Kitana

Last updated
Kitana
Mortal Kombat character
KitanaMK11.png
Kitana in Mortal Kombat 1 (2023)
First game Mortal Kombat II (1993) [1]
Created by Ed Boon
John Tobias
Designed by
Various
  • John Tobias (MKII, UMK3)
  • Mark Lappin (MK:SM) [2]
  • Cy Mandua (MKvsDCU)
  • Atomhawk Design (MK2011) [3]
Portrayed by
Various
Voiced by
Various
Motion capture
Various
  • Katalin Zamiar (MKII)
  • Becky Gable (UMK3)
  • Lorrisa Julianus (MKvsDCU) [5]
  • Brenda Barrie (MK2011) [6]
  • Emily Marso (MK11,MK1) [7] [8]
  • Kaprice Imperial (MK11, facial) [9]
  • Quynh Chi Nguyen (MK1, facial) [10]
In-universe information
SpeciesEdenian
Weapon Steel fans

Kitana is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Debuting in Mortal Kombat II (1993), she is a royal from the fictional realm of Edenia. She uses steel fans as her primary weapon.

Contents

Kitana subsequently becomes a primary heroine in the series, joining forces with the Earthrealm warriors as she fights to ensure her realm's liberation. She is also the love interest of Liu Kang.

One of the franchise's most popular fighters, Kitana has appeared in various media outside of the games. She has received a positive reception for her appearance, personality, and character development.

Appearances

Mortal Kombat games

Kitana debuts in Mortal Kombat II (1993) alongside her sister Mileena as Outworld emperor Shao Kahn's personal assassins. [11] While she is ten thousand years old, she resembles a younger woman. [12] In her ending, Kitana turns against Kahn after learning that her parents were once rulers of Outworld until they were forcefully overthrown by Kahn, while Mileena is actually an evil clone created by the sorcerer Shang Tsung. [13]

Kitana and the series' other ninja characters were excluded from Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), but her backstory is expanded therein with the introduction of new character Sindel. Kitana is revealed as the daughter of Queen Sindel and King Jerrod, who ruled the Outworld realm of Edenia until it was invaded by Kahn and his forces, during which Kahn kills Jerrod and takes Kitana as his daughter. [12] After Sindel commits suicide rather than serve as Kahn's consort, she is resurrected and used by Kahn as a means to illegally invade Earthrealm. [14] Realizing her life had been a lie, Kitana turns against Kahn and allies with Earthrealm's champions to defeat him. [15] The ninjas returned as playable characters in the 1995 upgrade Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 , in which Kitana is tried for treason after killing her evil twin Mileena, but before a verdict is reached, Kitana escapes and joins the Earthrealm heroes to reach Sindel and warn her of her true past. [16] Kitana and fellow Edenian Jade free Sindel from Shao Kahn's mind control, which enables reigning Mortal Kombat champion Liu Kang to defeat him and results in Edenia and Earthrealm returning to their peaceful states. [17] [18]

During the events of Mortal Kombat Gold (1999; a Dreamcast-exclusive upgrade of Mortal Kombat 4 ), fallen Elder God Shinnok and his cohort Quan Chi invade Edenia, aided by the traitorous Edenian Tanya. [19] When Quan Chi and his forces later leave the realm to focus on attacking thunder god Raiden and the Earthrealmers, Kitana escapes to aid her allies in defeating Shinnok. [20] With Edenia freed once again, Kitana offers Liu Kang the chance to rule Edenia by her side, which he reluctantly rejects due to his duty as Earthrealm champion. [21] In a special-edition MK4 comic book released with the 1998 PC version of the game, Kitana arranges peace between the warring Shokan and Centaurian races. [22]

In Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), Kitana leads a preemptive strike against Shao Kahn's forces, but Kahn is killed by unknown assassins later revealed as the titular Deadly Alliance of Quan Chi and Shang Tsung, who had formed an alliance to kill Kahn and Liu Kang before attempting to revive the mysterious Dragon King. Despite her grief, she leads the Earthrealm warriors into an assault on Shang Tsung's palace, where she faces Quan Chi but is outmatched and killed alongside her allies. [23]

As a result of her death in the previous game, Kitana is unplayable in Mortal Kombat: Deception (2004), [note 1] in which she and her slain Earthrealm companions are resurrected and controlled by the game's final boss, the Dragon King Onaga, [24] who additionally uses her to defeat and imprison Sindel and then install Mileena to pose as Kitana. [25] However, Jade frees Sindel before imprisoning Kitana, and together they flee to Outworld to figure out how to free Kitana from Onaga's influence. [26] Meanwhile, Liu Kang's spirit is able to remain amongst the living after his murder, and he enlists the reformed ninja Ermac to help him free Kitana and his friends from Onaga's control, a mission in which they are successful. [27]

In the spinoff game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005), after Kitana was found to be no longer loyal to Shao Kahn, she was placed into a spell-induced trance and forced to fight the Earthrealm heroes, Mileena, and Jade before being freed by the Shaolin warrior monks Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Eventually, Kitana slays Mileena.

