Original subtitles

>> the viking, battle-crazed berserker

Who terrorized europe.

Samurai...

Japan's lightening-fast dealer of death.

Who...Is...Deadliest?

>> go.

To find out, our world-class fighters

Are testing history's most lethal weapons.

>> go.

>> using 21st-century science,

We'll see what happens

When the two warriors go toe to toe.

No rules, no safety,

No mercy.

It's a duel to the death

To decide who is...

The deadliest warrior!

This is the fight club.

A hi-tech battle zone

Where we've assembled scientists,

Doctors, and combat experts.

>> [shouting]

>> plus a stunning arsenal of weaponry.

We're gathering data for a virtual face-off

Between two of the greatest warriors ever known.

A samurai.

Japan's most disciplined and skilled fighter.

Versus the viking.

Bloodthirsty ravager from the icy north.

>> [grunts]

>> to see just how deadly

Samurai and vikings are,

We'll put their weapons and combat styles to the test.

>> how's that?

>> biomedical scientist and karate black belt

Geoff desmoulin rigs the dummies

To collect battle data.

>> what's cool about this match-up for me

Is I get to bring all my scientific tools for the field.

>> e.R. Doctor armand dorian will analyze

The lethal potential of the weapons.

>> the spinal column here is cut in half.

>> computer whiz max geiger enters test data

Into a simulation program, which will ultimately

Decide the victor: The viking or samurai.

>> these two warriors never met on the field of battle,

But today we're gonna rewrite history

Inside of this computer.

>> samurai weapons will be tested by tetsuro shigematsu,

A master of kyudo, japanese zen archery.

He is a direct descendant of a samurai clan.

>> the only way to enter the samurai class

Was to be born into it.

And the only way to leave was to die.

>> samurai skills will be demonstrated by stuntman

And four-time martial arts black belt brett chan.

Brett showcased his sword skills

In the feature film the last samurai.

>> every move is gonna be precise.

Everything. There's no fail.

Failure's not an option for the samurai.

>> the term "samurai" means "to serve."

The samurai serve the daimyos,

And they were the feudal lords in medieval japan.

It was the samurai who did the fighting--

Who protected the nobility.

Going into battle and dying for his master,

Dying for loyalty, dying for honor--

This was the best possible fate that he could embrace.

>> a samurai's fighting style was a fusion

Of the savage and the civilized.

>> he would find a worthy adversary

And continued fighting until he killed him

Or he was killed himself.

>> [grunts]

>> among the pantheon of warriors...

>> yah!

>> the samurai is surely the greatest.

>> [shouts]

>> [shouting]

>> but how will the samurai fare against

One of the most powerful, brutal warriors in history?

>> the samurai has no chance against the viking.

>> casey hendershot will test the strength of the weapons

That viking raiders used to plunder and pillage europe.

Casey is a professional stuntman.

And world-class expert with the viking long sword.

Matt nelson teaches viking combat techniques.

His lineage can be traced to viking raiders from denmark.

>> this harsh environment of freezing cold,

Howling winds, and icy seas

Forged these people into iron-hard warriors.

>> because where they lived, you really couldn't farm,

So they pretty much had to pillage,

Plunder other areas of europe,

Which they did.

>> the viking raids--

When they dismounted the longships

And charged ashore,

Were like the battle of armageddon.

>> [shouting]

>> a whole horde of screaming, roaring vikings

Would sweep through their village,

Take their women, their children, their slaves,

Burn the village,

And they would be gone just as quickly as they came.

>> [screaming]

>> the viking's whole purpose was to die in battle

So they could fight alongside their gods.

Their whole culture was built around war.

>> [grunting]

>> so how would history's most brutal invader,

Fare against the world's most disciplined warrior?

>> the viking would conquer and crush him

Just like they did everyone else.

>> [yelling]

>> the viking's just bigger, meaner, nastier.

>> I have to give the edge to the viking 100%.

>> I'm giving it all to the samurai right now.

We've got superior steel versus iron.

I think the samurai's going to cut the viking to pieces.

>> [groan]

>> the samurai's primary weapon is the katana.

30 inches of folded steel,

Sharper than any razor.

