Tatsu Yamashiro

* Katana
* Civilian

### Affiliation

The Outsiders, Justice League, Sword Clan, Justice League of America (formerly), Birds of Prey (formerly), Task Force X (formerly)

### Relatives

Miyako (ancestor),Maseo Yamashiro (husband, deceased)

Reiko Yamashiro (daughter, deceased)

Yuki Yamashiro (daughter, deceased)

Takeo Yamashiro (brother-in-law, deceased)

## Credits

### First Appearance

The Brave and the Bold #200 (July, 1983)

**Tatsu Yamashiro** is **Katana**, a sword-wielding superhero who specializes in magical weaponry. Her primary weapon is her sword, the "Soultaker", which is said to steal the essence of those it slays and seal the souls within. her husband, Maseo, is one of the souls trapped within the blade. She has been a member of the Suicide Squad, the Birds of Prey, the Justice League, the Justice League of America, and most recently the Outsiders.

## Chronology

**Origins**

Tatsu Toro grew up in Japan, where she was an Olympic-level martial artist. She eventually met and fell in love with a man named Maseo Yamashiro and the couple had two daughters, Yuki and Reiko. Tatsu retired from the Olympics and for a time lived a happy life with her family. However Maseo's brother Takeo, a member of the Yakuza, soon grew jealous of his brother's relationship with Tatsu and wanted her for himself. Fearing Takeo's wrath, Tatsu fled to avoid the murderous brother but was unfortunately found by Takeo. Takeo burned their home to the groundd and used the Soultaker Sword to butcher Tatsu's husband and two daughters. In an attempt to avenge her family, Tatsu attacked the murderer but, with the Soultaker in his possession, Takeo overpowered Tatsu with relative ease. Before he could strike a killing blow, the Soultaker chose Tatsu as its new wielder and Tatsu killed her brother-in-law to avenge her family.

Tatsu discovered that her husband's soul now resided within her sword along with all its other victims. Now with the burden of the souls on her back, Tatsu was reborn as the anti-hero **Katana** and vowed to hunt the Yakuza down in an attempt to avenge all those who had been killed by Takeo.

### Birds of Prey

Katana was asked by Black Canary to join the Birds of Prey. She was also recommended by Barbara Gordon together with Starling and Poison Ivy, who joined the team even though Katana wasn't very happy about it.

### Justice League of America

After leaving the Birds of Prey, Katana became a part of Amanda Waller's new Justice League of America in exchange for information on her husband's murderers.

### The Ways of an Outsider

Tatsu Yamashiro moved to Japantown, San Francisco and rented a place awaiting the arrival of an acquaintance. One night, while walking through a park, she is attacked by the Sword Clan. After they trap her, they ask her to join them but she refuses. After she refuses the invitation to join the Clan they leave. The Sword Clan would return for Katana but she was able to beat them back.

Sometime later, Katana is told by a mysterious blind man named Magus that the death of her husband was relates to The Outsider; a secret society composed of various weapon master clans, dedicated towards ending global corruption The Soultaker is revealed to be the totem of the Sword Clan, which has parallels in the Fist, Mask, Shield, Axe, Spear, and Arrow Clans. Representatives from each of these clans make up the Outsiders and Katana briefly joined the group as well.

## Characterization

[WIP]

Relationship

* **Duke Thomas**:
* **Jefferson Pierce**:
* **Ra's al Ghul**:
* **Tsutomo**:

### Family

* **Maseo Yamashiro**:
* **Miyako**:

## Powers & Abilities

Magic:

### Abilities:

* **Acrobatics**
* **Bilingualism**: Katana is fluent in her native language Japanese as well as English.
* **Martial Arts**: Tatsu was trained in various Japanese-styled martial arts from an early age, and is a master martial artist. She is able to combat multiple enemies, fight metahumans and adapt to situations with ease.
* **Stealth**
* **Swordsmanship**: Having been trained in the art of swordsmanship under various samurai sensei, Yamashiro is able to use her fabled sword "Soultaker" with expert proficiency. She is most skilled with katana.