Martial Arts uniforms

It's safe to say that martial arts play an important role in Perro Worldwide Comics storytelling. Because of that, it's not uncommon to see PWC characters training in martial arts uniforms. And the martial arts uniform seen most frequently, not just in Perro Worldwide Comics storytelling, but in all of cinema, is the gi.

Of course, I'm talking about the baggy, kimono-like wardrobe, tied together with a black belt and spirit! On screen, it can be seen in a wide array of colors, cuts, and fabric weaves.

But, what's traditional, what's cinematic, and what's real?

Glad you asked!

The true origins of the Karate uniform are nebulous. Many stories exist, detailing how the signature style of the martial artist came to be. Most commonly called a "gi" in western dojos, the full name for the Karate uniform is keikogi.  keikogi is comprised of two words; keiko, meaning practice, and gi, meaning clothing.  Put them together and the translation is practice-clothing. It can also be referred to as a karategi, all one word, to specifically indicate its use in Karate practice.

Though martial arts existed long before the introduction of the gi, it's the signature jacket, pants, and belt that most people imagine all martial arts practitioners wearing in class. The modern gi is believed to have been developed by Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo.  It was based on traditional Japanese clothing, specifically the kimono, and first offered in an unbleached cotton, and then bleached white. The founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funakoshi, adopted the uniform for Karate, and soon after, numerous Japanese martial arts followed suit.  

Though traditional Karate schools utilize only the white gi, there isn't a spiritual or philosophical reason why this is the case. Many stories have been invented to explain it, often talking about purity, but the original unbleached cotton was selected, most likely, because it was cheap. Length of sleeves and pants vary depending on the cut, and fabric weaves differ based on the weight of the gi and the specific martial arts style. Judo, for example, utilizes a more textured weave for the jacket.

Today, the gi can also be found in a wide variety of colors. Some of these colors play a limited significance in various martial arts styles. Kenpo practitioners wear a black gi for training and Judo practitioners wear a blue gi for competitions to differentiate fighters.

With few exceptions, gi color does not represent a specific rank or philosophical component of the art. Because of this, when different colored uniforms are seen on camera, it's more about choosing what wears best on the performer, as well as what best accents the mood of the scene.

Sometimes traditional white uniforms work best. But other times, special colors are preferred. It all depends on the director's vision. It isn't always traditional, but on film, sometimes a little artistic license is needed to make a scene pop!