Katana

*This article is about the Samurai's Katana. For other uses, see Katana (disambiguation).*

## Statistics

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Sword - Melee

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120 - 240

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3 s

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80

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1.9 WM

## Additional Statistics

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1.15 s

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25

## Usage

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 30

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The **Katana** is a melee weapon from the Dynasty faction. It is used by the Samurai.

## Characteristics

The Katana is a sharp blade, capable of dealing high and powerful amounts of damage with each strike. It is however quite slow for a sword, with the Katana having a longer cooldown period than others, making units wielding it prone to attacks between each strike. Their attacks are moderate in damage, speed, range, and movement. Units wielding the weapon will lunge and strike once they are near an enemy unit, attempting to gain an advantage with a swift cut. Units will then strike and swing with the Katana until they or their opponents are defeated.

## Appearance

The Katana is a Japanese bladed melee weapon intended for cutting and slicing opponents. The weapon has a curved, single-edged blade with its base encircled by an orange *habaki* (metal that encircles the blade's base). It has a circular guard and a long team colored *tsuka* (grip) for catering two hands. The grip is decorated with *menuki* (decorative ornaments), and capped off with a *kashira* (sword cap).

## History

The *katana* (刀 or かたな) is a Japanese sword characterized by its moderately curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. The *katana* belongs to the *nihontō* family of swords, and is has a *nagasa (*blade length) of approximately 60 cm (24 in). The sword was used by the *samurai* of ancient and feudal Japan.

The blade was made from three types of Japanese steel, *hocho-tetsu*, *tamahagane* and *nabe-gane*. Due to the lack of technology, iron was impure in feudal Japan. As such, Japanese swordsmiths developed a way of folding the steel, by heating, hammering and folding the metal a few times to remove the bulk of the impurities in the blade. Afterwards, the swordsmiths will coat the blade in clay and quench it in cold water. It is during the quenching of the blade that gets its iconic curve due to the difference in densities of the micro-structures in the steel. The blade was then sent into polishing and assembled into the *katana*.

As battles in Japan gradually switched from individual cavalry battle to large grouped battles fought on foot, the *katana* gained prominence and steadily replaced the *tachi*, a sword that is more suited for horseback combat during the late *Muromachi* period. The *katana* was favored among *samurai*, and as with the popularity of the *katana* grew, *samurai* would have their *katana* decorated with beautiful engravings and ornaments. With Japan entering peace time, the *katana* became more of a cosmetic and ceremonial item rather than a weapon. Nevertheless, the *katana* was the status symbol of the *samurai*, and represented their social power and personnel honor.

During the *Meiji* period, the *samurai* class was gradually dissolved, and their special privileges were lost, including their rights to carry swords. With such demand of the *katana* gone, swordsmiths suffered. It was until the *Shōwa* period that its demand spiked again for military use, such swords were referred as *guntō* (military swords). As with the aftermath of the world wars, the crafting of the *katana* was straight out banned, swords were destroyed and swordsmiths suffered again. It was until 1953 that Japanese swordsmiths were allowed to craft swords again, but with substantial restrictions. Nowadays, the *katana* is used in multiple martial arts, and made an iconic weapon through popular culture.

## Trivia

* Katana were one of the traditionally made Japanese swords that were used by the samurai of ancient and feudal Japan, used in 1400 to 1876. It is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands.
* The Katana does not automatically make units deflect projectiles, it is rather the Projectile Block ability that grants the skill.
* The Shogun has a unique reverse jintachi variant of the Katana while the Samurai Giant has a giant version of it.
* It, the Teacher Sword and the Quan are the only swords in the game with a team-colored part.
* The way of wielding the Katana was changed multiple times during the development of Totally Accurate Battle Simulator; in the alphas, the Samurai used to wield it on guard inside right instead of a short stance.
* Pronounced "katana", the *kun'yomi* (Japanese reading) of the *kanji* is 刀. The word originated from the Chinese, and was pronounced "d*āo"* , meaning knife or sword.
	+ The word was adopted as a loanword by the Portuguese and spelled as *catana,* meaning machete.
* The length of the katana varied during history, from 70 cm (28 in) to 60 cm. (24 in)
* It takes 1 to 3 weeks to polish the blade. Polishers would use a series of successively finer grains of polishing stones in a process called glazing, until the blade had a mirror finish.
* *Katanas* were often paired with smaller sword, such as a *wakizashi or a tantō*, a similarly shaped dagger.
	+ The pairing of a *katana* with a smaller sword is called the *daishō.*
* Presently, China dominates the *katana* market.
* The *katana* is among the most popular weapon in popular culture, they are used to depict honorable *samurai* warriors and Japanese culture in general.
	+ When translated literally, *samurai* warrior means warrior warrior.
* Despite popular culture depictions (including TABS), the *katana* was rarely used by the *samurai* as a primary weapon but rather a sidearm, as they preferred the longer range of their spears and the bow and arrow.

## Gallery

The Katana, wielded by the Samurai.The Katana is used to represent the Samurai.A Katana with a red grip.A Katana with a blue grip.The way the Samurai used to wield the Katana.A katana in real life.