Raiden vs. Hiryu Prelude

Steel: As "Naruto vs. Hayabusa" showed, nothing really beats a classic ninja showdown.

Ray: And the ninja is not just a thing of the past. With the latest bio-technological enhancements and state-of-the-art weaponry, the ninja survives far into the distant future.

Steel: Like Raiden, the cyborg swordsman...

Ray: And Strider Hiryu, the hi-tech mercenary.

Steel: He's Ray and I'm Steel-

Ray: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win a DEATH BATTLE.

--


RAIDEN...
First Appearance: "Metal Gear Solid 2"
Age: 35
Height: 6'
Weight: Unknown
Theme:


FEATS...
Became top-class soldier and commander at age 12
Aided in the defeat of The Patriots
-Killed Solidus Snake
Fought and defeated Desperado and World Marshal
Held Back Outer Haven battleship
Single-handedly defeats Metal Gears with little more than a sword
Defeated Senator Armstrong
Became a tried-and-true badass
-Was originally very-disliked

Ray: In the country of Liberia, a young boy named Jack was orphaned and alone. He would be taken in by Solidus Snake, leader of the Patriots, and become a commander and top-soldier before he even hit puberty.

Steel: He HIT puberty? Coulda fooled me! Even in his adult years, he still looks like he's never experienced a hint of testosterone.


(Steel ain't lying)

Ray: Moving on. After the Liberian Civil War, Jack was relieved of duty and extensive treatment let him, outwardly, appear normal and civilized. He even married and had a kid...until it was revealed that the woman he loved was just a spy...but then she revealed she really loved him-y'know what? Screw it. Metal Gear can be VERY convoluted at times.

Steel: That's true. He was later involved in the Big Shell Incident where he teamed up with none other than Solid Snake to take down the Patriots and Solidus, who actually killed his parents, and gained a new, cool codename--Raiden.

Ray: After a few missions and games, Raiden would receive multiple cybernetic implants and enhancements to his body that resulted in him becoming a cyborg soldier working for the Maverick Private Military Company and become their top-gun.

Steel: The result would be one of the best character evolutions ever--going from...less-than-stellar girly-man into a badass cyber-ninja.

Ray: Raiden is almost entirely artificial, being more bio-machine and nanotechnology than man. This makes him virtually tireless, able to run and fight for extended periods of time without exhausting himself due to lack of lactic acid.

Steel: He also became insanely-powerful, being able to lift and throw a Metal Gear RAY, which is estimated to weigh over a THOUSAND TONS! And that wasn't even his up-to-date body!

Ray: In his latest cyborg body, Raiden actually suplexed Senator Armstrong's Metal Gear Excelsus, which is big enough to make RAY look like a dwarf by comparison. He's also fast enough to outrun bullet trains, meaning he can run at speeds over TWO-HUNDRED miles per hour, and even run on walls.

Steel: He's been smashed into buildings, hit hard enough to dent solid metal, and had both of his arms severed on multiple occasions, yet could still OWN whoever he was fighting. And to top it all off, he can cut through automatic fire and jump off missiles.


PHYSICALITY...
Drawn heavily from his cyborg body
-Makes him virtually tireless
-A combination of state-of-the-art robotics and nanotechnology.
Superhuman Strength
-Lifted and threw a Metal Gear RAY
-Suplexed Metal Gear Excelsus
--Wielded one of its building-sized swords
-Matched muscle with Senator Armstrong
Superhuman Speed
-Outran a Bullet Train
-Can run on walls with enough momentum
Superhuman Stamina
-Survived smashing into a building hard enough to leave a crater
-Got punched into Metal Gear Excelsus with enough force to dent it
Superhuman Reflexes
-Can deflect automatic fire and cut through missiles
Master martial artist
-Self-taught style
-Implements break-dancing, ninjutsu, and kendo
-Can fight even when missing both of his arms
Ninja Run
-Increases running speed and maximizes obstacle clearing skills
-Can continue slashing with HF blade or perform slide-attack
-Allows him to scale vertical surfaces

Ray: Raiden's cyborg body can effortlessly be repaired through the use of nanopaste-

Steel: Which he can get by going Mortal Kombat on fellow cyborgs and ripping out their spines!

Ray: In addition, Raiden has a special optic sensor in his eye, which allows for tactical analysis of a situation. He can see enemy and item locations as well as brief inputs of their backgrounds.

Steel: He can emit electricity to amplify his attacks and shock enemies, but that's only the start of the fun. He can access Blade Mode, which slows down his perception of time and allows him to cut through armor and enemies with ease. But the real thing you have to look out for is RIPPER MODE! (shudders) I'm getting awesome chills just by thinking about it.

