Kenji

Kenji, named Mukuro (ムクロ^?) in Japan, is a fighting game character from the fantasy-themed 2D arcade game Red Earth where he is one of the four playable main characters. He is a ninja and is said to have been born in 1971.

Biography[]

Appearance[]

Kenji is a ninja of fair muscular build, while wearing his hair back in a chonmage or topknot; no official depictions of his face have been shown. He wears a full cover blueish-purple or shikon elastic weave silk ninja body suit, consisting of a shitagi/dogi styled top with lacquered shoulder pauldrons and sleeve connectors with cross mesh leather mail underarmor, karusan-bakama pants, and a facemask that exposes his eyes, and has a makeshift tear at the back of the head to expose his chonmage, while with gold lacquered armor and accessories of an unknown material, including forearms length kote bracers, knee high boots with knee protectors in the fashion of rhinoceros beetle horns and tabi inserts, both with lavender ropes at their joints to his extremities, a sharp v-shaped visor headpiece on his facemask, a sash piece belt insert for his pants, and a large flowing white silk scarf. On the pauldrons and the centerpiece of the visor, are the mon for the Tokugawa Shogunate, being three hollycock leaves put together in a round symmetrical fashion.

In battle, he wields two half crescent arm blades, a katana with mountings in matching color that is slung around his torso backmounted, and keeps hidden on him kunai, a manriki kusarigama, and an enormous cannon sized flint trigger taneganshima mounted teppo rifle that he is able to pull out of his scarf; his introduction and winning poses indicates that he is able to store and sheathe his weapons by magic, by both legerdemain slight of hand and mythical powers spoken of in legend, and keeps on him a wider plethora of possible items, including incense to use in mortuary rites.

In civilian/undercover attire, he wears a sleeveless tan jinbaori jacket, a wide brimmed ronin fukaamigasa hat that covers his head while with a wide slit allowing him to see, and carries a shikon colored inro case with an oblong koban gold decoration on front that carries his white scarf. He wears his aforementioned gloves, pants, and boots, with his katana slung on his back.

Profile[]

Red Earth[]

When the blackships of unknown invaders appeared in the skies of Zipang and began attacking the country, the shogun ordered his best ninja squad to find out who the invaders are and to wipe them out. Kenji is the leader of that squadron, and comes across Kongou, who mutates into a monstrous beast. Although Kenji secretly distrusts his shogun and believes that he may be betraying the country, he goes along with everything while searching for more clues.

Other appearances[]

Capcom Fighting Evolution[]

Kenji appeared as a playable character in Capcom Fighting Evolution, along with Leo, Hauzer and Hydron.

Profile text: Taught in the Oniwabanshu style and rendered loyal to the Tokugawa Shogunate, Kenji is the head of the Ramon (silk gate) family. With frank and quick-witted form techniques, he is a dangerous threat who can flash in and out of battle.

Cameos[]

Kenji appeared as a card in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS and in the "Heroes and Heralds" mode of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

Gameplay[]

Fighting style[]

Kenji is taught in the Oniwabanshu style of Ninjutsu, whom in real life were the Tokugawa Shogunate's hand selected ninja squadron upon Ieyasu Tokugawa's establishment, tasked with not just maintenance of Edo Castle in the daytime and its security at night, but as spies and agents into the Japanese nation. While wielding a variety of ninja weapons, from kunai, kusarigama, katana, and even flintlock rifles, Kenji bears a lexicon of hand to hand close quarters fighting, to swift kicks and shoulder checks, and with the tempered mind to transition weapon from weapon with swift maneuverability and tactical adaptability. As an elite ninja leader, Kenji also appears to be well versed in the esoteric arts of ninja magic, from slight of hand to conceal weapons and instantly change his attire at whim, to wielding mystical powers allowing him to teleport at whim, breathe fire, summon dragonic pyres from the ground, aim his kunai with telekinesis, create clones of himself, and summon his equipment at will out of nowhere.

Kenji is based around persistence, swarming his foes, and chipping away until being able to strike full force at the right moment, while with an emphasis on short combos, trickily maneuvering around his foes while issuing hit and run tactics, knockdowns to constantly attack foes with his down attack, and single strike heavy attacks to goad and bait foes from either afar or while in the process of moving around, either during or starting up a transition. Though his moveset is initially styled akin to Street Fighter Ansatsuken users like Ryu and Akuma, his moves are prioritized around using his weapons, while his rushdowns must be executed accordingly, controlled, concise, and end with a knockdown attack lest his opposition can bite back in kind.

Attacks and abilities[]

Ichimonji - Kenji throws a shuriken at his foe.
Rasen Kyaku - Kenji performs a spinning kick. This move is similar to Street Fighter character Ryu's Cyclone Kick.
Jyuumonji - Kenji readies ten kunai with ninjutsu. Depending on what button the player press, the kunai will either fly diagonally, horizontally in a circle, or will home in onto the opponent.
Mystic Force - An elemental attack. Kenji prefers poison based mystic orbs.
Tsumuji - Kenji blows forth a stunning breath of wind.
Homura Tsumuji - A variation of the Tsumuji where Kenji blows forth a great inferno in front of him.
Kumo Gakure - A double jump in mid-air.
Baku Ryusho - Kenji summons a massive pillar of fire right before him. Depending on what button the player press, the pillar will rise farther or closer to Kenji.
Enma Zuki - Kenji will charge forward. If he makes contact with the opponent, he will strike with a fierce punch. When this is used as a finishing blow, Kenji will pierce through the opponent's chest and will proceed to flip backwards, holding their heart and crushing it.
Kagerou - Kenji charges forth and splits himself into three silhouettes. Depending on which button the player press, the real Kenji will follow suit either running forward, in midair, or somersaulting high downwards.
Rasetsu Jin - Kenji readies himself in an iaidō stance, and proceeds to cut horizontally, then vertically downwards in flair. Depending on which button the player press, this will determine Kenji's draw timing, the hits of the vertical wave and power of the attack. When used as a finishing blow, this attack will bisect or dissect opponents in two.
Utsusemi - Kenji envelops himself in wind and disappears, teleporting anywhere on screen.

Levels[]

As Kenji levels up by fighting opponents in Red Earth, his title changes and grants him more abilities. His titles are as follows:

Stalker - (Level 1)
Sniper - (At Level 3)
Commando - (At Level 6)
Stinger - (At Level 10)
Executor - (At Level 14)
Stealth - (At Level 19)
Shadow - (At Level 25)
Assassin - (At Level 32)

Trivia[]

In Street Fighter V, Zeku has Kenji's outfit as an alternate costume.
Enma Zuki gains its name from King Enma, who is the lord of the dead in Buddhism. A fierce but just entity, it is often stated to children that King Enma will pull out one's tongue for lies upon reaching the afterlife to scare them from becoming liars, while more fearsome depictions tell that he will rip out and examine the heart of particularly egregious and obstinate sinners to judge their deeds and misdeeds in life.