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Samurai Shodown (Samurai Spirits in Japan), or SS' for short, is the name of a fighting game series by SNK. It is considered to be the premier 2D weapons fighter, and is one of the best-known video games created by SNK. This series also started SNK's reputation for their unique style of Engrish, known as SNKgrish in their games. Unlike Mortal Kombat, the usage of blood in this game is generally accepted, and the decision to replace blood with "sweat" or "white blood" for the English language release remains a sore point among fans of this series.
The Samurai Shodown games are most famous for their rage gauge, a super combo gauge that only increases as a player receives damage. Earlier games also have a referee in the background, officiating the match.
Overview
The stories in the series takes place in 18th century Japan (the first four games run across 1788 and 1789), with some artistic license so that foreign-born characters (including some from places that didn't exist as such in 1788) and fictional monsters can also be part of the story. The plot of each game is quite different, but they circle a central group of characters and a region in Japan.
Stories in Samurai Shodown have been made into anime, while some anime series, most notably Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X (Nobuhiro Watsuki, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin, incidentally, created some of the new characters in Samurai Shodown V), are homages to Samurai Shodown.
Samurai Shodown is considered by some to portray Japanese culture and language effectively. Unlike most American versions of Japanese video games, the characters in this game (including the announcer) generally speak fluent Japanese with subtitles, and traditional Japanese music is often heard during gameplay.
Impact of the game
Samurai Showdown was the first beat 'em up that abandoned the classical Street Fighter II formula and chose a different fighting system and many gameplay improvements (and graphical effects as well like the then revolutionary zoom effect). Many believed Samurai Shodown to have been the best and most orginal fighting game in its days. Its successor Samurai Shodown II was also enthusiastically received by critcs and fans alike, but probably mostly by graphics that surpassed everything seen before in this genre, the gameplay was not changed much.
Games
- Samurai Shodown / Samurai Spirits
- Samurai Shodown II / Shin Samurai Spirits—Haohmaru Jigoku-hen
- Samurai Shodown RPG / Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits Bushino Retsuden
- Samurai Shodown III / Samurai Spirits—Zankuro Musou Ken
- Samurai Shodown IV—Amakusa's Revenge / Samurai Spirits—Amakusa Kourin
- Samurai Shodown!
- An adaptation of Samurai Shodown IV for the Neo Geo Pocket Color.
- Samurai Shodown 64 / Samurai Tamashii—Samurai Spirits
- Samurai Shodown 64 II / Samurai Spirits 2—Asura Zanmaden
- Samurai Shodown II!
- An adaptation of Samurai Shodown 64 II for the Neo Geo Pocket Color.
- Samurai Shodown—Warrior's Rage
- Samurai Shodown V / Samurai Spirits Zero
- Samurai Shodown V Special / Samurai Spirits Zero Special
Characters
Characters With Appearances in Other Series
Other Characters
- Asura (アスラ)
- Basara Kubikiri (首切り 破沙羅)
- Cham Cham (チャムチャム)
- Charlotte Christine Colde (シャルロット・クリスティーヌ・ド・コルデ)
- Enja (炎邪)
- Gaira Kafuin (花諷院 骸羅)
- Galford D. Weiler (ガルフォード・Ｄ・ウェラー)
- Gaoh Hinowakami Kyougoku (兇國日輪守 我旺)
- Garyo the Whirlwind (つむじ風の臥龍)
- Gen-An Shiranui (不知火 幻庵)
- Haito Kanakura (七坐 灰人)
- Hanma Yagyu (柳生 磐馬)
- Hanzo Hattori (服部 半蔵)
- Jin-emon Hanafusa (花房 迅衛門)
- Jubei Yagyu (柳生 十兵衛)
- Jushiro Sakaki (榊 銃士浪)
- Kazuki Kazama (風間 火月)
- Kuroko (黒子)
- Kusaregedo Youkai (妖怪 腐れ外道)
- Kyoshiro Senryou (千両 狂死郎)
- Liu Yunfei (劉 雲飛)
- Mikoto (命)
- Mina Majikina (真鏡名 ミナ)
- Mizuki Rashoujin (羅将神 ミヅキ)
- Neinhalt Sieger (ナインハルト・ズィーガー)
- Nicotine Caffeine (花諷院 和狆)
- Poppy (パピー)
- Ranpo (乱鳳)
- Rasetsumaru (羅刹丸)
- Rera (レラ)
- Rimururu (リムルル)
- Rinka Yoshino (吉野 凛花)
- Sankuro Yorozu (萬 三九六)
- Saya (サヤ)
- Seishiro Kuki (九葵 蒼志狼)
- Seishiro Kukou (九皇 蒼志狼)
- Shirou Tokisada Amakusa (天草 四郎時貞)
- Shizumaru Hisame (緋雨 閑丸)
- Sogetsu Kazama (風間 蒼月)
- Suija (水邪)
- Taizan Morozumi (八角 泰山)
- Tam Tam (タムタム)
- Tohma Kuki (九鬼 刀馬)
- Ukyo Tachibana (橘 右京)
- Wan-Fu (王虎)
- Yaci Izanagi (十六薙 夜血)
- Yoshitora Tokugawa (徳川 慶寅)
- Yumeji Kurokouchi (黒河内 夢路)
- Zankuro Minazuki (壬無月 斬紅郎)
See also
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