Genji Blade (Final Fantasy XV)

Genji Blade is a katana in Final Fantasy XV that for gameplay purposes is classified as a greatsword. It has a long decorated blade and its handle is wrapped in maroon leather. A golden insignia of the Crownsguard is attached to the hilt with a bead chain. While a powerful weapon in its own right, it has sentimental value to its wielders.
Genji equipment is a recurring equipment type in the Final Fantasy series commonly associated with Gilgamesh.
==Story==
The Genji Blade is a katana that belonged to the 15-year-old Cor Leonis of the Crownsguard, the royal guard of Lucis. Katana are not weapons native to Lucis,<ref> and the Genji Blade is said to have been forged in a foreign land. Cor is the only Lucian known to exclusively wield katanas, and he took the weapon with him to partake in the trial of Gilgamesh. Though he lost Cor managed to cut off the arm of the Blademaster during their duel and Gilgamesh kept Cor's katana. Cor deemed the weapon lost and nowadays wields the Kotetsu and Kikuichimonji, blades decorated with cherry blossom motifs rather than the Crownsguard insignia despite Cor now being the marshal.
When Gladiolus Amicitia enters the Tempering Grounds to take on Gilgamesh's trial he runs into the Blademaster who brandishes Cor's old katana, though Gladiolus is at first unaware of the weapon's origins. Gilgamesh uses the Genji Blade during the second half of the final trial, recreating a ghostly arm to replace the one he had lost to Cor to wield it, and manifesting a second fiery copy of it to perform Dual Master. After losing, Gilgamesh bequeaths Gladiolus the katana, explaining its origins. Gladiolus notices the golden Crownsguard emblem hanging from its hilt, recognizing it as Cor's weapon. He hesitates accepting the gift, but Gilgamesh assures the blade's original wielder would no longer care who has it. As Gladiolus meets up with Cor outside he indirectly passes on the Blademaster's praise to the marshal.
Gladiolus learns Dual Master as his final Glaive Art, seemingly having copied it from Gilgamesh, where he dual-wields his equipped greatsword with the Genji Blade. He uses the technique during the battle against The Fierce (in the Windows and Royal Editions) at the Citadel to strike the final blow against him.
==Gameplay==
Genji Blade can be equipped by Noctis and Gladiolus. It is added to all save files after the player completes "Final Fantasy XV: Episode Gladiolus", and will be present in New Game files as well, giving the player a powerful weapon since the start. Gladiolus uses it when performing Dual Master, and even wields two copies of it if he already had the Genji Blade equipped.
==Behind the scenes==
If Gladiolus has the Genji Blade equipped in Chapter 14, he will summon a second copy of it to his other hand for his finishing blow against the Fierce in the Windows and Royal Editions. This is him using Dual Master in a cut scene, and the same thing happens when the player uses Dual Master when playing as him. During the final phase of the battle against Gilgamesh in "Episode Gladiolus", Gilgamesh likewise manifests another Genji Blade when he uses Dual Master (the weapon he manifests is made of fire and thus lacks detail, but appears to use the same model as the Genji Blade as base).
The other wieldable katana in Final Fantasy XV are the Masamune and Dodanuki DLC weapons and the Katana of the Warrior royal arm. Befitting katana's image as a foreign weapon, the Katana of the Warrior is the only royal arm entombed outside Lucis, Masamune is said to be "a relic from a faraway land", and the Dodanuki is said to have been "crafted by a bladesmith from a foreign land". Though katana are said to be weapons foreign to Lucis, a captain in the Royal Guard of Lucis is seen wielding one in "Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ardyn".
==Gallery==
Episode-Gladiolus-Gilgamesh-Sword-DLC-FFXV.png|Genji Blade behind Gladiolus.
Genji-Blade-Crownsguard-Emblem-FFXV.png
Gilgamesh-FFXV.png
==Etymology==
Echoing the context of the story of Final Fantasy XV, genji is also used as a nickname within Japan for young males of prestige, profession, and talent whose careers often see them travel, having been inspired by the history of Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
==Citations==
ru:Катана Гендзи (Final Fantasy XV)
Category:Final Fantasy XV
Category:Greatswords