List of Bloody Roar characters

This is a list of the major characters from the Hudson Soft video game series Bloody Roar that were released over various platforms from 1997 to 2003.

Introduced in Bloody Roar

Yūgo

Voiced by: Nobutoshi Canna (Bloody Roar), Hideo Ishikawa (Bloody Roar II, Bloody Roar 3, Bloody Roar Extreme), Akimitsu Takase (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), David Babich (Bloody Roar, Bloody Roar II), Barry Gjerde (Bloody Roar 3), Lex Lang (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Rob Narita (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

Yūgo Ōgami (大神勇吾, Ōgami Yūgo), the series' protagonist, is a young wolf zoanthrope on a quest to uncover the circumstances of his father's death. His father, Yūji Ōgami (大神勇二, Ōgami Yūji), was a mercenary said to have died in combat in a South American country. Yūgo also seeks the mercenary Gado, the sole survivor of Yūji's combat unit.^[1] Yūgo and Gadou eventually meet in a secret Tyron Corporation laboratory, where Gado reveals that Yūji was a zoanthrope who fought against the Tyron Corporation's mind control experiments and conversion process. Yūgo then promises his father that he will destroy their enemies with the powers that he inherited from him.^[2]

After the fall of Tylon, Yūgo hides his Zoanthropy and takes up a career as a boxer. He is not truly alone, as he took under his wing a boy he found during the destruction of Tylon. The boy had no memories and nobody to take care of him, so Yūgo took it upon himself to adopt him as his brother and named him Kenji. One day, five years after the incident with Tylon, Kenji is mysteriously abducted by a strange person. He assumes this is a sign that Tylon might be resurfacing and decides to fight back and rescue his younger brother.

Yūgo becomes the leader of an NGO (Non-Government Organization) called the W.O.C. (World of Co-Existence). Their goal is to build a bright future for both humans and Zoanthropes alike. But a mark known as the 'XGC' appears on his body. The 'XGC' will eventually end his life and end the lives of others who are afflicted if he doesn't find out how to stop it. He sets out to uncover the truth.

A representative of the Zoanthrope tournament visits Yūgo. Prior to his visit, a group of men and a woman had attacked Yūgo as part of a test to show the representative his legendary skills. Yūgo had worked out for himself who they were working for. The man gives him an invitation to the tournament. Yūgo accepts, wanting to learn more of the 'bad' activities going on behind the scenes.

Yūgo has been racking his brains over the violence occurring. While out investigating the incidents he heard rumors of a 'Black Shadow'. Also, that the name of this 'Black Shadow' was Nagi. This name he'd heard before. He was sure she had been a victim during the incident with the XGC a year before and was still in a hospital somewhere. In order to learn the truth, Yūgo sets out on a journey.

Alice

Voiced by: Mika Kanai (Bloody Roar, Bloody Roar II, Bloody Roar 3), Ruri Asano (Bloody Roar Extreme) (Japanese), Donna Mae Wong (Bloody Roar, Bloody Roar II), Kimberly Forsythe (Bloody Roar 3), Jennifer Hale (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Rumiko Varnes (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

Alice Nonomura (野々村アリス, Nonomura Arisu) (Alice Tsukagami (塚神アリス, Tsukagami Arisu) in Bloody Roar) is a rabbit zoanthrope who was kidnapped as a child by a secret research institution that conspired to use zoanthropes as weapons. After being subjected to physical experimentation, her latent powers were awakened, after which she was used as a test subject and given battle training. However, she managed to escape the institution before being brainwashed, earning herself the freedom she had long sought. While hiding herself to regain her composure, she began to worry about a girl that Alice befriended in the institution. Because the girl sacrificed herself by distracting Alice's pursuers during her escape, Alice decided to come out of hiding and fight against the institution.^[3] After the events of the story, Alice is adopted by her aunt Mitsuko and lives a peaceful life as a part of her family.^[4]

After graduating from high school, she became a nurse. One day, her friend Yūgo was brought into the hospital where got tested on. But as she tried to talk to him, he left the hospital. Concerned for his welfare, she chased after him.

Being a close friend with Yūgo, she decides to follow him to participate in the activities of the Non-Government Organization (NGO), the World of Co-Existence (W.O.C.). In doing so, she leaves her job as a professional nurse. She becomes anxious when Yūgo goes out alone to discover the origins of the 'XGC', a mark that appears on the bodies of Zoanthropes and bringing great power but at the cost of their life. Being marked by the XGC herself, Alice does not hesitate to follow after Yūgo.

The W.O.C. once a small volunteer group has now grown into a commercial enterprise. Alice finds herself confused amongst the big changes occurring in the company. Aside, she concerns herself over Yugo, who has recently taken up the invitation to participate in the tournament in the Zoanthrope Kingdom. She agrees with his reasons to go, having heard the rumours of suspicious activities occurring behind the scenes, though she feels saddened she wasn't invited and that Kenji knows more information than her in the circumstances. Though, she feels the young ninja is very mature and he wouldn't let his emotions overcome him like she would over Yūgo, and supports his good work as the vice-president of the W.O.C. It is as she is considering these thoughts that she receives a letter from Long, inviting her to the tournament. She takes up the invitation and heads for the tournament.