Following this warning, Kitana returned in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (2006), accompanied by Liu Kang's spirit in order to keep him whole until she found a way to reunite him with his body. They later meet with Nightwolf, who offers to relieve Kitana of her burden by absorbing Liu Kang's soul, allowing her to fight against the coming evil. [28] Kitana ultimately perishes alongside the rest of her allies during the battle. [29]

In the non-canonical crossover game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008), Kitana was transported to Metropolis, where she encountered Wonder Woman. As she was suffering from "kombat rage" at the time, Kitana hallucinated Wonder Woman as an assassin sent from Outworld and challenged her. After being defeated, Kitana fled to a different section of Metropolis, where she was found and defeated by Scorpion and brought to Raiden's temple, where she reveals she had a vision of Darkseid to become Dark Kahn. Following this, Kitana joined the rest of the combatants in traveling to the fused realms of Outworld and Apokolips and fighting the DC Universe's heroes and villains while Raiden and Superman destroyed Dark Kahn.

In the rebooted timeline of Mortal Kombat (2011), which retells the events of the first three Mortal Kombat games, [30] she and Jade are sent by Shao Kahn to compete in a Mortal Kombat tournament. Kitana attempts to defeat Liu Kang, but is defeated. Expecting to die, she is surprised by his decision to spare her. Later, during the second tournament, Kitana is approached by Raiden, who informs her that her supposed past as Shao Kahn's daughter is a lie. Plagued by doubts, she infiltrated Shang Tsung's flesh pits and discovered the newly created Mileena. Before the Kahn, she accuses Shang Tsung of replacing her, but is shocked to learn that the Emperor himself ordered Mileena's creation. He imprisoned Kitana in the palace, prior to an execution, and commands his "true daughter" to be brought to him. Kitana is soon freed by Liu Kang, and she and Jade escape to Earthrealm to join their new allies against Outworld's forces. They assist in the battle for Earthrealm, but are killed alongside several other warriors by Kitana's corrupted mother, Sindel. In the end, she is shown to be one of the warriors that were resurrected by Quan Chi in the Netherrealm to battle Raiden.

In Mortal Kombat X (2015) [31] Kitana returns as one of Quan Chi's revenants. She fought Jax and Cassie Cage. Following Quan Chi's death and Shinnok's defeat, she and fellow revenant Liu Kang became the Netherrealm's new rulers.

In Mortal Kombat 11 (2019), Kitana's revenant aligned herself with the keeper of time, Kronika. [32] As a result of Kronika's actions however, a past version of Kitana and Liu Kang were brought to the present. While he traveled to Earthrealm to find out more about what happened, she stayed in Outworld to find Shao Kahn, who had also been brought to the present. [33] To aid the new Outworld emperor Kotal Kahn, Kitana forged alliances with Outworld's disparate factions before leading them into battle against Shao Kahn; personally defeating and maiming him herself. Kotal, who had been crippled during the fight, appointed Kitana as the new Kahn of Outworld in recognition of her skills in combat. [34] [35] After Kronika kidnaps Liu Kang, Kitana and her Outworld army aided Earthrealm's allied forces against Kronika's army until Raiden merged himself with Liu Kang to become Fire God Liu Kang. [36] As the rest of her allies fought off Kronika's forces, Kitana joined Liu Kang in breaching Kronika's keep. However, Kronika reverses time for everyone except Liu Kang, who faces her and his allies' revenants alone. [37] In one of the game's endings, Liu Kang defeats Kronika and is able to bring Kitana back to help him forge a new timeline. In the DLC story expansion Aftermath , Kitana was reunited with Sindel after a time-traveling Shang Tsung and Fujin resurrected her to help in the fight against Kronika. [38] However, she was horrified to learn of her mother's true nature when she failed to stop her from betraying Earthrealm and Outworld. [39]

In Mortal Kombat 1's rebooted timeline, Mileena is biologically her older twin sister at birth and they have a steady relationship with each other as well as their mother, Sindel. Due to being slightly older, Mileena is set to inherit the throne, but her family fears her potential banishment from the throne due to her affliction with the Tarkat disease. They are initially deceived by Shang Tsung and General Shao into believing Earthrealm is plotting against them until Fire God Liu Kang and his allies expose their atrocities. Though they are reunited with their father, Jerrod, after he takes control of Ermac's body, Sindel is killed shortly afterwards by her evil counterpart from Titan Shang Tsung's timeline and passes the throne to Mileena. To defeat Titan Shang Tsung, Liu Kang brings over Kitana from an alternate timeline where she defeated Kronika and became a Titan, and they passionately embrace each other before recruiting more Titan allies to face off against the threat. After Titan Shang Tsung's defeat, Titan Kitana returns to her own timeline, and the Kitana from Liu Kang's timeline replaces Shao as the General of Outworld's army while continuing to advise her sister. [40]

