Writer Ann Nocenti's story is muddled and not told in a traditional narrative style with clear heroes and villains. Plus she lays on a heavy dose of Japanese clichs and stereotypes that do not translate well. Alex Sanchez' art is good enough but with a David Finch cover, it's a total bummer to open the book and see the stark difference in their styles. It is like when you were a kid and the toy on the commercial looks amazing but when you bring it home and put it together, it looks nothing like the box. That is exactly what Katana #1 is like; all exterior with no real guts.