Samurai Edge History Translation

The History behind the Birth of the Samurai Edge Series:

 <April 1996>

Raccoon City, located in the midwestern United States, has undergone rapid growth in recent years through corporate intervention, and in return has been exposed to urban terrorism and increasingly diversifying crime that was previously deemed unthinkable. As a response, the Raccoon City Police Department, unable to cope with this situation through conventional policing methods, established S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service), and recruited experts from various fields.

Joe Kendo, once a long-serving SWAT officer with the San Francisco Police Department and now running a custom gun shop named KENDO on the outskirts of the city, was invited as an instructor.

 <December 1997>

After his contract as an instructor expired, Kendo was once again living as a gunsmith in San Francisco when he received a request from the Raccoon City Police Department to produce a custom firearm exclusively for S.T.A.R.S. The conditions for the production were as follows.

1) Ammunition Type:

The 9mm Parabellum (9 x 19mm) ammunition commonly used by police agencies. In consideration of ammunition carrying and procurement, it should be durable enough to be able to use the same strong-arm ammunition as the SMG (submachine gun).

 2)Capacity:

At least 13 rounds in the magazine.

3) Sight:

Fixed type in consideration of durability. 3-dot type for quick sighting in close-range combat.

4)Accuracy:

2 inches (5cm) or less at 25 yards (23m). The same accuracy should be maintained after 3,000 rounds.

5) Function:

Trigger action to be double-action in consideration of firing in various situations. The safety should be ambidextrous type so that it can be operated from either the left or right side.

6) Weight:

The weight of the main body, excluding ammunition, shall be 35 oz (1,000 g) or less, in consideration of carrying the weapon during operational activities.

These requirements could never be met by simply combining commercially available parts. They had to each be assembled individually and adjusted to ensure all component parts could be combined and function together as a whole. Not many gunsmiths in the world could manage such a task, but rather than be daunted by such difficult requirements, Joe Kendo was excited by them.

<February 1998>

Three gun cases were lined up on the desk of Raccoon Police Chief, Brian Irons. One was, of course, an aluminium case from Custom Shop Kendo, housing a customised firearm made by Joe Kendo. The second was a plastic case bearing the Umbrella logo. The third was an identical aluminium case also from Custom Shop Kendo, the same company as Joe’s. It contained a customised weapon crafted by Joe’s brother, Robert, who ran a gun store in Raccoon City. Robert had been informed of this trial by his friend Barry and had created his own customised gun. But this weapon, which was based on Barry’s own specifications, deviated completely from the trail requirements and was withdrawn, essentially resulting in a showdown between Joe Kendo and Umbrella. Chris Redfield, the most accomplished marksman in S.T.A.R.S., was selected to conduct the trials. With numerous shooting titles to his name, and ample live combat experience, there was no one better qualified to take charge of the trials.

Firstly, accuracy tests were conducted with various types of ammunition and the Kendo Custom ¾ of an inch, (1.8cm) at 25 yards. This was followed by over 40,000 rounds of live-fire testing, corrosion tests in seawater and drop tests, all of which saw the Custom Kendo score the highest. Although this was sufficient in terms of performance, for actual use in the field, a request was made for the addition of a front serration to the slide and an extension of the slide-stop.

<March 1998>

Following the results of the trials, phase two would see the Kendo Custom, which had been partially modified, tested by four members of Alpha Team: Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Barry Burton, and Albert Wesker.

<June 1998>

After testing by the members was completed, a decision was made to adopt the gun as standard issue after satisfactory results were obtained. The finished product, with the S.T.A.R.S. medallion on the grip and the unit’s name engraved on the slide, was named ‘SAMURAI EDGE’ after the lines on the side of the slide which were reminiscent of an oriental sword, and also after Joe Kendo, who was Japanese-American. This model was issued to the remaining eight members of the team. Around this time, local newspapers began to report frequent sightings of large monsters and missing persons in the Arklay Mountains, upstream from the Marble River which flowed through Raccoon City.

Samurai Edge Standard Model M92F/S.Estd.

