Katana

"Grabbing a Ninja Sword."

- Nick

"I'm grabbin this ninja sword. See any nunchucks, y'all let me know."

- Ellis

The Katana is a close combat weapon in Left 4 Dead 2. It kills Common Infected in one hit, the same as the other melee weapons. It has a wider range than any other melee weapon.

It can be useful against Special Infected because it is usually a one-hit-kill. However, it requires two slashes to kill a Charger, and four to kill a Witch. Against a Tank, it could be somewhat useful if his back is turned or he is throwing a rock, as melee weapons (excluding the Chainsaw) deal 10% of the Tank's total health. It is possible to kill a Spitter and move away without adverse effects as it takes a moment for the puddle of acid to start dealing damage. However, it should not be used against Boomers, for obvious reasons.

Trivia

 * The Katana is a very common weapon of Japanese soldiers known as samurai and the secret clans of ninja, feudal Japanese assassins.
 * It is odd that there are many Katanas throughout the game, as these swords are not common in America. It is possible that some of them are well-kept antiques formerly belonging to collectors, some were battle-ready modern replicas, or even shin gunto from World War II (a common find at gun shows all over the country). In real life, most Katanas in America are replicas made specifically for show, and would snap if put through the stress of chopping apart hordes of Infected. Only a quality Katana made by a skilled craftsman would hold up.
 * The Katana is a fairly common weapon to find in some campaigns, being pretty illogical. They are usually found in Dark Carnival and Hard Rain.
 * Due to its wide reach, the Katana can kill multiple Infected in a survivor's personal space during a horde, usually clearing the 180 degree radius in front of the player (that is to say, everything directly in front of him).
 * When picking up a Katana, a Survivor may say, "Grabbing a ninja sword." This is due to the popularity of the Japanese ninja in American media. However, the Katana is more associated with the Japanese samurai.
 * Contrary to popular belief, neither the Katana nor the Axe can kill a Witch in a single hit, no matter where it is placed.
 * Like the Electric Guitar and Frying Pan, some view the Katana as a rather odd weapon to use in a zombie apocalypse.