Poison (Final Fight)

General VG character
name=Poison


caption="'Poison from "Final Fight".
japanactor=Atsuko Tanaka (SF3), Masae Yumi (SvC Chaos)
series="Street Fighter" series, "Final Fight" series
firstgame="Final Fight"
artist=Akira Yasuda
inuniverse=SNK-Capcom character
birthplace=flagicon|USA Los Angeles, USAcite video game
title = Capcom Classics Collection Vol. I
developer = Capcom
publisher = Capcom
level = Final Fight biographies
quote = Poison grew up in a Los Angeles orphanage. Even though Poison is a guyhe chooses to wear women's clothing. He, err, she even feels that fightingis the best way to stay in shape and maintain her looks.]
fightingstyle=Self-taught martial arts

nihongo|Poison|ポイズン|Poizun is a character from the "Final Fight" video game series, created by Akira Yasuda for Capcom. Introduced in the first "Final Fight" (along with similar character Roxy), she has appeared in later artworks and games in a cameo role, and is one of the few characters from the series to move on to a minor role in the main "Street Fighter" series. She was voiced by Atsuko Tanaka in the "Street Fighter III" series, [http://www.tv.com/atsuko-tanaka/person/102074/appearances.html Atsuko Tanaka] . TV.com. Retrieved on 2008-07-05] and Masae Yumi in "". [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1372507/ Masae Yumi] . IMDb. Retrieved on 2008-07-05]

Beyond the "Final Fight" series, Poison has appeared as a cameo character alongside "Street Fighter III" character Hugo in his subsequent appearances. She was planned to appear in "Capcom Fighting All-Stars", but the game was canceled. She was also slated to appear in "", but, along with Sodom, was cut from the final game.

Conception and history

Poison's first appearance in "Final Fight" featured her and a palette-swap character named Roxy as recurring minor enemies for the player to fight. She was designed to contrast against the bigger characters in the game and move about randomly. [Capcom. "Capcom Design Works: Early Days". Enterbrain. ISBN 978-4-7577-0412-1. pp. 197. (in Japanese)] According to the book "All About Capcom Head to Head Fighting Games", the characters were originally planned to be female, but were changed to male transvestites (or more specifically "newhalfs"Capcom (1993). "Final Fight CD, instruction manual". Retrieved on 2008-07-05.] ) due to the suggestion that "hitting women was considered rude" in America."ALL ABOUT カプコン対戦格闘ゲーム 1987-2000" (All About Capcom Head-To-Head Fighting Game 1987-2000), p. 339, ISBN 4-88554-676-1 (in Japanese)]

A later appearance by Poison as playable character in "Final Fight Revenge", an American-produced 3D fighting game spinoff of "Final Fight", portrayed the character in a highly feminine manner and had her romantically interested at "Final Fight" hero Cody. Commentary about her ending in the game in "All About Capcom" suggested that the character might have gotten a sex change. The "Final Fight"-related character profiles featured in the 2005 compilation "Capcom Classics Collection" acknowledges Poison's transvestite characterization, while addressing Roxy as a "she" who dislikes Poison's cross-dressing. [cite video game
title = Capcom Classics Collection Vol. I
developer = Capcom
publisher = Capcom
level = Final Fight biographies
quote = Roxy grew up in the same LA orphanage as Poison. She always looked up toPoison although she doesn't really dig the cross-dressing thing.]

