Masamune video game weapon - Depictions in the Chrono series - Encyclopedia II

The Masamune plays a much larger role in the Chrono series (Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross). It first appears in Chrono Trigger as the legendary holy sword forged by Melchior. Unlike other Squaresoft games, the Masamune is more of a broadsword than a katana. Two spirits known as Masa and Mune (who inhabit the sword) guard it. After Crono, Marle, and Lucca successfully pass Masa and Mune's test, they are given the sword. It is then discovered that the sword is broken and needs to be reforged. After acquiring Dreamstone from the distant past, they bring the sword and stone to Melchior to have it reforged. The process is successful and the sword is presented to Glenn (Frog) to allow him to defeat the dark wizard Magus. After the events of Chrono Trigger, the Masamune is lost during the fall of the Kingdom of Guardia.

The sword reappears in Chrono Cross as "the Blood-Stained Sword of Evil." Something has happened that has changed the Masamune from a holy sword to an evil one. It most likely occurred as a consequence of the fall of Guardia (the sword is shown covered in blood during the specially added FMV sequence at the end of the PlayStation version of Chrono Trigger). Now the sword draws out the darkest desires and emotions of the wielder until the feelings overwhelm him and he acts upon them. For example: if the wielder feels extreme jealousy, he will kill the object of this feeling. This happens to Radius in Chrono Cross when he kills his best friend Garai (who is the greatest swordsman). Eventually, Serge and his friends succeed in purging the evil from the sword (in a side-quest). Masa and Mune then "wake up" and do not realize what has happened to them and the sword. They then are reunited with their sister Doreen who joins with them to form the Mastermune, a paddle-shaped bladed weapon, which is arguably Serge's most powerful weapon.

The reason the sword appears as a broadsword, rather than as a katana like its Final Fantasy counterparts is that the name of the weapon in the English version is different from its Japanese counterpart, and it was never intended to be the Masamune at all. The original name of the sword in the Japanese version is "Grandleon." Similarly, the Mastermune was originally named the "Grandream."

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Depictions in the Chrono series", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page