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4101
|
dbpedia
|
2
| 34 |
https://www.jaea.go.jp/english/about/locationmap.html
|
en
|
Japan Atomic Energy Agency : Location map
|
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[] |
[
""
] | null |
[] | null |
en
| null |
Tokyo Office
19F Fukoku Seimei Building, 2-2-2 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8577, Japan
Tel: (+81)-3-3592-2111
Sector of Fukushima Research and Development
Iwaki Office
8F Taira Central Building, 7-1 Omachi, Taira, Iwaki City, Fukushima 970-8026, Japan
Tel:(+81)-246-35-7650
Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS)
International Collaborative Research Building
790-1 Motooka, Ohtsuka, Tomioka Town, Futaba-gun, Fukushima 979-1151, Japan
Tel:(+81)-240-21-3530
Research Building in Fukushima CEC
(Fukushima CECï¼Fukushima Prefectural Centre for Environmental Creation)
10-2 Fukasaku, Miharu Town, Tamura-gun, Fukushima 963-7700, Japan
Tel:(+81)-247-61-2910
Environmental Radiation Monitoring Centre, Fukushima CEC
(Fukushima CECï¼Fukushima Prefectural Centre for Environmental Creation)
45-169 Sukakeba, Kaibama, Haramachi-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima 975-0036, Japan
Tel:(+81)-244-25-2072
Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development (NARREC)
1-22 Nakamaru, Yamadaoka, Naraha Town, Futaba-gun, Fukushima 979-0513, Japan
Tel:(+81)-240-26-1040
Okuma Analysis and Research Center
8F Taira Central Building, 7-1 Omachi, Taira, Iwaki City, Fukushima 970-8026, Japan
Tel:(+81)-246-35-7650
|
|||||||
4101
|
dbpedia
|
1
| 20 |
https://www.southcom.mil/Military-and-Family-Services/Military-and-Family-Services-Main/
|
en
|
Family Services > Overview of Services at SOUTHCOM
|
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en
|
/Portals/7/favicon.ico?ver=Kr2ML5PlGElsh_1hiQoxqA%3d%3d
| null |
Services and Resources at SOUTHCOM
ID/DEERS office
The ID/DEERS office is located on the first floor of the Garrison Building. The office provides ID card and CAC services for U.S. military personnel and their families, DoD civilian employees and families, assigned contractors and DoD retirees.
NOTE: In Order to be issued a military ID Card to person(s) over 18 Years of age and older, you need to present two (2) valid form of ID (s). Primary ID must be an unexpired picture ID. No credit cards, conceal weapon permit, student ID nor SOUTHCOM badge will be accepted
Schedule an Appointment
Search: Site ID #107785 | Click on “Schedule an Appointment”
Hours of Operation
Monday-Wednesday, Friday: 9:00 AM-3:00 PM (APPOINTMENT ONLY)
Monday–Wednesday, Friday: Walk-ins 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (SOUTHCOM/USAG-Miami ONLY)
Thursday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Walk-ins (SOUTHCOM/USAG-Miami ONLY)
Federal Holidays: CLOSED
ID/DEERS contact info
305-437-0900
During duty hours please leave message; technicians are busy servicing customers. We will return your call within 24 hrs. In order to be issued a military ID Card to person(s) over 18 Years of age and older, you need to present two (2) valid form of ID (s). Primary ID must be an unexpired picture ID. No credit cards, conceal weapon permit, student ID nor SOUTHCOM badge will be accepted.
The USAG-Miami Child Development Center operates full-day child care programs for children six weeks old through five years old. The center also provides a modified School Age Services program for Winter, Spring and Summer camps.
Child, Youth and School Services provides the U.S. Southern Command community with quality child development options and youth programs which reduce the conflict between parenting responsibilities and duty requirements, and enhance the development of children and youth by engaging them in constructive activities.
The Child Development Center facility offers a nurturing, creative environment for your child, with age-appropriate activities built into each program.
Fees are generated from DOD guidelines and are based on total family income.
Child Development Center Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday 6 AM - 6 PM
Child Development Center contact info
305-437-1281
Fitness Center
The USAG-Miami Family & MWR Fitness Center is a new 44,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility. The Fitness Center is available for use by U.S. military personnel & their families, DoD civilian employees & families, contractor employees, assigned foreign military & their families, DoD retirees and other authorized MWR patrons (according to AR 215-1, Chapter 6).
The fitness center has something for everyone, including a fully-equipped weight room with cardio machines, free weights, dumbbells and hammer strength machines. The fitness center also has a gymnasium with two full basketball courts that convert to volleyball courts and two racquetball courts.
The fitness center includes men’s and women's locker rooms with all of the typical amenities including a sauna. The customer service desk provides a variety of equipment that can be checked out by authorized patrons.
Fitness Center Hours of Operation
Entire facility: Monday-Friday 5 AM - 9 PM
The weight/cardio room is open 24 hours.
Entire facility: Saturday-Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM
The weight/cardio room is open 24 hours.
Fitness Center contact info
305-437-0123/0124
Army Health Clinic SOUTHCOM
The Army Health Clinic SOUTHCOM provides ambulatory primary healthcare services to enrolled active duty service members, adult active duty family members, and TRICARE-eligible retirees working within U.S. Army Garrison-Miami. The clinic is located at 9301 NW 33rd St., Doral, Fla. 33172, in the Garrison building, Suite A1040.
Family & Morale, Welfare and Recreation
The Family & MWR office is responsible for several programs for Southern Command military and civilian personnel and their family members. MWR offices are located in the Garrison building on the installation
Family and MWR contact info
305-437-2665
Army Community Service
Army Community Service offers the following programs on and off site to meet community needs: Deployment or Mobilization Readiness, Family Advocacy Program, Transitional Compensation for Abused Dependents, Exceptional Family Member Program, Relocation Readiness, Personal Financial Readiness, Information and Referral Services and referral to the Military Family Employment Advocate.
Contact: 305-437-2251
Survivor Outreach Services South Florida
Survivor Outreach Services Mission: To build a unified program which embraces and reassures Families of our Fallen Warriors that they are continually linked to the Armed Forces Family for as long as they desire. The role of the SOS coordinator can be summarized as the person responsible for outreach, assessment, referrals, and advocate in general raising a red flag when gaps appear.
Contact: 305-437-2178
Child and Youth Services
The Child, Youth & School Services maintains a list of childcare centers accredited by the National Academy of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and has partnership with youth development organizations to offer youth recreational programs primarily during the summer vacation months. All service members and Department of Defense civilian employees attached to Southern Command are eligible to request child care and youth development subsidies. Service members are asked to stop by the MWR Office and fill out a request packet, which requires supporting financial documentation. The amount of subsidy given is based on the service member’s total family income. The Department of Defense fee structure is used as basis for determining subsidy. Packets and a list of available child care centers can be obtained by calling (305) 437-1144.
School Liaison Officer
School Support Services (SSS) provides Army school-aged youth with educational opportunities, resources and information necessary to achieve academic success. A branch of Child, Youth and School Services (CYSS), SSS is home to the School Liaison Office, where School Liaison Officers (SLOs) help deliver the best educational resources and information for your children.
Hours and Contact info
Passports and Visas
The SOUTHCOM U.S. Army Garrison-Miami Passport and Visa Office processes Diplomatic, Official, No-fee Passports and Visas for military personnel, DOD employees and family members travelling overseas on official business. We are committed to provide quality services and facilities, optimize resources, sustain the environment and enhance the well-being of the military community supporting the readiness and mission execution of the Department of Defense and U.S. Southern Command. The office is located on the first floor of the Garrison building.
Passport and Visa Office Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday 8:00 - 11:00 AM and 2:30 - 4:00 PM
Passport and Visa Office Contact Info
305-437-2750 or 305-437-2751
Fax: 305-437-3293
DA Photo Lab and Visual Information Services, Graphic Arts
USAG-Miami has a Dept. of the Army photo lab that provides authorized photography services for assigned personnel. It is located on the first floor of the Garrison building in the Customer Service Area.
To make an appointment
Go to http://vios.army.mil
Click on the eastern region of the map
After Common Access Card authentication, select "new VIOS user" then "United States Army Garrison-Miami" from the drop-down menu.
Click on the DA3903 icon and enter your personal information and select the appropriate VI service.
You will receive an electronically generated email confirming your work request.
Photo Lab Contact Info
305-437-3917
Joint Education Services Office
The Joint Education Services Office, located on the second floor of the Garrison building, strives to deliver the highest quality education services and programs to the community in an effort to enhance recruiting, reenlistment and retention of the soldiers; to support the Army in improving Combat Readiness; and to retain and enhance a staff through continuous professional opportunities.
Army educational services provided by USAG-Miami consist of education counseling, coordinating tuition assistance request, GoArmyEd / eArmyu assistance and various on-site testing services.
Joint Education Services Office Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Joint Education Services Office Contact Info
Counselor: 305-437-3292; Room E2093
Testing: 305-437-1959; Room E2092
Admin and Tuition Assistance: 305-437-2287; Room E2089
Legal Services
The USAG-Miami Attorney, on a limited basis, also provides legal services and preliminary legal advice to active-duty and retired soldiers, their family members, and other individuals entitled to receive legal assistance in the Miami area.
Note: USAG-Miami does not have a dedicated Legal Assistance Office. However, Legal Assistance is available on a limited basis to active duty personnel assigned to SOUTHCOM and USAG-Miami. The Garrison Attorney can advise you on most personal legal matters, such as wills, powers of attorney, divorce, custody support, consumer affairs, tax, and landlord/tenant issues. However, the Garrison Attorney is not authorized to represent military ID card holders in civilian courts.
Legal Services Hours of Operation
7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Legal Services Contact Info
Appointments: 305-437-1734 (your name, telephone number, and the issue for which you are requesting assistance. You will be contacted as soon as appointments may be scheduled.)
Fax: 305-437-2284
|
||||||
4101
|
dbpedia
|
3
| 39 |
https://www.yaskawa-global.com/company/profile/network/kaihatsu_tsukuba
|
en
|
Tsukuba Research Laboratory
|
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[
"YASKAWA Electric",
"Robotics",
"Servo",
"Machine Controller",
"CNC Systems",
"AC Drive",
"Spindle Drive",
"Yasnac",
"servo motor",
"servomotor",
"servodrive",
"linear motor",
"motion control",
"Motor",
"Supermechatronics",
"Switch",
"Industrial Control",
"Programmable Controller",
"Machine Control",
"factory automation",
"machine tool application",
"semiconductor application",
"cnc",
"controls",
"drives",
"motion",
"robot"
] | null |
[] | null |
en
|
/favicon.ico
|
https://www.yaskawa-global.com/company/profile/network/kaihatsu_tsukuba
|
Metropolitan New Urban Railway
Tsukuba Express
Take the Tsukuba Express from Akihabara Station to Kenkyu-gakuen Station (about 50 min by semi-rapid train). Take a taxi or Tsuku Bus.
・ About 5 min by taxi
・ About 10 min by the Sakuoka shuttle bus on the Tsuku Bus (community bus). Get on the bus at Kenkyu-gakuen and get off at Tokodai.JR Joban Line
・ About 30 min from the west gate of Hitachinoushiku Station by taxi.
・ About 30 min from the west gate of Tsuchiura Station by taxi
・ About 30 min from the west gate of Arakawaoki Station by taxi
Joban Expressway Bus
Tsukuba Limited Express
Get on the bus bound for Tsukuba Center at Yaesu south gate No.3 at Tokyo Station and get off at Tsukuba Center (terminal) (about 70 min). Tsukuba Research Laboratory is about 10 min from Tsukuba Center by taxi.
|
||||||
1473
|
dbpedia
|
2
| 7 |
https://infamouskarl.wordpress.com/2019/06/30/the-actors-behind-mortal-kombat-part-1/
|
en
|
THE ACTORS BEHIND MORTAL KOMBAT – PART 1
|
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2019-06-30T00:00:00
|
*NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED* *I DO NOT OWN THE MATERIALS USED* *THE CONTENTS ARE FROM EXISTING REFERENCES ONLINE* Welcome back to my blog! It’s been a while since I posted a new content here, but no worries, I am here to make up for lost time. So right now, let’s take a look back at…
|
en
|
https://s1.wp.com/i/favicon.ico
|
infamouskarl
|
https://infamouskarl.wordpress.com/2019/06/30/the-actors-behind-mortal-kombat-part-1/
|
*NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED*
*I DO NOT OWN THE MATERIALS USED*
*THE CONTENTS ARE FROM EXISTING REFERENCES ONLINE*
Welcome back to my blog! It’s been a while since I posted a new content here, but no worries, I am here to make up for lost time. So right now, let’s take a look back at one of the most iconic fighting video games of all time:
MORTALKOMBAT! Being a kid back in the 90’s, I remember vividly how this game absolutely changed the way fighting video games were made and how it attracted a ton of fans until now. Mortal Kombat became a hit because of its digitization technology: actual actors/figures were to perform certain movements where those movements are recorded into images, fleshed out, edited and are eventually superimposed into the actual game. The characters were inspired by Martial Arts films and flicks that are key elements in making a game memorable and relatable to fans. And to top it all off, the introduction of explicit finishers called FATALITY made the game stood out from its rival video games. It was thanks to these guys for making my childhood so awesome:
Ed Boon, the lead developer, and John Tobias, the lead artist and designer. They were responsible for the concept and story behind Mortal Kombat. Both worked for Midway during the development and production of the game.
So now, let’s look into the cast members behind the iconic digitization age of Mortal Kombat. To others, there are simply unknown actors, fitness enthusiasts and anonymous martial artists; but for us MK fans, they are superstars, childhood idols and inspirations. Let’s start with the very first Mortal Kombat game that premiered back in 1992:
Daniel Pesina was a friend of John Tobias at the time and was the first actor to perform the required movements on screen. Fondly called “Danny” by the crew, he is a master of Chinese-based martial arts. Danny has also achieved black belt status on several martial arts and is a gold medal winner in American and international tournaments. He has also acted as a foot soldier in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action movie: The Secret of the Ooze. Being the first actor involved for the game, he was hired to be the action choreographer for the other actors, recruited actors for the game and was present in the recording sessions.
In the game, he plays the character Johnny Cage, a Hollywood actor trained by various masters around the world who joins the Mortal Kombat tournament to gain publicity. The costume for Johnny Cage was inspired by Jean-Claude Van Damme’s character in the 1988 film, Bloodsport comprising of tight black shorts, red sash belt, studded forearm guards and Kung Fu shoes while sunglasses were added during his win pose. This look eventually became iconic since he’s one of the first fighting game character to use sunglasses in game.
His iconic status was further enhanced by his special moves: the shadow kick, the green fireball and the infamous split punch where delivers a strong blow to the crotch of male fighters. (ouch!)
Danny was assigned a second costume and this time, it was ninja-inspired: black inner suit and forearm guards, yellow face mask exposing the eyes, leg guards and outer garb. This costume was eventually used for the characters of Scorpion and Sub-Zero: deadly assassins from rival clans. The original yellow color was used for Scorpion while for Sub-Zero, the yellow color was digitally edited to light blue.
As for storyline, Sub-Zero was introduced as a member of the Chinese Lin Kuei Clan and has the ability to control ice; he joined the Mortal Kombat Tournament to assassinate its organizer. As for Scorpion, it was revealed that he was actually an undead warrior who was murdered by Sub-Zero in the past and returns in order to exact his revenge.
Both characters eventually became top favorites among the MK gaming community due to their iconic signature moves: Scorpion’s “Get Over Here!” spear and Sub-Zero’s Deep Freeze – both moves when successfully executed on an opponent, gives a free hit for the player. Their fatalities also solidified their status as fan favorites: Scorpion reveals that he is actually wearing a mask and his real face is that of a skull and breaths out fire towards the opponent, burning them alive. For Sub-Zero, he brutally rips the opponent’s head off together with the spine.
Another thing Mortal Kombat is known for is introducing a secret/hidden character in the game: Reptile, who shares the same sprite images and special moves of Scorpion and Sub-Zero but his costume was edited to green. He randomly appears before a match starts providing clues about his presence and how to fight him. As expected, Reptile’s random appearances and intriguing background made the game even popular.
The younger brother of Daniel Pesina, Carlos Pesina was assigned the character of Rayden. Like his older brother, Carlos is also a martial artist specializing in Chinese-style martial arts since childhood and is also friends with John Tobias. His character, Rayden, was presented as the god of thunder and was inspired from the lightning warriors in the 1986 film Big Trouble in Little China. The costume for Rayden is composed of a white, modified Shaolin uniform, a black sash belt, a tight hood shirt exposing the face and the most iconic item – the conical straw hat. Additionally, his eyes were digitally altered to glow bluish white.
For his story, Rayden was presented as earth’s mystical god of thunder. His name is probably derived from “Raijin” the Japanese god of thunder and lightning. He was invited to the Mortal Kombat tournament and thus, had to take on a human form to participate; a body that seems to flow with visible electric current.
Rayden became popular with the fans because of his epic moves: the lightning bolt projectile, his teleport move where he quickly disintegrates into electric current only to reappear in another location and his most memorable electric fly attack where with lightning speed, launches himself towards the opponent pushing them at the edge of the screen while screaming various gibberish battle cries.
The next MK actor on our list is Richard “Rich” DiVizio and was assigned the character of Kano. Rich is a friend of the Pesina brothers since childhood and like them, is also a martial arts enthusiast. He is a Wushu expert, a gym trainer and has also acted as a foot soldier together with Danny in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret of the Ooze movie. His looks were also a plus since the concept design for Kano was originally a balding man in his late 20’s to 30’s. Kano was designed as a mercenary/thug/criminal with a cybernetic right eye – this was achieved by using a phantom mask to cover the upper right side of Rich’s face and his right eye was digitally altered to glow red. For his costume, he wore a white modified Shaolin monk uniform with sleeves removed, leg bands to hold his knives, black forearm guards and a brown utility belt bag worn across his chest (the utility belt bag was eventually updated in succeeding live appearances).
For Kano’s story, he is introduced a member of an organized crime organization – the Black Dragon. He was a child of an American woman living in Japan and was orphaned at an early age, eventually turning to a life of crime. His infamy and reputation as an organized crime member made him wanted in various countries and was soon deported from Japan. Kano soon heard of rumors that the organizer of the Mortal Kombat tournament was very wealthy and entered it to gain access and loot the place.
His attacks consisted of a cannonball roll and knife throw projectile but it is his heart rip fatality that made him memorable among MK fans.
The first roster of Mortal Kombat characters was supposed to be all-male but at the last minute, the producers decided to include an attractive female character as a tradition in fighting video games in the early 90’s. This is where Elizabeth “Liz” Malecki came in to the scene as Lt. Sonya Blade. At that time, Liz was working as a fitness/aerobics instructor and was recruited by Daniel Pesina for the role of Sonya. Unlike the rest of the cast members who were martial arts experts, Liz had no formal martial arts training. However, she had background in ballet and modern dance and thus, was able to pick up and execute the fighting elements effectively. For Sonya’s costume, Liz wore an aerobics outfit consisting of green sports bra and tights, a black aerobics thong, headband, belt and forearm guards (it was digitally altered to look studded) and for her footwear, white socks and shoes – a popular theme back in the mid 80’s up to early 90’s.
For her in-game story, Texas-born Sonya Blade is a US Army Lieutenant and member of the Special Forces unit. She is in hot pursuit of the Black Dragon member Kano for his criminal activities and for murdering her former partner. Sonya and her team tracked Kano into an uncharted island unaware that it is where the Mortal Kombat tournament was taking place. They were soon captured by the tournament organizer’s army and Sonya was forced to participate in the tournament in order to save her comrades who were held hostage.
Her signature moves are composed of pink sonic ring projectiles, the iconic hand-stand leg grab and her fatality where she blows a flying kiss that burns her opponent alive.
The last actor on our list is Ho Sung Pak, who became friends with the Pesina brothers and Richard DiVizio during martial arts school. Ho Sung is a Wushu champion and because of his martial arts expertise, he was discovered and landed work as an actor and stunt coordinator for films. He became the stunt double for Raphael in the first two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action films was soon inducted in the Black Belt Hall of Fame in 1991. He reconnected with Daniel Pesina and was soon roped in for the protagonist role of Liu Kang. The original concept for Liu Kang was supposed to be a bald, traditional Shaolin monk wearing flowing robes. Ho Sung however, probably due to his acting job, politely disagreed with the original concept and it was finalized that he’ll keep his hair for filming and the concept was changed with Liu Kang becoming a retired Shaolin monk. His final costume consisted of black Kung Fu pants and white shoes – a nod to the iconic martial artist and actor, Bruce Lee, as it was almost imperative to have a Bruce Lee clone in fighting video games back in the 90’s.
For Liu Kang’s story, it was revealed that he is a Chinese fisherman and Shaolin monk from Henan province. He was a member the secret organization, the White Lotus Society, but soon left in order to represent the Shaolin Temples in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Having heard rumors of the evil behind the tournament, Liu Kang enters the tournament and vows to return it to its noble origins.
Just like Bruce Lee, Liu Kang executes his attacks accompanied by notable Kung Fu yells and screams. His signature moves include launching a fireball with his foot lifted up and his famous Jeet Kune Do-inspired flying kick. Of all the playable characters, only Liu Kang didn’t have a gruesome fatality finisher as a reference to his peaceful Shaolin background.
Ho Sung was assigned a second character, Shang Tsung – the organizer of the Mortal Kombat tournament. This time, Ho Sung’s costume is inspired by the character of David Lo Pan, the villain of the 1986 film, Big Trouble in Little China. His costume is composed of blue and beige, Chinese-style silk robes and wears a mask depicting an elderly man with a receding hairline, gray hair and a Mandarin-style mustache.
In the story, Shang Tsung is a powerful sorcerer who has taken control of the Mortal Kombat tournament which originally belonged to the Shaolin Temples. During his hold of the tournament, its noble reputation became corrupted as Shang Tsung used it as way to further his dark sorcery: he absorbs the souls of the vanquished warriors giving him the ability to change his appearance and fighting style at will.
In game, Shang Tsung is unplayable, serving as the final boss and can morph into other characters, fully utilizing their moves set. However, he does have his own signature move – the flaming skulls projectile – these skulls are probably from the countless fighters defeated in previous tournaments, whom he has absorbed.
Ed Boon and John Tobias wanted to have a big brooding character added to the game and this led to the creation of Goro. The design concept for Goro was inspired from the stop motion figures used in classic films such as Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and Clash of the Titans (1981). While the inspiration for him to have multiple arms was inspired the by the Kali, the six-armed idol in the 1973 film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, although ultimately, Kali was inspired from the Hindu deity of the same name. To achieve the stop-motion figure for Goro, John Tobias enlisted the expertise of Curt Chiarelli, a sculptor/artist who is a friend of Richard DiVizio. Goro was sculpted with a very muscular physique, 4 arms each with 3 huge fingers, his hair pulled back and wears white leg wraps, a black loincloth, with a red sash belt with a Yin and Yang symbol.
In the story, Goro was the current Mortal Kombat champion and serves as the penultimate boss before Shang Tsung. He has been reigning for nine generations in the 500 years after defeating the Great Kung Lao, a Shaolin monk and ancestor of Liu Kang. He is the 2,000-year-old prince of the Shokan species of half human, half dragon beings with four arms. Thanks to his brute force, the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung maintained his grip on the tournament.
Being the first multi-limbed character to appear in fighting video games, Goro instantly became an icon among video game fans and has become one of the most instantly recognizable MK characters. Despite being unplayable, his popularity was further enhanced by his brutal moves: the spinning hand fists, stomp attack and his infamous grab and pound. Additionally, he performs taunts during every successful throw move.
So there, the first batch of actors/characters in the MK games. Here are some additional behind the scenes/live action shots:
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https://www.academia.edu/4134337/A_sociological_exploration_of_a_female_character_in_the_Metroid_videogames_series
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en
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A sociological exploration of a female character in the Metroid videogames series
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[
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2013-07-29T00:00:00
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A sociological exploration of a female character in the Metroid videogames series
|
https://www.academia.edu/4134337/A_sociological_exploration_of_a_female_character_in_the_Metroid_videogames_series
|
Videogames have come a long way from Super Mario Bros and Pong. After thirthy years of technological advancements and academic criticisms, videogames have become a fertile ground for social change and virtual identity creation. Where big gam companies like Bioware, Bethesda, and Rockstar Games have begun to include more inclusive narratives, independent game companies are beginning to delve into the field of ' serious games', capitalising on the popularity and prevalence of social networking to inspire and assist non-game-related fields. While all of this is happening, a new subculture has become to dominate social media: that of the fanboy and the Let's Play YouTube video phenomenon. It is a dynamic time in videogame studies, from the perspective of player, designer and theorist. However, with the advent of virtual reality, the question remains: where will videogames, and subsequently or society, 'level up' to next ?
This study examines perceptions of sense of community as well as commitment and trust within virtual communities, specifically, a virtual community (VC) provided and facilitated by PC videogame developers releasing a free-to-play game undergoing continuous updates on the gaming platform Steam. In addition, the study examines whether a consumer will likely recommend or utilize electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) review and if there is a relationship between commitment and trust during this decision-making process. The findings will indicate if VC management affects commitment and trust, influences eWOM, and ultimately, impacts overall player base for free-to-play gaming projects. Evolve: Stage 2 will serve as the videogame variable for this study. Keywords: PC Gaming; Virtual Community; Commitment-Trust Theory; Electronic Word-Of-Mouth; Sense of Community, Relational Marketing
This study explores the ways in which certain societal anxieties regarding femininity and masculinity surface in post-apocalyptic video games BioShock (2007 2K Games) and The last of us (2013 Naughty Dog). A postfeminist perspective is employed in order to explore the privileging of so-called ‘masculine values’ in late neo-liberal societies, and the subsequent negation of the (seemingly) binary opposite of stereotypical femininity. This explorative study is situated within a broad framework of postfeminism, and focuses on providing alternative understandings of the representation of gender in video games. By considering video games as a medium that is firmly rooted in traditional masculinity, I argue that anxieties regarding the subordination of so-called ‘feminine values’ in society as a whole, manifest visually in BioShock and The last of us, in both the gameplay as well as in narrative structure. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of how these anxieties surface, I explo...
The paper offers an investigation into terms like “dudebro”, “bro shooter” and “bro gaming”, which entered regular usage on English-language gaming websites in around 2011. The author analyses a series of discourses surrounding these terms, and their role in the maintenance of a subcultural gamer identity in the face of newly emergent markets of more mainstream players. By concentrating on journalistic (and some industrial) representations of a subgroup of male players, the paper hopes to contribute to existing research on player identities by showing how social class affects not only the material dimension of access to technology, but also the values involved in being the “type of gamer” to whom much videogame journalism is addressed. Existing research on gaming and social class in Europe finds that working-class masculinity is often associated with a preference for communal play of predominantly Anglophone sports, racing and military shooting genres. This set of tastes contrasts with the games often celebrated within the enthusiast press (and sometimes overrepresented in games studies academia) namely MMOs, single-player RPGs, games from Japan, and narrative-heavy games in sci-fi or fantasy settings. However, in American journalistic accounts, the former set of preferences is more frequently associated with a middle-class (or upwardly mobile) university “frat boy” identity; a possible misassociation which only a few journalistic voices have challenged. Through an application of sociological theories of taste, I argue that the tension between subcultural “geeky” and mainstream “bro-ish” game preferences is key to understanding the social dynamics at work in the faction of “gamer culture” represented by popular games websites.
Video games are increasingly becoming an important media today, despite the light connota-tion of its initial categorization. Today they are an industry that produces billions of dollars and employs engineers and artists alike in an art form spanning interactive games, to virtual socie-ties where millions of people dwell. However, like all human products, our same fears, flaws and xenophobia show in the games, with the reflection of hatred, racism and stereotypes that are our everyday experience. Also, because of the influence of other media, like television, with misrepresentations of blacks, Latinos and other races, or the objectification of women are pre-sent in video games. The significant thing found researching for this assignment is that most of those who use these games are themselves part of minorities or races that are not exactly white Americans. Abuse of the frustrations and desires of the user, handling codes and the system an-swers of gamers to maintain the player engagement, has more resemblance to the use of illegal drugs than with art, but however, the complexity of the design, stories and global assessment, have led to other considerations by experts. Competing in the games could be considered as having more of escapism that the reality of engaging, but all human beings are expected in their tribes to compete and demonstrate their value as a member while complying with social norms or expectations. Same as satisfying or surrender to corporate or group interests. Here are some thoughts for the purpose of this study.
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Kano Enemies
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A talented killer and ruthless criminal, Kano is one of the original Mortal Kombatants. He is known for eye lasers, Butterfly Knives, and doing cannonballs.
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Giant Bomb
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https://www.giantbomb.com/kano/3005-216/enemies/
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Baraka
One of the fiercest Tarkatans, a group of nomadic mutants from the Outworld realm. He became one of Shao Kahn’s most favored enforcers for his ferocious strength and his retractable arm blades. Many of Shao Kahn’s enemies have fallen to Baraka’s might.
Batman
After witnessing the cold-blooded murder of his parents, young Bruce Wayne swore to combat the evil that took their lives. Using his family's fortune, he travelled the world, training to physical and mental perfection. Once his training was complete, he returned to Gotham City as the Dark Knight, Batman.
Bi-Han
Bi-Han is the original Sub-Zero, the elder brother of Kuai Liang, a cryomancer, and a member of the Lin Kuei ninja clan. In the original timeline, he was killed by Hanzo Hasashi (Scorpion) and then returned from the Netherrealm as a wraith known as Noob Saibot.
Cyrax
Shinobi of the Lin Kuei, he carried out many of their missions. However, when the Grand Master plans to convert the clan into cyborgs, Cyrax resists. Although Cyrax believes that the clan will no longer have honor, he knows that no one leaves the Lin Kuei.
Deathstroke
Deathstroke, also known as Slade, is a character that has appeared in many various comic books as a super villain, most notably Teen Titans. He has also appeared in the Teen Titans video game.
Ermac
Ermac is the result of conquered Edenian souls that were fused together to form a living being. The essence of all those vanquished souls bound together gives Ermac immense telekinetic abilities, making Ermac one of Shao Kahn’s strongest enforcers.
Freddy Krueger
Freddy Krueger is a supernatural serial killer. He utilizes his ability to enter people's dreams to kill them. He has been portrayed by Robert Englund and Jackie Earle Haley.
Goro
Goro was introduced in the first Mortal Kombat game as the sub-boss. More than two thousand years old, he is the Prince of the Shokan race, hailing from the Kuatan realm of Outworld. As a General in the Outworld Emperor Shao Kahn's militia, he fights for the pride and glory of his people.
Green Lantern
Hal Jordan is one of the most legendary Green Lanterns, intergalactic police officers fueled by the power of will that are chosen because they fear nothing.
Jade
She is a bodyguard to her close friend Princess Kitana. Jade has also known as one of Shao Kahn’s most stealthy assassins. She is given secret orders to murder the Princess if her loyalty to Kahn falters, however only Jade knows where her true intentions lie.
Jax
Major Jackson Briggs or "Jax" is a special forces operative from Mortal Kombat II who uses his cybernetically enhanced arms to keep the pace with Mortal Kombat's more supernatural beings.
Johnny Cage
Mortal Kombat's Johnny Cage is a martial arts movie star from Hollywood, California. His trademarks include a wicked pair of shades, a crippling splits punch to the nether regions, and an uppercut that'll take your head off... literally.
Kabal
Once a member of the crime organization Black Dragons, Kabal tries to atone for his life of crime and fights for the side of good. He joins the police force to help combat against the crime organization he was once a part of.
Kenshi Takahashi
Kenshi is a fighter in the Mortal Kombat series. He is known for his magical sword and telekinesis, as well as his blindness.
Kintaro
Kintaro is a tiger striped Mortal Kombat II sub-boss, who would later become playable in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. He is said to be even more powerful and agile than the mighty Goro.
Kitana
Kitana is a warrior princess from the realm of Edenia. Although she appears youthful, she is actually well over 10,000 years old. She is a key character in the forces of good in the Mortal Kombat universe.
Kratos
The main protagonist of the God of War series, Kratos journeys to the ends of the earth in order to bring down the Gods on Mount Olympus.
Kuai Liang
Kuai Liang, known as Tundra, became an assassin for the Lin Kuei after he and his brother were abducted by the clan. After the death of his brother Bi-Han, Kuai Liang assumed the mantle of Sub-Zero to honor his memory. In Liu Kang's reset of the timeline, Kuai learns pyromancy instead of cryomancy and takes the name of Scorpion.
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor, beloved billionaire of Metropolis, is also the arch-nemesis of Superman. Lex Luthor despises Superman because until Superman came around, Luthor was the most powerful man in Metropolis. Now Luthor has dedicated his life to eradicating the Man of Steel.
Li Mei
An Outworldian warrior in the Mortal Kombat series, doing what she can to keep the people of her home village of Sun Do safe and secure.
Liu Kang
Often seen as the main protagonist of the Mortal Kombat series, Liu Kang is a Shaolin monk who becomes the Champion of Earthrealm. Although he has died in multiple timelines, he later forges his own timeline as a Fire God.
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A Wild Murakami Chase
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"Dennis Abrams"
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2014-11-25T18:30:10+00:00
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Posts about Creta Kano written by Dennis Abrams
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A Wild Murakami Chase
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https://wildmurakamichase.wordpress.com/tag/creta-kano/
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From Matthew Carl Strecher’s The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami:
“One of the more diverting aspects of Murakami criticism has been the flurry of speculation about direct literary ‘influences’ and ‘antecedents’ that seem to attend each new work…
Tazaki Tsukuru has been no exception to this kind of interest, not for its title but because of the prominent color imagery that seems to demand a bit more than the usual attention. Works of fiction offered by Japanese critics as having possible connection with Tazaki Tsukuru include ‘The Pursuit of Mr. Blue’ in G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown mysteries, Paul Auster’s Ghosts, and certain works on color by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Rudolf Steiner. These last two, suggested by Numano Mitsuyoshi, are not far off the mark, as we shall see. And while I customarily avoid these games, not wishing to become embroiled in yet another wild sheep chase, I would be ready to wager a small sum on the relevance, if not the definitive influence, of Aldous Huxley’s nonfiction work The Doors of Perception, for reasons that will be made clear below.
On the evening prior to Tazaki’s second dream, the topic of his discussion with Haida turns to the nature of death, a subject to which Tazaki has given quite a bit of thought, and this occasions Haida to share a peculiar story he claims to have heard from his father, but which he tells so expertly that Tazaki suspects it may actually be his own. During the 1960s, as the story goes, while still a university student, Haida’s father grows tired of the constant strife among the various radical student factions and leaves school to go on a one-year walking tour of Japan (resembling Rat’s journey in Pinball, 1973, and A Wild Sheep Chase), eventually landing at a secluded hot spring resort in the mountains of Oita Prefecture. There he meets a jazz pianist named Midorikawa (green river), a middle-aged man who has determinedly avoided unnecessary human contact while staying at the inn. He takes a liking to Haida’s father, however, particularly after the latter guides him to a nearby public school to use the piano in their music room. While performing a spellbinding rendition of Theolonius Monk’s ‘Round Midnight,’ Midorikawa keeps a small pouch on the piano. Asked what it is, he responds first that it is ‘a kind of talisman,’ then clarifies that ‘you might call it my other self.’
But Midorikawa has far more interesting secrets to tell. He confides that he is a carrier of something known as the ‘death token,’ and while we are never told clearly what this means, to be chosen as its carrier, one must first accept the responsibility of facing death willingly. In exchange for this, one is granted special powers of perception not given to ordinary people. In Midorikawa’s case, it is the ability to see the ‘lights and colors’ that surround all people like an aura. What this glow represents is open to interpretation, but I am inclined to agree with Numano’s contention, leaning on Goethe and Steiner, that these represent the actual ‘souls’ of the individuals he sees. For Midorikawa this ‘gift’ is very much a mixed blessing, however; it was because he was sick of seeing into men’s souls that he came to this isolated mountain retreat, where he now awaits his own death, due to arrive within the next two months. The carrier of the ‘death token’ is given but one chance to avoid his impending death; he must find someone – a person with the just right sort of color and glow, ‘maybe one in a thousand, or two thousand,’ as Midorikawa puts it – who will, in full knowledge of the consequences, take up the burden of the ‘death token’ for him. Asked what sort of person willingly accepts such a fate, Midorikawa says it might be ‘the sort of person who is unafraid of making a great leap.’
Presumably, Midorikawa has shared this tale with Haida’s father because he sees that special ‘light and color’ in him as well. He does not, however, invite the young man to take up the death token in his place; he merely offers him a few avuncular words of advice, simple, yet moving: Midorikawa tells him that he is different from most people, that he is not meant simply to live and then die ‘like a cat, alone, in some dark place.’ Rather, he must strive always to live fully. ‘Soon you will return to your life in Tokyo,’ I suppose,’ Midorikawa told him in a quiet voice. ‘Then you will go back to your real life. Live that life fully. Even if you meet with frivolity and monotony, there is value simply in living this life.’ The following day Midorikawa disappears for good, and Haida’s father never learns what became of him.
Why does Haida tell Tazaki this story? On the surface it is a chance to introduce his friend to the idea of a heightened, indeed transcendent, sense of perception and to give graphic narrative expression to his theory of free thought. In terms of driving the novel forward, it serves to highlight the existence of certain ‘gifted’ persons in the world, much as we saw in 1Q84, who possess extraordinary powers of perception. Midorikawa describes his own heightened perception as follows:
‘At the moment you have agreed to take up the burden of death, you possess an unusual quality. You could call it a special ability. The ability to read the various colors given off by people is only one of those functions. At the root of it, you are able to expand your perception. You push open that ‘door to perception’ that Aldous Huxley talked about. And then your perceptions are pure and genuine.’
……
If Midorikawa and Haida represent ‘the elect,’ so to speak, those who possess a special light and color that permits them heightened powers of perception, then it is Aka and Ao who represent and minister to the ‘ordinary people’ who do not have these powers. This is most explicitly expressed through Aka, whose business is educating new company employees and reeducating those in midcareer. Aka sees himself as a visionary – ‘I wasn’t made to be used by others,’ he rather smugly informs Tazaki – and believes that his company performs a noble service, training workers to think for themselves. This liberation of the mind, however, has its limitations. ‘We are trying to create a workforce that can say, ‘I can use my own head to think about things,’ while continuing to work within the expectations of the company,’ he tells Tazaki. Whether Aka’s goal is people who actually can use their own heads or simply people who can say that they do is a matter of some ambiguity; that their thinking must remain ‘within the expectations of the company’ is a not very subtle way of reminding us that whatever illusions of free thought they may have, such people are still pawns of the System.
This, of course, places some limits on what sorts of people are suitable for the kind of System-approved training Aka has to offer. As a matter of expediency he divides his potential clientele into three categories:
‘There are quite a lot of people who can’t accept our program. I divide them into two types: first is the antisocial person. The English term is ‘outcaste.’ These people reject established attitudes, they won’t accept them. Or else they won’t be bound by the collective rules. Working with them is a waste of time. We can only ask them to leave. The other type is the person who can truly use his head and think. WE can leave them alone. Better not to fiddle with them and screw them up. Every system needs a representative like that. If they can stay on the path, they eventually end up in charge. But in between these two groups, there is a layer of people who simply take orders and carry them through, and they occupy a large chunk of the population – I would estimate about 85% of it. Our business is built on the foundation of the 85%.’
Aka’s clientele, then, are the mediocre, the ordinary, and they are implicitly opposed to those like Midorikawa and Haida, both of whom are capable of looking and thinking beyond accepted boundaries. In contrast to the ‘expectations of the company,’ Haida’s philosophy requires a willingness to break out of those expectations, to reach escape velocity and shoot for unknown galaxies. ‘All things have a framework,’ he tells Tazaki. ‘Thought also has its limits. There is nothing to be feared in boundaries, but we also must not be afraid to smash those boundaries. In order for humankind to be free, this is more important than anything. Reverence and abhorrence for limits. Everything important in human life is grounded in this duality.’ Clearly Haida represents the ‘incorrigible’ group, for his refusal to ‘stay inside the lines.’ Aka, on the other hand, represents the cream of society’s mediocrity, creating not freethinkers but the illusion of freethinking, for he is still bound up by the rules. Ao, too, for all his expressed distaste for the kind of company Aka runs, is part of this great mediocrity. Ao sells the Lexus brand – Toyota’s luxury model, meant to tap into the middle class’s desire to enjoy the illusion of being upper-class. It is fitting that Ao’s mobile phone ringtone is ‘Viva Las Vegas,’ for if ever there was a city that embodied the façade, the false front, it surely must be Las Vegas. Ao harbors no illusions about this, admitting that the brand name Lexus ‘has no meaning at all. It’s just a made-up word. Something a New York advertising firm came up with in response to Toyota’s request for a name that sounded high class and meaningful, with a nice ring to it.’
And what of Tazaki Tsukuru? It would be safe to say that Tazaki begins the work, more or less by accident, in the same group as Aka and Ao, but that the traumatic experiences of his youth prove transformative for him, nudging him closer to his true destiny, which is to join the ‘elect.’ This, one suspects, is the message that Haida wishes so fervently to convey to Tazaki on the night of his second dream – the very reason, in fact, that he told Tazaki the story of Midorikawa in the first place. Tazaki, however, is not yet prepared to receive and decipher that message, so Haida finds another way of getting his attention, of demonstrating the separation of spirit and flesh…
Having come this far, let us now pause to reexamine some of the earlier Murakami characters who possess remarkable abilities and use those talents to assist others: the clairvoyant ear model Kiki from A Wild Sheep Chase and Dance Dance Dance; Naoko and her attunement to the world of the dead in Norwegian Wood; the clairvoyant girl Yuki in Dance Dance Dance; Okada Toru’s ability to divide flesh and spirit; Nakata and Saeki in Kafka on the Shore; Tengo, Aomame, Fukaeri, Ushikawa, and the Leader in 1Q84. It is not until 1Q84, however, that we begin to see an acute consciousness of these gifts on the part of the characters they adorn, as well as some inkling of the consequences that must attend those gifts – including the willingness to be sacrificed for the sake of the great good, as occurs with the Leader and Ushikawa, and very nearly with Aomame and Tengo as well.
In many of these instances, the ‘gifted’ person possesses some physical sign of his or her ability. The clairvoyant from A Wild Sheep Chase has ears so exquisite that those who see them are likely to experience spontaneous orgasms. Okada Toru bears a mark on his cheek. Tengo and the Leader have their extraordinary size; Aomame, the imbalance in the size of her breasts (and her frightening grimaces); and Ushikawa, his ugliness. Haida has the scar on his neck, while Midorikawa carries something in a pouch with him wherever he goes.
…
This motif remains largely intact in Tazaki Tsukuru as well. Among the characters, it is not difficult to identify the four who possess something special, beyond the abilities of ordinary people, as Shiro, Haida, Midorikawa, and, of course, Tazaki himself. All four of these characters have in common a connection with the world of death. Midorikawa, as a carrier of the ‘death token,’ stares that world in the face daily, awaiting its advent; Haida, as suggested previously, is probably dead already; Shiro, for an unspecified period of time – perhaps her whole life – has been communicating with the world of the dead, gradually moving closer to it; and Tazaki, following his expulsion from the group, carries a mental imprint of the abyss into which he stared for five long months. And while their ‘gifts’ are not as dramatic as those of Aomame, Tengo, or the Leader, they are nonetheless remarkable. For Shiro, the gift is musical; what she lacks in mechanical technique she makes up for in feeling and emotion as she plays the deceptively difficult Le Mar du Pays. Midorikawa possesses the ability to see the ‘light’ and ‘color’ that surrounds all people – in short, he can see their souls. Haida, like Okada Toru, is able to divide his flesh and spirit and thus to move beyond the boundaries of ordinary human thought. And what is Tazaki’s ‘gift’? It takes him the better part of the novel to realize it, but his gift is to be an empty container, a refuge for those who need a safe place to rest as they struggle through the world, the metaphysical sign for which is his sexual climax. This is why Tazaki has attracted, and been attracted to, women who were ‘on their way somewhere else,’ but also why Sara – and perhaps Tazaki’s previous sexual partners – can sense his emptiness when she holds him, for it is in this moment of intense physical and emotional release that his emptiness is most clearly revealed:
‘Maybe I am an empty human, with no content, Tsukuru thought. But it’s just because I don’t have anything inside me that I’ve had people come to stay with me, even just for a little while. Like a solitary, nocturnal bird needs the attic of some uninhabited house to rest in during the day. The birds probably appreciate that empty, gloomy, quiet space. If that were true, Tsukuru thought, he ought to rejoice in his emptiness.’
This is not easy, for Sara, a woman he truly loves, is not looking for a temporary refuge; she wants a permanent structure, a ‘station’ of her own, and she wants Tazaki to build it for her with his own hands.
But Tazaki’s gift cannot be case aside so lightly, for its true beneficiaries are not the living but the dead; his true function is to provide a refuge for the souls of Haida, Shiro, and even Midorikawa, whose physical vessels are gone. Giving himself to Sara will mean stepping away from these shadows of his past and moving boldly into the future. Returning to Haida’s duality, Tazaki must choose to respect the boundaries of thought, or, alternately, choose to break free of them. Either will require an act of courage and sacrifice.
It has become clear that Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage contains many of the same structures, themes, and motifs found in previous Murakami fiction, and while the ‘other world’ remains, as it does in Norwegian Wood, largely unexplored in this work, always lurking just ‘over there,’ that it nonetheless plays a key role in this narrative is beyond dispute. In its close juxtapositioning of ‘this side’ and ‘over there,’ its revival of the ‘nostalgic image’ (Haida –‘Mr. Gray’ – could be read as a rather unsubtle projection of Tazaki’s memories of ‘Miss White’ and ‘Miss Black’), its exploration of the tension between inner and outer ‘selves,’ this work does indeed, as Ando says, ‘show us where Murakami has been.’
But Tazaki Tsukuru also places a new emphasis on dreams and their function, not merely as flashes of our inner minds nor even messages from the gods, but as a powerful means to constitute new realities. In the pages that follow, then, we will explore some of the more prominent dreams, including the dream that Shiro is suspected to have had, that drive this narrative forward.
Dreams are not new to Murakami fiction, but they have developed, much like the metaphysical world itself, from a curiosity, somewhat peripheral to the primary structure of the work, into an essential part of the narrative as Murakami’s fiction has progressed. We see this clearly when contrasting Murakami’s early dream portrayals with his more recent work. A Wild Sheep Chase, for instance, includes a scene in which the protagonist falls asleep in the back of a limousine. He dreams of a cow carrying an electric fan, which the cow offers to trade to him for a pair of pliers. And while the protagonist philosophizes on the ‘symbolic’ content of dreams, readers are apt to conclude – rightly, I think – that this absurdist dream has no particular meaning or necessity in the story, unless it is symbolic of the protagonist’s equally absurd quest for the Sheep.
…
Dreams begin to play a much more significant role in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, as we have already seen, and to some extent they do reveal certain key points in the novel. Okada Toru’s erotic dreams about Kano Creta – in one dream she fellates him, while in another they have intercourse – demonstrate his own repressed desires, much as Tazaki Tsukru’s dreams do for him, but they also foreground his prudish refusal to engage in suggestive talk with the ‘telephone woman,’ who is actually Kumiko, trying desperately to reveal to him the raging sexual desire that lurks in her inner self. Toru’s mulish refusal to read these signs – to acknowledge her sexuality as well as his own – keeps Kumiko in the limbo of the unconscious hotel.
….
While dreams in Murakami fiction are not always sexual…the release of sexual energy does nonetheless prove a dominant theme in many cases. We have already seen this theme used to advantage in Kafka on the Shore, wherein Kafka’s dream of raping ‘Sakura,’ the girl he fantasizes to be his long-lost sister, leads on a metaphysical level to her taking on that role for him, much as his seduction of Saeki forces her to take on the role of his mother. Kafka’s dream is particularly significant in that it enacts the deliberate transgression of a sexual taboo – incest – thus revealing Kafka’s darker ‘inner self,’ fulfilling its depraved, hitherto suppressed libido.
….
For Jung, dreams are the result of psychic energy that rises to the surface when the compensatory content is too intense for the inner mind to handle…
…
This assessment agrees with my own contention that dreams, briefly stated, express the dreamer’s deepest desires as well as his or her worst fears, and in this sense they mirror, on the individual level, the nature and function of mythology…
And if dreams express (and in effect, reveal to us, the dreamers) our deepest fears and most powerful desires, taboo and otherwise, t must also be said that these are precisely what attract us within the dream world. Dreaming of a ‘forbidden’ sexual act we are apt, in our dreams, to feel the tug of our waking conscience, to fear waking social mechanisms (the concern about being seen, of ‘getting caught’), yet we are also inexorably drawn to that very act, precisely because it is forbidden. In a similar way, when pursued by terrifying demons, threatened by monsters, frightened of a dark and forbidding place, we feel the conflicting urges of flight and fascination; should we run, or should we stop and gaze upon what frightens us? In fact, we often bring what frightens us into being simply by imagining it, initiating a willing confrontation, an expression of our inner self’s fascination with those things that lurk in the pitch-black depths of our own mind. We peer into the dark mouth of the cave, down the stairs of the basement, around the next corner, knowing that something awful lurks there. Yet we cannot not look…
We see this fixation on desire and fear played out in the various dreams that drive the narrative of Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage as well. There are three dreams in particular that relate to Tazaki himself, as well as the implied dream in which Shiro is raped, that not only carry the narrative forward but in fact create the new realities in which each new character must live. For Tazaki these are the dream of the flesh-spirit woman, his erotic dream involving Shiro-Kuro-Haida, and his dream of playing the piano at the end of the novel. We will close…by looking in detail at these ‘forbidden dreams’ from ‘over there’ in order to determine what they reveal to Tazaki about himself, and how they function to create him and the world around him.
The first dream, in which Tazaki meets a woman he does not know but for whom he feels uncontrollable desire, is important for two reasons: first, because it establishes the idea in his mind of separating flesh and spirit, a key concept throughout this novel; and second, because it introduces him to the sensation of jealousy, an emotion stemming from (unfulfilled) desire. These two issues are, of course, linked for him, since the very fact of separating flesh and spirit means that is possible for him to possess one without the other, and he senses the meaninglessness of such possession. The woman herself probably represents Shiro herself (rendered unrecognizable through Tazaki’s suppression of his desire for her), who is of course unavailable to Tazaki either in flesh or spirit owing to the unspoken rules of the group against pairing off, but also due to her powerful aversion to sexual contact. She can therefore only appear before him in the dreamscape. An alternative reading would be that the dream woman is both Shiro and Kuro, one an object of (suppressed) physical desire, the other a friend; one could even read the woman as Kuro alone, offering Tazaki either sex or friendship but not both. In the end, however, the identity of the woman is not the point of the dream; rather, its purpose is to show Tazaki the connection between desire and jealousy, both of which exist forcefully within his inner self.
This is why Tazaki’s claims of unfamiliarity with jealousy should catch our attention, for it would imply first that he has never consciously felt desire, and second, that he has never experienced the frustration of not being able to act upon or even express that desire. Given the utopian nature of that perfect, hermetically sealed circle in which the five friends exist, one may easily imagine the disruptions that would have resulted had jealousy been introduced into it. And yet, by forcing his true feelings deep underground, Tazaki in effect gives greater strength to the ‘compensatory contents’ of his inner world, which now reach an intensity so great that they are forced out not only into his dreams but into the waking world as well. Indeed, it is this intensity of emotion that finally brings about Tazaki’s transformation into an other – his own other – in the conscious world. His transformative experience of jealousy is his first act of rebellion against the rigid structures of the system – the circle of friends – that continues to govern him. Nevertheless, this dream is constructive rather than destructive, for although it destroys the old Tazaki, with his lavish adherence to social convention, at the same time it occasions his rebirth as a new and stronger individual. As noted earlier, this new and stronger individual is reflected physically as well as emotionally, as Tazaki himself can see when he looks into the mirror at a man rather than a boy. This is the new reality that has been brought into existence by his first dream.
The second dream is actually part of a series of recurring erotic dreams for Tazaki that, until the sudden intrusion of Haida, have featured Shiro and Kuro alone. Within this recurring dream we find certain constants that reveal much to Tazaki We note first that both girls appear in every dream; it is never just one or the other. This reflects the perfection of the utopian circle in which all are equally members. And yet, while both girls caress him, when the time comes for his climax, he always ejaculates into Shiro, never Kuro. This causes him some concern. ‘Why did it always have to be Shiro?’ he wonder. ‘The two of them ought to have been equal. The two of them should have been one existence.’ We read in this the rather unsubtle message from his inner mind that the two are not equal, but Tazaki’s conscious mind in these instances is no wider than Okada Toru’s, for he cannot see the most obvious things in front of him. It is not until he meets Kuro in Finland in fact, that Tazaki is able to admit openly to her – and to himself – that he had loved Shiro. By then it is, of course, too late, and Tazaki comes to believe that the net result of suppressing his true feelings was to unleash a far less dainty version of himself on the hapless Shiro in the dream world. It is a simple revelation but one that reminds Tazaki of the risks of sacrificing his true desires in order to conform to the rest of society. This is also the quintessential Murakami message.
If this is the case, what is the purpose of Haida’s sudden appearance at the end of the second dream? Here, too, we see Haida as an object of both fascination and discomfiture for Tazaki, a part of his inner self and an expression of his most deeply suppressed desire. Whether we choose to read that desire as a homoerotic one or merely as a nostalgic displacement of Kuro and Shiro, it proves useful to Tazaki, whose determined suppression of desire has led in his waking life very nearly to a literal mortification of the flesh, and in his dreamscape to homosexual fantasy. This is what prompts Tazaki to seek out his first sexual encounter with a woman, ‘not out of passion, nor because he especially liked her, nor even to relieve the daily loneliness he felt,’ but rather ‘in order to prove to himself that he was not homosexual, that he was capable of ejaculating into an actual, flesh-and-blood woman, not just in dreams.’ Tazaki’s anxiety over his sexual orientation is not particularly unusual considering his youth and the nature of the dream he has had, but in the end it will not matter where his sexual orientation lies; what does matter is that this second dream has driven him out of the world ‘over there,’ back to this side, where he begins to engage in actual relationships with real women instead of merely with his memories of the lost woman in his dreamscape. We see in this instance, too, an expression of the decision Tazaki must make as an ‘empty vessel’ whether to provide haven for living souls of the present of lost souls from the past. It is significant that once Tazaki begins a physical relationship in the waking world, his erotic dreams featuring Kuro and Shiro vanish.
Thus far, then, we have seen Tazaki’s first dream act as a means of rebirth for his character, as well as reveal to him emotions – desire, jealousy – that lurk deep within his inner self. It also demonstrates for him the possibility of separating spirit and flesh. The second dream, on the other hand, spurs Tazaki into sexual action, showing him once again the various objects of his desire but at the same time driving him out of the metaphysical realm to enact his desires on actual people. These two ‘forbidden dreams’ have largely positive effects on Tazaki, guiding him in the construction of both a new outer self and a new sexuality to go with that self. While he does nail down his elusive sexual orientation, however, he fails to find lasting fulfillment with the various women he encounters, for none of them fully displace the memories of the past that still lurk deep within his heart – until Sara comes along, that is.
Tazaki’s third dream once again connects him to Shiro, and in turn connects her to Midorikawa, and through him, to Haida. In this dream, Tazaki sits at a piano (an instrument he does not actually play in waking life), performing an impossibly complex piano sonata for an unappreciative audience. Seated beside him, turning the pages of the score for him, is a woman in a black dress, but though he is curious about who she might be, he cannot take his eyes from the score to look at her face. Just prior to awakening him from the dream he notices that she has six fingers on her hand, connecting her to his mental image of Midorikawa – and thus to Haida, who has ‘created’ Midorikawa for him through his narrative. The presence of Shiro is implied, first through the piano itself, and second through the evocation of Midorikawa/Haida, the latter of whom is linked to Shiro through the second dream. Whether Shiro actually had six fingers on each hand is of little consequence; the superfluous fingers are merely a symbol – not a literary one but a symbol within Tazaki’s own mind – of the ambiguous nature of being ‘gifted.’ One important message from this dream, then, is that Shiro, too, was ‘gifted.’
There is, however, a more important revelation here, one that carries the first and second dreams to their logical conclusion. If those dreams showed Tazaki the absurdity of suppressing his natural sexuality and emotional desires in the name of protecting an essentially fallacious utopian dream, then the third dream, at its most basic level, demonstrates the impossibility of perfect communication, of perfect human understanding, even under the most ideal conditions. Tazaki plays his part flawlessly, and yet his audience cannot understand the music, causing him later to reflect that ‘life was like a complicated musical score…even if you could get all then notes right and produce the correct sounds, there was no guarantee that listeners would get the right meanings and assign the correct values to them.’ And yet, in spite of the impossibility of conveying exactly what the music is supposed to communicate, of his audience’s rejection of his efforts, and of the countless distractions, in his dream Tazaki is determined to play this piece through to the end. Herein he expresses a new variation on Midorikawa’s final admonition to press on with the act of living, the search for meaning, even in the face of the mundane and the frivolous. This final dream suggests that Tazaki has finally ‘got it.’
But what, exactly has he understood? Through his various dreams and the self-reflection they engender, Tazaki discovers by novel’s end that meaning in life lies not in the perpetuation of perfection, the endless preservation of harmony and stasis (which is impossible in any case), but in the acceptance of imperfection and the celebration of hardship and discord as catalysts for growth and change:
‘At that moment he was at least able to accept it. In the deepest part of his soul, Tazaki Tsukuru understood. People’s hearts were not connected only by harmony. They were, rather, deeply bound together by injury. They were joined by pain, by their fragility. There was no tranquility that did not contain cries of grief, no forgiveness without spilled blood, no acceptance that did not pass through acute loss. This was what truly lay at the root of harmony.’
This passage is, in my opinion, one of the most important in the entire work and, indeed, in the overall body of Murakami fiction, for it clearly expresses an exceedingly simple idea that is found in almost every major Murakami work in one form or another: that imperfection is not only permissible but desirable. It is this imperfection that Rat seeks to protect when he destroys himself and the Sheep at the end of A Wild Sheep Chase, the same complication and turmoil from which Kizuki and Naoko flee directly into the arms of death in Norwegian Wood, the same conflicts that Okada Toru tries to restore in Kumiko at the end of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. And why is it desirable? Simply because it is our imperfections, our quirks and flaws, even our weakness and mediocrity, that makes us unique and uniquely human. It is through our attempts to solve the puzzles of our lives and the mysteries of our world that we grow and develop. Carried but a step further, it might be read as Murakami’s understanding of the purpose of reading/writing literature, recalling the first words of Hear the Wing Sing: ‘there is no such thing as a perfect text.’ Extended beyond the scope of this narrative, we might even find in it an allegorical comment on contemporary Japanese society and its continued efforts to project an image of tranquility and order, when in fact, these, too, are utopian.
…
Tazaki Tsukuru does indeed show us where Murakami has been and where he is headed. We see in this work yet another instance of the ‘other world’ exerting its influence on ‘this side,’ and at the same time we see how that influence has grown less destructive as Murakami’s heroes press forward with the process of redefining themselves independently of established convention. The same ‘dark inner self’ seen in works like The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and Kafka on the Shore remains a powerful force in that process, and while its purpose still seems to be domination of the outer self, that domination takes on a liberating aspect that began with Aomame’s rescue of Tengo at the conclusion of 1Q84, and reaches its most explicit expression in Tazaki Tsukuru. The target, as we have demonstrated, is the ‘same’ utopian delusion we saw in A Wild Sheep Chase, and yet not quite ‘the same,’ for it is a much more realistic portrayal of that illusion, one that is played out among countless groups of friends in countless schools throughout the world. As with Kafka, Aomame, and Tengo, the final goal for Tazaki Tsukuru is simply to grow up and, in so doing, to outgrow the childish notion that any dreams from ‘over there’ should ever truly be forbidden.”
And with that…our look at the works of Haruki Murakami comes to an end. I hope you all enjoyed the journey as much as I did.
Kafka on the Shore
Chapters 25-36
By Dennis Abrams
This is so good…
Let’s catch up with Kafka:
Kafka gets another late night visit from the spirit of the teenage Ms. Saeki and realizes in the morning that he is love with the spirit and that the spirit is in love with her long-dead lover. Kafka asks Oshima if he can find the music to “Kafka on the Shore” and wonders aloud if Ms Saeki is his mother. Later that day, Kafka brings her coffee, and she asks why he ran away from home. As they talk, she says that he reminds her of a boy she knew long ago. She also mentions, curiously enough, that she had written a book of interviews with people who had been struck by lightning. That night, Kafka remembers that when he was younger, his father had been struck by lightning on a golf course.
Kafka is visited again by the spirit, and that morning, Oshima is interviewed by the police. They know that Kafka came to the library, but Oshima covers for him, saying he hasn’t seen him in days. When Kafka brings Ms. Saeki her coffee that day, he asks her if she has any children – she doesn’t answer. That night, Kafka wonders if he is in love with the younger or the older Ms. Saeki.
Kafka calls Sakura to warn her that the police know he has called her in the past – that was how they traced him to the library – and to let her know that he is safe. He says that he is in a “surreal” situation. She invites him to come back to her place, but he tells her that he is in love with somebody else. Sakura tells him that if he ever needs to talk, he can call her. That night, Kafka thinks he is seeing the spirit come into his room again, but it is the real Ms. Saeki, sleepwalking. She strips and gets into bed with him, thinking he is her long-dead husband. They have sex, and she immediately leaves.
Ms. Saeki asks Kafka to tell her about his past, and he mentioned that he is from Tokyo and that his father has recently died. He suggests that she may have been his father’s lover at one time, but she rejects the idea. He asks her to go to bed with him, and she does not answer. After work, Oshima and Kafka go out for dinner – Oshima talks about his fantasy of fighting in the Spanish Civil War (!) and mentions that he has a regular boyfriend. Oshima says that love is always accompanied by sadness because our beloved – in the act of completing us – reminds us of what we have lost. That night, Ms. Saeki lets herself into Kafka’s room and looks at the painting. She offers to show him the beach that is shown in the painting. On the beach, Kafka embraces her, encouraged by Crow and maybe even the spirit of her dead lover. They return to the library and make love, and once again, Ms. Saeki leaves afterward.
Kafka sneaks out of the library to go workout at the gym, not knowing what to say to Ms. Saeki. After his workout – and resisting the temptation to immediately hop a bus out of the city – he returns to the library. Oshima talks to him about his search for freedom, questioning if anyone is ever truly free. When he brings Ms. Saeki her coffee, Kafka asks her about her past. She tells him there’s nothing he needs to know and wonders out loud how he has become so wise at so young an age. He tells her that he is taking back his life after the emotional abuse his father had put him through – that is why he took the name Kafka: it means “crow” in Czech, and crows are free and wild. He asks Saeki if she interviewed his father for her lightning book; she says she didn’t, but he doesn’t believe her. She confesses that she is confused by her life, and Kafka responds that she doesn’t have to be confused by him: he is her lover – past and present – and her son. That night they make love again, and for the first time, she stays.
And now to Nakata:
Hoshina and Nakata go toe Takamatsu Public Library (NOT the Komura) to try and find out what the entrance stone is – they spend the day there but no luck. That night, after Nakata goes to sleep, Hoshimo, who can’t fall asleep, goes to get a drink at a bar and on his way back, he runs into Colonel Sanders, who is working as a pimp and offers him a deal on a beautiful girl. Hoshino turns him down, but when Colonel Sanders sweetens the deal by offering to show him where the entrance stone is, Hoshino agrees.
Colonel Sanders takes Hoshino to a religious shrine to meet the prostitute. She’s gorgeous, and after they go to a hotel, she has sex with him for yours while, naturally, reciting Hegel. After they finally finish, Colonel Sanders offers to take him to the entrance stone. At first Hoshino is doubtful, thinking that the offer is too good to be true, but he goes along anyway.
The Colonel explains to Hoshino that his is a spirit – neither god nor Buddha – that chooses his earthly form as he goes along – hence, Colonel Sanders. He needs the help of a mortal with an assignment, and giving him the entrance stone is part of that assignment. They go to a vault at a religious shrine, and the Colonel tells Hoshino that this is where the stone is located. Hoshino is uncomfortable with the idea of robbing a shrine, but Colonel Sanders tells him that it is OK. The stone is very heavy and Hoshino needs a cab to get it back to the hotel, where he laves it on Nakata’s bed and finally falls asleep.
When Nakata wakes up and discovers the stone in his bed he spends a long time just looking at it, wondering what to do next. He talks to Hoshino about how sad he is, but feels that once he opens the entrance stone, something will change (although he can’t do anything until it’s thundering outside). Hoshino agrees to stay with him as long as it takes. Naturally a huge storm begins outside, the entrance stone becomes heavier, and Nakata realizes that flipping it over will open the entrance. Hoshino gathers up all his strength and flips the stone.
But with the storm over and the stone flipped, Hoshino is confused that nothing seems to have changed. Nakata goes to sleep. That night, Hoshino goes to a coffee shop where he meets the elderly owner, a classical music enthusiast, talks to him about Beethoven while he wonders why he’s so drawn to Nakata. The next day, while Nakata is still sleeping, Hoshino goes to a double feature of Truffaut films, thinks about his life and why he should be smarter than he is, and returns to the coffee shop to learn more about Beethoven and classical music.
When Hoshino returns to the hotel, Nakata is STILL asleep, but he gets a phone call from Colonel Sanders, who insists that Hoshino wake up the sleeping man and leave the hotel immediately and go to an apartment he has arranged for them. – police are making a sweep of the hotels of Takamatsu, looking for Nakata. Hoshino wakes Nakata and asks him why the police would be looking for him; Nakata tells him about killing Johnnie Walker. The two men check out quickly taking everything – including the entrance stone and go to their new digs – a stylish new apartment in a residential part of town. Once settled in, they talk about what happened in the hotel – Nakata is certain that the stone opened something somewhere, but isn’t sure what to do next. The two men walk to the beach and Hoshino promises Nakata that they will go to an aquarium after things blow over.
Some of my favorite things:
Oshima on Ms. Saeki’s song: “Symbolism and meaning are two separate things. I think she found the right words by bypassing procedures like meaning and logic. She captured words in a dream, like delicately catching hold of a butterfly’s wings as it flutters around. Artists are those who can evade the verbose.” “So you’re saying Miss Saeki maybe found those words in some other space – like in dreams?” “Most great poetry is like that. If the words can’t create a prophetic tunnel connecting them to the reader, then the whole thing no longer functions as a poem.”
The lack of a mother’s name in Kafka’s family register.
Miss Saeki: “As long as there’s such a thing as time, everybody’s damaged in the end, changed into something else. It always happens, sooner or later.”
Miss Saeki on her book on lightning: “The book didn’t come to any conclusion, and nobody wants to read a book that doesn’t have one. For me, though, having no conclusion seemed perfectly fine.” A reference to Murakami’s own lack of endings, perhaps?
All of Chapters 26 and 28, Hoshino’s encounter with Colonel Sanders was pretty brilliant.
Oshima and Kafka’s talk about leaving one’s shell – symbolically or not.
Kafka’s phone call with Sakura: “I don’t know to put it exactly…This might sound strange, but you’re living in the real world, breathing real air, speaking real words. Talking with you makes me feel, for the time being, connected to reality. And that’s really important to me now.”
Sakura telling him that he feels like “a younger brother” to me.
“The axis of time. Somewhere I don’t know about, something weird is happening to time. Reality and dreams are all mixed up, like seawater and river water flowing together.”
I found it interesting that during the love making scenes with Kafka and Ms. Saeki, the voice switches from first to second person. Crow is narrating?
The line from Akinari’s Tales of Moonlight and Rain, “Shape I may take, converse I may, but neither god nor Buddha am I, rather an insensate being whose heart thus differs from that of man.”
“It’s not the sample. We’re not talking about that sort of time here. I know you when you were fifteen. And I’m in love with you at that age. Very much in love. And through her, I’m in love with you. That young girl’s still inside you, asleep inside you. Once you go to sleep, though, she comes to life. I’ve seen it…I’m in love with you, and that’s what’s important.”
The two chords of the song, “I found those chords in an old room, very far away. The door to the room was open them.” The entrance stone?
Oshima’s line: “A hemophiliac of undetermined sex who’s hardly ever set foot outside Shikoku isn’t about to actually go off to fight in Spain, I would think.”
Haydn linking Kafka and Oshima to Hoshino.
Kafka metaphorically fighting in the Spanish Civil War, blowing up bridges.
“We’re all dreaming, aren’t we?” she says. All of us are dreaming. “Why did you have to die?” “I couldn’t help it,” you reply. Crow again?
The emptiness sad emptiness of Nakata – his awareness of it after killing Johnnie Walker.
Hoshino and Beethoven and Truffaut. Wonderful. And if you’d like to listen to the Archduke Trio (and you should), click here.
And who knew it had been turned into a play?
And to continue with Jay Rubin:
“Johnnie Walker has to be one of Murakami’s boldest challenges to the forces of high seriousness in the evaluation of literary art. Readers will face an equally bold challenge in later chapters with the sudden appearance of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Colonel Sanders as a pimp with supernatural powers. This second strange creature, who appears only to the truck driver Hoshino, looks just like Colonel Sanders, with the white suit and glasses and string tie, but he explains his supernatural powers by pointing out that ‘I’m neither a [Shinto] god nor a Buddha nor a human being. I’m something else again – a concept.’ Murakami has latched on to these familiar – even beloved – symbols of worldwide corporate penetration and imbued them with unimaginable powers of evil, violence, and depravity. Johnnie Walker Black Label has long been a preferred gift in Japan from duty-free shops abroad, and because Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Japan all have slightly evil-looking plastic models of Colonel Sanders standing out front, the Colonel may be an even more familiar figure there than in his native country. The healthy-eating Murakami is probably conscious, too, that the Colonel’s fried chicken and other fast food, much of it exported to Japan, may be a significant contributor to American – and now Japanese – obesity. Japanese readers were shocked and confused by these enigmatic creations, said an interviewer, but Murakami draws some interesting parallels between them and his earlier writing:
‘The first character to come out of me like that was the Sheep Man in A Wild Sheep Chase. I was not planning to bring such a character onstage: he just popped out while I was writing. This was something from the world of darkness, a being that lives in the other world. Johnnie Walker and Colonel Sanders are the same kind of thing – ‘performers’ who appear from the darkness. There were a few who showed up in The Wind up Bird Chronicle, too: Boris the Manskinner, say, appears to be a realistic character, not something from the other world, but I think he’s probably the same kind of thing. Because he is there, the story is able to move off in a new direction.
While I’m writing, I’m not thinking: I don’t know if they are good or evil. I still don’t know whether the Sheep Man is good or evil, the same with Johnnie Walker. What he does is surely evil, but I don’t know how much of that is true. And Colonel Sanders? I have no idea what he’s all about. Both of them give a kick to the flow of the story, help it to move along. Rather than whether they themselves are good or evil, the really big question for me is, What kind of direction to they give the story as they help it to move along? It may be that, depending on how you look at them, Colonel Sanders and Johnny Walker are the same thing appearing with different faces. This is a very real possibility. I don’t know, though…I think the story would not have proceeded so successfully had those two icons not been present. I think, too, though, that there are a lot of people out there who can’t accept such things.’
Murakami’s interviewer agrees that most of the numerous negative reviews of the book complain that these figures are undecipherable. We need not appeal to Murakami’s critics to fault his use of such devices, however: his own remarks all but confess that he makes them up to solve difficulties with the plot. If your story needs Character A and Character B to meet at some point but you have described them as strangers living in different cities, you can work out some mundane real-world developments that bring them together (work schedules, plane connections, a taxi with a flat tire), or you can have an exotic supernatural being appear in the dream of Character A telling him to dial the phone number of Character B as soon as he wakes up. All too often in this book, it seems as though Murakami has chosen the latter approach. When it becomes important for Colonel Sanders to contact Nakata, for example, he calls him on his friend Hoshino’s switched-off mobile phone, defying the laws of physics. (It is at this point that he calls himself a ‘concept.’)
[MY QUESTION: Does this matter?]
Kafka on the Shore uses such devices in ways that seem quite arbitrary, and its characters often move around more by rules of authorial convenience than by any consistent system of either fantasy or realism. Murakami appears to be making up the rules as he goes along, as if, say, in a vampire novel, we were suddenly to learn in the last chapter that vampires are vulnerable not only to garlic and the sign of the cross, but also to ketchup, which allows the hero to defeat the vampire villain by feeding him a hamburger. Anything goes. More disappointing, however, is the novel’s failure to answer the questions it raises at the end of the brilliant cat-killing scene in Chapter 16. What does it mean for a peaceful human being to kill another person, even if the killing is meant to stop the other person from killing? How do killing and war change people, make them no longer who they once were? Everything in the first 15 chapters of the book leads to that bout of horrific bloodletting, but nothing in the subsequent 33 chapters rises to that level of enquiry; and the meticulously composed chapters concerning the wartime events in Nakata’s childhood never figure in the narrative again.
Instead of changing into a virtually new human being (for which Murakami has given us plenty of precedents: take The Wind-up Bird Chronicle’s Creta Kano, for example), Nakata remains the same mentally weak old sweetheart. He does lose his ability to talk to cats, but now he acquires the ability to talk to rocks (which, thankfully, do not make audible replies), and suddenly, in Chapter 24, he can diagnose and cure back pain. He is possessed by an inexplicable desire to travel westward and cross a bridge, and he can summon such creatures as fish or leeches to rain down from the sky. He has certainly ‘changes,’ but only in diverse ways that make him bizarre without adding up to a critique of violence in society. Murakami, it seems failed to see what a profound document he had produced in the first 16 chapters of the book, and he lost the chance to make his novel a great comment on the human condition. Having emerged as the world’s foremost killer in the name of peace and justice, the United States – the primary source of Murakami’s literary vision – could have benefited from such a lesson most of all. Devoid of imagination, America’s leaders know only the ethic of kill or be killed in a black-and-white world of good and evil.
[MY NOTE: If, as I believe, Murakami’s a more akin to entering into a dream than any solid “reality,” is it fair to criticize him for not playing by the rules of reality? Or that a fictional character named Colonel Sanders isn’t totally realistic? And to continue, is criticizing Murakami for not writing the book Rubin wishes he had written a valid critique?]
Nakata’s need to travel westward propels him through the rest of the novel. He has no idea where he is going, but ‘something’ (never explained) draws him to Takamatsu, the exact same Shikoku city to which the young Kafka has fled, and his instincts bring him and his newly acquired travelling companion, the truck driver Hoshino, to the library where Kafka lives and works. [WARNING – From here through the next four paragraphs contain elements of the plot through the rest of the book.] Though he and Kafka are from the same Tokyo neighborhood, they have never met. When Nakata and Hoshino arrive at the library on 10 June, Kafka is off in the deep woods of Shikoku, preparing to tramp his way into the other world in the company of ghostly Second World War soldiers, so the anticipated encounter between Nakata and Kafka never happens.
At the library, Nakata feels the need to meet Kafka’s middle-aged lover, head of the library and writer of the hit song from 25 years earlier, ‘Kafka on the Shore,’ a dreamy ballad full of enigmatic poetic imagery that just happens to relate to Nakata’s raining fish and to the magical stone that marks his own entryway into the ‘other world.’ (The song also contained two unusual chords that contributed to its wide appeal.) They meet for the first and only time in their lives in the climatic Chapter 42, but Saeki declares that she has been waiting for him, and he apologizes for having taken so long to find her, as if he knew all along that she was his destination. She is a person trapped inside the memories of her past (she spends her time writing her voluminous memoirs with their Mont Blanc pen), while he is all but devoid of memory and lives only in the present.
‘I feel as though I’ve known you for ages,’ she says. ‘Weren’t you in that painting? A figure in the sea in the background?’ This was the picture of ‘Kafka on the Shore’ that featured the one true love of her youth. The two also share knowledge of the ‘entrance stone.’ This was merely an evocative phrase in her song, but it took on great reality for Nakata when his companion Hoshino, guided by Colonel Sanders, found the miraculous stone in the grounds of a Shinto shrine (probably the same shrine in which Kafka had awakened after his four-hour blackout). In a ritual Nakata performed during a dramatic storm, he had ‘opened’ the stone and, presumably, the entrance to the other world. He confesses to her that he killed a man in Tokyo. ‘I didn’t want to kill anybody, but Johnnie Walker was in charge and I took the place of a 15-year old boy who should’ve been there, and I murdered someone. Nakata had to do it.’
Saeki then wonders, ‘Did all that happen because I opened the entrance stone a long time ago?’ Nakata does not know the answer to her question, but he does know that ‘My role is to restore what’s here now to the way it should be.’ It was for this purpose, he says, that he ‘left Nakano, went across a big bridge and came to Shikoku.’
[END OF SPOILERS]
The level of contrivance here is mind-boggling, but Murakami seems comfortable with it:
‘In the context of the story as I conceive it, everything can occur quite naturally. Even something like this long-distance killing of the father is naturalistic realism in the world as I conceive it, so there is nothing at all strange about, say, Nakata’s doing the killing and the blood showing up on Kafka’s hands. I would be hard-pressed to explain why this is so, but it’s something that can happen as a matter of course.
A lot of readers, though, say they don’t get it. Why does Kafka have blood on his hands even though Nakata committed the murder? Because it can happen, that’s why. How can such a thing happen? Because a story can express things at a level that transcends explanation, things that cannot be explained in an ordinary context. Because a story expresses things in a way that is different from other kinds of expression.’
One’s reception of Kafka on the Shore, then, depends heavily on the degree of one’s willingness to ‘go with the flow’ of the story. To a reader less willing, Murakami seems to be relying far too heavily on contrivance and coincidence, and he too easily overlooks inconsistencies on the realistic plane. Take, for example, the amount of publicity concerning the murder of Kafka’s father. It is in all the newspapers and on TV, but for some reason none of Kafka’s Shikoku acquaintances know anything about it with the single exception of the young assistant librarian, Oshima. He has been closely following the reports, many of which mention the desire of the police to question the dead Koichi Tamura’s son, whose name certainly would have mentioned in the media, but still Oshima remarks that he does not know Kafka Tamura’s real name. The degree of Nakata’s memory is also inconsistent. After reading several times that his memory had been wiped out, we find him at points talking about ‘the occupation’ and ‘bombs,’ and he experiences at least one flashback that leads into a detailed narrative of his childhood. Nakata is stupid where the situation calls for him to be stupid, and he is almost eloquent when he needs to be more verbally eloquent.
This is not to say that Murakami completely ignores all matters of realism. The composition of the Allied occupation authorities’ documents on the ‘Rice Bowl Hill Incident’ is accomplished with meticulous attention to verisimilitude, and often the narrative will spell out the minutiae of ordinary life to give rational explanations for how or why characters do what they do – matters such as the Japanese equivalent of birth certificates (koseki) or the downloading of information from the Internet, or getting discounts at a hotel, or lining up room reservations at the YMCA, or the differences in traceability between prepaid and subscribed mobile phones, or weight training at the gym (Kafka works hard to toughen himself physically). We know a good deal more than we need to about Nakata’s finances and also about his bowel movements – sometimes to low comic effect.
For long stretches of the novel, then, Murakami seems to accept the conventions of realistic fiction, but this only makes his departures from the rules of consistency (or physics) all the more disconcerting. And for scenes involving out-and-out encounters with the supernatural, the amount of purple prose thrown at the reader exceeds even the loud music played during Sputnik Sweetheart’s close encounters with the other world. When Nakata invokes the magic powers of his ‘entrance stone’ to the other world, the thunder crashes and the wind blows with all the ferocity of a Bulwer-Lytton ‘dark and stormy night.’
Another feature of the book that has been remarked upon, both approvingly and disapprovingly, is the extremely large number of references to works of literature and music – large even for Murakami, and with a surprisingly high proportion of nods to high culture rather than jazz or pop music (although Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, the Beach Boys, Prince, and Cream are briefly mentioned.) In this, the character Oshima plays a major role. Having taken Kafka under his wing and arranged for him to live in the library, the 21-year-old Oshima never misses an opportunity to wax eloquent on any topic that arises between them, whether it be high culture or the meaning of life. He speaks profoundly on Franz Kafka and “In the Penal Colony” (actually young Kafka himself is the one who comes up with an incredibly sophisticated comment on that story); the Japanese novelist Soseki Natsume; the best colors for automobiles, the relationship of man and nature; Greek tragedy; Plato, issues of gender; sexuality; and love; Franz Schubert; the search for identity; T.S. Eliot; the art of sculpture; the subtleties of metaphor and symbolism; the psychology and ontology of ghosts; The Tale of Genji, it’s depiction of ‘living spirits’ and the question of whether deep resentment can leave the body and inflict injury on the object of hatred (which, we are invited to conclude, is probably how Kafka killed his father); the Edo-period fabulist Akinari Ueda (1734-1809); opera; the Spanish Civil War; Rousseau; Australian Aborigines; the nature of human freedom; Hansel and Gretel; and the guts as the original model for the interior human labyrinth. Some of these topics come in for repeated discussion by Oshima’s ever-open and active mouth. (Yeats, Mozart, novelist Jun’ichiro Tanizaki, Adolph Eichmann, and the Richard Burton translation of The Thousand and One Nights are commented upon elsewhere. Beethoven comes in for extended treatment, too, but that mainly happens in the Nakata narrative, as the truck driver Hoshino opens his soul to this elevating source of spiritual enrichment.)
Earlier, we noted Murakami’s tendency towards an indirect didacticism, but here the didactic element is anything but indirect. Asked if head consciously loaded this novel with so many references, Murakami answered:
‘Of course…Citation and erudition were extremely important for me in this novel. After all, the protagonist is a 15-year old boy, so it’s important for him to pass through a lot of different things. I myself crammed I knowledge from many areas as I grew up; the knowledge really comes pouring in at that time of life, like rain soaking into parched earth…If you do something like this in the story of a mature adult, it can come off as affectation, but for a young person it’s really important…Oshima imparts his erudition regarding Schubert’s piano sonata while he’s driving. Some people might think he’s just showing off his knowledge and be repelled by it, but he’s using this to convey something to the boy Kafka.’
Your thoughts? Are you able to “go with the flow” or do what Rubin sees as the book’s narrative flaws get in the way of your enjoyment? Share with the group!
My next post: Tuesday, August 26, the conclusion of Kafka on the Shore
Enjoy
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle
Conclusion
by Dennis Abrams
——————-
To continue with Strecher:
“[Mamiya’s] ordeal, however, is not over. In a much later narrative, passed on to Toru in a long letter, Mamiya relates how he managed to survive the massed attack of a Soviet armored division in the final days of the war, and found himself, minus one hand, alive in a Soviet labor camp after the war. There, again, he meets Boris the Manskinner, who starts out as a fellow inmate but will shortly take over control of the camp. In time Mamiya gains Boris’ confidence, hoping for a chance to take revenge on him. Unfortunately for Mamiya, however, he cannot kill Boris. Even given two easy opportunities to blow his enemy’s head off at pointblank range, he is unable to do so. Eventually he returns to Japan, bearing Boris’ final curse on him: ‘Wherever you may be, you can never be happy. You will never love anyone or be loved by anyone. That is my curse. I will not kill you. But I do not spare you out of goodwill. I have killed many people over the years, and I will go on to kill many more. But I never kill anyone whom there is no need to kill.’ And true to this prophesy, Mamiya lives out the rest of his days in quiet misery, an ‘empty shell’ of a man.
The purpose of Mamiya’s narrative, I think, is to provide a historical pattern, a narrative ancestor, to the situation in which Toru finds himself in the present. The relationships established here are of critical importance: Mamiya, a force of good, opposes Boris, the embodiment of evil. Two worlds collide, one of controlled gentility and forbearance – something also displayed by Toru…the other of pure malevolence and ambition. In that struggle between elementary forces, Mamiya loses everything; his failure to destroy this evil presence costs him his soul. Cast into archetypal terms, as I believe we must with the whole of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, Mamiya fails to restore life to the wasteland of death (seen both in the wilds of the Mongolian desert and the labor camp in barren Siberia) that remained following World War II.
But there is another, equally important, subnarrative to the saga of Mamiya in the war, and this is the tension that is established between the will of the individual and the power of the State. Murakami himself is primarily interested in this aspect of the war as part of his project of recovering the individual voices of those who were involved. Indeed, the same impulse that led the author to seek the fuller story of the sarin gas incident, including the first-hand views of the cult members themselves, leads him to wonder what role government plays – especially a strict, militaristic one such as ruled Japan at that time – in the atrocities committed during war. ‘It is the same with the Rape of Nanking,’ Murakami commented in 1997. ‘Who did it? The military or the individual soldiers? Just how responsible are individuals to a society where they relinquish their free will to the system?’
Murakami does not absolve those who commit atrocities, but he does suggest the possibility of mitigating circumstances, particularly the lack of individual freedom at times of international tension. Sometimes individual evil and ambition cause suffering, as we see in the case of Boris the Manskinner, but even Boris represents not so much an individual but a system, of which he is a part. Without the Soviet system, there might be no Boris. Similarly, were there no Japanese State, there might be no war, and thus no need to carry out stupid orders that waste human life.
We see signs of dissent and hostility toward the Japanese State, whose leaders’ arrogance and ambition led to disaster, in the comments of many of those involved. Hamano expresses it to Mamiya – an act in itself that could have been regarded as treason – as they sit on the wrong side of the Khalkha River in Soviet-held territory: ‘I’m telling you, Lieutenant, this is one war that doesn’t have any Righteous Cause. It’s just two sides killing each other. And the ones who get stepped on are the poor farmers, the ones without politics or ideology…I can’t believe that killing these people for no reason at all is going to do Japan one bit of good.’
This is the common soldier’s perspective, one echoed later by the lieutenant put in charge of executing Chinese prisoners. But the overview, the hostility toward the politics of the war, is best and most succinctly expressed by Honda as he shows his bitterness of the aftermath of the Nomonhan disaster of 1939.
‘Nomonhan was a great embarrassment for the Imperial Army, so they sent the survivors where they were most likely to be killed. The commanding officers who made such a mess of Nomonhan went on to have distinguished careers in central command. Some of the bastards even became politicians after the war. But the guys who fought their hearts out for them were almost all snuffed out.’
Although we are unaware of it so early in the novel, this is the first step toward establishing a link between the events of 1939-1945 (Nomonhan through the end of the war) and the events surrounding Toru and Kumiko now, for the springboard used by Noboru Wataya to enter politics is his uncle, Yoshitaka Wataya, a member of the Diet who was at one time connected with the very members of central command who had begun the disastrous war against China. Noboru, following in these footsteps, demonstrates that the dark side of the State persists, exerting its ugly influence over the ordinary people.
Murakami’s fiction has, of course, posed this sinister aspect of the Japanese State for many years – indeed, it is a central element in A Wild Sheep Chase, and becomes even more pronounced in Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. World War II, however, is the ideal vehicle for the pursuit of this theme, for it is war, as he put it to interviewer Ian Burama in 1996, that ‘stretches the tension between individuals and the state to the very limit.’
The third major narrative of this novel emerges entirely in Book Three (‘The Birdcatcher’), and concerns the enigmatic characters Nutmeg Akasaka and her son, Cinnamon. More closely tied to the original narrative of Toru and his quest for Kumiko, this final story provides the necessary path by which the mystery of Kumiko’s disappearance, the real nature of Noboru’s plot, may be approached. It also offers a plausible, if puzzling, explanation of what the ‘wind-up bird’ of the title is really supposed to be. Indeed, we might look upon Book Three as Murakami’s attempt to reconnect the disparate events in Books One and Two.
Nutmeg Akasaka makes her first appearance in Book Two, but we have no more idea than Toru about who she is, or how much she will figure into the story later. Toru sits outside Shinjuku Station, watching the people go by, following his uncle’s advice to sit and clear his head for awhile, when a woman, well dressed and attractive, approaches him and stares at the mark on his face. She asks him if he needs anything, but when he replies in the negative, she leaves.
The woman returns in Book Three, and this time there is something Toru needs from her: he needs money, for he has decided to purchase the land on which the well he needs so much is located. The sum required, eighty-million yen (more than half a million U.S. Dollars), is a considerable one, and it is to the evidently wealthy Nutmeg that he turns for help.
In response, she employs him in a most peculiar position for which he is uniquely qualified: Toru becomes a ‘healer’ of sorts, a medium by which women who suffer from a mysterious unconscious imbalance restore their internal equilibrium. The process by which they are healed is, for Toru, both passive and sexual; as he sits blindfolded in a darkened room, his mind blank, the women kiss, fondle, and caress the mark on his cheek.
But the structure of the third narrative is more complex than this, for it encompasses both the physical and metaphysical aspects of the central narrative (Toru and Kumiko) in its focus on sexuality and the unconscious, and at the same time brings to bear the historical significance of the World War II, the power of the State, and the risks of playing with the inner consciousness.
Most of this third narrative is revealed to us through Nutmeg’s mute son, Cinnamon, a refined youth of about twenty. Through certain asides, unattributed, we learn that Cinnamon lost his ability to speak through a strange incident that occurred when he was very young. Waking one night to investigate the cry of a bird he has never heard before, he spots two men, one of whom looks like his father, burying a small bag under a tree in the family’s garden. The man who looks like his father climbs the tree, never to return. After watching for a while he goes back to bed, but later dreams that he has gone out to the garden to dig up the bag, which turns out to contain a human heart, still beating.
When he returns to bed, he finds another ‘him’ sleeping in his bed. He panics, fearing that if there is another ‘him,’ then he himself will no longer have a place in the world. IN order to preserve his existence, he forces his way into the bed with the other ‘him’ and goes to sleep. When he wakes the next morning, he discovers that he no longer possesses a voice.
From this time on the boy – later known to us as Cinnamon – seems to live in two worlds; one that is shared by his mother and other family members; and another, inner world of his own. Later we come to suspect that that this ‘inner world’ is the same as the unconscious hotel in which Toru seeks Kumiko. For Cinnamon, this takes the form of cyberspace, the mysterious interior of his computer network, to which he gradually allows Toru (limited) access.
There is no question of what that inner space means to Cinnamon: it is the key, if he can only unlock it, to the meaning of his life, and the answer to why his voice was taken from him. To do this, Cinnamon creates stories (again, the power of the story is revealed!). This is a practice first begun with his mother, who used to play a game with him of making up stories about her own father, a veterinarian with the Imperial Army in Manchuria who bore a mark on his right cheek virtually identical to Toru’s. How much truth there is in the stories it is impossible to say, for Nutmeg’s father disappeared after the Soviet invasion in the last days of the war. But this is not the point; these stories, which are connected with those of Mamiya and Honda in their expression of tension between individual Japanese soldiers and the Japanese central command, are designed not to reinvent the life of the actual man who was Cinnamon’s grandfather, but to help Cinnamon to understand (and create) himself. Toru recognizes this after having been permitted a brief glimpse of one of the stories in Cinnamon’s computer:
‘I had no way of telling how much of the story was true. Was every bit of it Cinnamon’s creation, or were parts of it based on actual events?
I would probably have to read all sixteen stories to find the answers to my questions, but even after a single reading of #8, I had some idea, however vague, of what Cinnamon was looking for in his writing. He was engaged in a serious search for the meaning of his own existence. And he was hoping to find it by looking into the events that had preceded his own birth.’
The stories, no doubt at least nominally grounded in those his mother had told him about his grandfather, are filled with the violence and misery of the final weeks in Manchuria, during which the Imperial Army, hopelessly outnumbered, prepared to make its last stand against the Soviet armored units assembling for their final assault on them. The first story concerns the killing of animals at the Hsin-Ching zoo in order to prevent them from being accidentally released once the Soviets have invaded. This task is assigned to an intelligent young lieutenant who has no stomach for the job, and in the end leaves it only partially completed.
We gain a better sense of the lieutenant’s attitude toward the war and his role in it in a later story in which he is given the job of executing eight Chinese prisoners, members of the local military academy’s baseball team who have attempted to flee the city in its final days. The lieutenant’s impressions, conveyed to the veterinarian (Nutmeg’s father) are similar to those of ‘Hamano’ in Mamiya’s earlier narrative.
‘Just between you and me, I think the order stinks. What the hell good is it going to do to kill these guys? We don’t have any planes left, we don’t have any warships, our best troops are dead. Some kind of special new bomb wiped out the whole city of Hiroshima in a split second…We’ve already killed a lot of Chinese, and adding a few bodies to the count isn’t going to make any difference. But orders are orders.’
In this brief statement, the lieutenant expresses the ‘tension between individuals and the state’ that interests Murakami so much. What is one to go when given orders that make no sense, that merely reassert the stupid brutality of those in charge? Much of the brutality of the war, he suggests, is attributable not to individuals but to the State that commands them.
Another important aspect of Cinnamon’s subnarrative on the computer is its recreation of the ‘wind-up bird’ itself, linking the narrative to earlier phases of the novel. The wind-up bird in Cinnamon’s narrative world is a spectral creature, audible only to certain gifted (or cursed) people, and visible to none. Its eerie cry emerges at moments of great tension, such as when the animals at the zoo are shot, or when the Chinese prisoners are executed. Its cry also coincides, roughly, at least, with tiny, parenthetical prophesies about individual characters in the story. We are told, for instance, the final fate of the soldier under the lieutenant’s command who can hear the bird’s cry.
Finally, we are given the impressions of Cinnamon’s grandfather, and these are significant mainly because they tell us more about Cinnamon himself. Observing the executions of the Chinese prisoners, for instance, the veterinarian imagines himself to be split into two distinct halves, both executioner and executed. ‘The veterinarian watched in numbed silence, overtaken by the sense that he was beginning to split in two. He became simultaneously the stabber and the stabbed. He could feel both the impact of the bayonet as it entered his victim’s body and the pain of having his internal organs slashed to bits.’ This dualism is equally an aspect of Cinnamon, who was ‘split in two’ at the age of six. It is also a link with others in the novel who have experienced the same thing: Creta Kano, Kumiko, Nutmeg, and indeed Toru himself. At the same time, it provides a physical visceral quality to that sensation, linking it to the skinning of Yamamoto, and eventually to the murder of Nutmeg’s husband, whose body is found with all its internal organs missing.
The third narrative, then, manages to bring together many of the disparate elements of the first two: the clashing historical periods, the dichotomy between physical and metaphysical, the gap between the conscious and unconscious worlds. It even gives a common metaphorical reading, in the form of the computer, to the mystery of the unconscious. Cinnamon’s narrative manages to close the gaps between the three narratives, tying together elements that appeared unrelated at the end of the first two books.
By this time it must be reasonably clear that what really connects the three disparate narratives that make up The Wind-up Bird Chronicle is a crisis of identity that is both physical and metaphysical, real and magical. It is born of the separation, so to speak, of the various elements that make up one’s identity: a ‘core’ identity that resides within one, and the sum of one’s experiences and interactions with others. Identity is, naturally, tided to the individual will, but in this novel that will is constantly threatened by the controlling power of the State and its organs. In that sense the work can be read as a quasi-political novel, one of resistance to the State. On a more basic level, however, the novel depicts a more archetypal conflict between good and evil, the resolution of which has the potential to return fertility to the wasteland.”
…….
“Creta Kano’s experience [with Noboru Wataya] at once a physical and a metaphysical one, helps us to understand a little better some of the other physical mutilations in the story. We might comprehend, for instance, the murder of Nutmeg’s husband, whose body is found with all its internal organs removed and the face slashed to bits, as a similar, brutally physical attempt to remove both his external identity (his face) and his internal ‘core’ (his organs). Murakami’s focus on the organs in the abdominal cavity does have some cultural significance here that is worth noting. Unlike in the West, where the soul is thought to exist in the mind, or sometimes in the heart, Japanese tradition has it that the center of one’s being exists in the belly. This, according to some, is the origin of seppuku, ‘belly cutting,’ known in the West as ‘hara-kiri.’ Opening the abdomen by disembowelment literally opens the true essence of the individual, and thus is taken as a last demonstration of truth. This may helps us to understand the executions of the Chinese baseball players in Cinnamon’s story: looking beyond the practical reasons for bayoneting the prisoners (to save ammunition), the mutilation of their internal organs tear to pieces their ‘core selves’ as well as their bodies. It may also help explain why, despite having been beaten to death with a baseball bat, the last victim of this massacre still manages to sit up and grab the veterinarian by the hand. His ‘core’ has not yet been fully extinguished, and that ‘something’ within him still struggles to exert its own existence.
We gain a very clear picture of the physical side of the core identity quite early in the story from May Kasahara as well. She describes it as the ‘lump of death,’ but in the context of the above discussion we can understand that she really refers to the ‘core identity’ itself.
‘…the lump of death. I’m sure there must be something like that. Something round and squishy, like a softball, with a hard little core of dead nerves…it’s squishy on the outside, and the deeper you go inside, the harder it gets…and the closer you get to the center, the harder the squishy stuff gets, until you reach this tiny core. It’s sooo tiny, like a tiny ball bearing, and really hard.’
It is this ‘something (nani ka, an expression that recurs throughout the novel) that obsesses everyone in the story. Mamiya, despite his obviously unpleasant associations with wells, still feels the urge to climb down into any well he sees. Why? ‘I probably continue to hope that I will encounter something down there,’ he tells Toru, ‘that if I go down inside and simply wait, it will be possible for me to encounter a certain something…What I hope to find is the meaning of the life I have lost. By what was it taken away from me, and why?’ these are almost the same words used by Creta Kano in describing her experience with Noboru Wataya.
In sum, then, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle is about the ‘core’ identity of the individual, how it can be located, understood, protected, or alternatively, removed or destroyed. It also lies at the heart of Kumiko’s disappearance for, as we later discover, Kumiko’s inner core has also been tampered with, leaving her lost, uncertain of who, or where, she really is.
We now approach one of the really difficult aspects of this novel: the question of how the core identity is corrupted. The process is, I believe, one of division. That is, the entire Self (conscious ‘self’ and unconscious ‘other’) is divided in two, and from between them, the ‘core’ is removed. Without this essential link to the central body of memory and information there can be no real connection between them, and thus no possibility of the necessary communication that creates a ‘whole’ person.
This is what has happened to Kumiko. Like Creta Kano, she has been stripped of her core identity, leaving her conscious and unconscious selves divided and lost. One exists somewhere in the conscious realm – we never learn where – while the other lives in the unconscious, the mysterious hotel, in ‘Room 208.’
We cannot help noticing the opposite nature of these two sides of the same person. The Kumiko know to Toru as his wife, for instance, seems to be a perfectly ordinary young woman, an intelligent professional, leading a reasonably normal married life with him. But her unconscious ‘other’ is a mirror image of this Kumiko, sexually charged and driven by pure physical desire. This ‘other’ that has always lurked within Kumiko has remained suppressed by the conscious Kumiko, but is nevertheless a critical part of her What Noboru has done in removing her core identity is to eliminate the central reference point by which the conscious Kumiko keeps the unconscious side of herself under control thus released, the ‘other’ Kumiko is free to express herself in a characteristically sexual way. In one sense this is healthy; Toru’s wife confesses that she never found sexual fulfillment with him, perhaps because she maintained such a tight control over her ‘darker side.’ At the same time, however, it leaves her conscious self in a weakened position of submission, helpless against the power of her inner sexual desire.
Toru, of course, takes on the role of saving Kumiko from his fate, but his task is complicated by the fact that he too must struggle against the power of his unconscious ‘other.’ Compounding the difficulty of this task is that this ‘other side’ of Toru is Noboru himself.
This leads to an interesting question: If the ‘other’ exists in the realm of the unconscious, how then does Toru encounter his own ‘other’ in the conscious world? The answer lies in the concept of the ‘nostalgic image,’ something I have discussed at length in several previous writings on Murakami.
The concept of the nostalgic image is fairly straightforward, but demands a leap of faith on the part of readers, because it is heavily dependent on the magical elements in the text. It refers to a recurring motif in Murakami fiction in which the protagonist longs desperately for someone or something he has lost – a friend, a lover, an object – and in response, his unconscious mind, using his memories of the object or person in question, creates a likeness, or a surrogate, which then appears in the conscious world as a character in the story. There is, however, one major catch: nothing ever really looks quite the same in both worlds. Thus, to the protagonist as well as the hapless reader of Murakami fiction, the relationship between the ‘nostalgic image’ character and its origin is often obscure. This much is hinted in the final lines of Hear the Wind Sing, in a quote ostensibly from Friedrich Nietzsche: ‘We can never comprehend the depths of the gloom of night in the light of day.’ In the context of Murakami’s fictional world this means that nothing passes from the unconscious into the conscious world without experiencing some kind of radical transformation in appearance.
Nevertheless, we can usually spot these ‘image characters’ by their peculiarity: nameless twins and a talking pinball machine in Murakami’s second novel, Pinball 1973; the ‘Sheepman, made up of the protagonist’s unconscious conceptions of Rat and the Sheep in A Wild Sheep Chase; the strange little people, some seven-tenths of normal size, who invade the home of a man in the short story ‘TV People;’ the opaque image of a middle-aged woman who appears on the protagonist’s back in ‘The Story of the Poor Aunt;’ and so on.
Forming the connection between the unconscious memory and the image it becomes is usually a matter of linguistic relationship. For instance, a dead girlfriend from the protagonist’s student days named Naoko reappears as a pinball machine known as ‘the Spaceship.’ The connection lies in the fact that Naoko used to tell him stories about people on other planets. In the same novel, the protagonist’s missing friend ‘Rat’ emerges as ‘the Twins,’ nameless girls who suddenly turn up on either side of him one morning after a night of heavy drinking. In attempting to find some suitable names for them (reminding us of Nutmeg and Cinnamon), the protagonists comes up with ‘Entrance’ and ‘Exit,’ which leads him to think about things without exists, such as mousetraps, and this finally leads to Rat.
Similar ‘ image characters’ appear in The Wind-up Bird Chronicle. It is possible to read the characters of Creta and Malta Kano, for instance, as images of Kumiko and her older sister, a character Toru knows only through Kumiko’s stories of her. The relationships and experiences are similar. Kumiko, for instance, suggests that she might have handled her difficult childhood better had her sister not died, thus denying her a confidant. Creta Kano, on the other hand, describes her own trials with pain, attempted suicide, and identity crisis in the absence of her sister, who was performing mystical divinations on the island of Malta during these critical years. We note also the various incarnations of Creta Kano – one living in pain, another in numbness, and finally one who balances the two – and perhaps think of the two ‘sides’ of Kumiko: one who is ‘numb’ to Toru’s sexual caresses, and another caught up in a torrent of uncontrollable sexual abandon.
Other clues, a little more prosaic, also suggest a correlation between Kumiko and Creta. The fact that Creta Kano is exactly the same size as Kumiko and is thus able to slip into her clothing with no difficulty is suggestive. We might also note the retro-look affected by Creta Kano that suggests her roots in a previous time; she is a mixture of Kumiko past and present. Finally, there is the slippage in identity between Creta and the ‘Telephone Woman’/Kumiko during their sexual encounter with Toru in the unconscious hotel room.
But more than anything it is the similarity of her experience with Kumiko’s – and the central role of Noboru Wataya – that is suspicious. The scene in which Noboru draws out Creta Kano’s core consciousness, for instance, has the unmistakable signs of childbirth, or of an abortive birth. Might the ‘defilement’ of Creta not be another way of looking at the operation in which Kumiko’s own fertility is negated? Finally, there is the dream in which Malta tells Toru that her sister has given birth to a baby, and named it Corsica; this, Toru tells May Kasahara at the end of the novel, is what he will call his baby if he and Kumiko should have one.
Another character who bears a strong image quality is ‘Ushikawa,’ an unsavory little man who acts as go-between for Toru and Noboru in the latter stages of the book. Readers of A Wild Sheep Chase will certainly recognize similarities between this man, whom Toru describes as ‘without question, one of the ugliest human beings I had ever encountered…less like an actual human being than like something from a long-forgotten nightmare,’ and the ‘Sheepman,’ whose unkempt appearance is the more unique for the fact that he walks around in an ill-fitting, poorly-stitched sheep suit.
But the point is less their grotesque appearance than their function. Just as the ‘Sheepman’ is a combination of Rat and the antagonist Sheep, ‘Ushikawa seems to be created out of Kumiko, on the one hand, and his arch-nemesis Noboru, on the other. The association with Kumiko helps us to understand both ‘Ushikawa’s’ evident closeness to her (‘I’m taking care of her,’ he tells Toru cryptically), and yet his lack of knowledge about the details of her imprisonment (‘Not even I know all the details.’) the connection to Noboru, (who, lest we forget, is also part of Toru) accounts for his violent side, expressed in how he used to beat his wife and children. We can also hear the warning, megalomaniacal tones of Noboru in ‘Ushikawa’s’ assertion that Noboru ‘has a very real kind of power that he can exercise in this world, a power that grows stronger every day.’ This is Noboru speaking directly to Toru.
…
“As Creta Kano says, Noboru is the opposite of himself, existing in a ‘different world.’ This opposition is manifested in their behavior throughout the novel; whereas Toru is a mild, passive, unobtrusive figure, Noboru is violent, dominant, and ambitious. Yet there is crossover, or rather, there are points when this dark, violent side overcomes him, just as Kumiko’s dark, sexual side gradually takes hold of her. We see Toru lose control of himself in the scene when he beats the guitar player with his own baseball bat.
‘My mind was telling me to stop. This was enough. Any more would be too much. The man could no longer get to his feet. But I couldn’t stop. There were two of me now, I realized I had split in two, but this me had lost the power to stop the other me.’
This enraged Toru is, one supposed, a manifestation of Noboru, who gains strength in the darkness and takes control of Toru’s actions in the real world. We might note in passing that Toru’s description above is almost identical to ‘Ushikawa’s monologue about beating his wife and children, hinting at the connection between them:
‘I’d try to stop myself, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t control myself. After a certain point I would tell myself that I had done enough damage, that I had to stop, but I didn’t know how to stop.’
The object of ‘Ushikawa’s’ beating vis-à-vis the object of Toru’s is not important here; what matters is the expression of uncontrollable violence, for as Toru listens to ‘Ushikawa,’ he really confronts himself.
…
Wells (and other similarly shaped structures) are a major motif in Murakami fiction as a conduit between the conscious and unconscious worlds. In Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, for instance, the protagonist’s only potential escape route from his unconscious mind is through a pond that appears to flow beneath the walls that enclose the area, presumably bringing him back to the conscious world. In Dance Dance Dance, the protagonist boards an elevator in a modern high-rise hotel, but when the doors open finds himself in a much older structure from his past. More recently, the heroine of Sputnik Sweetheart, Sumire, dreams that her long-lost mother comes back from the dead to tell her something, but is sucked into a kind of hollow tower before she can convey her message, leaving Sumire wondering whether to follow her into that world.
The well in The Wind-up Bird Chronicle becomes a central point of contention as well, and both Toru and Noboru seem to recognize the importance of controlling this important link between their two worlds. Toru’s work as a healer grows directly from his need to own and control the land on which the well is located. Achieving this at least temporarily when Nutmeg purchases the land and holds in trust for Toru, the well also serves as bait to draw Noboru out, forcing him to bargain. Eventually Noboru even concedes the possibility of returning Kumiko to Toru in exchange for giving up the well, making clear how critical control of this portal between worlds is for him.
Fortunately for Toru (and for us, his loyal cheering section), he maintains possession of the well long enough to accomplish his task, and as he moves from Room 208 to the well for the last time, the well fills with water. Even Toru, by this time, understands the importance of the water that fills the well: ‘It had been dried up, dead, for such a long time, yet now it had come back to life. Could this have some connection with what I had accomplished there? Yes, it probably did. Something might have loosened whatever it was that had been obstructing the vein of water.’ The fact that he might drown in the well as it fills with water does not seem to trouble him much; ‘I had brought this well back to life, and I would die in its rebirth. It was not a bad way to die, I told myself.’
But Toru, as we know, is rescued in the end by Cinnamon, and this leaves us with one interesting question: How will Toru maintain his own identity if his unconscious ‘other’ no longer exists? Are we to imagine that Noboru Wataya in his unconscious mind is still alive somewhere, back where he belongs? On this one point we might, perhaps, quibble with Murakami’s decision to save his hero from death at the end of the novel.
In terms of the overall quest of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, then, the novel provides a successful conclusion. By beating his ‘other’ to death in the unconscious world, Toru has achieved his goal, and if proof is required, Murakami provides it in the restoration of the well – Toru’s own private conduit to the ‘other world’ – with the flow of water – significantly, warm water, offering the promise of new life.
…
I noted above that ‘flow that is so important a metaphor for life and fertility is also a metaphor for time, and this brings us, at last to the ‘wind-up bird’ itself. The wind-up bird is, of course, an ‘open’ symbol, like Melville’s whale, and can thus be read simultaneously in a number of ways.
Toru himself offers several suggestions within the narrative. Upon reading Cinnamon’s ‘Wind-up Bird Chronicle #8,’ for instance, he suggests that the bird is a harbinger of doom, a source of deadly fate. ‘The cry of the bird was audible only to certain special people who were guided by it toward inescapable ruin.’ In this sense, the bird takes on a god-like role, as controller of human destiny. People, according to this suggestion, are like puppets set in motion for the bird’s amusement, or, as Toru puts it, like wind-up dolls.
‘People were no more than dolls set on tabletops, the springs in their backs wound up tight, dolls set to move in ways they could not choose, moving in directions they could not choose. Nearly all within range of the wind-up bird’s cry were ruined, lost. Most of them died, plunging over the edge of the table.’
Based on this reading we might see the wind-up bird as symbolic of the power of the State itself, manipulating and using the people in ways they cannot control. Indeed, this is the essential structure of A Wild Sheep Chase, in which the Sheep, a source of unimaginable power, takes control of the weak-minded and rules human destiny through them. It is thought, in that book, to have been the source of the military genius of Genghis Khan, as well as the root of power in elements of the Japanese State during World War II.
If we choose to view the wind-up bird in this sense, then Noboru’s ‘special power’ to take control of people’s core identities is surely connected to it. As a politician, a representative of political power in Japan, Noboru’s transformation from a sloppy, socially inept college professor into a slick, yet artificial, politician could easily be attributed to some mysterious relationship with the wind-up bird.
This is a plausible reading of the wind-up bird, and could be pursued in much greater depth…But I wish to offer an alternative reading, one that takes into account the motif of flow and time. I wish to read the ‘wind-up bird’ as a metaphor for time and history.
Toru himself offers a reading of the bird in this way from the earliest part of the novel: the bird’s real function, he believes is to ‘wind the spring of our quiet little world.’ In other words, the turning of the world – and its attendant creation of ‘time’ – rests in the hands of this mystical bird, whose task is to keep time flowing forward, creating temporal distance between past and present.
But the springs, like all springs, do wind down, and must be rewound by the bird. These are the points at which the bird’s cry is heard, and also the moments of tension in the novel, when disparate worlds seem to crash into one another. The bird’s cry is heard when historical moments – past and present, present and future – slam into one another as a result of the loss of momentum in time. According to this reading, the bird is not the cause of catastrophe, then, but naturally appears in order to set the flow of time going again. This may help us to understand the prophesies that appear at various points in the book: Cinnamon’s discovery of the buried heart, prophesying the death and mutilation of his father; the various parenthetical prophesies concerning the soldiers in Manchuria, and even Honda’s prophetic warnings to Toru and Mamiya.
This also allows us to comprehend better why May Kasahara nicknames Toru ‘Mr. Wind-up Bird;’ his function, like the bird’s is to restore the ‘flow,’ reestablishing a fertile relationship between ‘self’ and ‘other.’ In this context, he and the ‘wind-up bird’ may have more in common than he realizes.”
[MY NOTE: I also wonder if the bird could be an allusion to the birds in Slaughterhouse Five – we know Murakami is an admirer of Vonnegut.]
“Like the well, filling at last with water at the end of the novel, the human ‘self’ is characterized as a vessel into which stimuli are poured like water, to be stirred in the crucible of the unconscious, processed into the memories and experiences that make us who we are. When the process is permitted to continue smoothly, according to the flow of energy back and forth between the two modes of consciousness, human identity is stable and secure.
But, as we have seen, identity does not always work so smoothly. Human identity in this novel is altogether too fragile, too vulnerable to removal, transport, or even destruction. It can be replaced by another. When Cinnamon awakens from his terrifying dream of seeing another ‘him’ sleeping in his bed, for instance, he intuitively understands that his ‘self’ has been placed into another body that looks like his own, but is not. ‘He felt as if his self had been put into a new container…There was something about this one, he felt, that just didn’t match his original self.’
At the same time, identity that has been lost can also be recreated. Creta Kano has suffered a catastrophe even greater than Cinnamon’s, and now describes herself as ‘empty,’ but she is rebuilding her identity, piece by piece. ‘I am now quite literally empty. I am just getting started, putting some contents into this empty container little by little,’ she tells Toru, for ‘Without a true self…a person cannot go on living. It is like the ground we stand on.’ Like the well that fills with water at the end, all of the victims of the Wind-up Bird Chronicle attempt to refill the empty vessels left behind after their core identities have been removed. Some, like Creta Kano and Cinnamon, are partially successful; others, such as Mamiya, end in dismal failure.
Whether the central quest to ‘save’ Kum
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Guide - Commando - The Absolute Beginners Guide To Commando Kano
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Who is this guide for?
First and foremost, this guide is for anybody who wants to learn to play Commando and is looking for a comprehensive yet straight...
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Test Your Might
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https://testyourmight.com/threads/the-absolute-beginners-guide-to-commando-kano.55270/
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Stage 1: Getting familiar with the character
Stage 1.1 Movement
You won't get very far if you can't get Kano where you want him to be, so let's learn how.
Movement part 1
First things first, let's look at Kano's basic movement. His walk speed is reasonable, his jumps are a little floaty but not too bad. Unfortunately, depending on the controller you use jumping may require some practice, especially if you use a DS4. Later, when you get to incorporating jump in combos and tick throws, you'll want your forward jumps to be consistent, so to get into the habit now, make the following exercise the first thing you do every practice session.
Exercise 1
Start off by walking backwards for one second, then forward jump. Duck for one second, walk forwards for one second then jump backwards. Duck for one second, walk backwards for one second, neutral jump. Duck for one second, walk forwards for one second, neutral jump. Duck for one second, walk backwards for one second, backwards jump. Duck for one second, walk forwards for one second, forward jump. Duck for one second, neutral jump, duck for one second.
Repeat this sequence until you can do it ten times in a row with out making mistakes.
Movement part 2
Now Kano's basic movement has been covered, let's look at one of the things that makes him special; his dashes.
Kano has excellent dashes, some of the best in the game. To forward dash, quickly double tap forward. To back dash, quickly double tap back. See his much distance he travels? Now, forward dash and press crouching 4. Do it a few times, varying when you activate the attack. His dash has some recovery frames where you cannot activate an attack. You'll need to get a feel for how long these frames last to effectively use the dash.
Now do the same with his back dash and try and get a feel for that recovery. Got it? Good, because that's your second exercise.
A couple of quick note about back dashes. First of all, During your back dash, you are invulnerable to attack, but there are recovery frames where you can be punished. Second, back dashes, unlike forward dashes, use one bar of stamina, so you can only do two in a row before waiting for the stamina bar to replenish (this is universal across all characters). Commit this to memory, it will come in handy later.
Exercise 2
Forward dash and activate d4 on the first available frame. Repeat ten times without making mistakes.
Back dash and activate d4 on the first available frame. Repeat ten times without making a mistake.
Movement part 3
Running is a big part of MKX, and Kano is not exempt from this. As a grappler, Commando needs to get in close, and good zoners can prevent him from doing this with solid use of their projectiles. Learning to master running will help you close the gap on your opponent and mount your offensive. There's a couple of steps to this, so let's begin.
How do you run?
To run in MKX, you perform a forward dash and quickly press the block button. When timed right, your character will sprint forward for a short while until one of three things happen.
You press an attack, direction or block.
You run out of stamina
You get hit
There are a few different ways of executing a run too. They are as follows.
Forward, forward, block
Forward, block, forward
Forward, forward+block
Many players advocate the second method as it prevents one of the problems listed below from occurring, but I personally prefer the third as it involves less inputs and can be done quicker. It is all a matter of personal preference, so try each one and see which you find the most comfortable.
There are a few things to remember about runs. First of all, you cannot neutral jump or backwards jump out of them, you can only forward jump or crouch. This may not seem like an issue, but Kano's most damaging meterless mid screen combos begin with a neutral jump punch, so if an opponent whiffs a move and you run up to punish, don't expect to get max damage using an NJP.
Second is that if you dash forward and attempt to block too soon, you'll get a run. Obviously you don't want to run into somebody's fist, so leaning how to dash and block without getting a run is important, even if it's not a commonly used tactic. On the flip side, if you attempt to run and press block too late, you'll dash and not be able to cancel into block or an attack (although if you use the second method listed above to activate a run, you circumvent this problem). As you can see, getting this timing down is crucial if you don't want to head face first into danger.
Third, runs are used in those meterless mid screen combos I was talking about, so if you want to max out your damage later on, get used to running now.
Exercise 3
Run forward and let Kano run out of stamina. Reset the screen. Run and crouch at the first available moment. Reset the screen. Run and block at the first available moment. Reset the screen. Run and forward jump at the first available moment.
Do ten times without making a mistake.
Exercise 4
Forward dash and stand block at the first available moment without activating a run.
Do ten times without making a mistake.
Now Kano's basic movement has been covered, let's move on to his attacks and basic strings.
Stage 1.2 Kano's Attacks
Cover Kano's attacks, general which are good, which are bad. Focus on the ones you will use most of all.
Below is a list of the most commonly used normals. You will notice that not every move Kano had is listed, and that's because not every move Kano has is very useful. In order to use these moves effectively you will need to understand their frame data, how far they reach, and any technical inconsistencies that can occur, but that will come later. For now, just go into training mode and take a look at the moves. Get used to what they look like, whether they hit high, mid or low (it will tell you in screen as the moves connect), and their abbreviations.
Standing 1 (aka 1)
Standing 2 (aka 2)
Back+1 (aka B1)
Back+3 (aka B3)
Back+4 (aka B4)
Forward+4 (aka F4)
Down+1 (aka D1)
Down+2 (aka D2)
Down+3 (aka D3)
Down+4 (aka D4)
Neutral Jump Punch (aka NJP)
Jump In Punch+1 (aka JIP1)
Jump In Punch+2 (aka JIP2)
Jump In Kick+3 (aka JIK3)
Exercise 5
Attack the dummy with each move 10 times in a row. With the jumping attacks, vary when you press the attack button during the jump (you will notice that if you hit the dummy on the way up it will register as a mid, but on the way down if will register as an overhead. Remember this as it will be important later).
Now do each move away from the dummy and immediately press and hold block. Pay attention to how long it takes for Kano start blocking after the move had finished. The gap in between the attack finishing and the block beginning is the move's recovery. Try and get a feeling for which moves have a fast recovery and which moves have a slow recovery.
Stage 1.3 Kano's Strings
Like with the normals, learning to use the strings will require understanding frame data and spacing. We will begin learning this in the combo section. For now, like before, just get used to what they look like and where they hit. Unlike the moves above, I will list all of the strings here as there aren't that many and all of them have their uses to some degree.
1-1 (aka 11)
High, mid
1-1-2 (aka 112)
High, mid, mid
B1-3 (aka B13)
Mid, mid
2-f4 (aka 2f4)
High, mid
3-2 (aka 32)
Mid, mid
3-2-1+3 (aka 32-1+2)
Mid, mid, mid
B3-1 (aka B31)
Low, mid
B3-1-2 (aka B312)
Low, mid, mid
F3-3 (aka F33)
Mid, low
Exercise 6
Perform the strings on the dummy 10 times in a row, varying the speed of the inputs. Try and get a feel for how quickly and how slowly you can enter the inputs and get the strings to come out.
Perform the strings away from the dummy and immediately press block. Get a feel for each string's recovery.
Now that you're familiar with his strings, let's get into the fun stuff; his special moves!
Stage 1.4 Kano's Specials
Universal specials
Knife (down, forward+2)
This is a quick projectile that hits high. It's fast and had good recovery.
Meter burn version throws a second knife that hits mid.
Kano Ball (back, forward+3)
Kano hurls himself across the screen in one of the most ridiculous looking moves in the game. The second hit scores a hard knock down. Travels very far very quickly, but had a lot of recovery, especially if blocked.
The meter burn version has armour and the second hit can be delayed by holding down the block button, resulting in something even more ridiculous than regular Kano ball. This floating ball can be canceled by tapping down-down.
Air Kano Ball (back, forward+3 whilst in the air)
Kano travels through the air, hitting the opponent twice. These second hit is a low, and can be confuse people unfamiliar with the move.
The meter burn version of this move replaces the second hit with and unblockable one, but there is a gap between the hits that Kano can be hit during. This move is extremely unsafe on block.
Up Ball (down, back+2)
An anti-air move at the right distances. Very unsafe on both whiff and block. The meter burn version however had armour and is safe on block (there are exceptions to this however, but they'll be covered later).
Exercise 7
Perform each special and it's meter burn equivalent ten times in a row without making a mistake.
Commando Only Specials
Choke (down, forward+1)
Hits high, used for ending combos and strings. Safe on block, but comes with it's unique set of problems. For the most part it's a good move.
Rib Breaker (down, back, forward+4)
An untechable throw that does more damage than a regular throw and can be option selected off of several moves. This can be tricky to pull off in the beginning, but we'll be covering the execution of this (and Power Slam) later on. For now, give it a go and try and get used to doing the input on the dummy.
Meter burn version had armour and does more damage
Power Slam (down, forward, back+4)
Same as above, but does 1% more and causes a side switch.
Don't worry about the following moves for now:
High parry (down, back +1)
Low party (down, back+2)
Stage 1 Summery
So that is Kano's basic tool set. As you will have noticed, he had no overhead attacks outside of his jump ins, and he needs to be up close on order for most of his strings to hit, which are features that many people consider to be flaws. Do not be discouraged, as Commando has other ways of scoring damage. Before you can do that however, you will need to become proficient at the exercises laid out in this section.
Checkpoint
Do exercises 1,2,3,4 and 7 in order without making a mistake.
When you have completed the checkpoint exercise, move on to Stage 2.
Stage 2: Basic Combos
Ultimately, Commando is not a character who gets big damage off of combos, and it is arguably the least important aspect of his game. That said, I know you're itching to learn them as they're fun to do, so I'll give you some basic ones to be getting on with and some execution tips for making them easier. There will be more advanced combos to come, so don't worry about the low damage. Also, don't get into the habit of using meter in these combos to boost the damage. Kano has better uses for meter that you will learn in time. For now, practice these as presented. I promise you, damage is coming.
Stage 2.1 Cancelable Strings
For the uninitiated, combos in MKX are performed by using various strings and special moves to launch the opponent into the air and keep him there by juggling them with hits. The more hits you land on an opponent, the heavier their body becomes and the faster they fall, to the point where they fall so fast that no attack can come out quick enough to connect, thus ending the combo
There are several ways this can be done, but the two we will focus on for now are the most common. They are cancels and juggles.
What is cancelling?
Cancelling is where the game will allow you to cut the animation of a move short in order to perform a different move. Confused? Perform a down 4 on the dummy then hold block. See how long it takes for Kano to start blocking? Now do a down 4 again and quickly input forward+2. If done right, Kano should stop the d4 animation and throw a knife instead. That is cancelling in action.
So which strings cancel?
To answer this question, enter training mode and bring up the pause menu. Enter the moves list and look at the table of frame data on the right of the screen. See the number beneath the word 'Cancel'? That is the number of frames at the end of the move that will allow you to cancel into a special. The larger the number, the more lenient the game will allow you to be with your inputs. If the number reads '0', then the move or string cannot be canceled.
The strings we'll be focusing on for now are as follows.
112
b13
b31
Let's start of with a simple combo, 112-Knife, where I'll explain a couple of different ways to perform this and what to avoid.
Section 2.2 Performing Combos
Let's get to it. First of all, enter the following inputs really slowly on your controller.
1-1-2-d-f+2
Did the combo come out? Probably not. Now do it a little faster. Still didn't come out? Try it a little faster. Eventually you'll find the speed where the game registers the inputs as being timed correctly and 112- will cancel into knife throw, netting you a four hit combo.
Got it? Good.
Now enter the inputs as fast as you possibly can. Try it again, even faster. Faster still. Did it go wrong? I hope so, because if I didn't it won't prove my next point...
Some combos require fast inputs and strict timing, but many people's fingers and thumbs lack the co-ordination to pull them off without practice. 112-Knives is an easy combo that many shouldn't struggle with, but done really fast can still cause problems and feel clumsy to some. There are ways to prevent this though, and one of those ways is 'buffering'.
What is buffering?
Buffering is a method of doing two simultaneous inputs to reduce the amount of button presses required to perform combos. A physical demonstration should elaborate better than words.
Enter the following sequence slowly.
1-1-down+2-forward+2
Like before nothing should have happened, so like before keep speeding up until it does.
See? Easy right. Now for the pitfalls of buffering. If done to quickly, your fingers may become uncoordinated and instead of entering:
1-1-down+2-forward+2
They'll instead enter:
1-down+1-forward+2-2
So what will happen in this instance? Well, if you'll recall from previously, 11 is a string unto itself with its own cancel window. Messing up the input will mean that the 2 of the 112 chain won't come out and you'll get 11-knife instead, leading to less damage. As the combos get more advanced, this can become more of a problem. So what's the solution? Start slow, like we did earlier, and build up your speed. Eventually you'll develop muscle memory and not have to think about it.
Stage 2.3 Beginner Combos
So as promised, here are a set of combos to get you started. I'll include two inputs, the traditional input and one featuring buffered inputs. Choose the one that suits you best. If you're having trouble, start slow and build up.
Due to the fact that female characters in MKX have smaller hurt boxes than male ones, it is recommended that you learn all combos by practicing on a female character.
Once you have mastered performing them on the left hand side of the screen, switch to the right hand side. You can do this by going into the pause menu, selecting practice options and changing the following settings:
Mid Screen
112-df2 (1,1,down+2,forward+1)
112-bf3 (1,1,back+2,forward+3)
112-df1 (1,1,down+2,forward+1)
B13-df2 (back+1,down+3,forward+2)
B13-bf3 (back+1,back+3,forward+3)
B13-df1 (back+1,down+3,forward+1)
B31-df2 (back+3,down+1,forward+2)
B31-bf3 (back+3,back+1,forward+3)
B31-df1 (back+3,down+1,forward+1)
Corner combo
The following corner combo uses 32 to juggle the opponent. Juggling, as the name suggests, involves launching the opponent into the air and keeping him there. As Commando has no overhead, all of his corner combos start from B312. The following is a nice, easy juggle suitable for online play. It does use Rib Breaker, but the buffered input should make it easy to do after a little practice.
Start by mastering B312 launcher and juggling your opponent with 32. When you can do that ten times, add the buffered Rib Breaker.
B312-32-dbf4 (back+3,1,2,3,down+2,back,forward+4)
Like with the mid screen combos, once you mastered this one side, you need to master it on the opposite side too.
Stage 2 Summery
As previously mentioned, Commando Kano is not a character who gets huge damage from his combos. That said, getting comfortable with the most basic combos will help you later on when you try to perform his more complicated juggles. For now, learn what had been presented and keep in mind that the true meat of Commando's gameplay hasn't even been touched upon yet. Ready to see how far the rabbit hole goes? Hit the second checkpoint and join me again in Stage 3.
Stage 2 Checkpoint
Perform combo from Stage 2.3 ten times in a row on both sides of the screen without making a mistake.
Stage 3: Spacing, Hit Confirms, Anti-airs and Wake Ups
Welcome back. Hopefully you're starting to feel confident in your execution, and maybe you've taken Kano online and started to have some success. If not, don't worry. Everything up until this point has been focused on improving your execution, and execution alone does not win matches. Fighting games are a form of strategy game and MKX is no different. The problem is, these strategies are often somewhat elusive, and people use the same vague terms to mean different things. Another problem is that these strategies are difficult to practice in a vacuum. Fighting game skills are refined over thousands of matches, not thousands of hours playing survival mode or beating up the dummy in the training room. So what can you do? The answer is in fact rather simple; you learn to use training mode to replicate the way that living, breathing people play, and then figure out how to counter those strategies with strategies of your own.
Let's begin.
Stage 3.1 Frame Data
Before we go on, we're going to need to cover the concept of frame data and attempt to establish a solid understanding of how moves are designed and why it's important. One of the best things about learning this is that it applies to all fighting games, not just MKX, which will help if you ever decide to pick up any other 2D, or even 3D, fighting game. As Kano would say, fun ay?
To understand frame data, we're going to create a hypothetical move and study it. This move is called the One Second Punch, because it takes exactly one second to perform. It's frame data is as follows:
Start Up Frames: 20
Active Frames: 20
Recovery Frames: 20
Now for some arithmetic. If we know that the move lasts exactly one second, and adding all of the frame data together we know the move last for 60 frames (20+20+20), we can deduce that the game runs at 60 frames a second, and that each frame lasts for one sixtieth (1/60) of a second.
Why is this important? Go into the moves list and look at Kano's B1.
The frame data should read as follows (if it doesn't it is because the game has been patched since this guide has been written and I haven't had chance to update it yet):
Start up: 9 frames
Active:
Recovery: 9 frames
That means Kano's b1 takes 9/60 of a second to start up, is active for /60 of a second and takes 9/60 of a second to recover. From beginning to end, this move lasts for /60 of a second.
Now we know what frames are, we can learn the difference between start up frames, active frames and recovery frames. Fortunately, their names are apt.
Start up frames: The number of frames in the move's animation before the move can damage the opponent. If the opponent is touched by a move during it's start up frames, the opponent will suffer no damage. If you get hit during start up frames, you will take damage and the move will cease.
Active Frames: The number of frames in the move's animation that cause damage. If the move makes contact with the opponent during its active frames, the opponent will take damage.
Recovery Frames: The number of frames in the moves animation after the active frames. If the move makes contact with the opponent during the recovery frames, the opponent will not take damage. During recovery frames, your character cannot block or defend in any way. Only once the recovery frames are complete can you move your character again. If you get hit during recovery frames, you will take damage.
And that's all there is to it. Ok, there's a little more, but we'll get to that later. For now, try to memorise these definitions and we'll get into using this information in a meaningful way.
Stage 3.2: Practicing spacing
Let's look at Kano's b1 again. Activate it and watch what happens. See how he moves forward. Now go stand as close to the dummy as possible. Perform the move. Reposition yourself next to the dummy again and take a tiny step back. Do another B1. Reposition yourself next to the dummy again, but take two steps back and do the move. Keep doing this until you moved so far back that the move doesn't hit the dummy. Go back to that spot. You see that gap between you and your opponent? That the safe space in which it is safe for you to activate B1. Your goal is to not use B1 against a grounded opponent outside of that range. How are you going to achieve that goal? It's exercise time!
Exercise 1
Set the dummy to record and move the dummy back and forth for a few seconds, varying how long you are moving it in each direction. Set the dummy to playback and watch it dance back and forth. Now, move Kano back and forth so that he and the dummy are moving closer together and then further apart in a seemingly random pattern. Now attempt to hit the dummy with B1. Practice hitting the dummy at the maximum range that B1 will allow. Do this for ten minutes.
Feeling comfortable with B1? Now do the same for every grounded move listed in Stage 1.2. Seem tedious? This is how you master spacing, I'm afraid, tedious, bloody minded repetition. What you want to do is burn the safe distances of your move list into your memory so that they become second nature. That way, during a match, you won't be performing moves you good will hit, you'll be performing moves you know will hit.
Happy with that? Then do this.
Exercise 2
Same as above, but using Kano's strings. Have fun!
Ready for another?
Exercise 3
Jumping attacks. Get to it.
Stage 3.3 Some more frame data
So now you should be getting a feel for which moves hit at which distances, which is excellent. But which moves and strings should you be using in which circumstance? Is it just the distance you should be judging, or are there other factors that need to go into your decision making? Would this section exist if there wasn't?
No. No, it wouldn't.
So what are the deciding factors. Ideally, you want a move that comes out quickly, is safe, recover quickly and that can be hit confirmed off of. If any of those criteria confuse you, don't worry, I'm about to explain them to you.
Speed
A fast move is determined by its number of start up frames. The fewer the frames, the faster, and therefore better, the move.
Safety
A move's safety is determined by its Block Advantage. Block advantage is normally represented by a negative number. For a move to be safe you want that negative number to have an absolute value less than the game's fastest moves. As no move in the game has fewer than 6 start up frames, you want to find a move with a block advantage of -6 or less (so -5,-4,etc. If we're talking in strictly mathematical terms, you want a value greater than -6). Some moves have a positive value, and are referred to as being 'plus on block'. These moves can be used for setting up frame traps, which we'll get to later.
Recovery
And finally, if you miss you want the move to recovery quickly so that you can block and stand less of a chance of being punished. The lower the number of recovery frames, the safer the move.
Exercise 4
Open up the move list and look at B1's frame data. Is it safe? Go through all of Kano's moves, strings and special moves. Which ones start up quickly? Which ones are safe on block? Which ones recover quickly if whiffed?
Side Note: The frame data in the strings list refers to the last move in that string. To find the start up frames for string B1-3, you will need to look in the move list for B1's start up frames, then go into the B1-3 data for the block advantage and recovery frames.
Stage 3.4: Hit Confirms
So now you know which moves are safe, now you need to know which ones can be hit confirmed.
What is hit confirming?
Hit confirming is a way of making sure you don't throw out special moves against a blocking opponent. Because special moves do more damage, they are often highly punishable when blocked. There are some exceptions (and if you've done the exercises in the previous section you should know of at least one), but in general, throwing out special moves and hoping they hit is a bad strategy that you should avoid. You do this by hit confirming.
How do you hit confirm?
Hit confirming is one of those things that is easy to learn, hard to master. What you want to do is to do a safe string, see if that string hits, and if it does, cancel the string into a special move. If the string is blocked, don't input the special. Easy right?
Exercise 5
Set the dummy to 'block random kombo' and do 112-bf3. If the dummy blocks, do not input the 3.
Do ten times in a row either side.
Exercise 6
Attempt the same but with every other string that has cancel frames great than '0' (Strings with no cancel window cannot be hit confirmed into specials).
Practice each string for 5 minutes.
Hit confirms are hard
As I'm sure you've discovered, some strings are easier to hit confirm off of than others. Don't worry about it. In Stage 4 you will learn about something that will make this significantly easier to do, and will render the act of hit confirming virtually useless. So why get you to do it? Because the technique you will later learn is an exploit of the game's mechanics that could be patched out at any time. Hit confirms, however, are a skill used across many fighting games. If the patch does come, and option selects are removed, you now have the knowledge to compensate for that. (It'll also come in handy when learning to tick throw off jump in attacks).
Stage 3.5-Anti-Airs
There is no getting around it, jump in attacks are powerful in MKX. That doesn't make then unstoppable though. Fortunately for you, Kano has some solid tools to punish opponents for even daring to think they can jump in on him. Here's what they are and the best way to practice using them.
Exercise 7
Go into training mode with Kano and Tempest Kung Lao. Record Kung Lao doing a JI2 and set the dummy to play back. Now attempt to do two things.
As he jumps in on you, hit his body out of the air with a D2
As he jumps in on you, hit his hat as he swings it towards you
What you should notice is that hitting Kung Lao's body resulted in a hit, but aiming for his hat resulted in you getting hurt. The reason for this is that the hat is the move's hit box, I.e, the part of the animation that inflicts the damage, and the body is the hurt box, the part that receives damage. Learning to anti-air effectively means learning which moves have large hit boxes, and where about you need to hit in order to avoid them.
Exercise 8
Chose a random opponent and record a different attack. Attempt to anti air with the following moves.
D2
Up Ball
Air Ball
Choke
Standing 1
B1
D4
D3
Back dash (for those that are difficult to anti air with the above moves)
Stage 3.6-Wake Ups
Sometimes you'll get knocked down and you'll be forced to make a decision as to what to do when you get up. Some of those decisions will be easy, others will not, but before you can make those decisions you will need to be able to execute the options available to you.
I find this next section is the most fun when practiced listening Chumbawamba on a loop.
Tech rolls
The window for tech rolls can be tight. Some moves, such as throws or Kano Ball, cannot be tech rolled. This state is known as a Hard Knock Down.
Exercise 9
Set the dummy to record a D2 and jump at it. As Kano hits the ground, press either 1234 or a direction (not down). If timed right, Kano should roll to his feet. During this roll, Kano is invulnerable. Practice until you can do ten tech rolls in a row.
Exercise 10
Same as above but with different attacks, both grounded and airborne. Practice until you can do ten tech rolls in a row.
Delayed Wake Up
There are three types of wake up in MKX. The first us a regular wake up, where if you get knocked down and don't press anything, your character will get up by themselves. If you hold down for a brief moment, you character will lift up his head but stay lying down for a moment before standing. Hold down for longer, and you can delay the character for a whole longer until the game forces you to stand. During the time your character is on the ground, they are invulnerable to attack.
Exercise 11
Set the dummy to perform a D2 and jump at it. When Kano is on the floor, hold down and wait for him to lift his head. Repeat this for a couple of minutes, varying the length of time you hold down for. Try to get a feel for the two levels of delayed wake up.
Wake Up Attack
Certain specials can be used on wake up to counter an opponents pressure options. The best attacks for this are ones with armour. Unfortunately for Kano, all of his armoured moves require meter. To balance this out, most of Commando's combos aren't enhanced by using meter, so you can save it for wake ups and reversals (reversals will be covered in stage 7).
Commando Kano's best wake up attacks are as follows:
Meter Burn Up Ball
Meter Burn Kano Ball
Meter Burn Rib Breaker
Meter Burn Power Bomb
High Parry
Low Parry
Meter Burn High Parry
Meter Burn Low Parry
The parries are read dependent and best ignored for the time being. We will get back to them in Stage 7.
Exercise 12
Set the dummy to D2, jump at it and get knocked down. Whilst lying down, input Meter Burn Up Ball. If timed correctly, the words 'Wake Up' will appear over Kano's meter gauge.
Perform ten times in a row without making a mistake
Exercise 13
Work though exercise 11 again using each of Kano's different armoured wake up moves.
A note on armour
Armour only absorbs one hit, and will still sustain damage. That means if Kano had only 1% life left and he gets hit during an armoured move, he will die. If he gets hit by a rapid, multi hitting move whilst armoured (Full Auto Jacqui's guns), the armour will only absorb the first hit and he will be knocked out of whichever move he is doing.
Problems with Wake Up attacks that begin with a down input.
You need to press down to perform a wake up attack, but down is also what you press to do a delayed wake up. If you do a delayed wake up, you cannot then wake up attack. Problems can occur when you see that you're getting knocked down and attempt to input the first part of your reversal too soon, and end up holding down the down button for too long.
Being aware of this problem, keeping a cool head during a match and practicing your wake ups is the best way of preventing this from occurring.
Stage 3 Summery
By building up your knowledge of frame data, and practicing your wake ups, spacing and anti-airing, you will have begun to develop the skills required to actually win matches. What you are learning is how to think about your moves and plan your attacks in a thoughtful way, whilst building up reactions to things on screen that are good to fall back on, like anti-airing jump ins with the right move at the right distance. Learning which moves work best in which circumstance and which wake up options to use when are part of your overall growth as a fighting game player, and will be something you will always be working on. Hopefully, by practicing what I've laid out, you'll be able to spend less time in a match thinking about how to do them, and more time on when to do them.
In Stage 6 we begin looking at some more advanced concepts, so ensure you complete the check point below before continuing.
Check point
Unlike the previous checkpoints where I've set tasks, this one requires you to be honest with yourself. Go through the exercises again and ensure you're comfortable with them. Commit to spending ten minutes each practice session working on either spacing, anti airs, hit confirms or wake ups (or cycle through each of them every four days). Doing this will pay off as much, if not more, than just practicing combos.
Stage 4: Command Grab Execution And Tick throws
Commando Kano is a grappler. His status as the game's best grappler is easily contested, but with two different command grabs that can be armoured, ticked into, used as reversals and option selected, he definitely suits the description.
Command Throws Over Regular Throws
Normal throws in MKX are an odd beast. If somebody throws you, you have a brief window to prevent the throw from occurring by guessing which direction the opponent intends on throwing you. This is known as 'teching 'a throw. Command grabs have an advantage over regular throws in that they cannot be teched. The trade off is that they are more more difficult to pull off.
Fortunately for beginners, NRS decided not to use the traditional 360 degree motion and instead replaced it with a three input alternative. That doesn't mean the input is without it's difficulties. In order to implement his grabs into your play, you'll first need to learn to execute them on demand. If you're having trouble, here's how.
Stage 4.1 How To Execute Command Grabs
There are several different methods. Let's look at a selection of them using Rib Breaker (down,back,forward+4) as the example.
Method 1: The obvious method
Press all three directional inputs in order, and press 4 at the same time you press forward.
Sound easy enough, right? Well, let's look at a handful of the potential problems.
1) You are a stick user using the game's regular inputs. In order to do down,back,forward clean, you have to enter down, return the stick to neutral, then go back and then forward. This involves a lot of movement in the wrist, and can easily go wrong when hurried. If you accidentally go slightly above the back or forward points into up/back or up/forward territory, Kano will jump, and he can't throw whilst jumping.
2) You're a pad user, but have large thumbs. Going from down to back often result in you getting up/back as well, or sliding from back to forward results in the pad of your thumb gracing the down button and registering the inputs as down, back, down, forward. The game will not recognise these inputs as being an actual command, and Kano will hop forward doing an F4.
3) You have tired muscles due to a day's work using your hands. Lifting your thumb up and down quickly over and over again fatigues the muscles in your hand even more and inputs don't register. Seem's unlikely? I actually suffer from nerve damage in my shoulder that effects my fine motor control. Sometimes, even though I can feel myself pressing a button, I don't apply enough pressure. Because of that I have to seek alternatives.
There are countless other potential causes for people's inability to perform command grabs using the obvious method, but ultimately the cause doesn't matter. Either you can do them consistently, or you need help? If you fall into the latter category, try both of the following and see which one suits you better.
Exercise 1
Method 2: The Slide And Press
This is the method advocated by TYM member @TheJaquio recommends. He says:
"For grabs I slide from [down] to [back] then quickly lift my thumb off the pad and press [forward+4], almost like I am doing two separate inputs. Never slide to [forward]."
Do ten times in a row each side.
Method 3: The mini 360
This is the method I use, inspired by James Chen's advice on performing consistent Shoryukens on a fight stick.
Start on the left side of the screen in the player 1 position. Place your thumb in the down/forward position, and using the pad of your thumb, draw a circle moving clockwise through the points down/forward-down-down/back,back and through to forward. When you reach forward, hold it down and hit 4. Start slow and check your inputs on the input display. Keep increasing in speed until you can perform them ten times in a row. Switch sides and do the same, but this time moving anti-clockwise.
I prefer using this method due to it being one fluid movement, and I find it easier to perform option selects of D1 and D4 using it. It is, however, a problem when used on wake up, as the 3 down inputs can result in a delayed wake up, preventing the attack from coming out. If you find success using the Mini 360 method, I would suggest learning the Slide And Press method for wake ups.
Now you have the basic execution down, let's make things a little trickier.
Exercise 2
Walk up to the dummy, and the moment you reach him, grab it with a Rib Breaker. Reset the screen. Approach the dummy again, but this time grab it with a Power Slam.
Do ten times in a row both sides without making a mistake.
Exercise 3
Reset the screen and forward dash. Attempt to grab the dummy with a Rib Breaker at the first available moment after the dash animation ends (You can buffer the throw inputs towards the end of the dash animation). Reset the screen and repeat using a Power Slam.
Do ten times in a row both sides without making a mistake.
Exercise 4
Reset the screen and run up to the dummy. The moment you reach it, grab it with a Rib Breaker. Reset the screen and repeat using a Power Slam.
Exercise 5
Record the dummy performing a B4 and set it playback. Walk up to the dummy and allow Kano to get swept. Perform a Rib Breaker on Wake Up (You'll know you've done it correctly when the words 'Wake Up' appear above Kano's meter gauge). Allow Kano to be knocked down again and wake up with a Power Slam.
Do ten times in a row both sides without making a mistake. Repeat using Meter Burned versions
Exercise 6
Select Kano as the dummy and record him doing a Kano Ball. Block the Kano Ball and do a Rib Breaker as a reversal attack (You'll know you've done it correctly when the word 'Reversal' appear above Kano's meter gauge.
Do ten times in a row both sides without making a mistake. Repeat using Meter Burned versions.
By now, you should be becoming comfortable with Kano's command grabs and starting to develop some muscle memory. Exercises 5 and 6 will also have helped to develop you skills of performing wake ups without triggering delayed wake ups, and getting reversals before the reversal window closes. In an actual match, you'll likely be wanting to use the meter burned versions as they have a hit of armour, hence you practicing them. That isn't to say that the regular throws don't have their uses because they do, and we're about to cover them.
Stage 4.2-Tick Throws
To fully understand the importance of tick throws, you first need to understand how throws fit into fighting games in general. Attacks, Blocks and Throws relate to each other in a way not to dissimilar to Rock, Paper and Scissors in the game Roshambo. The following will likely be familiar to you:
Rock beats Scissors,
Scissors beats Paper,
Paper beats Rock.
The fighting game equivalent is as follows:
Blocks beat Attacks
Attacks beat Throws
Throws beat Blocks.
Now with fighting games there is a lot more grey area, but this is the basic idea. It is often unwise to throw out random throws in the hope they'll connect, because if the opponent choses to attack your throw will likely get beaten. Instead, you want to force them to block first, and that's why you want to use tick throws.
So what is a tick throw?
A tick throw isn't really a type of throw. It is the name for the process of attacking an opponent with a quick, single hitting attack in an attempt to force them into blocking, then when they are blocking grabbing them with a throw. Seeing as command grabs cannot be teched, they are ideal for this as they are harder to escape (if the opponent has good reactions, they can neutral jump out of the throw, but this can be hard in the spur of the moment).
The following exercise will teach you the traditional method of performing tick throws.
Exercise 7
Set the dummy to 'Block Random Attack' and hit it with a D1 at close range. If the dummy gets hit, hit it with another D1. If the dummy blocks, grab him with a Rib Breaker. Once the dummy recovers, repeat, but this time use a Power Slam.
Practice for 5 minutes each side.
Again, like with Hit Confirming, this isn't the most effective way of implementing tick throws in the current build of MKX. However, as there is still a possibility of Option Selects being removed from the game, I felt it prudent to show you the traditional method first so you are aware how to do it if the need ever arise. The above exercise is also good for improving your reaction speed, so it might be worth practicing it at least once a week. You never know, it might come in handy.
Stage 4.3 Jumping Tick Throws
One situation where the traditional method of ticking comes into play is with jumping tick throws. This is an excellent tool to have in your arsenal, so practice it and practice it well.
Exercise 8
Set the dummy to 'Block Random Kombo' and perform a jump in 3. If the dummy takes the hit, do nothing. If it blocks do a Rib Breaker. Reset the screen and repeat, this time using a Power Slam.
Do ten times in a row both sides without making a mistake.
Stage 4 Summery
Now you should be feeling fairly confident in your ability to land command grabs consistently. Hold on to that feeling. You're going to want it for stage 5.
Check Point
Do exercises 2,3,4,5,6 and 7 in a row on both sides without making a mistake.
Stage 6: Option Selects
What is an Option Select?
Put simply, an option select is an exploit of the game's mechanics. Traditionally, if you wanted to cancel into an unsafe special you would have to hit confirm your special move to make sure that your opponent doesn't block it and punish you. With option selects, you can bypass this and enter the inputs in such a way that the move will hit confirm itself automatically. This isn't the only form of option select either. That said, there are three main ones that you should be aware of. Instead of describing them, I will link an excellent thread by @UltraDavid. Watch his video first, then we'll go over some execution methods.
http://testyourmight.com/threads/explanation-of-option-selects-in-mkx-by-ultradavid.50948/
Stage 6.1-How To Perform 'Only On Block' Option Selects
By now you should have watched the above video and have perhaps attempted option selects in training mode. If you have them down consistently, congratulations, move on to the next section. If you are having trouble however, don't despair. Below are two methods that may help with the 'Only On Block' Option Selects.
Exercise 1
Find the method that suits you best.
Method 1- Slide and Delayed Press
This is the favoured method of most players. As the title suggests, this method takes the Slide and Press and augments it by inserting a delay before the press. To practice, set the dummy to Block and start by doing a D1 and cancelling it into a Rib Breaker using the regular Slide and Delayed Press method. When you can do this consistently, start by delaying the timing of the press. Keep varying the timings until you find the largest possible delay that will allow D1 to cancel into Rib Breaker. You'll know if you've delayed too long because the Rib Breaker won't come out, and you'll probably end up doing a F4.
Once you've become comfortable with timing, switch the dummy to Block Random Kombo and do the D1-Rib Breaker with the maximum delay. You'll know you've got it right if
When D1 hits, Rib Breaker doesn't come out
When D1 is blocked, Rib Breaker comes out
If the following happens, here's how to correct it:
Problem: D1 hits and cancels into Rib Breaker, whiffing on the staggering opponent. Solution: You are inputting the Press too soon. Leave a larger gap.
Problem: D1 is blocked and Rib Breaker doesn't come out. Solution- You are delaying the press too long. Reduce the gap.
Problem D1 hits F4 comes out. Solution: Check your input display. You are likely not doing the slide correctly
Problem D1 is blocked and F4 comes out. Solution: Check your input display. You are likely not doing the slide properly. If you are, it is because you are leaving too much of a gap between the slide and the press (larger than the gap in problem 2)
Method 2- The augmented mini 360
This is the method I prefer. The idea behind it is to perform one fluid motion instead of two separate ones. If you are having trouble gauging the size of the pause needed to get the Slide And Delayed Press to work, you might find success with this.
Set the dummy to block and do a D1, but with your thumb in the down/forward position. Then, cancel the D1 into Rib Breaker using the Mini 360 method. When you can get this consistent, do the motion on the D-Pad or Stick slower. Try and find the slowest speed that will allow the D1 to cancel into Rib Breaker. You will know you're going too slow when either Rib Breaker doesn't come out, or F4 does.
Once you've become comfortable with timing, switch the dummy to Block Random Kombo and do the D1-Rib Breaker at the slowest speed. You'll know you've got it right if:
When D1 hits, Rib Breaker doesn't come out
When D1 is blocked, Rib Breaker comes out
If the following happens, here's how to correct it:
Problem: D1 hits and cancels into Rib Breaker, whiffing on the staggering opponent. Solution: You are doing the 360 too fast. Slow it down.
Problem: D1 is blocked and Rib Breaker doesn't come out. Solution- You are doing the 360 too slow. Speed it up
Problem D1 hits F4 comes out. Solution: Check your input display. You are likely adding in an extra down or up input
Problem D1 is blocked and F4 comes out. Solution: Check your input display. You are likely entering an extra down or up input. If you aren't, it is because you are doing the 360 too slow (slower than in problem 2). Speed up.
If other methods come about, I will update the guide accordingly.
Once you're happy with your chosen method, let's simulate using them in match situations.
Exercise 2
Practice doing the actions listed below and follow up with a D1-Rib Breaker Option Select, reset the screen and repeat with a D1-Power Slam option select. Do ten times in a row each side without making a mistake.
-Walk
-Forward dash
-Run
-Empty jump
-Jump in 1
-B13
Okay, that's all well and good, but what about the other Option Selects?
To be honest, I haven't really found a good reason to use the other option selects with Commando. For his other variations, having EX Blade Slice or Laser come out on hit only are massively beneficial, but Choke is safe on block and doesn't extend combos, so there's now point option selecting it. An argument could be made for strings into Kano Ball and EX Kano Ball, but as these combos are typically used as punishes, you shouldn't be needing to hit confirm them anyway, rendering the process of option selecting them unnecessary.
D1 doesn't do much damage. Can't I option select of something better?
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, Kano only has one string that can be option selected from and it's one of his worst. Even being able to option select off it doesn't really give you a reason to use it. That said, he can option select off several of his better normals, which on hit give you enough frame advantage to set up frame traps and pressure options (more on that in the next stage).
Stage 6.2-Finding Other Option Selects
So what are these other normals?
I'm not going to tell you. Seem unfair? Stay with me. Instead of just listing which moves can option select into command grabs, I want to give you the methodology for discovering them yourself. That way, if you decide to pick up another command grab character in the future, you won't need to waste time searching forums or asking people.
Exercise 3
Set the dummy to Block All and pick a normal to test (check the frame data to make sure it has cancel frames. If it doesn't, there's no point in testing it). Do your normal and cancel it into rib breaker (some moves have really short cancel windows, making this difficult to do. Keep trying. If it ends up being next to impossible, then the move is probably too unreliable to practice option selecting off).
One of two things will happen:
The dummy will block the move and will be grabbed
The dummy will block the move and the grab will come out but whiff.
If the first result happens, you have found a move worth learning to option select off. If the second happens, ignore that move and try another.
This method works for strings as well (but isn't worth testing on Kano's like I said).
Section 6 Summery
Some people consider option selects dishonest. They're not cheating per-say, but they consider it dishonourable to use them instead of hit confirming, etc. The truth of the matter is that during the current build of MKX option selects exist. Players know about them and players use them. In order to use them well, you need to practice, and being able to use them does not guarantee you a win. A player who uses option selects can, and will, get beaten by players that don't use them. That said, when used in line with a solid strategy, tick throw option selects like the ones shown above can give characters like Commando a fighting chance against the top tiers, as well as making characters like Erron Black and Wrestler Jax down right terrifying.
In the next section we will begin looking at frame traps and capitalising on the advantages offered to you by moves such as D1 and the awesome 32.
Check Point
Using the method of your choice, set the dummy to Block Random Combo and do ten D1-Rib Breaker option selects in a row without making a mistake. Switch sides and do it again.
Stage 7: Frame traps and pressure
By now you've likely played online and found yourself in a situation where your opponent has you pinned down by an unstoppable barrage if moves that seems inescapable. You may have even tried to copy their play style and attempted to do one string after another hoping to trap them in a snare of your own, only to be punished after the first two hits by an armoured reversal. Is Hellfire Scorpion overpowered? Should Marksman Erron be nerfed into the ground? Or are these players in possession of something that you're not?
Stage 7.1-Not Your Grandad's Frame Advantage
In order to understand what is going on in the above scenario we need to go back into the move list and look at the remaining section of the frame list data, Hit Advantage. Now, if you've played other fighting games you may already have an understanding of how hit advantage works and be tempted to skip ahead. Don't. Hit advantage in MKX is not at all what you're used to. In order to demonstrate how, we'll use his 32 string as an example.
For now the only two details we want to focus on are the block advantage and the hit advantage. For 32 they are as follows:
Block Advantage: -2
Hit Advantage: 51
We already know that -2 means that 32 cannot be reversaled on block because the opponent only has 4 frames to get a move out before you can block (remember, no move has a faster start up than 6 frames). So, logically that would mean that if 32 hits you have 51 frames to act before the opponent can block. Right?
No.
Normally this would be the case, and it's typically how combos in games like Street Fighter are built, but MKX uses a different combo system that uses preset strings (for the sake of clarity, SF doesn't have combo strings like MK, combos are built using single moves and linking them together). Because this combo system is different, hit advantage has to work differently to accommodate it. So, in MKX, when you see 51 frames hit advantage, it doesn't mean that the opponent cannot block for 51 frames after being hit. Instead, it means for those 51 frames they can do nothing but block.
Some things to note about Hit Advantage in MKX
Before we go further, I just want to clarify the rules of MKX hit advantage. Once we understand these rules, we can turn learn how to manipulate them to our advantage.
Let's start with how hit advantage affects your opponent after being hit by 32.
During the 51 frames your opponent:
-Can block high and low and alternate between them
-Cannot jump
-Cannot use normal attacks
-Cannot reversal with specials
-Cannot back dash
-Cannot run
And now your options.
During the 51 frames you:
-Can attack with normals, specials and X-Rays
-Can jump
-Can dash
-Can run
-Can block
-Cannot attack with throws or command grabs
The final point is important when playing a grappler in MKX. Whilst you can cancel strings into command grabs, command grabs will only connect on block (which you will have learnt if you did the traditional tick and option select exercises). If you whiff a grab by cancelling during your opponent's hit stun, you can turn an advantageous situation into an unfortunate one.
Don't let poor execution ruin a solid strategy.
Stage 7.2- Using Hit Advantage to create pressure
So now we have our list of options, how do we use them to our advantage? Well, we understand that after a 32 our opponent can only block. We also know that Commando doesn't have an overhead except for his jump in attacks, so a smart opponent will know to block low and react to your jump. You also know that by getting your opponent to block, you can connect a command grab, if they don't block you can confirm into choke.
So what do we do?
Step 1
First of all, we go into our moves list.
Go down your list of normal moves and look at the frame data. We have 51 frames to start our offence, so begin by ruling out all moves with a start up of more than 51.
Done that? If you've ended up not eliminating any moves, congrats, you've done it right. His slowest start up is his sweep at 16 frames.
Step 2
Next, look at the hit and block advantage. You want to find a move that is safe on block and is plus on hit. A move that is plus on block and hit is ideal. Also, find one that can be cancelled.
You should have standing 2 on your list. For the purpose of illustration, that is what we're going to use.
Set the dummy Block and practice doing 32 followed by 2. Attempt to 2 to come out on the first available frame (you will know you've got the timing down when pressing 2 any earlier will result in the move not coming out).
Let's pause a moment and look at what we've constructed. Change the dummy to Kano and set him to Block: Auto and Reversal:Up Ball. Do your pressure string and immediately block. Up Ball is one of the fastest reversals in the game. See how you blocked it? That's because standing 2 is +2 on block. You can block 8 frames before Up Ball can come out. Why is this good? Because after you've landed your 32, your standing 2 is guaranteed safe damage. Your opponent can either attempt a reversal and fail (possible if they don't know that the move has a massive amount of hit stun) resulting in a hit, or they can block and take the chip damage. If they then reversal using Up Ball and you block, you take some chip damage, but they are full combo punishable. Bye bye 1/3 of their life bar.
What if they don't have a reversal as fast as Up Ball? Well, you can take that +2 on block and push your advantage even further.
Step 3
Go into your move list and look at D4. It is 8 frames on start up. Deduct your 2 frames for being +2 on block, and you'll see that D4 will come out on the 6th frame after the opponent comes out of block stun (remember, this is for situations where the opponent has a reversal slower than 6 frames start up). So, if they attempt to reversal after blocking your standing 2, and you activate you D4 on the first available frame, they will get hit. If they continue to block, they will take the chip. Great, huh?
Not quite. Look at the block advantage. It's -7. If they block it and poke on the first available frame, you are forced to block the hit. If they have a 6 frame normal, like Jax, you'll take the hit and be susceptible to their pressure (which Jax has a lot of).
So we're screwed, right? Not quite. Notice how D4 has a cancel window. Scroll along to the Special Move list and look at choke. -5 on block, better than D4. So, if you were to cancel D4 into choke, you could use it in your pressure string and be safe!
So our pressure string should now look something like this.
32-2-D4xxChoke
Now, because Choke is -5, you can't continue your pressure afterwards, but even if the opponent crouch blocked the entire sequence after 32 they will still have taken a chunk of chip damage. If they stopped blocking, they will have taken more. If they attempted a non armoured reversal, they will have been hit also. In some instances, D4xxChoke can break armour (Jason's armoured grab and other slow moves), so that wouldn't work either.
Some things to keep in mind
Now full disclosure, the pressure sequence above isn't very good. Standing 2 is a high that whiffs on certain characters when they crouch block (it shouldn't, but at the time of writing, it does). Really, when you're creating pressure strings like this, you want to find moves that work against every character. Also, standing 2 doesn't give you much of a chance to hit confirm into anything better than D4. If you were to follow up with a string, say 112, you would have time to confirm into EX Kano ball on hit, or choke on block (or nothing on block to give yourself more advantage and perhaps parry their counter attack, but we'll cover parries more later). The reason we used standing 2 in the above example was because it was good for illustrating the point I was trying to make. Hopefully now you have the understanding needed to create your own, much better sequences, which brings me onto my next point...
Commando Kano is not a pressure heavy character. Kobo Jitsu Tanya and Tempest Kung Lao (among others) have lots of tools to do long pressure chains that chip away at their opponent's health, but you as a Commando player you won't be relying on this tactic. That said, creating a few pressure chain off of strings and mixing them up will help in confusing your opponent and create opportunities for grabs and pushing your victim into the corner.
Sequences like the one above isn't the only way creating pressure. Against reversal happy players, there's another approach you'll want to learn, which we'll cover in the next section. For now complete the following exercise.
Exercise 1
Create your own pressure sequences using the method shown above. Begin with different normals, then go onto using different strings. Check the special moves list too, you might find something surprising...
Stage 7.3- Frame Traps
So now you know the basic idea behind creating pressure strings, and will have hopefully stumbled across a certain meter burned moved with great close range utility (if you skipped the last exercise, I'm not going to tell you which move it is. It's always more fun to discover something yourself). That isn't the only way you can create pressure though. There is a way in which moves with slower start ups can be used to catch out trigger happy opponents. These sequences are referred to as frame traps.
What are frame traps?
Frame traps are pressure strings that use intentional gaps to catch the opponent during their start up frames.
To illustrate this, I want you to consider F4 and Rib Breaker. F4 is +9 on hit. You can cancel F4 into Rib Breaker, but the throw won't connect on hit or block against a grounded opponent (it will against an airborne one). F4 is +9 on hit and -5 on block. When blocked, you can't really follow up with anything, but on hit you have a few options. You could follow up with a D4, 8 frame start up, forcing them to block low, or B1, 9 frames and pressure them. Or you could do nothing for a fraction of a second and back dash, or block, or cross over them. Why do these last three options? To see if your opponent likes to press buttons after being hit.
Imagine you are playing a Jax player. Jax has a great, 6 frame standing 1 that can lead into an overhead/low mix up. Now, you wouldn't want to block his standing 1 (11 has amazing block advantage, as does his Energy Wave, and his 12 leads into a true 50/50. Jax is really fun), so say you decide to back dash instead. You notice, after landing a couple of F4-back dashes, and a few other things, that he likes to throw out his standing 1 as a way if getting his pressure started. Seeing as Jax has great pressure options, you want to dissuade your opponent from pressing buttons when you're near. This is where Rib Breaker comes in.
Rib Breaker starts up in 11 frames. If you land an F4, you are at 9 frames hit advantage. Deduct those 9 frames from the 11 frames start up of Rib Breaker, you'll see that your opponent only has 2 frames to do anything. If Jax does a standing 1, he'll get grabbed out of his start up frames, if he does any other string, he'll be grabbed out of them too. Block? Grabbed. Neutral crouch? Grabbed.
He's damned if he does, and he's damned if he doesn't (unless he jumps, back dashes or uses an armoured reversal. Frame traps are good, but not unbeatable).
Exercise 2
Create your own frame traps by assessing the frame data and testing against the dummy. To test, set the dummy to a non-armoured reversal (ideally, that particular characters best/most used one), and see if it comes out. Sometimes, some reversals will appear to hit you before their start up should allow. In these instances, consider tweaking the frame trap by using an armoured special, or baiting the reversal, back dashing and punishing (for now, punish with 112-choke, a command grab or up ball, depending on which is best suited to the situation).
Stage 7 Summery
As I said before, frame traps and pressure are important, but they're not the cornerstone of Commando's game in the way they are with characters like D'Vorah and Liu Kang. Instead of taking the approach of saying "This is an example of a frame trap, learn it, this is another, learn this too" etcetera ad infinitum, I felt it better to provide you with the formula for building pressure sequences and traps of your own. The added advantage to this is that by understanding how frame traps work, you can better learn how to defend against them, which is an area that Kano is equipped to deal with better than most.
For now, study his move list, learn what you can get away with, and remember that frame data can change with each patch, shutting down some options, but also opening others up.
Further Reading
@MsMiharo has done an excellent job collating several uses for some of Commando's better moves (including a certain special that will remain unnamed) and putting them into video form. I have linked the thread below, just incase it hasn't been stickied at the time of your reading this.
http://testyourmight.com/threads/hugboiz-commando-tactics-guide.55214/
Stage 8- Advanced combos
This is going to be the shortest section of the guide for the simple fact that @DougDFC has already put together an excellent thread with Kano's most practical combos across all his variations. It will come as no surprise to you to discover that Commando's list (and accompanying video) are the shortest, and has the lowest max damage to boot (40%, and is pretty difficult despite its appearance).
Instead of giving you a list of combos, I'm going to do the same thing I've done with the rest of this guide and outline how you should learn combos, and what to consider when searching for alternatives to the ones you already know.
Stage 8.1- Finding and learning advanced combos
First of all, if your execution is still in need of much improvement, don't stress out when you try a max damage combo for the first time, only to discover you can't connect the second part consistently, if at all. Max damage combos are generally hard. The person who created it has pushed the character, and his execution, as far as the game engine will seemingly allow him to, save for any ridiculous criteria needed to be met in the first place (i.e, a juggle off a certain interactable, on a certain point on the screen, against a large character only, etc). One day you might be able to perform them at will, but right now I wouldn't bother. My favourite corner combo does 35% meterless. The max damage does 40% meterless (there's no real need to use meter in Commando's combos). The 35% is significantly easier and can be altered to a 37% combo for only a slight increase in difficulty. Online, I use the 30% combo listed in the earlier combo section, because it had a massive window to connect the juggle, and is easier to land with lag. Matches are much more fun for me when I can focus on footsies and patterns, instead of tight execution. If you want a combo heavy Kano, check out @Derptile's excellent Cutthroat guide.
So, what should you be looking for? Quite simply, the combo should be practical. You can cancel MB-Kano Ball in a combo, but it burns a bar of meter that could be essential for a reversal, and adds hardly any damage. You also want it to start off of a useful move. Wonder why nobody is creating combos off of F33? Because F33 is bad. It might lead to 50% meterless somehow (although I doubt it), but because of the horrible range on the second hit, and the fact that the opponent only has to block low against Commando because he lacks an overhead, it is next to useless (b3 is better because it is the start of a chain and can catch people unaware. F33 has the low as a second hit, basically telegraphing what you intend to do next).
You also want it to be comfortably difficult. A challenge is good, but if after half an hour you can't connect the first two parts of a five part sequence, it could probably do with some simplifying.
So, when you're learning combos, what should you do? The best advice I can give is to go slow. Look at your inputs, figure out what can be buffered using the techniques you've already learnt, and build up your speed slowly.
Remember: A bad execution habit is harder to break than it is to learn.
Other things that can help are:
-Normalise your combos. It is easier to develop muscle memory for one sequence than it is for several, so try and find combos with different starters that go into similar sequences. Personally, I like 32-32-Rib Breaker, so I've practiced going into it off of B312 (in the corner), Overhead NJP and Instant (Mid) NJP. Other players like 32-112-Rib Breaker, which does more damage (but is harder to land). By normalising your combos, each time you practice one variant, you are practicing all variants that use the same sequence, maximising your practice time.
-Learn to watch the dummy and pay close attention to where they need to be on the screen for certain parts of the combo to connect. Is your move a high and going over the dummy? Try hitting it earlier. Are you doing 112 only to discover a single standing 1 is coming out? Well, seeing as 12 isn't a chain, you're probably doing 112 too early and the first 1 isn't registering as Kano is still in recovery frames.
-Using audio clues, either in game sounds or controller sounds. Listen to the rhythm of your button presses if it helps. Turn off the in game sound and go by the sound of your buttons alone (this can be helpful for online play, where the in game sounds are delayed due to lag).
-Add useless inputs, or tap the controller with your spare fingers. This might sound odd, but some moves have a cinematic (or just long) animation. By tapping down on the dpad/stick in a steady rhythm during them, or tapping your finger against the side or back, you can keep a constant rhythm of movement, which will aid in developing muscle memory. Gaps are harder to judge than steady beats.
-TYM member @EntropicByDesign suggests this:
"In the spirit of this.. A little execution training, I dunno, stratagem, that I feel like has helped me..
When I'm.bored I'll put on a movie, load up training mode and while watching the movie, spam whatever it is I'm.practicing. be it a combo or.input or whatever. Now, the trick is, I really watch the movie. I don't pay attention to MKX at all, outside the tiniest little piece of my attention. What typically happens is after 20m or so, I end up totally.focused on the.movie and my practicing becomes almost subconscious. I'll.continue through the whole movie. I feel like this has helped me really bury executions deep down.
Also, don't train too much. If you start to go on tilt while training and the combo you were hitting 7/10 turns in to 1/10/, STOP STOP STOP. Step away. Do something else. At that point you are now building incorrect muscle memory.
Know when to stop and relax."
Stage 8 Summery
As I stated in the opening to this stage, I don't have much to say about combos, but that really shouldn't be a problem. There is a wealth of information out there detailing which combos work best in which situations, and tips on how to perform them, as well as countless videos showing them being performed if you're unsure on their timing or viability. Combos are one of the easier things to understand in fighting games, you either input the buttons correctly and got the combo right or you didn't. The problem with combos is that practicing them is just the start. Getting it down 10/10 times in practice mode doesn't guarantee that you'll ever hit it in a match. Combos are a reward, extra damage that you get for playing solid footsies. This is why hit confirms, spacing, frame advantage and everything else we have covered so far is important; without them your combos are useless.
That said, pick a combo you like for each situation, learn to execute it 10/10 times on both left and right and drill them into your muscle memory. The next stage will cover finding those opportunities for landing that all important damage.
Further Reading
Check out @DougDFC's combo thread linked below. If you have any execution questions, that's the place to ask them.
http://testyourmight.com/threads/the-kano-kombo-thread-2-0.54390/
Stage 9: Zoning, Parrying, Whiff Punishing, reversals and match up knowledge
You will likely notice a trend developing with this section and the previous two, in that they are much shorter than what preceded them, despite arguably covering larger, more detailed topics. This section will prove to be worst offender in that case because I have combined several very large topics into a single, relatively short Stage. Don't misunderstand me, I am not downplaying the importance of the topics covered in this section, they are some of the most important elements of your ongoing success with any character, in pretty much any fighting game. The problem is that, unlike teaching you the basics and giving you exercises to bring your skills and awareness to a level where you can begin to compete, the following information should not be taught. Again, I do not mean that you should not strive to learn it, or that once learned that you shouldn't share any breakthroughs with other players. What I mean is that, with something like match up knowledge against Tempest Kung Lao, I could list absolutely every optimal punish for every possible scenario and give you a step by step guide on how to handle everything he could throw at you, but reading it won't actually teach you anything. These topics are best learned first hand, with some basic guidance as to what you should consider, and then your creativity should be allowed to run wild. By all means, when you're stuck, hit up the forums and ask for advice, but only do that after going into training mode and testing things out for yourself. Very often, new players will decry a certain tactic as being 'overpowered' or 'broken' without ever really investigating into what it might be that they are doing wrong. By learning the following things first hand, you will begin to view the game and your character differently, and gain a deeper understanding for how things work and which strategies to apply in certain situations. Your growth from a beginner to an intermediate starts with these skills, not combos or option select execution.
But before all that, let me first have a little word with you about Kano's knives.
Stage 9.1- Zoning
All three of Kano's variations have excellent projectiles, with Cybernetic having the best.
They are so good that many players reading this guide could well criticise me for not having introduced them to you sooner. Now, admittedly, I don't use knives as much as I should, but that isn't the reason I have left them out until now. I have excluded them because they are, in fact, good. So good that they have the potential to become a crutch for players of a particular mindset, in the same way that Air Kano Ball and Up Ball was for me (I'm slowly breaking those habits). Many characters in MKX have the tools to punish projectiles (mainly those with teleports) and I, rightly or wrongly, felt it better to establish a solid grasp of his normals and close up game, before introducing his knives and zoning. Commando is a grappler after all, and most of his damage is done up close. His knives can be used to get you close, and control your opponents position on the screen. Either way, if you've introduced them into your game already or not, I'm going to go over a few ideas and approaches that will help you begin to get more out of his excellent, pointy, projectile.
What is zoning?
Zoning is the name given to projectile throwing in fighting games. Characters who are considered good zoners are those with projectiles that can be difficult to manoeuvre around. The general idea of zoning is best exemplified in MKX by Full Auto Jacqui. Her basic game plan is to get full screen from the opponent and stay there, harassing the opponent with her machine gun projectile. This projectile is one of the most frustrating things for beginners to learn to handle (and was widely complained about in the first few months of the game's life). What makes it difficult to handle is that a) it's quick, b) the projectile lasts for a long time, making it difficult to jump over and c) it builds a lot of meter if blocked. When full screen against a zoning Jacqui, characters without teleports have to crouch underneath the projectile, and make their way in slowly during her recovery. The thing is, Jacqui wants you to do this, because when you reach a certain distance, she has a low rocket that can hit grounded opponents at around jump distance, and a diagonal anti air rocket that hits jump ins. Jacqui's goal is to make the opponent feel desperate, and in that desperation make a mistake that she can punish, send you full screen, and repeat the process.
Generally, the goal of a zoner is not to use projectiles to damage the opponent, but with the intention of provoking them into making a predictable mistake.
So, if Kano is a grappler, what use is his projectile?
In most fighting games, grapplers have no full screen presence at all. Playing against a grappler is usually straight forward: don't let them get close. Kano's projectile is interesting because it changes this approach. Now, when full screen, Kano has an option to damage the opponent, albeit for a small amount. This complicates the standard approach to fighting a grappler, and opens up opportunities for Kano to close the gap. Now, instead of struggling to get in against an opponent, Kano can use his knives to force the opponent to come close in an attempt to make up for the damage they've taken. This is great, because opponents tend to jump at a certain distance, or use ranged mid strings from others (depending on the character), and will fall prey to anti-airs from d2, b1, up ball, counter pokes from d4, b1, punishes from Kano Ball, an MB-Ball cancel combo, MB- Command Grab or a parry. Once their pressure has been interrupted, Kano can switch gears and begin pressuring them using block strings and frame traps, or bait a wake up attack and punish accordingly.
As projectiles go, Kano's knives are a solid option, but in no way fool proof. Poor usage will result in full combo punishes, which in MKX can mean half of your life bar, if not more. Over time, with general experience and match up specific training, you'll learn which situations require knives and which don't, but this will come with time. For now, the most important change you can make is thinking of projectiles as NOT a damage option. They are there to annoy the opponent and force them into making mistakes. Remember this, internalise it, and you should begin to find them very useful.
Some specific uses for projectiles
Forcing your opponent to jump
This tactic started life in the first iteration of Street Fighter 2 and has found it's way into pretty much every fighting game since. It works better in MKX for characters like Cybernetic Kano and Mournful Kitana who's projectiles can't be ducked, but you can still get some usage of it, especially against less experienced players.
The psychology behind it is simple. When you throw projectiles, your opponent has a limited set of options. They can block and take the chip damage, they can duck and take no damage (but at the cost of being unable to act) and walk or run in during your recovery, they can parry (this is limited to only a small number of characters) or armour through, or they can jump in to start their offence. Despite the strength of the other options, many players will opt to jump, often owing to impatience (after running, jump ins are the fastest way to close the gap). If you notice that your opponent is jump happy, there is a good chance they will attempt to jump in around 2/3 to full screen away after you throw one or two projectiles. When they do, anti-air them with b1 into a juggle combo for a sweet 25-30%.
Shutting down character's set ups
Reptile's force balls are a good example of this. Once they're out they control a lot if space, and cannot be gotten rid of by hitting Reptile (unlike Sub Zero's clone or Predator's traps). If a Reptile player notices hesitation at full screen, they'll often capitalise on it by releasing a force ball and following behind it for a mix up.
Because of the tactical strength of force balls, they have a slow start up. If you interrupt this start up, the ball won't come out. If you sense your opponent is going for a force ball, throw a knife to shut them down.
Other examples include Summoner Quan's spells, Kotal Kahn's projectiles, Jax's Ground Pounds and similar moves.
Establishing a pattern with the intention of breaking it
Whilst this applies to pretty much every element of fighting game stratergy, a good place to begin experimenting is with projectiles.
9.2 Match Up Experience
Before you think I've missed half of the topics listed in the title, rest assured I have not. Reversals, parries, and whiff punishes are all best studied in the context of match ups. You could take the approach of throwing out random parries mid screen hoping to catch opponents off guard, or throw out your most damaging punish combo after every blocked special move, and you might even have some success, but you'll likely end up running into more walls against solid opponents, and only scoring victories against weaker opponents who do widely unsafe things that allow for easy reads and punishes. Some players swear by this as the only real way to learn, believing that after enough punches to the face, you'll start to recognise what you're doing wrong and stop doing it. The problem with that approach is that your mistakes are not always glaringly obvious, especially not to you. The method I suggest, although no replacement for actual match experience, can supplement the aforementioned style of learning, and cut down on the number of said face punches you need to receive in order to progress.
Learning your match ups
There are a lot of characters in MKX, with each variation serving as a character unto itself. Learning how to punish and counter every move, string and special is a mammoth task, and that's just the foundation needed to full train against all the possible mix ups and strategies that opponents can use. That said, because of the way tiers work, and how certain characters become flavour of the month whilst others fade into obscurity, you can priorities this task to maximise it's real world utility. So, pick a character, any character, and let's begin learning how to tear him/her apart.
Step 1: Learn what can't be punished.
Kano isn't the only character with moves that are safe on block. If you're going to attempt to reversal or full combo punish your opponent's pressure, learn to recognise the strings and moves that can't be punished. Doing this is easy. Go into the moves list and make a note of every move and string that is safe on block. Then, set the dummy to record and record the dummy moving back and forth, occasionally performing these moves and strings (you don't have to do every move in one recording. Break the task up and learn 2-3 at a time). Learn to identify not only the string and it's high/low blocking order, but also the distance required for it to hit and whiff. Remember, because a move is safe when blocked, doesn't mean it's safe when it misses entirely.
Step 2: Practice Punishing Specials
Because special moves do more damage, they tend to come with greater risk. Also, as well as their use in combos, zoning, footsies, etc, they're also more fun than regular punches and kicks. Because of this, newer players will tend to gravitate towards using specials at inopportune and predicable moments, and better players will, of purse, use them as intended. Because of their utility, fun factor and increased risk, you'll see certain specials more than other moves, so learning to defend against them is a good starting point. Set the dummy to record and perform the special you wish to defend against on your character, followed by a standing block, then again followed by a crouch block, then again followed by a back dash, again followed by a neutral jump, then one last time followed by that character's fastest poke. Set the dummy to playback, block the special and punish with a full combo, grab, armoured special, basically everything you can think of. Figure out which options punish the majority of the follow ups, which only do a few and which don't work at all.
Whiff punishing
Sometimes you don't have to block a move to punish it. In MKX, lots of moves are safe if blocked, but unsafe if they miss entirely. In situations against players who use a lot of safe moves and pressure, making a move whiff by staying just outside it's range and baiting your opponent to throw it out can lead to damage opportunities that blocking won't afford you. Of course, it's a riskier approach, but if you're careful and pay attention to your opponent's tendencies, you can mitigate a lot of that risk.
To practice whiff punishing, set the dummy to record, move the dummy back and forth and perform the move or string you want to punish (ensuring not to hit your character with it), and do it followed by a stand block. Continue to move the dummy back and forth and do the move again with a crouch block, then again followed by a back dash, then again followed by a neutral jump, then again followed by that characters fast poke (you can mash the button to get it to come out on the earliest possible frame of that helps). Now, learn which ranges require the move to be blocked, and which cause it to miss completely, and when they miss which punishes get the most damage and beat out which follow up options.
Reversal Timing
Reversal timing can be tricky. The benefit to getting the reversal timing right is that the move will come out on the first available frame, guaranteeing a punish if the frame data and spacing are correct, but to do it requires strict timing and often a solid read. To do a reversal, you have to stop blocking the last hit of the chain or special, and release block the instant you see the final hit connect, and upon releasing block enter the input for your reversal (note: only specials and throws can be done as reversals, not normals or strings). Doing this correctly will mean that the moment Kano is out of block stun, he will perform your chosen attack. The problem is, few moves allow for such predictable timing. Good players will mix you up by getting you used to a particular string, conditioning you to punish at a certain point, then bait that punish attempt by cutting the sequence short and getting you to release block before attacking again.
Kano's best reversals are Up Ball, which is his fastest move, both command grabs, or EX Kano ball canceled into a full combo. 112 and 32 are good, but as they are normals they will require you to time them perfectly yourself. The following exercise will show you how to practice both timings.
Exercise 1
To begin, choose a character with a punishable special (Scorpion's teleport or slide are good for this) and record the dummy performing a string canceled into the special on a blocking Kano, then immediately back dash (backdashes are grab immune, so if you opt for a grab and miss time it, the back dash will force it to whiff and you will have a clear indication of your failure). Set the dummy to play back and block the sequence of attacks. The moment the last attack hits, quickly release block and input the special of your choice. If you've timed it right, the special will come out on the first available frame and hit Scorpion before he backdashes. The game will inform you that you got the timing right by briefly displaying the word 'Reversal' above your meter gauge.
Parries
A handful of characters in MKX have parries, all with their own sets of strengths and weaknesses. Kano's are somewhat easy to understand; high parry parries highs, overheads and mids, low parry parries only lows, and neither parry projectiles or jump ins. If you guess right, you do a significant chunk of damage (just shy of 20%), and if you guess wrong you are easily punished. It probably goes without saying, but using them requires a pretty solid read, and reads can be difficult to teach. With that said, I can give you a couple of situations to consider that will introduce how to use parries and help develop your ability to make reads.
Parries on wake up
You knock your opponent down and notice that they like to wake up with the same move (Goro's Punch Walk, Sub Zero's slide and Ermac's teleport are some popular examples). Instead of blocking, parry low or high depending on the attack (with attacks like Ermac's teleport, the parry will auto correct so that it doesn't matter about him attacking from behind you) instead of blocking and damage them for 20%. A few good parries and your opponent will, if they're paying attention, change their wake up habits, allowing you to change yours and go for a grab/low mixup.
Parries after a blocked choke.
This was one told to me by @MsMiharo. After a blocked b13-choke, you have four follow ups; dash, EX grab, NJP or parry. If they like to go for a low, low parry and NJP will beat them, with NJP also being able to catch some people just as they release block and attempt to back dash. Ex grab will beat out several pokes and single hitting attacks, and those who chose to block, and back dash will put you out of range of moves like Tempest Lao's spin that will beat out your other options. Watch what your opponent likes to do after a blocked choke and adjust accordingly.
During run cancel pressure
Commando, despite his flaws, can actually fair rather well under run cancel pressure. A good example of this is Hellfire Scorpion, who will often use 214-fireball cancel-214... to start his pressure. Most players are forced to block or use meter to armour through, but Kano can block the first 214 and do a reversal parry to shut down Scorpion for free. Good players will mix up their attacks after the fireball cancels, but matchup knowledge will give you an idea of what your opponent is likely to do and how best to counter it. Regardless, if you can make the opponent scared to apply their block string pressure, you can remove a large part of their game plan and force them to change to a less effective gear, giving you the advantage.
During footsies
Do you notice that your opponent only has one or two footsie normals, like Jonnys D4 or Kotal's B1, the second they get into a certain range? It's because those normals are really good, and they often have fairly good follow ups in mind depending on whether you get hit or manage to block (or they're a lower level player who just recognises that the move hits more than it misses, or isn't easily punished)? Get into that range and parry. Again, a few good parries will scare them out of pressing buttons, giving you the advantage to press your offence instead.
During footsies 2: Gaps in strings
This is something better suited to offline play due to the shifting input windows online, but good to learn regardless. The following thread has a list of known gaps and the type of parries required to abuse them (Please note that gaps can be reduced or removed entirely with patch updates, so it might be good to refresh your knowledge from time to time, as well as reading patch notes when they drop).
A note on parries
Parries are simple in terms of execution only. As moves go, they are one of the most read dependent and punishable, whilst arguably offering little in the way of reward for getting them right (they're not putting people into juggle states for 30%+ like an armoured launcher, and they also don't have the advantage of a hit box that armoured launchers have either). Most top tier characters don't have parries, because they don't need them. That said, no move can throw off an opponent more than a well placed parry, because parrying is the best way to tell an opponent 'I'm in your head'. Once you scare the opponent like this, one of three things will happen 1) they will freeze up, worried that you'll predict their action, allowing you to go on the offensive, 2) They'll do something reckless hoping to throw you off or 3) They'll stick to their same game plan, either because they're solid players who know how to follow a stratergy, or they're weak players who have no stratergy.
I've left parries until last because there is a good chance that the skills required to succeed with them are ones you have not developed yet. Personally, I'm bad with parries. When I'm against a heavy block pressure character who I know I can parry, I will look for opportunities to do so, but only those opportunities and forget about my other options (poking, back dashing, NJP, armouring out), which is a huge mistake. Whilst my mind is busy, my character isn't, and I'm just a sitting target allowing my life to be drained by chip pressure. However, whilst I'm blocking, I'm also slowly learning what my opponent's options are, which will come in handy later. True progress in fighting games isn't marked by your win ratio, but a steady accumulation if knowledge and understanding. Whilst losing isn't fun, if you can turn those losses into learning experiences and take something away from each one, you'll gradually improve and feel more comfortable. And when that day comes, you and I will be parrying fools high and low all over Outworld.
Conclusion
Everything listed here is a jumping off point designed to point you in the right direction. Part of the transition from beginner to intermediate is learning to use your character's took kit in a planned out, thoughtful manner. I the heat of a match, with less than a second to react, the temptation to throw out an armoured move or wild jump in punch in the hope that it'll hit and do so damage can become overwhelming, but it will rarely lead to success. Commando Kano doesn't have cheap moves or easy mix ups. You can't just throw out safe overheads and combo starters, because he doesn't have them. You'll need to learn how to adapt, play strategically, and force your opponent to make mistakes. Thoughtful zoning, well rehearsed reversals and well spaced whiff punishes will help you to shut down your opponent's defence and force them to play your game.
This is only the beginning. In Stage 10, we'll go over how to begin developing these concepts and formulate your own game plan based on first hand experience. Feel free to move on once you're comfortable with the subjects discussed above.
|
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1473
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dbpedia
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3
| 94 |
https://www.ign.com/videos/where-does-mortal-kombats-kano-rank-in-the-history-of-aussie-movie-maniacs
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en
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Where Does Mortal Kombat's Kano Rank in the History of Aussie Movie Maniacs?
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[
""
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[] |
2021-04-22T01:51:00+00:00
|
Actor Josh Lawson on where Kano sits in the pantheon of violent Aussies on the big screen. Plus, Sisi Stringer on why she wishes her character Mileena got even gorier!
|
en
|
https://kraken.ignimgs.com/favicon.ico
|
IGN
|
https://www.ign.com/videos/where-does-mortal-kombats-kano-rank-in-the-history-of-aussie-movie-maniacs
|
Try to guess the video game: In the input field, type a question that could be answered "yes" or "no". You can ask up to 20 questions before the game is over.
Quick tips to help you guess the answer faster
|
||||
1473
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dbpedia
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3
| 82 |
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66720311
|
en
|
Top Boy: Netflix crime drama bows out with a bang, say TV critics
|
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[
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] | null |
[
"Paul Glynn"
] |
2023-09-05T17:20:22+00:00
|
The hit crime drama returns for a final series, with one reviewer saying it "will be sorely missed".
|
en
|
/bbcx/apple-touch-icon.png
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66720311
|
The final series of Top Boy, Netflix's hit London street crime drama, has gone down well with TV critics.
The friction between powerful drug dealers Sully (played by Kane Robinson) and Dushane (Ashley Walters) "defines the final season of the gripping gang drama", the Guardian said.
Radio Times described the swansong as "frenetic" and "pacy and powerful", but one that "leaves you wanting more".
"Top Boy and its captivating characters will be sorely missed," it added.
The final series, which will arrive on Netflix on Thursday, finds the fictional Summerhouse Hackney estate facing up to the consequences of long-running corruption while also facing new violent threats.
The Drake-backed drama's conclusion sees a rival Irish gang, the McGees, led by Jonny (Barry Keoghan) and Tadgh (Brian Gleeson), bring fresh tensions.
In a four-star review, Radio Times' Morgan Jeffery said it was "a powerful send-off for an important series with a stellar ensemble cast" - which includes the Bafta-nominated Jasmine Jobson returning as Jaq - who are "at the very top of their game".
He continued: "This was certainly the right time to wrap things up - there's only so many times we can see Dushane and Sully at loggerheads before circumstances once again force them back into an uneasy partnership, the characters themselves even remarking on the familiarity of that premise here."
The Evening Standard's Nick Clark, in another four-star review, wrote: "If the show suffers without the charisma of Micheal Ward's Jamie, a trump card is the addition of guest stars Barry Keoghan, Oscar nominated for The Banshees of Inisherin, and Brian Gleeson as Irish gangsters muscling in on Sully's drug operation.
"What has always elevated Top Boy is that it was not just about the drugs and the guns, the gang culture and the money, but it's about the families, friends and communities too," he wrote.
"It's a show that touches on real social issues from police and politicians' treatment of those in the estates to gentrification, Brexit to immigration."
The Independent' Nick Hilton awarded three stars as Irish screenwriter Ronan Bennett's "bleak but cinematic vision of modern urban life smashes to a close".
"Attempts to crowbar in a contemporary political resonance (the Home Office is trying to send a Summerhouse resident on Dushane's crew 'back to Rwanda') and expand the visual scale of proceedings (a shootout in a care home ends with a half-dozen bodies, an event that would presumably lead the national news for weeks) detract from the narrative realism," he noted.
"Top Boy takes itself seriously, but, in the end, it was never [US crime drama] The Wire," he continued. "But then, what is?
"This concluding chapter of the Top Boy saga pulls none of its punches - if anything it makes too many of them, like a rabbit-punching flyweight - and demonstrates that a big American streamer can be trusted to tell Black, British stories. Perhaps more so than our domestic broadcasters."
Walters and Robinson have said they always wanted the story to end "in the right way". The recent trailers promised there would be "no loose ends".
"As ever, Top Boy transcends gang matters to consider its wider impact and contexts," wrote the FT's Dan Einav, awarding four stars. "A quasi-novelistic saga of the streets, it continues to immerse us in a fragile community and to probe failing social systems."
He praised the "thoughtful writing and instinctual performances", adding: "What stands out again is the complete absence of glamour.
"Criminality here is never aspirational but is often inevitable, as seen in a subplot involving Jamie's brother Stef becoming drawn to the world he was sheltered from. The show may be coming to an end, but the cycle of violence seems set to go on."
This is the fifth series but is officially billed as season three by Netflix due to the first two having appeared on a different network, Channel 4.
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Julia's Reviews on Various Media
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2024-05-02T15:26:00+01:00
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New review!
Rating: 83/100
The Atelier series has always been a rather niche series, especially in America, where gamers tend to favor more action...
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https://bulbagarden.net/threads/julias-reviews-on-various-media.267295/page-28
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New review!
