On November 27th, 2022, the 8,000th article was added to the SuccuWiki!

Morrigan Aensland: Difference between revisions

From SuccuWiki - The Wiki of the Succubi
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 95: Line 95:
Morrigan is widely seen as the most iconic character of ''Darkstalkers''. ''Sega Saturn Magazine'' praised both her design and abilities as "awesome".<ref>{{cite journal |journal=[[Sega Saturn Magazine]] |issue=32 |page=48 |month=June |year=1998 |title=Bite Me! |author=Yeo, Matt}}</ref> Featuring Morrigan and Felicia in their ''girls of gaming'' special in 2003, ''Play Magazine'' wrote that the two are famous for how they "unified the haunting with the erotic, along with previously unseen level of animation and creature design."<ref>''Play magazine presents: girls of gaming'' #1</ref> The 2009 book ''500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide'' by Helen McCarthy cited Morrigan as an example of the popularity of the ''Darkstalkers'' character designs, with fans frequently cosplaying as the character at various conventions since the original game's release.<ref>{{cite book |title=500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide |page=214 |isbn=0-06-147450-9 |year=2009 |publisher=Collins Design |author=McCarthy, Helen}}</ref> In 2010, UGO's Chris Plante called her "''Darkstalkers''{{'}} most recognizable character [and] also wildly popular with cosplayers."<ref name=sp/> In 2011, GameFront's Phil Owen run a feature article showcasing some of Morrigan's (and Lilith's) cosplayers, calling it "probably the sexiest gallery I’ve ever posted."<ref>Phil Owen, [http://www.gamefront.com/50-morrigan-aensland-cosplayers-way-sexy-pics/ 50 Morrigan Aensland Cosplayers (WAY SEXY PICS)], GameFront, February 14, 2011</ref>
Morrigan is widely seen as the most iconic character of ''Darkstalkers''. ''Sega Saturn Magazine'' praised both her design and abilities as "awesome".<ref>{{cite journal |journal=[[Sega Saturn Magazine]] |issue=32 |page=48 |month=June |year=1998 |title=Bite Me! |author=Yeo, Matt}}</ref> Featuring Morrigan and Felicia in their ''girls of gaming'' special in 2003, ''Play Magazine'' wrote that the two are famous for how they "unified the haunting with the erotic, along with previously unseen level of animation and creature design."<ref>''Play magazine presents: girls of gaming'' #1</ref> The 2009 book ''500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide'' by Helen McCarthy cited Morrigan as an example of the popularity of the ''Darkstalkers'' character designs, with fans frequently cosplaying as the character at various conventions since the original game's release.<ref>{{cite book |title=500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide |page=214 |isbn=0-06-147450-9 |year=2009 |publisher=Collins Design |author=McCarthy, Helen}}</ref> In 2010, UGO's Chris Plante called her "''Darkstalkers''{{'}} most recognizable character [and] also wildly popular with cosplayers."<ref name=sp/> In 2011, GameFront's Phil Owen run a feature article showcasing some of Morrigan's (and Lilith's) cosplayers, calling it "probably the sexiest gallery I’ve ever posted."<ref>Phil Owen, [http://www.gamefront.com/50-morrigan-aensland-cosplayers-way-sexy-pics/ 50 Morrigan Aensland Cosplayers (WAY SEXY PICS)], GameFront, February 14, 2011</ref>