Alice, who has been living the life of a volunteer in the W.O.C, has recently been aiding those who have been injured in the earthquakes in the area. A young girl, dressed in the clothes of a shinto priestess appeared in the disaster area. Alice found this very strange under the circumstances and called to the girl. She requested that Alice tend to her friend, Ryoho. Not knowing the situation, she tried to refuse, but when she heard the girl mention that the earthquakes were their fault, Alice became intrigued and decided to follow her to find out more.

Long

Voiced by: Ryō Horikawa (Bloody Roar, Bloody Roar II), Ryōtarō Okiayu (Bloody Roar 3, Bloody Roar Extreme), Naoki Bandō (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Jimmy Nochol (Bloody Roar), Edward McCloud (Bloody Roar II), Dario Toda (Bloody Roar 3), Chris Wells (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

Long Shin (Jin Long) (進龍, Jin Ron) is a Chinese tiger zoanthrope who curses his fate and zoanthrope blood. When he was a child, his mother and younger sister died one after the other. Neglected by his workaholic father, Long ran away from his home. Afterward, his great skills in the martial arts and zoanthrope powers brought him recognition, and he was enlisted by an underground assassination unit.^[5] After the events of the story, Long seals himself away from the world due to his zoanthrope blood.^[6]

One day, a girl came to the cave where he dwelled, begging him to train her in the martial arts so she can have the strength to rescue her mother. Her words stir a part of him - he starts to see himself in her, someone cursed with the fate of being a Zoanthrope but with the strong will to fight back. He agrees to train the girl, Uriko, preparing for what awaits them.

Long, still dwelling on his dark past and Zoanthrope blood, lives the life of a vagrant. Though he finds some release from his anguish when he takes up residence in a small town in the home of an old martial arts master and his daughter, Lanfa. Though the fear of the 'XGC' mark leaves him restless. One day, Lanfa collapses. The XGC now marks her body. If no treatment is done, then the old man's only family will be lost. Long thinks sadly back to his lost younger sister, Lin Li, who perished because of the insatiable beast power. He wonders if it is possible for he himself to stop the evil power behind the XGC. He vows to be confident and sets out on his search, with Lanfa's warm smile in the back of his mind, coupled with that of his sister's.

Large tanks, built to sustain one person, are lined up in a row. The place is a well-equipped research institute, though itself is a unique facility with its stone walls and floors. Long is stood in the midst of this room as a voice calls out to him, telling him that everything is under control. He responds by saying that finally their dream will come true. The other man calmly points out that the United Nations were taking action at their next convention. Long informs him they have a ploy. That they'll invite several strong Zoanthropes to fight against the people of the United Nations to cause havoc. They will defend the place and take advantage of the confusion and if the worst happens, they can divert the attention to the King's research. The other man asks if this scheme will be executed without others knowing and if that will be alright with him? Long says nothing, and the man proceeds to asks if he loaths what he's going to do. With composure though clearly denying, he tells him that he doesn't and that he's made up his mind, and that he'll do what he must as long as it goes by his beliefs.

Long searched through his own archive, gathering information on the incidents of Beast violence occurring. As night fell, he heard an animal's call from outside his house. When he went to the door, he found a small white fox huddled up shivering in the entranceway. He felt pity for the little creature and gave it some food. As he watched the fox eat, he noticed there was a piece of paper wrapped around its foot. Taking the paper, he unwraps it and finds that it is a map to a temple. He tells the little fox that he will see that it gets back there. So he sets out from his home with the fox, though unknown to them they are followed by a violence-influenced beastman.

Gado

Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Erik Bergmann (Bloody Roar), Monty DiPietro (Bloody Roar II), Chris Wells (Bloody Roar 3), Paul Eiding (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Murray Johnson (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

Alan Gado (アラン・ガドウ, Aran Gadōu) is a French lion zoanthrope, a professional mercenary and military genius who took part in a mission with his best friend and Yūgo's father, Yūji, years ago. On that day, his union of armies was crushed by a combined force of superior zoanthropes and a hostile army that appeared out of nowhere. Gado was seriously injured in the battle and lost his sight in one eye. Afterward, he went off to search for Yūji and discover the identity of the enemy.^[7] At the end of the game, he destroys the Tyron Corporation, finally exacting revenge for Yūji. After Gado's arrest, police discover the Tyron Corporation's secret lab and accumulate enough evidence against the Tyron Corporation to drop charges against Gadou. Afterward, desiring the thrill of battle, Gado returns to the battlefield and promises Yūji that they will meet again in the heavens.^[8]

Commissioner Gado is a well-respected dignitary in the United Nations. His mission is to bring reconciliation between humans and Zoanthropes. Even though a Zoanthrope himself, he has become internationally respected for his inspiring words and past deeds as a mercenary on the battlefield. Greatly determined, he has accomplished many good results during international negotiations, though recently his battles to find a solution to the 'XGC' problem have been strenuously inconclusive. To make things worse, the 'XGC' mark had appeared on his own body. He knew that with this condition, he only had a short time left to live, and he wanted to make sure that he could leave something behind to be passed on to the next generation of humans and Zoanthropes. There was no choice now but lead the battle against fate. Devoting himself to the future cause, he leaves his dignified status and steps into the battlefield once again.

