On the Katana and it's wielder.

[Jazzyjazz2323]

So throughout modern day "nerd" fiction and what no,almost always someone has a katana of some sort and they're always held up to be the epitome of badass.I have always been confused by this and I've always wondered why the Japanese blade has been seen as a more popular weapon than those of the western and middle-eastern variety.I've never understood peoples fascination with the katana or it's wielder.To me they've always seemed weak,both warrior and weapon,from an empire that never accomplished much in comparison to it's neighbors.
The fighting style also seems highly overrated and people seem to overlook the martial prowess of the middle-eastern and western swordsmen in regards to skill when compared to their Japanese counterparts.Every time a movie,comic book or game mentions master swordsmanship it always goes directly to the Samurai or wielders of the katana.I've always held that the swordsmanship of the western world especially that of knights to be the better form but I'm still perplexed by it's second place status when it comes to weapons in the "nerd"fiction universe.
So basically I would like to get the Escapist views on this weapon and what they think about it's place in the modern day realms of fiction in opposition to it's western and middle-eastern counterparts.


Sorry if this is incoherent in anyway I have not had much sleep.

 

[Arachon]

I agree, Shashkas [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shashka] are way cooler.

 

[Booze Zombie]

I would argue that you can't really rate swordsmen from different countries as having done more or less than each other; if they fought others with swords and won, then they did what they were supposed to.

Personally, I'd go with a claymore or a sabre.

 

[moretimethansense]

The katana is an overrated weapon in fiction. It may have been very well-constructed and great for its specific uses, but it wasn't a wonder-sword, and it was made using notably weak Japanese steel - this is why it had to be well-constructed.

Beaten to it, they are damn fine blades but are built for a specific type of combat, they are good at it but not much else.

If a knight were to fight a samurai, both unarmoured the samurai would likly win, if the knight was wearing armour and/or had a shield the samurai would more than likley be fucked.

 

[The Salty Vulcan]

Indeed. To explain the process would be like asking someone to fold a peice of paper over and over till they couldn't fold it anymore. Then asking them to rip it.
The slight radius of the blade makes it ideal as a slashing weapon, but little else.

Now, the two most valuable weapons that any Martial Artist will tell you to learn are the simplist. A staff and a knife. Both are far more versatile and can be used offensivel and defensively. Sorry, I've seem to gone off-topic.

 

[omega 616]

I am far from an expert on the subject but I will throw my 2 cents at this topic.

I guess it's just a well known elegant sword. I mean a claymore and knights of the round table swords are these huge, double bladed unwieldy things that don't look like they need much finesse with (swing the fucker in big arcs in front of you, left to right, right to left and you would probably kill a few guys).

Were as the thinner, single edged katana you have to choose your actions more carefully.

Like I said, I am only guessing.

 

[Quaxar]

Show me a nerd who can wield a claymore!

I'd say it's probably because the katana is far easier to handle than a huge european sword due to lesser weight and smaller form. I agree that in direct combat against a european broadsword the katana would most likely be fucked.

 

[AVATAR_RAGE]

I prefer the stle and practicle-ness of a sickle sword (khopesh) or a a kilij.

The samurai were known for their combat prowes mainly from one on one combat, with some being able to catch arrows mid flight. So the power of the sword came from the warrior not the weapon.

 

[BlastedTheWorm]

It's cool looking. How about that?

I like claymores myself though.

 

[HeySeansOnline]

The site Tv Tropes has a lot of nice info on this, look up the trope "Katana's are Just Better". Some of the logic behin it is that the katana had many myths and legends behind it.

It also is a great weapon honestly, the proces it takes to make one creates a great weapon. Also look at who wielded it. the Samurai, Ninja, any number of fictional badasses. It's like moss growing on a rolling stone. Sure a chainsaw isn't effective againt zombies, but after Doom, people just did it so much it became a cool thing everyone does.

Also we grow up with longswords, rapiers, cutlasses, they become boring. Then when a child turns to other forms of entertainment, suddenly this new type of sword they maybe saw a couple of times, is doing amazing things.

 

[lolnoobzor]

The katana is an overrated weapon in fiction. It may have been very well-constructed and great for its specific uses, but it wasn't a wonder-sword, and it was made using notably weak Japanese steel - this is why it had to be well-constructed.

Hmm, didn't know about the weakness of Japanese steel - to be honest it's quite surprising, since I once saw a documentary which demonstrated the superior strength and cutting power of the katana compared to it's western equivalent. Perhaps the blade used for the test was made with modern steel...
Anyways, I think we just are impressed by the exotic factor. Even if the blade is slightly superior, I guess you are right to be skeptical: after all, Musashi could own people with a friggin' oar.
Since it's the wielder who matters, I think the best fighters of the middle ages were middle eastern and asian, for superior use of tactics. After all, there's quite a few reasons this time is called the dark ages in Europe.

 

[Horizontalvertigo]

To only qualify "Samurai" as "Dude in armour with the sharp sword" is to ignore a heap of their skill set. The Katana was developed from the longer tachi used in mounted combat, the tachi only used after the mounted Samurai had already stuck everything within range full of arrows, they were often mounted bodyguards, officers and warriors, not foot slogging infantry. Not to mention the willingness with which the Samurai could adapt to new weapons like the gun and cannon. The Katana is beloved as not only a weapon but the highest example of a craftsman's work, each unique, high-level sword could be considered a work of art in it's own right.

I'm not biased at all by the way, this has absolutely nothing to do with my possible samurai heritage, nothing at all.

 

[Nickolai77]

It's Outaku culture which values the Katana so much, and due to the general influence of anything Japanese in Western nerd culture your going to naturally hear a lot about the Katana...

Historically speaking, i like Sabres, classic broadswords and greatswords.

 

[altobizzaro]

Gotta get back
Back to the past
Samurai Jack
Watch out
Gotta get back
Back to the past
Samurai Jack
Jack Jack Jack Jack Jack

Spoiler

 

[Lord Kloo]

The reason the katana is a favorite weapon of movies and games is:

A) - It is well known and easy to get hold of..

B) - Modern day soldiers don't dress in armour that would blunt a katana and so most modern soldiers can be ripped assunder, giving the effect wanted by directors, ect...

EDIT: also has some relation to Japan and Japan has a relation to anime..

 

[Arkzism]

oh thank your may or may not exist god. i've been saying this for years, the katana is very over rated. throw a samurai against full plate and a decent kite shield... and well im sorry no katana is going through that sheild... plus the samurai wouldn't have experience fighting them

 

[DownloaderOfTheMonth]

The Japanese willingly isolated themselves from the rest of the world for politico-economic-cultural-religious reasons, so arguing that they weren't as aggressively imperialistic or expansive as other empires is a bit unfair

The Samurai and the Katana have proven to be incredibly superior to the technology of Western armies at the time - Samurai armour being of greater strength, durability, manouverability and overall design whilst the Katana was far better at cutting, slicing and stabbing than western Longswords, which were more like particularly sharp clubs in comparison (both deadly, obviously - but the Katana is superior if only because it is a lighter, faster, sharper, stronger weapon)

As for peoples' obsession with it - I dunno, it's Japanese so that's gotta count for something in their eyes.

 

[Arkzism]

in all honestly people dont give the spear enough respect

oh and btw japan has inferior iron then the europe so they had to make fancy steel to make up for it