History VideoGame / DeadOrAlive

*** A "final" version of the game entitled "''Last Round''", featuring additional stages, characters (Raidou, the boss from the original ''DOA'', and a new girl; Honoka), and balance adjustments (as well as the inclusion of all of ''Ultimate''[='=]s downloadable content, including characters) was released in 2015. In 2016, ''Last Round'' received two more {{Guest Fighter}}s as DLC: ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors''[='=] Naotora Li and ''VideoGame/FatalFury''/''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' mainstay Mai Shiranui.

A [[BuxomBeautyStandard big]], [[JigglePhysics bouncy]] 3D FightingGame franchise akin to ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' and ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter''. Even though the male fighters (initially) outnumber the female fighters by a slim margin, [[SpotlightStealingSquad it's the women who are the real stars of the show]].

A [[BuxomIsBetter big]], [[JigglePhysics bouncy]] 3D FightingGame franchise akin to ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' and ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter''. Even though the male fighters (initially) outnumber the female fighters by a slim margin, [[SpotlightStealingSquad it's the women who are the real stars of the show]].

* OnlyOneFemaleMold: Despite being the focus of the cast, the female characters all have the exact same [[BuxomIsBetter well-endowed]] hourglass figure, almost as though the character designers were more intrested in making them attractive then actually making them distinct from one another. Marie Rose and Nico stand out by being the TokenMiniMoe characters.

Though sometimes shortened to ''DOA'', not at ''all'' to be confused with the FilmNoir ''Film/{{DOA}}'' (which is quite lacking in mostly visible breasts in comparison). Additional things that this should not be confused with can be found on Main/DeadOrAlive. For the viewer's inconvenience, the 2006 [[TheMovie film adaptation]] of the games is titled ''Film/DOADeadOrAlive'', instead. Also, the franchise should ''never'' be confused with [[Music/DeadOrAlive the '80s group]] [[NamesTheSame of the same name]], who performed the [[MemeticMutation memelicious]] "[[OneHitWonder You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)]]".

* ArmorPiercingSlap: In ''Dimensions'', we see 4 examples of this in the ''Chronicle'' mode cinematics. Considering this is a fighting game, the way the victims recoil in response looks kind of weird.

* PuzzleBoss: In order to approach Genra (Omega) in DOA3 close enough to fight him, you need to listen to him [[CallingYourAttacks calling his attacks]] so that you can choose the right move to counter them.

** Played straight with [[{{EveryoneLooksSexierIfFrench}} Helena]], [[{{FemmeFatale}} Christie]], [[{{GorgeousGaijin}} Tina]] and [[{{HotScientist}} Lisa]]. With their rather mature looks and personalities, you’d think they’d be in their late 30s… but they’re all only in their 20s, with the “youngest” being Helena at 23 and Christie being the “oldest” at 26 (this also makes her the oldest female character in the series, not counting [[{{Really700YearsOld}} Nyotengu]]). [[{{AmazonianBeauty}} Rachel]] could also be included here, but since her age is unknown, there is a possibility that she’s probably as old as she looks.

* {{Gainaxing}}: ''Dead or Alive'''s shtick since the first game, but in ''Dead or Alive Xtreme 2'', each breast has its own physics, meaning both can jiggle independently. It look as ridiculous as it sounds. Taken one step further in ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive5'' where you can invoke this trait.

* SexSells: Despite the series' steep learning curve and game mechanics, its main draw has always been the fanservice, [[{{gainaxing}} jiggle physics]], and plentiful female character models.

* ShesGotLegs: Most of the female characters, and there are plenty of costumes that show them off.

* AgeInappropriateDress: Every game before ''5'' has this. You could beat underage girls in skimpy clothes to unconsciousness, and most of the prone KO states has all their panties exposed. The fifth game changes this thanks to a TimeSkip that puts everyone at or above the legal age -- so now you're beating ''barely legal'' teenage girls in skimpy clothes and putting them into KO states that flashes their panties, making it A-OK!

* BodyHorror: The series isn't sold on it like some other fighting games, but a lot of the attacks do result in grotesque, unnatural, and violent angles for body parts to end up in. [[https://i.imgur.com/IpZqgjO.jpg Take]] [[https://i.imgur.com/6Lw6BPG.jpg the]] [[https://i.imgur.com/DMrNvNT.jpg leg]] and ankle of [=NiCO=] here. If her leg and ankle bent like that in real life, her knee and ankle would be hanging on by a thread inside. There's a very real possibility she'd need an amputation from the knee down, or at least heavy reconstructive surgery.

* CatFight: A huge draw of the series is to get attractive girls to brutally beat each other to unconsciousness, all while exposing as much skin and panties as possible.

** This is taken to extreme levels with characters like [=NiCO=]. She's ''4'8" and weighs 90 lbs.'' Even most of the other girls outweigh her by at least 15 lbs. In reality, bits of her would be scraped off the ground in a fight against someone of equal skill when they have 20+ lbs of muscle on her.

** Subverted somewhat. The prone poses in earlier installments were just still bodies, but if the full head-shaking animation plays, their bodies do still fall to the ground and stop moving. It is still absurd that you can snap Ayane's neck so hard that her face is buried in her own cleavage, but she's right on her feet moments later.

