Monado

Name: Monado
Source: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Video Game
Material: Wood (Baltic Birch) and Acrylic
Size: 7.0 in. X 1.5 in. X 0.125 in.

Monado is an energy blade from the Xenoblade Chronicles, which allows its wielder to change its powers by selecting symbols within the blade’s circular screen.

I referenced in-game images, designing the blade in Photoshop and Illustrator.

In the Xenoblade Chronicles, symbols representing different Arts glow in the circular opening in the middle of the blade. To recreate this, I engraved the symbols in clear acrylic and cut out circular shapes to fit within the opening – one disk per symbol. These can be swapped out, allowing the sword to show all of the symbols.