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Adding a bit of fighting style overviews just for fun
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Current director Dashi Odashima considers him the main character of ''Soul Edge''.
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Current director Dashi Daishi Odashima considers him the main character of ''Soul Edge''.
Edge''.
Mitsurugi is usually the [[StreetFighter Ryu]] of the games - a well-balanced character with no glaring strengths or weaknesses. His katana strikes have great range, speed, and priority. Many of his attacks can also track the opponent's movements, making him difficult to guard against effectively at times. He can also switch styles between holding his sword at his shoulders, or using Iaido (only the shoulder stance remains in 5, however).
Mitsurugi is usually the [[StreetFighter Ryu]] of the games - a well-balanced character with no glaring strengths or weaknesses. His katana strikes have great range, speed, and priority. Many of his attacks can also track the opponent's movements, making him difficult to guard against effectively at times. He can also switch styles between holding his sword at his shoulders, or using Iaido (only the shoulder stance remains in 5, however).
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In-game, Taki is the FragileSpeedster character. She has the fastest mobility of any other character, but does not have many tools to defend herself effectively. Taki's quick dagger strikes are designed to catch the opponent in the middle of their attacks, then move in for big damage after getting a successful counter hit with mixup pressure and Possession stance shenanigans.
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Siegfried may seem like a beginner-friendly character at first, but he is actually one of the more difficult characters to play effectively. Siegfried is a power character with a surprising mixup game through the use of his many special stances. His attacks have very long reach (second longest compared to Astaroth and Kilik later on in the series, and tied with Nightmare as well), but his mobility is quite slow and his attacks are also very linear and easy to evade.
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Sophitia can be considered the Ken to Mitsurugi's Ryu. Her attacks have average range, but are very fast, powerful, and can keep the opponent guessing with mixups. In a nod to ''{{Tekken}}'', she has a wavedash mechanic called Angel Step, which allows her to duck under most attacks and go for a powerful stab attack.
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* ReligiousBruiser
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* ReligiousBruiserReligiousBruiser: The ''Soul Edge'' manual notes that her faith is as strong as her sword and shield.
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* ConfusionFu: In spite of wielding a weapon typically associated with mindless HackAndSlash, wields his zweihander with a variety of stance mixups designed to bait his opponent into making a mistake.
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* JackOfAllStats: Has gained something of a negative reputation due to this, as most characters have significant weaknesses and he tends not to. However, his combo ability is weaker than average and some of his attacks are vulnerable to counters ''even after a correct use for them.''
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* LightningBruiser: Fast and powerful, but with complexity that makes him difficult to master and even more difficult to use effectively under pressure.
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Badass Spaniard no longer exists, and he wouldn\'t fit as a Dashing Hispanic
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** BadassSpaniard: Arguably the greatest example in the entire video game medium.
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*** Crystals that look a hell of a lot like ice.
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*** Crystals that look and function a hell of a lot like ice.
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*** Crystals that look a hell of a lot like ice.
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Removing wick to Did Not Do The Research per rename at TRS.
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* ShoutOut: He's named after Miguel de Cervantes, considered one of the best writers in Spanish language history (if not THE best), and author of ''DonQuijote''. Although "Cervantes" [[DidNotDoTheResearch is actually a family name, not a first name...]]
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* ShoutOut: He's named after Miguel de Cervantes, considered one of the best writers in Spanish language history (if not THE best), and author of ''DonQuijote''. Although "Cervantes" [[DidNotDoTheResearch is actually a family name, not a first name...]]
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Hot Chick With A Sword has been redirected to Action Girl. Did Not Do The Research is an index, not a trope.
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* DidNotDoTheResearch: The idea that Sophitia is worshiping the [[ClassicalMythology Hellenic Pantheon]] in 1500s Greece is about 1000 years too late. [[HandWave It's said that she worships the "old" gods in secret, due to being very fond of her past heritage.]]
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* HotChickWithASword
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* BackFromTheDead: He is restructured in ''V''. How is yet to be explained.
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* BackFromTheDead: He is restructured in ''V''. How is yet to be explained.
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* CarpetOfVirility: In ''V'', whatever body he now inhabits has got some chest hair action going on.
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* CarpetOfVirility: In ''V'', whatever his reborn body he now inhabits has got some chest hair action going on.
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* FlamingSkulls: In ''Soul Edge'', he was basically "a firespawn with Cervantes' clothes and [[SkullForAHead a skull head]]."
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* FlamingSkulls: In ''Soul Edge'', he was basically "a firespawn with Cervantes' clothes and [[SkullForAHead a skull head]]." head]]", and in ''Soul Calibur II'', where he is a malformed skeleton that is WreathedInFlames.
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This is a list of characters from the SoulSeries that made their debut in first game of the series, ''Soul Edge''/''Soul Blade''.
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This is a list of characters from the SoulSeries that made their debut in the first game of the series, ''Soul Edge''/''Soul Blade''.
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* CanonShadow: His appearance in ''Soulcalibur'' is a "{{what if}}" inclusion, seeing as Siegfried was canonically Nightmare at the time.
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* {{Expy}}: ''Blatantly'' modeled on ToshiroMifune, who played iconic Samurai roles in the AkiraKurosawa films ''{{Rashomon}}'', ''Throne of Blood'', and ''SevenSamurai''. Also could be considered based on MiyamotoMusashi, who was played by ToshiroMifune, so...
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* {{Expy}}: ''Blatantly'' modeled on ToshiroMifune, who played iconic Samurai roles in the AkiraKurosawa Creator/AkiraKurosawa films ''{{Rashomon}}'', ''Throne of Blood'', and ''SevenSamurai''. Also could be considered based on MiyamotoMusashi, who was played by ToshiroMifune, so...
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Revive Kills Zombie refers to healing magic being detrimental to the undead. Unusual strategies that should otherwise be useless but are very effective against certain enemies have been transplanted to Outside The Box Tactic.
* OutsideTheBoxTactic: Throws do about as much damage as normal against him, while normal attacks do roughly 3/4 their usual damage.
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* ReviveKillsZombie: Throws do about as much damage as normal against him, while normal attacks do roughly 3/4 their usual damage.
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Tropes cannot be averted/subverted/whatever \"brutally\"
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* KnightInShiningArmor: Brutally subverted. He looks the part (especially in ''IV'', where an intricate crystalline armor has grown over his regular silver suit) and it was his childhood dream to become one of these like his father, but he's far from being one. However, he could arguably be considered [[KnightInSourArmor the more embittered variant of this trope.]]
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* KnightInShiningArmor: Brutally subverted.Subverted. He looks the part (especially in ''IV'', where an intricate crystalline armor has grown over his regular silver suit) and it was his childhood dream to become one of these like his father, but he's far from being one. However, he could arguably be considered [[KnightInSourArmor the more embittered variant of this trope.]]
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* ShoutOut: He's named after Miguel de Cervantes, considered one of the best writer in the Spanish language history (if not THE best), and author of ''DonQuijote''. Although "Cervantes" [[DidNotDoTheResearch is actually a family name, not a first name...]]
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* ShoutOut: He's named after Miguel de Cervantes, considered one of the best writer writers in the Spanish language history (if not THE best), and author of ''DonQuijote''. Although "Cervantes" [[DidNotDoTheResearch is actually a family name, not a first name...]]
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+ ShoutOut: He's named after Miguel de Cervantes, considered one of the best writer in the Spanish language history (if not THE best), and author of ''DonQuijote''. Although "Cervantes" [[DidNotDoTheResearch is actually a family name, not a first name...]]
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** BadassSpaniard
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** BadassSpaniardBadassSpaniard: Arguably the greatest example in the entire video game medium.
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+ ShoutOut: He's named after Miguel de Cervantes, considered one of the best writer in the Spanish language history (if not THE best), and author of ''DonQuijote''. Although "Cervantes" [[DidNotDoTheResearch is actually a family name, not a first name...]]
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Badass Angster is no longer a trope, after TRS discussion.
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** BadassAngster: The angst is somewhat justified in that he did a lot of bad things as Nightmare and he wants to atone for that, but still.
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* IntercontinuityCrossover: Is a character in Namco x Capcom and [[QueensBlade Queen's Gate Spiral Chaos]]
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** According to ''V'', [[spoiler:Sophitia is actually ''[[MissingMom dead]]''.]]
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** [[spoiler: BusCrash: According to ''V'', [[spoiler:Sophitia Sophitia is actually ''[[MissingMom dead]]''.]]
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* GroinAttack: A rather nasty one where she [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel cuts her opponent's balls off/box out]]. She even addresses it with a special voice sample, "Bye bye."
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* GroinAttack: A rather nasty one where she [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel cuts her opponent's balls off/box out]].out. She even addresses it with a special voice sample, "Bye bye."
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* GrossUpCloseUp: His end poses mostly involve him contorting himself into various weird shapes, incorporating merciless close-ups of his [[AccidentalNightmareFuel aggressive looking cod-piece]] and thong-bound backside.
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* GrossUpCloseUp: His end poses mostly involve him contorting himself into various weird shapes, incorporating merciless close-ups of his [[AccidentalNightmareFuel aggressive looking cod-piece]] cod-piece and thong-bound backside.
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[[NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow Normally he would have been dead from that fatal blow]], but after Siegfried became Nightmare due to Soul Edge's influence, [[IGotBetter he was resurrected]]. And so as of ''Soulcalibur'' he became a GhostPirate, seeking out Soul Edge once again.
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[[NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow Normally he would have been dead from that fatal blow]], but after Siegfried became Nightmare due to Soul Edge's influence, [[IGotBetter [[UnexplainedRecovery he was resurrected]]. And so as of ''Soulcalibur'' he became a GhostPirate, seeking out Soul Edge once again.
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-->Voiced By: WataruTakagi (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), ToshiyukiMorikawa (''Soulcalibur'' onward; Japanese), Scott Keck (''Soulcalibur II''; English), Douglas Rye (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
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-->Voiced By: WataruTakagi (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), ToshiyukiMorikawa (''Soulcalibur'' onward; Japanese), Scott Keck (''Soulcalibur II''; English), Douglas Rye Ed Cunningham (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
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-->Voiced By: FujikoTakimoto (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), Sachiko Kojima (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Desirée Goyette (''Soulcalibur II'' onward; English)
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-->Voiced By: FujikoTakimoto (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), Sachiko Kojima (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Desirée Goyette (''Soulcalibur II'' II''; English), Cynthia Holloway (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
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* Characters/{{Soulcalibur}}
* Characters/SoulcaliburII
* Characters/SoulcaliburIII
* Characters/SoulcaliburIV
* Characters/SoulcaliburV
* Characters/SoulcaliburII
* Characters/SoulcaliburIII
* Characters/SoulcaliburIV
* Characters/SoulcaliburV
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This is a list of characters from the SoulSeries that made their debut in first game of the series, ''Soul Edge''/''Soul Blade''.
!!Heishiro Mitsurugi
Origin - ''Bizen, Japan''
Weapon(s) - Katana
-->Voiced By: WataruTakagi (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), ToshiyukiMorikawa (''Soulcalibur'' onward; Japanese), Scott Keck (''Soulcalibur II''; English), Douglas Rye (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
Your typical {{Samurai}} looking for a good challenge. In ''Soul Edge'' he seeks a way to defeat the Tanegashima rifle, and believes the legendary sword Soul Edge to be the blade that can do it. He eventually beats the rifle without the need of Soul Edge, but throughout ''Soulcalibur'', ''SCII'', and ''SCIII'', he's still searching for it for the sole purpose of fighting Nightmare. In ''IV'' he realizes that there are no more worthy challengers for him, and seeks to fight otherworldly opponents instead. He found a WorthyOpponent in Algol in ''IV'', but due to Soul Edge and Soul Calibur vanishing into a vortex, their battle was cut short as Algol vanished with them. And so Mitsurugi went home to Japan, where over the years he hung up his sword as the era changed - not literally, though, as he loses his Shishi-Oh to Setsuka sometime between ''IV'' and ''V''. Now a farmer, when he heard that Soul Edge had returned, he sold all of his land for an opportunity to fight Algol again.
Current director Dashi Odashima considers him the main character of ''Soul Edge''.
* ActorAllusion: In ''SCIV'', [[StarWars Darth Vader]] fights Mitsurugi in his intro and as a Destined Battle. ToshiyukiMorikawa, Mitsurugi's seiyuu, is also the Japanese dub voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
* TheArtifact: Mitsurugi was the main character of the first game; by ''III'', he is almost completely irrelevant to the plot, mostly serving as the motivator of Setsuka's StandAloneEpisode. After ''Soulcalibur II'', he's basically only fighting because he's seeking a challenge, which has virtually no impact on the main story.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: During his training after his defeat against the rifle, Mitsurugi sought to fight as many varied fighting styles as he could so he would implement their fighting tactics to his own style. Suffice to say, he was quite successful.
* {{Badass}}: Oh, yes. Very much so.
** BadassBeard
** BadassBoast: "You will be a stain on my sword." Another notable one is [[LargeHam "Not even the king of hell could stand against my blade."]]
** BadassLonghair
** BadassLongRobe: Some incarnations of him sport them.
* BadassNormal: Mitsurugi, so far as we can tell, has no special powers and no connection to either spirit sword. The katana he uses is perfectly ordinary metal. He's made up for this by being so skilled entire armies of normal men, including ''ones with guns'' can't beat him, and he's considered a worthy adversary to blatantly supernatural fighters like Nightmare, Olcadan (who ''killed a god's messenger''), and even Algol, a man so {{Badass}} Soul Edge has no power over him. In the 17-year time gap between ''IV'' and ''V'', he gave up fighting because anything less than a god-king just wasn't enough of a challenge anymore.
