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Characters / Star Gladiator

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A list of characters who appear in the Star Gladiator series.

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The Star Gladiators

    Hayato Kanzaki 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hayato-sg_6611.jpg
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b-hayato_6367.jpg
The main protagonist of the series. A rebellious young Japanese intergalactic bounty hunter who fights with a Plasma Sword. Hayato joins the Star Gladiator project in order to help out the female director of an orphanage in which he grew up in. During his battle against the Fourth Empire, Hayato was implanted with an unexpected genotype-altering microchip by Bilstein and through random occurrences, this microchip forces Hayato to change into a cold-hearted and ruthless swordsman named Black Hayato.
  • The Artful Dodger: Believed he was meant to only be one upon being adopted into an Orphanage of Love before getting caught shoplifting redhanded.
  • Badass Biker: So much so that when he was ported to Marvel vs. Capcom 2, he was specifically given an intro where he rides into the battleground on his bike.
  • Battle Couple: Him and fellow Star Gladiator June.
  • Battle in the Center of the Mind: Happens during Black Hayato's True Final Boss fight in Plasma Sword.
  • Bounty Hunter: His main occupation.
  • Cool Bike: Hayato has a unique and impressive futuristic bike that not only enables him to ride at remarkable and extraordinary high speeds with it, but it also enables him to fly with it as well.
  • Consummate Professional: In a world of intergalactic bounty hunting where even lowlives are able to score cash, Hayato is known otherwise as a hardnosed crime sweeper who takes on the more dirty foes and jobs that deal with the scum of the universe.
  • Crossover: The only member of the Star Gladiator cast playable in a Vs. title, in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Sadly, he'd be later Demoted to Extra and cameo in Tekkaman Blade's ending from Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars. He also appears as a card in the Heroes and Heralds mode of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Meanwhile, Black Hayato appears as an Enemy Unit in Project × Zone 2: Brave New World.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: He was abandoned as a child, became the leader of a gang of orphaned children, witnessed a police officer gunned down in front of him which prompted him to get "recruited" for a "rehabilitation" experiment straight out of A Clockwork Orange
  • Early-Bird Cameo: Technically, Black Hayato was in the first Star Gladiator, but only as a Palette Swap of the original Hayato, though it may also double as a Foreshadowing as well.
  • Evil Orphan: Was accused of being one upon being a prime suspect after witnessing a police officer being murdered right in front of him.
  • Expy:
    • 30% Luke Skywalker, 70% Han Solo (in short, a serious version of Lone Starr, a Composite Character of the two), and all in a template of Ryu. He shares many background stories and profile elements from Solo, including being a street urchin who grows up into a street smart underworld traversing adventurer, shares his fighting style and experience rather with Luke and Solo, and shares the orphan and hero element with all of the three. His name, meaning "Falcon Person", is also likely a shout out to Solo's iconic Millennium Falcon.
    • Considering the video game era he comes from, and how Star Gladiator is Capcom's first 3D video game, some of his aspects also fall in line with the lead duo protagonists of the first 3D weapons fighting game Battle Arena Toshinden, being Eiji Shinjo and Kayin Amoh. Hayato's outfit and nationality evoke Eiji's modern day samurai adventurer aesthetics in a more futuristic light, while he shares Kayin's hard knock urban street life and reluctant bounty hunting background.
    • His Dark and Troubled Past as a Japanese Delinquent Badass Biker who leads a street gang also strongly evokes Shotaro Kaneda, the protagonist of Katsuhiro Otomo's famous manga AKIRA. The "rehabilitation" experiment he is subjected to further evokes Alex DeLarge, the Villain Protagonist of the aforementioned A Clockwork Orange.
  • Eyepatch of Power: Black Hayato wears an eyepatch.
  • Fallen-on-Hard-Times Job: Bounty hunting. Though he has made a name for himself within the scene for being a hard nosed and principled hunter who cleans out crime, the money to help is the only thing considered worth getting upon dealing with all of the bitterness and crap that comes with the job, including dealing with bounties that are morally dubious, being sought by crime syndicates, and accidentally killing off bounties worth more alive than dead. Red tape regarding payment and rewards are the worst thing on Hayato's list, however.
  • Getting Smilies Painted on Your Soul: The potential fate that Hayato had almost suffered after being falsely arrested for a police officer's murder. Hayato was considered for a direct "reeducation program" to rehabilitate criminals by means of forcibly instilling a "good personality" by mental and cognitive brainwashing, which was actively condemned by various human rights activist groups, before the judgment of the court. However, his case was interrupted by a female owner of a local orphanage who had caught wind of the affair, and demanded that the case was to be put into the affairs of child services.
  • Friend to All Children: With heroes whose main goal is Saving the Orphanage, it kind of comes with the job description. Hayato especially has sympathy towards orphaned children, who he works to get off the streets and into his orphanage.
  • Good Scars, Evil Scars: Hayato has a scar above his right eye. Fortunately, his eyesight is fine.
  • The Hero: Of the franchise, and fittingly is the one who canonically beat Bilstein at the end of the first game.
  • Heroes Prefer Swords: Plasma Swords, to be specific.
  • Laser Blade: His Plasma Sword is a variation; he can elongate it for a short period of time.
  • Martial Arts Headband
  • Mistaken for Murderer: As part of his Dark and Troubled Past.
  • My Greatest Failure: His street smarts and savvy as an orphan, and especially when he let down his caretaker after the trial getting caught shoplifting, no less. When the orphanage is under danger of closing, Hayato knows well that bounty hunting has the big bucks to pay off, but with how it veers and intertwines close with the criminal underworld and the cutthroat nature of street life, he knows he has to rely on his old tricks if he wants to even score any amount of money, let alone survive. Hayato then leaves without a goodbye in the dead of night to avoid causing a fuss over his choice to help out.
  • Mythical Motifs: Along with June, he alludes to the role of the Cowherd in Japanese Tanabata legend; as an intergalactic bounty hunter, he "herds" the "bullheaded" (ie criminals), or "strayed calves" (ie orphans) to their intended destination (i.e. prison or his orphanage and care). In future depictions of his life with June, he's rarely shown with her, implying he's out on important missions or helping take care of the orphanage as the next director, but as he's promised to her, she's the only one in his life to always return to or search the ends of the universe for her.
  • Nice Guy: Don't let his surly appearance fool you, he's actually pretty cool and a good guy. He even wants to help take care of new orphans and succeed as the next director of the orphanage he grew up in, knowing well that the world's problems won't ever stop, but so as long as he lives, so won't his compassion. It's also this compassion that he's willing to risk his life to bring in bad guys and take up the toughest jobs of bounty hunting, specifically taking down Dr. Edward Bilstein and his Fourth Empire, to ensure everyone has a future.
  • Parental Abandonment: Is why he is an orphan.
  • Saving the Orphanage: His goal in the first game and one of his main reasons for being a bounty hunter.
  • Split-Personality Takeover: In Black Hayato's true ending, he completely erases any trace of the original Hayato from his DNA.
  • Social Services Does Not Exist: Subverted, as the only reason he wasn't brainwashed was because of a good-hearted orphanage caretaker who brought the case to public attention and paid his bail.
  • Street Urchin: Was forced to scrape on by as during his childhood. Surprisingly, he was the leader of a small gang of orphans who banded together to survive the streets of the city.
  • Sword Beam: His Engetsu (Full Moon) and Rasetsu Zan (Justice Slash) Plasma Strikes. Also, when Hayato activates his Plasma Field, he can increase the power of his Plasma Sword and unleash crescent-shaped Pure Energy strikes.
  • Superpowered Evil Side: Thanks to a genotype-altering microchip unknowingly implanted on Hayato by Bilstein.

