(LINK TO SECTION DOWN BELOW)
The camera then went back to Drake and Ashley who were grinning.
"Welcome back!" Drake greeted. "If you are just turning in, you are just in time for the second Section!"
"However, before we do that, we will have to review King Dedede's prize for winning the first section." Ashley explained
"Unsurprisingly as one someone who has pride in his strength and his… size, he has chosen the one called "You're the Boss!" Drake explained. "Now Dedede's usual skills are more buffed up."
"But at a cost, Dedede now has the status of a REALLY Big Guy, which means he counts as two Big Guys." Ashley explained. "And he now has two automatic die votes instead of the usual one."
"Plus, if someone eliminates him, it would count as a DOUBLE elimination and whoever eliminated him would get a prize." Drake smirked.
Ashley blinked twice. "Is it me or despite the power buff, did Dedede get the short end of the stick?"
"Eh, at least it would stop things from getting stale." Drake shrugged. "Besides, he is always gloating about being one of the biggest bosses in gaming. Think of it as learning a lesson about being careful what you wish for."
"True…" Ashley said with a deep sigh.
"Well, THAT is over with!" Drake grinned. "Let's start the section!"
"Indeed. Now we will go over the survivors again." Ashley explained. "But because we talked about them before, their segments will be brief."
BIG THE CAT
NODE: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 4
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 1
ALERT! BIG GUY
"While assuming in terms of appearance and personality, Big the Cat has proven that there is a tiger inside of that overgrown cat!" Drake grinned.
"Indeed, Don Octavio from Sly Cooper learned that the hard way by attempting to wake it up by threatening his best friend." Ashley shuddered. "Also, he now has a Smash Ball. I shudder to think what will happen if he actually decides to use it."
GRIM
NODE: CARTOON NETWORK: PUNCH TIME EXPLOSION/THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY AND MANDY
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 11
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 1
"Despite now being known as a slave to two mortal kids, Grim has proven that despite all of this, he is STILL the Grim Reaper." Ashley pointed out. He then paused. "Well, one of the few."
"Yeah, but his elimination of Eliza from Skukkgirls was more of a sparring match which ended in him getting the win in a Rock-Paper-Scissors duel!" Drake frowned. "Like that is fine because they are friends and I respect that, but he needs to get a more… Traditional elimination to his name."
NAPALM MAN
NODE: MEGAMAN
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 15
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 1
"Well, what do you know?" Drake smirked. "Looks like Napalm Man's appearance in Super Smash Bros Ultimate DID helped him out a bit."
"Indeed, despite his elimination of Hercules from Kingdom Hearts is more out of luck, it still says volumes about his relentlessness and his determination." Ashley nodded.
CHANG KOEHAN
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 17
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 1
ALERT! BIG GUY!
"A bit of a weak start, but even then, Chang has still proven that he shouldn't be looked down on." Ashley explained.
"Yeah, he actually managed to eliminate Bizarro from DC Comics who is basically a twisted SUPERMAN!" Drake agreed.
KING DEDEDE
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS./KIRBY
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 20
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 2
ALERT! REALLY BIG GUY!
"He may be a braggart, but Dedede's brags are not without merit!" Drake noted. "Sure, he doesn't have finesse, but he has eliminated Luong from King of Fighters XIV AND Pai Ikisatishi from Tokyo Mew Mew, two fast and skilled characters."
"But now Dedede has the status of a REALLY Big Guy, making it harder for him to survive sections more than he usually does." Ashley frowned. "Well, this may make-or-break Dedede's status as a boss despite him being more of an anti-hero nowadays at worst."
STITCH
NODE: KINGDOM HEARTS/LILO AND STITCH
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 22
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 2
"Jumbaa must be proud of his experiment as he is truly proving himself as his greatest creations!" Ashley smiled.
"Yeah, he took out Gourmand from Power Stone and Arthur from Super Ghouls n Ghosts without much effort!" Drake nodded. He then paused. "Huh… I wonder if he is going to continue dominating the rest of the incoming Mystery Fighters like this."
CAMMY WHITE
NODE: STREET FIGHTER V
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 25
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 2
"Cammy is the sole female fighter who made the section, but she definitely makes up for quality over quantity for the ladies!" Drake grinned.
"While her elimination of Hunter from Spyro the Dragon was more comical, her elimination of Angel from King of Fighters XIV was a true test of her skills." Ashley nodded. "Plus, she has Hunter's bow and quiver. I admit I am curious to see how she will use it."
RIKU
NODE: KINGDOM HEARTS
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 28
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 2
"Riku has proven that despite having darkness in his heart, it doesn't stop him by controlling it to face down his foes!" Ashley smiled.
"Yeah, he eliminated Slaide from DC Comics and Gill from Street Fighter V!" Drake nodded. He then trailed off. "Then again, the latter elimination was actually his ally, but to be fair, it is not really his fault."