According to [[GameSpot]], "Morrigan has been a mainstay in the Capcom crossover fighting games and is definitely a fan favorite."<ref name=gs/> In 1998, Morrigan was named the 17th best character of 1997 by the Japanese magazine ''Gamest''.<ref>{{cite journal |title=ベストキャラクター賞 |trans_title=Best Character Award |journal=Gamest |issue=212 |date=30 January 1998|page=102 |author=Staff}}</ref> ''[[Play (UK magazine)|Play]]'' featured her in the "Girls of Anime" special,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Halverson |first=Dave |coauthors=Mike Griffin, Heather Anne Campbell, Matt Cabral, Eric L. Patterson |title=Girls of Anime |journal=[[Play (US magazine)|play]] |volume=1 |issue= |pages=20}}</ref> later regretting her absence in ''[[Capcom Fighting Evolution]]'' in their "Girls of Gaming" special.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Halverson |first=Dave |coauthors=Mike Griffin, Heather Anne Campbell, Matt Cabral, Eric L. Patterson |title=Girls of Gaming |journal=[[Play (US magazine)|play]] |volume=2 |issue= |pages=67}}</ref> In 2008, Morrigan was included on a list of top "chicks behaving badly" for her "penchant for magic and kick-ass fighting moves" by [[IGN]]'s Scott Cullura, her outfit described as "one that would make even [[Jenna Jameson]] blush."<ref>Scott Cullura, [http://stars.ign.com/articles/863/863436p8.html Top 50 Chicks Behaving Badly: Round 1], IGN, March 31, 2008</ref> She was also featured in a list of ten "babes who shouldn't meet your mom" by [[GameDaily]] in 2008,<ref>[http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/ten-babes-who-should-and-10-babes-who-shouldnt-meet-your-mom/?page=6 Don't take her to mom: Morrigan (Darkstalkers series)], GameDaily{{deadlink|date=June 2012}}</ref> as well as in a list of ten "game girls you wouldn't dare to date" by [[Virgin Media]] in 2010.<ref>[http://www.virginmedia.com/games/inpictures/bad-date.php?ssid=2 Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers) - Bad Date], Virgin Media</ref> Also in 2010, ''[[Game Informer]]'' chose Morrigan as one of the 20 Capcom characters they would like to see in a rumored crossover fighting game ''Namco Vs Capcom'', her [[Namco]] side equivalent being [[Ivy Valentine]].<ref>Tim Turi, [http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/07/20/20-namco-vs-capcom-matches-we-d-love-to-see.aspx 20 Namco Vs Capcom Matches We'd Love To See], ''Game Informer'', July 20, 2010</ref> In 2012, ''[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]'' ranked Morrigan as the 13th "most dominant" fighting game character for being "super sexual but also super deadly,"<ref>Elton Jones, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/05/the-50-most-dominant-fighting-characters-in-video-games/morrigan The 50 Most Dominant Fighting Game Characters], Complex.com, May 17, 2012</ref> also including  "Capcom vs. [[DC Universe]]" as third fighting game crossover idea they would like to see the most, for a battle between Morrigan and [[Wonder Woman]].<ref>[http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/04/10-fighting-game-crossovers-we-want-to-see/capcom-vs-dc-universe 10 Fighting Game Crossovers We Want To See], Complex.com, April 10, 2012</ref> That same year, Lucas Sullivan of [[GamesRadar]] ranked Morrigan as the fourth best character in the fighting game genre's history, stating: "This sultry succubus is one of fighting games' leading ladies, striking a balance between the dignified seriousness of [[Chun-Li]] and the hyper-sexualized cleavage-heaving antics of [[Mai Shiranui]]" and adding that "besides her full-time gig as a [[Sexual fantasy|male fantasy]], Morrigan’s made quite a name for herself, showing up in almost every Capcom crossover and [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]]."<ref name=best>Lucas Sullivan, [http://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-best-fighting-game-characters/ The Top 7… Best fighting game characters], GamesRadar, September 10, 2012</ref> Also in 2012, [[MSN]] included her among the 20 "hottest women in video game history".<ref>[http://tech.malaysia.msn.com/photoviewer.aspx?cp-documentid=250764311 The hottest women in video game history], MSN, 21 September 2012</ref>