    June Lin Milliam 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/june-sg_4178.jpg
A talented young British-Chinese rhythmic gymnast who fights with a Plasma Ring. Upon learning and knowing that Bilstein was behind a specific lab accident that had resulted in the "death" of her father, a scientist named Michael Milliam, June joins the Star Gladiator project in order to exact her revenge against Bilstein. During the course of the battle, June develops feelings for Hayato and this is quite evident when Hayato comes to June's aid from within her own time of need.

  • Action Girl: She is inspired to stop the evil that Bilstein is spreading due to having been directly affected by his actions, and this means going into the field through a life or death military operation.
  • Animal Motifs: The butterfly.
  • Anime Chinese Girl: British-Chinese, that is.
  • Ass Kicks You: Her Plasma Strike ends by hitting her opponents with her butt.
  • Battle Couple: The girlfriend of Hayato.
  • Cherry Blossom: A prominent theme in her clothing. In China, the cherry blossom is significant of femininity and grace.
  • Combat Stilettos
  • Crossover: Appears in Super Gem Fighter: Mini Mix/Pocket Fighter (two distinct background cameos; Chun-Li also cosplays as her), Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium (in the background of the Shanghai stage), Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (one of Hayato's Victory Poses), SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash (all three games), Capcom Fighting Evolution/Jam (Felicia's ending), Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (in Hawkeye's and Deadpool's endings as well as a Heroes and Heralds card), Project × Zone 2 (as a Solo Unit), and Street Fighter V (her main attire is used as a crossover costume for Chun-Li, which has Chun-Li herself cosplaying as June once again).
  • Daddy's Girl: Out of the many of the heroes of the Star Gladiator unit, she had the most stable family life out of them all, and was very fond of her father Michael. At least, until she and her family were forced out of their home at threat of potential death by discriminatory violence. If in context of her inspirations, it can be said that her royalty theme can be out of her being "daddy's little princess".
  • Expy:
    • Her design and artwork gives her an impression of a mix of Chun-Li, Cammy, and Princess Leia. One may go as far as to also say that she's also an expy of Jun The Swan; while Gatchaman is pretty centered on Earth, it appears Japan is also keen on the US's take and title of Battle of the Planets.
    • Within Star Gladiator's Battle Arena Toshinden inspirations, she also has some elements of Sofia and Ellis in her character. She shares Sofia's communist state civilian history, her personal investigator background, and her skin revealing refined mature sexiness, while she has Ellis's family issues, her celebrity fame, her perky nature, her fairy like cuteness, and shares both their athletic and aerobic prowess as rhythmic feminine fighters.
  • Fanservice: Or rather, Ms. Fanservice as the only female Star Gladiator, and with a lot of feminine attributes. June appears to be designed in mind with ultra-feminine traits that strike a lot of Freudian chords, from character design traits of 20th Century classic and B movie space sci-fi and beyond. Beautiful daughter of a scientist? Check. Of exotic and alluring origins, even for an Earthling? Check. Wears sexually flattering clothing, from a qipao mod minindress to garters and thigh high boots? Check. A nubile space warrior woman who is also a gymnast, looks like she comes from the phrase based metaphorical world of Venus, and travels to worlds beyond the stars, even while wearing all of that clothing? Triple check. This isn't even including how she takes inspiration from past it women of video games and fiction, and even real world celebrities.
  • Hair Antennae: Her pigtails are raised up like curled antennae, making her look like a metaphorical butterfly like alien woman from the planet Venus.
  • I Know Madden Kombat: With a career in rhythmic gymnastics, she's turned her flips and graceful gymnastic expertise into their own deadly martial art. Added in with her amazing flexibility, she can find a way to twist necks several times over and pop bones out of place by grappling and tumbling all over her opponent along with slicing things into pieces with that Plasma Ring of hers.
  • Improbable Weapon User: She wields a Plasma Ring similar to what gymnasts use.
  • Interrupted Suicide: In her ending from within Star Gladiator, June had attempted to kill herself with a drug overdose after defeating Bilstein and avenging her parents' deaths while feeling and believing that she had nothing else left to live for, but Hayato had managed to get to her from within due time and told her that he, Saturn, and Gamof had cared very much for and about her. Because of this emotional revelation, June had decided to not go through with her suicide plan and thus she had decided to move on with her life and spend the rest of her days in a state of peace and happiness with Hayato, Saturn, and Gamof.
  • Minidress of Power: A seeming multicultural combination of a Chinese qipao and a 1960's British go go dancer's minidress.
  • Mysterious Waif: Fills the niche as one of the 2340's most talented and famous gymnast athletes of Earth, who then disappears from the public eye as she uses her family's government positions to join a top secret military project to defend Earth.
  • Mythical Motifs: Along with Hayato, she alludes to the role of the Weaver in Japanese Tanabata legend; as a celebrity, she is metaphorically "divine" and "amongst the stars" as a famous star from another world herself, as she weaves beauty with her flowing dances and performances. As later life with Hayato implies, she is not seen with him often, but she takes care of Ele, and she knows with love and great patience as they fought together on the battlefield, they will always meet again.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed:
