Kikuichimonji

A Kikuichimonji is a Light Blade-class Artifact weapon found throughout the Golden Sun series. In the original Golden Sun, it is notable as being the most powerful Light Blade and overall the second-most powerful weapon that is available to players.

Basic description by game
In all games it appears in, the Kikuichimonji increases Attack by 128 points. It can be sold for 10050 coins and can be subsequently re-bought for 13400 coins.

In Golden Sun, it is dropped by Fenrirs in Venus Lighthouse, although the odds of receiving one are very slim. Being a Light Blade, it can be equipped by Isaac, Garet, and Ivan. Should it be transfered to Golden Sun: The Lost Age, it can also be equipped by Felix, Jenna, and Piers. The Kikuichimonji's sole Unleashed power in the first two games is Asura (Shura no Mai/Dance of Ashura in Japan). It converts all damage to Jupiter damage and attacks with an additional 64 attack points. It also has a chance of ignoring 50% of the target's Defense, increasing the amount of damage done. Asura appears as a samurai with a tengu mask performing a horizontal cut on the target at the same time as the wielder.

In Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, the Kikuichimonji is initially found as a rusty sword in a shallow area north of where the whirlpool to Crossbone Isle appears. If the player brings the sword to Obaba in Champa, she will reforge it into the Kikuichimonji. As a Light Blade, it can be equipped by Matthew, Tyrell, Karis, Amiti, Eoleo, and Himi. The Kikuichimonji gains two new unleashes in addition to its signature Unleash of Asura: Combat Dance and Zenith Strike. Combat Dance is a non-elemental physical attack that multiplies damage by 1.5. Zenith Strike is a physical attack that converts all damage to Jupiter damage, and adds an additional 54 points of damage. Meanwhile, Asura is improved by hitting multiple enemies.

Analysis
In Golden Sun, the Kikuichimonji is a rare but powerful weapon with few rivals to speak of, outdone only by the Gaia Blade in terms of attack power. However, there are other weapons that can challenge its position, most notably the Swift Sword. When comparing the two, the higher attack bonus of the Kikuichimonji is able to inflict more consistent damage that the Swift Sword. In addition, the Kuikichimonji's unleash is also very useful, doing Jupiter damage and having the chance to ignore 50% of the foe's defense. In contrast, the Swift Sword is physically weaker, but the Swift Sword's Unleash, Sonic Smash, occasionally triples the damage done, which can overpower even the Gaia Blade. Sonic Smash also does Jupiter damage, and the Swift Sword increases the wielder’s Jupiter power, making it seemingly the perfect weapon for Ivan. Thus, the choice of weapon ultimately comes down to player preference.

The Kikuichimonji is only available via transfer in The Lost Age. By the time the player gains access to it, stronger weapons will already be available. Thus, the Kikuichimonji will likely see little use.

In Dark Dawn, the Kikuichimonji can be obtained as soon as the player gains access to the ship. Due to its Jupiter-based Unleashes, the Kikuichimonji is most fitting for Karis because of her naturally high Jupiter Power. However, it is outpowered by the Verdant Sword, a Jupiter based pure-element weapon that can be forged from Quality Zol and is available at around the same time. Despite this, the Kikuichimonji can see use as an early placeholder weapon for Himi or Eoleo after they join the party. The Kikuichimonji will be much stronger than the default weapons they have (the Psynergy Rod and Broad Axe, respectively). However, the Kikuichimonji will be replaced by stronger weapons very quickly.

RNG Methods (Golden Sun)

 * Main article: Random Number Generator

In Golden Sun, the Kikuichimonji is a rare drop. While defeating Fenrirs with a Mars Djinni can increase the odds of obtaining one, the Kikuichimonji will still be rare. However, the player can perform certain actions to manipulate the game's Random Number Generator to ensure a drop. One such method is detailed below.

First, make sure Isaac is faster than Mia; Garet should be slower than Mia but needs to have at least 150 Agility. You can do this by equipping Running Shirts, Ninja Garb, Ninja Hood, Elven Shirt, Kimono, or Feathered Robe, and if any of them is too fast, you can slow them down by equipping the Turtle Boots. Go to the main room in Venus Lighthouse (the one with the Psynergy Stone in the middle). Save and perform a "hard reset" (turn off the system completely, then turn it on again). Run around the room to engage in a battle. It should be against an Ice Gargoyle and a Fenrir and you should have the first strike.

First Round (target Fenrir with all attacks):
 * Isaac casts Clay Spire.
 * Garet casts Flare Wall.
 * Ivan casts Tornado.
 * Mia casts Ice Horn.

Second Round:
 * Isaac Defends.
 * Garet unleashes Torch (Works with Scorch as well) on Fenrir.
 * Ivan defends.
 * Mia casts Wish.

Third Round:
 * Isaac unleashes Bane on Ice Gargoyle.
 * Defend with everyone else.

This should drop the Kikuichimonji and a Potion. This method can be repeated to your heart's desire, but remember to save and hard reset between each attempt in order to reset the Random Number Generator.

Cultural References
"Kiku-ichimonji" is the name given to the Japanese swords made by the thirteen swordsmiths who were in attendance to the Japanese Emperor Go-Toba in 1208. Asuras, in Hinduism and Buddhism, were demonic, power-seeking deities.