I was thinking a character based off the Sanshou legend himself, Cung Le, but could be a female instead. Her story could be tragic or just a straight-forward, no-nonsense I just want to prove myself plot. I prefer the former. She could be fighting for no other purpose but to survive and to make money to eat, provide some form of shelter since she'll have no family except (which I think can be the twist) her younger sister who is always sick. So the need to make money and the only way she knows how is to push her natural talent in fighting, make a real professional name for herself until she can bring in a steady income to finally get the treatment her young sister truly needs. Does that sound familiar or cliche? If it does, hit me up with the feedback. Let's see what happens as I use the idea mentioned with changes along the way.
Story:
Kim-Ly, a professional Sanshou fighter who was born in South Vietnam, is a very distant person that often gives off a defensive personality to those she meets for the very first time. She trains intensely day and night; entering various local tournaments to become the very best fighter in her sport, with the hopes of expanding her matches to go international and a dream of someday opening up her own Sanshou academy while honoring her current master that she trains with. Her reputation continues to build as she dominates one fight after another. However, her true intentions are hidden deep, for her only real concern is to make enough money to provide the proper medical treatment and payments required for the long list of health issues that plague her younger sister, Nhu, who becomes severely ill by the time of SSFIV.
Prologue/More background story:
Nhu, just as the meaning of her name implies, gentle and peaceful, is the only one individual that can soften the soul of her older sister whenever they are together. Kim-Ly is conflicted between her training schedule and the time she wants to spend with Nhu. During the wars between the countries army and Shadaloo had started, Kim-Ly and Nhu were sent by their parents to hide with their aunt until Kim-Ly's parents would return to them once it was safe to come back, their goal being to find the best way to escape the country and pick up their children once they've devised an assuring plan. They never returned. News would soon travel that they had been caught in a cross-fire which happened to hundreds of other people within the perimeters of where the war was was being held.
Kim-Ly already had a rough upbringing since her youth, no thanks in due part to the bullying children that filled the area of her village, before and after the wars. One day, as Kim-Ly trekked towards the fish market along with her sister, a group of teenagers from neighboring villages, all boys, began to harass the two. It wouldn't be long until one of the cackling boys attempted to push Nhu for the sake of being cruel. However, something had already snapped in Kim-Ly the moment they were being confronted, Kim-Ly tackling the boy even before his hands reached the youngest sister and began to wildly launch open slaps on his face with a mix of closed fists, eventually going after the other boys in a fit of rage that, while screaming, speared another one down. What felt like an eternity was only seconds as the malicious group started to run the opposite direction, all left with broken egos and complete humiliation.
That wouldn't be the first time or last time Kim-Ly would engage in such fights, but she would make sure it would be the final time she would have to act in such a manner in front of her younger sister, as Nhu was terrified upon what she had witnessed, which affected Kim-Ly. She had promised to avoid conflict whenever she traveled with Nhu, and from that day onward she would take more caution in protecting Nhu and averting her eyes to any type of violence....blah blah blah to be continued...*
*Story is almost done. Still in the editing and finishing process. Quick note is that Sanshou represents Chinese kickboxing with takedowns and incorporates wrestling as well. Here is a video that will give an example of the uniform worn and some win quotes.
Ryu: "You're probably one of the best fighters I've faced. You didn't hold back. I want one more round--right here, right now."
Ken: "That dispicable grin was a pleasure to smash my elbow with."
Blanka: "I don't care who my opponent is... they all end up hitting the floor when I'm done with them."
Guile: "Too easy..."
Chun-Li: "
Dhalsim: "You say I'm hiding something? I do not know anything you speak of..."
Zangief: "Your wrestling is superb, but there were more tools I made use of which you didn't, giving me the advantage."
E. Honda:
Balrog: "
Vega: "Cracking that mask off your face was the first thought that ran through my mind. Second thing was knocking you out from the first hit. Enjoy your own blood as you spit out your teeth."
Sagat: "You took my best set... you have my respects, warrior."
M. Bison: "The rage I felt only helped me during our fight, not you."
Abel: "
C. Viper: "
Rufus: "
El Fuerte: "
Sakura: "The ringing in your head hurts, eh? Call in sick to school because you'll be out for the next few months."
Dan: "Don't ever waste my time again."
Rose: "My only concern is for one person, and as long as her future is secure, then fate can course me however it wants to."
