M-23 Katana/ME3SP

Description
Manufactured by Ariake Technologies, the Katana is a common mercenary weapon, and is also popular on colonies with varren infestations. It's deadly at short range, but ineffective at long range.

Acquisition
The M-23 Katana is automatically given to Vanguards, Soldiers, and Sentinels at the beginning of Priority: Mars. Otherwise, it can be found on a dead Cerberus trooper after leaving the sterilization room. (It is not purchasable from a shop if missed during the mission.)

Player Notes

 * The Katana is a powerful starting shotgun, with a capacity of 5 shots per clip, and good damage with each shot.
 * The Katana has a good reload speed which can give you a little breathing room in tight situations.
 * One major weakness of the Katana is that it has a shorter range than the other shotguns.
 * One must also note the Katana's fairly slow rate of fire, which means each round must count, as a missed shot can give enemies precious seconds to kill you, or get away.
 * As with all shotguns, the weight of the Katana could cause problems. Some shotguns such as the Disciple and the M-22 Eviscerator Shotgun are actually lighter than the Katana, making them preferable over the Katana for power-reliant classes like the Vanguard and the Adept.