The Last Blade

The Last Blade, released in Japan as Bakumatsu Rouman: Gekka no Kenshi (幕末浪漫 月華の剣士?), is a fighting game developed and released by SNK for the Neo Geo system in 1997. It was also ported to several home systems. The Last Blade and its sequel, The Last Blade 2, are considered by some to be two of the most accomplished games available for the Neo Geo system.

The game takes place during the Bakumatsu era in Japan, and incorporates various elements of Japanese mythology (with a heavy emphasis on the symbology of the Four Symbols). As such, the background music generally incorporates synthesized instruments simulating a sound appropriate to the 19th century setting, in a Western classical, pseudo-Romantic style (unusual for a fighting game).

Long before humanity existed, in a far off time of myth, death was an unknown, equally distant concept, but when death first came to the world, the "Messenger from Afar" was born. With time, the Sealing Rite was held in order to seal Death behind Hell's Gate. At that time, two worlds, one near and one far, were born. Thus the history of life and death began.