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Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Thou Have Learnt To Slash With Your Sord – Let's Play Kenseiden!

MagicPokey Plays - Kenseiden

Thanks for joining me on MagicPokey Plays Kenseiden, a Screenshot Let's Play where I aim to go into detail about a great video game you've probably never heard of before!

I can hear you asking: "But Kenseiden is a Castlevania clone with almost zero dialogue! Why not make this a video LP instead of screenshot?" Well, two reasons really. One: Because I am not nearly as entertaining off the cuff as I am when I have time to write stuff down. And Two: Almost everything in this game is inspired by a real place in Japan or a Japanese mythological creature, and I feel that screenshots allow more space to talk about the designs/inspirations for the rather unique enemies and elements of this awesome game

Here is how this is going to work for those of you who have never participated in an LP thread before: I will post regular (I'm shooting for 2-3 a week, no promises) updates about the game, providing commentary and information that I find interesting. You can talk about whatever you like (though, do at least make an effort to keep things slightly on topic) in the thread. I only ask that if you know this game, then please try to keep away from spoilers. Some of this games' charm comes from surprising you with new enemies and the like. If you MUST talk about something that hasn't been shown during an update yet, please use the spoiler tags. Do try to minimize this, however, we don't want this thread to end up looking like a classified CIA document.

Audience participation for this one is going to, sadly, be limited given the abreviated nature of the game itself, and the fact that I mean to show you every inch of the game world. That being said: art, fanfiction, anything creative you want to contribute is welcome! I aim for this to be a celebration of an obscure game that I loved as a kid!

This post will be updated with links to each update as the LP progresses, you can find the updates in the Contents below.

So, let's get started!

First things first, I need to take a minor detour and talk about the Sega Master System (SMS).



The Master System was Sega's answer to the Nintendo Entertainment System. Compared to the NES, the SMS was faster, more powerful, capable of better graphics & sound, and sold like month-old milk. I think, at their peak, Sega had a whopping 8% share of the home console market in North America. Over the course of its lifetime, the Master System sold a grand total of 2 million units. Compare that to Sega's closest competitor at the time, the Nintendo Entertainment System which sold over 62 million units. Why do I bring all this up? Because I owned a Master System as a kid.

That's right, during the Console Wars I was a devoted Sega kid. I had a Master System, then a Genesis with the 32x and SegaCD naturally (and yes, I still have it, and I have a copy of Penn and Teller: Smoke and Mirrors, the infamous disc that contains Desert Bus). I even own a Saturn and Dreamcast. Until I was in my 20s, I only ever played Nintendo at friends houses. My love of video games is firmly rooted in my nostalgia for those halcyon days when I was young and didn't know any better! While most of you were playing Mario, I was playing Alex Kidd. While you were playing Zelda, I was playing Golvellius. And while you played Castlevania, I played Kenseiden.



Kenseiden – Developed in 1988 by Sega for their Master System - could easily be described as “Castlevania, but for Sega”. Take the horror theme, the punishing difficulty, and the platforming action of Castlevania and swap out all the Universal Monsters for Japanese Yokai (demons) and you have Kenseiden. The game never sold all that well (even for the SMS) but I own it, I love it, and I'm gonna take you through it in all its 8-bit glory!

By the way, a word about the title: Kenseiden literally translates to “Sword Saint Legend”. How awesome is that?

This game is chock full of interesting tidbits and enemies that all draw inspiration from Japanese Folklore and mythology, mostly from the Sengoku Jidai (or “Warring States”) period of Japanese history. I will bust out my writing chops and go into detail, sometimes even in character (in the form of fictional diary entries from Hayato, the protagonist of Kenseiden), when we come across each new enemy, location or other point of interest. Hopefully this will be informative while also providing a loose narrative, which is something Kenseiden is lacking on it's own.

**Note** This period of Japanese history is extremely interesting and well worth looking into! While this game definitely doesn't aim for too much historical accuracy, it is still a fascinating look into the mythology surrounding this crazy time. You should check Here (YouTube link) for more historical info from some guys who might be familiar to some of you. Well worth the time.

**Note-The-Second** I am an American. I am not a Japanese historian, and I do not speak Japanese very well. The information I am going to present here is from my own research, but I am not perfect. If any of you want to correct me on a translation or if I get a bit of mythology wrong, please feel free to share your insight!

**Note-Thirty-Three-&-1/3** Music. Kenseiden has AMAZING music! Making full use of the Master System advanced FM sound chip. Music will be embedded in the updates, where appropriate. I wound up using Tindeck, but if you have a better solution then I'm all ears. When you see a Tindeck link, you should click the music to listen while you read, because this is probably some of the best 8 bit chiptunes you will ever hear.

**Note-IV-A-New-Hope** Image quality. This OP and the first update were captured using different tools than I will be using going forward, meaning they are slightly horizontally stretched. This has been corrected and will not be an ongoing problem, I just really didn't feel like replaying the beginning of the game a FOURTH time to correct such a minor issue. Thanks go to the guys over in The Sandcastle for help getting my poo poo together!

So, with all that in mind, let's move on to The updates already!

Part One - In Medias Res (Scroll down, duh!)
Part Two - Gonna Paint Yer Wagon (Wheel)
Part Three - Getting Real Tonya Harding Up In Here
Part Four - An Arrow To The Knee (And Face, And Chest, And Groin...)
Part Five - Kidds Shouldn't Play Near Lava!
Part Six - Smashing Pumpkins

Bonus Update 1 - Regional Differences
...More Updates Coming Soon...

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 09:02 on Oct 1, 2016

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Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Part 1 - In Medias Res





Kenseiden takes place in 16th century Japan and has you take on the role of Hayato, a Wandering Samurai or Ronin.

Kenseiden Instruction Booklet posted:

The Place: 16th Century Japan. Evil warlocks have taken over your country. They've stolen the Sword of the Dragon king and the five Secret Scrolls from your family!

You are Hayato, a fearless Samurai Warrior. You must get back the sword and scrolls... and defeat the evil awaiting in the Black Castle!

It's more than a matter of honor. A country's fate depends on your success.
Depicted here is the game's take on a Japanese Warlock. Note the ceremonial samurai armor and sword. In the game proper the eyes and fire behind the figure glow with an ominous red light. Also making an appearance behind the Warlock is Wanyudo a pretty well known Yokai (Basically a Japanese demon, but not always evil) who we will be seeing later.

So. Let's press that Start Button!

The Diary of Hayato posted:

They have invaded my HOME! The foul Yokai, following the orders of their evil Warlock masters, have attacked my village and stolen my families' sacred Dragon Sword! The miserable demons also made off with several of our Hidensho, no doubt to wield these secret swordfighting techniques for themselves. THIS WILL NOT STAND! I am Hayato! and I WILL restore the honor of my family. Even if I have to journey into the heart of hell to do so!




We begin already in the poo poo no opening scene, no storyboards, it just dumps you right into the game from the word go. This is Hayato. He's cool. He starts the game knowing three basic sword attacks. A straight thrust, a low slash, and a crouching defensive posture that some enemies are stupid enough to walk into repeatedly unto death.

First off, I love the background! This game really shows off how vibrant and colorful the graphics could be on the Master System, while still keeping things dark and spooky. It looks like we are on the road on the outskirts of a traditional Japanese village, after the demon attack has left the place in ruins. Notice the bamboo forest in the background, the roadside lanterns and what, I think, is supposed to be a castle wall. The game doesn't tell you this until later, but this stage (and every other stage in the game) is supposed to represent one of the many Provinces of 16th century Japan. This stage is Higo Province which was located on Kyushu island in the south western corner of Japan.

You can see the stage name in the top right of the screen (along with my lives, score, and current health). So far, so standard. Though I do find it interesting that the American translation keeps the Japanese Kanji for stage names here and later in the map screen.

Nothing to do but press onward! As in most games of this generation, forward usually means left to right.



Running forward, Hayato meets the first enemy of the game, the Fire Demon.

The Diary of Hayato posted:


This Yokai, known to my family as The Fire Demon poses little threat to a trained Samurai. Usually appearing in groups of five, these Yokai swoop at their victim from above in a predictable arc. Menacing, but stupid and weak, one swing from my blade is enough to destroy entire swathes of this foul demon. This Yokai is nearly mindless, and it will even unthinkingly impale itself on my outstretched blade as it swoops towards me from above...
The Fire Demon is your standard flaming skull, floating lazily through the air. Probably based on the JanJanbi or Kechibi which are mythological Yokai classified as Kaika (Atmospheric Ghost Lights) and claimed to be the flaming souls of the recently dead. The Kechibi, especially, is said to be a fireball with a human face or skull inside.

This game is full of flavor home-runs like this. Since most of Japan has been overrun by warlocks and demons, there are bound to be A LOT of restless dead hanging around. And we will see MANY of these Fire Demons on our journey.



Moving on, we come across these blue Squat Bugs. These enemies also serve as the first clue that you can walk on top of the wall in the background (you can jump from the ground to the top of a lantern and then to the wall).

