.gif)
Raiden (Metal Gear)
Encyclopedia
, whose real name is , is a video game character in the Metal Gear
series of stealth games by Konami
. Created by Hideo Kojima
and designed by Yoji Shinkawa
, Raiden was introduced in the series as the main playable character of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
. He has been voiced by Kenyu Horiuchi in the Japanese versions from the games and by Quinton Flynn
in the English adaptations.
In Metal Gear Solid 2, Raiden first appears as trained member of the FOXHOUND special forces
participating in his first mission to save hostages from a terrorist group. However, across the game, Raiden is revealed to have participated in a civil war as a child and that his former superiors, The Patriots, are still manipulating his actions. Raiden reappears as supporting character in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
with most of his body having become cybernetic due to experiments performed by the Patriots. From there, he joins forces with his former comrade Solid Snake
to defeat them. He is to appear as the main playable character in the next Metal Gear game Metal Gear Solid: Rising
that will focus on his life before Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
Hideo Kojima came up with the idea of Raiden as he wanted players to view the series' main protagonist
Solid Snake from a different point of view. Raiden's inclusion in the game remained as a secret to gamers prior to its release while the staff took a liking to his character despite the players' reactions. The character was further reworked for Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Solid: Rising.
Raiden's role as the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2 was a controversial twist, both for the unexpected substitution of the established hero, Solid Snake, and for his androgynous
appearance. On the other hand, some critics have also defended the character, stating that fans were angered by Snake's removal. Despite this negative reception, Raiden has also received positive response by critics due to his role as well as redesign in Metal Gear Solid 4.
, the player takes control of Raiden in the Plant Chapter, where he is introduced as a newly-recruited VR
trained member of FOXHOUND with no live combat experience prior to his current mission. Assisted via Codec by his commanding officer, the Colonel, and his girlfriend Rosemary, Raiden's initial mission objective is to rescue the United States President and other hostages from a terrorist group dubbed "Sons of Liberty". Raiden also gains assistance from Solid Snake
who searches to destroy the Metal Gear machine kept by Sons of Liberty, and Olga Gurlukovich who dresses herself as a cyborg ninja.
As the story progresses, the true nature of Raiden's mission is revealed, along with his past. Raiden is revealed to had served as a child soldier for the Sons of Liberty's leader, Solidus Snake. He was adopted by him to participate during the Liberian Civil War. After the war ended, Raiden was given a normal life and tried to forget his past. However, his commanding officer is revealed to be a computer generated A.I.
built by a mysterious organization known as The Patriots, the same group Solidus worked for, with Raiden himself unknowingly serving as one of their agents. In order to further control Raiden, The Patriots made one of their spy Rosemary become Raiden's girlfriend, although the two ended falling in love. Raiden battles and defeats Solidus after he tries to use his body to lead him to the Patriots. He later reunites with Rosemary, and both decide to continue together to raise their upcoming child.
Although Raiden himself does not appear in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
, the character is the subject of much self-parody
ing throughout the game. The debuting character Raikov is himself a parody of Raiden. Raiden appears in an early promotional trailer for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
first shown at E3 2005, literally fighting for control of the franchise with Solid Snake in a series of comedic sequences. A sequel to this trailer was produced titled "Metal Gear Raiden: Snake Eraser", in which Raiden travels to the past to assassinate Solid Snake's genetic progenitor, Big Boss, but fails in comical fashion. In the English version of this trailer, Raiden was voiced by Charlie Schlatter
, Raikov's voice actor, instead of Quinton Flynn. The Metal Gear Solid 2 version of Raiden appears in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus expansion pack, where he is an unlockable character.
In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, set various years after Metal Gear Solid 2, Raiden is said to have disappeared after rescuing Sunny, the daughter from the late Olga, from the Patriots. Working as a free agent, Raiden was recruited by Big Mama to find the corpse of Big Boss in exchange of Sunny's location. As a non-playable character, Raiden returns outfitted with a cybernetic exoskeleton
as a result of The Patriots' machinations. The trauma of his break-up with Rosemary, coupled with the apparent miscarriage
of his child and rigorous training, have made Raiden believe his only place is on the battlefield. He joins Snake's group in their fight against Revolver Ocelot
to eliminate the Patriots. After several encounters with Ocelot's men, a wounded Raiden stays in Outer Heaven fighting until Snake shuts down the Patriots' AIs using the FOXALIVE program. In the games epilogue, Rosemary visits Raiden in a hospital and reveals to Raiden that their child was not miscarried, and that her marriage to Roy Campbell was a hoax designed to protect her and their son from the Patriots. Upon learning this information, Raiden reconciles with Rosemary. This incarnation of the character appears as a playable character in Metal Gear Online
.