* BloodKnight
* DuelToTheDeath: All challenges are this for both Mitsurugi and those he challenges.
** Except for Setsuka, apparently.
* {{Expy}}: ''Blatantly'' modeled on ToshiroMifune, who played iconic Samurai roles in the AkiraKurosawa films ''{{Rashomon}}'', ''Throne of Blood'', and ''SevenSamurai''. Also could be considered based on MiyamotoMusashi, who was played by ToshiroMifune, so...
* FanNickname: "Mitsubishi."
* KatanasAreJustBetter
* MeaningfulName: "Mitsurugi" literally means "divine sword."
* OneManArmy: He goes as far as to purposefully side with outnumbered sides so he has more people to fight.
* ParentalAbandonment: What he was ''expecting'' (them to die) to start his sword training.
* PerpetualPoverty: In the early games, he has to make ends meet during travels by working as a mercenary. Which was a bit troublesome given he's the only one who faces language barriers. In ''SCV'', he ended up becoming a farmer when Japan had no use for ronin and samurai, just to make ends meet.
* {{Ronin}}: He actually ''refused'' to take a {{Samurai}} position when offered, preferring a mercenary lifestyle so he could find a WorthyOpponent.
* {{Samurai}}: In appearance.
* ShoutOut: One of his costumes in ''Soulcalibur II'' bears resemblance to [[SamuraiShodown Haohmaru]].
* WalkingTheEarth: As part of his desire for good opposition, he's been traveling all over Japan, amassing fame throughout the island for his skills. He's also probably the one character that has traveled the most throughout the series' course; during ''SCII'' he spent ''seven'' years traveling all over Eurasia.
* WarriorMonk: The Japanese website for ''V'' indicates that he has become one.
* WorthyOpponent: He considers Taki his only worthy rival during ''SCII/III'' after having a few unfinished encounters with her. In ''SCIV'' he considers himself so strong, only Nightmare can fill that spot. As of ''SCV'', he seems to have some unfinished business with Algol.
** Olcadan's quotes indicate Mitsurugi is one to him.
!!Taki
Origin - ''Fu-Ma No Sato, Japan''
Weapon(s) - Kodachi (''Soul Edge''), Dual kodachi (''Soulcalibur'' onward)
-->Voiced By: FujikoTakimoto (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), Sachiko Kojima (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Desirée Goyette (''Soulcalibur II'' onward; English)
The stereotypical ninja of the series. Raised in a [[HiddenElfVillage secret ninja village]] since [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan her childhood]], Taki has developed a mastery of sealing spells, and dedicates her life to sealing demons all over Japan. In ''Soul Edge'', she leaves to Europe to find the cursed sword so as to empower her favourite sword, Rekkimaru. She's able to obtain a shard after defeating Cervantes, but ends instead fusing it with Mekkimaru, a sword with strong spiritual powers that has driven her master Toki insane. [[ContractOnTheHitman She is forced to leave her home when she's targeted by her own comrades]] after Toki discovers she has Mekkimaru. In ''Soulcalibur'', she tries to destroy Mekkimaru by pitting it against Soul Edge. Being unable to, she settles on her desire to control its immense power.
In ''Soulcalibur II'', the ninjas against her try to ambush her, and she realizes Toki's now after Soul Edge. Realizing the dangers of a man like Toki to claim it, she travels back to face him, which she does successfully in ''III''. In ''IV'' she realizes that Soul Calibur is as dangerous as Soul Edge (even if it is totally opposite in nature) from the battle between Siegfried and Nightmare, and resolves to destroy Soul Calibur as well -- [[DarkerAndEdgier by any means necessary]].
During the time skip she finds an apprentice in Natsu, who succeeds Taki's position in ''V'', while Taki herself has gone missing, having yet to return from a journey westward. Natsu sets out to look for her.
* ActionGirl
* {{Badass}}: She went toe-to-toe with Cervantes while he was under Soul Edge's complete influence [[spoiler:and slashed him down]].
* BigDamnHeroes: When Sophitia was riddled with shards of the evil sword during her battle with Cervantes, Taki swooped down to save her. [[PetTheDog She then treated Sophitia's wounds and carried her back home to Greece.]]
** [[spoiler: She didn't treat all of them. One of the shards was lodged near Sophitia's heart in a way that removing it would absolutely kill her without fail. This becomes a plot point later in ''V'']]
* TheCaretaker[=/=]ParentalSubstitute: For Natsu.
* CatchPhrase: "Fuuma Kanryo!", literally "Demon sealed, the deed is done!"
* ChekhovsGun: Mekkimaru in ''Soul Edge'' is a mere extra weapon with little story relevance. Come ''Soulcalibur'' it became Taki's second main weapon and the focal point of her whole story up until ''Soulcalibur III''.
* ContractOnTheHitman: Since ''Soulcalibur'', up through ''IV''. Having your best friend take over the clan will generally stop this.
* DarkerAndEdgier: In ''IV''.
* DualWielding: Since ''Soulcalibur''.
* EvilMentor: Toki, though not [[BrainwashedAndCrazy intentionally]].
* EvilWeapon: Mekkimaru. Its powers corrupted Toki into a [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity bloodthirsty madman]]. These powers were amplified when Taki merged a shard of Soul Edge in it, enough to make it the third strongest weapon after the soul swords.
* FragileSpeedster
* ICallItVera: Rekkimaru is her favourite out of all the weapons [[TheBlacksmith she forged]], and has a special attaching to it.
* JigglePhysics: She's practically the games' poster girl for it.
* [[KatanasAreJustBetter Kodachi Are Just Better]]
* MsFanservice
* MurderIsTheBestSolution: By ''Soulcalibur IV'', her primary solution to other people knowing about Soul Edge is to KillEmAll. No matter who the character is or how good or bad they are, Taki will indiscriminately show up trying to murder them at some point.
* {{Ninja}}
** HighlyVisibleNinja
* PaintedOnPants: Her spray-on, fuchsia-or-blue body-glove is slightly ludicrous, given that ninjas usually wore clothing to ''disguise'' their shape, not draw attention to it.
* PutOnABus: It has been said that she'll return "Eventually" meaning she might return in a future installment.
* RavenHairIvorySkin
* SphereOfDestruction: A few of Taki's spells. Best seen in the intro for ''II'', although her actual attacks of that caliber in-game are not nearly as widespread or destructive.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Her [[SpyCatsuit ninja jumpsuit]] has that whole "[[MemeticMutation pastede on yay]]" thing going on, don't you think?
* TallDarkAndBishoujo
* [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow These Are Things Man Was Not Meant To Use]]: Her thoughts on Mekkimaru and spirit swords in general.
* TookALevelInJerkass: By ''IV'', Taki is much more condescending and self-righteous than her previous incarnations and appears to have no sympathy for the many, many people she's trying to kill to keep them away from Soul Edge.
* WallJump: A special skill of her (and others) in ''Soulcalibur II''.
!!Siegfried Schtauffen
Origin - ''Ober-Getzenberg, Holy Roman Empire (Germany)''
Weapon(s) - Zweihänder
-->Voiced By: NobuyukiHiyama (Japanese), CrispinFreeman (''Soulcalibur III''; English), RogerCraigSmith (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV'' onward; English)
The actual protagonist of the series. Son of a knight of the HolyRomanEmpire, when [[DisappearedDad he was sent into a foreign expedition]] Siegfried fell into bad company and formed a gang of bandits. During a raid against a group of coward knights that ran away, he [[spoiler:murdered his father]] by accident, and sought for Soul Edge to find his father's killer [[spoiler:because the horror of what he'd done drove him insane, and he convinced himself that someone else did it]]. He obtains Soul Edge but becomes its new host and is transformed into Nightmare.
He regains his sanity shortly after Nightmare was defeated by Kilik and Xianghua, but is unable to keep the sword under control, and falls again into its clutches. He is finally freed from Soul Edge's control in ''III'', and is able to "seal" Soul Edge with Soul Calibur. During ''III'' he seeks a way to destroy Soul Edge for good, and eventually finds it in Soul Calibur itself, which has bonded with him in order to save his life from a fatal injury. In ''IV'', he's out to get Nightmare, while [[LeaveMeAlone shunning all those who try to help him]] in an attempt to avoid [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies any more victims]]. He returns in ''V'', now OlderAndWiser, and has reformed his band of mercenaries "Schwarzwind" to combat Soul Edge. Hilde now accompanies him due to the fall of her kingdom during the timeskip caused by Nightmare. Z.W.E.I and Viola also accompany him to find a worthy successor to Soul Calibur.
Director Daishi Odashima considers him the main character of ''Soulcalibur III'' and ''IV'' and considers Nightmare!Siegfried the main character of ''Soulcalibur II'' (read: "more than half the series"), but has explicitly confirmed he is ''not'' the main character for ''Soulcalibur V'' despite his return.
* AnIcePerson: Whereas Soul Edge (and by proxy, Inferno and Nightmare) is associated with [[PlayingWithFire fire]], Siegfried seems to embody the element of ice in contrast (presumably through his contact with Soul Calibur). This can be seen with his Critical Finish in ''IV'' and Critical Edge in ''V''.
* AnimalMotifs: His armor in ''SCV'' incorporates the [[BigBadassBirdOfPrey eagle]] symbol of the Holy Roman Empire banner.
* ApologeticAttacker: Only against those who want him dead for his crimes as Nightmare. He feels they are in the right to seek revenge for his crimes, but can't die before stopping Soul Edge. So he beats the crap outta them... and then apologizes.
* ArmorIsUseless
* TheAtoner: He's spent practically every game since ''Soulcalibur'' (well, except for ''[[BrainwashedAndCrazy Soulcalibur II]]'') trying to make up for [[spoiler:murdering his father in cold blood]] and having been manipulated by the sword into killing thousands of innocents.
* {{Badass}}
** BadassAngster: The angst is somewhat justified in that he did a lot of bad things as Nightmare and he wants to atone for that, but still.
** BadassBack
** BadassBoast[=/=]BadassCreed: Has quite a lot of these. Too many to list.
** BadassCape: In ''SCV''. His alt. in ''III'' and 1P outfit in ''IV'' instead don a ScarfOfAsskicking (the latter being long enough to technically count as a cape anyway).
** BadassCrew: His group Schwarzwind ([[http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110804203225/soulcalibur/images/5/51/Soul-calibur-siegfried-with-schwarzwind.jpg first]] [[http://images.wikia.com/soulcalibur/images/a/a5/Soul-calibur-siegfried-with-schwarzwind-2.jpg seen]] in Siegfried's ending from ''Soulcalibur'' as what would appear to be a miniature BadassArmy) has slowly grown into this, thanks to Siegfried's reforms post-''IV''. By the time of ''V'', [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110804131710/soulcalibur/images/5/5c/296537769.jpg they're now]] [[HiredGuns a band of noble mercenaries]], a far cry from their original status as a band of thieves. They've also gained a traveling companion in Hilde, who is tagging along with them after the disappearance of her father and the fall of Wolfkrone, as well as enlisting Z.W.E.I and Viola into their ranks.
** BadassPacifist
* {{BFS}}
* {{Bishonen}}: Out of all the ''Soulcalibur'' characters, Siegfried is the one most deemed as this. Particularly, because of his [[DudeLooksLikeALady girly-ish]] pretty face and slim (but masculine) build. He's aged well, for he's a Biseinen in ''V''.
* BlueEyes: A mixture of blue and green.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: When he was Nightmare.
** BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: Numerous times with Inferno, serving as a rare ''heroic'' version of an EnemyWithin. It finally comes to an end in ''SCII''.
* CanonShadow: His appearance in ''Soulcalibur'' is a "{{what if}}" inclusion, seeing as Siegfried was canonically Nightmare at the time.
* ChasteHero[=/=]CelibateHero: Justified. He outright stated in ''SCIV'' that "No one would touch his heart." This is because he doesn't want anyone to hinder him on his quest to destroy [[EvilWeapon Soul Edge]], and that he realized that [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies anyone who get close to him is in danger]].
** Still, this didn't stop the fandom from making him the [[LauncherOfAThousandShips Fandom Bicycle.]]
* DarkAndTroubledPast: ''Self-inflicted'', no less.
* DeadpanSnarker: At times.
* DealWithTheDevil: In ''Soul Edge'', the sword told him that it'd resurrect his dead father if he were to offer souls to empower it. He agreed and eventually was corrupted into Nightmare.
** MeaningfulName: That's why Siegfried's weapon in that game is called {{Faust}}.
* DeathSeeker
* DestinedBystander: Arguably. You didn't think this kid would go on to become both the BigBad ''and'' TheHero of the series, did you?
* {{Determinator}}: His fighting style even has a somewhat desperate "push onward at all costs" feeling to it, emphasized by one of his more basic moves being a series of headbutts.
* EnemyWithin: In ''Soulcalibur II'', Siegfried functions as a ''heroic'' version of this for Nightmare/Inferno, awakening after lying dormant for so long to try and retake his body. Cue [[SpannerInTheWorks Raphael]] stabbing the eye of Soul Edge.
* FailureKnight
* FanNickname: "Sieg" or "Si(e)ggy/Siggie."
* GermanicDepressives: Unsurprisingly, considering his angst ridden back-story.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Sports a vertical scar across his right eye starting in ''Soulcalibur'' (it's more clearly seen in his 2P costume, as his default outfit has PeekABangs).
* HairOfGold
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: When he's not possessed by Soul Edge he's trying to destroy it. The best thing you can say about Siegfried is however badly he screws up, [[{{Determinator}} he never stops fighting]].
