Damn, that's one awesome looking Kintaro. If he was a Thundercat, Mummra would be so screwed, lol.

Damn Razor Kintaro looks soo awesome, and three updates in one year, i didn't expect that. Does that mean we might see Shao Kahn before the end of the year?

That is the plan, I'm hoping to do Kahn next week.

I dunno if I'll be able to fit Blaze and Hornbuckle in before New Years too. I'd like to, but I suspect they'll take longer since I don't quite have an idea in my head yet of how they should look.

When do you plan on updating the artist's commentary?

I'll probably get around to it when Kahn's done.

Awesome. Question on Kahn, are you planning on drawing him without the helmet sometime?

His alt will be helmetless.

Can't believe we got another update! And what an update it is, Kintaro looks sick!

His face looks less pussy-ish than it did in MK:A and more lion-ish/badass than MK9. The MK9 black button nose really looked awful. This face is perfect.

The costume isn't anything totally different because it's perfectly awesome for a Shokan character primary. Not that their is anything wrong with it but why'd you go with a blue coloured sash? Any razorverse storyline specific reason or just for a change?

Well his sash was blue in Shaolin Monks, probably to make him look a little different from Goro. I figured it was a good idea.

And yeah, the key to making his face not look stupid is simply not giving him a black nose. He didn't have one in MK2, after all.

Not to mention he's also the only bald Shokan-At least until he got a ponytail in MKA. I wasn't aware dead half dragons could keep growing hair that long, lol.

Love, love, love the Kintaro design. Especially glad that nothing from Armageddon onward like the ponytail or the kitty nose are there. He actually looks like the bigger, stronger, more threatening Goro he was meant to be. He hasn't seemed like that to me since MKT.

In fact, it always seemed like once Goro returned in MK4, they were trying to make him the bigger, badder Shokan, and Kintaro suffered for it.

-In MK4 Goro gets Kintaro's teleport stomp, his fireballs come his mouth like Kintaro's instead of his hand like in MK1 and he gets Kintaro's powerful-looking kick animation from MKT.

-In MKD of course there's whole Kintaro being planned but replaced with Goro.

-MKSM is kind of mixed for me, Kintaro gets his great entrance and they kept his great design, but then it became a letdown to me since his boss fight was the easiest in the game and then he gets ripped to pieces so easily afterward. It's like his limbs were made of paper.

-In MKA he's missing his most famous move that Boon spent ages going on about in his Bio Kard while Goro and Sheeva still have it. Seven years later and it still baffles me. That and his redesign made him look less impressive than the other bosses (excluding poor Motaro).

-In MK9, it was his face. Motaro's corpse was more menacing.

But then Kintaro is my favourite character. Maybe I'm just biased.

God damn it, stop being awesome now. You are hogging up all of the awesome.

You'll be happy to know that when I get to MKD, Goro will not be in it, Kintaro and Fujin will like they originally planned.

It always pissed me off how they did such a good job of turning Goro good and gave him a great death, only to turn around, bring him back, and make him work for Kahn again for no real reason. Also, if I do have Kahn in Deception, it won't be "Oh, the Deadly Alliance killed a clone, I snuck out the back", it'll be some other explanation, like Shinnok brought him back as prep for Armageddon, I dunno for sure yet.

Speaking of which, what are your other additions/omissions to the Razorverse's MKDA/MKD rosters?

Well keep in mind, this isn't final, I'm never sure my mind's made up on something until it's already done, but basically, and I'll include MK4 too, because that's the one where I really start changing story and adding characters)...

MK4 will have Kabal, Mavado, Smoke, and Belokk.
Also, Sindel, Sareena, Skarlet, and maybe Ashrah, Shujinko, and Daegon will have roles, but only as NPCs

Deadly Alliance will obviously have the Tournament Edition add-ons of Sektor, Noob, and Sareena, but I'm also adding Dairou and Hornbuckle.

I may subtract Mokap (or rather, move him to the NPC/cameos roster since he's not actually a plot-active character, his whole bio is "I'm a stuntman in Johnny's current movie" and that's it), but I may also add Zebron...or at least, a more serious version of Zebron, a striped centaur instead of a stage magician with a horse head...partially for the fun of it, partially because I've always wanted to see more Centaurians.