History and development

John Tobias' sketch of unused character "Kitsune" from the original Mortal Kombat, and his concept art for Kitana in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Kitana Tobias.jpg
John Tobias' sketch of unused character "Kitsune" from the original Mortal Kombat , and his concept art for Kitana in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

Early development of the original Mortal Kombat featured a character named "Kitsune", conceived by series co-creator and character designer John Tobias and inspired by the character of Princess Mariko from Jordan Mechner's 1984 computer game Karateka . [41] She was intended to be an unplayable herald-like character who wielded a single ornamental fan and was "Shang Lao's princess daughter — the spoil of victory for winning the tournament" who would ultimately betray her father after she fell for Liu Kang. Kitsune was ultimately omitted from the game but included in the sequel Mortal Kombat II, with her storyline revised as her being the stepdaughter of the game's main antagonist Shao Kahn. [42] Tobias renamed the character "Kitana" as her original name was rejected for being Japanese and thus not compatible with "Shang and Shao who were both Chinese in origin" (before the games "ultimately became a hodgepodge of nonsensical Asian mythological hooha anyway"), with Kitana serving as "a combo of Kitsune & Katana" that sounded "generically Asian enough." [43] She was originally outfitted with a pair of sai before Ed Boon suggested that the character could be palette-swapped, which resulted in the creation of Kitana's twin Mileena and her being given the sai while Kitana instead brandished war fans. [43] In 2009, Boon included Kitana among the series' most recognizable characters alongside Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Liu Kang. [44] Skarlet, a female ninja who debuted as a playable character in the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot, originated in MKII by way of false player rumors of a glitch that would turn Kitana's outfit red. [45]

Martial artist Katalin Zamiar played Kitana and the game's other palette-swapped female ninjas in MKII, [46] with Kitana's steel fans used for filming constructed from a reflective paper material. [47] She was hired for the role after meeting Boon and Tobias, who were members of her fitness center at the time. [47] Zamiar did not return for Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 due to legal issues with Midway Games, and was replaced by Becky Gable. [48] [49] Kitana was included in early versions of Mortal Kombat 4 before being replaced by new character Tanya. [50] For the series' transition into 3-D beginning with Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Kitana and the other ninja characters were given their own distinct redesigns. [51]

Most of Kitana's special moves utilize her fans either as a melee weapon, a projectile, or to lift her enemies airborne. [note 2] In Mortal Kombat X and onward, Kitana's play style is split into three fighting variations like those of the game's other characters. [53] According to Boon, Kitana's "Kiss of Death" Fatality, first seen in MKII, was inspired by the demise of villain Mr. Big (Dr. Kananga) in the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die . [54] Kitana's other most commonly recurring finisher has her decapitate opponents with her fan, which has been featured in almost all of her game appearances and is expanded in Mortal Kombat 2011 where she cuts off the defeated opponents' arms before beheading them.

Gameplay

Kitana was chosen as the best Mortal Kombat II fighter by the editors of Sega Power and Super Play for being "good all around" and due to her quick attacks and perceived similarities to Chun-Li. [55] Amiga Power too called her "a really good character to pick" [55] and Cinema Blend stated Kitana "could absolutely dominate" the game. [56] However, GamePro's strategy guide ranked Kitana as only the seventh best of the 12 fighters in MKII (citing her devastating combos, powerful "Fan Throw" move, and good sweep and reach hindered by slow release of the fan-based special moves and limited attack patterns); it was her clone Mileena who landed on the top of their chart. [57] According to a retrospective by Complex , Kitana "had the most powerful projectile attack, and along with Mileena, the fastest throws and sweeps." [58] "Kitana's big combos in the corner" were among Ed Boon's own personal favourite things in the game: "When I saw people do Kitana's combos I knew there was something special, because people were taking the game to a new direction." [59] EGM described Kitana as "a force to be reckoned with" and predicted she would "make a big impact as her Fan Wave leaves foes open to combos." [60] In the Game Gear version of MKII, however, Kitana's fan lifts the opponent too low and too far away for an easy combo. [61]

