nuculearbazooka (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

This woman could probably kill me before I could blink LOL

killingcommando (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

in the beginning of the samurai the katana was a secondary weapon it was archer on horse and naginata although the samurai felt a spiritual bonding with the sword and a liking so towards the end when hand to hand was growing more and more useless the katana was very much more practiced than any other weapon so when you talk bad about the naginata calling it a womens weapon just remember it was the beginningof the samurai

tomfunfun0530 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

i prefer the naginata man or womans weapon have you ever tried fighting someone using one of those with a sword its hard

Iaazathoth (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Only after Tokugawa unified Japan. The naginata was made the weapon of the women defending the home. It and the spear were the preferred weapon on the battlefield during earlier eras of Japanese history. Taking it away from the men, but preserving its skills under women, made the Shogun more secure. Tokugawa also made shorter and less functional swords the law of the land, preserving the tradition, but eliminating its threat to his control.

jazzyslip (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

The origin of thye naginata is still in debate: one possibility is indeed that it came from China, but it is not impossible that the Naginata was developped in Japan: taking a blade and putting it on a long stick is an obvious solution that many different cultures found on their own ;)

FightingOfTheWorld (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

How Can naginatas been traditionally womans weapons when they were deloped from Kwan Dao which is named so beacuase of general Kwan yu ?

montyblanc512 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

funny thing is that I'd prefer a Naginata to a Katana, I'm male but If I were seriously in battle I'd probably find that range more useful. I don't remember where but were Naginata once only given to generals? I remember hearing that somewhere, in response to someone calling it a woman's weapon.

ToraJutsu01 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

True, before that they were the weapons of the sohei monks, which were men as far as i know. women used naginata because it gave them a better chance in battle, as swordsmen could often overpower them at close range.

Zunar6 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

waaaat, thaaat, woooot XDDD

jazzyslip (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Well Naginata has become a woman's weapon but it was widely used by men in earlier times