Editing Tantō

{{Era|Weapons}}{{WP-REAL|Tantō}}
{{Pre-release|[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]}}
[[File:ACSh Fujibayashi Naoe's tanto.png|thumb|250px|Fujibayashi Naoe's tanto]]
A '''''tantō''''' (短刀, <small>lit.</small> 'short blade') is a [[Japan]]ese sword or [[short blade|dagger]] with a blade shorter than 30 centimeters in length.<ref name="Yumoto">Yumoto, J. M. (2013). ''Samurai Sword: A Handbook''. Rutland, VT: Tuttle Publishing.</ref><ref name="Weapon dict">Ichikawa Sadaharu [市川定春]. (2023). "Daggers" [匕首]. In ''Dictionary of the Weapon'' [武器事典] (3rd ed.), translated by Lin Tsit-i [林哲逸] and Kao Yin-liang [高胤喨]. Taipei, Taiwan: Cite Publishing Ltd., pp. 79–111.</ref><ref name="Japanese swords">Kapp, Leon and Kapp, Hiroko. (2012). "Rekishi: A Brief History of the Japanese Sword". In ''The Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation''. Tokyo, Japan: Tuttle Publishing, pp. 69–104</ref> It was utilized as an auxiliary weapon by the [[samurai]] alongside their [[katana]], as well as by women and tradespeople for personal defense during the [[Sengoku period]].<ref name="Deal">Deal, W. E. (2006). ''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan''. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.</ref> [[Ninja]] such as the [[Assassins]] [[Fujibayashi Naoe]] and [[Mochizuki Chiyome]] also used in prolifically in their operations.

==Description==
The term ''tantō'' literally translates to 'short blade', and the weapon is essentially a Japanese-style dagger. Since the enactment of the {{wiki|Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law}} in 1958<ref name="WP">{{WP|Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law}}</ref> by the Japanese government, the ''tantō'' has been legally defined as any sword with a blade shorter than 30 centimeters, but historically many short swords exceeding this length were still classified as ''tantō''. More precisely, the most typical ''tantō'' has a blade ranging from 24 to 25 cm in length, and these are specifically called ''jōsun-no-tantō'' (定寸の短刀, <small>lit.</small> 'standard-length short blades').<ref name="Japanese swords" />

Although ''tantō'' are sometimes described with a style of moderate curvature called ''uchizori'' (内反り, <small>lit.</small> 'inward-curving'), where the rear surface tapers toward the tip, they have always been forged with a straight back, or ''muzori'' (無反り, <small>lit.</small> 'no curvature'). Because the line between the flat side of the blade and the rear surface is weaker near the point, years of polishing and use will wear down at this spot faster, eventually giving the appearance of an ''uchizori'' blade.<ref name="Japanese swords" />

==History==
The history of the ''tantō'' goes as far back as the 3rd century BCE. Among its antecedents are ancient ''tōsu'' (刀子) and the {{wiki|Kamakura period|Kamakura era}} ''sasuga'' (剌剣). Positive appraisal of the ''sasuga'' as a side-arm for [[spear]]men in the chaos of battle led to the widespread adoption of the shorter ''tantō''. It subsequently became a regular auxiliary weapon for warriors throughout the Sengoku period.<ref name="Weapon dict" /> [[Iga]] shinobi were trained to utilize it to pierce through weak points in enemy armor,<ref name="Turnbull">Turnbull, Stephen. (2019). "Ninja Weapons and How to Use Them". In ''Ninja: The (Unofficial) Secret Manual''. London, UK: Thames & Hudson Ltd, pp. 112–131.</ref> and the Iga Assassin Fujibayashi Naoe wielded both a ''tantō''<ref name="ReferenceGuide">{{Ubisoft|url=/J3yJr34U2pZ2Ieem48Dwy9uqj5PNUQTn/3bGKVyFkHiabZ5a2SjO7pi/83bf1e6260dcaac48d453399bd573306/ACRED_CharacterReference_Full_FINAL.pdf|subdomain=staticctf|text=Assassin's Creed Shadows: Character Reference Guide|archivedate=20240601091703}}</ref> and a [[Hidden Blade|Pivot Blade]] in the design of a ''tantō''.<ref name="ReferenceGuide" /><ref name="trailer3">{{Youtube|HhMOQowMjM8|Assassin's Creed Shadows Explained – Samurai, Shinobi, and Feudal Japan|Ubisoft|Ubisoft}}</ref> [[Mochizuki Chiyome]] likewise also favored the weapon during her tenure as an Assassin.<ref name="ACRPG">''[[Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game]]'' – Animus Training Program Quickstart: The Nanban Trade</ref> Its weapon did not ebb even in the peaceful [[Tokugawa shogunate|Edo period]] because nobles and women alike found it useful as a concealable self-defense weapon.<ref name="Weapon dict" />

==Behind the scenes==
The ''tantō'' will be a usable weapon in the 2024 video game ''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]''.<ref name="ReferenceGuide"/><ref name="trailer3" />

==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{ACShadows}}
[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Short blades]]
[[Category:16th century weapons]]