Black Belt (2007) User Reviews

The tagline "Real Fight, Real Karate, Real Japan" just says it all

[teodora_hu · 8/10 · 27 May 2008]

The movie tagline: "Real Fight, Real Karate, Real Japan" just says it all. I waited much to see this on DVD.. The movie lived up to my expectations, which were based on the trailer and the fact that the main "actors" are real karate masters of 1st, 5th and 6th dan.

The story takes place in the 30's, the country is about to go to war. A military troop arrives at a dojo where 3 guys practice karate with an old master and they soon engage in a fight. The soldiers want to take the building but finally they take the karate pupils, after they demonstrated their strength. The old master soon dies and leaves the black belt - representing their dojo - behind so that the most worthy of them can get it. But they have a lot to learn before.. Giryu (Akihito Yagi) is very naive, while Taikan (Tatsuya Naka) is the opposite of him, so they take different routes. The story, the acting, the movie itself could stand on it's own without any fights. The scenery is nice, the drama, the characters are well built, the directing is very simple, yet powerful, honest. The music is also worth mentioning, it was composed by Naoki Sato.

So, what's so special about this movie? That it's real, and it has it all. Great fighters and actors, a meaningful story, a nice movie with a respectful message and representation of karate. The style which - compared to hundreds of movies about flying swordsmen or vengeful kung fu masters - is just not so popular on screen. Maybe that's because it's not about showing off, so it doesn't look that cool at first. Don't expect any wire-work, stuntmen falling ten meters or special effects to exaggerate anything. There is nothing to exaggerate here, because even the simplest, shortest moves look so perfect and powerful that it needs no explanation. This movie makes a lot of things more clear about karate, and gives meaning to it. Reading about the movie on the net I found several karate forums where people praised the actors for being great masters and also nice, humble persons after knowing them. The fact that the movie was also advertised in these circles made it clear that it's not an average action flick. Naka Sensei, who plays Taikan in the movie is an instructor (ranked 6th dan) of the Japan Karate Association and Akihito Yagi (5th dan) is also an instructor and the president of IMGKA (International Meibukan Gojyu-Ryu Karate Association). I hope it wasn't the last movie they appeared in, their charm and talent would be a great addition to Japanese cinema and could further exhibit the true power and meaning of karate traditions.

Poetic and powerful

[fastfoodi · 8/10 · 17 July 2008]

Disregard kobushi's review. His years of experience practicing karate have apparently clouded his judgment considerably. No one save perhaps himself and a handful of others cares a hoot about the true to life mechanics of real-world karate. Suffice to say his approach to the film is laughable in its narrow-mindedness.

The film presents a deceptively simple and elegantly told martial arts fable, set against a backdrop of an increasingly militarized japan. The fight scenes , tho admirably staged and completely credible (and shocking in their immediacy), are merely the seasoning on a powerful tale of good vs. evil. The stylistic flourishes and acrobatic excesses which plague most other martial arts movies are completely absent, and that is a welcome and long overdue development. The script seamlessly fuses the protagonists' journeys of self-discovery with the setting in which the story unfolds. The director's calm, measured approach is refreshing in its economy, a rare thing in a martial arts film. There is a charming honesty about the whole project that makes it difficult to resist..

As the two protagonists wrestle with their own diametrically opposed natures and strive to discover the secret of their training, the inevitable standoff between them is subdued but satisfying, like the film itself. The supporting characters (and I'm thinking mainly of the evil army general), though two-dimensional, are well-written and performed. The acting is uniformly excellent, a laudable accomplishment since apparently many of the martial artists are non-actors..

More than likely the film will be derided by the ADD generation, but i thought it was a welcome return to the style of old Japanese classic films (Reminiscent also of early Bruce Lee movies, in content as well as in spirit). It isn't pretentious or abstruse enough to be labelled an art film, and it shuns the spectacle of mainstream schlock. Kuro-Obi is a humble, poetic film both funny and moving.. and is adorned with a beautiful musical score.

a resounding 8/10

Beautiful period piece with contemporary questions for karateka

[kwingate · 8/10 · 18 August 2008]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss kobushi's comments out of hand, even though I disagree -- I actually liked this movie a lot. His comments point to a central controversy in the martial arts world today, which is essential, I think to understanding this movie: Do the "traditional" arts such as karate, jujitsu, and their Chinese predecessors have any relevance at all in a world full of knives & guns? Does kata have any relevance in a world of folks who watch "mixed-martial artists" on pay-per-view and can learn how to kill with their bare hands in 10 easy Krav-Maga lessons? The movie seems to throw that question out there, and answer it with a resounding: YES!

