Is The Katana Overrated? - Loadout

The Katana is one of the most legendary swords in fiction and in real world history, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood weapons.
An iconic part of Japanese culture and history, the Katana has also established itself as an icon of pop culture with appearances in everything from games like Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice through to the classic samurai films of Akira Kurosawa.
On this episode of Loadout we take a look at some of the tropes and misconceptions that surround the legendary weapon of the Samurai, as we break down the myth and legend of the Katana.
You can check out more from the Royal Armouries right here - / royalarmouries
Watch previous episodes of Loadout here: • How Games Are Lying To...

[@alexramey2062]

"What does Katana mean?" "It means Japanese Sword." -Samurai Cop

[@Mechjeb661]

He's fluent in Japanese.

[@datboiderrty]

Are you fooge foojiwara?

[@gant12000]

Did anyone else think that the reason they could also look pristine and gorgeous was because they just weren’t used a lot for fighting?

[@deathsheir2035]

They were used. But because of the time and cost of a Katana, were taken far better care of, than the longswords of Europe.

[@gant12000]

@@deathsheir2035 i guess that came out wrong. i meant the ones that remain are really pristine and gorgeous because they belonged to people that didn't have to use them as much anymore. like lords and such

[@kinkinkijkin]

@@gant12000 the japanese equivalent to lords at the time would still engage in battle themselves, if less frequently. the culture of the noble duel, while it seems like it's a borrowing from western royal silliness onto japanese media, really was a much stronger thing in eastern asia in general for a very long time, albeit with far different political connotations compared to western europe. so, they'd also be duelling with much of their blades, and since japan didn't really have a whole ton of iron to work with and the swords were made with such a long process, there wasn't a second "throwaway" sword they'd use for this or going into war. very, very few of the famous swords from japan were made as "ceremonial" weapons because of this, but some probably are. highest likelihood is that the combination of a higher cultural importance on respecting your sword, smaller number of swords, and significantly higher expense of "getting a new sword" led to them being genuinely in-use (but treated absurdly-well) for hundreds of years, then gradually restored subconsciously in keeping in the past 1-200 years.

[@irrelevantfish1978]

@@kinkinkijkin While care and maintenance is _part_ of the reason so many antique Japanese swords are in fine condition, the biggest factor is how they were used. All swords, no matter how well they are made or how lovingly they are cared for between combats, are actually relatively delicate in some respects. Contact with metal will rapidly (if not immediately) reduce them to scrap, and even wood can cause serious damage if the edge alignment is off. Since most other cultures made far more use of armor and/or shields than the Japanese, and often had styles of swordsmanship more conducive to weapon-on-weapon contact, Japanese swords were far more likely to emerge from combat in good condition than most. For further information and/or evidence of the truth of my claims, I refer you to Matthew Jensen's sword reviews, which usually involve him systematically abusing well-crafted weapons until the poor things break.

[@kisaragi_san1378]

@@gant12000 i dont think this is true, if you look at the taro tachi that is a sword that was involved in several battles and it's user even managed to get disarmed using it, yet it is in excellent condition at the shrine its housed at

[@MellonVegan]

"Its image and reputation is highly justified." People treat it as if it could easily cut other swords in half. That's the kind of absurdity we're talking about here ^^ They're good swords, even great swords, because they were made to high standards for the upper class and treated well. But were they inherently superior to a Western sword made to the same standards? Of course not.

[@geroschorch1365]

*its

[@MellonVegan]

@@geroschorch1365 whoopsie, edited

[@Elite7555]

That's exactly what's always bothering me about the Katana's display. There is absolutely nothing legenendary about them, except in the heads of media zombies. A good longsword is a just as capable and beautiful weapon.

[@geroschorch1365]

@@Elite7555 capable yes, but in regards to beauty i think the japanese longswords are on a different level. at least the more expensive and more detailed swords, certainly there were cheap 'mass produced' katana as well.

[@trevorm0329]

I'm no weapon expert, but even though European longswords and cavalry swords could have been just as good, they were often heavy and unwieldy on foot. You had to be above average size to effectively wield one on the ground, but great on horseback. Whereas Japanese blades are some of the highest quality in the world nowadays, even back then their swords were of the highest quality they could produce with their limited resources. They can last for centuries if properly maintained, and I have never heard that about a knight's long sword. A katana was also shorter and lighter, so that the average person could wield it with extreme speed. The size is much smaller due to the statute of the average Japanese soldier of the time being several inches shorter, made it quicker to wield as it would have more balance and wouldn't weigh your hand down. But I'm no expert, so I have no idea 😅

[@deathangellink]

when you realize that all the ''ritual '' style technique made to produce the iron and steel to make the katana is purely because Japan do not have proper iron mine, all they had was dust, and sand, which made iron and steel hard and expensive to produce unlike Europe where iron was everywhere which why they had so much iron and steel, and more wildly available,

[@antivanti]

Also since iron was scarce it wasn't used for armor so Japanese swords were made for cutting flesh, leather and bone but break easier than a European sword would against heavier armor or another sword

[@antivanti]

And a long sword cuts just as well through flesh, bone and leather

[@tn1881]

This special steel is used in various applications such as blade steel, high-grade kitchen knife materials, razor materials, automobile parts materials, automobile engine parts, and aircraft engine parts. High-quality kitchen knives made in Japan are also made of sand iron materials. German makers also make luxury kitchen knives in Japan.

[@spinyslasher6586]

@@tn1881 Yup, but those also end up being more expensive due to the manufacturing and purifying process.

[@baker90338]

@@tn1881 Several materials are used for aeronautics both inside and outside of the atmosphere, and I’m a machinist. If you want durability for minimal weight, titanium, or scandium titanium alloys are marvelous. If you want general reliability, look up 4150 steel.

[@Daysed.and.Konfuzed]

Say what you will, but if you swing a katana at a speeding bullet really really fast, with a perfect movement, you'll die looking way cooler than your buddy who just died screaming "PLEASE, NOT IN THE FACE..."

