Fighting styles and representation in vf

I think Kage has got the same theme as ninja characters in other fighting games, say, Tekken-Yoshimitsu. The theme is anything goes and that it has to be strange, manuverable, hard to anticipate etc. Kage's style in VF1 looks quite serious and,perhaps, can make audience buy that it's a real-exist style just like all the others. But then Kage get more and more weird in 2 and 3.

Trigger/versus/images/icons/wink.gif

 

>Rope around their neck?? They expect "stealth" assassins >to do their job dragging heavy rope around with them? LOL, >no wonder they were killed.

Well, they were supposed to do more recon than kill in that particular mission. Didn't take.

I assume though that they strung it around their chest or something rather than their necks though. Gives me a strange image either way. See spy, kill spy. Watch spy get slowly dragged out of room, out to the counrtyard and over the wall. Seems horribly impractical to me. (Shrug)

The account's in The Nobility of Failure by Ivan Morris (I think it's Ivan at least) Has other good Japanese historical figures too. (All of which end up failing in their goals by spectacular means...)

 

Ninjutsu

Please disregard my "newbieness" here, I just found this site today as I've recently picked up VF with VF4. Anyways, to the jist of my post...

I studied Ninjutsu/Ninjitsu(however you like to say it, heh), in Austin a few years back, for about 3 months. Although I did not achieve belt promotion, I did a bit of research on the "style" during my practice there. (I call it a "style" although there is no simple word for it. Ninjutsu is more like a way of life than an art. The techniques can be applied everywhere, from moving about your house to how you act, speak, and treat others. The actual techniques are, I THINK, a cross between Tai Jitsu and Jujitsu). The official name of the school was "Bujinkan Ninjutsu". The way the class was taught was quite different than other traditional or modern martial arts. There was almost a randomness to it and the attitude and atmosphere was... foreign. The basic attitude was of course, "anything goes, and there are no rules". Another primary philosophy was that because Ninjutsu was a defensive art, it was best to allow the opponent to attack (thereby making a mistake) and using his momentum against him. But, in the case where an attack was absolutely necessary, the easiest, fastest way to incapacitate your opponent with the least amount of effort was the way to go.

There was also an attitude of "this is the proper technique, but if you can find a better way to do it, do it". In a sense, the training and practices of the "style" were always evolving and changing, which is why it was difficult for me to pick up.

Anyways, in relation to Kage-Maru in Virtua Fighter, I can say, from my limited experience, that AM2 has done a good job of combining traditional Ninjutsu with "Hollywood Ninjutsu" into a playable and fun character. The more absurd techniques, like the TFT and the tremendous backflips and leaps, are of course "hollywood-ish". However, the fighting stances and most of the standing attacks and techniques are moves that I myself witnessed in my brief stint of learning. In Ninjutsu, attacks were meant to disable your opponent fast, either by knocking them out cold or grounding them quickly. In other martial arts, you see kicks that are meant to "strike" your opponent, but with no real purpose other than to inflict damage. Roundhouse, side kick, front kick, etc. In Ninjutsu for example, kicks are meant to do end the fight in one move. Hence, you see most attacks using the heel of the foot instead of the toe. Rarely do you see kicks aimed at the head (Ninjas value practicality over flashiness, despite what Hollywood leads you to believe). Kage has a good number of such "power hits" (lots of sweeps, stomps). The "new stance" Jumonji is hardly new. In fact, it was one of the primary stances that I learned because of it's defensive nature.

That said, I think they did a damn good job on Kage and the rest of the characters by balancing realism(true techniques) with playability and fun(absurd maneuvers). I do NOT consider myself an expert on this subject, but I did find this thread and decided to put in my 2 quarters worth. L8rz.

 

I do not know a lot about the characters fighting styles as opposed to the concepts of that style in real life. But, in my opinion Jacky and Sarah's fighting style should be given some credit. I believe that the concept of Jeet Kune Do is to have know style at all. Having "no style" would then imply that you can use any punch or kick necessary. Anyone could call what Akira does "Hakkyoku-ken", but realistically it is just a bunch of punches, kicks, and elbows. A karate punch is no different then a Kung fu punch if you focus on the outcome. Why complicate things with different names of ownership? Don't be fooled. I am all for learning martial arts if it's aim the to improve the self or gain self knowledge. Not just to learn how to kick butt. That is childish.

Anyway, that's just my opinion. Well, gotta go play vf4.

"Just as yellow leaves may be gold coins to stop crying babies, thus, the secret moves and contorted postures appease the unknowledgeable martial artist." -Bruce Lee

 

I guess the reason for having so many different styles is the same as why we have so many different languages. The outcome is the same, but the means are not.
Akira's fighting style is more focused on inner strength. His P+K+G has its real life counter part. A person skilled with it can cause serious internal injury to with the stun palm alone.

 

Reguarding Kagemaru:
I can't believe no one mentioned Ninpo. From what I've read, Ninpo was the Fighting art used by the ninja. It was a mix of hand to hand and various weapons techniques. There was a Discovery channel program about it not too long ago with the last decendent of the Grand master of Ninpo forget the names.
I'm not saying anything against Ninjutsu or Ju jitsu cause I know little about them.

About Kage's TFT. This seems to be a popular trend in VG Ninjas. Yoshimitsu's Kangaroo kick, Rainbow drop and spinning back throw; Hayabusa's imitation TFT with a teleporting drop slam; Khoryu from BR3 has a cool air throw ending like these; and Kage's own Izuna drop.

Another thing about VG ninjas that I see nothing about in educational programs is the 2 fingers together in front of the face. I guess its just a trade mark. Cool as hell.

 

No..how the punch is done and its intent plays a big part....

 

Forget the ropes, Kage's Disco Reflector costume itself would make him a ninja failure extraordinare...
*Kage on his first mission*
Kage: I must use stealth and all my ninja skills to accomplish my tasks..
...
*Kage climbs over walls...*
Guard 1: Yo, dude, when did we install a disco globe??
Guard 2: We don't have a disco globe...
Guard 1: Then how come there's a flashing reflecting funky object on our wall..
Guard 2: You're right, let's check it out...
...
Kage: Oh, crap, that's it, forget this gig. I'm just gonna take up that Madonna video clip job...

=)

 

I think the earliest TFT manifestation was in Samurai Shodown, where Hanzo had a vertical piledriver that looked very much like Kage's Izuna Drop... of course that was 2D, but still pretty cool to look at.

 

That was just a rip of Zangief's spinning pile driver from street fighter 2.
(already over a decade old, it's hard to believe....)
The thing I think they're going on about in this thread is the concept of "toss way into the air and then combo or do a midair catch and slam them." Sieger in SS2 did it sort of with his three hit slide combo, the second hit jacked them into the air and the third hit had him jumping up and catching them in midair for a sort of fireman's carry.

As for video game ninja trends... I don't think anyone should be saying "huh! What a funny coincidence about Hayabusa and Yoshimitsubishi's toss way up into the air and slam moves!" ... they were pretty clear rips of the TFT concept from the VF series, although yoshi's was not so much because his was a strike, and there are several strikes in tekken that put you a mile high...