Now before this debate goes on any further, I’d like to point out what I think is a discrepancy.
Isn’t longsword a generic term for a long, two edged blade which is usually wielded two handed. While the Katana is a specific kind of sword, single edged with a slight curve and around 2 and half feet long. If anyone assume Katana to be a generic term for ALL kinds of japanese swords, then well, its wrong.
No it’s not. That’s a SWORD.
[b]Longswords have a specific appearance and style.[/b] There are variations of long swords, but there are also variations of katana. A longsword from England is different from a longsword from Spain. However a katana from Edo is equally different from a katana from Kyushu. It’s because of these variations, that people can tell who and where a blade came from. People throwing all two edge blades into a category of longsword are as unaware about swords as people who claim all curved swords from Japan are katana.
A longsword is longsword: that’s why there’s bastard swords, half swords, short swords, etc. A katana is a katana: that’s why there’s wakizashi, tachi, odachi, etc. I’m talking about a longsword versus a katana. There’s no discrepancy, unless someone is making a discrepancy. Contemporary terminology is just that: contemporary. People used to call great swords, bastard swords, claymores, zweih‰nder as longswords. Not anymore… or at least, not anyone who takes time to know the differences. Same thing with katana. They used call tachi and odachi a katana. Commoners didn’t know or care about the difference, so they just lumped them all together. It’s what people do.
And again: the reason why longswords have greater variance than Japanese swords, is because Europeans had access to more different types of metals and forging tools than the Japanese. In short: Europeans made more because they had more. Which is a major plus in their favor. The Japanese were more restricted to what they could do, because they were more restricted with what they had.
The Japanese did a damn fine job with sword forging. They had suffered with inferior materials, and made one of the finest swords known to man. However credit had to be given here credit is due: the Europeans were “spoiled” - but they made a sword that could fit more duties and purposes, without radical training or techniques.
You are correct that a long sword is a very general term. However, it is even less defined than even your description. A long sword is any sword that is longer than a short sword, usually doubled edged (though not necessarily), and with a hilt that is only large enough to accommodate one hand. Beyond that, you have the bastard sword (AKA hand and a half sword) which is still small and light enough to be effectively used in one hand, but in general is usually a slight bit larger than a long sword. Also, as the alternate name suggests, the hilt is large enough that it can be held with both hands for extra power. In a sense, this is what the katana is, since it can be wielded with one or both hands. Of course, the next step up is the two-handed sword, which is so large and heavy that it can only be effectively used in both hands.
In general Sid, you are right that they fill different roles. It is like comparing a cleaver (the long sword) and a scalpel (the katana). Besides, when it came to infantry, the real workhorse of armies was the polearm.
If they really do say that, then yes, I really do take issue. It is true that the Bessemer process in the 1850s enabled the production of steel on an industrial scale, but steel most definitely was created LONG before. Heck, the process itself existed before Henry Bessemer took a patent out on it.
Vikings used a spatha, not a longsword. And Goths couldn’t have used longswords, unless they had time machines, as it wasn’t around until the 1300’s. What we call Goths (the old version that is), had culturally changed during the 600’s (8th century at most).
That’s because anyone who carried a katana and wasn’t a samurai, was executed. Of course they had to use something different.
Not many though. Longsword wins out in more situations that a katana. By virtue of utility it’s a superior blade.
Exactly. In which a longsword DOES win out. A katana is superior in a number of things, but a longsword is superior in more, and does adequately in those which a katana excels. In things a katana does poorly, it stands no chance when paired against a longsword.
Nonsense. It’s more like a debate of which is better: a daikyu or a longbow. A halberd or a yari. A T-72 or a M1A1. The debate is not meaningless, and the debate can be settled with common sense and basic science (specifically metallurgy and engineering). Skill is one thing. But performance? That’s entirely another.
EDIT
LOL… well if you’re going to say that: a katana is any curved Japanese sword greater than [b]two shaku[/b] (just under 2 feet). There’s a wealth of Japanese literature ([u]Legend of the Five Rings[/u] as well as manuscripts written by Masamune himself) that mentions that. So please… there’s even LESS distinction of what’s a katana, than there is a longsword. If you’re going to argue that, then you’re going to be hypocritical. Under your logic, a nodachi is a katana - Masamune says it is (ANY sword over two feet was a katana to him), and he’s the greatest swordsmith Japanese ever had. Contemporary terminology is just that: contemporary. You’re only going to shoot yourself in the foot otherwise. You’ve got katana that are 55cm and you’ve got katana that are 75cm. There are some bigger than that… there are some smaller. I’d love to know where people get this idea that katana were uniform sized and shaped… cause they sure the heck weren’t.
I never said anything about them being uniformly sized and shaped (either long swords or katana). That is why I used generalities rather than absolutes. What a sword is to someone can be subjective as well, given the varied sizes a human being can be.
One other thing: it was my understanding that it was carrying both a katana and wakizashi that would get you executed, not just carrying a katana.
Hmm, this has become so interesting. My knowledge is not much, but still.
A sword either looks to thrust/stab (eg a rapier,Jian) or to slash (dao, scimitar). A katana is unique because it excels at both.
