The sakabato is literally translated as meaning "reverse-blade sword" it is the main weapon of the character Himura Kenshin. It was created by Nobuhiro Watsuki as an original weapon that represents Kenshin's unwillingness to kill.
Origins
In the manga it was created by famed wordsmith Shakku. The only other reveres blade sword shown in the series is used by Kenshin’s master “
Hiko” and its maker is unknown.
Explanation
On a normal katana/Sword, the outwardly curved side of the sword is sharp, while the inwardly curved side of the sword is blunt. In contrast, the sakabato has the cutting edge on the inwardly curved side of the sword. The sakabato is able to break other katana while fencing because the outward side is blunt, so the edge is more bold and it could damage the sharp edge sword.
Reality
Watsuki has stated in an interview that the sakabato was his creation. There is no record of reverse-bladed katana ever having been used historically in Japan and there is no existing school of swordsmanship that employs them.
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