Talk:Hizamaru/@comment-25215137-20160117035927/@comment-70.49.102.197-20160118005939

the origin of these two swords is incredibly vague; neither of the two theories that you've mentioned are 'incorrect'. i personally prefer the one-smith version of their forging as it lends greater weight to their historical symbolism in the minamoto clan.

but tbh i'm actually about 90% sure that these swords as we know didn't actually exist and are instead an embellished legend made up by the ashikaga clan in order to establish their legitimacy. they're not directly mentioned in many of the stories from the time periods they should've been in (for example, iirc hizamaru isn't mentioned once in the gikeiki despite the fact that these two are perfect fodder for early Muromachi romanticists). for lack of a better way to put it, the story of hizamaru and higekiri is too symbolic and too...perfect for what would've been the ashikaga's needs. i'm more than willing to accept a certain amount of historical embellishment - i mean hell, just look at all the myth and legend surrounding minamoto no yoshitsune and musashibou benkei - but this is too much, even for me.