The Splendid Seven

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…

Greetings and salutations, Splendid Seven devotees and martial arts aficionados. Antoni here. Have you ever wanted to watch Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran duke it out with opponents much larger and stronger than them whether in the arena, the colosseum, the cage or the ring? Does the thought of seven Yokai warriors implementing their various fighting styles as one team in tournaments thrill you to the point of cheering for them? Do you find it fun to see The Splendid Seven use a fabulous combination of strength, stealth, speed, and stamina in their strikes, grapples, and holds against opponents who only use muscle? Dream no more, dear martial arts aficionados. Your day has arrived. The Splendid Seven have been reigning gold-medal champions as a martial arts tournament team ever since their teens, thus pummelling larger demons, mashing bulkier musclemen, and challenging more experienced martial artists with their skill, power, timing, valour, stamina, courage, and sheer determination. Attempting to best Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran in combat is akin to asking where fighters would love to be buried should they be defeated.   If you, dear readers, remembered my Splendid Seven updated martial arts entry, you will realise that Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran specialise in a variety of Eastern and Western martial arts that I argue are perfect for them. Lest we forget that, when it comes to The Splendid Seven as a family of super Yokai fighters, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are the strongest and most complete fighters by virtue of their striking and grappling skills, Shuran is the most physically powerful fighter by virtue of his grappling skills, Hakkaku and Ginta are the speediest strikers and the tightest clinchers, Ayame is a powerful puncher and incomparable kicker, and Shunran is a gracefully agile kicker and flipper. Be warned that The Splendid Seven are never to be messed with, especially when all seven of them are in their full Yokai forms.   Sesshoumaru’s integrity as a combatant means he combines the old-fashioned traditions and customs of Shotokan Karate, Kyokushin Karate, and Japanese Jujitsu with the modern innovativeness of Shootfighting, Marine Corps Martial Arts, Mixed Martial Arts, and Brazilian Jujitsu. Considering his military precision through his experience in America’s Marine Corps Martial Arts, how he honours tradition, history, and reverence with Japan’s Shotokan Karate, Kyokushin Karate, and Japanese Jujitsu, and his no holds barred approach to bringing his opponents to the ground with America’s Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jujitsu, and Japan’s Shootfighting, his opponents would end up bruised, shattered, and borderline destroyed thanks to his combat prowess. This is further evidenced in his straight punches, spinning back kicks, roundhouse kicks, uppercuts, knife hands, and hooks done in Shotokan and Kyokushin Karate; his brutal takedowns complete with merciless battering in Mixed Martial Arts and Shootfighting, his strangulating chokeholds and strangleholds full of muscular strength in Brazilian and Japanese Jujitsu, and his lethal timing in Marine Corps Martial Arts. Even when Sesshoumaru does his Kata, he always implements moves from not only Shotokan Karate and Kyokushin Karate, but also from Mixed Martial Arts, Shootfighting, Marine Corps Martial Arts, Japanese Jujitsu, and Brazilian Jujitsu. If a thug dared to smash a chair onto Sesshoumaru’s head, he would counter that attack with a gut punch, snatch the chair from the thug, bash it on his head, lock him in a chokehold, and bash his head in with his fists until blood is splattered on Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru’s sense of tradition, integrity, and honour is matched by his strength, stamina, and stealth as a complete martial artist.   Inuyasha’s fatal brutality combines the pummelling takedowns of Pankration, Ancient Greek Wrestling, Hapkido, and Kapu Kuialua and the deadly punches, elbow strikes, knee strikes, and kicks found in Taekwondo, Bokator, and Ancient Greek Boxing. Those who dare challenge Inuyasha are looking at a fighter who has been punching and kicking huge and hard rocks, lifting boulders, wrestling stuffed deerskin dummies, and unleashing mighty roars ever since he was a young child, especially in his full Yokai form. This meant that, as he grew into maturity, his muscles bulged with power, his fists were hard as iron, his bones gained in sheer density, and his feet were lethal. In fact, Inuyasha is a lethal weapon in of himself, as he combines muscular power, super strength, and ferocious fierceness. Inuyasha definitely does go global with his powerful fighting style, as Pankration, Ancient Greek Wrestling, and Ancient Greek Boxing are from Greece, Taekwondo and Hapkido are from Korea, Bokator is from Cambodia, and Kapu Kuialua is from Hawaii. Combining Pankration’s and Kapu Kuialua’s brutal smatterings and body locks, Ancient Greek Wrestling’s mighty chokeholds, Full Nelsons, Boston Crabs, and bearhugs; Hapkido’s, Taekwondo’s, Bokator’s, and Ancient Greek Boxing’s powerful and extremely speedy punches, kicks, and strikes including uppercuts, elbow strikes, and knee strikes can mean that Inuyasha would cause collateral damage to his opponents doing all these attacks. Should a bigger opponent attempt to conquer Inuyasha, he would give him an uppercut to the chin, a spinning back kick, a face punch, and proceed to chokehold the life out of him until he is doused in blood. Inuyasha always comes out on top by virtue of his lethal muscular brutality as a fighter.   Shuran is a wrestler who goes thoroughly global with his grappling approaches. From Japan’s Sumo Wrestling to the United States of America’s and the United Kingdom’s Professional Wrestling to Mongolia’s form of wrestling to Korea’s Ssireum to India’s Pehlwani and Malla-yuddha, he has definitely learned a whole lot of submission holds, pivots, grapples, and the occasional strikes from these international wrestling forms. While Shuran is a predominant grappler known for his anaconda-like submission holds, python-like bearhugs, back-breakers, neck-breakers, Boston Crabs, and Full Nelsons, he is also the possessor of powerful palm strikes, bodyslams, backfists, backhands, throws, and flips that could send his enemies flying out of the ring. If Shuran’s thorough wrestling background did not suffice, his background in Brazilian and…