- Katana Legend

First Impressions
The Radical Katana Legend, released in January 2019, extends one of the most successful lines in the history of Radical Bowling Technologies. Visually, the ball carries itself with plenty of confidence: the "Black / Red / Gold Pearl" color combination looks aggressive and sporty, refined by the 500/1000 Siaair finish followed by Crown Factory Compound polish. At its heart is the famous Katana Asymmetric Core, a design known for its extreme dynamics. At 15 lbs, this core delivers a 2.503 RG, a 0.050 differential and a very high intermediate differential of 0.020. Those numbers stand for asymmetry that revs up quickly and a lightning-fast response to friction. The decisive upgrade over the original Katana, however, is the shell: the Forged + Pearl coverstock is a chemically stronger version, developed to generate more traction in oil without sacrificing the signature "hockey stick" motion (skid/flip) on the backend. Radical often markets this ball with a technical focus on "centripetal force" and its ability to whip through the pins.
Comparison
Compared directly to the original Radical Katana (known as a "flip monster"), the Katana Legend offers more overall hook. The new "Forged +" shell reads the midlane somewhat earlier and more stably, which makes the Legend less sensitive to over/under reactions when some oil has been carried down into the backends. Even so, it retains the aggressive corner it makes. Compared to the Radical Katana Slash, the Legend is cleaner through the heads. The Slash (hybrid) digs in earlier and looks rounder, while the Legend stores more energy and turns the corner more sharply. Against a competitor like the Storm Code Black or Dark Code, the Katana Legend offers a very similar aesthetic in ball motion: lots of length and a hard change of direction. Because of the very high intermediate differential (0.020), the Katana Legend often looks a tick snappier and quicker in rotation than many other asymmetric pearls of its era.
On the Lanes
The Radical Katana Legend is an absolute weapon for medium to heavier oil patterns where you find defined backends. It's ideal for the transition phase, when you're forced to move deep left and send the ball way out to the right. Its greatest strength is restoring entry angle: when other balls run too flat into the pocket or no longer "come around the corner," the Katana Legend provides the necessary snap. Thanks to the stronger "Forged +" shell, it doesn't slide through the breakpoint as easily as weaker pearls, but it still needs dry boards at the end of the lane to complete its change of direction. It suits speed-dominant players who need help creating angle, as well as rev-dominant players who want to use the full width of the lane. On very flat, fresh sport patterns, though, it can react too violently; there, control is often more important than its explosive backend move.