How a Katana Swordsman destroys a Rapier Swordsman!

One of the more important techniques that katana users often overlook for dealing with a longer weapon is to leave you sword on the boat and bring your oar along instead.

Matt: "I hope this have been useful"
Time traveller preparing for a trip to 1600s Japan: "Just what I needed"

Obviously the katana wielder should spend 3 episodes explaining his technique and power levels

As a rapier user who frequently spars with sabers, once they take that bind I have very little control over my sword.

This is maybe a part of why rapier and dagger became popular, not just for parrying but also because a dagger might be more useful in grappling distance.

Deladier wrote that a strong beat generally fortells a straight thrust and a soft beat means the beater intends to disengage because a strong beat can force the blade in the way of the disengage. He also warns of not asserting too much force in the bind as it will alert the opponent to disengage before you are ready to attack from opposition.

I practiced kenjutsu for 10 years and this very question has popped into my mind multiple times and in actuality, I reached essentially all the same conclusions as you. That being said, it can be really freaking hard. I've never duelled against a rapier, but those a freaking fast. Closing the distance as fast as possible is essential, but once you've done so, the shorter sword/weapon does have an advantage for sure.

One of my biggest gripes about a lot of kenjutsu is how myopic they can be about the opponent. It seems very rare that other weapon types are addressed; seems like it's almost always another sword. I don't know if this is the same in other martial arts.

If you haven't seen it, Weaponism is a pretty badass channel where you can see some really good sparring between various types of weapons. It's a Korean channel, but they provide English subtitles and they have tons of guests on versed in various styles with various weapons, though the main martial artists have a kenjutsu background, I believe.

2:10 "...what the rapierist can do to come out of the fight...undead." Matt Easton is a necromancer confirmed.

Thank you for making me feel less terrified of rapier fencers, Matt! I still don't like my odds if i have to face one. Rather do it with a Nodachi just to make me feel a bit more secure.

This conversation is displayed quite well in the movie Rob Roy with Liam Neesan

A good suggestion would be to look into kenjutsu techniques against spears as well

As a mostly longsword practitioner, I must admit that I must apply twice the effort to defeat rapier vs longsword. Rapier is a superior and more advanced weapon. With a buckler or dagger, the rapier is quite formidable. I would try to overmatch a rapier by dual wielding sideswords/messer (case).

Rapier: Ha ha! It seems my blade has pierced your groin!

Katana: Indeed, but your arm is off!

I assume the circumstances of this hypothetical fight completely changes if the rapier fighter has an offhand weapon like a buckler or parrying dagger?

https://youtu.be/_gndIJnmS5o
This is a video of a battle between skilled swordsmen. This will give you a good answer. Rapier can attack from a distance, but if he gets caught in Katana's "blocking" because the blade is too long and one-handed, he can't stop him from riding in.

I was competing in a fencing tounament many years ago where Australia's top Olympic fencer got a broken foil thrust into his chest that punctured a lung, and it took an astonishing amount of persuasion to get him off the piste and into the ambulance. I learned a lesson about the paradox of thrusts that day...

The TLDR: How can a katana overcome a rapier? Be the better swordsman! 😂

Really awesome video! Fun to see explanations of the martial applications for each sword's features.

It's probably a more minor point than some would claim, but another consideration in some situations is: recognise that violence is about to happen and be the first (and last) to hit, aided by a more rapid draw from the scabbard by both training and a shorter blade.
In kobudo for example, one doesn't simply draw the katana, but moves the entire saya/scabbard (katana still in it) forward using the left hand and then both draws the katana from it, AND, withdraws the scabbard backwards so that the tip clears it very fast and the weapon is already forward.

Katana user has to remember and monologue about the promises to his friends, stuggle agaisnt abusive father, and the death of his mother to a ninja raid before attacking. It leaves a lot time for the rapier guy to eat a sandwich and lower his guard.