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The katana sword appears in many folk tales as well as legends. This piece of Japanese history not only appears in old folklore, it is also very popular in modern fiction as well as contemporary art pieces such as film and theater. The katana has reached far and wide in the world of fictional stories and can be used to tell tales of wisdom and bravery or evil and treachery. The sword can be seen not only as a tool for the hero but also a tool for the villain.


Traditional lore

Many
legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
s surround Japanese swords, the most frequent being that the blades are folded an immense number of times, gaining magical properties in the meantime. While blades folded hundreds, thousands, or even millions of times are encountered in fiction, there is no record of real blades being folded more than around 20 times. With each fold made by the maker, every internal layer is also folded, and so the total number of layers in a sword blade is doubled at each fold; since the thickness of a katana blade is less than 230 iron
atom Atoms are the basic particles of the chemical elements. An atom consists of a atomic nucleus, nucleus of protons and generally neutrons, surrounded by an electromagnetically bound swarm of electrons. The chemical elements are distinguished fr ...
s, going beyond 20 folds no longer adds meaningfully to the number of layers in the blade. Folding a blade only ten times will therefore create 1024 layers; 20 times will create 1,048,576 layers. Furthermore, while heating and folding serves to even out the distribution of carbon throughout the blade, a small amount of carbon is also 'burnt out' of the steel in this process; repeated folding will eventually remove most of the carbon, turning the material into softer iron and reducing its ability to hold a sharp edge. This can be combated with
carburization Carburizing, or carburising, is a heat treatment process in which iron or steel absorbs carbon while the metal is heated in the presence of a carbon-bearing material, such as charcoal or carbon monoxide. The intent is to make the metal harder ...
, though it does not produce even carbon distribution, partially defeating the purpose of folding. Some swords were reputed to reflect their creators' personalities. Those made by Muramasa had a reputation for violence and bloodshed, while those made by
Masamune was a medieval Japanese blacksmith widely acclaimed as Japan's greatest swordsmith. He created swords and daggers, known in Japanese as ''tachi'' and ''tantō'', in the Japanese sword#Classification by School, ''Sōshū'' school. However, many ...
were considered weapons of peace. A popular legend tells of what happens when two swords made by Muramasa and Masamune were held in a stream carrying fallen lotus petals: while those leaves touching the Muramasa blade were cut in two, those coming towards the Masamune suddenly changed course and went around the blade without touching it. Kusanagi (probably a tsurugi, a type of
Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
sword which precedes the
katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
by centuries) is the most famous legendary sword in Japanese mythology, involved in several folk stories. Along with the Jewel and the Mirror, it was one of the three godly treasures of Japan. A common misconception is that Katana magically sprung into existence in Japan, utterly isolated from the mainland. The technique of folding steel came from the manufacture of the Dao in China, and contact with the mainland would affect how the katana evolved through the centuries. The katana design itself was developed over hundreds of years and the katana design was a development of the Tachi.


