# How important was the "throwing star" in the martial arts arsenal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921 "2003-10-17T03:18:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Digganob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dc4da7/32.png) [@Digganob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digganob)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921/21 "2003-11-06T09:20:23Z")
What I had heard on the “Distraction” theory, is that you would throw multiple shuriken (shauken, or whatever) at once. I have experimented with some of the modern so called “replicas”. They aren’t extremely accurate at any distance more than about 5 yards. However, if I throw a handfull (3-4) all at once, I can usually hit a human-face-sized area with at least ONE at a decent distance. Deffinately enough to make a person flinch/duck. And if thrown at someone with a mask/helm, at close range, there’s probably a decent chance to maybe get one through the eye slit . . . maybe. ``` In my personal experience, throwing knives (or "spikes", or even axes for that matter) are much more accurate over greater distances, - even if you do have to worry about rotation. In any case, even if no real damage is done, the mind says to the body "Those things coming at me are gonna hurt!" and the body reacts defensively . . . which should give the ninja enough time to do one of those 30-foot super leaps onto the roof of that second story building, or scale a sheer stone wall, or some other such esoteric feat, and make his escape. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921/22 "2003-11-06T14:27:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smiling bandit \* > \*\*Honestly, the whole Ninja thing is overrated. \*\* Not according to [this guy.](http://www.realultimatepower.net/) 😃 (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921/23 "2003-11-06T14:34:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smiling bandit \* > \*\*Honestly, the whole Ninja thing is overrated. \*\* Not according to [this guy.](http://www.realultimatepower.net/) 😃 (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) ---
**Author:** ![Digganob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dc4da7/32.png) [@Digganob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digganob)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921/24 "2003-11-06T20:29:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Turek \* > \*\*Not according to [this guy.](http://www.realultimatepower.net/) 😃 > > (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) \*\* Don’t forget about [Ninjaburger](http://www.ninjaburger.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921/25 "2003-11-07T02:43:37Z")
Minor point. Throwing stars are more accurately called ‘shaken’. Shuriken are straight bladed weapons, essentially small throwing knives. Both were used in Japan by pretty much the same people. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by smiling bandit_ > Honestly, the whole Ninja thing is overrated. They knew a little bit of self-defense (and where to stab someone). But they were not warriors, and they’d get slaughtered by any Samurai. Well, no. Ninja were never officially anything. They never officially existed. They served the purpose of assassins everywhere, and that was kill people and conduct sabotage without starting a war by sending in troops. Many if not all ninja would have been samurai, just as European covert operatives were usually military officers. In a medieval setting it’s hard to find a peasant that you can train up to undertake crucial and complex covert ops who you can trust. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Bippy the Beardless_ > I doubt that fast acting poisons are ever fast enough to effect the outcome of a one to one combat Things like curare and irukandji will make an opponent next to useless within seconds. That means you need only concentrate on defence for a few seconds and then finish him off. I’m not sure how often this was used, but certainly irukandji has a long history in Japan as a poison. ---
**Author:** ![Lucki\_Chaarms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921/26 "2003-11-07T04:29:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\* > And everyone was always after their lucky charms… \*\* Now you leave me out of this! ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921/27 "2003-11-07T05:11:26Z")
So, lemme get this straight. I’ve got these things which are pointy in all directions, which I might have to reach for in a big hurry, and I’ve coated the razor sharp points with a fast acting poison? Somehow this sounds like a much better idea on paper than in the field, I’m thinking. ---
**Author:** ![commie\_sho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@commie\_sho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commie_sho)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921/28 "2003-11-07T05:52:44Z")
Ninja had actual caltrops that they used, throwing stars weren’t used for that purpose. Also to distract people they would throw eggs filled with pepper and metal shavings to make their escapes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-was-the-throwing-star-in-the-martial-arts-arsenal/207921.md?page=1)