Gen: "
Cammy: "
Fei Long: "
Akuma: "
Gouken: "You seem to understand me even though I've never met you before... I appreciate your advice."
Seth: "
Makoto: "You are something fierce, girl. I almost see a reflection of myself off you. From this day on I'm considering you like another sister."
Ibuki: "
Dudley: "You aren't like the other hooligan which had the same style, though without the finesse or control you carried. I would be honored to fight you again someday."
Adon: "Our arts are a continuous battle of seeing which is superior. Today it was my art."
The Street Fighter II Turbo series have been implementing different SFIII characters into their most recent issues as mini back-up stories. For one thing that gives more exposure and background info for these unique characters which many new fans haven't gotten to know--but now they can. If Super SFIV does in fact add the rumored Makoto, Ibuki, and Dudley into the game, then it is celebration time! Plus, I personally believe UDON pushed their SFIII comic (which was supposed to be out much earlier this year) because they want it to coincide with perhaps the unknown Super Street Fighter comic and of course the already planned SFIII comic-- ties right into the game for MEGA HYPER DOUBLE DASH HYPE!
Ibuki was the first back-up story, now Oro was covered, and the following will have Q and in January we'll get the Makoto premier. For anyone who might have missed it, here are some sample pages starting off with Ibuki.
Ibuki
-Very small story about Ibuki and her pet tanuki, Donchan. Entertaining and straight-forward. SFIII New Generation fans will appreciate the smaller details towards the end of the issue.
Oro
-I admit I haven't read Oro's back-up, but there is no doubt that the yellow headband wearing karateka is Masaru, Makoto's dad.
Q
-Not much known yet. As it should be when it comes to Q...
Makoto
-This is the one I'm waiting for the most. Get readyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!! January seems so far from here on out.
Super Street Fighter IV info
I was trying to figure out a few weeks back who would be a good rival for Makoto should she be in SSFIV. An earlier conversation with SBC brought up those thoughts again (thank you!), and Ibuki seems the most definite and from a story point of view, the one that would make the most sense. There aren't enough details to go by but the two happen to have only one scene in SFIII 3rd Strike, which is their colliding jumpkicks before their fight within the game. Other than that, there is no other time they have another scene together. However, in many promotional art pieces and official art they are usually paired with one another. So SSFIV can explore a bit on their beginning relationship as friendly rivals who spar every now and then. A little Karate VS Ninjitsu action going on.
Gouken would have been great to add to Makoto's story if not for the complicated mess that Gouken himself happens to be in. Dead? Clone? Ghost? What really happened to Ken and Ryu's master? No answers found in SFIV but hopefully we'll get more info and a conclusion to that story arc in the upcoming game. If things could go differently and crazy tweaks were made into the story, I can see Masaru having a friendship with Gouken, taking it way back in the days even when Ryu and Ken were young or weren't even students yet. Masaru could have sparred with Gouken and vice-versa. Sharing philosophy, saki, techniques, laughs, and so on.
Fast foward many years later, and this is how the smaller connections are made and integrated into the current story, Makoto's rival scene making sense once it comes time for her to face Gouken before the final boss fight. Knowing how rival scenes in general turn out to be funny, even if unintentional yet they still end up that way even for the serious ones, I would hope they can tune them in a way where I won't laugh like I usually do, especially with the Guile/Abel scenes. All in all I'd think Gouken would see Makoto, stroke that beard of his and say in that deep and thunderous voice while in the mountains:
Gouken: "So, you are Masaru's daughter. Your father and I have shared a friendly rivalry for many years before I secluded myself within these very mountains--detaching myself with friends of old, including Masaru."
Makoto: "Master Gouken.", a respectful bow following her words, "Yeah, he spoke very highly about you. Said you were the best he's ever fought, though the Rindoukan style would always prevail in the end he'd always add."
Gouken: "Ho! Masaru, as true as the warrior he was, he could never accept a simple draw within our battles.", a slight pause sets in before locking on Makoto's eyes, "And what of you, young one? I sense a fierce and erupting fighting spirit within you. Much like your father had, yet yours is stronger.", starts to get ready into his fighting stance, "Show me. Show me the true power of the Rindoukan style."
Makoto: No movement or signs of fear, a simple tug on her belt accompanied with a deep breath before taking her own defensive postion. "It would be an honor, Master Gouken."
