Season 35

While English archers once wielded longbows and Old West sheriffs relied on six-guns, Japan’s samurai possessed a weapon of legendary precision—the katana, the pinnacle of swordmaking. In this NOVA exploration, the program delves into the centuries-old craft behind what many consider the ultimate blade. Fifteen traditional Japanese artisans devote nearly six months to the sword’s creation, a process NOVA traces from ore smelting and steel forging to the final sharpening, delivering a razor edge capable of slicing through a line of warriors in a single sweep.