Sakabato
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The sakabatō (逆刃刀, lit. reverse-blade sword) is the main weapon of the character Himura Kenshin, from the popular manga series Rurouni Kenshin. It was created by Nobuhiro Watsuki as an original weapon that represents Kenshin's lack of willingness to kill.
On a normal katana, the outwardly curved side of the sword is sharp, while the inwardly curved side of the sword (棟, mune) is blunt. In contrast, the sakabatō has the cutting edge on the inwardly curved side of the sword.
Although the origin of the sakabatō is the cause of some confusion amongst fans, Watsuki has stated in an interview that the sakabatō was his creation. There is no record of reverse-bladed katana ever having been used historically in Japan and there is no existing school of swordsmanship that employs them. However, since the manga was published, non-functional sakabatō have been produced for purchase by collectors and fans.
