Swords in Anime

[Norris]

Ah crap, that title sounds like a horrid advertisement, sorry.

Well, I was looking around for swords online, not to buy, just the fact that I'm a dork. Anyhow, I found this really cool one and I wondered if by chance anyone knew whose sword it was.

http://www.trueswords.com/ninja-vort...le-p-3272.html
There is the cool one, does anyone know which anime its in?

Also, these two made me angry, its just sad people do such things.

Luffy's sword? What the hell? In the decade that One Piece has been around, Luffy has NEVER carried a sword and probably never will.
http://www.kingofswords.com/Swords/A...ime-Sword.html

Naruto's sword? Again, what the hell? I think Ive seen some concept (or maybe fan) artwork with him holding a sword, which is cool but to sell?
http://www.kingofswords.com/Swords/A...Katana-40.html

Anyhow, if anyone knows that first sword or knows of any other knockoffs like the Naruto/Luffy ones, I wanna see

Its evil, but its also funny!

Oh! There is one I do want though!
http://www.trueswords.com/deluxe-rev...to-p-3098.html So awesome!

[Vexx]

yeah... I was soooo ready to hit the Report Button....

Notes:
1) if you're buying swords for cosplay ... the ninja vortex sword isn't sharpened but could still leave a nasty bruise (before it broke). No conventions allow what they call "live steel" and few allow metal props of any kind. So keep that in mind.

2) The last sword ..... rule of thumb - if it costs less than $100, its a piece of crap that may shatter or break on first swing. A marginally combat-ready sword will run about $250-$500.

Howeverf, if you're just going to display it and not swing it around, <$100 is fine.

Even excellent swords only run between $500-$1200 from many swordmakers ... above that and you're mostly buying decoration or having it made with a special process (for that +5 sword coolness). If you're keeping a sword near the bed "just in case" ( :P ), spend at least a few hundred dollars on it and practice in a safe place. Preferably take classes in how to use it..... the Society of Creative Anachronisms is a good start point for finding such resources.

There are a few companies that make average or better swords that you can actually swing without it falling apart and you can do some careful whacking with. One is Museum Replicas who also sells wooden practice swords and katana.
http://www.museumreplicas.com/museumreplicas/
practice and re-enactor weapons: http://www.museumreplicas.com/museum...CategoryID=697
working, combat ready japanese weapons: http://www.museumreplicas.com/museum...?CategoryID=47

note the prices, very reasonable -- the "katanaplus" ($295) and the "shirasaya" ($250) are affordable for something that actually stays together when used.
...... expect to pay thousands of dollars if it is made by an actual japanese swordsmith of any merit though.

[Amray]

Well, I know of no rip-off blades, but I do have Kenshins Reversed-Blade sword from the "Rurouni Kenshin" series. It's next to my bed so that I have easy access to it..just in case. I bought it from an internet sword shop. It's done really well and looks amazing. Lots of detail and such.

[Norris]

Oh if I bought a sword it would merely be eye candy, and even if I did have to use it, if i broke the damn thing over someones face, that's...not exactly bad! The point of the thread was to point out how some sadly will do anything to make a buck, but good advice anyhow!

[Normality]

If I get a sword, it's gotta be a claymore.

[MuraKami]

Originally Posted by Normality

If I get a sword, it's gotta be a claymore.

Ditto! I was happy to hold one last year in a souvenir shop in Glasgow and although it was long for me to weild it freely, I hadn't so much problems with the balance. (And it was expensive ...).

[Jiji]

Vexx and I are usually totally in synch, but in this case, I have to disagree slightly.

Originally Posted by Vexx

2) The last sword ..... rule of thumb - if it costs less than $100, its a piece of crap that may shatter or break on first swing. A marginally combat-ready sword will run about $250-$500.

Actually, even swords that run $250 - 500 are still crap. I don't mean for the "true collector" or the most discerning eye. I mean that they will still not even hold up to actual iai-do practice, let alone tameshigiri (cutting practice with straw bundles). If you want a real sword, something that can withstand actual combat (which I am NOT condoning, btw) or at least martial arts practice, you're going to pay upwards of $1500. I wish I were kidding. Please see this link: Bugei Trading Company

Their forum is really an experience to read.

Originally Posted by Vexx

Howeverf, if you're just going to display it and not swing it around, <$100 is fine.

