game
icon
title The Last Blade / Bakumatsu Roman - Gekka no Kenshi (set 1)
set name lastblad
manufacturer SNK
year 1997
genre Fighter (hof)
category Fighter / Versus (hof)
driver status good
driver source neodrvr.c
snapshots PS: in game | title | select | scores | gameover / MW: in game / CT: in game | title ( 1 ) | select | wallpaper | BIOS / Mr. Do: artwork / EJ: in game / artwork: flyer | cabinet | marquee
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rating

79.3% after 401 votes
 
BIOS neogeo
clones The Last Blade / Bakumatsu Roman - Gekka no Kenshi (set 2)
The Last Soldier (Korean release of The Last Blade)
display
colour emulation good
palette 0
display type raster
orientation horizontal
resolution 320x224
frequency 59.185606Hz
sound
sound emulation good
channels stereo
controls
players 2
nplayers 2P sim
controls 8 way joystick
buttons 4
coin slots 2
hardware
cpu 68000 @ 12MHz
cpu Z80 @ 4MHz
audio YM2610 @ 8MHz
data
version added .068
last change(s) .112u3 .109 .079u2 .059
roms
name size crc set flags sha1
sp-s2.sp1  131072  9036d879  neogeo    4f5ed7105b7128794654ce82b51723e16e389543 
sp-s.sp1  131072  c7f2fa45  neogeo    09576ff20b4d6b365e78e6a5698ea450262697cd 
usa_2slt.bin  131072  e72943de  neogeo    5c6bba07d2ec8ac95776aa3511109f5e1e2e92eb 
sp-e.sp1  131072  2723a5b5  neogeo    5dbff7531cf04886cde3ef022fb5ca687573dcb8 
asia-s3.rom  131072  91b64be3  neogeo    720a3e20d26818632aedf2c2fd16c54f213543e1 
vs-bios.rom  131072  f0e8f27d  neogeo    ecf01eda815909f1facec62abf3594eaa8d11075 
sp-j2.sp1  131072  acede59c  neogeo    b6f97acd282fd7e94d9426078a90f059b5e9dd91 
sp1.jipan.1024  131072  9fb0abe4  neogeo    18a987ce2229df79a8cf6a84f968f0e42ce4e59d 
sp-45.sp1  524288  03cc9f6a  neogeo    cdf1f49e3ff2bac528c21ed28449cf35b7957dc1 
sp-1v1_3db8c.bin  131072  162f0ebe  neogeo    fe1c6dd3dfcf97d960065b1bb46c1e11cb7bf271 
uni-bios_2_3.rom  131072  27664eb5  neogeo    5b02900a3ccf3df168bdcfc98458136fd2b92ac0 
uni-bios_2_3o.rom  131072  601720ae  neogeo    1b8a72c720cdb5ee3f1d735bbcf447b09204b8d9 
uni-bios_2_2.rom  131072  2d50996a  neogeo    5241a4fb0c63b1a23fd1da8efa9c9a9bd3b4279c 
uni-bios_2_1.rom  131072  8dabf76b  neogeo    c23732c4491d966cf0373c65c83c7a4e88f0082c 
uni-bios_2_0.rom  131072  0c12c2ad  neogeo    37bcd4d30f3892078b46841d895a6eff16dc921e 
uni-bios_1_3.rom  131072  b24b44a0  neogeo    eca8851d30557b97c309a0d9f4a9d20e5b14af4e 
uni-bios_1_2.rom  131072  4fa698e9  neogeo    682e13ec1c42beaa2d04473967840c88fd52c75a 
uni-bios_1_2o.rom  131072  e19d3ce9  neogeo    af88ef837f44a3af2d7144bb46a37c8512b67770 
uni-bios_1_1.rom  131072  5dda0d84  neogeo    4153d533c02926a2577e49c32657214781ff29b7 
uni-bios_1_0.rom  131072  0ce453a0  neogeo    3b4c0cd26c176fc6b26c3a2f95143dd478f6abf9 
234-p1.bin  1048576  e123a5a3  lastblad    a3ddabc00feeb54272b145246612ad4632b0e413 
234-p2.bin  4194304  0fdc289e  lastblad    1ff31c0b0f4f9ddbedaf4bcf927faaae81892ec7 
234-s1.bin  131072  95561412  lastblad    995de272f572fd08d909d3d0af4251b9957b3640 
sfix.sfix  131072  c2ea0cfd  neogeo    fd4a618cdcdbf849374f0a50dd8efe9dbab706c3 
000-lo.lo  131072  5a86cff2  neogeo    5992277debadeb64d1c1c64b0a92d9293eaf7e4a 
sm1.sm1  131072  94416d67  neogeo    42f9d7ddd6c0931fd64226a60dc73602b2819dcf 
234-m1.bin  131072  087628ea  lastblad    48dcf739bb16699af4ab8ed632b7dcb25e470e06 
234-v1.bin  4194304  ed66b76f  lastblad    8a05ff06d9b6f01c6c16b3026282eaabb0e25b44 
234-v2.bin  4194304  a0e7f6e2  lastblad    753ff74fa9294f695aae511ae01ead119b114a57 
234-v3.bin  4194304  a506e1e2  lastblad    b3e04ba1a5cb50b77c6fbe9fe353b9b64b6f3f74 
234-v4.bin  4194304  0e34157f  lastblad    20a1f4833e5e29ba0073c1712d7a17ab7a2a035c 
234-c1.bin  8388608  9f7e2bd3  lastblad    2828aca0c0f5802110f10453c1cf640f69736554 
234-c2.bin  8388608  80623d3c  lastblad    ad460615115ec8fb25206f012da59ecfc8059b64 
234-c3.bin  8388608  91ab1a30  lastblad    e3cf9133784bef2c8f1bfe45f277ccf82cc6f6a1 
234-c4.bin  8388608  3d60b037  lastblad    78a50233bcd19e92c7b6f7ee1a53417d9db21f6a 
234-c5.bin  4194304  1ba80cee  lastblad    0c59057183b5279b747e73213b4cd3c6d7ad9eb1 
234-c6.bin  4194304  beafd091  lastblad    55df9cc128eb0f00856de3996c946e3efe8f09a5 
additional information
info 0.34b7 [Santeri Saarimaa]

