Decent production values (at least the armour is worn the right way around
not as rare as you might think in these programs
), but the show is completely undermined by the swathes of incorrect information, poorly researched "history", and the use of the totally unqualified but media hungry Antony Cummins (described as a "martial arts historian"
no, he's not) as an expert.
The program seems to take the (incorrect) view that the samurai can be defined by a single form
including making blanket statements, such as claiming that samurai have to be born to the station (that was only true in later history, after a decree from Toyotomi Hideyoshi). The demonstrations of combat are also not correct in any way (the methods, the weaponry forms, and more), and Antony Cummins over-the-top, almost hysterical delivery method add nothing to the show (witness his attacking a leather do with a knife in a completely pointless demonstration before explaining that the armour wouldn't stand up to a spear
which is what it would actually meet
for a complete waste of time).
The other experts are Stephen Turnbull, who also enjoys mixed reviews from practitioners and students of such areas, and Tanaka Fumon, a man with a range of claims in terms of his martial lineages, as well as some very questionable books addressing topics that he clearly doesn't know (a recent book on the supposed sword methods of Miyamoto Musashi is a standout in poor understanding of the subject matter).
Give it a complete miss.
