Lightsaber Katanas Are Real, Here’s How to Get One
What’s in this article?
Katanas and lightsabers have been stars of video games, TV shows, and movies for the past couple or so decades. Strangely enough though, there haven’t been a lot of lightsaber katanas featured in shows like Disney+’s Kenobi, whether it’s in Jedi or Sith hands. Even Darth Maul, who’s already known for having a unique lightsaber design, hasn’t been depicted with a Star Wars lightsaber patterned after a katana in any type of Star Wars media.
The truth is you’d be hard pressed to find a lightsaber katana that wasn’t a custom lightsaber as most manufacturers do not produce it. That said, here are some interesting facts about lightsaber katanas in Star Wars and how you can still get close to having an official lightsaber katana.
The Only Katana in Star Wars Isn’t a Sword
In a universe of blasters and RGB laser swords, you may be surprised to find that there are no actual katana lightsabers in Star Wars. However, there are about 200 Katanas mentioned in the Star Wars Legends lore. These Katanas were not swords but Dreadnought Class ships used by Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Star Wars’ Katana Fleet
The Katana fleet was initially owned by the Galactic Republic but was later lost after a virus infected the crew, driving them insane and causing them to jump into the unknown reaches of hyperspace. For decades, the fleet was believed to be lost until Grand Admiral Thrawn rediscovered the ships and had them acquired.
After that, little has been seen of the Katana fleet in Star Wars lore, leaving fans to wonder if it could have helped the Galactic Empire or the First Order, their later successor, in their endless interstellar dueling against the Rebellion/Resistance.
Gira’s Katana Style Lightsaber
As for actual lightsabers that look like a katana, Gira’s lightsaber appears briefly in the Star Wars comic, Star Wars Tales 11. But calling it a katana is stretching the definition of one since it only resembles a katana because of the rounded crossguard similar to a tsuba.
The Darksaber Is the Closest You Can Get to a Lightsaber Katana
The Darksaber is an ancient lightsaber with a black and white blade. Its eerie blade color marks it as the only lightsaber of its kind, which is fitting since it’s the weapon of the first Mandalorian to join the Jedi Order. Despite never being called a katana, it has more similarities to a real-world katana than Gira’s lightsaber, making it the closest thing to a katana lightsaber that you can get in the Star Wars universe.
The sword is described as having a tapered, slightly curved blade that ends in a thin tip which is similar to the design of a katana. Its use as a symbol of leadership among the Mandalorians, whose culture is partly based on Feudal Japan, cements it as a lightsaber katana even further.
Like other lightsaber blades, the Darksaber can cut through just about anything except for Beskar, the lightsaber-resistant metal used by Mandalorians for their armor.
Here are some Darksaber replicas you can get to finally become the Force-wielding ronin of your dreams.
1. Force Fx Elite Darksaber
This full scale replica of the Darksaber emulates the white glow surrounding the blade by placing it in the center of the blade, giving it a futuristic hamon line that serves to emphasize the katana inspired design of the Darksaber.
The replica features a polycarbonate hilt made to look exactly like metal. It also has a nice heft to it that helps make it feel more realistic and makes for a smooth swing every time you bring the sword down in an arch motion.
At the lightsaber hilt is an LED unit that allows the blade to light up. It comes with sound effects just like the ones heard in the movies and in the Mandalorian TV series.
- Material: Polycarbonate plastic
- Length: 101.6 cm
2. Star Wars Clone Wars Darksaber
The Darksaber has been featured before in animated Star Wars series such as Star Wars Clone Wars where it was wielded by Sabine Wren. This replica is based off of that version of the Darksaber design, hence the more rugged silver and black hilt and the crackling white beams of energy around the dark blade.
Because of its child and adult friendly size, it makes for a great cosplay prop if you or a child you know is planning to dress up as Sabine at a con or on Halloween.
- Material: ABS Plastic
- Length: 83.82
Conclusion
While there aren’t any lightsabers explicitly referred to as katanas in the Star Wars universe, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any swords inspired by real-life katanas, as proven by the Darksaber. This ominous looking blade is a symbol of Mandalorian culture and resilience, making it the perfect in-universe nod to the Japanese warrior class.