From my training, I realised that a katana was much better and more functional than many other blades and weapons. A katana is be light and balanced. Its my opinion, that a Katana is the best sword to come out of Asia.
I haven’t used longswords that much, but they do feel more heavy and more 'barbaric" so as to speak.
Now A katana must be used properly, there are specifics on how to hold it properly, how to thrust, etc etc. I dont know much of medieval combat, But I dont think that the 'art of mastering longsword" are that elaborate. Anyway, this point is irrelevant, but I thought I may put it forward, because a lot of people who swear by Katana, dont really know how to use it. A katana is not a weapon to go whoosh and whiz, its a delicate weapon that requires a lot of time and patience (and a good teacher) to master.
Now there are some necessities when I look at a weapon to be useful:
- Speed at which it can attack
- Range covered(in a single attack)
- Control over the weapon after an attack.
- Power generated in a single attack.
That are the major criteria, and I haven’t talked about durability, materials, construction at all.
Now a Katana is great because it scores highly in all of the above, so does a longsword. Now when you pit these two against each other, a Katana would definately score over a longsword in Speed and control, while a longsword definately has more power.
Now if a katana master was pitied against a longsword master, a longsword has the advantage, definitely.So yeah a longsword is better. But a Katana will be more swift and elegant, and I dont think anyone can presume that a Katana automatically loses against a longsword.
All of this I said from my experience,personal feeling and knowledge.
Yeah, that and the fact that a well crafted katana was expensive. But my point is made. Samurai Use Katana. Longsword: Many classes.
Oh and one more thing, A longsword would be more suited to a fight on a horseback, than a Katana.
has anyone wondered hhow the saiyans managed to breed with Humans? Chi chi was sure to get blasted (or massive internal bleeding atleast) after havig sex with Goku, whose Power level is OVER NINE THOUSAAAAND!!!.
Well, the guys at the International Iron and Steel Institute mat not be too happy about this, but you can actually trace steel back to ancient India, where a technique was developed that later evolved in what we call the Damascus steel. Nothing new, actually, it’s just us white men taking credit for something that we failed to develop by ourselves 
The Tokugawa himself ruled that only samurai (namely HIS samurai) could carry katana, as it was made a symbol of status for the warrior caste. Those who weren’t warriors, were said to not need it. It was an instrument of control. No katana meant no rival armies and insurrection. Only those loyal to the shogunate would have them… thus the idea was only he had the swords. Like any dictatorship really (except they get rid of the guns today).
A katana is a slashing sword, not a thrusting sword. It excels at slashing, but leaves a lot to be desired at thrusting (look at the yari). If anyone claims that the mono-uchi of a katana is better at stabbing than the ridge and point of a longsword… well… they should rexamine that position VERY closely.
A-10 Warthog looks more “barbaric” than an F-22 Raptor. That has no impact on the fact that an A-10 Warthog is better than an F-22 Raptor at air to ground combat. If you’re a US ground pounder, you’d rather see the barbaric pig than the elegant hawk. 
Mastering a longsword is physically more taxing to learn than a katana, as it takes more calories to employ (larger and heavier)… that being said though. The single edge of a katana limits it to one directional attack arcs. Being a single edge comparatively halves the vectors of attack it can perform from a single position. Europeans called them backswords. The longsword wasn’t doubled edge because it was prettier: it was double edged because it gave a distinct tactical advantage over a backsword in the number of counter you could retort with. The longsword has a much larger cross guard, heavy pommel, and more cross section ¬ñ all this provides more parry options than a katana. I can use counterweight of the sword to defend and… er… counter, while the greater cross section allows more leeway for error and positioning. The advantage to a large cross guard should be obvious. Furthermore it was common for a length of the blade on a longsword ¬ñ about a hand and a half above the hilt- to not be sharpened. This was so it could be employ to use a series of techniques called half sword fighting, giving the longsword even more penetrating and thrusting options than a katana at close range or an on the ground tussle.
I think knowing how to use something has no bearing. One doesn’t need to be a gunsmith or sharpshooter to be an expert on handguns. One doesn’t need to be a football player, to be an expert on the NFL. One doesn’t have to be a race car driver, to be an expert of NASCAR. One doesn’t have to know how to use a katana, to know the strength and limitations of katana. 
Katana is lighter and thinner, so it’s inherently faster. I agree on that part.
Range covered depends on the dimensions of the blade itself. There a katana longer than longswords, there are longswords longer than katana. Reach does have advantages, but a katana/longsword comparison should assume both weapons are the same length. A longsword has more vectors to cut from a neutral position though.
A balanced longsword is as perfectly balanced as a balanced katana. A person with greater muscle can balance and control heavier objects than a guy who is skinny. I can counter spin broomstick as easily as I can an oak bat. I’ve got the same amount of control over them despite the weight difference, because I know how to apply the same amount control on them despite the weight difference. However I can do more surface damage with a bat in a single swing, than I can with a broomstick, because that’s physics. On the other hand it would take me longer to recover from a swing with the baseball bat after making contact with an object than it does with a broomstick, for the same reasons. However control is subjective. If I gave a samurai a longsword, he’d complain it’s too heavy and cumbersome. If I gave a knight a katana, he’d complain it’s too light and flimsy. Neither would have any better control, because they aren’t experienced in controlling them.
