It doesn't necessarily have to be the related to the sword art you are training in (that is, if you are currently training in a sword art). As much as I like the feel of a katana, I also have a soft spot for light bastard (also called hand-and-a-half) swords. One of my current personal favorites is the Atrim Lady Ash. Because of my short stature, it's more like a longsword to me (7" handle and 35.7" blade, 44.5" overall). At two pounds, it's also ridiculously light. It's a lot of fun to cut soft targets with, though I wouldn't try it on tatami mats.