Ray: Ripper Mode is basically an enhanced form of Blade Mode. Sure, it turns him into a sadistic bloodthirsty psychopath, but it's almost guaranteed that if he enters this mode, whoever he fights won't see another day.

Ray: The downside is that both these modes run on electrolytes. Sure, he can refuel these by, yes, ripping out enemy cyborgs' spines, but each mode will only last a few seconds at best.

CYBORG BODY...
Can repair damage with nanopaste
-Usually taken from the spines of other cyborgs
Makes him incredibly strong, durable, and virtually tireless
Comes with vizor and optic sensor in eye
-Allows for tactical analysis and monitoring of enemy activity
Electrical Discharge Generators
-Located throughout body
-Allows generation of electricity
-Shocks enemies and amplifies unarmed melee attacks

Blade Mode
-Increases Raiden's reaction time
-Enemies appear to move in slow-motion
-Can deliver several slashes per second
-Also can deliver ultra-precise slices
-Fueled by electrolytes, meaning it lasts a short time

Ripper Mode
-Returns Raiden's sense of pain
-Turns him into a bloodthirsty and sadistic killer
-Attacks become stronger and faster
-Increases duration of Blade Mode
-Lasts a short time

Steel: Now for ANYONE'S favorite part when talking about Raiden--the weaponry he's got at his disposal! He's not too shabby with his fists and feet, he goes the way of many badass ninjas and uses a sword. This isn't any ordinary kind of sword, though. Ray! Take 'er away!

Ray: Raiden uses a High-Frequency katana. Modeled after trademark samurai swords, these particular blades are equipped with high-frequency generators that vibrate them to incredible levels, allowing them to cut objects on a molecular level. This means that it will cut through virtually anything.

Steel: Considering he's got Blade Mode and Ripper Mode at his disposal, many opponents will be reduced to bloody chunks before they even know what hit them.

Ray: Raiden's strongest all-around blade is the Murasama. Taken from the cyborg samurai, Jetstream Sam, it is stronger and has a faster swing than Raiden's standard blade. Alongside this, he has access to heavy-hitting scissor swords-NO KILL LA KILL JOKES PLEASE!

Steel: Darn. Ol' Jack's also got a magnetic sai that doubles up as a grappling hook and a literal polearm. While he despises the use of firearms, he'll still make use of rocket launchers and grenades to shake enemies up.

WEAPONS/GEAR...

High-Frequency Blades
-Modeled after Japanese katanas mostly
-HF Generator-equipped
-Shears through solids on a molecular scale

Murasama
-Raiden's best all-around HF-Blade
-Taken from Jetstream Sam
-Slightly faster swing than standard
-Stronger when fully upgraded

Bloodlust
-Pincer Blades used by Sundowner
-Powerful, sweeping strikes
-Grants Raiden immense boost in defense
-Downside is being rather slow

Dystopia
-Magnetic Sai used by Monsoon
-Stuns opponents if charged long enough
-Can pull Raiden towards enemies

L'Etranger
-Polearm made from Mistral's Dwarf Gekko arms
-Can be used as a spear, staff, or whip
Rocket Launcher
-Comes in two varieties
-Standard: No homing features, useful against
-Homing: Used typically against airborne foes
Grenades
-Frag: Standard offensive grenade
-EMP: Stuns cyborgs and unmanned vehicles
-RP: Smoke grenade
-Jam: Stuns unmanned vehicles and disables electronics
-3D Photo Frame: Projects hologram of a dancing woman

Ray: Raiden is a beast in combat, but he is far from flawless. His time as a soldier has left him with PTSD as well as emotional and mental instability. He also heavily prefers direct and close-quarters combat, rarely relying on stealth and viewing guns as cowardly.

Steel: And while that cyborg body is awesome, it has limits as to how much damage it can take. Because his body doesn't naturally produce blood, he has to get it replaced like oil in a car. And his left arm is a prime target for most foes-wait, WHAT?

Ray: Where do I begin? When Raiden became a cyborg and lost an arm, he had it replaced and many of his cranial nerves are now connected to that arm. If his left arm is severed in a fight, it can cause bad flashbacks to his traumatizing past and even result in some memory loss.

Steel: I question why they'd put important nerves in one of the most-used appendages in the body, but this is Metal Gear we're talking about. They rarely make sense sometimes.


