Feasibility of Guts using the Dragonslayer


In the [Berserk](http://berserk.wikia.com/) manga, given the enormous amount
of chapters dealing with [Guts'](http://berserk.wikia.com/wiki/Guts) over-
sized sword, the [Dragonslayer](http://berserk.wikia.com/wiki/Dragonslayer), I
didn't try finding a pic that clearly shows the sword hanging slantingly along
his dorsum. Neither did I notice the following issue before completing all the
available episodes.

I'm intrigued by how exactly Guts was always able to wield Dragonslayer
without at first having any difficulty from the hooks holding it, unhinges it
to be more precise to say. If we assume having his arm fully stretched upward
and trying to displace Dragonslayer from its stationary position, then _prima
facie_ the distance between his grip (not of sword's) and shoulders cannot be
_greater than or equal to_ the length of the blade of the Dragonslayer.

It is this impracticability that made me to request here, a picture of Guts
along with the Dragonslayer featuring his dorsum without any cape, so as to
understand the truth. While a picture will speak the answer by itself, a
context around it or without the picture itself may help too.

Edit: On a side note, these pictures of Guts somewhat shows the hinge which
holds off Guts' sword. But I can't fathom how then he could use the sword
instantly when the sword needs to be unhooked every time to slay the enemy.

[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BMYSY.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BMYSY.png)
[![](https://i.stack.imgur.com/PSiwo.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/PSiwo.png)

(Click image to enlarge it)




So if I am understanding the question correctly, you are wondering why he has
no issues with unhinging the sword from his back and getting it into battle
position.

Let me instantly break the bad news, in real life this would not have been
possible. And it falls under the [BFS
trope](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BFS).

Even so people tend to want to investigate how 'impossible' it would be to
wield such a weapon. And which real life weapon would be most comparable to
this. They came to the following numbers:

  * Guts is roughly [1.90 meters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Berserk_characters#Characteristics) high
  * The Dragon slayer is roughly the same [height](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Berserk_characters#Equipment) (the size is a bit variable through out the series)
  * The blade most likely weights about 220 pounds or 99.8KG. Although on the [wiki](http://berserk.wikia.com/wiki/Dragonslayer#Trivia), it has been stated that it should be around 400 pounds, and some reddit user calculated it to be around [625 pounds](https://www.reddit.com/r/Berserk/comments/2c6prz/to_put_into_perspective_how_crazy_gutss_sword_is) or 283.5KG

So coming back to your question, to displace the sword, assuming that Guts and
the blade are equal in height and the blade weighs 220 pounds. Trying to pull
it with a stretched arm length of 0.95m (it is said that the length of
fingertip to fingertip is roughly your body length)

(not sure how to do the maths from here, but feel free to edit it in)

And to round up the post, the closest resembling sword to that of Guts', would
be a two handed [ceremonial sword](http://www.thearma.org/essays/2HGS.html)
which only resembles the blade in length [(199cm /
78.3inch)](http://www.thearma.org/essays/2HGS.html) and weighing much less
[(5.42KG / 11.9 pounds)](http://www.thearma.org/essays/2HGS.html)

