Von Kaiser
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character from the Nintendo
-produced Punch-Out!!
series of video games. He is a German boxer, hailing from Berlin
, Germany
. He first appeared in Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
, and again in the Wii
video game of the same name
22 years later. He was originally designed by Makoto Wada, and then by Eddie Viser in the Wii game. Horst Laxton voiced the character in the Wii version.
Since appearing in the NES Punch-Out!!, Von Kaiser has been viewed as a major character in the series, and was featured as part of the Punch-Out!!-themed series of Topps
trading cards. However, several outlets have noted him as an example of negative stereotyping, especially with his indirect connection to Nazism
.
, Germany
. He first appeared in Punch-Out!! for the NES
, and again in the Wii
video game of the same name
. While he speaks in English in the NES game, he speaks in German (without subtitles) in the Wii version. Von Kaiser's musical theme is based on "Ride of the Valkyries
".
He has brown hair and mustache, and wears military-style pants and combat boots. His militant personality, as demonstrated by one of his mid-bout line "Surrender! Or I will conquer you!", is depicted as a facade hiding his true nature of cowardice, as he cries for his mother upon sustaining physical harm. However, upon shaving his head, he toughens up for his second encounter with Little Mac.
, Von Kaiser has received mostly positive reception. He has been featured as part of a series of Topps
trading cards based on the Punch-Out!! series. The New York Daily News
described him as a familiar face of the series. Similarly, Kotaku
editor Michael McWhertor called him a veteran of the series. Hardcore Gamer commented that anyone who has played the NES Punch-Out!! would recognize him. The Escapist
editor John Funk commented that to him, Von Kaiser looked like a "British gentleman" rather than a "German aristrocrat." Eurogamer
editor Oli Welsh described Von Kaiser as an "uptight Kraut." Humour web site The Onion
wrote an article about a series of interviews with Mike Tyson
and other characters, including Von Kaiser. In a humour article, ESPN
created several parodies of Punch-Out!! characters based on real-life "punch-worthy palookas", including one of Von Kaiser called "Von Cuban".
While considered to be more difficult than Glass Joe
, Von Kaiser is still considered to be a weak opponent. Operation Sports editor Christian McLeod commented that Von Kaiser was more difficult than Glass Joe due to him "taking the fight" to player-character Little Mac. G4TV editor Sterling McGarvey stated that the season finale of Split Second: Velocity was a "bit sour," adding that it "telegraphs a sequel with all the predictability of a Von Kaiser punch." GameSpy
editor Ryan Scott used Von Kaiser as an example of a simple opponent, stating that "you can spot Von Kaiser's weak hooks coming a mile away." GamePro
editor Blake Snow commented that Von Kaiser still fought like a "douche" in the Wii Punch-Out!!. However, GamePro staff stated that while Von Kaiser seemed like a pushover in the first battle, his Title Defense incarnation was much more difficult.
described him as a "shamelessly politically incorrect character," citing how he would say to Little Mac "Surrender! Or I will conquer you!" Editor Sumantra Lahiri described Punch-Out!! as giving players "encyclopedic knowledge of ignorant American sentiments," stating that Von Kaiser represents the stereotype that Germans are "ultra-militaristic." In discussing the stereotype of Punch-Out!!, GamesRadar
editor Brett Elston commented that Von Kaiser embodies several German stereotypes, such as them being "militaristic, goose-stepping nationals obsessed with victory to a fault." He added that his name was stereotypical as well, commenting that he "might as well be Wolfgang von Sauerkraut." He stated that Kaiser was just one step above Glass Joe
in the "Punch-Out!! hall of infamy." He adds that Nintendo was "trying to imply he’s a goofy Nazi without actually saying he’s a Nazi. (He actually looks more like a WW1 German national, there is a closer resemblance to Kaiser Wilhelm II than to ANY Nazi figure.) " 1UP.com
, in discussing how Soda Popinski was once known as Vodka Drunkenski, jokingly stated that Von Kaiser used to be known as "Greasy Pork Sandwich Served in a Dirty Ashtray." They added that they were "making that last one up, but just barely." In an interview, GamePro Germany
brought up the ethnic stereotypes of Punch-Out!!, noting the stereotype of the "ambitious German." They also called him a "mustachioed "Deutschman"," describing him as a disciplined boxer. He added that the only thing missing in his character was a spiked helmet
.
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
-produced Punch-Out!!
Punch-Out!!
is a 1983–1984 boxing arcade game by Nintendo. It was the first in a series of successful Punch-Out!! games that produced an arcade sequel known as Super Punch-Out!!, a spin-off of the series titled Arm Wrestling, a highly popular version for the NES originally known as Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!,...
series of video games. He is a German boxer, hailing from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He first appeared in Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, and again in the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
video game of the same name
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game for the Wii. It is the latest game in the Punch-Out!! series. It was developed by Canadian developer Next Level Games. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto served as the game's producer. It was first revealed at Nintendo's conference on October 2, 2008...
22 years later. He was originally designed by Makoto Wada, and then by Eddie Viser in the Wii game. Horst Laxton voiced the character in the Wii version.
Since appearing in the NES Punch-Out!!, Von Kaiser has been viewed as a major character in the series, and was featured as part of the Punch-Out!!-themed series of Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
trading cards. However, several outlets have noted him as an example of negative stereotyping, especially with his indirect connection to Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
.
