Akira Kazama

Akira Kazama (風間 アキラ Kazama Akira) is a fighting game character from the Rival Schools series of 3D fighting games.

Biography
Akira, the "Kung-Fu Rider"

Akira, the younger sister of Daigo Kazama, is a silent girl who rarely speaks out her thoughts. She may be tough and commanding while wearing her biker outfit, but is a docile and gentle person without it. The outfit was originally intended to hide her true gender prior to enrolling in Gedo High.

As of Project Justice, she was transferred to the all-girls Seijyun High, leaving her without any friends, until she found one in Yurika, and later on, Zaki. This was due to the fact that she noticed her brother's change in personality after returning from training.

Appearance
Akira has medium-length brown hair with a half fringes on the left side and a single fringe in the center of her head and brown eyes. In the original game and (as "Powered Akira" in Project Justice), she wears a black biker jacket (wearing a camouflage/olive green tank top in it) with spikes and a skull emblem on both spikes, black rider pants with gray metal designs and red kneepads. She wears a black belt on her waist with a black chain at the left side and black with gray metal rider boots. She wears black rider gloves with red metal designs and a black biker helmet with a skull in the center of her helmet.

In Project Justice, aside from her original outfit, she wears the Seijyun Girls' school uniform which consist of dark blue vest with a short sleeved sailor collar with a red laced ribbon on the collar, dark blue skirt, navy blue socks and brown dress shoes. Her white sailor collar has cross black linings in each sides.

Rival Schools: United By Fate
Prior to her initial appearance, she appears at the last part of her older brother, Daigo's ending where she decides herself to pose as a boy to enter Gedo High in order to find out what happened to her older brother, Daigo.

Her initial appearance in Rival Schools: United By Fate is under a motorcycle helmet and a biker gear where she poses as a boy and as Daigo's younger brother. She befriends two of his subordinates, Eiji "Edge" Yamada and Gan Isurugi, who eventually became suspicious to her actions which forces Akira to fight them in a handicap, they were testing her skill to see if she is truly their boss' younger brother. After defeating the Pacific High students who are brainwashed by Hideo and Kyoko, the trio decides to pursue them only to be inform by Natsu and Roberto that they are brainwashed by Justice High School. With this new profound knowledge, Akira realizes that her older brother was brainwashed. After Hyo's defeat, they eventually rescue Daigo as Akira reunites her older brother in a feminine voice which both Edge and Gan are confused to their boss' word about "A lady-like yourself". Akira finally shows her true gender to them by removing her black biker helmet and apologizes both from her deceptions and corrects them that she was not Daigo's younger brother but his younger sister much to their horrible shock. Both Edge and Gan eventually accepts Akira as their friend though.

An alternate version of Akira without the helmet and jacket is playable in Rival Schools, but maintains the same ending as masked Akira.

Project Justice
In the Seijyun storyline, Akira, who has been transferred to the girls-only Seijyun High, is the central character, with the player following her quest to find out what happened to her brother. She manages to befriend Yurika Kirishima and later Aoi "Zaki" Himezaki, the latter only agrees to join the duo if they defeat her in a test of strength.

After hearing of Daigo's change of personality, the trio investigate the new wave of attacks on local schools. Upon meeting Batsu on the way, Akira is attacked by him (unaware at the time that it was Kurow in disguise). Akira and her group later fight the real Batsu who she mistakes as the real culprit. By the time, both Gedo High and Seijyun High begins to have a school gang war.

Akira and Zaki are confronted by a brainwashed Daigo, who Akira tries to snap out of the brainwash only to be stopped by Edge and Gan, stating that they need to fight him by force. Zaki hears whistle noises and realizes that Yurika (who worked with Kurow and Momo from the Darkside Student Congress) was playing Kurow's flute to control Daigo in hiding.

In the bad ending, Daigo succumbs to his injuries from fighting, Akira sadly cries on his arms causing both to mourn their fallen leader as Gan forgives Akira for Daigo's actions and Edge angrily decides to find and defeat Kurow in honor of him.

