Leonardo with the sword.
The Nakatomi sword in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Panini comics is a centuries-old Japanese sword.
History[]
Thief in the Night[]
The Turtles visit the Metro Museum of Historical Art, though they can only peer through a roof skylight to view the interior. Of special interest is the World of Ancient Japan exhibit – at least to Leonardo and Michelangelo. Leo’s focus is on the Nakatomi sword because of its legend, which Splinter would tell to them as a bedtime story when they were young.
“Long ago, a samurai was challenged by an oni. The problem was, they were to evenly matched. They fought for years, with neither winning, and the oni was too stubborn to quit until there was a winner. So the samurai made a suggestion: that they seek out the Nakatomi blade. Legend had it that the sword could be drawn only by the worthiest of warriors, so made for the perfect test. The oni went first, and failed - - but the samurai drew it effortlessly. The oni fled in terror, defeated at last.”
Just as Leo finishes telling the story to Mikey, who had forgotten it, Donatello sees the Foot Clan and Fishface inside the museum. The Turtles enter and engage their enemies. Leo battles Fishface, who has been sent by Shredder to steal the Nakatomi sword. Fishface smashes the glass case protecting the sword and grabs it, but is unable to remove the blade from its sheath. Leo manages to take the sword from him and easily draws the sword. He uses it to slice through the tube that feeds water into Fishface's gills. Fishface flees and Mikey begins bowing to Leo, calling him the worthiest warrior. Raph wants to know how Leo could draw the sword and the answer is that the sword has a special latch.