Neo-Geo (Artwork available)

WIP:
  • 0.136u4: Changed description to 'The Last Blade / Bakumatsu Roman'.
  • 0.129u4: Renamed (lastbldh) to (lastbladh).
  • 0.125u5: Johnboy renamed clone lastsold p1 to correct chip label 134-p1k.
  • 0.112u3: Renamed (lastblad) to (lastbldh) and (lastblda) to (lastblad).
  • 0.104u8: Changed clone description to 'The Last Soldier (Korean release of The Last Blade)'.
  • 0.104u5: Razoola and Haze added clone The Last Solider (Korean release of The Last Blade).
  • 10th October 2005: Guru - The Last Soldier (Korean version of The Last Blade - MVS cart) arrived. Thanks to our new Korean contact.
  • 0.79u2: Added new gfx3 roms ($2000000/1).
  • 0.69: Changed description to 'Last Blade / Bakumatsu Roman - Gekka no Kenshi, The'.
  • 0.68: Razoola added clone The Last Blade / Bakumatsu Roman - Gekkano Kenshi (set 2).
  • 30th September 2005: Dumping Project - Our Korean contact has bought The Last Soldier (Korea) at a Korean shop.
  • 0.35b12: Changed description to 'The Last Blade / Gekkano Kenshi - Bakumatsu Roman'.
  • 0.34RC2: Added new cpu2 rom.
  • 0.34b7: Added Last Blade / Gekka No Kenshi (SNK 1997).
LEVELS: 10

Other Emulators:
  • Calice
  • Kawaks
  • Nebula
Romset: 62720 kb / 14 files / 25.1 zip
history The Last Blade (c) 1997 SNK.