>> the katana represents perhaps the greatest weapon

Mankind has ever produced.

>> [grunts]

>> we have this beautiful diamond-hard edge.

>> [grunts]

>> the samurai believe that the katana

Contains the samurai's very soul.

>> unsheathing the katana with lightning speed

Became it's own martial art

Called iaijutsu.

>> the japanese studied for years

To go from point a to point b

In the shortest possible movement.

As it's withdrawing, he takes down his enemy.

>> that's pretty good from here.

>> to measure the legendary speed of the samurai quick-draw,

Brett sets up three rolled mats

That represent the lis of attackers.

>> three opponents, three vikings.

This here is tatami.

This is the equivalent to human bone.

So I'm gonna attempt to show you a quick-draw

Cutting through three.

>> high speed ready! >> ready!

>> three, two, one, go!

>> ha-ah!

>> there we go.

>> that's the money.

>> were you guys happy with the speed?

>> yes. >> hell yeah.

>> [laughing] >> yeah.

>> okay, so we're just gonna do a quick calculation here...

>> all right. >> on how fast that was.

>> so you had three kills within 296 milliseconds.

And our rule of thumb is that it takes a quarter second

To perceive that you need to get out of the way.

>> so that's three vikings [clicks tongue].

>> in less than a third of a second.

>> there actually was a better way

To test the true sharpness of the katana.

And that was to use it on human bodies.

If you were caught stealing, off with a hand.

Guilty of a more serious crime,

They'd cut you straight in half.

>> [yelling]

>> if the sword were shown to be capable

Of cutting straight through a man,

Then it would be called a one body blade.

Yet in history, we read about two body,

Three boy, four body blades.

>> instead of testing on vikings,

The team go for the next best thing.

>> you'd like to explain something to me?

>> yes, this is a little bit more like the real thing here.

>> we teach our up-and-coming doctors

How to suture, how to operate, using pig tissue.

So using a samurai sword on this pig

Will actually be a very accurate representation

Of what that sword can do to a human body.

>> this is the real deal.

>> go! >> hi-yah!

>> oh, brett!

This man...Two pigs, clean through.

>> oh.

>> you went right through the bone.

>> two sets of vertebrae. That's amazing.

>> two's all I needed, right?

That was casey and matt.

>> exactly, we got our two vikings right here.

>> viking's a done deal right there.

>> so that's a two pig-- >> two body blade.

>> if the katana can cut through this pig,

The katana can cut through a viking.

>> vikings, do you want to take a look at this?

>> let's see here.

>> oh.

There's no resistance. >> whoa-ho-ho.

>> wow.

>> just blew through that body like it was nothing.

>> perhaps you could even have got to three or four pigs

If you'd used a weapon like our broad ax.

>> if I'm not mistaken, this is precisely

How vikings nap together, isn't it?

>> [laughing]

>> in order to conserve body heat.

>> when I need some pork tenderloin,

I'll call you, buddy, it'll be a good time.

>> tomorrow for breakfast.

>> and if we catch you sleeping in,

We'll give you a nice wake up call.

>> I don't think it's gonna be so easy

When you try to cut through this viking ring mail.

I wasn't impressed with the katana.

For the sole reason that it's a slashing weapon.

Chain mail is designed to stop slashing weapons.

>> feeling confident,

The viking team challenges team samurai to another test.

Katana sword versus viking chain mail.

>> go!

>> yah!

Ay-yah!

>> see, you guys spent so much time talking

About the legendary power of the samurai katana,

And it was just stopped in it's tracks

By the viking chain mail. >> look at this.

>> yep.

>> so besides a few nicked chain mail rings,

There's absolutely no damage here.

It took a full strike from your most formidable weapon,

And he's walking away from it.

>> coming up...

>> go!

>> the vikings launch an attack.

And the samurai fire back.

who will be...

>> deadliest warrior.

>> in southern california,

We've assembled a team of scientists,

Doctors, and combat experts. >> [grunt]

>> they're here to answer the question

If a viking fought a samurai,

Who would win?

>> [grunt]

>> the advantage the vikings had

Was their size, strength, and total warrior mentality.