    • Audrey Hepburn is a very likely candidate for June's inspiration, and for good reason; along with being an aspiring ballet dancer and Englishwoman into a super famous movie star, she fought to survive the Nazi occupation of Belgium when they invaded, caused the financial collapse of her family's coffers, killed many of her relatives, and caused widespread poverty and famine, and she in turn participated in resistance efforts after witnessing not just how war was hell, but what atrocities the Nazis were capable of. As one of many real life women showing the virtues of Silk Hiding Steel, Japan is also a great admirer of her for her unyielding spirit, and it's not a surprise if she inspired June as well.
    • For her Chinese heritage, she appears to take inspiration from Anna May Wong, and references her multicultural San Francisco upbringing by being a resident of the culturally vibrant Hong Kong.
  • Orphan's Ordeal: She is much older as a teen when her parents pass away, but that doesn't make it any less painful to her; she was very close to her family. While her father, who was forced to separate himself to find work and not risk them being deported back to a militarized and turbulent Hong Kong, is later pronounced dead and is actually living a Fate Worse than Death behind the scenes, her mother soon commits suicide out of grief that she no longer has a homeland and has lost her true love, leaving June behind to grow up quickly at a young age to survive the harsh world of the UK in a more empty house. Her maternal uncle still financially supports her, but it's strongly implied that he has little time to visit due to being a military official of the Earth Federation.
  • Sci-Fi Bob Haircut: And goes into space with an exotic antennae/bunny ears like set of hairbuns for a unique take on this, yowza! Of course, with her hair down, would that then count as a Sci Fi-Hime Cut?
  • She-Fu: Defines the word feminine in super feminine and oozes 100% Girl Power. She doesn't just kick, flip, cartwheel, and palm strike her way to victory, she does it with such nubile gait that redefines the term "fighting like a girl" to stand up against Real Women Don't Wear Dresses.
  • Shout-Out:
    • One of June's win quotes in Plasma Sword references Muhammad Ali's "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" quote.
    June: "Dance like a butterfly and sting like a bee! That's me!"
    • The large shoulder flange cuts of her minidress evoke inspiration from David Bowie and his persona as Starman. Another historically famous outfit that matches this is Anna May Wong's dress as Fa Lo Suee, in the film Daughter of the Dragon.
  • Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Why she falls in love with Hayato, and probably why she wears such sexy clothing around him. In the end of the first Star Gladiator, this is proven to be true, and more than just appearances and flirtatious romance, as Hayato declares them all a true family upon revealing his love to her in her darkest hour.
  • The Smurfette Principle: In the first Star Gladiator.
  • Stepford Smiler: She appears cheerful and happy-go-lucky, but she hides her pain of having lost her parents at the hands of the Big Bad. Also, while she is of near legal age to be an adult and teenage psychology is meant to explore life at that time, the kind of clothes she wears does bring questions whether if she has daddy issues, is emotionally underdeveloped because of her deceased parents without their guidance, and works as a sex symbol escort like Holly Golightly for easy money, as they'd look more appropriate for actual adults than coming of age teens, and even then, outside of the bedroom of lovers, it does bring up some questions about her mental health. It also doesn't help she has suicide on her mind, as she feels incredibly lonely deep down, and misses her parents.
  • You Killed My Father: Her reason of why she goes after Bilstein alone in Plasma Sword. He killed both of her parents.
  • Waif-Fu: Helping to also literally define and honor the name of kung fu as a "work master" herself with her self made gymnastics based martial arts style.
    • Dance Battler: Being a gymnast doesn't just mean being good on the balance bar, pommel horse, or swinging on rings, as June specializes on floor routine rhythmic gymnastics, not unlike dancing, and those regarding the hoop. She incorporates this with her naturally nubile feminine wiles and dabbling in Chinese martial arts for a unique fighting style that allow her to use her honed and nimble grace to deliver unsuspecting blows when least expected. This takes her quoting Muhammad Ali as not just an inspirational victory quote of hers, but her battle creed and philosophy.
    • Death by a Thousand Cuts: You'd think she'd follow in the veins of Capcom Kick Chick alumni like Chun-Li and Cammy, but that's not her specialty. Her Plasma Ring exists for a reason, and it's to deliver continuously fast strikes to wear down and pick at her enemies, while psychologically tricking them before her kicks, Plasma Combo finishers, and down attacks deliver the heavy blows.
    • Does This Remind You of Anything?: In particular, her second throw has a most... interesting way to throw down her opponents. Let's just say she knows how to play a mean game of leapfrog.
    • Kick Chick: Ironically, played with and subverted to an extent. Her kicks are heavy hitters and they are the basis of her special moves, but they act more like fierce/strong attacks, and can be read easily if she doesn't dance battle to trick her opponents.