Gado finds Jenny in his home, enjoying an expensive bottle of brandy on ice. He doesn't expect anything less of her. She remarks he has aged, to which he sprays out his own glass of brandy. He is surprised by her comment, though she says that there is nothing to it, looking away sullenly. This is uncharacteristic of her and he takes note of this change in attitude. She mentions that she heard he's be in charge of tactical operations this time. He confirms this, saying it will be his last operation. He is looking forward to meeting old friends. Jenny abruptly tells him that she won't let him interfere in her business anymore and that the research facility is hers. After which, she storms out of the room. He can't believe how she is acting, though knows that his goal is still to complete his job successfully.

The world has been consumed by the Zoanthrope violence. Gado pitches his time and effort into his work at the U.N., and is left frustrated at not being able to get involved directly in the incidents. Just then, he received news that his beloved daughter, Shina, has gone missing. Unable to sit back and do nothing, Gado throws himself into battle to find her whereabouts.

Bakuryū (first)/Kōryū

Voiced by: Fumihiko Tachiki (Bloody Roar), Takeshi Aono (Bloody Roar 3 onwards) (Japanese), Barry Gjerde (Bloody Roar), Greg Irwin (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

Bakuryū (バクリュウ, Bakuryū), real name Ryūzō Katō (加東竜三, Katō Ryūzō) is a mole zoanthrope and a self-styled master of the traditional ninja arts. His personal details are veiled in secrecy and his existence is a mystery. An expert in assassination, he was enlisted in an infamous ungerground organization and put in charge of sabotage and the abduction of zoanthropes for experimentation.^[9] After the events of the story, Bakuryū's molecules destabilize, causing his body to completely decompose. As a result, the scientists of the Tyron Corporation decide to concentrate their efforts on a new conversion process.^[10]

The liquefied tissue that was left was saved after his death. The 'YUN CHI Manufacturing, INC.', once a department of Tylon, though still active even after the fall of their main office, managed to create a prototype battle robot called the 'Iron Mole', which they produced with the original Bakuryu's battle data and his liquefied remains. However, they lost control of the robot during a trial run, and Kohryu set to attacking any Zoanthrope in its path, as if fulfilling some unknown vendetta.

In 2012, Complex Magazine has called Bakuryu's "Double Inferno" Super the 15th Coolest Fighting Game super saying that "The Super with the most hits in the game just so happens to be the coolest." ^[11]

Fox

Voiced by: Samantha Vega

Hans Taubemann (ハンス・ターブマン, Hansu Tābuman) (nicknamed Fox (フォックス, Fokkusu)) is an English fox zoanthrope with a warped mind and heightened aesthetic sense. He is obsessed with beauty and despises ugly things, boasting of his good looks and publicly declaring all else ugly. Abandoned as a child and raised in the slums, he grew up into a well-known scoundrel. He earned the nickname of Fox from his wariness and cruelty in beating up even the very weakest. He works for the Organization in the same unit as Bakuryū and engages in such activities as kidnapping and murder.^[12] After the events of the story, Fox kills another civilian, but is shocked to discover that it is his own mother.^[13]

Mitsuko

Voiced by: Rin Mizuhara (Bloody Roar) (Japanese), Anet Tarpoff (English)

Mitsuko Nonomura (野々村光子, Nonomura Mitsuko) is a wild boar zoanthrope and everyday housewive with a massive body and generous nature. After her daughter (who is also a zoanthrope) was abducted, she went on a quest to find her, the only clue being the kidnapper's steely eyes and insanely sardonic grin.^[14] At the end of the game, she discovers her daughter Uriko and brings her home, where they lead a peaceful life.^[15]

Greg

Voiced by: Scott McCulloch

Gregory Jones (グレゴリー・ジョーンズ, Guregorī Jōnzu) (Greg (グレッグ, Gureggu) for short) is an American gorilla zoanthrope who, in his youth, fulfilled his hope of running away to join a circus. Having a great talent for handling animals, he later took charge of the circus after the ringmaster retired. But with the rapid changes in the entertainment industry, the circus eventually went bankrupt and its members parted ways.^[16] After the events of the story, Greg tries to talk Yūgo into joining his circus in an attempt to avert the circus's closure, but is eventually convinced into being the star himself.^[17]

Uriko

Voiced by: Marina Ōno (Bloody Roar 3, Bloody Roar Extreme), Yūki Hamano (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Mo Mellady (Bloody Roar II), Bianca Allen (Bloody Roar 3), Jennifer Hale (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Lynn Harris (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

Uriko Nonomura (野々村宇理子, Nonomura Uriko) was kidnapped by Tylon as a child to be used in an experiment that created super beast soldiers. She was brainwashed and converted into the body of a woman that stored the power of a synthetic transformation known as 'Werechimera'. While brainwashed she was forced to fight against her mother and her friend, Alice, whom she had helped to escape from Tylon. But it was thanks to their efforts that she was freed from Tylon's influence and she changed back to her normal self, returning with her mother and Alice home.

Five years on from her ordeal in Tylon, Uriko is a junior high school student. One day, when she returns home from school, she sees a group of men surrounding her mother. The leader easily floors the powerful Mitsuko and they abduct her. Uriko, angry, decides to transform and defeat her mother's abductors. Unfortunately, the experiments that were performed on Uriko those five years ago has left lasting effects on her ability to transform. The force is too much and her transformation stops halfway in the form of a bobcat. She is too weak to fight these foes, they'd easily defeated her mother who is known to be one of the strongest Zoanthropes. In order to gain the strength she needs, she seeks out Long, who is a renowned martial artist.

