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James Rods
AJames Rods (1985- ) Master and founder of Jin Shōto Budō Ryu Karate "the art of the fighting swords". Shōto (swords) Budō (the way of the warrior) Ryu (school).

Born on the 12'th January 1985 in the islands of Canberra to a Australian father (Alex Rods) and a Japanese mother (Shino Rods), James Rods lived most of his youth and commenced his dedication for Karate in Brisbane in the small village of Pheonix, not far off the capital city; Phenix city.

At the age of four, James Rods was taken as the own disciple of Master Jin Zukashi one of Gichin Funakoshi's Shotokan students. He learned the ways of Shotokan Karate and Ansatsuken,also influenced by the sword skill of the ancient Samurai, he began to learn the way of the sword in the Samurai federation in Canberra.

In October 1998 at the age of twelve, Along with his brother and mother, he moved to Brisbane, where he was found frustrated by the fact that he was no longer under his master's training, angered by this, he tried to unlearn Karate and started training Mon Lung Kung Fu with Sifu Charles Gaffiero. Isolated and even more confused his younger brother Kevin Rods joined beside him in Mon Lung Kung Fu to support him but that did not stop James Rods from quitting; At the Age of fourteen he found himself back on track when his master surprisingly showed up and continued taking him under his training.

Although his master Zukashi complained, James Rods started training Kyokushin Karate in Brisbane; he taught that both Karate arts combined will make him a great Karatika and indeed it did. At the age of sixteen he entered a Karate tournament in Brisbane, which he most certainly impressed judges with his flawless wins, they insisted that he joins the European tournament that was held in 2004 in Brisbane, James refused, he knew that if he was to enter such a tournament, he must be at his best.

He continued training both Karate arts, modernizing it by time, adding new techniques he developed which he referred to as "street Karate" for the reason being that training in a dojo and fighting in a street is a complete different prospective, this upset his master greatly for not keeping the traditional Karate form but James Rods knew what he wanted.

At the fall of winter 2005, Master Zukashi fell ill and eventually passed away. James was crushed emotionally, eaten by guilt and pain for letting his master slip into his death and for not fulfilling his Karate art, he decided to completely stop until one day again, inspired by a Karate show he decided to continue again. Only this time, he formed his own art. a mixture of Kyokushin, Shotokan and the deadly art of Ansatsuken, he formed a modern, adaptable art.

Based on quick self-defense, strikes to vital and pressure points, locks, reversals and he also introduced ground fighting to this Karate art, also adding sword techniques he learned in his early years of training. Focusing his teaching more on discipline, physical endurance and mental steadiness, James Rods is focusing on making out the best fighters that are able to compete in world class tournaments, his next step is to join the eliminations for the Kyoko World Karate championship in Madrid, Spain in 2008.

Although thought to be criticized for this new establishment he instead was supported by Brisbane's karate federation and he officially founded Jin Shōto budō Ryu School on the 18'th of February 2007 and still pending to officially open to public.