[@badger297]

This is a great comment. Glad I got the chance to see this one 🙌

[@eroneko]

....kiriko reference?

[@omaewamoushindeiru2731]

Any kind of weapon can do that not just katana . If you swing a mace against the katana both with same speed ( or even slower ) the katana skill cracked to piece because katana not make for slash through metal

[@Daysed.and.Konfuzed]

@@omaewamoushindeiru2731 But then you would at least have died from "mace to the face" in modern times. It would be a nod to a classic. You don't see many of these anymore. The epitaph on the tombstone could be "He died like he lived. Headbanging."

[@MrLightningBlt]

Swords are just amazing and incredible pieces of craftsmanship. Katanas, tachies, chokutōs longswords (type X to type XXII) sabres, scimitars, messers/kriegsmessers, falchions, jians, daos, gladiuses, rapiers, cutlasses, viking swords. All similar yet so different, each with their own intended designs, crafted for their specific roles. Evolving throughout history and adapting to the changing times, some a lot more then others. Even though they have been long obsolete since WWII, swords will always remain a symbol of human ingenuity.

[@PandaMan-xy1he]

*Cough cough* Mad Jack Churchill *Cough cough*

[@Notmyname1593]

I`d say architecture is a better symbol.

[@TwowyToon]

@@PandaMan-xy1he you mean Sledge right?

[@0lionheart]

@@Notmyname1593 definitely, I mean let's be real here a sword is a sharpened length of metal you swing at someone to injure them, it's not advanced. Not like a suspension bridge or cathedral y'know, which require a mountain of planning, careful consideration and labour.

[@Notmyname1593]

@@0lionheart Also coordination between several workers.

[@ahmadiqbal8982]

to put simply, a Katana is basically a handgun, sure lot of action hero use handgun, it's cool until you realize they can get a better gun anyway. Same with the Katana, most of them like Ashigaru and Samurai have it but they aren't use it like primary weapon. oh there's also another sharp weapon like Tanto, but it's mainly used to stabbing

[@Jan-sf7xv]

yep. It is ok as a sidearm, people often either over estimate how good it is or unfairly judge it as a samurais main weapon.

[@Sip_Dhit]

Yes exactly the sword is a battlefield side arm and a self-defence main weapon, like a handgun

[@mohammadalfattal2902]

katana was the primary weapon in the edo period

[@ahmadiqbal8982]

@@mohammadalfattal2902 eh, it's only used as symbol to samurai identity, since Edo period is relatively peaceful

[@Bazinguh]

Most accurate, unbiased and simple description, I mean it was essentially a last ditch melee for samurais, but it works

[@lenardregencia]

"This is Katana. She's got my back. I would advise not getting killed by her. Her sword traps the souls of its victims."

[@SobeCrunkMonster]

yea DC characters are a bunch of awkward losers

[@horrorAk]

Katana it means japanese sword👮‍♂️

[@creed8712]

@@SobeCrunkMonster there’s literally a marvel movie full of characters that are that. Also guardians of the galaxy

[@seanjames6000]

God I cringed.

[@mrburgermaster]

A quality tempered longsword (made from more advanced blast furnaces and tempered to be flexible) was a better sword against plate armored opponents. The katana is great and forgiving at cutting unarmored or light clothed targets, which is why it was effective in its use in Japan.

[@nuclearjanitors]

...the Japanese had “heavy” rigidly armored infantry and cavalry dude.

[@andrewbrooks4219]

@@nuclearjanitors katanas and longswords were used as side arms to actual war weapons such as a polearm or a greatsword. No longsword(unless halfsworded) or katana can cut through steel plate. Also the iron armor was very uncommon and was worn by usually higher ranking people in japan. All in all, katana and longswords are two different sword and was built for different purposes but aren’t very effective outside a duel

[@nuclearjanitors]

@@andrewbrooks4219 go patronize someone else, guy.

[@mihailmilev9909]

@@nuclearjanitors hm?

[@deathsheir2035]

The long sword is just as effective against plate armor, as the Katana... neither would deal damage...

[@realdragon]

It's not as good as many weebs think. It isn't sharp just because steel was folded many times, it is sharp because it was sharpened like any other blade and it doesn't matter if it's long sword, katana or kitchen knife each blade can be sharpened to crazy levels And no, even the sharpest blades can't cut through plate armour

[@alexanderflack566]

It wasn't even that sharp, as far as edge geometry and blade thickness go. It held its edge better than most cutting swords, due to the extreme hardness of the edge and the fairly large angle it made, but it was also prone to chipping rather than denting, making it much more costly to repair edge damage. It was handy, though, I'll give it that; it was a sword meant for two-handed use that was quick to draw and easier to wear due to the short length, but when you're forced to use it, the short length is a disadvantage.

[@yullb.allwright7368]

Weeb gonna ignore that

[@maxmustermann850]

The Japanese sword making industry stagnated for most of the time, only a few blacksmith masters were able and allowed to make katanas. The craft was regarded to be holy and the smithing techniques absolute. In conjunction with the isolation of Japan from western influence and the scarcity of Iron, innovation on the field of metallurgy was almost impossible. When Japan underwent heavy industrialisation and ultimately entered WW2, many officers wielded katanas which were mass produced using modern metallurgical techniques. These swords were way tougher and more durable than the 'holy' swords of the samurai strengthing the fact that Japanese master blacksmiths were unable to innovate their craft substantially.

[@JustSomeGuywithEpicGrasses]

Yeah. I don't know how the hell she can talk about the katana like this. She made a lot more misconceptions.