The Diary of Hayato posted:


This fast moving blue, insect-like demon is what my father called a Squat Bug. Small and easy to miss because of its speed, these yokai still pose little threat. Another mindless demon that will impale itself on a still blade without thinking...
Squat bugs will chase you down, and they move faster than you would think of a giant pill bug. Still, easily killed in one hit, and not very dangerous. probably based on the wingless larval form of the Cicada but that really is kind of a stretch. Though a later boss will probably support that theory.



A bit further on, we come across these guys. They don't show up in the manual and I always called them monkeys as a kid.

The Diary of Hayato posted:


The Monkey Demon is an insult to my heritage! To the locals, this bouncing menace is said to be the demonic perversion of Sun Wukong the Monkey King, but I know better. Fast and capable of great leaps, this foe is still easily dispatched. This pot-bellied demon is nothing more than a perverted copy of the great Monkey King, and he can only wish to be as great as Sun Wukong...
Monkeys bounce all over the screen, usually in pairs. They will chase you down, but they cannot change direction in mid-leap, so their predictable arc makes them easy to kill. Its best to hop up onto a lantern or gravestone (such as in this image) to strike them as they land.

This enemy is almost certainly based off the Furi a monkey-like Yokai said to be capable of gliding like a flying squirrel (I guess bouncing is kind of like gliding?) over great distances. Interestingly, the legends around the Furi claim it to be resistant to blades, which is emphatically NOT the case here.

Anyway, once we get past the monkeys, we come to the first real challenge for Hayato.





The Skeleton. I love how they claw their way from the ground and shamble towards you.

The Diary of Hayato posted:


This demon is a walking Skeleton, animated by the darkest of magics to seek out the living and consume their flesh. A Dangerous, if slow, enemy, the Skeleton must be struck several times before its bones will once again lay at rest. Beware if it gets a hold on you, this Yokai is powerful and will gravely injure the unprepared...
The Skeleton represents a real ramp in difficulty for the first level of the game. Taking multiple (Four!) hits to kill while it slowly marches towards you can be a surprise to new players. Not to mention, that if it hits you, The Skeleton does about a fourth of your entire health bar in damage. Ouch!

The Skeleton is the next to last new enemy Hayato will face in this level. The rest of the level is more of the same, throwing these enemies at you in easily defeated patterns, until you come to the end of the level.



A bit farther along, more Fire Demons pop in from behind and try to drive Hayato into this Skeleton. They fail.



This screenshot caught me diring the flashing animation that happens when Hayato takes a hit, and shows how being hit knocks you back. This is where a lot of the danger from these enemies will come in the future, as it is frightfully easy to be knocked into a pit this way, meaning instant death. You can also see how much damage that Skeleton did in one hit, I was nearly at full health!



Just before the end of the stage, a Skeleton (who clawed its way up from behind me) drops this Hyotan (a Gourd of Life). This item drops from random enemies (I think its based on your score, but I'm not sure) and can be found hidden in nooks and crannies throughout the more intricate levels we will traverse in the future. The Hyotan will refill about Two-Fifths of your total health bar, which can be a godsend in the later, longer stages of the game.

Once we collect out prize, it's time to press on. Soon enough we come to the end of the 'Castle Wall' and the background gives way to a thicker bamboo forest. I really like this symbolism. How the lanterns would stop and the road would move into the woods as you leave the safety of the village. And it's here where we meet the last new enemy of the Higo Province...



The fearsome Sickle & Chain Bandit. This guy spins his ball and chain around and dances back and forth just our of your reach. Darting forward to attack.

The Diary of Hayato posted:


As I left the ruins of my home village behind me, I was attacked on the road by a bandit. He sputtered incoherently as he spun his ball and chain while brandishing a bloody sickle at me, though he was no match for my blade. He fell quickly, and I left his body on the roadside, to be consumed by the hungry Yokai. My blade is needed elsewhere. I must recover that which was taken from my family...
You have to time your strike to catch him JUST at the tip of your sword, or his long reach will hit you and interrupt your swing. Thankfully he backs off when he hits you so you don't get stun-locked, but it's still kind of annoying.



The bandit dispatched, it's time to move on to the end of the level! The first stage of Kenseiden is completely straightforward, serving as a decent introduction to the mechanics and some of the enemies you will face in the game. It's not THAT hard, but some of the enemy placement can catch new players unaware, especially just how HARD the Skeleton can hit you.

As you leave the stage, you are treated to the Map Screen, where you can choose what Province to journey to next...





As you can see, there is only one choice right now. Hayato must journey north to progress, though that will not always be the case. As you leave each level, you can choose any of the adjacent Provinces to journey to, and the little animated hayato will walk slowly to your destination. It makes the whole thing feel more like a real QUEST than just a series of levels, you have an entire country to explore! I also like that the map is an actual map of Japan (albeit turned on its side).

That red castle, far to the east, is the final level of the game. Called the Black Magic Castle in the instruction book, it is where the final battle will take place. But it will be a while before Hayato is ready to battle the mysterious leader of the Warlocks.

Join us next time, as Hayato journeys to Chikuzen Province, to recover the first of the stolen Hidensho (Secret Scrolls) and face the mighty Fire Wheel Warlock in the very seat of his evil domain!

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 06:07 on Sep 25, 2016

Choco1980
Feb 22, 2013

I fell in love with a Video Nasty
Can't wait to see where this goes. I'm a veritable expert on NES games (at least as far as identifying them goes), so I'm always interested in seeing what the other 8-bit systems I didn't have produced, and filling in the gaps in my knowledge.

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Part 2 will be posted tomorrow (monday) night. I am shooting for a Monday/Thursday update schedule with more if time permits. If this thread draws any art or other creative goon works, I plan to collect them over the weekends into bonus updates. I'm glad you are excited! Kenseiden may be a Castlevania clone, but it does a whole lot of things right in an interesting setting!

PeaceDiner
Mar 24, 2013

I've been excited for this LP since you posted in the Sandcastle, I love hidden gems. I'm liking the diary entries and I'm especially liking the mythology lessons; Japan's always had some interesting creatures that I've been too lazy to look up. Thank you for posting the music links as well, it's got quite a nice soundtrack.

Is there any chance that, after this LP, you'd be interested in doing more SMS games?

Heavy Sigh
Nov 13, 2011

They've planted corn everywhere.

Soiled Meat
So do you actually get to skip certain levels using the map, or do you still have to do all of them anyway?

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
PeaceDiner: Thank YOU for reading! And yes, if this LP goes well, I have plenty more SMS games I'd LOVE to show off!

Heavy Sigh: You CAN skip a bunch of levels, including every Warlock (other than the first and last ones) but if you do you will be missing out on sweet sword techniques and all kinds of upgrades. After each level, you can choose which adjacent province to travel to next. If you plan your route you only have to do six levels after the first to get to the final stage. And while it IS possible to beat the final level without any of the sword tech or upgrades; I have been playing this game for 25 years and I've never been able to do it.

I do have a question for you guys though. While I am primarily going to keep this LP Screenshot, would videos of the boss fights be something you are interested in seeing?

Choco1980
Feb 22, 2013

I fell in love with a Video Nasty
Oh for sure, totally video those guys up.

StrixNebulosa
Feb 14, 2012

You cheated not only the game, but yourself.
But most of all, you cheated BABA

Boss videos would be interesting, so yes please!

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Update forthcoming shortly (now with boss fight video!)

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Part 2 - Gonna Paint Yer Wagon (Wheel)

Welcome back to MagicPokey Plays - Kenseiden!

When last we left our hero, Hayato; he had defeated the first level in the Higo Province. Today he journeys north to the Chikuzen (Called Hizen once in the Instruction Book, for some reason) Province.



As you can see, we are still in the Western end of the map, and the only level available to us is directly north. These Yakoi aren't going to slay themselves, so let's mosey on to the Chikuzen Province

Like Higo Province, the Chikuzen Province is also located near the southwestern corner of modern day Japan, on the island of Kyushu. It is home to the famous (and breathtaking) Sumiyoshi-jinja Shinto shrine, from which this level drew much of it's artistic inspiration.


The Sumiyoshi-jinja shrine. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

You will notice the similarities in structure and use of colors as we move into the level itself. This kind of thing really lends a feel of authenticity to the game. Not to mention, it adds another layer of creepiness as we will see the Yakoi have overrun this once-beautiful shrine.

Let's get going!

The Diary of Hayato posted:

I heard rumors that the dreaded Fire Wheel Warlock has made it's home in the once grand Sumiyoshi-jinja shrine. Rage at the desecration of such a sacred place boils the very blood in my veins! I swear by my ancestors, I will slay this demon and reclaim that which it has taken and perverted!
<--This music plays until Hayato reaches the boss of the level. Very upbeat and full of the promise of new adventure, IMHO. You can really hear how this game gave the SMS sound chip a workout.



This level begins with Hayato on the outer edge of the shrine. You can really see the similarities between the game and real life, especially in the style of the building, and even most of the colors used.



Moving forward, we can see a hole in the roof of the shrine, from which more Fire Demons swarm as we approach. As if the restless spirits of the very monks themselves have been perverted into attacking pilgrims.



We also come across our first new enemy for this update. The Spider.

