Buster Sword
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Buster Sword | |
|---|---|
 3D render of the Buster Sword | |
| Publisher | Square Enix |
| First appearance | Final Fantasy VII (1997) |
| Created by | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Genre | role-playing game |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | Broadsword |
The Buster Sword (Japanese: バスターソード, Hepburn: Basutā Sōdo) is a fictional weapon, first introduced in the 1997 role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. A massive broadsword, the weapon is the intial item that protagonists Cloud Strife wields in combat. The weapon is also present in Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth as well as multiple crossovers Square Enix has made its Final Fantasy games and Kingdom Hearts. The prequel Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII explores the previous users the weapon had including Angeal and Zack Fair. In Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, Cloud no longer uses the Buster Sword but instead its successor the Fusion Sword.
The Buster Sword was designed by Tetsuya Nomura though the size of the weapon changed in the making of the game. For the remake games, Square Enix considered altering the weapon to be more realistic but the staff feared negative feedback over it and kept its original form. The Buster Sword has been recognized as one of the best types of weaponry in gaming due its simplistic design and outstanding are Cloud's skills when using it. Meanwhile, the lore explored in Crisis Core for praised for bringing depths to the famous weapon.
Early renditions of Cloud's weapon, the Buster Sword, depicted a smaller, thinner blade.[1] Variations included additions such as a small chain connected to the pommel, magnets securing the blade to Cloud's back,[2] and a more detailed design resembling a "Western-style sword".[3] The Buster Sword's blade grew in subsequent illustrations,[4] and Nomura called it "the Giant Kitchen Knife", envisioning it as unrefined steel.[4] Despite the blade's size, Cloud stands out for wielding in fast fashion which became iconic for both weapon and character, leading the staff members to avoid chaing parts for the remakes.[5] In order to make Cloud's movements fit the Buster Sword, Character Modelling Director Masaaki Kazeno took notes from dancers.[6] The narrative crated in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy was further expanded through trading card games the company created to show the important parallels created between Angeal, Zack and Cloud as the three wield the same weapon embodying their dreams and hopes.[7] For both Remake and Crisis Core Reunion, the Buster Sword's design has been sightly altered; In Crisis Core, the weapon is based on the Advent Children whereas the remaster Reunion is based on the Remake look.[8] Nomura redesigned Cloud for his appearance in Kingdom Hearts. The Buster Sword's blade is wrapped in bandages.[9]
Cloud's weaponry was based on the joking observation that because his sword in the original game was already enormously tall, in the sequel, he should use sheer numbers.[10] Referred to as "The Fusion Swords" (合体剣, Gattai Ken) during the film's development,[11] early storyboard concepts included Cloud carrying six swords on his back,[10] although the idea was later modified to six interlocking swords. While the idea was not "logically thought out" and the staff did not think that they could "make it work physically", it was believed to provide "an interesting accent to the story".[12]