Raiden is scheduled to appear as the main character in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Rising
. Set between Sons of Liberty and Guns of the Patriots and will chronicle his transformation into a cyborg ninja and his personal transition into his "MGS4 self."
Outside the Metal Gear series, Raiden appears in the game LittleBig Planet as a sticker and as a playable sack boy character. He can be accessed by buying the Metal Gear Solid 4 DLC (which is included in the GOTY Edition). In Evolution Skateboarding
, Raiden is also one of the unlockable characters. He also appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
as a collectible sticker, as well as Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
, but as an alternate skin for Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
, the decision to make a new character the main playable one of Metal Gear Solid 2 instead of Solid Snake stemmed from the developer's desire to develop Snake from a third-person perspective, as well as to avoid treating Snake like a rookie again. Kojima has also stated that Raiden's character and its perception by the audience were important for the overall feel of the story. The idea of having a second main character was inspired by the Sherlock Holmes
detective novel series in which the narrator was not the titular character but sidecharacter Doctor Watson. Therefore, Kojima pointed that Snake was the protagonist from the game and not Raiden. Yoshikazu Matsuhana, the assistant director for the project, was not sure about this decision, considering Raiden a "weak-looking character", but still decided to follow Kojima. The interactions between Raiden and Rosemary were inspired by Kojima's own experiences in life. Additionally, their names, Jack and Rose, act as a reference to the film Titanic
. Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 2 is considered to be a representation of the player, through the shared experiences between the player and the character during the course of the game.
Designer Yoji Shinkawa
noted in the Making of Metal Gear Solid 2 featurette
that he and the other character designers took a great deal of inspiration for Raiden's appearance from the bishōnen
archetype. Because Raiden was a new character, the staff designed him carefully, giving him white hair in order to symbolize his introduction. Shinkawa further noted that Raiden ended with a feminine appearance based on his overall look. Kojima had received many pieces of fan mail and one letter stuck out at him from a female which stated she did not want to play a story with an old man. He later took this into consideration, along with his team to design a character that would be more appealing to women, resulting in Raiden's creation.
Konami
kept Raiden's starring role in Metal Gear Solid 2 a secret right up until the game's release in North America
, even going so far as to replace Raiden with Snake in teaser trailers and other preview materials. Although Raiden did appear in a few preview trailers in his scuba gear, his presence was not as emphasized as the other characters. The presence of Raiden in the game was announced to the Japanese press on the same day as the game's release in North America. Moreover, the character's Japanese was written in kanji
rather than katakana
due to its resemblances with how Bin Laden
is written in katanana.
Kojima noted fanresponse to Raiden's character being both positive and negative at the same time. While accepting the large negative feedback, Kojima and his own team ended up liking the character. Therefore, they decided to make him the comical relief from the videos in which Raiden tries to become the main character from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
. In response to positve response in Japan, the character of Raikov was created for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
as a parody of Raiden. While noting Raiden would not be a playable character in Metal Gear Solid 4, Kojima confirmed to site 1UP.com
his appearance in the game, stating that fans would like him at the end.
For the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Rising
, producer Shigenobu Matsuyama has hinted that Raiden's past as a child soldier may be elaborated on, and that his personal weaknesses as a human, such as his resolve, will be explored. Matsuyama's wanted Raiden to have a strong role in the game as in Metal Gear Solid 2, leading him to become the game's main character. Director Mineshi Kimura
noted that he wanted Raiden to be able to move like he did in the MGS4 trailers, and to show "the stealth of the sword, and the strength of not even losing to the gun, and the fear and power you have with this blade." Matsuyama stated that they will focus on Raiden's strong will and as well as physical strength so that he would be enjoyable to control. Moreover, the series' former tagline, "Tactical Espionage Action," was replaced by "Lightning Bolt Action" to fit Raiden; the word is Japanese for "thunder and lightning." Raiden's design was further changed during development of the game, leading to different promotional images featuring him.
In the Japanese versions of the games, Raiden has been voiced by Kenyu Horiuchi. Quinton Flynn
was selected to voice Raiden in the English adaptation of the series by casting director Kris Zimmerman who he had previously worked with. Flynn remembers having a long time to develop the character and was told by Zimmerman to use an older voice from a character he previously voiced. Additionally, Flynn states that Raiden is one of his favorite video game characters he voiced, and explained a notable difference between his role in Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4.