The discrepancy regarding Poison was addressed in an interview featured in the January 2008 issue of "Electronic Gaming Monthly" with "Street Fighter IV"'s producer Yoshinori Ono. When asked about the matter he stated "Let's set the record straight: In North America, Poison is officially a post-op transsexual. But in Japan, she simply tucks her business away to look female." ["Electronic Gaming Monthly" (January 2008), "Street Fighter IV": p. 68]

Designs

Poison is shown to be a Caucasian female with long pink, somewhat rugged, hair. She wears a black cap, blue cutoff shorts, red high heels, and a tanktop cut just below her breasts. In "Final Fight Revenge" and some artworks, her hair is shown to be purple instead. [Kalata, Kurt. [http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/finalfight/finalfight2.htm Hardcore Gaming 101: Final Fight, Final Fight Revenge subsection] . GameSpy. Retrieved on 2008-07-05] She wears several armbands around her right arm and neck, and has chains and a pair of handcuffs suspended off her shorts. "Final Fight Revenge" shows her also possessing a whip used in attacks, though the character has not been shown with one in other titles or artwork.Walmsley, Michael. [http://finalfight.classicgaming.gamespy.com/revengecharacters.html Final Fight Revenge characters] . GameSpy. Retrieved on 2008-07-05] Poison stands about 5 ½ feet (175 cm) tall and has three sizes of 34-25-35" (88-66-89 cm).

Poison was given a secondary outfit for "Capcom Fighting All-Stars" alongside her primary classic attire. Made of shiny, silvery material it consisted of boots that extended halfway up her thighs and a combined sleeveless shirt/short skirt with plunging cleavage. Gloves and a small hairband were also added, as well as a belt, with the handcuffs hanging off of it. Her arm straps were removed, though the strap around her neck remained. [Walmsley, Michael. [http://finalfight.classicgaming.gamespy.com/cfatrivia.html Capcom Fighting All Stars trivia (secondary outfit montage)] . GameSpy. Retrieved on 2008-05-29]

The concept art section of the promotional comic for "" showcased concept art by designer Trent Kaniuga for the game, including a re-imagined Poison. The design features red hair, a red micro skirt showing a hint of underwear, jacket, button-up white shirt showing some of her abdomen, black high-heeled boots, gold belt, and a wool cap. [http://randomselect.smeenet.org/streetwise/finalfightstreetwisepromocomic.pdf (PDF) Promotional comic book for "Final Fight Streetwise"] . Capcom. Retrieved on 2008-04-29] In August 2006, Kaniuga revealed three additional alternate designs on ConceptArt.org's internet forum; [Kaniuga, Trent. [http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75300 Trent Kaniuga art dump from Maximo 3 and Final Fight Streetwise.] ConceptArt.Org. Retrieved on 2008-06-27] one being the classic look; another being a white button-up shirt with red pants, high heels, and short hair; and the third keeping the high heels and pants, but adding shades, returning her hair to full length and swapping the shirt for a jacket with deep cleavage. All four designs use the same color scheme, belt and handcuffs.Kaniuga, Trent. [http://www.trentkaniuga.com/art/Characters_FinalFight.gif(GIF) Concept art montage from Final Fight Streetwise by Trent Kaniuga] . TrentKaniuga.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-12]

In video games

Introduced in the original "Final Fight", Poison is an orphan who grew up to be a transvestite. She enjoys fighting and uses it as a means to stay in shape, making use of her ties with the original Mad Gear gang to keep her out of prison.Capcom. "Final Fight Revenge, instruction manual", "Poison had been a Bad Girl, a really Bad Girl. And she did NOT want to spend any amount of time behind bars. But, what could she do to avoid that situation? She could always give up the Mad Gear and the life of crime that went with it. But, it was so much FUN! Playing cat and mouse with the cops, making them bow and scrape before her when they thought that they had "caught" her, only to be confronted with Damnd, Andore and the rest of the Gang. But lately, the gang haven't been showing up to help out..." Retrieved on 2008-06-22] In "Final Fight Revenge", her behavior was represented as womanly and sultry, ranging from flirtatious comments to pole dancing. She frames Cody for her assault crimes and gets him arrested by Edi E., though later visits him in jail having developed romantic feelings for him.Capcom Studio 8. "Final Fight Revenge". Capcom. Level/area: Poison's ending. (2008-03-20) "Fearful of serving time, Poison and friends develop a plot to frame Cody for their crimes." / Poison: "He'll never love anyone but Jessica anyway. Unless..."] In the "Street Fighter III" series, she reappears working as a wrestling manager for her friend Hugo, who couldn't find a tag team partner due to his immense strength. From here their plots would focus on the two searching for a tag partner or starting their own wrestling association, echoed in their "SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos" appearance. [SNK Playmore. "SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos". SNK Playmore. Level/area: Pre-match dialogues between Hugo and opponents]

