Americans Hate Tingle: The game was a huge hit in Japan and resonated well with the Japanese audience due to its realistic setting and relatable characters, making it easy to translate into other media. Outside of Japan? Not so much. The game failed to make an impact in overseas arcades and didn't fare much better on the fleeting Saturn. This was likely due to the fact that everything that made it a success in Japan, a lot of which was All There in the Manual, was lost entirely on western audiences who saw it as just another fighting game and couldn't resonate with its Japanese setting and small character roster. Worse, 1996 also saw the release of several fighting games, many of which were absolutely huge, and Last Bronx was lost among them. Although Sega of Europe tried hard to promote the Saturn port however they could, even giving a monthly progress report on its release in the official Sega Saturn Magazine, it still failed to catch a wider audience.
Awesome Music: It's hard to think of the game's animated opening sequence without hearing "Jaggy Love" by D'SECRETS play in your head, and for good reason. It's not only catchy but fits the mood of the game's dark and desperate setting, and those fighting to survive in it.
Captain Obvious Reveal: Given Yoko's backstory and Red Eye's appearance, along with their similar moves and weapons, it's not too hard to figure out what their actual relationship is. The opening video in the Saturn and PC versions pretty much spells it out.
Cult Classic: In turn, Last Bronx out west is very much well liked by Sega and fighting game enthusiasts.
Kurosawa is a ruthless, brutal and violent thug, but is also makes him a whole lot of fun to play as. Being voiced by Norio Wakamoto is really the icing on the cake.
Red Eye might make you rage quit when fighting against him, but once you unlock him he becomes a power fantasy that can tear down the rest of the cast.
Misaimed Marketing: Sega of Europe went so far as to advertise Fighters Megamix and the then-upcoming Saturn port of Last Bronx in Page 3 of The Sun. It featured models dressed up as Lisa, Honey and Janet and tried to sell the characters and their games solely on their sex appeal, despite Lisa and Honey being underage. Unfortunately for Sega, the piece just so happened to be released right before (and became overshadowed by) the death of Princess Diana.
The PC version features both the 2D backgrounds of the Saturn version and the 3D backgrounds of the arcade version, along with the extra features found in the Saturn port. Unfortunately, the anime cutscenes run at a slower framerate and aren't as fluid, and still omits the 2nd disc content of the Japanese Saturn version.
The Sega Ages PS2 version includes several video options and offers new modes, and finally match the arcade's graphics. Unfortunately, it's missing the anime intro and cutscenes featured in the Saturn and PC versions.
Vindicated by History: Due to the popularity of the Yakuza series, a small resurgence of interest in Last Bronx was experienced outwest, due to its similar Japanese street gang premise.
The V-Cinema film
Narm: All over the place. In an attempt to be accurate to the game, the actors look identical to their characters right down to their hair colors, and there are times where they do their victory poses and quotes, which doesn't translate very well for live-action.
Special Effects Failure: When Joe defeats Yusaku in the final round, he performs an air juggle on him, and it's painfully obvious that Yusaku is being lifted up by wires after each hit.
Video Game Movies Suck: The Direct to Video movie is a low-budget mess. The fighting choreography is a mixed bag, and the whole film is marred by poor lighting, camera shots that make the viewer feel like a spectator watching from a very far distance, and there are times where the set pieces are blocking out the action. The soundtrack is filled with catchy 90's jazz, but comes out of nowhere and doesn't always fit the mood of the fight. The biggest disappointment for some is that Red Eye is nowhere to be seen.
play in your head, and for good reason. It's not only catchy but fits the mood of the game's dark and desperate setting, and those fighting to survive in it.