In the 1980s, Shimano worked to further improve its rods. It worked on a project to develop a proprietary grip focused on high sensitivity to attain operability as if the grip were part of the angler’s hand. This led to the development of the Intuitive Grip. The butt part of the blanks was formed into the “bugle” shape to the bottom end to ensure integration with the grip. This dramatically improved sensitivity and contributed significantly to weight reduction compared to a conventional grip covered by cork. The intuitive concept continued to evolve. The intuitive blanks, which were designed to directly transmit the rod vibration, were developed using a new structure by integrating the full-carbon blanks, reel seat, and grip. These blanks were first used for the MAGNUMLITE GT FIGHTIN’ ROD for bass fishing released in 1984. The rod was highly acclaimed in the U.S. market due to its high sensitivity and innovative design. The rod helped raise the profile of Shimano’s rods in the global market.