Heya friends, the genesis of this blog goes back to 1UPper Omegarulerz, who asked for the origins of the poses and inspiration behind Gouki and Mr. Karate. He remembers reading that they were based on deities or gods of some sort but couldn't find the article. I sent him a link a couple of weeks back but thought I should share that with you. This would be considered a supplement to the supernatural and religious themes brought up in the latter Based on a True Story series.
The purpose of writing about this is twofold. Primarily as something to get fans of the canon and designs something to consider. But also to counter the argument that these designs lack any depth or real meaning, that they are simply characters in a game and serve no further purpose. This second reason for this blog was actually brought about after posting the mask entry. Writing about masks in Street Fighter really riled a Unity member. I'm not quite certain what set them off, as I never intended a blog about the character designs to greatly piss anybody off. But I must have struck a nerve.
Perhaps the audacity of a Mexican-American taking apart Japanese designs was a bit much?
In order to understand great character design we have to be willing to understand the foundation that the characters are built upon. Only then can we truly understand their purpose and emulate the artist's influence. I've said it before and it bears repeating, no character is truly original, none are pulled out from thin air, at least not the memorable ones. For the case of Gouki and Mr. Karate, both are inspired by mystical elements, the spiritual influences of Asian religions. These fighting game characters and their poses are based on the Nio, the guardians of Buddha. These are fearsome statues that are found in temples. Referred to as the the Benevolent Kings in other writings. The two most recognizable, the ones highlighted in manga and anime, being Agyo and Ungyo; the beginning and end, or "alpha" and "omega."
Upon studying the statues, their origins and aesthetics we can see how the Nio could be incorporated into a fighting game. Given their importance in Buddhism and symbolically strong gestures they could not have been meant for anything less than "boss" status in their respective titles. The scowls, raw power and menacing poses were universally understood even if their divine origin was not. All it took was for some artists to come along and update their designs, bring them into a contemporary setting.
Mr. Karate combines the Nio influence with a Tengu mask. Masks are very powerful symbols of culture, every culture has a mask tradition, when used carefully they can make an ordinary character extraordinary. In Japan, and in some regions, masks have a storied tradition. Originally carved from wood for religious ceremonies and later turned into a paper-maché craft, Iwami Kagura are used in a historical and folk context, and for theater the Noh masks are great storytelling devices. Even those without an understanding of Japanese culture can still find time to appreciate the colors, design and craftsmanship that goes into these amazing masks.
Imagine then what a spectacle the mythical fighters would have created when they chose to protect their identity with a mask or create a new persona through that mask? What would have happened if Mas Oyama or Bruce Lee had shunned the cameras and had only randomly shown up at fighting tournaments to defeat the best in an anonymous fashion? The legendary stories and conspiracy theories would be even stronger today.
The most unique designs in the King of Fighters and Street Fighter worlds have revolved around a distinct Japanese aesthetic. The Nio figures, the tengu masks and kabuki theater even have inspired these designs. To ignore the origins of these characters or to pass them off as a random design is to deny the reason why audiences are so attracted to them. Even Western fans of the titles that lack an understanding behind the Eastern religions, customs and traditions would still appreciate these unique characters.
These are the things that experienced designers can create through the careful selection and use of mythical (and mystical!) elements. These are the details that budding designers should learn and be mindful of when creating new characters. These are the features that new designers have to understand when trying to interpret the universe that has already been laid out before them. Or when they are trying to properly frame an existing character within the universe.
The purpose of my longer blogs has not been so much to gripe about the inconsistencies of the SF universe, nor has it been just about posting pics and pointing out similarities between characters and the real world, but rather to show fans of the series where the themes were pulled from and why after 22 years the franchise is still immensely popular.
The fighting game characters may have been inspired by real life but a healthy dose of the fantastic has also been their origin story. Pop culture more than religion explains why certain characters can do the impossible. For the case of Street Fighter it was equal parts Hong Kong cinema and manga that shaped the characters and their abilities. Fans could begin with the Master of the Flying Guillotine (One Armed Boxer II) and go from there.
These imaginative characters were synthesized by a large team of artists and designers working at Capcom and SNK. Their own influences in manga and anime helping shape their choice of style, proportion, coloring and even clothing. The same approach would actually yield different results in America.
Mortal Kombat was created as an answer to Street Fighter. Something to capture the momentum of the fighting craze, however with larger characters and more over-the-top moves. Since it made its debut a year and a few months after SF II, and five years after the original SF, it was influenced by a different crop of movies. The Master of the Flying Guillotine feel was there, but also American-made martial arts adventures like Big Trouble in Little China. The American aesthetic combined with little to no knowledge of the real Asian fighters, myths and religions that influenced the SF series meant that the MK characters did not carry over the timeless qualities.
There were memorable characters in MK, and they are often looked back upon with some fondness. Some of the characters were strikingly well done while others fell in the cracks of poor design. The entire series was a terrible mashup of wannabe Asian themes and American comic book characters. Midway saturated the games with gimmicky designs, usually two at a time with a pallet swap and an different move separating the characters. Midway got lost in their own cannon and when the shock factor of fatalities wore off they also lost fans.
Fighting game designers in the US have learned a lot since the early 90's. It should never be enough to emulate the Asian culture when creating Asian characters. Going on a surface knowledge is no way to approach the aesthetic. Designers have to completely immerse themselves in the traditions, media and influences that inspired the best designers in Japan, China, India and Korea. They have to understand the symbolism featured in a character like Gouki and Mr. Karate. They have to understand why and how some stereotypes are favorable to certain characters. An actual karateka is not expected to walk around in a gi all the time, yet for Ryu this makes sense. Why? The biases and ignorance of Western art will shine through any weak attempts at an Asian-themed piece. Be it a pseudo-font or figure, at best they can be an homage to the orient, at worst they can be a shameful mockery of several cultures.
I bring these things up as a warning to character artists and designers looking to help with future Capcom fighting games, like the talented Capcom-Unity member Anjin. I post these entries to make sure the next generation of Western character artists has as many angles and insight onto the classic SF design as they can. In this way they can approach the canon and characters as closely, if not more so, than most Capcom USA employees. These blogs are in no way a complete dissection and discussion of the Asian influences, but I hope they inspire my fellow community members to do some homework. Check out some art books, hit up various web sites and form your own connections. There are plenty of people writing some amazing things about Street Fighter, the games, comics and fan stories are out there. Let those voices inspire you as much as they inspire me.
Until the next topic I wish you all the best!