Japanese weapons-based fighter featuring beautiful artwork and sound. Twelve selectable characters and two end bosses.


- TECHNICAL -


SNK Neo-Geo MVS hardware

Game ID : 0234


Main CPU : 68000

Sound CPU : Z80

Sound Chips : YM2610


Screen orientation : Horizontal

Video resolution : 320 x 224 pixels

Screen refresh : 59.19 Hz

Palette colors : 4096


Players : 2

Control : 8-way joystick

Buttons : 4

=> [A] Weak slash, [B] Strong slash, [C] Kick, [D] Repel


- TRIVIA -


Released in November 1997.


This game is known in Japan as "Bakumatsu Roman - Gekka no Kenshi" (translates from Japanese as 'Bakumatsu Romance - Swordsman In The Moonlight'), and in Korea as "The Last Soldier".


Parts of Gekka no Kenshi was based off of the manga 'Rurouni Kenshin'.


The Bakumatsu period of Japan (1860-1899) represents the opening of Japanese ports to foreigners. The Last Blade is set during this time period and you can see Europeans in some backgrounds, as well as some European dress influences on some characters.


This game has a lot to do with Japanese religion. In what little understanding of Japanese culture, there are four gods in Japanese mythology : Seiryuu (blue dragon), Suzaku (red phoenix), Byakko (white tiger) and Genbu. Each god is associated with a direction : Byakko with west, Seiryuu with east, Genbu with north and Suzaku in the south. The four gods also seem to be portrayed in an identical manner : Suzaku is often seen as a renegade of sorts, Genbu is often wise, Byakko seems to be strong and Seiryuu seems to be the role of the protagonist. To this end, the four characters that are avatars to these gods in Gekka no Kenshi (Kaede, Okina, Shigen and Kagami) seem to fit the gods themselves to a tee (Kaede to Seiryuu, Okina to Genbu, Shigen to Byakko and Kagami to Suzaku). However, there may be one (unintentional) reference to the entire fighting game itself. These four characters may very well represent the four popular styles of characters found in nearly fighting game :

Kaede is a Shotokan-style character. This type of character, of course, is the earliest type of fighting game character (as early fighting games always had the protagonist be proficient in some form of karate). However, ever since the release of "Street Fighter II - The World Warrior", a Shoto-character refers to a character with similar moves to that of Ryu and Ken from that game, or more specifically, a character with a projectile and a built upper. Kaede fits this property well : his Ittou Hayate is a projectile (much like Ryu's Hadou Ken) and his Ittou Kuuga is a built upper (like Ken's Shoryuu Ken). Of course, Kaede may also be a nod to that of SNK's first fighting game protagonist (Terry Bogard) as well : his Kasshin Fukuryuu super is in the style of Terry's Power Geyser. To this day, many fighting game characters are known as Shoto characters - their simplicity can't be beat.

Shigen is a large character. Large characters come generally in two flavors : the power character and the grappler (Shigen himself is a mix of both). Power characters generally don't move much but deal lots of damage per hit. Grapplers are those whose special moves are mainly throws. These characters tend to last longer because of their size, but have a weakness that they have either short range or are slow (or, in the case of some characters, overly complicated moves).

Okina may be described as a turtler. This may seem like an inside joke (Okina, in his profile, refers to his family as a bunch of turtles), but it sometimes make sense.

Jokes aside, turtlers are not exactly a type of character, but a type of player. That is, a turtler is a player who tend to block attacks a lot.

Charge characters (i.e. those whose repertoire of moves are mainly charge moves) generally fall into this category, as it is often that they need to remain in a blocking position in order to get their charges and counterattack.

Over the years, there have been many incentives to stray away from this style (as well as derivatives thereof, such as ticking), such as guard breaks, overheads, low attacks, shorter charges and unblockable moves.

Granted, the turtler is not as big as a factor as it used to be (the most popular character in "Street Fighter II - The World Warrior" was Guile because of his turtling and ticking abilities), but Okina's reference to turtles remains.

Kagami, of course, continues SNK's tradition of making cheap-ass characters for final bosses.


