[VIAGRA-]

I think fencing's history contains bravado and machismo (European concepts as it happens), as well as etiquette. Reading accounts of famous bouts from years gone by it would seem that there has always been a strong tradition of what Neil calls showboating, "What sayest thou to that sir?" (trans. "In your FACE, loser!")

And of course fencing has had a lot of influence on stage-fighting. It would be silly to think the stage hadn't also influenced fencing. Think of the duel scene in 'Hamlet', when the fencing is there to form the backdrop to an ongoing verbal stoush. It's all part of their tradition that makes it different to ours. Fencing seems to be a platform for the fencer to display his/her personality and passion. Both these things, personality and passion, are anathema to kendo.

I think in the same way you can see in high-school kendo the influence of jidai-geki and chanbara (the infamous one-handed flourish on scoring do comes to mind). But there is a very strict and explicit influence on kendoka above 4-dan to actively eradicate that influence from their kendo. Perhaps fencing doesn't have this.

b