In combat, brute force often reigns supreme. Fighters crush their opponents with overwhelming aggression with no regard for grace and finesse. Yet, a few warriors defy this mold and choose to fight with the precision and elegance of dancers. Today’s warriors blend the refined art of classical ballet with the unforgiving world of tournament fighting. They have proven their worth in underground arenas and the global stage, showing that grace and ferocity are two sides of the same coin. These masters of violent choreography are Keizaburo Sawada, the Bird of Darkness from Kengan Ashura, and Manon Legrand, the Warrior Swan of Street Fighter! Who is DEADLIEST?
Keizaburo Sawada[]
| “ | When it comes to men, it's not about logic.
— Keizaburo Sawada
|
” |
Born into a family of traditional Japanese dancers, Keizaburo Sawada found himself drawn to ballet instead. Sawada also became fascinated with martial arts and used ballet in his fighting style. Sawada found success in underground tournaments, attracting the attention of the Kengan Association, an organization that resolves corporate disputes through martial arts matches. Yoshiko Togawa, the young CEO of the record label Murder Music, recruited Sawada to represent her company. Sawada made notable gains for Togawa and eventually entered the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, a contest to determine the next chairman of the Kengan Association. Sawada was slated to face Julius Reinhold of Toyo Electric Power Company. Before the match, Toyo's CEO exploited his influence to intimidate Togawa into forfeiting the fight. Outraged, Sawada defied the decision and attacked Reinhold and his allies. He was no match for Reinhold's immense strength and was swiftly defeated, leaving him hospitalized with grievous injuries.
2G
- Superhuman Physicality: Sawada's intense training granted him physical abilities beyond that of normal men. His ordinary kicks can incapacitate with a single blow, while kicks enhanced by pirouettes strike can shatter concrete. He has the agility to land three kicks on three heads mid-leap. His extraordinary reflexes saw him counter Masaki Meguro, who is so fast he appears as an indistinguishable streak, when Masaki was inches away from striking from behind. Sawada's physicality also elevates his dancing, letting him pirouette so rapidly he becomes a spinning blur.
- Expert Martial Artist: Focused on kicking, Sawada's self-developed martial art is inspired by the graceful techniques of ballet. Performing pirouettes allow him to build up his momentum and strike with far greater force than his weight should allow, but his spinning motions can also be used for feinting, suddenly changing direction, and attacking from unexpected angles. His acrobatic movements help him control his distance from his opponent and dictate the flow of battle, while his ability to transition between pirouettes and fluid footwork make him an unpredictable fighter.
- 2G: The 2G, Sawada's signature technique, combines two rapid pirouettes with a roundhouse kick, typically aimed at an opponent's head or neck. The pirouettes amplify the kick's torque, making it powerful enough to instantly incapacitate a man several times Sawada's size.
- Expert Dancer: Sawada's knowledge of ballet is the basis of his martial arts. His rigorous training in ballet's complex spins and leaps earned him exceptional flexibility, impeccable kinesthesia, and remarkable balance. These qualities integrate with his acrobatic fighting style, allowing him to move with elegance and preciseness.
Manon Legrand[]
| “ | Watch in awe as I command the stage.
— Manon Legrand
|
” |
The daughter of French aristocrats, Manon Legrand enjoyed close familial bonds. One day, Manon's mother abruptly left the family. Before departing, she assured Manon that she would be fine, because she was "strong." The moment deeply affected Manon. For her, the notion of being “strong” became associated with emotional isolation. As an adult, Manon became a ballerina, Olympic-level judoka, supermodel, and actress. Applause was heaped upon her, but nothing could quiet the emptiness her mother’s words had created. In Rome, Manon met Marisa Rossetti, an Italian pankratiast. Marisa identified Manon as a kindred spirit and challenged her to a match, which Manon won. Even in defeat, Marisa genuinely admired Manon's strength. This sincerity cut through Manon’s defenses and helped her find a new perspective: to be “strong” was to pursue constant self-improvement. Manon’s passions were invigorated. She traveled the world, becoming rival and mentor to many who shared her ideals.
