Secrets of the Samurai Sword

You needn't be a fan of Akira Kurosawa's samurai classics—or even Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies—to appreciate the amazing craftsmanship involved in the creation of a genuine samurai sword. As this fascinating NOVA episode demonstrates, the katana (samurai sword of medieval Japan) was the most fearsomely effective blade weapon ever created, capable of slicing through the human body with a single slash. These swords were also genuine works of art, perfected over 600 years using a process so refined that scientific analysis is only now beginning to reveal the secrets of their impeccable design and manufacture. Intertwining historical insights and metallurgical detective work using electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and other methods of scientific investigation, Secrets of the Samurai Sword follows 15 traditional Japanese craftsmen over a six-month period, as they create an original samurai sword—smelting the ore, combining iron and steel, and ultimately forging the blade. DVD extras include printable materials for educators. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Shannon)