Archetype Archive: Japanese Blade

The attribute "Japanese Blade" has been around since the first set with Katana World (Cyber Ninja Squad). It was not fully fleshed out as an archetype until Season 3 (Triple D) with the "Blade Beast" attribute being included.

Players should be aware that there is a difference between the Japanese Blade attribute and the Blade Beast attribute. The difference is all the items, monsters, impacts and spells related to the archetype are Japanese Blade but only the monsters can have the Blade Beast attribute. This is somewhat important but I'll explain why later.

The general play style of the deck is to get DIFFERENT Japanese Blade cards in drop to make your cards on the field more powerful. I stress the word different because it means differently named Japanese Blade cards. Having two of the same card in the drop does not count as two different Japanese Blades. It counts as one. Therefore, the deck will need to run some cards at one in the deck to actually be more efficient.

Buddyfight Season 1

The start of things to come.

So here we are. Starting back at the beginning of Katana World. Japanese Blade as an attribute was introduced but by no means had a deck based around it. It was more the attribute used for early Katana World weapons since they were all based on Japanese swords. Sure you could see a possible basic concept come up with Elite Sword, Mikazuki Munechika but no significant support. The only other Japanese Blade was the vanilla weapon Ninja Blade, Kurogachi.

The next Japanese Blade item was in Drum's Adventure. You could loosely see the "cards in drop" style even more in Five Heavenly Swords, Onimaru since it would lose a soul at the end of the player's turn when it was rested and would be destroyed when it had no more souls left. However, at this point, it was just a stronger vanilla weapon that just destroyed itself after a while.

The last Japanese Blade weapon of season 1 was in Break to the Future. Elite Sword, Juzumaru required a card to be discarded to be equiped and for it to become stronger, required two or more Ninjas on the field. Even by season 1's standards, the card was bad. Especially since Ninjas were played with a closed center. This card had no place in Ninjas. Five Heavenly Swords, Onimaru was still the preferred weapon.

Buddyfight Hundred

This is a Japanese Blade item

The Japanese Blade items in Galaxy Burst still continued the drop related effects. Elite Sword, Dojigiri gained a critical and penetrate if there is an "Elite Sword" or "Five Heavenly Swords" in drop zone.

There is a reason for the odd inclusion for the "Five Heavenly Swords" text. Bushiroad wanted to include the Onimaru sword in Dojigiri's effect. All the items with "Elite Swords" actually translate to "Five Heavenly Swords" in Japanese.

For some reason, Bushiroad decided to translate "Five Heavenly Swords" into "Elite Sword" in English. Maybe to make the text name shorter. Then, for some reason unknown to me, they gave the correct translation for "Five Heavenly Swords, Onimaru". At this point though, they decided to stick with the "Elite Sword" translation from here on out and needed to include Onimaru in Dojigiri's card effect so they added the "... or Five Heavenly Swords" clause in the card's effect.

Blood for the blood god

I believe Tempest Sword, Makiarashi was the first item in the game to allow the player to attack with the item through the center even if there was a monster in the center. Sure it costed a life and one less critical than a vanilla sword but since Katana World only had decks that were closed center at the time, this could actually be useful.

Believe it or not, Water Slash Sword, Murasame is actually a Japanese Blade weapon. It was finally received an errata during the X season to give it the Japanese Blade attribute. Weird I know to finally give it its well deserved attribute so late but better late than never I suppose.

The last Japanese Blade item in the Hundred season was in the Lord of Hundred Thunders extra booster. Giant Fiend Sword, Kuromuramasa has 6,000 power and a whopping 4 critical and costs one gauge. However, the player takes one damage whenever they attack with it.

The self inflicted damage is to reflect the sword's lore. The lore states that the swordsmith Muramasa Senji was a mad person who created swords that demanded blood whenever they were drawn and could not be sheathed until the sword was satisfied with enough blood.

Buddyfight Triple D

Alright. Now we're getting into the meat and potatoes of the archetype with the Roar! Invincible Dragons! set. Blade Beasts were introduced in this set and they're the idea that the swords we've been talking so far have "spirit animals" in them because these swords have existed for so long.

So for example, Elite Sword, Mikazuki Munechika's blade beast is Blade Beast of Blinder, Mikazuki Munechika. Also, a little warning, the blade beasts tend to have long card names so I'll refer to the blade name and say either item or monster once I've stated them (i.e. Mikazuki monster or Mikazuki item).

