Zanbato
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A zanbatō (斬馬刀, lit. "horse-slaying sword" or "horse-chopping saber"), also spelled zanbatou or zambatou, is an especially large type of Japanese sword used by some fictional characters in anime and video games, most notably Sagara Sanosuke from the anime Rurouni Kenshin. The weapon consists of a large, wide blade attached to a pole that the wielder holds.
The zanbatō is claimed in Rurouni Kenshin to be a historical weapon from the Sengoku Period in Japan, where it was supposedly designed to be used against cavalry, its large size being useful for killing horses and their riders in a single blow. However, there is no historical evidence that the Japanese ever had such a weapon. It is also unlikely that a blade as large as that shown in the anime would be usable by a real person, so if it did exist, its form would almost certainly have been different. Some websites such as [1] (http://www1.kamakuranet.ne.jp/sankaido/zanbatou1.htm) offer "zanbatō" for sale that resemble nodachi or ōdachi much more than the anime weapon.
The character of Sanosuke is said to have been based on Harada Sanosuke, one of the leaders of the Shinsengumi, who carried a "large spear".
Chinese zhǎn mǎ dāo
There was, however, a Chinese weapon of the Song Dynasty also written as 斬馬刀 (zhǎn mǎ dāo or zhanmadao) which could have been the inspiration for the zanbatō, although it differs somewhat in form. Dating to 1027, it was used as an anti-cavalry weapon. Surviving examples include a sword that might resemble a nagamaki in construction; it had a wrapped handle 37 cm long making it easy to grip with two hands. The blade was 114 cm long and very straight with a slight curve in the last half. This made it greatly resemble the zanbatō, which, if it existed, was probably its Japanese derivative.
Possible variations of these Chinese and Japanese swords were the miao dao, and the wodao.
External links
- Illustrations of Qing regulation swords (http://thomaschen.freewebspace.com/photo5.html) - includes pictures & descriptions of the Chinese zhǎn mǎ dāo