Shadow Blade (シャドーブレード Shadō Burēdo) is Shadow Man's Special Weapon in the original Mega Man series. It is a large hira shuriken that can be thrown to attack. When used by Shadow Man, the shuriken is coated with a special, deadly liquid that is capable of deranging the functions of mechanisms. He usually throws two Shadow Blades at a time: one diagonally up and the other in front of him.
When used by Mega Man, it can only be thrown one at a time, and it has a relatively short range. However, the blade boomerangs back to where it was thrown from, and he can throw it in five different directions (left, right, diagonally up and right, diagonally up and left and straight up). In Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters, the directions are reduced to four, being unable to be shot straight up.
Appearances[]
Mega Man 3[]
Mega Man obtains Shadow Blade after Shadow Man's defeat in Mega Man 3. It is the weakness of Spark Man and Kamegoro Maker, and is also effective against Magnet Man, Doc Robot (Bubble Man and Heat Man), and Shadow Man in the rematch against him in the Wily Castle. Hard Man, Doc Robot (Air Man), and Gamma (2nd form) are immune to it.
Two Shadow Blade uses one weapon energy unit. With a full energy gauge, it can be used 56 times. In the NES version of Mega Man 3, the player can use Shadow Blade endlessly by changing the weapon after each shot, avoiding an energy unit being used by the second Shadow Blade. This issue was fixed in later releases like Mega Man: The Wily Wars.
Mega Man: The Wily Wars[]
Shadow Blade, alongside all weapons from the first three games, can be used in the Wily Tower mode. Iron Ball and the "Wily Machine" (2nd and 3rd forms) are immune to it.
Mega Man III[]
Like Mega Man 3, the Shadow Blade is obtained after Shadow Man's defeat in Mega Man III. The Shadow Blade is Spark Man's weakness. Punk and the Wily Machine are immune to it. Two Shadow Blades uses one weapon energy unit. With a full energy gauge, it can be used 38 times.
Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters[]
The Shadow Blade is obtained by the player that takes the Special Weapon Item dropped by Shadow Man after his defeat in the "Search for Wily!" course. It is the weakness from Bubble Man and Dr. Wily. One Shadow Blade uses one unit of weapon energy. With a full energy gauge, it can be used 16 times.
Super Adventure Rockman[]
The Shadow Blade is obtained after Shadow Man's defeat in the end of the first episode, Temple of the Moon. It can only be used by loading a save of the cleared episode on the next episode.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U []

Mega Man using Shadow Blade in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
The Shadow Blade appears in the fighting game Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U as a custom move for Mega Man's neutral special, Metal Blade. It must be unlocked before it can be swapped out.
Mega Man throws a Shadow Blade, which can be thrown in eight directions like the Metal Blade- unlike Mega Man 3, where he can only throw them in five directions. It deals 2% damage per hit by default, can hit multiple times unlike the Metal Blade, and is less susceptible to being used against Mega Man, since cannot stick to the ground or be picked up. Its range is considerably shorter than the Metal Blade as in the main series, but it boomerangs back to the point where it was thrown, making it effective for opponents that are in its way when it returns, as well as for pulling them towards Mega Man for close-range attacks.
Other appearances[]
- The Shadow Blade appeared in the Tiger Electronics Mega Man 3 handheld. It is Spark Man's weakness.
- Shadow Man's vehicle in Mega Man Battle & Chase is able to fire large Shadow Blades.
Damage data chart[]
Mega Man 3[]
Known damage values in units for Mega Man 3.
- For Kamegoro Maker, a certain amount of damage will be taken from the health meter for each of the five Kamegoros produced, regardless of which weapon the player uses against them. Each Kamegoro has 3 health.
Other media[]

Mega Man using Shadow Blade in Captain N: The Game Master
Mega Man uses the Shadow Blade against Kamegoro Maker in the cartoon Captain N: The Game Master.
In the Mega Man comic book series by Archie Comics, the Shadow Blade was frequently used by Shadow Man, especially during his fight against Mega Man. After Mega Man managed to copy his Shadow Blade ability, he used it to take down both Magnet Man and Spark Man. When infiltrating Wily's third castle via the sewers, Mega Man briefly adopted the use of Shadow Blade to take down a Kamegoro Master, while monologuing about his determination that there will not be any more betrayals, or any more fighting against other robots.
Shadow Blade also appeared in the Rockman World 3 manga.
Gallery[]
Cutter / Boomerang Special Weapons | |
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Mega Man series | Rolling Cutter (1) • Metal Blade (2) • Quick Boomerang (2) • Shadow Blade (3) • Ring Boomerang (4) • Gyro Attack (5) • Silver Tomahawk (6) • Slash Claw (7) • Flame Sword (8) • Triple Blade (10) • Wheel Cutter (10) • Screw Crusher (III) • Tengu Blade (M&B) • Shark Boomerang (3DOS) • Blade Launcher (3DOS) |
Mega Man X series | Boomerang Cutter (X) • Sonic Slicer (X2) • Spin Wheel (X2) • Spinning Blade (X3) • Twin Slasher (X4) • Crescent Shot (X5) • Magma Blade (X6) • Wind Cutter (X7) • Shadow Runner (X8) • Ray Claw (Xtreme 2) |
Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters | |
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List of Playable Characters | |
Mega Man • Proto Man • Bass • Duo | |
List of Bosses | |
- Search for Wily! - Shadow Man • Plant Man • Gyro Man • Centaur Man • Bubble Man • Heat Man Mad Grinder - Rescue Roll! - Cut Man • Stone Man • Shade Man • Elec Man • Dive Man • Slash Man Yellow Devil - Recover the new parts! - Guts Man • Pharaoh Man • Air Man • Quick Man • Gemini Man • Napalm Man Mecha Dragon - Dr. Wily - Wily Machine | |
List of Special Weapons | |
Shadow Blade • Plant Barrier • Gyro Attack • Centaur Arrow • Bubble Lead • Atomic Fire Rolling Cutter • Power Stone • Noise Crush • Thunder Beam • Dive Missile • Slash Claw Super Arm • Pharaoh Wave • Air Shooter • Quick Boomerang • Gemini Laser • Napalm Bomb | |
Support Items | |
Rush • Beat • Treble |
Super Adventure Rockman | |
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Characters | |
Mega Man • Beat • Rush • Dr. Light • Roll • Proto Man • Dr. Wily • Ra Moon Cut Man • Guts Man • Ice Man • Bomb Man • Fire Man • Elec Man | |
Bosses | |
Metal Man • Bubble Man • Heat Man • Flash Man • Quick Man • Shadow Man Wood Man • Air Man • Crash Man • Snake Man • Needle Man • Gemini Man Magnet Man • Hard Man • Top Man • Spark Man • Ra Thor • New Yellow Devil | |
Special Weapons | |
Metal Blade • Bubble Lead • Atomic Fire • Time Stopper • Quick Boomerang • Shadow Blade Leaf Shield • Air Shooter • Crash Bomber • Search Snake • Needle Cannon • Gemini Laser Magnet Missile • Hard Knuckle • Top Spin • Spark Shock | |
Miscellaneous | |
Enemies • Energy Tank • Information Card • Item Box • Lanfront Ruins • Proto Shield |