Sword

A sword is a weapon with a long blade which has at least one sharpened edge. It is used almost exclusively for melee combat, to cut and/or pierce opponents.

Swords are perhaps the most common weapon in the world of One Piece, with users ranging from untrained civilians and petty criminals to renowned Grand Line pirates and Marines. Those possessing particular training and expertise in their use are renowned as swordsmen.

Overview
Listen closely! A sword's like a kitchen knife, but for murder! They're created to kill people! And a blacksmith hones his craft so that his weapons are better at killing than any other!

Though subject to variation, swords fundamentally combine three elements:
 * A blade, made of a durable material (most often steel or another metal) sharpened with at least one edge, which is used to attack.
 * A hilt, usually shorter than the blade, which is used to hold and move the weapon with one or both hands, depending on the sword.
 * A guard, which fits the blade onto the hilt and protects the user's hand(s).

Many notable swords throughout the world follow an uchigatana template, with broad guards, two-handed hilts, and single-edged curving blades bearing distinct hamon patterns.

A sword's blade serves its primary function. Most of them are designed for cutting, thrusting, and/or blocking other bladed weapons, although not all swords rely on being able to create a wound that is meant to be lethal; some are also designed with small indents in them to help fight other melee weapons, while a few may be equipped with special mechanisms that enhance their capabilities and efficiency.

A sword's weakness is its quality and lack of range, as well as the fact that, unlike other weapons, their potency relies greatly on the skill of their wielder.

Sentience
According to Shimotsuki Kozaburo, each sword has its own personality, some more than others; Sandai Kitetsu was dubbed a "problem child" because it frequently cuts more than intended; Shusui was said to have had a "bad temper", making it heavier and difficult to handle; and Enma has a deadly disposition, often testing its owner through gluttonously draining away their Haki to a near-fatal level. Because all those aspects tends to overwhelm weaker people unable to handle them, sometimes causing their previous owner's deaths, said swords might earn a reputation as a "cursed" sword, but it is implied that those misfortunes occurs because of the swordsmen lacking the strength to handle them.

Kozaburo also said that a sword chooses its own wielder depending on who best suits it. As such, to properly use one of those swords, the potential swordsman must first figure out its personality and bend it to their will. If their wielder possesses the strength to wield them, then they will have an easier time handling it. A good example of this is Kozuki Oden, who had mastered Enma, while having his Ryuo drained, but wielded it as if it was as light as a feather. On the other hand, Zoro, who had lacked strength comparable to Oden, needed to constantly feed it Busoshoku and Haoshoku Haki to effectively control Enma.

Construction
A swordsmith (刀鍛冶) is a craftsman responsible for forging and/or repairing bladed weapons that are used in battle. Master swordsmiths, such as those in Wano Country, are skilled enough to create Meitos, famous for their exceptional power. Known swordsmiths include Kotetsu and Kozuki Sukiyaki of the Kitetsu school of swordsmiths, as well as Shimotsuki Kozaburo.

The quality of a sword determines its monetary worth. At the weapons shop that Roronoa Zoro visited in Loguetown, a cheap sword is priced at 50,000, while a high-quality sword is priced at 100,000.

Classifications
While there are a large variety of swords in terms of shapes and attributes, they are also classified by their qualities. The three known classifications are as followed:


 * Meito (名刀): A sword that has gained its own fame, enough to have a name of its own. The vast majority of known meito are swords.
 * Grade Blades (業物): Swords of exceptional quality, ranked by their craftmanship and cutting ability. There are four known grades; Grade, Skillful Grade, Great Grade, and Supreme Grade. Swords with a known grade exhibit cutting power and resilience that far outclass other weapons, and may be worth millions of Bellies. By definition, every graded sword is a meito.


 * Kokuto (黒刀): A sword with a black blade, having been "forged" into one by their wielder through countless battles. These Black Blades are much stronger than normal blades, most renown for their impressive resilience, not bending an inch even if a dinosaur stepped on it. It is stated that should a swordsman turn their sword into a Black Blade, then its grade would raise in rank, but this is rare. Yoru and Shusui are both Kokuto.


 * Yoto (妖刀): A sword said to be cursed and bring misfortune to its wielder, often ending in their deaths. Kozuki Sukiyaki has stated the weak cannot control a Cursed Blade. According to Shimotsuki Kozaburo, since swordsmith hones their skills to craft swords meant to cause harm and kill, the weak fearing a sword and calling it cursed is a badge of honor and a sign of good quality. All three of Kitetsu's creations are cursed blades. Kikoku and Shichiseiken are also Yoto.