After rescuing her mother, they return to a peaceful life. Though Uriko is easily bored with this lifestyle. She was saddened that Kenji would not play with her anymore. So she turned her attention to what Alice and Yugo were doing. They were investigating the XGC mark. Looking for something to keep her occupied, she decided to go investigating too.

The subject known as 'Prototype Uranus' was a test body equipped with a strong attack ability, high alertness, agility in gravity control and can maintain acid mucus inside the body. She is the strongest third generation man-made Zoanthrope - formally the ace card of the now defunct company, Tylon. She was an incomplete ultimate weapon - an evil that could cause massive destruction. Because of its immense power, it could not be controlled. That is why a lesser version, 'Uranus', is created, where the power is more suppressed...

The representatives of the Zoanthrope Kingdom were expecting to see a monster but instead saw a sweet faced, drooling girl asleep in her bed. A gong was banged to wake her up. Uriko asks who a person is and is given a business card (in English). He then explains they are hosting a fighting tournament and she is invited to participate. Uriko asks if he means an athletic game, though he is dumbfound by her question. After that she goes back to sleep where he is forced to try for three long hours to wake her back up again but to no avail. The idea next time is to tempt her with food.

When Uriko was walking through town, she noticed some grade schoolers prodding something. When she came closer upon the scene, she saw they were poking at a little white dog. She shouted at the children, who upon hearing her loud voice, scattered in all directions. Out of gratitude the little dog leapt up onto Uriko and began to lick her face, then biting the hem of her clothing, began to pull her off somewhere. Uriko was unable to resist and followed. She asked the little dog what its name was and checked to see if it were on its collar. But it didn't have one, so she decided to name it herself. After much deliberation, she called the little dog Pakupon. She followed little 'Pakupon' off on an unknown adventure.

Introduced in Bloody Roar II

Stun

Voiced by: Tōru Ōkawa (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Greg Dale (Bloody Roar 3), Ward Sexton (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

Steven Goldberg (スティーブン・ゴールドバーグ, Sutīben Gōrudobāgu) was as a young, zealous scientist working for the multinational group, Tylon. He believed his research would contribute to saving people's lives. In the same year that he joined the company, another young scientist by the name of Busuzima entered work there and the two would become good friends, and also, good rivals. Though, when Steven discovered the evils behind the company, he became a part of one of Busuzima's experiments and converted into a man-made insect Zoanthrope. Because of how unstable the experiment had made his genetic structure, he could only survive on a special stabilizer developed to retain his body. Feeling betrayed, Steven (now going by the name 'Stun') plunges into despair over losing his human form. Slowly, his mind and body decayed though his heart yearned for revenge.

A year ago, Stun fought against Busuzima after turning him into an artificial Zoanthrope in a cruel experiment. However, when he faced Busuzima, he was unable to kill him because he remembered their lost friendship. His revenge had been quelled by his still rational heart. After the ZLF fell, Stun disappeared into the shadows, forced to drink the blood of animals to stabilize his decaying body. He lives now out of sight - a solitary figure hiding his deformed form from the world. Eventually the mysterious 'XGC' mark befell him and the power that came with it began overloading his unstable body. The violent energy raged within him, often surfacing in sharp pains that would sometimes rendered him uncontrollable or unconscious. He knew he'd become a monster if he didn't act soon. Jenny, an old friend, appeared before the agonised Stun and whispered to him that his pain was caused by the power of other dominant Zoanthropes with the 'XGC' mark, and unless they were beaten, he'd completely lose all reason - and he should not hesitate if he wanted to retain his pride as a man.

Stun awakens to the sounds of voices, confused by his surroundings. His memories are badly distorted - a complete blur. As he considers where he is, he takes notice of what the voices are saying. The unknown people recognise he is awake, and that his lost cells have successfully been restored, though they don't believe any of his memories were saved. 70% of his body cells, including brain cells, were already damaged before he was captured. Now though they observe that this body is stable unlike his former body. Though they take note of tissues within his brain that couldn't be eliminated - tissues referred to as the 'black box'. It worked like a flight data recorder. They'd wanted to remove them to eliminate memory recall but were unable to. The scientists are a part of a project to mass-produce Zoanthropes, and agree Stun will be a good candidate for data collection. He laughs at them. They become very uneasy.

A year after the XGC incident, Stun lives out his days struggling with great pain in his body. Losing patience, he wonders how long he could live with his enhanced body this way. If he was to have a long life, he needed a way to try and preserve himself. He received information of a Shinto oracle who could seal the power of the beast. Uneasily, Stun decided to seek out the oracle, knowing that there wasn't much time left. It was a single ray of hope that he prayed would end his suffering.

Shina

Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), RuthAnn Morizumi (Bloody Roar II), Lenne Hardt (Bloody Roar 3), Jennifer Hale (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Karen Lee (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

Shina was an orphan of war, and a zoanthrope leopard. She was adopted as the daughter of the war veteran, Gado. Influenced by his status as a legendary mercenary, she began to demonstrate great capability for battle during her childhood. When she was 13 years old, she single-handedly obliterated a platoon, earning the nickname 'Fighting Marvel'. Her father however, didn't want his daughter to follow in his footsteps and tried to talk her into leading an ordinary life. Shina wouldn't listen and as soon as she graduated high school, she became a mercenary. One day, her father disappears without a word. There are rumors that he is the organizer behind the ZLF, (Zoanthrope Liberation Front) a group that thrives on vicious terrorism. Shina doesn't want to believe that her father is behind it. She will only make her judgment if she sees it with her own eyes. With that in mind, she follows her father's trail to find out what his real intentions are.