Modern fiction

The most common depiction, especially in the Western world, of the
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
is a weapon of unparalleled power, often bordering on the physically impossible. Katana are often depicted as being inherently "superior" to all other weapons possessing such qualities as being impossibly light, nigh-unbreakable and able to cut through nearly anything. By contrast, traditional European weapons are often depicted as clumsy, crude and unwieldy by comparison. It is the prime weapon of choice for Japanese heroes in historical fiction set before the
Meiji period The was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonizatio ...
. Carrying a non-sealed katana is illegal in present-day Japan, but in fiction this law is often ignored or circumvented to allow characters to carry katana as a matter of
artistic license Artistic license (and more general or contextually-specific, derivative terms such as creative license, poetic license, historical license, dramatic license, and narrative license) refers to deviation from fact or form for artistic purposes. It ...
. For instance, some stories state that carrying weapons has been permitted due to a serious increase in crimes or an invasion of monsters from other dimensions. With this law in mind, katana are sometimes used for comic relief in anime and manga set in the present, although this is sometimes replaced by the use of a
bokken A ''bokken'' (, , 'wood', and ''ken'', '(double-edged) sword') or ''bokutō'' (, , 'wood', and ''tō'', '(single-edged) sword') is a Japanese wooden sword used for training in kenjutsu. It is usually the size and shape of a ''katana'', but is so ...
having surprisingly comparable capabilities. In the film '' Kill Bill: Volume 1'', the main protagonist is permitted to bring her katana on board an airliner; presumably, this is a policy of the fictitious Japanese airline, as other passengers can also be seen carrying swords. Due to the renowned quality of the sword and the mysticism surrounding the relationship between the blade and its wielder, the katana appears in various works of fiction, including
film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
,
anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
,
manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
, other forms of
literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...
, and
computer game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual feedback from a display device, mo ...
s. It is frequently used by non-Japanese creators, partly due to its status as an easily recognizable
icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic, and Lutheranism, Lutheran churches. The most common subjects include Jesus, Mary, mother of ...
of Japan and its high reputation as a formidable weapon in skilled hands. Four well-known appearances in Western culture are Bruce Willis' weapon of opportunity in
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
's ''
Pulp Fiction ''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American independent crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence ...
'', the Bride's signature weapon in '' Kill Bill'' (a film strongly influenced by Japanese samurai movies), the katana used by the main characters in '' Highlander'' and the 1975 Tom Laughlin action Western film '' The Master Gunfighter''. Other appearances for the western audience include a pair of Ninjato carried by the character Leonardo in the ''
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (''TMNT'') is an American media franchise created by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Leonardo, Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), D ...
'' franchise. Ulrich Stern wields one in the first, second and third seasons of ''
Code Lyoko ''Code Lyoko'' (; stylized as ''CODE: LYOKO'' in season 1 and in all caps in seasons 2–4) is a French anime-influenced animated series created by Thomas Romain and Tania Palumbo and produced by Antefilms Production (season 1) and MoonScoop ...
,'' but gains an additional katana in the fourth season and in '' Code Lyoko: Evolution''.
Michonne Michonne Grimes ( ) (full name in the comic book series: Michonne Hawthorne) is a Character (arts), fictional character from ''The Walking Dead (comic book), The Walking Dead''. The character also appears in media adaptations of the series, most ...
wields a katana as her main weapon in '' The Walking Dead'' franchise. The ronin lightsaber is used by Ochi of Bestoon in the Star Wars universe, featured prominently in the film "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (2019). The lightsaber's design embodies this concept, featuring a hilt that resembles a traditional katana sword handle, complete with a crossguard.