Cue some epic rival music and that is a wrap. It came off the way it did because there really isn't minutes worth of dialogue as the fighters start to battle after two or three lines--which is common in SF. Though that might change in Super SFIV, which would be a total welcome. Also, Makoto could have said more, but the fact that it is the legendary Gouken, she knew her usual 'spunky' attitude would have to be used differently as her focus all falls on her respected opponent, who her father values as a friend and Makoto being the obedient one in the family, she would say little and let her skills and fists do the talking. Yeah!
My name is a collaboration from two different sources. Now, I'm not sure exactly where it came from first, but I do know one affected the other and eventually led to the name I would start using on Unity and many other sites. It was hard to settle on something that sounded decent, but Truest Strike is what I ended up with and nothing would change how much I liked it as a username and how I tag that onto other things.
If anyone has read the Ryu Final manga, which is a must for any fan of Ryu and SF in general, particularly SFIII, there is a line Akuma/Gouki says near the end of Book 2, which has him waiting for Ryu and pressuring him to fight at his absolute best.
When Ryu continuously failed to deliver, trying to tag Akuma with a Shin-Shoryuken I believe, Akuma catches Ryu's fist, crushes it as he shouts out "I only seek your Truest Strike!", right before shattering Ryu's hand. It probably happened a little differently then how I explained it, but that line is in there for sure.
The second source is a video that happened to be about martial arts, I'd say an inspirational video on training. Throughout the video different quotes and phrases were mentioned, and one of them stood out strongly, which I ended up remembering and later I just dug up more info on it to see where it came from. It doesn't say Truest Strike, but it did push for me to make a final decision on my username. The quote went like this: "Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true."-Honore de Balzac
And there you have it. The origin of Truest Strike! -Cue gohlike music-
From what I've been reading throughout the site, regarding the Costume Contest, I think some people are truly missing the point and misinterpreting what this is all about.
I can honestly say right now that I don't know how me or Vega didn't--at the very least--get 3rd place.
Just joining the site or being a veteran doesn't matter, I get this part.
Having made the costume months in advance, hey that ain't the problem either.
It's the re-using of the same images from months ago that is one of the issues, while the other happens to be originality and the amount of work put into an actual costume.
1rst place explained to me the issue, but my only slight disagreement is how can it count if there is no pic to be sent from Halloween? Even if pics were taken that night, it only forces one to hurry up and make it on time for the contest, like I did and others.
The prize doesn't matter, it is the issue of what is fair.
Towards the end, not all but some of the winners know deep down what they actually did, while others did get screwed over.
Had I known then I would have done nothing this Halloween and just send in my professional convention pics I took back in March. But I'm not like that--I stayed true to the new set of rules given and made a focus on at least originality by mixing SF and RE, two of my favorites.
My only wish is that there could at least be an explanation from the contest holders on what exactly happened.
Next time and hopefully a better and more detailed set of rules will be given because this was anything goes, no matter what year you took the pic in.
And c'mon man, Dan? I mean Dan? Dan Hibiki? I know something went wrong there if that costume got the better of mine.
Edit: Ah, I'll keep everything the same in this blog. I don't care anymore. Brings too much stress when additional problems aren't needed or necessary. Congrats to the winners.
Alright, I had already decided to go as Ryu a while back for Halloween but giving it a zombie twist. What is even better is that Capcom is holding a Halloween Costume Contest so it's all perfect timing!
Here are some preview shots with more to come. If I win, I hope I get that Juri shirt :D If not, it was still fun and had a good time Halloween night. It could have been better with more of a zombie look, and maybe fangs for vampire Ryu. Perhaps next year >:D
The Nightmare before Street Fighter.
Some Bizzaro Marvel VS Capcom World going on over here. Zombie Ryu VS Little Spider-dood.
Ughhhh....
Help me up :)
You can't run forever!!!
Honk honk!
To be continued...
EDIT: Alright I understand if I didn't win, but, and before anyone says "Dont be sour about it man you just lost", that isn't the case because hardly any of the people that placed actually took HALLOWEEN PICTURES! First place was great and deserved it, but c'mon man, its the re-using of convention pics that bother the hell out of me.
Again, excluding 1rst place winner as he already explained to me which I reacted too fast, so I'm sorry for that. But the rest know and how they could have gotten away with it which detracts from originality and an easy win.
Don't show convention pics, man, show that you did it within the time frame. That real proof.
I just want to emphasize that I'm not complaining about a placing, its just the principle of the matter.
Edit: Ah, pissed off when I wrote the above. It's all good now and settled. Congrats to the winners.