The Diary of Hayato posted:


The fearsome Giant Spider Demon lies in wait among the rafters of almost any building that has been corrupted by the foul Warlocks' power. Dropping down on unsuspecting travellers with terrifying speed to bite and inject their deadly venom. Many an unwary ronin has met his end at their fangs. All the same, they are rather frail, dying in a single blow from my blade. They rely on their speed and the element of surprise to turn the battle in their favor...
You might think this is just another generic Spider enemy, as was found in a LOT of games from this era. But even here the Kenseiden team hit a flavor home run. This Spider Demon is partly based off the Kumo Yokai which is supposedly a child-sized intelligent giant grey spider with red eyes. The Kumo Yokai eats the meat of its victims, and can even (supposedly) be tamed if you bring it offerings of fresh meat.

But there is another inspiration for this enemy. A much more creepy origin, if you ask me. The Huntsman Spider, or ashidakagumo. This real life, FOOT-WIDE spider doesn’t spin webs to catch its prey. Instead, it uses its lightning-fast legs to chase down its food, usually hiding in high places like rafters and trees to wait for prey to wander by so it can swing down and attack.

In this case, the real life spider scares me more than the thought of their Yokai inspiration. No thank you!



Skipping past the obvious doorway for now, and pressing to the right, there are more of those terrifying spiders. Soon enough we come across another new... uh... face. The Faceless Demon.


The Diary of Hayato posted:


This human sized Yokai is known to my father as The Faceless Demon Dressed in tattered leather armor, this demon leaps about with GREAT prowess. I am SURE they have stolen the secrets of one of my families' Hidensho to grant this demon its jumping ability. This foe is tough and powerful, difficult to pin down and capable of summoning magical fireballs from its evil hands. A few solid strikes from my blade will destroy it, but it is easier (if more dangerous) to position myself underneath after the demon leaps into the air and catch it as it falls...
Tough and agile, this monster is hard to destroy, capable of jumping many times its own height and throwing fireballs in groups of three as it goes.

The Faceless Demon is most likely based on the Noppera Bo: A human shaped Yokai known for wiping away it face to scare humans. Throwing fireballs arent mentioned in the mythology, but I guess the thought of a mostly harmless faceless monk didnt translate too well to 8-bit video game logic.



Moving on, we come across YET ANOTHER new monster, the Hawk Demon.

The Diary of Hayato posted:


This bird-like apparition is called a Hawk Demon. Difficult to pin down, though weak when struck with a blade, this Yokai swoops overhead and spits balls of fire down on unsuspecting victims...
The Hawk Demon is a real pain in the rear end. He swoops by in groups, quickly launching volley after volley of fire at Hayato. Difficult to avoid and even harder to kill, I do not like this bird.

This enemy draws some inspiration from just being a generic bird enemy in video games, but some of its design (especially the firebreathing and hanging out over battlefields) is reminiscent of the Itsumade. Itsumade is a fire-breathing, bird-like monster that is said to appear in the night sky in places of trouble or disaster. Itsumade swoop over places of suffering and death, especially those places where little has been done to alleviate said suffering.

Granted, mythological Itsumade are said to be several feet long and have lizard bodies. But the behavior and habitat of this enemy is enough for me to call the Hawk Demon a video game interpretation of the dreaded Itsumade.



Past those flying bastards is the end of the stage. Modeled after the entry arch of the Sumiyoshi-jinja shrine, you can see the doors are closed. There is no escaping this level early. For Hayato: It is Victory... or Death.



So we head into the Shrine. As you can see, the walls are cracked and the paint is peeling, but the presence of stairs makes this an interesting new type of level.

All in all, this level is pretty straightforward, but some of the later shrine or castle levels are truly mazes.





Nowhere to go but up, with more Fire Demons spawning behind us as we climb. A little trick, if you jump over the crack in the wall in the second level, you can miss the Fire Demons and scurry up the stairs without taking a hit.



Of course, hayato is not a coward. No Yokai that desecrates this shrine deserves to live.



Up the stairs we come across another Faceless Demon and a statue of Buddah. this may look like a decoration set piece, but these statues house a secret.





Make your way to the Buddah's head (you can also jump to his outstretched hand) and press UP...



Aaaand... Voila! Secret room! This room contains a Hyotan which can go a long way to recovering from the upswing in difficulty from the enemies around here.




the doorway leads back outside, to this rotting platform. be careful of the hole in the floor down there, falling through it means certain death (and you just know the enemies will be placed in such a way to knock hayato into the hole if he isn't careful.



Tricky spider. I'm not falling for that!...

Get it?...

FALLING?!...

im so sorry

Anyway!



This faceless Demon has knocked me into that pit more times than I can remember, but if you position yourself like I am here, he will fall on your sword and die harmlessly.



Up on the far right platform is a doorway back inside, but I want to take a second and admire the view from this balcony. Blood red moon, pitch black sky, dark blue whispy clouds. A perfect setting for a night of Demon slaying. Once again, I have to hand it to the design team for Kenseiden. Bravo, sirs.



Back inside the shrine, we fight another Faceless Demon on our way to the third floor.



Annoyingly, he reappears when you climb the stairs, but if you are quick you can avoid him.

By the way, Hayato the mighty Samurai, on a blood-fueled quest for vengance against LITERAL DEMONS... climbs stairs like a 1950s Japanese housewife, head down and feet shuffling. You can't even draw your sword on a staircase without jumping. Avoid combat on stairs if at all possible.



At the top of the stairs we see another Sickle & Chain Bandit. Same strategy as before and he goes down without much fuss.

There is also another Buddah statue here, complete with it's own secret room and life restoring Hyotan. I don't need the health but if you are low I don't recommend skipping it (though it will mean facing the Bandit again when you come back out) since we are entering the home stretch before the first boss of the game.



Back outside we come to another platforming section. And before you ask, yes. You will instantly die if you fall down the gaping hole in the floor here. Thankfully there are not a lot of enemies here to trip you up. Though this will NOT be true in future levels. Really, the entire first two levels is kind of Easy Mode, except for maybe the boss at the end, but don't let your guard down.







Above Hayato, here, is the first instance of what is probably the most important powerup in the game. The Katana.

The Diary of Hayato posted:

At first, my heart raced as I spotted what looked like the sacred Sword of The Dragon King embedded in the wood of the desecrated shrine! But it is nothing more than a fake made from foul Yokai magics, seeking to copy the most powerful blade ever produced. A fool's errand, the godly Dragon Sword cannot be reproduced. ESPECIALLY by dark magic. Still, this is a fine blade, sharper and sturdier than my own... I shall wield this replica blade to destroy the very abominations that produced it. Though, I think I will keep my own trusty sword by my side. You never know when Yakoi magic will suddenly dissappear...
The Katana is a straight weapon upgrade. Doubling the damage you deal with each swing of your sword. This can be devastating once we learn some of the later secret blade skills from the Hidensho.

You can carry the Katana with you from Province to Province, but if you die you restart with your original sword. I cannot stress enough how essential having this powerup is to playing Kenseiden. The most dangerous enemies in the game (barring the Warlocks) don't kill you through damage, they kill you through knocking you into pits or spikes (which means instant death) or lava (slows movement, drains health FAST). Being able to kill the bigger foes in two hits (as opposed to four) gives them less time to get close enough to strike you. Having the Katana makes it that much safer to fight when near a dangerous floor.

Anyway...



Back inside, we face yet another Chain Demon, guarding the stairs to the first Warlock Hayato will face on his quest.



Moving up the stairs, Hayato prepares to face his greatest challenge yet...



Say hello to Wanyūdō: The Fire Wheel Warlock

<---This BAD rear end boss battle theme plays for all the Warlocks save one.



-----WANYUDO: The Fire Wheel Warlock----- <-- Click these words to watch me murder this fool!

Wanyūdō is a famous Japanese demon that is believed to guard the gates of hell. He is said to take the form of a burning oxcart wheel bearing the tormented face of a man. Various folklore purports him as the condemned soul of a tyrant daimyo (Japanese feudal lord or clan leader) who, in life, was known for having his victims drawn on the back of an oxcart. He is said to guard the gates of Hell, and to wander back and forth along the road between this world and the underworld, scaring people as he passes and stealing the souls of anyone who gets too close in order to bring them to Hell with him.

In Kenseiden, Wanyūdō stands guard over the entire rest of the game. Being the only Warlock you MUST defeat to progress, it could be said that his inclusion here symbolizes Hayato's descent into hell itself on his quest to free his land from the evil of the Warlocks.

And yes, you CAN skip the other Warlocks and make a beeline for the Black Magic castle after Wanyūdō is defeated. But I wouldn't recommend it. Each Warlock is hiding a powerful Hidensho, each of which contains new and more devastating sword techniques. Not to mention that one of the Warlocks is holding the Sacred Sword of The Dragon King. Hayato would not stop until this land is purged of the evil that is ALL the Warlocks AND the Yokai they command.

And neither will we.



Wanyūdō will fly back and forth across the screen, dropping clouds of fireballs on you from above. These fires WILL STICK TO THE GROUND and you can be easily stun-locked by stepping into them.



You COULD spend this fight jumping around like a fool, running back and forth and striking Wanyūdō when the opportunity arises, but there's a much easier way of fighting him. Position yourself in the far right corner like so...



