Mortal Kombat vs. Real life (comparing the gangs)

2D Kombat Klassics

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posted01/13/2007 12:45 AM (UTC)by

PsychoFight

@PsychoFight

Member Since

02/28/2004 06:50 AM (UTC)

I thought this would be kind of fun. I want to compare the Mortal Kombat gangs with the real-life crews they're based on.

U.S. Special Forces
The reasons for why they exist is the same as in real life. Except for one thing - they don't allow women to join. So, Sonya's character would be impossible.

Black Dragon
From what we can tell about the MK gang, they are a criminal organization. More than a criminal organization - they're considered TERRORISTS, for Chrissakes. Terrorism is one of their crimes. They go around looting, smuggling, killing, etc.....doing criminal activites.
In real life, Morihei Ueshiba didn't start the gang like MK says. It was a man named Uchida Ryohei (although he and Morihei knew eachother). Their initial purpose was to liberate Asia from Russian influence - many of Asia's armies and poltical parties made use of their talents for getting rid of them in any way they could. But then they began to try and liberate other regions of the world, forming contacts spreading from middle Eastern Eurasia to the United States. After World War II, they were disbanded.

White Lotus Society
In Mortal Kombat, Raiden started them in order to train warriors to protect Earthrealm. So Raiden is like the general and the WLS are his soldiers. They protect Earthrealm.
In real life, the White Lotus Society was founded on a different take on the belief of Buddhism. They preached against the current power regime and their beliefs were considered heretical - that's why they had to go underground as a secret society. But they still operated and used their contacts to start rebellions all over China throughout the centuries.

Raiden is a thunder god in Japanese Shinto mythology.
Fujin is a real god of wind in Japanese Shinto mythology.
In old Japanese art, Raiden looks like a red demon who pounds on drums and that's what causes thunderstorms. He also eats kids when thunderstorms come.
Supposedly, in the myths, Raiden and Fujin were demons that opposed Buddha, but they were captured by the gods and made pure. Their talents were used to help create the world.

Seido, what the realm of Order is called, has another meaning in real life.
Seido, or Seido Juku, is a type of karate that bases its philosophy on "love, obedience, and respect. It means "The Sincere Way."
Coincidence? I think not.

Any others?

Anything else?

IamTheS

@IamTheS

•01/11/2007 11:25 PM (UTC) •

Raiden also likes navels. Some legends says he eats the navels (WtF?), some say he hides in them.

The linkuei, or "forest demons" were said to be sort of a Chinese pre-ninja ninja - that is, like many other things Japanese, they originated in China, but are more popularly known as Japanese.

Kombat_Veteran

@Kombat_Veteran

About Me

•01/12/2007 01:31 AM (UTC) •

Very interesting post. I like it. I have made another post in the future MK discussion about what in mk needs to change, and my emphasis was to add more realism. This kind of relates.

As you said, women are not allowed to join spec ops. And also, sonya is from "U.S. special forces". The story's use of the word "US special forces" is very ambiguous. THere are many spec ops branches in the U.S. under SOCOM (special operations command). The U.S. navy SEALs for the Navy, THe air force has special forces units, THe army has several, the Army Rangers, The Delta force, PSYOP units, and the US army special forces (the green berets). The marine Corps have them too.

My impression was that Sonya was a green beret. Although women cant join the spec ops, Ive heard that there are rumors that the Delta force does have some female operators that apparently were made exceptions due to special skills that they possessed that were just too good to pass up or their special use in counter terrorism ops, and of course this is kept secret due to the "no females" rule.

I think MK storyline would benefit by making it more realistic, instead of saying "sonya if from US special forces" say something like "she is part of a top secret, specially trained squadron in SFOD-D" they could elaborate on what is so unique about her unit, and why they let a female (Her) join it.

Same for other characters like Kano. make his story match more with reality based on real facts. Terrorist groups are often politically motivated, and so some kind of political storyline would apply to kano rather that hes from a group of "cut throat thevies criminals etc."

It makes sense that sonya would be from Delta force since 1. in real life, there are rumors of some female operatives 2. Delta force specializes in counter terrorism 3. Kano would be considered a terrorist, and would explain why sonya would be after him.

They game part of MK needs more realism (realistic looking characters, not childish designs from a comic book), realistic game play, and storyline needs more realism, hence the topic of this thread.

Sub-Zero_7th

@Sub-Zero_7th

•01/12/2007 02:43 AM (UTC) •

Shirai Ryu: In the MK storyline, Shirai Ryu is a Japanese Ninja clan that was founded centuries ago by Takeda, a Japanese-born Lin Kuei warrior who left the clan and headed to Japan. He created Ninjutsu using the techniques and methods that he learned from the Lin Kuei.

In real life, Shirai Ryu is a school of Shurikenjutsu, founded by Shirai Toru Yoshikane around the 1700s. According to the kuden of Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu Happo Hiken, there were 73 Ryu (schools) of Ninjutsu/Ninpo, one of the earliest called Shirai Ryu. It is not really uncommon for more than art to have the same name (e.g. Isshin Ryu Kusarigamajutsu, which is Japanese, and Isshin Ryu Karate, which is Okinawan). Whether Shirai Ryu Ninjutsu existed, along with the supposed other styles of Ninjutsu like Negishi Ryu, Shinto Ryu, Hakuun Ryu, etc. is hard to say and more than likely not. Shirai Ryu Shurikenjutsu, on the other hand, does exist and still exists today.

PsychoFight

@PsychoFight

•01/12/2007 06:42 AM (UTC) •

Scorpion was a master at shuriken throwing, according to his MKM:SZ bio. So, it makes sense.

Ya know........I actually think those are the only three real gangs in MK. The Sub-Zero/Scorpion angle, the Sonya/Kano angle, and the Liu Kang/Kung Lao angle.

Too bad Special Forces was half-assed (less than half-assed). I think that game would've given us more reasons as to what motivate Sonya, Kano, and Jax.

And as much as I love Shaolin Monks, I think they missed a great opportunity for telling some backstory for everyone's two favorite monks.

It's not that MK needs more realism - it's a fantasy story. it's just that when it brings realism in, they need to try and keep it true.

Sub-Zero_7th

@Sub-Zero_7th

•01/13/2007 12:45 AM (UTC) •

PsychoFight Wrote:
Scorpion was a master at shuriken throwing, according to his MKM:SZ bio. So, it makes sense.

Ya know........I actually think those are the only three real gangs in MK. The Sub-Zero/Scorpion angle, the Sonya/Kano angle, and the Liu Kang/Kung Lao angle.

Too bad Special Forces was half-assed (less than half-assed). I think that game would've given us more reasons as to what motivate Sonya, Kano, and Jax.

And as much as I love Shaolin Monks, I think they missed a great opportunity for telling some backstory for everyone's two favorite monks.

It's not that MK needs more realism - it's a fantasy story. it's just that when it brings realism in, they need to try and keep it true.

It's strange that Scorpion is said to be a master at shuriken throwing yet NONE of his special moves involve the shuriken. And it's not like Scorpion uses Shirai Ryu nor does he use any of the Ninjutsu styles or even at the very least use some of the styles closely related to them (e.g. Gyokko Ryu, Koto Ryu).

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