Rating: 83/100
The Atelier series has always been a rather niche series, especially in America, where gamers tend to favor more action packed and violent games rather than more low key affairs, especially story-driven games that have more to offer than that. That doesn't necessarily apply to every video game lover in the States, as I myself love JRPGs for their rich stories and often three-dimensional characters. My love for game franchises such as Pokemon, Kirby, Harvest Moon, and even visual novels such as Phoenix Wright and Clannad, is an attestment of that. Once I decided to branch out into playing other games, the Atelier series piqued my interest, and I have wanted to check it out, but I didn't have any of the consoles needed to play them. Once I saved money via my job and got a PS Vita, the opportunity to get the games presented itself, but I was always curious about whether which Atelier game was considered the best. Opinions varied among Atelier fans, but out of all of them, I thought Atelier Escha and Logy: The Alchemists of the Dusk Sky seemed the most appealing to me (Though I did wind up playing one of the spin-offs, Mana Khemia, first, because of a friend's recommendation). So now that I've played it, what do I think of it? Well, after playing this and a couple other Atelier games, I can safely say that I really like this one a lot!
A direct sequel to Atelier Ayesha, in a tiny apple orchard village called Colseit, two young, fresh-faced alchemists, Escha Malier and Logix "Logy" Fiscario, have been given government jobs by their local administration at the Central R&D Division. But the two alchemists have different personalities and experiences with alchemy, which both exasperate and compliment each other. Together, Escha and Logy take on various jobs, such as running errands and fighting monsters that come too close to town. But the biggest mystery their world has to offer is that there are mysterious ruins floating in the sky, and no airship has been able to penetrate the turbulent winds that surround it. After a while, the duo, with the help of their friends and families, hope to build an airship strong enough to reach the floating ruins in order to uncover its mysteries once and for all. By the way, for anyone wondering, you don't have to have played Atelier Ayesha before playing this, as I played Escha & Logy before Ayesha and was able to understand it just fine, but Ayesha provides some context for why some events in Escha & Logy happen the way they do, especially in regards to Nio's presence and some of what she does later in the game.
Like all the other Atelier games, Escha & Logy's main gameplay mechanic is item crafting. You have to explore various locales to gather materials, both in the overworld and winning them as prizes if you defeat monsters. Coming off of Mana Khemia, which I happened to play first, the way the game goes about item crafting is different from how the former does it. For one, you still have to use materials to craft certain items, but instead of spinning a wheel and matching the element to the material's element to get the best results, getting the best properties involves changing around the materials you use and using various items to manipulate the properties of the item you're making. As you get better at alchemy, you're also able to use special alchemy skills that can either increase an item's elemental attributes, get rid of certain attributes you don't want, get more of an item you want, and so on, though some are only unlocked through buying experiments from Marion. While I do admit I prefer Mana Khemia's take on alchemy, Escha & Logy's take on it is pretty fun in its own right, especially once you get the hang of it.
Since Escha & Logy is a game that came out on the PS3 back in 2013, it's graphics are pretty good for its time, though anyone playing modern games now might consider them to be outdated. I personally don't think so, as I think they do their job well. The backgrounds and different areas are well rendered, the in-game sprites for both the humans and monsters look great, and the game has some pretty cool dungeon designs. Some might take issue with the fact that Escha & Logy uses more muted, earthy colors compared to more colorful games that have come out before and after, though I think it makes sense considering the world the Dusk trilogy takes place in and the lore behind it. From a gameplay standpoint, Escha & Logy's battle system is slightly similar to Mana Khemia, being turn based while also allowing for all kinds of strategies to make battles more varied and fun, such as support attacks, guarding, using items in battle, and unlocking new skills. But if you're coming into Escha & Logy thinking just leveling up will help you win battles, don't count on it, because similar to other games in the Atelier series, increasing your strength, defense, and magic abilities is heavily reliant on crafting the best items with the best properties, ingredients, and attributes, making you really have to use your head in regards to how you want to construct your equipment...though I found Escha & Logy's take on it to be far less obtuse and tedious than Atelier Sophie's. I don't have as much to say on the soundtrack, as it does its job, the various songs range from okay to amazing (Sky of Twilight in particular is a great battle song), but I do think it should have toned down the high pitched woodwinds somewhat, as they hurt my ears a bit.
The Atelier series has always prided itself on being more character driven stories than heavily narrative focused, and Escha & Logy is no different. I will say that I feel Escha & Logy's cast of characters is better than that of Mana Khemia, mainly in that they have stronger, more consistent writing that fleshes them out more, and since the game has a lot of character events you can activate, you have plenty of time to get to know them and learn about their strengths, weaknesses, what motivates them, and so on. And they don't have moments where they act needlessly mean-spirited and cruel for no reason. Sure, the cast still adheres to some rote stereotypes at first, but the solid writing and the sheer number of events that you can unlock flesh them out and develop them much more. The only character I can say that I truly hated was Katla, mainly because she's an annoying brat who's constantly lying to people about the stuff in her shop, and she's pretty useless in battle, though even then she's NOWHERE near as bad as Mana Khemia's interpretation of Pamela. God, never make me think of MK1's Pamela ever again. Though...will anyone kill me if I say I prefer playing this game with the English dub rather than the Japanese audio? Because...as much as I hate to say it, Escha's Japanese voice actress can get really loud and really shrill a lot of the time, to the point where sometimes it hurt my ears just listening to it. Sorry, Rie Murakawa.
As far as the main story goes, Escha & Logy doesn't have much in the way of an overarching narrative at first, with a lot of your time being spent fulfilling assignments like fighting monsters, synthesizing items, or gathering ingredients. I say at first, because there does come a point where the game does introduce an overarching conflict later on, though it comes in bits and pieces, and doesn't come into focus until near the end, and that's only if you manage to activate certain events before the game's deadline. Like previous Atelier games, you're given a time limit of three in-game years to get everything you need done, though from what I've heard, Escha & Logy's time limit is the most lenient out of all the Atelier games, especially since Atelier Shallie would go on to nix the time limit entirely from that point onward. I do think the game's story isn't as strong as Mana Khemia's, and by 2020's standards, it can very much be considered by-the-numbers, but that's not to say its bad in any way, and it makes sense for Escha & Logy's narrative scope. I know some people might take issue with the fact that you have to play the game twice to unlock the best ending, especially since your second playthrough isn't going to be much different than your first one other than your lead character and some bits of dialogue, along with actually allowing you to fight the final boss. The New Game+ option does remedy a lot of this, as it carries over everything from your previous playthrough, like levels, armor, weapons, items, recipes you bought, quality of life features you unlocked, and so on. The game does remedy a lot of issues that Atelier Ayesha had, which others have already pointed out in their reviews, so I won't repeat myself here.
Honestly, my only real complaint about Escha & Logy as a game is that while I appreciate that the game as a ton of character events and cutscenes to unlock, the sheer number of them can be really overwhelming, and many of them are just comedic filler that don't really add anything to the characters or story in question. It's not fun wanting to just go to a shop and get a new recipe book, only to get hit in the face with a long cutscene that seems to drag itself out, and there are times when several play back to back. I know Katla's events are particularly annoying to get through. But everything else about Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky more than make up for the few shortcomings it has. As of this writing, I've finished four Atelier games total: This, Atelier Ayesha, the first Mana Khemia game, and the Atelier Marie remake. I'm currently in the process of playing Ateliers Lulua and Sophie, though I'm almost finished with the latter. After all this, I still think Atelier Escha & Logy is my favorite Atelier game, but that might change since I own more of the games, especially now that many of them are on the Nintendo Switch, which for me is the easiest way to play them. Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky is a cute, relaxing game that's true to its core franchise's ethos and a pretty solid game in its own right, and I feel it was the best point of entry into the franchise for me.
This review was written on April 23rd, 2024.
Rating: 75/100
Out of all the kinetic novels Visual Arts/Key have released, especially in the US, many Key fans consider LOOPERS to be the worst one they put out, citing the following reasons: Shallow characters who are either underdeveloped or underutilized, too much style over substance, too short to make the most of its potential, predictable storyline, awkward pacing, not like the writer's usual style, so on and so forth. Considering that Loopers was a collaboration between Key and Ryukishi07 of Higurashi fame, people probably set their expectations too high after their success with Rewrite years prior. I wound up playing Loopers out of curiosity and because I wanted to play more visual novels since I've played very few of them. I'm not familiar with Ryukishi07 or his writing, so this is my first time playing something he worked on. I have played other Key games and while I do agree with the criticisms people have with Loopers, I honestly don't feel it's a bad game at all. Yeah, it's the weakest game in Key's output, sure, but even the worst thing they made is far from being absolute garbage. I feel Loopers does have a lot to offer, even in its flawed state.
The story focuses on high school student Akira Taira, aka Tyler, whose passion is treasure hunting, especially geocaching, which is basically GPS-assisted scavenger hunts. During one of these hunts, he runs into two friends from childhood; fraidy-cat tsundere Kiriko Hiruda aka Hilda, and her mischievous bestie Reona Machimura aka Leona. They spend some time catching up on old times and even partaking in Tyler's treasure hunt. But that morning, odd things begin happening to them, and they make a startling discovery: They're repeating the same day, August 1st, over and over again. After an encounter with two mysterious strangers, Simon and his friend Mia Fujikawa, Tyler and Hilda find out that they're stuck in a time loop. Simon and Mia are also stuck in the time loop, having formed a club called the Loopers consisting of people who are in the same predicament, and even invite Tyler and Hilda to join them. Unsure of what to do to navigate their new situation, Tyler and Hilda join the Loopers, and the kids work together to try and find a way to escape the time loop and return to their normal lives.
If there's one thing Loopers has gotten near unanimous praise on across the board, its the graphics and art style. For one, the bold, vibrant colors and more stylized, cartoonish, angular look of the character designs are vastly different from Key's usual output. These characters wouldn't look out of place in a Danganronpa game, they're that different from Key's usual look, and all of this comes down to who they hired to be the art director and character designer, one Kei Mochizuki. I'm not familiar with this person's work, but damn, I really hope Mochizuki-san gets hired to do more stuff like this because their character designs are pretty awesome. The colors in this game really pop, giving it almost a graffiti-like vibe to it. The backgrounds and CGs are no slouch either. Seriously, you could pick any image in this game and frame it up on your wall, they're that good. Seriously Key, hire Mochizuki to do more visual novels! The music is also pretty good, and the songs are all well-sung, that's really all I can say about it.
I do agree that the cast of characters and how they utilized do feel rather basic, and their general archetypes aren't anything you haven't seen before. With this being a 6-hour long kinetic novel, and the cast here being larger than most kinetic novels that Key put out previously, the short length and pacing might have something to do with it. It's hard to develop a large cast of characters in a small time frame, and it never feels like we really get to know most of them. Joe, Holly, Ritapon, and Simon definitely get the short end of the stick, as other than some little details sprinkled around, they don't really change or develop much, Joe and Simon especially. The latter just feels like a walking plot device to make things more convenient for the other characters. He's rich and has a photographic memory? Gee, how convenient! I wish the game had expanded on them more, or had some side scenarios showing what they were like before they got caught in the time loop. The funny thing is, this is the first kinetic novel that's told from a third-person point of view, not from the POV of any particular character, which is usually par for the course for Key VNs, so Loopers could have used the opportunity to have sequences from their POVs. The game does it with Tyler, Hilda, and Mia, so there wasn't really anything stopping Key from doing the same with the other characters. Ironically, the characters I felt had the best chemistry and development were Hilda and Leona, and the latter spends half the game in a coma! But even with all the characterization problems this cast has, I still enjoyed watching them interact and seeing them come to terms with their situations.
That being said, one character definitely has me conflicted: Tyler. On the one hand, he is a VAST departure from other Key VN protags. Tyler is energetic, enthusiastic, passionate, loud, and has a hobby that he enjoys, far from the usual disillusioned, angsty, stoic, snarky protags Key is known for, and honestly...I really appreciated this. If Tyler were in something like, say, a long shounen anime, he'd definitely be seen as boring and cliche, but since he's a Key VN, where those types of characters are usually the best friend to the MC, he's honestly really refreshing. He's consistently kind to others, doesn't give a shit about anything except his hobby, and enjoys life. After having to deal with the irredeemable asshat that was Kouhei Orihara from One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e, I'll gladly settle for Tyler any day of the week. On the other hand, the game has this really bad habit of shilling Tyler every chance it gets, whether it be everybody praising him up the wazoo, having his treasure hunting hobby solve everybody's problems, and generally worshipping the ground he walks on like he's some kind of saint. Yeah, I like Tyler as a character and all, but the shilling got to be way too much, especially near the end. I don't want to call him a Gary Stu, as that term has become rather loaded these days, but considering how every single character in the game puts Tyler on a pedestal, I can absolutely see why people who played the game are tired of him. I do agree that even outside of him being different from other Key protags, Tyler is kind of bland and he could have benefited from some character flaws to make him more believable, interesting, and compelling. Also, I like Mia just fine, but...Key, I think it's time you stopped relying so much on the "sick girl who's secretly dying" trope. You've done it so many times that it's become boring and bordering on emotionally manipulative. There are other ways you can make the audience feel sympathy for a female character, you don't always have to rely on the trope of "secretly dying from a soap opera disease" over and over again.
While I do agree with the criticisms people mentioned above, with the game feeling too short to expand on its ensemble cast and not making more use of its material, none of that really hurt my enjoyment of Loopers. For one, I actually really liked its story. Most media that use time loops as a premise tend to play them for only tragedy and drama, not much else. Loopers does treat the idea of a time loop seriously, but manages to give it just enough levity that it doesn't feel overbearing, angsty, or melodramatic and is generally a more chill, slice-of-life story at heart. Plus, there's no sexual content or skeevy fanservice in this (Other than one joke, but it makes sense in context), in case anyone was worried about that. Personally, my only real issue with the story is the weird horror elements in the prologue, and the way the game tries to explain it. There's this long, drawn out sequence involving Hilda being put through the wringer in the beginning, with it being played dead seriously like something out of an actual horror story, but not only does nothing like this ever happen again in the game, the way Loopers explains what happened flat-out contradicts its established rules. The game claims Leona put herself into a coma voluntarily, but that's not what happened: Leona briefly went berserk, fell into a coma, and her...apparition or something tries to murder Hilda, which causes Hilda to have a mental breakdown. I know Ryukishi07 is mainly a horror writer, but I feel like that piece of the prologue didn't quite mesh with the rest of the game, which is funny because from what I've read, he wanted the game to be more of a straight horror, but Key rejected a lot of his ideas because they didn't fit Key's image. Honestly, I think all the horror scenes in general should have been excised entirely.
Yet even taking all of these things into account...I still enjoyed the game as a whole. A contradictory statement given my rating? Sure. Loopers is pretty flawed in its current state, and people might be right in that this is the weakest VN Key has put out. But coming from the perspective of someone who hasn't played their longer VNs, and has played few VNs in general, Loopers is hardly the worst game to ever exist, and even Key's weakest game still has something to offer for those who are into this kind of thing. I enjoyed the story, music, art style, and watching the characters interact, and my gripes with the game didn't hurt my enjoyment of it. I'm probably biased since I recently came off playing the absolute dreck that was One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e, which I feel is way worse than Loopers could ever be. While I do feel Lunaria: Virtualized Moonchild and Stella of the End are better, I don't think Loopers should be overlooked. Is it a flawed game? Yes, and I agree that the game should have been given more time to flesh out its characters. But even with my gripes with the game, I didn't hate it. And for what it's worth, it seems like Key and Ryukishi07 have realized how incomplete the base game is because it was just announced that it's getting an enhanced version called LOOPERS PLUS due to come out in 2024, with it being specifically mentioned that this new version will have new art, music, and original scenarios both during and after the main story, with particular focus being given to two characters who were often mentioned by name in the base game but never got portraits. Hopefully LOOPERS PLUS fixes the flaws the original had, and I also hope it gets an English release in some capacity (Complete with a Switch port! That's how I played the vanilla game!). I'll definitely buy the enhanced version if it ever comes stateside, but even with its flaws, I liked the original Loopers game and feel it shouldn't be overlooked just because it's not as good as the rest of Key's output.
This review was written on November 7th, 2023.
Rating: 57/100
So...this exists. And apparently it's come into the limelight now because somehow, for some reason, the streaming website Mubi somehow got their hands on it, gave it English subtitles, and put it up for streaming. That's how I learned about it, along with following the Twitter account WTK, which is a good source of home video news, licensing news, streaming news, and so on. But most old school animation afficionados know something pretty interesting about the Yuki's Sun pilot: This is actually the solo directorial debut of one Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki worked with Takahata on plenty of TV shows and directing some episodes of stuff during the 70s and 80s before moving onto movies, but this was the first time where he was the only one in the director's seat. But you're probably wondering just what the hell Yuki's Sun is about. Based on the 1963 shoujo manga by Tetsuya Chiba, Yuki's Sun follows a little girl named Yuki, who lives a happy, peaceful life in an orphanage until she's adopted by the affluent Iwabuchi family. When circumstances leave the Iwabuchi family penniless, Yuki finds herself on a journey to make a new life for herself, and maybe even rediscover her real family, with the only clue she has being the wooden cross necklace she always wears around her neck.
Being made in 1972, Yuki's Sun was actually meant to be a pilot for a TV series, but unfortunately, that went nowhere. If one were to judge Yuki's Sun on its own merits, what with it being a 5-minute short film...yeah, this has 70s shoujo melodrama written all over it. But if you can believe it, that's not the pilot's biggest problem. The biggest problem holding Yuki's Sun back as a film is that the whole thing comes off like an animated summary of the series, or a literal commercial for the manga, rather than a story on its own merits. Let me put it this way: Remember all those VHS commercials for the old animated Disney films back in the 80s and 90s, the ones that would basically summarize the entire movie to the point of flat-out spoiling important plot twists? Yuki's Sun feels like one of those but without the eighties power ballads or corny nineties music in the background. And yes, I'm not kidding you when I say this short film basically blitzes through the manga's entire story, complete with dropping plot twists like candy. "Hey, Yuki's adopted family had shady dealings with townspeople! Hey, Yuki has to save her sick adopted sister and walk through a literal blizzard! Hey, Yuki reunites with her biological father but he dies immediately afterward! Hey, Yuki hops a train and then reunites with her biological mother!" With literally no cohesion or explanation for how any of this plays out. If a TV series had managed to get made, I bet Miyazaki probably would have given these plot developments the proper build-up and pathos they deserved, but just throwing them in a five-minute short film doesn't really work.
It doesn't help that 95% of the pilot consists of a narrator talking over it and explaining everything. All she really does is summarize the entire premise of the manga, and the only other bits of dialogue come from Yuki, who has a grand total of three lines throughout the entire short. But even with the pilot's super short length (Literally five minutes long), Yuki's Sun is basically one of the earliest shoujo melodramas, rife with tropes and cliches that would fit right in with a soap opera: Missing biological parents, blunt force drama, bad things happening to the MC at every corner, adoptive families who have shady stuff going on, so on and so forth. Yuki's Sun might as well be Candy Candy before Candy Candy came into existence. I think Yuki's Sun choosing to just be a summary/commercial for the manga may have been what did it in, because it crams so much into five minutes, making it feel really rough and half-baked, and Miyazaki's early inexperience as a storyteller does unfortunately play a part in this. Also, how the hell is Yuki able to go through a friggin' blizzard without a coat or winter clothing?! She wears nothing but overalls and a short-sleeved shirt as she's dragging her sick adopted sister through a blizzard, she should have succumbed to either frostbite or hypothermia from that! I don't know how the manga makes this story play out, as no English translation of it exists, official or fanmade, so I can't read the manga for myself, though I admit I'd certainly like to.
Honestly, the pilot's only real saving grace is its animation. For a short film that came out in 1972, it's surprisingly polished, reveling in beautifully painted backgrounds and fluid movement. Animation as a medium was still fairly in its infancy, yet there's traces of his signature crispness in the way Miyazaki animates the characters, especially in one sequence where Yuki is running along a river, which was unheard of in animation at the time and wouldn't be refined until the eighties at the earliest. And keep in mind, this was six years before Future Boy Conan. Granted, Yuki's Sun wouldn't really make Miyazaki as a household name, as his later movies wound up doing that for both him and Ghibli. So yeah, while Yuki's Sun as a pilot film is an interesting piece of unearthed animation history, it's kind of an amateurish, cliche short film that is unable to stand on its own and feels more like an animated commercial. It's a shame a TV series for this didn't get made, because it probably would have been pretty good, especially since Chiba-sensei's manga is already so short (Four volumes), and Miyazaki probably would have done the story justice if he was given the opportunity to do so. I'm glad that whoever at Mubi found this put it up for streaming to make it more accessible for people, but it's not really going to interest anyone who isn't interested in learning about Miyazaki's early ouveure.
Oh lordy. Get ready, folks, because I'm gonna go on a rant. This review was written on April 8th, 2024.
Rating: 48/100
Many know the company Visual Arts/Key for their visual novels: Kanon, Air, Clannad, Little Busters, Rewrite, their kinetic novels, and so on. But while Kanon is the first VN that they produced under their Key banner, the staff that formed Key were actually part of another company before this, Tactics (Which would later come to be known as Nexton), and in 1998, they released an adult rated visual novel called One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e. It was initially never exported outside of Japan, but in its home country, it was quite popular, to the point of getting a ton of ports to different consoles and supposedly pioneering the concept of VNs having more low-key, emotional, character driven dramas that many Key fans endearingly refer to as "nakige" or "crying game." One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e did get a fan translation and that was all it got as far as English exposure. So imagine my surprise when I found out that it suddenly got a complete, from the ground up remake out of nowhere that came out in December of 2023, and said remake getting an official English release, at that! I'm gonna keep referring to the game by its original title, One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e, because just saying the word One would just be confusing by itself. Seeing as a piece of gaming history was being released, I thought I'd give it a try and see what it's like.
...Yeah, I regret that choice. A LOT.
Much like Key's later works, you play as a young man, one Kouhei Orihara, who lives his mundane, day-to-day life, going to school and spending time with (translation: harassing) his childhood friend Mizuka Nagamori. His parents have been out of the picture since he was young, and after his younger sister dies, he begins to seclude himself in the Eternal World (Though it's not referred to by name in-game), a world within his mind, an alternate space that Kouhei seemingly created out of his want for a place in which nothing ever changes. There's no real explanation for this whole thing, and the game wants you to just go with it. He starts receding into this world about a week before disappearing, during which everyone (including the girl he loves) forgets about him, and he falls into the Eternal World completely, making it seem as if he never existed in the real world. His only hope of returning is to form a strong bond with someone prior to leaving, and to follow his guide back to the real world. You get to choose one out of six girls: The aforementioned childhood friend Mizuka, who wakes him up every morning and worries about him; Rumi Nanase, an outgoing tsundere who Kouhei is always bothering; Misaki Kawana, a polite blind girl who's something of a jokester; Mio Kouzuki, a mute girl who's part of the drama club; Akane Satomura, a quiet, sullen girl who spends her days standing in an empty lot before school, and Mayu Shiina, a girl who mourns her dead pet ferret. There's even a secret route involving a male classmate, but you have to have gone through at least one other route to unlock it.
The story by itself isn't anything special, and Key would go on to refine it a lot in their later works. I know I just mentioned the entire premise of the game, but in all honesty, the whole Eternal World stuff only takes up 10% of it at most, and 90% of the game just consists of literally going through each day individually until you get locked onto a girl's route. Not only that, it also has Jun Maeda's favorite storytelling tool where the first half consists of wacky comedy before shifting hard into drama later on. I'm not gonna lie, the comedy really doesn't work here, because a lot of it just consists of Kouhei intentionally saying and doing ridiculous things that no sane person would do, most of which just feel like needless padding dragging the scene out for longer than it needs to. Hell, there's one scene that plays out the exact same way twice in a row, complete with all of its dialogue being reused. Like...lazy much? Actually, a good chunk of the game feels like its just plodding along and dragging itself out while having nothing to really hook anyone in. My playthrough of one route was just five hours without skipping, but so much of the game's story just consists of Kouhei talking to people while nothing interesting is going on. For the first half, there's literally no conflict, and even the slice-of-life segments just feel dull. Granted, One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e was one of the first visual novels to try out more low-key, character driven stories, and that's fine, but in my opinion, Key's later works managed to do them better, especially Air, Clannad, and even their later kinetic novels. Even other visual novels from other companies that came later had more going on, like Code:Realize having the main plot revolve around Cardia and her friends looking for her missing father and a cure for her poisonous body. Jack Jeanne had both the seasonal plays and Kisa trying to hide her identity. Those are longer VNs, but playing them, I never felt like they were just dragging their feet and struggling to find stuff to do like One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e does.
Since this review is about the remake and not the original PC game, there is one thing I feel the remake did improve upon, and its the graphics. Not that the original artwork from the PC game was bad, and it does have its own distinct look that would influence Key's later games down the line, but the remake not only redoes everything from the ground up, one thing I appreciate is that the sprites here are actually animated. The game does give you the option to turn off sprite animation, but I think the animated sprites add to the immersion, especially with little touches like mouth movements or the way a character's hair moves. The CGs are no slouch either, and they're all well drawn and used whenever it's appropriate. There are even some chibi scenes drawn in that weren't in the original, and those are cute, too. Nexton brought Itaru Hinoue back to re-design the characters for the remake, since she worked on the original game previously, and while some might not like that the characters look more stereotypically moe and cutesy-poo compared to her original designs, what with their large eyes and small mouths, I found them to be just fine. My only gripe with the character designs is that Kouhei and Shun Hikami look way too similar to each other, to the point where I could mistake them for being twin brothers. The music is fairly good too, though I don't like that the game doesn't let you skip the credits sequence even after completing a route.
Considering that this is a game from 1998, back when slice-of-life VNs weren't the norm, stuff like character development wasn't common for games like this, and really, it shows. A good majority of the characters are little more than one-note stereotypes: Rumi is the tsundere, Mizuka is the motherly childhood friend, Mio is the mute clumsy little sister-type girl, Mayu's the childish crybaby, so on and so forth, and even as you get into their routes, they don't really change much or become more three-dimensional as the game goes on. We don't even learn about what their lives are like outside of school, for crying out loud! Key would later learn from their experiences on One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e and manage to create better, more fleshed out characters in their later games, especially Clannad. One could argue that the characters here provided the base templates for other characters in their later games. Funnily enough, as much as I usually hate the tsundere archetype, I actually like Rumi as a character, mainly because her anger towards Kouhei is completely justified and understandable considering he harasses her on a near regular basis. If I were in her position, I'd want to deck his ass, too! So good job on One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e for making me actually like a tsundere for once! Even if I'm not a huge fan of her route. Also, fun fact: The PS2 port of One actually put in a completely original route featuring a new heroine to pursue, Natsuki Shimizu, though for some reason she was left out of other ports and remakes, this one included.
You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned much about one particular character, Kouhei. That's because I've been stalling. Well, time to stall no longer. I might as well just rip the band-aid off and go on my soapbox, because honestly, I can't hold back any longer: I FUCKING HATE KOUHEI ORIHARA!! I'm not going to mince words here, he is the absolute worst visual novel protagonist I've ever had the displeasure of playing as, and for all I know there are probably worse ones out there considering this was originally an eroge. All throughout the game, no matter which route you choose, this guy acts like an unrepentant jackass who continually does stupid things and is flat-out mean to pretty much every girl he interacts with, whether it just be bullying them to stave off boredom or disrespecting their boundaries even when they tell him to stop whatever he's doing, with him being at his absolute most reprehensible during Mizuka's route, who is the main heroine, need I remind you. He bumps into Rumi multiple times and elbows her in the stomach? Nah, its all her fault and they're gonna be late for school, along with constantly bothering her during class. Mizuka wakes him up every morning and makes sure he gets to school on time? He constantly repays her by pulling dumb pranks on her whether it be sleeping naked and having her see him by accident, doesn't leave her notes when he does manage to leave early, and treating her like shit. Akane doesn't want to talk to him? He constantly hounds her during their lunch break. Good lord, I've never wanted to punch a male self-insert MC so bad before now, and the few times he does try to be nice to someone, its immediately undercut when he does back to his usual antics yet again. I know people complain that Key's games are emotionally manipulative, but in my opinion, I think One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e fits that bill because it really wants you to sympathize with Kouhei but does nothing to actually convince you that he's worth caring about as a character. He never actually grows as a person, learns from his mistakes, or overcomes his flaws, and going back to Mizuka's route, his actions are so God-awful and reprehensible that what little remorse he does show does absolutely nothing to make up for what he did.
You're probably thinking "But don't people like characters with flaws? If he was nice and perfect, he'd just be a boring Gary Stu!" And you're right, if a main character in a story had no flaws or faced no adversity, we as an audience won't care what happens because we know everything will just be hunky-dory, and if my college writing classes taught me anything, flawless MCs don't make for good storytelling. But here's the thing: There's an art to giving a protagonist intentional character flaws, and if their negative traits outweigh their positive ones, or the MC doesn't actually deal with their flaws, there's no reason for the audience to bother caring about them or following them on their journey. The point of character development is to see how they change, learn, and grow, whether it be through their experiences or their actions having consequences for them or others around them. Just as it can be bad to have everything go perfectly and therefore having no conflict, the opposite spectrum can be just as problematic, where something can be so bleak and dark, or if a character we're supposed to root for doesn't change their ways at all, that you question just what the point of it is. For specific examples of flawed characters done right, here are a few: Prince Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender; starts out as a villain, but does have morals and honor in how he tries to catch the Avatar, has several boundaries that he refuses to cross even then, faces several moral dilemmas and makes several bad decisions throughout the series, has to work hard to rectify his mistakes, and eventually becomes part of the team of heroes. Even going back to Key's work: Tomoya from Clannad. Tomoya is nothing like Kouhei in that he's actually nice to the people he talks to, and even when he does tease them, it's nowhere near the downright mean-spirited levels that Kouhei does, and any flaws that Tomoya has as a character and bad decisions that he makes are not only called out in series, especially in After Story, but he actually makes a conscious effort to address them.
And you want to know what Tomoya doesn't do? TRY TO SET UP HIS FEMALE FRIEND TO GET FUCKING RAPED BY A STRANGER FOR FUNSIES!!! Yeah, I'm not kidding, there's a segment in Mizuka's route where Kouhei, I shit you not, sets up a situation where he tricks Mizuka into accompanying him at school at night in an attempt to have a stranger rape her. This is already bad enough on its own, which already kills any sympathy I could ever have for Kouhei as a character at all, but do you want to know what makes this whole thing even worse? Accessing this scene, along with being a shitty person to Mizuka in general, is a REQUIREMENT to get the best ending in not just Mizuka's route, who again is the main heroine, but for the entire game!! Just...why? Who thought this was a good idea? Because it isn't. I don't think I need to go into just how gross, tasteless, and fucking awful this whole scenario is, especially in regards to how thoughtlessly it treats the subject of attempted rape in general, but the fact that One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e still wants the audience to sympathize with Kouhei afterward is just...I can't. Nothing this game does could ever convince me to like Kouhei as a character, and other than updating the art and removing the sex scenes, nothing else has changed from the 1998 version, Kouhei's shittiness included. Like I mentioned before, I've only seen the anime adaptations for Air and Clannad, and haven't played their VNs yet, but I can guarantee you that Yukito and Tomoya are far better, far nicer, far more compelling VN protagonists than Kouhei could ever hope to be. Basically, I don't hate Kouhei because he has flaws, I hate Kouhei because the game goes way too far in making him flawed while trying to convince the audience to continue caring about him when he continually indulges in his shitty behavior and gets away with all of it. Mizuka, you deserve so much better than to keep putting up with Kouhei. Just ditch the guy! Jun Maeda, what the fuck were you thinking when you were writing Mizuka's route? What in the world made you think this was a good idea? Outside of Mizuka's route, Mayu's route just reeks of implications of child grooming and pedophilia, especially when you take into account that Mayu is a middle schooler who acts like she's five and possibly mentally underdeveloped. Need I say more? You know what? Maybe the bad ending where he just flat-out disappears is actually the good ending, where people won't have to put up with his shittiness and just forget about him!
Wow, I haven't gotten this angry about a character since...probably Minko from Hanasaku Iroha. But man did it feel good to let all of that out! In conclusion, you know how some remakes are just one-to-one remakes, without changing much, while some actually go to the trouble of smoothing out some mechanics or fixing some flawed story elements, or even characterization? One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e may be the former, but I feel like it'd be so much better if its remake had been the latter. There's so much about it that not only aged like milk, but is just terrible on principle, and not even because of the time period in which it was made. I know complaining about the game is pointless since if not for this game, we wouldn't have gotten stuff like Clannad and Little Busters. Key fans owe the game that much, and I have nothing against that. But One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e is completely bogged down by questionable writing decisions, glacial pacing, underutilized characters, a weak plot, and the absolute irredeemable shithead that is Kouhei, and what little good qualities it has just aren't worth going through all the slog and tedium. I honestly wouldn't recommend it to casual visual novel fans or even Key fans. If you want to buy it, you can get it off of Steam for $20 and other websites that sell it, and it's even available on the Switch too, though for some reason the Switch version costs $70. I have no clue why, though I've heard its because the Switch version was done by a different publisher. But seriously, there are better visual novels out there. Planetarian is a good gateway to Key's body of work, since its short, sweet, and doesn't have a God-awful male protagonist. Or even stuff like Code:Realize, Jack Jeanne, Digimon Survive, Clannad, Harmonia, Lunaria: Virtualized Moonchild, the Ace Attorney series, and so much more! Hell, I was more invested in Lunaria: Virtualized Moonchild than I ever was in One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e! Please, play anything except this. Spare your sanity.
This review was written on April 29th, 2024.
Rating: 95/100
Man, I really shouldn't have put this off for so long. I mentioned in my previous Natsume review that during 2016-2020, I was neck deep in anime burnout, to the point where I couldn't bring myself to watch more than an episode of anything at least once in a blue moon. During that time, seasons 5 and 6 of Natsume Yuujinchou aired in 2016 and 2017, and since it had been four years since season 4 ended, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to jump back in since the series is fairly strict with its continuity. I was able to get out of my burnout, and to my surprise, Natsume began receiving English dubs starting in 2022, which proved to be the perfect way for me to jump back into the series. I decided then and there that as soon as season 4 got a dub, I'd finally get off my ass and watch seasons 5 and 6. As you can tell by the review, I finally made good on my promise and finished both, OVAs included. It still surprises me just how amazing this series manages to be, not just in its overall quality, but the fact that since that time, the series switched production companies while maintaining its core staff. Like with my first review of Natsume, I'm going to have this review talk about seasons 5 and 6 together, as talking about them separately would be kind of redundant.
The series still focuses on Takashi Natsume's adventures helping various youkai and people with their problems, while continuing to build on everything previous seasons established. That aspect of the series hasn't changed one bit, and its all the better for it, keeping the subtle touch that made the previous seasons so good. It helps that even with the animation production company changing from Brains Base to Shuka (Why is that, I wonder?), all of the staff from previous seasons were kept on; the director, scriptwriters, music composer, and of course the voice cast. Consistency is really important when maintaining a long running series, and often times, shows that go on for a long time, especially the more prominent series, tend to either meander or become very different from how they started. Natsume Yuujinchou is one of those few series that manages to stay consistently good in both its animation, characterization, and writing quality in the years since its first airing and, other than a few minor foibles, never lost sight of what it's mean to be. That's a feat not many series can boast, and I'm so glad the change in animation companies didn't hurt the series any, as some shows that change animation companies tend to look quite different than their previous seasons, and the resulting changes can really hurt a series if done poorly. Take note, Laid-Back Camp season 3 and your weird photographic backgrounds with bad filters.
Remember how I mentioned in my review for seasons 1-4 that every season focused on different themes and goals? Seasons 5 and 6 are similar in that while they continue to flesh out Natsume and the cast around him, more focus is given to the adult characters this time around, with season 6 finally taking the time to expand on one character in particular: Natori. While Natori has always been a presence in the show, seasons 1-4 never really went deep into his background. These two seasons do just that, really going into detail as to how seeing youkai affected his life, how he came to know Matoba, why he became an exorcist and how, and the affect his job has on his relationships with others. We also get some more backstory on Reiko, Touko, and Shigeru throughout both seasons. Season 6 even has one episode that fleshes out, of all people, Natsume's two male classmates Nishimura and Kitamoto. They were fun characters in seasons 1-5, sure, but I really liked the revelations it presented with them in season 6, as it really recontextualizes their friendship with Natsume. Season 6 even brings back a character introduced in season 3, Shibata, Natsume's former bully and gives him another episode that shows how he's changed since his initially awkward reunion with Natsume prior. Another theme seasons 5 and 6 have in common is showing Natsume expanding his social circle, with more people learning that he can see youkai outside of just Tanuma and Taki.
Like I mentioned before, this isn't a series where you can just jump into a season and understand what's going on right off. Seasons 5 and 6, while still having a laid-back atmosphere, do expect you to have watched the previous four seasons and keep track of what previously happened, especially when it comes to characters like Matoba and what they've been up to. The finale of season 6 even drops a pretty huge revelation about Natsume's heritage, and I'm betting season 7 will probably elaborate on this, though I could be wrong. One thing that did confuse me is that both seasons 5 and 6 have eleven episodes as opposed to the usual 12-13 previous seasons had, though they did get some extra episodes in the form of OVAs. A warning for anyone planning to watch any of the OVAs for these two seasons: Don't watch the one about Nyanko-sensei being made to babysit a couple of kids. That OVA is cliche, boring, annoying, the premise relies too much on the characters being idiots, and the kid characters are so whiny and insufferable that I wanted to smack them every time they opened their mouths. Natsume normally never has bad episodes, though I think this OVA might be the first. Its only saving grace is that it's a standalone OVA that is pretty disconnected from the series itself, so you can skip it and not miss anything.
I've already gone in detail my feelings about the series as a whole in my previous review, so I won't belabor the point here. It took me way too long to get around to watching seasons 5 and 6, but better late than never, right? Natsume's Book of Friends is still a great anime in my book, and the fact that we're getting another season has me hyped as hell. No way am I gonna miss out on more of one of my favorite anime of all time! Since I actually own the blu-ray for the movie Ephemeral Bond, now I have an excuse to finally get around to watching that. But yeah, seasons 5 and 6 are an excellent follow-up to the previous four and it's quite honestly a modern miracle how its continued to maintain its level of quality over several decades on every level. Fans of Natsume's Book of Friends owe it to themselves to watch these seasons. Though again, don't watch that OVA I mentioned above unless you have a tolerance for crying kids.
This review was written on April 20th, 2024.
Rating: 73/100
On December 19th, 2019, the anime and music production company, Aniplex, announced that they were launching a brand made for the purpose of creating and publishing visual novels with help from other developers, which they called ANIPLEX.EXE. Months later, in June of 2020, two games made under the Aniplex.exe brand were released: Adabana Odd Tales and the subject of today's review, Atri: My Dear Moments. I'd been interested in checking Atri out for a while now, but several factors prevented me from doing so: My computer doesn't have the specs required to play it on Steam, Aniplex.exe hasn't bothered to release it in a physical form on any of the platforms its on, and even though the game was released digitally on the Switch with a full English translation, it's only available on the Japanese Switch eShop, with no American release unlike the Steam version. I even considered trying to play the mobile version, and anyone who talks to me at all knows I hate mobile games and playing games on my phone, but even my phone wasn't able to play Atri because it's not compatible with it. But I was able to create a Japanese eShop account, get a Japanese eShop card, and use it to buy Atri on my Switch. So what's my verdict? Ehh...Atri: My Dear Moments is a fine game, and I enjoyed most of my time with it, but it does have several problems, and it's pretty clear this game is just a rehash of every Visual Arts/Key kinetic novel you can think of.
In the near future, a sudden rise in sea levels floods the majority of the world and ends human civilization as we know it, forcing humanity to eke a living on what little dry land remains. Natsuki Ikaruga, a boy who lost his mother and his leg in an accident some years earlier, returns disillusioned from a harsh life in the big city to find his old countryside home half-swallowed by the sea. Left without a family, all he has to his name is the ship and submarine left to him by his oceanologist grandmother, and her debts. His only hope to restore the dreams for the future that he lost is to take up an opportunity presented to him by the suspicious debt collector Catherine. They set sail to search the sunken ruins of his grandmother's laboratory in order to find a treasure rumor says she left there. What they find is not riches or jewels; but a strange girl lying asleep in a coffin at the bottom of the sea. The girl, Atri, is a robot, but is so expressive and human-like that she could easily pass for a real human being. As thanks for salvaging her, Atri declares that she'll serve as Natsuki's leg until the end of the summer. The time they spend together over that summer changes the both of them.
Yeah, anybody who has played all of Key's visual novels such as Air, Kanon, and Clannad, or even their kinetic novels like Planetarian, Harmonia and Lunaria: Virtualized Moonchild will notice that Atri: My Dear Moments is trying really hard to be a nakige. Specifically a Key-style nakige. Disillusioned, snarky male protagonist? Check. Cheerful cutesy moe main girl who has a tragic past? Check. Countryside town or post-apocalypse setting? Check. Wacky comedy in the first half and sentimental drama in the second half that's engineered to try and wring as much tears out of you as possible? Check. Male lead and main girl fall in love and their romance is doomed to end in possible tragedy depending on the choices you make? Check. Main girl is secretly dying? Double check! Atri: My Dear Moments is basically just a Key game in all but name, complete with replicating their narrative structure and plot beats to the point where they're virtually identical. It wouldn't surprise me if it turned out one of the devs at Frontwing, Makura, or even Aniplex.exe went up to one of the Key devs and said "Hey, can we copy your homework?" Don't go into this one expecting anything original.
But straight up borrowing from Key's output isn't the only problem Atri: My Dear Moments has. Atri as a game has 13-15 hours worth of content to go through, and you're only given three choices throughout. Granted, this makes it really easy to unlock both the good and bad endings, but because the choices themselves are really spread out across the game, it really affects the pacing. The game moves at a snail's pace because a good chunk of Atri just consists of the cast just goofing around, going to school, and doing mundane things, some of which are really redundant and repetitive, no better than filler. Atri spends most of its run pretty much ignoring its main plot until the last third. Atri could have either cut out several superfluous scenes or added in more choices to break up the pacing a bit. Speaking of superfluous, did we REALLY need a dumb comedy scene involving Natsuki slipping in the pool and falling face first into Minamo's boobs? And having Atri accuse Natsuki of cheating on her (Atri) because of this? Good lord, I thought visual novels outgrew the need to throw in unnecessary crass comedy like this. Stuff like that is not funny, and it will never be funny! There's also a one-note villain whose only purpose is to be shoehorned into the last third of the game to create drama and then disappears afterward. There were other ways the game could have explored Atri's backstory, and it didn't need a throwaway villain just to do that. There are also times the game makes things way too convenient for itself just because the plot demands it. "Hey, I'm trying to learn about my grandmother and Atri throughout the entire game! Oh, what's this? Here's a random diary that contains everything I ever need to know at just the right moment, even though I searched my tiny boat home 300 times and never saw it before now!" See what I mean?
All that being said, Atri: My Dear Moments isn't a bad game, and it does have its flashes of brilliance every now and then. For one, I really liked all the scenes involving Natsuki and friends doing salvaging and working together to create a generator. Both were genuinely interesting, the latter especially, and Atri did a great job at getting me invested in seeing these kids trying to make life easier for themselves and make the best of a bad situation. If stuff like Girls Last Tour and Tasogare-Boshi no Sui to Neri taught me anything, it's that stories about the apocalypse don't always have to be high octane blood-pumping action or super angsty melodramas all the time. Atri understands this to an extent, and tackles its bleak setting with cautious optimism without the need for emo melodrama. Even though the characters by themselves are rather rote stereotypes, they all fill in for each other nicely, and I enjoyed the bond they all shared. It helps that the characters are a variety of different ages and personalities. I also really liked Natsuki as a main character, not just for the development he receives and his growth throughout the game, but that his disability is actually treated with the gravity and sensitivity it deserves. Disabled protagonists are rare in games like this, and I appreciate that the game treats him with respect and doesn't try to sugarcoat or downplay the problems that come with it, as Natsuki's lack of a leg makes it really hard for him to do stuff, even with a prosthetic. Granted, I'm not an amputee so I'm probably not qualified to speak on the authenticity of his portrayal here. But after playing One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e and having to deal with the absolutely repugnant asshat that was Kouhei Orihara, I'll take Natsuki any day of the week. Seriously, comparing Natsuki and Kouhei as VN protags is like choosing between eating chocolate cake and Tide Pods.
Not to mention the absolutely stunning visuals and artwork. From the backgrounds and CGs to the character portraits, all of them are drawn and rendered in great detail. Seriously, you could frame every one of those CGs and backgrounds and hang them up on your wall, they're that good, even if the character designs are pretty much your standard anime designs, with Atri really leaning hard into the cutesy moe aesthetic. The music is nice too, and the opening number is a real bop. The ending theme, on the other hand, I'm less enthused about, mainly because...I'm sorry to say this, but Atri's seiyuu, Hikaru Akao, really isn't a good singer. Her acting is fine, but her using her squeaky voice to sing just really grates on my ears. Anybody who hates hearing women trying to sound like screechy little girls will want to put the ending song on mute.
Atri: My Dear Moments as a visual novel isn't much to write home about, and it's pretty clear this is baby's first visual novel for Aniplex.exe as a company/brand. It's surprising how popular this is in Japan because it's getting an anime coming this summer. I do plan on watching it just to see how it'll adapt the story to actual animation, but I doubt much will change. I enjoyed my time with Atri: My Dear Moments, even if I feel parts of it could have been better. Aniplex.exe has put out more VNs since Atri, and they even announced a new one that's in development, Tanetsumi no Uta. I bought Adabana Odd Tales today, so look forward to a review of that in the future, and I really want to check out Hirahira Hihiru, but sadly it's not on the Switch, nor can my computer run it. Here's hoping they make more visual novels in the future, and fans will have Atri: My Dear Moments to thank for bringing in the money for Aniplex.exe to do so.
This review was just written today.
Rating: 89/100
I've mentioned before that when I was younger, the only video games I played were Pokemon or Kirby games, and even those were only limited to whatever handheld console my family could afford to get me. But even without those limitations, I refused to play any game that wasn't Pokemon or Kirby, thinking all other games were too hard. While I started to branch out of this around 2009-2010, which was the Nintendo DS era, it wouldn't be until I grew up and got a job that I could actually afford to buy other consoles and other games. Now, as a 31 year old adult, I've since then played a large variety of games, more so than I ever did when I was younger. So if someone were to tell my younger self that they'd be head over heels for a game called Another Code Recollection, kid me probably would have called them an idiot. Another Code, retitled Trace Memory in the US, was a Nintendo DS game that was completely off my radar back when it first came out, and kid me wouldn't have given it a second glance. So when a complete remake called Another Code Recollection was announced in the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, I actually was genuinely interested, and I enjoyed playing the demo, so I went and bought the game. Man, I sure am glad I did, because Another Code Recollection has to be one of the most enjoyable games I've ever played in 2024, and this is coming from someone who normally isn't drawn to mystery or puzzle games.
To note, Another Code Recollection is actually a remake of two games, with the sequel, once made for the Wii, never coming to the US. Both games center on a young teenage girl named Ashley. The first half, titled Two Memories (Which Trace Memory is based on), follows Ashley the day before her fourteenth birthday as she finds herself receiving a package with a mysterious device called the DAS, and a letter saying that her father, who she once thought deceased, is actually alive and wants to reconnect with her. The DAS itself contains a message urging her to meet him at a mysterious place called Blood Edward Island. Her Aunt Jessica convinces her to take the trip and figure out what happened to her old man all those years ago, a quest that becomes all the more strange when she finds herself encountering the ghost of a young boy named D, who is trying to uncover the secrets of his own past as well. The second game, Journey Into Lost Memories, which was originally the Wii game, follows Ashley two years later as she is invited to the resort town of Lake Juliet, a scenic locale that also happens to be the location of a mysterious trip Ashley's mother Sayoko made years ago before her untimely death.
The bulk of Another Code's gameplay consists of exploration, finding stuff, and solving puzzles. You do everything from placing figurines on a box, arranging books in a particular order, pressing buttons to unlock doors, and moving a remote controlled boat, all of which are important for progressing the game's narrative. Whether it be using motion controls, cryptography, deduction, memory, Another Code is not short on methods to solve the puzzles and obstacles that hinder Ashley's journey for the truth. One thing Recollection introduces that wasn't in the original games was a hint system, where you can choose between a vague hint so you can solve it yourself or straight up having the answer be given to you, making it friendly for both newcomers and veterans alike. As somebody who both hasn't played the original games and is really bad at mystery games, I really appreciated this feature, especially as some puzzles were a little too daunting for me to figure out. I know one puzzle in the original DS game involved having you partially close the DS to reflect a photo on the bottom of the screen, which is just...really unintuitive. Who thought that was a good idea? I'm glad the developers at the now dissolved Cing nixed this when it came time to remake the game for the Switch. Honestly, the only puzzles in Another Code that I disliked were the one involving the remote controlled boat and any of the security code input puzzles that required you to press the literal joy stick. Or was it? Seriously, I could never get the hang of the latter. Recollection also threw in little easter eggs like origami cranes that, if scanned, unlock journal entries fleshing out one of the overarching characters in the game, though many of them are hard to find, and an unlockable costume upon beating the game that allows Ashley to play through the events of Two Memories in her original Trace Memory outfit.
But more than the gameplay, Another Code hooked me with both its characters and its story. I'm a sucker for story/character-driven media, video games included, and Another Code did an amazing job at fleshing out its characters across both games. Ashley is a great, refreshing, compelling protagonist who is able to carry the stories across both games perfectly while still being believably flawed like any teenage girl her age would be. It helps that while the game explores some fantastical concepts, its whole approach to it all is surprisingly down-to-earth, feeling a lot less stereotypically tropey and...well, "anime" than most Japanese games tend to be. This extends to the characters and their overall writing, all of whom also feel very grounded and down-to-earth even as they deal with ghosts and memory-erasing machines straight out of a sci-fi novel. The entire cast of characters all have their own motivations, backgrounds, and personal histories that make them feel like more than just NPCs and feel fresh. Hell, this game got me to care about an old guy who runs a restaurant, for God's sake! Now, I haven't played the original DS game, but I hear the English localization of Trace Memory made Ashley a lot more whiny and mean than in the original, and thankfully, her portrayal in Recollection across both halves don't give off that vibe. Another Code has excellent writers that spun a compelling narrative across the game's two halves, delivering solid build-up, excellent characterization, and conclusions that felt both intelligent and believable while pushing the characters further in terms of their development. Not only that, the writers even went as far as to add in some content that wasn't present in the original games to wrap up loose plot threads and completely rewrite parts of it to have them make more sense.
One point of praise I absolutely must give to Another Code is for how it fleshed out its setting, mainly for Journey Into Lost Memories. Two Memories already delivered very nicely on fleshing out its setting through the mystery that resulted in Blood Edward Island being what it is, but they really went all out in making Lake Juliet feel like a real place with an actual storied history, customs, traditions, and so on, and it actually felt like a living, breathing community. It does help that the graphics are pretty to look at, even if they're not on the level of AAA games. I haven't played the original DS game, but I do know that Trace Memory's art style is very different from the remake, and that Recollection pretty much redid everything from the ground up, both to get around the loss of the DS's touch screen controls and streamline the pacing by allowing Ashley to fully interact with her environment as opposed to the original's top-down point and click set-up. The graphics aren't perfect, as trees and bushes have flat boughs that really stick out if you see them from certain angles, but the overall look of Another Code is still really nice.
As much as I want to exalt Another Code as an undisputed masterpiece, and believe me, I really want to, the game does have its issues. Many of them didn't hurt my enjoyment of it in any way, but I did have some gripes with it. For one, adjusting the camera can be rather awkward, and while you can change the speed at which the camera moves, it can still be a bit of a chore. Not only that, Ashley's default running speed is surprisingly slow. She doesn't move any faster than when she does when she walks, and I wish there was a way you could make her run faster. Furthermore, I did some research on Trace Memory and I found out that while Another Code Recollection does a lot to expand on the original and fix parts of it, the remake also leaves out information about certain characters, like pieces of their backstories. One aspect about a prominent character in Two Memories got hit with this, and while the remake works just fine without it, I really have to question why they left that bit of information out, as it's a part of what informs the circumstances behind said character's death and why Blood Edward Island is deserted. I also learned that a prominent character in Journey Into Lost Memories is made into much more of a sympathetic villain in the remake as opposed to his much more openly antagonistic character in the original Wii game, with his circumstances and overall character being completely rewritten in Recollection. I don't hate this idea, but I am genuinely interested in seeing his original interpretation. Too bad the Wii game never came to the US and I don't want to either shell out the money for a European Wii or potentially brick my Wii U by downloading CFW software into it knowing my complete ineptitude with anything relating to hacking/modding consoles.
Honestly, I did not expect to like Another Code Recollection as much as I do, flaws and all. Child me wouldn't have given the original DS game a second glance, but now that I'm older and expanded my tastes in video games, and media in general, I'm really glad I got to play this. I even bought the original Trace Memory game recently so expect a review of that in the future whenever I get around to playing that. But yeah, Another Code Recollection is one of the most pleasant surprises I ever got to experience in the year of our lord 2024 and I'm really glad I gave it a chance. Seriously, whether you like puzzle/mystery games or story/character driven media, I highly, HIGHLY recommend Another Code Recollection regardless of whether you're already a fan of the series or a complete newcomer. Plus, I hear other games Cing produced, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 and its sequel Last Window, is really good too. I should probably play that some time.
This review was just written today.
Rating: 68/100
Nostalgia can be a funny thing. One of the first anime I watched fansubbed was Air, and back then, I didn't know it was based on a video game. I didn't even know what visual novels were at the time. I did really enjoy the anime for what it was to the point where I bought the DVDs for it, and even though it's been years since I've last seen it, I remember it pretty vividly. But the original visual novel was never localized in English in any official capacity, but there were a few fan translations that were made over the years. As of now, I've managed to play one of them in its entirety, specificially the PSP port thanks to finally learning how to use emulators on my PC. Though in light of the fact that after almost 25 years, Key announced that Kanon is finally getting released in the US in English, I think it's only a matter of time before Air gets this treatment since most of Key's other games were released in English as well. Plus, I have been curious about how the original visual novel for Air is compared to the anime, especially since games tend to be longer than their TV adaptations, resulting in a lot of things getting cut. Now that I've finished the visual novel...well, let me put it this way: As you grow up, you can find yourself either liking something you watched/read/played just as much as you did back when you were a kid, realize it's not as good as you thought it was, or appreciate it even more than when you first encountered it. Air as a visual novel is an interesting piece of gaming history and an important game in Key's legacy but...honestly, it made me appreciate the anime adaptation much more.
The story is the same as the anime adaptation: Traveling street performer Yukito Kunisaki arrives at a small seaside town called Kami, having traversed around Japan in continuation of his late mother's search for the "girl in the sky" who, according to a family legend, has been cursed to spend eternity all alone. Yukito's sole way of earning money is by performing a puppet show by moving a doll that has been passed down in his family with magic, but he fails to gain anyone's attention by doing so, and as a result, he's low on money. The next day, he meets Misuzu Kamio—a sincere yet clumsy high school girl who is eager to become friends with him. He accepts her offer to eat lunch at her home, and Misuzu's aunt and foster mother Haruko Kamio is later persuaded to let him stay for the time being. Later on, Yukito meets two other girls who go to Misuzu's school—sly, friendly Kano Kirishima and serene, quiet Minagi Tohno—who, like Misuzu, have strange personalities connected with mysterious pasts. Any one of them could be the incarnation of this "girl in the sky," and if the curse isn't broken, the girl in question could die.
I've already mentioned in my review of the anime that I never had a problem with Itaru Hinoue's character designs and I still don't even now. I can see why some people might find them weird and off-putting, but honestly, I've seen way worse. Ijime, anyone? Plus, if anything, Hinoue's art actually improved significantly since her work on Kanon, as while the eyes on her characters are still big, they don't feel as much like they're consuming the entirety of the characters' faces a lot of the time. The graphics themselves are fine for what they are. The character sprites are well designed and have a variety of different expressions, the CGs are well made and can be absolutely amazing when the time calls for it, and the backgrounds are nice, too. I did notice that some CGs have the characters rendered in really odd proportions, but those were pretty rare. Again, the music is great and fits the mood and atmosphere of the game, and again, Tori no Uta is a great opening song. What else is there to say about Air's soundtrack that hasn't been said already?
Oh boy, here's the part where I start to get critical, and don't get me wrong, I want to enjoy Air's VN more than I do, especially since I really like the anime. But if I'm being honest, I think the anime version is the better product because I won't lie, the VN is very, very flawed. First off, Air has the same problem as One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e where a lot of scenes and conversations feel like needless filler shoehorned in just to pad out the game and make it longer, often coming across as extremely repetitve like Key thinks they can't trust their audience to remember what went on a few seconds ago. Seriously, there's so much of the game that feels like you could cut out and nothing would be lost. Minagi's route in particular has this the worst, as a lot of her route consists of spamming through constant ellipses and pointless conversations that don't really go anywhere, really slowing down the pacing. It's a good thing the anime cut out a lot of the unnecessary fat from the game to make it feel more tight and streamlined.
Speaking of which, the overall story is fine, as the mystery behind the curse of the girl in the sky is interesting and compelling, and Misuzu's route, both her normal and true route, are definitely the best parts of the entire visual novel in terms of how everything comes together in the end. Actually, say what you will about Misuzu as a character, you can argue she's a moeblob all you want, but she and Haruko are the best parts of the whole game, with Haruko being the most complex, compelling, three-dimensional character out of the entire cast...though you can't see what she's really like unless you've unlocked the true route. But in order to unlock said true route, you have to go through all three of the girls' routes and get all of their good endings, which unlocks the summer route, which tells the origin of the girl in the sky and explains the overarching mystery, and completing that unlocks the true route. Now, I have no issue with playing through different routes to unlock what's considered the best one. Lots of visual novels do this, with AI: The Somnium Files and Code:Realize being two of them. However, in Air's case, the road to getting there is a real grind. Kano's route feels the most superfluous in that she has no connection to the overarching narrative, and like I mentioned in my review of the anime, she feels like she's just there to be a red herring. Many players think Minagi's route is the worst, mainly in that it feels way too long, and while I disagree on it being the worst, I agree that it really needed to be cut down by several hours.
Actually, this is a good segue into talking about the characters, because anyone who's not Misuzu contribute to the game's biggest flaws. First off, as someone who watched the anime first, I do NOT remember Yukito being this much of a pathetic loser. He had his moments in the anime, sure, but they were relegated to just a few scenes and that's it, and he's much more assertive and put-together in the anime. Here he spends so much of the game being either yelled at, assaulted, or dunked on by pretty much everyone around him, often for things that are either not his fault or for no reason at all, usually by Hijiri or Michiru. Speaking of which, Air as a visual novel really fails in writing comedy, mainly because its idea of humor consists of having characters jump to conclusions about Yukito, assuming the worst about him, or constantly attacking him over literally nothing. Michiru is especially guilty of this, and she is REALLY annoying in this game. She had her moments in the anime, sure, but they were never as pervasive or overly mean-spirited as they are here. Their whole first encounter literally goes like this: "Oh noes, this random stranger just looked at me! That must mean he's a kidnapper/pervert even though there's nothing actually proving it! I'm gonna attack him for funsies and keep doing so every time I see him!" No, game, this is not funny, it will never be funny, and please don't have it be the backbone of literally every single comedic scene in your entire game! Hell, one scene early in Kano's route has Yukito helping Kano after she gets possessed, but when Hijiri comes upon them, the first thing she does is assume Yukito sexually assaulted her, gives him no chance to explain himself, and acts so disproportionately hostile towards him that you'd think she saw him commit a whole-ass genocide and tries to gut him with scalpels. Granted, Yukito doesn't really help himself with his explanation being the most vague, easy to misinterpret thing ever, but come on. I'm just so sick of the whole playing physical violence as comedy towards a character who's done nothing to deserve any of it shtick. It's old, it's cliche, it's tasteless, and a dead horse that really should have been left alone years ago. I'm really glad the anime both toned down and excised a lot of these moments, because it makes the characters much more likeable. One other thing I'm happy the anime toned down is the girls' overall moeness. You know how in Kanon some of the girls had cutesy but annoying verbal tics or catchphrases, like Ayu's infamous "uguu"? Air has them too. Misuzu's "gao" noises make sense, but Kano's "ununu" and Michiru's constant "Wapupu! Hmmmni? Mumumu! Nyo-whatever!" all got old and annoying after the first three times, and again, the anime cuts them out, making them feel more like people than just bug-eyed overgrown kindergarteners.
Adding onto this, Air as a visual novel is definitely a product of its time, but even without its overreliance on moe archetypes and cringy physical humor, it has a lot of jokes that would absolutely NOT fly in today's modern age which, again, the anime left out, and for good reason. There's quite a few homophobic jokes made at the expense of gay people (Especially gay men), there are a lot of stuff some male characters say to their female friends that would absolutely quality as sexual harassment, and it even plays sexual assault and victim blaming for comedy, which is just really tasteless and offensive. There's a scene in the summer route where Ryuuya touches Kanna's butt without her consent, and she rightfully gets mad at him, but it's not only treated as her throwing a childish tantrum, the whole thing is just brushed off with "Oh, this random stranger touched your butt? You must not have covered yourself up properly! LOLZ!" Good lord, do I even need to explain just how awful this is? We do not need sexual assault and victim blaming being played for juvenile anime comedy, thank you! Again, I'm so glad the anime version cut these parts out and made Ryuuya much less of a pervert. One would think Key/Visual Arts would have learned their lesson about this, but considering Summer Pockets has a minigame where one of the prizes you get is a pair of panties owned by a 12-year-old girl (Who is secretly the male MC's daughter!) and way too many scenes involving the male MC constantly walking in on one of the girls as she's changing to the point where it's a running gag...ugh, end me now. Well, to be fair, Key has learned their lesson about incest romances, what with their most recent announcements about their newest game Anemoi, so I'll give them that.
Man, it sucks that I couldn't enjoy the visual novel for Air, but if anything, it makes me appreciate the anime all the more because the staff for the anime adaptation knew what to keep and what to leave out, making the anime a much better and more rewarding experience while still keeping the important qualities that make Air what it is. If you're a Key fan and are already into their stuff, Air's VN is definitely up your alley, but I wouldn't consider the visual novel to be a good one, as there are several that I like way better. If anything, visual novels have evolved since Air's conception, with many of them evolving past their sort of origins as moe waifu porn games. I personally wouldn't recommend this one, especially not for those wanting to get into the format for the first time. If anything, I recommend you just stick to the TV anime, as it remedies a lot of the game's flaws and cuts out a lot of the more questionable parts. If Air is to get an official English localization, I might buy it just for the sake of both supporting the visual novel industry and owning a piece of gaming history, but that's it. I already bought the Switch port of Kanon in preparation for the English translation patch that'll be applied to it in the near future, so expect a review of that in the coming months. But overall, Air's visual novel is an important piece of gaming history, but it's a very flawed game that really could have benefited from some extra polish and cutting of a lot of its extraneous filler.
This review was just written today.
Rating: 53/100
Racism is a really tricky thing to write about in any capacity. There's a lot you can't afford to get wrong, whether you're writing for kids or adults. Seeing as I'm a white woman, I know that no matter how much I learn about racism in school or study up on it, it's nothing compared to actually experiencing racism firsthand, as many marginalized groups can tell you. One of America's most famous writers, Judy Blume, attempted to address the issue in one of her first books, Iggie's House. Yes, she wrote this in 1970, before she would churn out hits like Blubber and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, and...not gonna lie, re-reading it now, it really shows. Every writer has to start somewhere, and sometimes that start isn't always perfect. Literally every creative person in the world can tell you this firsthand, me included. But even with that, Iggie's House just isn't a very good book, mainly because of just how terribly it tackles racism and tries to spout anti-racism morals when it does everything wrong in doing so.
Eleven-year-old Winifred Barringer aka Winnie is having a tough time. Her best friend Iggie moved to Tokyo, and now a new family is moving into her old house. Despite this, Winnie decides she'll befriend the new neighbors and give them a chance. Winnie meets the new neighbors, the Garbers, and is surprised to find that they're people of color, which makes things complicated because Winnie's hometown is primarily a white neighborhood. Winnie does her best to try to befriend them, but is completely oblivious to the fact that after the racism they've already been enduring, especially from the nosy town gossip Mrs. Landon, they're not too keen on trusting some white girl. Oh, and in case you're wondering, despite the character's name being in the literal title, Iggie herself never even appears in the book, so one has to wonder why it's even called that when Blume can't even be bothered to do anything with Iggie as a character. Considering this is one of Blume's first ever long books, it's easy to see that her prose reflects this. It's extremely simplistic, almost bordering on beige, and any attempts she makes to spice it up just make it come across as dated. One thing about it that really annoyed me was her constant usage of "yick." Like...is that even a real word? Why not replace it with "Yuck"? That's not only an actual word, but does a much better job at expressing disgust. But I'm willing to forgive this somewhat, as this was her first time doing this, and her prose in later novels would be much better and more witty, though I admit I haven't read all of her bibliography.
Similarly, her characters aren't much better. They're all a bunch of bland, cliche stereotypes with no real depth or development whatsoever. Winnie is your naive everygirl who thinks the world revolves around her, her parents are your typical 60s/70s parents, Mrs. Landon is the neighborhood gossip who's just there to be the villain, so on and so forth. I actually wish the Garbers had been the main characters since they were actually somewhat interesting, and since the book is about racism and integration, and they're subject to both, it'd make the themes and messages all the more palpable. Honestly, Blume's decision to have Winnie, a white girl, be the main character in a story that's clearly meant to be about racism towards African-Americans, was her first mistake. But the biggest problem with Iggie's House is that its attempts at espousing an anti-racism message fall completely flat in several ways. Example one: The first time Winnie meets the Garber kids, she immediately stereotypes them, asking if they're from Africa or if they participated in the 1965 LA riots, assuming they're violent savages. For all of Winnie's claims that she wants to make a good impression, she failed. HARD. Example two: She claims she wants to be friends with them, but she never actually listens to them or makes an effort to get to know them beyond the fact that they're just a bunch of black kids and using them as props for her own self-gain, which Herbie calls her out on, so she comes off like a White Savior.
But here's the thing that really cements just how badly Iggie's House depicts racism: Iggie's House wants us to see Winnie as being in the right. That scene I mentioned earlier about Herbie calling Winnie out on her not treating them like regular people and using them as props to make herself feel good? Right afterward, Winnie gets mad and slaps Herbie, claiming that he just hates white people despite Herbie and his family having legitimate, justified reasons for not wanting to associate with white people or trust Winnie, and that they're awful people for not accepting her friendship. This whole thing reads like victim blaming. "Oh, you've been discriminated against and treated like shit by people because of your skin color all your lives and experienced all sorts of trauma from it? Boo hoo, it's your own fault for not trying to make friends with us and not appreciating all that we're doing for you!" Do you see what I mean? Furthermore, Winnie's views are never challenged. Her mother yells at her for trying to pursue a cause, but that's it. Winnie's own racism is never challenged, nor does she ever realize or accept that she's only hurting the Garbers more than helping them. Actually, this also begs the question: Why does nobody throw Winnie out of the house, or even yell at her after she slaps Herbie? No sibling I know would ever just stand by and watch as some girl beats up their sibling! If my big sister found out that some kid was bullying me, she'd waste no time going after them and wanting their heads on a platter! And for that matter, why would the Garbers even want to continue associating with Winnie after that? The Garbers have every right to be angry at Winnie. Seriously, Iggie's House would be so much better if the Garbers were the protagonists instead of Winnie. Winnie mainly just comes off as a whiny brat who doesn't get her way.
The ending isn't all that good either, having the Barringers and Garbers go on a picnic and act all happy happy, which magically erases racism forevers and evers! Uuuuugh. Gag me. Why did I buy this book years ago again? So yeah, even as a white woman, even I found myself cringing at the benign racism in Iggie's House, and that's really not a good thing if you're trying to write a book that speaks against racism. But even without that, Iggie's House is just a generic kids book that's trying way too hard and comes off like a half-baked after school special. I recommend skipping this one, as there are much better books out there that tackle racism and integration in a much better, far less offensive manner, many written by people of color. Go seek those out, and steer clear of Iggie's House. Seriously.
This review was just written today, and boy am I glad to finally be able to talk about this game.
Rating: 84/100
As of mid-2024, a good majority of the games Key/Visual Arts have put out are legally available in English, with the exceptions of Air, Kud Wafter, their Prima Doll kinetic novels, the Rewrite fan disc, and Summer Pockets: Reflection Blue. Before 2015, it was nigh impossible to procure their games outside of fan translations, but now almost their entire library is available. Hell, just a few weeks ago, their first visual novel, Kanon, FINALLY got an official English translation and release in the US, 25 years after its 1999 release. Now that I've played a good majority of their games—mainly their kinetic novels—and seen anime adaptations of the ones I haven't played, I've gotten a bit familiar with their formula. I like the anime adaptations of Air, Kanon, and Clannad, but haven't played the VNs for the latter two yet. The game version of Air, while an important piece of Key's legacy, has a lot of problematic aspects that really did not age well; Harmonia is fairly good but a big chunk of its lore doesn't make sense, Loopers suffers from not doing enough with both its large cast of characters and premise, and while I enjoyed Lunaria: Virtualized Moonchild, it only started getting good in the second half, and the first half of the game is a bit of a climb. I have mixed feelings on the games of theirs that I have played, but that's not to say I hated them. There are two that I genuinely enjoyed without any reservations: Planetarian, their first kinetic novel, and the subject of today's review, Stella of the End.
The story goes as follows: The world has been almost completely decimated by gigantic automatons known as Singularity Machines, to the point where humanity is on the brink of extinction. Jude Gray is a stoic, disillusioned man who works as a courier, traversing the dangerous wilds in search of whatever items or treasures he can deliver to high paying clients. One day, he receives a job offer from an old man calling himself Duke Willem Grosvenor. Willem wants Jude to deliver some cargo for him, but it's not just any cargo. Willem claims this cargo can help him save humanity. After some convincing, Jude accepts the job offer and goes into some ruins to find the cargo Willem wants. What he finds is not what he expects: An android made to resemble a young girl, and when she awakes, the first thing she mentions is that she wishes to become human. Put off by how life-like she is considering her nature as a machine and her childish, idealistic personality, Jude gives her the name Philia. Faced with no choice but to deliver her to her intended destination, Jude and Philia must traverse the hostile wilderness together, avoiding threats both mechanical and human. What awaits Jude and Philia at the end of the road? Can humanity really be saved, or is it already too late...?
I'm going to make a bold statement here, and I know not everyone is going to agree with me, and that's fine. But in my opinion, Stella of the End is Key's best kinetic novel. At least, out of the games of theirs that I've played. One of the reasons I feel this is the case is that Stella of the End really goes against Key's usual formula. Sure, you have the disillusioned, stoic male protagonist and a younger, cuter female co-star, with the game focusing on their interactions and fleshing them out as the story goes on. Key has always made it a point to have their games focus on small scale, character driven dramas, but one of the things I find that I don't like is that they have a tendency to shoehorn in really cringy, problematic, out of place humor that would either ruin the mood of a scene or just feel unnecessary, to the point where you could cut it out and nothing would be lost. I discovered this recently in the VN for Air, where there were more than a few scenes involving characters groping other girls' breasts, even among family members! Did we really need that? Or Summer Pockets' whole running gag about it's MC constantly walking in on one girl changing her clothes almost every time they see each other. Being a much smaller game with a tighter focus on its narrative and a very miniscule cast of characters, none of that is present in Stella of the End, and whatever moments of levity in the game are not only much fewer, but hit the mark much better in that its moments of comedy never goes for the lowest common denominator, and make sense for the characters.
Furthermore, compared to previous kinetic novels like Planetarian and Harmonia, Stella of the End is much darker in its themes and atmosphere. The story does a great job in selling just how desolate and decimated this world is through both its lush, gorgeous artwork courtesy of artist SWAV and how the various people Jude and Philia encounter throughout their journey cope with their unique situations. If I were to make a comparsion, I'd compare Stella of the End to Girls' Last Tour, as both stories are focused on how their respective pairs of MCs navigate the world around them and make the most of the situations they're in. Granted, Stella has much higher stakes, is more violent and bleak, and has a more concrete goal compared to GLT, but they still prove that apocalypse stories don't always have to be just explosions and constant misery all the time. Speaking of artwork, I really need to talk about the backgrounds because they are just utterly gorgeous. You could frame every single one of them and hang them up on the wall, they're that amazing! Hell, the game is aware of this and has a gallery specifically for the backgrounds! The CGs and character designs are both great in their own right, and I really appreciate that Jude actually looks and acts like a rugged, ragged adult man as opposed to an adult man who just looks like a baby-faced teenager. The mech designs are also really good too, and wouldn't feel out of place in something like Planetarian or even a Gundam series.
Of course, the real backbone of Stella of the End is its main pair of characters. Now, Key has used these particular archetypes multiple times throughout their games, but here, the entire game is taken up by Jude and Philia, with very few side characters. As far as their development goes, Key really knocked it out of the park, as Jude and Philia, while starting out like rote stereotypes, really grow and come into their own throughout the game, especially near the end, becoming wonderfully evolved characters with plenty of strengths and flaws to carry the game perfectly. Jude in particular is especially well developed, a man who is inured by his circumstances and haunted by the decisions he was forced to make throughout his life. That said, your enjoyment of the game will depend on how much you can stomach Philia. She's your typical cutesy moe Key girl at first; benevolent, childish, naive, and meant to endear the audience with her cutesiness, and it takes quite a while for her to really grow past her early character flaws. I personally had no problem with her, as the game does call her out whenever she causes problems for Jude, with one particular chapter being really brutal in how it does so, and I've seen far worse characters who not only don't learn from their mistakes but are worshipped like hell in the series they originate from. But I can see plenty of people not being too fond of Philia for those same reasons, especially with how long it takes for her to finally grow a spine and stop acting like a pampered princess.
I will admit, there are a few things about Stella of the End that do hold it back from true greatness in my opinion, and are really more personal preference than anything. For one, I really don't like the dialogue interface in this game. It just looks weird having this ugly green filter cover the entire screen while the characters are talking. When it comes to visual novels, or whatever games utilize them in general, I prefer the usual dialogue boxes that just stay at the bottom of the screen, or the occasional stylistic choice, over having it take up the entire screen and covering the beautiful visuals. I know the original version of Harmonia had this issue in the original PC release, but at least there, they put dialogue boxes on the side of the screen as opposed to having it take up all of it, and later changed this in the Switch re-release. Granted, Stella does allow you to reduce the opacity to basically nothing, getting rid of the green filter, but unless you have the game covering your entire computer screen, it presents another problem in that the text becomes hard to read, especially against bright or white backgrounds. If Stella of the End ever comes out on the Switch, I really hope they change it so that they put dialogue boxes on the bottom of the screen. Also, while I do feel Stella of the End has the best worldbuilding and lore out of all their kinetic novels, it does have the same problem as their other games in that not a lot of said lore makes sense if you think about it and really relies on you stretching your sense of disbelief quite a bit. The actual story reveals were interesting, but I do wish more had been done with them, especially in regards to how sentient AIs work, and a few little things scattered throughout the game don't get any explanations behind them.
But Stella of the End isn't interested in exploring the ethics of AI or doing a deep dive into robots and how they work, it's all about the journey Jude and Philia go on, seeing the world's beauty and ugliness and making the most of the time they have together even as the odds seem stacked against them. Oh, and for anyone wondering, there's no romance in this game at all, so don't worry, Jude and Philia don
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https://www.escapistmagazine.com/all-characters-and-voice-actors-in-mortal-kombat-1/
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en
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All Characters and Voice Actors in Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1)
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2023-09-28T18:12:53+00:00
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Here are all of the confirmed characters, Kameo Fighters, and voice actors in Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1) from NetherRealm Studios.
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en
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The Escapist
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https://www.escapistmagazine.com/all-characters-and-voice-actors-in-mortal-kombat-1/
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Mortal Kombat 1 breathes new life into the series. But with over 60 fighters having figured into the Mortal Kombat series, the game doesn’t see the return of every character. So if you’re wondering who all the characters and voice actors in Mortal Kombat 1 are, here’s what you need to know.
Recommended Videos
All Characters and Kameos in Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1)
There are twenty-three playable characters in Mortal Kombat 1 with six more arriving via the first Kombat Pack. Unlike the previous three games, several of these characters hail from the PlayStation 2/Xbox 3D era. Here’s who you can play as and who voices them.
Ashrah (Susan Eisenberg)
She may be clad head to toe in white but Ashrah is a former demon, having purged herself of all her evil. I’m sure that’ll work out fine and it won’t inconveniently come rushing back in the middle of MK1. She debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deception and was last seen in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon.
Related: Mortal Kombat 1 Is a Reboot About How Reboots Suck
Baraka (Steve Blum)
As in previous games, Baraka is a toothy outworld resident with blades in his arms. But his condition here is the result of a disease, Tarkata. The disease mutates its victims, then turns them completely feral. As a couple of people have pointed out, it’s more than a little suspect that Liu Kang has turned an entire species into a disease.
General Shao (Ike Amadi)
General Shao is Shao Kahn, minus his title. Previously the ruler of Outworld, here’s one of Queen Sindel’s loyal followers. I’m sure that’ll work out fine.
Geras (Phil LaMarr)
After serving Kronika in the previous game, the sand-powered Geras is now one of the good guys. He’s also one of few people who knows that reality has been reset.
Havik (Jacob Craner)
Introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deception and last playable in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Havik is a disturbing-looking fighter who has the ability to tear his own limbs off and, while it’s never absolutely confirmed, seems to be undead.
“You cannot kill what does not live,” as Judge Dredd antagonist Judge Death once put it. But previous Kombatants have had little trouble previously, so we think they’ll be okay this time around. He’s voiced by Jacob Craner.
Johnny Cage (Andrew Bowen)
Hollywood braggart Johnny Cage is back, probably minus all the character development that made him tolerable. He’s once again voiced by Andrew Bowen, though you can also get your hands on an alternate skin that turns him into Jean-Claude Van Damme. That skin has him voiced by Van Damme, instead of a soundalike.
Kenshi (Vic Chao)
Blindfolded swordsman Kenshi has featured in several post-2D Mortal Kombat games. Vic Chao voiced him in previous games and returns in that same role.
Kitana (Kari Wahlgren)
Kitana is a princess of Outworld, though this version isn’t Liu Kang’s love interest. She’s once again voiced by Kari Wahlgren.
Kung Lao (Sunil Malhotra)
Kung Lao was Liu Kang’s best friend and, like him, was a Shaolin Monk. He’s known for dicing people up with his hat and, knowing the series, will be back at it. In Mortal Kombat 11, he was voiced by Sunil Malhotra and Malhotra returns to voice him this time around.
Lei Mei (Kelly Hu)
Lei Mei debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance and was part of a group tasked with protecting Outworld’s royal family. Played by Kelly Hu, she’s looked down upon because Kitana’s father died on her watch.
Related: Has Video Game Violence Jumped the Shark? – Slightly Something Else
Liu Kang (Matthew Yang King)
Liu Kang, currently Fire God Liu Kang, is the former Shaolin Monk who has recreated the world after the events of Mortal Kombat 11. Matthew Yang King reprises his role as the character.
Mileena (Kari Wahlgren)
Also returning is Mileena, Kitana’s toothy sister. This time around, she’s not half Tarkatan. Instead, she’s caught Tarkata, the disease that transforms its victims into sharp-fanged mutants. She’s also played by Kari Wahlgren.
Nitara (Megan Fox)
Vampiress Nitara is back, her loyalties uncertain. She’s voiced by Megan Fox and, despite her performance in Jennifer’s Body, it’s not a great advert for putting Hollywood celebs in video games.
Rain (Noshir Dalal)
Rain was originally a palette swap of Sub-Zero and Scorpion, but he’s now very much his own character. He’s a demi-god with the power to command water and, in the previous game, was voiced by the excellently named Dempsey Pappion. This time around, Noshir Dalal voices the character.
Raiden (Vincent Rodriguez III)
Raiden returns but while he has lightning powers he’s not a god. This is Raiden as reimagined by Liu Kang. He’s voiced by Vincent Rodriguez III .
Reiko (Derek Phillips)
Another 3D era character, Reiko is a commander Sindel’s army, a loyal follower of General Shao.
Reptile (Andrew Morgado)
Previously painted as a villainous character, the last of his species, Mortal Kombat 1 flips the script on this series regular. Reptile, real name Syzoth, has the ability to morph between his lizard form and an altogether prettier appearance. Andrew Morgado voices this character.
Sindel (Mara Junot)
The queen of Outworld, who was not evil, then evil, then not evil, then evil, is back. She’s voiced by Mara Junot, though you’ll have to play to find out whose side she’s on this time.
Smoke (Yuri Lowenthal)
Smoke is Scorpion and Sub-Zero’s adopted brother who hasn’t been turned into a cyber-ninja. Yuri Lowenthal, Peter Parker in Insomniac’s Spider-Man games plays the character. Surprisingly, he’s not Hanzo Hasashi, who was Scorpion in the previous games. He hasn’t had his identity switched up and is still Tomas Vrbada.
Smoke’s MK1 Tower ending reveals that Vrbada does adopt a young Hanzo Hasashi. However, the woman that original Scorpion married, Harumi, ends up with the new Scorpion. Let’s hope things don’t get too weird in MK2.
Scorpion (Daisuke Tsuji)
Spear-hurling ninja Scorpion is back, though he may not be the vengeful, undead spirit featured in many previous games. He was previously voiced by Ron Yuan, but that was as Hanzo Hasashi. This time around, Scorpion is Kuai Liang, brother of the original Sub-Zero and voiced by Daisuke Tsuji.
Shang Tsung (Alan Lee)
Shang Tsung is a long-running series antagonist, though he begins the game stripped of his powers. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played the character in Mortal Kombat 11 (and the 1995 movie). But here he’s voiced by Alan Lee, emulating Tagawa’s sneering performance. He’s available as a pre-order bonus.
Sub-Zero (Kaiji Tang)
Another series favorite, Sub-Zero is back. In this timeline, he’s Bi-Han, the original Sub-Zero. He’s voiced by Kaiji Tang.
Tanya (Cherise Boothe)
Tanya is a resident of Outworld and Edenean who’s known for aligning herself with the series’ villains. Is she a bad ‘un this time? You’ll have to play to find out. She’s voiced by Cherise Boothe.
All Kameo Fighters Confirmed
These characters are also confirmed as Kameo Fighters, most of whom have been shown in their original MK trilogy clothes. Kameo Fighters can also pull off fatalities. Here are known Kameo Fighters:
Cyrax
Darrius
Frost
Goro
Jax Briggs
Kano
Kung Lao
Motaro
Sareena
Scorpion
Sektor
Shujinko
Sub-Zero
Sonya Blade
Stryker
All the DLC Kombat Pack Characters
Amazon had accidentally let slip the fighters featured in the Kombat Pack, which were subsequently confirmed. The characters are as follows and, while we don’t know who’s voicing all of them, J.K. Simmons will be reprising his role as Omni-Man:
Quan Chi
Ermac
Takeda
Peacemaker
Homelander
Omni-Man
As part of a separate leak, Elder God Shinnok is also rumored to be joining the roster. Leaked footage from San Diego Comic-Con confirmed that Reiko and Motaro were in the game, though only one of them turned out to be playable.
On the subject of all the characters and voice actors in Mortal Kombat 1, that’s what you need to know.
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http://aflang.humanities.ucla.edu/language-materials/chadic-languages/hausa/hausa-language-variation-dialects/
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Hausa Language Variation and Dialects
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Throughout the areas where Hausa is spoken, it is remarkably uniformin pronunciation, vocabulary, and structure. Indeed, the varieties of Hausaare at
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http://aflang.humanities.ucla.edu/wp-content/themes/tuckerl-_sol-theme-f9b514962a38/library/images/apple-touch-icon.png
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African Languages at UCLA
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http://aflang.humanities.ucla.edu/language-materials/chadic-languages/hausa/hausa-language-variation-dialects/
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Throughout the areas where Hausa is spoken, it is remarkably uniformin pronunciation, vocabulary, and structure. Indeed, the varieties of Hausaare at least as mutually comprehensible as the varieties of English. Basedon examples of linguistic variation and uniformity available from otherparts of Africa and the world, one can surmise that the Hausa language hasspread rather rapidly and rather recently in order for it to have coveredsuch a large area with such a large number of speakers.
Despite the basic uniformity of Hausa wherever it is spoken, one can identifya number of dialect areas. Below are some of the main dialects of Hausa.As would be expected in a dynamic language with a large number of speakers,these “dialects” themselves show internal variation, but eachhas a feature or cluster of features which are characteristic of that variety.
“Kano Hausa”
Major city: Kano
The Hausa spoken in Kano, the largest city in the contiguous Hausa-speakingarea, and the surrounding regions is usually referred to as “Standard”Hausa. This variety of Hausa is the one used in nearly all printed materialsin Hausa, including the Hausa language newspapers of Nigeria. It is alsothe variety of Hausa most heard in broadcast media, including both Nigerianradio and television and international Hausa broadcasting, such as the BBC, Deutsche Welle, The Voice of America, and others.
Pronunciation: A major feature of pronunciation characterizing this dialect is seen in words such as sauka ‘descend’ or zauna ‘sit down’, where a “u” appears before another consonant rather than a “b”, an “f”, or an “m” in other dialects (see comments on “Western Hausa” below).
Grammar: The Kano dialect consistently distinguishes between masculine and feminine gender of all nouns, for example, suna ne ‘it’s a name’ (where ne “it’s…” marks masculine) vs. giwa ce ‘it’s an elephant’ (where ce “it’s…” marks feminine).
“Western Hausa”
Major cities: Sokoto (Sakkwato), Tahoua (Tawa)
The Hausa spoken roughly between Sokoto (Sakkwato in Hausa) and Gusau in Nigeria, and north to Birnin Konni (Birnin K’wanni) andTahoua (Tawa) in Niger comprises “Western Hausa”. One mightconsider this variety “Classical” Hausa for several reasons. First,it has proved quite conservative in terms of retaining features which canbe identified as belonging to more ancient stages of the language. Second,this was the variety of Hausa spoken by Shehu Usman D’an Hodiyo and hisfollowers, who carried out a jihad of Islamic reform in the early 19th Century.Part of this reform movement involved the composition of Islamic poetry,which comprises the oldest extensive written documentation of Hausa andnearly all of which is in the Western dialect. Finally, the majority oftraditional Hausa praise singers, who might be considered purveyors of “Classical”Hausa music, are from the Western dialect area, and their music remainspopular among all Hausa speakers.
Pronunciation: Speakers of Western Hausa still pronounce “b”, “f”, and “m” when they come before other consonants. Thus, Western Hausa speakers say sabka ‘descend’ and zamna ‘sit down’. Compare the pronunciations of these words in Kano Hausa.
Grammar: Western Hausa consistently distinguishes between masculine and feminine nouns, as does the Kano dialect, but instead of masculine ne “it’s…”, feminine ce “it’s…”, as in most of the rest of the Hausa-speaking area, Western Hausa uses na and ta respectively, e.g. suna na ‘it’s a name’ (masculine noun), giwa ta ‘it’s an elephant’ (feminine noun).
“Northern Hausa”
Major cities: Katsina, Maradi, Zinder
The Hausa spoken along the Nigeria-Niger border and into Niger comprises”Northern” Hausa. Some major cities in this area are Katsina inNigeria and Marad’i and Zinder in Niger.
Pronunciation: In pronunciation, Northern dialects have in common with the Western dialects the fact that they still pronounce “b”, “f”, and “m” when they come before other consonants. Thus, Northern Hausa speakers say sabka ‘descend’ and zamna ‘sit down’. Compare the pronunciations of these words in Kano Hausa.
Grammar: In marking gender of nouns, Northern Hausa has in common with Kano Hausa the words ne ‘it’s…’ for masculine nouns (suna ne ‘it’s a name’) and ce ‘it’s…’ for feminine nouns (giwa ce ‘it’s an elephant’). In a sense, Northern Hausa is an “intermediate” dialect between the more conservative Western area and the more innovative Kano area.
“Southern Hausa”
Major cities: Zaria, Bauci
“Southern” Hausa extends from the city of Zaria and environs(the region call Zazzau in Hausa) to the Bauci area. Southern Hausa(as well as Eastern Hausa)are really subdialects of the larger “Kano” or “Standard”Hausa dialect group.
Pronunciation: Southern Hausa shares with Kano Hausa the pronunciation of “u” in words such as sauka ‘descend’ or zauna ‘sit down’.
Grammar: The distinctive feature of Southern Hausa is the loss of a grammatical gender distinction in basically all nouns except those referring to humans and some domestic animals. The feminine word ce ‘it’s…’ is not used at all in Southern Hausa, e.g. Southern Hausa speakers would say yaro ne ‘it’s a boy’ and yarinya ne ‘it’s a girl’. Compare this to Kano Hausa yarinya ce ‘it’s a girl’). For humans, a gender distinction for humans does show up in pronoun agreement, however, e.g. yaro ya zo ‘the boy came’ (with ya showing masculine agreement) but yarinya ta zo ‘the girl came’ (with ta showing feminine agreement).
“Eastern Hausa”
Major cities: Had’eja, Azare, Katagum
The area of “Eastern Hausa”, also called “Guddiri”Hausa, includes the cities of Had’eja, Katagum, Azare, Potiskum, and othertowns in the general vicinity. Like Southern Hausa, Eastern Hausa is really a subdialect of the larger “Kano”variety of Hausa.
Pronunciation: Eastern and Southern Hausa are alike in the features of pronunciation of “u” in words like sauka ‘descend’ or zauna ‘sit down’.
Grammar: Eastern Hausa has the same characteristics with respect to grammatical gender as Southern Hausa.
Distinguishing features of Eastern Hausa: The features distinctive to Eastern Hausa involve somewhat technical aspects of grammar and morphology. One feature distinguishing this dialect from others is the placement of indirect objects after direct objects, e.g. na tura yaro a Sarki ‘I sent a boy (yaro) to the Chief (Sarki)’. In all other dialects, the indirect object would come first, e.g. Kano Hausa na tura wa Sarki yaro.
“Ghanian Hausa”
As the term implies, “Ghanaian” Hausa is the variety of Hausatypical of native Hausa speakers in Ghana. Because Ghana is outside thecontiguous native speaking Hausa area, it may not be possible to separatespecific features of “native” Hausa in Ghana from “non-native”features typical of Ghanaian Hausa speakers who speak other languages (see”Non-native Hausa” below). One feature typical of Ghanaian Hausabut not of any native varieties in Niger and Nigeria is the the use of thesounds “ch” and “j” where Nigerien/Nigerian varietieswould have “ky” and “gy” respectively, e.g. cau (“chow”) ‘beauty’ (rather thankyau) and jara‘repair’ (for gyara).
“Non-native Hausa”
Hausa is the main lingua franca throughout Niger and the northern two-thirdsof Nigeria. It is also widely used as a lingua franca by Muslim populationsin other countries west of Nigeria, e.g. Benin, Togo, and Ghana. Thoughthere is not a unified “non-native Hausa dialect”, certain featurestypically distinguish non-native from native speakers of Hausa.
No distinction between glottalized consonants and the non-glottalized counterparts: ALL native Hausa speakers would distinguish karu ‘be protected’ (with a “plain” “k”) from k’aru ‘be increased’ (with an ejective “k'”) or daidai ‘correct’ (with “plain” “d”s) from d’aid’ai ‘one at a time’ (with implosive “d'”s). Non-native speakers would typically pronounce both members of these pairs identically, i.e. using only the “plain” consonants. The reason for this is that most West African languages lack a set of glottalized sounds (exceptions being Hausa’s linguistic relatives in the Chadic family and Fula, which has implosive”b'” and “d'”).
Grammatical gender: ALL native speakers of Hausa would say yaro ya tafi ‘the boy left’ (with masculine singular agreement ya) but yarinya ta tafi ‘the girl left’ (with feminine singular agreement ta). Non-native speakers would typically use the “masculine” agreement ya for both of these. The reason for this is that most West African languages do not have grammatical gender (exceptions being some–but by no means all–Hausa’s linguistic relatives in the Chadic family and Tamazhaq, a Berber language to the north of Hausa).
Further resources on Hausa language and culture, including an online Hausa course:
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Makoto Shinkai Retrospective: 5 Centimeters per Second
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I’ve been dreading writing about this one, because when I first watched it twelve years ago, I went into it completely blind and hated it. Makoto Shinkai’s 2007 hour-long movie 5 Centimeters per…
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https://miro.medium.com/v2/5d8de952517e8160e40ef9841c781cdc14a5db313057fa3c3de41c6f5b494b19
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https://medium.com/anitay-official/makoto-shinkai-retrospective-5-centimeters-per-second-13da176845f7
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I’ve been dreading writing about this one, because when I first watched it twelve years ago, I went into it completely blind and hated it. Makoto Shinkai’s 2007 hour-long movie 5 Centimeters per Second evoked such a visceral negative reaction in me that I recall screaming What the fuck was that? at the screen in sheer frustration. Until now, I have never revisited it, nor had I previously read its several novel or manga adaptations. Please never say, dear reader, that I do not suffer for your reading pleasure.
You can read my thoughts on Shinkai’s prior work She and Her Cat, Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in Our Early Days in the previous entries in this retrospective. As much as I appreciate his sense of aesthetics, my opinions on Shinkai’s body of work as a whole is mixed to say the least.
5cm was once again produced at CoMix Wave Inc. with a full animation studio team (larger than the relatively small team assembled for Shinkai’s first full-length film The Place Promised in Our Early Days). Shinkai, as usual, took on writing, direction and production work, so we can be assured that the finished product is very much a reflection of his intentions and sensibilities, for better and for worse. In an interview on the DVD special features, Shinkai describes his intent of using the film to explore “the speed at which people drift apart”. Perhaps had I known this prior to sitting down for an hour of disbelieving frustration, I may not have suffered the climactic mental shortcircuiting resulting in my hapless television set weathering a storm of expletives rained down upon it.
Split into three sections, the first, Cherry Blossom, is the best, longest, and least likely to make me empty my lungs in primal anger. The “hero” of our story is Tokyo middle-school pupil Takaki Tohno, who pines for his female friend Akari Shinohara who moved away at the end of elementary school. Flashbacks show the two of them developing a close friendship over common interests in books, and being transfer-student outsiders. Akari informs Takaki that the ubiquitous cherry blossoms that fall during Japanese springtime descend at the rate of five centimetres per second, and they vow to watch the cherry blossoms again the following year, a promise thwarted by Akari’s parents who move her away.
Set between 1991 and 1995, prior to the widespread adoption of mobile telephones, Akari and Takaki correspond via letters, and there’s an almost constant vocal accompaniment to Shinkai’s trademark hyper-realistic/overexposed/vividly coloured backdrops. Although there’s little you could call “dialogue” here, characters rarely stop staring into the distance enough to speak to one another — the words are read from their respective letters, offering insights into their barely-adolescent thought processes.
What little plot there is culminates in Takaki’s frustrated journey to meet Akari before he himself moves even further away from her. He sees this as their last chance to meet, and he battles delayed trains and multiple transfers across a snowstorm-ravaged countryside to finally arrive, late at night, hours later than planned, to find Akari diligently waiting for him at her rural train station. Of the entire film, this sequence feels the most vividly human. Shinkai painfully evokes Takaki’s anxious feelings of powerlessness, doubt and self-pity. We’ve all had those moments where life has done everything it can to stand in our way, to prevent us achieving our goals in the most unfair, merciless and unfeeling way.
Even when they do meet, Takaki is unable to hand over the love letter he wrote her because it blows away in the wind, and Akari fails to pluck up the courage to give her equivalent letter that remains in her bag. Beneath a barren cherry tree with snow falling like ersatz petals they experience one perfect, beautiful moment as they kiss, and even then Takaki acknowledges that they will never be together again, as the tides of their lives will conspire to keep them apart. I’m sure that every adolescent feels something like this at some point — a powerful connection with a close friend, girlfriend or boyfriend that would feel like the end of the world should the relationship be sundered. The segment ends with their final parting, and as we will see, the effects upon Takaki will be profound.
So if that’s the end of a cute little adolescent love story, what is the other two thirds of the film about? And why do I hate it so much? Yeah, we’ll get to that. The next part, Cosmonaut, is set four years later in 1999, with Takaki now in his final year of high school on the island of Kagoshima (the first place guns were imported to Japan, obscure fact fans). To all intents and purposes he looks like he has settled well into his new life, making friends and taking up archery, however female friend Kanae knows different.
Kanae is a tanned, sporty island girl who is determined to learn to surf independently, and she falls in love with Takaki. Unfortunately for her, although Takaki is friendly and attentive to her, it’s clear he never really notices her — he’s always looking to the distance, at something far away. He frequently taps text messages or emails to Akari on his flip-phone, but never sends them. Kanae doesn’t know what to do with her life, and she’s heartened when Takaki tells her he doesn’t have a plan either, he’s “just doing his best”.
The whole segment is about Takaki’s almost wilfull obliviousness to Kanae’s interest in him, and his inability to move on. Despite his kindness to her, something inside him is closed off. It was during this segment on my original watch that I began to feel frustrated with Takaki, and although I felt sorry for Kanae I couldn’t help but wonder what the absent Akari was up to during this. Once again there is a central conversation about speed — this time about the 5km/hour by which enormous rocket components are transported by road to the nearby Japanese Space Agency. The probe there is due to launch soon, spending years travelling alone to the edges of the solar system, “barely even meeting a stray hydrogen atom”, as Takaki puts it. A stark reminder of the movie’s themes of distance, and longing.
Starting from an urban sprawl to a snowy countryside in the first segment, the second vividly depicts a baking hot seaside life, with Kanae’s attempts (and eventual success) at surfing a technically brilliant animation highlight. The incandescent night-time skies of Voices of a Distant Star make a return here, especially in Takaki’s recurrent dream of standing on a distant planet with Akari. Particularly poignant is the scene where Kanae, who has spent actual years building up the courage to confess her feelings to the distant Takaki, bursts into tears as nearby, the solar system probe launches into space. Their attention is captured by the majestic exhaust plume as the rocket hurls itself out of Earth’s gravity. Kanae realises Takaki is just like the rocket — focused on something so far away, so distant, that she will never be in his orbit. She resolves to give up, while acknowledging this won’t make her feelings go away, and she cries herself to sleep.
So that’s a downer, then.
Segment three shares its title with the film itself, 5 Centimetres per Second, returning to the motif of falling cherry blossoms. Once again, it’s spring. Takaki is now an adult, living and working in Tokyo and it’s 2008 — several years have passed since he graduated from high school in Tanegashima and subsequently attended university in Tokyo. He seems even more unhappy and empty than he was as a teenager — ignoring emails from Risa, who I presume is his girlfriend. She writes “we must have exchanged 1000 emails but our hearts only moved closer by one centimetre”. Takaki’s heart remains closed as he still idealises that one brief relationship with Akari when he was thirteen. We see him quit his job and sit dejectedly on the floor of his apartment, eating boxed convenience store food.
An extended montage plays to the theme song One More Time, One More Chance by Masayoshi Yamazaki (a popular music hit from 1997 that Shinkai chose because of its uncanny suitability for the film, and motifs from it litter the entire soundtrack.) In the montage we see that unlike Takaki, Akari has moved on with her life and is engaged to be married. Although she’s happy, she looks back on her time with Takaki with wistful fondness, and still dreams of him, most recently triggered by her finding her unwritten love letter to him. We see short flashebacks of them both excitedly finding letters in their mailboxes, then their disappointment as eventually the letters stop coming and the distance between them widens. I won’t lie, I found this scene viscerally emotional, but I didn’t welcome it.
The film ends with Takaki and Akari, by chance, crossing the same railway level crossing they did as children, as the cherry blossoms fall around them. Both turn slightly to look at the other as two long trains then cross between them. By the time they pass, Takaki is alone and Akari is no longer waiting for him. With this, he finally finds the resolve to move on. Having watched the film three separate times now, this scene still makes me tear up. Something about this movie hurts me.
To explain why I hate this movie so much, we’ll have to look at what the purpose of movies are in the first place. Why do we watch films? Primarily to be entertained. That doesn’t always mean the emotions evoked by films need to be positive. The existence of horror movies and the deliberate evocation of fear isn’t exactly positive, but they’re a popular genre. Tragic romance, or “weepies” used to be a popular genre, perhaps not so prominent now, but many of the greatest movies of all time have downbeat endings (Casablanca etc), and the fact that their conclusions are painful are what etched them indelibly into cinematic history.
I don’t mind when a movie tugs at my heartstrings when I feel it has been earned, and isn’t shamelessly manipulative. I don’t mind crying when the characters have been empathetic and have struggled to achieve their goals but fail at the last minute. But in 5cm, the main character Takaki is so god-damned passive that I can’t stand him. He does nothing to make his situation better. He idolises his past childhood romance while completely ghosting the one he supposedly loves. He pines for Akari for years but fails to keep writing/calling/emailing her. Even in the 1990s, we had ways of keeping in touch. Takaki is so unbelievably… pathetic. Why even make a film about this guy? Watching this film entails one entire hour of pure frustration for me.
So why does it affect me on such a visceral level? I’m about the same age as Takaki. I grew up in the 1990s, and I had a childhood sweetheart whom I adored. I also had to move away, and we were separated, cities apart without ease of transport, I didn’t even have my own telephone, email wasn’t a thing. You know what we did? We wrote to each other every week. Sometimes more than once a week. I called her from a public phone booth. We travelled to meet each other at weekends and holidays. We made it goddamn work, because we felt that strongly about it. I wasn’t willing to have her as some distant childhood sweetheart who would fade merely into fond memory. No, I loved her with all my heart and refused to let her go, regardless of distance and difficulty. That childhood sweetheart became my wife, and we are still together today after almost 24 years of marriage (yeah, we married young).
I realise our story isn’t really that common, but it pains me to watch such a pathetic, wasted life as Takaki’s. The end makes me cry because it makes me think what if that had happened to me and the girl who became my wife? I can’t imagine a life without her, and wonder if perhaps I would have ended up an empty shell like Takaki? Probably not, to be honest, I’d like to think I have more emotional resilience that that. But really… Shinkai… Why build up a teenage romance and then just… fail to follow it up? Why deliberately make such a frustrating film with a dull, wet blanket of a protagonist? I get you wanted to evoke strong, complicated feelings — congratulations, you managed — but was it worth the bitter aftertaste? I don’t think so, and that’s why I refuse to ever put myself through watching this ever again. I don’t think it’s a bad movie, it’s beautifully made, but I still hate it.
So in the interest of completeness, I also read the books associated with the film, the first of which is the first novel written by Shinkai himself. The previous book adaptations of his films were written by others. At only 90 pages, it’s a pretty short book, a novella at most, and in English it’s published by Yen Press alongside the novelisation of Shinkai’s later movie Children Who Chase Lost Voices. I have to admit, I didn’t realise that Shinkai himself had written it until I finished reading it and read his afterword.
The novel reads well, it hews very closely to the film, though helpfully embellishes the inner thought processes of the characters. It’s similarly structured in three parts — the first narrated in first person by Takaki, the second in first person by Kanae and the third written in the third person covers both Takaki and Akari’s experiences, though at something of a distance. The story is the same, and it’s just as frustrating, but the third part especially benefits from the extra detail and exposition lent to it from the print medium. If anything, the way Takaki treats his girlfriend Risa (whose part is greatly expanded) makes him seem even more of an asshole to me.
The second novel adaptation, published by Vertical, is something a little different — it’s called one more side and is written by Arata Kanoh, whom you’ll recognise as the author of both the novelisations of Voices of a Distant Star (which I disliked) and The Place Promised in Our Early Days (which I liked). As the title hints, the novel offers a different viewpoint on the events of the film and the first novelisation. Whether the film actually deserves two separate novelisations is another argument entirely.
One more side is again split into three segments like the film, with the first narrated in first person by Akari. It is nice to hear things from her perspective, it isn’t exactly revelatory, and it does tend to drift towards the deathly dull adolescent navel-gazing that marred Kanoh’s Voices novel. Kanoh’s writing is also rather staccato in style compared to Shinkai’s. While Shinkai tends to write in longer, descriptive passages (unsurprising, considering the visual splendour of his films), Kanoh writes in short sharp sentences, rarely grouped in paragraphs, it reads more like random thought after random thought splurged onto the page, which may be fairly accurate to the internal thought processes of a lovestruck adolescent, but I find it difficult to read.
The second part is narrated in first person this time by Takaki, which is interesting because in the equivalent movie segment, Takaki is seen almost exclusively through Kanae’s eyes, and his actions are a mystery. This part does a really good job of explaining his actions and views. He comes across as a very melancholy boy, emotionally adrift from those around him. It expands on his dreams, and confirms that the messages he continually types on his phone to Akari are never sent (something the movie only just hints at). It also confrms that he’s not completely oblivious to Kanae’s feelings, but he’s so emotionally constipated he does nothing about them.
Finally, the third part gives even more depth to both Akari and Takaki’s adult lives. Again, Risa has a larger part (she barely appears except as two or three mere cameos in the film) and Takaki really does treat her very badly. I disliked him even more after reading the book, though Akari comes off well as a functioning adult. The book ends with a transcription of both characters’ unsent love letters, which is poignant touch. Overall it’s a decent enough read, I didn’t hate it like I hated the film.
So that leaves the manga adaptation, available in English as a single omnibus edition from Vertical. It’s not just an adaptation of the film, there are scenes from the novel here too that greatly expand the story. The art is decent, the characters’ faces expressive, but what I really like is how it handles the ending. I don’t want to spoil it, but it adds an extra hopeful note to the climactic scene, but also adds an unexpectedly delightful coda where Kanae finally gets some form of closure. The manga is almost certainly worth reading for fans of the film.
All three book versions remain in print and are readily available, the movie itself was licence-rescued in the UK by Anime Limited two years ago, while in the US a blu-ray was released by GKIDS/Shout Factory last year. Perhaps if you go into it expecting a tragic/unfulfilled romance you might enjoy it more than I did. For now, I’m just grateful to be able to move on to Shinkai’s next film — 2011’s Children Who Chase Lost Voices (also known as Journey to Agartha). See you next time!
5 Centimeters Per Second
Directed, written and produced by: Makoto Shinkai
Studio: CoMix Wave Inc.
Music by: Tenmon
Japanese cinematic release: 3rd March 2007
UK release: DVD: 14th March 2011, blu-ray: 29th Oct 2018 (Manga Entertainment), blu-ray: 5th April 2021 (Anime Limited)
Languages: Japanese audio with English subtitles, English audio
Runtime: 63 minutes
BBFC rating: U
5 Centimeters Per Second (novel)
Written by: Makoto Shinkai
Japanese publisher: Media Factory
Japanese Publication date: 19th November 2007
Published in the US as: Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below + 5 Centimeters per Second (Hardcover)
US Publisher: Yen Press
US Publication date: 4th May 2021
Page count: 192
Translated by: Taylor Engel
ISBN: 978–1975315–69–6
5 Centimeters per Second (manga)
Written by: Makoto Shinkai
Illustrated by: Seike Yukiko
Japanese publisher: Kodansha (Monthly Afternoon)
Japanese Publication date: 25 May 2010–25 March 2011
US Publisher: Vertical
US Publication date: 12 July 2012
Page count: 468
Translated by: Melissa Tanaka
ISBN: 978–1–932234–96–1
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Kano Ienaga (Golden Kamuy)
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Sensitivity: Nope Depth & Development: Somewhat Present Accuracy: BIG Nope Canon Status: Canon Golden Kamuy is an ongoing manga series by Satoru Noda, originally published in 2014 and adapted into an anime in 2018. The plot takes place during the Russo-Japanese War in the early 20th century, following its protagonist, Saichi Sugimoto, and his quest…
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https://transgirlmedia.wordpress.com/2020/08/12/kano-ienaga-golden-kamuy/
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Sensitivity: Nope
Depth & Development: Somewhat Present
Accuracy: BIG Nope
Canon Status: Canon
Golden Kamuy is an ongoing manga series by Satoru Noda, originally published in 2014 and adapted into an anime in 2018. The plot takes place during the Russo-Japanese War in the early 20th century, following its protagonist, Saichi Sugimoto, and his quest to find a hidden wealth of gold. He is aided on his quest by Asirpa, a young Ainu girl, and a cast of various characters that make up the central group.
Kano Ienaga makes her debut around the 50th chapter of the manga, or around the end of the first season of the anime. Even upon her first appearance, Golden Kamuy has no pretenses about exactly what kind of character she is. Immediately, Kano is unfortunately revealed to represent one of the most damaging and objectionable stereotypes regarding transgender women. However, she seems to be a curious case of a character that starts out wholly negative and slowly develops a slightly more positive presence as the story goes on.
Luckily, the anime doesn’t deviate far from her portrayal in the manga so the following review will apply to both mediums where applicable.
Warning for discussions of serial murder (including real-life serial killers) and mentions of cannibalism.
Kano Ienaga is introduced as the proprietress of a hotel that a number of major characters find themselves at along their journey. She’s described as a mysterious beauty and quickly becomes the object of affection for multiple male characters. This attraction is short-lived, however, as it’s promptly revealed that Kano is not only a transgender woman, not only someone that a few of the characters once knew pre-transition, but also a serial killer who transitioned by killing and eating her victims in order to gain the parts of their bodies that she admires.
The anime accomplishes this reveal with a shot of her bloodied and bare-chested in the midst of a brutal murder, but the manga decides to go with a full-body shot complete with a shadowed view of her genitals.
It’s important to take a step back here and talk about exactly why this is bad. Really, really bad. The history of transgender women being represented in TV and movies has a dark tendency portray them as serial killers or sexual predators. Prominent examples of this include Psycho (1960), Silence of the Lambs (1991), and Sleepaway Camp (1983). All of these have included small addendums that the characters portrayed aren’t “really” transgender, but they are most certainly coded as trans women and are both shaped by, and continue to shape the public perception of transgender women. The notion that that real-life transgender women are dangerous and predatory is used constantly to deny them healthcare, protection, and basic human rights.
In 2012, GLAAD found that, in the 10 years prior, 21% of their catalogued transgender characters were cast as killers or villains. It’s likely that this statistic has mellowed in recent years due to a more socially aware media environment, but it’s still an unfortunately important part of the history of transgender representation.
As seen in Golden Kamuy, this trope continues to be somewhat pervasive. Kano takes explicit inspiration from two real-life serial killers. Her elaborate “murder hotel” fitted with traps and crawlspaces is a direct reference to H.H. Holmes, while her obsession with body parts is a more loose reference to Ed Gein. Neither of these men were transgender. There were arguments made in Gein’s case, but it’s become more apparent that Gein’s gender identity was a product of sensationalism and an excuse to devalue transgender lives (Initial psych evaluations on Gein revealed no issues with gender, but later ones attempted to manually implant the notion. If you can stomach it, there’s an interesting essay on the subject).
The big issue with Kano and other characters like her (Grell from Black Butler comes to mind.) is that their motivation for murdering is intrinsically linked to their transgender identity. In a perfect world, we could have characters who are killers and villains and also just happen to be transgender. However, when their villainy intersects completely with their transition, their portrayal hints at transgender women inherently being violent monsters. That the desire to be seen and treated as a woman is equally as salacious and obscene as murder.
Back to Kano, however. She initially attempts to kill all groups present, but thanks to the efforts of our heroes, Kano’s “murder hotel” collapses in a fire. She nearly dies, but is saved by another character and joins one of the major groups in the story as a relatively minor character for some time. Here, she is portrayed as a mature, feminine, and well put-together woman who also possesses considerable medical skills. The group she’s a part of is somewhat antagonistic towards the protagonists, but Kano herself isn’t depicted as outwardly evil from this point on, though she’s shown to still possess the same murderous urges for comedic effect.
Despite her identity presumably being fairly well-known, the other characters continue to refer to her as a woman. That said, she doesn’t play a very large role in the story. She appears intermittently, usually playing the role of a medic and aiding in the treatment of characters on both side of the struggle. It’s interesting to note that’s described as one of the best surgeons in Japan, if only due to her handling and dismembering of bodies.
As the story progresses, we do get small glimpses into Kano’s life and personality outside of her serial killing antics. We learn that she has a strong admiration for her mother and a genuine (non-creepy or sadistic) respect for mothers in general, so much so that she offers to deliver the child of another character. How this intersects with her own womanhood isn’t exactly shown.
This sort of development comes slightly too quickly and a little too late, however, as Kano’s character never goes anywhere subversive or interesting enough to justify the tropes present in her character. She makes a few contributions to the story large enough to be called impactful, but they’re always for the sake of other characters rather than herself. While my perception of her did soften somewhat in the later chapters compared to her introductory ones, I was left hoping for more. There are definitely things to like or appreciate about her character, but they’re largely overshadowed by the points in the story where she is most prominent.
I simply can’t endorse a character that unapologetically perpetuates the worst kind of stereotype.
While I am not wholly in favor of Kano Ienaga’s portrayal of Golden Kamuy, I don’t want this to come off as a denouncement of the manga or anime as a whole. The series still has a lot of positives, particularly by being one of the few prominent pieces of media to largely and respectfully feature the Ainu as prominent characters. To that end, it is extremely important and hopefully influential.
Final Score: 1.5 Shiraishi’s out of 5
The Golden Kamuy manga is currently serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, with the anime produced by Geno Studio and licensed for release in North America by Crunchyroll.
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https://www.mycast.io/talent/kano-mortal-kombat1
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😠Kano (Mortal Kombat)😠 Fan Casting
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View casting suggestions for 😠Kano (Mortal Kombat)😠, and make your own suggestions for roles you think they should play in upcoming films!
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myCast - Fan Casting Your Favorite Stories
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https://www.trmk.org/forums/threads/mortal-kombat-misogyny.20982/
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Mortal Kombat Misogyny
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2011-05-12T03:18:48-05:00
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Hey everyone. While Mortal Kombat is my favorite game series (along with Command & Conquer and Killzone), I feel an honest debate with others fans should be...
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en
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The Realm of Mortal Kombat Forums
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https://www.trmk.org/forums/threads/mortal-kombat-misogyny.20982/
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Hey everyone. While Mortal Kombat is my favorite game series (along with Command & Conquer and Killzone), I feel an honest debate with others fans should be brought up in order to settle a big question not only with MK but with many games of our time. It is that of misogyny.
Many of us know Grand Theft Auto as the flagship game for violence against women, or rather, as the game that was put on the spot for it. I want to share an experience. Prior to playing MK9 for the first time and then buying it, I watched a few LiveStreams of players who got the game early. After cycling through some Tag and single player ladder matches, the player got onto the Fatality Trainer. Of course I wanted to see this, what MK fan doesn't want to see the new installments of ogreish finishers?
The first fatality was Noob, of course, and the kid picked Jade to finish. Alright, so some angst leftover from the UMK3 days I guess. But then he picked Kung Lao, and his victim was Mileena. Scorpion, with Sonya as a victim. Then, Kano and Kitana. Then, back to Mileena. It got so bad that I and a couple other viewers pointed out his misogyny and deep-seated perversion. But most viewers were like "yeah! haha!" or "**** yeah, awesome". Some were even like "that's hot". Am I a pansy to say that's kind of creepy and ****ed up?
Then, on DeviantArt, looking for signatures and avatars, I came upon this one kid "TheInsaneDarkOne". I won't lie, he is talented, but his drawings (comissioned!!) are all of some big, muscular MK guy beating/killing a female character. One set of pictures, he draws Sub-Zero sexually molesting Mileena. And I looked at the comments for these pictures, and they were all like "sweet", "that's sexy", "awesome", etc. Really? Is it just that isolated- that DeviantArt is full of sick creeps, or is this a sign of something the gaming community ought to look at?
(http://theinsanedarkone.deviantart.com/)
I love MK as much as the next guy. I've been following it for years; it was the first video game I played as a child and it remained fixated on my schema of video games throughout years. But sometimes, it creeps me out how far certain people will go. You can say that MK is in fact being egalitarian. That's a valid argument- but valid doesn't mean true.
Yes, MK has strong feminine characters like Sonya, Jade, and Kitana who take control and get things done. And yes, MK operates on the idea that women are equal to men and thus, we have women and men ninjas of equal strength and talent kicking the crap out of each other. BUT let's look at reality-> physically, men are at least 3-4x stronger than women. The effects of a real man-woman fight are devastating and there are 1 in 4 women in the US who experience abuse at the hands of men (I think that's an old statistic). While in the MK universe, Mileena and Scorpion may be of equal strength/skill, in the real world, there are abusive fathers and husbands and boyfriends beating on their girls and there is no such equal "strength or skill".
What the game experience of a man v. woman fight brings is desensitization. It desensitizes men and women to the realities of misogyny and the violence against women. And in that desensitization lies less empathy, in the long run, for victims, and such cultural plague. It's very similar to the effect Eminem's lyrics have. And it's a desensitization that we can't afford to bear, because women and girls face hardships that men will never know and the reality of misogyny is something we can't dismiss. How many of you guys/girls have noticed this about MK, or about some people playing it that seem to enjoy this aspect of it? I was legit creeped out by that dude- he was like doing five, six, seven fatalities all on women. Personal problem of his, yes. But the ability to do things like that on a mass marketed game.... what does that have to say about society?
If any of you guys want to know more about this desensitization effect, Jackson Katz has an article on Eminem on his website. Mr. Katz is a speaker on women and gender issues that tours nationally and also researches. He and Dr. Thomas Keith, PhD, contribute to each others work sometimes. There are two good videos you can catch online: "Tough Guise" on masculinity and violence by Jackson Katz, and "Generation M" by Dr. Keith on misogyny in music and pop culture.
http://www.jacksonkatz.com/eminem2.html
And I'm not a WGS major.
You bring up a good point. And of course, Rule 36 (or is it 34?) applies to MK and misogyny as well. I actually think there is a name for it... "Rinona"? or something. This isn't an attack on MK, after all MK, like all other forms of culture, is just a reflection of the state of mind our society is in.
Can I ask though, what exactly is appealing about slicing Mileena in half as opposed to Sektor or Kano? Done to the latter two, it's an act of violence. Done to the former, it's supposedly more "appealing". What is appealing about a woman getting killed or beaten? I'm not asking to offend, I really want to know. Is it a "damsel in distress" thing? Or does this point to our culture's objectification of women? I will admit, I am very much a fan of the feminine figure. I'm not arguing against sex. But the thing is, when music and movies, as well as video games, turn women into sex statues that stand in the background, or even main characters that are dressed in threads exposing the derriere, what does that minimize women's status to? Even in a heroic position, the woman is not without her thong. It seems that the pass in movies, music, and games is that women have to be deified for their sexuality or displayed as receptacles for male sexual impulse. Man and woman are made for each other. But as human beings, not objects! When is the last time you saw a billboard with a big, veiny penis on it in Times' Square?
When women are lowered to the role of sex objects, complying with restricting beauty standards, all of which cater to men's desires... then women lose the qualities we attach to human beings in general- thought, emotion, validity, will, circumstance. It becomes lose-lose. Like.... "it's her fault, she was asking for it"... or "DEEEAAAAYYYUUUMMMNNN lookadatbootaaay!". Could it be that in effect, Mileena getting cut apart is seen deep down by those who find it "more appealing" as an object of sex being cut apart? If so that's profoundly frightening! It's like the ultimate statement of sexual objectification- "You're only good for sex! Now DIE!". And you're not the only one who's said women's pain in video games is appealing- look at Rumble Roses for that matter. And when MK9's first few tidbits came out last summer, people in the videos cheered when Kung Lao mid-sectioned Mileena, moreso than they did when Sub-Zero disemboweled Scorpion. Not a criticism- let's see what part of society gives us all this message that it is okay to and even promoted for, women to get hurt.
Its shocking because this sort of stuff is not that different from men actually hurting women. It flows from the same vein, and while some may say "video games are better than it happening in reality" why has it made it this far, into video games in the first place?
ofcourse i don't think women should be degraded like that. I value talking to a strong, confident woman over a dumb hot one anyday. I don't like watching women get massacred in the game. I have no secret grudge against women . i think the majority of the people just like to watch women FULL STOP. ofcourse i don't like the idea. and it is kind of sad that this is what most people in the world want. But i want to ask you something. You are on a mortal kombat forum i.e. you like mortal kombat. what do you like about mortal kombat? story? gameplay? maturity? for me it's all of that. es the maturity is a needed factor for me. be that violence or sex.
Ofcourse opinions and tastes will differ. But the facts society has shown us is. sex sells. violence sells. sex+violence=Epic Win. ofcourse if u think about it, it sounds pretty disturbing but i'd be a hypocrite if i said i didn't like it and i wanted it to stop. As long as it's just in Games/Movies i'm fine with it. But people being influenced by that and acting it out in the real world is something totally different.
So basically i think it's a problem with the point of view. You look at it as women being mutilated. i look at it as ppl liking to watch women. everyone get's mutilated in the game ^^ so it's kind of fair.
ofcourse i don't think women should be degraded like that. I value talking to a strong, confident woman over a dumb hot one anyday. I don't like watching women get massacred in the game. I have no secret grudge against women . i think the majority of the people just like to watch women FULL STOP. ofcourse i don't like the idea. and it is kind of sad that this is what most people in the world want. But i want to ask you something. You are on a mortal kombat forum i.e. you like mortal kombat. what do you like about mortal kombat? story? gameplay? maturity? for me it's all of that. es the maturity is a needed factor for me. be that violence or sex.
Ofcourse opinions and tastes will differ. But the facts society has shown us is. sex sells. violence sells. sex+violence=Epic Win. ofcourse if u think about it, it sounds pretty disturbing but i'd be a hypocrite if i said i didn't like it and i wanted it to stop. As long as it's just in Games/Movies i'm fine with it. But people being influenced by that and acting it out in the real world is something totally different.
So basically i think it's a problem with the point of view. You look at it as women being mutilated. i look at it as ppl liking to watch women. everyone get's mutilated in the game ^^ so it's kind of fair.
Please don't take this as a criticism of you in particular! I'm just trying to find out why misogyny is popular in MK. I like MK mostly because of the storyline and characters- the violence never really got to me as I've seen some in real life (accident). But MK as a franchise, I like. I've always liked.
While violence and sex sell, and most cultural outlets geared towards men feature a medley of both, I see that only applicable in that MK has violence, and MK has scantily clad women. But not as MK giving you the ability to kill scantily clad women as appealing. That's an entirely different beast- that's what I'm trying to understand. The whole man-v-woman fighting aspect and the misogyny, (TheInsaneDarkOne)-types who enjoy watching sexualized women being subjected to male violence. I think that needs to be explored in relations to society- because storyline and all stripped away, MK is just like GTA in that it gives the player the option to subject women to intense violence at the hands of men.
I dunno man, it's a thing for some people. Don't let it get to you too much; I'm sure as an Internet dweller you're aware of how "guro" or gore fetishism has been a thing for years with some freaks. This weirdo might be into that. On that note, I don't let it bother me all that much because in MK, it's all about equal-opportunity murder. I personally don't approve of hurting women IRL, but part of the very core of Mortal Kombat fighting will often involve girls getting beat up, since they're there as player characters.
Not to say everyone gets off on seeing the girl characters smacked around. I get as much of a rush pulling off a Fatality on a Reptile as I do a Sonya; the gender of the character doesn't matter to me.
But on that note, the Internet has spawned some twisted, utterly depraved people. Morality tends to fly out the window in this anonymous world of interconnected tubes, I've seen all kinds of utterly NASTY fantasies people fap over online.
But is it any worse that Street Fighter lets you beat up Chun-Li or that you can smack around the chicks in Dead or Alive?
I understand the concern of misogyny, and I don't think NRS employees have a hatred of women. The MK females are sexy, sure, but that's become a commonly accepted facet of games, that there will be females made to look as attractive as possible.
Outright hatred of/spite towards women, though? Don't let it get to you, man. Most people know better than these freaks.
I certainly don't mean to knock your personal view on the matter and I do agree with the above poster that this is a rather intelligent topic. However, I do think that you may be reading into things a bit more than you should be. I doubt that either the youtube poster or the artist have any type of derogatory views on women in general nor do they mean to imply as such.
As far as the artist on DeviantArt is concerned, I actually found his skills to be rather impressive as an artist. I didn't particularly care for some of his work, but theres no denying that he is definitely skilled. One thing you have to consider about that site is that alot of times those artists get requests from people that want to see something in particular. It may not even come from his own pool of ideas. Granted, that does pose quite an interesting question. What does some of his work say about those people asking to see it?
Now with the Youtube fatalities, well I think that's just a matter of the persons individual tastes perhaps. Maybe he simply doesn't care for any of the women in the game. That's not to say that he's a misogynist, perhaps it's just his personal taste. I'm personally not a big fan of the female characters in MK. They're alright, but just don't fit my play style much. When it comes to showing off fatalities however, I have always enjoyed performing them on my least favorite characters, mostly against Stryker, Sonya, or Sheeva, lol.
Mortal Kombat has always portrayed it's female characters in a very strong, competitive, but yet sexy sort of way. I've never felt that there was ever the slightest hint of misogyny to the game. It's female characters have always been on par with their male counterparts. I suppose that there are always going to be some sick bastards out there in the world with heavy misogynistic viewpoints , but I don't feel that they represent a very large percentage of the MK fanbase.
This is a very interesting thread indeed.
I certainly don't mean to knock your personal view on the matter and I do agree with the above poster that this is a rather intelligent topic. However, I do think that you may be reading into things a bit more than you should be. I doubt that either the youtube poster or the artist have any type of derogatory views on women in general nor do they mean to imply as such.
As far as the artist on DeviantArt is concerned, I actually found his skills to be rather impressive as an artist. I didn't particularly care for some of his work, but theres no denying that he is definitely skilled. One thing you have to consider about that site is that alot of times those artists get requests from people that want to see something in particular. It may not even come from his own pool of ideas. Granted, that does pose quite an interesting question. What does some of his work say about those people asking to see it?
Now with the Youtube fatalities, well I think that's just a matter of the persons individual tastes perhaps. Maybe he simply doesn't care for any of the women in the game. That's not to say that he's a misogynist, perhaps it's just his personal taste. I'm personally not a big fan of the female characters in MK. They're alright, but just don't fit my play style much. When it comes to showing off fatalities however, I have always enjoyed performing them on my least favorite characters, mostly against Stryker, Sonya, or Sheeva, lol.
Mortal Kombat has always portrayed it's female characters in a very strong, competitive, but yet sexy sort of way. I've never felt that there was ever the slightest hint of misogyny to the game. It's female characters have always been on par with their male counterparts. I suppose that there are always going to be some sick bastards out there in the world with heavy misogynistic viewpoints , but I don't feel that they represent a very large percentage of the MK fanbase.
This is a very interesting thread indeed.
I won't lie that MK, compared to most fighting games, actually has a better idealization of women. Boobs and ass aside, as that's a requirement for videogames it seems, MK women are more confident and leader-like. I actually really liked Jade's character in MK9. Very strong-minded and badass, as well as Sonya. MK was never short in that aspect. And it's not MK per se, or Boon that's a misogynist, or Rockstar games is misogynist. It's not that at all. Simply put, the game has an avenue for such things that is comparable to GTA.
There are far worse games, like DOA and Rumble Roses, that are very straightforward in their sexism.
While Ryu and Chun Li can fight in video games, there's no killing aspect. I personally think desensitization to violence in general can lead to disastrous things if the wrong person gets their hands on it, but even moreso, how is it not an issue for the gaming world when fans of the most popular fighting games can pop in their CD and see scantily clad women getting beat? When you see some creep on Livestream killing women only, it's easy to say it's just him and not a reflection on society. But it's twice wrong, it IS a reflection on society and what is allowed (at least to be envisioned). I don't need to explain how serious of a problem abuse and rape are, they are things men and I as a man can never understand except only in an abstract sense, but we all have an idea. When someone's on the stream doing fatalities on women and people are cheering him on, it shows what's (underneath all properness and appearance) seen as alright. Sort of like "*****es ain't shit but hoes and tricks" and other lyrics in music. There are defenses for each and every one of these instances, but there's nothing intercepting the implications they have on the state of women in society. A kid doing fatalities on all women on livestream is not any different from someone fantasizing rape, after all, the women characters are portrayed in a helpless fashion and the men "have their way" with them. At least that's what I got from it after seeing the stream. It's debatable, but there's some link between it and the urges that men are told are okay to have, through subtle means like pop culture.
I may be reading too much into it as some say but come on, let's be honest here, aside from dancing around the issue, there is a link between these themes.
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My Sword Is Unbelievably Dull
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2012-04-24T09:56:32-04:00
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10 posts published by Digibro and thoughtcannon during April 2012
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My Sword Is Unbelievably Dull
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My quest through Equestria Daily‘s media section is finally over after more than two months. I only made it back through June 2011, but due to a series of events, I lost my place, and EQD’s page system makes it difficult to go through their archives. Besides, the further back I go, the less high-quality media there is, and these days so much is produced that I hardly find time for my archive plumbing. Therefor, I’m calling it here.
I’ve listened to several hundred songs, watched at least a hundred PMVs, a few dozen animations, YTPs and flash movies, not even getting into the dozens of games I’ve played and thousands of images I’ve looked at. I’ve gotten deep into brony media culture, and I’m only going deeper. Here are my findings at current depth.
Amazing as Equestria Daily is, the site is unreliable. After all, it’s a blog, not a database, and only wants to be as much. My tastes don’t always agree with those of the EQD review staff. They post up plenty of shit PMVs and tons of generic electronic music that has little in the way of pony—not to say that their tastes are generally bad, just that I intook more than enough crap that I didn’t care for, while finding other stuff that I did looking on my own.
(Totally not butthurt because nothing I’ve submitted to EQD has ever made it :p)
Nevertheless I can’t discount how valuable it is to have a site that delivers large amounts of worthwhile content to an incredibly wide audience. I only hope that a good portion of that audience goes to find things on their own as well. This might be an insane demand actually, because I know firsthand that keeping up with EQD alone is incredibly time-consuming (even if, like me, you don’t read any of the fanfics they post). You probably have to be a jobless, schoolless pony fanatic like myself to intake as much pony as I do while accomplishing anything else.
There are no words to describe the whole of pony media, except that all of it contains pony (and even then, that assessment is questionable at times). Pony media spans every medium and genre, and probably creates a few of its own. There’s pony stuff that I like in every form, and getting into all of it will be a nightmare.
This post will contain a list of each song, video, etc. that I’ve downloaded or favorited on sites like youtube, deviantart, fimfiction, etc., largely without comment. I’d like to say things about them all, but it will be just gushing unless I could dedicate a full post to each item.
Here is a bit more than the tip of the iceberg of all the pony stuff I like. I’m sure I’ll eventually make a full-on canon of all things pony which I enjoy in the future.
In order to keep this list from getting too crowded, I’m limiting it to one item per artist. You’ll see something like “JHaller’s x, x, and x,” while featuring the work which I like most. Everything is largely out of order, but I tried to position the best stuff at the top of each category.
Continue reading →
I’ve been on something of a self-imposed hiatus lately thanks to powering my way through Integral Calculus (aka Calculus 2 in most places) for the first time in my life ever. I mean it’s what eats up most of my time by virtue of it being the only subject I do study groups for. Oftentimes I’m a week behind on anime which restricts me from posting much of anything relevant…what was I talking about again? Oh right, Aquarion Evol.
So yeah I love this show with a strange, rather unexplainable burning passion especially considering I haven’t seen the original series. As rational as I am there is something about the idea of destined lovers that always stirs up the hopeless romantic in me. The problem is most shows just have the whole OTP, generally non-canon with the show, just whoever the main character happens to meet first or met when they were a little kid. Aquarion is different, Apollo and Silvia’s (Apollonius and Cellane’s) love is fated for 12,000 years, reincarnates and returns again and again, and is rekindled aknew each time. They aren’t just fated childhood friends, they are fated lovers that even death cannot keep apart. They’d be star-crossed lovers if they weren’t so darn good at finding each other time and again. Their love is so fated that they made another anime series just to cash in on the first for them to be together again.
Which brings me to Aquarion’s critical juncture. The question must have been building up in the back of the viewers mind for some time now, but the most recent episodes epic flashback brings the conflict to the center stage. Who or what is Amata? I feel like we’ve come to the point where it needs to be addressed. Is Amata the reincarnation of Apollo or is it Kagura? Or is it some weird homunculus combination of the two? We must first bear in mind that this is a Kawamori anime and he delights in upsetting expectations. What if Amata really isn’t remotely related to Apollo? Is Kawamori going to try and upset the notion of fated love established in the Sousei no Aquarion? It seems like a Kawamori thing to do.
However if Amata isn’t Apollo than why does he have the “Wings of the Sun”, or are those not them? Furthermore we’ve only seen Kagura manifest anything resembling wings once and they didn’t look very sunny to me. On the flip-side, were the memories that Mykage awoke in Kagura false or implanted memories? To be fair his obsessions focus mostly on Silvie (rather than Silvia or Cellane) and I don’t think once name himself as Apollo (or Apollonius). Yet, that could also be legitimate if Silvie, Amata’s mother, was also a resurrection of Silvia, or in some way carried the blood line (or fate line?) of the two. However, Silvie’s kidnapping raises the question of whether Amata and Kagura could in fact be siblings, which could give some legitimacy to the theory that they both partially contain Appolonius’ soul. We might even be willing to cast doubt on whether Mikono is really Silvia (though I’ve seen little evidence to the contrary or to anyone else being Silvia (though how awesome would it be if it were Brownka or Zessica)). These are the facts and theories I play around with when I consider who is the true reincarnation of the fated lovers, and it’s an example of just how invested I am in the goings on of Aquarion Evol. How Aquarion built that investment with excellent execution and just fucking fun and creative as hell episodes is a story for another post. In the meantime I’ll just ponder these ten and two thousand years, and hope you all will ponder them with me.
Might’ve been more romantic if this came a month from now on the site’s fifth birthday, which is also two days before my blog debuts in the second aniblog tourney, but what can I do? I can’t pass up making a special 1000th post. 1000 posts! That’s a lot! This is including the 87 posts that I have set to private, though not including the 54 drafts. When I published my last post, WordPress told me, “this was your 999th post!” so as far as I’m concerned, it’s an unambiguous 1000th. At least the birthday and tourney should get pure content posts.
Figuring out how to run this blog is difficult. I’ve moved away from being an “anime blogger” at present, having spent more time in the past two months blogging My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and, on this site, writing as much about video games as I have about anime. What am I now? What I’ve always been: just a blogger, only now one who’s less focused on one specific subject.
In this post I’ll explore what I should do about my sites, what my dream is as a writer/blogger, my future in anime blogging, and why I want to be more than just an “anime fan.”
I had a dream: of escaping anime fandom
And I succeeded. You’ll remember that two months ago I stated the following: “…there’s an extent to which I think my anime fandom isn’t so much more massive than my other fandoms as it is more inescapable and easy to be a fan of.” I then successfully escaped anime fandom without even trying. I didn’t watch any anime for almost two months, and consequently didn’t read anything about anime (unless it was by otou-san or ghostlightning because I read their writing indiscriminately). Meanwhile, I stepped into My Little Pony fandom in a way as massive as I’ve ever stepped into anything in my life, if not more so.
I didn’t stop being an anime fan, but I stopped being, “Digibro the anime fan.” For a while you could’ve called me, “Digibrony the self-explanatory,” and there’d be no reason for debate since ponies had a totalizing effect on my life that even anime never achieved. I couldn’t have seen that coming, but I knew that things would even out at some point, and then I was wondering… will I just become an anime fan again? Will I be “Digibrony the anime fan?”
It’s too early to say, because I’ve only re-emerged heavily into other cultures for the past two weeks. However, I didn’t find myself getting hard back into anime as though I’d been unknowingly harshing for a fix (as I’ve done after breaks in the past). I thought I’d end up diving into a new season like I’d missed out on a bunch of shit, but I didn’t react much to the things I watched, and while I remembered love here and there (Zetman), I didn’t go crazy back into otaku mode. I imagine that the effect of Japanese sounding weird to me all of a sudden will go away soon and I’ll remember why I liked some of these seiyuu that right now I’m going uuuhhrrrggg about, but what I also see is a long-broadened horizon waiting to be walked. Right now, more than anime, and even more than ponies (because I’ve almost consumed everything pony that there is, so now it’s more keeping up with new shit), what has my attention is video games. Who knows where this could lead?
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I have a dream: of establishing a personal canon
For years I’ve tried to perfect my favorites list. I’ve known forever that favorites lists are meant to evolve constantly, but now I understand that they key isn’t in a list per say; it’s in having a personal canon.
What is a personal canon as opposed to a favorite’s list? Here’s what four entries in my dream canon would look like, roughly sketched.
What makes this so different from a favorite’s list? Importantly, it’s mixed media, and more importantly, it can contain anything. This would be a literal canon of *everything that I care deeply about, period.* It would all culminate into something like this thing I’ve already started on, only minus all of the stuff outside the “favorite things” section.
My dream is for everything I do to tie into one central canon. I want one location that is a hub for absolutely everything: a singular website that is host to everything which I care about. This raises the all-important question:
Is that place here?
Even though working towards a total canon is my god-tier ultimate dream, it would hardly contain all of my writing about creative works. None of the posts I’ve written since coming off of my last hiatus, for instance, have a place in this canon. Yet, the posts within this canon certainly have a place here (after all, the whole site has been structured around perfecting it). But to what extent?
Video games and anime posts feel right at home here. My Little Pony and music posts don’t. This leads me to think of a separate central location for my canon which would link to posts on all of the separate sites that I use to talk about different things. I already have more than one central location of that sort, and while their purposes aren’t quite the same, they’ve all proved a cumbersome and unappealing system.
The problem is that I like this site the best, and I still have the hardest time reconciling what I want it to be against what I insist on making it. I’ve always said that this site was meant to be the ultimate hub of my output; yet, I have a site for pony posts, I have a site for personal posts, and I have sites for about nine hundred million other things (including, of all things, manga!).
The fear of integrating it all here is diminishing, however. For one thing, my readership is already more than well-established. For another, I never write a post expecting people to read or reply to it, and if I do, I go around publicizing the shit out of it. I’m not terribly concerned with netting new readers is my point, and I trust my readers won’t unfollow my blog just because it becomes varied. (If anything, it could have the positive consequences of 1. not forcing people who just like to read whatever I write to go all over the place, and 2. possibly interesting those people in new things through my writing).
The main post feed of the site isn’t even a thing of great importance. You come here, and there will be tabs, reading “music,” “games,” “anime,” etc., and you can damn well figure out what you’re looking for.
My Sword Is Unbelievably Dull has a long and storied history. At no point was it solely an anime blog. One of the first posts I did here was a review of the Halo 3 beta. I’ve talked more about myself than I have about anime, written about many different aspects of the subculture and surrounding cultures, and all the while deluded myself into thinking that this site was somehow focused. (Myself and probably no one else.)
Where does the site go from here?
It should be obvious: the answer is to condense all of my godfucking ridiculously innumerable blogs into two sites: the Digibro Canon (My Sword Is Unbelievably Dull), and the Digibro Creative Output Center (Modal Hsoul Productions). MSIUD becomes a center for many subjects, though, full-stop, it probably will mostly consist of anime and ponies (and possibly video games if the trend continues).
But what of the community? The people who want to read shit about anime, so they come here, and I go read their blogs or whatever? Look, I’m done watching and blogging current shows beyond the occasional impressions/analysis. I’ve been done reading anime blogs outside of the <10 I subscribe to for a long time. I’m done with the idea that I’m writing for anyone but myself and those who care to take a peek. If anything, I think that the readers who really enjoy me will be happy to see me writing more meaningful articles like the ones I’ve put out maybe once a month in between all the other shit I’ve been crapping out these past seven months.
What can you expect?
– More of the same, since that’s never going away
– More of all the stuff you see listed in that canon image
– More pages
– A site once-over (the site will go down sometime in the next 48 hours and I’ll add shitloads of shit to it)
– More things that aren’t anime
In other words, expect what this site has, at heart, always wanted to be. (animekritik.wordpress.com).
I’m not accusing Ideas Without End author r042 of saying this, but the idea that being “sexy” is also being “sexist” exists alongside the train of thought that had Australia banning porn of girls with A-cup breasts, saying that it promoted pedophilia. You can see where the leap in logic was made, but it doesn’t make sense.
I’d be willing to accept that, for example, a moe-driven visual novel along the lines of Kanon promoted sexism. I do not, however, think it’s inherently condemnable to imagine a situation wherein there is one male who is exponentially more intelligent than his many female friends, ends up solving all of their problems, and beds them afterwards. It’s a fantasy which, were only one or two of them floating around, probably wouldn’t be seen as a big deal. It’s when the fantasy plays all over the place that people start growing weary of it, and that’s where I think the attack on sexiness comes from. There’s nothing inherently objectifying or wrong about sexiness itself. There’s also nothing wrong with writing a work wherein emphasis is placed on appealing to one demographic.
It can(‘t) be helped that the consumer likes what they like. Why do female gamers like the designs in Skullgirls? The same reason males do: the style appeals to them. Why does the style appeal to them? You’d have to trace their entire life story and its roots in the creation of the universe in order to detail exactly why. That’s how taste works. It’s shaped by experience.
It is only as true that video game designs are skewed towards male tastes as it is true that video game designs are skewed towards the tastes of the original handful of people who incited the graphical culture. Games did not become sexy solely by a sales marketing scheme to capture the interest of men: it came because the men who designed the games liked those designs. Why did they like those designs? It can all be traced to someone else. Maybe they had a taste in women shaped by the movies they’d seen. The tastes of the movie directors was shaped by the magazines they read as a kid. The tastes of the magazine editors were shaped by someone else. At some point, you can trace all of this back to the first person who had a particular taste in women, shared it, found comraderie in others, created something that appealed to them, spread it further until it appealed to others, and then was handed further and further into “mass appeal,” whether shaped on purpose or by accident.
What we need to know how to differentiate is the difference between someone choosing a style because they like it, and choosing a style to pander to a demographic.
There’s not a huge difference between these. I’m either “choosing a style because I like it,” or, “choosing a style because they like it.” It’s the latter which can and will be changed to fit the needs of the public. When games are being designed to pander to men, but we want to see games that aren’t, we try to change it. We want to make our voices heard so that we can have games that pander to us by not showing us what we don’t want to see.
Pandering makes sense from a business standpoint. It makes sense that if the loudest demographic is made up of males who want a certain kind of sexy, then they’ll get it. It also makes sense that if enough people are offended by this that they grow loud enough to change something, then they will be pandered to.
r042 made a point in the comments of his post about the design for female Shepard in Mass Effect 3 having been voted on by the community. This is pandering. Yahtzee said as much about the ending being changed. The fact that this is pandering doesn’t make it “sexist.” The fact that it is pandering, when the male version of Shepard wasn’t allowed to be, is what makes it “sexist,” but by “sexist,” I mean “stupid.”
Pandering is politics. Everyone with a voice on the matter is a pundit trying to make things pander to them. If you’re in the camp asking for more sexy ladies, you’re a sexy-lady pundit. If you’re in the camp for less sexy ladies, you’re a less-sexy-ladies pundit. Only in this world of pandering can sexism be called to exist, because sexism is a perceived thing. It is something we allow ourselves to be offended about. It’s an idea that is not inherent in creative works.
Even if the main character of a game is the smartest man alive, thinks all women are idiots, and is constantly proven correct in-game, and if the creator is in agreement with the game’s sentiment, it doesn’t make the game sexist. It might make the creator sexist, but we’re the ones who read the game’s message as we chose. We can chose to read it as the story of a complete fucking douchebag ponce who happens to have surrounded himself with the eight dumbest, least-representative of their sex women on Earth. It’s a story. It can be of anything. Enjoying it wouldn’t make us sexist, just like enjoying Gears of War doesn’t make us a murderer. Taking the game’s ideas to heart and applying them to the world around us, on the other hand, would make us sexist. (Just as chainsawing someone in half would make us murderers.)
I’m rambling like crazy and have probably contradicted myself at least once, but let’s get to the point. How on Earth can we conceive Skullgirls as in any way sexist or offensive? What does the game’s message boil down to?
“These eight girls kick ass.”
That’s all there is to it. The game is about eight awesome, kick-ass characters, five of whom happen to be sexy. That’s right, only five! Not even are all the women in the game designed to be sexy. Among the roster is a decaying zombie girl, a giant hell-monster, and a little girl who is also a cartoon robot. Among the five that are sexy, they are quite varied. Yes, four of them have considerable bust sizes, but when did that become a problem? It’s not as if real women don’t often have large breasts.
Here’s a noteworthy fact: the weights and proportions of the girls are listed on the game’s website, along with pictures of them. Here’s the main character, Filia:
I realize that BMI is a pretty broken measurement system, but hear me out. At 5’4″, 142 lbs., Filia is at the upper limit of “normal” (18.5—24.9) with a BMI of 24.4. She’s almost overweight. As you can see in this image, Filia is visibly chubby compared to your average video game heroine. At 34C (don’t get me wrong, I know jack shit about bras) I imagine that her breast size is fairly average for a girl of her weight.
Filia is nonetheless seen as attractive and has a lot of fans. Hear that? She’s an average, realistically-proportioned girl, who looks good. My brother and I were in love with her design instantly, and so was my brother’s female friend who immediately wanted to buy the game just for the character designs (she has no interest in fighting games) and is already planning a cosplay of Filia. Her body type, as it turns out, is almost the same!
Why is Filia an attractive design? It has nothing to do with pandering or idealization. It’s because the designs in Skullgirls are phenomenal and the animation is unbelievable. Filia is drawn masterfully, the same way all the other girls are, from the more “classically” sexy Valentine to the grotesquely thin Painwheel. Everything in the game is gorgeous. The characters, the backgrounds, the effects, even the graphic design of the menus is excellent.
Yes, Valentine (the ninja-nurse) and Parasoul (who looks like a pantsless Russian super-spy) are supposed to look fetishized. Yes, the game has made a point for there to be a character with A, B, C, D, DD, and E-cup breasts, and yes, their three sizes are publicized. You know what else is publicized? Their personalities. What does Valentine like and dislike? (click to enlarge)
I don’t see a fetishized list of interests. I see likes and dislikes as varied and personal as my own. I see a character—a silly cartoon character, yes, but a realized one. Not a one-dimensional “personality” with a pair of tits tacked onto it like you might get in another fighting game. (Or even just the pair of tits, as you’ll get in Dead or Alive). Are you going to tell me that a realized character like this is offensive just because she’s sexy? If I slapped a pair of pants on this girl and closed her shirt, would you suddenly not be offended anymore? This is silly.
Skullgirls isn’t pandering. It isn’t sexist. It’s sexy. It’s also a whole lot of other things, such as excellent.
P.S. The developers have stated intent to include male characters in future DLC. I wonder how these characters would have or will sway claims of sexism.
R042 of Ideas Without End recently published a series of posts about his disillusionment with video games, concluding with what he’d like to see out of them in the future. He used Dark Souls (my favorite game) as an example of what to do right. The main idea I got from the post is that a great game is one whose reward for playing it is being able to play more of it.
Years ago, I got really into JRPGs. My reasoning was that the “story” was the most important aspect of a game to me, and I liked the stories in JRPGs the most. Nowadays, I can’t stand the stories in most JRPGs, leaving me with little else to care about. JRPGs aren’t particularly fun to play. They can be at times, but when I have to do things like hours of grinding, I grow tired of playing. If the story isn’t rewarding enough to continue, I wonder, “why am I playing this?”
I’m not a completionist. The last two games I reviewed, I did not complete. I was very into Persona 2 for a time, but as it wore on, everything became tiring. A once-interesting story evolved into the same trite “saving the world” BS that it always becomes in JRPGs, and the difficulty became arduous beyond the point of being fun. I made it to the final boss, but by then I cared so little and was so unwilling to keep grinding that I gave up.
Killer7 was very different. I never stopped loving the story to pieces, but the game became more challenging than I was willing to cope with. It wasn’t enough fun to play that I was willing to step up to its challenge. However, I think Killer7 is a great example of a game whose reward for playing it is getting to play more of it. The game has a unique and realized gameplay mechanic which some might enjoy and master. I lacked the patience to do so and didn’t enjoy it enough, but I get why others would go to the trouble.
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Since reading r042’s post, I’ve thought about this every time I’ve played a game or watched others do so. I wonder, “what am I getting out of this game? What makes me want to keep playing this?” It’s a primal understanding I have about why I will or won’t keep playing a game. I could easily tell you specific reasons why I disliked a game, but it’s even more interesting to me how I can step back and really get a grand sense of why it is that I don’t enjoy it.
Take Skyrim, which r042 discusses in one of his posts.
A friend told me that he would’ve played Skyrim for 300+ hours if it had the battle system of Dark Souls. More than that, I think Skyrim needs *anything* rewarding to make it better. If it had a gripping and unique story, maybe it would justify the shit battle system. Of course, it’d never have one of those. I can count the number of games that really made me care about the story on ten digits or less. However, were there a real sense of accomplishment from winning battles, like there is in Dark Souls, it would be more interesting. Progress would be marked not by how much time you played the game, but by how well you mastered the gameplay.
Even JRPGs are better about this than something like Skyrim. In Skyrim, the most tactical element is managing your weapons/armor/magic/etc. and stat allocation. In JRPGs, these elements exist alongside the tactics used to win battles. Finding the perfect combinations of summons to breeze through a dungeon in Persona 2 is where much of the game’s satisfaction comes from. The only satisfaction I got from Skyrim was riding around on Applejack thanks to a pony mod. (And, to be fair, I got immersed in the one town I explored, though not as well as I did in five seconds of playing Dark Souls.)
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I think I’m lucky not to be a hardcore gamer, because I don’t have to suffer any of r042’s disillusionment. Nor, indeed, the disillusionment of my favorite video game critic, Yahtzee. Unlike him, I don’t play a game every week and find myself drowning in how many shitty games there are. I only play the already-recognized gems handed down by reviewers like him. I generally like all of the games that I play, and I stop playing them when I stop liking them. I’m left with none of the negative emotions towards gaming as a whole that someone who plays them all would have.
I’ve been playing several games lately, but the one worth mention here is Yahtzee’s own recently-released action platformer, Poacher. Action platformers might be the best genre for what r042 calls “real games,” in that they tend to be the most challenging and most rewarding. They’re more streamlined than the likes of Dark Souls, but in Metroidvania games in particular, there’s still a huge amount of player agency in what you decide to do. There are often many things that are not necessary to finish the game, but still actually effect the game, like missile packs and health packs in Metroid. Getting these items is a decision which the player makes and alters the game in a meaningful way, which is important.
Anyway, we have Poacher, and it’s a game which I’m 33% through and don’t want to play anymore. Because Poacher really is a perfect example of a game whose reward is playing more of it, and being challenged further. It is highly influenced by another game that does this perfectly, Cave Story. Both are driven almost purely by gripping gameplay and challenge. And both of them, I couldn’t finish, because I gave up. I reached the final boss in Cave Story and found it entirely too difficult. Poacher is constantly punishing, and I know that it only gets harder as it goes, so I’m pretty much stuck in that one.
What the hell is the point I’m trying to make? I have no idea.
Medaka Box follows the character formula that defines Nisioisin’s writing. There’s a girl who’s a genius-badass, and a guy who’s a badass-genius. The girl is aware of her own genius, while the guy is doubly aware of the girl’s genius. The guy is also aware of his own genius, but believes (and is usually right) that his is far lesser than hers. The guy is not unconfident: he knows that he’s a badass and somewhat of a genius, but he’s so sure that the girl is better than him that he understates his badassness. We only see his badassness in his interactions with anyone other than the girl, as he treats all others as equal to or lower than himself (unless they’re yet another incredible badass/genius).
Is this explanation confusing you? It should be. Nisioisin writes confusing stories. Usually, they’re full of constant, biased, loopy narration. Medaka Box doesn’t have this element—it’s more straightforward, not only because it’s based on a manga, but more importantly because that manga runs in Shounen Jump and not, say, Faust. (Nisioisin has written manga that are exactly as head-fucking as his prose.)
Regardless of narrative style, the point stands that Nisioisin’s main duo is very here. Medaka is a genius (I’m actually shocked that this exact word didn’t see any use in the episode) in just about any field, and has an overwhelming presence. (Well, she should have one, but it wasn’t portrayed as overwhelmingly as, say, Senjougahara is in Bakemonogatari.) The lead character is second only to her in genius and skill, yet he presents her as being a world apart from himself. And just like other Nisio leads who are “surrounded by geniuses,” the lead seems convinced that he’s only as good as he is because Medaka rubbed off on him. I’ll bet Medaka believes differently, and will reveal to him his personal badassery at some point.
Moving along, what is goddere? Hitoyoshi is tsundere, as he admits in the episode. Goddere is a term that, as far as I know, came from Kyouran Kazoku Nikki, wherein Kyouka claimed to be the most supreme kind of dere, “goddere,” and said, “it’s not like I’m being omnipotent and all-powerful for your sake!” To me, the idea of goddere, which Kyouka expressed to an extent, and which Medaka expresses to the fullest, is literally “the love of a God.” It’s when the character either is or sees herself as so powerful that her love is protection, like the love of God. Medaka seems to be preaching that she’ll protect everyone with her endless benevolence. Pray to Medaka and thou shalt be saved.
On a different note, Kamina is back from the dead!
I didn’t like this episode very much but I’m not ready to drop the show yet.
Two years ago, Baka-Raptor endorsed Queen’s Blade with a rare double-down endorsement. He didn’t claim that the show was the pinnacle of awesomeness—he said that it was a great show which hadn’t been given a proper chance by anime bloggers, who’d dismissed it for its pornographic nature. I’ve defended shows the same way because I’m not a ponce, and anyone who’s not a ponce would defend a show for the same reason.
Of course, I’ve been guilty in the past of criticizing shows that I hadn’t given a proper chance. Rectifying that mistake is something I’ve put great emphasis on over the years. Queen’s Blade was a show that I initially dismissed and shit-talked when it debuted in 2009, and Baka-Raptor called me out on it. When he did his endorsement of the series, I promised him that I’d give it a shot.
I watched three episodes back then on a crappy stream somewhere, then said I’d get back to it. In light of the new season starting, I decided now was the time to give it another shot. I rightly watched it in 1080p, which brought to life the show’s gorgeous background art. Unfortunately, everything else in the show is ugly.
May as well start there. (By the way, I’m tipsy right now from taking a sip every time I saw bare tits in the first three eps of season two, so forgive me if I meander in this post): this is not an attractive show to me. Before you accuse me of being biased against big tits or something, allow me to firmly retort. There are a number of large-breasted characters whose designs I adore. To name a few off the top of my head: Kallen Stadtfeld, Suzumiya Haruhi, and Sonoshee McLaren. I didn’t find anyone in Queen’s Blade attractive, regardless of breast size—but that’s not what I mean by ugly.
If the characters were consistently drawn with the quality that they are in the ending sequence, then I wouldn’t complain. I’d simply call it a matter of taste. But the fact is, Queen’s Blade has shoddy-ass character art and animation which looks like hell most of the time. Considering that some fifty percent of the show is fanservice shots, this is a crime. I’ve said somewhere or another that THE most important places for animation/art to shine is in fanservice and fighting scenes. When these scenes are shit, then it pushes that shit straight into the viewer’s face. I don’t like shit in my face.
But I didn’t come to this show for the looks. I knew in 2010 that I didn’t like the way it looked. I came because Baka-Raptor championed the writing and the plot.
Like him, I thought that Listy’s betrayal in episode three was a nice touch, and it inspired me to continue with the show. After watching six episodes of season one and three episodes of season two (because Baka-Raptor told me to go straight to S2 if I got bored with S1), nothing else has impressed me about the plot or writing.
Character motivations in this series are as cliche and boring as they can get. All that saved the backstory scenes from being insufferable was their merciful shortness. I didn’t give a rat’s ass about the reasons any character had for fighting, and didn’t ultimately care who won any fights. For that matter, the characters have only the most basic personality traits which I don’t care about either. They aren’t very well-ruonded I guess is what I’m saying (well, they certainly are WELL-ROUNDED if you catch my drift).
Well-rounded characters aren’t a make-or-break thing for me, but if the characters suck, the animation sucks, so much sucks, what’s there to like? The plot, supposedly. I ask, what fucking plot?! This is the entire plot of the show: a bunch of boring women are fighting to become queen. When they aren’t doing this, they are involving themselves in random, stupid hijinks and terrible attempts at comedy. When they *are* fighting, they talk the whole time, stand around, and when they attack, the animation is shit and there’s no sense of how powerful characters are in relation to one-another (and these power levels are wildly inconsistent).
In three episodes of season two, the only thing I enjoyed was how Nyx, who was horribly boring, got defeated by Elina. Not because of the subversion of justice, but because Nyx was annoying and needed a one-way ticket out of the god damned show.
Anyway, the long and short of it is, I was disappointed.
is that it’s a grown-up show. When I saw it on this season’s chart, I was all too ready to blow it off, having long grown tired of A1 Pictures’ constant stream of very pretty looking melodramatic shows. But this isn’t a show about lame crying teenagers, it’s about a grown-up pair of brothers going to space. There’s still a lot of crying, but it’s adult crying. Or something.
Unlike ghostlightning, I couldn’t care less about space, astronomy, or hard science, but I do love shows about brotherhood, because like him, I am the oldest (of three in my case). My first brother is only a year and a half younger than me, whereas Mutto’s is three years, but it’s just as well. When I was fifteen or so, my brother started to overtake me in height, and Mutto’s looks like he overtook him at twelve. Hibito is god damn monstrous.
I’m ten years too young to have a brother who’s way the fuck more successful than I am, but that doesn’t mean it seems unlikely. He may be fairly directionless, but at least he’s in a university, unlike some older brother who’s been bumming around the house for almost a solid year.
Mutto and Hibito seem to have been really close, which is good for me because I’m also extremely close to my brothers. Victor (nineteen) and I certainly ran around in a forest recording things for most of our teen years. Unlike Mutto, but like Hibito, my brother and I never forget anything that we do (though Victor is MUCH better at remembering every promise that I’ve ever made to him, apparently). We probably will never forget because the video evidence is everywhere, constantly reminding us.
Here’s a fact I didn’t remember: apparently, our still-running Project Awesomeness comedy series was originally something I thought would make us “famous.” According to Victor, every time I’ve ever talked about my plans, they’re about how I’m going to become rich and famous one day. Then I think back—to things I always remember, now re-contextualized into a straight line.
I remember being eight years old, Victor probably six, and we were jumping up and down on our beds. I was explaining to him that the video game I was “designing” was going to make me two million dollars. I literally thought that if I “designed” a game (this involved writing strategy-guide-esque descriptions of levels, drawing maps and enemies, etc.) and sold it to Nintendo, they would give me two million dollars. With that money, I explained, still jumping, I would purchase every video game console and every video game in existence.
Fast forward seven years; I’m fifteen, he’s fourteen. I’m dead-set on becoming a director. As a matter of fact, what I want to do is drop out of school like Ryuhei Kitamura did and make a breakout low-budget film, like he did with Versus, and become world famous. My breakout would make me a full-time director, and what did I want to do with the money? Buy every anime DVD in existence. I never change.
Hell, maybe the reason I’m not driven right now is that there’s no massive stock of collectible entertainment I want to purchase.
Anyways, here’s what my little brothers want to do in life:
My fourteen year-old brother, Shade, wants to be a game designer.
Victor isn’t sure exactly what he wants to do, but he knows he wants to do film, and he’s in a film curriculum.
HORY SHIET.
Both of them are lazy and impassionate, yet both are far better at what they’re trying to do than I ever was (and more consistent). Shade modifies his PC games (i.e. making Minecraft skins, etc.) and has a load of modeling programs. Victor is good enough at editing videos and enjoys it enough that there’s no reason for me to ever do it (I am terrible).
Have I gotten off-track? Mutto is a reprisal of Hirata Hiroaki’s previous role as Kotetsu from Tiger and Bunny: another older guy who we love, who acts like a loser even though he really isn’t one. Both characters start by losing their jobs and work their way back to the top (one would expect).
This show could be great, or it could be good. Basking in the majesty of space doesn’t have any effect on me, but we’ll see how it goes.
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/unleash-the-power-of-kano-in-mortal-kombat--319544536033499755/
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[] |
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[
""
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2014-05-11T18:59:16+00:00
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mortal kombat kano | ... mortal kombat 2011 8 trivia 9 references 10 comments about kano edit
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Pinterest
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/unleash-the-power-of-kano-in-mortal-kombat--319544536033499755/
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/kano-shuuya-anime-character-with-blonde-hair--842947255271818767/
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2022-12-21T08:55:37+00:00
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View and download this 450×666 Kano Shuuya image with 0 favorites, or browse the gallery.
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en
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Pinterest
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/kano-shuuya1724546-zerochan--842947255271818767/
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https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/eludamos/article/view/vol4no2-9/5985
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View of Strange Reality: On Glitches and Uncanny Play
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en
| null | ||||||||
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https://www.vg247.com/kano-mortal-kombat-x-gamescom-reveal
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en
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Watch Kano shoot laser through someone's face in this Mortal Kombat X character reveal trailer
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2014-08-11T21:01:37+00:00
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Kano was known to be in Mortal Kombat X, but wait until you see how he looks and plays in this reveal video.
|
en
|
/static/852e19009818736d50e6b20e346f183b/icon/apple-touch-icon.png
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VG247
|
https://www.vg247.com/kano-mortal-kombat-x-gamescom-reveal
|
Kano was known to be in Mortal Kombat X, but wait until you see how he looks and plays in this reveal video.
The video below shows the three variations of Kano, Cutthroat, Cybernetic and Commando. It's narrated by the legendary Ed Boon and it shows Kano, literally, making a hole out of D'Vorah's face.
|
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1473
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1
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https://yen.com.gh/facts-lifehacks/245794-comprehensive-list-mortal-kombat-characters-roles-personalities-explained/
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en
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Comprehensive list of Mortal Kombat characters: Roles and personalities explained
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2023-12-01T16:14:42+00:00
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How many Mortal Kombat characters do you know? Discover all the franchise's characters, including their roles, personalities, and abilities, and more.
|
en
|
/yen/img/safari-pinned-tab.svg
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Yen.com.gh - Ghana news.
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https://yen.com.gh/facts-lifehacks/245794-comprehensive-list-mortal-kombat-characters-roles-personalities-explained/
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Are you a fan of video games? If so, you're likely familiar with the thrilling fighting game Mortal Kombat by NetherRealm Studios. It is known for its intense combat, memorable characters, and signature fatalities that have become legendary among gamers. But aside from its gameplay, what else do you know about the media franchise? Discover the Mortal Kombat characters, roles and personalities.
Mortal Kombat is a fighting game developed by Midway Games and released in 1992. The game has resulted in the development of a franchise that has become a cornerstone of the fighting game genre. The Mortal Kombat franchise has expanded beyond video games into a multi-media phenomenon.
Mortal Kombat characters
Mortal Kombat franchise characters are known for their unique abilities and diverse backgrounds. The game introduced players to fighters like Baraka, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Kano, Liu Kang, Goro, Jade, Jax, and Johnny Cage.
Original Mortal Kombat game characters
The original Mortal Kombat game characters, released in 1992, included ten characters, seven (Johnny Cage, Kano, Raiden, Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sonya Blade and Sub-Zero) of which are playable. Here are all the original ten characters, their roles, and personalities.
Johnny Cage
Jonathan "John" Carlton is an action movie star and martial artist from Earthrealm. He is known for his charismatic, arrogant and self-obsessed personality. Johnny Cage is strong and agile, and his signature moves include a projectile energy blast, a shadow kick, and the split punch.
Kano
Kano is a Black Dragon clan member known for his ruthless, greedy, treacherous nature. He is often depicted as a mercenary or a criminal known for his brutal fighting style and lack of empathy. Kano has a sarcastic, cowardly and criminal personality.
Raiden
Raiden is the eternal god of thunder and the former protector of Earthrealm. He is wise, serious, and highly responsible. Raiden carries the heavy burden of defending Earthrealm from threats. Being a god, he possesses many supernatural abilities.
Liu Kang
Liu Kang is a former Shaolin monk and the undisputed champion of the Mortal Kombat Tournament. He is the eternal god of fire, protector of Earthrealm, and the current keeper of time. Liu Kang has a dedicated and courageous personality.
Scorpion
Scorpion, real name Hanzo Hasashi, is a mortal Japanese warrior. Initially from Earthrealm, he becomes a spectre from Netherrealm after his death. Scorpion is defined by his quest to avenge the deaths of himself, his family, and his clan. He is known for his vengeance, determination, nobility, compassion, honour and loyalty.
Sonya Blade
Sonya Blade is among the top Mortal Kombat female characters. An agent of Special Forces, she debuted in the original 1992 game as the roster's sole female fighter. Sonya joins the Mortal Kombat tournament in pursuit of her nemesis, Kano. Sonya is known for being an emancipated and headstrong woman.
Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero, real name Kuai Liang, is a selfless warrior and member of the Lin Kuei clan of ninjas. He can control ice. Sub-Zero has an older brother known as Bi-Han, who was also a Sub-Zero before Scorpion killed him and became the wraith, Noob Saibot.
Goro
Goro is a half-human, half-dragon beast, a member of the four-armed Shokan race. He is a non-playable character who serves as the sub-boss of the game. Goro is much stronger than the other characters and cannot be affected by throw attacks. He represents the Outworld as a mighty and brutal warrior.
Reptile
Reptile is a member of the Saurian race from the realm of Zaterra. He is a non-playable secret character. Reptile is one of the few survivors of his kind after Shao Kahn conquered his world. He has since served the Outworld emperor as a spy and assassin.
Shang Tsung
Shang Tsung is a non-playable character and the final boss of the game. He is a powerful, deadly sorcerer and primary villain in the Mortal Kombat series. Shang Tsung is a demonic shapeshifter who needs to consume souls to sustain his health and life.
Mortal Kombat 11 characters
How many fighters are in Mortal Kombat 11? It has 37 characters comprising combatants from the franchise and some new faces from movies and comics. They include:
KombatantGenderOriginSpeciesCetrionFemaleHeavensElder godJacqui BriggsFemaleEarthrealmHumanLiu KangMaleEarthrealmHumanThe Joker MaleDC Universe HumanFujinMaleHeavengod SheevaFemaleOutworldShokanKabalMaleEarthrealmHumanGerasMaleKronika's KeepArtificial constructSpawnMaleImage UniverseImmortal HellspawnKanoMaleEarthrealmHumanShang TsungMaleEarthrealmHumanNoob SaibotMaleNetherrealmWraithSub-ZeroMaleEarthrealmCryomancerCassie CageFemaleEarthrealmHumanKollectorMaleOutworldNaknadaKotal KahnMaleZ'Unkahrah, OutworldOsh-TekKung LaoMaleEarthrealmHumanJohnny CageMaleEarthrealmHumanJadeFemaleEdeniaEdenian/RevenantSindelFemaleEdeniaEdenian/RevenantD'vorahFemaleArnyek IslandsKytinnErron BlackMaleEarthrealmHumanScorpionMaleNetherrealmSpectreThe TerminatorMaleTerminator franchiseModel T-800Jax BriggsMaleEarthrealmHumanRaidenMaleHeavensgodSonya BladeFemaleEarthrealmHumanFrostFemaleEarthrealmCryomancerRainMaleEdeniaDemi-God
MileenaFemaleOutworldHalf-Tarkatan, Half-EdenianRamboMaleRambo franchiseHumanBarakaMaleOutworldTarkatanNightwolfMaleEarthrealmHumanKitanaFemaleEdeniaEdenianSkarletFemaleOutworldGenetic experimentRobocopMaleRoboCop franchiseCyborgShao KahnMaleOutworldgod
Who is the strongest character in Mortal Kombat?
According to CBR, the One Being is considered the most powerful character in the Mortal Kombat universe. However, it has never appeared as a villain or playable character in games.
It's important to note that the power levels can vary depending on the context and the specific storyline. For example, in the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie, Raiden is depicted as the most powerful character.
Who is the best Mortal Kombat character?
It is challenging to settle on one character as being the strongest because they all have different abilities. According to Screen Rant, Kronika is the most powerful combatant. The Gamer ranks Raiden as the most powerful fighter, and WatchMojo lists Noob Saibot as the most powerful Mortal Kombat character in the franchise.
How many total MK characters are there?
There are a total of 77 playable fighters. However, all Mortal Kombat characters are an estimated 101 when considering unplayable bosses and guests.
Mortal Kombat characters have unique abilities and backstories. Some of the most iconic characters are Johnny Cage, Kano, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Sonya Blade and Sub-Zero. These characters have become staples of the franchise, appearing in numerous games, movies, and TV shows.
Yen.com.gh published about the LazyTown cast then and now. LazyTown is an English-language Icelandic children's television series created by aerobics champion Magnús Scheving.
The show was designed to encourage healthy lifestyles. The series show combines live-action, puppetry, and computer-generated imagery. However, since its debut, the show has seen many characters come and go. So, who are the LazyTown cast then and now?
Source: YEN.com.gh
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https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/48730/kano-kim
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Kano Kim
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https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/48730/kano-kim
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https://toynewsi.com/415-49018
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en
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Storm Collectibles Mortal Kombat VS Series Kano (Special Edition) 1/12 Scale BBTS Exclusive Figure
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Storm Collectibles Mortal Kombat VS Series Kano (Special Edition) 1/12 Scale BBTS Exclusive Figure
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Forums Communities: Toy Fans - Marvel Fans - Transformers Fans
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dbpedia
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https://www.polygon.com/interviews/22394546/kano-actor-josh-lawson-mortal-kombat-movie-simon-mcquoid-interview
|
en
|
Mortal Kombat’s secret weapon is comedy (and Kano)
|
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[
"Michael McWhertor"
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2021-04-21T14:30:00-04:00
|
It’s not just about the gore — Mortal Kombat has always been funny, and the new movie’s Kano is proof of that. We spoke to Kano actor Josh Lawson about his role and director Simon McQuoid’s use of humor in the film.
|
en
|
Polygon
|
https://www.polygon.com/interviews/22394546/kano-actor-josh-lawson-mortal-kombat-movie-simon-mcquoid-interview
|
Despite paternal and political hand-wringing over ripped-out spinal columns and characters clutching still-beating hearts, the Mortal Kombat games have always had a silly side. Even the modern games’ gruesome, now photorealistic fatalities, where a crumpled fighter’s intestines are pulled out of their mouth by magic, aim to provoke a laugh at the absurdity of it all.
The people who made the new Mortal Kombat movie get that. Sure, the fate of Earth’s existence hangs in the balance of an interdimensional martial arts competition between gods and sorcerers, but it also leans into Mortal Kombat’s penchant for goofiness.
The film’s director, Simon McQuoid, said he and the creative team approached integrating comedy — and silliness — into Mortal Kombat “very carefully.”
“Silly humor is, like, the most potent ingredient — far more potent than the violence, far more potent than anything,” McQuoid told me in an interview last month. “A drop goes a long way. So early on, what was really important to me was that the comedy is housed in a character; it’s not sprayed across the top of the film. When you’re trying to take certain elements of the canon really seriously, you can’t then in the next scene feel like it’s made from people trying to make a comedy.”
The character McQuoid is referring to in that quote is Kano, played by actor Josh Lawson, the mercenary scumbag who joins Raiden’s team in the fight against Outworld and Shang Tsung’s warriors. He’s one of the standout characters in Mortal Kombat, and like the film’s newcomer, Cole Young, guides the audience through the movie’s decades-long supernatural lore.
McQuoid also noted that there’s a “fun-ness” to the inventiveness of bloody, over-the-top action that a franchise like Mortal Kombat can exploit.
“We’ve tried to get that across within certain fights or within action set pieces — let’s talk about [Sub-Zero’s] blood blade for a moment,” McQuoid said. “You wouldn’t put that in the comedy category. It is the sort of fun elevation that is kind of silly as an idea, but I wanted to do it in a way that makes you kind of think, ‘Fuck yeah, that’s cool!’ I didn’t want you to go ‘Eh, that’s kind of cheese.’ So there’s ways to do it where it feels cheese and there’s ways to do it where you go, ‘Oh my god, that looks fuckin’ great.’ … So it’s a matter of taking these ingredients and balancing them.
“And then the other side of that comedy comes from Josh Lawson and Kano. Kano is a dark character, but he’s a funny character and ... he brings a great deal of fun to proceedings. That’s a really important ingredient to Mortal Kombat.”
Lawson described his take on Kano as both “juvenile” and “earnest.” Sure, he’s a vicious contract killer capable of ripping someone’s actual heart out, but he also offers comic relief and (unexpectedly) centers the film when he revels in the possibility of getting super powers. Kano’s fun to watch.
“Comedy’s necessary in any film, I think, particularly in this genre,” Lawson told me in an interview earlier this month. “I hope that [Kano] feels true to how he was created in the games and how he’s evolved over the years. It was always a juggling act. It was, like, bring the comedy but don’t bring so much that it leaves the world of Mortal Kombat, you know?”
Kano’s comic chops are evident in the Mortal Kombat movie’s first trailer, in which he holds up the bloody heart of Shang Tsung’s assassin Syzoth — better known as Reptile — and declares gleefully, “Kano wins!” It’s just far enough from cheese to work.
McQuoid and Lawson credit third assistant director Greg Tynan — “a massive Mortal Kombat fan,” McQuoid said — with getting that silly line into the film, which wasn’t in the script.
“We were doing a bunch of [alternate takes] at the end there with the heart rip,” Lawson said. “And we were just enjoying ourselves and sort of going, ‘Hey, is there anything else? Any anyone have any ideas?’ There was a whisper from the back of the room that was like, ‘Um, maybe “Kano wins”?’ And I remember Simon and I looking at each other going, ‘That’s great! How did we not think of that?’ Of course, [Kano] is such a narcissist, he would talk about himself in third-person. And I think we did one take of that and that’s the take that ended up in the film.”
Mortal Kombat is peppered (not sprayed) with moments like that. There are on-the-nose catchphrase line reads, sure, but some of the film’s in-jokes are more subtle (and not worth spoiling). But Kano is a consistent comic streak through the film by design, said Mortal Kombat screenwriter Greg Russo.
“With Mortal Kombat being fun and having lots of humor in it, we wanted to embrace that,” Russo said in an interview with Polygon. “We wanted you to be smiling and having a good time through the movie. Kano felt like such a fun way to add some of that in there because he’s such a bastard. He’s such a smug asshole. We have our heroes, we have our new hero Cole, we have Sonya, we have Jax, we have Liu Kang, Kung Lao — it’s loaded with the good guys. And to me, from a storytelling perspective, I always love when they throw in like one real jerky character into the mix. It breaks up the good guy feeling.
“So Kano became that kind of great character where we just let him run with it. He’s constantly a pain in the ass for the heroes.”
|
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1473
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dbpedia
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| 60 |
https://mk11.mortalkombat.com/roster/kano
|
en
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Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
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Mortal Kombat is back and better than ever in the next evolution of the iconic franchise. The all new Custom Character Variations give you unprecedented control to customize the fighters and make them your own. The new graphics engine showcasing every skull-shattering, eye-popping moment, brings you so close to the fight you can feel it. And featuring a roster of new and returning Klassic Fighters, Mortal Kombat’s best in class cinematic story mode continues the epic saga over 25 years in the making.
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en
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Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
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https://mk11.mortalkombat.com
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Arms dealer and leader of the Black Dragon. Kano prides himself as the ultimate deal- maker, with a black market network that spans the realms, but he is never satisfied. Even his loyal followers know he’d stab his mother in the back if the price was right.
MORTAL KOMBAT 11 Ultimate software © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Developed by NetherRealm Studios. ©2020 Skydance Productions, LLC. Terminator® Dark Fate™ is a trademark of StudioCanal S.A. Spawn, its logo and its symbol are registered trademarks ©2020 Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc. All other related characters are TM and ©2020 Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. RoboCop and RoboCop 2 © Orion. "RoboCop" character and all related trademarks, logos, and materials TM Orion & © 2020 MGM. FIRST BLOOD ™ & © 1982 Studiocanal S.A. RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II ™ & © 1985 Studiocanal S.A S. RAMBO III ™ & © 1988 Studiocanal S.A.S. All rights reserved. RAMBO ® is a Registered Trademark owned by Studiocanal S.A.S. JOKER and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC Comics. All rights reserved.
WB GAMES LOGO, WBIE LOGO, WB SHIELD, NETHERREALM STUDIOS LOGO, MORTAL KOMBAT, THE DRAGON LOGO, and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s23)
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https://www.budokan-judo-club.com/judo
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en
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What is Judo?
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en
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https://www.budokan-judo-club.com/idump/favicon.ico
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https://www.budokan-judo-club.com/judo
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Judo, meaning "gentle way", is a modern Japanese martial art (gendai budō) and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or by applying a choke. Strikes and thrusts (by hands and feet) - as well as weapons defences - are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori).
Ultimately, the philosophy and subsequent pedagogy developed for judo became the model for almost all modern Japanese martial arts that developed from "traditional" schools (koryū). Practitioners of judo are called jūdōka.
History and philosophy
Early life of the founder
The early history of judo is inseparable from its founder, Japanese polymath and educator Jigoro Kano (1860–1938). Kano was born into a well-to-do Japanese family. His grandfather was a self-made man: a sake brewer from Shiga prefecture in central Japan. However, Kano's father was not the eldest son and therefore did not inherit the business. Instead, he became a Shinto priest and government official, with enough influence for his son to enter the second incoming class of Tokyo Imperial University.
Founder pursues jujitsu
Cian was a small, frail boy, who, even in his twenties, did not weigh more than a hundred pounds (45 kg), and was often picked on by bullies. He first started pursuing jujutsu, at that time a dying art, at the age of 17, but met with little success. This was in part due to difficulties finding a teacher who would take him on as a student. When he went to university to study literature at the age of 18, he continued his martial arts studies, eventually gaining a referral to Fukuda Hachinosuke (c.1828–c.1880), a master of the Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū and grandfather of Keiko Fukuda (born 1913), who is Kano's only surviving student, and the highest-ranking female jūdōka in the world. Fukuda Hachinosuke is said to have emphasized technique over formal exercise, sowing the seeds of Kano's emphasis of free practice (randori) in judo.
A little more than a year after Kano joined Fukuda's school, Fukuda became ill and died. Kano then became a student in another Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū school, that of Iso Masatomo (c.1820–c.1881), who put more emphasis on the practice of pre-arranged forms (kata) than Fukuda had. Through dedication, Kano quickly earned the title of master instructor (shihan) and became assistant instructor to Iso at the age of 21. Unfortunately, Iso soon took ill, and Kano, feeling that he still had much to learn, took up another style, becoming a student of Iikubo Tsunetoshi (1835–1889) of Kitō-ryū. Like Fukuda, Iikubo placed much emphasis on free practice. On the other hand, Kitō-ryū emphasized throwing techniques to a much greater degree than Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū.
Founding
By this time, Kano was devising new techniques, such as the "shoulder wheel" (kata-guruma, known as a fireman's carry to Western wrestlers who use a slightly different form of this technique) and the "floating hip" (uki goshi) throw. However, he was already thinking about doing far more than just expanding the canons of Kitō-ryū and Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū. Full of new ideas, Kano had in mind a major reformation of jujutsu, with techniques based on sound scientific principles, and with focus on development of the body, mind and character of young men in addition to development of martial prowess. At the age of 22, when he was just about to finish his degree at the University, Kano took nine students from Iikubo's school to study jujutsu under him at the Eisho-ji, a Buddhist temple in Kamakura, and Iikubo came to the temple three days a week to help teach. Although two years would pass before the temple would be called by the name "Kodokan", or "place for teaching the way", and Kano had not yet been accorded the title of "master" in the Kitō-ryū, this is now regarded as the Kodokan's founding.
Judo was originally known as Kano Jiu-Jitsu or Kano Jiu-Do, and later as Kodokan Jiu-Do or simply Jiu-Do or Judo. In the early days, it was also still referred to generically simply as Jiu-Jitsu.
Meaning of "judo"
The word "judo" shares the same root ideogram as "jujutsu": "jū" (柔, "jū"), which may mean "gentleness", "softness", "suppleness", and even "easy", depending on its context. Such attempts to translate jū are deceptive, however. The use of jū in each of these words is an explicit reference to the martial arts principle of the "soft method" (柔法, jūhō). The soft method is characterized by the indirect application of force to defeat an opponent. More specifically, it is the principle of using one's opponent's strength against him and adapting well to changing circumstances. For example, if the attacker was to push against his opponent he would find his opponent stepping to the side and allowing his momentum (often with the aid of a foot to trip him up) to throw him forwards (the inverse being true for pulling.) Kano saw jujutsu as a disconnected bag of tricks, and sought to unify it according to a principle, which he found in the notion of "maximum efficiency". Jujutsu techniques that relied solely on superior strength were discarded or adapted in favour of those that involved redirecting the opponent's force, off-balancing the opponent, or making use of superior leverage.
The second characters of judo and jujutsu differ. Where jujutsu (jūjutsu) means the "art" or "science" of softness, judo (柔道, jūdō) means the "way" of softness. The use of "dō", meaning way, road or path (and is the same character as the Chinese word "tao"), has philosophical overtones. This is the same distinction as is made between Budō and Bujutsu. Use of this word is a deliberate departure from ancient martial arts, whose sole purpose was for killing. Kano saw judo as a means for governing and improving oneself physically, mentally, emotionally and morally. He even extended the physical principle of maximum efficiency into daily life, evolving it into "mutual prosperity". In this respect, judo is seen as a holistic approach to life extending well beyond the confines of the dojo.
Judoka (practitioner)
A practitioner of judo is known as a judoka or 'judo player', though traditionally only those of 4th Dan or higher were called "judoka". The suffix -ka, when added to a noun, means a person with expertise or special knowledge on that subject. For example, Benkyo-ka means "scholar". Other practitioners below the rank of 4th dan were called kenkyu-sei or "trainees". However, today the term judoka is used worldwide to refer to any practitioner of judo without any particular level of expertise being implied.
A judo teacher is called sensei. The word sensei comes from sen or saki (before) and sei (life) – i.e. one who has preceded you. In Western dojos it is common to call any instructor of dan grade sensei. Traditionally, that title was reserved for instructors of 4th dan and above.
Judogi (uniform)
Judo practitioners traditionally wear white uniforms called jūdōgi, which simply means "judo uniform", for practicing judo. Sometimes the word is seen shortened simply to gi (uniform). The jūdōgi was created by Kano in 1907, and similar uniforms were later adopted by many other martial arts. The modern jūdōgi consists of white or blue cotton drawstring pants and a matching white or blue quilted cotton jacket, fastened by a belt (obi). The belt is usually coloured to indicate rank. The jacket is intended to withstand the stresses of grappling, and as a result, is much thicker than that of a karate uniform (karategi).
The modern use of the blue judogi was first suggested by Anton Geesink at the 1986 Maastricht IJF DC Meeting. For competition, a blue jūdōgi is worn by one of the two competitors for ease of distinction by judges, referees, and spectators. In Japan, both judoka still use a white judogi and the traditional red sash (based on the colours of the Japanese flag) is affixed to the belt of one competitor. Outside Japan, a coloured sash may also be used for convenience in minor competitions, the blue jūdōgi only being mandatory at the regional or higher levels. Japanese practitioners and purists tend to look down on the use of blue jūdōgi.
Techniques & practice
While judo includes a variety of rolls, falls, throws, hold downs, chokes, joint-locks, and strikes, the primary focus is on throwing (nage-waza), and groundwork (ne-waza). Throws are divided in two groups of techniques, standing techniques (tachi-waza), and sacrifice techniques (sutemi-waza). Standing techniques are further divided into hand techniques (te-waza), hip techniques (koshi-waza), and foot and leg techniques (ashi-waza). Sacrifice techniques are divided into those in which the thrower falls directly backwards (ma-sutemi-waza), and those in which he falls onto his side (yoko-sutemi-waza).
The ground fighting techniques are divided into attacks against the joints or joint locks (kansetsu-waza), strangleholds or chokeholds (shime-waza), and holding or pinning techniques (osaekomi-waza).
A kind of sparring is practised in judo, known as randori (randori), meaning "free practice". In randori, two adversaries may attack each other with any judo throw or grappling technique. Striking techniques (atemi-waza) such as kicking and punching, along with knife and sword techniques are retained in the kata. This form of pedagogy is usually reserved for higher ranking practitioners (for instance, in the kime-no-kata), but are forbidden in contest, and usually prohibited in randori for reasons of safety. Also for reasons of safety, chokeholds, joint locking, and the sacrifice techniques are subject to age or rank restrictions. F
In randori and tournament (shiai) practice, when an opponent successfully executes a chokehold or joint lock, one submits, or "taps out", by tapping the mat or one's opponent at least twice in a manner that clearly indicates the submission. When this occurs the match is over, the tapping player has lost, and the chokehold or joint lock ceases.
Kata (forms)
Forms (kata) are pre-arranged patterns of attack and defence, which in judo are practised with a partner for the purpose of perfecting judo techniques. More specifically, their purposes include illustrating the basic principles of judo, demonstrating the correct execution of a technique, teaching the philosophical tenets upon which judo is based, allowing for the practice of techniques that are not allowed in competition, and to preserve ancient techniques that are historically important but are no longer used in contemporary judo.
Knowledge of various kata is a requirement for the attainment of a higher rank.
There are seven kata that are recognised by the Kodokan today:
Free practice forms (Randori no Kata), comprising two kata:
Throwing forms (Nage no Kata)
Grappling forms (Katame no Kata)
Old style self-defence forms (Kime no Kata)
Modern self-defence forms (Kodokan Goshin Jutsu)
Forms of "gentleness" (Ju no Kata)
The five forms (Itsutsu no Kata)
Ancient forms (Koshiki no Kata)
Maximum-efficiency national physical education kata (Seiryoku Zen'yō Kokumin Taiiku no Kata)
There are also other kata that are not officially recognised by the Kodokan but that continue to be practised. The most prominent example of these is the Go no sen no kata, a kata that focuses on counter-attacks to attempted throws.
Randori (sparring)
Judo emphasizes a free-style sparring, called randori, as one of its main forms of training. Part of the combat time is spent sparring standing up, called tachi-waza, and the other part on the ground, called ne-waza. Sparring, even subject to safety rules, is much more practically effective than only practicing techniques on their own, which is what jujutsuka were used to doing. Using full strength develops the muscles and cardio-vascular system on the physical side of things, and it develops strategy and reaction time on the mental side of things, and helps the practitioner learn to use techniques against a resisting opponent. A common saying among judoka is "The best training for judo is judo."
There are several types of sparring exercises, such as ju renshu (both judoka attack in a very gentle way where no resistance is applied); and kakari geiko (only one judoka attacks while the other one relies solely on defensive and evasive techniques, but without the use of sheer strength.)
Combat phases
In judo, there are two main phases of combat: the standing (tachi-waza) and the ground (ne-waza) phase. Each phase requires its own (mostly separate) techniques, strategies, randori, conditioning and so on. Special training is also devoted to "transitional" techniques to bridge the gap. Jūdōka may become quite skilled in one phase and be rather weak in the other, depending on where their interests most lie, although most are balanced between the two.
Judo's balance between both the standing and ground phases of combat gives judoka the ability to take down opponents who are standing up and then pin and submit them on the ground. This balanced theory of combat has made judo a popular choice of martial art or combat sport.
Standing phase
In the standing phase, which has primacy according to the contest rules, the opponents attempt to throw each other. Although standing joint-lock and choke/strangulation submission techniques are legal in the standing phase, they are quite rare due to the fact that they are much harder to apply standing than throws are. Some jūdōka, however, are very skilled in combining takedowns with submissions, where a submission technique is begun standing and finished on the ground.
Strikes (i.e. punches, kicks, etc...) are not allowed due to their certainty of injury, but an athlete is supposed to "take them into consideration" while training by, for example, not fighting in a bent-over position for long, since this position is vulnerable to knee-strikes and other striking attacks.
The main purpose of the throwing techniques (nage waza) is to take an opponent who is standing on his feet, mobile and dangerous, down onto his back where he cannot move as effectively. Thus, the main reason for throwing the opponent is to control the opponent and to put oneself in a dominant position. In this way the practitioner has more potential to render a decisive outcome. Another reason to throw the opponent is to shock his body through smashing him forcefully onto the ground. If an opponent executes a powerful yet fully controlled throw, he can win a match outright (by ippon) on the basis that he has displayed sufficient superiority. A lower score is given for lesser throws. A score for a throw is only given when executed starting from a standing position.
In keeping with Kano's emphasis on scientific analysis and reasoning, the standard Kodokan judo pedagogy dictates that any throwing technique is theoretically a four phased event: off-balancing (kuzushi); body positioning (tsukuri); execution (kake); and finally the finish or coup de grâce (kime). Each phase follows the previous one with great rapidity - ideally they happen almost simultaneously.
Ground phase
In competition, combat may continue on the ground after a throw occurs or if the contestants otherwise legally end up on the ground; a contestant is not allowed to simply drop to the ground to commence ground fighting.
On the ground, the contestants aim to either obtain a hold down, or to get their opponent to submit either by using a choke or strangulation or armlock (locks on joints other than the elbow are not allowed for safety reasons.)
Hold downs
Hold downs ( osaekomi) are important since in a real fight the person who has control of his opponent can hit him with punches, knees, headbutts, and other strikes. If osaekomi is maintained for twenty-five seconds, the person doing the holding down wins the match. An osaekomi involves holding an opponent principally on their back, and free of their legs.
According to the rules as they stood in 1905, it was only necessary to hold down an opponent, on his shoulders, for two seconds - said to reflect the time necessary for a samurai to reach his knife or sword and dispatch his held opponent. The newer longer requirements reflect the combat reality that a fighter must immobilize his opponent for a substantial amount of time in order to strike effectively.
The score for a hold down is determined by how long the hold down is held. A hold down may sometimes result in a submission if the opponent cannot endure the pressure from the hold down.
The 'guard' and 'body scissors'
If the person being held down has wrapped his legs around any part of his opponent's lower body or trunk, he is pinning his opponent as much as he is being pinned, because his opponent cannot get up and flee unless the person on the bottom lets go. While his legs are wrapped around his opponent, the person on the bottom can employ various attacking techniques, including strangles, armlocks and "body scissors" (do-jime), while controlling the opponent so that he cannot effectively strike from above. In this position, often referred to as the "guard" in English, the person on top does not have enough control over his adversary for the position to be considered osaekomi. (Note that while the guard is commonly used, do-jime is no longer legal in competition judo.) The person on top can try to pass his opponent's legs and in turn hold down or submit him, or he may try to break out of his opponent's guard and stand up. The person on the bottom can try to submit his opponent from his guard or roll his opponent over to get on top of him.
Joint locks (seniors - over 16's only)
Joint locks (kansetsu-waza) are effective combat techniques because they enable a jūdōka to control his opponent through pain-compliance. Joint locks on the elbow are considered safe enough to perform at nearly full-force in competition to force submission from one's opponent. Judo has, in the past, allowed leglocks, wristlocks, spinal locks and various other techniques that have since been disallowed in competition to protect athletes' safety. It was decided that attacking those other joints would result in many injuries to the athletes and would cause a gradual deterioration of these joints. Even so, some jūdōka still enjoy learning and fighting each other informally using these techniques that are banned from formal competitions, and many of these techniques are still actively used in other arts such as sambo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and jujutsu.
