Martial arts myths are have been described as "savvy marketing". But, the most enduring bits of of fake martial arts history also combine Zen tradition, a Confucian veneration of the past, and a healthy dose of nationalism. Schools of martial arts will sometimes bend over backwards to prove that their form is a "pure" expression of their particular national ... Show More
Feb 2025
Episode #222- What's True About Al Capone? (Part I)
The life of the gangster Al Capone could be understood as a violent expression of the American Dream. A poor kid from Brooklyn, born to immigrant parents, used his wits, fists, and a certain ruthless determination to build an empire. The underworld figure has been the fodder for ... Show More
1h 24m
Feb 2021
G. Girard and T. Lockley, "African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan" (Hanover Square Press, 2021)
The remarkable life of history's first foreign-born samurai and his astonishing journey from Northern Africa to the heights of Japanese society. When Yasuke arrived in Japan in the late 1500s, he had already traveled much of the known world. Kidnapped as a child, and trained into ... Show More
50m 43s
Jun 2020
Quelle est l'origine du Sumo ?
Art martial japonais, le sumo, pratiqué par des lutteurs au gabarit impressionnant, suscite souvent la curiosité des Occidentaux. Les racines de ce sport de combat traditionnel sont à chercher aussi bien dans la mythologie japonaise que dans certains rituels agricoles... Voir Aca ... Show More
2m 10s
Apr 2023
History of Everything: The Age of War in Japan
The Sengoku Period, also known as the Warring States Period, was a turbulent and violent period of Japanese history when rival warlords or daimyo fought bitterly for control of Japan. The period falls within the Muromachi period (Muromachi Jidai, 1333-1573 CE) of Japanese medieva ... Show More
1h 19m