Completed
“A samurai with a dull sword repeatedly fails to attack weak opponents and gets beaten by townspeople.”
The Dull Sword
なまくら刀（塙凹内名刀之巻）
5.48
13,083 rank · 10,902 viewers · 14 favorites
Comedy
Samurai
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Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
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Synopsis
A samurai with a dull sword repeatedly fails to attack weak opponents and gets beaten by townspeople.
Namakura Gatana, meaning "dull-edged sword," is a four-minute comedy about a samurai who, thanks to his dull instrument, loses every time he attacks a weak opponent. In order to examine the sword, he tries to attack passers-by, but lower-class townspeople fight back and knock him down. (Source: AniDB)
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 18 sampled reviews
7.8
/10
What 18 viewers settled on.
87%
recommend
Score distribution
median 8.5
mode 10
σ 2.34
Agreement
Polarized
σ 2.34 · split reception
The polarity gap
6.2 pts
Recommenders 9.2 · others 3.0
Yes
No
Score over time
↓ 0.17
Running avg · Apr 2017 → Sep 2025
Snap verdicts
· shortest highly-rated reviews
- 10 “Well, I have never reviewed before, I don't even rate shows to often, but the score this piece has is ridiculous. We are talking about history, Nakamura Gatana's quality can't be judged by todays...”
- 10 “Man! This should be a 10! The animation looks like it still holds up to this day. The plot is simple and fun. This is one of the oldest anime ever and people should watch this at least once just to...”
- 10 “Considerando que isso foi feito antes do surgimento da TV em 1917, nos primeiros dias do filme, 11 anos antes do lançamento de Steamboat Willie, e considerado por muitos como o primeiro anime já...”
Verbosity
Short · 67%
Medium · 22%
Long · 11%
Watch Order & Related
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A Movie Production
- Format 1 × 5′ eps × min
- Total runtime 0h 05m all episodes
- Aired Jun 1917 – ongoing
- Source Movie media type
- Rated G All Ages
- Ref. BS-4666 catalog