Manga and anime

Manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
and
anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
show a prominent feature of katana for specific characters. In the manga ''
Bakuman is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, the same creative team responsible for ''Death Note''. It was serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen manga, manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from Augus ...
'', the characters while researching on the commonality between the popular manga styles, mentioned Japanese swords are always present in them, including '' InuYasha'', ''
One Piece ''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as he explores the Grand Line in search of the myt ...
'', ''
Bleach Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color from (i.e. to whiten) fabric or fiber (in a process called bleaching) or to disinfect after cleaning. It often refers specifically t ...
'', ''
Gin Tama is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi. It was serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen manga, manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from December 2003 to September 2018, later in ''Jump Giga'' from De ...
'' and various other examples. *In ''Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest'', the main protagonist Hajime Nagumo improvised his gunsmithing skills to create Tsumehirameki, a unique Kissaki Moroha Zukuri style double edged Katana which he gifted to one of his future lovers Shizuku. Coincidentally, Hajime's gunsmith creation of Tsumehirameki parallels the real-life Tsuneyoshi Murata, a Meiji era military general and firearms designer who created the first Gunto known as Murata-Tou which is of the same double edged Katana design as Tsumehirameki. *In ''Bleach'', all Soul Reapers wields Zanpakuto which take on the form of Japanese swords in their base form. The main protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, Zanpakuto, the first Zangetsu's final evolved form is a black blade Katana with immense spiritual powers, able to clash with the strongest opponents such as Soul Reapers Captains and Arrancars. *In ''Highschool of the Dead'', one of the main characters, Saeko Busujima who is a famous Kendo prodigy believed to be on par with Chiba Sanako, a female swordmaster of Hokushin Ittō-ryū. Saeko received a historical Meiji era Gunto which is a Kissaki Moroha Zukuri style Katana personally created by General Murata as her new weapon for fighting zombies. *In ''One Piece'', a large majority of legendary swords are Japanese Katana, with one of the main characters, Roronoa Zoro having collected a total of five legendary Katana during his journey with the Straw Hat Pirates, Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, Yubashiri, Shusui and Enma, losing Yubashiri to irreparable damage in combat, later replacing Shusui with Enma one of the two Kozuki Family heirloom swords. *In ''Shaman King'', the main character Yoh Asakura wields Harusame, a Katana originally belonged to his Guardian Ghost, the legendary Samurai Amidamaru, The masterpiece of his best friend Mosuke who created it from his father's knife during their childhood. There are also several manga series that were inspired by the Japanese swords. Kamata Kimiko's ''
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
'' is one such series; it is heavily imbued with the theme of katana with the story plot following an extraordinary teenage boy with the ability to see the 'spirit forms' of swords.


Sakabatō

The sakabatō (逆刃刀) is a type of katana from ''
Rurouni Kenshin is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The story begins in 1878, the 11th year of the Meiji era in Japan, and follows a former assassin of the Bakumatsu, known as Hitokiri Battosai. After his work against ...
'', wielded by
Himura Kenshin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the manga ''Rurouni Kenshin'' created by Nobuhiro Watsuki. Kenshin's story is set in a fictional version of Japan during the Meiji period. Kenshin is a former legendary assassin known as , more ...
. It is a "reverse-edge sword", translated in the
English-language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...
dub as a "reverse blade sword". Some companies have created true replicas of the sakabatō. The sharpened edge is the inward curved, longer side of the blade – the opposite of a standard katana – making it extremely difficult to kill an opponent; it generally knocks the wielder's enemies "senseless" rather than killing them. The only way for the sakabatō to cut is to rotate the hilt by 180 degrees within the hand, thus holding the sword backwards. The sakabatō symbolizes Kenshin's oath not to kill again.