TORO INOUE
NODE: PLAYSTATION ALL-STARS BATTLE ROYALE/DOKO DEMO ISSYO
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 29
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 1
"The kitty-cat still has a lot to go if he wants to be a human, but that doesn't mean he isn't off to a good start!" Drake smirked.
"Indeed, he has managed to eliminate Richter Belmont from Super Smash Bros." Ashley nodded. "However, he is now stuck in his "Martial Artist" outfit, but doing him, it will do little to stop him."
LUIGI MARIO
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS./SUPER MARIO BROS.
ENTERED IN: Section 1; Number 30
OVERALL ELIMINATIONS: 2
"And last, but certainly not least, we have Luigi Mario, showing his true strength here!" Ashley smiled.
"Yeah, even though his elimination of Nack the Weasel from Sonic the Hedgehog was…" Drake said before trailing off. "...Questionable. His elimination of Athena Asamiya from King of Fighters XIV deserves more praise."
"Now let's get into the fighters entering this section!" Drake grinned.
AGENT 9
NODE: SPYRO THE DRAGON
"And already we are starting off strong with a space trigger-happy monkey!" Drake grinned.
Ashley gulped nervously. "Are we sure that he is a HERO?"
"I mean he is on Spyro's side and honestly, said dragon burns down innocent sheep for kicks so said heroes have no right to judge him." Drake shrugged.
"I was afraid that you would say that…" Ashley muttered before stifling a cough. "So Agent 9 is a long-range fighter?"
"Yeah, his segments in the game play out like a third-person shooter." Drake nodded.
"Hmm… So he has experience from a distance, but how good he is close up." Ashley mused, rubbing his chin.
"I mean he IS a monkey and they are known for their speed and athleticism." Drake shrugged. "He may not be doing any power punches, but he should be able to overwhelm his opponents with hit-and-run tactics."
"Assuming that he actually stops to breathe, let alone think of strategies." Ashley muttered.
SPIKE
NODE: PLAYSTATION ALL-STARS BATTLE ROYALE/APE ESCAPE
"And almost immediately after a monkey is someone whose whole game is to capture monkeys?" Drake asked, raising an eyebrow.
"There is no way that is a coincidence." Ashley said, shaking his head.
"Probably not. Regardless…" Drake mused. "Yo, Wally, Catherine, you actually get screentime!"
The camera turned to Wally. "Well, it is about time! Now Ape Escape is a platformer!"
"Basically, you play as a bunch of brats whose main goal is to stop a bunch of adorable monkeys from having fun." Catherine muttered, crossing her arms.
Wally blinked twice. "Catherine, they are literally causing monkey business in the world."
"Just like how Monkey Pink was causing trouble in Ape Escape 2 just by trying to be a pop star?" The pink-haired woman challenged.
Wally just shook his head. "Anyway, the aim of the game is to find a set number of monkeys and catch them in a net while using a various amount of tools to make said catching easier or just doing platforming."
"I don't care if that Stun Club literally does that. I STILL think that is animal cruelty!" Catherine scolded.
"Oi, YA try catching them at close-range!" Wally scolded. "Anyway, the series gained three games, a couple of spin-offs and even an anime."
"Also, even if you think I am being biased, you can't deny me that the monkeys are more memorable than the humans!"
Wally was about to say something until he stopped himself. "Okay, ya got me there… Back ta ya!"
The camera turned to Ashley who was looking exasperated. "That woman is going to give me a headache…"
Drake chuckled nervously. "Anyway, while Spike's tools are more suited for catching monkeys, they could still be used offensively as shown in PSASBR."
"It also helps that his first target is a monkey." Ashley added.
Drake shrugged. "Best to start small with what you know."
DIMITRI
NODE: SLY COOPER
Drake grinned. "Ooh, the dude is greasy slick!"
Ashley looked at his friend in disbelief. "Really…?"
"Sorry, sorry, I know that this guy is a tryhard!" Drake said before shaking his head. "But I can't help! He is so full of personality that I can't resist loving this guy!"
Ashley paused. "I mean… He DID join the Cooper Gang so he does HAVE some good qualities."
"Oi…" Drake muttered.
"Also, sorry if I keep on sounding negative, but wasn't Dimitri the diver of the group?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah, in his debut game, he has proven himself to be extremely athletic and acrobatic." Drake shrugged. "Just not as much as Sly, of course."
"Ah, fair enough. But are his skills reliable?" Ashley asked.
"The Cooper gang trusted him with a lot of important stuff in the fourth game before they went back to camp." Drake noted. "And I doubt Sly would trust something that important to a random guy."
"True…" Ashley mused.
SERVBOT
NODE: MEGAMAN/MEGAMAN LEGENDS
Ashley blinked twice. "A LONE Servbot?"
"Hey, apparently he has gotten his spot on Marvel VS Capcom 2 so the idea isn't THAT far-fetched." Drake shrugged.
Ashley paused before shrugging as well. "I noticed that there is a sub-node next to Megaman. Wally, is there another sub-node entering the tournament BESIDES the ones from X."