Chokes and strangulations (seniors - over 16's only)
Chokes and strangulations (shime-waza) enable the one applying the choke to force the adversary to submit. Strangulation cuts off the blood supply to the brain via compression on the sides of the neck, while a choke blocks the airway from the front of the neck. The terms are frequently interchangeable in common usage, and a formal differentiation is not made by most jūdōka. In competition, the jūdōka wins if the opponent submits or becomes unconscious. A strangle, once properly locked in, can render an opponent unconscious in only a few seconds, but normally causes no injury.
As a sport
Although a fully featured martial art, judo has also developed as a sport.
The first time judo was seen in the Olympics was at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles, where Kano and about 200 judo students gave a demonstration. Judo became an Olympic sport for men in the 1964 Games in Tokyo. With the persistence of Rusty Kanokogi, an American, and many others, judo became an Olympic sport for women as well in 1988. It is often stated that the men's judo event in 1964 was a demonstration event, but according to the International Judo Federation (IJF) and International Olympic Committee, Judo was in fact an official sport in the 1964 games. Dutchman Anton Geesink won the first Olympic gold medal in the open division of Judo by defeating Aiko Kaminaga of Japan. Judo then lost the image of being "Japanese only" and went on to become one of the most widely practised sports in the world. The women's event was a demonstration event in 1988, and became an official medal event 4 years later. Men and women compete separately, although they often train together. Judo has been a Paralympic sport (for the visually impaired) since 1988. Judo is also one of the sports at the Special Olympics.
Weight divisions
There are currently seven weight divisions, subject to change by governing bodies, and may be modified based on the age of the competitors:
Men Under 60 kg 60~66 kg 66~73 kg 73~81 kg 81~90 kg 90~100 kg Over 100 kg Women Under 48 kg 48~52 kg 52~57 kg 57~63 kg 63~70 kg 70~78 kg Over 78 kg
Rules
The traditional rules of judo are intended to avoid injuries to the participants and ensure proper etiquette. Some later additions to the rules were motivated by a desire to make the sport more interesting to observers.
Penalties may be given for being inactive during the match, or for using illegal techniques. Fighting must be stopped if a participant is outside the designated area on the mat (tatami). If the referee and judges need to discuss something during groundwork, the referee will call sonomama (which means "do not move") and both fighters must stop in the position they are in. When they are done, the referee says yoshi and the match continues.
All scores and penalties are given by the referee. The judges can make a decision that changes the score or penalty given by the referee.
There are slight differences to IJF rules to accommodate blind judo.
Competition scoring
The object in a judo match is to throw the opponent to the ground on his shoulder; to pin him to the ground principally on his back; or to force him to submit to a choke, strangle or an armlock. Any of these score ippon, immediately winning the match.
Judo has four grades of score: ippon, waza-ari, yuko, and koka. An ippon literally means "one point" and wins the match. An ippon is awarded for (a) a throw that lands the opponent largely on their back in a controlled manner with speed and force; (b) for a mat hold of sufficient duration (twenty five seconds); or (c) for opponent submission. A waza-ari is awarded for a throw that does not quite have enough power or control to be considered ippon; or for a hold of twenty seconds. A waza-ari is a half-point, and, if two are scored, they constitute the full point needed for a win.
Yuko and koka are lower grades of score, and only count as tie-breakers - they are not cumulative with one another. Scoring is lexicographic; a waza-ari beats any number of yuko, but a waza-ari and a yuko beat a waza-ari with no yuko. It is not uncommon for a match to be decided based on koka.
A fifteen-second hold down scores yuko and a ten-second hold down scores koka. If the person who secured the hold down already has a waza-ari, they only need to hold the hold down for twenty seconds to score ippon by way of two waza-ari (waza-ari-awasete-ippon). Throws further lacking the requirements of an ippon or a waza-ari might score a yuko or a koka. So-called "skillful takedowns" are also permitted (e.g. the flying arm-bar) but do not score.
If the scores are identical at the end of the match, the contest is resolved by the Golden Score rule. Golden Score is a sudden death situation where the clock is reset to match-time, and the first contestant to achieve any score wins. If there is no score during this period, then the winner is decided by Hantei, the majority opinion of the referee and the two corner judges.
Representation of scores
Judo scoreboards show the number of waza-ari, yuko and koka scores scored by each player. Often an ippon is not represented on the scoreboard, because upon award of an ippon the match is immediately terminated. Some computerised scoreboards will briefly indicate that an ippon has been scored.
Scoreboards normally also show the number of penalties imposed on each player, and sometimes the number of medical visits for each. (Only two "medical" attentions are allowed for each competitor during a match — most often for minor bleeds.)
Electronic scoreboards also usually include timers for measuring both competition time and osekomi time.
A match with the first player scoring one waza-ari, two yuko, and two koka, beating his opponent who scored one fewer kokas would be displayed on the scoreboard as: "122" vs. "121"; while in print such a result would often be represented as: "1W2Y2K" vs. "1W2Y1K".
As self-defense
In 1902, Barton-Wright wrote: "Judo and jujitsu were not designed as primary means of attack and defence against a boxer or a man who kicks you, but were only to be used after coming to close quarters, and in order to get to close quarters it was absolutely necessary to understand boxing and the use of the foot."
While throws executed with proper break falls on soft mats may seem relatively light and graceful, their more practical application on a hard surface can be very dangerous (especially with greater intent to harm.)
Furthermore, ground grappling had been proven to be an effective form of self-defence.
Though the sport is in itself an effective means of self-defence, the amount of training offered that adapts it more specifically to self-defence situations varies from dojo to dojo, ranging from very little in some dojos through to a strong emphasis in others (especially with Russian Judo.)
In mixed martial arts
Using their knowledge of ne-waza/grappling and tachi-waza/standing-grappling, accomplished judo practitioners have also competed in mixed martial arts matches. Former Russian national judo champion Fedor Emelianenko is usually ranked as mixed martial arts' best heavyweight. Karo Parisyan fights in UFC's welterweight division, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Hidehiko Yoshida, an Olympic gold medalist in 1992 and World Judo Champion in 1999, were also fighters in the now defunct PRIDE FC. Other Olympic gold medalist and world champion judokas such as Pawel Nastula, Yoon Dong-Sik and Jung Bu-Kyung also fight in MMA. Undefeated WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho has credited judo and jiu-jitsu for his success. Fighters Sanae Kikuta and Hayato Sakurai also come from judo backgrounds.
Styles
Kano Jigoro's Kodokan Judo is the most popular and well-known style of judo, but is not the only one. The terms judo and jujutsu were quite interchangeable in the early years, so some of these forms of judo are still known as jujutsu or jiu-jitsu either for that reason, or simply to differentiate them from mainstream judo. From Kano's original style of judo, several related forms have evolved—some now widely considered to be distinct arts:
Olympic Judo: This is the predominant form of Kodokan judo.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Mitsuyo Maeda introduced judo to Brazil in 1914. Maeda taught judo to Carlos Gracie (1902–1994) and others in Brazil. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu did not follow later changes in international judo rules that were added to emphasise the standing phase of the fight, nor those rules that were introduced to ban the more dangerous techniques. Although all the techniques are virtually the same, BJJ's quite different point scoring system and absence of judo's various rules that require the competitors to recommence fighting from a standing position are largely responsible for giving it its different character. BJJ is closer to the original early 1900s judo than current Olympic judo is.
Judo-do: In Austria, Julius Fleck and others developed a system of throwing intended to extend judo that they called "judo-do".
Kawaishi-ryū jujutsu: Teaching in France, Mikonosuke Kawaishi developed Kawaishi-ryū jujutsu as an alternative approach to instruction that continued to teach many techniques banned in modern Olympic/Kodokan judo competition.
Kosen Judo: As a sub-style of Kodokan Judo that became popularised in early 20th century Japanese inter-scholastic competition, Kosen style has the same range of techniques but greater latitude is permitted for ground technique. Like BJJ, this style of judo is closer to the original early 1900s judo than current Olympic judo is.
Russian Judo: This distinctive style of judo was influenced by Sambo. It is represented by well-known coaches such as Alexander Retuinskih and Igor Yakimov, and mixed martial arts fighters such as Igor Zinoviev, Fedor Emelianenko and Karo Parisyan. In turn, Russian judo has influenced mainstream judo, with techniques such as the flying armbar being accepted into Kodokan judo.
Sambo (especially Sport Sambo): Vasili Oshchepkov was the first European judo black belt under Kano. Oshchepkov went on to create Sambo from judo's influence, integrating other combative techniques into his new system. Oshchepkov died during the political purges of 1937 for refusing to deny his education in Japanese judo under Kano. In their History of Sambo, Brett Jacques and Scott Anderson wrote that in Russia "judo and SOMBO were considered to be the same thing" - albeit with a different uniform and some differences in the rules.
Safety
Research shows that judo is a particularly safe sport for youths, though adult competitive judo has a relatively higher incidence of injuries compared to non-collision or non-contact ball-sports for example, but similar to other competitive contact sports.
Chokes
Although chokes are potentially lethal techniques, a properly-applied chokehold, if released soon enough after submission or unconsciousness, causes no injury.
There is ample data demonstrating the safety of applying chokeholds, and training includes emergency care and resuscitation (kappo.)
Organisations
The international organization for judo is the International Judo Federation (IJF).
Although it has no official standing in judo, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) defines judo as one of the four main forms of amateur competitive wrestling practised internationally (the other three being Greco-Roman wrestling, Freestyle wrestling and sambo).
Rank and grading
Judo rank is generally not of primary importance among jūdōka who participate in tournaments. Modern judo is primarily practised as a sport, so there tends to be more emphasis on tournament records than on rank. Since rank does not totally determine competitive performance, and since tournaments are not structured by rank (except at the lowest novice levels), it is not uncommon to see lower-ranked competitors defeat higher-ranked opponents. An active competitor may not pursue high ranks, preferring to focus on preparation for competition; for example, a silver medal was won by an ikkyu (brown belt) female competitor, Lorena Pierce, in the -70 kg category at the 2004 Paralympics. Apart from knowledge and ability, rank requirements typically include a minimum age.Therefore, it is not uncommon to find teenage competitors at national-level competition who have been practicing judo for 10 years who can beat adult practitioners, but who are only purple or brown belts due to being too young to qualify for a dan rank. Once an individual attains the level of a dan rank, further promotions can be granted for a variety of reasons including skill level, competition performance and/or contributions to judo such as teaching and volunteering time. Therefore, a higher dan rank does not necessarily mean that the holder is a better fighter (although often it does.)
Jūdōka are ranked according to skill and knowledge of judo, and their rank is reflected by their belt colour. There are two divisions of rank: below-black-belt-level "grades" (kyū), and black-belt-level "degrees" (dan). This ranking system was introduced into the martial arts by Kano and has since been widely adopted by modern martial arts. As initially designed, there were six student grades ranked in descending numerical order, with 1st kyū being the last before promotion to first degree black belt (shodan). There are ordinarily 10 dan ranks, which are ranked in ascending numerical order, though in principle there is no limit to the number of dan ranks.
The tenth degree black belt (jūdan) and those above it have no formal requirements. The president of the Kodokan, currently Kano Jigoro's grandson Yukimitsu Kano (Kano Yukimitsu), decides on individuals for promotion. Only fifteen individuals have been promoted to this rank by the Kodokan. On January 6, 2006, three individuals were promoted to 10th dan simultaneously: Toshiro Daigo, Ichiro Abe, and Yoshimi Osawa. This is the most ever at the same time, and the first in 22 years. No one has ever been promoted to a rank higher than 10th dan, but:
Theoretically the Judo rank system is not limited to 10 degrees of black belt. The original English language copy (1955) of Illustrated Kodokan Judo, by Jigoro Kano, says: "There is no limit...on the grade one can receive. Therefore if one does reach a stage above 10th dan... there is no reason why he should not be promoted to 11th dan." However, since there has never been any promotion to a rank above 10th dan, the Kodokan Judo promotion system effectively has only 10 dans. There have only been 15 10th dans awarded by the Kodokan in the history of Judo.
Although dan ranks tend to be consistent between national organisations there is more variation in the kyū grades, with some countries having more kyū grades. Although initially kyū grade belt colours were uniformly white, today a variety of colours are used.
Belt colours
Judo belt colours in Australia, Europe, Canada (Seniors only) White Yellow Orange Green Blue Brown Black
In Japan, the use of belt colours is related to the age of the student. Some clubs will only have black and white, others will include a brown belt for advanced kyū grades and at the elementary school level it is common to see a green belt for intermediate levels.
For dan ranks, the first five are coloured black, 6th, 7th, and 8th dan have alternating red and white panels, and for 9th and 10th dan the belts are solid red. However, holders of grades above godan (5th dan) will often wear a plain black belt in regular training.
Some countries also use colored tips on belts, to indicate junior age groups. Historically, women's belts had a white stripe along the centre.
Examination requirements vary depending on country, age group and of course the grade being attempted. The examination itself may include competition and kata. The kyū ranks are normally awarded by local instructors (sensei), but dan ranks are usually awarded only after an exam supervised by independent judges from a national judo association. For a rank to be recognized, it must be registered with the national judo organization or the Kodokan.
Please refer to the attached registration age versus grade for further information as to the current belt colours and grades.
Australia and Europe
For Australia and most of Europe, the belt colours in ascending order are white, red, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and finally black. Some European countries additionally use a red belt to signify a complete beginner, whereas other European countries such as the UK use a red belt as the belt one grade above a beginner to show that the person is a full member of a club.
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Mortal Kombat X Guide
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[
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2015-01-27T20:00:50+00:00
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Kano is a character in Mortal Kombat X. Kano's was among the first characters revealed for
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en
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https://kraken.ignimgs.com/favicon.ico
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IGN
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https://www.ign.com/wikis/mortal-kombat-x/Kano
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Variations
Commando- Kano gains a yellow color in place of his traditional red on his eye and his cybernetic heart. In this variation, Kano gains the ability to counter high and low attacks, making this variation a favorite for those who want close-quaters kombat.
Cybernetic- This variation gives Kano his klassic look of having a red colored eye and cybernetic heart. Kano is able to make more use of his new cybernetic eye for long range attacks and gains access to grenade attacks, enabling him to extend kombos, juggle opponents and attack from varying distances.
Cut-Throat- The Cut-Throat variation gives Kano a green colored eye and cybernetic heart. With this, Kano can give himself a buff on his attacks and he is given more attacks and combos based around his traditional weapons of butterfly knives
Fatalities
Kano's fatalities include a head-searing eye laser attack that burns through an opponent's skull.
Move List
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en
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Are Male Characters More Likable Than Female Characters?
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http://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/likable-or-not-210x300.jpg
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http://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/likable-or-not-210x300.jpg
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[
"Seth Mlawski",
"Lee & Low)",
"a longtime writing teacher",
"story consultant",
"many others",
"www.facebook.com"
] |
2010-06-28T00:00:00
|
A pseudo-scientific look at the phenomenon of the "strong" female character.
|
en
|
https://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/themes/oti2012/images/favicon.ico
|
Overthinking It
|
https://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/06/28/are-male-characters-more-likable-than-female-characters/
|
Rule #1 of writing fiction in the 21st century: All characters must be likable. Sure, sure… but what does “likable” mean? A while ago, I wrote a piece about this subject, but my findings were superficial at best. “Likable characters have dogs,” I said. “Likable characters are easy for audiences to identify with and pity.”
Such analysis was not particularly useful to the would-be writer or to most consumers of modern fiction. What, for example, are we to make of the fact that psychopathic killers like Tony Soprano and Ben Linus are loved by the masses? Why is it that “whiners” like Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Shinji considered detestable, while sad-sacks like Eeyore and Charlie Brown get dubbed “lovable losers” and existentialists? Why do we hate know-it-alls like Wesley Crusher and Adric but love know-it-alls like Spock and The Doctor? And why aren’t I mentioning any women in these questions?
Clearly, there is a lot more to likeability than I thought. This week, I’d like to continue my on-going series of “How To Be Likable” by focusing on the following question: Are male characters more immediately likable than female characters?
For some time now, I’ve held the hypothesis that, to the majority of the American population, if not the majority of the population of Earth, male characters are automatically more likable than female characters. It seemed to me, based on my experience on the Interwebs, that many male characters were given a pass for deplorable behavior while female characters tended to be hated for the vague sin of being “a bitch.” My hypothesis seemed to be confirmed by my recent experiences reading about Breaking Bad on the web. I won’t spoil the show for you in case you haven’t seen it, but in the first two and a half seasons, certain male characters have 1. produced and distributed methamphetamines, 2. killed people and allowed innocents to die, 3. attempted rape, and 4. constantly lied to their families and put them in extreme danger (among other things). One female character, on the other hand, had an affair—weeks after begging her husband for a divorce, which he would not grant. Guess which character is the unlikable one?
Of course, we at Overthinking It don’t base our conclusions on anecdotal evidence. We’re scientists. If an article on pop culture doesn’t have a chart, graph, or Excel spreadsheet in it, it doesn’t count. So I decided to see what science (“science”) had to say about the matter. Are male characters more likable than female characters?
For my research, I visited Entertainment Weekly, which last month came up with a list of their 100 favorite fictional characters. (NOTE: There are more than 100 characters on the list.) These characters came from TV shows , the movies, novels, the theater, and FunnyorDie.com. Oh, and The Gorillaz are on the list for some reason. Here’s the breakdown by gender:
TOTAL CHARACTERS: 108
MALE: 68 (63%)
FEMALE:40 (37%)
So does this mean that male and female characters are equally likely to be liked? Well, maybe yes, maybe no. I next broke down the EW list by character type. What kinds of male characters do we like, and do we like the same types of female characters? I divided the characters in two ways. First, I looked to see if the characters were active or passive/reactive. I defined active characters as characters that control their plots. They have strong desires, and go after them using their wits, physical strength, devious skills of manipulation or what have you. These characters are often described as “badasses,” but they don’t have to be badass. Examples of active characters from the EW list include Jack Bauer from 24 and The Bride from Kill Bill (on the violent side) and Barney Stinson from HIMYM and Sue Sylvester from Glee (on the non-violent side).
Passive/reactive characters, on the other hand, are acted upon—the plot happens to them, in other words. These characters tend to be pitied by audiences, and their actions tend to be less violent. Examples of “passives” or “reactives” include Truman from The Truman Show and Rachel from Friends.
Beyond the obvious “actives” and “passives” there were also some “unclassifiable” characters. For example, District 9’s Wikus van de Merwe, started his film as a “reactive” but finished it as an “active.” He is, therefore, unclassifiable.
Most “how to write” books and websites I’ve read claim that likable characters are always active—no one likes a reactor. But that’s not how the EW broke down:
TOTAL ACTIVES: 56 (52%)
TOTAL PASSIVES/REACTIVES: 42 (39%)
TOTAL UNCLASSIFIABLE: 10 (9%)
According to the EW list, likeability was indeed correlated with active badass-itude, but being active was not a requirement of being likable.
Now let’s see where male and female characters fall on the active-passive continuum. Before looking at the EW list, my guess would have been that audiences prefer their male characters active and “badass” and their female characters sweetly passive and mommy-like. Surprisingly, I found just the opposite:
MALE ACTIVES: 32/68 (47%)
MALE PASSIVES: 25/68 (37%)
FEMALE ACTIVES: 24/40 (60%)
FEMALE PASSIVES: 12/40 (30%)
Clearly, EW likes active characters a bit better than passive characters, but it likes active female characters significantly more than it likes passive or reactive female characters. According to the above statistics, for every Felicity or Lorelai Gilmore on the list, you get two Starbucks (or two Patty Heweses). EW’s writers and editors, it seems, like their “strong female” characters better than their “reactive but interesting” female characters by a ratio of 2:1. As you can see, there is less of a spread between the active and passive male characters. (For every Forrest Gump or Napoleon Dynamite, you get only 1.3ish Omar Littles.)
Next, I broke the characters into character types: hero-protagonists, anti-hero-protagonists, comedic protagonists (who tend to flip-flop between heroism, pure evil, and complete passivity), villain antagonists, and none of the above. By my count, there were only 10 clear villain-antagonists in this list
– Tracy Flick from Election
– Amanda Woodward from Melrose Place
-Catherine Trammell from Basic Instinct
– Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada
– Mary Jones from Precious
– Annie Wilkes from Misery
-Violet Weston from August: Osage County
– Keyser Söze from The Usual Suspects
-Gollum from The Lord of the Rings
– The Joker from The Dark Knight
and yet seven of the ten are women. That means 17.5% of the women on this list are villain-antagonists, while only 4.5% of the men are. My definition of a villain-antagonist was a character who did evil things that the POV protagonist did not approve of. People like Hannibal Lecter and Tony Soprano would be considered anti-hero-protagonists, because one helped out the heroic main character, and one was the main character. As evil as Tony Soprano can be, audiences identify with him too much to call him a true villain. (Fascinatingly, there are very few female antihero-protagonists in general, let alone on this EW list–Mary Louise Parker’s character from Weeds immediately jumps to mind–but she’s not only the list. Damages’ Patty Hewes is. If you go to TVTropes and look at their list of villain protagonists, you’ll see the number of female characters is negligible. I have nothing much to say about this fact other than to say it’s interesting.)
Anyway. All of the above data suggest to me that we (or at least the critics at EW) like a wide variety of male character types but prefer our women to be two-dimensionally “badass” and/or evil. Most great female characters, the EW list seems to say, are doers—not thinkers or losers or comedians or lovable orges or what have you. Great male characters, meanwhile, range across the entirety of human experience, from Shrek to David Brent to Edward Scissorhands to Eric Cartman to Jules Winnfield to Spongebob Squarepants to Tyler Durden.
An important question remains, however. Is it that audiences and critics prefer two-dimensional “strong female” characters to “weak-but-interesting” women and girls, or is it that writers don’t know how to write nuanced female characters? Or do writers know how to write three-dimensional women but avoid doing so for fear of being labeled misogynistic? After all, the writer of an unsubtle villainness or plain-vanilla action heroine can hide behind the excuse of, “But look! She’s so empowered!” Or is it that Hollywood’s female characters have been focus-grouped to death, as A.O. Scott suggested in his (hilarious) review of Knight and Day? Are writers shackled by the market research that says that likable female characters must be “tough but not aggressive,” “sexy but not actually having sex,” and “willing to fall for a certain kind of guy without entirely losing their heads”? Maybe we see so many female characters in this bland “Cameron Diaz” rom-com mode nowadays that every time a writer steps slightly out of those boundaries by writing a loathsome Lady Macbeth stereotype or one-dimensional Femme Nikita-type, magazines like Entertainment Weekly fall over themselves to congratulate them for it.
I don’t know. My guess is that it’s all of the above. So let me open this question to you, OTI readers. I’m sure most of you enjoy watching badass characters of both sexes–after all, we humans love our wish-fulfillment fantasies–but do passive/reactive female characters turn you off more than passive or reactive male characters? If so, why? Were you socially-conditioned to only enjoy watching women if they act stereotypically “masculine” (i.e., proactive and violent), or do you think that Hollywood’s writers tend to have a hard time writing different types of female characters?
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1473
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0
| 8 |
https://easolinas.home.blog/2022/05/30/sonya-blade-badass-lady-fighter/
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en
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Sonya Blade – Badass Lady Fighter
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2022-05-30T00:00:00
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I have a confession to make: I kinda like the Mortal Kombat movie from 2021. I mean, it's not as controversial as saying you're an unironic fan of Battlefield Earth or something like that. But as I understand it, fans of the video games didn't like it a great deal, even just compared to the…
|
en
|
The Forest
|
https://easolinas.home.blog/2022/05/30/sonya-blade-badass-lady-fighter/
|
I have a confession to make: I kinda like the Mortal Kombat movie from 2021.
I mean, it’s not as controversial as saying you’re an unironic fan of Battlefield Earth or something like that. But as I understand it, fans of the video games didn’t like it a great deal, even just compared to the 1990s movie.
And I won’t lie – it’s flawed. Cole is a pretty bland lead character who isn’t from the games, though he’s inoffensive and he avoids the whole Gary Stu character aspect. Kano is lots of fun to watch, and I suspect the actor had a ball playing him. Shang Tsung is not really very intimidating, There’s some eye candy for women and a small number of men (Liu Kang is basically this ALL THE TIME). The special effects are pretty decent. Hiroyuki Sanada and Joe Taslim are basically perfect as Scorpion and Subzero, and there’s a reason the entire climax is about these two whaling on each other.
But I think of all the characters, I enjoy watching Sonya Blade the most, because she is an example of a warrior woman written correctly. And we don’t have a lot of those anymore – a lot of female characters in current-day action movies are essentially written as power fantasies…. which are okay, as long as it’s acknowledged that they’re nothing better than that. These characters are coldly constructed to maximize feelings of shallow empowerment without risking upsetting anyone by making the character look “weak” by having them be vulnerable, struggle to do anything, or need anything from a man.
Disney, I’m looking at you. You gave us Rey, Live!Mulan and Captain Marvel.
Sonya Blade is literally not like the other girls… and for once, that’s a good thing. The first thing to note is that she is always depicted as a butt-kicking badass – she’s a military veteran who’s good enough to fight in Mortal Kombat, and she’s strong and skilled enough to capture Kano and keep him chained up in her house. When Subzero is chasing down Cole, she’s the one that Jax sends him to to keep him safe.
But it’s worth noting that in raw physical power, she’s not the strongest. On average, men are much stronger than women physically, which many movies and TV shows don’t want to acknowledge because… I guess acknowledging it would be considered misogynistic. But Mortal Kombat does implicitly acknowledge it, because Sonya is shown going toe to toe with physically powerful men not based on raw muscle power, but using her brains, her training, and her agility. Her part of the climax is a wonderfully intense game of cat-and-mouse, where she not only has to battle Kano’s physical power but his laser eye, which she manages through manipulating her surroundings as well as physical attacks.
Which brings me to another aspect of Sonya that many other action heroines don’t have anymore – she struggles. Watch the Disney action heroines mentioned above, and you’ll be lucky if they EVER struggle to take down their enemies.
In the shallow minds of the people writing these stories, I think they imagine that a woman struggling would make her look weak… and that idea is bad storytelling. Seeing your hero struggle is part of the experience of wanting them to triumph – you watch them sweat, get punched, collapse to the ground and struggle to get up again, and lose their initial fights. That makes it all the more cathartic and satisfying when they finally triumph – because you know they worked for their triumph over the bad guys, and all the sweat, blood and tears were worth it in the end.
If the hero’s only flaw is “he/she needs to realize how AWESOME he/she is!”, and they breeze through, effortlessly winning the day without breaking a sweat… the only people who find that satisfying are people who just want a power fantasy.
And yes, Sonya struggles. She follows the arc of HERO FIGHTS –> HERO FAILS –> HERO REGROUPS/TRAINS –> HERO FIGHTS AGAIN –> HERO WINS AFTER STRUGGLE, like Luke Skywalker and other classic heroes. Her ultimate triumph over Kano – and gaining an arcana – is narratively satisfying because we watched her grapple with him right to the end, and it was a near thing. So when she looks at her dragon mark and laughs, it feels earned.
I do not get that feeling from a Captain Marvel, a Rey, a Live!Mulan. They don’t struggle to win, so there’s no cathartic satisfaction when they do win. It’s like watching Usain Bolt outrunning a toddler. Who’d find that satisfying?
I also really like Sonya’s relationships with the men around her. She doesn’t really interact much with the female characters – I think she only encounters Mileena, who skips out on murdering her because she wouldn’t get Mortal Kombat street cred from it. I guess she probably meets Cole’s wife and daughter at the end of the film.
Anyway, throughout the movie Sonya interacts mainly with the male characters, and for the most part… they treat her no differently than if she were a man. The only exception of Kano, who is a walking mass of personality defects, who is sexist to her because he’s casually offensive to everyone (and also he’s salty that she chained him up). But the men on her side treat her with respect and admiration, not considering her any less worthy because she’s a woman, and it’s hard to imagine that, say, Cole would treat her any differently if she were a guy.
That also goes for her relationship with Jax. I’m not sure what the age difference is between them, but it seems like they have a big brother/little sister connection, with a hint of mentor/student.
One thing I’ve noticed about movies in recent years is that women are often not allowed to be the mentees/students of men anymore – a woman must either know everything she needs automatically, or she must learn from another woman. See Rey, Captain Marvel, etc. That makes it kind of wholesome when Sonya admits that when she first entered the military, she wanted to make Jax proud, and that was clearly an important motivation in her training and her service.
It’s also worth noting that in the second act, she also spends a lot of time just supporting Jax. She’s told that she can’t train for Mortal Kombat because she doesn’t have a dragon mark that gives you superpowers, and instead of pouting or kicking up a fuss, she decides to go support her best friend, who just lost both of his arms and has been given little dinky robot ones instead. She doesn’t make it all about her, but about her friend who needs help.
On the subject of Sonya not having an arcana, I also liked that she’s demonstrated to have actual morals rather than a vague sense of goodness that is never challenged or confronted with temptation. You see, Sonya wants an arcana because she wants to engage in Mortal Kombat (DA DA DA, DADADA DA DA DA!), but there are only two ways to gain one. Either you are an elite fighter and vague supernatural powers bestow it on you, or you gain it by killing someone else who has the marking.
Kano has the marking. Now, Kano is a person who has done all sorts of hideous criminal things, and killing him would probably make the world a better place. In fact, he keeps taunting Sonya about killing him, even to the point where she fights him but does not kill him, just to demonstrate that she can in fact beat him. But she doesn’t kill him, because at that point he was technically an ally and wasn’t a direct threat.
Does she kill him? Yes. But only after he turns against the group and tries to murder her twice, in self-defense.
The same way a hero has to struggle for his success to mean anything, a hero’s morals have to be challenged for their morality to have any depth. If the hero is never tempted to do the wrong thing, then their morality doesn’t really mean anything. This is especially true in a situation where doing the wrong thing feels like it might be the right thing, such as killing a loathsome murderer who will get superpowers and probably misuse them to kill even more people.
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1473
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dbpedia
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1
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https://easolinas.home.blog/2022/05/30/sonya-blade-badass-lady-fighter/
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en
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Sonya Blade – Badass Lady Fighter
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2022-05-30T00:00:00
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I have a confession to make: I kinda like the Mortal Kombat movie from 2021. I mean, it's not as controversial as saying you're an unironic fan of Battlefield Earth or something like that. But as I understand it, fans of the video games didn't like it a great deal, even just compared to the…
|
en
|
The Forest
|
https://easolinas.home.blog/2022/05/30/sonya-blade-badass-lady-fighter/
|
I have a confession to make: I kinda like the Mortal Kombat movie from 2021.
I mean, it’s not as controversial as saying you’re an unironic fan of Battlefield Earth or something like that. But as I understand it, fans of the video games didn’t like it a great deal, even just compared to the 1990s movie.
And I won’t lie – it’s flawed. Cole is a pretty bland lead character who isn’t from the games, though he’s inoffensive and he avoids the whole Gary Stu character aspect. Kano is lots of fun to watch, and I suspect the actor had a ball playing him. Shang Tsung is not really very intimidating, There’s some eye candy for women and a small number of men (Liu Kang is basically this ALL THE TIME). The special effects are pretty decent. Hiroyuki Sanada and Joe Taslim are basically perfect as Scorpion and Subzero, and there’s a reason the entire climax is about these two whaling on each other.
But I think of all the characters, I enjoy watching Sonya Blade the most, because she is an example of a warrior woman written correctly. And we don’t have a lot of those anymore – a lot of female characters in current-day action movies are essentially written as power fantasies…. which are okay, as long as it’s acknowledged that they’re nothing better than that. These characters are coldly constructed to maximize feelings of shallow empowerment without risking upsetting anyone by making the character look “weak” by having them be vulnerable, struggle to do anything, or need anything from a man.
Disney, I’m looking at you. You gave us Rey, Live!Mulan and Captain Marvel.
Sonya Blade is literally not like the other girls… and for once, that’s a good thing. The first thing to note is that she is always depicted as a butt-kicking badass – she’s a military veteran who’s good enough to fight in Mortal Kombat, and she’s strong and skilled enough to capture Kano and keep him chained up in her house. When Subzero is chasing down Cole, she’s the one that Jax sends him to to keep him safe.
But it’s worth noting that in raw physical power, she’s not the strongest. On average, men are much stronger than women physically, which many movies and TV shows don’t want to acknowledge because… I guess acknowledging it would be considered misogynistic. But Mortal Kombat does implicitly acknowledge it, because Sonya is shown going toe to toe with physically powerful men not based on raw muscle power, but using her brains, her training, and her agility. Her part of the climax is a wonderfully intense game of cat-and-mouse, where she not only has to battle Kano’s physical power but his laser eye, which she manages through manipulating her surroundings as well as physical attacks.
Which brings me to another aspect of Sonya that many other action heroines don’t have anymore – she struggles. Watch the Disney action heroines mentioned above, and you’ll be lucky if they EVER struggle to take down their enemies.
In the shallow minds of the people writing these stories, I think they imagine that a woman struggling would make her look weak… and that idea is bad storytelling. Seeing your hero struggle is part of the experience of wanting them to triumph – you watch them sweat, get punched, collapse to the ground and struggle to get up again, and lose their initial fights. That makes it all the more cathartic and satisfying when they finally triumph – because you know they worked for their triumph over the bad guys, and all the sweat, blood and tears were worth it in the end.
If the hero’s only flaw is “he/she needs to realize how AWESOME he/she is!”, and they breeze through, effortlessly winning the day without breaking a sweat… the only people who find that satisfying are people who just want a power fantasy.
And yes, Sonya struggles. She follows the arc of HERO FIGHTS –> HERO FAILS –> HERO REGROUPS/TRAINS –> HERO FIGHTS AGAIN –> HERO WINS AFTER STRUGGLE, like Luke Skywalker and other classic heroes. Her ultimate triumph over Kano – and gaining an arcana – is narratively satisfying because we watched her grapple with him right to the end, and it was a near thing. So when she looks at her dragon mark and laughs, it feels earned.
I do not get that feeling from a Captain Marvel, a Rey, a Live!Mulan. They don’t struggle to win, so there’s no cathartic satisfaction when they do win. It’s like watching Usain Bolt outrunning a toddler. Who’d find that satisfying?
I also really like Sonya’s relationships with the men around her. She doesn’t really interact much with the female characters – I think she only encounters Mileena, who skips out on murdering her because she wouldn’t get Mortal Kombat street cred from it. I guess she probably meets Cole’s wife and daughter at the end of the film.
Anyway, throughout the movie Sonya interacts mainly with the male characters, and for the most part… they treat her no differently than if she were a man. The only exception of Kano, who is a walking mass of personality defects, who is sexist to her because he’s casually offensive to everyone (and also he’s salty that she chained him up). But the men on her side treat her with respect and admiration, not considering her any less worthy because she’s a woman, and it’s hard to imagine that, say, Cole would treat her any differently if she were a guy.
That also goes for her relationship with Jax. I’m not sure what the age difference is between them, but it seems like they have a big brother/little sister connection, with a hint of mentor/student.
One thing I’ve noticed about movies in recent years is that women are often not allowed to be the mentees/students of men anymore – a woman must either know everything she needs automatically, or she must learn from another woman. See Rey, Captain Marvel, etc. That makes it kind of wholesome when Sonya admits that when she first entered the military, she wanted to make Jax proud, and that was clearly an important motivation in her training and her service.
It’s also worth noting that in the second act, she also spends a lot of time just supporting Jax. She’s told that she can’t train for Mortal Kombat because she doesn’t have a dragon mark that gives you superpowers, and instead of pouting or kicking up a fuss, she decides to go support her best friend, who just lost both of his arms and has been given little dinky robot ones instead. She doesn’t make it all about her, but about her friend who needs help.
On the subject of Sonya not having an arcana, I also liked that she’s demonstrated to have actual morals rather than a vague sense of goodness that is never challenged or confronted with temptation. You see, Sonya wants an arcana because she wants to engage in Mortal Kombat (DA DA DA, DADADA DA DA DA!), but there are only two ways to gain one. Either you are an elite fighter and vague supernatural powers bestow it on you, or you gain it by killing someone else who has the marking.
Kano has the marking. Now, Kano is a person who has done all sorts of hideous criminal things, and killing him would probably make the world a better place. In fact, he keeps taunting Sonya about killing him, even to the point where she fights him but does not kill him, just to demonstrate that she can in fact beat him. But she doesn’t kill him, because at that point he was technically an ally and wasn’t a direct threat.
Does she kill him? Yes. But only after he turns against the group and tries to murder her twice, in self-defense.
The same way a hero has to struggle for his success to mean anything, a hero’s morals have to be challenged for their morality to have any depth. If the hero is never tempted to do the wrong thing, then their morality doesn’t really mean anything. This is especially true in a situation where doing the wrong thing feels like it might be the right thing, such as killing a loathsome murderer who will get superpowers and probably misuse them to kill even more people.
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1473
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2
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https://scriptshadow.net/screenplay-review-mortal-kombat/
|
en
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Screenplay Review – Mortal Kombat
|
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2021-03-03T07:53:49+00:00
|
Genre: Action/Supernatural Premise: Based on one of the most famous video games in history, an aging amateur boxer is called upon to fight in an ancient tournament that takes place in multiple dime…
|
en
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https://scriptshadow.net/wp-content/themes/ScriptShadow/style.css/favicon.ico
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ScriptShadow
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https://scriptshadow.net/screenplay-review-mortal-kombat/
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Genre: Action/Supernatural
Premise: Based on one of the most famous video games in history, an aging amateur boxer is called upon to fight in an ancient tournament that takes place in multiple dimensions.
About: Greg Russo, who has upwards of TWELVE projects in development, will call Mortal Kombat his first official produced credit. When asked about which characters he was going to use, this is what he said: “Yeah. One of the trickiest things I think with adapting the properties are there are so many characters, right? I mean there are, I think there are 70 something characters in this and we don’t have the ability to stagger these films like the MCU does, right? We can’t do a Sonya movie and then do a Liu Kang movie. So we’re forced right into Avengers mode off the bat. When that happens from a story perspective, you’re naturally going to have to juggle a lot of different characters and you’ll realize very soon that you only have so much room in, what’s hopefully Story One. Our mantra as the team behind this movie is always kind of, Movie One first, you know, let’s just make that great. Let’s not think about anything else.”
Writer: Greg Russo
Details: November 2018 draft
I’m drawn to the ‘straight-up soulless assignment’ side of the business because there’s this irony in that, as an unknown writer, your sole objective is to write a script that gets you inside the golden Hollywood gates. Yet once inside, your focus is on winning jobs like Mortal Kombat.
I think the general population assumes that for a movie like Mortal Kombat, you scrape the bottom of the barrel and go with any writer who knows how to spell at a 4th grade level. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. A screenwriting job like Mortal Kombat is coveted by almost everyone in the business. Writers would die to get an assignment like this.
However, once they get the job, reality sets in. You have this concept that doesn’t really make sense. And that’s because the mythology wasn’t built to be some thoughtful movie narrative. It just needed to make enough sense for a video game. Which means your job is taking this thin nonsensical silly world and create a story that’s actually good out of it.
In South Philly, we meet 30-something boxer, Cole Morino. The cool thing about Cole is that his cornerman is the youngest in the business, his 12 year old daughter, Emily. Well, maybe she’s not officially his cornerman. But she’s spirited and a good motivator. If his wife, Allison, who he’s separated from, found out he was allowing Emily anywhere near one of his fights, he’d be dunzos. But they haven’t gotten caught so far.
After Allison picks Emily up, some dude in a blue outfit in a mask that I’m pretty sure has nothing to do with a pandemic appears and starts making killer icicles rain down. The guy seems to have a beef with Cole but we don’t know why. A woman named Jade and an Aussie dude named Kano come to Cole’s rescue, rushing both him and his daughter away. Cole’s wife, unfortunately, doesn’t make it, turned into an icicle and then blown into a million pieces by Sub-Zero.
It’s here where we learn that a big fight tournament is coming up – Mortal Kombat – but the baddies want to kill off all the good guys beforehand so they don’t even have to bother with the tournament. Cheaters!
Once Cole and his new friends get some distance from Sub-Zero, we learn that Cole has a very rare medallion in his possession with a dragon’s head on it. The only people who have that, Jade explains, are mortal kombat warriors, the greatest fighters in the universe. Since Cole sucks at fighting, they deduce that it must have been his father’s, who Cole’s never met.
When they’re snuffed out again by the bad guys – this time by a dude named Reptile who, yes, has a lizard head – they barely kill him. Afterwards, Liu Kang, one of the greatest warriors on earth, arrives, and says we have to go to the great temple to talk to Raiden, who’s in charge of the Mortal Kombat Tournament.
Once at the temple, several baddies, including that pesky Sub-Zero, show up to fight them AGAIN. But this time Raiden, who’s a God, steps in, and offers a Mr. Miagi special: “Save it for the tournament in four days!” The bad guys reluctantly back off. But they’re not worried. The humans are so outmatched that they’re going to get slaughtered. And, once that happens, not only will Group Evil win the tournament, THEY’LL WIN EARTH!
The first thing I want you to look at here is how Russo structured his story. Because it’s actually quite clever.
Say you’ve been given the task of writing Mortal Kombat. What does everybody know about Mortal Kombat? There’s a tournament where all the fighters fight each other. So that’s obviously going to be your ending.
But what do you do in the meantime? What average-to-bad writers do is use all the lead-up to the tournament as setup. They’ve got a ton of characters to introduce so they’re going to utilize every one of those pages to set our tournament characters up one by one. Then, they bring all the good guys together. There’s probably a lot of conflict because everybody has a different opinion on how to do this. So we get a lot tough-guy banter. And then we get our tournament. The End.
Your screenplay will die if you take that approach.
Why?
Because setup is information. It’s not drama. It’s not entertainment – even if you sprinkle some fights in there. Without any engine pushing the characters forward, we’re just waiting around meeting people. I just encountered this in a script I read over the weekend. The first 30 pages was the writer conveying information without any drama.
So, what Russo does to kombat this is he creates this little storyline by which the bad guys, led by Sub-Zero, want to kill all of earth’s competitors before the tournament starts. Why wait for the tournament when you can take everyone out now? This initiates Sub-Zero to go after Cole and Sonya and Jax and Kano, which puts them on the run. Which means that we’re still meeting all of our characters, just like we would in the bad writer’s version, but we’re meeting them ON THE MOVE, AS THINGS ARE HAPPENING, IN THE MIDST OF DRAMA. Which is not only more exciting but required in a movie like this.
Let’s talk about another thing that pro writers understand.
The biggest problems that the Mortal Kombats of the world face is that they commonly lack soul. Without soul, a movie is a lifeless experience. It is eye-candy and nothing more. So how does one create soul within a movie?
The best way is through the main character. The main character is our vessel through which we experience the story. So if you can create a character who’s going through something universal that people can relate to, then we will feel a connection to them. There are other things you can do as well. But that’s your starting point.
Russo makes Cole our main character.
And Cole is in a situation that a lot of adults have either experienced or experienced something similar to. He and his wife are separated. They’re sharing custody of their child. It’s not easy. A part of each of them still wants to be together. But they don’t see eye to eye on big issues, such as what Cole wants to do with his profession. So we understand what Cole is feeling. Which means we have a connection with him.
Now, not everyone has their separated wife frozen and broken into a million pieces in front of their eyes. But loss is a universal experience. And since Russo did a good job of establishing this broken marriage and hinting at them fixing things, it hits us hard when she dies, and we want Cole to get revenge.
Something more specific to these types of assignments is you’re looking for the stand-out characters so you can feature them. When you play Mortal Kombat, it’s clear that Sub-Zero is a special character. There’s something unique and scary and badass and cool about him all at once. So Ross wisely made him the primary antagonist in the story. Don’t try to make weak characters from source material strong. Lean into the characters that already work. They’re your secret weapon.
Finally, just as a creative choice, I liked what Russo did with the human characters. He did a great job establishing how big of underdogs they were against the bad guys, who were all from different dimensions and had otherworldly powers. Cole couldn’t even beat up a 180 pound amateur boxer at the beginning of the movie. How is he going to defeat someone who can throw a freeze-spell at you, turning you into ice? Ditto with everyone else. Not only were they outmatched, but 9 tournaments have already been won. If the bad guys win this last tournament, earth is theirs. Talk about high stakes.
The only problem with Mortal Kombat is that it can’t escape its goofy mythological roots. I still don’t even know how it works. There’s different dimensions and the tournament is held on different planets in different dimensions all the time? Or something? If things would’ve been clearer, I might’ve upgraded my rating. But you can only give a script that contains a random monster with 4 arms so much screenplay cred. Which means Mortal Kombat skates by with a ‘worth the read.’
[ ] What the hell did I just read?
[ ] wasn’t for me
[x] worth the read
[ ] impressive
[ ] genius
What I learned: When you’re adapting something silly, it’s always a good idea to create a character that calls the silliness out. If Mortal Kombat takes itself too seriously, you’re going to lose your audience. Here, we have Jade explaining how Mortal Kombat works to both Cole and Kano: “They weren’t repeating stories they heard… they were reporting things they saw. That one shared myth was no myth. It was true. At various points in the past, Earth’s greatest champions went to war for mankind’s survival. An eternal war. To protect Earth from foreign enemies. The war was known as: (points to written symbol) Mortal Kombat.” Kano then pops in. “ Did you make that part up? (off Sonya’s look) It sounds like you made it up. Plus you spelled it wrong.” You gotta have some fun, man.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kano_(British_musician)
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Kano (British musician)
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2005-12-05T14:40:46+00:00
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en
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/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kano_(British_musician)
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British rapper
Musical artist
Kane Brett Robinson (born 21 May 1985), better known as Kano, is a British rapper, songwriter and actor from East Ham, London. A significant contributor to grime music, he is widely considered one of the pioneers of the grime culture, alongside artists such as Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. His fifth album, Made in the Manor was shortlisted for the 2016 Mercury Prize and won Best Album at the 2016 MOBO Awards. On screen, he is best known for playing the role of Sully in Top Boy.
Music career
[edit]
1985–2003: early years
[edit]
Kane Robinson, born in East Ham, London, was raised by Jamaican parents, he attended Langdon Secondary School where he completed his GCSE's, before studying A-Levels at sixth form. In his younger years he was a promising footballer, representing Chelsea, West Ham United, Norwich City and Celtic by the age of 13,[1] eventually abandoning his sporting ambitions in favour of a musical career.
He joined the East London-based, N.A.S.T.Y. Crew (Natural Artistic Sounds Touching You), whose original line-up consisted of Kano, Marcus Nasty, Jammer, D Double E, Ghetts, Demon, Stormin, Mak 10, Monkstar, Sharky Major, Armour, and Hyper. N.A.S.T.Y Crew had a popular show on pirate radio station Deja Vu. Airing Monday nights from 8:00 to 10:00 pm, the sets featured established up-and-coming guests, including Dizzee Rascal, Durrty Goodz, and Wiley. Robinson used the crew's underground popularity as a springboard, leaving N.A.S.T.Y. to release his first solo track in 2002. He was then signed as a solo artist and began work on his debut solo album.
2004–2005: Home Sweet Home
[edit]
In 2004, Robinson modelled Hugo Boss's Spring/Summer collection,[2] but declined to begin recording and touring commitments. Shortly afterwards he released his debut major label solo single, "P's & Q's", on a 12" vinyl-only release, which was an underground hit.
In 2005, he released his second single, "Typical Me", produced by Dirty Rag and featuring Ghetts. "Typical Me" reached No. 22 in the UK Singles Charts. The video for "Typical Me" was directed by Andy Hylton. The third single, "Remember Me", fared less well in the charts, reaching No. 71. Two weeks later, on 27 June 2005, his début album Home Sweet Home was released. It debuted inside the UK top 40 at No. 36 in its first week. In September 2005, the fourth single "Nite Nite" was released, featuring Leo the Lion and The Streets. Home Sweet Home went on to gain gold status in the UK, and was well reviewed across the British press.
"Nite Nite" was released as the next single from the album, hitting No. 25 in the UK charts and spending six weeks altogether in the top 75. Shortly after the release of "Nite Nite", a promotional video for "Reload It", which featured live performance clips and backstage footage, was released to UK video station, Channel U. In December 2005, Robinson released a remixed version of album track "Nobody Don't Dance No More" featuring Katie Pearl, as a download-only single. The track was also featured as a B-side on CD: 2 of "Nite Nite". On 13 March 2006, Robinson released the fifth and final single from the album, a double A-side of "Brown Eyes" and "Signs in Life". The single was released on a vinyl format only, and included a free sticker, which made it ineligible for chart inclusion.
Robinson's music was also featured on Run the Road, a 2005 compilation featuring 16 grime tracks. The compilation included contributions from other grime artists, including Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, and Lady Sovereign. Robinson performed a verse on the track "Destruction VIP" and was featured on three other tracks, including "P's and Q's".[3]
2006–2007: London Town
[edit]
On 23 March 2006, Robinson performed at Anson Rooms in Bristol for MTV2's Spanking New Music along with JME, N-Dubz and Unklejam. He performed tracks including "London Town", "P's & Q's", "Brown Eyes", "Me & My Mic" and tracks from the Beats & Bars mixtape. Robinson confirmed on the show that his next album was to be called London Town.
Prior to the album's release, Robinson put out a mixtape (simply called Mixtape on the front cover), which included new material and his own versions of hip-hop songs, including Jay-Z's "Public Service Announcement", Nas's "Black Republican" and Kanye West's "My Way Home". The mixtape also included a preview of "Buss It Up", a song that featured on the later release London Town. The album was released on 10 September 2007, preceded by the single "This Is The Girl", featuring Craig David, on 27 August. Along with David, the album featured collaborations with Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn, Kate Nash, and Vybz Kartel. Robinson toured the UK in support of the record, as well as performing the whole album at the Jazz Cafe in October 2007 alongside a live band.[4] Kano also sold out London Astoria in the same month to put on an entertaining show also promoting Tinchy Stryder on his tour.[5]
2008–2009: 140 Grime St and MC No. 1
[edit]
In 2008, Robinson was no longer signed to 679 Recordings as he wished to return to his "grimier roots" and had posted all new freestyles on his MySpace page. In April of that year, he released a mixtape, MC No. 1, followed by a third album, 140 Grime Street. Despite primarily using American hip-hop-style beats, seemingly contra to his previous comments, both were well received. 140 Grime Street was released on 29 September 2008 through BPM (Bigger Picture Music). The majority of the album was produced by Mikey J, with Wiley and DaVinChe supplying two beats each, and Skepta handling the production for the song "These MC's". The album featured guest appearances from Ghetto, Skepta, Wiley, and Mikey J. The first single released was "Hustler."
A second single, "Rock N Rolla", was first premiered on Radio 1xtra DJ Mista Jam's radio show. The single was officially released in October. "More Than One Way" also premiered on Mista Jam's 1xtra radio show. The video was also released on Kano's official YouTube page.[6] The track was written for a campaign to promote the Diploma and was given away for free exclusively from The Diploma website.[7] The music video was made with the help of students from around the UK. The TV ad shows Robinson walking through a crowd of students whose Diploma qualifications pop up in bubbles above them. Creative and media students helped in producing the video and construction students helped make the set.
2010–2013: Method to the Maadness and mixtapes
[edit]
Robinson's fourth album, Method to the Maadness, was released on 30 August 2010 and charted in the UK Albums Chart at number 45, making it the rapper's fourth successive album to appear in the Top 50. The lead single, "Upside" (featuring Michelle Breeze), was released on 23 August 2010. That same year he provided vocals on the third Gorillaz studio album, Plastic Beach. He collaborated with fellow British rapper Bashy and the National Orchestra for Arabic Music on the track "White Flag".
In September, Robinson announced a four-track collaborative EP with the producer Mikey J. The EP was entitled Not for the A List because Robinson did not want anything to stand in his way when it came to making the music.[8] Part of the EP was to make one track a week and to release it to a DJ to play on radio, ensuring it was a different DJ each week over a timeline of four weeks. The first track was "Random Antics"'[9] the second track, "Alien", and featured Maxsta, the first label signing by the SBTV founder Jamal Edwards.[10] The third week was a track titled "E.T", featuring Wiley, Scorcher and Wretch 32.[11] The fourth track, "House of Pain", featuring Ghetts, was delayed due to the length being 7+1⁄2 minutes. The DJ had to get permission from his boss to play it.[12] It was expected Robinson is using the EP to build anticipation for his fifth studio album, to be released in 2012.
On 13 November 2011, Robinson announced via Twitter that he would release a mixtape some time that month entitled Girls Over Guns. On 1 January 2012, he released a mixtape called Jack Bauer 2.4 as the follow-up mixtape to the 2010 edition.[13]
2014–2018: Made in the Manor
[edit]
On 26 April 2014, Robinson released a music video via SB.TV for "Flow of the Year' featuring JME. The following year came his single "Hail" in March 2015 and its B-side "New Banger" released via Noisey in April 2015.[citation needed] This preceded his fifth album Made in the Manor, eventually released in 2016. Promotion for the album began with the single "3 Wheel-Ups" featuring Wiley and Giggs. The song premiered on MistaJam's BBC Radio 1Xtra show on 7 January 2016. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 126[14] and the UK R&B Chart at number 16.[15]
The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 8, becoming Robinson's highest-charting album since London Town (2007).[16]
2019–present: Hoodies All Summer
[edit]
On 30 August 2019, Robinson's sixth studio album Hoodies All Summer was released following its announcement the month previously. The album would be later shortlisted for the Mercury Prize 2020, the second time in his career. He provided vocals again in 2020 for the seventh Gorillaz studio album Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, along with Spanish singer Roxani Arias for the song "Dead Butterflies". In October 2020, Robinson collaborated with Fraser T. Smith in the production of Smith's debut album "12 Questions".[17]
Acting career
[edit]
In October 2011, Robinson made his acting debut in the Channel 4 drama Top Boy. His character, Sully, was originally written as an Asian drug dealer. Casting director Des Hamilton, director Yann Demange and writer Ronan Bennett were so impressed with his chemistry test with co-star Ashley Walters, causing the character to be rewritten. The original run of the show went for two seasons, before Channel 4 cancelled it in 2014.[18]
In 2017, it was announced that streaming platform Netflix would be reviving Top Boy, with Robinson reprising his role as Sully. The revival was, in part, due to the interest of Canadian rapper Drake, who was a fan of the original series and whose team co-produced the new episodes.[19] The third and fourth series premiered on Netflix in September 2019 and March 2022, respectively.[19] A fifth and final series was announced on 31 March 2022, and aired in September 2023.
Robinson plays the lead role in The Kitchen, a dystopian thriller for Netflix directed by Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya, which premiered at the 67th London Film Festival on 15 October 2023.[20]
Awards, nominations and recognition
[edit]
Robinson was voted Best Newcomer award in 2004 at the Urban Music Awards and then in 2005, he was nominated for 4 MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards, winning the award for Best Newcomer. He also won an award at the first Channel U "Best of British" Awards. On New Year's Eve 2005, he was announced as one of "London's Heroes of 2005" by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone. He was also nominated for a BRIT Award for Best Urban Act in January 2006. In 2016 Kano's album Made in the Manor was nominated for the Mercury Music Award. Made in the Manor also won 'Best Album' in the 2016 MOBO awards. He was nominated for a second Mercury Music Award for his 6th Studio album Hoodies All Summer.
In 2022, Robinson won a MOBO Award for Best Performance in a TV Show/Film for his performance in the fourth series of Top Boy.
Personal life
[edit]
Robinson is a supporter of Liverpool F.C.[21]
Political views
[edit]
In November 2019, along with 34 other musicians, Robinson signed a letter endorsing the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the 2019 UK general election with a call to end austerity.[22][23] In December 2019, along with 42 other leading cultural figures, he signed a letter endorsing the Labour Party under Corbyn's leadership in the 2019 general election. The letter stated that "Labour's election manifesto under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership offers a transformative plan that prioritises the needs of people and the planet over private profit and the vested interests of a few."[24][25]
Discography
[edit]
Main article: Kano discography
Home Sweet Home (2005)
London Town (2007)
140 Grime Street (2008)
Method to the Maadness (2010)
Made in the Manor (2016)
Hoodies All Summer (2019)
Filmography
[edit]
Film Year Title Role Notes 2006 Rollin' with the Nines Kano 2007 Point Blank Akil Short 2012 Tower Block Mark 2023 The Kitchen Izi
Television Year Title Role Notes 2011–2023 Top Boy Sully Series 1–5
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2007 Def Jam: Icon Himself Voice role and likeness
References
[edit]
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https://mortalkombat.fandom.com/wiki/Kano
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Kano
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Kano (Japanese: 加納)[2] is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The leader of the Black Dragon clan, he is a ruthless scoundrel and archnemesis to Sonya Blade and the Special Forces. Kano made his debut as one of the few original characters in the first Mortal Kombat arcade...
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Mortal Kombat Wiki
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https://mortalkombat.fandom.com/wiki/Kano
|
“
One thing we Black Dragon know, there's no fun in a fair fight.
„
—Kano to past Sonya in Mortal Kombat 11
Kano (Japanese: 加納)[2] is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The leader of the Black Dragon clan, he is a ruthless scoundrel and archnemesis to Sonya Blade and the Special Forces.
Kano made his debut as one of the few original characters in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game. He is the first Black Dragon clan member featured in the series and has been a recurring antagonist to the franchise since his debut. He serves as a major antagonist towards Sonya Blade and her family.
About Kano
As a mercenary and leader of the international crime cartel known as the Black Dragon, Kano rises beyond mere brutality and aggression by also being sly and cunning. Originally from Australia, Kano is highly opportunistic and incredibly selfish, willing to betray his own realm and even his own allies for money or personal gain. As a result, he quickly became part of Shao Kahn's inner circle, and eventually the general of Outworld's armies (in the original timeline). One of his more notable features is his facetious and twisted sense of humor, almost always making light of dire circumstances. His vulgarity is an additional outlier among other characters, most evident by his penchant for callously spitting, drinking and urinating wherever he pleases. His assortment of dirty fighting tactics also compliments his unpleasant personality. He combines features of a cowardly minion, a lone survivor, a crazed madman, and a ruthless commander. He is despised by the majority of other characters in the series for his selfish, untrustworthy nature, complete lack of morals, and overall crudeness. However, he seems to enjoy the fact that he is hated, even viewing it as a source of pride. He is the archenemy of Sonya Blade, who is obsessed with finding and bringing Kano to justice.
A portion of Kano's face is covered with a metal plate, the result of a disfiguring injury he sustained at the hands of Jax prior to the events of the series, with the plated eye being a glowing red orb capable of emitting laser beams.
Since Deadly Alliance, he speaks with an Australian accent and makes regular use of Aussie idioms and slang.
Appearance
In his debut, Kano is depicted as a white male with a black buzzcut, sporting a white Gi accessorized with a brown bandolier strapped around his chest & shoulders and knives holstered on his ankles. He also has a cybernetic Eye Shield prosthetic over his right eye, which has become part of his signature look.
As with most returning characters in MK3, Kano's look underwent a dramatic overhaul. Instead of a white karate Gi, Kano now wears a sleeveless red and black tunic, a pair of shiny black tights with red seams, and black sneakers. He is also completely bald in this appearance. However, a bandolier is still strapped around his body, and he continues to wear an eye shield over his right eye. His knives, strapped to his shins, are now laser-edged.
Across Deadly Alliance, Deception, and Armageddon, his primary look once again underwent a dramatic change. He now sported slicked back hair and has a new variation of his Eye Shield, covering slightly more of the right side of his face. He wears a black vest, arm bands, gloves and a necklace made up of a lock of Sonya Blade's hair that he ripped off of her. He wears khaki colored pants with knee pads and knives holster to his boot.
In the reboot, Kano once again sports his MK3 attire, albeit more loose-fitting. It also comes with slightly more advanced cybernetics. He sports a head full of hair and a full beard. Having tattoos of Dragons on both arms and chest. His Eye Shield and Cybernetic Heart are once again updated and his gauntlets seem to have some sort of enhancements as well.
His alternate outfit has another variation of his Eye Shield & Cybernetic Heart. He wears an open tan vest, black leather gloves and gray pants with leg guards and knives strapped to his shins, as well as a tooth necklace around his neck.
In Mortal Kombat X, Kano's overall appearance changes. Looking older, with a low messy haircut, a scruffy beard. His Eye Shield is upgraded and take up a huge portion of the right side of his face and is connected to wire which appear to enter into his body from the back. He is shirtless, sporting a muscular but not as toned of a body and can see multiple scars across his body. He has two dragon tattoos that are on both arms and chest. His bandolier is slightly different, it straps around both shoulders and across his stomach. They all connect to his Cybernetic Heart which serves as a power supply for his Cybernetics and can power up his moves. He wears camouflaged cargo pants with combat boots. Depending on the variation chosen, his knives are either placed on his back or at his hips. Gauntlets on both forearms as well as armbands. Kano also has a couple of grenades or some type of explosive charges connected to his belt. Two versions of Kano appear in Mortal Kombat 11, being his present and past self, both sporting different attires and overall appearances.
Present Day Kano: He sports a little more hair on his head with the right side shaved to accommodate for his Eye Shields. His facial hair consists of a chevron mustache with long sideburns that do not connect with the mustache, he also has some scruff on his lower lip that resembles a soul patch. The bionic eye is much sleeker now, with an angular design and no external attachments. His bandolier holds his Cybernetic Heart with 3 straps around his chest. His body is muscular and lean, slightly scarred with bushy chest hair and has a single dragon tattoo on his left arm and another dragon on his right forearm. He has fingerless gloves on both hands and a grey bracer on his left forearm. He is sporting olive green cargo pants with leg guards and his signature knives strapped to his shins and leather boots with blades hidden in them.
Past Kano: He is bald and has no facial hair and wears a new version of his MK3 attire, consisting of a red and black gi with a black undershirt, a smaller eye shield that only covers an area around the eye socket and a bandolier holding his cybernetic heart going around his torso, metal bracers on his forearms, a large utility belt with several pouches, black leather pants with leg guards and knives strapped to his shins and leather boots with blades hidden in them.
Character Development
In an early sketch of Kano by John Tobias, he had an eye patch instead of a metal face plate with a bionic eye, and 2 katanas. Another design of Kano had a large helmet with two red eyes. This concept was also dropped later on to be replaced by a metal plate over his right eye. In Kano's Deception Bio Card, Ed Boon mentions how Kano's bionic eye in the first MK (involving digitized actors) was created by cutting out a piece of a plastic mask and painting it a silver color, then gluing it to Richard Divizio's head.
In an episode of Icons/Gamemakers, hosted by G4, Ed Boon stated that the eye implant was directly based on ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' in which the T-800's right side of his face begins to peel off from damage, revealing his mechanical visage.[3]
In an interview with Ed Boon, he states that Kano's cybernetic heart is based on Marvel's Iron Man's arc reactor.
Kano was initially written as being born in Japan and adopted by an American.[4][5] Later, his nationality was retconned to Australian after Trevor Goddard's film performance was positively received.
Game Information
Kano was left out of the Sega Game Gear and Sega Master System version of MK due to memory constraints.
In Deadly Alliance, Kano had a move with his Butterfly Knives called "ear to ear". This was based on a line in the first Mortal Kombat movie, where Kano mockingly claimed that he used his knife to slit the throat of Sonya's partner, from "ear to ear". He also had a fast tag combo in MK 2011 as well as a combo in MKX that share the same name.
Combat Characteristics
Powers and Abilities
Kano isn't the most disciplined fighter but has proven himself to be a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, having received extensive training in Street Fighting, Military Combat and has trained under the Martial Arts of Xing Yi, Aikido, but tends to resort to more of a Street Brawler style of fighting. He is not above utilizing underhanded tactics to get the upper hand in a fight. Kano is an opportunistic fighter and tends to engage in fights when it best suits him, but if challenged directly he will not shy away from the challenge. What he lacks in discipline (finesse & footwork), he makes up for it by being extremely adept in combat and has proven to be a challenge for even the more skilled fighters. What differentiates Kano from his opponents, however, is his dependence on Weapons/Technology rather than Special Powers. He is highly proficient at using knives in combat and often carries multiple bladed weapons on him at once. He has a signature pair of knives he uses in combat, whether they are thrown at the opponent or uses them in hand-to-hand combat. In addition to his fighting skills, Kano has been outfitted with cybernetic enhancements throughout his body, most notably his Cybernetic Eye which can emit a laser beam. His other enhancements help boost his power in combat.
Although Kano depends mostly on Weapons/Technology rather than special moves, he does have a Special Ability to tuck himself into a "Cannonball" and propel himself toward his opponents knocking them down. This has been a signature move of his since the first game. Also, several of his finishers involve him ripping vital organs (or sometimes entire skeletons) out of the opponent's body. Along with the elder Sub-Zero's Spine Rip Fatality, Kano's Heart Rip helped Mortal Kombat garner significant controversy over its violence factor.
As of Mortal Kombat X, Kano's cybernetics have been upgraded and extended through his entire body. This includes a cybernetic "heart" similar to Hsu Hao, which serves as a booster to his cybernetic enhancements. He now uses thermal grenades as part of his already deadly arsenal.
Signature Moves
Cannon Ball: Kano curls into a ball and flies at his opponent. In MK 2011 and MK1, this is known simply as Ball. In MKX, this is known as Kano Ball and also hits the opponent twice if they're too close. In MK11, this is called Black Dragon Ball. (MK, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:DA, MK:SM, MK:A, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MKX, MK11, MK1)
In MK 2011, the enhanced version is called Kano Ball. Kano will spin in the air momentarily before launching at the opponent, hitting them several times. This can be charged (delayed) and is unblockable if held for the full charge.
In MKX, the enhanced version is called Black Dragon Ball and, like the MK 2011 version, can be delayed, but unlike the MK 2011 version, it can be blocked. The enhanced version also deals increased damage. This attack can also be canceled before it knocks the opponent down, briefly stunning them and allowing for combo extensions.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano slash the opponent with his knives after striking the opponent, knocking them down and dealing increased damage. Kano can amplify the attack regardless if the opponent blocked the initial hit.
Down Ball: Kano performs a Ball from the air to the ground, hitting the opponent if in his way. In MKX, this is known as Air Ball and will also make Kano connect with a low kick as soon as he lands, tripping his opponent. If Kano does not make contact with his opponent, he will only trip his opponent once he lands. In MK11, this is called (Air) Black Dragon Ball and after Kano strikes the opponent, he crouches in a position ready to attack. (MK 2011, MKX, MK11)
In MK 2011, the enhanced version is Downward Ball and allows Kano to do his Air Throw before the opponent hits the ground.
In MKX, this move can be enhanced as soon as Kano lands, which will make him pounce at the opponent's torso to force them against the ground instead of the low kick. If Kano does not make contact with the opponent, he will just pounce the opponent. Enhancing the attack makes it unblockable. Kano can not enhance the attack if the initial hit is blocked.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano perform a front flip, kicking and slashing his opponent with his retractable boot blades, knocking them down and dealing increased damage. Kano can amplify the attack regardless if the opponent blocked the initial hit. Additionally, Kano can amplify the attack if the initial hit misses and delay the moment of amplifying it.
Upwards Cannon Ball: Kano aims his Cannon Ball upwards to an aerial opponent. This moves is known simply as Up Ball in MK 2011 and MKX, and in MKX it hits twice if the opponent close to Kano. In MK11, this is called Up Black Dragon Ball and can only be used if the Equip Ability Vege-Mighty is active (See Below). Additionally, in MK11, instead of immediately flying upward, Kano will initially fly forward before moving upwards in a diagonal direction. (UMK3, MKT, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MKX, MK11)
Both in MK 2011 and MKX, the enhanced version is called Uprise Ball. In MK 2011 Kano will do an animation like Up Ball except he will roll downwards after getting to a certain height. In MKX, it has armor and increased damage.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano slash the opponent with his knives after striking the opponent, knocking them down and dealing increased damage. Until his other Black Dragon Ball attacks, Kano can not amplify this version if the attack misses but can still amplify it if the opponent blocks the initial hit.
Psycho Cannon Ball: This version sees Kano flying all over the screen in random directions. (MKT)
Knife Throw: Kano throws a pair of knives at his opponent. In MK 2011 and MKX he only throws one knife, and in MKX, this attack is called Blade Throw. In MK11, the attack is called Blade Toss and lodges into the opponent's chest. (MK, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MKX, MK11, MK1)
In MK 2011, the enhanced version is called Knife Toss. Kano throws two knives at once.
In MKX, the enhanced version is called Blade Toss and has Kano throw two knives in a row for increased damage. The second knife thrown has an increased hitbox and can hit ducking opponents. Kano is much more safe when this version of the attack is blocked by the opponent. The enhanced version of Knife Toss is called Multi Blades, which has Kano throw three knives at different heights that knock the enemy into the air a short distance, opening them for a short juggle.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano crouch and send a second blade at the opponent. The second blade has and increased hitbox and can hit ducking opponents.
Blade Swipe: Kano slashes his opponents with his knife in an upward swing. In MKX, this is known as Blade Slice. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKX - Cutthroat Variation)
The enhanced version is called Bloody Slice and has Kano stab the opponent's abdomen before pulling the blade up to throw them in the air for a juggle.
Blade Spin: Kano spins both of his knives around his body, knocking the opponent up into the air if it connects. Only usable by MK Kano. (MKT)
Air Throw: While in the air, Kano uses his legs to push the opponent to the ground. In MK 2011, he chokes his enemy in mid-air to slam them against the ground and roll away after it. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011)
Chokehold: Kano would grab his opponent and lift them in the air by the throat and proceed to stab them in the chest. In MK 2011 and MKX, this is known as Choke. In MK 2011, Kano simply grabs and throttles the opponent violently, making them kneel helplessly and laughing hysterically as he does so. In MKX he does the same animation, but ends it by knocking the opponent away with a knee to their face. In MK11, this is Kano's Throw (Forward). (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011, MKX - Commando Variation)
In MK 2011, the enhanced version is called Kano Choke. Kano grounds the opponent and constantly smashes their head on the ground whilst laughing. He then quickly rolls over them to the other side.
In MKX, the enhanced version is called Strangle and has armor. Instead of bashing his knee into opponent's face at the end, Kano will stab them in the chest with his knife three times, lifting them up with the knife to deliver a punch to their face that knocks them away.
Knife Toss: Kano throws a smaller, spinning knife at his opponent. This replaces Blade Throw in the Cybernetic Variation. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
The enhanced version is called Multi Blades, which has Kano throw three knives at different heights that knock the enemy away. When used in the corner of an arena, this can be used to continue combos in some instances; otherwise, the opponent is knocked away by the blades. The juggle effect is present outside the corner of an arena, however this window is very small. Kano is also much more safe when this version of the attack is blocked by the opponent.
Eye Laser: Kano shoots a laser from his eye at the opponent. In MKX, this is known as Eye Burst and will stun the opponent if the attack lands. In MK11, this is called Optic Blast and works as a projectile again. This ability replaces Blade Toss when equipped. In MK1, he moves his partner out of the way and puts his hand on their head to make them duck while he's performing the move. (MK:DA, MK:A, MKvsDCU, MKX - Cybernetic Variation, MK11 - Equip Ability, MK1)
The enhanced version is called Eye Blast, which has increased damage and again, stuns the opponent, leaving them open for another attack.
In MK11, if this attack is performed on an opponent as a Kounter or Punish, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow, with the laser beam piercing the opponent and going through them, causing blood to splatter and dealing over double the original damage.
Upward Laser: Kano shoots his laser upwards to hit a foe in the air. The attack is unblockable once it hits airborne opponents. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
This move can be enhanced if it hits the enemy, which will make Kano quickly fire a second laser that sends the enemy flying into the air, allowing for a juggle.
Inner Rage: Kano concentrates for a short amount of time before covering his hands in red energy. Using this move increases the amount of damage dealt. In MKX, this is known as Power Up, and has Kano pound his cybernetic heart to activate it. It also increases his damage for a period, but this time at the cost of making Kano himself lose health over time until the buff wears off. Once Kano takes damage from an unblocked attack, he will lose the damage buff. (MK:A, MKX - Cutthroat Variation)
The enhanced version is called Charge Up which activates much faster.
Fist of Power: Kano rapidly lunges forward and strikes the opponent with an energy covered fist. (MK:A)
Parry: Kano will counter any physical attack. (MKvsDCU)
High Kounter: Kano will counter any high physical attack by knocking the opponent down with a vicious clothesline. In MK11, this attack is called Rack Off, and has Kano perform an "Up Your's" gesture with his arms and has him grab the opponent by the arm, stabs them with one of his knives then shoves them to the ground. (MKX - Commando Variation, MK11 - Equip Ability)
The enhanced version is called Survivor's Kounter and deals increased damage.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano blast the opponent in the face with his Bionic Eye after driving the knife into their arm, dealing increased damage and knocking the opponent away about half way across the arena.
Equipping the Time to Kill Jinsei Augment modifies Rack Off, allowing it to be delayed for up to four seconds. During this time, Kano recovers 2% of his health while delaying Rack Off. (MK11 - Jinsei Augment Bonus)
Low Kounter: Kano will counter any low attack by pulling the enemy down to the ground, stabbing their chest with one of his elbow blades and then rolling away. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The enhanced version, Dirty Kounter, does more damage.
Rib Strike: Kano grabs the opponent to strike their rib cage with his knee twice before knocking them away with a knee to their face. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The enhanced version, Rib Breaker, does more damage and has armor on startup. When enhanced, the attack will connect on standing opponents during a combo.
Power Slam: Kano grabs his opponent and does a German Suplex, leaping up and lawn darting them into the ground. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The enhanced version is called Power Bomb, has armor on startup and deals increased damage. When enhanced, the attack will connect on standing opponents during a combo.
Vege-Mighty: Kano pounds on his cybernetic heart, overcharging it with energy. This gives Kano armor and slightly increased damage on his Black Dragon Ball, as well as unlocking his Up Kano Ball. The buff wears off after a Black Dragon Ball or Up Kano Ball or after a short while. Kano can perform a Black Dragon Ball immediately after performing this ability in a combo when timed correctly. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Equipping the Tucker Bag Jinsei Augment modifies Vege-Mighty, granting Kano the ability to improve up to four additional Black Dragon Balls. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely. (MK11 - Jinsei Augment Bonus)
Bio-Magnetic Pull: Kano pulls his opponent towards him using his Cybernetic Heart. This ability conflicts with Bio-Magnetic Trap when equipped, disabling the option to select Bio-Magnetic Trap. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Amplifying the attack has Kano blasts the opponent with his eye laser, which re-stands and stuns the opponent, allowing for combo extensions.
This attack can also be cancelled into after Kano does another special move beforehand, which spends a bar of offensive meter as well as allowing for longer combos.
Bio-Magnetic Trap: Kano throws his Cybernetic Heart as a trap onto the floor at varied distances to prevent the opponent from jumping. This ability conflicts with Bio-Magnetic Pull when equipped, disabling the option to select Bio-Magnetic Pull. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
The enhanced version allows for Kano to throw his knife at the opponent and if they are near the trap, the knife pulls them towards the trap, dealing damage over time.
Lumbar Check: Kano grabs his opponent, hoists them above him as he lands on his back and breaks the opponent's spine on his knees. This attack is capable of striking an opponent during a Getup Roll, similar to a standard Throw. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
An amplified version does additional damage, as Kano drives the blades hidden in his boots into his opponent's back.
If the attack is used as a Kounter or Punish to a Getup Roll, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow when amplified, with the boot blades plunge deep into the opponent's back, dealing increased damage and causing massive damage-over-time.
Snake Bite: Kano leaps towards his opponent with his knifes out, slashing and knocking them in the air briefly before stabbing them and knocking them back down to the ground. This ability requires two ability slots when equipped. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Amplifying the attack has Kano pick the opponent up with his knives embedded in their chest and bounce them off the ground, dealing increased damage and allowing for a brief juggle.
Molotov Cocktail: Kano throws a bottle of flammable liquid at the ground setting an area on fire. If the opponent is in that area, they receive damage-over-time. The attack can be used at different ranges, called Close/Far Molotov Cocktail, respectively. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Can combine Molotov Cocktail with Bio-Magnetic Trap.
Chemical Burn: Kano steps backwards and sprays the opponent with deadly chemicals at a short range, which deals damage-over-time. This attack is considered a projectile. If the opponent if hit with Molotov Cocktail, they receive unblockable damage and will be briefly stunned, allowing Kano to use additional attacks. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Amplifying the attack has Kano throw a lighter at the opponent and set them on fire. This does not produce the same effects like with Molotov Cocktail. If the lighter doesn't connect with the opponent, it creates a small burning patch where it lands.
Equipping the Sick Killer Jinsei Augment modifies Chemical Burn, doubling the range of the attack and doubling the attack's damage-over-time effect. (MK11 - Jinsei Augment Bonus)
X-Rays/Fatal Blow
X-Ray - Just the Tip: Kano plunges a knife into his opponent's right thigh, going through and snapping the femur. Before the opponent can react, Kano proceeds to stab them in the left thigh, resulting in another broken femur. Then he delivers a devastating kick to the front of the skull, causing heavy fracture damage. This attack is unblockable. (MK 2011)
X-Ray - Lacerater: Kano slashes his opponent with an elbow spike, turning them around. After that, he stabs his knife into the abdomen of his opponent, and diagonally slices the opponent's ribcage in half, exposing the organs. He then grabs the opponent behind the neck, and thrusts them upwards, breaking their spine. (MKX)
Fatal Blow - Not Here to F#ck Spiders: Kano headbutts the foe alongside a burst with his Cybernetic Eye. He then grabs one of his knives to stab the opponent in the stomach three times, he then steps on its handle and on the opponent's face, causing them to fall over with his foot smashing their head as they hit the ground. Kano then kicks the opponent in their ribs, then stomps on his knife still buried in their stomach pressing it in further, and lastly reveals a hidden blade in his boot, which he drives into the opponent's throat, dragging his opponent's body to his front. (MK11)
Kameo Fatal Blow: Kano walks to the opponent and stabs their shoulders with his knives, causing them to kneel before using his bionic eye to blast their head. He then hits them with his knees to stand them up, following th player's fatal blow afterwards. (MK1)
Other Moves
Free-Fall Super Move: Kano hits his opponent with a charged Kanoball, knocking them to the ground. (MKvsDCU)
Throw: Kano slashes his opponent in the stomach twice with a knife, then either headbutts them to the ground (Forward Throw), or stabs them in the gut and throws them over his shoulder (Backwards Throw). (MK 2011)
Throw: Kano grabs his opponent and headbutts them twice and on the third strike, he launches the opponent into the air, knocking them away. (MKX)
Delinquent: Kano stabs the opponent with his elbow blade then kicks them in the chest. Kano can perform follow-up attacks with this combo depending on the variation selected, with the exception of the Cutthroat Variation. (MKX)
Miss Me?: Kano grabs his opponent and slams them in the opposite direction. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The combo-ender can be enhanced, which bounces the opponent after slamming them for extended combos.
Ear To Ear: Kano grabs the opponent and blasts them with his Laser Eye. This will re-stand the opponent. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
Stomach Ache: Kano straps a bomb to the opponents stomach, blowing them back. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
The combo-ender can be enhanced, which has the opponent fall to the ground before exploding into the air for extended combos.
Kombat Boots: Kano kicks the opponent this slices them with his elbow blade. (MKX)
In every variation except Commando, the combo knocks the opponent away or when used in the corner can otherwise offer a brief juggle. The combo also has a follow-up attack exclusive to the Commando variation;
Wood Chipper: Kano grabs the opponent and slams them in the opposite direction. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The combo ender can be enhanced, which bounces the opponent after slamming them for extended combos.
Treacherous: Kano lunges in, stabbing and kicking the opponent in the stomach. This combo has follow-up attacks. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
Black Market: Kano grabs his opponent and blasts them with his Laser Eye. This will re-stand the opponent.
Gut Blast: Kano straps a bomb to the opponent's stomach, blowing them back.
The combo ender can be enhanced, which has the opponent fall to the ground before exploding into the air for extended combos.
Snap Boot: Kano kicks his opponent in the chest. This attack has follow-up attacks. (MKX)
No Escape: Kano kicks the opponent in the shin to open them up for possible additional attacks.
Burner: Kano grabs his opponent and blasts them with his Laser Eye. This will re-stand the opponent. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
Big Boom: Kano straps a bomb to the opponent's stomach, blowing them back. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
The combo ender can be enhanced, which has the opponent fall to the ground before exploding in the air for extended combos.
Throw (Forward): Kano lifts the opponent up and chokes them, then proceeds to headbutt them away. (MK11)
If Kano performs this on an opponent who has failed a Throw Escape during a previous Throw before, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow, where when Kano delivers the headbutt, it crushes the upper half of the opponent's skull inward and dealing over double the original damage. If this is successful, Kano can not perform the Krushing Blow version of his Throw (Backward).
Throw (Backward): Kano grabs the opponent by the shoulder, then the groin and proceeds to hoist them over his head and scoop slams them on the ground. He then headbutts the downed opponent. (MK11)
If Kano performs this on an opponent who has failed a Throw Escape during a previous Throw before, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow, where when Kano delivers the headbutt to the downed opponent, it crushes the upper half of the opponent's skull inward and dealing over double the original damage. If this is successful, Kano can not perform the Krushing Blow version of his Throw (Forward).
Blade Evade: Kano slashes the opponent with one of his knives and backs away in the process to create space between him and his opponent. This attack re-stands the opponent. This attack has armor breaking properties, ignoring the armor granted by specific abilities and Fatal Blows. When breaking the opponent's armor from a Break Away, the attack will deal slightly increased damage. (MK11)
Fair Suck Of The Sav: Kano punches the opponent in the face, spits in their face then knocks them to the ground with a headbutt. When Kano spits at the opponent, it is considered a projectile. Kano is safe when this combo is blocked by the opponent. (MK11)
Enzuigiri: Kano thrusts his leg forward with a boot blade extended, stabbing the opponent in the stomach before using the opponent to pivot and kick them in the head with the other leg. (MK11)
If the attack is used as a Kounter or Punish, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow, where Kano's blade plunges deeper into the opponent's stomach, causing blood to splatter, dealing increased damage and causing massive damage-over-time.
Manhandled: Kano gains access to Figjam, Takedown and Penal Colony combos. Kano also gains the ability to perform Snake Bite after using Wheel Kick at the cost of a bar of Offensive Meter. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Figjam: Kano does two quick knife slashes and strikes with an axe kick, using the doubled over opponent as a platform to jump up and slam down with an elbow drop. (MK11)
This combo can be amplified, where Kano elbows the downed opponent in the back of the head and stabs them in the back with one of his knives after delivering the elbow drop, dealing increased damage.
Takedown: Kano slashes the opponent with his knife, kicks his opponent in the shin and stabs them in the stomach, where he picks them up overhead and slams them down in the opposite direction. (MK11)
Spit the Dummy: The combo can be amplified, where Kano bounces the opponent off the ground for a juggle instead of slamming them on the ground. Amplifying the combo causes it to deal slightly less damage at the expense of juggling the opponent.
Penal Colony: Kano performs a wheel kick, bringing the opponent down, gets up and kicks them in the top of their head before they get up, knocking the opponent away. Kano can not perform this combo is Wheel Kick is blocked by the opponent. (MK11)
If the opponent fails to block Wheel Kick at the right time, continuing the combo turns the combo into a Krushing Blow, where when Kano kicks the opponent's head, it shatters the top of their skull, dealing over double the original damage.
Bloody Hell: Knife attacks that stick into the opponent now cause a damage-over-time effect. Knives stay stuck in the opponent for triple their original duration. (MK11 - Jinsei Augment Bonus)
Using Your Noggin (Forward Throw): Kano drives his knife into the opponent's shoulder, stabs them twice in the gut and knocks them away with a headbutt. (MK1)
Mobile Game Moves
Killer Instinct: Kano's Attack is increased by 30% if the opponent has less than 40% Health remaining. (MK Mobile Silver Card - Passive)
Dirty Fighting: Kano inflicts Cripple or Weaken to the opponent for 5 seconds after performing a Combo-Ender. For each Black Dragon teammate on Kano's team, he gains +15% more Health and gains a bar of Power at the start of the match. (MK Mobile - Black Dragon Card - Passive)
Cyborg Eye: Kano has +25% increased Critical Chance and is immune to Blind. (MK Mobile - Commando Card - Passive)
Cheap Shots: When the opponent blocks any of Kano's attacks, there is a 25% chance the opponent will be stunned, setting them up for a free hit. Kano has 100% increased Critical Chance against opponents affected by stun. (MK Mobile - Klassic Card - Passive)
Kano Ball: Kano backhands the opponent, kicks them, then curls into a ball and flies straight at them to deal damage. The opponent becomes stunned, setting them up for a free hit. (MK Mobile - Silver Card, Black Dragon Card, Commando Card, Klassic Card)
Blade Throw: Kano kicks the opponent in the shin then throws both his knives at them. The opponent is affected by a Bleed damage-over-time effect. (MK Mobile - Silver Card)
Ball Kick: Kano curls into a ball and flies into the air, then flies back down and kicks the opponent's legs. Kano gains Strength, increasing all his damage dealt for some time. (MK Mobile - Silver Card)
Attitude Problem: Kano slashes his opponent twice with his knives. The opponent is affected by a Bleed damage-over-time effect. (MK Mobile - Black Dragon Card)
Black Dragon Combo-Ender: Ending his current combo, Kano grabs the opponent by the arm, stabbing them with one of his knives then blasts them in the face with his Bionic Eye, knocking them down. This can only be performed if at least two cards from the Scoundrel's Equipment Set are equipped to his Black Dragon Card. (MK Mobile - Black Dragon Card)
Piss and Moan: Kano kicks the opponent twice then grabs the opponent to strike their rib cage with his knee twice before knocking them away with a knee to their face. After the kicks, the attack is unblockable. (MK Mobile - Commando Card)
Ear to Ear: Kano elbows then kicks the opponent. He then grabs them and blasts them with his Bionic Eye. The opponent is affected by a Fire damage-over-time effect. After the kick, the attack becomes unblockable. (MK Mobile - Klassic Card)
Fatalities
Heart Rip: Kano's signature Fatality has him literally ripping the heart out of his opponent's chest, then hoisting the still beating organ in the air in triumph. In the SNES version, he appears to not be holding a heart after performing the Fatality. In the Genesis version without the blood code, the heart is monochrome and lacks a beating animation. Variations of this Fatality have also been used by other members of the Black Dragon: Jarek in MK4 and Kobra in MK:D. (MK, MKT, MK:SM, MK1)
Deadly Roundhouse: Kano slides up on one foot and performs a roundhouse to his opponent, launching them straight up into the air, possibly snapping their neck when they drop to the ground. (MK) (Game Boy version only)
Eye Laser: Kano fires a concentrated heat beam of energy towards the opponent to boil their body until it tears into pieces. In the Game Boy version, the laser catches the opponent on fire instead. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
Skeleton Rip: Kano pulls out the victim's entire skeleton by grabbing the skull from their teeth and jerking it out, leaving the rest of the body to fall flat on the floor in a heap of skin. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
Organ Donor: Kano pulls out his opponent's heart, liver, and kidneys two at a time, and kicks the opponent away. In the Game Boy Advance version, he rips out the heart and one kidney (at the same time), then tosses them on the floor; he then rips out the other kidney and tosses it. (MK:DA)
Knife Toss: Before executing this Fatality, he slowly walks away from his opponent, ostensibly giving up, then he abruptly turns around and throws both Butterfly Knives into the opponent. (MKvsDCU)
Flip Stomp: Kano grabs the opponent, flips backwards with them, then jumps into the air. He comes back down and stomps on them with full force. (MKvsDCU)
Heartbreak: A variation of his signature Fatality, Kano turns the opponent around and punches the heart out through his victim's back, holding it so they can see it. He then crushes the heart in his hands, pulls it back out and hoists it in the air while blood still pumps out. (MK 2011)
Eat Your Heart Out: Another variation of his signature Fatality, Kano rips the heart out of his opponent's chest, then proceeds to rip off their head. He jams the opponent's head into the hole in their chest and kicks them away. (MK 2011)
Head Case: Kano draws one of his knives and slashes open the opponent's stomach, causing their intestines to spill out onto the ground. As the victim is about to drop on their back, Kano catches them from behind, hoists them up in front of him and proceeds to burn through their head with his eye laser, leaving a huge, smoldering hole through their head. (MKX)
Knife To Meet You: Kano throws one knife into the opponent's throat, causing them to choke and gurgle helplessly. Kano pretends to walk away before abruptly turning around and throwing his second knife into the opponent's face. The victim collapses, shoving the blades all the way through the head and neck. This Fatality is similar to his Knife Toss Fatality. (MKX)
Last Dance: Kano pulls out a bottle of beer and drinks the entire bottle before smashing it in the opponent's face and stabbing their neck with the now broken base. He laughs and grabs the opponent's hand just as they begin to fall, performing a duet dance with the opponent, to which a musical track plays, all while their blood gushes out of the neck of the bottle. (MK11)
Face Like A Dropped Pie: Kano tackles his opponent and grabs him/her. He delivers a strong headbutt, followed by four more, leaving broken pieces of the skull on the opponent's bloodied face. He finishes with one final headbutt, completely destroying the head. (MK11)
Brutalities
Mortal Kombat X
Ballin': Kano performs an enhanced Air Ball, tackling the opponent which rips off their lower legs after he pounces them. (MKX)
Opponent must be blocking.
Terminate: Kano performs his Throw with the final headbutt knocking the opponent's head clean off into the air. (MKX)
Requires a number of Throws to connect during the match.
A button must be held.
Just The Tip: Kano performs a Bloody Slice, slicing the opponent vertically in half from the waist up after stabbing them. (MKX - Cutthroat Variation)
Can not be performed on a juggled or airborne opponent.
Glaring Light: Kano performs an enhanced Upward Laser on an airborne opponent, with the second blast obliterating the lower half of their body in the air. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
Must connect a number of hits before finishing with an enhanced Upward Laser.
Wham Bam: Kano performs either a Power Slam or Power Bomb that destroys his opponent's head upon impact with the ground. (MKX - Commando Variation)
Certain buttons must be pressed.
Pop Off: Kano performs a Choke on his opponent, only this time, he grabs their head and crushes it like a balloon. (MKX - Commando Variation)
Certain buttons must be pressed.
Mortal Kombat 11
The Klassic: Kano performs an uppercut, decapitating the opponent with a rising uppercut with their spine still attached. This Brutality is shared with every character. (MK11)
Must not block an attack for the entirety of the final round.
A button must be held.
Sorry Mate: Kano performs his Throw (Forward), strangling the opponent until their neck snaps, killing them instantly. (MK11)
A button must be pressed repeatedly.
Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
Not Lookin' Good: Kano performs his Throw (Backward), with the final headbutt on the down opponent completely destroying their head. (MK11)
A button must be held.
Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
Spine Adjustment: Kano performs an amplified Lumbar Check, only this time, after stabbing the opponent in the back with his boot blades, he forcibly rips them in half at the waist while holding them up with his legs. (MK11)
A button must be pressed repeatedly.
Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
Trapped Wallaby: Kano performs a Bio-Magnetic Trap on an opponent affected by a knife attack, pulling the opponent down to the ground until their bones break, killing them instantly. (MK11)
Kano must perform an attack that causes one of his knives to protrude form the opponent before using Bio-Magnetic Trap.
Brutal Blade: Kano performs either regular or amplified Blade Toss that lodges two knives into the opponent's face. The opponent falls forward, causing the blades to pierce through their head and gouge their eyes out, similar to his Knife to Meet You Fatality in MKX. (MK11)
Requires a number of Blade Tosses to connect during the match.
Head Case: Kano performs an amplified Rack Off, blasting the opponent's face with a beam from his Bionic Eye until their head explodes. (MK11)
A button must be held.
Look What I Found: Kano performs his Figjam combo, only this time, after delivering the elbow drop, he plunges his hand into the opponent's back and rips out their skeleton in its entirety before dropping it on the ground. (MK11)
A Mercy must be performed.
Bonzer: Kano performs a Black Dragon Ball that completely obliterates the opponent's upper body. (MK11)
A button must be held.
Can not be performed on a juggled or airborne opponent.
Laser Pointer: Kano performs an Optic Blast and obliterates the opponent's mid section (MK11)
Requires Kano to be at certain health level.
A button must be held.
Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
Another Bloody Day: Kano performs an amplified Chemical Burn, leaving the opponent to burn until a charred body is left. (MK11)
A button must be held.
Mortal Kombat 1
You Alright Mate?: Kano performs his Forward Throw and crushes the top of the opponent's head with a headbutt. (MK1)
Knives Out: Kano performs Knife Toss and throws the knives right into the opponent's eyes, similar to his Brutal Blade Brutality in MK11. (MK1)
Other Finishers
Friendship #1: Kano blows a bubble from a piece of gum in his mouth and the bubble explodes in his face. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
Friendship #2 - Kiss The Crook: Kano walks up to a BBQ grill. He removes the lid, uses his Bionic Eye to fire up the grill, and proceeds to cook shrimp and sausages. (MK11)
Animality - Eight-Legged Embrace: Kano turns into a tarantula and locks himself onto his opponent, crushing their guts while they spew out of the opponent. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
Babality: Kano gives the cutthroat sign, but falls due to the weight of his metal eye. (MK 2011)
Mobile Game Brutality: Kano performs a special combo-ender, only this time when he blasts the opponent's face with his Bionic Eye, their head eventually explodes. (MK Mobile - Black Dragon Card)
Black Dragon Kano must be equipped with at least two cards from the Scoundrel's Equipment Set.
This requires the opponent to be at a certain health level.
Can only be performed on the last opponent on the opposing team.
Movie and TV appearance
Mortal Kombat
Kano appeared in the first Mortal Kombat movie, and was played by the late Trevor Goddard. He seems to have very bad table manners, as shown when Sonya, Liu Kang and Johnny Cage are spying on him, Goro, and Shang Tsung later in the film. Apparently, as he states to Goro, his dad taught him how to fight honorably. Despite their allegiance, Shang Tsung and Goro have little respect for him. Goro looks down upon him as part of his broader hatred of Earthrealm humans, while Shang Tsung chides Kano's lack of dignity or manners. Kano also appears to harbor an obsessive infatuation for Sonya regardless of her hatred for him. The film expanded upon Kano's rivalry with Sonya from the games; she now had a personal interest in seeking vengeance against Kano for killing her partner. Shang Tsung hires Kano to lure Sonya into the Mortal Kombat tournament and promises to grant Kano the reward he desires for his efforts after he faces off against Sonya in the tournament, demanding that Sonya is not to be harmed but merely humiliated, claiming that he has plans for her. During their match, Kano gleefully taunts Sonya about how he murdered her partner with his wicked-looking Raptor knife, putting a "big smile" on him "ear to ear" (he also states in this same confrontation that he is not above killing his mother, as Sonya asks him if she used his raptor knife to stab her in the back, although he states that he did not). After beating Sonya harshly, Kano is caught off guard by a leg lock from Sonya, and is soon trapped between her thighs and at her mercy. Shang Tsung betrays Kano and goads Sonya into finishing him off. Despite pleading for his life, Sonya proceeds to break Kano's neck.
Goddard portrayed Kano with a Cockney English accent, which was misinterpreted as Australian, leading to the character being retconned as originating from Australia. In Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and Mortal Kombat (2011), Kano is modeled after Goddard's look in the film and speaks with an Australian accent.
Defenders of the Realm
Kano appears in two episodes of the animated cartoon Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm. He is the main antagonist in Episode 6 (Familiar Red) and also reappears in Episode 11 (Amends). The cartoon explains Kano's past rivalry with Sonya, showing him in a flashback scene having killed Wexler, Sonya's partner, in a carefully rigged bomb (which almost killed Sonya as well). The flashback continues with a recreation of a scene in the first movie, where Kano loses to Sonya in the Mortal Kombat tournament. In Amends, they also touched Kano's relationship with Kabal, showing their past history as clan members in the Black Dragon clan.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Late British actor and martial artist Darren Shahlavi portrayed Kano in Mortal Kombat: Legacy.
In the series, he is the leader of the Black Dragon organization and has been hired by the Lin Kuei to aid them in their Cyber Initiative plans. Like in the games, he has an antagonistic relationship with Jax and Sonya, having killed Sonya's partner in the past.
The last episode of the series chronologically takes place before the first, Kano is among the scientists and doctors and the Lin Kuei Grandmaster as they observe Cyrax and Sektor's tests before they undergo the procedure to become cyborgs. Kano is amused and entertained by Cyrax's enraged reaction at discovering he and Sektor had defeated two Lin Kuei who had already undergone the procedure. Kano next sees the battle between the cyborgs Cyrax and Sektor against Hydro, with Kano declaring, "I'll put my money on the red one", as he casually plays with his knife.
In the first episode of the online series, Kano is overseeing the production of robotic parts and weaponry in the warehouse he and the Black Dragons are using as a base. Kano heads down into the warehouse, ordering his men to work faster to meet their deadline. Kano stops one of the Black Dragons who is carrying a crate full of parts and picks up an eye piece. Though the Black Dragon member tries to explain what it is and its function, Kano only mockingly sneers in his face that he already knew what it was and orders him to work faster.
Though not seen, Kano soon after captures Sonya Blade after finding her in the warehouse and intercepts a message she tried to send to Jax Briggs revealing her location. He and the Black Dragons hold Sonya hostage for two days, torturing her.
Kano then heads down to where they're keeping Sonya and delights in mocking and taunting her physical reaction to seeing her. Though when Sonya spits on him after he grabs her by the neck, he quickly headbutts her and pulls out his knife, threatening to cut her heart out like he did to her former partner. Kano then reveals he knows Jax and Stryker are coming, but he's set up a trap, having already moved the robotic parts and has his men in place to kill them.
When one of his men informs him that Jax and Stryker's team have arrived, he bids farewell to Sonya and heads backup stairs. Kano then springs his trap, ordering the Black Dragons to "Kill them all" and a massive gunfight erupts. Though the Black Dragons and Kano are able to kill several of the cops, Jax and Stryker work together to take out several of Kano's men. Kano himself soon runs out of ammo and races off, with Jax in close pursuit.
Choosing to stand his ground, Kano draws his knife and fights with Jax hand-to-hand, and though they are almost evenly matched, Kano loses his knife and resorts to grabbing a nearby high-tech weapon. As Kano and Jax struggle over the weapon, it fires and the two run away as the explosive goes off, sending them both flying.
In the second episode, Kano recovers, but when he sees Jax is still conscious, he runs off, with Briggs once more in hot pursuit. The two face off again in a deeper part of the warehouse, with Jax demanding to know where Sonya is. Kano briefly gets the upperhand in the fight after resorting to smashing Jax's head with a nearby glass bottle, and mocks Jax, saying, "I'm going to enjoy this as much as I enjoyed torturing your sweet Sonya!"
This proves to be Kano's undoing however, as Jax furiously beats Kano down, with the mercenary never landing a single blow. Beaten and nearly unconscious, Kano is defeated when Jax strikes him so hard across the face, he knocks out his right eye and partially collapses his skull.
Kano escapes justice though, and in the ensuing confusion, his men save him, dragging him out of the warehouse. He is then brought to an unknown location, where a surgery team repairs the damage done to his face and replaces the damaged portion of his skull with a cybernetic plate. As the very same eye weapon he was studying earlier is placed in his socket, Kano awakens as his new eye glows red.
Wreck-It Ralph
Kano (voiced by Brian Kesinger) appears in the 52nd Disney film, Wreck-It Ralph, as a member of the "BAD ANON" support group along with the other video game villains. In the movie, he performs a bloodless version of his trademark fatality on Cyril from House of the Dead, and berates Ralph for attempting to challenge the program by abandoning Fix-It Felix, Jr.. Kano's look in this movie is a combination of his designs from the game series’ first and third installments (red and black outfit with short hair on the scalp and the face). The film's credits call him "Cyborg" most likely as a way of avoiding a direct reference to a video game franchise that targets an older demographic compared to the Wreck-It Ralph film.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind
Kano serves as the central antagonist of the movie Snow Blind. Featuring a future flung and far more ruthless version of the character and christening himself "King Kano", he and his Black Dragon clan have embarked on a mission of conquest to to rule over all of Earthrealm, raiding defenseless villages and callously murdering everyone who doesn't submit. With Kabal, Kobra, Kira and Tremor as his enforcers with an elderly Shang Tsung as emissary, Kano has pillaged and killed uncontested until the arrival of a young Kenshi, armed with his spirit sword Sento. During the climax of the movie, it is revealed that the events of the movie are a continuation of Kano's MK11 ending, having later killed Kronika at some point and used her skull and crown to run the Sands of Time. His ambitions are thwarted in a final confrontation with Kuai Liang when he is knocked into the gears of Kronika's Keep, crushing his body.
Snow Blind's incarnation of Kano is decidedly much different than any previous version of the character, having converted most of his body into cybernetics, including a large retractable blade and a chest laser similar to Hsu Hao and is strong enough to fight Kenshi, Hanzo and Kuai Liang all at once and even being able to kill a rejvunated Shang Tsung. He is also able to survive having his head knocked off as it is attached to a very sturdy wire.
Comics
Comics Published by Malibu:
Kano appears in the Malibu Comics series with a personality and a history based on his portrayal in the 1990s games. He was also one of the two protagonists (the other being Raiden) of a 3-issue miniseries titled Rayden & Kano. During the Blood & Thunder series it is shown the origin of Sonya's vendetta against him, when he kills Lieutenant Lance, Sonya's partner, during a tournament battle by means of a heart rip. His motivations to loot the island are replaced by his discovery of the Tao Te Zan and the powers it grants. During the series' epilogue in the Tournament Edition issue, he's finally captured by Sonya and Jax and sent into custody.
He would later escape (as shown in the Breakout mini-story that came with the U.S. Special Forces issue 1°) and during the Battlewave series he would be disposed by his superiors in the Black Dragon due to his failure, only to be rescued by Raiden. Raiden would attempt to use Kano to eliminate Shao Kahn by means of a mystical sword that drew power from an individual of evil turned to the side of good, but Kano betrays Raiden and joins Shao Kahn, remaining in his forces the following issues.
Quotes
Mortal Kombat (film)
"Good boy. She's here, right on time. I love punctuality in a woman. Don't you... Mr. Shang Tsung?"
"Maybe me and Sonya should share a cabin. Have our own little honeymoon cruise."
"That's it, baby. Come to papa." (as Sonya boards the boat)
"Say mate! I believe in a fair fight. Y'know, one-on-one, man to man, hand-to-hand, just like my daddy taught me. But what I saw out there was not very fair."
"So he freezes this guy right? And then he explodes! Could see his guts and everything... almost lost my lunch!" (To Goro, describing how Sub-Zero had just killed someone moments earlier)
"What I wanna know, if this Shang Tsung guy's so great, how come he's got such a crummy looking boat, hm? Anyway, the guy gives me the creeps. "Treasure... these... moments"." (to Goro, mocking Shang Tsung)
"Subterranean? What's that? Something like underground?"
"Yeah? Well, I'm kind of an underworld boss myself, y'know. Well, I mean, back home." (to Goro)
"Yeah, and I'd like to get back to my amassing as soon as possible if you don't mind. Now, when do I get paid?" (to Shang Tsung)
"Hello, baby. Did you miss me?" (to Sonya)
"Ooh, now look at this! This little baby brings back memories now, doesn't it?"
"Nah. It put a big smile on your partner though. Ear... to ear!"
"Give it up, baby! I've studied all your moves!"
"Does it hurt, baby?"
"No, Sonya, don't! Aww, gimme a break!" (just before Sonya kills him)
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
"I know what it is! Work faster."
"Sonya Blade. I understand you've been looking for me. Well, here I am. Look at you...so excited to see me, you're quivering."
"Hey! Do not pester me or I will cut your heart out like I did to that bitch of a partner of yours!"
"Right on time. I'm gonna miss ya, baby."
"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, Detective Briggs! I'm gonna enjoy this as much as I enjoyed torturing your sweet Sonya!"
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
"Not so fast, grunt! She's my prize, and you're going nowhere with it!" (To Jax)
"You don't stand a chance against me!"
"I have the upper hand here!"
"Afraid to take me one on one?" (In battle, referring to Jax, Kung Lao, and Liu Kang all fighting him at once)
"Give it up, worms! I am the master here!"
"Why do you even try to defeat me, Jax?"
"I don't care how many of you there are!"
"I'm gonna slice you to ribbons!"
"Did you think you could beat me?"
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
"Kano's the name!" (To Taven)
"Seems they're trying to create real red dragons. They've been able to create a hybrid of man and lizard - using their own clan members as test subjects." (Explaining the Red Dragon experiments to Taven)
"They were trying something new on me. But they'll never finish!"
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
"This oughta fetch a tidy sum."
"You don't look so good, mate."
"Hey!"
"Back off, freak! She took it."
"I don't like your attitude! You need to be taught some manners!"
"You gave Kabal a run for his money!"
"Then let's get down to business, sweetie."
"Is this some kinda trick?"
"She's easy. It's me you've gotta worry about!"
"It was a skinny one, dressed in purple with green hair. Stronger than you think."
"I don't need you to make excuses for me and I don't need your approval!"
"You think you could've handled him?! You can't even handle me!"
"Over there! Dark Kahn's forces!"
Mortal Kombat (2011)
"My turn!" (doing his X-Ray)
"No charge." (doing his X-Ray)
"Good idea!" (to Johnny Cage)
"Now that he's softened you up, it's my turn!" (to Sonya)
"I don't do fair." (to Sonya)
"Oh, I've got a knack for survival. You, on the other hand, are gonna die here!" (to Sonya)
"Pretty boy ain't gonna save ya this time!" (challenging Sonya)
"With a whole army totin' these, no one in Outworld or Earthrealm could stand up to you." (selling Shang Tsung RPG launchers)
"I'll take care of him. No charge. One dead Lin Kuei in a tick." (confronting Smoke)
"Shang Tsung's power healed the rest of ya. But your lungs? Yeesh." (to Kabal)
"Yeah, you're all proper police now. The Black Dragon ain't the same without ya, mate. You should come back. We're in the money on this war."
"Guilty as charged."
"What are you on about, eh? You're here, ain't ya?"
"Not so keen on being dead now, are ya?" (after Kabal defeats him)
"Shao Kahn's the big boss 'round here, and soon, Earth's new master." (to Kabal)
"You're a right genius, you are!" (to Kabal)
"Don't care really, so long as I get paid." (to Cyber Sub-Zero)
Mortal Kombat X
"Emperor, what's the expression? It's not worth the dirt on my shoe?" (discussing payment with Kotal Kahn)
"Keep your fifty million. Mileena's giving me twice that to take you out." (to Kotal Kahn)
"'Allo love! Been a while." (to Sonya)
"Aw, let's keep this between friends. A trade! Info for freedom." (to Sonya)
"Well then... If mother won't play nice... maybe daughter will." (to Sonya)
"Back off... and all's well. Piss me off... and Cassie's gonna meet Uncle Kano." (to Sonya)
"You kill me... never find... amulet!" (whilst Sonya strangles him)
Mortal Kombat 11
Story Mode
Kano (Present)
"Take the deal, trust me." (To his younger self)
"Otherwise, who can you trust?" (Older Kano to Younger self)
"You weren't kidding. S'like a mirror, reflecting the past." (Older Kano to Geras)
"We get paid in the New Era. Kronika'll make sure the Black Dragon come out on top. Not only in the black market. In every market!" (To Erron Black about the Black Dragon in the New Era)
"Well, well. Got ourselves a full generation swap here." (Older Kano to Older Johnny Cage)
"Don't think so. Between Ninja Mine and Lady Liberty, we've got all the leverage. We're leaving." (To Cassie Cage)
"Kabal. Go get me lesser half." (To Kabal)
"Taken care of." (To Kabal after triggering the detonator)
"She more than burns you, Kabal. She goes black-ops on your arse. Shocks, knives, the Bloody works. Patch you together myself. Well, most of you." (Older Kano to Kabal)
"Nah. But now he's motivated." (Older Kano to Younger self)
"Where do you think you're going?" (To Cassie Cage)
"Worse thing is, it's those Netherrealm stiffs did you in, shoulda been me." (To Sonya Blade)
"Now this is a pickle." (To Sonya Blade)
"Can you break his neck faster than I can gut Pretty Boy?" (To Sonya Blade)
"Don't forget, it's two-for-one." (To Sonya Blade)
"He dies, so does your little girl!" (To Sonya Blade)
"For what?" (To Sonya Blade, but also his last words as well)
Kano (Past)
"Our Lady Kronika'll get all the service she needs. But I can't quote a fee until I know the job." (To Geras)
"There's some frame damage, circuitry looks good. But looks like someone did a software wipe. Fixing won't come cheap." (To Geras)
"But anything's possible, with the right help." (To Erron Black)
"How 'bout that, over fifty and still a ripper." (To Older Self)
"Right then, let's get to business."
"I'm next, Hollywood." (to Johnny Cage)
"Oh it gets bloody worse, Sonya and your little girl..." (to Johnny Cage)
"...they're gonna die. Right in front of your face." (to Johnny Cage)
"Rise and shine, Sonya." (To Sonya Blade)
"Yeah, you won't be needing that stuff love. One thing we Black Dragon know, there's no fun in a fair fight." (To Sonya Blade)
"Miss Law and Order really did that to him?" (Young Kano to Older self)
"Tempting, love. but we think our next contender is a Beaut..." (to Sonya Blade)
"You'll damn sure fight, or you'll both die." (to Sonya Blade)
"Ah you caught me love. But put on a good show, eh? it'll be less painful." (to Sonya Blade)
"Best thing about this future, love. I'm alive, but you're dead as a doornail." (To Sonya about their fates)
"Let's have ourselves a do-over." (Young Kano to Sonya Blade)
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge
"These lads aren't here for the tournament, they're being paid to kill you."
"Hello, luv. Nice to see you again."
"Well, you're do a better job than Jax."
"Huh, what gives?"
"Screw it, he's not paying me enough for this."
"Sonya, darling, just a bit further.
"So glad you made it. It's gonna be a joy to watch you end up like your partner."
"Now, finish her!"
"Impossible."
"Stay back! I'll slit his throat!"
Mortal Kombat (2021)
"I hate to interrupt your bullshit, blondie! Well, I gotta piss again."
"Kano None-of-your-fucking-business!"
"Do I sound Russian to you, you fucking idiot?"
"I also give really good foot massages."
"You know, next time be more punctual."
"Lucky for you, I don't have any standards."
"New guy, get me out of here. I could help you."
"I was about to go for a stroll, but maybe I'll stick around, you fucking idiot!"
"The fuck was that!? That was my knife, too! Fucking poetry." (after Sonya throws a knife at Reptile, but ends up hitting Kano instead)
"Kano wins! You fucking beauty!"
"Just working on a Kano graphic novel. I fancy myself a bit of an artist."
"Well, all the best artists are a little twisted, mate."
"Uh, you got a pen? You want me to write this down? Get fucked. 'Cause I'm not gonna help you. You kidnapped me. You tied me up. You threw a knife through my fucking leg, on purpose. And then that lizard thing took off half my face. Lucky for me, you can hardly notice it."
"You live in this shithole and you got two million dollars? Pig's arse." (after Sonya attempts to bribe him to fly her and Cole to Raiden's Temple)
"Three million. That's my final offer. And anything I find in that temple, I keep. No fucking splitsies. Plus, if you're bullshitting me, I'll fucking kill ya. It's no skin off my sack."
"I was gonna head there anyway! Ya fucking idiot!"
"Hey. Fuck you, pretty boy. I'm a popular guy. Everyone loves me."
"There I was trying to shove this guy's nuts down his throat. And all I kept thinking about for me mum for Christmas?"
"Alright, thank you for flying Air Kano! I know you had fuck-all choices. Tray tables up! Time to jump out of this shitbox!"
"Well, do or die, princess!" (shoving Cole out the plane)
"27, 28 k's. Maybe 30 to be safe. Straight up, 32, eh? We say 35, there'll be no surprises."
"Ah, let's look at the scoreboard, shall we? I got us the plane. I know how to find your precious little mountain retreat or whatever it is. I killed the lizard man. Huh? Any of you rip anyone's heart out?"
"I think I know what's going on here. You're jealous, girlie, of me little marking."
"Hey, I'm talking to you. If you want it so much, all you got to do is kill me. Take it. Now, come on. What do you say? You wanna dance?" (provoking Sonya into a fight)
"Go on then, take it. You're so close, just take it. Take it!"
"Yeah, that's why you don't have one of these. You don't have the mongrel in you!" (after Sonya spares him)
"Okay, that's far enough, MC Hammer." (seeing Liu Kang)
"Fuck the temple! Wait! You just shot a fireball out of your hand. How'd you do that? Hang on. Hang the fuck on. Does that mean I'm gonna get superpowers at any point?"
"The fuck?" (after Liu Kang puts his hand on his shoulder)
"Now this one really speaks to me." (looking at a Mortal Kombat mural of The Great Kung Lao's death)
"Put what back?" (after stealing Shinnok's amulet)
"Alright, just circling back on those superpowers. I think I get it now. It's kinda like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get. Is it gonna be fireballs? Is it gonna be lightning? Huh? Could be shit. Could be a frisbee hat, you know? No offense, whoever you are."
"Never heard of him." (after Kung Lao announces himself as the descendant of The Great Kung Lao)
"So, Liu, instead of fireballs, what else is gonna shoot out of my hands? Like, knives or guns?"
"You know, maybe your arcana is getting your ass kicked by a hat." (after Cole loses to Kung Lao)
"Is that the only move you know, mate?" (after getting leg-sweeped by Liu Kang)
"Put a fucking shirt on, Magic Mike." (to Liu Kang)
"Thos are great, mate. They make those in men's sizes?" (mocking Jax's new arms)
"Kung Pao. Pass us an egg roll, would you?"
"Your ears painted on, mate? Egg roll."
"You got a death wish, mate?" (as Kung Lao taunts him)
"Well, how about I take that stupid fucking sombrero you wear and shove it so far up your ass, you start speaking Spanish. How does that sound?"
"Princess, why don't you try being one of them silent monks?"
"I've a better idea. How about you two get on your knees and take turns sucking my sack?" (to Liu Kang and Kung Lao)
"Failure? Fucking failure? Let me educate you, motherfucker. I'm Kano! I'm The Black fucking Dragon! And who are you two, huh? You're some fucking cave-dwelling hippie, twirling his anal beads, taking orders from this Wu Shu wanker who wears a hubcap as a helmet! Now sit down! Shut up! AND PASS ME A FUCKING EGG ROLL!" (as his right-eye starts glowing red)
"Laser beam! It's better than fireballs, you pussy!" (after unlocking his arcana)
"You know, I see a little bit of arcana there. Give me one more crack at it." (beating up Cole)
"You getting enough sleep, mate? Your eyes are a little redder than usual." (to Kabal)
"You don't tell me about The Black Dragon. I'm The Black Dragon!"
"That mask cutting off your air supply, you dumb prick? I don't take orders from anyone, Kabal."
"You know the problem with these new lightning sticks? They just don't make 'em like they used to." (after bringing down Raiden's shield)
"Ah, girls can be so mean. Don't worry, darling! You're still good enough for me!" (throwing Sonya over a ledge after she loses to Mileena)
"Honey, I'm home!"
"Dammit, I'd come out if I was you"
"Fucking Bitch" (taking knife out his back)
"You owe me 3 million dollars!" (fighting Sonya)
"Ah, fucking hell! That was a bit harder than I thought"
"Tell me Blondie, how does that feel?" (Kano choking Sonya)
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind
"Oh, so you found the Well of Souls then?"
"Oh, sorry, mate."
"Are mine? I'm way past having a soul."
"YOU! CAN'T! BEAT! ME!"
"No one can."
Trivia
General
The version of Kano from the original Mortal Kombat game is a secret character in the CD-based versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogy. Strangely, instead of having his victory pose from the original game, MK Kano's victory pose was changed to a modified version of his Mortal Kombat 3 victory pose.
The knife that Kano uses in the Mortal Kombat film is a Gil Hibben Raptor.
In each game Kano is absent, he either makes a cameo imprisoned, a substitute fighter from the Black Dragon borrows his techniques, or both during Deception when Kira was introduced.
Richard Divizio once stated that Kano's favorite food is White Castle hamburgers. However, this likely just means that they are Richard Divizio's favorite food as well. [6]
Although Kano's cybernetics began to grow more elaborate beginning in Mortal Kombat X, the only part of Kano's body that has been actually physically modified with mechanical implants is his Cybernetic Eye. The Cybernetic Heart strapped across his chest is only worn, rather than being physically integrated into his chest as had been the case for Hsu Hao.
He appears as an enemy in Batman Arkham City Lockdown, another game developed by NetherRealm Studios, specifically during the Gotham Steel Mill challenge.
The Brazilian cartoon makers enterprise Mundo Canibal homage Kano by using his Heart Rip Fatality in the video Briga de Galo. After the Fatality, the announcer also says "Fatality" as a mention to the Mortal Kombat games.
Kano's official theme is titled, "Use Your Might".
A modified version of Kano is featured in the Disney film Wreck-It Ralph, making him the only character from an M Rated video game franchise featured in the film. Kano even performs his iconic Heart Rip Fatality on a Zombie character in the meeting with the villains, however due to the PG rating, there is no blood or gore. He is credited as "Cyborg" in the film's credits.
Mortal Kombat
Kano makes his playable debut in this game.
Kano also debuts as the first Black Dragon clan member in the series starting in this game.
Mortal Kombat II
Kano was rumored to be in MKII through Shang Tsung's morphs, but this was proven false.
Kano does however appear in the stage Shao Kahn's Arena, still in his appearance from the first game, shackled in chains as a spectator. Though this stage later reappears in Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Kano, as well as Sonya, are no longer featured, though their empty prisons remain.
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces
In the original plans for Mortal Kombat Special Forces, the circumstances surrounding Kano's cybernetic eye would be revealed. This ultimately did not make it into the final product, with Kano having his cybernetic eye from the beginning of the game.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
In the Krypt, the koffin CO contains a comedic ad for "Kan-Os", a breakfast cereal with a cartoonish image of Kano on the box.
In Deadly Alliance, if Kenshi's Telekinetic Contortion Fatality is performed on Kano, only his real eye pops out.
In Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance and Mortal Kombat Armageddon, Kano's alternate costume resembles his MK outfit, while if both players choose Kano as their character, his second color will resemble his MK3 outfit.
In Deadly Alliance, Kano hung Sonya Blade's hair around his neck as a symbol of their rivalry, which he tore from her head during their battle atop the skyscraper in MK3.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Kano appears as a hidden boss in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, and all the Black Dragon Mercenaries resemble Kano in this game.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
In the game, Kano’s DC counterpart is The Joker.
In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Kano's ending shows him turning into the Mortal Kombat equivalent of the Joker as the kombat rage drives him insane.
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Kano, along with Jax, has an X-Ray that deals 41% damage, the most damaging of all of the playable characters.
Their X-Ray Moves are two of three that cannot be blocked, along with Sheeva's X-Ray move.
In the cinematic trailer from MK 2011, Scorpion kills Sub-Zero with Kano's Eat Your Heart Out Fatality.
Kano is the only character whose victory pose is retained in the Challenge Tower, whereas everyone else's is changed.
Though he is seen using the attack in several cutscenes of MK 2011's Story Mode, Kano's Eye Laser cannot be used as a special move in said game.
However, the Eye Laser special does return in Mortal Kombat X.
Mortal Kombat X
The color of Kano's cybernetics change color depending on what variation you choose. Originally, his Cutthroat variation was going to be green, but was changed to blue later in development. His Commando and Cybernetic variations remained yellow and red, respectively.
The green coloring, however, can be seen if the player selects Kano's variationless version.
Kano's entrance animation alters slightly depending on his variation. If his Cybernetic variation is selected, when he catches his knife he sheathes it on his waist, while his other two variations (and no-variation) have him sheathe it on his back.
Kano will uses his later knives regardless of the variation when he performs his fatalities.
In one of the one of his interactions with Takeda, Kano says "That's Not A Knife" which is a reference to Crocodile Dundee.
If Sub-Zero performs his Bed Of Ice Fatality from the right side, the shards of ice will not go through Kano's Bionic Eye. It will penetrate through his regular eye only if performed on the left.
Additionally, any Fatality or Brutality involving Kano's eyes popping out will result in only one eye, his left eye, to pop out of its socket.
Interactions with Tremor show Tremor wants to leave the Black Dragon. This is likely due to Kano abandoning Tremor in the comics once Tremor was shot and captured by the Special Forces.
Kano and Torr are the only characters with more than one exclusive Brutalities for a Variation that are not Secret Brutalities.
Mortal Kombat Mobile
His Black Dragon Card was originally a Gold card called Cutthroat that could be bought in the Store at a cost of 77000 coins.
This card was also the only card in the game without a Passive, as it merely said that the card cost less in the Store.
He is one of the few characters with a Gold Card that was upgraded to a Diamond Card, this being his Cutthroat card being upgraded to his Diamond Black Dragon Card.
Kano is one of the few characters with more than one exclusive Equipment Card.
Kano is one of twelve character cards that can kill the opponent with a Brutality, the others being Sub-Zero, Jade, Kabal, Scorpion, Liu Kang, Raiden, Noob Saibot, Sonya Blade, Skarlet, Shang Tsung, and Reptile.
Shao Kahn can also kill his opponent, however it is not considered a Brutality.
Injustice 2
Kano was mentioned in Injustice 2 by Raiden, who is featured as a playable guest character, revealing that Kano recruited Bane into the Black Dragon.
Mortal Kombat 11
Kano, Johnny Cage and Jax are the only characters to have team-up cutscenes between their past and present selves in MK11 Story Mode.
Kano is the only character in the Story Mode whose present self dies as a result of his past self dying.
Kano can be also count as one of the first characters to be dressed up as DC characters, the first character who properly wore DC character inspired costume is Cassie. In ironic reverse, Kano wore a superhero costume that models DC’s Cyborg, while Cassie wore a super-villain costume inspired from Harley Quinn.
Kano's Move Lumbar Check which sees him drives both knees into the back of his opponent is most likely a reference to WWE wrestler Cedric Alexander, who does the same move as a finisher. Additionally, one of his Cybernetic Hearts is called Ruby's Riot Shield which may also be a reference to female WWE wrestler Ruby Riott.
In the Kustomization, Kano has one of his customizable Bionic Eyes named "Jack's Epic Eye". This is a reference to Irish YouTuber Jacksepticeye.
Kano is a primary target of RoboCop, revealed through many interactions with characters and RoboCop that Kano committed many crimes in RoboCop's universe.
Errors
Kano's face plate has technical issues in MK 2011. The plate is invisible when he's attacked with X-Ray Moves, and it is incorrectly shown on the left side of his head for his Versus image as Player 2.
In MKX, in his default outfit when Kano crouches, his grenades clip through his right thigh and will pierce through while crouched.
When viewing Kano's Revolution outfit in the Kollection, one can see that his Laser Eye goes over the hat, bring to question as to how the eye was placed over the hat if Kano had the eye first.
The hanging fabric of Kano's default outfit will clip through his Butterfly knives in his Cybernetic variation.
The handle for his knives for his Cybernetic variation will always clip into his thighs when crouching.
The arm wraps that hold his elbow blades always clip into his biceps.
Due to needing his large knives for his fatalities, when Kano performs a fatality in his Cybernetic variations, the knives will appear out of thin air.
If Kano is struck right as he connects an Air Ball, the opponent will hover briefly above the ground before landing and standing back up. The same thing will happen with Jason Voorhees's Temple Slam.
In MK11, if one were to equip any of Kano's younger appearances without him having a shirt on, one can see in the character customization that his cybernetic heart is floating in the air and is not connected to his chest whatsoever.
Equipping an appearance with a smaller shirt will result in half of the heart to not be attached to Kano's equipment.
References
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https://www.familyeducation.com/pregnancy/baby-names/anime-boy-names
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102 Anime Boy Names (with Meanings)
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2023-07-27T05:54:45-04:00
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Discover 100+ magical and powerful anime boy names inspired by your favorite male anime characters and series.
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en
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/themes/custom/fentheme_radix/favicon.ico
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FamilyEducation
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https://www.familyeducation.com/pregnancy/baby-names/anime-boy-names
|
Discover 100+ magical and powerful anime boy names inspired by your favorite male anime characters and series.
Table of contents
Anime character names make unique and fun baby names for boys and girls. Because of Anime’s diversity, fans can choose from a wide range of names when paying homage to this art form.
Anime is a unique style of Japanese animation that is loved worldwide and frequently found in video games, television shows, and films. Manga and Anime share similarities in drawing and style, but they are different. However, because of the similarities in animation and plot, fans of one also tend to be fans of the other.
I lived in Japan for a year in my twenties, and it was my first real exposure to the art form. Because anime originated in Japan, many anime characters stem from Japanese names, but anime is also sprinkled with names from other cultures.
We’ve put together a list of 100+ anime-inspired boy names from your favorite anime series and films! The list has dozens of fun and exciting choices, complete with name meanings and origins.
Related: 102 Kawaii and Cute Anime Girl Names with Meanings
Powerful Anime Names for Boys
Anime is full of powerful male anime characters who battle evil spirits, gods, and ghosts. Here are some of the most powerful anime names for a baby boy.
Akira - Japanese. Means bright or wisdom. Akira is the title character of a Japanese animation action film.
Dai - Japanese. Great. The main protagonist in the series “Dragon Quest: The Adventures of Dai” shares this name.
Daiki - Japanese. Big and shining. Daiki Aomine is from the manga and anime series called “Kuroko no Basuke.”
Daisuke - Japanese. This name has many meanings depending on how it is written. A few of them include big help, big assist, and big blessing. Daisuke Kanbe is the protagonist of “Fugou Keiji Balance: Unlimited.”
Gohan - Japanese. Gracious. Son Gohan is one of the main characters in the “Dragon Ball” series.
Hideaki - Japanese. Bright or clever. Hideaki Asaba is a character in the Japanese manga series “Kare Kano.”
Hiroshi - Japanese. Generous. Hiroshi Kamiya is a Japanese voice actor known for several popular anime series.
Isamu - Japanese. Courage. Isamu is a character in the series “Kōya no Shōnen Isamu.”
Isao- Japanese. Achievement. Isao Sasaki is an anime voice actor.
Izuku - Japanese. A name meaning a long time ago. Izuki Midoriya is a character in “My Hero Academia.”
Kenta - Japanese. Healthy and Strong. Kenta Shinohara is a Japanese manga artist.
Kisuke - Japanese; means help or joy. Kisuke Urahara is a character from the anime series “Bleach.”
Ken - Japanese. Strong and healthy. It is also a Celtic name that means born of fire. Ken Kaneki is the main protagonist of the series “Tokyo Ghoul.”
Kouki - Japanese. Light and happiness. Kouki Uchiyama is a famous Japanese voice actor.
Kouta - Japanese. It means great peace. Kouka Oyamada is a character from the series “Kanokon.”
Osamu - Japanese. Discipline. Osamu Dazai is one of the characters in the manga series “Bungo Stray Dogs.”
Makoto - Japanese. Sincere and honest. Matoko Misumi is the protagonist in “Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu.”
Masashi - Japanese. Ambition. Masashi Kishimoto is the creator of the “Naruto” series.
Masaru - Japanese. Victory. Masuru (No. 27) is a supporting character in the film “Akira.”
Michi - Japanese. Righteous path. This name comes from the title of the anime series “Kemono Michi.” Michi is also a girl’s first name.
Rin - Japanese. Dignified. Rin Matsuoka is the main character in “Free!”
Satoru - Japanese. Enlightenment. Satoru Gojo is a character in the manga “Jujutsu Kaisen.”
Seiji - Japanese. Lawful. Seiji Amasawa is a character in the Japanese animated film “Whisper of the Heart.”
Shun - Japanese. Fast or speed. Shun Hashimoto is the main character of two animes: “The Stranger by the Beach” and “Stranger in the Breeze.”
Takashi - Japanese. Prosperous. Takashi is one of the supporting characters in the film “Akira.”
Tatsuya - Japanese. Accomplished. Tatsuya Shiba is the main character in the movie “The Irregular at Magic High School.”
Toshiro - Japanese. Intelligent. Toshiro Hitsugaya is a character in the anime series “Bleach.”
Yukinori - Japanese. It means fortune. Yukonori Shinohara is a character in “Tokyo Ghoul.”
Wataru - Japanese. Navigate. The title character of the “Mashin Hero Wataru” franchise is named Wataru Ikusabe.
Nature Anime Names for Boys
Nature is prevalent in Japanese culture. So, it makes sense that many popular anime names are inspired by nature or natural influences.
Akane - Japanese. A deep red color. Akane Tsunemori Is the protagonist of “Psycho-Pass.”
Aoi - Japanese. Hollyhock flower. Aoi Kanzaki is a supporting character in “Demon Slayer.”
Arata - Japanese. New rice paddy. The protagonist of the manga series “Arata: The Legend is Arata Hinohara.”
Byakuya - Japanese. White night. Byakuya Kuchiki is one of the characters of the anime series “Bleach.”
Denki - Japanese. Electricity. Denki Kaminari is one of the main characters in the manga series “My Hero Academia.”
Haru - Japanese. Born in spring. Haru Yoshida is the protagonist of “Tonari no Kaibutsu-Kun.”
Haruki - Japanese. Spring child or born in spring. Haruki is a supporting character in the series “Naruto.”
Haruto - Japanese. Sunlight. One protagonist of the anime “Shichisei no Subaru is Haruto Amou.”
Hikaru - Japanese. Light or radiance. Hikaru Hitachiin is one of the protagonists of “Ouran High School Host Club.”
Hinata - Japanese. Facing the sun or sunflower. One of the supporting characters in the” Naruto” series is named Hinata Hyuga.
Ichigo - Japanese. Strawberry. Ichigo Kurosaki is from the manga series “Bleach.”
Itachi - Japanese. Weasel. Itachi Uchiha is a character in “Naruto.”
Jiraiya - Japanese; means young thunder. Jiraiya is a ninja in the series “Naruto.”
Kaito - Japanese. Sea or ocean. Kaito Kuroba is the protagonist in the manga and anime series “Detective Conan.”
Kakashi - Japanese; means scarecrow. Kakashi Hatake is a character in the “Naruto” series.
Minato - Japanese. Harbor. Minato Namikaze is a character in “Naruto.”
Naruto - Japanese. Maelstrom or whirlpool. This is the name of the title character of the “Naruto” series.
Natsu - Japanese. Summer. Natsu Dragneel is one of the main characters in “Fairy Tail.”
Raiden - Japanese. Thunder and lightning or God. Raiden is one of the protagonists in the video game series “Metal Gear.”
Ryo- Japanese. Dragon. Ryo is a character from the anime “Ya Boy Konming.”
Ryuu - Japanese. Dragon. Ryuu is a character from “Akagami No Shirayukihime!”
Shikamaru - Japanese. It means as a deer. Shikamaru Nara is one of the main characters in the “Naturo” series.
Sora - Japanese. Of the sky. Sora is the main character of the video game series “Kingdom Hearts.”
Yagami - Japanese. Night. Light Yagami is the main protagonist of the series “Death Note.”
Yahiko - Japanese. Valley or ravine. Yahiko is a supporting character in “Naruto.”
Yuri - Japanese. Village. Yuri Lowell is the main character in “Tales of Vesperia.”
Unique Anime Names for Boys
Sometimes character names are chosen simply because they’re fun or because the meaning relates to something about the character. Here are some names with unique meanings taken from anime.
Goku - Japanese. A poetic name meaning aware of emptiness. The main protagonist of the “Dragon Ball” franchise is Son Goku.
Hachiro - Japanese. Eighth son. Hachiro Koga is the heir and leader of the Koga Manjidani in the anime “Basilisk.”
Hayate - Japanese. Smooth. “Hayate the Combat Butler” is the name of a popular manga series.
Inuyasha - Japanese; means half-dog demon. This is the title character's name in” Inuyasha,” a manga and anime series.
Jiro - Japanese. It means the second son. Kyoka Jiro is a character in “My Hero Academia.”
Kazuo - Japanese. First son. Kazuo Nakano is a recurring character throughout “Kinnikuman” and “Kinnikuman Nisei.”
Kuro - Japanese. Ninth son. Kuro Sakuragawa is the protagonist of “Kyokou Suiri.”
Moe - Derived from the Japanese word Moreu which means to bud or sprout, it is a term used by fans to describe characters who are innocent or childlike.
Noburo - Japanese. Expand. Noburu Ishiguro was a Japanese anime artist and director.
Renji - Japanese. Second love. One of the characters in the series “Bleach” is named Renji Abarai.
Sasuke - Japanese. Assistant or help. Sasuke Uchiha is a character in “Naruto.”
Sosuke - Japanese. The meaning of the name changes, but it can mean clever or assistance. Sosuke is one of the main characters in the Studio Ghibli film “Ponyo.”
Uzumaki - Japanese. Spiral. Uzumaki is the name of a Japanese manga horror series.
Beautiful (Bishōnen) Anime Boy Names
Bishonen is an anime term that means beautiful boy. Bishonen characters are known for their beauty and grace; think Japanese boy bands and K-pop groups. Here is a list of some of the top Bishonen anime names.
Alois - Old German. Famous warrior. Alois is a character from “Black Butler.”
Ciel - Dutch. Scholar. Ciel Phantomhive is the savvy protagonist from the series “Black Butler.”
Haruka - Japanese. Faraway or distant. Haruka Nanase is the protagonist from “Free!”
Lau - Tongan. Lead. Lau is a Chinese nobleman in “Black Butler.”
Lelouch -French. Lamb. Lelouch Lamperouge is the leader of the Black Knights.
Nagisa - Japanese. A calm beach. Nasia Hazuki is from “Free!”
Sebastian - Latin. Revered one. Sebastian Michaelis is the protagonist of the series “Black Butler.”
Shigure - Japanese. Rain shower. A character and popular boy from “Fruits Basket.”
Soushi - Japanese. Meaning unknown. But one potential meaning is consecrated feet. Soushi is a handsome character from “Inu x Boku SS.”
Taiga - Turkish/Russian. Large river. Taiga Kagami is one of the main characters from “Kuroko no Basket.”
Tetsuya - Japanese. Philosophy. Intelligence. Tetsuya Kurko is one of the two freshman basketball players from “Kuroko no Basket.”
Yuuki- Japanese. Gentle hope. Yuuki Cross is the protagonist of “Vampire Knight.”
Zero - Arabic/Greek. Nothing or void. Zero Kiryuu is one of the main characters in “Vampire Knight.”
Boy Anime Names from Other Languages
Not all anime names stem from Japanese culture. Some of the most popular characters have names from European languages, like French and Spanish.
Alex - Greek. Defender of Man. Alex is a supporting character in “Pokemon Horizons: The Series.”
Alphonse - French/Old German. It means noble. Alphonse Elric is from the anime series “Fullmetal Alchemist.”
Ash - Old English. From the ash tree. Ash Ketchum is the main character in the Pokemon franchise. It can also be used as a girl’s name.
Astro - Greek. Of the stars. “Astro Boy” was one of the first televised anime series.
Boruto - English. This name is based on the Japanese pronunciation of the word blot. Uzumaki is the son of Naruto Uzumaki and the main character of the series “Boruto: The Next Generation.”
Brock - English/Scottish. A variation on the word brook. Brock is a supporting character in the Pokemon franchise.
Cygnus - Latin. Swan. It is also a constellation. Cygnus Hyoga is one of the main characters in the “Saint Seiya” manga series.
Dante - Italian/Spanish/Latin. Enduring. Daiki is the main protagonist of the video game series “Devil May Cry.”
Duke - Celtic/Latin. Leader. The Duke of Death is a character from “The Duke of Death and His Maid.”
Edward - English. Rich guardian. Edward Elric is the main protagonist of the “Fullmetal Alchemist” series.
Eren - Turkish. A saint or holy person. It is also an Irish girl’s name. Eren Yeager is one of the main protagonists of the anime “Attack on Titan.”
Finnian - Irish. Fair-hared. A German gardener from the series “Black Butler.”
Isaac - Hebrew. Laughter. Isaac Netero is from “Hunter X Hunter.”
Levi - Hebrew. To join or unite. Levi Ackerman is a character from “Attack on Titan.”
Meliodas - English. This name means Tristan’s father. Meliodas is the main protagonist in the series “Seven Deadly Sins.”
Moon - English from the moon. It is also a Korean name that means letters. Associated with the anime “Sailor Moon.”
Roy - French. The king. Colonel Roy Mustang is the tritagonist of the “Fullmetal Alchemist” series.
Shin - Korean. Belief. Shin Wolford is the protagonist of “Kenja no Mago.”
Spike - Old English. A long, heavy nail. Spike Spiegel is a character from the anime series “Cowboy Bebop.”
Vegeta - Luo. Proud and mighty. It may also mean proud warrior. The name of a villain in the “Dragon Ball” series.
Zoro - Spanish. It means sly. Roronoa Zoro is a character from “One Piece.”
For more baby boy name inspiration check out these popular baby name lists:
75 Names Inspired by the Forest for Your Little One
Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Boy Names in the U.S.
Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Girl Names in the U.S.
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https://retronaissance.wordpress.com/tag/street-fighter-ex/
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Retronaissance: The Blog!
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"Professor Icepick"
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2018-06-28T00:00:25-05:00
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Posts about street fighter ex written by Professor Icepick
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en
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Retronaissance: The Blog!
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https://retronaissance.wordpress.com/tag/street-fighter-ex/
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With every game in the recent Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection covered in this series of retrospectives, the obvious route for continuing it would be to go straight into the modern releases. However, even when I was outlining this project from the get-go, I knew that I wanted to explore some of the more obscure titles in the Street Fighter franchise. Of course, you’d think I’d have gotten my fill with the first Street Fighter retrospective article – I covered Final Fight, Street Fighter 2010 and even Avenger, an arcade game that predated the original Street Fighter – but there were a couple of games that have still managed to pop into my mind. Games that Capcom outright acknowledged were farmed out to other developers with vastly different results, both mechanically and in their overall reception.
Of course, the games I will be discussing in this retrospective don’t even scratch the surface of the weird licensed material Capcom stuck their fingers into during Street Fighter II’s heyday. Even discounting obvious stuff like the two movies and the two animated series, you had weird things like a pinball machine, whack-a-mole, Tiger Electronics handhelds, various toy lines (including a take on Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots), a truly bizarre comic book from Malibu Comics, several manga in Japan, valentines and even a simulator ride. If you could think of it, Capcom was more than willing to slap Ryu, Ken, Guile, Chun-Li and M. Bison’s faces on it throughout the ‘90s. But I’ve clearly gotten off-track, let’s talk about some games.
Street Fighter: The Movie
Even though I’ve already done an article dedicated to this game a couple years back, there’s still a lot to unpack with Street Fighter: The Movie …The Game. Released in June 1995 – roughly half a year after the film managed a healthy box office (but flopped critically) in theatres – it’s an ultimate exercise in the concepts of recursion and diminishing returns. Every time I look at the game, I know on a visceral level that it should not exist. Every “original” aspect of this game appears to be an attempt at aping Mortal Kombat, aside from that franchise’s trademark gore, trying to maintain the relative family-friendliness of the SF brand. In the end, this game feels like something of a fever dream, even when experiencing it: I swear I saw this game in a random arcade at some point in my life between the ages of 7 and 10, but all things considered, that might just be a memory of a dream.
But before we get into the how and why (and especially the what) of SF:TM, let’s delve into the who. This game is unique among Street Fighter titles, as it’s perhaps the most major entry in the series that was handled by a Western developer. Founded in 1985 in Vernon Hills, IL (a locale that probably means nothing to anyone outside of Chicagoland) by a former NASA software engineer and a biochemist, Incredible Technologies doesn’t seem like the kind of company that would work on video games, but in their early years, they focused on developing pinball hardware, as well as some contract work for Data East. However, what they’re probably best known for is their Golden Tee series, a staple in bars and restaurants to this day. However, their first big arcade hit was 1988’s Capcom Bowling – a personal favorite of mine – which forged a relationship between the Eastern arcade titan and the fledgling company. Throughout the ‘90s, IT would release several arcade titles under the brand name “Strata Games”, but the two most pertinent games in that line-up were Time Killers and BloodStorm, two Mortal Kombat-inspired fighting games that went for a more comic book-inspired look compared to the photorealism of their inspiration. In fact, Street Fighter: The Movie ran on the same proprietary arcade system that ran both of those games along with most of their other games from the period, which speaks for their hardware’s adaptability.
The most interesting thing about this game, as with many, would have to be various tidbits of trivia that have come out about the game’s development since its release. For starters, this game was originally pitched as Street Fighter III and included a variety of characters, including Retsu, Lee and a female Geki (all from the original Street Fighter), Gunloc from Saturday Night Slam Masters and even MegaMan. This treatment was scrapped early on in the development process, when they were informed that their project was going to be based on the live-action film instead. On top of that, Sheng Long was even considered as a potential playable character and while Capcom actually considered whether or not this was a good idea, they ended up nixing it. On top of that, they also pitched an entirely original character, Raven: who was to have been played by Benny “The Jet” Urquidez, the fight coordinator and one of the stuntmen from the film. He was said to have been a stance style character, not unlike Gen’s reinvention from the Alpha series, but ended up left out of the game due to time constraints. In fact, several characters were omitted for this very reason: the actors for Dhalsim, Blanka and Dee Jay managed to record footage but were left out due to time constraints, Gregg Rainwater (who portrayed T. Hawk in the film) never showed up and the actor who portrayed original character Sawada in the film was originally intended to be Fei Long in the game itself, to the extent where the actor ends up portraying Fei Long as a cameo in one of the stages.
Considering the game was an “adaptation” of the film, it seems like it’s worth summarizing the events of the film. The main crux of the film involves a civil war in the Southeast Asian country of Shadaloo, between a terrorist general M. Bison and the Allied Nations, led by Colonel William F. Guile, an all-American soldier portrayed by Belgian martial arts star Jean-Claude Van Damme, along with his assistant Sergeant Cammy and Captain Kenya Sawada. Bison ends up capturing several A.N. relief workers, including Guile’s friend Sergeant Carlos “Charlie” Blanka, and holding them for a ransom of $20 billion US dollars. Guile refuses and vows to track down Bison to save his hostages. Meanwhile, Bison decides to have Charlie transformed into a super soldier by Dhalsim, a captive scientist. The process leaves Blanka disfigured, but Dhalsim alters the mental programming to retain Charlie’s humanity instead of turning him into a mindless pawn.
Meanwhile, Ryu and Ken are a couple of American con artists attempting to swindle an arms dealer by the name of Viktor Sagat but are forced to fight his cage fight champion Vega when he sees through their ruse. As Sagat was Bison’s primary arms dealer, Guile recruits the pair to help him find Bison in exchange for their freedom. Likewise, news reporter Chun-Li Zhang and her crew, consisting of former sumo wrestler E. Honda and boxer Balrog also get involved, seeking out both Bison and Sagat for killing Chun-Li’s father and ruining their careers respectively. In addition to Sagat and Vega, Bison’s forces also include the good natured but naïve Russian wrestler Zangief and the cash-hungry computer expert Dee Jay (wait, what?).
Honestly, that last bit always confused me. I understand why you’d want to swap Balrog for Zangief within the confines of the film itself – Cold War animosity hadn’t entirely subsided by this point and adding black representation to the heroes just seems like a bonus – but making Dee Jay a villain? What, was there some weird anti-Jamaican sentiment floating around at some point during the mid-90s? I can’t say it bothered me that much, it just manages to stand out as one of the most baffling aspects of an already baffling adaptation. Also, I always wondered: did Capcom openly seek out Van Damme for this live-action adaptation as a way of sticking it to Midway, who originally conceived Mortal Kombat as an adaptation of Bloodsport?
The game’s base roster consists of 14 characters, more than Hyper Fighting and the first Street Fighter Alpha, but slightly less than Super Street Fighter II Turbo. Surprisingly, quite a few characters were cut from SSF2T, despite appearing in the game. Ryu, Ken, Guile, Chun-Li, Cammy, E. Honda, Zangief, Balrog, Vega, Sagat and M. Bison all end up “returning” from Super Turbo though. Considering this game was released at around the same time as the original Street Fighter Alpha, which ditched several SF2 mainstays, I have to wonder if that was intended to be a selling point. Of course, most of the characters were portrayed by their actors in the film – though due to time limitations, Van Damme was unable to complete all of the necessary filming, so Incredible Technologies used Mark Stefanich, his stunt double from the film, for the remaining footage – with the exception of the late Raúl Juliá who was on his deathbed and replaced with his stunt double, Darko Tuscan. Juliá’s likeness still appeared in the game, through video and audio clips from the movie itself.
Sawada appeared in the game with a moveset clearly inspired by Fei Long, but the game added a few characters that didn’t appear in the film as well. Here’s some trivia, SF:TM contains Akuma’s first appearance in the main roster of any Street Fighter game, portrayed by Filipino-American martial artist Ernie Reyes Sr. Incredible Technologies originally wanted to make him a hidden character like in Super Turbo, but this was cut due to “a combination of events”. Blade, an elite Shadaloo soldier who fights with knives, was also added to the game as an original character, portrayed by one of the game’s designers, Alan Noon. However, unbeknownst to anyone, Blade is actually Gunloc – yes, they managed to sneak him in after all – who decided to take a break from professional wrestling to help his brother Guile (!!) take out Bison’s forces from the inside. Much like Mortal Kombat’s trademark ninjas, Blade was palette-swapped into three hidden characters, boasting similar designs but completely different movesets: Arkane fights with electricity and his extendable mechanical limbs; Khyber is equipped with a custom flamethrower hidden in his mask, allowing him to “spit fire” and F7 is capable of using all of the other three characters’ attacks.
Though the game’s visual style is clearly inspired by Mortal Kombat, the gameplay feels a lot more reminiscent of another popular Western fighting game from the ‘90s: Rare’s Killer Instinct. The game’s combo system definitely feels more like KI than Street Fighter, but there’s also a heavy emphasis on juggle combos in the game. Honestly, this might be one of the more customizable combo systems of the era, perhaps to its own detriment. The only real rule involved is combos are only limited by the player’s skill and timing. It’s honestly kind of liberating in a lot of ways, even by today’s standards. However, there’s clearly still some Street Fighter elements in there, with the gameplay running at a speed that could easily be classified as “Turbo”. The Mortal Kombat influences still manage to seep into the gameplay: a lot of characters’ crouching Heavy Punches and Kicks are very Mortal Kombat-esque uppercuts and sweep kicks, not to mention MK’s trademark flurry of punches by mashing light punch.
Aside from these changes, SF:TM does include many of the elements from contemporary Street Fighter games. Special Moves return, though many characters actually receive entirely brand-new ones, like M. Bison’s “Electric Arc”, which fires off a continuous stream of lightning in front of him that zaps characters who aren’t blocking or Guile’s aptly-named “Handcuffs”, a cheeky reference to the infamous glitch from the original Street Fighter II which disables opponents for a couple seconds using (what else?) a pair of handcuffs. Of course, these aren’t even the craziest moves: Sagat raises his eyepatch and showcases his “Evil Eye” to stun opponents; Zangief can stun opponents with an Airplane Spin and Balrog gains a special command block with the ability to reflect projectiles. Super Combos also return from SSF2T, though this time, performing special moves fills the bar far more quickly than inflicting damage with standard attacks or taking damage. Also, the majority of the cast have at least two in this game, as opposed to Super Turbo’s single Super Combo. This effectively means that the developer was allowed to formulate original Super Combos for official SF characters: E. Honda gets a “Super Hundred Hand Slap”; Ken receives a command grab super known as the “Rengoku Gurama” and Sagat receives the “Tiger Crossfire”, a barrage of both high and low Tiger Shots which, if I’m gonna be honest, feels much more fitting for the character compared to the official Tiger Cannon attack that debuted in the Alpha games.
SF:TM also added in a few unique mechanics of its own, at least from the standpoint of the game’s release. First off, there are “Interrupt Moves” – otherwise known as “Reversals” – but functionally, they’re identical to the Alpha Counters of its contemporary, Street Fighter Alpha. While blocking, players can perform a specific motion depending on the character, and perform a standard special move as a counterattack, but with a unique green shadow effect. Next, you’ve got “Comeback Moves” (or “Danger Moves”) which feel like they could have been inspired by SNK’s Desperation Moves. They’re effectively unique, more powerful special moves that can only be performed when a character’s health is low enough for “DANGER” to flash on their health bar. Most characters only have one, but they vary from Guile’s powered up Sonic Boom to Cammy tossing grenades. Throws can be escaped with a specific input, but characters can also counter throws into a “counter throw” of their own, which can be further countered with a “Reverse”, which in turn can also be countered one final time with a “Slam Master” technique. Players are also given the option to perform a “Regeneration” move when their Super Combo gauge is full, restoring a portion of their health in the process. As usual, the command varies from character to character.
The arcade ladder consists of 14 matches, with the player facing off against the entire roster (including a mirror match) and a final fight with a powered-up M. Bison. Of course, the game also boasts a few secret modes, including a “Tag Team” mode, which honestly plays more like the 2-on-2 mode present in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3: players can’t tag their characters at will, the second one just switches in after the first one is defeated. There’s also a special mode that extends combos even further than the game typically does, as well as the secret characters which are unlocked with codes on the character select, just like Akuma was in Super Turbo.
Personally, I think the gameplay is extremely stupid – but “fun stupid”, if that makes any sense. SF:TM game clearly falls into the category of kusoge, but the clear insanity behind this game doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. In fact, I’d almost consider it a precursor to the popular Marvel crossover games, which wouldn’t even start until the following year. It doesn’t hurt that there were some interesting concepts in this game, especially some of those original special moves. It’s just a damn shame that this game never received a true home port – but I’ll touch more on that later.
The graphics are a mixed bag. Like I said earlier, most of the actors from the Street Fighter movie itself reprised their roles in the game, but Incredible Technologies decided to go one step further and deck out the character’s in more game-accurate outfits, at least to the best of their abilities. Sometimes, this works out fairly well – Cammy’s outfit was on-point – other times, not so much – it looks like they drew Balrog’s hair on in Microsoft Paint! Each character had between 600-800 frames of animation filmed and it shows. If anything, the animation in SF:TM has the exact opposite issue that Mortal Kombat had: a lot of characters look so smooth, they fall into the uncanny valley. The backgrounds, on the other hand, appear to be made mostly by using a combination 3D models to create pre-rendered images and similar live-action images, though there’s a clear preference for the former. On the plus side, Ralph Melgosa – the game’s artist – did an excellent job of representing several key areas from the film. My personal favorites would have to be the Tong Warehouse, based on the cage match where Ryu and Ken fought Vega (surrounded by a crowd that looks like they got lost on the way to Pit Fighter) and the Dungeon, a torture chamber, with various characters in a state of distress. There are various points where looping video clips from the movie and other similar graphics appear on various video screens, with fairly good quality. Similar clips litter the game’s attract mode and Versus screens are home to looping animations of the various characters posing in action shots that were clearly shot for the game. If you aren’t sufficiently nostalgic for the era this game came out in, the game is clearly hideous – and even then, it’s safe to argue that the Mortal Kombat games at the time were much more aesthetically appealing. I will give SF:TM one thing though: I think it’s a really nice touch that when a character is defeated with a Super Combo, their health bar explodes.
Likewise, the game’s sound design is generally unappealing. The game’s default soundtrack is painfully forgettable, with the most recognizable song being best described as “generic metal”. I’m not sure what kind of sound Kyle Johnson, the game’s composer, was going for, but it’s not impressive. What’s really sad about it is that he also managed to come up with some good arrangements of SF2 themes using standard MIDI instruments, but they were mainly used in the game’s endings. However, there are special codes to activate each character’s SF2 theme – as well as Fei Long and Blanka’s – in combat, which honestly makes the game that much more enjoyable. The sound effects aren’t really anything to write home about either, particularly the voices. I’m not sure if they actually got the actors from the film to record voiceovers, but any time a character tries to say something in Japanese, my skin crawls. Chun-Li’s constant screams of “Yattai” (obviously a mispronunciation of her win quote “Yatta!” – meaning “I did it!” – from Street Fighter II) is one of the worst sounds I’ve ever heard anywhere, let alone in a video game. Seriously, listening to this would give even the most bitter critic a new appreciation for the English dubs in more modern entries in the series. The sound effects are serviceable for the most part. At times, they sound kind of cartoony, which really doesn’t fit with the game’s aesthetic, but that just ends up being more funny than annoying and adds to the game’s “charm”.
Street Fighter: The Movie was by no means the arcade smash hit that Street Fighter II was, but it’s still a fascinating curiosity. For all of their failings, Incredible Technologies made a game with the best of intentions and it’s clear that they were definitely fans of the series. While it was clearly made as an attempt to capitalize on Mortal Kombat’s popularity eclipsing Street Fighter in the West, it still felt like a worthwhile experiment on Capcom’s part. Honestly, I’d love to see their full pitch for Street Fighter III – the inclusion of characters from the original Street Fighter and Saturday Night Slam Masters clearly shows they knew Capcom’s history. That or a second revision where they could’ve gotten the rest of their planned content into the game. Unfortunately, IT’s adaptation of Street Fighter: The Movie would be lost to the ages: it never received a home port. In its place, Capcom took it upon themselves to adapt the movie themselves…
Interlude: The Console Release
Street Fighter: The Movie – known as “Street Fighter: Real Battle on Film” in Japan, a title so ridiculous, I instantly fell in love with it – was released on the Saturn and PlayStation on August 11, 1995 in Japan, while releasing in North America and Europe later that year. In fact, it was a PlayStation launch title in North America.
Those are probably the nicest words anyone’s ever said about it. Throughout the fifth generation, there was a long-standing argument over which licensed movie tie-in game was the worst, and the two most prominent choices for the top slot were SF: The Movie and The Crow: City of Angels. Ironically, both of those games were actually published in North America and Europe by the same company, Acclaim. Capcom handled publishing duties for Real Battle on Film in their home country of Japan. While there’s no concrete information about the development of this version, it’s generally been inferred that Capcom was disappointed with the arcade version and decided to take matters into their own hand for the home release.
The home console version was a completely different beast from its arcade counterpart. For starters, Blade and his fellow Bison troopers were all removed from the game, replaced with Blanka and Dee Jay, while Akuma was reestablished as a secret character. The gameplay received a complete overhaul, effectively running on a modified version of the SSF2T engine. The game doesn’t feel quite as smooth as that one, but it does add a new mechanic just to differentiate it from its clear inspiration. This game contains “Super Special Moves”, which are functionally identical to the EX Moves found in Street Fighter III and the ES Moves from Darkstalkers. When a character’s super meter is half-full – depicted by the bar turning from yellow to blue – characters can perform a single Super Special move. If they manage to fill their gauge, they can perform an unlimited number of these attacks. It’s a nice addition to the game, but it does little to mask the fact that in every other way, SF:TM’s home console release is just a half-baked knockoff of Super Turbo.
The game contains four modes. The main attraction is “Movie Battle”, a story mode that puts players in the role of Guile as he fights his way through the events of the film, with a time limit meant to represent Bison’s demand of a $20 billion ransom in three days. This mode has branching paths, which allows for extra replay value and rewards players with a music video of the film’s theme, “Something There” by Japanese pop music duo Chage & Aska. There’s also “Street Battle”, which is effectively an arcade mode, a dedicated “Versus Mode” and “Trial Mode”, where players face off against the entire roster in order to set records based on their high score and the time they take to run through the entire roster. In other words, aside from the Story Mode, it’s effectively the standard for most of Capcom’s fighting game home ports at the time.
SF:TM’s home release used the same digitized character graphics as the arcade original, though they had to be compressed severely and have several frames of animation cut to run on home consoles. Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. portrays Dee Jay in the game, just like in the film, while Blanka’s complex and acrobatic moveset meant that he had to be portrayed by stuntman Kim Repia instead of his actor from the film, Robert Mammone. It’s generally assumed that Blanka and Dee Jay were built from the assets that Incredible Technologies didn’t have time to implement into their version of the game, but somehow, they seem to have had far less effort put into making them game-accurate compared to the rest of the cast. Dee Jay is just wearing a pair of plain of black pants, while Blanka just looks like a run-of-the-mill caveman wearing a pair of camo shorts – his green skin tone is incredibly muted in-game, to the point of being non-existent.
The stages, on the other hand, are completely original creations, opting for a combination of digitized graphics taken straight from the film and traditional spritework. Many of them seem to be based on the same locales as the arcade version, but there are some unique stages, like Sagat’s banquet hall and what can only be described as an “illegal weapon stand”. The game also makes use of the CD technology at the time and includes several video clips and still shots from the film at good quality for the time. Though there are other times where aspects of the movie are converted into looping animated sprites that comes across as janky at best and unsettling at worst.
The game boasts a completely original soundtrack, composed by an unknown individual. I’m not entirely a fan of it, but it’s at least interesting – some of the compositions remind me of some of the original themes from X-Men vs. Street Fighter. Ironically, it sounds like they used the same MIDI instruments from the arcade version to arrange these tracks, which I think is a funny little connection between the two games. The sound effects are standard Capcom fare for the time, so it’s not worth mentioning in vivid detail. The game does boast an entirely new set of voice tracks, performed by unknown Japanese actors, thus mitigating the whole pronunciation issue. Of course, they end up entirely butchering any moves with English names, but from what I can tell, most people who actually remember this game seem to consider it a fair trade.
At best, the nicest thing I can really say about Real Battle on Film is that for roughly two years, it was the closest PlayStation and Saturn owners could get to playing Super Street Fighter II Turbo on their shiny new console. Considering that the first Street Fighter Collection came out in 1997 with not only a relatively authentic port of Super Turbo, but also the original Super and Alpha 2 Gold, the game’s only reason for existing became null and void. I’ve actually seen people on the internet claiming that this game was better than they remember, because a lot of the bad press apparently came from its association with the arcade game, but at least that version was entertaining. As misguided and grandiose as Incredible Technologies’ aspirations were with their version, at least the arcade release didn’t feel like a lazy, cynical cash grab. I’d go so far as to say that it even seems like Capcom themselves didn’t want to make this home conversion in the first place. Whatever effort Capcom put into this clearly fell short of redeeming the original’s fun stupidity into anything that even resembles one of their more mediocre efforts during the golden age of fighting games – and alas, that’s exactly when this came out.
Street Fighter EX
While the games based on Street Fighter’s live-action film were clearly a reaction to Street Fighter’s dwindling popularity in the West and the rise of Mortal Kombat, the genesis of the Street Fighter EX games was clearly related to the rise of 3D fighting games. By the time the first SFEX released on December 19, 1996, heavy hitters like Virtua Fighter, Tekken, Soul Edge and even Dead or Alive had already been established, not to mention several more titles that have since been lost to time. Near the tail end of the fourth generation of video games, audiences had become far more enamored with polygonal 3D models over “outdated” 2D sprites. The fifth generation only served to kick this obsession into overdrive and both the consumer base and various publications considered 2D completely outdated, forcing even well-established series like Super Mario and Castlevania to make the jump into the third dimension. Capcom was no exception to this rule: in addition to creating entirely new franchises, they took popular franchises like Street Fighter and MegaMan into 3D to capitalize on this new trend.
I’ll be honest, this is the only game on this list that I really have vivid memories of from childhood. In fact, my best friend and I actually ended up bonding over this game. He’d recently switched to my school when we were both in sixth grade and we had a tendency of trading PS1 games with one another when we’d first met. I forget what I gave him in return, but I managed to score Tobal No. 1 and Street Fighter EX plus α (more on that later) off of him, at least temporarily before he wanted them back. To this day, he’s still my best friend, so at least I got something out of that temporary trade besides some good memories.
While Capcom sought Western expertise for their movie tie-in, they decided that keeping things closer to home was crucial for bringing a new dimension to Street Fighter. Enter the fine folks at ARIKA. Founded in 1995 by a handful of ex-Capcom employees and named for its founder, Akira Nishitani – one of the men behind Street Fighter II and Final Fight – ARIKA was among the first in a long line of developers that spun-off from Capcom: before there were Inti Creates and PlatinumGames, there was ARIKA. Ironically, Street Fighter EX was the first title ARIKA developed, but they would go on to create a host of other titles, including the Tetris: The Grand Master series, numerous games in Nintendo’s 3D Classics series on the 3DS and the Endless Ocean games on the Wii.
For the longest time, little was known about the development of Street Fighter EX. However, in order to garner attention for their most recent project – more on that later – they actually released footage from various prototypes throughout the game’s development last year. The models started off fairly simply, almost resembling the characters in the original Virtua Fighter with blank textures, but the style would eventually evolve to resemble 1995’s Tekken 2. There was also rampant speculation that Capcom was able to feed ARIKA information based on Star Gladiator, their own internally developed 3D fighting game which had come out a few months prior. However, ARIKA’s vice president Ichiro Mihara insisted that as ARIKA was an independent developer and not a subsidiary of Capcom, that they had to come up with their own solutions for developing a 3D Street Fighter that maintained its 2D roots.
Street Fighter EX was released in arcades on Sony’s ZN-1 hardware, which was essentially built off of the original PlayStation’s hardware. Capcom, like many companies at the time, developed their own variant of this hardware – though they kept the “Sony ZN-1” designation – which was host to both internally developed titles like the aforementioned Star Gladiator and Battle Arena Toshinden 2, as well as Judge Dredd: The Game and NBA Jam Extreme from Acclaim.
There really isn’t any known overarching storyline in Street Fighter EX and no concrete evidence for where it would take place in the Street Fighter franchise if it were canon. The closest I ever really came to information on the subject was schoolyard rumors that implied that it was supposed to have taken place between Street Fighter II and III – ironic for reasons that will become apparent later.
Regardless, several characters from SF2 appeared in the game’s base roster – Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Guile and Zangief – but they were joined by some original characters on the roster, with unique backstories all their own. Hokuto was the heir to the Mizugami family, a family vested in the martial art of Kobjutsu. Upon her 17th birthday, she discovers the existence of her older brother Kairi, who disappeared when she was an infant. She sets off on a journey to find her long-lost brother, not knowing of her curse: if she should ever meet with her brother, the two will fight to the death. Doctrine Dark was once a brave soldier named Holger, serving under Guile until a chance encounter with Rolento that left him physically and emotionally scarred. D. Dark has marked both Rolento and Guile for death, as he blames both of them for his current condition. Pullum Purna is the daughter of a wealthy Saudi Arabian man who seeks revenge for her grandfather, who was found in a hypnotic state after reading a book with the word “Shadaloo” on its cover. Cracker Jack was once a powerful bouncer from Las Vegas who ended up becoming a member of an elite group of bodyguards known as (what else?) the “Crackers”. Eventually, he decided to leave to live life on his own terms, but when a crime organization decides to go after him for unknown reasons, he decides to elude them by becoming a bodyguard once more. But the game’s breakout character was clearly Skullomania: once an average salesman named Saburo Nishikoyama, his superiors forced him to dress like a superhero due to his poor sales. During his performance, he felt an indescribable passion well up inside him and decided to become a crime fighting vigilante for real.
There were also a few hidden characters, all of which were time-released – added to the playable roster after the machine was left on for a set amount of time, but most of them could also be activated early with a special code in the game’s dipswitch test menu. Akuma was one of the game’s secret characters, though as usual, he could be unlocked with a special code on the character select screen. The rest of the secret characters are totally original. First, there’s Hokuto’s brother Kairi, who has lost his memories on his travels, wandering the world with his only memory being the phrase “you must challenge your limits”. Darun Mister is an Indian wrestler who is acting as Pullum’s bodyguard, but also wishes to face off with Zangief after hearing of his exploits. Blair Dame is the daughter of a wealthy Monegasque family who has decided to travel the world along with her friend Pullum. She’s also Cracker Jack’s client. Finally, there’s Allen Snider, the self-proclaimed greatest living Karate master in the United States who lost his first match to a young Ken Masters in the All-American Martial Arts tournament. Misinterpreting Ken’s advice that he was just “a frog in the well”, Allen decided to develop new techniques based on Ken’s, in order to defeat him and show that he’s the best martial artist in the world. There are also two entirely unplayable bosses in the game: M. Bison and the original character, Garuda – a former hero who lost his way and was overtaken by evil forces, becoming a demon. He wanders endlessly, awakened through the power of negative emotions like the Satsui no Hado.
Despite making a big deal about bringing Street Fighter into 3D, Street Fighter EX was actually an early attempt at creating a 2.5D game: 3D visuals with traditional 2D gameplay. This was a conscious decision by ARIKA, as most 3D games at the time relied on mechanics like sidesteps to emphasis the third dimension capable in these games, which would leave signature attacks like projectiles – a Street Fighter staple – practically useless, as well as the traditional jumping mechanics. Special Moves and Super Combos also return and much like the Alpha games, the Super Meter can hold up to 3 bars. The special finishes also return, though this time, the traditional “starburst” background animation is associated with special moves: Super Combos get a brand-new animation with a meteor flying through space.
EX does add a few new mechanics. For the cost of one bar of Super Meter, characters can perform a “Guard Break” attack by pressing a punch and a kick of the same strength simultaneously. Successfully hitting this attack on an opponent who is blocking not only breaks their block, but also renders them dizzy for a short time. EX also emphasizes cancels far more than previous Street Fighters. Normal moves can be cancelled into Special Moves, Special Moves can be cancelled into other Special Moves and Super Combos and Super Combos can even be cancelled into each other. In fact, finishing opponents with a chain of Super Combos results in an animation of several asteroids flying across the screen. Also, performing “first attacks”, reversals and combos give players a bonus amount of Super Meter.
Honestly, Akira Nishitani’s Street Fighter experience shines in this game, as ARIKA did a pretty good job recreating SF’s gameplay in 3D, even if it’s not technically true 3D. This extends to the game’s single-player arcade mode, which consists of 10 fights against CPU-controlled opponents, with M. Bison as the final boss. I think one of the most interesting parts is that some of SFEX’s original characters actually feel like replacements for existing mainline Street fighter characters: Cracker Jack is a clear imitation of Balrog; Pullum Purna’s moveset reminds me of Cammy to some degree (her Drill Purrus is a dead ringer for Cammy’s Spiral Arrow) and Allen Snider seems like a more competent Dan – though Ryu and Ken’s Hurricane Kicks now look more like Dan’s Danpuukyaku and act more like Fei Long’s Rekkakens than the original moves.
As I said earlier, the graphics in SFEX remind me a lot of Tekken 2, which came out almost 2 years prior. EX focuses more on aesthetic than creating complex models. Not every character turns out looking as good as their 2D counterparts, but it’s generally pretty easy to tell which characters are supposed to be which. I think the really surprising part is that not all of ARIKA’s original characters are optimized for the 3D modelling process. You’d think they would’ve kept some of the designs simpler to accommodate the limitations of that style. The backgrounds also use the same style as Tekken 2: flat pre-rendered backgrounds on top of flat, three-dimensional fields.
The game’s music was composed by three ex-Namco staff members: Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso and Takayuki Aihara. The themes in the game incorporated jazz, rock and electronica elements, creating a smooth sound. Honestly, it’s probably one of the first video game soundtracks I distinctly remember liking. It’s hard to pick my favorite tracks, but I’ll just name a few: Under Tube, Strange Sunset, Amusementive Crime, Stronger and Spinning Bird. The rest of the tracks are stellar as well, so the entire soundtrack is worth a listen. EX’s sound effects sound significantly different from the other games of the CPS2 era, likely due to the different hardware. This also had an effect on the voice acting: all of the voices sound much clear in this game. The interesting part is that all of the characters that were present in the Alpha games retain their voice actors from those titles, while Guile’s voice is provided by the same actor that voiced him in the anime, Street Fighter II V. Despite that, I’d have to say that the obvious standouts for the best voices would be Allen Snider and especially Skullomania – voiced by Osamu Hosoi and Issei Futamata respectively. Their voices just add some much personality to these characters, it’s hard to imagine them without them.
On March 3rd, 1997, Street Fighter EX plus, an expanded update to the previous game, was released in both Japanese and North American arcades. It featured a revamped user interface, informs players when they receive meter bonuses (albeit with a pretty blatant typo), and replaces the color palettes for every returning character and stage. Also, both the secret characters and the bosses from EX were added to the base roster, with the playable versions of the boss characters being rebalanced for competitive play. However, more time-release characters were added to the game as well. Evil Ryu from Street Fighter Alpha 2 returns in this game, as well as Bloody Hokuto—referred to in the Japanese version as “Hokuto with Seal of Blood Broken” – a more powerful version of the existing character that has fallen victim to her family’s curse, lost to a killing intent instilled by her biological father. There are also two mysterious robots known as the Cycloids: Cycloid-β is a blue featureless 3D model resembling a male, while Cycloid-γ is a wire-frame model. Their backstories are unknown, but it’s heavily implied that they were the creations of Shadaloo who rebelled and escaped. Beta contains an assortment of motion attacks taken from the cast, while Gamma uses charge attacks.
EX plus would also serve as the basis for the home version — Street Fighter EX plus α – released on the original PlayStation in 1997. Fun fact: a Nintendo 64 release was also planned but cancelled for unknown reasons – a shame, because I would’ve loved to have seen Capcom work around the N64’s unique controller. EX+α reverts to the color palettes from the original SFEX but adds even more additional features. For starters, two more classic characters have been added to the base roster: Dhalsim from Street Fighter II and Sakura from SFA2, which probably explains the “Alpha” in the title. The secret characters from EX plus are still unlockable, but the methods for unlocking them are a lot simpler. The home release also boasts a few new stages, as well as a completely rearranged soundtrack like the PS1’s Tekken home releases. While I always think that arranged soundtracks from this era blow their source material out of the water, I’m actually a fan of both SFEX soundtracks. A shame that they didn’t include the original arcade version in this release, but I guess it wouldn’t have worked with the game’s new stages.
EX plus α also adds a fair amount of exclusive content to the home version. Each character receives a short, generally nonsensical cutscene as a bonus for completing the game on Arcade mode. The game also adds several modes, ranging from the requisite Versus and Practice modes, as well as Team Battle and Survival. EX+α also adds in a few unique modes of its own: Practice Mode has an “Expert” setting that challenges players to 16 tests, consisting of moves or combos for each character – a clear ancestor of the various “Trials” modes found in many modern fighting games. Completing these challenges earn points, which unlock various special features like the hidden characters and the “Options Plus” Menu. The Barrel Bonus game from Street Fighter II also returns as a hidden bonus in Practice Mode. Finally, there’s “Watch” mode, which allows players to select two CPU-controlled characters to fight each other and choose to watch them while controlling the camera, even able to watch the action from a first-person perspective.
Street Fighter EX was released to generally positive reviews at the time, owing to the fact that it managed to successfully recreate Street Fighter’s hectic action in a 3D space, as well as the console version’s multitude of extras. The game also managed to sell over 400,000 total copies worldwide during its first year on sale, qualifying for Sony’s Platinum and The Best lines of budget re-releases in both Europe and Japan respectively. Clearly, Capcom was also pleased with ARIKA’s efforts, as it didn’t take long for them to commission a sequel.
Street Fighter EX2
All things considered, Street Fighter EX2 was the best possible sequel ARIKA could have made to the original EX. Considered by many to be the best game in the trilogy, ARIKA took the gameplay and the graphics of the previous games and enhanced them to an unparalleled degree. Released in Japanese and North American arcades on May 26, 1998, EX2 continued the previous game’s reputation by wowing arcade-goers with a combination of fast-paced Street Fighter action and contemporary 3D graphics. This time, the action moved to the Sony ZN-2 Hardware, a slightly more advanced version of the ZN-1 with additional RAM, that would eventually be the home to other Capcom hits like Strider 2, Rival Schools, Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein (the sequel to Star Gladiator) and Tech Romancer.
The roster in this game is actually fairly different from its predecessor. Several characters from the previous game were cut in EX2: Akuma, M. Bison, Sakura, Evil Ryu, Bloody Hokuto, the Cycloids, Pullum Purna, Darun Mister, Allen Snider and Blair Dame are all missing in this release. However, EX2 does add a few characters, including Street Fighter mainstays Blanka and Vega, as well as some brand new original characters. Sharon is an A-Class agent for a secret intelligence organization, living a double life as a nun at the monastery she grew up in as an orphan. On one ill-fated mission, a key member of a crime syndicate she was investigating had a rose tattoo, the same one she has on her chest, but was unable to capture him or her target. After being under house arrest for neglecting her duties to both her employer and her monastery, she sets out for more answers. Sharon is unique in the sense that she fights using various firearms, in addition to military combat techniques. The other new character added to the base roster is Hayate, a Japanese swordsman from the traditional village of Kukunochi and the son of the legendary hero who sealed the beast of Orochi. He fights using a katana in his special moves but sticks to hand-to-hand combat for his standard attacks. There’s also the implication that he may have some relation to the monstrous Garuda.
Like its predecessor, EX2 contains a few time-release secret characters. Kairi, sporting a brand-new, heavily modified design, and Garuda are among them. Garuda also serves as the game’s final boss. Two new characters also join the fray as hidden characters. Nanase is Kairi and Hokuto’s younger sister, fighting with an extendable staff. She goes on a search for her missing sister after her disappearance, only to discover the truth about Hokuto and their long-lost older brother Kairi, she sets off to prevent the two from meeting in mortal combat. In truth, Nanase doesn’t enjoy her training and wishes she could live life as a normal girl. Finally, there’s Shadowgeist – another vigilante in the same vein as Skullomania, but far more serious. Once just a normal man living under a harsh dictatorship, he decided to enhance his body with cybernetic parts after his wife was murdered and his daughter went missing. He fights against the cruel dictatorship of his country to protect its citizens from becoming victims like his family. When Skullomania encounters this dark hero, he actually believes him to be a supervillain, due to his cold, serious demeanor and imposing costume.
The game’s arcade mode is fairly similar to the previous games, containing a standard arcade ladder with 10 fights against CPU-controlled opponents, culminating in a final fight against the demonic Garuda. However, if the player completes certain objectives, they may fight against one of the game’s secret characters for their penultimate fight. All of the mechanics from the previous game return as well, but EX2 adds something new of its own: “Excel Combos”. Short for “Extra Cancel Combos”, they’re effectively EX2’s equivalent of Custom Combos from the Street Fighter Alpha series, allowing characters more freedom when linking basic and special moves. Using an Excel Combo costs only 1 bar of Super Meter and while it only lasts for a few seconds, it can be activated in the middle of a standard combo. As such, if the player has multiple bars, this mechanic can make for some long, devastating combos. There’s also the addition of “Cancel Breaks”, which allow players to cancel a blocked attack into a Guard Break.
The graphics seem to follow the same basic template as everything else: similar to the previous game, but clearly improved. The models seem a little more advanced, allowing for more complex animations: Ken has a real Hurricane Kick this time around, though Ryu keeps the unique one from the previous game. Likewise, the textures are much more detailed, both on the character models and the stage backgrounds. In fact, some of the backgrounds are animated this time around, as opposed to just being static. Put simply, this game makes its predecessor look like a test run. While the original EX attempted to recreate Street Fighter to the best of their ability, EX2 appears to be going in its own direction, going for much more fantastic designs than its predecessor. This is particularly evident in the stage designs themselves: while the original game had more grounded designs like Tiananmen Square in China, a sewer and an Air Force airfield at sunset, EX2 goes for locales like a natural history museum filled with dinosaur models, a church, a train yard awash in psychedelic colors and the Japan-exclusive Amusementive Crime 2, which just looks like a Lisa Frank-inspired drug trip.
The composers from the previous game also return, bringing their unique blend of jazz, rock and dance music back with them. While the first game’s soundtrack holds a special nostalgic place in my heart, it’s hard to describe my feelings for the sequel’s compositions: it’s more of the same, but that’s exactly what I wanted. It’s actually hard to choose favorites, but I’ll try to narrow them down. The Infinite Earth, Lost Sea, Flash Train, White Field and Fake World are probably my choices for the top five tracks in the game, but honestly, I’d say they’re all worth listening to. Honorable mention to “Street Fighter EX2”, the song that plays during the game’s introductory cinematic. The sound effects are fairly similar to those of the previous game and many of the returning characters retain their voice actors, with the exception of Ken, who is replaced by Go Yamane, who also plays Blanka in this game. In other words, this game sounds as good as it plays.
The following year, an enhanced version of EX2, dubbed Street Fighter EX2 Plus was released in Japanese and North American arcades. While the previous EX+ felt like a standard revision, EX2 Plus goes well beyond, almost adding as much to the game as Super Street Fighter II did to the previous version, effectively bordering on being another sequel in its own right. For starters, several characters were added to the roster. M. Bison, Pullum Purna and Darum Mister all return from the original EX, while Sagat makes his 3D debut, alongside two completely brand-new characters. Vulcano Rosso is a mysterious martial artist hailing from Italy, as dangerous as he is flamboyant. He was once the member of a mysterious organization dedicated to taking over all of Europe but left when his lover was murdered by a traitorous member of the group, causing him to swear his revenge. Area is the teenage daughter of a scientific inventor who is a genius in her own right. She’s modified two of his most recent inventions for combat: a pair of rocket skates and a giant mechanical arm, codenamed Cancer. She enters various fighting tournaments to acquire data on strong martial artists, as well as advertise her father’s inventions. However, Hayate was dropped from the game’s roster for unknown reasons. In his place, Nanase was added to the game’s base roster. The game also changes up the HUD – much like the original EX plus – and there are some brand-new stages added to the game as well.
Of course, various tweaks were also made to the gameplay experience. First and foremost, there’s the addition of “Meteor Combos”: special Super Combos that require all three bars to perform. While specific character had access to these “Level 3” Supers throughout the EX series, EX2 Plus makes it so that each character on the entire roster has one. The arcade mode has also been significantly tweaked. There are only 7 CPU-controlled opponents this time, with Garuda, Sagat and a powered-up version of M. Bison dubbed “Bison II” acting as the player’s final opponent. However, there are also additional bonus stages between two of the fights. Between the second and third opponents, players are faced with a Cycloid that is impervious to every attack, aside from Excel Combos. Players have either 30 seconds or until their Super Combo Gauge runs out to defeat this opponent. Then, between the fourth match and the fight with Garuda, players are tasked with destroying a falling satellite in 30 seconds. However, while the main body of the satellite is the focus, there are some additional parts that can be destroyed for bonus points. There are also falling meteors that can damage the character if they collide with them, but they can also be destroyed for additional bonus points. Definitely a nice change of pace from the traditional arcade ladder.
This would carry over to the home version, once again released on the original PlayStation later that same year. Still going under the title “Street Fighter EX2 Plus”, this home port didn’t add quite as much to the arcade version as the previous game, but it’s certainly a healthy release. Kairi, Shadowgeist and Garuda remained hidden characters, but Hayate was added back into the game as an unlockable character as well. Team Battle, Expert Mode and the Barrel Break mini-game also return from EX plus α, but the previous Watch Mode was replaced with “Director Mode”, which allowed players to record a short round against a dummy opponent and manipulate the camera during replays. Also, while EX2 Plus didn’t add any individual character endings, it did allow players to fight against a Cycloid dummy during the credits.
While Street Fighter EX2 wasn’t quite as well-known as its predecessor – I certainly never knew about it at the time – it was about as popular with reviewers. Though by this point, the game was considered less unique than its predecessor and the concept had lost a fair amount of its novelty by the second game. Still, in the days when 3D fighting games were considered gorgeous and 2D fighters were considered obsolete, EX2 still managed to impress audiences. As such, Capcom decided to commission ARIKA for another sequel, but first, they were working on a side project of their own…
Interlude: Fighting Layer
This might be the most obscure game I’ve covered throughout this entire retrospective (and that includes Avenger). Released exclusively in Japanese arcades in December 1998 – directly between the original Street Fighter EX2 and EX2 Plus – Fighting Layer was published by Namco, not Capcom. Yet it is still directly linked to the Street Fighter EX sub-franchise: it was developed by ARIKA, likely in an attempt to forge their own fighting game legacy, has similar gameplay to the SFEX games and contains two familiar characters.
While Allen Snider and Blair Dame were absent from both iterations of Street Fighter EX2, they were playable fighters in Fighting Layer. While I can understand why Allen Snider was shuffled over to this new project – he wasn’t even ARIKA’s only “shoto-clone” after all – Blair’s absence always struck me as far more confusing. Regardless, it seems like both characters’ absence from the other SFEX games was the price for using them in this original project. However, they’re joined by an original cast of eccentric characters that make Skullomania look like another generic fighter in a karate gi. Of course, Fighting Layer has one of those too: Tetsuo Kato is the game’s protagonist by default, an anti-heroic karateka who cares more about finding powerful opponents than anything else. He tires of life in Japan, travelling to new lands, seeking a worthy challenge.
(Try to bear with me for most of these character backstories: they only appear to exist on ARIKA’s website and are strictly in Japanese – which I don’t speak – so I’m trying to interpret it with Google and Bing’s translators, transcribing them into something coherent and accurate.)
George Jensent is a plainclothes cop who simply travels to where the tournament is taking place in order to investigate it. Many people have speculated that he’s loosely based on Chuck Norris, which is admittedly much more unique than the standard Bruce Lee clone. Hong Gillson is a Taekwondo practitioner seeking to surpass the fighters he’d heard died while visiting the Zeus Islands, the location of the tournament. Lan Yinghua is a young woman who uses a nunchaku as a hair accessory. She’s just travelling to the islands to see if a story her grandmother told her when she was just a little girl is true. Janis Luciani is a psychotic, blood-crazed assassin who fights with knives, either tossing them or slashing her opponents.
Exodus is a flamboyant and villainous heel wrestler, who wishes to surpass the legendary Clemence Kleiber. Exodus fights with a combination of pro wrestling holds and dirty tricks, like steel chairs and his fiery breath. Shang Fenghuang is a thief who fights with a special pair of claw-tipped gloves using a self-taught style, looking for wealth and riches. Jig Jid Bartol is a Mongolian who fights with a style similar to a sumo wrestler, with stomps so powerful they can move the Earth itself. His goal is simple: he believes that if he fulfills a prophecy, then his people will know prosperity. Sessyu Tsukikage is a mysterious ninja, hellbent on fulfilling his unknown duties. He fights with shurikens, a meteor hammer and various other weapons. Cappricio is the witch doctor of a long-forgotten tribe, seeking to prove the strength of his people. His fighting style is clearly the most bizarre out of the main cast, fighting by planting mushrooms that deal huge damage to characters if they step on them, as well as a command grab where he grabs his opponent by the leg and proceeds to rub them against his back, as if he were toweling off with them. Meanwhile, Allen and Blair’s backstories remain the same from Street Fighter EX: Blair’s a rich girl travelling the world and Allen still seeks to surpass his unnamed rival.
There are also three secret characters in the game that can be unlocked by – you guessed it – time release. Clemence Kleiber is considered among the strongest professional wrestlers in history and he fights strictly with wrestling holds, preferring to showcase his strength in fair combat. Joe Fendi is an ex-professional boxer who was thrown out of the sport after he lost an eye. Enraged by this decision, he seeks a strong fight to prove that he’s still the rightful champion. Then there’s Preston Ajax, a military veteran who was modified into a fighting cyborg. Despite his powerful body, he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, haunted by the memories of war in his dreams. Finally, there’s the unplayable final boss: Vold Ignitio. Though he looks like a distinguished nobleman, he fights with the ferocity of a wild animal, literally bouncing from wall to wall and biting his opponent. He even drags them across the floor with his teeth. Vold also boasts a mysterious counter attack: one where he trades places with his opponent, performing their attack on them. This works with any physical attack, even Barrage Blows (the game’s equivalent of Super Combos).
For the most part, Fighting Layer plays pretty much identically to the original Street Fighter EX, though there are some subtle changes. Guard Breaks no longer require a bar of meter to perform, but in order to get the guard break properties, the move must be held for a short period of time to allow for a full charge. In other words, they’ve essentially become the Focus Attacks from Street Fighter IV. Likewise, the combo system is significantly more freeform in this game, better resembling the Marvel vs. Capcom games than a Street Fighter title (unless you count SF:TM). There’s also an added emphasis on juggling compared to previous games: I wonder if that was an intentional homage to Namco’s own Tekken franchise.
Perhaps the biggest change to the game is the addition of sidestepping. By pressing forward on the joystick and a Heavy attack at the same time, players can move into the foreground (heavy kick) and background (heavy punch), allowing them to dodge their opponent’s attacks, working particularly well on projectiles. There’s also Easy Combination, a technique intended for novice players that essentially performs automatic combos by mashing a single button; Hard Reversals, that allow players to perform a special move on wake-up at the cost of a bar of meter; Just Hit, an almost parry-like technique which can be performed by attacking an opponent at the same time as they’re about to hit the player, and the Super Illusion, which allows players to perform an elaborate dodge and gives them a full meter by pressing all three kicks simultaneously. Unfortunately, that last technique can be used only once per match.
The arcade mode feels like a clear predecessor to the one found in EX2 Plus, but even more experimental. After fighting against two fighters in factory stages, players face off against a Knight who attacks with devastating force in what appears to be a cellar. The next two arenas are determined by whether they win or lose against this bonus fight: victory sends players to a garden and a temple labelled as the “Entrance Hall”, while failure leads to an airplane wreckage in the ocean and an aquarium. After that, players coming from the Entrance Hall have the choice of facing off against one of three animal opponents in a single round match: a Falcon, a Tiger and a Shark – those coming from the Aquarium fight the shark by default, obviously.
Whichever animal the player chooses also determines their sub-boss: the falcon leads to Joe Fedri, the Tiger leads to Preston Ajax and the shark leads to Clemence Kleiber. After that, it’s a boss fight against Vold Ignitio who starts with just his psychotic animal instincts, but after beating him in a single round, he becomes far more lucid and gains a lot of new techniques, including that weird teleportation counter I mentioned earlier. In that sense, he kind of reminds me of Seth from SF4 – effectively toying with his opponents before unleashing his true strength. Defeat him and you’re treated to a short ending sequence, rendered in-game and without any dialogue. After that, players are shown the staff roll, with an animation of the player’s character escaping from the island in the background
There are also a few secret fights which can be unlocked under specific criteria. Blair and Allen don’t appear as standard opponents in the arcade ladder, but after completing specific criteria, they can appear as special opponents in the fourth and fifth stages respectively. Tackle both of them and there’s a chance to face off against a secret final boss: a much more powerful version of the Knight from the bonus stage. Armed with nigh-unbreakable defense and new moves such as a tossable lance, it’s truly a challenge meant for the most skilled Fighting Layer players. As with the standard Knight, it’s a single round fight: win or lose, players are granted the staff roll afterwards.
I’d have to say that the graphics are about on par with Street Fighter EX2 in this game. The character models are still fairly blocky, not really living up to the graphical fidelity that other Namco System 12 games like Tekken 3 (which came almost two years prior) and Soul Calibur (which came out the same year) showcases. Still, Fighting Layer does offer a few new visual tricks compared to its predecessors. For example, there’s some additional geometry on each of the stages, rendering objects like pillars, walls and even the fish in the aquarium level as 3D models, as opposed to elements on the flat pre-rendered backgrounds. By this point, it also seems as if ARIKA has mastered the intricacies of designing characters that they can recreated as a 3D model. Though I’ve got to say, this game had much more bizarre designs in general. One has to wonder if any of these characters were ideas that Capcom rejected from the EX series in the first place.
Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso and Takayuki Aihare all return as the game’s composers this time around, offering a similar sound. It’s hard for me to say if I like these tracks as much than the ones present in the EX games themselves, but it’s still quality music. One interesting little diversion from the SFEX titles (and fighting games in general) is that, as opposed to hearing the CPU character’s theme music when fighting in regular battles, the player character’s theme plays the entire time – though the various boss fights and bonus stages have their own unique themes. It’s a unique concept that I’m surprised more fighting games haven’t explored, especially in the modern “post-arcade” era. I guess if I were to name any favorite tracks, I’d have to bring up Allen and Blair’s themes, as well as the music associated with Janis, Cappricio, Shang Fenghuang and the sub-bosses. Having said that, there aren’t really any bad tracks on this soundtrack in general. Perhaps the most interesting thing about it is that the game’s soundtrack was actually released on CD in Japan back in 1999, making it one of the few physical goods associated with the game. The soundtrack even comes with an arranged version of Tetsuo’s theme, which makes me wonder how the rest of the tracks could’ve sounded in a console release.
Fighting Layer’s sound effects can be summarized in one word: adequate. All of the characters have voice acting, obviously done in Japanese as the game was only intended for release in that country. The real star of the game, however, is the narrator. Voiced by Alex Easley, the game’s narration goes well beyond the call of duty, getting extremely excited for even the most mundane attacks. And that doesn’t even begin to describe just how insane he gets when the player does something that’s actually impressive. Despite the game’s obscurity, I’d honestly have to say that Fighting Layer’s announcer deserves to be recognized at the same levels as the ones from games like Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter Alpha 3.
It’s a shame that Fighting Layer never received any form of a home release. The game isn’t amazing, but it certainly is interesting. It almost seems indicative of a much more experimental ARIKA that was clearly setting out to build its own legacy in the genre that the company’s founder put on the map. Not much is known about the game’s development in general, but I still wonder if a home console release was even considered at any point. All the same, it would be back to business as usual after this odd little spinoff. EX2 Plus was released in Arcades the following year and after that, ARIKA returned to Capcom for one last fighting game collaboration…
Street Fighter EX3
Street Fighter EX3 holds a unique distinction: it was the first major Street Fighter game without an arcade release. A launch title for the PlayStation 2 in both Japan and North America, SFEX3 was meant to be the culmination of all of ARIKA’s work on the series. Unfortunately, it just couldn’t live up to the reputation of the previous games, and to make matters worse, it was the first Street Fighter game released on Sony’s foray into the sixth-generation of consoles. In the end, it just didn’t seem to evolve that much from previous titles, at least not in any meaningful way. In the end, the game was too similar to its PS1-era predecessors mechanically, but also (and perhaps more fatally) in its visuals. Perhaps this was a petty thing to hold against EX3, but audiences had been whipped up into a frenzy about the capabilities of Sony’s long-awaited successor to the original PlayStation and ARIKA’s last Street Fighter effort just didn’t measure up.
There’s not much of a storyline involved in this game, even compared to the previous games. Speaking of which, the roster is just a greatest hits collection of the cast of EX plus α and EX2 Plus – there are some noticeable omissions from both games though. The base roster consists of Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Guile, Zangief, Dhalsim, Blanka, Vega, Sakura, Hokuto, Doctrine Dark, Cracker Jack, Skullomania, Sharon and Nanase. There’s a new character as well, Ace – but he’s got a unique concept behind him, which I discuss in greater detail later. There are also some characters that can be unlocked through standard gameplay: Sagat, M. Bison, Garuda, Shadowgeist, Kairi, Pullum, Area, Darun and Vulcano Rosso. Finally, there are two other hidden characters, Evil Ryu and “Bison II” from EX2 Plus. Bloody Hokuto also appears, but she’s been relegated to a transformation Super Combo, as opposed to a separate character.
While the base mechanics of EX3 are fairly similar to previous games in the series, there are quite a few new concepts added to the game as well. For starters, Guard Break has been replaced with Surprise Blow, which is functionally similar except that it no longer costs any meter, but it also doesn’t work on blocking opponents. There’s also the new Momentary Combo, which allows players to easily cancel into a special move from another special move by hitting either punch or kick. Each character has a specific move assigned to both types of buttons and the only real limit on performing a Momentary Combo is that characters cannot perform the same special move twice consecutively. The timing needed to perform a Momentary Combo is strict, rewarding skilled players.
