Ninja Gaiden 4 Gets New Video Showcasing Forging of Protagonists’ Katanas by Master Swordsmith

by

Xbox Game Studios collaborated with Koei Tecmo, Team Ninja, PlatinumGames, and master swordsmith Yuya Nakanishi of the Masahiro Tantoujou Sword Forge to bring iconic weapons from their games to life. They’ve created real-life versions of Ryu Hayabusa’s Dragon Sword and Yakumo’s Takeminakata. A new video showcases the process and features Nakanishi discussing his passion for swordsmithing and the history of the katana. You can watch the video below.

Nakanishi explained that katanas first emerged around 900 years ago, during the late Heian period. While samurai and ninjas both used them, they valued them differently. Samurai saw their katana as a reflection of their life and honor, emphasizing its beauty and artistry. Ninjas, however, prioritized practicality and function over symbolic meaning.

Nakanishi explains that crafting a traditional katana typically takes five to seven days. The process begins with forging and folding the metal, followed by shaping the blade. Finally, it involves tempering and sharpening – a bright, polished finish indicates a successful result.

He explained that the most challenging part of crafting katanas – even those for the game *Ninja Gaiden 4* – is the final tempering process, particularly adding the decorative etchings. He described Ryu’s larger, red katana as feeling majestic due to its length, thickness, and width, noting that its etchings were bold and untamed. To achieve this effect, he used higher temperatures during the tempering process.

The blue Yakumo sword was very finely crafted. Its design featured a raven with outstretched wings, and I worried that heating it too much during tempering would ruin its delicate beauty.

He explained that the katanas were meant to reveal the characters’ personalities. He’d be happy if viewers could get a sense of who each character was and what made them tick.

Tomoko Nishii, art director for *Ninja Gaiden* 4, recently discussed how concept art is used to shape a game’s visual style. In a development blog post, she explained the three main types of concept art created for the game: initial imaging, design sketches, and detailed overpainting. This process helps establish the overall look and feel during development.

I learned from the imaging artist that the artwork they create isn’t always what you see in the final product. But it’s super important! It’s like a guide for everyone on the team throughout the whole process, and they have a big responsibility making sure it’s right. It’s really cool to think about how much impact their work has, even if it doesn’t always appear exactly as they made it.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on October 21st. A demo was showcased at Gamescom 2025, and Koei Tecmo later shared a complete gameplay video. The demo let players try out different weapons, including Yakumo’s katana, a drill spear, and shurikens, and highlighted the diverse range of enemies in the game.

Read More

2025-09-23 17:11