The kata I need to know for my kyu grade (5th) are the following:
Taikyoku sono ichi, ni, san
Pinan sono ichi, ni, san
Seido sono ichi, ni (part of Seido karate syllabus)
Sanchin

I like the Seido katas and perform quite well in them as well, but I also enjoy Pinan 2 and 3.
Sanchin I find interesting, and I feel myself improving, but it's a very difficult kata and will take a very long time before I will feel I can perform it reasonably well.

For my next belt, which I will hopefully grade to this Saturday, I will have to learn 3 more kata:
Gekisai Dai
Pinan sono yon
Seido sono san

I quite look forward to learning new kata, as every single one brings in new aspects, new insights and things to think about.

Let's see, I know Taikyoku Shodan, Nidan, and sandan, Heian Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, Yondan, and Godan, and Tekki Shodan, the one I'm best at would probably be Taikyoku Shodan but my favorite is Heian Yondan.

good at:

Heian 1-5
Tekki 1-3
Basai Dai, Basai Sho
Jion, Jiin
Kanku Dai, Kanku Sho
Empi
Hangets
Wankan
Sochin

still becomming good at :

Chinte
Nijushiho

Damn, Victor! Why didn't you list the kata you DON'T know?

I see you had sanchin down the list. Do you teach this at brown belt? Seems it's taught either 1st or 7th in the Isshinryu curriculum.

Kata I "know"

Wado Ryu: Pinan Nidan, Shodan, Sandan, Yodan and Godan. Kushanku, Nianchi, Seishan, Chinto, Bassai, Rohai, Jion and Jitte.

Shindo Ryu: Keiko kata ichi, ni and san. Tanshiki kata Nidan, Shodan, Sandan, Yodan and Godan. Kusanku, Nianchi, Seisan, Chinto, Bassai, Rohai and Jion.

Yoseikan: Heian Nidan, Shodan, Sandan, Yodan and Godan.

All of the above need a lot of improvement. I am leaning Ananku which I need along with Wanshu for my 4th dan in Shindo Ryu. For Wado Ryu I need that version of Wanshu plus Ni Sei Shi.

My favourite kata is Jion. I love both versions of that kata.
Sharon

I'm a Shorinryu (Kobayashi) practitioner who also does other Japanese/Okinawan styles. I also do Taekwondo. Here are my Japanese/Okinawan katas

Taikyoku Gedan, Chudan, Jodan, Mawashi Uke and Kake Uke
Gekisai Dai Ichi and Ni
Saifa
Sanchin
Tensho
Seiunchin
Kururunfa
Suparinpei
Pinan Shodan-Godan
Naihanchi Shodan-Sandan
Passai Dai and Sho
Kusanku Dai and Sho
Gojushiho
Chinto
Unsu
Aragaki Unsu
Wankan
Nipaipo
Annan
Paiku

At the moment in my training I do: kihon-ichi-no-kata, ten-i-no-kata, kihon-ni-no-kata, shiho-empi and shiho-tsuki-geri. (The last one actually in different ways, but this way most of the time.)
I'm 5th kyu at the moment.

Hi Ironfoot,

Just saw your post, having been working flat out the past several months.

As to what kata I know, I've trained a few places and when taught tried to remember it. I think at one time or another I've studied several hundred forms, but whether I know them is a question. Time has restricted many of those practices, many of them were variations of the same kata (such as 3 or 4 different versions of Chinto) which made the retention somewhat easier.

What it does help is my understanding of what others do.

As for Sanchin, I teach Sanchin as the 8th Isshinryu kata, the same order as my instructors taught me. That I teach other kata drills in between the 8, does not change the order of our Isshinryu.

There are some who use Sanchin first (which is more traditional Goju tradition), and I understand at one time Isshinryu taught it first, in the early years before my instructors began training.

I see no special merit in either practice.

Of course I do make one small difference, I only teach Sanchin full speed with normal breathing, after long study on my part. I use Sanchin as a way to break up attacks.

Shorin-ryu
Fukyu-sho
Annanku
Rohia
Wanshu
Naihanchi Sho
Passai Dai

Years later after
Jion
Sesain Matsummura's
Jitte
Chinto

Goju-ryu

Kihon Fukyu-sho
Sanchin
Gakisai 1-3 S.Toguchi's 3rd kata
Gakihai 1 ST's
Tensho
Saifa
Gakihai-2 ST's
Kaku-hai 1-2 ST's
Seienchin
SeiSan Hagashionna's
Sanseiru
Shisochin
Seipai
Kururunfa
Suprienpia
Hakutsuru
Hakutsuru Toguchi's

Tang-soo-do
Pinan 1-5
Tekki-1-3
Baisai sho

Shotokan Heian 1-5, Naihanchi sho, Baisai

Spring flower

Sil-lum Tao Little idea
Chum – Kui Sinking & Bridging
Biu-Jee Darting Fingers
Chi-sauo Sticky Hands

Fukien White Crane ...Ngo-cho-kun
Basic kuens
Sam chien

Silat and Kali sets 1-8.....

Neko456,

You mention "SeiSan Hagashionna's"
It's different from the Goju version ?
Where does it come from (Toguchi-Higa-Higashiaonna ???)