To Deception/Unchained, I'm subtracting Goro and adding Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Sonya, Fujin, Kintaro, Stryker, and Monster. I may subtract Shao Kahn, not sure yet.

And of course, Armageddon will have everybody, including Nimbus, Skarlet, Belokk, etc. But I also plan on changing some of the characters in Armageddon to reflect the fact that they were changing in their story, but we didn't see it because of the reused models. Namely, Kano will show signs of mutation like dragon scales growing out of his skin, from the Red Dragons experimenting on him, and Hsu Hao will have become an Oni since his death.

I like it already. Especially Stryker in Deception. Will his story revolve around his attempting to join the Seidan Guard like in that game's Konquest mode? Or would it be more connected to the Black Dragon subplot since Kabal and Kira sprung Kobra from jail and he'd have to hunt them down.

Sort of. It starts out as investigating Kobra's escape/what happened to Kabal to make him go back to a life of crime, to finding out about Havik/Chaosrealm, and ends with him training with the Seidans. He doesn't really join the Guard, since his top priority is still protecting Earth.

And knowing how ""super strict" the Seidans are with their brand of law, I can defintiely see why, lol. I love that Zebron idea, too. The more Centaurs, the better. Would he be a villain, or possibly a hero instead?

Very interesting I must say. Let's start with MK4,shall we?

I mean,I know what you want to do with Kabal and Mavado (and Jarek is involved there too),but why Daegon? To establish Red Dragon early on? I hope you will have him appear in silhouette only,in his conversations with Mavado,kinda like Quan Chi and Shinnok in your MK1 and MK2.

Smoke and Belokk are clear for me. Also Sindel (I am surprised you didn't include Jade there,I mean,is she away somewhere,or just assumed to be imprisoned?) and Sareena (I STILL say that you should include her in telling Scorpion the truth about Shirai Ryu and their real killer,since it is too early for her to meet Kuai Liang yet,but she can do damage to her master which she hates. Otherwise,I see no point in her being NPC.Have Noob Saibot tell Subbie about his real identity,and that's it. Give it some thought)

Also, Shujinko,Skarlet and Ashrah (I am intrigued what you have for her in mind for MK4) are interesting choices,though I am surprised you didn't include Drahmin and Moloch in some kind of NPC role at least. I mean,Netherrealm is attacking the realms,and they are not around?

MKDA:

Pretty clear what you have for this. Dairou as anti-Kenshi and Hornbuckle probably having Blaze under spell to guard the Dragon Egg,right?

Mokap and Zebron as NPCs are awesome ideas,go for it. (Although not sure about Zebron,I mean,he wasn't supposed to be centaur,but something like more of Tekken character,if you know what I mean)

MK Deception:

Well,you definitely have to have Shao Kahn around,because he needs time to recapture his fortress from Mileena and prepare for Armageddon. I think Shinnok resurrecting him works perfectly,since Shinnok is the main villain of Armageddon.

Well,Kintaro,Fujin and Stryker are awesome enough to add and I know all the story ideas you have for them there,but why Sonya,Johnny and Kung Lao? To complete the set of dead heroes? Are you adding them as NPCs or to the cast? It is gonna be one freaking huge cast of characters I must say,and I like it. I think you can think of new costumes for them,to show that they are Onaga's slaves. Awesome sauce!

Oh,and I forgot to comment on Kintaro...PURE AWESOMENESS!

I mean,first time I saw it,I needed time for it to grow on me,because it was something different from the games (especially blue sash,I always envisioned he had gray one or some other dark shade,but DEFINITELY not blue. And I didn't see it in Shaolin Monks,so I was confused)

His face needed time to grow on me too,because I never saw Kintaro with face like this. I noticed the black circles around his eyes and Reptile like yellow eyes with black splits in them (or more like tiger like eyes?). I gotta say it suits him.

I see you used the armor from Shaolin Monks and MK9 gray sash. Combined,they look awesome,so bravo to you! And his gladiator stance,I just kinda picture him showing off in front of crowd after another win against his opponent in Kahn's Arena. Awesome!

All in all,I envision him and Jax fighting,and CLEARLY see how he can overpower Briggs. One thing I gotta ask. In your universe,does he spit fireball,while Goro throws green stuff? Or they are both from "Fire Team"?