Their livelihood depended on them

Being able to beat in battle

Any group they came into contact with.

>> the samurai prize intelligence, timing,

Strength, reflex.

You might have an interesting battle

If you had history's greatest viking

Against japan's weakest samurai.

>> each team is confident.

And each comes equipped with a lethal arsenal.

The samurai yields the katana, naginata, yumi, and kanabo.

The viking carries the great axe, long sword,

Spear, and battle shield.

>> when the viking came into battle,

He came loaded with weapons.

They were all designed to do the same thing,

To cleave, to crush, to chop.

>> the vikings made chopping weapons.

The great axe...

Perfect for cutting wood.

Or dicing humans.

>> these are going to be samurai killers right here.

>> what it's designed to do is let gravity take it

In an overhand chop.

On the shoulder, collar bone,

Or right on the crown of the skull.

>> how far out are you going to be when you strike?

>> the vikings were the largest people on earth.

If a viking came down with a strike like this,

There's no way a little samurai is going to reach that far,

>> well, talk is cheap, casey.

Let's see what this thing can do.

>> my pleasure.

>> to measure the striking force of the weapon,

Jeff attaches an accelerometer.

>> okay, let's test this thing out.

Do a rotation for me. >> okay.

>> fake swing.

Looks good, man.

>> good? >> we got it.

You ready casey? >> yes, sir.

>> go!

>> [exhales]

>> four inch piece of wood there.

Let's see what a samurai sword does against that, eh?

>> according to these numbers, that's 11,000 newtons,

Which is about 2,000 pounds.

>> that'll probably sever an arm.

>> or a leg, maybe.

>> it's like taking a jackhammer to somebody's head.

>> nice!

>> I say we find out on a ballistics gel torso.

>> cool, much more fun.

>> enter the samurai.

A victim made from gel

That matches the resistance of human flesh.

>> go!

>> argh!

>> oh, my god.

>> argh!

[chuckling]

>> be careful with that blade, I'm behind you.

>> yes, sir.

>> this is obviously extremely devastating,

You've literally chopped this body down to size.

>> nice.

>> in my ten years of emergency medicine experience,

This type of injury happens when,

Like, a train runs over somebody

>> what do you think guys?

I don't think he's gonna make it.

This dummy's a little bigger than your average samurai,

So, I mean-- >> yeah, he's a lot slower too.

Samurai's are known for speed.

>> bring it on, no problem

>> check this out guys.

>> here comes the pain.

>> it's amazing how you see the rib cage

Kinda absorb all that pressure, but unfortunately--

>> it can't absorb all of it.

>> yeah. It goes beyond that.

And it does the damage it does.

>> so can the computer count for body parts leaving the body?

>> no, it does not.

But maybe we'll do something custom.

>> yeah, the slow motion really captures

Your complete lack of technique very nicely.

Surely you would kill your usual victims:

Women, unarmed children, a baby.

But you have to understand the helmet

Not only covers the head, but the neck.

So no damage, my friend.

>> even if the viking hits you with your little armor on,

He's gonna break the shoulder,

He's gonna break your neck--

Even if you have the helmet on.

>> all right, let's add some realism to this experiment.

Now, this is the kabuto.

He'll be lucky if he hits it square.

Even if he does, it's nothing but angles,

It's gonna deflect offward.

>> it's time for you to go to town on this guy.

>> three, two, one, go!

>> it looks like there's some chip damage there.

>> yeah, there's definitely a dent.

>> so exactly as I predicted,

As soon as the axe came down,

It found an angle, deflected off.

>> all right. Watch yourselves.

>> I don't see anything substantial

On the torso or the skull itself.

Um, but we'll need to look at the high speed photos

To see how much energy was transferred to the spine.

[upbeat music]

>> there's definitely some transfer there,

But from the angle of that blade,

It starts to turn as soon

As it makes contact with the helmet.

>> yeah, some whiplash, some minor head trauma,

Maybe a minor concussion.

But l in all, I think the helmet did it's job.

>> this fight's coming down to who's armor

Is gonna last longer.

>> the viking chain mail, I have to admit was impressive.

>> hi-yah!

