so whats the deal with katanas?

[Vinja]

why are they so popular? i read fan base alpha and what not looking to see some superhero stuff, and 75% of the characters seem to use katanas as weapons, whats up with that? im just curious what the appeal is? i noticed this in CoX as well, it stopped being city of heroes and started being city of ninjas.

now dont take this as me trying to tell people how to play, im noone to judge what anyone else does like noone can judge what i do, as i stated im just curious why those of all things are so popular? to quote the ancient mass effect boards "THIS GAME NEEDS BEAM KATANAS OR I WONT PLAY IT!!!" someone actually wanted beam katanas in mass effect.....

anywho, this is just bored ramblings but i would like to know the answer to this quandry, take care everyone.

[Gold_Leaf]

The same reason there are a bajillion emo demons flying about with cat girls on their backs, I believe :)

[Vinja]

lol come to think of it, i never really got the cat girl thing either XD oh i get it now! emo demons flying about with cat girls on their backs WIELDING katanas, anyway thank you for responding :-D

i guess its the same reason, but this reason eludes me, now has anyone else noticed this or am i just going mad?

[Tank]

because they look cool?

[Vinja]

i guess thats all the reason is? idk i always thought they looked dumb to be honest, but then again ive never been into japanese stuff.

but doesnt the coolness factor wear off when almost everyone is wielding them? i guess not, thank you for the response tank!

[Tank]

i fully understand what you are talking about and i don't get it either.

[Sir_Legendhead]

Katanas are awesome because when they're made of silver, they can kill werewolves.

And witches can use them to call down the moon.

[Steelyeye]

...but doesnt the coolness factor wear off when almost everyone is wielding them? i guess not, thank you for the response tank!

No, because it is easier to tell who the uncool people are. No Katana, you are a loser.

[Shizomou]

Maybe there were a lot of people in COH that didn't know you could change the sword type.Or they forgot. I know I would forget a few times ,after taking an hour to design a character, to change that one option.


EDIT: Now I know why I never come to this board anymore. I almost broke the NDA here...

[Vinja]

Katanas are awesome because when they're made of silver, they can kill werewolves.

And witches can use them to call down the moon.

this might be the funniest thing ive heard in a long time, thank you sir!

and tank, its good to know im not the only one who thought that.

[Gold_Leaf]

EDIT: Now I know why I never come to this board anymore. I almost broke the NDA here...

It's hard..really hard, especially when you see people complaining about things..haha

[Robota]

Its part of the whole "OMG JAPANESE STUFF IS KEWL!" craze that has consumed so many of the western young. They seem to think that everything Asian/Japanese is instantly better for no other reason than its from Japan/Asia.

Katanas let us not forget were very impractical weapons that were extroardinarily flimsy and thus required years of training before you could use one without breaking it let alone use it in battle. One wrong swing and SNAP! the blade snaps off or it gets stuck in your opponents bone.

However in things like anime and ****** 90s movies starring ninjas the katana was portrayed as a super weapon that could cut through absolutely anything which is not even close to true. Its that portrayal that made them so popular.

[Wicked_Angel]

If you're big into the Inuyasha, Bleach type stuff and you want that type of character, the katana is the most logical. If you're going for a stealth character or silent weapons type then the katana make sense there too. But, all in all it comes to the personal preferrence of the player and I have never really noticed ALOT of people using katanas versus ALL of the cat girls that I have seen a ton of.

[Robota]

If you're big into the Inuyasha, Bleach type stuff and you want that type of character, the katana is the most logical. If you're going for a stealth character or silent weapons type then the katana make sense there too. But, all in all it comes to the personal preferrence of the player and I have never really noticed ALOT of people using katanas versus ALL of the cat girls that I have seen a ton of.

actually for stealth a katana is very illogical. They require perfect execution in regards to stance and position. In stealth you want stabbing weapons more which a katana is not.

[Vinja]

actually id think a silenced .380 pistol, the caliber can actually be silenced instead of suppresed. or a combat knife seems more useful *shrugs* then again who am i to talk about realism, my main is a living force of electricity and another character of mine can throw planets at enemies

[Steelyeye]

I think everyone is just jealous of the awesomeness a Katana brings.