I've never heard a martial arts instructor (any style) say to ONLY use defensive techniques (even aikido has its atemi-waza) but that would be the Okinawan tradition of "karate ni sente nashi" (no first-strike)taken to its logical extreme -- if I can block every kick or punch, then in the very purest sense, I could never hit or kick you back (without violating the precept) -- nor would I need to. I'm not recommending the philosophy or even saying it is possible (even Giryu gets beat up), just trying to make it understandable. One other sine qua non of some of these traditional styles was "ichi-geki-hissatsu", (one-hit, certain death) which is visually demonstrated throughout the movie: I've personally been hit with most of the techniques Taikan uses in the fight scenes, and none came close to killing me, but if you're fighting for real, for your life or loved ones or country or king, and you've trained for full-power, that's another story, and these guys obviously were and did.

That the army forced the school to teach the military is reminiscent of Gichin Funakoshi's coerced immigration to the Japanese mainland from Okinawa for exactly that purpose -- to bring "Chinese Hands (karate)" to Japan renamed as "Empty Hand".

In the end, even Taikan realizes that the game is not so much about being the baddest guy on the block, or taking home the most trophies or the master's belt, but about the character you build inside along the way.

Personally, I find these fight scenes a lot more interesting and in their own way more realistic than those chop-socky movies where guys (or gals) throw devastating full-contact kicks and punches at each other for 10-15 min., bow to each other, and walk away.

Great on martial arts/ martial philosophy, less so as a total package.

[Father_V · 7/10 · 24 January 2021]

It's great seeing something more authentic than the usual martial arts film, though don't get me wrong, wire type films are also great entertainment.

My take on the sensei's prohibition is not one of anti-violence but rather that the three (and apparently only) students are rather flawed so he has (temporarily) sealed the strikes until they actually comprehend the purpose of the martial arts & their style in particular.

The students can be divided into two groups. For one student, it's a classic problem. Just because something is *physically* possible, doesn't mean it is *morally* so. The easiest error to fall into for any strong person is "might equals right." This was also most certainly the historical error of the Imperial Army & the Kenpeitai especially. Unlike these groups, I've never met a serious contemporary practitioner of the Chinese/Japanese martial arts who advocates a "violence often" approach to problems. Rather, when violence is called for, it ought to be effective. Judging the time & place for violence is perhaps the most important art of the martial arts, but very rarely is that expounded upon explicitly. Rather, one absorbs this organically from practicing the martial arts and the always disciplined application of force.

The other two students though lack conviction. They practice the movements but do not grasp the internal logic. This is apparent when the one student admirably stops the officer of the kenpeitai every time he continues his aggression (even beyond the point of reason like the Monty Python Black Knight). Who is responsible for the officer's crippling? Given the situation, it's the officer himself who attacks with ample evidence that he's outclassed. The officer never takes responsibility for his actions then or after (and sadly, historically only a very small percentage of the kenpeitai personnel were ever caught & tried). When the laughably incompetent son & daughter show up, though, he doesn't defend himself from their aggression (even with the restrictions his sensei has imposed). He's shaken to the core. Doesn't he understand the point of his martial art? No, he doesn't. Later when he finally does try to defend the child from the aggressors, he gets lost in the individual opponents and forgets his main task: protecting the kid. I feel for the poor sensei saddled with these guys. There are hints that he has explained repeatedly in words but they just don't get it.

The weaknesses of the film are in the historical setting, story, and production values. The Imperial Army's uniforms don't fit. Indeed this is the absolute worst I've ever seen these period uniforms look. The fabric appears artificial, the clothes without shape, the lengths of the jackets uneven in relation to the size of the soldier, even the Sam Browne belt is off. The worst anti-Japanese American film of the World War 2 era (or post war) has better looking uniforms than this. Second, the kenpeitai were as historically despicable as the German SS and Gestapo. You don't have to look far for historically accurate atrocities to lay at their door. For a period movie, they didn't do much research coming up with this yakuza prostitution ring (which in fact ropes in some yakuza to carry it out). The story is also improbable as to the historical kenpeitai's reaction to resistance to their orders. They were hated even in Japan for their ruthless brutality. As to rewarding these karateka for their defiance with official appointments as martial arts instructors to the Army, while many things can happen in the effort to save face, the need to do so is never emphasized or played up the way it would need to for suspension of disbelief. Lots of the story goes like this.