Types of Swords
Within the series, a great variety of swords are used, depending on the user's personal preferences.

Katana


The katana (刀) is a type of sword with a long, curved blade and one sharpened edge.

Katana, alongside sabers, are the most common sword depicted in the series. Zoro's Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu and Shusui are all katana. High-ranking Marines, mainly Vice Admirals, use katana or other swords that resemble them. There are other characters who wield katana of gigantic proportions in comparison to their own sizes (also known as "zanbato"), such as Squard or Pica. The katana is the most common weapon wielded by the samurai of Wano Country.

There are certain fighters who utilize katana blades to customize a standard bladed weapon. The Cat Claws are nekode with a katana blade placed on each finger, turning them into giant claws. The Kessui is a peculiar naginata that is essentially two katana linked together at each end of the hilt, creating a double-sided halberd.

It should be noted that the kanji for katana is often alternately read as "tou", making it refer to either a "knife" or "blade" (via pareleling its Chinese reading, dāo).

Below are the named katana that have appeared in the series:
 * Wado Ichimonji
 * Shodai Kitetsu
 * Nidai Kitetsu
 * Sandai Kitetsu
 * Yubashiri (destroyed)
 * Shigure
 * Kashu
 * Shusui
 * Sukesan and Kakusan
 * Kureyuki
 * Karakuri Sword
 * Soto Muso
 * Enma
 * Ame no Habakiri
 * Yamaoroshi (non-canon)
 * Konpira (non-canon)

Shinai


The shinai (竹刀) is a sword made of bamboo used for training or competition. As the shinai is not designed for combat to the death, it does not have a blade capable of lacerating the skin, but it can bruise the target if given a sufficiently-strong strike. It is generally designed to be similar to the katana in size and shape, but is more lightweight.

The students at the Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki Village use shinai for training and sparring. Shimotsuki Kuina would defeat Roronoa Zoro in two thousand duels with a shinai. They are also present at Marineford and the Germa Kingdom, among several other locations.

Kogatana
The kogatana (小刀) is a smaller version of a katana, being more akin to a knife.

Dracule Mihawk uses this weapon to fight weaker opponents, and also as a dinner knife.

Wakizashi


The wakizashi (脇差) is a short sword, being a shorter version of the katana with a similar design albeit with a shorter blade between 30 and 60 centimetres and also a shorter hilt.

In Wano Country, Wakizashi is commonly carried by samurai alongside a katana as part of a daishō set to be used as a side weapon.

Due to his small size, Kozuki Momonosuke used a wakizashi as his primary weapon.

Tanto
The tanto (短刀) is a dagger. The blade can be single or double-edged with a length ranging between 15 and 30 centimetres. The tanto was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but it can also be used for slashing attacks.

It is used in Wano for criminals to commit seppuku.

Nodachi
The nodachi (野太刀), also referred as an odachi (大太刀), are a type of sword known for its reach. Its cutting capability and range exceed that of a standard katana due to its length, weight, and size.

The captain of the Heart Pirates, Trafalgar Law, wields one of these, used in combination with his Devil Fruit powers. Shiryu, captain of the Blackbeard Pirates' second ship, also wields one. Charlotte Amande wields a nodachi named Shirauo, taking advantage of its length to cut through giant targets easier.

List of named nodachi:
 * Kikoku
 * Raiu
 * Shirauo

Dao


The dao (刀) features a curved, broad blade designed mainly for chopping, with the end of the blade consisting of two angles connected by a straight or slightly curved edge. Fancier dao are often decorated with cloth or tassels at the end of the hilt.

The swords used by both Johnny and Yosaku greatly resemble a dadao, a heavier variation of the regular dao. Roronoa Zoro borrows these swords for his battle against Hatchan, since his two katana were broken by Dracule Mihawk. Queen of the Beasts Pirates also carries a pair of dao swords with tassels on each one.

List of named dao:
 * Nakiri Swords

Jian


The jian is a double-edged straight sword with a pommel for balance and a hilt that may feature a tassel. Its blade design features subtle profile taper but often has considerable distal taper, with its thickness near the tip being only half of the root's base, making it highly versatile as it can be used for stabbing, as well as making both precise cuts and slashes.

