Asai Sensei - The Professional Artist???

In the lead up to Tetsuhiko Asai Memorial Day, I thought I'd share a little of Sensei's humour with you.

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Over the years, Asai Sensei did many protraits of me on napkins, paper and plastic bags, you name it! So, I thought I'd share, my three favourites with you (the better looking ones...). This was one of his trademark gags, alongside "Do you like to gamble?", dodgy fortune telling, teleportation, rapid scissor jabbing (between your fingers spread on a table), and "look over there it's Count Dracula!".

One jestful claim Asai Sensei made was "You name it, I am a professional!". Apparently his professions included: surfing; swimming (please refer to his Takusoku swimming story:http://asaikarate.blogspot.com/2007/07/asai-senseis-final-interview.html); singing his favourite English songs 'Just Walking In The Rain' and 'Don't Worry Be Happy'; skate boarding and anything balancing on wheels; snooker; driving (he was 'very proud' of having his gold Japanese drivers license, for no traffic offenses. However he wasn't driving for years); skiing (he regularly claimed to be better than Nakayama Sensei); hot air ballooning, and of course art! In particular doing 'life like' potraits... (the proof of this is below).

Everytime Sensei made these claims, with that little smirk on his face, I would say "Sensei, how do you make the time for all these endeavors, run your companies, and do so much karate? He claimed "Very easy! Teleportation made it possible!"

Sensei had such a wonderful sense of humour! I hope you get a laugh from these potraits, as he would want you to! And if he was still here, and detected your amusement, he'd most certainly draw you next!

© André Bertel, Japan 2007