I have to agree how you put it, MK1 definitely feels very eastern influenced (moreso than any of the others) ... like an old Kung Fu movie. MK2 has a very painterly or surreal feel as you put it, VERY otherworldly (and it truly is the only MK like that). MK3 does feel futuristic or post-apocolyptic somehow. MK4 feels more gothic and sometimes claustrophobic as a lot of the stages seemed 'trapped in'. Finally MK:DA has slight touches of the eastern influences again as well some touches from other games all at once. However, it has it's own undescribable feel which pull it in a seperate direction as well from the others.

Yes, MK is supposed to be chinese mythological based and each MK game has its own feel to it.

MK1- Chinese mythological feel to it. Codes of honor and very mystical.

MK2- Still the same feel, but with a darker, otherworldly twist to it as well.

MK3- they really jumped off track with the whole futuristic thing. they really forgot about the asian mythological essence of MK

MK4- brings back some of the MK1/MK2 feel with more dark feeling with a bit of the chinese influence into it.

MKDA- A big mix of the gothic and a bit of the chinese mythological themes.

I think that MK really should slowly go back into the asian based themes with the feel and atmosphere. MK also had Japanese based influences in characters like Scorpion, Kenshi and Rayden.

Well. First MK was great, new game with new touch. All those Fatalitys and stuff was great.
MKII was also great, because it had the same, well working controlls, and great fatalitys in it. It was only darker game.
Part 3 was such a bad idea. The game was good, controls worked well, but all those Brutalitys, Babalitys and stuff ... Nonononononononono! I did not like that. But I played this one a lot too, the game was good, but I NEVER used Brutalitys or Bablitys, NEVER.
Nr.4 was great. I like it. It was all great 3D Beat ́em Up. Great controlls.
MK,DA: I haven ́t played it yet, I ́ll get it this week ...

MK1-Enter the dragon for the SNES, Genesis, Arcades.
MK2-The revealing of the last tournament's greater evil
MK3-The big bad has had enough and gives a dark sense to it.
MK4-The revealing of something new
MKDA-Double the evil,double the fun.