    Saturn Dyer 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/saturn-sg_9831.jpg
A green-skinned cone-headed alien who fights with Plasma Yo-Yos. Saturn comes from a planet in the Andromeda Galaxy of the universe named Saturn (but not the one present in Earth's Solar System) and that he's well-known and renowned throughout his home planet as being an eccentric yet friendly popular street performer. Upon coming to Earth in order to enjoy his personal hobby of theater while on a new assignment to research life on Earth, Saturn learns about the threat of the Fourth Empire and decides to join the Star Gladiator project in order to help Earth out and protect his own home planet at the same time.

    Gamof Gohgry 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gamof-sg_9592.jpg
A brown-furred alien who fights with a Plasma Axe. Gamof comes from the forest planet of De Rosa which lies from within the Andromeda Galaxy of the universe and that he works as a noble lumberjack to help support his family. When an unknown Earth microbe virus destroys nearly all of De Rosa's forests, Gamof is forced to find a new line of work in order to help support his family. Upon becoming a reluctant bounty hunter, Gamof meets up with Hayato and becomes good friends with him. When Gamof learns about the Star Gladiator project, he joins it with Hayato so that he can protect both his home planet and his family from the Fourth Empire.

  • The Big Guy: As part of the Four-Man Band of the Star Gladiators.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: Friendly and good-hearted as they come, but don't try to threaten his friends, family or his home planet unless you feel like getting your bones snapped. Plus, he's essentially a space alien bear man of a bounty hunter, and works for only the best and virtuous of them, so don't let that teddy bear like innocent look decieve you.
  • Drugs Are Bad: A matter which he fiercely stands on. Due to an extremely vital part of De Rosa's defensive ecology being overharvested when it was discovered that it was a super opiate was able to be processed from it, combined with the corruption of the government, this lead into De Rosa's forests being terribly devastated.
  • Expy: Ammo belt across his torso? Check. Comes from an arboreal planet? Check. Big tall furry guy? Check! He's friends with a bounty hunter and also a family man? Double check! It's damn obvious he was based from Chewbacca. He also pulled a move or two from Zangief's moveset, too.
  • Gentle Giant: Ironically, being one was what hampered him for a while when he started bounty hunting, as he was considered too much of a teddy bear to be tough to intimidate bounties and marks. Only Hayato saw what a benevolent and kind person Gamof was along with his gentle appearance, and took him in as a partner.
  • Fallen-on-Hard-Times Job: Like Hayato, Gamof took on the career of a bounty hunter to try to make ends meet.
  • Home-Run Hitter: Gamof has the ability to throw the opponent up into the air and swing his weapon towards them like a baseball bat. Often, it depends on the timing of the player from within the attack itself and if it succeeds, Gamof can easily knock the opponent out of the fighting field. The first game would guarantee a ring-out victory while the second one would send the opponent flying into the sky (though they would come back down a few seconds later).
  • Laser Blade: Wields an axe made out of Plasma.
  • Spectacular Spinning: His (Super) Gamo Tornado special attack (Plasma Strike) and his Plasma Giant Swing Plasma Strike.
  • The Unintelligible: Gamo, gamo-gamo!
  • Wrestler in All of Us

    Zelkin Fiskekrogen 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zelkin-sg_8601.jpg
A blue-feathered bird-like humanoid alien who fights with a Plasma Claw. Zelkin comes from the Planet Klondike which lies from within the Andromeda Galaxy of the universe and that he and his people are brave and noble valiant warriors who treasure honor and power found in true battle. Because of a past war between Earth and Klondike, Zelkin had developed an intense hatred towards Earth and its people. Zelkin had joined Bilstein's Fourth Empire in order to exact his vengeance against Earth, but had soon realized that not all of Earth's people were evil. Eventually, Zelkin had defected from the Fourth Empire and joined up with Hayato and the other Star Gladiators so that he could atone for his mistakes and set things right.