The slide, which is the origin of the ‘SAMURAI EDGE,’ is ‘Brigadier-style’ with a wider slide lock to support the use of higher-capacity ammunition. The side serrations are engraved in two places on the front and rear, with “S.T.A.R.S.” and “SAMURAI EDGE” stamped between the serrations. The surface finish of the steel slide has a slightly greyish hue compared to the aluminium alloy frame, which, together with the stainless silver barrel, creates a vivid dual tone effect. The combination of the sharply angled silhouette of the slide and the cold, shiny barrel evokes the image of a samurai’s blade. The slide is held open after firing a full clip. The right thumb drops the empty magazine while the left hand loads a new one. Shift the thumb and release the slide stop. The slide stop lever can be extended rearward for tactical reloads without changing grips. The three-dot combat sight not only allow for quick sighting, but also for precision shooting with the rear sight set as far back on the slide as possible, increasing the distance between the front and rear sights. The “Hybrid Custom Grip,” a perfect fusion of style and functionality, absorbs shock during shooting and ensures a sense of oneness with the shooter. The “S.T.A.R.S. Gold Medallion,” the mark of a specialist, is placed in the centre of the grip.

 All remaining eight members were to be issued with this model (see attached chronology). The new S.T.A.R.S. Samurai Edge was based on this ‘standard model.’ This M92F semi-automatic handgun was customised by the skilful work of Joe Kendo and its potential as a combat-focused, customised firearm was raised and likened to that of a F1 racing machine. However, based on their own ideas, Chris, Jill, Barry and Wesker asked Joe Kendo to customise additional models after the gun was officially adopted, resulting in the birth of each of their unique models (see attached diagrams). The remaining eight team members used the ‘standard model’ and the photograph above shows S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team member Rebecca Chambers utilising it, seemingly confirming its existence. But why was the existence of the ‘standard model’ shrouded in darkness until now? The simple answer is because the ‘mansion incident’ which occurred almost immediately after its adoption, made it difficult to officially recognise. What became of the Samurai Edge Standard model which was born and then endured hardship almost simultaneously? And did the S.T.A.R.S. members, who began walking a difficult path, manage to conjure a ‘swing of the blade’ against the enemies standing in their way?

Jill Valentine Model M92FC/SE-01

S.T.A.R.S. investigate incidents, carry out special operations and conduct espionage, making them more reminiscent of a military special forces’ unit such as Delta Force, rather than a traditional police department’s S.W.A.T. team. Jill Valentine, an expert in bomb disposal, does more special ops and espionage rather than shooting on the front-lines, and often carries her handgun in a holster behind her waist for back-up as she does not want to get it snagged on her clothing when she draws it. As a result, the slide stop has been miniaturised. The medallion has been changed to a light blue, Jill’s personal colour and the overall design can be said to be unpretentious, robust, yet not masculine. This may be a reflection of Jill’s identity as the only female on Alpha Team.

Chris Redfield Model M92FC/SE-02

Chris Redfield, the ace of Alpha Team, is the best marksman within S.T.A.R.S. With numerous shooting competitions under his belt, he is very demanding when it comes to his firearms and expects the highest levels of accuracy and operability when it comes to customisation. The ‘silver-metallic’ trigger has a beautiful finish, and the right amount of slip for perfect trigger control, ensuring that the gun hits the target in any situation. The original slide has been replaced by a hard steel slide for greater precision and is ‘blued’ to avoid dimensional variations due to the thickness of the coating.  The “matte finish” suppresses reflections of ambient light and allows for covert enemy engagement. (*Blue finish is a surface treatment that creates a chemical film on the steel surface to improve rust resistance.)

Barry Burton Model M92FC/SE-03

Barry, who insists on ‘more power, large calibre’, chose 40S&W rounds, which are even more powerful than 9×19 rounds. He also requested that the gun be customised to withstand the use of reinforced “+P” ammunition. To soften the strong recoil shock when firing, a large compensator with a four-volt hole at the end of the barrel and a stabiliser were fitted. A ‘Weber-size’ mounting rail is located on the bottom of the stabiliser, allowing various modules such as a laser sight or flashlight to be fitted. The magazine is also extended to fit the case size of 40 S&W ammunition.

Albert Wesker Model M92FC/S.E.06

Albert Wesker, the leader of S.T.A.R.S, is a man of two faces also serving as a secret agent of the Umbrella Corporation. An intelligent man, he specialises in ‘covert action’ rather than direct combat and has commissioned Joe Kendo to customise his weapon for this purpose. The frame is manufactured from ultra-steeled duralumin and has an integrated rail for mounting a laser sight and flashlight module’, a square-trigger guard, beavertail and other luxurious features including chequering on the grip and a polished silver finish. The silencer is a frame-mounted, high- capacity silencer with high silencing effect, and can be fixed directly from the frame with a one-touch installation. This means that the short recoil is not braked, and the hit rate is not compromised, compared to the type that is mounted directly on the barrel.

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