Talk:Katana +1/@comment-37.201.194.50-20180712231416/@comment-2A0A:A543:A6D:0:C516:DEF:4BF7:E34-20190707030029

I don't really get all these comparisons between the Katana, a specific kind of sword, and "european swords", a very broad collection of vastly differing swords. The Katana was not used on the battlefield, it was a civilian defense weapon, so there is no point in comparing it to, let's say, a longsword for example. It just doesn't serve the same purpose. Also, european swords became straight because of the evolution of armour, they became thrusting oriented, but because japanese armour was inferior in terms of defense, and because the Katana wasn't used on the battlefield (with exception of the Nagamaki and the Nodachi, which where used against cavallary though), there was no reason for it to become straight. In fact, earlier versions of the Katana actually used to be straight, I belive in the 11th centuary, and then evolved to be curved. In the end, a weapon matters not as much as the swordsman and the context in which it is used.

I ageee though that the Katana is overrated, there isn't really anything "special" about it, it's just a piece of sharpened steel.