  • The Atoner: In Plasma Sword, he joins the Star Gladiators to atone for his service to Bilstein.
  • Bird People: He's from an alien race of beings evolved from bird-like animals that were the only survivors of an extinction event on Klondike, his home planet.
  • Blow You Away: In Star Gladiator, he can actually blow his opponent out of the arena for a ring-out victory. In Plasma Sword, he creates a cyclone to damage his foes.
  • Blue Is Heroic: His feathers are mostly blue and he's a courageous and noble warrior who values honor in battle and joins the side of good in the second game. Even before formally joining the Star Gladiators in Plasma Sword, he was already shown in the first game as a brave and honorable fellow, who joined the wrong side only out of gratitude for Bilstein setting him free from captivity of the same prison satellite that the both of them were imprisoned in from Planet Zeta, and because of his misconception that all Earthlings were cruel and despicable. When Hayato proves this wrong for him, he swiftly switches his allegiance to atone for his mistake.
  • Exotic Weapon Supremacy: He wields a Plasma Claw and is quite a valiant soldier for his planet and people.
  • Expy: Of Storm Eagle from Mega Man X. Blue humanoid eagle-ish avian appearance? Check. Blow You Away powers? Check. Prideful, honorable Noble Demon who greatly resents having to work for the Big Bad? Check and check. The one difference is that Zelkin survives the events of Star Gladiator and does a full Heel–Face Turn in the sequel of his home series while Storm Eagle doesn't survive the events of the first X game, due to the latter being terminated by The Hero of his home series.
  • Fantastic Racism: Zelkin's reason for joining the Fourth Empire in the first game is due to his personal hatred of humans (on account that his people had engaged in a past war against Earth and afterward had faced prejudice and discrimination from the Earthlings). After fighting Hayato, Zelkin realized that not all humans are bad and eventually defected from the Fourth Empire so that he could join up with the Star Gladiators and atone for his mistakes.
  • Feathered Fiend: Subverted. The reason Zelkin had aligned himself with Bilstein and the Fourth Empire from within Star Gladiator was because of his Fantastic Racism Freudian Excuse against Earth and the humans. By the time Plasma Sword had came around, Zelkin had realized that Bilstein was far worse than the humans and defected from the Fourth Empire in order to join up with the Star Gladiators and make up for his mistakes.
  • Heel–Face Turn: After realizing that the Fourth Empire wasn't any better than the Earthlings that had harmed his people (in fact, the leader is even worse), he decides to defect to the Star Gladiators in order to stop Bilstein and atone for his past.
  • Noble Bird of Prey: While not stated specifically to be eagle-like, Zelkin looks the part, being a bird person with huge and sharp feet talons. He definitely has a heroic personality to go with his blue feathers as he cares about ideals such as honor and justice.
  • Proud Warrior Race Guy: See Worthy Opponent below.
  • The Rival: Hayato. He then upgrades him to...
    • Worthy Opponent: ... in his true ending in Plasma Sword, where he gives Hayato a feather from his head as a token of respect, as per the custom of his race.

    Blood Barbarians 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blood-sg_1117.jpg
A robust young American expert swordsman who fights with a Plasma Broadsword. Because he holds the strongest amount of Plasma Power in his own body, Blood was kidnapped at a young age by Bilstein, who had killed his parents from within a callous and malevolent state. Using a Plasma mind spell, Bilstein was able to turn Blood into his loyal fighter, having him eliminate any threat that came towards the Fourth Empire. However, Blood was freed from the spell when Bilstein was killed by Hayato during the Final Crusade and although he was able to regain his free will, Blood was disgusted to learn of what he had done while being under Bilstein's spell. Upon learning of Bilstein's unexpected return, Blood had joined the Star Gladiators in order to atone for his past actions and to find and eliminate Bilstein once and for all.

  • Artificial Limbs: One of his arms has been replaced by a cybernetic hand, connected to his shoulder by what seems to be an electric current or force field of some sort. Apparently, it causes him much discomfort.
  • The Atoner: Much like Zelkin, Blood also wants to repent for his actions during his time as a Fourth Empire member (albeit when he was more of a Brainwashed and Crazy pawn).
  • BFS: He uses a big sword made out of Plasma.
  • Death Seeker: He plans to off himself after killing Bilstein, in order to redeem himself.
  • Expy:
    • To Luke Skywalker. Even though Hayato is seen by many as being the Luke expy, Blood can also be considered one as well, given the fact that he wields a lightsaber-like weapon while having a cybernetic hand and that his own backstory had explained that during the time he was under Bilstein's command, Bilstein, who is seen as the Darth Vader equivalent, had treated him well as if he was his own "son."
    • Regarding the development history of Star Gladiator between Capcom and Lucas Arts, he appears to be the Capcom interpretation of Ardyn Lynn of Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: Blood's true ending in Plasma Sword has him reduce and lessen the nuclear reactor core explosion of the Fourth Empire's flying fortress through the use of his own Plasma Power so that he can save the Earth and its people and it's heavily implied that he dies from within the decreased explosion.
  • Manchurian Agent: As planned by Bilstein, Blood is to be activated in the case of his incarceration or worse case scenario as a merciless hunter and killer of those with strong Plasma Power potential on Earth to ensure the Earth Federation has no hope of fighting back. This however means targeting not just fighters and military personnel, but also innocent civilians who aren't even involved or don't want to be involved with the war against the Fourth Empire. As soon as he infiltrates Project Star Gladiator itself and goes on the first waves of missions, he kills off a good amount of other Gladiator teams before being confronted by Hayato and June.
  • Power Tattoo: Has the tattoo of a skull with a king's crown on his back.
  • Teleport Spam
  • Time Stands Still: The effect of his Plasma Field.

    Ele 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ele-sg_1263.jpg
A mysterious yet cheerful young Japanese rhythmic gymnast who fights with a Plasma Ring. While having a kind and cheerful personality to those who meet her, Ele is quite determined to complete a specific and personal mission, which is to find Bilstein's ghost and eliminate it as soon as possible so that a tragedy in the future doesn't come to pass.

  • Action Girl
  • Ass Kicks You
  • Crossover: Appears in one of Hayato's win poses in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, two of the SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash titles, and also in Felicia's ending alongside with June in Capcom Fighting Evolution/Jam.
  • Fanservice: Much like June, Ele also has an interesting second throw.
  • Fun Personified
  • Genki Girl
  • Improbable Weapon User: She wields a Plasma Ring similar to what gymnasts use.
  • Kick Chick
  • Kid from the Future: It's heavily implied in Plasma Sword that she's the daughter of Hayato and June, having traveled back in time from the distant future. Gamof's true ending even proves it.
  • Rings of Death: Like mother, like daughter.
  • Set Right What Once Went Wrong: In a distant future, Ghost Bilstein had attacked Ele's home and killed her mother while her father's status remained unknown. In order to change and prevent this sudden and unfortunate tragedy from ever occurring and happening, Ele had traveled back into the current past from the distant future through the use of a time machine so that she could find and destroy Ghost Bilstein in order to stop and prevent the specific tragedy from ever happening.