.jpg)
Raiden's replacement of fan-favorite Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid 2 proved controversial, and GamesRadar
considered the event a reason to dislike the series overall. The same site has criticized his role in Metal Gear Solid 2 several times, and has called his inclusion one of the worst parts of the game. In September 2004, Shoeless Wayne Santos from GameAxis Unwired wrote a fake interview in which Hideo Kojima expressed regret for creating the character. While calling Metal Gear Solid 2 one of the biggest disappointments in video game history, UGO Networks' Marissa Meli cited Raiden's debut as a key problem with the game. Meli also commented on Raiden's androgynous design, placing it twelveth in a list "The Most Androgynous Video Game Characters". In the book Playing with Videogames, it is written that Raiden's inclusion was to surprise Metal Gear fans who, instead of playing as Snake, played as his exact opposite. Writer James Newman commented that fans' reactions were highly negative, as though their expectations had been "betray[ed]" by Kojima. He compared Raiden to the controversial Star Wars
character Jar Jar Binks
. Trailers for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eraser, in which Raiden is mocked, were considered by Newman to be Konami's comical response to fans' disapproval.
Nevertheless, the character received positive response from certain writers. Eurogamer
's Tom Bramwell enjoyed Raiden's role, believing that his interactions with the other characters also helped to expand Solid Snake's character. Dave Meikleham from GamesRadar called his introduction as one of the biggest plot twists in a video game, as trailers did not display him. Meikleham also called Raiden a "surprisingly likeable character" and a found his dynamic with Solid Snake appealing. Prior to joining Kojima Productions
, Ryan Payton stated that he was not disappointed by Raiden's introduction, and that liked that the Metal Gear Solid 2 team had managed to keep his identity a secret. Raiden's English voice actor Quinton Flynn
was surprised to fans' response to the character, but commented that it also served to attract fans who never played a game in the series. Regarding response about Raiden replacing Snake as the main character, Flynn thought that fans angered with the idea Raiden would replace Snake for all the following games. His relationship with Rose was also listed as the most awkward part from the Metal Gear series by 1UP.com
with writer Scott Sharkey wondering about Hideo Kojima's life as the director stated such relation was based on himself. Play editor Nick Jones listed the scene in which Raiden is naked as his fourth favorite moment from the franchise calling it the "one of the funniest moments in gaming history." In a Famitsu
poll done in February 2010, Raiden was voted by readers as the forty-second most popular video game character.
In following games, response to the character was mainly positive. Raiden's redesign for Metal Gear Solid 4 has been praised for reducing his androgynous appearance and thus, make him appealing. It has also been compared with Gray Fox
's cybernetic ninja design from Metal Gear Solid
. Similarly, the GameSpot
staff stated that Raiden "is definitely the inheritor of the quasi-unkillable Cyborg Ninja inheritance" when making his first appearance in a Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer. His actions in such trailer were applauded by GameSpot who labelled it as "wordlessly awesome" and compared his stunts with the ones from the film Casshan: Robot Hunter. Game Informer
placed him in "The Snubbed List" in response to his new design which made fans like the idea to have new Metal Gear game solely focused on his character. Gavin Mackenzie from Play listed it seventh in the "Top 10 inappropriate outfits" finding it "cool", but yet at the same time had unnecessary accessories. His encounter against Vamp in such title was labelled as one of the "most memorable cinematics" by GamePro
from the title due to Raiden's change of fighting style from his debut as he "redeems his girlish image". Moreover, IGN
's Jesse Schedeen listed Raiden as one of the "gaming icons" and most valuable player
s from 2009 in response for his role in an upcoming Metal Gear title. UGO placed Raiden's design in such game 18th in their list of "The Most Stylin' Alternate Costumes". Dave Meikleham from GamesRadar wrote an article titled "Why Metal Gear Solid: Rising will make you love Raiden", explaining why fans who disliked the character would find him appealing with his character and role from Metal Gear Solid: Rising. His new design for such game also analysed by GamePros Pattrick Shaw to the point he commented Raiden "was in one hell of a fight".
Metal Gear (series)
is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
series of stealth games by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
. Created by Hideo Kojima
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
and designed by Yoji Shinkawa
Yoji Shinkawa
is a Japanese artist. He is most famous for his character, environment and mechanical designs for the Metal Gear and Zone of the Enders series....
