I have a cheapo replica Daisho (well maybe not daisho, it has the 3 swords, the Katana, the Wakazashi and the the one in between that I can never remember the name of) set from the Last Samurai. Display only, it would break if I tried to use it in the manner of my other practical swords, but it's still a very pretty sword set none the less.
But personally, I prefer Longswords. I own one of these [http://www.medieval-fightclub.com/products/Longsword.html]. I got it was because it was cheap, but it seems to be based on an earlier form of longsword, which had a wider blade and didn't taper off so sharply as the quintessential German examples, and I can't afford one of those at the moment. But longswords are more practical and durable. You get a longer, stronger sword for the same weight and the entire sword, from point to pommel, can be used in combat (that is, if you are a member of a reaction group).
Direwolf750 said:
Firstly, the katana is a much more efficient killing weapon than a European broadsword, or any large straight edged blade, because of its curve, the two kinds of steel used to make it, and it is as a general rule, also a work of art.
Some people have already pulled you out, but I must throw in my 2 cents. A more 'efficient' killing weapons is just not true. A more efficient cutting weapon, I can agree with. This is what the Katana was designed for and is regarded as one of the best in that field. And in the end, the European sword was primarily used as a thrusting weapon in armoured combat. But to say it is not as good a katana is to ignore why the European sword evolved in the manner it did and how it was used.
First and foremost is the development of armour, particularly plate armour. With plate armour covering more and steel increasing in quality, slashing weapons became less effective, indeed pretty much useless against a fully armoured knight. In the realms of weapons, the response to this was the development of weapons like the Halberd, the warhammer and the pollaxe which relied less of cutting power but concussive force or crushing force. For the sword, it developed a more tapered point with which to get into gaps in armour, or joints which were less armoured for mobility reasons. Several schools of fighting arose, probably the most master famous being Johannes Liechtenauer who founded the German school of fencing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_school_of_swordsmanship].
So yes, as a specialised cutting weapon, the katana is king. But for a more practical sword, I'd take the longsword.