Kitana's combo abilities were severely downgraded for Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (and, by extension, Mortal Kombat Trilogy), for which she received no new special moves unlike most of the other characters. According to Nintendo Power , "with such a small repertoire, Princess Kitana will be sorely challenged by experienced warriors," even as her fan toss is faster than many other projectile attacks. [62] Sega Saturn Magazine opined that "Kitana's lack of enhancements doesn't make her as exciting to play as some of the other characters, though her excellent juggle combos still work - and they can do loads of damage," [63] According to Total 64, "her moves are a little unfriendly and her combos are a touch difficult." [64] EGM Strategy Guide for UMK3 stated: "She had deadly corner traps with damage in up to 90 percent [in MKII]. Now, her fan-raise combos have been severely crippled to almost not being worth it." Nevertheless, X360 called the CPU Kitana "the worst possible character to come up against" in the single-player Tower mode of UMK3, as she is "fast, impossible to sweep, and capable of rendering any opponent incapable with a waft of her fan." [65] According to Dreamcast Magazine, Mortal Kombat Gold's returning "old favourites like Sub-Zero, Kitana and Baraka" too had by then "dated moves and fatalities." [66] Her combos improved in the later games, and according to BradyGames' official guide for Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, "Kitana stays at the top of the heap as far as kombatants go. In any stance, she can pump out over 30% with relative ease, making her one of the deadliest in the hands of a beginner or a master." [67] Kitana was later found to be capable of infinite-loop corner combos in her "Mournful" variation in Mortal Kombat X. [68] [69]

In Mortal Kombat:Shaolin Monks, Kitana is fought as a boss character twice in the game's main story mode and is one of unlockable player characters for the versus mode. Prima Games' guide to Shaolin Monks states she is "quick enough for moderate damage, and has some of the most potent special moves in the game," but her limitation is she needs to be fighting at close range to make use of it. [70] Regarding Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, however, Prima declared Kitana "a tough character to win with" and "like many of the other low tier character types, she's lacking in almost every aspect" (even as she "is a little better on defense than she is on offense"). She was rated overall only 4/10 for this game. [71] Their official guide for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, on the other hand, called her "one of the more dangerous characters in the game due to her speed and extremely effective move-set." [72] Prima's official guide for 2011's Mortal Kombat deemed Kitana a capable fighter who once again "is at her deadliest in the corner" and is also especially good if played against Baraka and Cyber Sub-Zero. [73] Prima observed Kitana in MK2011 as her "cheapest" (unduly overpowered) incarnation so far, stating "Kitana is not only one of the most damaging characters in the game, but in addition to the Fan Lift and Square Wave Punch, she can combo her Air Fan almost any time an opponent is airborne." [74] According to Prima's guide to MKX, "Kitana is one of the more unique characters in the game" due to her inheriting many of Jade's special moves, and she "is a zoning character at heart, but she can play offensively or defensively" depending on a variation chosen. The guide recommended the "Mournful" variant for former Jade players, and the "Assassin" variant, which "tries to take the generally defensive style Kitana has in MKX and add some offensive firepower to it," for veteran Kitana players. [75]

Other media

Kitana had a brief appearance in a Midway-published Mortal Kombat II comic book prequel that was written and illustrated by series co-creator John Tobias and served to introduce the game's new characters. [76] In Malibu Comics' 1994-1995 Mortal Kombat comic book series, she first appears in the 1994 three-issue miniseries "Goro: Prince of Pain", joining Mileena, Baraka and Reptile in searching for Goro in Outworld, [77] and her role in the 1995 six-issue miniseries "Battlewave" has her attempting to rebel against Shao Kahn. [78] She was additionally the subject of the 1995 one-shot "Kitana and Mileena: Sister Act", in which her background from the games is intact, except she is already an adult when Shao Kahn kills Jerrod and seizes the realm and then bewitches her into believing she is Kahn's daughter. [79]

Talisa Soto as Kitana in the 1995 film Mortal Kombat Movie Kitana.png
Talisa Soto as Kitana in the 1995 film Mortal Kombat

Kitana was a supporting character in the 1990s Mortal Kombat feature films, unmasked throughout and portrayed by Talisa Soto. She is introduced as a companion of Shang Tsung and described only as his adversary due to her being the rightful heir of Outworld and thus a threat to his rule should she ally herself with the Earth fighters. Kitana eventually joins main protagonist Liu Kang and the Earthrealm heroes in defeating the sorcerer. [80] According to producer Lauri Apelian, the film's two main female characters (Kitana and Sonya Blade, played by Bridgette Wilson) "needed to have a strength and an independence and an intellect that went well beyond their beauty and being sexy." [81] Kitana has a lesser role in the 1997 sequel Mortal Kombat Annihilation , in which she spends most of the film in Shao Kahn's captivity before she is freed by Liu Kang and joins the Earth heroes in the final battle sequence against Kahn's forces. [82] Soto underwent five weeks of training in tai chi and wing chun for the first film, [83] and learned Brazilian stick fighting for her use of the character's steel fans in Annihilation. [84] Kitana was not included in the 2021 feature film Mortal Kombat , but will appear in the upcoming sequel played by Adeline Rudolph. [85]

Kitana is a main character in the 1996 television animated series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm , a loose adaptation of Mortal Kombat 3, and she was voiced by Cree Summer. [86]

