I prefer swords, but not for any 'honourful' reason, its just my chosen art form.
I've learnt alot about swords and guns when I went through my 'studying weaponry' phase. One, it takes just as much skill to learn to use heavy firearms well as it does to use a sword, guns are complex machines where swords are sharpened lengths of steel.
The other is katanas are -bad- swords, really, they are not effective against european style armor, anything heavier then banded mail. Also a european style broad sword can shatter or sunder a katana they've just been built up by movies and other media over the years
Cloistered societys dont learn to vary their weaponry well is all.
Always remember kiddies there is no honor in killing, if its done then its nessacary, dont let movies fool you