Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun (Japanese: 熱血硬派くにおくん) is a video game franchise started by Technos, the company that made the Double Dragon franchise. The title loosely translates to "Hot-Blooded Tough Guy Kunio" (although Nekketsu is also the name of Kunio's high school, Nekketsu Kōkō or Hot Blood High School).
Million Corp., a company founded by former members of Technos, purchased all of Technos' assets (including the Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun game series) several years after Technos went defunct. It originated on the Arcades and the Famicom. The game's title and its main character Kunio (titled Alex and Crash Cooney in the United States) were named after Technos Japan's former president, Kunio Taki. The original game was created by Yoshihisa Kishimoto, who later designed Double Dragon as well, although many of the later games (particularly those under the Nekketsu title) were the creation of two men, Mitsuhiro Yoshida and Hiroyuki Sekimoto. Yoshida currently works for Million Corp. and was involved in the creation of Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX.
Western gamers who grew up with the NES knew the game series through Renegade, River City Ransom, Super Dodge Ball, Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge and Nintendo World Cup, which were heavily localized versions of the Kunio-kun games. Technos Japan has released over 23 Kunio-kun titles for the Famicom, Game Boy and Super Famicom in Japan. In addition, licensed ports of the games were made for other platforms such as the PC-Engine (through Naxat Soft), Sega Mega Drive (through Pal Soft) and the Sharp X68000 (through Sharp).
Contents |
[edit] Games in the Kunio-kun series
| Title (Japanese) | Title (romaji) | Platform | Release Date (JPN) | Localized Title/Version |
| 熱血硬派くにおくん | Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun | Arcade | 05/1986 | Renegade |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部 | Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu | Arcade | 11/1986 | Super Dodge Ball |
| 熱血硬派くにおくん | Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun | Famicom | 17 April 1987 | Renegade |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部 | Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu | Famicom | 26 July 1988 | Super Dodge Ball |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部 | Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu | X68000 | 9/1988 | |
| ダウンタウン熱血物語 | Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari | Famicom | 25 April 1989 | River City Ransom (US), Street Gangs (Europe) |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部
ＰＣ番外編 |
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu: PC Bangai-hen | PC Engine | 30 March 1990 | |
| ダウンタウン熱血物語 | Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari | X68000 | 4/1990 | |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部
サッカー編 |
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu: Soccer-hen | Famicom | 18 May 1990 | Nintendo World Cup |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部
サッカー編 |
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu: Soccer-hen | X68000 (licensed port) | 10/1990 | |
| ダウンタウン熱血行進曲
それゆけ大運動会 |
Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai | Famicom | 12 October 1990 | |
| 熱血硬派くにおくん
番外乱闘編 |
Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun: Bangai Rantō-hen | Game Boy | 17 December 1990 | Double Dragon II (altered graphics and music) |
| 熱血高校サッカー部
ワールドカップ編 |
Nekketsu Kōkō Soccer-bu: World Cup-hen | Game Boy | 26 April 1991 | Nintendo World Cup |
| ダウンタウンスペシャル
くにおくんの時代劇だよ全員集合！ |
Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki da yo Zen'in Shū;gō! | Famicom | 26 July 1991 | |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部
強敵！闘球戦士の巻 |
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu: Kyôteki! Tōkyū; Senshi (Dodge Soldier) no Maki | Game Boy | 8 November 1991 | |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部
ＣＤサッカー編 |
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu: CD Soccer-hen | PC Engine | 20 December 1991 | |
| いけいけ！熱血ホッケー部
「すべってころんで大乱闘」 |
Ike Ike! Nekketsu Hockey-bu: Subette Koronde Dairantō | Famicom | 2//7/1992 | Crash 'n the Boys: Ice Challenge (unreleased) |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部
ＰＣサッカー編 |
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu: PC Soccer-hen | PC Engine (licensed port) | 3 April 1990 | |
| びっくり熱血新記録
はるかなる金メダル |
Bikkuri Nekketsu Shinkiroku: Harukanaru Kin Medal | Famicom | 26 June 1992 | Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge |
| ダウンタウン熱血行進曲
どこでも大運動会 |
Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Dokodemo Daiundōkai | Game Boy | 24 July 1992 | |
| 初代 熱血硬派くにおくん | Shodai Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun | Super Famicom | 7 August 1992 | |
| 熱血高校ドッジボール部
ＭＤサッカー編 |
Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball-bu: MD Soccer-hen | Mega Drive | 7 August 1992 | |
| ダウンタウン熱血行進曲
それゆけ大運動会 |
Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai | PC Engine | 11 December 1990 | |
| 熱血格闘伝説 | Nekketsu Kakutō Densetsu | Famicom | 23 December 1992 | |
