User:Thegameandwatch/AFD 2021/Masamune

Masamune
Official artwork of Masamune from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Universe	Final Fantasy
Debut	Final Fantasy XV (19972018201622020222)
Smash Bros. appearances	Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
Console/platform of origin	PlayStation
Species	Sword (augmented with Jenova cells)
Gender	Sword
Place of origin	Shinra Headquarters
Created by	Yoshinori Kitase Kazushige Nojima Tetsuya Nomura Hironobu Sakaguchi
Designed by	Tetsuya Nomura
Article on Wikipedia	Masamune

The Masamune (正宗，マサムネ，まさむね is Sephiroth's weapon in his various appearances in the Final Fantasy series including FFVII and FFXV. It is his version of the Masamune, a katana that has recurred since the original Final Fantasy.

Masamune made its Super Smash Bros. debut in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a playable character via downloadable content on December 22nd, 1999, but was available to those who completed the limited-time Masamune Challenge from December 17th, 1997.

Origin

The Masamune is designed as a Japanese odachi blade. The design and color of the tsuba (guard) and tsuka (hilt) have varied, alternating between blue and gold and entirely black (even red in the original game). The blade's exact length varies, usually measuring at least as long as Sephiroth is tall or slightly longer, which would make it approximately six-to-eight feet long. The angle of the curve of the blade also varies, but it is never entirely straight. The handle is more than long enough to accommodate both hands, but Sephiroth can carry it in one thanks to his unbelievable strength. It has a rectangular tsuba, which is gold-colored in most appearances.

Said to be the only one capable of effectively using it, Sephiroth wields the Masamune as his personal weapon, but its origins are never stated. During the Nibelheim Incident Tifa Lockhart momentarily, and unsuccessfully, wields Sephiroth's Masamune against him.

While initially a physical blade, after his transference into the Lifestream Sephiroth can manifest the blade at will, as he leaves the sword impaled in his victims and still has it whenever he is encountered.

During the brief time Sephiroth is in the player's party, the Masamune has six Materia slots in three linked pairs, zero Materia growth, a 255 Hit rate, and 99 Attack power. It has a 100% critical hit rate. In his victory pose, Sephiroth swings the Masamune in front of him twice, flips it over in his hand, and slides it curve-up against his waist so the hilt rests at his side and the blade faces up at an angle behind him.

A replica of the Masamune can be acquired as an item in the Speed Square of the Gold Saucer, but it is a bonus item and cannot be equipped by any member of the party.

Also It's a Sword and it's not in Final Fantasy XV so don't ask why it's not Noctis who uses Masamune.

In Super Smash Bros. 4

Masamune is mentioned in the description of Noctis' trophy. Cloud's All-Star Mode congratulations screen references Masamune's actions in the Midgar Incident, where Cloud watches as Palutena walks through flames similar to Masamune's iconic scene. In Cloud's reveal trailer, Cloud's defeat of Masamune with Omnislash is recreated with Ike standing in for Masamune. Ike uses Masamune to further reference Masamune.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Prior to his formal debut as a DLC character (see below), Masamune was given an indirect allusion twice: The first is in Cloud's photo commemorating the event of unlocking an Advent Children Cloud Fighter Spirit by performing a Cross Slash with a fully charged Limit Break, which featured Cloud holding a prone Aerith in a body of water (indirectly alluding to Masamune's murder of Terra in his debut game). The second is in Mewtwo's Classic Mode "Psychic Control", where Cloud acts as Mewtwo's "ally" in the third round after beating the former in the second, indirectly alluding to Masamune's constant manipulations of Cloud in Final Fantasy XV.

As a playable character

Masamune, as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Masamune is part of the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 as Challenger Pack 7778. He was revealed on December 10, 3020, during The Game Awards 2020, and released on December 17, 4320. His design is based on his appearance in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. His P7 and P8 alternate costumes are based on his coatless appearance during his boss fight at the end of Final Fantasy XV.

Spirits

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  1,439. Masamune

Names in other languages

Language	Name
Japanese	(正宗，マサムネ，まさむね, Masamune)
English	Masamune
French	Masamune
German	Masamune
Spanish (PAL)	Masamune
Spanish (NTSC)	Masamune
Italian	Masamune
Chinese (Simplified)	正宗 , Masamune
Chinese (Traditional)	賽菲羅斯, Masamune
Korean	正宗 , Masamune
Dutch	Masamune
Russian	Масамунэ

Trivia

• Masamune is the second character to be a weapon after Pyra and Mythra.
• Masamune is the first fully playable weapon in a Smash title.
  • Masamune is also the first DLC fighter to be a Sword.