Leo's katanas

[Time Mistress]

Does anyone else find Leo using TWO katanas somewhat stretching your "willful suspention of disbelief" (even moreso that giant talking turltes that is ;) ). I know it's a long held part of TMNT mythos that Leo uses two katanas so I accept it as part of the fantasy of the show/comic/whatever. But I'm curious as to what Eastman and Laird were thinking when they gave Leo two of 'em. The general logical was probably "well he's a ninja master so two swords are better than one right?" Unfortunately, the katana is one sword that makes the use of two of them physically impossible. Now it's easy to say maybe Leo is "just that good" and has found a way to use two, but I thought it might be fun to take a look at some of Leo's other (more realisitc) options.

1. Single katana - It would be no loss of Leo's skill to use only one katana. One of the unique features of the katana itself it that it is one of the few swords in the word that can be handled both one or two handed. To use two katana, (in additon to just being too long) robs Leo of this ability.

But say Leo want a little more power and still want two swords.

2. Dasho - This is what Usagi uses. The name literally translates as "the long and the short" - one katana and one wakazashi (short sword). The name This was the standard samurai weapon of choice.

But Leo's a ninja not a samurai.

3. Double Kodachi - Supposedly, this is a sword with a length inbetween the katana and the wakazashi. It's an excellent defensive weapon and can be used as a pair. (A ninja character who uses this weapon effective is Aoshi Shinomori from Rurouni Kenshin.)

But say Leo wants something a little more exotic. There are two Chinese swords he could use (as come with his Combat Warrior toy figure).

4. Dao - Also known as the Chinese saber or broadsword. The katana is a sword known as an exention of the body, this sword is known as an exention of the mind. The Dao dances outside the katana's range, but is shorter and has less power, relying on spinning and slashing moves. It can be used singlely or with one sword in each hand.

5. Jin - Also known as the Chinese Tai Chi sword. This is a one handed thrusting and cutting sword. Like the katana, using two would be impractical. The Green Destiny from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is this kind of sword.

One final option for Leo.

6. Ninja sword - I don't know what the official name is, but ninja did have special shorter sword that they carried and it was possible to use two I think. But these sword are known for their square hilts like the ones Leo has in the new toon. Normal katana hilts are rounded like the ones in the Highlander movies. So maybe this is the type of sword Leo actually uses as opposed to the samurai katana.

So which alternative option do you like best? Or are two katana still your fave for Leo, no matter what? Does anyone have another sword option I haven't mentioned yet? I know there are a few fans here who have more knowledge of Japanese swords than I do. (I use the Chinese ones.) I've just been wondering about Leo's katanas for years and thought it might be a cool topic to discuss.

[invictus1002]

i dont have much knowledge of swords but leo has been studying the use of his weapons for 15 years underground with nothing else to do...i think thats good enough time to figure it out. and a lot of the time we do see him using one sword instead of two(during battle). im refering to the old cartoon as well as the new.

[FearlessLeader]

Actually while called katana, Leo has always been drawn with ninjato, or the ninja sword. You can tell by the fact that his swords have a straight blade, while a katana would have a curved blade (any artwork of Usagi is a fine example of this).

I read an interview one time where someone at Mirage was asked about calling Leo's swords katana's incorrectly (I think it was Peter but don't quote me on that). They stated they knew it was the incorrent name for the type of weapon they were drawing but that they liked that word better.

So in fact Leo can keep his weapon it just needs to be called the correct name.

[Coola Yagami]

I agree with the 2 sword thing. My biggest problem with the big-ass swords, is what does Leo do with the other one when he's already striking with the first one. Like the show, I do make Leo use one sword for one-on-one swordfights.

[Rooish]

What I wonder is how Leo gets the swords out from the scabbards on his back. Not that I've tried or anything (heh) but it seems like it would be impossible for Leo to extend his arm far enough to pull the sword entirely out. Am I insane?

[Sage Ninja]

or how he gets them out with them being crossed like that :ohwell:

[ThemanthatwouldbeRaphael]

or how he gets them out with them being crossed like that :ohwell:

One sheath on top of another.

As for how he gets them out, you can see that in one of the new movie trailers, he lifts them as high as they can go, thne pulls his arms down from the sides to slide them out.