Squat down and turn around in place (you can only do this while squatting, otherwise you will step to the left, ruining your position for the fight)...



You are now in a perfect position to hit Waynudo as he flies into your little corner of the screen. If you time it JUST right you can hit him twice on each pass. If you do, he flashes for a moment when struck, so he won't damage you as he passes through your body.

You WILL still have to deal with his fireballs, but since you have your back to the wall, they only stun you, not knock you out of position. You can jump after they land to avoid them if they land at your feet.



Soon enough the battle is over. With one last mighty thrust of your blade, the vile Wanyūdō is vanquished in a massive explosion!



The Diary of Hayato posted:

The FOUL Wanyūdō has been slain! His burning form will forever sear my memories as he streaks across my minds eye, but I can rest easy knowing this VILE Warlock will never again harm an innocent soul! Rejoice! My Ancestors smile upon me this day! Along with the destruction of the evil Wanyūdō, I have also recovered the first of the five stolen Hidensho! Truly, this is a day to be remembered! Though I fear my quest will only get harder from here...
We have recovered our first Hidensho! To collect the secret scroll, merely step over it. This is the scroll of Taka Tobi (or high jump).



Engrish Ahoy! We have apparently LEARNT the art of jumping high, just like the Faceless Demons we found all throughout this shrine! This ability is extremely useful (if a bit anticlimactic) because some of the later platforming sections REQUIRE you to posess the ability to jump farther than you can when the game starts.

To perform the high jump, simply hold UP while jumping.



After Wanyūdō is defeated, Hayato is dumped here, on the outskirts of the shrine at the beginning of the level. The formerly sealed door is open now, but there is one more thing to do here before journeying onward.




TAKE THAT, you flying BASTARDS!



Through the open gates is the end of the level. Taking us back to...



The map screen! You can see that Hayato now has several choices as to where to journey next!

Join us next time, as Hayato attacks the mountain stronghold of a bandit warlord!!

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 06:07 on Sep 25, 2016

Choco1980
Feb 22, 2013

I fell in love with a Video Nasty
Boss video is private.

discworld is all I read
Apr 7, 2009

DAIJOUBU!! ... Daijoubu ?? ?
Also why did your screenshots change in size from your first to second update? Also would you like to learn about making gifs, cause it might liven up some of these screenshots to see the dude's odd running style.

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011

Niggurath posted:

Also why did your screenshots change in size from your first to second update? Also would you like to learn about making gifs, cause it might liven up some of these screenshots to see the dude's odd running style.

I'll fix the video right now, my bad!

And my screenshots changed when I started using irfanview to take them straight from the game itself rather than a prerecorded video. I chose a slightly larger screen size because I felt it made things more clear. If its a problem I can drop them down in size a bit for future updates.

Edit: Video should be public now, seriously my bad, I knew I forgot something.

Edit2: yeah, I'd love to learn about making gifs, I've just never been comfortable with photoshop.

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 00:56 on Nov 10, 2015

Choco1980
Feb 22, 2013

I fell in love with a Video Nasty
You can definitely tell the infranview screenshots from the earlier ones. I'm usually not the sort to nitpick details in capturing of 16-bit or lower games (because the graphics are never that detailed to begin with, and often I can't tell when the shots are "bad" until you point it out to me) but it's much crisper here.

Also, I really like the recoil animation. It feels good and overdramatic, like you see in a lot of chanbara films.

discworld is all I read
Apr 7, 2009

DAIJOUBU!! ... Daijoubu ?? ?

Magicpokey posted:

I'll fix the video right now, my bad!

And my screenshots changed when I started using irfanview to take them straight from the game itself rather than a prerecorded video. I chose a slightly larger screen size because I felt it made things more clear. If its a problem I can drop them down in size a bit for future updates.

Edit: Video should be public now, seriously my bad, I knew I forgot something.

Edit2: yeah, I'd love to learn about making gifs, I've just never been comfortable with photoshop.
Oh, it wasn't mean as anything critical, just a bit of curiosity in the change. It does look better though.

And it's super odd that they don't just finish the level once that fire wheel boss is killed, and instead just make you go through one more additional screen. Maybe it's to test out the new ability, though nothing in that screen screams out to use a high jump. Also for some reason Hayato's sword swings remind of Shinobi's sword swings from the Genesis Shinobi games.

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Choco1980: oh my god! I never thought about it before but you are absolutely right! Kenseiden would translate really well to a campy Samurai-cinema film.

Niggurath: Personally, I think making you actually walk to the exit of the level after the boss is defeated adds a bit of weight to the worldbuilding. Same with the little animation of mini-Hayato walking to the next province on the map screen. It helps the game feel more like a grand adventure and less like a series of challenges. It's the same idea as the short warp pipe transitions in the early Mario games. Little things that help the world feel bigger.

Edit: VVVVVV Fair enough, my mistake. I did not know that about Learned/Learnt. Thanks for the clarification! This, however, will not be the last time we see some engrish in this game... :cheeky:

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 04:38 on Nov 10, 2015

marshmallow creep
Dec 10, 2008

I've been sitting here for 5 mins trying to think of a joke to make but I just realised the animators of Mass Effect already did it for me

Point of note: "learnt" is an accepted past tense of "learn," so that's not really Engrishy.

marshmallow creep
Dec 10, 2008

I've been sitting here for 5 mins trying to think of a joke to make but I just realised the animators of Mass Effect already did it for me

Magicpokey posted:

Edit: VVVVVV Fair enough, my mistake. I did not know that about Learned/Learnt. Thanks for the clarification! This, however, will not be the last time we see some engrish in this game... :cheeky:

Of that I've no doubt.

I'm pretty sure I saw this on Game Center CX back in the day. It looks pretty rough later on.

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Looks like the next update will be up tomorrow, with a possible short bonus update on Thursday.

Until then, I'd be happy to answer any questions you guys might have about the game or this period in Japanese history.

PeaceDiner
Mar 24, 2013

Magicpokey posted:

Looks like the next update will be up tomorrow, with a possible short bonus update on Thursday.

Until then, I'd be happy to answer any questions you guys might have about the game or this period in Japanese history.

It doesn't have all that much to do with the game itself, but you mentioned it was one of the five SMS games you owned when you were a kid. What made you choose to buy Kenseiden over other games? Did you get interested in Japanese mythology because of this game, or did you become interested in that later, separate from your memories of this game? Sorry if these are strange questions, I'm always interested in people's childhood gaming experiences. Looking forward to future updates!

Hyper Crab Tank
Feb 10, 2014

The 16-bit retro-future of crustacean-based transportation
I'm... curious about some spelling going on in that last one, and I'm not sure if it's the game or if there's a mistake or what. The fire wheel youkai boss there is usually called a wanyuudou (or wanyūdō romanized with macrons; 輪入道, "wheel monk"). But the post calls it "waynudo" several times, which seems wrong?

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011

PeaceDiner posted:

It doesn't have all that much to do with the game itself, but you mentioned it was one of the five SMS games you owned when you were a kid. What made you choose to buy Kenseiden over other games? Did you get interested in Japanese mythology because of this game, or did you become interested in that later, separate from your memories of this game? Sorry if these are strange questions, I'm always interested in people's childhood gaming experiences. Looking forward to future updates!

Well, The Master System in my home actually belonged to my older brother, who passed it on to me when he went to high school because I was the only one who played it. In 1988 I was all of Five years old. My love of Kenseiden came WAY before I even knew what Japan was. It was actually Magic: The Gathering that got me interested in Japanese Mythology, specifically the Kamigawa expansion set (and it's sequels). And no, no such thing as a strange question, I'm an open book.

For the record, the Five SMS games I owned were: Kenseiden, Golvellius The Valley of Doom, Wonder Boy In Monster land, Shinobi, and Double Dragon. I later added Altered Beast and Where in The World is Carmen Sandiego. Oh and a weird puzzle game called Penguin Land.

Hyper Crab Tank posted:

I'm... curious about some spelling going on in that last one, and I'm not sure if it's the game or if there's a mistake or what. The fire wheel youkai boss there is usually called a wanyuudou (or wanyūdō romanized with macrons; 輪入道, "wheel monk"). But the post calls it "waynudo" several times, which seems wrong?
Yeah. You are right. I will fix the update later tonight. That's what I get for typing this up at 1 in the morning. For the record, I meant to use the romanized spelling of 'Wanyudo'. My bad.

Edit: Post should be fixed now.

Edit2: New update should be coming as soon as the youtube video is processed! :toot:

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 18:56 on Nov 11, 2015

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Part 3 - Getting Real Tonya Harding Up In Here

Welcome back to MagicPokey Plays - Kenseiden!

When last we left our hero, Hayato; He had vanquished the evil Wanyudo (The Fire Wheel Warlock) and freed the Sumiyoshi-jinja shrine from the vile power of the Yokai. Today Hayato is journeying east to the Iyo Province on the island of Shikoku



As you can see, we have two choices as to where to journey next. Well, three if you count going back to the first level, which you CAN do. You can replay every level in the game (except the final level: Edo Province and the Black Magic Castle) as many times as you want, though once a Warlock is beaten the boss battle room becomes an empty room with an exit.

We are heading to the southern island today, for reasons that will become clear in a later update.