The goodest boy

With the Mikazuki Munechika monster, you can see where Bushiroad started to implement the "X or more different Japanese Blade in drop" effects. If there's two or more different Japanese Blade in drop, he gains a critical. At the end of his battle that he attacked, if there are five or more different Japanese Blade in the drop, he gets double attack and has just static move and penetrate.

Elite Sword, Dojigiri's Blade Beast monster is Blade Beast of Ghostslash, Tojikiri Yasutsuna. Tojikiri is the Japanese Blade monster or item searcher for the deck. He does cost two gauge (ouch) but he also has a super easy Japanese Blade drop effect to activate. As long as there is just a Japanese Blade in the drop, he gains a critical and penetrate. This is to simulate the Dojigiri weapon ability but make it more general and appropriate for the archetype instead of limiting the card text to "Elite Sword" or "Five Heavenly Sword".

A new elite sword enters the game! This one is Elite Sword, Odenta. It costs a gauge and a life and can't be destroyed by card effects. Pretty simple and straightforward.

What is weird is the Blade Beast monster's effects isn't even close to the item. Blade Beast of Guillotine, Oden Tamitsuyu is a size 3 that costs two gauge. When it enters the field, if there is five or more different Japanese Blade in drop, you can destroy a card on the opponent's field which was strong back in Triple D. There is an easier drop zone effect that gives her double attack if there are two or more different Japanese blade as well and it innately has move.

The item Five Heavenly Swords, Onimaru was reprinted in this set too which makes sense since it's pivotal for the deck to function. Mainly getting cards from deck to drop.

Can't touch this

Blade Beast of Phantasm, Onimaru Kunisuna is the Blade Beast for the Onimaru item and performs the same purpose as the Onimaru item. He is a strong turn 1 card to call, damage for 3, set up the drop and have some defense.

Blade Beast of Exorcism, Juzumaru Tsunetsugu equivalent weapon is Elite Sword, Juzumaru from the Break to the Future set in season 1. Juzumaru Tsunetsugu's ability is also not even close to his item's ability. When he enters the field, you gain a gauge and this isn't once per turn. Nothing crazy.

Sword Skill, Zanteisettetsu is the only defensive spell that is exclusively for Blade Beasts. Since most size 2 and 3 Blade Beasts have move, they're usually being the target of attacks in the center. This spell helped keep them alive and counterattack the attacking monster.

The spell could also be used to keep an item alive. If an item was going to be destroyed, you could use the spell to keep it on the field. It could also be used on Five Heavenly Swords, Onimaru when it would be sent to the drop zone by its own effect to keep it on the field for one more turn.

The last card to talk about is also the impact card of the set. Blade Beast Formation, Shape of the Elite could only be casted if there were 5 or more different Japanese Blade in the drop. By paying 3 gauge, the player gets another attack phase and all the Japanese Blade stand so the can attack again. It's not a terrible card and was usually run at 1 or 2 copies since seeing the card early in the game has it do nothing.

The last set with any Japanese Blade support in DDD was Dragon Fighters with two cards.

What do you think its
Blade Beast's abilities are?

 Japanese Blade finally received an Impact Monster! Mikazuki Munechika, "Forbidden Art Blade Deity Descends!" was a size 2 with 8,000 power, 2 critical and 5,000 defense. It was a slightly easier impact to go off than Shape of the Elite however, it doesn't do potentially as much damage as Shape of the Elite but it does leave a good quality monster on the field. The amount of potential damage output is negligible and the fact that you can put a dying Onimaru sword or monster into its soul to leave pressure on the board was real nice.

The last Japanese Blade card of the set is Blue Secret Katana, Zetsu. The card had weak power but decent critical (1,000 power, 3 critical). When it attacks, you can grab a card with [Set] from the drop and add it to your hand.

The card has never had a good place in a Japanese Blade deck. I did notice a certain deck that could be made with it in Japanese Blade though. The deck revolved around Japanese Blade monsters and Art of Explosive Hades Fall. Since the Japanese Blade monsters ranged from 1 - 3 at this point, Hades Fall had good flexible options. Then, once Hades fall activated, Zetsu could re-grab Hades Fall from drop.

There were two problems with this deck though. First, its partially dependent on the Japanese Blade player knowing match ups and what to put underneath Hades Fall. Second, the deck was slow. If Hades fall went off successfully during the opponent's turn, you would have to wait until the turn AFTER your next turn to re-cast Hades Fall since Zetsu grabs it during the battle phase.