According to GameSpot, "Morrigan has been a mainstay in the Capcom crossover fighting games and is definitely a fan favorite."<ref name=gs/> In 1998, Morrigan was named the 17th best character of 1997 by the Japanese magazine ''Gamest''.<ref>{{cite journal |title=ベストキャラクター賞 |trans_title=Best Character Award |journal=Gamest |issue=212 |date=30 January 1998|page=102 |author=Staff}}</ref> ''Play Magazine'' featured her in the "Girls of Anime" special,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Halverson |first=Dave |coauthors=Mike Griffin, Heather Anne Campbell, Matt Cabral, Eric L. Patterson |title=Girls of Anime |journal=Play |volume=1 |issue= |pages=20}}</ref> later regretting her absence in ''Capcom Fighting Evolution'' in their "Girls of Gaming" special.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Halverson |first=Dave |coauthors=Mike Griffin, Heather Anne Campbell, Matt Cabral, Eric L. Patterson |title=Girls of Gaming |journal=Play |volume=2 |issue= |pages=67}}</ref> In 2008, Morrigan was included on a list of top "chicks behaving badly" for her "penchant for magic and kick-ass fighting moves" by IGN's Scott Cullura, her outfit described as "one that would make even Jenna Jameson blush."<ref>Scott Cullura, [http://stars.ign.com/articles/863/863436p8.html Top 50 Chicks Behaving Badly: Round 1], IGN, March 31, 2008</ref> She was also featured in a list of ten "babes who shouldn't meet your mom" by GameDaily in 2008,<ref>[http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/ten-babes-who-should-and-10-babes-who-shouldnt-meet-your-mom/?page=6 Don't take her to mom: Morrigan (Darkstalkers series)], GameDaily{{deadlink|date=June 2012}}</ref> as well as in a list of ten "game girls you wouldn't dare to date" by Virgin Media in 2010.<ref>[http://www.virginmedia.com/games/inpictures/bad-date.php?ssid=2 Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers) - Bad Date], Virgin Media</ref> Also in 2010, ''Game Informer'' chose Morrigan as one of the 20 Capcom characters they would like to see in a rumored crossover fighting game ''Namco Vs Capcom'', her Namco side equivalent being Ivy Valentine.<ref>Tim Turi, [http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/07/20/20-namco-vs-capcom-matches-we-d-love-to-see.aspx 20 Namco Vs Capcom Matches We'd Love To See], ''Game Informer'', July 20, 2010</ref> In 2012, ''Complex Magazine'' ranked Morrigan as the 13th "most dominant" fighting game character for being "super sexual but also super deadly,"<ref>Elton Jones, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/05/the-50-most-dominant-fighting-characters-in-video-games/morrigan The 50 Most Dominant Fighting Game Characters], Complex.com, May 17, 2012</ref> also including  "Capcom vs. DC Universe" as third fighting game crossover idea they would like to see the most, for a battle between Morrigan and [[Wonder Woman]].<ref>[http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/04/10-fighting-game-crossovers-we-want-to-see/capcom-vs-dc-universe 10 Fighting Game Crossovers We Want To See], Complex.com, April 10, 2012</ref> That same year, Lucas Sullivan of GamesRadar ranked Morrigan as the fourth best character in the fighting game genre's history, stating: "This sultry succubus is one of fighting games' leading ladies, striking a balance between the dignified seriousness of Chun-Li and the hyper-sexualized cleavage-heaving antics of Mai Shiranui" and adding that "besides her full-time gig as a male fantasy, Morrigan’s made quite a name for herself, showing up in almost every Capcom crossover and spin-off."<ref name=best>Lucas Sullivan, [http://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-best-fighting-game-characters/ The Top 7… Best fighting game characters], GamesRadar, September 10, 2012</ref> Also in 2012, MSN included her among the 20 "hottest women in video game history".<ref>[http://tech.malaysia.msn.com/photoviewer.aspx?cp-documentid=250764311 The hottest women in video game history], MSN, 21 September 2012</ref>


