Five Traditional Animals
伝統的な 5 つの動物

DRAGON 龍 (Ryu)

Range: All

The Dragon is the epitome of wisdom and the cultivation of spirit, which is one of elusiveness. The Dragon is evasive using actions of rising and falling with in and out motions that are illusions of disappearing and reappearing in defense and counter attack. There are many spinning kicks as if the Dragon is whipping their tail. What this means is that when confronted with an opponent, the Dragon will calmly wait for the attack and once launched, will move out of the way with confusing footwork patterns and counter attacks. One second the Dragon is there, the next the is gone. In contrast to the Tiger and Leopard, the Dragon prefers not to use hard striking and blocking, but rather avoids and redirects the attack of their opponent. Remember, the Dragon has the capability to transform all the other animals’ traits and striking, which to the opponent interrupts and manipulates the actions of the opponent.

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TIGER 虎 (Tora)

Range: Extremely Close

The Tiger is fearless, powerful, and aggressive using a very direct approach.

Straight in motion attacking the attack with power, ferocity and unrelenting pursuit of the opponent. There is no backing up in behavior except where necessary to adjust for a counterattack with lunging precision. In any engagement with an opponent the Tiger leaps into their attack going for the quick and direct resolution. When a Tiger fights they use extensive clawing strikes, reaps, and takedowns as power moves with one single focused goal--to bring the opponent down. The Tiger is, therefore, up close and personal and will attack with a hara determination that is resolute.

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LEOPARD ヒョウ (Hyo)

Range: Punching/Striking

The Leopard uses lightning-fast speed with agility and employment of angles without

indecision or uncertainty. The Leopard will be all over an opponent using multiple strikes from angles of efficiency. Blocking and hitting congruently with multiple simultaneous, lightning fast, short, sharp strikes. The Leopard uses their hips to generate max power and impact snap as well as establishing lines of attack to the outside and under opponents’ attacks. Once the Leopard has struck, they quickly withdraw after having inflicted serious damage to their opponent.

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SNAKE 蛇 (Hebi)

Range: Close/Trapping

The Snake uses endurance, precision, and inner power to subdue their opponent. The Snake can regenerate itself through shedding superficial inefficiency (what doesn't work) with profound depth and efficiency (what does work). The Snake is magnifying qualities of temperance, alertness, concentration, patience and endurance. The Snake uses lots of pressure point strikes as well as wrapping application, chokes, and muscle constriction to weaken their opponent's. The Snake can quietly await and anticipate their opponent’s action, and by so doing, can launch unexpected precision in quick whip like pokes into soft targets as well as deadly striking to available vital areas. The Snake, unlike the Crane, which uses a hopping motion to evade an attack, will instead rotate and lean their body out of the way of an attack while at the same time executing a counter attack with the finger tips. using what is known as "Poison Hand" applications.

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CRANE 鶴 (Tsuru)

Range: Long/Kicking

The Crane uses distancing and grace by standing their ground in balance and poise in the face of any danger. The Crane creates angles through footwork to keep their opponent at long-range using long and big circles with their arms and hopping to one leg stances to enhance athletic multiple-angled kicking applications as well as powerful stomping motion to enhance the legs power. Like the Snake, the Crane will attack vulnerable areas of an opponent. The Crane is a master of evading through blocking and redirection. The Crane creates frustration in their opponent, enhancing their opponent's self-destruction.

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