[@realdragon]

Obviously modern industry made better swords, if you are 1000 years ahead and can literally see the structure of metal you can make better swords than traditional way

[@rotwang2000]

There are so many misconceptions about Japanese swords and the Japanese don't help either when you have an example of a sword that was clearly forged in the 17th century described as a "thousand year old relic" it's like a Greek family claiming to have the armour of their ancestor that fought at Marathon and it looks suspiciously like 15th century plate, but the Japanese are so polite and defer to social superiors that it's accepted as being a katana forged at a time when they barely had introduced the Tachi ... Even the relatively new narrative that Japanese swords were rare because all swords were made from satetsu forged in the Tamagahane is completely wrong. Japan imported large amounts of iron from the mainland and exported high quality swords by the tens of thousands which were highly praised on the mainland, described as works of art. The mythmaking starts just after the start of the Tokugawa period and especially the sword ban of 1683 they start to really focus on the cult of Bushido and the sword becomes this holy relic, almost a shrine by the samurai to themselves. That's where they start to commission smiths to forge new swords in the traditional manner, unless you have a really famous ancestor whose sword is still in the family, most are relatively modern weapons, smiths in the 17th and 18th century were making fortunes making super high quality swords for those who could afford it and there was a gradual revival to carrying swords until the big ban of 1876 and the bottom fell out of the market and most smiths had to revert to cutlery instead. The strength of the cult is so strong that even after trying to modernize Japan and impose the use of modern European pattern sabers they switch to mass forged shingunto swords for WWII as a mark of national pride and a nod to the cult, all followed by another ban and the Japanese could only circumvent that by turning post WWII swordmaking into the most traditional almost regressive level to the point of denying they ever did things differently. Denying that swords were mass produced, when even simple Bushi had swords at the height of the Sengoku Jidai and the few authentic ones that have been preserved turn out to be pretty decent, maybe not top tier, but certainly just as dangerous as any other sword. The katana is such a powerful myth that even today Japanese make the mistake to introduce a katana in periods when they didn't exist, even the famous Kusanagi no Tsurugi is so often depicted as a katana even in textbooks most Japanese accept it. And our knowledge in the west is incomplete at best and with so much mythmaking it's hard to get the facts right. We have similar myths, every gun in the West was a Colt SAA and every rifle was a Winchester model 73.

[@MovieFactory]

that isnt entirely true. many ww2 swords were family hairlooms, or in rare cases (because only high ranking soldiers could afford one) newly forged with modern technology in a traditional way. the other gunto (japanese ww2 swords) were usually made out of semi high carbon steel, machine made and stored in metal sheaths. this meant that they theoretically were more durable than the older swords or newly made ones in a traditional way, but also couldnt retain their sharpness for long and are infamous for not being able to cut

[@CodPlayerNo77]

Before watching I want to say: The legendary Samurai Miyamoto Musashi advised against mainly using the Katana. He preferred the long-sword (Tachi).

[@gameblast5696]

Cheer 🍜

[@afqwa423]

Musashi didn't believe in playing fair. Like ever. He'd always edge-case whatever he could get away with for an advantage. Tachi have reach, which probably is unsporting when the other guy is using a shorter weapon, but he probably didn't care.

[@CodPlayerNo77]

@@afqwa423 That is absolutely true. Musashi was about winning whatever it takes. That's why he didn't die in battle.

[@RageDuck0]

When you say long-sword do you mean the nodachi because and I'm not an expert but I believe the tachi was a knife like blade but the nodachi or odachi was between long sword langth to almost the langth of a large flamberg Sorry you are totally right I'm thinking of the tanto but the part about the nodachi still stands he did use them frequently

[@reapordeath]

A small correction... Katana and tachi are similar enough in length, the main difference is a tachi has a more pronounced curve, this curve was designed to be used on horseback while a katana is designed to be used on foot. Tachi are very slightly longer than katana but not really enough to warrant being called a long sword i would think. Besides, didnt Miyamoto mainly use the Odachi and not the Tachi? If im being absolutely honest, that would be more in line with a greatsword esque type. The closest equivalent to a tachi would actually be sabers, if my memory still functions properly, like those used by the Hussars

[@marksmith4124]

“The Art of the Japanese Sword” “The Craft of Sword making And It’s Appreciation” by Leon and Hiroko Kapp, Yoshindo Yoshihara is an Amazing book if you want a great in depth look into the making and history of the Japanese Sword.

[@jasonarmstrong5750]

Even though the feats of the katana have been exaggerated over the years the traditional forging methods are a testament to how creative the Japanese swordsmiths had to get with the subpar materials available at the time.

[@encinoman903]

You know what they say: the katana was the best sword... in Japan.

[@tomatopotato1136]

Fun fact: There are also recorded incidents of Vikings lodging an axe in an enemy, and then throwing him several meters into the air. Just 'cause you have an old text saying something doesn't mean it is correct.

[@Dseated]

A few contradictory statements made in the video. Japanese did use spears, and their metal ore was not that good and that's why it was folded so many times, to drive out impurities.

[@eagle162]

The ore was not terrible that's a myth, it was not folded that many times( which was a thing everywhere in the world until the Industrial Revolution) and its purpose was to even out the carbon. "Japanese Swords "Mythbusting" - Part 1" on Gunbai.

[@alexanderflack566]

@@eagle162 Folding was not a thing everywhere. The Celts and Norse were known for it, though even the latter had some crucible steel (actual Ulfbehrt swords were crucible steel, not bloomery). India and the Near East (Damascus, for example) didn't need to pattern weld and fold because they had crucible steel.

[@whisperer1705]

I'm sorry, but it's true that Japanese iron is not good

[@kisaragi_san1378]

I think the claim they wanted to make was that the Japanese used spears while the Mongols (more accurately, the Yuan and Goryeo) used Pikes. It did sound very off though.

[@Kriegerdammerung]

There is a weaponsmith in Argentina, province of Cordoba that he himself decided to learn how to do katanas by trial and error. To tell you that in 1997 the Emperor of Japan in his own persona bought a sword from him tells you how he ended up!!!

[@fizz576]

I would take a polearm over a sword in most situations swords are cool and all but pole weapons dominated many battlefields.

[@BS-bd5uq]

Except that you can't always carry a polearm with you. It's very useful when you have it, but you can't have it all the time.

[@fizz576]

@@BS-bd5uq yeah for sure but it really depends on the situation. Though I will admit I do have a bit of a bias since I have more training with polearms than I do with swords.