Pas de Deux
- Superhuman Physicality: Manon's pursuit of physical excellence has pushed her body beyond human limits. Her strength allows her to effortlessly hurl opponents a dozen feet into the air or send them spinning like pinwheels with a throw. She’s capable of grappling with Marisa, whose immense power lets her lift and wrestle with an abnormally large lion. Manon’s dexterity is equally remarkable; she can dash quickly enough that she leaves behind afterimages, or leap her own body height and execute high kicks and backflips with perfect precision mid-air.
- Expert Martial Artist: As a judoka, Manon's fighting style centers on grappling and throwing her opponents into submission. However, she seamlessly integrates ballet moves into combat, performing acrobatic maneuvers and sweeping strikes to manipulate her foe's position, disrupt their balance, and make them vulnerable to her grappling. These fluid moves aid in her defense, and she can pirouette to evade grabs, deflect strikes, and even counter ki projectiles. Her impeccable balance also compliments her defense, helping her to resist destabilization and recover swiftly from being hit or thrown.
- Pas de Deux: Manon's ultimate technique, the Pas de Deux, is as devastating as it is humiliating. She seizes her opponent's wrist and sweeps their leg before spinning them like a top and forcing them into four ballet poses. She then lifts them into a soaring leap and throws them in a ground-shattering tai otoshi.
- Expert Dancer: Elements of ballet are integral to Manon's acrobatic fighting style. She turns ballet's elegant moves into devastating strikes, like a leaping jeté into a flying kick. A ballerina's flexibility and balance give Manon's movements graceful precision, aiding with complex techniques and swift recovery from blows.
X-Factors[]
Experience
Sawada has fought for most of his adult life. His success in underground martial arts circles earned the attention of the Kengan Association, which employs the world's most skilled and powerful fighters. For a spot in the Kengan Annihilation Tournament, Sawada survived the preliminary round: a chaotic free-for-all with over a hundred combatants. Before the tournament, Sawada faced Masaki Meguro, a lightning-fast judoka with two decades of violent victories. Sawada struck Masaki down repeatedly without being hit once. However, Sawada was soon defeated by the monstrously strong Julius Reinhold. After recovering, Sawada entered the Berserker Bowl, but saw no success.
Manon began practicing judo in her young childhood and has dedicated herself to the sport ever since. Over the years, she has competed in numerous tournaments and even won the gold medal at the World Ultra Judo Championships. Beyond official judo competitions, Manon regularly participates in mixed martial arts matches to test her skills against users of different fighting styles. She's even defeated users of fencing and savate when they were armed with weapons. Despite the demands of her other careers, she adheres to a meticulously planned training regimen, ensuring she remains in peak condition. Manon has also become a rival to a few travelling warriors and a teacher to aspiring fighters.
Tactics
Little is known about how Sawada operated in his full-length matches, making it difficult to understand his tactics in such scenarios. However, from what is known, it is clear he favors a highly aggressive approach. Sawada dazzles opponents with blinding speed and unorthodox movements, pirouetting across the battlefield like a blur while building momentum for his devastating kicks. His timing is so precise that he can often strike an advancing opponent before they have the chance to attack, making blocks or parries unnecessary. However, fighters who can effectively parry and counter Sawada's kicks are his weakness, as he demonstrated against the nearly impervious Julius Reinhold.
Manon plays to her strengths and seeks to defeat opponents with devastating throws, employing a variety of strategies to make this happen. She closes distances using swift dashes and lunging strikes, imbued with the grace of her ballet training. Her strikes mainly include open-handed swipes and pulls, designed to unbalance her opponents and draw them into grappling range. In combat, Manon maintains a cheerful and composed demeanor, making her difficult to unsettle, where as her playful and performative moves can have the opposite effect on her enemies, frustrating them into mistakes. Still, Manon is vulnerable to adversaries who excel at long-range harassment or possess the stability to resist being thrown.
Notes[]
- The battle takes place in an octagonal MMA cage.
- Voting closes whenever.