Axe

The Axe, also known as Battle Axe or Throwing Axe, is one of the five original throwable sub-weapons in the Castlevania series. In later games, it also appears as a primary weapon that is swung in an arc, and in some instances, the "Axe" conforms a complete class of weaponry. The Axe is supposedly made of silver, as described in Castlevania: Lament of Innocence.

General information

 * See Axe/Item Data.

The Axe is normally thrown forward and upward in an arcing pattern to attack distant enemies. It is most useful for attacking airborne enemies, or those which wait on higher platforms and are out of reach. When used against large monsters, the Axe can sometimes do multiple hits if staying in contact with the enemy throughout its trajectory. In some games, such as Vampire Killer or Aria of Sorrow, the Axe travels forward a certain distance and then returns, in a similar way as a Cross or an Axe Armor's thrown axe would.

The Axe's most common (and apparently only) Item Crash, has a character levitating in the air for a brief moment while multiple axes spin around him attacking all enemies in range, then they expand toward the edge of the screen, damaging all enemies on their path.

Castlevania
The original Castlevania featured an Axe as one of the five original sub-weapons that would later become staples in the series. The player could only equip a single sub-weapon at a time, each which could be obtained from either hitting a candle or as a drop item from an enemy. By holding ↑ while attacking and consuming one Heart, an axe is launched upward and forward in an arc, slicing through any enemies, candles or walls it encounters. The player is normally allowed to throw another Axe after the first one is off the screen. Two or three Axes are allowed on the screen at a time if the player possesses a Double or Triple Shot.

Vampire Killer
The Battle Axe is a replacement for the whip in this game. It does not attack in an arcing pattern; instead, it behaves like the Boomerang from the first game, except that it is stronger and doesn't have as much range (similar to an Axe Man's weapon). It does not consume any Hearts; however, if the player fails to catch it on its return, they will lose it and have to fight with a weak Leather Whip.

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
The Battle Axe found in Dracula's Curse is identical to the Axe found in the original Castlevania. It can also be powered up with Double and Triple Shots. Trevor Belmont and Grant Danasty are both able to use this weapon. Grant can use it by simply pressing the attack button while clinging to a wall or the ceiling. Grant also finds Axes in candles that Trevor would find Banshee Boomerangs. Candles that would give Trevor an Axe, instead give Sypha a Flame spell, and a Small Heart to Alucard.

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
In the North American version of this game, the Axe sub-weapon replaces the Cross that appeared in the Japanese version, and later in the European Konami GB Collection Vol. 4 version. It is similar to the Axe from the original Castlevania, but cannot be enhanced with Double or Triple Shots. The only other sub-weapon in this game is the Holy Water, available in all editions.

Super Castlevania IV
The Axe in Super Castlevania IV is similar to that found in the original Castlevania. It can also be powered up with a Double or Triple Shot.

The Axe is one of the selectable items used to form a password at the beginning and ending of the game.

Castlevania: Bloodlines
The Battle Axe also appears in Bloodlines, albeit in a slightly different manner. While it still retains the same attacking motion (an ascending/descending arc), the Battle Axe's blade is larger than it usually is, its arc is shorter, and its descent is slower.

Castlevania (N64)
The Axe makes an appearance in Castlevania 64 and is used in a manner similar to its earlier counterparts. Again, the axe is thrown in a vertical arc for a decent amount of damage, taking out aerial foes with ease, and will be automatically thrown at any enemy regardless of range if the player is locked into their location. As a result, its usefulness is more limited than older, 2D-style games, as its main perk (being able to fell airborne enemies) is somewhat negated. In this title the axe has more of an appearance of a hatchet as opposed to a medieval weapon, with a single curved blade on top of its handle.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
The Axe appears as the Bullet Soul Spinning Edge which is the Axe Armor's Soul. Unlike it typical depictions, Spinning Edge returns to Soma in a boomerang-like fashion after being thrown like an Axe Armor's axe (this makes sense as the ability is derived from the Axe Armor's soul). In addition to the bullet soul, the Battle Axe appears as an equipable weapon which Soma swings one handed in a arc.

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
The Axe makes an appearance here, albeit used in a different attacking fashion; rather than being thrown in a vertical arc, Leon throws two axes horizontally, both of which spin in differing circular motions (one clockwise, the other counterclockwise). Both don't stop upon hitting any enemies on their path and can dole out successive damage based on how many times and targets they hit along their path.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
The Axe represents a class of weapons in this game.

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
The Axe represents a class of weapons in this game.

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
In Portrait of Ruin, all axe-type weapons have the ability to deal two hits per swing to ground enemies (a characteristic they share with club-type weapons). Since axe-type weaponry are by nature the most damaging weapons in the game, it is not known if this behavior was intentional or a scripting error.

Axe is also one of Jonathan Morris's sub-weapon skills in this game.

Castlevania: Order of Shadows
The Throwing Axe is often found in the first candle of the Mansion, although it is not always there. It can still be found in other candles, though. Once Desmond obtains it, he can equip it at any time. Desmond throws the axe in a much more horizontal arc than most users. It reaches its maximum height about halfway across the screen.

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Shanoa is also able to use axe sub-weapons, although this time they are called by their Latin name, "Ascia", and they appear in glyph form. They come in three levels: Ascia, Vol Ascia and Melio Ascia, each being a more powerful version than the last. She's also able to throw several of them at the same time.

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair
The Axe represents a class of weapons in this game.

Damage type
In Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, the word "Axe" also represents the type of damage dealt by an Axe sub-weapon.