[@DenverStarkey]

@@fizz576 fun polearm fact! during the middle ages many polearms were made using untreated cheap wood (IE the woods wasn't hardened and often not even had a finish on it). The idea being that the soldiers/knights/what have you, could use the full shaft length at first , and as the battle became an in close fight , they could snap the shaft in two to make a shorter weapon more wieldy for tight fighting. this is also why many polearms found in museums today , are often just the head. the wood shaft being untreated and un finished wood , long ago rotted away.

[@fizz576]

@@DenverStarkey that's really interesting do you know where you learned this from I would like to look at the source material myself some time this is not to say I think this information inaccurate I just always like to make sure

[@aselliofacchio]

​@@DenverStarkeyfun fact: that's bullsit

[@Endlessshadow1032]

Gotta love all the weebs with their Pseudo-Katana knowledge in the comments.

[@fireaza]

Gotta love all the weeb fetishists, imaging in their heads that masses of those mythical "weebs" they've heard about are leaving lots of comments, as they indulge in their fantasy, engorged phallus gripped firmly in their hand.

[@bluecaptainIT]

@@fireaza did someone struck a nerve or what? These commenta are probably dug down by the likes' algorithm.

[@overwatchpronstars3277]

But I didn't see any thou 🤔

[@mihailmilev9909]

@@fireaza Gotta love all the weebs malding

[@mihailmilev9909]

@@bluecaptainIT yeah, I actually think that's what it is

[@DVRKSTXR]

*Gamespot delivers a concise and informative video on katana and Japanese culture* Me: “Yeah, well anime and Sucker Punch had me covered beforehand so...”

[@deathsheir2035]

They also provided false information. Example: It's the tempering process only, that produced the high-carbon edge and low-carbon spine. If the from the video information is to be believed, it was the welding and folding of the steel that produced the effect. The video is 100% wrong in this instance. It was the difference in the thickness of the clay (thicker clay on the spine, thinner or no clay on the edge), that produced the high-carbon/low-carbon steel combination. Yes, it was the tempering process that produces the curve. Missing information: the curve is not significant enough to add anything to the cut. Another example: They said the metal was of similar quality as Europe's... this is also, again wrong. Japan didn't have iron mines, and relied on gathering iron from the sands near rivers. because they couldn't separate the iron from the sand (because they didn't know about magnets) their starting material was much worse quality. Another example: The welding of the steel, was done, because their furnaces couldn't get hot enough to properly melt the iron, which meant the iron never fully reached melting point. Thus, the chunks of metal we are shown in the video, is welded iron. The folding of the steel, was strictly to remove impurities, by burning it out of the metal. Exposing the extremely hot impurities to the air, causes it to react with the air, thus pulling it out of the metal. Missing information: Spring Steel Katana did exist, which means there existed katana in which the spine and edge were exactly the same carbon content. Producing such a katana required removing more impurities, which required more time, and as a result was more expensive to produce. These katana were not coated in clay for the tempering process, thus are the only types of katana, in which the curve was purposefully added during the hammering of the blade. For the anime fans out there: Spring steel katana is the only type of katana that could receive a "reverse blade!"

[@eagle162]

@@deathsheir2035 no offense but that is not actually true. Read:"Japanese Swords "Mythbusting" - Part 1" on Gunbai.

[@MovieFactory]

@@deathsheir2035 what you wrote isnt true either. i wouldnt say the historian spread misinformation, but i would say that she didnt clarify enough. the folding itself doesnt change the carbon content, but the japanese wouldnt just differentially harden a high carbon piece of steel. thats a waste, especially if they had a hard time getting steel in the first place. they would construct their billets, with the most widely known constructions being kobuse, sanmai and soshu kitae. they would only put high carbon steel on the edge and forge weld it to mid to low carbon steel to not waste the good high carbon ones. also, once the folding process is over, the steel is technically on par with european steel. she never mentioned that tamahagane itself was on par, but the sword steel is. spring steel katana did exist, but not really. there were katana that acted like a spring steel sword, but thats because they were made with a visual second hamon in mind. the katana would get heated and quenched differently so that a double hamon appeared. true spring steel katana never really existed as a trend inside japan unless you are talking about gunto

[@dorkangel1076]

As a work of art, a well made one is beautiful. From what I've heard and seen though, as a sword it is a good cutter but isn't any better than many other swords that were purpose built for cutting.

[@Sbevewagon4493]

Masamune is probably in some American dudes attic from when his great grandfather stole it

[@WitnessedOne]

*willfully surrendered after being militarily defeated, part of Japanese tradition. Stole is the wrong word

[@emm6101]

@@WitnessedOne It was not willfully surrendered, its something america forced on the japanese to break their spirits and not just that sword. Thus many soldiers keept a lot of them instead of having them destroyed.

[@WitnessedOne]

@@emm6101 it was unconditional surrender... the Americans make the terms. That’s how that works

[@emm6101]

@@WitnessedOne it's still not willing lol

[@valentinom.4292]

@@WitnessedOne They stole it

[@Senjin233]

It looks cool and that's what matters

[@mariajosefacarlon5184]

Just a stick with a bend steel bar

[@marcoabduarte]

0:46 *Morpheus, Dorpheus, Orpheus* *Go eat some walruses* *Orifices, Porridges* *Morpheus, Morpheus* *Red pill, blue pill* *Morpheus, Walruses* *Seashells by the Seashorpheus*

[@christianoman68]

Morpheus drinking a 40 out of a death basket

[@geoffhaggray]

You sir, are a a man of culture

[@mzza]

I thought the purpose of this video was to clear misunderstandings.

[@ebreshea1337]

I feel like this episode didn't do enough to quell the myths. "Where there's smoke there's fire". Well, there are many Norse eddas talking about warriors cleaving people in half. Should I just assume there's some element of truth to that as well?

