Katana

The Katana has a very rich history dating back to the feudal era of Japan. It became the primary weapon of the samurai during those times. Several variants were forged but still met with the approval of Japan's feudal warlords, the Daimyo. The sword was considered something of an heirloom to the point where it was passed from father to son. The development of this weapon came from the point (no pun intended) that quick and timely strikes can mean victory or defeat during those times. Therefore the daimyo proclaimed that in close-quarters combat this sword was issued to all samurai.

In Resident Evil

The katana was shown at the beginning of the fourth movie used by the clones of Alice. They lived up to their combat-style legacy in being able to stab, slash and even sever the umbrella soldiers to nothing more than a pile of cadaverous body parts. The clones wielded them akimbo during their assault in Tokyo while the real McCoy carried one (or at least a variant) in her roll-up kit while at the prison.