So-called Advanced Kata

From sūpārinpē performed in the 1974 footage of Keio karate, which also featured Isao Obata

Suparinpei is taught in Keio University karate, and, according to Sensei Kinichi Mashimo, who learnt directly from Master Gichin Funakoshi and others such as Master Isao Obata (who continued to teach Funakoshi karate at universities such as Keio until he passed away in 1976), Master Gichin Funakoshi supervised the transmission of suparinpei at Keio, resulting in the alterations present in their version, although he did not teach the kata all on his own. It does appear evident that we know which kata he focused on, but that he knew other kata to one extent or another, and was therefore able to make changes to them after they were taught by other teachers to his students. Of course, to be overly concerned with which kata this or that person knew is ridiculous and a waste of time, because, for instance, Goju-ryu does not include gojushiho, and Tomari village tii traditionally taught wansu, wankuan (okan), rohai, naihanchi, passai, perhaps sesan, and maybe one or two other systems, then chinto, ji'in, jitte, chinte (mariti) and plausibly jion, but gojushiho was from Matsumura's tii. It makes no difference if you know suparinpei or gojushiho or any other particular kata that is, nowadays, said to be more advanced. Look at Choki Motobu's example. He only practised one or two kata, focused more on kumite, probably knew many more kata, and was highly skilled, apparently more so than most. My current teacher only teaches five forms: a short version of the actual form, the actual longer form, and three weapons forms. And the short form has 108 movements. Yet, we get by, and most of the time we practise pair-work. As Master Asato said, five or six kata are enough, provided they are studied deeply. And each has its own beneficial characteristics, so they can be selected accordingly, and in harmony with your own body.