Concept and appearances
Von Kaiser is a German boxer, hailing from BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He first appeared in Punch-Out!! for the NES
Nes
-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
, and again in the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
video game of the same name
Punch-Out!! (Wii)
Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game for the Wii. It is the latest game in the Punch-Out!! series. It was developed by Canadian developer Next Level Games. Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto served as the game's producer. It was first revealed at Nintendo's conference on October 2, 2008...
. While he speaks in English in the NES game, he speaks in German (without subtitles) in the Wii version. Von Kaiser's musical theme is based on "Ride of the Valkyries
Ride of the Valkyries
The Ride of the Valkyries is the popular term for the beginning of Act III of Die Walküre, the second of the four operas by Richard Wagner that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen. The main theme of the Ride, the leitmotif labelled Walkürenritt, was first written down by the composer on 23 July 1851...
".
He has brown hair and mustache, and wears military-style pants and combat boots. His militant personality, as demonstrated by one of his mid-bout line "Surrender! Or I will conquer you!", is depicted as a facade hiding his true nature of cowardice, as he cries for his mother upon sustaining physical harm. However, upon shaving his head, he toughens up for his second encounter with Little Mac.
Reception
Since he appeared in Punch-Out!! for the NESNes
-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
, Von Kaiser has received mostly positive reception. He has been featured as part of a series of Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
trading cards based on the Punch-Out!! series. The New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
described him as a familiar face of the series. Similarly, Kotaku
Kotaku
Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
editor Michael McWhertor called him a veteran of the series. Hardcore Gamer commented that anyone who has played the NES Punch-Out!! would recognize him. The Escapist
The Escapist (magazine)
The Escapist is an online magazine covering video games, gamers, the gaming industry, and gaming culture. Published by the Themis Group, it was edited by Julianne Greer up to June 30, 2009, then by Russ Pitts through September 2011, and is currently edited by Steve Butts. The Escapist was first...
editor John Funk commented that to him, Von Kaiser looked like a "British gentleman" rather than a "German aristrocrat." 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...
editor Oli Welsh described Von Kaiser as an "uptight Kraut." Humour web site The Onion
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
wrote an article about a series of interviews with Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
and other characters, including Von Kaiser. In a humour article, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
created several parodies of Punch-Out!! characters based on real-life "punch-worthy palookas", including one of Von Kaiser called "Von Cuban".
While considered to be more difficult than Glass Joe
Glass Joe
is a fictional boxer from Nintendo's video game series Punch-Out!! He first appeared in the arcade game Punch-Out!! in 1984, and three years later made his home console debut with the Nintendo Entertainment System game of the same name. His most recent appearance was in Punch-Out!! for the Wii...
, Von Kaiser is still considered to be a weak opponent. Operation Sports editor Christian McLeod commented that Von Kaiser was more difficult than Glass Joe due to him "taking the fight" to player-character Little Mac. G4TV editor Sterling McGarvey stated that the season finale of Split Second: Velocity was a "bit sour," adding that it "telegraphs a sequel with all the predictability of a Von Kaiser punch." GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
editor Ryan Scott used Von Kaiser as an example of a simple opponent, stating that "you can spot Von Kaiser's weak hooks coming a mile away." 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...
editor Blake Snow commented that Von Kaiser still fought like a "douche" in the Wii Punch-Out!!. However, GamePro staff stated that while Von Kaiser seemed like a pushover in the first battle, his Title Defense incarnation was much more difficult.
Racial stereotyping
Von Kaiser has been noted as a stereotype of German people. Guardian.co.ukGuardian.co.uk
guardian.co.uk, formerly known as Guardian Unlimited, is a British website owned by the Guardian Media Group. Georgina Henry is the editor...
described him as a "shamelessly politically incorrect character," citing how he would say to Little Mac "Surrender! Or I will conquer you!" Editor Sumantra Lahiri described Punch-Out!! as giving players "encyclopedic knowledge of ignorant American sentiments," stating that Von Kaiser represents the stereotype that Germans are "ultra-militaristic." In discussing the stereotype of Punch-Out!!, GamesRadar
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...
editor Brett Elston commented that Von Kaiser embodies several German stereotypes, such as them being "militaristic, goose-stepping nationals obsessed with victory to a fault." He added that his name was stereotypical as well, commenting that he "might as well be Wolfgang von Sauerkraut." He stated that Kaiser was just one step above Glass Joe
Glass Joe
is a fictional boxer from Nintendo's video game series Punch-Out!! He first appeared in the arcade game Punch-Out!! in 1984, and three years later made his home console debut with the Nintendo Entertainment System game of the same name. His most recent appearance was in Punch-Out!! for the Wii...
in the "Punch-Out!! hall of infamy." He adds that Nintendo was "trying to imply he’s a goofy Nazi without actually saying he’s a Nazi. (He actually looks more like a WW1 German national, there is a closer resemblance to Kaiser Wilhelm II than to ANY Nazi figure.) " 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....
, in discussing how Soda Popinski was once known as Vodka Drunkenski, jokingly stated that Von Kaiser used to be known as "Greasy Pork Sandwich Served in a Dirty Ashtray." They added that they were "making that last one up, but just barely." In an interview, GamePro Germany
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...
brought up the ethnic stereotypes of Punch-Out!!, noting the stereotype of the "ambitious German." They also called him a "mustachioed "Deutschman"," describing him as a disciplined boxer. He added that the only thing missing in his character was a spiked helmet
Pickelhaube
The Pickelhaube , also "Pickelhelm," was a spiked helmet worn in the 19th and 20th centuries by German military, firefighters, and police...
.