>> both warriors have battle tested armor.

So what's beneath the armor may decide the battle

When they face each other.

>> the japanese culture believed

That when it came to samurai,

There wasn't a moment to lose in his training.

>> [yelling]

>> the earlier that the samurai boy could get used

To killing another human being,

The bettfr.

>> the viking warriors also started young.

But their training was less formal.

>> when a viking boy became a warrior,

He was probably 12 years old.

And he was literally baptized in combat.

>> [grunting]

>> violence was central to the viking way of life.

Disputes were often settled by duels to the death

>> it was a good way of ensuring

That only the strongest warriors stayed in viking society.

>> samurai trained endlessly,

Seeking perfection of mind, body and weapon.

>> the samurai believed that an educated warrior

Was a more lethal one.

>> a viking's education was more basic.

You killed to survive and to fulfill the will of the gods.

>> the vikings had strong, powerful gods,

Which gave them their sense of power.

The viking idea of heaven was war.

>> [grunt]

>> you're expected to be brave, to beearless,

To be an unstoppable force of nature

That your enemies flee in terror from.

>> [yelling]

>> the same thing's gonna happen to the samurai

Is what happened to everybody else

Who tried to stand up against the vikings.

He's going to fall

And he's going to fall hard.

>> the vikings would've been the equivalent

Of today's army reserve.

Plumbers who fight one weekend a month.

But the samurai were warriors 24/7.

>> after testing the great axe and the katana,

Our experts can't agree which weapon is superior.

>> katana versus great axe,

Katana all the way.

Pop, pop, pop,

In less than a half a second.

>> I have to give the edge to the great axe.

When a great axe hits you,

Whether you're wearing chain mail or even plate,

Like the samurai is,

You're gonna feel that hit.

And it's gonna be a big hit.

>> max takes the numbers and inputs the results

Into the simulation program.

>> [grunt]

>> it's a close call,

But the viking great axe gets the edge...

In short range weapons.

>> coming up,

Samurai precision

Versus viking brute force.

Who will be the deadliest warrior?

>> samurai.

Viking.

Two warriors from distant lands

With fighting styles worlds apart.

If they met in battle, who would win?

>> the vikings went into battle,

And they raped, and they pillaged.

Thf samurai, on the other hand,

Lived and died by a code of honor.

>> for a viking, honor had no place on the battlefield.

>> [battle cries]

>> a viking would not fight fair.

He was there to win,

To kill you, and to take your possessions,

And bring them back, and feed his own family.

>> [yelling]

>> the samurai style of fighting is built on skill and precision.

And nothing sliced as finely as the naginata--

Seven feet of carving power,

Tipped by a razor sharp blade.

>> this fine blade was first used

By the monks in the monasteries,

'cause there used to be a lot of raiding ithe temples.

>> in the hands of an expert,

The naginata delivers death at a distance.

>> they have the big-- the big motions.

The hand changing motions here.

The blocks.

And I can use it as an attack,

Attack, block.

So it's definitely a big sweepingotion,

And it keeps a lot of people at bay.

>> okay.

>> you can see how long it is,

So it doesn't matter how tall a viking is,

It cuts them down.

>> so, what do you think it's gonna do to the gel torso?

>> well, I think it's gonna cut it up to ribbons.

>> let's give it a go.

>> okay.

>> three, two, one, go!

>> [battle cries]

>> holy crap, man!

You took the skull right off and a piece of his brain.

One slice.

So as he's falling down dead,

You're continuing stabbing him

And another slash across the face.

>> that part of his head just doesn't exist anymore.

>> that's insane.

And, and that's after this kill strike.

He's falling to the ground,

Slashing the face, poke to the heart.

It's the fastest weapon we've seen to date.

>> this is shearing bone the entire time.

>> you can't see it, cause the blade is so sharp and so fine.

But I can feel that the rib cage is broken.

He's internally bleeding right now.

>> this is the cleanest cut we've ever seen.

>> and the fastest.

So guys, little bit of skull.

>> what's that?

>> we've got hair, flesh, bone, brain--all in one slice.

>> I think the samurai gave us a pretty impressive display

Of speed and theatrical combat, with a very light weapon.