[@Necrodermis]

there probably are some truths to it. Some swords during feudal Japan were tested on criminals. some of these records state a sword cut went through as many as four bodies lying ontop of each other and we can see in modern media where people show off medieval weapons on a hanging pigs carcass a well aimed strike can cut right through the pigs body. Of course though we should keep in mind the examples i gave are in controlled enviroments while norse sagas like any good story tends to embellish some things a bit.

[@alexanderflack566]

@@Necrodermis That was a test of the blade using a pole similar to the shaft of a naginata to swing it. You aren't doing that with an ordinary hilt on the thing, in either case (Japanese or Norse blade).

[@williamwatson9392]

Claymores are huge and Vikings were huge people. I’m sure 1 probably could do it

[@alexanderflack566]

@@williamwatson9392 Claymore is a Scottish sword, not Norse (it's also incorrect to refer to all viking age Norsemen as vikings; it's like using the term "privateer" when you actually mean "16th Century Englishman"). The term claymore describes either the two-handed sword that you're probably referring to, which didn't exist until the 15th Century or possibly the late 14th (and is honestly considered an incorrect usage of the term by many experts), or to the Scottish basket-hilted broadsword, a single-handed sword that wasn't around until the 16th Century. So at best you're talking about a sword that came 400 years after the vikings, used by an entirely different cultural group. Incidentally, the Norse (and other northern and western Europeans) didn't use two-handed swords until hundreds of years after the age of the vikings, as improvements in metallurgy and the development and proliferation of armor made a two-handed sword actually competitive with a two-handed axe or shield combined with single-handed weapon for wealthier soldiers. Finally, no historical sword will cut through a block of stone that size and type, and trying would ruin the sword blade, and probably cause substantial damage to the fit of the hilt as well.

[@Crushenator500]

Nice to see a fellow Northerner on here! The royal armouries in Leeds is such an amazing museum

[@RoketEngineer]

Nicely done! Love the buttloads of research you put into this! The anthropology present here alone is just amazing.

[@SiD19884]

swords take so much spot light.. in the background Yumi Bow going "AM I A JOKE TO YOU?"

[@mr.pavone9719]

Yes. There, I just saved you 14 minutes.

[@T1Oracle]

Katana's were inferior to European swords. Katana's were the results of the Japanese making the best of poor Japanese steel. Additionally, because of poor steel, plate armor was less common in Japan. So Katanas were designed for cutting, instead of stabbing through small holes in plate armor. However, against plate armor, a sword isn't a great weapon. Hammers and axes are better as they can actually dent plate armor and damage the person wearing it. European long swords were often used as hammers in those situations. Regardless, swords were just sidearms. The primary weapon in Europe and Japan would always be a pole arm (spear or halberd) or a bow.

[@neofroggo8219]

It's not "inferior". Just different way to use in different environment. katana is more like for slicing, not for crashing to armor plates. How they use katana is exactly like chef's knives. They are sharper and lighter than European long swords. European swords are more durable doesn't mean always "superior". But I agree they are not primary weapons in the battlefield anyway.

[@Grubenhaus]

Great episode, thanks for including an expert in this!

[@bradensorensen966]

I think the katana it’s absolutely legendary. But the supposed cutting a rock and not having any damage whatsoever it’s total hogwash. Westerners just like to over rate this sword.

[@Grivian]

I thought the katan was awesome when I was a teen for a few reasons, and I believe this might apply to other people too. 1. First when it is featured in movies it always looked fast and nimble whilst the long sword was usually portrayed as heavier and clunkier, not always but often. A swift sword was cooler for me at the time and the duels with it also looked cool, for example in the last samurai. 2. The only real martial art with swords at the time was kendo (I don't count olympic fencing) and the sword that they use looks like a katana. 3. Buying into the myth that folding the metal a million times made the sword incredibly strong, and that the japanese had discovered a sword making process far better than the west. Now I prefer the european sword much more. There are more videos and media that portrays a long sword correctly, how nimble and effective it is. HEMA also emerged which showed everyone how a real duel with european swords would look like.

[@Bazinguh]

European swords were more "primary weapons" (did a good job on it's own), katanas are more "secondary weapons" (often used as last ditch melee), both are good but its preference

[@andrews.5212]

​@@Bazinguh well... spears were always the primary, were you on horse or on foot, nobody went into formation without a longer reach weapon in ancient times.. Even Roman legionaries (who used a short sword as primary weapons) used a throwing tool to open gap before closing with the enemy. also big shield help. And roman sword were more stabby tools. Before they developed spathas and pamerions.. if you have no shield or small shield you wanna keep the enemy away, ence pointy stick of different types p.s. also battle axes, battle hammer were so much more common as "primary weapons" in formation fight as time goes by, especially if we talk about heavily armed fighters..(from cataphracts onwards) Sword can't cut throw armour. but an hammer can break bones even under plate and gambeson. p.p.s also roman "marian" legionaries, were kinda an exception due to the nature of their opponen being mostly infantry and they needed to be supported by spear wealding fighter and rapidly had to evolve when confronted with heavy cav..

[@quinnflorence]

This is quite an informative video thank you for that. But I would say the more people talk about this weapon of Japanese crafting the more that it will never fade away or die out in history. Take care everyone and stay safe out there.

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

When someone says katana can cut anything and bestest sword ever. I try not to laugh and puke

[@cuppalatte_]

"They can cut through a car" *bends*

[@jessehinman8340]

Pretty sure the missing masamune will show up on pawn stars. 😅

[@hoxton_hummingbird]

It's kind of fascinating how much history the world owes to the Mongolians.

[@mizudori6211]

Awesome vid, but I think what you and your expert allude towards is that the Japanese sword is spectacular and legendary because of how the Japanese culture treated it as such. The derivations in modern culture stem from this well-kept, well-maintained cultural heritage and is perhaps (for lack of better words) a symptom of the Japanese condition (as complex as that is to nail down). The processes of creation are incredibly well documented, the culture has been preserved relatively accurately, and there are real examples that have been meticulously maintained and curated over time. The long line of people who did this over time into the modern day, when swords are all but cultural/historical or pop-cultural concepts, is what is truly legendary in my mind.