Video games

Video games also provide frequent appearances of the katana, most with unique characteristics. Kaede, the protagonist of the arcade series ''The Last Blade'', Yoshimitsu, the well known ninja from ''
Tekken is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting games developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The franchise also includes film and print adaptations. The main games in the series follow the events ...
'', and Mitsurugi, the Japanese samurai from the ''
Soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
'' series also wield Katana as their default weapons. Katana frequently appear in
role-playing video game Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...
s, such as some ''Elder Scrolls'' games like ''Morrowind'', ''Oblivion'', ''Skyrim'' or ''
Neverwinter Nights ''Neverwinter Nights'' is a series of video games developed by BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment, based on the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. Aside from also being set around the city Nev ...
'', as weapons; often faster than a
longsword A longsword (also spelled as long sword or long-sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a cruciform hilt with a grip for primarily two-handed use (around ), a straight double-edged blade of around , and weighing approximatel ...
yet less powerful. The browser video game '' Touken Ranbu'' developed by Nitroplus and DMM Games involves the player assuming the role of a sage who has the power to bring historical katana to life. One of the more recent appearances of the katana in another video game series is in '' Left 4 Dead 2'', a game made by
Valve A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or Slurry, slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically Pip ...
. ''
Team Fortress 2 ''Team Fortress 2'' (''TF2'') is a Multiplayer video game, multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve Corporation in 2007. It is the sequel to the 1996 ''Team Fortress'' Mod (video gaming), mod for ''Quake (video g ...
'', another Valve game, also features an unlockable katana called the Half-Zatoichi. The name comes from the fictional Japanese swordsman Zatoichi. In ''
Final Fantasy VII is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation. The seventh main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series, it was released in Japan by Square and internationally by Sony Computer Entertainment, becoming the first ...
'', the character Sephiroth wields a very long katana. Other games in the ''
Final Fantasy is a Japanese fantasy Anthology series, anthology media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi which is owned, developed, and published by Square Enix (formerly Square (video game company), Square). The franchise centers on a series of fanta ...
'' series include a sword called the
Masamune was a medieval Japanese blacksmith widely acclaimed as Japan's greatest swordsmith. He created swords and daggers, known in Japanese as ''tachi'' and ''tantō'', in the Japanese sword#Classification by School, ''Sōshū'' school. However, many ...
, apparently named after the famous Japanese swordsmith. In ''Ninja Gaiden'', protagonist Ryu Hayabusa wields two legendary Japanese swords, the Dragon Sword, a katana which was carved from a Dragon's fang, and the Blade of the Archfiend, a Tachi which was forged from a cursed meteorite. In the ''
Devil May Cry is a science fantasy action-adventure game franchise created by Hideki Kamiya. It is primarily developed and published by Capcom. The series centers on the demon hunter Dante (Devil May Cry), Dante and his efforts to thwart various demon invas ...
'' series, Sparda, the father of protagonist
Dante Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...
, who is a legendary demon weaponsmith, designed one of his masterpieces Yamato after a traditional Japanese katana, which is then wielded by Dante's twin brother
Vergil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: the ''Eclogues'' ...
, who is a master of Iaijutsu. In the three video games based on the 2D animated French television show ''
Code Lyoko ''Code Lyoko'' (; stylized as ''CODE: LYOKO'' in season 1 and in all caps in seasons 2–4) is a French anime-influenced animated series created by Thomas Romain and Tania Palumbo and produced by Antefilms Production (season 1) and MoonScoop ...
'' ('' Get Ready to Virtualize!'', '' Quest for Infinity'', and '' Fall of X.A.N.A.'') Ulrich Stern utilizes his saber to slice and dice monsters.


Television

''
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (''TMNT'') is an American media franchise created by comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Leonardo, Donatello (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), D ...
'' (1987) deals with it twice. In " Ninja Sword of Nowhere", an alien spacecraft left a fragment of an alien metal, used to travel between dimensions in a mere microsecond, on Earth thousands of years ago, before a craftsman found the alien metal, forging a Japanese sword. This creates a legend of a sword which allows its owner to show up and disappear whenever he or she wishes.Episode Guide
Even " Sword of Yurikawa" has a plot with an old Japanese sword. The French shows ''
Code Lyoko ''Code Lyoko'' (; stylized as ''CODE: LYOKO'' in season 1 and in all caps in seasons 2–4) is a French anime-influenced animated series created by Thomas Romain and Tania Palumbo and produced by Antefilms Production (season 1) and MoonScoop ...
'' and its cancelled sequel '' Code Lyoko: Evolution'' depict one of its five main characters, Ulrich Stern, with a katana (called "
saber A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...
") as his only weapon on the virtual world of Lyoko and eventually the Cortex region. Usually calling out ''Impact!'' he slashes the programmed monsters of X.A.N.A. in one strike, but can also throw it like a
javelin A javelin is a light spear designed primarily to be thrown, historically as a ranged weapon. Today, the javelin is predominantly used for sporting purposes such as the javelin throw. The javelin is nearly always thrown by hand, unlike the sling ...
to destroy two or three targets from a distance. At one point, his katana was temporarily modified and upgraded by the false Franz Hopper, capable of charging and emitting a wave of white energy that could wipe out three monsters from a distance. In its fourth season, he is presented with an additional katana, which is easier for him to get a "close slave."


References

{{reflist
Sword A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...
Fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying character (arts), individuals, events, or setting (narrative), places that are imagination, imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent ...