MarketCharacters of the Dead or Alive series
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Characters of the Dead or Alive series

The following is a list of characters from the Dead or Alive video game series, created by Tecmo and Team Ninja.

Introduced in Dead or Alive
Ayane Bass Armstrong Portrayed by: Kevin NashVoiced by (English): unknown actor (DOA2: Hardcore), Joe J. Thomas (Dimensions), Patrick Seitz (DOA5–present)Voiced by (Japanese): Daisuke Gōri (DOADOA4), Kenta Miyake (Dimensions–present) is a semi-retired professional wrestling champion and Tina's overprotective father. He is also the widower of Alicia Armstrong, who died of a disease when Tina was only six years old, forcing Bass to take care of her by himself. He disapproves of Tina's aspirations of being a model (DOA2), a Hollywood actress (DOA3) and a rock star (DOA4). Consequently, Bass enters the DOA tournaments to put an end to her fame-seeking, only to fail at each attempt. In the fourth tournament, it is revealed that he intends to win so he would have enough money to enter the "Hyper Battle Grand Prix", which he then loses after seeing Tina's picture on a billboard and crashes into it after losing control of his bike. Like Tina in the English versions of the game, he, too, speaks with a Southern accent. In DOA5, two years after the fourth tournament, Bass is a worker at an oil rig, DiG, and has befriended Rig. He decides to reenter the ring after the next tournament is announced, mainly after hearing that Tina will participate. He enters under the alias "Mr. Strong" so that his daughter would not recognize her; unfortunately for him, she does anyway. After defeating Tina in the quarterfinals, he is eliminated by Jann Lee in the semifinals. Some time after the fifth tournament, DiG was somehow destroyed and Rig was homeless because DiG was like a home to him; Bass offers to stay with him. As DOA6 tournament is about to start, he and Tina return to their wrestling career, with Rig hired to sponsor them. Bass is then introduced by his daughter's new MMA friend and their biggest fan, Mila, who eventually becomes his opponent and defeats him at the round of 16. When several groups and individuals such as the Mugen Tenshin, Hayabusa Ninjas, and the mercenary Bayman, are trying to come after Rig, Bass becomes worried about his best friend's situation and sudden disappearance, unaware that MIST brainwashed Rig into serving them. In the live-action adaptation, Bass is played by professional wrestler Kevin Nash. In the movie, he tries to persuade Tina to return to wrestling. Bass' character is far more lighthearted in the movie, even applauding Tina when she beats him. Bayman Portrayed by: Derek BoyerVoiced by (English): unknown actor (DOA2: Hardcore), Zach Hanks (Dimensions),Voiced by (Japanese): Hisao Egawa (DOA), Banjō Ginga (DOA2-present) Paul Nakauchi (Dimensions), Darren Criss (Dimensions),Voiced by (Japanese): Toshio Furukawa (DOADOA4), Nobutoshi Canna (Dimensions–present) Kasumi Leifang Raidou Voiced by (English): Michael McConnohie (Dimensions) Dennis Rodman (DOAX), Khary Payton (DOAX2Dimensions), Keith Silverstein (DOA5–present)Voiced by (Japanese): Bin Shimada is an eccentric DJ who specializes in the muay thai boxing style. After hearing about the tournament, Zack enters to increase his popularity and make a name for himself, and apparently succeeds in that endeavor to an extent. Zack enters the next tournament to please his fans and gain more money, in which he once again succeeds and then returns to his life of leisure. After exhausting all his financial reserves, Zack enters the third tournament to earn more money so that he can enjoy a Las Vegas vacation. However, it is revealed he did not actually win the tournament, but Ayane, who defeated Omega (Genra). Due to Ayane's departure after the tournament, Zack claims the title by default. Shortly afterwards, Zack goes to Las Vegas and using his earnings, bets it all in various casinos. He wins enough money to buy Zack Island, an extravagant private beach resort. He then invites all the women of DOA under the false pretense of another tournament, who take the bait and arrive on the island where Zack, accompanied by his girlfriend Niki, convinces them to stay for a brief two-week vacation. Unfortunately, the Zack Island has sunk to the bottom of the ocean. In the fourth tournament, Zack's sights are already set on his next conquest: the DOATEC Tritower, three enormous pillars stretching up to the sky. Unfortunately, the tower catches on fire (as a result of the Mugen Tenshin attack) as Zack is climbing it, but he manages to escape the flames, saving Helena's life in the process. He is then made the winner of the fourth tournament due to his bravery (Helena was the original winner). After finding the treasure of an undead Egyptian pharaoh in DOA4, Zack and Niki use their newfound wealth to form an unexplained contract with extraterrestrials who use a tractor beam to raise Zack Island (now called "New Zack Island") from the ocean floor, allowing Zack and Niki to once again restore it into an island paradise for the ladies of Dead or Alive to come play in. After proposing to Niki, Zack appear to be engulfed in a fiery explosion after a series of flaming meteorites once again destroys the island. However, it is later revealed that he was saved by the ambiguous alien abduction ray in a Deus Ex Machina fashion. Before the fifth tournament, Zack joins Helena as her assistant in the newly reformed DOATEC. He made the official international announcement for the next tournaments and had a new arenas built for them. He personally invited Hitomi, Tina, and Jann Lee to participate in the tournament, although he understands the situations of Diego's mother as the main reason why Diego unable to join in at first. When Kokoro felt conflicted upon learning her connection to her half-sister Helena, Zack helped her out and managed to get her to reconcile with Helena. In the film DOA: Dead or Alive, Zack is portrayed by Brian J. White, retaining his natural personality. He fights Tina and is defeated by her. ==Introduced in Dead or Alive 2==
Introduced in Dead or Alive 2
Ein/Hayate Portrayed by: Collin ChouVoiced by (English): unknown actor (DOA2: Hardcore), Yuri Lowenthal (Dimensions–present) Richard Epcar (DimensionsDOA5) Joel Swetow (Dimensions)Voiced by (Japanese): Osamu Saka is a tengu, a mythological creature from Japanese folklore. First appearing in DOA2 as the main antagonist, he escaped to the human world from the Tengu world after murdering his leader, Kuramasan Maouson. He wants chaos to reign over the human world, but is killed by Hayabusa. With his death, it not only brings a good news to the Tengu civilization, but also caught the attention of the said world's princess Nyotengu. He later appears as an unlockable character in DOA Ultimate, DOA4, and DOA Dimensions. It is later revealed in Dimensions that Genra allowed him to escape to the human world. ==Introduced in Dead or Alive 3==
Introduced in Dead or Alive 3
Brad Wong Portrayed by: Song LinVoiced by (English): Grant George (Dimensions–present) Hitomi (making her playable debut in the series) enters the third DOA tournament simply to prove her skills and independence. While working as a waitress for the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee (DOATEC), she reunites with Ein and meets ninjutsu specialist Ayane, and during this time, Ein reveals the truth about himself to Hitomi. She additionally meets fellow contestant Jann Lee, sharing a keen passion for martial arts, the two shared martial arts philosophies and demonstrated their own martial arts skills, she later chastises him for being too hard on opponents after he brutally defeats Leifang. After Hitomi finishes third, she is allowed to quit the dojo and she transitions into life as an independent adult. Hitomi is a secret playable character in the 2004 release Dead or Alive Ultimate, but does not appear in the game's story mode. In Dead or Alive 4 (2005), she enters the DOA tournament once more, this time in hopes of winning the cash prize after her father is stricken with an illness that puts a financial strain on the dojo despite his eventual recovery. She defeats Leifang and again faces Jann Lee after he "rescues" her from a T-rex. In the DOATEC Tritower, Hitomi encounters Hayate and pleads for him to return to her father's dojo, admitting that she does not know what to do without his guidance, but Hayate refuses, because he is no longer "Ein", while the fourth tournament is not a competition but a war. In Dead or Alive 5 (2012), Hitomi reunites with Leifang and they train together before going their separate ways. Hitomi defeats Mila in the quarterfinals and Eliot in the semifinals. Before the finals, Hitomi encounters Hayate once again, declaring that she needs to win one more fight and she will be champion. However, she is defeated by Jann Lee in the finals, making her the tournament runner-up. In Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, Hitomi is invited to Zack Island for the fourth DOA tournament, which turns out to be a ruse concocted by Zack (the island's owner) in order to lure the girls of DOA into a two-week tropical vacation. In the sequel Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, Hitomi returns to the island to participate in the fifth tournament after being deceived again into a false invitation from Zack. In Dead or Alive Xtreme 3, Hitomi returns to New Zack Island after the fifth tournament to get distracted itself and have some fun before returning to her training for the next tournament. Hitomi has a cameo in the 2006 live-action film DOA: Dead or Alive, played by Hung Lin. In the movie, a character resembling Hitomi is seen wearing her in-game outfit of a pink headband and a denim jacket, but she had no dialogue while her personality was given to Dead or Alive 4 protagonist Helena Douglas. Hitomi also appeared in the Ninja Gaiden series' smartphone action card game Hyakuman-nin no Ninja Gaiden (in a ninja version with a sword) in 2013 and her card was included in Sega's Samurai & Dragons game that same year. Omega/Genra Voiced by (English): Andrew Kishino (Dimensions)Voiced by (Japanese): Osamu Saka was Ayane's foster father and the leader of Mugen Tenshin's Hajin Mon ninja. He was the one who sent Ayane after Kasumi after the latter left the clan in order to avenge Hayate. In Dead or Alive 3, he was the main antagonist, used as a test subject by DOATEC for Project Omega, transforming him into the superhuman . As Omega, he appears as a hulking figure fully clad in dark samurai armor, and wields a tokkosho sword. Unlike most matches in the Dead or Alive series, his battles are fought at an obscure camera angle. In Dead or Alive: Dimensions, Genra is featured as a boss character and as an unlockable character, and the stage's camera where he is the final boss in the third game no longer obscure. In the game's Chronicle Mode, it is revealed that he willingly gave himself over to DOATEC, particularly his accomplish, Victor Donovan to become stronger, revealing his cruel and power-hungry personality. It is also revealed that he allowed Bankotsubo, the Tengu, to pass through human world. He was finally defeated and killed by Ayane (with aid from Hayabusa and Hayate, as revealed in Dimensions), who later ritually cremates him, taking his tokkosho. His appearances in the games are portrayed with his face obscured, usually with a wooden mask. ==Introduced in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball==
Introduced in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball
La Mariposa/Lisa Hamilton Voiced by (English): Masasa Moyo (DOAX2Dimensions), Wendee Lee (DOA5-present) Voiced by (Japanese): Maaya Sakamoto is a young Hispanic woman who first appears in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, being hired by Zack as Zack Island's holiday representative. Prior to her appearance, she was once the lead scientist at DOATEC, being involved in the Epsilon Project. However she released Hayate. She then left DOATEC for a job as a stockbroker, though she still remains affiliated to DOATEC as its lead scientist for Project Alpha. Lisa is very sociable, getting along with everyone, including Ayane and Christie. She also seems to be a bit of a workaholic, evident by her multiple jobs, and the fact that she is almost always seen doing some form of work. Her multiple careers and job-changing is a trait she shares with Tina, her best friend from her high school days. In Dead or Alive 4, she appears as a masked luchadora named , entering the tournament to match her wrestling skills against Tina's. She also confronts Hayate, revealing to him that she had manipulated him into destroying DOATEC. Also, in a cutscene involving her talking to Helena, she has shown to have some form of resentment with the company, specifically with Donovan's motives. She finally teams up with Tina to defeat a rival wrestling team at the end of her story mode, revealing her true identity in the process. In Dead or Alive 5, it is revealed that she is an operative for Donovan's new organization, MIST. In the game's true ending, after she frees Hayate and the Mugen Tenshin ninja and Hayabusa destroy the lab, she is trapped under some debris and her scream can be heard in the following explosion. Thankfully, she survived manage to get out of MIST's oil rig hideout as of Dead or Alive 6, and was “replaced” by NiCO. Before the sixth tournament, Lisa also prepared a prototype anti-Epsilon brace to prevent the Epsilon cells freezing Hayate's body for a limited time during his encounter with one of the MIST agents. ==Introduced in Dead or Alive 4==
Introduced in Dead or Alive 4
Alpha-152 Voiced by (English): Amanda Troop (DOAD)Voiced by (Japanese): Junko MinagawaVoiced by (Japanese): Ayako Kawasumi Nicole/SPARTAN-458 Voiced by: Lyssa Browne (codenamed "SPARTAN-458") is the result of the collaboration between Tecmo's Team Ninja and Microsoft's Bungie. Team Ninja originally asked Bungie for permission to use the Master Chief, which Bungie claimed would be impossible due to storyline restrictions. this is the same program that the Master Chief, and other Spartans from the Halo series undergo. Bungie explained Nicole's presence in the Dead or Alive setting of the 21st century in an article that revealed the character's background. The studio stated that the character, who has never appeared in any other Halo fiction, is sent to the 21st century when a partially stable "bubble" in the space-time continuum opens near Nassau Station, where she and her unit are preparing for a secret mission. This "bubble" is created when Apocalypso, an ONI stealth vehicle, interacts with real-space, as a result of an unusual slipspace incident. This incident traps Nicole in the 21st century. While waiting for the bubble to collapse, which she hopes will enable her to return to the future, she battles any member of the DOA cast to arrive at the station, protecting its classified information. To keep the space-time continuum stable, she avoids lethal force in executing her current task. Nicole's fighting style is very quick and powerful, a variation of standard military close quarters combat. Her move list contains moves of other characters in the game; her fighting style is a hybrid of Leon and Bayman's movesets to create a blend of striking combos and throws. Her style meant to incapacitate an armed opponent in a matter of seconds and take advantage of her enhanced strength, as well as to exploit any environmental advantages. She is described as having great speed despite her large size. Many of her moves allude to the Halo universe, with names such as "The Great Journey" and "The Grunt Punt"; the former is a powerful move that sends an opponent down stairs or off a ledge. Also in Nicole's repertoire are several technologies from Halo, including active camouflage, represented by her taunt and rendering her nearly invisible, and the plasma grenade, represented by a command throw. She speaks English and Japanese. Previews of Dead or Alive 4 showed a Spartan among the game's characters; this attracted attention and curiosity regarding whether such a character would appear fully functional in the final version of the game. The character's moves, all of which were homages to the Halo series, and the inclusion of a Halo-based level were positively described in pre-release reviews. Bungie returned the favor, and in the release of Halo 3 there is an armor type called Hayabusa, for which its design is based on Ryu Hayabusa's appearance. ==Introduced in Dead or Alive: Dimensions==
Introduced in Dead or Alive: Dimensions
Shiden Voiced by (English): Lloyd SherrVoiced by (Japanese): Yukitoshi Hori is Kasumi and Hayate's father, Ayame's husband, Raidou's younger brother, the biological uncle of Ayane and Honoka, Burai's younger son, and the former leader of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan. When he was a member of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan, he and Raidou were trained by their father in the most advanced skills of the Tenjinmon of Mugen Tenshin ninjutsu. Over the years, he became a physically, mentally, and spiritually stronger ninja than Raidou and eventually became the clan's 17th leader, succeeding their father Burai who was the 16th leader. This led to Raidou's departure from village out of jealously and rage. Shiden was furious at Raidou for raping his wife while he was away, and denounced him as his brother. The result of the rape led to the birth of his niece, Ayane. Years later, when Raidou returned and attacked the villagers, Shiden was bitter at Radiou for crippling his son Hayate which led to Hayate's comatic state. Shiden made the decision to have is daughter Kasumi take Hayate's place as heir to the head of the clan. Shiden kept the truth about Hayate's attacker a secret from Kasumi, worried that she would succumb to her emotions and seek Raidou out, but the attempt was in vain as Kasumi would learn the truth and left the village. After Hayate recovered from his coma, Shiden was filled with joy, and his position of leadership was ceded to Hayate in DOA3. Shiden was mentioned in the first Dead or Alive and later made his first physical appearance in Dead or Alive Ultimate. He later appears as a boss and playable character in Dead or Alive: Dimensions. ==Introduced in Dead or Alive 5==
Introduced in Dead or Alive 5
In addition to the following, the game featured several guest characters from other fighting games, such as Akira Yuki, Pai Chan, Sarah Bryant and Jacky Bryant from Sega's Virtua Fighter series, as well as Mai Shiranui from SNK's Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series. Another clone of Kasumi called "Phase 4" was also introduced in the title. Honoka Marie Rose Mila Voiced by (English): uncredited actress (DOA5), Amber Connor (DOA6)Voiced by (Japanese): Ryoko Shiraishi is an up-and-coming mixed martial arts Spanish champion who has scored spectacular victories all over the world. She spends her days training at the gym in between shifts at her part-time job, honing her skills as a lightning fast, orthodox striker with a strong follow-up ground game. She also feels intense admiration for a certain fighter, and she has entered the fifth Dead or Alive Tournament to follow her dream of taking on her idol in the ring. Some days after an exhibition match with Tina, she loses in the quarterfinals to Hitomi, as Tina also lost as well, by her own father, Bass (as Mr. Strong). In the sixth tournament however, she finally won against Bass at the round of 16. Mila is one of the few people aside Zack who worried about Diego's situation with his ill-mother. During a vote for the release of Dead or Alive Xtreme 3, Mila was voted at 12th rank and amongst unqualified girls at the initial release of the game. Later, according to weekly Famitsu magazine on the final poll result of Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation 4th anniversary on November 18, 2021, Mila is one of the top three remaining mainline fighters alongside Tina and NiCO to be first qualify to appear in the said gacha game, with Mila is ranked at the 3rd, behind both NiCO (1st rank) and Tina (2nd rank). Momiji 2009 Voiced by (English): Kate HigginsVoiced by (Japanese): Yūko Minaguchi (all appearances except Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden), She is both a shinobi (ninja) and a miko (shamanistic shrine maiden) who was tasked with keeping the ancient relics passed down the Hayabusa village from the ancient Dragon Lineage and carrying out the Shrine Maiden's rites and rituals to purify the world of evil forces. Among the relics that the maidens were tasked with guarding is the Eye of the Dragon, a jewel said to contain the souls of the ancient Dragons. Kureha was killed when the village was attacked in 2004's Ninja Gaiden and the devastated Momiji began training under Ryu as a precaution, becoming a skilled kunoichi along with her shrine maiden duties and abilities. Since then she supports and follows her master whenever he comes around. Momiji is a very gentle and caring young woman who is seen as an older sister figure by all of the village's children, including the boy Sanji. Like her mentor Ryu Hayabusa, Momiji trains extensively to become one of the deadliest warriors in the Hayabusa village. In 2008's Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, Momiji is normally playable only in the game's first chapter, but it is possible to play her through the entire game after unlocking the special difficulty setting "The Way of Kunoichi", which becomes accessible if the player manages to win the unfair boss fight at the end Momiji's chapter. After her session of training with Ryu, Momiji stays behind to pick flowers for Kureha's grave where she is attacked by the Black Spider clan and eventually captured by the fiendish Red Dragon. She is interrogated by Black Spider's Obaba for the Eye of the Dragon but turns out she managed to fuse the jewel into her soul, preventing Obaba from killing her. The Fiends' leader Ishtaros plans to use the captive Momiji to lure Ryu and kill him. During the battle between Ryu and Ishtaros at the Gates of Hell, Ryu is overwhelmed by the Dark Dragonstones' power but the ghost of Kureha appears and draws out Momiji's soul. Together they release the Eye and imbue the Dragon Sword with its power, allowing it to become the True Dragon Sword that Ryu uses to defeat Ishtaros. Nicchae, the Greater Fiend of Destruction and Ishtaros's twin, appears and takes Momiji, Ishtaros' body and the eight Dark Dragonstones deeper into Hell in an attempt to reawaken the Vigoor Emperor. Nicchae's plan ends in failure as the Dark Dragon consumes the Emperor and Ishtaros before bursting forth to threaten the world once again. Ryu defeats the Dark Dragon with the True Dragon Sword, and Momiji is finally rescued. Afterwards, Momiji mourns Kureha alongside the children of the village and makes a vow at Kureha's grave to become stronger so she can defend herself and the village. She leaves Ryu a letter as she departs to train in her travels. Momiji returns as a playable character in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. While Ryu is away at Tokyo, the Hayabusa village is invaded once again by the Black Spider clan. As Jo battles Genshin, Momji rallies the Hayabusa ninjas to protect the rest of the villagers. Ryu later returns to the village and repels the invasion, killing almost all the invading Black Spider ninjas. Momiji soon realizes that Sanji has been taken captive, prompting her to go rescue him. As she travels to Tokyo, she encounters one of the Tengu Brothers and soundly defeats him. This leads her to Sanji, who is being held prisoner by both brothers. After her victorious battle, she reassures Sanji that she will always look out for him until he becomes a master ninja. As they return home, they are unknowingly saved by Muramasa, who kills a Black Spider ninja who is about to shoot an arrow at them. Momiji is also featured in the spin-off title ZEN Pinball: Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. In Ninja Gaiden 3, after Sanji finds Ryu unconscious outside and brings him to Momiji, she watches over him and helps him recover. During his journey to find his father in the shrine, she assists him in dealing with the Grip of Murder curse while helping him defeat the Black Spider ninja clan. Whenever the curse almost takes complete control over Ryu, Momiji uses her power to protect his mind and help him regain his senses. As they get near to the shrine, they are attacked by Obaba, but they manage to defeat her. Near the end of the battle, Momiji is knocked unconscious by Obaba, but Ryu manages to save her and brings her to the shrine to be taken care of by his father. When Canna attacks Tokyo as the Goddess and Ryu begins to become overwhelmed by Fiends, Momiji and Jo arrive just in time to save him. She gives her master the Eye of the Dragon before he departs, leaving her and his father to fight off the surrounding foes. Momiji became playable again in the NG3 update ''Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge. She makes an appearance in the spin-off game Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, as an ally and love interest of Ryu, who is an antagonist in the game. She arrives to give the Eye of the Dragon to him, and then Ryu saves her from peril. Her card also appears in mobile game Ninja Gaiden Clans''. In the fighting games Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate and Dead or Alive 5 Last Round, Momiji joins the DOA tournament in order to put what she has learned to the test. She is one of the nine playable female characters in the DOA sport spin-off title Dead or Alive Xtreme 3.), including in the game's duel mode, and later in Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate. Previously she has made an unplayable guest appearance in the Warriors series in Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce for the PlayStation 3, where she gives a series of quests to the player character who can earn the right to wield her "Heavenly Dragon" naginata in battle. Naotora Ii Voiced by (English): Erica MendezVoiced by (Japanese): Yuka Saitō is a guest character from Tecmo Koei's Samurai Warriors (Sengoku Musou) series, mainly based on her appearance from Samurai Warriors 4. In Dead or Alive 5: Last Round, Naotora was sent into the present day due to one of Victor Donovan's MIST time travelling experiments. Naotora is the ruler of Japan's Warring States era Ii Clan; she has no choice but to fight for life under the Ii name and keep the motto of her family: "once on the battlefield, one must face the enemy head on" in mind. A determined Naotora sets out to emerge victorious from this strange new challenge. Nyotengu Voiced by (English): Brina PalenciaVoiced by (Japanese): Akemi Satō Nyotengu (女天狗) is a female tengu from the mountains of Japan. Nyotengu practices tengu-do, a unique fighting style passed down for ages. She is the princess of the tengu world who comes to the human world to seek out Ryu Hayabusa and test his strength for his reputation on ending Bankotsubo's life of crime. As Hayabusa proves his strength to her and spare her life as well, Nyotengu is finally satisfied. She made an unofficial guest star in the sixth tournament in an unofficial “half-time” battle. Nyotengu is a DLC character in the retail version of DOA5 Ultimate, and later included in Dead or Alive 5 Last Round. She is also playable in DOAX3. A character known as “Ancient Nyotengu”, based on Dead or Alive’s Nyotengu appears as a DLC side boss in Nioh 2. Rachel Voiced by (English): Tara Strong (Ninja GaidenNinja Gaiden 2), Erin Fitzgerald (DOA5U), uncredited actress (DOA6)Voiced by (Japanese): Michie Tomizawa  is a female Vigoorian demon/human hybrid and a fiend hunter which she practices counter fiend combat fighting style. She was introduced as an unplayable character in the 2004's action game Ninja Gaiden. In the Ninja Gaiden series, she meets Ryu in the Holy Vigoor Empire, where she is on a mission to destroy the fiends, as well as find her missing sister, Alma, who has become a Greater Fiend. Soon after they first meet, she is captured but soon saved by Ryu. After the battle, she stays with Ayane to recover from her ordeal. She later leaves to search for Alma and follows Doku's spirit through the torn fabric of space and time. She then fights Ishtaros and Nicchae. Despite her best efforts, she is defeated and held captive again. Doku plans to use Rachel as a sacrifice for Alma's awakening. After Ryu wins, Doku is about to kill Rachel, but Alma rush in to protect her sister, taking the fatal blow, and dies in Rachel's arms. Rachel helps Ryu escape the Underworld and witnesses the battle between him and Murai. The remake Ninja Gaiden Sigma tells some the events from her perspective and shows how her actions affected the main plot. Rachel returns in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. In her own chapter, after Ryu and the CIA agent Sonia left Manhattan, Marbus takes over with the disappearance of the Statue of Liberty, resulting in a Fiend infestation. Rachel appears and braves through the hellish night slaying Fiends until she confronts Marbus atop a skyscraper. Rachel defeated Marbus, taking off his other horn and killing him. Rachel made her first fighting game appearance in Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate and Dead or Alive 5 Last Round, and returned to the series in Dead or Alive 6 as a post-release downloadable content character. She also appears in the crowd-fighting games Musou Orochi 2 Special and Warriors Orochi 3 (including in the game's duel mode), Her costume is available in Super Swing Golf Season 2 and a 1/6 scale PVC figure of Rachel was released by Kotobukiya in 2006. Rig Voiced by (English): Liam O'Brien (DOA5), Kyle Hebert (DOA6)Voiced by (Japanese): Hiroki Tōchi is a natural born fighter. He has used his powerful instincts to master of the art of taekwondo. He has run the oil rig from a young age, and his colleagues simply call him "Rig". But even he does not know his real name or where he comes from. He learned taekwondo on the oil rig, which led him to create his own style, with plenty of moves he came up with himself. Through playing story mode in Dead or Alive 5, it soon becomes apparent that Rig knows more about his identity than he lets on, but ended up twisted in Dead or Alive 6, as he is indeed never knew who he was and how he became evil at the end of 5th game is explained. Upon meeting MIST's undercover agent Christie, Rig was unaware that she was sent to implant him with a mind control device in his body, creating an evil persona known as Victor Donovan Jr.. Even after losing to Kasumi in a fight in the lab, in the 5th game's extra cutscene, the brainwashed Rig reveals to Donovan that Phase 4 is according to plan and ready to be mass-produced before recently being released from his brainwashed state and soon finding out the oil platform he live is somehow destroyed, with Rig being offered by his best friend Bass to live with him. Before the sixth tournament starts, Rig overhears Mila and Zack's about the situation which a street fighter Diego is in, relating to his ill-mother, and manage to convince the latter to join the tournament for their sake. Rig also the one who handles the promotion of Armstrong wrestling family and Mila for the wrestling tournament. While in a middle of cheering the sixth tournament battles, Rig ended up being brainwashed by Christie twice. Rig's disappearance and why the Mugen Tenshin and Hayabusa ninja clans are after him cause Bass to worry about his situation. ==Introduced in Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation==
Introduced in Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation
Amy is an 18-year-old graduate student who was contracted to do IT work at the Venus Islands. After a misunderstanding during their first meeting, she adopts a tsundere attitude towards the Owner. Amy was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 26th character in April 2022. Azusa is a tomboyish 20-year-old biker and part-time worker of a family-owned diner. She arrives to the Venus Islands after becoming a fan of Tsukushi's manga and seeking its author. Azusa was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 32nd character in June 2025. Elise is a serious 22-year-old life coach sent to the Venus Islands by management to oversee the Owner; eventually she joins the festival as a participant. Elise was added to Venus Vacation as its 23rd character in July 2021. She was also confirmed as the 3rd character to join Venus Vacation Prism on October 14, 2024. Fiona is an 18-year-old princess who joins the Venus Festival out of admiration of the Owner. Due to her sheltered upbringing, she is rather naïve about the world. She was added to Venus Vacation as its 14th character in September 2018. Fiona was confirmed as the 2nd character to join Venus Vacation Prism on October 7, 2024. Kanna is a 1,014-years-old oni who openly plans to subdue the boss and take over the Venus Islands with her supernatural powers. Prone to self-sabotage, she's is also a rival of Nyotengu. Kanna was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 16th character in April 2019. Koharu is a diligent 18-year-old aspiring innkeeper who goes to the Venus Islands to manage its newly opened onsen. She was added to Venus Vacation as its 24rd character in November 2021. Luna is an eccentric 18-year-old scholar who wants to investigate the surrounding area within the Venus Islands. She really likes eating roasted sweet potatoes and went to the same graduate school as Amy, though they did not interact much. Luna was added to Venus Vacation as the first post-launch character (and 11th overall) in January 2018. Luna made a guest appearance in Azur Lane as part of the Vacation Lane collaboration's second wave that took place between April 27 to May 11, 2023. Lobelia is an 18-year-old noble and Fiona's childhood friend. She visits the Venus Island to see her but then decides to stay after seeing Fiona and the Owner spending time together. Lobelia was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 21st character in December 2020. Meg is a laid-back 19-year-old waitress who usually likes to eat ice cream bars in her free time. Originally conceived as a naughty character, she was toned down to a mischievous accomplice to the player instead according to producer Sakuda. Meg was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 31st character in August 2024. Her reception by players was mixed due to releasing too close to the previous character, Reika. Misaki is the 18-year-old part time assistant to the Owner. She is a cheerful and energetic girl who turns shy when it comes to expressing her feelings. Misaki was announced as the first exclusive character to Dead or Alive Venus Vacation prior to the game's release. Misaki made a guest appearance in Azur Lane as part of the Vacation Lane collaboration. Monica is a 19-year-old aspiring croupier who came to the Venus Islands in hopes to be hired to the island's casino. She likes challenging the Owner to luck-based contests. Monica was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 17th character in August 2019. Monica made a guest appearance in Azur Lane as part of the Vacation Lane collaboration. Nagisa was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 15th character in December 2018. Nagisa made a guest appearance in Azur Lane as part of the Vacation Lane collaboration. Nanami was also confirmed as the 6th and final character to join Venus Vacation Prism on November 1, 2024. Nozomi is an attentive 20-year-old intern and kōhai of the Owner. She arrives to the Venus Islands to learn how to manage festival duties and ends up joining as a Venus in the process. Nozomi was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 33nd character in February 2026. Patty is a 19-year-old girl who hails from the same archipelago where the Venus Islands are located. She stumbled upon the Venus Festival while looking for her lost radio. Patty has a keen sense of smell and tends to judge people's character based on how they smell. She was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 19th character in April 2020. Reika is an 18-year-old part-time lifeguard at the Venus Islands who is also a competitive swimmer going through a slump. She was the first post-launch character to be added to all regions simultaneously in June 2024 as the game's 30th character. Reika is the first character created entirely by the Venus Vacation international team at Koei Tecmo Singapore. She was given an aloof and distant attitude where her appeal comes from being "hard to get". Producer Sakuda commented how Japanese players were initially more receptive of these characteristics due to their familiarity with tsundere-type characters in Japanese media. Sayuri is a kind 24-year-old nurse who applies for a vacant position at the Venus Island. Upon her arrival, she was invited by the Owner to also participate in the Venus Festival. Sayuri was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 18th character in December 2019. Shandy is an ennui-prone 21-year-old bartender who goes to the Venus Islands looking for thrilling experiences and ends up working at the island's bar. Shandy was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 27th character in August 2022. Shizuku is a timid 19-year-old kitsune who claims to be a cosplayer to hide her real identity. She was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 29th character in October 2023. Tamaki likes to constantly tease people and often oversteps boundaries. However, she's also shown to be a kind and reliable "older sister" to the other girls. Her hobbies include bouldering, yoga, and bar hopping. Tamaki's design bears some resemblance to Kaede Takagaki from The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls: Starlight Stage. In March 2020, Tamaki was added to Dead or Alive 6 as a DLC character in consoles and later as a free update in arcades. She fights using aikido and is the second character to make her fighting game debut from the Xtreme spin-off series after Lisa Hamilton. Tamaki has made guest appearances in Destiny Child, Shinobi Master Senran Kagura: New Link, and Azur Lane. Prior to her inclusion in Dead or Alive 6, her teaser trailer received negative attention with Dustin Bailey from PCGamesN calling Tamaki "the game’s most relentlessly thirsty horndog". He added that unlike Lisa, who is a pro wrestler, Tamaki is a former swimsuit model and called her addition "pandering". Post-release, impressions were more positive with Matt Sainsbury from Digitally Downloaded praising her inclusion. In a video review, he remarked that Tamaki adds a lot to the roster by bringing a new fighting style to the game and liked how her aikido moves were implemented in Dead or Alive 6. According to the producer of Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation, Yasunori Sakuda, Tamaki is a popular character both in Japan and in the West. Tsukushi is an awkward 18-year-old aspiring mangaka who went to the Venus Islands to observe the participants and use them as reference material for her bishōjo works. She was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 20th character in August 2020. Yukino is an outgoing 18-year-old gyaru who likes to takes selfies and share them on social media. She is a huge fan of Tamaki and her reason for participating in the Venus Festival is to meet her. Yukino was added to Venus Vacation as the game's 28th character in February 2023. ==Introduced in Dead or Alive 6==
Introduced in Dead or Alive 6
In addition to Mai Shiranui returning for the title, fellow SNK character Kula Diamond also appears as a guest character. Diego Voiced by (English): D. C. DouglasVoiced by (Japanese): Hiroki Yasumoto is a Mexican-American street fighter who grew up in the back alleys of the New York City. Diego started entering street matches to win money to support his ill mother, and quickly became known as New York's “uncrowned street hero.” After declining to enter the sixth Dead or Alive tournament multiple times, Diego is finally convinced by Rig, as well as Diego's mother. Although he is officially a runner-up after being defeated by fifth tournament champion Jann Lee, Diego won an unofficial round 2, earning Jann Lee his respect as a worthy rival, just as both fighters becomes exhausted from the battle. According to the DOA6 director and producer Yohei Shimbori, for Diego they "wanted an American fighter between the ages of 25 and 35 to whom the public could relate. This [American] audience is less fond of styles like kung fu, they prefer a street fighter." According to designer Tom Lee, Diego was created specifically to give representation to the Hispanic community in America as well as appealing to American sensibilities. Diego was ultimately created from three different ideas presented by Lee.Voiced by (Japanese): Sumire Uesaka is a 18-year-old light blue-haired Finnish scientist who works for MIST and a fighter who utilizes both silat and electro-technomancy, powered by the technological rings that allow her to use long-ranged electric and teleportation attacks. She was responsible for resurrecting Raidou as a cyborg, with two of his daughters, Honoka and Ayane, as the keys to this process. As NiCO had never been loyal to MIST, she allowed herself to be recruited just to use them and Raidou's resurrection as stepping stones for the sake of resurrecting her own father. She also appears to have an interest in resurrecting Helena's mother Maria; however, Helena disapproves of the young scientist's plan to resurrect her mother and NiCO's father. Yohei Shimbori said she "was created for anime fans around the world. We made her cute but also very smart, she's a scientist, all that in order to make her cool." Shimbori said her fighting style was inspired by him watching the Indonesian film The Raid. He also said that he initially wanted her to look even younger than Marie does. According to Weekly Famitsu Magazine on the final poll results of Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation 4th anniversary on November 18, 2021, NiCO is one of the top three remaining mainline fighters alongside Tina and Mila to be first qualify to return in the said gacha game, with NiCO is ranked at the 1st. NiCO has pale skin, green eyes, glasses and light blue short hair. ==Other characters==
Other characters
Alicia Armstrong is Bass Armstrong's wife and Tina's mother. She died sometimes after being diagnosed with an unknown illness when Tina was six years old, forcing Bass to raise her by himself. In one of Bass' cutscenes in DOA4, when Tina is thanking people to her interviewers, she thanks Alicia. Anne is a German woman and the former mistress of Fame Douglas. She was murdered at gun point by an unknown person. She is briefly seen in Dead or Alive 4 during Helena's ending. Ayame Voiced by (English): Kari Wahlgren (Dimensions)Voiced by (Japanese): Hōko Kuwashima is the mother of Kasumi, Hayate and Ayane, the wife of Shiden and the aunt of Honoka. She was raped by Raidou in the past, thus giving birth to Ayane. Feeling too ashamed to raised Ayane, Ayame gave her up for adoption. Years later, Ayame revealed to Ayane about the circumstances of her birth after feeling guilty, and Ayame apologized for not raising her. Ayame was saddened when she learned that Kasumi broke shinobi code and left the village. Ayame would later ask Ayane to save Kasumi rather than be her enemy as Ayame believes that their family bonds are stronger than the shinobi code. She first appeared in Dead or Alive Ultimate, she later appeared in Dead or Alive: Dimensions, and is mentioned in Dead or Alive 6. Ayane's guardian Ayane's guardian is an old man who raised Ayane until she was fostered by Genra. Chen Voiced by: Bin Shimada is Brad Wong's old drunken master and great teacher of Zui Quan. He sent Brad Wong on a journey to search for the legendary wine named Genra. He can be seen in Brad Wong's story mode in DOA3 and is later mentioned in DOA4 and DOA Dimensions. Fame Douglas Voiced by (English): Richard Epcar (Dimensions)Voiced by (Japanese): Yumi Tōma (anime), Mariko Suzuki (games) is Ryu Hayabusa's ally and love interest from the Ninja Gaiden series for the NES version, though only mentioned in the first DOA game in Ryu's backstory. Irene makes her first physical appearance in DOA Dimensions, acting as a support character for Ryu and the Mugen Tenshin ninjas during their mission to take down DOATEC. Irene previously appeared in Ninja Gaiden II as the character Sonia, which is revealed to be her alias. She also uses this alias as the codename for the operation of taking down DOATEC in Dimensions. Lauren Voiced by: Yuka Koyama is Leon's lost lover. Before the DOA tournaments, Lauren was a young thief, who met Leon in the Silk Road and fell in love with him. The two were in a loving relationship until Lauren's sudden, tragic death in the desert, shown in a flashback scene in DOA2. As Lauren died in Leon's arms, her final words were: "The man I love is the strongest man in the world." These words motivated Leon to enter the second and third DOA tournaments, by the end of which he returns to the desert oasis where