The camera turned to Wally, slapping his head. "Ah, crap, Ah actually forgotten about that!"
"Aw, don't feel bad, Wally." Catherine frowned. "Capcom forgotten about Legends, too!"
The kangaroo just stared at Catherine. "Oi… Anyway, Megaman Legends is another spin-off of Megaman. However, it has definitely taken a drastic change in gameplay."
"For starters, it is a 3D adventure as opposed to the 2D side-scroller." Catherine added. "And instead of saving the world from evil, you are mostly exploring ruins."
"To be fair, Cat, Megaman… Or rather Megaman Volnutt ended up saving the world, just not immediately." Wally shrugged. "Anyway, Megaman still has to face dangerous foes like pirates."
"The game had a sequel and even a spin-off starring one the rivals, Tron Bonne." Catherine explained. She then sighed. "And that's it. We all know the story. The third game has ended and that is that."
"Hey, to be like that, it is not like Megaman Legends have COMPLETELY disappeared from the gaming world." Wally warned. "Tron Bonne has made several crossover appearances and even Volnutt himself made an appearance in Tatsunoko vs Capcom."
"True… But with the amount of said appearance Tron made, you would think that SHE was the main character." Catherine countered.
Wally shook his head. "Mates, back to you."
The camera turned to Drake shaking his head as well. "Thanks, man."
"Well, what can this particular Servbot do?" Ashley asked, crossing his arms.
"Well, it can pull out various kitchen stuff out of nowhere and attack with it, he could summon his own just like his master, but isn't as skilled with it as Tron." Drake noted. "His small size means that while he is easy to knock out of the ring, he is also hard to hit."
Ashley nodded his head. "Anything else?"
"Oh, and he could temporarily grow into a giant and smash people's heads in with a hammer." Drake said, flatly.
Ashley jumped. "Wait, what!?"
"Yes, the little guy may seem like your typical "Minion", but they have a lot of tricks up their Lego sleeves." Drake shrugged.
KIM KAPHWAN
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV/FATAL FURY
Drake groaned as he rolled his eyes. "Ugh, I know that we will be getting him sooner or later."
"Be nice." Ashley scolded. He then paused. "Also, I noticed that the majority that has been on currently on Team Kim or Korea had shown up so far."
Drake raised an eyebrow. "I noticed that too. Sure, two fighters are a coincidence, but three?"
Ashley just shrugged. "Anyway, back to Wally and Catherine."
The camera turned to Wally. "Thank you, Ash! Anyway, Fatal Fury is one of the most well-known SNK fighting games outside of the King of Fighters."
"Yeah, it is where iconic characters like Terry Bogard and Geese Howard first originated." Catherine nodded.
"Though the first game was rather limited, you could only play as three characters and some of the character designs leave much to be desired." Wally explained. "Though they added more iconic characters and adjusted the gameplay."
"Even though Geese is STILL a cheap son of a bitch…" Catherine muttered.
"Ugh, don't remind me." Wally muttered, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, the series had spawned several sequels and even a literal future game where they had a bunch of new characters like Kim's sons and Terry's adopted son who is also GEESE'S biological dad!"
"There is a reason why so many of the Fatal Fury characters made it into various games." Catherine explained. "Hell, even RICHARD MEYER made it into the second Maximum Impact game."
The camera went back to Drake, who nodded. "Thanks, dudes."
"So without any bias, how good do you think his chances are?" Ashley piped up.
"Well, the problem isn't his skill. He kicks hard and fast and could easily take on people who have their own "fireball"." Drake pointed out. He then rolled his eyes. "No, the problem is that he overdoes it when facing people he sees as villains."
Ashley frowned. "...Do you think he will get over himself?"
"Hey, if he could, more power to him!" Drake shrugged. "But he definitely has a long way ahead of him."
FALCO LOMBARDI
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/STARFOX
"And here we have the Ace pilot of Star Fox!" Drake grinned, crossing his arms.
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "I thought that Fox was the Ace pilot."
Drake shook his head. "Being the leader doesn't mean you are most skilled, Ashley."
Ashley paused before shrugging. "Okay, fair enough. Catherine, I KNOW that you've been wanting to talk about this."
The camera went to the young woman eagerly nodding. "Gladly! Star Fox is a Sci-Fi Game Shooter starring a bunch of anthros!"
"It is basically a love letter from the late Shigeru Miyomoto to the old show, Thunderbirds." Wally explained.
"As you could see, the game stars Star Fox, a team of space mercenaries having adventures through the Lylat system!" Catherine grinned. "I have to give the designers credit. Despite a "manly" game, they still managed to make the characters cute."
Wally blinked twice. "Star Fox is a manly game?"
Catherine rolled her eyes. "Come on, Wally. You can't tell me you don't notice that there are no female pilots."
Wally was about to retort.
"CANON female pilots." Catherine scolded.
Wally winced before looking down. "Okay, true…"
Catherine let out a deep sigh. "The series was going good, having multiple games. Then, Command happened."
