Katana
A katana is a moderately-curved Japanese longsword that was historically used by the samurai.
Description
A longsword of Japanese origin, the katana is characterized by a single-edged and moderately curved blade forged from steel. Further distinguishing features include its typically circular crossguard and the long, round grip which serves to accommodate two hands. Accordingly, the katana may be wielded with either both hands or one depending on the user's style of swordsmanship.[1][2][3] Historically, it was a particularly powerful sword compared to others around the world—even into the 18th century.[2][3]
The nearly identical wakizashi is a short Japanese sword which functions as a sidearm to the katana.[2]
History
True to its heritage, the katana was a ubiquitous weapon among the samurai throughout Japanese history. It saw widespread use during the Sengoku period in the hands of famed warlords such as Oda Nobunaga and Uesugi Kenshin and their generals. Japanese Assassins, notably Hattori Hanzō, also regularly utilized the weapon.[1]
As an East Asian weapon, it was exceedingly rare in Europe but was nevertheless available for purchase by the French Assassin Arno Dorian in Paris during the French Revolution.[3] Centuries later in 2014, while reliving the genetic memories of the Templar Shay Cormac through the Helix, an Abstergo Entertainment research analyst hacked the Animus to grant him or herself a virtual katana.[2]
Weapon statistics
Seven Years' War
| Speed | Combo | Damage | Cost | Availability |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | N/A | Sequence 1* |
*Must be unlocked through Uplay
French Revolution
| Level | Damage | Parry | Speed | Range | Cost | Modifiers |
| * * * * * | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25,000₣ | Additional damage: +25% |
Trivia
- In Assassin's Creed: Rogue, the katana and wakizashi is unlocked as a Uplay reward. The description calls an Animus modification, making it unclear as to whether the player character Shay Cormac canonically ever wielded the weapons himself.
- In Assassin's Creed: Unity, when wielding the katana, Arno Dorian fights with it no differently than he does a rapier with techniques extremely inappropriate for a katana because his combat animations remain the same no matter which sword he uses.
Gallery
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Uesugi Kenshin fighting on combat with a katana -
Oda Nobunaga wielding a katana -
Assassin Hattori Masanari training with a katana
Appearances
- Assassin's Creed: Memories (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Rogue (first identified as "katana")
- Assassin's Creed: Unity