Katana (weapon type)

Katana (刀, Katana?), also known as ninja swords, dark blades, and knife, is a type of weapon in many Final Fantasy games. The most prominent katana is the Masamune. Other recurring katana include: Kotetsu, Kikuichimonji, Ashura, Genji Blade and the Muramasa. Muramasa and Masamune are the two most powerful, though the Masamune is usually idolized as the strongest. The Murakumo and the Mutsunokami are two other katanas that are typically even stronger than the Masamune.

Profile[]

[view · edit · purge]Katana is the Japanese word for "sword", but is also commonly used to denote a group of sword types originating from Japan. They bear a distinctive curved, single edged blade with a flat shaped guard, a simple handle wrapped in cloth, and subtle designs that distinguish their identities from other blades. Most are named based on the blacksmith who forged them. While specifically a backsword, a form of sword not unlike that of a saber, in the Final Fantasy series, katana are exotic blades, swift enough to attack in the blink of an eye or having mystical powers.

In games that have classes, katana are often reserved for Japanese-styled classes, such as the Samurai, Parivir, and Ninja. Installments that bear item descriptions and lore often note that katana are not of the game's world, originating from faraway lands that are reminiscent of Japan; other games have accessible locations where katana and other oriental weaponry are hinted to stem from.

Appearances[]

Final Fantasy[]

Sasuke's Blade FFI Art — The Sasuke's Blade.

There are swords only equippable by the Warrior, Thief, and Red Mage classes that possess an icon resembling a katana. These are high-ranking weapons obtainable late.

Final Fantasy III[]

The Dark Knight and Ninja classes can equip katana, which are called dark blades. Murakumo can only be equipped by Dark Knights, while Muramasa can only be equipped by Ninjas.

Final Fantasy IV[]

The Murasame.

Edge can equip two katana at a time.

Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-[]

Edge is the sole user who can equip two katana at a time.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years[]

Edge, Gekkou, Zangetsu, Izayoi, and Tsukinowa can equip katana.

Final Fantasy V[]

Katana can be wielded by Freelancers and Samurai. They deal damage based on the attacker's Strength stat, and they are among the few weapons that can score critical hits.

Final Fantasy VI[]

Cyan can equip katana, also known as "Knife". Katana enable the Bushido and Runic commands (although Cyan cannot use Runic and Celes cannot equip katana).

Final Fantasy VII[]

Sephiroth wields a very long katana called the Masamune, which has become his trademark weapon. Cloud also has two katana named Murasame and Yoshiyuki, and a Masamune replica (called the Masamune Blade; but it cannot be used as a weapon) that can be obtained at the Gold Saucer's Speed Square.

Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-[]

Katana (Male), as per his name, wields a katana, as does the non-player character Elfe.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children[]

Kadaj uses Souba, a katana with two reinforced parallel blades, set a small distance apart from each other. Sephiroth wields his iconic Masamune.

Final Fantasy X[]

Auron wields heavily stylized blades referred to as katana.

Final Fantasy X-2[]

Katana are used by the Samurai dressphere. Yuna uses the Spider's Kiss and Rikku uses the Katana, weapons previously wielded by Auron, while Paine has a unique unnamed katana. When in the Dark Knight dressphere, Rikku uses the Masamune.

Final Fantasy XI[]

Katana are one-handed blades used by Ninja, who are capable of dual-wielding them. In higher levels, dual-wielded katana deal impressive damage over time and moderately strong weapon skills. Great katana, the two-handed variants of this weapon, are the main weapon for Samurai, although Ninja can also equip a select few of them.

Great katana deal high damage but have high delay. The strength of the great katana comes from the versatility in its Weapon Skills. Most great katana Weapon Skills are strategically placed all around the skillchain chart, making it skillchain-friendly with other weapon types. This works well with the Samurai because they can unleash Weapon Skills and skillchains faster than any other job.

Final Fantasy XII[]

Katana can be used after being unlocked on the License Board. They are valued for their combo ability, which can be enhanced by the Genji Gloves, and are second only to the one of the ninja swords.

The damage formula for katanas is:

DMG = [ATK * RANDOM(1..1.125) - DEF] * [1 + STR * (Lv+MAG)/256]

Damage depends on the weapon, the user's Strength and Magick Power and character level. The characters' stats can vary by up to 30%, with the highest Strength+Magick characters being Ashe and Vaan.

In the Zodiac versions, only the Bushi can equip katana.

Final Fantasy XIV[]

Main article: Final Fantasy XIV weapons/Samurai's Arm

Katanas are used primarily by Samurai. Some katanas are also classified as Gladiator's Arms or Dark Knight's Arms. The characters Zenos Galvus and Gosetsu Daito wield unique katanas that are not available to players.

Notable samurai's arms:

Final Fantasy XV[]

Katana is a not a weapon type, but appear as distinguishable swords marked by their aesthetic. Three katanas are greatswords, and thus can be equipped by Noctis and Gladiolus. The Katana of the Warrior is a royal arm that can only be equipped by Noctis, although Ignis briefly wields it during Armiger Chain. It was wielded by a Lucian king who came to be known as The Warrior.

Cor Leonis wields both a katana and a wakizashi for his respective Primary and Secondary Arms, and has a fighting style that makes proper use of them; they are classified as swords in the game's data, but are locked to Cor's equipment slots and are never in the player's inventory.

According to the item lore of the Masamune, katana are not originally of the nation of Lucis and originate from a faraway and unknown land.

Kotetsu (guest character weapon)
Kikuichimonji (guest character weapon)
Masamune (DLC)
Dodanuki DLC)
Genji Blade (Episode Gladiolus)
Katana of the Warrior (royal arm)

Captain of the Royal Guard in FFXV Episode Ardyn — Captain of the Royal Guard with a katana.

The samurai-type daemons like Yojimbo wield katana, and can impale Noctis with them. Gilgamesh also wields a katana. In Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ardyn, a captain of the Royal Guard is seen wielding a katana.

Final Fantasy XV: Comrades[]

Katana has been moved from the two-handed weapon type to its own unique group. The katana boasts excellent range and mobility. Moving in different directions allows the wielder to move about the field while attacking.

Final Fantasy Tactics[]

Katana can be equipped by the Samurai, Onion Knight, Sword Saint, and by Celia's Assassin job. Each has a specific Iaido ability. There is a chance of a katana will break when its respective Iaido ability is used.