[@devilhunterred]

Biggest myth #1: Katana can cut through metal or steel. Steel can never cut through steel. A katana is made of steel. which means it can never cut through armor, shield or another blade. Biggest myth #2: Katana today is as it's always been since 13th century. Modern katana is vastly different than historic katana. Traditionally katana had a shorter blade and heavier hilt. Biggest myth #3: Katana's edge stay sharp forever. This is false. Katana actually requires the most maintenance to maintain and repair, because its edge is made of soft metal, while extremely sharp, is also extremely brittle.

[@MellonVegan]

Do you mean hard metal for #3? Sharpness and brittleness are more pronounced in hard materials. But yeah, definitely right about the rest. And at some point, sharper just isn't better anymore. Durability matters, too.

[@munanchoinc]

The best analogy for the Katana would be like comparing the M1911 and Glock. The M1911 is much more prettier and powerful but isn't anymore effective than a Glock with 18 rounds. Media makes the Katana the " be all end all" despite it being the result of the time period and location it was created in.

[@MaxwellAerialPhotography]

Short answer: no Longer answer: katanas are sharpened metal bars, usually made out of inferior steel that had to be folded a thousand times just to get it up to an acceptable standard.

[@eagle162]

They weren't that's a myth about made of inferior Steel and it wasn't folded 1000 times,folding was also a thing everywhere in the world prior to the Industrial Revolution. Read:"Japanese Swords "Mythbusting" - Part 1" on Gunbai.

[@naphackDT]

Folded a thousand times is factually wrong, though. Fold it ten times and you already have a thousand layers. Fold it a thousand times and your will have more "layers" than there are atoms in the entire blade.

[@agentmahou6222]

The primary producers of a lot of mass media, especially movies and video games, for decades now has been America and Japan. America's history is basically written by the gun. It's why revolvers see such common usage in everything despite being a generally archaic weapon design. As for Japan, it's the katana. That's why when we see swords in movies and video games they tend to either come from the influence of anime or Kurosawa, or from stories told by soldiers fighting the Japanese in World War 2, or stationed in Japan for the decades following. If England or France or Germany had the same kind of influence on modern cinema and video games as Japan did, we'd see European style swords. It isn't that the katana is better than the longsword, it's that Japan has been more influential on modern media and thus we've just seen it more. That's the fire causing all the smoke.

[@fishtank01]

Basically the Katana is like a Symbol of wealth, much like when you see a person driving a Bugatti, you know he is rich! But is it practical for daily use? Well That's debatable

[@mihailmilev9909]

exactly

[@mihailmilev9909]

this ^

[@Notmyname1593]

The privilege to carry arms wasn`t universal in Europe either.

[@steffenebener7332]

@@Notmyname1593 that is why sly german farmers invented the "langes Messer" what litarally translates to long knife. It was only sharpened on one side and had a knife-style tang. "Sir, it is not a weapon, I swear, it is just a one meter long knife!"

[@Notmyname1593]

@@steffenebener7332 I quite disagree with the word "sly" but ok. Also the difference between farmers and peasants was that peasants weren`t considered citizens and therefore not allowed to carry arms, so I assume you meant peasants.

[@Max_Flashheart]

The fast drawing of the Katana for duelling or attacking or defence was developed much later in the 1600's.

[@lfdhrgasdf7579]

man she's sooooo smart just look how many books she has

[@papicholo623]

Museum curators are indeed smart af they're almost dangerous.

[@gonufc]

Someone's intimidated....

[@overwatchpronstars3277]

Love the sarcasm, but she is thou

[@yakuza01]

The whole thing with the Mongols forcing the Japanese to rethink their strategies, reminds me a lot of what happened to Judo when Russians and some people from Eastern Europe started to compete. The Japanese were more used to going for the high altitude beautiful throws while the Russians had a more of "it doesn't have to look pretty as long as it works" approach to their games.

[@alexanderflack566]

This video is misleading about that (along with many other things). The primary weapons shifted some, with spears becoming more common among samurai to supplement their bows, but both before and after the Mongol invasion attempt, the sword favored by the samurai remained the tachi. The katana, as far as I've read, came about a century or two later. The big impact that the Mongols had on swords wasn't the shape, but the construction. Swords were never a primary battlefield weapon for the samurai. There's really very little substance here. Nothing about the specific strengths and weaknesses of a differentially hardened blade versus the mostly homogenous blades favored in other parts of the world, nothing about the cross section of the blade, how that is influenced by the steel and construction they used, and how it impacts cutting ability...there's a lot missing, honestly. Incidentally, the claim that the katana could cut through a large stone is just as absurd when the Japanese make it as when the Europeans made it. People exaggerate to ridiculous extremes regardless of where they live.

[@lathanchurch8352]

A structurally flawed and overrated sword, though cutting off lines is always fun, I prefer something with a little more flexibility when it may hit something hard

[@impicklerick7510]

This video should be titled "The influence of the Katana on pop culture." None of the people in the video really talk about whether or not it lives up to its reputation. It should've focused more on the performance of the sword compared to other swords from East Asia and Europe. Then again, numerous videos and documentaries show that no, the Katana is not inherently better than other blades of the same time period when is comes to sharpness and cutting power. The stories about it cutting through rocks, metals, helmets, and guns are just stories. I think the katana is one of the best looking swords in history but still believe a longsword/hand-and-a-half sword would be a better choice for a soldier in the medieval period

[@itshunni8346]

They've cut through helmets before, many swords around the world have. though such things have only ever happens from horseback. the power gained from horseback is quite amazing.

[@Thetravelingmonke]

It’s just another sword of course it’s good since it’s a sword that was made at least decently but it’s not gonna be like demon slayer where it cuts a giant boulder in half cleanly

[@WabbitCrouton]

Nice video. Looking forward to the next one about the katana in video games.

[@PewPew_McPewster]

Did you know? When you put the names of "Kat" and "Ana" from Warioware together, they form the word "Katana" ;)

[@DonPandemoniac]

An episode on Ulfberht swords would be very welcome.