This, OTOH, I agree with. Norris is right, though. It's amazing how easy it is to make a buck off of people who want the uber-cool anime sword they saw.

[emotionless_teenage]

i have checked a sword(a katana) from some tv channel
and the price:US$50000 for a decent katana(now,where the hell should you find that much money)

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Jiji

Vexx and I are usually totally in synch, but in this case, I have to disagree slightly.



Actually, even swords that run $250 - 500 are still crap. I don't mean for the "true collector" or the most discerning eye. I mean that they will still not even hold up to actual iai-do practice, let alone tameshigiri (cutting practice with straw bundles). If you want a real sword, something that can withstand actual combat (which I am NOT condoning, btw) or at least martial arts practice, you're going to pay upwards of $1500. I wish I were kidding. Please see this link: Bugei Trading Company

Their forum is really an experience to read.

This, OTOH, I agree with. Norris is right, though. It's amazing how easy it is to make a buck off of people who want the uber-cool anime sword they saw.

Most of my experience is with European swords (viking age) - both re-enactor (theater choreography) and so-called live steel. A $500 european-style sword if used european-style properly will hold up (though not forever) because in 'real life' you're not banging swords together - at most you're pushing the sword aside with the *flat* of the blade to slide inside the other's comfort zone. Fastest way to shatter a real sword (cheap or expensive) is edge-to-edge banging.

Stage choreography is entirely different -- and more often the amateur group I worked with used formed/shaped metal bars at times because we're going for weight balance, durability, and the big clang/sparks audiences expect. That sort of stuff is not genteel or precise looking at all and can be bad for your hands if you're not careful (nerve damage). If you ever visit one of those dinner theatre knight re-enactments near the Disney complexes - try to get close to their gear for a look. Same concept - very thick on the edge for maximum sparkage and durability. Even then there are some tricks to the swing work.

Our biggest gig was a choreographed two-handed claymore duel for a shakespearean play in college. It was very exciting ... one night one of the team accidentally sheared a stage pillar from being a little bit off position. There was a swordsmith I used to know at the renfaire who did live steel full armor demos with his apprentices. They were very good but at times they'd get rambunctious and someone would have a bloody nose or need stitches.

The only katanas I've ever handled with actual japanese heirlooms ($20K+) or the crap they push in the mall knife shops ($100). Jiji enlightens me on the cash point for decent asian swords... yeeeesh. I'll stick to my pre-1200AD persona though saber work is fascinating to watch.

[Jiji]

Silly of me: I didn't even think that we'd be talking about swords OTHER than katana. Even sillier when I remember that there's a very popular manga/anime about european swords (Claymore). Heh. My mistake.
I have to say, that's totally fascinating that you have experience in that kind of thing, Vexx. When I was a kid, I worked for the local Ren Fest and I was in awe of the fight re-enactors. I know that "cool" doesn't seem like a word to use in conjunction with Ren Fest, but man, those guys were farking cool.

[Vexx]

Heh... more than a few of them seemed to use method acting to the hilt (a.k.a. might be needing psychiatric help ).

[Garet Jax]

Originally Posted by Jiji

This, OTOH, I agree with. Norris is right, though. It's amazing how easy it is to make a buck off of people who want the uber-cool anime sword they saw.

When you don't know much, it's easy to fall into this trap, apparently. Even having done a bit of research before, I was under the impression that the Hanwei line (e.g. some of these: http://www.swordsoftheeast.com/index...S&Category=148) were fairly well-regarded for non-wall-hanging use. Now I'll have to do some more reading on the Bugei site. Of course, I'm really only interested for the "Yay, I have shiny sword!" reason at the moment, I'll admit it. I still don't want crap, though.

[Jiji]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Heh... more than a few of them seemed to use method acting to the hilt (a.k.a. might be needing psychiatric help ).

LOL! When you say they are method acting to the hilt, it makes me think they need more than just psychiatric help -- they need an ER first. Heh. Get it? No? nvm...

Originally Posted by Garet Jax

Even having done a bit of research before, I was under the impression that the Hanwei line (e.g. some of these: http://www.swordsoftheeast.com/index...S&Category=148) were fairly well-regarded for non-wall-hanging use.

You're absolutely right, Garet. Even those picky bastards at Bugei have collaborated with Hanwei for a couple of lines of swords. I like your link -- Swords of the East seems to be taking swords seriously for the martial artist and for a lower cost than the whole arm and leg that Bugei charges.