"Since when did Star Fox become a soap opera? In Space!?" Wally said, looking upset.
"I don't know… But whoever thought it was a great idea had ruined the timeline and characters like Krystal and Panther are nothing more than artifacts." Catherine lamented.
"I mean… It is not that bad. Or at least F-ZERO bad." Wally winced.
"Oh, don't even get me started until we actually get to Captain Falcon!" Catherine groaned, rolling her eyes. "But yeah, Star Fox was a good franchise, it manages to play to people to me and… Edgy gamers at the same time."
Wally looked like he was about to say anything until he waved his hand. "Ya know what? Never mind. Back to you, guys."
"Okay, so Falco is an ace pilot, but how does it translate in a ground fighter?" Ashley asked.
"Well, Falco, like Fox, got his weapons from Slippy Toad who… While known for being clumsy, he is also skilled at mechanics." Drake explained. "Not only that, but he is also quick at his feet."
"Ah, so another hit-and-run fighter?" Ashley mused.
"Yes and his strategy is to try to knock his enemies into the air with a good upwards hit." Drake explained before smirking and speaking in a mock Brooklyn accent. "Because personally, he prefers the air."
Ashley blinked for five full seconds before sighing. "Where do you even get these memes, anyway?"
MARLUXIA
NODE: KINGDOM HEARTS
ALERT! BIG GUY!
"Ah! Marluxia is actually one of my favourite Organization XIII members!" Ashley brightened up. "Albeit for the concept behind his weapon and powers."
"Oh?" Drake asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, first off, let's look at his weapon." Ashley pointed out. "Sure, whenever we see a scythe, we think of the Grim Reaper. But do you know that it is actually a gardening tool."
"I think I heard about that a couple of…" Drake started. His eyes then bugged out in realization. "AH! It matches his power!"
"Not only that, but his power of petals manifests in cherry blossom petals." Ashley explained. "And cherry blossom means death in Japan."
"Unholy crap, that is actually sick!" Drake grinned.
"Indeed, he is indeed an assassin in every sense of the word." Ashley noted. His face then paled.
"Um, is something the matter?" Drake asked.
"Well, along with his scythe and his herbomancy, he also has the power to put a curse on his opponents." Ashley explained. "It creates a number over their head and if said number reaches zero, then it is an automatic game over."
Drake winced. "Oof… Do you think it is allowed here?"
"I don't know…" Ashley frowned. "But if Xero DOES allow it, whoever Marluxia cursed better eliminate him. And fast."
ROB
NODE: SUPER SMASH BROS/ROBOT OPERATING BUDDY
"Ah, yes, the toy that became a real robot." Drake noted.
Ashley looked at his friend in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"I will let Wally and Catherine explain it to you." Drake offered.
With that, the screen went over to a confused Catherine. "Wait… ROB isn't even a video game character."
"Yeah, but he still more or less has his own sub-node." Wally pointed out. He then grinned. "Anyway, ROB or Robotic Operating Buddy didn't actually start out as a video game character, he was actually a video game controller."
"He was created when there was a major decline in interest in gaming at the time of his creation." Catherine explained. "He was created to try to do something new with video games."
"Yeah, use your controller ta input commands fer ROB ta do." Wally explained.
"However, he only had two games though. Gyromite and Stack-up." Catherine pointed out. "Despite this, in one of the biggest WTF moments ever, he appeared in Mario Kart DS and later Super Smash Bros Brawl."
Wally shrugged his shoulders. "I mean he looked pretty weird at the time, but hey, he is relatively normal compared to the Wii Fit Trainer and the Piranha Plant."
Catherine rolled her eyes. "I KNEW you were going to say that. Back to you, Drake."
The camera went back to Drake. "Thanks, Catherine. Well, Ash, does that explain it?"
"Um, kinda." The wizard said, scratching his head. "I mean, sure I got some questions answered, but now I got MORE things to ask."
"Don't sweat it." Drake said, waving it off. "Or at least focusing on what it could do in the ring."
"Um, okay." Ashley mused. "What could it do?"
"Well, he is a somewhat heavy fighter, but have one of the best recoveries in the game, making it hard for people to throw him out of the ring." Drake mused. "He has a long-range in terms of projectiles and long reach with his… Arms…"
"Ooh…" Ashley winced. "He sounds like he would be hard to get rid of."
"Yeah, people really had to get in close and be aggressive to stand a chance." Drake nodded.
Suddenly, the alarm went off.
"Oh, hell yeah! It is Mystery Fighter time!" Drake grinned.
"Both Mystery Fighters had failed to survive the section so let's see if this one could do any better." Ashley mused.
AKANE OWARI
NODE: SUPER DANGANRONPA 2
Ashley blinked twice. "Wait… I thought that she is a visual novel character."
"Yeah, but she is an Ultimate and they are usually people who are the best at what they do." Drake agreed. "And some Ultimates have talents in combat."
Ashley paused. "But she is the Ultimate GYMNAST!"