We arrive in Iyo Province and are greeted immediately by a skeleton, easy enough. As you can see, we seem to be in the wilderness, making our way up a hill or cliff. This level is probably loosely based on the Kochi Castle which is a Hirayamashiro (Hilltop Fort) that still exists on top of present day Otakasa Hill in the Kochi Prefecture. Built between 1601 and 1611, the area around the hill at this time was extremely swampy, due to the influx of alluvial sediments from the Kagami River. Which gives us the origin of the swampy, wilderness setting for this level.



Moving forward, we come across our first new enemy for this level, the Skull Fire Demon.

The Diary of Hayato posted:

This disturbing Yokai is called a Skull Fire. Not because it resembles a burning skull (no the Fire Demon takes, THAT, particular prize) but because the presence of this Yokai is rumored to cause great fever within nearby people. They are easily vanquished, undulating as they bounce slowly towards their prey, they can be destroyed in one swing from any blade. Not much of a threat on my quest...
The instruction booklet calls this guy a Skull Fire, and you would wonder why when the Fire Demon is LITERALLY a flying, flaming skull. I believe this enemy to be based off the Me-Kurabe, part of a Japanese folk legend about Taira no Kiyomori a Japanese military leader who died of an extremely high fever which, supposedly, caused him to see many otherworldy things. Including the, Me-kurabe ("Skull Staring Contest"). Me-kurabe are ghostly skulls with fleshy eyes that bounce and roll around before forming a huge pile and staring accusingly at a guilty person until they either stare down the Yokai or confess their crimes. This would explain why they are called a Skull Fire in the manual, since the legend around them involves a fatal fever so high that they had to let the body cool for several hours after death before they could attend to it.





Ignoring the stairs for now, we move right and come to the level exit (after dispatching that Monkey Demon, of course) The exit is closed off, which can only mean one thing: Hayato will be facing another Warlock in this level!





Backtracking, we climb the stairs and encounter the next new enemy on our tour of Iyo Province. The Spike Pole Crusher

The Diary of Hayato posted:

This one-eyed Yokai is called a Spike Pole Crusher. Said to be the minions of the mighty warlord Benkei, these creatures spin their spiked poles for defence while summoning ghostly fire to attack. It is best to keep your distance until you are ready to move in quickly and strike, lest you get burned by the fire...
The Spike Pole Crusher is almost certainly inspired by the Hitotsume-nyudo ("One-eyed priest"), a human-like Yokai that is said to sometimes kill and eat humans. One folk tale of this creature describes it as a reincarnation of a particularly fierce abbot of Enryaku-ji (A monastery located in Kyoto), renowned for his strict discipline. In life he was known for expelling lazy monks from his temple and driving them from the monastery with the threat of fire. He saw the world as growing increasingly secular and wicked, and he constantly lamented and criticized the corruption and sin of the monks of his day. After his death, it is said he was reincarnated into a yokai to continue punishing the wicked and impious.

In the game, these guys serve as almost an honor guard for certain Warlocks, often appearing in castles or just outside a Warlocks lair. The similarity in weapon to the Benkei Warlock is probably not a coincidence, either.



you can fight this Spike pole Crusher but he is just going to reappear as you climb the platforms to the left of the stairs.





When I moved past him, he wandered off screen. Sometimes an enemy AI will bug out and cause them to jump or run off screen. You don't hear me complaining. Just past these stairs, however, is one of the most dangerous enemies in the game.






The Stretch Worm.

The Diary of Hayato posted:

The Stretch Worm flattens it's body to hide, then springs up in place to hurl fireballs at travellers. Immobile on their own, they like to nest near cliff edges to scare or drive unwary people to fall to their doom. One or two good strikes from my blade is enough to dispatch this Yokai...
As the diary says, these guys never actually move. But they are usually placed on the edge of a platform, in a perfect position to pop up as you jump and knock you into a nearby pit (given Hayato's almost comically long damage animation)

Probably based partly on the Giant Centipede (or Scolopendra Gigantea), and partly on the Omukade (a giant centipede yokai).

Scolopendra Gigantea is an ABSURDLY large and venomous centipede that symbolizes evil in Japan. While the Omukade was said to be a mountain-dwelling giant centipede Yokai capable of besting even dragons in combat and impossible to kill when in it's hiding place. This behavior is analogous to the enemy in the game flattening itself back out after launching its' fireballs because you cannot harm it during the lowest point of it's "shrinking" animation.

We could go straight up the ladder, but if we venture slightly off the path here we will be rewarded.



Moving right takes us to more platforms and YET ANOTHER new enemy. The Jackal Lizard.

The Diary of Hayato posted:

the Jackal Lizard is a blue, animal-like Yokai that lives near cliffs and mountains, leaping at prey with ferocity and surprising speed. Difficult to fight due to its small stature and speed, but frail when your blade is well timed...
These guys are another in the 'more dangerous than it should be' class of enemies, because of their tendency to knock you into pits with their jumping attack.

The Jackal Lizard was probably loosely inspired by the Kappa, a water dwelling yokai said to be the size of a small human yet as strong as a man. I say this because of the Jackal lizard's reptilian appearance, his tendency to appear in levels with water features (there is a massive waterfall later in this level), and the light purple section on it's forehead which could be said to resemble the water dish on a typical Kappa head. It is a cool-looking enemy and can be dangerous around pits and platforms, but, honestly, this is the enemy inspiration I am least sure about. So if any of you have any ideas for this beast's inspiration, please feel free to say so in the thread!





Here we come to the end of this little side area and we find another Lizard Jackal along with ANOTHER new enemy (The Hideous-Faced Snake) AND a new powerup (The Inro)! All sorts of goodies out here!



First, we kill the Jackal Lizard to get a closer look at our new foe, the Hideous Faced Snake

The Diary of Hayato posted:

The Hideous Faced Snake demon is a small Yokai that screams with the voice of an anguished woman as it charges you. Weak, yet capable of freezing a weak-willed man in place with fear, this Yokai is not to be underestimated...
The Hideous Faced Snake (yes, it is actually called that in the manual) is small and slow until it spots you, at which point it rears its head, bares its fangs and charges you as fast as it can. It is smaller than a Squat Bug and you must duck to attack it. Be warned, however, that it will slip right under your defensive posture and cause damage (and knockback).

This enemy is Kenseiden's representation of the Nure onna (translated as "wet woman"). A vampiric, snake-like Yokai described as having a hideous head of a woman and the body of a serpent. They have long black hair and their name comes from the fact that they always appear wet. Legend has it they inhabit the area around rivers and other bodies of water, using guile and trickery to lure people in close so they can attack and drink the blood of their prey.

Once the Snake is dealt with, we are free to collect the Inro (Medicine Case). the Inro is the other REALLY important powerup to have in Kenseiden, because it acts like a fairy-inna-bottle from Legend of Zelda. Healing you to full when you take fatal damage. This is great because it basically DOUBLES your life total, and this stacks with other upgrades that we will see later that make us more resistant to damage AND increase the size of our life bar. All in all you can OCTUPLE your starting health if you get all the upgrades and carry an Inro.

I call this the second most important powerup because extra health does nothing if you are knocked into a pit, and most of this games' danger comes from tricky enemy placement that is designed to do just that. Really useful for boss fights, though!



Heading back to the stairs, we see the Stretch Worm is back, but if we hurry up the stairs we can avoid the fireballs. Honestly, it's not worth the risk to fight this one. notice the Snake in the grass down below? Yeah, if you stay to fight this Stretch Worm, you may get knocked off the platform, where the snake can then stun-lock you right into the pit. It's a very Castlevania-esque risk/reward kind of situation that pops up a lot in Kenseiden.




Heading up the stairs takes us to this screen, with another Stretch Worm and a choice to either go right or further up. This one is a trick, though. If you noticed, UP has been associated with progressing so far this level, so you might want to go right first to see if there are any secret goodies to be had. But this time it's reversed. If you go right first you will be taken to the next part of the level, and may well never come back here. But if you go UP first...



...The stairs take you to this small screen with a Spike Pole Crusher (here showing off the attack animation he uses when he gets close to you) and another new powerup, The Kokeshi ("Wooden Doll")

The Kokeshi is simple enough, collecting it gives Hayato one extra life. Rare and usually out of the way, still worth it to track down though, as having more lives is always a better option.




Coming back down the stairs has a surprise for us, YET ANOTHER new enemy! The Boar Lizard.

The Diary of Hyato posted:

This reptillian, flying Yokai is called a Boar Lizard. This Yokai usually attacks in pairs, so they can work together to box in their prey. They soar through the air and attack with razor sharp claws. Their tough hide is resistant to blades, requiring several strikes from even the BEST swords to destroy...
The Boar Lizard always looked like a western style dragon to me, but that couldnt be firther from it's real inspiration.

The Ushi Oni (or "Ox Demon") is a curious Yokai that is known to have MANY different morphologies. Sometimes looking like a spider with an ox head, sometimes like a cat with a terrifying bovine skull, sometimes even a boars head on a demonic lizards body. It is not the Boar Lizards' appearance that makes me think this is based on the Ushi Oni, but it's behavior.