Morrigan was often noted as one of the most sexy characters of fighting games and gaming in general. In 2003, [[GameSpy]]'s Bryan Johnson ranked Morrigan as the third top "babe in games", calling her Capcom's answer to [[SNK]]'s Mai Shiranui.<ref>Bryan "Sir Crossforge" Johnson, [http://archive.gamespy.com/top10/may03/gamebabes/index3.shtml Top 10 Babes in Games], GameSpy, May 4, 2003 </ref> UGO included Morrigan on their 2008 list of 11 "hottest babes to ever hit the video game world", stating that "her appearances across the Capcom fighting franchises prove that the company has an excellent eye for the female form",<ref>UGO Team, [http://www.ugo.com/games/gaming-girls/?cur=morrigan-aenslan Top 11 Girls of Gaming], UGO.com, January 15, 2008</ref> as well as in the 2011 list of 50 "hottest girls in games", adding that "with a body like that, we can ignore those wings coming out of her head."<ref>UGO Team, [http://www.ugo.com/games/video-game-hotties/?cur=morrigan-darkstalkers&morepics=33 Top 50 Videogame Hotties], UGO.com, October 27, 2011</ref> In 2009, Gelo Gonzales of ''[[FHM]]'' listed the "undeniably seductive" Morrigan among the nine sexiest "bad girls of videogame land",<ref>Gelo Gonzales, [http://www.fhm.com.ph/entertainment/games/article/1688/page/2 The bad girls of videogame land], ''FHM'', September 11, 2009</ref> while Manolith included her on the lists of top ten "sexiest video game women" and 25 "hottest female video game protagonists".<ref>Akela Talamasca, [http://www.manolith.com/2009/07/30/top-10-sexiest-video-game-women/ Top 10 Sexiest Video Game Women], Manolith, July 30, 2009</ref><ref>The Manolith Team, [http://www.manolith.com/2009/12/09/hottest-videogame-babes/ 25 Hottest Female Video Game Protagonists], Manolith, December 9, 2009</ref> In 2010, Johnny Firecloud of [[CraveOnline]] featured her on the list of ten "hottest video game girls of all time", commenting: "The iconic succubus [...] is more than just an anatomic wonder - she's also one of the single most sexually stylistic ladies in gaming land."<ref>Johnny Firecloud, [http://www.craveonline.com/gaming/articles/132296-the-hottest-girls-in-gaming The Hottest Girls in Gaming], CraveOnline, November 16, 2010</ref> In 2011, UGO ranked her as the fourth in their list of the "foxiest fighting females to ever be pixelated,"<ref>Aubrey Sitterson, [http://www.ugo.com/games/morrigan-aensland Fighting Games' Finest Female Fighters], UGO.com, January 14, 2011</ref> while GameFront featured her twice on the list of "greatest boobs in video game history", as 37th (for the ''Darkstalkers'' version, called the "reason 12 year olds packed [[Arcade game|arcades]] into the late 90s") and 11th (for the ''Marvel Vs. Capcom'' version, being "50% of all [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic Con]] costumes").<ref>[http://www.gamefront.com/the-greatest-boobs-in-video-game-history-gallery/ The Greatest Boobs In Video Game History (Gallery) | GameFront]</ref> That same year, Japanator.com's Bob Muir included her on the list of "Japanese gaming's top ten hottest girls", stating: "In fact, Morrigan is so popular that many people know of her sultry looks who have never touched a ''Darkstalkers'' game."<ref>Bob Muir, [http://www.japanator.com/japanese-gaming-s-top-ten-hottest-girls-and-guys-18305.phtml Japanese Gaming's Top Ten Hottest Girls and Guys], Japanator.com, 01.23.2011</ref> In 2011, Rich Knight of ''Complex'' pitted her against [[Rayne (Bloodrayne)|Agent Rayne]] in the "battle of the beauties" feature, comparing them to "the sexy [[Goth subculture|goth]] girls you were too afraid to ask out in high school" and choosing Morrigan.<ref>Rich Knight, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2011/11/battle-of-the-beauties-gamings-hottest-female-characters-face-off#11 Battle of the Beauties: Gaming's Hottest Female Characters Face Off], Complex.com, November 9, 2011</ref> In 2012, Larry Hester of ''Complex'' ranked also her as the third "hottest" character video game in video game history,<ref>Larry Hester, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/06/the-50-hottest-video-game-characters/ The 50 Hottest Video Game Characters], Complex.com, Jun 27, 2012</ref> while K. Thor Jensen of UGO included her among the 99 "hottest" fictional women of 2012, calling her as "the best thing" in ''Marvel Vs. Capcom 3''.<ref name=ugo>K. Thor Jensen, [http://www.ugo.com/girls/99-hottest-fictional-women-of-2012-morrigan-aensland Morrigan Aensland - The 99 Hottest Fictional Women Of 2012], UGO.com, February 1, 2012</ref>