She appeared in three episodes of the 1998 syndicated live-action television series Mortal Kombat: Conquest , with the role split by Audie England and Dara Tomanovich. [87] She is fully aware of her Edenian past and the deaths of her parents at Kahn's hands but has no direct relation to Mileena. [88]

Kitana was featured in a two-part episode of the 2011 web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy , which combined live action and animated sequences. [89] She was played by martial artist and stuntwoman Samantha Jo, in her acting debut. [90] The episodes are another retelling of Kitana's past from the games but with changes such as Sindel fusing her soul with Kitana's in hopes to avoid Shao Kahn's corruption before she commits suicide. When Mileena kills a man who is actually their father King Jerrod, Kitana learns the truth after her past and decides to turn against Shao Kahn in the upcoming Mortal Kombat tournament. Jo reprised the role in one episode of the 2013 second season. [91]

Kitana was voiced by Grey DeLisle in the animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020), featuring in a fight scene against Liu Kang in the Mortal Kombat tournament. [92] DeLisle reprised the role in the sequel Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (2021), in which Kitana works alongside Kahn's forces in invading Earthrealm, but near the conclusion of the second tournament, she rebels against Kahn and allies with the Earthrealm fighters. [93]

Merchandise

Action figures of Kitana were released in the UK by Toy Island in 1996, [94] Mezco Toyz in 2015, [95] and by Funko, as both a Funko Pop! vinyl figurine in 2017 and a traditional figure the following year. [96] [97] Syco Collectibles released a 1/6-scale limited-edition polystone Kitana statue in 2012, [98] while Pop Culture Shock Collectibles released a 1/4-scale character statuette in 2013 and a 1/3-scale version in 2018. [99] [100] [101] Other items included a character mousepad, [102] a life-sized cardboard standee, [103] and Halloween costumes. [104] [105]

Cultural impact

The character has been a popular subject of cosplay worldwide. [106] In 2015, mixed martial artists Roxanne Modafferi and Jinh Yu Frey respectively appeared in Kitana and Chun-Li costumes for the Invicta FC 14 weigh-in. [107] Musician Princess Nokia's 2017 album 1992 Deluxe featured a single titled "Kitana". [108]

Reception

Critical reception

Critical reception of Kitana has been mostly very positive, often with emphasis placed on her good looks and sometimes on her relatively complicated personality. Her relationship with Liu Kang was ranked by IGN as the fourth-best video-game couple in 2006. [109] While Ben Kendrick of Game Rant included Kitana as an "honorable mention" in his 2011 list of the ten "most awesome" series characters, he added that "apart from possessing one of the cooler weapons" in the series, she "lacks the entertaining/alluring oddity" of Mileena. [110] GameFront opined the same year that Kitana has "not [been] a very compelling character." [111] Though she and Mileena were included in GamePro's 2009 list of the seventeen best palette-swapped video game characters alongside the series' male ninjas, [112] Dan Ryckert of Game Informer wrote in 2010 that he did not want these characters, aside from Scorpion and Sub-Zero, in future series installments. [113] and Kotaku's Mike Fahey wrote that "the whole alien ninja woman thing" was not "quite my cup of tea." [114] Mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey, who would later perform voicework for Mortal Kombat 11 (2019), named Kitana as her favorite Mortal Kombat character in a 2016 interview. [115]

Response to Kitana's alternate-media incarnations have been variably received. Laura Evenson of San Francisco Chronicle noted Talisa Soto's attractiveness in the 1995 Mortal Kombat film, but found her character otherwise uninteresting as compared to Robin Shou's Liu Kang. [116] Ben Steelman of the Star-News described her as "basically Princess Leia in black leotards," [117] but Jim Sterling of Destructoid noted Kitana's "more sensible makeover" therein in contrast to her in-game designs. [118] Michael Saunders of The Boston Globe wrote in his 1997 review of Mortal Kombat Annihilation that Soto "never seems to do much more other than look exotic in the role." [119] The 2011 Mortal Kombat Legacy first-season episode "Kitana & Mileena" was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award in the category of "Outstanding Achievement in Writing Derivative New Media". [120]

Sex appeal

Kitana is considered a prominent sex symbol in the Mortal Kombat series, in a display of what one author described as manifestation of "pseudo-Japanese Orientalist fetishes." [121] According to Joey Esposito of MTV, "it's obvious that Mortal Kombat II added in some more, let’s say, sexually suggestive characters in Mileena and Kitana," [122] Danny Gallagher of MTV's Guy Code ranked Kitana as the fourth-"best babe in video games" of 2011, but commented that she had "the deepest emotional core of any of the Mortal Kombat characters." [123] She has been featured in many lists of video gaming's most attractive female characters by various foreign publications, including Brazilian magazine SuperGamePower in 2001, [124] and Poland's Fakt in 2009. [125] She has been included in many lists of the sexiest female video game characters. [126] [127] [128]

