Ame no Habakiri is a Shobu Zukuri style katana of medium curvature, its appearance analogous to that of its counterpart, Enma. Its all-light coloration is in accordance with its "heavenly" motif (contrasting the darkness of Enma). Its tsuba (identical to Enma's) is the shape of a trefoil, with each lobe thickly ridged (as is a central hole in each). The tsuka appears lacquered, being solid white (instead of wrapped in tsuka-ito), and is ridged by a pair of bands directly above the fuchi, as well as one higher up alongside two yet higher, far-apart lines of studs, all parallel. The kashira (singularly studded) is large, based in shape on a kumo (cloud) motif. The saya (colored the same as the tsuka) has a cord with two hanging, tufted ends (seemingly the sageo) a short bit below the tsuba, and is otherwise embellished by a triple set of flower motifs on each side (the pair near the cord six-petaled, the two below seven-petaled). The kojiri (like its counterpart) is large with trefoil cutouts on each side matching the tsuba, and is accented by a wide, knobbed ring above it.[1][2]
Being the masterpiece of Tenguyama Hitetsu, one of the greatest swordsmith on Wano and one of the 21 O Wazamono,[2] Ame no Habakiri is an extremely powerful sword on par with its counterpart Enma, one of the two masterpieces of the legendary swordsmith, Shimotsuki Kozaburo. According to its creator, it could "slice through the heavens" (paralleling Enma being able to "cut through to the bottom of hell").
Ame no Habakiri yields tremendous power and sharpness when mastered. In the hands of Oden, 40 years ago, alongside Enma, he was able to bisect the mountain-sized beast known as the Mountain God using a single slash after hardening them using powerful Busoshoku Haki (known as "Ryuo" in Wano),[3] clash against one of the 12 Sajio O Wazamono, Murakumogiri,[4] and inflict a massive wound on the nigh-indestructible Kaido in his dragon form.[5]
History
Past
Sometime in the past, Ame no Habakiri was created by Tenguyama Hitetsu which became renowned as his masterpiece as one of the 21 O Wazamono Meitos.[2]
It later became the property of Kozuki Oden, along with Enma, both utilized in his Daito Nitoryu sword style since his youthful age of 18.[1] It was used in Oden's many battle in and out of Wano.[3][4][6][7] Oden later used Ame no Habakiri to wound Kaido, giving him his only scar.[5] After Oden's death, Ame no Habakiri was entrusted to its creator for safe keeping in order to pass it on as a heirloom onto Oden's son, Momonosuke.[1]
Wano Country Arc
After Momonosuke time travelled into the future with his three retainers, they gathered in the Amigasa Village where Hitetsu presented his masterpiece Ame no Habakiri to him which Momonosuke refused to accept due to believeing he is not strong nor skilled enough to wield his father's designated heirloom.
Trivia
The Ame no Habakiri (天羽々斬,Ame no Habakiri?, literally meaning "Snake-Slayer of Heaven") is one of the most famous Totsuka no Tsurugi, appearing in Japanese mythology as a blade used by the Shinto god Susanoo to slay the legendary monster serpent Yamata no Orochi. "Haba" (羽々?) is an archaic term for "big snake" (orochi).
Beside its legendary status, it is a real sword, being enshrined as the shintai of Isonokami Shrine.
In Chapter 920 and Episode 893, a flashback of Oden is seen wielding a sword with a tsuba different from either Ame no Habakiri or Enma's.
Ame no Habakiri's design, which lacks the traditional Japanese mountings, resembles a Gunto.