, Raiden was introduced in the series as the main playable character of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
. He has been voiced by Kenyu Horiuchi in the Japanese versions from the games and by Quinton Flynn
Quinton Flynn
Quinton Joseph Flynn , is an American voice actor, actor and writer....
in the English adaptations.
In Metal Gear Solid 2, Raiden first appears as trained member of the FOXHOUND special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
participating in his first mission to save hostages from a terrorist group. However, across the game, Raiden is revealed to have participated in a civil war as a child and that his former superiors, The Patriots, are still manipulating his actions. Raiden reappears as supporting character in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
is a video game developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation 3 console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear.Guns of the Patriots...
with most of his body having become cybernetic due to experiments performed by the Patriots. From there, he joins forces with his former comrade Solid Snake
Solid Snake
Metal Gear, initially released in 1987, introduces Solid Snake, the rookie recruit of the elite special-forces unit FOXHOUND. Snake is sent by team leader Big Boss into the rogue nation Outer Heaven to rescue his missing teammate Gray Fox and discover who or what the "METAL GEAR" mentioned is, and...
to defeat them. He is to appear as the main playable character in the next Metal Gear game Metal Gear Solid: Rising
Metal Gear Solid: Rising
is an upcoming action video game under development by Kojima Productions as a spin-off to the Metal Gear series. The game is in development for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The series' regular tagline, "Tactical Espionage Action", will be opted out for this entry in favor of...
that will focus on his life before Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
Hideo Kojima came up with the idea of Raiden as he wanted players to view the series' main protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
Solid Snake from a different point of view. Raiden's inclusion in the game remained as a secret to gamers prior to its release while the staff took a liking to his character despite the players' reactions. The character was further reworked for Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Solid: Rising.
Raiden's role as the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2 was a controversial twist, both for the unexpected substitution of the established hero, Solid Snake, and for his androgynous
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
appearance. On the other hand, some critics have also defended the character, stating that fans were angered by Snake's removal. Despite this negative reception, Raiden has also received positive response by critics due to his role as well as redesign in Metal Gear Solid 4.
Appearances
In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
, the player takes control of Raiden in the Plant Chapter, where he is introduced as a newly-recruited VR
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
trained member of FOXHOUND with no live combat experience prior to his current mission. Assisted via Codec by his commanding officer, the Colonel, and his girlfriend Rosemary, Raiden's initial mission objective is to rescue the United States President and other hostages from a terrorist group dubbed "Sons of Liberty". Raiden also gains assistance from Solid Snake
Solid Snake
Metal Gear, initially released in 1987, introduces Solid Snake, the rookie recruit of the elite special-forces unit FOXHOUND. Snake is sent by team leader Big Boss into the rogue nation Outer Heaven to rescue his missing teammate Gray Fox and discover who or what the "METAL GEAR" mentioned is, and...
who searches to destroy the Metal Gear machine kept by Sons of Liberty, and Olga Gurlukovich who dresses herself as a cyborg ninja.
As the story progresses, the true nature of Raiden's mission is revealed, along with his past. Raiden is revealed to had served as a child soldier for the Sons of Liberty's leader, Solidus Snake. He was adopted by him to participate during the Liberian Civil War. After the war ended, Raiden was given a normal life and tried to forget his past. However, his commanding officer is revealed to be a computer generated A.I.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
built by a mysterious organization known as The Patriots, the same group Solidus worked for, with Raiden himself unknowingly serving as one of their agents. In order to further control Raiden, The Patriots made one of their spy Rosemary become Raiden's girlfriend, although the two ended falling in love. Raiden battles and defeats Solidus after he tries to use his body to lead him to the Patriots. He later reunites with Rosemary, and both decide to continue together to raise their upcoming child.
Although Raiden himself does not appear in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
is an award-winning stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima. Snake Eater was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, and was released on November 17, 2004 in North America; December 16, 2004 in Japan; March 4, 2005 in Europe; and on...
