Many of you have probably made crafts out of cardboard as part of summer vacation homework or everyday play, right?
Among those, something boys often want to try making at least once is a katana or sword, isn’t it?
With the popularity of the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Nichirin Blades also drew attention!
Why not try making a cardboard katana or sword, either for kids’ pretend battles or as a hobby for adults?
If you’re particular about the details, it will take time and patience, but for kids there are versions you can make quickly.
Focusing on painting could be fun too!
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You can make them with cardboard! Cool Swords & Blades (1–10)
Japanese sword
How about making a realistic Japanese sword out of familiar material—cardboard—that both adults and children can enjoy? Since you’ll be using a hot glue gun, glue sticks, and a utility knife, it might be a bit challenging for kids, but it can be a fun project with help from mom or dad.
The method is simple: glue together cardboard pieces cut according to the template.
The blade gains strength by layering multiple sheets of cardboard.
You might also enjoy customizing the design of the tsuba (hand guard).
Master Sword (The Legend of Zelda)
Let’s try making the Master Sword from the hugely popular action RPG The Legend of Zelda out of cardboard! Lots of swords appear in games and anime, but the Master Sword’s design is especially beautiful, isn’t it? This piece faithfully reproduces even the fine details and has a very high degree of completion, but since you can download the template for free, it should be fairly easy to make.
For the guard, make decorative shapes by scoring the cardboard with a utility knife and folding along the cuts.
The details might be a bit tricky, but have fun building it while picturing the finished result!
Kamura Iron Tachi (Monster Hunter)
Why not try crafting the Kamura Iron Sword, a weapon from the wildly popular action game Monster Hunter Rise, using a familiar material—cardboard? Use thick cardboard for the core and a layer of thin cardboard for the exterior to add strength.
In the video, acrylic paint is applied with an airbrush, but using brushes to paint is perfectly fine too.
Since it’s quite a large sword, if children are making it, please have an adult help them along the way!
Japanese sword (child size)
How about making a cool Japanese sword using easily available cardboard? It’s child-sized, so it’s easy to make and kids will love it! You’ll cut the cardboard according to the pattern, but since you’ll be using a utility knife, make sure children work together with an adult.
You’ll create the blade, guard (tsuba), handle (tsuka), and even the scabbard (saya), so it feels authentic! The process of putting it together is exciting.
Because it’s made of cardboard, it’s light and less likely to cause injury, so try playing at mock sword fighting with it.
Nichirin Sword (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba / Kyojuro Rengoku)
Why not faithfully recreate the Nichirin Blade of Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira from the hit film Demon Slayer, using cardboard—a material that’s easy to find? In this video, Rengoku’s distinctive blade pattern is replicated by peeling the surface layer of the cardboard.
This step takes patience, so if you’re short on time or find it tedious, you can simply paint the pattern with paints or pens.
The flame-themed tsuba, which looks really cool, also adds a great accent to the sword—so have fun making it! If you turn it in as a summer vacation project, you’re sure to become the star of your class.
Nichirin Sword (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba / Tengen Uzui)
How about making the Nichirin Swords used by Tengen Uzui, who was active in the Entertainment District Arc of the hugely popular TV anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, out of cardboard? Those flashy swords with chains are super cool! You can download the templates for free, so they’re easy to make.
The process is simple—just cut the cardboard parts and glue them together—so almost anyone can do it fairly easily.
You’ll also make the guard, handle wrap, and chain entirely from cardboard, so it may take some patience, but give it a try and have fun making it!
Nichirin Sword (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba / Zenitsu Agatsuma)
Why not try making the Nichirin Sword of the popular Demon Slayer character Zenitsu Agatsuma out of cardboard—beloved by kids and adults alike? The lightning pattern unique to Zenitsu, who wields thunder, is realistically recreated using calligraphy washi paper.
White paper glows blue under a blacklight, so it’ll be fun to play with after you finish making it.
The tsuba (guard) and tsuka (handle) designs also faithfully replicate Zenitsu’s sword, making it a project you can proudly show off to friends if you make it for a summer vacation assignment.
Give it a try!