Masamune

1 General Information
2 Media
- 2.1 Images

General Information[edit]

Game Information[edit]

Chrono Trigger[edit]

A legendary sword wielded by the chosen.

Masamune is the name of a sword forged by Melchior, the Guru of Life, in Zeal around approximately 12000 B.C. The sword is composed of Melchior's two dreams, Masa and Mune, and the mineral known as Dreamstone. In the Lavos Timeline, the Masamune was finished by the guru and presumably lay untouched until 590 A.D., when a Guardian knight known as Cyrus and his squire, Glenn, located the fabled sword in the Denadoro Mts. Magus struck down Cyrus after he found it, and turned his squire into Frog, leaving the sword, in two pieces, to rest another ten years. The Bent Sword lay in the mountains, while the Bent Hilt was carried by Frog. In 600 A.D., Crono and his party battled Masa & Mune in the mountains to retrieve the sword in order to slay Magus, as they were currently under the assumption that he created Lavos.

The party successfully received the broken blade portion of the sword, called the Bent Sword. The Bent Hilt was later provided by Frog, and Melchior successfully repaired the Masamune with an amount of Dreamstone was procured from Ayla in 65000000 B.C. The party later receives the Masamune's prior form in Zeal, called the Ruby Knife. That era's Melchior gives it to the party to stop the Mammon Machine. Upon contact with the device, it transforms into the true Masamune. This raises the question of how the Ruby Knife came to be the Masamune in the Lavos Timeline prior to Crono's adventure; presumably Melchior had time to finish the sword properly in the Lavos Timeline.

The Masamune received a hefty spiritual upgrade when it was taken to the repaired grave of Cyrus in the Hero's Grave. Masa and Mune were greatly encouraged and inspired by the lesson of willpower, and the notion that a hero's power comes from within (though this expression regarding will was altered in the English release of the game).

Masamune I[edit]

Attack: 75
Stat Increase: 42
Base Critical Hit Rate: 23%
Effects: Decreases Magus's magic defense; does not cause retaliation

How to obtain: Take the Bent Sword, Bent Hilt, and Dreamstone to Melchior and have either Lucca or Robo help him repair them, then take the sword to Frog in the Middle Ages and have him cut open the Magic Cave.

A legendary sword of antiquity.

Masamune II[edit]

Attack: 200
Stat Increase: 111
Base Critical Hit Rate: 23%
Effects: Heals Frog when used on Mammon Machine

The menu claims that it inflicts 200% damage on magic enemies, but testing on magic enemies such as the Nu and Edgers shows that it does not. Compare damage to Pearl Edge or Demon Hit to verify.

How to obtain: Complete the Cyrus's Ghost sidequest with Frog in the party, and visit the now-accessable grave of Cyrus.

A legendary blade awoken by virtue.

Chrono Cross[edit]

Type: Sword

After Chrono Trigger, presumably forces of Porre stole the Masamune in the Fall of Guardia; it later returned to the Denadoro Mts. During this period, it is believed that Masa and Mune 'fell asleep' and the sword became demonic. Radius and Garai found it possibly in 1005 A.D.; Radius killed Garai with it in a craze. The Acacia Dragoons then took it to be buried on the Isle of the Damned, where it was discovered in 1017 A.D. in both dimensions by the Dragoons. Dario took hold of it, and was overcome; Karsh had no choice but to kill him, though the Dario of Home World survived the attack. Lynx later placed the Masamune of Home World in Death's Door to block entrance into the Dead Sea; Einlanzer negated its demonic energy. Later on, it appeared when Serge visited Dario; it may have been possessed by Garai's spirit, as Dario was corrupted once it appeared. After Dario was defeated, Masa and Mune woke up, joined by their sister Doreen. The three merged with Serge's Swallow to become the Mastermune. The Another World Masamune's fate is uncertain, as well as the Masamune's condition in the Ideal Timeline.

Radius:
   I know I lost my sanity
   because of that sword...
   But I must admit, the sword
   is not entirely to blame.
   I was jealous of Garai...
   I wanted to be the better
   swordsman.
   The once renowned Masamune...
   '"The Holy Sword That
   Conquered Darkness."'
   Could it be merely a
   tool for murder...?

In the Japanese script Radius uses "darkness of the fiendlord." It's too bad this reference was lost as a direct allusion to Magus.

Radical Dreamers[edit]

Type: Sword

How it is used: The Masamune is alluded to as the 'demonic brother' of the Einlanzer, giving rise to the belief that both were forged by Melchior simultaneously in the Radical Dreamers Timeline. In various scenarios, Magil is inquired of his knowing the sword's former owner, Frog.

Theory and Analysis[edit]

Japanese Equivalent[edit]

Japanese: グランドリオン
Translation: Grandleon

Name Origin[edit]

A fable exists in which a swordsmith, Masamune, had to face off against another expert swordsmith. After completing their work, the two thrust their swords into a river. Passing leaves were cut in two by the opposition, while Masamune's sword actually made the leaves float away due to its spiritual power. This is exemplary of the notion of 'fighting without fighting,' seen in Sun Tzu's Art of War and typified in Bruce Lee's film Enter the Dragon.