Was it a fun deck? Absolutely. Was it competitive? Not even close. Zetsu was more suited for Secret Sword, Lethal Formation plays.

Buddyfight X

Japanese Blade only received one card from The Dark Lord's Rebirth. Blade Beast of Sixteenth Night, Crane Princess Ichimonji was a size 3 with 7,000 power, 1 critical and 4,000 defense. It's act would allow you to discard a Japanese Blade from the hand and if you did, you would gauge and draw. It helped in several ways: gain advantage, cycle out cards the player doesn't need and getting the "different" number of Japanese Blade in drop.

Unfortunately, she isn't the most aggressive card with her second ability only giving her 1 critical and move if there's three or more Japanese Blade in drop. On turn one, it was more common to only get 1 or 2 different Japanese Blade in drop since the player doesn't know what their gauge is at the beginning of the turn.

Not all who wonder are lost.

You're going to probably start to notice that Japanese Blades get very minimal support from here on out. LVL Up! Heroes and Adventurers only gives them one new card and it barely is used at all. The card is Vagabond, Munechika. It's a dual world Dungeon/Katana card. It's free to call and when it enters the field, the player can grab up to one item from drop back to hand and it has move. Nothing crazy and pretty lack luster for a size 2 compared to what was released in the past. Maybe run it as a 1 of to add more different Japanese Blades to the deck.

Bushiroad became generous with Japanese Blade and released two new cards in Overturn! Thunder Empire! They can finally dual weild! Exquisite Sword, Crane Princess is Blade Beast of Sixteenth Night, Crane Princess Ichimonji's items.

It can only be equipped if there is a Blade Beast on the field. This implies it must be a monster and not one of the items since none of the items have the Blade Beast attribute. It costs 1 gauge and allows another Japanese Blade item other than itself to be equipped. The downside is it's barely an aggressive card but it does help as a nice beat stick item.

The other card of the set is the blade beast for Water Slash Sword, Murasame. White Dew Blade Beast, Murasamemaru is a size 0 and free to call. Its ability is pretty expensive. When it attacks, you may equip a Japanese Blade item from drop and pay 1 life a long with the item's eqiup cost and if you do, you equip it. It's a nice way to extend the battle phase but I've never been able to make him work correctly in Japanese Blade. He's always felt a little clunky and it's potentially an expensive ability.

Same. But different.

At the end of turn, he also destroys himself which is unfortunate. I wish if he had to destroy himself, it was after battle so he could fit better in the middle of the board then when he dies, it would open the center for the items. As it stands, he has to still be on the left or right.

Driven to Disorder gave Japanese Blade gave us only 1 new card again (I hope you can sense the disappointment in my voice). Famous Blade, Kogane-chidori costs 2 gauge to equip. Its damage cannot be reduced which is... nice I guess.

Its second ability activates when you cast a spell. The player gains a gauge and for the turn, the item gains double attack and it's once per turn. After much testing, the two gauge equip cost really hurts this card. Japanese Blade monsters are pretty expensive gauge-wise. This doesn't leave much room for Kogane-Chidori to freely be played without some prior set up with Clear Serenity (or other gauge gain cards) which means his second ability is harder to activate because that's one less spell in your hand.

One minor thing I wanted to take note is that with Kogane-chidori being the first (and so far only) Thunder Empire Katana World item, it means that Batzz Stone, Pyroxene of the Thunder Empire could finally be used in Japanese Blade but I would highly advise against using it.

Buddyfight X2

Voice of the Blade was released in Buddy Legends. It is the second spell with the Japanese Blade attribute. It is a set spell that helps mitigate one of Japanese Blade's biggest weaknesses by making the gauge cost of Blade Beast (not Japanese Blades) reduced by one.

It's act is once per turn. It has the player discard a Japanese Blade from hand and if you do, you look at the top 3 cards of your deck and add up to two Japanese Blade from among them to hand. This ability really helped with the inconsistency of the deck and helped set up the drop zone.

Buddyfight Ace

Last new support was in Buddy Lineage. Purple Electric Flash, Mikazuki Munechika. Mikazuki's new form helps push the aggro the deck needed. At the beginning of the attack phase, if there's three or more different Japanese Blade in drop, all Japanese Blade get double attack and penetrate. Then, if there's five or more, for the turn, all Japanese Blade get 5,000 power and 2 critical. Keep in mind this lingers for the whole turn so even new cards called during the battle phase from Murasamemaru get these abilities.

~Last updated 7/21/2019