The Unforgettable Anime Sword Fight That Will Blow Your Mind

Most anime put their epic sword fights as the main attraction, but Katanagatari took a different approach. Instead of showcasing its best duel on screen, the anime opted for an off-screen battle. Katanagatari, produced by White Fox and based on Nisio Isin's light novels, revolves around a young swordsman named Shichika who fights without a blade. Accompanied by the strategist Togame, they embark on a journey across ancient Japan in search of powerful swords. In most episodes, Shichika must defeat enemy swordsmen to retrieve these swords. However, episode 4 surprises viewers by deviating from the expected climax and presenting the pivotal sword fight off-screen.

In the preceding episodes, the swordsman Hakuhei was built up as one of anime's greatest swordsmen, comparable to popular characters like Zoro from One Piece and Ichigo from Bleach. The anticipation grew after episode 3, which revealed that Shichika and Togame would face him next. The episode even teased the fight's intensity in a post-credits preview, showing their battle splitting the ocean and forcing Shichika to cut a shark in half to save Togame. This setup suggested that the fight would become one of the most grandiose sword fights in both Katanagatari and the anime industry as a whole. However, when the episode finally aired, it shifted focus to Shichika's sister, leaving the actual fight to occur offscreen.

By Pranking Its Viewers, Katanagatari Shows What Makes It Unique

This type of trickery seamlessly aligns with the nature of the show, Katanagatari, which, similar to Nisio Oisin's other works, places greater emphasis on the witty exchanges and interpersonal dynamics between its characters rather than the actual art of sword fighting. In truth, many of the other sword fights depicted in the series are rather underwhelming from a technical standpoint, although they do possess thematic satisfaction. This characteristic is vividly embodied by the protagonist, Shichika, whose unconventional swordplay method deliberately eschews the use of a traditional blade. Nevertheless, the scarcity of grand sword fights in the series thus far is what contributes to the anticipation and excitement among fans for the preview of episode 3, as they hope that the show will incorporate such spectacles.

By pranking the audience with a tantalizing glimpse of a fabricated battle, the anime essentially confirms to these fans that sword fighting is not the true essence of the show. Simultaneously, it introduces a new threat in the form of Shichika's sister, Nanami, who proves to be potentially more dangerous than Hakuhei himself as she effortlessly dispatches her adversaries throughout the episode. As the subsequent duel between Shichika and Nanami becomes one of the highlights of the series, primarily due to its non-sword fighting elements, the content of episode 4 is ironically well-suited, despite its nature as a form of audience trolling.

Although the show's seamless fitting may be appreciated, it is undeniably disappointing that a remarkable battle of that magnitude will never be witnessed. However, for enthusiasts seeking awe-inspiring animated sword duels, there is an array of superbly crafted sword fights to behold in movies such as Sword of the Stranger or shows like Samurai Champloo. Unlike any other series, Katanagatari deliberately chose to withhold its most extraordinary sword fight from the audience, making it a highly recommended viewing experience.