Step 1-6: Left inside block in back stance, followed by a right gyaku-zuki, then pull up into heisoku dachi and make a left hooking gesture variously identified as kaga zuki (hook punch), kaga uke (hook block), or miza nagare kamae (flowing-water position) by various Shotokan masters. Repeat on the other side. (Standard Shotokan.)
Groups that perform the "flowing water kamae" slowly and gracefully:
- Sugiyama's group (Shotokan)
- Ertl and Bendickson (Shotokan)
- Nakayama's JKA (Shotokan)
- Modern JKA (Shotokan)
- Egami's group (Shotokai)
- Kenneth Funakoshi's group (Shotokan)
- Kanazawa's group (Shotokan)
- Yamazaki's Robukai
- McGuiness's Seito Shito-Ryu
- Tomiyama's Tani-ha Shito-Ryu
- Wado Ryu
Groups that do a fast, focused hook punch:
Seito Shorin Ryu does the slow, flowing-water kamae, but uses the opposite arm from everyone else. They punch, and then just bend the punching arm to create the "hook" position:
Step 7-12 are the reinforced block, the "X" downblock, the open-hand "X" upblock, the palm-to-palm "pressing block," the left mid-level punch, and the right oi-zuki with kiai. (Standard Shotokan.) Most groups perform these moves identically except for the "butterfly" gesture of the palm-to-palm pressing block.
Hands, palm-to-palm, descend slowly from the X upblock to the right hip.
Pressing block done at high speed, not slowly; terminates at the right hip before launching into the next technique.
Pressing block done at high speed, not slowly; terminates in the palm-to-palm position near the right nipple (not at hip); launches instantly into the next step forward with its two punches.
- Nakayama's JKA (Shotokan)
- Modern JKA (Shotokan)
- Gichin Funakoshi's students, films from 1924 (Shotokan)
- Egami's group (Shotokai)
- Wado Ryu
Pressing block done quickly, but is aborted when the heels of the hands meet to form the palms-up "V" in front of the performer's throat. At that point the performer explodes into the next step with its two punches. The hands never reach the palm-to-palm position, and never get anywhere near the hip.
Pressing block missing; this cluster has morphed into something I can't really describe.
Step 13-16: After the kiai, turn anti-clockwise to the rear and downblock in side-stance; then do a kake te (hooking hand) or haiwan (back of hand) block; a crescent kick to the palm of the hand; and an elbow strike to the palm of the hand. (Standard Shotokan).
- Sugiyama's group (Shotokan)
- Ertl and Bendickson (Shotokan)
- Nakayama's JKA (Shotokan)
- Modern JKA (Shotokan)
- Gichin Funakoshi's students, films from 1924 (Shotokan)
- Egami's group (Shotokai)
- Kenneth Funakoshi's group (Shotokan)
- Kanazawa's group (Shotokan)
- Yamazaki's Robukai
Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu inserts a standing manji uke between the kiai punch and the side-stance downblock; then what looks like a left hammerfist, followed by stepping in to the side-stance elbow strike. There is no crescent kick in the sequence.
Seito Shorin Ryu performs this sequence like we do in Shotokan, except that they turn clockwise (opposite of Shotokan) when stepping into the side-stance downblock position.
Shito Ryu and Wado Ryu perform the side-stance downblock as we do in Shotokan. Then they rise into a standing position facing north and do what looks like a face-level hammerstrike, followed by a north-facing elbow strike into the palm (without stepping). There is no crescent kick, and they never step into the side-stance we associate with the palm strike.
Step 17-18 of H. Godan are these moves: 17 is the contracted kosa dachi and morote uke to the north; 18 is the south-facing cat stance with a "reinforced uppercut" punch up into the air. There is variation on the position of the right forearm during these moves.
Some Shotokan groups angle the right forearm upward at 45 degrees to the north during the reinforced block and subsequent "uppercut:"
- Sugiyama's group (Shotokan)
- Gichin Funakoshi's students, films from 1924 (Shotokan)
- Egami's group (Shotokai)
Other Shotokan groups favor a vertical right forearm for steps 17-18; the morote uke looks more like a body slam, and the "uppercut" goes straight up:
Still other Shotokan groups split the difference: angled morote uke but vertical "uppercut":
- Nakayama's JKA (Shotokan)
- Kenneth Funakoshi's group (Shotokan)
- Kanazawa's group (Shotokan)
- Yamazaki's Robukai
And two that prescribes a vertical morote uke, but an angled uppercut.
