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Suguha only does one kendo move whenever she's shown practicing in the show.
Even in Ordinal Scale her video to Kirito was of that one move. Is there any
reason for the lack of variation?


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2019-07-21T16:37:27.970
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2023-05-03T13:58:41.803
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question
sword-art-online
In Sword Art Online, why does Suguha practice only one Kendo move?


I assume you are referring to this move:

[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/psVdg.gif)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/psVdg.gif)

_[Sword Art Online](https://myanimelist.net/anime/11757) \- Episode 15_

While I'm not an expert in kendo, the way kendo is usually depicted makes me
think that that specific move is one of the basic exercises that kendokas need
to practice as much as possible. It's one of the most common moves in kendo-
centered series/episodes. Some examples:

[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/auBSX.gif)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/auBSX.gif)

_[Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku Romantan](https://myanimelist.net/anime/45)
\- Opening 1_

[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6tFpB.gif)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/6tFpB.gif)

_[Bamboo Blade](https://myanimelist.net/anime/2986) \- Episode 1_

[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/x6a6s.gif)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/x6a6s.gif)

_[Katanagatari](https://myanimelist.net/anime/6594) \- Episode 9_

A similar move in combat is the head strike ( _men_ ), which Suguha used when
she had a match with Kirito:

[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/o0CfR.gif)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/o0CfR.gif)

_[Sword Art Online](https://myanimelist.net/anime/11757) \- Episode 15_

[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/glqqi.gif)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/glqqi.gif)

_[Bamboo Blade](https://myanimelist.net/anime/2986) \- Episode 6_


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2019-07-31T01:09:56.297
53811
2023-05-03T13:58:41.803
2023-05-03T13:58:41.803
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answer


As someone who has practiced Kendo for 16 years, hopefully I can give some
insight.

The technique that they are all practicing is called "men (mask)", which is
the strike to the head. This is the first technique that everyone learns when
starting out, and it's elements are seen as fundamental to performing every
other technique (the other basic strikes being to the wrist, abdomen and
throat [kote, dou and tsuki, respectively]), so it's performed a LOT during
the course of practice. If you were to watch a real kendo practice, it's the
technique you'll see performed the most.

In terms of anime, I believe most characters are animated doing that because,
whether you actually practiced it or not, it's the most familiar shorthand to
show the characters are doing kendo. This is similar to a karate person doing
a bunch of punches or a kickboxer doing the same kick on a punching bag.


CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-15T09:04:28.997
56466
2020-01-15T09:04:28.997
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