Poison was also planned to appear both in "Capcom Fighting All-Stars" and "Final Fight Streetwise", though the first game was canceled and she was cut from the second. In "Mighty Final Fight", a super deformed parody of the character named "Poison Kiss" appears as a generic enemy, a corrupt cop and characterized as her younger sister.Capcom. "Mighty Final Fight, instruction manual", Retrieved on 2008-06-22] Poison has also appeared based on her role as Hugo's manager on cards for "" and the game's Nintendo DS sequel, as well as the related printed trading card game. [ [http://www.auction.co.jp/mem1/item/mem_itm_item.asp?LOT=206464 VERSUS TCG SNK vs CAPCOM　カードファイターズ マネージメント ac-043U] (in Japanese). Wanted Internet Group. Retrieved on 2008-07-05]

Gameplay

In the original "Final Fight", Poison and Roxy both utilized standing and acrobatic flip kicks to attack the player. [cite video game
title = Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded
developer = Capcom
publisher = Capcom
level = Final Fight design artwork (in Japanese)] As one of the fighters in "Final Fight Revenge", her moveset was expanded heavily, and she was armed with a whip. The whip is used primarily in her Cat Claw and Thunder Whip attacks (which are comparable to shoryuken/shinryūken styled attacks, respectively), and can be used to steal a weapon from the opponent. Additionally, her handcuffs can be thrown as a horizontal projectile move to immobilize the opponent for a short time.

One particular attack, "Poison Kiss", has her blow a large heart-shaped kiss at the opponent that travels in a sine wave path. If it connects, a quick 'peep show' of Poison in several erotic poses is displayed, and afterwards the opponent is shown stunned with hearts dancing over their head."ALL ABOUT カプコン対戦格闘ゲーム 1987-2000" (All About Capcom Head-To-Head Fighting Game 1987-2000), p. 264, ISBN 4-88554-676-1 (in Japanese)] Defeating an opponent with this attack results in Poison doing a pole dance for her winpose, with her whip serving as the pole. Though not playable in the beta test of "Capcom Fighting All Stars", [ [http://cheats.ign.com/dor/objects/489201/capcom-fighting-all-stars/images/cfas_0923_6.html Capcom Fighting All-Stars Pictures] IGN. Retrieved on 2008-04-29] promotional material released by Capcom for the title show that this move would have been retained for her gameplay. [Walmsley, Michael. [http://finalfight.classicgaming.gamespy.com/cfascreens.html Capcom Fighting All-Stars screenshots] . GameSpy. Retrieved on 2008-04-29] [http://cheats.ign.com/dor/objects/489201/capcom-fighting-all-stars/videos/cfas_0918_2.html?download=true Trailer Part 1 for Capcom Fighting All Stars] . IGN. Retrieved on 2008-04-29]

Censorship

When "Final Fight" was ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, an American playtester working for Capcom reviewed the content during the localization process with one of the Japanese designers, and objected to the protagonist hitting females. The designer pointed that the "female" enemies were actually transvestites; thus Poison and Roxy were replaced with regular male punks named "Billy" and Sid" in the English localization of the home version.cite book|title=Game Over|last=Sheff|first=David|authorlink=David Sheff|page=p. 225|quote=With Capcom USA, Phillips's team edited some of the grisliergames that came in from its Japanese parent company, although Capcom's own censors weeded out the most offensive touches...When a Capcom USA representative suggested that it was tasteless to have the game's hero beat up a woman, a Japanese designer responded that there were no women inthe game. 'What about the blonde named Roxy?' the American asked. The designer responded, 'Oh, you mean the transvestite!' Roxy was given a haircut and new clothes.] This change has been repeated with every English port to Nintendo consoles, including the Game Boy Advance version "Final Fight One" [Walmsley, Michael. [http://finalfight.classicgaming.gamespy.com/FFgbaregional.html Final Fight One Regional Differences] . GameSpy. Retrieved on 2008-04-29] and the Wii's virtual console. [Navarro, Alex (2007-05-09). [http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/finalfight/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;review Final Fight for Wii Review] . GameSpot. Retrieved on 2008-07-02]

