So who are these 'Tatsunoko' characters anyway?

by JC Fletcher { Jun 17th 2009 at 1:40PM }

One major issue with marketing Tatsunoko vs. Capcom in North America is that nobody but old-school otaku knows who the hell half of the characters are. It took a few months of watching matches on YouTube to realize that all the Tatsunoko characters looked really fun in gameplay, but the name recognition wasn't there for us like it is in Japan, where Tatsunoko Production anime is an institution.

Seemingly in an attempt to combat that handicap, at least among the hardcore blog-reading audience, Capcom Unity has started a series of posts introducing the characters. The first, "Dragon vs. Eagle," provides a fairly detailed bio of Gatchaman's Ken the Eagle, with background about the character and the Gatchaman show, and supplementary video clips. There's also a bio of Ryu, but everyone knows Ryu: torn sleeves, headband, likes fighting.

Gallery: Tatsunoko VS Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars

Tags: capcom, eighting, fighting, ken-the-eagle, tatsunoko, tatsunoko-vs-capcom

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Tim @ Jun 17th 2009 2:05PM

The only way mainstream gaming would even give a damn about this is only when it includes Speed Racer, Samurai Pizza Cats, and Tekkaman Blade, since these three are nostalgia bait... in America!

Noshino @ Jun 17th 2009 2:34PM

Well, you are talking about a fighting game, so yah, this genre is significantly smaller than other ones.

And you are talking about the Wii, a mainstream console that is seen as very casual friendly...

Yah, I don't really think that this title will do very well, it will need a hell of a marketing campaign

Haohmaru (PSN - DimmuBurgerKing XBL - A Real Puppet ) @ Jun 17th 2009 2:37PM

Don't forget about Superbook and the Flying House. I still want my Moses vs. Viewtiful Joe match!

Pookiewood @ Jun 17th 2009 3:16PM

+1 for you for mentioning Samurai Pizza Cats!

Tim @ Jun 17th 2009 3:36PM

Noshino, I know for a fact that TvC is a niche game, by American standards, yet, the three Tatsunoko characters I mentioned are in the MAINSTREAM American psyche.

I do believe that even though Tatsunoko VS Capcom is niche game, it still will be able to achieve mainstream recognition, by having Tekkaman Blade, Samurai Pizza Cats, and SPEED RACER, in the game.

Chad Vanderbilt (Moptimus in Disguise) @ Jun 17th 2009 5:15PM

im tellin ya, if they're going to add anyone its gonna be Eva Unit 01

Tim @ Jun 17th 2009 6:52PM

Chad, EVA is clearly Gainax, and NOT Tatsunoko, since the latter does NOT have the tendency to do the mind screw, which is clearly a Gainax trademark.

Chad Vanderbilt (Moptimus in Disguise) @ Jun 17th 2009 10:35PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatsunoko_Production

Scroll down to the 90's. Technically, it IS a part of Tatsunoko history

Tim @ Jun 17th 2009 11:31PM

Chad, even the EVA connection was busted, even in Capcom USA:

http://www.capcom-unity.com/ask_capcom/go/thread/view/7371/14638519/Tatsunoko_vs_Capcom_questions

For the record, the only reason why Tatsunoko got involved in being associated with EVA was because it did the animation for the show; in other words, animation only, NOT the entire trademark.

Tim @ Jun 17th 2009 11:34PM

Chad, here it is:

http://www.capcom-unity.com/tatsunokovscapcom/go/thread/view/57851/14720953/Licensing_for_other_Tatsunoko_animes_Samurai_Pizza_Cats_Speed_Racer_etc

S. Tiger @ Jun 19th 2009 6:52AM

Hey man, Yatterman is the shit. The guy fights with a kendama.

Though, I'd probably just use Viewtiful Joe and Yatterman or PTX-40A. I schooled one of my friends using PTX-40A at the arcade.

Tim @ Jun 19th 2009 11:12AM

Thanks to two memes, this is my main team:

Yatterman-1/Tekkaman

Yatta!/SPACE LANCE!

xeleion @ Jun 17th 2009 2:51PM

No link to the article, JC?

JC Fletcher @ Jun 17th 2009 3:26PM

There's a link at the bottom of the post labeled "Source" and another one on the image, but I've added a third link in the body of the text. Sorry about that.

xeleion @ Jun 17th 2009 3:37PM

... Oh. -failed to see the Source link-

Thanks for accommodating us slow people.

Pookiewood @ Jun 17th 2009 3:17PM

Marvel vs Capcom 3 please.

Tim @ Jun 17th 2009 3:28PM

"Me love me Viper Beams, me wanty Marvel VS Capcom 3."

Fixed.

Big George @ Jun 17th 2009 5:49PM

Guess there aren't enough kids today that remember the Americanized version of Gatchaman was called "Battle of the Planets." I loved that show. But that was in the late 70's.

Matias @ Jun 17th 2009 7:02PM

I saw Gatchaman as a kid, only with the name G-force (and in spanish, because I'm from latin america)

Aside from that (And Cashern maybe, because for some reason I remember him) I didn't know any character from Tatsunoko that appeared in the game (I got it though, it looked so good). I hope they put some mainstream characters when they bring it, because it's no fun to play with characters that nobody else knows about.

Tim @ Jun 17th 2009 7:54PM

In before EVA requests... >_>

For the record, EVA is a Gainax trademark; heck, even Tatsunoko acknowledges that.

Anyway, I hope it's gonna be Tekkaman Blade, Samurai Pizza Cats, and Speed Racer.

Maxx the Slash @ Jun 18th 2009 1:18PM

I only know of Speed Racer and all of that show's characters, and I know Casshaun, Friender and Luna from Casshaun Robot Hunter when it played several years ago on Sci-Fi Channel, and I heard of the G-Force cast from the now defunct GameFan magazine's anime sections when they reviewed a few of the "Gatchaman" movies. Oh, and Tekkaman Blade (when it was released in America years ago as Teknoman. And I've heard of and seen commercials for Samurai Pizza Cats, but I never cared to watch it (looked stupid to me).

Everyone else in this game, I've never heard of, but Tatsunoko VS. Capcom is definately raising my interest in finding out who they are. In the end, I think this game is going to be great for Tatsunoko Productions, as it's going to motivate more Americans into watching their old and new stuff.