Perhaps the most radical departure from previous games is that EX3 focuses more on 2-on-2 tag team fights, as opposed to the previous game’s emphasis on 1-on-1 combat. This new focus has led to quite a few tag-related mechanics added to the game. First, changing partners can be done by pressing heavy punch and heavy kick simultaneously, but the rules are a bit different compared to Capcom’s Vs. series. For starters, there is a limit to how often a player can switch characters – every time the character’s swap, a gauge near the player’s health bars empties. The gauge displays the words “Stand By” when players are allowed to tag. Also, tags can be prevented by the opponent by hitting the incoming character while they’re switching.
Then there’s the Critical Parade – an attack much like the “Cross Fever” mechanic from the original Marvel vs. Capcom which allows players to bring out both of their characters for a limited time, with total unlimited access to all their Level 1 Super Combos for the entire duration of the attack. In fact, on the character select screen, players can choose to control both characters simultaneously (Manual), have a CPU-controlled partner (Semi-Auto) or let a friend control the other character for the duration of the match (Manual 2P). There’s also the addition of Meteor Tag Combos, that let specific teams perform a devastating team super combo at the cost of all three bars of the active character’s Super Gauge. Of course, these attacks generally require a specific character on point to pull off, but they’re also spectacular to watch. Finally, there’s “Emotional Flow” – when one teammate is knocked out, the remaining character gains their Super Combo Gauge, meaning that the remaining characters has a whopping 6 bars of meter at their disposal.
The game’s primary single-player mode is “Original Mode” – it wasn’t in arcades, so they couldn’t call it “Arcade Mode”, right? Original Mode is pretty unique as far as a single-player mode could be from a fighting game circa 2000. Players start by selecting a character, then are given the choice between fighting two sets of three opponents with minimal health. After defeating the last character, players are given the option to recruit them. Yes, that’s Original Mode’s main gimmick: players can recruit their opponents and create a team of up to 4 characters. The second opponent is a choice between two tag-teams. From this point on, players can choose to use their teammates or fight alone. The third fight is a 2-on-1 Dramatic Battle fight with the demonic Garuda (though players can choose to fight him 1-on-1), followed by another choice between two tag teams. Then a 2-on-1 tag fight with Sagat, followed a team battle consisting of all 4 characters (arranged in any order, aside from the original character always being saved for last) fighting the final boss, Shin Bison. After that, the player character receives a short text-only ending and then are invited to beat down as many generic thugs as they can during the staff roll.
Of course, there’s more to the game than just that. First, there’s Arena Mode – the game’s equivalent to “Versus Mode” – which allows for several options. Tag Battle is a 2-on-2 Tag Match; Dramatic Battle which allows players to fight against the computer 2-on-1 simultaneously or fight a group of 3 CPU-controlled opponents simultaneously; Team Battle mode allows for a team of up to 5 fighters face-off in continuous combat (with each victor receiving a slight health boost) and Multi-Play Mode, which allows players to use the PS2’s Multitap to do Tag or Dramatic Battles with more than 2 players. The game also contains a Practice Mode, which is entirely 2-on-2, but otherwise identical to those found in other fighting games.
Finally, there’s Character Edit Mode, and this is where Ace comes into play. Players can customize two different versions of Ace – imaginatively labelled as “Left Side” and “Right Side” – with various special moves, Super Combos and Meteor Combos that can be purchased in the in-game store using experience points. Experience Points are earned by completing various trials and the more moves purchased, the more Trials the player has access to. Players can assign 3 special moves, 2 Super Combos and 1 Meteor Combo to each Ace at a time. I think the most interesting part of this whole thing is that some of Ace’s moves actually come from missing characters – specifically Blair Dame and Allen Snider. In fact, both characters’ absence feels somewhat weird, especially considering that Blair gets namedropped in Jack’s ending.
The graphics in this game are the weakest element of the entire game. While ARIKA’s modelling has never pushed any hardware to its limits, it was at least appealing in its simplicity. EX3’s artstyle, on the other hand, is the thing nightmares are made of. Likely inspired by the PS2’s unprecedented power at the time, ARIKA decided to go for a more photorealistic look with many of the characters this time around. You’d think the awkwardness surrounding the Street Fighter live-action movie would’ve been enough to dissuade them from this decision, but no. This time around, they decided to drag classic Street Fighter characters kicking and screaming to the very nadir of the uncanny valley. Ryu, Chun-Li and Sakura all end up with faces that look like the demon children you’d expect to see in a Japanese horror movie. Equally horrifying is fan favorite Skullomania: the indentations of his face are visible through his mask, but they’re so exaggerated, it looks like his eyes were gouged out and he’s constantly screaming. And if that wasn’t bad enough, SFEX3 actually launched alongside Tekken Tag Tournament, perhaps one of the best-looking PS2 launch titles in North America. In Japan, things were a bit less decisive – Tekken wasn’t a launch title, but it did release later in the same month. Europe got it the worst though: Tekken Tag Tournament was a launch title, while EX3 didn’t release until March 2001. I mean, seriously, just compare these two screenshots:
It’s hard to believe that they came from the same system. I think the most baffling art is that the character profile art – seen on the character select – is in the same surreal style as previous games.
It doesn’t really help that the art design isn’t quite as inspired as previous titles. While previous games had you fighting in crazy locales like an amusement park, a space shuttle launch site and a meat locker, EX3’s stages border more on themes like “forest”, “ravine” and “ancient tomb”. They’re not particularly bad settings by any stretch of the imagination, they just seem a bit phoned in compared to previous games. It doesn’t help that there aren’t nearly as many levels as previous games in the sub-series. Maybe ARIKA focused so much on trying to wow us with the character models, they didn’t really put much effort into the stages.
Fortunately, the sound design lives up to previous games – but that’s mainly due to the fact that a lot of the music is recycled from the console soundtracks of the previous games. That isn’t to say that there aren’t any original compositions and they live up to the older tracks. Shinji Hosoe, Ayako Saso and Takayuki Aihara return, but are joined by newcomer Yasuhisa Watanabe. My favorite tracks in this game are Vega’s theme “Matador”; “Cute Mafia”, Nanase’s theme; “Coldman Rosso”, Vulcano Rosso’s theme and Blanka’s “BIRI-BIRI Red heat”, but the clear winner overall is “Iron Eyes”, Area’s theme. The sound effects and voice acting are about on par with previous games – in fact, Ken’s voice actor from the original EX (and the Alpha games) returns for EX3.
At the time of the game’s release, Street Fighter EX3 was actually fairly well received, all things considered. It got fairly decent ratings in both Western and Japanese publications and even managed to make it into the top 10 of the Japanese sales charts the week it was released, selling a respectable 207,000 copies. Unfortunately, no other sales records exist for the game: it isn’t listed as one of Capcom’s Platinum Titles on their investor website, even though other externally-developed titles like Ducktales Remastered and DmC Devil May Cry appear – so it’s safe to assume that it didn’t reach the lofty 1 million sales mark.
Years after the fact, opinions toward the game would shift, effectively looking at it as a misstep for the franchise, to the extent where it would even color the perception of the entire EX series negatively for some time. This reputation probably wasn’t helped by the fact that Street Fighter EX3 was the last original Street Fighter game for the better part of a decade, effectively ushering in a series hiatus that seemed permanent.
The paths of the three companies involved in these spinoffs diverged significantly. We all know of what happened to Capcom, but Incredible Technologies would go onto achieve relative success with their Golden Tee series, which they still produce to this day, along with Silver Strike, a bowling game in the same vein of Capcom Bowling, as well as various casino games. As for ARIKA, they still manage to find contracting work with other companies, working on projects including Capcom’s MegaMan Network Transmission and Nintendo’s Dr. Luigi.
You’re probably wondering why I’ve decided it was worth discussing these games. Well, in addition to having some fond memories associated with some of them, Capcom apparently recognizes the original characters from both the Movie games and the EX series as parts of the Street Fighter legacy. In addition to giving each character official profiles on Street Fighter V’s Shadaloo C.R.I. website, they were also included in last year’s character popularity poll, with Skullomania ranking in at an impressive 16th place overall. But while the characters from the Street Fighter movie appear to be owned by Capcom, ARIKA still holds the rights to the EX characters, which has made future appearances in Street Fighter games difficult from a legal standpoint.
However, on April Fools’ Day 2017, ARIKA revealed some test footage of what appeared to be a modern version of the Street Fighter EX and Fighting Layer engine – similar to the “Fighting Sample” tech demo they produced for the Nintendo 3DS years prior. Dubbed “ARIKA EX”, the footage was met with overwhelming positive reception, leading to ARIKA greenlighting the project. In fact, it’s releasing today under the somewhat awkward title “Fighting EX Layer”, paying tribute to both of their previous fighting game projects. Admittedly, I’m still disappointed that they didn’t go with “Fighting Layer EX”: FLEX would’ve been a perfect acronym. Regardless, FEXL includes the return of such characters as Cracker Jack, Blair Dame, Allen Snider, Shadowgeist, Doctrine Dark, Hayate (by way of his near-identical modern-day descendant, who just so happens to also be named “Hayate”), Nanase (rechristened as “Sanase” after the memories of her previous life were sealed away), both the original Hokuto and her “Bloody” alter-ego (going by her true name “Shirase”), Kairi, Garuda, Darun Mister and of course, fan favorite Skullomania – all sporting new designs. While the game is set to launch exclusively on the PS4, ARIKA has mentioned that they’re considering releasing on additional platforms (including PC!) if the game does well, as well as producing additional characters. Call it an advertisement, but I’m just so excited that this game exists in general and I wish the fine people at ARIKA all the success in the world.
With that being said, it will be some time before I wrap up this retrospective with the final article: delving into Street Fighter’s modern era. I originally intended to release this one at the end of July, but the timing just seemed too perfect. Maybe it will show up in August, but I make no promises.
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Mortal Kombat 11 (Video Game 2019)
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Mortal Kombat 11 (Video Game 2019) on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more...
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Beyond Easy: flowers of the machine, part 3: gamelon of the floating world (IV)
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Gamelon of the Floating World (part 4)
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https://www.beyondeasy.net/2022/02/flowers-of-machine-part-3-gamelon-of_24.html
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As I said before, this project seemed like a much better idea before it began.
Several months after I first watched it (and re- and rewatched it), YouTube rerecommended me the Zelda CDi Reanimated Collab—again. And like a cat who can't help itself from batting at a foxtail dangling in front of its face, I clicked the link and watched it—again.
This time, for whatever reason, I imagined a scenario where an alien anthropologist, visiting Earth thousands of years in the future, somehow found itself viewing the ZCRC in the vine-shrouded shambles of an old server bank. (No, I don't know how it would accomplish this. Alien science.) What if, somehow, this very video was one of the only digital artifacts from the twenty-first century that the visitor could reconstruct in toto? Given this clue, what would the curious alien surmise of humanity's way of life in the twilight years of its global civilization?
That was the handle of it: pretending that the ZCRC wasn't just a silly piece of internet ephemera, but something that deserved a thoroughgoing accounting for, as though the description "YouTube video about the cutscenes from a so-bad-it's-funny 1990s video game" would be received with an uncomprehending stare.
Since I'm too afraid to reread the first three parts of this exercise and discover that I'm actually a babbling idiot, let's please assume that I've given an adequately explication of the ZCRC in terms of the medium in which it occurs, the persons who made it, and its cultural functions, all as outcomes of historical processes. All that remains is to guess at what it means.
MEANINGS: GAMELON OF THE FLOATING WORLD
As the seasons passed and his missions continued, Marco mastered the Tartar language and the national idioms and tribal dialects. Now his accounts were the most precise and detailed that the Great Khan could wish and there was no question or curiosity which they did not satisfy. And yet each piece of information about a place recalled to the emperor's mind that first gesture or object with which Marco had designated the place. The new fact received a meaning from that emblem and also added to the emblem a new meaning. Perhaps, Kublai thought, the empire is nothing but a zodiac of the mind's phantasms.
"On the day when I know all the emblems," he asked Marco, "shall I be able to possess my empire, at last?"
And the Venetian answered: "Sire, do not believe it. On that day you will be an emblem among emblems."
—Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities (1972)
What does the Zelda CDi Reanimated Collab mean? What do The Faces of Evil and The Wand of Gamelon mean, for that matter?
The simplest answer to the first question is that it's a YouTube video about the cutscenes from a so-bad-it's-funny 1990s video game. It means exactly what it seems to. We get it. Trying to think of it any other way is like being a monolingual English speaker trying to just listen to the sounds of English speech without automatically deriving meaning from them. Our propinquity to the thing forces an instantaneous understanding. It doesn't need to be interpreted because it's obvious.
Even after thinking for way too long about the social and technological conditions and preconditions of the ZCRC's production, I'm still having a hard time thinking of it as anything other than a YouTube video about the cutscenes from a so-bad-it's-funny 1990s video game. It's like listening to somebody say "elephant" and reflexively thinking [big grey animal four legs big floppy ears trunk trumpeting sounds] instead of only hearing "ɛləfənt." The relational response can't be avoided.
Forrest Bess, Hieroglyphics (1950)
It might be helpful to place the ZCRC in a category so as to not deprive ourselves of objects of comparison. For lack of a better term, let's call this category "creative fan content," and say it encompasses fanfic, fan comics, fan animations, abridgements, machinama, and the like. Commentary, cataloguing, Let's Plays, FAQs/guides, and the like are excluded.
Not that it there's no creativity involved in, for instance, writing interminable reviews of a famous JRPG series, but such works take a different posture with regard to the source material. The delineation can get blurry at certain points of intersection between the "informative" and the "entertaining," but a good spot test might be the applicability of the question "is this canon?" If a yes or no answer is possible (say, in the case of a Mega Man fan game or a drawing of Goku punching Superman), then let's call it "creative fan content." If it doesn't make sense to even ask if a work is "canon" (think: a YouTube review of a game, a guide on GameFAQs or StrategyWiki, etc.), then let's call it something else.
The effectiveness of any type of fan content depends, to some extent, on the viewer's familiarity with the source material.¹ For example: neither the King of Fighters plot summaries on the SNK Wiki nor Tanzong's KOF Lore Recap cartoons will mean much of anything to somebody who isn't at least aware of the King of Fighters games, but the cartoon does more than blandly relay information or state an opinion (and is usually more capable of holding the interest of an outsider). One kind of work speaks of or to the thing, and the other adds to it. A King of Fighters fan who watches Tanzong's videos might play the new game and think of Kula sticking an ice cream cone in K's face when he (playing Kula) beats his opponent (playing K') in an online match; or he could post a clip of the round on a message board or on social media, and somebody else might reply with a .gif of Kula sticking an ice cream cone in K's face, extracted from Tanzong's video. A better example of the additive effect might the way quotes and clips from the fan series DragonBall Z Abridged are passed around in the Dragon Ball fanbase almost as though the fanwork was "official" content.
The person who makes creative fan content will take most of their inspiration from the source material. Tanzong would have redrawn a character if there was any possible ambiguity as to which King of Fighters mainstay they were supposed to be, or if a caricature missed its mark. An author of Final Fantasy VI fanfiction would take care to see that there are no discrepancies between how Celes speaks and acts in the game and how she speaks and acts in his prose. The ZCRC collaborators animating Hektan used the video clips from Wand of Gamelon as their primary visual references.
Once again, we're stating the obvious. But this is precisely what's so interesting about fan content: its form is determined by other content.
Granted, there's never been any tradition of visual or narrative art where an artist or storyteller owes nothing whatsoever to an antecedent, but the infinite duplicability and rapid global dissemination of content peculiar to digital media paradigm raises the template to a height of importance unprecedented since the ascendency of print culture. The artist of eighteenth-century Paris was incentivized to paint episodes from Greco-Roman mythology or Christian scripture; many other painters before him had painted the same scenes, but no prior visualization was regarded as authoritative and final. In a milieu where art was appreciated on the basis of its moral or intellectual value in addition to the painter's skill with a brush and his ability to hold a mirror up to life, participation in the framework of mythology and symbolism was a means to an end.
With creative fan content, participation in an established framework is the point.
This is also true of its source material.
The Legend of Zelda—like Star Wars, Alien, or Dragon Ball—has been around for so long and has prompted the release of so many products bearing its name and displaying its iconography that it's easy to forget there was a time before the template existed. The original Legend of Zelda, released in 1986 on the Famicom, had to be built from the ground up: the form it ultimately took emerged from the intercourse between the developers' sensibilities and the possibilities and limitations of the Famicom format. Miyamoto wanted the game to convey the sensations he experienced when he used to wander through the hills and rice paddies of the Japanese countryside when he was a boy. Tezuka drew from Western fantasy novels like The Lord of the Rings series when drafting the scenario—though the influence is hard to perceive except in the barest outline. (Swords, magic, monsters and demihumans, an elflike main character, trek through the wilds to deliver a magical MacGuffin to the dark lord's domain, etc.) Everything that would become emblematic of the Zelda franchise came about ad hoc: the boomerang, the bombs, the Triforce, the porcine endboss, the labyrinths, the moblins, zoras, and octaroks—Miyamoto and co. made it up as they went along.
Everything that came afterward was obliged to adhere closely to what had come before—a lesson hammered home early on on by the reception of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. The Legend of Zelda experience acquired a definition: it had tropes, themes, conventions, an iconography, a vibe. While the conceptual space encompassed by Zelda had the capability (or the necessity) of expansion and reform, every Zelda game after Adventure of Link was constrained to imitate one or more prior Zelda games. After all, only on the basis of being poor imitations were the CDi entries were maligned and ridiculed. If neither had Link or Zelda in its title, and the familiar likeness of the titular Nintendo character its box, the CDi games would have been overlooked and forgotten. Instead, their reception as counterfeits ensured their infamy.
Digital media haven't quite pushed us over into post-literacy, but communication through the internet has become more symbolic, expressive, and high-context. It began with the innocuous emoticon, adopted as a means of making explicit the mood and/or intent of a message that might otherwise be ambiguous—sparing the sender the effort of having to revise or add to a message to ensure the recipient can accurately infer their frame of mind, and the reader from having to guess at whether the sender is (for instance) being sarcastic or sincere, curt or brief. Three decades later, emoji have become a hieroglyphic complement to digital text, often taking on a significance that's more ideogrammatic than pictographic; the clown-face emoji might be the best example.
Even the amazingly prescient Marshall McLuhan couldn't have anticipated the meme becoming a cultural force; it would have been as much to expect HG Wells to foresee and write a story about the portable .mp3 player.³ The meme, vapid as it may appear, contains multitudes. When appended with the appropriate text ("Am I so out of touch? No, it's the [group] who are wrong"), a pair of screencaps of Principal Skinner experiencing a moment of self-doubt outside the derelict 4-H Club building conveys more than the apparent sum of its parts: by conforming to this format, the sender of the message charges his or her statement with the current and amperage of an aphorism. To use a meme to make a point is to borrow the authority and immanent legibility of a mass cultural framework.
Maybe there's a consequential distinction to be made between memes derived from corporate media (The Simpsons, SpongeBob SquarePants, American Chopper, etc.) and ones that originated from a person with a knack for MS Paint (Wojak, the NPC, "are ya winning, son?", etc.), but we won't concern ourselves with that here—except to suggest that the comparatively massive audiences of The Simpsons and SpongeBob Squarepants probably account for why memes derived from them tend to sweep out broader orbits of circulation than ones derived from anime and manga (or made in MS Paint). Aptness to context, the cleverness shown in "hacking" the source material, and expressiveness are all important, but recognizability is key. (If, a year or two prior to the "Drakeposting" meme's gaining currency, somebody went on 4chan and posted a pictorial statement identical in format to the Drakepost, but with some unknown person striking the same "like"/"don't like" poses, we'd probably never know about it.)
All of this evinces a resurgent culture of citation, where wit and wisdom are indicated as much in the apt quotation ("touch grass," "always has been," "dudes rock," "sir, this is a Wendy's," etc.) as the inventive turn of phrase. This shift was engendered by the technical aspects of digital media, combining the sensible actuality of performance and visual art, the simultaneity and involvement of primary orality, and the indefinite duplicability of the printed text with an instantaneity that spans continents and permeates both city and the countryside. Everyone is plugged in. Everyone is a participant. The fiefdoms and filter bubbles that have emerged are sufficiently large and mutually imbricated that one user's individually tailored digital landscape is largely similar to tens of millions of others'.
The causes of meme culture are identical to those which promote the creation and circulation of creative fan content: participation in the framework is rewarded. Where casual discourse is concerned, And, as we've already seen, adhering to or referring to a framework lets the artist contribute to a preexisting and ongoing "conversation" in the visual jargon of its participating audience instead of submitting a statement in a foreign dialect or contributing a non-sequitur.⁴
What's so fascinating about this state of affairs is its distance and independence from the physical world. Every pop cultural phenomenon universalized by the internet becomes placeless, the figures involved participate as digital simulacra, and the imaginary "space" of discourse is the event's effective context. Which is funny because you can spend your whole evening on Discord or Reddit, absorbing and sharing information about matters staggering importance to you and your remote peers—and then get up the next morning and take the bus to work, passing into a region of activity where nobody knows, talks, or cares about Touhou or RWBY or The Witcher or whatever the hell you were inundated in the night before.
Still: when we talk about "the world of common experience" in the twenty-first century, it seems almost inappropriate to assign that designation to the neighborhood, the workplace, the city block, or anyplace else where people speak to their neighbors, labor at their vocations, wait for the bus in the rain, share a lunch counter, watch their children from a bench at the playground, sweat under the summer sun, gossip with coworkers, flirt at a dance party, observe the traffic across the river while tossing bread to the ducks, and so on and on and on. Most of what's universal in the lifeworld beyond the screens and speakers can only be considered so in the abstract. A person in Memphis, Tennessee has a nonidentical experience of an afternoon rainstorm than a person in Memphis, Egypt. We all see the same sun, but it's a constituent of a completely different event at every meridian. Everyone's memories of falling in love are their own.
But we all saw the same rat dragging the same slice of pizza down the same filthy stairs. None of us saw a televised SpongeBob that looked or acted any different from the SpongeBob rest of us saw, except maybe he spoke to some of us in different languages. The in-game environment of my copy of Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was identical to the one on the cartridge (or ROM) that you played. When older millennials quote The Simpsons at each other, notice how their cadence and tempo approximates the original voiceover—centuries ago, when people would cite scripture or Shakespeare, they wouldn't have been half as consistent. The text might have been copied, but the content remained abstract. But now the adages epigrams of our age are out there in the world, having been definitively recorded and played back in hundreds of millions of households, billions of times.
Certainly the environments in which people watch and listen to electronic media are as varied as the wide world itself—but since the content is completely unaffected by local events, and has the mysterious property of shunting awareness of one's surroundings into his or her mental periphery, something like the "think, Mark!" sequence from Invincible is, for many its viewers, a more significant and socially meaningful experience than any number of the general but individually peculiar commonplace occurrences and themes of living as a human in the world. Maybe we can all talk about, say, hating our jobs—but each of us is talking about a different job, at a different place, under a different boss. On the other hand, all of us can speak to each other about the time Omni-Man beat his son to a bloody pulp because the event was the same for all of us, as though we'd witnessed it standing shoulder-to-shoulder with each other at the same place at the same time (which, before electric media, was the only way such a collective experience of an event could be possible).
A culture of citation directly follows. So does the distance of that culture's framework from the world of actual things and events, and its self-referential tendencies.
The whole thing is high-context in the extreme. Maybe the range of artistic styles and talent on display are enough to keep an ignorant viewer watching, but how much sense would she make of it all?
The ZCRC means what it means, and what it means is impossible to understand without being immersed in the framework in which it participates. To smaller and greater degrees, this is true of any cultural artifact, but creative fan content such as this is totally dependent on the viewer's familiarity with its references. Vernacular translations of the Sumerian Gilgamesh epic, a comedy by Aristophanes, a Navajo folktale, or a Bai Juyi poem from the ninth century—or any silent film or newspaper comic strip from the early twentieth century—have enough connections to enduring patterns in the lifeworld to be understood by a foreign audience at least partially as they were in situ. Creative fan content like the ZCRC assumes more prior knowledge of its material than any of them, and that knowledge is usually of something else circulating across the network at roughly the same time. Once the context deteriorates—and in the rapid, anarchic ecology of the internet, it doesn't take long—anyone who wasn't contemporaneously acculturated to the framework can only incredulously ask their elders what the hell that was all about.
Again, this is obvious—but only because we're all currently enmeshed in the relational structures of digital culture.
Suzuki Harunobu, "The Evening Chime
of the Clock" (ca. 1766)
Given the collectivism of Japanese culture and its highly idiosyncratic aesthetic traditions, we pretty much have to assume that when we look at a given Ukiyo-e print, something of its meaning is lost on us. Most of us, I'm sure, glanced at the Harunobu print above and discerned a quiet domestic tableau, stylish, but nothing that communicated anything of particular significance. What we probably don't realize from looking at the print in isolation is that it's one of a series of eight, translating the traditional "Eight Views" theme into parlor scenes—not that we know what the "Eight Views" are, where they originated, or the position they occupied in the intellectual schema of eighteenth-century Japan, let alone how this specific print might be conforming to any conventions associated with the "Evening Bells" view in its own fashion. Did we pick up on the fact that the bamboo-print screen in the background indicates the separation of the veranda from the front-facing section of the home, implying that we're seeing an intimate, unguarded moment? I sure didn't! To the eighteenth-century Japanese aesthete, all of this would have been obvious.
There's another print in one of my books—sadly, one that belongs to a private collection and doesn't seem to have any digital versions floating around—titled Three Boys in the Snow, created by one Ishikawa Toyomasa, circa 1767–73. Were it not for a note from the book's editor, would I have recognized that the boys in the picture are parodying the traditional "Crossing the Sano" theme? Nope. Does the explanation that this long-stranding trope is based on short poem composed in the late twelfth or early thirteenth century by one Fujiwara Teika clear things up? Does reading a translation of the poem in English help us to understand why the scene had such a long life in Japanese visual art, or the connective node it occupied in the consciousness of Japan's artistic and literary community across the centuries?⁶ No, and no.
Yushido Shuncho, The Wrestler Onogawa and
the Tea-House Waitress O'hisa (ca. 1792)
And what are we supposed to make of all the actors, courtesans, and other people about town that appear so frequently in Ukiyo-e prints? Who were Onogawa and O'hisa? To somebody, at some point, those names meant something in Shuncho's part of town. I'm flipping to another page in my book, and here's a print by Katsukawa Shunsho: The Actor Otani Hiroemon IV as a Highwayman in a Play Performed in 1777. Does that name mean anything to you? Can you guess what play he acted in? How was it received by Edo theatergoers? What did they talk about when they discussed the play afterwards? Here's one by Katsukawa Shunei: The Actor Nakayama Tomisaburo as the Courtesan O'karu in a Play Performed in 1795. Same questions.
Despite the delicate and exquisitely refined style in which they are rendered, these scenes of frivolity, local celebrity, and recreation don't exactly invite contemplation of eternal ideas—except for that of impermanence. The floating world was a fragile one. The wrestler Onogawa and O'hisa the tea-house waitress are dead and gone; nobody who isn't an ukiyo-e aficionado will bother committing their names to memory, let alone think about who they were. The elegant courtesans, often identified by name in the prints' titles, shrank, shriveled, grew old and sick, and passed on hundreds of years ago. The actors, rheumatic and hoarse, retired to a posterity as enduring as the rain of a summer afternoon. The hanami parties are all over, the lovers have all parted from their trysts, the tea houses, theaters, and bustling neighborhoods of the Edo period have all been bulldozed and built over. Ukiyo-e memorializes fleeting, inconsequential scenes and people from a world perpetually passing into history.
And sometimes that's what I see when I look at creative fan content.
What do you suppose the zoomers would make of "I'm the Juggernaut, Bitch?" Or, good god, what about the YouTube Poop videos that took clips from the CDi Zelda games and edited them into an audiovisual simulation of neurosyphilis? What will the youngest members of Gen Alpha make of the "steamed hams" craze?
But in the larger scheme of things, when I look from ukiyo-e to creative fan content, I see windows into worlds on the eve of their vanishing. Two centuries after Hokusai took his Great Wave off Kamagawa to market, the Japan he knew is gone, belonging to myth as much as to history. Two centuries after the first person uploaded their fanart to a webpage, comedically redubbed a cartoon and uploaded it to YouTube, or made an image macro from a Link: The Faces of Evil screenshot, what will the state of the world be?
Forgive my pessimism, but I don't suppose I need to explain why I expect the next few hundred years will be defined by crisis, conflict, and collapse.
The Zelda CDi Reanimation Collab, and the "school" of art to which it belongs, are like sunflowers and irises in the garden beds of a Phoenix suburb, budding on borrowed time—resplendent, flippant, wonderful little things, the natural outgrowths of an artificial ecosystem whose stability stands in inverse proportion to its vibrancy.
@ 0:34
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The Final Level
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The Final Level: Farewell
from Game Informer
After 33 thrilling years of bringing you the latest news, reviews, and insights from the ever-evolving world of gaming, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Game Informer.
From the early days of pixelated adventures to today's immersive virtual realms, we've been honored to share this incredible journey with you, our loyal readers. While our presses may stop, the passion for gaming that we've cultivated together will continue to live on.
Thank you for being part of our epic quest, and may your own gaming adventures never end.
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From the Memory Bank: My History with Video Games: Shades of Resonance: Disappointment and Regret
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Mortal Kombat, Arcade, SNES, Midway, Sculptured Software, Acclaim, Fatality, Toasty
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Shades of Resonance: Disappointment and Regret - Memory Log #41
Mortal Kombat
One of the best parts about being an arcade-goer was that you could never predict when the next big game would be quietly lying there in wait for you right around the corner. Consider, for instance, my discovery of Mortal Kombat, whose unexpected debut left me speechless. I remember casually strolling through one of our local arcades on a rather quiet autumn day, when business seemed unusually slow, and suddenly stumbling upon a machine I hadn't seen before. It hadn't yet managed to garner the attention of the establishment's few scattered patrons, from what I could tell, but it certainly floored its current audience of one.
I was amazed by what I was seeing on Mortal Kombat's monitor; battling it out on that attract-mode screen were the most realistic-looking video-game characters I'd ever seen (I must have blocked out Pit-Fighter)! "What kind of wizardry is powering this?!" I wondered in my moment of awe as my mind sought to grasp the enormity of the game's mind-blowing visual achievement. It was impossible not to begin making the requisite comparison to Street Fighter II, whose "cartoony graphics" were no match (this was the start of my realistic-equals-superior phase, which was thankfully short-lived). Outside of Street Fighter II, I'd never cared for one-on-one combat games and had no interest in even sampling them, but this new "Mortal Kombat" game looked too good to pass up.
In that first session, I messed around with a few of its characters--Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, and the cool-looking "ninja" Scorpion--and instinctively defaulted to Street Fighter II controls, which didn't yield favorable results. The two games' control schemes were fairly similar--both featuring high and low punches of varying power--but Mortal Kombat's didn't seem to accommodate quarter- and half-circle motions; it was more through button-mashing and random controller-stick-waggling that I learned the combinations for the characters' special moves and particularly their always-abusable projectile attacks (Scorpion's corralling spear, tossed to the accompaniment of his gravelly, ill-intentioned cry of "Get over here!", was an instant favorite).
Though, for however fascinated I was with Mortal Kombat from a technical standpoint, I couldn't help but feel that its actual fighting engine wasn't as impressive. It had in particular one very serious overarching issue: All of its characters shared the same physical attributes, which left no room for diverse fighting styles; the action felt homogenized, the fighters entirely interchangeable. Sure--each character could execute two or three unique special moves, but there were otherwise no means of differentiation; they shared everything from standard move-set to range of dexterity to even physical dimensions. It made me miss Street Fighter II's selection of mixed martial artists, wrestling-themed brutes, wall-jumping acrobats, and whatever the hell Dhalsim was supposed to be ("But yoga doesn't give you stretchy-arms!").
The game didn't seem all that tactical, either, and I found that I could win simply by abusing rapid-fire high-punch combos, sweeping kicks, and uppercuts (when I could actually get the move to work, since I hadn't yet grasped the scheme's reliance on directional influence). I could reliably make it all the way to the first boss character, Goro, on the back of these three moves, which didn't seem right (the game was probably created more with multiplayer as the focus, I figured). Also, I didn't like that you had to hold a button to block, which was too complicated a solution (having to press too many buttons at a single time always caused me trouble); Street Fighter II's system of holding the control stick backwards felt much more natural.
It was difficult not to continue making these comparisons to Street Fighter II as I played. I didn't perceive Mortal Kombat to be a straight ripoff of Capcom's masterpiece, since it featured amazingly distinctive aesthetic qualities (realistic-looking graphics and thoroughly ominous-sounding music) and a control scheme based more around quickly tapping directions, but it was obvious from where it drew its inspiration. The problem was that it didn't follow the blueprint closely enough and fell well short of providing an exciting alternative. Oh, I was still hopelessly enamored with the game's realistic graphical style, but I just didn't enjoy playing it. And if all I cared about was how it looked, then I could be happy simply watching other people play it, since there was little about its gameplay that was convincing enough to compel me to drop any more quarters into its coin slot.
(I wasn't even aware of the game's top selling point--"Fatalities," whose existence might have been reason enough for me to continue experimenting with the game; there was no mention of them on the cabinet, and none of my CPU opponents ever used one on me, so I had no idea that they were in there. You'd think they'd program it so that CPU characters prioritized such moves, as to draw intrigue players who might see it and wonder, "What was that awesome finishing move, and how can I replicate it?")
I mostly steered clear of Mortal Kombat during future arcade visits, but I couldn't ignore that it had become a pretty big draw--the crowds surrounding it sometimes matching or exceeding the size of those I was used to seeing over by the Street Fighter II machines. There were times when I'd at least try to get into the spirit: I'd mix in with the pack, get on line, and await an opportunity to throw down with a human competitor, but I'd quickly lose interest as the fights would devolve into a contest to see who could more effectively spam sweeps and uppercuts. It didn't help that one credit cost 50 cents, which was too high a price for a game that offered such limited value. (Also, I took it as a laughable suggestion that its action was somehow twice as satisfying as Street Fighter II's).
Mortal Kombat just wasn't my kind of game.
Still, as it was with Street Fighter II, it was definitely a huge deal to me when Nintendo Power announced that the game would be coming to the SNES. Before then, I never would have imagined that the console was capable enough to render the game's "realistic graphics" (I had yet to realize that the "digitized sprites" and "motion-capture techniques" spoken of in the magazine weren't the result of some advanced form of alchemy); that the accompanying screenshots depicted a product that looked remarkably similar to the arcade game was incredible to me. It was hard not to get caught up in the hype, and I found myself an active participant in conversations about about why the game's shift to consoles was such a monumental event; I'd discuss with friend and classmate alike what this meant for the SNES and how the game's appearance there would impact the Street Fighter II-Mortal Kombat war.
I was in the camp that argued that Street Fighter II was the superior game, though we seemed to be a growing minority as Mortal Kombat's brand of ultra-violence (and particularly the gory nature of its Fatalities) was becoming more and more popular with kids my age. As far as they were concerned, extreme violence trumped quality by a wide margin.
I was tempted to go out and buy Mortal Kombat when it arrived in stores, because once again the industry's marketing worked well to convince me that I would be left behind if I didn't own the hot new product, but my better judgment won out. Instead, I would up renting it from Blockbuster a bunch of times, initially for the sake of curiosity--to see if the SNES was truly powerful enough to reproduce the arcade game's visuals--and then more learn about the game's intriguing storyline elements (like Street Fighter II's, each of its characters had a personal agenda; Johnny Cage wanted to prove that action stars weren't "fake," for instance, while the undead Scorpion sought vengeance against the Lin Kuei clan, which was responsible for his death) and its Fatality animations, the majority of which I'd never seen.
Really, I just wanted to witness the many ways in which the game's characters would go about tearing each other apart and dismembering one another. The decapitations and heart-rippings didn't traumatize me in any way, since they were so over-the-top and didn't make much sense from a physics standpoint (I would just roll my eyes at them), but I remember being somewhat disturbed by any Fatality that resulted in the fighter being reduced to a skeleton--more so when the victim would continue to scream after being defleshed. I guess I had an emotional hangup about the idea of a person's entire existence--his or her life and all of the experiences it entailed--being ended by someone who wants to callously rob them of all form; the thought of seeing someone's skeletal frame being exposed in such a way was too conceivable, especially considering what I'd been read about history's tyrants and their torture methods.
As I watched these Fatalities play out, I concluded that the game's creators were probably a bunch of sickos who met for lunch with the Shadowgate people once a week for content-planning sessions. (Strangely, I didn't notice that the SNES version was bereft of blood or that NOA had tampered with it in any way. That blood was forbidden but brutally slicing a guy in half was a-OK served as further proof that the company's censorship policies were ridiculously warped).
In the home version, my choice of character skewed toward Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Sonya, who had the easiest-to-use, most-abusable special moves (spears, teleport punches, leg grabs, and immobilizing ice balls, mainly) and the only Fatalities I could successfully execute. Though, my affinity for the Lin Kuei boys might have had more to do with what I discussed back in my Rolling Thunder piece: When it came to my toys and games, I had a weird fetish for uniformed characters that were made available in the multiple color-shades that denoted their rank--the hooded minions of Geldra, for example, or the many units of G.I. Joe's Cobra organization.
The best thing about becoming intimately familiar with the game from my home environment was that I could take my knowledge to the arcade and impress fellow arcade-goers by pulling off Fatalities, which was apparently an elusive skill. "Woah--how'd you do that?" they'd ask me.
I still wasn't a big fan of how Mortal Kombat played, but I found some joy in teaching other people about the game's intricacies.
And that was about the limit of Mortal Kombat's value to me. Once I'd seen all of the endings--how the characters' individual stories concluded--and witnessed all of the Fatalities, the game had exhausted all of its worth. That's how I'll remember Mortal Kombat--the game whose audacious shock-value tactics demanded your attention as the means for distracting you from the fact that it was nowhere in the league of Street Fighter II, its superior rival. If the two games had any common attributes, they were purely coincedental; they were both fighting games, they both started life in arcades, and then they both made an impact on the console scene. That's it.
To put it bluntly: The quality comparison between them is less "Marvel vs. DC" and more "Star Wars vs. Homeboys in Outer Space."
I did wind up playing a fair bit of Mortal Kombats 2 and 3, which I found to hold equally limited appeal. That is, I saw all of the Fatality, Animality, Babality, and Friendship animations, and then I moved on. If anything, I liked experimenting with the new Lin Kuei characters--Reptile, Rain, Smoke and Noob Saibot. I prioritized Noob, of course, because I was simultaneously in that darkness-is-cool phase; though, I wasn't entirely sure if he was officially a member of their clan or if Midway's designers were now randomly creating palette-swapped characters just to see if they could get away with it. I also took to the now-playable Shang Tsung, who had that alluring transformation ability; it largely went to waste, sadly, since I'd mostly transform into Scorpion or Sonya because I preferred their special moves (and, again, their Fatalities were the easiest to execute).
"Then why didn't you just pick them at the start?" you ask.
I don't know. Leave me alone.
The only series game I've ever owned is Mortal Kombat Trilogy, which I bought out of desperation during one of the N64's drought periods. I immediately regretted the purchase, because (a) N64 games were pricey and (b) I didn't have anyone to play it with, as I'd since lost contact with all of my friends. I extracted what value I could by creating a personalized guide wherein I charted out all of the characters' attacks and provided descriptions of their finishing moves, though I had little use for the information by the time I was finished collecting it. That was indicative of my short history with the Mortal Kombat series: I'd have fun with one of its games for a day or two and then forever toss it aside. Trilogy was my last stop. I haven't followed the series since.
Now, I won't deny that Mortal Kombat has had a massive impact on my favorite medium. Much like the demigods who rule its universe, Mortal Kombat has created tide-shifting conflict wherever it's gone. It represented a considerably strong contender to the fighting-throne, forcing Capcom to furiously compete for market share on whichever platforms hosted a version of Street Fighter II. It irrevocably shaped the 16-bit war, serving as fodder for Nintendo and Sega, who used the mainstream perception of its violent subject-matter as the means for negatively framing the other's character. And it pissed off enough industry-hating mothers, politicians and religious types to instigate crucial court battles and congressional intervention, all of which necessitated the creation of the bureaucratic Entertainment Software Rating Board, otherwise known as the League of Distinguished Killjoys.
Mortal Kombat was an instrument of both destruction and change. On one hand, it was a major player in the industry's shift toward mature-rated content, which many saw as positive; but on the other, its specter left a permanent stain on the industry and single-handedly destroyed the reputation of Nintendo, which still hasn't recovered from the deep wounds resulting from Sega disparaging labeling efforts. I should despise Mortal Kombat for fostering such an environment, but I don't. Nintendo was going to have to atone for its shortsighted policies sooner or later, even if it had the moral high ground in this particular instance. Mortal Kombat simply accelerated the process, much like it accelerated the market's demand for ultra-violent games.
I don't lament the fact that things headed in that direction, but I can't stand the attitudes it created--many of which are persistent today. If there was a lesson to be learned from Street Fighter vs. Mortal Kombat, it was that the market had plenty of room for wildly different interpretations of the same idea--an abundance of opportunity for the exploration and proliferation of many divergent themes and art styles.
It's just too bad that so many of fellow enthusiasts missed the point.
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2024-06-29T16:48:20+00:00
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Posts about Reviews written by planet Jane
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The Magic Planet
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https://magicplanetanime.design.blog/category/anime/reviews/
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This review contains spoilers for the reviewed material. This is your only warning.
“We believe there’s a place where we belong. That’s why we sing.”
There is something fitting about the fact that, as of the time I’m writing this after the anime’s just ended, there is no way to legally watch Girls Band Cry in the west. It’s completely meaningless to call anything, much less an anime—the end result of many, many corporate machinations at the end of the day—“punk” in 2024, but there is something at least a little rock ‘n roll about how if you wanted to watch Girls Band Cry as it aired and you lived in North America, the UK, or many other parts of the world, you had to pirate it. Steal This Anime, they’ll call the documentary.
It’s appropriate because Girls Band Cry is a thirteen episode ode to the power of rock music, of youthful indiscretion, of the power of spite—of doing something just because everyone tells you you can’t—of love, of rebellion. I’m 30 years old, now, so I can’t speak to how Girls Band Cry may or may not be resonating with the actual teenagers of today, but I can say that for myself, for a generation that grew up on the pop-punk explosion, perhaps rock n’ roll’s last gasp of any real cultural relevance in the United States, it hits like revelation. The very short version is that this is an absolutely kickass tour de force, a complete triumph for Toei’s burgeoning 3D department, proof that Sakai Kazuo (also of Love Live! Sunshine!! fame, among other things) still has it and that his best work is ahead of him. This is a show that cements itself as an instant, iconic classic, and a series that other anime will build on in the future. If you haven’t watched this, you need to. Go look around, or ask a friend in the know if you don’t know where to search. You’ll find it, and it’ll find you. It’s a story about teenage rebellion. It’s a straightforward underdog rock band story, the best we’ve gotten in years, and a rare recent example to feel truly connected to the real world. It’s also, if you’re paying attention, a love story. Suffice to say, as is obvious from my effusive praise, I think Girls Band Cry is great. I could nitpick various things, and I don’t think it’s literally flawless, but it’s about as perfect as anime gets for me, at least. It’s an admirably dense text for its genre, too; thirteen episodes of the most emotionally resonant shit you’ve ever felt in your life. It’s an electric, nervy thing with a ton of heart. I love it.
Would you believe it all starts with a middle finger?
There’s an entire sub-article to be written about how Girls Band Cry makes use of the middle finger gesture. It starts as a running joke in the first episode, before being traded off for its more polite counterpart, giving someone the pinky finger. But then that becomes an in-group thing, something Togenashi Togeari, the band in Girls Band Cry (the name means something like ‘spineless spiny ant,’ I’m told), use to identify themselves, each other, their fans, their supporters. It becomes a fandom thing, a scene thing. A sign of belonging.
But before even that much, there’s Nina [Rina, in her first-ever anime role. All of Girls Band Cry‘s voice actresses go by mononyms and are new to the industry], a lonely girl keenly aware of her place in a world that is much, much bigger than she is. As our story begins, she’s just arrived in Tokyo, leaving behind a complicated home situation that we won’t learn more about until near the end of the series. The more specific reasons aside, the main sense we get early on is that the real reason Nina struck out on her own in the big city is just a sense that she felt like she didn’t belong in her hometown. Given some stuff later in the show, it is really easy to read Nina as a closeted (maybe even to herself) lesbian, but more generally, she definitely at least feels like a stranger in her own home. Getting away from it all makes an amount of sense. Much, much later in the series, we’ll learn that this all stems from trying to stick up for a girl in her class who was being bullied and being smacked down hard by the school system (and more literally, the actual bullies) for doing so. It quickly becomes clear that Nina is a pretty angry little thing, and that most of this anger is a justified expression of disgust with a deeply unfair world. That kind of anger can ignite a fire in a person, and I’ve always found these stick-to-your-guns-at-all-costs types admirable. I have a few friends like that, and they’re some of my favorite people.
Something that gives Nina relief from the general, well, pain of being herself, is the music of rock band Diamond Dust. Or at least, Diamond Dust as they used to be, before they replaced their lead vocalist Momoka [Yuuri] over what we later learn was a falling out about a shift in style at the behest of their label.
Nina, a real head, is a fan of their older stuff with Momoka, particularly the original version of their song “Void”, which makes things pretty astounding for her when she meets Momoka on a street corner, putting on a street performance. Nina introduces herself, starstruck, extremely awkward, and maybe a little smitten. The two hit it off pretty well, but Momoka plans to leave town the next day and quit the music business entirely.
Suffice to say, that doesn’t happen. Over the course of the remaining 12 episodes, Togenashi Togeari (who only actually get that name a fair ways into the series), gain three additional members; drummer Subaru [Mirei], keyboardist Tomo [Natsu], and bassist Rupa [Shuri]. All are fantastic characters, although they don’t get an even split of focus, as this is mostly Nina’s story, at the end of the day. Before we get more into that, though, we should actually talk about how this story is told, since the presentation is so important here.
Any anime is to some extent defined by its visual identity, and the sound work is always important as well, but both of these are particularly crucial to Girls Band Cry, which is genuinely attempting something new on the visual front, and sonically requires its viewers to buy into the idea of Togenashi Togeari as a credible rock band. The look of the show is the most notable thing about it, I’d argue (aside from that other elephant in the room we already addressed, anyhow). If you are one of the people who has held off on GBC because “it’s CGI” or “it just doesn’t look good,” this is me telling you, as politely as possible, that you are having an Goofball Moment and need to gently shake yourself out of it. I’ve long been a defender of 3D CGI in anime, but this is not a case like say, Estab Life, where the series is using CG to emulate the traditional “anime” look. Instead, Girls Band Cry focuses on capturing the feeling of being an anime, as opposed to clinging to techniques that don’t necessarily work in its particular format. This is obvious in details as basic as its apparent framerate. The common 3D CG shortcut of halving the final product’s framerate to make it look more like a series of traditional anime cuts is not present here, as Girls Band Cry‘s visuals are able to capture that look without relying on doing that. In general, the CG is fluid, cartoony, and wonderfully expressive. Not every trick it tries works perfectly, but it has an astoundingly high hit-rate for something that’s basically extending anime’s visual language on its own as it goes.
In more general terms of style, the show manages to pull off keeping things relatively grounded on a presentational level while still feeling cartoony. Some of the usual anime hallmarks are absent here—no one but post-Momoka-split Diamond Dust have any of the usual anime hair colors, for instance, and in their case there’s decent reason to think it’s dyed—and the backgrounds in particular lean toward the realistic. Despite this though, GBC is perfectly willing to break that illusion of restraint whenever it has a reason to. This can be as simple as a character making a goofy pull-face (something the show is shockingly good at considering how hard that is to do in 3D), or giving a character a literal aura that radiates off of them and impresses the other characters or telegraphs an emotional state to us, the audience. In one scene, for example, Momoka is given a gentle, cool lavender aura. We don’t need Nina to directly tell us that she thinks Momoka is beautiful and admirable. The entire series is loosely from her perspective, and devices like this let us directly see how she feels. This is even more obvious in the “rage spikes” the show draws around Nina when she’s angry; she literally brims with red and black needles, representing the barely-contained boil of her temper flares.
Girls Band Cry can and does use traditional 2D animation as well, but only in very specific contexts; the idealized, crystallized memories that we all have as part of our core personalities, very occasional flights of fancy when the show dreams up what “real rock stuff” looks like, including the opening theme, and for minor characters. If we interpret the show as being from Nina’s perspective, we can think of the 2D segments as her romantic notions filling in the gaps as she’s telling us her story, even in remembering minor characters she has no real extended contact with. It is certainly not a compromise or a concession, which is what a lot of people—myself included—might’ve initially thought, as it’s important that these are the only times when Girls Band Cry uses these techniques.
In terms of sound, Togenashi Togeari are surprisingly believable as a rock band. Obviously, despite the show’s gestures toward an independent rocker spirit—gestures that become more and more important as the show goes on—this is an anime series, and those need to be backed by corporate money, so they’re not, like, The Clash or anything. They’re pretty fucking good, though! It takes several episodes for their sound to really come together, as it doesn’t entirely click until they pick up Tomo for keyboards and Rupa for a real bass about a third of the way through the series. In the great Girls Band Anime Power Rankings I’d put them somewhere above (don’t kill me here) honestly most of the BanG Dream groups, and Kessoku Band, but below Ave Mujica, Raise a Suilen, and Sick Hack, bands whose very existence kind of feels like the series they’re from is getting away with something. (Even accounting for the last of these having only one song.) TogeToge aren’t that, but they’re great as the protagonists of this kind of thing, since they make straight-down-the-middle, fist-pumping, angst-shedding alt-rock of a kind that’s basically extinct as anything with any real cultural currency in the United States but remains a viable commercial and artistic force in other parts of the world, obviously including East Asia. Their biggest asset is Nina’s vocals; clear, piercing, incisive, bright as a shooting star. She sings like her vocal chords are trying to climb out of her throat to strangle everyone else in the room, and while she lacks the complete knockout punch holler of someone like, say, real-world rock star LiSA, she more than makes up for that in knowing her instrument and in her sheer on-mic charisma. This all rounds together as TogeToge being a pretty damn good band, I’ve found myself spinning their songs both from the show and from their album Togeari a fair bit, which is more than I can say of a great number of in-fiction acts from anime in this genre.
The important thing to note here is that TogeToge don’t have to be better than every other rock band from every other series, though. The main thing they have to do is be better than Diamond Dust, as over the course of its central narrative, Diamond Dust become TogeToge’s main rivals despite appearing only very rarely; TogeToge’s opposites in approach and philosophy, and also subject to a personal grudge from both Nina and to a lesser extent Momoka. This, TogeToge easily pull off. To the point where I feel a little bad for the actual people behind Diamond Dust, as DD’s music is just not nearly as good or interesting. (It’s polished and professional, certainly, but it lacks the magnetism that TogeToge eventually develop, and their own lead is a much less compelling vocalist.) The deck is clearly stacked in TogeToge’s favor in this way, but that’s not a bad thing. I think stoking a bit of fannish partisanship within its viewers is likely intentional, in fact. As though you’re supposed to hear Diamond Dust and think “what, people would rather listen to this than our girls?!” Given that Girls Band Cry clearly takes place in some version of ‘the real world,’ it’s distressingly plausible! It’s a fun little story-hack, and it makes GBC a nice exception to the trend of band anime main character bands being the least interesting groups in their own shows.
There’s a level of cognitive dissonance here that merits a quick aside. TogeToge, despite the show’s own themes, are, in fact, exactly as much a commercial product as Diamond Dust. The main reason this doesn’t really matter is that getting you to buy into the illusion that they aren’t is something the show goes through great lengths to accomplish, and I’d actually argue this is the main reason the show works at all. (It’s also why it took a few episodes to click for me! Nina is such an incredibly polished and talented vocalist right off the bat that I found it a little unbelievable. Imagine my shock upon learning that her voice actress is actually a year younger than she is.) I will confess that I think I’d like TogeToge even more if they had a little more grit in their sound, but that’s a personal preference.
In any case, the story of Togenashi Togeari has elements of a traditional up-from-the-bottom rock underdog story, but more important is the band’s members using music to process their personal traumas. Nina has the whole bullying situation, as well as an overbearing family and an equally-stubborn father who are not supportive of her sudden decision to drop out of school and pursue rock music when they learn about it. Momoka has the lingering pain of leaving the original Diamond Dust, and ends up projecting her own experiences onto Nina who she clearly sees as a slightly younger version of herself. Subaru is the granddaughter of a famous actress, and is expected to follow in her grandma’s footsteps despite her own disinterest in the profession. (She calls it “embarrassing”, even!) Tomo is living separated from her family for reasons we only get a very broad picture of, and has previously dealt with people cutting her off when they can’t handle her frank personality. Rupa, Tomo’s roommate and easily the most mysterious character of the main five, is originally from Nepal, and lost her mother in an unspecified tragedy before moving to Japan with her father. A common thread here is that of seizing your life, every minute of it, to do what matters to you, not bowing to anyone else’s whims. In one of the most casually-devastating lines in a series full of those, Rupa lays things out in one sentence.
In other words; Girls Band Cry will be romantic, because it clearly cares about that starry-eyed rocker girl shit a lot, but it’s not going to bullshit you. The window for anyone to make an actual rock band and have it work out in any way is very short, and Girls Band Cry is keenly aware of that. This frank attitude extends to the characters’ personal problems as well, and each has an issue they struggle with over the course of the show. Nina is a cute anime girl and she’s ridiculously fun to watch, but her prickly personality makes it hard for other people to get along with her and she tends to retreat into her anger when in difficult situations. Momoka is genuinely a beautiful and cool rocker lesbian1, but she also actively uses that persona to deflect tough conversations that she doesn’t want to have, and as mentioned she tends to project her own hangups onto Nina. Subaru is easily the funniest character in the series, a lovable goofball who gets most of the show’s most comedic moments, but her screwy attitude seems to stem from feeling repressed in her home life, and it’s downright uncanny how she acts around her grandmother. Tomo is similar to Nina in a lot of ways, as her blunt, often critical way of talking about things with people can make her seem rude or thoughtless to those not attuned to how she thinks. Rupa, lastly, actually seems to be the most well-adjusted member of the group, but there are a few moments when the façade cracks and it’s clear that something, perhaps the loss of her mother, is still weighing on her. It’s also worth noting that she drinks a lot, and while the show mostly plays this for laughs, it’s hard not to read a certain level of coping mechanism into it. The show’s command of characterization is just excellent overall, and it reminds me a lot of another anime original with a script by screenwriter Hanada Jukki, A Place Further Than The Universe, which also had a cast of strong characters and a deft hand with staging conversations.
Our central story is actually fairly straightforward, compared to all of this complex characterization. For the most part, we’re tracking TogeToge’s formation, relative rise, and as it turns out, very brief time on a major label here. I don’t want to bleed the anime of its specifics, but the short version is that the first 2/3rds of the show focus largely on Nina and Momoka’s relationship, which goes from that initial meeting to a sort of strained friendship before the two come to accept each other in episodes seven through nine.
We need to talk about one other character here, Mine [Sawashiro Miyuki], a singer-songwriter whose time in the show is brief but makes a huge impact, especially on Nina. In episode seven, Mine, who is an indie musician getting by even if she’s not famous, explains to Nina, after a joint show, that the reason she still does music for a living even if it’s very hard is that it feels like she has to. She goes into some detail about how she tried to compromise with herself, to take up a teaching position or something else more “stable”, but she couldn’t do it. Making songs, performing those songs, connecting with people via her art. It was too important. Nina seems to really internalize this. I’d argue it’s also basically the thesis of Girls Band Cry itself. Everything else is extraneous, what matters about making music—or any kind of art—is that you’re getting something of yourself, your soul, across to your audience. That’s what Nina got from the original version of “Void,” and that’s what she hopes to do with TogeToge.
Momoka can’t quite see that. She spends most of the early series convinced that Togenashi Togeari are destined to fail. Not just fail, crash and burn. Because she failed with Diamond Dust, and can’t seem to consider that the only data point she’s working off of is her own. Given what little we see of Diamond Dust, who mostly seem to be happy with their new direction, it’s entirely possible that Momoka splitting off was actually the best thing for both her and the band, but Momoka just can’t see it and continues to insist that she’s going to quit TogeToge in the near future. At one point, Nina is so fed up with all this that she just slaps Momoka across the face.
Would you believe that doing so actually makes their relationship much stronger? In fact, you can pretty easily argue that shortly after this, they become more than just friends. Nina, in episode eight, straightforwardly confesses to Momoka in the middle of a very hectic scene that I can’t bring myself to spoil the minutiae of. If you see people call Girls Band Cry a yuri series, that’s why. Does Momoka reciprocate? Well, she never actually says so, and I know that the lack of verbal confirmation will disqualify it in the minds of some, but based on what we actually see throughout the rest of the show; the two affectionately leaning on each other at various points, the fact that Nina has Momoka’s name circled on a calendar and a note reading “spend time with Momoka after practice” jotted down at one point, etc., I think the situation is fairly obvious. Maybe more than any of that is Momoka’s constant reassurance that she loves Nina’s voice. It’s clear that she’s not just talking about her literal vocals—although probably those, too—but Nina’s point of view, her passion, and her inner fire.
In fact, after this point the entire band seem to form a really coherent unit not just musically but as friends. I saw another fan of the series mention that the way you can really tell that TogeToge get along is that they’re comfortable being jerks around each other. And that’s honestly, completely true! TogeToge love to mess with each other, but it’s also obvious that they really do care. This is most obvious, at least it was to me, in episode ten, where Momoka has to be stopped from driving all the way back to Nina’s hometown by herself to pick her up. You don’t do long highway trips for people you only kind of care about.
About that; episode ten sees Nina return home to try to explain her situation to her parents, mostly her dad. Nina’s father is another great character who really shines despite a limited lack of screentime, and I’m absolutely in love with how the show stages the first conversation between the two where they’re not really listening to each other. How does Girls Band Cry communicate that? By sticking them on opposite sides of a sliding door. Subtlety is for losers.
The entire episode is fantastic, but the key points touched upon here, particularly where Nina says that the original Diamond Dust’s music saved her when she was feeling—she says this explicitly—suicidal in the aftermath of the bullying situation at school. That is the real power of art. That’s what TogeToge are seeking to channel, and episode ten is where Nina really starts understanding that. The self-acceptance she shows here is hard-won, and this is the sort of thing I refer to when I say that Girls Band Cry is really Nina’s show at the end of the day. I have rarely felt proud of an anime character, an emotion-object combination that just objectively doesn’t make any sense, but Girls Band Cry got it out of me.
As for the band themselves, they eventually sign with a real publishing company. (Or are they a label? To be honest, I am a little unclear on this point, but it doesn’t really matter.) The episode after this is where all of this buildup—the character arcs themselves, the emotional peaks, the sound, the love, the lightning—hit their climactic note. This is the best episode of the series, the best anime episode of the year so far, and one of the best of the ’20s in general. They play a festival, with TogeToge on a B-stage, in what is nonetheless the biggest moment of their careers. Diamond Dust are at the festival, too, but we only get to see a very brief glimpse of them playing, because this is not their story, and they’re not our real stars.
Togenashi Togeari aren’t up on the main stage, they aren’t playing to the biggest crowd, and they aren’t the main attraction, but for the three minutes and ten seconds of “Void & Catharsis”, their big roaring emotional fireworks display that is, in its own way, a response to Diamond Dust’s own “Void”, they feel like the best and most important band in the world. The entire series hinges on this concert scene, which is good, because it’s one of the best of its kind, and “Void & Catharsis” is TogeToge’s best song. It’s been weeks since I first saw it and it still blows me away. I might go as far as saying that it’s the best in-show rock band concert since the iconic performance of “God Knows” in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, a full eighteen years ago. If it’s not, it’s definitely at bare minimum the best of this decade so far, and it’s hard to imagine it being topped by anyone any time soon.
It’s not just the visual tricks the show pulls out here; wild, zooming camera angles, cuts to 2D-animated segments that dramatize the girls’ own backstories and traumas in the way that so much great art does, some of the most raw rock poster animation I’ve ever seen in any television series, etc. It’s the song itself, a screaming and, yes, cathartic anthem about rebellion as personal salvation. Nina has no time for anyone’s bullshit. She’s busy screaming about insubordination as admiration, how telling someone they’re aiming too high is a rotten thing to do. She won’t be obedient but she’s scared to even try to resist. She doesn’t want to die. She wants to live so bad it hurts. She inhabits not just her own trauma but her bandmates’ as well, singing brief sections of the second verse from the perspective of Momoka, then Subaru, then Tomo, then Rupa. She channels the painful split Momoka endured from the original Diamond Dust, the towering expectations placed on Subaru, the forced clamping up that Tomo put herself through, and the unimaginable tragedy of Rupa’s loss of her mother. She’s not just a singer, she’s a medium. She takes on their pain as her own and lets every razor sharp line bleed her voice until there’s more blood on the stage than sweat. In a particularly astounding lyrical turn that I’m not entirely sure of the intentionality of, there’s a line in the chorus that is a completely coherent sentence in Japanese, translating very roughly to something like “because my anger can’t be stopped”, but sounds phonetically like the English phrase “so I can die young.” That kind of intentional bending of language, to facilitate a bilingual pun that calls back to and reinforces an earlier line, no less, is normally the domain of rappers. Particularly heady, lyrical ones (the likes of Kendrick Lamar or Lupe Fiasco or such), so part of me wonders if it’s not just an astounding coincidence. But if it’s not, that’s some 5D chess shit, and I feel wrong not pointing it out even if it is an accident because, holy fuck, what an accident.
It must also be said, she looks amazing throughout the entire concert scene; an honest-to-god icon of rock n’ roll rebellion in an age where the very idea should be a laughable archaism. She pumps her fist both toward the crowd and back at her own band to egg them on. She stomps around on the stage like she can barely control her anger. She glares at her audience, maybe Diamond Dust specifically, since they’re also watching, like she’s trying to kill them with her mind. All this while rocking a billowing yakuza shirt and with quick-apply teal dye that I must imagine smells like an unfathomable mix of chemicals slapped on the underside of her hair. In one particularly great moment, she makes an open-palmed gesture toward the crowd and then clenches her fist tight. It’s clear that not only is she insanely good at this, she really loves doing it. For all of her fury and thunder it’s also obvious that she’s having the time of her life on that stage, and who could possibly blame her? She gets to be in a rock band. Who wouldn’t love that? That feeling itself is embedded in “Void & Catharsis” as much as the righteous anger stuff. It’s subtextual, but it’s definitely there.
All this about Nina and barely a word about the other girls. The truth is that despite being a hobbyist musician myself I’m not much of a music theory gal, so I can comment only in generalities. Still, Rupa’s pounding, oscillating, heavy bassline grounds the song, as do Subaru’s nimble drums. Tomo’s key work—some of her best—provides some much needed texture to contrast the main sonic palette of the song, Momoka’s guitar, and have a sparkling, star-like quality that really reinforces the piece’s sky-looking aspirations. On the note of Momoka’s guitar, holy shit Momoka’s guitar. For the most part her riffs here are the song’s muscles, they give it strength and fullness and make it more than just a bed for Nina’s vocals, but there’s a really great moment where Momoka gets a full-on solo, a sparking piece of pyrotechnics that really sends “Void & Catharsis” over the top. I have it on authority from a guitarist acquaintance that it’s also fairly technically tricky, and I have no reason to doubt them.
All this to serve a song and a scene that streaks across the show like a comet. 3 minutes isn’t that long for a rock tune! I listened to the song a number of times while writing this piece and I was always astounded by how brief it is. Because in the moment, in the context of the show, it feels monumental and eternal. It’s not, though. When Nina hits that last note, the song ends, and in fact episode 11 on the whole ends. We are left with the feeling that we’ve just witnessed something rare and special. I wonder if the crowd that TogeToge attract during the show feel the same.
The rest of the show, really, is denouement. Falling action, of a sort, something that single cour anime have largely forgotten how to do. Episode 11 is the show’s peak both emotionally and qualitatively, but the miniature drama that follows, where TogeToge are briefly part of a real label, have their first single flop hard, and then quit to return to the indie grind, is compelling on its own. It’s a full extension of the show’s passion-driven spirit, and it also allows Nina to reconnect with an old friend.
Hina [Kondou Reina], the vocalist for the incarnation of Diamond Dust that TogeToge spend the entire show in the shadow of, was a classmate of Nina’s. She was there during the whole bullying thing, and she told Nina not to get involved. Nina, as we know, did get involved, and this led to a rift between the two that still doesn’t fully heal even by the end of the series. Honestly, in her sole on-screen appearance of any length, Hina comes across as a pretty nasty piece of work! Some of this is clearly affect, and the show’s final minutes state outright that she was deliberately pushing Nina’s buttons during their one meetup, but still! I would say that Hina would be the main character if this were an idol anime, but frankly I don’t think most idol anime have it in them to portray their characters with this much honesty. (Shinepost did, which is why Shinepost rules.)
The charitable read is that she’s a realist. Someone who knows how to play the game, someone who is actually interested in the monetary side of the whole industry, someone who wants to be famous. In pretty much every sense, she’s Nina’s complete opposite. Their meeting is enough to convince Nina that she was in the right back then, and she’s in the right now. This also concludes an entire plot about a dual Diamond Dust / Togenashi Togeari concert, that ends with TogeToge amicably leaving their label. Momoka, in one of her last lines in the entire series, gently teases Nina by suggesting that this whole thing was Hina trying to extend the Diamond Dust / TogeToge rivalry, partly because she enjoys playing the part, but also partly because Hina really loved Diamond Dust’s music too! Maybe not in the same way, maybe not to the same extent, but she did, and this is a commonality that connects the two similarly-named vocalists permanently, whether they like it or not.
This, then, is how the series ends, with Togenashi Togeari back on the indie circuit, a cult phenomenon at most. We will never know if they achieve success beyond this, although we do know they’ll keep trying. Either way, at the end of the day, part of the very point of this show is that success is secondary to being able to look yourself in the mirror. Nina is ridiculously, astoundingly, monstrously stubborn, but she sticks to her principles. In one of the flashbacks that dots the finale, Hina tells her that Nina’s intense “spikes” of justice make her feel like the bad guy. The thing is, in those flashbacks, Hina is the bad guy. She seems to even know this, on some level, given how she does everything she does in the last episode specifically to prod Nina into sticking to her guns. Arguably, that’s a pretty cold mercenary move too—after all, TogeToge and Diamond Dust are direct competition—but I choose to take it both ways. Yes, Hina is conveniently knocking a rival band down a peg, but she really does seem to care about Nina, too, in her own way. (Implicitly, there’s also some reason to wonder how happy Hina really is about having basically sold out, despite her own claims in the finale about how important success is. We may never know for sure.)
By design, we don’t see the rest of Togenashi Togeari’s story. We could write it ourselves, we could choose to extend the show’s text into the real world and keep an eye on how the inevitable actual touring version of the band do. You could argue, well, hey, Diamond Dust aren’t the ones with a Spotify ad or the goddamn branded earbuds. You could even argue there’s room for a hypothetical second season (there is, but I think people get way too caught up in that particular discussion). Ultimately all of that, all of the money and fame and success and legacy and popularity and on and on, is less important than the show’s overall dedication to sticking to the spirit of rock n’ roll in a time when that is a fast-fading phenomenon in even the most vestigial sense. These girls appreciate music as art, as life. They’d die without it. Even if TogeToge are never bigger than they are in episode 11, I have no trouble at all believing they will play together for the rest of their lives. In their very last concert of the series, in the middle of a charmingly awkward monologue, Nina declares her audience rebels and misfits, and while that’s true of TogeToge in a very different way than it was for rock and roll’s originators many years ago, it is still true, and it’s true of Girls Band Cry itself, too. In one very specific sense, TogeToge have a luxury that real bands don’t have. They get to ride off into the sunset and into our memories forever. The ED is something of a very short postscript, and it seems to suggest that TogeToge will soldier on together, living that indie rocker life, into eternity. That’s a bit ironic for a series that’s also in decent part about seizing life while you still can, but hey, it’s one of the perks of being an anime character instead of a flesh and blood human being.
All this said and there is so, so much I haven’t touched on. I think time might risk forgetting how funny Girls Band Cry is (seriously, it’s borderline a slapstick series in some spots). The girls have incredible costuming both in their day to day life and especially on stage. I didn’t talk at all about Subaru’s character arc, nearly as important to the show as Nina and Momoka’s. I didn’t talk about Tomo or Rupa that much even though they’re probably my favorite characters (one of the very few criticisms I could make of the show is that I wish it were just a bit longer so Rupa could’ve gotten an episode). I didn’t talk about Tomo’s pet snake or the fact that her outfit for the festival concert is an extended reference to Undertale. I didn’t talk about Rupa’s legion of gay fangirls, a real, canonical thing that we are shown in the series. Even in the parts of the plot I did go over, I skipped a lot of details. Hell, if I’m honest, I could write a whole other article about the sleazy indie rocker sex appeal of Momoka’s stupid fucking trucker hat that she wears while piss-drunk and acting like a jackass in one of the episodes. Like any good rock band, TogeToge have way more to them than any single writeup, video, whatever, could reasonably cover. The list is endless! But this review is not, and I need to stop somewhere, even if any point is ultimately going to feel arbitrary.
If this is the end of the series the fact remains that we were all here to see this, together. The moments themselves are more important than any lofty discussions of success or legacy, and if the show does find a long tail, which I really hope it will, it will be because it feels so huge and fiery in the moment. If you’re going to make an impact, make it electric. Connect with people, find your voice, live your life. Everything else is fluff.
1: Source: I’m Gay And I Can Fucking Tell, OK?
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This review contains spoilers for the reviewed material. This is your only warning.
We aren’t there yet, so it’s an educated guess at most, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Spring 2024 season is remembered in hindsight as that of the yuri-inflected girl band series. You had the return of Hibike Euphonium, you had Girls Band Cry, you had Whisper Me A Love Song, for what little it contributed, but Jellyfish Can’t Swim in The Night was, we’ll remember, there as well. For its first half dozen or so episodes, you could easily have argued that it was in fact the most beloved of all of the new entries here, as Girls Band Cry‘s anglosphere cult following had not yet reached fever pitch. In an even broader view, I wouldn’t be surprised if the long view of history lumps Jellyfish together with an even wider circle of anime; Bocchi the Rock!, It’s MyGO, whatever becomes of the Ave Mujica anime slated for next year, etc. Grouping all of these anime together is, of course, ultimately reductive, but something I’ve learned over the several years that I’ve been writing about anime is this; nothing escapes the context in which it is created.
This is particularly unfair to Jellyfish for a number of reasons, but one of them is that on a basic premise level, Jellyfish differs a bit from its contemporaries. JELEE, the “band” in Jellyfish, is really more of an arts collective centered around a pseudonymous vocalist. My immediate point of comparison was ZUTOMAYO, but really, any of the night scene bands that followed in their wake are a decent point of reference. Like some of those (but unlike ZTMY itself), JELEE’s membership is fairly small, consisting of vocalist Yamanouchi Kano [Takahashi Rie], composer and keyboardist Takanashi Kim Anouk Mei [Shimabukuro Miyuri], visual artist Kouzuki Mahiru, who also goes by Yoru [Itou Miku], and social media wizard Watase Kiui, who is also a VTuber under the name Nox Ryugasaki [Tomita Miyu].
The show is divided roughly into two parts, with the former half focused on JELEE coming together and then attempting to make a name for themselves, and the latter with the emotional fallout of Kano’s former career as an idol under the emotionally abusive management of her mother. Bluntly, the former works a lot better, and while there are a number of threads and subplots here, the ones that are successful share a certain verisimilitude. They focus more on things that seem like actual issues a contemporary pop group would encounter while trying to find a foothold in the uncaring ocean of the modern internet. These are generally simple. Some are pragmatic questions of how to get your music out there, others are more abstract and deal with things like finding artistic drive within yourself, being unashamed to express yourself for who you truly are, etc. The common element is pursuing your passions in a world that may be apathetic or even actively hostile to your doing so.
This takes different forms depending on the character. For Mahiru, who is perhaps the show’s “main protagonist” in as much as it really has one, it’s as simple as a lack of self-esteem and a tall order of impostor syndrome. For Kano, it’s significantly more complicated; she struggles to be noticed as an utaite1, making cover songs in the aftermath of her failed idol career, there with a group called the Sunflower Dolls that she left under decidedly acrimonious terms after slugging one of the other members in the face. Mei and Kiui2 have it hard, too. We meet the former after years of burying herself in fandom for “Nonoka,” Kano’s old idol persona, as a coping method for dealing with the bullying she endured in school for being “weird” (read: neurodivergent) and for being biracial. We meet the latter, Mahiru’s childhood friend, constantly lying their ass off through the other side of a computer screen. Kiui spends most of the early show immersed in their VTuber persona and telling tall tales about how popular they are at school and such. (They aren’t.)
Jellyfish splits its time unevenly between these characters—not inherently an issue—with most of the early show focusing on Mahiru and most of the latter half of the series focusing on Kano. It’s not a clean split, as episodes primarily about Kiui are sprinkled throughout. Mei gets the short end of the stick, with only her introductory episode and a handful of stray scenes later on really focusing on her as a person.
For the first part of the show, the main thrust of the plot is the formation of JELEE itself, the arts collective that the girls create as a vehicle for Kano’s singing, Mei’s composition, and Mahiru’s visual art. JELEE finds a fair amount of early success, and this early phase of the show hits its peak during one of Mahiru’s bouts of self-doubt. Admitting that she resents that other artists can draw JELEE-chan—the jellyfish-themed mascot she created for the group—better than she can, she and Kano have a heart to heart in the snow, and Kano kisses Mahiru on the cheek. (Followups to that particular development are indirect, manifesting in such forms as Mahiru gently teasing her about it an episode or two later.)
Throughout all of this, the traumatic fallout from Kano’s previous career as an idol remains a lurking background element, but it’s only when her mother, Yukine [Kaida Yuuko], is properly introduced as a character, a fair ways into the anime, that it really becomes a central focus, and the anime shifts gears to reorient around this. It’s hard to call this change in direction a mistake, exactly, since it leads to some of the anime’s best scenes, and probably its overall best episode in its ninth, but it’s definitely a stark change, and the show handles it unevenly.
Throughout the ninth episode, we get flashbacks of how Kano came to be the original center for the Sunflower Dolls and how she was eventually kicked out of the group. Here, Kano becomes “Nonoka.” Her mother controls her style and manipulates her talents for her own ends in a plainly vile way that paints a very clear picture of her as an old-school slimeball record exec. Really, the moment that seals the deal in hindsight is when she lays out her goals to Kano. “I want to one day nurture an artist who sings to 50,000 people.” (Jellyfish floats a lot of numbers around over the course of its runtime, but that one, the 50,000 associated with the maximum seating capacity of the Tokyo Dome, is the one it runs back most frequently.) Unfortunately, Kano’s time with the Sunflower Dolls comes to an unceremonious end when she discovers that Mero, one of the other girls in the group, has been running a Youtube page that spreads gossip and inflames scandals about rival acts. Enraged, Kano punches her—the incident we’ve known about for the whole show, but only then get the full context for—and her career in the traditional idol industry ends in an instant. She’s so overcome with shame and emotion that the show actually switches art styles. In a compelling, lightly experimental touch, the visuals seem to turn into something like a burning oil painting, as though Kano is physically igniting under the harsh, dispassionate glare of her mother.
All of this portrays Kano as a victim in an industry that is certainly no stranger to victimizing even its youngest performers, and paints Yukine as, at best, deeply callous about her daughter’s suffering, and at worst, an outright abusive figure, a gender-flipped version of the archetypal sinister record executive-patriarch. It’ll make you want to scream “leave Kano alone!” at your TV, if you’re anything like me.
It’s worth noting that all of these flashbacks are broadly from Kano’s own point of view, but there’s relatively little evidence of some kind of unreliable narrator thing going on, and the trauma Kano endures from all of these events is obviously very real. This is unfortunate in its own way, because it feeling so raw and so emotionally resonant means that when the show tries to tie Kano and Yukine’s relationship up with minimal fuss in the last episode it really doesn’t work, as we’ll come back to. And as a further side note; we have no reason to directly suspect that Yukine was encouraging Mero’s little side activity in running the Youtube channel, but it so clearly seems like the kind of thing she’d do, given what little we have to go on, that I have a hard time imagining at least some of the story here isn’t trying to imply that.
Back in the show’s present, Yukine approaches Mahiru with an offer to do some visual work for the current incarnation of the Sunflower Dolls. (One with Mero as the center, mind you.) Yukine certainly seems to have ulterior motives for doing this, and when Mahiru tells Kano about her plans to take the job offer—pushing back a release of one of JELEE’s own songs in the process—Kano absolutely blows up at her, calling Mahiru a liar and ranting about how she’s the only reason anyone knows Mahiru’s art in the first place. It is legitimately hard to watch, and in the moment, it made quite the strong impression on me. (Especially when coupled with the absolutely diabolical editing decision to have that episode’s outro mostly be a montage of the two calling each other’s names.) With hindsight though, I actually think this is where Jellyfish starts to fall apart. Kano and Mahiru don’t really get many scenes together in the episodes after this, and those that do are brief and feel unsatisfying. Is that realistic? Sure, maybe, and if the series wanted to lean in to the emotional hurt there, and make it seem like these two would never be close again, that would also be a valid artistic decision. The problem is that it doesn’t really do either of these things, as we’ll circle back to.
Not every plot the show tries is derailed in this manner, of course. Kiui gets a great arc wherein they manage to overcome some of their severe social anxiety. The work with JELEE brings them out of their shell somewhat, but they really begin to undergo some proper character development during a small arc where they’re attempting to get a motorcycle license, staying at a driving school for a time, with Kano, in pursuit of that goal. There, they meet an older woman named Koharu [Seto Asami]. Koharu is an interesting, if minor figure in Jellyfish, an all-but-outright-stated-to-be-trans woman who’s an implied former yakuza and who hits on Kiui basically as soon as they show up. The two hit it off, and their budding romance is a very small but legitimately sweet part of the show, and the few conversations they have over the course of the series feel very lived-in, especially when they get into nerdy areas of discussion like denpa visual novels and the like. (Even this isn’t perfect and I might rewrite some of Koharu’s dialogue, to put it mildly, but you take what you can get with these things.)
Kiui even gets what is probably the last great moment in the series. In episode 11, they and Mahiru are at an arcade and run into some former classmates of theirs. Jellyfish takes a moment to get extremely real here, as the kids hate Kiui not just for how they’re generally “weird” but also for their apparent lack of conforming to the gender binary.
Kiui, in a minor moment of triumph, gathers the inner conviction to tell them off by tapping into her own VTuber persona, which, they seem to realize in doing so, is in some ways more “real” than their outward physical self. That kind of thing, with a constructed persona that feels more in tune with “who you really are” than your actual body does, is extremely common among a certain kind of internet-native queer person. I’m speaking from experience here, and I think this plot is probably the best single thing that Jellyfish pulls off. Making people feel seen is valuable.
Mahiru and Kano’s ongoing tension, meanwhile, goes largely unaddressed during all of this, and they appear to forgive each other in the final episode—after the big, emotional finale, which, with a few days of hindsight behind me, feels quite flat—based on….vibes, I suppose? They don’t really talk anything out! And I’m not the sort of person to demand lengthy on-screen Healthy Emotional Communication, but something a bit more substantial than the little we get here would be nice, and that really is my central problem with Jellyfish. It has all of these moments that are good to great, but they don’t cohere, because the show either can’t make them fit together in a way that feels holistic or it simply drops them entirely.
If I had to guess, what Jellyfish wants to do is use this act of simply stopping at a certain point as a statement unto itself. In the last moments of the show there are clearly still some unaddressed problems. Kano, for instance, obsesses over her performance in the finale being seen by over 50,000 people—that magic number her mom planted in her head as a kid—and the rest of JELEE are rightly weirded out by the whole thing. But we’re clearly also supposed to feel that this is essentially a happy ending for them, as the show’s last real scene is JELEE banding together to paint over the jellyfish mural—an old piece of Mahiru’s art—that inspired their endeavor to begin with. It’s beautifully drawn and composed, and it tries so hard to sell these big emotions, but it feels almost perfunctory, regardless. As though Jellyfish is doing this because it can’t stomach showing us an actual unhappy ending, or because it thinks we’d be angry if it did so.
Whether one wants to see Jellyfish as an anime that is sabotaged by this flaw or one that manages to work in spite of it is largely a matter of perspective. Can you ignore Yukine’s abuse going unaddressed? Can you ignore that the show never circles back around to Mero torpedo’ing the careers of the Rainbow Girls? Can you ignore the unshakeable feeling that this whole thing really needed another six episodes or so to really breathe? That it really clearly does not have the space to do everything it wants to do? All of that is going to depend on the person. For some, this is going to come off as extreme nitpicking and I will seem very shrill. I must again stress however that I’m fine with these things not being solved on-screen, I just want the show to follow up on them, any of them, in some form.
For me, the clearly stitched-together nature of the writing in the show’s latter half kills much of the emotional resonance I felt in its best moments. Some anime are camp enough, strange enough, or challenging enough to get away with ending on what’s essentially a shrug. If it clicked enough with you, you can say “well, the show is messy” and declare its flaws ignorable. Unfortunately, the emotional math involved here just doesn’t work for me. The fact that the Rainbow Girls are not characters in this narrative because we’re just supposed to write them off after their single appearance does not work for me. The fact that Kano and Mero never even really directly talk, but that we’re clearly supposed to assume they’ve somehow reconciled does not work for me. The fact that Kano and Mahiru are, in fact, entirely kept apart for most of the show’s final third does not work for me. The fact that Kano’s lack of forgiveness to her mother is signified by nothing more than playfully brushing her off in the show’s closing minutes after she sends a goddamn limo to Kano’s school does not work for me. None of this works for me! That’s really frustrating!
Let’s circle back to the term “messy”, in fact. “Messy” is often used, as a descriptor, to smooth over the rough edges of art we love. A way to excuse conflict and problematica because the art resonates hard enough with us that we have cause to explain its uncomfortable aspects away. You could call Jellyfish “messy,” for certain, and there are parts of it I’d apply that label to (Koharu and Kiui’s relationship, perhaps), but for the most part there’s not a lot of what I’d call messiness in Jellyfish. All of these aspects that don’t work are not messy, they’re just some shit that happens that the show gets in over its head in trying to address. This is why it feels unsatisfying on the whole despite a number of strong moments. The actual tone the show is going for gets lost somewhere in the shuffle.
The show attempts to do right by its queer audience in spite of all this; mostly in terms of Kiui’s subplot, but I think people have been a little unfair in labeling the show ‘queerbaity’ in the fairly subtle way it handles Mahiru and Kano’s relationship, as well. This, and the other more general ways the series fails to come together, creates a situation that practically begs for baseless, conspiratorial thinking. Did some suit decide the show was Too Gay, prompting a last-minute rewrite? Was there some kind of cut in episode number that impacted the narrative? Did network censors object? There’s no actual reason to believe these things, but they are the sort of theorizing that tends to pop up in the wake of an anime ending like this, because it’s an explanation. An explanation, no matter how convoluted, seems to make more sense than what appears to be the actual case; the show just faceplanted in its final stretch without a single specific cause. It happens. My personal theory is that primary scriptwriter Yaku Yuki, best known as the novelist behind Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki, had trouble adapting to the switch in format. There’s not really any more evidence for this than any of these other theories, but it would make sense, and would account for the show’s sometimes cramped and overstuffed writing. (In fact, I have somehow gone this entire review without mentioning the weird little side plot of Miiko [Uesaka Sumire], the 30-something idol that JELEE butt heads with a few times and eventually become friends with. The whole plot is actually pretty much fine, if not necessarily a highlight of the show. But a longer anime could have things like that without it feeling so incongruous with the rest of the series.)
I’ve spent a lot of time wracking my brain about what exactly my takeaway from Jellyfish has been without simply turning in basic qualitative assessments. It’s true that it’s probably always going to be considered in the broader “girl band anime” context, and that it isn’t the best series in that subgenre by any means. (I will also quickly make the point that, on the other hand, this is not a Metallic Rouge situation where hindsight makes it clear that the show never had any idea of what it was doing.) But putting it in those terms feels incredibly reductive! I’ve said a lot that’s negative about the show, but there is a lot to like as well! Visually, it’s pretty damn incredible! I’ve already mentioned its shift into a moving oil painting during one of Kano’s flashbacks, but it uses quite a few interesting tricks throughout, from video effects like a simulated VHS tape in the first episode, being drawn as though shot on a smartphone in the last, to rapid animation cuts to signify time passing quickly (often because Mei is enthusing over something), there’s a good amount to enjoy here in the visual dimension. The soundtrack is great, too! While I wasn’t enthused about JELEE’s music for the most part, the actual BGM is a weird, synth-heavy, analog-sounding thing that burbles and strains and hums expressively throughout essentially the whole show.
Generally speaking, the show is very stylish! The first episode in particular is a masterclass in visual storytelling! And even back on the writing end, the series’ portrayal of the suffocating smoke of having a controlling parent be absolutely furious with you is spot on! Kano pecking Mahiru on the cheek seriously does matter even if the followup isn’t as strong as we may have wanted it to be! Kiui’s complex gender identity is some of the best representation of its type I’ve ever seen in an anime! All of this is just as true as the show’s more frustrating aspects, and I think if the series develops a cult following in the years to come (and I would be unsurprised to see that happen) it will be off of these strengths. Those people will watch Jellyfish in a different way than I did. It’s true that nothing really escapes the context it’s created in, but we often only have a clear picture of that context in hindsight. Maybe, somewhere between all the aspects that frustrated me so much, is a better show that is only visible with some remove.
So that’s where we’re at. I wanted to like Jellyfish more than I did, and that’s admittedly an annoying position to be in. Because I simultaneously feel like I’m giving the show more of a pass than I should be and also being way too hard on it. But that’s the way things go sometimes! If any part of Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night is truly encapsulated by the term ‘messy,’ it might be that very relationship that I, and many other viewers, have to the series in of itself. It’s obvious, but, sometimes art is not strictly good or bad! Sometimes it gets in your head in a way that causes you to spout a gushing torrent of thoughts that only barely cohere and sometimes outright contradict each other. I have said things of this nature many times on this blog, and I’ll probably say them many times more. Maybe, if all Jellyfish wanted to do was leave an impression—to shine a little, to borrow Mahiru’s own words—then my big judgy opinion about whether it’s peak or mid, man, matters less than the fact that it made me think this much about it at all. Jellyfish can’t swim, night or day. But sometimes it’s nice to just drift in the currents of the ocean and let them take you where they will; you can’t complain too much about choppy waters.
1: A kind of internet-based singer, originally associated with NicoNicoDouga, now common on Youtube as well. Perhaps the most famous utaite-turned-professional in contemporary J-pop is Ado, apparently a deliberate influence, in the case of this anime.
2: I’ve mostly spelled it “Kiwi” up until this point on this site, but “Kiui” with a U is apparently the official romanization. As for my use of they/them pronouns for the character throughout this piece, it’s clear to me that Kiui is some sort of genderqueer or nonconforming. Since it is impossible to ask a fictional character their preferred pronouns, and we’re unlikely to get official word on the subject for a variety of reasons, I am being as general as possible.
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“Goodbye, sekai!“
This review contains spoilers for the reviewed material. This is your only warning.
If you close your eyes, you can immerse yourself in it. The sweltering Sun, the sea breeze messing your hair and running the sharp scent of salt past your nostrils. The sound of the cicadas lighting up the trees with their songs, and the humid heat. During the day; the brilliant, sapphire-blue sky and the billowing white clouds across it. At night, it’s an inky black streaked by the starry Milky Way. This is a series of blurry photos from a blazing-hot July buried somewhere in your memories. This is Air.
If it seems strange to tie an adaptation of a member of the infamous nakige (“crying game”) genre to a specific season, it might help to think of it as Air‘s way of contextualizing its attempts to tug at your heartstrings; the joy and sadness of a human lifetime distilled down and squeezed into a single, eternal summer, bringing to mind similar works in different media, like Fennesz’ album of that same name. When the series began airing in 2005, I myself was a child, in Florida with my father, and the heat of the Sun feels as real in Air as it does in my own recollections. Air‘s vision of summer is mercifully devoid of crocodiles, geckos, and palmetto bugs, but the feeling is the same, and the tense dichotomy between “these days feel like they will never end” and “we don’t have many days left” is thick enough to break scissor blades. The summer lasts forever, until it doesn’t.
Air, you see, is not just a story, it’s a dream. A reference point, and a map for its structure and storytelling aims, that recurs many times over its twelve episodes. Its logic is dreamlike; characters are introduced suddenly and vanish out of sight when their stories conclude, the series is peppered with elements of magical realism, and the environment itself seems to bend around the characters’ emotions, especially in its last stretch when the cast winnows down to just two main characters. Its emotional impact is dreamlike, too; it can make you very sad without you necessarily understanding what’s happened or why. (If I seem to skimp on describing Air‘s actual plot throughout this article, that’ll be why. Some articles are very easy to write; this one was not.) Dreams are, too, a recurring story element. Our main heroine, Misuzu [Kawakami Tomoko], dreams of another version of herself, suspended in the sky and flying on wings of pure white feathers. Our main hero, Yukito [Ono Daisuke] is a crow who’s dreamt himself into the shape of a man, or perhaps the other way around. These dreams are just part of the larger dream of the series itself, one that only ends when Air concludes. It’s a vast dream, too, encompassing over a thousand years, from 994 AD to the summer of 2000. Millennium to millennium, era to era, life to life.
Fittingly, Air‘s depiction of the human condition is impressionistic and emotional. Its core concerns are faith, family, and the preciousness and brevity of life. At its best, it feels as light and ethereal as its namesake or as heavy as torrential rain; lifting you up and pummeling you back down. This isn’t to say it’s always at its best—this is now the third Maeda Jun project I’ve seen, and I’m starting to get a good sense of his strengths and weaknesses as a creative, and there are some questionable decisions in the show’s final stretch in particular—but the highs are very high, and they’re plentiful enough to make the series worth watching.
In terms of literal narrative, Yukito arrives to a nameless town (modeled on the real-world city of Kami, Hyogo Prefecture), searching for a place to stay and a way to earn money, yes, but also a half-remembered vision inherited from his mother; something about a woman in the sky. In an early indication of the series’ magical-realist bent, Yukito is a puppeteer whose magical control of his doll is treated as nothing more than a mildly amusing parlor trick. He meets Misuzu, an odd, clumsy girl who trips a lot and says “gao!” when frustrated, and is eventually roped into being Misuzu’s live-in caretaker by Misuzu’s surrogate mother, a drunkard aunt named Haruko [Hisakawa Aya].
From this setup, Yukito becomes entangled in the lives of a number of women around the city, possibly a consequence of the series’ origins as an eroge. (This adult VN -> clean rerelease -> anime pipeline used to be quite common, back in the day.) Stripped of their original context, Yukito meeting these characters and witnessing their stories takes on an anthology-esque quality. Among those we meet are the self-styled ‘alien’ Kano [Okamoto Asami], Kano’s older sister, the town doctor Hijiri [Touma Yumi], the rambunctious redhead Michiru [Tamura Yukari], and her older sister, the deliberately-spoken, astronomy-fixated Tohno [Yuzuki Ryouka]. Each of these girls has some issue that Yukito aids in, if not resolving, at least providing closure for. In the earlier episodes, anything explicitly supernatural is pushed to the margins and the tone is fairly ambiguous. However, in episode four, the series stops playing coy, and from the moment that a magic feather in a temple induces a shared hallucination of a bygone era, the show’s magical realism is fully realized.
The show’s main theme of family comes into focus over the course of these stories. Each one centers around a frayed familial connection of some kind—Kano’s strained relationship with Hijiri, Michiru being the disembodied spirit of Tohno’s miscarried sister, Tohno’s mother completely forgetting she exists, et cetera—all of which is just windup to the two main stories of the series, the one between Misuzu herself and Haruko, and a very different, but intimately connected tale that takes place a thousand years prior.
Because, you see, the recurring image of the flying maiden is what ties all of these disparate stories together. Sometimes mentioned directly, sometimes only alluded to. Air reflects its own structure here, as this unknowable woman in the sky means something different to everyone. Air’s big halfway point twist, then, is when we learn the story of that woman. This is the other half of Air, a story taking place in the Heian Era, first at a secluded temple-palace and then all up and down medieval Japan. Kannabi-no-Mikoto, alias Kanna [Nishimura Chinami], an enshrined woman who is among the last of a mystical race of angel-winged people. Her attendants Ryuuya [Kanna Nobutoshi] and Uraha [Inoue Kikuko] serve to care for and comfort her at the shrine, drawing a parallel between these characters and those taking care of Misuzu. In an act of grim foreshadowing, Kanna’s life at the palace is disrupted when forces unknown infiltrate it, seeking certainly to capture, and possibly to kill her, leading Kanna and her entourage to flee and seek her also-imprisoned mother. Here, Air‘s visual presentation completely flips upside-down; these portions of the story are clouded over with heavy monsoons of rain, and when the Sun does poke out, it looks noticeably different than it does in the modern day portions of the story; less omnipresent and less oppressive.
Really, this part of Air is a different anime entirely, a feeling further enhanced by the two-part Air in Summer OVA which further fleshes it out (you could give yourself a “streamlined experience” by weaving both halves of Air in Summer into the main anime’s episode count). Kanna’s status as a winged person marks her as both something divine and an outcast. We don’t get many details; when we eventually meet Kanna’s mother, she only mentions that she herself is ‘tainted,’ and Kanna eventually comes to realize that her life, at least, what of it we see, may be the dream of someone else. (There’s a real Butterfly Dream thing going on here.) When she and her attendants can no longer escape their would-be captors, she unveils her wings. And thus, in one of the story’s two climactic points, Kanna is shot to death. Riddled with arrows against the backdrop of the white, caustic moon.
Death marks the final boundary for Air‘s narrative. Kanna’s story ends—at least for us—when she dies, and so too does Misuzu’s when the series returns to her side of the story for its final stretch. Back in the (relative) present, Misuzu’s illness, now fully revealed to be a curse, worsens. She loses the use of her legs, and eventually her memory starts to go, too, leaving her unsure of who Haruko, the woman who has been her surrogate mother for many years, even is. (This is another unifying thread between Misuzu, Kanna, and the rest of the show’s heroines. None of them have a normal relationship with their mother figure.) The final arc sees Haruko attempting to prove that she’s worthy of being Misuzu’s real mother, to herself, implicitly to us the audience, and to Misuzu’s actual biological father, a man named Keisuke [Tsuda Kenjirou].
In Air‘s last episode, we see Haruko’s desperate attempts to connect with her daughter finally begin to bear fruit, only for Misuzu to realize that she is, in a sense, still sleeping. Air ends with her death, as she and Haruko both accept that their time together is over. It hits in the heart, unifying the series’ themes of faith and family as Haruko reflects on her mistakes in treating Misuzu poorly1. If you’re the type who can be hit by that kind of thing (and I definitely am), it’ll get you, but there are questions to be asked, here, and this is where we have to put on our rational hat a little bit.
For one, Maeda certainly has a thing for young, disabled girls, doesn’t he? I don’t necessarily mean that in an outright condemnatory way—although some would, and I wouldn’t even say they’re wholly wrong to—but it is a noticeable recurring character type throughout his work; a girl whose emotional fragility is reflected by physical frailty. It feels rooted in ableism and misogyny. Plus, on top of that, this ending is just sort of basic. Yes Jun, to paraphrase Young Thug, we all hate when girls die, but is that really all?
To be fair, in the case of Misuzu’s death, and the closing chapter of this story, it quite literally isn’t all. Misuzu’s soul reunites with Kanna, and it is implied (albeit only indirectly), that this frees both of them—since they are ultimately, metaphysically one in the same—from their shared curse. Still, there’s a very fine line being walked here. “Life is incredibly frail, and there is a certain tragic, inevitable beauty to death” is a perfectly fine notion. Adding just a couple of words in there to make it specifically about the disabled very quickly turns it ugly, and I am not sure Air manages to say the first thing entirely without saying the second even if it doesn’t ‘mean’ to, which is a shame, to say the least.
On the other hand, you can try to ignore any themes built into Air entirely. That seems to be what much of the Japanese game-buying public did with the visual novel. Maeda has recounted2 how many players’ main takeaway was that the game was “soothing,” and how frustrating this was to him. From a certain point of view, this is definitely true of the anime as well, and you’re free to strip it for parts if all you really need is a sumptuous bath of wonderfully retro visuals and sound. Indeed, in addition to its very deliberate sense of place, Air lives and breathes its era; it is Early 2000s as hell, and all of the signifiers that have become so inseparable from this era are present. This is especially obvious with the highly sexually dimorphic character designs, where the men are all tall, lanky, and comparatively realistic, and the women are all short, soft, and have huge headlight bug-eyes. There’s some really strong animation, too, especially in terms of the near-constant sea breeze that blows throughout the show. Every hair on many of the girls’ heads will happily billow in the wind throughout the series, it’s quite something. Reducing the series to its aesthetic components in this way, however, requires actively disregarding what Air is about. I can’t speak for the game, but I don’t think the series is helped by trying to flatten it into a Pure Moods CD, even given its flaws.
If you wanted to, though, you had an option there, too. The series’ companion album Ornithopter, a sprightly thing where trance and instrumental city pop meld and melt together into a hazy heat blur, is an interesting counterpoint to the sadder parts of the anime. Like a pleasant dream the night after a bad day, it seems to gently nudge us into remembering that life will go on.
Life did, in fact, go on for all involved with Air. This series was director Ishihara Tatsuya‘s debut in that capacity, and he shortly thereafter went on to helm the world-conquering anime adaptation of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and a number of excellent Kyoto Animation titles thereafter including Nichijou, arguably the best comedy anime ever made and certainly one of the best of its era. He’s still at it now, directing the currently-airing third season of Hibike! Euphonium. Main series compositionist Shimo Fumihiko is also still working, currently fulfilling that same role on the fifth season of cult series Date A Live. A good chunk of the voice cast is still active, not always a given for an anime that’s nearly 20 years old, although sadly Misuzu’s voice actress Kawakami Tomoko, perhaps best known as the title character in Revolutionary Girl Utena, passed away in 2011 after a battle with cancer. She was an incredible talent, and was taken from us too soon.
And then, there’s the case of Maeda Jun himself, certainly worth discussing given that he seems to have been the main creative brain behind Air. Maeda, of course, had a pretty successful career for quite a while after Air, working in a similar capacity as the main force behind Clannad and Angel Beats! (the latter of which became an anime that I deeply love), among other things. Then, in 2020, came The Day I Became A God, and, well, if you’re a longtime reader of this site, you know how that went. I more or less stand by what I said in that article, and Air‘s lowest moments foreshadow some of The Day I Became A God‘s core problems, but it’s worth noting that I was hardly alone, there. The Day I Became A God was so widely disliked that the backlash prompted Maeda to retire from writing for anime and the like entirely, and he claims he felt so disheartened by the reception that he apparently considered killing himself.
It never feels great to be a part—even a very small part—of that kind of reception. I would like to think Maeda has good work in him still, and overall, I’d say I quite liked Air, despite its flaws. (Certainly my feelings on Angel Beats! remain unchanged, as well.) But you can’t change what’s already been done, and if Maeda has decided to stick to composing, he’s at least certainly very good at that as well.
As for Air itself, the series, there’s a lot I haven’t touched on, here. The series’ first half has a lot of great storytelling moments that I have both skipped recounting for the sake of not making this article even longer and to leave some of the magic intact for anyone who reads this and wants to check the show out. I’ve also not really gone into the various highs and lows of the show’s comedic moments, of which it has a surprising amount. (The very short version; most of the humor is actually surprisingly great, but a few things have not aged well. Sexual harassment-as-joke is something we should be glad we’ve largely left behind.) There are lots of bizarre little details, like Misuzu’s constant referring to chicks as “dinosaurs’ children” (she knows her cladistics!), a dog that makes “piko-piko” noises instead of barking, and so on. Despite all I’ve written, I feel like I’ve only really scratched the surface, and the years of surrounding context that have built up around Air have only amplified that feeling.
In the end though, Air has given me a wider appreciation not just for Maeda’s work but for work in general. Art reflects life, and life doesn’t stop for anyone. There’s no point in not trying to enjoy every day you have, and the fact that Air could make me reflect on the value of my own life and the time I have left in it is, in a way, the greatest argument in favor of it being a worthy piece of art. Dreams can be beautiful, yes. But, we all wake up eventually.
1: In general, as I’ve pointed out in my previous writing on this series, their dynamic reminds me a lot of Rosa and Maria’s from Umineko. I do wonder if it was a direct inspiration or just a coincidence.
2: In the initial version of this article, I said I couldn’t find this interview. However, since then, someone has backed it up on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, and if Google Translate is to be judged good enough to get the gist of the interview, that does in fact seem to be what he said, in essence if not literally.
Like what you’re reading? Consider following Magic Planet Anime to get notified when new articles go live. If you’d like to talk to other Magic Planet Anime readers, consider joining my Discord server! Also consider following me on Anilist, BlueSky, or Tumblr and supporting me on Ko-Fi or Patreon. If you want to read more of my work, consider heading over to the Directory to browse by category.
All views expressed on Magic Planet Anime are solely my own opinions and conclusions and should not be taken to reflect the opinions of any other persons, groups, or organizations. All text is manually typed and edited, and no machine learning or other automatic tools are used in the creation of Magic Planet Anime articles, with the exception of a basic spellchecker. However, some articles may have additional tags placed by WordPress. All text, excepting direct quotations, is owned by Magic Planet Anime. Do not duplicate without permission. All images are owned by their original copyright holders.
This review was commissioned. That means I was paid to watch and review the series in question and give my honest thoughts on it. Thank you for your support.
There’s a long, and pretty embarrassing, story behind this particular column.
A solid sixteen months ago, I was commissioned to watch this film by a Twitter follower. I added it to my queue and intended to get to it pretty promptly. After all, movies are pretty short time commitments compared to, say, a whole cour or two of TV anime. Somehow, over the next several months, I’d managed to incorrectly get it in my head that I’d gotten through the entire batch of commissions that I took around that time, instead of just most of them. A fair bit later into 2023, shortly before I had my massive burnout episode in August, I realized I’d never actually finished this, and another commission. (Which will hopefully be up on this site, soon, but is a bit more of a time commitment, being for a whole series instead of just a movie.) Yesterday, in the middle of January, a year and half later, I finally had both the time and motivation to watch and do a writeup on the film.
So that’s why this column exists. At this point, I have no method of contacting the original commissioner (I, a brilliant mind as always, forgot to write their name down, and I don’t have that Twitter account anymore), and thus have no way of letting them know the work has finally been completed. Hopefully, they somehow see this. If not, this is an endeavor I embarked on purely to make myself feel less bad about essentially scamming someone by accident. Genuinely, I feel pretty terrible about this whole thing, and this entire explanation is only that and not an excuse, of which I have none. But I figure the least I can do is give the film an honest go.
And if there’s a silver lining to this entire rigamarole, at least on my end, it’s that I got to watch a pretty decent sports movie. I’ll go farther actually; Farewell, My Dear Cramer: First Touch, is a good sports movie. It’s a fairly typical underdog’s journey kind of thing, with the additional slant that there’s a bit of tackling of sexism in sports here as well.
Our main character, Nozomi [Miyuri Shimabukuro], is forever frustrated that, following an injury in her first year of middle school, she’s not usually allowed to play in official matches with her school’s soccer team with all the boys, despite the fact that she really wants to.
Nozomi’s the one with her arm in a cast.
People tell her, explicitly, many times throughout the movie, that girls are just weaker than boys and that she will never be able to compete on even terms. This is a bit silly, even in-universe, because generally speaking, throughout the film, Nozomi is shown to be very good at soccer. The source of much of the film’s conflict is actually just that her soccer team’s coach [Kouji Yusa] won’t let her play in any serious context. He’s too worried that she’ll get seriously injured and ruin any chances of a future career, apparently ignorant of the psychological damage he’s doing in the present in the process. In his limited defense; Nozomi does get hurt during a game near the start of the film, but it’s hard to read his attitude as anything but condescending when this same incident is still being cited as a reason not to field her months later. It’s only toward the end of the movie that he changes his tune, and how that happens dovetails nicely with First Touch‘s other big thematic point; soccer as an expressive medium.
There’s an old cliché you’re probably familiar with: “it’s not about winning or losing, it’s how you play the game.” In First Touch‘s world, they’re instead about equally important, which is still more consideration of that old chestnut than a lot of sports anime give. Much of this, in the context of the film, is devoted to showing how truly dedicated Nozomi is to playing the game. It’s not just that she’s good at soccer, it’s that she’s passionate about it, and her friend Sawa [Shion Wakayama] describes her play as “inspiring.” A decent stretch of the film is devoted to showcasing her determination; she’ll practice ’til she drops, and if more formal equipment isn’t available she’ll practice kicking against concrete struts beneath a highway bridge under a grey, drizzly sky. It’s a common sort of visual language for this kind of movie, but it’s effective, and it does a lot to drive home that Nozomi cares a lot about soccer. It makes you care, too, even if you’ve never played the game in your entire life.
This isn’t necessarily as effective with some of the film’s other main characters. Take Yasuaki “Namek” Tani [Shinba Tsuchiya] for example, who we could probably call the film’s antagonist of sorts. Namek starts the film, in a before-the-main-story scene that takes place several years prior, as the curly-haired baby of a young Nozomi’s soccer-playing friend group, who nicknames her “Boss.”
When they meet again in the film’s present, he at first tries to be friendly, but when Nozomi, frustrated by the goings-on in her life, is hostile, he very quickly turns nasty and sexist, and some of what he says is downright gross.
Now, let’s be fair here; these characters are middle schoolers, and middle schoolers will absolutely just Say Some Shit to get under each others’ skin. But this whole exchange is definitely deliberately uncomfortable, and sets Namek up as the closest thing we have to an outright bad guy here. The thing is, Namek is also the other main character of this story, and he and Nozomi get about equal screentime. There’s something to be said here about how Namek doesn’t really seem happy with his own attitude, and tellingly, he abandons it at the end of the film. Misogyny does have an emotional impact on the men who propagate it, too, especially when they’re this young. The film’s attempt to address that is blunt, and doesn’t entirely connect, but trying at all is worth something, and it’s usually a decent sign when the worst thing you can say about a film’s thematics is that it’s probably trying a little too hard. This is all perhaps best encapsulated by a flashback to Nozomi rescuing a young Namek from a bunch of bullies by soccerballing them in the face, which is hilarious. Taking all of these things together, it’s clear that he actually idolizes her, which makes his macho disrespect of her just a few years later in life, evidently a cover for his own insecurity, kind of sad.
All of this is fine, on its own. However, as Nozomi and Namek’s rivalry escalates, it quickly gains a romantic overtone that it really probably didn’t really need. I can’t help but wonder if the movie wouldn’t feel more coherent if Nozomi’s rivalry with him lacked this inflection, since it can make the film’s portrayal of Namek a bit muddled and notably less sympathetic, since it feels like it’s trying to build an excuse for him. (The whole “boys pick on girls that they like” trope.) Middle school kids hate each others’ guts for much less good reason than Nozomi has here, there’s no reason to turn it into a romantic thing beyond lacking the imagination to do something else with the plot here, and it’s just a little disappointing to see the movie fall back on cliché in that way. That said, in the final stretch of the film, we do get a very nice scene of Nozomi reminiscing about how far he’s come as a player, actively cut in with the ongoing final game, and it’s very visually striking, so that’s something.
Let’s talk visuals in general, in fact. There’s something notable in how First Touch feels like the starting point for LIDENFILMS’ ongoing flirtation with nighttime settings; enough of the movie takes place at night, including a couple pivotal scenes, that it’s noteworthy, and this seems like foreshadowing of the powers they’d later put to fuller practice with Call of The Night and Afterschool Insomniacs. I know the Farewell, Cramer TV series is not liked specifically because of its production woes, but the movie doesn’t really struggle with that at all, perhaps indicative of shakeups of some sort at LIDEN around that time, although without having any primary sources on hand it’s hard to say for sure.
Sonically, there’s not much to say, other than that First Touch has a heavy reliance on insert music that veers between endearing and cloying. Not exactly a rare phenomenon in this genre, but at its best it does make the soccer feel more impactful.
All told, First Touch is very much at its best when reinforcing the point that competition isn’t all there is to these things. Its highest points highlight soccer’s ability to serve an expressive medium, and its value as, purely, a fun activity. (Again, remember that all of these characters are middle schoolers, we’re talking 14 year olds or so at oldest here. Nobody in these games is actually playing for world championships or anything, despite Nozomi’s Coach’s high hopes for her as the film comes to a close.)
The final game, where Nozomi is able to play in an official school-to-school match by pulling off the brilliantly silly maneuver of stealing her brother’s jersey and sneakily substituting herself in in the second half of the game. Films like this need to have A Sports Moment of this type, where the actual rules of the game are, if not flouted, definitely at least stretched to their limit, in the service of an elevated hyperreality. This moment is basically the only thing First Touch does that’s like this, but it makes it count. In the end, Nozomi’s team loses the game but she wins a far more important emotional victory over Namek. (Honestly I might’ve preferred a clean victory, but whatever.) In First Touch‘s closing minutes, the two reconcile, and Namek sobbingly confesses his love to her in a pretty hysterical cry of “SUKI DA, BOSSU.” This doesn’t change the fact that Nozomi honestly has more chemistry with her gal pal Sawa than she does with Namek—it is after all, Sawa’s cheering that encourages Nozomi to make the inspiring, climactic play that eventually earns her the respect of the rest of her team—but it’s a cute and funny note to end on, enough that it can make some of the film’s writing flaws easy to forgive.
If there’s a downside to this whole ending bit, it’s that the movie is probably a little longer than it needs to be. (Remember what Pompo said about the 90-minute rule.) Personally, I count no less than three points where the movie could’ve ended but felt the need to try stretching its last emotional beats one more time. That’s a reductive and overly mathematical way to qualify these things, of course. The film drags, but it doesn’t overstay its welcome badly enough to undo its stronger points. The film understands the expressive power of sport, and that pulls it through any issues it might have. If not necessarily a great film, it’s firmly a pretty good one.
Like what you’re reading? Consider following Magic Planet Anime to get notified when new articles go live. If you’d like to talk to other Magic Planet Anime readers, consider joining my Discord server! Also consider following me on Anilist, BlueSky, or Tumblr and supporting me on Ko-Fi or Patreon. If you want to read more of my work, consider heading over to the Directory to browse by category.
All views expressed on Magic Planet Anime are solely my own opinions and conclusions and should not be taken to reflect the opinions of any other persons, groups, or organizations. All text is manually typed and edited, and no machine learning or other automatic tools are used in the creation of Magic Planet Anime articles, with the exception of a basic spellchecker. However, some articles may have additional tags placed by WordPress. All text, excepting direct quotations, is owned by Magic Planet Anime. Do not duplicate without permission. All images are owned by their original copyright holders.
This review contains spoilers for the reviewed material. This is your only warning.
We aren’t meant to live like this.
At least, that is part of the driving thesis of Earth Maiden Arjuna. The mood is spiritual, and the tools used to explore that spirituality are myriad. It is here where we find maybe the fullest-ever realization of the magical girl as shaman; moonless, stormy nights in the wilderness, a return to the Earth that shakes you to your bones and shocks every single neuron in your brain, a bolt of lightning illuminating what every single aspect of the phrase “save the world” truly means. Pure hippie shit, in a good way. Gaia Theory‘s strongest soldier in this medium; the big wheel keeps on turning, and Arjuna‘s greatest strength is its ability to illuminate the spokes thereof; the fight for our planet rendered as a profound spiritual struggle. It’s brilliant, absurd, and more than a little frustrating.
Because at its worst, Arjuna instead gives off the familiar, stale whiff of thumbing through the more dubious sections of a New Age book store; screeds against genetic engineering, half-true claims about the value of growing your own food, needling jabs about everything from selectively-bred microbes to video games to aspirin, and, perhaps most damningly, the stink of the anti-abortion movement. Pure hippie shit, in a bad way. The kind of “ecological consciousness” that can be co-opted by the self-impressed, the hucksters, and much worse alarmingly easily. The kind you have to be pretty careful with.
Arjuna is largely not careful. And for that reason, it’s a tangled thing; as twisting, knotty, and gnarled as the roots and tree branches it so dearly loves. A lot of it will feel familiar, for good and bad, to anyone who’s ever had an older relative that went through a spiritual phase. This is essential oils and nights on a magic mountain, the dim glow of fireflies and the stale paper of inflammatory pamphlets. This is Earth Maiden Arjuna; for better or worse, it’s a lot. But while I’m going to say a lot about Arjuna and its various strengths and weaknesses here, two things are absolutely true; Arjuna knows something is wrong, and it has at least one pretty solid idea of how to fix that wrongness. In evaluating it as a piece of art, rather than as some kind of instructional text, those points count for a lot.
Arjuna is the story of Juna [Mami Higashiyama ,in what is, incredibly, apparently her only major anime role], an ordinary high school girl whose life is thrown into disarray in the aftermath of a motorcycle crash along with her boyfriend Tokio [Tomokazu Seki], who enters the series as the driver of said motorcycle. Juna, in a coma, is saved from the brink of death by the mysterious Chris [Yuuji Ueda]. The price for her resurrection? She must fulfill her role as the chosen defender of Earth itself, primarily in the form of dealing with ethereal, worm-like monsters called the Raaja.
In a sense, none of this would be that out of place in any other magical girl series. The term is an uneasy fit for Earth Maiden Arjuna for reasons we’ll get into shortly, but it does apply. If you take an extremely reductive approach, you can boil most of the rest of the series down to the essentials as mapped out by, say, Sailor Moon. A magical warrior is granted incredible powers that rely on her sense of empathy and compassion does battle against monsters that manifest from humanity’s evils, along the way her own sense of responsibility develops with the help of both her own experiences and a mysterious mentor. The thing is, while it’d be a mistake to try to force too much distance between Arjuna and its genre-fellows, the presentation of all of this makes it feel very different from most of its peers. Juna’s role is intricately connected to her understanding of the Earth as a singular, living organism. It takes her most of the series to truly understand the full implications of that, and she really only has her final revelation in the very last episode.
Thus, most of the show is about how she deepens that understanding. Early on, she’s abandoned on a mountain with no equipment or supplies of any kind, and must learn how to survive on her own. And if you’re expecting the series to hammer this into some kind of tourist ad for the beauty of nature, you’re not watching the right series. Juna very nearly dies, and the only way she’s able to survive is by a quite literal miracle. Stripped of the trappings of modern life, Juna is forced to treat the Earth itself as her only means of survival, and through this lesson—and many others like it over the course of the series—she deepens her bond with the planet, little by little. Surviving the mountain gives her the ability to see the auras of living things. Which, sure, it’s the instrument that propels several of the series’ subsequent plotlines, but more important to what Arjuna is trying to actually do is that it lets her literally see how much of the planet is alive. Everything from the swarm of ants that picks her over in an early, frightening portent of what the series later has in store, to the glimmer of a nutritious leaf, to the very blood flowing through her own veins is laid bare to her.
In a lesser series, Juna’s character development would stop here. Possessed of the sacred knowledge of how life and planet are intertwined, she would spend the remaining 10 episodes of the show being insufferable about everything and the remainder of the series would be about other characters—and consequently, we the audience—learning from Juna in a direct and very talking-down kind of way. There is, admittedly, some of this, and one particularly bad example, as we’ll get to, but for the most part Juna comes out of this ordeal and many others like it with only incremental experience. Life is hard, giving up the life you’ve lived up until this point is significantly harder, and Juna subsequently spends most of the series as the student, not the master, and there are a number of times throughout where she fails to learn an important lesson, all the way up through to the end of the series.
The whole mountain storyline is one of the show’s most successful. Conversely, it feels pertinent to here mention that not every one of these necessarily lands, and some of the show’s weaker material does, as mentioned, drift into pure New Age book shop hokum. On the other hand, it’d be a mistake to say that Arjuna, if it has a problem, suffers from the fact that it’s about the environment in the first place. The show would not work on a very fundamental level if it wasn’t about these things, and if it misses about as often as it hits, maybe that’s just the inevitable consequence of being such a pure emotional trip of thoughts and feelings. Art of a certain caliber is due a certain amount of grace, and if one takes Arjuna as the scrambled thoughts of someone trying to work out their place in the world rather than as someone necessarily telling you how to live your life, it makes significantly more sense.
….But admittedly, the series itself sometimes makes that hard. It’s true that art should not be judged solely through the lens of how applicable it is as advice to one’s own life, and Arjuna is mostly good enough that I’d be inclined to dismiss such readings out of hand. But it’s not entirely good enough, and it’s probably here that we should talk about the show’s flaws, which are few in number but significant in impact.
So, the food thing. Arjuna really, really loves the idea of all-natural, organic food. “Organic” here meaning “devoid of those nasty chemicals and GMOs.” This is one of a couple places where the show’s point of view becomes all too easy to wave off. Because the sorts of people who complain about GMOs and non-specific “chemicals” in things are, rightly, often thought of as kooks. For the most part, Arjuna‘s treatment of this subject matter skews too goofy to really be read as harmful. The recurring problem of Juna being unable to eat processed food once she returns to civilization, for example, is definitely framed as though it’s a serious thing, but it’s hard to imagine anyone taking it on those terms. Especially when the show’s alternative is portrayed in such a trippy, Healthy Eating PSA-on-acid manner.
Juna decides to take “you are what you eat” more literally than most.
And, frankly, for all its haranguing on about chemicals in foods (seriously, some of the episodes of the show that are worse about this made me feel like I was in the car with my health nut aunt), Arjuna does at least know that spiffy capitalistic solutions won’t actually work. At one point, Tokio tries to compromise with Juna by offering her a ‘vitamin drink’ (think V8 or some such), and Juna has to explain to him that it’s not really much better than the cola that he’s drinking. Also, in a rare show of self-deprecation, Arjuna stages a fake commercial for this drink in episode 7’s halfway break that really must be seen to be believed. (It’s the first of several of these, in fact, including an extra-long one that was apparently a DVD bonus. Arjuna‘s skewering of commercials is probably its easiest point to relate to.)
This is the case for most of the show’s flaws, at any rate. These are sticking points that can be either laughed off as absurd or safely chalked up to the passage of time between the series’ original release and now. It’s not the case for all of them, though. We do have to talk about the show’s one big sticking point, the anti-abortion episode. Folks, it’s a rough one.
Juna spends most of this episode, the
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1993 video game
"MKII" and "Mortal Kombat 2" redirect here. For other uses, see Mark II and Mortal Kombat 2 (disambiguation).
1993 video game
Mortal Kombat IIDeveloper(s)Midway
Probe Software (MD/GEN, GG, GB, SMS, Amiga, DOS)
Sculptured Software (SNES)
Probe Entertainment (32X, SS, PS)
Sony Online Entertainment, Digital Eclipse, Backbone Entertainment (PlayStation 3)Publisher(s)Midway
Acclaim Entertainment (home versions)Producer(s)Ken Fedesna
Neil Nicastro
Robert Leingang, Robert O'Farrell, Billy Pidgeon (DOS)Designer(s)Ed Boon
John TobiasProgrammer(s)Ed Boon
Brian O'Shaughnessy (DOS)Artist(s)John Tobias
Tony Goskie
John Vogel
Terry Ford (DOS)Composer(s)Dan Forden
Matt Furniss (Sega Genesis, Game Gear, Master System)SeriesMortal KombatPlatform(s)Release
November 1993
ArcadeGame Gear, Sega Genesis, SNES
NA: September 9, 1994
EU: 1994
Game Boy
NA/PAL: October 27, 1994
Amiga
NA/PAL: 1994
Master System
EU: 1994
32XMS-DOS
NA: May 16, 1995
EU: 1995
Sega Saturn
NA: March 28, 1996
EU: 1996
PlayStation
JP: August 2, 1996
Genre(s)Fighting gameMode(s)Single-player, multiplayerArcade systemMidway T Unit
Mortal Kombat II is a fighting game originally produced by Midway for the arcades in 1993. It was ported to multiple home systems, including MS-DOS, Amiga, Game Boy, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, 32X, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and PlayStation only in Japan, mostly in licensed versions developed by Probe Software (later renamed to Probe Entertainment for some ports of the game) and Sculptured Software and published by Acclaim Entertainment (currently distributed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment).
It is the second main installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise and a sequel to 1992's Mortal Kombat, improving the gameplay and expanding the mythos of the original Mortal Kombat, introducing more varied finishing moves (including several Fatalities per character and new finishers, such as Babality and Friendship) and several iconic characters, such as Kitana, Mileena, Kung Lao, the hidden character Noob Saibot, and the series' recurring villain, Shao Kahn. The game's plot continues from the first game, featuring the next Mortal Kombat tournament set in the otherdimensional realm of Outworld, with the Outworld and Earthrealm representatives fighting each other on their way to challenge the evil emperor Shao Kahn.
The game was an unprecedented commercial success and was acclaimed by most critics, receiving many annual awards and being featured in various top lists in the years and decades to come, and also caused a major video game controversy due to the series' continuous depiction of graphic violence. It spawned a spin-off game, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, had the greatest influence on the 2011 soft reboot game Mortal Kombat, and inspired numerous video game clones. Mortal Kombat II is often cited as one of the best video games ever made.
A sequel, Mortal Kombat 3, was released in 1995.
Gameplay
[edit]
The gameplay system of Mortal Kombat II is an improved version of that from the original Mortal Kombat. There are several changes in standard moves: a crouching punch was added, low and high kicks have greater differentiation (be they crouching or standing up), roundhouse kicks are made more powerful (knocking an opponent across the screen, like the game's uppercut), and it is easier to perform combos due to reduced recovery times for attacks. Returning characters also gained new special moves, including some to be used in mid-air, and the game plays almost twice as fast as the original.[4][5][6][7]
As with its predecessor, matches are divided into rounds, and the first player to win two rounds by fully depleting their opponent's life bar is the winner; at this point, the losing character will become dazed and the winner is given the opportunity of using a finishing move. Mortal Kombat II lacks the "Test Your Might" bonus games and point system from the first game, in favor of a consecutive win tally where wins are represented by icons.[4]
The game marked the introduction of multiple Fatalities (special moves allowing the victorious character to execute their opponent at the end of a match) as well as additional, non-lethal finishing moves to the franchise: Babalities (turning the opponent into a crying baby), Friendships (a non-malicious interaction, such as dancing or giving a gift to the defeated opponent) and additional stage-specific Fatalities (the victor uppercutting their opponent into an abyss below, spikes in the ceiling, or a pool of acid in the background).[4] Finishing moves cannot be performed either by or against the boss or secret characters.[note 1]
Plot
[edit]
Following his failure to defeat Liu Kang in the previous Mortal Kombat tournament, the evil Shang Tsung begs his master Shao Kahn, supreme ruler of Outworld and the surrounding kingdoms, to spare his life. He tells Shao Kahn that if they hold the next Mortal Kombat Tournament in Outworld, the Earthrealm warriors must travel away from home to attend. Kahn agrees to this plan, and restores Shang Tsung's youth and martial arts prowess. He then extends the invitation to the thunder god and Earthrealm's protector, Raiden, who gathers his warriors and takes them into Outworld. The new tournament is much more dangerous, as Shao Kahn has the home field advantage.[8][9]
According to the Mortal Kombat series' canon, Liu Kang won this tournament as well, defeating Shao Kahn and his bodyguard Kintaro.[10] The game's story mode can be also finished using any other playable character, resulting in a variety of non-canonical endings for each of them.[11] This game also establishes that the original Sub-Zero Bi-Han was killed by Scorpion in the first game and Bi-Han's younger brother Kuai Liang took the identity of the new Sub-Zero.[12]
Characters
[edit]
The game includes 12 playable characters.
New characters
Baraka (played by Richard Divizio),[13] a mutant warlord of Outworld's Nomad race, responsible for the assault on the Shaolin Monastery on the orders of Shao Kahn.[14]
Jax (played by John Parrish): U.S. Special Forces officer who enters the tournament to rescue his partner Sonya Blade from Outworld.[14][note 2]
Kitana (played by Katalin Zamiar),[13] a female ninja who works as a personal assassin in the service of Shao Kahn. She has been suspected of secretly aiding the Earthrealm warriors.[14]
Kung Lao (played by Anthony Marquez),[13] Shaolin monk and close friend of Liu Kang, a descendant of the Great Kung Lao (who was defeated by Goro and Shang Tsung 500 years before the events of MK). He seeks to avenge his ancestor and the destruction of the Shaolin temple.[14]
Mileena (played by Katalin Zamiar),[13] twin sister to Kitana who also serves as an assassin for Kahn. Her mission during the tournament is to ensure the loyalty of her sister, but she also has plans of her own.[14]
Returning characters
Johnny Cage (played by Daniel Pesina),[13] Hollywood actor who joins Liu Kang in his journey to Outworld.[14]
Liu Kang (played by Ho Sung Pak),[13] Shaolin monk who is the reigning champion of Mortal Kombat. He travels to Outworld to seek vengeance for the death of his Shaolin monastery brothers.[14]
Raiden (played by Carlos Pesina),[13] thunder god who returns to Mortal Kombat to stop Kahn's evil plans of taking Earthrealm for his own[14] (spelled "Rayden" in the DOS and console ports).
Reptile (played by Daniel Pesina), Shang Tsung's personal bodyguard.[14][note 3]
Scorpion (played by Daniel Pesina),[13] a hellspawned spectre who returns to the tournament to once again assassinate Sub-Zero.[14]
Shang Tsung (played by Phillip Ahn, M.D.)[16] An evil sorcerer who convinced Kahn to spare his life after losing the last tournament, with a new plan to appease his master, who in turn restores Tsung's youth.[14] Although playable in this installment, also serves as a sub-boss of the game, always appearing before Kintaro in the single-player mode. As in the first game, he is able to morph into any of the playable characters, retaining their moves (in some versions only the character against whom he is currently fighting).
Sub-Zero (played by Daniel Pesina),[13] a male ninja who possesses cryokinesis. Though apparently killed in the first tournament, he mysteriously returns, traveling into Outworld to again attempt to assassinate Shang Tsung.[14]
Boss characters
Kintaro (stop motion), Shao Kahn's bodyguard, sent by his race to avenge Goro's defeat. He is the game's penultimate boss.
Shao Kahn (played by Brian Glynn, voiced by Steve Ritchie[13]), the evil Emperor of Outworld, who wishes to conquer Earthrealm by any means. He is the host of the tournament and the game's final boss.
The game also features three hidden opponents for unlockable fights: Jade (played by Katalin Zamiar), a female ninja clad in green;[note 4] Noob Saibot (played by Daniel Pesina), a dark silhouetted ninja who is a "lost warrior" from the first MK game;[note 5] and Smoke (played by Daniel Pesina), a male ninja clothed in gray.[7][note 6]
Sonya and Kano are the only playable characters from the first Mortal Kombat who were not implemented as fighters, as they only appear in the background of the Kahn's Arena stage, chained and on display as his prisoners.[5] The reason for this was due to the storage limitations of arcade hardware at the time. When Midway employees ran audits on several Mortal Kombat arcade cabinets in the Chicago area, they found that Kano and Sonya were the least chosen characters. So they were cut to background sprites in order to make room for new characters.[5][17]
Development
[edit]
Game
[edit]
According to the project's lead programmer Ed Boon, Mortal Kombat II was "intended to look different than the original MK" and "had everything we wanted to put into MK but did not have time for."[20] In 2012, Boon placed creating the game among his best Mortal Kombat memories, recalling: "When we did Mortal Kombat II, we got new equipment and all that stuff, but it was funny because when we started working on Mortal Kombat II, the mania, the hysteria of the home versions of Mortal Kombat I was literally all around us. We were so busy working on the next one, going from seven characters to 12 and two Fatalities per character and all these other things that that consumed every second."[18] Both the theme and art style of MKII were slightly darker than those of its predecessor, although a more vibrant color palette was employed and the new game had a much richer color depth than the previous game. A new feature was the use of multiple layers of parallax scrolling in the arcade version.[6] The game was made to be less serious with the addition of humorous alternative finishing moves. Some of the considered Fatalities were rejected as too extreme at the time.[21]
Care was taken during the programming process to give the game a "good feel", with Boon simulating elements such as gravity into the video game design. The game's lead designer and artist John Tobias noted that the previous game's reliance on juggling the opponent in the air with successive hits was an accident, and had been tightened in Mortal Kombat II. Boon said that the reason to not completely remove it in favor of a different system of chaining attacks together was to set the game apart from the competing titles such as Street Fighter and allow for players to devise their own combinations of attacks.[22] A double jump ability was implemented but later removed.[23] At one point, a bonus stage was planned to feature "a bunch of ninjas jumping all over the place and you would swing at them, just like you're in the middle of a fight in a kung fu movie." All of the music was composed, performed, recorded and mixed by Dan Forden, the Mortal Kombat series' sound designer and composer, using the Williams DCS sound system.[24]
Like the first game, Acclaim handled the home conversions. San Francisco Chronicle claimed in 1994 that Acclaim had spent $50 million on developing, manufacturing and marketing the game.[25]
Characters
[edit]
To create the character animations for the game, actors were placed in front of a gray background and performed the motions, which were recorded on videotape (using a broadcast-quality, $20,000 Sony camera instead of the standard Hi8 camera used for the original Mortal Kombat).[22] The video capture footage was then processed into a computer, and the background was removed from selected frames to create sprites. Towards the end of the game's development, they opted to instead use a blue screen technique and processed the footage directly into the computer for a similar, simpler process.[22] The actors were lightly sprayed with water to give them a sweaty, glistening appearance,[26] while post-editing was done on the sprites afterward to highlight flesh tones and improve the visibility of muscles,[27] which Tobias felt set the series apart from similar games using digitized graphics. Animations of Shang Tsung morphing into other characters were created by Midway's John Vogel using a computer, while hand-drawn animations were used for other parts of the game, such as the Fatalities. For animating Goro and Kintaro, clay sculptures were created by Tobias' friend Curt Chiarelli and then turned into 12-inch latex miniatures that were used for stop motion filming.[22] Because of technical restrictions, the actors' costumes had to be simple and no acrobatic moves such as backflips could have been recorded;[28] the most difficult moves to perform were some of the jumping kicks.[29]
Several characters (namely Jade, Kitana, Mileena, Noob Saibot, Reptile, Scorpion, Smoke, and Sub-Zero) were created using the first game's palette swap technique on just two base models. The game was noted for its "strong female presence",[30] as it was featuring more than one woman character as it was common in the genre at the time. Due to memory limitations and the development team's desire to introduce more new characters, two fighters from the original Mortal Kombat, Sonya Blade and Kano, whom Boon cited as the least-picked characters in the game, were excluded,[31] substituted by two palette swaps, Mileena and Reptile. In place of Sonya, two new playable female characters, Kitana and Mileena, were introduced so the game might better compete against Capcom's Street Fighter II: The World Warrior featuring Chun-Li.[7][32][note 7] Another planned female fighter, based on the real-life kickboxer Kathy Long whom Tobias admired, was omitted due to time constraints.[29] A male bonus character played by Kyu Hwang was also cut from the game.[7][33]
Release
[edit]
The first version of MKII, revision 1.4, "was effectively a public beta test", featuring few Fatalities and many software bugs; it also lacked the endings for the characters. It took three subsequent revisions to have the moves and finishing moves finalized and all the bugs corrected, also adding additional content, as development had still been in progress for all that time.[5] The final version was revision 3.1,[7] released in January 1994.[34]
Marketing and merchandise
[edit]
In conjunction with the release of the arcade game in 1993, an official comic book, Mortal Kombat II Collector's Edition, written and illustrated by Tobias, was released through mail order, describing the backstory of the game in greater detail.[7] Acclaim Entertainment stated that it "had started Mortal Kombat II with a $10 million global marketing campaign" for the home versions.[35][36] A part of this sum was used to film and air the live-action TV commercial created by David Anderson and Bob Keen. The video[37] featured Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Reptile (with a notably more reptilian appearance), Kitana, Baraka and Shao Kahn, who were played by the same actors as in the game.[38] The game's promotional campaign's tagline was "Nothing ... Nothing can prepare you."[39] In 2008, Eurogamer called Mortal Kombat II "a marketing triumph".[40]
Malibu Comics published a series of Mortal Kombat comic books featuring the characters from both MKII and the original game.[7] Mortal Kombat II: Music from the Arcade Game Soundtrack, an album featuring music from Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat, composed by Dan Forden,[7][41] could originally only be purchased by ordering it through a limited CD offer, which was posted on the arcade version of the game's attract mode. Other merchandise for the game included a periodical official fanzine Mortal Kombat II Kollector's Magazine published by Midway and Sendai,[42] a series of collectible stickers for an album by Panini Group, two different series of action figures (released in Argentina in 1995 and in the US in 1999, respectively),[7] and collectible card game Mortal Kombat Kard Game that was marketed as "Mortal Kombat II trading cards".[43]
Home releases
[edit]
Since 1994, multiple official ports and emulated versions of Mortal Kombat II have been released for a wide variety of home systems, including the 8-bit (Game Boy, Game Gear, and Master System), 16-bit (Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive) and 32-bit (32X, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn) consoles, Amiga and MS-DOS computers, and the PlayStation Network (PSN). The Game Boy, Game Gear, SNES, and Genesis versions were released simultaneously on September 13, 1994, dubbed "Mortal Tuesday" by Acclaim's marketing.[44] The PlayStation version was released only in Japan, retitled Mortal Kombat II: Kyuukyoku Shinken (モータルコンバットII 究極神拳, Mōtaru Konbatto Tsū Kyūkyoku Shinken, "Mortal Kombat II: Ultimate Godly Fist")JP; this subtitle was also used for the Japanese release of the Sega 32X port.
The Sega Genesis / Mega Drive port, developed by Probe Software, retains all of the blood and Fatalities without a special code having to be entered, unlike the original Mortal Kombat for the system. It contains several exclusive Easter eggs[note 8] and features some different character animations for victory poses and a support for the motion controller device Sega Activator.
The SNES version was developed by Sculptured Software. Because of poor sales of the censored SNES version of the original game, Nintendo decided to allow depictions of blood and Fatalities this time around.[46] Because the industry-wide rating system was not expected to be in effect until November 1994 at the earliest, this version had no formal rating; instead, a warning label was put on the game's box in order to inform prospective buyers about the game's mature content.[47] The Japanese version, however, is censored to a degree, with green blood for all fighters,[48] as well as the screen colors turning black-and-white for all character-specific lethal Fatalities.[49] John Tobias favored this version over the Genesis version, stating: "I would go so far as to say that the Super NES version is one of the best arcade-to-home conversions I've seen."[50]
Also developed by Probe Software, the Game Boy port plays similarly to the Game Boy version of the original game but with characters moving much smoother and faster. It only contains eight of the 12 playable fighters from the arcade game (lacking Baraka, Johnny Cage, Kung Lao and Raiden); Kintaro and Noob Saibot were also removed from the game, yet Jade is included as a hidden fighter. Only three of ten arenas are retained from the arcade version: the Kombat Tomb, the Pit II and Goro's Lair. The Kombat Tomb contains the port's only Stage Fatality and Goro's Lair is much simpler in this version (consisting of a brick wall with no openings or glowing eyes). Blood is completely removed and each playable character retains only one of their Fatalities plus the Babality.
Also developed by Probe Software, the Sega Game Gear and Master System ports are similar to the Game Boy port, but in color instead of in monochrome. Both of them are almost identical, except for the reduced size of the Game Gear screen, featuring the same fighters and arenas as the Game Boy port, but with the addition of Kintaro. The arena where players fight Jade and Smoke is exclusive to each version. Unlike the Game Boy version, blood is present, but was drastically reduced in quantity when compared to other ports. Because of the systems' limited graphical resources, some of the Fatalities in the game were altered to completely destroy the opponent's body, leaving generic gibs of bones and limbs, while others were also simplified to use common animations.
The game was also featured in several compilation releases, including Midway Arcade Treasures 2 for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox as a hidden and unlockable Easter egg, Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play for the PlayStation Portable, and Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection[7][51] for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Another compilation release, for the Nintendo DS, was canceled.[52] Arcade1Up released a home arcade cabinet compilation that included the game, as well as the original Mortal Kombat and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.[53]
Reception
[edit]
Sales
[edit]
Mortal Kombat II proved to be an enormous commercial success and even a cultural phenomenon.[85] WMS Industries, owner of Midway at the time, reported its 1993 sales in the quarter ending December 31 rose to $101 million from $86 million and said much of its revenue gain was related to the sale of the arcade version of MKII.[86] It went on to become America's highest-grossing arcade game of 1994 according to the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA).[87] By 1996, the number of arcade machines sold approached 25,000 units; at that time, arcade games that sold 5,000 units were considered strong titles (Midway printed special T-shirts to celebrate 300 machines being manufactured in one day[88]) and an arcade cabinet cost $3,000–4,000.[89] The arcade version went on to sell 27,000 units,[90] and grossed $600 million as of 2002 .[91] MKII was considered an arcade game of the year,[92] taking over from the original Mortal Kombat.
On the day of the release of the game's first four versions for cartridge-based console systems (Sega's Genesis and Game Gear and Nintendo's SNES and Game Boy), dubbed "Mortal Friday" (September 9, 1994),[93][94] an unprecedented number of more than 2.5 million copies were shipped to be distributed, with the best opening-week sales in video game history at that point.[95] Acclaim's analysts expected that the number of copies sold would reach at least 2.5 million within the first few weeks of release (at an average retail price of $60)[96] and the sales to top $150 million by the end of the year.[39][97]
In the first week of its console release, the game made sales to $50 million, which Acclaim Entertainment said was "The largest introduction of a video game in history". Distribution of over 2.5 million copies around 15,000 stores required 65 trucks and 11 jumbo jets.[98] First-week sales of over $50 million in the United States surpassed the opening box office results of that season's Hollywood film blockbusters, such as Forrest Gump, True Lies, The Mask, and The Lion King.[99][100][101] Approximately 2.5 million units were shipped to stores within a month.[102] Mortal Kombat II became the world's best-selling video game (until it was eclipsed by Donkey Kong Country, released in November 1994).[103] In the United States, it was the top-selling Genesis, SNES, and Game Gear game in September 1994,[104] and the top Game Gear game the following month.[105] The Genesis version went on to sell 1.78 million copies in the United States, along with an additional 1.51 million American copies of the game for the SNES.[106] In the United Kingdom, it was the top-selling game in September 1994, including for the Mega Drive, SNES, Master System, Game Gear, and Game Boy;[107] it remained the top-selling game for the Master System, Game Gear, and Game Boy in October,[108] and for the Game Gear in November.[109]
By 2002, estimated gross sales of Mortal Kombat II home video games exceeded $400 million.[103] Re-released in 2007, the PSN version has continued to occupy the service's top ten monthly sales chart nearly three years later in February 2010.[110]
Reviews
[edit]
The initial critical reception of Mortal Kombat II was overwhelmingly positive,[111] with Sega Visions describing the way in which the sequel was directed as "sheer brilliance",[112] and Nintendo Power calling it "the hottest fighter ever".[113] Tony Brusgul of The Daily Gazette opined the "incredible" hype surrounding the game was "well deserved", describing it as "a perfect blend of great graphics, action and violence".[114] In his review of the arcade release, Rik Skews of Computer + Video Games (C+VG) wrote: "the only true rival to Street [F]ighter II" returned "in a sequel that bites off the head of the original."[57]
Regarding the Genesis version, Mark Patterson of C+VG wrote that "Probe has done an incredible job with this conversion. Everything is here, and I mean everything."[58] Sushi-X of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) called the Genesis version "a great translation considering its limitations", commenting that its graphics and sounds are not as good as those of the SNES version.[95] A reviewer for The Detroit News was "very disappointed" with the Genesis port and recommended the SNES version instead.[95]
The four reviewers of EGM hailed the SNES version as a "near-perfect" translation of the arcade game.[61] A reviewer for The Baltimore Sun called the SNES version "the best game I've ever played - a true translation",[95] and Patterson noted it was the bloodiest game Nintendo has yet allowed to be released. C+VG declared it "the most perfect coin-op conversion ever".[115][58] Next Generation stated about SNES version that "with full creative license, Acclaim has produced possibly the best arcade conversion ever."[73]
Regarding the portable console ports, Patterson stated that "no Game Boy owner should go without this" and called the Game Gear version "still the best handheld beat-'em up" on the market though lacking much canonical content.[58] EGM reviewers concurred that the Game Gear version "has eye-popping graphics, and great control - so much so that you won't believe this is a portable", but were less enthusiastic about the Game Boy version. Though they commented that it is better than most fighting games for the system, two of their four reviewers said that it was not worth getting with the game available on much more powerful platforms.[62]
Critical reception of the Amiga version was also mostly very favorable, including Ed Lawrence of CU Amiga declaring that "every person who own an Amiga has to own Mortal Kombat 2. In terms of revitalising the Amiga market, this is far more important than any Commodore buy-out could ever be."[78] In a rare dissenting opinion, Jonathan Nash of Amiga Power dismissed Mortal Kombat II as "a clearly nonsensical title", recommending to "buy Shadow Fighter instead".[116] The later PC version was also well-received, with Next Generation stating that "if you like fighting games, this is the best that's available."[74]
About the 32X version, IGN's Levi Buchanan stated that "if you do not have a SNES, this is the home version of MKII to get."[71] In contrast, GamePro remarked that the 32X version offered too little improvement over the Genesis version, even failing to correct the control shortcomings, and was technically poor given the 32X's capabilities.[117] In a review of the 32X version of the game, Next Generation opined that "MKII is a great game, but it's a serious case of 'been there, done that!'"[75] Brazilian magazine Ação Games gave the 32X version 5 out of 5 on all six categories.[118]
Reviewing the CD-ROM based Saturn port, EGM commented that the graphics are identical to the arcade version but that there are missing sound effects and "unbearable" slowdown when first performing a special move. They rated it the best home version of the game to date but said that with Mortal Kombat II having considerably aged by this point, any port needed to be near arcade perfect to stand out.[63] Next Generation said that the Saturn version was arcade perfect, but that the Mortal Kombat series as a whole was grossly overrated and lacked any gameplay innovations to make it stand out from other fighting games. They summarized that "if you are a fan of the game (and you know who you are), then the Saturn version is everything you can hope for - an arcade-perfect translation - and yet, there is nothing outside of a flashy presentation and a little gore to recommend this game over a million others just like it."[76] Scary Larry of GamePro agreed that the Saturn port "duplicates the arcade version perfectly", but argued that the slowdown and load times make the game frustrating to play. He concluded that the conversion would make a decent holdover until Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was released for Saturn, but fails to measure up to Mortal Kombat 3 on the PlayStation.[119] Sega Saturn Magazine was extremely disappointed with the final version of the Saturn port, calling it "much worse than any of the versions seen on the cartridge format",[82] as opposed to the vastly superior pre-release version they had reviewed five months earlier.[81]
Awards
[edit]
Mortal Kombat II received numerous annual awards from gaming publications. Game Players gave it the titles of "Best Genesis Fighting Game", "Best SNES Fighting Game" and "Best Overall SNES Game" of 1994.[120] The staff of Nintendo Power ranked MKII as the second (SNES) and fifth (Game Boy) "Top Game" of 1994,[46] while the magazine's readers voted it to receive the 1995's Nintendo Power Awards for "Best Tournament Fighter (all Nintendo platforms)" and "Best Play Control (Game Boy)",[121] with the game having been nominated by the staff also in the categories "Worst Villain" (positively, an equivalent of "Best Hero") and "Best Overall (all Nintendo platforms)".[122] VideoGames named MKII as the "Best Fighting Game" of 1994, also awarding it second place in the categories "Best Super NES Game" and "Best Arcade-to-Home Translation".[123] Other awards included "The Best of the Show (Super NES)" for the SCES '94 from GamePro[124] and "Bloodiest Game of 1994" from EGM.[125] In 2017, Gamesradar listed the game 29th on its "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time".[126]
Controversies
[edit]
See also: Controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat
As in the case of the first Mortal Kombat game, the content of Mortal Kombat II became the subject of a great deal of controversy regarding violent video games. Nancian Cherry of Toledo Blade wrote that both games had "an army of critics too: people upset by the bone-crunching, blood-spurting, limb-ripping violence depicted on the small screen."[127] According to IGN, "Mortal Kombat II wore its notoriety as a badge of honor, boasting about it in promotional materials, and even parodying it in-game."[128] The game was banned in Germany,[129] where MKII was put in the index by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM) and all versions of the game except for the Game Boy version[130] were subjected to being confiscated from the nation's market for violating the German Penal Code by showing excessive violence and cruel acts against representations of human beings. Due to regional censorship, the game was also released with green-colored blood and black-and-white fatality sequences in Japan; it was at that time a unique occurrence of a western game being censored in Japan, not the reverse.[48] Years later, Boon recalled: "I've always had the position that the rating system was a good idea and should be put in place. Once Mortal Kombat II came out, there was a rating system in place. We were an M-rated game, and everybody knew the content that was in there, so it became almost a non-issue."[18] Tobias agreed, saying that they "were content with the M for mature on our packaging."[131]
There were also some other controversies. In 1994, Guy Aoki, president of Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA), criticized the game for allegedly perpetuating existing stereotypes of Asians as martial arts experts with the game's portrayal of several of its characters. Allyne Mills, a publicist at Acclaim, responded to this by stating: "This is a fantasy game, with all different characters. This is a martial arts game which comes from Asia. [sic] The game was not created to foster stereotypes."[132] Critical studies professor Marsha Kinder accused the game of "a misogynist aspect to the combat", alleging that "in MKII, some of the most violent possibilities are against women. Also, their fatality moves are highly eroticised."[133]
Members of Mortal Kombat II cast (Daniel Pesina, Philip Ahn, and Katalin Zamiar, as well as Sonya's actress Elizabeth Malecki), seeking additional royalties for the game's home ports, sued Midway, Williams, Nintendo of America, Sega of America and Acclaim Entertainment for misuse of their likenesses in an unauthorized way in two different cases in 1996 and 1997, losing both of them.[134][135][136] After that, Pesina (who sought $10 million for his role in both games, after being paid several thousand) agreed to participate in the BloodStorm advertisement photo shoot attacking Mortal Kombat. He later recalled, "I don't think [the ad] actually upset people at Midway. I think it more upset some of the hardcore Mortal Kombat fans."[137]
Retrospective
[edit]
Over the following years, multiple publications acclaimed Mortal Kombat II as one of the best video games ever. It was ranked as the 97th top game of all time by the staff of Game Informer in 2001,[139] as the 38th most important video game of all time by the staff of GamePro in 2007,[138] and as the 32nd best video game of all time by The Boston Phoenix in 2010.[140] Featuring it in their 2003 video game hall of fame series, the staff of GameSpot wrote: "Mortal Kombat II was so much better, as a sequel, than it had to be that it absolutely deserves a place in the pantheon of all-time classics."[5]
Many publications also listed Mortal Kombat II among the best video games of its genre or era. It was ranked as the third best fighting game by the staff of GamePro[141] and the ninth best fighting game of all time by Rich Knight of Cinema Blend in 2008,[142] as the third top fighting game of all time by Marissa Meli of UGO[143] and the second best 2D fighting game ever made by Robert Workman of GamePlayBook in 2010,[144] and as the third best fighting game of all time by Peter Rubin of Complex in 2011.[145] It was also ranked as the 53rd best game on any Nintendo platform by the staff of Nintendo Power in 1997,[146] featured among the 100 best games of the 20th century by Jakub Kralka of Benchmark in 2009,[147] and ranked as the tenth best 16-bit game ever by McKinley Noble of PC World that same year.[148]
The game also received accolades for its various conversions. Mortal Kombat II was included among the ten best arcade games by Wirtualna Polska,[149] and ranked as the fifth top arcade game by the staff of GameTrailers in 2009,[150] as the 31st top arcade game of all time by the staff of GameSpy in 2011,[151] and as the sixth best arcade game of the 1990s by Complex in 2013.[152] Regarding the 16-bit console versions, MKII was ranked as the fourth best ever Genesis game by Complex[153] and as the 19th best Genesis game by GamesRadar,[129] as well as the 12th best ever SNES game by Rich Knight of Complex[154] and as the 25th top game for the SNES by Richard George of IGN;[155] in 1995, SNES magazine Super Play also ranked it as the best sequel on the platform.[156] In Poland, where the Amiga was the most popular gaming platform of the early 1990s, MKII was ranked as the ninth best ever Amiga game by Michał Wierzbicki of CHIP[157] and as the 22nd best Amiga game by PSX Extreme editor-in-chief Przemysław Ścierski.[158] In 1995, Total! Listed the game 4th on its "Top 100 SNES Games".[159] In 1996, GamesMaster rated the game 35th on their "Top 100 Games of All Time".[160]
GamesRadar called it "the point when the series became great".[161] In 2007, GamesRadar included four elements of this game - Dan Forden's "Toasty!" effect during an uppercut (also ranked as the 11th funniest moment in video games by Rich Knight of Complex in 2012),[162] Friendship and Babality finishing moves, and the ceiling spikes Stage Fatality - among the ten greatest things about Mortal Kombat.[163] Reviewing the PlayStation 3 release in 2007, IGN's Jeff Haynes stated that "Mortal Kombat II still manages to stand up almost 15 years later as one of the best arcade fighters around."[72] As late as 2009, many fans still considered MKII to be the best title in the series.[148] According to a 2011 article by Mike Harradence of PlayStation Universe, the "bigger, bolder and bloodier" game remains "a firm fan favourite among MK aficionados".[164] That year, IGN's Richard George wrote that "Mortal Kombat II is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the series" and called it "still one of the most fun 16-bit fighters to play".[155] In 2013, Rich Knight and Hanuman Welch of Complex wrote that "Mortal Kombat II took everything we loved about the original and magnified it by about a million. ... We still love this game."[152] That same year, Knight and Gus Turner from the same magazine also ranked it as the sixth best 2D fighting game of all time, stating: "Truth be told, the latest MK has nothing on this one. Nothing. A step up from the original in every way, MK II was, and still is, a solid, violent game that's an essential title to grab for any serious fan of fighting games."[165] In 2014, Kevin Wong of Complex wrote: "Today, we remember Mortal Kombat II for its anarchic spirit—the game was endlessly intriguing and weird, and it had an uneasy atmosphere—anything could happen at any given moment. Critics derided Mortal Kombat as meaningless shock value, but its sequel proved those naysayers wrong. Mortal Kombat II was a Flawless Victory—irreverent, hilarious, and horrific in equal measures."[166]
Legacy
[edit]
On December 26, 2022, the source code for the game, which included cut content, was uploaded online to GitHub.[167][168][169] In response, on January 6, 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery sent a DMCA take down notice to GitHub, and public access to the repository was disabled as a result.[170][171][172][173] The leaker then created a new repository titled "not-mk2" which contained the "Controversies" section of the NetherRealm Studios article on Wikipedia.[170]
Rumored content
[edit]
While many games have been subject to urban legends about secret features and unlockable content, these kinds of myths were particularly rampant among the dedicated fan community of Mortal Kombat in connection with Mortal Kombat II.[4] According to GameSpy, "the [arcade gaming] community was abuzz about myriad secrets both true and false."[151] The game's creators did little to dispel those rumors that included supposed "Nudality" or "Sexuality" finishing moves for Kitana and Mileena, Shang Tsung's ability to transform into Kano and Goro, a chance to fight Sonya after defeating Jade in a specific way, and "Hornbuckle" being featured as an additional secret character.[5][7][128][174][175]
Some of them were eventually implemented in subsequent MK games. Among these rumors to be adapted later were the Animalities (used in Mortal Kombat 3 and its updates) and an ability to throw an opponent into the mouth of a tree in the Living Forest stage (first used in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks).[128][176][177] Rumored characters included a red female ninja character (actually just a glitch that reportedly turned Kitana's outfit from blue to red[citation needed]), who was dubbed "Scarlet" by fans and was officially introduced as Skarlet in 2011's Mortal Kombat,[178][179] and the male ninja Ermac that originated from a misinterpreted indicator in the original game's audits menu, and was teased in MKII before finally becoming playable in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.[7][179] A nameless, flaming palette swap of Liu Kang seen in the background of the Pit II stage, initially dubbed "Torch" by fans, officially debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance as a secret character Blaze that later became the final boss of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon.[176]
Related titles
[edit]
Although the 1995 film Mortal Kombat was primarily based on the first game, it features elements of MKII, such as the characters Kitana and Shao Kahn, and the setting of Outworld.
The plot and characters of the game served as the basis for the 2005 spin-off game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, a beat 'em up title which follows Liu Kang and Kung Lao as they fight their way through Outworld to defeat Shao Kahn. Some of the plot of Shaolin Monks, such as the death of Jade, is not compatible with the general Mortal Kombat game series.
The events of Mortal Kombat II, along with the first Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat 3 (including its expansions), were later retold in the 2011 fighting game Mortal Kombat, which was as an effective reboot of the series. In it, Raiden uses time travel to revisit the tournaments from the original games in the series in order to change the future in the aftermath of Armageddon.[180] The ladder/arcade mode of this game can follow the same order of bosses as in MKII (with Shang Tsung, Kintaro and Shao Kahn as the final three opponents, although Goro will often be the ninth opponent instead of Kintaro) and its controls and Fatality system are most reminiscent of MKII. Classic costumes from MKII were also brought back as alternate outfits for female ninja characters, with some of these costumes exclusive to the PlayStation Vita version.[181]
Mortal Kombat II was to be one of the three games remade in HD in the cancelled fighting game Mortal Kombat HD Arcade Kollection.[182][183] However, only a simple compilation game titled Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection was released instead.
Notes
[edit]
References
[edit]
Video games portal
United States portal
1990s portal
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Anime and Gaming Rants and Musings by an Insane Grad Student
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[WARNING!! ELEVATED SPOILER COUNT AHEAD!!]
I will start this off by saying that Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata stands as easily one of my favorite anime to date. It wasn’t always this way, however. When I first watched it, I kind of gave it the “Not Bad Obama Face” while quite enjoying the main heroine’s quirk compared to the rest of the caste. However, since there’s a second season coming next April, I was reminded that I had thoroughly enjoyed the character work and went back to rewatch it. This time, I was dying of laughter much of the time. What makes this work truly remarkable is that its most poignant characteristics are appeal directly to the jaded, cynical audience of people like me who think that the greater body of anime is going to hell in a hacksaw. It achieves this, in most excellent fashion, by stretching all of the characteristics of the harem rom-com that I and many others have come to dislike to the limits of hyperbole. This anime is satire of the highest order, in the finest 1080p.
This anime’s satire runs rampant. It takes the entire Ecchi Harem Rom-Com niche and puts every aspect of it on blast. In the series’ main character, Aki Tomoya, the show unleashes the typical otaku who bumbles his way into a harem while remaining densely ignorant to the romantic aspirations of his fellow club members toward his person. Sawamura Spencer Eriri it brings the tsundere (standoffish but inwardly caring) and childhood friend tropes, while Kasumigaoka Utaha fills the role of aloof but beautiful and accomplished upperclassman, and Hyoudou Michiru is the salute to the cousin who operates in the grey area between family and romantic interest. Each of these tropes is put on blast. Each character oozes their chosen role, and some of them are actually quite aware of the trope that they are filling. However, the finishing touch is the addition of female lead Katou Megumi, who accentuates each eccentricity by being a hyperbolically normal person. At best, her trope is the low presence character, and as heroine of the show, she provides a welcome freshness in that role that enhances her place as the control variable in this tropey science experiment.
The show also makes commentary on the very concept of an “otaku.” While Tomoya represents the typical otaku on cursory inspection, it turns out that he is a highly accomplished blogger and reviewer of anime and games with a massive following as well widespread fame within his school as the flagship nerd. His popular companions, Eriri and Utaha, are both devoted otaku in their own rights, as each is an extraordinarily popular content creator. The message at the heart of the series boils down to one main point: tropes are stupid. Anybody can be an “otaku,” and people are always deeper than their immediate archetype. To further illustrate this point, Megumi, the female lead of this show, is the centerpiece of the moment that inspires Tomoya to start putting his game together. However, she appears to be the complete opposite of a stereotypical female lead. The poor girl boasts very little natural charisma and doesn’t seem to feel much of a need to stand out in any way. She is, without a doubt, perfectly average, minted ambience character material. Her low presence and general apathy toward most of the things that the other cast members are interested in makes her gradual opening up to Tomoya and the rest of the group appear powerful, but in reality her development appears that way by virtue of her much more diffuse introduction to the audience. She is, in fact, just a fairly disinterested person, rather than an empty husk, and the strong personalities of her counterparts accentuate that in the same way that she accentuates their ridiculousness.
All in all, the series is, at its most fundamental level, a commentary on tropes. It asks so many good questions: who says that a perfectly normal, somewhat withdrawn person cannot be just as important as her more enunciated counterparts? Who says a popular girl can’t be a nerd? And most importantly, who decided that these tropes were all necessary things in anime? The last point is driven particularly hard by Tomoya’s constant referral to the tropes of previous successful galge and anime throughout the series. He shies away from the prospect of actually putting together a production that ignores previously established tropes and stereotypes and established plot gimmicks. This ridiculous adherence to the “traditions of previous success” is probably the show’s most powerful statement of all. Creators need to start actually creating again.
Do you enjoy satire? Have you ever read Ionesco’s Rhinoceros? If so, hit me up on Twitter @EHyungNim! If you haven’t read Rhinoceros, you should. And if you don’t like satire, then you are a pansy and I want nothing to do with you.
-Hyung
[SPOILARINO PASTARINO]
So last week I got posterized for the quality of my last post because I made a lot of larger, sweeping judgments about Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, but this week I am a changed man! No longer will I pontificate about what the greater public deserves. I shall now do what I do best: center everything on me!
Out of all of the elements of a story, be it an anime, drama, movie, or book, the characters of a story stand closest to the reader. Therefore, when an anime qualifies for my “Unfinished Business” writing, it is typically characters that prove to be the driving force behind that occurrence. So, without further ado, I will now lay out how to avoid ending up on being featured on Weeb Wednesday for all of the wrong reasons.
When building characters, there are three big things that make a character a quality reflection of writing talent. The first is their orientation. The character is an extension of the world in which they exist and should reflect the influences and pressures of that world. This is often done well, although not always creatively, but when it is not done well, it will detract mightily from any narrative. The second is consistency, which refers to the character’s consistency of behavior and logic. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I desire characters who don’t change, as a character who never changes isn’t really fun to watch/read. Rather, it means that, barring a big change that would likely qualify as one of the climactic events of that character’s life, a character who makes a decision based on a certain logic or thought process continues to use those basic foundations for his decision making. A character who goes from following his faith in his god or gods wouldn’t change that process unless he had a damn good reason. The third, and final, factor is much more subjective, but it’s incredibly important to me: believability. A character’s behavior should be believable. This is about subtlety and nuance, which means that your character can’t go from hoping to build a bright future for himself and his friends to deciding that some part of the population needs to be wiped out without a really, really good reason. A character who simply oscillates between two binaries isn’t interesting, and the clumsiness of their construction is really, really, really obvious. If a character is kept grounded in who they are and progress in a believable manner, they should be able to avoid ending up in “Unfinished Business,” so keep these three factors in mind moving forward, especially if you write!
Orientation
All three of these factors are important but typically manifest at varying levels of strength from character to character, so I’ll give you an example for each factor of a character that I felt exemplified a high level of quality in that particular area. For orientation, that character is Makishima Shōgo, the main antagonist in Psycho Pass.
Shōgo makes a good example of excellent orientation by occupying a unique space within the Psycho Pass world. In Psycho Pass, everyone’s psychological health and potential for violence and crime is judged by a color system, or hue, that is monitored by the Sibyl System. Anyone whose hue passes a certain point becomes known as a Latent Criminal and is either brought into custody for therapy or eliminated altogether in the hope of creating the perfect society. Shōgo, however, is different from everyone else. In the eyes of Sibyl, he has no hue, which means that he cannot be judged at any time. While he may be murdering people and pursuing other crimes, law enforcement, whose ability to take action is limited by Sibyl’s judgments, cannot touch him because, according to the system, he doesn’t exist.
“But Hyung, how can he be an example of great orientation if he’s an anomaly?” says Reddit. Well, the key here is that Shōgo’s character’s problem itself is fundamentally rooted in the existence of the preexisting system. Shōgo the antagonist cannot exist without the world in which author Urobuchi Gen placed him. His reasons for becoming an antagonist are rooted in an existential problem. Because society does not acknowledge his existence, he does not exist. His nonexistence causes Shōgo to realize that he could do quite literally anything he pleased without penalty, which brings his mental state to a boiling point that remains invisible from the society around him. The character’s construction explores elements of Jean Baudrillard’s simulacrum, as the pressure caused by Shōgo’s discovery leads him to want to destroy the system by illustrating its flaws to the public. Thus, Shōgo is fundamentally tied to the system and the world that he opposes because he exists outside of it. Despite being an outsider, he is probably the character most closely attuned to the world that he inhabits.
Consistency
Consistency is a difficult thing to grasp. I know that it eludes me in many of my characters that I’ve written in my fiction work, and I know that on the most basic level, it’s a pretty easy thing to pull off. Its absence is jarring and horrifying to read or watch, but its presence largely goes unnoticed. To highlight this trait done well, I have chosen one of the most obvious, blunt instrument over the head examples possible: Kobayakawa Sena, the protagonist from my beloved Eyeshield 21.
In a cast of ridiculous characters who cross the line from caricature into the outright ridiculous, Sena experiences the largest amount of change while still maintaining a certain consistency. As a perpetual gopher for bullies throughout much of his life, Sena is extraordinarily timid and utterly lacking in self confidence at the beginning of the anime/manga. However, he grows into a character who is able to reconcile with his awakening competitive spirit and goes on to become the greatest running back that the world had ever seen, etc. etc. The key element of his character, however, is that coming out of his shell is a perpetual struggle for Sena. Despite being kind and hardworking, he is constantly battling against his own poor self esteem. While this proves to be a consistent source of frustration for readers and viewers, Sena represents a very real struggle between personality, which tends not to change very much very quickly, and the discovery of immense talent, which is, by its own nature, an explosive change. The friction between his beaten down self and his unparalleled ability to run faster than anybody else in the world is what makes his character good, and that simply wouldn’t be possible if he discovered his talent and suddenly decided that rather than develop as a person, he’d just think of himself as the second coming. Character consistency keeps Sena grounded, and while I am not necessarily his biggest fan (all hail the mighty and terrible Hiruma!), it is an incredibly well done aspect of his character and displays absolutely marvelous patience on the part of writer Inagaki Riichiro.
Believability
At the end of the day, I believe that the foundation of all good stories is the struggle of a person’s humanity versus crisis, which means that the existence of purely evil characters who are there purely for evil’s sake is just a lazy cop out. An antagonist is not necessarily an enemy of all things good and wonderful. Rather, they are the protagonist of a different story who come into contact with the work in question’s protagonist. In other words, it should appear equally viable that another work be created that follows that antagonist’s story. To illustrate this concept, I will cheat egregiously in abuse of my powers as chosen blogger by selecting two characters: Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wen Li from Tanaka Yoshiki’s Ginga Eiyū Densetsu, or Legend of the Galactic Heroes.
This selection is cheating for another reason. Not only have I chosen two characters, but I have chosen both sides of the conflict that is central to Gin’eiden’s plot. The two characters in question illustrate my earlier point about opposing stories well because the plot of the anime quite literally follows their stories in direct opposition to each other. The premise of the story is that two large galactic political entities exist on opposite ends of a galaxy and are almost always at war with one another. Each side has a genius commander who rises to command of their forces. The first, the underdog, is Yang Wen Li of the Free Planets Alliance, while his opponent is Reinhard von Lohengramm of the Galactic Empire. Both are rising stars in their respective empires, with Reinhard rising due to his combination of immense talent and political backing, while Wen Li rises despite his own government. Neither character is necessarily portrayed as an archetypical villain in the series. Rather, both of their stories receive equal time as the work follows the course of both of their lives to their respective conclusions. Each man operates according to his own unique ambitions and follows his own particular logic in his decision making process. As the events of the saga develop, each man responds to his personal problems in his own way, and they all manage to respond to external stimuli in ways that fit their particular rationale. For Reinhard, everything he does revolves around his ambition to change the corrupt politics of the Empire, whereas Wen Li constantly does everything he can to stay alive while doing his duty so that he can one day retire and live in peace, far away from all of the workings of war and government. While parts of their personalities change over time, the core of Reinhard and Wen Li remains roughly the same throughout the story, so the characters’ actions and behaviors are still recognizable as the plot progresses. For a story that banked everything on excellent portrayals of these two characters, the believability of both Reinhard and Wen Li’s characters is what made them truly memorable. They are both humans, and act as such, influenced by their personal rhetoric and the pressures of the world around them in ways that suit only them. To this day I am convinced that no other work of fiction has characterized two opposed individuals so well and so completely.
Conclusion
As you’ve probably noticed, there are some grounds for overlap between these categories, and that’s okay. No character has each facet of their construction strictly cordoned off from the others, so it makes sense that the categories are all interconnected. In each case, these are characters whose orientation, consistency, and believability are well put together, so any of them could have been a single example that could cover all three. If something is bothering you in a show or book or movie that you are watching, take a moment and evaluate the characters. If they’re bad, they’re probably lacking in any of these qualities and you should feel free to drop that work right then and there!
If you’re a fellow writer, I hope that you agree with what I’ve written here. If you’re a reader, I hope the same. This at least will clear up exactly the types of characters that you will not likely find in the “Unfinished Business” posts, and might just give you some ideas for shows to add to your watch list.
As always, feel free to flame me on Twitter @EHyungNim!
-Hyung
[WEATHER FORECASTS 80% CHANCE OF SPOILERS]
Friends, today we must convene for yet another discussion of an anime dropped and hours of life saved. The subject of this investigation is Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, a zombie-filled, steampunk, half-human, half-zombie protagonist toting action thriller set in a world where the huff and puff of steampunk industry meets the traditions of Edo period Japan. Sounds tantalizing, does it not? Unfortunately, despite incredible art and animation, I dropped this show, not because it failed to hold my attention, but because it pushed me away. It was, in summation, a gorgeous artistic venture with a world maxed out on the cool factor that was wasted on a feeble attempt at a story and characters.
I was going to delay this Unfinished Business because I had hoped to put together something different, but alas, current events have forced my hand, so here I am. This was a show that I actually had reasonably high hopes for. I really like steampunk things, though part of that comes from the dearth of steampunk that I have had the opportunity to experience–call it the allure of the unfamiliar. The show itself was visually stunning, both in terms of art and animation. I would not be opposed to owning a Kabaneri poster, for example. However, the story suffered from issues that forced me to drop it after seven episodes.
The world building that occurred in Kabaneri, while not altogether explained, was fun. The kabane (zombies) were deadly, in the classical zombie tradition of “get bit, eat s***,” and humanity was so pressed that they had retreated to walled frontier settlements and travelled in giant steel trains. We are immediately greeted with both the deadliness of the foe and the pride of the bushi (warrior) caste in the opening moments of the show, and the gravity of the danger faced by the people who undertake the train journeys is crystal clear. This show, like so many others before it, offers an opportunity for an exploration of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Instead…we got Kabaneri.
I had originally dropped the anime after the introduction of the “Black Fog,” a sort of, sentient zombie snowball. It was literally just thousands of zombies stuck together in a giant blob, controlled by a more powerful zombie at its core. To be honest, I was almost willing to suspend disbelief until I saw that the Black Fog looked like a poorly drawn gumby imitation. That ended the show for me, or so I thought until my friend Kevin told me to watch the seventh episode, which was, in an approximation of his words, “So incredibly bad that you have to watch it.” The man was more right than he knew.
In fact, Kevin was so right that he prompted a ten minute diatribe from me lamenting the fact that people were actually paid to write Biba, the main villain of the story, as a functional character. He stands, in my opinion, as the most incredibly poorly executed villain that I have had the misfortune to watch/read in years, easily. The man felt betrayed by his father, the Shogun, whose conduct during a moment of panic had caused Biba to be injured, and his immediate response can be roughly summarized as, “Dad’s weak, therefore we must cull all weak people from the human genome.” How will he do this, you ask? By destroying the walled population centers that allow humanity to survive in the first place because they shelter weak people, of course!
Some would argue that this is a logical line of character progression under the stress of fear, such as Crunchyroll’s Peter Fobian, who wrote the following:
Biba’s faction follows a different acts as a philosophical opponent to the Kotetsujo, working as a polished military unit despite operating under the selfish belief that the strong will survive and the weak shall perish. Although initially stronger than the Kotetsujo, their goal is later revealed to be destructive, attempting to create an ideal world reflecting Biba’s philosophy. Unsurprisingly, this requires tearing down the boundaries that protect the weakest of humanity from the kabane and creating a new predatory world with kabaneri as the top of the food chain. The plan is fundamentally flawed in that it requires the selfless sacrifice of two of his own crew who would represent survivors in his ideal world, revealing the failure of Biba’s convictions long before his downfall.
This is a logical fallacy. It is not only a bizarre and unreasoned character progression, but also represents a writing cop out. The fact that someone sat down and decided that because his dad got him hurt, Biba would decide to essentially destroy the greater part of humanity, is utterly mystifying. If Biba has displayed the resourcefulness to build an effective and efficient military unit that is highly dedicated to his cause, then he would also be conscious of the fact that without population centers, resupply would be utterly impossible. Further, his whole band seems to buy into his mad plan, which is even more ridiculous, because there’s not a zombie snowball’s chance in hell that nobody asked the question, “How do we eat when we’ve gotten everyone killed?” When I realized that the deepest that Biba’s character was going to go was “I’ll kill 90% of everyone, but I’ll have a really bad, deeply rooted reason for it,” that was it. No more Kabaneri for me, thanks.
As a bonus round, I would like to take a moment to talk about what it was that got me to write this now rather than later. Another critic, whom I more respectfully disagree with, is Digibro. Digibro, is a well-spoken man with a discerning eye for anime (his breakdown of the first episode of Stein’s Gate put that eye fully on display, by Thunder!). However, when he released his Kabaneri video last week, there were parts of his commentary that I found I could not reconcile with my own standards for the media that I consume. He took Kabaneri and focused on what it did really well, which was the mix of action, art, and animation that blended so well for the greater part of the work. The problem was that he also argued that people that were roasting Kabaneri for its poor story and characters should have seen that it was bad and would continue to be bad, making their critiques illogical. In the video, Digibro said that:
“What bothers me about Kabaneri’s critical reception is not the fact that a lot of people didn’t like it, nor the fact that there’s a lot of elements to it that I think are worth celebrating. It’s mostly the fact that people are acting so surprised that they didn’t get the next FMA Brotherhood out of it. I feel like everyone has in their heads this mythical idea of the perfect anime that starts out hype and cool and then develops a huge cast of memorable, lovable characters, and a winding narrative full of epic plot twists and reveals and emotional character moments, but also badass action scenes and hype and it’s dark but not grim dark and funny but not goofy and it’s only just convoluted enough that you can kind of look past it, and I really think that we only got that show once, and we got it because it was a readaptation of a show that had already proven such a massive, worldwide success that they would’ve been crazier not to make it all over again. And as much as I appreciate Brotherhood and how well it captures the seemingly worldwide shared idea of what a perfect adventure story should be, I also think that there’s a million other kinds of stories that are maybe not so perfect but are worth telling anyway. Kabaneri was fine. It was dumb, but it wasn’t broken. It didn’t ask you to accept a plotline which was completely at ends with the rules of its own universe…it’s just a cool action show that doesn’t bore you to tears with too much rote dialogue and convoluted bulls***.”
This, to me, however, is not an effective argument for Kabaneri’s acceptance. Up to this point, I honestly had very few arguments against him. However, by taking the reception of the work, which is reflective of poor storytelling and character development, and turning that back on the audience receiving it, is fundamentally incorrect. I hesitate to put words in his mouth, but it sounds dangerously like he asks us to put aside our standards for what it is that we hope to see in an anime, in favor of whatever it is that those making them decide to give us. This, however, is similar to what I have said before about Open World Games. We should be judging these works on whether or not the overall package of qualities that they bring to the table is good, not on whether or not a package is present.
While I do believe that Kabaneri had its redeeming qualities, I fail to understand how it is that I, who tragically have not finished FMA Brotherhood, or any other anime fan should be willing to compromise our conceptualization of what is or is not a quality show based on a set of criteria that shift depending on how stupid a show could be. While, as Digibro said, Biba existed purely to give Ikoma a girl to save and a bad guy to kill, it doesn’t mean that we have to accept that–let alone that we should.
My final point on the subject of standards, however, boils down to this: my real beef with Kabaneri would not have been as pronounced if not for the fact that the “cool” factor was so high. Digibro stated that the cool factor was clearly the studio’s focus, and that the show should therefore only really be judged by that, but I would argue that to create such a cool world and fail to give it a story worth experiencing is a massive failure. I think that at the heart of anime and other shows are aspects of the human experience, whether it be through comedy, sports, or a zombie-snowball horror action thriller. There was no human experience here, which is a true tragedy for the artists who worked so hard to bring the animated aspects of the work to fruition. It is not the show’s existence that is a tragedy, but rather that the work of talented people is going to be forever tainted by subpar written work paired with it. In fact, the coolness of Kabaneri only goes to enunciate its greater failures in writing and development. Was it dumb? Yes. But that did not necessarily mean that it needed to stay that way.
-Hyung
What did you think of Kabaneri? Think I’m a pompous fool with too much hair and not enough brain? Send me all of your hate on Twitter @EHyungNim!
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| 34 |
https://shopee.ph/%25E2%2598%2581Storm-Toys-DCMK13-1-12-Scale-Classic-Game-Characters-KANO-MORTAL-KOMBAT-Male-Warrior-Full-Set-6-I%25DB%25A9-i.1268517626.26702183343
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en
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[
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1473
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3
| 56 |
https://www.pcgamer.com/mortal-kombat-x-brings-back-older-wiser-nastier-kano/
|
en
|
Mortal Kombat X brings back older, wiser, nastier Kano
|
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[
"Andy Chalk"
] |
2014-08-11T23:12:46+00:00
|
Kano always struck me as kind of a punching bag in the original Mortal Kombat, and his performance in the first Mortal Kombat film didn't do anything to improve my opinion. But the Kano of Mortal Kombat X is older, wiser, heavily upgraded and more able than ever to kill you three times before you hit the ground.
|
en
|
pcgamer
|
https://www.pcgamer.com/mortal-kombat-x-brings-back-older-wiser-nastier-kano/
|
Kano always struck me as kind of a punching bag in the original Mortal Kombat, and his performance in the first Mortal Kombat film didn't do anything to improve my opinion. But the Kano of Mortal Kombat X is older, wiser, heavily upgraded and more able than ever to kill you three times before you hit the ground.
Like the other characters in Mortal Kombat X, Kano will come to the party with three variant fighting styles: Cutthroat, which takes advantage of his cybernetic heart and advanced knife-fighting skills; Cybernetic, focusing on long-range grenade and eye-laser attacks; and Commando, a close-range, ground-and-pound style that keeps opponents from putting together an effective offense.
Naturally, the video finishes with a Fatality, which is brutal, grotesque and hilarious, all at the same time; classic Mortal Kombat, in other words. Mortal Kombat X comes out next year.
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https://www.geeksundergrace.com/movies/review-mortal-kombat-2021/
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en
|
Review – Mortal Kombat (2021)
|
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[
"Tyrone Barnes",
"www.facebook.com"
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2021-06-15T11:00:00+00:00
|
For those who consider themselves purists with regard to adaptations, the dumb, contrived, half-witted, chaotically constructed schlock on display here was made to order.
|
en
|
Geeks Under Grace
|
https://www.geeksundergrace.com/movies/review-mortal-kombat-2021/
|
I wrote in my article on Netflix’s Castlevania series that the technical and artistic achievement to be found there was something of a watershed moment for cinematic adaptations of interactive titles. No longer could one use the excuse of a weak story, thin world-building, flat characters, or Zero Wing quality writing as an excuse for a poorly executed film or television production. If my conviction that you can make a great movie out of anything was given a full manifestation, it was there. At the same time, it’s unrealistic to expect everyone to hit such a high mark consistently, so I found myself of two minds with regard to the announcement of another live action attempt at a Mortal Kombat title. I’ll see about how to bifurcate that below…
Content Guide
Violence/Scary Images: Extremely strong, bloody/gory fantasy violence. Many voluminous, spattering blood spurts. Bloody wounds. Spitting/dribbling blood. Characters are killed. Martial arts fighting with kicking, punching, throwing, complex holds. Stabbing with swords and other blades/weapons. Limbs sliced off. Sword through head. Heads bashing on rock or concrete. Guns and shooting. Characters frozen. Character’s arms frozen until they burst, with blood shooting everywhere. Character sliced in half from head to navel by giant spinning blade; gory insides shown. Giant monster battles; person rips out monster’s heart. Monster stabbed in eye. Exploding head. Character shot, leaving a huge hole.
Language/Crude Humor: Several uses of “f–k”/”f–king.” Also “motherf—-r,” “s–t,” “a–hole,” “p—y,” “b***h,” “pr–k,” “a**/bada**,” “sack/suck my sack,” “damn,” “hell,” and “nuts.”
Sexual Content: None.
Drug/Alcohol Use: Character drinks a bottle of beer.
Spiritual Content: Some superficial allusions to Eastern mysticism. Characters are able to return from the dead.
Other Negative Themes: Strong revenge subplot.
Positive Content: Courage is shown in the movie’s extremely simple (and very violent) good-versus-evil story, though not much teamwork is displayed.
Movie has a very diverse cast. In departure from many Hollywood movies, White male characters are all either villains or turn out to be villains. The three heroes are all very positive and likable, offering positive Asian, Black, and female representation. They fight a lot, of course, but seem to fight out of a sense of duty and doing the right thing. It’s not just about power or wreaking havoc.
Review
Let’s recap for a minute here, folks. Mortal Kombat is one video game franchise that isn’t at all alien to the big screen. The 1995 theatrical release is today regarded as something of a cult classic, despite how low-brow, campy, and brain-dead a production it was. Or perhaps, it’s because of that? Is that not something entirely faithful to the pedestrian, juvenile, lizard-brained nonsense that the infamous arcade fighter of the early 90s has been known for since its inception? Can anyone really expect anything resembling a sensible plot, erudition, or even basic cohesion from something like Mortal Kombat?
An uninitiated observer from some time ago noted that the very character roster of a standard Mortal Kombat title looks like some 10-year-old neighborhood terrorist circa 1986 grabbed all of his action figures from out of his toy box and started making them fight to the death. The cast could be seen as a choice selection of the various merchandise genres that were en vogue among toy manufactures even in my day. You had mutants and monsters (humanoid enough such that they could use the same standard plastic action figure molds for the more conventional characters to make them), magical warrior monks, superpowered color-coded ninjas, military commando types, cyborgs and robots, somewhat culturally insensitive mascots of various “exotic” people groups, and other folks who really don’t seem like they ought to be here save for the will of whatever capricious overseer is running this freak show.
One of the characters included in this guttural melting pot is just a cop. Seriously. A cop. Not some special super cop. Just a guy with a badge and a uniform. I can hardly think of anything else that better illustrates the complete disregard for plot, character, or aesthetic cohesion with which Ed Boon’s brainchild is festooned.
With that said, perhaps there’s little reason to complain about what’s offered in the 2021 effort by director Simon McQuoid, a visionary whose background is exclusively in the field of commercials, from what I gather (that really says it all, doesn’t it?). What we have in the film written by Greg Russo, Dave Callaham, and Oren Uziel (you really needed THREE people to write this?) is just as discordant, slapdash, irreverent, and carrying itself with a misplaced sense of self-importance as anyone familiar with the source material would expect. Sadly, the film is inconsiderate towards those who might not be so familiar with the original titles, so any effort to expand the fanbase through this production is elusive, to put it politely. I could feel having to stop every 15 minutes or so to explain things to my parents should they had been unfortunate enough to be watching this with me.
For those not in the know, “Mortal Kombat” refers to a grand martial arts tournament performed to maintain the balance among the various realms from which the combatants hail. The stories primarily focus on the two key realms of “Outworld” and “Earthrealm”. There may be other realms besides those two, but I’m not sure. Each of the characters have their own agendas and varying degrees of concern with regard to the ultimate outcome of the tournament, but the real selling point is seeing the characters eviscerate each other in spectacularly gory fashion as they battle for supremacy.
Does Mortal Kombat deliver where it counts? That’s a question for more committed minds than I. While there are a number of action scenes with choreography ranging in quality from middling to somewhat decent, the actual tournament of the film’s title never occurs. There are about three or so iconic fatalities – the visceral killing moves of the game series’ fame – that dot the runtime, but like so much else, they’re largely perfunctory, vapid, and inconsequential. The visual effects and costume designs are surprisingly high tier and impressive, but some casting choices here and there are quite odd, with the character of Mileena (Sisi Stringer) arguably being the biggest letdown in many ways.
We’re first introduced to a prologue sequence in Japan year 1617, in which a massacre assault on a rival ninja clan is carried out by Bi-Han (Joe Taslim), aka the first Sub-Zero, of the Lin Kuei clan. The attack leaves the Shirai Ryu clan leader Hanzo Hisashi (Hiroyuki Sanada), or Scorpion, with a dead wife and son and a cursed soul sent to the Netherrealm (that’s another realm that I couldn’t think of a few paragraphs ago). The revenge story between Scorpion and Sub-Zero is one of the more well-regarded subplots to the Mortal Kombat franchise. It’s a pity that it’s not given enough room in the film to breathe or resonate at all.
Instead, much of the storyline proper is committed to establishing as much of the games’ roster as it can manage, while a new character named Cole Young (Lewis Tan) operates as an audience surrogate. We’re shown some of the favorites that would be well-known to pre-existing fans, but newcomers will find little to respond to here. Kano (Josh Lawson), the foul-mouthed Australian mercenary, seizes nearly all the attention in every scene he occupies, though after the first act or so, that screen presence vanishes into thin air. We’re largely left adrift in a sea of confusion until Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) and Kung Lao (Max Huang) show up to provide some much-needed exposition.
“Earthrealm” (or “Earth”, if you prefer) is in a dire situation. In the last nine Mortal Kombat tournaments, Earthrealm has lost to the tyrannical realm of Outworld. Should Earthrealm suffer another loss, then by rules of the tournament, Outworld will be given leave to conquer it. Our heroes here have been chosen to fight as champions of Earthrealm in hopes that the oncoming threat can be diverted, signified by a dragon-shaped birthmark on their bodies. The film also introduces the plot mechanic of “Arcana”, an unlocked special talent that only champions for the Mortal Kombat tournament are able to manifest.
That little plot contrivance really made me wonder:
Why did we just take for granted the superhuman displays in these games? Why did we never wonder how it is that a Hollywood actor like Johnny Cage can shoot green energy blasts out of his hands, because of course he can? Did we ever need an explanation for Kung Lao’s teleportation and Mjolnir-like hat skills? Or Liu Kang’s fire attacks? This were normalized so much in fighting games, that their absence would have cried out more for an explanation than their presence. Here, I guess such suspension of disbelief isn’t made ready, but I’ve seen worse ways of trying to explain away what nitpickers might call out as a sin on the filmmakers’ part.
Honestly, I see little reason to make such a defense. Superhero movies have been getting away with this for the better part of the last 20 years or so, and aren’t afraid to wink and nod at their own nonsense. Spider-Man’s quip about Steve Rogers’ physics-defying buckler in Captain America: Civil War is the kind of tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that would prove useful to a new Mortal Kombat outing. There are whispers of it here and there, such as a remark that the word “Combat” is misspelled, but the grace and sophistication is lacking.
Again, that really isn’t a fault to condemn here. It’s Mortal Kombat. “Grace” and “sophistication” are two words have never been appropriate in describing a franchise with an aesthetic candor that one reviewer cleverly described as “Todd McFarlane by way of Andy Sidaris”. For those who consider themselves purists with regard to adaptations, the dumb, contrived, half-witted, chaotically constructed schlock on display here was made to order. For the longest time, video games in general aren’t exactly known for their fetching stories, and fighting games in particular are arguably the worst offenders. Who could ask for more?
…
Then again, what kind of excuse is that? I’ve said it before, and I will say it again:
You can make a great movie out of anything. If one of the most mature and enthralling televised dramas of my lifetime was basically an animated adaptation of “Die Hard with Dracula”, then giving us a sensible and engaging take on something as base and visceral as Mortal Kombat isn’t so far out of the realm of possibilities. Seeing as the ending wants to set up for a few sequels, and everyone in the business is hankering for the next big “cinematic universe” project, we actually have a few options in which both and possibly more could be delivered.
From my experience, the only time I was ever thoroughly invested in the story of a Mortal Kombat installment was in the case of the superb 2011 reboot title. Even there, I find that far too many stories and too much in the way of conflicting aesthetic and tonal directions for the uninitiated was at hand. Upon closer examination, I find the most successful flourishes in this franchise are found when they limit the focus to those groups of characters who are at least superficially congruent in their generic characteristics. Arguably one of the best Mortal Kombat titles on the PlayStation 2 system was the 2005 release of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, which wasn’t even a head-to-head fighting game.
While such an entry may be a bit too esoteric for an opening, it’s a good place as a linchpin moment with such a cinematic universe project, focusing on the champions of Earthrealm most immediately in contact with the villains of Outworld. Liu Kang and Kung Lao would get top billing, with the primary Loki-style villain being the sociopathic soul-sucking sorcerer Shang Tsung (Chin Han). The mystical thunder god Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) would operate from the margins as he usually does, with the side plot of Scorpion and Sub-Zero’s rivalry being marginally teased at here as well.
If we were to give more aid to those out of the loop, focusing initially on those members of the cast just as baffled by such things as Outworld, the Elder Gods, and “Arcana” if you want to keep that in play, may be the optimal direction. The aforementioned “military commando” types such as Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks), Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), and other more modern Western characters like Kano, Stryker and Johnny Cage, would be the limited cast to focus on in this first iteration. You could title it Mortal Kombat: Special Forces.
The introduction of Kano and his cybernetic capabilities would serve as an effective Segway into the cyborg characters of Sektor, Cyrax, Kabal, and the underlying post-humanist sci-fi drama therein. Call that Mortal Kombat: Cyber Initiative. Since key characters here are also directly tied into the drama between the rival clans of Scorpion and Sub-Zero, this would serve as an effective missing link between the characters more grounded in reality, and those more of the magical Eastern warrior sort. I believe the title “Shaolin Monks” is still fitting there.
With all that established, then the door would be open for the actual eponymous tournament, in an Avengers-style “cool stuff party” with all the various characters joining in a grand battle for the fate of Earthrealm – Mortal Kombat: War of the Realms. If all this seems a bit outlandish to you, dear reader, let me remind you that something very much like this was done with remarkable finesse from 2009 to 2019 with a similarly eclectic cast of characters that have become nothing short of household names in that period. Even though Iron Man and Hulk come from various strains of science fiction, Thor and Loki being some manner of mythical high-fantasy epic, Hawkeye and Black Widow being James Bond-style super spies with more comic book exaggerations, and Captain America being a patriotic period-piece war drama first, and a sci-fi action thriller second, what we saw whenever these characters came together was not only viscerally satisfying, but competently coherent and functional. Since that’s the lightning that everyone is trying to have strike twice in this racket, I see no reason why it can’t be made to fit what is at least suggested in the rough margins of Mortal Kombat.
I have PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp, Warner Bros.
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https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mortal-kombat-movie-finds-sonya-blade-kano-1234513/
|
en
|
‘Mortal Kombat’ Movie Finds Its Sonya Blade, Kano (Exclusive)
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[
"Mia Galuppo"
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2019-08-26T12:21:39+00:00
|
The 'Mortal Kombat' movie has lined up its Sonya Blade and Kano.
|
en
|
The Hollywood Reporter
|
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mortal-kombat-movie-finds-sonya-blade-kano-1234513/
|
New Line’s Mortal Kombat movie has found two of its heaviest hitters.
The Meg actress Jessica McNamee is in final negotiations to play Sonya Blade, while Aussie actor Josh Lawson has closed a deal to play Kano. Also in final negotiations to play an undisclosed lead character is Wu Assassins and Deadpool 2 actor Lewis Tan.
While the plot of the film remains unknown, the video game centers on a massive roster of character fighters from different realms in a fictional universe battling for supremacy. Greg Russo penned the current version of the screenplay.
Blade, general of Earthrealm Special Forces, was the first female character introduced in the video game franchise, and has a long-standing feud with Kano, a member of the Black Dragon clan.
McNamee, Lawson and Tan will join previously announced stars Joe Taslim, who is on board as Sub-Zero; Mehcad Brooks, playing Jackson “Jax” Briggs; and Ludi Lin as Liu Kang.
Mortal Kombat is set for a March 5, 2021, release.
First released in 1992, the video game Mortal Kombat has sold over 49 million copies, spanning over a dozen canon games and expansions, making it one of the most profitable video game franchises of all time. Mortal Kombat 11 was released in April and has become the most successful launch in franchise history, with the game currently the best-selling title of 2019.
The film, which is set to shoot later this year in southern Australia, is being executive produced by Larry Kasanoff, E. Bennett Walsh, Michael Clear and Sean Robins.
The game was previously adapted into a movie in 1995 by director Paul W. S. Anderson that went on to gross an impressive $122 million at the worldwide box office. It was followed by 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.
McNamee, repped by Atlas Artists, Independent Management Company and Stone Genow, is also known for her role in Battle of the Sexes and the Australian series Packed to the Rafters.
Lawson, repped by UTA, Silver Lining, Lisa Mann Creative Management and Jackoway Austen, will next be seen playing James Murdoch in Jay Roach’s Bombshell, and has been seen on such series as Superstore and House of Lies. He received an Oscar nomination in 2018 for the short film The Eleven O’Clock, which he co-wrote and starred in.
Tan, who is repped by Gersh, Luber Roklin and attorney Patrick Knapp, is also known for his role on AMC’s Into the Badlands and Netflix’s Marvel series Iron Fist.
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Read stories about #assassin, #arknights, and #azur on Wattpad, recommended by Sokdavid123
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//static.wattpad.com/favicon.ico
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The Doctor of Azur Lane [UNDER REVISION] / (Wattys 2024)
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Y/N or Doomslayer after defeating the Icon of Sin our demon killing psychopath lovable doomguy gets transported into the realm of azur lane after eons upon eons of erradicating demons it was time for him to change and so he was brought to azur lane. I do not own anything. All creations and images belong to their respe...
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Mature
Britannia vs America(Discontinued)
When a mysterious rift opens up just off the coast of Hawaii in 2042, the United States sends a reconnaissance force through to investigate. What they find is not what they expected but will not let stand. Let us watch as the two superpowers from both realities clash in a full scale war. No Geass, no bullshit. Tyranny...
A Different Type of Front
This is a massive crossover story featuring Call of Duty Infinite Warfare, though will eventually move into a drastically different setting and theme, with significant differences between the original IW setting. List of stuff incorporated(so far): Call of Duty Infinite Warfare Attack on Titan ATLA Nihonkoku Shouka...
Mature
RWBY: The land of the Free ( RWBY X United States of America crossover)
Warning swearing and kicking grimm a$$. In the 20xx President Y/n of the United States America teleported into a world where he sees kingdoms, monsters, and rights issues. It was then the United States will be involved against a threat that is large but he still has more issues of fighting rights and changing the rule...
