Lightning Blade (雷神剣 Raijinken?, "Lightning God Blade"), alternatively Thunder Punch (雷神拳 Raijinken?, "Lightning God Fist") and Lightning Dog (雷神犬 Raijinken?, "Thunder God Dog"), is a classic melee technique of the Tales series, usually with the element Wind or Lightning.
Arte Description and History[]
When the arte is used, the user thrusts forward with their weapon, and a bolt of lightning strikes the target upon contact. The arte will not continue if the initial thrust misses; the lightning bolt will appear only if the attack connects with an enemy.
In the original Tales of Destiny, the dummied character Lilith Aileron has her own version of this arte, translated within the dummied game files as "Thunder Punch" (雷神拳 Raijinken?). Like the kanji difference between the weapon and unarmed versions of the Demon Fang arte, Lilith's version of this arte lacks the use of a weapon. Instead, she punches forward with an electrically charged fist, followed by a rising uppercut. Because Lilith's role within as an intended part of the party was removed by the developers, the arte remains as an unused remnant of data that was left within the game. But in the Tales of Phantasia remake versions for the PlayStation and PlayStation Portable, this arte was given to Lilith for her appearance in the coliseum cameo battle. However, in the remake versions of Tales of Destiny, this arte was removed from her movelist, with most of her other existing artes to allow Lilith to follow a cooking-themed fighting style instead of her original martial artist abilities.
The same arte name is used in Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon, used by the Heihachi costume that is available to Dio. The costume itself is a reference to Heihachi Mishima from the Tekken series, who serves as the basis and origin of Lilith's original abilities prior to the PlayStation 2 remake of Tales of Destiny. The arte itself is a reference to the Mishima family's karate-style in Heihachi's home series, which possesses a signature technique also known as "Raijinken" (雷神拳?), though localized as "Dragon Uppercut" within that franchise.
With the release of Tales of Eternia, Lightning Blade is formally introduced into the series as a sword-based attack. It is the first of the "thrust" type artes in Reid Hershel's movelist, followed by Super Lightning Blade, which combines Lightning Blade with additional Wind-elemental damage. Both of these artes were carried over into Tales of Symphonia, available to both Kratos Aurion and Zelos Wilder. If Lightning Blade is used in a Unison Attack with any of Tiger Blade's base and master rank variants, it will become Thunder Tiger Blade. By using it with Photon in a Unison Attack, it will become Plasma Blade.
Tales of Symphonia also has another arte with similar effects, known as Lightning Thrust. This arte is available to Lloyd Irving only, as an altered arte variant of his Sonic Thrust if Lloyd has an active Lightning-elemental damage enchant. Lightning Thrust and Lightning Blade are considered to be separate and distinct artes. Lightning Thrust is derived from Sonic Thrust, and it is considered to be a part of its branch of artes, while Lightning Blade is separate from that branch, learned separately from Sonic Thrust and related attacks.
In Tales of the Abyss, Lightning Blade is the second of four artes Luke fon Fabre can learn from the sidequest that involves finding books on the Albert-style swordsmanship. Having learned Demon Fist, and after the fall of St. Binah, if the party talks to a man outside of Tear Grants's house in Yulia City, he will mention how he left home in a hurry, and the only valuable thing he has left is the textbook for Lightning Blade. Unwilling to go broke, the man is willing to sell the textbook for a large sum of money. The party swings back to Duke Fabre's mansion, and talks to Susanne for Luke to massage his mother' shoulders to earn 40000 gald. The party then heads right back to Yulia City to pay for the book. In the same game, for some reason, Reid's version of the arte is named Sonic Blade, the localized name for Demon Fang in Tales of Eternia.
In Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, Zelos's blade is coated in electricity as he thrusts forward before a lightning bolt strikes the enemy.
The "dog" variant of this arte, Lightning Dog, is introduced in Tales of Vesperia. Like with Demon Fang and its fist and dog versions, this name is based on a pun on the Japanese reading of the kanji for the word "dog" (犬 inu?), which can be read as "ken" when used as a part of kanji compounds. Lightning Dog is learned as an altered arte, which requires both the Hell Fire and Gale skills to be equipped while using Sonic Dog for 100 times during battle. After this, it is learned as a separate arte that can be used without the equipped skills. In execution, Repede headbutts the enemy, forming a string of rings of electricity in his wake, before a lightning bolt strikes the enemy. Lightning Blade is also an altered arte used by Traitor To Heaven, while Super Lightning Blade is a regular strike arte, mirroring Repede's version of the arte.
In the original Tales of Hearts, Kor quickly sheathes his blade before thrusting it forward. By using the Connect Command panel system, Raijinken can be timed to be used with Arataka, used by Hisui Hearts, combining both artes into Voltic Line. Alternatively, it can be combined with Kunzite's Makuuga, to activate Senraiga.
In Tales of Hearts R, Kor's blade is coated in electricity without sheathing it, as he simply thrusts forward, without stepping forward with his right leg.
In Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X, Mel simply performs an upward slash.
In Tales of the Rays, Lilith regains this arte as an electrifying, spinning uppercut. If executed twice, Lilith will perform this action three more times. If executed a third time, it alters into Raijin Juurengeki.
In Tales of Arise, Phantom Zephyr will charge his right fist with electricity, before dashing forward and releasing the energy in a punch.
