We haven’t figured out the rules for samurai baseball just yet, but we’re sure it’s a game we’d like to see come to fruition. Master swordsman Isao Machii, the very same who took on katana-wielding robot MH24 earlier this year, has returned to the web. This time? Annihilating baseballs as they hurl past him at an impressive 100 mph. The actual slicing happens around the 25-second mark, but in case you’re like us and haven’t evolved super sight, here’s a gif:
Known as the “Modern-Day Samurai,” Machii’s  reflexes are bar none. He holds a number of Guinness World Records for his blade-wielding prowess, including: most martial arts sword cuts to one mat, fastest 1,000 sword cuts, and fastest tennis ball cut by a sword (a 400 mph feat). He’s even been known to sever the occasional BB gun pellet.
“I don’t usually practice cutting for these challenges,” he told Italian magazine Budo International. “I just try to meet the sudden and unexpected requests from TV programs. Every time I have been asked to do something new, I never have enough time to practice and fully master the challenge that is requested, therefore each time I felt it was quite a difficult test.”
In addition to Iaido (the traditional swordsmanship you see here), Machii is well-versed in SoJutsu (spear), Kyujutsu (archery), and Naginata (halberd, a combined spear and battle axe). He’s even developed his own martial art style, which he calls Shuushin Ryu. “I disagree with the way modern Iaido only focuses on the ‘beauty’ of the technique,” he explains. “I wanted to create Iai that could survive a real fight against an opponent. That’s what I valued in creating Shuushin.”
Interestingly, the baseball Machii took on in this video is flying close to the top speed a human could throw – and that comes down to science. Cadaver tests have shown that the amount of torque needed to pitch in excess of 100 mph is enough to max out the ulnar collateral ligament (the ligament in your elbow).
Should you find yourself in Japan, and want to prepare for the zombocalypse, stop by Machii’s dojo.
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IMAGES: kinsei1560/YouTube, oriconofficial/YouTube