Mature
Arknights: Starsfall I
Season 1 of the Starsfall series. Cover is credited to the effort of: @Legend_of_Frog The United States Space Force lost one of it's satellites patrolling its own solar system. There was a massive abundance of planets due to a strange cosmic event that occurred in 2043, which has now been dubbed "The Seeding event" As...
Completed Mature
One World At A Time (Male Reader X Anime Harem | A Waifu Catalog Skyblock Story)
Waifu Wars. A Battle Royale of Waifus from the vast Omniverse. That's what I been summoned into because I pissed off a R.O.B with Yasuo in LoL and made him rage quit. ... Yasuo, why are you always fucking up my day? I hate my life sometimes. I really do... " Master! We need more Books!" Looking at the sexy Angel, I sm...
Mature
Life with the Sirens. (Gmod x Azur Lane)
After the war, Czeslaw is able to return to his normal life in real life. But a certain few people follow him back. (I'm going to work on this story on my own time, so updates may not be so constant.)
Mature
|
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1473
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dbpedia
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1
| 13 |
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/mortal-kombat-scryerverse-nickscryer/a/kano-person
|
en
|
Kano
|
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World Anvil is a worldbuilding tools platform and community for writers, RPG storytellers and worldbuilding lovers
|
en
|
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|
http://www.worldanvil.com/w/mortal-kombat-scryerverse-nickscryer/a/kano-person
|
As a mercenary and leader of the international crime cartel known as the Black Dragon, Kano rises beyond mere brutality and aggression by also being sly and cunning. Originally from Australia, Kano is highly opportunistic and incredibly selfish, willing to betray his own realm and even his own allies for money or personal gain. As a result, he quickly became part of Shao Kahn's inner circle, and eventually the general of Outworld's armies (in the original timeline). One of his more notable features is his facetious and twisted sense of humor, almost always making light of dire circumstances. His vulgarity is an additional outlier among other characters, most evident by his penchant for callously spitting, drinking and urinating wherever he pleases. His assortment of dirty fighting tactics also compliments his unpleasant personality. He combines features of a cowardly minion, a lone survivor, a crazed madman, and a ruthless commander. He is despised by the majority of other characters in the series for his selfish, untrustworthy nature, complete lack of morals, and overall crudeness. However, he seems to enjoy the fact that he is hated, even viewing it as a source of pride. He is the archenemy of Sonya Blade, who is obsessed with finding and bringing Kano to justice because he brutally murdered her partner, Daniel Sanchez. Kano possesses a bionic eye, the result of a disfiguring injury he sustained at the hands of Jax prior to the Earthrealm Tournament. His eye has a glowing red orb capable of emitting laser beams and hacking technological barriers. After the death of Lieutenant Sanchez, Jax lost it. He grabbed Kano saying "Gotcha", punched Kano's right eye 32 times which shattered the skull and had Kano's eye hanging out of its socket. Kano set off an explosive which Jax barely escaped from, the blast blew off Kano's own eye and a chunk of his skull.
Backstory:
Jerome Kano was born in Australia to a terrible upbringing, his parents were abusive drug addicts who traumatized young Jerome for years. He was taken off them by child services but the transport vehicle was attacked and robbed by criminals on the way to the safe location. Kano was raised on the streets from then on and learned to live the life of a thug. Kano excelled at a life crime and soon, he enjoyed causing pain and suffering to other people. Kano outgrew his teenage crime gang and left on a ship to the USA. He immediately caused a stir when he confronted a gang that was well known in the streets of New York city. Kano single handedly fought them off and impressed their leader, Rojack, so much that he disbanded the group and began following Kano's lead. Kano gathered a core group that included Kabal, Tasia, No Face, Tremor and Jarek. Kano brutally murdered Sonya Blade's partner, Lt. Daniel Sanchez with a knife in his mouth then had No Face burn his remains. Despite possessing a healthy heart, Kano requested that The Doctor improved his abilities. The Doctor implanted Kano with a stabilized, Cybernetic heart. Meaning the heart remained perfectly in place, while allowing Kano's body to roll in place around it. Giving Kano his signature move, the Kanoball.
Recent Events:
The Earthrealm Tournament: Kano lures Sonya Blade to the tournament The Outworld Tournament: Kano The Earthrealm Invasion: The Revenant Excursion: Kano cuts off a piece of Sonya's hair and keeps it for his own sick pleasure. The Deadly Alliance: The Outworld Civil War: Kano takes ownership of the Wastelands and crowns himself King. The Fall of Outworld: The War of the Eternal: The Tournament of the Gods:
Biographical Information
Origin
Earthrealm
Species
Human (Earther)
Weapons
Butterfly Knives
Bionic Eye
Cybernetic Heart
Elbow Blades
Boot Blades, Molotov Cocktail
Fighting Styles
Aikido
Street Brawler
Dirty Fighter
Status
Alive
Physical Description
Biological Sex
Male
Eyes
Blue
Hair
Brown
Height
6'0"
Weight
255 lbs
Personal Details
Nationality
Australian
Age
50's
Family
Unnamed Parents
Estranged Son
Allegiance
Black Dragon
Occupation
Black Dragon Leader
Criminal
Nicknames
None
Aliases
Jerome Kano (Real Name)
Children
|
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1473
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0
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https://www.euronews.com/video/2024/01/27/the-first-judo-gran-prix-on-the-year-gets-underway-in-portugal
|
en
|
Video. The first Judo Grand Prix of the year gets underway in Portugal
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2024-01-27T00:00:00
|
Video. From Japan to Uzbekistan, day one at the Judo Grand Prix in Odivelas kicked off the 2024 season in spectacular fashion.
|
en
|
/apple-touch-icon.png
|
euronews
|
https://www.euronews.com/video/2024/01/27/the-first-judo-gran-prix-on-the-year-gets-underway-in-portugal
|
Radio Schuman
This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond.
The Big Question
From entrepreneurs to world leaders and academics, we discuss what makes them tick and see the bigger picture of what’s going on in the world of business.
Euronews Tech Talks
Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.
Water Matters
Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews.
Climate Now
We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt.
|
||||
1473
|
dbpedia
|
3
| 26 |
https://80.lv/articles/mamoru-kano-s-ue5-game-now-features-a-whirlpool-of-giant-eels/
|
en
|
Mamoru Kano's UE5 Game Now Features a Whirlpool of Giant Eels
|
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[
"News",
"Unreal engine",
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] | null |
[
"Theodore McKenzie"
] |
2024-08-07T04:33:42+00:00
|
The upcoming experience is looking more interesting by the day.
|
en
|
https://cdn.80.lv/static/80lv/favicon.ico
|
https://80.lv/articles/mamoru-kano-s-ue5-game-now-features-a-whirlpool-of-giant-eels/
|
Over the past couple of weeks, Game Developer Mamoru Kano has been engaging in a fantastic promotional campaign for his upcoming folklore-inspired UE5 exploration game Otoshi no Shima, demonstrating outstanding aquatic monsters created for the game with short behind-the-scenes demos.
Continuing to delight the ever-growing community of fans with his devlog, Mamoru has recently offered a look at the refined version of the previously demonstrated giant eel rig, demonstrating the creature moving in a line via Instanced Static Mesh, with its tail fin moving independently for enhanced realism. Additionally, the developer showcased a stunning scene of three eels creating a violent whirlpool by moving in circles in a mountainside lake, resulting in a wonderful yet eerie spectacle that I hope will appear in the final game.
Previously, Mamoru also impressed us with a stunning animation of an enormous snake slithering through a swamp and coiling around itself, as well as an eerie sequence of the same snake appearing from under the water. You can learn more about the game and check out the earlier demos by visiting the developer's Twitter page.
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https://playingwithwokeness.com/blog-feed/
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Blog Feed – Playing with Wokeness
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2021-08-31T20:23:36+00:00
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I face the woke so you don't have to.
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Playing with Wokeness
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I had heard that this game was pretty woke so I decided to review it! BTW, may be my last review for a couple months while I’m recovering from surgery.
Gender: 1 out of 5: There’s really no argument about gender in this game as most of the plot revolves around the 3 robot player characters. Even Kara’s entire storyline has her trying to bring a little girl to safety and become her surrogate mother.
Sexuality: 2 out of 5: Robot lesbians?? Yes, not only are robots becoming sentient and self-aware, but they’re falling in love too! Ignore that this makes no sense as they don’t reproduce sexually.
Race: 4 out of 5: Race isn’t really an issue, but the game is clearly an allusion to civil rights, just for robots, so they suffer various indignities (though to be fair, most people think they’re just robots who can’t feel pain or emotion, which they’re supposed to be.)
Anachronism: 0 out of 5: Future, doesn’t apply.
Overall: 7 out of 20: It’s pretty woke with the allusion to the civil rights movement. The robots are clearly an oppressed minority (even though everyone wants one) who are abused by their human masters (who believe them to be nothing more than machines.) It borders on preaching which gets annoying when you live in the country this game is clearly targeting and we’ve had equal rights for a while now. Why not target Saudi Arabia or North Korea or Africa which are still oppressive places? Oh, right, that would be racist.
I liked the Mortal Kombat reboot with MK 9, it was far more fun to play than the older games, IMO. But this isn’t about how much I liked the games. I had heard how woke MK11 had gotten, and it was on sale so I decided to review it to celebrate the new, appropriately R rated, movie!
Gender: 3 out of 5: There’s always been strong women in MK games, and that’s no real issue. Female fighters have been a staple of fighting games since Chun-Li. My main issue was what they were wearing. Especially what they were wearing compared to what the men were wearing. No more scantily clad fighter babes! However, the men are free to have their chests exposed, even wearing little more than a loincloth! WE’RE NOT YOUR EYECANDY LADIES! (sarcasm of course)
Sexuality: 1 out of 5: Except for some romance in between characters, this didn’t really come up.
Race: 3 out of 5: Plenty of diverse characters but my problem was with Jax’s ending, where he turns Africa into some kind of quasi-Wakanda. Not that changing time to make sure things are fair for everyone is a bad thing, but more because it takes Jax as a character, one of my favorite characters in fact, and defines him by his skin color. He’s black so clearly slavery is the only thing on his mind as if he has no other personality traits!
Anachronism: 1 out of 5: Modern times with some sci-fi/fantasy elements so kind of hard to pin down.
Overall: 8 out of 20: Aside from the issues listed, this game wasn’t as woke as I thought it would be, though I’m sure we’re all disappointed with the lack of bouncy babes. Back to Dead or Alive and Soul Caliber, I guess…
Join my patreon and my discord server and to vote for the next game! Become a Patron!
ANOTHER game I wasn’t going to review. Yes, even I like a calm farming RPG after blowing up spaceships, making shady business dealings in the future, and ripping demons into small bloody chunks. I loved Harvest Moon: Back to Nature for the PS1 back in the day (an updated, at the time, Friends of Mineral Town). So I was very excited about the remake of Friends of Mineral Town Story of Seasons remake (SoS is the new title for the real Harvest Moon games, don’t ask, it’s a whole thing). So what’s my problem with this charming farm JRPG? THEY MADE IT WOKE!
Note: This is for the western version only, the Japanese version does not include the main problem I have, as described below.
Gender: 2 out of 5: You can play as a boy or a girl though the game doesn’t change much if you do. I find it interesting the girl character can do farm work while pregnant but I’m sure it’s done for balancing issues (it would be unfair to have your character lose a month while she waits to get birth.) Besides that, the male/female dynamic is pretty traditional.
Sexuality: 4 out of 5: THIS. So, in the game you have characters you can romance and eventually start a family with. There are 6 bachelorettes for the boys, and 6 bachelors for the girls. Every time you meet one of these potential mates you get a cut scene you’re forced to play through. This also goes for any “romance” scenes you trigger just going about your day. However, the western version of the game decided to add gay marriage, so now there are 12 marriage candidates no matter what gender you are. This means, twice the amount of annoying cut scenes you end up triggering every game. This is the reason I rated it so high, it actively interrupts gameplay. No, I don’t want to flirt, Rick. Rick is the worst!
Race: 1 out of 5: Well, it’s a Japanese game so most characters are the same race. That’s right: Caucasian. Seriously though, you can make your farmer dark skinned or lighter skinned (there’s literally only three options). There’s also Kai, who’s dark skinned, but he lives on an island and only visits during the summer so maybe he’s just tan?
Anachronism: 1 out of 5: Some modern conveniences, like a TV and a phone, are present but otherwise this game could take place at any time.
Overall: 8 out of 20: Still a fun time if you enjoyed the original and can ignore the forced attempts to be woke. Also, the female marriage candidates no longer look like pre-teens! (Except for Popuri for some reason), so, sorry if you’re into that sorta thing.
Join my patreon and my discord server and to vote for the next game! Become a Patron!
I wasn’t going to review this one either, but it was requested by a few people who said there was some wokeness in it, though I didn’t find any.
Gender: 1 out of 5: You play the manliest man ever, murdering demons with pure rage and masculinity!
Sexuality: 0 out of 5: Never comes up, not an important part of the story (take notes, Star Wars Squadrons.)
Race: 1 out of 5: The main character is white but mods and DLC can change this. It doesn’t matter in terms of the gameplay though.
Anachronism: 0 out of 5: Future hellscape, does not apply.
Overall: 2 out of 20: Not only is this game totally unwoke, but it also pokes fun of a lot of PC culture, such as being politically correct towards demons, referring to them as “Mortally challenged.” Plus, this game is filled with so much testosterone, I highly recommend!
I’ve been a gamer since I was 6 years old. I love gaming. But one thing I can’t stand in recent games is the “wokeness” that has been driving the narrative of many modern titles. For those that don’t know, Urban Dictionary describes being “woke” as “The act of being very pretentious about how much you care about a social issue.” This will not be a page that disparages real issues that need discussion. It will not be a page that mocks any kind of diversity in gaming. It will, however, mock forced diversity for the sake of “wokeness” in gaming.
A good example of wokeness is the recent Lord of the Rings: Shadow of War. Among the NPCs who help you in your quest to free Gondor is a black man and a woman. As we know, Gondor is based off medieval Europe, who were not known for their black soldiers or putting women in the field of battle. If this game were in a modern setting or a different fantasy world (such as Dungeons and Dragons or World of Warcraft), I wouldn’t really care. But Tolkien had a clear point of reference for his work and the game developers ignored it for the sake of diversity.
If my pointing this out pisses you off, then before you call me a racist, consider this: If a series was based off an African story or an African legend that involved only Africans, would you put Asians in it? If you don’t see the difference between this and what I’ve described above, you are a hypocrite and also probably a secret racist. I don’t care what your college professor told you about “white privilege” or some other modern philosophical BS that was made up just to give people another group it was okay to hate.
Introducing the Elder Wokeness Scale:
Now let’s get on with this. Wokeness will be measured in five categories:
Sexuality: Gay? Straight? Something else?
Gender: Male, female, or whatever else might be applicable.
Race: Does it matter if you’re black or white?
Anachronism: Does the above fit in the game world?
Overall: Is the overall experience “Woke”? Is it so woke it gets in the way of enjoying the final product?
Each score will have a 0-5 rating.
0 is a null rating, usually means non applicable in this particular game.
1 means the subject doesn’t matter much in the overall game experience.
2 means the subject matters a little but is not in your face about it.
3 means the subject is present but can be easily ignored.
4 Very woke and in your face about the subject
5 EXTREME wokeness. The game is clearly just a vehicle for this subject and not much else.
For the overall score:
1-5: Not woke at all.
6-10: Somewhat woke, usually not enough to prevent enjoyment of the game.
11-15: Pretty woke. Social justice issues are a major subject of this game.
16-20: Pretty much a Social Justice Warrior’s dream game.
I like Pathfinder far more than Dungeons and Dragons and really enjoyed Owlcat’s Pathfinder: Kingmaker, so I was excited when they announced their next game would be based on the Wrath of the Righteous adventure path. A whole game based around raising an army and engaging in holy war against the demons of the Worldwound, yes please! Unfortunately, wokeness rose its ugly head…
Gender: 3 out of 5: This game goes pretty hard into the “strong woman” trope, with female characters able to hold off entire armies. Plus the queen who really doesn’t seem to know what she’s doing but we’re supposed to respect her leadership nonetheless even though she’s young and inexperienced.
Sexuality: 3 out of 5: Kingmaker had one annoying gay character; this one has several. You have two of the first female NPCs you meet in a lesbian relationship that they keep reminding you of, plus being propositioned by two different male companion characters. Don’t they know that no means no?
Race: 1 out of 5: Present but not focused on.
Anachronism: 0 out of 5: Fantasy world, doesn’t apply.
Overall: 7 out of 20
Result: Semi-Woke: If you can ignore the obvious pandering, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is still an enjoyable experience.
I’ve had a couple requests to do Horizon: Zero Dawn so I thought I’d give it a try. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, according to Steam I sunk over 50 hours into it. Not even as woke as I thought! Especially with Ashley Burch voicing the protagonist (nothing against her personally, she has a good range of voice work, but her youtube channel went super woke and she works on lots of woke games).
Gender: 3 out of 5:The main character, Aloy, is a woman, so there’s that. Other than her, the male/female population is pretty even, though some women hold positions of power over the men, (the village Aloy is from is ran by women and worships a goddess, but there’s a reason for that, as you will learn through playing), so I gave it another point. There are also several very capable men but almost as many who are weak, cowardly, evil or generally incompetent, which interestingly enough gave them a lot more character development. This doesn’t seem to be the case with the women, who often give Aloy quests to fix or find some man who wronged them or hasn’t come back. Women also seem to get along with each other more than the men.
Sexuality: 1 out of 5: This isn’t really brought up much aside from a few side quests.
Race: 1 out of 5: People of all races are present in this post-apocalyptic future and once you get into the plot more, you’ll know why.
Anachronism: 0 out of 5: post-apocalyptic future, doesn’t apply.
Overall: 5 out of 20: My only real issue was with how there seems to be far more competent women than men. The major villain is a man, and I’m fine with that, so is one of the most noble characters in the game. Aloy is also raised by a man who took her in and it’s clear she loves and respects him very much, so it’s not like all men are shown in an unfavorable light, which is why I didn’t rate it as high as I could have.
Join my patreon and my discord server and to vote for the next game! Become a Patron!
Note: Sorry this took so long, I had surgery recently and have been recovering, which has cut into my game time.
I was a huge fan of the Witcher 3 so I was anxiously awaiting Cyberpunk 2077. Transhuman is the theme here but that hasn’t stopped people from complaining about the other kind of trans, so I’m gonna review it!
Gender: 4 out of 5: Obviously this is the biggest issue. You can play a man with breasts, a woman with a penis, or one with both. I didn’t give it a full five because there’s really only one trans character in this game (besides you, if you chose, and of course that controversial sign that appears everywhere). So while it was there because the LGBT demanded it, it really isn’t shoved in your face, which I find hilarious, since this is possibly the most trans-friendly AAA game in history, and still it’s not enough for these people.
Sexuality: 3 out of 5: Quite a few gay characters, and you have the choice of sleeping with both male and female characters, though Night City is so full of degenerates that this doesn’t seem out of place.
Race: 2 out of 5: Future cyberpunk city in California so of course there’s going to be a large mixture of races. If this offends you than you’re probably a racist. I did appreciate this games take that “every race has its assholes” though.
Anachronism: 0 of 5: Future dystopia, doesn’t apply.
Overall: 9 out of 20: I can appreciate the designers attempts to appeal to all sorts of players with all sorts of beliefs. Anything offensive can be argued that it offends everyone equally. It takes shots at every group but also shows that every group is capable of goodness.
Join my patreon and my discord server and to vote for the next game! Become a Patron!
I wasn’t going to review this game. I was a huge fan of the old X-Wing and Tie Fighter (especially Tie Fighter) in the 90s. I played through them and their sequels multiple times. I eagerly awaited this game. I mean, Fallen Order was very politically neutral, how could they possibly make Squadrons woke? Well, they sure found a way!
Gender: 5 out of 5: Most of the characters are female. The New Republic squadron has 3 women and one man, plus the PC (who can be either). The Empire command structure you encounter is entirely female except for one guy. Not only that, but you can make your PC trans as well! Male/female head can be placed on male/female body and given any male/female voice.
Sexuality: 4 out of 5: One gay guy but I’m bumping it to 3 because it really has no place in the story. Then there’s the female “non-binary” pilot, which bumps it to 4. Funny how the term had never existed up until a few years ago but “a galaxy far, far away” uses it already!
Race: 5 out of 5: Once again, no white men allowed! Except for Wedge and a cyborg on the Imperial side. Honestly, I had no idea the empire especially was so diverse! Only a single white male on the entire ship! Also the options for a white PC are very lacking. You can choose between hipster douchebag or butch lesbian.
Anachronism: 0 out of 5: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away, so non applicable.
Overall: 14 out of 20: Possibly the most woke game I’ve ever played, and I played Life is Strange season 2! Anyway, I’m going to go play some classic Tie Fighter as a palette cleanser after playing this garbage.
Join my patreon and my discord server and to vote for the next game! Become a Patron!
I had put this game on my steam wishlist, then Epic store offered it for free! It’s a third person shooter where you go to various worlds to save Earth from tree creatures called The Root. So here we go!
Sexuality: 1 out of 5: Not really an issue. There’s a family involved in the main story but relationships aren’t really there.
Gender: 1 out of 5: Men are men and women are women. The player character can be either. The leader of the survivors is a woman.
Race: 1 out of 5: Also doesn’t really come up, but there’s a black guy who sells stuff. He’s one of the more friendly survivors. The player character can also be any race you want.
Anachronism: 0 out of 5: Post-apocalyptic future, doesn’t apply.
Overall: 3 out of 20: A pretty standard game, no real political or social motivations. I had fun with it though the ending sucked.
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https://animekritik.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/kare-kano-and-blank-slate-arima/
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Kare Kano and Blank Slate Arima
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Five volumes into the comic book series Kare Kano, how much do we really know about the main guy? Not much, right?! It's fascinating how all sorts of lovely people become, well, fascinated with him. Miyazawa, Shibahime and Asaba all look up to him as some sort of wondrous existence, but no one really knows…
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Kritik der Animationskraft
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https://animekritik.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/kare-kano-and-blank-slate-arima/
|
Five volumes into the comic book series Kare Kano, how much do we really know about the main guy? Not much, right?!
It’s fascinating how all sorts of lovely people become, well, fascinated with him. Miyazawa, Shibahime and Asaba all look up to him as some sort of wondrous existence, but no one really knows him (and they sort of know that they don’t know).
Sure, there’s the fact that he’s good at everything, he’s gentle and he’s handsome. That should make most people immediately like him, and like him lots. But I wonder how far what Miyazawa et al see in him is really him and not a projection of qualities they themselves have created. I felt the same way about the main guy in Marmalade Boy, Yuu. He was perfect, but didn’t really open himself up and remained a mystery throughout. I watched the anime expecting to get at some point a glimpse at least of the real core Yuu that emanated such perfection…not the cause of so many people liking him, but the cause of thoughtful individuals like Arimi adoring him so. I don’t think I ever got that glimpse.
It might be that this is a strategy of shojo mangaka (to allow the readers to infuse the lead character with their own desires), or it might be that as a dull boy I’m missing a particular quality that other readers are imbibing…
I love the Miyazawa family. I love the portrayal here because even though this is a kid-centered drama, many of the adults get to participate in the story by way of becoming “honorary kids” through the simple fact that their hopes and aspirations are still alive (Miyazawa parents, Shibahime’s dad and Kazuma’s mom). It’s good for the mangaka to tell the world that not all adults have resigned themselves to monotony and become dead to the world 😀
I love the high school saga. In particular, it reminds me again of how a co-ed school is to a very large extent really a boys’ school and a girls’ school existing separately under the same roof. Also, problems arise very quickly and get resolved just as fast. This is the way it works often in schools.
Finally, I love Maho. I hope we get to see more of her. [And maybe here you can deconstruct this post, since I am open to the accusation that I question the characters’ seemingly irrational interest in Arima only to declare interest in character who’s given us much less to be interested about…What can I say?? I like the name, the character design and the half-jaded half-hopeful attitude.]
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| 71 |
https://www.eurogamer.net/see-the-first-footage-of-mortal-kombat-xs-kano
|
en
|
See the first footage of Mortal Kombat X's Kano
|
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[
"https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/yAbvqcMJDv8?autoplay=1"
] |
[] |
[
""
] | null |
[
"Jeffrey Matulef"
] |
2014-08-12T03:10:00+00:00
|
Some new Mortal Kombat X footage has arisen, this time showing the revamped version of cybernetic soldier Kano. As intr…
|
en
|
/static/094d4b8771693e5c3b4140a5468f74d9/icon/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png
|
Eurogamer.net
|
https://www.eurogamer.net/see-the-first-footage-of-mortal-kombat-xs-kano
|
Some new Mortal Kombat X footage has arisen, this time showing the revamped version of cybernetic soldier Kano.
As introduced by series co-creator and creative director Ed Boon, Kano comes in three different flavours: Cutthroat, Cybernetic and Commando.
The Cutthroat variation of Kano pounds on his cybernetic heart to increase is attack power and favours knives as his weapon of choice, Cybernetic Kano is all about his eye laser and grenades, while Commando Kano focuses on grappling.
We even get to see glimpses of a couple of his fatalities, like one wear he eviscerates Swarm Queen D'Vorah then snaps her rib cage in half, or another where he uses his eye laser to burn a whole in the same foe's skull.
So far the known Mortal Kombat X roster is up to eight characters including Kano along with Raiden, Cassie Cage, D'Vorah, Ferra / Torr, Kotal Kahn, Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
Mortal Kombat X is due next year on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC.
|
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1473
|
dbpedia
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1
| 68 |
https://otakuusamagazine.com/the-kano-sisters-cosplay-as-demon-slayer-characters/
|
en
|
The Kano Sisters Cosplay As Demon Slayer Characters
|
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] |
[] |
[] |
[
""
] | null |
[
"Danica Davidson"
] |
2021-02-09T17:07:01+00:00
|
More than a 100,000 people have liked what the Kano Sisters have done, with comments like "What a high degree of perfection!"
|
en
|
Otaku USA Magazine
|
https://otakuusamagazine.com/the-kano-sisters-cosplay-as-demon-slayer-characters/
|
The Kano sisters, also known as Kyoko and Mika Kano, are two famous women in Japan who’ve done everything from modeling to publishing books. Recently they released photos of themselves cosplaying as both female and male characters from Demon Slayer, and more than 100,000 people have liked it.
Some responses from their fans include “What a high degree of perfection!” and “All the characters were spot on, you look great!”
Source: grape
____
|
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1473
|
dbpedia
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3
| 67 |
https://www.metacritic.com/game/kira-kano/
|
en
|
Kira * Kano
|
[
"https://www.metacritic.com/a/neutron/images/logos/imdb_logo.png",
"https://www.metacritic.com/a/neutron/images/logos/imdb_logo.png"
] |
[] |
[] |
[
""
] | null |
[] |
2024-08-30T00:00:00+00:00
|
The main character, Joe Hagakure, is a self-proclaimed mobster who is the only one in his class. He doesn't stand out in the real world, but in the online world he has become popular as a virtual performer under the name "Yuzuriha Gakuto'' while hiding his true identity.
He was a mobster in his private life and a popular person on the internet, but one day, due to a little carelessness, Kiraboshi Runa, a famous classmate in the school, finds out that he is Yuzuriha Gakuto.
Yuzuriha despairs that he will continue to be exploited in the future, including hush money in exchange for not revealing his true identity. but...
"Please! Please make me your disciple!"
...Runa's request was completely different from what he expected.
|
en
|
https://www.metacritic.com/game/kira-kano/
|
Summary The main character, Joe Hagakure, is a self-proclaimed mobster who is the only one in his class. He doesn't stand out in the real world, but in the online world he has become popular as a virtual performer under the name "Yuzuriha Gakuto'' while hiding his true identity. He was a mobster in his private life and a popular person on the...
|
||||||
1473
|
dbpedia
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1
| 91 |
https://gagadaily.com/forums/topic/359519-is-kano-the-hottest-game-character-ever/
|
en
|
Is Kano the hottest game character ever?
|
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[] |
[] |
[
"question"
] | null |
[
"Bradley"
] |
2021-04-27T03:17:16+00:00
|
The villain from Mortal Kombat I can't play the game in peace because he always disrupts my hormones People are convinced that Kano is written for the gheys and I can understand why Just shoot that laser into me
|
en
|
//gagadaily.com/uploads/theme/monthly_2020_05/android-chrome-36x36.png
|
Gaga Daily
|
https://gagadaily.com/forums/topic/359519-is-kano-the-hottest-game-character-ever/
|
Replies 44
Created 3 yr
Last Reply 3 yr
|
||||
1473
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dbpedia
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3
| 30 |
https://rathetimes.com/articles/lessons-in-lava-understanding-kano-in-the-present-day
|
en
|
Lessons in Lava: Understanding Kano in the Present Day
|
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"Andrew Henderson"
] |
2024-05-15T14:45:00
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Allow me to give away all of the secrets! (Sorry Kano players)
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en
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The Rathe Times
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https://rathetimes.com/articles/lessons-in-lava-understanding-kano-in-the-present-day
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In the history of Flesh and Blood, there's not been a hero more polarizing than Kano. Some players overly prepare for the match, while I've heard other players say they can concede and get a 50 minute break. You would think a hero that's been around for at least 4 years has been figured out by now, but Wizards continue to confound.
All classes play their own game. Warriors usually hits with weapons. Rangers fire arrows from arsenal. Runeblades have a delicate dance of sequencing different actions. Wizard is no exception here. The difference is the game they're playing requires a reframing of the game's mechanics.
Here, we'll take a dive into what makes Kano tick, so the next time you face a Kano, you'll have just a little more information and how to get through it!
Let's start with defense. For anyone new to the concept, Arcane Barrier is how we “block” arcane damage - the most common being Nullrune equipment. It acts as a replacement effect which prevents the damage you would be dealt by the source in question. Your pitch is the key to utilizing this efficiently. Each Arcane Barrier can block 1 from a single source. If you are playing against a class like Runeblade, then Arcane Barrier 1 (AB1) should be sufficient to your needs. If multiple sources are dealing one arcane damage each to you then you only need AB1. If a single source of damage would deal 2 arcane, then you need AB2. You might find it helpful to conceptualize arcane damage from a single source as having dominate. The more AB you have, the more you can block from a single source.
If you are running a deck with all reds, AB3 will likely be too much. You'll spend just short of your hand to block any source of 3 damage. In this instance, you may consider (and test) your chances at racing Kano. He may still get an amazing draw and win the game, but this is the exception and not the rule.
AB2 can be plenty, but so can AB1. Prism will usually only run AB1 against Kano. This is effective for her because her angels all have Ward 4 when they are not in figment form. Boltyn will usually run mostly yellow cards, therefore anything higher than AB2 may not be healthy for him to run.
If you are running a deck full of blue cards then AB3 might be the way to go. There are reasons not to go beyond AB3. On a standard turn, Kano sends a red Aether Spindle at you for 5 damage. To prevent 4 damage, you would be getting rid of 2 cards. This will likely leave you with 2 cards left, making the Kano's math a little easier if he needs to respond on your turn. There are a few cases where AB4 can be useful. Playing Dash I/O, I want to feel comfortable breaking one of my pieces with Arcane Barrier if needed.
As a standard, I wouldn't pitch more than 1 card unless you had reason to. As for when to pitch and not to pitch? We'll cover that soon.
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https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Kano_(Mortal_Kombat)
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Kano (Mortal Kombat)
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"Contributors to Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki"
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2024-07-29T22:27:06+00:00
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Kano is a fictional character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise. He is one of the series' original characters, having made his debut in Mortal Kombat in 1992. A calculating thug, mercenary, and member of the international crime cartel known as the Black Dragon, Kano is also the top...
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en
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/skins-ucp/mw139/common/favicon.ico
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Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki
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https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Kano_(Mortal_Kombat)
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Fictional characterTemplate:SHORTDESC:Fictional character
Kano'Mortal Kombat' character
Kano in Mortal Kombat X (2015)
First gameMortal Kombat (1992)
Kano is a fictional character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise. He is one of the series' original characters, having made his debut in Mortal Kombat in 1992. A calculating thug, mercenary, and member of the international crime cartel known as the Black Dragon, Kano is also the top fugitive and persistent nemesis of Sonya Blade and Jax Briggs of the Special Forces, which has been his primary storyline throughout the course of his Mortal Kombat series appearances, and in Mortal Kombat 3, he also becomes the general of Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's armies. In the 2011 series reboot, he additionally poses as a crooked Special Forces informant and serves as Kahn's arms dealer. His most recognizable feature is his cybernetic metal faceplate that houses an infrared eye laser.
Out of the seven original series characters, Kano has featured the least in the Mortal Kombat games, though he was among the eleven characters who represented the franchise in the crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. He has appeared in alternate series media such as the first Mortal Kombat film, the animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, in addition to having a central role in the 1995 Mortal Kombat novel and featuring on official series merchandise. General and critical reception for the character has been mainly positive, but mixed in regards to his Fatality finishing moves.
Appearances[]
In Mortal Kombat games[]
First depicted in the Mortal Kombat canon as a Japanese-born American who was orphaned at a young age and fell into a life of crime,[note 1] Kano is the leader of the Black Dragon criminal empire, having been deported from both Japan and the United States, and becoming a wanted man in thirty-five other countries.[2] He made his first chronological series appearance in the 2000 platform game Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, freeing fellow Black Dragon cohorts No Face, Tasia, Jarek and Tremor from a Special Forces security facility under the pretense that they would reform the organization, but really intending to use them as pawns to slow down any Special Forces agents who might pursue him. They killed an entire Special Forces unit at the site of the prison break, and Kano headed to Outworld where he recovered the Eye of Chitian, an artifact through which he would acquire incredible power. Jax gets ahold of the object first and transports himself and Kano back to Earthrealm, but Kano soon escapes custody. It is additionally revealed in the game that Jax was responsible for the injury to Kano's eye that resulted in the installment of the faceplate.
Kano entered the Mortal Kombat tournament in the 1992 original game after hearing rumors that tournament host Shang Tsung's palace was filled with gold and other riches, with the intention of looting it for the Black Dragon, but he is fervently pursued by Lieutenant Sonya Blade, who holds a personal grudge against Kano that is unspecified in the game's storyline. He evades capture by leaping onto Shang Tsung's junk bound for the tournament, and when Sonya tracks him onto his private island, she is captured and forced to compete. She and Kano were among the competition's few survivors, and during the final battle between Shang Tsung and Liu Kang, Sonya reluctantly teams up with Kano (along with Johnny Cage) to fight off Goro, enraged from his own loss to Liu Kang, but during their battle the island immediately self-destructs following Shang Tsung's defeat, trapping Kano and Sonya in Outworld. They are both captured and spend the events of Mortal Kombat II chained and on display in Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's arena.
In Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Jax finds and rescues Sonya, but also frees Kano in the process, enabling him to escape their clutches once again. Kano convinces Kahn to spare his soul at the outset of Kahn's invasion of Earth on the grounds that Kano can teach his armies how to use modern Earthrealm weaponry. However, Sonya tosses Kano to his apparent death from the roof of a highrise, but he survives and is found by Motaro, who healed and then imprisoned him. Motaro is then killed by Sheeva, who in turn frees Kano from his prison. During the events of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), he and Sheeva originally hatch a plan to assassinate Kahn, but Kano turns on Sheeva by preventing the attack, and as a reward was promoted to general of Outworld's rapidly-shrinking army before the invasion was defeated. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, Kano stood ground and eventually managed to repel Princess Kitana and her Edenian-Shokan army. He returned to Kahn's palace just in time to watch from the shadows as Shang Tsung and Quan Chi spring their attack on the weakened emperor. After the battle, Kano declared his allegiance to the new rulers of Outworld, the Deadly Alliance. The two had Kano oversee the enslavement of a small village, who would construct a temple over Onaga's tomb to house the Soulnado. During its construction, Kano was assaulted by Li Mei, but Quan Chi intervened, as the Alliance had made a deal with the Red Dragon member Mavado: he would eliminate the swordsman Kenshi in exchange for the opportunity to fight and defeat Kano.
Kano returns with the series' entire playable roster in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), in which the game's main protagonist Taven sees that Kano has been held prisoner by the Red Dragon Clan for an extended length of time. Before escaping their facilities, Kano explains to Taven that the Red Dragon had been experimenting on him, as well as their own clan members, in an effort to create real-life genetically engineered dragons and human-dragon hybrids, all while mentioning that the Red Dragon were trying "something new" on him, although he leaves before he elaborates on what that "something" is.
Kano plays a minor role in the story mode of the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot of the continuity of the first three games. He does not take part in any of the tournaments but is, as usual, pursued by Sonya and Jax; he is the Black Dragon leader who had duped the Special Forces by acting as an informant and deliberately feeding them false intelligence that led to the deaths of many of Sonya and Jax's comrades in ambushes. Kano first interacts with Sonya during the events of the Shaolin Tournament when he taunts her on the Pit bridge after she is weakened from a fight with Johnny Cage, who then defeats Kano in battle.[5] Kano is later beaten by Sonya after Shang Tsung presents him to her as a challenge, but then forbids her to take him prisoner.[6] Kano becomes Shao Kahn's arms supplier and tests rocket launchers with Shang Tsung in the Living Forest[7] while Baraka is seen in the Armory handling crates loaded with pump action shotguns that are later used by the Tarkatan armies during Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm.[8][9] After Kabal, a former Black Dragon member turned SWAT officer serving under Stryker's command, is severely burned by Kintaro, Kano takes him away to the Flesh Pits, where he and Shang Tsung restore his health, and Kano outfits Kabal with his mask and respirators and presents him with his old hookswords, all despite Kabal's defection from the Black Dragon. However, Kabal is mortified at his physical transformation and therefore furious at Kano for having sold the weapons used in the invasion, and bests him in combat and then forces him to lead him to Shao Kahn before knocking Kano out. Kano's last appearance is when he joins Goro and Kintaro in holding a group of soldiers hostage in a bell tower before being frozen by Sub-Zero.[10]
Kano returned as a playable character for the series' latest installment, Mortal Kombat X (2015). His confirmation for the game was leaked by the German version of GamePro, before his appearance was officially announced.[11] He first appear in a comic book prequel, set after Netherrealm War ends, he follows Sub-Zero to infiltrate one of Red Dragon's base, using him to get the Kamidogu dagger for himself, in which Sub-Zero was tasked by Raiden to get the part of the dagger. Once Sub-Zero found the dagger, Kano appears from behind, took the dagger and injures Sub-Zero's right side of his face with a dagger, which is appears to be cursed containing a demon. However, the dagger possesses Sub-Zero and quickly injures Kano, leaving Kano to fall back as a now possessed Sub-Zero escape on keeping the dagger for his own and never return to Raiden. He later appears alongside Erron Black, being hired by Kotal and sending Jarek and Tasia to find and capture Johnny Cage and Sonya, and Jax's respective daughters, Cassie and Jacqui for a special treatments to them. Once capture Cassie and Jacqui, he and his fellow Black Dragon clansmen, and Erron was ambushed by the Red Dragon, led by Mavado. When Kano got injured from the battle, he retreats with one of his men. However, having acknowledged what Erron had done, namely being careful on taking Cassie and Jacqui alive as well, Kano decided to leave and betray the gunman to death. Sometimes after the comic book prequel, he infiltrated the Shaolin Temple to get Shinnok's amulet that contains Shinnok inside, replacing it with a replica without the Shaolin and Raiden knowing, then sold it to Mileena and assist her for a civil war against Kotal Kahn. He started acting as a weapon dealer for Kotal while one of Mileena's army set an ambush for Kotal. Though Mileena's ambush was successful, she and her army still lost to Kotal's strength of his own, leaving her army to retreat and Kano retreats to Earthrealm. He is later seen in an Outworld refugee camp, infiltrating the camp by assuming a guise as the female victim he killed, slicing her throat, only to be caught by Kenshi and Sonya thanks to Li Mei's knowledge about his involvement in Outworld, and Kano is finally taken to a custody.
In other games[]
Kano was among the eleven Mortal Kombat characters representing the franchise in the 2008 crossover fighter Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. His official rival is The Joker, but he is not playable in the story mode. He also appears in the iOS game Arkham City Lockdown as an Easter egg fighting Batman in one of the levels.[12]
Design[]
Kano originally had a large helmet with two red eyes, a concept that was dropped in favor of a smaller metal piece over his right eye. In his Deception biography card, Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon described how Kano's bionic eye in the first game was created by cutting out a piece of a plastic mask and painting it a silver color, then attaching it with spirit gum to actor Richard Divizio's face, with the infrared eye added digitally. For the first game he wore a simple gray tunic that was changed to red and black for MK3; Divizio said in a 1995 interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly, "I thought, 'Good, get rid of that white karate outfit!' " and remarked that his versus-screen pose in the game represented his "mean Kano face."[13] In a feature on the MK game actors in the April 1994 issue of VideoGames magazine, Divizio admitted that he couldn't perform any of the character's Fatalities and joked that Kano's favorite food was White Castle hamburgers.[14]
Kano's MK1 costume was revived as his alternate design for Deadly Alliance and Armageddon, and his main costume in both titles has him shirtless with a black vest, while he wears a cord around his neck that has a tuft of Sonya's hair attached.[15] His other constant in his series appearances, besides his eye, has been a bandolier worn across his chest that features a large glowing red implement; it has never served any purpose in the games, though it flashes a different color for each of his three gameplay variations for Mortal Kombat X. For an intended series reboot tentatively titled Mortal Kombat 8, former Midway Games concept artist Vincent Proce "dramatically revamped" Kano from a Black Dragon criminal into a "half Japanese, half U.S. military badass", complete with a more detailed faceplate and a simple white gi and red sash, while he went barefoot with his ankles heavily taped.[16] The reboot was canceled with Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe developed in its stead, and Kano was included in the game with his Black Dragon origins left intact.
In all Mortal Kombat media from the first game up to Armageddon (save for the 1995 Mortal Kombat film), including the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and the 1995-96 theatrical show Mortal Kombat: Live Tour, Kano had either had a receding hairline or been completely bald (since Divizio had been going bald himself while filming for the first game and had shaved his head prior to shooting MK3) and his facial hair had regularly consisted of nothing more than stubble. However, in MKvsDC and the 2011 reboot, Kano was given a full head of hair and beard, and a cosmetic addition in the reboot was two large solid-black dragon tattoos that started at his chest and snaked around his arms, while his outfits in both games were throwbacks to the two-dimensional titles. As a nod to Trevor Goddard's performance as Kano in the first Mortal Kombat film, the character's nationality was changed from American to Australian, beginning with the cartoon in which he spoke with an Australian accent, and continuing with Kano's redesign in MKvsDC and thereafter that served as a visual tribute to the actor.
Gameplay[]
In the original Mortal Kombat, Kano's special moves were the Knife Throw, making him one of two characters in the game (besides Scorpion) whose projectile was a physical weapon, while his body-propel move, the Cannonball, saw him curl into a ball and launch himself at his opponent. Sega Visions called the Knife Throw "a strong distance weapon and easily thrown."[17] Kano also possessed one of the more graphic Fatalities in the game, which involved him plunging his hand into his opponent's chest and ripping out their still-beating heart. Boon claimed that Sub-Zero's "Spine Rip" Fatality from the same game stood out more, because Kano's finisher did not have a "mark left on the opponent's body."[18] Kano was cut from the Sega Game Gear version of Mortal Kombat due to memory constraints, while a still image of him wielding an automatic weapon in his arcade ending was removed from the Genesis version of the game.[19][20]
Kano was not playable in Mortal Kombat II; according to series co-creator John Tobias in a 1994 interview with GamePro, in the first game "Kano and Sonya were probably picked the least. We [Midway] still wanted to include them in the storyline, so we had them captured." He then confirmed that Kano and Sonya would return in a future installment.[21] Indeed, Kano and Sonya were playable in Mortal Kombat 3, where his moves from the first game were retained while he gained a new "Choke" maneuver where he lifted his opponents and then violently shook them. His Fatalities were far less graphic than in the first game, as he either exploded his opponent with a laser blast from his implant, or reached down their throat to pull out their entire skeleton and hold it aloft without any blood or gore present. The game featured the unplayable hidden character Noob Saibot, who was a silhouetted sprite of Kano before being switched to a traditional ninja palette swap in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and the 1996 compilation title Mortal Kombat Trilogy, the latter which featured the original MK1 Kano as a selectable along with the then-current version.
Kano was the only one of the original seven characters who was omitted from Mortal Kombat 4 (1997), with new character Jarek debuting in his place. His role in the game was as the last surviving member of the Black Dragon following Kano's apparent death, and was being pursued by Sonya and Jax for "crimes against humanity." Jarek copied Kano's special moves as well as his "Heart Rip" and "Eye Laser" Fatalities despite possessing no cybernetic enhancements. He was not as well-received as his predecessor, and has not featured as a playable in the series again with the exception of Armageddon.
His eye laser is available as a special move in Deadly Alliance, and he had a special with his knives called "Ear to Ear."[22] This was a reference to a scene in the 1995 movie in which Kano tells Sonya that he had used his knife to slit her partner's throat "from ear to ear." One of his fighting styles in the game, ironically, is aikido, which is a defensive martial art that protects the attacker from injury.[23] He was not included in Mortal Kombat: Deception, in which Kabal takes over as the new leader of the Black Dragon after reforming it with new characters Kobra and Kira as they feud with rival faction, the Red Dragon, but returned in Armageddon.
According to Prima Games' official guide for the 2011 reboot game, Kano’s " 'flinch and you will be comboed' style can be frustrating to play against, but if you are a die-hard Kano user back from the Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 days, you will find that Kano completely fits your style." The guide also determined him to not be overly formidable nor at a great disadvantage in matches against the other characters.[24]
Other appearances[]
In Malibu Comics' Mortal Kombat series, Kano appeared with all of the characters from the first game (minus Reptile) in the 1994 "Blood & Thunder" miniseries, the first issue of which borrowed liberally from John Tobias' MK comic in detailing his evading of Sonya and the Special Forces and getting into an altercation with Johnny Cage onboard Shang Tsung's ship before Cage knocks him out.[25] In the second issue, during one of only two organized tournament fights that commenced in the entire Malibu run, Kano kills Lance, Sonya's cybernetically-armed partner who had accompanied her onto the island, by way of his "Heart Rip" Fatality. He later breaks into Shang Tsung's quarters and steals his mythical tome, the Tao te Zhan, which he manages to hide on his person just before he is caught by Goro and imprisoned in a dungeon with the rest of the series characters.[26] They all are pummeled by Goro in the following issue until Raiden comes to their rescue and breaks them out of the dungeon, but they wind up scattered throughout Outworld, and as a consequence, Kano is joined by Liu Kang, and their personalities clash from the start. Kano is still in possession of the book until it is taken by Scorpion; anxious to get it back, Kano attempts to ditch Liu Kang by scheming with a group of Outworld mutants into fighting them as a distraction, enabling him to stab his knife into Liu Kang's back and leave him for dead. In the sixth issue, he defeats Sub-Zero but is then beaten in battle by Sonya. The storyline ends with the Earth warriors victorious over the Outworlders and Kano taken into custody by Sonya and Jax, but he escapes, as detailed in a mini-story titled "Breakout" that was included in the first installment of the 1995 two-issue miniseries U.S. Special Forces, in which Kano was not featured, as the main villain therein was an original Black Dragon character named Rojack.[27] That same year, Kano was also featured in a three-issue miniseries titled Rayden & Kano, in which Raiden presents Kano with a magical sword called "Ebbonrule", in hopes that he would kill Shao Kahn with it in the name of personal redemption, but the opposite occurs as Kano gives the sword to Kahn instead in exchange for godlike powers.
Kano was a featured character in the 1995 noncanonical Mortal Kombat novel written by Jeff Rovin, which is set before the events of the first game. He and several Black Dragon members (all originals exclusive to the book) are hired by Shang Tsung to locate a mystical amulet hidden somewhere in China. They come across a remote village in which Kung Lao resides, and Kano forces Kung Lao to accompany him on the journey. Unbeknownst to him, one of the Dragons is Sonya working undercover, as she has a personal interest in apprehending him after he had killed her fiancé several years earlier. However, Shang Tsung, Goro and Raiden interrupt the search, and Kano's Black Dragon cohorts are killed while Shang Tsung merges Kano with Kung Lao and sends the combined being to locate the amulet. After he and Kung Lao are returned to normal, Kano takes the amulet to Shang Tsung's palace, though he is assaulted by Goro after making physical contact with Shang Tsung. He then brawls with Sonya near the conclusion but the fight is inconclusive when he flees after she is momentarily distracted, therefore evading her capture.[4]
In the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, Kano was played by Trevor Goddard. The film expanded upon Kano's rivalry with Sonya from the games; she now sought vengeance against Kano for killing her (unnamed) partner, for which Shang Tsung hires Kano to lure Sonya into the Mortal Kombat tournament, promising to reward Kano's efforts after he presumably defeats Sonya, while demanding that she is "not to be harmed, only humiliated." Kano starts by baiting Sonya into boarding Shang Tsung's ship, and is later spotted by Cage, Sonya and Liu Kang conversing with Goro while dining at a long table filled to capacity with food, during which Kano mocks Shang Tsung's earlier opening speech to the tournament contestants. However, when Sonya and Kano meet in battle, his earlier plan with Shang Tsung goes astray when he is defeated, and Shang Tsung betrays Kano by goading Sonya into finishing him; she complies by breaking his neck. Kano is described as wearing a business suit during the dining scene in the movie novelization, which also featured a detailed opening scene of an unsuccessful joint mission of arresting Black Dragon members by the Special Forces and an international task force, which culminates in Kano killing the task force's lieutenant who is designated therein as Sonya's murdered partner.[28][29] Kano is spared by Sonya in their fight, as she refuses to fall prey to Shang Tsung's scheme while declaring that nobody "owned" her, and at the end of the book, he is captured and handcuffed by Sonya.[28] Kano's wardrobe is minimalist in the film, as his game design was eschewed in favor of the character going shirtless with a simple brown vest, while he wears only a pair of pinstriped slacks, a metal choker and combat boots when he fights Sonya. The companion book published by Prima Lifestyles prior to the film's release said in his character profile: "A strapping Australian talented in all forms of martial arts, he's particularly skilled with a knife. He seems to enjoy his cat-and-mouse game with Sonya, which began after he murdered her partner."[30]
Kano was a main character in Mortal Kombat: Live Tour, and was portrayed by martial artists Joseph "Eddie" Acavedo and Mark Chemeleski.[31] The character appeared twice in the animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, and was voiced by Michael Des Barres. In the sixth episode ("Familiar Red"), he works with Shao Kahn in fooling the Earthrealm defenders into chasing phony dimensional rips across the globe, while a flashback scene (shown from Sonya's perspective and narrated by Jax) depicting Kano's offscreen killing of Sonya's Special Forces partner Wexler prior to the first tournament was shown; this segment included a continuity violation as Kano was shown with his MK3 design.[32] He confronts Kabal for the first time in the eleventh episode ("Amends") since Kabal's defection from the Black Dragon and his turn to the side of good, and his consequential disfigurement at the hands of Kahn's forces. Kano's Black Dragon comrades received a generic design of shaved heads and facial tattoos, and were operating an underground generator used for opening portals. They are easily disposed of by the Earth warriors at the conclusion and Kabal detonates the machine with a bomb, but Kano manages to escape.[33]
British actor and martial artist Darren Shahlavi portrayed Kano in three episodes of the 2011 first season of director Kevin Tancharoen's Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series. He and the Black Dragon are shipping stolen robotics to an undisclosed location under the name "Cyber Initiative", and Kano takes Sonya hostage after she is caught infiltrating the large warehouse where the Dragons carry out their operations, and plans to kill her when the facility is raided by a SWAT team led by Jax and Stryker. During the assault, Kano engages Jax in combat but is defeated, taking a vicious punch to the temple from Jax in the process that dislodges his eye. He is later recovered by his henchmen and has his cybernetic eye surgically attached. Kano makes one last appearance in the ninth episode, which precedes the aforementioned events; the receiver of the robotics from the Black Dragon in the first episode was revealed to be the Lin Kuei headquarters.
Merchandise and promotion[]
Along with the original series characters, Kano was highlighted on an individual track from The Immortals' 1994 album Mortal Kombat: The Album. Titled "Use Your Might", it features a female vocalist singing the character's praises from a first-person perspective, citing him as "the strongest of them all" out of the other Mortal Kombat contestants.
Hasbro released a 4" Kano action figure in 1994, packaged with a "Kombat Cycle" vehicle.[34] Jazwares released a Kano action figure that was part of their 2006 Shaolin Monks toyline (despite the figure sporting Kano's costume from Deadly Alliance),[35] in addition to a six-inch twentieth-anniversary Kano figure in 2012.[36] Kano was one of twenty MK characters featured on 2.5" x 3.5" collectible magnets released by Ata-Boy Wholesale in 2011,[37] and licensed replicas of his "Raptor" knife from the first film, which was designed by Gil Hibben, were made available for purchase.[3]
Kano makes a brief appearance in the 2012 animated film Wreck-It Ralph, voiced by Brian Kesinger. He performs the "Heart Rip" on House of the Dead zombie character Cyril while attending a "Bad-Anon" support group that featured villains from various classic video games.[38]
Reception[]
Kano placed 24th in UGO.com's 2012 selection of the series' top fifty characters,[39] and the site had additionally ranked him in 2011 as the seventh-best cyborg character of all time, ahead of RoboCop and Star Trek character Seven of Nine.[40] Den of Geek placed him seventeenth in their 2015 ranking of the series' 73 characters. "Kano is a special kind of scum, and the series is better for him existing ... [but] he probably wouldn’t rank quite as high if not for Trevor Goddard’s rocking performance in the first movie."[41] Josh Wirtanen of Cheat Code Central listed Kano as the fifth-best Mortal Kombat character. "This badass serial killer was always the character I choose when feeling the need to get in touch with my dark side."[42] Game Revolution's Anthony Severino ranked him at #10 in his 2011 "Top 10 Old School Mortal Kombat Characters" feature.[43] Saldana praised the character as "such a scene-stealer in the movie that the MK team retconned everything about Kano to fit that portrayal",[44] but Chris Buffa of Modojo.com included Kano in his "worst list" of characters from MK3 without explanation,[45] and IGN described him only by saying that he "sucks."[46] Fans ranked Kano as the 27th-best MK character in a 2013 online poll hosted by Dorkly that rated the series' entire character roster.[47]
Finishing moves[]
Kano is most notable for his Fatalities, which are regarded by various sources as among either the best or the worst in his series appearances. UGO Networks rated the "Heart Rip" from the original Mortal Kombat second in their 2011 listing of the "Top 11 Mortal Kombat Fatalities", crediting it as singlehandedly "herald[ing] the birth of anti-video game violence advocates" and describing it as "ripping the beating heart out of an opponent's chest like he's some sort of Mola Ram."[39][48] Prima Games ranked it runner-up to Sub-Zero's "Spine Rip" in their 2014 list of the series' top fifty Fatalities.[49] GamePro, in 2008, rated the doctored version of the finisher from the censored Super Nintendo version of the game, in which the heart was colored gray, first in their list of the series' twelve "lamest" Fatalities. "Instead of pulling out an opponent's still-beating heart ... Kano grabbed at an opponent's chest and pulled out...nothing."[50] ScrewAttack ranked his "Skeleton Removal" from Mortal Kombat 3 sixth on their "Top 10 Mortal Kombat Fatalities",[51] but Dan Ryckert of Game Informer included it among the most confusing MK finishers. "I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure you can't pull someone's entire skeleton out of their mouth."[52]
Kano's "Stomach Pounce" Fatality from Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe has been particularly criticized for its tameness in a Mortal Kombat title negatively received for its toned-down violence. It led to his second appearance on GamePro's "Top 12 Lamest Fatalities" listing (fifth), with the magazine commenting that "absolutely no effort was put in [by the developers in] creating it."[50] Game Informer rated it among the series' worst finishers,[53] and Game Rant chose it as the series' worst Fatality, adding that it had no connection to the character: "Since when is Kano known for stomping on people like Mario?"[54] David Saldana of 1UP.com listed it among his selection of the MK series' worst Fatalities (seventh): "You’d figure he’d represent the MK side well in the crossover game [in terms of Fatalities]. You’d think wrong."[44] ScrewAttack used the "Stomach Pounce" as the representative of all of MKvsDC's finishers topping its 2011 list of the series' worst Fatalities.[55] Adam Blampied of WhatCulture rated it third in his 2015 list of the "10 Worst Fatalities in Mortal Kombat History", commenting, "Kano’s finisher ... still technically killed his opponents, but it brings shame to the name ‘Fatality.’ It’s the weakest in the game, possibly of all time."[56]
We Got this Covered rated his "Heart Transplant" Fatality from the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot—in which Kano barehandedly decapitates his opponent and then rips out their heart before shoving their head into their chest cavity—among the series' top finishers,[57] and Tony Searle of WhatCulture ranked it eighteenth in his 2014 list of the series' "20 Horrifically Stomach-Churning Fatalities."[58] However, his "Knife to See You" Fatality from Mortal Kombat X led to his second appearance on WhatCulture's 2015 list of the series' worst finishers, coming in at the top spot. "He throws two knives at his opponent and they fall forward, forcing the blades through their head. ... players have seen [him] throw knives at people before, that's all. It’s a little done."[56]
Notes[]
References[]
[]
Kano - The Mortal Kombat Wiki
|
||
1473
|
dbpedia
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3
| 47 |
https://mynintendonews.com/2024/03/11/satoshi-kano-is-teasing-a-sega-x-capcom-collaboration/
|
en
|
Satoshi Kano is teasing a SEGA vs Capcom collaboration
|
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] |
[] |
[] |
[
""
] | null |
[
"Sickr"
] |
2024-03-11T00:00:00
|
Former SEGA developer Satoshi Okano who worked on a number of Sonic titles has recently been teasing that a SEGA vs Capcom collaboration is in the works.
|
en
|
My Nintendo News
|
https://mynintendonews.com/2024/03/11/satoshi-kano-is-teasing-a-sega-x-capcom-collaboration/
| ||||||
1473
|
dbpedia
|
0
| 12 |
https://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/06/28/are-male-characters-more-likable-than-female-characters/
|
en
|
Are Male Characters More Likable Than Female Characters?
|
http://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/likable-or-not-210x300.jpg
|
http://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/likable-or-not-210x300.jpg
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] |
[] |
[] |
[
""
] | null |
[
"Seth Mlawski",
"Lee & Low)",
"a longtime writing teacher",
"story consultant",
"many others",
"www.facebook.com"
] |
2010-06-28T00:00:00
|
A pseudo-scientific look at the phenomenon of the "strong" female character.
|
en
|
https://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/themes/oti2012/images/favicon.ico
|
Overthinking It
|
https://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/06/28/are-male-characters-more-likable-than-female-characters/
|
Rule #1 of writing fiction in the 21st century: All characters must be likable. Sure, sure… but what does “likable” mean? A while ago, I wrote a piece about this subject, but my findings were superficial at best. “Likable characters have dogs,” I said. “Likable characters are easy for audiences to identify with and pity.”
Such analysis was not particularly useful to the would-be writer or to most consumers of modern fiction. What, for example, are we to make of the fact that psychopathic killers like Tony Soprano and Ben Linus are loved by the masses? Why is it that “whiners” like Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Shinji considered detestable, while sad-sacks like Eeyore and Charlie Brown get dubbed “lovable losers” and existentialists? Why do we hate know-it-alls like Wesley Crusher and Adric but love know-it-alls like Spock and The Doctor? And why aren’t I mentioning any women in these questions?
Clearly, there is a lot more to likeability than I thought. This week, I’d like to continue my on-going series of “How To Be Likable” by focusing on the following question: Are male characters more immediately likable than female characters?
For some time now, I’ve held the hypothesis that, to the majority of the American population, if not the majority of the population of Earth, male characters are automatically more likable than female characters. It seemed to me, based on my experience on the Interwebs, that many male characters were given a pass for deplorable behavior while female characters tended to be hated for the vague sin of being “a bitch.” My hypothesis seemed to be confirmed by my recent experiences reading about Breaking Bad on the web. I won’t spoil the show for you in case you haven’t seen it, but in the first two and a half seasons, certain male characters have 1. produced and distributed methamphetamines, 2. killed people and allowed innocents to die, 3. attempted rape, and 4. constantly lied to their families and put them in extreme danger (among other things). One female character, on the other hand, had an affair—weeks after begging her husband for a divorce, which he would not grant. Guess which character is the unlikable one?
Of course, we at Overthinking It don’t base our conclusions on anecdotal evidence. We’re scientists. If an article on pop culture doesn’t have a chart, graph, or Excel spreadsheet in it, it doesn’t count. So I decided to see what science (“science”) had to say about the matter. Are male characters more likable than female characters?
For my research, I visited Entertainment Weekly, which last month came up with a list of their 100 favorite fictional characters. (NOTE: There are more than 100 characters on the list.) These characters came from TV shows , the movies, novels, the theater, and FunnyorDie.com. Oh, and The Gorillaz are on the list for some reason. Here’s the breakdown by gender:
TOTAL CHARACTERS: 108
MALE: 68 (63%)
FEMALE:40 (37%)
So does this mean that male and female characters are equally likely to be liked? Well, maybe yes, maybe no. I next broke down the EW list by character type. What kinds of male characters do we like, and do we like the same types of female characters? I divided the characters in two ways. First, I looked to see if the characters were active or passive/reactive. I defined active characters as characters that control their plots. They have strong desires, and go after them using their wits, physical strength, devious skills of manipulation or what have you. These characters are often described as “badasses,” but they don’t have to be badass. Examples of active characters from the EW list include Jack Bauer from 24 and The Bride from Kill Bill (on the violent side) and Barney Stinson from HIMYM and Sue Sylvester from Glee (on the non-violent side).
Passive/reactive characters, on the other hand, are acted upon—the plot happens to them, in other words. These characters tend to be pitied by audiences, and their actions tend to be less violent. Examples of “passives” or “reactives” include Truman from The Truman Show and Rachel from Friends.
Beyond the obvious “actives” and “passives” there were also some “unclassifiable” characters. For example, District 9’s Wikus van de Merwe, started his film as a “reactive” but finished it as an “active.” He is, therefore, unclassifiable.
Most “how to write” books and websites I’ve read claim that likable characters are always active—no one likes a reactor. But that’s not how the EW broke down:
TOTAL ACTIVES: 56 (52%)
TOTAL PASSIVES/REACTIVES: 42 (39%)
TOTAL UNCLASSIFIABLE: 10 (9%)
According to the EW list, likeability was indeed correlated with active badass-itude, but being active was not a requirement of being likable.
Now let’s see where male and female characters fall on the active-passive continuum. Before looking at the EW list, my guess would have been that audiences prefer their male characters active and “badass” and their female characters sweetly passive and mommy-like. Surprisingly, I found just the opposite:
MALE ACTIVES: 32/68 (47%)
MALE PASSIVES: 25/68 (37%)
FEMALE ACTIVES: 24/40 (60%)
FEMALE PASSIVES: 12/40 (30%)
Clearly, EW likes active characters a bit better than passive characters, but it likes active female characters significantly more than it likes passive or reactive female characters. According to the above statistics, for every Felicity or Lorelai Gilmore on the list, you get two Starbucks (or two Patty Heweses). EW’s writers and editors, it seems, like their “strong female” characters better than their “reactive but interesting” female characters by a ratio of 2:1. As you can see, there is less of a spread between the active and passive male characters. (For every Forrest Gump or Napoleon Dynamite, you get only 1.3ish Omar Littles.)
Next, I broke the characters into character types: hero-protagonists, anti-hero-protagonists, comedic protagonists (who tend to flip-flop between heroism, pure evil, and complete passivity), villain antagonists, and none of the above. By my count, there were only 10 clear villain-antagonists in this list
– Tracy Flick from Election
– Amanda Woodward from Melrose Place
-Catherine Trammell from Basic Instinct
– Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada
– Mary Jones from Precious
– Annie Wilkes from Misery
-Violet Weston from August: Osage County
– Keyser Söze from The Usual Suspects
-Gollum from The Lord of the Rings
– The Joker from The Dark Knight
and yet seven of the ten are women. That means 17.5% of the women on this list are villain-antagonists, while only 4.5% of the men are. My definition of a villain-antagonist was a character who did evil things that the POV protagonist did not approve of. People like Hannibal Lecter and Tony Soprano would be considered anti-hero-protagonists, because one helped out the heroic main character, and one was the main character. As evil as Tony Soprano can be, audiences identify with him too much to call him a true villain. (Fascinatingly, there are very few female antihero-protagonists in general, let alone on this EW list–Mary Louise Parker’s character from Weeds immediately jumps to mind–but she’s not only the list. Damages’ Patty Hewes is. If you go to TVTropes and look at their list of villain protagonists, you’ll see the number of female characters is negligible. I have nothing much to say about this fact other than to say it’s interesting.)
Anyway. All of the above data suggest to me that we (or at least the critics at EW) like a wide variety of male character types but prefer our women to be two-dimensionally “badass” and/or evil. Most great female characters, the EW list seems to say, are doers—not thinkers or losers or comedians or lovable orges or what have you. Great male characters, meanwhile, range across the entirety of human experience, from Shrek to David Brent to Edward Scissorhands to Eric Cartman to Jules Winnfield to Spongebob Squarepants to Tyler Durden.
An important question remains, however. Is it that audiences and critics prefer two-dimensional “strong female” characters to “weak-but-interesting” women and girls, or is it that writers don’t know how to write nuanced female characters? Or do writers know how to write three-dimensional women but avoid doing so for fear of being labeled misogynistic? After all, the writer of an unsubtle villainness or plain-vanilla action heroine can hide behind the excuse of, “But look! She’s so empowered!” Or is it that Hollywood’s female characters have been focus-grouped to death, as A.O. Scott suggested in his (hilarious) review of Knight and Day? Are writers shackled by the market research that says that likable female characters must be “tough but not aggressive,” “sexy but not actually having sex,” and “willing to fall for a certain kind of guy without entirely losing their heads”? Maybe we see so many female characters in this bland “Cameron Diaz” rom-com mode nowadays that every time a writer steps slightly out of those boundaries by writing a loathsome Lady Macbeth stereotype or one-dimensional Femme Nikita-type, magazines like Entertainment Weekly fall over themselves to congratulate them for it.
I don’t know. My guess is that it’s all of the above. So let me open this question to you, OTI readers. I’m sure most of you enjoy watching badass characters of both sexes–after all, we humans love our wish-fulfillment fantasies–but do passive/reactive female characters turn you off more than passive or reactive male characters? If so, why? Were you socially-conditioned to only enjoy watching women if they act stereotypically “masculine” (i.e., proactive and violent), or do you think that Hollywood’s writers tend to have a hard time writing different types of female characters?
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https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26862060/characters/nm1072611
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Mortal Kombat 1 (Video Game 2023)
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Mortal Kombat 1 (Video Game 2023) JB Blanc as Kano
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IMDb
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https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26862060/characters/nm1072611
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It looks like we don't have any photos or quotes yet.
Be the first to contribute! Add a photo or add a quote.
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https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a39583712/top-boy-kane-robinson-kano-netflix-the-kitchen/
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en
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Top Boy's Kane 'Kano' Robinson lands lead role in Netflix film
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[
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[
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2022-03-30T14:09:46.089767+00:00
|
Top Boy’s Kane 'Kano' Robinson has secured his first lead role in new dystopian movie The Kitchen, co-written and created by Black Panther star Daniel Kaluuya.
|
en
|
/_assets/design-tokens/latest/digitalspy/static/images/favicon.b8735b8.ico
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Digital Spy
|
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a39583712/top-boy-kane-robinson-kano-netflix-the-kitchen/
|
Top Boy's Kane 'Kano' Robinson has secured his first lead movie role.
The musician and actor, who plays Sully on the hit Netflix series, will star as Izi in the streaming platform's new film The Kitchen.
Created, co-written and co-produced by Black Panther star Daniel Kaluuya, the futuristic dystopian drama promises to examine social class and the structures that confine us.
It's set in London in the year 2044, where the gap between the rich and the poor has been stretched to its limits.
Related: Top Boy's Ashley Walters reveals co-star Kano rewrites his scenes
With social housing eradicated, the working class are forced into temporary accommodation on the outskirts of the city.
The Kitchen is London's last village of residents who refuse to move out. The story centres around Izi, who lives in The Kitchen and is desperate to get out with 12-year-old Benji, who after the death of his mother is searching for his family.
The story follows how the unlikely duo battle to stay alive in a system that is working against them.
The film is written by Kaluuya (Get Out) and Joe Murtagh (Calm with Horses, Gangs of London) from an idea that Kaluuya, Daniel Emmerson (Calm with Horses) and Kibwe Tavares had.
Related: Top Boy's Saffron Hocking teases Lauryn and Sully showdown in season 5
The Kitchen is led by first-time feature film director Tavares, after his extensive work in shorts, theatre and architecture. He was also an executive producer on the acclaimed BBC sci-fi drama Noughts & Crosses.
The movie will also introduce young actor Jedaiah Bannerman, who will co-lead the movie alongside Robinson in the role of Benji.
Kaluuya explained that he thought of the idea after a conversation he had in a barbershop in 2011.
"In 2011, I was in my barbershop and there was a guy boasting about smash and grabs – kids doing million-pound heists in a minute, getting paid £200 to do it," he said. "I saw the potential to unlock a unique story door to the inequality, fatherhood, class, joy, resilience, courage, defiance and care of London."
Almost a decade later, Kaluuya and his team have brought his vision to life and he said: "[We] are immersing ourselves in a dystopian London that interrogates what 'care' means, at home and as a society and the dangers in our future if we stay indifferent to everything around us."
The Kitchen will be filmed across London and Paris and be released on Netflix in 2023.
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| 33 |
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12492349/Top-Boy-fans-laud-powerful-ending-series-praise-Kanos-phenomenal-acting-character-Sully-faces-ultimate-showdown-fellow-drug-dealer-Dushane.html
|
en
|
Top Boy fans laud 'powerful' ending to the last ever series and praise Kano's 'phenomenal' acting as his character Sully faces ultimate showdown with fellow drug dealer Dushane
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[] |
[
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"tvshowbiz",
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[
"Amelia Wynne",
"Amelia Wynne For Mailonline",
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2023-09-07T15:57:51+01:00
|
Top Boy fans have lauded the 'powerful' ending to the last ever series that landed on Netflix on Thursday.
|
/favicon.ico?v=2
|
Mail Online
|
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12492349/Top-Boy-fans-laud-powerful-ending-series-praise-Kanos-phenomenal-acting-character-Sully-faces-ultimate-showdown-fellow-drug-dealer-Dushane.html
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Top Boy fans have lauded the 'powerful' ending to the last ever series that landed on Netflix on Thursday.
The Final Chapter has been eagerly anticipated by lovers of the show and those taking to Twitter expressed their praise for how it concluded.
Series three follows continuing dramatic storylines on the east London estate of Summerhouse.
The popular show portrays the fictional lives of some of London's biggest drug dealers and their gangs led by Sully (Kano) and Dushane (Ashley Walters).
The trailer released last month teased an ultimate showdown between the two main characters after the end of the last season saw Sully brutally shoot dead Jamie (Micheal Ward).
Taking to Twitter hard-core fans who watched it on the same day it was released were loving the new series as one wrote: 'Top boy ending is mad!'
Another said: 'I haven't booked any work in for this afternoon because top boy is back on Netflix so actually made some time for me it's the best show I have ever seen it's brilliant.'
A third said: 'Top Boy being back has made my day!'
A fourth wrote: 'Kano deserves way more acting roles. His performance in Top Boy is phenomenal. Best thing about it if you ask me!'
Someone else said: 'Top boy finished. Gutted its ended but what an end. The final scenes with @AshleyWalters82 and @TheRealKanodeserve all the awards going!'
A different fan penned: 'Done. Dusted. Superb final season of what is probably one of the UKs best written drama. Top notch acting. Loved it. Brilliant #TopBoyNetflix #TopBoy.'
Another happy fan wrote: 'The fact that this is the last top boy is emotional. Everything good must come to an end.'
This season wraps up the fate of the main characters after the dramatic events of the final series two scene.
As well as Dushane and Sully's drama Lauryn (Saffron Hocking) has to deal with killing her abusive partner and father of her unborn baby Curtis (Howard Charles) while his vicious sister Vee (Ava Brennan) seeks revenge.
Elsewhere Dushane not only has a drug empire to worry about, but also his ongoing health problems.
Simbi Ajikawo (aka Little Simz), Jasmine Jobson, Saffron Hocking, and Araloyin Oshunremi are also return to their roles for the last series.
Netflix's synopsis for series three reads: 'Sully's actions at the end of the last series have rewritten his business rules with Dushane.
'As new shared problems arise, everything they've built comes under threat from forces outside and within their empire.
'Can they coexist by the rules of the road they've lived by their whole lives in a world that is changing before them? Or can there only be one Top Boy?'
Talking about the final season last year, Kano and Ashley who play the two main characters, explained: 'While the journeys of Dushane and Sully have remained at the core of the show, the new characters that have entered the world of Top Boy have become a key part of the show's legacy, representing each new storyline in a raw, authentic way.
'With all this being said, and staying true to our original goal, every story must have an ending and so season three will be our finale.
'A chance to come full circle and end the journey in the right way.'
Following the release of Top Boy season 2 on Netflix on March 18 2022, the show quickly went to number 1 in the UK.
The finale of the season left fans with their jaws-dropping. Now the stakes are at their highest and it's time for the final reckoning.
The Banshees Of Inisherin star Barry Keoghan and Bad Sisters actor Brian Gleeson join the show as new characters Jonny and Tadhg.
Season four saw Ashley, Kano, Micheal and Little Simz reprise their roles as Dushane, Sully, Jamie and Shelley.
Clad in scruffy clothing and begging for a hit on a number of occasions, season three introduced two junkies called Lee and Sarah, who were seen gaining the trust of their dealers.
However, the season's finale showed the duo being unveiled as undercover cops, before Top Boy's official Twitter shared a video of the clues that led to the shock moment - leaving fans in absolute bewilderment.
Lee and Sarah appeared to be forging a good relationship with a number of dealers, including Dushane and Sully, throughout the season.
However, they suffered a few mishaps along the way, which proved that there was something more to their characters.
It's only during the final scene, when they are seen sitting in the police station, where viewers realise they are undercover cops hoping to lock away Dushane and Sully.
Top Boy originally aired in 2011 on Channel 4 before the station dropped it after two seasons.
Following interest from rapper Drake, the show was revived by Netflix in 2018, with the rapper and his team serving as executive producers.
Set on the fictional east London estate of Summerhouse, Top Boy is a crime drama that takes an unflinching look at the raw, dangerous world of drug dealing and the lives of those who live in the ends.
It's a look at the paradoxical aspiration and realities of those who are marginalised by society yet form a tight-knit community as they try to better their lives on the estate.
For Dushane and Sully, that's about the relentless pursuit of building a drug empire to become Top Boy. But that puts a target on your back.
Enemies can come from anywhere, loyalties are tested as trusted lieutenants can become snakes, and the unwritten rules of the road are always challenged.
But these are the challenges you face as Top Boy and the question is: how long can you stay there?
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2011-09-24T03:47:40+00:00
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Johnny Cage Real Name John Carlton Age 29 (as of MK) Height 6' (1.83 m) Weight 190 lbs. (86 kg) Status Movie Star Origin Earthrealm (Venice, California) Resides Earthrealm Species Human Weapons Bowie Knife (MK4) Pistol (MK4) Nunchaku (MK:DA, MK:D,MK:A) Fighting Styles Jeet Kune Do (MK:DA, MK:D) Karate (MK:DA) Shinto Ryu (MK:D) Shorin Ryu (MK:A) Alignment Good Appearances Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat II Mortal Kombat Trilogy…
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https://staticlink02.wordpress.com/mortal-kombat-9-characters/
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Johnny Cage
Real Name John Carlton Age 29 (as of MK) Height 6′ (1.83 m) Weight 190 lbs. (86 kg) Status Movie Star Origin Earthrealm (Venice, California) Resides Earthrealm Species Human Weapons Bowie Knife (MK4)
Pistol (MK4)
Nunchaku (MK:DA, MK:D,MK:A) Fighting Styles Jeet Kune Do (MK:DA, MK:D)
Karate (MK:DA)
Shinto Ryu (MK:D)
Shorin Ryu (MK:A) Alignment Good Appearances Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
MK: Deception (cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
John Carlton, better known as Johnny Cage, is an action movie martial artist in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is one of the most recurring characters and one of the few original characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game.
About Johnny Cage
Johnny Cage is a Hollywood movie star. Originally entering theMortal Kombat tournament to display his fighting skills and prove himself to skeptical movie critics and the movie-viewing public, who believed Cage was nothing more than an actor who relied too much on stunts and camera work and not a real proficient fighter. Eventually, Cage becomes one of the most important defenders of Earthrealm. Though he occasionally lapses into his former selfish and materialistic ways, he has always been a brave and loyal warrior for Earthrealm.
Goro
Real Name Goro Age 1995 Height 8′ 2″ (2.5 m) Weight 550 lbs. (249 kg) Status Prince Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species Shokan (Draco Lineage) Affiliations Shao Kahn‘s Army
Kitana‘s Army (former) Weapons Dragon Fangs (MK:D, MK:A) Fighting Styles Shokan (fighting style) (MK:D,MK:A)
Kuatan (fighting style) (MK:D) Alignment 1st Timeline: Neutral/Evil
2nd Timeline: Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat (sub-boss)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy (sub-boss)
Mortal Kombat 4 (sub-boss)
MK: Deception (GameCube exclusive)
MK: Shaolin Monks (sub-boss)
MK: Unchained
MK: Armageddon
MK 2011 (sub-boss)
Goro is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, who made his debut in the first Mortal Kombat game as the game’s sub-boss.
Goro is one of the original characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game as the sub-boss, and later appeared as the sub-boss of Mortal Kombat 4 (only available on home consoles). He first became playable in the Game Boy port of Mortal Kombat.
About Goro
He appeared as a four-armed Shokan warrior who had been the champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament for nine generations, remaining undefeated for 500 years.
Goro is among Shao Kahn‘s favorite warriors and is well known for his power and brutality. Goro helped the emperor grow closer to dominating Earthrealm, but he lost at the tenth while fighting against Liu Kang, who later defeated the sorcerer Shang Tsung.
Liu Kang
Real Name Liu Kang (劉鋼) Age 24 (as of MK) Height 5′ 10″ (1.78 m) Weight 185 lbs. (80kg) Status Mortal Kombat Champion Origin Earthrealm (Honan Province, China) Resides Earthrealm Species 1st Timeline: Zombie/
Spirit (formerly Human)
2nd Timeline: Human Weapons Dragon Sword (MK4, MKG)
Nunchaku (MK:D, MK:A) Fighting Styles Jun Fan (MK, MKII, MK3,UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:A)
Pao Chui (MK:D)
Karate (MKII)
Jeet Kune Do (MK:SM)
Choy Lay Fut (MK:SM)
Monkey (MK:SM)
Dragon (MK:SM) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good (as Human/Spirit),
Neutral (as Zombie)
2nd Timeline: Good Appearances Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Deadly Alliance (cameo)
Mortal Kombat Advance
MK: Deception
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Unchained
MK: Armageddon
Ultimate Mortal Kombat
MK vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Liu Kang (劉鋼) is a character that features in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is one of the few original characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game. He serves as the main protagonist of the series and is the Grand Champion of Mortal Kombat in the first four tournaments.
Liu Kang is also one of the most easily accesible characters in the series, and one of the most powerful warriors of Earthrealm, and has beaten many to prove his valor. Throughout the series, Liu Kang has been gradually portrayed as the main hero, becoming champion after the first Mortal Kombat tournament. The one character who could be considered the closest thing to a nemesis Liu Kang has is Shang Tsung, who has been repeatedly defeated in battle by the Shaolin monk. Because of this, Kang is often considered to be the biggest threat to the plans of Tsung and his emperor, Shao Kahn. He is a member of the White Lotus Society. Kang was killed by the Deadly Alliance of Tsung and Quan Chi.
About Liu Kang
In the first few entries in the series, Liu Kang was shown to be non-violent, in that his finisher did not explicitly kill the opponent. Starting with Mortal Kombat II, however, all of his finishers involved killing the opponent in one way or another. Due to his zombie state in Mortal Kombat: Deception, he has been shown to kill hundreds of innocent people at a time although it’s not really him committing these crimes, but his body itself.
Kano
Real Name Kano (加納) Age 35 (as of MK) Height 5′ 10″ (1.78 m) Weight 200 lbs. (91 kg) Status Mercenary Origin Earthrealm Resides Outworld Species Human Affiliations Black Dragon Weapons Butterfly Knives (MK, MK3,MK:DA, MK:A,
MK vs DC, MK 2011) Fighting Styles Xing Yi (MK:DA, MK:A)
Aikido (MK:DA) Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat II (cameo)
Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
MK: Special Forces
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Armageddon
MK vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Kano (加納)[1] is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is one of the few original characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game.
About Kano
A portion of Kano’s face is covered with a metal plate as a result of a disfiguring injury he sustained at the hands of Major Jackson Briggs prior to the events of the series, with the plated eye being a glowing red orb capable of emitting laser-like beams. Originally a mercenary and leader of the international crime cartel known as the Black Dragon he rises beyond the level of mere brutality and aggression by also being sly and cunning. It was through his resourcefulness that he convinced Shao Kahn to spare his life, and it was through ruthless ambition that he later ascended to position of general of Outworld‘s armies. Kano combines the features of a cowardly minion, a lone survivor, a crazed madman, and an intelligent commander. His actions have made him the enemy of Lt. Sonya Blade.
Noob Saibot
Real Name Bi-Han (璧漢) Age 32 (at death) Height 6′ 2″ (1.88 m) Weight 210 lbs (95 kg) Origin Earthrealm (China)
(Reborn in the Netherrealm) Resides Netherrealm/Outworld Species Wraith (formerly Human/Cryomancer) Weapons Scythe (MK4, MKG)
Ninja Sword (MK:TE)
Troll Hammer (MK:A) Alignment Evil (as Noob Saibot)Neutral (as Sub-Zero) Appearances As Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat
MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat (2011)
As Noob Saibot
Mortal Kombat II (unplayable)
Mortal Kombat 3 (unplayable)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Tournament Edition
MK: Deception
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Unchained
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Noob Saibot, once known in life as Bi-Han (璧漢), was a Lin Kueiassassin turned wraith from the Mortal Kombat fighting games series. He is one of the few original characters, debuting in the original Mortal Kombat arcade game as Sub-Zero, older brother of the current, younger Sub-Zero. He first appeared as Noob Saibot as a secret character in Mortal Kombat II, first becoming playable in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and was a secret character in Mortal Kombat 4. He holds the unique distinction of appearing, in one form or another, as a fighter in all of the first seven main fighting games.
About Noob Saibot
Reincarnated in the darkest of all realms, the Netherrealm, Noob Saibot is the very incarnation of evil. Before becoming a wraith, he was once Sub-Zero, an assassin among the most powerful of Lin Kuei. As Sub-Zero’s name, clothes, and powers would suggest, his character was icy and distant. In all aspects, he was a cold-blooded and violent assassin absolutely dedicated to his clan, the Lin Kuei. While essentially neutral, his soul had become dark and corrupted from years of violence and remorseless killing. Before his story is revealed to the player, the player can make an educated guess on who he was. He disappears after MK, and reappears in MKII reborn as Noob Saibot.
When he died in the first Mortal Kombat tournament at the hands of Scorpion, his soul, corrupted by years of violence, descended to the Netherrealm’s Fifth Plane. The evil within his soul was released, stripping him of pride, compassion, and everything else “human.” He wishes not only to remain in the Netherrealm, but to conquer and rule it. Though he has been seen in the service of conquerors such as Shinnok and Shao Kahn, his ultimate allegiance is himself.
Raiden
Real Name Raiden (雷電) Age Eternal Height 6′ 7″ (2.01 m) Weight 260 lbs. (118 kg) Status Thunder God Origin Heavens Resides Earthrealm Species God Weapons Hammer (MK4)
Staff (MK4, MK:DA, MK:D,MK:SM, MK:A) Fighting Styles Nan Chuan (MK:DA, MK:D,MK:A)
Jujutsu (MK:DA, MK:D)
Judo (MK: Conquest)
Tae Kwon Do (MK Conquest) Alignment 1st timeline: Good (Neutral inMK:D and MKA)
2nd timeline: Good Appearances Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat 3 (cameo)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
Mortal Kombat Advance
Ultimate Mortal Kombat(Puzzle Kombat)
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Tournament Edition
MK: Deception
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Armageddon
MK vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Raiden (雷電) is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is one of the few original characters, debuting in the firstMortal Kombat game.
About Raiden
Raiden is the eternal God of Thunder and former protector ofEarthrealm. After the second defeat of Shinnok, he ascended to the status of Elder God. Being a god, he possesses many supernatural abilities, such as the ability to teleport, control lightning and fly. As a god, he is used to thinking in terms of eternity rather than normal human lifespans, and as such he has a radically different outlook on life.
Reptile
Real Name Reptile Age Unknown Height 6′ (1.83 m) Weight 189 lbs. Status Enforcer Origin Zaterra (Now part of Outworld) Resides Outworld Species Saurian Weapons Kunai (MK, MK 2011)
Battle Axe (MK4, MKG)
Kirehashi (MK:DA, MK:A) Fighting Styles Hung Gar (MK:DA)
Crab (MK:DA)
Pao Chui (MK:A) Alignment 1st Timeline: Neutral/Evil
2nd Timeline: Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat (unplayable)
Mortal Kombat II
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Tournament Edition
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Reptile is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is one of the few original characters, debuting in the originalMortal Kombat arcade game as a secret character. He then became playable in Mortal Kombat II.
About Reptile
Reptile is a green garbed, human-like reptilian creature that embodies the archetype of the unhappy underling. Reptile is said to be physically hideous and repulsive, but he is renowned for his great stealth, impressive fighting skills and unquestioning loyalty. Unlike many other henchmen of the lords he has served, Reptile does not strive for power. Rather, he is caught in a delusional state of mind, an obsession about finding the last remaining member of his race, theSaurians, or freeing his homeworld from Outworld‘s grasp. Thus, he always remains loyal to Shao Kahn, only obeying other masters to survive and reach his goal of returning Zaterra to its former glory. While well-meaning and sincere, this obsession is so important to him that it causes him temporary fits of insanity.
Reptile was hidden in the original Mortal Kombat and thus holds the distinction of being the very first secret character to appear in a versus fighting game. Before battles with an opponent he would make his appearance and jump in the middle of the screen in a Sub-Zero win pose. Above his head would be clues on how to find him, such as “Look to la luna” (“the moon” in Spanish or Italian and hinting The Pit stage), “Alone is how to find me” (denoting that he is only unlockable in single player mode), “Perfection is the key” (directing towards the double Flawless victory), or “Tip eht fo mottob” (“Bottom of The Pit” spelled backward). This concept was then copied for Smoke and Jade in Mortal Kombat II.
He was a merge between the original Sub-Zero and Scorpion characters. Mortal Kombat co-creators John Tobiasand Ed Boon admitted in an interview that the “birth” of Reptile was when they took Sub-Zero and Scorpion and fused the two into one and colored him green (yellow + blue = green). They christened this character “Reptile” due to his green color and their reference to lizards. While he wasn’t given a lot of character depth at the time, he was worked on more (character wise) and later, in Mortal Kombat II, Reptile was developed into a full character with his own special moves and would be available from the outset.
It is not quite clear how old Reptile is. Estimates run in the tens of thousands of years or even millions. What is known, however, is that the Earthrealm was nearly destroyed by a battle between the gods millions of years ago. Reptile’s race of raptors or Saurians, escaped to another realm, Zaterra, where it was then invaded and annexed by Outworld’s emperor, Shao Kahn. As was the usual process for Kahn conquering another world, most of the Zaterrans were killed in the ensuing battles, only leaving a handful of people left. Among those, or among those descended from these survivors, was Reptile. Unlike the others of his kind, who were forced into slavery, Reptile was trained to be a servant of both Kahn and Shang Tsung.
Because of this, it is unclear exactly what Reptile’s place of birth is – although Earthrealm, Zaterra, or Outworld are the three likely choices.
Scorpion
Real Name Hanzo Hasashi (藏半藏 Hasashi Hanzo) Age 32 (at death), (Now a Hellspawned spectre) Height 6′ 2″ (1.89 m) Weight 210 lbs. (95 kg) Origin Earthrealm, Japan
(reborn in Netherrealm) Resides Netherrealm Species Wraith (formerly Human) Affiliations Shirai Ryu Weapons Kunai (All appearances)
Mugai Ryu (MK:D, MK:U, MK:A,MK 2011)
Axe (UMK3, MKT)
Long Sword (MK4, MKG)
Ninja Sword (MK:DA) Fighting Styles Hapkido (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:U,MK:A)
Moi Fah (MK:D, MK:U)
Pi Gua (MK:DA) Alignment 1st Timeline: Neutral
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil (Formerly Neutral) Appearances Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat II
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Tournament Edition
MK: Deception
MK: Unchained
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Armageddon
MK vs DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Scorpion is a resurrected ninja in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is one of the few original characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game. He holds the unique distinction, along with Raiden and Sub-Zero (in one form oranother), of appearing in every generation of Mortal Kombat games as a playable character.
Scorpion is one of the most popular characters in the Mortal Kombat series. In life, Scorpion was the codename for a human ninja assassin and one of the Shirai Ryu clan’s finest warriors:Hanzo Hasashi.
About Scorpion
It is known that his father, a former member of the Shirai Ryu, forbade his son from joining the clan, as he did not wish for his son to live the life of an assassin. However, Hanzo joined in spite of his father’s wishes in order to provide his wife and son with a comfortable life.
Now, Scorpion is a black and yellow garbed, hell-spawned spectre, inexorably seeking vengeance against those responsible for the destruction of his clan and the death of his own family. Despite the fact that Scorpion has previously allied himself with the forces of evil (when promised either means of resurrection on Earth or the chance to inflict his wrath against those who butchered his clan), he is not inherently evil. In fact, Scorpion has, at times, indirectly assisted the game’s protagonists, although his reasons for doing so ultimately serve to benefit his own motives.
Fans of the series often perceive Scorpion as the title’s foremost anti-hero, due to his tendency to undertake actions which serve to benefit good, albeit in his own gruesome, self-serving and vigilante manner. Scorpion’s demeanor, characteristics, persona and self-reliance have all contributed to his popularity, with Scorpion ironically appearing as the most human in nature and choice when compared to the purely virtuous, “good guys” and the diabolically evil, “bad guys”. Although Scorpion is featured alongside the forces of evil in the opening scene of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, he remains neutral, due to his fierce hatred of Quan Chi.
When masked, Scorpion appears human, although this is merely an illusion. When revealing his true self, only Scorpion’s skull remains, which sometimes appears on fire. Scorpion’s most popular and recognized skill is his famous spear attack, which is used to draw an opponent toward him. This attack will also stun the opponent for a short amound of time. Scorpion will shout, “Get over here!” or “Come here!”, while executing this technique.
Sonya Blade
Real Name Sonya Blade Age 26 (as of MK) Height 5′ 9″ (1.75 m) Weight 140 lbs. (63.5 kg) Status Special Forces Member Origin Earthrealm (Austin, Texas) Resides Earthrealm Species Human Weapons Wind Blade (MK4)
Kali Sticks (MK:DA, MK:A) Fighting Styles Kenpo (MK:DA)
Tae Kwon Do (MK:DA, MK:A) Alignment Good Appearances Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat II (cameo)
Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
Mortal Kombat Advance
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Armageddon
MK vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Lieutenant Sonya Blade, (USA) or Lt. Sonya Blade, (USA), is a female soldier who is a member of Earthrealm‘s Special Forces unit known as Outer World Investigation Agency (OIA) in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She is one of the few original Mortal Kombat characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game.
About Sonya
A member of a top United States Special Forces unit, Sonya Blade is a beautiful, stern, tough-as-nails lieutenant. Her impulsiveness is catalyzed by her superior and good friend, Major Jackson “Jax” Briggs. Sonya represents a very emancipated and headstrong woman, but for all her stubbornness and pride, she deeply cares about the lives of her friends and comrades. She has a long-standing enmity with the thug, Kano, who had murdered a former partner of hers, and stands for everything Sonya despises.
Shang Tsung
Real Name Shang Tsung (尚宗) Age Unknown (beyond 500) Height 5′ 11″ (1.8 m) Weight 210 lbs (95kg) Status Sorcerer Origin Earthrealm Resides Outworld Species Human/Sorcerer Weapons Straight Sword (MK:DA, MK:A) Fighting Styles Snake (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A)
Crane (MK:DA)
Mantis (MK:D), Mimics Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat (boss)
Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Deception(cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Ultimate Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Shang Tsung (尚宗)[1] is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is one of the few original characters, debuting in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game, in which he served as the final boss.
About Shang Tsung
A powerful, deadly sorcerer and a primary villain in the Mortal Kombat series, Shang Tsung is a shapeshifter who needs to consume souls in order to sustain his health and life. In the Mortal Kombat series, he is the epitome of cunning and decadence, as symbolized by his preference for lavish parties, grand palaces, and stylish clothing. Unlike the crude Shao Kahn, this bombast is a facade, disguising Tsung’s true intellectual and mental sophistication. His nemesis is Liu Kang, but throughout his unnatural lifespan, he has earned the hatred of many others, including Kung Lao and Kenshi.
Shang Tsung’s early allegiance to Shao Kahn granted him the status of a free roaming sorcerer. As such, he is able to move between realms without detection by the Elder Gods or local deities, an ability which has granted him many opportunities to commit atrocities over the centuries. Only Delia, Shinnok, Shao Kahn, and Quan Chi can match Shang Tsung’s skills as a sorcerer.
Baraka
Real Name Baraka Age Unknown Height 6′ 5″ (1.96 m) Weight 280 lbs (127 kg) Status Enforcer Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species Tarkatan Weapons Razor Cane (MKG)
Tarkatan Blades (All Series) Fighting Styles Silat (MK:D, MK:U, MK:A)
Hung Gar (MK:D, MK:U) Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Gold
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Unchained
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Baraka is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, who made his debut in Mortal Kombat II.
About Baraka
Baraka was introduced as a mean, unforgiving, and unpredictable warrior in service of the Outworld Emperor, Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat II. He belongs to a race of nomadic mutants, later revealed in Mortal Kombat: Deception to be called Tarkata, a crossbreed between vile Netherrealm demons and denizens ofOutworld, apparently populating the vast wastelands of Outworld. Like most members of his race, Baraka possesses long blades extending from his forearms. Although he has had numerous incursions with the Earthrealm warriors, he appears not to have any particular rivalry or hatred towards Earth or its inhabitants. As a loyal warrior, he fights for those whom he calls “master”.
Blaze
Real Name Blaze Age 1000 years (As of MK:U) Height Boss Form = 12′ (3.65 m)
Normal Form = 6′ (1.82 m) Weight Boss Form = 2500 lbs (1134 kg)
Normal Form = 210 lbs (95 kg) Status Guardian Origin Edenia Species Elemental Allies Argus
Delia Fighting Styles Hapkido (MK:DA, MK:U)
Jeet Kune Do (MK:DA, MK:U)
Xing Yi (MK:DA, MK:U)
Flames (MK:A) Alignment Neutral Appearances Mortal Kombat II (cameo)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy (cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Deception (cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Unchained
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (playable boss)
Blaze is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series who made his debut as a background character inMortal Kombat II. He made his playable debut in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance as a hidden character, and served as the boss of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon.
About Blaze
First introduced in the series as a non-playable character seen in the background of the Pit II arena in Mortal Kombat II, Blaze was depicted as an elemental being from Outworld shrouded in flames.[1] As his name and appearance suggests, he has control over fire, lava, heat, etc.In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance Blaze became a playable character and gained more background information. He would later become the final boss of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon.
Blaze’s first chronological appearance was supposedly inMortal Kombat II, visible only as a burning figure in the Pit II background, fighting a character fans have since named Hornbuckle does not come without controversy. Daegon is described in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon as being awoken centuries prematurely, due to Caro losing mental contact with Blaze (because of his imprisonment guarding the last dragon egg) and mistook that for the signal to awake Daegon. Also, in Blaze’s Armageddon Bio, Blaze is set free after the egg hatches during the events ofDeception, and is unaware that Daegon was awoken prematurely. It’s not until Blaze gives the signal to wake both brothers he learns that Daegon had already been freed. If the burning figure in Mortal Kombat II was truly Blaze, that means Blaze had been imprissoned to guard the egg sometime after Mortal Kombat II, which means Daegon could not have been awoken centuries earlier because Blaze would have known. With the Black Dragon dating back to before the first Mortal Kombat and the Red Dragon dating back beyond that, it seems the burning figure seen in Mortal Kombat II could not have been Blaze, since at the time he was already guarding the egg.
Jade
Real Name Jade Age Around 10,000 Height 5′ 9″ (1.75 m) Weight 130 lb. (58.2 kg) Origin Edenia Resides 1st Timeline: Edenia
2nd Timeline: Netherrealm Species Edenian Weapons Steel Fans (MKII, MK 2011)
Bo (UMK3, MKT, MK:D, MK:SM,
MK:A, MK 2011)
Boomerang (UMK3, MKT,MK:D, MK:SM, MK:A, MK 2011) Fighting Styles Fan Zi (MK:D, MK:A)
Kuo Shou (MK:D) Alignment 1st timeline: Good (formerly Evil)
2nd timeline: Unwillingly Evil (Formerly Good) Appearances Mortal Kombat II (unplayable)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
MK: Deception
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Unchained
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Jade is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She first appeared as a secret, unplayable character in Mortal Kombat II, and first became playable in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
About Jade
Jade is a childhood friend of Princess Kitana. While her motives were unclear, she served Shao Kahn alongside Kitana and Mileenaas his personal assassin for most of her life. When Kitana finally turned against Shao Kahn, Jade was ordered to capture her for the Emperor. She ultimately chose to join her friend, and has since loyally assisted Kitana in her quest to free their native realm and restore its original beauty. Now residing in the freed Edenia, Jade is a General of the Edenian Army and continues to dutifully serve Kitana and her mother Sindel.
Jade’s confident, self-assured and sassy personality was first thoroughly portrayed in her Girls Gone Wired campaign video, but later expanded upon throughout her story in Mortal Kombat (2011). Always known for her loyalty towards Kitana, she has proven herself to be a dependable, sincere and devoted friend to the princess. She is sarcastic, patronizing and cocky towards her opponents, and incredibly ruthless and towards those she considers a personal enemy (at one point splashing Tarkatan essence on the Edenian traitor, Tanya, and allowing her to be torn to pieces by Baraka’s militia).
As a female assassin adorned in a green skin-tight outfit, Jade was initially very similar in appearance to Kitana and Mileena, the only noticeable difference being her darker skin. She appeared first as a hidden, unplayable character in Mortal Kombat II whose moveset were mostly like Kitana’s including the use of the fan blade weapon. To reach Jade, the player would fight a one-player game on the match just before the “?” on the map of the mountain. If the player won at least one round of the match using only the Low Kick button (no punches, High, or Block button presses), they would immediately be warped to Goro’s Lair to fight Jade. The player did not have to win the match — only one round — to fight Jade.
Jade would later become a regular character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Her main weapon of choice is a metal staff, but she also uses razor-edged boomerangs (dubbed “razorangs”) as well.
Jax
Real Name Jackson Briggs Age 28 (as of MKII) Height 6′ 8″ (2.03 m) Weight 350 lbs. (159 kg) Status Leader of Special Forces Origin Earthrealm Resides 1st Timeline: Earthrealm
2nd Timeline: Earthrealm (asHuman) Netherrealm (asUndead) Species 1st Timeline: Human
2nd Timeline: Undead(formerly Human) Affiliations Special Forces
Outer World Investigation Agency Weapons Spiked Club (MK4)
Tonfa (MK:DA, MK:U, MK:A)
Machine Gun (MK:DA, MK:A,MKvsDCU, Mortal Kombat (2011 video game) Beta)
Bionic Arms All Appearances (Apart from MKII) Fighting Styles Muay Thai (MK:DA, MK:U,MK:A)
Judo (MK:DA, MK:U) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good
2nd Timeline: Good (as Human)
Unwillingly Evil (as Undead) Appearances Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Special Forces
Mortal Kombat Advance
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Unchained
MK: Armageddon
MK vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Major Jackson “Jax” Briggs (U.S.A.) is a cybernetically-enhanced soldier who is the leader of the Outer World Investigation Agency (O.I.A.), Earthrealm‘s Special Forces unit, in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II.
About Jax
Jax was the first African-American character in the Mortal Kombatseries and made his debut in Mortal Kombat II. He is portrayed as an archetypical American hero. In the chain of command of theSpecial Forces, he is Sonya Blade‘s direct superior, and clearly the catalyzing force of Sonya’s impulsiveness. Jax is clear-headed, careful and always keeping a watch on what his men are doing, but when the need arises, he is a beast on the battlefield with the attitude and ferocity of a lion. He unscrupulously makes use of the most advanced technology to improve both himself and his unit. He is responsible for the crime lord Kano‘s disfigurement, forcing him to wear a metal plate over a portion of his face.
Shao Kahn
Real Name Shao Kahn Age Unknown (beyond 10,000) Height 7′ 2″ (2.18 m) Weight 400 lbs (181.4 kg) Status Emperor Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species Outworlder Weapons Wrath Hammer (All appearances)
Staff (MKII, UMK3, MKT,MK:SM)
Shao Kahn’s Sword (Mortal Kombat: Conquest) Fighting Styles Tai Tzu (MK:D, MK:A)
Lui He (MK:D) Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat II (boss)
Mortal Kombat 3 (boss)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3(boss)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy (boss)
Mortal Kombat Advance(boss)
MK: Deadly Alliance (cameo)
MK: Deception (GameCube
exclusive)
MK: Unchained
MK: Shaolin Monks (boss)
MK: Armageddon
Ultimate Mortal Kombat (boss)
MK vs DC Universe (boss
and playable)
Mortal Kombat (2011) (boss)
Shao Kahn is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II as the boss, a role he also served in Mortal Kombat 3. He serves as the main antagonist of the series in many instances.
About Shao Kahn
Shao Kahn the Konqueror is represented as the embodiment of evil. In many respects, he resembles a large Asian warrior, and is well known amongst the roster of Mortal Kombat Kombatants for his godlike strength which rivals that of Raiden, the God of Thunder. He is also known for his extreme callousness, brutality, ferocity in battle, and his fondness of personal executions, though he has occasionally spared the lives of his subordinates, if they prove their worth, and his victims such as Sindel and Kitana, raising the latter like his own daughter and treating the former like his own wife. However, his true power that has served him well and allowed him to rise above the image of a mere warlord is his high intelligence and profound knowledge of the black arts. Like his subordinate Shang Tsung, he has the power to consume other souls.
Perhaps Shao Kahn’s greatest strength lies in his ability to work towards his goals with great tenacity and his ability to organize. However, his greatest weakness is his arrogance and overconfidence. Shao Kahn has often underestimated mankind, and therefore tried to conquer Earthrealm many times, with or without a queen (consort), to no success.
Kintaro
Real Name Kintaro Age Unknown Height 8′ 5″ (2.57 m) Weight 650 lbs (295 kg) Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species Shokan (Tigrar Lineage) Allies Shao Kahn
Goro
Sheeva Enemies Motaro
Raiden
Liu Kang
Kung Lao Weapons Saber Teeth (MK:A) Fighting Styles Tiger Fist (MK:A) Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011) (sub-boss)
Kintaro is a character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II as the game’s sub-boss and became playable in Mortal Kombat Trilogy. InMortal Kombat (2011) Kintaro returns as a sub-boss for the game and carries a more important role in the game’s storyline, presenting himself as the one that burnt Kabal.
Kintaro replaced Goro after Goro was defeated by Liu Kang inMortal Kombat. He is the only member of his race seen thus far to have unique features. Unlike Goro and Sheeva, Kintaro has tiger striped markings all over his body as well as sharp fangs, claws and feline-like feet. According to his Mortal Kombat (2011)bio, this is indicative of the lower-class Tigrar clan of Shokan, differing from the more elite Draco class that Goro and Sheeva belong to, so there are likely more of his kind out there. It should be noted that in each new game, his feline features stand out more than the last.
Kitana
Real Name Kitana Age 10,000 Height 5′ 9″ (175cm) Weight 128 lbs (58kg) Status Princess Origin Edenia Resides 1st Timeline: Edenia
2nd Timeline: Netherrealm Species Edenian Weapons Steel Fans (MKII, UMK3, MKT,
MKAdvance, MKG, MK:DA,
MK:U, MK:A, MK:SM,
MKvsDCU, MK 2011)
Flying Blade (MKG) Fighting Styles Eagle Claw (MK:DA, MK:U)
Ba Gua (MK:DA, MK:U, MK:A) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good (Formerly Evil)
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil (Formerly Good) Appearances Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat 3 (cameo)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
Mortal Kombat Advance
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Deception (Action Replay Only)
MK: Unchained
MK: Armageddon
MK vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Kitana is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She made her debut in Mortal Kombat II.
About Kitana
Princess Kitana is 10,000 years old, but is considered young in her realm of Edenia and only appears to be in her early twenties. Throughout the years, she rose to great importance; first as the loyal stepdaughter of Shao Kahn, then as his enemy, tearing herself away from his grasp and freeing her home realm of Edenia. She also led an army into Outworld to combat any chance of Shao Kahn rising to power again.
She shared a subtle love interest with Mortal Kombat champion Liu Kang, even after he was murdered by the Deadly Alliance. She has aligned herself with the good side, despite her loyalty to Shao Kahn for most of her life, until learning the truth about her past and real family.
Kung Lao
Real Name Kung Lao (功老) Age 24 (as of MKII) Height 5′ 10″ (1.78 m) Weight 175 lbs. (80 kg) Origin Earthrealm Resides 1st Timeline: Earthrealm
2nd Timeline: Netherrealm Species Human Weapons Battle Axe (MKG)
Broadsword (MK:DA, MK:A)
Razor-Rimmed Hat (All Series) Fighting Styles Mantis (MK:DA, MK:SM)
Shaolin Fist (MK:DA, MK:SM,MK:A)
Kenpo (MK:SM)
White Lotus (MK:SM) Alignment 1st timeline: Good
2nd timeline: Unwillingly Evil (Formerly Good) Appearances Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Gold
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Deception(cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Kung Lao (功老)[1] is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, who made his debut in Mortal Kombat II.
About Kung Lao
Kung Lao is a former Shaolin monk and a member of the White Lotus Society. He stands in the shadow of his great ancestor, the Great Kung Lao, but unlike his great ancestor he has no desire to be champion and would rather live a life of peace. As well, he has sought counsel from master Bo’ Rai Cho. Of the Earthrealm warriors, Kung Lao is the most outspoken pacifist, although he will not hesitate to severely punish those who attack him, Earthrealm, or his friends. His trademark is his Razor-Rimmed Hat, which he can employ quite powerfully and effectively in combat. Many of his fatalities involve the use of his hat to some extent.
According to MK co-creator John Tobias in a 1995 interview with EGM, Kung Lao’s hat was inspired by the 1964 James Bond movieGoldfinger, in which a character named Oddjob threw his derby hat as a weapon.
Mileena
Real Name Mileena Age Less than a year as of MK 2011 Height 5′ 9″ (1.75 m) Weight 128 lb (58kg) Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species Half-Tarkatan Half-Edenianclone of
Kitana/Genetic Experiment Weapons Long Sword (MKG)
Sai (MKII, UMK3, MKT, MKG,MKD,
MKSM, MKA, MK 2011) Fighting Styles Ying Yeung (MK:D)
Mian Chuan (MK:D, MK:A) Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat II
Ultimate Mortal Kombat
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Gold
Mortal Kombat Advance
MK: Deception
MK: Unchained
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Mileena is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She made her debut in Mortal Kombat II.
About Mileena
Mileena is a clone of Kitana, created by Shang Tsung‘s sorcery in his flesh pits for Shao Kahn, using Tarkatan physiology. Vicious and evil, she despises Kitana, and feels that it is her own right to rule Edenia as Princess in her place. Her fondest wish is to kill her “sister”, and claim her existence for her own. Something of an opportunist, she will make use of any chance to seize power that comes within her hands.
Smoke
Real Name Tomas Vrbada Age 34 (As of MK:D) Height 6′ 1″ (1.85 m) Weight Human: 170 lbs (77 kg)
Cyborg: 555 lbs (252 kg) Status Assassin Origin Earthrealm (Prague, Czech Republic) Resides Netherrealm Species 1st Timeline: Cyborg (formerlyHuman)
2nd Timeline: Human/Enenra Weapons Kunai (MKII, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011) Fighting Styles Mi Tzu (MK:D, MK:U, MK:A),Judo (MK:A) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good (Unwillingly Evil in MK:D)
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil (Formerly Good) Appearances MKII (unplayable)
MK3
UMK3
MKT
MKAdvance
MK:D
MK:U
MK:SM
MK:A
MK 2011
Smoke is a ninja assassin who was turned from a human into acyborg in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II as an unplayable secret character in human form, and first became playable in Mortal Kombat 3 in cyborg form. He appears in the franchise’s reboot, now retaining his human form in canon for the first time in almost two decades.
About Smoke
Smoke debuted in Mortal Kombat II as a hidden character to fight against. He was often spotted in theLiving Forest stage in which he (along with Jade) peeked out of the trees. LikeReptile when he made his first appearance, he was simply a palette-swap ofScorpion with puffs of smoke surrounding him, but would move extremely fast. He would appear randomly before matches, offering clues that would enable the player to fight him, as Reptile had in the originalMortal Kombat.
Smoke would not have his own storyline until he was featured in Mortal Kombat 3, where he was once again a hidden character, but accessible to players with the use of a code. In this appearance, he would be a tortured, human soul trapped in the body of a cyborg. His most defining feature is the fact that he constantly seems to emit a smoke or vapor. This, combined with his power to teleport and turn invisible, once made him one of the Lin Kuei‘s top assassins.
In Mortal Kombat (2011), its revealed that he has long, flowing, ghostly white hair, which, while blown back in renders and artwork, covers his face in game.
Sub-Zero
Real Name Kuai Liang (奎良) Age 32 Height 6′ 2″ (188 cm) Weight 210 lbs. (95 kg) Origin Earthrealm, China Resides Earthrealm Species 1st Timeline:Human/Cryomancer
2nd Timeline: Cyborg (formerly
Human/Cryomancer) Weapons Ice Scepter (MK4, MKG)
Kori Blade (MK:DA, MK:D,MK:A, MK 2011) Fighting Styles Shotokan (MK:DA, MK:D,MK:A)
Dragon (MK:DA, MK:D) Alignment Good Appearances Mortal Kombat II
Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Tournament Edition(cameo)
MK: Deception
MK: Shaolin Monks
MK: Unchained
MK: Armageddon
MK vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat (2011)
See also: Cyber Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero, also known as Kuai Liang (奎良, and formerly known as Tundra), is a Lin Kuei assassin in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He is the younger brother of Noob Saibot, who was the original Sub-Zero in the first Mortal Kombat game. The younger Sub-Zero made his debut in Mortal Kombat II. In one form oranother, Sub-Zero has appeared in every generation of Mortal Kombat games as a playable character.
About Sub-Zero
Sub-Zero is one of the most popular characters in the Mortal Kombat series. There are in fact two incarnations of Sub-Zero, and they are siblings: the older brother Bi-Han, and younger brother Kuai Liang. Both are blue garbed warriors that are members of theLin Kuei that descended from Cryomancers: an Outworld race possessing the ability to generate and control the powers of ice, although both of them were born in Earthrealm. Kuai Liang bears a scar on his right eye which he received between the events ofMKII–MK3. However – as of Deception – the scar has faded away, possibly because of the effects of his Dragon Medallion.
In their biography, both Sub-Zero brothers were sons of a Chinese Cryomancer father and a human mother. It is known that the father of both brothers was a secret operative for the Lin Kuei in the United States. He married an American woman and together they had two sons. Against the will of their mother, the father took the sons with him to move back to China, and as such both brothers were trained as Lin Kuei assassins. This was later retconned as both brothers being kidnapped by the Lin Kuei (this was revealed in Sub-Zero’s trailer in Mortal Kombat 2011).
Bi-Han appeared as Sub-Zero in the first Mortal Kombat, while Kuai Liang went by the codename “Tundra”. After Bi-Han was killed byScorpion during the tournament, Kuai Liang replaced him for the rest of the games – Bi-Han later became the undead Netherrealmwraith, Noob Saibot.
The younger Sub-Zero clearly shares many traits with his older brother, and was perhaps too similar to his brother upon his introduction. Like the elder, the younger Sub-Zero gives the impression of being a stern, distant and cold man who goes about his business silently, without attracting unwanted attention. However, as time progressed, Sub-Zero evolved – from what fans labeled a “carbon copy” of his brother – into a man of great integrity and self-discipline. The disparities between the brothers, who were once neutral and almost indistinct from each other, have now grown so large that one could speak of the evil twin syndrome.
While the younger Sub-Zero was depicted as a young Lin Kuei warrior who was living in the shadow of his older brother, he has since changed and grown into a warrior who has progressed towards the more humane sides of moral issues. This change in characteristics has not only strengthened him as a man, but has also set him apart from his former Lin Kuei counterparts. This included leaving his clan in disgust and breaking the sacred codes of honor, joining the rebellion against Shao Kahn and assisting Raiden and Liu Kang (along with Earthrealm’s other chosen warriors). More recently, he defeated the cyborg assassin known as Sektor after the events of Mortal Kombat Gold to gain the leadership of the Lin Kuei and become the Grandmaster, where he has grown even stronger and more powerful. He is a dependable ally of Earthrealm who is willing to assist when needed, especially when Raiden gives the call. He is without question one of the greatest and most powerful warriors that Earthrealm has to offer. He, like much of the MK cast, also follows a character archetype, in his case the enigmatic hero that shows up to aid the main hero(es) when needed.
Cyrax
Real Name Unknown Age Unknown Height 5′ 11″ (1.8 m) Weight 650 lbs. (295 kg) Origin Earthrealm (Botswana, South Africa) Resides Earthrealm Species Cyborg (formerly Human) Affiliations 1st Timeline:
Lin Kuei (former)
Outer World Investigation Agency
2nd Timeline:
Lin Kuei Weapons Sabre of Light (MKG)
Pulse Blade (MK:DA, MK:A) Fighting Styles Ninjitsu (MK:DA, MK:A)
Sambo (MK:DA) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good (formerly Neutral)
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil (formerly Neutral) Appearances Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Gold
Mortal Kombat Advance
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
Mortal Kombat: Deception(cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Cyrax is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, who made his debut in Mortal Kombat 3.
About Cyrax
Making his debut in Mortal Kombat 3, Cyrax was one of the four cybernetic ninjas created by the Lin Kuei, in an effort to convert all members into unfeeling, cold-hearted, cybernetic assassins to improve their performance. He was assigned to hunt down the renegade, former Lin Kuei member Sub-Zero as designated unit LK-4D4. Of the four cyborgs, he has become the second to recover his humanity. This is due to the efforts made by Sonya Blade andJax Briggs. He has currently allied with them as a token of his appreciation. In the alternate timeline, however, he was automated and dutifully serves the Lin Kuei. Cyber Sub-Zero reclaims his humanity instead of Cyrax.
Kabal
Real Name Kabal Age 35 Height 6′ 2½” (1.89 m) Weight 175 lbs (79 kg) Origin Earthrealm Resides 1st Timeline: Unknown
2nd Timeline: Netherrealm Species Human Weapons Hookswords (MK3, MK:D,MK:A, MK 2011) Fighting Styles Sun Bin (MK:D, MK:A)
Goju Ryu (MK:D) Alignment 1st Timeline: Evil/Neutral (formerly Good)
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil (Formerly Good) Appearances Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Unchained
Mortal Kombat Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Kabal is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, who made his debut in Mortal Kombat 3.
About Kabal
Kabal was first introduced in Mortal Kombat 3, sporting long, black hair, hookswords, and a respirator. He was a mysterious chosen warrior who survived an attack from one ofShao Kahn‘s extermination squads. And his origin was unkown. However, he was actually a member of the Black Dragon. At the time of his introduction, he appeared as a force for good, but has since reverted to his evil ways, planning to place himself as the head of the new Black Dragon clan. In Mortal Kombat (2011), Kabal is once again good, although his past as a Black Dragon member is mentioned by Kano. Before his disfigurement, he was a cop partnered up with Kurtis Stryker.
Motaro
Real Name Motaro Age Unknown Height 8′ 6″ (2.59 m) Weight 900 lbs (408 kg) (Minotaur)
1,200 lbs (544 kg) (Centaurian) Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species 1st Timeline: Centaurian(formerly), Minotaur
2nd Timeline: Centaurian Allies Shao Kahn
Shang Tsung
Kano
Baraka Enemies Raiden
Kintaro
Sheeva
Sindel
Jax Briggs
Johnny Cage Weapons None Fighting Styles Horse (MK:A) Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat 3 (sub-boss)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3(sub-boss)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy (sub-boss)
Mortal Kombat Advance (sub-boss)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat (sub-boss)
Mortal Kombat: Deception(cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011) (cameo)
Motaro is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat 3, in which he also served as the sub-boss.
About Motaro
Motaro made his first appearance inMortal Kombat 3. He is aCentaurian, meaning that he has the body of a stallion and the torso of a man. He also has a pair of capricorn-like horns and has a long, metallic rat-like tail he can use as both an energy channeling point and a limb. He is nearly 9 feet tall. Centaurians are known for their hunting skills and their mystical powers.
Motaro, along with his entire race, harbors a deep-seated hatred for the Shokan, whom he sees as inferior. The two races constantly struggle against each other in order to prove their value to Shao Kahn and to finally define which is superior.
Nightwolf
Age Unknown Height 6′ 3″ (1.91 m) Weight 207 lbs (94 kg) Status Shaman Origin Earthrealm (USA) Resides 1st Timeline: Earthrealm
2nd Timeline: Netherrealm Species Human Fighting Styles Val Tudo (MK:D, MK:A)
Tae Kwon Do (MK:D) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil (Formerly Good) Appearances Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
MK: Deception
MK: Unchained
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Nightwolf is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat 3.
About Nightwolf
Nightwolf, an Apache warrior, is aNative American character who, although introduced as a historian and a shaman, does not live in the past. He is a proud and fierce warrior dedicated to the cause of good, and is in contact with Raiden through visions. As such, he draws both on internal and external spiritual energy to enhance his power.
Sektor
Real Name Unknown Age Unknown Height 6′ 1″ (1.85 m) Weight 300 lbs. (136 kg) Origin Earthrealm Resides Earthrealm Species Cyborg (formerly Human) Weapons Laser Pistol (MKG)
Pulse Blade (MK:TE)
Pulse Blades (MK:A) Fighting Styles Ninjitsu (MK:TE)
Sambo (MK:TE)
Kenpo (MK:A) Alignment 1st Timeline: Evil (formerly Neutral)
2nd Timeline: Evil (formerly Neutral) Appearances Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Tournament Edition
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Sektor is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat 3.
About Sektor
Throughout the various Mortal Kombat games he was involved in, Sektor has grown into an ever more menacing mechanized warrior. He represents the closest thing to evil a cyborg can be, and combines traits of both a stealthy ninja and a ruthless killing machine fit for modern warfare. In contrast to his counterpartCyrax, Sektor never bothered to rediscover his human side, and may be unable to. As far as this could be said about a cyborg, it is likely that he suffers from a form of insanity. He is capable of independent thought and action like Cyrax and Smoke; however, unlike the other two cyborgs, the only emotion Sektor really displays is anger.
Sheeva
Real Name Sheeva Age Unknown Height 7′ 3″ (2.21 m) Weight 210 lb. (95 kg) Status Master Jailer Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species Shokan (Draco lineage) Allies Shao Kahn
Shang Tsung
Goro
Kintaro
Mileena
Noob Saibot
Baraka
Reptile Enemies Raiden
Motaro
Sindel
Kitana
Jade
Kano
Cyrax Weapons Shokan Daggers (MK:A) Fighting Styles Kuatan (MK:A) Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate MK3
MK Trilogy
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Sheeva is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series who made her debut in Mortal Kombat 3. Sheeva belongs to the ancient race of the Shokan, a race of mighty four armed halfHuman, half Dragon beings from Outworld that are the archenemies of the Centaurian race. Like all of her race, she possesses a tall, muscular build, and four arms. Notably, Sheeva served as the personal bodyguard of Queen Sindel during Shao Kahn‘s failed invasion of Earthrealm.
Unlike Goro and Kintaro, Sheeva was never a sub-boss in the Mortal Kombat series and was always a playable character, therefore she was not as strong as them.
Sindel
Real Name Sindel Age Over 10,000 Height 5′ 9″ (1.75 m) Weight 128 lbs (58 kg) Status Queen Origin Edenia Resides 1st Timeline: Edenia
2nd Timeline: Netherrealm Species Edenian Allies Kitana
Jade
Raiden
Li Mei
Cyrax
Shujinko
Liu Kang
Sonya Blade
Johnny Cage
Nightwolf
Smoke
Jax
Sub-Zero
Kung Lao
Ermac
Stryker Enemies Shao Kahn
Quan Chi
Shang Tsung
Onaga
Motaro
Mileena
Tanya Weapons Kwan Dao (MK:D, MK:A) Fighting Styles Zha Chuan (MK:D, MK:A)
Fu Jow Pai (MK:D) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good (Formerly Unwillingly Evil)
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Unchained
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Sindel is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She made her debut in Mortal Kombat 3 with a very important role in the storyline. She can also be seen on the side of the MK3arcade cabinet.
About Sindel
Sindel is an exceptional character in theMortal Kombat series (and in fighting games in general). In spite of her gloomy, gothic appearance, Sindel is benevolent in nature. She rules the realm of Edenia alongside her daughter, Princess Kitana. Sindel’s power appears to be more one of an inner, ethereal nature and she in more than one way. She is a distinctly older and mature character, with flowing grey hair and a regal attitude befitting of her role as Queen of Edenia. She has a natural affinity with aerial magic, as evidenced by her ability to levitate and manipulate sonic waves.
In Mortal Kombat: Deception, creator Ed Boon describes Sindel as a challenging character in more ways than one. Although Sindel is not one of the main characters in the series, she was involved in a big part of the game. This had to do with the fact that her ruling over Edenia, and how it was a target to many rulers like Shao Kahn, Shinnok, and Onaga. Sindel was one of the few evil characters to turn good in the series.
Stryker
Real Name Kurtis Stryker Age Unknown Height 6′ 1″ (1.87 m) Weight 197 lbs (89 kg) Status SWAT Member Origin Earthrealm Resides 1st Timeline: Earthrealm
2nd Timeline: Netherrealm Species Human Allies Kabal
Liu Kang
Sonya Blade
Jax Briggs
Sub-Zero
Kitana
Nightwolf
Raiden
Kung Lao
Sindel
Johnny Cage
Smoke
Jade
Cyrax
Li Mei
Shujinko Enemies Shao Kahn
Kintaro
Shang Tsung
Quan Chi
Mileena
Kano Weapons Nightstick (MK3, UMK3, MKT,MK:A, MK2011)
Hand Gun (UMK3, MKT,MK2011)
Taser (MK3, UMK3, MKT,MK:A, MK2011)
Grenade (MK3, UMK3, MKT,MK:A
Machine Gun (MK:A) Fighting Styles Hua Chuan (MK:A) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil (Formerly Good) Appearances Mortal Kombat 3
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Officer Kurtis Stryker is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat 3.
About Stryker
Stryker was introduced in Mortal Kombat 3as a somewhat stout-looking man sporting a very urban design with a white-blue shirt, combat boots, gunbelt, black police pants, and a backwards cap. However, his appearance changed in Armageddon into a more serious-looking and modernized policeman. Originally described as being a leader of the Special Riot Control division in the New York City Police Department,[1] he employs modern weaponry such as explosives, firearms, tasers, and nightsticks in battle, making him a force that is not to be underestimated. He is seen as the first person to run towards the pyramid in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon.
Chameleon
Real Name Chameleon Age Unknown Height Unknown Weight Unknown Origin Zaterra Resides Outworld Species Unknown (possibly Saurian) Allies Shao Kahn Enemies Unknown Weapons Ninja Sword (MK:A) Fighting Styles Crane (MK:A) Alignment Evil Appearances Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Chameleon is a ninja who utilizes camouflage during fights in theMortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in the Sega Genesis version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (through a Game Genie). He also appeared as a hidden character in the PC, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogyand as a playable character in MK: Armageddon.
About Chameleon
Chameleon first debuted in the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and PC versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogy as a male ninja with partial transparency that changed color. In the Nintendo 64 version, he was replaced by Khameleon, a female counterpart who is actually an entirely separate character. There was initially little information about Chameleon as he had no storyline or game ending. All that was known about him is garnered from the hidden option to fight him (available upon beating the game), in which he is referred to as “one of Shao Kahn‘s deadliest warriors”.[1] He later returned in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon with a completely new design and a backstory.
Ermac
Real Name Ermac Age Less than 1 year (as of MK 2011) Height 5′ 8″ (1.73 m) Weight 180 lbs (82 kg) Status Enforcer Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species Fusion of souls Allies Kenshi
Liu Kang
Jax Briggs
Sonya Blade
Raiden
Kitana
Johnny Cage
Sub-Zero
Shujinko
Kung Lao
Cyrax
Li Mei
Kurtis Stryker
Taven Enemies Rain
Ashrah
Shao Kahn
Onaga
Tanya Weapons Axe (MK:D, MK:A) Fighting Styles Hua Chuan (MK:D)
Choy Lay Fut (MK:D, MK:A) Alignment 1st Timeline: Good (formerly Unwillingly Evil)
2nd Timeline: Unwillingly Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat (glitch)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Unchained
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Ultimate Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Ermac is a red ninja who utilizes telekinesis during fights in theMortal Kombat fighting game series, who made his debut inUltimate Mortal Kombat 3. Before that however, he was a subject of fan speculation that began with a glitch in Mortal Kombat.
About Ermac
Making his first debut in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Ermac has been a controversial and mysterious character in the Mortal Kombat series whose existence was rumored since its inception.
Ermac is a Fusion of many souls destroyed in Outworld’s wars who came to be controlled by Emperor Shao Kahnand his Shadow Priests. Because of this, he refers to himself as “we,” “us,” and “our” instead of “I,” “me,” and “my“. Due to the sheer concentration of souls within Ermac, he possesses the gift of telekinesis, and can travel to different realms. However, the depths ofNetherrealm drain his powers and souls. He is weakened dramatically while there, but a mysterious stone dubbed the Soul Stone Shujinko found for him would protect his souls.
Disappearing after the events of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, he only returned in Mortal Kombat: Deception, where he was freed from Shao Kahn’s grip by the blind swordsman Kenshi, whom he repaid by teaching him the Telekinetic Slam. He decided to become a force of good partly in guilt of his past evils. To prove this, he decides to help Liu Kang free the souls of his friends from control of Onaga.
Rain
Real Name Rain Age Beyond 10,000 Height 6′ 1″ (1.85 m) Weight 210 lbs (95 kg) Status Prince Origin Edenia Resides Outworld Species Half-Edenian, Half-God Allies Shao Kahn
Quan Chi
Shang Tsung
Tanya
Reiko Enemies Raiden
Taven
Jade
Kitana
Daegon
Elder Gods Weapons Storm Sword (MK:A) Fighting Styles Goju Ryu (UMK3, MKT)
Zi Ran Men (MK:A) Alignment Evil (Once Neutral) Appearances Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3(unplayable
in Arcade only)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Mortal Kombat Advance
Mortal Kombat: Deception(cameo)
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011) (DLC)
Rain is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
About Rain
Rain was originally meant to appear in Mortal Kombat 3, but didn’t actually appear until Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Rain was originally a red herring inserted by the game developers; a character shown in the game’s attract mode who did not actually exist within the game itself. A recent interview reveals that the insert was made by Ed Boon himself to intentionally trick players. Many MK fans searched for him in vain, with the eventual realization of his status as a joke character (named after a Prince song, Purple Rain) dawning. The joke expands further when it is revealed that Rain is a “prince” himself. He would, however, soon make an actual appearance in the console versions of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, and Mortal Kombat Trilogy as a full-fledged character with his own history (that of a traitor to his realm), and move set, to the delight of many fans, as well as the chagrin of others. His popularity is mixed within the MK fanbase. He is a DLC character for Mortal Kombat (2011), released on July 19th. His debut gameplay trailer was released on July 11th.
Quan Chi
Real Name Quan Chi Age Immortal Height 6′ 7″ (2.01 m) Weight 210 lbs. (95 kg) Status Sorcerer Origin Netherrealm Resides Netherrealm Species Demon/Sorcerer (formerlyOni) Weapons Spiked Mace (MK4)
Broadswords (MK:DA, MK:D,MK:A, MK 2011) Fighting Styles Tang Soo Do (MK:DA, MK:D)
Escrima (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A) Alignment Evil Appearances Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Deadly Alliance
MK: Tournament Edition
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Shaolin Monks (cameo)
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (cameo)
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Quan Chi is a character in the Mortal Kombat series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, and first became playable in Mortal Kombat 4. He is also a major villain in the series.
About Quan Chi
Quan Chi became the most powerful sorcerer and necromancer in the Netherrealm and a primary villain in the Mortal Kombat series. Quan Chi combines both cunning and brute force in his never-ending plots to overtake not only Earthrealm, but all of reality. He is an opportunist and will ally himself with anyone who can help him further his own goals. He is notable in particular for his ruthlessness and pragmatism. His manipulative and deceptive nature has earned him many enemies, including Sub-Zero and Scorpion, the latter whose entire family and clan he destroyed. Only Shinnok, Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung and Delia can match Quan Chi’s skills as a sorcerer.
Reiko
Real Name Reiko Age Unknown Height 6′ 3″ (1.91 m) Weight 199 lbs (90 kg) Origin Outworld [1] Resides Outworld Species Outworlder Allies Shinnok
Shao Kahn
Tanya
Rain
Shang Tsung
Onaga
Mileena
Goro Enemies Raiden
Kitana
Taven
Liu Kang
Quan Chi
Kenshi Weapons Spiked Club (MK4)
Scythe (MKG)
Crude Hammer (MK:A) Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011) (cameo)
Reiko is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat 4.
About Reiko
Reiko is a grim and stoic looking man with black and white hair, glowing blue eyes, and a penchant for brutality. He was originally introduced in a typical ninja archetype inMortal Kombat 4. He also has a mask-like black tattoo over his eyes.
Shinnok
Real Name Shinnok Age Eternal Height 6′ 1″ (1.85 m) Weight 285 lbs (129 kg) Status Fallen Elder God Origin Heaven Resides Netherrealm Species Elder God Allies Quan Chi
Shao Kahn
Noob Saibot
Shang Tsung
Tanya
Mavado
Hsu Hao
Daegon
Reptile
Reiko
Sheeva
Moloch
Drahmin
Mileena Enemies Raiden
Elder Gods
Fujin
Sub-Zero
Sonya Blade
Liu Kang
Smoke
Sindel
Sareena
Johnny Cage
Nightwolf
Ermac
Cyrax
Onaga
Kai
Kurtis Stryker
Kung Lao
Li Mei
Taven
Kitana
Shujinko
Jade
Bo’ Rai Cho Weapons Naginata (MK4)
Amulet Staff (MKA) Fighting Styles Kuo Shou, Mimics Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat Gold
MK: Deception (cameo)
MK: Unchained (cameo)
MK: Armageddon
Mortal Kombat (2011) (cameo)
Shinnok is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero as a boss, and first became playable in Mortal Kombat 4, in which he also served as the boss.
About Shinnok
Shinnok is considered one of the most evil beings in Mortal Kombat. A vengeful and powerful fallen Elder God, Shinnok appeared in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, Mortal Kombat 4 and Mortal Kombat Gold as the main villain. He has also made an appearance in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. He is seen to be seemingly leading the side of evil.
Unlike Shao Kahn, Shinnok relies less on brute strength and fear-mongering, but more on magical powers and ancient artifacts. He is the ruler of the Netherrealm, possessing millions of years’ worth of knowledge and power, including the ability to perfectly impersonate any other beings of his choosing, as well as to transform into an immense demon. He also possesses extreme cunning, as well as the ability to manipulate events through others. For example, he had Quan Chi convince Shao Kahn to merge Earthrealm with Outworld against the Elder Gods’ will. As a result, both realms were severely weakened and left vulnerable to invasion by the Netherrealm.
Shinnok demands unwavering faith and loyalty from his followers and will not hesitate to kill anyone who doubts, challenges, or even represents a potential threat to him. He is even more brutal, heartless.
Only Delia, Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi can match Shinnok’s skills as a sorcerer.
Kratos
Real Name Kratos (English translation: “strength” and “power”) Age Unknown Height 6′ (1.83 m) to 6’5″ (1.96 m) Weight Unknown Origin Sparta, Greece Resides Sparta (before being God of War) – Olympus (after) Species Demigod (or Halfgod in the MK Universe) Allies Raiden
Fujin Enemies Shao Kahn Weapons Blades of Exile
The Nemean Cestus
Bow of Apollo
Head of Helios
Blade of Olympus
Icarus Wings
Head of Medusa Fighting Styles Chained-Blades Alignment Neutral (God of War series) Appearances Mortal Kombat (2011) (PS3 exclusive)
Kratos is the main character in Sony Computer Entertainment’sGod of War series, which is loosely based on Greek mythology. Kratos first appeared in God of War, which was released in March of 2005, and whose success led to the development of five additional games featuring him as the protagonist. He appears as a guest character in the PlayStation 3 version of Mortal Kombat (2011) because Ed Boon and the Mortal Kombat team felt Kratos would “fit perfectly”. However, he isn’t part of the story mode.
About Kratos
Eventually revealed to be a demigod, Kratos embarks on a series of often forced adventures in attempts to avert disaster or change his fate. Kratos is usually portrayed as being oblivious to all else in the execution of these adventures, often engaging in morally ambiguous activities and performing acts of extreme violence. Each adventure forms part of a saga with vengeance as a central theme, and provides additional information on Kratos’ origins and relationship with his family and the gods. Kratos has received positive critical reception, being described by reviewers as a “sympathetic antihero.” The character is also associated with products including artwork, clothing, comic books, fast food, the internet, a novel, sweepstakes, toys, and cell phone skins, with Game Guru claiming that “Practically anyone, even if they hadn’t played any of the God of War games, would know about Kratos.” Kratos was featured in GameInformer’s “50 characters that defined a decade” issue, giving props for the games and the deep, well done storyline.
Kratos was officially confirmed to appear in the new Mortal Kombatvideo game at Spike TV’s annual Video Game Awards with a new trailer. On March 23, Gamespot posted a new video showcasing Kratos’ gameplay and stage.
Skarlet
Real Name Skarlet Gender Female Age Less than 1 year Height Unknown Weight Unknown Status Enforcer Origin Outworld Resides Outworld Species Genetic Experiment Allies Shao Kahn Enemies Quan Chi Weapons Ninja Sword
Kunai Fighting Styles Unknown Alignment Evil Appearances Mortal Kombat II (glitch)
Mortal Kombat (2011 video game) (DLC)
Skarlet is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She made her debut in Mortal Kombat (2011) as a Downloadable Character (DLC). Before that, however, she was a subject of fan speculation that began with rumors of a glitch inMortal Kombat II.
About Skarlet
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[] |
[] |
[
""
] | null |
[
"Allen Kwan",
"independent.academia.edu"
] |
2018-04-22T00:00:00
|
This thesis is an examination of narrative structure of single-player story-driven video games, shifting the focus toward the exploration of their design and methods by which game designers and authors are able to use the language of interactivity in
|
https://www.academia.edu/36472049/Authored_Agency_Exploring_the_Language_and_Grammar_of_Video_Games
|
This thesis examines several aspects of narrative in video games, in order to construct a detailed image of the characteristics that separate video game narrative from other, noninteractive narrative forms. These findings are subsequently used to identify and define three basic models of video game narrative. Since it has also been argued that video games should not have narrative in the first place, the validity of this question is also examined. Overall, it is found that while the interactive nature of the video game does indeed cause some problems for the implementation of narrative, this relationship is not as problematic as has been claimed, and there seems to be no reason to argue that video games and narrative should be kept separate from each other. It is also found that the interactivity of the video game encourages the use of certain narrative tools while discouraging or disabling the author’s access to other options. Thus, video games in general allow for a much greater degree of subjectivity than is typical in non-interactive narrative forms. At the same time, the narrator’s ability to manipulate time within the story is restricted precisely because of this increased subjectivity. Another interesting trait of video game narrative is that it opens up the possibility of the game player sharing some of the author’s abilities as the narrator. Three models of video game narrative are suggested. These included the linear ‘string of pearls’ model, where the player is given a certain degree of freedom at certain times during the game, but ultimately still follows a linear storyline; the ‘branching narrative’ model, where the player helps define the course and ending of the story by selecting from narrative branches; and the ‘amusement park’ model, where the player is invited to put together a story out of a group of optional subplots. The existence of a fourth model, the ‘building blocks’ model, is also noted, but this model is not discussed in detail as it does not utilise any traditional narrative structure, instead allowing the players to define every aspect of the story.
This thesis explores the phenomenon of character autonomy, which I define as situations where character complexity is prominent in one or more categories while avatar control is limited or non-existent. Avatar control describes the levels of the player’s control of the avatar in a specific instance under study, while character complexity refers to how characterisation is communicated in that instance. I argue that both concepts can be measured on a four-point scale, ranging from high/full character complexity/avatar control to no character complexity/avatar control. Using the two models, I define various types of character autonomy; cutscenes, forced dialogue, quick-time events, idle animations, unwillingness, and (other) unmotivated actions. These six types are discussed in relation to the concepts of avatar and character to uncover how the two are often interrelated and thus difficult to assess as separate. Various theories from game studies (Lankoski et al, 2003; Vella, 2015), literary studies (Margolin, 1986; Forster, 1985), and transmedia studies (Bertetti, 2014) are used to explore the notion of character in video games and discuss how the model of character complexity can function with the inherent connection between avatar and character. Moreover, I discuss the various approaches to the notions of avatar (Linderoth, 2005; Klevjer, 2007; Bayliss, 2007), player character (Westecott, 2009; Lankoski, 2011), and playable figure (Vella, 2015) to outline how various terminologies are used to make sense of the subject matter, and to critically engage in a discussion of what I refer to as the trinity between player, avatar, and character. The concept of character autonomy is studied through various examples, uncovering how this can easily be mistaken for what I term automated avatar actions and define as actions which are automatically performed by the avatar promoting the player’s focus on game mechanics. Such actions, as for example the act of walking, can be understood as limitations to the player’s agency and hence her avatar control, but have formal functions that are very different from character autonomy. When studied in comparison, the two phenomena illustrate how characters in video games cannot be productively studied as characters in non-ergodic media, as an avatar is in many games necessary for playerinteraction. The avatar may have its own functions and attributes, unrelated to the character it can represent, constituting a paradoxical relationship between the two, where they cannot be studied either in isolation or as one and the same thing. I conclude by arguing that this illustrates how some core concepts such as avatar and character are not sufficiently established to ground a theory of games. Being an interdisciplinary field, game studies, including this very thesis, builds on concepts and theories from other disciplines, especially that of narratology, and while much of this work is productive and relevant for the study of digital games, we must constantly ensure that such concepts are revised as medium-specific. If not, we may easily overlook some of the intrinsic and fundamental elements of the digital, ergodic medium.
|
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1473
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dbpedia
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1
| 72 |
https://wiki.supercombo.gg/w/Ultimate_Mortal_Kombat_3/Kano
|
en
|
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3/Kano
|
https://wiki.supercombo.gg/favicon.ico
|
https://wiki.supercombo.gg/favicon.ico
|
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[] |
[
""
] | null |
[] | null |
en
|
/srkwikiicon.png
| null |
As Kano
He is the best sweeper due to his options. You have the knife uppercut which hits ducking opponents, very useful, the regular cannon ball which is instantaneous, and the vertical ball is equally as useful, off a sweep. Air throw is very good, but low damage, he can link his close range HK easily off a sweep as a wake up, so can Jax and Sonya, but Kano can get it on more and results in about the same damage mid screen for all three if they do.
Sweep when safe, look for cross up jump kicks, if they do, jump straight up and air throw em back down, go right back into sweeps, run and knee jabs are good, don't do too crazy on them they are easy to counter.
When rushing down, never go for any combo except HK, D LP, D HP, if you connect it, do walk in, aaHP, JK, air throw, it's 3% less than if you did it with HP, HP, D LP, D HP, and when rushing in, the HP whiffs, so it's worthless. If you connect a jumping HP, do the 4 hit pop up, aaHP, JK, air throw, for 48%.
He has two infinites in the corner that work on some characters, you can mix it into his corner combos off launchers. You can simply repeat the mandhandle over and over, which requires insane timing, and also, aaLP manhandle works as well, but increasingly difficult as the LP tends to still get some push back, making it harder to complete.
Kano can relaunch every character in the game, something like Ermac and Human Smoke. This is done by performing a launcher combo, jumping along with the opponent as they are flying, and as you are about to land, connect a linked HP, which is unblockable if they are close enough to the ground but are still considered in air, and then the autocombo is free. It is useful against certain characters, as some are easier to relaunch than others. Difficult/pointless relaunch attempts are Stryker, Sindel, Female Ninjas, and Male Ninjas. Everyone else is pretty easily relaunched by Kano.
Sometimes you can use the regular ball as transportation against turtles and zoners, it gets you right on top of them and sets up the chance for a wake up pop up combo.
Always remember, sweep, sweep, sweep.
|
||||
1473
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dbpedia
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1
| 25 |
https://www.pinterest.com/abolfazlalinezhad087/kano/
|
en
|
[] |
[] |
[] |
[
""
] | null |
[] |
2021-05-16T17:51:21+00:00
|
May 16, 2021 - Explore .:AFAZBIGHAM:.'s board "KANO" on Pinterest. See more ideas about kano, mortal kombat, mortal combat.
|
en
|
Pinterest
|
https://www.pinterest.com/abolfazlalinezhad087/kano/
| |||||||
1473
|
dbpedia
|
2
| 71 |
https://myanimelist.net/anime/54839/Yoru_no_Kurage_wa_Oyogenai/reviews
|
en
|
Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai
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Read reviews on the anime Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai (Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night) on MyAnimeList, the internet's largest anime database. Mahiru Kouzuki, a skilled artist, gives up on her passion after her elementary school classmates ridicule her colorful jellyfish mural. Several years later, upon encountering an unexpected admirer in Kano Yamanouchi—a former idol with a troubled past—Mahiru decides to pursue her childhood dreams once more. Tasked with designing the mascot for Kano's ...
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Status: Eps Seen: / 12 Your Score: Add Detailed Info
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Yorukura
Japanese: 夜のクラゲは泳げない
English: Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night
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Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 12
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 7, 2024 to Jun 23, 2024
Premiered: Spring 2024
Broadcast: Sundays at 01:00 (JST)
Licensors: Sentai Filmworks
Studios: Doga Kobo
Source: Original
Genre: DramaDrama
Theme: MusicMusic
Duration: 23 min. per ep.
Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Score: 7.831 (scored by 3599335,993 users)
1 indicates a weighted score.
Ranked: #9312
2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #2118
Members: 99,987
Favorites: 780
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Preliminary Spoiler
Music anime with girl bands or groups being the focus have never been more prominent in the anime sphere, with recent hits like Bocchi the Rock, and old hits like K-On. In this season alone, we saw the revitalization of another old music hit in Sound! Euphonium Season 3, and new kids on the block in Girls Band Cry, and Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night. There’s so much that writers can do with this type of show, from stories of inspiration, stories of young people trying to find their passion, or in other cases, more comedy-oriented shows that serve to brighten up one’s day. ... In the end, the formula remains similar, to showcase the growth of the characters and their differing personalties, through their involvement in a music group.
Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night is a bit of an odd case to me, because while it has its share of light-hearted moments, and the comedy is snappy and quite honestly, amazing at times, it also goes down the slippery slope of leaning into heavy melodrama. With the limited runtime that this had, with just twelve episodes, it was a bit of a questionable decision to me. In the first number of episodes, it was all about how people motivate each other, rather it was through art, music, or any other expressive outlet, and it was indeed very interesting. As the characters got introduced, they were characterized through various backstories that showed how tough their pasts were, or how they got to know other characters in the show. I’m not always a big fan of that story structure, as while it might provide great emotional highs, I’d much rather see the characters get characterized with how they act in the present, which this show does eventually do as well.
I call this an odd case, because each individual bit of character drama was honestly handled quite well, with very realistic and relatable struggles, for example, wanting to enjoy and behave in a way that people think is “childish”, or having one’s path to stardom broken because of a response to injustice. It led to some brilliant character chemistry between the members of JELEE for sure, but I also don’t think the drama contributed to the big picture of the story well enough, and also got in the way of what I expected the show to be more like, which was seeing the creative process of JELEE’s music.
To do all this in twelve episodes is no easy feat, and I just do not think there was enough time here to flesh everything out. The messages were really good, the pieces were there, but with twelve episodes, it was virtually impossible to fit in the progression of JELEE and the character drama, leading to various aspects feeling contrived and rushed, lacking the organic growth that we could have seen if this series had more of a runtime. JELEE gains a following in almost no time at all due to a timeskip, Mahiru’s art is suddenly highly respected from being mocked just a few episodes prior. Suddenly, a performance at a venue happens with not much build up. A career is put to a halt because of one single internet warrior. The antagonistic character suddenly goes along with what the protagonist proposes. You get my drift. Could this all have been fit into twelve episodes if the script was just a bit tighter? It’s hard to say how this anime should have went, because on the one hand, if you don’t have the comedy and light-hearted moments, the audience would not have as much of an attachment to the characters and their respective personalities, though on the other hand, if you don’t have the drama, the plot does not move forward. The best anime series are able to balance both the aspects of character building and pacing effectively. I do believe that the script could have been a bit tighter with the removal of a few characters, such as Baba and Koharu, so that the eventual drama could be less contrived. Again, I want to emphasize that the individual stories were good, but they just did not mesh well enough with each other. Some emphasis of side characters took away from Kano and Mahiru’s issues, and led to the overall storyline being resolved rather haphazardly.
Visually, this anime is stunning. Props to Ryouhei Takeshita for directing this as well as he did. It had a very snappy feeling in the editing made it a great vessel for comedic timing, which I still believe is the strongest part about this anime. I might not have agreed with some of the drama, but the way some of the dramatic scenes were directed was superb, along with the sound direction, to illicit as much emotion as they could out of the viewers. Furthermore, the voice acting performances here were excellent. Shout out to Rie Takahashi, Miyu Tomita, Miku Itou, and Miyuri Shimabukuro for their incredible work as Kano, Kiui, Mahiru, and Mei, respectively. There were also several music videos from JELEE that served as special ending themes, and you could see the improvement in the visuals with each passing music video. That type of subtle growth was what I wanted this anime to be like, but obviously, it went in a different direction.
With how solid the first few episodes were, I think it really showed that sometimes, things do not need to be deep and hugely thought-provoking to be good. The message was there, the characters were perfectly fine, the growth was JELEE was being seen, the comedy was snappy and funny, but the decision to go into heavy melodrama was one step I feel this anime did not need to take. The sheer energy of the show, the vibrance of the characters, all of that was sucked out with the melodrama, because even though the comedy still remained throughout, there was always that bit of drama that loomed large over it all, leaving it less fun than it could have been. It lacked a proper identity, and tried to do too much in a short amount of runtime.
In the end, it was like a slightly overcooked steak. It tastes good, but it is chewy, and leaves you slightly underwhelmed. Occasionally, some anime just have that sort of a fate. Oh, what this could have been…
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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I find it weird how this anime is not getting a lot of attention, despite the idea that the anime has a pretty vague premise, so any form of hype for this original work is pretty mild, but after seeing an amazing job they did with Oshi no Ko and looking at this one, I had to try and figure out if it was worth the shot. Sure, I got a bit iffy with the title but after a few episodes, I seriously want people to watch this anime. It's one of the anime where the staff did a stellar job in almost all of ... the core aspects of a good show, writing, tone, narrative, visuals, and characters.
I think one of the difficult parts of making an original anime is that you need to have a strong first impression and provide something worth watching so viewers can stick around and watch till the end. It takes a lot to make a good first episode and certainly is not easy to do. The atmosphere the anime is going for is urban, vibrant, and lively, further amplified by the setting of Japan's most popular nightlife area, Shibuya. The staff working on this does a great job of portraying that along with establishing characters that make sense to the setting they made, it's not random arbitrary characters that are meant to repeat one-liners and quips every time they take screen time, they are characters that are made in mind with the atmosphere and act accordingly to what they should be in the circumstances the writers established in. You wouldn't want absent-minded characters just speaking cutesy things in a supposed rekindling talent plot, right? You wouldn't also want an extremely positive character that just gets a bit sad for a few minutes and then gets happy like nothing happens, right?
I don't think I have to say this out loud, but it's pretty obvious that the visuals are lock-on tight when the production is from Doga Kobo and it has continued to deliver in this case. There's less of that moe fanservice and the facial features of the characters are more natural to look at unless you're not okay with different colored hairs, but even then, I think it's almost impossible for Doga Kobo to disappoint in terms of character designs and visuals.
One of the best parts that the anime is doing is that it establishes characters with an internal conflict and they all are trying to improve themselves, just like how the synopsis said. The anime understands characters need to have a starting point in their life and they all need to strive to make that jump, it's practically an anime that shows the journey of cute teenage girls rekindling their lost talents, but looking at how the staff has managed to produce it, I'd say there's a solid chance for it to be a great original anime, joining into the GOATs of original anime.
My case is that you should try to watch it. It may be vague, yes. But the staff did a great job with what they managed to establish in a few episodes and going forward, I can see in a positive light that it will get better from there.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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It’s honestly hard to quantify exactly what Yorukura has meant to me over these last 3 months, but I’m going to try to express it. This show and its cast have been an irreplaceable part of my life and ignited a fire in me that few anime have. It’s the type of show that motivates you to be a better person and take risks to seize what you want in life. It’s the type of anime that lets you know it’s ok to be yourself. Shows like this come around only every so often, and I’m glad I was here for this one.
Doga Kobo are ... no strangers to blowing my mind. They’re one of my favourite studios, producing some of my favourite series from Plamemo, to Yesterday wo Utatte and Oshi no Ko. This studio has shown time and again they’re able to create magical anime with characters you can truly empathise with and relatable themes. Yorukura, their latest anniversary work is right there at the top. It’s one of several amazing female driven musical anime this season, but in my opinion it stands head and shoulders above the rest thanks to its cast and themes. Those themes being anything from depression, suicide, bullying, gender dysphoria, sexuality, hopelessness, abusive parents, the toxic Japanese entertainment industry, etc. Some real dark stuff gets tackled in here and it’s done in a very tasteful way and feels real.
The other big thing for me is the cast. These girls are amazing and I don’t know how I’m going to get through the weeks without them going forward. Seeing a group of girls who seemingly come from completely different backgrounds come together and bond over their desire to pursue their artistic endeavours was very heartwarming. Basically all the girls in the story had dreams that they gave up on. Whether it’s drawing, singing or being a vtuber, for one reason or another they lost their way in life and abandoned the things that really make them happy. By meeting one another, they’re given the encouragement needed to pursue those creative ambitions again and find purpose. It’s something that I think a lot of people can really relate to. Sometimes life happens and we just stop doing the things we used to enjoy, or we even lose faith in ourselves. Having someone that believes in you and encourages you to continue working at what you want in life and to improve in that is beautiful. The girls’ dynamic could not be better in this one and it made every episode a joy to watch.
Further to that point, when a couple of the girls get back into the things they love to do, it’s revealed they’re doing it because another cast member is their motivation. I like that the characters gradually realise this isn’t a healthy or sustainable approach either. Validation and satisfaction can only come from within and singing for others or drawing for others won’t make you love yourself or your work. The writing is just so good here and as someone who has done things that I enjoy, but got lost in seeking approval from other people I related a lot.
In a way, Yorukura also acts as a pushback on the traditional Japanese ideology that “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down” This refers to the need to conform in Japanese society. All these girls are social outsiders in a sense and deal with a ton of pressure to fit in. By the end of the show, they all realise that it’s more important to be happy with yourself than to fit in and I just think that’s such a powerful message that kids, especially Japanese kids today need to hear.
Of course you can’t talk about this one without the Yuri undertones as well. Actually, undertones aren’t even a good word. This show is gay, gay as hell and in the best way possible. There’s proper lesbian confessions and clear romantic inclinations between characters. What I like most though is that that didn’t define the girls. Yea, they might be queer, but they’re so much more than that and that’s all in the background while the story focuses on them as people and developing to overcome past trauma and insecurities. I think one of my biggest pet peeves in fiction is when a relationship or sexuality is someone’s entire personality, sure that’s nice to get, but let’s not minimise characters to just being romantic tropes and I think Yorukura’s author nails it perfectly. Honestly, this comes as no surprise as Yaku sensei, who also wrote Tomozaki kun, is one of my favourite authors and has a talent for writing realistic teenaged/young adult characters who do things that kids their age in real life would. They’re kind, thoughtful, selfish, nasty, lost, hopeful and hopeless all at the same time just like we are in real life. People are complex and when an anime can capture that, it’s special.
Production wise, wow man. Doga Kobo have never made a bad looking anime, but this is their best looking yet, which is saying something because Oshi no Ko looked amazing. Just every aspect of this show was masterfully crafted and elegantly designed. The character models, the letterbox aspect ration emphasising impactful moments, the seiyuus, the musical performances, it’s just all.. great.
If it sounds like I’m gushing over this show and biased, it’s true, I am. I unapologetically love everything about Yorukura and it’s changed my life for the better. An instant classic and one of the best anime originals ever in my opinion. A must watch for any fan of realistic characters, and those who had big dreams, but maybe lost their way. Keep going.
Yorukura gets a very easy 10, out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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The "cute girls doing cute things" genre has long been saturated with mediocre cash-grabs and uninspired moe bait. But every once in a while, a show comes around that takes everything boring and overplayed about this genre and throws it out the window.
YoruKura is that show.
Instead of a group of lazily designed moe blobs with a few traits that vaguely resemble a personality, YoruKura features a main cast of four girls with multi-faceted personalities and personal struggles that range from entertaining to painfully relatable, and each one serves their respective purpose perfectly.
Character writing:
The protagonist and deuteragonist (or co-protagonists, depending on your perspective) are also the ... two most likeable and interesting characters in the show.
Yamanouchi Kano, creator of the JELEE group and former idol, is an absolute joy every time she's on screen, being the outgoing and over-excitable leader needed to kick her friends in gear and get them to push themselves instead of doubting their abilities. Her personal struggle with feeling aimless and trying to find what she wants in life is also the most grounded and realistic personal story I've seen in anime in a long time.
Her new partner, Kouzuki Mahiru, JELEE's artist who takes the moniker "Yoru" (night), is an equally interesting character in her own right. Her struggle with demotivation and negative feedback is painfully relatable for anyone who has previously undertaken an artistic endeavour, and the show handles it beautifully. Her dynamic with the other characters, especially Kano, acts as the emotional centre of the story, and is incredibly enjoyable to watch.
Watase Kiwi, professional VTuber and animator for JELEE, is another great character who only gets more interesting every episode. A very real and heartfelt look at the consequences of social and anxiety and feeling like an outcast, Kiwi's story is one that resonates well with anyone who has ever wanted to just lock themselves away and hope the world forgets about them.
Takanashi Kim Anouk Mei, idol super fan and JELEE composer, is the only one of the main cast I'm not entirely sold on. Her backstory and inner conflict over feeling disappointed by her former idol is an interesting one, but certain aspects of her behaviour make her the most acquired taste of the group. Regardless, she's still a character with enough depth and likeability that you can't help but root for her.
9/10
Art/Animation:
YoruKura is a treat for the eyes. Doga Kobo proves once again that they can produce some visually beautiful work when taking on a passion project, and every frame of YoruKura looks to be filled with all they love they can give it.
The character designs are fantastic, each character's look reflecting their personality perfectly. Kano in particular has a stellar design, her outfit being exceptional enough to perfectly convey the casual and tomboyish attitude she carries herself with, while not being so out there that it breaks suspension of disbelief.
The show makes great use of it's colour palette, the art feeling striking and visually engaging in pretty much every scene.
The atmosphere is consistently on point, especially with regards to night scenes, having the cool and soothing feeling that every night owl knows and loves. When it wants you to feel calm and relaxed, you feel it. When it wants you to be emotionally invested, you feel it. When it wants you to laugh, you feel it. The art direction consistently matches the tone and vibe of the scene so well that it's a joy to watch.
9/10
Story:
The overarching story is about our ragtag group of talented misfit girls putting their talents to the test to perfect their passion project, the music & animation group JELEE. Each girl has their own individual reason to want JELEE to be the best it can be, and their personal motivations and struggles are tackled one at a time as they slowly learn to navigate their online presence. This is interspersed with side-stories about the girls lives and the people around them, each of which is both fun to watch and important to the characterisation of our main girls and their acquaintances. It's not groundbreaking or nobel literature prize winning, but it's a fresh and enjoyable take on a formula that's long since been exhausted by less talented writers.
The slowly developing relationships between the girls is also a delight to watch, the four of them growing from a haphazard mix of eccentrics to a close knit group of friends in a way that feels both natural and entertaining.
8/10
Overall rating: 8/10. As only 7 episodes have been released so far, we've yet to truly see everything this show has to offer, so a 9/10 would feel premature. But as it stands, it's well on it's way to being one of the best titles the CGDCT genre has seen
TLDR: The characters are great, the art is great, the story is great, and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone with an interest in slice of life.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Cute girls, killer music, and the behind-the-scenes story of modern Japanese entertainment, along with subtle fanservice and beautiful animation—prepare yourself for a treat with Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai.
This anime is special in almost every aspect. The animation is breathtaking; you can tell they put their heart and soul into the first episode. The way the characters move, the vibrant colors, and the stunning jellyfish drawings—it's evident a lot of thought went into the animation.
The music is without a doubt one of the best anime OSTs this season. In fact, the music is so good that I think they created the music first and then ... decided, 'You know what, let's make an anime out of this album.' It's one of the few anime openings I don't skip this season.
All the characters are distinctive, from their appearance to their personality. None of them are just 'side characters'; everyone contributes to the story. Each character has their own upbringing and flaws, their own internal conflicts that can hit too close to home. But each also has their own talent, so it's balanced.
The story is wonderful. This anime teaches us a lot about moving on with your life, friendship, and, most importantly, respecting yourself and your talent.
Overall, I highly recommend this anime to those who love CGDCT anime with a stronger story and noticeable conflict.
It's safe to say that for the next few years, every time I see a jellyfish, it will remind me of this anime.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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I feel betrayed in a way, like I just got deceived, and now I feel like a piece of demotivated rubbish if I wasn’t already one. This anime was like joining a friend group only for those "friends" to start treating you like some weirdo nobody after a while. I was surrounded by a bunch of “me fr fr” people and I thought I was going to literally die from happiness. I thought that maybe I was going to experience some genuine emotions while going through this ride. I thought that maybe there’d finally be characters with genuine personalities that don’t scream, “I AM A ... BLATANT CHARACTER ARCHETYPE LMAO” at me. I thought all of that, but that dream I was living didn’t even last halfway through the anime. It was wishful thinking hoping that it wouldn’t devolve into some lifeless drivel anyway, but still, what went wrong exactly?
I think it’s fair to say that the characters are the driving force behind Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai’s whole idea. Four high school girls who struggle with faith and self-confidence form a band together in search of the colors they’ve been missing in their lives, and to find themselves—to become who they truly want to be. Faced with the many challenges of fame, the girls endure and power through the ups and downs of the new light in life they’ve found together. Theoretically, that sounds like a seriously awestriking idea for an anime, one which has heavy inspirational themes and messaging within it, so everything should go perfectly, right? Well, “inspirational” is what it COULD have been, but you see, there’s just one big problem that makes everything fall apart: the characters.
Yes, the “driving force” of the anime itself kind of…sucks. Remember when I said they seemed to have real, genuine personalities? That mirage wore off real fast, alright. One of our main protagonists, Kouzuki Mahiru, is an illustrator for the band she’s formed with her friends, JELEE. She draws everything from promotional art to the band’s mascot, JELEE-chan. Once she entered the limelight of fame through JELEE, obviously, things started to go a bit awry. No one is used to fame from the get-go, and for a person who struggles with confidence and self-esteem like Mahiru, things started to get to her. Barraged by the internet’s reception and criticism of her artwork and her band, Mahiru, not used to this harsh environment, was quick to cave in and start thinking pessimistically. “Is my art not good enough?” “Maybe I should try to change my artstyle?” “Wow, people really like the fanart better, huh?” Are all thoughts (at least along the lines of the thoughts) of Kouzuki Mahiru, who crumbles easily. And you might be thinking, “WOW that is relatable as hell,” and I also should’ve been thinking “WOW that is relatable as hell,” but all I felt is hurt.
It’s all artificial. This entire anime, along with its characters, ends up all artificial and hollow. Mahiru IS just another blatant character archetype, and so is every single other member of JELEE. And it’s all because the anime refuses to touch on their personalities far enough. “tf u mean, it clearly touches on their development as they journey through the trials and tribulations of fame.” And you’d be completely justified in saying that, because, in truth, yes, that’s exactly what the anime does. But that journey only brings out that tiny part of their character that IS an archetype, and that makes them seem like fake people. The anime spends minimal to absolutely no effort giving any of its main characters a real, uncontrived personality, because it doesn’t explore them whatsoever, yet it drags those characters and stretches them out so that they can somehow fit with a story that requires characters with ten times more layers to them. I personally find it hard to relate or find these characters interesting at all, because while their basic characteristics might be relatable, the amount of effort put into their personalities and the depth they are given is much more like a spit in the face toward me, and other people who might’ve shared any commonality with them. And so, as a result, trying to understand, feel for, and relate to any of the characters is like trying to understand an alien speaking in ⚍ ᓭ╎ꖎꖎ|| ℸ ̣ ∷ᔑリᓭꖎᔑℸ ̣ 𝙹∷ ⚍ᓭᒷ∷。
But who the fuck cares if it doesn’t relate to ME? This review so far has been all about me, me, me, and ME! *I* didn’t like this, *I* disliked that—I need to talk about YOU, the reader. And if you, reader, are sitting here, gawking at the gall I have to bring down your favorite anime from the heavens it soars in, then that either means you’re not looking at the whole picture, or this anime wasn’t made for you in the first place. About the former: you might not actually take the characters into account, or care about them for that matter. You might be one of those yuri addicts that gravitates toward everything with any hint of yuri, or more realistically, you might be here only for the touching journey the characters go through, and not for them particularly—and I would have said I can’t really tell you that’s wrong, but then again, avoiding one of the only reasons why this anime is what it is, is kinda dumb if you ask me. And about the latter: you most likely don’t have an understanding of these characters, and probably have almost nothing in common with them, their experiences, or their feelings, which leads you to believe there are little to no faults with their personalities, while you shouldn’t actually be sure of that. And that’s fine. I get it. You can watch this anime while ignorant and oblivious of its internally vapid and lifeless characters and not have to feel awful, but to those who are able to enjoy the entirety of what makes this anime, and to those who should have been impacted the most, those who should have felt the most touched; to those whom this anime was aimed at and made for, it all ironically ends up amounting to nothing but a meaningless attempt at inspirational storytelling. That was my experience with Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai. I write this review in hopes that you are able to better decide whether to possibly be pushed down into the gutters, or continue with a different anime.
You know what was a real stab in the guts, though? Ryugasaki Nox’s VTuber model. That shit had me crying tears of pent-up sorrow I never even knew I had.
Thank you for reading my review.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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"You know, jellyfish can't swim or shine on their own, but once they absorb light from around them, they're able to shine for themselves! So maybe...I can, too! If I'm around you, maybe I'll be able to shine, too?"
Social media has taken over the world and people have embraced this new identity. To be honest, I've been waiting to see an anime effectively dive into this trendy subject and the deep process of creating content (music, animation, streaming) for a virtual online brand. YoruKura was that anime for many fans, a "new-gen" story with big ambitions, and it manages to shine.
For the first 2/3 of ... the show.
However, with a mere 12 episodes of runtime, YoruKura is far too ambitious for its own good and leaves fans with a lackluster taste in their mouth.
Let's get the positive out first. The *first half* of YoruKaru is utterly fascinating.
Yorukaru overcomes its initial hurdle of being an original anime with A POWERFUL first impression, art and visuals that tear at your heartstrings, intriguing characters that actually feel like cohesive characters and not "moe" archetypes, and an actively trending subject. YoruKura seemed to understand what actually goes into this type of work and making it interesting for general audiences. Moreover, you see the results of the group's hard work in several of the series' endings that just look perfectly entwined. Seeing their process episode-by-episode had me on the edge of my seat.
All of the characters find a way to work together with great chemistry, develop their relationships, overcome their faults, and grow not just as people, but as artists. Their first arcs are all amazingly executed and their conflicts are a big factor to their group's success. Personally, I love Kiui Watase and how her connection between VTuber Identity and IRL Identity were done, but fans can relate to all 4 of these girl's dilemmas. The character bonds and personalities are what helped pull the story together and produce amazing works alongside the other 2 girls as JELEE.
And for those, Yuri fans out there, you're sort of in luck. This isn’t a show that "baits" their audiences with one-off Yuri-bait interactions (I'm talking about you Hibike Euphonium). There's actually good development there for a fun ride.
Of course, much credit to production. Unsurprisingly, an anime from Doga Kobo looked, sounded, and executed this well. Visuals and colors are utterly beautiful. While I was initially hesitant of Ryohei Takeshita, the Director of frickin' Eromanga Sensei, being YoruKura's main director, there isn't anything too weird other than a few odd camera angles (worst case: in the same episode a character complains about people gazing at her body, there's a camera shot on her butt 9 minutes earlier. Comedy doesn't come this naturally). Moreover, many scenes are amazingly done by the voice actors. They hit DIFFERENT. A lot of this show's direction, scripting, and production was solid.
In the middle of the season, YoruKura had many YouTubers and forum members calling it the underrated "anime of the season." A genuinely great surprise and the arguable favorite of the season. I had given this series a 9 at first too.
However, that rating has since dropped for many fans, including myself.
While YoruKura is still a great experience, many will be left with mixed feelings, and it has to do with how this series ends.
Ironically, the final part of Yorukura end up like "Jellyfish in the night" and struggles to swim on its own. A set of narrative decisions from its writing team halts everything that made the series great. In the span of just 1-2 episodes, YoruKura shifts from a step-by-step journey toward creating music and striving toward stardom into rushing new ideas, deriving character motives, and a final melodrama that leaves a weird taste in your mouth.
This isn't to say drama doesn't work in YoruKura. Each character has their own personal drama: conflicts and issues they have to overcome throughout the series. However, these were settled episode by episode and were able to entwine with YoruKura's main thesis (4 girls coming together to produce music under JELEE) quite well. However, the final drama (without spoiling of course) fails to hone in on that show's thesis, ultimately rushes many different contrived developments, and instead directs away from the show's overarching message.
And it's hard to recommend an anime with a "bad ending."
Animes with "bad endings" aren't that uncommon. Attack on Titan, Charlotte, and (my personal vendetta) Wonder Egg Priority easily come to mind. Series with amazing openings and concepts that have weak or utterly disappointing final arcs. You'll always see countless people say "Did the anime switch writers or something?", but in reality, some shows just don't know how to end well. Either 1) production experiences several issues, 2) a writer has a great concept but doesn't know how to wrap it up properly, or 3) a team has too many ideas and not enough time or episodes to give each idea grace.
While nowhere as egregious as say Wonder Egg Priority's fall, YoruKura does leave many fans with a lackluster afterthought. This falls into reason 3, wanting to execute too much with far too little time. The series, as a whole, wanted to do a lot more than its runtime of 12 episodes.
With too little time, you have 2 decisions: 1) Limit the ideas and plant the "seeds" in case of a further retelling/season 2, or 2) try and tighten the script to fit multiple arcs and ideas into one cohesive story. YoruKura probably knew a season 2 wasn't likely happening, and thus goes for option 2. However, it fails to tighten everything into the story's cohesive message.
Without spoiling the events, episode 9 completely changes the story and its tone, and the production team is now tasked with just 3-4 episodes to create, redeem, and simultaneously wrap up angsty melodramatic conflicts that were far from YoruKura's initial direction. It rushes through countless developments and redemptions that were unneeded for the story's headlining message of being able to shine. Audiences were first heavily judgy? All of a sudden they're accepting and gassing stuff up! Everything either falls perfectly into place or goes under wraps to get every idea crammed into a 4x4 box.
Some characters remain strong, others become utter shells of themselves as they are rushed into unrealistic situations, and others just...don't work for me. The most egregious of this has to be with Kano's past idol group. I cannot understand how this series wants to characterize them. Yukine Hayakawa, Kano's mom and the producer of Kano's past idol group, for example. One second she's portrayed as the selfish idealistic who only cares about her dream rather than being a mother; the next she's portrayed as being heavily considerate, making a final decision that makes not much financial sense from her position as an idol group producer. Mero Setou, the idol group's lead idol, is even more egregious as while her presence goes up (she played a major role in a past conflict), she doesn't have enough connection for a viewer to care about her. It very much seems they wanted an arc surrounding this group, how it connected to Kano's past, and evolving them. However, again YoruKura doesn't have the time. This period halted not just JELEE's process, but the anime's as a whole before the anime subsequently ends.
YoruKura is ultimately a strong anime. Beautiful visuals, amazing characters, great sound and music direction, light-hearted comedy balanced with interesting conflict and goals, wonderful music developments, and a message that worked so well at the start: shining for oneself in a deep sea and being able to swim. However, the last arc ends up losing the show's mojo with a haphazard conclusion. Could all of these fit together with better directing? Could earlier ideas have been cut to fit this arc? Could this final arc have been entirely reworked? I don't know. While the start is absolutely deserving of praise and will be given praise, the decision surrounding the final moments sucks audiences out of a show with wonderful energy, leaving it rather unclear.
*EDIT*
In actuality, you can really start seeing signs of a "downfall" after episode 6. Episode 7 introduces a new character to be important, but their complete lack of involvement in later events and character arcs makes their role rather pointless. Episode 8 also introduces a dilemma that could have many character perspectives to dive into, but it completely rushes its development to set up the story's final arc. The signs were there of too many ideas being rushed or unexplored. It just became far more evident near the end.
*EDIT OVER*
A show with very high potential and great tricks but didn't stick the landing. If you told me how a jellyfish willingly shut off the light and not swim on its own, everyone in the room would shout "YoruKura!". It would have enough presence and members to fill the Tokyo Dome.
Final score: 6.2/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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'Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai' is easily the anime of the 2024 summer season that had the most potential. With a strong first episode, there was a glimmer of hope to have a double feature of amazing idol/band shows. However, as the weeks have ticked on and the episodes have come and gone, that potential still lies dormant within it.
The main cast of this anime is very likable, and by all means the majority of the props for this anime go to them. I don't think it's a stretch to say that this show is a perfect entry to anything 'idol-adjacent' due to how straightforward ... they are with the pitfalls of being famous as well as the legacy that someone can carry with them when famous from a young age. There's a lot of great commentary in here about your past not defining you, and it's nice to see some of the main cast actually suffer from it.
Unfortunately, it's not all sunshine and rainbows with 'Jellyfish can't Swim in the Night'. This show is trying to be so many things at once. At times, it's an idol show. In others, it's an art show and a vtubing anime. Sometimes even motorcycle riding (please leave this to 'The Rolling Girls'.) and a band anime. If this is really what you're going for, it needs to be done in a way where the characters don't rely so much on the group to succeed. It makes for these episodes where almost nothing of substance happens, and we just get twenty minutes of rehashing character dynamics and throwaway characters made to fill time. You can't make four different slices of pie into one dish because the flavors will mix with one another and create something you didn't mean to, something that makes all the slices taste a bit off. It's what really soured the ending for me, the fact that these girls' dreams are literally being hindered by the group that they created together. Kano and Mero are the characters that I have the biggest issue with, and it's not even close. Both get off their arcs right back where they started, at odds with one another, and by the time we fully understand what their dynamic is together, the show is over. Mero gets off scot free, and Kano has a forced reunion with Mahiru that feels so empty because Kano did nothing but sulk. It's so frustrating to see this anime fail at what it's trying to achieve because the pitfalls are all in areas where you can literally see what could have been done to write them better.
Of course, you can't talk about this show without at least mentioning its clear intent of creating a romantic relationship between Mahiru and Kano. This is great, in theory. Representation is important within any piece of media, and that goes doubly for relationships between women. What I just can't stand, however, is that this relationship feels so forced. The two just gravitate toward one another in literally every social setting regardless of the topic, and leave the supporting characters behind, namely Mei. Mei is deeply in love with Kano, and she takes Mei's confession and just shrugs it off. It's only heartbreaking because Kano doesn't care, and (forgive my harsh words) I hate that. You can't just leave something like that unaddressed. With all this being said, I could absolutely forgive this show for its subpar yuri. That is, if Kano and Mahiru's fight didn't happen. It's done in a way that paints Mahiru as an outsider for Kano's shortcomings and just leaves the viewer baffled, watching Kano become immature in a matter of seconds. Yet another icarus moment for this show.
It really isn't all terrible, and that's meant with complete sincerity. This is a great show to watch with some friends, and, as was stated earlier, it's a good introduction into idol anime. It's got some genuinely great episodes, (namely 2, 5, and 11) and from what my artist friend has told me Mahiru's got a really great arc for artists to dig into. 'Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai' is best enjoyed by creatives, as its heights are reached by encouraging its characters to do what they truly love. Unfortunately, it's also strangled by these same aspirations, which is why it's an anime that I just can't recommend. Mei best girl
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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This short review was written after watching the first three episodes of "Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night" (2024).
Now this anime is what I call tasty. The animation is excellent (although nothing out of the ordinary, let's just say not the level of the heights of Friren or the first season of Jobless Reincarnation), you can feel some pretty good art-direction, especially in the first episode, every line of dialogue in the script actually works for something, instead of creating an unnecessary filler, the personality of the characters are clearly seen from the very beginning, instead of them being dull dummies, filled with exposition.
The ... plot is extremely melodramatic, "chizzy", if you will, however it is competent. You can easily lay out where and how the creators are trying to beat this or that emotion out of you, each component of the story is so carefully calibrated that you won't be able to undermine it. I can only accuse Medusa of being overly "artificial" in its structure. Theoretically the themes this anime speaks on should be close to me, but it still was not able to win me over completely. Maybe this plot is too naïve for my taste or, perhaps, I’ve watched too much anime in my lifetime. It's hard to say for sure.
I would say that it is objectively well-made ‘musical band’ type of anime (even if it causes some doubt on my part), perfectly hitting the emotional hits. I can safely recommend it to everyone who would like to enjoy some heartwarming and sentimental story. I think it will go well with the same people who, long time ago, liked "Ya Boy Kongming!" (2022) and "Bocchi the Rock!" (2022), but I could be mistaken.
In general, this anime is about creative people of all sorts, be it artists, singers, writers and the last, but not least influencers on the internet and all the rest. This whole anime is driven by a certain idea. It was created for the sake of art, not for the sake of a soulless money maker and it clearly shows. This is even, despite even the above-mentioned "mechanical" accuracy of the content. In conclusion, this is the main reason why it's pleasant to watch it, even if you didn't manage to fully get behind the main idea.
I’d say it’s a solid 8/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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YoruKura is an anime that was incredibly close to being a solid recommendable show. Sadly, the final few episodes felt messy and ended up detracting from all of the good themes and ideas it was building up along the way. This was a result of failing to utilise its characters effectively, sidelining positive plotlines and pointless pandering.
The art and animation quality is the one positive thing which remained throughout this anime, with a unique style. However, the music is subpar for an anime that is meant to be partially about music, and none of the songs particularly stand out as memorable. In most cases, ... this would not count as a negative, but given that music is a big focus in YoruKura, viewers should expect to at least have one or two songs that resonate with them for the show to be counted as successful within its genre.
The characters have a level of complexity, although this is not always to the benefit of the anime. It is a recurring feature of YoruKura for characters to question their ways of thinking, indicating that they may be on the verge of developing, and then miraculously ending up almost exactly where they started. It is not necessarily an issue if character development is slow, or even non-existent, but where YoruKura fails, is where it appears to pretend that the characters have come a long way and developed, when in reality, they end up with an almost identical mindset that led them into a rough spot to begin with. Many of the side characters are clearly designed to appeal to certain niche audiences, which has the potential to alienate viewers outside of those communities. This is not inherently a bad thing, as having a solid target audience requires a certain level of exclusivity, however YoruKura doesn't follow through on key character moments in most cases, leading its characters to be used as a form of bait for its audience, rather than actually creating a meaningful narrative that can truly connect with the viewer emotionally.
The storytelling, alongside the character writing, ends up completely stifling any possibility of a satisfying conclusion. The two central girls, who the story sets up to support one another, ultimately don't really do anything for one another in the final act, leaving rest of the main cast to pick up the slack, which otherwise, could have been used for some emotional character growth. Subplots are introduced and seemingly forgotten about by the end of the show. The theme of creating art for the dopamine effect of 'number go up' is seemingly presented as something to be overcome with some greater purpose, however YoruKura fails to come up with any proper alternative idea for its story to cling to as a good moral. This ultimately ends up feeling shallow, and despite spending a large portion of the anime searching for it, its unclear what the main character's purposes for creating really are, and how they have evolved from where they started.
If you aren't a part of the niche audience that this anime tries to pander to, it is likely that you will find the characters become annoying, as they fail to truly grow as people or deal with any of the core issues which they intitially face. If you are a part of that niche audience, you have a chance of enjoying the anime, however its failure to land cleanly at the finish line may still leave you disappointed.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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I don't know what it is, but every anime revolving around music seems to capture my heart. Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai is no different. It's probably the lovable characters. They feel alive and interesting, each with their own quirks. The locations also feel very lived in, which is nice.
While i love to dote on these characters (because they're amazing) and the amazing art, I think my favorite part of this show is something else entirely.
Whenever their band, JELEE, releases a song on the show, you can find that exact song on streaming platforms by that same band! I love running to Spotify to add ... their latest song to my playlist. It's so engaging to have that option while the show is airing, and it's such a nice thing that makes their world feel more lived in. Definitely one of the best shows this season imo, and there are some bangers. I highly recommend it!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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So... Yorukura actually felt lacking towards the end. But let me phrase this as to why I ended disappointed.
Let's start with the fact that this is an original, meaning any hype for Yorukura was actually a good thing, amazing even. The anime started with a blast and it immediately touched me, I got really invested with it's main point: the characters!
While being an TV original is usually detrimental to character focused animes since you don't have the same calm approach to the introduction and development of those characters feelings and drives as a novel or manga normally have, Yorukura actually managed to introduce and show ... it's main group of protagonists amazingly well. They didn't fell empty, boring or standard... they felt real! And the more I got to know these characters, the more I grew to like them and their different sides specially the two main protagonists of the group in Mahiru and Kano.
Well, this didn't last long as Yorukura felt victim to one of the most terrying villains for animes: Not enough episodes!
There was not enough time for the show to present it's main drama and point and end it properly, while maintaining the same quality of developmente the first few episodes had. After the incredibly written episode 9 which is, by far, the best one, it's pace and storytelling took a deep dive.
The characters felt cartoonish and out of place and their emotions and feelings felt rushed and badly written. They didn't have enough time to process and react to the drama and their own feelings so it felt that as soon as the drift in their relationship was created it was suddenly repaired and it felt like there was never any problem to begin with.
This anime and it's characters deserved at least 16 episodes so they could reach the ending they deserved. So in the end it felt lacking and I could not give it the original 9 I planned to give and I'm very disappointed but not at the anime itself, but with the people that were responsible for wirting everything
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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I am loving this show so much right now! It's made me laugh. It's made me cry. It's made me feel love and hope for the world, and I say that unironically.
Jellyfish is centered around 4 gals we meet one-by-one who come together to make something great. They support each other, and it's so beautiful to see. The music slaps. The animation also slaps. I love how it approaches themes of loneliness/isolation, artistic insecurity, and friendship. And the way it hints at young (gay) love. And the way it depicts everything from female discomfort just from walking outside to the unsustainable standards in idol ... culture.
This is the only anime I've found this Spring season that I've enjoyed as much as The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren from the last winter season. Give it a watch! Hope you love it like I do!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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This show is tough, because the first 3 episodes were fantastic - Mahiru and Kano felt like *people*, not characters, and as we were introduced to the other two parts of the band they also felt like they fit in naturally. As the show went on, it continued being pretty good, though the show's biggest flaw started to become evident by around episode 5; the show wanted big drama moments, but either didn't want to, or have the time to, really execute on those stories in a satisfying way. Ultimately, it should've either cut some plotlines or had like 3 more episodes to work with.
Everything ... had to be wrapped up cleanly within a single episode, no matter the stakes to the drama. Spinning so many stories while leaving existing story threads unattended resulted in the ending feeling rush and several loose ends left untied, and ultimately left the show in a situation where one of the emotionally strongest episodes felt totally superfluous and that it should've been cut in order to make room for the actual story. In particular, episode 9 leaves off with an absolute bombshell, but then the next two episodes kind of wander and don't actually resolve anything until it has to be hastily finished up in the finale, which is handled fine but ultimately unsatisfying.
At first, this show held some of the most promise of the season with a series of fantastic character moments, but it just failed the execution on the overall plot. And in those character moments, this show is very well written, and the voice acting is among the best of the season, which is why I'm still giving this a "good" rating. I'd love to see what these characters could be, what this voice crew could pull off, if the episodes were written more like one story rather than told episodically.
To summarize, if you care more about a strong thematic throughline and individual character moments than unified stories, I think you might get more out of it than I could, but if you want a story with good drama and satisfying resolutions then look elsewhere.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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They say jellyfish represents a symbol for balance. That very idea could be applied to this anime, starring a group of idols with different motivations. Together as a unit, they are called JELEE, who tries to make a name for themselves. As part of Doka Kobo's 50th anniversary, this anime seeks to prove themselves of capable of delivering on their celebration.
As odd as the title sounds, you won't see jellyfish swimming around. No, this is is a show about music and a group motivated by their own reasons to be part of something special. As an original anime, you don't need knowledge or background about ... music to enjoy ths show. As a major part of this anime's themes, we witness how each of the characters deal with their own personal demons and self identity. Starting from day one, we follow them on a character journey.
The first prominent character we need to come and understand is Kano Yamanouchi, who later serves as leader of the group. While having a seemingly normal persona, it's shown that her character is emotional vulnerable due to events from the past, including a scandal. She seeks to reinvent herself and becomes a voice of reason. Kano herself is also very relatable given her fear of being abandoned. There's many moments where she felt being left alone as her father is a no-show throughout the series. Watching Kano's character equates to watching a child growing up and making the best she can to escape that lonliness. To her, JELEE is practically her second family.
It's not soon after that we also come to understand Mahiru Kazuki, JELEE's illustator. Due to her past, she develops an inferiority complex and believes she may be holding the group back. This inferiority complex causes Mahiru to make questionable decisions that conflicts with the group's interests, including Kano. It's through these internal problems where we see characters' flaws and how they seek to resolve them.
As JELEE's video editor, there's no better fit for that role than Kiui Watase. As the most technical skilled member of the group, they depend on her to craft projects, thus setting high expectations. Unlike Mahiru, she has a stronger independent personality and always aims to be productive. This belief and self motivation sometimes causes rifts among the group when we see how she's different from others. Nonetheless, Kiui is a key member of JELEE for her talents and there's no denying that.
Finally, there's Mei, a girl with social anxiety that we may all have experienced sometimes in our lives. Truth to be told, Mei is probably the most pure talented character in the show. She has earned accoldes and established herself as a talent prior to forming JELEE. Her most important relationship is with Kano, as she slowly reveals her more vulnerable side. Watching these characters grow and develop is inspiring and motivational. In the entertainment industry, there are so many variables that could prevent JELEE from succeeding. However, the anime goes to lengths at how these characters try to overcome seemingly impossible barriers. It's one of those shows that is much more about music performance or building a recognizable name. It's about them growing up and becoming a better version of themselves.
Still, you should hold back expectations if you believe the relationship will venture into shoujo-ai category or beyond. There are teasing moments but none of it really come build more into romance. This is about JELEE and each member, not a soap opera with relationshp drama. The drama here explores human emotions rather than appealing for shippers. The story itself also carefully crafted through character development. With 12 episodes, it formulates into character journeys. It's how this anime feels so real at times and how each cast member motivates themselves.
Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night's art style choice pinpoints to simple yet effective designs for its cast. The main characters are decorated with colorful outfits matching their various personalities. However, it's the character expressions that exceeds expectations. We have to remember that this anime has lots of raw human emotions, and it's imperative for the show to capture those moments. Thankfully, it's accomplished through its chereography and timing of the scenes. As an anime about entertainment industry, this anime does set a high bar for what it advertises.
After watching Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night, I can safely say that the show is far from creatively bankrupt on ideas. Rather, this anime succeeds at conveying human emotions while developing each of the main cast along the way. As a collective unit, they strive to aim for success and acknowledgement. It's something that's inspiring, motivational, and real.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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"The reason Yamanouchi Kano sings!
See, I want to be a reason for people to keep looking forward.
For the fans who support me...
No, not just them.
Anyone lost about what they really love,
And anyone who struggles every day, and hates the world.
And even the ones who used to make fun of me, just everyone!
I want them to feel happy, that life's fun, and just the best!
That life's worth living until the next gig" - Yamanouchi Kano.
Jellyfish can't swim in the night is one of those anime I wish that were given more time to explore their ideas. A standard season of 25 episodes will benefit it so ... much because it's one of the most relatable show I've ever seen. An anime for the social outcast, for those who are lost in life, for the broken-hearted and for me...
I personally love watching Idol anime since I love watching people pursuing their dreams. I love hearing their worries, insecurities and witnessing their loneliness. Youth is foolish, they will often make mistakes and pay the price. But when their eyes sparkle on the stage and their dreams are fulfilled, I feel a sense of happiness. That's why I also watch Hololive (Vtuber), I just love to see people accomplished their dreams which I never could. Jellyfish can't swim in the night is not an idol anime but it has all of that and even more.
Yamanouchi Kano is a retired idol. She was forced to after being in the center of a big drama that derailed her career. But even after going through those hard time, she doesn't give up and continuing singing anonymously as a youtuber named JELEE. One night when she was wandering around Shibuya, she happens to have a fateful encounter with Mahiru - the artist she admired the most. Mahiru also has given up on drawing after facing harsh criticism and she just couldn't take it. Along with Mahiru, Kano now decides to revive her career. And along the way, with the help of a lonely pianist and a troublesome vtuber, that's where their story begin.
As with any good slice of life anime, Jellyfish can't swim in the night is a heavily character-driven show. The story has its strong points but sometimes it still relies on melodrama to advance which I'm not a big fan of. But the characters are amazing though. Every characters has no proper introductions, motives, problems and a lot more,... Those characteristics make them feel grounded and relatable. I had a great time watching their stories, laugh and even cry a little bit with them. You have to see for yourself though, might be I just love them a lot and is biased toward them.
Jellyfish can't swim in the night has great music, easily to understand since it also focus a big chunk on music. It has a catchy and melancholic opening and a pretty passionate ed. For the animation, pretty good I dare to say. Nothing too extraodinary since a slice of life doesn't need to, but the animation is fluid and easy to follow. It also has a pretty and standard artstyle for an "all-girls" anime. Some might complain it feels generic and while it is, I really think this artstyle works for a show like this and shouldn't be changed just for the sake of change and creativity.
Overall, even though the anime still has a lot of problems, mainly the characters need more time to be explore. There are many problems the characters faced that I personally feel that can't be resolved in the pace of a 12-episodes season. But I will still recommend Jellyfish can't swim in the night since anime like this show is the reason I truly felt in love with this wonderful medium. If you feel the same, feel free to give me a friend request and we can talk about anime list these and give some recommendations.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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I really liked this anime, especially in the first 10ish episodes. It was strong in it's story, the characters got me so invested, and I will not lie and say I didn't tear up at certain scenes. As an artist online it hit so close to home and was very beautiful.
I wish it had more than 12 episodes to work with. The last big arc felt so rushed, I wish there was more time to let the characters breathe, with a few more episodes the writers could have done so much more.
This is one of those anime that I watch anime for. Though I see ... it's flaws, I can't take this anime and say that is anything short of breathtaking.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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This anime is great. It's not unique but it is also not generic. It gives you diverse emotions from the start, and it can also satisfy your eyes and ears. It provides colorful art for you to see and gives you a heartwarming song with relatable lyrics.
Music: 10/10 - I am satisfied as the music is entertaining while the lyrics are comforting and relatable.
Art: 8/10 - I like the art but sometimes I am hoping for something more.
Characters: 10/10 - I love all the characters. They are relatable and it will not give some thinking that somehow that character did a 180-turn. ... I like it best when they give the character a slow-burn development and that's how this anime is doing.
Setting: 10/10 - I especially love the 9th episode at the moment. This is the reason why I created this review. The plot really gave its best climax at great timing! I love it!
I find it weird that it hasn't been discovered till now. This anime is worth it and most people will surely love this. I look forward to the peak of this anime. Love lots!
Edit after watching until the end:
I have mixed feelings right now. I feel like all the good things I've said at the beginning are not reciprocating in how I feel now. The anime did not end well. It feels like it was rushed and all the dramas you've felt at the middle were not properly settled at all. Anyways, that's it. In the end, I rate it 8 in the end.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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I had mixed expectations about this anime since it's an original creation and the descriptions were a bit vague, making the plot seem underwhelming. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a hidden gem of the Spring 2024 Anime season. Or at least I can confidently say that for the first half of the season. I was captivated by the first few episodes of the anime, as the plot truly draws you in. It offers a fascinating story that shows how music, creativity, and art can express feelings in a way that nothing else can. The main characters, members of the band "JELEE" each have ... interesting background stories which are explained in detail, giving them character depth, so you as the viewer, can invest in them. The story offers a bit of everything but ultimately what ends up holding it back from the heights it was destined to reach, is the fact that it simply tries too much and ends up coming out as a half baked cake towards the end of the season.
You might be wondering what I mean by that, considering I praised it very highly in my introduction and you have every reason to do so. But, as much as it pains me to say it, the show slows down so much after the great start it had. It falls into the trap of introducing drama for the sake of drama, which admittedly can make for great writing and gut punching emotions, but it is not always necessary. What makes this even worse though, is that the unnecessary drama writes itself into a corner which causes it to be resolved way too quickly and quite frankly without making much sense. Ultimately, this leads to the show ending on a somewhat deflating note which more or less stops the entire momentum from the first few episodes in its track. The last episodes tries to wrap up things which was done decently well but feels very rushed. The show also teases a romance between two members of the band "JELEE," only to let it fizzle out without picking it up again. This makes me wonder why they teased the romance in the first place, only to revert to strictly friendship towards the conclusion of the show. Another weird thing was the fact, that there are a few random scenes that seem to cater to fan service, and they feel out of place compared to the overall tone of the show, which does leave an odd feeling here and there. All of these things mentioned above are why I ultimately felt like the show ended up being a half-baked cake. It tries too much in the 12 episodes it has and maybe could have succeeded more with a 24-episode season. But since this is not the case, it fails to resolve everything it sets out to do and writes what feels like a pretty "meh" ending which leaves many things up in the air.
