Is it a Katana, or. . . . ?
Re: Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai". The over-length sword carried by Toshiro Mifune's character; is it a katana, or does it have another name?
Re: Kurosawa's "The Seven Samurai". The over-length sword carried by Toshiro Mifune's character; is it a katana, or does it have another name?
tyrsson58
Favorite Answer
It is called a nodachi, or "field sword", or sometimes a zan ba to, or "horse cutting sword". It was an attempt to help a samurai on foot deal with one on horseback. The idea was to attack the horse, thus spilling the rider, and evening the odds.
Reaper
Katana in Japanese actually means "sword" and that's it. A long/mid-sized sword that is. It isn't actually a type of sword or the name of the sword. Although other country used the Japanese word Katana to indicate any long/mid-sized Japanese sword.
It probably does have a name but it's a Katana. It might be "monohoshizao". One of the longest sword in Japan. Also one of the legendary sword.
PS: I didn't see the sword or the movie. I'm just guessing.
Malcolm D
No it is not a katana, it is a nodachi.