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If you have watched enough animes or played video games that involve Samurais, you'll often see that the character's sword possesses magical properties to it. Perhaps there're some truth to why they're constantly retelling the same thing over and over again but we will never know. Japan has a very uniquely rich and traditional culture surrounding katanas (Japanese Swords) that until this day people would still buy it as collections. Over the centuries of heroic, brutal and legendary tales that have been passed on generation after generations, fictional and mythical elements have been added into the tales that made them pretty much indistinguishable. The deep rooted history is why myths and facts are combined.
Is It Just a Blade?
The Katanas are dubbed as the way of life to the samurais back in the days. They wield their Katanas like an extended arm, being a big part of them and having a connection to it. Just like you and your teddy bear/dolls when you were a kid but in more serious way. Some swords throughout history has alleged to reflect the master's personalities. Most often the swordsmiths are highly credible samurais themselves, pouring their heart and soul to perfectly craft and refine the quality and beauty of the blade so it is deadly and indestructible. If you compare them to modern day Japanese, it's no wonder why you see them taking so much pride and responsibility in what they do. The past 'will' carries on to the future generation. You'd understand if you've seen Japanese's work ethics.
The Creator
Among the most famed swordsmith in the history is non other than Muramasa Sengo, who lived during the Muromachi Period between 14th to 16th century. He founded Muramasa School (renowned for their extraordinary sharpness and quality of blade) at Ise Province to pass down his legendary art and sword making skill to his students. Muramasa is known for his notorious violent behaviour as well as having unstable mind. He was purported to suddenly throw violent tantrum around unlucky passerby.
The Beginning of the Curse
According to legend, Muramasa made a devil's pact and whisper prayers of 'great destruction' in his exceptionally deadly and remarkable sword and the gods granted his wishes by permeating them with bloodthirsty spirit that drives wielder into a frenzy bloodlust state, drawing blood from opponents or 'If' no life was taken, the blade would turn against and force the owner to committing suicide. Another dark and sinister attribute as the wielder, he will be bestow with high-level swordmanship, temporary superhuman strength and great resistance towards pain and damage. The swords Muramasa forged are said to be passed on and has life of its own. It is also believed that once the the sword is unsheathed, it demands blood before returning back in scabbard. It's frightening to draw without anyone around, like for certain that suicide is just around the corner. Crazy how sword wielders consider themselves as the master of the sword, in this case however is the reverse.
The evil spirit of the sword would often call out their owners to hunt for souls. This is dangerous for all wielders especially having friends and families around as it does not recognize people as allies or enemy but rather navigates the owner to just kill anyone around. Tales of the Muramasa betraying the owner sprung up through out the years. It's almost like the spirit possesses the owner to strike down their own family members and friends, being helpless and uncontrollably attacking people in a berserk mode. The nightmare has caused numerous samurais to commit suicide to escape the dark wrath that's turning them into monsters.
The high reputation of the Muramasa Swords continued for another two centuries despite having unpleasant reputation surrounding the curse. During Tokugawa Ieyasu's reign as a shogun, he ordered to cease all the sword and melt them. He condemned and blamed it for the lost of lives around him. No one was spared. Tokugawa Ieyasu's father and grandfather were both murdered by their retainers who wielded Muramasa swords. Later on, his wife and son became the next victim. The ban of the sword was taken very seriously that anyone found wielding the Muramasa will be heavily punished to the extend of performing seppuku(a suicide by disembowelment). There are those who went against the ban and hid it and some even went as far as changing the marking to avoid being recognize.
Thoughts
To this day, the Muramasa is a representation of the superior sword-making skill the Japanese once had. Would you trade your soul to be the best samurai in edo era? While the act of murder remains a question of whether it was cursed or not, it certainly brought tragedies among the wielder. Let me know below if you think there were something going on with that blade !