SIN CITY Actress Slices Her Way Into ARROW As Katana

By Adam Holmes on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014

Another DC superhero is getting the Arrow treatment. Deadline is reporting that model Devon Aoki, best known as Miho in Sin City, has been cast in a recurring guest role for season 3 as Tatsu Yamashiro, better known in the comic books as Katana. Yamashiro is described as “one of Oliver’s mentors in the flashbacks and a critical influence on his journey to eventually become The Arrow of present day.” She was revealed to be a character several weeks ago, although she was listed under the pseudonym “Akiko.”

Katana is the fourth superhero to appear on Arrow after Huntress, Black Canary and a pre-Flash Barry Allen. However, unlike these characters, Yamashiro will be appearing in flashbacks alongside her husband, who is tentatively named “Toshi.” Both will be Oliver’s mentors in Hong Kong, and if the show draws heavily from the comic books, her husband’s fate is already sealed.

In the comics, Tatsu Yamashiro marries a man named Maseo. His brother, who also loved Tatsu, grew enraged, and after joining the Yakuza, came back years later and killed his brother with the sword Soultaker. Adding insult to injury, he also burned Maseo and Tatsu’s house, where their kids were trapped. Tatsu was able to disarm Takeo, but it was too late. Her husband and children were already dead. However, Takeo’s soul now inhabited Soultaker. Training to be a samurai, Tatsu soon took the codename Katana and would become a prominent member of the Justice League, Birds of Prey and Outsiders.

It’s unlikely Arrow will show the mystical properties of the sword, since they’re still remaining largely in the world of enhanced realism. However, it’s a good bet that Tatsu’s husband will be killed during the season, possibly as a result of saving Oliver from something. Let’s be honest, he may know how to fight, but past Oliver still isn’t nearly as useful as his present-day self. Whatever happens, Tatsu will take vengeance with her sword and truly earn the name Katana. Who knows, may she’ll pull a Slade Wilson and show up in the present-day events.

Now, let’s get some confirmation on those other mystery characters they announced. People are waiting to find out whether their Ted Kord predictions are correct…which they probably are.

SOURCE: Deadline

S#!T Talking Central

Paul

Any chance that Slade might turn up in Season 3, in the flashbacks, at least? After all, he is still alive, although imprisoned.

Also, something I’ve noticed is that Slade told Oliver in “Deathstroke” that he swam for the nearest coastline after being defeated by Oliver in the past. The location of Lian Yu is shown briefly in the news report in the beginning of the pilot episode, and I’ve noticed that the nearest coastline is Japan. Slade is seen wielding a katana in Season 2, compared to the dual swords from Season 1 flashbacks which I presume he lost on the freighter, so Japan is where he may have gotten his katana. This leads me to three ideas:

1. Slade know who Katana is, and trained with her before seeking vengeance (providing that “Akiko” is NOT Katana).

2. “Toshi” seems to be a Japanese version of Slade Wilson. The Arrow wiki says that he “is skilled in weaponry, combat, and intelligence gathering.” Could this be a hint at Slade’s possible return?

3. Different topic altogether, but could Celina Jade’s Shado have been a Yakuza member at one point? In the original comics, she was the daughter of a Yakuza member, and in Arrow, she has a dragon tattoo behind her left shoulder. Also, in the comics, Katana’s other brother Takeo Yamashiro is a Yakuza member, so could there be something linking Shado and Katana together?

This is mere speculation, but what do you think?
- Adam Holmes
  
  If Slade does appear, he won’t be anywhere near Oliver. Season 2 made it clear that Oliver hasn’t seen Slade since their fight on the freighter. While it’s certainly possible that he might run into Tatsu, the chances are slim. However, I am hoping that whenever Slade is thrown back into the mix in the present day, they do a flashback episode explaining what he was up to during those five years, i.e. his mercenary activities, how he got rich and what happened to his son. With Tatsu, it’s possible she’s not this “Akiko,” but it says she’s one of Oliver’s mentors, so I’m pretty sure she’s part of the husband/wife team.
  
  As for Shado, that would be interesting if she was a Yakuza member, and it would be a cool linking point between Tatsu and Oliver. Might be funny if Oliver found out the tattoo is Yakuza, since in his eyes it’s only representative of Shado.
  - Paul
    
    Indeed. I’m hoping to learn more of Celina Jade’s Shado’s past. Her dragon tattoo was never explained, only shown. Also, Slade gave Oliver the same tattoo on the freighter. Oliver’s first tattoo, then, was the dragon tattoo, inadvertently making him a “Yakuza member,” which also means that he got his Bratva tattoo sometime later. Maybe we might learn more of this in the Season 3 flashbacks since Tatsu is confirmed to make appearances. And we might find out more about the Bratva tattoo. Has it been confirmed if Anatoli Knyazev will return in Season 3?
    - Adam Holmes
      
      No confirmation yet, but it’s likely considering Oliver has to learn Russian and form those mob connections at some point.