* HotBlooded: Subverted, despite [[PigeonholedVoiceActor what his]] [[NobuyukiHiyama seiyuu]] [[PigeonholedVoiceActor might entail]]. In the [[JustForPun heat]] of battle, Siggy has some pretty ferocious battle cries, yet he's pretty much TheStoic at all times. As Nightmare, [[EvilIsHammy however...]]
* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: Siegfried takes it a step further with a move that stomps around six times in rapid succession.
* KnightInShiningArmor: Brutally subverted. He looks the part (especially in ''IV'', where an intricate crystalline armor has grown over his regular silver suit) and it was his childhood dream to become one of these like his father, but he's far from being one. However, he could arguably be considered [[KnightInSourArmor the more embittered variant of this trope.]]
* KnightTemplar: Only against those cursed by Soul Edge, and because he's not aware of any cure for that.
* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Starting in ''Soulcalibur''.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: After remembering his atrocities as Nightmare.
** He hits this wall with regards to his father's death as well, which is how he temporarily frees himself during the latter part of the first ''Soulcalibur''.
* MyGreatestFailure: {{Patricide}}, specifically.
** MyGreatestSecondChance: Subverted in the interim between ''Soulcalibur'' and ''SCII'' (where he eventually succumbs to Soul Edge's sway once more), played straight from ''III'' onward. It's most evident in ''III'', where [[spoiler:his B ending has Siegfried believe that his father was the one who sent the lightning bolts that destroyed Nightmare and interpret it as his father having already forgiven Siegfried for killing him.]]
* OlderAndWiser: By ''V'', and arguably by ''IV'' as well, though his regretful determination to redeem himself has [[KnightTemplar more than a touch of fanaticism.]]
* ParentalAbandonment: Frederick was accidentally slain by Siegfried prior to the first game, whereas Margaret would pass away due to natural causes sometime before ''V''.
* PowerDyesYourHair, PowerMakesYourHairGrow: As Nightmare in ''II'', he's shown to have [[RapunzelHair flowing]] [[EvilRedhead red hair]].
* PermaStubble: [[http://www.fightersgeneration.com/np8/char/siegfried-sc5.png Sports it]] in ''V''.
* [[spoiler:RedemptionEqualsDeath: In every ''Soulcalibur IV'' ending that involves him except Hilde's. And even in Hilde's is [[ForgivenessRequiresDeath he prepared to die as penance for his sins.]] Compare this to [[RedemptionEarnsLife his ending in the third game.]]]]
* [[spoiler:SelfMadeOrphan and TraumaInducedAmnesia: Siegfried decapitated his father under influence from his gang of thieves.]]
** [[spoiler:TheKillerInMe]]
* ShoutOut: To the legendary {{Norse|Mythology}} hero Sigurd/Siegfried. A recurring weapon of Siegfried is Gram, the sword used by Sigurd to kill the dragon Fafnir ([[SpellMyNameWithAnS mistranslated]] as "Glam" until more recent games), and Siegfried himself gets to face Fafnir in ''Legends''.
* TheStoic
* SugarAndIcePersonality: His default mood. Although, he can shift between this and {{Tsundere}} at certain times.
* TragicVillain: Debatably, his Siegfried-Nightmare incarnation.
* UnbreakableWeapons: In ''Soul Edge'', where [[BreakableWeapons breaking weapons]] is possible, Siegfried has one specific weapon (the 7-Branch Blade) which restores the weapon gauge so quickly that it's virtually impossible to break.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: A particularly tragic example in ''Soulcalibur IV'' if Siegfried is truly ignorant of Soul Calibur's true nature. (If he is aware, then it's KnightTemplar.) [[spoiler:He might believe that Soul Calibur is a sword of redemption that will destroy the evil of Soul Edge. What he doesn't realize is that Soul Calibur will freeze the world over in the process.]]
!!Sophitia Alexandra
Origin - ''Athens, Ottoman Empire (Greece)''
Weapon(s) - Short sword and shield
-->Voiced By: MichikoNeya (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), ChieNakamura (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Lynn Harris (''Soul Edge''; English), Diane Holmby (''Soulcalibur II'' onward; English)
The daughter of a Greek baker chosen by the god Hephaestus to destroy Soul Edge. She reaches Cervantes' lair, but ends up being gravely injured in the battle. Saved by Taki from certain death, she is able to return to her normal life. During ''Soulcalibur'', she [[LoveAtFirstSight falls in love]] with a young blacksmith, Rothion. But the blacksmith god came back to ask her to go destroy the still-at-large Soul Edge. She does, but is unable to reach Nightmare before he's defeated, so she returns back and [[WeddingDay marries]] Rothion.
In ''Soulcalibur'', ''II'', & ''III'' she becomes a MamaBear due to her children being threatened by Soul Edge. She encounters Tira, who she fights after she makes a threatening remark about her family. Tira escapes, and in ''Soulcalibur IV'', Sophie's daughter [[MeaningfulName Pyrrha]] gets kidnapped and infected by Soul Edge, forcing her to make a FaceHeelTurn. She is succeeded by her son Patroklos and, to some extent, her daughter Pyrrha.
[[spoiler:It was revealed in the ''Soulcalibur V'' material collection that a shard of Soul Edge was implanted near her heart after fighting Cervantes, and it was impossible to remove without killing her. When Nightmare was defeated, Pyrrha slowly began to die because Soul Edge had left this world. Left with no other choice, Sophitia sacrificed herself to save her daughter's life by removing the shard from her own heart and implanting it within Pyrrha.]]
* ActionGirl[=/=]MamaBear: Since ''Soulcalibur II''. [[spoiler:Her MamaBear-ness gets taken to the cruelest extreme in ''IV'' when her daughter Pyrrha is kidnapped by Tira and infected by Soul Edge. Basically either she has to kill Soul Edge's enemies or watch her daughter die.]]
* [[ActionGirlfriend Action Wife]]: She's the one who took on the battlefield, not her husband [[TheBlacksmith Rothion]]. This is a main source of his DieForOurShip treatment.
* AncientGreece: Her look and costumes, including Grecian style skirts, togas tops, laurel-leaf hair decorations (in ''SCIII'') and gladiatrix sandals.
* ApologeticAttacker: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sun9k-HXuGA See for yourself.]]
* AssKicksYou
* BlueEyes: A mix of blue and green much like Siegfried.
* CoolBigSis: Became one when ''II'' was released.
* DangerouslyShortSkirt: An Amazonian warrior often doesn't wear one, but ''she'' does, and [[http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080304041544/soulcalibur/images/6/6d/Sophie.jpg it's practically see-through!]]
* DidNotDoTheResearch: The idea that Sophitia is worshiping the [[ClassicalMythology Hellenic Pantheon]] in 1500s Greece is about 1000 years too late. [[HandWave It's said that she worships the "old" gods in secret, due to being very fond of her past heritage.]]
* FanNickname: "Soph" or "Sophie." The latter is used as a pet name by Cassandra.
* GroinAttack: One of Sophie's favorite attacks. She's not above fighting dirty, but she'll apologize to male opponents if it connects. (See the video listed above for examples.)
* HeroicSacrifice / TearJerker: She kills herself to save Pyrrha...
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe
* HairOfGold
* HappilyMarried: Her [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090902085659/soulcalibur/images/0/0c/235.jpg wedding to Rothion]] is seen in her ''Soulcalibur'' ending.
* HotChickWithASword
* HotMom
* JackOfAllStats
* MeaningfulName: Sophitia means "divine wisdom" in Greek, from ''sophia'' - "wisdom" and ''tia (thea)'' - "Goddess; Godly".
* MiniDressOfPower
* ThePaladin: Her mission and the divine nature of her quest qualify her for this character class.
* PossessionImpliesMastery: Sophitia's instant prowess with the sword and shield, despite being an untrained girl, were imbued upon her by the sacred power of the holy weapons themselves.
* PowerBlonde
* PurityPersonified
* PutOnABus: Subverted; her marriage to Rothion was the game series' attempt to write her out of the action and have Cassandra flat out replace her. However in the console versions of ''Soulcalibur II'', she became a recurring character again. Fans have often speculated that her MsFanservice reputation is a reason why she didn't get PutOnABus unlike the other ''Soulcalibur'' characters who did.
** She may get in another bus for real in ''V'', considering that unlike Cassandra, Patroklos will be the main character.
** According to ''V'', [[spoiler:Sophitia is actually ''[[MissingMom dead]]''.]]
* RapunzelHair: Her default costume in each game gives her the longest hair of any character (tied with Mi-na), although like Mi-na she [[BraidsOfAction keeps it in a braid]].
* ShockAndAwe: Sophitia's Critical Finish.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: This has become more and more prominent over the course of the series, which is sort of ironic given what kind of character she is. Her shirt is ''see-through'' ([[NippleAndDimed aside from on her nipples, naturally]]), has cleavage in front and on the side, and her skirt is very short, causing a PantyShot practically whenever she kicks, is knocked down, there's wind blowing in the arena... EVERY MATCH.
* SuperPowerfulGenetics: Sophitia's children inherited the evil energy of Soul Edge, which infiltrated her body through the wounds on her fight with Cervantes.
* TokenGoodTeammate: Of Nightmare's gang in ''IV''. As said above, she's none too thrilled about her FaceHeelTurn, but ''has'' to fight for the sake of her children.
* WalkingSwimsuitScene: Her "Sophitia!!" extra costume in ''Soul Blade''.
* WomanInWhite: Either she wears white as a standalone color or it is accompanied by blue.
* YouHaveToBelieveMe: After returning from her first quest, no one in town, except Cassandra, believed her stories about Greek gods, an EvilWeapon, and [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Ghost Pirates]].
!!Nathaniel William "Rock" Adams
Origin - ''London, British Empire (Raised in the New World)''
Weapon(s) - Battle axe (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur''), Giant mace (''Soulcalibur III'' onward)
-->Voiced By: TakashiNagasako (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur''; Japanese), Minoru Inaba (''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), [[TohruOokawa Toru Okawa]] (''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Wally Burr (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
An Englishman who was orphaned at a young age due to his parents' murder at the hands of Cervantes. He ends up having to raise himself. Later he adopts a son named Bangoo. In ''Soulcalibur'', Bangoo is kidnapped and he rescues him from Astaroth's cult, which used him as bait to take his soul. Afterwards he seeks to become stronger to prove his worth as a father of Bangoo.
While missing in ''Soulcalibur II'', due to believing that heading out to fight frequently instead of being there was not the way to raise him, he returns in ''III'' and ''IV'', wielding a large mace instead of his axe. In ''IV'', he confronts Astaroth and [[LampshadeHanging notes the similarity in their fighting styles, which worries him]]. It is currently unknown what became of him in ''V''.
* BadassBeard, BadassMustache: Grows 'em out for ''III''.
* BoisterousBruiser
* CarryABigStick: Since ''SCIII'', Rock has wielded maces as his preferred weapon, instead of the [[AnAxeToGrind axes]] he used in ''SE'' and ''SC''.
** ImprobableWeaponUser: That said, besides the Maces, his "Juggernaut" weapon in ''III'' & ''IV'' is a stone statute of the head of a Buddha on a stick.
* CatchPhrase: '''''BANGOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!'''''
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: In his ''SCIII'' ending, he travels back to the New World... by ''swimming across the Atlantic''.
* DubNameChange: His actual name ''is'' Rock Adams. The translator of the first game decided to turn it into a nickname and gave him the full name "Nathaniel William Adams." Worth noting this name only appears in ''Soul Edge'', and all subsequent games have ignored/failed to mention it, while names of other (actual) nicknamed characters (Ivy, Lizardman) are always mentioned.
* GreatWhiteHunter: The man has apparently brought down bears, rhinos, bison, and even a freaking [[AnachronismStew mammoth.]]
* EvilKnockoff: Astaroth is this to him, as Rock was used as the base to create him.
* MightyGlacier
* MightyWhitey: British in origin, he became known as the "White Giant" by the Native Americans after he was ship-wrecked in the New World.
* [[MistakenForGods Mistaken For A God]]: As seen in his ''SCIII'' ending. Sailors who witness him swimming the Atlantic, wearing his horned head-dress, mistake him for "The Protector of the Sea." Years later (presumably), this sighting becomes ShroudedInMyth and his ending finishes with an antique-looking illustration that shows a highly exaggerated, Titan-sized Rock emerging from the sea dwarfing a ship.
* NatureHero: He lived alone for most of his life on the New World, and has developed his fighting style as a way to communicate with mother nature. He also wears the fur/skulls of the animals he needs to kill in respect of the wild creatures he co-habits with.
* PapaWolf: To his adoptive son Bangoo.
* SoProudOfYou: After being trapped in a crevasse for a whole night, Rock found Bangoo and asked him if this experience made him fear nature. He said that he didn't, and Rock realized he was ready for his rite of passage into adulthood.
* YouCantFightFate: He reaches this conclusion after investigating Astaroth and realizing his connection with Soul Edge. He considers it his destiny to stop the vile monster.
!!Voldo
Origin - ''Palermo, Kingdom of Naples (Italy)''
Weapon(s) - Dual tri-blade katars
Easily the freakiest character in the series, and possibly of all fighting games period. Voldo is a guardian of the treasures that were gathered by his master, Vercci. He seeks Soul Edge because it is the only treasure that his master did not have before his death, but which he longed for so passionately.
Most of the series he's just traveling around accomplishing nothing. In ''Soulcalibur IV'', he finally reaches Soul Edge, and is tricked by the sword into becoming one of its servants/guards by imitating his beloved master. In ''V'', he returns to the Money Pit and becomes its guardian once again, but when Soul Edge reappears, he seeks it out believing it to be Vercci, apparently now a slave to the evil sword's will.
