Katana

Katana

Katana is a female gargoyle originally from the Ishimura Clan of feudal Japan, and later a member of the Manhattan Clan. [1]

History

Katana in Feudal Ishimura.

Katana practicing Bushido in Feudal Ishimura

Katana was hatched at an unspecified time during Japan's feudal period. [2] She was trained in Bushido and learned to wield a Japanese sword, a katana, from which she later derived her name in a Naming Ceremony. Several decades after her hatching, Brooklyn arrived in Ishimura on his TimeDancer travels (specifically between two extended stays in the far future), at which point the Brooklyn and Katana were the same age, biologically. [3][4] Katana joined Brooklyn in the TimeDance; she chose to join him, but it was a tough choice. ("A Little Crazy", "New Rules") [5]

Katana was with Brooklyn and Fu-Dog when they visited New York in 2198. By the time of their 1942 visit aboard the U.S.S. Nashville, Katana and Brooklyn became mates and were carrying their first egg that would become Nashville. When Katana arrived in New York with Brooklyn forty seconds after he was originally taken by the Phoenix in 1997, she was carrying her second egg that Brooklyn dubbed Egwardo. Katana joined the Manhattan Clan shorty after. ("Underwater", "Phoenix")

Through the following months, Katana acclimated to the Manhattan Clan and, alongside Brooklyn, worked on educating Nashville (but was reluctant to let him go on patrol) and acclimating Fu-Dog by making sure he learned to recognize the new gargoyles as "clan". When she learned that "Egwardo" was a joke name, she was not amused. ("Idyll Or Nightmare", "Tale Old as Time")

Alongside the rest of her new clan, she watched Goliath's Hearing with concern for both her leader and for Elisa Maza as, throughout all her travels across time, she never knew of a gargoyle and a human falling in love with each other. When Elisa revealed her love for Goliath to the world, Katana found it admirable and honest, but was unsure if it was wise – doubting many humans would accept it. She was pleased when Goliath was released, happy that the clan would be whole again. The following night, after Goliath' return to the clan, Katana and Brooklyn asked Broadway, Lexington, and Angela to join her and Brooklyn as rookery parents for Egwardo. The three gargoyles accepted and Angela asked Katana and Elisa to be her seconds at her and Broadway's upcoming Commitment Ceremony. Katana accepted. ("Your Witness", "New Rules", "Cold Comfort")

Katana subdues Castaway.

On Halloween, 1997, at Brooklyn's persuasion, Katana reluctantly allowed Nashville to skip the Bleeker Street party the rest of the clan was attending in order to go Trick-Or-Treating; but she still sent Bronx and Fu-Dog to watch out for him. At the Halloween block party, she agreed with Careless Jones that Goliath and Elisa were a great couple, before dancing with her own mate. However, the Quarrymen chose this party to attack, hoping to provoke the gargoyles into "revealing their monstrous true colors". Nashville and his new friends managed to hold the Quarrymen at bay, but Katana stepped in to prevent John Castaway from killing her son. Following Castaway's arrest, Nashville apologized for not staying out of trouble, but he had to do something. Katana, however, was proud of her son and let him go continue Trick-or-Treating with his new friends... sending Bronx and Fu-Dog to, again, keep an eye on him. ("Trick-Or-Treat")

Egwardo which will hatch into their second child Tachi in 1998. [6][7][8] It is currently unclear whether or not Brooklyn and Katana will have a third biological child. [9]

Characteristics

Katana arrives in Manhattan carrying Egwardo.

Katana is a female gargoyle with pale blue skin, black hair, a beak, and some anatomical peculiarities common among the Ishimura Clan, such as paired horns, and a reduction in wing, finger and toe digits.

She wears a yellow kimono and wields one katana and one wakizashi on her back, and two fans on her belt.

She is very protective of her egg. She became somewhat defensive when Angela asked to hold it. She also wore a back-pack and took the egg with her at all times, including into battle throughout their journeys. She placed the egg into the rookery upon settling into 1997, Manhattan.

Katana was already known by that name when she first met Brooklyn. [10]

Appearances

• "Phoenix" (First Appearance, No Lines)
• "A Little Crazy"
• "Idyll or Nightmare"
• "Tale Old as Time"
• "Render Unto Caesar" (No Lines)
• "Underwater" (No Lines)
• "Your Witness" (No Lines)
• "New Rules"
• "Cold Comfort"
• "Questions" (No Lines)
• "Quo Vadis Cum Hoc?" (Mentioned Only)
• "Acquisitions" (No Lines)
• "Trick-Or-Treat"
• "Unequivocal Success"

Production Background

Katana's character model. By Robby Bevard. Click to enlarge.

Katana's outfit design. By Robby Bevard. Click to enlarge.

By 1998, Greg Weisman posted that he had shared Katana's name "ages ago". [11][12]