Power in terms of damage potential from the combination of mass, applied muscle, and surface contact. A katana has more “power” in other ways though. Slicing someone’s gut open from a glancing pass, is easier with a katana. I suppose someone might argue that’s a power.
[url=http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Daikaioh]Daikaioh[/url] made them that way. 
Actually the new DBZ Online game is supposed to explain why Humans and Saiyans can breed, and their ofspring turn out to be more powerful that pure bred Saiyans.
Okay, here is a bit of trivia, There was a great King in India by the name of Ashoka. You may recognise him as someone who popularized Buddhism in Japan and China. So the deal is he constructed several pillars, made of an Iron, that still survive to this day, with little sign of rusting.
Quick refrence : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillars_of_Ashoka
The Egyptians used to create Obelisks and Pyramids. So don’t tell me that Steel wasn’t available till the 1850’s. its just that a gentleman found a way to manufacture Steel and got a patent. Infact there are some constructs in the ancient world that are not feasible today.
Another example, Complex numbers, Just because they were encountered in the middle of the millenium, doesnt mean they were unknown, Infact Egyptians actually tried to solve equations like X^2+16=0.
Bottom Line: Take credit for anything, even if you don’t deserve it??
Heh, I’ve been waiting for that game. Don’t know when it’ll come out though.
Ditto issues with superman. Thats why Christopher Reeve had to turn human in one of the movies to sleep with Lane, I suppose.
Minor historical quibble here. Ashoka was important for spreading Buddhism in India when he made it the state religion of his empire. Due to the Himalayas blocking the direct route, and deserts and jungles occupying most of the alternate routes, it would have been spectacularly difficult for an Indian emperor to influence China in pre-modern times, and indeed, the Maurya Empire never spread outside of India, save for some forays into modern Afghanistan. His giving Buddhism a large and stable base in India probably did help make its later spread to China possible, but that didn’t take place until several centuries after Ashoka’s death, and, of course, the spread to Japan came even later.
/historian mode
Well I am not a History nerd.as far as I know is that Ashoka was once a ruthless king who murdered his brothers to ascend to the throne. Following a bloody war he had a heart change.(Sounds like a novel story or something lolz). Anyways he did send his son and daughter to Japan to popularize Buddhism, and constructed temples and shrines. Let me check wat happened in China.
When reading the profile of a manga/anime girl (whose identity I won’t disclose), upon which I accidentally stumbled on, of course, I learnt her author wanted her to fit: ???
^^;;;;;;;;;;;;
Don’t ask. :roll:
Of course, she’s not my favourite girl of the manga; besides, it’s only by pure coincidence I read her wiki profile. :mrgreen:
To my utter horror, I was talking with a 16 year old kid who said he liked Heavy Metal solos, but NEVER heard of Yngwie Malmsteen. What the hell has happened to music? 
For anyone else still scratching their heads over who is the God that is Malmsteen.
Listening to him perform, I’m sure many can surmise how many an anime and video games soundtrack was inspired by his style (hence this 2002 performance in Japan). He wasn’t the first to do Classical music in Heavy Metal, but damn it he was one of the best. Watching recordings of him perform still makes me giddy like a virgin school girl.
This Yngwie J. Malmsteen??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrgqtcTiiN0
8)
I don’t deal with noobs like these. Malmsteen and Eddie Van Halen are probably the only two guitarists that have changed music and musicians, and that two with one work only, started trends and created styles. Thats all I can actually say. There was a guy I met who said Yngwie couldn’t make good riffs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHjK9MVNRWo)
Anyone who doubts him should be given this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_icEaYPr7Zk
I mean, after 5 years of practise, I cant come any close to doing on stage what The God does just fooling around, and that includes his screwball antics, monkey faces and karate kicks.
That, and he has a really hot wife
It all started as a lame joke, while drawing some randomcomical stuff.
Yngwie Malmsteen a.k.a The Shredderman Vs Horrible Hammett
Hammett: “take this!! shredder man!!..my new pentatonic plaster!! bwahahahahahahahaha!!”
Shredderman (harmonic minor shred): “u sock”
Onlookers: “look!! its a huge flying monkey…no its a giant hamburger…noo…its shredderman!!”
horrible hammett: “aaahhh!! cant take it nymoree!!”
shredderman: “time for my turbo charge…”
horrible hammett: “oh no!! not the 5th caprice!!”
hammett runs away
Horrible Hammett :" Don’t be grinning, I’ll soon be back with my new album, bwahahahahaha"
:lol:
That’s what I love about him: he has FUN with music. Other people are so serious and dour about it… but Malmsteen thinks it’s one huge game. The other neat thing, is that Malmsteen’s hand was terribly injured in a car accident in the 80’s. He says he can still feel the pain some times, yet he continues to play and improve. He actually had to relearn how to play like he used too… and then he got even better than before. 8)
Well considering how he can make an ax scream with is tongue, is there no wonder what he can do with women?