But in a real combat situation,

The heavy weapons and armor of the viking

Are going to be too much for him.

>> you're not cutting any skull off

When you have a nice metal helmet on.

>> here it comes.

That's ominous.

>> there goes casey's skull,

Right about...Now.

>> zip, zip. >> ooh!

>> right off.

>> dah, come on.

>> was it going through his body?

Or is that just a shock wave?

>> it went through the jaw.

>> yeah, it looked like it got into his throat a bit.

>> that's the fastest weapon we've ever seen.

>> yeah, absolutely.

And it looks like we're gonna get the third one as well.

>> what? >> here it comes.

>> oh, my god.

>> right through the heart.

>> that's a lot of blunt force for a blade,

Which is pretty sharp.

>> well, that's the thing.

We're getting the depth of the cut

And the blunt force behind it.

So wicked weapon.

>> but vikings had a wicked weapon of their own--

The long sword.

Three feet of double-edged steel,

Forged for hacking, slashing, and stabbing.

>> [grunts]

>> so we've seen a lot of bladed weapons.

What's special about the long sword?

>> wel the long sword was a double-edged weapon,

So you could cut with both sides.

You could run through an opponent very easily

With this at close quarters.

>> what do you think it's gonna do

To the ballistics gel torso?

>> take that head right off. >> I want to see that.

>> okay, casey.

>> three, two, one, go!

>> [grunting]

>> oh, my--casey.

What did you do to this guy?

>> little damage.

>> I think the only thing that stopped you

From getting through the neck is that metal rod right there.

>> absolutely. And even that's chipped off.

>> oh, my...

>> this is the first slice.

>> the first slice. Right--right through it.

>> oh!

Base of the skull.

>> into the brain cavity.

It's completely shattered.

>> you figure this is as clean cut as the naginata?

>> it went through a lot more than what we saw

With the naginata too.

>> exactly.

>> sorry guys. Oh. >> oh.

>> oho ho.

>> max, look what you've done.

>> well, claim your prize and let's go look at the footage.

>> chewahh.

>> oho ho ho.

>> it's through the back of his head.

It's--it just seems to spring back out,

We're watching bits of brain flop

Outta the side of his head.

>> if face tearing was an olympic sport,

You guys probably'd be bringing home the gold.

>> very viking like.

>> long sword versus naginata.

Long sword wins in my opinion.

>> got a lot more devastating results.

>> viking long sword gets the edge in mid-range weapons.

Coming up...

The samurai retaliate

By taking an eye for an--

>> the viking

And the samurai.

From opposite sides of the earth.

Both courageous in combat, but in very different ways.

The samurai entered battle with focused awareness.

>> the samurai always brought into battle

His cunning intellect-- his keen insight.

They would use strategy and look for points of weakness

To take down his adversary.

>> vikings attacked with a barbaric zeal

That made their foes tremble.

>> why were the vikings able to defeat

So many different people across all of the western world?

>> vikings were armed to the teeth--

And wielded their weapons savagely.

The spear.

This simple yet deadly weapon was the viking's calling card.

>> warriors carried up to four of these

Versatile weapons into battle.

The sharp end was used for stabbing and thrusting.

The shaft could both block and deliver blows.

And the best warriors could attack

Using two spears at once.

In our los angeles based fight club,

Team viking and our experts are preparing

To test the effectiveness of the viking spear.

>> the whole purpose of the viking spear

Was to take advantage of his superior strength and height.

>> what kind of range are we talking here?

>> about 60 feet.

>> okay, so the vikings fought a lot of shielded warriors.

What if this missed its target and hit the shield of--

Of the opponent?

>> he either has to pull that spear out

Or discard the shield.

He can't fight with it.

>> and what about samurai armor?

>> it's going to penetrate.

>> put it to the test and watch what it can do.

>> okay.

>> so 30 miles per hour on that one.

Nice, 31.

>> 31. >> okay.

>> nice. 34 miles per hour.

>> from 25 feet? Okay.

>> this one seems to have gone the deepest.

Actually, it's right through this target.

So we're looking at about eight inches of penetration there.

>> that is textbook armor penetration.

