Hangetsu

半月：はんげつ

Required for 4th kyu purple belt

Hangetsu means 'crescent', although more literally is 'half moon'. The orginal (Okinawan) name for this kata is 'Seisan'. It was named after a Chinese martial artist who lived in Okinawa in the 1700s. The Japanese name, Hangetsu, comes not from the man's name, but from the actual movements of the kata, which emphasize crescent shaped stepping and hand techniques. In Korean, this kata is called 'BanWol'. Many martial arts styles practice various versions under both the Japanese and Okinawan names.

Hangetsu presents several new challenges for students, particularly with regard to a complex series of hand strikes, and a gradual increase in intensity. The form begins with a series of blocks and punches, intended to be done extremely slowly, focusing on timing and breathing. For each successive 'bar' (or set of related steps and techniques), the intensity and speed should increase. What starts out seeming to be a breathing exercise ends with rapid hand and feet combinations and multiple kiai. Again, it is important to understand each kata in its relationship with the previous and subsequent kata. Particularly when all kata are run in succession, Hangetsu starts out as a sort of 'break'; so a student can catch their breath at the beginning, and then really show off the intensity at the end. Failure to use this opportunity to both rest and impress can be a telling sign of a student's lack of preparedness.

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