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Originally Posted by theflyingturkey
So here's a short swordy FAQ:
Katanas are generally the best swords hands down
Not really. The Katana is an excellent weapon, and their forging techniques ensured excellent quality control, but otherwise made swords of comparable quality to the rest of the world. In fact the famed 'folding the blade' technique was in event the world over, and the Celts have been using the technique in the form of pattern welding.
European swords were blunt and heavy designed to bash through armour
Again this is false, European swords were definitely sharp, as modern reconstructions using accurate period materials have been tested. There are also archaeological evidences discovering skeletal remains which have been cleaved from the should/collarbones to the mid ribs.
Also, the average weight of longswords themselves are 3lbs, designed for nimble use and fast cuts and thrusts.
Furthermore, cutting is a poor solution to plate armour. Instead if a fencer would be expected to grip the blade with one hand in a technique called 'half-swording', where the sword would be wielded more like a spear, allowing increased precision to stab into the joints and exposed bits where the armour is not covering. Another technique utilized in armoured combat itself is the Mordschlag, where the blade is gripped with both hands. In this technique the sword functions more like a warhammer, to crush through the enemy's armour. With proper technique to grip the blade, (Pressing against the flat and not sliding on the edges) one may use these techniques without fear of cutting themselves.)
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The short answer is that every society developed weapons best suited for the military tactics of its era. The katana is no better a weapon than any contemporary longsword. Each was crafted according to the needs of its times.
Rather than compare weapons from different cultures and different eras against each other, it is more meaningful to consider how each sword was designed to be used against which types of armour and in what types of tactics.
Also, it's worth noting that the sword, while prestigious, was rarely the primary field weapon in most battles before the gunpowder era.