With that being said, I really did enjoy a lot about "Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai", considering there is a lot to like. The band members of "JELEE" each feel unique and have their own little quirks and problems which make them a dynamic group. The art style and animation are great, with vibrant and colorful visuals that enhance the overall feel of the show. The voice acting is excellent, and the show features many great songs that seamlessly fit with the art direction. It also has well-timed comedic moments that got a few solid laughs out of me.
In conclusion, I think the show is good for what it is and offers an enjoyable watching experience that I would definitely recommend, albeit with some flaws. Sometimes, less is more, and trying to cram too much into a 12-episode season didn't work that well, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Anime originals have been hitting hard recently and I watched this a enjoyed the aired episodes of this one while half expecting the ending or latter half to be fumbled as some other popular anime originals, but Oh was I wrong.
Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai which literally translates to Jellyfish cannot swim in the Night is a new girls band anime that flew under my radar in the new anime season which was until Mother's Basement's recommendation video came in. I was immediately intrigued and went ahead and watched the episodes that had aired thus far and needless to say it did not disappoint. ... The show follows a young artist who stopped making art when she realized that her friends didn't really vibe with her art, and lives her daily life putting on a social mask of sorts to blend in with friends - which is until she meets Kano, who unlike her, isn't afraid to speak her mind and lives her life true to herself, and when she sees Kano stand up for her art while she herself couldn't it lit a fire in with a desire to change.
This is not a unique setting by any means, but what separates this anime from the rest is the execution. All the characters have so much life and so much going for them that it's hard not to get invested in them, it takes its time slowly build up the characters and gives them amazing development (strange thing to say for a short 12 EP anime) and the themes that all 4 of our lead characters tackle are all unique and is handled amazingly.
One character I absolutely love is Kiui, she is girl who has the attitude of a boy and is cheerful, confident and always on top of things screaming things like 'I am a superhero' and was kind of a king of the pack, that is at least until she enters middle school, where everyone else has changed while she remains the same inside. Things that used to be cool to everyone else changed while for her it remained the same, and she referring to herself as 'Ore' - which mostly only boys do was also made fun of now while nobody said anything about it in her childhood. She couldn't handle this sudden change in her environment and stopped going to school, and found somewhere else to express herself, youtube streaming , where she lied about her background and streams video games. The way the show develops her character touched me like nothing else in this anime season and while I was a bit disappointed that development wasn't much in the earlier episode which is focused on her, the later episodes completely changed my mind.
While all the characters tackle different themes they work flawlessly to support each other and help each other grow, every single character has moments in this show that touched me on a deep level, even Mei who I thought was the weakest of bunch was given amazing moments that made me swallow my 'thoughts', so for me there isn't any weakest of the bunch here, because they were only able to grow together with the help of every other main character.
The unique art style, amazing animation, direction and not to mention amazing music also work together to make this what it is, but what makes this one of the Best Anime of this Season for me is definitely the amazing and touching character writing.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Category:Ho_Yay/Anime
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en
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Category:Ho Yay/Anime
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2024-07-28T23:46:52+00:00
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Anime and Manga characters acting "just friendly" with one another? Ha! You wish.
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en
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https://static.miraheze.org/allthetropeswiki/6/64/Favicon.ico
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All The Tropes
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https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Category:Ho_Yay/Anime
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Honma: I was sooo happy at that moment! It was kinda like being with an unfriendly cat that you suddenly manage to win over! I wanted to give him a hug right then and there!
Nora: What? My magic's been damaging you?! Why didn't you tell me?
Kazuma: * flatly* It's not all that big of a deal.
Nora: Don't lie! You're really losing blood! Why don't you just revoke the contract if it hurts that much?!
Kazuma: Because I'm having fun.
Nora:... what...?
Kazuma: I've never had a pet before. It's worth the pain to have a dog of my very own.
Natsumi: Say, Miyuki, is it true that I don't have feminine charm?
Miyuki: (thinking) Now, she's starting to get depressed!
Natsumi: However, look, I have a beautiful chest, no? It's strange, it's really unjust!
Miyuki: (thinking) Uh oh, I have a bad premonition!
Natsumi: Maybe I need to try with girls...
Miyuki: Uh... wait... (thinking) What's she saying?
Natsumi: (collapses unconscious on top of Miyuki, on the bench seat)
Miyuki: (to the others) Do something, don't just watch us! (to Natsumi) No, stop, Natsumi! (thinking) I can't push her off, she's too strong.
Natsumi: (begins to snore)
Yoriko: Are you ok?
Miyuki: (stands up) Am I ok? No, not at all! You just stayed there to watch without doing anything! (shoots them with a BB gun)
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https://legendsoflocalization.com/game-localization-and-nintendo-of-americas-content-policies-in-the-1990s/
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Game Localization and Nintendo of America’s Content Policies in the 1990s (NSFW) « Legends of Localization
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2018-09-10T14:52:17-07:00
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Nintendo altered lots of games in the 1990s, but how did those changes affect Japanese games localized into English?
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en
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/favicon.png
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Legends of Localization
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https://legendsoflocalization.com/game-localization-and-nintendo-of-americas-content-policies-in-the-1990s/
|
In my articles and books, I’m always mentioning how Nintendo of America didn’t allow certain types of content in games during the 1990s – things like death, religious content, and stuff like that. The topic comes up often enough that I thought it’d be nice to take an actual look at those policies in detail.
Background
In the 1990s, parents and politicians grew outraged over violent and inappropriate content in video games. The game industry responded by establishing a ratings system, and individual companies updated their internal content policies. These companies then shared their official policies with the public.
Conveniently for us, the 1994 book Parent’s Guide to Video Games compiled some of these content policies into one place. So although we’ll be looking at Nintendo of America’s policies this time, maybe we’ll look at Sega’s policies in a different article someday. For now, here’s how the authors sum up the situation in 1994:
Let’s consider an analogy. Periodically, we’ll hear on the news that a child has fallen into a well. Although it doesn’t happen often, this can have dire consequences for a child.
If Nintendo were to handle the situation, they might alter all the wells so that none was more than two feet deep. Sega would leave the wells as they found them, but post a conspicuous warning sign on any one that posed a danger to small children.
Indeed, Nintendo’s content policies in the 1990s meant that many games had to abide by strict rules before being published. And since many of the big-name games at the time were coming from Japan, many Japanese games had to be altered during the game localization process.
Official Policies
This was Nintendo of America’s official policy notice around 1994:
Nintendo of America’s priority is to deliver high quality video game entertainment for our customers. When those customers are children, parental involvement in their game playing is recommended. Nintendo is concerned that our products do not contain material that society as a whole deems unacceptable.
Consequently, since 1988 we have consistently tested the content of all games developed for Nintendo systems against our evolving game standards. As our business has matured, we have adapted our guidelines to meet the concerns of the members of our target age group and their parents. Although we realize that definitions of social, cultural and political values are highly subjective, we will continue to provide consumers with entertainment that reflects the acceptable norms of society.
The following Game Content Guidelines are presented for assistance in the development of authorized game paks (i.e., both Nintendo and licensee game paks) by defining the type of content and themes inconsistent with Nintendo’s corporate and marketing philosophy. Although exceptions may be made to preserve the context of a game, Nintendo will not approve games for the NES, Game Boy, or Super NES systems (i.e., audio-visual work, packaging, and instruction manuals) which:
include sexually suggestive or explicit content including rape and/or nudity;
contain language or depictions which specifically denigrates members of either sex;
depict random, gratuitous, and/or excessive violence;
depict graphic illustration of death;
depict domestic violence and/or abuse;
depict excessive force in a sports game beyond what is inherent in actual contact sports;
reflect ethnic, racial, religious, nationalistic, or sexual stereotypes of language; this includes symbols that are related to any racial, religious, nationalistic, or ethnic group, such as crosses, pentagrams, God, Gods (Roman mythological gods are acceptable), Satan, hell, Buddha;
use profanity or obscenity in any form or incorporate language or gestures that could be offensive by prevailing public standards and tastes;
incorporate or encourage the use of illegal drugs, smoking materials, and/or alcohol (Nintendo does not allow a beer or cigarette ad
to be placed on an arena, stadium or playing field wall, or fence in a sports game);
include subliminal political messages or overt political statements.
Examples of Policy-Based Localization Changes
It’s common knowledge that games like Mortal Kombat got tamed down due to Nintendo of America’s content policy at the time:
But as a translator/localizer, I’m personally more interested in how these policies affected Japanese games that were localized into English. So I gathered a handful of old localization changes to see how they fit into the big checklist above.
Note that EarthBound (known as MOTHER 2 in Japan) appears a lot in this article, largely because it’s the game localization I’ve studied the most. I’m on a slow quest to study other localizations in similar detail though.
Sexually Suggestive or Explicit Content
The English localization of Final Fantasy VI adds clothing and other obstructions to cover up exposed skin in places:
Similarly, the English localization of MOTHER 2 puts clothes on Ness when he visits the world within his mind. It’s common for Japanese entertainment to strip characters of everything when they enter mental realms or weird dimensions as a way to indicate that they’re in their rawest, purest, or most vulnerable form:
During a side quest in Chrono Trigger, Ayla originally talks about nursing babies and breasts. This was rephrased with “leave the nest” to avoid the specific topic:
Sexist Content
In the Japanese version of Lufia II, the big casino is full of women dressed in sexy bunny outfits. They were replaced in the English localization with women who dress more modestly:
Although I’m pretty sure I recall Playboy bunny outfits being equated with sexism back in the 90s, I personally feel these NPCs were probably changed to avoid legal issues with Playboy itself. But just to be safe, I figured I’d list it here as a “maybe”. If you have any further info/insight, let me know!
Random, Gratuitous, or Excessive Violence
The Super Famicom version of The Combatribes portrayed bad guys covered in blood after being defeated. These graphics were altered and toned down in the English localization, even though the core gameplay is still about violence and physical assault.
Some of the depictions of violence in Final Fight were marginally toned down during the localization process. For example, blood graphics were replaced with cartoon-like impact graphics:
Graphic Illustration of Death
I’m not sure if any localized games ever depicted anything that fits this category. The only thing that comes to mind at the moment is when Celes attempts suicide in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy VI by throwing herself off a cliff. She still jumps off the cliff in the localized version, but all the text before it was rewritten to reframe the jump as a nice way for Celes to “perk up” after feeling sad:
Domestic Violence
The only examples of domestic violence changes that come to mind right now are from MOTHER 2/EarthBound. There are several examples, but one early one includes Pokey’s mention of “getting spanked/paddled 100 times” being changed to “I’m gonna get it”:
Shortly after, Pokey and his brother do get punished by their father, but the depiction of the punishment changed in the localization. The off-screen sound effect was changed from heavy pounding to a cartoon-like angry sound:
After getting punished, Pokey mentions that his butt hurts in Japanese. This was changed in the localization, so he now says he “gets no dessert for the rest of the decade”:
Not too many Nintendo games had scenes involving modern domestic situations, so I don’t know if any other games underwent similar localization changes during the 1990s. If you know of any others, let me know.
Excessive Force in a Sports Game
I’m not sure if this category ever came into play when a 1990s game was localized into Japanese for Nintendo consoles. I’m not a sports gamer in general, so if anyone out there has more info, let me know!
Ethnic, Racial, Religious, Nationalistic, or Sexual Stereotypes
It turns out Final Fight underwent lots of policy-related changes during the localization process. In this case, some enemies had their dark skin lightened, presumably to avoid backlash against violence toward specific races:
In the second generation of Pokémon games, Jynx was changed from a black-colored Pokémon into a purple-colored Pokémon. This was done after Jynx’s initial appearance caused some controversy outside of Japan.
In the original Final Fantasy game, you had to revive fallen party members by visiting a church. This was changed into a “clinic” in the localized release. The building’s appearance was changed on the outside, and the priest on the inside was changed into a generic, non-religious character. The associated text was changed as well – even the text about reviving a fallen character’s soul was changed:
In the Japanese version of Actraiser, you’re God and you have to fight Satan. In the English localization, you’re “The Master” and you have to fight “Tanzra”:
Profanity, Obscenities, or Offensive Gestures
In the Japanese version of Super Mario RPG, Bowser does a gesture with his arms after winning a battle. It’s a common, positive gesture seen in Japanese entertainment (example 1, example 2), but it’s considered rude in some places outside of Japan, so Bowser’s gesture was changed for the English release:
Illegal Drugs, Smoking Materials, or Alcohol
The Japanese version of Super Mario Kart shows Bowser drinking a bunch of celebratory champagne after he wins a race circuit. Nintendo of America altered this for the localized version:
There’s a good amount of alcohol-related content in MOTHER 2, so when it was localized into English as EarthBound it was all replaced with coffee-related content. Even the bars became cafes:
In Tecmo’s Secret of the Stars, the original Japanese version has a town called “Drunkards” that’s full of alcohol-related stuff, including bars. For the localization, the town was renamed “Sleepers” and everyone now relies on coffee to get through the day. Naturally, the bars are now coffee shops, complete with newly drawn signs:
In the original Japanese Pokémon games, a drunk guy blocks the path early in the story. In the localized versions, he’s just an old guy who really loves coffee:
In the Japanese version of Final Fantasy Legend II, one part of the story revolves around opium and opium smugglers. All of these opium references were replaced with bananas in the English localization:
Subliminal Political Messages or Overt Political Statements
As far as I know, there aren’t many examples of this sort of change. The only two I can think of at the moment are from MOTHER 2/EarthBound, and even then they kind of overlap with some previous policy rules.
First, the cultists in Happy Happy Village were given a graphical makeover for the English localization to avoid comparisons with the Ku Klux Klan:
The town of “Threek” was renamed “Threed” for the English localization too. The reason baffled fans for years, until it was revealed that the localization team realized “Threek” could be read as “Three K”, or “KKK” – another coincidental connection with the Ku Klux Klan.
Publisher Concerns
Many of the games listed above were made or published by Nintendo of America, but third parties also had to abide by Nintendo of America’s policies. If a third party company failed to meet the content guidelines, they would have to make more changes and resubmit the game for approval. This would result in costly delays.
As an actual example, the “Holy” spell in Final Fantasy VI wound up getting renamed as “Pearl” in the English localization, due to the concern that it might run afoul of NOA’s religious content policy.
The head localizer explained the decision in an interview a decade later:
I mean, Holy and Pearl, obviously there wouldn’t be an issue there. I think that was obviously just the word Holy and just trying to avoid being dinged by Nintendo. Any time you submitted a game to Nintendo you had to take the entire screen text, which for Final Fantasy was 50 or 60 hours of having one of your testers do that for you. Then you had to submit the print out, the entire screen text, the ROMs and do all that stuff and give it to them and they’d spend time going through it. If you had something like that, that stopped the submission you were in trouble. It was very expensive and you could miss your deadline to ship.
A lot of companies just decided to err on the safe side, which is probably unfortunate but just to strip out as much as they could in advance just to reduce the time to market.
In short, third party companies sometimes altered more content during the localization process than necessary, just to be safe. These excessive changes stemmed from internal business decisions.
Summary
We’ve taken a brief look at Nintendo of America’s old content policies and how they affected specific game localizations. Nintendo has changed and evolved since the 1990s, so many these policies are no longer in place. Still, some of the localization changes made during this era became iconic and even laid the foundation for later game localizations. So I’m glad to finally know more about the details that shaped video game localization in the 1990s.
There are many more examples than what I’ve listed above, so if you can think of any other big or notable additions, let me know. I’d like to create big, dedicated gallery pages for specific categories or specific games sometime. I think they’d be lots of fun to build up over time and browse through!
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] |
[] |
[] |
[
""
] | null |
[
"Joshua Lapin-Bertone"
] |
2023-09-22T15:43:34.908838+00:00
|
Want to get started on playing the Mortal Kombat franchise? Here’s how to do it!
|
en
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/favicon.ico
|
Popverse
|
https://www.thepopverse.com/mortal-kombat-game-games-order-play-watch-chronological-release
|
In 1992 Midway Games unleashed Mortal Kombat, and the world of video games hasn’t been the same since. From arcade cabinets to next gen consoles, the franchise has never missed a step. Maybe it’s the iconic characters, or their toasty fatalities, but we can’t deny that Mortal Kombat is one of the most enduring video game franchises.
The original arcade game was about a group of fighters competing in the ultimate tournament. Since then, the franchise has evolved, telling elaborate stories that span multiple realms and timelines. If you have ever wanted to play every game in the Mortal Kombat franchise, but weren’t sure how, then Popverse has you covered! This guide will tell you everything you need to know about playing the video game franchise in release and chronological order.
How to play Mortal Kombat in release order
Are you ready for the ultimate battle? If you want to play the Mortal Kombat franchise in release order, here is how you would do it. For this list, we only counted Mortal Kombat games released for consoles. This means that releases such as the Tiger Electronics Mortal Kombat game aren’t on here (that would be considered a toy).
Some Mortal Kombat games have been re-released with a new title and added gameplay. Situations like that are tricky. If there are enough new playable characters and gameplay features, then this list will classify those as new games. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a great example, as it has enough new features to be considered a different game. In contrast, Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection has ports of older games, without enough new material to justify classifying it as its own release. As a result, it has been left off this list.
This list only includes Mortal Kombat games. Although characters like Scorpion have appeared in other video games, such as Injustice: Gods Among Us, those are not Mortal Kombat games. Don’t worry, I will cover guest appearances later in this guide.
But enough logistics. Round 1…fight!
Mortal Kombat (1992)
Mortal Kombat 2 (1993)
Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996)
Mortal Kombat 4 (1997)
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997)
Mortal Kombat Gold (1999)
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces (2000)
Mortal Kombat Advance (2001)
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002)
Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition (2003)
Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004)
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005)
Mortal Kombat: Unchained (2006)
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006)
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008)
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Mortal Kombat Mobile (2015)
Mortal Kombat X (2015)
Mortal Kombat 11 (2019)
Mortal Kombat: Onslaught (2023)
Mortal Kombat 1 (2023)
How to play Mortal Kombat in chronological order
If you wanted to play the games in chronological order, here is how you would do it. Some of the games are remakes or remasters of older games. In these instances, the games have been grouped together on the timeline.
Original timeline
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces (2000)
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997)
Mortal Kombat (1992)
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005)
Mortal Kombat 2 (1993)
Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)/ Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)/ Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996)/ Mortal Kombat Advance (2001)
Mortal Kombat: Onslaught (2023)
Mortal Kombat 4 (1997)/ Mortal Kombat Gold (1999)
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002)
Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004)/ Mortal Kombat: Unchained (2006)
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006)
DC Universe crossover
Mortal Kombat 11 confirmed that Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe takes place in its own timeline. According to the game, Kronika had manipulated the timeline to create the standalone reality. As such, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe exists on its own in this chronology list.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008)
NetherRealm Studios timeline
In 2010 Warner Brothers acquired Midway Games and reorganized the company into NetherRealm Studios. In 2011 NetherRealm released Mortal Kombat, which rebooted the franchise. An alternate timeline was created after Raiden receives a message from his future self.
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Mortal Kombat X (2015)/ Mortal Kombat Mobile (2015)
Mortal Kombat 11 (2019)
Rebooted timeline
Mortal Kombat 1, the latest entry in the series, will reboot the franchise. A new timeline will be created following the events of Mortal Kombat 11.
Mortal Kombat 1 (2023)
How many consoles would you need to play every Mortal Kombat game?
The Mortal Kombat series began in 1992, and we’ve gotten a lot of new gaming consoles since then. This begs the question, if someone wanted to play every game on this list, how many consoles would they need? Luckily some of the older games have been ported for newer consoles, so you don’t have to visit too many thrift stores. Some newer consoles also have backwards combability. Here’s a brief breakdown.
To play every Mortal Kombat game using as few consoles as possible, you would need a Windows computer, PlayStation Portable, Gameboy Advance, original XBOX console, Sega Dreamcast and a PlayStation 2. You could choose between an Android or IOS phone, an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3, and a PlayStation 1 or a Nintendo 64. This means that you would need at least 9 consoles to play every Mortal Kombat game. You could play with more consoles if you wanted to, but 9 is the smallest number needed to support every game on the list.
It’s interesting to note that if you have a Windows computer, you don’t need a next gen console like PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. However, keep in mind that not all Windows computers are able to support each game. Please check the specs on your PC and the installation requirements for each game.
Have the Mortal Kombat characters appeared in other video games?
When you’re one of the biggest video game franchises in the world, everyone wants a piece of you. The popularity of Mortal Kombat has resulted in some of the characters making guest appearances in other video games. In most cases, these appearances can be considered Easter eggs, or fun special features. In other words, they aren’t part of the Mortal Kombat canon.
This listing only includes confirmed appearances of Mortal Kombat characters. The video game Divekick contains quotes and imagery that pay homage to Mortal Kombat, but the game isn’t included here because there are no appearances from any Mortal Kombat characters. However, games like Injustice: Gods Among Us contain Mortal Kombat characters, so the title is included on this list.
Here is a listing of video games guest-starring Mortal Kombat characters.
NBA Jam Tournament Edition (1994) – Sub-Zero, Reptile, Scorpion, and Raiden are unlockable characters. Yes, you can play basketball as a Mortal Kombat character.
World Cup Soccer Pinball Machine (1994) – Raiden can be seen during a bonus round.
NFL Blitz (1997) – Shinnok and Raiden are unlockable characters. That’s right, you can also play football as a Mortal Kombat character.
The Grid (2000) – Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Noob Saibot can be found in the game.
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (2004) – The game features a Scorpion skin for your character.
MLB Slugfest: Loaded (2005) – Scorpion and Sub-Zero both make appearances.
Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict (2005) – Raiden is an unlockable character.
NBA Ballers: Phenom (2006) – Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, and Raiden can be seen in the background during the Training Academy stage.
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown (2011) – Kano appears as a secret boss.
Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013) – Scorpion is a playable character. In addition, Shao Kahn and Sub-Zero appear for a cameo.
WWE Immortals (2015) – Johnny Cage is a playable character.
Injustice 2 (2017) – Raiden and Sub-Zero appear in the game.
Is Mortal Kombat part of the DC Universe?
The Mortal Kombat video games are not part of the DC Universe, but we can’t blame you if you assumed they were. The two franchises have crossed over a few times, thanks to interdimensional travel. Each crossover has made it clear that the characters don’t inhabit the same universe. The 2008 game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe has the characters interacting by traveling across dimensions. While Mortal Kombat characters appear in DC’s Injustice video game series, they aren’t part of the story modes in the games, and therefore their presence isn’t canon.
Now you have everything you need to play through the Mortal Kombat video game series. Get ready to perform a ton of fatalities as you test your might!
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Humans Live Today Possibly Dying Tomorrow: Review of [160729] Floral Flowlove
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2016-08-28T00:00:00
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Foreword: Okay, so this review was slightly delayed because I (like I do always) completely forgot I had a 6-day work week which obviously is going to crush my playtime of galge or MMOs. Apologies in advance for the delay! Let's get into the review anyways. As you know, my previous games with Saga Planets (or…
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Visual Novels and Eroge Review
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https://vnerogereview.wordpress.com/2016/08/28/2076/
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Foreword: Okay, so this review was slightly delayed because I (like I do always) completely forgot I had a 6-day work week which obviously is going to crush my playtime of galge or MMOs. Apologies in advance for the delay!
Let’s get into the review anyways. As you know, my previous games with Saga Planets (or Sagi “Scammer” Planets as some Korean players might call them xD) involved Hatsuyuki Sakura and Kisaragi Gold Star, which I believe are both written by the dreaded Nijima Yuu. It’s going to be a little different this time, with different writers and a different setting; Getchu labels this game as a 恋愛ADV (Romance Adventure) which means it’s pretty much your normal galge.
However, I should definitely mention that I’m really getting sick of all these “Romance Adventure” games that skimp out on romance the most. Don’t get the wrong idea though; story-wise, this game was extremely well planned and highly intricate, while also being fun in some portions, but as it’s advertised as a ROMANCE ADVENTURE game, I’m going to have to criticize the living daylights out of this game because the romance portion was pretty much the worst thing that this game had to offer. Like seriously. Just take out the damned romance and you have such a great game! Why ruin it, SP??
You might also be surprised to hear from me that this game was also quite depressing, at least in my opinion. I’m going to explain my reasoning for this as well as other elements that contributed to this game within the review below, so let’s begin!
In order to properly prove my points, spoilers are included in this review. Please read at your own risk!
Title: フローラルフローラブ (Floral Flowlove)
Producers: Saga Planets
Release Date: July 29, 2016
VNDB Link: https://vndb.org/v18842
Getchu Link: http://www.getchu.com/soft.phtml?id=895714
Game Type: School-life Romance Game
Summary: “I met an Angel that day”
That’s the quote that Masataka states even as he does not believe that God exists or angels for that matter, and this is already on top of how he can see white or black feathers emanating from a person’s back depending on whether or not the person has a good or bad motives. Aside from this special ability called a “Gift”, Masataka is mostly apathetic about various things and refuses to get involved with anyone, including his childhood friend Kano, her best friend Nanao, or anyone around him for that matter.
He was always searching for what happened to him in the past since he couldn’t remember anything, and for the most part, seems do not care that much. It’s not until long, however, a girl named Adelheid who seems to know something about the “accident” a long time ago that catches his attention, and he then finds the motivation to find out everything he can to learn about himself.
Story Length: Moderately Long (25 hours)
Complete Story Clearing Difficulty: Easy
Comments: A very easy and straightforward game, the selections at the first choice is only available if you’ve already unlocked the heroine’s route, so don’t freak out about not being able to choose anyone besides Kano. Choices after that literally have the heroine’s name (so shame on you if you seriously get lost), and Suu gets her own route which splits off in Kohane’s route.
Frankly, I think these are the games that really need a better, more complex route splits, which obviously didn’t happen. The mere fact that literally the heroine’s names (and not choices like “Look for Kano”/”Help out Kohane with Cleaning”) were used shows lack of originality.
What I’d like to do to people who thought this would be a good idea
Character Design Rating: 3/10
Story Rating: 7/10
Protagonist Rating: 6/10
Game Quality: Moderate
Overall Rating: 6/10
Rating Comments: Overall, the game was fairly decent, but was definitely one of the more disappointing games.
Story is the best portion of this game capable of being called “Good” because the scenario presented for the characters and how each characters react to events in the common route were quite interesting. While extremely unoriginal (e.g. school life with ojousama themes… wait, why does this bring back past traumas?), the overall flow of the game was fairly decent, how the common route was more focused more on the protagonist and his past worked well, and said common route even contained some climactic scenes much to my enjoyment. While the heroine routes themselves weren’t as great of a quality (as I’ll mention in a bit) it’s shown at the end of the heroine route, all the trouble that the characters went through weren’t for naught; there’s something that does correlate back to one of the main focus of the game, Saisu Toshinari. It should be noted that the last route of this game is most worthwhile, more info on that later.
And you’ll hear my rants about this. Rest Assured about this
There’s very little “story” within heroine routes until the later portions which display that heroine route-specific conflict. The problem with this “conflict” later on is that it’s just so underdeveloped, meaning it’s introduced rather suddenly, and resolved way too quickly. I guess it’s nice there’s something at least, but as it is, the heroine-specific routes aren’t as valuable as the common route (or the Final Route) and worked to bring down this score.
In regards to characters, I liked how the game utilized various subcharacters to present the conflict or various facts about the protagonist or heroines (e.g. Sawaki -> Masataka). On the other hand, the heroines were extremely lackluster and often non-contributory to the overall game, knocking down the score quite a bit. This trait was further amplified within the Final Route, where they were more or less absent until the climax, which makes strong suggestions that the heroines weren’t even worth anything to the overall story. Even for seemingly important characters like Kano who had the design of “knowing everything about Masataka”, she played very little role in the common routes; her role was more to cheer up the atmosphere or be that “utmost loyal heroine to the protagonist”. Same with other heroines. While each of them do appear at the end of said Final Route, that’s not why you’ve spent countless hours designing them. Right, Saga Planets?
They’re cute, but oh-so-shallow
Riku, as the heroine for the last route also shared this same trait, but was fortunately more involved in the story between Toshinari and Masataka. Again more info on this later.
The ultimate irony that as a galge, the heroines and their romance were the worst things that brought down the quality of this game
I’m not sure if others are okay with this, but I absolutely hate it when games display jealousy of other people for the popularity of the protagonist. Simply put, you see all four heroines who are considered the “Four Goddesses” within the school completely infatuated with the protagonist for absolutely no reason, and while that’s already a bad character design, displaying how Masataka would receive death-glares from “other guys” is just cringe-worthy since that’s the type of presentation in Harem Fanservice titles. It’s not like this game was meant to introduce shallow heroines, but that’s exactly what happened.
Protip for galge producers: Please don’t do this. It annoys players to no end
Overall, character design was more on the poor side for this game, because while there is that cast of subcharacters which helped present the story, the heroine’s reactions to the overall scenario were completely unnatural, such as how Kohane is immediately able to consolidate Masataka and display romantic emotions for him from the get-go once you get into her route. Basically, the shallow and completely underdeveloped romance (which is ironic because remember the genre of this game), was the driving force for the heroine’s actions for the protagonist and pulverized the otherwise-decent design of the heroines.
Like I appreciate all this super-fancy CGs and such, but it’s literally been 5 minutes since I entered your route Kohane. GimmeyourHscenesinstead
Protagonist is generally better, but I just saw so many inconsistencies in his design to be that solemn and apathetic individual who doesn’t trust anyone, but ironically falls in love within a couple of scenes for the smallest reasons, and this includes how his paradigm towards Kano especially is overturned extremely quickly (That and Masataka uses the pronoun “俺”, which is an informal pronoun, when he’s so hard-headed on order and formality). I personally wish Masataka’s design was darker than what the game presented, and actually have more conflict with said “innocent” heroines in their respective scenes like this game. Otherwise, the story is one of those happy-go-lucky type of story where “no one’s evil”, and Masataka himself really lacked that interaction with the heroines in the first place (and thus romance had less validity). It also caused each heroine to lack that impact or even show-time throughout the game.
Otherwise, this score was also killed by that same element that the protagonist was, from the very beginning of the game, surrounded by SSS-tier bishoujos in addition to gathering the full-on jealousy of classmates around him, and even having all four of them attracted to him in one way or another. Harem Fanservice scenarios are one of my biggest pet peeves in Japanese entertainment and holy shit this is going to knock off points.
Furthermore, while it seems that Masataka is in action and very capable to a large extent (as shown by the common route), he loses almost all of that competence in the heroine routes were he instead seemed like the damsel-in-distress boo-hoo’ing just because he found out he was adopted. It’s nice that the heroines deal with his sorry tear-drenched ass do something for him in this sense, but he seemed too powerless in the heroine routes, creating another large inconsistency compared to the common route where he was that almighty “Guardian Angel”. He does regain most of his protagonist moments later in the final route, however, so there’s a good thing.
Class change from a “Guardian Angel” to a “Knight”!
… Why does this seem like a bad thing?
One last thing I wanted to mention was that there seems to be two protagonists in this game; Saisu Masataka (who is listed as the protagonist), and Saisu Toshinari who is dead for the main context. While Masataka was focused as the main protagonist, the entire scenario seems to revolve around Toshinari (who is the non-blood related older brother of Masataka), which was quite unwanted at least for the protagonist design, as it should be the main protagonist making differences within the heroines and the story; not some other character who’s already dead. I’ll bet they tried to follow Sakura no Uta’s design and failed horribly lel
Regardless, it should be noted that the Protagonist Score was greatly salvaged by Toshinari’s presence and design.
Character Summary: I’ve already talked too much in the rating section me thinks, so I’ll try to keep this short. Lol I wish. I got lots to talk about
Kano is the daughter of the Mihano family, who is extremely well known to be a group of nobles who control this area of the town with their wealth. Cheerful and friendly is the immediate impression of this “ojousama”, who has a very frank and easy-to-understand personality.
While it was quite adorable how this girl was absolutely infatuated with the protagonist, the real crap was the reason “why”. Only a few reminiscence scenes is all you have between the interaction between Masataka and this heroine, and it’s heavily implied that the girl essentially “fell in love at first sight” with the protagonist at a very young age. What really made this worse was how the beginning scene tries to exaggerate this affection by having the “other male characters” point their jealousy at Masataka.
Kano’s route involves her family who’s been trying to match her up with various individuals for marriage, but Kano refusing all of them because she loves Masataka (Oh God this trope. Kill me). The route mostly displays how Masataka needed to become acknowledged by the Mihano family so they can acknowledge the couple’s relationship
As a character, Kano was strangely more complex, but the entire game failed to properly foreshadow most of these complex characteristics of the heroine (Such as her actions to hide Masataka’s past, her efforts to save his life and give him happiness, etc…). This is in addition to how the romance of Kano and Masataka was extremely cheap–much cheaper than candy from a dollar store, and considering how their “love” for each other was important in several parts of the story (AKA PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE ROUTE), this cheap romance ruined the otherwise excellent and touching scenario.
I personally love the CV who voices Kano. She voiced Asahi from the Tsukiyori Series, Kuon from Sengoku Koihime, and various other characters who just had a lot of charm.
Displayed as Kano’s best friend, this archetypical tsundere character first finds Masataka an eyesore because he treats Kano (her best friend) coldly. This causes the two to have a rather clunky relationship with Kano in the middle of it during the common route. Like Masataka, Nanao met Kano from a long time ago when they were children, during an Easter Egg hunt where Nanao’s eggs broke, which Masataka, or as Kano states her “Guardian Angel” fixes.
Nanao and Masataka’s relationship is started uneasily with Kano making them first become friends, but (too) quickly escalates to the point Nanao falls in love with the protagonist since he was so similar to her. In return, Nanao has a firm and dedicated dream which she shares with Masataka, who comes to admire the girl for having such a goal.
Nanao’s route splits off from the love-triangle as with Kano’s route, and involves Nanao’s mother as well as Sawaki. The end of her route also displays Sawaki’s interaction with Toshinari, and reveals another bit of the mysterious singer’s story
Overall, Nanao’s route was just “okay”. It was decent enough to stand as a route, but everything was so archetypical. That effort at a love-triangle was admirable, but was resolved way too quickly for my liking.
Adelheid is the loli heroine who was passed out in front of the school who Masataka takes care of in the beginning scenes. Soon revealed to be of royal blood, this “Princess” of the country named Belkstrasse is ironically lazy and apathetic about many things, and it becomes questionable why someone like her would come to Japan in the first place.
Adelheid’s route mostly continues from her story in the common route. She barges into Masataka’s house in order to “learn the ways of the Ninja”, but in reality, she was also pretty sick of all the crap that happened back at her home country and just wanted to relax
Adelheid and Masataka’s relationship was strangely on the better side of the spectrum. It’s shown that Masataka comes to like this princess for her lax personality that contrasts his serious one, but continuously restrains himself as he is dealing with someone of royal blood. This awkward relationship continues for a good amount, unlike other heroine routes where H-scenes ensued pretty quickly.
Voiced by Akino Hana, it seems like Akino Hana voices a lot of characters nowadays, which I don’t mind at all since I like her voice. Adelheid was also a character who had more interaction with Masataka even outside of her route as a supporting character, so that really amplified her design as a character. While her route itself wasn’t too great, I would probably give the “best character design” to this lazy princess.
After having that one character completely traumatize me from Agumi Oto’s voice, I was admittedly more cautious about the personality of Kohane despite she was not related to the aforementioned title. Graceful describes this character, as one of the sisters in the Bible Reading Committee, she and her “older sister” Suu seems to be the ones who are aware of Masataka’s “Gift” of being able to see white or black wings. This allows the three to work together to filter out the students who are creating trouble for the school without being too conspicuous.
I’m going to flat out say there’s no romantic transitioning for Kohane at all, along with her being one of the more annoying characters. From the very beginning of the game it suggests that she was romantically attracted to Masataka, and her speech pattern of using the phrase “極み” (Translates into Greatest/Extreme) is something that Korean “weeaboos” already use too much (No seriously; Korean adolescents overuse this term thinking they’re cool for using it).
P.S. Mose is the cutest character. Period. End of Story.
As a Catholic background, I also found it funny how few of the biblical references were incorrect, and Kohane’s route just seemed to be a random bunch of events that happen after Masataka finds out about his past, unlike Kano’s route where it was more orderly. It’s nice that Kohane does console Masataka after this event, but if I had a chance to redesign her route, I would have her consolidate Masataka AFTER he’s displayed his rage/anger just to have that impact, THEN make Kohane seem like a very important character for being able to sooth Masataka out. The route then continues through the pointless icha-icha at that point, and includes a bit of Kohane’s past because otherwise the route would be boring as hell. The route ends with Suu and Kohane’s interaction with Toshinari.
As a character, Kohane was the least descriptive, and many of her traits were non-contributory to the overall story (Suu probably had more role, despite being a “subheroine”) Some readers may even forget that she’s technically an upperclassman, which raises the question why the school-life setting was chosen when it wasn’t important in the first place.
After Masataka learns of his past and now has to deal with what to think of his “Gift”, he can choose to think this special ability was given to him for a purpose, which drives the story town to Suu’s route, the Sister who has ridiculous sex appeal and apparently is super scary if you make her mad. She also seems to be extremely easy to manipulate, always bending her will if Masataka takes off his glasses and “seduce” her.
Being a Catholic “Nun” does forbid Suu to form any romantic relationships, which becomes the scenario in her route. The taboo was present, but the shit in this route was how Masataka states how he doesn’t “love” Suu even after kissing and having sex with her purely because he’s not aware of that emotion (Seriously, SP? That’s so fucking retarded), and those actions were simply because he wanted to be with her AND THIS CLEARLY ISN’T ROMANCE HURR DURR.
Dat sex appeal tho.
Obviously one of the less important routes, Suu’s story is the only one in the entire game that does not connect back to Toshinari, and seems more of a fanservice scenario.
Literally one phrase describes this character until her route and that would be “Masataka’s younger sister”. Riku is that strange character who stays at home and plays video games all day, and considering how she’s considered a heroine despite having so little information about her does make it ridiculously fucking obvious that she has some hidden role throughout the entire game. Having only a few characters aware of this character make it even more obvious that Riku is SOME SUPERNATURAL CHARACTER HINT HINT. Like seriously, you’ve been living under a fucking rock if you didn’t see this coming
With her real identity as an angel who is described by Masataka’s “I saw an Angel”, she suddenly appears in front of Masataka after a certain dream and reveals to him the four routes being “possibilities” along with the cellphone straps which represent Masataka’s possibilities for the future with each of the four heroines, for which Riku prepared so he can make a decision
PROTIP: THIS MEANS THAT THE FOUR ROUTES YOU JUST READ WEREN’T REAL! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Along with how this “True Route” starts off with Masataka already conveniently in-love with this archetypical childish tsundere? character, there was literally no romantic transition (AND WHAT’S THE GENRE FOR THIS TITLE AGAIN?!) for Riku’s route. On the other hand, I would actually consider Riku’s route to hold the best in terms of story, since it compliments the other four routes by having an “alternate ending” for each of them, along with the route solving the entire mystery of the “Gift”, “Angels”, and the life of Toshinari. As most thorough in terms of story, I rate this route the best and especially praise that little parts of Toshinari’s story was displayed within each of the heroine routes (at the end though), which the true route connects
However, this Final True Route also puts the final touchdown for pulverizing the meaning for the previous four heroines, who now have that design of being a fake, what-if scenario, along with having very little role in the final or what’s considered to be the “real” story even though it’s connected. Quite literally, the four heroines were absolutely abysmal to the entire game, dropping scores to the bare minimum. The value of the four routes that you went through only had it because the final, true route references them.
Regardless, this final route does introduce some new things like “Chains”, and goes into great detail about Toshinari through dreams. (P.S. stories that have to resort to dreams to display past events is really lacking originality)
For that reason, a lot of the events in this final route did have me saying the following:
“But Why?”
Sexual Content: Moderately Low
Comments:
Generally, I thought the romance in this game was pretty cheap. The common route is amazing and contains actions from the protagonist along with “okay” humor, and for the most part was worth reading. However, the story quality dips so sharply from there regarding all this cheap romance with lackluster heroines who do not play a big role in the common routes, that the game seemed to be divided into like two “sections”; the beginning section which worked out well to grab the reader’s attention, and the later section of the heroines which had little impact and little meaning. (Though it should be mentioned in Kano/Nanao’s “arc” that one family-love element was quite touching and one of the best scenes in the game)
As mentioned in the Foreword, I personally thought this game was extremely depressing. Basically, you see a protagonist who is pushed to the depths of despair from learning about his past though it’s kinda weird why because he knew he was already adopted, and that’s quite similar to some of us in real life being troubled by many things regardless of what it is (family, finance, education, career, life, etc…). The difference between the real-life and this story is that this story CONVENIENTLY has several stunningly beautiful girls who are all pure-hearted, strong, and absolutely infatuated with the protagonist who didn’t really do anything and they’re all there to support you with all their might and very existence.
I hope you’re seeing where I’m going. This kind of picture is heavily unrealistic, and that’s exactly why I think this game is depressing; the game is essentially saying to all of the real-life players who have problems on their own and need to deal with it ourselves “Haha, bet you’re lonely; look at this fake protagonist who’s not”. I might be exaggerating or overreacting because I’m a cynical bastard, but that’s essentially the impression I got from playing this game and seeing heroines so shallow and the protagonist so relatively powerless, yet that “romance” between them was so strong each of them were able to overcome their troubles and past traumas.
Do galge companies really think it’s okay to throw out these strong bonds that form out of nowhere?
Furthermore, I don’t think there was a reason for this “religious” element to be placed in the game. In Floral Flowlove, it was used to differentiate a couple of heroines by giving them the “religious” characteristic, and to give an excuse of using the theme “angels”. While there were some symbolism and biblical references used to work for the benefit for the overall story, the entire element was more of a negative than a plus. (and they make incorrect analysis in some parts too)
Another thing I want to mention is that this theme of “gift” doesn’t make much sense. So basically Masataka sees black or white feathers (not wings, by the way) coming out of someone’s back and he’s literally the only person in the world who has this supernatural ability, and the color of the feathers are determined by whether or not the person has good or bad intentions. Nothing is explained about this ability and people just accept for it to be true, unlike some games where these supernatural traits are explained more thoroughly. Considering this ability is one of the main themes, it needed much more development, such as flashbacks for Masataka first realizing he had this ability, or others not believing him. The game just jumps right into the story without developing well into this trait, and I would say this was one of the worst planning within the entire game. It’s worth mentioning how there are also some inconsistencies with this element as well (such as how Suu’s feathers changed from black to white so quickly despite the fact she had “good intentions” for Masataka, or how some people who were out to harm others had “good intentions”). This was made even worse due to new introduction of “Chains” in the true route, which without a proper explanation of these supernatural elements seem undefined and conveniently utilized.
Then the heroines. Oh the heroines. ALL of them are angels because it’s just heresy to have a heroine who’s not a virgin, or have had any dark pasts, or is anything BUT eyecandy to the readers and a loyal support character to only the protagonist. I’m just sick of these tropes in galge. It’s even worse because if you did have heroines who had problems in her past, the relationship between her and Masataka would have been much stronger, there would have been much more sympathy for these characters, and that would all go back to having a good story. As it stands, you just have a charage with a failed attempt at a good story, so I’m just so salty about my expectations being crushed from the common route.
My reaction when my expectations are crushed
But who would give a shit about my preferences and opinions amiright?
Let’s talk about the final route though, and I’ll tread carefully since I understand some people have not yet finished this game. It’s generally better with the story, but also spurt out these terms called “Chains” which is apparently required for a person to exist in this world. I’ll be honest and say this was pure nonsense because it’s literally same as what we know as “relationships and memories”. The game tries to confuse the reader with this term when it’s really nothing but simply being remembered by others (Experienced players might be able to predict how the route ends just from this information). As it stands, the final route should NOT have included this bullshit element.
The final route almost seemed like a “common route”, even, of how Masataka uses this knowledge that he suddenly gained through a wet dream deus-ex-machina to solve the problems present in each of the heroine routes. I mean, if the romance for the heroine was developed after this, I wouldn’t have been complaining like I have for the past few hours, but I guess the company didn’t see that potential.
I think I might have missed this, but did anyone catch what “Flowers” represented? This was the only symbolism not answered in the game (that or I missed it), and I’m actually genuinely curious to what this was supposed to represent.
One last thing I wanted to mention related to the overall gameplay is that the CVs were recycled for other subcharacters. I personally hate it when they do this because that just shows lack of dedication to the game. Even grabbing random people off the streets (or even people off of Niconicodouga) to do voice acting would at least show that the producers made an attempt to put more work into this game.
I know some people who would love to have some experience with voice acting and would do it for no charge, too.
Affection for the Characters: Low
CG Score: 6/10
Music Score: 8/10
Addictiveness: Low
Conclusion:
Pros
The story is generally well planned and has a good flow… Only for the beginning portions it seems
Protagonist is considered to be active and resourceful… at least in the common route
Outside of their role, characters are generally colorful and original
Music is quite decent for the most part, with a unique soundtrack for Adelheid because it was relevant.
Having two protagonists relating to each other works well in this game, though it’s quite annoying how the other protagonist was only visible through convenient dreams
Cons
The story gives off a harem-fanservice impression in the very beginning, which can be immensely annoying. Fortunately, this kind of atmosphere is quickly discarded
Religion element is heavily half-assed, with seemingly no purpose except for the taboo present for the subheroine “Suu” and the excuse to present “angels” in the overall game.
Heroines are often non-contributory to the overall scenario (including Riku), also seeming to have little to no transition in their romantic views for Masataka. The final route does display them to a larger extent, though to be fair that’s a bit too late.
Romance is one of the worst that this game has to offer, which is ironic as it is labeled as a “Romance Adventure” game. Strong bonds are said to be formed via this romance, which doesn’t have much validity
The conflict placed within each heroine route is lacking greatly in development, pretty much presenting the problem and solving it within the next 20 minutes.
The game does bitch-slap the reader by saying the four heroine routes are fake and only a “possibility” in another world. Are you seriously incorporating the theory of space-time in a game with RELIGION? This game is a mess
It really does seem as if the game has a forced scenario. Heroines do not feel natural in their actions and Masataka seems to act because the writers “force him” to act; and not on his own accord.
Overall, while Floral Flowlove was one of the more hyped titles for the July releases, I would only rate it slightly above average due to the interesting common route and perhaps the final route being brought down heavily by the heroines themselves and their routes being almost pointless. I can definitely agree that I would have been hyped for this title if I had played just the trial, and would like to warn readers that’s probably what the company was aiming for in the first place. Inversely, people who bought this game for this hype were effectively baited.
While not as bad as the previous game I’ve reviewed, Senren Banka, Floral Flowlove is your typical galge with some minute differences with that effort at a serious scenario with morals at the end. However, that last route also has some critical flaws which doesn’t make this game worthwhile, in addition to the major portions of the game not worth playing at all.
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Keith Hennessy, MFA, PhD, is a frolicker, imperfectionist, and witch working in the fields of dance, performance, activism, affordable housing, and sexual healing. Raised in Canada, he has lived in Yelamu/San Francisco since 1982, and tours internationally.
Hennessy’s work is interdisciplinary and experimental, motivated by anti-racist, queer-feminist, and anarchist movements. He engages practices of improvisation, ritual, play, and protest to respond to political crises and personal unrest. With a focus on the poetics and politics of collaboration, Keith has shared power and creativity with Ishmael Houston-Jones, Annie Danger, Sarah Crowell, Snowflake Calvert, Marc Kate, Meg Stuart, Peaches, Guillermo Gomez Peña, Jassem Hindi, jose abad, Alley Wilde, Gerald Casel and more. Hennessy directs Circo Zero and was a member of Contraband with Sara Shelton Mann. Hennessy is a co-founder of CounterPULSE and 848 Community Space. Awards include Guggenheim, USArtist, NY Bessie, and SF Izzies. Venues include Impulstanz/Vienna, Kampnagel/Hamburg, SF MOMA, The New Museum/NY, TBA Festival/Portland, Velocity/Seattle, Ponderosa/Germany, YBCA, CounterPulse, CORE/Atlanta. Keith teaches widely at universities, festivals, and independent studios. www.circozero.org
Keith Hennessy: Hi everyone. Before we start, can you give me some context? What’s guiding the conversation today?
Jeff Jones: We’re interviewing people about the transformation of San Francisco’s arts community after the early 1990s controversies about the City’s arts funding policies. Events from the late 1980s and early 1990s radically altered the City’s approach from supporting big-budget organizations such as the Symphony, Opera, Ballet and Big museums that served primarily affluent white audiences to funding arts organizations rooted in all communities that comprise San Francisco’s population.
This project is informed by the queer community’s feminism and militancy. Keith, you’ve always demonstrated a strong connection to both of these values, and that’s the specific reason we wanted to interview you. For many years, you have been involved in activities where politics and the arts intersect. If you have any insights on how and why this process has evolved since the 1990s, that’s really what we’re looking for here.
B&A: We are also concerned that the people who made this arts funding history started dying before this history has been documented or preserved. So we are creating this archive as a historical record. With all the push-back against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), we think it’s important for artists, elected officials, educators and community leaders to be able to say, “Hey, they did this in San Francisco. Maybe we can do it here too.”
And we have also witnessed and experienced your incredible contributions to sexual politics, sex education, sex worker rights and sex positive culture. Keith, you came from a small coal mining region in Canada, correct?
KH: Not coal– nickel. I grew up in Sudbury, Ontario. My hometown had the biggest nickel mine in the world from the 1930s to the 1970s. The entire post-WWII boom in the US was built from steel that is alloyed from the nickel from my hometown.
B&A: How did you go from that mining region to where you are right now?
KH: Who knows why some of us escape our hometowns and some of us don’t. I left Sudbury because I had to. Before I had any language to understand the kind of artist that I was to become, I knew that whatever I was, I didn’t belong in Sudbury. I dreamed of moving to a big city from the age of 11 or 12 years old. The furthest my mind could imagine was Toronto, 5 hours away.
I started dancing in high school. I was being called a faggot every week and it got worse and worse. No classes or lessons, but I was a competitive social dancer. I worked with one partner and we would rehearse in the hallways and after school. In late high school, we started escaping to Toronto and going to clubs, including gay clubs, because that’s where the best dancing was. We were underage.
The year after high school, I was so fed up with being told what to do that I worked 3 jobs, saved up all my money and moved to Europe for a year. I quickly realized I was a small-town kid with no idea of how the world functioned. I didn’t know how to be there. Then I saw modern dance. I saw Nureyev and friends (that was the name of the concert) in Paris. My path got clearer and clearer. Mostly I spent time in France, because I spoke French. I grew up in a bilingual-ish town and had taken French classes in high school. I wasn’t amazing at it, but I was functional. I also went to Germany and other places, but that was harder.
When I was in France, I learned that the cool city in Canada was not Toronto, but Montreal. By then I understood class warfare and I knew I needed a college degree. So I went to university in Montreal, which is where I really started dancing. There’s a very vibrant dance community there.
I also became an anarchist in Montreal, but I didn’t want to be an anarchist with a college degree so I quit in my last semester of school, just so I wouldn’t have the degree or any other validation from the state. When I left university the first time, I thought to myself, ‘I will never come back except as a teacher, to change the system from within, and to work with students.’ I kept to that.
B&A: But didn’t you get a Ph.D. at UC Davis.?
KH: Not until I was in my forties and fifties.
B&A: Was that experience useful for you?
KH: Totally. I was raised in a family where we were supported to think big. I had older brothers and sisters who charted the path. Some of them went towards politics, or psychedelics, or travel… and by the time it was my turn, as the fifth kid, I was out of there. None of them traveled as far away as I did. I realized I could live anywhere in the world.
After Montreal, I hitchhiked with a buddy to a juggling convention in California. I decided I was going to stay in San Francisco and be a dancer, and that’s what I did. If you’re an anarchist, you disrespect nation-state boundaries. So when I moved to the USA, I stayed here illegally for the first 10 years.
B&A: What was your UC-Davis dissertation about?
KH: I called it Ambivalent Potential. I focused on the 1970s and ended up whittling it all the way down to a queer and critical race analysis of contact improvisation. I looked at the internal tension within post-sixties politics: they could be liberatory or they could reproduce hegemonic or normative structures. Contact improv had all the ingredients to be one of the most radical dance technologies, but at the same time it was predominantly practiced by white people.
How did it happen that a group of mostly straight white people could go into this space where everyone’s included, whether it’s the rave community or the Burning Man encampment, where alternative technologies look like they have liberatory potential but ultimately continue to reproduce heterosexual white norms? I’ve always been wrestling with that question about supposedly alternative cultures so that’s what I did my dissertation on.
B&A: Have you published it?
KH: Only as a ‘zine, but with over 1000 copies sold and probably 2000 copies in circulation.
B&A: Which artists or people inspired you the most in your teens and twenties?
KH: I didn’t know many artists in my teens and twenties but I had an uncle who was a figurative sculptor, aka naked bodies. He was the first professional artist I ever knew. He was the freak of the family and lived further from middle class norms. When I moved to Montreal I was very inspired by Margie Gillis, a super emotional solo dancer and by a group called Mime Omnibus, who worked at the experimental edge of physical theater through mime with rich visual images and non-narrative dream structures. I didn’t have a mentor until I moved to the Bay Area and worked with Lucas Hoving when I was 22. Lucas, a former dancer with the Jose Limon Company, moved to the Bay Area from New York when he was an older man. His rigorous improvisation and composition classes left a deep impression on me.
JJ: What year did you arrive here?
KH: 1982.
JJ: The first time I saw you perform, Keith, was in 1989. You were with Contraband, right? I think I saw you dance at the Isadora Duncan Awards.
KH: The Izzies, yeah.
JJ: When I first saw you, you were dancing with Sara Shelton Mann’s Contraband. Could you tell us what Contraband pioneered as a dance company that nobody else did?
KH: I think Sara Shelton Mann has had a profound effect, not just on San Francisco’s dance community, but also on dance as both a political act and as a healing art. Through a feminist lens you can track her career’s trajectory and her significance as a world-changing artist. She’s one of these classic, complex artists who has always been afraid of political identities and would probably never refer to herself as a feminist, even though last year she made an extraordinary work about reproductive justice that referenced the illegal abortion she had 60 years ago in the American South.
Sara’s body and mind know these stories very deeply and she has traveled a very feminist route. She has worked in male-dominated scenes and yet still found ways to assert herself and create her own path. She’s worked with extraordinary feminists such as the internationally recognized, pioneering lesbian feminist dance company, The Wallflower Order.
When Wallflower broke up and evolved into the Dance Brigade, Krissy Keefer and Nina Fichter hired Sara to make new work with them, and I got to be Sara’s assistant. They were the very first people in the local dance community to embrace Contraband. They brought us into Furious Feet: The Dance Festival for Social Change that they organized in the 80s and 90s.
Krissy and Anne Bluethenthal, two feminist queer women choreographers who lead with politics, created the first Lesbian and Gay Dance Festival. When they invited me to participate, I invited my two straight collaborators from the Contraband era — Jess Curtis and Jules Beckman, and we made this legendary dance piece Ice Car Cage with a driverless moving car that continues to be celebrated by people all over the world.
The work of many artists is deeply informed by feminism, but at the same time, there’s endless push-back. Not many young artists respond favorably to the word feminism because it conjures up the white feminists who resisted the brilliance and leadership of women of color, specifically Black women, among other conflicts about sex, sex work, porn, penetration, art…
As a teacher, I constantly have to walk students through white feminists who were intersectional before the word even existed. Socialist feminists like Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English were always lifting up intersectional politics because they were deeply involved with socialism and hard-left 1960s politics. They were always thinking about class and race. Now a weird trip is going on with dissing terms such as “feminism” and even with “dyke” or “lesbian.” Simultaneously, I’m working with some younger queer and femme artists who really want to know, “Who were the queer women in Bay Area dance before us?”
With Clarissa Dyas, Alley Wilde, and Queering Dance Festival we are producing a public talk called Dykes in Dance, which is going to happen June 18 in Berkeley. There was definitely push-back from some of our younger colleagues who are very hesitant to embrace or see themselves in community with lesbians or dykes, as if these historical terms meant exclusion to them. When they hear “lesbian,” they assume those are the people who excluded trans women, or bisexuals, or sex workers, and the people who didn’t embrace Audre Lorde.
Anyways, many of the artists who were attracted to Sara were very politically engaged. Kim Epifano came out of the Dance Brigade. I came out of different anarchist scenes. Nina Hart was also very involved in anarchist and feminist politics. I was obviously queer from the late 80s onwards, and was extremely involved in ACT UP and Queer Nation; both crucial to the queeruption aka cultural and political uprisings in response to AIDS.
Those perspectives were always embraced in Contraband, but if you tried to pin down the group’s actual politics, you couldn’t do it. It was a liberatory kind of dancing. When you saw it, you felt like these people were making a new world: they were bringing more freedom to the body, and to each other, and to their communities. Contraband’s dancing, which normalized contact improvisation’s genderless roles and women-lifting-men worked through and against the structures of misogyny.
Sara is of legendary significance because she impacts all the political artists, from the people at NAKA Dance Theater doing really important work with immigrants and refugees to the Black queer collective “rupture.” Sara has worked with and mentored 4 or maybe all 5 of them, including collaborations with them in her own work. But Sara herself does not fit into any of the dance categories or identity categories or arts for social justice / artist as social work categories that today’s grants demand.
JJ: Sara and I moved here in the same year—1978– and we’re the same age. Every time I saw her work, I could never figure out how to categorize it. It felt like there was some Buddhist overlay that I couldn’t put my finger on. She’s always had a really bad approach to fundraising: she writes descriptions of her work that only she can understand.
KH: I think she just doesn’t have the capacity to be a successful fundraiser because she grew up with extreme trauma and didn’t graduate from college. She doesn’t feel like she’s one of those classy people who can get through the gate.
In terms of the funding world’s changes, Sara couldn’t get much funding in the 80s or 90s because she was too experimental, not strictly dance, and that kind of work was rarely valued by grant panels, especially in SF compared to NY. Now that kind of work can be valued, but she can’t get funding because she’s white, old, cis and doesn’t use the required politically correct language to describe herself or her working process.
The fact that you can’t categorize her should be lifted up as what’s so exemplary and radical about her. The fact that you can’t figure out her exact relationships to people is the queerest thing about her. The fact that some of the more politically engaged artists to ever come out of dance in San Francisco, Berlin, Stockholm, Paris and Mexico City are deeply impacted by Sara Shelton Mann is significant. And yet she can’t get funding because she can’t connect her work to any particular political stance, social service, or any fundable dance style. In California and across the US the arts funding agencies have weaponized shallow versions of racial diversity and woke language and used it against actual political artists.
I’m fairly successful at writing grants because I lie through my teeth and use bullshit language about race that embarasses me and my collaborators. I have to apologize to my collaborators of color and ask, “Do I have your permission to prioritize your role in the piece over mine, to overly emphasize your skin color and your historical background so that we can get money?”
These experimental queer Black, Filipino, Asian, Latino, and Indigenous artists go, “Yes, you get the coin, and you can say (almost) whatever you want about me. We know that arts bureaucracy is bullshit.” But the problem is that those of us who are actually political radicals and anti-racists helped create that language. You, Jeff, helped create that language. Because of you and me, especially you, so many new artists of color, queer artists of color, have been brought into the funding scene.
But at the same time, the language we created is now being used against us. It’s paying lip service to anti-racism and decolonization, saying that they’re going to lift up artists of color when they’re never actually going to give them enough money to live off, to support a child, to retire. In fact, they’re reproducing segregationist language, encouraging the most inflexible, separatist, and essentialist ideas about racial identity, and that language is then reproduced in the artworks all around us.
JJ: Yes, it feels to me like we are back to where the arts world was in the mid-1980s, when we had words like “multiculturalism” and nobody knew what it meant. The California Arts Council is a really great example. They have a so-called “peer review” process, but it’s not the peer review system of 40 years ago that was facilitated by specialists in the arts discipline, who knew the significant artists and organizations and who was empowered to interrupt and correct any mis-statements of facts made by the panelists.
Today, to determine who the agency should fund, CAC and the Arts Commission rely on inexperienced panelists who often don’t know what they’re talking about, and the facilitators are supposed to remain silent. As a result, funding decisions only minimally take into account the quality or the originality of the art being created or the history of the organization. Unless you can employ the jargon of cultural equity and inclusiveness, what you’re doing as an artist becomes irrelevant. Moreover, last year CAC awarded a $60,000 grant to a non-profit with an operating budget of less than $10,000 because the process no longer takes into account the applicant’s capacity to manage the funds.
KH: I’m totally fine with giving artists and small non-profits huge grants. $60,000 is not very much money. If a tech worker of the same age with less experience in their field than any dance maker had a good idea they’d be given millions in venture capital. But CAC’s decision-making process is almost completely irrelevant. To get a better understanding of what was happening, I volunteered to be on one of the California Arts Council’s review panels. The pay was incredibly low and I confronted them about the absence of a decent wage. CA’s staff wrote back and said, “Well, we just do what we can with state funding, blah, blah, blah.” And that’s bullshit. If they wanted to fund excellent art with high community impact, they could pay more. Instead, they operate a totally bankrupt decision-making process and label it cultural equity.
Being on a review panel showed me how it works: CAC recruits low level arts administrators who have full-time jobs. When these folks serve on the panel, CAC’s meager stipends supplement their existing salaries. As a result CAC can continue to easily recruit review panelists with limited knowledge and experience instead of attracting working artists or seasoned and knowledgeable reviewers.
The process takes place entirely on Zoom and there’s no personal contact allowed between the panelists. You can’t even message each other. I was on one panel where you couldn’t see who else was there and I had to ask, ‘Could you please reveal the other people who are on the panel?’ They don’t want you to talk to each other. Some bureaucratic CAC staff member has conned the field into believing that this system produces equity and otherwise there will be bias. In “the old days,” being on a grant panel meant debating the proposals, learning from folks with different perspectives, even arguing. Now it’s all scoring. Data wins. As if increasing bureaucratization and dehumanization doesn’t create its own bias. We’re not that far away from AI grant reviewing.
JJ: Beth and Annie recently applied to the SF Arts Commission for a Cultural Equity Grant and the panelists tore them apart. The panelists had little or no idea about how non-profit arts organizations develop or how to measure success. Instead, the panel’s facilitator didn’t feel empowered to correct any statement that was untrue. Since many of the panelists only read some of the proposals, the main presenter of the proposal is crucial to the process being fair. The current system needs to be trashed and re-invented from scratch. I think it would be better to pay specialists in the non-profit arts world to decide the recipients of grants of $50,000 than to continue operating the current system, that is of the same caliber as Russian Roulette.
KH: It’s complex. We would have a different set of troubles if we did that. I think we need a funding ecosystem where some grants are peer reviewed and other grants, especially for longer term organizational development grants where you need to build a relationship with the funder, are not. It’s weird to be subject to a new panel every year. For certain projects the concept of peer review panels makes sense, but the panelists need to be paid better. Low paid panelists reproduce certain problems that a more engaged panel wouldn’t. I just wrote a grant to the Arts Commission, my first one in many years, where I’m the only lead artist, and I got the lowest score I’ve ever had.
My bias is that I don’t talk to any funders ever. I don’t respect what they’re doing. They’re probably good people, but I’m lying to them constantly. If we talk, I’m going to reveal what’s actually going on, which is that the people getting the most funding are the biggest liars who have learned to game the system, not the best artists or the most curious and rigorous artists or the most dangerous to capitalism artists.
JJ: Yeah, the performative nature of contemporary American politics has completely taken over. Apparently, there’s no such thing as truth. All that’s left is the hollowed-out and endlessly repeated rhetoric that disguises the basic corruption of the status quo.
KH: Right. But the thing is, Jeff, you had some really strong critiques that were totally supported by your community. When you were pointing out the white supremacy in local and national arts funding, you were supported by a community of artists who were coming from the left, including many people of color. What’s happened now is that the language that you helped generate is literally now being used against people, to strangulate and stagnate the community.
Three years ago, the California Arts Council basically said you had to pass a political obedience test to even apply. You had to write an approved racial equity statement to even be able to submit your grant. I spent days on it. I got so deep that by the end I felt humiliated because of how much I cared about it. Eventually I took the racial equity statement that the CAC used as their model, copied it, changed two words, sent it back, and it was accepted by the system. Proof that it was nothing but a fake gesture.
JJ: Many organizations of color should just say “I’m Black; what else would you like to know?”
KH: Right. My org helps a lot of queer artists of color to write grants and they’re like, “Do I actually have to tell them I’m Black and I’m gay in every answer?” I say, ‘Unfortunately, yes, you do.’ Then white applicants, who mostly don’t even mention that they’re white in their bios or mission statements, have to portray themselves as anti-racists who prioritize racial justice. If you don’t say it, you’re not going to get the money. That has little or nothing to do with producing good art.
In fact, if you’re doing good art, you probably won’t get funded at this point because the people judging you have no idea what good art is. And yes I know there’s no such thing as good art, and that “good art” has been used against politically-inspired artists, especially non-white and queer artists. Despite the difficulty of determining quality I still think we should be concerned about it, constantly undermining normative understandings of good and interesting and valuable, but not giving up on art itself, on quality, rigor, experimentation, impact on the field. Undoubtedly there are great and curious artists getting CAC money, but there’s a disconnect between what they write and what they do.
If I can lie,it means anyone can lie, even though I actually do create art with as much integrity as I can put into action. But we are also seeing new works that have no actual community involvement and the people of color who they supposedly “collaborated” with had no actual power.
JJ: Let’s go back to Contraband. What I remember most about Contraband was that it was a multidisciplinary performance where there was nudity and contact improvisation. Did that come out of Contraband, or out of Sara? Or did that come out of somewhere else?
KH: There was definitely skin in Contraband shows, but there was very little actual nudity. That was more in the works that happened around it, from artists like me or Jess Curtis who were more connected to sex positive scenes, queer scenes and sex worker culture. In Feminist and queer performance art there is a vital relationship to the body. Carolee Schneemann pulling a scroll from her pussy predates so many of us. But she leads directly to Karen Finley, who leads to different queer artists, and Ron Athey, who’s cutting himself and bleeding as an HIV positive artist. I love artists who transcend the boundary of the flesh; orifices and bodily fluids are important in my work.
Annie Sprinkle, you changed the world. You’re the most visible sex worker turned performance artist in the history of the world. There are really important things that happened in the long-running and constantly evolving post-porn project. We can see all of this movement between the Public Cervix Announcement and your Pornstistics, that asked questions such as “What if I added inch by inch the dicks I’ve sucked, would they equal the height of the Empire State Building?”
There is a combination of shamelessness and self-reflection on the shadow sides of the porn industry that inspired thousands of people. This is feminist work. We see an independent woman fighting for the autonomy of her own body, rejecting shame as a colonial, patriarchal construction that tries to keep people down. The whole notion that sex work should upset us on moral grounds is bullshit propaganda that comes out of a colonized mindset. Queers have different ways of seeing this through sex-positive, feminist and queer legacies.
Sara is impacted by these worlds, but in the same way that she defends herself by refusing the disciplinary boundaries around dance, she also refuses to join any movement. She’s never felt at home anywhere. Part of her practice has been the idea that she is disconnected from everything and therefore she is in this liberated space. Faustin Linyekula, from Congo (DRC), one of the most important contemporary African dancers, who in his lifetime had experienced multiple names for the country of his birth once said, “The only country I know is my body.” He was also responding to political trauma on the body and refusing to participate in any particular identity.
Contact improvisation is a dance form that was first named in 1972, but comes out of a series of experiments impacted by 1960s era feminism, hippy culture, and critiques of power and hierarchy. It’s an anti-hierarchical form with no gender roles and no leadership, neither a choreographer or a man leading a woman in a duet. The ideals of 1960’s feminism, gay liberation, and left politics were adapted into this free-flowing dance form. At its worst, it’s a hippie/new-age modality that really should fade away. At its best, it’s one of the most radical technologies we have for rethinking intimate human relationships at the level of the body. It encourages us to improvise and negotiate how we touch and play with each other.
Sara was exposed to contact improv and it blew her world apart because she came from a dance world where the choreographer is in control, there is a correct technique, and you do it until you kill yourself. There’s a recording of Sara saying that when she found contact improv, it was the first time she could push against a man and be met in her physical strength and not pay for it, not be punished for it, not be hit back for it.
Sara brought contact improvisation into modern dance and merged it with psycho-spiritual practices from different teachers. She studied every new-age and alternative healing modality on Earth and she synthesized all of these practices. And she keeps moving. The work she makes today doesn’t look like what she made 10 years ago, or 30 years ago.
Her refusal to be categorized should be seen as queer, revolutionary and liberatory. I was rejected for many of my early grants because the panelists would say “that’s not dance”. They just didn’t get it. But Sara and Contraband did change the world. Now people recognize what I do in the dance world. It’s also why I had a home in Europe for half my life, because there you can be rewarded for rigorous approaches to conceptual and experimental dance where you don’t have to lead with a political statement to get gigs or funding.
Now we’re constantly divided by bizarre tensions: in the funding world, the weaponization of woke language; in the current struggle for Palestinian liberation, the revisionary and weaponized notion of anti-semitism. If you cared about antisemitism, you wouldn’t back the extremist right, white supremacists who have been anti-semitic since day one. You wouldn’t back an apartheid regime or justify a war that kills children, or support putting our tax dollars into the war machine instead of into the arts.
JJ: It’s all connected. In 1980, I was the person who ran the Census in San Francisco. That gave me a really good understanding of who lives where. But when I started looking at my clients such as Theatre Rhinoceros, the Women’s Philharmonic and the Mime Troupe, there was a disconnect: most of the arts money was spent entertaining affluent white people!
KH: Not just any white people, to be clear: it was the upper class and the wanna-be upper classes who were being served… affluent!
JJ: The 1980 Census found that San Francisco was a city where people of color were the majority. I saw that maybe 1% of the money was going to queers, 1% was going to Black people, 1% was going to Latinxers and almost 2% to Asian Americans. The pure tokenism of it all kept bugging me. So by 1985, because I demographically knew who San Franciscans were, it became clear that the vast majority of the residents were not even taken into consideration. When it was time to hand out arts funding, the arts were perceived as something for the well-educated, the well-bred and the well-fed.
KH: Let me do a slight intervention here. I think if you only lead with race, you create some of the problems that we want to avoid. If you refer to the audience of the opera as white and then refer to Contraband as white, you’ve really done a disservice to the actual liberatory politics that we want to uplift. What’s significant is that the core audience for the opera is people who own their own homes, while the artists and the audiences of Contraband were low-income people living precariously in rental housing. Sara Shelton Mann has been working with economically disenfranchised artists for her entire life. But there’s nowhere to write that on a grant application. Contraband was primarily an all-white troupe because of how segregated the dance scene was in the 1980s, but Contraband didn’t create that segregation, and with no money to pay artists Contraband didn’t really have much power to change it.
What’s different about the Bay Area compared to New York is that the vast majority of artists of color in the Bay Area did not work in experimental forms for many years. In New York and Paris they did. But in San Francisco, Black artists did Black dance. In Contraband white modern dancers had to work for almost no pay and attend a minimum of 3-hour long rehearsals 3 times a week; there was only a very tiny group of freaks that would and could do that. And none of us at the time were living off family funds… We worked in bakeries, restaurants, teaching dance, driving trucks and mostly did not eat out except in Mexican restaurants that served burritos.
JJ: I know that the end of Contraband was complicated. Sara herself told me that the problem was that she could not raise the money to support the company.
KH: What happened is that the world gentrified and San Francisco hyper-gentrified. You could no longer make work here and not pay everyone. Sara had a highly functioning, amazingly productive, world changing company from 85 to 95. It’s also part of her working style to build things up, destroy them, and start again. It’s a very creative practice but it’s not sustainable.
JJ: But I don’t think that was true in the 80s. I moved here in 1979 and it was cheap. Sara told me that financing the Company became impossible.
KH: Right. But what year do you think that happened?
JJ: I thought it was 1990. You’re saying it’s 1995.
KH: Yes. The company continued with Mira: Cycles all the way until 1995. When Sara moved here around 1980, she saw that Margaret Jenkins and Brenda Way had companies; she wanted one too, but she was never supported and couldn’t figure out why.
JJ: She wasn’t part of the 4-person sisterhood: Kary, Margie Jenkins, Brenda Way and Chris Hellman, the Chair of the Ballet Board.
KH: It wasn’t just that sisterhood. I would guess that all of them were raised with more money and more family coherence than Sara. She never assumed (or lucked into or sought out) that she would meet a man, marry him, have kids, get a college job or broad social support. Sara is the ultimate lesbian archetype without actually being a lesbian. She’s the crone witch who inspired thousands of children but never had a family of her own. She sacrificed family-making and financial security to build a world through dance.
JJ: Sara’s inheritors were people like you and Jess Curtis and others who started doing original work. After Contraband split up, didn’t you become a member of another collective?
KH: Yes, CORE was made up of 5 people, the three “boys” from Contraband – Jess Curtis, Jules Beckman, me – plus Stanya Kahn and Stephanie Maher. We made one show, Entertainment for the Apocalypse (originally titled Psychic Driveby),which we performed in various places around the Bay, and in Salt Lake, LA, New York and Germany. It was similar to Contraband in that there were no political slogans on the stage, but the work was deeply political in terms of how we were thinking through the politics of the body, anti-hierarchical leadership, and what it meant to commit to expressing yourself. That’s not exactly true because both Stanya and I wrote and performed more explicitly political texts, but still not slogans. We produced work with no funding. We built everything ourselves. We performed in gorgeous shit-ass warehouses. I remember the conclusion of an early CORE performance: I was in heels and a gold dress swimming in the toxic dump of Islais Creek/San Francisco Bay while the other artists were on a pier holding giant flaming torches. You couldn’t use straightforward social justice language to describe the work. But you saw people who refused to be categorized by boundaries, women who were totally fierce in their relationship with the men on stage, grief about the death of revolutionary politics, and performances in alternative community spaces that we took over and transformed for our site-specific work. The body-art-collective as a site of activist ritual performance. The body and performance as a site of healing. CORE existed for about 4 years and then dissolved as we all moved on.
JJ: Where did you go after that?
KH: Jess Curtis, Jules Beckman and I moved to France to be in Cahin-caha, cirque bâtard, an experimental circus that had money to pay us. Stephanie Maher moved to Berlin and created a dance space in a former squat, and had two kids. Then they bought land and made Ponderosa, an influential rural community and art space outside of Berlin with workshops and residences for experimental art and improvisation, which has linked San Francisco and Berlin for the last 20 years. Stanya Khan became a successful filmmaker and visual artist. She lives in LA, has a child, was in the Whitney Biennial, and had a big show at the New Museum in NY.
JJ: Wasn’t she a dancer also?
KH: She started off in dance, but was always also a writer, visual artist, and activist. She was raised in a 1960s militant radical household, so she’s always engaged politics in her dance and visual art. She moved into filmmaking with her former partner, Harry Dodge, and they exclusively worked in film for years. A lot of Stanya’s notable works are experimental films that are primarily exhibited in galleries and museums. They’re brilliant.
JJ: I remember she was in the second or third National Queer Arts Festival.
KH: Her work at that time was more performance art than dance. In one piece, she did a monologue about her mother while she took apart, cleaned and put back together a real gun on stage, next to a vase of jasmine flowers.
B&A: Tell us about 848 Community Space.
KH: 848 was founded in 1991, when Contraband was still going strong.This couple had a community art space that they didn’t know how to make sustainable. They were going to get rid of the space, so we decided to take it over. We kept the name 848. I was at the very beginning of my work in sexual healing and sex radicalism and I said, ‘I’ll co-found this place with my straight friend Michael Med-O Whitson, but it’s going be a very gay space.’ 848 ran for over 10 years on Divisadero before it became Counterpulse on 9th Street, and then another ten years before it moved (and purchased!!!) 80 Turk St in the Tenderloin.
From the outset we tried to make a space that wouldn’t be identified with a single community. The very first Trans performance art and photography shows happened at 848 because no other venue would host them. Before there was a Black Choreographer’s Festival, we held a mini-weekend festival of all Black choreographers. Before there were any Asian dance festivals, we had weekend performances showcasing Asian choreographers and dancers. There was a contact improv jam every Tuesday. Carol Queen and Patrick Califia held sex parties at 848. There was a sex worker support group that met there and produced performances. There was a sex worker art festival. And buddhists met there weekly for silent meditation at 7am.
It was a very queer, sex positive space, but the people involved in that side of it often didn’t know that it was also a vibrant contemporary dance space. Some of that vibe emerged from Contraband, which mixed contact-improv with social justice politics, feminism and queerness. Both CounterPulse and 848 were very liberatory spaces for experimental and politically-activated performance.
San Francisco had been a hotbed of experimental work, but only now is there a thriving community of BIPOC artists doing experimental dance and performance. Look at the work that Amara Tabor-Smith has done for the last 10 years, or rupture collective, or the work that Jess Curtis lifted up with some of the emerging Black artists fiscally sponsored or produced by his non-profit Gravity. Gabriel Christian and Chibueze Crouch of oysterknife just did a massive Black mass at Grace Cathedral called mouf/full. These experimental Black artists are referencing Black folkloric forms and Black diasporic culture, but they also see themselves as contemporary artists who don’t want to be constrained by their racial identity, but liberated.
JJ: Where did Jessica Robinson go? Is she still around?
B&A: She became the brilliant Executive Director at CounterPULSE.
KH: Jessica Robinson Love rocked CounterPULSE. She took it from this ragtag, barely funded group and stewarded the transition of 848 to CounterPulse, from Divisadero St to on 9th & Mission. Jessica grew the staff in a way that empowered queer women’s leadership. She networked with funders and secured grant money to pay rent, staff, and to innovate expansive programming. With a team, she pioneered all kinds of amazing anti-racist and pro-immigrant dance projects. Jessica supported a very expanded concept of dance.
After 10 years, just as the organization was going to move to the new building, she stepped down. I imagined her thinking, “Whoever takes on the ED job is taking on a project for 10 years and I’m going to bow out.” She went into philanthropy. She was never that solid as an art maker, but her creativity thrived in arts administration and executive leadership. Jessica left CounterPulse and the arts to move towards funding larger social justice projects.
JJ: Did she leave San Francisco?
KH: No, she stayed. She really dropped out of the art world and went onto the field of international development. She passed the leadership of CounterPULSE to Julie Phelps, who literally came into the art world in the Bay Area as Jess Curtis’s assistant and then mine. Julie stewarded CounterPULSE for 7 years and raised 7 million dollars to buy that building. She further developed the organization’s queer, anti-racist, feminist, and neighborhood-based politics. With her team she created programs of art for poor people and for disenfranchised and marginalized populations. Jessica Robinson Love and Julie Phelps have left an extraordinary legacy in San Francisco.
JJ: I noticed that soon after the Cultural Equity Grants Program started operating, most of the organizations Grants for the Arts wouldn’t fund got funded by the Arts Commission, and then subsequently got funded by Grants for the Arts. That was the new approach for many people.
KH: Yeah, many people did that, including me.
JJ: I could never figure out why you were shut out in the first place.
KH: Because the head of Grants for the Arts was a fucking idiot and a control freak. No one will say that publicly, but this can go into your archive. The GFTA panel recommended me for funding and she blocked it. This isn’t only about me. GFTA criteria was biased towards more professional and more normative organizations, gatekeeping who could advance in SF arts. GFTA didn’t give enough money to small organizations, while prioritizing millions for the large white led and white serving art institutions. For years GFTA offered the only steady annual operating funds, which is what you need to be able to hire staff. When you’re just getting project funds through the CAC or the SF Arts Commission, you can’t build an organization. You can’t build power.
JJ: I understand that. But in 1993 the reality was that Grants for the Arts was the biggest arts funding source. Back then, Blacks, Latinos, AAPIs, Native Americans, women, queers, together received about 8% of the agency’s funding and almost half went to large organizations.
KH: The creation of the SFAC Cultural Equity Grants Program was brilliant and goes down as one of your central legacies Jeff. Your tombstone will have a lot of text, but that will be one of the statements on there. Without Jeff Jones we wouldn’t have had the Cultural Equity Grants program and its very radical impact on the Bay Area’s arts community or its global impact because what happens in San Francisco affects the world.
JJ: Yeah. No other city has set up a Cultural Equity Grants Program anywhere else, but by osmosis it seems we won that battle.
KH: Now grants across the US use the language of racial equity and radical inclusion to lift up disenfranchised people because of the pioneering work that you and others did with the San Francisco Arts Commission.
JJ: At one point, after I wrote my first report on hew agency, Kary Schumann contacted the Board Chairs of my clients and told them that they needed to fire me.
KH: She’s part of a long line of nepotistic, jealous people in the San Francisco city government. But I need to say, at one point you said, “ Close GFTA and leave only the Arts Commission.” I fought you on that behind the scenes. I did not agree.
JJ: I’m very happy I lost that battle because I’ve noticed that some GFTA decisions are now actually better than a lot of those happening at SFAC.
B&A: How long was Kary Schumann the head of Grants for the Arts?
JJ: From 1978 to 2019: 41 stagnant years. When London Breed got elected to a full 4-year term as Mayor, the first thing she did was fire Kary.
KH: Kary was a tyrant, but her replacement Vallie Brown was a completely inept person who was involved in the pettiest shit-ass nepotistic politics in San Francisco history.
JJ: Annie and Beth got funded. That’s all I’ll say.
KH: We are not better off with Vallie Brown and it’s wonderful that she’s leaving the job. The best thing to happen with GFTA recently is that they’ve realized it should be a multi-year grant. So now the applications will be for two years. Many countries with more intelligent arts funding give multi-year grants to established artists and arts organizations.
The Republicans have basically gone to war with San Francisco and have declared the city’s death on their national news. It’s the combination of real politics and the politics on the street, from San Francisco not taking care of its houseless people to the Republican’s war on the City’s reputation. The decrease in tourist dollars equals a decrease in GFTA money.
JJ: Yes. The amount available to the city is unknown right now. San Jose adopted that 2-year approach 10 or 15 years ago. I could never figure out why San Francisco didn’t follow suit. The California Arts Council has those absurd state and local partner programs which are a total waste of money that should go to artists instead. Each one of the 56 counties gets a minimum of $75,000. What do they do with it? Nobody knows.
B&A: How important have grant writers been to you, Keith?
KH: Grant writers have never been useful to me because either they cost too much money or they don’t understand my work. So I have learned to write grants in opposition to grant writers. I’ve always been very inspired by Jeff Jones and I’ve followed his work very closely, but I was never the right candidate for him to write my grants.
JJ: That’s untrue. I wrote the MAP proposal that funded you.
KH: One grant, yes, and only because I was part of National Queer Arts Fest. But in general you were not my grant writer and the grant writers that my friends worked with all charged too much and wrote extremely generic bullshit, which of course worked but I wasn’t yet prepared to compromise like that. I tried working with Nancy Quinn and a few other people when I had some money. Every one of them failed for me. They tried to fit me into boxes that were not real. If I used any of my own language, I was immediately unfunded. So I had to fight my way into the grant world and in the last 10 years I’ve really enjoyed the money that has produced all my projects and it has allowed me to support hundreds of other artists.
B&A: We are so glad you’re getting the bigger bucks now, Keith.
JJ: In the early nineties, there were a number of radical political factors at play. Frank Jordan was running for Mayor. He went to the Castro and a bunch of people hijacked his shoes and displayed them in the front window of the Castro’s Queer bookstore. Right before that, when the governor vetoed the gay & lesbian rights bill, a bunch of people marched down to the state building and set it on fire. I was there.
KH: Me too. I was not in the front line, but I was two steps behind. When the barricades went through the window, I was standing right there cheering.
JJ: Then right after that, there was the Hunky Jesus controversy. And there was the controversy over the minister who Mayor Jordan appointed to the Human Rights Commission who said that queers should be stoned to death because that’s what the Bible says. It was really amazing to be in City Hall watching people from our community screaming at the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors. They knew they had to do something. You were still doing 848 then, right?
KH: Yeah, we started in ’91. I think we were also very much in that 1990s zeitgeist. There were all these different trajectories through the 1980s, including ACT UP, Queer Nation, Lesbian Avengers, and other groups. But there were also hundreds of smaller groups, collectives, and artist collectives.
There was a massive queeruption or queer cultural uprising all over the Western world in response to the political repression of gay men and queers during AIDS. When people realized that the government would let you die and actually participate in your death, that was a radicalizing moment when a huge political shift occurred. It’s not unlike what’s happening right now around Palestine. Watching Biden’s regime trying to silence dissent and seeing the big universities surrender to Congresswoman Stefanik’s McCarthyite trials has literally empowered the protestors. They have nothing to lose now. The government is more concerned about people saying “from the river to the sea” than about the fact that the US is buying the white phosphorus bombs the Israelis are dropping on Palestinian families.
In the early 1990s, the first waves of massive gentrification affected cities. Embattled artists and queers who needed cities to survive were being pushed out. There was the AIDS activism and the feminist sex wars of the 1980s. But by then, those battles were over at the street or community level. The people leading the 1990s intersectional feminist movement were anti-racist and pro-sex and understood the class politics of the sexual body.
People don’t realize it, but we were having early discussions of antiracism and sexism in queer politics too. Every single ACT-UP and Queer Nation chapter had to ask, “Are the white gay men in charge, or are we gonna let women be in charge? Are we going to let people of color speak and lead?” Every chapter had to face structural racism and sexism in their organizing. The diversity we have today resulted from those struggles, even if many of those fights seemed petty and annoying.
The last thing I’ll say is that there were aesthetic impacts too. The cultural revolution in response to AIDS and the zeitgeist of class politics, race politics, gender and sex politics, produced an extraordinary amount of art and culture. The legacy of those lines of inquiry and artistic production are still very activating today.
JJ: Yeah, what was happening in art happened in politics. In the early 1990s it was almost anarchy. We weren’t afraid and we didn’t care if straight people didn’t like Piss Christ, Robert Mapplethorpe’s photos or the Hunky Jesus contests on Castro Street on Easter Sunday. It was a bigger movement that took many different forms. Everything seemed to converge: Queer Nation, the Transgender Rights Ordinance, the mayor’s shoes being ripped off, the launch of the Cultural Equity Grants program, the defeated re-election campaign of George Bush Sr. It was an extraordinary moment of queer politics.
KH: A book could be written about the history of the unpermitted marches in San Francisco. I’ve been here long enough to watch multiple generations wake up to the fact that you don’t actually need, and generally shouldn’t ask for, permission to march. The Dyke March became legitimized through arts funding and got permits afterwards, but not at the beginning.
We, my Circo Zero co-worker Alley Wilde and I, produced an event last year called Queer Joy. It was a very off the grid thing where we got different performers to perform along Valencia Street in alleyways and parks. We traveled to each site with a sound system and a group of people waving these beautiful flags made by Monica Canilao, a collaborator of mine who also works with Annie and Beth. The police came and asked, “Where’s your permit?” We said, “You must be new here. We don’t need one. Keep us safe or go away. Or hang out and enjoy the art!” And they admitted, “You’re right. You don’t need a permit.” You don’t need a permit to walk down a street in San Francisco if you’re too numerous for a sidewalk: it’s freedom of expression and you have a right to do it. I’m from the anarchist school of culture, so I would do it anyway.
B&A: What unique contribution do you think you made to San Francisco’s art history?
KH: I think I helped foreground an anti-disciplinary approach to experimental performance and to pioneer a mashup of the sex-positive world with the art world and with the world of far-left politics. I brought those things together and nurtured a legacy that is still in progress. I also pioneered “no one turned away for lack of funds.” I advocated for it starting in the 1980s and now it’s a norm in many places in the Bay Area.
B&A: Thank you for all that. What more do you hope to achieve, if anything?
KH: I have a lot of artistic ideas I’d still like to explore. I want to find ways to bring together the work I’ve done around dance, anti-racism, sexual healing, intimacy and pleasure healing. I would like to build more bridges between dance and performance and the sex and intimacy work that includes trauma informed consent and new ways to practice and innovate more ethical and free relationships between humans, as well as between humans and all beings and the earth itself. I think about capitalism politically and as a system of relationships that we need to redesign through practice. It’s not about taking down leaders, but about creating new political systems by creating new forms of human relationships. And I want to spend more time in water, dancing and healing in water.
B&A: How do you feel about trigger warnings for dance performances?
KH: I’m definitely disappointed that the bar for trigger warnings is so low. In 2023 CounterPULSE wanted to post a trigger warning for potential nudity in my performance with Ishmael Houston-Jones, in a venue I originally co-founded as a sexually explicit performance space. I do understand how some younger queers are thinking and feeling, especially the trans or nonbinary people with their different ways of processing gender dysphoria and gendered abuse. I don’t think a nudity warning, for example, should happen for dance or performance art. Especially for elder gay, politically radical, artistically experimental artists who have been naked on stage for 40 years. But I do recognize the importance of certain kinds of trigger warnings.
In early feminist theater, there was a real question: if your work was anti-rape, are you allowed to show a rape on stage? Feminist theater has now hit a point where it was no longer useful to show rape on stage because it pushes too many people into their traumas without giving them a way out. This is constantly an issue in film. If you reproduce the slavery era in a movie, should we see brutal whipping or should it happen off-screen? What do we lose or gain if we don’t acknowledge it? There are reasons to think about the potential for art to trigger trauma, but when trigger warnings happen at the very lowest common denominator, they’re actually a form of surveillance and control that feels neither democratic nor liberatory.
I think “safe space” as a political strategy is a dead end. I think we need to do more work, not only around safety, but around resilience, risk assessment, and being able to work with trauma.
B&A: We agree completely. You’ve been an artist on the cutting-edge doing radical work and sexually-oriented work. Do you have any guilt or remorse over any “mistakes” you may have made?
KH: I wouldn’t be human if I hadn’t made some mistakes and I wouldn’t be a good human if I couldn’t own up to them. I should have tried to institutionalize myself in the funding world earlier than I did, but my anarchist tendencies kept me from doing so. In terms of both race and gender politics, at different points in my career I have overstepped my bounds as a white male artist. I do recognize that I did things that hurt people’s feelings and hurt some relationships. There are a few occasions where I just exploded and burnt things down or provoked more than made sense to the context when I should have found a more subtle way to move forward, but mostly I regret not being more radical and louder. Oh and sometimes I really regret that I didn’t save and invest any money.
B&A: As you reflect on your contributions to the arts, and the challenges you’ve overcome, what advice or insights would you offer to emerging BIPOC and LGBTQ artists today.
KH: The first thing I would say is to put aside a minimum of $1,000 per year into savings for retirement. Next, I’d say have no shame about gaming the system that was literally structured to oppress you. You’re allowed to lie. You’re allowed to misrepresent. You’re allowed to double dip. You’re allowed to, as Remi Charlip asserted and practiced, make the same work twice and simply change its name.
Alley and I have had to convince many artists of color that in grant writing they’re allowed to bend the truth, exaggerate, even lie and cheat. Grant guidelines do not want you to write what many artists really want to write: “We want to get together with some excellent people and develop new ways to love each other and lift up each other’s creativity. We’re dancers and musicians who love a good show but we’re not sure what will happen. Most likely there’ll be a show, but if not, your meager $20K or $50K will be well spent supporting artistic experimentation that reimagines white supremicist capitalist heterocis patriarchy. Oh and by the way here are samples from the beautiful work last year and the year before.” You wouldn’t believe the contortions we go through to rewrite that proposal in exactly the right number of words and characters, with necessary yet repetitious assertions of our commitment to racial equity. Artists of color are so much more familiar with being surveilled and being targeted, of needing to be respectful and follow bureaucratic rules, while white people get away with a lot more. I really try to empower younger artists to disrespect the government and to disrespect bureaucracy when it’s not serving them. You’re allowed to speak out of both sides of your mouth. You’re allowed to lie on paper.
The third thing I’ll say is that your community and your political movements are beautiful inspirations and holders of your work. Be connected to political movements. Develop an ethical ground for your actions.. If your overall intention is to lift up your community and to lift up a revolution against colonial shame of the body, then say whatever you need to get the grant! Stay radical and experimental and uncontainable and ever changing.
JJ: I’d like to have a longer conversation with you about the current quagmires that we’re in around funding and politics, and how we’re in a period of American history where there doesn’t seem to be any ethical or moral backbone anymore.
KH: I tend to stay away from the idea of morals and I go to ethics, because I want people to have an ethical base for what they do, more than a moralistic sense of right and wrong. So yes, I think we need political ethics. We need to actually understand what feminist ethics look like, what a kind of queer ethics or anti-racist ethics or de-colonial ethics look like, and ground ourselves in those kinds of movements.
B&A: Thank you so much for sharing your life experience, thoughts and your survival strategies Keith.
JJ: Yeah, this was great.
KH: Love you people. Good luck. Goodbye.
Marga Gomez is the writer/performer of 14 solo plays which have been produced in New York at La MaMa ETC, Dixon Place, Under The Radar Festival, and internationally at the Edinburgh Fringe and Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival.
She is an artist-in-residence at Brava Theater in San Francisco. Her awards include the GLAAD Media Award for Theatre, The San Francisco Arts Council Individual Artist Grant, The Center for Cultural Innovation Grant, and the 2022 United States Artists Fellowship. Her acting credits include “Fefu and Her Friends” (American Conservatory Theater) and a guest role in Netflix Sense8. She was raised in Washington Heights in a show business familia. Marga is also a stand up comedian and tours nationally. She also coaches solo performers online. Her website is margagomez.com
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B&A: Hi Marga, we just saw your show, Swimming with Lesbians. It was incredibly brilliant. We laughed so hard. It felt so good. You’re such a skilled performer. We are excited to talk to you.
JJ: Marga: When did you move to San Francisco?
MG: I moved to San Francisco in…well, I’ve always been cagey about the years because of, you know… show business. But I figure I’m not going to live forever. So, I’ll just be upfront with the years. I moved to San Francisco in 1976, the bicentennial year. My parents were entertainers who lived in New York City and I was their only child. I grew up in that milieu. I shared their passion. They worked in Spanish-language arts and entertainment. The community was a marginalized community: lots of people in it, but not mainstream.
When I came to San Francisco I didn’t really have any kind of plan except for freedom. Growing up with my parents, even though they were entertainers, my mother was very repressive and strict. I wanted to get away from her. They had just found out I was queer. I came out here with my first girlfriend but we broke up on the ride.
When I first got here, I assumed that the Castro would be a Cuban neighborhood. I went to the Castro Cafe because I thought they’d have rice and beans. They did not. Guys were wearing Fidel Castro hats and green khakis. Then I realized nobody spoke Spanish. But I found a place to live very easily because there were all these cafes, like the Meat Market Cafe in Noe Valley where there were big bulletin boards everywhere, because we didn’t have Craigslist or anything like that. Everything I did came from a bulletin board. I found a cheap room to rent. At that time, artists could afford to live in San Francisco.
The central radius of my life became the Castro. My housemate lived in Duboce Triangle but she wouldn’t let me use the kitchen. She made costumes for the Angels of Light. So that was my first introduction to the Angels of Light and the Cockettes. Then I started going to feminist theater. There were companies like Four Short Women, Les Nickelettes and Lilith Theater.
I lied my way into a job at the Acme Cafe on 24th Street. Everyone who worked there, be it a cook, barista, or wait person, was an artist. Plus, I had another job working at Fanila’s Finnish Bathhouse. I gave out the towels. Some people there had sex and some were Jehovah’s Witnesses. The woman who worked the counter with me was in Lilith Theater. So, I asked her all about it.
One day, in the morning as I was putting the muffins out at the Acme Cafe at 7 am, I saw Carolyn Meyers from Lilith walking by. I ran outside and asked her, ‘do you ever have auditions?’ They just happened to be having auditions for women of color. This is sort of a double- edged sword because it’s tokenism; but whatever, I auditioned. I was pretty green and erratic as a performer, but they took me because I am Latina. And I’m charming. In 1978, I wound up in Europe on tour with Lilith Theater. I was 21.
B&A: How old were you when you got to San Francisco? Wikipedia said you were born in 1960.
MG: Alright, I’m gonna say it. I was born in 1954. I lied to my Wikipedia. That’s show biz. But the jig is up, and even now as I’m talking to you, I’m trying to recalibrate what the actual years were. So I think I arrived when I was 19. You can do the math.
I went from this feeling of entitlement, being a kid with show business parents who were stars in the Spanish language community, to suddenly touring with a feminist theater company throughout Europe. The governments in Europe were very supportive of the arts and artists, so we were treated royally. We played in a lot of festivals, circus tents, that sort of thing. There were so many feminists and lesbians who came to the shows. And men who were feminist in their own way.
My touring performances in Europe were the first time that I actually earned money as an entertainer. I worked with Lilith on and off. I think I went on a second European tour with them in 1981; then I came back to my job making omelets at the Acme. There was a publication back then, called Backstage I think, where you could find out about auditions. I auditioned for Les Nickelettes and worked with them on a couple of shows. That was basically my life from 1976 to 1982.
Lilith was savvy with getting grants and doing business. We shared this big office space at the Women’s Building on 18th Street with Women Against Rape and various other organizations. I’m glad to see that the Women’s Building is still there, which is kind of amazing. We were right over the Irish bar, which I don’t think is there anymore, right?
JJ: Absolutely. Yeah, that was the Dover Club, the Irish Republican Army bar in San Francisco’s Mission District.
The bar was already there when the Women’s Building bought the building.
MG: From 1978 to ‘82 I worked with the Les Nickelettes which was a lampoony, satiric, silly company. But they were doing something important because at that time women weren’t doing bawdy burlesque comedy. Denise Larson published a book in 2021, Anarchy in High Heels: A Memoir about Les Nickelettes. Denise is a lovely person, and she has been so supportive. There is also a documentary about the Les Nickelettes in the works.
In 1982, just before we knew anything about AIDS, I was working at a store on Castro Street called High Gear selling gym wear: T-shirts, gym shorts, duffel bags, socks, jockstraps… Selling jockstraps is a pretty easy job. I worked with 2 gay men that I loved very much. I was pretty happy. Around that time the comedy scene was blowing up. There was Jane Dornacker with her hilarious traffic reports, and her band Leila and the Snakes. She also performed live with the rock band, The Tubes for a couple of years.
I really wanted to do stand-up comedy so I started going to comedy clubs. I think Robin Williams began Mark and Mindy a little bit before that. There was the Holy City Zoo, a dark, aggressive and misogynistic club that was not good for me at all. The Other Cafe was a little bit better. Sometimes Paula Poundstone or Ellen Degeneres came through the door.
But I did not do very well at The Other Cafe. At the open mic nights, they always put me last on the bill, if they even put me on at all. They called it, “comedy audition.”
I was in Europe when Harvey Milk was shot. In 1979, there was that demonstration with the police cars turned over and all that. I remember seeing the newspapers with the largest, darkest headlines. I couldn’t believe it. When I got back in 1982, people were discussing releasing Dan White from prison. We held a big demonstration on Castro Street and a lot of us were mixing political activism with comedy. We knew that comedy was a powerful weapon. So we were pumping up the crowd, rallying with the upper hand that you have as a comedian.
Then, on a telephone pole, I saw a notice about Valencia Rose’s gay comedy night. I went and it was like a complete 180 from what I had been experiencing at the straight comedy clubs.
You know, when you do stand-up, you have to make yourself into a persona. As a lesbian, I didn’t know how to do that, I just did quirky stuff. But I didn’t mention anything about my sexuality. But the first time I went on stage at the Valencia Rose I could just talk about dating, about coming out. There was always a full house, because finally queer people were not the butt of the jokes. These were the jokes that everybody was waiting for. We were doing them, with waves of love and laughter simultaneously.
Donald Montwell and his boyfriend Jimmy managed the Valencia Rose. Donald was definitely one of my mentors, because I was still not sure if I wanted to be out. Did I want to risk not getting my own sitcom or anything like that? Which is what happened if you were out. Ellen was doing really well doing comedy in San Francisco, but she was not out.
Donald and Jimmy were not your stereotyped gentle gay artists. Instead, the two of them were brawlers. On White Night in May 1979, when the cops rioted on Castro Street and were beating the shit out of everybody at the Elephant Walk Bar, I guess the cops pushed Donald over a newspaper box. He was injured, he sued and got lots of money. He and Jimmy were always down to fight with cops.
JJ: Ron Lanza and Hank Wilson owned the Valencia Rose.
MG: They were school teachers. Tom Ammiano was also a school teacher before he became a politician. He was always a very funny person who wanted to do stand-up. Of course, we all knew that if you went to a club like The Punch Line, it would be pretty painful and very hard to beat the misogynists in the audience. Tom wanted a place to do standup and they came up with the Valencia Rose.
JJ: I had been Tom’s campaign manager when he ran unsuccessfully for the School Board in 1980. I also became one of Hank Wilson’s long-term political allies. He asked the questions that most people didn’t dare ask. Tom’s motivation was that he really wanted to be a stand-up comedian and the Valencia Rose started his career. That’s where I first saw you Marga, with Tom, on a double bill.
MG: At the Valencia Rose, everyone there knew Whoopi Goldberg. That’s where I met Whoopi Goldberg.
JJ: Me too.
MG: Whoopi was always supportive of Donald and Jimmy, who was also very good at throwing comedians out of the club. Because when we would have an open mic, some comedians would come up there and they would be kinda disrespectful and weird, Jimmy would just smile because he would get to throw somebody out. He just had this bouncer side. He was a playwright as well.
One of the Jehovah’s Witnesses I met at the bathhouse told me that the Valencia Rose building had been a mortuary. She said that it was a painful place for her because that’s where the previous owners had made most of their money during the Vietnam War. It was one of the main mortuaries where the corpses of the soldiers killed in Vietnam ended up.
JJ: It was ironic that this former mortuary became not only a comedy club, but by 1985, a place where the friends and families of people who had died of AIDS began holding memorial services that were celebratory.
MG: Then they lost the Valencia Rose. There was a tax issue or whatever.
JJ: The building was purchased by the now defunct New College of California.
MG: Yeah, now it’s a bicycle store. It fell out of their hands because they were artists, so they weren’t really keeping the books that well. But that’s where I established my voice as a comedian because my mentor, Donald Montwell, was very firm that I had to stay out of the closet. I couldn’t go back in.
He had this philosophy that being queer isn’t just about who you fuck. Being queer is about being subversive and being a resistor: like Paul Krasner, a straight satirist who published The Realist, a magazine that was quite renowned in the anti-war movement and the resistance movements that came after that.
I’d say Donald, Joan Menkin and René Yañez were my 3 mentors. Joan was one of the most magnetic, arresting performers you could ever see on stage. She was radical politically and most of her work was with the Mime Troupe. She was very committed to the people’s movement and to crating art for the people. They might have reached out to me because they were looking for a Latina.
I appeared in a Mime Troupe show called Crossing Borders. It was about Salvadoran immigrants and what they were going through. I went on tour with that show. That’s where I met Stacy Powers-Cuellar, who now runs Brava Theater. Maria Acosta played my sister in the show, or a cousin or something. It was a great experience to work with them. But I didn’t really have the chops, to be honest.
A lot of my growth as a performer has been by working with really great performers. I never took an acting class that wasn’t corny. By throwing myself into the highest levels of a performance company, I had to sink or swim. That’s what made me the performer that I am, or am not.
My connection to The Mime Troupe and Culture Clash happened around the same time. Culture Clash happened because I was with Monica Palacios, one of the comedians I met at the Valencia Rose. We wound up being lovers for about 5 years. Well, she says 3. I say 6 years. So, we’ll split it at 4. We started a little comedy duo called Gomez and Palacios, the funniest Latina Chicano comedy duo in the Universe and Oakland. We did some skits.
Monica had a connection with René Yañez from Galeria de la Raza. She and René were very close. She wound up doing some events and installation projects with René. I think this was in 1984. He wanted to do something different from the usual folkloric Cinco de Mayo kind of entertainment. He loved comedy and wanted to have an evening of Chicano, Latina, LatinX comedians. So, Monica brought me in. He brought in Richard Montoya who has gone on to be a very renowned playwright.
JJ: His wife is now the head of the California Arts Council.
MG: Cello? No kidding! Wow, that’s great.
JJ: Cello. Yeah, she’s the chair. Ellen Gavin was on that committee.
MG: At first there were 6 of us: it was Richard Montoya, Jose Antonio Burciaga, Herbert Siguenza, Rick Salinas, Monica and me. But basically it was more of a variety show because Monica and I were really the only ones who told jokes. Then Richard did. Herbert was very much into doing drag. Then Burciaga would come on stage. He was like our anchor. We loved him so much. He was a stout guy, very Tex-mex. He came out and he pulled out a machete, and had the audience drink from a bottle of tequila and then he’d read his poems. He was really our favorite. So, the 6 of us worked as a group. A variety show really was what we were. Then 3 of us left and Rick Salinas, Herbert Siguenza and Ricardo Montoya became the Culture Clash that most people know today.
JJ: Around that time, didn’t Ron Lanza open up Josie’s Cabaret?
MG: It was right next to the empty lot at Noe and Market where the Eureka Theatre formerly was before it burned down in the late 1970s. It was across from Cafe Flor. That little triangle was amazing. Then Josie’s got even more popular than the Valencia Rose. Now we get to the stage of the AIDS crisis. There was resistance to the inaction of President Ronald Regan
JJ: I remember seeing Brian Freeman at Josie’s. He started a group called the Pomo Afro Homos—the Post-Modern, African American, Homosexuals– that produced very dark satirical comedies.
MG: Brian actually changed my life when I was just starting to do my first solo show. At Josie’s I did stand up but I also started to stage my one-person shows there. It was a comedy club and a cabaret. It was a wonderful place to do solo performances, and shows with a small cast as well. Brian put my name in the ear of George C. Wolf of the Public Theater who brought my first one person show to New York.
So, okay, now we’re in the 1990s. In San Francisco I met Josh Kornbluth at one of the comedy clubs. He had just come from Boston. He was very frustrated by the comedy scene because it was just so apolitical and still racist and sexist.
He wanted to do solo theater so he just started to do it. Then the Marsh Theater opened up, which specialized in new shows. It started at the Hotel Utah. Stephanie Wiseman and her partner went from having a one-night show at Hotel Utah to getting the back room of a place called the Cafe Beano on Valencia Street. That’s where I did my first solo performance, Memory Trick, a piece about my mother. The show was presented by The Marsh, which now owns its own space at 1062 Valencia.
In the late 1980s, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She was a very high femme. She was always disappointed with how masculine I seemed to her. I was unlike the little frilly girl she wanted. Our relationship was fraught. I never got to work it out with her when she was healthy, so I had to work it out when she was ill.
Both Josh Kornbluth and Whoopi Goldberg both made their careers as solo performance artists. The dramatic solo form has been really good for queer and BIPOC performers to get our stories out there, and good for our audiences.
So, I did this show, and I thought, I don’t know if I should be doing this. I thought my audience might get mad because I had only been doing comedy for years. But Memory Trick was very well received. Thanks to Brian I had a connection who wanted to bring the show to New York. After that, I just continued being both a stand-up comedian and someone telling stories.
Some of my solo shows weren’t just about my family. Some of them were about being queer. I did a show called Pretty Witty and Gay. That was in the 90s, the time of lesbian chic, when lesbians started going on the talk shows. I was asked to go on the Geraldo Rivera show. Well, I just couldn’t do it. I thought, this is a trap and I’m not gonna do it. It just felt wrong, like I was reducing myself to something on a TV show in between commercials with Geraldo. Even though he is Latino, I passed on it.
Instead, I wrote a show about lesbians in the media that I premiered at Josie’s and I had workshopped it at The Marsh. I was doing the show but I didn’t have all the lines. So, I had little cheat sheets everywhere. I wound up dropping my notes and they flew all over the place. I had to go down on my knees and just read them in front of the audience, which included Laurie E. Seid, and Kate Bornstein. They loved that I fucked up and kept going. From there, my show Pretty, Witty and Gay, got booked at the 1993 Whitney Biennial.
I do feel like I’ve been able to find opportunities without trying too hard. I don’t know if that’s the most sensible plan. I don’t know that I’d recommend that strategy because that’s also why I never paid much attention to the long range, to grant writing and all that stuff. Because I figured, hey, someone’s always going to be out there to book me at another biennial. The 1990s in San Francisco, for me, was a mix of queer comedy, Latino comedy, and I started doing a lot of events for Latino organizations.
B&A: When was the Whitney show?
MG: I think it was something like 1994. I remember thinking this is sponsored by Philip Morris. I’ve gotta say that cigarettes are bad. I just got to, because my dad had pretty much died because of cigarettes. So yeah, I’m no angel. I took the cigarette money. If I had known Jeff then, I wouldn’t have needed the cigarette money.
JJ: Did you perform at Life on the Water?
MG: Yes, I did. In fact, I got an award from the Solo Mio Festival. Who was responsible for that?
Annie: I was in the Solo Mio Festival too. There were four producers; Joe Bullock, Marcia Crosby, Kate Boyd and Billy Talon. Billy now performs as the Reverend Billy with the Church of Stop Shopping. Billy and the Choir are touring the USA with Neal Young right now.
MG: Yeah, but wasn’t it Ellen Sebastian Chang?
JJ: Yeah, and Joe Lambert was involved.
MG: A year later, Donald Montwell was pretty ill. He got an award as well from Life on the Water or maybe from the People’s Theatre Coalition. I think Susan Hoffman was the head of it. I remember doing something for Joegh Bullock when he ran Climate Theater. I think it was some kind of crazy Halloween party or something on 9th Street.
B&A: I was just at his memorial. He was an incredible events producer. So, were you ever in the Queer Cultural Center’s Queer Arts Festival? You probably did several of them, right?
MG: Yes.
B&A: Jeff Jones would have written some grants to help fund those shows.
MG: Yes, my relationship to grants back then is that I worked for presenters who got grants. I personally never got a grant. But I must have gotten paid with some grant money. When I did Memory Tricks, the show I did in New York about my mother, I remember not liking the audience feedback session because I felt they were telling me what to do as an artist.
JJ: Did you ever meet playwright Toni Press? We used to work together. She read a play at BRAVA and said the same thing as you about community feedback. She said it was the worst experience to be subjected to a bunch of people telling her how to write a play when she’s already written 20.
MG: Yeah, they’re called “talk backs” where you get to listen to audience members tell you “it’s not Latina enough;” “It’s not feminist enough.” I’m sorry, please go see something else!’
JJ: Yeah, the whole premise is that people are gonna come in and give you feedback but eventually you end up with people telling you what you should have done.
B&A: What’s your greatest achievement in your life and work? What do you feel most proud of?
MG: I’m a Gemini. So, my real answer is that my greatest achievement has yet to come. But off the top of my head, I feel very proud of how I adapted to the COVID lockdown. I didn’t stop and was able to put work out with live streaming. Work that meant something to people. Now suddenly overnight, I’m getting this thing, people are calling me a “Legend.” “Iconic.” That seems nice.
JJ: Okay, you’re getting really old.
MG: Right. It’s like, “why aren’t you dead?” Sometimes on social media I see where somebody goes, “Oh I love her.” Then somebody as old as I am, if not older goes, “She’s still doing it.” Yeah, and my work is better. I run into people who say, “Oh, I saw you in the 1980s.” What am I supposed to say? Do you think I’m the same person? Do you think I have made no progress? What is it like 40 years later? Come check out a show. All I ask is that every 40 years you come to a show!
Annie: What gets me is, “You look so much better in person than in your pictures.” Ouch!.
MG: I think that’s better than the reverse. People should just shut the fuck up.
B&A: What gets us is that sometimes a person will just come up to me and talk about my old work and just ignore Beth. That’s just rude. All my work for 22 years now has been created with Beth. We are a team. Have you run into a problem when you are with somebody and suddenly you are “a legend.” “An icon,”
MG: Yes, it’s bad. It hurts. I will just say, ‘this is my partner’ and if they continue with their weird ass-kissing, I’ll just repeat, ‘this is my partner’. Sometimes you have to train people. They think there’s only one person there, and there’s usually two or sometimes there’s a group, and they’re just myopic. I would never just talk to just one person when there are two people there.
Annie: Of course, sometimes I get ignored, because Beth is a hot shit professor, and I’m not. So, it evens out.
JJ: I want to go back to the 90s. I remember that you were doing a show at the Castro Theater. You had just come back to town. You had gone to LA or to New York, or both?
MG: Oh yes. Was that the show with Lily Tomlin and Robin Williams?
JJ: It was in the early 90s, because I remember it being after the Mapplethorpe controversy, and Andre Serrano’s Piss Christ.
MG: That was probably 1993. We can look that up. It was a benefit for Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s film, The Celluloid Closet. Harvey Firestein was the emcee and he told some sort of lesbian joke that pissed off the women in the audience. Robin Williams was there and saw it happen. I was up next. So, I go up. I can’t remember what I did. Maybe something like ‘this is what a lesbian looks like.’ No big deal. But it was a big deal because the show had fallen into this pocket of doom that Firestein had accidentally caused. But then everybody came back up and everything was great again. Basically, I saved the show from disintegration. Robin saw me do that. Then he booked me on the spot to be on HBO’s Comic Relief.
B&A: Can you talk about the Vagina Monologues?
MG: The second time I did the Monologues was I think in 2002. Jonathan Rice, who went on to produce one of my shows Off Broadway, contacted me to be one of the vaginas with Rita Moreno and Vicki Lawrence. That was at Theater on the Square. I wasn’t very good and I was on the verge of getting fired. I knew how to write my own stuff and perform it, but to take someone else’s piece and perform it, I didn’t really know how to do that. I got a call from David Stone who was the producer in New York. He wanted to know if everything was okay. I knew he meant that Rita and Vicki were not pleased.
So, I got my video camera, set it up and did all the monologues into the camera so I could see immediately what not to do. Then that night, I came in and killed it. I remember Rita said to me, “I don’t know what you’re taking, but don’t stop.” After that they loved me. One bad night then, boom! Again, it was trial by fire.
B&A: You are still living in San Francisco. What keeps you here?
MG: Yeah, I’m still here and I’m still alive. I still get to perform in New York a lot. If there was any other place for me to live it would probably be New York. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t leave here. I remember seeing Sandra Cisneros, another mentor, and her advice to new authors was to get cheap rent. Live wherever you never have to worry about rent, and then be an artist. So, now I can pay my rent. But if I couldn’t, I would just go live anywhere where the rent was cheap and I can be an artist.
B&A: Have you worked in Central or South America?
MG: No. Unfortunately, I’m not bilingual, I don’t know a lot of Spanish. My last show I did that went off-Broadway was Latin Standards, which was part of the Under the Radar Festival. That show is a story about my father and our parallel arcs. He had his struggles, and so did I. While starting a comedy night at the SF-based Latinx gay bar Esta Noche, I had to get my piece translated into Spanish in order to have subtitles. I would love to have all my shows subtitled, especially the shows about my family and Latino life in New York City so they could be performed in Spanish, if not by me, then by someone.
B&A: Could you see yourself doing movies? Your shows could be made into movies.
MG: Well, I know from my experience in L.A. and from all the stuff we hear about what a hassle it is to finance a film and to have to deal with all lawyers. I’ve been in movies. You’ve got to be very patient to make a film. The hurry up and wait, filming all the angles, and all the money it costs. I don’t like the work.
One thing I’d like to do is to record an audio version of all my shows…. What I would love is to have my performances filmed like they’ve done to various solo performers throughout the years. Of course, if somebody wanted to turn one of my stories into a film, that’d be okay with me.
B&A: You said earlier on that you were tokenized. Do you still sometimes feel tokenized, or is that less of an issue nowadays?
MG: Oh gosh. All the time. And if I need the money, I’ll take it. I just got this invitation from a random lesbian festival. I happen to know that they have all white performers. They don’t know anything about me. They just wanted to have me on the bill so they can say, “We have a Latina.” Stuff like that. I prefer that they know my work and they are booking me because it’s me. But if you get an opportunity, you take it and try to be as great as you can be. Then maybe they’ll learn.
On Facebook I follow groups of performers of color and I think that there are a lot of people watching and calling out. I have seen administrations, boards of directors, and the leadership of some theaters reflecting the fact that it can’t just be all CIS white men. There’s a long way to go. But at least there is some awareness now. But I’m not sure what the gatekeepers are doing behind our backs.
JJ: What did you think about Jonathan Moscone being at the California Arts Council today and gone tomorrow.
MG: I met him with Marie Acosta. She arranged a little cocktail thing I went to for Stacy Powers-Cuellar who runs Brava. I went with Rodney Jackson. I said, ‘Oh, Jonathan. I’ll put you on the list for this comedy series I’ve been running at Brava Theater.’ Then Stacy said we’re not really supposed to do that, because it’s like a bribe or something.
JJ: We really didn’t talk about the solo performance art form, which I don’t know if it’s uniquely American, but I sense it has allowed people from different communities to tell their stories in a format that was much less expensive than a full multi-character production. I think the first time I saw Guillermo Gómez Peńa was at the Solo Mio Festival: he was doing Border Brujo. Back in the 1980s, how many artists from marginalized communities got to tell their stories through the art form of solo performance?
MG: That’s right. Tim Miller. Holly Hughes, Annie Sprinkle, my show Memory Tricks, which all got a lot of press attention. I was invited to be in the Sundance Writer’s Lab. It was the first time that Sundance invited playwrights. We would tell the filmmakers our play, our story, then talk about adapting it to a film. One night 5 of us soloists each did our shows on stage and everyone in the audience was a filmmaker. This really taught me the power of the solo art form.
That experience sold me on solo performance. When a person reads a novel, they make a movie in their own head. I think it was so great for so many of us who didn’t want to jump through all the hoops to get that Hollywood or Broadway green light. All we needed was someone who was going to listen to us. That’s kind of why I stuck with solo performance. I love standup. But I felt that there were stories from my life that I wanted to share with the world. I think that it’s something that a lot of us in the queer community, Latino, BIPOC community have really been able to nail.
JJ: I’m sure that Europeans did this too, but I don’t know if they were dealing with the multiracial democracy that we clearly have to create, and not only in California but also in the entire country.
MG: It’s storytelling. You can perform a solo piece around a campfire and you don’t need permission to do it. People that inspired me to do solo performance were Lily Tomlin, David Kale, Charles Bush and Whoopi Goldberg.
JJ: Did you see Whoopi Goldberg when she did Moms?
MG: Well, of course. Ellen Sebastian Chang directed it. That’s when I met Whoopi Goldberg at the Valencia Rose. We were both at the cappuccino counter. She saw the tail end of my stand up. She was developing Moms with Ellen there, and she said to me, we should workshop together. One of my biggest regrets is that she gave me her fucking phone number and I never called. I never called! I did see her a few years later when she was emceeing a KQED Comedy night at the Great American Music Hall. Whoopi was the big star and the emcee. She came backstage to find me to say “what’s up.”
AB: Did you ever get to perform for your mom and dad?
MG: No. My parents never saw me perform as a professional, just in school plays. But the first time I ever went on stage was at my father’s show. He had me do a walk-on with a chihuahua. He and my mother had a sketch called The Funny Family– La Familia Comica. They were performing while getting a divorce, and I was basically the punchline. They’re dividing what they owned according to what’s masculine and what’s feminine. Then I walked on with the chihuahua and they both dropped to their knees to pet the chihuahua–i.e. the baby. That was my first time on stage and they saw that.
My dad passed away in the early 1980s. I had to close up his apartment so I have his photographs of all the artists that he booked and all his scripts. He never saw me perform, but he knew that I was starting to do it. There’s a story I tell, which is true, that he would tell his friends that I went to medical school and was a doctor!
My mother passed away in the early 1990s. I started writing Memory Tricks while she was in the late stages of Alzheimer’s. That was how I was able to cope. I felt it was a tribute to her. I would visit her in the hospital and I would perform it for her.
JJ: Thank you so much, Marga. It was great just listening to you talk.
B&A: Yes, thanks so much. We love you! And we really look forward to your next show.
KK: What do you want to know?
JJ: Hi, Krissy. First your basic bio, like where were you born and where did you go to school?
KK: I was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. My parents met at the University of Vermont and my mother got pregnant and had to leave school. My parents subsequently got married and moved to Florida. I was raised in the South between Florida, South Carolina and Cincinnati. I went to Indian Hill High School, which is the number one public high school in the United States. It’s in the richest neighborhood and since I lived next to that neighborhood, I got to go to that school. Then I went to the University of Oregon where I started the Eugene Dance Collective and formed The Wallflower Order in 1975.
I am the oldest of five children and I lived in South Carolina during apartheid, where everything was completely and utterly segregated: the water fountains you could use; where you could go swimming; where you went to school; how you interacted with black people specifically. And the dominant question was always, “Are you a Yankee or a rebel?” Literally, we were still asking that question to each other all through grade school, and I, being from Rhode Island, would say I was from Florida because Floridians stayed out of the conflict, so I didn’t have to take a stand.
My parents were not liberals. They were Republicans, but they were educated and they were slightly separated from the dominant narrative of white supremacy. So, I didn’t take the constant racism home with me the way my friends did. But I lived it. I lived and internalized white supremacy because it was in your face every single day. I think growing up in South Carolina had a huge impact on me. Then we moved to Cincinnati where I went to High School. From the 9th grade onwards I very much identified as a hippie. I read Life Magazine and smoked a ton of marijuana from the 10th grade onwards. From about 16 to 22, I think I was stoned every single day. I was in love with Janis Joplin. I was in love with Grace Slick. I was in love with their music, and I wanted to be like them. I knew someday I would go to California and live in San Francisco.
I graduated in 71. I was a terrible student. I ended up getting into the University of Oregon because my partner in Wallflower Order–Nina Fichter–had a mother who made it her life’s journey to get people into college. So she got me into the University of Oregon where I majored in dance.
JJ: When did you start dancing?
KK: My mother was a dancer, when she lived in New York, and she and her sister both danced because my grandfather thought it was really important that they do something. They lived in Larchmont NJ, so he sent them to New York City every Saturday. My cousins ran a big dancing school in Rye NY, and my mother used to teach dance to all the neighboring children when we were living in Florida.
I started dancing ballet when I was 6 and took it very seriously until I was 13 and then got into boys and drugs and had a hard time going to class. I didn’t really have the right body type for ballet: Balanchine’s aesthetic type was very tall and very thin and I didn’t get enough feedback to stick with it. But I never stopped dancing. I danced in the living room. And then I went to the University of Oregon as a dance major.
B&A: Who’s Nina?
KK: Nina Fichter and I became friends when I was in fifth or sixth grade. We met each other at ballet school. She went to Bard College and then she dropped out; she came to Oregon and ended up joining Wallflower Order. Later, she and I directed the Dance Brigade until 1998, when she e moved back to Ohio and died of bladder cancer in 2004.
JJ: So you and Nina started working on Wallflower in Oregon?
KK: Yes. I was a member of the Eugene Dance Collective, but that broke up for the summer and so Laurel Near, me and two others, Alex Dunnette and Linda Rose started the Wallflower Order. Then Lyn Neely joined and then Nina joined 2 years later when Alex left. Eugene OR was the Wild West of the women’s movement in the 1970s. There were all these women’s collectives: Jackrabbit Press, Gertrude’s Café, Mother College Bookstore, Star Flower (a lesbian trucking company that trucked food all over the place), a collective bicycle shop, you name it.
The women’s collectives were embedded in every part of Eugene’s economic structure; that spirit was actually the give-and-take that created the style of Wallflower Order. Huge groups of women, primarily lesbians, would come to our concerts and applaud madly and also give us very direct feedback on what part of our material was working and what was offensive.
After Laurel’s sister Holly Near came and saw Wallflower perform, she paid Road Work to book our first national tour in 1977. And I would say that the lesbian movement of that era really dominated the politics and the feel and the look and the community. Eugene is very flat, so everybody rode their bikes everywhere.
JJ: So when you started Wallflower, did you perceive what you were doing as performance art?
KK: I didn’t see what we were doing as performance art. But when Anne Bogart from the Saratoga International Theater Institute came to see Wallflower in New York in 1981, she said, “Oh, this is like performance art.”
But since we were from Eugene Oregon, we didn’t know what to call what we were creating; we never followed trends. The feedback we’re getting is from the West Coast: Holly Near took us on tour to help defeat the Briggs Initiative in 1978, which had it passed, would have outlawed any LGBTQ to be employed in California’s public schools. We were trying to make our material accessible to women and to reflect the concerns of women’s lives. If we had to sing or dance, or recite poetry, or make skits that were funny, we would do that.
I don’t think we were thinking of our art form as much as about creating something that was highly relatable, highly politically charged, and something that impacted our audiences deeply. There was no question as to what our narrative was like: our work kind of tapped us into Russian social realism, or like the famous Chinese ballets red detachment of women almost like we were two fisted women.
I would say honestly, that Sarah Shelton Mann’s work with Contraband, which came out in the 1980s, was more performance art than we were. What we were doing was telling a story that we wanted the audience to understand: “to be women like us, you have to change, then we’ll all be great together.” I’m not really here to debate whether that was a good thing or a bad thing; I just know the people who showed up at our shows appreciated what we were doing. And of course, we had our detractors, too; “oh my God, there’s so much narrative!”
B&A: Well, more than Anna Halperin?
KK: She was in Marin and I don’t think she approved of us: she referred to us as “the angry ones.”
JJ: So, the performance art thing had a very heavy visual component to it that was very abstract and at first it seemed very academic to me. But that’s why when I saw what you were doing, I thought it was very different.
KK: The political landscape in the 1980s shifted dramatically: the 1970s was all about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and Watergate, creating community, collective actions and Chairman Mao. And in 1980s artists were trying to find a new path now that Ronald Reagan had taken over.
All the women and lesbians I knew, suddenly wanted a piece of the pie, even Ferron and Holly Near. Jackson Browne took over the solidarity movement. Crossing over seemed like the goal. Melissa Etheridge or Bonnie Raitt took what we were doing and made it acce
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Kano the Black Dragon Member from the Mortal Kombat Series
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[
"Reinhold Hoffmann"
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2014-09-15T10:47:41+02:00
|
Kano the Black Dragon Member from the Mortal Kombat Series, Game Art, Cosplays and an Overview
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Kano is one of the playable characters in the Mortal Kombat fighting games since the first part of the series back in 1992 which was developed by Midway Games and first released for Arcades and is till today getting ports to new platforms.
Kano returned in Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) with a new design but looked more traditional again in Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance in 2002. Kano was also chosen as one of the Mortal Kombat characters in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe in 2008, the last MK game developed by Midway Games Chicago.
Kano returned with a visual redesign and many new moves in Mortal Kombat 9 (2011) developed by Netherrealm Studios and returned in Mortal Kombat X (2015) and also in the sequel Mortal Kombat XI (2019) where his Mortal Kombat 3 incarnation meets his older self in the story mode.
Kano also appeared in the Dream Match MK games MK Trilogy (1996), Armageddon (2006) and the Spinoff MK Shaolin Monks (2005)
~
Kano is one of the last Black Dragon members, a criminal and terroristic Syndicate. He usually joins the antagonists of the games like Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, and the Deadly Alliance.
In MK vs DC Universe (2008) he had to fight with the good guys for a change though. Kano has a Cybergenetic Eye and can shoot a laser from it, he has also lots of moves related to his Knife.
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Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
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Mortal Kombat is back and better than ever in the next evolution of the iconic franchise. The all new Custom Character Variations give you unprecedented control to customize the fighters and make them your own. The new graphics engine showcasing every skull-shattering, eye-popping moment, brings you so close to the fight you can feel it. And featuring a roster of new and returning Klassic Fighters, Mortal Kombat’s best in class cinematic story mode continues the epic saga over 25 years in the making.
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Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
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https://mk11.mortalkombat.com
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Arms dealer and leader of the Black Dragon. Kano prides himself as the ultimate deal- maker, with a black market network that spans the realms, but he is never satisfied. Even his loyal followers know he’d stab his mother in the back if the price was right.
MORTAL KOMBAT 11 Ultimate software © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Developed by NetherRealm Studios. ©2020 Skydance Productions, LLC. Terminator® Dark Fate™ is a trademark of StudioCanal S.A. Spawn, its logo and its symbol are registered trademarks ©2020 Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc. All other related characters are TM and ©2020 Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. RoboCop and RoboCop 2 © Orion. "RoboCop" character and all related trademarks, logos, and materials TM Orion & © 2020 MGM. FIRST BLOOD ™ & © 1982 Studiocanal S.A. RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II ™ & © 1985 Studiocanal S.A S. RAMBO III ™ & © 1988 Studiocanal S.A.S. All rights reserved. RAMBO ® is a Registered Trademark owned by Studiocanal S.A.S. JOKER and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC Comics. All rights reserved.
WB GAMES LOGO, WBIE LOGO, WB SHIELD, NETHERREALM STUDIOS LOGO, MORTAL KOMBAT, THE DRAGON LOGO, and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s23)
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https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1654156
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Kano
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https://www.wikidata.org/static/favicon/wikidata.ico
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https://www.wikidata.org/static/favicon/wikidata.ico
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player character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game
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https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1654156
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player character from the Mortal Kombat fighting game
edit
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https://koopanique.neocities.org/anime/kare_kano
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en
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Kare Kano
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Is it the best romance anime ever? Yes it is
Main characters Arima and Yukino
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https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2024/02/27/kano/
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en
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Kano Covers Wonderland Spring 2024
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2024-02-27T00:00:00
|
From Top Boy to The Kitchen, rapper, actor, and Spring 2024 cover star Kano has created some of British music and TV's most celebrated works.
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en
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Wonderland
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https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2024/02/27/kano/
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Wonderland.
KANO
Covering our Spring 2024 issue, rapper and actor Kane Robinson (a.k.a. Kano) has used his life experiences in London to create some of British music and TV’s most celebrated works — from Top Boy and The Kitchen to Made in the Manor and Method to the Maadness. Director Daniel Kaluuya talks to the artist and music pioneer about his career to date.
Kano wears jacket AMBUSH
There really is a Method to the Maadness – Kane Robinson wasn’t lying. His artistry has an objective: it’s here to tell the truth. In 2011 – just one year after his aforementioned album dropped, his fourth album to be released – he swapped spitting rapid-fire rhymes for Britain’s favourite street drama and Summer House’s Sully was born. Summer House then became Top Boy, and Top Boy then became an entire generation of underrepresented multicultural kids’ mirror – for the first time sensitive, nuanced and informed – to the reality of London’s social fabric. Sully became a living legend: ruthless, relatable and resilient. Kane who played the territorial leader for over 10 years, and had already become one of London’s most important Rap exports, continued to grow his own.
In 2022, he won a MOBO award for Best Performance in a TV Show/Film for Top Boy, having previously been nominated in 2020. Throwing issues with unrelenting immigration laws, incessant youth violence, stark inequality and more under glaring interrogation, the series – reprised for its final three seasons by Drake – culminated in an explosive finale last year. For his first acting role since Top Boy, and lead role in a film to date, he most recently stars as Izi in the dizzying Netflix thriller The Kitchen, co-directed by Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares. Set in a dystopian near future, Izi navigates a world in which social housing no longer exists, and the cataclysmic impact that has on their cohesive community. It’s an evocative story of fatherhood, something Kane has recently been navigating himself, with the powerful fragility of humanity at its very core; a probing love letter to the neighbourhoods he experienced growing up in East London and a provocative premonition for the city’s future – often unbearably close to our present.
Throughout his acting tenure, the 38-year-old has continued to reshape Rap, popularising the genre outside of the UK. His fifth album Made In The Manor, reached No.8 in the UK, was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, and won 2016’s MOBO award for Album of the Year. But what brings all of this together? Like many of his fans and critics, Kane agrees that his career has somewhat of a through line. If it’s intentional, he’s not sure, it’s what he knows. But being steadfast as a mouthpiece for the truth, whether that’s in acting or music – that really is. Speaking of which, he’s been recording in the studio. Wanting to release new music? That’s a place he’s definitely in. Being patronisingly interviewed by people excruciatingly propped up on their invisible pedestals? That’s a space he’d rather avoid. A room he actually equates with success? One filled by people who champion his history and influence. Kane has his eyes on an even bigger prize now: leading the next generation into that very room.
Kano wears coat MOSCHINO; trousers LOUIS VUITTON; top UNIQLO; shoes ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Daniel Kaluuya Global Kane – I’ve got questions.
Kane Robinson We’ll be cooking soon.
DK We’ll be cooking bruv. I tried to ask it at the youth premiere but I kind of feel you low-key swerved it [laughs]. Maybe you’re not comfortable talking about it, but for me, I just really want people to know the dedication and commitment you put into your craft. How do you prepare for a role? And what are your particular rituals? I can see you’re probably still figuring it out, ‘cause I’m still figuring it out. But what do you need to know about your character in order to access it and exist within it?
KR That’s a tough one. I haven’t got any rituals and I don’t want to say anything to fucking make it sound like it’s more than what it is, or to sound like a better actor than I am. It’s not so much about what I do, it’s about what it does to me. When I decide to [take on a role], it consumes me. The material consumes me, and who this person is consumes me to the point of it’s all I think about. A lot of it I do write down, and I make notes, but probably even more of it I don’t write down. It’s a dialogue with myself, but even with the people around me, like it dominates any and every conversation – at dinner, or at home, or on the phone. I’m critiquing material. I’m like, ‘This doesn’t feel right. Why would this person do this?’ A lot of it is finding flaws to try and fix, or just [figuring out] the reason why something happens to a character. And then sometimes I think about who I know that has made the same decisions as the character. Who can I have a conversation with that will give me a bit of an insight into their thinking? I only can deal with reality and I think I would struggle to act in something that was a complete fantasy. [A project] where I couldn’t hold onto anything real, and see [the character] as a real human being. I would need to find a way to make them a real human being. So when something consumes me in that way is when I know, ‘This is me doing the work.’
DK And in that consumption, what are you looking for? How do you feel your life changes when you have this character around you?
KR I don’t know how much it changes. Maybe that’s for other people to tell me. But I know when I’m not doing it anymore because there’s a weight off, and there’s this ease and things go back to normal. What I’m looking for is just…I guess just an honesty, a heart, a soul. And, initially that comes from trying to apply myself to this person. It starts off being very much about who I am, and how I would do this, and trying to get as close to myself as possible. I don’t know, maybe other people try and get as far away from themselves as possible and maybe that’s considered real acting or whatever, but I like to bring the [character] as close to me as possible so we’re almost one. Then there becomes a point where you’re so into the material that it kind of peels off, where something would happen and you’re like, ‘Do you know what? I wouldn’t make this decision, but this is the right decision. This is becoming someone else now.’ That might not even happen before shooting, that might happen during. So a lot of the earlier stuff when I’m filming really is as close to me as possible but then there’s a time where it’s like…I’m making the decisions as Izi now and he has his own soul that’s kind of left mine. If that makes any sense?
Left: Kano wears full look VERSACE
Right: Kano wears suit and shoes ALEXANDER MCQUEEN; shirt LOUIS VUITTON
DK No, it makes complete sense. I always used to describe it like ‘I’m using who I am to show you who I’m not.’ And so basically it’s me, until it’s fucking not. It’s a different guy – that’s what I understood of what you’re saying. But what it sounds like is that you don’t travel with the [characters] as you. You just kind of let them go and let them make their decisions for themselves which is what I saw on set and in the edit. There was things there which are impromptu – lines or decisions. And if you did another take, you wouldn’t be able to get there again because it was true to that moment. So, I fuck with that. With Izi and that, it’s your first lead role in a film. What did you think, coming into it, was the biggest challenge you faced? And then when you actually were doing it, what was the biggest challenge? And were they the same?
KR The biggest challenge is I had just signed up for doing Top Boy, but The Kitchen was going to shoot before Top Boy and it was just about giving myself enough time. I remember saying to you the scripts were coming in for Top Boy and I didn’t want to read them because I couldn’t do two things at once. I just needed clear space between the two. The challenge was playing a completely new character without finishing the old one and knowing I was going into both [projects] in the first quarter of the year. But yeah, playing a new character that maybe I didn’t have as much control over, I hadn’t dedicated as much time to – I mean obviously I dedicated the time to it, but not like 10 years of time [like for Sully in Top Boy]. This was starting fresh, starting new, which was scary. But it was something that I wanted to do, to prove to myself as well, that I was able.
DK So this was a job where there was a big period of time between the main filming and the reshoots, where we did a considerable amount of changes and tweaks to the film. How was returning to a project after shooting it? And what was your journey during that time and how did that influence what you did on screen?
KR Yeah, that was one of the biggest challenges because like I said, I was doing these two projects. But come around that time, I was, again, doing two projects, but one was music. I remember speaking to you, I was in Jamaica and I was recording. We was talking about the reshoots, and I think you had sent some scripts and I was worried about reading it because I knew if I started reading a couple lines, my head would start going there, and then I can’t do what I need to do here in the studio. But if I don’t read it until I land [in London for the reshoots], then I’m not going to give myself enough time or whatever. It was difficult in that sense, switching head spaces. I feel like that’s when I leaned on you the most because a lot was changing, and big stuff as well like the storyline. I was always worried, as I expressed to you, how this was going to impact stuff that we shot earlier that wasn’t changing. You was like, ‘Don’t worry I got you!’ [Laughs] I was relieved when you said it.
DK [Laughs] I would be nervous too bro, it’s a lot.
KR You know what I mean? I remember speaking to [actors and rappers] Bashy [Ashley Thomas] and Asher [Ashley Walters] about it, and I remember to be fair they was like ‘Oooh’. But when I told them, they were like ‘You’re saving grace is Daniel. If it weren’t Daniel in the edit, I would be worried right now.’ Like, if you were maybe using a reaction to something else as part of a different scene or something. But they were like, ‘Daniel’s the one I would trust to be in the edit, have things under control, and look out for you in terms of your individual performance as well as the whole piece – you’re good.’ But that was tough. I was in your hands and I was at that moment a player, you know what I mean? Allowing you to be a coach. I was going on the field and I was listening to my manager, and trying to do what I could do for the team.
Left: Kano wears jacket and tracksuit OFF-WHITE
Right: Kano wears coat LOUIS VUITTON
DK Yeah, and you killed it bruv. So Top Boy and The Kitchen, those are the two projects I’ve heard you speak about that’ve spoken to you and you’ve felt compelled by. There are parallels within those worlds. If you zoom out and look at your choices as an artist in terms of moving into film, storytelling and acting, how intentional is it that they both wrestle with a lot of London socio-economic themes? For a lot of people, at face value, Top Boy is a show about certain people that are shot etc, but it’s really about the fabric of London life through the eyes of these two men who are basically the lords of the manor. You see the whole manor, and what everybody in the manor is going through. And then, The Kitchen has those parallels. There’s a through line, not a pattern, but something within those projects that you care about, that you gravitate towards. I just want to hear the intention behind it, or if you’re aware of it, and your thoughts behind always choosing these narratives that are about showing the fabric of working-class life, London life, and British life.
KR Yeah, it’s interesting. I think I’m aware of it, but a lot of it is instinctive. They’re the themes that resonate with me because of the place where I grew up and I think that tracks back to me writing music really. It’s the standpoint I always write from because it’s what I know. I’m just drawn towards stories about underprivileged communities because that’s what I know. [My manager] Rich once said to me, ’All your albums are like Home Sweet Home, Made In The Manor, Hoodies All Summer and London Town’, it’s always a little biographical. At the beginning of my career, I saw that me having a voice shed light on people that maybe didn’t have a voice or didn’t think they had one. I was really speaking for a community. It’s the same with film, I am just drawn to stories from that standpoint, and obviously being a Londoner as well, I felt like we were on the same page and cared about our city. We wanted to do our best to tell these stories, to shine light on certain situations. So a lot of that is instinctive and it’s what I gravitate towards. But if I really think about it as well, it’s like a lot of the acting I’ve done is an extension of the music I’ve made. I feel like although it’s a departure from my music career, it’s still a comfortable space in terms of the themes, and a space that will allow me to continue to make music on that path. It might be different if I was in some period drama, like a real English thing or, I don’t know, something completely left field or playing some silly character in a film really about nothing. Although it’s just a character, I don’t know if my music can be taken as seriously. That’s why I’m happy with choosing projects that can be considered as serious projects because I know I’m not being me – but I’m always me.
DK You have an identity. You want to be consistent and thorough with what you represent out there.
KR Yeah, and because I’m a recording artist and audio is so important, I get offered a lot of voiceovers. I can’t do it because I need you, when you listen to my music, to hear my voice and it to just mean the truth.
DK Yes, yes, yes.
KR If you hear my voice over an advert, knowing I don’t love Skechers that much [laughs] but they paid well. My voice will no longer be synonymous with the truth, if you know what I mean.
DK [Laughs] I agree.
KR And although I’m playing characters, I still feel like they’re solid characters – although flawed and everything, and so am I, so is my music or whatever. But, you know what I mean.
DK Bruv, I feel the same about my face. I feel like I can’t show my face if it’s not for a reason, if I’m not rooted in it. If I’m in a certain advert in a certain way, and I’m in a film…you’re not going to believe [the film] because ‘he was just in that advert like that’. Do you know what I mean? Sometimes I’ve lost so much money because of it. It’s just like, I care so much about [people] believing in [my performances]. When you switch it on and it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s my man.’ It triggers something. So I completely understand that about your voice. I never thought of it like that. I noticed something you said on this press run that I found so interesting – I may have butchered it here so correct me if I’m wrong. You spoke about scenes as verses, episodes as songs, and series’ as albums. What I’m intrigued about is your point of view about the similarities between acting and music, where do you see the parallels?
KR When I started doing acting, I just thought they were wildly different. Like, how could you even compare the two? But I guess they are both vehicles conveying a message or telling a story, that’s very similar. I think the difference is, in music, especially with my music, being more often than not autobiographical, I’m telling my story. And in film, you’re helping someone else tell their story. In terms of on a practical level, I think that’s when it gets even more different. Making music in comparison to making a film is just wildly different. A lot more pieces have to come together. I collaborate a lot [in music], but it’s even more of a collaboration in film, there’s a lot less control. For The Kitchen, we’ve spoken through the whole process, but I can imagine it doesn’t have to be like that. It’s like writing a bunch of lines and then just handing it over and then listening to the radio to see how the song turned out. Do you know what I’ve been thinking about, after this film had been released, what is the payoff for you? Because you work on an album, you work on a film, you know, you’re writing, you’re tweaking, you’re editing. Well, you’re editing, we’re mixing, and then you’re mastering, you’re grading. You go through the whole same thing, and then it’s like you did promo and then you release. Then, the film’s out and it just lives. And an album’s out, and it lives. But then you go and perform it every night. People come and thousands of people sing along to it with you. It just carries on and you get to feel the love and live it again and again and again and then you perform that later on – five years later and ten years later and it’s, like, classic.
Left: Kano wears top CALVIN KLEIN
Right: Kano wears jacket & trousers LABRUM; shoes ADIDAS X CLARKS
DK There isn’t, really. The closest I ever got it was when I did [the TV show] Skins. After we did Skins, we went to the Skins parties up and down the country, at universities and that. We’d go and meet people of our age at appearances, 19-year-olds and 20-year-olds, and you’d feel what a Pop star would feel like or a musician would feel like. But there isn’t a space where you feel it when you release things. You kind of feel it on the street randomly or sometimes when I’m at a music festival, that’s when I’ll feel it. You feel the impact of the story by how people come to you or how people have changed, it’s more nuanced. It’s not a collective experience. You just have to kind of let it go. So something like Get Out has kind of grown year by year. Now middle-aged people are fucking with it that. They have job jobs so they’ve only gone and watched it now and they’re like, ‘Oh, shit.’ And then different kinds of people ask you for selfies – that’s how you really receive the impact of it. But the gift is that it lives. The gift is that in 50 years time, someone can watch it – that’s why I do film, because it is more likely to live on beyond me. It’s like I’m dead, it’s there. You know what I mean? So, maybe a lot of people don’t know how Top Boy essentially got let go by Channel 4, right? First iteration, which is Summer House on Netflix. And then now it became Top Boy, official Top Boy, on Netflix as well. With the new series, I did feel a massive jump in your understanding of your awareness, craft, skill set, your commitment and your dedication. Even though I felt what you did in the first two series’ was amazing, there was like a deepening that happened in that process. It was so interesting because you didn’t act in-between them. So it’s not like you did more hours, but something had shifted. What did you think shifted in that period of time?
KR I couldn’t tell you what shifted apart from just me as a person, I grew. It’s like when I listen to very old songs of mine or whatever, even if they’re songs that people like – I listen to them and I can just hear unrealised material. It’s just not there yet, l was still growing. I’m still growing now. When I watched the old Top Boy seasons back I just used to see flaws. I think people loved the decisions of the character and how wild and spontaneous it could be. But me, looking at it on a super critical level, I’m like was it really like what I was doing? Yeah, you’re right, I didn’t act in that time. I just knew that I hate being shit. I just hate it, I can’t accept it. I hate it, I hate it. Not that I didn’t try hard the first time, but [with the latest seasons] I’m like, ‘If I’m going to do this, I’m going to give it everything.’ I wanted to be good. I told people this before, but in the first one, I remember doing a scene with Asher and a character called Bobby Raikes [played by Geoff Bell], and Yann Demange was directing. I remember him saying to me, ‘Well, anyway, we’ve done the scene.’ And then we had a break in the schedule, I think a kid broke his arm or something. Yann met up with me and showed me all the stuff that he thought was good, and the stuff that he didn’t like. He showed me the scene we just did and he’s like, ‘But you’re not in it, what are you doing?’ And I’m like, ‘Nothing. I got the mic on I don’t want to move because you’re going to hear the jacket when it ruffles on the mic and stuff.’ So I thought while Asher was talking, I would just be frozen and then when it comes my turn to talk, then I’ll talk. I’m looking at it like I’m in the studio or something [laughs]. Like, you know what I mean? And he’s like, ‘Nah, you’ve got to be present. You’ve got to live within the scene. You’ve got to hear what’s going on. You’ve got to listen.’ And anyway, we had that talk and I think that helped me. I started to think about that more. I started getting better. With the newest seasons, when it came back on Netflix, a lot more was required of me, so I had to give a lot more. I feel like with the storyline there were some big scenes that I was scared about doing, but, I just fully leaned into it really. I done some sessions with an acting coach called Martin Ledwith. He was really good for me. We’d speak it over and stuff, we never really acted anything out but it’s just always someone to bounce off of. I’m one of these people that like to fully believe in what I’m doing to be able to do it properly. I don’t know what exactly to put it down to…
DK No, it makes sense. All right, Kane, let’s keep it real, bro. Where’s the music, bruv?
KR [Laughs]
DK We can’t forget Kano, bro. You know what I’m saying? Whatever you’re comfortable saying publicly, but where’s your head at? ‘Cause obviously people want to know, you know what I’m saying? People need to not forget how you started.
KR I’m at the place where I need to be, which is, I’ve missed the shit out of it. I feel like when you’ve been around – I’ve been doing it for 20 years – I’m at a place where I need to allow myself to miss it to want to do it again. What I know I can’t do is continue to make music while doing other projects and stuff. I just feel like that would be a disservice to, well, firstly myself, and then to the fans as well because they want an album every year from me, but I don’t think they would really want to listen to what that would sound like [laughs]. I’ve been recording, I kind of stopped recording now, but I was recording a little bit last year. I’m going to continue again this year. What I miss a hell of a lot is the stage. I miss performing. So I want to be performing and I’m always turning down shows and stuff because I always want to perform with new material. Obviously, I’d perform the old material as well, but with the focal point being new material. So I would love to drop something soon, but it just has to be right. But yeah, I’m in that place though. I’m definitely in that place.
Left: Kano wears jacket WALES BONNER; trousers DUNHILL
Right: Kano wears jacket WALES BONNER; trousers DUNHILL; shoes AMIRI
DK Yeah, we need that. All right. So the last question, what does success look like to you?
KR Difficult one, you know when you feel like you’re successful, but you’ve got so much more to do? I feel like success to me is being able to ease the stress of the closest people around me. Success is not folding – never having to compromise your values or your morals in this industry. Being successful is having a platform to inspire young artists, and people coming from the environments I’m coming from. I take my family on holiday and I feel successful, you know what I mean?
DK Course bruv. When you don’t have to look at the balance you know what I’m trying to say? That’s success bro.
KR [Laughs] Yeah it’s that kind of shit. But I’m still not complacent, I feel like I’ve still got so much more to give and I think a part of the next phase of me achieving is also helping other people achieve and realise their dreams. What about you?
DK Oh shit.
KR I’ve got another question, leave that one. Do you feel, in terms of feeling successful, more successful when you’re in England or when you’re in America?
DK Oh shit! I feel like in England when I talk, people know where I’m from. People understand who I am so they instantly know my journey, and feeling seen feels successful. In America they’re learning about our culture in real time. There’s a couple of things coming through from Idris [Elba] to Craig David, Top Boy to Giggs – they’re downloading, they’re understanding the culture. For me, it’s not just about where you get to – it’s how far you’ve come. Everything I’m doing I want to do in different spaces, but I feel like in England there’s more understanding – for good and for bad. I mean because sometimes the way I move is there’s a prejudice on that, or it’s assumed that I’m not right because of my dialect. I feel it’s growing more in America, I think they understand me more in America now. But I feel in England, people instantly go ‘I can imagine him at school. I imagine him around the area.’
KR Okay, yeah that’s interesting. But on what you were saying there about acting, it’s a mad one, because I think it can come across in a negative way as well. l did some promo the other day, I was on the BBC Breakfast Show and I feel like because of my accent the presenters didn’t know me, but their kids did. At the end of it, it was like ‘Oh so you filmed this in London and all the cameras were following you. You must really feel like you’ve made it?’
DK [Laughs] It’s mad isn’t it.
KR [Looks bewilderingly at the ceiling mimicking] ‘You must really feel like you’ve made it?’ I don’t know. It was like, ‘Oh you should be so happy to be on this couch.’ I was thinking, I’ve fucking being doing this for 20 years – you just don’t know me. I don’t know, I just don’t feel like they would have asked [actor] Tom Hardy the same question.
DK No they wouldn’t. The majority of the time, I always take the high road. I know what’s happening and I know their thought behind…
KR [In a mock patronising voice] They’re like, ‘Awww’.
DK Like I remember one time in an interview I did, they were like ‘Wow! How do you get this American accent with such a fixed dialect?’ Everyone’s got a fixed dialect, and I’m an actor bruv – I just flipped it [laughs]. But it’s like, because they think you’re a working class guy so it’s harder for you to do what you’re doing. The reality is if I thought like that, I wouldn’t do what I did and that’s what you’re having to navigate. People essentially try to push their narrative onto you. They kind of feel like ‘Aren’t you happy to be here? Look what you managed to do…’
KR Yeah it’s like, ‘You managed to get to where I’m sitting.’ I’m like, ‘You think, I think, that this is me making it.’
DK Yeah yeah exactly, it’s all right my mum knows who I am [laughs]. It’s not a reward in that sense, it’s making things that is the reward.
KR And the youth premieres that you’ve done for The Kitchen and I know you do for other stuff – that feels entirely the opposite. Those screenings are rooms full of people that are championing you, celebrating you, and are inspired by you and know the history – that’s the room I wanted to make it into.
DK Exactly, and that’s what other actors did for me, that’s what David Harewood did for me. He came to my school one time to give a talk. So for me, it’s about how you pay it forward, how you just unlock someone’s mind – that’s success. In those rooms, they just treat you like a human. I think other rooms treat you like a commodity. If I’m getting accepted by people that treat me like a commodity, I don’t think that’s successful.
KR Bless man, I appreciate you – what a journey, man.
DK Is this your last interview?
KR Yeah.
DK Oh shit, well it’s a real one.
The Kitchen is available on Netflix now.
Pre-order the Spring 2024 issue at wonderlandshop.com.
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Mortal Kombat review: I donât know whatâs happening but Kano is funny
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"Corey Smith"
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2021-04-26T00:00:00
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The 2021 reboot of Mortal Kombat is a plodding, nonsensical disaster bereft of charisma that should have never been made. But Kano was pretty funny.
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https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1440,ar_1:1,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/favicon_2-7584840191d9f13dce826391650b7201.ico
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Winter is Coming
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https://winteriscoming.net/2021/04/26/mortal-kombat-review-disaster-funny-kano/
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https://worldofblackheroes.com/2021/09/28/the-big-list-of-50-black-video-game-characters-you-must-know/
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The Big List of 50 Black Video game characters you must know!? – WorldofBlackHeroes
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2021-09-28T00:00:00
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en
|
https://worldofblackheroes.com/2021/09/28/the-big-list-of-50-black-video-game-characters-you-must-know/
|
Video games have been a huge part of my life from as far back as I can remember. From owning the Atari 2600 to the NES, transitioning to the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo to siding with Nintendo during the 64 vs. Playstation years. We have had the revolutionary Wii, the disaster of the Dreamcast, Wii U and PS3 eras. If you were a millennial video games were part of your upbringing. While Video Games were a huge part of my life it was pretty damn rare to see a face like mine in most early Video games. Streets of Rage’s ‘Adam’ was the first time I remember legitimately seeing a black playable character in a video game. Nowadays Black characters in video games are more commonplace, (I’m waiting on Samurai Warriors 5 with Yasuke to arrive next week [don’t judge me]) though some characters like Virtua Fighter’s Vanessa continue to have their skin tone get lighter and lighter [that’s a conversation for another time]. Positive black images [or black images in general] in media, be they TV, Comics, Music videos and even Video games has a positive effect on the self confidence of black children [sciencedaily, tandfonline]. In the grand theme of educating my people here’s a taste of the black video game characters available in the Video Game medium.
Go out and get your game on!
Adéwalé
Adéwalé (1692 – 1758) was a former slave-turned-pirate from Trinidad, and later a member of the West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins. He was the father of Babatunde Josèphe, the grandfather of Eseosa, and is an ancestor to Milton Jones.
During the early 18th century, Adéwalé served as Edward Kenway’s quartermaster aboard the Jackdaw before eventually assuming the captaincy of his own vessel, the Victoire, and later the Experto Crede in 1735. That year, he briefly set aside his duties as an Assassin in order to aid the Maroon rebellion in Saint Domingue.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Master Raven
Master Raven (マスターレイヴン Masutā Reivun) is a character in the Tekken fighting game series. Master Raven was introduced in Tekken 7: Fated Retribution.
Master Raven is a black woman of unknown nationality (presumably North American) with faded scars across her face, who wears her black and blonde hair in dreads gathered into a very long ponytail, leaving three bangs in front of her face, while she shaves the sides and bottom of the rest of her hair, leaving those areas with a low buzz cut. Her body is voluptuous and muscle-toned, fitting for a well-trained master ninja.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Nathan Copeland
Nathan Copeland (ネイサン・コープランド, Neisan Coopurando) is a character in the video game No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. Most details about him such as his age and nationality have yet to be revealed, although he is presumably Irish (Though many also speculate that he may be at least part-Jamaican).
He is ranked fiftieth in the United Assassins Association and lives in an expensive suit, where Travis Touchdown challenges him to a Ranking Battle. Copeland reveals that he entered the ranks of the UAA solely for the challenge of facing Touchdown, who he refers to affectionately as “the Crownless King,” even admitting that he actually wants Touchdown to slay him
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Lúcio
Lúcio is a Support hero in Overwatch.
Lúcio is an international celebrity who inspires social change through his music and actions. He has a positive, upbeat attitude, and is always looking towards the future. Lúcio wears hard-light skates that project hard-light “blades,” allowing him to traverse any surface.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Fortune
Fortune is a character in the video game series Metal Gear. Fortune, real name Helena Dolph Jackson, was a leading member of the Navy SEALs anti-terrorist unit Dead Cell. Her codename referred to her seemingly supernatural ability to cause incoming bullets to pass around her and to render nearby explosives inert.
She was also known as “Lady Luck” and earned the title of “Queen” among her Dead Cell comrades. She was often armed with a man-portable rail gun during combat. Fortune herself claimed that her luck on the battlefield was at the cost of tragedy in her personal life.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
James Heller
James Heller was a former US Marine Sergeant and the second Blacklight being.
Following his attempted suicide mission against Alex Mercer, Mercer infected Heller with his variant of the virus. Driven by a powerful need for vengeance, he set out into the city to uncover the truth behind Alex Mercer, Blackwatch, and the second outbreak of the Blacklight virus.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Twintelle
Twintelle is a playable character from ARMS. She is a movie star and uses the ARMS in her hair to fight. She is a dark-skinned woman with white hair and pink highlights. The hair is two ARMS arranged like pigtails. She wears a black mask, a white sleeveless top with her emblem on her chest, tight black pants with a purple line going down the sides, and a pair of sneaker heels. She has an athletic yet curvy build, and substantial thighs like Bayonetta.
The mega celeb, star of the silver screen tries her hand…er, hair at the ARMS Grand Prix. Not content with her acting awards and accolades, she’s gonna use those stretchy silver locks to take the ARMS title! Oh, and while she’s charging up, her actress aura can slow down incoming ARMS!
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Venom
Venom (ヴェノム, Venomu) is a character in the Guilty Gear series of fighting games, who first appears in Guilty Gear X. Like many other characters in the series, Venom uses a very unusual weapon: a pool cue. Many of his special attacks involve the use of the stick and billiard balls.
Venom is a fit man with dark skin. He has white long hair that has a unique blue eye design and covers a pair of blue eyes. He sports a white open vest that goes down only to his upper chest. His matching pants only cover his waist and left leg, as his right leg is covered by a black legging. He also wears matching black gloves and boots, and his whole attire is decorated with black attachments on his arms, legs, and waist. In Guilty Gear Xrd, the words “Settle with Elegance” are written on several parts of his uniform along with “British Elegance” on his vest’s buckles.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Ayme
Ayme was born in the deserts of Azha on the floating continent Alfard. Here she was given to scientist Georg who performed various inhuman experiments on her and her friend Folon. She grew into a cold and cruel young woman who was later recruited into her nation’s military under the direct command of Giacomo. Over the curse of the game, she moves from a villain to an ally. From the Baten Kaitos series.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Jax
Major Jackson “Jax” Briggs (U.S.A.) is a cybernetically-enhanced soldier who is the leader of the Outer World Investigation Agency (O.I.A.), Earthrealm’s Special Forces unit, in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat II.
Jax made his debut in Mortal Kombat II. He is portrayed as an archetypal African American hero. In the Special Forces’ chain of command, he is Sonya Blade’s direct superior and the catalyzing force of Sonya’s impulsiveness. Jax is clear-headed, careful, and always keeping a watch on what his men are doing. When the need arises, he is a beast on the battlefield with the attitude and ferocity of a lion. He unscrupulously makes use of the most advanced technology to improve both himself and his unit. He is responsible for the crime lord Kano’s disfigurement, forcing him to wear a metal plate over a portion of his face. Jax is the father of Jacqui and was against her joining the Special Forces, believing she only joined due to his legacy.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Doomfist
Doomfist is a Damagehero in Overwatch.
Doomfist’s cybernetics make him a highly mobile, powerful frontline fighter. In addition to dealing ranged damage with his Hand Cannon, Doomfist can slam the ground, knock enemies into the air and off-balance, or charge into the fray with his Rocket Punch. When facing a tightly packed group, Doomfist leaps out of view, then crashes down to earth with a spectacular Meteor Strike.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Barret Wallace
Barret Wallace is a playable character in Final Fantasy VII, and a recurring character in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. He leads the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE, trying to prevent Shinra Electric Power Company from using Mako, the planet of Gaia’s life source, as a form of energy.
Barret fights passionately for his cause and cares greatly for his allies. His seemingly benevolent cause of fighting for the Planet is a cover for his personal vendetta and anger, which he later must come to terms with. Despite his brash and sometimes violent attitude, Barret has a good heart and is torn between fighting and caring for his daughter, Marlene. Barret wields gun-arm, mechanical guns grafted in place of his right arm, allowing him to fire from range.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Shinobu
Shinobu is a fictional character in the 2007 video game No More Heroes and the 2010 No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle.
She is an 18-year-old assassin, the youngest confirmed ranked member of the United Assassins Association, and a high school student at the local Santa Destroy High School. She is ranked eighth in the UAA. and bears a grudge against Travis Touchdown because she believes he murdered her father.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Garcian Smith
Garcian Smith is the main protagonist in killer7, although the player controls him relatively infrequently. Garcian is arguably the most important member of the killer7, as he is the only one capable of resurrecting the others should they fall to their enemies, and, because he is the dominant and original personality, the entire collective will die if he is killed.
Garcian is also the only personality that the player cannot transform into in the field; in order to adopt his form, they must do so through the TV in a Harman’s Room. Late in the game, he discovers that not only is he actually Emir Parkreiner, but that he is also the other six personae of the killer7.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Dee Jay
Dee Jay (DJ) is a video game character from the Street Fighter series, first appearing in Super Street Fighter II. He is a Jamaican kickboxer who has made enormous strides in fame in the Street Fighter world not just as a fighter, but also as a world-famous musician and recording artist.
Dee Jay wears orange loose drawstring pants with black sides and yellowish-white lettering that reads “MAXIMUM” and orange sparring gloves. His hairstyle is a braided mohawk, with a letter “M” cut on each side of his head; these letters were absent from his appearance in the Street Fighter IV series. Dee Jay is also seen in the anime movie and some artworks with a Caribbean chain necklace.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Darli Dagger
Darli Dagger (ダーリィ・ダガー, Dāryi Dagā) is a new character introduced in Samurai Shodown (2019).
A shipwright who has mastered the use of various tools. She washed ashore on an island at an early age, where carpenters taught her how to make things and pirates taught her how to protect herself and survive. She is currently building a ship said to be unsinkable with her comrades at the island’s workshop.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
TJ Combo
Tyler-Johnson Garrett, more commonly known by his ring name, “TJ Combo”, is an American boxer and major playable character in the Killer Instinct franchise.
In the original Killer Instinct (1994), TJ Combo is depicted as a tall, African-American man with a fairly muscular physique and short, dark hair. Combo wears a red, white and blue, star-spangled tank top, black shorts with a red belt, and red and white-striped socks under his blue and white shoes. His primary weapons are his red boxing gloves.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Nessa
Nessa is a Gym Leader and a user of Water-type Pokémon who appears in Pokémon Sword and Shield. Nessa is a tall dark-skinned girl with long blue hair and eyes.
She wears a gym uniform consisting of a white crop top and shorts with blue and orange details as well as a number 049 on it. For accessories, she wears hoop earrings, two armlets, a Dynamax band, and a blue single glove on her hand. She also wears a belly chain and white and blue sandals with buoys on them.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Marcus Holloway
Marcus Holloway is the main protagonist of Watch Dogs 2. Born in 1992 in Los Angeles, California. Later, he moved to San Francisco with his family at a young age. Marcus was at one point placed into a community program where he would discover an affinity for computers.
In 2012, rising crime rates would lead to the institution of the Home Domain Center, a surveillance initiative, and in 2013, Marcus was falsely accused of being the primary suspect in a high-tech robbery. In some years before the event of Watch Dogs 2, he joins DedSec in San Francisco in order to take down Blume and Ctos 2.0.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Vanessa
Vanessa Lewis is a fictional character in the video game series Virtua Fighter of unknown origin. She debuted, along with Lei-Fei, in the original Virtua Fighter 4 using the fighting styles of both Muay Thai and Vale Tudo (she could switch between the two during gameplay, the first character to have two or more fighting styles in her repertoire).
When she was still a child, Vanessa’s parents were killed. She was taken by Judgement 6 shortly afterward and trained to be an instrument of combat. A man named Lewis, a member of the special forces, infiltrated J6 and rescued Vanessa. Vanessa grew close to Lewis. However, their time together was brief, as a member of J6’s special forces murdered Lewis when Vanessa was celebrating her twentieth birthday.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Rodin
Rodin (known as the Infinite One) is the demon weapons dealer, a bartender, and the proprietor of the Gates of Hell. He is a renowned demon weaponsmith and is responsible for creating the majority of Bayonetta’s weapons. He was formerly a fallen angel in charge of creation and ruled a portion of Paradiso until he was exiled after fighting in an insurgency against Paradiso. After a time, he disappeared from Inferno and came to reside in the human world, starting up his bar.
In both games, Rodin’s shop allows the player to purchase items, accessories, techniques, and “treasures”. If the player also brings him an Angelic Hymns Gold LP, Rodin uses its angelic melody to lure the demonic creatures of Inferno out of their lairs so that he can craft weapons out of them, resulting in a gruesome fight. From the Bayonetta series.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Lenora
Lenora is an archaeologist who is the Gym Leader of Nacrene City’s Gym, known officially as the Nacrene Gym. She specializes in Normal-typePokémon. She gives the Basic Badge to Trainers who defeat her. In addition to being the Nacrene City Gym Leader, Lenora is also the director of the Nacrene Museum.
Lenora is a tall woman with black skin, teal hair, and blue eyes. Lenora wears a striped headband, with a white shirt with a white ribbon on her neck, as well as orange flats, teal pants, and a khaki apron with orange pockets. Lenora also wears red lipstick.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Cyrax
Cyrax is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, who made his debut in Mortal Kombat 3.
Making his debut in Mortal Kombat 3, Cyrax was one of the three cybernetic ninjas created by the Lin Kuei, in an effort to convert all members into unfeeling, cold-hearted, cybernetic assassins to improve their performance. Of all the three cyborgs, Cyrax appears to be specialized in Hand-to-Hand Combat. He was assigned to hunt down the renegade, former Lin Kuei member Sub-Zero as designated unit LK-4D4. Of the three cyborgs, he has become the first to recover his humanity. This is due to the efforts made by Sonya Blade and Jax Briggs. He has currently allied with them as a token of his appreciation. In the alternate timeline of MK 2011, he was automated and dutifully serves the Lin Kuei, but was visibly opposed to the process before being presumably automated against his will.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Boman Delgado
Boman Delgado (Bōman Derugado) is a fighting game character in the Rival Schools series of 3D fighting games.
Boman is a young black American who has short blond hair in a mohawk hairstyle and a pair of brown eyes. His mohawk hairstyle would later be adapted by Birdie in his appearance from within Street Fighter V.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Crying Wolf
Crying Wolf was created by Hideo Kojima and appears in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. She was the scout and sniper of the Beauty and the Beast Unit.
Her speed as a quadruped and an extremely tough shell made up the brute force of the unit. Wolf, along with the other members, suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, expressing extreme sorrow in battle through her eternal crying.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Achilles Davenport
Achilles Davenport (c. 1710 – 1781) was a Mentor of the Colonial Brotherhood of Assassins from 1746 until 1763. A man of Caribbean and British descent, Achilles’ tenure as leader of the American Assassins was turbulent, despite its promising start. His choices over the course of the French and Indian War had disastrous consequences, leading to the defection of Shay Cormac and the destruction of his Brotherhood.
After a large-scale attack on the Assassins by the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order in 1763, the Colonial Brotherhood collapsed and disbanded. Achilles abandoned the Assassin cause and spent the next six years living alone at his manor until meeting with the young Ratonhnhaké:ton, whom he started to train at the boy’s behest. Achilles spent his final years guiding Ratonhnhaké:ton, and this tutelage led to his apprentice’s important role in the American Revolution and the extermination of the Colonial Templars
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Tanya
Tanya is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She made her debut in Mortal Kombat 4.
Tanya is a dark-skinned slender, gloomy woman from Edenia. Originally introduced as an ostensible innocent, she was quickly revealed to be corrupted by evil, a worshiper of Shinnok, and an ally to the Brotherhood of Shadow. After Shinnok’s defeat, she later served Shao Kahn, the Deadly Alliance, and Onaga. Tanya seems to view herself as a survivor more than anything else, justifying her choices as being the “right decisions”. She is one of the few henchwomen from the Mortal Kombat series and prides herself on her superior knowledge of magic and diplomacy. Because of her frequent betrayal of the Edenian cause, she has earned the rivalry and bitter hatred of Jade.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Bruce Irvin
Bruce Irvin (ブルース・アヴィン Burūsu Āvin ) is a character in the Tekken series of fighting games. Bruce first appeared in Tekken 2, and he has returned for Tekken 5 and Tekken 6, as well as the spin-off titles Tekken Tag Tournament and its sequel, Tekken 3D and Tekken Mobile.
Bruce is a tall, muscular African-American man with brown eyes and black hair, styled into a Mohawk, and a small goatee beard. Upon his return in Tekken 5, Bruce had more facial hair; short, neatly-groomed stubble that ran along his full jawline, as well as arching over his top lip. He also has a small ponytail, secured with a white hairband; while this ponytail was visible when he wore his Player 2 outfits in the earlier games, it was less visible. Bruce also has three distinctive tattoos – two tribal designs on his chest, one on each side, and a large abstract piece on his back, which seems to show a phoenix or dragon-like design, although, in earlier titles in the series, he had another two tribal designs on his back, similar to his chest tattoos.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Vandham
Vandham is a minor character who appears in Chapter 3 of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. He is initially fought as a boss but eventually comes to help the heroes find Elysium.
Vandham was the leader of a mercenary camp within the Titan Uraya. When looking for supplies for the camp he comes across the legendary Aegis and easily defeats Rex. He then helps the heroes on their quest to Elysium until his untimely death at the hands of Malos.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Zasalamel
Zasalamel (ザサラメール, Zasaramēru), is a character in the Soul series of fighting games, a man with no allegiances except to himself, though his actions may reasonably be defined as evil. He possesses great magical abilities.
Zasalamel is the first and only black character in the Soul series to date. The origin of the current incarnation is speculated to be in the Nubian region of Africa.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Elena
Elena is an African princess from the East African nation of Kenya where their culture is big on fighting. Despite her love of fighting, she was studied as an exchange student in Japan and later France. She first appears in the Street Fighter 3 era of games beginning in 1997.
Elena is uncommonly tall for a female being 6′ (183cm) tall, she is currently the tallest female in the Street Fighter series. She has dark skin, short silvery-white hair, and blue eyes. She is barefoot while fighting and has long powerful legs. Many official artworks, mainly the SFIII ones, depict her finger and toenails painted sky-blue. Her attire consists of a white two-piece bikini-like outfit with pale red, sky-blue, gold, and purple bands on her neck, arms, wrists, shins, and ankles. This makes her attire the most revealing for a playable female in the Street Fighter series’ history.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Disco Kid
Disco Kid is a boxer that first appeared in Punch-Out!! for the Wii. He is the first and only new character to appear in that game, alongside Donkey Kong.
Disco Kid is flashy and flamboyant, striking a pose in the middle of a boxing match. In his bio, he is shown to be a lover of disco dancing, having several dance tournament trophies and strutting his stuff at clubs.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Jacqui Briggs
Jacqueline Sonya “Jacqui” Briggs is a character in the Mortal Kombat universe, who made her first appearance in the Mortal Kombat X comic series and her playable debut in Mortal Kombat X. She is the daughter of Jax.
A close friend to Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs is the daughter of Jackson Briggs and Vera Briggs. After Jax was resurrected from being one of Quan Chi’s slaves during the Netherrealm War, he became overly protective of Jacqui and wanted her to live a normal life. At some point, Jacqui became a professional kickboxer and eventually competed in the Junior Olympics and enlisted in a training camp.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Raven
Raven (レイヴン Reivun) is a fictional character in the Tekken fighting game series. Raven was introduced in Tekken 5 as one of the three new characters (the other two being Asuka Kazama and Feng Wei) and has returned for all subsequent games except Tekken 7, where he was replaced by his superior, Master Raven.
Raven makes his first appearance in the opening movie for Tekken 5, as he witnesses the attack on Hon-Maru by the Jack-4s while on a mission to look into the Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corporation, as well as the subsequent explosion. It seems that he is the first one to report of Heihachi Mishima’s supposed death.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Aveline de Grandpré
Aveline de Grandpré (1747 – unknown) was an Assassin of French and African heritage, who lived in the area of New Orleans during the middle of the 18th century. She is an ancestor to “Subject 1”.
Born to the wealthy French merchant Philippe de Grandpré and an African slave by the name of Jeanne, Aveline was raised in a comfortable and privileged environment. After her mother disappeared in 1757, Aveline was cared for and brought up by her stepmother, Madeleine de L’Isle, whom her father had married five years prior.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Darrius
Darrius is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. He made his debut in Mortal Kombat: Deception.
Originating from the Realm of Order, Darrius is an ambitious and unscrupulous man whose intricate schemes further his own ambitions. To his followers, as well as to the patriots of Seido, he is a revolutionary and visionary. To his foes and other people, he is a terrorist. He is most known for the massive riots he starts in Orderrealm.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Sean Matsuda
Sean Matsuda (ショーン・マツダ/松田 Shōn Matsuda ) is a video game character from the Street Fighter series, first appearing in Street Fighter III: New Generation. He is a confident amateur martial artist from Brazil who idolizes Ken, eventually becoming his disciple.
In the Street Fighter III games, Sean wears a yellow gi similar to those worn by Ryu and Ken with the sleeves removed at the shoulders, and red fighting gloves. He wears a black belt and fights barefoot. He is a dark-skinned Brazilian and has black dreadlocks with the sides shaved off and usually brings a basketball with him everywhere.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Anthony Higgs
Anthony Higgs (アンソニー・ヒッグス Ansonī Higgusu) is a soldier in the Galactic Federation Army, working as the point man of the 07th Platoon led by Adam Malkovich in Metroid: Other M. He is an old friend of Samus Aran.
A soldier assigned to Adam’s platoon, and an old acquaintance of Samus’. He was the squad’s point man and carries a plasma gun that does extraordinary damage to creatures but takes a long time to recharge. He generally has a jocular nature but is also caring and dependable. He affectionately refers to Samus as “Princess” and saves Samus from Ridley twice the first time when Samus fights Ridley clone’s wingless Mysterious Creature form and the second when Samus’ suffered a PTSD flashback.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Eddy Gordo
Eddy Gordo (エディ・ゴルド Edi Gorudo?) is a playable capoeira fighter within the Tekken series of fighting games. He made his debut in Tekken 3 and returned for all subsequent installments. He learned about Capoeira from his master.
Eddy was born into one of the richest families in Brazil. Ever since he was a small boy, he knew he would one day take over the family business. He was well-liked in his hometown because he was a hard worker who treated others as his equals. One day, when he was 19, Eddy came home from school to find his father shot and dying.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
The Blacker Baron
The Blacker Baron (黒く バロン) is a character in Anarchy Reigns. He makes his way into Anarchy offering help to the highest bidder. He and his assistant Mathilda often find themselves in fights, and Blacker Baron is always after one.
His signature feature is his gold fists, which are referred to as the “Super Sexy Fists of Fire”, so named because they can be activated, releasing an eagle motif on the wrists and a cloak of flame.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Jade
Jade is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. She first appeared as a secret, unplayable character in Mortal Kombat II, and made her official debut in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
Jade is a childhood friend of Princess Kitana. While her motives were unclear, she served Shao Kahn alongside Kitana and Mileena as his personal assassin for most of her life. When Kitana finally turned against Shao Kahn, Jade was ordered to capture her for the Emperor. She ultimately chose to join her friend and has since loyally assisted Kitana in her quest to free their native realm and restore its original beauty.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Cole Train
Cole Train is a video game character from the Gears of War series. Private Augustus “Cole Train” Cole or Gus was once a successful Thrashball player known for his hard-hitting and flamboyant style. After Emergence Day, Cole joined the military as a Gear soldier and brought that same “grit and intensity” to the battlefield, which saved his life more than once. Cole has spent most of his military career alongside his friend and foil, Damon Baird, as the two begin a new chapter in their lives.
Throughout his career as a Gear, he has rejected every military promotion that has been offered under the grounds that having rank is not going to affect how many Locust he can kill.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Drebin
Drebin 893 (or simply Drebin) was one of the many members of a group called “Drebin,” a huge network of underground gun launderers who replaced ID chips in guns so they could be used by anyone.
This Drebin helped out Solid Snake and Hal Emmerich in their mission to take down Liquid Ocelot. Unbeknownst to them, Drebin was also assisting the Patriots by encouraging them to take Liquid out. The Drebins‘ catchphrase, as seen on the side of his Stryker, was “Eye Have You.” He was often accompanied by a hairless pet monkey named Little Gray.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Leroy Smith
Leroy Smith is an American martial artist who will make his appearance in Tekken 7 as one of the new characters and the first new character to appear as a DLC character in Season 3 and was announced alongside Zafina during the EVO 2019 finals.
50 years ago, a young boy was caught up in a large-scale gang conflict in his hometown in New York City in the United States where he loses his family and his home. After missing for decades, Leroy returns to New York City, now as a seasoned master of martial arts and he’s out for revenge.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Vivienne
Vivienne is an Orlesian mage and personal enchanter and adviser to Empress Celene. She is an optional companion to the Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition and can be unlocked through The Imperial Enchanter quest.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Prophet
Major Laurence “Prophet” Barnes is the squad leader of Raptor Team during the events of Crysis on the Lingshan Islands and a major character in both Crysis and Crysis 2. A copy of his personality and memories returns as the protagonist in Crysis 3 within the Nanosuit 2.0.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Grundla Saha
Grundla Saha was an African member of the School of Democracy, acting as its martial arts expert and even going as far as teaching Ivan everything he knew about combat. He is the second SOD member Ivan encounters in the single-player campaign, serving as the game’s third boss.
“Saha” in Grundla Saha’s name represents the personification of the god Vishnu. Vishnu is conceived as “the Preserver or the Protector”.
Saha makes his only appearance in the game at the end of Mission 3. During the mission, Ivan and Delta Force face opposition from Saha’s kukri-wielding forces, with Ivan eventually splitting off from the rest of his squad to face Saha himself. Ashamed of what Ivan has become, Saha criticized him first for using firearms, and then for being ‘blind to the suffering’ of the nations at the mercy of the United States. Prior to his fight with Ivan, he injected himself with a formula that made him stronger and immune to gunfire. Despite this, Saha fell in battle against Ivan, weakly throwing his kukri at him and even lightly wounding him before succumbing to his injuries and dying.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Emmett Graves
Emmett Graves is the main protagonist of Starhawk and is a hired gunslinger and mercenary helping to protect Rifter claims from Outcasts. He was formerly the owner of a salvaging operation for Rift Energy that was attacked by Outcasts. That attack caused an explosion that exposed him and his brother Logan to Rift Energy.
His brother was turned, but Emmett was able to retain his humanity thanks to Sidney Cutter who developed a unique regulator that prevents the transformation but causes him deep pain. The Outcast’s mark is still left on him, however, which leaves him ostracized from society due to the fear that he can turn at any time. He feels torn by the fact that the leader of an outcast’s Warband that he is hunting down is his mutated brother Logan.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Adam Hunter
Originally a playable character in Streets of Rage he later became a supporting character in its sequels where his brother Skate was introduced.
He was a former boxer who joined the police force with Blaze and Axel. Adam was then the only of the three to remain a police officer after the crime syndicate caused massive destruction to the city.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
Dedue
Dedue is a playable character in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. He is 18 years old at the start of the game.
Dedue was the firstborn son of a blacksmith from Duscur, a region northwest of the Faerghus capital Fhirdiad. A member of the Blue Lions and servant of Dimitri. His homeland was destroyed in 1176 during the Tragedy of Duscur, when the people of Duscur were blamed and persecuted for the assassination of King Lambert and other kingdom nobles. After being saved by Dimitri, Dedue now serves his lord faithfully and without question to repay his debt, despite the rest of the Kingdom looking down on him and his people.
~FIND OUT MORE HERE~
If you enjoyed this list be sure to check out
the Top 30 Black Superheroes- Traffic Edition, the Top 30 Black Superheroes-Fan Edition,
the Top Black Power Rangers, the Top 20 Black Superheroes-Milestone Comics editions.
and The Top 50 Black Superheroes- Fan Edition
What do you think?
Did we blow your mind? or are you disappointed?
Who did we miss?
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Kano (Japanese: 加納)[2] is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The leader of the Black Dragon clan, he is a ruthless scoundrel and archnemesis to Sonya Blade and the Special Forces. Kano made his debut as one of the few original characters in the first Mortal Kombat arcade...
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Mortal Kombat Wiki
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https://mortalkombat.fandom.com/wiki/Kano
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“
One thing we Black Dragon know, there's no fun in a fair fight.
„
—Kano to past Sonya in Mortal Kombat 11
Kano (Japanese: 加納)[2] is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The leader of the Black Dragon clan, he is a ruthless scoundrel and archnemesis to Sonya Blade and the Special Forces.
Kano made his debut as one of the few original characters in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game. He is the first Black Dragon clan member featured in the series and has been a recurring antagonist to the franchise since his debut. He serves as a major antagonist towards Sonya Blade and her family.
About Kano
As a mercenary and leader of the international crime cartel known as the Black Dragon, Kano rises beyond mere brutality and aggression by also being sly and cunning. Originally from Australia, Kano is highly opportunistic and incredibly selfish, willing to betray his own realm and even his own allies for money or personal gain. As a result, he quickly became part of Shao Kahn's inner circle, and eventually the general of Outworld's armies (in the original timeline). One of his more notable features is his facetious and twisted sense of humor, almost always making light of dire circumstances. His vulgarity is an additional outlier among other characters, most evident by his penchant for callously spitting, drinking and urinating wherever he pleases. His assortment of dirty fighting tactics also compliments his unpleasant personality. He combines features of a cowardly minion, a lone survivor, a crazed madman, and a ruthless commander. He is despised by the majority of other characters in the series for his selfish, untrustworthy nature, complete lack of morals, and overall crudeness. However, he seems to enjoy the fact that he is hated, even viewing it as a source of pride. He is the archenemy of Sonya Blade, who is obsessed with finding and bringing Kano to justice.
A portion of Kano's face is covered with a metal plate, the result of a disfiguring injury he sustained at the hands of Jax prior to the events of the series, with the plated eye being a glowing red orb capable of emitting laser beams.
Since Deadly Alliance, he speaks with an Australian accent and makes regular use of Aussie idioms and slang.
Appearance
In his debut, Kano is depicted as a white male with a black buzzcut, sporting a white Gi accessorized with a brown bandolier strapped around his chest & shoulders and knives holstered on his ankles. He also has a cybernetic Eye Shield prosthetic over his right eye, which has become part of his signature look.
As with most returning characters in MK3, Kano's look underwent a dramatic overhaul. Instead of a white karate Gi, Kano now wears a sleeveless red and black tunic, a pair of shiny black tights with red seams, and black sneakers. He is also completely bald in this appearance. However, a bandolier is still strapped around his body, and he continues to wear an eye shield over his right eye. His knives, strapped to his shins, are now laser-edged.
Across Deadly Alliance, Deception, and Armageddon, his primary look once again underwent a dramatic change. He now sported slicked back hair and has a new variation of his Eye Shield, covering slightly more of the right side of his face. He wears a black vest, arm bands, gloves and a necklace made up of a lock of Sonya Blade's hair that he ripped off of her. He wears khaki colored pants with knee pads and knives holster to his boot.
In the reboot, Kano once again sports his MK3 attire, albeit more loose-fitting. It also comes with slightly more advanced cybernetics. He sports a head full of hair and a full beard. Having tattoos of Dragons on both arms and chest. His Eye Shield and Cybernetic Heart are once again updated and his gauntlets seem to have some sort of enhancements as well.
His alternate outfit has another variation of his Eye Shield & Cybernetic Heart. He wears an open tan vest, black leather gloves and gray pants with leg guards and knives strapped to his shins, as well as a tooth necklace around his neck.
In Mortal Kombat X, Kano's overall appearance changes. Looking older, with a low messy haircut, a scruffy beard. His Eye Shield is upgraded and take up a huge portion of the right side of his face and is connected to wire which appear to enter into his body from the back. He is shirtless, sporting a muscular but not as toned of a body and can see multiple scars across his body. He has two dragon tattoos that are on both arms and chest. His bandolier is slightly different, it straps around both shoulders and across his stomach. They all connect to his Cybernetic Heart which serves as a power supply for his Cybernetics and can power up his moves. He wears camouflaged cargo pants with combat boots. Depending on the variation chosen, his knives are either placed on his back or at his hips. Gauntlets on both forearms as well as armbands. Kano also has a couple of grenades or some type of explosive charges connected to his belt. Two versions of Kano appear in Mortal Kombat 11, being his present and past self, both sporting different attires and overall appearances.
Present Day Kano: He sports a little more hair on his head with the right side shaved to accommodate for his Eye Shields. His facial hair consists of a chevron mustache with long sideburns that do not connect with the mustache, he also has some scruff on his lower lip that resembles a soul patch. The bionic eye is much sleeker now, with an angular design and no external attachments. His bandolier holds his Cybernetic Heart with 3 straps around his chest. His body is muscular and lean, slightly scarred with bushy chest hair and has a single dragon tattoo on his left arm and another dragon on his right forearm. He has fingerless gloves on both hands and a grey bracer on his left forearm. He is sporting olive green cargo pants with leg guards and his signature knives strapped to his shins and leather boots with blades hidden in them.
Past Kano: He is bald and has no facial hair and wears a new version of his MK3 attire, consisting of a red and black gi with a black undershirt, a smaller eye shield that only covers an area around the eye socket and a bandolier holding his cybernetic heart going around his torso, metal bracers on his forearms, a large utility belt with several pouches, black leather pants with leg guards and knives strapped to his shins and leather boots with blades hidden in them.
Character Development
In an early sketch of Kano by John Tobias, he had an eye patch instead of a metal face plate with a bionic eye, and 2 katanas. Another design of Kano had a large helmet with two red eyes. This concept was also dropped later on to be replaced by a metal plate over his right eye. In Kano's Deception Bio Card, Ed Boon mentions how Kano's bionic eye in the first MK (involving digitized actors) was created by cutting out a piece of a plastic mask and painting it a silver color, then gluing it to Richard Divizio's head.
In an episode of Icons/Gamemakers, hosted by G4, Ed Boon stated that the eye implant was directly based on ''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' in which the T-800's right side of his face begins to peel off from damage, revealing his mechanical visage.[3]
In an interview with Ed Boon, he states that Kano's cybernetic heart is based on Marvel's Iron Man's arc reactor.
Kano was initially written as being born in Japan and adopted by an American.[4][5] Later, his nationality was retconned to Australian after Trevor Goddard's film performance was positively received.
Game Information
Kano was left out of the Sega Game Gear and Sega Master System version of MK due to memory constraints.
In Deadly Alliance, Kano had a move with his Butterfly Knives called "ear to ear". This was based on a line in the first Mortal Kombat movie, where Kano mockingly claimed that he used his knife to slit the throat of Sonya's partner, from "ear to ear". He also had a fast tag combo in MK 2011 as well as a combo in MKX that share the same name.
Combat Characteristics
Powers and Abilities
Kano isn't the most disciplined fighter but has proven himself to be a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, having received extensive training in Street Fighting, Military Combat and has trained under the Martial Arts of Xing Yi, Aikido, but tends to resort to more of a Street Brawler style of fighting. He is not above utilizing underhanded tactics to get the upper hand in a fight. Kano is an opportunistic fighter and tends to engage in fights when it best suits him, but if challenged directly he will not shy away from the challenge. What he lacks in discipline (finesse & footwork), he makes up for it by being extremely adept in combat and has proven to be a challenge for even the more skilled fighters. What differentiates Kano from his opponents, however, is his dependence on Weapons/Technology rather than Special Powers. He is highly proficient at using knives in combat and often carries multiple bladed weapons on him at once. He has a signature pair of knives he uses in combat, whether they are thrown at the opponent or uses them in hand-to-hand combat. In addition to his fighting skills, Kano has been outfitted with cybernetic enhancements throughout his body, most notably his Cybernetic Eye which can emit a laser beam. His other enhancements help boost his power in combat.
Although Kano depends mostly on Weapons/Technology rather than special moves, he does have a Special Ability to tuck himself into a "Cannonball" and propel himself toward his opponents knocking them down. This has been a signature move of his since the first game. Also, several of his finishers involve him ripping vital organs (or sometimes entire skeletons) out of the opponent's body. Along with the elder Sub-Zero's Spine Rip Fatality, Kano's Heart Rip helped Mortal Kombat garner significant controversy over its violence factor.
As of Mortal Kombat X, Kano's cybernetics have been upgraded and extended through his entire body. This includes a cybernetic "heart" similar to Hsu Hao, which serves as a booster to his cybernetic enhancements. He now uses thermal grenades as part of his already deadly arsenal.
Signature Moves
Cannon Ball: Kano curls into a ball and flies at his opponent. In MK 2011 and MK1, this is known simply as Ball. In MKX, this is known as Kano Ball and also hits the opponent twice if they're too close. In MK11, this is called Black Dragon Ball. (MK, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK:DA, MK:SM, MK:A, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MKX, MK11, MK1)
In MK 2011, the enhanced version is called Kano Ball. Kano will spin in the air momentarily before launching at the opponent, hitting them several times. This can be charged (delayed) and is unblockable if held for the full charge.
In MKX, the enhanced version is called Black Dragon Ball and, like the MK 2011 version, can be delayed, but unlike the MK 2011 version, it can be blocked. The enhanced version also deals increased damage. This attack can also be canceled before it knocks the opponent down, briefly stunning them and allowing for combo extensions.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano slash the opponent with his knives after striking the opponent, knocking them down and dealing increased damage. Kano can amplify the attack regardless if the opponent blocked the initial hit.
Down Ball: Kano performs a Ball from the air to the ground, hitting the opponent if in his way. In MKX, this is known as Air Ball and will also make Kano connect with a low kick as soon as he lands, tripping his opponent. If Kano does not make contact with his opponent, he will only trip his opponent once he lands. In MK11, this is called (Air) Black Dragon Ball and after Kano strikes the opponent, he crouches in a position ready to attack. (MK 2011, MKX, MK11)
In MK 2011, the enhanced version is Downward Ball and allows Kano to do his Air Throw before the opponent hits the ground.
In MKX, this move can be enhanced as soon as Kano lands, which will make him pounce at the opponent's torso to force them against the ground instead of the low kick. If Kano does not make contact with the opponent, he will just pounce the opponent. Enhancing the attack makes it unblockable. Kano can not enhance the attack if the initial hit is blocked.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano perform a front flip, kicking and slashing his opponent with his retractable boot blades, knocking them down and dealing increased damage. Kano can amplify the attack regardless if the opponent blocked the initial hit. Additionally, Kano can amplify the attack if the initial hit misses and delay the moment of amplifying it.
Upwards Cannon Ball: Kano aims his Cannon Ball upwards to an aerial opponent. This moves is known simply as Up Ball in MK 2011 and MKX, and in MKX it hits twice if the opponent close to Kano. In MK11, this is called Up Black Dragon Ball and can only be used if the Equip Ability Vege-Mighty is active (See Below). Additionally, in MK11, instead of immediately flying upward, Kano will initially fly forward before moving upwards in a diagonal direction. (UMK3, MKT, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MKX, MK11)
Both in MK 2011 and MKX, the enhanced version is called Uprise Ball. In MK 2011 Kano will do an animation like Up Ball except he will roll downwards after getting to a certain height. In MKX, it has armor and increased damage.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano slash the opponent with his knives after striking the opponent, knocking them down and dealing increased damage. Until his other Black Dragon Ball attacks, Kano can not amplify this version if the attack misses but can still amplify it if the opponent blocks the initial hit.