[[spoiler: It turns out that Kilik had actually purified him in ''IV'', meaning that his search for Soul Edge in ''V'' is now once again of his own volition as a last will and testament to his beloved master Vercci. To do this, he gets close to Graf Dumas.]]
* AmbiguouslyGay: He REALLY wants to please Vercci.
* AnimalMotifs: His costume in ''V'' references a tarantula spider, complete with tufts of arachnid-like hair and a horrific multi-eyed, spider face cod-piece.
* AntiMagic: All evidence suggests that his obsessive devotion to Vercci renders him immune to Soul Edge's influence. [[TakeAThirdOption So, Soul Edge imitates Vercci.]]
** However, by the time of ''V'', he's now a malfested. Apparently, Voldo's luck didn't last.
* BadassBack: This is a big part of his gimmick; that is, he has an entire moveset for while facing away from the opponent. Several of his moves have him swapping between back-facing and front-facing, and he is effectively a normal character no matter which direction he's staring at.
** BadassGrandpa: As of ''SCV'', he's ''67 years old'', but appears to have lost none of his freakish flexibility.
* BaldOfAwesome
* BoundAndGagged
* CollectorOfTheStrange: Voldo's master was a fan of collecting weapons, specially eastern katars. He used to boast that "if it isn't in [his] collection, then it doesn't exist."
* ConfusionFu
* DisabilitySuperpower: Due to the loss of his sight, he has greatly developed both his hearing and smell, allowing him to fight on-par with even trained veterans.
* DualWielding: Katars do not need to be used in pairs but Voldo does anyway.
* {{Everyone Looks Sexier If|French}} [[LatinLover Italian]]: He ''completely'' subverts this. Most other Italian fighting game characters play this trope straight -- Robert Garcia from ''[[ArtOfFighting AOF]]''[=/=]''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters KOF]]'', Rose from ''StreetFighter'', Brad Burns from ''[[VirtuaFighter VF]]'', etc. Voldo is VERY much the exception to the rule.
* FanNickname: Like Mitsubishi above, Volvo.
* FightingClown
* GrossUpCloseUp: His end poses mostly involve him contorting himself into various weird shapes, incorporating merciless close-ups of his [[AccidentalNightmareFuel aggressive looking cod-piece]] and thong-bound backside.
* HandicappedBadass: Is blind AND mute, and also has a blindfold and a facemask.
* HearingVoices: He has been hearing Vercci's voice in his head ever since the first game.
* IslandBase: The Money Pit, located on an island Vercci obtained, was intended to safekeep the merchant's remaining possessions after the ones on land were confiscated. Voldo manages to restore it to its former glory around the time "V" kicks in.
* [[MadWomanInTheAttic Mad Man In The Attic]]: Kept in total darkness at the bottom of the vertiginous Money Pit.
* TheSpeechless
* {{Stripperiffic}}: A rare male example, although not all of his costumes qualify.
* UnderwaterRuins: After a heavy rain, most of the lower levels of the Money Pit were drowned, and treasures found there lost forever.
* UndyingLoyalty: To his deceased master Vercci. Sometimes taken to odd [[AmbiguouslyGay extremes]].
* UnwittingPawn
* WarForFunAndProfit: Vercci did it in a smaller scale. He specialized in selling weapons, often to conflicting sides (like the Spanish Armada and Cervantes.) This made him and his business family gain the title of "Merchants of Death." However, it also [[HoistByHisOwnPetard backfired on him]] when the Italian Wars set off and all his possessions were confiscated, due to his very fame as a weapons merchant.
!!Hwang Song-Gyeong
Origin - ''Jirisan, Korea''
Weapon(s) - Chinese sword
-->Voiced By: ToshiyukiMorikawa (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), WataruTakagi (''Soul Blade''-''Soulcalibur''; Japanese), Naoki Imamura (''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese)
A Korean soldier given orders to investigate and destroy Soul Edge. Orphaned since a young age, he came to rely on others, and once he has grown he decided to help those in need by joining the Coast Guard of his country. Sent to find Soul Edge, under the idea that it would help them against his country's mortal enemy, Japan, in the first game; only to get back in a hurry after hearing rumors of his country being invaded.
In ''Soulcalibur'', he was sent to seek the runaway Mi-na under the guise of a second search of Soul Edge. During said quest he learns of the sword's evil, but no one in Korea believes him and he ends up demoted. After spies from Japan are found looking for the sword, the higher-ups sends him again as he's the most experienced, but he's decided to destroy the sword against his bosses' wishes. Ends up injured by Sophitia and letting Yun-seong keep the spot...
It is currently unknown what became of him in ''V''.
* {{Bowdlerise}}: Before Arthur's introduction, Mitsurugi was switched out with him in Korean arcades. This made him a SecretCharacter in the western arcades.
* JackOfAllStats
* {{Mentor|s}}: Mi-na's father Seong Han-myeong. Has also a mentor figure in real life Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
* OlderAndWiser: Since ''Soulcalibur III''.
* PatrioticFervor
* PutOnABus: Went missing after ''Soulcalibur'', and enjoyed a brief return in ''Soulcalibur III'' and its arcade port. Even then, he still appeared on the sidelines in Yun-seong's story.
* TheRival: With Mitsurugi in ''Soul Edge'' and Maxi in ''Soulcalibur''.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Hwang Sung Kyung? Korean names always seem to have this problem. G's are sometimes K's, O's are sometimes U's...
* TheStoic
* YouHaveToBelieveMe: Nobody believed him in Korea when he appeared claiming Soul Edge to be an EvilWeapon.
!!Seong Mi-na
Origin - ''Jirisan, Korea''
Weapon(s) - Zanbatou (bladed staff)
-->Voiced By: HekiruShiina (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), YukoMiyamura (''Soul Blade''; Japanese), HoukoKuwashima (''Soulcalibur''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), SanaeKobayashi (''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Molly Lin (''Soulcalibur II''; English), Erika Lenhart (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
The only daughter of Seong Han-Myeong. She at first leaves home to join Hwang in his search for Soul Edge, only to be dragged back home by Hwang. She leaves home again in Soul Calibur to search for Soul Edge (and to get away from a clingy student of her father's), but is dragged back home ''yet again'' by Hwang. She later commits the mistake of giving a family sword to Yun-seong, who later runs away with it; she then receives permission from her father to seek him and the sword. During the quest she discovers Soul Edge's true colors, and now seeks Yun-seong to stop him from searching for it.
It is currently unknown what became of her in ''V''.
* ActionGirl: Possibly bordering on FauxActionGirl. She does have the skills, but in-story her last won fight happened before her debut in ''SE''.
* ArrangedMarriage: If her father had his way, she'd be settling down with Hwang... or as seen in her ''SC'' ending, the [[TheFool idiot son]] of the neighboring Kim family.
* BareYourMidriff
* BladeOnAStick: Mi-na wields a giant halberd called a "zanbatou."
* CoolBigSis: To Yun-seong. Specifically states this in ''Broken Destiny''[='s=] Gauntlet mode, and several of her interactions with the boy throughout the series serve to emphasize their relation.
* CoolTeacher: She spent a year training with [[DrunkenMaster Kong Xiuqiang]].
* CurbStompBattle: She fought Ivy during the events ''Soulcalibur'', and was completely overwhelmed by her WhipSword (though her easy-to-anger impulsiveness got the best of her too), to the point Ivy utterly defeated and mocked her in front of a crowd.
* FanservicePack: Played straight in ''Soulcalibur II'' (especially in the artwork) but inverted afterward as her outfits became more conservative and her figure became getting thinner (which is ironic considering on how just about all the other ladies went in the opposite direction).
* GroinAttack: A rather nasty one where she [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel cuts her opponent's balls off/box out]]. She even addresses it with a special voice sample, "Bye bye."
* JumpedAtTheCall: She is always seeking adventure, even defying her father and running away from home to do so.
* OlderAndWiser: Since ''Soulcalibur II''. Even Han-Myeong notes it.
* OverprotectiveDad: Han-Myeong isn't too thrilled about his daughter's adventurous streak. Somewhat understandable if you remember that Mi-na's mother and younger brother died of illness.
* PluckyGirl: "I will never lose!"
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Seung Mina? Syung Mena?
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Averted -- she ''was'' headed in this direction (her outfit in ''SCII'' was basically a bra and {{loincloth}}) but unlike most of the ladies in the series, whose outfits have got skimpier with each new game, ''SCIV'' sees Mi-na actually cover up more than she ever has. In fact, one of her alternative outfits is a quite conservative ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanbok hanbok.]]''
* {{Tsundere}}: To Hwang.
* {{Underboobs}}: Her ''SCIII'' outfit . It can also be seen in her ''SCIV'' outfit, to a lesser extent.
* YouGoGirl: She wants to prove her fighting worth to her OverprotectiveDad.
!!Li Long
Origin - ''Peking, Ming Empire (China)''
Weapon(s) - Bladed nunchaku (''Soul Edge''), Dual bladed nunchaku (''Soulcalibur III'')
-->Voiced By: JinYamanoi (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), Masaya Takatsuka (''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese)
Nunchaku user and mercenary. Believing Mitsurugi to have killed his mute lover Chie (daughter of the former head of Taki's clan, childhood friend of Taki, and in hiding with her father as innkeepers) he intends to get revenge. If Mitsurugi turns out to be innocent, to kill every swordsman he meets. Later, he was almost killed by Cervantes, but survived, albeit with his self-esteem damaged.
While on the run from Ming assassins for disobeying orders, he was rescued by another mute girl. He stayed with her until his pursuers found him, which forced him to fight again in order to protect her. Having remembered what it was like fighting for someone, he decides to restore his confidence by fighting the sword that shattered it in the first place.
* BruceLeeClone
* TheCameo: Makes a cameo appearance in Cervantes' ''Soulcalibur III'' story mode as a shadow enemy. Though this enemy appears in other stories, only Cervantes recognizes Li Long as this "Unknown Soul".
** Also has cameos as a created character in the Quick Battle mode of both ''Broken Destiny'' and ''V''.
* ContractOnTheHitman: Sorta. The Ming Empire sent assassins to kill him for having disobeyed orders.
* DisappearedDad: Him. He was unaware he has a child for most games. May still not known, far as its known.
* DisneyDeath: Chie's "miraculous survival," considering the only mark she had was a huge sword one on her back.
* DualWielding: In ''Soulcalibur III'', he's given twin nunchakus to fight, probably to diffrenciate him from Maxi.
* TheFourGods: He has four weapons in Soul Edge named after them.
* HeroicBSOD: After being defeated by Cervantes, Li Long's confidence crumbled as he started doubting if his manhunt was righteous after all or just atrocious acts. Feeling condemned by everything, his guilt weighted on him until he could not hold his weapon anymore. After that, it took him quite a while to even stop his hand from shaking when in a fight.
* KilledOffForReal: Most people assumed this was his fate after he stopped appearing. ''Soulcalibur III'' just confirmed to the west what the east knew a long time ago (he's alive).
* {{Mentor|s}}: To Maxi, while under the alias of Zhang Wu. After losing a battle to him, Maxi asked Li Long if he could train under him while traveling together.
* PutOnABus: Has it far worse than Hwang, who at least was still around (mostly thanks to Yun-seong) story-wise during his in-game absences. Li Long has barely gotten even any mentions at all.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: He has killed many swordsmen on his search for Chie's killer.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Him and his family. Finally resolved between ''IV'' and ''V''. AllThereInTheManual for ''Broken Destiny'' states that he met with Taki in ''III'', who told him that Chie was still alive. Chie herself becomes the new head of the Fu-Ma clan. Li Long's actions after this revelation and his current fate, though, remains unknown.
!!Cervantes de Leon
Origin - ''Valencia, Spanish Empire''
Weapon(s) - Soul Edge - Male & Female (''Soul Edge''), Long sword and pistol sword (''Soulcalibur'' onward)
-->Voiced By: TakashiNagasako (''Soulcalibur''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), Jin Urayama (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV'' onward; Japanese), Warren Rodgerson (''Soulcalibur II''; English), Wally Wingert (''Soulcalibur III'', ''Soulcalibur IV'', & ''Soulcalibur Legends''; English), PatrickSeitz (''Soulcalibur V''; English)
A {{Badass}} {{Pirate}} who learned of Soul Edge's existence via Vercci, the Merchant of Death, and took it for himself. When he took it, [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity he went insane and killed his own crew.]] He is then controlled by Soul Edge into absorbing souls to increase its power. Sophitia fights him and [[BerserkButton destroys one of the two parts of Soul Edge]], [[UnstoppableRage sending Cervantes into a berserk rage.]] Taki assists a wounded Sophitia and kills Cervantes.
[[NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow Normally he would have been dead from that fatal blow]], but after Siegfried became Nightmare due to Soul Edge's influence, [[IGotBetter he was resurrected]]. And so as of ''Soulcalibur'' he became a GhostPirate, seeking out Soul Edge once again.
In ''Soulcalibur II'' he regains enough pieces of Soul Edge to recreate one of his original weapons and became a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Zombie Pirate]], then went to look off for more pieces. In ''Soulcalibur III'' he finds out that his body is starting to decay because Soul Edge's influence has been sealed off. To preserve himself, he decides to [[KickTheDog take his daughter's soul]]... and he succeeds according to ''Soulcalibur IV''. He reached his final evolution of '''[[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Ghost Zombie Pirate]]''', then headed to Ostrheinsburg once again to claim Soul Edge as a whole and [[AGodAmI become a god]].
When Soul Edge was sucked into a vortex at the end of ''IV'', so too was Cervantes due to his deep connections with it. However, Cervantes escaped the void as well as Soul Edge's will, and gained a new body. Seeing that many seafarers had believed him to be dead, he set out to prove the contrary, now acting on his own free will without the use of Soul Edge.
