Star Wars

It is widely known that George Lucas drew heavily from Akira Kurosawa's samurai films when creating Star Wars. The word 'Jedi' is said to derive from 'jidai' (era, as in jidai-geki period dramas), and the Jedi philosophy resonates deeply with bushido. Lightsaber stances and choreography reflect kendo and iaido kata: the two-handed grip in chudan-no-kamae is pure Japanese swordsmanship. The plot structure of Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress formed the backbone of Episode IV, while Seven Samurai and Yojimbo influenced the entire saga. Darth Vader's helmet was inspired by Sengoku-era samurai kabuto, and the concept of the Force parallels the Japanese notion of ki. The culture of the Japanese warrior and sword forms the very foundation of the world's greatest science fiction franchise. At DATEKATANA, we offer the authentic Japanese swords that are the wellspring of this cultural legacy.