In the pantheon of Cool Swords, massive slabs of metal, blades made of space rock, and icons like the Master Sword and Phantom Blade steal much of the attention. But the living sword, a blade that houses a soul or living being within, or is simply just a sword-shaped creature, may be swording’s coolest sword.

Demonic or otherwise cursed swords, weapons that thirst for blood or hunger for human souls, are not necessarily living swords, though they too are cool. Who doesn’t long to equip a weapon that slowly drains one’s health, with the promised trade-off of immense power, and be slowly corrupted by a malevolent force? We all do. The sword that is alive, and has purpose, is an intoxicating trope. There should be more souls trapped in swords, not fewer. That’s my platform.

The best (and, sorry, most obvious) pick for the living sword platonic ideal is the Soul Edge, which is not only a gnarly, veiny living sword wielded by various fighters, but the central antagonist of the entire Soulcalibur series. The Soul Edge, lore says, did not begin its existence as a living thing. It was simply a regular sword that became corrupted by blood and violence. It sought out hosts to wield it, and be corrupted by........

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