History VideoGame / BushidoBlade

Not related to the 1981 film of the same name.

* {{Deconstruction}}: With the battle system, this game can be consider one for the FightingGame genre.

* GlassCannon: [[RocketTageGameplay Even by the standards of this game]], gun-wielding characters qualify for the inherent range, power, and attack speed of their weapons. However, they have the worst recovery of all the characters: their reload time makes them sitting ducks to their opponents, whom are given more than enough time to land a successful killing blow.

* InASingleBound: A somewhat subdued version; no character can jump higher than their own height, and heavy weapons reduce this considerably.

* RocketTagGameplay: [[JustifiedTrope Given that this is a more realistic take on swordplay]], combat amounts to who lands the killing blow first; in many cases, it's [[SingleStrokeBattle the first one]].

* GunsAreWorthless: Hahaha, '''NO'''. The two gun-wielding characters are some of the toughest opponents you'll face. The only thing that makes it fair for the player is that both take a relatively long time to reload, and they're defenseless while they do it.

* TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty: Since the Bushido code is no longer enforced in this game, some fighters have a few cheap tricks up their sleeve. For example, Isohachi can startle his opponent by yelling loudly, making them drop their weapon for a moment and allowing him a free slash. Chihiro can throw a ''frog'' at the enemy, making a few female opponents (like Red Shadow, for one) freak out and giving [[PronounTrouble him]]/[[ShesAManInJapan her]] a very huge opening.

* Deconstruction: With the battle system, this game can be consider one for the FightingGame genre.

* TeleportSpam: Sakaki, the last opponent in the Shainto storyling. Every time the player strikes, he is instantly teleported away from you. The catch is that every teleport places him closer to the character, and leaves him vulnerable for a few seconds.

* TeleportSpam: Kannagisai. Every time the player strikes, he teleports out. The catch is that every teleport places him closer to the character, and leaves him vulnerable for a few seconds.

* ChekhovsGunman: Mikado's sensei, Genyou Sakaki, is mentioned on the first game's worst ending. In the sequel, he's the FinalBoss (the one that counts) of the Shainto story side. The Narukagami princess also appears in the first game, being the girl that hands the characters their weapons on the character selection screen.

* CaptainErsatz: Black Lotus is basically [[Franchise/{{Zorro}} Zorro]] minus the hat and born in Ireland.
* ChekhovsGunman: Mikado's sensei, Kannagisai, is mentioned on the first game's worst ending. In the sequel, he's the FinalBoss (the one that counts) of the Shainto story side. The "Last Kagami" girl also appears in the first game, in the select screen and without any plot relevance.

* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:Tatsumi]], the Shainto leader Hiragi Taina is your father!

* MacGuffin: The Yugiri, an AncestralWeapon created by the Shainto clan's ancestors before was stolen by the Narukagami's ancestors. Said weapon is also implied to be an EvilWeapon that winds up possessing then-Narukagami leader Hanzaki in the first game. The main objective of the Shainto in the second game is to recover it.

* MacGuffin: The Yugiri sword on both games. An AncestralWeapon of the Shainto's ancestors, stolen by the Narukagami's ancestors. It's also believed to be an EvilWeapon that sends Hanzaki into madness in the first game. The main objective of the Shainto in ''2'' is to recover it.

* PromotedToPlayable: Hongou (Tatsumi and Black Lotus's TrueFinalBoss), Sazanka (the guy wielding the double-edged spear) and Tsubame (the female enemy after Sazanka) were originally computer-controlled only characters in the first.

These games differ from traditional {{Fighting Game}}s in many ways. A quick list: no [[HitPoints life gauges]] (a well-placed attack can be a OneHitKill!), ability to injure ([[SubsystemDamage slashing an arm or a leg cripples the opponent]]), everyone has a real weapon (mostly melee, but a few characters use guns) and use them fairly realistically, easy-to-use simple specials that are typically just a different type of attack (stabbing as opposed to slashing), and other more realistic features that are rare in the genre.

* GuideDangIt: Getting the best ending in the first game seems NintendoHard because of the stringent [[HonorBeforeReason honor requirements]] that you aren't told about. But it turns out that one element that you would ''think'' is part of the honor rules isn't: [[spoiler: You are allowed to run away from opponents. The stages are not separate, but form a connected chain, and if you simply enter the next stage without killing your current opponent, they will simply follow you and no new opponent spawns. By crippling your first opponent's leg, you can easily run all the way to the well, where you face the final boss. So you can get the best ending by handicapping yourself against every opponent... or by simply running away and avoiding most of them. Incidentally, if you're going to cut their legs, wait until you reach the well, or else you'll have to wait for them to drag themselves to you on every screen transition.]]

is * BladeOnAStick: The naginata in both games, and the yari on the sequel.

* AKA47: Closer inspection of Katze's gun (especially its silhouette on the weapon selection screen) reveals that it is actually a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser_C96 Mauser C96]], which is simply referred to as the "Pistol" in-game; this is [[AnachronismStew especially strange]] considering the gun halted production in ''the early 60s'', and the main storyline occurs long afterwards.

'''I''', for example, make '''kazoos'''!''

* BladeOnAStick: The naginata in both games, and the yari on the sequel.

* AKA47: Closer inspection of Katze's gun (especially its silhouette on the weapon selection screen) reveals that it is actually a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauser_C96 Mauser C96]], but it simply referred to as the "Pistol" in-game; this is [[AnachronismStew especially strange]] considering the gun halted production in ''the early 60s'', and the main storyline occurs long afterwards.

* MadeOfIron: Subverted. Unlike other weapon-based fighters like ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' where characters can regularly shrug off fatal blows, a clean hit with a sword can kill you in one hit just like in real life.

%%* DistinctionWithoutADifference: Whatever the reason is for the Shainto's aggression against the Narukagami, it is NOT [[EvilIsPetty a grudge.]]

* MadeOfIron: Brutally subverted. Unlike other weapon-based fighters like ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' where characters can regularly shrug off fatal blows, a clean hit with a sword can kill you in one hit just like in real life.

* MadeOfIron: Brutally averted. Unlike other weapon-based fighters like ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' where characters can regularly shrug off fatal blows, a clean hit with a sword can kill you in one hit just like in real life.

* NoExceptYes: Whatever the reason is for the Shainto's aggression against the Narukagami, it is NOT [[EvilIsPetty a grudge.]]

* TrueFinalBoss: After going through the [[NintendoHard needlessly hard]] Code of Honor handicaps [[NoDamageRun unharmed]], you get to fight each character's TrueFinalBoss: Kindachi (Mikado, Utsusemi, Red Shadow), Kannuki (Black Lotus), Hongou (Tatsumi) and a severely wounded Black Lotus (Kannuki).

* GuideDangIt: Getting the best ending in the first game seems NintendoHard because of the stringent [[HonorBeforeReason honor requirements]] that you aren't told about. But it turns out that one element that you would ''think'' is part of the honor rules isn't: [[spoiler: You are allowed to run away from opponents. The stages are not separate, but form a connected chain, and if you simply enter the next stage without killing your current opponent, they will simply follow you and no new opponent spawns. By crippling your first opponent's leg, you can easily run all the way to the well, where you face the final boss. So you can get the best ending by handicapping yourself against every opponent... or by simply running away and avoiding most of them.]]