Karate school ever since he was only eighteen years old. During his Mighty Morphin tenure and before Zeo came to fruition, Hanshi Frank hosted two martial arts instructional videos which covered not only the do’s and don’ts of martial arts but also what he calls the Code of the Arts. That is why I am here to cover that with my most beloved septet of Yokai warriors, martial artists, and fighters of all time The Splendid Seven consisting of Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran.   I am certain that Hanshi Frank would have loved to have Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran as his students when they were younger, and it would have been a great pleasure to see them all grow under his guidance and mentorship. Furthermore, they would make the Code of the Arts as their way of life and even be great guests in Hanshi Frank’s two martial arts videos, especially his White Ranger Kata instructional video where they would also demonstrate their moves even at such young ages. Sure, they may practice different martial arts, with Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha being master specialists in their style of Ansatsuken which combines Shotokan, Kyokushin, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Mixed Martial Arts, Pankration, and Brazilian Jujitsu under Gouken’s, Akuma’s, Ryu’s, and Ken’s wing, Shuran being an expert in Sumo Wrestling, Mongolian Wrestling, Sambo, and Professional Wrestling plus forming great camaraderie with E. Honda, Zangief, and Blanka, Hakkaku being exceptional in Muay Thai, Kajukenbo, Pradal Serey, and Panantukan through Sagat’s mighty wing, Ginta being great in Lethwei, Pencak Silat, Jeet Kune Do, and Sanda through Dee Jay’s guidance, Ayame being absolutely masterful in Kickboxing, Boxing, Koppojutsu, and Delta Red’s Special Forces Training and becoming an honorary Delta Red member with Chun-Li, Cammy, and Sakura, and Shunran being a thrill to witness in Capoeira, Shaolin Kung Fu, Ninjutsu, and assassination-based martial arts while being an honorary member of Elena’s, Ibuki’s, and Karin Kanzuki’s families. However, their love and passion for the martial arts has always united Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran as one family, thus living by the Code of the Arts’ principles and rules with all of their bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. With that said, let us get to the Code of the Arts as embodied by The Splendid Seven, but in a slightly different order from what has been said yet still has the core principles intact.   Number One: Brother- and Sisterhood (All Splendid Seven Members) All of The Splendid Seven members are not just a team of very powerful Yokai martial artists. They are a family who work for each others’ and everybody’s benefit. Sesshoumaru’s, Shuran’s, Inuyasha’s, Hakkaku’s, and Ginta’s unbeatable brotherhood as well as Ayame’s and Shunran’s sturdy sisterhood signify that they always have each others’ backs, which is a promise they have made ever since they were young children. Even their children are living proof that brother- and sisterhood truly is one of the strongest principles that make a great warrior complete with solidarity and trust.   Number Two: Dedication (Ayame) Ayame is never one to surrender from reaching goals. Despite all of the odds, troubles, strife, and anguish, she always sticks to her goals and keeps on trying. Her life as a warrior queen is always exciting when it comes to the time she allots for improving herself everyday.   Number Three: Cooperation (Shunran) Shunran is undoubtedly the heart and soul of The Splendid Seven as well as a partisan of strong family ties and never giving up on each other. She firmly believes that there is real power in working together as one family.   Number Four: Self Respect (Shuran) Shuran knows that he is important and that he matters regardless of what anybody else thinks of him let alone tells him and would never want to change the way he feels about himself and would never let himself go in the worst possible way.   Number Five: Attitude (Hakkaku) Hakkaku cannot afford to permit negativity to creep into his well-being because that is only going to damage him as a person. He, instead, chooses to be positive and look for the good in every situation he and his family find themselves in.   Number Six: Respect (Ginta) Ginta would do everything in his power to show respect for those important to him. He always shows respect to his mentors, his training grounds, and, most of all, is family, for they shape him to be the fighter that he is today.   Number Seven: Discipline (Sesshoumaru) Sesshoumaru embodies how imperative it is to have discipline form the backbone of a true warrior. It is evident in his punctuality to train with his family, willingness to do things that would benefit him long term, and readiness to put his methods into practice.   Number Eight: Confidence (Inuyasha) Inuyasha imbues a great sense of believing in himself as well as embracing new challenges and experiences in everything he does. He is not one to shy away from challenges that will make him stronger in his life as a warrior king ready to take charge of his destiny.   The Code of the Arts as founded by…