The group went after Daigo in the mountain area led by Yurika, causing Kurow to brands his older sister as a traitor. Kurow plans to brainwash Yurika, only to be repelled by Zaki who uses her chains to get his flute. Akira states that she can not forgive Kurow for ruining his family relationship with his sister. She faces the brainwashed Daigo one final time. After Kurow was defeated, Akira tries to wake Daigo from his unconscious state, Edge and Gan arrives and Edge gives Akira her black biker helmet as part of their school's behalf while Gan carries the unconscious Daigo to safety.

After Hyo's defeat and death, Yurika left out of guilt for taking part in Kurow's plans and returns to Seijyun, where she is warmly welcomed again by Akira and Zaki. Akira happily reunites with her. At some point after this, Daigo gives his undisputed gang leadership to both Edge and Gan and his school jacket to Akira and leaves to train once more.

Unlike in Rival Schools: United By Fate, Akira starts off without her motorcycle helmet disguise, but can unlock it (Powered Akira) after playing through a certain storyline in the game which Edge gives her black biker helmet.

Arsenal, combat style and fighting strategy
Most of Akira's fighting techniques are based on different fighting styles, notably Taikyoku-ken and Tai-chi-chuan.

Common to Both Versions of Akira

 * Cyclone Dance (Japanese: 旋蹴舞 Senshuubu) - Spinning kick attack that can be done up to three times. Depending on the kick button pressed in the button combination, the kick can be a flying kick or a sweeping kick. Both versions can be used subsequently. Also used by her Powered version.


 * Releasing Dance (Japanese: 放舞 Houbu) - Launches the opponent into the air. The player can follow with an Air Combo afterwards. Also used by her Powered version.

As Normal Akira

 * Elbow Gate (Japanese: 骸裡門 Gairimon) - Akira charges forward and knocks the opponent into the air. It, however, cannot be chained into an Air Combo, as the opponent can recover immediately after the attack.


 * Leaping Smash (Japanese: 風撃襲 Fuugekishuu) - Akira does a forward flip in the air. If a kick button is pressed while doing this move, a knockdown kick follows.


 * Fractured Heaven Combo (Japanese: 破天連撃 Haten Rengeki) - See references below for more details.

As Powered Akira

 * Fractured Heaven Stance (Japanese: 破天の構 Haten no Kamae) - Akira stands on one leg. This is not really an attack; rather, this is used to initiate any of the following combos: Dragon Fang Slash (龍牙裂斬 Ryuuge Retsuzan), Spinning Swallow Storm Dance (旋燕嵐舞 Sen'en Ranbu), Nirvana Charge (羅漢進撃 Rakan Shingeki), and Phoenix Wing Sky Kick (鳳翼天蹴 Houyoku Tenshuu). See references below for more details.


 * Reverse Inside Gate (Japanese: 裏裡門 Urarimon) - Akira does an elbow thrust with knockback effect.


 * Sparrowhawk Chick's Shoulder Plant (鷂子栽肩 Youshi Saiken) - A two-hit shoulder/headbutt strike that deals massive damage.

Common to Both Versions of Akira

 * Energy Focus Cluster (Japanese: 気功塊 Kikou Kai) - Akira unleashes a large sphere of energy from her hands. Also used by her Powered version, however, the latter deals massive damage in only one hit in the form of a powerful energy ray. The latter version is sometimes referred to as the Hyper Energy Focus Cluster (Japanese: 剛気功塊 Gou Kikou Kai). Both versions can also be used in mid-air. Different from Daigo's.


 * Heaven's Barrage (Japanese: 天の連舞 Ten no Renbu) - Akira does a backflip kick, launching the opponent high into the air. She then immediately jumps to follow suit, then unleashes a barrage of kicks in mid-air. The last two punches knock the opponent down to the ground. Also used by her Powered version. In Project Justice, the last two punches are replaced with a single kick and a Leaping Smash while using this ability.