, the character is the subject of much self-parody
Self-parody
A self-parody is a parody of oneself or one's own work. As an artist accomplishes it by imitating his or her own characteristics, a self-parody is potentially difficult to distinguish from especially characteristic productions .Sometimes critics use the...
ing throughout the game. The debuting character Raikov is himself a parody of Raiden. Raiden appears in an early promotional trailer for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
is a video game developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation 3 console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear.Guns of the Patriots...
first shown at E3 2005, literally fighting for control of the franchise with Solid Snake in a series of comedic sequences. A sequel to this trailer was produced titled "Metal Gear Raiden: Snake Eraser", in which Raiden travels to the past to assassinate Solid Snake's genetic progenitor, Big Boss, but fails in comical fashion. In the English version of this trailer, Raiden was voiced by Charlie Schlatter
Charlie Schlatter
Charles Thomas "Charlie" Schlatter is an American actor. He has starred in numerous TV series and films, and is well-known for his role in the series Diagnosis: Murder as Dr. Jesse Travis with Dick Van Dyke, and for his role in the film 18 Again! with George Burns...
, Raikov's voice actor, instead of Quinton Flynn. The Metal Gear Solid 2 version of Raiden appears in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus expansion pack, where he is an unlockable character.
In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, set various years after Metal Gear Solid 2, Raiden is said to have disappeared after rescuing Sunny, the daughter from the late Olga, from the Patriots. Working as a free agent, Raiden was recruited by Big Mama to find the corpse of Big Boss in exchange of Sunny's location. As a non-playable character, Raiden returns outfitted with a cybernetic exoskeleton
Exoskeleton
An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton of, for example, a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers...
as a result of The Patriots' machinations. The trauma of his break-up with Rosemary, coupled with the apparent miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
of his child and rigorous training, have made Raiden believe his only place is on the battlefield. He joins Snake's group in their fight against Revolver Ocelot
Revolver Ocelot
, also known as is a fictional character and antagonist of the Metal Gear series. He was originally introduced as a gunslinger-themed member of FOXHOUND from the former Soviet Union in Metal Gear Solid and was revealed to be an agent for The Patriots in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty...
to eliminate the Patriots. After several encounters with Ocelot's men, a wounded Raiden stays in Outer Heaven fighting until Snake shuts down the Patriots' AIs using the FOXALIVE program. In the games epilogue, Rosemary visits Raiden in a hospital and reveals to Raiden that their child was not miscarried, and that her marriage to Roy Campbell was a hoax designed to protect her and their son from the Patriots. Upon learning this information, Raiden reconciles with Rosemary. This incarnation of the character appears as a playable character in Metal Gear Online
Metal Gear Online
Metal Gear Online, abbreviated MGO, is a PlayStation 3 exclusive online multiplayer spin-off of the Metal Gear video game series. Τhe Starter Pack of MGO is available worldwide bundled with regional versions of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, with a standalone release only for Japan...
.
Raiden is scheduled to appear as the main character in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Rising
Metal Gear Solid: Rising
is an upcoming action video game under development by Kojima Productions as a spin-off to the Metal Gear series. The game is in development for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The series' regular tagline, "Tactical Espionage Action", will be opted out for this entry in favor of...
. Set between Sons of Liberty and Guns of the Patriots and will chronicle his transformation into a cyborg ninja and his personal transition into his "MGS4 self."
Outside the Metal Gear series, Raiden appears in the game LittleBig Planet as a sticker and as a playable sack boy character. He can be accessed by buying the Metal Gear Solid 4 DLC (which is included in the GOTY Edition). In Evolution Skateboarding
Evolution Skateboarding
Evolution Skateboarding is a skateboarding video game released by Konami for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. It consists of several popular skateboarders, such as Rick McCrank, Arto Saari, Kerry Getz, and Danny Way. There is also a create-a-skater feature and an unlockable character for every...
, Raiden is also one of the unlockable characters. He also appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
as a collectible sticker, as well as Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2010, Microsoft Windows in March 2011 and Mac OS X in May 2011...
, but as an alternate skin for Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
Creation and development
According to the series creator, Hideo KojimaHideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
, the decision to make a new character the main playable one of Metal Gear Solid 2 instead of Solid Snake stemmed from the developer's desire to develop Snake from a third-person perspective, as well as to avoid treating Snake like a rookie again. Kojima has also stated that Raiden's character and its perception by the audience were important for the overall feel of the story. The idea of having a second main character was inspired by the Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
detective novel series in which the narrator was not the titular character but sidecharacter Doctor Watson. Therefore, Kojima pointed that Snake was the protagonist from the game and not Raiden. Yoshikazu Matsuhana, the assistant director for the project, was not sure about this decision, considering Raiden a "weak-looking character", but still decided to follow Kojima. The interactions between Raiden and Rosemary were inspired by Kojima's own experiences in life. Additionally, their names, Jack and Rose, act as a reference to the film Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
. Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 2 is considered to be a representation of the player, through the shared experiences between the player and the character during the course of the game.
