Greetings, Splendid Seven devotees, martial arts aficionados, and fighting video game fans. Antoni here with another written entry focusing on Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran specializing in the martial arts they do. Now that I have discussed their grandfather and parental figures, it is time to place my focus on the martial arts mentors who I thoroughly believe are appropriate for Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran. Furthermore, they have also played integral roles in growing as martial artists and as people, thus being of great assistance to The Wolf Elder, Raditz, Olibu, Broly, Toga, InuKimi, and Izayoi in raising their seven powerful progenies. Who better to be powerful mentors to seven powerful Yokai martial artists such as Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran than specific characters in the Street Fighter and Tekken franchises, the two fighting video game franchises that I have always loved ever since I was a little child.
Out of all the video game franchises I have chosen for Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Inuyasha, Hakkaku, Ginta, Ayame, and Shunran, why have I chosen specific characters from Street Fighter and Tekken? Because I grew up with these franchises the most more than Virtua Fighter and King of Fighters combined, and I have enjoyed certain adaptations from these two video game installments. From an artistic and narrative standpoint, I have always leaned towards Street Fighter the Animated Series, Street Fighter II V, and Street Fighter the Animated Movie, although the former is enjoyable for admittedly silly and fun reasons. Where Tekken is concerned, I would rather stick with the video games. At least Tekken: Blood Vengeance, given the few clips I enjoyed from it, was fun. Thus, the specific characters I will mention to be The Splendid Seven’s mentors from Street Fighter and Tekken are going to be the ones that I believe are the best fit for each Yokai martial artist according to style and personality.
With that said, let us arm ourselves with steely determination and strong willpower to triumph over some mighty opponents and inspire others to never surrender even when chaos ensues. Osu. Hajime.
Sesshoumaru’s Mentors: Putting Martial Arts and Honor in Mixed Martial Arts
Sesshoumaru’s thorough background in Shotokan Karate, Nippon Kenpo, Judo, and Jujitsu has provided him with room to compete as a Mixed Martial Arts champion coveted by UFC. He would never dream of living the frat-boy lifestyle exacerbated by UFC’s reality TV show, for he has Jinpachi Mishima, Wang Jinrei, and Gouken to emulate the old tradition of martial arts, Heihachi Mishima and Akuma to pump him up with abundant bushels of allegiance, power, and muscle, and T. Hawk and Charlie Nash to thoroughly galvanize his iron will and military precision with every attack he makes while respecting and honoring his mentors.
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Gouken (Street Fighter)
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Akuma (Street Fighter)
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T. Hawk (Street Fighter)
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Charlie Nash (Street Fighter)
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Jinpachi Mishima (Tekken)
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Wang Jinrei (Tekken)
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Heihachi Mishima (Tekken)
Shuran’s Mentors: Bulldozing Powerslams and Brutal Showmanship
Gathering a gamut of international wrestling styles from Japanese to Mongolian to Turkish to Mexican to Indian may be part of Shuran’s challenge to create his own Professional Wrestling style to stand above the throng of pro wrestlers looking to crush each other in the ring. However, preserving the combat aspect in Pro Wrestling is another mountain for him to climb. Fortunately, he has E. Honda, Darun, and Ganryuu to inspire him to use his strength to uplift aspiring wrestlers, Zangief and Hugo to consistently strengthen him physically and mentally, and both King and Armor King to preserve his penchant for good showmanship.
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E. Honda (Street Fighter)
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Zangief (Street Fighter)
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Darun (Street Fighter)
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Hugo (Street Sighter)
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Ganryuu (Tekken)
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King (Tekken)
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Armor King (Tekken)
Inuyasha’s Mentors: Letting the Bones Break and the Muscles Crush in the Arena
Inuyasha’s phenomenal background in Kyokushin Karate, Judo, Kickboxing, and Combat Sambo has opened the Olympian gates for him to formulate his own Pankration style. In fact, Inuyasha has earned the admiration of Pankration competitors, thanks to his magnificent muscles and super strength. He attributes his muscles, strength, and great combat prowess to Dudley’s manly code of honor, Guile’s military toughness, Alex’s super strength, Ryu’s venerable valor, Ken’s bodacious brawniness, Kazuya’s undeterred want for power, and Paul’s rugged charisma, who have all enriched Inuyasha’s indubitably unparalleled formidability.
