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msc455magic Inner circle Taipei, Taiwan 1523 Posts |
"Instead of linking two playing cards together, the performer introduces four small squares of cardboard, each with a large hole in the center. Despite the fact that there do not appear to be any slits, these four cards are magically linked together one a time, and then visually unlinked." (New Magic of Japan, Kaufman, 97)
This item, created by Japanese Tenyo Magic inventor Toru Suzuki, closely resembles the idea of the "linking rings" effect which is usually done only on stage. This version however, is done with cardboards and can be done as a close-up effect without losing the same visual impact as the stage effect. Other versions of the "linking cards" are available nowadays, most notably Paul Harris's Immaculate Connection, which David Copperfield televised a while ago. This item, a guarantee jawdropper, is another example of Japanese brilliance in the area of close-up magic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKkfeZJJmGc Best, msc455magic
Magic of Japan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tks9xf13Pqs |
Donny Orbit Special user 944 Posts |
Another hit! I hope to see you perform all of the effects from The New Magic of Japan book.
XX |
msc455magic Inner circle Taipei, Taiwan 1523 Posts |
Thanks for all the great words Xander DraX (not only for this video, but for my other videos as well!). Unfortunately, I won't be able to tape all effects from New Magic of Japan because some of them are not really suitable for tape performance. Moreover, some effects need a lot of props that are not easy to make these days. I have one trick left from New Magic of Japan and several others from 5x5 Japan. Also, what fun would it be if I were to record everything from the book? By not recording everything, I hope to conceal some gems that only the readers would be able to find out .
All The Best, msc455magic
Magic of Japan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tks9xf13Pqs |
Donny Orbit Special user 944 Posts |
I agree. I love those books, as well as the Miracles of Shigeo Takagi, Sawa's Library and the NY Symposium 5. If I had a webcam, I would record some effects from those books. Maybe for Xmas.
XX |
msc455magic Inner circle Taipei, Taiwan 1523 Posts |
As I don't have those books you mentioned, it would be great if you can video tape some effects from those books!
Best, msc455magic
Magic of Japan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tks9xf13Pqs |
Magiguy Inner circle Seattle, WA 5473 Posts |
Nice job, AGAIN, Charles. I actually skipped past this one in the book because it didn't seem very clever or impactful. I may have to re-visit it now that I've seen your performance. Incidentally, I received the VHS tape (Greater Magic Video Library) of "The Magic of Japan" yesterday. Great stuff, and terrific to see the performances by Hirose, Atsukawa, Sakai, Neo, Mutobe and Sawa. This was a terrific addition to my Takagi tapes and I highly recommend them all.
Xander, I have to agree with your assessment of the three books you mention. All full of great material. Coupled with Five Times Five and NMoJ, these are some of my favorite books. I only wish I could find more translated texts of Japanese material of this caliber. |
Donny Orbit Special user 944 Posts |
I truly wish that one day Richard Kaufman will finish the intended trilogy of the Sawa' Magic series. Its a shame it didn't sell that well.
XX |
Magiguy Inner circle Seattle, WA 5473 Posts |
There are a number of additional effects from Sawa and others in some back issues of Genii (notably: January 1977, May 2000, and November 2002). From what I've read re:the Sawa book, sales were slow and Sawa was unwilling to release some of the pet material that Kaufman had hoped to include. I keep hoping that, with the more recent interest in multi-cultural magic, Kaufman might resume the Five Times Five series, and add another Japanese edition (Five Times Five Times Two?). It would be just as great (perhaps greater) if Ton Onosaka and Max Maven would team up on a new book.
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msc455magic Inner circle Taipei, Taiwan 1523 Posts |
I hope Kaufman would eventually publish more multi-cultural magic that would introduce us to the type of magic that we are not normally exposed to. My friend told me that he thought he has already seen enough card magic until he started reading New Magic of Japan and Five Times Five Japan, both of which completely dumbfounded him. Needless to say, these two books contain high quality material and unique thinking.
Best, msc455magic (PS: I just hope I can get my hands on the Takagi + Sawa book!)
Magic of Japan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tks9xf13Pqs |
Ross W Inner circle UK 1779 Posts |
Umm, is it just me? I was distinctly underwhelmed. No offence intended, msc455magic, as your technique is smooth and well-rehearsed.
But what's the point of the trick? Unless you can examine the bits of card then a spectator will simply conclude, "there are slits in one or more of the cards (which may be well-hidden)" which, presumably, is precisely how it is done. There are countless other linking card effects (Immaculate Connection, Crabtree Connection and others) which deal - with varying success - with this tendency of spectators (darn them) to leap to the correct conclusion. This one doesn't. |
Deluzion Loyal user 217 Posts |
In my opinion, the counting part can also does that. It is a subtle convincer that the papers are all slit-free. Maybe with a little bit patter, hopefully this kind of flaw can be minimized. And also, in real time, flashing one or two times the front and back hopefully can add "more" to the effect.
I think, this effect is quite nice. Of course, this effect can not be compared with the superior Immaculate Connection.
Deluzion
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mc_magi Special user Vancouver, BC 949 Posts |
Well I do agree that when doing this type of trick, laymen would always think of slits.
Hence the reason why we try our best to create many methods for laymen to actually examine cards. Even immaculate connection could be reconstructed pretty easily as long as you've got the logic - its not about the actual method but the convincer and how we conceal the method. If you think about all the other types of linking cards routines, it wouldn't be very impressive if there were none of the convincers. Although this video shows a very smooth and well rehearsed handling of the trick, I believe that its lacking the convincer - just due to the fact that its a video and the type of performance he filmed. Maybe during performance irl one could add few subtelties and convincers to make it look more convincing, but as this is video posted on a popular site, I don't think its very practical for the video. |
msc455magic Inner circle Taipei, Taiwan 1523 Posts |
Ross welford and mc_magi,
I agree with your opinions that there are not as many convincers compared to other versions of the linking cards, but what really striked me is the genious of the gimmick, as it allows two cards to be shown fully on one side (negating the fact that there may be any slits) and linking it immediately shortly after; this is the first link of my video. The ensuing sequence is standard. I agree that this certainly isn't the best linking rings out there due to the fact that it can't be examined, but the genius in the gimmick is definitely food for thought for magicians. Best, msc455magic
Magic of Japan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tks9xf13Pqs |
Donny Orbit Special user 944 Posts |
I have done this effect in the past. It is very easy to have the cards examined. Perform the routine as shown, have a second set of cards in a himber wallet that are ungaffed.
However, what I used was a kind of double sided envelope described by Jay Sankey in one of his lecture notes called Pandora's box. It is simply a piece of construction paper folded into a z, then stapled so there is an opening on both sides. Make a Pandora's box that is just big enough to hold the cards. Cut a hole in the center that is the size of the hole's on the cards. They will see the gaffed cards sliding in and out, then when the envelope is flipped over, they will see the ungaffed cards slide in and out. It also makes a nice holder for them! XX |
eddieloughran Special user 942 Posts |
This is a routine I have always liked but never performed as I think of it as a magigians trick. I may reconsider it; it looked good !
You can count the cards again at the end showing them "normal". |
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