#BlackExcellence: Breaking Stereotypes in Fighting Games
Something that has been a staple in most fighting games is the gathering of fighters from all around the world from different backgrounds and cultures. While Black representation has been hit or miss with video games for a long time, fighting games generally have done a decent job at touching on the culture respectfully. Some of my favorite video game characters actually tend to be Black or African American and I wanted to talk about four of them, why I like them, their background, and possibly, how they inspire.
Raven and Master Raven
TEKKEN
Raven
Tekken 5 debuted on the PS2 in 2004 and had a strong addition of new characters. One being Raven, who became one of my favorite characters in the series. Raven is a secret intelligence operative for the United Nations. His place of origin is unknown, though for a time, a bio from Tekken 6 stated that he was from Canada. He has worked more from behind the scenes in Tekken 5, developing a rivalry with fellow newcomer, Dragonov. In Tekken 6 however, he has a more active role assisting Lars Alexanderson, the new protagonist of the game's Scenario Campaign.
I like Raven because he simply looks, sounds, and fights stunningly. His fighting style is ninjutsu and is considered a technical character, with teleports, feints, and stances. His movements flow naturally to me since I first played him. I tend to gravitate toward dark and mysterious characters like ninjas and assassins, so his “air of mystery” has also been a draw to me as well, even when he received more active roles in Tekken 6.
Raven Footage from Romantiq
Demolition Man: Simon Phoenix
In terms of inspiration, Raven has none. It was stated by Bandai Namco that they just wanted a Ninjutsu practitioner as well as a “Cool Black Guy”. However, the first thing many people thought of when they saw Raven was the Marvel character, Blade, played by Wesley Snipes in the late 90's to early 2000's. Take away his [Blade's] iconic trench coat, give him platinum blonde hair, and you basically have Raven. Wesley Snipes is a famed martial artist and Tekken has a tendency to base their characters off of real-life martial art celebrities. For Raven, he best resembles Snipes’ character in the Sylvester Stallone movie, Demolition Man; the antagonist: Simon Phoenix, blond hair and all. Personally, I believe even if the similarities were coincidental like Bandai Namco suggests, Snipes and his character, Blade, are just ingrained enough in pop culture that a character like Raven could've been indirectly inspired by him…or they just wanted to avoid getting in trouble. You be the judge.
Master Raven
I realize I'm cheating with this section because there are two characters in this entry. This is due to Master Raven possibly replacing Raven, and having the same fighting style as him. Master Raven debuted in Tekken 7, and is Raven's superior. The story suggests that Raven was incapacitated by Devil Jin, and Master Raven started taking over the operation. Like her subordinate, Master Raven doesn't have a known place of origin.
Her fighting style parallels Raven but added are a few more teleportation techniques, as well as the use of small blades in some attacks. Gameplay wise, I actually like her more than Raven, but that could just be the animation design or the game engine. She's one of my favorite Tekken characters for the same reasons Raven is. While I like her more, gameplay wise, I do have a small preference for Raven's design as I found it sleeker and his sunglasses add to his charm.
Danai Gurira
Once again, there is no clear inspiration for this character. However, she to, is surrounded by coincidences. Master Raven, with the dreadlocks and swords, can't help but remind me of Danai Gurira's character in the TV show based off the comic “The Walking Dead”. Around Master Raven's entrance in the series, the show was at its height of popularity. Not to mention Tekken's developers had to have been fans of the show, as Tekken 7 randomly featured a character from the series: DLC [Negan]. During Negan's trailer, which re-enacted an iconic part from “The Walking Dead” series, Master Raven filled in as Michonne's placement in the scene.
Raven and Master Raven were the first Black characters in a fighting game to use ninjutsu, as well as take on a “ninja” or “assassin” archetype. This niche is generally filled by characters from the east or are Caucasian in appearance. Master Raven is also the first Black female in Tekken.
Master Raven Gameplay from imortalXsoul
Zasalamel
SOUL CALIBUR
Zasalamel
Like Tekken 5, Soul Calibur 3 had a great showing of newcomers when it hit the scene in 2005. Among the newcomers was Zasalamel (Zas), the first black character introduced to the Soul Calibur line up (Sorry Spawn, we're not counting guests). He was also the main antagonist, transforming into his boss form, Abyss; An immortal being cursed to constantly be reincarnated, and seeking to break the cycle. He's taken a more neutral stance, staying behind the scenes beyond Soul Calibur 3. Zasalamel fights with a scythe called Kafziel, and more recently, he started using curse and time magic in his movesets.
Keith Silverstein
Zasalamel is my favorite character in the series period. I'm a sucker for grim reaper type characters, especially if they're wielding a scythe. Project Soul also did something different with this archetype for Zas, by giving him a brighter and more regal white and gold color scheme, and his alternates make him look more like a shaman than an angel of death. Admittedly, while I love the originality, my favorite design for him is his alternate in Soul Calibur IV, which is a more traditional reaper outfit. I was incredibly disappointed that he didn't return in Soul Calibur V, but overjoyed when he returned in the long-awaited sequel. However, I was deeply disappointed his story chapters were only cutscenes.
Zasalamel doesn't appear to take direct inspiration from any real-life person or anything specific. However, he is the only (or at least the first) Black character in a fighting game that seems to originate from Africa. Which part of Africa is unknown, but his attire and weapon names suggest he could be from either Sumeria or perhaps, Egypt. He is also voiced by Keith Silverstein, an established African American voice actor.
Zasalamel defined from ahmz1404
Nagoriyuki
GUILTY GEAR
Nagoriyuki
Unlike the previous mentions, this character is from a currently unreleased fighting game called Guilty Gear Strive. While I'm a huge fan of Guilty Gear, the roster has been a disappointment for me. One of the positives has been a newcomer named Nagoriyuki, a samurai vampire that wields a long katana (nodachi). His personality is that of an honorable warrior.
J-Pop Singer: Chris Hart
Nagoriyuki appeals to me because his design is both cool and contrasting. His samurai vampire aesthetic is a fresh concept that only the minds behind Guilty Gear could think of. The helmet he wears gives off Bleach/Metal Gear vibes, and thanks to Sephiroth, long katanas are always a sight to behold. His design, weapon, and play style are similar to that of Hakumen; Who's from fellow Arc’s fighting game, BlazBlue, and is one of my favorites from that series. I was able to play as Nagoriyuki in the open beta for Strive and admittedly, he is slow and limited in movement, but one of the things I love about Guilty Gear is its mobility. So for balancing reasons, he still provides great reach and power.
In terms of real-life inspiration, Nagoriyuki does have a few likely candidates. Every character in Guilty Gear is based off a real-life band, musician, or song. Nagoriyuki’s possible inspiration, is with a Japanese folk song of the same name, as well as having a resemblance to J-pop singer Chris Hart. He may also be based off Blade, due to him using a katana and also being part vampire. Overall, he might be the first Black character with a Japanese origin in a fighting game, as well as Guilty Gear's first Black character of the series.
Intro to Nagoriyuki from Arcsystemworks
Thoughts
While Black representation has been hit or miss with video games for a long time, fighting games have made massive improvements at highlighting them in positive ways, expanding on the landscape and creating non-stereotyped characters with authentic storylines. By breaking these stereotypes that Black characters have been portrayed in past video games for years (the boxer type, the thug, the augmentation of the body types) , these characters are severely enhancing the games’ demographic, creating a diverse joyful experience for gamers. Hopefully, characters like these will continue to permeate fighting games and to other genres of major companies, adding to the rich diversity of characters for years to come.