>> is this equivalent to armor though?

>> look how thick that wood is.

>> eight inches of wood,

Less than an inch of armor.

We're talking the same degree of penetration.

>> what I want to know is can you get that kind of force

If you're throwing two at once?

>> absolutely. >> all right.

>> here we go. See what two can do.

>> let's see if he slows down any.

>> [chuckles]

>> fantastic. >> who said it couldn't be done?

>> 22 miles an hour again.

>> god, I like that!

Mm.

>> see, two spears, two hits.

>> two spears, two hits, two kills.

>> yeah, this one went about three or four inches through.

>> all the way through.

And from that range, there's not gonna be enough time

For him to react.

>> he's got to think about it,

Increasing the effectiveness of the double spear throw.

>> yeah.

>> so if that viking spear did that much damage

To a target log,

What is it going to do to a samurai's body?

>> but the samurai team is not intimidated.

Long before the katana became the soul of the samurai,

The japanese warrior perfected the lethal sting of the yumi.

Taller than the archer who aimed it,

Its seven foot length gave it great firing power.

The samurai were master archers

And in battle, targeted their enemy's eye for a fatal strike.

>> we're gonna back things up.

And we'll see if we can inflict more precise,

More laser-guided, lethal action.

>> I've seen a lot of guys come in here with a lot of bows.

And they all claim pinpoint accuracy,

But if you can actually deliver the goods,

I'll be impressed.

>> well here, we'll be calling our shots.

Viking on the right, rib cage.

Viking on the left, right shoulder, sword arm.

Left pectoral.

>> man.

>> right viking, shield arm.

Arrow to the throat.

In the throat. >> actually got it.

>> guys, what I'm seeing with those shots

Is chain mail, helmet.

I've seen what the katana did against the chain mail,

I was not impressed.

I wanna see you get in there.

>> well, how about an arrow straight

Through the eye of the viking?

>> I'd like to see it. >> do it.

>> to give team samurai a smaller target,

Geoff sets up a gel head wearing a viking helmet.

>> all right, let's rock.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

>> nice.

>> no way. >> holy shit.

>> I had no doubt.

>> game over viking.

>> wow, this is very impressive.

>> our team removes the viking helmet

So dr. Dorian can assess the damage underneath.

>> we're seeing unbelievable accuracy.

And unfortunately, you're feeling this.

>> what? >> because--

This is going to go in, you're going to feel the pain

Until you hemorrhage to the point where you're no more.

>> that's the most [bleep] up way to die possible.

How long does that take?

>> it's pretty quick,

But you'll probably remember the arrow going through your eye.

>> [gasps]

>> the world's toughest man would not be able

To take an arrow in his head.

Yeah, this is eyeball kabob at it's best.

>> now I realize for the viking, brain isn't a vital organ.

But, he can't fight without his eyes.

>> absolutely. This is game over.

Let's go look at the high speed.

Oh, it actually hit the bridge of the nose.

>> look at the way it's shaking.

Wouldn't that be moving the tip,

And wouldn't it be tearing further into the brain?

>> I think that would be causing further pain.

>> excruciatingly painful.

Here comes the second.

♪ sh-di-di-di ♪

Chaw! Man!

That's just ripping, and tearing, and digging

Its way further into the brain.

>> from 75 feet, your accuracy isn't as good as this.

But in close--20 feet--the viking doesn't stand a chance.

You just punched-- double punched--

A one way ticket to valhalla.

>> [laughing]

>> a rushing viking, with a yumi in your hand,

At 20 feet I think, is an ominous situation.

If you miss, you're in deep trouble in my mind.

>> in the yumi versus double spear match up,

The results are close.

>> between the double spear and the yumi,

It's double spear, hands down.

>> I have to disagree with that completely.

The last skill demonstration with the yumi...

It blew me away.

>> you saw it went through the palm target.

>> no no, we saw-- we saw the strong arm

Went through the palm target.

>> one's the target spear,

The other one's the distracter.

>> it doesn't matter.

I'm running up to you like this,

In order to go waahaah, what do you see?

You see all of this.

>> I'm giving a slight edge to the viking.

