forgeries of Muramasa blades were also often made in this period. Cultural significance In popular culture, Muramasa swords have been often depicted as cursed swords with demonic powers. Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook said that Muramasa "was a most skillful smith but a violent and ill-balanced mind verging on madness, that was supposed to have passed into his blades. They were popularly believed to hunger for blood and to impel their warrior to commit murder or suicide." It has also been told that once drawn, a Muramasa blade has to draw blood before it can be returned to its scabbard, even to the point of forcing its wielder to wound himself or commit suicide. Thus, it is thought of as a demonic cursed blade that creates bloodlust in those who wield it. These images date back to kabuki dramas in the 18–19th century such as (1781), (1860), (1880), and {{interlanguage link|Kago-tsurube Sato-no-Eizame|ja|籠釣瓶花街酔醒}}'' (1888). When was driven mad because of power harassment from his superiors and killed them in Edo Castle in the 6th year of Bunsei (1823), townspeople rumored that Geki used a Muramasa, although actually the sword had no sign and there was no evidence to support the rumor. This incident shows how great the influence of kabuki dramas upon common people was. See also Masamune References Bibliography Sato, Kanzan (1990) (in Japanese) . Akita Shoten. . Fukunaga, Suiken (1993) (in Japanese) . Yūzankaku. . Japanese swordsmiths 16th-century Japanese people