Morrigan was often noted as one of the most sexy characters of fighting games and gaming in general. In 2003, GameSpy's Bryan Johnson ranked Morrigan as the third top "babe in games", calling her Capcom's answer to SNK's Mai Shiranui.<ref>Bryan "Sir Crossforge" Johnson, [http://archive.gamespy.com/top10/may03/gamebabes/index3.shtml Top 10 Babes in Games], GameSpy, May 4, 2003 </ref> UGO included Morrigan on their 2008 list of 11 "hottest babes to ever hit the video game world", stating that "her appearances across the Capcom fighting franchises prove that the company has an excellent eye for the female form",<ref>UGO Team, [http://www.ugo.com/games/gaming-girls/?cur=morrigan-aenslan Top 11 Girls of Gaming], UGO.com, January 15, 2008</ref> as well as in the 2011 list of 50 "hottest girls in games", adding that "with a body like that, we can ignore those wings coming out of her head."<ref>UGO Team, [http://www.ugo.com/games/video-game-hotties/?cur=morrigan-darkstalkers&morepics=33 Top 50 Videogame Hotties], UGO.com, October 27, 2011</ref> In 2009, Gelo Gonzales of ''FHM'' listed the "undeniably seductive" Morrigan among the nine sexiest "bad girls of videogame land",<ref>Gelo Gonzales, [http://www.fhm.com.ph/entertainment/games/article/1688/page/2 The bad girls of videogame land], ''FHM'', September 11, 2009</ref> while Manolith included her on the lists of top ten "sexiest video game women" and 25 "hottest female video game protagonists".<ref>Akela Talamasca, [http://www.manolith.com/2009/07/30/top-10-sexiest-video-game-women/ Top 10 Sexiest Video Game Women], Manolith, July 30, 2009</ref><ref>The Manolith Team, [http://www.manolith.com/2009/12/09/hottest-videogame-babes/ 25 Hottest Female Video Game Protagonists], Manolith, December 9, 2009</ref> In 2010, Johnny Firecloud of CraveOnline featured her on the list of ten "hottest video game girls of all time", commenting: "The iconic succubus [...] is more than just an anatomic wonder - she's also one of the single most sexually stylistic ladies in gaming land."<ref>Johnny Firecloud, [http://www.craveonline.com/gaming/articles/132296-the-hottest-girls-in-gaming The Hottest Girls in Gaming], CraveOnline, November 16, 2010</ref> In 2011, UGO ranked her as the fourth in their list of the "foxiest fighting females to ever be pixelated,"<ref>Aubrey Sitterson, [http://www.ugo.com/games/morrigan-aensland Fighting Games' Finest Female Fighters], UGO.com, January 14, 2011</ref> while GameFront featured her twice on the list of "greatest boobs in video game history", as 37th (for the ''Darkstalkers'' version, called the "reason 12 year olds packed arcades into the late 90s") and 11th (for the ''Marvel Vs. Capcom'' version, being "50% of all Comic Con costumes").<ref>[http://www.gamefront.com/the-greatest-boobs-in-video-game-history-gallery/ The Greatest Boobs In Video Game History (Gallery) | GameFront]</ref> That same year, Japanator.com's Bob Muir included her on the list of "Japanese gaming's top ten hottest girls", stating: "In fact, Morrigan is so popular that many people know of her sultry looks who have never touched a ''Darkstalkers'' game."<ref>Bob Muir, [http://www.japanator.com/japanese-gaming-s-top-ten-hottest-girls-and-guys-18305.phtml Japanese Gaming's Top Ten Hottest Girls and Guys], Japanator.com, 01.23.2011</ref> In 2011, Rich Knight of ''Complex'' pitted her against Agent Rayne in the "battle of the beauties" feature, comparing them to "the sexy goth girls you were too afraid to ask out in high school" and choosing Morrigan.<ref>Rich Knight, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2011/11/battle-of-the-beauties-gamings-hottest-female-characters-face-off#11 Battle of the Beauties: Gaming's Hottest Female Characters Face Off], Complex.com, November 9, 2011</ref> In 2012, Larry Hester of ''Complex'' ranked also her as the third "hottest" character video game in video game history,<ref>Larry Hester, [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2012/06/the-50-hottest-video-game-characters/ The 50 Hottest Video Game Characters], Complex.com, Jun 27, 2012</ref> while K. Thor Jensen of UGO included her among the 99 "hottest" fictional women of 2012, calling her as "the best thing" in ''Marvel Vs. Capcom 3''.<ref name=ugo>K. Thor Jensen, [http://www.ugo.com/girls/99-hottest-fictional-women-of-2012-morrigan-aensland Morrigan Aensland - The 99 Hottest Fictional Women Of 2012], UGO.com, February 1, 2012</ref>