Designer Yoji Shinkawa
Yoji Shinkawa
is a Japanese artist. He is most famous for his character, environment and mechanical designs for the Metal Gear and Zone of the Enders series....
noted in the Making of Metal Gear Solid 2 featurette
Featurette
Featurette is a term used in the American film industry to designate a film whose length is approximately three quarters of a reel, or about 20–44 minutes in running time - thus midway between a short subject and a feature film; thus it is a "small feature"...
that he and the other character designers took a great deal of inspiration for Raiden's appearance from the bishōnen
Bishonen
is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth ". The equivalent English concept is a "pretty boy".The term describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man whose beauty transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation...
archetype. Because Raiden was a new character, the staff designed him carefully, giving him white hair in order to symbolize his introduction. Shinkawa further noted that Raiden ended with a feminine appearance based on his overall look. Kojima had received many pieces of fan mail and one letter stuck out at him from a female which stated she did not want to play a story with an old man. He later took this into consideration, along with his team to design a character that would be more appealing to women, resulting in Raiden's creation.
Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
kept Raiden's starring role in Metal Gear Solid 2 a secret right up until the game's release in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, even going so far as to replace Raiden with Snake in teaser trailers and other preview materials. Although Raiden did appear in a few preview trailers in his scuba gear, his presence was not as emphasized as the other characters. The presence of Raiden in the game was announced to the Japanese press on the same day as the game's release in North America. Moreover, the character's Japanese was written in kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
rather than katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
due to its resemblances with how Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
is written in katanana.
Kojima noted fanresponse to Raiden's character being both positive and negative at the same time. While accepting the large negative feedback, Kojima and his own team ended up liking the character. Therefore, they decided to make him the comical relief from the videos in which Raiden tries to become the main character from Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
is a video game developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation 3 console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear.Guns of the Patriots...
. In response to positve response in Japan, the character of Raikov was created for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
is an award-winning stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima. Snake Eater was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, and was released on November 17, 2004 in North America; December 16, 2004 in Japan; March 4, 2005 in Europe; and on...
as a parody of Raiden. While noting Raiden would not be a playable character in Metal Gear Solid 4, Kojima confirmed to site 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
his appearance in the game, stating that fans would like him at the end.
For the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Rising
Metal Gear Solid: Rising
is an upcoming action video game under development by Kojima Productions as a spin-off to the Metal Gear series. The game is in development for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The series' regular tagline, "Tactical Espionage Action", will be opted out for this entry in favor of...
, producer Shigenobu Matsuyama has hinted that Raiden's past as a child soldier may be elaborated on, and that his personal weaknesses as a human, such as his resolve, will be explored. Matsuyama's wanted Raiden to have a strong role in the game as in Metal Gear Solid 2, leading him to become the game's main character. Director Mineshi Kimura
Mineshi Kimura
is a Japanese video game designer currently employed by Kojima Productions. He has worked on every console title in Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series and will make his directorial debut with Metal Gear Solid: Rising.-Works:...
noted that he wanted Raiden to be able to move like he did in the MGS4 trailers, and to show "the stealth of the sword, and the strength of not even losing to the gun, and the fear and power you have with this blade." Matsuyama stated that they will focus on Raiden's strong will and as well as physical strength so that he would be enjoyable to control. Moreover, the series' former tagline, "Tactical Espionage Action," was replaced by "Lightning Bolt Action" to fit Raiden; the word is Japanese for "thunder and lightning." Raiden's design was further changed during development of the game, leading to different promotional images featuring him.
In the Japanese versions of the games, Raiden has been voiced by Kenyu Horiuchi. Quinton Flynn
Quinton Flynn
Quinton Joseph Flynn , is an American voice actor, actor and writer....
was selected to voice Raiden in the English adaptation of the series by casting director Kris Zimmerman who he had previously worked with. Flynn remembers having a long time to develop the character and was told by Zimmerman to use an older voice from a character he previously voiced. Additionally, Flynn states that Raiden is one of his favorite video game characters he voiced, and explained a notable difference between his role in Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4.
