Katana VS Longsword - The Sad TRUTH!

What we all need to admit is that all swords have always been romanticized while spears(polearms later) have done the majority of actual combat. Knights and samurai both employed different weapons depending on the situation, and often the sword was the backup weapon not the main weapon. Similar to handguns in modern combat. In the movies handguns are dashing, and make for a great story, but in reality rifles dominate and handguns are the backup weapon.

Now THAT's a great video, and a very fair, in-depth comparison! I've been wanting to watch this and make a response video for at least a week, I just keep getting distracted by all the other stuff on my to-do list that I have to grind through. Soon though... soon... Thanks for the shoutout by the way. :)

A friend of mine, a historian and sword enthusiast, once told me his opinion of the katana. The coolest thing about the katana is that Japanese bladesmiths were able to make a good sword from the completely inferior iron ore they had.

The fact that he puts the relevance of a weapon that is not used in modern fights was perfect. Finally a sword channel that realizes it is a history channel then a self defense channel. Subscribed.

I've had some experience learning European Longsword, more specifically the Zweihander (lit. Two-Hander), as opposed to the Hand-and-a-Half shown here. The biggest difference, other than being longer over all, is the difference in balance: the swords I was practicing with had the balance much lower on the sword, specifically about 1-3 inches above the cross-guard. This made the sword very nimble in the hand, and made it very easy to reposition the blade and throw out quick strikes. As for the balance of Katanas, it actually changed, along with the amount of curve in it, throughout it's history, some being more weighted to the tip, some to the hilt. It depended on the trends at the time. Sharpness is often touted as the Katana's strength, but you can sharpen any European sword to be just as sharp. Hell, you can make a copper sword just as sharp. The reason European longswords weren't as sharp as Katana is because they didn't need to be. If you are going against someone in plate or chain, slashes won't do a whole heck of a lot. Thrusts allow you to either burst the chains or target weak spots, so thrusting swords were preferred. In Japan, with fewer armored targets, slashing was more common, thus evolved a sword excellent at slashing. A saber would probably be more of an equal comparison to a Katana than a long sword. Another thing I see not mentioned in this sort of debate is the scale of the combatant wielding a sword. People will often say that a sword is between x and y inches in length. That length would be determined by the person it was made more. Katana were shorter, but so were the Samurai wielding them. A Samurai, based on some very quick research, who between 5'3" and 5'5", where as a European knight could be 6' or more. Thus, it makes sense for the European to wield a longer sword. Another example of this is the Kukri, which is a large knife when wielded by a Eurpeoan or American, but a short sword to the Gurkhas. Yet another neglected talking point, at least in the discussions I have heard, is the metallurgy used for each. European longswords were mono-steel, where Katana were laminated steel (folded, with different types of steel). This was in part because Europeans had more advanced steel-making capabilities and in part because Europe had access to high quality ore. Europe had access to iron mines, where as Japan had to make do with iron sand. Mono-steel swords have many advantages over laminated steel: they are easier to make, they can be repaired easier, they are less prone to warping, ect. Finally, I have never seen a true, fair apples-to-apples test/comparison of a European Longword vs a Katana, since it would, in my opinion, require the swords be made for the person testing, based on how those swords were fitted to the warrior carrying them. Long story short: The Katana was not a perfect sword, but it was a sword tailored for it's environment. The Longsword was not a perfect sword, but it was a sword tailored for it's environment.

i will say, as someone who has been deep in this controversy for a long time. i love how respectful and considerate you are with both of the swords and i love how you observe the sword rather than judge it. always been a fan of the Longsword myself, but this video really helped me consider both sides of this argument, and appreciate the Katana for all of it's strengths.

I love the whole video! Especially the fact, that you make it clear, that some (if not many) things are based in your perceptions and consideration rather than stating those things as "THE facts"! And the "And if YOU disagree with me..." part made me cackle like a hen :D

Your selfdeprecation is honestly so funny and refreshing. So many of the things you say where you're passionate but also recognise it doesnt really matter, it's a sign of a mature and intelligent human being. I want to be your friend.

