長曽祢虎徹
Nagasone Kotetsu
Also known as: Kotetsu
Description
Rated among the supreme masters of the shintō era, Nagasone Kotetsu had the unusual background of being a former armorer who turned to swordsmithing. Having intimate knowledge of armor construction, his blades were renowned for their ability to cut through armor in battle. His distinctive juzuba (rosary-bead) gunome-midare hamon and finely worked itame-mokume jigane are hallmarks of his craft. He is also celebrated as the favored swordsmith of Kondō Isami, commander of the Shinsengumi. The fictional line 'Tonight, my Kotetsu thirsts for blood' has become iconic in popular culture. So great was Kotetsu's fame that forgeries abound, giving rise to the saying 'If you see a Kotetsu, assume it is fake.'
Legends & Stories
Kondō Isami, commander of the Shinsengumi, was an avowed devotee of Kotetsu and reportedly never parted with his Nagasone Kotetsu blade. At the legendary Ikedaya Incident, Kondō is said to have wielded his Kotetsu against loyalist samurai in a fierce nighttime battle. Whether Kondō's blade was a genuine Kotetsu or a work by Minamoto Kiyomaro passed off as one remains debated to this day. Regardless, it was under the name of Kotetsu that Kondō fought, cementing the smith's legend. Kotetsu's origins as an armorer directly informed his obsession with cutting ability. His guiding principle was said to be: 'A sword that cannot cut through armor is no sword at all.'
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