    Gantetsu 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gantetsu-sg_8885.jpg
An extremely strong Japanese military war soldier who fights with a Plasma Axe. Even though Gantetsu isn't exactly the sharpest knife when it comes to strategy, he makes up for it with his tough determination and robust strength. Gantetsu is given a mission by his superiors to track down Franco Gerelt for his past war crimes and bring him into the custody of the Earth Federation.

    Eagle 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/PlasmaEagle_5576.png
A noble and aspiring young American modern-day superhero with a bird motif who fights with a Plasma Blade. Eagle was once a faux superhero at Gorakuem Amusement Park, but when Bilstein had started his universal conquest, Eagle had decided to become a real-life superhero and joined the Star Gladiators in order to help them out.

The Fourth Empire

    Dr. Edward Bilstein 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bilstein-sg_8210.jpg
The main antagonist of the series. A Nobel Prize-winning German-American prestigious physicist and cybernetic mad Emperor Scientist who fights with a Plasma Broadsword and leads the Fourth Empire in his universal conquest. Bilstein was once a top-ranking physicist for the Earth Federation and was responsible for the discovery of Plasma Power, but it was soon discovered that Bilstein had used actual human bodies in his experiments and that he was arrested and exiled from Earth, being placed in a floating prison satellite that orbited the Planet Zeta. Upon managing to break out from the floating prison satellite, Bilstein, now in a cybernetic body, sought revenge against Earth and is determined to conquer it and the rest of the universe with his Fourth Empire.
  • Ambition Is Evil: He wants to establish what is essentially a new Nazi empire (it's no coincidence that the Fourth Empire follows the Third Reich).
  • Arch-Enemy: To Hayato most prominently, although all the Star Gladiators have beef with him for one reason or another.
  • Awesome, but Impractical: Despite his intimidating appearance, he's really not that much of an SNK Boss.
  • Bad Boss: You wouldn't want to work for him, that's for certain.
  • Big Bad: Of the first game, and the franchise as a whole. Everything bad going down is either Bilstein's direct doing, or is being done by someone that can be traced back to him.
  • Cyborg: Of the Darth Vader sort, combined with M. Bison's love of the Body Surf for a truly hard-to-kill bastard.
  • Darwinist Desire: He only cares for Rain's well-being as his own daughter insofar as her ability to sire a new race of Plasma beings.
  • The Empire: He is the leader of it.
  • Emperor Scientist: He is a Mad Scientist who doubles as The Emperor of the Fourth Empire.
  • Evil Parents Want Good Kids: Nope! His daughter Rain from the second game is a Daddy's Little Villain through and through, and Bilstein wouldn't have her any other way.
  • Expy: The unholy amalgamation of M. Bison, Darth Sidious, and Darth Vader, with a dash of Albert Wesker thrown in for good measure.
  • The Faceless: Unlike good old Vader, Bilstein's face has never been seen, at least not by players. As a famous physicist turned war criminal, though, it's likely most of the cast has seen what he looked liked before.
  • For Science!: He almost makes Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Bleach look like a saint. ALMOST.
  • Galactic Conqueror: OF COURSE!
  • Genius Bruiser: Dr. Edward Bilstein.
  • Large and in Charge: He's 6'5 and nearly 300 lbs.
  • Laser BFS
  • Occidental Otaku: Like Fatal Fury's Geese Howard, he's a German with a distinct taste for Japanese fashion.
  • Powered Armor: He built himself a suit of it after Jumping Off the Slippery Slope and committing to his galactic conquest ambitions. Bafflingly, he was allowed to keep it when he was arrested, which sllowed him to eventually subvert the prison he was locked up on and take over.
  • The Sociopath: Don't be fooled that Edward was merely pushed too far and was victimized by his peers to become an evil mad scientist; even since youth, Ed had tendencies towards psychotic breaks and twisted manipulative streaks behind everyone's backs. Even before he went mad from his great ancestor's genetic memory goading him towards human experimentation, he killed the family dog just because that day the barking just got him to.
  • Sword Beam: His Dark Vortex special move and Dark Vortex: End Plasma Strike.
  • Those Wacky Nazis: Fulfills a very dark legacy into the far flung future. His ancestor was in fact a Nazi scientist who found Plasma Power by experiments on concentration camp internees through the alleged Wunderwaft and Die Glocke reserach programs, but fled before he could even perform the experiment that would had turn the tides in favor of the Third Reich.
  • Take Over the World: Like any self-respecting wannabe conqueror, this is his goal.

    Franco Gerelt 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gerelt-sg_7189.jpg
A renowned and honorable Spanish matador who fights with a Plasma Rapier and that he happens to be an expert fencer who values honor from within the fights that he participates in. Unlike most members of the Fourth Empire, Gerelt is a "forced ally" of Bilstein, who had kidnapped Gerelt's wife and daughter with the help of a rival matador who had envied Gerelt's popularity and skill and framed Gerelt for the kidnapping and through this, Bilstein threatens to kill Gerelt's wife and daughter unless Gerelt does exactly what Bilstein says. Making matters worse, Bilstein had also implanted a bomb inside Gerelt's chest and threatens to blow him up if Gerelt ever tries to rebel against him. While Gerelt reluctantly follows Bilstein's orders, he secretly seeks to overthrow him so that he can save himself and his family from Bilstein's evil hand.

