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The weapons in Ninja Gaiden 4 give you a wide range of tools to defeat your enemies, but knowing what each one does is important. In this game, Yakumo aims to break the seals on The Dark Dragon to wake up the legendary beast and then seal it away permanently. These seals are guarded by powerful weapons, so each time Yakumo breaks a seal, he earns a new weapon to add to his collection.
Every weapon can be upgraded, and thanks to Yakumo’s Bloodraven form, each one actually becomes two weapons—the original and an enhanced version. Here’s how you unlock each of the weapons in Ninja Gaiden 4.
Yakumo’s Weapons
Takeminakata (Twin Blades / Tachi)
Yakumo starts with Takeminakata, a pair of lightweight katanas perfect for quick, nimble combat. They work well for fast-paced fights and are versatile in battle. When transformed into Bloodraven form, the same weapon becomes a heavier, slower sword called a tachi—longer reach, bigger strikes, and more power, ideal for keeping enemies at a distance before rushing in with the twin blades.
Yatousen (Rapier / Lance)
Your first weapon, Yatousen, unlocks after finishing Chapter 3. In its basic form, it’s a swift rapier, great for one-on-one fights but less effective against groups. When transformed into Bloodraven form, it becomes a lance topped with a giant drill—slow to attack but capable of delivering heavy damage, especially when you hold down the attack button to keep the drill spinning. Keep in mind, it’s less effective against crowds in this form.
Magatsuhi (Staff / Hammer)
After beating Kurobo in Chapter 7, you get access to Magatsuhi. In its standard form, it’s a wide staff that Yakumo spins to dominate groups, making it the top crowd-control weapon. Bloodraven turns it into a giant hammer—slow but powerful, with a large reach that can wipe out multiple enemies in seconds.
Kage-Hiruko (Assassin’s Tools / Mechanical Arms)
Unlocked after completing Chapter 10, this weapon is a mix of throwing shuriken, bombs, tonfa, claws, and a machete—basically a toolkit for both long-range and close combat. Yakumo can throw various projectiles or go in for melee attacks. In Bloodraven form, it gives Yakumo mechanical arms that greatly enhance projectile size and damage, making it especially deadly when enemies swarm.
Dark Dragon Blade
Yakumo’s ultimate weapon, gained after defeating Ryu Hayabusa in Chapter 19, is the Dark Dragon Blade. It mimics Ryu’s Dragon Blade but with the Bloodraven power called Dark Gleam, which unleashes multi-hit attacks. After finishing the game, the weapon disappears in new game plus unless you complete all Boss Trials in Trials mode, which then allows you unlimited access. You can do these trials on easier difficulty settings to unlock the weapon permanently.
Ryu’s Weapon
Ryu only fights with the Dragon Sword starting from Chapter 14. It has a simple yet effective moveset, with Gleam transforming his attacks into rapid multi-slash combos. Ryu also has four magic attacks called Ninpo, which are long-range attacks that consume the same meter as his Gleam attacks. To use the Dragon Sword in other missions, you need to unlock Ryu in the game’s progression. For more details on that, check the separate guide.
If you’re interested in why Ninja Gaiden 4 is one of the franchise’s best, be sure to read our full review.
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