Ghost of Yotei: A Master Replicates the Unsheathing Technique

In Ghost of Yotei, the protagonist Atsu uses traditional Japanese weapons such as the Odachi, a sword characterized by a longer blade than that of a katana (at least 90 cm). If you've spent hours with Sucker Punch's work, you've probably noticed that Atsu keeps the Odachi's scabbard on her back and uses a peculiar method to draw the weapon: she first grabs the hilt, then directly the blade with her hand. 

” ” /#GhostofYotei # pic.twitter.com/j31VjGpgDk

— (@ikazombie) October 5, 2025

Atsu and the Odachi sword: is it possible?

This technique is causing debate among Japanese fans: can it be replicated in reality? Dofu Takizawa, a martial arts instructor from the Tenshin-Ryu school, tried it and shared the video on Twitter/X (via Automaton Media). As you can see from the video below, the feat is achieved with admirable dexterity: consider that Takizawa has a rather small physique (he is 157 cm tall), so it is plausible that Atsu could also draw the sword in that way.

1.5kg# pic.twitter.com/9j46eq80G7

— 1129 (@harima_mekkai) October 7, 2025

However, there's another factor to consider: unsheathing the sword is possible, but resheathing it? Takizawa attempted it, but things went very differently: the position of the scabbard on the back made the operation decidedly difficult (though still possible). We certainly wouldn't be able to unsheathe an Odachi like Atsu does, but we tell you about this weapon and others in our Ghost of Yotei review.

https://t.co/haNBc4tM8r pic.twitter.com/Y3vNEdJUw0

— 1129 (@harima_mekkai) October 8, 2025