English versions of the Sega CD port censored the characters too but in a different manner. Both were redrawn with a longer shirt and shorts, and the under-cleavage shown when the characters are struck was covered up. [Walmsley, Michael. [http://finalfight.classicgaming.gamespy.com/FFsegaregional.html Final Fight CD regional differences] . GameSpy. Retrieved on 2008-07-05]

Promotion and reception

Poison has been featured in various promotional "Street Fighter" related artworks, [Capcom. "Capcom Design Works: Early Days". Enterbrain. ISBN 978-4-7577-0412-1. pp. 45, 158. (in Japanese)] as early as "Street Fighter II". [Capcom. [http://fightingstreet.com/folders/artworkfolder/artworkpages/sf_art_pages/sfii_art_pages/sfiiww_art_pages/sfiiww_bwart2.html Artwork from "Complete File Street Fighter II"] . FightingStreet.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-20] Additionally she has been used as a cameo character three times in the "Street Fighter Alpha" series. In terms of merchandise, an immovable model was being made for the 2008 "Capcom Girls Collection" line of figurines by Mitsumasa Yoshizawa, using her "Final Fight" attire and at 1/6th height, standing nearly 11" tall.cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/notag/final-fights-poison-brings-daisy-dukes-to-collector-shelves-298280.php | last = McWhertor | first = Michael | title=Short Shorts Watch: Final Fight's Poison Brings Daisy Dukes To Collector Shelves |publisher= Kotaku| date=10-09-2007 |accessdate=2007-10-10] A similar model was released by REFLECT later on, identical to the previous figurine except with her giving a thumbs down gesture and darker colors. [ [http://www.hobbyfan.com/product_info.php?products_id=4499 Prepainted 1/7 Final Fight Poison - Reflect (Colored) Anime PVC, Figures, and Models] . HobbyFan. Retrieved on 2008-07-10]

Because of uncertainty regarding her gender, there has been constant debate whether she is technically male or female on several fronts. [McWhertor, Michael (2007-12-12). [http://kotaku.com/gaming/capcom/final-fights-poison-the-final-word-on-gender-333130.php Final Fight's Poison: The Final Word on Gender] . Kotaku. Retrieved on 2008-05-21] [http://ps2.ign.com/articles/371/371493p1.html Capcom Fighting All-Stars Preview] . IGN. Retrieved on 2008-05-21] Hardcore Gaming 101's Kurt Kalata called her "one of the most popular side character...also one of the most controversial character Capcom has ever created."Kalata, Kurt. [http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/finalfight/finalfight2.htm Hardcore Gaming 101: Final Fight - The Story of Poison] . GameSpy. Retrieved on 2008-06-27] Wataru Maruyama cited her design as an example of how an outfit is worn compared to its complexity can make a character memorable and stand out, stating "to use a phrase I don’t particularly like to use, she totally worked it." [Maruyama, Wataru. [http://costumeget.blogspot.com/2006/02/simple-kind-of-wonderful.html Simple kind of wonderful] . Costume GET!. Retrieved on 2008-07-05] She has also been a subject drawn by non-Capcom artists, such as Falcoon. [Falcoon. [http://falcoon.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ Artist website] . "#761: Hugo & Poison / Street Fighter III." Retrieved on 2008-07-05]

References

External links

* [http://www.wikiknowledge.net/wiki/Poison WikiKnowledge.net's] entry for Poison