WEAKNESSES...
Suffers PTSD and emotional/mental instability
-Goes back to his younger years
Heavily prefers melee combat
-Sees guns as cowardly and dishonorable
Prefers a direct approach to combat
Cybernetic body has limits
-Blood doesn't regenerate and must be replaced
Left Arm is vulnerable
-Severing results in flashbacks and some memory loss
Blade and Ripper Modes last short time
-Burns electrolytes very quickly

Steel: Regardless of Metal Gear logic, Raiden has come a long way since Metal Gear Solid 2. He's left combat drones, squads of soldiers, cyborg mercenaries, humongous war-mechs, and nanomachine-powered meme-starters dead in his wake. If he's ready to rip, I'd say let's let him go wild.

(Raiden/Jack the Ripper: *evil laugh* Who's next?)
--




STRIDER HIRYU...
First Appearance: "Strider Hiryu" ch. 1 (1988)
Age: 2,021
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 187lbs
Theme: 


FEATS...
Youngest person to become a Special-A Class Strider
-C-Class Striders have the strength and skill of a Special Forces team
--Hiryu is a full three ranks above this
Slew entire armies, robots, mutants, cyborgs, and even dinosaurs
Destroyed a moon-sized space station
Infiltrated Kazakh and uprooted its entire structure
-Killed elementals, giant robots, monsters, and more in the process
Considers giant, aerial warships to be little more than toys
Defeated Grandmaster Meios three times
-Survived re-entry in the atmosphere after defeating his final form
Lived 2,000 years in retirement and still hasn't lost his touch

Ray: Abandoned at a young age, Hiryu was brought into the Strider Program, a military branch that trained hi-tech ninja-like warriors. Turns out that was a good thing, because he became the youngest person to achieve the rank of Special-A Rank.

Steel: If a C-Class Strider has the strength and skill of an entire Special Forces unit, then that makes Hiryu a one-man army.

Ray: However, Hiryu's loyalties to the program would be shaken during a mission where he was sent to kill a rogue Strider, who happened to be his own sister.

Steel: Naturally pissed off at the Strider Program for manipulating him and his sister, Hiryu left...only to be pulled out of retirement several times because "fate of the world" and all that jazz.

Ray: Despite being in retirement for over TWO THOUSAND years, Hiryu has not lost his touch or let his gear rust. He's still strong enough to sever human body parts with little more than a karate chop and fast enough to outpace Shadow Tag Bullets.

Steel: How fast is that? Shadow Tag bullets are made to track supersonic targets, which makes them miniature anti-aircraft rounds. Like to go bird-hunting with those babies!

Ray: Hiryu can also propel himself through the air in short bursts, lacing his body with energy to make it a useful attack in battle.

PHYSICALITY...
Master martial artist
Superhuman strength
-Much stronger than the average human
-Can sever limbs with a karate chop
Superhuman speed
-Can move fast enough to evade anti-aircraft bullets
Jumping Ability
-Very acrobatic
-Can span several feet in a single bound
-Double-Jump allows extra aerial maneuverability
Plasma Catapult
-Lets him dash short distances in midair
-Laced with plasma to damage anything in his path
Slide Assault
-Slides on the ground, damaging enemies
-Useful for getting under objects and defenses
Triangle Jump
-While clinging to a wall, can spring to the other side

Ray: Hiryu's primary weapon is a Falchion called "Cypher". Typically, it's a curved saber, but Hiryu's is a tonfa-sword mix, allowing for great versatility, and can be laced with plasma.

Steel: It's kinda like a lightsaber that, along with bouncing back projectiles, can extend its length.

Ray: Real-life plasma cutters can effortlessly sheer through solid steel at a temperature over three MILLION degrees Fahrenheit. But this is not Hiryu's only weapon, he has a series of robotic drones at his beck and call. The first ones, Option A, are a set of mini-satellites that can fire laser discs and protect Hiryu from explosive projectiles.

Steel: Option B is a robo-cat with sharp claws and fangs, and Hiryu can ride on it while standing perfectly upright--like a BOSS!

Ray: Finally, Option C is a robotic falcon with talons, bladed wings, and can drop firebombs.

Steel: Then there are also supportive gadgets, like the Vajra, a belt that gives him the ability to teleport, and a set of boots that let him walk on water, increase the strength of his slide-kick, and run up certain walls. He can also throw energy-based, self-regenerating kunai knives, too and the Climb Sickle to...well, climb. Creative naming isn't one of the Strider Organization's strong suits.

WEAPONS/GADGETS...

