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Throwing Stars - Do They Have Any Types?

Ninjas are familiar to almost everyone in this world, If you are not interested in the history and you don’t bother reading about them. But, you must have seen them in the movies or video games. Ninjas were some special warriors who were popular for their deadly weapons and the out of the box techniques they used for defeating their opponents in the combats. Well, there are many Ninja weapons, such as the iconic katana sword, but there are some tactical weapons that are unknown to many of you today. Throwing stars are one of the phenomenal weapons used for both tactical and fighting purposes. Let’s dig them deep and learn what are they and what are their different types.


What are Throwing Stars?

A throwing star is often called a shuriken. It is an ancient Japanese tool used for distracting the opponents. The weapon is shaped like a star with 5,6 or more edges (stars were shaped and designed differently). A few had more edges than the others, and sometimes around 10. These stars were thrown from a distance to the enemies that caused some distraction and allow the users to launch a sudden attack. However, they were not always intended to be thrown.

Ninjas used them brilliantly. They often placed them on the ground in a way that the half of the star was in the ground and half was out. The sharp edges that were above the ground could do the damage to the enemies walking on them. They could seriously hurt the feet. Hence, this way the Ninjas used them as both tactical and combat weapons. This techniques enabled them to cause some distraction among their enemies to gain an upper hand in the combat.

Different Types of Throwing Stars

Hira Shuriken

This is the most frequently used throwing star. It very much resembles the main concept behind the shuriken. The manufacturers use thin and flat metal plates for constructing them. These metal plates are obtained from sources like nail removers, coins and carpentry tools etc. There is often a hole incorporated by these stars on a thin blade with a very sharp tip. These stars could be strung or dowel into their belts, making them easy to carry. The hole on these stars assisted in the flight of the star. This star had different shapes and each of them is identified by the number of points on the blade. The different shapes of the stars represent different schools and regions that made those shapes popular. So, by the shape, one can determine the school that the star represents.

Bo Shuriken

Perhaps, the most popular throwing star is the Bo Shuriken, and possibly the most widely recognized. It is designed to inflict severe injuries and has an appearance like a spike. It incorporates a small spike of iron or steel. The spike is sometimes round in section, octagonal and usually had four sides. Many of them also incorporated points on both ends. The weight of such stars is often 25 g to 150 g. However, the length is measured between 12 cm to 21 cm. Many people wrongly consider it a kunai, but kunai is a different weapon which serves thrusting and stabbing, although it is a throwing weapon.

 This throwing star can be thrown in different manners. For instance, they are thrown sideways, rewards, overhead and underarm. There are different techniques for throwing them, but in any technique, the throw should make the blade slide out of the user’s hand through his fingers in a very smooth and controlled flight. The most frequently used throwing techniques include direct hit and turning hit techniques. Turning hit techniques spins the blade while the direct hit techniques does not spin the blade while it hits the target.

Harigata Shuriken

Harigata is another throwing star and very similar to bo shuriken. But, some differences do exist among the two. These stars appear more like the needles. They includes long and slender spikes and taper towards the point. The spikes are usually made of metal. These stars are effective in causing some serious damage, and with their small size, they can be concealed easily as well.

Hooked Style Shuriken

It is sometimes called Manji shuriken. This throwing star has a hooked design because it has four corners that are hooked outwards. They are quite handy when it comes to solid grip on the star. In addition, they are deadly and can cause a severe injury to the victims. These stars are more sharpened than many other throwing stars. So, you can expect a vicious effect on the target that they hit.

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Location: New York, NY, USA

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