"That doesn't mean she doesn't use it for a good scrap!" Drake grinned. "Hey, Wally, Catherine, we got something new for you to talk about!"
The camera focused on Wally. "Ta, mate! Ah know Ah am just repeating what Ashley said, but Danganronpa is a visual novel!"
"It is about sixteen high school students who are the best of the best in their respective talent." Catherine explained. She then shook her head. "However, they have gotten kidnapped and forced to kill each other in order to escape."
"Naturally, this resulted in a structure. At first, the students mingle and do their own thing while getting close ta each other." Wally said. "Next, someone gets killed and everyone has to figure out who did it and force them into an execution or else THEY will get killed themselves."
"This continued on for six episodes until we finally see who the true mastermind is." Catherine noted.
"The series has gotten three games, a couple of anime, a spin-off and other stuff!" Wally grinned, "Not only that, but it inspired a lot of people to do a lot of fangans!"
"Especially since the final game literally killed the franchise." Catherine muttered.
Wally winced at this. "Ah don't think that is what they were trying ta do."
"Well, that makes it worse! No, seriously, how do they think people will happen to that ending!?" Catherine exclaimed.
Wally paused as Catherine shook her head.
"Back to you, guys." Catherine muttered.
"Um, thanks, Catherine." Drake said.
Ashley shook his head. "Okay, so Akane is the Ultimate Gymnast so we should see a lot of aerobatics from her, right?"
"More or less. Though she is more of a brawler when fighting." Drake corrected. "And trust me, she LOVES to fight!"
"Heh, must be nice to fight in a format where she doesn't have to think, huh?" Ashley chuckled.
"Oh, you have NO idea…" Drake said, shaking his head.
CODY
NODE: STREET FIGHTER V/FIGHT FIGHT
"CODY!" Drake grinned.
"You sound like he is one of your favourite characters, Drake." Ashley chuckled.
"Oh, he is!" Drake grinned. "The dude is my inspiration!"
Ashley then smirked. "Because you are a bit of a thug yourself?"
Drake's grin vanished. "Oi…."
"But yes, it is nice to see Cody's arc going from street fighting vigilante to jaded criminal to the mayor of his hometown!" Ashley noted.
"Yeah…" Drake smiled. "Anyway, just like in the Alpha and IV games, Cody has a knife and a pipe, but fitting his new status, he doesn't use it until forced to."
"Ah, his character development even reflects in his fighting style." Ashley noted.
"Yep! So he relies on his martials arts and bit of aeromancy to get the job down!" Drake noted.
"Do you think that will help him get an elimination?" Ashley asked.
"I mean he IS the main protagonist of the first Final Fight game so it isn't out of the question." Drake shrugged.
MUSHU
NODE: KINGDOM HEARTS/MULAN
"Wait… I recognised that voice before." Ashley mused.
"You should! It is Eddie Murphy." Drake noted.
"Ah, yes, I knew he sounded familiar. Though I was thinking of another character he voiced." Ashley noted.
"While considering that he voiced a lot of people." Drake shrugged. "Anyway, onto Mulan!"
The camera focused on a nodding Catherine. "Disney's Mulan is based on the old Chinese folklore, Hua Mulan, of course, adding their own Disney flair."
"It is about a young, free-spirited woman in Imperial China whose father was needed to be drafted in the army, but because of his age, she decides to go do it in his place." Wally explained.
"However, the same that the "good old ways" are sexist is an understatement." Catherine muttered. "She had to dress up like a man and prove herself."
"At first, it started with WACKY hijinks, Mulan soon proves herself ta be a badass and managed to save all of China!" Wally grinned.
"And who could ever forget her sidekicks, Mushu, Cri-Kee and Khan." Catherine smiled.
"The movie was a big success and even spawned a sequel." Wally nodded. His smile then vanished. "But we don't talk about that..."
Catherine sighed. "Well, this didn't apply to ALL Disney sequels, some are definitely hit-or-miss."
"Aye… Also, it will be getting a live-action movie." Wally explained, crossing his arms grumpily. "And they took all of the fun out of it. Like taking out Mushu."
"I actually heard that Mushu is… Culturally inaccurate?" Catherine asked.
"So? Literally only Lumiere is French in Beauty and the Beast!" Wally shot down. "And you don't hear the French complaining!"
"Yeah, but…" Catherine started to be letting out a sigh. "Never mind… Back to you."
Ashley blinked twice. "Huh… It is rare for Wally to be the one ending on a grumpy note."
"I mean I can't say I blame him…" Drake muttered. "I mean it is obvious that Mulan is the main character, but Mushu is a part of the movie."
Ashley shook his head. "Anyway, I think he is going to be a Squishy Wizard."
"As in a lot of literal firepower, but can't take a hit?" Drake asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Indeed. His fire breath is extremely powerful, but usually he has to stay on Sora's head or Mulan's shoulder when doing so." Ashley frowned.
"So what are you saying? He is going to need an ally?" Drake asked.
"I would suggest so. Question is… Who?" Ashley mused, rubbing his chin.