[Robota]

Silenced pistols still make a fair bit of noise. That mouse fart sound you hear in movies is pure hollywood.

[CyberRat]

Its part of the whole "OMG JAPANESE STUFF IS KEWL!" craze that has consumed so many of the western young. They seem to think that everything Asian/Japanese is instantly better for no other reason than its from Japan/Asia.

Katanas let us not forget were very impractical weapons that were extroardinarily flimsy and thus required years of training before you could use one without breaking it let alone use it in battle. One wrong swing and SNAP! the blade snaps off or it gets stuck in your opponents bone.

However in things like anime and ****** 90s movies starring ninjas the katana was portrayed as a super weapon that could cut through absolutely anything which is not even close to true. Its that portrayal that made them so popular.

sry man but you are wrong here a real katana is one of the strongest swords there is. you are probaly getting it confused with the genral mass produced modern version.

as to the OP the main reason for the katana crazy stateside, is the same as the european wepons crazy in japan, ( trust me it reversed there ). its not a matter of what is better, or cooler its a matter of to the average person something that isnt common to them is exotic. same as to most american men a asion women is hot as hell where as in the orrental counties they find blondes more attractive. keep in mind thought this dousnt apply to everyone, there are always those who dont go with the crowd or arnt drawn in by something just because its exotic.

[Vinja]

Silenced pistols still make a fair bit of noise. That mouse fart sound you hear in movies is pure hollywood.

idk ive fired silenced .22's and all you can hear is the sound of the action, and even a .22 is a very mean cartridge in close quarters, i wont go into all the details on why exactly (my cousin is a retard and got the special weapons permit that basically says "yes you can own silencer's and fully automatic weapons as long as you give the government the right to raid your house anytime they please") its due to the power behind the ammunition, they dont go as "fast" as even a 9mm would, causing a much smaller sonic boom, theres also a type of ammo you can get that has less powder in the cartridge thus making it quieter, i believe its called cold loaded or something?

[FlintGrim]

I requested Rubber Hose as a weapon choice. I thought it might be a dramatic way of defeating an enemy. Also, I like to whip people's legs.

[Vinja]

I requested Rubber Hose as a weapon choice. I thought it might be a dramatic way of defeating an enemy. Also, I like to whip people's legs.

thatd be so tight, your battle cry can be "UP YOUR NOSE WITH A RUBBER HOSE!" old tv sitcom reference.......

[Robota]

sry man but you are wrong here a real katana is one of the strongest swords there is. you are probaly getting it confused with the genral mass produced modern version.

as to the OP the main reason for the katana crazy stateside, is the same as the european wepons crazy in japan, ( trust me it reversed there ). its not a matter of what is better, or cooler its a matter of to the average person something that isnt common to them is exotic. same as to most american men a asion women is hot as hell where as in the orrental counties they find blondes more attractive. keep in mind thought this dousnt apply to everyone, there are always those who dont go with the crowd or arnt drawn in by something just because its exotic.

No "real" katanas were still flimsy things. They're not invincible and you do not under any circumstances block with them. Parry yes if you can pull it off but a direct block will break them very quickly.

Stupid little wapanese...

[Vinja]

personally if i was gonna go with a sword id go with one of those huge chinese ones, there practically huge machete's? idk the actual name for them. it might Dao or something? but then again who needs swords when you can have the power to throw a planet XD (one track mind) and by no means am i insulting anyones character, you guys have every right to use whatever pleases you.

[Hammith]

As someone who's been trained in the use of a lot of swords (though frankly I'd like to learn flails, but nobody uses those), I'd have to say that the katana is a surprisingly strong sword for its size. Its curve also makes it somewhat resistant to taking the brunt of a blow because other blades slide along it on a slower hit.

Personally, the thing I like about katanas is the long cutting edge that acts as a longer cutting surface, though I positively detest their range. Unless you hit with a katana at a particular distance, the hit isn't very effective. I do think a lot of the appeal of the weapon for others lies it its usage in anime, comics, and video games, though.

