The Kakashi Sword: All To Know About Its Lore and Replicas

The ninja warriors of Naruto: Shippuden are renowned for their fighting techniques that utilize their chakra, whether it’s morally gray characters like Sasuke and Itachi or the titular Naruto Uzumaki. But the 6th Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, takes the cake for being one of the characters who uses many weapons in the show and manga alike. 

Kakashi’s Weapons in the Naruto Anime

Kakashi’s sharingan may be his most famous weapon, but he also uses swords and knives that make for great weapon props for both your cosplays and collection displays. So while Kakashi can no longer use his chidori, he remains a formidable enemy for the Akatsuki and a powerful ally for his shinobi friends.

The White Light Chakra Sabre

The White Light Chakra Sabre is a short, dagger-like blade that once belonged to Kakashi’s father, Sakumo Hatake. Its name is inspired by the pale gleam of the blade which was made of top quality stainless steel. 

The weapon is actually a tanto, a type of Japanese dagger-sword used for fighting in close quarters as its shorter blade allowed a freer range of movement indoors versus a full-sized katana. 

The Anbu Era Nine Tails Sword

If you’ve seen Uchiha Sasuke’s sword, you may have noticed it doesn’t have a crossguard. Kakashi’s sword from the Shinobi Striker Anbu Era, a video game spin off of the show, features the same tsuba-less blade with a straight edge. This type of sword was called a ninjato, a sword specifically carried by ninja as opposed to the curved katana of the samurai class.

Other Ninja Weapons Kakashi Uses in the Anime

Aside from swords and daggers, Kakashi is shown using smoke bombs and other staple tools of ninja during the feudal era such as the following.

• Kunai

The kunai is so associated with ninja that it is sometimes referred to as just a “ninja knife”. It is a short knife with a diamond-shaped blade that is designed to glide through the air. This aerodynamic style made it well-suited for throwing. Sakura primarily uses a kunai in the show.

• Shuriken

The shuriken or “ninja stars” are smaller throwing knives shaped like starbursts or flowers. This enabled them to be hidden in the palm of the hand and thrown at a moment’s notice. Their blades are designed to accommodate spinning in midair as they make their way to a target. 

• Shoto/Wakizashi

Like the tanto, the shoto or wakizashi is a short sword meant to accompany the katana. It’s usually the second smaller sword in katana displays as the two are meant to be worn together at the hip with the wakizashi being the Swiss knife equivalent between the two. 

[relatedview related_url=”https://adworkdesign.com/swords/naruto-swords/”]

Getting Your Kakashi Sword Replica

Kakashi’s swords are surprisingly one of the lesser known weapons from the show, but as with choosing any anime sword replica, picking one out is a matter of knowing what things to look out for. 

Generally, you can choose from materials such as stainless steel, ABS or PBS plastic, and bamboo. Although all of these are durable, replicas made from stainless steel will resemble a real blade more than any other material. A larger sword is better mimicked with plastic or bamboo as it will be lighter and easier to use for cosplay.

Pay attention to the quality of connections made at the sword’s blade and handguard, and between the handguard and hilt. If there is a scabbard included, look into whether it is made of real leather or wood as faux leather tends to age and degrade faster. 

Of course, this isn’t a problem if all you need is a cosplay prop. While most replicas look great, they usually look better if you have a larger budget. If you don’t have a big one or don’t need your prop to last beyond the odd con or two, you can get away with a cheaper alternative. 

Conclusion

Kakashi’s swords make brief appearances in the show and manga, but when they do, fans know they’re about to see something cool. While these blades don’t have supernatural powers like Sasuke’s kusanagi, they remain formidable weapons able to cut down enemies. Picking out a replica of them is straightforward as long as you keep our tips in mind.