Ushi Oni is said to live near water, and the Boar Lizard is only found on levels with water. The yokai is also exceedingly cruel and violent. It can commonly be found lurking around and attacking those who draw close to their lair, while the boar lizard initially appears out of reach before descending or ascending to attack the player. Also, a common feature of the Ushi Oni is that they work in groups or with other Yokai, including Nure Onna (the Hideous Faced Snake) and these two enemies are almost always found on the same levels. Ushi Oni are also said to be tough and hard to injure, same as the Boar Lizard. While the appearance isn't all THAT close, the behavior and habitat are right on for the Boar Lizard being a representation the Ushi Oni.

Anyway, after killing both of the flying Yokai, Hayato presses on to the right and comes across a series of platforms over a pit. Tricky to manage with enemies flying about.






Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the GIANT BOULDERS that constantly fall from the sky? Damaging hayato and knocking him off platforms if he gets hit?

Yeah. I never claimed Kenseiden was easy.




Anyway, across the platforms is another set of stairs and a Stretch Worm that is there to punish you for missing the long jump to the ledge. While at the top of the stairs we find a literal Snake in the grass. Notice the Hideous Faced Snake sneaking around in the tall grass. She's hard to spot in game, but it can be a surprise when her head rears up to charge you seemingly out of nowhere.



Another snake in Striking pose, this one goes down with no trouble.

Remember the platforms with the falling boulders from a few screens ago? Yeah. Get ready to do it again across a rickety bridge spanning a giant waterfall. This time being chased by Jackal lizards and snakes. Fun times.






I want to take a moment here to mention the waterfall. First off, the animation is GORGEOUS and I will be showing it off in the boss fight video. Also, the sound design is impeccable. The roar of the waterfall gets louder and louder as you approach, reaching its peak as you cross the bridge, even drowning out the music of the level briefly. The waterfall here also kind of supports that this level is based around the Kochi Castle, which lies at the mouth of the Kagami River. You will see in a moment that the castle itself (where the Warlock is waiting) is at the top of the hill.





Dealing with the two Boar Lizards is easy, but now it is time for Hayato to prepare for another epic challenge.

The Diary of Hayato posted:

I had heard rumors that the mighty giant warrior Benkei had been resurrected by the foul magic of the Warlocks to lead their invasion forces. Like all who watched the omens and signs, I hoped to all that was holy that it was nothing more than a rumor. It appears that my worst fears are true, however. I can hear his thunderous footsteps even from down here. I am not ashamed to admit that fear curls on the back of my tongue at the thought of the upcoming battle. But I swore an oath. I WILL complete my quest, even if I have to go through a demigod to do it...


Welcome to the lair of The Benkei Warlock, guarded by one of his servants, a Spiked Pole Crusher.



Which I farm (by killing him, then going down the stairs and back up to kill him again) until he drops a Hyotan. I normally wouldn't cheese the game like this, but Benkei is a tough boss, who takes near-perfect timing to defeat and hits like a freaking truck!



The guard vanquished, nothing stands between hayato and the evil Benkei Warlock!

<--Same boss theme as before, still Badass.



Standing Eight feet Seven inches tall, weighing in at 390 pounds, and wielding a giant spiked club; Give it up for The Benkei Warlock!
Applause



-----Benkei - The Bandit Warlord Warlock----- <--- Click me to watch Benkei in action!

Musashibo Benkei was a heroic Japanese warrior monk in the 1100's. His prowess in battle was said to be legendary, besting thousands of foes in his lifetime. He was also said to be the offspring of a temple god, granting him his extreme size and superhuman strength. Legend says he had a deformed face, with wild hair and long, sharp teeth, which he kept hidden under his robes. The rest of this tale is so amazing that I am basically going to copy/paste an abbreviated part of his wikipedia article here.

Wikipedia posted:

...He travelled widely among the Buddhist monasteries of Japan... Like many other monks, Benkei was probably trained in the use of the naginata (basically a giant katana). At the age of seventeen, he was said to have been over 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall. At this point, he left the Buddhist monastery and became a yamabushi, a member of a sect of mountain ascetics... Benkei is said to have posted himself at Gojo Bridge in Kyoto, where he disarmed every passing swordsman, eventually collecting 999 swords. On his 1000th duel, Benkei was defeated by Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Henceforth, he became a retainer of Yoshitsune and fought with him in the Genpei War against the Taira clan... After their ultimate triumph, however, Yoshitsune's elder brother Minamoto no Yoritomo turned against him... During the two-year ordeal that followed, Benkei accompanied Yoshitsune as an outlaw. In the end, they were encircled in the castle of Koromogawa no tate. As Yoshitsune retired to the inner keep of the castle to commit ritual suicide (seppuku), Benkei fought on at the bridge in front of the main gate to protect his friend and master. It is said that the soldiers were afraid to cross the bridge to confront him, and all that did met swift death at the hands of the gigantic man, who killed in excess of 300 fully trained soldiers. Long after the battle should have been over, the soldiers noticed that the arrow-riddled, wound-covered Benkei was standing still. When the soldiers dared to cross the bridge and look more closely, the heroic giant fell to the ground, having died in a standing position. This is known as the "Standing Death of Benkei"...
BAD. rear end.

And now I have to kill him... Again...


The fight against Benkei is harrowing because he constantly stalks towards you, pushing you into the corner and only backing off when you score a hit PRECISELY on his knee.



Like so.

The problem is, Benkei hits like a truck (harder than a Skeleton), and three or four hits is enough to reduce Hayato to a bloody pulp. So your timing has to be nearly perfect to not get driven into a corner and pulverized.





Eventually, Hayato prevails and the monstrous Benkei is destroyed. I really like that Benkei doesn't fall prone, he just explodes in place. A reference to "The Standing Death of Benkei"



Benkei drops a Hidensho when defeated, the Secret Scroll of Kara Take Wari (The Crushing Head Attack)



More Engrish! And now you understand the thread title.

The Diary of Hayato posted:

The mighty Benkei has been vanquished! BY MY BLADE! I feel as though i could take on ANY challenge now! Do you HEAR ME, WARLOCKS! I am Hayato! and I am COMING for YOUR BLOOD! ... I must maintain my composure, the journey ahead is still a long one. I have recovered another Hidensho, and learned a new sword technique, an overhead slash that smashes through even the toughest of armor. I feel this will serve me well in battles yet to come...



As is customary, you are dropped back outside after the battle, near the end of the level. The gate is now open, inviting Hayato to journey onwards.



Back on the map screen, we can head north to Nagato Province or south to Tosa Province. True to the time period, the Tosa Province (southern half of Shikoku island) is a sparsely populated, mountainous region. In the game, this province contains a monastery where Hayato can train his skills without fear of Yokai interruption.

Join us next time, as Hayato bashes his head repeatedly against a wall made of Arrows!

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 06:10 on Sep 25, 2016

Choco1980
Feb 22, 2013

I fell in love with a Video Nasty
Could it be that the Jackal-Lizards are supposed to be the apparently common Mōryō? The page doesn't describe their tails, but they otherwise look similar and often have blue skin? AND they live near water!

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011

Choco1980 posted:

Could it be that the Jackal-Lizards are supposed to be the apparently common Mōryō? The page doesn't describe their tails, but they otherwise look similar and often have blue skin? AND they live near water!

I considered Moryo for the Jackal-Lizard. And you could be absolutely right, but what led me to Kappa over Moryo is that everything in the game seems to have a specific inspiration from a specific myth or legend. And 'Generic Water Spirit' just didn't seem to fit. That being said, I fully admit that my reasoning is as flimsy as a rice paper wall.

Edit: VVVVV Quick Bonus Update is Neigh!

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 21:14 on Nov 12, 2015

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Part 4 - An Arrow To The Knee (And Face, And Chest, And Groin...)

Welcome back to MagicPokey Plays - Kenseiden!

Last time, our hero, Hayato, defeated the mighty Benkei warlock in a duel to the death and recovered a new sword technique. For today's quick update, Hayato finds himself in the southern half of the island of Shikoku, in the Tosa Province.



Historically (and even to this day) Shikoku island has been divided by a mountain range across its middle, with the southern half being sparsely populated and full of mountains. This is reflected in the game as this level is home to a small monastery dedicated to training.



As you can see, this is a really small level. Just one screen and a staircase. You can actually skip the whole level just by walking right. But don't do that. This is the first of four Training Stages in Kenseiden that are entirely optional, but EXTREMELY USEFUL!

Each one of these four Training Stages is hard (though this one is the easiest BY FAR), verging on controller-snappingly frustrating. However, these stages are SO worth the effort and pain. At the end of these stages you are given something that makes Hayato more durable. Either a charm that permanently reduces damage you take, or a flat increase in your health bar.

These stages are all modeled after the Monastery temples where Sohei (Warrior Monks) Lived and trained Right down to the clothes worn by the old monk inside who bids you to train.



This is the music that plays outside the training stage. It is slow and somber, befitting a temple secluded away in the distant mountains.

So let's head up the stairs and see what all this is all about!





As you can see, the old man on the right is wearing traditional Sohei garb, a white Kimono underneath a saffron yellow Kimono, with traditional Geta (wooden clogs). I really love the attention to detail in this game. I may have mentioned that... Once or twice...



