Before firearms dominated warfare, the blade ruled the battlefield. And, out of all the gleaming swords in history — from the saber to the broadsword — the katana of feudal Japan is by far the most iconic. The slender, razor-sharp sword is easily recognizable thanks to the popularity of the samurai, fierce warriors wrapped in menacing iron armor ready to die honorably on the battlefield. As the years went by, their katanas were made for swift, precise kills and became known as artistic masterpieces of death.

You’ve seen katanas plenty of times on the silver-screen and fought many imaginary battles with a plastic samurai sword in hand as a child. But, what do you really know about the elegant weapon made to cut through a human being with one strike? The katana is a legendary sword with a history worthy of dissection and discussion. Looking back at the blade’s roots, the weapon was a loyal protector, leaving trails of blood with every fluid slash. It’s unlike any other blade in existence, which is why we’d like to take a closer look and dive into its Bushido roots, influential design, iconic status, and pop culture fame. And, just in case you become obsessed over them as we did, we have some recommendations to add to your blade collection.

Quality katanas are hard to find especially if you’re looking for authentic renditions. There are plenty of samurai swords on the market, but a good amount of them aren’t the real deal. We took the time to dig up a few katanas you could consider adding to your blade collection. They range from functional katanas to ones too beautiful to actually use. And, we even threw in a quality bokken, in case you want to follow the Bushido and pick up some sword fighting skills for a potential zombie apocalypse in the future.

You can find a very good collection from here : Link