Overall, this film is worth a watch due to the martial arts & the perspective upon them, the rest not as much.

swing and a miss

[A_Different_Drummer · 6/10 · 26 August 2016]

Tracked it down because one blogger named it one of the top MA movies of all time. No, sorry. On the plus side, was great to see real practitioners on screen. (Unlike the zillion dollar hit series Cobra Kai, for eg). But the story did not not work for me. A martial art known worldwide for strikes ... but the student cannot strike? The trope of the wounded fighter getting shelter from the common folk was used successfully in several Jet Li films ... but completely misses the mark here. And the ending was also disappointing. (WARRIOR 2011 heads my list of the best 165+ films ever -- check it out).

It's a matter of taste and mood.

[Elias_RB · 10/10 · 11 November 2012]

If you like a decent story line with realistic fight scenes like in Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honour you might like this movie as well.

But if you like lots of wire work and long fighting scenes with lots of unrealistic moves then watch your typical mainstream HK movies such as Legend of the Fist, Once Upon a Time in China and Iron Monkey.

Simple.

Just because it's a martial arts films doesn't mean we have to throw them all into one category. They are completely different types of movies. It all depends what you prefer or what you're in the mood of.

Personally, I wish they made more movies like this.

Karate... real and pure!

[orochiklan · 10/10 · 17 June 2008]

It was a pleasure to see on screen the true soul of one of the more traditional martial art. The story is great and the masters who play the lead characters do a great job, but for me, what the film was all about is simple as one word: Karate, the soul of the art, the realism of the fights, the Kata, just everything in the movie looks so real and pure. I think in some ways this film reminds me the works of Yoyi Yamada (the hidden blade - the twilight samurai) who also show the realism of the samurai warrior in his last days. For all of you who has practice some kind of martial art, this is a must! but like another comment said, don't expect tony jaa kind of fights, but the simplicity an power of the karate art. great film

A film that promised much but failed to deliver

[pyx · 5/10 · 13 May 2009]

I'll say right off the bat, that I enjoy martial arts period pieces set in turn of the century China or Japan, so Kuro Obi was in favour from the off.

By the same token, the film starts with lots of kata practice and other kihon that is completely as it is practiced in modern dojo, so the sense of connection with my art also won my approval.

But things quickly took a turn for the worse with the whole "do not attack first or strike at all" theme. The idea of non-aggression is one thing, but no martial artist of note ever recommended being beaten up and never fighting back. The fact that this theme is so pivotal just indicates that the film was conceptualised by someone who never really understood the art. That this is finally revealed to mean that one is most vulnerable during attack, is another misunderstanding of the nature of combat. One is only vulnerable during attack if one's attack is ineffectual, and one is not aware of the potential for counter-attack, but I prefer the axiom "action is faster than reaction".

I really liked the example of one-hit one kill throughout the film, and although it was just window dressing, scenes of the fighters practicing is beautiful locations were both enjoyable and served to establish a little credibility. The acting was very much in the oriental style, which is so over the top as to be almost operatic. Don't criticise the style - it's cultural.

Ultimately, what massively let this film down was the ridiculous final fight scene, and the glib, pointless, vomit-inducing ending.

The whole idea of the belt and the martial ethics portrayed in the film, simply demonstrated how little the writer truly understood the spirit and value of karate.

The great tragedy is that this is one of the most karate-sensitive films ever released, but ultimately it took the easy route, instead of looking at the deeper ethics of balancing martial skill with human needs and weaknesses.

If you want to see a better karate film watch "Fighter in the Wind", the semi-fictional biography of Mas Oyama, founder of Kyokushin.

