Nice posts, jlambvo and everyone else
BTW, I wouldn't be entirely clear, but I think Tekkenjutsu, prior to the late 20th century, would refer to the use of fist-load weapons similar to the
tecchu/tekchu used by Ryukyu kenpoka. I remember looking through a book with photos of yawara-gi weapons and among them were various weapons obviously designed to enhance a clenched fist, several of which looked almost exactly like modern knuckledusters. These were probably holdout weapons carried by samurai for use when swords couldn't be brought or drawn, or else when the shite hit the fan on the battlefield and they really needed to punch someone very, very hard.
Nowadays, of course, it refers to virtuousity in a complex fighting video game that takes place in three planes of motion
