An Updated Guide to Makashi

[Lord Iezkon]

Makashi, Form II, also known as The Way of the Ysalamiri - for further details on why it is called such, see Sith Kelsa’s “The Way of the Ysalamiri - A Produce of Focus” - is the second Form of Lightsaber combat, and the second to be created with specific lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat in mind, and it was made as a direct counter to Shii-Cho. Makashi favours efficiency and accuracy, and as a result, a Makashi user is likely to be economical with their movements, conserving energy until their opponent has tired themselves out.

This form is favoured by many, for it offers direct counter-attacks, efficient parries and deflections. However, this form will serve no use in deflecting or blocking blaster fire, so it is best reserved for combat between Force Users, where its sheer efficiency provides advantages to the practitioner. Makashi is elegant at its root, and a perfect form to use for duelling.

Opening Stances

Makashi’s opening stance is not only immediately recognisable, but its appearance seems deceptively simple - though simple it is not. The stance plays into its own linear style of combat, standing side on minimises the area to which your opponent can strike. Even the way the practitioner holds their blade is calculated and precise. Should the blade be pointed at the ground, in between the user and their opponent, this often exposes much of the user’s body, almost challenging the opponent, as well as being well placed to swiftly move into position for defensive parries. At a glance, this stance is a telltale sign of which form is being utilised by one’s opponent.

To enter a Makashi opening stance, one should place their feet shoulder-width apart, the dominant foot pointed forwards, the non-dominant foot turned 45 degrees to the non-dominant side, alongside the rest of the body, which is also turned away at 45 degrees to offer the opponen a side view of the user. It can, however, be turned such that the body faces the opponent and the blade away, which I have seen a handful of times. The blade ignited, it is pointed towards the ground between the opponents, with the non-blade hand resting by the user’s side or behind their back. This allows the user to use small, quick movements to begin their offensive.

It is not unusual to see variations upon this stance, wherein the blade may be angled or placed differently to allow a more offensive or defensive opening. This varies from one duellist to the next, but often the blade can be pointed up, rather than down, to intercept incoming attacks. For example, some use a stance that is more of an open challenge to their opponents, with the feet set close together, turned 90 degrees to their left, the blade pointed in a straight line, up and at the throat of the opponent, with the left arm and hand by the side.

It is traditional to see users utilise the ‘Makashi Salute’ before entering their opening stance. This move involves holding the saber in one hand, in front of the user’s face, and moving it diagonally downwards and to the side before completing a Makashi Flourish. This flourish consists of moving the saber rapidly in an ‘X’ shape in the air. The intention being to convey a sense of honour between combatants, marking the beginning of their duel.

In Combat

Makashi footwork appears on the surface to be simple, moving forward and back, ensuring the user does not reach fatigue by being efficient and economical regarding one's movements and energy and maintains adequate distance from the opponent to engage in combat effectively. However, to properly utilise Form II, the user must be aware of their surroundings, and a single misstep can lose the practitioner the duel in much the same way that overextending could, by causing fatigue too early on. The form is built on efficiency and conservation of energy, allowing the user to continue their offence with minimal fatigue, making Makashi quite a force to be reckoned with. An advanced practitioner can often succeed against forms such as Shii-Cho or Ataru, both of which utilise full body movements, while Makashi remains grounded, often biding his time to make their fight-ending blow when the opponent has exhausted themselves.

There are a number of different types of footwork at play in Makashi duelling, consisting of two circles: the major and minor duelling circles. The major circle is the space in which the user duels, and accounts then for their position, and that of their adversary. Thus being the distance which one must keep from their opponent at any given time. The minor circle is, then, the personal space of the user or their opponent themselves, out of reach of one another. Should each minor circle contain a line joining them from center to center, the line stretching to infinity in either direction, this would be the line of infinity, wherein a Makashi user will use their Corridor (linear) Footwork. Moving back and forth along this line is what gives the impression that Makashi footwork is simple, while the amount of thought that goes into such is not only tricky to learn, but to master, and takes a great deal of practice.

