▁divided ▁into ▁two ▁parts : ▁the ▁path ▁to ▁the ▁castle , ▁and ▁the ▁castle ▁itself , ▁is ▁of ▁considerable ▁size , ▁and ▁Tak amar u ▁must ▁defeat ▁generic ▁enemy ▁characters ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁inn erm ost ▁region ▁of ▁the ▁castle ▁where ▁the ▁castle - l ord ▁res ides . ▁ ▁The ▁player ' s ▁only ▁weapons ▁are ▁a ▁kat ana ▁and ▁sh ur ik ens ; ▁up gr ades ▁to ▁the ▁sh ur iken ▁can ▁be ▁obtained , ▁but ▁are ▁lost ▁whenever ▁Tak amar u ▁los es ▁a ▁life . ▁The ▁kat ana ▁can ▁only ▁be ▁used ▁when ▁Tak amar u ▁is ▁close ▁to ▁an ▁enemy ▁or ▁project ile ▁( ex cluding ▁fire ball s ), ▁while ▁the ▁sh ur ik ens ▁can ▁only ▁be ▁used ▁when ▁he ▁is ▁farther ▁away . ▁The ▁kat ana ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁def lect ▁project iles . ▁Other ▁items ▁include ▁fire ball s , ▁which ▁are ▁more ▁powerful ▁than ▁the ▁sh ur ik ens ; ▁a ▁light ning - th emed ▁explos ive , ▁which ▁gives ▁heavy ▁damage ▁to ▁every ▁enemy ▁on ▁screen ; ▁and ▁a ▁clo ak , ▁which ▁makes ▁Tak amar u ▁invisible ▁and ▁inv ul ner able ▁to ▁enemies ▁and ▁objects ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁period ▁of ▁time . ▁When ▁Tak amar u ▁reaches ▁more ▁ 9 9 ▁lives , ▁he ▁becomes ▁inv inci ble . ▁ ▁Plot ▁In ▁E do - period ▁Japan , ▁Mur as ame ▁Castle ▁houses ▁a ▁gig antic ▁stone ▁statue ▁known ▁as ▁Mur as ame . ▁The ▁people