Dead or Alive (Japanese: デッド オア アライブ, Hepburn: Deddo oa Araibu) is a media franchise based on a fighting video game series produced by Tecmo and developed by Team Ninja. It is primarily composed of fast-paced 3D fighting games that begun with the original Dead or Alive in 1996. DOA is the creation of Tomonobu Itagaki, who has since left the company and is no longer working on the series, which continues without him. Dead or Alive has been praised for its impressive fighting system, graphics, and interactive environments. In addition to its fast-paced countering-based play system, the franchise is also known for its female characters. This aspect of the series' popularity led to the creation of the spin-off game Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball and its sequels, where the females and their sex appeal play a more focal role than it does in the core Dead or Alive series. A live action film adaptation DOA: Dead or Alive was released in 2006.
Plot and characters
The Dead or Alive series depicts a collection of skilled martial artists in a worldwide competition named the Dead or Alive tournament. DOATEC (Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee), a massive corporation with unknown motives, holds the fighting competition in arenas ranging from the North Pole to the Amazon rain forest. Dead or Alive, the first game in the series, introduced the initial characters and their reasons for entering the tournament. For example, Zack enters for profit, while Kasumi, a runaway female ninja and the series' main protagonist, enters the tournament to seek revenge against Raidou who crippled her brother Hayate. Kasumi wins the first DOA tournament, however the strict laws of ninja society prevent Kasumi from returning to her village, and she becomes a hunted fugitive.
Dead or Alive 2 is set less than a year later, as Tengu threatens the world. Kasumi's brother Hayate, previously injured by Raidou, returns from being a subject in DOATEC's bio-weapon experiment Epsilon. New fighters include Ein (Hayate), Helena Douglas and Leon. Eventually, Ryu Hayabusa defeats Tengu and wins the tournament.
Dead or Alive 3, takes place shortly after the defeat of Tengu. This game's plot concerns a secret goal of DOATEC's mad scientist Victor Donovan to produce the ultimate fighter, called the Omega project. Through Epsilon and Alpha stages, DOATEC wipes the ninja Genra's memory, turning him into the vicious Omega; a third tournament is held to test Omega's abilities. In the end, Kasumi's half-sister Ayane defeats her former master and wins the tournament. The game introduces four more fighters, the first playable appearance of Hayate, and the brand new fighters Brad Wong, Christie, and Hitomi.
Dead or Alive 4 again explores DOATEC's attempts to create a powerful clone of Kasumi with the Alpha project. The various fighters discover the true nature of DOATEC and set out to stop it. Helena wins the tournament and decides to give the title to Zack. The game introduces three new fighters, Eliot, Kokoro, and La Mariposa.
The fifth game, Dead or Alive 5, is set two years later. DOATEC is newly reformed with Helena still in control and Zack appearing to be in employ. Jann Lee beats Hitomi in the last round of the tournament, thus winning. However, Jann Lee still felt that there is one person whom Jann Lee wants to defeat in order for him to be a true winner, Rig, who at first has an amnesia, but presumably ruse, and calling Donovan, “dad”. Meanwhile, Kasumi, Ryu, and Ayane, with the help from Helena, fight to destroy the Alpha project and stop Donovan.
Continuing to Dead or Alive 6, DOATEC and Mugen Tenshin discovers that MIST is after the fifth tournament qualifier participant Honoka, due to having a similar power signature as Raidou, causing them to keep an eye on her in different ways. Even worst part by the time when the sixth tournament begins, Rig is indeed amnesia and was unknowingly being implanted by MIST with a trigger into having him brainwashed to serve them under the alias “Victor Donovan Jr.”, causing everyone like Bass and Jann Lee begin to worry and suspicious of Rig’s current situation. For the final tournament match, Jann Lee once again officially a winner, but unofficially defeated by a worthy street fighter, Diego. Ayane and Honoka are soon kidnapped by MIST into unwillingly revive Raidou, their biological father as an undead cyber ninja demon. As her older-half-sister Honoka still weaken, Ayane can still catch up with Kasumi and Hayate to kill the revived Raidou once and for all, leaving no trace of him behind. Helena, who arrived at one of MIST’s hidden laboratory to secure the place, approaches a young scientist who act as Lisa’s replacement and responsible behind Raidou’ resurrection, NiCO. Although NiCO attempt to revive Helena’s mother, Maria, Helena found out what she will be planning on reviving those who were dead, and completely disagree for good reason to keep moving forward, much to NiCO’s denial and escape from Helena.
From wikipedia
Comments