Shina has made a name for herself as a heroic mercenary outside of the shadow of her father's legendary status. Because of her skills she is requested by a powerful group to participate in the 'Klaw and Fang' coalition to find out the source of the damaging XGC beast mark. Being marked herself, she doesn't hesitate to pursue the truth.

After her last operation, disillusioned, Shina quits her job as a mercenary. Sometime later, while leading a quiet life, Shina is surprised when Yugo pays her a visit. He is filthy and tired. It took him three days to get to her house because the road was littered with landmines. She sends him to shower as she makes them tea. After, she questions why he is there, as it appeared he hadn't sought her out for tea and a chat. He brings up an incident of the past, the time when Shina was orphaned when her village burnt down. These memories are nightmares she has been trying to overcome with her time on the battlefield. Yugo tells her he met someone who was in similar circumstances, and that a friend of his burnt to death in the fire sixteen years prior. Her name was 'Jane'. Shina is shocked, inquiring his name. His name is Cronos. Yugo says she should go and find out everything else for herself. Determined to reunite with her long lost friend, Shina heads for the Zoanthrope Kingdom.

Beast violence is now global. Shina is given orders from the headquarters of a certain country, telling her to go to Japan and search for a missing group of investigators who have disappeared around the region of a temple. The headquarters are provoked, and will use their special forces if necessary in a worst-case scenario. Shina remembers what happened during the XGC incident a year before. She puts those feelings aside, knowing it's not like her to rest for long.

Jenny

Voiced by: Takako Kodama (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Michelle Gazepis (Bloody Roar II), Samantha Vega (Bloody Roar 3), Vanessa Marshall (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Alison Noonan (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

A woman surrounded in mystery. There are stories about her. Some say that because of an incomplete experiment, she has stopped aging, and others say she is a real life vampire from Hungary. It is known that Jenny Burtory is a top model. Though in truth, this is but a cover for her secret life - her occupation as a covert spy. Her skills are impressive enough for top companies to fight to seek allegiance with her. One day, Jenny is invited by Gado, an old acquaintance of hers, to investigate a suspicious organization. To kill her boredom, she takes up the invite and slips out into the cover of night, using her zoanthrope bat.

Jenny is Europe's top beauty queen. Few know of her true occupation in life. This top International spy has uncovered secrets in many global incidents, and her next task looks into the havoc of the 'XGC' mark. She believes that nobody else should carry this mark besides herself and the man behind it all. For in the end, only one person can have the power of the tabula.

Jenny finishes her shower. As usual the water is nearly hot enough to scald her skin, but she does not mind. Many times she admires her nude body and compares it to that of the glittering night sky. Though she looks in her late twenties, deep down, she knows the truth of her situation. An ageless creature, forever frozen in time. She stares at herself in the mirror, knowing that she must hurry now. It is not good to be late for an appointment, because time is crucial for the customer of a contract.

In her normal life, she is the top model of high society. Secretly, one of the best infiltrating operatives that has made her name in the spy world. Her latest mission is leading her to find out the truth about the 'Water Dragon' and the 'Nine-tailed Fox' that exist in Japanese legend. Jenny, who doesn't believe in legends, decides to relieve her boredom by going to investigate into the stories she'd heard. Though after a week of searching, she could find no information. Just as she was about to consider fabricating her report, a small fox passes her by. She knows she can't overlook it and sets out in search of the white fox.

Busuzima

Voiced by: Kazumi Tanaka (Bloody Roar II, Bloody Roar 3, Bloody Roar Extreme), Shōto Kashii (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Brian Vouglas (Bloody Roar 2), Paul Lucas (Bloody Roar 3), Micheal Rhys (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

As a child, Hajime Busuzima was curious about the internal mechanics of insects, dissecting them just to find out how they moved. His grandmother pointed out to him that the insect no longer moved because it was dead. Eventually, she too 'no longer moved', and Busuzima became very lonely. It was then that he became obsessed with the idea of immortality, beginning his slow descent into madness. Many years later, Busuzima was employed by the Tylon corporation as one of their top researchers. It was during this time that he conducted unorthodox experiments on himself and became a Zoanthrope chameleon. At Tylon he befriended a fellow researcher by the name of Steven Goldberg, with whom he had a friendly rivalry. Eventually Goldberg became uncomfortable with the experimentation going on, enraging Busuzima, who felt his plans were being interfered with. He used his friend as a test subject for creating an insect Zoanthrope, believing that Goldberg would understand things better if he became a Zoanthrope himself. Unfortunately, the experiment was a failure, leaving Goldberg (now called Stun) in an unstable state. Soon after, Tylon fell to a group of Zoanthropes fighting against the company to stop their experimentation. Over the next five years, Busuzima started his own group known as the Zoanthrope Liberation Front - ZLF - using Shenlong, a clone of the former Tylon assassin Long, as the front man, while he stayed behind the scenes, continuing to conduct his experiments and amassing a Zoanthrope army that struck fear into the hearts of confused humans.

