Talk:Buster sword

Buster Sword
Was a "Buster sword" an actual documented midevial weapon, or is it something just found in modern fantasy and video games? Wondering simply, -- Infrogmation 05:53, 6 Oct 2003 (UTC)

Heck no. It's purely a creation of SquareSoft. -- thepsudo (at) gmail.com


 * [Its debatable whether it is purely a creation of SquareSoft, since similar swords appear in at least one Manga/Anime series published around 8 years prior...]
 * --AntelopeInSearchOfTruth [6:34 pm (Pacific Time), Nov 4th 2005]


 * fails the Google test. Let's see if we can get some fact-checking on this. Fernando Rizo 04:07, 21 Feb 2005 (UTC)

If you want to get technical...
...Sword history is filled with weapons that are typically 'too difficult to wield' or 'Could not realistically be used.' I'll give two direct examples that completely nullify this article.

-The Zweihander is a sword of German design that had a four to five foot blade and a one to one and a half foot hilt. This made for a sword roughly on scale with the 'Buster sword.' It was used mostly as a shock weapon and the shorter versions (relatively speaking - We're still talking a five foot blade here.) were successfully employed 'busting' enemy formations, mainly pikemen.

-The zanbatou or zhanmadao is a rediculously large sword created by the Japanese. It only saw use for a short period, but they were often so large it took two people to properly wield them. Proper usage was, again, 'busting' up enemy formations, as well as what gave them their name. Zanbatou is translated as 'Horse-slaying sword' and they were also often used to fight cavalrymen by simply cutting their horses out from under them. They only saw combat usage for a short time, but when used correctly they were effective weapons.

Infrogmation, the/a 'Buster Sword' isn't actually a historical weapon, though after Final Fantasy 7 was released many people began using the phrase to refer to any large sword whose main use was breaking up enemy formations. Drago 07:11, May 13, 2005 (UTC)

do you think aluminum can hold a decent edge? maybe it could be useable in rl if made of that. or perhaps build the body of aluminum and then bond something else that could hold an edge to it. like titanium perhaps?

My friend said something like that the other day, but he said 'If it's made out of aluminium Cloud could hold it', to which I replied: 'Aluminium against steel isn't very effective' - Mike Towns

I'm not a chemist, but what about scandium or a scandium/aluminum mix ? Its used in baseball bats etc. Seems to be a little tougher than simply aluminum.

no the buster sword would be a real sword because it's a sesored name it's real name is bastared sword —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.179.156.155 (talk) 12:31, 1 June 2008 (UTC)

You do know that the zweihander along with most such European two-handed swords was used more as a kinda spear than anything else. Hence why most of em have the first third or so of the blade made safe, so as it's weilder can grip the blade there and use it as extra purchase for thrusting. And I really don't know what Buster Sword is doing in the European Swords section at all...

This is true - Perhaps the zweihander was a bad choice, since the blades are narrow and thin to enable their use as spears. And while I will admit no swords as extremely large as the Buster Sword used in Final Fantasy 7 were anything more than decorations, I will still maintain that blades roughly on scale were used. There were zhanmadao made so large that it took two men to effectively wield them, and they were used if rarely. I also maintain this article should be reworked, since the one who made it seemed more interested in disproving the concept than giving information on it. Drago 07:19, Jun 3, 2005 (UTC)

Drago: In its original form, the article was credulous and unencylopedic; check the history to see for yourself. It's certainly not perfect now, but it's significantly better than it was. Fernando Rizo 03:41, 19 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Buster Sword / Bastard Sword?
I've heard (possibly erroneous) reports that the Buster Sword is a either a mistranslation or a approximation of the term bastard-sword. There do seem to be a number of similarities: both are reasonably large blades, but are frequently wielded in one hand, and seem to incorporate elements of arming swords and great swords. But this field isn't really my forte, so I was wondering if any more experienced sword connosieurs (or, alternatively, people with a stronger grasp of the Japanese language than myself) had any comments on this? – Seancdaug 04:23, Jun 19, 2005 (UTC)
 * "Buster Sword" is 100% correct. The katakana is バスターソード, or Basutā Sōdo. -Reichu 03:50, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

"Real life" buster sword
I've removed this statement added byHarpalus:"Real-life versions of this sword have proved to be surprisingly usable. However, being 13 pounds, the sword in question is hardly an effective weapon in comparison to other swords." The link that Harpalus added was to a replica sword company that would supply you with a buster sword 49" long and 5" across the blade; hardly large enough to qualify as a "real life" buster sword. Fernando Rizo 22:33, 18 July 2005 (UTC)

Instead of removing the reference then, alter it. The dimensions of the buster sword aren't known, and that is the closest sword I have seen.

Harpalus

This already existing paragraph duplicated much of the information that you had added (and even had the same link you put it), so I've amended it with your statement about the weapon's usability. Fernando Rizo 00:03, 19 July 2005 (UTC)
 * The problem, Harpalus, is that the statement isn't objective either. What exactly does "surprisingly usable" mean? I really don't think that it adds any valuable information to the article. If you insist on it being in the article in some form or another then amend it so that is reads more professionally and objectively. I'll give it an edit, and you can see what you think. Fernando Rizo 23:59, 18 July 2005 (UTC)
 * I've added the bold phrase to the article: ''Its exact dimensions are not revealed, but judging from its relative size it must be over a foot in width, at least six feet in length, and several inches deep. A "half-sized" steel replica weighs thirteen pounds (6 kg), and has a three-foot (1 m) blade. It is terribly unbalanced, and a real-life full sized version would weigh approximately 104 lb (47 kg). Such a weapon would be egregiously impractical in real life. Some other owners have said the replica handles well for a weapon of its weight.

Just an observation, but the Buster Sword is somewhat reminescent of a gigantic Bowie Knife. ~ Lord Sephiroth

Reasons for edits
I changed the language a bit at the beginning because it is arguable that at least one "buster sword" (or a sword very much like it) appeared years earlier in the Manga/Anime Berserk (first published in 1989) [1]. Also added a bit at the end regarding this.

But those changes are mostly relevant IF this article's classification as a "fictional sword" article is important. If the focus is supposed to be on Final Fantasy, then only the changes at the end are possibly relevant.

(Sorry, was logged off when changes made..... trying to get off the computer.....  argh)

--AntelopeInSearchOfTruth [6:34 pm (Pacific Time), Nov 4th 2005]


 * Link to site with copyright-infringing material removed, per External links #1. —TangentCube, Dialogues 09:25, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

Earlier Appearance
Final Fantasy VII was not the first game to feature a "buster sword." Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals, released one year prior, had one. The description reads "A sword you grasp with both hands."

Shining Force II also had a "buster sword" in it, as well as a "buster shot" (a ranged weapon of some sort). No suggestion that it was particularly gigantic, though. This predates Lufia II by two years. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.182.112.137 (talk) 05:17, 24 June 2019 (UTC)