* AGodAmI: His ''SCIV'' ending, and his character tier in all the games.
* BackFromTheDead: He is restructured in ''V''. How is yet to be explained.
* {{Badass}}: Possibly the biggest one in all the series. Considering the [[WorldOfBadass world it's set in]], this is saying a lot.
** BadassBeard: In ''III'' and ''IV''.
** BadassLongcoat: It gradually becomes a badass ''vest'' over the course of the series.
** BadassMustache
** BadassNormal: In ''V''.
** BadassSpaniard
* BigBad: Of the prequel, ''Soul Edge'', and an unlockable character in every game in the series.
* CarpetOfVirility: In ''V'', whatever body he now inhabits has got some chest hair action going on.
* CoolBoat: His flagship, The Adrian.
* CoolSword: Has a gun in it.
* DualWielding: He unconventionally wields a longsword and a pistol-sword.
* EyesOfGold: In ''Soul Edge'', to denote his possessed status. Interestingly, ''Soulcalibur II'' is the only game where he has GlowingEyesOfDoom and {{red eyes|TakeWarning}}.
* {{Immortality}}
* LargeHam: Even bigger than Nightmare, and ''he's'' a Black Forest ham!
-->"COME with ''ME'' to '''HELL!'''"
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: After his [[BackFromTheDead ressurrection]], he has forgotten everything about his past. Over time he only recovered selected memories.
* LevelGrinding: Oh so much...
** RestartAtLevelOne: And then in ''V'' he [[VideoGame/CallOfDuty Prestiged]] and became human again, but just like Prestiging, he only became more badass as a result.
* MonochromaticEyes: Usually white; red in ''SCII''.
* [[MustHaveNicotine Must Have Soul Edge]]: Cervantes' obssession with Soul Edge is likened to an addict having a relapse. After recovering his memories he craved to find the sword again, even though he remembered quite well how it manipulated him.
** GoingColdTurkey: At the end of ''IV'' he is sucked into a vortex along with Soul Edge, but somehow fights his way out of the void known as Astral Chaos, becomes human again, and realizes his hunt for Soul Edge wasn't worth it anymore because it led him astray from his true goal - becoming the most dreaded pirate in the Seven Seas.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: His non-canon good ending in ''Soul Edge'' has him break free from the sword's influence long enough to see the devastation it's made him wreak on his beloved Valencia, and he [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices his life]] to destroy Soul Edge.
* OutOfContinues: His immortal life is maintained by Soul Edge's influence. Without it, his body would start to rot away and he'd be DeaderThanDead.
** Apparently he's capable of body-hopping, as his bio for ''Soulcalibur V'' states that he is now inhabiting a new body. What, exactly, happened that let him do this is unclear.
* {{Pirate}}
** GhostPirate
*** [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Ghost Zombie Pirate]]... with a gun and [[AGodAmI delusions of godhood]].
* [[TeleportersAndTransporters Teleportation]] and [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]]
* ThisBananaIsArmed: His joke weapons (wood carvings of Soul Edge in Soulcalibur 2 and a pair of shish-kebabs onward) are still able to use the bullet fireing moves.
!!Inferno (named "Soul Edge" only in the game of the same name)
Origin - ''Chaos''
Weapon(s) - Soul Edge - Male & Female (''Soul Edge''), All weapons (''Soulcalibur'' onward)
The physical embodiment of the titular ArtifactOfDoom Soul Edge, though only when it brings forth its [[AnotherDimension own dimension, Chaos]]. Inferno is invisible and intangible in the real world up until ''Soulcalibur III'', when Zasalamel allowed it to animate Siegfried's trademark blue armor, turning it into Nightmare. In ''Soulcalibur IV'', Nightmare reclaimed Soul Edge and became its physical manifestation.
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: The soul of Soul Edge.
* BonusBoss: In ''Soulcalibur III: Arcade Edition''.
* DittoFighter: Subverted because he has exclusive special moves.
* EnemyWithin: For those who seek to wield Soul Edge.
* EnemyWithout: To Siegfried as Nightmare in ''III'' and ''IV''.
* EvilIsBurningHot
* FinalBoss: Most prominently in ''Soulcalibur III'', though he's also in essence the FinalBoss of ''Soul Edge'' (see "OneWingedAngel" below) and ''Soulcalibur''.
* FlamingSkulls: In ''Soul Edge'', he was basically "a firespawn with Cervantes' clothes and [[SkullForAHead a skull head]]."
* GrandTheftMe: If the wielder of Soul Edge is unable to best Inferno in a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind, then he/she will become the sword's host. And even if they do win, it's only a matter of time...
* HiveMind: By the time of ''III'', Soul Edge is able to act in at least three places at once: the cursed sword itself, Inferno, and Nightmare. This isn't even factoring in the invidual shards of the sword and entities such as Charade.
* MadeOfEvil: Soul Edge was once a normal blade until it tasted too much blood on the battlefield, giving it sentience and an evil soul (Inferno).
* OneWingedAngel: Of Cervantes in ''Soul Edge''.
* PlayingWithFire
* ReviveKillsZombie: Throws do about as much damage as normal against him, while normal attacks do roughly 3/4 their usual damage.
* SevenDeadlySins: His voice samples in ''Soulcalibur'' are named after them.
* ShapeshifterWeapon: Inferno can create weapons out of its body to accomodate any style he's willing to use.
!!Heishiro Mitsurugi
Origin - ''Bizen, Japan''
Weapon(s) - Katana
-->Voiced By: WataruTakagi (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), ToshiyukiMorikawa (''Soulcalibur'' onward; Japanese), Scott Keck (''Soulcalibur II''; English), Douglas Rye (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
Your typical {{Samurai}} looking for a good challenge. In ''Soul Edge'' he seeks a way to defeat the Tanegashima rifle, and believes the legendary sword Soul Edge to be the blade that can do it. He eventually beats the rifle without the need of Soul Edge, but throughout ''Soulcalibur'', ''SCII'', and ''SCIII'', he's still searching for it for the sole purpose of fighting Nightmare. In ''IV'' he realizes that there are no more worthy challengers for him, and seeks to fight otherworldly opponents instead. He found a WorthyOpponent in Algol in ''IV'', but due to Soul Edge and Soul Calibur vanishing into a vortex, their battle was cut short as Algol vanished with them. And so Mitsurugi went home to Japan, where over the years he hung up his sword as the era changed - not literally, though, as he loses his Shishi-Oh to Setsuka sometime between ''IV'' and ''V''. Now a farmer, when he heard that Soul Edge had returned, he sold all of his land for an opportunity to fight Algol again.
Current director Dashi Odashima considers him the main character of ''Soul Edge''.
* ActorAllusion: In ''SCIV'', [[StarWars Darth Vader]] fights Mitsurugi in his intro and as a Destined Battle. ToshiyukiMorikawa, Mitsurugi's seiyuu, is also the Japanese dub voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
* TheArtifact: Mitsurugi was the main character of the first game; by ''III'', he is almost completely irrelevant to the plot, mostly serving as the motivator of Setsuka's StandAloneEpisode. After ''Soulcalibur II'', he's basically only fighting because he's seeking a challenge, which has virtually no impact on the main story.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: During his training after his defeat against the rifle, Mitsurugi sought to fight as many varied fighting styles as he could so he would implement their fighting tactics to his own style. Suffice to say, he was quite successful.
* {{Badass}}: Oh, yes. Very much so.
** BadassBeard
** BadassBoast: "You will be a stain on my sword." Another notable one is [[LargeHam "Not even the king of hell could stand against my blade."]]
** BadassLonghair
** BadassLongRobe: Some incarnations of him sport them.
* BadassNormal: Mitsurugi, so far as we can tell, has no special powers and no connection to either spirit sword. The katana he uses is perfectly ordinary metal. He's made up for this by being so skilled entire armies of normal men, including ''ones with guns'' can't beat him, and he's considered a worthy adversary to blatantly supernatural fighters like Nightmare, Olcadan (who ''killed a god's messenger''), and even Algol, a man so {{Badass}} Soul Edge has no power over him. In the 17-year time gap between ''IV'' and ''V'', he gave up fighting because anything less than a god-king just wasn't enough of a challenge anymore.
* BloodKnight
* DuelToTheDeath: All challenges are this for both Mitsurugi and those he challenges.
** Except for Setsuka, apparently.
* {{Expy}}: ''Blatantly'' modeled on ToshiroMifune, who played iconic Samurai roles in the AkiraKurosawa films ''{{Rashomon}}'', ''Throne of Blood'', and ''SevenSamurai''. Also could be considered based on MiyamotoMusashi, who was played by ToshiroMifune, so...
* FanNickname: "Mitsubishi."
* KatanasAreJustBetter
* MeaningfulName: "Mitsurugi" literally means "divine sword."
* OneManArmy: He goes as far as to purposefully side with outnumbered sides so he has more people to fight.
* ParentalAbandonment: What he was ''expecting'' (them to die) to start his sword training.
* PerpetualPoverty: In the early games, he has to make ends meet during travels by working as a mercenary. Which was a bit troublesome given he's the only one who faces language barriers. In ''SCV'', he ended up becoming a farmer when Japan had no use for ronin and samurai, just to make ends meet.
* {{Ronin}}: He actually ''refused'' to take a {{Samurai}} position when offered, preferring a mercenary lifestyle so he could find a WorthyOpponent.
* {{Samurai}}: In appearance.
* ShoutOut: One of his costumes in ''Soulcalibur II'' bears resemblance to [[SamuraiShodown Haohmaru]].
* WalkingTheEarth: As part of his desire for good opposition, he's been traveling all over Japan, amassing fame throughout the island for his skills. He's also probably the one character that has traveled the most throughout the series' course; during ''SCII'' he spent ''seven'' years traveling all over Eurasia.
* WarriorMonk: The Japanese website for ''V'' indicates that he has become one.
* WorthyOpponent: He considers Taki his only worthy rival during ''SCII/III'' after having a few unfinished encounters with her. In ''SCIV'' he considers himself so strong, only Nightmare can fill that spot. As of ''SCV'', he seems to have some unfinished business with Algol.
** Olcadan's quotes indicate Mitsurugi is one to him.
!!Taki
Origin - ''Fu-Ma No Sato, Japan''
Weapon(s) - Kodachi (''Soul Edge''), Dual kodachi (''Soulcalibur'' onward)
-->Voiced By: FujikoTakimoto (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), Sachiko Kojima (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Desirée Goyette (''Soulcalibur II'' onward; English)
The stereotypical ninja of the series. Raised in a [[HiddenElfVillage secret ninja village]] since [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan her childhood]], Taki has developed a mastery of sealing spells, and dedicates her life to sealing demons all over Japan. In ''Soul Edge'', she leaves to Europe to find the cursed sword so as to empower her favourite sword, Rekkimaru. She's able to obtain a shard after defeating Cervantes, but ends instead fusing it with Mekkimaru, a sword with strong spiritual powers that has driven her master Toki insane. [[ContractOnTheHitman She is forced to leave her home when she's targeted by her own comrades]] after Toki discovers she has Mekkimaru. In ''Soulcalibur'', she tries to destroy Mekkimaru by pitting it against Soul Edge. Being unable to, she settles on her desire to control its immense power.
In ''Soulcalibur II'', the ninjas against her try to ambush her, and she realizes Toki's now after Soul Edge. Realizing the dangers of a man like Toki to claim it, she travels back to face him, which she does successfully in ''III''. In ''IV'' she realizes that Soul Calibur is as dangerous as Soul Edge (even if it is totally opposite in nature) from the battle between Siegfried and Nightmare, and resolves to destroy Soul Calibur as well -- [[DarkerAndEdgier by any means necessary]].
During the time skip she finds an apprentice in Natsu, who succeeds Taki's position in ''V'', while Taki herself has gone missing, having yet to return from a journey westward. Natsu sets out to look for her.
* ActionGirl
* {{Badass}}: She went toe-to-toe with Cervantes while he was under Soul Edge's complete influence [[spoiler:and slashed him down]].
* BigDamnHeroes: When Sophitia was riddled with shards of the evil sword during her battle with Cervantes, Taki swooped down to save her. [[PetTheDog She then treated Sophitia's wounds and carried her back home to Greece.]]
** [[spoiler: She didn't treat all of them. One of the shards was lodged near Sophitia's heart in a way that removing it would absolutely kill her without fail. This becomes a plot point later in ''V'']]
* TheCaretaker[=/=]ParentalSubstitute: For Natsu.
* CatchPhrase: "Fuuma Kanryo!", literally "Demon sealed, the deed is done!"
* ChekhovsGun: Mekkimaru in ''Soul Edge'' is a mere extra weapon with little story relevance. Come ''Soulcalibur'' it became Taki's second main weapon and the focal point of her whole story up until ''Soulcalibur III''.
* ContractOnTheHitman: Since ''Soulcalibur'', up through ''IV''. Having your best friend take over the clan will generally stop this.
* DarkerAndEdgier: In ''IV''.
* DualWielding: Since ''Soulcalibur''.
* EvilMentor: Toki, though not [[BrainwashedAndCrazy intentionally]].
* EvilWeapon: Mekkimaru. Its powers corrupted Toki into a [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity bloodthirsty madman]]. These powers were amplified when Taki merged a shard of Soul Edge in it, enough to make it the third strongest weapon after the soul swords.
* FragileSpeedster
* ICallItVera: Rekkimaru is her favourite out of all the weapons [[TheBlacksmith she forged]], and has a special attaching to it.
* JigglePhysics: She's practically the games' poster girl for it.
* [[KatanasAreJustBetter Kodachi Are Just Better]]
* MsFanservice
* MurderIsTheBestSolution: By ''Soulcalibur IV'', her primary solution to other people knowing about Soul Edge is to KillEmAll. No matter who the character is or how good or bad they are, Taki will indiscriminately show up trying to murder them at some point.
