Katana (comics)
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Katana is a DC Comics fictional character, a superhero. She first appeared in the The Brave and the Bold #200, and became a longterm member of the Outsiders.
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[edit] Detailed history
[edit] Becoming Katana
Tatsu Yamashiro was an average Japanese girl, save for her proficiency in the martial arts. Two brothers, Maseo and Takeo Yamashiro, both proclaimed their love for her. While she liked both, she chose Maseo. This angered Takeo, who refused to attend the couple's wedding. By this time, he had joined the Yakuza, receiving a large dragon tattoo across his chest to mark himself as such. As a result, his family disowned him.
After the deaths of Tatsu's parents, (cause unknown) she and Maseo started a family of their own, and she gave birth to twins, Yuki and Reiko. Meanwhile, Takeo rose in rank of the Yakuza, and one of his exotic tastes included ancient weapons. He was presented with a pair of matched swords by General Karnz, one of which Takeo favored due to its mystical properties, which would come to be known as the Soultaker.
One night, Takeo took both swords to the Yamashiro residence. Tossing the non-powered sword to his brother and demanding he duel for Tatsu, he quickly struck Maseo down. In the course of the fight, Takeo accidentally started a fire, and while distracted by his children, Maseo was slain with the Soultaker.
Tatsu arose just in time to see her husband die, and engaged Takeo, gaining the upper hand and disarming him. When she attempted to go after her children, she heard her husband's voice telling her to turn back- coming from the sword. She listened, and watched as her house burned.
Tatsu began training as a samurai under a master called Tadashi. After much time she graduated from his tutorship and left for America where she intended to use her talents to fight for justice. She took the codename Katana after the sword that she wielded.
[edit] Becoming an Outsider
Eventually Tatsu journeyed to Markovia, a small Baltic state, where she had tracked down Karnz, and she was successful in killing him. After the fight she encountered an unconscious young girl who she named Halo. The two would encounter Batman afterwards, and the duo assisted Batman in rescuing his employee Lucius Fox from his captor, Baron Bedlam.
Batman resigned his membership in the Justice League when they refused to help Batman in his pursuit of the Baron, and he decided instead to form the Outsiders, who were meant to be more pro-active against threats. Katana and Halo became founding members of the team, alongside Black Lightning, Geo-Force and Metamorpho.
The team managed to end the Baron's tyranny in Markovia and moved to Gotham City, where they set up their headquarters (a former penthouse of Bruce Wayne, secretly the Batman). Tatsu became Halo's guardian and the two moved into the penthouse.
At the same time, Takeo was still at large and had followed Tatsu to Gotham City. Secretly he switched swords with her and left for Tokyo with the Outsiders on his tail. Takeo took the sword to his master, the godfather of the Yakuza, known only as the Oyabun. Performing a specific ritual, the Oyabun and Takeo managed to recall the souls that inhabitated the sword, who proceeded to take corporeal form. Among them were legendary mercenaries and assassins, but also Maseo, who was now a slave to the Oyabun. Katana had to fight them all and after a long battle that took its toll, Katana was able to reclaim the Soultaker and kill Takeo, and she could finally put an end to some of her ghosts. By undoing the ritual however, her husband returned into the sword as well.
At one point the Outsiders split from Batman's leadership and took up residence in Markovia where they were funded by the Markovian crown (Geo-Force is a prince of the royal family). They became the official agents of Markovia and moved to the city of Los Angeles where they made their headquarters in the Markovian embassy, while retaining another secret HQ just off the shore. Although Tatsu had left her past behind, the Oyabun returned in her life and sent a tengu after, with which he captured her. Her teammates in the Outsiders, namely Halo and Looker were able to save her using other tengu and the tengu leader, who aided them in battle.
[edit] Family debt
After a while, the team disbanded after various tragic events surrounding Geo-Force's parents and Markovia. Nonetheless the Outsiders were forced to defend Markovia against the Manhunters, but during the fight Halo was knocked into a coma, saving Katana's life. Bounded by giri-ninjo (a debt of honor even unto death), Tatsu left the team so she could tend to Halo's wounds. During that time however, she was approached by a family member of her husband, who wished her to accompany the Suicide Squad on a mission to destroy a large horde of weapons that was about to be sold to the Yakuza. She declined on the basis of her giri-ninjo, although she was willing to help if the need was truly desperate.
That family member was later killed, and she went after the killer, the Daichi-Doku's Oyabun (of which her relative was a member), who did not wish to see the weapons destroyed and tried to stop the Suicide Squad. During that adventure, she saved the life of Bronze Tiger and Manhunter (Mark Shaw), making them honor-bound to her by giri-ninjo. Mark Shaw then assisted her in taking down the Daichi-Doku's Oyabun, who she killed.
[edit] Returning to the Outsiders
Eventually though the Outsiders re-formed and returned to Markovia. Instead of a peaceful reunion however, the team became trapped in a web of public relations, that branded them outlaws. Although the charges would be dropped eventually the team was fractured. Halo died but was reborn in a new body, which put an immense strain on Tatsu's relationship with Halo.
Katana joined a team with Geo-Force and Technocrat, taking the lead of her team. On one of her team's missions, they were sent to dispatch Tadashi, her old mentor, who was trying to gain the Soultaker and sent Lady Shiva to claim it. Shiva being world-renowned as the world's greatest assassin and fighter, was able to kill Katana. Katana returned back to life after a trial by combat within her sword and afterwards managed to find her old mentor and take his life.
The two splinter teams would eventually reunite, but not for very long and they disbanded again. After disbanding Tatsu has kept her association with her old allies among the Outsiders (such as Black Lightning, Geo-Force and Halo), and although they did not operate as an official team, were always seen alongside each other during major crises.
Her close ties to Batman also saw her fighting by his side, several times, notably during the Imperiex crisis, and assisted him when he and Superman were declared outlaws. Katana was also called upon by Black Canary, together with other female mercenaries in order to rescue Oracle from Senator Pullman. After Oracle was saved, Katana received her card, together with the promise of a favor if required.
[edit] New Outsiders
Most recently, she has joined a new team of Outsiders, of which she is the only member that was a part of the original team besides Metamorpho who rejoined the team after Shift's demise. She assisted them in defeating a more powerful Sabbac and decided to join the team. In Outsiders 42, Katana donned a new costume, as she felt it innapropriate to wear a costume based on Japan's flag, when Japan revoked her citizenship due to her membership with the controversial team.
Katana summoned Sabbac to destroy Dr. Sivana's base with his Hellfire.
[edit] The Soultaker
The Soultaker, along with its non-powered twin, was forged in the 14th century by Muramasa, whose swords were said to be cursed and make those who were evil commit evil acts. It sometimes takes the souls of those it kills, storing them inside the sword, where they can engage in limited communication with whoever wields it. These souls can be reincarnated by the means of a sacred ritual, under which they serve their summoner, even if it is against their will.
[edit] Suicide Squad
After the Outsiders had been cancelled, Katana went on a mission with the Suicide Squad. She left the squad after her mission ended, and did not return, even though fan response to her inclusion was heavy. Nine issues after her cameo though, the Suicide Squad title was cancelled.
[edit] Appearances in other Media
A character similar to Katana called Tsukuri appeared in Justice League in the episode Fury as an assistant to the villainness Aresia and later as a member of Grodd's Legion of Doom. It is generally believed that this is similar to how Aresia was loosely based on Fury, Galatea on Power Girl, The Ultimen on several members of The Super Friends, and Hro Talak on Hawkman.
