(05-16-2021, 08:05 AM)robkelk Wrote: Anybody mind if I borrow Miyuki Takamachi for a few months in-universe? Sailor Jupiter still has no idea how to use that tanto that she picked up in September 2016...
EDIT:
A thought... Mikoto all but promised that she'd visit Alicia Testarossa during March break, so any time between March 11 and 19. Nanoha's birthday is March 15 - smack-dab in the middle of the window for the promise. During the planning for the visit, Rob mentions to Miyuki that Makoto has a tanto (maybe because she was carrying one and was in view when whoever at Westwoods answers the phone). Miyuki looks thoughtful while Rob and Ben make arrangements. During the birthday party at the amusement park that the Bannings-Lowell family owns, Miyuki and Makoto have a serious discussion. At the end of the day, Miyuki grabs her already-packed suitcase and joins the folks headed to Ottawa. She doesn't come home until early July.
Opinions?
Hrm... Makoto might be getting a bit more than she thinks.
The Takamachi Family style is a twin kodachi form of swordplay. Putting this into a more Western imagining, this would be like someone dual-wielding gladius - the short swords used by the Roman legions (because they don't get in the way of their shields) and by their gladiators.
The kodachi is an interesting beast because while it resembles a wakizashi quite strongly, unlike the wakizashi it is made to a set length. Wakizashi, like their longer cousin, the katana, is made to a custom length to suit the wielder.
Now, it's not really known what purpose the kodachi served. They were only made for a short time and for a small sect of families. But I would imagine that the idea is that with the kodachi being a set-length, then one is as good as another. While having a weapon that is custom made for your proportions has its advantages, being able to just pick up another kodachi if yours breaks and then use it just like the one you had before is an advantage all on its own.
Also, the style Miyuki uses is implicitly for killing. While not assassins, their line of work as bodyguards does not permit them much flexibility. Someone is trying to kill their charge? They kill the assassin first. End of story.
That said, I do believe that Miyuki would possess a repertoire of single-blade techniques... But these would be very cut-throat techniques as, from the perspective of someone of the Takamachi school, if you're fighting with only one sword, then you're at a disadvantage. And this from a style where the driving force is "Kill Them First".
Interesting fact about Miyuki's character: she doesn't really like being in this business and only does it out of a sense of duty and obligation. Primarily because she's actually Shiro Takamachi's niece through his sister. She has been adopted into the Takamachi branch because of her father being killed at the event that would have killed Shiro as well (but I kinda fudged with things a bit to combine the MGLN timeline with the TH timeline). Thus, she feels indebted to them for taking care of her.
That, and there's also the thing she has for Kyouya.
At any rate, this may be the best thing for Makoto, regardless. I've done a bit of research, and most schools that teach Japanese-style swordplay are geared towards non-combat. For these schools, it is strictly a sport, much like Olympic-style Fencing. Granted, the techniques are all derived from killing techniques, but they've been kinda toned down a bit, and the way they train is not suitable for a person that will be getting into an actual fight.
The schools that DO treat the Way of the Sword the way it is meant to be are exceedingly rare and do not tend to advertise their existence. They are very careful in their selection of their students, and with good reason: they are teaching you how to kill.