Then, the alarm went off, startling everyone.
"Huh? The next Mystery Fighter is coming out this soon?" Drake asked. He then shrugged. "Oh, well. Let's see who is the next one to…"
DONKEY
NODE: SHREK
Drake and Ashley both paused when they saw the next Mystery Fighter. They then shifted their eyes towards each other.
"...I KNEW I recognised Mushu's voice, not just by his voice actor, but a particular character he played." Ashley muttered.
"Welp… Here we are, ladies and gentlemen!" Drake announced, still looking stunned. "Two characters voiced by Eddie Murphy in the ring!"
Ashley shook his head. "Of course, Xero would do something like this."
Drake just chuckled nervously. "Well, at least it is better than Tiny's triple Raven from the second Battle of the Luminaries. Well, Wally and Catherine, care to explain?"
The camera went back to Wally. "Hoo boy, where to even begin? Well, Shrek is a Dreamworks CGI film based on a fairy tale."
"It is about an anti-social ogre who prefers living on his own. However, that doesn't last too long into the film when a bunch of fairytale creatures have been forced into his swamp." Catherine asked.
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING IN MY SWAMP!?" Wally shouted in an exaggerated Scottish voice.
"Wally, please…" Catherine groaned.
"What!? Shrek is a goldmine of memes!" Wally grinned. He then scowled. "But yeah, he was forced there by an egotistical and prejudiced ruler called Farquaad so Shrek, along with a plucky comic relief donkey named… Donkey gone to him."
"Farquaad agreed to evacuate Shrek's swamp, but only in return that SHREK rescues a princess Fiona." Catherine explained.
"So as ya could see, the Shrek franchise with typical fairy tale tropes and subverts them." Wally explained.
"Yes, the movie was a big success and it was what made Dreamworks continue doing CGI stuff." Catherine explained. "I actually made three sequels, a spin-off based on one of the main characters and several other things."
"And who could ever forget the memes!?" Wally grinned. "No, seriously, it is almost unheard ta not hear about All-Star?"
Catherine grunted in disgust. "And then, there is Shrek is love and that weird cracking pairing with Shadow the Hedgehog."
Wally's grin vanished. "Okay… Maybe some memes can not meant ta be shared."
"Yeah, seriously…" Catherine muttered. "Anyway, back to you, Drake."
"Thanks, Cat!" The vampire grinned before turning towards Ashley. "Now, Ash, we don't usually do this, but let's continue your battle theory for Mushu seeing that they are going to team up."
"Actually, Donkey is the perfect partner." Ashley explained.
Drake's eyes widened at this. "No sarcasm?"
"No sarcasm. Ignoring the obvious fact that not most people could tolerate their antics without getting annoyed at least once, a literal donkey is ideal for Mushu." Ashley emphasised. "Donkeys are decent runners and combined that with Mushu's fire breath, they could be a dangerous pair. Add to that donkeys are known for their powerful kicks."
"I think now that is a good time that not only Donkey has starred in a few video games, but also a Power Stone clone." Drake piped up. "So while not the best, he is no stranger to close-range combat."
Ashley blinked twice. "That makes it even more perfect. As weird as it sounds, I could see those two dominating not only this section, but also incoming sections as well. If it wasn't for one particular flaw they both share."
Drake then smirked. "If they didn't constantly talk?"
Ashley let out a sigh. "If they didn't constantly talk."
BLOSSOM
NODE: PLAYSTATION ALL-STARS BATTLE ROYALE/THE POWERPUFF GIRLS
"Ah! The Powerpuff Girls!" Drake grinned. "Saving the world! Before bedtime!"
Ashley blinked twice. "But… With how this tournament is going, it WILL be past their bedtime."
Drake's grin vanished. "You sound like the Professor and Miss Keane after they held onto the Idiot Ball in that curfew episode!"
Ashley rolled his eyes before shaking his head. "Anyway, back to you guys."
The camera focused on Wally grinning before speaking in an over-dramatic voice. "Sugar, spice and everything nice. These are the ingredients ta create the perfect little girls. But Professor Utonium accidentally added an extra ingredient to the concoction! Chemical X! BOOM! Thus, the Powerpuff Girls were born! Using their ultra super powers, Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, have dedicated their lives to fighting crime and the forces of evil!"
"...Really, the theme song says it all." Catherine explained.
"Aye, but despite the show is about little girls beating up bad guys bigger than them, the show was surprisingly graphic!" Wally grinned.
"Yeah, it was unheard of to see that in a show where the main characters are literally five-year-olds." Catherine agreed. She then sighed. "But then, they ruined it by reboo…"
"We do NOT talk about it!" Wally spat.
Catherine blinked twice. "...And I assume that we do not talk about the anime?"
"Powerpuff Girls Z? It's… Okay. It is different, but not insultingly different." Wally shrugged.
"Fair enough." Catherine said.
"Speaking of different, do you know that the girls' original day was the Whoopass Girls?" Wally asked.