Johnny Cage is the only "jokey/campy" character MK needs. Zebron as a Centaur is a lot more badass and serious than goofy looking zebra dude. And I rather like the idea of Noob being the one to tell Scorpion the truth about his family and clans murders. Not only would it provide Scorpion the one-two gut punch of realizing he was deceived by Quan Chi AND discovering he himself had created a monster when he learns Noob's true identity, but it also raises Noob's status as more than being some mere lackey like most of the non-boss villains in the series have become.

Mostly to establish the RDs and have him communicate with Mavado, yes, but also because MKA established that Daegon's biggest ally is Shinnok, so he'll have some communication with him too during Shinnok's big play to take over the universe.

I do intend to keep him in the background, do the silhouette sort of thing.



Well Jade will appear, all the big members of the court will obviously be present to fight back when Tanya lets Quan and Shinnok in to invade Edenia. But her role will be very small since she pretty much gets captured and sits the rest of the game out.

The reason I specifically list Sindel is that she has a more important connection to the invaders, because they're the ones who brought her back to life in MK3 in the first place. She bears the mark of the Brotherhood of Shadow, the fact that her hair is black and white striped and she has dark spike-shaped makeup around her eyes, just like Reiko and Sareena do, is no coincidence. So I'm taking the approach that even though she's freed from the programming that made her loyal to Kahn, there's still obedience triggers left hidden in her mind for Quan to take advantage of, like he sorta planned all along for her and Edenia to be where the invasion would start. So Sindel's actually going to spend MK4 as a Kia/Jataaka-style bodyguard.

As for Sareena...I'm not entirely sure who exactly she'll be interacting with yet. What I do know is that I'm going to write MK4 as a combination of Blackest Night and Dante's Inferno. While some heroes will have to deal with a zombie invasion on their realm, other heroes will have to venture into the Netherealm and take a tour of its many horrific layers, learning about the place and meeting the important characters who dwell there. And since Sareena is the most important prisoner on the Fifth Plane, whoever I have travelling the Hellscape is going to meet her and learn things from her. Ashrah is a similar case. The only reason I didn't list Drahmin and Moloch is because nobody in the MK universe would know who they are or be able to gain any useful information from them yet. I MIGHT have Drahmin appear as a minor NPC though, as the demon torturing Sareena while she's imprisoned, since that's the Oni-Tormentor's job.

Now that I think about it, though, strike Shujinko from the list. I added him because, in Konquest Mode, he was in Hell during MK4. But now I'm remembering that I was going to change that part of his story to get rid of two huge plotholes (the ones where 1) he goes to Hell right before MK1 but it somehow shoots ahead to after MK4 when he gets there because Scorpion is chasing Quan Chi. And 2) after he leaves Hell, Hotaru throws him in jail during MKDA and escapes during Deception, but he's in there so long he ages, which is impossible because DA and Deception aren't that long), and have him spend MK1 thru 4 in the jail instead.



Yup, Kenshi will fight Dairou at Shang's Palace instead of Mavado, and Nitara/Cyrax will have to fight Hornbuckle to get into the Lava Shrine, then Blaze will get his revenge on Hornbuckle when he escapes.



Well, yes, it's no secret that I hate Tekken's attempts at comedy relief, especially the animal characters, but I kinda like the idea of taking a bad joke and making it something serious and fitting to the setting instead. Besides, I'm doing every game's rumor character like Nimbus and Belokk, and Zebron's the only rumor DA had.



True but that could happen IN Armageddon, he doesn't necessarily need to be in Deception for that.

The real issue with Kahn is how I want to play Kintaro's story. Either way, his plot goes "Kintaro thinks it was dumb of Goro to ally with the Edenians, now he's dead and the Shokan are weaker because of it, so now that he's come back to life, he's going to lead his people to side with this strong evil dude." It's just a matter of should I stick with the Shokans going back to Kahn, or should I remove Kahn and have them join Onaga instead? Do they side with the devil they know, who already betrayed them once before...or with the devil they don't know, who's said to be a great ruler way stronger and better than Kahn, and may or may not have a connection to the origins of the Shokan race, what with being a dragon-man and all...but whose plan to unite all the realms and have ultimate peace and order might not be compatible with the Shokan warrior way which requires there to be constant battles to gain honor in?



