h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Very well done! I thoroughly enjoyed the entry.

Now, I know that one cannot cover all aspects and details for so broad a subject as Bushido in a single entry; but, once you get to describing blade weapons and the differences between their European counterparts, I feel that a few additional words should have been included.

Merely differentiating between a single-edged sword and a double-edged sword does not do justice to the description of the design of the Japanese weapons discussed.

The long and short swords, and the tanto as well, have a angled-chisel shaped end that is slightly broader at the back of the sharpened point, with the sword narrowing slightly before it continues to the hilt.

The reason for this design was to create an armour-piercing point, with the heft to help propel the chiseled point through the armor of the opponent, and then it narrows to make the path easier as it continues into the victim.

In this way, the long blade avoids adding resistance to the piercing of the body by eliminating drag of the blade against the armour.