Maraxus Wrote: This is something small that i found in the game with cyrax's fighting styles. As we all know, his first style is Ninjitsu. But isn't he an ex-Lin Kuei assassin? The Lin Kuei is a chinese ninja clan and Ninjitsu was created by Takeda (according to MK legend), after he left the Lin Kuei to form his own clans in Japan. So to me, it wouldn't make sense that this was one of his fighting styles.

Well there are many forms of Ninjitsu. I remember reading in the Konquest stuff how Cyrax learned Ninjitsu and Sambo from downloading the techniques. And he is no longer with the Lin Kuei so he doesn't just go by Lin Kuei fighting styles. His Pulse Blade weapon stance is probably the closest thing to a Lin Kuei fighting style for him.

Sub-Zero_7th Wrote: Maraxus Wrote: This is something small that i found in the game with cyrax's fighting styles. As we all know, his first style is Ninjitsu. But isn't he an ex-Lin Kuei assassin? The Lin Kuei is a chinese ninja clan and Ninjitsu was created by Takeda (according to MK legend), after he left the Lin Kuei to form his own clans in Japan. So to me, it wouldn't make sense that this was one of his fighting styles. Well there are many forms of Ninjitsu. I remember reading in the Konquest stuff how Cyrax learned Ninjitsu and Sambo from downloading the techniques. And he is no longer with the Lin Kuei so he doesn't just go by Lin Kuei fighting styles. His Pulse Blade weapon stance is probably the closest thing to a Lin Kuei fighting style for him.

Good answer.

Good point, but there is other MK stuff that doesn't always make sense wrt the fighting styles. Li Mei uses baji quan and liu he ba fa but she's probably never been outside Outworld her entire life, and presumably it was never customary for humans to travel to Outworld so how did she acquire these styles? Midway could have come up with indeginous Outworld styles, too :p.

About the Lin Kuei... well, there's been some discussion on that. First, I think "ninja" is actually a Japanese term so it wouldn't really apply to the Lin Kuei. Second, they may have been located within China, but I thought they lived in the steppe or something along those lines (northwest of China). I figure that is actually more closely related to Mongolia, Tibet and Central-Asia than the China we know of. Third, and this is my only real gripe with the Lin Kuei, so far we have seen no Asian member of the Lin Kuei at all. Sub-Zero is white, Smoke appearently is, too, and Cyrax looks black or Arabic. Don't you think that's a bit... odd? :)

Peace,
Q

im his little bro and sub zero the 7ths right as mince pies

VainQueur Wrote: Good point, but there is other MK stuff that doesn't always make sense wrt the fighting styles. Li Mei uses baji quan and liu he ba fa but she's probably never been outside Outworld her entire life, and presumably it was never customary for humans to travel to Outworld so how did she acquire these styles? Midway could have come up with indeginous Outworld styles, too :p. About the Lin Kuei... well, there's been some discussion on that. First, I think "ninja" is actually a Japanese term so it wouldn't really apply to the Lin Kuei. Second, they may have been located within China, but I thought they lived in the steppe or something along those lines (northwest of China). I figure that is actually more closely related to Mongolia, Tibet and Central-Asia than the China we know of. Third, and this is my only real gripe with the Lin Kuei, so far we have seen no Asian member of the Lin Kuei at all. Sub-Zero is white, Smoke appearently is, too, and Cyrax looks black or Arabic. Don't you think that's a bit... odd? :) Peace, Q

Yeah I know what you mean. I think that there are different forms of Lin Kuei fighting styles. It should be a combonation of ancient Chinese martial arts of stealth and assassination. It would make sense. And then Takeda used some of these Lin Kuei techniques to create Ninjitsu (probably Shirai Ryu style named after the clan he started).

And yes, I do think it is a bit strange with some of the character's fighting styles. Another thing as well is Kitana's Ba Gua stance. I'm wondering how she learned that style. You would think that she would know some Edenian martial art styles don't you agree? As for Li Mei, she probably learned those styles from someone who has been to Earthrealm.

Now back to the Lin Kuei thing. Sub-Zero was stated to be an American but that doesn't fully explain his ethnic origins since America has many cultures. I guess Sub-Zero has European and Chinese roots. As for Smoke, I'm not quite sure and no one really is for now. And yeah, Cyrax seems to be of African descent. Takeda is Japanese and he was once with the Lin Kuei so I suppose that the Lin Kuei clan has people from many cultures even though it's foundations are from Northern China.

Sub-Zero_7th Wrote: Yeah I know what you mean. I think that there are different forms of Lin Kuei fighting styles. It should be a combonation of ancient Chinese martial arts of stealth and assassination. It would make sense. And then Takeda used some of these Lin Kuei techniques to create Ninjitsu (probably Shirai Ryu style named after the clan he started). And yes, I do think it is a bit strange with some of the character's fighting styles. Another thing as well is Kitana's Ba Gua stance. I'm wondering how she learned that style. You would think that she would know some Edenian martial art styles don't you agree? As for Li Mei, she probably learned those styles from someone who has been to Earthrealm. Now back to the Lin Kuei thing. Sub-Zero was stated to be an American but that doesn't fully explain his ethnic origins since America has many cultures. I guess Sub-Zero has European and Chinese roots. As for Smoke, I'm not quite sure and no one really is for now. And yeah, Cyrax seems to be of African descent. Takeda is Japanese and he was once with the Lin Kuei so I suppose that the Lin Kuei clan has people from many cultures even though it's foundations are from Northern China.

Phew, so at least we now know the Lin Kuei aren't racist! ;)

Anyway, true that we might not know what Smoke really is but in MK2 he didn't look very Asian. Oh yeah and in Sub's ending in MK2 you see him unmasked, and he has a fairly Asian face, but in the next MK he's suddenly white. Wow man, white with fear!! ;)

Oh well, I guess these are just minor inconsistencies, things fans with too much time on their hands (I plea guilty :p !) discuss...

Peace,
Q

MKDA takes a lot of liberty in explaining the backgrounds of fighting styles. Kama and Drunken Fist, for example, supposedly originated in Outworld. And Morihei Uyeshiba, founder of Aikido, is said in the game to have founded the Black Dragon clan, when anyone who has read anything about Uyeshiba and Aikido can tell you that statement couldn't be further from the truth; Uyeshiba developed Aikido as a very non-violent style meant to inflict no injury on the opponent, as Uyeshiba was a peaceful, honorable man, and is probably spinning in his grave at what Kano's Konquest said about him.

As far as Outworlders using Earth styles, I think that's because the MK team wanted to put martial arts authenticity in the game. I'd like to see some Outworld, Edenian and other styles but the MK team was going for authenticity.