Brave Fencer Musashi

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Brave Fencer Musashi
Developer(s) Square Co., Ltd.
Publisher(s) Square Electronic Arts
Release date(s) JPN July 16, 1998

NA November 10, 1998
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: E (Everyone)
Platform(s) PlayStation
Media 1 × CD-ROM

Brave Fencer Musashi (ブレイヴフェンサー武蔵伝 Bureivu Fensā Musashiden?, Brave Fencer Musashiden) is a console role-playing game (RPG) published by Squaresoft in 1998 for the Sony PlayStation. The game involves real-time combat in a 3D environment, and features voice-overs for most dialogue. A playable demo of Final Fantasy VIII was also included on a second CD.

A PlayStation 2 sequel, titled Musashi: Samurai Legend (Musashiden II: Blademaster in Japan) was developed by Square Enix and was released in the U.S. on March 15, 2005, and in Japan on July 7, 2005.

Brave Fencer Musashi was scored by Tsuyoshi Sekito, a former Konami employee.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The player controls Musashi, a boy summoned to the Allucaneet Kingdom by its Princess — named Fillet — to save it from the invading Thirstquencher Empire. Fillet's intention was to summon the legendary Brave Fencer Musashi, who had saved the kingdom from a monster called the Wizard of Darkness 150 years before; she is therefore disappointed when she gets a small boy instead. Nevertheless, Musashi is given the blade Fusion, and charged with the task of obtaining Brave Fencer Musashi's sword — Lumina, the Sword of Luminescence — before the Thirstquencher Army does.

The bulk of the game involves Musashi fighting a variety of enemies, using both Fusion and Lumina, to save the kingdom from various threats (which range from fires breaking out, to an invasion of half-vampire, half-zombie monsters called Vambees), and to acquire five scrolls which increase Lumina's strength and grant Musashi new abilities. There are also several minigames and puzzles scattered throughout which must be completed to advance the plot.