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Dudley (Street Fighter)
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Guile (Street Fighter)
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Ryu Hoshi (Street Fighter)
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Ken Masters (Street Fighter)
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Alex (Street Fighter)
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Kazuya Mishima (Tekken)
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Paul Phoenix (Tekken)
Hakkaku’s Mentors: Relentless Body Shots and Rampaging Clinches
Landing any and every attack on all body parts from the head to the shins to the insteps for maximum damage might seem like sadomasochistic fun if done incorrectly and in a disorderly fashion. Thankfully, that is not the case with Hakkaku’s Muay Boran odyssey, for he injects his combat spirit with respect, cooperation, dedication, and character. Furthermore, Sagat’s and Bruce’s steeliness, Balrog’s unparalleled ruthlessness, Blanka’s lethal ferociousness, Dan’s charisma, Baek’s disciplined agility, and Dhalsim’s heightened sense of spirituality all compel Hakkaku to remain consistent with his combat prowess.
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Sagat (Street Fighter)
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Blanka (Street Fighter)
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Dhalsim (Street Fighter)
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Balrog (Street Fighter)
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Dan Hibiki (Street Fighter)
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Bruce Irvin (Tekken)
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Baek Doo San (Tekken)
Ginta’s Mentors: Vociferous Headbutts and Victorious Dedication
Planting all sorts of strikes and clinches to every opponent’s body from top to bottom may seem like no monumental task for anybody who is not an experienced fighter. Nevertheless, Ginta’s constant willpower to fortify his skills in Lethwei cannot and should not be questioned, especially paired with his charisma in the ring. He is immensely grateful to have Adon’s fiery fierceness, Dee Jay’s rugged rowdiness, Vega’s deadliness, Fei Long’s brilliance, Remy’s focus, Lei’s flexibility, and Marshall’s clarity because they have helped him balance power, speed, stealth, and accuracy to make every strike as lethally painful as possible.
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Adon (Street Fighter)
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Vega (Street Fighter)
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Dee Jay (Street Fighter)
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Fei Long (Street Fighter)
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Remy (Street Fighter)
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Lei Wulong (Tekken)
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Marshall Law (Tekken)
Ayame’s Mentors: Ferocious Ferocity and Fearless Fierceness Incarnate
Punching, kicking, striking, and tackling all of her opponents with full abandon is Ayame, a powerful Kyuk Too Ki or Korean Kickboxing warrior who always has her fists, feet, elbows, knees, shins, and hands on standby. Should any perpetrator have their way with her, they will experience a world of pain and panic. Through Chun-Li’s gutsy determination, Cammy’s undeniable penchant for brutal blows, Sakura’s inimitable vivacity, Blair’s Amazonian combat prowess, Hokuto’s indomitable sense of duty, Nina’s sharp concentration, and Jun’s unquestionable decorum, Ayame’s perennially potent fighting spirit can never be destroyed.
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Chun-Li (Street Fighter)
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Cammy White (Street Fighter)
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Sakura Kasugano (Street Fighter)
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Blair Dame (Street Fighter)
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Hokuto (Street Fighter)
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Nina Williams (Tekken)
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Jun Kazama (Tekken)
Shunran’s Mentors: Creative Craftiness and Cultured Cleverness Personified
Striking, punching, and kicking every single opponent she fights numb is Shunran, a Shaolin Kung Fu fighter whose fingers, knuckles, fists, insteps, heels, knife hands, and spear hands are lethal weapons of mass destruction. She is waiting for her opponents to throw the first punches, for her punishment is swiftly severe and wrapped in lace, silk, and cherry blossoms. Through Rose’s conscientiousness, Elena’s grace, Pullum’s agility, Ibuki’s craftiness, Karin’s joie de vivre, Anna’s seductive sultriness, and Michelle’s potent perseverance, Shunran’s unfathomable determination as a combatant can shine like the brightest of diamonds.
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Rose (Street Fighter)
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Elena (Street Fighter)
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Pullum Purna (Street Fighter)
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Ibuki (Street Fighter)
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Karin Kanzuki (Street Fighter)
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Anna Williams (Tekken)
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Michelle Chang (Tekken)
The Splendid Seven’s seven fighting game mentors are the beacons of propelling these seven Yokai martial artists to be the mighty fighters that they are. They would even give honor to each other for every victory and every loss they encounter in their battles. Therefore, the seven Yokai martial artists and their seven respective martial arts mentors are strong for each other in every single way.
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