This form is perfect for a one-on-one fight, for its efficient movements and calculated footwork allow the practitioner the upper hand, and allows the opponent to tire themselves out before the Makashi user can step in and end the fight in one fell swoop. However, it is nigh on useless in fights against multiple opponents and has no success against blaster-fire. From footwork to the way the user is to move, Makashi is economical, and thorough, but does not harbour the wide strikes required to deal with multiple enemies or blaster fire. With its focus on strict footwork and economical strikes, it is a direct counter to Shii-Cho’s wide, arcing strikes and full body movements, thus limiting the ability to defend on all sides. With regards to deflecting blaster-fire, the use of blaster weaponry began to rise after the creation of Makashi, and thus users will often find themselves unable to properly defend against such weaponry due to the oversight of a lack of defence against blaster-fire, caused by the low availability of blasters at the time of the form's creation, without utilising another form.

While one gains from utilising Makashi the focused, precise and nimble movements, they are vulnerable to larger groups of enemies, or even those whose choice of saber form is more unpredictable than your own. To negate this, study and understanding of the notable aspects of other saber forms can assist in reducing the unpredictability of one’s opponent, but mastery of Makashi brings with it a mindset, wherein the practitioner predicts, senses, feels movements that their opponent may make, and plans for them on only a moments’ notice. This in turn allows the user to cover their bases and avoid finding themselves in situations their form cannot counteract, for when other forms rely on unpredictability, a Makashi adept will learn to predict, and to analyse, all possible moves their opponent could make.

Contentious Opportunity

A large focus in Makashi is Contentious Opportunity, which is recognising when your opponent shows a weakness, or presents an opportunity, and acting quickly to exploit it. Moving in immediately, and utilising every opportunity presented by the opponent sums up the philosophy of Makashi. Additionally, the Makashi Riposte is utilised after successfully redirecting an opponent’s attack, the practitioner quickly retaliates with a counterattack - thus, creating their own opportunities as well as exploiting those provided by the opponent.

Contentious Opportunity is the ability to recognise weaknesses in your opponent’s form and being able to think on one’s feet to know how best to use this against them. These weaknesses could include environment, weak bladework, incorrect footwork, and fatigue, and a practiced Makashi user will be able to spot these from a mile off, and begin their assault with either the blade or the Force to exploit the weakness presented by way of a swift offensive move.

Marks of Contact

While in Shii-Cho the Sun Djem is utilised to forcefully rip a weapon from the opponent's hand, the use within Makashi is a more precise attack which is directed at the hilt of the weapon, with the intention of damaging or disabling it - or even cutting through an opponents fingers to disarm them. While the Sun Djem is still a disarming slash, it is more elegant within Makashi, and utilised to disable or destroy the weapon, rather than simply removing it from the opponent’s hands. As many lightsabers are, ironically perhaps, not crafted from lightsaber resistant material, this mark of contact involves cutting the hilt in half, or otherwise disabling the emitter. An additional option is to cut off the hand holding the blade - whether in its entirety or just in part - to complete a similar disarming manoeuvre.

Another commonly used mark of contact for Makashi is the use of the Shiim. This shallow strike often leaves the opponent in great pain, causing their focus to shift, or even impairs their movement with specifically chosen strikes to areas of the body, which allows more opportunities for the Makashi practitioner to exploit. A handful of Shiim strikes often leaves the opponent dazed, hurt, and weak, which allows the Makashi user to gain the upper hand and end the fight.

The Shiak is utilised in almost every form of lightsaber combat, and it fits nicely into the elegant, calculated style of Form II. This move is a quick, and often fight-ending, stabbing motion often employed after the opponent has become tired or already injured. It is a simple move, but incredibly effective on already exhausted opponents, allowing the practitioner to end the fight swiftly, and often fatally if so desired.

It is worth noting, however, that each Mark of Contact is often universal to saber forms, their use varying in intent or execution. While the Shiak, Shiim, or Sun Djem are in no way exclusive to Makashi - nor to any of the other forms - but are used in a different way in Form II than they would be in Form I, for example.

(*Post by Eddi Arkiti.*)