A kusarigama
The kusarigama (鎖鎌; lit. "chain-sickle") is a type of weapon that was used in Japan during the Sengoku period,[1] most prominently by shinobi.[2] It is a modification of the sickle,[2] consisting of a weighted chain attached to either the end of the sickle's handle or the sickle blade's base.[1]
Description[]
The kusarigama consists of two parts: the kusari-fundo (鎖分銅, the weighted chain) and the kama (鎌 or かま, the sickle). The kama is a sickle with the blade running perpendicular from the handle. The kusari-fundo is a chain with a weight at the end that serves as a bludgeon. Typically, this is attached to the end of the sickle's handle,[1] allowing the user to wield the sickle in one hand and swing the kusari-fundo with the other.[2] In some designs, however, the chain is looped through a hole at the kama blade's rear instead.[1]
It is essentially a modification of an already improvised weapon, as the sickle was originally designed for agriculture not warfare. The weighted chain adds to the sickle's combat utility, with the standard technique being to direct the chain against an enemy or their weapon. With the enemy momentarily entwined, the shinobi can follow up with quick strikes with the sickle.[2]
History[]
In the late 16th century, the shinobi and Japanese Assassin Fujibayashi Naoe wielded a number of kusarigama that she found during her travels across Japan. The kusarigama compensated for Naoe's lack of strength compared to many of her opponents, allowing her to attack and defeat foes while maintaining her distance.[3]
In 1725, a number of ninja employed by the Shimazu clan used kusarigama against the British Assassin Edward Kenway when they encountered him in Macau. Despite his unfamiliarity with the weapon, Edward quickly learned to adapt against it and was able to easily defeat all kusarigama-wielding enemies.[4]
Behind the scenes[]
The kusarigama appears as a usable weapon in the 2025 video game Assassin's Creed: Shadows.[5] It is used by Naoe, Momochi Sandayu, and various other shinobi that appear in the game.
Naoe can use the sickle to slash at her enemies, or the weighted chain to slam into foes and keep enemies at bay. She can also entangle enemies with the chain, dragging them in any direction, or pulling them to the ground to leave them vulnerable to attack.
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ichikawa Sadaharu [市川定春]. (2023). "Specialized weapons" [特殊]. In Dictionary of the Weapon [武器事典] (3rd ed.), translated by Lin Tsit-i [林哲逸] and Kao Yin-liang [高胤喨]. Taipei, Taiwan: Cite Publishing Ltd., pp. 267–314.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Kuroi Hiromitsu. (2019). "Ninja Tools". In Ninja: Bilingual Guide to Japan, translated by Chris Glenn. Tokyo, Japan: Shogakukan Inc., pp. 77–101.
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Shadows
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple
- ↑ Purslow, Matt (15 May 2024). Assassin’s Creed Shadows: 40 Details You Need To Know. IGN. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved on 18 May 2024.
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