Vovinam Lộc (1912 – 1960) in 1938, with the intent of providing practitioners with an efficient method of self-defense after a short period of study. Nguyễn believed martial arts would contribute to freeing Vietnam, which had been ruled by France since 1859, from outside domination. Vovinam, which Nguyễn synthesized from Chinese styles of kung fu, his own knowledge of traditional Vietnamese martial arts, and elements of Japanese and Korean systems, was thus created partially as a response to the French occupation, meant to promote a sense of national identity for the Vietnamese people. Vovinam thus has anticolonial origins. After being invited
Martial Arts Odyssey while delivering his standard greeting: "“Hey, I’m Antonio Graceffo. And this is Martial Arts Odyssey. Today we are in (name of the location). And we are learning (name of martial art). With me today is (name of instructor).”" Every episode includes training sequences, including some involving Antonio sparring with different martial artists. In addition, the show contains interviews with practitioners of the profiled martial art, as well as details of local culture and history in the area where these arts were founded. Antonio describes himself as a martial arts anthropologist. In various episodes Antonio can be heard speaking with his