* {{Ninja}}
** HighlyVisibleNinja
* PaintedOnPants: Her spray-on, fuchsia-or-blue body-glove is slightly ludicrous, given that ninjas usually wore clothing to ''disguise'' their shape, not draw attention to it.
* PutOnABus: It has been said that she'll return "Eventually" meaning she might return in a future installment.
* RavenHairIvorySkin
* SphereOfDestruction: A few of Taki's spells. Best seen in the intro for ''II'', although her actual attacks of that caliber in-game are not nearly as widespread or destructive.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Her [[SpyCatsuit ninja jumpsuit]] has that whole "[[MemeticMutation pastede on yay]]" thing going on, don't you think?
* TallDarkAndBishoujo
* [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow These Are Things Man Was Not Meant To Use]]: Her thoughts on Mekkimaru and spirit swords in general.
* TookALevelInJerkass: By ''IV'', Taki is much more condescending and self-righteous than her previous incarnations and appears to have no sympathy for the many, many people she's trying to kill to keep them away from Soul Edge.
* WallJump: A special skill of her (and others) in ''Soulcalibur II''.
!!Siegfried Schtauffen
Origin - ''Ober-Getzenberg, Holy Roman Empire (Germany)''
Weapon(s) - Zweihänder
-->Voiced By: NobuyukiHiyama (Japanese), CrispinFreeman (''Soulcalibur III''; English), RogerCraigSmith (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV'' onward; English)
The actual protagonist of the series. Son of a knight of the HolyRomanEmpire, when [[DisappearedDad he was sent into a foreign expedition]] Siegfried fell into bad company and formed a gang of bandits. During a raid against a group of coward knights that ran away, he [[spoiler:murdered his father]] by accident, and sought for Soul Edge to find his father's killer [[spoiler:because the horror of what he'd done drove him insane, and he convinced himself that someone else did it]]. He obtains Soul Edge but becomes its new host and is transformed into Nightmare.
He regains his sanity shortly after Nightmare was defeated by Kilik and Xianghua, but is unable to keep the sword under control, and falls again into its clutches. He is finally freed from Soul Edge's control in ''III'', and is able to "seal" Soul Edge with Soul Calibur. During ''III'' he seeks a way to destroy Soul Edge for good, and eventually finds it in Soul Calibur itself, which has bonded with him in order to save his life from a fatal injury. In ''IV'', he's out to get Nightmare, while [[LeaveMeAlone shunning all those who try to help him]] in an attempt to avoid [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies any more victims]]. He returns in ''V'', now OlderAndWiser, and has reformed his band of mercenaries "Schwarzwind" to combat Soul Edge. Hilde now accompanies him due to the fall of her kingdom during the timeskip caused by Nightmare. Z.W.E.I and Viola also accompany him to find a worthy successor to Soul Calibur.
Director Daishi Odashima considers him the main character of ''Soulcalibur III'' and ''IV'' and considers Nightmare!Siegfried the main character of ''Soulcalibur II'' (read: "more than half the series"), but has explicitly confirmed he is ''not'' the main character for ''Soulcalibur V'' despite his return.
* AnIcePerson: Whereas Soul Edge (and by proxy, Inferno and Nightmare) is associated with [[PlayingWithFire fire]], Siegfried seems to embody the element of ice in contrast (presumably through his contact with Soul Calibur). This can be seen with his Critical Finish in ''IV'' and Critical Edge in ''V''.
* AnimalMotifs: His armor in ''SCV'' incorporates the [[BigBadassBirdOfPrey eagle]] symbol of the Holy Roman Empire banner.
* ApologeticAttacker: Only against those who want him dead for his crimes as Nightmare. He feels they are in the right to seek revenge for his crimes, but can't die before stopping Soul Edge. So he beats the crap outta them... and then apologizes.
* ArmorIsUseless
* TheAtoner: He's spent practically every game since ''Soulcalibur'' (well, except for ''[[BrainwashedAndCrazy Soulcalibur II]]'') trying to make up for [[spoiler:murdering his father in cold blood]] and having been manipulated by the sword into killing thousands of innocents.
* {{Badass}}
** BadassAngster: The angst is somewhat justified in that he did a lot of bad things as Nightmare and he wants to atone for that, but still.
** BadassBack
** BadassBoast[=/=]BadassCreed: Has quite a lot of these. Too many to list.
** BadassCape: In ''SCV''. His alt. in ''III'' and 1P outfit in ''IV'' instead don a ScarfOfAsskicking (the latter being long enough to technically count as a cape anyway).
** BadassCrew: His group Schwarzwind ([[http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110804203225/soulcalibur/images/5/51/Soul-calibur-siegfried-with-schwarzwind.jpg first]] [[http://images.wikia.com/soulcalibur/images/a/a5/Soul-calibur-siegfried-with-schwarzwind-2.jpg seen]] in Siegfried's ending from ''Soulcalibur'' as what would appear to be a miniature BadassArmy) has slowly grown into this, thanks to Siegfried's reforms post-''IV''. By the time of ''V'', [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110804131710/soulcalibur/images/5/5c/296537769.jpg they're now]] [[HiredGuns a band of noble mercenaries]], a far cry from their original status as a band of thieves. They've also gained a traveling companion in Hilde, who is tagging along with them after the disappearance of her father and the fall of Wolfkrone, as well as enlisting Z.W.E.I and Viola into their ranks.
** BadassPacifist
* {{BFS}}
* {{Bishonen}}: Out of all the ''Soulcalibur'' characters, Siegfried is the one most deemed as this. Particularly, because of his [[DudeLooksLikeALady girly-ish]] pretty face and slim (but masculine) build. He's aged well, for he's a Biseinen in ''V''.
* BlueEyes: A mixture of blue and green.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: When he was Nightmare.
** BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind: Numerous times with Inferno, serving as a rare ''heroic'' version of an EnemyWithin. It finally comes to an end in ''SCII''.
* CanonShadow: His appearance in ''Soulcalibur'' is a "{{what if}}" inclusion, seeing as Siegfried was canonically Nightmare at the time.
* ChasteHero[=/=]CelibateHero: Justified. He outright stated in ''SCIV'' that "No one would touch his heart." This is because he doesn't want anyone to hinder him on his quest to destroy [[EvilWeapon Soul Edge]], and that he realized that [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies anyone who get close to him is in danger]].
** Still, this didn't stop the fandom from making him the [[LauncherOfAThousandShips Fandom Bicycle.]]
* DarkAndTroubledPast: ''Self-inflicted'', no less.
* DeadpanSnarker: At times.
* DealWithTheDevil: In ''Soul Edge'', the sword told him that it'd resurrect his dead father if he were to offer souls to empower it. He agreed and eventually was corrupted into Nightmare.
** MeaningfulName: That's why Siegfried's weapon in that game is called {{Faust}}.
* DeathSeeker
* DestinedBystander: Arguably. You didn't think this kid would go on to become both the BigBad ''and'' TheHero of the series, did you?
* {{Determinator}}: His fighting style even has a somewhat desperate "push onward at all costs" feeling to it, emphasized by one of his more basic moves being a series of headbutts.
* EnemyWithin: In ''Soulcalibur II'', Siegfried functions as a ''heroic'' version of this for Nightmare/Inferno, awakening after lying dormant for so long to try and retake his body. Cue [[SpannerInTheWorks Raphael]] stabbing the eye of Soul Edge.
* FailureKnight
* FanNickname: "Sieg" or "Si(e)ggy/Siggie."
* GermanicDepressives: Unsurprisingly, considering his angst ridden back-story.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Sports a vertical scar across his right eye starting in ''Soulcalibur'' (it's more clearly seen in his 2P costume, as his default outfit has PeekABangs).
* HairOfGold
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: When he's not possessed by Soul Edge he's trying to destroy it. The best thing you can say about Siegfried is however badly he screws up, [[{{Determinator}} he never stops fighting]].
* HotBlooded: Subverted, despite [[PigeonholedVoiceActor what his]] [[NobuyukiHiyama seiyuu]] [[PigeonholedVoiceActor might entail]]. In the [[JustForPun heat]] of battle, Siggy has some pretty ferocious battle cries, yet he's pretty much TheStoic at all times. As Nightmare, [[EvilIsHammy however...]]
* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: Siegfried takes it a step further with a move that stomps around six times in rapid succession.
* KnightInShiningArmor: Brutally subverted. He looks the part (especially in ''IV'', where an intricate crystalline armor has grown over his regular silver suit) and it was his childhood dream to become one of these like his father, but he's far from being one. However, he could arguably be considered [[KnightInSourArmor the more embittered variant of this trope.]]
* KnightTemplar: Only against those cursed by Soul Edge, and because he's not aware of any cure for that.
* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Starting in ''Soulcalibur''.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: After remembering his atrocities as Nightmare.
** He hits this wall with regards to his father's death as well, which is how he temporarily frees himself during the latter part of the first ''Soulcalibur''.
* MyGreatestFailure: {{Patricide}}, specifically.
** MyGreatestSecondChance: Subverted in the interim between ''Soulcalibur'' and ''SCII'' (where he eventually succumbs to Soul Edge's sway once more), played straight from ''III'' onward. It's most evident in ''III'', where [[spoiler:his B ending has Siegfried believe that his father was the one who sent the lightning bolts that destroyed Nightmare and interpret it as his father having already forgiven Siegfried for killing him.]]
* OlderAndWiser: By ''V'', and arguably by ''IV'' as well, though his regretful determination to redeem himself has [[KnightTemplar more than a touch of fanaticism.]]
* ParentalAbandonment: Frederick was accidentally slain by Siegfried prior to the first game, whereas Margaret would pass away due to natural causes sometime before ''V''.
* PowerDyesYourHair, PowerMakesYourHairGrow: As Nightmare in ''II'', he's shown to have [[RapunzelHair flowing]] [[EvilRedhead red hair]].
* PermaStubble: [[http://www.fightersgeneration.com/np8/char/siegfried-sc5.png Sports it]] in ''V''.
* [[spoiler:RedemptionEqualsDeath: In every ''Soulcalibur IV'' ending that involves him except Hilde's. And even in Hilde's is [[ForgivenessRequiresDeath he prepared to die as penance for his sins.]] Compare this to [[RedemptionEarnsLife his ending in the third game.]]]]
* [[spoiler:SelfMadeOrphan and TraumaInducedAmnesia: Siegfried decapitated his father under influence from his gang of thieves.]]
** [[spoiler:TheKillerInMe]]
* ShoutOut: To the legendary {{Norse|Mythology}} hero Sigurd/Siegfried. A recurring weapon of Siegfried is Gram, the sword used by Sigurd to kill the dragon Fafnir ([[SpellMyNameWithAnS mistranslated]] as "Glam" until more recent games), and Siegfried himself gets to face Fafnir in ''Legends''.
* TheStoic
* SugarAndIcePersonality: His default mood. Although, he can shift between this and {{Tsundere}} at certain times.
* TragicVillain: Debatably, his Siegfried-Nightmare incarnation.
* UnbreakableWeapons: In ''Soul Edge'', where [[BreakableWeapons breaking weapons]] is possible, Siegfried has one specific weapon (the 7-Branch Blade) which restores the weapon gauge so quickly that it's virtually impossible to break.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: A particularly tragic example in ''Soulcalibur IV'' if Siegfried is truly ignorant of Soul Calibur's true nature. (If he is aware, then it's KnightTemplar.) [[spoiler:He might believe that Soul Calibur is a sword of redemption that will destroy the evil of Soul Edge. What he doesn't realize is that Soul Calibur will freeze the world over in the process.]]
!!Sophitia Alexandra
Origin - ''Athens, Ottoman Empire (Greece)''
Weapon(s) - Short sword and shield
-->Voiced By: MichikoNeya (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), ChieNakamura (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Lynn Harris (''Soul Edge''; English), Diane Holmby (''Soulcalibur II'' onward; English)
The daughter of a Greek baker chosen by the god Hephaestus to destroy Soul Edge. She reaches Cervantes' lair, but ends up being gravely injured in the battle. Saved by Taki from certain death, she is able to return to her normal life. During ''Soulcalibur'', she [[LoveAtFirstSight falls in love]] with a young blacksmith, Rothion. But the blacksmith god came back to ask her to go destroy the still-at-large Soul Edge. She does, but is unable to reach Nightmare before he's defeated, so she returns back and [[WeddingDay marries]] Rothion.
In ''Soulcalibur'', ''II'', & ''III'' she becomes a MamaBear due to her children being threatened by Soul Edge. She encounters Tira, who she fights after she makes a threatening remark about her family. Tira escapes, and in ''Soulcalibur IV'', Sophie's daughter [[MeaningfulName Pyrrha]] gets kidnapped and infected by Soul Edge, forcing her to make a FaceHeelTurn. She is succeeded by her son Patroklos and, to some extent, her daughter Pyrrha.
[[spoiler:It was revealed in the ''Soulcalibur V'' material collection that a shard of Soul Edge was implanted near her heart after fighting Cervantes, and it was impossible to remove without killing her. When Nightmare was defeated, Pyrrha slowly began to die because Soul Edge had left this world. Left with no other choice, Sophitia sacrificed herself to save her daughter's life by removing the shard from her own heart and implanting it within Pyrrha.]]
* ActionGirl[=/=]MamaBear: Since ''Soulcalibur II''. [[spoiler:Her MamaBear-ness gets taken to the cruelest extreme in ''IV'' when her daughter Pyrrha is kidnapped by Tira and infected by Soul Edge. Basically either she has to kill Soul Edge's enemies or watch her daughter die.]]
