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He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning Assassin's Creed: Shadows. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all. |
A naginata
The naginata (なぎなた, 薙刀) is a weapon originating from Japan, wielded by samurai and, most famously, by the onna-musha, a type of female warrior belonging to the Japanese nobility. Although commonly mistaken for a sword, the naginata is in fact a polearm.[1]
Description[]
A naginata consists of a wooden or metal pole with a curved single-edged blade on the end; in this regard, it is similar to the Chinese guandao or the European glaive. Similar to the katana, naginata often have a round handguard, called tsuba, between the blade and shaft, when mounted in a koshirae. A naginata's blade is 30–60 cm (11.8–23.6 inches) long and is forged in the same manner as traditional Japanese swords. The blade has a long tang, called nakago, which is inserted in the shaft.[1]
The blade is removable and is secured by means of a wooden peg called mekugi (目釘) that passes through a hole (mekugi-ana) in both the tang and the shaft. The shaft ranges from 120–240 cm (47.2–94.5 inches) in length and is oval shaped. The area of the shaft where the tang sits is called the tachiuchi or tachiuke, which can be reinforced with metal rings and wrapped with cord. The end of the shaft has a heavy metal end cap, the ishizuki or hirumaki. When not in use, the blade is covered with a sheat.[1]
History[]
In the late 16th century, the Japanese Assassin Fujibayashi Naoe and her ally, the samurai Yasuke, came into possession of a number of naginata during their travels across Japan, which they wielded effectively in battle.[2]
In 1725, the Japanese Templar and samurai Shimazu Saito carried a naginata during her mission to Macau. She made use of it during her encounters with the British Assassin Edward Kenway,[3][4] until the weapon was destroyed in a duel against the Chinese Assassin Liu Qing, who broke the naginata with his guandao.[5]
Gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
The naginata appears in Assassin's Creed: Shadows, as one of five weapons available for the samurai Yasuke.
As a polearm, the naginata is Yasuke's main mid-range weapon for keeping enemies at bay. Yasuke can sweep the weapon around him to deliver devastating slashes, or knock enemies back with the large blade. He can also charge enemies and impale them on the blade, dealing massive damage.
Appearances[]
- Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows
References[]
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