Higekiri

Trivia
Basic Info=
 * -|History=
 * One of the more acceptable and popular iteration of Higekiri's (and by extension Hizamaru's) origin depicts a competition between two famous swordsmiths, Mōfusa of Ōshū, and Kokaji Munechika (pseudonym of Sanjou) of Kyoto, to create two tachi from the metal of a naginata for the Emperor of Japan.
 * Came the day of the presentation, Mōfusa's sword measured three-shaku long, while Munechika's was considerably shorter, thus resulting in the sovereign imprisoning the latter for cheating. Mōfusa's sword is named "Makuragami" (lit. "above the pillow") and was placed in a position of honor, while its competition earned the name "Sun-Nashi" ("three-sun-short").
 * Munechika prayed in his cell for the gods for a sign to reveal his honor, which magically prompted both swords to unsheath and parry in front of the royal onlookers, resulting in Munechika's severing its competition in the end, making them of equal length. It was from this event that the Tomokiri epithet was given to the sword.
 * When the blade and its companion came into possession of Minamoto no Mitsunaka, he ran a small test of their sharpness by using them to behead criminals during Tameshigiri. The victim of this blade had a long beard, who was cut smoothly along the neck, prompting Mitsunaka to dub it "Higekiri" (lit. "beard-slasher").
 * Heirloom of the Settsu Genji bloodline of the Minamoto Clan, treasured and used in combat by famous heroes, such as Raiko, Tsuna, Minamoto no Yoshiie and his son Tameyoshi. It was Raiko who gave Higekiri to Watanabe-no-Tsuna, trusted friend and general. Latter it was inherited by Raiko's nephew and passed on in the Settsu Genji family.
 * -|Appearance=
 * -|Miscellaneous=
 * The second sword, along with Hizamaru, to have more than one entry in the citadel logbook.
 * Higekiri's inability to remember names, most notably his brother's, has become a near-constant running gag within the fanbase and as such is heavily parodied in works of fanart involving the two.
 * One plausible reason for his inability to remember his brother's name is due to the many, many name changes both of them went through throughout their history. In the end, only Higekiri was given back his current title, while Hizamaru was renamed several more times and is now known as the Usu-midori.
 * Known historically by many names, such as Sun-Nashi (Missing Sun), Tomokiri (the Friend Slayer, or Equal Cutter), Shishi no ko (lion's cub) and Onikiri (Demon Slayer).
 * Tomokiri (the Friend Slayer, or Equal Cutter), for having cut, by its own will, through the steel of another sword of great quality, Hizamaru, who had been made at the request of the Emperor of Japan, by a smith rival of Sun-Nashi's maker.
 * Higekiri (beard cutter) was earned when the blade beheaded a criminal, the earliest Tameshigiri recorded, attempted in the hands of Minamoto no Mitsunaka. The victim had a long beard, who was cut smoothly along the neck.
 * Onikiri (Demon Slayer), come from the incident of Ibaraki Dōji's severed arm.
 * Shishi no ko (lion's cub) came from a legend where it made noise like a roaring lion at night, as if possessed by some Yōkai.
 * And Tomokiri (again), after having by its own will (again), cut through a copy of its blade and shortened it in order to make it the same size. A similar story exist for Onimaru Kunitsuna, one of the Tenka Goken.