Kitana has drawn comparisons to the series' first female character, Sonya Blade. After her MKII debut, the Austin American-Statesman described her as "far nastier than that martial-artless aerobics instructor from the first game." [129] One of the many false rumors surrounding the game at the time concerned a supposed "Nudality" finishing move that would be performed by Kitana stripping naked. [130] In 2012, Kitana was ranked as the second-top "hottest" female video game character by Kristie Bertucci of Gadget Review, who called her "way hotter" than Sonya. [131] Placing her nineteenth in their 2015 ranking of the series' 73 playable characters, Den of Geek said, "Kitana became one of the breakout stars of the series, easily having more meat on her character than Sonya ever did." [132] In 2009, GamePro's Aaron Koehn ranked Mileena and Kitana as the eleventh-best pair of palette-swapped video game characters, writing that "both prefer wearing clothing that shows off their inflated mammary glands, and both have used the usually endearing gesture of kissing as a fatality." [133]

Gender criticism and Fatalities

Q: Gender in video games has become the new hotbed of critical discussion. Kitana and Sonya remain two of the strongest and earliest female leads in gaming. How did they come about and do you see them as a vital legacy for the series?
A: Sure, they were both important pieces of the game's fiction and archetypal structure of characters. But, our player demographic was primarily a hardcore male audience and so the look and design of our female characters pandered to them back then just as they do today. I have no problem being apologetic for that. The only solace I can offer is that both of those characters had very strong, atypical female archetypes... and at the very least could kick the hell out of their male counterparts.

John Tobias for Mortal Kombat Online in 2012 [134]

There have been controversies and mixed or negative critical reception of the character. In 1994, she was one of the fighting game characters cited by Guy Aoki of AsianWeek as allegedly perpetuating existing stereotypes of Asians as martial arts experts. [135] In the video game violence controversy themed book Interacting With Video, Patricia Marks Greenfield and Rodney R. Cocking used the "two Asian twin sisters, Kitana and Mileena" as an example of "highly eroticized Dragon Lady" stereotyping in video games. [136] When Marsha Kinder accused Mortal Kombat II of misogyny in its handling of female characters, she alleged that "some of the most violent possibilities are against women," whose own "fatality moves are highly eroticised." [137] Patrick Sunnen's book Making Sense of Video Games judged their portrayal as "formidable female opponents" to be potentially progressive, yet arguably made just to increase "the sexist potential of the individual fights", and described Kitana's Fatality of decapitation with a "deceptively feminine razor-sharp fan" to be castration-like. [138] Chad Hunter of Complex chose Jade and Kitana to represent the "women who fight" stereotype in his 2012 list of the fifteen most stereotypical characters in video games, for being "half-naked skanks who can fight, hurl lasers and perform aerobatic attacks while wearing thongs, high-heeled boots and keeping their giant breasts under scarves," claiming that this has caused "female gamers [to] slide away from this series." [139]

Kitana's finishing moves have been critically received variably but mostly positively, especially in regards to her famous signature "Kiss of Death". [140] [141] Featuring her in their "Girls of Gaming" special in 2003, play cited this Fatality as the aspect of Kitana that she is famous for. [142] Her death kiss was ranked as the eighth-best of all Mortal Kombat Fatalities by both UGO in 2007 and IGN in 2010. [143] [144] In 2011, GameFront's Ben Richardson ranked it as the second best finishing move in the series for being "just icing on the cake" for MKI's combination of gore and dark comedy, echoing Ed Boon's opinion. [111] as the 18th top Mortal Kombat finishing move by Kevin Wong of Complex that same year, [58] and as the eighth-best Fatality by Robert Workman of Prima Games in 2014, [145] as well as included among the deadliest kisses in all of science fiction and fantasy by Gordon Jackson from io9 in 2015. [146] Javy Gwaltney of Paste Magazine put Kitana's kiss from MKII third on his 2015 list of "the 15 most memorable Fatalities in Mortal Kombat", which also included Kitana cutting an opponent into pieces in MKX, commenting it is "of little surprise that Princess Kitana is a long-time Mortal Kombat fan favorite" as her finishing moves "are consistently fantastic." [147] However, Kitana's kiss was also included on the list of the series' seven worst Fatalities by Dan Ryckert of Game Informer in 2010, [148] and C.J. Smillie of Game Rant ranked it as the series' eighth-worst Fatality in 2011, criticizing it for not innovating enough over the years and stating that this "unoriginality...really hurts Kitana's standing in the series." [149] "Kitana's and Mileena's deadly kisses" were chosen as the favorite Fatalities by Retro Gamer 's Paul Drury in 2007. [150] In another article, Smillie ranked Kitana's new "Splitting Headache" Fatality from MK2011 placed as the eighth best finishing move in this game. [151] Back in 1996, her rabbit Animality was also singled out as especially "weak and poorly conceived" in GamePro's review of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. [152]

