I'm 11 hours into the game, at chapter 3. I'm doing a lot of side-quests myself, not forcefully at all either. They just happen along the way, and since they're all fully voice-acted/tiny cut-scene it feels much more emerged.
@OP: I was able to download the Masamune sword. It looks dope, but it's basically a level 2 sword or something. Only 43 damage or something.