The Scythe is my favorite type of weapon. And I really dislike the amount of hate they get, because of how "Impractical" they are. Scythes are great weapons to use in combat for both offense and defense.
What are Scythes exactly?
There is two major types of scythes. First are Agricultural Scythes which is the most famous version of a scythe.
Definition by Google. A tool used for cutting crops such as grass or wheat, with a long curved blade at the end of a long pole attached to which are one or two short handles.
And the second type are War Scythes.
Definition by Google. A war scythe or military scythe is a form of pole weapon with a curving single-edged blade with the cutting edge on the concave side of the blade.
Why are they hated?
People, more specifically, Blacksmiths and Weapon Historians say Scythes were impractical weapons to be used in battle because of their unorthodox shape and weight distribution. Which is false. Scythes were useful weapons and they unintentionally replaced more popular weapons that were used in military combat.
For example: The Man Catcher.
"This pole weapon was used in 18th-century Europe to pull people off of horses and drag them to the ground. The victim would typically be wearing armor, so the prongs wouldn't kill them." This something that both Agricultural and War Scythes excelled at, because of their unique shape. Scythes also were commonly used to break the defenses of shielded opponents.
Notable Achievements
The first notable achievement that comes to mind is The battle of Racławice.
![](https://forums.tapas.io/uploads/default/original/3X/c/8/c85da7f121344516e5be2941a8d0bb843c590ca2.jpg)
The battle of Racławice is an event that took place in 1794 between Poland and The Russian Empire, in which scythe wielders successfully charged and captured Russian artillery. The victory was subsequently promoted in Poland as a major success and helped in spreading the Kościuszko Uprising to other areas of Poland and instigating the Warsaw Uprising of 1794. Also, the participation of peasant volunteers was seen by many as the starting point of the political evolution of Polish peasantry from serfs to equally entitled citizens of the nation.
Scythes in Anime
The most common type of scythes seen in anime are the Agricultural ones. The most popular scythe users in anime would be:
Ruby Rose from RWBY
![](https://forums.tapas.io/uploads/default/original/3X/f/3/f3d500c4a00214b08a8f6ed4ded5e757d1a5fd89.gif)
And Maka from Soul Eater
![](https://forums.tapas.io/uploads/default/original/3X/f/e/fe2a57bc4faebcfb689c94bbbb95f9d9be5eae1a.gif)
I will admit that Scythes are definitely harder to use than most melee weapons, such as swords, axes, and spears. But they're NOT impossible to use in real life.
Anime is another big reason why Scythes are hated. It's because of their unrealistic fighting style.
![](https://forums.tapas.io/uploads/default/original/3X/f/c/fc138a886f84ef3345d4f413e4ad4e0ba40d417b.gif)
But the thing is, more practical weapons also have unrealistic styles.
Such as:
Zoro's Three-Sword Style
Killer Bee's Seven-Blade Stance
And Escanor's Divine Axe: Rhiita
Conclusion
I just think Scythes get undeserved hate. Just because there are more useful weapons, it doesn't mean that Scythes aren't useful.
There is so much I can cover but I don't know if Tapas has a word limit. So it'll be terrible if I tried to post this just to have it deleted Cough Cough Discord
Also Scythes just look badass:
What are y'all thoughts on Scythes?