Busuzima was once a head researcher for a company that planned to use Zoanthropes for military purposes, but their ambition was squashed by the Zoanthropes' rebellion. Left in despair, Busuzima hopes that the newly unearthed XGC code harbors a power worth harnessing. Tempted to discover the true powers behind the tabula, Busuzima sets out to be his own hero.

Busuzima finds himself lost. His experiments to find an 'Ultimate Life Object' have come to an abrupt halt; he has found that there is a counter-reaction that shortens life. During the XGC incident Stun, who (as Goldberg) was an expert in the area, pursued Busuzima, but before he could reach him, his body gave out and he died, unable to complete his vengeance.

As Busuzima thinks this, Jenny opens the door of his laboratory, and he snaps at her, threatening to use her body in an experiment if she doesn't behave. He mentions that he is looking for research material for his study on immortality. In response she apologizes for setting Stun on him during the XGC incident, and then surprises him by saying that Stun is still alive: he was reproduced in the kingdom of Zoanthropes, and will be participating in their fighting tournament. Delighted, Busuzima wishes to pursue his old friend to pillory him.

A year after the XGC incident, Busuzima gives up his work, unable to get any good results, and slips into a lonely, depressive state. When the Zoanthrope Violence begins to emerge, however, Busuzima becomes suddenly resolute. He plans to capture a legendary animal, the dragon, to make a new kind of Zoanthrope. He heads for the mountains, where he sees a white fox that seems unaware of his presence. He remembers the legend of the nine-tailed fox, and in his excitement he decides to pursue and capture it.

Kenji/Bakuryū (Kakeru Ōgami)

Voiced by: Shiho Niiyama (Bloody Roar II), Junko Noda (Bloody Roar 3, Bloody Roar Extreme), Akira Ishida (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Blake Shurtz (Bloody Roar II), Michael Naishtut (Bloody Roar 3), Cam Clarke (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Raj Ramayya (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

He was born as the only son of a clan that worshiped the 'Earth God' in an isolated area outside of the urban cities. When he was young, he lost his parents and was taken into the care of an old ninja named 'Bakuryu'. He took the boy and left the village, with the intention to train the boy with the pure blood of the 'Earth Dragon' to become his successor. The boy was taught all the ninja techniques of his teacher and was conferred the title 'Bakuryu', even displaying the power to become a mole. Together, they worked for the Tylon corporation as assassins until its fall. The original Bakuryu died, while his successor was left in a ruined building in a vegetative state because of an incomplete brainwashing. He was saved by Yugo, who'd fought against Tylon's evil ambition. Yugo took the boy home, naming him 'Kenji' and adopting him as his 'brother'. Slowly, Kenji regained his health and humanity and began to settle into a peaceful life. However, five years after being taken into Yugo's care, the remnants of Tylon go after Kenji and kidnap him. He is re-brainwashed, reviving his memories as the ninja assassin 'Bakuryu'. He serves Busuzima, fighting anyone who opposes the ZLF (Zoanthrope Liberation Front). Even Yugo.

Kenji wishes to live with his own identity, and decides to carry on, putting behind him a past he didn't choose. Recovering his humanity in the care of Yugo, Kenji carries on a peaceful life as a student as well as an aide to his brother in his activities in the non-government organization (NGO) that he runs called the World of Co-Existence (W.O.C.). But the peace is shattered by the appearance of the 'XGC' mark on his body. Kenji does not fear death, but knows Yugo cannot die because of such a thing, so takes on the role of 'Bakuryu' once more to protect his brother.

Kenji's carefree life is all thanks to the sacrifices Yugo has had to make for him. He has the choice of walking down a free road and choose how he wants to lead his life. Yugo sees his own life as having been led not for his own sake, but as leading it as an avenger for his father, guardian of Kenji, and leader of the W.O.C. He does not see this as a bad thing as he has had great experiences from his travels and seeing other cultures around the world. Kenji plans to enter the Zoanthrope tournament to prove that he has grown up. Yugo will go also to challenge him and plans not to hold back.

Kenji is investigating the earthquakes and Zoanthrope violence when he comes across a little white fox in the mountains. The fox walked before him, acting all puppy-like, though he considered the little animal to be a disruption from his investigations. He gives the fox food and tries to distract it, but whatever he does, the fox keeps following until he gives up and allows it to come with him. He wonders if the fox is worried about him, and at that second the little animal rushes off ahead. He follows and finds himself in a confrontation with a violent Zoanthrope. He realises it was the fox that was trying to tell him about this as he takes to battle.

Shenlong

Voiced by: Kenji Hamada (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Philip Mayall (Bloody Roar II), Bill Sullivan (Bloody Roar 3), Michael Bell (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), David Schaufele (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

There exists an organization that stands for the liberation of Zoanthropes - for power and predominance over humans. This organization is called the 'Zoanthrope Liberation Front' (Also known as the Zoanthrope Release Battle Line.) Shenlong is their leader, a man who strikes fear into all who oppose him. He forces Zoanthropes to obey him with an iron fist. He is one of the most powerful and dangerous Zoanthropes to ever exist (able to become a white tiger) and the opposing administrations have nothing on him. His background is a complete mystery. But as he comes face to face with opposition against his group, he begins to question his own identity amongst the confusion of strangers who see the face of someone else.