* [[ActionGirlfriend Action Wife]]: She's the one who took on the battlefield, not her husband [[TheBlacksmith Rothion]]. This is a main source of his DieForOurShip treatment.
* AncientGreece: Her look and costumes, including Grecian style skirts, togas tops, laurel-leaf hair decorations (in ''SCIII'') and gladiatrix sandals.
* ApologeticAttacker: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sun9k-HXuGA See for yourself.]]
* AssKicksYou
* BlueEyes: A mix of blue and green much like Siegfried.
* CoolBigSis: Became one when ''II'' was released.
* DangerouslyShortSkirt: An Amazonian warrior often doesn't wear one, but ''she'' does, and [[http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080304041544/soulcalibur/images/6/6d/Sophie.jpg it's practically see-through!]]
* DidNotDoTheResearch: The idea that Sophitia is worshiping the [[ClassicalMythology Hellenic Pantheon]] in 1500s Greece is about 1000 years too late. [[HandWave It's said that she worships the "old" gods in secret, due to being very fond of her past heritage.]]
* FanNickname: "Soph" or "Sophie." The latter is used as a pet name by Cassandra.
* GroinAttack: One of Sophie's favorite attacks. She's not above fighting dirty, but she'll apologize to male opponents if it connects. (See the video listed above for examples.)
* HeroicSacrifice / TearJerker: She kills herself to save Pyrrha...
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe
* HairOfGold
* HappilyMarried: Her [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090902085659/soulcalibur/images/0/0c/235.jpg wedding to Rothion]] is seen in her ''Soulcalibur'' ending.
* HotChickWithASword
* HotMom
* JackOfAllStats
* MeaningfulName: Sophitia means "divine wisdom" in Greek, from ''sophia'' - "wisdom" and ''tia (thea)'' - "Goddess; Godly".
* MiniDressOfPower
* ThePaladin: Her mission and the divine nature of her quest qualify her for this character class.
* PossessionImpliesMastery: Sophitia's instant prowess with the sword and shield, despite being an untrained girl, were imbued upon her by the sacred power of the holy weapons themselves.
* PowerBlonde
* PurityPersonified
* PutOnABus: Subverted; her marriage to Rothion was the game series' attempt to write her out of the action and have Cassandra flat out replace her. However in the console versions of ''Soulcalibur II'', she became a recurring character again. Fans have often speculated that her MsFanservice reputation is a reason why she didn't get PutOnABus unlike the other ''Soulcalibur'' characters who did.
** She may get in another bus for real in ''V'', considering that unlike Cassandra, Patroklos will be the main character.
** According to ''V'', [[spoiler:Sophitia is actually ''[[MissingMom dead]]''.]]
* RapunzelHair: Her default costume in each game gives her the longest hair of any character (tied with Mi-na), although like Mi-na she [[BraidsOfAction keeps it in a braid]].
* ShockAndAwe: Sophitia's Critical Finish.
* {{Stripperiffic}}: This has become more and more prominent over the course of the series, which is sort of ironic given what kind of character she is. Her shirt is ''see-through'' ([[NippleAndDimed aside from on her nipples, naturally]]), has cleavage in front and on the side, and her skirt is very short, causing a PantyShot practically whenever she kicks, is knocked down, there's wind blowing in the arena... EVERY MATCH.
* SuperPowerfulGenetics: Sophitia's children inherited the evil energy of Soul Edge, which infiltrated her body through the wounds on her fight with Cervantes.
* TokenGoodTeammate: Of Nightmare's gang in ''IV''. As said above, she's none too thrilled about her FaceHeelTurn, but ''has'' to fight for the sake of her children.
* WalkingSwimsuitScene: Her "Sophitia!!" extra costume in ''Soul Blade''.
* WomanInWhite: Either she wears white as a standalone color or it is accompanied by blue.
* YouHaveToBelieveMe: After returning from her first quest, no one in town, except Cassandra, believed her stories about Greek gods, an EvilWeapon, and [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Ghost Pirates]].
!!Nathaniel William "Rock" Adams
Origin - ''London, British Empire (Raised in the New World)''
Weapon(s) - Battle axe (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur''), Giant mace (''Soulcalibur III'' onward)
-->Voiced By: TakashiNagasako (''Soul Edge''-''Soulcalibur''; Japanese), Minoru Inaba (''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), [[TohruOokawa Toru Okawa]] (''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Wally Burr (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
An Englishman who was orphaned at a young age due to his parents' murder at the hands of Cervantes. He ends up having to raise himself. Later he adopts a son named Bangoo. In ''Soulcalibur'', Bangoo is kidnapped and he rescues him from Astaroth's cult, which used him as bait to take his soul. Afterwards he seeks to become stronger to prove his worth as a father of Bangoo.
While missing in ''Soulcalibur II'', due to believing that heading out to fight frequently instead of being there was not the way to raise him, he returns in ''III'' and ''IV'', wielding a large mace instead of his axe. In ''IV'', he confronts Astaroth and [[LampshadeHanging notes the similarity in their fighting styles, which worries him]]. It is currently unknown what became of him in ''V''.
* BadassBeard, BadassMustache: Grows 'em out for ''III''.
* BoisterousBruiser
* CarryABigStick: Since ''SCIII'', Rock has wielded maces as his preferred weapon, instead of the [[AnAxeToGrind axes]] he used in ''SE'' and ''SC''.
** ImprobableWeaponUser: That said, besides the Maces, his "Juggernaut" weapon in ''III'' & ''IV'' is a stone statute of the head of a Buddha on a stick.
* CatchPhrase: '''''BANGOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!'''''
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: In his ''SCIII'' ending, he travels back to the New World... by ''swimming across the Atlantic''.
* DubNameChange: His actual name ''is'' Rock Adams. The translator of the first game decided to turn it into a nickname and gave him the full name "Nathaniel William Adams." Worth noting this name only appears in ''Soul Edge'', and all subsequent games have ignored/failed to mention it, while names of other (actual) nicknamed characters (Ivy, Lizardman) are always mentioned.
* GreatWhiteHunter: The man has apparently brought down bears, rhinos, bison, and even a freaking [[AnachronismStew mammoth.]]
* EvilKnockoff: Astaroth is this to him, as Rock was used as the base to create him.
* MightyGlacier
* MightyWhitey: British in origin, he became known as the "White Giant" by the Native Americans after he was ship-wrecked in the New World.
* [[MistakenForGods Mistaken For A God]]: As seen in his ''SCIII'' ending. Sailors who witness him swimming the Atlantic, wearing his horned head-dress, mistake him for "The Protector of the Sea." Years later (presumably), this sighting becomes ShroudedInMyth and his ending finishes with an antique-looking illustration that shows a highly exaggerated, Titan-sized Rock emerging from the sea dwarfing a ship.
* NatureHero: He lived alone for most of his life on the New World, and has developed his fighting style as a way to communicate with mother nature. He also wears the fur/skulls of the animals he needs to kill in respect of the wild creatures he co-habits with.
* PapaWolf: To his adoptive son Bangoo.
* SoProudOfYou: After being trapped in a crevasse for a whole night, Rock found Bangoo and asked him if this experience made him fear nature. He said that he didn't, and Rock realized he was ready for his rite of passage into adulthood.
* YouCantFightFate: He reaches this conclusion after investigating Astaroth and realizing his connection with Soul Edge. He considers it his destiny to stop the vile monster.
!!Voldo
Origin - ''Palermo, Kingdom of Naples (Italy)''
Weapon(s) - Dual tri-blade katars
Easily the freakiest character in the series, and possibly of all fighting games period. Voldo is a guardian of the treasures that were gathered by his master, Vercci. He seeks Soul Edge because it is the only treasure that his master did not have before his death, but which he longed for so passionately.
Most of the series he's just traveling around accomplishing nothing. In ''Soulcalibur IV'', he finally reaches Soul Edge, and is tricked by the sword into becoming one of its servants/guards by imitating his beloved master. In ''V'', he returns to the Money Pit and becomes its guardian once again, but when Soul Edge reappears, he seeks it out believing it to be Vercci, apparently now a slave to the evil sword's will.
[[spoiler: It turns out that Kilik had actually purified him in ''IV'', meaning that his search for Soul Edge in ''V'' is now once again of his own volition as a last will and testament to his beloved master Vercci. To do this, he gets close to Graf Dumas.]]
* AmbiguouslyGay: He REALLY wants to please Vercci.
* AnimalMotifs: His costume in ''V'' references a tarantula spider, complete with tufts of arachnid-like hair and a horrific multi-eyed, spider face cod-piece.
* AntiMagic: All evidence suggests that his obsessive devotion to Vercci renders him immune to Soul Edge's influence. [[TakeAThirdOption So, Soul Edge imitates Vercci.]]
** However, by the time of ''V'', he's now a malfested. Apparently, Voldo's luck didn't last.
* BadassBack: This is a big part of his gimmick; that is, he has an entire moveset for while facing away from the opponent. Several of his moves have him swapping between back-facing and front-facing, and he is effectively a normal character no matter which direction he's staring at.
** BadassGrandpa: As of ''SCV'', he's ''67 years old'', but appears to have lost none of his freakish flexibility.
* BaldOfAwesome
* BoundAndGagged
* CollectorOfTheStrange: Voldo's master was a fan of collecting weapons, specially eastern katars. He used to boast that "if it isn't in [his] collection, then it doesn't exist."
* ConfusionFu
* DisabilitySuperpower: Due to the loss of his sight, he has greatly developed both his hearing and smell, allowing him to fight on-par with even trained veterans.
* DualWielding: Katars do not need to be used in pairs but Voldo does anyway.
* {{Everyone Looks Sexier If|French}} [[LatinLover Italian]]: He ''completely'' subverts this. Most other Italian fighting game characters play this trope straight -- Robert Garcia from ''[[ArtOfFighting AOF]]''[=/=]''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters KOF]]'', Rose from ''StreetFighter'', Brad Burns from ''[[VirtuaFighter VF]]'', etc. Voldo is VERY much the exception to the rule.
* FanNickname: Like Mitsubishi above, Volvo.
* FightingClown
* GrossUpCloseUp: His end poses mostly involve him contorting himself into various weird shapes, incorporating merciless close-ups of his [[AccidentalNightmareFuel aggressive looking cod-piece]] and thong-bound backside.
* HandicappedBadass: Is blind AND mute, and also has a blindfold and a facemask.
* HearingVoices: He has been hearing Vercci's voice in his head ever since the first game.
* IslandBase: The Money Pit, located on an island Vercci obtained, was intended to safekeep the merchant's remaining possessions after the ones on land were confiscated. Voldo manages to restore it to its former glory around the time "V" kicks in.
* [[MadWomanInTheAttic Mad Man In The Attic]]: Kept in total darkness at the bottom of the vertiginous Money Pit.
* TheSpeechless
* {{Stripperiffic}}: A rare male example, although not all of his costumes qualify.
* UnderwaterRuins: After a heavy rain, most of the lower levels of the Money Pit were drowned, and treasures found there lost forever.
* UndyingLoyalty: To his deceased master Vercci. Sometimes taken to odd [[AmbiguouslyGay extremes]].
* UnwittingPawn
* WarForFunAndProfit: Vercci did it in a smaller scale. He specialized in selling weapons, often to conflicting sides (like the Spanish Armada and Cervantes.) This made him and his business family gain the title of "Merchants of Death." However, it also [[HoistByHisOwnPetard backfired on him]] when the Italian Wars set off and all his possessions were confiscated, due to his very fame as a weapons merchant.
!!Hwang Song-Gyeong
Origin - ''Jirisan, Korea''
Weapon(s) - Chinese sword
-->Voiced By: ToshiyukiMorikawa (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), WataruTakagi (''Soul Blade''-''Soulcalibur''; Japanese), Naoki Imamura (''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese)
A Korean soldier given orders to investigate and destroy Soul Edge. Orphaned since a young age, he came to rely on others, and once he has grown he decided to help those in need by joining the Coast Guard of his country. Sent to find Soul Edge, under the idea that it would help them against his country's mortal enemy, Japan, in the first game; only to get back in a hurry after hearing rumors of his country being invaded.
In ''Soulcalibur'', he was sent to seek the runaway Mi-na under the guise of a second search of Soul Edge. During said quest he learns of the sword's evil, but no one in Korea believes him and he ends up demoted. After spies from Japan are found looking for the sword, the higher-ups sends him again as he's the most experienced, but he's decided to destroy the sword against his bosses' wishes. Ends up injured by Sophitia and letting Yun-seong keep the spot...
It is currently unknown what became of him in ''V''.
* {{Bowdlerise}}: Before Arthur's introduction, Mitsurugi was switched out with him in Korean arcades. This made him a SecretCharacter in the western arcades.
* JackOfAllStats
* {{Mentor|s}}: Mi-na's father Seong Han-myeong. Has also a mentor figure in real life Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
* OlderAndWiser: Since ''Soulcalibur III''.
* PatrioticFervor
* PutOnABus: Went missing after ''Soulcalibur'', and enjoyed a brief return in ''Soulcalibur III'' and its arcade port. Even then, he still appeared on the sidelines in Yun-seong's story.
* TheRival: With Mitsurugi in ''Soul Edge'' and Maxi in ''Soulcalibur''.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Hwang Sung Kyung? Korean names always seem to have this problem. G's are sometimes K's, O's are sometimes U's...
* TheStoic
* YouHaveToBelieveMe: Nobody believed him in Korea when he appeared claiming Soul Edge to be an EvilWeapon.