    Vector 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vector-sg_7749.jpg
An emotionless prototype assassin robot who fights with a Plasma Gun and that it was created by Bilstein to become the ultimate killing weapon. Vector's sole purpose is to eliminate any human it sees and that it won't stop until it completes its nefarious mission.

    Gore Gajah 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gore-sg_3051.jpg
A big-brained pointy-eared tanned Indonesian with an alien-esque appearance who fights with a Plasma Mace. A genius magician, Gore comes from a huge family who lives in Indonesia and that the family name itself, Gajah, has gained quite a reputation as it has been associated with the world of black magic, since Gore's father is a well-known Plasma Wizard who had performed many rituals and exorcism. After suffering many years of abuse from his own family due to him having a mental handicap while developing his own Plasma Magic powers and killing his father after the latter had grew jealous of Gore surpassing him in both fame and power to the point that he was willing to murder Gore himself, Gore had soon encountered Bilstein, who persuades him to join the Fourth Empire so that Gore can learn and know much about his own Plasma Magic powers while attempting to make himself more stronger and powerful in due time.

  • Abusive Parents: It is said from within Gore's backstory that not only did his parents abuse him, but also his entire family as well due to him having a mental handicap. Because of this, it soon culminates with Gore killing his own father after the latter had tried to kill Gore himself due to being jealous of Gore surpassing him in both fame and power.
  • Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: Gore has the special ability to grow in size and crush his opponents, literally.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Towards Luca.
  • Bubble Gun: The first game's Dokuyaku Sanpu special attack, though it's more of the poisonous type.
  • The Dark Arts: Gore's backstory states that his father was well-known throughout most of Indonesia for his use of black magic spells and exorcism. Being a Plasma Wizard himself, Gore is able to utilize many dark magic skills and techniques from within his own time and opportunity.
  • The Dragon: To Bilstein in the first game.
  • Expy: To Yoda, given the fact that he almost looks like him (albeit with a different skin color) and that both of them often use magic from within their fighting repertoires.
  • Fan Disservice: In his true ending from within Plasma Sword.
  • Magic Wand: His Plasma Mace.
  • Power-Upgrading Deformation: Gore's constant misuse and abuse of his Plasma Magic had caused him to suffer some unexpected side effects, such as his eyes falling out of their own sockets, his brain bulging from out of his head, and his own ears to turn pointy as well, but despite all of this, it would be made quite very clear that Gore didn't care or mind none of this as he had still continued to misuse and abuse his Plasma Magic.
  • Sdrawkcab Name: In the Japanese version of Star Gladiator 2, some of his quotes, though translated into meaningful sentences, appear to be written in an alien language. However, when read backwards, they form "alternate" phrases such as "Shin no ending mitekureta?" ("Did you see the true ending?") and "Oppai, boyoyon, boyoyon....!" ("Boobs, boyoing, boyoing...!")
  • Sickening "Crunch!": Aside from being a Plasma magician, Gore seems to also specialize in orthopedics, since most of his grab moves involves attacking or grabbing an opponent's limbs so that he can pull and snap it instantly. In fact, one of his special attacks involves having to lie down on the ground so that he can get close to the opponent, which would then enable him to grab their legs while shoving his right foot up towards their...private area so that he can intentionally snap it and the legs as well. Surprisingly, the attack itself is called Shindou Ryouhou (Vibration Treatment).
  • Sizeshifter
  • The Starscream: Gore isn't exactly a "loyal" member of the Fourth Empire and that he seeks to overthrow Bilstein and take everything for himself.
  • Taken for Granite: His Sosei Henkan special attack.
  • Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Ugly Guy to Luca's Hot Wife.

    Kappah Nosuke 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kappah-stargladiator2_6554.png
A green-skinned turtle-like humanoid alien who fights with a Plasma Spear. Coming from the Planet Kappa which lies from within the Cygnus Galaxy of the universe, Kappah is a bitter and belligerent military soldier for his home planet's elite military army. Because Kappah and his race dislike peace and prefer war, his home planet has had a falling out with Earth and many other planets during attemped negotiations. Bilstein had approached Kappah one day and told him that if he were to join up with the Fourth Empire, his home planet would be given full protection from any potential outside threat. Kappah accepts Bilstein's deal and joins up with him and the rest of the Fourth Empire.

  • Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Kappah's whereabouts after the events of the first game is never explained and that he completely disappears, not being seen nor mentioned in Plasma Sword.
  • Joke Character
  • Kappa
  • Proud Warrior Race Guy: Kappah and his race are known for having a belligerent nature and that they despise peace, living only for war and fighting.

    Prince 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/prince-sg_8115.jpg
An alien royal prince who fights with Plasma Yo-Yos. His full name is Saturn Kuida-Ore the 3rd and that he's the royal prince of the Planet Saturn. Prince grew jealous of Saturn's popularity as a street performer and determined to prove that he's a much better one, he adopts the alias of "Prince" and joins up with the Fourth Empire so that he can get the chance to fight Saturn from within his own given chance and opportunity.

    Claire 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/claire-sg_4438.jpg
A Spanish female fencer who fights with a Plasma Rapier and that she happens to be a long-time friend of Gerelt, in which she works with him under Bilstein. Claire's reason for being a part of the Fourth Empire is shrouded in mystery, but it is speculated that something tragic had happened to her in the past and that she saw the Fourth Empire as a way of escaping her own personal pain and suffering.

    Luca 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/luca-sg_3794.jpg
An artificial alien-esque girl who fights with a Plasma Mace. Luca is Gore's fiancee/assistant and is devoted to him no matter what. Despite having a kind and cheerful personality, Luca is very naive when it comes to the concepts of life and death in that she's unable to comprehend any action that differs from right and wrong.