Reception
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
considered the event a reason to dislike the series overall. The same site has criticized his role in Metal Gear Solid 2 several times, and has called his inclusion one of the worst parts of the game. In September 2004, Shoeless Wayne Santos from GameAxis Unwired wrote a fake interview in which Hideo Kojima expressed regret for creating the character. While calling Metal Gear Solid 2 one of the biggest disappointments in video game history, UGO Networks' Marissa Meli cited Raiden's debut as a key problem with the game. Meli also commented on Raiden's androgynous design, placing it twelveth in a list "The Most Androgynous Video Game Characters". In the book Playing with Videogames, it is written that Raiden's inclusion was to surprise Metal Gear fans who, instead of playing as Snake, played as his exact opposite. Writer James Newman commented that fans' reactions were highly negative, as though their expectations had been "betray[ed]" by Kojima. He compared Raiden to the controversial Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
character Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character from the Star Wars Saga , and the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His primary role was to provide comic relief, but many reacted negatively to his character...
. Trailers for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eraser, in which Raiden is mocked, were considered by Newman to be Konami's comical response to fans' disapproval.
Nevertheless, the character received positive response from certain writers. Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
's Tom Bramwell enjoyed Raiden's role, believing that his interactions with the other characters also helped to expand Solid Snake's character. Dave Meikleham from GamesRadar called his introduction as one of the biggest plot twists in a video game, as trailers did not display him. Meikleham also called Raiden a "surprisingly likeable character" and a found his dynamic with Solid Snake appealing. Prior to joining Kojima Productions
Kojima Productions
is a Japanese video game development studio under the guidance of game designer Hideo Kojima. The company is a subsidiary of Konami, and is located in Roppongi Hills in Roppongi, Tokyo. The studio had just under 100 employees in 2005 but has since grown to over 200 people for the development of...
, Ryan Payton stated that he was not disappointed by Raiden's introduction, and that liked that the Metal Gear Solid 2 team had managed to keep his identity a secret. Raiden's English voice actor Quinton Flynn
Quinton Flynn
Quinton Joseph Flynn , is an American voice actor, actor and writer....
was surprised to fans' response to the character, but commented that it also served to attract fans who never played a game in the series. Regarding response about Raiden replacing Snake as the main character, Flynn thought that fans angered with the idea Raiden would replace Snake for all the following games. His relationship with Rose was also listed as the most awkward part from the Metal Gear series by 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
with writer Scott Sharkey wondering about Hideo Kojima's life as the director stated such relation was based on himself. Play editor Nick Jones listed the scene in which Raiden is naked as his fourth favorite moment from the franchise calling it the "one of the funniest moments in gaming history." In a Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
poll done in February 2010, Raiden was voted by readers as the forty-second most popular video game character.
In following games, response to the character was mainly positive. Raiden's redesign for Metal Gear Solid 4 has been praised for reducing his androgynous appearance and thus, make him appealing. It has also been compared with Gray Fox
Gray Fox (Metal Gear)
is a fictional video game character in the Metal Gear series.-In video games:Gray Fox first appears in the original Metal Gear as a high-ranking agent of FOXHOUND who goes missing during a mission prior to the events of the game, his last transmission being a cryptic message simply saying "Metal...
's cybernetic ninja design from Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
. Similarly, the GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
staff stated that Raiden "is definitely the inheritor of the quasi-unkillable Cyborg Ninja inheritance" when making his first appearance in a Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer. His actions in such trailer were applauded by GameSpot who labelled it as "wordlessly awesome" and compared his stunts with the ones from the film Casshan: Robot Hunter. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
placed him in "The Snubbed List" in response to his new design which made fans like the idea to have new Metal Gear game solely focused on his character. Gavin Mackenzie from Play listed it seventh in the "Top 10 inappropriate outfits" finding it "cool", but yet at the same time had unnecessary accessories. His encounter against Vamp in such title was labelled as one of the "most memorable cinematics" by GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
from the title due to Raiden's change of fighting style from his debut as he "redeems his girlish image". Moreover, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Jesse Schedeen listed Raiden as one of the "gaming icons" and most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
s from 2009 in response for his role in an upcoming Metal Gear title. UGO placed Raiden's design in such game 18th in their list of "The Most Stylin' Alternate Costumes". Dave Meikleham from GamesRadar wrote an article titled "Why Metal Gear Solid: Rising will make you love Raiden", explaining why fans who disliked the character would find him appealing with his character and role from Metal Gear Solid: Rising. His new design for such game also analysed by GamePros Pattrick Shaw to the point he commented Raiden "was in one hell of a fight".