!!Seong Mi-na
Origin - ''Jirisan, Korea''
Weapon(s) - Zanbatou (bladed staff)
-->Voiced By: HekiruShiina (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), YukoMiyamura (''Soul Blade''; Japanese), HoukoKuwashima (''Soulcalibur''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), SanaeKobayashi (''Soulcalibur IV''; Japanese), Molly Lin (''Soulcalibur II''; English), Erika Lenhart (''Soulcalibur III'' onward; English)
The only daughter of Seong Han-Myeong. She at first leaves home to join Hwang in his search for Soul Edge, only to be dragged back home by Hwang. She leaves home again in Soul Calibur to search for Soul Edge (and to get away from a clingy student of her father's), but is dragged back home ''yet again'' by Hwang. She later commits the mistake of giving a family sword to Yun-seong, who later runs away with it; she then receives permission from her father to seek him and the sword. During the quest she discovers Soul Edge's true colors, and now seeks Yun-seong to stop him from searching for it.
It is currently unknown what became of her in ''V''.
* ActionGirl: Possibly bordering on FauxActionGirl. She does have the skills, but in-story her last won fight happened before her debut in ''SE''.
* ArrangedMarriage: If her father had his way, she'd be settling down with Hwang... or as seen in her ''SC'' ending, the [[TheFool idiot son]] of the neighboring Kim family.
* BareYourMidriff
* BladeOnAStick: Mi-na wields a giant halberd called a "zanbatou."
* CoolBigSis: To Yun-seong. Specifically states this in ''Broken Destiny''[='s=] Gauntlet mode, and several of her interactions with the boy throughout the series serve to emphasize their relation.
* CoolTeacher: She spent a year training with [[DrunkenMaster Kong Xiuqiang]].
* CurbStompBattle: She fought Ivy during the events ''Soulcalibur'', and was completely overwhelmed by her WhipSword (though her easy-to-anger impulsiveness got the best of her too), to the point Ivy utterly defeated and mocked her in front of a crowd.
* FanservicePack: Played straight in ''Soulcalibur II'' (especially in the artwork) but inverted afterward as her outfits became more conservative and her figure became getting thinner (which is ironic considering on how just about all the other ladies went in the opposite direction).
* GroinAttack: A rather nasty one where she [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel cuts her opponent's balls off/box out]]. She even addresses it with a special voice sample, "Bye bye."
* JumpedAtTheCall: She is always seeking adventure, even defying her father and running away from home to do so.
* OlderAndWiser: Since ''Soulcalibur II''. Even Han-Myeong notes it.
* OverprotectiveDad: Han-Myeong isn't too thrilled about his daughter's adventurous streak. Somewhat understandable if you remember that Mi-na's mother and younger brother died of illness.
* PluckyGirl: "I will never lose!"
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Seung Mina? Syung Mena?
* {{Stripperiffic}}: Averted -- she ''was'' headed in this direction (her outfit in ''SCII'' was basically a bra and {{loincloth}}) but unlike most of the ladies in the series, whose outfits have got skimpier with each new game, ''SCIV'' sees Mi-na actually cover up more than she ever has. In fact, one of her alternative outfits is a quite conservative ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanbok hanbok.]]''
* {{Tsundere}}: To Hwang.
* {{Underboobs}}: Her ''SCIII'' outfit . It can also be seen in her ''SCIV'' outfit, to a lesser extent.
* YouGoGirl: She wants to prove her fighting worth to her OverprotectiveDad.
!!Li Long
Origin - ''Peking, Ming Empire (China)''
Weapon(s) - Bladed nunchaku (''Soul Edge''), Dual bladed nunchaku (''Soulcalibur III'')
-->Voiced By: JinYamanoi (''Soul Edge''; Japanese), Masaya Takatsuka (''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese)
Nunchaku user and mercenary. Believing Mitsurugi to have killed his mute lover Chie (daughter of the former head of Taki's clan, childhood friend of Taki, and in hiding with her father as innkeepers) he intends to get revenge. If Mitsurugi turns out to be innocent, to kill every swordsman he meets. Later, he was almost killed by Cervantes, but survived, albeit with his self-esteem damaged.
While on the run from Ming assassins for disobeying orders, he was rescued by another mute girl. He stayed with her until his pursuers found him, which forced him to fight again in order to protect her. Having remembered what it was like fighting for someone, he decides to restore his confidence by fighting the sword that shattered it in the first place.
* BruceLeeClone
* TheCameo: Makes a cameo appearance in Cervantes' ''Soulcalibur III'' story mode as a shadow enemy. Though this enemy appears in other stories, only Cervantes recognizes Li Long as this "Unknown Soul".
** Also has cameos as a created character in the Quick Battle mode of both ''Broken Destiny'' and ''V''.
* ContractOnTheHitman: Sorta. The Ming Empire sent assassins to kill him for having disobeyed orders.
* DisappearedDad: Him. He was unaware he has a child for most games. May still not known, far as its known.
* DisneyDeath: Chie's "miraculous survival," considering the only mark she had was a huge sword one on her back.
* DualWielding: In ''Soulcalibur III'', he's given twin nunchakus to fight, probably to diffrenciate him from Maxi.
* TheFourGods: He has four weapons in Soul Edge named after them.
* HeroicBSOD: After being defeated by Cervantes, Li Long's confidence crumbled as he started doubting if his manhunt was righteous after all or just atrocious acts. Feeling condemned by everything, his guilt weighted on him until he could not hold his weapon anymore. After that, it took him quite a while to even stop his hand from shaking when in a fight.
* KilledOffForReal: Most people assumed this was his fate after he stopped appearing. ''Soulcalibur III'' just confirmed to the west what the east knew a long time ago (he's alive).
* {{Mentor|s}}: To Maxi, while under the alias of Zhang Wu. After losing a battle to him, Maxi asked Li Long if he could train under him while traveling together.
* PutOnABus: Has it far worse than Hwang, who at least was still around (mostly thanks to Yun-seong) story-wise during his in-game absences. Li Long has barely gotten even any mentions at all.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: He has killed many swordsmen on his search for Chie's killer.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Him and his family. Finally resolved between ''IV'' and ''V''. AllThereInTheManual for ''Broken Destiny'' states that he met with Taki in ''III'', who told him that Chie was still alive. Chie herself becomes the new head of the Fu-Ma clan. Li Long's actions after this revelation and his current fate, though, remains unknown.
!!Cervantes de Leon
Origin - ''Valencia, Spanish Empire''
Weapon(s) - Soul Edge - Male & Female (''Soul Edge''), Long sword and pistol sword (''Soulcalibur'' onward)
-->Voiced By: TakashiNagasako (''Soulcalibur''-''Soulcalibur III''; Japanese), Jin Urayama (''Soulcalibur Legends'' & ''Soulcalibur IV'' onward; Japanese), Warren Rodgerson (''Soulcalibur II''; English), Wally Wingert (''Soulcalibur III'', ''Soulcalibur IV'', & ''Soulcalibur Legends''; English), PatrickSeitz (''Soulcalibur V''; English)
A {{Badass}} {{Pirate}} who learned of Soul Edge's existence via Vercci, the Merchant of Death, and took it for himself. When he took it, [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity he went insane and killed his own crew.]] He is then controlled by Soul Edge into absorbing souls to increase its power. Sophitia fights him and [[BerserkButton destroys one of the two parts of Soul Edge]], [[UnstoppableRage sending Cervantes into a berserk rage.]] Taki assists a wounded Sophitia and kills Cervantes.
[[NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow Normally he would have been dead from that fatal blow]], but after Siegfried became Nightmare due to Soul Edge's influence, [[IGotBetter he was resurrected]]. And so as of ''Soulcalibur'' he became a GhostPirate, seeking out Soul Edge once again.
In ''Soulcalibur II'' he regains enough pieces of Soul Edge to recreate one of his original weapons and became a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Zombie Pirate]], then went to look off for more pieces. In ''Soulcalibur III'' he finds out that his body is starting to decay because Soul Edge's influence has been sealed off. To preserve himself, he decides to [[KickTheDog take his daughter's soul]]... and he succeeds according to ''Soulcalibur IV''. He reached his final evolution of '''[[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Ghost Zombie Pirate]]''', then headed to Ostrheinsburg once again to claim Soul Edge as a whole and [[AGodAmI become a god]].
When Soul Edge was sucked into a vortex at the end of ''IV'', so too was Cervantes due to his deep connections with it. However, Cervantes escaped the void as well as Soul Edge's will, and gained a new body. Seeing that many seafarers had believed him to be dead, he set out to prove the contrary, now acting on his own free will without the use of Soul Edge.
* AGodAmI: His ''SCIV'' ending, and his character tier in all the games.
* BackFromTheDead: He is restructured in ''V''. How is yet to be explained.
* {{Badass}}: Possibly the biggest one in all the series. Considering the [[WorldOfBadass world it's set in]], this is saying a lot.
** BadassBeard: In ''III'' and ''IV''.
** BadassLongcoat: It gradually becomes a badass ''vest'' over the course of the series.
** BadassMustache
** BadassNormal: In ''V''.
** BadassSpaniard
* BigBad: Of the prequel, ''Soul Edge'', and an unlockable character in every game in the series.
* CarpetOfVirility: In ''V'', whatever body he now inhabits has got some chest hair action going on.
* CoolBoat: His flagship, The Adrian.
* CoolSword: Has a gun in it.
* DualWielding: He unconventionally wields a longsword and a pistol-sword.
* EyesOfGold: In ''Soul Edge'', to denote his possessed status. Interestingly, ''Soulcalibur II'' is the only game where he has GlowingEyesOfDoom and {{red eyes|TakeWarning}}.
* {{Immortality}}
* LargeHam: Even bigger than Nightmare, and ''he's'' a Black Forest ham!
-->"COME with ''ME'' to '''HELL!'''"
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: After his [[BackFromTheDead ressurrection]], he has forgotten everything about his past. Over time he only recovered selected memories.
* LevelGrinding: Oh so much...
** RestartAtLevelOne: And then in ''V'' he [[VideoGame/CallOfDuty Prestiged]] and became human again, but just like Prestiging, he only became more badass as a result.
* MonochromaticEyes: Usually white; red in ''SCII''.
* [[MustHaveNicotine Must Have Soul Edge]]: Cervantes' obssession with Soul Edge is likened to an addict having a relapse. After recovering his memories he craved to find the sword again, even though he remembered quite well how it manipulated him.
** GoingColdTurkey: At the end of ''IV'' he is sucked into a vortex along with Soul Edge, but somehow fights his way out of the void known as Astral Chaos, becomes human again, and realizes his hunt for Soul Edge wasn't worth it anymore because it led him astray from his true goal - becoming the most dreaded pirate in the Seven Seas.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: His non-canon good ending in ''Soul Edge'' has him break free from the sword's influence long enough to see the devastation it's made him wreak on his beloved Valencia, and he [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices his life]] to destroy Soul Edge.
* OutOfContinues: His immortal life is maintained by Soul Edge's influence. Without it, his body would start to rot away and he'd be DeaderThanDead.
** Apparently he's capable of body-hopping, as his bio for ''Soulcalibur V'' states that he is now inhabiting a new body. What, exactly, happened that let him do this is unclear.
* {{Pirate}}
** GhostPirate
*** [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot Ghost Zombie Pirate]]... with a gun and [[AGodAmI delusions of godhood]].
* [[TeleportersAndTransporters Teleportation]] and [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]]
* ThisBananaIsArmed: His joke weapons (wood carvings of Soul Edge in Soulcalibur 2 and a pair of shish-kebabs onward) are still able to use the bullet fireing moves.
!!Inferno (named "Soul Edge" only in the game of the same name)
Origin - ''Chaos''
Weapon(s) - Soul Edge - Male & Female (''Soul Edge''), All weapons (''Soulcalibur'' onward)
The physical embodiment of the titular ArtifactOfDoom Soul Edge, though only when it brings forth its [[AnotherDimension own dimension, Chaos]]. Inferno is invisible and intangible in the real world up until ''Soulcalibur III'', when Zasalamel allowed it to animate Siegfried's trademark blue armor, turning it into Nightmare. In ''Soulcalibur IV'', Nightmare reclaimed Soul Edge and became its physical manifestation.
* AnthropomorphicPersonification: The soul of Soul Edge.
* BonusBoss: In ''Soulcalibur III: Arcade Edition''.
* DittoFighter: Subverted because he has exclusive special moves.
* EnemyWithin: For those who seek to wield Soul Edge.
* EnemyWithout: To Siegfried as Nightmare in ''III'' and ''IV''.
* EvilIsBurningHot
* FinalBoss: Most prominently in ''Soulcalibur III'', though he's also in essence the FinalBoss of ''Soul Edge'' (see "OneWingedAngel" below) and ''Soulcalibur''.
* FlamingSkulls: In ''Soul Edge'', he was basically "a firespawn with Cervantes' clothes and [[SkullForAHead a skull head]]."
* GrandTheftMe: If the wielder of Soul Edge is unable to best Inferno in a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind, then he/she will become the sword's host. And even if they do win, it's only a matter of time...
* HiveMind: By the time of ''III'', Soul Edge is able to act in at least three places at once: the cursed sword itself, Inferno, and Nightmare. This isn't even factoring in the invidual shards of the sword and entities such as Charade.
* MadeOfEvil: Soul Edge was once a normal blade until it tasted too much blood on the battlefield, giving it sentience and an evil soul (Inferno).
* OneWingedAngel: Of Cervantes in ''Soul Edge''.
* PlayingWithFire
* ReviveKillsZombie: Throws do about as much damage as normal against him, while normal attacks do roughly 3/4 their usual damage.
* SevenDeadlySins: His voice samples in ''Soulcalibur'' are named after them.
* ShapeshifterWeapon: Inferno can create weapons out of its body to accomodate any style he's willing to use.
