Allen Pan, who runs the Suiciently Advanced YouTube channel, has released a new video showing how anyone can use a giant anime sword with a little help from an exoskeleton.
In a 13-minute video, Pan discusses how he achieved his ultimate goal: a generic replica of the Cloud Strife buster sword. To do this, he used his stimulus money to enlist a friend to build the sword. But how does anyone pick up the Buster sword, a comically large weapon that looks very heavy? An exoskeleton of $ 900 Steadicam, that’s how.
The sword in Pan’s video, built by his friend at 3.6.9 Design, is £ 50. It’s not that heavy, but because of the way it’s picked up, Pan’s generic Buster Sword generates £ 150, the same amount of power that a car engine produces. This is where the $ 900 used exoskeleton comes in to compensate for the weight of the Buster sword.
Inspired by Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow, Pan modifies a passive camera-stabilizing exoskeleton with additional feathers to further offset the sword’s weight. He initially wanted to swing with the sword just like Cloud, but was convinced that the suit would not be able to withstand the force of the sword without help. So he followed a different path: tying a ring to the center of the blade and attaching it to the exoskeleton as a way to offset the heaviness.
The result was a success. Kind of.
Pan can use the sword effectively, no problem. He can swing the blade and smash things like crackers and TVs, but there is nothing of the grace or torch you would expect from an anime protagonist. To compare, Pan pointed to power picker Chase Lee to see if he could use the thing. It turns out that you can use the Buster sword using an exoskeleton or lots of muscle.
In other Final Fantasy-related news, PlayStation Plus subscribers can download Final Fantasy VII Remake for free all month in preparation for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, an exclusive PlayStation 5 upgrade starring Yuffie. Launch our Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade pre-order guide to learn more about the bonuses before they hit PlayStation 5 on June 10th.
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