| くにおくんの熱血サッカーリーグ | Kunio-kun no Nekketsu Soccer League | Famicom | 23 April 1993 | Crash 'n the Boys: Soccer Challenge (unreleased) |
| びっくり熱血新記録
どこでも金メダル |
Bikkuri Nekketsu Shinkiroku: Dokodemo Kin Medal | Game Boy | 16 July 1993 | |
| くにおくんのドッジボールだよ全員集合！ | Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen'in Shū;gō!! | Super Famicom | 6 August 1993 | |
| 熱血！すとりーとバスケット
～がんばれＤｕｎｋＨｅｒｏｅｓ～ |
Nekketsu! Street Basket: Ganbare Dunk Heroes | Famicom | 17 December 1993 | |
| ダウンタウン熱血べーすぼーる物語
野球で勝負だ！くにおくん |
Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari: Yakyū; de Shōbu da! Kunio-kun | Super Famicom | 17 December 1993 | Diamond Challenge (unreleased) |
| ダウンタウンスペシャル
くにおくんの時代劇だよ全員集合！ |
Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki da yo Zen'in Shū;gō! | Game Boy | 22 December 1993 | |
| ダウンタウン熱血物語 | Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari | PC Engine | 24 December 1993 | |
| 新・熱血硬派
くにおたちの挽歌 |
Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-tachi no Banka | Super Famicom | 29 April 1994 | |
| くにおのおでん | Kunio no Oden | Super Famicom | 27 May 1994 | |
| 熱血！ビーチバレーだよ くにおくん | Nekketsu! Beach Volley da yo: Kunio-kun | Game Boy | 29 July 1994 | |
| くにおの熱血闘球伝説 | Kunio no Nekketsu Tōkyū; (Dodgeball) Densetsu | Neo-Geo | 1996 | Super Dodge Ball (1996) |
| ダウンタウン熱血物語 EX | Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX | Game Boy Advance | 5 March 2004 | River City Ransom EX |
| くにおくん熱血コレクション 1 | Kunio-kun Nekketsu Collection 1 | Game Boy Advance | 2005 | |
| くにおくん熱血コレクション 2 | Kunio-kun Nekketsu Collection 2 | Game Boy Advance | 2005 | |
| くにおくん熱血コレクション 3 | Kunio-kun Nekketsu Collection 3 | Game Boy Advance | 2006 |
[edit] Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-Kun (original game)
The original Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun involves Kunio of Nekketsu High School and Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The gang of students from Hanazono High School, led by Samenija Riki, attempted an invasion against Nekketsu High. Kunio fought back, and Riki reconciled. On the next scene come the Bōsōzoku (biker gang), Yokohama Funky, led by Shinji. The third scene is a fight with a gang of female students led by the large schoolgirl Misuzu. The final scene is somewhat a maze leading to the game's antagonist Sabu, who is behind the entire Yakuza gang. Renegade is a localized version of Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun, using American-based settings in place of Japanese settings, and a damsel-in-distress storyline similar to later beat-em-ups such as Double Dragon and Final Fight. Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun is considered to be canonical, while Renegade is non-canonical, and they have different sequels; being Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio Tachi no Banka and Target Renegade, respectively.
[edit] Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari
Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari is known in the United States as River City Ransom and in Europe as Street Gangs. The dialogue and the graphics were altered for the U.S. version. Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari was originally developed for the Famicom/NES in 1989 and later ported to the Sharp X68000. The game would be enhanced-remade for the Game Boy Advance as Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX, which was released in the United States as River City Ransom EX and in Europe as Street Gangs Advance. In this game, Kunio and Riki join forces for the first time.
[edit] Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio Tachi no Banka
Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio Tachi no Banka, or simply Kunio Tachi no Banka, is the interquel of Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun and Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari. It was released exclusively in Japan, for the Super Famicom in 1994. However, it was unofficially translated into English by an online translation group called Aeon Genesis Translation Proclamation in 2003. At the beginning, Kunio and Riki are framed for a hit-and-run accident and get incarcerated in Cell 218 by Takayama, father of Kunio's classmate Mamoru. Hiroshi visited the jail telling Kunio and Riki about the conflict with the Nekketsu and Hanazono high schools being attacked by Daiki and Ryuuta, Sabu's thugs. Also, other students of Nekketsu and Hanazono were forced to work abroad, such as in the Amusement Park, where Kunio meets Ryuusaku. Kunio and Riki waited until after dark and then broke out of prison. After that, Kunio and Riki, along with their girlfriends (Misako and Kyoko, respectively) investigate about the schools' attacks and find whomever is responsible for framing them up and incarcerating them in the first place. They get acquitted of their charges after a fight with Shinji. In this game, it is possible to continue the game via passwords, and the four characters (when available) can be changed at any time during playing. All other characters from Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun made a reappearance in this game, reprising their old roles.