>> in a battle that's being decided

By skills of the fighters,

I think I have to give the edge to the samurai.

>> the samurai yumi takes the edge in the long range weapons.

>> coming up, our battle tests get primal

When viking shields meet samurai clubs.

>> yah!

>> stay tuned to see who is the deadliest warrior!

>> in a battle between a viking and a samurai,

Who would win?

Our experts are recording the killing power

Of each warrior's weapons

And plugging the results into an advanced computer program.

Ultimately, samurai will clash with viking

In a virtual combat zone.

>> as warriors, vikings and samurai were like fire and ice.

The samurai were known

For their cool intellect and cunning combat tactics.

Vikings were infamous for their barbaric ferocity.

Most vikings wore chain mail and brandished

The indispensable battle shield.

Made out of wood and iron,

The battle shield repelled oncoming attacks

And allowed norsemen to charge in for closer kills.

>> you ready? >> let's strap up here.

>> every successful army used shields because they worked.

The shield is the best item you can carry for defense.

>> ready? >> go get 'em!

>> the shield was designed to deflect any incoming strike

And allow me to follow it up

With those powerful overhand strikes.

If he came high: High block, strike.

Low: Low block, strike.

>> and is this a purely defensive weapon?

>> offensive weapon as well.

I can strike with the shield,

I can backhand,

Or I could crouch down and put my full force behind

This spiked iron boss to drive him back,

And follow up with one of those powerful overhead strikes

That you saw earlier.

>> let's see what that shield can do as an offensive weapon.

>> you got it.

>> geoff sets up a high-pressure sensing system

To gauge the punching power of matt's shield attack.

>> how's that? >> got a reading.

>> nice.

>> okay, matt? >> okay.

>> on yourark.

Go!

>> [grunting]

>> nice.

>> okay, we got 127 psi on that last one.

We can pop an eyeball with 12 psi.

150 psi we're cutting right through the skin to the bone.

And with the mass of your body behind it,

Possibly breaking ribs.

If we lacerate a lung,

You definitely disrupted the samurai's game plan.

>> and that's not even the primary weapon.

>> so, what kind of damage can I put in?

Am I going to get to internal bleeding?

>> it's possible.

If a rib breaks over the lungs and punctures the lungs,

That's definitely going to incapacitate the samurai.

Is it a killing blow? I don't think so.

>> the samurai team is unruffled by this show of force.

>> we believe that the shield

Is a manifestation of weakness.

In bushido, we have a saying.

"go into battle determined to die, and you will survive.

"go into battle hoping to live, and surely you shall not."

>> the samurai have one weapon that just might

Be a viking shield stopper.

>> in western mythology, your demons carry the pitchfork.

The japanese demons carry a far more evil weapon.

This is the kanabo.

>> the kanabo could break swords,

Crush armor, and shatter bone.

>> the metal studs would

Effectively crack open just about anything.

>> [battle cries]

>> the kanabo could break swords, crush armor,

And shatter bone.

>> whoa, that's heavier than I expected.

>> yeah, they're about 30 pounds, this one.

>> essentially, it's a wrecking ball

That you hold in your hands.

>> all right, going to break some cow femur,

And, uh, some viking bones.

>> we're going to see some marrow too.

>> yeah, let me slip that up here.

>> what do you think it's going to do to that bone?

>> just break it right in half.

Pulverize everything.

>> ok, so what we've got here

Is a three-dimensional orientation sensor.

What it allows me to measure

Is the pitch, yaw, and roll, of this weapon.

Give me a roll to-- to the right.

That looks great. Looks great.

Okay, I think we're ready to go.

So on my mark.

Three, two, one, go!

>> [grunting]

>> oh...Oh, dude!

Holy [bleep]!

>> you believe it now?

>> I don't wanna make a soup out of that,

But yeah, I'm a believer.

If this happened to a human being, you know,

The leg would be gone. It'd be smashed.

I think that's a bit of an understatement.

>> I imagine if there was three or four femurs,

You would have the same result.

>> this was actually going a little bit slower

Than the great axe, but it's double the mass,

Which gives it twice the momentum,

And that's really what we're seeing here

Is the momentum transfer into that bone.