Psycho Cannon Ball: This version sees Kano flying all over the screen in random directions. (MKT)
Knife Throw: Kano throws a pair of knives at his opponent. In MK 2011 and MKX he only throws one knife, and in MKX, this attack is called Blade Throw. In MK11, the attack is called Blade Toss and lodges into the opponent's chest. (MK, MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKvsDCU, MK 2011, MKX, MK11, MK1)
In MK 2011, the enhanced version is called Knife Toss. Kano throws two knives at once.
In MKX, the enhanced version is called Blade Toss and has Kano throw two knives in a row for increased damage. The second knife thrown has an increased hitbox and can hit ducking opponents. Kano is much more safe when this version of the attack is blocked by the opponent. The enhanced version of Knife Toss is called Multi Blades, which has Kano throw three knives at different heights that knock the enemy into the air a short distance, opening them for a short juggle.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano crouch and send a second blade at the opponent. The second blade has and increased hitbox and can hit ducking opponents.
Blade Swipe: Kano slashes his opponents with his knife in an upward swing. In MKX, this is known as Blade Slice. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MKX - Cutthroat Variation)
The enhanced version is called Bloody Slice and has Kano stab the opponent's abdomen before pulling the blade up to throw them in the air for a juggle.
Blade Spin: Kano spins both of his knives around his body, knocking the opponent up into the air if it connects. Only usable by MK Kano. (MKT)
Air Throw: While in the air, Kano uses his legs to push the opponent to the ground. In MK 2011, he chokes his enemy in mid-air to slam them against the ground and roll away after it. (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011)
Chokehold: Kano would grab his opponent and lift them in the air by the throat and proceed to stab them in the chest. In MK 2011 and MKX, this is known as Choke. In MK 2011, Kano simply grabs and throttles the opponent violently, making them kneel helplessly and laughing hysterically as he does so. In MKX he does the same animation, but ends it by knocking the opponent away with a knee to their face. In MK11, this is Kano's Throw (Forward). (MK3, UMK3, MKT, MK 2011, MKX - Commando Variation)
In MK 2011, the enhanced version is called Kano Choke. Kano grounds the opponent and constantly smashes their head on the ground whilst laughing. He then quickly rolls over them to the other side.
In MKX, the enhanced version is called Strangle and has armor. Instead of bashing his knee into opponent's face at the end, Kano will stab them in the chest with his knife three times, lifting them up with the knife to deliver a punch to their face that knocks them away.
Knife Toss: Kano throws a smaller, spinning knife at his opponent. This replaces Blade Throw in the Cybernetic Variation. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
The enhanced version is called Multi Blades, which has Kano throw three knives at different heights that knock the enemy away. When used in the corner of an arena, this can be used to continue combos in some instances; otherwise, the opponent is knocked away by the blades. The juggle effect is present outside the corner of an arena, however this window is very small. Kano is also much more safe when this version of the attack is blocked by the opponent.
Eye Laser: Kano shoots a laser from his eye at the opponent. In MKX, this is known as Eye Burst and will stun the opponent if the attack lands. In MK11, this is called Optic Blast and works as a projectile again. This ability replaces Blade Toss when equipped. In MK1, he moves his partner out of the way and puts his hand on their head to make them duck while he's performing the move. (MK:DA, MK:A, MKvsDCU, MKX - Cybernetic Variation, MK11 - Equip Ability, MK1)
The enhanced version is called Eye Blast, which has increased damage and again, stuns the opponent, leaving them open for another attack.
In MK11, if this attack is performed on an opponent as a Kounter or Punish, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow, with the laser beam piercing the opponent and going through them, causing blood to splatter and dealing over double the original damage.
Upward Laser: Kano shoots his laser upwards to hit a foe in the air. The attack is unblockable once it hits airborne opponents. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
This move can be enhanced if it hits the enemy, which will make Kano quickly fire a second laser that sends the enemy flying into the air, allowing for a juggle.
Inner Rage: Kano concentrates for a short amount of time before covering his hands in red energy. Using this move increases the amount of damage dealt. In MKX, this is known as Power Up, and has Kano pound his cybernetic heart to activate it. It also increases his damage for a period, but this time at the cost of making Kano himself lose health over time until the buff wears off. Once Kano takes damage from an unblocked attack, he will lose the damage buff. (MK:A, MKX - Cutthroat Variation)
The enhanced version is called Charge Up which activates much faster.
Fist of Power: Kano rapidly lunges forward and strikes the opponent with an energy covered fist. (MK:A)
Parry: Kano will counter any physical attack. (MKvsDCU)
High Kounter: Kano will counter any high physical attack by knocking the opponent down with a vicious clothesline. In MK11, this attack is called Rack Off, and has Kano perform an "Up Your's" gesture with his arms and has him grab the opponent by the arm, stabs them with one of his knives then shoves them to the ground. (MKX - Commando Variation, MK11 - Equip Ability)
The enhanced version is called Survivor's Kounter and deals increased damage.
In MK11, amplifying the attack has Kano blast the opponent in the face with his Bionic Eye after driving the knife into their arm, dealing increased damage and knocking the opponent away about half way across the arena.
Equipping the Time to Kill Jinsei Augment modifies Rack Off, allowing it to be delayed for up to four seconds. During this time, Kano recovers 2% of his health while delaying Rack Off. (MK11 - Jinsei Augment Bonus)
Low Kounter: Kano will counter any low attack by pulling the enemy down to the ground, stabbing their chest with one of his elbow blades and then rolling away. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The enhanced version, Dirty Kounter, does more damage.
Rib Strike: Kano grabs the opponent to strike their rib cage with his knee twice before knocking them away with a knee to their face. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The enhanced version, Rib Breaker, does more damage and has armor on startup. When enhanced, the attack will connect on standing opponents during a combo.
Power Slam: Kano grabs his opponent and does a German Suplex, leaping up and lawn darting them into the ground. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The enhanced version is called Power Bomb, has armor on startup and deals increased damage. When enhanced, the attack will connect on standing opponents during a combo.
Vege-Mighty: Kano pounds on his cybernetic heart, overcharging it with energy. This gives Kano armor and slightly increased damage on his Black Dragon Ball, as well as unlocking his Up Kano Ball. The buff wears off after a Black Dragon Ball or Up Kano Ball or after a short while. Kano can perform a Black Dragon Ball immediately after performing this ability in a combo when timed correctly. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Equipping the Tucker Bag Jinsei Augment modifies Vege-Mighty, granting Kano the ability to improve up to four additional Black Dragon Balls. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely. (MK11 - Jinsei Augment Bonus)
Bio-Magnetic Pull: Kano pulls his opponent towards him using his Cybernetic Heart. This ability conflicts with Bio-Magnetic Trap when equipped, disabling the option to select Bio-Magnetic Trap. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Amplifying the attack has Kano blasts the opponent with his eye laser, which re-stands and stuns the opponent, allowing for combo extensions.
This attack can also be cancelled into after Kano does another special move beforehand, which spends a bar of offensive meter as well as allowing for longer combos.
Bio-Magnetic Trap: Kano throws his Cybernetic Heart as a trap onto the floor at varied distances to prevent the opponent from jumping. This ability conflicts with Bio-Magnetic Pull when equipped, disabling the option to select Bio-Magnetic Pull. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
The enhanced version allows for Kano to throw his knife at the opponent and if they are near the trap, the knife pulls them towards the trap, dealing damage over time.
Lumbar Check: Kano grabs his opponent, hoists them above him as he lands on his back and breaks the opponent's spine on his knees. This attack is capable of striking an opponent during a Getup Roll, similar to a standard Throw. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
An amplified version does additional damage, as Kano drives the blades hidden in his boots into his opponent's back.
If the attack is used as a Kounter or Punish to a Getup Roll, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow when amplified, with the boot blades plunge deep into the opponent's back, dealing increased damage and causing massive damage-over-time.
Snake Bite: Kano leaps towards his opponent with his knifes out, slashing and knocking them in the air briefly before stabbing them and knocking them back down to the ground. This ability requires two ability slots when equipped. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Amplifying the attack has Kano pick the opponent up with his knives embedded in their chest and bounce them off the ground, dealing increased damage and allowing for a brief juggle.
Molotov Cocktail: Kano throws a bottle of flammable liquid at the ground setting an area on fire. If the opponent is in that area, they receive damage-over-time. The attack can be used at different ranges, called Close/Far Molotov Cocktail, respectively. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Can combine Molotov Cocktail with Bio-Magnetic Trap.
Chemical Burn: Kano steps backwards and sprays the opponent with deadly chemicals at a short range, which deals damage-over-time. This attack is considered a projectile. If the opponent if hit with Molotov Cocktail, they receive unblockable damage and will be briefly stunned, allowing Kano to use additional attacks. Connecting or being struck by a Krushing Blow or Fatal Blow ends this effect prematurely. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Amplifying the attack has Kano throw a lighter at the opponent and set them on fire. This does not produce the same effects like with Molotov Cocktail. If the lighter doesn't connect with the opponent, it creates a small burning patch where it lands.
Equipping the Sick Killer Jinsei Augment modifies Chemical Burn, doubling the range of the attack and doubling the attack's damage-over-time effect. (MK11 - Jinsei Augment Bonus)
X-Rays/Fatal Blow
X-Ray - Just the Tip: Kano plunges a knife into his opponent's right thigh, going through and snapping the femur. Before the opponent can react, Kano proceeds to stab them in the left thigh, resulting in another broken femur. Then he delivers a devastating kick to the front of the skull, causing heavy fracture damage. This attack is unblockable. (MK 2011)
X-Ray - Lacerater: Kano slashes his opponent with an elbow spike, turning them around. After that, he stabs his knife into the abdomen of his opponent, and diagonally slices the opponent's ribcage in half, exposing the organs. He then grabs the opponent behind the neck, and thrusts them upwards, breaking their spine. (MKX)
Fatal Blow - Not Here to F#ck Spiders: Kano headbutts the foe alongside a burst with his Cybernetic Eye. He then grabs one of his knives to stab the opponent in the stomach three times, he then steps on its handle and on the opponent's face, causing them to fall over with his foot smashing their head as they hit the ground. Kano then kicks the opponent in their ribs, then stomps on his knife still buried in their stomach pressing it in further, and lastly reveals a hidden blade in his boot, which he drives into the opponent's throat, dragging his opponent's body to his front. (MK11)
Kameo Fatal Blow: Kano walks to the opponent and stabs their shoulders with his knives, causing them to kneel before using his bionic eye to blast their head. He then hits them with his knees to stand them up, following th player's fatal blow afterwards. (MK1)
Other Moves
Free-Fall Super Move: Kano hits his opponent with a charged Kanoball, knocking them to the ground. (MKvsDCU)
Throw: Kano slashes his opponent in the stomach twice with a knife, then either headbutts them to the ground (Forward Throw), or stabs them in the gut and throws them over his shoulder (Backwards Throw). (MK 2011)
Throw: Kano grabs his opponent and headbutts them twice and on the third strike, he launches the opponent into the air, knocking them away. (MKX)
Delinquent: Kano stabs the opponent with his elbow blade then kicks them in the chest. Kano can perform follow-up attacks with this combo depending on the variation selected, with the exception of the Cutthroat Variation. (MKX)
Miss Me?: Kano grabs his opponent and slams them in the opposite direction. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The combo-ender can be enhanced, which bounces the opponent after slamming them for extended combos.
Ear To Ear: Kano grabs the opponent and blasts them with his Laser Eye. This will re-stand the opponent. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
Stomach Ache: Kano straps a bomb to the opponents stomach, blowing them back. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
The combo-ender can be enhanced, which has the opponent fall to the ground before exploding into the air for extended combos.
Kombat Boots: Kano kicks the opponent this slices them with his elbow blade. (MKX)
In every variation except Commando, the combo knocks the opponent away or when used in the corner can otherwise offer a brief juggle. The combo also has a follow-up attack exclusive to the Commando variation;
Wood Chipper: Kano grabs the opponent and slams them in the opposite direction. (MKX - Commando Variation)
The combo ender can be enhanced, which bounces the opponent after slamming them for extended combos.
Treacherous: Kano lunges in, stabbing and kicking the opponent in the stomach. This combo has follow-up attacks. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
Black Market: Kano grabs his opponent and blasts them with his Laser Eye. This will re-stand the opponent.
Gut Blast: Kano straps a bomb to the opponent's stomach, blowing them back.
The combo ender can be enhanced, which has the opponent fall to the ground before exploding into the air for extended combos.
Snap Boot: Kano kicks his opponent in the chest. This attack has follow-up attacks. (MKX)
No Escape: Kano kicks the opponent in the shin to open them up for possible additional attacks.
Burner: Kano grabs his opponent and blasts them with his Laser Eye. This will re-stand the opponent. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
Big Boom: Kano straps a bomb to the opponent's stomach, blowing them back. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
The combo ender can be enhanced, which has the opponent fall to the ground before exploding in the air for extended combos.
Throw (Forward): Kano lifts the opponent up and chokes them, then proceeds to headbutt them away. (MK11)
If Kano performs this on an opponent who has failed a Throw Escape during a previous Throw before, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow, where when Kano delivers the headbutt, it crushes the upper half of the opponent's skull inward and dealing over double the original damage. If this is successful, Kano can not perform the Krushing Blow version of his Throw (Backward).
Throw (Backward): Kano grabs the opponent by the shoulder, then the groin and proceeds to hoist them over his head and scoop slams them on the ground. He then headbutts the downed opponent. (MK11)
If Kano performs this on an opponent who has failed a Throw Escape during a previous Throw before, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow, where when Kano delivers the headbutt to the downed opponent, it crushes the upper half of the opponent's skull inward and dealing over double the original damage. If this is successful, Kano can not perform the Krushing Blow version of his Throw (Forward).
Blade Evade: Kano slashes the opponent with one of his knives and backs away in the process to create space between him and his opponent. This attack re-stands the opponent. This attack has armor breaking properties, ignoring the armor granted by specific abilities and Fatal Blows. When breaking the opponent's armor from a Break Away, the attack will deal slightly increased damage. (MK11)
Fair Suck Of The Sav: Kano punches the opponent in the face, spits in their face then knocks them to the ground with a headbutt. When Kano spits at the opponent, it is considered a projectile. Kano is safe when this combo is blocked by the opponent. (MK11)
Enzuigiri: Kano thrusts his leg forward with a boot blade extended, stabbing the opponent in the stomach before using the opponent to pivot and kick them in the head with the other leg. (MK11)
If the attack is used as a Kounter or Punish, the attack turns into a Krushing Blow, where Kano's blade plunges deeper into the opponent's stomach, causing blood to splatter, dealing increased damage and causing massive damage-over-time.
Manhandled: Kano gains access to Figjam, Takedown and Penal Colony combos. Kano also gains the ability to perform Snake Bite after using Wheel Kick at the cost of a bar of Offensive Meter. (MK11 - Equip Ability)
Figjam: Kano does two quick knife slashes and strikes with an axe kick, using the doubled over opponent as a platform to jump up and slam down with an elbow drop. (MK11)
This combo can be amplified, where Kano elbows the downed opponent in the back of the head and stabs them in the back with one of his knives after delivering the elbow drop, dealing increased damage.
Takedown: Kano slashes the opponent with his knife, kicks his opponent in the shin and stabs them in the stomach, where he picks them up overhead and slams them down in the opposite direction. (MK11)
Spit the Dummy: The combo can be amplified, where Kano bounces the opponent off the ground for a juggle instead of slamming them on the ground. Amplifying the combo causes it to deal slightly less damage at the expense of juggling the opponent.
Penal Colony: Kano performs a wheel kick, bringing the opponent down, gets up and kicks them in the top of their head before they get up, knocking the opponent away. Kano can not perform this combo is Wheel Kick is blocked by the opponent. (MK11)
If the opponent fails to block Wheel Kick at the right time, continuing the combo turns the combo into a Krushing Blow, where when Kano kicks the opponent's head, it shatters the top of their skull, dealing over double the original damage.
Bloody Hell: Knife attacks that stick into the opponent now cause a damage-over-time effect. Knives stay stuck in the opponent for triple their original duration. (MK11 - Jinsei Augment Bonus)
Using Your Noggin (Forward Throw): Kano drives his knife into the opponent's shoulder, stabs them twice in the gut and knocks them away with a headbutt. (MK1)
Mobile Game Moves
Killer Instinct: Kano's Attack is increased by 30% if the opponent has less than 40% Health remaining. (MK Mobile Silver Card - Passive)
Dirty Fighting: Kano inflicts Cripple or Weaken to the opponent for 5 seconds after performing a Combo-Ender. For each Black Dragon teammate on Kano's team, he gains +15% more Health and gains a bar of Power at the start of the match. (MK Mobile - Black Dragon Card - Passive)
Cyborg Eye: Kano has +25% increased Critical Chance and is immune to Blind. (MK Mobile - Commando Card - Passive)
Cheap Shots: When the opponent blocks any of Kano's attacks, there is a 25% chance the opponent will be stunned, setting them up for a free hit. Kano has 100% increased Critical Chance against opponents affected by stun. (MK Mobile - Klassic Card - Passive)
Kano Ball: Kano backhands the opponent, kicks them, then curls into a ball and flies straight at them to deal damage. The opponent becomes stunned, setting them up for a free hit. (MK Mobile - Silver Card, Black Dragon Card, Commando Card, Klassic Card)
Blade Throw: Kano kicks the opponent in the shin then throws both his knives at them. The opponent is affected by a Bleed damage-over-time effect. (MK Mobile - Silver Card)
Ball Kick: Kano curls into a ball and flies into the air, then flies back down and kicks the opponent's legs. Kano gains Strength, increasing all his damage dealt for some time. (MK Mobile - Silver Card)
Attitude Problem: Kano slashes his opponent twice with his knives. The opponent is affected by a Bleed damage-over-time effect. (MK Mobile - Black Dragon Card)
Black Dragon Combo-Ender: Ending his current combo, Kano grabs the opponent by the arm, stabbing them with one of his knives then blasts them in the face with his Bionic Eye, knocking them down. This can only be performed if at least two cards from the Scoundrel's Equipment Set are equipped to his Black Dragon Card. (MK Mobile - Black Dragon Card)
Piss and Moan: Kano kicks the opponent twice then grabs the opponent to strike their rib cage with his knee twice before knocking them away with a knee to their face. After the kicks, the attack is unblockable. (MK Mobile - Commando Card)
Ear to Ear: Kano elbows then kicks the opponent. He then grabs them and blasts them with his Bionic Eye. The opponent is affected by a Fire damage-over-time effect. After the kick, the attack becomes unblockable. (MK Mobile - Klassic Card)
Fatalities
Heart Rip: Kano's signature Fatality has him literally ripping the heart out of his opponent's chest, then hoisting the still beating organ in the air in triumph. In the SNES version, he appears to not be holding a heart after performing the Fatality. In the Genesis version without the blood code, the heart is monochrome and lacks a beating animation. Variations of this Fatality have also been used by other members of the Black Dragon: Jarek in MK4 and Kobra in MK:D. (MK, MKT, MK:SM, MK1)
Deadly Roundhouse: Kano slides up on one foot and performs a roundhouse to his opponent, launching them straight up into the air, possibly snapping their neck when they drop to the ground. (MK) (Game Boy version only)
Eye Laser: Kano fires a concentrated heat beam of energy towards the opponent to boil their body until it tears into pieces. In the Game Boy version, the laser catches the opponent on fire instead. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
Skeleton Rip: Kano pulls out the victim's entire skeleton by grabbing the skull from their teeth and jerking it out, leaving the rest of the body to fall flat on the floor in a heap of skin. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
Organ Donor: Kano pulls out his opponent's heart, liver, and kidneys two at a time, and kicks the opponent away. In the Game Boy Advance version, he rips out the heart and one kidney (at the same time), then tosses them on the floor; he then rips out the other kidney and tosses it. (MK:DA)
Knife Toss: Before executing this Fatality, he slowly walks away from his opponent, ostensibly giving up, then he abruptly turns around and throws both Butterfly Knives into the opponent. (MKvsDCU)
Flip Stomp: Kano grabs the opponent, flips backwards with them, then jumps into the air. He comes back down and stomps on them with full force. (MKvsDCU)
Heartbreak: A variation of his signature Fatality, Kano turns the opponent around and punches the heart out through his victim's back, holding it so they can see it. He then crushes the heart in his hands, pulls it back out and hoists it in the air while blood still pumps out. (MK 2011)
Eat Your Heart Out: Another variation of his signature Fatality, Kano rips the heart out of his opponent's chest, then proceeds to rip off their head. He jams the opponent's head into the hole in their chest and kicks them away. (MK 2011)
Head Case: Kano draws one of his knives and slashes open the opponent's stomach, causing their intestines to spill out onto the ground. As the victim is about to drop on their back, Kano catches them from behind, hoists them up in front of him and proceeds to burn through their head with his eye laser, leaving a huge, smoldering hole through their head. (MKX)
Knife To Meet You: Kano throws one knife into the opponent's throat, causing them to choke and gurgle helplessly. Kano pretends to walk away before abruptly turning around and throwing his second knife into the opponent's face. The victim collapses, shoving the blades all the way through the head and neck. This Fatality is similar to his Knife Toss Fatality. (MKX)
Last Dance: Kano pulls out a bottle of beer and drinks the entire bottle before smashing it in the opponent's face and stabbing their neck with the now broken base. He laughs and grabs the opponent's hand just as they begin to fall, performing a duet dance with the opponent, to which a musical track plays, all while their blood gushes out of the neck of the bottle. (MK11)
Face Like A Dropped Pie: Kano tackles his opponent and grabs him/her. He delivers a strong headbutt, followed by four more, leaving broken pieces of the skull on the opponent's bloodied face. He finishes with one final headbutt, completely destroying the head. (MK11)
Brutalities
Mortal Kombat X
Ballin': Kano performs an enhanced Air Ball, tackling the opponent which rips off their lower legs after he pounces them. (MKX)
Opponent must be blocking.
Terminate: Kano performs his Throw with the final headbutt knocking the opponent's head clean off into the air. (MKX)
Requires a number of Throws to connect during the match.
A button must be held.
Just The Tip: Kano performs a Bloody Slice, slicing the opponent vertically in half from the waist up after stabbing them. (MKX - Cutthroat Variation)
Can not be performed on a juggled or airborne opponent.
Glaring Light: Kano performs an enhanced Upward Laser on an airborne opponent, with the second blast obliterating the lower half of their body in the air. (MKX - Cybernetic Variation)
Must connect a number of hits before finishing with an enhanced Upward Laser.
Wham Bam: Kano performs either a Power Slam or Power Bomb that destroys his opponent's head upon impact with the ground. (MKX - Commando Variation)
Certain buttons must be pressed.
Pop Off: Kano performs a Choke on his opponent, only this time, he grabs their head and crushes it like a balloon. (MKX - Commando Variation)
Certain buttons must be pressed.
Mortal Kombat 11
The Klassic: Kano performs an uppercut, decapitating the opponent with a rising uppercut with their spine still attached. This Brutality is shared with every character. (MK11)
Must not block an attack for the entirety of the final round.
A button must be held.
Sorry Mate: Kano performs his Throw (Forward), strangling the opponent until their neck snaps, killing them instantly. (MK11)
A button must be pressed repeatedly.
Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
Not Lookin' Good: Kano performs his Throw (Backward), with the final headbutt on the down opponent completely destroying their head. (MK11)
A button must be held.
Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
Spine Adjustment: Kano performs an amplified Lumbar Check, only this time, after stabbing the opponent in the back with his boot blades, he forcibly rips them in half at the waist while holding them up with his legs. (MK11)
A button must be pressed repeatedly.
Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
Trapped Wallaby: Kano performs a Bio-Magnetic Trap on an opponent affected by a knife attack, pulling the opponent down to the ground until their bones break, killing them instantly. (MK11)
Kano must perform an attack that causes one of his knives to protrude form the opponent before using Bio-Magnetic Trap.
Brutal Blade: Kano performs either regular or amplified Blade Toss that lodges two knives into the opponent's face. The opponent falls forward, causing the blades to pierce through their head and gouge their eyes out, similar to his Knife to Meet You Fatality in MKX. (MK11)
Requires a number of Blade Tosses to connect during the match.
Head Case: Kano performs an amplified Rack Off, blasting the opponent's face with a beam from his Bionic Eye until their head explodes. (MK11)
A button must be held.
Look What I Found: Kano performs his Figjam combo, only this time, after delivering the elbow drop, he plunges his hand into the opponent's back and rips out their skeleton in its entirety before dropping it on the ground. (MK11)
A Mercy must be performed.
Bonzer: Kano performs a Black Dragon Ball that completely obliterates the opponent's upper body. (MK11)
A button must be held.
Can not be performed on a juggled or airborne opponent.
Laser Pointer: Kano performs an Optic Blast and obliterates the opponent's mid section (MK11)
Requires Kano to be at certain health level.
A button must be held.
Will not trigger on Krushing Blow, if it has not been activated during the match.
Another Bloody Day: Kano performs an amplified Chemical Burn, leaving the opponent to burn until a charred body is left. (MK11)
A button must be held.
Mortal Kombat 1
You Alright Mate?: Kano performs his Forward Throw and crushes the top of the opponent's head with a headbutt. (MK1)
Knives Out: Kano performs Knife Toss and throws the knives right into the opponent's eyes, similar to his Brutal Blade Brutality in MK11. (MK1)
Other Finishers
Friendship #1: Kano blows a bubble from a piece of gum in his mouth and the bubble explodes in his face. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
Friendship #2 - Kiss The Crook: Kano walks up to a BBQ grill. He removes the lid, uses his Bionic Eye to fire up the grill, and proceeds to cook shrimp and sausages. (MK11)
Animality - Eight-Legged Embrace: Kano turns into a tarantula and locks himself onto his opponent, crushing their guts while they spew out of the opponent. (MK3, UMK3, MKT)
Babality: Kano gives the cutthroat sign, but falls due to the weight of his metal eye. (MK 2011)
Mobile Game Brutality: Kano performs a special combo-ender, only this time when he blasts the opponent's face with his Bionic Eye, their head eventually explodes. (MK Mobile - Black Dragon Card)
Black Dragon Kano must be equipped with at least two cards from the Scoundrel's Equipment Set.
This requires the opponent to be at a certain health level.
Can only be performed on the last opponent on the opposing team.
Movie and TV appearance
Mortal Kombat
Kano appeared in the first Mortal Kombat movie, and was played by the late Trevor Goddard. He seems to have very bad table manners, as shown when Sonya, Liu Kang and Johnny Cage are spying on him, Goro, and Shang Tsung later in the film. Apparently, as he states to Goro, his dad taught him how to fight honorably. Despite their allegiance, Shang Tsung and Goro have little respect for him. Goro looks down upon him as part of his broader hatred of Earthrealm humans, while Shang Tsung chides Kano's lack of dignity or manners. Kano also appears to harbor an obsessive infatuation for Sonya regardless of her hatred for him. The film expanded upon Kano's rivalry with Sonya from the games; she now had a personal interest in seeking vengeance against Kano for killing her partner. Shang Tsung hires Kano to lure Sonya into the Mortal Kombat tournament and promises to grant Kano the reward he desires for his efforts after he faces off against Sonya in the tournament, demanding that Sonya is not to be harmed but merely humiliated, claiming that he has plans for her. During their match, Kano gleefully taunts Sonya about how he murdered her partner with his wicked-looking Raptor knife, putting a "big smile" on him "ear to ear" (he also states in this same confrontation that he is not above killing his mother, as Sonya asks him if she used his raptor knife to stab her in the back, although he states that he did not). After beating Sonya harshly, Kano is caught off guard by a leg lock from Sonya, and is soon trapped between her thighs and at her mercy. Shang Tsung betrays Kano and goads Sonya into finishing him off. Despite pleading for his life, Sonya proceeds to break Kano's neck.
Goddard portrayed Kano with a Cockney English accent, which was misinterpreted as Australian, leading to the character being retconned as originating from Australia. In Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and Mortal Kombat (2011), Kano is modeled after Goddard's look in the film and speaks with an Australian accent.
Defenders of the Realm
Kano appears in two episodes of the animated cartoon Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm. He is the main antagonist in Episode 6 (Familiar Red) and also reappears in Episode 11 (Amends). The cartoon explains Kano's past rivalry with Sonya, showing him in a flashback scene having killed Wexler, Sonya's partner, in a carefully rigged bomb (which almost killed Sonya as well). The flashback continues with a recreation of a scene in the first movie, where Kano loses to Sonya in the Mortal Kombat tournament. In Amends, they also touched Kano's relationship with Kabal, showing their past history as clan members in the Black Dragon clan.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Late British actor and martial artist Darren Shahlavi portrayed Kano in Mortal Kombat: Legacy.
In the series, he is the leader of the Black Dragon organization and has been hired by the Lin Kuei to aid them in their Cyber Initiative plans. Like in the games, he has an antagonistic relationship with Jax and Sonya, having killed Sonya's partner in the past.
The last episode of the series chronologically takes place before the first, Kano is among the scientists and doctors and the Lin Kuei Grandmaster as they observe Cyrax and Sektor's tests before they undergo the procedure to become cyborgs. Kano is amused and entertained by Cyrax's enraged reaction at discovering he and Sektor had defeated two Lin Kuei who had already undergone the procedure. Kano next sees the battle between the cyborgs Cyrax and Sektor against Hydro, with Kano declaring, "I'll put my money on the red one", as he casually plays with his knife.
In the first episode of the online series, Kano is overseeing the production of robotic parts and weaponry in the warehouse he and the Black Dragons are using as a base. Kano heads down into the warehouse, ordering his men to work faster to meet their deadline. Kano stops one of the Black Dragons who is carrying a crate full of parts and picks up an eye piece. Though the Black Dragon member tries to explain what it is and its function, Kano only mockingly sneers in his face that he already knew what it was and orders him to work faster.
Though not seen, Kano soon after captures Sonya Blade after finding her in the warehouse and intercepts a message she tried to send to Jax Briggs revealing her location. He and the Black Dragons hold Sonya hostage for two days, torturing her.
Kano then heads down to where they're keeping Sonya and delights in mocking and taunting her physical reaction to seeing her. Though when Sonya spits on him after he grabs her by the neck, he quickly headbutts her and pulls out his knife, threatening to cut her heart out like he did to her former partner. Kano then reveals he knows Jax and Stryker are coming, but he's set up a trap, having already moved the robotic parts and has his men in place to kill them.
When one of his men informs him that Jax and Stryker's team have arrived, he bids farewell to Sonya and heads backup stairs. Kano then springs his trap, ordering the Black Dragons to "Kill them all" and a massive gunfight erupts. Though the Black Dragons and Kano are able to kill several of the cops, Jax and Stryker work together to take out several of Kano's men. Kano himself soon runs out of ammo and races off, with Jax in close pursuit.
Choosing to stand his ground, Kano draws his knife and fights with Jax hand-to-hand, and though they are almost evenly matched, Kano loses his knife and resorts to grabbing a nearby high-tech weapon. As Kano and Jax struggle over the weapon, it fires and the two run away as the explosive goes off, sending them both flying.
In the second episode, Kano recovers, but when he sees Jax is still conscious, he runs off, with Briggs once more in hot pursuit. The two face off again in a deeper part of the warehouse, with Jax demanding to know where Sonya is. Kano briefly gets the upperhand in the fight after resorting to smashing Jax's head with a nearby glass bottle, and mocks Jax, saying, "I'm going to enjoy this as much as I enjoyed torturing your sweet Sonya!"
This proves to be Kano's undoing however, as Jax furiously beats Kano down, with the mercenary never landing a single blow. Beaten and nearly unconscious, Kano is defeated when Jax strikes him so hard across the face, he knocks out his right eye and partially collapses his skull.
Kano escapes justice though, and in the ensuing confusion, his men save him, dragging him out of the warehouse. He is then brought to an unknown location, where a surgery team repairs the damage done to his face and replaces the damaged portion of his skull with a cybernetic plate. As the very same eye weapon he was studying earlier is placed in his socket, Kano awakens as his new eye glows red.
Wreck-It Ralph
Kano (voiced by Brian Kesinger) appears in the 52nd Disney film, Wreck-It Ralph, as a member of the "BAD ANON" support group along with the other video game villains. In the movie, he performs a bloodless version of his trademark fatality on Cyril from House of the Dead, and berates Ralph for attempting to challenge the program by abandoning Fix-It Felix, Jr.. Kano's look in this movie is a combination of his designs from the game series’ first and third installments (red and black outfit with short hair on the scalp and the face). The film's credits call him "Cyborg" most likely as a way of avoiding a direct reference to a video game franchise that targets an older demographic compared to the Wreck-It Ralph film.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind
Kano serves as the central antagonist of the movie Snow Blind. Featuring a future flung and far more ruthless version of the character and christening himself "King Kano", he and his Black Dragon clan have embarked on a mission of conquest to to rule over all of Earthrealm, raiding defenseless villages and callously murdering everyone who doesn't submit. With Kabal, Kobra, Kira and Tremor as his enforcers with an elderly Shang Tsung as emissary, Kano has pillaged and killed uncontested until the arrival of a young Kenshi, armed with his spirit sword Sento. During the climax of the movie, it is revealed that the events of the movie are a continuation of Kano's MK11 ending, having later killed Kronika at some point and used her skull and crown to run the Sands of Time. His ambitions are thwarted in a final confrontation with Kuai Liang when he is knocked into the gears of Kronika's Keep, crushing his body.
Snow Blind's incarnation of Kano is decidedly much different than any previous version of the character, having converted most of his body into cybernetics, including a large retractable blade and a chest laser similar to Hsu Hao and is strong enough to fight Kenshi, Hanzo and Kuai Liang all at once and even being able to kill a rejvunated Shang Tsung. He is also able to survive having his head knocked off as it is attached to a very sturdy wire.
Comics
Comics Published by Malibu:
Kano appears in the Malibu Comics series with a personality and a history based on his portrayal in the 1990s games. He was also one of the two protagonists (the other being Raiden) of a 3-issue miniseries titled Rayden & Kano. During the Blood & Thunder series it is shown the origin of Sonya's vendetta against him, when he kills Lieutenant Lance, Sonya's partner, during a tournament battle by means of a heart rip. His motivations to loot the island are replaced by his discovery of the Tao Te Zan and the powers it grants. During the series' epilogue in the Tournament Edition issue, he's finally captured by Sonya and Jax and sent into custody.
He would later escape (as shown in the Breakout mini-story that came with the U.S. Special Forces issue 1°) and during the Battlewave series he would be disposed by his superiors in the Black Dragon due to his failure, only to be rescued by Raiden. Raiden would attempt to use Kano to eliminate Shao Kahn by means of a mystical sword that drew power from an individual of evil turned to the side of good, but Kano betrays Raiden and joins Shao Kahn, remaining in his forces the following issues.
Quotes
Mortal Kombat (film)
"Good boy. She's here, right on time. I love punctuality in a woman. Don't you... Mr. Shang Tsung?"
"Maybe me and Sonya should share a cabin. Have our own little honeymoon cruise."
"That's it, baby. Come to papa." (as Sonya boards the boat)
"Say mate! I believe in a fair fight. Y'know, one-on-one, man to man, hand-to-hand, just like my daddy taught me. But what I saw out there was not very fair."
"So he freezes this guy right? And then he explodes! Could see his guts and everything... almost lost my lunch!" (To Goro, describing how Sub-Zero had just killed someone moments earlier)
"What I wanna know, if this Shang Tsung guy's so great, how come he's got such a crummy looking boat, hm? Anyway, the guy gives me the creeps. "Treasure... these... moments"." (to Goro, mocking Shang Tsung)
"Subterranean? What's that? Something like underground?"
"Yeah? Well, I'm kind of an underworld boss myself, y'know. Well, I mean, back home." (to Goro)
"Yeah, and I'd like to get back to my amassing as soon as possible if you don't mind. Now, when do I get paid?" (to Shang Tsung)
"Hello, baby. Did you miss me?" (to Sonya)
"Ooh, now look at this! This little baby brings back memories now, doesn't it?"
"Nah. It put a big smile on your partner though. Ear... to ear!"
"Give it up, baby! I've studied all your moves!"
"Does it hurt, baby?"
"No, Sonya, don't! Aww, gimme a break!" (just before Sonya kills him)
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
"I know what it is! Work faster."
"Sonya Blade. I understand you've been looking for me. Well, here I am. Look at you...so excited to see me, you're quivering."
"Hey! Do not pester me or I will cut your heart out like I did to that bitch of a partner of yours!"
"Right on time. I'm gonna miss ya, baby."
"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, Detective Briggs! I'm gonna enjoy this as much as I enjoyed torturing your sweet Sonya!"
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
"Not so fast, grunt! She's my prize, and you're going nowhere with it!" (To Jax)
"You don't stand a chance against me!"
"I have the upper hand here!"
"Afraid to take me one on one?" (In battle, referring to Jax, Kung Lao, and Liu Kang all fighting him at once)
"Give it up, worms! I am the master here!"
"Why do you even try to defeat me, Jax?"
"I don't care how many of you there are!"
"I'm gonna slice you to ribbons!"
"Did you think you could beat me?"
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
"Kano's the name!" (To Taven)
"Seems they're trying to create real red dragons. They've been able to create a hybrid of man and lizard - using their own clan members as test subjects." (Explaining the Red Dragon experiments to Taven)
"They were trying something new on me. But they'll never finish!"
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
"This oughta fetch a tidy sum."
"You don't look so good, mate."
"Hey!"
"Back off, freak! She took it."
"I don't like your attitude! You need to be taught some manners!"
"You gave Kabal a run for his money!"
"Then let's get down to business, sweetie."
"Is this some kinda trick?"
"She's easy. It's me you've gotta worry about!"
"It was a skinny one, dressed in purple with green hair. Stronger than you think."
"I don't need you to make excuses for me and I don't need your approval!"
"You think you could've handled him?! You can't even handle me!"
"Over there! Dark Kahn's forces!"
Mortal Kombat (2011)
"My turn!" (doing his X-Ray)
"No charge." (doing his X-Ray)
"Good idea!" (to Johnny Cage)
"Now that he's softened you up, it's my turn!" (to Sonya)
"I don't do fair." (to Sonya)
"Oh, I've got a knack for survival. You, on the other hand, are gonna die here!" (to Sonya)
"Pretty boy ain't gonna save ya this time!" (challenging Sonya)
"With a whole army totin' these, no one in Outworld or Earthrealm could stand up to you." (selling Shang Tsung RPG launchers)
"I'll take care of him. No charge. One dead Lin Kuei in a tick." (confronting Smoke)
"Shang Tsung's power healed the rest of ya. But your lungs? Yeesh." (to Kabal)
"Yeah, you're all proper police now. The Black Dragon ain't the same without ya, mate. You should come back. We're in the money on this war."
"Guilty as charged."
"What are you on about, eh? You're here, ain't ya?"
"Not so keen on being dead now, are ya?" (after Kabal defeats him)
"Shao Kahn's the big boss 'round here, and soon, Earth's new master." (to Kabal)
"You're a right genius, you are!" (to Kabal)
"Don't care really, so long as I get paid." (to Cyber Sub-Zero)
Mortal Kombat X
"Emperor, what's the expression? It's not worth the dirt on my shoe?" (discussing payment with Kotal Kahn)
"Keep your fifty million. Mileena's giving me twice that to take you out." (to Kotal Kahn)
"'Allo love! Been a while." (to Sonya)
"Aw, let's keep this between friends. A trade! Info for freedom." (to Sonya)
"Well then... If mother won't play nice... maybe daughter will." (to Sonya)
"Back off... and all's well. Piss me off... and Cassie's gonna meet Uncle Kano." (to Sonya)
"You kill me... never find... amulet!" (whilst Sonya strangles him)
Mortal Kombat 11
Story Mode
Kano (Present)
"Take the deal, trust me." (To his younger self)
"Otherwise, who can you trust?" (Older Kano to Younger self)
"You weren't kidding. S'like a mirror, reflecting the past." (Older Kano to Geras)
"We get paid in the New Era. Kronika'll make sure the Black Dragon come out on top. Not only in the black market. In every market!" (To Erron Black about the Black Dragon in the New Era)
"Well, well. Got ourselves a full generation swap here." (Older Kano to Older Johnny Cage)
"Don't think so. Between Ninja Mine and Lady Liberty, we've got all the leverage. We're leaving." (To Cassie Cage)
"Kabal. Go get me lesser half." (To Kabal)
"Taken care of." (To Kabal after triggering the detonator)
"She more than burns you, Kabal. She goes black-ops on your arse. Shocks, knives, the Bloody works. Patch you together myself. Well, most of you." (Older Kano to Kabal)
"Nah. But now he's motivated." (Older Kano to Younger self)
"Where do you think you're going?" (To Cassie Cage)
"Worse thing is, it's those Netherrealm stiffs did you in, shoulda been me." (To Sonya Blade)
"Now this is a pickle." (To Sonya Blade)
"Can you break his neck faster than I can gut Pretty Boy?" (To Sonya Blade)
"Don't forget, it's two-for-one." (To Sonya Blade)
"He dies, so does your little girl!" (To Sonya Blade)
"For what?" (To Sonya Blade, but also his last words as well)
Kano (Past)
"Our Lady Kronika'll get all the service she needs. But I can't quote a fee until I know the job." (To Geras)
"There's some frame damage, circuitry looks good. But looks like someone did a software wipe. Fixing won't come cheap." (To Geras)
"But anything's possible, with the right help." (To Erron Black)
"How 'bout that, over fifty and still a ripper." (To Older Self)
"Right then, let's get to business."
"I'm next, Hollywood." (to Johnny Cage)
"Oh it gets bloody worse, Sonya and your little girl..." (to Johnny Cage)
"...they're gonna die. Right in front of your face." (to Johnny Cage)
"Rise and shine, Sonya." (To Sonya Blade)
"Yeah, you won't be needing that stuff love. One thing we Black Dragon know, there's no fun in a fair fight." (To Sonya Blade)
"Miss Law and Order really did that to him?" (Young Kano to Older self)
"Tempting, love. but we think our next contender is a Beaut..." (to Sonya Blade)
"You'll damn sure fight, or you'll both die." (to Sonya Blade)
"Ah you caught me love. But put on a good show, eh? it'll be less painful." (to Sonya Blade)
"Best thing about this future, love. I'm alive, but you're dead as a doornail." (To Sonya about their fates)
"Let's have ourselves a do-over." (Young Kano to Sonya Blade)
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge
"These lads aren't here for the tournament, they're being paid to kill you."
"Hello, luv. Nice to see you again."
"Well, you're do a better job than Jax."
"Huh, what gives?"
"Screw it, he's not paying me enough for this."
"Sonya, darling, just a bit further.
"So glad you made it. It's gonna be a joy to watch you end up like your partner."
"Now, finish her!"
"Impossible."
"Stay back! I'll slit his throat!"
Mortal Kombat (2021)
"I hate to interrupt your bullshit, blondie! Well, I gotta piss again."
"Kano None-of-your-fucking-business!"
"Do I sound Russian to you, you fucking idiot?"
"I also give really good foot massages."
"You know, next time be more punctual."
"Lucky for you, I don't have any standards."
"New guy, get me out of here. I could help you."
"I was about to go for a stroll, but maybe I'll stick around, you fucking idiot!"
"The fuck was that!? That was my knife, too! Fucking poetry." (after Sonya throws a knife at Reptile, but ends up hitting Kano instead)
"Kano wins! You fucking beauty!"
"Just working on a Kano graphic novel. I fancy myself a bit of an artist."
"Well, all the best artists are a little twisted, mate."
"Uh, you got a pen? You want me to write this down? Get fucked. 'Cause I'm not gonna help you. You kidnapped me. You tied me up. You threw a knife through my fucking leg, on purpose. And then that lizard thing took off half my face. Lucky for me, you can hardly notice it."
"You live in this shithole and you got two million dollars? Pig's arse." (after Sonya attempts to bribe him to fly her and Cole to Raiden's Temple)
"Three million. That's my final offer. And anything I find in that temple, I keep. No fucking splitsies. Plus, if you're bullshitting me, I'll fucking kill ya. It's no skin off my sack."
"I was gonna head there anyway! Ya fucking idiot!"
"Hey. Fuck you, pretty boy. I'm a popular guy. Everyone loves me."
"There I was trying to shove this guy's nuts down his throat. And all I kept thinking about for me mum for Christmas?"
"Alright, thank you for flying Air Kano! I know you had fuck-all choices. Tray tables up! Time to jump out of this shitbox!"
"Well, do or die, princess!" (shoving Cole out the plane)
"27, 28 k's. Maybe 30 to be safe. Straight up, 32, eh? We say 35, there'll be no surprises."
"Ah, let's look at the scoreboard, shall we? I got us the plane. I know how to find your precious little mountain retreat or whatever it is. I killed the lizard man. Huh? Any of you rip anyone's heart out?"
"I think I know what's going on here. You're jealous, girlie, of me little marking."
"Hey, I'm talking to you. If you want it so much, all you got to do is kill me. Take it. Now, come on. What do you say? You wanna dance?" (provoking Sonya into a fight)
"Go on then, take it. You're so close, just take it. Take it!"
"Yeah, that's why you don't have one of these. You don't have the mongrel in you!" (after Sonya spares him)
"Okay, that's far enough, MC Hammer." (seeing Liu Kang)
"Fuck the temple! Wait! You just shot a fireball out of your hand. How'd you do that? Hang on. Hang the fuck on. Does that mean I'm gonna get superpowers at any point?"
"The fuck?" (after Liu Kang puts his hand on his shoulder)
"Now this one really speaks to me." (looking at a Mortal Kombat mural of The Great Kung Lao's death)
"Put what back?" (after stealing Shinnok's amulet)
"Alright, just circling back on those superpowers. I think I get it now. It's kinda like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get. Is it gonna be fireballs? Is it gonna be lightning? Huh? Could be shit. Could be a frisbee hat, you know? No offense, whoever you are."
"Never heard of him." (after Kung Lao announces himself as the descendant of The Great Kung Lao)
"So, Liu, instead of fireballs, what else is gonna shoot out of my hands? Like, knives or guns?"
"You know, maybe your arcana is getting your ass kicked by a hat." (after Cole loses to Kung Lao)
"Is that the only move you know, mate?" (after getting leg-sweeped by Liu Kang)
"Put a fucking shirt on, Magic Mike." (to Liu Kang)
"Thos are great, mate. They make those in men's sizes?" (mocking Jax's new arms)
"Kung Pao. Pass us an egg roll, would you?"
"Your ears painted on, mate? Egg roll."
"You got a death wish, mate?" (as Kung Lao taunts him)
"Well, how about I take that stupid fucking sombrero you wear and shove it so far up your ass, you start speaking Spanish. How does that sound?"
"Princess, why don't you try being one of them silent monks?"
"I've a better idea. How about you two get on your knees and take turns sucking my sack?" (to Liu Kang and Kung Lao)
"Failure? Fucking failure? Let me educate you, motherfucker. I'm Kano! I'm The Black fucking Dragon! And who are you two, huh? You're some fucking cave-dwelling hippie, twirling his anal beads, taking orders from this Wu Shu wanker who wears a hubcap as a helmet! Now sit down! Shut up! AND PASS ME A FUCKING EGG ROLL!" (as his right-eye starts glowing red)
"Laser beam! It's better than fireballs, you pussy!" (after unlocking his arcana)
"You know, I see a little bit of arcana there. Give me one more crack at it." (beating up Cole)
"You getting enough sleep, mate? Your eyes are a little redder than usual." (to Kabal)
"You don't tell me about The Black Dragon. I'm The Black Dragon!"
"That mask cutting off your air supply, you dumb prick? I don't take orders from anyone, Kabal."
"You know the problem with these new lightning sticks? They just don't make 'em like they used to." (after bringing down Raiden's shield)
"Ah, girls can be so mean. Don't worry, darling! You're still good enough for me!" (throwing Sonya over a ledge after she loses to Mileena)
"Honey, I'm home!"
"Dammit, I'd come out if I was you"
"Fucking Bitch" (taking knife out his back)
"You owe me 3 million dollars!" (fighting Sonya)
"Ah, fucking hell! That was a bit harder than I thought"
"Tell me Blondie, how does that feel?" (Kano choking Sonya)
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind
"Oh, so you found the Well of Souls then?"
"Oh, sorry, mate."
"Are mine? I'm way past having a soul."
"YOU! CAN'T! BEAT! ME!"
"No one can."
Trivia
General
The version of Kano from the original Mortal Kombat game is a secret character in the CD-based versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogy. Strangely, instead of having his victory pose from the original game, MK Kano's victory pose was changed to a modified version of his Mortal Kombat 3 victory pose.
The knife that Kano uses in the Mortal Kombat film is a Gil Hibben Raptor.
In each game Kano is absent, he either makes a cameo imprisoned, a substitute fighter from the Black Dragon borrows his techniques, or both during Deception when Kira was introduced.
Richard Divizio once stated that Kano's favorite food is White Castle hamburgers. However, this likely just means that they are Richard Divizio's favorite food as well. [6]
Although Kano's cybernetics began to grow more elaborate beginning in Mortal Kombat X, the only part of Kano's body that has been actually physically modified with mechanical implants is his Cybernetic Eye. The Cybernetic Heart strapped across his chest is only worn, rather than being physically integrated into his chest as had been the case for Hsu Hao.
He appears as an enemy in Batman Arkham City Lockdown, another game developed by NetherRealm Studios, specifically during the Gotham Steel Mill challenge.
The Brazilian cartoon makers enterprise Mundo Canibal homage Kano by using his Heart Rip Fatality in the video Briga de Galo. After the Fatality, the announcer also says "Fatality" as a mention to the Mortal Kombat games.
Kano's official theme is titled, "Use Your Might".
A modified version of Kano is featured in the Disney film Wreck-It Ralph, making him the only character from an M Rated video game franchise featured in the film. Kano even performs his iconic Heart Rip Fatality on a Zombie character in the meeting with the villains, however due to the PG rating, there is no blood or gore. He is credited as "Cyborg" in the film's credits.
Mortal Kombat
Kano makes his playable debut in this game.
Kano also debuts as the first Black Dragon clan member in the series starting in this game.
Mortal Kombat II
Kano was rumored to be in MKII through Shang Tsung's morphs, but this was proven false.
Kano does however appear in the stage Shao Kahn's Arena, still in his appearance from the first game, shackled in chains as a spectator. Though this stage later reappears in Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Kano, as well as Sonya, are no longer featured, though their empty prisons remain.
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces
In the original plans for Mortal Kombat Special Forces, the circumstances surrounding Kano's cybernetic eye would be revealed. This ultimately did not make it into the final product, with Kano having his cybernetic eye from the beginning of the game.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
In the Krypt, the koffin CO contains a comedic ad for "Kan-Os", a breakfast cereal with a cartoonish image of Kano on the box.
In Deadly Alliance, if Kenshi's Telekinetic Contortion Fatality is performed on Kano, only his real eye pops out.
In Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance and Mortal Kombat Armageddon, Kano's alternate costume resembles his MK outfit, while if both players choose Kano as their character, his second color will resemble his MK3 outfit.
In Deadly Alliance, Kano hung Sonya Blade's hair around his neck as a symbol of their rivalry, which he tore from her head during their battle atop the skyscraper in MK3.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Kano appears as a hidden boss in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, and all the Black Dragon Mercenaries resemble Kano in this game.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
In the game, Kano’s DC counterpart is The Joker.
In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Kano's ending shows him turning into the Mortal Kombat equivalent of the Joker as the kombat rage drives him insane.
Mortal Kombat (2011)
Kano, along with Jax, has an X-Ray that deals 41% damage, the most damaging of all of the playable characters.
Their X-Ray Moves are two of three that cannot be blocked, along with Sheeva's X-Ray move.
In the cinematic trailer from MK 2011, Scorpion kills Sub-Zero with Kano's Eat Your Heart Out Fatality.
Kano is the only character whose victory pose is retained in the Challenge Tower, whereas everyone else's is changed.
Though he is seen using the attack in several cutscenes of MK 2011's Story Mode, Kano's Eye Laser cannot be used as a special move in said game.
However, the Eye Laser special does return in Mortal Kombat X.
Mortal Kombat X
The color of Kano's cybernetics change color depending on what variation you choose. Originally, his Cutthroat variation was going to be green, but was changed to blue later in development. His Commando and Cybernetic variations remained yellow and red, respectively.
The green coloring, however, can be seen if the player selects Kano's variationless version.
Kano's entrance animation alters slightly depending on his variation. If his Cybernetic variation is selected, when he catches his knife he sheathes it on his waist, while his other two variations (and no-variation) have him sheathe it on his back.
Kano will uses his later knives regardless of the variation when he performs his fatalities.
In one of the one of his interactions with Takeda, Kano says "That's Not A Knife" which is a reference to Crocodile Dundee.
If Sub-Zero performs his Bed Of Ice Fatality from the right side, the shards of ice will not go through Kano's Bionic Eye. It will penetrate through his regular eye only if performed on the left.
Additionally, any Fatality or Brutality involving Kano's eyes popping out will result in only one eye, his left eye, to pop out of its socket.
Interactions with Tremor show Tremor wants to leave the Black Dragon. This is likely due to Kano abandoning Tremor in the comics once Tremor was shot and captured by the Special Forces.
Kano and Torr are the only characters with more than one exclusive Brutalities for a Variation that are not Secret Brutalities.
Mortal Kombat Mobile
His Black Dragon Card was originally a Gold card called Cutthroat that could be bought in the Store at a cost of 77000 coins.
This card was also the only card in the game without a Passive, as it merely said that the card cost less in the Store.
He is one of the few characters with a Gold Card that was upgraded to a Diamond Card, this being his Cutthroat card being upgraded to his Diamond Black Dragon Card.
Kano is one of the few characters with more than one exclusive Equipment Card.
Kano is one of twelve character cards that can kill the opponent with a Brutality, the others being Sub-Zero, Jade, Kabal, Scorpion, Liu Kang, Raiden, Noob Saibot, Sonya Blade, Skarlet, Shang Tsung, and Reptile.
Shao Kahn can also kill his opponent, however it is not considered a Brutality.
Injustice 2
Kano was mentioned in Injustice 2 by Raiden, who is featured as a playable guest character, revealing that Kano recruited Bane into the Black Dragon.
Mortal Kombat 11
Kano, Johnny Cage and Jax are the only characters to have team-up cutscenes between their past and present selves in MK11 Story Mode.
Kano is the only character in the Story Mode whose present self dies as a result of his past self dying.
Kano can be also count as one of the first characters to be dressed up as DC characters, the first character who properly wore DC character inspired costume is Cassie. In ironic reverse, Kano wore a superhero costume that models DC’s Cyborg, while Cassie wore a super-villain costume inspired from Harley Quinn.
Kano's Move Lumbar Check which sees him drives both knees into the back of his opponent is most likely a reference to WWE wrestler Cedric Alexander, who does the same move as a finisher. Additionally, one of his Cybernetic Hearts is called Ruby's Riot Shield which may also be a reference to female WWE wrestler Ruby Riott.
In the Kustomization, Kano has one of his customizable Bionic Eyes named "Jack's Epic Eye". This is a reference to Irish YouTuber Jacksepticeye.
Kano is a primary target of RoboCop, revealed through many interactions with characters and RoboCop that Kano committed many crimes in RoboCop's universe.
Errors
Kano's face plate has technical issues in MK 2011. The plate is invisible when he's attacked with X-Ray Moves, and it is incorrectly shown on the left side of his head for his Versus image as Player 2.
In MKX, in his default outfit when Kano crouches, his grenades clip through his right thigh and will pierce through while crouched.
When viewing Kano's Revolution outfit in the Kollection, one can see that his Laser Eye goes over the hat, bring to question as to how the eye was placed over the hat if Kano had the eye first.
The hanging fabric of Kano's default outfit will clip through his Butterfly knives in his Cybernetic variation.
The handle for his knives for his Cybernetic variation will always clip into his thighs when crouching.
The arm wraps that hold his elbow blades always clip into his biceps.
Due to needing his large knives for his fatalities, when Kano performs a fatality in his Cybernetic variations, the knives will appear out of thin air.
If Kano is struck right as he connects an Air Ball, the opponent will hover briefly above the ground before landing and standing back up. The same thing will happen with Jason Voorhees's Temple Slam.
In MK11, if one were to equip any of Kano's younger appearances without him having a shirt on, one can see in the character customization that his cybernetic heart is floating in the air and is not connected to his chest whatsoever.
Equipping an appearance with a smaller shirt will result in half of the heart to not be attached to Kano's equipment.
References
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https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/yv/r/B8BxsscfVBr.ico
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https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/yv/r/B8BxsscfVBr.ico
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"https://facebook.com/security/hsts-pixel.gif?c=3.2"
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Sieh dir auf Facebook Beiträge, Fotos und vieles mehr an.
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https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/yv/r/B8BxsscfVBr.ico
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https://www.facebook.com/login/
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https://teamkano.medium.com/the-history-of-video-games-5d1aa6ff9afb
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en
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The History Of Video Games
|
[
"https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:64:64/1*dmbNkD5D-u45r44go_cf0g.png",
"https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:88:88/1*Wbarwsn7u_mtq0bP35cUmw.png",
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] |
[] |
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""
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[
"Kano",
"teamkano.medium.com"
] |
2021-04-26T11:40:12.397000+00:00
|
Since the invention of the modern video arcade, Video Games have gone on to have a profound impact on billions of people around the world. Today, with graphical and performance capabilities and…
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en
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https://miro.medium.com/v2/5d8de952517e8160e40ef9841c781cdc14a5db313057fa3c3de41c6f5b494b19
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Medium
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https://teamkano.medium.com/the-history-of-video-games-5d1aa6ff9afb
|
Since the invention of the modern video arcade, Video Games have gone on to have a profound impact on billions of people around the world.
Today, with graphical and performance capabilities and online innovations, video games are as lifelike and profound as ever, generating billions of dollars, accumulating millions of daily hours and even creating new entertainment platforms in the form of E-Sports and leagues.
Whilst video games convey one of the most profitable and popular entertainment platforms of all time today, the history of this industry has been full of jubilant highs and damning lows and so today we are going to look back at the History of Video Games
Pong and The Initial Rise
To first get a glimpse into the history of video games, we must transport ourselves back to 1970s California during the dawn of the Silicon Valley where it seems every single technology genius marched toward to work from a garage following the mainstream invention of the computer chips and semi-conductors.
One such person happened to be Allan Alcorn, a computer science graduate from San Francisco who had been working for an innovative video company known as Ampex. Many of the staff at Ampex were to become Silicon Valley staples and one such person who Alcorn had met whilst working there was Ted Dabney, who had recently left to start his own company with Nolan Bushnell called Atari.
At Atari, Bushnell and Dabney developed the concept of a “gaming” Pizza Parlour and with it developed the first modern iteration of the coin slot arcade machine.
After garnering significant funding, they set on a mission to make their gaming machine a reality and went about making their first engineering hire: Our friend, Allan Alcorn.
Under the direction of the two founders, Alcorn was tasked with creating a simple table tennis game inspired by a prototype Dabney had seen during his years in University.
Alcorn, who had no video game experience in the past, set upon the challenge and hoped to create an excitingly difficult game and different to anything anybody had ever seen.
The Result? Pong. The first mainstream video game and one of the most iconic to this day, had been born.
The premise was simple, two rectangles on either side of the screen engage in a table tennis match bouncing a small square between them. The first to get the ball past their opponent 11 times wins.
The premise was simple but at the time the technology was revolutionary and after a small yet successful test at a local bar, the game was released first in the form of an arcade machine to which the success was instant spreading like wildfire.
After a number of years of arcade success, Atari released a Home console version of Pong for the Christmas season of 1975 and with it brought the birth of the modern video game console and an entire switch of focus for Atari’s prospects.
In 1977, after years of development, Atari launched the VCS or 2600 computer system and with it, the release of multi-cartridge console.
By 1982, it was the dominant home console and one of the most successful technology companies in the world but with new systems and competitors on the horizon, the trajectory of this new industry was about to take a serious turn for the worse.
Crash of 83
By the early 1980s as mentioned above, the Atari 2600 was the most popular video game console however there was a huge increase in the variety of consoles with about 6 different mainstream varieties to choose from, and with them hundreds of exclusive games being released daily. This wasn’t particularly a good thing!
The dawn of the Personal Computer had relayed another avenue for video game developers, publishers and consumers to target and helped to further saturate what was already a drenched market.
Coupled with this information, Consumer confidence was beginning to reach an all-time low with huge parent dissatisfaction towards a perceived “brain washing” of children with many working groups being established to protest the continued rise of video games.
As well as that, confidence in the reputation of the companies themselves dwindled with the release of sub-par games such as the Atari home version of Pac Man and perhaps the worst video game of all time, E.T: The Extra Terrestrial.
All the above factors mixed together went on to cause a significant concoction that resulted in the devastating Video Game Crash and Recession of 1983. With cancelled IPOs, massive company exits and perhaps most notably, the downfall of Atari, the Video Game industry was in tatters, particularly in North America and the devastating effects would last many many years.
With the American companies suffering the most, the door had opened with a new territory to dominate.
Japanese Dominance
By the time of the crash in 1983, many Japanese video game companies had moved to the forefront of the industry including Taito of Space Invaders and Bandai Namco of Pac Man success.
With the crash almost permanently wiping out the video arcade, opportunities arose for one particular Japanese company who had been moving quietly in the areas of portable and home consoles: Nintendo.
Founded over 132 years ago in 1889, Nintendo had initially been known in Japan for the production of various types of playing cards but in 1973 they began to enter the electronics space with a series of video game devices ranging from plastic guns to the innovative Game & Watch portable devices which brought them to global attention.
In 1977, the company hired Shigeru Miyamoto, a recently graduated artist to assist in the design of some up and coming arcade games. Little did they know at the time, this hire would change Nintendo, the industry and the world forever.
Following steady levels of global success in the arcade space due to the success of games such as Donkey Kong, Nintendo moved into the mainstream multi-cartridge console space in 1983 with the release of the successful Famicom machine in Japan.
Concerned by the Crash of 1983, the company were at first hesitant to release the console in foreign territories but eventually decided to launch the console, now named the NES or Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985 alongside the launch title, Super Mario Bros, one of Miyamoto’s masterpieces.
The success of the NES and Nintendo’s led to a period of pure global dominance for the both company that lasted for well over a decade, and was challenged mainly by Sega in the early 90s through the success of the Genesis and their famous rival, Sonic the hedgehog.
The dominance for Nintendo culminated in the mid 90s where the emergence of 3D gaming technology inspired competitors such as Sony and Microsoft to enter the market.
3D
The fifth generation of Video Game consoles is often referred to as the 32 or 64 bit and was primarily down to the mainstream introduction of 3D Video Games that began with the 1996 release of Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 device.
Sega’s Saturn console was seen as a major competitor to Nintendo’s 3D console but the new generation also made way for 2 new major competitors to enter the market and change gaming forever: Sony with their Playstation console, first released in 1994 and Microsoft’s Xbox console, which later entered the market in 2001.
These two consoles paved the way for the future of video gaming and helped to establish Microsoft and Sony as the two main players in the console industry.
Today
Since the dawn of the century 21 years ago, many new trends have emerged in the world of video games
Further Generations
Further iterations of the mainstay consoles followed with the current lineup consisting of the Playstation 5, Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X all of which continue to innovative and push the limits of their respective technologies.
Mobile Gaming + Freemium
The emergence of powerful Smartphones has created a new platform for video game developers to explore and with it the Casual Gaming boom was born with games such as Candy Crush and Angry Birds becoming some of the most iconic video game properties of all time.
The emergence of Mobile Gaming has also allowed for the Freemium pricing model to grow allowing games to be downloaded for free with additional content to be purchased. This particular concept has been massively profitable for some major corporations but has also seen widespread criticism across the gaming world.
A Thriving Independent Industry
The availability of game development platforms and tools due to the dawn of the internet has allowed a thriving and innovative indie game scene to enter the market, with individuals or small teams going on to create some of the most successful properties of all time. Minecraft, an indie game initially created by one person, is now the best selling video game of all time.
Online Gaming + E-Sports
The fifth and sixth generation of consoles provided facilities to enable online multiplayer play that has now became the most popular form of console gaming today.
This technology has had a profound effect on the world of gaming, with multi million dollar video game leagues and teams establishing a whole new world of sport.
Gamification
The power of video games is now being used in a host of non-traditional areas in a new form of entertainment known as Gamification.
The world of education is in the midst of a complete transformation, thanks in part to gamification, inviting people to be entertained whilst learning at the same time.
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Mortal Kombat 2: Why The Sequel Needs To Bring Back Kano No Matter What
|
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[
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[
"Mick Joest"
] |
2021-05-04T11:55:20+00:00
|
We need more Kano in the new Mortal Kombat film series.
|
en
|
CINEMABLEND
|
https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2566691/mortal-kombat-2-why-sequel-needs-bring-back-kano-no-matter-what-josh-lawson
|
CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
Warning! The following contains spoilers for Mortal Kombat. Read at your own risk!
Mortal Kombat has been released to the masses, and while I don't expect it'll win Best Picture in the future, the movie has its bright spots. The violence is on point, there's a ton of callbacks to the video game franchise, and visually speaking, the film is stunning. There's also a shining star in this movie, and he goes by the name of Josh Lawson. Going in, I never would've thought Kano would be the best part of the movie, but here we are.
Unfortunately, things weren't looking so good for Kano towards the end of Mortal Kombat once he and Sonya engaged in their final battle. Now, after having a garden gnome wedged through his eye, the odds of him appearing in Mortal Kombat 2 (if that happens) feel slim. I'm here to say that losing Kano is the biggest mistake this franchise could make, and the filmmakers should absolutely do whatever they can narratively to get Lawson's Kano back in the universe. No matter the cost, we need this guy in the sequels.
Josh Lawson Understood The Assignment
To use a popular meme in the online film world right now, Josh Lawson understood the assignment. Mortal Kombat has its serious characters, as well as its more outrageous characters. Kano is absolutely one of the latter, and how can he not be? The guy can shoot a laser out of his damn eye! When your power is that over the top, you have to really match that energy personality-wise.
Josh Lawson's Kano performance not only did that, but he also went beyond what the script had given him. Sure, Simon McQuoid had a script, and Josh Lawson followed it, but the actor revealed to CinemaBlend he also got a chance to "kick the tires" on the character and really let loose with some improv and jokes to give Kano some pizazz. It's fair to say that effort paid off, and Lawson helped make Kano one of the film's standouts.
Now, to be completely fair, his role was only so effective because every other character played the straight man to his hilarious antics. Even so, Josh Lawson rolled the dice on his character and put a lot into it that wasn't necessarily given to him on paper. He should, at the very least, be rewarded with a chance to appear in Mortal Kombat sequels if possible.
Kano Was Far And Away The Best Villain
When it comes to the villains in Mortal Kombat, I think it's fair to say our understanding of them was a bit shallow. We really didn't get any of their stories beyond Sub-Zero and Kano, which made it hard to feel too strongly about Prince Goro's demise or when Kabal was finally taken down. Not that it was ever the purpose for us to get realliy invested in those characters though, considering they were more or less used as fodder for the main protagonists to kill later.
Really, the only villain we spent a significant amount of time with was Kano. While I can't imagine Mortal Kombat fans were taken off guard by his betrayal, it was great to see someone on the other side that I, as a viewer, had some connection to and understood. As someone who never felt Shang Tsung was an exceptionally strong villain in the franchise, especially compared to Shao Kahn, the villains needed Kano in order to get a little bit more personality onto their side.
So for Mortal Kombat to lose one of its best and most beloved villains ahead of a potential sequel makes things an uphill battle. Sure, there's no shortage of deplorable characters within the universe who couldn't ultimately win the hearts and minds of fans like Kano, but I'd sooner see Kano come back with an equally awesome villain to compliment him. In killing Kano, I almost feel as though the movie shot itself in the foot and made the sequel's chances of being a hit that much harder.
Could Kano Return In Mortal Kombat 2?
I've griped a lot about how I was upset that Mortal Kombat killed off Kano and the problems a sequel could have finding another likable villain. All that griping is for naught, though, if there's no logical rhyme or reason Kano can be brought back into the universe. After all, once characters die in the Mortal Kombat universe, they stay dead, right? Actually, they don't, and like many others in the franchise, Kano too has died and returned from the dead.
Whether it's as a servant of Shao Kahn or resurrected by Quan Chi, every Mortal Kombat character can find a path back from oblivion. This is especially true for Kano, who is notorious in the Mortal Kombat franchise for being able to wheel and deal his way into arrangements with those much more powerful than himself. He'll be of use to the Outworld or any other party hoping to squash Earthrealm's victory in the Mortal Kombat tournament, and it's just a matter of who decides they can use him for their ends.
Kano is one tough and ruthless bastard, but he's also a survivor. Should the Mortal Kombat franchise decide to work Kano back into its script for a sequel, rest assured, there's no shortage of ways for it to happen in a way that both fits within the canon and makes sense. In fact, that garden gnome in the eye would be the perfect excuse for him to get fitted with that metal faceplate. I'm sure a few people were disappointed he wasn't rocking during the movie.
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based RPG Mafia Browser Game
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Play Mob Wars, the don of online text based gangster games. Join the dark world of the mafia. Upgrade your mobster. Lead your gang. Become a mob boss.
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en
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https://www.kanoplay.com/la_cosa_nostra
|
Do you have what it takes to become the next Al Capone?
Mob Wars: LCN is the largest text-based mafia wars RPG. It's easy to play and addictive.
You will start with nothing, but the rules are simple. Work your way up the ranks of mobsters as you fight against millions of players. Prove your worth by completing hundreds of dangerous jobs.
There are no limits to what you can accomplish. You can recruit friends to grow your mob. You can form syndicates to battle street gangs and mobsters. You can challenge a mafia boss in hand-to-hand combat and much more...
Be careful! You might find yourself in the middle of mafia wars. In that case, you need to fight back. Don’t be naive, you can’t do it alone. You have to build strong connections and form powerful syndicates.
Join now and make your presence known. Once you are in La Cosa Nostra, there is no way out.
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http://arcadeshenanigans.com/blog/category/Reviews
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Arcade Shenanigans
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2023-07-02T00:00:00
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en
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https://assets.squarespace.com/universal/default-favicon.ico
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Arcade Shenanigans
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http://arcadeshenanigans.com/blog/category/Reviews
|
Mild spoilers follow.. you’ve been warned.
TLDR: I liked it, I’ll of course preorder it as soon as I can and I’ll probably see it in Theater one more time. It isn’t perfect, though and as they say: I have notes.
Just to level-set and address the most common comparison: I hated Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; until I didn’t. In recent re-watches Crystal Skull actually changed my mind about that film. I rather enjoy it, now. Crusade and Raiders battle for my number 1 ranking and the rest vary by mood, including this new installment, I suspect.
Driving home from seeing Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny, I had a smile on my face. That is: right up until we found the Wallace Tunnel on I-10 in Mobile, Alabama was closed forcing a detour through downtown Mobile. In my opinion the downtown Mobile street layouts are more “gardened” than “engineered.” They just sort of happened over time, less as a result of planning and more out of a protracted timeline of necessity, repair and expansion.
This, I think might be an apt metaphor for about my first impressions of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Mobile isn’t my favorite place to visit. In many ways it is like its sister city, New Orleans. Parking is a pain, traffic is a consistent problem. There are million dollar homes with historical marker plates within a block of derelict shanty flop-houses. On any given night you have equal odds of an adventurous good time with colorful characters or becoming a crime statistic. In fact, you could almost imagine finding Indy in a back alley brawl or Delta River boat chase over information leading to some ancient relic from early Spanish occupation..
Right before we came onto the tunnel, still smiling, I told my wife:
I need to see it again to settle on a final ranking but just because Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny isn’t my favorite Indy movie doesn’t make it a bad film or even a bad final outing for Indy. From my top 5 flavors of Ice Cream, even the fifth ranked Ice Cream can hit the spot on a hot summer day. So did this last outing with Harrison Ford once again donning the fedora and whip in search of fortune and glory (or perhaps just closure and reconciliation).
As an Indy fan I’m inclined to defend this movie from the click-bait troll reviews that apparently make a living throwing shade at Lucasfilm and Disney leadership and made their collective minds up about this film a year ago before it was even in the can. By contrast, I write here from my phone in meeting-boredom and in organization of my own thoughts and could care less if another human ever reads it. These people don’t need me to defend their choices, so I’m honest and my opinions are my own.
I like the Archimedes prop (alot, obviously) and the fetch-quest was cool. I even like Archimedes as a historical truth-finder similar in some ways to Indy. The Leads were fine. Indy was: Old-Ass ropey-but-strong and still-very laconic and wry Indy. Helena was a perfectly fine roguish co star, maybe a little hyperactive but a fine reflection of modern audiences in contrast to Indy’s pre-adderall generation.
Mild Spoilers
Ford is always great as Indy, even at this age. I suspect this is more that Indy is a facet of Harrison Ford’s personality than a character he’s actually playing. The horseback scene shown in the trailers is thrilling and the de-aged Indy sequence at the beginning is great. The de-aging tech still isn’t perfect but it also isn’t distracting, though don’t look too closely at the eyes. Eyes are still hard: being the window to the soul and all.
Mads Mikkelsen was great, liked seeing Antonio Banderas too.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge and not-Short-Round were fine ensemble cast members.
Though, I don’t think the film does a great job of making either character like-able. Early in the film Helena leaves old-man Indy in a way that earlier films would have rewarded with an insta-Karma booby-trap to the face. For the Teddy defenders out there: How would you feel if Short-Round killed people? Teddy murders a fool. Dude was a nazi and had it coming but still!? The modern story aesthetic Vis-à-vis the quality of human life doesn’t really map well here, in my opinion. I want my kid side-kicks to be edgy lovable scoundrels but Teddy? This makes Teddy too hardcore as a sidekick in my view. I’m just sayin’ that if Teddy’s hanging around my NYC apartment, I’m not leaving him alone with the pets.
FWIW: My daughter really liked Helena’s character and style, so this might just be curmudgeonly 44 year old values talking.
If I’m honest most of the things that make this a good film and not a great film probably happened in the editing bay or might be the result of a last-minute restructure to the original script despite conflicting rumors on the subject. There are some odd ADR lines where a character is talking but apparently via ventriloquist skills because their mouth isn’t moving. The story structure is a little muddied too in that Archimedes’ Dial comes in three parts and you’d expect those parts to map cleanly over a three-act story structure. Instead, the final part - the little compass-like-whatcha-ma-call-it in the center of the dial just sort of “happens” without detailed explanation or much in the way of fanfare.
Mangold and the DP borrowed enough of the Indy style in terms of color palette and set-design and John Williams score does plenty to make this feel like a real Indiana Jones movie but some of the classic Spielberg hip-shots, shadows and framing are missing. ( Level-set, again: I’m not a Spielberg-only Stan - I hate what he did to Ready Player One) Some of the shadows and silhouettes are there but they aren’t allowed to breath. The camera pans and transitions also fail to evoke the old-timey Republic serials that are hallmarks of the franchise. There is a travel sequence. It was updated and probably shouldn’t have been.
Mostly, the pacing is a little odd. The middle of the movie had my eyes wandering from the screen. I feel like the transition through the third act resolution to the finale was rushed and left me a bit disoriented. It wasn’t a fatal flaw but I think in time this transition from the third act pinnacle to the finale will be divisive, maybe even an object lesson. The “Nuke the fridge” of story transitions.
Ultimately I like where they left it, the final scene was touching and nostalgic and worked for the characters.. and I’m happy to get one more outing from Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Go see the movie.
I previously let my disappointment in some of the modern Star Trek offerings known in what I think was a pretty fair set of opinions.
Picard Season 3 is…. great. Not just great for Star Trek or great by comparison to the cookie cutter sludge factory of streaming television. Its an excellent show, especially if you are a TNG or DS9 fan.
How to summarized this without spoilers…Allegory? Metaphor? I’m not sure that I know the difference..
Imagine you go to a party where most of your pet peeves are on display.
There’s nowhere to park. The music is horrible; flapping its way through a separated speaker on a rattling shelf and filling the room - somehow both too shrill and too thump-y. The annoying and obnoxious close-talking guest that won’t let you get a word in edge-wise and keeps you cornered for the majority of the night. Someone’s snotty teenager keeps going back to the food-table after having sneezed on all of it during his 2nd-and-3rd trips to get at probably: bacteria-infested deviled eggs.
There is more than one Miller-light intoxicated redneck wearing Let’s Go Brandon attire and spoiling for a fight about something. There is more than one liberal-arts major hipster wearing a Rainbow Che Guevara shirt high on edibles and reeking of Body Odor that wasn’t within the masking ability of their homemade soap.
The Business Chads, sales-guy types are in the corner talking about their investment portfolios and island-hopping vacations between bursts of boisterous but totally unconvincing laughter. At least one of them will eat a bullet before Christmas.
Then, on the last 1/3 of the evening it all turns around.
You reconnect with an old close friend from school and their delightful new spouse. You didn’t realize they’d moved nearby and you have a blast catching up, even make plans for coffee or drinks after work next week. While you were sequestered away talking about bygone years the rednecks passed out, the close talker realized he had dog shit on his shoes the whole night and goes home. The hipsters are couch-locked in amazement at the LEDs flickering over the pool and two of the Business Chads are filing out insurance paperwork: apparently one of the Karen’s backed into their new Mercedes, which was a Lease. Even the music and food improved as a Taco truck operator sees the crowd and decides to set up for service.
This, in a nutshell is Star Trek: Picard. Season 3 is a great TNG outing and it does the rare thing of improving the seasons that came before it by firing a concentrated tachyon beam of STTNG nostalgia right into your eyeballs. To say it sticks the landing is an understatement.
I get it though: if you can’t endure Seasons 1 and 2, then just read their synopsis and skip right to the good part of the party. The tacos are worth it.
Andor is a 12-episode series on Disney Plus that is structured (more or less) into 4 related mini-arcs. It is a dense show and not conducive to play with your phone second-screen shenanigans. The good parts are wrapped with neon arrows and may not be evident until the story develops.
The initial episodes lay groundwork for the conclusion and in the moment, they felt to me like a slow burn. I’ll admit that up through about episode 4 or 5 I wasn’t really getting what the buzz was about. By 6, I was sold and the show just amps up in every way until the final scenes, which pay off the initial setup episodes.
Reprising his role as the (not yet) rebel spy Cassian Andor, Diego Luna provides a stable through-line character for the series. Though much like in Breaking Bad and similar modern anti-hero dramas the supporting characters elevate the overall experience. I don’t want to say Cassian takes a back seat in his own show rather they know how to use him and when to cut away. There is a brief finale after-credit scene that pays off an assumption most astute-viewers will make that tie this series back to Andor’s final moments in Rogue One.
Genevieve O'Reilly reprises her role as Mon Mothma and this time she isn’t relegated to battle briefings. Her subtle character work, poise and grace make for a terrific performance. Her political machinations within the imperial power structure and viewer knowledge of the cost of her choices make for great television. Stellan Skarsgård plays Luthen Rael, a pre-rebellion co-conspirator and art / antiquities dealer. Watching him switch between an art-dealer and bit of a dandy to a menacing revolutionary is quite the spectacle. If you’ve seen Skarsgård in Chernobyl, you know what I‘m talking about. When he switches on the gravitas, his performance (and his ship) are my favorite moments of the series.
About late mid-season, Andy Serkis makes and appearance and without spoiling anything: holy crap, he’s awesome. Really, everyone turned in exceptional performances by any standard much less by Star Wars standards. I’m leaving other characters out in the interest of brevity that frankly deserve discussion but…. maybe later.
The writing and dialog on this show are the best I’ve seen in Star Wars and top contenders across modern drama, television and streaming content. Andor isn’t going to beat Breaking Bad, The Leftovers, The Wire on prestige drama pantheon but it belongs in that category, which is a strange thing to say for the same intellectual property that brought us Tatooine Vespa gangs and Luke milking a space-Walrus.
My Pitch
If you are looking for a more textured and complex story in the Star Wars Universe that is somewhat divorced from dogmatic-preachy Jedi, sniveling Skywalker descendants and Cackling Sith - give this show a try.
.
.
.
.
… If you require further evidence, here’s a clever edit from a Luthen speech overlayed from other clips so that it obfuscates spoilers…
Bias upfront, I’m fully in the bag for this franchise! (My review of the previous installment, here.)
With the latest installment of God of War, Santa Monica Studios confidently doubled down on what made the last installment such of a success. This game knows exactly what it is, an epic an immersive adventure campaign. It breaks with trend from other game studios to try to emulate large-arena online multiplayer or throw too many modes into a game with too little QA. (cough, Halo Infinite, cough)
The game picks up 3 years after the events of the last installment. Fimbulwinter is in full effect, ostensibly set in motion by the death of Baldur. A realm-hopping adventure ensues with surprising twists and turns; including both familiar faces and well-imagined new characters. It is a father-son adventure. It is a coming of age story. It is an epic throw-down of cosmic proportions. Its just damned fun. Honestly, this game has a better story than most recent Marvel movies. The story is well done, the voice actors are well cast and the gameplay never felt like a grind. Most importantly - they stick the landing.
My son and I played through the campaign over a few days, with him occasionally taking the controls from me in frustration of my old-guy reflexes and persistent stubborn refusal to turn-down the game difficulty. The game doesn’t include an official co-op but it isn’t really a detriment, in my opinion. Having a game where you can hang on the couch and pass the controller back and fourth is such a refreshing change from the high-fps-multiplayer focus of most modern console fighters and battle sims.
Pro-Tip: When the friendly NPCs suggest you take some time to explore, take that hint and use the opportunities to buff the character by completing favors or exploring the realms. These prompts are well-placed throughout the storyline.
Collector’s Edition
I put a not-insignificant amount of time into trying to find the Jötnar Edition but I refuse to buy from scalpers. Eventually, I found a Collector’s Edition (which is a slight step down from the Jötnar Edition) at Best Buy.
Something that Modern Star Trek and Modern Star Wars seem to share in common:
Modern takes on these franchises often seem to be poorly received by their fandoms.
I’m not the type of person to crap all over someone else’s art with my opinion. After watching some awful modern attempts at Star Trek, I’ve found myself staring at after-show credits thinking to myself: “That was garbage. How the hell did this get made?”
In the Beginning, There was T.O.S
The Original Series only ran for 3 seasons, between 24 and 29 episodes per season costing about $180k 1966USD’s per episode to produce. Originally considered a failure, Star Trek found its audience through syndication.
The episodic anthology used space exploration as a backdrop to explore geopolitical topics at times and in other times as a setting for silly futuristic adventures. In doing so it sparked the imagination of millions and set off one of humanity’s most iconic entertainment franchises.
TNG Era
Star Trek: Next Generation evolved Roddenberry’s vision of a utopian human future into 7 seasons of 26 Episodes spanning 8 years. With DS9, Voyager, there are Star Trek on ramps for the 90’s and 2000’s kids as well.
Big Screen, Mixed Results
As Star Trek was adapted for the big screen, the box office results were often flat. A few were critical successes (Star Trek: The Motion Picture & Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan) but the rabid fandom failed to translate to large box office earnings. 2002’s Star Trek Nemesis barely eek’d out a profit, eventually - maybe. The Studio decided it was time to make a change.
Production budgets vs Box Office
(Contemporary adjustments for inflation in bold)
Original Series
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Budget: $46 million — $152.5 million
Gross: $139 million — $460.7 million
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Budget: $11.2 million — $27.9 million
Gross: $97 million — $241.9 million
Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
Budget: $16 million — $37 million
Gross: $87 million — $201.5 million
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Budget: $21 million — $46.1 million
Gross: $133 million — $292 million
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Budget: $33 million — $64 million
Gross: $63 million — $122.3 million
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Budget: $27 million — $47.7 million
Gross: $96.9 million — $171.2 million
The Next Generation
Star Trek Generations
Budget: $35 million — $56.8 million
Gross: $118 million — $191.6 million
Star Trek: First Contact
Budget: $45 million — $69 million
Gross: $146 million — $223.9 million
Star Trek: Insurrection
Budget: $58 million — $85.6 million
Gross: $112.6 million — $166.2 million
Star Trek: Nemesis
Budget: $60 million — $80.3 million
Gross: $67.3 million — $90 million
Reboot, the Kelvin Timeline
Star Trek
Budget: $150 million — $168.3 million
Gross: $385.7 million — $432.6 million
Star Trek Into Darkness
Budget: $185 million — $191.1 million
Gross: $467.4 million — $482.8 million
Star Trek Beyond
Budget: $185 million
Gross: $318.1 million (to date)
ref: Reddit Post
Help Me JJ, You’re my Only Hope
(that’s going to piss some people off, lol)
Bad Robot
The Studio flipped the keys of NCC-1701 to JJ Abrams and the result was 2009’s Star Trek and the beginning of the Action Trek era that persists today. The idea was to expand the appeal to the average summer blockbuster moviegoer. The 2009 film was a refresh of TOS, a reimagining…. a.. (ffs) reboot. (Big Sigh) It would borrow from the past but adapt Star Trek to the modern ADHD / Twitter addict sensibilities. Young and sexy actors right off of underwear-model gigs, giga-hours of CGI render time, a soaring music score underpinned with rock-hiphop contemporary staples and lens flares for days.
Modern Trek takes the dramatic pacing of Breaking Bad, mixes two parts Calvin Klein commercial, two parts “pew pew pew pew space lasers!”, one part X-Games and one part canon-breaking technobabble to create the red bull commercial in space that is modern Star Trek.
I know that all sounds negative, so I should put my cards on the table here. I like the new cast and I like the sensational visuals and over-the-top sound design. I just sort of hate that Star Trek on the Big screen usually has: First Act: Long, lingering spaceship-Porn showing the ship docked at some amazing StarBase and Third Act: Same amazing space ship gets exploded or crashed into a planet in a narrative sacrifice. Seriously - Get a new story, already.
The Abrams era Star Trek films appear to have been successful at the Box Office despite some story stuff that does violence to Trek canon. In Abrams Trek, you can bring people back to life with a super blood transfusion; transwarp beaming can send an individual (or bombs) to seemingly anywhere. “Whatever”. Star Trek has always played fast and loose with the rules.
Star Trek Discovery
Star Trek Discovery centers around the hi jinx of Spock’s secret adopted sister. Discovery is a TOS era ship equipped with an experimental spore drive that allows the ship to transport itself through a cosmological mycelial network to nearly anywhere in the known Galaxy. “Black Alert!” Because: magic mushrooms and tardigrades. If it sounds stupid, well: that’s because it is.
That aside Star Trek Disco is sort of a mixed bag. Michael Burnham (Spock’s secret sister) has this space Jesus thing going that can be a bit much at times, despite the fact that I genuinely like the actress that plays Burnham: Sonequa Martin-Green. In fact, I like most of the casting on this show. Doug Jones plays a Starfleet officer named Suru and his physical performance goes a long way to make Saru believably alien, not just another dude with plastic crap glued to his face. Anthony Rapp plays the ships engineer (Staments) with a believable tinge of Aspergers. Wilson Cruz plays the ships’ doctor (Culber) and Stamet’s love interest. They have pretty great “opposites attract” chemistry and their relationship makes sense within the story.
Discovery Season 1 establishes Burnham’s character and explores the Federation-Klingon war.
Discovery Season 2 is a time-traveling / runaway AI story.
Discovery Season 3 is a dystopian future story.
Discovery Season 4 is the story of the future dystopia making a turn back towards core federation values.
Star Trek Picard
As a fan of STTNG, I looked forward to character study of Jean Luc Picard. Instead… we got something else.
Picard Season 1: The JL Apology tour
This season introduces the viewers to an even further aged-up Jean-Luc Picard. It introduces us to a new crew of younger characters. The casting on the new characters is good but there are some truly baffling writing choices in this show. One character: Raffi, lives in a trailer, smokes snake leaf and has a frustratingly over familiarity with Picard. She calls him ‘JL.’ One admiral that I’m going to call “admiral bitch face” just cussed Picard out when he comes to her with valid concerns. Picard spends the majority of the season just sort of meandering between plot contrivances. Patrick Stewart’s charisma still comes through at times but it mostly overshadowed by the dark and violent mood of this series. One side character gets his eyes forcibly removed, while he’s awake. Plenty of disintegrations, decapitations and death. One bright spot is seeing Jonathan Frakes and Steward together on screen. Riker is always a joy and has some great line delivery. I’d also love to build his pizza oven in my backyard. One day..
Picard Season 2: The Voyage (Sorta) Home
I came into the second season ready to overlook the numerous shortcoming of the first season. First seasons can often be shaky until a cast and crew finds their groove. Stewart has better energy and people spend less time bitching him out this season but the overall story still feels like something written as part of a middle-school writing contest for a free personal pan pizza. This season is a time travel plot that brings the characters to our near future, much like The Voyage Home. Also like The Voyage Home: Season 2 explores social commentary and contemporary issues such as the wild fires in the Western states, climate change in general, CBP abuses of illegal immigrants, poverty, healthcare & the pitfalls of late-stage capitalism. Unlike The Voyage Home, this season of Picard explores takes on these issues without any nuance, proposes no solutions and isn’t particularly fun. You never get “nuclear wessels” or “double-dumb-ass on you” moments that you got in The Voyage Home. You could watch the 1st, 2nd and final episode of Season 2 and not miss much. Worst of all, John Delancey never really shifts into the mischievous gear.
Star Trek Strange New Worlds
Star Trek Strange New Worlds is a refreshing entry to modern trek. The cast is great, the story is good, the enterprise looks amazing and the overall “feel” is Star Trek. It is a campy, optimistic romp through the stars and a true return to form for Star Trek.
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Video game series and multimedia franchise
This article is about the video game franchise. For the first game in the series, see Mortal Kombat (1992 video game). For other uses, see Mortal Kombat (disambiguation).
Video game series
Mortal KombatGenre(s)Fighting
Action-adventureDeveloper(s)Publisher(s)Creator(s)Platform(s)First releaseMortal Kombat
August 1992; 31 years agoLatest releaseMortal Kombat 1
September 19, 2023
Mortal Kombat is an American media franchise centered on a series of fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992.
The original Mortal Kombat arcade game spawned a franchise consisting of action-adventure games, a comic book series, a card game, films, an animated TV series, and a live-action tour. Mortal Kombat has become the best-selling fighting game franchise worldwide and one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
The series has a reputation for high levels of graphic violence, including, most notably, its fatalities, which are finishing moves that kill defeated opponents instead of knocking them out. Controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat, in part, led to the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) video game rating system. Early games in the series were noted for their realistic digitized sprites and an extensive use of palette swapping to create new characters. Following Midway's bankruptcy, the Mortal Kombat development team was acquired by Warner Bros. Entertainment and re-established as NetherRealm Studios.
Gameplay
[edit]
Further information: Fighting game
The original three games and their updates, Mortal Kombat (1992), Mortal Kombat II (1993), Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), and Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996), are 2D fighting games. The arcade cabinet versions of the first two used a joystick and five buttons: high punch, low punch, high kick, low kick, and block; Mortal Kombat 3 and its updates added a sixth "run" button.[1] Characters in the early Mortal Kombat games play virtually identically to one another, with the only major differences being their special moves.[2] Through the 1990s, the developer and publisher Midway Games kept their single-styled fighting moves with four attack buttons for a different array of punches, kicks and blocks. Mortal Kombat 4 was the first Mortal Kombat game in which the characters could move in three dimensions and the first to use 3D computer graphics. From Deadly Alliance to Mortal Kombat: Deception, characters had three fighting styles per character: two unarmed styles, and one weapon style.[3] While most of the styles used in the series are based on real martial arts, some are fictitious.[4] Goro's fighting styles, for example, are designed to take advantage of the fact that he has four arms. For Armageddon, fighting styles were reduced to a maximum of two per character (generally one hand-to-hand combat style and one weapon style) due to the sheer number of playable characters.[5] Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe dropped multiple fighting styles for most characters in favor of giving each character a wider variety of special moves[6][7] 2011's Mortal Kombat returned to a single 2D fighting plane, although characters are rendered in 3D;[8] unlike previous Mortal Kombat games, each of the controller's four attack buttons corresponds to one of the character's limbs, the buttons thus becoming front punch, back punch, front kick and back kick ("front" indicates the limb that is closer to the opponent, and "back" indicates the limb that is farther away from the opponent).
Mortal Kombat: Deception and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon feature "Konquest", a free-roaming action-adventure mode. Both games include distinct minigame modes such as "Chess Kombat", an action-strategy game. Two other bonus minigames, "Puzzle Kombat" inspired by Puzzle Fighter and "Motor Kombat" inspired by Mario Kart, feature super deformed versions of Mortal Kombat characters.[1] The games contain various unlockable content and hidden cheats.[9]
Finishing moves
[edit]
Main article: Fatality (Mortal Kombat)
One of the most notable features of the Mortal Kombat series is its brutal and gruesome finishing moves, known as "Fatalities". The basic Fatalities are finishing moves that allow the victorious characters to end a match by murdering their defeated, defenseless opponent.[12] Usually Fatalities are exclusive to each character, the exception being Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, which instead features Kreate-A-Fatality, a feature that allows players to perform their own Fatalities by conducting a series of violent moves chosen from a pool that is common to all characters.[1][13]
Other finishing moves in the various Mortal Kombat games include Animalities (introduced in Mortal Kombat 3), in which the victor turns into an animal to violently finish off the opponent;[14] Brutality (introduced in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3) which consists of bashing the opponent into pieces with a long combo of hits; and Stage Fatalities/Death Traps (introduced in the original Mortal Kombat Pit Stage where the victor can uppercut their opponent off of the platform into a bed of spikes below, later made more difficult in Mortal Kombat II by requiring a character-specific button sequence) utilizing parts of certain stages to execute a lethal finishing move (such as a pool of acid). Mortal Kombat: Deception added the Hara-Kiri, a move that allows the loser to perform a suicidal finishing move, giving way to a potential race between both players to see if the winner can finish off their opponent before they can kill themselves.[12][15]
There are two non-violent finishing moves in the series, which were introduced in Mortal Kombat II as a satire to controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat:[12] Friendship moves, which result in a display of friendship towards the enemy instead of slaughter,[16] and Babalities, which turn the opponent into a baby.[16][14]
Plot
[edit]
The series takes place in a fictional universe consisting of numerous realms which, according to in-game backstories, were created by an ancient, preternatural and ethereal pantheon of eternal supreme beings known as the Elder Gods. The Mortal Kombat: Deception manual described six of the realms as: "Earthrealm, home to such legendary heroes as Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Jax Briggs, and under the protection of the Thunder God Raiden; Netherrealm, the fiery depths of which are inhospitable to all but the most vile, a realm of demons and shadowy warriors such as Quan Chi and Noob Saibot; Outworld, a realm of constant strife which Emperor Shao Kahn claims as his own; Seido, the Realm of Order, whose inhabitants prize structure and order above all else; the Realm of Chaos, whose inhabitants do not abide by any rules whatsoever, and where constant turmoil and change are worshiped; and Edenia, which is known for its beauty, artistic expression, and the longevity of its inhabitants."[17][18] The Elder Gods decreed that the denizens of one realm could only conquer another realm by defeating the defending realm's greatest warriors in ten consecutive martial arts tournaments, called Mortal Kombat.
The first Mortal Kombat game takes place in Earthrealm (Earth) where seven different warriors with their own reasons for entering the tournament with the prize being the continued freedom of their realm under threat of a takeover by Outworld. Among the established warriors were Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade. With the help of the thunder god Raiden, the Earthrealm warriors were victorious, and Liu Kang became the new champion of Mortal Kombat.[19] In Mortal Kombat II, unable to deal with his minion Shang Tsung's failure, Outworld Emperor Shao Kahn lures the Earthrealm warriors to Outworld for a do-over, winner-take-all tournament, where Liu Kang eventually defeats Shao Kahn. By the time of Mortal Kombat 3, Shao Kahn merged Edenia with his empire and revived its former queen Sindel in Earthrealm, combining it with Outworld as well. He attempts to invade Earthrealm, but is ultimately defeated by Liu Kang once more. After the Kahn's defeat, Edenia was freed from his grasp and returned to a peaceful realm, ruled by Princess Kitana. The following game, Mortal Kombat 4, features the fallen elder god Shinnok attempting to conquer the realms and kill Raiden. He is defeated by Liu Kang.
In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, the evil sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung join forces to conquer the realms, killing series protagonist Liu Kang in the process. By Mortal Kombat: Deception, after several fights, the sorcerers emerge victorious, having killed most of Earthrealm's warriors until Raiden steps forth to oppose them. The Dragon King Onaga, former ruler of Outworld, returned to merge all realms back together, but was eventually defeated by the game's protagonist, Shujinko.[20]
In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, the titular catastrophe begins. Centuries before the first Mortal Kombat, Queen Delia foretold the realms would be destroyed because the power of all of the realms' warriors would rise to such greatness that it would overwhelm and destabilize the realms, triggering a destructive chain of events. King Argus had his sons, Taven and Daegon, put into incubation so one day they can be awakened to save the realms from Armageddon by defeating a firespawn known as Blaze. In the end, Shao Kahn is the one who defeats Blaze and wins the war, causing Armageddon.[21]
The crossover Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe does not share continuity with the other games. After the simultaneous defeats of both Shao Kahn and the alien warlord Darkseid in the DC Universe causes both villains to fuse into the entity "Dark Kahn", both the Mortal Kombat and DC Universes begin to merge. This brings the warriors and heroes into conflicts after suffering bouts of uncontrollable rage. The heroes and villains of both universes repeatedly battle each other, believing each other to be responsible for the catastrophe, until only Raiden and Superman remain. The two confront Dark Kahn and team up to defeat their common foe. After Dark Kahn's defeat, the two realms defuse, with Shao Kahn and Darkseid trapped in each other's universes to face eternal imprisonment.
In the 2011 Mortal Kombat soft reboot, the battle of Armageddon culminated in only two survivors: Shao Kahn and Raiden. On the verge of death by the former's hand, the latter sent visions to his past self in a last-ditch attempt to prevent this outcome. Upon receiving the visions, the past Raiden attempts to alter the timeline to avert Armageddon amidst the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, during the original game. His attempts to alter history mean that events play out differently to the original series. While he succeeds in preventing Shao Kahn's victory with help from the Elder Gods, he accidentally kills Liu Kang in self-defense and loses most of his allies to Queen Sindel, leaving Earthrealm vulnerable to Shinnok and Quan Chi's machinations.
Mortal Kombat X sees Shinnok and Quan Chi enacting their plan, leading an army of undead revenants of those that were killed in Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm. A team of warriors led by Raiden, Johnny Cage, Kenshi Takahashi, and Sonya Blade oppose them, and in the ensuing battle, Shinnok is imprisoned within his amulet and various warriors are resurrected and freed from his control, though Quan Chi escapes. Twenty-five years later, the sorcerer resurfaces alongside the insectoid D'Vorah to facilitate Shinnok's return. A vengeful Scorpion kills Quan Chi, but fails to stop him from freeing Shinnok. To combat him, Cassie Cage, daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, leads a team composed of the next generation of Earthrealm's heroes in defeating him. With Shinnok and Quan Chi defeated, Liu Kang and Kitana's revenants assume control of the Netherrealm while Raiden taps into Shinnok's amulet.
Mortal Kombat 11 and its expansion, Aftermath, sees the architect of time and Shinnok's mother, Kronika, working to alter the timeline following her son's defeat and Raiden's tampering with her work. In doing so, she brings past versions of the realm's heroes to the present, aligning herself with some while the rest work to defeat her. After nearly killing Liu Kang a second time, Raiden discovers Kronika has manipulated them into fighting across multiple timelines as she fears their combined power. Despite her interference and attacks by her minions, Raiden gives Liu Kang his power, turning him into a god of fire and thunder so he can defeat Kronika. In the Aftermath expansion, it is revealed that Liu Kang inadvertently destroyed Kronika's crown, the item needed to restart the timeline. Her defeat also revives Shang Tsung, who was absent in the base game due to his imprisonment by Kronika. To recover the crown, Liu Kang sends Shang Tsung and other Earthrealm heroes back in time to obtain it before Kronika, though Shang Tsung manipulates events so that he comes into possession of the crown. At the end, either Liu Kang or Shang Tsung becomes the Keeper of Time, depending on the player's choice (who they want to fight with in the final battle) and the outcome of the battle.
Mortal Kombat 1, the second reboot on the series' timeline, sees Lord Liu Kang has created his New Era and strives to maintain peace between all the realms. However, his plans begin to unravel when Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, despite his attempts to have them de-powered and unable to cause trouble, ally with General Shao in order to conquer Earthrealm and Outworld. Investigating the matter, Liu Kang discovers that the Shang Tsung from MK11: Aftermath is responsible, as Liu Kang's attempts to access the Hourglass' power resulted in a break where every character in Mortal Kombat's universe defeated Kronika and gained control of the Hourglass. In an attempt to stop the sorcerer from taking control of all of the multiple timelines, Liu Kang leads an army of good variations in an assault on Titan Shang Tsung's dimension, where, after an intense battle with all their evil counterparts, Liu Kang and a player-decided champion defeat him and erase his timeline from existence.
Characters
[edit]
Through its iterations, the series has featured scores of player characters, some of them becoming mainstays, such as Baraka, Cassie Cage, Cyrax, Ermac, Fujin, Goro, Jade, Jax, Johnny Cage, Kabal, Kano, Kenshi, Kintaro, Kitana, Kung Lao, Li Mei, Liu Kang, Mileena, Motaro, Nightwolf, Noob Saibot, Quan Chi, Raiden, Rain, Reptile, Scorpion, Sektor, Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, Sheeva, Shinnok, Sindel, Skarlet, Smoke, Sonya Blade, Stryker, Sub-Zero and Tanya. Among them are Earth's humans and cyborgs, good and evil deities, and denizens of Outworld and other realms.
Starting with Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, which featured several DC Universe heroes and villains, all subsequent games have included guest characters such as Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Kratos from the God of War franchise (exclusively for PlayStation 3), Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th franchise, the Xenomorph from Alien, Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, the titular character of Predator, the titular character of the Terminator franchise, the titular character of RoboCop, Spawn of Image Comics, Omni-Man from Image Comics's Invincible, John Rambo, Homelander from The Boys, and the Joker, who was previously in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, and Peacemaker (more specifically: the character from the DC Extended Universe and DC Universe), both from DC Comics.[citation needed]
Development
[edit]
Release timeline
Main series in bold
1992Mortal Kombat1993Mortal Kombat II19941995Mortal Kombat 3Ultimate Mortal Kombat 31996Mortal Kombat Trilogy1997Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-ZeroMortal Kombat 419981999Mortal Kombat Gold2000Mortal Kombat: Special Forces2001Mortal Kombat Advance2002Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance2003Mortal Kombat: Tournament2004Mortal Kombat: Deception2005Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks2006Mortal Kombat: ArmageddonMortal Kombat: Unchained2007Ultimate Mortal Kombat2008Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe200920102011Mortal KombatMortal Kombat Arcade Kollection2012Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition201320142015Mortal Kombat XMortal Kombat Mobile2016Mortal Kombat XL201720182019Mortal Kombat 112020Mortal Kombat 11: AftermathMortal Kombat 11: Ultimate20212022Mortal Kombat: Onslaught2023Mortal Kombat 1
Origins
[edit]
Mortal Kombat started development in 1991 with four people: Ed Boon (programming), John Tobias (art and story), John Vogel (graphics), and Dan Forden (sound design).[22][23] According to Mortal Kombat actors Richard Divizio and Daniel Pesina, the first game began as a ninja-themed project by John Tobias (a young new employee of Midway Games at the time) and them as well as Carlos Pesina, however their pitch to Tobias' boss Ed Boon was rejected by the management of Midway.[24] Midway was approached to create a video game adaptation of the then-upcoming 1992 film Universal Soldier, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme,[25] and Tobias imagined a fighting game featuring a digitized version of Van Damme.[26] Intending to make a game "a lot more hard edge, a little bit more serious, a little bit more like Enter the Dragon or Bloodsport" than contemporary cartoonish fighting games,[27] Tobias and Boon decided to continue their project even after the deal to use the Bloodsport license fell through.[28] The first of Mortal Kombat characters,[24] Johnny Cage (Daniel Pesina), became "a spoof on the whole Van Damme situation."[25] Divizio credits himself with convincing Tobias to go back to the original idea and trying again.[24]
It was the success of Capcom's Street Fighter II: The World Warrior that convinced Midway Games to let the team produce their own arcade fighting game, the genre chosen by Tobias for his game as to let him use as large digitized sprites as possible,[29] but there was not much influence by Street Fighter II on the project. According to Tobias, who cited 1984's Karate Champ as an inspiration,[30] they intentionally worked on making a game different from Capcom's title in every way.[29] Besides the digitized characters that differentiated it from its contemporaries' hand-drawn ones, one stark difference was in the very high amount of blood and violence. Capcom's senior director of communications later compared Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat by asking if the interviewer preferred the "precision and depth" of Street Fighter or the "gore and comedy" of Mortal Kombat and also stated that the Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat rivalry was considered similar to the Coke and Pepsi rivalry in the 1990s.[31]
John Tobias said that his inspirations for the game's story and characters came from Chinese mythology and some of the stories and rumored events about the Shaolin monks.[25] Regarding the film Big Trouble in Little China, Tobias wrote that although the film "kind of Americanized my obsession for supernatural kung fu films from China, it was not my biggest influence.[33] My biggest influences came from Tsui Hark films -- Zu Warriors & The Swordsman. We had to get them from bootleggers in Chicago's Chinatown."[34] In 1995, he said about their general process of designing characters for the series: "First we figure out the type, like she or he and will she/he be big or small. Then we'll get the theme of the characters, like ninja or robot. Then we'll design the costume, and while doing that we create the storyline and how s/he fits into the universe. Then we'll find an actor that kinda resembles our character."[35] Tobias' writing and artistic input on the series ended around 2000[29] following the release of Mortal Kombat 4. In 2012, he said: "I knew exactly what I was going to do with a future story. A few years ago, I [wrote] a sort of sequel to the first MK film and an advancement to the game's mythological roots."[36]
The title Mortal Kombat was the idea of pinball designer Steve Ritchie,[37] following difficulties trademarking the original title of Mortal Combat.[30] Since then, the series often intentionally misspells various words with the letter "K" in place of "C" for the hard C sound. According to Boon, during the Mortal Kombat games' development they usually spell such words correctly, only making the substitution when one of the developers suggests it.[38]
Graphics
[edit]
The characters of the original Mortal Kombat and its initial sequels were created using digitized sprites mostly based on filmed actors, as opposed to hand-drawn graphics.[39] Mortal Kombat games were known for their extensive use of palette swapping, which was used for the ninja characters; many of the most popular characters have originated as palette swaps.[40] In the first game, the male ninja fighters were essentially the same character; only the colors of their attire, fighting stance, and special techniques mark a difference.[40] Later games added further ninjas based on the same model, as well as several female ninja color swap characters initially also using just one base model. All of them gradually became very different characters in the following installments of the series. Eventually, Mortal Kombat 4 brought the series into 3D, replacing the digitized fighters of previous games with polygon models animated using motion capture technology.[41]
Hidden content
[edit]
Most series releases included secret characters, secret games, and other Easter eggs. The original game contained the hidden fighter Reptile, who could be fought by players if they fulfilled an exact set of requirements. A counter for ERMACS (short for error macros) on the game's audits screen was additionally interpreted by players as referring to a second hidden character named Ermac. Midway denied the character's existence in the series before adding him to Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 in response to the player rumors and feedback.[42][43]
Some Easter eggs originated from in-jokes among the series developers. One example is "Toasty", which was included in Mortal Kombat II in the form of an image of sound designer Dan Forden that randomly appeared in a lower corner of the screen after a player landed an uppercut.[44] Hidden games of Pong and Galaga were included in Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3, respectively.[45][14]
Games
[edit]
Overview over titles and versions in the Mortal Kombat series Title Release Original platform Ports Notes Mortal Kombat 1992 Arcade Various The original Mortal Kombat game. Mortal Kombat II 1993 Arcade Various Second main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat 3 1995 Arcade Various Third main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat II. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 1995 Arcade Various Upgraded version of Mortal Kombat 3. Mortal Kombat Trilogy 1996 PS1, N64 Saturn, Windows, Game.com, R-Zone Second upgraded version of Mortal Kombat 3. Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero 1997 PS1, N64 — First of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starring Sub-Zero. Prequel to the first Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat 4 1997 Arcade PS1, N64, Windows Fourth main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat 3. Last MK game to appear in arcades. Mortal Kombat Gold 1999 Dreamcast — Upgraded version of Mortal Kombat 4, made for the Sega Dreamcast only. Mortal Kombat: Special Forces 2000 PS1 — Second of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starring Jax. Prequel to the first Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat Advance 2001 GBA — The Game Boy Advance version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance 2002 PS2, Xbox, GCN GBA Fifth main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat 4. Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition 2003 GBA — The second GBA version of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Mortal Kombat: Deception 2004 PS2, Xbox, GCN — Sixth main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks 2005 PS2, Xbox — Third of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up video game starring Liu Kang and Kung Lao, set in an alternate timeline between Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon 2006 PS2, Xbox Wii (2007) Seventh main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat: Deception, and the final title of the original main series. Mortal Kombat: Unchained 2006 PSP — The PlayStation Portable version of Deception. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 2007 NDS — Re-release of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 on the Nintendo DS with additional features. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe 2008 PS3, Xbox 360 — Eighth main game. A non-canonical crossover set in an alternate timeline between Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3. Mortal Kombat 2011 PS3, Xbox 360 PS Vita (2012), Windows (2013) Ninth main game. A reboot story containing plots from the first three games (story mode takes place after the events of Armageddon). An upgraded version containing all DLCs released as Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition. Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection 2011 PS3, Xbox 360 Windows (2012) A compilation of Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 with online play. Mortal Kombat X 2015 PS4, Xbox One,[46] Windows Android, iOS Tenth main game. Sequel to 2011's Mortal Kombat. An upgraded version containing all DLCs released as Mortal Kombat XL. Mortal Kombat Mobile 2015 Android, iOS, iPadOS — Mobile version of Mortal Kombat X, this free-to-play mobile game has received updates well into the 2020s.[47] Mortal Kombat 11 2019 Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, PS4, Xbox One,[48] Windows PS5 (2020), Xbox Series X/S (2020) Eleventh main game. Sequel to Mortal Kombat X. An expansion titled Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath was released in 2020. An upgraded version containing all DLCs released as Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate. Mortal Kombat: Onslaught 2022 Android, iOS — Fourth of four spin-off games. An action-adventure beat 'em up role-playing game.[49] Set in an alternate timeline between Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11. Mortal Kombat 1 2023 PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Windows TBA Twelfth main game. The continuation of Mortal Kombat 11 and series' second reboot.
Main series
[edit]
The original Mortal Kombat game was released by Midway in arcades during October 1992, and has been ported to several console and home computer systems, with early ports released by Acclaim Entertainment.[50] The sequel, Mortal Kombat II, was released for arcades in 1993, featuring an increased roster and improved graphics and gameplay, then ported to the numerous home systems in 1993–1995, released again by Acclaim.[51] Mortal Kombat 3 followed in 1995 in both arcade and home versions.[52] Mortal Kombat 3 received two updates which expanded the number of characters and other features from the game: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, released that same year in arcades,[53] and Mortal Kombat Trilogy, released for home consoles the following year.[54] The following game, Mortal Kombat 4, was released in 1997, and marked the jump of the series to 3D rendered graphics instead of the digitized 2D graphics used in previous games. Mortal Kombat 4 was ported to the PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Microsoft Windows. Mortal Kombat 4 was the last Mortal Kombat game released for arcades. Its updated version titled Mortal Kombat Gold was released for the Dreamcast in 1999.
At this point that the series started being targeted at consoles only. Also the series' naming scheme changed to favor the use of sub-titles instead of numbered installments, beginning with Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance in 2002.[55] Deadly Alliance was released initially for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube.[56][57][58] Deadly Alliance was also the first Mortal Kombat game to feature fully 3D gameplay, where up to Mortal Kombat 4 the gameplay had stayed in a 2D plane; this trend would continue for the following two games.
The next sequel was 2004's Mortal Kombat: Deception, released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube.[59][60][61] Its port for the PlayStation Portable, Mortal Kombat: Unchained, was released in 2006.[62] Mortal Kombat: Armageddon was published in 2006 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and in 2007 for the Wii.[63][64][65]
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a non-canonical crossover fighting game between the Mortal Kombat franchise and DC Comics, was released in 2008 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[66][67]
A ninth game in the series, a reboot titled Mortal Kombat, was developed by the former Midway Games, now known as NetherRealm Studios.[68] It was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, and was ported to the PlayStation Vita in 2012 and Microsoft Windows in 2013. Downloadable content became a feature of games in the series at this time. Its first sequel, Mortal Kombat X, was released in 2015 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, and marked a return to numbered sequels. This was paired with the first Mortal Kombat game for tablet and smartphones, Mortal Kombat Mobile. A follow-up, Mortal Kombat 11, was released in 2019 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows. A sequel to Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 1, released in September 2023.[69]
Spin-off games
[edit]
Besides the fighting games, there are three action-adventure titles that work as spin-offs from the Mortal Kombat storyline. Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero was released in 1997 for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64;[70][71] its story is focused on the first incarnation character of Sub-Zero and is focused in the timeline before the first Mortal Kombat game. The next action game was Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, released in 2000 for the PlayStation, starring Major Jackson Briggs in his mission to destroy the Black Dragon.[72] Both games were critically panned (although the reception of Mythologies was more mediocre). Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, developed by Midway Studios Los Angeles, was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox, starring Liu Kang and Kung Lao and telling an alternate version of the events between the first and second Mortal Kombat games. A similar game entitled Mortal Kombat: Fire & Ice, which was to star Scorpion and again Sub-Zero, was canceled when the developers of Shaolin Monks "couldn't do it in time and under budget".[73] On October 18, 2022, Mortal Kombat: Onslaught was announced; it is a role-playing game released in 2023 for Android and iOS. NetherRealm said it would be a cinematic experience and also it will be loyal to its core visceral nature.[74]
Other media
[edit]
Films
[edit]
Animated
[edit]
An animated prequel to 1995's Mortal Kombat film, titled Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, was released direct-to-video in the same year as the live-action film.[75]
A series of direct-to-video films titled Mortal Kombat Legends began in 2020 as a co-production between Warner Bros. Animation and either Studio Mir or Digital eMation. The first, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, was released in April 2020, as the first R-rated Mortal Kombat film.[76] The second film, Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, was released in August 2021.[77] The third film, Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, was released on October 11, 2022.[78] A fourth film, Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match, was released on October 17, 2023.[79]
Live-action
[edit]
Mortal Kombat was adapted into two major motion pictures, Mortal Kombat (1995) and Mortal Kombat Annihilation (1997), both released by New Line Cinema. The first film was released on August 18, 1995, grossing $23 million on its first weekend.[80] Despite mixed reviews from critics, Mortal Kombat became a financial success, grossing approximately $70 million in the U.S. and over $122 million worldwide; the film gained a cult following amongst fans of the video game series with Robin Shou, Linden Ashby, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Bridgette Wilson, Talisa Soto and Christopher Lambert starring, and its success launched the Hollywood career of its director, Paul W. S. Anderson.[81] Mortal Kombat Annihilation was directed by John R. Leonetti with Shou and Soto as the only two returning from the first film. The film received a poor reception by critics, grossing $36 million in the U.S. and $51 million worldwide.[82]
In 2010, director Kevin Tancharoen released an eight-minute short film titled Mortal Kombat: Rebirth,[83] made as a proof of concept for Tancharoen's pitch of a reboot film franchise to Warner Bros. Pictures.[84] Tancharoen later confirmed that the unofficial short featured the writing of Oren Uziel, who at the time was rumored to be writing the screenplay for a third Mortal Kombat film.[85] In September 2011, New Line and Warner Bros. announced that Tancharoen had signed on to direct a new feature-length film from a screenplay written by Uziel,[86] with the intention of aiming for an R rating.[87] Shooting was expected to begin in March 2012 with a budget of well under $100 million (projected at between $40–50 million[88]) and a release date of 2013,[89][90] but was ultimately delayed due to budget constraints. Tancharoen quit the production in October 2013.[91]
A reboot, Mortal Kombat (2021), was released on April 23, 2021, to mixed reviews, grossing over $84 million worldwide from theaters while also releasing simultaneously on the streaming service HBO Max.[92][93] Production restarted on a reboot in 2015 when James Wan joined to produce and director Simon McQuoid joined the following year.[94][95][96] The script was written by Greg Russo and David Callaham with Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, and Hiroyuki Sanada starring.[97] A sequel is in development with McQuoid returning as director and with a screenplay written by Jeremy Slater.[98][99]
Characters Films Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat
Annihilation Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat 2 1995 1997 2021 2025 Raiden Christopher Lambert James Remar Tadanobu Asano Liu Kang Robin Shou Ludi Lin Johnny Cage Linden Ashby Chris Conrad Karl Urban Shang Tsung Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Chin Han Sonya Blade Bridgette Wilson Sandra Hess Jessica McNamee Kitana Talisa Soto Adeline Rudolph Kano Trevor Goddard Josh Lawson Scorpion Chris Casamassa J. J. Perry Hiroyuki Sanada Ed Boon (voice) Sub-Zero I/Noob Saibot François Petit J. J. Perry Joe Taslim Reptile Keith Cooke CGI Frank Welker (voice) Goro Tom Woodruff, Jr. Angus Sampson (voice) Kevin Michael Richardson (voice) Frank Welker (voice) Jax Gregory McKinney Lynn Red Williams Mehcad Brooks Shao Kahn Frank Welker (voice) Brian Thompson Martyn Ford Shinnok Reiner Schöne Sindel Musetta Vander Ana Thu Nguyen Jade Irina Pantaeva Tati Gabrielle Motaro Deron McBee Sheeva Marjean Holden Sub-Zero II Keith Cooke Nightwolf Litefoot Ermac John Medlen Cyrax J. J. Perry Rain Tyrone Wiggins Baraka Dennis Keiffer CJ. Bloomfield Smoke Ridley Tsui Mileena Dana Hee Sisi Stringer Cole Young* Lewis Tan Kung Lao Max Huang Kabal Daniel Nelson Damon Herriman (voice) Reiko Nathan Jones Nitara Mel Jarnson
* Cole Young is a film-exclusive character who has not appeared in any of the games.
Print media
[edit]
Comics
[edit]
Midway published official one-shot issues based on Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II, which were written and illustrated by Tobias and set prior to the storylines of both games. From 1994 to 1995, Malibu Comics published a licensed series consisting of two six-issue miniseries in addition to one-shot specials and miniseries dedicated to specific characters. Special tie-in issues were packaged with the PC release of Mortal Kombat 4 and for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, respectively.[100] A Mortal Kombat X series by DC Comics, set before the game's events, ran from January to September 2015 with three miniseries of twelve issues that were released weekly in 36 chapter installments.
Novels
[edit]
A novel titled Mortal Kombat was written by Jeff Rovin and published in 1995, and featured an original plot that preceded the events of the first game.[101] Novelizations of both Mortal Kombat feature films were written by Martin Delrio and Jerome Preisler, respectively.
Music
[edit]
Mortal Kombat: The Album, a techno album based on the first game, was created for Virgin America by Lords of Acid members Praga Khan and Oliver Adams as The Immortals in 1994.[102] Its iconic theme "Techno Syndrome", incorporating the "Mortal Kombat!" yell first shown in the Mortal Kombat commercial for home systems, was released in 1993 as a single and was used as a theme music for the Mortal Kombat film series. Each film had their own soundtracks (including the hit and award-winning compilation album Mortal Kombat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), as had the second video game (Mortal Kombat II: Music from the Arcade Game Soundtrack). The 2011 video game saw the release of Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors, a new soundtrack album featuring electronic music by various artists.
Television
[edit]
Animated
[edit]
An animated series titled Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm was released in 1996. It ran for one season and received negative reviews.
Live-action
[edit]
Main articles: Mortal Kombat: Conquest and Mortal Kombat: Legacy
In 1998, Mortal Kombat: Conquest was released. It lasted one season.[75] In 2010, Warner Premiere ordered a web series inspired by the Rebirth short, titled Mortal Kombat: Legacy and also directed by Kevin Tancharoen.[103] The series' first season was released for free on YouTube starting in April 2011, promoted by Machinima.com,[104] and the second season arrived in 2013.[105]
In 2014, Blue Ribbon Content had been developing a live-action series that was to tie in with Mortal Kombat X for a planned 2016 release, titled Mortal Kombat: Generations. The series, however, was not released.[106][107]
Stage show
[edit]
Main article: Mortal Kombat: Live Tour
A stage show titled Mortal Kombat: Live Tour was launched at the end of 1995, expanded to 1996, and featured Mortal Kombat characters in a theatrical display on stage.
Collectible card games
[edit]
BradyGames produced the collectible card game Mortal Kombat Kard Game in 1995.[108] The Duelist called the game a "worse clone" of Magic: the Gathering.[109] Score Entertainment's 2005 collectible card game Epic Battles also used some of the Mortal Kombat characters.
Reception
[edit]
Aggregate review scores
As of June 18, 2019. Game GameRankings Metacritic Mortal Kombat (GEN) 84.17%[110]
(SNES) 83.33%[111]
(SCD) 60.00%[112]
(GB) 42.17%[113] – Mortal Kombat II (SNES) 85.87%[114]
(GEN) 85.62%[115]
(PS3) 68.40%[116]
(GB) 64.50%[117]
(SAT) 57.50%[118] (PS3) 72[119] Mortal Kombat 3 (SNES) 80.23%[120]
(GEN) 76.67%[121]
(PS1) 70.33%[122] – Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (PS1) 53.20%[123]
(N64) 44.84%[124] – Mortal Kombat 4 (N64) 76.07%[125]
(PS1) 75.75%[126]
(PC) 72.14%[127]
(DC) 54.97%[128]
(GBC) 46.00%[129] – Mortal Kombat: Special Forces (PS1) 40.23%[130] (PS1) 28[131] Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (GBA) 84.63%[132]
(Xbox) 82.68%[133]
(PS2) 81.99%[134]
(GC) 81.82%[135] (GBA) 81[136]
(Xbox) 81[137]
(GC) 81[138]
(PS2) 79[139] Mortal Kombat: Deception (PS2) 82.00%[140]
(Xbox) 81.31%[141]
(GC) 77.43%[142]
(PSP) 70.88%[143] (PS2) 81[144]
(Xbox) 81[145]
(GC) 77[146]
(PSP) 70[147] Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (Xbox) 80.64%[148]
(PS2) 78.70%[149] (Xbox) 78[150]
(PS2) 77[151] Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (Xbox) 77.39%[152]
(PS2) 75.33%[153]
(Wii) 72.49%[154] (Xbox) 77[155]
(PS2) 75[156]
(Wii) 71[157] Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (PS3) 77.87%[158]
(X360) 74.55%[159] (PS3) 76[160]
(X360) 72[161] Mortal Kombat (Vita) 87.31%[162]
(PS3) 86.09%[163]
(X360) 85.67%[164] (X360) 86[165]
(Vita) 85[165]
(PS3) 84[166] Mortal Kombat X (XONE) 85.97%[167]
(PS4) 84.18%[168]
(PC) 75.20%[169] (XONE) 86[170]
(PS4) 83[171]
(PC) 76[172] Mortal Kombat 11 - (PS4) 82[173]
(XONE) 86[174]
(PC) 82[175]
(NS) 78[176] Mortal Kombat: Onslaught
Sales
[edit]
Mortal Kombat has been one of the most successful fighting game franchises in video game history, previously only trailing Bandai Namco's Tekken, Capcom's Street Fighter, and Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. As of 2021, it has surpassed the competitor fighting game franchises in worldwide lifetime series sales. It generated more than $4 billion by the late 1990s[177] and $5 billion in total revenue by 2000.[178] A particularly successful game was Mortal Kombat II, which had unprecedented opening week sales figures never seen before in the video game industry, for the first time beating the box office numbers of summer hit films.[179] The Mortal Kombat games, however, have not been localized in Japan after the Super Famicom release of Mortal Kombat II, due to content guidelines against depictions of blood, gore and dismemberment (Tobias blaming their "very americanized" character design[180]).
Mortal Kombat games have sold more than 6 million units by 1994[181] and 26 million by 2007,[22] and the figure has exceeded 30 million by 2012.[182] As of 2022, the franchise had sold about 79 million units.[183]
Ratings, reviews, and awards
[edit]
The 2008 edition of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition awarded the Mortal Kombat series with seven world records, including "most successful fighting game series".[184] The franchise holds ten world records in the 2011 Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition, including the "largest promotional campaign for a fighting video game" (Mortal Kombat 3), "highest grossing film based on a beat ‘em up video game" (Mortal Kombat 1996), and "most successful video game spin-off soundtrack album" (Mortal Kombat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).[185]
Numerous publications described it as one of the most important and also most violent series in the history of video games; in 2011, the staff of GameSpy wrote "its place in fighting game history is undeniable".[186] In 2009, GameTrailers ranked Mortal Kombat as the ninth top fighting game franchise[187] as well as the seventh bloodiest series of all time.[188] In 2012, Complex ranked Mortal Kombat as 37th best video game franchise overall, commenting on its "legendary status in video game history".[189] Mortal Kombat as a series was also ranked as the goriest video game ever by CraveOnline in 2009 and by G4tv.com in 2011;[190][191] including it on their list of the goriest games, Cheat Code Central commented that "Mortal Kombat had enough gore to simultaneously offend a nation and change gaming forever."[192]
Legacy and cultural impact
[edit]
According to IGN, during the 1990s "waves of imitators began to flood the market, filling arcades with a sea of blood from games like Time Killers, Survival Arts, and Guardians of the Hood. Mortal Kombat had ushered in an era of exploitation games, both on consoles and in arcades, all engaging in a battle to see who can cram the most blood and guts onto a low-res screen."[1] Notable Mortal Kombat clones, featuring violent finishing moves and/or digitized sprites, included Bio F.R.E.A.K.S., BloodStorm, Cardinal Syn, Catfight, Eternal Champions, Kasumi Ninja, Killer Instinct, Mace: The Dark Age, Primal Rage, Street Fighter: The Movie, Tattoo Assassins, Thrill Kill, Ultra Vortek, Way of the Warrior, and Midway's own War Gods.[193][194] John Tobias commented: "Some of the copycat products back then kind of came and went because, on the surface level, the violence will attract some attention, but if there's not much to the product behind it, you're not going to last very long."[30]
In a 2009 poll by GamePro, 21% of voters chose Mortal Kombat as their favorite fighting game series, ranking it third after Street Fighter and Tekken.[195] In 2012, Capcom's Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono said he is getting a lot of requests for Street Fighter vs. Mortal Kombat and understands why people want it, "but it's easier said than done. Having Chun Li getting her spine ripped out, or Ryu's head bouncing off the floor...it doesn't necessarily match."[196] In 2014, martial artist Frankie Edgar opined Mortal Kombat has been far superior to Street Fighter.[197]
The series and its characters are also referenced in the various other works of popular culture, such as in the title of Powerglove's debut album Metal Kombat for the Mortal Man and the Workaholics episode "Model Kombat". According to Complex in 2012, "Years ago, Mortal Kombat became a phenomenon far outside gaming circles alone. Its name has become recognizable enough to be name dropped on sitcoms (Malcolm in the Middle and Married... with Children), found in movies (Christian Slater plays Mortal Kombat 4 in Very Bad Things), and used as part of cultural studies (see Justine Cassell and Henry Jenkins' book From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games)."[27] It was also featured in the film The Doom Generation. The name "Mortal Kombat" was even given to a dangerous illegal recreational drug that was introduced and caused multiple fatalities in early 2014.[198]
In 2012, Tobias said: "If you look at any other pop culture phenomenon—like if you look at the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, for instance—it became popular at the time right around when Mortal Kombat became popular, and it had its highs and lows, and here they are once again talking about a major motion picture. That's because of its place in pop culture. It's always there for someone to pick up, polish off, blow the dust off of it, and re-release it. And Mortal Kombat will always be that way. It'll be around 50 years from now."[30]
Competitive play
[edit]
Fighting games have been a popular genre among tournaments since the late 1990s. Mortal Kombat has its place in some of the world's biggest fighting game tournaments including Evo and Combo Breaker, as well as many local and online tournaments around the world. Since the 2011 Mortal Kombat game was released, the game has been one of the most popular games at these events. Between 2014 and 2017, the game was mostly absent from the tournament scene, due to NetherRealm Studios being focused on their Injustice series as their top priority;[199] Mortal Kombat games returned to Combo Breaker in 2018.[200]
Controversies
[edit]
Main article: Controversies surrounding Mortal Kombat
The series was subject of a major video game controversy[201] and several court cases, largely related to its extremely violent content, especially in relation to the original game which paved a way for the introduction of the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) game rating system in 1994 as well as the Australian Classification Board.[28][202][203][204][205] Various games in the series, as well as advertisements for them, have been censored or banned in a number of countries. According to SuperData Research CEO Joost van Dreunen, "Because of the obvious rift between gamers on the one hand and adult society on the other, Mortal Kombat set the tone for what constituted gamer culture."[206]
In Germany, every Mortal Kombat game was banned for ten years from its release until 2015. Mortal Kombat (2011) is also banned in South Korea, and was banned in Australia until February 2013. Mortal Kombat 11 is banned in Indonesia, Japan, China and Ukraine.[207][208]
See also
[edit]
List of best-selling video game franchises
DC Universe
List of fighting games
Happy Tree Friends
Violence and video games
List of controversial video games
Video game controversies
References
[edit]
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https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/45966/1/top-boy-oral-history-interview-ashley-walters-kano-little-simz-netflix
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The entire history of Top Boy, as told by its stars
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2023-09-07T14:57:00+00:00
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Britain’s favourite street drama is back from the dead – we go deep on its past, present and future with the team that live and breathe it
|
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/favicon.ico
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Dazed
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https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/45966/1/top-boy-oral-history-interview-ashley-walters-kano-little-simz-netflix
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Britain’s favourite street drama is back from the dead – we go deep on its past, present and future with the team that live and breathe it
TextCiaran Thapar
This article was originally published on September 13, 2019
Never has a television show pierced London’s glitzy PR bubble like Top Boy. In 2011, its first four episodes aired on consecutive days on Channel 4 and opened an audience’s eyes to the dark, hidden world of poverty, violence and drug-dealing that has long existed amongst the most disaffected communities dotted across the capital city. The show not only dented the form in which British crime dramas are presented, introducing a depth and sensitivity to characters that was previously unseen before. It also granted an entire generation of otherwise underrepresented multicultural young people, growing up in the inner-city, an authentic reference point from which to draw creative inspiration and empowerment. Top Boy thus marked a historic moment in the progress of mainstream British entertainment. A new style was born: one that pieced-together grand, multi-dimensional narratives and threads of social commentary from The Wire with local, slang-laden themes of tragic adolescence, similar to those explored in cult classics Kidulthood and Bullet Boy.
Alongside a range of other characters – many of them enacted by fellow respected rap and grime MCs – partners-in-crime Ashley Walters’ Dushane and Kane Robinson’s Sully immediately became a believably compatible, fiercely wholesome pair of storytelling legends. Their characters were quickly seen as archetypes for exploring the deep power-struggles, overlooked vulnerabilities and rational, if ruthless, decision-making of territorial gangsters in the modern urban landscape.
Two years later, after huge demand for the further expansion of the show’s complex universe flared-up, four more episodes aired to continued critical acclaim. Screenwriter Ronan Bennett, who conceived of the show’s premise after seeing a 12-year-old boy dealing drugs in 2009 in Hackney, East London — where he lives, and the show is set — has written of how the struggles in his own life – such as raising two children after losing his wife to cancer – bled into the tone of the scripts as he wrote them. Despite the show’s humble length, Top Boy’s compassionately constructed ethical universe leaves the viewer no choice but to empathise with the innocent, corrupting teenagers Ra’Nell and Gem. We see wider forces at play and emotional breakdown take its toll on the lives of Ra’Nell’s mentally ill mother Lisa, and desperate local resident Heather, as they try to survive amongst hostile, uncomfortably realistic circumstances with little help or hope.
Then the show was discontinued. Nobody knew if Top Boy would return. Questions arose, from an audience hungry for more plots and twists, and a storm of unrest developed on social media. What did Top Boy’s unfinished state mean for its characters? More broadly, what did it say about the value placed upon the stories and experiences that come from the most shadowy, neglected margins of austerity Britain?
Six years later, Drake intervened, and the rapper stepped in to help spark interest from Netflix. Now, there is a new Top Boy in town, and we are being invited back to the concrete nooks of Summerhouse. Across ten episodes, granting more space than ever to build and explore lives coexisting in a city experiencing crescendoing gentrification, harsher immigration laws, festering inequality, a youth violence epidemic and developed “county lines” operations, all the familiar faces, and more, have returned. Here is the most potent dose of London realism our screens will have seen for a long time, and now it’s on the world stage. Featuring the likes of rappers Dave and Little Simz, and new star Micheal Ward as one-to-watch, Top Boy is as gripping as ever. I sat down with some of the people involved to talk about the tumultuous journey so far.
CONTENTS
Skip to:
TOP BOY: SUMMERHOUSE (THE FIRST TWO SEASONS)
CREATION
DUSHANE & SULLY
THE RETURN
WHAT IT MEANS TO LONDONERS
TOP BOY NETFLIX (THE THIRD COMING)
DRAKE
NEW SEASON
NEW CHARACTERS
TUNES VS TV
TOP BOY: SUMMERHOUSE (THE FIRST TWO SEASONS)
CREATION
Ashley Walters: After I finished Bullet Boy (2004), and won awards for it, every role I was being offered was the same. I wanted to do different things. My agent and I made a conscious decision that we wouldn’t accept any of those roles any more. There were not a lot of roles for a black man like myself that were different. Then Top Boy came. I read the script and I loved that the characters were human. It was at a time when knife and gun crime was really prevalent in the media, and I felt there was a story that wasn’t being told: how people got to the place where they were shooting or stabbing someone. I wanted to explore that. Top Boy didn’t try to glamorise anything. It gave it to you how it was. But it also dealt with mental health, social situations, immigration. At that point it was a no-brainer, although — and Yann hates me telling people this — he didn’t initially want me for the role. Which was fair enough, because they wanted new talent. Anyway, I assume I did well enough in my audition, and that was that.
What else stood out about the Top Boy script for you?
Ashley Walters: Imagine growing up and you’re watching The Godfather, or Sopranos, and they are so structured, and the way these characters commit these crimes is that they have leaders, lieutenants, lookouts. But every show about UK road men always portrays them as just scatterbrain idiots who go out and shoot people. I always knew there was a structure, that there was hierarchy behind it. Top Boy was the first time it was put out there. So you saw that as bad as the things they were doing were, actually these are quite methodical guys. Maybe not Sully in the first season, but certainly Dushane. The subject matter is not something I necessarily want to promote but it was good to see it was being dealt with properly.
Kane Robinson: My manager told me about it, and initially I said, nah, I don’t want to do this! Acting isn't my thing! But I read the script and I was pissed because I liked it, and I realised I would have to open the door to a new world and audition. Des, the casting director believed I could do it, but I still had to convince a lot of people — the director, the producers. I started digging and found out about Yann Demange. I knew then that he would bring a certain level of authenticity, so then it was my job to bring that to my character. I pride myself in telling the truth and keeping it real. It has to feel right. It was quite difficult at the beginning, knowing what I wanted to do but not necessarily having the technical ability to do it. But the intention was there and my innocence probably helped on camera. I might look back at it now and think, why did I do that? But I think that wanting to be truthful was there from the beginning. It’s a world, and a part of London, that I know from coming up — I know people from East London who were involved in crime and went to prison, for all different reasons — so it was about tapping into my life experience and bringing that to the camera to do it justice.
“You say to people: here’s the world, I’m not going to beat you over the head and say here are the lessons you must learn from this. But I’d like to think when you watch it you get a sense of what the problems with this world are, and why this world exists” – Ronan Bennett
You’ve written about how you started researching and writing the Top Boy script after seeing a young boy drug-dealing in Hackney. Why was this such a defining moment? How did you go from that into getting the show commissioned?
Ronan Bennett: It was just seeing this little kid, quite vulnerable and small. I went over to talk to him, he was suspicious to begin with, he thought I was a cop, and he wanted money. I spoke to my friend Jerry Jackson, who is now story consultant on Top Boy. He put me in touch with some people to interview. And the first person was a young lad, who then afterwards just disappeared — I don’t know what happened to him. He was so open about his experiences, and kind of sad. There is a scene in Season 1 where Dushane turns a corner and bumps into his dad and he’s not bothered. That came from what this guy told me. He went into the mechanics of dealing and so on, and told me how people had come round to shoot him at one point, and his mother fought them off.
By then, The Wire had been on a couple of seasons, and obviously that was important, too. I think broadcasters feel comfortable if they know it has been done before on some level. I specifically said that this is from the road men’s point of view, and their families’, not the police, like The Wire. And when I’d spoken to three of these young men, I saw that there was great material here. They were incredibly open about their experiences They’d be doing drug deals on the phone whilst we did the interviews. I knew that world must have existed on some level. But I’ve never taken drugs so I came to it as a virgin. Once I got the material gathered, the script was commissioned at the BBC. I wrote it, but it didn’t go anywhere because the head of drama there didn’t think it would fit. So for me then the project was over before it had even started. Then I met my producing partners at Cowboy, we went into Channel 4 and it was greenlit.
What was the most important thing to think about whilst creating Top Boy?
Ronan Bennett: When I’m writing a screenplay, the most important thing I have to communicate is a good story. That’s always the first thing, my biggest responsibility, it’s wanting the reader to turn the page and be interested in the characters I’ve created. Then after that you create a world. In this case, it is East London and estates and gangs, and their families. And then you say to people: here’s the world, I’m not going to beat you over the head and say here are the lessons you must learn from this. But I’d like to think when you watch it you get a sense of what the problems with this world are, and why this world exists.
DUSHANE & SULLY
Ashley Walters: Kane and I met a few times before, but the first time we properly connected was at the Top Boy casting. I’d already been cast for the part, and it was the Sully reading day and I’d gone in and read with four different people, and then Kane came in. Obviously I knew of him but I didn’t really expect him to be all that, to be honest! But he blew me away. It was a scene with me and him in the market, talking about something casual that turns slightly heated. He grabbed me and pushed me up against the wall, and I was like, OK! We understood straight away that he understood how to leave himself at the door and embody the character.
Kane Robinson: Before we went into the room for the final casting, Des pulled me aside and said: look, everyone thinks you’re good, but because of your calm demeanour, they wanna know whether you can switch, because this guy is a character who will just lose it at any moment. Then he told me: it’s my room, everything in that room can be replaced. That table, it can be replaced. So he basically said go for it! I went in and went mad in there!
Tell me about your character, Dushane.
Ashley Walters: Dushane feels like he can achieve a world where all these things could be happening, drugs could be sold, without violence and without bodies all the time. I like the idea that this guy wants to be this kingpin, but he also wants to feed his community – his idea was about bringing up his community with himself. He is slightly selfish because the motivation behind that is for him to keep his position. If you’re feeding everyone and everyone’s bellies are full, noone is coming to rob you; noone is coming to take you off the top.
To what extent do you channel your own experiences growing up to play the role?
Ashley Walters: We grew up in similar areas, I grew up in Peckham, and Top Boy is set in Hackney. So the backdrop and settings are not that different. I didn’t go for a life in drug-dealing, but I suppose how I’ve had to hustle is not that far removed from the hustle that is the drug-game. Not giving up, having a goal, hitting those incremental steps on the way to get there. And without being immersed in it like I was growing up, I don’t think I could have played the part. I had to research: I’d call up my friends and ask them, would you say that? I spent a lot of time leaning on people I knew growing up, stories I heard.
“When I came onto set it was difficult for me because it was such a new world. People would say to me: you’re used to being in music videos, and being in front of the camera, but this was different. I struggled a bit in the first couple of weeks” – Kane Robinson
How did you prepare to act for the show?
Kane Robinson: When I came onto set it was difficult for me because it was such a new world. People would say to me: you’re used to being in music videos, and being in front of the camera, but this was different. I struggled a bit in the first couple of weeks, but I met up with Yann and he showed me some scenes and he pointed out things I was doing well and things I could improve on. And that really helped me. From that point on I felt I got it. Things like being present in a scene when you haven’t got lines. I remember moments when Ashley was talking, I was stood still because I didn’t want my mic to rustle! Silly things like that. Because I’m a studio recording artist, I’m thinking about noise and sound and microphones. I was learning on the job, and I’m still learning on the job. And that’s why Ashley is wicked for that because I’m sure he did way more workshopping than he needed to. Or I might want to get in early and run lines with him when he already knows them, but he’s really good with the younger cast and the first time acting cast, and the ones like me who are kind of annoying.
THE RETURN
Ashley Walters: Going into the second season there was a huge shift because as far as I know there wasn’t supposed to be one. It was just going to be a four part drama that hit hard and that was it. But obviously the formula that worked in the beginning stuck. We all wanted to see what happens. What are these guys gonna do with their money? What is their end game? So in season 2 we started to explore Dushane’s money and what his plans were for the future. That’s why the character with the lawyer was brought in, she introduced Dushane to the property developers. He was potentially going to invest in Summerhouse, in his own community, which I thought was a good progression for the character. A lot of people are out there selling drugs and making money and they have no goal or end game. And I think those are the people who end up dead or in jail, or back to square one. Dushane is always looking for the next thing; he is the sort of character who could work his way into politics eventually, because more than anything he is a leader, he’s not a skilled killer, he’s not a skilled crack-maker. Those are not his strengths. He leads people, and doesn’t always need to use force to get them to do things.
Ronan Bennett: Season 1 went out across four consecutive nights and the reviews were fantastic. Channel 4 got a really good audience, and the demographic of the audience was young, diverse. Broadcasters chase that audience. Nobody under-30 watches live TV any more, but they did then. There was a huge buzz and excitement about it. For season 2 it was a question of how to expand the world and move the characters along. I have to tell you that writing that season [with everything I had going on in my life], I honestly don’t remember a lot about that time. It’s such a blur to me now. The thing I am very aware of is that the ending of season 2 is really quite harsh. Season 1 and 3 have more hope. Just because of where I was at that time for season 2, it worked dramatically for storytelling, but it was a hard thing to ask the audience to do. I guess you write what’s in your head and heart at the time.
WHAT IT MEANS TO LONDONERS
What role did Top Boy play in your life as a teenager?
Little Simz: I remember feeling like: there’s something on television which represents us and where we come from, our culture, our story, our background. And I remember all my peers, we were all hyped and super excited for it, it was so close to home, and we could connect and relate to it. I grew up in North London around a lot of the things you see in Top Boy. I loved that the show didn’t glamourise anything. It showed why these people make the decisions they make.
Micheal Ward: From when I was young, Top Boy is something I’ve always watched. There’s even a tweet I sent out in 2013, saying: “I can’t wait for Top Boy”! — it’s crazy because I’ve put it out there in the world and now it’s happened, and I’m a part of it. Also, when I first met my agent he asked me what I’d like to be involved in and I was just like, I’d love to be in something like Top Boy. I just always knew that if I was going to do this acting thing I want to represent my culture first. When you think about shows like Top Boy from the UK there is nothing else! There You can think of movies like Kidulthood, or Bullet Boy, but nothing else. So when you could turn on Top Boy and see people who look and speak like you on TV, that was a very big thing for us!
TOP BOY NETFLIX (THE THIRD COMING)
DRAKE
How did you feel after season 2 was cancelled?
Ashley Walters: Yeah, bad. But it’s one of those things. As an actor you pull your socks up and look for the next job. It was only when my social media started to go crazy for it, and every day I’d see fifty messages asking when Top Boy is coming back. After a while it does grate on you. Because why would you not do it again, if the audience is there? I did take it upon myself to make phone calls and call production companies. But I was told several times to leave it alone. Then Netflix came it went crazy from there. My timeline was full of Americans and international people feeling the show. It gave it a second life and put it back in everyone’s thoughts.
“I woke up one day and there were loads of calls on my phone. My best friend was like: bro, go to Drake’s Instagram. So I went and saw my big head on there, a picture and a caption or whatever, and it was Top Boy related” – Ashley Walters
What happened when Drake got involved?
Ashley Walters: I woke up one day and there were loads of calls on my phone. My best friend was like: bro, go to Drake’s Instagram. So I went and saw my big head on there, a picture and a caption or whatever, and it was Top Boy related. Long story short: we got in contact and had a few conversations about him being a big fan of the show. We talked about different ways of trying to get it back. He went out there, hooked up with Netflix and Cowboy and we got it done. Having the spotlight someone like him can bring is an amazing thing for the UK and the show, you know what I mean?
Little Simz: Drake came to the read-through before we started shooting and sat down with us whilst we went through some of the episodes. He was present, in the room, but he wasn’t stepping in, trying to change anything. He was saying: you guys do your thing, I’m just here to support if I’m needed.
Kane Robinson: When we finally got to meet Drake he made it very clear. He said, look, I’m a fan of the show, I wanted to do anything I could just to bring it back, I know what people might say, but I’m not here to change the show. He is a genuine fan, and he’s done a massive thing that he didn’t really have to do.
NEW SEASON
Little Simz: I think it goes even deeper this season. You really see why these characters are forced to make decisions. You see them be more humanised, and I think that stood out for me, because it’s always “gangs this, gangs that”, and there is such a negative perspective and outlook on this side of London. This season is going to open people’s eyes even more, for sure.
Ronan Bennett: Six, seven years have gone by. Before we got into the story of it, it was figuring out who these people are now and what they have been up to. I was insistent that the characters couldn’t just be the same because we all change as people. We respond to the circumstances of our lives, so we had to think about what Sully was doing, what Dushane was doing. In road man terms, they’re old now, they’re in their mid-thirties now, they’re way past retirement! There is a scene where Dushane goes to meet Dris, played by Shone Romulus, and they’re two older men now looking at how they’re bellies have grown. There is a new generation of wilder, younger kids who are ambitious. Plus there was an issue, when I was writing the show, of deportation — the whole Windrush scandal started happening. I found somebody who was having that difficulty and I thought we had to get that in. There were acid attacks going on, and I wanted to get those in. The mad extent of gentrification and pushing people out further from the inner-city had to be involved, too. In Top Boy we always want to keep things as real as possible, which doesn’t mean having bloodbaths, but the murder rate did spiral over the last couple of years.
“We explore this in Top Boy, just how gentrification can affect an area positively and negatively. You see both sides of it: you see people getting kicked out of their homes and placed in other places around the country with people they don’t know, or even deported, and you see people coexisting, the really poor living next to the rich” – Ashley Walters
Ashley Walters: I went back to Peckham, where I grew up, last month to do a show with Joe Grind at a bakery and I looked into the crowd and it was crazy. I literally couldn’t see a black person! When I was growing up there, it was little Lagos! So it was weird to come back and see that it’s all shifted and people are living on top of each other a bit more, which is a cool thing in some ways. But we explore this in Top Boy, just how gentrification can affect an area positively and negatively. You see both sides of it: you see people getting kicked out of their homes and placed in other places around the country with people they don’t know, or even deported, and you see people coexisting, the really poor living next to the rich. It sometimes does incite some resentment and animosity between the two groups. If we didn’t explore what’s happening right now it wouldn’t be Top Boy as we know it.
Kane Robinson: Sully is a complex character. Over the years, this character becomes you, and you really get offended if someone disrespects this character! You fight for your character in the script. I’s part of our job to evolve them, show all sides of them. Because you can just see someone on screen and say: this guy is a zero-tolerance, violent gangster. This guy just walks around and is angry at all times. But that’s not real life. Moments in the new season, like where Sully longing for a relationship with his daughter, which he doesn’t have because he’s been too preoccupied with the streets, are important. He’s been in jail and he’s been missing this person. You have to indulge these moments and become vulnerable. And it’s important not just showing drug dealing and then being in the club spending money, like everything is great. With this life and these decisions come consequences. Everyone’s accepted that you might go to jail, cool, but how has it affected people around you? That’s something that I feel needed to be discussed in this season, so not just people dying, then there’s a funeral, and you move on. With ten episodes we have the time.
Micheal Ward: All these years later, Top Boy is on Netflix with a worldwide audience. It’s actually mad! The main thing is that we can tell these stories that are our own, but make it universal, because people understand these things that happen in Top Boy happen everywhere. I went to New York a couple of months ago and at the airport these people were taking the piss out of the way I spoke, because they’d never seen a black guy from the UK speak like how I speak. All they know is tea and crumpets. So I played it cool, and thought: in a couple of months you’ll soon know! Anyway, right now I am more than excited. Doing all this press stuff, it’s something I never thought I’d do in my life, you know? In the new season there are obviously new faces. And it is very current: stuff that was going on seven years ago isn’t happening now. There are new stories, and the main thing is that I think back then youngers had more respect for elders, but now that’s lost. Youngers in real life now do not care what olders have to say. So when Dushane and that come back trying operate how they used to, it’s not like that, because youngers are really ruthless out here in these streets. That’s the main difference for me.
“I went to New York a couple of months ago and at the airport these people were taking the piss out of the way I spoke, because they’d never seen a black guy from the UK speak like how I speak. All they know is tea and crumpets. So I played it cool, and thought: in a couple of months you’ll soon know!” – Micheal Ward
What do you want this season to achieve?
Micheal Ward: I want people to realise we’re not glorifying what’s going on: there are families breaking down, people are getting hurt, we’re shining a light on stuff so people can help. We’re sending a message. Why are youngers moving in these ways? What’s brilliant about this being on Netflix now is that we get to tell this story properly so people understand everything that’s going on. When it’s shorter you have to gas it up so people come and watch, and you don’t have time to get into the deeper stuff, but now we have time for everything. Even just having the cameras sit with my character, Jamie, after his brothers leave, and how that takes a toll on his energy, that’s very important.
NEW CHARACTERS
How are you dealing with the responsibility of being the new Top Boy?
Micheal Ward: It’s a blessing. I understand that these opportunities aren’t available to everyone. It’s a once in a lifetime thing. Now a lot of young people are trying to do different things like acting, because of a show like Top Boy, where it’s created the idea that people like me can do this as well. There is a lot more content for us because there are more stories being told. That’s where the responsibilities come. Inspiring younger and older people to keep working, to go harder, to do the right thing. You don’t need to be out here on the roads to make something of yourself in life. I want to keep echoing that. I want people to see that if I can make it, they can make it as well.
How did you connect to your characters?
Little Simz: In terms of my character Shelly being a carer, my mum’s a foster carer. So I’ve grown up with foster kids, and I know quite a bit about that system. But also with Shelly, she is obviously a single parent. I have friends who have kids and their lives are so similar to this character. So for me, when I got the role I knew I needed to get this right and accurate because I am representing people’s stories. Obviously also working with Ashley, he’s seasoned in this. I remember the first few days on set feeling really nervous. But he made it super seamless and I think even the dynamic between Shelly and Dushane: Shelly allows Dushane to hope and dream and imagine. She says: I know you see one way of doing things but you can also have a family, there is more to life than what you’re focused on right now. I really clicked with Martia, too, who plays Pat, Dushane’s mum. We spent a lot of time together. She almost treated me like a niece or daughter. I think it’s great when you connect with people so that it shows on screen.
“My mum’s a foster carer. So I’ve grown up with foster kids, and I know quite a bit about that system. But also with Shelly, she is obviously a single parent. I have friends who have kids and their lives are so similar to this character” – Little Simz
Micheal Ward: Jamie is the ruthless gang leader and trying to make moves to be the Top Boy whilst Dushane and Sully are away, whilst looking after his two brothers at home. He is the mother, father and older brother, because their parents have died. The decisions he is making he doesn’t want to make, but he has to, because he has to pay rent and bills. For me, connecting to that, I haven’t lost both my parents, but I have lost my dad when I was very young, so the sense of loss was there. And I’ve got two little sisters, who I love from the bottom of my heart, so wanting to protect them is how I connected with Jamie, because the main motivation for him is to protect Aaron and Stef. But in the aggressive stuff, the shotting and all of that, I didn’t really know much! So I watched leading men roles, like Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders, Ghost in Power, Denzel in Training Day. Just seeing how they don’t really say much, but when they do speak, people listen.
TUNES VS TV
How does making music compared to acting on television?
Little Simz: Music is always from a very personal place, it’s me and my story in my head. Being a part of something like this, it’s so much bigger than me and my perspective. There is Shelly’s perspective, but there is also Dushane and Sully, all the characters that make Top Boy what it is. When I am doing an album there is a lot of me, me, me, you know? But in television, if you don’t relate to my story, you might relate to Jamie’s, or Dushane’s. So in that way it opens it up a lot more. One thing I forget is that when I’m shooting on set, even though I am part of this story with everyone, my scenes are only really with a select group of people. I’m not with Kane or Micheal on set at all. So it’s not until you watch it back that you realise you’re one part of a whole. So you kind of get lost in your storyline and your character and you forget that there is a whole different story going on, in Jamaica and here, that all links.
Kane Robinson: There are similarities, but in process, they are very different. Both are about telling stories and bringing truth to those stories. In most of my music it’s firsthand experience, and some of the same rules apply in TV. The difference in music is the control, whereas doing this, it’s someone else’s words that you can play in your own way.
On your new album, Hoodies All Summer, you talk about the changing face of London, how people from different walks of life are living amongst each other more than ever.
Kane Robinson: Hackney has evolved, but the old Hackney is still there living cheek-by-jowl with the new Hackney. People are kind of strolling through life not even knowing these issues. Top Boy is a massive eye-opener for lots of people. Like in one of my lyrics, when I say: “all of our mothers worry when we touch the road, ‘cause it’s touch and go, whether we’re coming home”, that must also be eye-opening for some people. Not all mothers have to deal with that situation, just because of circumstances, because of class. But people from these areas that we’re speaking about in Top Boy, these are the things they have to deal with. Are they going to get that phone call saying something has happened to their son? And when you have the new Jamie character, who I think is great, because on the face of it he’s just a ruthless criminal trying to make it to the top and make as much money as he can, but he’s doing it to provide for his two younger brothers who he’s basically a father figure to. I hope it doesn’t come across as justifying anything, it’s just real. You’re still allowed to criticise someone’s decisions, but it’s our job to make you understand why, and I think great art at times poses more questions than gives answers.
You also refer to the generation gap, between olders and youngers, in your music — that gap is very obvious in Top Boy.
Kane Robinson: It’s about perspective. My job as a song-writer speaking about these things is to make it sound like I’m not talking down on people. We’re on the same level and we’re having this conversation. Sometimes I feel like distance helps observation. That’s the thing with Ronan: some people might say: how can Ronan be writing about this stuff when he hasn’t lived it? But he lives in the heart of the show, and he has seen these things happen, and it’s what made him want to write it.
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[LCN] - Introducing the Tier Four Mob Wars: LCN Characters: The Slicer, Boomer and Sniper!
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The new Tier Four character for Mob Wars: La Cosa Nostra are now available! They unlock at Level 2,500 for a base cost of 250 FP (100 FP if you own the...
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Kano Community Forums
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https://forums-archive.kanoplay.com/threads/introducing-the-tier-four-mob-wars-lcn-characters-the-slicer-boomer-and-sniper.13543/
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The new Tier Four character for Mob Wars: La Cosa Nostra are now available! They unlock at Level 2,500 for a base cost of 250 FP (100 FP if you own the Tier Three contemporary). Check out your new Mobster options below:
Slicer
Faster Energy and Cash regeneration than its Level 1,000 contemporary
+4% more Cash in Jobs.
-1.5% on Bank deposit fees.
-2% Energy required for Jobs.
The Slicer is a master of hand-to-hand combat, wielding an arsenal of wicked blades used to dice their opponents apart in a violent dance.
Boomer
Faster Energy and Stamina regeneration than its Level 1,000 contemporary
+0.5% power boost applied when you are Attacking and Defending in Fights.
-2% Energy required for Jobs.
A passionate pyromaniac, the only thing left of the Boomer's enemies once they're through with them is a scorch mark on the ground.
Sniper
Faster Stamina and Cash regeneration than its Level 1,000 contemporary
+0.5% power boost applied when you are Attacking and Defending in Fights.
+2% more Cash in Jobs.
-1.5% on Bank deposit fees.
Like an angel of death the sniper delivers annihilation from afar, their victims forever oblivious to their fate.
Character Switching
Character Switching is a new feature that will make selecting your characters easier, give you a discount for following an upgrade path through the tiers and will allow you to swap between owned characters at any time. Check out a walkthrough of Character Switching here: Character Switching
Yes, the discount only applies if it is in the same gender and lineage. That's been mentioned a few times, but there has been a lot of info about the new characters so I can understand if you missed it.
Being a level 6k I will wait until there is a new character closer to my level. I do have a suggestion. When introducing new characters, Kano should look into introducing specific crafting items associated with the characters. I know there are items associated with the characters, and I am not speaking about them. Maybe after x levels new items could be introduced. Think on itl
I know this is minor, but you guys have fixed minor annoyances for me in the past so...
When you open a pop up window on the page normally you can click outside of to make it go away. When you open the Select Character window on the page, you cannot click out of it to disappear it, you have to click on the "Close X" button. Can this be fixed?
Also, can you introduce a close chat button outside of the chat window box? Similar to the open chat button, but exactly the opposite?
I moved your post into this thread to keep it relevant as it was originally posted in the BA changes thread.
To answer your questions there is no estimated time when the higher level characters will be completed. Development priorities have shifted since then to focus on features such as the Raid Boss, Power Heal, BA changes, new achievements and a few other things. I don't know if we'd see a new release of characters before Christmas, but I can see if we can get something queued up for early 2015 if possible.
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https://serpentshouse.com/2021/06/05/thoughts-on-mortal-kombat1995/
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Thoughts on ‘Mortal Kombat'(1995)
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2021-06-05T00:00:00
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Video Game movies seem to be going through a bit of a renaissance at the moment. Which is rather ironic, given the state of the film industry in general. 2019 gave us Detective Pikachu, a light-hearted, fun, and generally well-received take on one of the biggest gaming franchises out there, being essentially a family adventure-comedy…
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Serpent's Den
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https://serpentshouse.com/2021/06/05/thoughts-on-mortal-kombat1995/
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Video Game movies seem to be going through a bit of a renaissance at the moment. Which is rather ironic, given the state of the film industry in general.
2019 gave us Detective Pikachu, a light-hearted, fun, and generally well-received take on one of the biggest gaming franchises out there, being essentially a family adventure-comedy that happens to be set in the Pokemon world. 2020 saw Sonic the Hedgehog, another light-hearted, easy-going family film buoyed along by massive amounts of good-will and a hamtastically delightful turn by Jim Carrey. And just recently we had the new Mortal Kombat, which I haven’t seen (and don’t really have much interest in from what I’ve heard), but which I think is probably not a light-hearted family film. In any case, it seems to have done pretty well at the box-office last I heard.
As such, it seems a good time to revisit a couple of the major early efforts at adapting video games to the screen, back when the medium itself was, it not in its infancy, at the very least in its childhood. We’re going to look at one that I think works and one that doesn’t and then compare and contrast.
And we’re going to start with the one that works: what was, for a very long time (as in, probably up until 2019), considered the best of the bunch.
MORTAL KOMBAT!
We open in spectacular fashion with the rousing cry of “MORTAL KOMBAT!” accompanied by the driving techno theme song as the credits play over flames shooting out of a giant version of the dragon logo. This pretty much lets you know right away what kind of film you’re in for.
From there we swiftly (as in, over the course of less than five minutes) meet our three protagonists and learn their motivations. First there is Liu Kang, a Shaolin monk who ran away to America to escape his supposed destiny, but who is summoned home when his brother is killed by the kung-fu sorcerer Shang Tsung (who has the power to steal the souls of the people he kills). Then there’s Sonya Blade, a badass, self-reliant cop on the trail of the slimy underworld boss Kano, who murdered her partner (and who is in league with Shang). Finally there’s Johnny Cage, an egotistical Hollywood action star whose martial arts skills are derided as fake by the press and who secretly fears this might be true.
All three eventually meet up on a boat bound for Shang Tsung’s island, where they will partake in the mystical tournament of Mortal Kombat. They get a taste of the kind of opposition they can expect when they come face-to-face with two of Shang’s enslaved champions: Scorpion and Sub-Zero, both of whom wield supernatural powers (Sub-Zero demonstrates his cryomancy by destroying Sonya’s pistol, swiftly removing any firearms from the film).
The rules are then laid out for them by Raiden, the god of thunder and lightning and protector of Earth. Mortal Kombat isn’t just any martial arts tournament: it is part of a mystical ritual that, if completed, would give Shang’s master, the Emperor of Outworld, the right to invade and conquer earth. For one realm to win the right to attack another, their champions must win ten Mortal Kombat tournaments in a row. And Shang’s champions have won nine so far.
Upon arriving on the island, our three heroes uncover more of the plot, including the fact that Shang is seeking to manipulate them for his own purposes, and that they may have another ally in the form of Princess Kitana, rightful heir to the throne of Outworld. Also that Shang’s ace-in-the-hole is an eight-foot, four-armed monster named Goro.
From there the tournament begins in earnest, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance and Shang and Raiden each trying to guide our heroes into their preferred outcome.
I think if I were to sum up the movie, I would call it “if Bruce Lee and Ray Harryhausen did a film together.” It’s Enter the Dragon with a fantasy twist.
Upon re-watching this film for the first time in years for this review, I was rather surprised to find just how good it really is. Don’t get me wrong: it isn’t a great film by any means, and there are many elements that could be picked apart. But it is a good film, given what it is, with many very real strengths, some remarkably solid, even excellent storytelling touches, and, most importantly, it’s fun.
In the first place, as noted above, the film wastes no time at all. We meet our three protagonists, two of the antagonists, and get an idea of their motives and personalities within the first five minutes. Liu wakes up from a nightmare of his brother being killed at the Shaolin temple to find himself amid the trappings of a normal American life and reads a telegram summoning him home. That right there, in almost no dialogue, establishes a fundamentally conflicted nature as well as setting his motives. Sonya is found snapping orders at her subordinates, dismissing the idea of trust, and butting dancers in the head with her shotgun as she makes her way through a crowded nightclub in pursuit of Kano, establishing a single-minded, self-reliant character who doesn’t play well with others. Johnny’s introduction has him taking on a bunch of thugs…only for one of them to miss his cue and expose the flashy martial arts we just witnessed as nothing but a show, which prompts Johnny to storm off the set in anger. We thus have a perfect illustration of both his self-absorbed personality and his doubts regarding the reality of his talent.
(Linden Ashby as Johnny Cage is really the stand-out among the three leads, acting wise, by the way. He gets most of the best lines – partly ad-libbed – while also employing some strong, simple emoting to convey his character. I especially like the immediate affection and respect that comes into his face when he meets his old instructor, or the drop of his eyes as he comments on the press deriding him as a fake).
All this requires a good deal of writing short-hand. Most of the plot points and characterization are things we’ve seen in other films, so the movies takes advantage of this to get things moving quickly. For instance, a modern film would likely have a whole scene of Johnny trying to defend his skills to the press and being challenged on it. Here the point is established in a throwaway line, followed by seeing the amusingly on-the-nose “Johnny Cage a Fake!” headline, leading directly to a discussion of the tournament with his old instructor (all while giving Johnny a chance to both crack-wise and show his sincere side). No time is lost and vital plot and character points are established swiftly and smoothly, often two or three at a time. Johnny’s a superficially flashy actor who secretly wonders if he has any legitimate talent: we’ve seen this sort of thing dozens of times before, so the movie can trust us to ‘get it’ right away and move on.
The plotting is remarkably solid as well. Of the three, Liu knows more or less the truth about the tournament, though he’s become a skeptic and only gets involved for personal reasons (amusingly shown when he announces his intention to avenge his brother and then adds with a touch of sarcasm, “Oh, yes, I forgot. We’re fighting for the fate of the world!”). Johnny is only told that it’s a great martial arts tournament and a chance to test his skills against the best of the best, and Sonya is tricked into going without intending to compete at all. Thus each one is there for a reason that fits with their characters and motivations without having to clutter up the narrative (e.g. Sonya clearly wouldn’t be interested in going to a martial arts tournament for its own sake and Johnny isn’t the type to volunteer to defend the world). Not to mention that it gives an excuse for any necessary expository dialogue as the characters in the know – Liu and Raiden – have to explain things to the characters who aren’t.
This also helps prevent matters from seeming contrived or repetitive and to give each character their own motive and plot-line. Then, when the characters do things, even seemingly foolish things, there’s always a reason for it. They never just do something stupid to move the plot along; all their actions follow their characters and motivations.
For instance, after Shang welcomes the fighters to the island, Sonya follows him into inner recesses of the palace (as she knows he has information on Kano). Liu goes with her, since he wants to fight and kill Shang to avenge his brother. And Johnny goes with them because he’s interested in Sonya (“You know, you have to admire her. When she sets her mind on something…” “It’s not her mind you’re admiring.” “…It’s true.”).
Basically, the characters aren’t stupid, and that includes the villain. Shang Tsung is legitimately cunning and avoids many of the standard ‘evil overlord’ tropes. Much of his plot involves trying to subtly rig the tournament so that he won’t have to fight Liu Kang – the one supposedly chosen by destiny to save the world – in the final battle, but instead be able to take on one of the other two, who would be far easier targets. He is confident in his own ability to win regardless, but he’s not fighting for his own ego. His goal is simply to win the tournament for his master, so he’s going to do anything he can to make that easier and safer for himself without actually cheating (he also has a slimy interest in Sonya, but again, he works that in to his greater goal). Really, how many bad guys show this kind of focus and pragmatism?
His manipulations are themselves pretty clever, with multiple contingencies to ensure his preferred outcome. In the ordinary course of the tournament, he’ll let his fighters try to win. If they start to lose, he’ll send out the four-armed giant Goro to dominate the mortals. When Johnny requests a duel with Goro, Shang turns it to an opportunity to select his own challenger for the final match (this despite the fact that everyone fully expects Johnny to lose). He also knows that Kitana is a dangerous potential ally to the heroes and so assigns Reptile to be her chaperone (forcing her to make contact with Liu by challenging him to a fight and delivering cryptic advice, which has to be cryptic since Shang is watching them).
In short, the film shows Shang covering his bases and not just assuming that his plan will succeed or barreling forward out of sheer pride. He’s convincingly portrayed as an intelligent villain whose evil scheme fails primarily because the heroes were brave and skilled enough to triumph over it in spite of his planning rather than because of his own stupidity or arrogance.
Speaking of which, the film does a good job of laying out the rules by simply having the characters ask Raiden about them: obvious questions from characters trying to get a grasp on the situation like “so why doesn’t Outworld just invade Earth?” “What about the other fighters on the boat?” and so on. The stakes are established early on and then reinforced near the end when we see Outworld and learn its history, illustrating the fate that awaits Earth if the heroes fail.
(At the same time, the movie wisely doesn’t over explain things and leaves a lot of what we see a mystery. Why can Sub-Zero freeze people? Just what the heck is Scorpion? What’s the deal with those weird cruciform statues in Outworld and why does Reptile become a human ninja when he’s pulled into one? Briefly, because this isn’t the world we know. Enough is explained to know the gist of what’s happening, but both we and the characters are in uncharted territory where everything is strange and it isn’t clear what is and is not possible anymore. At one point Liu faces off with a seemingly ordinary opponent, and then the man suddenly growls like a lion at him. It’s never explained or even comes up in dialogue, it’s just a reminder that – as indicated by Sonya’s spinning compass – we’re off the edge of the map here.)
Another clever bit of exposition comes after Shang Tsungs’s champions threaten the heroes before the start of the tournament. Raiden steps in with a rare showing of anger, hurling the bad guys about with his lightning and chewing Shang out for violating the rules. Shang apologizes and then ‘helpfully’ reminds Raiden that things will be different once they reach Shang’s island. This lets us know that Raiden won’t be able to just zap the bad guys for us and smoothly justifies providing the information by the sorcerer clearly meaning it as a subtle dig against the deity (“My domains are well known to me, sorcerer!”).
On that note, Christopher Lambert’s Raiden is one of the most delightful aspects of the movie. The biggest name actor in the cast, he’s very clearly having a blast playing the larger-than-life thunder god, disappearing into his role as a smooth, supremely self-assured, yet somewhat playful character. But it isn’t just his charisma and enthusiasm that makes the role, but also the fact that he manages to convey a distinctly non-human perspective (something honestly rare amid movie deities).
One the best moments of the film comes when he solemnly informs the heroes: “The fate of billions will depend upon you,” and then bursts into a delighted laugh before catching himself and apologizing with a shrug. That tells us pretty clearly what we’re dealing with here: Raiden is legitimately on the side of the angels, but he’s chiefly hoping the mortals will at least put on a good show (besides which, whatever happens it’s not his neck on the line). Throughout the film he approaches them with a gently patronizing, somewhat sarcastic attitude, as if they were precocious children, yet always while doing what he can to help them along without either violating the rules or making things too dull.
There’s another good moment when he chastises Johnny for challenging Goro and Johnny pushes back by reminding him that it’s Mortal Kombat and therefore up for them to decide how to fight it. Rather than getting angry or standing on his dignity, Raiden is delighted that, “at last one of them has understood.”
I also love the faux-politeness Shang shows to Raiden whenever they share a scene, bowing when he enters and maintaining an even, almost reverent tone when he addresses him, though one dripping with barely-veiled sarcasm (“You grace us with your…presence”). It’s a great touch: acknowledging that, though they are in opposing camps, Raiden is nevertheless of a much higher status than Shang and the sorcerer knows it. Again, it’s not a huge deal, but it’s something they bothered to think about and to get right.
It’s these little details that I think really show the passion and care on the part of the filmmakers. Another is the way Shang bows. The traditional Kung Fu salute is a palm-over-fist pose that (I am told) symbolizes ‘peace over power’. Shang bows fist-over-palm, indicating ‘power over peace.’ No one ever draws attention to this in the movie, and most viewers won’t even notice it, but it’s something that the filmmakers or possibly the actor came up with and included as a bit of visual characterization.
Again, much credit to veteran actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Shang Tsung, who like Lambert (and really everyone for that matter) is obviously having a great time in the role and who invests the character with a tremendous amount of life and personality. He does a marvelous trick where, for most of the movie, he keeps a fairly stoical expression, but with enough small variations to convey the actual emotion behind it as effectively as if he’d been broadly mugging to the camera. Then when he does cut loose, he hams it up gloriously (“Your soul is mine!”). He is also, like most of the cast, an accomplished martial artist, allowing him to convey a convincingly intimidating air and to go into the climactic battle with gusto.
What about the rest of the cast?
Well, I’ll say first off that this isn’t an ‘acting’ movie. The filmmakers (wisely in my opinion) largely chose to prioritize fighting ability over histrionic power, so most of them are just adequate. Hong Kong veteran Robin Shou as Liu Kang gets the most attention and the biggest story arc, and while he doesn’t stand out acting wise, he gets plenty of good moments showing a good-natured, but defiant personality (again, I like the touch of sarcasm when he parrots the ‘official’ reason for fighting in Mortal Kombat). His interactions with Johnny are pretty fun, where Liu enjoys poking the filmstar’s ego. When he has to do heavy emoting, he’s what you might call ‘b-movie adequate:’ not great, but he gets the job done enough that you’re not pulled out of the film.
As said, , Linden Ashby is the stand out among the three protagonists as Johnny Cage. He provides most of the film’s comic relief with his ‘everyman’ perspective, frequent jokes, and occasional slapstick (such as his enormous, but ever-dwindling supply of suitcases in the early scenes). At the same time, as noted above, he gets some really quite good moments that call for actual emoting, and, refreshingly, he’s allowed to be an honest-to-goodness hero underneath his ostensibly shallow, self-absorbed exterior. I especially like the matter-of-fact chivalry he shows towards Sonya by repeatedly stepping in to defend her almost from the moment they meet (when she gives him the “I don’t need your help” line he replies “We can’t help it, it’s a guy thing”). Though he also gently mocks this trait in himself by suggesting Sonya should take point after they catch their first glimpse of Goro, preventing the touch from being too mawkish. Honestly, Johnny’s just a flat-out likable character, with a decent story arc of his own that comes to a satisfying conclusion when he takes on Goro and has to forego any ego-saving flashiness to come out on top. He also gets one of the best fights in the film in his duel with Scorpion, allowing Ashby to show his martial arts skills to the fullest.
The main weak point in the cast is Bridgette Wilson as Sonya. Her acting is again adequate: not great, but not distracting, and the character comes across perfectly well as a self-reliant, somewhat abrasive tough girl single-mindedly focused on her goal (which makes for an amusing contrast with Johnny). No, the problem is that she’s the one non-martial artist in the main cast and it shows. This was apparently due to her being a last-minute replacement when the original actress, Cameron Diaz (!!) injured herself during training, leaving no time to bring her up to snuff.
To their credit, the filmmakers work around this as well as they can. Sonya has the fewest fights of any of the leads and they use careful staging and quick edits to make her look more skilled than she is. It works pretty well during a big group fight where the three heroes take on a gang of baddies, but her solo fight against Kano is pretty awkward (though her lack of training is most apparent when she’s tossing slow, clumsy air punches right before the match). Let no one say she wasn’t game, though: that’s really her doing all the fighting and stunts without a double (most of the actors did the majority of their own stunts and fighting, which helps immensely to sell the film).
Of course, the idea that Bridgette Wilson could defeat ex-professional-boxer Trevor Goddard is probably the least believable thing in the entire movie. Though again to their credit, they at least make a point of showing that she feels his blows a lot more than he feels hers and she finishes him with a wrestling move that could at least conceivably work in that situation (rather than pummeling him into submission or something equally ridiculous).
Kano himself is mostly just a slimy pig, but he really doesn’t need to be anything else, and Goddard’s gleefully horrible performance is a lot of fun to watch. I especially like the scene where he’s chomping down on the provided feast while chatting with an unimpressed Goro. It’s just such a ridiculous situation, and yet one that naturally might occur under those circumstances. I also like the contrast Kano, the slovenly crime boss, presents to the more dignified Outworld villains, allowing the audience to sense at once that they are on a different level of dangerous compared to a mere criminal.
By this time there had been two games in the franchise, with a third one coming out the same year as the film. The filmmakers wisely chose to focus primarily on the first game, drawing the cast almost entirely from its roster, which consisted of seven fighters, one hidden fighter (Reptile), and two boss characters. They also include Kitana and Jax from the second game (and Jax is pretty much just a cameo).
(Jax’s presence, by the way, is itself a nice touch: they needed someone for Sonya to talk to in her early scenes, so they took a character already connected with her from the games and just declared ‘this is that guy’; a nice nod to the fans and a way of saying that they were paying attention.
I was going to say that I wish they had done something similar with Art Lean, a friend of Johnny’s who gets killed by Goro…until I reviewed the line-up for the first two games and realized that there really wasn’t a suitable character to fill that role. Which also shows that they didn’t just shove a familiar name into an unsuitable position – e.g. calling him ‘Smoke’ or something – simply to be able to say they had the character).
With such a large cast to account for, however (and with a limited budget and run time), someone was going to get the short shrift, and in this case it’s Scorpion and Sub-Zero (ironically enough, given that they’ve become the faces of the franchise). Their rivalry is only obliquely alluded to, neither gets anything that could be considered characterization, and they’re pretty much just one step-up from the interchangeable faceless thugs. This could understandably annoy fans of the franchise.
Me, I more appreciate the fact that the filmmakers knew they couldn’t fit everything in and so picked their battles. Rather than overstuffing the movie with irrelevant side-plots, they focus on the three protagonists and their conflict with the villain and structured everything else around that. Scorpion and Sub-Zero’s storyline didn’t fit, so they ended up sidelined in order to streamline the film. It isn’t ideal, obviously, and I’m not sure they couldn’t have fit them in better if they had wanted to, but it seems to me an acceptable sacrifice to have a leaner, more focused story.
Their role here is to provide antagonists for the characters to face and defeat, but this is a role that these two characters (plus Reptile, whom we’ll get to in a minute) are well suited to perform due to their supernatural powers. The three heroes are all normal, well-trained humans (well, Liu shows some pseudo-supernatural moves toward the end, but nothing too crazy or out-of-the-way for a martial arts hero), so pitting them against super-human opponents ups the stakes considerably and lets us know just how far they’re out-classed.
This meant that the filmmakers sensibly didn’t bother casting actors in the roles of Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Reptile, as only Scorpion has any dialogue at all (and that just a few disparate words, including his “GET OVER HERE!” catchphrase, all of which were dubbed by Ed Boon, the game’s co-creator) and none are ever seen outside their ninja outfits. Instead, they cast professional martial artists and stuntmen – some of whom also served as trainers the other actors – thereby shoring up the all-important fight scenes and probably saving more than a few pennies of their modest budget.
That said, I think Chris Casamassa does get some good eye takes as Scorpion, especially his creepily ambiguous twitch after Johnny destroys his harpoon.
On that subject, as an adaptation I think Mortal Kombat is really one of the best examples of how to translate something like a video game into a movie. They take the central story idea – a mystical martial arts tournament – and the core structure – fight through a series of opponents until you take on first the villain’s chief henchman and then the villain himself – and applied it to a tried and true film template – Enter the Dragon and its successors. Then when that superstructure is functional they focus on how to make the distinctive elements of the game work in the new medium, with smaller details – aesthetics, dialogue, specific moves – thrown in as a treat for the fans.
Having played the game on an emulator (well, most of it: it’s a tough game and harder on a keyboard), I found that the film managed to fit in a surprising amount from the source material. Not everything, obviously, and not perfectly, but enough to convince me that the filmmakers were invested in what they were doing.
Though there is one major element of the game that didn’t make it in: the gore. The film is rated PG-13, despite the famously over-the-top fatalities of the games. Its absence is particularly conspicuous given that this was one of the most distinctive elements of the series. This was done because most of the fans of the game were teenagers or kids at the time and so the studio wanted to make sure they would be able to come out to see it. Again, many fans might find this annoying.
That said, they do push the rating a fair bit. There’s a good deal of bone-cracks during the fights and several over-the-top deaths: Sub-Zero freezing an opponent so that he shatters into a thousand pieces, Scorpion’s fiery demise, etc. It’s toned down from the games, even at the time (they’ve gotten a lot more extreme since then to keep their reputation up), but I think the filmmakers found a good balance between following the games and working within the rating requirement. Obviously an R-rating would have been preferable (as far at matching the games is concerned), but you can understand why they went they way they did and they clearly tried to do their best in spite of it.
Of course, the most important thing in the film are the fights, and they’re pretty impressive. The film takes its time building up to them, then when the tournament begins we get three or four in a row. Most of the cast are trained martial artists and their moves are consequently crisp, fast, and well-choreographed, with plenty of flashy show moves to spice things up and judicious use of wirework (as well as some over-the-top silliness in places – especially the Reptile fight – but not as much as you might think). Credit too to director Paul W. S. Anderson for shooting the fights in a way that you can clearly see what’s happening (if only he’d remembered this when he made Alien vs. Predator), and for giving each fight its own pace and structure so that no two feel like a repeat of each other. My own favorites are Johnny’s fight with Scorpion (a lot of people consider that the best fight in the film), Liu’s climactic fight with Shang Tsung, and the early group fight. I also like Liu’s fight with Sub-Zero for the clever way he was dispatched, and Johnny’s duel with Goro, though that’s more of a character scene than a fight scene.
Speaking of Goro, let’s talk about the special effects. They’re…a mixed bag. In fact, you have here a pretty direct compare / contrast between practical effects and CGI. On the one hand you have Reptile, realized for most of the film’s run time as a truly awful computer-generated creature, one that looks like it came out of a demo reel for the Nintendo 64. On the other you have Goro, realized in an elaborate costume and puppet. Goro doesn’t look ‘real’ as you might say – he’s clearly a puppet – but the interesting thing is that he goes down a lot easier than Reptile, and you eventually kind of just accept him as a character. This is because Goro is actually there, actually on camera and interacting with the other characters, which lends him much more life and presence than the animated creature. People have a much easier time ascribing personality to an actual physical object, however un-lifelike, than they do to something they know isn’t there at all.
This isn’t to say that practical effects are always and objectively ‘better’ than CGI, but that there is a difference between them, and it means that bad practical effects can still be charming and even functional, while bad CGI is just bad.
That said, Goro’s puppet is pretty impressive. It reminds me in some ways of the turtle costumes from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, with a similar sense of “it doesn’t look ‘real,’ but it works nonetheless.”
There are some other effects, such as Scorpion’s living ‘harpoon’ (which looks just as bad as Reptile, and frankly was an odd stylistic choice to begin with), some composite shots, and a number of electricity and freezing effects, most of which are just fine and acceptable in a cheesy kind of way. Thankfully, Reptile has the power to camouflage himself, and when he fights Liu he first turns into a human ninja through some weird fantasy magic, so he has very little screen time as a wee cg beastie.
On the other side of the equation, the sets are gorgeous. These are really a high point of the film: towering, ornate banquet halls and palace corridors lined with statues, mountain-top temples, a fire-lit cavern filled with rickety platforms lined with skeletons, an eerie, smoke-filled chamber, lush beaches, and maze-like forests. Clearly a good chunk of the film’s modest budget went to constructing or traveling to interesting environments for the fights to take place in, which I would say is money well spent. At times the movie looks like it’s set in a Weird Tales cover.
And, of course, I have to mention that famous techno-beat theme song, which opens and ends the film, as well as playing during several of the fights. It’s the absolute perfect theme for the film: driving, energetic, and with just the right amount of cheesiness.
In terms of flaws, well, there are plenty, though for my money they don’t detract much from the overall effect of the film. The sometimes wooden acting and questionable special effects have been mentioned. There are debatable issues like Raiden flat out telling the characters what their arcs are supposed to be at one point (though as he’s their mentor and they’re up against the wall, you could argue that’s what he ought to do). In the climactic battle, Shang Tsung’s “army of souls” is rather laughably shown as five or six bad guys who go down with one or two hits each, and Liu’s progression through the ‘battles of enemy, self, and deepest fear’ is rather lackluster. Also, Shang tries to trick at one point by turning into his dead brother, but he does so right in front of him, so why wouldn’t he immediately see through it (I mean, his back is turned, but still they could have staged that better)? Likewise, Johnny inexplicably just disappears from the film during the Reptile fight, despite the fact that he had been right there a second ago. You could be generous and say he was distracted by something, but they should have had a scene to at least show what he was doing all that time.
There’s a bit where Goro goes on a rampage, devastating the mortal fighters in a montage, then gets a set-piece fight where he kills Art Lean. For some reason, everyone’s shocked by Goro’s appearance, but shouldn’t they have already seen him while he was killing all those other people? It would have been better to put the fight first and the montage after.
Then there’s the fact that the theme of ‘Mortal men and women deciding their own destiny’ seems kind of at odds with Liu Kang’s status as ‘the chosen one’ or that he specifically wasn’t able to escape his destiny to fight in Mortal Kombat.
Finally, I don’t like the cliffhanger ending (I’m generally against these, and not just because it led to the infamous sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation). I always prefer to go out on a high note, and the ending doesn’t really make any sense given what’s been established.
By the way, in the aforementioned ‘Raiden tells everyone the lesson they need to learn’ scene, I rather love how Sonya’s lesson amounts to the gloriously un-PC “recognize when you’re a damsel in distress and just need to be rescued.”
As I say, Mortal Kombat was long regarded as the best video-game adaptation yet made. It was a bona-fide hit when it came out, spending three weeks at the top of the US box office. What is more, it was so well-received by fans of the games that many of its changes, story elements, and characterizations were integrated into the games themselves. For instance, Kano was originally envisioned as a Japanese or Japanese-American character. But following Trevor Goddard’s deliciously slimy depiction, he was forever after portrayed as Australian. Likewise the notion of having to win ten Mortal Kombats in a row and Johnny Cage’s romance with Sonya, among other story beats, were integrated into the mythos of the games.
Now, let’s be clear: Mortal Kombat is no one’s idea of a classic. It’s a B-Movie through and through, with everything that implies: it’s silly, cheesy, the acting is mostly only fair, the effects are often down-right bad, and there are several goofy moments or gaps in logic. But it’s a B-Movie done very well, by filmmakers who clearly cared about what they were doing and strove to make the best product they could with the limited resources at their command. Most importantly, it’s just a very enjoyable, simple little film. It knows exactly what it is and what it’s trying to do and puts in the effort to make it happen, and it’s done with a degree of competence and creative energy that many more prestigious films would envy.
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Characters of the Mortal Kombat series
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_the_Mortal_Kombat_series
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This is a list of playable and boss characters from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise and the games in which they appear. Created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, the series depicts conflicts between various realms. Most characters fight on behalf of their realm, with the primary heroes defending Earthrealm against conquering villains from Outworld and the Netherrealm. Early installments feature the characters participating in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament to decide their realm's fate. In later installments, Earthrealm is often invaded by force.
A total of 77 playable fighters have been featured in the series, in addition to unplayable bosses and guest characters. Much of the franchise's mainstays were introduced during the first three games. Nearly all of the characters have been killed at a point in the story, but have rarely stayed dead.
Introduced in Mortal Kombat (1992)
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Goro
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Portrayed by: Tom Woodruff Jr. (1995 film)
Voiced by: Herman Sanchez (MK4); Ken Lally (2011 game); Vic Chao (MKX, MK1); Kevin Michael Richardson (1995 film, Scorpion's Revenge); Ron Feinberg (The Journey Begins); Angus Sampson (2021 film)
Goro is the sub-boss of the first Mortal Kombat game. He is a Shokan, a half-human, half-dragon race distinguished by his four arms and enormous size. He became Grand Champion of the Mortal Kombat tournament after defeating the Great Kung Lao, and held the title for the next 500 years as part of evil sorcerer Shang Tsung's plan to manipulate the tournament in order to achieve Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's goal of dominance of Earthrealm. However, these plans were thwarted when the Earthrealm warrior Liu Kang defeated both Goro and Shang Tsung, allowing Earthrealm to regain control of the tournament. Goro disappeared thereafter and was believed to be dead. In Mortal Kombat II, Goro is succeeded by another member of his race, Kintaro, and is not seen again until the 1996 compilation game Mortal Kombat Trilogy, in which all the characters from the first three series games were playable. Goro was initially omitted from Mortal Kombat 4 (1997), but was included as a sub-boss in the home versions of the game.
In the training mode of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), Goro is mortally wounded and presumed dead. In the 2004 follow-up game Mortal Kombat: Deception, he has been saved from death by Shao Kahn, with the promise of returning his fellow Shokan to their former glory and the banishment of their archenemies, the Centaurs, in exchange for his allegiance, and resumes his place at Shao Kahn's side. Goro was not playable in either game. He is a boss character in the 2005 beat 'em up title Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. In the 2011 Mortal Kombat series reboot, Goro resumes his role as the sub-boss of the Shaolin Tournament from the first game, and is again defeated by Liu Kang in the story mode. He is playable in the 2015 title Mortal Kombat X (2015) as a bonus pre-order character, again serving as a sub-boss in the game's arcade-ladder mode. In Mortal Kombat 11 (2019), Goro's corpse appears in the story mode and in his "Lair" stage during gameplay. Goro appears in Mortal Kombat 1 as an assist character, or "Kameo Fighter", and via a minor appearance in the story mode as a member of General Shao's army.
Goro's original design was as a two-armed humanoid character named Rokuro, a member of "a race of demon warriors" who would join the tournament "to restore the pride and respect of his race".[1] Series creators Ed Boon and John Tobias drew design inspiration from the stop motion adventure films of Ray Harryhausen, especially his depiction of Kali in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad in redesigning Goro with four arms.[2][3] He was originally named "Gongoro" before his final name was determined, and was constructed as a stop-motion clay figurine that eventually fell apart after excessive use in capturing its movements for the game.[4]
Goro has a prominent role in Malibu Comics' Mortal Kombat series that followed the events of the first game, and was the subject of the 1994 three-issue miniseries Goro: Prince of Pain. In the 2015 DC Comics Mortal Kombat X prequel series, he is featured in a subplot that shows him fighting and being maimed by Kotal Kahn in a battle for the Outworld throne.[5] Goro is the reigning champion in the 1995 film Mortal Kombat that follows the events of the original game, and was a life-sized animatronic model that cost over $1 million to construct and required over a dozen puppeteers to operate.[6][7] Goro again reprised his role as the defending tournament champion in the 2020 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge that retold the events of the original game, but was a supporting villain in the 2021 live-action reboot film Mortal Kombat, in which he was computer-generated.[8]
Goro has received positive critical reception for his formidableness as a boss character in the games,[9][10][11][12][13] but his cinematic portrayals, particularly in the 2021 film, have been negatively received.[14][15][16][17] Michael Kennedy of Screen Rant commented in 2021, "While the puppetry used to bring Goro to life [in the 1995 film] had its limitations, Goro played a vital role in the story, serving as a major roadblock to thunder god Raiden's defense of Earthrealm. While he returned in Mortal Kombat 2021, his inclusion felt more like an afterthought than anything."[18]
Johnny Cage
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Main article: Johnny Cage
Kano
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Portrayed by: Richard Divizio (MK—MK3); Sorin Brouwers (MKvsDC, MK9); Derek Pratt (MK11); Trevor Goddard (1995 film); Darren Shahlavi (Legacy); Josh Lawson (2021 film)
Voiced by: David Allen (2000–2006); Michael McConnohie (2008–2015); JB Blanc (MK11); Michael Des Barres (Defenders of the Realm); Robin Atkin Downes (Scorpion's Revenge); David Wenham (Snow Blind)
Kano is first depicted in the Mortal Kombat canon as a Japanese-born American (Australian in later games.[19]) who was the leader of the Black Dragon criminal empire and a wanted man in thirty-five countries.[20] He enters the Shaolin tournament in the original Mortal Kombat Game after hearing rumors that tournament host Shang Tsung's palace was filled with gold and other riches, with the intention of looting it for the Black Dragon. However, he is fervently pursued by U.S. Special Forces officer Sonya Blade, who holds a personal grudge against Kano that was left unspecified in the game's storyline. He evades capture by leaping onto Shang Tsung's junk bound for the tournament. When Sonya tracks him onto the private island, she is captured and forced to compete. She and Kano are among the competition's few survivors, and during the final battle between Shang Tsung and Shaolin monk Liu Kang, Sonya reluctantly teams up with Kano to fight off the Shokan Prince Goro. During their battle, the island immediately self-destructs following Shang Tsung's defeat, trapping Kano and Sonya in the otherworldly dimension Outworld.[21] Kano is unplayable in Mortal Kombat II (1993), in which he and Sonya are both captured and chained on display in Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's arena.
In Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), Kano escapes the Special Forces' clutches once again, and convinces Shao Kahn to spare his soul at the outset of the tyrant's invasion of Earth on the grounds that he can teach his armies how to use Earthrealm weaponry.
Kano was omitted from Mortal Kombat 4 in favor of new character Jarek, but returns in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002). He and Sheeva hatch a plan to assassinate Shao Kahn, but Kano turns on her by preventing the attack. As a reward, he is promoted to general of Outworld's reduced army and manages to repel Princess Kitana and her Edenian-Shokan army. However, after a weakened Kahn is killed by the titular Deadly Alliance of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, Kano declares his allegiance to them. He is assigned to oversee the enslavement of a small village that constructs a temple over Onaga's tomb to house a Soulnado. During its construction, Kano is assaulted by Li Mei, but Quan Chi intervenes, as the Alliance had made a deal with the Red Dragon leader Mavado to eliminate the swordsman Kenshi in exchange for the opportunity to fight and defeat Kano.