[@DrewishAF]

TLDW: Yes, the katana is highly overrated

[@gamerdude746]

Is The Katana As Good As You Think It Is? No. But it looks cool. *roll credits*

[@Bfr3shBrian]

I could listen to Natasha talk about weapons all day lol

[@litorres4125]

It’s a tool made with the best thing the Japanese could really get their hands on at the time

[@gabrielangelo5937]

I've been a traditional kenjutsu and kendo guy since I was just a kid and all I can say is the essence of the katana is not about it's practicality or design but on the emphasis of it's wielder. The weapon itself is as good as the person who is wielding and controlling it. Modern kendo is too restrictive to even show the weapons full potential.

[@ChrissieBear]

Katanas weren't sharper than European swords, the only reason katanas are so mythologized is because of the grueling forging techniques required to make one.

[@foxymetroid]

They were slightly sharper, but also less flexible. Katana makers seem to have prioritized cutting power while Europeans prioritized the sword not breaking.

[@SidewaysGts]

@@foxymetroid "They were slightly sharper" Actual edge geometries between katanas and most european blades is actually within the same range in regards to degrees. End of the day, both are sharpened pieces of metal, theres a set profile thats "ideal" for cutting, and both cultures had hundreds of years to figure out what worked best. "Katana makers seem to have prioritized cutting power while Europeans prioritized the sword not breaking." Europeans didnt "prioritize" the sword not breaking. They were simply constructed with, typically, better iron. No fault of japan- Theyre largely limited to the iron available to them, where Europe was a large piece of land of multiple cultures and various trades allowing the distribution of superior metal available in select regions. Both were great at cutting.

[@Helperbot-2000]

yeah lol, they had to spend so long on them because of their low quality steel

[@sometimesSensible]

"Kat-a-na" not "Kartarna" not "Katarna". phew, had to get that out.

[@jocro8090]

I think one of the reasons katanas have this kind of iconic feel to them is also just their unique design. The single edge, the gentle curve, the pattern on the blade, the subtle guard and the uniquely wrapped hilt. All aspects together make a sword that looks completely distinctive from most other historical weapons. They look sleek, elegant and they have a sense of direction or motion to them. While the traditional symmetrical designs of the iconic European longsword feels more rigid and perhaps robust.

[@andersonandrighi4539]

Katanas are revered because of Japanese pop culture. Anime represent Japanese steel being able to do impossible feats often.

[@James35142]

The only reason the katana has differently hardened cores, edges and jackets is to keep the sword from snapping in two when the cutting edge got damaged.

[@TheGreatJohnPlays]

An Ashigaru was a peasant levy soldier. If he ever even touched a katana he would likely be beheaded for his temerity. The katana was a badge of social rank. Only those of the samurai class were allowed to carry and wield them.

[@StonesSticksBones]

That would only be true (partly, it would not have been a death penalty) in the peaceful Edo period, in the Sengoku period many carried swords with no problems

[@ruffgook]

they are just like any other viable swords. it's super overrated cuz of all the anime and overglorified samurai movies.

[@AzngameFreak03]

Claymore, now that's a sword.

[@Helperbot-2000]

*c4 claymore, now THATS a sword*

[@RisikoAO]

Somebody call Matt Easton, they've stole his argument!

[@ACEOFTHEBLITZ]

More of this!

[@tvblue3010]

Just watching this video makes me wish I could hold a katana.

[@Yinzermakesvids]

Just order one online

[@bentot4296]

Get a cold steel brand

[@mihailmilev9909]

@@bentot4296 hehe yeah

[@mihailmilev9909]

@@bentot4296 are they actually the best or something

[@boi153]

@@bentot4296 how bout swords of northshire

[@Malhonn]

folding the metal doesn't get "rid" of the impurities, it only spreads them out on a even manner so that the blade doesn't have a weak spot. It doesn't even make any sense why folding something would get rid of material, even less material that is very close tied to the metal on a molecular level.

[@123okqq]

Actually the katana was very easy to break and hard to cut off armor so the is more effective to use bows and when guns were invented Oda Nobunaga is encouraging solider to use it that's why he wins a lot

[@TwowyToon]

Correct, the katana was easy to break during battle due to the forging techniques, here are the reasons why for those who don’t understand, I’ll put it into simple logic; bendy swords don’t break when bent, hard solid swords snap when bent (hence why so many swords are very thin when compared to the katana), and fun fact most of the best swords types in the world are actually pretty flimsy because of how thin and flexible they are. Hopefully people understand that

[@eagle162]

It wasn't that's a myth thanks created thanks to the "swords making tradition" with this actually more of a post ww2 thing, Japanese swords for even imported all over Asia use for combat. Article to look up:"Japanese Swords "Mythbusting" - Part 1" on Gunbai.

[@realdragon]

Yeah, samurai prefered spears

[@emperorfaiz]

@@realdragon And bow.

[@Helperbot-2000]

@@TwowyToon well also the bendy swords like say european ones are made from spring steel, meanwhile the japanese ones were made from really lolw carbon high impurity steel which was bent to that the impurities were negated as much as possible

[@CluelessDadGamer]

Fantastic episode

[@letsbuildfulltank8198]

this is so far the only loadout episode I disliked the reason : every time a claim or possibe miss conseption was brought up the expert was talking about them it cut away before she said anything meaning full. it was like the part that mattered was cut off. She repeated or mentined a claim but never seem to judge/deny or support a claim, I just feel like this video answered non of the questions it brought up the only time where it happened was at the part about japan havinf "worse steel" where she said it was quite high quality 4:52 , there it just confused me that she later said " this was done to remove impurities" 5:18. So now was the steel good or bad ? or was this just to get rid of that little bit extra

[@foundhoney8474]

I would like to forge a sword like the ones in this video, but I don't experience yet and I will learn

[@thebeatlesloveisallyouneed]

Katanas have an interesting geometry and it's absolutely impressive that the Japanese managed to make workable iron from sand. But let's not fool ourselves! That inferior source of steel is a flaw! The metallurgy I actually think was inferior to other parts of the world! Steel had more impurities than the steel in other parts of the world! Katanas don't get me wrong are good swords and the Japanese may have had more consistency and standardization when it came to making swords than anybody else which is in its own wright, very impressive! But katanas use a more primitive smelting process and have a rigid hard blade which doesn't make it bad but it certainly doesn't make it great or at the very least not better than sword steel in other parts of the world! I love the katana but I also love the truth!