>> you know, cave men killed,

Uh, animals with big clubs too.

I mean, it's not that impressive.

>> hold on, aren't vikings cavemen?

>> no, no, no. A bit different, my friend.

>> I think the speed and precision

Of your guys' earlier weapons was your only chance.

Once you pick up a heavy weapon like this,

You've stepped into our court.

I say [knocking]

It won't even crack this shield.

>> bring it on.

>> okay, boys.

So viking shield for you to smash with a kanabo,

A two thousand pound load cell in behind there.

>> looks like a big tonka toy.

>> that's the biggest piece of wood

Your samurai has ever seen!

>> [laughing] >> guys are just delusional.

>> well, this is what we're going to find out.

You're either going to smash his shield to bits--

And if it doesn't happen we're going

To record the force to see if you break his arm behind it.

>> okay, ready, man.

Go!

>> [grunts]

>> holy jesus.

>> doesn't look like its much though.

Look at that.

>> I think once again, the thunder god

Is laughing at you, my friend.

The best you can do is chip the edge of the shield.

>> chip the edge? The whole shield's busted off!

>> it's still a fully functional shield.

This shield could go through ten more battles.

>> well, based on these numbers, we got 475 pounds

Cong down on that shield.

Is it a killing blow? No.

But certainly with numbers like this,

I'm seeing at least one bone broken in the arm.

>> the samurai kanabo gets the edge in special weapons.

>> the viking and samurai teams are each convinced

Their warrior will win.

But our experts are conflicted.

>> in the beginning, I was all samurai.

>> hands down, straight up,

I was going to give it to the viking.

>> but after these--these last few days of testing...

>> it's like two for Tuesday

With the amount of murder that we're getting here.

>> max and geoff are on the fence.

But after a grueling day of testing,

Max will enter the data into a cutting-edge computer program

That will simulate the battle a thousand times.

Winner take all.

Coming up,

Samurai versus viking-- the ultimate battle.

>> our experts have completed their series of tests.

Now we'll find out once and for all

Who is the deadliest warrior: Viking or samurai.

They tested four viking weapons:

The great axe, the long sword, the spear, and the shield.

>> they also tested four samurai weapons:

The katana, the naginata, the yumi, and the kanabo.

At long range, we tested the samurai yumi bow

Against the viking spear.

>> because the yumi bow can hit

From a much further distance,

Hit with precision accuracy, and deliver devastating damage,

I have to give the advantage to the yumi bow.

>> edge: Samurai.

At mid-range, we tested two razor-sharp weapons,

The viking long sword and the samurai naginata.

>> one hit, one kill.

I'm giving it to the long sword.

Oh!

>> edge: Viking.

For close range weapons,

The viking great axe took aim at the samurai katana.

>> [grunting]

>> the katana was good, but the axe was great.

>> as we saw, it could split a man in two.

I'm giving it to the great axe.

>> edge: Viking.

Finally, our experts had two choices in special weapons:

The samurai kanabo and the viking shield.

I have to give the advantage

To the samurai kanabo over the viking shield.

>> edge: Samurai.

>> in a battle that's being decided by armor

And the skills of the fighters,

I think I have to give the edge to the samurai.

>> in the beginning, I was all samurai,

But after these last few days of testing,

I'm sitting at dead even, the viking versus samurai.

>> it's a battle of opposites. Speed versus strength.

Brains versus brawn.

The computer will take all the test results and decide

Who is the deadliest warrior.

>> the numbers are in. Let's go ahead, let's run it.

>> lock and load.

>> yah!

>> [grunts]

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

>> the samurai won because he had better armor,

Better weaponry, better technique.

>> but it was close.

Out of a thousand battles, the samurai won 522.

The vikings weren't far behind with 478.

>> even thought there were certain tools and weapons

That really impressed me with the viking...

>> [yells]

>> I kind of expected the samurai to win.

>> superior skills, superior weaponry.

The best man wins.

>> perhaps we relied a little bit too much

On brute force.

>> the only person that could possibly stand up

To a samurai would be another samurai.

So viking, there is no shame in losing

Against history's greatest warrior.

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