* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Lupin III (Goemon Ishikawa & Zantetsuken)
ルパン三世（石川五ェ門・斬鉄剣）
A franchise created by Monkey Punch in 1967 that has spread worldwide as a long-running anime series. The Zantetsuken sword carried by Goemon Ishikawa XIII—capable of cutting through anything—became an iconic symbol of Japanese swords in pop culture. Ranked 3rd in a 2025 anime sword popularity poll.
Description
The manga Lupin III, which Monkey Punch (Kazuhiko Katō) began serializing in Weekly Manga Action in 1967, is a long-running franchise centered on the gentleman thief Lupin III and his companions. One of its main characters, Goemon Ishikawa XIII (voice actors: Chikao Ōtsuka → Makio Inoue → Daisuke Namikawa), is set up as a samurai living in the present day and a descendant of the legendary thief Ishikawa Goemon. Goemon's beloved sword, the Zantetsuken (in the original manga Shin Lupin III, also called "Ryūsei Zantetsuken"), is depicted as an ultra-hard blade that "nothing in existence can't cut." Scenes where it slices through steel girders, helicopters, and even bullets in a single stroke are one of the highlights of the work. The line Goemon mutters after a single strike, "Once again, I have cut a worthless thing," has become established as one of the most famous catchphrases in Japanese pop culture. The Zantetsuken is housed in a plain koshirae: a shirasaya with no tsuba (guard). This matches well with Goemon's character as a samurai embodying the Zen-like state of "mu" (nothingness). In a 2025 ranking survey of anime swords, the Zantetsuken took third place (1st: Nichirin Sword / Demon Slayer; 2nd: Sakabatō (reverse-blade sword) / Rurouni Kenshin), showing that it remains a living, iconic symbol even after more than half a century.
Real Swords Featured
Zantetsuken / Ryūsei
Goemon's beloved sword. Widely known by the name "Zantetsuken." The name "Ryūsei," which says it is made of meteorite material, is a setting added in the original manga *Shin Lupin III*. It has a shirasaya-style koshirae and a simple appearance without a tsuba, and its length is comparable to that of a Japanese uchigatana. The setting that it can cut anything is a pop-culture variation that exaggerates the "legend of sharpness" of Japanese swords, and it has functioned as a cultural device that evokes admiration for Japanese swords.
The samurai spirit and shirasaya koshirae
The setting in which Goemon keeps the Zantetsuken in a shirasaya (an unlacquered, undecorated wooden scabbard) can be interpreted as a deliberate choice of prop that embodies the samurai spirit, which values simplicity, frugality, and integrity. A shirasaya for a Japanese sword was originally a koshirae for resting and storing the blade. Goemon's style of using it in actual combat (within the story) expresses the image of a "true swordsman who strips away ornament."
See authentic Japanese swords
See authentic Japanese swordsRelated Content
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Film七人の侍
Akira Kurosawa's 1954 enduring masterpiece, one of the most influential works in the history of world cinema. Set in the late Sengoku period, its story of seven masterless samurai gathered to protect a village from bandits vividly depicts the social role of the samurai and the practical side of the sword. It is a monumental work that made Japanese swordcraft known to the world, and it influenced countless films, including The Magnificent Seven, Star Wars, and Mad Max.
Nioh 2
Video Game仁王2
A Sengoku-period action RPG released in 2020, developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo Games. As a prequel to the earlier "Nioh," it stars a half-yokai protagonist with yokai blood, who crosses swords with demons while encountering real Sengoku-period warlords.
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Game信長の野望
A historical simulation game series developed and sold by Koei Tecmo Games since 1983. It is a national-favorite series in which players control Sengoku daimyo, including Oda Nobunaga, in pursuit of unifying the country. Depending on the title, famous swords also appear as items, making it a historical game series that touches on the bond between Japanese swords and warlords.
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Anime and Manga青の祓魔師
A shonen manga where exorcists who banish demons battle with swords. The protagonist's demon-subduing sword is central to the story.
This page is intended to introduce Japanese sword culture and is not affiliated with any of the works mentioned.