As the ZLF fell, Shenlong came to learn that he was the clone of another Zoanthrope, Long. He disappeared after the incident, trying to create a new identity for himself out of the shadow of the original. He has no past, no childhood memories, though he doesn't care, the present is all that matters to him. He allows himself to be dragged into a shadowed world of violence, living life however he wants. Knowing that he has the XGC on his body, he won't have long to live, but he does not care. He never thinks about the days in the future, believing it to be foolish thoughts. He simply decides he'll kill men he doesn't like and drink himself to death with those he does.

A small bar in a bleak corner of existence. A woman in a black suit and dark sunglasses sits across the table from Shenlong. There are only a few other people there. He refuses to participate in the tournament, she asks one last time but he says he doesn't do 'rich man' hobbies. She gives up for now and leaves. A waitress goes over to Shenlong's table as he resumes drinking. She asks if the woman was his friend and he tells her that they aren't really. She then goes on to telling him that she's quiting working at the bar at the end of the month to get married. Shenlong seems mildly interested. She says her fiancé is very rich, with many houses. He just says that's good for her. She thanks him for being so nice to her and walks away. After a short time, a freckle-faced boy comes up to the table as Shenlong lazily drinks alone. He asks Shenlong if he can tell him something, who just asks what even though he doesn't look at the him. The boy says his elder sister is leaving to get married, though she doesn't want to, because the bar will go bankrupt. Shenlong doesn't really care to listen to the story. The boy asks him if he thinks that is fair, and he just answers 'maybe'. The boy wants to grow up quicker so he can work harder. Shenlong tells him things aren't as simple as that. He suddenly gets up, placing money on the table. The boy asks where he is going and Shenlong says he's going to distract himself with strong opponents.

Shenlong was being followed. Recent daily activities hasn't been on the up-and-up, but still, he just couldn't work out why he was being targeted by Zoanthropes. Exhausted, he stumbled into a back alley somewhere. It was a dead end, though he noticed a man hanging around there. Getting a better look at him, he noticed that he was some kind of fortune teller. The fortune teller guessed that Shenlong was being followed by Zoanthropes. Shenlong shouted at him to shut up, that it was a matter of life and death. He demanded to know what he could do about it? The fortune teller explained an evil soul was lingering around him, and to free himself of the curse, he must obtain a blessing from a temple. He produced a map and gave it to Shenlong, who couldn't work out if he was serious or not, threatening that if he were cheating him, he wouldn't let him off the hook. And at that second, a violence-influenced Zoanthrope attacked.

Introduced in Bloody Roar 3

Xion

Voiced by: Mitsuaki Madono (Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), John Nuzzo (Bloody Roar 3), Quinton Flynn (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Walter Roberts (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

The 'XGC' mark gives Zoanthropes the power to possess the Tabula of a Thousand Beasts, which has been sealed to prevent calamity breaking free and gathering into one being. He is able to become an 'unborn' (an animal that doesn't exist yet) Xion wishes to break the seal of the Tabula to revive the power that lies within. His goal is to completely exterminate the Zoanthropes with the 'XGC' one by one. Once the Tabula is integrated, the world will change its form. Xion walks his path alone to free the Unborn from a distant dimension. He killed his sister, whose heart was attached to the 'trivial' world. He sees it all as a useless waste that must be eliminated to create a new and better world.

When Xion awoke, he realised he'd done something terrible. He'd been a mad man, consumed by a dark presence. He remembered the man who'd defeated him told him to survive, and a woman passing saying that he couldn't regain but he could compensate. His hands were dirtied with blood, but he had not been in control and never meant his actions. It was easy to think that he could make up for the pain he'd caused but he thought it would most likely end up with his complacence. But he had to try, as long as he lived.

Xion reflected upon the incident a year ago. A woman stood before him; she was not a Zoanthrope. She was saying something to him but he couldn't hear her words. What stood before him was the truth, and he needed to remove it from his path. Other Zoanthropes want to live together with humans, but that had nothing to do with the Unborn. After revealing golden wings from under his fur, over the woman's fallen body, he muttered that humans were making a mistake to try to defeat him. Though he had doubts that his words at the time were actually his own. All he knows now that Zoanthropes are coming before him once more to defeat him. The battle has just begun.

Uranus

Voiced by: Eriko Fujimaki (Bloody Roar 3, Bloody Roar Extreme, Bloody Roar 4) (Japanese), Vanessa Marshall (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury/Bloody Roar: Extreme), Donna Burke (Bloody Roar 4) (English)

From the shadows appears a figure before the fighting Zoanthropes. She is the strongest Zoanthrope, the Chimera, created by Tylon when they converted Uriko. Uranus was cloned from Uriko and became a perfected form of both her Chimera and her synthetic body. She is known to be the perfect zoanthrope, but cannot hold her chimera form very long, so she tends to go without transforming. Uranus has the fate to be both the wife of the God of the Sky and the mother of the God of Time, Cronos.

Introduced in Bloody Roar: Primal Fury

Cronos

Voiced by: Tomohiro Tsuboi (Japanese), Cam Clarke (English)

Prince of the Kingdom of Zoanthropes. Childhood friend of Shina. Cronos has several unanswered questions about his father, such as the experiments that his father keeps performing on his people and how his mother died. He feels that joining the tournament will answer these questions. He is the only character to have two beast forms, a phoenix and a penguin.