[edit] Characters

  • Musashi: A young fencer summoned by Fillet to save Allucaneet Kingdom. He has a short temper and is generally impatient, yet will go to great lengths to help others. He must finish his quest before the binchotite runs out of energy, which will kill him. Although Fillet supposedly summoned the same Musashi which saved Allucaneet in the distant past, he makes no mention of his previous adventure until the very end of the game.
  • Fillet: Princess of Allucaneet, kidnapped by the Thirstquencher Empire. She appears to be spoiled, and is quick to anger as well. She can perform "hero summoning", which allows her to draw in heroes from other worlds for a short time. While her parents were away on vacation, the Thirstquencher empire attacks and kidnaps many of the castle's servants, forcing her to summon Musashi.
  • Colonel Jon Capricciola: Mysterious treasure hunter & owner of Leno, a sweethearted dog, who often finds himself in trouble. In actuality, Jon is the prince of the Thirstquencher empire and the rightful heir to the throne. He poses as Colonel Capricciola to get his chance to exact revenge on Flatski for killing his family. Towards the end of the game, Jon is struck behind by Rootrick and mortally wounded in the process. His last words are to Musashi telling him to look after Leno. He is later crushed to death during the Dark Wizard's rampage.
  • Kojiro: A swordsman from Musashi's homeworld summoned by Fillet the second time she performs the Hero Summon. He despises Musashi, blaming him for an accident that occurred in the past. Looking for revenge, he refuses to help Fillet in order to pursue a fight with Musashi. Topo, seemingly attracted to Kojiro, uses him as part of her plan to steal money from the villagers. Kojiro is defeated in battle when he first encounters Musashi on the beach. He appears later to challenge Musashi to a third rematch, only to be absorbed and killed by the Dark Wizard.
  • Thirstquencher Empire: Originally a peaceful monarchy until Flatski took over.
    • Flatski: Fuhrer of the Thirstquencher Empire. Flatski usurped power from the previous rulers of the Thirstquencher Kingdom and transformed it into an empire. He wishes to collect Lumina and the Five Scrolls so he can revive the Dark Wizard, whom he wishes to use to take over the world. He speaks with a Russian accent. At the end of the game, Flatski successfully revives the Dark Wizard but is stepped on and crushed to death by the Dark Wizard during his rampage.
    • Rootrick: Second Lieutenant of the Thirstquencher Empire. He is a least powerful and respected of Flatski's armies and possesses little intelligence. As the muscle of the empire, he is ordered to kidnap the princess, which he does with great success. He is later revealed to be Flatski's son. He inexplicably has a Southern accent. At one time he challenges Musashi to a climbing contest. The winner, would gain the first scroll that Musashi encounters. Musashi wins and strikes Rootrick with Lumina, supposedly sending him off the cliff to his doom. He returns later and manages to deal Jon a fatal blow. After the Dark Wizard is released and starts to rampage, Rootrick is not seen again.
    • Bubbles & Gingerelle: First Lieutenant(Bubbles) and Captain(Gingerelle) of the Thirstquencher Empire. Bubbles & Gingerelle are sisters who serve as assassins, mercenaries, and spies for Flatski. They are extremely competitive in everything, both vying for the top spot under Flatski. While not busy fighting, they compete in beauty contest in a neverending struggle to find who is the most beautiful. In a recent contest, Gingerelle won over Bubbles, causing a rivalry between the two fueled with jealousy. Both sisters seem to also love/ have a crush on Cappriccola. Towards the end of the game, Bubbles accidentally turns Musashi into a Bincholoid crystal. Gingerelle, angry at her sister for losing Lumina by her actions, dashes off to tell the Emperor of her failure. Bubbles, now nervous, runs off to prevent her from doing so. Neither sister is seen again.
    • Ed, Ben, & Topo: Members of Flatski's special forces called "Leader's Force", of which they all believe they are the leader. They seem to be commanded by Cappriccola, who chews them out for losing the bell they stole and failing to burn down the village. Ben is the muscle without any intelligence,whatsoever. He seems to have an endless supply of weapons at his disposal. After losing his duel to Musashi, he allows him to continue on his way and is not seen again. Ed is the brains of the trio, and schemes of ways to make "Leader's Force", namely he and Ben, rich. Ed seems to possess magical powers that he can use in battle. When Musashi duels him at the end of the game, he wins and Ed dies in the process. Topo secretly dreams to become a pop icon with her dancing and karaoke. At one point, Topo teams up with Kojiro, in a scheme to dopplegang as the princess and steal money from the villagers. She is encountered by Musashi, and runs away leaving the money behind. Topo later challenges Musashi to her version a duel; a dance contest. When she loses to Musashi, she is electrocuted and breaks both of her legs. Topo dies soon afterwards, using her last ounce of strength to lead Musashi to Fillet and Cappriccola.
  • The Crest Guardians: These creatures protect the crests of the five elements (Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Sky) in order to prevent the revival of the Wizard of Darkness. Musashi however, believes them to be enemies and destroys them.
    • Skullpion: Crest Guardian of Earth. A robotic scorpion creature who lives a forbidden valley far from the village. With the help of four rescuees, Musashi manages to subdue his first guardian.
    • Relic Keeper: Crest Guardian of Water. A giant relic that battles by releasing his spirit as a ball of fire. His lair is found underneath the village in an old temple. Once he is destroyed, the secret temple is found and sealed up.
    • Ice Dragon: Crest Guardian of Fire. A giant, ice covered, dragon who lives in the basement of the far away Frozen Palace. The Frozen Palace seems to be the hideout for "Leader's Force".
    • Queen Ant: Crest Guardian of Wind. A giant, pudgy insectoid ant creature with butterfly wings. She can produce baby larvae, blow away enemies with her wings, sprout spikes, and secrete poison. She is the queen of GiAnts, a swarm of giant ants that live under the kingdom with her.
    • Death Tower: Crest Guardian of Sky. This final guardian is a robotic, multi-eyed tower built by the Thirstquencher Empire themselves. He can hypnotize opponents, blast lasers, release spikes, and crush enemies with its' floor-sized limbs.
  • The Wizard of Darkness: He is a demon known as Dark Lumina and was sealed within Lumina itself, unbeknowst to everyone in modern times. Musashi (and Flatski) unintentionally released him when he mastered the Five Scrolls and traded Lumina for the Princess. Upon its freedom, the monster kills Flatski, then Jon shortly thereafter, and absorbs Kojiro. As a result, Dark-Lumina gains a "Must Kill Musashi" mentality and changes into a second form. He is soundly defeated after gaining yet another form and once again is sealed back inside Lumina. The Wizard of Darkness original voice sounds similar to Lumina's telepathic voice, which Musashi hears after absorbing The Earth Crest.
  • Forms of The Wizard of Darkness:
    • Dark Lumina 1: The form Dark Lumina takes when it is first released from the blade. A large red skilled man-like figure with long horns like that of a ram and a jewel upon his forehead. Musashi never actually battles this version of the creature, instead this boss fight is a chase between towers.
    • Dark Lumina 2: After the Absorption of Kojiro, Dark Lumina takes the form of a large, green dinosaur-like creature. Musashi discovers the Wizard's weakness is the gem on his head, once he smashes Lumina against it. This presumably destroys it, only....
    • Dark Lumina 3: As a desperation attempt to survive the battle, Dark Lumina concentrates his power into a white, small, yet immensely powerful humanoid creature(that looks similar to Kojiro's human form). He can even manipulate some of Kojiro's infamous attacks, only on a much grander scale. He also uses the elemental attacks of the Five Scrolls, and can only be damaged by a strike to his core with Lumina after being assimilated. Dark Lumina presumably returns to the sword after being defeated.

[edit] Cast (English)

[edit] Cast (Japanese)

[edit] Relationship to Miyamoto Musashi

Several elements of Brave Fencer Musashi are superficially derived from the legend of Miyamoto Musashi, a famous Japanese swordsman, though the game's plot is unrelated to Musashi's life.

Musashi's two-sword style of combat is the most obvious connection, as Miyamoto is known for his nitouichi (二刀一, "two swords as one") kenjutsu technique; however, Miyamoto used a katana and wakizashi, whereas in Brave Fencer Musashi, Musashi wields a katana and a western sword with an extremely wide blade (causing it to somewhat resemble Cloud Strife's buster sword from Final Fantasy VII).

The game also includes its own interpretation of one of Miyamoto Musashi's most famous duels, against Sasaki Kojiro; the character Kojiro is introduced as Musashi's rival, who searches for him in the hopes of defeating him in a duel. In addition, Kojiro's main offensive technique is the "Swallow Wave," likely a nod to Sasaki Kojiro's trademark "Swallow's tail strike."

Furthermore, the five scrolls — the scrolls of Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Sky — which Musashi must find may be a reference to Miyamoto's The Book of Five Rings, in which he describes military strategy in terms of five rings: Ground, Water, Fire, Wind and the Void. However, artifacts or forces themed on these "elements" are common in RPGs, so the connection to The Book of Five Rings may not be intentional.

[edit] External links

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