This is the music that plays DURING the training rounds. Get used to it, you are going to be hearing it a LOT, because mastering these four training stages is easily the hardest thing about the game.

Anyway, that's pretty much it for the historical stuff in this update. So let's see how Hayato handles this training course.

*Note* - For this update, and future Training Stage updates, I am going to dispense with the Diary of Hayato and just show you his thought process. Denoted by Italics



Yes, Sensei. It would be my honor!




Arrows. All right. I can stop these... What's that whistling noise?



OW! All Right, let's try again.





Yes Sensei!



Ok, stop the arrows in front, duck the one behind...



HA! I bet the old man didn't suspect I had mastered the Taka Tobi leaping technique!



The arrows have stopped. What's this? A moving platform? I can jump so far I'll just leap right past it and...



...Ha Haaa-AaaOh poo poo!



NO no no no no no Nooooo!



OW! My FEET! DAMMIT!



gently caress! That hurt. Ok. Again.



Yeah yeah, old man. Now get out th' way, this poo poo will not beat me.



Slash the arrows...



gently caress these ones, too...




Jump ONTO the moving floor... STOP LAUGHING, OLD MAN! Do I hear pedaling?



Over the foot-spikes... I DO hear pedaling, and it's getting closer.



...Roll under these things...

...Oh, GREAT. More platforms...







...Made it! One last descending spike and I'm done!

This BETTER be worth it...



You're drat right, old man!

Why are you suddenly so sweaty?



Or... Just kick me out. Sure, that works...

As you can see, these stages are all about moving through an obstacle course to get to the end without taking a hit. This really is the one area of the game where screenshots won't do it justice, so click HERE to watch the stage in video form.

Oh, by the way, about the pedaling comment. Remember, this game takes place in 1500s Feudal Japan. Well before electric motors. I always liked to imagine the old monk a the beginning, behind the scenes, pedaling furiously at some contraption full of wheels and ropes and such to move all the things. All the while grumbling to himself and laughing every time someone fails to pass the course.

Also, you can see by the map screen that we can only go back to Iyo province right now. Don't worry, as long as the Warlock is defeated the gate is still open no matter how many times you come back. So we can just run through the quick first screen to the exit.

Anyway, that's all for today. Join us Next Time as Hayato travels north and comes face to face with an old friend!

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 06:10 on Sep 27, 2016

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Ok guys. Next update is going to be slightly delayed. Should be up tuesday evening. My daughter is home with Strep throat so taking care of her is eating my time. I'm sorry.

Until then, check out Desert bus For Hope 9 because for this week only they are streaming the worst game ever made (and making fools of themselves) for Child's Play Charity.

Victis
Mar 26, 2008

This game.... I also had a Master System (I had the version with 3D active shutter glasses) and this game whooped my rear end as a child.

As a little kid I somehow found a place to grind for powerups on a roof in the first stage and still never beat the second stage :negative:

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Okay. Remember how I said slightly delayed? Yeah, my daughter decided to share her gift of strep throat with me and I'm down for the count. Update will be up by tomorrow night.

Victis: Hey, you had a master system? So YOU were the other one in north America!

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Wow, Okay! So, I just got out of the hospital for Pneumonia. I am sorry for disappearing on you like that. I am home and fine now and ready to get back to my regular update schedule. Next update will be up tomorrow night with a bonus update this weekend. Again, this thread has not been abandoned, I am still here (even if I am by myself) and I will finish this LP!

bare bottom pancakes
Sep 3, 2015

Production: Complete

Magicpokey posted:

Okay. Remember how I said slightly delayed? Yeah, my daughter decided to share her gift of strep throat with me and I'm down for the count. Update will be up by tomorrow night.

Victis: Hey, you had a master system? So YOU were the other one in north America!

Magicpokey posted:

Wow, Okay! So, I just got out of the hospital for Pneumonia. I am sorry for disappearing on you like that. I am home and fine now and ready to get back to my regular update schedule. Next update will be up tomorrow night with a bonus update this weekend. Again, this thread has not been abandoned, I am still here (even if I am by myself) and I will finish this LP!

gently caress dude, strep into pneumonia. That's brutal. Take your time.

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Okay! Contrary to popular opinion, I did not die. (close call though, my health is stable now, but that's not why we're here) so, like the souls of the restless monks, I am using my wizardly powers to resurrect this LP! I will be continuing where I left off last year playing Kensiden. I am very sorry for the (nearly) year long hiatus, but I am back, and I aim to finish this thing! I will see you in a day or two with the next update (as well as a new update schedule). See you then!

Thanks!

Edit: VVVVV - Thank you! I hope you find this cultural look at one of my faorite games of all time interesting and entertaining!

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 06:14 on Sep 25, 2016

AnonSpore
Jan 19, 2012

"I didn't see the part where he develops as a character so I guess he never developed as a character"
I forgot I had this thread bookmarked and I have never even seen this game before but I'm glad you're okay, forums poster Magicpokey

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
Bonus Update 1 - Regional Differences

Welcome back to MagicPokey Plays - Kenseiden!

Hello! It's been a while, and let me assure you, rumors of my death have been slightly exaggerated! I am sorry for the unexpected hiatus, but this LP has not been abandoned! I am posting this mini-update tonight before resuming my regular Monday/Thursday schedule next week! So, Let's get this show back on the road!

Fair Warning: This update is a bit wordy (even for me) and light on the screenshots. Things will be back to normal when the real updates resume

Kenseiden went through a few significant changes when being localized from Japan to American audiences, mostly in the color palette. Most notably, Hayato must have bought a bottle of hair dye in the airport, because in the Japanese version, he is decidedly more blonde.



It's a bit of a stretch, but I believe there is a historical reason for the change in the hairstyle. You see, in Japanese Anime Culture (and broader Pop Culture), the color of a character's hair is usually (but not always) a signifier of that characters personality.

That's right, the rainbow of hair colors in most anime is more than just a way to tell characters apart. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail here, since I want to stay on topic for the most part, but if this kind of thing interests you, check out this article HERE for more information.

What does anime hair color have to do with a video game from 1988? Well, in the broadest sense, blonde or yellow hair signifies "someone special". For instance, In shoujo (for girls) anime and manga, the female protagonist almost always has blonde hair. See also: Sailor Moon.

But wait, there's more! The brightness of a hair color has significance as well. Usually, the brighter the hair, the more otherworldly or fantastical the perspective of the character is. Look at DragonBall Z with their hair so bright it glows, signifying otherworldly powers no mortal man can hope to obtain.



Hayato, in the meantime, has a dirty blonde, almost brown hair color while still being definitively yellow. I believe this is meant to say that Hayato is a down to earth kind of guy. While he is special, the chosen hero to defeat the warlocks, he is decidedly not fantastical. He uses no magic, his weapons are man-made swords, his powerups are medecine gourds and a diary (we'll get to that in a later update) and the only new skills he learns are grounded-in-reality (for the most part, I'm looking at you High Jump) sword techniques. Hayato's plight is having to struggle against the fantastical on his journey to save the country.

So why change it for the American release? Because hair color does not have the same visual shorthand in America as it does in Japan. The stereotypical image of a Japanese person in America is a short man with black hair, and since a major selling point of this game was to play as a Samurai (this was about the time when Kung Fu and Samurai films were getting huge in the US) the localization team probably wanted to make the protagonist look "more Japanese" to American audiences.

The hair color is really the only major difference in the American and Japanese versions of the game, aside from that and some text, the item and enemy placement, the level layout and the overworld map are all identical.



The Japanese title screen.



The American title screen. Aside from the name being added, no real differences.

The other thing that changed is the color palette of some of the enemies. A lot of the enemies in the Japanese version feature more yellow in their sprites (which are otherwise identical to the American sprites)



Here we have the first appearance of the Fire Demon enemies in the American version, compared to:



The same moment from the Japanese version. This might have something to do with a slightly altered palette for Hayato between the two versions of the game, but I am not sure on that one, you'll see what I mean in a sec.

For me, the effect of playing the Japanese version (aside from not being able to read the text) is that a lot of the enemies seem warmer and more colorful. But that's just my opinion.



The Hawk Demon, at least, is a lot easier to distinguish from the black sky and looks almost skeletal in the Japanese version.

Now that's interesting and all, but here's where everything gets CRAZY!



Kenseiden also has a THIRD localization. For Korea. The Korean version is almost a total conversion of the game. Changing quite a bit. First, the title is changed from 'Kenseiden' to 'Hwarang-ui Geom', which translates as "Sword of the Flower Knight". This keeps up the flavor home runs as Hayato himself is altered to resemble a Korean historical Hwarang (think Korean Samurai, to GROSSLY oversimplify)



Hayato (he probably has a different name in the Korean version, but I haven't been able to find the Korean manual to verify this, hence why I am still calling him by his Japanese/American name) is dressed in fancier clothes, as traditionally Hwarang were noble-born, fair sons, beautiful and fashionable. Meant to serve as a leader of, and inspiration to the commoners of Korea during the 6th and 7th centuries. The name "Flower Knight" comes from the historical use of perfumes and colorful dyes to signify wealth and noble blood in Korea.



