There’s no doubt that Christian Fraser has cemented his place in kendama history as a Legend.
By creating tricks, innovating new shapes, designing some of the most iconic tamas, and working tirelessly to spread kendama love; Christian has left his mark not only on Sweets Kendamas but on the kendama community as a whole.
He started playing in 2008 and has been filming and sharing kendama online since then, but in 2018 with the release of his Decade Mod, a new era of Christian Fraser began. Check out these iconic kendama edits and some words about each one from Christian himself:
Christian Fraser is a kendama LEGEND (2018)
This video was my second time developing a project with the edit master, Cooper Eddy. We had a weekend in Atlanta to film my hardest tricks that captured the kendama power the OG Decade Mod held. This edit was the beginning of a new era of kendama for me, as well as Sweets Kendamas. The effort we put into the video was a natural progression for us, but the reaction and reception far surpassed any expectations I had for the project.
Christian Fraser is a kendama LEGEND - Batch Two (2020)
COVID times brought a seclusion to kendama, but also a time for me to reflect on how I grew up filming kendama, at home alone. I tasked George Marshall with taking my raw clips in an empty room and make magic. The simplicity of the kendama tricks and background let George emphasize his motion graphic skills to make a dynamic sequel to the first edit.
Rise n' Grind - Decade Mod: Batch Two - Christian Fraser (2020)
Alongside the full length kendama edit, I hired my long-time cinematographer friend, Joey Kopanksi, to make a commercial. We were inspired by a series of athletic ads that were shot in studio to make something with energy, vibes, and real quality. The whole crew delivered on this one!
Christian Fraser | The Decade Mod - Batch One: Sapphire (2021)
I learned from the Batch Two edit that simplicity in settings can deliver a cohesive edit. In the parking garage of my apartment building, George Marshall and me had multiple film sessions to capture a monotone palette to ultimately highlight the best part of the edit, the music. My wife Lillian showed me this song and I knew it had to be in a kendama edit. The direction I gave George was simple: edit it like a music video, and make it blue.
Christian Fraser | The Decade Mod - Batch One: Synthwave (2022)
After having Batch One and Batch Two connected, I wanted to connect edits once again. The goal was to go back in time and create a retro style video with campy editing, shots, and synthwave colors. George and I found a clear way to connect the two, so we ventured to the parking deck again. Short and sweet, George once again executed his skillset to bring the synthwave vision to life.
15 Legendary Kendama Tricks with Christian Fraser (2023)
To release the Decade Mod on the new Amped shape, we wanted something different to show it off. Shot by Josh Kim at a park in Atlanta, we captured a very simple aesthetic to highlight nature, the kendama, and a new trick list. The tricks were pulled from my past edits to create a cohesive list of tricks without taps or juggles. Edited by Cooper Eddy with the Japanese voiceover by Max Ida.
15 Years of Kendama - Christian Fraser (2024)
Once again I was inspired by music. I was holding onto a song that I knew would work for a kendama edit intro. Celebrating 15 years of kendama required an epic montage of my story over the last decade and a half. 2023 was the year I married Lillian and went to Italy for an incredible honeymoon. It felt natural to me to film kendama tricks in our downtime to highlight the kendama, but more importantly document glimpses into an unforgettable trip with my wife <3.
Leave a comment to share your thoughts and let us know which C Fraser edit is your favorite!
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