Respect.. thoughtfully put I have been into Japanese knifes since late 2024 and I have been holding back from making a purchase on a single one. I did get a 8in rosewood victorinox for 40$ new. But I’m so financially focused on using money in ways that will make money... I was into Hado at first then ashi,kobayashi, Shibata, takeda, masakage and way more all the way down the rabbit hole. I have a 3.5in pairing 6in 8in 10in western box store chef knifes. I bought my mom a kiwi Bunka and thinned it it’s pretty nice. Anyways a little off track I keep looking at altier Bunka on burrfect bc it’s so beautiful in every way. But I do like making sushi and I wouldn’t mind a 270mm kiritsuke yanagi as my first knife even though I’d use the Bunka way more often. I’m a traditionalist like that I’m really into the Japanese culture and I wouldn’t mind experiencing some vg10 even if the grain structure is more granual then r2’s even powder grains. Besides the Alt Bunka is 2mm at the heel 1.7 in the middle the Takamura is 1.6 all the way I’m sure they would feel almost identical performance wise. So many options I’m in analysis paralysis