... I believe the answer has been discovered. While the Katana, over time, has had its abilities overstated as it became obsolete (IT CAN CUT THROUGH ANYTHING!!111!!) in the west, Western weapons have been slandered, and now people believe such bullshit such as "European swords are heavy!" The heaviest warsword used in Europe was the German Zwiehander, at 8 lbs. The Scottish Claymore weighed between 5, and 6.5 lbs.
No arming sword (1 handed sword) weighed more than 3 lbs, and no Longsword (Hand-and-a-Half, not 1-handed) weighed more than 4.5.
Actually... it would take too long to debunk all the historical myths, and this site is much better for explaining: http://www.thearma.org/
But, still. The reason the Katana is more popular than the Broadsword is because it wasn't gradually rendered obsolete by changing battlefields. It was removed quickly, and thus never lost the appeal. On the other hand, the pretentious wimps who made the joke of a sport known as "Fencing" decided that Everything Before the Foil, Epee, and Sabre had to be inferior because they were rendered obsolete over time due to changing battlefields, and were complete idiots about it. They were so insecure about the size of their swords, they started making up slanderous bullshit about the weapons that came before them.
And yes, the Rapier was superior to the Katana against unarmed foes. If one proficient with a Rapier were to fight an Unarmored Samurai in a duel, the Samurai would find himself run through before he realized he was within the weapon's reach.
So, which would get more respect? A weapon and combat style that has had been buried in fetid piles of slanderous lies over the past 300 years, or a blade and warrior that has been celebrated as an icon of craftsmanship and culture over that amount of time?
No arming sword (1 handed sword) weighed more than 3 lbs, and no Longsword (Hand-and-a-Half, not 1-handed) weighed more than 4.5.
Actually... it would take too long to debunk all the historical myths, and this site is much better for explaining: http://www.thearma.org/
But, still. The reason the Katana is more popular than the Broadsword is because it wasn't gradually rendered obsolete by changing battlefields. It was removed quickly, and thus never lost the appeal. On the other hand, the pretentious wimps who made the joke of a sport known as "Fencing" decided that Everything Before the Foil, Epee, and Sabre had to be inferior because they were rendered obsolete over time due to changing battlefields, and were complete idiots about it. They were so insecure about the size of their swords, they started making up slanderous bullshit about the weapons that came before them.
And yes, the Rapier was superior to the Katana against unarmed foes. If one proficient with a Rapier were to fight an Unarmored Samurai in a duel, the Samurai would find himself run through before he realized he was within the weapon's reach.
So, which would get more respect? A weapon and combat style that has had been buried in fetid piles of slanderous lies over the past 300 years, or a blade and warrior that has been celebrated as an icon of craftsmanship and culture over that amount of time?