Background Information
Senior Editor of Tamashii Press, Chief Instructor of the American Shotokan Karate Alliance
(ASKA), and a Founding Fellow of the International Karate Society (IKS), Hassell is a first
generation American to pioneer Shotokan karate, introducing it to the St. Louis, Missouri
area in 1961.

He is a professional writer and editor who began karate training in 1960 and was a member of
the Japan Karate Association until 1984. On September 1, 2002, he was appointed President
of the American JKA Karate Association (AJKA), an organization he helped to form in 1984
(the AJKA has been renamed American JKA Karate Association-International as of 2006).

Published Works
While majoring in English Literature at Washington University in St. Louis, he began an intense,
formal study of the history and philosophy of the martial arts in general, and karate-do in
particular. To date, this study has led to the publication of more than 100 articles in numerous
periodicals around the world, and more than 28 books including:

Recognition: A Karate Novel (with Stan Schmidt);
The Karate Experience: A Way of Life;
Conversations with the Master: Masatoshi Nakayama;
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate;
Shotokan Karate: Its History and Evolution;
Karate Ideals;
The Karate Spirit (Selected Columns from Black Belt magazine);
Karate Training Guide Volume 1: Foundations of Training;
Karate Training Guide Volume 2: Kata--Heian, Tekki, Bassai Dai;
Samurai Journey (with Osamu Ozawa).

Testimonials
Martial Arts Illustrated magazine called Randall G. Hassell "Shotokan's Great Communicator".
The Fighter magazine said Hassell is, "hands down, the world's finest, most authoritative
karate-do writer."

Presently . . .
In addition to teaching in his own dojos and at various YMCA's and school districts in the St.
Louis, Missouri metro area, Mr. Hassell oversees the instruction and administration of thousands
of students nationwide in ASKA and AJKA affiliated clubs, and he travels extensively, teaching,
lecturing, and officiating.