| Zanshato | |
|---|---|
 Zanshato on its crane transport in Battle 36. | |
| Statistics | |
| Type | Giant katana |
| Users | Den False Den |
| Debut | Battle 36 |
Zanshato was a giant katana that was wielded by Den. It was one of the two weapons that he used in his giant body, in addition to Tesshaso.
Design[]
Den normally carried Zanshato in a giant saya or scabbard that he wore on his back in his centaur form. When he was not carrying it, Zanshato was transported on a modified crane by the Barjack. The false Den carried the copy of Zanshato by hand. Both versions have a circular tsuba or guard which is decorated with holes. However only the original had a sageo or hanging cord in the form of a chain.
History[]
Den had a history of using Japanese swords going back to when he was still in his second man-sized body and wandering the Badlands, although he used a long, nodachi-like sword at this time.[1]
Plot[]
Battle Angel Alita[]
Den attacks the Factory Tube in Battle 50.
Zanshato first appeared when Den fought the Coliseum champion Vanado. He stood firm and withstood the barrage of the Solar Calendar Wheel before preempting Vandado's finishing move with a single strike that split him down the middle. After he charged into the Scrapyard, counterattacks by the Factory Army blew off one his arms, making him unable to use Tesshaso. He then drew Zanshato with his remaining hand and attacked with it. Den's last act was to attempt to destroy a Factory tube with Zanshato. However the giant katana broke and the tube was undamaged. When Kaos was able to hack into Desty Nova's Ouroboros Program to rescue Alita, he took on the avatar of Den armed with Zanshato. It was later featured on the cover of Barjack War Chronicle with Koyomi standing on it.[2]
Barjack Rhapsody[]
The false Den wielding a copy of Zanshato in Barjack Rhapsody.
Two additional giant bipedal bodies of Den existed which could be piloted and there were duplicate copies of Zanshato and Tesshaso. One of the bodies was piloted by Eakins' henchman as part of a plot to raid Scrapyard convoys and eventually resurrect the Barjack as a bandit organization. This false Den wielded the copy of Zanshato. At the revival meeting at Farm 3 on August 15, ES 591, the Den piloted by Geriperi defeated the false Den in battle, leaving the second copy of Zanshato at the bottom of a shallow river running by the farm.
References[]
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