I feel, everything I have ever read on this board to be FUN.
I don't get worried about people's internet writings. And, with a subject like this, there is no right or wrong.
Many people see the Western influence on Japanese art to be a 'Selling out' of the old ways.
Others, feel it was just a natural progression of the times.
Personaly, I think it may have been a bit of both.
One must remember, that Japan was a very closed society for hundreds of years. That one 'BIG' thing, would make it very likely that a western explosion would happen durring the late Edo period, when the country was opened up.
People are always curious, and artists are very much so.
While traditionalist, will mostly stick to 'the way', others, not so incline, would want to stray.
While I feel, most of the (so called by some) 'western influences' in sword arts, were tastefully done, some were not.
That may have been more to misunderstanding than anything else.
Just my thoughts to get it started. I need to look through my pics, and books for obvious examples.
mark G