Kuro obi

[zizolilo · 10/10 · 26 March 2014]

Black Belt, or in Japanese kuro-obi is a Japanese martial-arts movie directed by Sunichi Nagasaki. Although the director was nominated for the Action Asia Award in Deauville Asian film festival in 2008 as well as for the Grand Prix des Ameriques in Montréal World Film Festival in 2007, he didn't win any of those prices. However the film was a great success in Japan. For me too. Before watching this movie, I wasn't a great fan of martial-arts movies because of the exaggerations and the special effects in this type of movies. But after watching this movie of which you can say everything except that it contains special effects. That gives the movie a natural touch. For example there is no one in the movie who is jumping meters in the air while fighting or making incredible stunts and tricks. I have never seen such a movie. In other words you can't feel any distance between yourself and the acting. This makes it easier to watch the movie. The three principal actors in the movie are Akihito yagi playing the role of Giryu, Tatsuya Noka playing the role of Taika and Juji Suzuki playing the role of Choei. None of the three actors is known in the West. The story is about three Karate students. The three rules are played by the just mentioned actors. They live with their Karate master in a secluded forest where their dojo is (a dojo can refer to a temple or to a simple training place where karate students can ameliorate their skills). The events take place in the year of 1932 when Japan was planning for a great invasion of the islands on the Pacific, so they needed a great army. The three pupils were forced by the army forces to join the army. At that time their master dies before he was able to give his black belt to one of his three students. The receiver of the belt will be the successor of the great master. After burying their master they leave forced by the army their dojo. Everyone of them go on a different path based on what he has learned from the teaching of his master. The coincidence will gather them on a battle. The philosophy of martial-arts has an important role in this movie. You must have some background information concerning martial-arts philosophy to understand this movie. I recommend those who do not understand karate-philosophy and think that karate is no more than fighting to watch the movie

Great opening...and then the middle...

[Angelus2 · 4/10 · 28 June 2011]

A Karate Sensei dies leaving his only black belt to his two students, one whom believes that he should use his Karate to become the best...while the other prefers to practise alone. The story ultimately reveals their paths and were it leads.

I thought the opening was magnificent, you truly felt the rich history of Karate through the scenery and the shots of the students practising; you were immersed in the beauty of the art of Karate and then the film took a surprising twist, one character chooses the wrong path and the other is thought to have perished...But then came the middle, while Tatsuya Naka gave a fantastic performance as 'Taikan' the rouge student, his counterpart Akhito Yagi known in the film as Giryu seemed completely lost..his acting was quite weak and the character's sudden realisation of his Karate is tarnished by the fact that he does not stand up for the girl who saved his life..I just found it odd and confusing.

But the fight scenes are brilliantly choreographed, the fights are very realistic and show Karate at its best in terms of film. It's also ironic that Tatsuya Naka who played the wayward student would go on to star in a film called 'High Kick Girl' in which he is the sensei trying to reign in a wayward student.

Authentic Karate

[ninjalust-92254 · 10/10 · 27 March 2022]

The lead actors are real-life Karate masters - Tatsuya Naka (7th Dan JKA Shotokan karate, Akihito Yagi (7th Dan Meibukan Goju-ru Karate), and Yuji Suzuki (1st Dan Kyokushin karate) and action consists of authentic karate techniques.

The acting and plot are engaging on their own - but if you're done some karate in your life, it's even more satisfying.

Awesome film!

[prestonnaclk9 · 10/10 · 10 August 2008]

This is truly a great film. Original and refreshing in its presentation. Sure, the plot can be easily deduced, but the environment, film direction, pure beauty of clean karate used appropriately makes this movie a real winner.

The picture is beautiful, cinematography excellent. You develop a real connection with the characters as well. The movie is also suspenseful and engaging. The fighting scenes are spectacular. It also captures the historic period of 1930's Japan very well too.

You can even learn something by watching this movie. There are lessons of life to be learned and you can come away feeling very satisfied that your time was well spent.

This is one of those movies where after watching it you say, "Wow."

Worse than Blaxploitation Martial Arts Films

[kobushi · 2/10 · 30 June 2008]

Not sure what the other guy is talking about, but the movie is awful, and I speak from the perspective of one who has almost 10 years experience in the art presented in this movie.

