Re: Is it possible for man to use the Dragonslayer
It was actually debated a while back on BSOM. There was a bunch of crap on it and it even got a little scientific, examining the dimensions of the sword and trying to figure out it’s actual weight, I think Wereallmad said something about some university students doing something on it, though I don’t remember so I could be totally wrong. I think it was determined that the sword would just weigh too damn much for any man to successfully wield it, let alone one of Guts size. Maybe someone else remembers it better than me.
-Griffith
Quite the contrary. It was determined that (depending on how it was contructed) a normal man probably would be able to lift such a weapon.
However using it in battle would be an impossibility.
This is to say, if it were made of iron.
But the fact is, Griffith and perhaps other people in the world of Berserk have swords which are almost certainly forged of steel.
And we have to remember that Godo is a master swordsmith. The sword is described as "a slab of iron" I think, but you never know, it could have been forged of steel.
There is a very real possibility that Godo used another allow as well. He could have stumbled upon a recipie for "Damascus Steel" (BTW, Damascus steel is no longer a secret, some blacksmith somewhere managed to find out how to make it, the reason other swordsmith's couldn't, is because you actualy have to ADD a specific impurity to the metal, don't ask me anything more, I'm not a scientist). Which could probably make the sword light enough for a man Guts' size to wield to an extent.
And of course there is hte whole "supernatural alloy" theory.
Still, even swinging a normal sword as fast as Guts does with his dragonslayer, is virtualy impossible.
Besides this popular weight question how is guts able to swing it with his mechanical arm alone assuming that the iron hand opens and closes because of a magnetic centre?
This REAL german soldier had a REAL mechanical hand. One which allowed him to lift a lance.
http://www.karlofgermany.com/Goetz.htm
Why doesn't he have problems walking down stairs?
WTF?
And a question i've been asking myself over and over is how do you draw that damn thing. Your arms would have to be about two meters long.
Actualy they wouldn't. You don't "unsheath" the sword or anything like that.
In volumes 1-3, there is hook on Guts' right shoulder. The chain link on the Dragonslayer hooks onto that. There's nothing more at all. It's basicly less sophisticated then a coat hangar.
In volume 14+ and in hte anime, Guts adds a second part.
The hook on hte right is stille there, but Guts also now has a long chain hanging from his left shoulder. After Guts hooks the sword onto the hook on his right, he pulls the chain over the sword, and snaps it onto his belt.
BTW, this subject has been debated MANY times on hte BSOM board. It was probably one of the earliest debates ever.
There was a lot of very interesting scientific stuff posted on it. Probably the best debate on hte subject was on the first (as in origional) BSOM BBS. Anyone have a link to that one?
It's a really good read, I recomend it.