As Normal Akira

 * Destructive Barrage (Japanese: 破の連舞 Ha no Renbu) - Akira executes a series of kicks and two blows. The last straight kick knocks the opponent into a random obstacle in the field, scoring a bonus hit dealing six hits.


 * Destructive Heaven's Stealth Kick (Japanese: 破天無影蹴 Haten Mueishuu) - Akira launches herself leg-first towards the opponent. It hits multiple times, and knocks the opponent into a random obstacle in the field, scoring a bonus hit. Range is short, and has bad recovery delay.

As Powered Akira

 * Destructive Pair Attack (Japanese: 破の双撃 Ha no Sougeki) - A combo attack similar to Destructive Barrage. Akira executes a series of kung-fu based moves as the last blow deals massive damage dealing five hits. Unlike the Destructive Barrage, however, this only knocks the opponent backwards (without any random obstacle in the field).

Team-Up Techniques

 * Combination Barrage (連撃連武 Rengeki Renbu) - Powered Akira's Team-Up technique. The active character grabs the opponent, and both characters deliver a series of kung-fu-based blows to the opponent. This can be initiated up to a range of two steps from the opponent.


 * Synchronized Kick Chain (協奏連撃蹴 Kyousou Rengekishuu) - Team-Up assist by the normal Akira. The active character will uppercut to the opponent in mid-air as Akira appears to join the fray, both do a reverse backflip and unleashes a punch and a kick towards the landing opponent and they jump and go for a flying kick to slide the opponent's head dealing 5 hits before Akira leaves the active character in a reverse backflip.

In Project Justice, this team up assist has a drastic change. Akira and the active character take turns in delivering backflip kicks to the opponent before Akira finishes with a brief Energy Focus Cluster.

Party-Up Techniques

 * The normal Akira does the Divine Woman's Hammer, Seijyun High's Party-Up technique; while her Powered verison does Gedo High's Gedo Top.

Other appearances
Both Akira and Batsu appeared in Street Fighter Online: Mouse Generation.

She has also appeared as a card in the SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash games and in the Heroes & Heralds mode of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

Akira also made a cameo appearance in Felicia's Capcom Fighting Evolution ending. She also appeared in the Japan-only social game Onimusha Soul.

Akira, along with Batsu, was slated to appear in the cancelled Capcom Fighting All-Stars.

Trivia

 * The following details of Akira's life is as described.
 * She and Daigo are orphans. They previously lived together in his own home before Akira moved to the Seijyun dorms. Their parents were friends with a man who owns a garage, this man taught Akira about bikes when her parents died, and now she helps the man repair bikes.
 * Her talents are Chinese martial arts and cooking.
 * She is in the Gedo School the first year and later Seijyun the second year.
 * Her strong subjects are Japanese, social studies and English.
 * Her weak subjects are Physical education and Music.
 * She is not a member in any clubs and she has no part-time job, as it is prohibited by school (however, she did previously worked as a motor bike mechanic).
 * Akira prefers racing bikes, because the engines deteriorate more slowly.
 * She's not a good swimmer and has hydrophobia.
 * Akira likes confectionery, especially chocolate cake and cheese cake.
 * She usually prepares meals for Daigo.
 * Akira loves cats, but unfortunately unable to keep one because she lives in an apartment.


 * Her defence style is based on circular step, typical of tai chi.


 * Akira is a big fan of Mega Man.


 * She is voiced by Chiharu Tezuka.


 * As of Project Justice, she is one of two characters to represent two different schools, as evident in the Party-Up techniques she uses. The other one is Kurow.


 * Akira, her design and her fighting style has been compared to Jun Kazama and Asuka Kazama from Namco's Tekken series of 3D fighting games. She and Daigo also share the same surname as Jun, her son Jin and Asuka.


 * Her Kyousou Rengekishuu attack is taken from episode nine of the Evangelion where Eva01 and Eva02 synchronize their attacks doing the exact pattern of attacks of Akira.