Catherine's eyes widened at this. "How did THAT make it past the censors!?"
Wally just shrugged. "So yeah, just like with StarFox, they managed to combine badass and cute. Mates, back to you."
"Thanks, Wally!" Ashley smiled as the camera went back to him. "Now onto Blossom, what are the Powerpuff Girls' powers and what makes Blossom so special?"
"Well, as a whole, the three girls had won the Superpower Lottery." Drake explained. "Super strength, flight, eye beams, X-ray beams and super speed."
"Wow. How about Blossom herself?" Ashley asked.
"Well, despite her age, she is actually the leader and team strategist." Drake pointed out. "Also, she have ice breath."
"Woah, she sounds like she would be a major threat." Ashley said in awe.
"All of the Powerpuff Girls are major threats." Drake pointed out. "And the rest of the fighters would be idiots not to see that."
JET THE HAWK
NODE: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
Drake and Ashley paused.
"...Are we really going to pretend that the Babylon Rogues have a chance?" Drake asked.
"Don't be rude!" Ashley scolded. "If obscure characters like Mighty could get an elimination, then so would the Babylon Rogues!"
"I guess…" Drake frowned. "Anyway, the Babylon Rogues are the main rival group in Sonic Riders. A racing game that has the character ride on floating boards called Extreme Gear."
"So THAT'S why they are always riding their boards into the arena." Ashley mused.
"Yeah, so anyway, as always the Babylon Rogues are fast and Jet has aeromancy." Drake explained.
Ashley jumped at this. "Wait, really?
"Yeah, it was one of his special attacks in the first game." Drake explained. "Though he needs a leaf fan to do so."
"Wow. Do you think this is the day where the Babylon Rogues will be fighting for redemption?" Ashley asked.
"It is not that they don't have the skills. It is just that their arrogance constantly gets the better of them." Drake sighed.
KARIN KANZUKI
NODE: STREET FIGHTER V
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Don't take this the wrong way, but she looks like she would rather drink tea than enter a fighting tournament."
"Well, fun fact, she likes both!" Drake grinned. "She is the heir of Kanzuki Zaibetsu and they are full of perfectionists. And that includes combat."
Ashley paused. "She kinda sounds spoiled."
"Oh, she is, but trust me, that doesn't mean she has a bad heart." Drake reassured. "She could be considered one of the main protagonists in the story mode of V."
"Oh, really? That is good. Because I heard a bit of negative feedback about that particular story mode." Ashley noted.
"Yeahhhh, we WILL get into that." Drake said with a deep sigh. "Anyway, Karin is one of the few Street Fighter who doesn't use any kind of chi or magic or even a weapon?"
"Really?" Ashley asked.
"Yeah, she is a traditional martial artist that focuses on combo attacks and counters." Drake explained. "She could be a beast to be reckoned with."
CLARK STILL
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV/IKARI WARRIORS
"And here we see our first Ikari Warrior of the night!" Drake grinned.
Ashley blinked twice. "In a brightly lit arena or not, who wears sunglasses at night?"
"Are you just going to question every little thing?" Drake growled.
Ashley rolled his eyes. "Wally, Catherine, to you!"
"Gladly! Now Ikari Warriors is a SNK shoot'em-up, starring Clark Still and Ralf Jones!" Wally grinned.
"So basically, a generic Rambo clone." Catherine muttered, rolling her eyes.
Wally glared at Catherine. "Catherine…"
"What!? Have you ever heard someone ask for a revival of Ikari Warriors?" The pink-clad woman challenged. "No, seriously, Ralf and Clark were literal clones. How were you supposed to tell them apart!?"
"Easy. Ralf wears the red bandana and Clark wears the blue bandana." Wally answered.
Catherine slumped her arms. "...And do you really think anyone would notice during combat?"
"But aye, Ralf and Clark were Rambo combos. Thankfully, they have gotten redesigns in the King of Fighters series!" Wally grinned.
"Speaking of King of Fighters redesign, could someone tell me who thought it was a good idea to give Ralf and Clark STEROIDS?" Catherine accused.
Wally paused. "...Because they thought Ralf and Clark should be more buff."
"They are already buff!" Catherine accused. "They look like victims of a muscle-fe…"
"Aye… I don't think we should move on to the main hosts!" Wally muttered.
The camera focused on an exasperated Drake. "THANK YOU, WALLY."
Ashley shook his head. "So let me see if I remember. Clark is the one who tosses people like a pizza, right?"
"Well, that is one way of looking at it." Drake chuckled. "He is the grappler."
"So like wrestling?" Ashley asked, tilting his head.
"Yeah and no." Drake explained. "Well, Clark uses a lot of moves that wouldn't be out-of-place in a wrestling ring, it is a bit more than that."
"Heh. There aren't that many grapplers in the cast. Or at least in the nodes that Orange-Ratchet chose." Ashley mused. "Maybe he will take them by surprise."
AMY ROSE
NODE: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
"And here is Sonic's number one fan!" Ashley introduced.
