Starting From Scratch

The Shiranui clan was known to follow the way of darkness. To that end, Genan traveled the Japanese countryside looking for people to kill. After being defeated by an unknown female ninja, Genan’s soul was resurrected by a being claiming to be the leader of the Demon World. Genan fell into a life of servitude, but he secretly planned to overthrow his benefactor and rule the Demon World himself. Genan has many tricks up his sleeve. He can create poisonous clouds of smoke, engulf his body in flames, or shed his skin in order to dodge attacks. His claw extends his range significantly and can even act as a harpoon that pulls his enemies towards him via a hidden chain. Despite his confidence, Genan is a basically a blundering fool. He talks a big game, but he’s typically surrounded by powerful fighters and often has to retreat.

Teddie is a mysterious creature from the TV world who has the appearance of a stuffed animal and a personality to match. He’s a prankster who likes to play practical jokes, and he never misses an opportunity to use a bear-related pun. Teddie is the personification of a human’s subconscious desire to be liked, and he could be described as a parody of typical mascot characters. Although he’s aware that he isn’t a real person, he suffers from an existential crisis and is driven by a desire to discover who (or what) he is. Teddie is primarily depicted as a comic relief character, but his sharp metal claws are nothing to laugh at. His “bear screw” attack allows him to launch himself at an opponent like a torpedo, while his “bearris wheel” and “beary-go-round” maneuvers turn him into spinning wheels of destruction. I told you he like puns.

In Dragon Quest IV, Alena plays the role of the stereotypical princess who longs to see the world that exists beyond the palace walls. She’s as tough as nails, full of spunk, and dreams of becoming the most powerful fighter alive. Her father understands that strong fighters are needed in their troubled times but he ultimately decides that the world is too dangerous for his daughter. Predictably, Alena escapes from the palace and sets out on an adventure against her father’s wishes. She has no magic ability to speak of, but her physical abilities fill this void. Alena is a talented martial artist and has higher strength and agility stats than the rest of her party. She’s a powerhouse in battle and an unusual number of her attacks result in critical hits. She looks completely harmless, but she’s basically Wolverine re-imagined as a petit princess.

Toal Fact is a secret character in Ys Origin who is unlocked after the game’s story is completed. During the initial playthrough of the game, Toal appears as a boss who is nigh-unbeatable. He was once considered to be the most promising of Ys’ Holy Knights, but he betrayed his nation by accepting demonic powers in order to pursue his own interests. Toal is surrounded by mystery and often operates under the guise of “The Claw.” He has the shortest reach of any character in the game, but he makes up for it with his blinding speed. He runs so fast that he can appear to be transparent, and he attacks rapidly with two large metal claws. He often lunges forward with his claws and can also punish his opponents with whirlwind-like tornado uppercuts. He even gains the ability to break through walls!

Voldo has appeared in every SoulCalibur game thus far, and his unorthodox behavior, unique look, and bizarre mannerisms have made him one of the most iconic SoulCalibur fighters. Voldo’s fighting style is based on attacks that contort and twist his body in unnatural ways. He can even fight with his back faced toward his opponent! He typically arms himself with dual hand katars that belonged to a weapons merchant who he views as his master. Katars are a perfect fit for Voldo’s sadomasochistic tendencies, and the designers assigned the weapons to him in an effort to make him the most unique fighter on the roster. Voldo communicates entirely by moaning and he’s downright creepy when he crawls around on the floor with his crotch in the air, but he’s an unpredictable fighter who should not be taken lightly.

When their mother sacrificed herself to save their village from undead spirits, Hsein-Ko and her twin sister Mei-Ling cast a forbidden spell to save her soul. This spell ultimately transformed the twins into a type of vampire from Chinese folklore known as a jiangshi. (Hsein-Ko was manifested as the body of the creature while Mei-Ling took the form the parchment-like talisman that serves as a governor to keep her sister’s newfound magic powers in check.) In battle, Hsein-Ko’s is known for pulling an assortment of deadly weapons out of the sleeves of her Manchurian burial robe. Her cache of concealed weapons includes saws, shurikens, and sledgehammers, but her massive metal claws are used as her default weapons and define her as a fighter. She’ll occasionally spin the claws around like a drill to deliver massive damage to her opponents.

After stowing away on an alien vessel, Meracle Chamlotte was held captive in a government facility for a number of years. Upon being rescued, she quickly developed a reputation for always trying to lift others’ spirits. Despite her sunny disposition, Meracle is a beast both figuratively and literally. As a catgirl, she’s is known for her strong sense of smell, insatiable appetite, and incredible athleticism. Her high energy is apparent as she cartwheels around the battlefield at blinding speeds, and she’s also one of the most powerful characters in the game. Meracle is renowned for her high strength and multi-hit moves, and the claws she wears fit perfectly with her animalistic personality. She attacks with feline obstinacy and shreds opponents to pieces by unleashing lethal flurries of scratches, uppercuts, and straight punches.

Rika’s people were created for research purposes but evolved into their own race after thousands of years of genetic engineering. She’s only a year old and has spent her entire life in a Bio-Plant, but she shows a high degree of emotional awareness despite her inexperience. Her race was designed for enhanced intelligence and are typically lacking in physical abilities compared to their human counterparts, but Rika is surprisingly strong and the only character in Phantasy Star IV who is capable of wielding claws. The claws lend themselves to swift and accurate attacks, and they also allow Rika to hold a shield with her other hand. Her default titanium claws are dangerous in their own right, but they are relatively modest compared to the plasma claws that she eventually obtains. Some of the claws she uses are nearly as large as she is.

Zhang He was a distinguished military general during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. Dynasty Wars portrays him as beautiful, graceful, and surprisingly effeminate (not that there’s anything wrong with that.) He dresses in silk garments and high-heeled boots, he celebrates victories with synchronized dances, and his first concern after conquering enemy strongholds usually involves redecorating. He’s completely obsessed with his appearance, but he’s deceptively proficient on the battlefield despite his eccentricities. Zhang He uses his dual claws to perform huge slashing attacks and dazzles his enemies with graceful gestures. His movements mimic eagles, butterflies, and even tornadoes at times. He also enjoys jumping enemies, pinning them down, and drilling them into the ground.

He’s known as Balrog in Japan and Vega elsewhere in the world, but members of the competitive gaming community often refer to him as Claw. He’s defined by his unbridled ego, but his narcissism is informed by his abilities as a fighter. He’s one of the fastest and most agile characters in the Street Fighter series, and his fighting style is a blend of ninjutsu and bullfighting. Vega’s defensive rating is relatively low, but he’s able to keep his distance since his claw gives him a distinct reach advantage over most of his opponents. It’s possible for Vega to lose his claw if he gets hit often enough, and this significantly reduces his attack range and prevents him from using certain Super Combos. Geki deserves some level of recognition here for rocking a claw in the first Street Fighter, but Vega is the fighter most associated with the weapon.