Appearances (Thunder Punch)[]
Original Titles
- Tales of Phantasia (PSX / iOS) + Full Voice Edition + Cross Edition - Lilith Aileron
- Tales of Destiny (PSX) - Dummied: Lilith Aileron (Thunder Punch)
- Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon - Thunder Fighter costume, Heihachi costume
- Tales of Arise - Zephyr (Thunder Punch)
Crossover Titles
- Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2 - Lilith Aileron costume
- Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 3 - Lilith Aileron
- Tales of the Rays - Lilith Aileron, Zephyr
Other Titles
Appearances (Lightning Blade)[]
Original Titles
- Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X - Fencer costume, Magic Fencer costume, Royal Fencer costume, Chain Blader costume
- Tales of Eternia - Reid Hershel (Lightning Blade)
- Tales of Symphonia - Kratos Aurion, Zelos Wilder (Lightning Blade)
- Tales of the Abyss - Luke fon Fabre, Asch (Lightning Blade), Reid Hershel (Sonic Blade)
- Tales of Eternia Online - Warrior class, Swordsman class
- Tales of Wahrheit - Seltz Vakstrum
- Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World - Zelos Wilder (Lightning Blade)
- Tales of Vesperia - Traitor To Heaven (Lightning Blade)
- Tales of Hearts - Kor Meteor
- Tales of Hearts R - Kor Meteor (Lightning Blade)
- Tales of Graces - Richard (Lightning Blade)
Crossover Titles
- Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2 - Gale Swordsman costume, Thunder Swordsman costume, Demonic Swordsman costume, Skilled Swordsman costume, Reid Hershel
- Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 3 - Swordsman costume, Reid Hershel, Zelos Wilder
- Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology - Magic Knight class, Reid Hershel, Kratos Aurion, Luke fon Fabre (Lightning Blade)
- Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 2 - Kratos Aurion, Zelos Wilder, Asch
- Tales of VS. - Kratos Aurion, Asch
- Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 3 - Kratos Aurion, Zelos Wilder, Asch
- Tales of Link - Reid Hershel, Kratos Aurion, Luke fon Fabre (Lightning Blade)
- Tales of Asteria - Reid Hershel, Kratos Aurion, Zelos Wilder, Luke fon Fabre, Kor Meteor, Richard
Other Titles
Animation
- Tales of Eternia: The Animation - Reid Hershel + Maronne Buruqano (Rai-Jin-Ken)[1]
Stage Plays
Other
Appearances (Lightning Dog)[]
Original Titles
- Tales of Vesperia - Repede (Lightning Dog)
Crossover Titles
- Tales of Asteria - Repede
- Tales of the Rays - Repede (Lightning Dog)
Fan-Translated Names[]
Thunder Punch[]
- Tales of Phantasia (PSX) (Absolute Zero): ?
- Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2 (Kajitani-Eizan): Lightning Fist
- Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 3 (Kajitani-Eizan): Lightning Fist
Lightning Blade[]
- Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2 (Kajitani-Eizan): Lightning Blade
- Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 3 (Kajitani-Eizan): Lightning Blade
In-Game Descriptions and Battle Quotes[]
Tales of Eternia[]
Japanese Description: 剣で突いた相手に雷撃を与える特技
Localized Description: "The enemy is slashed and struck with lightning."
Tales of Symphonia[]
Japanese Description: 剣で突いた相手に雷撃を与える秘技
Localized Description: "Lv. 3 Sp. Attack: thrust and shock the target with lightning."
Tales of the Abyss[]
Japanese Description: 突きを繰り出したと同時に電撃を加える奥義。
Localized Description: "Arcane: An electrifying thrust attack."[2]
Tales of Vesperia[]
Lightning Dog[]
Japanese Description: 稲妻のごとく敵に突進するスキル変化技
Localized Description: "Altered Arte: Charge at the enemy as quick as lightning."
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the World[]
Japanese Description: 剣で突いた相手に雷撃を与える特技
Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology[]
Localized Description: "Master: The enemy is slashed and struck with lightning."
Tales of Hearts[]
Japanese Description: 雷を帯びた突きを繰り出し 雷撃を相手に落とす技
Alternate Japanese Quote: 輝け!
Tales of Graces[]
Japanese Description: 剣を貫き、雷撃を落とす。
Alternate Japanese Quote: 迅雷!
Alternate Localized Quote: "Cry out!"
Tales of Hearts R[]
Japanese Description: 雷を帯びた突きを繰り出し 雷撃を相手に落とす技
Localized Description: "An electrified sword thrust that causes lightning to strike the target."
Tales of the Rays[]
Thunder Punch[]
User: Lilith Aileron
Japanese Description: 拳を振り上げ雷神の力を解き放つ連続入力を続けると…?
User: Zephyr
Japanese Description: 力を溜めてから一気に距離を詰め雷の宿った拳で豪快な一撃を放つ
Lightning Dog[]
Japanese Description: 突進後、落雷による追撃
Tales of Arise[]
Alternate Japanese Quote: 見える化!
Alternate Localized Quote: "See this?"
References[]
- ↑ YouTube subtitles
- ↑ Tales of the Abyss (PS2) FAQ/Walkthrough by Gray Fox GameFAQs (2007) Retrieved on 2009-06-20.