Wakizashi

Wakizashi is a melee weapon in Fallout 2.

Background
A wakizashi is a type of Japanese sword with a blade length between 30 and 60 cm, with an average of 46 cm. It is similar to but shorter than a katana. The wakizashi is usually not a primary weapon for samurai and was often worn together with the katana. The pairing of a katana with a wakizashi is called the daishō, that appeared during the Muromachi period (1336-1573). The daishō could only be worn by samurai and it represented the social power and personal honor of the samurai. Wealthy merchants, who cannot carry the katana, however, are allowed to wear the wakizashi.

References to wakizashi use date at least back to the 6th century and the first usage of a wakizashi dates back to the period between 1332 and 1369. Originally, the term wakizashi was used to mean any sword worn on the side of the main sword. Later, the term was used to denote the group of swords which were shorter than the katana, and as a result, wakizashi acquired the meaning of the side sword, because a side sword was shorter than the main sword by its nature.

It handles with one hand only, the handle being generally sized to the width of a palm of hand. It can also be used as tools to decapitate defeated enemies and sometimes to commit seppuku for samurais. The samurai used the wakizashi in primary weapon to fight in enclosed places. As these were relatively short fighter was freer in his movements with a longer blade. After the creation and their official recognition as an organization by the Japan government during the Edo period (1603-1868), the Yakuza were permitted to carry a wakizashi, which has become generally their weapon of choice in melee.

Characteristics
The wakizashi is little more than a boosted combat knife, with the same AP, Strength requirement and range, for a little more damage. It's slightly weaker than the "Little Jesus".

Location

 * Wasteland, used by the Yakuza faction in random encounter around New Reno.

Note

 * Its name in-game is "wakizashi blade", but it is an incorrect name since the word "blade" is unnecessary and it's never referred to as such historically and in any other reference, it's like naming a sword - "sword blade".

Behind the scenes

 * Wakizashi means "Side arm" in Japanese.

Wakizashi