Cypher
-Plasma-laced, tonfa-grip sword
-Length can be extended
-Can neutralize/reflect projectiles
-Chargeable to increase its strength
Options
-Robotic Drones that Hiryu can command

-Option A: Twin satellites that shoot laser discs and protect Hiryu from rockets

-Option B: Robotic panther with sharp claws, Hiryu can ride on it for long-distance travel

-Option C: Robotic hawk that can drop bombs, allows Hiryu to fly

Kunai
-Throwing knives that can damage foes and activate switches
-Can throw up to 8 at a time
-Requires plasma to use
Vajra
-Hiryu's belt
-Allows him to teleport

Climb Sickle
-Allows Hiryu to cling to sheer surfaces
-Never used as a weapon
-Hiryu can still attack while clinging to a wall
Boots
-Aqua Boots: Let him run on water
-Magnet Boots: Lets him walk up certain walls
-Attack Boots: Increase the damage of his slide-kick

Ray: Hiryu also has access to several abilities known as Tricks. With them, he can shoot fire or ground-based spark-balls, create earthquakes, increase his jumping height, and restore fractions of his health.

Steel: But the real beauty comes from his most recent game, where he got to use all-new types of energy to enhance Cypher, his Plasma Catapult Move, and his throwing knives. The standard is the red energy known as Reflect Plasma, giving him the ability to reflect bullet-like projectiles and allow his kunai to bounce off surfaces.

Ray: Explosive Plasma allows him to ignite struck enemies and turns his kunai into stickybombs, Cold Plasma lets him freeze enemies to stall them or turn them into makeshift platforms, and Magnetic Plasma lets him fire energy discs, give his kunai homing features, and even magnetize enemies, stunning them and drawing projectiles to them.

Steel: He also has a super mode called Charge Mode. It only lasts five seconds and takes some time to charge up, but it increases his attack strength and range, and even slows down his perception of time, allowing faster reaction and quicker kill-time!


ABILITIES...
Tricks
-Fire: Shoots a fireball
-Medical: Restores 20HP
-Spark: Releases and electric spark through the grount
-Jump: Increases jumping height
-Ground: Creates an earthquake-like tremor that destroys weaker enemies
-Medical 2: Restores 50HP
-Spark Ball: Similar to Spark, but creates a bigger orb of electricity
-Medical 3: Restores 150HP
Plasma
-Enhancements to his Cypher, Air Dash, and Kunai attacks
-Reflect: Red energy that lets him reflect projectiles
*Plasma Dash: Reflects any bullets that might try to intercept him
*Kunai: Bounce off surfaces when thrown
-Explosive: Orange energy that laces foes with hot, often explosive energy
*Fire Dash: On impact, sets foe on fire
*Explosive Kunai: Latch onto enemies and exploding after a short time
-Ultra-Cold: Blue energy that freezes enemies and objects, can be used as platforms
*Cold Dash: Freezes enemies on impact
-Magnet: Purple energy that sends out energy discs that return like boomerangs to hit from behind
*Magnetic Dash: Stuns enemies on impact and draws bullets toward them
*Magnetic Kunai: Will home in on enemies, swerving to hit them
Charge Mode
-Hiryu's "super mode"
-Achieved after enough hits are landed in rapid succession
-Laces Hiryu in white plasma
-Attack strength and range are doubled
-All foes appear to move in slow-motion
-Lasts about 5 seconds

Ray: While Hiryu is very professional and a skilled and powerful ninja, he's not without his faults. He regularly neglects stealth and is heavily reliant on melee combat, much like Raiden. His Tricks and Plasma have limited fuel supplies, meaning he can only use things like Options, Kunai, and Air-Dashes so many times.

Steel: He can passively regain plasma, but does so at a pretty slow rate and he'll require plasma packets to do so much quicker. Also...he's kind of lacking in the defense department. Even Option A, his best defense, only really protects him from explosives, not bullets or blades.


WEAKNESSES...
Heavily reliant on melee combat
Regularly neglects stealth
Lacks real armor and defenses
-Option A protects only from explosives
Tricks have limited number of uses
-Requires nanites to use
-If nanites are depleted, he'll be unable to use them
Limited Plasma supply
-Using Options, Kunai, and Aerial Dashes depletes it
-Recharges passively, but slowly
-Can recharge faster by finding plasma packets

Ray: However, Hiryu's greatest strength is his professionalism and his near-unbreakable focus. His skill and abilities are so great that he considers weaponized aircraft little more than TOYS and has defeated the creator of the world, Emperor Meios, a total of THREE times!

Steel: Why? Because not even GOD screws with this Strider!

(Hiryu: All are equal in the face of death.)