A Girl of Five Rings: Notes on the Go Rin No Sho

[Red Witch]

Quick Q&A

What is this Thread about?

The Go Rin No Sho, or the A Book of Five Rings, is the teachings of a Japanese weapon master named Miyamoto Musashi. He was a master strategist, and famously never lost a duel.

The purpose of this thread is to analyze the information he imparted and attempt to apply it to Skullgirls or fighting games in general. The observances here are my own, so don't take my personal interpretation as law. If you think it says something else, you're right. But also, i'm right. That's how books work.

Why the Go Rin No Sho?

The closest martial art to fighting games is generally weapon-based combat. There are multiple different weapons, different lengths they reach, some are inherently offensive and some are defensive, and all require spacing and timing to be effective. Sound familiar?

Sure, fighting games can also be compared to Chess (strategic game where pieces interact on a 2D platform), Poker (Mind games!... And a random factor), and a myriad of other games where one must learn to press the advantage; and one day I might extend this thread to encompass them. However, when it comes to learning strategy and applying it in a fast-paced situation, a weapon master's notes apply fairly strongly.

The next book I have planned along the lines of this sort of thing is the Art of War. But if any of you have any good suggestions, feel free to post here or PM me. Especially with any revered authors from the Western world.

Why should I bother reading this thread?

It may help provide perspective or insight or some other BS. It's just here if you want to bother looking into it. Otherwise, don't? I dunno.

I want to follow along!

Neat! The copy I am using in specific is this 'un:
http://www.amazon.com/A-Book-Of-Five-Rings/dp/1479158542

I have the paperback copy because i'm a cheapo who still likes her books in physical media form. I'll also list pages to what i'm referencing. Especially if i'm quoting.

 

[Red Witch]

-note- All "Rings" will have their separate posts until it's complete. Then everything will be dumped into the OP and we'll move along to the next whatever.

THE GROUND BOOK

In pages 18-20, Miyamoto Musashi made a point in the carpenter example to list the different tools a carpenter needs to do a job.

In Skullgirls, and all fighting games, the "Tools" can be interpreted as characters. This can also be further dissected into a characters moveset

Tools as Characters

Musashi stresses that one should not have a favorite weapon.

You should not have a favorite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it suficiently well. -Page 25

Playing nothing but Squigly and Filia is just as bad as not knowing how to play the cast in any combination. Although both Squigly and Filia can be efficient in winning and taking down the rest of the cast, there can be no adjustments made to smooth out bad match-ups. Having favorites is a nuance of the Fighting Game Community in general. Mew2King, who has just about mastered the entire Super Smash Brothers Melee roster, has mostly played 2-3 characters in most of his tournament appearances. As of late, he has increased that number to include all of the top tier characters shy of Falco and the Ice Climbers, but he is still notoriously over-reliant on Marth and Sheik. The most notorious example of the downfall of hyper-specialization within Smash takes the form of Hungrybox, who only plays Jigglypuff. When Armada debuted his Young Link to counter Hungrybox in Genesis 2, Hungrybox was left flailing and could not secure the tournament.

The carpentry metaphor covers this subtly. One can't use nothing but a handsaw to build a house and expect it to look aesthetically pleasing or function properly. One would need drills, hammers, power saws, sandpaper, etc. These are tools to get the job done efficiently and properly. The handsaw still has its uses, but it's part of a greater whole.

No favorites. Use the right tool for the right situation.

This applies to a characters moveset as well. When a player prefers a certain setups, they start to create a pattern that becomes easier to read. (Insert Soulfist here) Always vary and never stick to just one go-to move.

Also, remember that every single move has a use, as well as every character.​

Tinder which is weak or knotted throughout should be used for scaffolding and later firewood. -Page 19

End of entry one
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The last bit I wish to cover for this section is timing. The very first example Musashi gives when introducing this concept was musicians and dancers; two activities in which timing is vital. He further drills home how timing is everything and in everything.

To expound upon this in a fighting game example, frame data hands you the timing of moves; which tells you what is safe and unsafe. Then you can time moves to counter out your opponents. Time is of the essence, and there is much more detail on the importance of timing your attacks to your opponents contained in the water book.

end of entry 2
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