Skullomania

Skullomania (スカロマニア) is a character from the Street Fighter EX series developed by Arika. He made his first appearance in the first Street Fighter EX game. Due to his erratic playstyle and goofy nature, Skullomania has become a fan favorite among Street Fighter fans.

Concept
Skullomania's design was inspired by the Japanese superhero Kamen Rider created by manga author Shotaro Ishinomori, with extra elements drawn from the Skull Man, a character from a manga Ishinomori wrote in order to work out the concepts for Kamen Rider. Skullomania also draws from real-life luchador La Parka (also known as The Reaper/Death).

Appearance
In Street Fighter EX, Skullomania's costume is simply a black body stocking with a skeleton motif printed on it. The Kamen Rider/"Skull Rider" image was enhanced in Street Fighter EX2, where Skullomania's costume gained a red scarf, gloves, and boots, as well as a belt almost identical to the Typhoon belt worn by Hayato Ichimonji, Kamen Rider #2. Both the belt and the forehead of Skullo's mask bear a stylized letter "S".

Street Fighter EX
Skullomania was once an average salesman called Saburo Nishikoyama. His superiors were not pleased with his results as a salesman. Down on his luck and constantly under pressure for results, he volunteered to dress up and perform like a superhero at a carnival thrown for a top customer in their department store. He had hoped it would be chance to prove his value as a salesman. When he grabbed the attention of all in attendance, something clicked in him. Tired of his job, Skullomania decided to become a vigilante crime-fighter. Not much else is known of his past.

Street Fighter EX2
In Street Fighter EX2, like most other Arika characters, Skullomania's storyline was changed. Instead of being a Japanese businessman, he was a defector from an army of an unknown nation, he and Shadowgeist are implied to be brothers.

Other appearances
Skullomania was officially used in the Arika game Technictix, released only in Japan. Skullomania also made an appearance in the PlayStation game, Fighter Maker, even with some of his special moves intact. His signature move is the Skullo Dream, an unblockable combo attack which is increasingly comedic in execution as the series progresses.

Cameo
Skullomania made a very small cameo appearance in the Street Fighter Legends: Sakura comic.

Trivia

 * His ending in the original SFEX is a reference to Kinkotsuman from Kinnikuman (M.U.S.C.L.E) Giant Scene.


 * Skullomania is one of the five playable characters to have their name shortened under their lifebar (appearing as "Skullo"), not counting the use of M. Bison's Japanese name in the international version. The others are Shadowgeist, Cracker Jack, Cycloid Beta and Cycloid Gamma.


 * Keeping with the Kamen Rider homages, Skullomania's revised backstory in SFEX2 may be a reference to Kamen Rider Black, as both stories focus on a hero who have to battle his own brother with nearly identical powers.