"And the number one target in the shipping wars." Drake said, shaking his head.
"Drake, oh my heaven and hell!" Ashley scolded, holding his face with his hands.
The vampire chuckled at this. "Sorry, sorry, couldn't resist."
"Yes, well, you better hope that Amy never finds you because she will give you a headache for days." Ashley scolded.
"Oh, trust me, I know. She may seem like a petite, pink hedgehog, but she is able to pull out that hammer as if it was nothing!" Drake noted.
"Also, while this applied to all Sonic the Hedgehog characters, her speed is more exceptional than most of the cast, right?" Ashley asked, putting his hand on his chin.
"Yeah, if there is a Speed, Power and Fly variation, she is always a Speed character." Drake nodded. "So she could hit hard AND fast!"
RASHID
NODE: STREET FIGHTER V
"Rashidooooo!" Drake cried out.
Ashley blinked twice. "Do I even want to know?"
"Oh, that is the lyrics of his iconic theme song." Drake said, waving it off.
"Um, right…" Ashley noted. "So Rashid is one of the characters debuting in V?"
"Yeah, and he is a cool dude!" Drake grinned. "Both in "what a fun guy to have fun with" and "what a badass fighting style!"
"Oh? And what is his fighting style?" Ashley questioned, crossing his arms.
"He is another aeromancer, however, he combines that with parkour and aerobatics." Drake explained.
Ashley looked in awe. "Oh, he merely doesn't use wind, but rather be one with the wind. Not literally, of course, but still."
Drake chuckled at this. "Now you are catching on!"
SIE KENSOU
NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XIV/PSYCHO SOLDIER
Drake winced. "Oof. Kensou had a huge crush on Athena so seeing that all she had to do was survive the section for them to double-team must suck."
"Oh, that is a shame." Ashley frowned. "I take it that he is out for blood against whoever eliminated her."
"Definitely." Drake muttered, shaking his head.
"Ah…" Ashley said. "So… I take it that he has the same power as Athena."
"Yes and no." Drake explained. "Despite having the same projectile, Kensou's psychic power is much different from Athena's?"
"Oh?" Ashley asked, adjusting his glasses. "Well, do tell!"
"Well, it is called "Dragon Spirit"." Drake explained. "It is apparently extremely powerful. Hell, he even got his own plot point in the NESTS saga where he lost his powers and have to fight without his trademark Psycho Ball."
"Wow…" Ashley said in awe.
"Though strong, he merely uses his martial arts and let me tell you, despite being a goofball, he is extremely acrobatic." Drake noted.
GOOFY
NODE: KINGDOM HEARTS/CLASSIC DISNEY SHORTS
"GOOFY!" Drake grinned.
"Even someone who didn't grow up with classic cartoons knows about Goofy." Ashley smiled.
"Well, considering that he doesn't need any major introduction, let's go to Wally and Catherine to wrap us up!"
The camera went to Wally scratching the back of his head. "Oh, woah… Where do you even begin to start? I mean, Goofy, along with the likes of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck have been created by the late Walt Disney!"
"All of the way back in 1928, back when they were still doing things in black and white." Catherine explained with a grin.
"The cartoons were timeless and they only got better as time went on." Wally explained. "Do you know that Goofy actually didn't wear pants?"
Catherine's eyes bugged out. "Wally!"
"Sorry!" The kangaroo winced.
"But anyway, it is really hard to talk about them, seeing that they had so many cartoons and even spin-offs." Catherine explained before counting her fingers. "Like the Mickey Mouse Club, House of Mouse, Goof Troop and Ducktales."
"Just like how Mario is the unofficial mascot of games, Mickey Mouse is the unofficial one fer cartoons." Wally noted.
"I know, right? I mean, how could you with his perfectly round ears?" Catherine smiled.
"Um, right…" Wally mused. "Anyway, back to you guys."
The camera focused on Drake nodding his head. "Now Goofy is the physically-oriented ally, not having his own magic."
"However, he makes up for it by having good offense AND defense. Not surprisingly considering that his main weapon of choice is a shield." Ashley added.
"Also, he could do a lot of cool stuff with said shield!" Drake grinned. "Like a spinning attack, surfing on it and even throwing it like Captain America!"
"On paper, he should be a threat, but knowing him, he may fall onto his face a lot." Ashley frowned.
Drake just smirked. "Yeah, but why has that ever stopped him before?"
Ashley chuckled at this. "True."
"Anyway, that is everyone." Drake explained. "Now the Big Guys for this section are Big, Chang, Dedede and Marluxia. However, not that Dedede is a REALLY Big Guy, twenty people will be eliminated instead of just nineteen."
"Also, the side battles will be Guildmaster Wigglytuff from Pokemon Mystery Dungeon against Sir Raleigh from Sly Cooper." Ashley added. "And Dexter from Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion against Ripto from Spyro the Dragon."
"So yeah, that is it for this section." Drake grinned. "So remember to stay tuned!"
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