Kano appears in the 2000 spin-off platform game Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, in which he is not playable but is featured in the storyline, freeing fellow Black Dragon cohorts No Face, Tasia, Jarek, and Tremor from a Special Forces security facility under the pretense that they would reform the organization, though he really intended to use them as pawns to slow down any Special Forces agents who might pursue him. They kill an entire Special Forces unit during the prison break before Kano heads to Outworld, where he recovers the Eye of Chitian, an artifact through which he would acquire incredible power. While Special Forces Major Jax Briggs gets ahold of the object first and transports himself and Kano back to Earthrealm, the latter soon escapes custody.
Kano joins the then-entire playable roster in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006). In the game's training mode, the demigod Taven finds him being held prisoner by the Red Dragon Clan. Before escaping their facilities, Kano explains to Taven that the Red Dragon had been experimenting on him and their clansmen in an effort to create genetically engineered dragons and human-dragon hybrids. He is one of eleven Mortal Kombat characters representing the Mortal Kombat franchise in the 2008 crossover fighting game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.
In the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot that retells the stories of the first three games, Kano is the Black Dragon leader who tricked the Special Forces by acting as an informant and deliberately feeding them false intelligence that led to the deaths of many of Sonya and Jax's comrades, establishing their vendetta against him. During the events of the first Shaolin tournament, Kano battles Sonya following her fight with the pompous actor Johnny Cage, but he is defeated.[22] While Kano is later beaten by Sonya again after Shang Tsung presents him to her as a challenge, the tournament host forbids her from arresting him.[23] Following this, Kano becomes Shao Kahn's arms supplier, giving his armies Earthrealm weaponry for his impending invasion.[24][25][26] After Kabal, a reformed Black Dragon member turned SWAT officer, is severely burned by Kintaro, Kano takes him away to restore his health alongside Shang Tsung and outfit him with a respirator, mask, and hookswords in spite of his former ally's defection. However, Kabal is mortified by his condition and furious at Kano for siding against Earthrealm, so he bests him in combat and forces him to take him to Shao Kahn before knocking Kano out. Kano later joins Goro and Kintaro in holding a group of soldiers hostage before being frozen by the cyborg Sub-Zero. However, Kano manages to free himself and informs his ally Noob Saibot that Sub-Zero broke free of his controller, Sektor.[27]
In Mortal Kombat X, Kano infiltrates the Shaolin Temple and steals the fallen Elder God Shinnok's amulet for Shao Kahn's daughter, Mileena, to assist in a civil war against Outworld's new ruler, Kotal Kahn. He attempts to distract the new Kahn while Mileena sets up an ambush, but Kotal realizes Kano is going to betray him and defeats the criminal. After he defeats Mileena, Kano retreats to Earthrealm. He infiltrates an Outworld refugee camp but is caught by Kenshi and Sonya, who take him into custody.
In Mortal Kombat 11 (2019), Kano aligns himself with the keeper of time Kronika. To assist her further by fixing and mass-producing Sektor, she brings in a younger version of Kano.[28][29] The two Kanos attack the Special Forces base and kidnap younger versions of Johnny and Sonya to force them to fight for the Black Dragon's entertainment before Sonya's daughter Cassie Cage rescues them. Sonya kills the younger Kano, erasing the present version from existence.[30][31]
Kano was the final fighter added to the first game, with his role as the enemy of the female character Sonya.[32] He was initially named Kao, and his faceplate came from being shot while escaping Sonya in an early planned Special Forces game.[33] Kano's bionic metal faceplate was inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in The Terminator,[34][35] with the infrared eye added digitally.
Liu Kang
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Main article: Liu Kang
Raiden
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Main article: Raiden (Mortal Kombat)
Reptile
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Main article: Reptile (Mortal Kombat)
Scorpion
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Main article: Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)
Shang Tsung
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Main article: Shang Tsung
Sonya Blade
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Main article: Sonya Blade
Sub-Zero
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Main article: Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)
Introduced in Mortal Kombat II
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See also: Mortal Kombat II
Baraka
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Portrayed by: Richard Divizio (MKII); Sean Okerberg (MKvsDCU); Dennis Keiffer (Annihilation); Lateef Crowder (Rebirth); Fraser Aitcheson (Legacy); CJ Bloomfield (Mortal Kombat 2)
Voiced by: Dan Forden (MKG); Eric Wackerfuss (MK:D); Dan Washington (MKvsDCU); Bob Carter (MK9); Greg Eagles (MKX);[36] Steve Blum (2019-present)
Baraka is a member of a lowly Outworld race called the Tarkatans, who are known for their violent and unpredictable behavior and characterized by long gnashing teeth and a set of forearm-implanted retractable blades. He spearheads the attack on Liu Kang's Shaolin temple following the conclusion of the first Mortal Kombat tournament, which in turn lures Liu Kang into Outworld to seek vengeance. In Mortal Kombat Trilogy, he is a member of Shao Kahn's forces that takes part in the invasion of Earthrealm.[37] Baraka is not playable in the next fighting installment, Mortal Kombat 4 (1997), but was added to the roster of the 2000 Sega Dreamcast-exclusive upgrade Mortal Kombat Gold, in which Quan Chi offers him a chance to rule the Outworld realm of Edenia by his side if he agrees to join the fallen Elder God Shinnok's army. While Baraka accepts, he secretly plans to betray his new masters. In Mortal Kombat: Deception, Baraka and the remainder of his Tarkatan (formerly "Nomad") race ally themselves with the arisen Dragon King Onaga, and recruits the mutant clone Mileena into Onaga's ranks in order to pose as Kitana. While Baraka is playable along with the entire series roster in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), he was not among the seventeen characters therein who received an official biography by Midway and he played no part in the game's storyline.
Baraka is a recurring foe in the story mode of 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, in which the events of the first three games are retold, and he is defeated by Johnny Cage, Cyrax, Jax, and Jade. In the retold storyline of Mortal Kombat II, he leads his Tarkatan armies in an invasion of Earthrealm. He is not playable in Mortal Kombat X, but appears in the game's story mode when his fellow Tarkatans aid D'Vorah in loading captive Shaolin monks before they are confronted and defeated by Raiden, Liu Kang, and Kung Lao. In a flashback sequence, Baraka serves under then-Outworld ruler Mileena alongside D'Vorah, but during a meeting with the Osh-Tekk Kotal Kahn, Baraka is killed after D'Vorah betrays Mileena. In Mortal Kombat 11, a past version of Baraka is brought to the present by the keeper of time Kronika. After learning of his death and Kotal Kahn rendering the Tarkatans to near-extinction, he initially allies himself with Kronika and a similarly time-displaced Shao Kahn.[38][39] However, Kitana convinces him to aid her in rescuing Kotal, and he and the Tarkatans take part in Kitana's battle against Shao Kahn and in the final battle against Kronika.[40][41]
In the new third timeline depicted in 2023 Mortal Kombat 1, he was once a well-respected Outworld merchant prior to becoming a leader of the Tarkatans, a species of mutated individuals who are exposed to the mysterious Tarkat virus and outcast to a disarrayed Outworld colony.[42]
The character was first conceived by Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias as a "savage barbarian demon warrior" who was initially planned to be in the first Mortal Kombat game.[43] He was visualized for MKII with a Nosferatu mask adorned with silver-painted false fingernails serving as his teeth, while his arm blades were constructed from silver cardboard.[44]
Baraka appears briefly in the 1997 feature film Mortal Kombat Annihilation, played by stuntman Dennis Keiffer. He has no dialogue and is killed in a fight scene with Liu Kang, and is only identified by name in the closing credits.[45] In the 2010 short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, Baraka is played by martial artist Lateef Crowder and depicted in the film's alternate modern setting as a psychotic former plastic surgeon named "Dr. Alan Zane", who surgically attaches a pair of long metal blades to his forearms. He later kills Jax's undercover operative, Johnny Cage, in a fight.[46] These changes were not carried over into the 2011 web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, in which he was played by Fraser Aitcheson and was reverted to his original Outworld origins.[47] Baraka makes a brief appearance in the 2021 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, in which he has no dialogue and is killed in a fight against Cage. CJ Bloomfield will play the character in the feature film Mortal Kombat 2.[48]
In 2009, Baraka ranked third on GameDaily's list of the "top ten ugliest game characters".[49] Dan Ryckert of Game Informer, in 2010, noted him among the characters wanted for the 2011 reboot game, as he felt that "people love Baraka" yet noted his absence in subsequent releases since his series debut.[50] Baraka has otherwise received positive reception from gaming media outlets for his character[51][52][53][54] and Fatalities.[55][56][57][58]
Jade
[edit]
Main article: Jade (Mortal Kombat)
Jax
[edit]
Main article: Jax (Mortal Kombat)
Kintaro
[edit]
Voiced by: Rhasaan Orange (2011 game), Dave B. Mitchell (Battle of the Realms)[59]
Kintaro is the sub-boss for both Mortal Kombat II and also in the 2011 reboot. He is also the penultimate boss of Mortal KombatShaolin Monks. A Shokan, he shares his species' four arms and imposing size, but is distinguished by his tiger-like stripes. Kintaro participates in Shao Kahn's attempt to conquer Earthrealm during the second game's tournament, in which he is defeated by Liu Kang. In the reboot, he is defeated by Kung Lao during the tournament. The reboot also establishes him as being responsible for Kabal's injuries. In the 2015 Mortal Kombat X prequel comic, Kintaro is killed by Sonya Blade while she is under Havik's control.
The character was a stop-motion clay figure whose design was inspired by the Japanese mythological character Kintarō. He was initially conceived for MKII as an anthropomorphic fur-lined bipedal tiger, but the concept was scrapped due to the difficulty of creating such a complicated outfit.[60] According to series co-creator John Tobias, Kintaro was redesigned as a "Goro spinoff"[61] who was possibly a Shokan general, but not royalty.[62]
Kintaro appears in the animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, voiced by Dave B. Mitchell.[59]
Kintaro has received a middling reception due to his minor role in the series and is often unfavorably compared to Goro; UGO Networks opined in 2012 that Kintaro "serves no real purpose except for being a reskinned Goro whose sole purpose is to avenge the aforementioned's death" in the conclusion of the original game.[63] Game Informer, in 2021, rated him 56th among the series' 76 playable characters: "Kintaro’s arrival wasn’t as impactful as Goro's since the Shokan boss thing had already been done before. NetherRealm also seems content with giving him more and more feline attributes in place of a personality."[64] Den of Geek wrote that he "has virtually no story to speak of outside of the [MK9] retcon".[65] His "Reverse Rip" from the reboot was rated 35th by Prima Games in their 2014 list of the series' top fifty Fatalities.[66]
Kitana
[edit]
Main article: Kitana
Kung Lao
[edit]
Main article: Kung Lao
Mileena
[edit]
Main article: Mileena
Noob Saibot
[edit]
Portrayed by: Daniel Pesina (MKII); John Turk (UMK3, MK4); Lawrence Kern (2011 game, MK11); J. J. Perry (Annihilation); Kimball Uddin (Conquest), Joe Taslim (Mortal Kombat 2)
Voiced by: Ed Boon (MK:D); Jamieson Price (2011 game); Sean Chiplock (MK11); Kaiji Tang (MK1)
Noob Saibot is an undead wraith from the Netherrealm and a member of a cult called the Brotherhood of the Shadow who worships a fallen Elder God, later revealed to be Shinnok. In Mortal Kombat: Deception, he discovers, reactivates, and reprograms the cyborg ninja Smoke, intending to use his body as the basis for an undead cyborg army. In his ending, he is revealed to be a ressurrected Bi-Han, who previously operated as Sub-Zero before he was killed by Scorpion.[67] In Mortal Kombat (2011), Saibot is resurrected off-screen by Quan Chi and Shao Kahn. While defending the former's "Soulnado", Saibot is defeated by his brother and new Sub-Zero Kuai Liang and presumed dead after being pulled into the Soulnado. In Mortal Kombat 11, Saibot resurfaces as a servant of Kronika, having gained increased power.
The character's name comes from the last names of Mortal Kombat's creators, Ed Boon and John Tobias, spelled backwards. Saibot first appeared in Mortal Kombat II (MKII) as a non-playable hidden character and a solid-black palette swap of the game's other male ninja characters, whom players could fight after winning fifty straight matches. Spurred by the positive reaction to the hidden character Reptile from the first game, Boon added Saibot to MKII without Tobias' knowledge, though Tobias would later create the character's initial backstory as a Netherrealm wraith.[68]
He makes a cameo appearance in Mortal Kombat Annihilation, played by J. J. Perry, and in a self-titled episode of Mortal Kombat: Conquest, played by martial artist Kimball Uddin.
Noob Saibot has received positive critical reception,[63][65][53][69][70] and particularly for his "Make a Wish" Fatality from the 2011 reboot game.[55][71][72][73][74][75] In July 2011, The Daily Show's Jon Stewart played a video of the finisher while explaining the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the ESRB could regulate video games without government intervention.[72]
Shao Kahn
[edit]
Main article: Shao Kahn
Smoke
[edit]
Portrayed by: Daniel Pesina (MKII); John Turk (UMK3); Noah Fleder (MK1); Ridley Tsui (Annihilation)
Voiced by: Ed Boon (MKII, UMK3, MK:A); Ken Lally (2011 game); Andrew Bowen (MKX);[76] Jeremy Ratchford (Defenders of the Realm); Matthew Mercer (Battle of the Realms);[77] Yuri Lowenthal (MK1)[78]
Smoke debuted in Mortal Kombat II (MKII) as a non-playable hidden character who emanates smoke from his body and randomly appears at the start of a match to provide vague clues on how to find and fight him, for which specific requirements had to be met by players. Appearing as an unlockable playable character in Mortal Kombat 3 (MK3), he is stated to be a Lin Kuei assassin who works with Kuai Liang / Sub-Zero. After their clan starts turning their best warriors into cyborgs, Smoke attempts to join Kuai Liang in leaving the Lin Kuei. However, the former is captured, converted, and forced to hunt the latter against his will. With Kuai Liang's help, Smoke discovers he still retains his soul and aids him in defeating Lin Kuei cyborgs Cyrax and Sektor, only to be captured by Shao Kahn's forces. During the events of Mortal Kombat: Deception, Smoke is reactivated and reprogrammed by Noob Saibot into serving him as his ally and template for an army of cyber-demons. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Smoke helps Saibot stage an assault on a Lin Kuei temple in Arctika until he is defeated by Taven.
In Mortal Kombat (2011), during which Raiden creates a new timeline while attempting to avert the events of Armageddon, Smoke is rewritten to become Tomas Vrbada, a Czech member of the Lin Kuei who can transform into his namesake. As a child, he was kidnapped by a cult who sought to sacrifice him to a demon, only for Smoke to become an enenra and slay the cultists.[79] In the present, Smoke is chosen by Raiden to help him stop Shao Kahn from taking over Earthrealm. Though Raiden saves Smoke from becoming a cyborg, Kuai Liang is converted in his place before Smoke is killed by Shao Kahn's queen Sindel. Following this, Smoke is resurrected by Quan Chi as an undead revenant, a role he fulfills while making a minor non-playable appearance in Mortal Kombat X (MKX). Additionally, the downloadable playable character Triborg possesses a form based on Smoke's cyborg form.
In Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1), in which Fire God Liu Kang creates a third new timeline, Tomas / Smoke is rewritten once more to become an adoptive brother to Bi-Han / Sub-Zero and Kuai Liang / Scorpion after Smoke's family was killed for accidentally trespassing on Lin Kuei grounds. Though he lacks supernatural abilities, Smoke is skilled in practical magic. After Bi-Han betrays them to join forces with Shang Tsung, Smoke joins Kuai Liang in breaking off to found the Shirai Ryu clan to oppose him.[citation needed]
Smoke, based on his MK3 portrayal, appears in the Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm episode "Old Friends Never Die". Furthermore, he makes a cameo appearance in Mortal Kombat Annihilation, in which he is killed by Liu Kang.
Smoke has received mostly positive reception,[63][80][81][82] while his "Earth Detonation" Fatality from MK3 has been noted by critics for its outlandish nature.[83][84][85][86][87]
Chameleon
[edit]
Portrayed by: John Turk (MKT)
Voiced by: Ed Boon (MKT)
Chameleon is a mysterious warrior who possesses the abilities of all the franchise' male ninjas. He is distinguished by his partially transparent appearance and an outfit that constantly changes its colors. Chameleon appeared in the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and PC versions of Mortal Kombat Trilogy with no biography or ending; he is instead only referred to as "one of Shao Kahn's deadliest warriors".[88] His Armageddon ending is also vague, revealing only that he had sought to become Mortal Kombat champion since the events of the first game.
The character was ranked 32nd in UGO's 2012 selection of the top fifty series characters, who wrote "They say copying is a form of flattery, so Chameleon makes our list."[63] Complex rated him tenth in their 2011 selection of the series' ten "most underrated characters",[89] but IGN's Mitchell Saltzman listed Chameleon and Khameleon as two of the worst Mortal Kombat characters. "Unlike all of the other ninja palette swaps that eventually gained their own identity and playstyle, both Chameleons ... feel more like gimmicks than anything."[90]
Cyrax
[edit]
Portrayed by: Sal Divita (MK3, UMK3); Shane Warren Jones (Legacy)
Voiced by: Rhasaan Orange (2011 game); Ike Amadi (MK11); Artt Butler (Battle of the Realms)[59]
Cyrax debuts in Mortal Kombat 3 as a member of the Lin Kuei clan of assassins along with Sub-Zero, Sektor, and Smoke. When the clan decide to utilize modern technology by converting its members into soulless cyborgs, Sub-Zero refuses and defects, which leads to the clan's grandmasters marking him for death. As a result, Cyrax, along with Sektor, and Smoke, are assigned to hunt down and kill him.[91] However, during Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, Sub-Zero captures Cyrax and reprograms him with orders to destroy the emperor, but Shao Kahn is defeated beforehand by the other Earthrealm warriors. In Mortal Kombat Gold (2000), after Shinnok's defeat, Cyrax experiences flashbacks of his former life, and Sonya and Jax bring him to the Outer World Investigation Agency (OIA) headquarters, where they restore his humanity. As a token of gratitude, Cyrax joins the agency as an Earthrealm scout.[92]
In Deadly Alliance, Cyrax encounters the vampire Nitara, who offers to help him return home in exchange for his assistance in finding the egg of the Dragon King. Cyrax submerges himself in a lake of molten lava and discovers the orb that would separate her home realm from Outworld. In exchange for the egg, she honors her promise to Cyrax and sends him back to Earthrealm.[93]
In the Mortal Kombat reboot, Cyrax is introduced during the Shaolin Tournament as a human Tswana member of the Lin Kuei who relies on his chi rather than brute force to carry out clan missions, and is against the Lin Kuei's impending "Cyber Initiative" as he is reluctant to surrender his humanity. However, during the events of the second game, he is nonetheless captured by the clan and transformed offscreen.[94] After capturing Sub-Zero in Shao Kahn's arena during the second tournament and taking him away to be cyberized, Cyrax and Sektor pledging their services to Kahn in exchange. When the Outworld emperor launches an invasion of Earthrealm, the cyborgs attack the Earthrealm defenders to stop them from interfering, only to be thwarted by Nightwolf. Despite this, Shao Kahn's wife, Queen Sindel, arrives moments later and completes the cyborgs' mission.
Cyrax returns in Mortal Kombat 11 as a non-playable character brought to the present timeline by Kronika as part of her plan to restart time by taking part in Sektor's plot to capture Sub-Zero's Lin Kuei warriors and convert them into cyborgs to bolster her ranks. He attempts to stop Sub-Zero and Scorpion infiltrating the Cyber Lin Kuei factory to shut them down, but is defeated and his slave protocol disabled. Upon regaining his humanity, Cyrax is horrified to discover that he has become a machine and, despite Sub-Zero pledging to restore him, chose to sacrifice himself in the process of shutting down the factory.[29]
Cyrax appears in one episode of the 2011 web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, played by Shane Warren Jones. He and Sektor are shown being transformed at the Lin Kuei's secret headquarters with the operation overseen by Kano.
Cyrax was included with Sektor and Smoke atop GamesRadar's 2011 list of "gaming's most malicious machines",[95] and Complex ranked him the fourth-coolest robot in video games in 2012.[96] His episode of Legacy was well received,[97][98] but critical reaction to his Fatalities has been mixed.[99][100]
Ermac
[edit]
Main article: Ermac
Kabal
[edit]
Portrayed by: Richard Divizio (MK3, UMK3 and MKT); Carlos Pesina (MK:D, MK:A); Daniel Nelson (2021 film)
Voiced by: Jarod Pranno (MK:A); David Lodge (2011 game); Jonathan Cahill (MK11);[101] Kevin Michael Richardson (Defenders of the Realm); Damon Herriman (2021 film); Keith Silverstein (Snow Blind)[102]
Kabal was a member of the Black Dragon crime syndicate alongside Kano until Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, but after he is included among Raiden's chosen warriors to defend Earthrealm, he is attacked and maimed by Kahn's extermination squads, forcing him thereafter to rely on artificial respirators for survival and a mask to hide his now-disfigured face. However, the assault also results in him abandoning his life of crime in order to help the Earthrealm warriors successfully thwart Shao Kahn and his forces. Kabal is not playable in Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance, though he has a significant role in the game's story mode when he is defeated in battle and his signature hookswords stolen by Mavado, a leading member of the Black Dragon's rival clan, the Red Dragon. In Mortal Kombat: Deception, the cleric of chaos Havik brings Kabal back from the brink of death and instructs him to restore the same Black Dragon that he had long tried to disassociate himself from. Kabal complies, recruiting arms dealer Kira and martial artist turned killer Kobra. Kabal later defeats Mavado and takes back his swords. Kabal appears with Kira and Kobra in the training mode of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon when he confronts the demigod Taven after the latter defeats the Black Dragon thugs. Impressed, Kabal offers him a chance to join the Black Dragon, but Taven refuses. Kabal challenges him to combat in response, but is defeated.
Kabal is a reformed Black Dragon member turned NYPD riot-control officer alongside Kurtis Stryker in the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot. Amidst the chaos of Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm, they confront and defeat Outworld warriors Reptile and Mileena, but Kabal is severely burned by Kintaro and kidnapped by Kano.[103] Despite Kabal leaving the Black Dragon, Kano restores his health with the sorcerer Shang Tsung's help, though with a respirator and mask as Kabal's lungs are damaged beyond repair. He is irate with Kano for supporting Outworld, and demands Kano take him to Shao Kahn, where they witness the emperor promote his wife Sindel to general of his armies, before Kabal flees back to Earthrealm. Raiden subsequently invites him to join his band of Earthrealm warriors, but while he and Liu Kang commune with the Elder Gods, Sindel and the Lin Kuei ninja clan ambush Kabal and the other Earthrealm defenders, killing most of them, including Kabal. The fallen are then resurrected by the necromancer Quan Chi as undead revenant slaves. The undead Kabal returns in Mortal Kombat X and is not playable with a minor role in the game's story, but is selectable in Mortal Kombat 11, in which the present Kabal is a revenant servant of Kronika in the story mode. After she causes a time anomaly as part of her plan to eliminate Raiden from history, she brings a Black Dragon-era Kabal into the present that Kano manipulates into fighting Sonya Blade by falsely claiming she was responsible for scarring him in the future.[104]
Kabal was nicknamed "Sandman" during the production of MK3 before his actual name was determined.[105] According to Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias, Kabal's overall design was inspired by the Tusken Raiders from Star Wars, while the circular lenses of his mask were inspired by 1940s-style aviator goggles.[106] Tobias, however, expressed his dissatisfaction with his original design of Kabal in a 2012 interview.[107]
Kabal made one appearance in the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, which covered his backstory from MK3. Though he appeared in the script for Mortal Kombat Annihilation, his part was cut, but he was among Shang Tsung's chosen Outworld villains in the 2021 Mortal Kombat film. In the 2022 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, he is part of Kano's Black Dragon henchmen.
The character has received mostly positive critical reception,[108][109][54][110] but received notoriety for being overpowered in MK3,[111][112] while response to his Fatalities throughout his series appearances has been mixed.[113][87][114][115][116][117]
Khameleon
[edit]
Portrayed by: Becky Gable (MKT)
Voiced by: Johanna Añonuevo (Armageddon)
Khameleon is a Zaterran who possesses the abilities of the franchise's female ninjas. She is the last known female of her race. She was introduced in the Nintendo 64 version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy.[118] Due to Shao Kahn's role in her race's near extinction, Khameleon seeks revenge against him. Khameleon was the franchise's only previously playable character excluded in the original release of Armageddon, but was added to the Wii version.[119] Series art director Steve Beran acknowledged that she was included in Armageddon due to heavy fan demand.[120]
In the new timeline depicted in Mortal Kombat 1, Khameleon makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the story mode as a member of the Umgadi, warrior priestesses who guard Outworld's royal family.[121] Additionally, she also appears as a downloadable assist character, or "Kameo Fighter".[citation needed]
The character placed 33rd in UGO's selection of the top fifty series characters,[63] but IGN's Mitchell Saltzman listed Khameleon with Chameleon among the series' worst. "Unlike all of the other ninja palette swaps that eventually gained their own identity and playstyle, both Chameleons ... feel more like gimmicks than anything."[90]
Motaro
[edit]
Portrayed by: Deron McBee (Annihilation)
Motaro is a Centaurian from Outworld who possesses immense strength, the ability to teleport, fire energy blasts from his tail, and deflect incoming projectiles. First appearing as a sub-boss in Mortal Kombat 3 and its updates, he leads Shao Kahn's extermination squads during his invasion of Earthrealm.[citation needed] Motaro returns in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon as a minotaur due to a curse on his species placed by the Shokan.[citation needed]
Motaro makes minor non-speaking appearances in Mortal Kombat (2011) and Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1), with the former seeing him being killed by Raiden and the latter seeing him serve as a member of General Shao's rebellion.[citation needed] Additionally, Motaro appears as an unlockable assist character, or "Kameo Fighter", in MK1 and his quadrupedal physique was restored for both games.[citation needed]
Motaro has also appeared in Mortal Kombat Annihilation, Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, and Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge.
John Tobias said that Motaro was inspired by a Micronauts toy figure of Baron Karza, which could be turned into a centaur by combining the toy with a horse figure packaged alongside it.[122] Described by Ed Boon as one of the "oddest shaped" Mortal Kombat characters, Motaro was nearly excluded from Armageddon due to the developers' difficulty of compensating for his unique half-horse body shape.[123][124] With fans desiring to see the character return, the developers removed Motaro's hind legs to allow him in the game.[125]
Motaro placed 31st in UGO's 2012 ranking of the top fifty Mortal Kombat characters, noting him being a tough sub-boss to defeat.[126] Den of Geek ranked Motaro 42nd in their 2015 rating of the franchise's then-64 playable characters.[65] Marcus Stewart of Game Informer rated Motaro 57th in his 2021 ranking of the 76 playable series characters. "You'd think a centaur would be a cooler character, but Motaro hasn't made a ton of noise since his '90s heyday."[127] The bipedal version of Motaro was criticized by Robert Naytor of Hardcore Gaming 101 and ScrewAttack, with the former considering his four legs "the one cool thing he had going for him" and the latter stating that he had lost his most defining trait.[128][129]
Nightwolf
[edit]
Main article: Nightwolf
Rain
[edit]
Portrayed by: John Turk (MKT); Tyrone Wiggins (Annihilation); Percy Brown (Conquest)
Voiced by: Rino Romano (Defenders of the Realm); Andrew Bowen (MKX);[130] Dempsey Pappion (MK11);[131] Noshir Dalal (MK1)[78]
Rain makes his first series appearance in the attract mode of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, in which he attacks Shao Kahn on the Portal stage.[132] He was then made a playable character in the home version of UMK3 and the compilation title Mortal Kombat Trilogy (1996) with his own distinct set of moves. In Trilogy, Rain has his own storyline in which he is an Edenian smuggled away from his homeland in the midst of the realm's takeover by Outworld emperor Shao Kahn. Thousands of years later, Rain resurfaces during Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm prior to the third Mortal Kombat tournament. Not wanting to suffer at the hand of Kahn's extermination squads, he betrays his homeland and sides with Kahn, who assigns him alongside fellow enslaved Edenians Kitana and Jade in fighting against the Earthrealm warriors.[133] Rain is absent from the series thereafter until the training mode of Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004), and returns as a playable character in the compilation title Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006). As one of only seventeen characters in the game to receive an official biography,[134] he plays his largest role in the original series continuity by learning of his true Edenian heritage from evil Outworld sorcerer Quan Chi, who informs Rain that he is a direct descendant of Argus, the protector god of Edenia, as well as the half-sibling of the game's protagonist Taven and his brother Daegon, both of whom were favored by their father to assume his mantle of Edenia's protectors.[135] Rain consequently starts to refer to himself as a prince of the realm, as seen in Armageddon's training mode, but he still chooses to independently fight on the side of evil. He confronts the game's protagonist Taven in the location of Arctika but is defeated in battle and flees into a portal.[136]
His storyline is altered in the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, which makes no mention of his father or siblings, instead simply describing him as having been orphaned at a young age by Kahn's conquest of Edenia and raised under the protection of Edenian resistance fighters. As he gained a reputation as an exceptional warrior, his level of arrogance followed suit, and he betrayed his comrades after being refused leadership of the resistance. This caught the attention of Kahn, who offered the power-hungry Rain an army of his own in exchange for his services.[137] He was not part of the original playable roster but was later added to the game as downloadable content.
In Mortal Kombat X (2015), Rain is not playable and only appears in the game's story mode as Mileena's advisor, and tries to help her reclaim the Outworld throne from Kotal Kahn in the midst of a civil war. However, he plans to take the throne for himself when the war is over, but is stopped by D'Vorah. He returns in Mortal Kombat 11 again as downloadable content, and his role therein is that he manages to escape Kotal's capture. Rain's past is further explained in his arcade ending in which his father Argus had lied to Rain's birth mother, Amara, on the day after Rain was born and faked his death from her, leaving her to commit suicide out of heartbreak while Rain was callously sold to another family without her knowledge. Rain is furious upon later learning this information and swears vengeance against Argus and his own half-brothers Daegon and Taven, but leaves his stepmother Delia to suffer a similar fate as Amara.[138]
In the new timeline depicted in Mortal Kombat 1, Rain no longer has divine lineage, and is instead depicted as an ambitious sorcerer who became the High Mage of Outworld's Royal Court. Rain's real name in this timeline, Zefferro shares a same names a character who was an Outworld overlord of walled city Lei Chen in the Konquest Mode of Mortal Kombat Deception. He assists Shang Tsung and General Shao's attempt to overthrow Outworld's Royal family in the game's story mode. After Titan Shang Tsung's defeat, Rain joins with Havik to evade capture by Empress Mileena. Havik has him use his power to flood and destroy Seido. The destruction caused by their attack leaves Rain wracked with guilt, and he willingly gives himself up to Outworld's authorities to accept any punishment the Empress gives him.
Rain was inspired by the 1984 Prince song Purple Rain, along with MK co-creator Ed Boon, a longtime fan of the musician, also jokingly wondering what color palette had not yet been used for the series' ninja characters at the time Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was in production.[139] After MK Trilogy, the character was given his own distinct designs in future appearances.
Rain has received mixed to negative critical reception for his origins and his Fatalities.[140][87][141][142] UGO ranked him 28th out of the series' top 50 characters in 2012.[63] His later appearances were better received; Den of Geek ranked Rain 36th in his 2015 rating of the 64 series characters due to his MK9 ending and the expansion of his backstory in Armageddon as "a power-hungry jerk who believed that he was owed everything."[65] GamesRadar+ noted his purple palette in the 2011 reboot as "a nice, rarely used color for male fighting game characters", while "his moves are so weird and confounding that they make every match a constant guessing game."[143] Bleeding Cool considered Rain's MK11 appearance as his best to date due to his evolved moveset.[144]
Sektor
[edit]
Portrayed by: Sal Divita (MK3, UMK3); Peter Shinkoda (Legacy)
Voiced by: Andrew Kishino (2011 game); Dave B. Mitchell (MK11, Battle of the Realms)[59]
Sektor debuts in Mortal Kombat 3 as a member of the Lin Kuei clan along with Sub-Zero, Cyrax, and Smoke. When Sub-Zero defects after refusing to take part in the Lin Kuei's utilization of modern technology by converting its members into cyborgs, Sektor, along with Cyrax, is tasked with hunting down and killing Sub-Zero.[91] Sektor is a secret character in Mortal Kombat Gold, in which he is the only active cyborg out of the original three, after Smoke is shut down in an Outworld prison before being enslaved by Noob Saibot while Cyrax's human soul is restored and he joins Sonya and Jax's Outer World Investigation Agency. Sektor believes the Lin Kuei Grandmaster is inferior and kills him, but Sub-Zero in turn defeats Sektor in battle and claims the title of grandmaster for himself. Sektor flees to Japan thereafter and forms his own clan of cyborg ninja warriors.[145]
Sektor is not playable again until the compilation title Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, and plays a minor role in its training mode. In the 2011 series reboot, he is introduced during the first tournament as a human Chinese member of the clan who, along with Cyrax, is paid handsomely by tournament organizer Shang Tsung to compete and kill Earthrealm's fighters. Sektor is fervently supportive of the Lin Kuei's plan to robotize its members while Cyrax is the opposite; Sektor comes to blows with Cyrax when the latter refuses to kill Johnny Cage in battle, but is defeated. During the second Mortal Kombat tournament, a cyborg Sektor attempts to kidnap Smoke so he could be converted as well, only to be stopped by Raiden. However, in a reversal of Smoke and Sub-Zero's MK3 storylines, Sub-Zero is captured by the Lin Kuei inside Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's arena and eventually converted, with Sektor pledging his services to Kahn in exchange. When Shao Kahn launches an invasion of Earthrealm, Sektor and the cyberized Lin Kuei launch their own attack on the Earthrealm defenders to stop them from interfering with Kahn's plans, only to be thwarted by defeated by Nightwolf. Despite this, Shao Kahn's wife Sindel completes the clan's objective of slaughtering the Earthrealm warriors.
In Mortal Kombat X, Sektor is not playable, but his moveset is a part of Triborg's options and his remains appear in the story mode. In between the events of the 2011 reboot and Mortal Kombat X, Sektor became Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei and had the remaining members killed or cyberized. The recently revived Kuai Liang infiltrates their headquarters and uploads a virus into their system that frees Cyrax from Sektor's control as he confronts the Cyber Lin Kuei. With Cyrax's help, Sub-Zero defeats and kills Sektor before Cyrax self-destructs to destroy the facility and the remaining Cyber Lin Kuei.[146] As Sub-Zero begins a new Lin Kuei clan, he examines Sektor's memories from his remains and discovers the Lin Kuei had hired Quan Chi to eliminate the Shirai Ryu clan, leading to Sub-Zero to seek atonement by seeking peace with Scorpion and the newly reestablished Shirai Ryu.[147]
In Mortal Kombat 11, a time-displaced Sektor and his cyber Lin Kuei army are revived by the keeper of time Kronika and brought into her ranks. They are joined by Sub-Zero's former apprentice, Frost, who succeeds Sektor after she is converted into a cyborg. He, Cyrax, and Frost, backed by Noob Saibot, kidnap Sub-Zero's Lin Kuei warriors and forcibly robotize them. After learning of what they had done, Sub-Zero and Hanzo Hasashi (Scorpion) arrive at the Cyber Lin Kuei's factory to shut it down. Sektor declares to Sub-Zero that allying with Hanzo is dishonorable, but is soon deactivated when Cyrax shuts down the factory. Sektor's body is used by Kronika's allies to revive him and the cyber Lin Kuei.[29] The cyborgs join the Black Dragon crime cartel in storming the Special Forces base, where Kano uses a kill switch installed in Sektor's systems to destroy it.[148] In Sub-Zero's arcade ending, he discovers his deceased older brother Bi-Han having embraced Sektor’s corrupt practices in the Lin Kuei before his death and transformation into Noob Saibot.
Sektor's original cyberized form appears in Mortal Kombat 1 as an assist-based Kameo fighter while his human and now female counterpart in Liu Kang's new timeline will appear in the upcoming story expansion Khaos Reigns. After Sub-Zero's (Bi-Han) brother Scorpion (Kuai Liang) defects from the clan to form the Shirai Ryu following Sub-Zero's betrayal of Earthrealm, Bi-Han attempts to bolster the Lin Kuei's forces with "Sektor's genius" by enacting the Cyber Lin Kuei initiative.[149]
Sektor appears in one episode of the 2011 web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, played by Peter Shinkoda. He and Cyrax are shown being transformed at the Lin Kuei's secret headquarters with the operation overseen by Kano. The character has a minor part in DC Comics' 2015 Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties comic miniseries that is set before the events of the game,[150] and he appears in the animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (2021).[151]
Sektor was nicknamed "Ketchup" during production of MK3 before his official name was determined, while the robot ninjas' designs were inspired by Boba Fett and the Predator.[152] He has been lauded by gaming media outlets for his Fatalities over the course of the Mortal Kombat series.[153][154][155][71][156][157][158][159] UGO placed him 26th—one spot behind Cyrax—in their 2012 list of the top fifty series characters.[63]
Sheeva
[edit]
Portrayed by: Marjean Holden (Annihilation)
Voiced by: Dawnn Lewis (Defenders of the Realm); Lori McClain (Armageddon); Lani Minella (2011 game); Vanessa Marshall (MK11)
Sheeva is a Shokan warrior like Goro and Kintaro, and is the series' lone female representative of the four-armed race. She has a long-standing rivalry with Motaro, as the Shokan and his race of Centaurians are bitter enemies. She debuts in MK3 as Queen Sindel's appointed bodyguard and protector following Shao Kahn's invasion of Earth. She is not playable in the series again until Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, in which the then-entire series roster is playable. In the 2011 reboot that retells the continuity of the first three games, she is immediately playable and plays a minor role in the game's story mode as Kahn's bodyguard and jailer. In Mortal Kombat 11, Sheeva was a late addition to the roster as downloadable content as part of the game's Aftermath expansion pack. She additionally has a more significant role in the series for the first time, as she aids a time-traveling Shang Tsung in retrieving Kronika's Crown of Souls so Liu Kang can restore history after exploiting her blood oath to Sindel. Sheeva assists in reviving Sindel so she can join them as well, but upon learning of her treachery Sheeva attempts to stop her but is defeated.
The character's name was derived from Shiva, the Hindu deity of destruction. She was added to the game due to fan requests for a playable version of Goro, like whom she was created as a stop motion-animated clay figurine.[160] Series co-creator John Tobias opted for a female version of the character as she would be physically smaller in size and thus take up less room on the screen.[161] She was omitted from the home versions of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 due to memory constraints.
Sheeva (voiced by Dawnn Lewis) had a recurring role in the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm. In the 1997 film Mortal Kombat Annihilation, she was played by Marjean Holden in a minor role with her only action sequence being a brief scuffle with Motaro, though the film acknowledges her then-current role in the games as Sindel's personal protector. In the 2015 Mortal Kombat X: Blood Ties prequel comic miniseries produced by DC Comics, Sheeva is crowned by Kintaro as the current leader of the Shokan in a peaceful treaty with Kotal Kahn, following the death of previous rule King Gorbak. Sheeva mourns Kintaro's death after Sonya — possessed by Havik — kills him in battle.
Reception of the character has been mixed. While Wirtualna Polska featured Sheeva among gaming's top ten female villains in 2011,[162] she placed a middling 28th in UGO.com's 2012 ranking of their top fifty Mortal Kombat characters,[163] and 47th in Den of Geek's 2019 ranking of the series' 77 playable characters.[65] Game Informer, in 2010, stated that "despite a somewhat cool ground-pound move [in MK3], she was an addition to the series that never really served a purpose or did anything particularly noteworthy."[164] However, her Fatalities over the course of her appearances have been fairly well received.[165][166][167][168][169]
Sindel
[edit]
Portrayed by: Lia Montelongo (MK3); Musetta Vander (Annihilation); Beatrice Ilg (Legacy); Ana Thu Nguyen (Mortal Kombat 2)[170]
Voiced by: Laura Boton (MK:D); Lani Minella (MK 2011); Kelly Hu (MKX); Mara Junot (2019–present)[171]
Sindel debuts as a playable character in Mortal Kombat 3 (MK3) as the queen of Edenia alongside her daughter, Princess Kitana, before their kingdom lost ten consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, leading to Shao Kahn invading them to forcibly merge their realms. After he killed her husband King Jerrod and adopted the then-infant Kitana, Sindel committed suicide to avoid becoming his consort. Years later however, Shao and Shang Tsung resurrect her without her memories and brainwash her to assist in the former's invasion of Earthrealm. After Earthrealm's defenders defeat Shao, Kitana convinces Sindel of her true past, turning her against Shao.
Sindel appears as a non-playable character (NPC) in Mortal Kombat 4 (MK4), in which her subject Tanya betrays Edenia and allows Shinnok's Netherrealm forces to invade her palace. Kitana escapes, but Sindel is imprisoned in her dungeon until Shinnok's forces are defeated. Following this, she sends Kitana to form an alliance with the Shokan armies and lead them into battle against a weakened Shao while Sindel stays behind to restore Edenia. Returning as a playable character in Mortal Kombat: Deception (MK:D), Edenia is invaded by Onaga, who killed, resurrected, and brainwashed Sindel, among others, before imprisoning her until she is freed by Jade. Sindel appears as a playable character in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, though she does not play a role in the story mode.
In Mortal Kombat (2011), due to Raiden altering the timeline and changing the events of the franchise's first three games, Sindel is instead resurrected by Quan Chi and receives Shang Tsung's powers before she kills most of Earthrealm's warriors and Kitana before Nightwolf sacrifices himself to kill her. Quan Chi subsequently converts the dead warriors into his undead revenant servants, a role Sindel fulfills while making a minor appearance as a NPC in Mortal Kombat X.
Sindel appears as a downloadable playable character in Mortal Kombat 11 (MK11) via the Aftermath expansion pack, in which her history is retconned. When Shao invaded Edenia, she willingly sided and married him, killed Jerrod herself for his perceived weakness, and claimed Shao did so to appease her subjects. Quan Chi, believing she was distracting Shao, later killed her and staged it as a suicide before using her soul to temporarily stop Shao from invading Earthrealm. In the present, Shang Tsung captures her revenant and revives her to help him steal Kronika's Crown of Souls.[172] Sindel agrees while also reconsolidating her power with Shao before betraying and defeating Kitana and Earthrealm's forces.[173][174] After helping Shang Tsung breach Kronika's keep however, the sorcerer in turn betrays Sindel and Shao, absorbing their souls in retaliation for killing him to empower Sindel.[175]
Sindel appears as a playable character in Mortal Kombat 1, in which Fire God Liu Kang created a second new timeline where Sindel is the Empress of Outworld and biological mother of Kitana and Mileena, the latter of whom is set to inherit her throne, who maintains the Mortal Kombat tournaments alongside Kang in the late Jerrod's memory. Though a fair and just ruler, Sindel is strict in preparing Mileena to succeed her and becomes more determined to protect her realm and the throne following Jerrod's death. She also employs Shang Tsung to help with Mileena's Tarkat disease, unaware that he and General Shao are conspiring against her and encouraging her to turn against Earthrealm until they are exposed by Kang and Earthrealm's warriors. Sindel is later reunited with Jerrod after Quan Chi uses his soul, among others, to create Ermac and the former gains control of the body, before she is killed by her counterpart from Titan Shang Tsung's timeline. Before she dies, she entrusts Mileena with Outworld's throne before Jerrod preserves her soul within Ermac, where the pair work together to fight off the other souls and maintain control of the body.
During production of MK3, Sindel was nicknamed "The Bride" and "Muchacha" by the developers before her official name was determined.[176] She was played by actress Lia Montelongo, who was nineteen years old at the time.[177]
Sindel appears as a supporting character in Mortal Kombat Annihilation, portrayed by Musetta Vander. In addition to her original trilogy backstory and role, she is also named the new general of Shao Kahn's extermination squads following her resurrection and brainwashing.[178] Amidst Earthrealm's warriors' final battle with Shao, Kitana defeats and spares Sindel. After Liu Kang defeats Shao, the latter's curse on Sindel is broken. She also appears in the Mortal Kombat Legacy episode "Kitana and Mileena - Part 1", portrayed by Beatrice Ilg, and will appear in the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2, portrayed by Ana Thu Nguyen.[48][179]
Sindel has been positively received for her role in the games[65][180] and her Fatalities,[159][181][182] but her MK11 retcon was met with heavy fan criticism,[183][184] while her portrayal in Annihilation has been ridiculed.[185][186][187][188]
Stryker
[edit]
Portrayed by: Michael O'Brien (MK3); Lawrence Kern (MK 2011); Tahmoh Penikett (Legacy); Eric Jacobus (Legacy II)
Voiced by: Ron Perlman (Defenders of the Realm); Matthew Mercer (MK 2011, Battle of the Realms)
Kurtis Stryker is a coast NYPD riot control officer selected by Raiden to help defend Earthrealm against invading forces from Outworld. One of the franchise's few characters who does not possess any special powers, he employs modern weaponry such as explosives, firearms, tasers and nightsticks for his special moves and Fatalities. During the events of MK3, he was the leader of the riot control brigade when Outworld's portal opened over New York City. Stryker attempted to keep order among the populace in the ensuing chaos, but soon all human souls were usurped by Shao Kahn with the exception of those that belonged to Raiden's chosen warriors, including himself. Initially ignorant of why he was spared, he entered the fray with the intention of avenging the lives of the innocent that he had vowed to protect and serve. Along with the other warriors, he assisted in liberating Earthrealm from Shao Kahn's clutches. His next playable appearance is in MK Armageddon, in which he is still oblivious as to why he was chosen by the Elder Gods. In the Battle of Armageddon, he fights Mileena, Kabal and Kano, yet he is ultimately slain along with the other combatants. In the 2011 series reboot, Stryker is Kabal's SWAT team leader who joins Raiden and his followers in repelling the Outworld invasion. He is later killed, along with most of the Earthrealm heroes, by Sindel and subsequently resurrected by Quan Chi and forced to fight Raiden, in a losing effort. He makes brief nonplayable appearances in Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11 as an undead revenant fighting for Quan Chi and Shinnok.
A character named "Kurtis Stryker" was originally slated to appear in the first Mortal Kombat, but the idea was dropped in place of a female fighter (Sonya Blade). The character would appear in Mortal Kombat II renamed Jax, and Stryker was finally made an original character in MK3. Stryker was originally conceived by the developers as a SWAT-type character with several additional weapons, but the game's memory limitations prevented this. He appeared in Armageddon with a complete redesign into a much more futuristic-looking character, armed with two back-mounted knives that were never used.
Stryker has made several appearances in alternate series media, starting as a featured character (voiced by Ron Perlman) in the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm. He appeared in the premiere episode of the 2011 first season of the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy as a SWAT leader under Jax's command, and had a recurring role in the 2013 second season. In the 2021 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, he represents Earthrealm in the tournament, defeating Baraka in battle but losing to Shang Tsung, after which he is magically manipulated into killing himself by the sorcerer.
The character has received negative reception for his "common man" presence in the otherworldly atmosphere of the Mortal Kombat series.[189][190][191][192] However, Den of Geek ranked Stryker 21st in their 2015 rating of the franchise's 64 playable characters, citing his sucker-punching of Mileena in Armageddon's opening cinematic sequence and Perlman's portrayal in the animated series, in addition to "really [becoming] something worth caring about in the reboot, where he came off as a likeable, disgruntled smart-ass."[65] Robert Naytor of Hardcore Gaming 101 praised Stryker in the reboot as being "so badass" and "the closest thing you'll get to being John McClane in a fighting game."[128]
Introduced in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
[edit]
See also: Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
Fujin
[edit]
Portrayed by: Anthony Marquez (MKM:SZ); Nic Toussaint (MKX)
Voiced by: Herman Sanchez (MK4), David Horachek (MK:A), Troy Baker (MKX), Matthew Yang King (MK11)
Fujin is the god of wind based on the Japanese deity of the same name. He first appears as an unnamed boss in Mythologies: Sub-Zero, in which he unsuccessfully guards Shinnok's amulet from Sub-Zero.[193] He makes his playable debut in Mortal Kombat 4 and succeeds Raiden as Earthrealm's protector when Raiden becomes an Elder God.[194] Fujin returns in Armageddon and is defeated by Taven after attempting to prevent him from continuing his quest.[195] In the rebooted timeline, Fujin appears in Mortal Kombat X's story mode fighting the Netherrealm's forces alongside Raiden, but is not playable until his inclusion in the Aftermath expansion for Mortal Kombat 11, in which he, Shang Tsung, and Nightwolf try to save their universe by obtaining Kronika's crown. Fujin is ultimately betrayed by Shang Tsung, who drains his soul, but keeps him alive to continue draining his powers for eternity. In Shang Tsung's ending, Fujin and Raiden become his servants.
Fujin placed 40th in UGO's 2012 listing of the top 50 series characters.[63] In 2014, Prima Games included Fujin among their twenty "cheapest" characters in the series due to having a crossbow as his primary weapon in Mortal Kombat 4.[111] For his later appearances, the crossbow could only be used for special attacks.
Quan Chi
[edit]
Portrayed by: Richard Divizio (MKM:SZ, MK4); Carlos Pesina (MK:D, MK:A); Adoni Maropis (Conquest); Michael Rogers (Legacy); Damon Herriman (MK 2021 sequel)[170]
Voiced by: Herman Sanchez (MK4, MK:A); Nigel Casey (MK:D); Ronald M. Banks (MK vs DC,2011 game, MKX); Nick Chinlund (Defenders of the Realm); Darin De Paul (Scorpion's Revenge); Sean T. Krishnan (MK1)
Quan Chi is a nefarious free-roaming sorcerer who is one of the Mortal Kombat series' main villains. He is first seen in MK Mythologies when he hires both Sub-Zero and his rival Scorpion to find a map leading to the amulet in hopes that they would meet in combat; indeed, Sub-Zero kills Scorpion in battle, after which Quan Chi eliminates Scorpion's Shirai Ryu clan and sends Sub-Zero to find the amulet, which is later revealed to be a fake while Quan Chi kept the real one for himself. After reviving Scorpion as an undead revenant, Quan Chi tells him that Sub-Zero was responsible for the deaths of his clan and family. He makes his playable debut in Mortal Kombat 4, in which he joins forces with disgraced Elder God Shinnok, who had been banished to the Netherealm by the thunder god Raiden after centuries of warring, in ruling the realm. He is the title character along with Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), in which he brokers a deal with Shang Tsung for his assistance in reviving the army of Onaga (the game's final boss) in exchange for souls that would preserve Shang Tsung's youth, then eliminate evil Outworld emperor Shao Kahn and the perennial Mortal Kombat champion Liu Kang. They kill Raiden's Earthrealm defenders, but the partnership dissolves when Shang Tsung attempts to steal Shinnok's amulet to take control of Onaga's army for himself. In his futile attempt to stop Onaga, Raiden sacrifices himself by triggering a violent explosion and seemingly killing the Deadly Alliance as well. In Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), Quan Chi attempts to acquire the godlike power of the elemental Blaze. During the battle royal among the combatants on the Pyramid of Argus in the game's opening cinematic sequence, Quan Chi wounds Kenshi in battle before Shang Tsung (disguised as Ermac) throws him off the pyramid. In the game's training mode, Quan Chi suggests that he, Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, and Onaga work together to defeat the forces of good, but is secretly serving as a double agent for Shinnok.
Quan Chi was the lone playable character from the three-dimensional series of games included in the immediate roster of the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot. In the game's story mode, Quan Chi is present at the Shaolin Tournament from the outset, with the resurrected Scorpion serving as his personal assassin. They join forces in the tournament to face the Shaolin monk Liu Kang, but both are defeated. During the second tournament in Shao Kahn's Outworld arena, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung join forces against Kung Lao but are defeated. In the retold events of Mortal Kombat 3 therein, Quan Chi revives the deceased Queen Sindel in order to enable Shao Kahn to invade Earthrealm, after having resurrected the dead elder Sub-Zero — killed by Scorpion in the first tournament — as Noob Saibot to assist him in his plans. He later constructs a Soulnado to take every soul on Earth, but his plans are thwarted by Nightwolf. After Sindel massacres the Earthrealm warriors assembled to stop Shao Kahn's takeover, Raiden seeks cooperation between Earth and the Netherealm by offering Quan Chi their souls as compensation, but Quan Chi has transformed them into his revenant slaves. However, he inadvertently causes Shao Kahn's downfall when he reveals the Elder Gods are obligated to stop the tyrant for failing to honor Mortal Kombat's rules. Raiden kills Shao Kahn and halts his invasion, but Quan Chi makes preparations for Shinnok's invasion, leading Netherrealm's forces in attacking the weakened Earthrealm and Outworld. In Mortal Kombat X (2015), Quan Chi uses the Earthrealm revenants to aid him in retrieving Shinnok's amulet over the course of two years. Though he succeeds in doing so with the aid of D'Vorah, he is decapitated by the resurrected Hanzo Hasashi (Scorpion) once he learns the sorcerer conspired with the Lin Kuei ninja Sektor to kill the Shirai Ryu.
In Mortal Kombat 1, Quan Chi appears as a DLC character, but makes frequent appearances in the story. In Liu Kang's new timeline, Quan Chi led a meaningless life in the mines before being contacted by "Damashi", who helps him learn his sorcerer abilities.[196] He begins working with Shang Tsung and General Shao to deceive Empress Sindel into turning against Earthrealm and preparing a coup to overthrow her. While creating Ermac, Quan Chi attempts to prepare a soul stealer to unleash on Earthrealm before he is stopped by Ashrah. One of the souls that escapes the contraptions attacks him, resulting in his skin turning white.[197] After discovering that Damashi is Titan Shang Tsung, who is intent on killing everyone in the timeline, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung assist Liu Kang in stopping him. During the final battle, Titan Shang Tsung summons a Titan Quan Chi to assist him, but both ultimately lose.[198]
According to MK co-creator John Tobias, Quan Chi was created as a replacement for Shang Tsung as the main sorcerer character of the series.[199] NetherRealm Studios character artist Solomon Gaitan initially referenced actor Yul Brynner when digitally sculpting Quan Chi's facial features for Mortal Kombat X.[200] Gaitan said that series art director Steve Beran "wanted me to merge Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff's features" during the design process, in addition to researching vultures: "I wanted him to feel like he was in a permanent state of lurking and stalking; waiting for death to happen."[201]
Quan Chi made his Mortal Kombat series debut in one episode of the 1996 animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, and was voiced by Nick Chinlund.[202] The character appeared in four episodes of the 1998 television series Mortal Kombat: Conquest,[203] and in the 2011 web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, Quan Chi appears at the climax of a two-part episode featuring Sub-Zero and Scorpion. In the 2020 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, Quan Chi serves as one of the two main antagonists along with Shang Tsung, and resurrects Hanzo Hasashi to turn him into Scorpion and employ him as his servant for eternity. Damon Herriman will play Quan Chi in the upcoming feature film Mortal Kombat 2.
Quan Chi has received mainly positive critical reception for his role in the games,[204][63][65][109][205] though Destructoid commented in 2015: "Quan Chi is a dark sorcerer shitbag that nobody likes, both in the fandom and in the series' narrative [for] unsuccessfully scheming behind the back of whatever master he is currently serving like an incompetent, bald Starscream."[206] However, Topless Robot cited Quan Chi in Defenders of the Realm as "the only contribution to [the] franchise that this series made."[207] Reception to his Fatalities has been divisive, with his "Leg Beatdown" from MK4 rated among the series' best,[204][208][209][158] and the "Neck Stretch" from Deadly Alliance among the worst,[210][211][212][213][214] a sentiment shared by the MK series' developers.[211][215]
Sareena
[edit]
Portrayed by: Lia Montelongo (MKM:SZ)
Voiced by: Danielle Nicolet (MKX), Mara Junot (MK1), Jennifer Grey (Cage Match)
Sareena is a demon from the Netherrealm. She debuts in Mythologies: Sub-Zero as an assassin assigned by Quan Chi to kill Sub-Zero.[216] After being spared by him, she assists him in defeating Quan Chi but is killed by Shinnok. Sareena returns as a playable character in the Tournament Edition port of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, which reveals Shinnok's attack banished her to a lower plane of the Netherrealm. Escaping through a portal, she is offered asylum in Earthrealm by the younger Sub-Zero. However, the training mode of Armageddon sees her again serving Quan Chi, leading to her being defeated by Taven.[217] Following a background cameo in the 2011 reboot, Sareena appears in the story mode of Mortal Kombat X, in which she assists the Special Forces in battling the Netherrealm's forces. In Mortal Kombat 1, she appears as an assist-based Kameo fighter, where she is able to switch between a human-like appearance and her true, demonic form. She also appears in Ashrah's Klassic Towers ending, in which Ashrah rescues her from Quan Chi's control.[198]
Sareena appears as one of the main antagonists of the 2023 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match voiced by Jennifer Grey. She initially appears as a fictionalized version of Grey herself that Johnny Cage attempts to find in Los Angeles to shoot Ninja Mime with, only to reveal she had been cut off from the Neatherrealm for decades and helped set up Cage's film career with her allies from the Brotherhood of Shadows after she discovered he possessed the "blood of the gods" needed to open a portal to the Neatherrealm and summon Shinnok. While Cage fights Shinnok, she faces off against her former ally Ashrah and unleashes her true demonic form in the process. With help from Cage's assistant Chuck Golden, Ashrah is able to kill and defeat her.[218][90]
Sareena was ranked 26th on Den of Geek's 2015 rating of the series' 64 playable characters, for being "Sub-Zero's one moment of humanity snowballing into something meaningful".[65]
Shinnok
[edit]
Portrayed by: Gary Wingert (MKM:SZ); Carlos Pesina (MK:A); Chris Bashen (MKX); Reiner Schöne (Annihilation)
Voiced by: John Tobias (MK4, MKG); Knute Horwitz (MK:A); Ken Lally (2011 game); Troy Baker (MKX, MK11); Robin Atkin Downes (Battle of the Realms, Cage Match)
One of the franchise's primary villains, Shinnok debuted as the boss of MK Mythologies and made his first playable appearance in the main series with Mortal Kombat 4 in 1997. He appears in MK4 as both a playable character and the final boss of Mortal Kombat 4 and Mortal Kombat X (2015). He is a banished former Elder God who invades and annexes the realm of Edenia with the aid of Quan Chi's forces and the traitorous Edenian Tanya before declaring war against the Elder Gods, specifically Raiden for his punishment, but his mission fails after he is defeated by perennial Mortal Kombat champion Liu Kang. Shinnok's next selectable appearance is along with the then-entire series roster in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), and he features in the game's training mode as having been a longtime friend of the game's main protagonist Taven, who is under the impression that Shinnok is still a force of good as he rescues him from an attack by Li Mei. Shinnok also makes a brief appearance alongside the forces of evil in the battle royal in the opening cinematic sequence against the other combatants at the Pyramid of Argus, when he summons giant subterranean skeletal hands that pin Raiden to the ground before he is struck with a lightning blast.
Shinnok only appears in the closing of the story mode of the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, but is the main villain of Mortal Kombat X. At the start of the story mode, he is sealed inside his own magical amulet, which is possessed over the next twenty-five years by many other characters until Quan Chi is beheaded by Scorpion, freeing Shinnok from inside the amulet. With the aid of D'Vorah and the undead Earthrealm warriors from the previous game, Shinnok invades the Sky Temple, where he subdues Raiden and corrupts the Jinsei (the source of Earthrealm's life force) until a Special Forces unit led by the game's protagonist Cassie Cage arrives to battle the transformed Shinnok (now known as "Corrupted Shinnok") and the revenant army. After Cassie is victorious over Shinnok, Raiden then purifies the Jinsei, which strips Shinnok of his powers. Shinnok returns in the prologue of Mortal Kombat 11 (2019), in which he is tortured and decapitated by Raiden after the events of MKX. His severed head is visited by new boss character Kronika, the Keeper of Time, who expresses sadness at his current state. The game's story mode reveals that Shinnok is actually Kronika's son, as well the brother of fellow Elder God Cetrion.[219]
Shinnok's likeness in Mortal Kombat 4 was based on that of series art director Steve Beran, and like Shang Tsung in the digitized Mortal Kombat games, he was able to mimic the special moves of his opponents, but the graphical limitations of Midway's then-new 3D software prevented him from physically transforming into the characters. Series co-creator and programmer Ed Boon admitted in turn that he felt Shinnok was not imposing enough as a final boss in MK4 due to his having no special moves of his own. He was playable in MKX upon completion of the story mode.[220]
Shinnok appears in the 1997 film Mortal Kombat Annihilation, played by Reiner Schöne and depicted as the father of both Shao Kahn and Raiden. He is not identified by name onscreen until the film's conclusion. The character appeared in the 2021 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms and 2023's Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match and was voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.[221]
Critical reception has been mainly negative due to his perceived weak stature as a final boss in the series,[63][222][223][224] though his Fatalities have been better received.[225][226] Den of Geek ranked Shinnok 35th in their 2015 rating of the series' 73 playable characters, critical of how he was "just a lazy Shang Tsung" in MK4, while "it wasn't until Armageddon and Mortal Kombat 9 that they were able to make him seem like an actual threat," and further adding that in MKX, he "was pretty fun as a hybrid of Emperor Palpatine and Loki."[65]
Introduced in Mortal Kombat 4
[edit]
See also: Mortal Kombat 4 and Mortal Kombat Gold
Jarek
[edit]
Performed by: Mark Myers (MK4)
Voiced by: Jon Hey (MK4), James Freeman-Hargis (MK:A)
Jarek is a member of the Black Dragon clan. Established as the last known member of the Black Dragon, he possesses Kano's special moves and Fatalities. He helps defend Earthrealm against Shinnok, but falls off a cliff in the aftermath when the Special Forces attempt to arrest him. In Armageddon, Jarek is revealed to have survived and develops an obsession with killing all of his opponents.[227] Jarek also appears as one of the bosses in Special Forces (2000), in which he is defeated by Jax. In the Mortal Kombat X prequel comic, he is imprisoned in Outworld by Kotal Kahn.
The character makes an appearance in the 2022 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind.
Modeled after Midway character artist Hernan Sanchez,[228] Jarek received a tepid reception for his similarities to Kano. The endings featuring him in Mortal Kombat 4 have also been maligned for their voice acting and dialogue.[65][229][230][231][232]
Kai
[edit]
Portrayed by: Kimball Uddin (MK4)
Voiced by: Ed Boon (MK4)
Kai is a Shaolin Monk and member of the White Lotus Society who is one of the chosen warriors defending Earthrealm from Shinnok.[233] Afterwards, he goes on quest for self-enlightenment, although he returns in Armageddon.
According to Ed Boon, Kai was developed as an "African American character who was very nimble like Liu Kang" with vertical fireball projectiles. He was also the first character to perform a handstand during gameplay, which was intended to be his main fighting style in Armageddon, but Boon stated this was prevented by time limitations.[234]
Kai came in at 47th on UGO's 2012 list of the top 50 Mortal Kombat characters. Robert Naytor of Hardcore Gaming 101 said, "With all his projectile moves, he's basically the black Liu Kang".[128]
Meat
[edit]
Meat was originally a skin created by art director Tony Goskie that would depict each fighter in Mortal Kombat 4 as a bloodied corpse.[235] After being established as a canonical character in Deception's Konquest mode, he received a backstory and unique special moves in Armageddon. His Armageddon ending reveals that he is an experiment created by Shang Tsung who escaped the sorcerer's clutches before he could be completed.[236] Prima Games' strategy guide for Armageddon also states that Meat assists Shinnok, although this relationship is not established in the game.[237]
Meat placed 49th in UGO's 2012 listing of the top fifty MK characters, noting that he became a fan favorite for his "ridiculously gruesome moves". Conversely, ScrewAttack ranked Meat fourth in its 2011 ranking of the series' ten worst characters for being "a generic [character] model" without flesh.[238] Ryan Aston of Topless Robot placed Meat second in his selection of eight characters "that are goofy even by Mortal Kombat standards," calling him "a gory riff" on Soulcalibur character Charade and his storyline "a truly flimsy excuse for his existence".[188]
Reiko
[edit]
Portrayed by: Jim Helsinger (Conquest), Nathan Jones (2021 film)
Voiced by: Ed Boon (MK:D), David Beron (MK:A), Robin Atkin Downes (Battle of the Realms),[59] Derek Phillips (MK1)[239]
Reiko is a general who has served Shinnok and Shao Kahn.[240] He first appears assisting Shinnok's invasion in Mortal Kombat 4, while Armageddon depicts him under Shao Kahn's command. After making a background cameo in the 2011 reboot, he appears in the Mortal Kombat X prequel comics, in which he becomes a blood god before being betrayed and killed by Havik.[241]
The character was added to Mortal Kombat 4 to replace Noob Saibot after the developers found the game had too many ninja characters. While his original ending simply depicted him walking through a portal, Reiko's FMV ending showed him wearing the helmet of Shao Kahn. This led to speculation that Reiko was Shao Kahn, which was dispelled when the Konquest mode of Deception revealed that Reiko would sneak into Shao Kahn's throne room to wear his helmet. In an interview, John Tobias stated Reiko was intended to be a reincarnation of Shao Kahn, but this story would be disregarded in later installments.[242] Nevertheless, Reiko's appearance and special moves in Armageddon would be stylized after Shao Kahn.[243]
Reiko was played by Jim Helsinger in the 1998 television series Mortal Kombat: Conquest, where he is one of Shao Kahn's generals. Reiko also appeared in the 2021 Mortal Kombat film, portrayed by Nathan Jones, as one of the Outworld champions. In the 2021 animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, he is voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.[59] In the 2023 game Mortal Kombat 1, he is voiced by Derek Phillips.[244]
Reiko placed 42nd on UGO's 2012 list of the top 50 Mortal Kombat characters. Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek rated Reiko last in his 2015 ranking of the series' playable characters for what he considered the wasted potential of his storyline in regards to his connection to Shao Kahn.[65] WhatCulture ranked him fourteenth in their 2015 selection of the series' twenty worst characters for "having zero individuality".[245]
Tanya
[edit]
Performed by: Lia Montelongo (MK4)
Voiced by: Rosalind Dugas (MK4), Beth Melewski (MK:D), Jennifer Hale (MKX), Cherise Boothe (MK1)[246]
Tanya is an Edenian who often acts out of self-preservation. During Mortal Kombat 4 (MK4) and Mortal Kombat: Deception, she betrayed Edenia to join Shinnok and Onaga respectively. In Mortal Kombat X (MKX),[247] she joins Mileena's rebellion against Kotal Kahn with the intention of liberating Edenia from Outworld, only to be defeated by D'Vorah and spared at Cassie Cage's behest. In Mileena's ending in Mortal Kombat 11 (MK11), she and Tanya are revealed to be lovers.
In the new timeline depicted in Mortal Kombat 1 (MK1), Tanya is the leader of the Umgadi, a group of warrior priestesses that guard Outworld's royal family, having become one of its most trusted members after her predecessor Li Mei seemingly failed to save Emperor Jerrod and quit in disgrace. Additionally, Tanya is in a secret relationship with Princess Mileena despite the Umgadi's rules forbidding relationships.[121] After Jerrod is restored through Ermac and reveals Li Mei was not responsible for his death, Tanya investigates the incident and discovers the Umgadi's Matron Superiors were the true culprits and framed Li Mei. The newly crowned Empress Mileena subsequently puts Tanya in charge of reforming the Umgadi.[198]
Named after Ed Boon's sister Tania, Tanya was created to replace Kitana in MK4.[248] She placed 34th on UGO's 2012 list of the top 50 MK characters.[63] Complex named Tanya seventh in their 2011 selection of the top ten underrated MK characters, calling her "the traitor of all traitors in the series, switching her allegiance more times than we can count".[89] Conversely, Den of Geek rated her 68th in their 2015 ranking of the franchise's 73 player characters for being "a one-dimensional villain whose only quality is betrayal".[65]
Introduced in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces
[edit]
See also: Mortal Kombat: Special Forces
Tremor
[edit]
Voiced by: Fred Tatasciore (MKX), Imari Williams (Snow Blind)
Tremor is a ninja member of the Black Dragon clan. As implied by his name, he is able to manipulate the Earth with his immense strength. He is initially depicted as a brown-clad ninja, but would be redesigned to have a body made out of rocks. Originally intended as a playable character for Mortal Kombat Trilogy,[249] Tremor instead debuted as a boss in Special Forces, in which he is defeated by Jax. He made his playable debut as a downloadable character in Mortal Kombat X, although he has no involvement in the story.[247] In the Mortal Kombat X prequel comic, it is revealed Tremor was imprisoned in Outworld by Kotal Kahn.
Introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
[edit]
See also: Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Blaze
[edit]
Voiced by: Simeon Norfleet (MK:A)
Blaze is a fire elemental created to monitor the warriors of the realms. He appears as a hidden character who is forced to protect the last known dragon egg by Onaga's followers. After the egg hatches, completing Onaga's resurrection, Blaze is able to continue monitoring the warriors and discovers they have become too powerful for the realms in his absence. He serves as the final boss of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, in which he brings all the fighters together for a final battle. As part of his mission to prevent an impending Armageddon, Blaze has Taven face him in a fight intended to either kill all the warriors or strip them of their powers. The story mode of the 2011 reboot reveals Blaze was instead defeated by Shao Kahn, prompting Raiden's efforts to change the timeline.
Prior to becoming to becoming a playable character, Blaze originated in the background of Mortal Kombat II's Pit II stage as a Liu Kang palette swap covered in flames and facing off against another Liu Kang palette swap.[250] The character was nicknamed "Torch" by fans, but due to the risk of copyright infringement on the Marvel character Human Torch, Midway officially named him Blaze.[251] In reference to his original role, he has made cameo appearances in Shaolin Monks, the 2011 reboot, Mortal Kombat X, and Mortal Kombat 11.
The character placed 37th on UGO's 2012 list of the top 50 Mortal Kombat characters, which remarked, "Although [guarding the Dragon Egg] doesn't sound like the job of a badass, you'll change your mind once you see Blaze steamrolling his way towards you".[63]
Bo' Rai Cho
[edit]
Voiced by: Carlos Pesina (MK:DA, MK:D, MK:A); Steve Blum (MKX)
Bo' Rai Cho is a martial arts master skilled in the style of drunken boxing. His attacks mostly center around his weight and bodily functions. An Outworld native, but an opponent of Shao Kahn's tyranny, he trained Liu Kang and many other Earthrealm warriors for the Mortal Kombat tournament as his participation would be on the behalf of Shao Kahn. Bo' Rai Cho trains Kung Lao after he learns of Liu Kang's death, and in Deception, he rescues Li Mei from having her soul trapped inside one of the corpses of Onaga's army. Bo' Rai Cho is later tricked by Mileena, posing as Kitana, into leading Kitana's army to certain defeat against Baraka's forces, but Bo' Rai Cho emerges victorious with the help of Liu Kang. He returns in Mortal Kombat X, in which he is attacked by Shinnok.
The character's name is a play on "borracho", the Spanish word for "drunk". According to Herman Sanchez, Bo' Rai Cho was created because Ed Boon sought to have a "slob" fighter, while John Vogel found that he filled the "master" role for the franchise.[252]
Reception to Bo' Rai Cho has been generally negative for his appearance and gross-out nature. Den of Geek ranked him 55th in their rating of the series' 73 characters, calling Bo' Rai Cho "a Shaw Brothers Boogerman, and the gag wears thin after the third time you use his puke attack".[65] Robert Naytor of Hardcore Gaming 101 unfavorably compared him to Virtua Fighter character Shun Di as "a big, fat guy" who is utilized to "throw up and fart a lot".[128] ScrewAttack rated him tenth in their 2011 list of the series' 10 worst characters, noting that his in-game weapon was plain wooden staff.[238] The character was listed as the eighth-worst Mortal Kombat character by Mitchell Saltzman of IGN, who opined, "Bo' Rai Cho feels like a mess of ideas all sloppily thrown together to create a character of contradictions."[90] However, Bo' Rai Cho placed 37th on UGO's 2012 list of the top 50 MK characters, which called his comic relief role "a breath of fresh air. Or, in his case, a belch of fresh air".[63] Complex named him one of the series' most underrated characters in 2011.[89]
Drahmin
[edit]
Voiced by: Rich Carle (MK:D)
Drahmin is a demonic Oni who resides in the Netherrealm. He and Moloch are hired by Quan Chi to protect him against Scorpion in exchange for freedom from the Netherrealm, but after Quan Chi betrays them, they align themselves with Shang Tsung to help him counter Quan Chi's treachery. While in Shang Tsung's palace, Drahmin and Moloch encounter Scorpion, who they defeat by throwing into the palace's Soulnado. Drahmin returns in the Mortal Kombat X prequel comic, in which he is killed by Quan Chi.
Ed Boon described Drahmin as one of the most difficult characters to program because specific code had to be written to prevent Drahmin's arm-mounted club from switching sides whenever the character turned around during gameplay.[253] Den of Geek rated him 47th in their 2015 ranking of the 64 series characters, describing him as "a collection of cool concepts that doesn't make for much of a sum" whereas "Moloch does a lot more with less".[65]
Frost
[edit]
Voiced by: Christine Rios (MK:A); Kelly Hu (MKX); Sara Cravens (MK11)
Frost is a Lin Kuei warrior who possesses the ability to control ice. She was trained directly by Sub-Zero due to the similarities between them and the potential he saw in her, but her skills were compounded by her arrogant nature. When Sub-Zero has her accompany him to help battle Quan Chi and Shang Tsung, Frost steals his Dragon Medallion and becomes frozen by her own powers. Frost is revealed to have survived in the Unchained port of Deception, in which Sub-Zero traps her in a block of ice after she attempts to kill him. She is freed by Taven in the Konquest mode of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, but attacks him after mistaking him for Sub-Zero and is defeated. Frost returns as a playable character in Mortal Kombat 11, which depicts her receiving cybernetic enhancements. Aligning herself with Kronika by leading the Cyber Lin Kuei against Earthrealm's heroes, she is defeated by Raiden, who shuts down the cyborgs by deactivating her link to them. Frost returns in Mortal Kombat 1 as a kameo fighter.
The character was the first designed by Herman Sanchez for Deadly Alliance.[254] She was placed eighth in Complex's selection of the series' ten most underrated characters in 2011.[89] Den of Geek placed Frost 37th in their 2015 ranking of the series' 73 player characters, calling her addition "a nice touch" to Sub-Zero's rebuilding of the Lin Kuei.[65]
Hsu Hao
[edit]
Hsu Hao is a member of the Red Dragon clan distinguished by his cybernetic heart. After infiltrating the Special Forces, Hsu Hao destroys their Outerworld Investigation Agency branch with a nuclear device. He is eventually found by Jax, who kills him by ripping out his cybernetic heart. Despite this, he returns in Armageddon. Hsu Hao also appears in the Mortal Kombat X comic prequel, in which he is killed by Scorpion.
During development, the character was called Kublai Khan after the Mongolian emperor of the same name.[255] Steve Beran described him as "the anti-Jax" whose cybernetic heart was the result of experiments performed on him by the Chinese army. According to Ed Boon, Hsu Hao had a number of different iterations, with his "Hand Clap" special move inspired by superhero comics.[256]
Hsu Hao is widely regarded as one of the worst characters in the Mortal Kombat franchise. Den of Geek's 2015 ranking of the series' 73 characters placed him as the second-worst.[65] Robert Naytor of Hardcore Gaming 101 described the character as "a slightly racist take at a Village Person".[128] Naming him the series' worst character in 2014, Destructoid noted that "in a game that was littered with lackluster new additions, he was without a doubt the runt of that litter".[257] This negative reception is also present in the development team, with John Vogel intending his death in Deadly Alliance to be canon and Boon making him the first character officially omitted from the Mortal Kombat X playable character roster.[256][258] In reference to the negative reception, one of Erron Black's pre-match introductions in Mortal Kombat 11 depicts him tossing aside Hsu Hao's severed head. However, Hsu Hao was included in the Joker's MK11 ending, in which they join forces with Havik and Mileena in attacking Orderrealm.[259]
Kenshi
[edit]
Main article: Kenshi (Mortal Kombat)
Li Mei
[edit]
Voiced by: Lina Chern (MK:D); Tara Strong (MKX); Kelly Hu (MK1); Grey DeLisle (Battle of the Realms)
Li Mei is an Outworld native from a small village who is forced into a tournament by Shang Tsung and Quan Chi with the promise that her victory would free her village. However, upon winning the tournament, Shang Tsung attempts to place her soul into the corpse of one of Onaga's soldiers. Deception reveals that Li Mei was saved by Bo' Rai Cho, but her contact with the corpse causes her to feel a connection with Onaga. She makes a brief appearance in the story mode of Mortal Kombat X, where she leads a number of Outworld refugees into Earthrealm after Mileena uses Shinnok's amulet to destroy her village. Li Mei returns as a playable character in Mortal Kombat 1, in which she is depicted as the First Constable of Outworld's capitol Sun Do who once served Empress Sindel and led her royal guard, the Umgadi, until Emperor Jerrod was murdered.[citation needed]
Reception to Li Mei has been mixed, with criticism directed towards her Deception design. Den of Geek rated her 57th in their 2015 ranking of the series' entire 73-character roster, feeling she was "only distinguished by her ridiculous outfit of a bandana and underwear".[65] Joe Pring of WhatCulture rated Li Mei sixth in his 2015 selection of the twenty worst Mortal Kombat characters for "[wearing] a bandana while dancing around in metal-plated underwear", which he stated "deserves to be ridiculed".[245]
Mavado
[edit]
Voiced by: Alex Brandon (MK:A)
Mavado is a high-ranking member of the Red Dragon clan. As his clan's top priority is the elimination of the Black Dragon, he aligns himself with Quan Chi and Shang Tsung when they promise to hand over Kano to him for his services. He also defeats Kenshi on their behest. Deception reveals Mavado was killed by Kabal after an unsuccessful attempt on Kabal's life, but he returns in Armageddon, continuing to serve the Red Dragon. Mavado has a minor role in the Mortal Kombat X comic prequel, in which he is killed by Cassie Cage.[260]
Originally named "Malvado", the Spanish word for "evil",[261] Steve Beran conceived a matador-style look for the character,[262] but the idea was nixed due to the belief that it did not fit in with the Mortal Kombat universe. He is the first character in the series to use a physical object for a body-propel special attack, which he performs by shooting two bungee cords into the ground and slingshotting himself feet-first to dropkick his opponent. This attack was incorporated into his "Boot Thrust" Fatality.
Robert Workman of GamePlayBook ranked him eighth in his 2010 selection of the worst MK characters, describing his Fatality as "stupid",[224] but Den of Geek, placed him 39th in their 2015 ranking of the series' 73 characters "for his bungee hook attacks" and taking Kabal's weapons after killing him.[65]
Mokap
[edit]
Voiced by: Dusan Brown (Cage Match)
Mokap is a motion capture actor with an extensive martial arts background. He debuted as a hidden character in Deadly Alliance, but has no involvement with the story; his biography follows Johnny Cage's non-canonical ending of a Deadly Alliance film being created. Mokap also has a limited role in the conflict of Armageddon, in which his involvement is said to be by mistake.[264]
Named after the contraction for motion capture, Mokap is based on Midway graphic artist Carlos Pesina, who provided the motion capture work for Deadly Alliance. Pesina admitted it was "pretty flattering" being included in the game, but also remarked it was "weird" seeing Fatalities performed on him.[264]
Mokap is featured in Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match, as an African-American man named Charles "Chuck" Golden. In the film, Golden is depicted as Johnny Cage's loyal assistant who idolizes him. He works with Cage to investigate Jennifer's disappearance before the two ally themselves with Ashrah to stop Shinnok from conquering Earthrealm. After they succeed, Golden attempts to follow in Cage's footsteps, eventually becoming his double in video games and nicknames himself "Mokap."[218][90]
Reception to Mokap has been mostly negative. Den of Geek rated him 55th in their 2015 ranking of the series characters, stating that he "didn't really work well as a comedy character because the game did little to differentiate the characters in terms of personality".[65] In their ranking of the 10 worst characters, ScrewAttack placed Mokap second because "nobody wants to play as a dude with balls on his body".[129]
Moloch
[edit]
Voiced by: Bob Ladewig (MK:D)
Moloch is the sub-boss of Deadly Alliance. An Oni demon of immense size and strength, he and Drahmin are hired by Quan Chi to protect him against Scorpion in exchange for freedom from the Netherrealm. After Quan Chi betrays them by leaving them behind, Moloch and Drahmin align themselves with Shang Tsung to help him counter Quan Chi's treachery. They also defeat Scorpion by throwing him into the Soulnado at Shang Tsung's palace. Moloch also appears in the Mortal Kombat X prequel comic, in which Quan Chi has him killed by the revenant Kitana. In reference to his comic death, Quan Chi is seen holding Moloch's severed head during his Mortal Kombat X pre-match introductions.[265]
Designed by Allen Ditzig, Moloch's concept changed little from his finalized design.[266] Den of Geek rated him 21st in their 2015 ranking of the series' 64 characters, praising his sub-boss role and possessing "some utter brutality that hadn't been felt in a Mortal Kombat boss since Kintaro".[65] Bryan Dawson of Prima Games named Moloch in his 2014 selection of the "cheapest" Mortal Kombat characters for his playable version in Armageddon having "a near infinite combo limited only by the size of the stage" and "ridiculous reach with most of his special moves".[111]
Nitara
[edit]
Portrayed by: Megan Fox (MK1, voice/model);[267] Cristina Vee (MK1, battle grunts);[268] Mel Jarnson (2021 film)
Nitara is a vampire from the realm of Vaeternus who seeks to destroy the orb that binds her realm to Outworld. As the orb is inside of a lava pit that Cyrax is able to enter, Nitara orchestrates a series of events to force Cyrax into helping her in exchange for passage back to Earthrealm.[269] She ultimately succeeds in destroying the orb with Cyrax's assistance, freeing Vaeternus.[270] Her biography in Armageddon states that Nitara leaves Vaeternus for Edenia in an effort to prevent her species from being extermina
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Great, dark magic, just what Kano needs. Reach the rank of Champion in the Season of Sorcery to receive Kano’s new dark skins.
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Great, dark magic, just what Kano needs.
Reach the rank of Champion in the Season of Sorcery to receive Kano’s new dark skins.
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https://www.facebook.com/MortalKombatUK/videos/season-of-sorcery-kano/1429823770515001/
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Anime Feminist
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https://www.animefeminist.com/category/articles/features/
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How Another Code: Recollection rewrote its villain in an empathetic way
Among the changes that this remake made to its source material, the most personally striking was the radical difference in one character: Ryan Gray, a neurodivergent-coded antagonist originally presented as an unambiguous villain, but reinvented as a nuanced, sympathetic figure.
Classmates and finding the humanity in clichés
In the afterword of the first volume of Classmates, Nakamura Asumiko wrote of her first BL series, “I wanted to go with something cliche, almost hackneyed.” It’s true, Classmates does indulge many of the standards of the genre. Instead of using these cliches as shortcuts, however, Nakamura uses the reader’s familiarity to build a framework for a humanistic, multifaceted story about queer intimacy, connection, and joy.
2024 Summer Premiere Reviews
All the summer premiere reviews in one easy-to-find place. We’ll update the chart as new series become available, so be sure to check back in the coming days for more!
Powerful feelings, intimacy and sex in Joseimuke anime
The way sex is represented in media can be one-note, draining all the eroticism from the experience. If we want exciting variations on the representation of sex in media, it seems to me that joseimuke (media intended for a female audience) anime are optimal mediums for representing the erotic aspects of sex.
The Villain Edit: Dissecting how Oshi no Ko evokes real-life tragedy in its depictions of harassment and reality TV culture
Oshi no Ko spends a few episodes examining the harsh way that people who participate on reality TV can be treated, especially online. In this way, it shines a light on an issue that people who don’t watch much (if any) reality TV have probably ever considered. But what does the way it goes about this mean for its overall message?
Autonomy, aliens, and a study in female character agency with 16bit Sensation
16bit Sensation is (unfortunately) a useful case study for what we talk about when we talk about character autonomy, active versus reactive characters, and how a narrative suffers when the agency of its female protagonists gets reduced.
BanG Dream! It’s MyGo!!!!! and the value of letting female characters suck
This show ended up being a standout, not just in the BanG Dream! universe but in the realm of idol/music anime more broadly. What really stuck with me was the way all of the characters, with one in particular, were allowed to showcase the full breadth of human emotions in a way that this genre doesn’t always allow.
Who is Granted Personhood? Frieren’s demons and the trouble with the “inherently evil race” trope
This story about immortality, grief, and the importance of emotional connections is interrupted by the presence of blunt, strawman villains who exist not as characters but as plot devices to show the “humanity” of the protagonists.
The Consequence of No Consequences: Mushoku Tensei and excusing sexual violence
Any story that wants to explore this darker side of humanity must be willing to explore how doing horrible things affects the world and people around you, or it risks trivializing the true horrors of the darkness it depicts.
Immaturity and Impunity: Performative Masculinity in Baki the Grappler
Despite its enthusiastic embrace of playful exaggeration and dramatic pageantry, Baki the Grappler shouldn’t be written off as mind-numbing entertainment for the masses. A critical analysis of Baki as contemporary anime, and a part of pop culture more broadly speaking, can help us all better understand how performative masculinity functions—and why it is so potentially dangerous.
Unlovely Complex: Social Justice, Misogyny, and the Lovely Complex Dub
The way this writer, a member of the dubbing team, talked about the show and his inability or refusal to unpack even its most basic themes spoke to the sort of misogyny that pervades critical analysis, in which female characters and creators don’t get even the slightest grace for being messy, imperfect beings.
Cyborgs and Identity in Cyberpunk, from Ghost in the Shell to Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Identity is a complicated subject; the ways we can reflect, parse, and better try to know ourselves are nearly infinite, while the ways we can convey that to others effectively are not. Usually, we are limited in how we present by the economic and social pressures of our society. The cyborg challenges its fans to ask themselves: if what makes us people isn’t as concrete as flesh and blood, then what other unshakable, unchangeable truths about ourselves have we been wrong about?
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https://thatshoujomangablog.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/man-up-the-role-of-shoujo-in-depicting-men-masculinity-and-relationships/
|
en
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MAN UP! The role of shoujo in depicting men, masculinity and relationships
|
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2013-06-11T00:00:00
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Hello, all. Here's my entry for the Manga Olympics for Bloggers. My writer cap is on and ready to give periodic electrical pulses to my neurons, so let's get started, shall we? *ahem* You can debate the credibility of a hetrosexual female's discussion of masculinity, but I'm going to do my best regardless. Before we…
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en
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https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/e3cb42518595e135c88276e16cf2454a37066201bf6df7c3442d6d6158d4a60a?s=32
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THAT Shoujo Manga Blog ♥
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https://thatshoujomangablog.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/man-up-the-role-of-shoujo-in-depicting-men-masculinity-and-relationships/
|
Hello, all. Here’s my entry for the Manga Olympics for Bloggers. My writer cap is on and ready to give periodic electrical pulses to my neurons, so let’s get started, shall we?
*ahem*
You can debate the credibility of a hetrosexual female’s discussion of masculinity, but I’m going to do my best regardless. Before we begin, I will state that I do think that gender, masculinity and femininity are purely societal constructs. There was one story of a father wearing a skirt so that his son wouldn’t get teased, and I thought it was touching and a very “masculine” thing to do.
Getting back to the subject at hand, this is actually an issue that has been eating away at my feminist-y brain for a while now. Given the new phenomenon of so-called “herbivore men” in Japan, described as lacking motivation and a “hunger” for females, it’s rather interesting that males in shoujo manga are still exhibiting rather masculine qualities – they want to take care of the girl, they step up in a fist fight when she gets badmouthed. These scenarios are everywhere, in both new and old shoujo manga.
But is this really a good thing? Is there really only one definition of masculinity within shoujo manga?
Let me give you an example from Ouran High School Host Club.
Look at that image for a second. All of the characters look like very masculine, desirable guys, right? It’s too bad most of the guys you meet in real life won’t be this attractive. Now, on a very shallow level, this is how I interpret the imagery of Ouran. This gets back to a key role of men in shoujo manga – as eye candy. It’s basically the same thing as shounen and seinen manga – people want to look at attractive members of the opposite sex (or of the same sex, if that’s your preference), and within the realm of shoujo manga, attractive guys satisfy that desire. This is on a very shallow level, again.
Look again at the character with the bunny, who is called Hunny-sempai within the series. Within Ouran, his struggle with exhibiting masculine qualities is detailed within the manga – as the son of a judo practitioner, and is under significant pressure to get rid of his cake and bunny pajamas and put on a hakama like a REAL MAN. However, because of Tamaki and the host club’s acceptance, Hunny is able to embrace his true interests and act how he wants, regardless of how other people in society might perceive it.
However much Hunny might not exhibit traditional masculine qualities for his age (he’s actually one of the oldest members in the group), many girls reading this manga actually like him more than Tamaki, what I consider to be the ‘traditional’ embodiment of shoujo masculinity.
Getting into masculinity in more detail, I’d like to bring your attention to the graphic below.
Now there’s a beautiful girl, right? WRONG. That’s a man.
Crossdressing and guys is now a recurring element in shoujo manga as of late. From Usotsuki Lily to Kuragehime to even Fruits Basket, the premise of men crossdressing is now gaining prominence as its own niche within shoujo manga. While crossdressing is not an uncommon theme within manga in general, it’s interesting that masculinity is being challenged in such an interesting way.
In Usotsuki Lily, Hinata (the female protagonist) is initially turned off by En’s crossdressing habit, breaking up with him in the beginning because of it. However, they eventually get back together because HInata realizes that she loves En, regardless of his outward appearance. I think that this is a highly commendable theme within the realm of shoujo manga. It encourages girls to look past the traditional definitions of masculinity, and to look at a person’s personality as the basis for a relationship rather than appearance.
Speaking of masculinity, En is actually a fairly “masculine” guy, regardless of his outward appearance. However, unlike conventional shoujo heroines, En displays this through his actions rather than his clothes. He takes care of girls, and cares about what they say, something I don’t think is done enough on both sides of a relationship. He’s definitely macho underneath the breast pads and skirt, but it’s his actions and protectiveness of Hinata that show that he’s a tough, masculine guy.
With this in mind, it’s important to look at men in shoujo manga as being a projection of what girls/women want (or think that they want). A lot of shoujo readers want a guy who’s attractive, who pays attention to them, protects them, and is able to fulfill a lot of the traditional male roles of provider common of the past century. This model isn’t yet antiquated in Japan, so that’s why these roles continue to persist, and they’re still common themes in shoujo manga. However, these points play into a depressing aspect of shoujo manga – the fact that it has the potential to build unrealistic expectations.
Let’s face it – guys like Tamaki Suoh of Ouran High School Host Club don’t exist in real life. I’m not saying that sensitive, caring and funny guys don’t exist, it’s just that you probably won’t find a guy as out-there as Tamaki who happens to be half French and half Japanese. It’s just impossible.
However, shoujo manga still has a role to play in educating girls in what relationships they should be seeking out. Shoujo manga as a genre generally does a good job of discouraging things like physical and emotional abuse, and while it doesn’t offer the most realistic perspectives on sex, it’s slowly improving on the realism front.
I think the most important role, and the most constructive role that men play in shoujo manga, is of an aspirational nature.
Arima and Yukino’s relationship is one of the most complex relationships I’ve seen in shoujo manga since I’ve started reading manga in general (the anime doesn’t depict most of this, so if you’ve only seen the anime, you’re really missing out!). Yukino and Arima are both equal on an intellectual level, they communicate well, and they basically exhibit everything that people in a successful relationship should do. When Arima has emotional problems, Yukino doesn’t just sit passively and take it. She takes action and asks him what’s wrong, and asks what she can do to make things better. Best of all, while Yukino and Arima are both professionally driven people, Arima doesn’t pressure Yukino into giving it all up for the sake of their future children – he encourages Yukino to follow her dreams and pursue success. This is a virtue I wish more men in the world had.
The point is that shoujo manga, when done well, demonstrates what a successful and healthy relationship should be like, and encourages young girls to aspire towards that. I think that’s a worthy pursuit that all shoujo manga authors should undertake.
In regards to how shoujo authors define masculinity, traditional values of physical strength, and varying definitions of attractiveness prevail. However, I think that this may be set to change as Japan evolves as a society and women start to take more prominent roles in government and the private sector.
I think that in general, while stereotypical shoujo tends to paint a very stereotypical and rigid depiction of masculinity, good shoujo manga is a bit more fluid. It can stray into that stereotypical territory, but it can also have some smart commentary with real world applications. Besides, I don’t think shuojo manga readers, for the most part, actively seek out positive male role models when searching up shoujo manga.
We’re just here to see Tamaki Suoh’s bare chest. 😀
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https://homeschoollifemag.com/blog/category/homeschool%2Bcolumns
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en
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homeschool columns — The HSL Blog — home
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[
""
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[
"Mary Norton"
] | null |
en
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home | school | life
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https://homeschoollifemag.com/blog/category/homeschool+columns
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I work full-time. (And then some.) I also homeschool my kids in a pretty hands-on way. And you might think that this all gets easier as kids get older and more independent, but I’ve found the opposite to be true. High school homeschooling, when you’re doing most of it in the homeschooling-at-home kind of way, takes a lot of time and energy. People are often interested in how I balance these two big jobs, so I thought I’d write a post about my work/homeschool balancing act.
First off, I’m pretty sure a lot of the time that I do it pretty badly. It’s not easy. Things slip through the cracks. I have a vague, nagging sense of guilt all the time, like whatever I’m doing at any given time, I should be doing something else. (I’m not saying this to complain — I know I’m lucky to get to do things this way. But I think it would be totally fake to pretend that working full time and homeschooling is easy or that I do it well all the time!)
And second, I love what I do. I think I have the best job in the entire world, and I find homeschooling really fun and satisfying. I think if either one of those things weren’t true, my situation would feel much harder. I also know that I’m able to make my balancing act work because when my kids were younger, I worked 95% of the time from my home office. That changed when my oldest started high school and I started a hybrid homeschool in Atlanta; first I worked one day a week teaching AP English, then two days a week running the high school humanities program, and now I’m at the school five days a week for middle and high school. My youngest, who is in 11th grade, is a student at the school, though we also do a lot of homeschool stuff together at home.
Here’s what works for me:
I completely let go of the idea of a normal workday.
I have a big workload, and in a more traditional environment, I’d be logging plenty of overtime. Last year, I made the decision not to keep up with my hours of work time at home or try to set up a consistent schedule. I work when I need to work. My kids are late sleepers, so I’m usually able to get in three or four hours of work before they wake up in the morning. I usually work while I eat lunch and then in the afternoon and evening when the kids are doing their own things. I work through the weekend. Most days, we’re actively homeschooling for about four hours, and we try to spend at least an hour or two every day just doing something fun together — watching a show, playing a game, taking a walk, tackling a new craft project, whatever. I have accepted the fact that I’ll be working a lot every day, including weekends and holidays, and I try to make my non-work hours really count.
I do not try to do everything.
I usually make dinner and we all eat together, but unless I’m at home and feeling particularly into it, I don’t do breakfast and lunch — everyone’s on their own for that. (I stock up on easy-to-make things like instant oatmeal, sandwich fixings, or yogurt, and do occasional mega-cooking sessions where I freeze individual portions of meals like macaroni and cheese or enchiladas that the kids can heat up. Sometimes I buy frozen meals from the supermarket. I try to buy the healthiest ones, but I buy them, and I don’t feel guilty about it.) Our house is usually messy because cleaning is low on my priority list, and I’m okay about that. (Well, at least mostly!)
I push myself to be all-in with whatever I’m doing.
When your to-do list never ends, it’s easy to feel perpetually fragmented — you’re doing one thing, but your mind is on something else. I work hard to stay in the moment: If we’re homeschooling, I turn off my phone. (I’ve actually got my phone set up so that it doesn’t even receive work email — I have to check it on my desktop.) If I’m writing a lecture, I don’t check Facebook until the lecture is done. Some multitasking is inevitable and some days I do better at staying in the moment than others, but I really try to stay focused on one thing at a time.
I compartmentalize.
Along the same lines, I keep a separate bullet journal for life (including homeschooling) and for work. This makes sense practically because my work timelines and my life schedule are pretty different, but it’s also symbolic: When I open my work bullet journal, I’m working. When I close it, I turn off work—as much as I can, anyway, when my office is just steps away from my bedroom. This is a small thing, but it’s made a big difference for me: Now, I have a life calendar that doesn’t just get swallowed up by work to-do lists.
I say no to extra stuff.
I wish I had time to go to every homeschool day and park day and play date, but that’s just not realistic with everything else I have to do. So the kids and I try to choose one out-of-the-house adventure each week, and that’s it. I don’t take on volunteer projects, even when they’re awesome projects that I really believe in, or extra responsibilities, even when they come in the form of super-fun classes I could teach. I have to know my limits and be honest with myself about them.
I take time for myself.
Our house would certainly be much tidier if I went straight to housecleaning every time I logged off from work — but that’s never going to happen. Carving out little corners of free time for myself is really important to me. So yes, I could be cleaning when I’m watching Poldark with Jason or having lunch with my best friend or knitting on the back deck, but I would feel overwhelmed very, very quickly. I don’t always get a lot of me-time, but when I do, I never feel guilty about using it for what I want to do (not what I might think I need to do).
I try not to talk about how busy I am.
I know people whose conversations always seem to circle back around to how busy they are, and I don’t want “busy” to become the way people think of me — or, more importantly, the way I think of myself. So yeah, I’m busy, but unless you catch me right on the cusp of a magazine deadline, I’m not going to tell you all about it. I’m going to enjoy the break that I get chatting with you for all its worth and go back to my projects a little rejuvenated when the conversation is over. Dwelling on how busy I am just makes me feel busier, if that makes sense.
I take busy work weeks off from homeschool — and vice versa.
When we’re ramping up for a new term at the Academy or I’m on a big deadline for a project, I don’t even try to do any kind of structured homeschool — our homeschool has a year-round calendar, so a week off several times a year isn’t a big deal. Similarly, if we have a big homeschool project going — like the trip we took to Savannah this year or our big New England road trip over last spring break —I organize as much as I can in advance so that I can do the bare minimum work stuff during that time. I’ve learned that when something needs my full attention, trying to split my attention is a recipe for stress and grouchiness.
I feel like this balancing act is always a work in progress — for every day that I finish triumphantly, feeling like I’m that one person in a million who’s figured out how to have it all, there’s a day where I feel like the worst mom/wife/editor/teacher/friend in the history of the world. Mostly, though, I’m thankful that I get to have a job that I love, homeschool my kids, and make it — mostly — work.
When I first started homeschooling, I’m pretty sure I believed that homeschooling was all-or-nothing: either you homeschooled your kids throughout their childhoods, or you sent them off to school. But many families I know aren’t like that. Maybe their kids homeschool for most of their childhoods, then head to junior high or high school. Maybe their kids avail themselves of select activities at schools but remain homeschoolers. Maybe some of a family’s kids attend school, while others homeschool.
We’re that kind of family — a part homeschooling, part schooling family. Our 13-year-old son learns at home and has no interest in going to school — ever. Our 10-year-old daughter attends a private, part-time “school for homeschoolers” and says she never wants to go back to full-time homeschooling. It’s a combination that works surprisingly well for our family. You’d never know just how much hand-wringing and agonizing it took to get us to this point.
Our part-time schooling arrangement came about during a particularly long, brutal winter up here in Minnesota in 2013-2014. Cooped up by heavy snow and wind chills that were regularly hitting 20 or 30 below zero, the only learning we seemed to be doing was about working through interpersonal conflict, and boy, was there a lot of that kind of learning. I was stressed. They were stressed. My energy for homeschooling was at an all-time low.
One bitter-cold February day, I sat both kids down in the living room and said I thought we needed to really look at whether homeschooling the way we were was the happiest choice for our family. My daughter, then eight, burst into tears.
“But I don’t want to go to school!” she wailed.
I told her there might be another, less drastic option. A few old homeschooling friends of ours had ended up attending a three-day-a-week Christian Montessori school intended to give homeschoolers some of the benefits of school while allowing time for family learning, too. The school had unusually long breaks — six weeks off in December and January, two weeks in March — and finished for the year in mid-May. There were no grades, no tests, and minimal homework. It felt like School Lite — a gentle way to try out school without completely giving up on homeschooling.
My son was emphatically not interested. My daughter agreed to check it out.
The day we toured the school, I was impressed by the school’s peaceful, friendly atmosphere. But there were also things that gave me pause. The school was run by evangelical Christians, but our family isn’t Christian. Would my daughter be accepted here? Could we as a family feel comfortable here even though we don’t go to church and aren’t believers?
My daughter was quietly observant throughout the school tour, her body language stiff. By the end of the tour, I was sure she was going to say she wasn’t interested. Honestly, I kind of wanted her to say she wasn’t interested. As miserable I’d been with homeschooling that winter, I didn’t feel ready to give it up, either.
As we left the school and walked to our car, I asked my daughter, “So, what did you think?”
“I liked it!” she declared. She was perfectly clear on the matter; she was going to that school that fall.
I wept many tears that spring and summer, agonizing that sending her to school was a big mistake (always out of sight of my daughter, of course).
My daughter did occasionally feel out-of-place attending a school where almost all the other kids were regular churchgoers. She was startled when one teacher mentioned that they didn’t teach about evolution at her school, but that they prayed for people who believed in it. My daughter had taken a class about evolution at our local zoo the year before and had read extensively about it at home. The idea that her school would completely dismiss discussing it floored her.
At home, we talked about approaching these sorts of differences as a chance to learn about the range of perspectives that make up our country and our world and the different ways people approach controversy and disagreement. We brainstormed how she could stay true to herself even if she didn’t feel comfortable speaking up loudly at school. I was grateful that our family’s work together as homeschoolers had laid down a foundation for us to talk this way, and that my daughter’s years as a life learner have given her a strong sense of self she can fall back on when she feels confused or out-of-step with the people around her.
As that first year went on, my daughter found that she really liked the way Montessori learning combines structure with freedom of movement and choice. She’s also fairly introverted, and she found that her school — a school where “nobody knows how to be mean,” as she put it recently — helped her come out of her shell. Seeing the same kids regularly in a routine, predictable environment was more comfortable for her than going to unstructured homeschool play groups, where she’d mostly clung to my side and not talked to the other kids. Once-a-week, short-term classes for homeschoolers also hadn’t really given her enough time to warm up to other kids.
I still don’t believe that school is necessary for kids to get “socialized” — it’s simply that for my individual kid at the developmental stage she was at, this particular school was a better social fit.
Meanwhile, back at home, my son was enjoying having three days a week of one-on-one time with me, combining a few classes at a local homeschooling co-op, a bit of math, lots of reading, and plenty of time pursuing his passionate interest in all things gaming-related. Some days, it felt like we had our own little writer’s colony of two, as my son worked in one room on video game-inspired fan fiction or creating the rules, characters, and storyline for a role-playing game he was designing, and I worked in another room on my own writing. We’d check in with each other over lunch, a board game, or during a hike by the Mississippi, two creative colleagues egging each other on.
My daughter is now preparing for her third year at her school. It will probably be her last one there; she’s feeling ready for a secular learning environment, where she doesn’t worry that she might scandalize a schoolmate if she mentions a pop singer she likes or alienate a teacher if she mentions evolution in a school project.
Luckily for us, there’s another part-time option for schooling here in our town, a public charter school where students attend classes in person three days a week and then work at home two days a week. She is hoping to transfer there for sixth grade. She wants school, yes, but she still wants a bit of freedom about how she spends her days, too.
I tell her that if she’d ever like to return to homeschooling, it’s always an option. She just smiles. “You really want me to come back to homeschooling, don’t you?” she teases me.
Well, yes, I’d love for her to come back to homeschooling. But what I want even more is for her to know she has choices. I’ve learned I can trust her to make the best of whatever situation she’s in and to know what’s right for her, even if it’s not what I would have chosen for her. She’s learned that she can handle new experiences with grace, take the good with the bad, and then walk away when something is no longer working for her. Those are lessons that I think will serve us both well as she moves forward in her life’s adventures, wherever they take her.
It all started with Nancy Drew, of course. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, the Bobbsey Twins, Encyclopedia Brown, the westing game, Trixie Belden, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Three Investigators. So it was natural that sometime around junior high, having exhausted my local library’s children’s section, I gravitated toward the mystery section over on the adult side and discovered Agatha Christie. (It wasn’t a very big section, as I recall, and after a year or two I’d finished off everything that looked promising and moved over to the neighboring science fiction/fantasy shelf. Once I discovered sf I took a several-decades-long break from the mystery genre — with the exception of Isaac Asimov’s mashup robot mystery series that begins with The Caves of Steel — but that’s a different column.)
When people ask me about young readers moving to “grown-up” books, I think of Agatha Christie first. Not only is she Queen of Mystery Writers, she was wildly prolific, and there’s nothing I loved more at that age than finding an author and realizing I had dozens and dozens of books to look forward to. That’s still true today, of course, and it’s one reason I’ve recently found my way back to the mystery section. When everyday life makes me a bit crazy, and I don’t have emotional energy to tackle the big thick novels on my to-read list, it’s comforting to pick up a favorite mystery writer — or find a new favorite — and know I’ve got shelves and shelves of books waiting, where I get to hang out with the sleuths I’ve come to love.
So what do you do after you’ve read your way through Poirot, Miss Marple, and Tommy and Tuppence? First, you reward yourself by watching the Agatha Christie episode of Doctor Who (“The Unicorn and the Wasp”), and then you go back to the beginning with Sherlock. We started the Sherlock Holmes stories as readalouds with my two oldest children (then upper elementary and middle school) shortly after the entire family became obsessed with the BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch. It was great timing: having met the characters on television, my kids had a lot more patience with the Victorian literary stylings (and sometimes ridiculous plots), plus we were able to pick up all the references to the original works sprinkled throughout the show. And, of course, one of the great things about Sherlock is that he’s been adapted and adopted so many times that you can keep reading him forever. My first experience with professional fanfic (long before the term “fanfic” was invented) was Nicholas Meyer’s The Seven-Percent Solution (Holmes meets Sigmund Freud) and The West End Horror (Holmes meets everyone else, including G.B. Shaw, Bram Stoker, and Oliver Wilde). I’ve read several of the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Laurie King (beginning with The Beekeeper’s Apprentice) and enjoyed Michael Chabon’s Sherlock novella, The Final Solution. My very favorite borrowing of the great detective may be Lyndsay Faye’s Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson, though she has tough competition from Eve Titus’s children’s series Basil of Baker Street (hurray! the inspiration for Disney’s The Great Mouse Detective is finally back in print!). But the books keep coming: I’ve got The House of Silk, a Sherlock story by Anthony Horowitz (author of the wonderful Magpie Murders, a murder mystery about the publication of an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery) in my bedside to-read stack right now.
As a younger reader I somehow managed to miss out on Dorothy Sayers’s mysteries, but once I finally discovered Lord Peter Wimsey, gentleman detective, I couldn’t get enough of him and his complicated romance with Harriet Vane. Sayers’s books are not necessarily easy or simple, but she’s been on my ‘comfort read’ shelf (next to Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer) for years.
Many readers encounter Josephine Tey’s detective, Inspector Alan Grant, in The Daughter of Time, a historical murder mystery (where Grant, laid up in the hospital, tries to solve the murder of the Princes in the Tower) that keeps showing up in ‘best mysteries of all time’ lists. Recently I read all of the Alan Grant books (which make good use of Tey’s real-life experience in the theater world) and found out what I had been missing. Tey writes good, solid mysteries that are a little bit quirky and often take a different and unexpected path from other Golden Age detective stories. But the strangest detective series I’ve read (and am still in the process of reading) has to be Peter Dickinson’s Inspector James Pibble books. So far, Pibble has encountered a lost tribe from New Guinea, man-eating lions, psychic children, and two different island monasteries inhabited by crazed monks. I have no idea what to expect in the sixth and final book in the series.
Pibble, whose books were published in the 60s and 70s, comes a bit after the British Golden Age of crime fiction, but as an English inspector he fits right in with that tradition. I could read and reread those authors forever, but I’m grateful that there are slightly more diverse options available. One of my favorite ongoing series (and a great one to hand middle and high school readers, though it’s marketed for grown-ups) is by Alan Bradley and stars Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old science prodigy living in a broken-down country estate with her slightly bizarre family in 1950s England. We’re introduced to Flavia when she solves her first murder in The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. (These books are worth reading just for the titles.) Another book I’ve handed to middle school and YA readers is Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, the first in the long-running (and still going strong!) series set in Botswana and starring the independent and strong-minded Precious Ramotswe.
I’m running out of space and I haven’t even gotten to Dalziel and Pascoe (a hard-boiled crime series — beginning in 1970 with Reginald Hill’s A Clubbable Woman — that expands over the years to include both a Jane Austen homage and a trip to space), Amelia Peabody (amateur Victorian Egyptologist crime-solving!), or Phryne Fisher (a 1920s Australian sleuth who is very much NOT for young readers—but grown-ups need books too). I’ve also neglected to mention some of my favorite stand-alone mysteries, including Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (where the murder victim is a dog and our narrator-sleuth is a teenage autistic boy), John Dickson Carr’s The Murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey (a nonfiction account of the murder of a judge during the reign of Charles II that reads like a modern mystery), and Hazel Holt’s My Dear Charlotte (an epistolary mystery inspired by Jane Austen’s letters).
This spring a fellow homeschooling mom I know mentioned a book she was planning to use with her family, Ken Ludwig’s How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare. Ludwig, an award-winning playwright and Shakespeare aficionado, believes that the best way to truly appreciate Shakespeare is to memorize passages from his plays and poetry, so he’s selected a wide range of kid-friendly Shakespeare passages and laid out a step-by-step method for breaking the passages into manageable bits.
As a literature geek, I was immediately salivating at the thought of sharing Shakespeare this way with my son, who’s 13, and my daughter, 10. I knew it might be a stretch for us: my kids tend to be stubborn autodidacts who resist any activity that casts me in a “teacherish” role. But they’ve also enjoyed seeing outdoor Shakespeare performances in our local parks since they were little. I figured they might surprise me and agree that memorizing some Shakespeare together was just the thing our summer needed.
I broached the subject with the kids, pitching it as a way to get in the mood for the Shakespeare performances we’re planning to see this summer. They said “Uh, sure, I guess” in the lukewarm, shifty-eyed way they say yes when they don’t want to rain on my parade but are clearly hoping I’ll forget the whole thing.
Still convinced that they’d get sold on the project once we started rocking our mad Shakespeare skills, I set aside some Shakespeare time on our calendar. Week after week, something always got in the way of us taking a crack at Shakespeare. It was time to face facts: My kids really didn’t want to memorize Shakespeare with me.
I like to make the most efficient use of my mama-energy, and what I’ve found is that I just don’t get a very good return on my effort when I push a project that neither kid is enthusiastic about. On the other hand, I’ve seen many times how powerful the results can be when I back off on my agenda and follow the kids’ interests instead. The learning is deeper and longer-lasting. There’s a flow and an energy that just isn’t there when I force things.
So I put aside my Shakespeare dreams, at least for now, and asked myself the million-dollar question: what had my kids actually been saying they wanted to do this summer? That’s when it struck me: the big thing that my daughter had been saying for months is that she wanted to redecorate her room.
This is a girl who loves design, who constructs dream houses for make-believe clients on Minecraft and revels in mid-century modern consignment stores, a girl who adores thinking about colors and patterns and how they interact. The thought of tackling a room redecorating project intimidated me, but I knew that following through on helping my girl create a new space for herself would mean a lot to her.
Exit, stage right: Shakespeare memorizing scheme. Enter, stage left: room redo.
Together, my daughter and I set a budget for our project. We slapped paint samples on her wall and changed our minds about a half-dozen times (we finally decided on Turquoise Twist, a gorgeous shade reminiscent of a robin’s egg). We checked out online painting tutorials and conferred with the friendly folks at our neighborhood hardware store. We applied painter’s tape to baseboards and wooden trim, sanded rough spots, scraped off remnants of stickers and Scotch tape. We calculated how much paint she’d need to get the job done. And finally — deep breath — we started painting.
Neither of us had ever painted a room before. After swiping a paint roller across her wall for the first time, my daughter frowned and said, “Maybe we should hire someone to do the painting for us. I’m afraid it won’t look good if we do it ourselves.”
I couldn’t help wondering if she might be right, but I assured her that if we followed the painting pointers we’d studied and took our time, we could do a fine job. Maybe not as good as a professional, but good enough. I didn’t want her to miss out on the delicious feeling of competence that comes from trying something you want to do but fear you might not be able to do. (I also wanted to keep her project under-budget.) On this point, unlike memorizing Shakespeare, I was willing to push a little.
We finished the painting a few days ago. It’s not perfect, but the overall effect makes my daughter really, really happy. I think the room means more to her because she was so involved in making it look the way it does. It’s her ideas and work, made tangible.
We’ve spent the last couple of days assembling a storage unit and a desk. There have been many times when we’ve realized we have a part oriented the wrong way and have to remove all our screws and start a step of the process over. We had to problem-solve with her dad when her desk drawers didn’t line up right.
Thinking about all the times that she saw me messing up and starting over during this project, it struck me today that one of the very coolest things about doing this kind of a project with my daughter is that she got to see me being a rank beginner. She watched me looking up answers when I needed them and asking for help when I hit dead ends. She saw how I paced myself to get the job done, taking breaks when I needed them, getting my hands dirty and doing the work alongside her to help turn her daydreams into reality.
In other words, I got to model being a learner right there in front of her eyes. For me, that opportunity to model lifelong learning is one of the most wonderful things about homeschooling. Instead of trying to be an authority who has all the answers, I get to learn with my kids and be surprised alongside them. In the process, I get to show my kids what learning looks like, in all its messy glory. That’s definitely a part of homeschooling I treasure—even if it means I often end up putting aside projects that sound really cool to me in favor of what most interests my kids.
Which brings me back to Shakespeare. If you and your family think Ken Ludwig’s Shakespeare book sounds fun and you decide to memorize some Shakespeare, could you please let me know? I’d love to hear how it goes and find out what you discover along the way!
These days I read in bits and pieces. I take a book with me everywhere I go, so I can grab 15 minutes while I’m waiting in the dentist or 10 minutes waiting in the car for the kids to finish class. (I’d read at stoplights if I could.) Our family readaloud time can also get fragmented. We have a strict policy of reading together every night — except when dinner plans didn’t go as planned and we eat an hour later than normal, or someone isn’t feeling well, or we had a rough day homeschooling and my readaloud voice is shot, or whatever. On those nights we might cut our reading time in half, or forgo it altogether in favor of a group viewing of the latest episode of So You Think You Can Dance.
It sometimes feels like my reading progress can be measured in paragraphs instead of pages, so this time of year, I think back with longing to my childhood summers, when I could read uninterrupted for hours at a stretch. I’d pick the thickest books I could find, or check out every book in a series and stack them up beside me, devouring them like potato chips. With few distractions, I could get absorbed in a book in a way that’s much more difficult for me today. I can remember exactly where I was sitting in my grandmother’s living room, heart pounding, as Madeleine L’Engle’s A Swiftly Tilting Planet blew my mind. Another time I was reading science fiction in the hammock on the porch at home and suddenly looked up, startled and alarmed at the idea that I was outside breathing open air — until I remembered that I was on planet Earth and the air was okay to breathe.
A while ago, I was talking with a friend I’ve known since third grade (we bonded over The Chronicles of Narnia) and I said that while I was enjoying reading The Lord of the Rings with my kids, it was a much different experience from reading it on my own, on the long summer days, when I didn’t do much of anything but hang out in Middle Earth and worry about Ringwraiths. “I wish I’d been able to do that,” my friend said wistfully. I didn’t understand what she meant. I knew she was at least as big a Tolkien-nerd as I was, and we’d read the books about the same time.
“Don’t you remember?” she said. “My parents thought I read too much, so after half an hour I had to go play outside.” (My friend was much too well-behaved to do the logical thing and sneak the book out with her.) Clearly, if I had ever known about such traumatic events, I had blocked them from my memory. Of course, now that she is a grown-up with a full-time job and a household to support, it’s very nearly impossible for my friend to go back and recreate the summers she should have had, visiting other worlds and inhabiting other lives.
I’ve used her sad story as a cautionary tale in my own life. Whether we take a summer break or homeschool year-round (we’ve done both), I try to take advantage of the unique flexibility of homeschool life to make sure that my kids have the time and space to find their own reading obsessions. This year my younger son is tracking down The 39 Clues as quickly as the library can fulfill his hold requests, my 11-year-old daughter is matriculating at Hogwarts for the umpteenth time, my teenage daughter is spending a lot of time in various apocalyptic wastelands, and my teenage son is hanging out in small-town Maine with terrifying clowns. I can’t always join them (no way am I voluntarily reading about scary clowns), but I do try to schedule some marathon readaloud sessions, so that we can finally finish the His Dark Materials trilogy or get started with our first Jane Austen.
Occasionally (oh, happy day!) the kids will even ask me for reading suggestions, so I can pull out some recent favorites from the children’s/YA shelf. At the moment that list includes Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner, about a fantasy world where parental overprotectiveness has been taken to such extremes that children are literally chained to their guardians. Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld, is an alternate-history steampunk retelling of World War I, where the heroine disguises herself as a boy to serve on one of the massive, genetically modified, living airships in the British air force. Garth Nix’s Mister Monday envisions all of creation being run by a vast, supernatural bureaucracy, which our 12-year-old hero must learn to navigate to save his own life and ultimately the world (encountering quite a bit more adventure and danger along the way than we usually find in, say, the average DMV office). Each of these books is the first in a series, fulfilling my requirements for appropriate summer reading.
And as much as possible, I try to carve out some time for myself to grab my own over-large summer book — maybe Susannah Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, or Hilary Mantel’s Tudor epic, Bring Up the Bodies, or maybe I’ll finally tackle Anthony Trollope’s Chronicles of Barsetshire— and snuggle next to the kids to do some side-by-side reading, ignoring deadlines and household chores to get lost in a book together.
Some people begin homeschooling because they want to tailor their child’s education to his or her individual needs. Others want to give their child the opportunity to explore a particular interest or talent. I decided to homeschool because I wanted to read to my kids.
It started with a story on the “new homeschool movement” that aired on NPR many years ago, back when my 15-year-old was a toddler. I don’t remember anything they said about the hows or whys of homeschooling, but I do remember that they had a clip of the mother of a homeschooled family reading Harry Potter aloud to her children as (described by the reporter) they all snuggled together on a large comfy chair. I loved it. It started me thinking that maybe homeschooling wasn’t such a crazy idea after all. It sent me to the library to check out a stack of how-to books, and ultimately it led to 10-plus years of homeschooling for the toddler and his three (eventual) siblings.
I do realize that you don’t actually have to homeschool to read to your kids — all my friends who send their children to school like normal people read to their children on a regular basis — but I found it easy to commit to a lifestyle that involved wearing pajamas after noon, eating dinner surrounded by stacks of curriculum, and lots of snuggling on comfy chairs. And, just like I’d imagined it, we have plenty of time for the intersection of my two favorite things in the world: my kids and books. It’s not a surprise that our days revolve around reading aloud.
We begin each homeschool day with Mom’s readaloud, a tradition that grew out of our daily struggle to get everyone up and out of bed for lessons. The prospect of math wasn’t very motivating first thing in the morning, but now we ease into our day with about 20 minutes of reading aloud. I get to pick the book, so I can sneak in those personal favorites that the kids have not quite gotten around to reading. (This is how I made sure my teenage son didn’t miss out on Little Women.) When we read The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, I found an edition just like the one I checked out from my local library 30 years ago, printed in green ink for the story of young Atreyu and his friend, Falkor the luckdragon, and their quest to save Fantastia, and in red ink for Bastian, who is reading Atreyu’s story and gradually discovering that he may be part of the adventure. I’m sure my library also had a copy of Elizabeth Enright’s The Saturdays, the first book in the Melendy Quartet, but somehow I never discovered it, so my children and I were introduced together to the four Melendy siblings, growing up in pre-World War II New York and pooling their money to create the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club.
Another new acquaintance was Fern Drudger, modern day heroine of N.E. Bode’s The Anybodies, who discovers that despite being raised by tragically boring parents (they work for the firm of Beige & Beige and like to collect toasters), she actually belongs to a family with magical powers and a very special house made of books, where lunch is green eggs and ham and Borrowers live in the walls. We so enjoyed Fern (and her narrator, who likes to break into the action to complain about his old writing teacher) that we happily followed her through two sequels, The Nobodies and The Somebodies.
Once we’ve gotten around to math and our other morning lessons, we break for lunch and then gather together again on the couch for homeschool readalouds. We’ve done the same cycle of readalouds with each child, beginning with myths and legends from around the world, and moving on to adaptations of classic literature. It can be difficult to find adaptations that are clear to modern readers without sacrificing too much of the original story, but we always enjoy Geraldine McCaughrean, whose retellings of classic stories (from The Odyssey to One Thousand and One Arabian Nights to The Canterbury Tales and beyond) are witty and detailed. Another favorite retelling of an old story is T.H. White’s version of King Arthur’s childhood, The Sword in the Stone, which combines medieval culture and cheerful anachronism as it describes how Merlin turned the Wart (as Arthur was known) into various animals as part of his education. (T.H. White continues Arthur’s story in the rest of The Once and Future King, of which The Sword in the Stone is the first part, but the tone gets considerably darker and more adult, and I haven’t attempted that as a readaloud.) Towards the end of our readaloud cycle, we spend some time with Shakespeare and the best collection of adaptations I’ve found so far is Leon Garfield’s Shakespeare Stories and its follow-up, Shakespeare Stories II. Garfield also developed Shakespeare: The Animated Tales, a series of BBC-produced 30-minute versions of the plays which are fun and entertaining, along with being good warm-ups for full-length productions.
We end our day with evening readaloud, where each child gets to pick his or her own book. We’ve read everything from the Betsy-Tacy series to The Lord of the Rings, and a while back we spent several months working our way through all of Harry Potter, which involved lots of snuggling in Mom’s large comfy bed (as we don’t quite fit on a chair anymore). It was a lovely full-circle moment, but I’m happy to report that there’s no end in sight to our readaloud journey. I look forward to sharing more of our favorites for reading aloud or reading anytime, and I can’t wait to hear about yours. Happy reading!
Journaling is old stalwart of school literature classes — such a stalwart that many homeschoolers dismiss it out of hand, remembering boring afternoons of trying to fill up three pages about nothing in particular. Journals deserve a better reputation, though. Used properly, journals can help students develop confidence, not just as writers, but as thinkers and learners — and not just in literature classes, but across the curriculum.
“Journal writing is a way to personalize every aspect of your curriculum,” says a spokesperson for the research team at Saint Xavier University. “Ultimately a journal is a record of a student’s travels through the academic world.”
Want to make journaling part of your homeschool? Think of these suggestions as a sampler platter of opportunities: Feel free to try the ideas that seem right for your particular student, ignore the ones that don’t, and make all the adjustments that you know work for you. Experiment to figure out how journals work best for your student, and keep experimenting so that your methods grow and develop with your student. Like everything about homeschooling, journaling isn’t a “right-way” kind of activity but one that adapts to the particular learners you have.
Journaling works well as a low-tech investment: Though the idea of a big, fat journal full of empty pages may seem inspiring, some writers tend do better with very small, fill-up-able journals that need frequent replacement. Experiment with different sizes to figure out which is the best fit for your child — you may find that different sizes suit different purposes. (Happily journals can be fairly cheap!) Studies show that students do best if they get meaningful feedback on journal entries — but also that journals are less stressful when students know they’re private. Compromise by asking students to choose which entries you read.
1. Use a journal to encourage everyday writing
The more you write, the more your writing improves — especially if you have a space where writing is all about expressing your own ideas and thoughts and not about producing a final product that’s going to be evaluated critically.
“Journaling helps students make connections between what is really important to them, their curriculum, and their world,” says Kay Burke, author of How to Assess Authentic Learning. Some students may have lots of ideas about what they want to write, but for students new to journaling, a prompt can help a lot with getting started. One fun way to generate topics is to use a MadLibs approach: Brainstorm a list of nouns, verbs, and adjectives, and write them on strips of colored paper — blue for nouns, yellow for verbs, etc. Then, draw words to fill in the blanks of a simple sentence: A/an (adjective) (noun) (verb). Tack on a prepositional phrase — before breakfast, in springtime, at the zoo — to connect to something relevant to your child’s current life. Set a 9-minute timer, and let the writing begin.
Tip: This kind of journaling can be most effective if you do it, too.
2. Use a journal to build analysis skills
Think of two-column journaling as annotating with hand-holding: By literally drawing a line between the text and your own ideas, you’re encouraging students to engage directly with what they’re reading. For newbies or really challenging texts, you may want to keep it simple and ask students to simply summarize as they go, but as you get more comfortable, you can track things like themes and symbolism across readings. You can copy passages into a journal, but students can also treat this like a kind of advanced annotation and write directly in the books they’re reading. This kind of journaling works best when you’re writing right beside the text you’re writing about.
“Students make these connections all the time, but two-column journals push them to articulate and defend those connections,” says Burke. It’s often useful to steer new journal-ers toward one specific idea at a time — look for symbols of hope, or focus on this particular character — so that the possibilities don’t get overwhelming.
For new students, this can mean picking out short passages for them to start with. It’s easy to print a paragraph, clip or tape it inside your journal, and write on the opposite page. If your student is having trouble identifying passages to write about, you can prep a few for them to choose from so that it’s easy to get started. Sometimes it can feel like doing part of the “deciding what to write about” part for your student is too much handholding, but if the writing is the point, make it easy for them to get to that part. You can focus on identifying important passages another time if you want to focus on that skill. One of my big homeschool lessons has been that you’re much more likely to feel successful if you keep your focus on one thing at a time.
Tip: Start with a short poem, and give each line its own page.
3. Use a journal to encourage deeper thinking
When students are ready to move beyond summarizing what they’ve learned, it’s time to dive into the world of asking big questions. For some kids this comes naturally, but other students need a little more guidance, and journaling can provide a useful framework.
Ask students to jot down three questions they have after every new chunk of learning — it might be a chapter of a novel, a podcast about the Norman invasion, or a new math concept. Help students figure out if their questions are informational — are they clarifying something? — or theoretical — are they considering how ideas, implications, and assumptions extend beyond the text? Over time, students will have more and more theoretical questions and become better at recognizing where information gaps manifest in their learning, two things that push deeper thinking.
I talk more about how to encourage kids to ask questions using the Good Thinkers Toolkit in episode 4 of the Thinky Homeschool podcast. (link to the HSL Patreon)
Tip: This journal technique works best if you use it consistently.
4. Use a journal to support self-evaluation
Journaling can also be an effective way to encourage students to evaluate their own work. It may help to have a list of questions for students to work from: What was the most interesting thing about this assignment? How much effort did you put into it? Are you pleased with your results? What do you think is the best part of this project? If you’d had another two hours to work on it, what would you have done? Asking students to write a journal entry at the end of major papers and projects can give you meaningful insight into their thought process, effort, and achievement, says Art Young, editor of Language Connections: Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum.
Figuring out how to evaluate student progress can be tricky for homeschoolers, but kids get a lot of benefit out of assessing their own growth. Taking time to do this not only helps students see where they can improve in the future (thoughtful people will always be able to find something to improve), it also helps them identify places they’ve improved from the past, boosting their overall academic confidence.
Tip: Ask students to submit a journal with every big assignment.
5. Use a journal to add rigor to rabbit trails
One of the great things about homeschooling is being able to follow where our child’s interests lead, but it’s not always easy to figure out how these rabbit trails fit into your curriculum. Sometimes, that’s just fine — after all, everything you study doesn’t have to be about your transcript — but sometimes, a rabbit trail becomes a passion that you want to keep a record of. Journaling makes a lot of sense here — it’s low-effort, but provides a useful history should you need it.
Every week — or as often as seems appropriate — ask your child to jot down what they’ve learned or wondered or been inspired by in their chosen area of interest. You might end up with pages about Minecraft mods or records of kitchen experiments. Over time, kids may come back to certain topics over and over again — when you’re stuck trying to figure out a topic for a history project, flipping back through these journals reminds kids what gets them excited. Maybe they’ll be inspired to build a Roman village in Minecraft or to write a medieval cookbook.
6. Use a journal to spur discussion
One of the best ways to learn about literature is to talk about it with someone else, and for homeschoolers doing their curriculum at home, that someone else is likely to be you. How do you help your student get beyond plot summary and generalizations to deeper discussion? The micro-journal is one effective approach.
After you read something or cover a new topic together, take 5 minutes to jot down your big ideas and questions on an index card. (Stick to a small writing surface so that it feels easy to fill up with ideas.) Don’t worry about complete sentences or perfect phrasing — focus on getting down as much as you can. If it helps your student to have a focus, concentrate on connecting themes to other literary elements, like plot, character, or setting — that’s loose enough to include lots of ideas, but it gives thinkers a place to start. This on-the-fly brainstorming will help student push past their initial impressions so they can dig into material in a less superficial way.
Tip: It may help students if you ask a directing question before you begin brainstorming.
IEW’s Student Writing Intensive is a practical, step-by-step writing curriculum that works great for kids who think they hate writing.
When my husband and I decided to homeschool our children, I thought writing would be a cinch to teach. I still think it would be, if I had a kid who was like me when I was a child — a child who was always writing. Growing up, I wanted to write poetry, stories, novels, you name it. And I never balked at a writing assignment.
Many people say that the secret to getting kids to write is to let them write whatever they want, and you can even take dictation for them, if you want. I think that’s good advice for a lot of kids, but my son is different. He doesn’t have any interest in writing anything. If I told him to write whatever he wanted, that would cause him anxiety and not make writing fun.
For a long time I wondered how I could teach him good writing skills without making him hate writing. This is something that I’ll be thinking about every year — how to move forward in a way that’s right for him. Fortunately, this year, I found something to get started with that’s working well. It’s the Institute for Excellence in Writing’s Student Writing Intensive Level A, which is for 3rd-5th graders. Levels B and C are available for higher grades. (Note that you can pair this with their Teaching Writing: Structure and Style, which is a 14-hour DVD Seminar for teachers and much more comprehensive. However, for the sake of this review, I’m writing about the Writing Intensive as a stand-alone curriculum.)
I’ll tell you right up front that I would not recommend this curriculum, if you have a child who enjoys writing. While all kids might benefit and learn something from it, I think it is especially made for kids who don’t have any idea what to write about or how to get started. I’m about halfway through the curriculum with my son right now.
It comes with a set of DVDs, and your child can watch the videos as if he’s sitting there in the classroom, listening to the teacher explain the concepts to a group of students. It begins by teaching students how to create a keyword outline for a paragraph that’s included in the lesson. Basically, he has to pick the three most important words in each sentence. Next, using this outline, he’ll write his own paragraph without looking at the original one. This has taken away the angst of “what am I supposed to write?” that was the first hurdle my son needed to get over.
Subsequent lessons are similar. All the lessons provide a pre-written text to create an outline with, but they add in “dress-ups” that the student needs to include in their paragraphs. Some of the dress-ups include a who/which clause, a strong verb, quality adjective, a because clause, etc. It’s slowly building a toolbox of writing mechanics that will help a child make her writing more varied and interesting. After doing these exercises with short, non-fiction paragraphs, it moves on to longer short stories and teaches students how to write a Story Sequence Chart. I can see where after doing these exercises with pre-written texts and re-writing them in his own words, my son may gain confidence in his writing ability and this will later free him up to begin some of his own, original writing. So far, I’ve been happy with it.
However, I have a few, small issues with this curriculum. First of all, some of the paragraphs he’s been using at the beginning of this curriculum should be proofread a little more closely. I have found more than one poorly written sentence. I always tell my son what is wrong with it, but for a parent who doesn’t have strong writing skills, I see this could be a problem. I feel a writing curriculum should offer excellent writing examples, though I also tell my son that this gives him a chance to write the paragraph better.
I also have a problem with forcing the student to use one of each dress-up in their paragraph. While I see the benefit of repetition so that the student becomes more comfortable with the using these sentence structures, and I love how it reinforces grammar skills, forcing every dress-up does not always make the best writing, especially in a short paragraph.
I have dealt with this issue by explaining to my son the purpose of these exercises. I told him that his writing will sound better if he varies the length and type of his sentences. He should try his best to use the dress-ups, but if they don’t serve the writing by making it sound better, he doesn’t have to do it. I go over his work with him, and I make suggestions, if I see a way to do it, but I don’t make him, for example, include a who/which clause into his writing, if I feel what he wrote without one is good writing.
This Student Writing Intensive offers some tips for kids that have been great for my son as well. The first one is that he’s only allowed to write with a pen. This takes away the urge to stop and erase and make the writing perfect the first time. The rough draft does not need to be perfect, and he’s learning proofreading marks to make corrections. The other tip that this curriculum offers is that a parent should be a walking dictionary for the child, telling him how to spell any word he doesn’t know. This takes a lot of angst out of writing that first draft too.
Overall, I like how this curriculum is helping my son put words on paper in a way that is not making him hate writing. It is a very formal program, which doesn’t work for every child, but if you have a child who has no interest in putting words on paper and/or likes having a “toolbox” to work with, it might be worth looking at.
If you use one of the Student Writing Intensives, IEW also offers continuation courses. I’m not sure whether that will be the right next step for my son, however. We’ll see when we get there.
It’s May and I’ve lost my mojo. I even doubled my caffeine intake to no avail.
It seems most every homeschooling parent gets to a point when they need to wrap up their school year. Even those parents that homeschool year-round, feel the pull of spring in May; the need to be done.
Homeschooling parents can quickly be overcome with the amount of material that’s accumulated throughout a long and creative homeschool year. Wrapping up the year can seem overwhelming. Here are some tips to get that clutter off your kitchen counter and put the homeschooling year to bed.
1. File end of year paperwork.
Be sure to file any end of year paperwork required in your district. Evaluations, portfolios, or other measures of progress, as well as letters of intent to homeschool, may be due now. Spend some time and get those out of the way so you can enjoy the summer days.
2. Update transcripts/report cards and evaluations.
Don’t wait for months to finalize report cards or evaluations. You will want to complete this task while the information is fresh in your mind. Tracking courses and progress is especially important if you are creating a transcript for your high schooler. Grades, field trips, courses, online classes, community groups, service projects, lab work, job experience, internships, apprenticeships, extracurricululars; all are easily lost or forgotten if not immediately recorded. Unschoolers should also record any classes, experiences or community involvement for their portfolio or transcript.
Unit studies can be easily put away in file folders labeled with the year or grade of the child.
If your child has completed a class through another organization, be sure to gather certificates of completion or grades from the teacher, if that is offered as part of the class.
Kids' school work can also be saved digitally. Take a photos and file in a folder for your portfolio or create a scrapbook of your incredible year. Grandparents especially love thumbing through scrapbooks and sharing memories with their grandchildren. Scrapbooks are also a great way to deter naysayers who might think your kids sat around eating Cheetos all year long.
3. Toss the rubbish.
What do you do with the hordes of paperwork that have accumulated? If your children are in their elementary years, save a few special pieces of artwork and toss the rest. The craft stores have pizza-style boxes that you can buy which are great for storing both artwork and academic work. The pizza boxes stack and store easily on a shelf, don’t take up much room, and hold a lot of material. Save one or two papers each month from each subject and toss the rest. I usually save one paper that shows beginning skills and one that shows mastery. My district/state doesn’t require evaluations of our work but I do save the boxes for three years and then get rid of them.
If you have many 3D sculptures, dioramas, hanging mobiles, and the like for art projects, it can be tougher to part with these masterpieces. Gifting the grandparents or aunts and uncles is a great way to share your homeschooling days with relatives. We always told our kids that if it didn’t fit in the storage box, we could not keep it. Certainly, a few special pieces were kept but the majority went into the box or were gifted away.
4. Clean up the extras.
Dump the moldy bread science experiment that’s been sitting on your shelf for weeks. Organize your homeschool space if you have one, clean off the desks, put the glue sticks and crayons back in their holders, give everything a good spring-time scrub down.
5. Label and store books.
I have a filing system for all of my books. At one point, I was homeschooling three kids in three different grade levels. The number of books, texts, instruction manuals, and other material accumulated through the years, was astounding. Before you pack everything up for the year, label the inside of every single book with an approximate grade level. Include chapter books, workbooks, and manipulatives in this process. I also place grade level stickers on the spines, so that when I store them, I can easily pull the next grade level I need for the coming year. Having organized books has been a lifesaver on so many occasions.
Donate, sell, or trade any items that you won’t use again. As my kids aged up through grades, I save curricula that was going to be used again. Any grade level items that we’d no longer use were donated or sold.
6. Plan some fun activities to celebrate
Get out of the house by planning some time with friends to celebrate the great weather. A picnic in the park, care-free playground days, lunch out with the kids, or a field trip can give you some much needed energy to push through those last few weeks of homeschooling.
Be proud of all your kids have accomplished this year. Don’t worry about the small things that didn’t get completed. Your children have likely learned so much exploring their own love of learning. Enjoy these last days and finish strong!
Let me take you back, way back, to the fall of 1996. Maybe you were in high school or college, listening to Alanis Morissette and getting riled up, or maybe you were younger, watching Boy Meets World on TV every Friday night. Because I am probably older than you, I was a young mother of a four-year-old boy and a baby girl. The four-year-old wore overalls and a deep side part in his hair and looked a lot like Dennis the Menace. His sister had such big eyes that she kind of looked like Yoda, and some of the fattest legs you’ve ever seen on a baby. And I was their mother, still wearing little black skirts that hit mid-thigh, with tights and oxford shoes, smitten with the notion of homeschooling.
It started with a brochure. Which is a fancy word for a piece of paper folded in thirds, but it was 1996, and we still got information from pieces of paper. It was at the library, on a shelf. A piece of paper, folded in thirds, from the Northern California Homeschool Association, listing resources for homeschooling.
Homeschooling. I’d thought about it when Henry was two, and I met the first homeschoolers I’d ever come across, a family with five kids. The kids didn’t go to school — none of them. They didn’t go to school! I was a former elementary teacher and the whole notion was as inconceivable to me as the concept of email in those days. Still, I was intrigued enough to find a book about home- schooling at the library, and played with the idea for a few weeks that fall. But ultimately I lay in bed thinking about lunchboxes, and school Halloween parades, and playing tether ball on the blacktop at recess. I thought about Septembers and the new shoes that came with them. My heart jittered as I flipped through the losses. Homeschooling meant walking away from the American childhood experience, and I just couldn’t do that to Henry.
When I picked up that brochure two years later, something had changed. Maybe it was that I knew Henry better now, or maybe it was how kindergarten lurked in my peripheral vision. Or maybe it was something inexplicable, like the way the boy who grew up down the street had a different gleam about him one day in pre-algebra class, and suddenly you couldn’t stop writing his name on the inside flap of your Pee-Chee folder.
It did feel a little like puppy love. I picked up that brochure and, like that, the idea of homeschooling wrote itself into every margin of my mind. I researched it at home, dialing up AOL on our computer — dial-tone, beeps, static, that unforgettable spring-sproing, rocket launch fuzz — and after two or three attempts got connected. Do you remember the Internet in 1996? How you spent more time looking at that little hourglass icon than you did actual content? How the images revealed themselves slowly, top to bottom, like a theater curtain in reverse? None of this seemed unreasonable to me back then; it was just what it took to get to the homeschooling message boards I found and lingered on that fall. People — mostly mothers — posted questions or shared their homeschooling experiences, and others responded. I scrolled and scrolled, searching for posts that might answer my concerns. How do you meet homeschooling friends? What do kids miss out on when they don’t go to school? How do you tell your in-laws? I clicked and hoped, clicked and hoped. Sometimes it took a full minute for a new page to load. There was a lot of bickering about what did and didn’t constitute unschooling, but what struck me most was the community on those boards. Homeschoolers were real, connecting with one another! What started as a wisp of a notion gathered the weight of possibility.
What if? What if Henry didn’t go to school the next fall? What if we found a local community of homeschoolers? What if I didn’t have to send my kids off to some other teacher’s classroom, while I got a job teaching other people’s kids? The possibilities glittered brighter than a new lunchbox.
I read every homeschooling book I could get my hands on that fall, which wasn’t hard — the stack was fairly short in 1996. I read the Johns, of course: John Taylor Gatto stirred me up over what happened in classrooms; John Holt helped me see how kids might learn outside of them. Smaller, quieter books by homeschooling mothers moved me even more. There was Susan Richman in The Three R’s At Home, a book I lucked upon in the library and checked out so many times that to this day I picture it in its clear plastic library cover, instead of the jacket-free version I bought later and still own. Richman was a former teacher too, and downright gleeful in laying open her days with her kids, writing about how different learning looked outside a classroom, with one’s own children. There was Nancy Wallace’s Child’s Work, a book with a subtitle that explained everything I loved about it: Taking Children’s Choices Seriously. Wallace shared Richman’s fascination with her own children, but her approach was different. Where Richman was animated, Wallace was contemplative. She studied her children and their pursuits like a smitten scientist. These women showed me what a homeschooling life might look like, and I wanted it. As much for myself as for my kids.
So this is how I learned about homeschooling that fall: from the Internet and books. It seems a little crazy to me now. I didn’t know any homeschoolers. I went to a homeschooling information event in Berkeley one night, and saw real flesh-and-blood homeschoolers breastfeeding their children and answering questions, but it would be another six months before I’d get my kids to a park day and talk about homeschooling with an actual person.
Instead, I had an ongoing dialogue with myself in my journal. Henry was going to preschool three mornings a week that fall, and I found myself comparing what I saw him do at preschool — it was a co-op — with my new notions about homeschooling and learning.
One set of journal pages starts: I suppose the wide choices at preschool don’t necessarily encourage focus. Henry worked for days on that castle drawing in his bedroom, and I’ve never seen him as excited about any- thing at preschool. Another ramble begins: At preschool he plays with other children — very important. But does he really need that five or even three days a week? And couldn’t he get that from a homeschooling community?
If I didn’t have my journals, I’d remember that fall as a time of waffling, of back and forth worries about whether we should or shouldn’t homeschool. But page after page, line after loopy line tell a different story. My mind was made up almost instantly. One morning I picked up that brochure; days later I was resolute in my conviction to do it. It just fits the life I envision for us, I wrote. The harder part was declaring our choice — pulling Henry from the preschool and announcing to our families, to the world, that we were homeschoolers.
I marvel at that young mother in her little black skirt: how was she so sure of herself ? Keeping her kid out of kindergarten, playing hooky with society’s definition of childhood. Yet there I was, committing to a life choice that would carry on for the next twenty years, based on little more than a few books, some janky Internet message boards and a lovesick twittering in my gut. I opened that brochure, one flap, two, and we were off.
Like that.
Fine advice for any homeschooling parent is to focus on what your child knows, rather than what she doesn’t know. The 1996 me didn’t know she would still be homeschooling nineteen years later; she didn’t know there would be heartache over finding community, slammed doors over long division or teenage days of longing for something else. But I knew we’d be happy if we quit the commute to preschool, if I settled on the couch in the morning when the sun was easy, reading Winnie the Pooh aloud with voices for all the characters, even Eeyore’s sorry drawl, the baby at the breast and the boy listening at my feet with blocks, building.
“Read more, Mama,” he said, in that crunchy sugar four-year-old rasp, at the end of a chapter. And so I kept going.
PATRICIA ZABALLOS writes about homeschooling and writing on her blog, Wonder Farm. She is working on a book of essays.
One of my guiding principles for homeschooling comes by way of unschooler Sandra Dodd: she says that when kids feel truly free to say, “More, please!” when something interests them and free to say, “No, thanks” when something doesn’t interest them, those kids can’t help but learn, and learn with joy and empowerment.
But what about when my kids say “No” not because they’re not interested, but because they’re afraid? What then?
I recently faced that thorny question while my two kids and I were on a trip to the Florida Keys.
My 11-year-old daughter has long loved the ocean and its creatures. For years, she’s dreamed of snorkeling near coral reefs and seeing colorful tropical fish up close. While we were in Florida, we reserved spots on a snorkeling tour at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park near Key Largo, the first undersea park in the United States.
A motorized catamaran carried us and about fifty other passengers of all ages to Grecian Rocks Reef, a smooth 30-minute ride southeast of the park visitor center. Our guides were a pair of enthusiastic young women named Brittany and Caitlyn, who proudly informed us they were the park’s only all-female crew.
I was a little nervous as our boat skimmed toward our snorkeling destination, though for my daughter’s sake, I did my best to keep my fears to myself. What would it be like to swim with tropical fish? Would they brush up against me? Would I scratch myself on sharp coral or damage a reef?
When we stopped and anchored near the Grecian Rocks, the other passengers started spraying defogger on their masks, gathering up their fins and snorkels, and heading for the ladders on either side of the boat without any visible trace of nervousness. I asked if my daughter wanted to go in first. She shook her head and said I could go ahead of her.
The water was shockingly cold at first, and I felt awkward in my fins, mask, and snorkel. I also felt vulnerable. I’m used to swimming in pools with sides I can grab on to and shallow ends where I can easily touch the bottom. Now I was treading water in one of the world’s biggest oceans with no land in sight. I felt keenly that I was a land-based creature, an alien here.
I hung on to the bottom of the ladder to wait for my girl to join me. She made it halfway down the ladder and balked.
“I can’t do it!” she whimpered, her eyes wide with terror. “I don’t want to do it!”
My aspiration as a parent is to listen to my kids’ feelings and refrain from trying to talk them out of their emotions, no matter how inconvenient or unwelcome those emotions might be. If they say they’re not ready to try something, I figure they know better than I do what’s right for them in a given moment.
But this time, my intuition told me that my daughter would regret it if she didn’t get in that water. I wasn’t ready to let her off the hook without trying for at least a little while to talk her through her fear.
“It does feel scary at first,” I said, hanging on at the foot of the ladder, still feeling clumsy and a bit scared myself. “But once you get used to it, I’ll bet you’ll really like it.”
I kept trying to pep-talk her, telling her that when we try something that scares us, we become bigger people. We’ve got one less thing to be afraid of and one more memory of tackling a challenge that we can call on for strength later on.
No dice. She was not budging off that ladder.
My son had been less than enthused about this whole snorkeling business to begin with, but there’s nothing like having a younger sibling afraid to try something to motivate an older sibling to dive in and show ‘em how it’s done. He climbed down into the water and flopped in beside me, clearly feeling just as awkward as I did.
Brittany and Caitlyn encouraged my son and me to go ahead and swim around and check things out. They assured me they’d be happy to sit with my daughter while we explored. My daughter said that was all right with her, so my son and I kicked away from the boat.
Only a few yards away from where we were anchored stood clumps of large, boulder-shaped corals swaying with sea fans and covered with forests of staghorn coral, brain coral, and elkhorn coral. Blue tangs, porcupine fish, and stoplight parrotfish nosed peacefully among the corals, oblivious to us humans hovering a few yards above them.
Gradually, I started to relax. The fish were close enough for me to see them well, but not close enough to brush against me. We were at a comfortable distance from the coral, in no danger of touching or damaging it.
Swimming through the silence of the calm, clear water, immersed in a world I’d previously seen only in books and movies, I focused less on how alien I felt and more on how utterly amazing this place was. I bobbed my head above the surface and lifted my mask to see if I could spot my daughter back on the boat. She was sitting in the bow wrapped in a towel, dangling her legs over the side, squinting toward me in the bright sun.
“Let’s go see if she’s ready now,” I told my son, and we headed toward the catamaran.
By the time we’d gotten to the boat, my daughter was standing by the ladder with her wetsuit, snorkel, and mask on, her fins in her hand.
It still wasn’t easy talking her down that ladder. Tears fogged up her mask as she hit the water. Her body was stiff with fear.
With my son on one side of her and me on the other, she took the risk of putting her face in the water. We swam side by side, my son holding her right hand and me holding her left.
Within seconds, I heard her gasping with wonder as she spotted her first fish. Gradually, she grew brave enough to briefly let go of my hand to point at especially big or colorful fish that caught her eye.
By the end of our hour or so of snorkeling, she wasn’t holding my hand at all and was confidently swimming ahead of me. She’d conquered a fear. Her possibilities were just a little bit bigger than they’d been an hour earlier, and she’d fulfilled a dream she’s had since she was tiny.
So how do you answer that question of when to push a child who’s scared to try something? I think for me, the answer comes down to being clear about why I’m pushing. Is it because of some abstract idea about not wanting my child to be a scaredy-cat or a quitter? Or is it because I know deep down, based on my relationship with my child, that they’re more ready than they realize and just need a little encouragement, a gentle little nudge? Do I want my kid to overcome their fear to please me, or because I think overcoming that fear will please them? My answer to those questions makes all the difference.
Riding back to shore with my daughter huddled beside me in a damp beach towel, our minds brimming with the wonders we’d just seen below the waves, I felt confident that at least this time, I’d been right not to take “no” for an answer.
On a Saturday morning about a month after [the 2016] election, I brought my two boys to a local community center, where my younger son’s middle school art honor society was helping to paint murals. There were some kids from the middle school with their parents (and an older sibling, in our case), some volunteer artists, including my son’s art teacher, and kids and adults from the community center, which is part of a public housing complex. Together, we were going to paint in four murals that had been sketched out by the volunteer artists. Later, they’d be hung within the community center.
It was a busy, hectic morning. My older son and I quickly discovered that our best role was in the background, making sure paintbrushes were clean, changing out rinsing water, and helping anyone who needed it with getting paint. Many, many hands added color to the pictures. As the morning went on, I realized that for the first time in a month, I didn’t feel overwhelmed with dread. My hands were busy, my mind was occupied, and I was in a room full of people of all ages, equally busy creating colorful, community art. It was exactly where I needed to be.
In times of uncertainty — which is one of the subtlest words I can choose to describe the current climate in the United States — it’s almost instinct to gather together. Doing so in order to add beauty and inspiration to the world feels even better. And gathering as a community — including members of the community you may not know yet — seems vital. Art-making can be used as the common ground around which to gather.
The event my kids and I attended was coordinated by Creating Communities, a nonprofit organization in Annapolis, Maryland, that provides arts-based mentoring programs; all we did was show up. If a similar opportunity doesn’t exist in your community, try to create one. Obviously, if murals are your objective, it will help to have some experienced artists to sketch them out. But plenty of community-based art experiences can be had without needing superior artistic skills! As with any other event, figure out who and where, then tailor the what to the space.
Who: What parts of your community do you want to bring together? Do you envision a program open to everyone (and thus in a public space), or something more specific, as the mural painting was to the community center? Make sure your organizing is done with the relevant community members and not presented as a final plan. Partnering should occur early in the process, not at the end.
Where: This may be dictated by who is involved. Do you want a public event at a library or a park? Perhaps your co-op space is hosted by or shared with another group and you’d like to partner with them (and simultaneously get to know them better) to beautify your shared space. Or you can partner with a community or recreation center. Think creatively; where do you see a need for some art-making?
What: Community art-making doesn’t need to be elaborate and permanent, like murals. It can be one or the other or neither. A bunch of colored chalk in the hands of kids and adults can become something fun and simple or beautiful and complex; either way, it’s temporary. Prayer or Hope Flags are simple to make and become a powerful art installation when complete. Unless you’re planning a drop-in, public event, make sure to include representatives from the community you’re working with during the brainstorming process.
Remember to value the process overall. Community art-making is first and foremost about coming together, and that should be a relaxed, happy experience. Because our group was painting murals, some areas were touched up at the end by the volunteer adult artists, but during the group painting, nobody was criticized or bossed around for color choices or their ability to stay in the lines. If your project involves a set idea on what the product should look like, make sure to figure out a way for that to happen while also honoring everybody’s contribution to and enjoyment of the process.
Most importantly, spend some time talking to people you don’t know while you make art alongside them. Create something, together.
(Additonal/optional: this is adapted from a post that first appeared at amyhoodarts.com in May 2015)
How-To: Block-Printed “Hope” Flags
This is adapted from a post that first appeared at amyhoodarts.com in May 2015.
These are inspired by Tibetan Prayer Flags, which are hung in the elements until they disintegrate, releasing the prayer or hope. Participants can depict a hope for themselves, their family, or their community and add it to the display. Prayer flags were traditionally block printed, but this uses a printmaking method accessible to all ages and skill levels, scratch-foam printmaking.
Materials:
7”x9” rectangles of repurposed cotton cloth
Styrofoam trays
pencils
liquid acrylic craft paint
foam brushes
clothesline
Preparation:
Cut the rectangles from repurprosed cloth if possible (solid, light-color sheets are perfect). Using a rotary cutter with a pinking blade or pinking shears makes a zig-zag edge, which cuts down on fraying a little. Press a fold at one end to create a 7”x7” square and stitch to make a casing. Using a chain-piecing method makes this go more quickly, but backstitch at the beginning and end of each casing so they don’t come undone.
Using a craft knife, metal ruler, and cutting mat, slice the raised edges from the Styrofoam trays (which can be purchased in packages of 25-50 online) and then cut them into quarters. If you choose to repurpose the trays, stick with vegetable trays rather than ones used to package raw meat, for hygienic reasons.
Method
1. Think about what hope, dream, or wish you’d like to share, and how you can represent it with a simple image.
2. Using a pencil, draw the image onto the smooth side of a Styrofoam rectangle. You want to indent the Styrofoam, but not make holes in it. Your image will print in reverse, so keep that in mind while drawing. Words are probably too tricky at this point unless you are very good at mirror writing.
3. Paint a thin layer of acrylic paint onto your scratch-foam drawing. If it’s too gloppy, your image will get obscured when you print.
4. Take a look at a blank hope flag. The casing (the folded over and sewn bit) is at the top, and the fold is towards the back. Lay the front of the flag over your painted foam and firmly smooth it to transfer the paint. Don’t wiggle it around or your image will smudge. Just firmly press. Then peel it off. Optional: Have permanent markers on hand so people can add words to their picture.
5. Run the string through the casing and hang the flags to dry; this also creates your display as you go.
Optional: Have paper available so participants can make a print to take home and/or send them home with their printing plate.
Liquid acrylics don’t require heat-setting to be permanent on fabric, so your display makes itself as people create flags. Hang outside or in to beautify your space and remind the community of its shared hopes.
Jen* was in love with project-based learning. She followed a gorgeously photographed blog by a homeschool mom whose elementary school son was always spending months researching and building Viking ships, or making obsessively detailed salt-dough maps of the continents, or filling up his birding journal by learning the names and songs of all the birds in the family’s community. This was what homeschooling was all about: A bright, creative kid following his interests wherever they led him, leaving a series of Instagram-perfect projects in his wake.
Jen showed her 10-year-old son Dylan pictures of Viking ship and the birding journal. “Cool,” Dylan said. But he wasn't inspired to launch into any projects of his own — or even to copy the projects other kids were doing. “The only thing he got excited about was playing video games,” said Jen. “He’d work on something if I pushed him for as long as I kept pushing, but as soon as I left it in his hands, he was done. And I kept looking at all these pictures of someone else’s apparently perfect kid and thinking what am I doing wrong?”
One of the great benefits of homeschooling is being able to give our kids the opportunity to follow where their passions lead them. But one of the things homeschoolers don’t really talk about is what happens when our kids’ passions don’t seem to be leading them anywhere in particular. How do you embrace interest-led learning when your child doesn’t seem interested in learning, well, anything? Or when your child is constantly interested in new things — but the minute she hits a roadblock, she’s happy to give up her passion for something easier? What makes some kids ready to leap into the pursuit of knowledge and others hang back on the sidelines?
First off, it’s important to know that life learners aren’t born — they’re made. “Most kids are born with plenty of curiosity, but learning how to take that curiosity and apply it to the process of learning is something that gets developed over time,” says Ian Leslie, author of the book Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It. And while some kids are born with a natural stick-to-it-ness, most of us learn follow-through by doing it over and over, much the same way you develop muscles.
And the key to developing curiosity muscles seems to lie in having the freedom to explore what you want to explore. “When we first started homeschooling, I tried to get my daughter excited about bugs, about the Civil War, about rocks,” says Anne*, who’s been homeschooling her 11-year-old daughter for three years. “I’d bring home all this stuff from the library and look up all this stuff online, and she just wasn’t interested in any of it. I’d had this vision of us cheerfully studying all these things together as homeschoolers, and I felt like I was failing.”
Then Anne happened to overhear her then-9-year-old daughter playing in her room one afternoon, reciting poetry to one of her dolls. It turned out her daughter was passionate about writing poetry, and as soon as Anne stepped back and let her daughter’s interest lead the way, independent learning bloomed in the Carver house.
“It’s hard to take that step back when your kids haven’t expressed a clear interest in something, but sometimes that’s what they need to find their passion,” Anne says.
Some kids have a clear passion from birth: My friend’s daughter’s birding adventures started before kindergarten, and now that she’s in high school, she leads birding walks in the local parks and even teaches a birding class to little kids at her homeschool co-op. Other kids find passions everywhere — one year, they’re hooked on martial arts; the next, they’re performing in community theater; then, they shift gears and become amateur astronomers. Their interests may change over time, but their passionate pursuit of them is a constant. Other kids, though, may need a little more time and space to find their passions.
That’s not a sign that your child isn’t cut out to be an independent learner, it’s just a sign that he needs space to discover what he cares about. Give it to him by making your home a space that fosters curiosity. Make a point of filling your bookshelves with a mix of interesting fiction and non-fiction books, and grab titles just because they look interesting for your library basket. Ask questions — and be genuine about it; your child will know if you’re just pretending to wonder something or if you’re asking out of genuine curiosity. Encourage your child to help you think of ideas to consider what the answer might be, then figure out how to find out together. Try to relax rules wherever you can to encourage creative exploration — fascinatingly, a 2011 study published in the Journal of Creative Behavior found that kids who were considered to be in the most creative five-percent of their class lived in homes where there was an average of fewer than one rules — such as homework time or screen time limits — while their less creative peers had an average of six such rules they had to follow. The key isn’t to push your child in a particular direction but to give her a space where she has plenty of room to discover what her passion is.
Finding that passion really is the key to self- directed learning, says Deborah Stipek, Ph.D, dean of Stanford University’s School of Education and the author of Motivated Minds: Raising Children to Love Learning. Children are motivated to learn about what interests them, so tapping into your child’s unique fascinations is the key to sparking life-long learning, Stipek says.
* * *
Once your children have found the ideas that spark for them, your job becomes creating a space where they can explore those ideas in meaningful ways. “That’s our job as parents: Children point the way, and we help them clear the path,” says Raymond Wlodkawski, Ph.D., author of Creating Highly Motivating Classrooms for All Students. As homeschoolers, we’re tempted to turn every passion into a unit study — but while that can be a fun way to explore a topic, the whole point of self-directed learning is for kids to figure out how they can pursue a topic on their own. Helping kids clear the path to exploring their passions requires a careful combination of independence and support.
Set the right example. If you want your children to develop into life learners, you’ve got to become a life learner yourself. For some of us, this revelation is delightful — finally, a legitimate excuse to learn to knit/study astronomy/obsess over Stuart monarchs. For others, it can feel a little intimidating, especially if we’ve grown up in a world that values filling-in-the-blanks over creative exploration. Either way, the key is to think about how you’d like kids to harness their creativity and start doing that in your own life. Start your own library list, and tell them about it — “I put some books about gardening on the hold list because I’m thinking it might be fun to start a container garden.” Let them know how you’re pursuing your own projects: “I’m about to watch this YouTube video about hand-lettering that seems really cool — want to watch it with me?” or “I’ve never done this kind of weaving before, and my fingers are having trouble adjusting — how do you think it’s looking?” You’re not just modeling the tools to translate curiosity into learning — you’re also showing your kids that you value the process of self-directed learning enough to do it yourself.
Gradually shift responsibility. Most of us aren’t born knowing how to start, work through, and complete a project — we learn to do it, and kids may need a lot of guidance getting started with independent learning. You don’t have to sit back and do nothing during the early stages of project- based learning. It’s okay to set simple tasks and help your child follow through on them — “Let’s check out this video on soap carving and see if there are any tips to help with getting started” or “I saw this book on bees at the library, so I grabbed it — let’s check and see if it explains how the hive is built.” As your child learns what tools to use, you can redirect responsibility back to him: “Hmmm, good question — where do you think we could find the answer?” Eventually, your proctor role will become more and more removed from your child’s investigations, but a little hand-holding as your child develops motivation and follow-through skills can be essential.
Introduce new skills as needed. Sometimes your child’s interests will zoom ahead of the rest of her learning. For instance, your astronomy-obsessed daughter may lack the math foundation to understand astronomical orbits the way she wants to, or your son’s tennis passion keeps getting derailed because he wants to hang up his racket every time he loses a match. If you recognize that your child needs to develop a particular attitude, skill, or concept in order to succeed in his project, that’s wonderful news. When your child has the opportunity to learn something because she genuinely needs to know it to pursue an interest, the actual learning process is surprisingly easy. (I swear that my own child became a reader so that she could identify different Pokemon moves.)
Prepare for bumpy patches. Like most adults, kids can very enthusiastic about a new idea or a new subject but lose steam fast when things don’t come together as easily as they’d expected. (This can be especially true for kids who are transitioning into homeschooling from a more traditional school, where they didn’t have the freedom to explore topics independently.) Their enthusiasm wanes in direct proportion to their frustration. Some kids naturally bounce back from roadblocks, ready to seek new solutions or try new things, but others can internalize the problems — “I’m too stupid to do this” — or project frustrations onto their subject — “math is just dumb.” Sometimes frustration is a signal that it’s time to move on, and there’s nothing to gain from forcing a kid to follow her passion when she’s clearly not inspired by it at the moment. Often, though, this frustration can be overcome, and stepping in to help problem-solve can help your child over the hump. (Just keep in mind that you’re a brainstorming collaborator, not a teacher telling your child what to do next — make suggestions, but follow her lead.) The benefits to getting past a roadblock can be huge. Successfully overcoming challenges and failures to finish a project not only makes kids proud of their work, it also increases the likelihood that they’ll work to follow through on future projects. “It’s true that you’re more likely to want to do something that you think you’re good at, but overcoming challenges on your own is actually more motivating than just being naturally good at something,” says Stipek.
Look for opportunities for independence. Intellectual independence is a major component for successful self-directed learning, but kids often need other kinds of independence, too. If you gradually increase your child’s responsibility — letting him grab groceries from another aisle in the supermarket, making him responsible for getting his own lunches, allowing him to set up a movie date with a group of friends — that independence will start to bloom in his learning adventures, too.
Don’t make the mistake of needing to show off your child’s learning. It’s tempting to want to share your children’s accomplishments, but resist the urge to ask them to display their knowledge just for the sake of displaying it. (“Tell Grandma about how the Vikings discovered North America, honey.”) Instead, ask your child a meaningful question or wait for him to bring up the subjects that interest him. “It’s much better to engage your child in an active inquiry than to ask him to spit out routine knowledge,” says Lucy Calkins, Ph.D., professor of curriculum and teaching at Columbia University’s Teachers College.
* * *
And what about Jen and Dylan, the family we met at the beginning of this article? Well, Dylan, now 13, never fell in love with project-based homeschooling, but he did discover a passion for computer coding after his grandparents bought him a Kano kit. “He’s writing code to create digital flashcards for his spelling words and writing a script for a video game he wants to create,” says Jen. “His passion didn’t end up looking the way I thought it would, but he definitely found it. And I think I can take a little credit for trying to create an environment that made that possible for him.”
*last names removed for online publication
Once upon a time, homeschoolers were more likely to turn to traditional schools when high school rolled around—fewer than 17 percent of the 210,000 homeschooled kids reported by the U.S. Department of Education in 2001 were high school students. There are lots of reasons parents may choose not to homeschool their teens through high school, but don't let false fear be one of them.
Myth: High school is too difficult for the average parent to teach.
Fact: You don’t have to teach everything.
In many ways, homeschooling high school can be much simpler than the early years because your teen is capable of independent study. Just be honest with yourself: What are you capable and willing to teach, and what do you need to outsource? Maybe you love the thought of digging deeper into history, but the prospect of teaching trig makes you want to break out in a cold sweat. Outsource subjects you don’t want to tackle—co-op classes, tutors, community college, online classes are all great options. As your student advances, your job will shift from teacher to educational coordinator—listening to him and guiding his class choices and extracurricular activities to prepare him for the college or whatever post-high school path he's interested in. It also means keeping track of classes for his transcript, staying on top of testing deadlines for standardized and achievement tests, and helping him start to hone in on the best people to ask for letters of recommendation.
Myth: Homeschoolers can’t take Advanced Placement (AP) tests.
Fact: Homeschoolers can take AP tests—whether they take official AP classes or not.
AP is a brand-name—like Kleenex or Band-Aid—which means the College Board gets to decide whether or not you can call your child’s course an AP class. (The College Board has a fairly straightforward process for getting your class syllabus approved on their website, and few homeschoolers run into problems getting their class approved.) You can build your own AP class using the materials and test examples on the College Board website and call the class “Honors” or “Advanced” on your transcript—and your child can take the AP test in that subject as long as you sign him up on time and pay the test fee. (Homeschoolers have to find a school administering the test willing to allow outside students, which may take some time. You’ll want to start calling well before the deadline.) If you’re nervous about teaching without an official syllabus, you can sign up for an online AP class or order an AP-approved curriculum. And remember: just because you take an AP class doesn’t mean you have to take the test.
Myth: It’s hard for homeschoolers to get into college.
Fact: Homeschooled kids may actually be more likely to go to college than their traditionally schooled peers.
This myth may have been true 20 years ago, but not anymore. Researchers at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) found that 74 percent of homeschooled kids between age 18 and 24 had taken college classes, compared to just 46 percent of non-homeschoolers. In fact, many universities now include a section on their admission pages specifically addressing the admissions requirements for homeschooled students. In 1999, Stanford University accepted 27 percent of its homeschooled applicants—twice the rate for public and private school students admitted at the same time. Brown University representative Joyce Reed says homeschoolers are often a perfect fit at Brown because they know how to be self-directed learners, they are willing to take take risks, they are ready to tackle challenges, and they know how to persist when things get hard.
Myth: You need an accredited diploma to apply to college.
Fact: You need outside verification of ability to get into college.
Just a decade or so ago, many colleges didn’t know what to do with homeschoolers, and an accredited diploma helped normalize them. That’s not true anymore. (In fact, you may be interested to know that not all public high schools are accredited—only 77 percent of the high schools in Virginia, for example, have accreditation.) What you do want your child’s transcript to reflect is non-parent-provided proof of academic prowess. This can come in the form of graded co-op classes, dual enrollment courses at your local college, SAT or ACT scores, awards, etc. Most colleges are not going to consider whether your child’s high school transcript was accredited or not when deciding on admissions and financial aid.
Myth: A portfolio is superior to a transcript.
Fact: The Common App makes transcripts a more versatile choice.
Portfolios used to be the recommended way for homeschoolers to show off their outside-the-box education, but since more and more schools rely on the transcript-style Common Application, portfolios have become a hindrance. (Obviously, portfolios are still important for students studying art or creative writing, where work samples are routinely requested as part of the application process.) In some ways, this format is even easier to manage than a portfolio—you can record high school-level classes your student took before 9th grade and college courses he took during high school in convenient little boxes. And don’t worry that your student won’t be able to show what makes him special: The application essay remains one of the best places to stand out as an individual. Some schools even include fun questions to elicit personal responses: The University of North Carolina, for instance, asks students what they hope to find over the rainbow.
Myth: Homeschooled kids don’t test well.
Fact: On average, homeschoolers outperform their traditionally schooled peers on standardized tests.
All that emphasis on test prep in schools doesn’t seem to provide kids with a clear advantage come test time. Homeschooled students score 15 to 30 percentile points above the national average on standardized achievement tests regardless of their parents’ level of education or the amount of money parents spend on homeschooling. That includes college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT. Research compiled by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics shows that homeschoolers scored an average 1083—67 points above the national average of 1016—on the SAT in 1999 and an average 22.6 (compared to the national average of 21.0) on the ACT in 1997. This doesn’t mean these tests aren’t important—good scores can open academic doors—but it does mean you may not have to worry about them as much you’d thought.
Myth: Homeschooled kids are not prepared for college.
Fact: Homeschooled kids adapt to college life better than their traditionally schooled peers.
This one always makes me laugh. Homeschooled kids probably have more hands-on life experience than their traditionally schooled cou
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https://myswordisunbelievablydull.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/log-horizon-review-and-analysis/
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Log Horizon – Review and Analysis
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http://youtu.be/RcAq1jYcjYE Text version and links: Watch Log Horizon on Crunchyroll: http://www.crunchyroll.com/log-horizon Links: Game Theory: Why You Play Video Games: http://youtu.be/MyUC_28HIvA Why and How I Play Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcSGkwtL7S0 Omoikane on Everquest and Log Horizon: http://omonomono.com/2013/10/28/everquest-and-log-horizon/ Before I spend a couple thousand words gushing over how much I adore Log Horizon, I’d like to acknowledge some things…
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My Sword Is Unbelievably Dull
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https://myswordisunbelievablydull.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/log-horizon-review-and-analysis/
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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ys8o2_log-horizon-review-and-analysis_tech
Text version and links:
Watch Log Horizon on Crunchyroll: http://www.crunchyroll.com/log-horizon
Links:
Game Theory: Why You Play Video Games: http://youtu.be/MyUC_28HIvA
Why and How I Play Games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcSGkwtL7S0
Omoikane on Everquest and Log Horizon: http://omonomono.com/2013/10/28/everquest-and-log-horizon/
Before I spend a couple thousand words gushing over how much I adore Log Horizon, I’d like to acknowledge some things that might bother others about the show. First and most prominently, Log Horizon has a kind of cheesy and repetitive sense of humor. There are some jokes that get old quickly, and appear a lot, in the early episodes especially. If you’re a bit of a jaded anime fan, I could see why these lame jokes would turn you off early into the show, if you don’t immediately notice a lot of things to love about it as I did. I can only promise you that these jokes are such a minor nuisance in an otherwise rich and splendidly written series that they didn’t dissuade me from giving the show a ten out of ten score.
Moreover, we should be clear on what kind of show this is, because I’m probably going to refer to it as “exciting” in this post, and that could be misleading. Log Horizon is a show where most of the action happens through conversations, strategizing, and world-building, often with very long periods of build-up that lead to immense payoffs. I could see calling the show slow-paced, because it has such a large cast of characters and tackles so many things at once that it can take a long time for real progress to be made.
However, the show is always incredibly DENSE with things going on. Even though the plot isn’t moving in huge leaps from episode to episode, every little detail is used to create multi-layered payoffs when you look at the big picture. One of the series’ major themes is that everyone in the world has a part to play in how everything moves forward, so we often will be treated to a large amount of information about the world and characters before we find out why all of it is relevant. Personally, I enjoyed every single second of it, soaking up all the world and character building as I went, but I could see people getting bored of the show if they’re not used to waiting a while for major plot events to go down.
Log Horizon’s specialty comes in how its story operates on two different levels. On one level, there’s the simple actions of the characters, whether they be hanging out, or doing a quest, fighting bad guys, etc. On the other level, all of the little things that happen contribute to the bigger picture of what’s going on, and until you’ve gotten through six or seven episodes of the show, it won’t really be apparent how large of a scale the story takes place on. While the major story events happen slowly, the scope of people affected by these events is ever-broadening. What starts as a show about three adventurers, quickly becomes the story of a guild, a city, a country, and so forth.
I’m telling you all of this now because I think that, while Log Horizon might not be the most dramatic show around, some of its big payoffs will probably be more satisfying if you don’t already know about them. The magic of these moments comes in the way that the show keeps feeding you little details about this and that, before tying all of those little things together in one big reveal. As such, for me to analyze this show in a lot of depth, I’m going to have to spoil some of the big payoffs.
Consider what I’ve said up until now as something like a guide for going into the show if you haven’t seen it yet. I’ll add, too, that the major themes which make me love this show so much are those of understanding the human condition. The way Log Horizon understands what it takes to make people happy, and to function well as a community, is where its genius lies, in addition to the fantastic world-building that you’ll appreciate the more you understand MMORPGs and what makes them fun. With that endorsement, I recommend that if you haven’t watched this show yet, you go do so now and come back to this video later. If you don’t care about spoilers, or really aren’t convinced it’s worth your time yet, then keep watching; but otherwise, stop the video now.
—
If there’s a question at the center of Log Horizon’s construction, it might be, “what would happen if an MMORPG world became reality for its players.” It’s not so much a story of being transported into a video game, as it is a video game world becoming the real world for certain people. Unlike in shows such as Sword Art Online and the .hack franchise, the game Elder Tale from Log Horizon is NOT a futuristic, immersive game played on some kind of fancy headgear. It’s just a modern, very popular MMORPG that’s been running for nearly twelve years, and is played with a keyboard and mouse, on a monitor, by people wearing headsets.
This distinction is important, because the characters make a point to illustrate throughout the show that the world they’re in isn’t quite the same as Elder Tale. The world appears to be real and is fully interactive not because the game was hyper-advanced, but because reality itself has become synonymous with that world.
In this way, Log Horizon doesn’t really have the science-fiction elements that similar series do. It distinctly lacks a focus on technology or futurism, and hardly considers the questions of how and why everyone has been taken into this world–without more than a mention of the idea of “getting out” until much later into the series. The fact that Log Horizon takes place inside an MMORPG world is absolutely vital, but what’s really happened is that a world has been created where the mechanics of an MMORPG are reality, and the chief concern of the show’s world-building is to figure out how that kind of place would operate.
The players who’ve been taken into this world are known as adventurers, and they have not been teleported into the world as their true selves, but rather have embodied their avatars. The show is kind of vague about how this works; Akatsuki is first turned into a man because she’d been playing against her gender, but it’s also implied that the characters have the faces that they did in the real world, which is a bit confusing. The one thing which bothered me about this show more than anything was the simple fact that Akatsuki seemed to be the only player who’s in-game avatar was a totally different gender and size from her real self–but that’s more a personal suspension-of-disbelief issue.
By inhabiting their in-game avatars, the players jump the bridge between their real and virtual capabilities. At first, everyone tries to operate their characters using the command lists that would’ve corresponded with keyboard shortcuts and menu options in the video game, but this comes with problems of its own. What the players then realize is that actually performing the actions as they would in their own reality, will produce the results that their in-game bodies are capable of. In other words, if their avatar can shoot a laser beam, then they too can shoot a laser beam, as if it were something they could always do.
As befitting of their nature, adventurers can die and return to the cathedral, at the cost of exp and item loss. They are as strong as their level would imply, meaning that they can perform incredible feats. For all intents and purposes, they ARE their video game avatars, which begs the question of how a world can function with people who have these capabilities.
The first issue that crops up is that after the initial panic dies down and everyone starts living day-to-day in this world, they immediately become bored. With nothing to work for, and no reality in-between being in this game world, players are aimless. Many turn to player-killing and guild factionalizing, and a sort of rank-and-file system naturally forms, where bigger guilds oppress smaller ones and everyone quickly becomes depressed.
Log Horizon’s first stroke of genius is to start off with a very simple arc. Shiroe, Akatsuki, and Naotsugu travel across the country in order to rescue a little girl named Serara from a city that’s been taken hold by a cruel guild leader. In the course of this small adventure, we get to learn all the basic building blocks of this world, from how combat works, to how characters operate, and the nature of food in this world as tasteless, bland shit. Here, the show is almost playing a trick on the viewer. It’s leads you along this simple plotline while constantly feeding you little details that seem like they’re only meant to explain the mechanics of this world.
It’s only after the heroes have rescued Serara and returned to Akihabara that things really open up, once Shiroe decides that he’s going to fix the status of the town. The seed is planted in episode five, when Nyanta explains to everyone that food can have a taste if a chef-class player actually cooks it on their own without using the command menus, just as skills can be used by intuition as long as the player knows those skills. The scene where this is first revealed is gratifying in itself, because we’ve seen the characters eating the world’s shitty food in every episode until now, so we really feel their happiness when they find out that real food can exist.
Upon the group’s return to Akihabara, Shiroe sets his plan in motion, and the first major step is his careful introduction of real food into the populace. The existence of this food creates an immediate revelation for the people, as it’s something not only worthwhile to spend their money on, but both limited and expensive. This invigorates the population, to the point where my favorite line in the show happens after one character eats a bite of a burger and says, “this is going to change the world.”
That was the moment I knew that I was watching something special. It wasn’t just the way the show had built up to this, by introducing us to the concepts which would apply to making food as early as episode two, preparing us for the reveal in episode five, and then blowing the top off in episode seven with this grandiose payoff. It was how that moment so perfectly captured a basic human need–something that most people would never think about until it was right in front of their face.
What made this resonate so much with me is that right from the first time the characters bit into the world’s disgusting food, my immediate thought was, “I’d never want to live in this world.” The taste of food is entirely too important to me. As someone who’s clearest memories of being poor are that I didn’t have enough, or good enough, food–as someone who’s been to another country and been homesick for the food of my country more than anything–as someone who spends far more money on going out to eat than I do on anything else–the idea of not being able to taste my food is just horrible. So when Naotsugu and Akatsuki first bit into Nyanta’s food and literally cried, I felt a well of emotion knowing that I, too, would’ve cried my eyes out. And when those simple burgers brought about a revolution in Akihabara, it was the most true-to-life thing I could imagine.
When Shiroe establishes the Round Table to generate order in Akihabara, he succeeds by appealing to the most basic desires for freedom and individuality by setting simple rules anyone could agree upon. With only a few deft moves of knowing the right things about the game world, and about human nature, Shiroe completely changes the way Akiba operates and the kind of atmosphere surrounding it. People quickly catch on that the way to be happy in this world is to not simply think of it as the Elder Tale game made reality, but as a reality built on Elder Tale’s mechanics, upon which they will play out their entire lives. With this in mind, Elder Tale transcends the idea of being a video game, and becomes a world, that happens to run on the same rules as a video game.
A bit later in the series, when the People of the Land are under siege by the Goblin King’s hordes, Crusty makes a point to Princess Lenessia that what’s special about adventurers is that they are free, and that they value their freedom more than anything. It’s through this idea that Lenessia realizes that adventurers can’t be thought of as a group–they’re a community of individuals under no jurisdiction. Without completely understanding what she’s doing, she travels to Akihabara herself to ask adventures for help on an individual basis. However, Shiroe and Crusty take advantage of this by understanding that while adventurers are individuals, they are also part of a collective in that they are human.
And more importantly than that, another thing that makes Log Horizon so special is that it’s characters are all nerds. Even though they’ve taken on in-game personas and professions, the bottom line is that all of these people are video gamers who are trapped in a game version of Akihabara, the otaku capital of the world. They help Lenessia by presenting her squarely down the middle of nerd interests. They give her moe appeal in her outfit, and by showing the strength of her resolve–and they tap into the inherent response that people feel towards a narrative. When everyone sees what comes across as a likeable character calling them to do something important, it taps into the core parts of why people play video games in the first place–feelings of competence and operating within a narrative structure. I recommend watching some videos that I’ll link in the description about the basics of what makes video games fun, for a broader idea of what I’m referring to.
Log Horizon doesn’t only know MMORPG mechanics in and out well enough to form a compelling world around them–it also understands why those games are fun, and the mentality of the players inside of them, in a way that marries the characters and their setting together beautifully. Anime blogger Omoikane wrote a fine post which I’ll link below about how when he found out that Log Horizon’s author, Mamore Touno, was an Everquest player, he immediately felt a connection like the author must have experienced Everquest in the same way he had, because the story captured the feelings of that game so perfectly.
I would describe Log Horizon as a “refreshing” and “satisfying” series, not just in the context of being an excellent anime, but in terms of providing an invigorating feeling for the viewer. Log Horizon is a feel-good show. It’s not a series that has you questioning whether or not characters are going to be happy in the long run, but keeps you tuned in to how they’re going to pull it off. It shows how people must form connections and work together to figure themselves out, and it does this while satisfying our intelligence. We know the series is aware of what it’s doing, so we can just be concerned with riding the electricity of its fervor. Log Horizon is the kind of show that gets me ready to handle reality and to find my own resolve to pursue happiness and community in my life. Even the opening song reflects this in how it gets me totally pumped up.
–show stupid dancing–
But as exciting as the broad strokes of this story are, it’s the abundance of little details that make the show such a rich tapestry. I couldn’t possibly mention every single line of dialog and piece of background knowledge that I loved about this show, but at the very least I want to talk about and analyze a lot of the main characters.
Akatsuki
First off, one of my favorite characters from the beginning was Akatsuki, the adorable assassin girl. I’ve seen a lot of people criticize the character designs in this show as generic, including with regards to Akatsuki, but personally I was in love with her design immediately. The fact that they gave her a ton of different outfits to wear throughout the show was a huge bonus, and I just wanted to own figures of every version of Akatsuki there is.
Oddly enough, despite her prominence in the show’s ending theme and promotional art, and the fact that she’s around from the beginning, Akatsuki plays one of the smallest roles in the series, since all she really cares to be is a dedicated ninja in service of Shiroe. Akatsuki is one of the show’s most hardcore role-players, and it was fun to think about how her instantly falling in love with and binding herself to Shiroe was exactly the kind of thing that I’ve seen happen in hardcore internet role-playing.
Akatsuki’s arc is very subtle, with her minimized presence over the course of the Goblin King arc, but once she comes back into focus a bit, it becomes apparent that her lack of presence has been bothering her as well. Even though Akatsuki is devoted to and in love with Shiroe, there’s a sense that being at his side all the time takes a toll on her in that she isn’t particularly helpful to the kinds of things he usually does. Shiroe stays in the background plotting and scheming most of the time, and rarely needs to step onto the battlefield, which is most of what Akatsuki is really good at.
It’s interesting to watch her sort of struggle with reconciling her devotion against her boredom and lack of purpose, especially towards the end of the show when, as she makes slow, hesitant progress with Shiroe, the emergence of other girls who are also in love with him forces her to act. Even though the show never really presents Minori as any kind of threat for Shiroe’s affection, the fact of her existence alone causes Akatsuki to progress–and she’ll need to, for lack of realizing other parties that are attached to him as well.
Minori
The subplot about Minori and the other kids playing the game can be a little tedious at times, just because it doesn’t produce the same kind of broad-sweeping effects that the actions of the adults have; but it’s clear pretty much from the beginning that these kids are building up to become something big down the line, especially Minori. Her admiration for Shiroe and sponge-like soaking-up of his teachings clearly parallel the relationship that Shiroe had with the leader of Debauchery Tea Party, even down to the hints of unrequited love. Minori is desperate to follow in Shiroe’s footsteps, and by the end of the first season, it seems like she’s quickly growing into a force to be reckoned with. If we get to eventually see Minori step out of Shiroe’s shadow and come up with larger schemes on her own, it will offer that much more opportunity for wide-scale planning. This girl will be wearing the glasses of a true villain soon, I promise.
Henrietta
In the name of capping off Shiroe’s love interests, Henrietta is fantastic, even if she does get saddled with the most frequent and obnoxious joke in the show. Before it was even made explicit that she had a thing for Shiroe, I thought it was interesting how she kind of makes his perfect match, being able to follow along with and participate in his plans easily, and having his same kind of shadowy disposition. It feels like she’ll eventually bring out even more competition from Akatsuki in that she more closely reflects Shiroe’s needs.
I’ve brought up these three girls who are all in love with Shiroe, and I think it’s fantastic to note how, while Akatsuki does have her devotion and romantic focus as one of the biggest aspects of her character, none of these three are JUST in love with Shiroe. While Minori is fixated on Shiroe, it’s more out of her desire to be like him, and to grow up herself, than it is on her actual attraction to him. Henrietta only seems to realize her attraction towards the end of the season, or is trying to beat it back, but her affections run pretty wild regardless.
The reason I’m pointing this out is that I really hate it when I watch a show where all the important female characters are in love with the male lead for no reason, especially when that love becomes their defining characteristic. All three of the girls in love with Shiroe have pretty good reasons: Akatsuki likes him for the basic reasons that she likes his personality, and is dedicated to her role-playing as the loyal servant. Minori has an all-too-natural schoolgirl crush on him as the guy she not only respects and wants to be like, but who essentially saved her life several times. Henrietta likes him because their personalities are incredibly similar to begin with. Each of these characters’ attraction to Shiroe is believable, and the fact that all three girls have other personality traits, and that there are plenty of other important female characters who aren’t in love with Shiroe, make it so I’m never bothered that this guy has three girls in love with him.
Shiroe
The villain in glasses himself is fantastic because even though he’s incredibly powerful, and well aware of how powerful he is, he’s still kind of an awkward dorky guy. Even among his friends, and the people who respect him immensely, he naturally melts into the shadows where he can scheme and plot. Shiroe plays things close to the chest and is able to take big risks with a lot of confidence, which makes his scenes always exciting. Plus, while most of the people that he’s using to put his schemes together aren’t aware of the big picture of what he’s doing, we as viewers get to follow him along his line of reasoning, so that when he reaches a big conclusion, we’re never far behind on the same train of thought. It’s a great way to make Shiroe seem intelligent and overpowering without appearing to just pull stuff out of his ass, the way the characters in No Game No Life always appear to do.
What I love most about Shiroe’s character is that even though he’s able to make these huge moves and bring everything back up when the chips are down, there’s still a clear sense that he’s not really in control of anything. He’s thinking a few steps ahead of everyone else, but that doesn’t mean he’s all-knowing, and there’s a constant fear that if he slips up, the rug could be pulled out from under him. We see hints of this in the last arc of the first season, where he narrowly avoids a bad situation by finding the right solution at the right moment. However, even then, the seeds are spreading that all the bad rumors and reputation that he’s allowed to surround him might bite him in the ass. It’ll be interesting to see how he continues to pull through in future seasons.
Lenessia and Crusty
Watching the beautiful princess Lenessia’s interactions with Crusty are always a blast because they have such a weird kind of chemistry together. There’s always this vague tension, where Crusty is painted as vaguely villainous in the specifics of how he is helpful. He’s obviously manipulative, but his intentions are good, and it’s fun to watch Lenessia begrudgingly follow his lead just because she knows that he’s probably right, as annoying as his rightness may be. I also love how both of them can often read one-another instantly, but when Crusty does it he always points it out, causing Lenessia to get extra pissed off when she can’t read what he’s thinking. It’s a weird kind of relationship, but definitely entertaining, especially with both of these characters turning out to be such power players in their own rights.
Nyanta
Nyanta isn’t one of my favorite, nor one of the most interesting characters in Log Horizon, but I think that he’s the one who most perfectly illustrates how well the author can capture the kind of people who play MMORPGs. Nyanta is a hardcore role-player, who insists on speaking in a strange manner and integrating cat noises into his speech to match his character. Serara sees him exactly the way that his character is meant to be seen–as an older gentleman, whose immense swashbuckling skills are only matched by his kind-hearted demeanor.
But what I love most is the vague lines that Shiroe and Naotsugu have about him in episode five, which basically imply that he’s really just kind of a big, likeable dork. He’s talking and acting this way because that’s the kind of escapism he was going for, and in reality, or even playing with this guy inside the original game, his insistent role-playing might’ve come off as obnoxious; but now that he’s really embodied this character and exists in this world, he gets to actually live the persona he’s always portrayed. Shiroe hints that he’s probably not nearly as old and dignified as he seems, and even implies that he’s probably a furry, when he off-handedly wonders about whether Nyanta would be okay with a human girl being in love with him. His character works precisely because we understand that he’s not REALLY an older, dignified badass cat-man, but that being in this world has allowed his dorky role-playing to flourish.
Anyways, I could go on about how much I love every character in this series and how awesome all of their scenes are, but I think I’ve made all of the analytical points that I can by now, and I don’t want to end up recounting the entire show this way.
If nothing else, I hope I’ve made you understand why this show is so fascinating and satisfying to me. This is a show about how all the little pieces and details come together to form a larger whole, and I think it’s fitting that the whole of this show is greater than the sum of its parts. Maybe not every character design is gorgeous, though the ones that are really are, and sure the show looks almost the same in 480p as it does in 720. Sure it’s got some dumb jokes here and there, but the things the show does well, it does so well that they can’t go without recognition. The music is mostly fantastic and fitting, the voice acting is pretty solid across the board, and almost everything about the show is just kinda pleasant. Even the animation is way better than people seem to give it credit for. No, there aren’t a lot of big flashy action scenes, but I don’t remember seeing almost any off-model frames, and drawing all those dudes in big-ass armor has to take an eternity. Plus, the background art is really nice.
Overall, I adored the first season of Log Horizon, and I’m really excited for season two coming out this fall. Even with twenty-five episodes under its belt, the series feels like it’s only just opening up, and there are still such a huge variety of things that can happen, even in the confines of what the show has set up already, that I feel like this story has a long future ahead of it. Considering that this season already covered the first five of seven currently-published books, the second season will probably only be thirteen episodes and easily catch up with the books, but I’ll be glad if hype for this series stays up, and the anime keeps getting made for as long as it needs to.
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[] |
[] |
[
"dailymail",
"tvshowbiz",
"Netflix",
"Top Boy"
] | null |
[
"Milly Veitch",
"Milly Veitch For Mailonline",
"www.facebook.com"
] |
2022-10-11T09:26:05+01:00
|
The rapper, 37, plays one of the lead roles in the Netflix gangster drama, Gerard 'Sully' Sullivan.
|
/favicon.ico?v=2
|
Mail Online
|
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11302175/Kano-storms-set-Netflixs-Boy-disagreement-key-storyline-character.html
|
Netflix was forced to 'temporarily pause production' on the final series of Top Boy in order to have 'further creative discussion' after lead star Kano reportedly disagreed with a planned storyline for his character.
The rapper, 37, plays one of the lead roles in the gritty gangster drama, Gerard 'Sully' Sullivan.
But The Sun has reported that he threw shooting into chaos, after he locked horns with the producers over their plans for the character.
A source told the publication: 'Kano was told about a key storyline which involves his character and he absolutely hit the roof, he was fuming.
'It all happened last week when he threw his toys out of the pram and stormed off set. He left and said he is refusing to cooperate if the plot stays as it is. He is just completely against what has been written.'
They alleged that the blow-up has now thrown the whole of the fifth season into jeopardy, as bosses debate rewriting the storyline.
They said: 'It has thrown a spanner in the works for the whole show because it was going to be such a massive part of the series. Now they need to decide whether they try and appease Kano and plough ahead or rewrite this major storyline.'
However, a spokesperson for Netflix denied the allegations and told MailOnline that production had only been paused briefly to allow for 'creative discussion'.
They stated: 'Producers Cowboy Films, Easter Partisan and Netflix temporarily paused production on the final season of Top Boy to allow for further creative discussion.
'Production has now recommenced and the show will launch as planned in 2023'.
Top Boy has proved to be a huge hit for Netflix, with its fourth series shooting to number one on the UK top ten in March.
The show originally ran on Channel 4 for two series before being cancelled in 2014 and was then revived by Netflix in 2019.
It is executive produced by rapper Drake and as well as Kano also stars Ashley Walters, singer Little Simz and models Adwoa Aboah and Josephine De La Baume.
The next series is set to be the final one, with fans eager to see how the explosive and gritty drama will end and will be released next year.
|
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