The Shichiseiken is a powerful cursed sword with the design of an extremely ornate jian. Shiki's dual Meito, Oto and Kogarashi, are also jian swords with katana handguards.

Below are the named jian used in the series:
 * Oto and Kogarashi
 * Shichiseiken (non-canon)

Cutlass


A cutlass (カットラス) is a short, thick saber with a slightly-curved blade with one sharpened edge and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard.

Many low-ranking Marine soldiers and pirates are shown to be wielding these types of swords. Hatchan wields six cutlasses, each weighing over 300 kilograms. Wanda, member of the Mink Tribe's Inuarashi Musketeer Squad, wields a double-edged cutlass that she often uses to channel Electro.

Gol D. Roger's sword, Ace, is the only named cutlass in the series.

Saber


A saber (サーベル) is a type of sword with a single edge blade with a large guard. Its blade is usually curved of variable length. Unlike a cutlass, the saber is longer and thinner in design.

Sabers are often seen being used by background characters. The most notable user of sabers are Shanks of the Four Emperors and the Pirate King Gol D. Roger. X Drake wields a saber, holding it with his left hand alongside an axe in his right. Vista also employs two sabers, known simultaneously as Kaken, in combat. Vice Admiral Onigumo uses eight of these in combination with his presumably spider-based Devil Fruit, rather than the Vice Admirals' traditional weapon of choice, the katana.

Shanks' sword, Gryphon, is currently the only named saber.

Kukri
The kukri (ククリ) is a heavy, curved knife used for both as a tool and a weapon.

The "Big-Knife" used by Sarquiss resembles a kukri, and Helmeppo uses two kukri for combat.

Shikomizue
A shikomizue (仕込み杖) is a sword concealed inside a cane or walking stick.

Roronoa Zoro used one in an anime-only flashback. Brook uses a shikomizue as the main weapon for his sword style. Brook named the blade Soul Solid after the timeskip due to his new ability to imbue his spectral energy into it. Issho wields a shikomizue that doubles as a walking stick for him, and like Brook, he tends to channel his Devil Fruit powers through it—in his case, gravitation forces. Baron Tamago uses one and is highly skilled in using it in conjunction with spinning techniques as shown during his battle with Pedro.

Shirasaya
A shirasaya (白鞘) is a simple, undecorated blade consisting of a scabbard and hilt.

Kaku uses a pair of shirasaya as part of his Four Sword Style. Upon his transformation into a giraffe hyrid form, his swords grow in size proportional to himself, becoming more or less as long as a nodachi. Admiral Issho's shikomizue also resembles a shirasaya in terms of design.

Zanbato


A zanbato (斬馬刀) is a particularly gigantic, curved sword in comparison to the wielder.

Arlong's Kiribachi is a zanbato with tooth-like saw blades, though he has no trouble wielding it due to his fish-man strength. Dracule Mihawk's Yoru is also quite long in length, being taller than its wielder. Squard used a very large katana that can qualify as a zanbato. Pica also wields a giant katana, even in proportion to his own naturally giant size. Bastille wields the Same-kiri Bocho, a cleaver-styled zanbato, until it was destroyed by Sabo. Even among giants, they use swords that are larger than themselves, let alone regular humans, as Little Oars Jr. wielded a gigantic butcher's knife.

List of named zanbato:
 * Yoru
 * Kiribachi
 * Same-kiri Bocho

Rapier


A rapier (レイピア) is a slender, sharply-pointed sword designed mainly for thrusting. Its hilt usually has a guard with a complex, intricate design.

Ryuboshi wields two rapiers that have katana-wrappings around the hilts and prominent handguards. Diamante wields a rapier that he can use either as a normal sword or in tandem with his Hira Hira no Mi to fold and reshape into a mace or an urumi. Cavendish wields the Durandal, a small sword and a Meito, which seemingly possesses a shine whenever unsheathed. From the Mink Tribe, Duke Inuarashi and the Inuarashi Musketeer Squad leader Shishilian both wield rapiers, using them to channel Electro.

List of named rapiers:
 * Durandal

Longsword


The longsword (ロングソード), is a large, straight, double-edged sword with a cross-shaped hilt.