he had buried Lauren, and sees the mirage of his lover who gives him a desert flower before disappearing, indicating that he has fulfilled her expectations. Prior to DOA Ultimate, her name was mistranslated as Rolande. Maria is Helena Douglas's mother, former mistress of Fame Douglas and a soprano opera singer. She was fatally shot and killed by Christie intended for her daughter, leaving Helena alone and seeking vengeance. DOA6 reveals that NiCO eventually reanimated her corpse, and showed it off to Helena when explaining her motives. Helena disapproved of it, citing that that one needs to move on, although it is implied from a POV shot from behind her canister that Maria was successfully revived regardless. Mei Lin Voiced by: Yui Horie is Gen Fu's granddaughter. In the first DOA game, she suffered a terrible disease, resulting in Gen Fu entering three DOA tournaments to provide funds for her operation. In the fourth DOA tournament, she is fully recovered, hence Gen Fu no longer enters the tournament. She appears in Gen Fu's ending in DOA3 and can be seen at the end of Eliot's ending in DOA4. Miyako Voiced by: Tomoko Fujino is Kokoro's overprotective mother and a geisha residing in Kyoto. She is also the mother-figure and legal guardian of Helena Douglas, following the murder of her mother Maria at the hands of Christie. In her earlier years, Miyako fell in love with Fame Douglas, and the two of them had an affair which resulted in Kokoro's birth. Being the center of the seedy workings at DOATEC, Miyako feared for her daughter's safety. To protect her, Miyako returned to Japan and raised Kokoro as a single parent, never telling her daughter about her father or her heritage to DOATEC, and started to oversee Kokoro's training to become a geisha. However, when Kokoro became more interested in martial arts than her geisha training and decided to enter the fourth Dead or Alive tournament, Miyako reluctantly allows her to go while warning her that she will not be satisfied in finding out the truth. Her affair with Fame was revealed by Helena. In DOA5 it is revealed that she is the head of DOATEC Japan and is an operative for Donovan's new organization MIST, though Kokoro is unaware of this. Miyako's whereabout during DOA6 is unknown at the same time Kokoro found out that she and Helena are half-sisters. Muramasa Voiced by (English): Michael Bell (Ninja Gaiden); Voiced by (Japanese): Takeshi Aono (Ninja GaidenNinja Gaiden 2); is a character from the Ninja Gaiden series. He made several appearances in DOA4 as the merchant who deals with Bass, Hitomi and Leifang at the Seaside Market. He also appears in DOA5 in which he is taking care of and watching over Kasumi throughout most of the game's story. Niki Voiced by (English): Kari Wahlgren (DOAX2)Voiced by (Japanese): Yuka Koyama is Zack's possible ex-girlfriend. They met in a casino after the Dead or Alive 3 tournament, when Zack won a large sum of money that allowed him to buy an island which he named after himself. He invited most of the girls he remembered from the last tournament to his island under the false pretense of holding another tournament. The women arrived and after finding out it was a hoax, they decided to nonetheless spend their vacation there, but Zack and Niki were eventually left alone on the island. However, a previously inactive volcano erupted, and Niki decided to escape using Zack's jet pack. Zack survived, but his island was completely destroyed. During DOA4, they are seen robbing an ancient tomb and escaping in a truck filled with gold. Niki is Zack's lucky charm (Lady Luck) and he takes her everywhere with him, going as far as naming a beach on his island's eastern shore after her. Niki joined the cast of DOAX2, but not in a player-controlled role and appearing only in cut scenes with Zack as before. Victor Donovan Portrayed by: Eric RobertsVoiced by (English): Grant George (Dimensions)Voiced by (Japanese): Moriya Endo is the main antagonist of the Dead or Alive series. He is a ruthless, sadistic, and a manipulative mastermind scientist, the leader of DOATEC's anti-Douglas faction and is head of the Development Department, a state-of-the-art military fortress where Projects Alpha and Omega were developed. In the first DOA game, Donovan employed the Russian assassin Bayman to kill DOATEC's founder and chairman, Fame Douglas. This attempt is thought to have been successful, as Douglas died shortly after the event. The nature of Donovan's rebellion is thought to be controversy over experiments to be carried out to create the ultimate human weapon. In DOA3 Donovan captures Helena, Fame Douglas' daughter, since she stands to inherit her father's position as chairman of DOATEC. He challenges Helena to win the third Dead or Alive tournament in order to gain her freedom and learn the truth behind the company, and also employs the assassin Christie to keep an eye on her, and kill her if necessary. Meanwhile, Bayman seeks revenge after Donovan plotted his assassination to tie up any loose ends. Donovan is thought to be behind experiments such as Project Epsilon, to which Hayate was subjected; Project Alpha, the cloning of Kasumi; and Project Omega, the augmentation of Ayane's foster father Genra into the ultimate DOA fighter Omega. In Helena's ending of DOA4, Ryu is shown destroying a ship with a man who may or may not be Donovan. The same figure also appeared to have been assassinated by Christie in a gentlemen's club. In what appears to be the canon telling of Donovan's fate, DOA Dimensions shows the shadowy antagonist placing on his face the same mask that corrupted Genra. An aura of demonic energy then surrounds Donovan as he walks back into the shadows, laughing maniacally. In DOA5, which takes place two years after the fourth tournament, he sets up a new organization called MIST after DOATEC (now headed by Helena) disbanded its Military Division and Development Department, with Christie, Lisa, Miyako, NiCO and the brainwashed Rig as his operatives. At the post-end credits, he and Rig have a chat, confirming that the fourth stage of Project Alpha can begin as planned. DOA5LR (canonically DOA6) reveals that Victor recovered Raidou's corpse two years ago after the first tournament, and send it to NiCO for his revival as a cyber-nukenin demon. In the 2006 movie adaption, Donovan was killed in the explosion of DOA Island after being paralyzed by an acupuncture dart thrown by Kasumi. ==See also==
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