Kunio-kun (series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, the first game in the series, see Renegade (video game).
Kunio

Kunio in Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX. In the US version (River City Ransom EX), he is known as Alex.
Game series Kunio-kun series
First game Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun
Created by Yoshihisa Kishimoto
Voiced by Ryo Horikawa


The Kunio-kun series (くにおくんシリーズ?) is a video game franchise started by Technos, the company that made the Double Dragon franchise. Million Corp. purchased all of Technos' assets (including the Kunio-kun game series) several years after Technos went defunct. The first game in the series is fully titled Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun (熱血硬派くにおくん?), which roughly translates to "Hot Blood Tough Guy Kunio", with Nekketsu being the name of Kunio's high school. The kun suffix after his name is an informal Japanese honorific usually applied to young males.

The series originated in the arcades and the Famicom console; its title and its protagonist, Kunio (variously renamed "Alex" and "Crash Cooney" in the United States), were named after Technos Japan's former president, Kunio Taki. Although the original game was created by Yoshihisa Kishimoto — who later designed Double Dragon — many of the later games (particularly those under the Downtown Nekketsu moniker) were the handiwork of two men: Mitsuhiro "Yoshimitsu" Yoshida, and Hiroyuki "Mokeke" Sekimoto.

Western video game players 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 twenty 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). After Technos went out of business, a company called Million purchased the intellectual rights for the games and characters.

Contents

[edit] Games

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 May 1986 Renegade
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 Arcade November 1987 Super Dodge Ball
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 September 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 April 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 October 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 Shūgō! 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 Nu: Kyôteki! 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 7 February 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 3 April 1992
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 1992
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 Shūgō!! 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 Shūgō! 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 Dodgeball Densetsu Neo-Geo December 1995 Super Dodge Ball
熱血高校ドッジボール部 Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu Windows 10 October 2003
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 25 August 2005
くにおくん熱血コレクション 2 Kunio-kun Nekketsu Collection 2 Game Boy Advance 27 October 2005
熱血硬派くにおくん Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun PlayStation 2 26 January 2006
くにおくん熱血コレクション 3 Kunio-kun Nekketsu Collection 3 Game Boy Advance 16 February 2006
熱血高校ドッジボール部 Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu PlayStation 2 23 March 2006
超熱血高校くにおくんドッジボール部 Chō Nekketsu Kōkō Kunio-kun Dodgeball Bu Nintendo DS 19 March 2008 Super Dodgeball Brawlers

[edit] Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-Kun (original game)

Main article: Renegade (video game)
Nekketsu Kouha Kunio kun screenshot, arcade
Nekketsu Kouha Kunio kun screenshot, arcade

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, Renegade not, and they have different sequels; being Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio Tachi no Banka and Target Renegade, respectively.

[edit] Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari

Main article: River City Ransom

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

The following is a list of characters appearing in most of the games, ordered by the games where they first appear.

[edit] Main characters

  • Kunio (くにお?) - The protagonist of the series. Kunio serves as the guardian of Nekketsu High School against rival schools and is the captain of his school's Dodgeball team, although he excels at other sports (such as soccer and hockey). Kunio first appears in the original Kunio-kun, where he is described as a second year student at Nekketsu High School (in the Downtown Nekketsu sub-series, he is described as a third year student, establishing a loose continuity between later games). His birthdate is on November 27 (the same date as Bruce Lee 's birthdate) and has a blood type of AB. His surname is never revealed. In some games (such as Nekketsu Hockey Bu and Baseball Monogatari), he is the only student at Nekketsu to wear an all-white uniform, while at other games everyone at Nekketsu wears white. In the localized versions, he is known as Mr. K in Renegade, Sam in Super Dodge Ball, Alex in River City Ransom and Crash Cooney in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge.
  • Riki (鮫島 力 Samejima Riki?) - Often described Kunio's eternal rival, Riki is the guardian of Hanazono High School and the second most recurring character in the series. In the original Kunio-kun, Riki appears as the first stage boss and serves as captain of the Hanazono dodgeball team. Nekketsu Monogatari was the first game where Riki teams-up with Kunio (although chronologically speaking, Shodai comes first). Since then, Riki's relationship with Kunio evolved from enmity to close friendship, and appears in the later beat-em-ups as a secondary playable character. Riki's birthdate is on May 5 and is repeating his third year in the Downtown Nekketsu sub-series. In the localized versions, he is known as Jack in Renegade and Super Dodge Ball, Ryan in River City Ransom and Crusher in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge.

[edit] Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun

  • Hiroshi (ひろし?) - Hiroshi is Kunio's best friend in the original Kunio-kun game. He enrolls into Nekketsu High School during his second year and gets picked on a lot by bullies. He becomes fast friends with Kunio after Kunio defends him from his tormentors. In the arcade version of Kunio-kun, he is beaten by a different gang at the beginning of each time, whereas in the Famicom he is kidnapped by Sabu (with no explanation given). In addition to the Nekketsu Kōha sub-series, he appears as a member of the Dodgeball Club in Dodgeball Bu, as well as in Soccer Hen and Hockey Bu, where he shares the same sprite as the Sonokawa character from the Downtown Nekketsu sub-series. He is the only character not to appear in the American versions of the Renegade games.
  • Shinji - The leader of a bōsōzoku gang known as "Yokohama Funky" in Kunio-kun (where he is the second stage boss) and the "Blue Emperor" in Kunio-tachi no Banka (where he is a recurring boss). He also appears as a playable character in the Neo Geo version of Super Dodge Ball. His counterpart in Renegade is named Joel.
  • Misuzu - A giant sukeban from the Taiyō Academy, an all girl school. She first appears as the stage 3 boss in Kunio-kun. She reappears as Sabu's bodyguard in Kunio-tachi no Banka and as a playable character in the Neo Geo version of Super Dodge Ball. Her counterpart in Renegade is named Kim.
  • Sabu - The leader of a yakuza gang known as the "Sanwakai". He is the gun-wielding final boss in the original Kunio-kun. He returns as the main antagonist in Kunio-tachi no Banka, where he hires a Kunio look-alike named Ken to frame him for a hit and run accident. He is also a playable character in the Neo Geo version of Super Dodge Ball. Sabu is the only character not to change his name, nor his appearance, in Renegade.