[edit] Characters of the Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-kun franchise
According to the Japanese Wikipedia article.
- Kunio (Alex in River City Ransom, Crash in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge)
- Misako
- Samenija Riki (Jack in Renegade, Ryan in River City Ransom)
- Kyoko
- Hasebe Kazumi (Roxy in River City Ransom)
- Yamada (Slick/Simon in River City Ransom, Skip in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge)
- Shimada Mami (Cyndi in River City Ransom]])
- Double Dragon brothers Ryuichi and Ryuji Hattori (Randy and Andy in River City Ransom)
- Gouda (Ivan in River City Ransom)
- Godai (Tex in River City Ransom)
- Onizuka (Otis in River City Ransom)
- Kobayashi (Thor in River City Ransom, leader of the Shi-Ten-Ou)
- Mochizuki twins (Shun and Tsukasa. Shun, Turk in River City Ransom, is the elder brother and a member of the Shi-Ten-Ou)
- Taira (Mojo in River City Ransom, member of the Shi-Ten-Ou)
- Kinoshita (Blade in River City Ransom, member of the Shi-Ten-Ou)
- Nishimura (Rocko in River City Ransom)
- Sawaguchi (Moose in River City Ransom)
- Sonokawa (leader of the Senridai Bombers)
- Sugata (Gary in River City Ransom EX, Cheese in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge)
- Nanase
- Momozono
- Saotome (Nate in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge)
- Maeda (Rick in River City Ransom EX)
- Yoshino (Dove in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge)
- Hayasaka (Jesse in River City Ransom EX)
- Aihara
- Mamoru Tōdō (Todd Thornley in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge, Tidus in River City Ransom EX)
- Kirishima
- Muchisaki
- Kumada (Barns in Crash n' The Boys Street Challenge, Ted in River City Ransom EX)
- Himada
- Hayami (Milo in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge)
- Heilman
- Kamijō and Yamamoto (Benny and Clyde in River City Ransom)
- Jenny
- Raphael
- Shinichi
- Hiroshi
- Kōji
- Mitsuhiro
- Takashi
- Masa
- Genei
- Yōichi
- Tatsumi Tachibana
- Rika Asano
- Kuniko
- Double Tiger Brothers (Toraichi & Toraji)
- Sabu
- Misuzu (Kim in Renegade)
- Shinji (Joel in Renegade)
[edit] Notes
In Japan, the games are all part of the Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun series focusing on Nekketsu High School and Hanazono High School, particularly two students; Kunio and Riki. Nekketsu is Japanese for "hot-blooded", and hanazono is Japanese for "flower garden." Kunio was the guardian of Nekketsu High School. He is often summoned when the students are being threatened or have a sports tournament to win. He always cross onward with yakuza, motorcycle, and street gangs, and rival schools along with his counterpart Riki of Hanazono High School.
On the Japanese Super Famicom (Super Nintendo) there is a Tetris or Puyo Puyo-esque game entitled Kunio no Oden. It uses food in place of blocks, and you must match them up. The story of the game is Kunio taking part in a food-eating contest. Some of the opponents he faces include Riki, Nishimura, Godai, Hasebe, and Momozono.
[edit] External links
- Hardcore Gaming 101: Kunio Kun / Nekketsu Highschool Gives a series overview and a description for each game in the series
- The Nekketsu Typhoon, a site covering the Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun series
- The Technos Samurai, a site covering the Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun series and various other old games that feature swordsmanship. Author is currently working on a Kunio-kun Kendo game akin to the sports games already in the series
- River City High School Class Reunion, another site covering the Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun series.
- Double Dragon Dojo, another site covering the Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-Kun series. This site normally covers the Double Dragon series.
- The Nekketsu series entry on the Don't Press start website's wiki
- Nekketsu Koha Kunio-kun Series at MobyGames
- Dorango Translation Page -Translation page on Downtown Special: Kunio Kun no Jidaigeki
