Creator on what inspired Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Muramasa: The Demon Blade was one of the most visually striking games on Wii. The action game possessed a unique style, and was heavily based in Japanese mythology.
Glixel recently caught up with Muramasa’s creator, George Kamitani, as part of an interview opportunity. When asked about what inspired the title, he explained:
“I had consecutively done fantasy titles so I wanted to do something different. The concept for Muramasa: The Demon Blade came from the idea of presenting a ‘ninja Princess Crown’ concept to the person who created the arcade game Ninja Princess at Sega. The story for Odin Sphere was inspired by Shakespearean theatre so if I was going to make a Japanese version, I felt that the setting should be inspired by kabuki, so I collected a lot of kabuki scripts. I also referenced a lot of Japanese classical literature, but the old language was very difficult. And I was somewhat nervous to use Japanese mythology, so there’s more Buddhist theology in the game.
Visually, I was influenced by block prints from the Edo period, and I imitated the ink-wash painting style using bright, vibrant colors. I was also influenced by the classic Manga Nippon Mukashi Banashi anime where there’s a certain comical element to the background. I tried to create an authentic environment that’s different from a realistic style.”
After releasing on Wii many years ago, Muramasa: The Demon Blade came to the Japanese Wii U eShop in 2015. Unfortunately, it’s still not out in the west.