    Shaker 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shaker-sg_2267.jpg
A cybernetic clone of Blood who fights with a Plasma Broadsword. One of the many Shaker clones of Blood, Shaker has a psychotic personality and won't hesitate to rip apart anyone or anything who gets in his way. In his spare time, Shaker loves to listen and play punk music.

  • Expy: Of Lord Raptor/Zabel Zarock: Ax-Crazy, Laughably Evil, has grey skin and blue hair, turns his limbs into oversized weapons, plays in a band... Also, the plate on the left side of his face looks like a skull, much like Raptor's flayed look.
  • BFS: Like the person he was cloned from, he uses a big sword made of Plasma.
  • More Dakka: His Murderous Vulcan Plasma Strike converts his robotic arm into a gattling gun.
  • Musical Assassin: While Shaker doesn't exactly have any musical special attacks, the fact that he kills on a daily basis while playing punk music and treating his battles like they were rock solo duels could have him qualify for this trope.
  • Teleport Spam: Oh boy. This guy does not stand still for a minute and will evade you constantly by flicking around the stage. It's hard to lock him down.
  • Time Stands Still: His Plasma Field attack halts his opponent in time, letting him do some damage unopposed in the style of Dio.

    Rain 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rain-sg_9870.jpg
Bilstein's beautiful and ambitious German-American daughter who fights with a Plasma Scythe. Rain is a vain and narcissistic person who seeks to prove herself as being a strong and beautiful woman who is able to fight and defeat anyone who tries to challenge her to a battle.

From Other Parties

    Rimgal 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Star_Gladiator_Rimgal_3064.jpg
A genetically-enhanced Velociraptor dinosaur who fights with a Bone Club. In truth, Rimgal is actually Michael Milliam: June's English scientist father who was experimented on by Bilstein, in which Bilstein had mixed his human DNA with dinosaur DNA. Rimgal is at war with his own self as he attempts to fight the inner feral beast that lurks within his own inner mind.

  • Bad with the Bone
  • Breath Weapon: He's able to unleash a short-range fire blast from his mouth.
  • Downer Ending: To ensure that his inner feral beast doesn't get the chance and opportunity to hurt his daughter and her friends, Rimgal kills himself by jumping off the top of the Fourth Empire flying fortress, plummeting to his death below.
  • Enemy Within
  • Fighting from the Inside: Rimgal tries to fight the inner feral beast that lurks within the mind, but is unable to do so, leading to the inevitable Downer Ending.
  • Was Once a Man: He used to be June's father before Bilstein had experimented on him.

    Omega 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/omega-sg_4647.jpg
An older prototype robot who fights with a Plasma Gun. Omega was created by Bilstein as the older prototype for the later Vector robot model and was eventually discarded after having too many emotions in its own circuits. Upon regaining its sentience, Omega learns that it has a "heart" and seeks to know on what it is before its current energy supply runs out.

    Ghost Bilstein 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/g-bilstein-sg_8187.jpg
The apparition of Bilstein's old cybernetic body who fights with a Plasma Broadsword. After Bilstein was killed by Hayato during the events of the Final Crusade, he was able to transcend his spirit into a new cybernetic body, leaving his old one behind. Somehow, Bilstein's old cybernetic body had gained a small portion of his conscience and was able to move without its previous host. It now seeks to find and kill Hayato, destroying everything that stands in its way.

  • Amazing Technicolor Battlefield: The final battle against him in the original Star Gladiator.
  • Came Back Wrong: A subversion; this is merely the cybernetic shell left behind by Bilstein after his defeat by Hayato. It gained some sentience and is now on a mindless rampage to find and kill Hayato. The real Bilstein, now in a new body, finds this slightly amusing, as well as a minor annoyance.
  • Crossover: Appears in both Tekkaman Blade and Joe the Condor's endings in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars.
  • Laser BFS
  • Powered Armor
  • Roaring Rampage of Revenge
  • True Final Boss: In order to get to him in Star Gladiator, the player must beat the game from within a specific amount of time. Doing this will take them to a special battle against a super-powered version of Bilstein. Defeating Ghost Bilstein gives you your character's true and good ending while losing to him gives you both a bad ending and a game over.

    Kaede 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/PlasmaKaede_3602.png

A mysterious sly Japanese kunoichi (female ninja) who fights with a Plasma Hammer. Kaede is hired by the Earth Federation to hunt down and attack any Plasma wielder so that she can seal off their usage of Plasma Power.

  • Whack-a-Monster: Kaede's Plasma Field, which is called Mysterious Force: Mogura Tataki, has her playing a quick variation of the classic Whack-A-Mole game, in which her opponent pops out of three holes from within sight and that the damage to the opponent depends on how many times Kaede is able to strike them with her hammer.
  • You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: In Kaede's true ending, her benefactors had immediately turned on her after she had succeeded from within her mission, claiming that Plasma Power should belong to the Earth Federation and no one else. Upon managing to defeat Byakko from within an impromptu battle, Kaede is able to easily escape while robbing the vault of the Earth Federation, being able to relax from within a seclusive life of luxury.

    Byakko 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/byakko-sg_6303.jpg
A white-furred tiger-like humanoid alien who fights with Plasma Claws. A skilled ninja, Byakko is given a mission by the Earth Federation to hunt down and eliminate any Plasma wielder who comes into his path. Despite his cold methods of fighting, Byakko is a noble warrior who fights while using a Zen-like nature.

    Rai-on 
https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/raion_2633.jpg
A black-furred lion-like humanoid alien who fights with Plasma Claws. A wrathful ninja, Rai-on, who unlike Byakko, is more vicious and harsh when it comes to his mission and that he won't hesitate to complete it no matter what.

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