Yep. Not as NPCs, as regular characters. Unchained added Jax and Kitana, why not the rest of them? Besides, the plot says Ermac and Ghost-Liu free them BEFORE Shujinko fights Onaga, because if you look at the picture in Shujinko's ending, they're in the crowd he copies the powers of all at once.



My Goro definitely shoots glowing green projections of his fist to punch people at long distance like he did in MK1. He's Shang Tsung's "pupil", he knows some magic.

You see,Noob at MK4 time is not such a monster,he is another villain who is doing Quan Chi's bidding,and it doesn't make sense for Scorpion to judge him because he is not innocent himself. He becomes monster LATER,during MK Deception,when he decides to take over Hell and rule with his army of cyber-demons. I would imagine,after learning that AND being Elder God's Champion,Scorpion would like to correct his mistake and get rid of Bi-Han's evil.

Of course,later in MK Armageddon it is revealed he serves Quan Chi again (which sucks,I wouldn't envision Noob coming back to him,I would imagine he would try to kick sorcerer's ass with Smoke beside him)

And again,elevating Noob into much bigger player shouldn't happen UNTIL MK Deception,when he discovers Smoke. Remember,in MKDA he wasn't doing anything on his own as well,because that time,he served Shao Kahn and struck Goro from behind by Kahn's order.I think he should be in this generic villain role till MK Deception.

So IMHO,having Noob reveal his identity is to Scorpion and Sub-Zero is enough,which will make Scorpion question everything about Quan Chi and despise Bi-Han to "what he has become",which is perfect time for Sareena to do her deed with revealing the truth about his family and clan. It serves two purposes:

1) Gives Sareena something MAJOR plotwise to do as NPC

2) Since her defeat at Shinnok's hands in MK Mythologies,she was damned to 5th Plane if I am not mistaken and got tortured there. I would assume she would want some payback to her former masters for her suffering. Telling Scorpion the truth I think is perfect for that. It also serves as interesting plot device,with "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing

I don't know,it is just my two cents.

I dunno, it just seems unlikely to me that Scorpion would have much reason to be one of the characters hanging out in the 5th plane towards the end of MK4.

His plot in the game pretty much goes "Quan asks him to join army and hunt Sub-Zero. They invade Edenia, then Heaven, then maybe Earth? Scorpion goes after Sub-Zero. Sub-Zero is on Earth or in Edenia trying to get at Quan and Shinnok. They fight, Scorp wins, before he can finish Sub, he finds out Quan Chi lied to him all along and goes after him."

Not really room in there for a sidetrip back to Hell's dungeons to talk to a demon girl.

Also, I'm not sure Sareena would know anything about the Shirai Ryu or what Quan does when he's not sitting on his Netherealm throne giving her orders. In Mythologies, the slavegirls didn't follow him everywhere and take part in every plan, they just kinda guarded Shinnok's Pyramid. All they knew was "There's a mortal loose, he escaped the Prison of Souls, Quan Chi wants him stopped", it's not like they were privy to the REASON Sub-Zero was in Hell.
What she would know that would be useful to another character is anything important to the history of Hell, her bosses' origin stories, their weaknesses...

Technically, Noob's already a monster. Unlike Scorpion, he no longer cares about his own family or his past life. Pun intended, he's dead inside. True, Scorpion is not innocent himself, but after learning of Kuai Liang's existence in MK2, he attempted to redeem himself up to this point so he could be released from his hellish torment and be reunited with little Hanzo and Mrs. Hasashi. Which is more than I can say for Noob Saibot. The moment Scorpion made him into Lin Kuei flambe, whatever good remained in Bi Han died that day on Shang's island.

Also, for the record, my approach to Noob pre-Deception isn't really "mindless puppet", he's got a personality, and that personality is "smug, selfish asshole" much as it was when he was alive...his approach to Quan Chi and being loyal is just "Dude could make me dead again if he wanted to, don't rock the boat until an opportunity presents itself."

Revealing the truth to Scorpion is an opportunity to maybe see Quan killed without getting his own hands dirty AND a chance to be a smug dick and laugh in his enemy's face about his misfortune and stupidity. "Ha ha, your family's dead AND you fell for this guy's lies for years. What a loser."