* Image is for illustrative purposes only.The Last Blade
幕末浪漫 月華の剣士（The Last Blade）
A fighting game for the Neo Geo developed and released by SNK. Set in the Bakumatsu period and drawing on Japanese mythology, especially the Four Symbols, it features combat with swords and other weapons.
Description
Overview
The Last Blade (Bakumatsu Roman: Gekka no Kenshi) is a game for the Neo Geo developed and released by SNK. It is a 2D fighting game in which characters fight with swords and other weapons. The arcade version of the first game appeared in Japan on 5 December 1997 and in North America in January 1998. The arcade version of the sequel, Bakumatsu Roman Daini-maku: Gekka no Kenshi, appeared on 25 November 1998.
Setting and Themes
The game is set in the Bakumatsu period and draws on Japanese mythology, especially the Four Symbols. Musashi Akatsuki is said to be based on Miyamoto Musashi, and Keiichirō Washizuka appears as a member of the Shinsengumi serving directly under Hijikata Toshizō.
System
Players choose between two sword styles, Power and Speed. A D-button action allows a player to deflect the opponent's attack.
Swords in the Game
The swords in the game are fictional swords that exist only within the game. Kaede uses Hayatemaru, Keiichirō Washizuka uses Hayabusa, Shinnosuke Kagami uses Zuihō, Kojirō Sanada uses Mozu, Setsuna uses Yasomagatsuhi no Tachi, and Kōryū uses Totsuka no Tsurugi.
Schools
Schools such as Katsushin Ittō-ryū, Tennen Rishin-ryū, Niten Ichi-ryū Kai, and Shinshin-ryū Ichi no Tachi appear in the game.
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.