Personally I feel the blade is fairly average, and much prefer myself a saber of a flamberge. Claymores are also lovely.

My heart belongs to flails though.

[Robota]

The size isn't the reason its so brittle. Its the generally **** poor quality of the metal (compared to western iron and steel) along with the general design that made it so vulnerable to damage. Theres a good cutting edge on them but no strength in them. They can not take being used to block with. It dents and very quickly snaps the blade.

[DigitalScream]

No "real" katanas were still flimsy things. They're not invincible and you do not under any circumstances block with them. Parry yes if you can pull it off but a direct block will break them very quickly.

Stupid little wapanese... ^---Not sure what you mean by this :(

Yeah, Nihon-to could break, chip, and bend if not used correctly. Yeah, it took some skill to use correctly. I wouldn't say that they were flimsy though I am assuming you are using that word for affect. I have seen many old Nihon-to that have been through many battles. Some were worn so thin that they had to be retired from use. I am no expert on them however.

I would guess the "all things Japanese" and Hollywood hype is the culprit for the Katana craze. (Anime too).

(I think Dao is the correct name. )

~DS

[Robota]

If you used a katana incorrectly then chances are you would either just get it stuck in your opponent with attempts to remove it likely to bend or snap the blade (they couldn't take much stress) or the blade sustaining damage in the form of dents and cracks. If you actually tried blocking with it that was it you'd ruined your sword. With those you parry using the flat of the blade to deflect the blow gently without causing damage to your own weapon.

Flimsy may seem "dramatic" but it is true.

The katana was more a dueling weapon than a battlefield weapon anyways. In battle the samurai typically used a Naginata until around the 15th century where the Yari (both kinds of spear) replaced it. They also stressed skill with the longbow.

[Death_Tribble]

And let us not forget the Highlander series with Mr Paul as a member of Clan McLeod. If memory serves he used the katanna as well.

There is as other people have noted the great love that the West has for anything Japanese but the katanna is featured as one of the 80 great treasures of the world just for the skill it required to make it properly.
Folding steel a great number of times which is different to producing swords elsewhere.
They are thin and elegant as opposed to some of the huge two handed swords that you see. Rapiers and sabres have the same sort of elegance in my not so humble opinion.

[DigitalScream]

If you used a katana incorrectly then chances are you would either just get it stuck in your opponent with attempts to remove it likely to bend or snap the blade (they couldn't take much stress) or the blade sustaining damage in the form of dents and cracks. If you actually tried blocking with it that was it you'd ruined your sword. With those you parry using the flat of the blade to deflect the blow gently without causing damage to your own weapon.

Flimsy may seem "dramatic" but it is true.

The katana was more a dueling weapon than a battlefield weapon anyways. In battle the samurai typically used a Naginata until around the 15th century where the Yari (both kinds of spear) replaced it. They also stressed skill with the longbow.

Hmm, ok. I'm interested so I'll look into this on my own. Just curious, where did you get your information. (might be a good place for me to check out too.)

~DS

(Still not sure about the intent of "wap..." though)

[Robota]

Its stuff I've picked up over the years from various sources.

[DigitalScream]

^
Ah, ok. :)

~DS

[Dark_Haze]

katanas are very effective weapons... i personally prefer kukris. but they are kinda small. what you really should be asking is whats the deal with dual katanas. i swear if come realease day i see too many demon ninja *****es i am gonna psychic *****slap them so hard that their mothers will feel it.

[peon47]

And let us not forget the Highlander series with Mr Paul as a member of Clan McLeod. If memory serves he used the katanna as well.

This.

There is as other people have noted the great love that the West has for anything Japanese but the katanna is featured as one of the 80 great treasures of the world just for the skill it required to make it properly.
Folding steel a great number of times which is different to producing swords elsewhere.
They are thin and elegant as opposed to some of the huge two handed swords that you see. Rapiers and sabres have the same sort of elegance in my not so humble opinion.

