German Characters

As a country, Germany has long been known for its tremendous strength. Few characters better exemplify this trait than Hugo. Capcom’s homage to André the Giant was first seen in Final Fight before crossing over into the Street Fighter series. He’s not the brightest bulb in the box, but he found work in street gangs and parlayed his size into a pro wrestling career. Aside from fighting, his only real interests are weightlifting and potatoes. (Incidentally, his mother encouraged him to “grow like a potato” when he was younger, so he came to view the starchy vegetables as symbols of strength and manhood.) He doesn’t always make sense, but you can always count on him to make mayhem. He would have been ranked higher if he spent more time in his homeland, but traveling sort of comes with the territory when you’re a pro wrestler.

Neinhalt Sieger technically predates modern Germany, but the proud knight from Prussia is defined by his loyalty to his King and country. The guy micro-brews his own beer and apparently has a knack for tap dancing, but he’s a military man first and foremost. Sieger serves as the Leader of the Red Lion Knights, so when a vengeful spirit emerges in Japan, he travels overseas to protect his people from the threat of demons. Germans are encouraged to strive for perfection, and this is reflected in Sieger’s design. Between his streamlined body and his chiseled abs, the dude looks like he was engineered in a lab. His fighting style relies heavily on grappling and explosive punches, and his oversized metal gauntlet can be used as a veritable shield if things get too intense. He’s an unconventional fighter, but you have to admire his ingenuity.

Karin Koenig was a lieutenant in the German army during the first World War and a descendant of Bavarian nobility. Her short skirts and thigh-high boots were unbecoming of a soldier, but she was proficient with magic and her sword skills were on point. Unfortunately, she got into some trouble while investigating the existence of a shape-shifting demon. When she accidentally fell on an errant grenade, she was saved by the very demon she was attacking. This supposed demon turned out to be a “Harmonizer” named Yuri who was merely protecting his village from enemy soldiers. This event completely shattered her world view, so Karin decided to tag along with him during his journey. To the surprise of no one, Karin fell deeply in love with Yuri. She then traveled back in time and became his mom. Who says Germans are predictable?

There are a couple of reasons why Punch-Out!! has had a strong showing on our nationality-based lists. The series dates back to 1984, so its boxers were among the first gaming characters to represent specific countries. Also, the characters are completely defined by cultural stereotypes. There is no ambiguity to Shigeru Miyamoto’s character designs, and you can accurately assess where each boxer is from simply by watching them in action. Von Kaiser is a no-nonsense strongman who resembles a typical World War I German soldier. It’s not especially surprising to learn that he used to teach boxing… at the military academy! The so-called “The German Steel Machine” uses Ride of the Valkyries as his entrance music and credits German precision for his boxing techniques. I’m surprised he doesn’t wear lederhosen to the ring.

Caroline Becker was raised in a small German town prior to the second World War. She was left orphaned when Nazis killed her father, but the tragedy inspired her to form a resistance movement. During the war, she was shot through the spine by a notorious Nazi enforcer. She somehow managed to escape with her life, but her vertebrae were shattered and the injury left her paralyzed from the waist-down. Caroline remained active in the resistance despite needing a wheelchair, and her mobility issues were ended when she obtained a high-tech power suit with a built-in neural link. Although the suit gave her superhuman strength, she was still defined by her leadership abilities and her unbreakable spirit. Disposable Nazis are common in the gaming world, but it’s important to recognize that many Germans stood in opposition to them.

Reinhardt Wilhelm was a member of the German Armed Forces who joined Overwatch to fight against rebellious robots. He was one of the organization’s foremost champions, but his advancing age forced him into retirement. When Overwatch disbanded many years later, the decorated soldier felt compelled to take up arms once again. Adhering to codes of valor, justice, and courage, Reinhardt was defined by his overactive imagination. He viewed himself as a knight in shining armor and likened his enemies to fictional monsters from the Middle Ages. He was a man out of time in many regards, but his weapons would be effective in any era. His rocket hammer was ideal for melee combat, and his rocket-propelled charge attacks had the intensity of blitzkrieg assaults. He might be foolhardy, but Reinhardt can take on multiple enemies at once.

Hildegard von Krone hails from the fictional Kingdom of Wolfkrone – which was located somewhere within the German-speaking region of the Holy Roman Empire. Germany didn’t technically exist in the 1500s, but Hilde still deserves a mention on this list. You’d never guess by looking at her, but Hilde is actually a princess. Sadly, she was forced to take the throne at a young age after her father became ill. She disciplined herself to become strong (both physically and emotionally) in order to protect her people, and she evolved into a stoic and humorless woman in the process. Hilde is largely defined by her responsibilities, and she personally leads her armies into battle. You don’t see a lot of princesses on the front lines, but Hilde is not like most women. Unlike most of her SoulCalibur sisters, she’s mindful enough to wear armor.

Between his thick German accent and his tendency to yell “OKTOBERFEST!” at the top of his lungs, the Medic is an obvious choice for this list. He’s also a textbook example of the “mad doctor,” which is a archetype that has strong ties to Germany. (You can thank the Nazis for that one.) The Medic lacks compassion for the sick and respect for human life, but who needs formal training when you have morbid curiosity and a limitless supply of needles? He’s obsessed with human flesh, enthralled by pain, and brazen enough to perform unethical experiments on his own teammates! He’s an effective healer on the battlefield when he wants to be, but the only keeps people to alive so he can continue to hurt them in the future. Incidentally, he was raised in an era where the Hippocratic oath was considered more of a suggestion.

Rugal Bernstein is a power-hungry narcissist and the face of SNK Boss Syndrome. He’s notoriously overpowered, and he was specifically created to be the “mightiest and most evil boss character ever.” With a single attack, he can shave upwards of 80% off of his opponent’s energy bar! (How’s that for German efficiency?) The guy puts most Bond villains to shame with how over-the-top he is. His official bio specifically mentions his “evil heart” and lists “justice” as one of his dislikes, and the guy sees absolutely no value in human life. The silver-tongued cartel leader will slaughter entire families out of spite, and he goes so far as to bathe his fallen enemies in liquid metal so he can display them as trophies! His cybernetic Omega form is even more ruthless. I can only imagine how many broken controllers he’s been responsible for.

Germans are commonly defined by efficiency and a pursuit of perfection, and no one on this list encapsulates those traits more than Franziska von Karma. The daughter of a formidable prosecutor, Franziska began her legal studies at a young age and passed the bar at 13. Her father had a perfect record in the courtroom, and she was determined to step out of his formidable shadow. She’ll do anything to secure a guilty verdict, and she has no time for fools. Franziska is headstrong, abrasive, and downright arrogant, and she’s all-too-willing to crack her whip at anyone who irritates her – including the judge! Her anger is unhealthy and she has the temperament of a wild mare, but she’s more sympathetic than her cold exterior suggests. As Phoenix Wright so aptly points out, “she’s so openly hostile, it’s almost cute.”