[edit] Nekketsu Kōkō Dodge Ball Bu

  • Shinichi
  • Kōji
  • Mitsuhiro
  • Heilman

[edit] Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari

  • Mami (島田 真実 Shimada Mami?) (Cyndi in River City Ransom)
  • Hasebe (長谷部 和美 Hasebe Kazumi?) (Roxy in River City Ransom)
  • Sonokawa (園川 薫 Sonokawa Kaoru?) (Harry in River City Ransom, Conan in River City Ransom EX)
  • Kamijō (上條 恒男 Kamijō Tsuneo?) and Yamamoto (山本 憲之 Yamamoto Noriyuki?) (Benny and Clyde in River City Ransom)
  • Sawaguchi (沢口 靖夫 Sawaguchi Yasuo?) (Moose in River City Ransom)
  • Nishimura (西村 成孝 Nishimura Naritaka?) (Rocko in River City Ransom, Baldy in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge)
  • Kobayashi (小林 政男 Kobayashi Masao?) (Thor in River City Ransom, Monty in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge)
  • Mochizuki (望月 駿 Mochizuki Shun?) (Turk in River City Ransom, Wheels in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge)
  • Taira (平 清文 Taira Kiyofumi?) (Mojo in River City Ransom)
  • Kinoshita (木下 忠 Kinoshita Tadashi?) (Blade in River City Ransom)
  • Gōda (豪田 剛 Gōda Tsuyoshi?) (Ivan in River City Ransom, Sprecks in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge)
  • Onizuka (鬼塚 崇 Onizuka Takashi?) (Otis in River City Ransom)
  • Godai (五代 奨 Godai Susumu?) (Tex in River City Ransom, Clint in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge)
  • Ryūichi (服部 竜一 Hattori Ryūichi?) and Ryūji (服部 竜二 Hattori Ryūji?) (Randy and Andy in River City Ransom)
  • Yamada (山田 大樹 Yamada Taiki?) (Slick/Simon in River City Ransom, Skip in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge)

[edit] Nekketsu Kōkō Dodge Ball Bu: Soccer Hen

  • Misako
  • Takashi
  • Masa
  • Gen'ei

[edit] Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku

  • Tōdō (藤堂 護 Tōdō Mamoru?) (Todd in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge, Tidus in River City Ransom EX)
  • Sugata (姿 三十朗 Sugata Sanjūrō?) (Cheese in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge, Gary in River City Ransom EX)
  • Nanase (七瀬 遥 Nanase Haruka?)
  • Momozono (桃園 里美 Momozono Satomi?)
  • Saotome (五月女 光 Saotome Hikaru?) (Nate in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge)
  • Maeda (前田 亨 Maeda Tōru?) (Rick in River City Ransom EX)
  • Yoshino (吉野 光明 Yoshino Mitsuaki?) (Dove in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge)
  • Hayasaka (早坂 良麻 Hayasaka Ryōma?) (Knors in Crash n' the Boys: Street Challenge, Jesse in River City Ransom EX)
  • Aihara (藍原 静 Aihara Shizuka?)
  • Kumada (熊田 重蔵 Kumada Jūzō?) (Barns in Crash n' The Boys Street Challenge, Ted in River City Ransom EX)
  • Hayami (速水武士 Hayami Takeshi?) (Milo in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge)
  • Kirishima (霧島 裕子 Kirishima Yūko?)

[edit] Ike Ike! Nekketsu Hockey Bu

  • Yōichi


[edit] Bikkuri Nekketsu Shin Kiroku

  • Johnny
  • Raphael
  • Jimmy

[edit] Nekketsu Kakutō Densetsu

  • Toraichi and Toraji

[edit] Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari

  • Tachibana (立花 辰巳 Tachibana Tatsumi?)
  • Rika (朝野 里佳 Asano Rika?)
  • Kuniko (芦野 久仁子 Ashino Kuniko?) (Shel in River City Ransom EX)
  • Murasaki (紫 小次郎 Murasaki Kōjirō?)

[edit] Kunio-tachi no Banka

  • Ken
  • Kyōko

[edit] Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX

  • Himada (火間田 翔 Himada Shō?) (Rex in River City Ransom EX)
  • Saori (豪田 沙織 Gōda Saori?) (Abby in River City Ransom EX)
  • Shōko (Jenny in River City Ransom EX)

[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's always getting into fights with yakuza, bikers, and street gangs, and rival schools along with his off and on ally/nemesis 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.

Kunio also makes a cameo in another one of Technos' arcade games, Shadow Force, appearing in the background in one of the game's stages.

A manga by Kōsaku Anakubo based on Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-kun called Ore wa Otoko da! Kunio-kun was published in CoroCoro Comic. It won the Shogakukan Manga Award for children in 1995.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ 小学館漫画賞：歴代受賞者 (Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved on 2007-08-19.

[edit] External links

 The external links in this article may not follow Wikipedia's content policies or guidelines.
Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links.
v • d • e
Kunio-kun video games released outside of Japan