And this.

[Ravenstein]

Katanas Are Just Better (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/KatanasAreJustBetter). That is why everyone wants to use a katana. Because they are awesomest most awesome supercool and awesome weapons evar that slice through tanks on TV and the internets.

Well, not really. For several reasons.

Firstly, let me start with the fighting style dictated by a katana. Namely slashing style. Now, against an unarmored or lightly armor target, this was fine. However against an armored target, you want a piecing weapon, like a spear, lance, or pick or a smashing weapon like a mace or flail. Hammers with a picklike spike on one end were very popular in high medieval European battlefields due to these reasons. The longsword was much more versatile with two slashing sides and a thrusting tip (for piercing attacks).

Also the slashing style and size of the katana also made it easier to 'foul' you attacks and thus not get the full effect of your swing.

And the myth of the katana being stronger then a longsword is just that, a myth. Japan had lower quality iron then was available in Europe for the most part meaning the Japanese swordsmith HAD to develop iron strengthening techniques to make the iron sword not a brittle little piece of trash. Also, similar techniques were in use in Europe and other iron working cultures, though their iron quality was better and thus they requires less emphasis on the strengthening techniques used in medieval Japan.

Now, what were katanas good for you may ask? Well, mostly ornamentation and ritualized dueling.

[Samhain]

I hate samurai, and I hate katanas for the same reason.

[King_Aries]

i always liked the samurai reason why i have at least 1 samurai character,i especially like Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojirō,i think they was bada$$ warriors,a friend of mine when i was around 7 told me was a dissident of samurai,i remember every morning his grandparents use to this some sort of martial arts outside in their backyard it didnt matter how the weather was they was outside doing it

[MyriVerse]

Silenced pistols still make a fair bit of noise. That mouse fart sound you hear in movies is pure hollywood.
No. That "mouse fart" sound you hear in movies is NOT pure Hollywood (though Hollywood tends to add a more musical, whistling sound). Silenced pistols make about the same noise as a BB gun. You'll hear the action of the hammer and a whisp of air, but that's it.

[conjohn9]

Yeah, having never owned a BB gun or a silence pistol, I can tell that the effects in hollywood or else where are completly overdone.

Although it'd be cool...I mouse fart you to death.

[Roflcopter35]

the comic book guy i made up carries a machete, now if only i could come up with a name for the character i would have an awesome award winning comic book series thats better than watchmen and i would use it to DESTROY ALAN MOORE!!! he deserves it for writing v for vendetta, that book sucked. I'd also use it to destroy Neil Gaiman because everyone was like "oh oh sandman is the greatest oh my god like i would totally eat it if it was made out of asparagus because asparagus makes ur pee green!" so i bought the first book....and some asparagus and i read it and it sucked! The asparagus sucked too because i ate some of it and i was like "wow cool im gonna pee green!" but i didnt pee green..

[conjohn9]

Because its the name? Not the man behind it?

[greyexile]

Time to end all the mistakes people are making here. Katanas were no better or worse than European weapons. The quality of steel may have been less but japanese sword smiths spent many months strengthening the steel. The blade of a katana will chip, as does every other blade weapon if they are used to block. But the inner core of a katana was far stronger than European weapons as it was specially made to NOT break like many people here are saying. A katana was good for slashing and the curve was small enough that it could also be effective at stabbing. The advantage of a katana over a longsword for example was its speed. In the time it takes to draw and swing a longsword or similar weapon the katana has already made a couple of slashes. The spear was more heavily used in actual battles, this is true, but the same can be said of every army ever introduced in the last 1000 years or more. Spears had a longer reach and were used more, only when the distance was closed would swords be used. In the end the usefulness of a sword was determined by the user's skill with the weapon. And a gun is far better than a sword anyways so the entire argument I just made is pointless.


OH AND KATANAS WERE NOT USED BY NINJAS! THEY WERE USED BY SAMURAI!

[Bastion-]

AND THEY ARE JUST AWESOME!!!! (100th POST YIPPE!)

[musufasa]

Nooo Let It Die!

