Ready to become the ultimate ninja warrior? Ninja Gaiden 4 delivers an incredible arsenal of five distinct weapons for Yakumo, each offering unique combat styles and devastating Bloodraven transformations. Whether you're wielding the balanced Takeminakata twin blades or unleashing the legendary Dark Dragon Blade, mastering these weapons is essential for surviving the brutal challenges ahead. This guide breaks down every weapon's unlock requirements, combat roles, and transformation mechanics to help you dominate every encounter.
What Weapons Can You Unlock in Ninja Gaiden 4?
Yakumo's weapon collection spans five incredible tools of destruction, each unlocked through story progression and boss victories. Unlike previous entries where you might collect dozens of weapons, Ninja Gaiden 4 focuses on quality over quantity, ensuring each blade feels meaningfully different.
Easily Level Up Weapons In Ninja Gaiden 4
tip
You'll want to experiment with each weapon as you unlock them. The game's difficulty scales perfectly with your expanding arsenal, making each new blade feel like a natural progression.
How to Unlock Yakumo's Starting Arsenal
Takeminakata: Your Foundation Weapon
You begin your journey with the Takeminakata twin swords, and honestly, they might remain your favorite throughout the entire adventure. These perfectly balanced blades excel at building meter quickly while delivering consistent damage output.
The Bloodraven transformation merges both swords into a single, extended Tachi that dramatically increases your reach. This extended range becomes crucial for maintaining safe distances while punishing aggressive enemies.
Yatousen: The Precision Striker
After conquering the Kitsune Courtesan boss in Chapter 3: Phantom Pleasure Quarter, you'll claim the Yatousen rapier. This lightning-fast weapon transforms one-on-one encounters into elegant duels, allowing you to exploit enemy weaknesses with surgical precision.
When Bloodraven activates, the rapier becomes an absurd Drill that tears through enemy defenses like tissue paper. This transformation creates massive openings for follow-up attacks, making it invaluable against heavily armored foes.
important
The Yatousen struggles against groups but dominates boss encounters. Save your Bloodraven meter for those crucial armor-breaking moments.
Mid-Game Weapon Acquisitions
Magatsuhi: The Crowd Controller
Chapter 7's Kurobo boss guards the Magatsuhi staff, a weapon that veterans will recognize as similar to the beloved Lunar Staff from earlier games. Its sweeping attacks make short work of enemy groups, creating breathing room in chaotic encounters.
The Bloodraven hammer form trades speed for devastating impact. A single well-timed slam can launch entire enemy squads, but the slow wind-up requires careful positioning and timing.
Kage-Hiruko: The Hybrid Master
Defeating Cetus in Chapter 10 rewards you with the game's most unique weapon: Kage-Hiruko. This hybrid tool seamlessly blends close-range blade work with long-range shuriken attacks, demanding constant stance switching and distance management.
A Complete Ninja Gaiden 4 Weapons Guide
The Mechanical Arms transformation supercharges both combat ranges, giving you total battlefield control. Mastering this weapon requires patience, but the payoff is incredible versatility in any situation.
Claiming the Legendary Dark Dragon Blade
The iconic Dark Dragon Blade represents the ultimate achievement in Ninja Gaiden 4. While you'll briefly wield it during the final chapter, permanent ownership requires proving your mastery by defeating every boss in Trials Mode.
This legendary sword comes with its own unique moveset and Dark Gleam transformation that functions identically to Bloodraven. Owning this blade serves as the ultimate badge of honor for any ninja master.
Ryu Hayabusa's True Dragon Sword
Starting in Chapter 14, you'll control the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself, but he only carries one weapon: the True Dragon Sword. This design choice emphasizes mastery over variety – where Yakumo represents versatility, Ryu embodies perfection.
Ninja Gaiden 4 review: "Thrilling ...
Instead of Bloodraven, Ryu uses the Gleam mechanic, which enhances his classic moveset with new, more powerful combinations. Iconic techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow return with improved fluidity and impact.
How to Efficiently Upgrade Your Arsenal
Ninja Gaiden 4 uses two distinct currencies for character progression:
- Weapon EXP: Earned by defeating enemies, used exclusively for upgrading specific weapon skill trees
- NinjaCoin: Your general currency for healing items, accessories, and universal combat skills
You won't max out every weapon during your first playthrough without serious grinding. The game encourages specialization, so pick one or two favorites and focus your investment there.
Post-Game Farming Strategy
Once you've completed the story, visit Umi's Shop to purchase the Enlightenment Omamori for 8,000 NinjaCoin. This accessory converts all earned NinjaCoin directly into Weapon EXP, dramatically accelerating your upgrade process.
Easily Level Up Weapons In Ninja Gaiden 4
Equip this item and replay enemy-heavy chapters to watch your EXP accumulate rapidly. This method is essential for unlocking all Bloodraven forms and completing weapon skill trees.
warning
Don't sleep on weapon upgrades. Each skill tree unlock adds new combos and techniques that fundamentally change how weapons feel and perform.
Which Weapon Should You Master First?
For newcomers, stick with the Takeminakata throughout your first playthrough. Its balanced nature teaches you the game's complex combat system without overwhelming you with specialized mechanics.
Experienced players might gravitate toward the Yatousen for its boss-melting potential or the Kage-Hiruko for its incredible versatility. The Magatsuhi serves as an excellent crowd control option when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Remember, each weapon transforms dramatically with its Bloodraven form, so don't judge any blade until you've experienced its full potential. The journey from novice to ninja master requires understanding every tool in your arsenal.
Your path to becoming the ultimate ninja starts with understanding these five incredible weapons. Each blade offers a different approach to combat, ensuring that no two encounters feel exactly the same. Master them all, and watch as even the most challenging enemies fall before your perfectly honed skills.