** The original ''Dead or Alive'' featured ring outs and limited 3D movement. The edge of the ring would explode if you landed on it but otherwise the game was a very different beast from what followed. The rest of the series takes place in very real world-esque environments full of obstacles and uneven surfaces (there are walls and you can be knocked off of areas into lower areas, so no ring outs). Tina's voice was also much deeper than the games that followed; this is due to TheOtherDarrin. Also, it only takes a few hits to defeat your opponent, sometimes as few as four. Certain attacks can suck ''half'' your life bar in one hit. And, the breast bouncing was even more exaggerated than in subsequent games, not following any real world physics and just bobbing up and down for seconds after movement. Finally, there are no specific character endings; it just has your character's win pose [[AWinnerIsYou followed by the credits roll.]]

* BeachEpisode: The '''Xtreme''' subseries is one ''big'' Beach Episode. {{Fanservice}} is cranked UpTo11 here. There are no men to be seen (except Zack, and 3 even goes as far to maximally restrict him as well), swimsuits are everything and the [[DoubleEntendre bouncing volleyballs]] are the main attraction....

* {{Gainaxing}}: ''Dead or Alive'''s shtick since the first game, but in ''Dead or Alive Xtreme 2'', each breast has its own physics, meaning both can jiggle independently. It look as ridiculous as it sounds. Taken [[UpToEleven one step further]] in ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive5'' where you can invoke this trait.

* LevelGrinding: In all of the games, beating Arcade Mode unlocks a new outfit. And since the game features numerous costumes for each character, it takes a ''lot'' of Arcade playthroughs to unlock every outfit for every character. Taken UpToEleven in ''DOA 5'', which had the biggest cast of the series and over fifty costumes for each character. It can feel like grinding after a while.

* UncleTomfoolery: Zack in ''Dead or Alive 4''. Taken UpToEleven in his ending, to cringe-worthy levels.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed:
** Zack = Dennis Rodman. Which became funnier when Rodman himself voiced Zack in ''Xtreme Beach Volleyball''.
** The guy Christie assassinates in her [=DOA4=] ending movie looks suspiciously like Creator/StevenSeagal.
** With the more realistic models in [=DOA5=], Momiji gains a resemblance to Creator/MonicaBellucci, and Rig is clearly based on Creator/WentworthMiller.
** In ''Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation'', Luna's face looks a lot like that of [[Creator/ChloeGraceMoretz Chloë Grace Moretz]].

* AgeInappropriateDress: Every game before ''5'' has this. You could beat underage girls in skimpy clothes to unconsciousness, and most of the prone KO states has all their panties exposed. The fifth game changes this thanks to a TimeSkip that puts everyone at or above the legal age -- so now you're beating ''barely legal'' teenage girls in skimpy clothes and putting them into KO states that [[PantyShots flashes their panties]], making it A-OK!

* AgeInappropriateDress: Every game has this. You can beat teenage girls in skimpy clothes to unconsciousness, and most of the prone KO states has all their panties exposed.

* AgeInappropriateDress: Every game has this. You could beat teenage girls in skimpy clothes to unconsciousness, and most of the prone KO states would have all their panties exposed.

* AgeInappropriateDress: Every game before ''5'' had this. You could beat teenage girls in skimpy clothes to unconsciousness, and most of the prone KO states would have all their panties exposed. ( In ''5'', you need to [[VideoGamePerversityPotential move the camera yourself]] to see their panties in the defeat animations.)

* GratuitousNinja: [[TheHero Kasumi?]] [[YouGottahaveBlueHair Ayane?]] [[VideoGame/NinjaGaiden Ryu?]] [[AloofBigBrother Hayate?]] Hell yeah this fits.

** The original ''Dead or Alive'' featured ring outs and limited 3D movement. The edge of the ring would explode if you landed on it but otherwise the game was a very different beast from what followed. The rest of the series takes place in very real world-esque environments full of obstacles and uneven surfaces. There are walls and you can be knocked off of areas into lower areas (so no ring outs).
** Tina's voice in the first game, being much deeper than the games that followed. This is due to TheOtherDarrin.

* BriefsBoasting: Even some of the less boastful characters wear extremely small underwear. The fifth game is even an ImageSource.

* [[NonLethalKO Non-Knockout K.O.]]: Even more than being non-lethal, from ''2'' onwards no one even gets knocked out when they lose (they just lie on the ground trying to clear their head, still perfectly conscious). However, even leaving that aside, no one's worse for the wear when the over-the-top environmental interactions kick in (although it also makes the fact they don't even get knocked out even ''more'' absurd).
** Subverted somewhat. The prone poses in earlier installments were just still bodies, but if the full head-shaking animation plays, their bodies do still fall to the ground and stop moving. It is still absurd that you can snap Ayane's neck so hard that her face is buried in her own cleavage, but she she's right on her feet moments later.

* TheOjou: Helena.
* OldMaster: Gen Fu.

-->'''Ayane:''' How could karate stand against the Hajin-mon sect of Mugen Tenshin?
-->'''Hitomi:''' Hajin-in the what now?

* DressedLikeADominatrix: One of Christie's numerous outfits is clearly meant to evoke this, being a combination of long gloves, a bustier, fishnet stockings, and thigh-high boots.

* SmokeOut: Kasumi can do this with cherry blossom petals, Ayane with iris petals. Ryu smokes out with leaves, Hayate with raven feathers.

** Even moreso, Marie Rose and Honoka. Both are popular in Japan, not so much in the West, but that's OK... On the other hand, if ''Dead or Alive'' is collaborating with something else, you know who tends to accompany [[TheHero Kasumi]] for representation? Not Ayane, not Hayabusa. It's those two. For the record, they're side characters for the overall conflict of ''Dead or Alive'' or even Kasumi's personal struggles herself, not deuteragonist and tritagonist.