Mihawk's sword, Yoru, resembles a large longsword in terms of design, but with a single-edged blade instead. Kyros, the legendary gladiator of the Corrida Colosseum, wields a standard longsword. Both Rebecca and Riku Doldo III wield variants with dull edges, in order to prevent blood shedding during combat. Dorry, one of the Captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, uses a gigantic variant called the Terry Sword that suits his size. Charlotte Cracker wields an enormous longsword named Pretzel that is bigger than the average human.

List of named longswords:
 * Terry Sword
 * Bamboo
 * Warabide Sword
 * Pretzel

Urumi


The urumi (ウルミ) is a longsword with a flexible and thin blade, classified as a steel whip.

While no true urumi have appeared in the series, many weapons resemble an urumi in terms of appearance and function. Ohm's Eisen Whip, is made of Iron Cloud, allowing the blade to change shape like an urumi. Spandam wields Funkfreed, a sword with the Zo Zo no Mi powers, which allows him to extend the blade in a very long and curved fashion. Diamante's Devil Fruit ability allows him to bend his sword's blade like ribbons, effectively making it an urumi. Similarly, Basil Hawkins has shown the ability to use his sword as an urumi after turning it into straw.

A non-canon user of the urumi is Heaby, who wields a chain-sectioned sword, allowing him to swing it like a whip due to its mechanism, and fitting his theme of snake. In the manga, Holed'em's Karakuri-to is a katana which abilities are not shown, but in the anime, it can be split apart to a whip-like blade.

List of named urumi:
 * Eisen Whip
 * Funkfreed (while in hybrid form)

Machete


The machete (マチェテ) is a short, one-handed, cleaver-like weapon that can also be used as a tool like the kukri. It usually has a broad blade similar to a cutlass, but the handle of a machete is far simpler in comparison.

The former pirate Run is able to wield four machetes at the same time thanks to his lower spider body granted to him by Trafalgar Law's Ope Ope no Mi ability. Pedro, one of the Whale Forest Guardians of the Mink Tribe, also wields a machete for combat.

Shotel


The shotel (ショーテル) is a curved sword with a partially circular blade, resembling a sickle.

Blondie wields a pair of shotels that have dual blades on each sword. Jack, of the Beasts Pirates, wields a pair of twisted shotels that resemble the shape of a mammoth's tusks. The swords are kept inside scabbards similar in shape.

Nandao


The nandao (南刀) is a kind of sword, featuring a non-curved, single-edged blade.

Sasaki wields a nandao-like special sword, which is mechanized and capable of activating a rotating mechanism, making the sword spin like a drill.

List of named nandao:
 * Karakuri Rasento

Terminology
It should be noted that most of the above pronunciations of the above names are conjectural, being extrapolated from the terminology used in the real world.

In the manga and anime proper, the following two terms are used to describe swords: While these terms (derived from the Chinese dao and jian, respectively) have historically fluctuated in meaning, modern Japanese typically uses 刀 for single-edged swords and 剣 for double-edged swords. One Piece, for the most part, favors this convention over any other nuances, creating odd (though technically not inaccurate) designations of "katana" for non-Japanese swords.
 * 刀, usually pronounced "katana" if standalone, and "tō" if part of a compound (e.g. Santoryu).
 * 剣, usually pronounced "ken."

Censorship
Though the 4Kids anime does not censor the presence of swords as rigorously as firearms, it does digitally erase any bloodletting or significant wounds inflicted. In addition, it has occasionally shortened or removed blades held in close proximity to characters' faces, presumably deeming such scenes inappropriate violence.

In the South Korean anime dub, among others, early episodes often recolor the blades solid black, making them resemble clubs more than blades.

Trivia

 * Napoleon is a bicorne homie that can extend various types of swords from its top, transforming into a sword homie. It can so far change into a cutlass, longsword, and a heraldic seax.
 * Several characters are capable of forming functional, temporary swords through Devil Fruit powers or some other mechanism:
 * Kamakiri wields the Burn Blade, a dial-powered weapon that generates flammable gas, which ignites in the shape of a blade.
 * Caesar Clown's Blue Sword follows a similar mechanic to the Burn Blade, but thanks to Caesar's own Gasu Gasu no Mi, he does not need to utilize dials to generate flammable gas, doing so himself.
 * Kuzan can make a rudimentary ice blade through his Ice Saber technique. Borsalino is capable of doing the same with Ama no Murakumo, which allows him to create a blade made of pure light.

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