The cutting edge: The Boston Herald reports that anime and films like Kill Bill and The Last Samurai are triggering an increased interest in kendo, ancient Japanese swordplay:

"Danilo Vujicic, 15, began kendo five years ago, partly because of his interest in the anime cartoon character Roni Henshen, a samurai swordsman.

"'I tried fencing,' said Vujicic, a ninth-grader at Boston Latin School. 'With kendo, it seems more 3-D.'

"'You learn you're not always the strongest, not always the best, but you can try to be.'"