Musashi: Samurai Legend
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| Musashi: Samurai Legend | |
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| Developer(s) | Square Enix |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
| Release date(s) | NA March 15, 2005 JPN July 7, 2005 EUR September 9, 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Third-person action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Media | DVD |
Musashi: Samurai Legend (also known as Blade Master Musashiden) is a role-playing game (RPG) published by Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2. Much like its predecessor, Brave Fencer Musashi, the game involves real-time combat in a 3D environment, and features voice-overs for most dialogue and character designs by Tetsuya Nomura. The game is actually the prequel to Brave Fencer Musashi, the Musashi from Brave Fencer is noted to be the reincarnation of the Musashi in Samurai Legend.
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[edit] Story
In the city of Antheum, carried by a magical beast called Anthedon (a large skybound whale), young Princess Mycella prayed in the mystic Chamber of Rites to summon a hero who will save her world from the growing threat posed by the Gandrake Corporation. However, Rothschild interrupts the ritual, which causes the summoned hero – Musashi – to land just a bit off course. He's found by old martial artist Master Mew, who immediately takes him under his wing. Once Musashi's ready, Master Mew sends him into the heart of the evil Gandrake Corporation to rescue the captured Princess and thereby save the world.
Unfortunately for Musashi, President Gandrake kidnaps the Princess again to further the plots of his evil corporation to excavate the World's supply of nebulite and use the Mystics power to power his nebulium engine. To stop Gandrake, and ensure that he can return to his world, Musashi goes in search of the five Maidens that protect the five magic swords that have been lost in order to restore power to a mythical creature known as the Anthedon, which houses the city of Antheum. Along the way, Musashi will have to smash his way through the Gandrake Corporation's endless swarms of killer robots and Directors, as well as native monstrosities.
[edit] Characters
- Musashi: A young fencer summoned by Mycella to save Antheum from the Gandrake Corporation.
- Princess Mycella: Princess of the magical realm of Antheum; she's the one who summons Musashi at the beginning of the game.
- 'Five Maidens: The girls who help Musashi, by powering his sword with their abilities.
- Master Mew: Old cat-like martial arts master. He discovers Musashi after the summoning deposits him in the new world, unconscious. Teaches Musashi the "Way of the Stray Cat".
- Gandrake: The evil president of the Gandrake Corporation. He is actually a former Samurai from Musashi's world.
- Rothschild, Director of Administration: His success comes from his cold, cunning tactics. While trusted, no one knows what he's really thinking.
- Malbec, Director of Research and Development: An intelligent 10-year old boy. Creates the robot bosses that Musashi has to deal with in his encounters with Gandrake.
- Shiraz, Director of Intelligence: A disturbing villain. His position is suited to his frugal use of words. He can speak volumes with one lash of his razor-sharp tongue.
- Riesling, Director of Security: Not the brightest, and quick to anger. What he lacks in brains, he makes up in brawn. Frequently partners up with Glogg.
- Glogg, Director of Negotiations: His brute strength is unmatched, and he utilizes it in aggressive negotiations to secure his company's deals.
[edit] Cast (English)
- Musashi: Lenne Hardt
- Mycella: Jasmine Allen
- Gandrake: Douglas Kirk
- Fontina: Michele Stayner
- Mirabo & Maribo: Bianca Allen
- Istara: Gerri Sorrels
- Clochette: Rumiko Varnes
- Rothschild: Michael Rhys
- Glogg: Murray Johnson
- Riesling: Michael Naishtut
- Malbec: Yuko Yunokawa
- Shiraz: Jack Merluzzi
- Master Mew: Barry Gjerde
[edit] Music
The score for Musashi Samurai Legend was primarily a joint venture between Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano, with a few contributions from Wavelink Zeal. The Surf Coasters, a Japanese surf band, provided the main theme tune, "Samurai Struck". (They also released an album by this same title, which featured a full version of the tune.)
[edit] Cultural references
Several elements of Brave Fencer: Musashi and Samurai Legend: Musashi are superficially derived from the legend of Miyamoto Musashi, a famous Japanese swordsman, though the game's plot is unrelated to Miyamoto's life.
Another example is that in Musashi: Samurai Legend the secondary weapon of choice is called "The Great Oar," which is based upon the oar that Miyamoto Musashi used in one of his more famous battles, against Sasaki Kojiro.
Gandrake's revealed name was based on Sasaki Kojirō's samurai name, Ganryu, and the attack he used to incapacitate Musashi is called the "Swallow's Tail," a reference to Sasaki Kojiro's most famous technique, the "Swallow's tail strike." Also, the five swords Musashi must collect over the course of the game are possibly a reference to The Book of Five Rings, the Five Rings being Ground, Water, Fire, Wind and Void, based on the classical elements of Japanese philosophy.
