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Tales have oft been told of the mythical items to be found when journeying through the maze of shopping aisles in Japan’s online realm. From unusual manga characters to riot shields, it seems anything might be possible once you’ve entered through the magical portal known as Amazon Japan. Now it seems that visitors who stop by to make purchases are just as interesting as some of the items on offer, as self-proclaimed heroes and brave warriors from across the nation are buying swords from the marketplace and providing feedback on the efficacy of their items. Latest reviews are aimed at an innocent-looking plastic sword, which is said to be under-performing when it comes to vitality levels and magic ability.

The sword in question is called the “Hero’s Sword”. With such a broad and unspecific moniker, this poor little fellow was bound to encounter difficulties considering the wide range of skills and requirements attached to being a hero. Retailing for 1,560 yen (US$15.22), the plastic weapon is designed for use by cosplayers and actors. The reviews, however, indicate that expectations were high for the dramatic-looking sword.

Pfff … I bought this type of sword when I was starting off in my first town.

It would be faster to get a critical hit with my bare hands.

The handle came off in my first battle. Not very heroic.

I agree with other heroes: this has low offensive ability, low stamina and short reach.

I’ve been working for a devil king for twenty years, and back in my day there were many different blacksmiths. Nowadays, with the worldwide recession, we can’t do much when swords are made from more inferior, plastic materials.

I’m a wizard and I was unable to equip this. I wish it had come with notes or instructions.

Whether or not there truly are bands of cosplayers fighting in fields on the outskirts of town, one thing is clear: this sword gets one lackluster star for durability but 5 shiny big stars for fun. Still, next time we’re out on a walk before dawn, we’ll be listening a little more closely and looking just a little bit further, hoping to see a secret, epic anime battle full of colourful costumes. And plastic swords.

Source: NetLab
Image: Amazon Japan