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How come I've not seen a dragon-headed katana in anime?

Zauriel

The Angel of Justice
13 Mar 2005
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How come I've not seen a dragon-headed katana in anime?

I've seen Duncan Macleod's katana with a white ivory dragon-headed hilt in the Highlander TV series. But every katana I've seen were just plain katanas in The Last Samurai, Rurouni Kenshin, Samurai Deeper Kyo and every other Samurai anime, manga and movies. The katanas Kenshin Himura, Demon Eyes Kyo (Samurai Deeper Kyo), Motoko Aoyoma (Love Hina), Sakura Shinguuji (Sakura Wars), Roronoa Zoro (One piece) and Konoe (Hanaukyo Maid: La Verite) didn't have a white ivory dragon-headed hilt (sword handle) in the anime and manga

A sword should be a piece of art as well as a weapon. I always considered dragon-headed katana to be the most beautiful sword on the face of Earth.



 
While I'm no expert on the subject, you should realize that just because you see it on TV or at the Movies doesn't mean it is the way things are. That works both ways. I know if I wanted to use a real weapon, I should wouldn't want some pretty design on the handle where my hands could get sweaty and slip, I'd want a cloth weave pattern. Also, keep in mind that just because you consider a dragon on the handle as art, doesn't mean another does. A sword expert will be looking for a lot more and considering many different aspects than someone who looks only for something pleasing to the eye. A sword master who can make a strong balanced weapon with 50 years of experience vs a machine carved design on the handle... The weapon made by the master might be plain looking but if it can easily out perform the pretty weapon, give me that one any day. Usually it is the blade GUARD which is the artistic area on a katana, or so I have heard. Tsube if i remember the term right? Not sure.

Lesson here? Two I see. Don't judge a book by its cover, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me, those swords are actually fairly obnoxious looking. Go figure.
 
Zauriel said:
How come I've not seen a dragon-headed katana in anime?

I've seen Duncan Macleod's katana with a white ivory dragon-headed hilt in the Highlander TV series. But every katana I've seen were just plain katanas in The Last Samurai, Rurouni Kenshin, Samurai Deeper Kyo and every other Samurai anime, manga and movies. The katanas Kenshin Himura, Demon Eyes Kyo (Samurai Deeper Kyo), Motoko Aoyoma (Love Hina), Sakura Shinguuji (Sakura Wars), Roronoa Zoro (One piece) and Konoe (Hanaukyo Maid: La Verite) didn't have a white ivory dragon-headed hilt (sword handle) in the anime and manga

A sword should be a piece of art as well as a weapon. I always considered dragon-headed katana to be the most beautiful sword on the face of Earth.

Baran, dai's father in "dai no bouken" did have a dragon-headed katana
baran1gif-1.jpg
 
Lacan, I got a look at dragon hilt in the picture and it looks very impractical.

Emoni, Oh, i see.
 
No offence, but thats the ugliest katana I've seen yet...

They dont tend to have alot of ivory in Japan, no elephants and all that. The swords are more functional that artistic in that design, and the artistic details are much more subtle.
 
As a sword is a practical weapon, you wouldn't really want excessive designs on the hilt. You'd me more interested in the blade getting the job done. If it was to have some elaborate design on it, it would be more for show. A bit like the big swords of the Medieval Knights. A six foot sword looks good, but for fighting you just couldn't lift it. If a film is set in the past they will at least try to keep some things real.
 
Ewok85, Mycernius, oh i see.

Yeah, I know they don't have ivory in Japan.

Blade is more important than the hilt. Hilt doesn't need fancy design. That's what the others say
 
Emoni said:
. Usually it is the blade GUARD which is the artistic area on a katana, or so I have heard. Tsube if i remember the term right? Not sure.
Close, it's tsuba.
 
What's wrong with putting a sword like that in anime?

Maybe a real samuri or ninja wouldn't have such a sword for fighting, but why not in an anime'? It would be more work for the artists but making putting a sword like that in an anime would be more fun, and entertaining. Not to mention the artistic value of the anime would be at a high, wouldn't yall agree? :)
 
P_RayDub said:
Maybe a real samuri or ninja wouldn't have such a sword for fighting, but why not in an anime'? It would be more work for the artists but making putting a sword like that in an anime would be more fun, and entertaining. Not to mention the artistic value of the anime would be at a high, wouldn't yall agree? :)

Yes, ur right. Anime makes no truer facts than do Hollywood movies.

If anime follows all the facts in real life world, then have you ever seen a guy nosebleed in real life as did Keitaro Urashima in Love Hina and Hideki Motosuwa in Chobits?
 
at the end of the day those fancy swords were rare in japan ever, theyre a product of people (mainly in the western world) wanting something a bit more fancy to hang on their wall, most japanese swords were plain wood and often had no tsuba or wrap, although more elaborate designs were made for higher classes such as shoguns they were rare, so if the animators had seen these fancy decorative swords they may have put them in. i think its just that we in the western world see these swords more often (usually in cheapo souvenir shops)
 
Personally i displike the dragon head katanas. Not only does it look ugly as sin but lacks a practical application aswell. After studying swordsmanship you develop a respect for the simple and beautiful design of the tradtional katana.
 
The dragon head handles are what you find in tourist shops for $40 a pop, they are rubbish, a joke, not genuine. Thats why.
 
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