As you can see, the enemy sprites have the Japanese color palette. While Hayato is once again sporting his black hair, though now with brown highlights. Hence why I am unsure if the Japanese/American sprite differences are accidental or intentional. For the Korean version, Hayato is the only major sprite that has been changed.



Aside from the text (Note the changed stage name in the upper left of the screenshots), stage layout and enemy/item placement are preserved. Meaning the game is mechanically identical to the other versions, but there is one major difference.



The world map is now COMPLETELY different. The layout of the stages is similar enough to not sequence break the game, but the map has changed from the islands of Japan to a map of the peninsula of Korea. With the stages now representing provinces in ancient Korea rather than ancient Japan.

Playing the Korean version, for me, is a bit of a trip. I played this game to the point of memorization when I was a kid, and the layout of the world map changing like this is enough to make it feel almost like a new game entirely.

Anyway, this has been an interesting diversion, but I'm sure you are all wanting to get back into the action. Next week, I will be resuming the Monday/thursday update schedule. Once again, thank you all for your patience!

Join us Next Time as hayato continues his journey to recover the stolen Hidensho and defeat the evil warlocks that have invaded his home!

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 06:12 on Sep 25, 2016

marshmallow creep
Dec 10, 2008

I've been sitting here for 5 mins trying to think of a joke to make but I just realised the animators of Mass Effect already did it for me

Hayato being blond in the original Japanese can't help but remind me of the forthcoming Nioh, which features a blond protagonist by making the hero a European ex-pat on a mission to kill yokai.

Neat cultural update, by the way, especially for the Korean version. I had heard of Hwarang before but never read up about them.

7c Nickel
Apr 27, 2008
gently caress yeah. I love Kenseiden. I too was one of the Master System kids and this was definitely one of my favorite games. I actually started and aborted a VLP of this for the Master System A-Z thread, so I can add something you seem to have missed.

The Japanese manual has some illustrations that didn't make it into the US release. In it we can find this...



Based on reading 尾長" as "long tail" and "餓鬼" as "hungry" He's probably not a monkey demon, but some form of Gaki or Hungry Ghost.

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
You know, I never saw the Gaki when doing my initial research. You could very well be right, but I am not reading anything about a tail when I study Gaki. That being said, Gaki feeding off of cadavers and other filth makes more sense when you factor in the enemy in question also appears in later levels involving bogs and swamps

Honestly, as I said in the OP, Japanese mythology is more of a passing hobby for me than a true field of study, I find it endlessly fascinating, but I do not read or speak Japanese. Please feel free to add anything else you think I may have missed. I aim for this to be a celebration of a great game I love!

Edit: This is not the first time someone has had a different idea on the origin of an enemy in Kenseiden. This is awesome! I think if we get enough of these kinds of interactions I may put them all together in a bonus update (with credit of course).

Magicpokey fucked around with this message at 19:32 on Sep 25, 2016

Magicpokey
Feb 16, 2011
New Update Time!!!

Part 5 - Kidds Shouldnt Play Near Lava!

Welcome back to MagicPokey Plays - Kenseiden!

First thing's first, I left out something from my last real update. I forgot to put the music in for the training stage. This has been corrected in the update above, but I am going to repost it here to save you all some time. There are two themes for the training stages, a slow, almost somber theme that plays outside and a fast paced theme that plays during the stages themselves.





This is the music that plays outside the training stage. It is slow and somber, befitting a temple secluded away in the distant mountains.





This is the music that plays DURING the training rounds. Get used to it, you are going to be hearing it a LOT, because mastering these four training stages is easily the hardest thing about the game.

Anyway, on to the real update:

Today, Hayato is going to journey north from the island of Shikoku, in the Tosa Province, to the province of Nagato.



If you will remember, the province Hayato is standing in is where we bested the powerful Benkie Warlock and reclaimed the Kara Take Wari (Crushing Head Attack) Hidensho. We are headed North to what the game manual refers to as "stage 3".





The music that plays here is the same as the first level in the game, though it is still very good!

As you can see, the Nagato province level is unique in Kenseiden for several reasons. One, it is the only level that takes place underground, in a cave system. Two, it is the only level in the game that makes reference to the many active volcanoes across Japan.

I believe this level is here because it is meant to serve as a transition level from the starting island to the main portion of the game. Now, we already (kind of) sequence broke by heading south first, but the Manual calls this "Stage 3" which lends credance to my theory that it was meant to be the level after fighting the Fire Wheel Warlock. Also, an underground passage through a lava filled cave would be a nice and exciting way to cross from an island to the mainland. Especially in a ravaged country where ferry services and bridges are either destroyed, unmanned, or in horrible disrepair (as we have seen).

There are no new enemies for this update, but there are two new hazards we will have to contend with, both unique to this level.



The first is Lava (and a skeleton walking around down there as if to beckon you to your doom) which hurts you upon entering and then continuously drains your life as you walk through it. Also, it slows you down terribly, making the life drain hurt more AND making it easier for enemies to hit you.

Then you may have noticed the grey skulls embedded in the ground. These are not just decoration, they are platforms you can actually stand on. Though they ALSO drain your life as fast as lava. They are also the only hazard in the game that doesnt cause the 'knockback' animation when you are hit, meaning you might not notice you are dying until it is too late, especially in combat! Sneaky Sneaky!

The Diary of Hayato posted:

This land has been completely ravaged by the evil Yokai. I am forced to journey in secret, using underground passages to reach my destination. But, this close to the underworld, it seems as though the very bodies of the damned themselves are clawing for my precious life. The skulls which litter the floor of this cavern are full of dark magics that weaken me if I remain in contact with them. I must be on my guard here.



Moving across the cavern, we come across a background detail that seems kind of out of place in this game. That looks an awful lot like a goats head on the wall, combine that with the lava and the off-white coloring of the ground (which COULD be taken as bone) and this level would make a passable representation of the western idea of hell. But I believe it goes deeper than that.



You see, the goat head is a symbol in Japan. Specificially the Japanese Serow Goat which symbolizes sure footedness and is a Japanese national treasure. To this day, Japanese school children can buy charms with this animal's hoofprint in the hopes that it will help them pass exams. I believe this symbol was placed here as a visual shorthand for Japanese players to be sure footed in this cave (since there are enemies and lava about). But it is a dead animal or the picture of a dead Serow on the wall, which is the designers way of saying the Warlocks have perverted all that is good and are turning it against the people of the country, just as they did with the once-beautiful Sumiyoshi-jinja shrine







After making it across the Lava pits, the game offers us a choice of direction. Hayato will be headed down the lower path first.



Oh hey, what's this carved into the background? Why it's a picture of none other than Alex Kidd! Or at least his head. Alex Kidd was the first real mascot of Sega back in the 80s and early 90s. The precursor to Sonic the Hedgehog.


Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Alex Kidd is weird. You can accurately describe him as "Very Japanese". His games were wacky action platformers with an obsession with Rock Paper Scizzors, the actual childrens game (no, really). Aside from his own solo outings, Alex Kidd also crossed over into a lot of other Sega Games, most notably into the world of Shinobi, where they basicially remade the first Shinobi game with Alex Kidd in the title role. as "Alex Kidd in Shinobi World". Most recently, Alex Kidd appeared as a playable driver in the mediocre-at-best kart racer "Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing". There is no historical note here, just an interesting little easter egg. And I love Alex kidd. That little monkey dude is weird in all the most awesome ways!

Anyway, moving on.





The lower path takes you through this door and into another cave filled with lava. Almost the entirety of the floor in this part of the level is covered in lava, meaning you have to navigate a lot of tricky jumps to get to the other side. But it's worth it!



Oh yeah, and to make matters worse, these guys show up again. The Stretch Worm, always in the perfect position to knock you off a ledge and into the fiery death below.



Stretch Worms also show up in the lava below, and these two CAN juggle you back and forth if you hit them just wrong, spelling your doom in the lava. Don't. Fall. Down.



At the end of the cavern we find... Another Alex Kidd! No, it really is worth it, at least it would be. You see, this little platform normally holds an Inro (Medicine Case). It is empty because we already HAVE an Inro from the previous level. Since you can replay levels at any time (that you can reach them on the map screen), it is pretty easy to come back here for this Inro if we lose ours in the future.



Anyway, time to backtrack to the upper path.







I missed the capture and only got the destruction animation, but there is a second skeleton that spawns just behind the skull after the first jumping section, it is easiest to crouch from high ground and wail on them repeatedly.



Oh yeah. there are spiders in here as well as Skull Fire Demons and Stretch Worms. The spiders like to hide off screen and drop down on you just in time to knock you into other enemies. Slow, careful progress is the safest route here (and in the rest of the game as well).





A few more enemies, to kill and path is open before us.





And we have come to the end of the level. This level is not long, and since it is right in the middle of the early part of the game, it is feasible to come back here to farm an Inro which will always be there on the lower path if you don't already have one. This level was short but treacherous! Join us next time as Hayato journeys to an infested Shinto Temple for what might be his most DISGUSTING battle yet!

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EagerSleeper
Feb 3, 2010

by R. Guyovich
Just caught up up with up with this thread. I'm enjoying the atmosphere and art of this game in good part of the interesting mythology facts. Would like to keep up with this LP and see what happens next.

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