[@Krischaos]

Everything she's saying is interesting, the guy narrating is annoying as he's presuming no one has common sense

[@Middle-L-_-L-Man]

Lmfaaao. Exactly

[@dredddpatrol]

somewhere out The Revels - Comanche started playing and bruce willis is smiling (pulp fiction reference)

[@j7ndominica051]

I accept that you can put a sharp edge on it. But it is still a piece of steel. How can it not dull when striking hard objects, especially rock?

[@logicplague]

It does.

[@CCat1]

Her library is aweful, the horizontal stacks of books is hard to look at

[@erde9790]

I think katana is overrated

[@MellonVegan]

Yeah. No one is arguing that they weren't good. But people ascribe absolutely mythical qualities to these weapons that are utterly ridiculous.

[@Ryuuzaki145]

I was about to argue and say that I don't think the katana is overrated until I read " ascribe absolutely mythical qualities to these weapons" . I can't argue against that, you're right lol. Though, I love the combat style used with the katana.

[@loki76]

I'll leave this here to destroy the myth of the Samurai Sword (Katana) being the "best" and bla bla.. Watch this video and have them show you how it stacks up against a European Long Sword in tests... Spoiler the long sword does everything the Katana does in cutting and when it comes to strength of the blade the Katana loses badly. (347) Katana vs. Longsword - Part 2 (ENGLISH SUBTITLES) - KZbin Apparently direct links doesn't work. Just highlight the sentence and hit search the video will show in results.

[@georgecampbell9190]

Holy shit you're a nerd

[@MellonVegan]

@@georgecampbell9190 Is that a bad thing?

[@eagle162]

Okay I'm sorry I seen that video and it's really bad they're using a lot of myths which relate more to the modern sword making tradition which is more of a post World War 2 thing, the longsword also isn't even made traditionally. Read up:"Japanese Swords "Mythbusting" - Part 1" on Gunbai.

[@efilwv1635]

It’s no butterknife.

[@baguettiregretti1961]

But it ain't the greatest blade

[@TwowyToon]

It’s an average blade, not the best but definitely not the worst, but only average because it has a pretty even ups and down, including manufacturing and use and by use I mean average ability of katana wielders

[@ZXaber78]

This addresses almost none of the overblown myths around them other than to mention that there are myths. How good are Katanas? They’re about average. Great if you’re slicing down untrained and unarmored peasants, terrible if you’re getting in a sword fight.

[@eagle162]

They were used against armored soldiers who's weaponry included swords and even imported across Asia for combat use. "Japanese Swords "Mythbusting" - Part 1" on Gunbai.

[@dianauwu1312]

It's very telling that, in the west, we have a pretty common myth of the magic sword going back to Arthurian legend and probably even farther. But any eastern sword is just presumed to be at least a little magic.

[@AGrumpyPanda]

There was actually a very interesting discussion at one point about how european versus asian storytelling factored into that; in western storytelling the idea of the sword itself being supernatural is more common, whereas in asian storytelling the idea of the sword's *wielder* having supernatural abilities is more common. Expose western audiences to eastern stories, and they might naturally come to the idea that all asian swords are special because every sword seems to be special in their stories. Of course there's no way to know that for sure, but it's a solid theory.

[@samwell707]

Knife or Death destroyed the mythos of the katana

[@DreamFearEternal]

Things that are overrated: Spartans, Nunchuck, Katana, Chinese Military, Zulu, FF7/Cloud and StarWars Franchise. Chose one and I will explain why!!!

[@Helperbot-2000]

well the chinese military is made in china, so thats self explanatory. now what reasons are cloud (never heard about before) and star wars overrated to you?

[@Slimemeta]

from which movie the scene in black & white from ? (especially the scene with two samurais facing each other )

[@AlQmist]

Harakiri

[@bunnybag]

Yojimbo

[@pofi1957]

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly?

[@tabletoptrilobite9816]

METATRON. GET OVER HERE.

[@AlphalanceVO]

8:31 Now I want to watch a movie about Nick Cage searching for the missing Masamune blade. International Treasure anyone??

[@bikeanddogtripsvirtualcycling]

how many books did your guest have on display?

[@milat9287]

Well, that was a long BS storm. At least it was somewhat entertaining though, but I see that she's intend on keeping misconceptions alive

[@agentmahou6222]

Agree completely but, just so you're aware, the word is "intent" not "intend."

[@zacharynewcomb6382]

I'd take a pointy piece of metal on a 6ft stick any day.

[@whiskeytango9040]

It's always sad to hear about their swords being taken away, one can wonder about an alternate timeline.

[@aleplays437]

I still want a katana for the zombie apocalypse.

[@igodreamer7096]

No word about Muramasa? =(

[@derheadbanger9039]

Slightly catering towards the Katana Fanboys, I see. If you were a little bit more honest and realistic, the dislikes would skyrocket! But taking a look at the likes-dislikes-ratio now, you strategy seems to work.

[@shenpai3614]

FeDoRa TiP

[@MellonVegan]

@@shenpai3614 Should be trilby though. The stereotypical neckbeard hat is actually a trilby. The fedora is what Indiana Jones wore, for example. Much wider brim.

[@icarian553]

It's a sharpened bar of steel just like any other sword.

[@swordsman1_messer]

Either GameSpot is cutting interview clips and info for the ignorance of viewers, or the curator has glossed over a whole bunch of details without ever addressing the misconceptions she’s trying to clarify...

[@tacticooltroopers6567]

@ 7:17 Ah yes, my sword is longer than yours.

[@AspiLeo]

You have the German long sword gang on your side!!!