Three fencing masters take on fifty novices. It’s a situation we’ve seen in many a movie, whether it’s Bruce Lee single-handedly taking on the entire mafia or Bruce Willis tackling several dozen terrorists. We initially thrill at their skill, then on later reflection realize the bad guys went about it all wrong.
Well, some Japanese television show decided to conduct an experiment in which three fencing masters took on a mob of amateurs. What they found was interesting. The question is whether or not the novices were initially influenced by how mobs are supposed to attack, according to movies, or if self-preservation is the main motivator. It’s certainly interesting to watch. Fortunately you don’t need to know Japanese to understand what’s going on.
The real difference was the rules of engagement.