Plot (minor spoiler alert): The chasing of a piece of cloth has so little to do with karate that it's silly to even make a movie where this is one of the central plot items. The two characters, Taikan and Giryu compete for their teacher's black belt, which is one of the silliest things that karate people work for. Karate training, actual hard work, body development, and realistic self-defense take a back seat to the competition for something to keep your uniform closed.

Acting: For some reason, people seem to think that posing and sulking is acting. It's not. Yes, I suppose the two main characters' acting is better than, say, that of the Military Police in the film or what you see in previous karate movies like Black Belt Jones, but I wouldn't be proud of it. At the best of times it's wooden, and at the worst formulaic. Granted, the script didn't give them much room for much acting, but it didn't sell me. The military police were absolutely terrible - they might as well have walked on and said nothing but "I'm eeeevil, mwahahaha..." Not even a wooden performance, a melodramatic cartoon that would have been better acted by Muppets. (Actually, that might have made the movie more watchable.) This may be what people are calling the Asian style, but so many other Japanese films over the years manage much greater subtlety of character and motivation, and can convey wrongness of character without resorting to overstatements. It's like saying fried Mars Bars are cultural cuisine - they're not, and there are many better things you can do with the ingredients.

Direction: Much more emphasis on poetic scenes of people doing karate in tall grass or meditating in windy areas or looking tense and conflicted. The scenes are beautifully and clearly directed, which is the only reason that this gets two stars rather than one. However, the red balloon scene after the beating of Giryu is unrelated to anything and doesn't actually have anything to do with the plot, showing that the director is just trying to play up the "beautiful poetry of Asian cinema" aspect of the film rather than actually trying to make a good movie. More like "Look! Look! This is pretty! Ooh, this too! Look! Imagery..." Basically worthless to the story, but then, they couldn't make a decent movie, so they might as well make it look nice.

Fight scenes: JKA Point Kumite is not a fight scene, and techniques from said kumite do not make for good fight scenes. I've never seen anyone in any real fight ever jump in, punch, and jump out again. Not going to happen. Likewise, the "block only" circular patterns that are supposed to cover the Goju-ryu part of the movie does not make for interesting fighting, or any sort of powerful set of techniques that we can believe. Finally, the lack of grappling, tegumi, locks, and throws show just how bad karate is being misrepresented in the film. It's simply a bad sport karate demonstration with no relation to the real art.

Overall, this movie is not worthy of the title of karate movie, and I feel should be struck from the record.

Awesome Movie

[rdmottern-708-147387 · 8/10 · 10 June 2013]

Awesome flick. I have nothing to add to the other reviewers comments, except that with 40 years of studying Goju Ryu Karate (the martial art depicted in the film) - I LOVE IT! No, the ending fight scene isn't the most realistic, but I think we're dealing here with an artistic representation. This I a piece of cinema, not MMA. Kuroobi joined After the Rain as one of my favorite Japanese films, and favorite films, overall. Great spirit in the film and it poses a number of philosophical questions that we, as karateka, daily struggle with as we try to make karate an integral part of our lives. Karate is life, life is karate. This is part of the struggle depicted in the film. While this definitely isn't a kid's night movie (the themes are a bit too mature for that), it does lend itself to peer discussion or use as a teaching tool with adult students.

Started off well, but too many problems.

[shanger9 · 5/10 · 23 March 2014]

*Contains Spoilers*

The film started off promising. I didn't buy into the whole "real karate" stuff so I didn't mind if some of the fighting was unrealistic, in fact I quite enjoyed the whole one-strike-fatal-blow scenes.

My problem was the whole "not attacking no matter what" principle that the main character was drilled into implementing into his life. I don't believe that there is any martial art that would prevent you from attacking when it is needed to defend yourself or another person from someone who has evil intentions.

Giryu came across as very pathetic in trying to stay true to this philosophy, his initial refusal to help save the girl who contributed to saving his life was absurd. Especially considering that she was being kidnapped and was destined to be raped/prostituted yet the karate expert didn't want to attack because of some pseudo-philosophy from his dying sensei. I found this ridiculous. The movie was essentially trying to push an irrational message.

Taikan's character irked me in some ways, it almost appeared that because he saw the logic in actually using his karate (not maliciously at first) that he was immoral and bound for a life of debauchery.

The final fight scene seemed boring and overly dramatic, inconsistent with the earlier fight scenes which I think were pretty well done. Overall this film could be worth a watch if you want to see something a little different to other martial arts movies, but it does have some big flaws in the plot which in my opinion lets it down.

