Magnum Mania!

The Arrow That is Not Aimed

Episode ID: 54
Episode Number: 3.14
Air Date: 1/27/1983
Writers: Steven Hensley, J. Miyoko Hensley
Director: James Frawley
Producer: Chas. Floyd Johnson
Exec Producer: Donald P. Bellisario

Guest Stars

Mako (Tozan), Seth Sakai (Fukuda), Lee de Broux (Gallagher), Tom Fujiwara (Yakuza)

Plot Outline

Magnum gets a lesson in ancient Japanese culture when a valuable Kenzan artifact is stolen from a Samurai warrior by a Ninja.

Mini Review

8.5 (17 votes) MM Episode Forum Thread & Poll

Notes

1 The ancient Japanese ritual of Seppuku is a plot theme. Magnum is the unwittingly appointed Kaishakunin.

2 The "Kenzan plate" seen and mentioned in this episode is a reference to Ogata Kenzan, the most celebrated ceramist in the history of Japanese art.

3 This is the legendary Mako's only appearance on the show.

4 The Byodo-In Temple in The Valley of the Temples is again used as a shooting location. It will be seen in several more episodes to come.

5 There is a scene with Magnum and Higgins in the guesthouse lanai (porch), where the ocean is clearly visible in the background. Further evidence that the guesthouse is close to the ocean, not away from it.

6 Lee de Broux (Gallagher) makes his second appearance on the show. He guest starred with John Hillerman in the 1976 made-for-tv movie The Invasion of Johnson County.

Quotes

1
Magnum: You were saying something about a lesson of 'The Arrow That is Not Aimed'.
Tozan: It is an old discipline practiced by the Ishinaga [fictional] Samurai. The bow is pulled. The archer has no thought of his aim, the arrow, his game, or even of himself. All is one. All is emptiness. Yet, the arrow always finds it's target.
Magnum: When we were playing football we called it being 'in the groove'. Everything just...worked - the pass, the pattern, the blocking, then boom...touchdown.
Tozan: Oh, you do understand. Ah, it's like the universe in a small, quiet pond. Each movement contains everything. Even so simple a thing as serving tea becomes a prayer.

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