There is no "best" Martial Art.
It is an expression of the mind, body and soul.

"Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they maybe studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to defeat a person physically or to defend oneself from physical threat." thank you Wikipedia

Krav Maga And MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program) Soldiers use these to keep them alive during close combat "One Mind Any Weapon"

Oorah!

Yep... Since my first post in this thread, my opinion has shifted a little. I now regard Krav Maga as being the singular best system of close-combat self-defense in the world currently. But truthfully, it's not the system: it's the training. I don't believe that any martial art is really superior to any other. It's all about the training.

What KM does different is make you fight fifteen people in a row for a mid-level student and then fight fifteen people at the same time for an advanced student. Other systems just don't do that. Well, the MCMAP does, I'm sure; likewise any military probably trains in this way. As far as consumer-end systems go, however, that kind of training is exceedingly rare.

This is the best
 

This is the best martioal art EVER!

Russian Martial Art. The System.

if you doubt me I challenge anyone to go there and train.

Every martial art is special. I've been practicing Hapkido for 2 years (it's Korean and I think similar to Aikido). Well, if I MUST choose then I choose Hapkido, Aikido, Kendo and Tae Kwon Do.

mine is definately kendo cuz i love swords and stuff:D

Shotokan is my specialty style and the one I find to be most effective. I have studied it for 9 years so far and plan on continuing. Other styles I'm taking are Tae Kwon Do and Brazillian Jiu Jitsu.

But I agree with what has been said before. No Martial Art is "the best". It all depends on the fighter.

Agree, you can't really classified it as "best", you are esentially comparing apple to oranges.

Many factors come to play, your physical build, flexibility and all that will dictate how well you can stick to an art.

And correction to some of you. In Chinese, "Kung Fu" means "Ability", "Skills" etc, it bascially means "Martial Art". In general, the Chinese Art is distinguished in 2 major style - Sourthern and Northern.

Even if you practices something that was originated from Shaolin, you are still wrong by calling it "Shaolin Kung Fu", because there are different discipline, the 18 Buddah form, San Da, Iron Palm etc.

So make sure whoever is teaching you at least can tell you what style and its origin, I can't agree to someone who simply say "I teach Kung Fu" as authentic

Just as an FYI, because I grew up in a Chinese Art Family (My grand father taught Bah Qi, Southern Boxing, Choi Li Fut and Hung's Boxing), I figure I will correct the use of "Kung Fu"

Thanks :)

Thanks, Godwine :D .

With that info, it seems like we in the West use "Kung fu" in much the same way the Japanese use "Kenpo", i.e. to refer to a martial art that is Chinese in origin, but not necessarily to a specific style.