[Masked Ninja]

^ Exactly. Just because they're tied in place doesn't mean his scabbards can't move at all. They can tilt down to allow the blade to slip out.

[heretic888]

Does anyone else find Leo using TWO katanas somewhat stretching your "willful suspention of disbelief" (even moreso that giant talking turltes that is ;) ). I know it's a long held part of TMNT mythos that Leo uses two katanas so I accept it as part of the fantasy of the show/comic/whatever. But I'm curious as to what Eastman and Laird were thinking when they gave Leo two of 'em.

Simple.

Leonardo doesn't wield two katana. He wields a daisho (i.e., a katana and wakizashi pair). This is depicted poorly, of course, in the various mediums. Hell, what is generally passed as a "katana" looks like a Hollywood ninja-to (the fake kind with a straight blade and square hilt). But, the fact remains that he's supposed to use a daisho, as pointed out in the Palladium RPG.

[Rooish]

That may be so, but I don't think I've ever seen his swords drawn in different lengths.

[heretic888]

That may be so, but I don't think I've ever seen his swords drawn in different lengths.

And, except for a handful of cases, I've never seen them drawn as katana, either. They are almost always designed as fictional ninja-to (straight blade and square hilt).

Still, that doesn't change the fact that they're supposed to be daisho.

[Leonardo_]

My sensei who teach me swordstechniques said, that fighting with two swords is too hard to learn exactly. He said that I could learn it by myself, because I already have the basis. Maybe Leo himself figured it out, too how to use two swords.

To get them out, if you have them on your back is very hard. I tried it out, but I don't have such long arms....the blades are very long so you have to get them a bit down somehow. It only worked when I pulled the handle with my one hand and pulled the scabbard down with my other hand. SO I think the thing with pulling them out so easily is only fictional possible.

[Sage Ninja]

other than tthe double Katana which weapon do you think would be best suited for Leoanrdo to weild? Some how I think a halbred would be an interesting alternative to the double Katana (mind you I don't anytying about weapons or weapons family, so if they are not even in the same family don'y kill me :P )

[Rooish]

SO I think the thing with pulling them out so easily is only fictional possible.

I thought so too, especially with Leo's puny short forearms (the guys are only like 5 and a bit feet tall).

[dejawolf]

enter miyamoto musashi, the legendary japanese swordsman famed for his 2 hand technique:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyoho_Niten_Ichi-ryu

fact is oftern stranger than fiction ;)

[Leonardo_]

Wikipedia? *lol*

It's so easy to write crap in there.

[FearlessLeader]

Read "The Book of Five Rings" Musashi is not crap, he is one of the most amazing men that ever lived in my humble opinion.

[Ji-Day]

Musashi? I'm not sure that we can compare Leo and this man because, even if I know who he is, I do not have read an autobiographic book about him, but, the fact that they use 2 weapons whereas others cannot...

I think that explains why Musashi is a kind of Legend, and why Leo is so strong...

Musashi was not only a good katanas' user, according to me, he was the best one... I would say he IS the best because no one man is more famous than him and all these things he did.
(duels against dojo's masters, kill them... More than 50)

He's the first, the second's Leo

[Time Mistress]

Miyamoto Musashi was the inspiration for Miyamoto Usagi (Usagi Yojimbo). And yeah, he's pretty awesome.

Some other famously cool Japanese swordsmen from history:

Yagu Jubei (don't know too much about him, but he's up there with Musashi almost, I think he's from the Warring States or pre-Tokugawa period)

Kawakami Gensai - assassin (hitokiri) for the imperialists in the 1860s or so. Believed in expultion of foreigners, eventually renouced his occupation to live as an intellectual, was executed by the Meiji government he helped bring into being mainly for the unfortunate crime of "knowing too much." Was the inspiration for the manga character of Kenshin Himura (Rurouni Kenshin.)

The Shisengumi - some of the greatest fighters from the last great age of the samurai, supporters of the Togugawa shogunate. Their ranks included many including a 15 year old prodigy by the name of Okita Soji (he died of teburculosis I think in his early 20s.)

[invictus1002]

http://microsites.ign.com/tmntmovie/thanks.html go to the weapons category it explains all there weapons