Angled morote uke, vertical "uppercut," done in a reverse front stance (old style "back stance" like in Empi):
Angled morote uke, but no "uppercut" at all. Step 18 is omitted:
Step 19 is the leap and kiai; 20 is the landing in kosa dachi with X block; and 21 is the expansion into right front stance and morote uke facing south. (Standard Shotokan.)
- Sugiyama's group (Shotokan)
- Ertl and Bendickson (Shotokan)
- Nakayama's JKA (Shotokan)
- Modern JKA (Shotokan)
- Gichin Funakoshi's students, films from 1924 (Shotokan)
- Egami's group (Shotokai)
- Kenneth Funakoshi's group (Shotokan)
- Kanazawa's group (Shotokan)
- Yamazaki's Robukai
- Wado Ryu
- Tomiyama's Tani-ha Shito-Ryu
Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu steps in and kneels on step 20, left knee down, to perform the "X" block. There is no jump at all, just a step. Then they rise into side-stance and do a double inside block facing east, instead of Shotokan's reinforced block to the south.
Seito Shorin Ryu performers take two walking steps to the southwest, turn east, and shift in suddenly to kneel (on the right knee this time) for the "X" block (step 20). The jump (step 19) and the following reinforced block (step 22) are omitted.
Seito Shito Ryu performs the kosa dachi "X" block (step 20) and the reinforced block (step 21) similarly to Shotokan, but they omit the jump (step 19).
Step 22-26 is the final cluster of the kata. In 22 we turn north in front stance, and do a left shuto block across the face with a right shuto or teisho strike toward the opponent's groin. In 23, we pull back to do manji uke in back stance. In step 24 we slowly pull the left foot back to meet the right, still holding the manji uke arm position. In step 25 we spin in place, then launch into front stance with a right shuto block across the face and a left shuto strike (or teisho) to the opponent's groin. Step 26 is the shift to left manji uke in back stance. Then we pull back to starting position to finish the kata.
Shotokan groups perform this sequence identically except for the turn in step 25. Some groups insert an extra position after the turn. In step 25, some performers begin in an upright (feet-together) manji uke position. They turn 180 degrees and, feet still together, reverse the manji uke. Then they proceed to the front stance and the shuto/teisho groin attack.
Turn directly into shuto/teisho attack in step 25. Don't stop in the middle for a manji uke:
- Sugiyama's group (Shotokan)
- Ertl and Bendickson (Shotokan)
- Nakayama's JKA (Shotokan)
- Modern JKA (Shotokan)
- Gichin Funakoshi's students, films from 1924 (Shotokan)
- Egami's group (Shotokai)
- Kenneth Funakoshi's group (Shotokan)
Insert the manji-uke pose before launching the shuto/teisho attack:
Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu does a manji uke in backstance to the northwest, and a second one to the northeast. Their posture is leaning well to the rear, away from the apparent opponent. There is no shuto/teisho attack evident.
Seito Shorin Ryu does a right manji uke in side stance, feet on the north-south line but with the performer facing north. Then they step backwards (south) into a left manji uke in side stance. There is no shuto/teisho attack evident.
Seito Shito Ryu does a left manji uke in back-leaning stance to the northeast; and then reverses the stance in place to do a right manji uke backstance, also to the northeast. There is no shuto/teisho attack evident.
Tani-ha Shito-ryu does a left manji uke in back stance to the northwest, and then a right manji uke in backstance to the north east. There is no shuto/teisho attack evident.
Wado Ryu has its own unique variation on this behavior. First they do a left manji uke in backstance, oriented directly north like Shotokan's step 23. Then they pull back to the feet-together position, still holding the manji uke, like Shotokan's step 24. Then they step out in a right manji uke, in backstance, angled to the northeast. There is no shuto/teisho attack evident.
