Taro's Early Training Days: A Quaint, Clunky Glimpse into Early Martial Arts Cinema

So, you’re wondering if a 1936 Japanese short film called Taro's Early Training Days is something you should seek out today? Well, if you’re into seeing the roots of martial arts on screen, or just curious about early cinema quirks, then yeah, it’s a neat little historical curiosity. Anyone expecting modern action or a deep plot, though, will probably find it pretty slow going, maybe even a bit silly.

It’s a simple setup, really. Our hero, Taro, is doing his thing, training, when a bandit shows up and grabs a girl. Standard stuff for a quick story, right? What follows is Taro’s attempt to get her back.

The ‘training’ part of the title is interesting. We see Taro practicing with a staff, doing these almost balletic jumps. It’s less about a gritty workout montage and more about showing off these really stylized, almost dance-like moves. You can tell they’re trying to impress, even way back then. It’s really different from how we see martial arts training today.

Then the bandit enters. He’s got this great, almost theatrical villain swagger. He’s not exactly subtle, but for a silent-era bad guy, he gets the job done. The way he just snatches the girl and rides off, it’s so abrupt, it almost makes you chuckle a little. Like, *poof*, she's gone!

Taro’s pursuit feels a little drawn out sometimes. There’s a lot of running through fields. And the actual confrontation? It’s brief, but you get a sense of the early choreography. There’s a moment where Taro dodges a swing, and it’s surprisingly fluid for the time. Not Jackie Chan, obviously, but still pretty cool to see how they pieced it together.

One shot that stuck with me was the way Taro uses his staff to vault over something. It was quick, a flash of ingenuity that probably felt pretty cutting-edge back in '36. It just shows that even with limited tech, filmmakers were always trying to figure out cool ways to show movement.

The pacing, for a short film, actually feels a bit lopsided. The training part feels like it takes up a good chunk, then the actual bandit chase and rescue is almost over before it begins. It’s like they spent more time on the ‘how he got good’ than the ‘what he did with it.’

There's this one reaction shot of the girl after she’s rescued. It’s just this tiny nod, a simple thank you. No big dramatics, which I kinda appreciated. It felt honest, for what it was. Sometimes less is more, even in silent films.

You can see The Instructor in a lot of these older films. The way they frame the hero, the way the action is presented. It’s a lineage thing, you know?

Overall, Taro’s Early Training Days is a fun little peek into cinema’s past. It’s definitely not going to blow anyone away with its story or special effects, but it’s got this undeniable charm. A quiet sort of charm. Like finding an old, slightly scratched photo that still makes you smile. 😊

Didja Notice?

• The bandit’s horse looks a little tired, like it just wants to go home.
• Taro’s jumps are really high!
• That one shot of the bamboo forest felt oddly atmospheric for such a quick scene.
• The girl’s dress is surprisingly elaborate for someone getting kidnapped in a hurry.
• The fight scene is over way too fast. Like, blink and you miss it.