Ganesha

Voiced by: Shōzō Iizuka (Japanese), Earl Boen (English)

Ganesha the zoanthrope Elephant didn't know what to do. He had won all the local tournaments and qualified for the national competition. But he knew if he beat all the guest warriors, he would be a rival against Cronos. He knew he had to do it. He thinks back, to a chaotic day some time ago. Burning houses... Frightened people trying to escape... A child growing cold in his arms... A monster standing amongst the flames... It was humans to start wars like this, but it was that monster that derived everything. He mutters, 'Prince Cronos' to himself.

Fang

Voiced by: Eiji Sekiguchi

Bonus character from the manga, Bloody Roar: The Fang. Fang is the main protagonist within the manga, joining together with a young school girl, Mashiro, in dealing with other Zoanthropes (and other strange creatures) causing trouble in their area. Eventually he has to face off against a dark creature that was brought to life by the joining of four talismans. Fang, using special gloves, can break the beast transformation—he uses his power to defeat the evil entity.

Introduced in Bloody Roar 4

Nagi

Voiced by: Nawo Takamori (Japanese), Erica Ash (English)

During the XGC and tabula/crest incident, Nagi was mortally wounded while trying to stop Xion, who was on a rampage against the Zoanthropes to absorb power for the tabula. It was during this time that Gaia copied the Unborn powers and created 'The Spurious' in order to try and seek out the Unborn and absorb it into the body. With this power inside Nagi, she was able to survive the attack, though the power stayed dormant because Yugo and the others overcame the incident. A year later, Xion was taken over by the Unborn and 'The Spurious' began to awake. Nagi wanted to know more about this strange power that had awoken within her and set out on a journey to find Xion.

Reiji

Voiced by: Masakazu Suzuki (Japanese), Eric Kelso (English)

Deep in the mountains, there are four clans of fighting monks known as the 'Yatagarasu'. Within these clans, the power of the beast transformation is passed down, though it is sealed until the inheritor is judged an adult. However, one of the heirs to the families, Reiji, had his seal broken prematurely before the coming of age ceremony because of the crest/tabula incident (Bloody Roar 3), and gained the power to become a crow. Reiji, who deep down harboured destructive tendencies, used these newfound powers and killed his father, a member of the four clans, and fled the temple. Reiji went out in search of strong Zoanthropes, finding great pleasure in killing a powerful opponent, though now he is on the run from the remaining Yatagarasu who pursue him.

Mana

Voiced by: Ema Kogure (Japanese), Helen Morrison (English)

Mana, a kitsune able to become a small white fox, belongs to a secret temple that supports both the Buddhist and Shinto religions together (it had managed to escape the Meiji Restoration law that separated Buddhist and Shinto religious activities). She took over the role of her sister as her duty to the ninetails family to guard the seal of Gaia's dragon. Ryoho, the dragon vessel whom she is guarding, lost his memories of the events that occurred during the tabula/XGC incident the year before and did not know of his own powers. Mana is taken under his care and, unbeknownst to him, she makes sure that the dragon stays sleeping behind the seal. Before she joined Ryoho, she had been the target of interest of unsavoury types after the power ninetails. The monk's protection warded away any followers who finally left her alone. A year after the XGC incident, Mana feels the seal start to come loose. The power of the Unborn is growing and the dragon is disturbed. Because of the dragon's immense power, earthquakes and Zoanthrope violence begins to occur. The Unborn attacked the secret temple the year before and the dragon appeared, leaving it up to Mana's sister to seal it. Mana pushes aside her doubts, knowing that she must find strong Zoanthropes to help her reseal the dragon. As she and Ryoho set out on a journey to protect their temple, she knows that Ryoho will soon learn the truth about himself.

Ryōhō

Voiced by: Naomi Kusumi (Japanese), Angus Waycott (English)

Ryōhō belongs to a secret temple that supports both the Buddhist and Shinto religions together (which had managed to escape the Meiji Restoration law that separated Buddhist and Shinto religious activities), and is able to become a dragon. A year before there was an attack by the Unborn though after the incident, Ryōhō lost his memory. Shortly afterward, a young Shinto miko, Mana, appeared. She had the power of the legendary ninetails. When taken under Ryōhō's care, people who were pursuing Mana for her power left her alone. A year later, earthquakes and Zoanthrope violence began to occur. To protect the temple, Ryōhō set out on a journey with Mana to face the evil that had caused these problems.

Reception

In his review of Bloody Roar, Doug Perry of IGN described the character design as "likable but bizzare", but added that while the characters were "cool-looking", they "aren't addictive or moving". On the character of Greg, he described him as "[having] massively powerful moves that do a lot of damage, he is a slow guy who can be very frustrating at times. And like Zangief in Street Fighter, he's an acquired taste." Perry considered the sounds from the Alice character "annoying", comparing her to both "a broken record" and Demonica from the Nintendo 64 video game Dark Rift.^[18] James Mielke of GameSpot expressed disgust at the female boar character Mitsuko in his review of Bloody Roar II.^[19]

Notes

References

• Bloody Roar Instruction Booklet. Hudson Soft. 1997. 

Bloody Roar video games Bloody Roar 2 3 4 List of Bloody Roar characters