Akari and Juzoh are the comedic relief characters in the Gekka series : Juzoh is seen in Akari's stage if Akari is fighting (and obviously, if Akari is not fighting Juzoh). Likewise, Akari can be seen in Juzoh's stage if Juzoh is fighting (and if Juzoh isn't fighting against Akari).


Soundtrack releases :

Bakumatsu Roman - Gekka no Kenshi / SNK Shinsekai Gakkyoku Zatsugidan - Pony Canyon / Scitron - PCCB-00287 - Dec 17, 1997


- TIPS AND TRICKS -


* Play As Musashi : at the character selection screen, press C(x6), B(x3) and C(x4). You must input the correct button sequence in LESS THAN FOUR SECONDS!


* Time Attack Mode : insert a coin, hold A+B+C+D and press Start.


* Alternate Costume Colors : press Start when selecting a fighter at the character selection screen.


- SERIES -
  1. The Last Blade (1997)
  2. The Last Blade 2 (1998)
  3. - STAFF -
    • Executive producer : H. Matsumoto
    • Producer : Akira G.
    • Director : Kim-Ken, Wakama2, Swery 65%
    • * Front Designers :
    • Kaede : Tony Oki, Sumicho, Y. Kashiba, Okame Kiyoshi
    • Amano : Rolly (R)
    • Moriya : Heitarou
    • Musashi : Ponta
    • Yuki : (c)Fukatsu
    • Akari : Pinkey
    • Okina : Horipu-, Gowada", Ichikawa
    • Shigen : Terarin.
    • Juroh : S. Reiko
    • Shikyoh : Shige
    • Washiruka : H. Taniguchi
    • Zantetsu : S. Sasada
    • Kagami : Ishii303#
    • Lee : Yuko
    • * Back Designers :
    • Juroh Stage, Washizuka Stage : Take Pyon
    • Lee Stage, Kagami Stage : Muramama
    • Yuki Stage, Shikyo Stage : Daisuke
    • Moriya Stage, Zantetsu Stage : Eiko
    • Kaede Stage, Akari Stage : Wadamo
    • Amano Stage, Shigen Stage : Hidena J
    • Okina Stage, Musashi Stage : Simiji
    • Sound : Yassun, Tate Norio, Brother Hige, Zoe, Okan
    • Tool staff : K. Miyazaki, M. Hashimoto, O. Daimon, T. Kanehiro, K. Hamamoto
    • Adjusters : Kiyoshi Asai, Game King, M-Panic!
    • Programmers : Yuritaro, Hiropon-MK2, Naoyan
    • * Demo Section :
    • Direction : Swery 100%
    • Graphics : Wadamo
    • Programming : Naoyan
    • * Voice Actors :
    • Musashi Akatsuki : Franky Nakamura
    • Hyo Amano : Akio Ohtsuka
    • Genbu no Okina : Shigehumi Nakai
    • Akari Ichijou : Mayuko Omimura
    • Kaede : Kouji Suizu
    • Shinnosuke Kagami : Makoto Awane
    • Juzoh Kanzaki : Taison Ohya
    • Lee Rekka : Jun Hashimoto
    • Moriya Minakata : Jun Hashimoto
    • Shigen Naoe : Enma Ito
    • Shikyoh : Monster Maetsuka
    • Keiichiro Washizuka : Katsuyuki Konishi
    • Yuki : Hazuki Nishikawa
    • Zantetsu : Ohtomo Ryuzaburo
    • - PORTS -
    • * Consoles :
    • SNK Neo-Geo CD (1998)
    • Sony PlayStation (1999)
    • SNK Neo-Geo Pocket Color (2000)
    • Sony PlayStation 2 (2005, "NeoGeo Online Collection Vol. 2 : Last Blade 1 & 2")
    • * Computers :
    • PC (2000)
    • - SOURCES -
    • Game's rom.
    • Machine's picture.
    • Edit this entry at Arcade-History.com: http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=the-last-blade&page=detail&id=1355&o=2
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