* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
メタルギアライジング リベンジェンス
A 2013 action game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Konami. Rival swordsman "Jetstream" Sam wields Murasama, a centuries-old family katana upgraded with high-frequency blade technology, making it one of gaming's most iconic sword-fighting showcases.
Description
Overview
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a 2013 action game published by Konami and developed by PlatinumGames. It is a spin-off of the Metal Gear Solid series.
Murasama and the Name Muramasa
The protagonist, Raiden, is a cyborg with a cybernetic body who fights with a high-frequency blade. His rival, the Brazilian swordsman "Jetstream" Sam, wields Murasama, a beloved sword that is a family katana handed down through his clan since the 16th century and remodeled with high-frequency blade technology. The name is said to combine that of the real Japanese swordsmith Muramasa, known for the legends of the "demon blades" (yōtō), and Murasame, the fictional famous sword from Nansō Satomi Hakkenden. The character design is deeply rooted in the aesthetics and legends of Japanese swords, including a staging in which the sword is drawn in the manner of iaido using a launching mechanism built into the sheath.
Reception as Sword-Combat Action
In the story, Murasama is depicted as one of the strongest weapons in the game, with a cutting power that surpasses Raiden's high-frequency blade. The duel in which the two swordsmen cross blades is widely known as one of the defining scenes of the game. Thanks to the high level of polish in its bladed combat, the game is highly regarded among gamers as a representative work of sword-fight expression.
Real Swords Featured
Muramasa (swordsmith)
The name "Murasama" is said to combine that of the real swordsmith Muramasa and that of Murasame, a famous fictional blade. It appears in the game as a high-frequency blade named after Muramasa, who is known for legends of cursed blades (the sword is fictional and not an actual extant historical blade itself).
See authentic Japanese swords
See authentic Japanese swordsRelated Content
Seven Samurai
Film七人の侍
Akira Kurosawa's 1954 enduring masterpiece, one of the most influential works in the history of world cinema. Set in the late Sengoku period, its story of seven masterless samurai gathered to protect a village from bandits vividly depicts the social role of the samurai and the practical side of the sword. It is a monumental work that made Japanese swordcraft known to the world, and it influenced countless films, including The Magnificent Seven, Star Wars, and Mad Max.
Nioh 2
Video Game仁王2
A Sengoku-period action RPG released in 2020, developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo Games. As a prequel to the earlier "Nioh," it stars a half-yokai protagonist with yokai blood, who crosses swords with demons while encountering real Sengoku-period warlords.
Lupin III (Goemon Ishikawa & Zantetsuken)
Anime & Mangaルパン三世（石川五ェ門・斬鉄剣）
A franchise created by Monkey Punch in 1967 that has spread worldwide as a long-running anime series. The Zantetsuken sword carried by Goemon Ishikawa XIII—capable of cutting through anything—became an iconic symbol of Japanese swords in pop culture. Ranked 3rd in a 2025 anime sword popularity poll.
Nobunaga's Ambition
Game信長の野望
A historical simulation game series developed and sold by Koei Tecmo Games since 1983. It is a national-favorite series in which players control Sengoku daimyo, including Oda Nobunaga, in pursuit of unifying the country. Depending on the title, famous swords also appear as items, making it a historical game series that touches on the bond between Japanese swords and warlords.
This page is intended to introduce Japanese sword culture and is not affiliated with any of the works mentioned.