The most fundamental difference is blade geometry. A katana features a pronounced curve along its length, a design innovation that emerged in Japan around the late Heian period and became the defining characteristic of samurai swordsmanship. The chokuto, by contrast, is completely straight and single-edged, reflecting an older blade tradition that predates the curved forms. In the Naruto series, Sasuke Uchiha carries a chokuto, and that choice is visually intentional — the rigid, uncompromising straight line of the blade reinforces his character's aesthetic identity. For collectors, this distinction matters because the silhouette of a displayed chokuto reads very differently on a wall mount or stand compared to a katana, offering a cleaner, more architectural profile.