See also

Notes

  1. Kitana is selectable in Mortal Kombat: Unchained, the 2006 PlayStation Portable port of the game.
  2. During early production runs of Mortal Kombat II, Kitana's "Fan Lift" special move could be used to completely immobilize opponents in the corner of the screen and allow players to connect with a series of uncontested attacks, resulting in changes being made to eliminate this and balance out the game. [52]

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<i>Mortal Kombat Annihilation</i> 1997 martial arts fantasy film

Mortal Kombat Annihilation is a 1997 American martial arts fantasy film directed by John R. Leonetti in his directorial debut. Based on the Mortal Kombat video game franchise, it is the second installment in the Mortal Kombat film series and a sequel to the original 1995 film, on which Leonetti served as cinematographer. Largely adapted from the 1995 video game Mortal Kombat 3, Annihilation follows Liu Kang and his allies as they attempt to prevent the malevolent Shao Kahn from conquering Earthrealm. It stars Robin Shou as Liu, Talisa Soto as Kitana, James Remar as Raiden, Sandra Hess as Sonya Blade, Lynn Red Williams as Jax and Brian Thompson as Kahn. Only Shou and Soto reprise their roles, with the other characters recast from the previous film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Cage</span> Mortal Kombat character

Johnny Cage is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Introduced in the original 1992 game, he is an action movie star with an extensive martial arts background. The series depicts Cage as one of the primary heroes defending Earthrealm from various threats, as well as the comic foil. In the rebooted timeline, Cage is also the love interest to Special Forces officer Sonya Blade and the father of their daughter Cassie. He is inspired by martial arts star Jean-Claude Van Damme, particularly Van Damme's character, Frank Dux, in the 1988 film Bloodsport. A staple of the franchise, Cage has appeared in various media outside of the games. Reception to the character has been generally positive for his role in the series, character development, gameplay, and Fatality finishing moves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shao Kahn</span> Mortal Kombat character

Shao Kahn is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Depicted as emperor of the fictional realm Outworld, he is one of the franchise's primary villains. Feared for his immense strength, which he complements with a large hammer, and knowledge of black magic, Shao Kahn seeks conquest of all the realms, including Earth. He serves as the main antagonist final boss of Mortal Kombat II (1993), Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and its updates, and the 2011 reboot, as well as the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005). An amalgam of Shao Kahn and DC Comics villain Darkseid also appears as the main antagonist and final boss of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (2008) under the name Dark Kahn. A younger persona known as General Shao appears in Mortal Kombat 1 (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shang Tsung</span> Mortal Kombat character

Shang Tsung is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted as the final boss in the original 1992 game and has remained one of the franchise's primary villains. A powerful sorcerer, he is principally defined by his abilities to shapeshift into other characters and to absorb the souls of defeated warriors. Shang Tsung is usually portrayed as the right-hand man of Outworld emperor Shao Kahn and the archenemy of Shaolin monk Liu Kang. He also appeared as the main villain of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), alongside Quan Chi as the eponymous Deadly Alliance, as well as in Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath (2020) and Mortal Kombat 1 (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mileena</span> Mortal Kombat character

Mileena is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Introduced in Mortal Kombat II (1993), Mileena was initially depicted as a clone of the Edenian princess Kitana, created by Shang Tsung with the blood of the fictional Tarkatan species, and raised alongside her "sister". Following the time-travelling actions of Raiden in Mortal Kombat 9 (2011), Mileena's background as a Tarkatan clone of Kitana remains the same, although she was only recently awoken, rather than raised alongside Kitana. Mortal Kombat X (2015) depicts her attempts to regain her throne as Empress of Outworld, following her overthrow by Kotal Kahn.

Ermac Mortal Kombat character

Ermac is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Debuting as an unlockable character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), he is an amalgam of the souls of deceased warriors and possesses telekinetic abilities.

Characters of the <i>Mortal Kombat</i> series

This is a list of playable and boss characters from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise and the games in which they appear. Created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, the series depicts conflicts between various realms. Most characters fight on behalf of their realm, with the primary heroes defending Earthrealm against conquering villains from Outworld and the Netherrealm. Early installments feature the characters participating in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament to decide their realm's fate. In later installments, Earthrealm is often invaded by force.

Jade (<i>Mortal Kombat</i>) Mortal Kombat character

Jade is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. She debuted in Mortal Kombat II (1993) as a hidden opponent and first became playable in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995). Her primary weapon is a steel bō staff.

Kung Lao is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted in Mortal Kombat II (1993) as a Shaolin monk and close friend of series protagonist Liu Kang, and his trademark characteristic is his wide razor-brimmed hat that he uses as a weapon. Kung Lao is depicted as one of the series' primary heroes, including a main role in the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005).

