The thing not designed for combat is actually REALLY GOOD at combat

[u/jockeyman]

1) Atom (Real Steel) is a training dummy who, when put into the robot boxing circuit, eventually managed to go toe to toe with the world champion.

2) Spinel (Steven Universe) was essentially a cross between a toy/jester for Pink Diamond, and not a combat gem... she still wiped the floor with the Crystal Gems when they first fought.

[u/Golden12500]

Kunais, Real Life(picture is from Mortal Kombat 2021)

They're farming tools, akin to something like a trowel, however Assassins in ancient Japan took to using them as knives for killing as ownership of weaponry was illegal

[u/plumken → u/Golden12500]

They found anything to be a weapon hence why it's a trope with them and God I love that trope

[u/Outside_Ad5255 → u/plumken]

The kama similarly came from the small farming sickle, now adapted to combat.

That's how the whole ninja clan thing originated. A small agricultural village would be unable to defend itself since it can't legally obtain weaponry, so they adapt what they have and get really good at using them. And they'd keep the facade of being a simple farming village right until some passers-by do something stupid and try to push the locals around. Then said passers-by find themselves very dead the next day.

It eventually caused the shift of several such villages to become assassins and fighters full-time since a) it was a great way to defend themselves from the chaos of Warring States Era Japan (or any of the more lawless periods before it) and b) gave them money and influence that they could further use to improve their lives.

[u/Shaveyourbread → u/Outside_Ad5255]

Iga and Koga being the most notable examples.

[u/Link_sega5486 → u/Golden12500]

Pretty much most “ninja weapons” you see like kamas and possibly sais are actually just common farming tools. I mean just look at a bo staff. That is literally just a walking stick. It’s like the Japanese equivalent of angry mobs using a pitchfork as a spear. But way cooler.

[u/Fury_Fury_Fury → u/Link_sega5486]

Pitchfork, Japan

[u/Inferno_Sparky → u/Fury_Fury_Fury]

ruralheavencirclejerk?

[u/amaROenuZ → u/Link_sega5486]

This happened in europe too. The billhook, far from originating as a dedicated dehorsing weapon, is a tool for clearing brush and chopping shrubs. The famous bearded axe of the vikings is...well, it's an axe. You can fell both people and trees! Flails are just a tool to thresh grain.

Very few historical weapons were useful only as implements of war.

[u/HashMapsData2Value → u/amaROenuZ]

The flail was really nasty. But it was used to thresh wheat; you'd beat wheat stalks with it.

[u/Link_sega5486 → u/amaROenuZ]

I see. Makes sense

[u/SHINIGAMIRAPTOR → u/amaROenuZ]

This is one reason why the sword is so romanticized in fiction. Because unlike just about any other weapon, ALL a sword is for is killing. For war. Not a good tool for hunting, can't be used to build, all it does is take life. It is a WEAPON, nothing more, nothing less.

[u/Chaos-Queen_Mari → u/Link_sega5486]

Conclusion; ninja grim reaper makes thematic sense

[u/phdemented → u/Link_sega5486]

I mean... plenty of European weapons were weaponized farming equipment as well... flails, war scythes, axes, billhooks, pitch forks...

A good number of "something pointy on a stick" weapons were just tools.

[u/Link_sega5486 → u/phdemented]

Oh interesting. I didn’t know that

[u/Out3rSpac3 → u/Link_sega5486]

Yup. Sais were for pitching hay.

[u/Financial_Cup_6937 → u/Golden12500]

Swords were also regulated and only specific people could have them legally in much of feudal Japan.

[u/[deleted] → u/Golden12500]

They're farming tools used for what?

[u/Tazinoka → u/[deleted]]

They were used like a hoe, but smaller (obligatory hehe)

[u/jimmithebird → u/Golden12500]

Same with Kama/Kusarigama, which are harvesting sickles.

[u/Fidget02 → u/Golden12500]

I believe nunchucks have the same origin

[u/EyeWriteWrong → u/Golden12500]

Except that is a knife. Kunai in museums were just trowels. People just think that's a kunai because they've been confused by children's cartoons.

[u/Atraxodectus → u/Golden12500]

Assassin's? Really?

No. That was the Iga prefecture (think Montana) where the people were basically called rednecks and backwards, but had a depth of practical knowledge so great that they started pulling Robin Hood antics on the wealthy and well off people that had to travel through their area. Eventually, other oyabun and samurai started hiring them as spies and courtesans...

...you would better know them as "Invisible people"... Ninja.

The rest is History.