Although Yamato resembles a katana, it is said to be able to cut through anything, as it is even sharper than the Japanese blade, and is imbued with tremendous magic. In fact, this is the only thing shown to be capable of damaging the otherwise invulnerable Devil Bringer. The damage caused by the Yamato generally does not become apparent until the sword is re-sheathed. The Yamato is a katana with an ornate bronze guard; the exact details of how it looks change throughout the series. In the first Devil May Cry the Tsuka (柄? lit. "handle") has the traditional gold wrapping, with black ornaments, and the Tsuba (鍔? lit. "guard") is octagonal. In later installments, the guard is oval, and the tsuka-ito seems to be braided from white and black material. The blade features several intricate ornaments, most notable is a relief of a dragon at the endpoint of the hilt. The appearance of Nero's Devil Bringer mimics the design of the blade's hilt.
Althogh Yamato is said to be able to cut through anything, this aspect does not carry through to gameplay for obvious reasons. Enemies with shields, such as Dullahans, are still invulnerable, and background objects are not affected.
