"Creative Coin Sleights Collection" DVD by Sanada
Suggested Retail USD$35.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Creative Coin Sleights Collection", the latest offering on DVD from Sanada, is a collection of simply excellent coin magic utilizing old tools and interesting sleights to achieve what can only be referred to as elegance.

I know that sounds like hype, but this is Toyosane Sanada we're talking about. He created one of my favorite gimmicks of all time. As a manipulator, the man has the moves down. When it comes to performing, his exaggerated mugging and smooth actions are charming to the extreme. Sanada is what we talk about when we say a performer is good: he's as good as we wish we were.

Yeah, I'm a fan. So sue me.

Or wait and take a look at this collection and become a fan too; there's certainly more than enough reasons packed onto this disc to make you one, or at least an ardent admirer.

An overview first, then we'll dig into the details. I'll get this out right now: these routines are not for the beginner. As you can tell from the title, there is a lot of sleight-work here. Advanced workers will be fine with most of the sleights -- a palm here, a false transfer there -- but even they will be challenged by some of Sanada's sleights which are new (at least to me) and on the difficult side of things (at least to me). Still, challenging doesn't equal impossible; put forth the sweat and pearls shall form. Just don't get this thinking you're going to master the routines overnight; they take some serious work but the payoffs are worth it.

Also, if you're a purist, some of the routines will not be to your liking. Sanada uses the usual assortment of gimmicks and gaffs, plus a typical prop or two, to get the job done. Chances are all the tools you need are laying around in your proverbial sock drawer, with maybe one or two exceptions. Nothing too uncommon here at all. And, for the purists, to be honest some of Sanada's work may make you change your mind about those props.

Okay, so it's tough going and you probably have all you need to work with the routines. So let's get down to the nitty and the gritty and take a look at the routines.

"SSorca Sonoics LLehs" is the first routine on the disc and, if you can read backwards, you know what's coming here. This is a "Three Fly" routine using the titled gimmick and, as such routines go, this is fairly standard work, but with a nice bit of a psychological touch for the travel of the last coin. If you're not already going such a routine, this is a nice one to have in your arsenal. It's also moderately easy.

"International Three Fly" killed me. Put this one down in the "worth the price of the disc" category. Sanada takes a fairly common set of coin gimmicks and puts them to use in a beautiful "three-fly" routine where each of three different coins travels from the fingertips. This is simply gorgeous.

"Striking Discovery" is not what you'd think it is from the title: it's more like a "strike vanish" used as a production and boy, does that sound odd. Anyway, that's pretty much what it is and here it's used as three-coin appearance, then a three-coin disappearance, then a three-coin appearance again, all elegantly done. For those in the know, Sanada's combination palming technique here will take their breath away.

"Hang 4C" is Sanada's version of the "hanging coins" plot, this time with four coins which, one at a time, vanish and then re-appear. This is very pretty and very open; coin fans will get a kick out of the acquitment Sanada uses and the flash appearance of the last two coins.

"Catch and Release" is the first of the coin box routines and it's something else. In this one, four coins are produced and placed into a small coin box. The lid is put on the box and then, one at a time, the coins are magically pulled from the box. This routine is all about structure and the open handling Sanada uses makes this one a winner.

"Wild Coin" begins with three silver coins being dumped from a coin purse. One at a time, each coin changes from silver to copper and are then put into the purse. When the coins are dumped out, they have changed back to silver. This routine is nowhere near as dry as that reads; Sanada's changes, especially that of the third coin where it is held visibly at the fingertips and changes with no cover, make this one worth seeing and learning. This is good stuff.

"Wild Coin Deja Vu" takes that cool visual from "Wild Coin" and ups the amperage, big time. Three silver coins are held at the fingertips (a la "three fly") and in the act of simply showing both sides of the coins, change one at a time to copper coins. The coins are then taken from the fingertip fan one at a time and change back to silver. This is one of those rare, astonishment-inducing things that is simply masterful and gorgeous.

"Bottle Quick Silver" is classic Sanada, having fun with a new plot. A small pitcher is shown, with a small opening and a smaller spout. Four silver coins are shown and are obviously much larger than either the opening or the spout. The pitcher is placed on the table and, one at a time, the coins magically penetrate into the pitcher, clinking inside as they do. When all the coins are rattling around inside, they are magically poured out of the spout, one at a time. You'll have problems tracking down the pitcher you need (and doctor a bit to get it to work regardless) but this could be worth it -- it's cute and impossible at the same time.

"Chad Long's Reverse Coin Matrix with Coin Box" is Sanada's routining of the titled piece. In this one, you've got four coins, four cards, and a coin box. One of the coins is placed in the box and the coins placed in the usual square formation, with the coin box taking the place of one of the "corners". The remaining coins are covered with playing cards, as is the box, and one at a time the coins disappear to appear inside the box. The box is put in the middle of the square formed by the playing cards, a magical gesture is made, the box is shown to be empty and underneath the cards are the four coins. This is an elegant take on Long's work and is a great piece of magic.

"Impossible Coins Across" is arguably the most difficult routine on the disc to learn, but also one of the most magical. Three coins are shown and placed on the table. The performer covers them with one hand and places the other hand a short distance away. When the hands are lifted, there are now two coins under one hand and one coin under the other. This is repeated until all the coins have gathered under the other hand. This one looks so incredibly lacking in sleights, yet employs one -- the Sanada Pick-Up Move -- that is a bugbear to learn. Once you've got it, though, this is so clean in appearance it's scary.

That's a lot of material, surely, and not a bit of it filler. True enough, there'll be pieces you like more than others -- I've got my favorites, too -- but there is nothing on here that is less than stellar. This is all gorgeous magic that is almost theatrical in presentation and powerful in appearance. This is magic as good as it gets.

There's a lot more raving I could do about this one; I'm completely taken with Sanada's work and thinking here. But I won't because I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve when it comes to "Creative Coin Sleights Collection": if you're into coin magic and you're looking for the best examples of that branch of the art, you need this one and you'll enjoy this one. Yeah, you might break a knuckle here and there, but in the end it's entirely worth it for the knowledge you'll gain and the knock-out routines you'll learn.

This one gets my highest recommendation.

"Creative Coin Sleights Collection" DVD by Sanada
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Material: 10
Classic coin magic done with style and elegance: that sums up the material in a nutshell. Sanada's work here is gorgeous, smooth, and oh-so-sophisticated in appearance that the magic is simply striking. Not for the beginner at times, but usually suited perfectly for the advanced performer, this is one must-have collection for those working with coins or want to.

Practicality: 10
Some of the routines require a "certain something" (nothing outlandish here -- most folks will have the things laying around somewhere), but set-ups are simple as are the resets. All in all, this is very practical stuff.

Quality of Production: 10
The production values are excellent here. The disc features both English and Japanese audio tracks, which is a plus.

Quality of Instruction: 10
Sanada teaches his material so well you'll be lost in his style and ease. Everything is covered well with simple expressions and handling, to be honest, the audio track is almost distracting.

Presentation: 10
Sanada's material is all about


Shane

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