OMG OMG OMG! Look at those tsuba! Phenomenal... *Hugs OL-chan back*
So for all us people out here wondering how in heavens name the Katana was inspired here is an interesting japanese "tradition tale" on the making of Katana... Just imagine you were sitting by the fireside, listening to your Japanese granny telling it to you
Traditional Belief:
According to tradition the first Japanese sword blade was made by the swordsmith
Amakuni Yasutsuna about the year 700. Amakuni, his son
Amakura and a number of other smiths were employed by the emperor to make weapons for his warriors. One day the emperor and his warriors passed by Amakuni’s forge as they returned from battle, and instead of greeting Amakuni as he usually did, the emperor totally ignored Amakuni and all the swordsmiths. As the warriors straggled back Amakuni noticed that many of them were carrying broken swords; the weapons he had forged had snapped in the heat of battle. He closely examined the weapons and swore an oath to make a sword that would not break and so regain the emperors favour. (So reminiscent of anime
)
Amakuni and his son locked themselves in their forge and prayed to the Shinto gods for seven days and nights. Then they set to work, refining the metal of the blade and applying all their knowledge to make the perfect sword. After a month of work they emerged with a sword that curved slightly and had only one edge. Pleased with their first effort they refined the process, and when the warriors returned from their battles the following year, none were broken.