The Coolest Weapons from Martial Arts Movies

Introduction

The best weapons in martial arts movies are both cool to look at and dangerous to use. Many great martial arts weapons have a backstory to them and a special purpose for the characters. Even though some of the best martial arts fights are done mainly with hand-to-hand combat, there are many that involve some unique and exciting weapons.

RZA as the blacksmith in The Man with the Iron Fists

There are many well-known weapons that gained their notoriety through use in the martial arts media. The shuriken, or throwing star, has become synonymous with ninjas even though they were originally used by samurai. Sais, small melee swords, were popularized by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as Raphael used them. There are so many good weapons to choose from, but the best of the ones that stick with the viewer long after watching.

The tiger fork in Legendary Weapons of China

Top 5 Coolest Weapons

In the world of martial arts movies, the weapons used by the characters are not only visually striking but also hold significant historical and cultural value. Let's dive into the top 5 coolest weapons from martial arts movies that have left a lasting impression on audiences worldwide.

Jimmy Wang as Fang Kang in The One-Armed Swordsman

Starting off the list is the Flying Guillotine from 'The Master of the Flying Guillotine' (1976). This unique and deadly weapon is essentially a hat on a chain that decapitates its victims. Featured in the movie, the flying guillotine is such an interesting weapon as it's such a gruesome concept, but it's done so well. The skill of Wu Chi at handling the flying guillotine as well as he does cannot be overlooked. Everything about the flying guillotine is so much fun to watch.

Kam Kong as Fu Sheng Wu Chi in The Master of the Flying Guillotine

Following closely is the Green Destiny Sword from 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000). The Green Destiny Sword is one of the most iconic weapons in martial arts movies. It's 400-years-old and is shown to be stronger than most other weapons in the movie. The sword is used in one of the best fight scenes between martial arts icons between Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi. The use of the Green Destiny Sword leads to some of the best fight scenes in a martial arts movie, and it's highly sought after for its power.

Michelle Yeoh as Yu Shu Lien is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Next, we have the Monkey King's Staff from 'The Forbidden Kingdom' (2008). Although the staff of the Monkey King is prevalent in many martial arts movies, including the Journey to the West franchise, The Forbidden Kingdom uses it in such a fun way that it's easy to see why it's such a popular weapon. Watching Jet Li's Monkey King use his staff to fight in such a playful, yet deadly, way really accentuates his character. The staff itself seems to have some power, as being reunited with it frees the Monkey King from the statue Jade Warlord trapped him in during the Battle of the Immortals. The staff, combined with the Monkey King's abilities, makes for some incredible fight scenes.

Jet Li as the Monkey King and Collin Chou as Jade Warlord in The Forbidden Kingdom

Moving on, we come to the Three-section Staff from 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin' (1978). The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is another Shaw Brothers movie. After a failed rebellion, San Te seeks refuge in a Shaolin temple and dedicates himself to the study of kung-fu in the temple's 35 chambers. During his time there, Te creates his signature three-section staff and is given the opportunity to oversee one of the temple's chambers. The three-section staff proves to be a useful and versatile weapon for San Te. When he is finally able to confront Tien Ta, a brutal general, Te uses his staff to soundly defeat him.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin Lau Kar-leung

Lastly, we have the Claw Hand from 'Enter the Dragon' (1973). Enter the Dragon is one of the best martial arts tournament movies, and it has one of the coolest weapons. Bruce Lee's character goes up against Han, a crime lord holding a tournament on his private island. Han's left hand is artificial and can have a variety of tools attached to it. One of the best, and most deadly, is the claw hand. Han is already a horrifying villain as he runs an underground drug trafficking ring and employs some brutal people. The claw hand attachment only makes him more sinister. Even though the blades are no match for Lee's superior martial arts skills, they still inflict some serious cuts.

Shih Kien as Han in Enter the Dragon

Honorable Mentions

Apart from the top 5, there are several other martial arts weapons that have left a lasting impact on audiences. These weapons, although not in the top 5, are equally fascinating and worthy of mention. One such weapon is the Meteor Hammer from 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1'. Gogo Yubari's Meteor Hammer is one of the coolest weapons in the movie. Yubari, a schoolgirl, is O-Ren Ishii's bodyguard and confronts the Bride during her quest to kill Ishii. Her Meteor Hammer is a spiked metal ball on a long chain, and it's as scary-looking as it sounds. Even though the Bride is able to defeat Yubari with the Hattori Hanzo sword, the concept of the Meteor Hammer is too cool to ignore. With the push of a button, Yubari can release a circular blade hidden within the Hammer to use when swinging at her opponents.

The Meteor Hammer from Kill Bill: Vol. 1

Another notable weapon is the Fang Kang's Sword from 'The One-Armed Swordsman' (1967). Sword fights in martial arts movies are always incredible, so it's no surprise that swords are such a popular weapon. Even though nothing is inherently special about Fang Kang's sword in The One-Armed Swordsman, the story behind it makes it cool. After getting his right arm cut off by Pei Er, Fang Kang falls into a depression because he can no longer use a sword. He's given an old kung-fu manual by Xiao Man and learns how to use a sword one-handed. Seeing Fang Kang using his sword to teach himself how to fight again is very inspiring. Even though his sword isn't necessarily unique, the way Fang Kang uses it is.

Additionally, the Bamboo Pole from 'The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter' (1984) deserves recognition. Similarly to Fang Kang's sword, the bamboo pole used by Yeung Dak in The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter isn't unique in any way. Yeung Dak became a Buddhist monk after most of his family was killed or captured by general Pun Mei. Since blades were not allowed in the monastery, Yeung Dak practiced fighting with a bamboo pole and created the eight-diagram pole technique that he uses throughout the movie. As many martial arts movie weapons are blades of some kind or a special staff, having an ordinary bamboo pole be the weapon of choice is interesting.

Gordon Liu as Yeung Dak in The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter

Another weapon worthy of mention is the Fang Kang's Sword from 'The One-Armed Swordsman' (1967). Sword fights in martial arts movies are always incredible, so it's no surprise that swords are such a popular weapon. Even though nothing is inherently special about Fang Kang's sword in The One-Armed Swordsman, the story behind it makes it cool. After getting his right arm cut off by Pei Er, Fang Kang falls into a depression because he can no longer use a sword. He's given an old kung-fu manual by Xiao Man and learns how to use a sword one-handed. Seeing Fang Kang using his sword to teach himself how to fight again is very inspiring. Even though his sword isn't necessarily unique, the way Fang Kang uses it is.