[Bastion-]

Nah, as meh hundredth post I had to revive a dead thread, as I did with the breakfast one. MUAHAHHAAHHA.

[musufasa]

i wonder what im going to do for my 1k post... which will be tomorrowish

[eCake]

post in some old totaly random unsenceless topic which by that bring it back from the death
just like this other guy did here.
but then in a beter way ofc
i know you can

about the katana
you will know when your older my son.
its an adult thing xD

[chimbot]

the exotic factor of a katana is certainly part of it. but come on, they are cool. samurai's are very cool. and katanas themselves require an artist to create. the better the artist (sword smith) and the materials, the better the sword. (if you had a sword cast from a mold, it's pure crap). it's all about grace, beauty, and deadliness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLDVL5FoL2Y&feature=related

[Gold_Leaf]

It's because they're shiny.

[Robota]

Katanas are so popular in the west due to two things:

One they are "exotic". Which generally means not from around here.

And two the whole attatchment to the samurai thing. Because apparantly fuedal japan was soooo much cooler than medievil europe.

The swords themselves were very fragile and in the hands of a novice or untrained user were more likely to break or get stuck in their opponent than western counterparts. However they were lighter and had a better edge than western weapons. But to be fair in a fight between a knight in platemail wielding a shield and longsword and some weaboo with a katana (because they were mostly ceremonial weapons. Samurai normally used spears in battle.) I would put my money on the knight. Against an actual samurai? It would be more interesting thats for sure but the katana would not likely be the weapon the samurai would choose.

[eCake]

It's because they're shiny.

gaze up on shiny;
must do anything to get shiny thing :eek:

[Ravenstein]

Katanas are so popular in the west due to two things:

One they are "exotic". Which generally means not from around here.

And two the whole attatchment to the samurai thing. Because apparantly fuedal japan was soooo much cooler than medievil europe.

The swords themselves were very fragile and in the hands of a novice or untrained user were more likely to break or get stuck in their opponent than western counterparts. However they were lighter and had a better edge than western weapons. But to be fair in a fight between a knight in platemail wielding a shield and longsword and some weaboo with a katana (because they were mostly ceremonial weapons. Samurai normally used spears in battle.) I would put my money on the knight. Against an actual samurai? It would be more interesting thats for sure but the katana would not likely be the weapon the samurai would choose.

This has been my stance from the beginning. Against an unarmored (or lightly armored) opponent in the hands of a skilled user the katana worked well enough. But due to inferior iron quality and weapon design limitations (slashing, not thrusting weapon) it worked poorly versus armor or in the hands of an unskilled user. European swords had the advantage of of being dual use weapons, able to slash and to thrust, and were generally of a superior grade of ore and so stronger. Furthermore, Europeans had more and heavier then the Japanese did generally.

[organicmoon]

Swords are just cool because they give the character what they want in their dream super hero.

[Playface]

why are they so popular? i read fan base alpha and what not looking to see some superhero stuff, and 75% of the characters seem to use katanas as weapons, whats up with that? im just curious what the appeal is? i noticed this in CoX as well, it stopped being city of heroes and started being city of ninjas.

now dont take this as me trying to tell people how to play, im noone to judge what anyone else does like noone can judge what i do, as i stated im just curious why those of all things are so popular? to quote the ancient mass effect boards "THIS GAME NEEDS BEAM KATANAS OR I WONT PLAY IT!!!" someone actually wanted beam katanas in mass effect.....

anywho, this is just bored ramblings but i would like to know the answer to this quandry, take care everyone.

The same reason why so many people love the jedi and the sith.

Because swords look cool.

[Faolon]

The same reason why so many people love the jedi and the sith.

Because swords look cool.



And martial arts or super powers + swords = Cool^2

[Playface]

And martial arts or super powers + swords = Cool^2

Yup, exactly.

[Bastion-]

Mufasfa would be proud, I revived a dead thread and it is still alive, MUHAHAHA. But I love swords, they are awesome. Due, to the looks and knowing you can pwn ze noobs!