Yea, looks like the one on the left is original, the other two are the weird shape. I remember seeing some posts like that. Things like 'The JKA is going to license another brand to make the mugen shape!' haha. Thats not quite how it works though, I think people are just wishing they could get their hands on a Mugen.
I remember that discussion too.. I wanted to believe it at the time, but apparently it was just a big mishap!
@rTTn @Ryalkid20 Check out the DamaTalk podcast I did once with Keith... man I need to make another episode! I had one with C Fraser recorded, but it was gonna be a split episode with Jake Wiens, and when Jake and I recorded we ran into ALL of the technical problems, and I eventually got frustrated and still haven't come back to it. Hmm
@htimSxelA If there is anything I can do to help, let me know. I've been thinking about doing a podcast for years now, just never had the subject matter.
What you guys think about this? Do you think it ended because the american market is so large, and no one really cares much about the seal anymore? I liked that the jka was a governing body trying to keep things standardized and production value high. But controlling cost and shape seems like a bit much. What do you guys think is the future for the JKA? Also I have heard that the Jka has been less then friendly to outside influences. Do you think they were salty because they saw the writing on the wall, and realized their strong hold on kendama was slipping away?
Is that what happened? I heard that TK was shutting completely down, but I haven't been b Wait what? So JKA is taking the seal away from those guys? Shin Fuji does not make kendamas any more do they? Does their old kendama not live up to the new JKA standards or something? Also my buddy told me that TK was closing the doors as well, but have not been able to find any info on this. EDIT: I do not really care too much about the seal to be honest, I don't compete in any JKA events anyways. It looks nice though.
@Matthew Rice @bonerkid if you check some of the previous replies to this thread there is some info on TK16 and Shin Fuji stopping JKA production. Shin Fuji is still producing kendamas (Minna No Kendama), but I don't think TK16 has announced anything yet. The Minna No is pretty much the same as a Shin Fuji as far as I can see, so perhaps the TK shape will live on, just without the JKA seal? Hmm
So Alex, would it be worth it to cop a JKA approved TK16 now? Given that they wont be produced anymore, i've never had one, or even had a birch dama (Ozora#1) Would it be worth it to get one just to keep as a piece of dama history?
really interesting read on some JKA stuff i didn't know about myself, i think i may have to cop another TK16, maybe a red one just for old times sake
My first kendama was a black TK16, which I copped from Tokyu Hands in Shizuoka. I got jun-shodan using a Shin Fuji that I jammed exclusively for the whole summer of that year. I copped that Shin Fuji for ¥800 at an electronics store (not too far from Shin Fuji station, coincidentally). The fact that it was so cheap, yet provided so many hours of fun, and so much fulfillment, still brings a smile to my face. Naturally, the news about Tamiwa and Hakushinsha losing their seal bums me out. In 2014 and 2015, Shin Fuji kendamas began to experience quite a bit of variation in terms of the size of the bevel on the tama. I clearly remember quite a few players questioning the quality of Shin Fujis around that time. I imagine this probably has something to do with them losing their seal. I'm feelin' this JKA discussion though. Lots of excellent information.
so i heard they both arent going out of biz just both are loosing their seal, and because of this they will have to change the shape because under jka rules they own the shape and you cant make that shape again in japan. so if they do come back it will have to be a different shape. the people that make TKs are apparently a toy company and they make tons of other stuff so they might not make damas again. i heard that shin fuji was having quality control issues and is only making weird damas now like the "healthy" kendama. i think tk got dicked around by a factory and after the jka did a recall on some of their paint i think they just got fed up and moved onto other toys. i dont know if these makers really realize the seal isnt need. i think at one time it was when most players lived in japan and wanted to compete in jka events. But now most players dont live there and dont even know about those events. i think the old model was like oh shit if we dont have this seal you cant use it in the comps and only serious players will want a dama with a seal. so maybe these makers felt like they had to have the seal. now no one really cares about the seal so i hope their dealings with the jka dont make them just stop. one thing i will say is the words "quality control" and "shin fuji" in the same sentence is hilarious
Yea, that's very true lol. Fun fact: up until like 2012-2013, shin fujis were like the punchline of all jokes about bad kendamas. At best they had a very obscure following for stilt game, but otherwise were considered terrible next to an Ozora.
"JKA or die" Haha... yup. Pretty much shooting them selfs in the foot. But I like jamming with JKA members. They do stuff we don't and we do things they could never dream of.