From the original viewpoint of 'Japanese swords as weapons to fight with,' each of the special blades became a perfect Japanese sword using modern technology and had an essential practical utility, but most of them have no taste of beauty in appearance (some swords including semi-forged Showa Swords of Seki have both), so, today, they are not supposed to be included together with Japanese swords, also from the standpoint of the production method.
本来の「戦いの武器としての日本刀」という観点では、各特殊軍刀々身は近代技術を取り入れらて完成された日本刀となり、肝心の実用性に於いては究められたものの、見た目の美的要素は皆無な物が多く（関の半鍛錬昭和刀の様に双方を兼ね備えた物もある）、今日では製造方法の上からも、日本刀の範疇には含まれない事にはなっている。