<i>Mortal Kombat 3</i> 1995 video game

Mortal Kombat 3 is a 1995 arcade fighting game developed by Midway Games. It is the third main installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise and a sequel to 1993's Mortal Kombat II. As in the previous games, it has a cast of characters that players choose from and guide through a series of battles against other opponents. The game avoids the tournament storyline of its predecessors, as various warriors instead fight against the returning Shao Kahn, who has resurrected his bride Sindel and started an invasion of Earthrealm.

Reptile (<i>Mortal Kombat</i>) Mortal Kombat character

Reptile is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted in the original 1992 game as a hidden opponent, establishing him as the first secret character in fighting game history. Reptile became playable in the follow-up Mortal Kombat II (1993) and has remained a mainstay of the franchise. As implied by his name, he is a Saurian, a fictional species of reptilian humanoids. One of the last surviving members of his race, he aligns himself with the series' primary villains in the hope his service will lead to the Saurians' revival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonya Blade</span> Mortal Kombat character

Sonya Blade is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. She debuted in the original 1992 game as the roster's sole female fighter, a military officer with the Special Forces. In the storyline of the games, Sonya becomes involved with the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament through pursuit of her archenemy, the criminal leader Kano. She subsequently joins the warriors defending Earthrealm and establishes a government agency dedicated to battling otherworldly threats. The series' rebooted timeline also depicts her as the love interest to martial arts actor Johnny Cage and the mother of their daughter Cassie. A mainstay of the franchise, Sonya has also appeared in various media outside of the games. Reception to the character has been generally positive, with respect to her role as one of Mortal Kombat's primary female fighters.

<i>Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks</i> 2005 video game

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is a 2005 action-adventure beat 'em up video game developed and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A spin-off of the Mortal Kombat franchise, it is a retelling of the events of Mortal Kombat II (1993). Players control the eponymous Shaolin monks Liu Kang and Kung Lao in either single player or cooperative play as they protect Earthrealm from the forces of Outworld.

<i>Mortal Kombat 1</i> 2023 fighting video game

Mortal Kombat 1 is a 2023 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games. It is the twelfth main installment in the Mortal Kombat series, and serves as its second reboot after 2011's Mortal Kombat (2011). The game was released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on September 19, 2023.

<i>Mortal Kombat: Live Tour</i>

Mortal Kombat: Live Tour was a martial art theatrical stage show featuring Mortal Kombat characters, sound, and laser light effects on stage. The plot was based on three fighters rescuing their friends and retrieving a magic amulet from the evil master of Outworld, Shao Kahn, in order to save the Earth.

<i>Mortal Kombat</i> (2011 video game) 2011 fighting video game

Mortal Kombat is a 2011 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the ninth main installment in the Mortal Kombat series and a soft reboot of the series. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems in April 2011, and a PlayStation Vita port was released in May 2012. An expanded version of the game, titled Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in February 2012 and for Microsoft Windows in July 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liu Kang</span> Mortal Kombat character

Liu Kang is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Depicted as Earthrealm's greatest warrior and champion, he debuted in the original 1992 game as a Shaolin monk with special moves, which were intended to be the easiest for players to perform. Since his introduction, Liu Kang has appeared as playable in every main installment except Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002). He is also one of the protagonists of the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005).

Raiden (<i>Mortal Kombat</i>) Mortal Kombat character

Raiden is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Based on the Japanese deity Raijin, he is depicted as the god of thunder who possesses control over lightning. He debuted in the original 1992 game and has appeared as a playable character in every main installment except Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and its first update. In the storyline of the games, Raiden is the protector of Earthrealm. He fulfills his duty by selecting and training the warriors who defend Earthrealm from various threats, while also participating directly in the realm's defense. Raiden generally serves as a mentor figure to the franchise's heroes, although he sometimes assumes a darker role in the story, which sees him become more ruthless in his protection of the realm. One of the franchise's central characters, Raiden has appeared in various related media outside of the Mortal Kombat games, including guest appearances in NBA Jam Tournament Edition (1995), NFL Blitz (1997), Unreal Championship 2 (2005), and Injustice 2 (2017). He has generally received a positive reception and is among the series' most popular characters for his design and special abilities.

<i>Mortal Kombat 11</i> 2019 fighting video game

Mortal Kombat 11 is a 2019 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the eleventh main installment in the Mortal Kombat series and a sequel to Mortal Kombat X (2015). The game was announced at The Game Awards 2018 and was released in North America and Europe on April 23, 2019, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One—with the exception of Europe's Switch version which was released on May 10, 2019. It was released on Stadia on November 19, 2019.

<i>Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms</i> 2021 animated movie

Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms is a 2021 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film, directed by Ethan Spaulding from a screenplay by Jeremy Adams, based on the Mortal Kombat franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, it is the second installment in the Legends series and a direct sequel to Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020). Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and animated by Studio Mir, Boon returned from the predecessor as creative consultant.

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