"I'm not self centered enough to think my preference is fact" truly the warrior's wisdom, just like in the rest of life, assuming people who are different than you are inherently inferior is arrogant, joyless and dangerous. Variety is the spice of life, stagnation is death.

I think one of the main reasons why the Longsword doesnt have the magical reputation of the Katana is simply because the western world has developed away from the longsword for centuries and it got replaced by other weapons more suitable for the current style of warfare. And Japanese society, wich was still very feudal and way behind their technological standarts, was instantly flung 200+ years forward in just a couple of years. A change caused by an external force, causing them to try and hold the old ways precious as an important piece of preserving their cultural identity. And for the west it was seen as exotic and strange, since they have already developed away from their great swords, it felt odd for them to meet a culture holding these blades so dearly.

Hahaha. I had to comment; you're hilarious. You're covering a subject riddled with emotion controversy, and you're treating it objectively and in a light hearted fashion. Cheers! Great video.

The fact that he keeps his trigger finger straight when showing the two handguns at the end gets my subscription

The answer to katana vs longsword debate is simple. It's dumb, they are complete opposites in many ways, and you'd be comparing a plethora of different swords to one single edged and relatively short sword. It's not that it's not fair, but people should compare a type of longsword rather than trying to see if they're all better. I mean you don't see people compare the tachi vs an arming sword (yeah, a bit of an exaggeration, but still, there's no need for comparison). Whatever you have to say keep in mind there's over a hundred responses, so you don't have anything I haven't heard all ready, I don't care, stop filling up my notifications.

The reason the longsword pommel feels weird when you are cutting is that you are not holding it correctly. The lower hand actually grabs the pommel itself, not the handle above it. The pommel is pulled while the handle is pushed, creating more leverage for faster swings and greater control. Remember, with a lever, distance matters.

Interesting hypothetical scenario!: If you had to pick between a katana and a long sword for a duel against another person who also gets to choose, which would you go for? Personally, I lean towards the long sword for its crossguard and the fact that it has a blade on both sides, making it seem more versatile.

great vid! subscribed! I'd love to see more of the longsword vs katana slow-mo sparing! or even just the clips you already used, but in one place, maybe with light commentary? :D

Regarding the grip of the European sword that you have found uncomfortable, I recommend not placing your hand above the pommel but holding the pommel with your left hand. It is much more manageable and mobile, with better leverage to give more force and speed to the slash and faster angles and positions changes. Results in more fluid swordplay, where a wide variety of different strikes can be chained together Ps: speak as a scholar and practitioner of medieval fencing

Some of my observations at random: Hollywood can glorify swords made for slashing easier than piercing. In Medieval films, the armor gets more focus than the swords do. Funny enough, The Northman movie about the Viking does a good job showcasing a longsword. European longswords seem to prioritze a multifaceted approach. You have more exaggerated guards, pommels, and a middle balance for a change in stance. The philosophy was likely to reduce the time of your exposure, and to maximize options for repositioning. Katanas are obviously for slashing like a sabre. Slashing is very effective against unarmored targets, but even against chainmail, wouldn't be very effective. Great for cutting peasants in half as well. I think because these are for different purposes and modern katanas will take advantage of modern metallurgy, the only way to answer the question is to ask, "Who would fare better, the European Knight in Feudal Japan, or the Samurai in Feudal Europe?" Personally, I would much rather be armored with plate steel and equipped with a longsword in Japan, than Samurai armor and a 12th century Katana in Bohemia.

Came across this in my feed. Thought it would be fluff for a few minutes. Stayed for the whole thing and was rather impressed. Thanks, and subscribed.

Your intro gets instant points for having Rem figurine! That tells me that you appreciate actually amazing anime shows =). As for the swords themselves they were made in totally different cultures and for very different purposes. People who used Longswords usually had to fight against people armed in full armor of some kind and most likely a shield on top of that on their opponent. You needed a heavier blade to have that weight to punch through armor or to inflict at least broken bones if u didn't cut him or even pierce him. When Katana was more in every single movie documentary they always fight almost naked against a sword. I know they had that Samurai armor in wars and what I understand that was very effective armor against Katana as it couldn't cut through it and Katana wasn't designed to pierce either through armor because of the it's blade design.