Required viewing for Sensei and Karateka

[SenseiTrish · 8/10 · 16 July 2010]

As a Goju Ryu Instructor and a professional actress I have a unique perspective with which to review this film. I LOVED it! Some of the acting (military police) hints at Gay 90's Melodrama. However, the simple and honest portrayal of Goju Ryu Karate is thrilling to see. The three main characters are portrayed so very well. It's hard to believe that the players are martial artists and NOT actors. I, too, stumbled over the symbolism of the red balloon. After some thought, it seemed to me to be a metaphor for setting one's spirit free. Kenta first spies a red balloon flying free as he is heading to rescue his sister. While Giryu loosens a red balloon from the tree in which it is entangled, symbolizing his working out the issue he has with the restrictions placed upon him by his O Sensei and how he can be correct in the world and in his karate. It's a bit 'schtick-y', but I can deal with it as it is in line with the genre. The fighting is very realistic. It's not flashy. There are no leaping, spinning, summer-saulting back kicks. There are no nun chuckku. Don't expect to see and computer generated graphics. This movie is about pure Karate and what it means to train for your whole life. Why do we train? To fight? No, to be our best. If we must fight, we must; but it is not why we train. It is one moment of 'supreme bliss'.

Kuro-Obi (Black Belt) Review

[herbprof-739-348592 · 8/10 · 11 January 2014]

I do not have the language of a movie critic, just that of someone who appreciates the art. I have seen a lot of martial arts movies and I rate this one highly, not that it was real slick, but because of its simplicity and a nice feeling of time and place. I enjoyed the fight scenes because I have not seen many hard style films. So this was a treat to see actors who are Masters keep the fight scenes (with few exceptions), dynamic and strong. This movie captured my mind many times and gave me the immediacy of, "how would I react in similar situations?" And if I was up against a well trained fighter of this style, how would I do?

Like many of the reviewers, I was also at first confused by the final words of the master. As the movie progressed my interpretation was to fight with no mind, "mushin no shin," fully aware, not fixed, no plan, no target, no thought, no emotion. With just the body and deep consciousness in-charge, ready to express the art spontaneously as the fight presented itself. If you are truly in the no mind state you are not striking, "it" is doing the striking (I have had that experience but not as much as I would like). I did not see this in the final fight. But I would think that even the best martial artists would have a difficult time with that expression of the art as an actor, far too dangerous.

I dont understand this movie

[bonjourciel · 5/10 · 7 April 2022]

Firstly, the fights are amazingly natural, I love it. Then, Either it's far from our culture or it was nonsense. How can someone be so calm despite all the crap happening to them. I say it again. I dont get it. If you have the ability to defend yourself and dont use it, you are may be a masochistic , anyways I loved the way they fought, it was totally natural.

Anyone interested in learning Karate or any other self-defense sport should watch the flick

[RogerB-P3RV3 · 8/10 · 23 February 2020]

Kuro-Obi @ Black Belt is all about Karate - Japan's premier martial art and the collisions of two masters with different approach to real life application.

Set in late 1930's when Japan was marching to the drums of war, a pair of Karate exponents are thrust into struggle of willpower and mental strength in order to be worthy of the black belt - representing their dojo.

Giryu (Akihito Yagi) is a Karate exponent in the purest form - defend yourself only under attack and minimize the harm. He is a gentle soul with iron resolve and old Sensei's loyal follower.

Taikan (Tatsuya Naka). Easy to provocation, deadly in reaction.

Only the passive Choei (Yuji Suzuki) - another student - plays the role of mediator. When the ailing Sensei leaves the vital decision of choosing the next dojo master to Choei, events conspired to separate Giryu and Taikan into two very different worlds. One will realize Karate is not just about defending oneself but also to protect the weak and hapless folks while the other one relish the taste of power and earthly pleasures.

All culminates in a fight for honor and championing the true way of Kuro-Obi. No frills story line with disporting approach. There are no elaborate fights. Just realistic hand-to-hand combat. Every punch or kick is potentially a killer blow. Anyone interested in learning Karate or any other self-defense sport should watch this flick. Climactic grapple is intentionally lensed in black-and-white.