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A Concise History of Sword Development

Johnny walked into the sword shop.  Inside, there were swords from all eras adorning the walls.  To his left, he could see swords from Europe, and to his right swords from China and Japan.  At the back of the shop was the shopkeeper who looked up as the bell jingled. As Johnny approached the shopkeeper, he couldn’t help exclaiming to himself, “Ah, but which should I choose?” "That’s a great question, son,” said the shopkeeper, who had obviously overheard Johnny’s not-quite whisper. “To know that, you’ll need to know about the history of these fine weapons..."
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European Longsword vs Katana

Gavin heard the arrows whizzing over his head from the archers in the rear and saw the line of horseman charging toward him.  He anchored his pike in the ground, one of thirty men whose job it was to hold the line. As the line of cavalry reached him, he felt the pike bend as it absorbed the weight of the horse driven onto it.  The horse’s rider jumped off and drew his weapon. Gavin quickly dropped the now-useless pike and drew his own sword…
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Yoshihara Yoshindo - The Best Living Swordsmith

Japanese swords are much more than tools of war: they are works of art.  Born of a time when quality steel was more precious than gold, Japanese swordsmiths created complex and exacting methods of forging swords in order to create masterpieces that belied the poor quality of the ore from from which they were created. These methods have been passed down through traditions while remaining essential unchanged for centuries.  One man Yoshihara Yoshindo is considered the greatest swordsmith alive today...

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Hattori Hanzō - The Most Famous Ninja

The castle gleamed alone before him, surrounded by mountains now invisibly wrapped in the dark shroud of night.  Hanzō waited for the word to attack.  All their preparation led up to this moment.  Finally the awaited command was passed down, and he felt a rush of newfound energy as the attack began...
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The Magic of the “Blood Groove” (Bo-Hi)

Kuna was frustrated.  It seemed no matter how hard or long she practiced, she never could make her sword move as fast as she wanted it to.

Her teacher had been watching her quietly grow more frustrated each session and finally made a decision. ”Kuna”, he said and approached her.  "You need a sword with a Bo-Hi.”

“A Bo-Hi", she exclaimed, “What’s that?”

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