Saturday, May 18, 2013

Videogame swords

Top 5 videogames' swords

It is one of my favorite issues, videogames and swords, this is a top 5 done by zoomin.tv and i'm going to explain the swords one by one. Let´s begin.


5. Energy sword, Halo series: The Type-1 Energy Sword consists of a curved hilt, housing an energy storage module and a device for projecting the plasma which forms the blade. The actual blade is composed of two partially ionized 'blades' of free moving electron based gas held in blade-like form by two small magnetic field generators built into the handle of the weapon — this forms and contains the oval shaped, ionized blades for which the weapon is recognized.

4.Sword of Sparda, Devil May Cry series: The Sparda and its unawakened form, the Force Edge, is the beloved demon-forged sword wielded by the The Dark Knight Sparda himself, and magically imbued with his power. Throughout the series, the sword is recognized as a source of god-like power.

3. Soul Edge, Soul Calibur series: Originally forged by human hands, at first Soul Edge was just an ordinary sword, but after being bathed in blood and hatred countless times, the sword turned into a demonic weapon and gained a wicked soul, which the games called Inferno. Those who grasp its hilt are unable to escape its curse, as its spirit invades the mind like a parasite and drives its wielder insane.

2. Buster sword, Final Fantasy VII: The Buster Sword is a weapon that first appeared in Final Fantasy VII and has since appeared in several other games in the series. It is Cloud Strife's trademark weapon, and was wielded before him by Zack Fair and Angeal Hewley. The Buster Sword serves as an iconic image for Cloud and Final Fantasy VII due to its massive size and is wielded by Cloud in most of his appearances.

1. Master Sword, The Legend of Zelda series: The Master Sword, also known as the Blade of Evil's Bane and the Sword of Time, is a recurring sword in the Legend of Zelda series. It is imbued with the power to vanquish evil. In many games, it is said to be the only sword capable of defeating the malevolent Ganondorf and his demonic alternate form,Ganon

If you want to know more about videogames visit my web page: http://mauriciomezamena.wix.com/all-stargames

See you soon!

Masamune's apprentice

Muramasa

Muramasa Sengo  was a famous swordsmith who founded the Muramasa school and lived during the Muromachi period (14th to 16th centuries) in Japan. Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook said that Muramasa "was a most skillful smith but a violent and ill-balanced mind verging on madness, that was supposed to have passed into his blades. ... They were popularly believed to hunger for blood and to impel their warrior to commit murder or suicide."
Videogame based on Muramasa's legend

A legend tells of a test where Muramasa challenged his master, Masamune, to see who could make a finer sword. They both worked tirelessly and eventually, when both swords were finished, they decided to test the results. The contest was for each to suspend the blades in a small creek with the cutting edge facing the current. Muramasa's sword, the Juuchi Yosamu (10,000 Cold Nights) cut everything that passed its way; fish, leaves floating down the river, the very air which blew on it. Highly impressed with his pupil's work, Masamune lowered his sword, the Yawarakai-Te (Tender Hands), into the current and waited patiently. Not a leaf was cut, the fish swam right up to it, and the air hissed as it gently blew by the blade. After a while, Muramasa began to scoff at his master for his apparent lack of skill in the making of his sword. Smiling to himself, Masamune pulled up his sword, dried it, and sheathed it. All the while, Muramasa was heckling him for his sword's inability to cut anything. A monk, who had been watching the whole ordeal, walked over and bowed low to the two sword masters. He then began to explain what he had seen.
"The first of the swords was by all accounts a fine sword, however it is a blood thirsty, evil blade, as it does not discriminate as to who or what it will cut. It may just as well be cutting down butterflies as severing heads. The second was by far the finer of the two, as it does not needlessly cut that which is innocent and undeserving."
Yawarakai-te
Until the next time!

x

Goro Nyudo Masamune

Masamune's work

Masamune is widely recognized as Japan's greatest swordsmith. He created swords and daggers, known in Japanese as tachi and tantō respectively, in the Soshu tradition. As no exact dates are known for Masamune's life, he has reached an almost legendary status. It is generally agreed that he made most of his swords in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, 1288–1328. Some stories list his family name as Okazaki, but some experts believe this is a fabrication to enhance the standing of the Tokugawa family.
Masamune is believed to have worked in Sagami Province during the last part of the Kamakura Period (1288–1328), and it is thought that he was trained by swordsmiths from Bizen and Yamashiro provinces, such as Saburo Kunimune, Awataguchi Kunitsuna and Shintōgo Kunimitsu.
An award for swordsmiths called the Masamune prize is awarded at the Japanese Sword Making Competition. Although not awarded every year, it is presented to a swordsmith who has created an exceptional work.
Masamune´s Juuchi Yosamu
Masamune´s swords has been used in several video games like Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross and Final Fantasy VII. Here their pictures.
Masamune from Chrono Trigger

Masamune from Chrono Cross

Masamune from Final Fantasy VII

Th e next tine we will review the next part related to Masamune, Murasama. See ya!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Arthur Pendragon's sword

Excalibur

The Excalibur and the Lady of the Lake
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereigntyof Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone (the proof of Arthur's lineage) are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was associated with the Arthurian legend very early. In Welsh, the sword is called Caledfwlch.


Excalibur was given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake sometime after he began to reign. She calls the sword "Excalibur, that is as to say as Cut-steel." In the Vulgate Mort Artu, Arthur orders Griflet to throw the sword into the enchanted lake. After two failed attempts (as he felt such a great sword should not be thrown away), he finally complies with the wounded king's request and a hand emerges from the lake to catch it, a tale which becomes attached to Bedivere instead in Malory and the English tradition. Malory records both versions of the legend in his Le Morte d'Arthur, naming Excalibur as the sword the Lady of the Lake gives to Arthur to replace the sword that Arthur broke in his fight with King Pellinore.

See you in the next entry!

Mio Cid and his swords



Tizona and Colada

Tizona and Colada
   The Tizona, or Tizón, is one of the swords, together with Colada, attributed to El Cid in Spanish literature. According to the Cantar de Mio Cid, El Cid won the sword from its previous owner, King Yucef in Valencia. Afterward, it was gifted by El Cid to his sons-in-law, the Infantes de Carrión but eventually returned into the possession of El Cid.
   Similar to the other sword attributed to El Cid, La Colada, there exists little historical evidence verifying the existence of a sword named Tizona belonging to Rodrigo Díaz.
The Tizona
The Colada
   In the heroic poem Cantar de Mio Cid, Tizona's power depends on the wielder and it frightens unworthy opponents. When the infantes of Carrión have Tizona, they underestimate the power of the sword, due to their cowardice, but when Pedro Bermúdez is going to fight Ferrán González and unsheathes Tizona (given as a present from El Cid), Ferrán González yells and surrenders, cowering in terror at the sight of Tizona.

Thanks guys, until the next entry!