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==

Revision as of 16:37, 31 December 2012

Morrigan.jpeg

For other uses of the word Succubus, see Succubus (disambiguation).


Morrigan Aensland (Japanese: モリガン・アーンスランド Hepburn: Morigan Ānsurando?)[note 1] is a succubus video game character from the Darkstalkers series of fighting games developed by Capcom. She is voiced by Yayoi Jinguji.

Morrigan is very vain, and lives for little more than the excitement of battle, although her endings in the games as well as various media show that Morrigan slowly takes up more of her responsibility seriously. She appears as a beautiful woman with long, light green hair, a very revealing top, and bat-like wings on her back and the sides of her head. Morrigan can reshape these wings into spikes and blades when attacking her enemies, as well as using them to shield herself from enemy attacks. Her wings can also separate from her, and form into a cloud of bats. She uses a variety of magical attacks as well.

Although Demitri would seem to fill the spot, it is often suggested and implied that Morrigan is the main character of the Darkstalkers series, due to her importance in the overall story as well as her many appearances outside of her game series. She may even be considered the protagonist or something of an anti-hero, since despite her demonic appearance and nature, she is not evil.

Morrigan Aensland
Series Darkstalkers
Marvel vs. Capcom
Capcom vs. SNK
First game Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors (1994)
Created by Akira Yasuda
Designed by CRMK (Darkstalkers, Darkstalkers 3, MvC, MvC2)[2]
Ikeno (Night Warriors)[2]
Shinkiro (Capcom vs. SNK)[2]
Kinu Nishimura (Capcom vs. SNK 2)[2]
Shukō Murase (anime)
Voiced by (English) Saffron Henderson (cartoon)[3]
Kathleen Barr (anime)[3]
Erin Fitzgerald (Cross Edge)[3]
Siobhan Flynn (MvC3)[3]
Voiced by (Japanese) Yayoi Jinguji (most games)
Rie Tanaka (MvC3, Project X Zone)
Rei Sakuma (cartoon, anime, drama CD, Gunbird 2)
Kikuko Inoue and Yumi Tōma (drama CDs)
Fictional profile
Birthplace Scotland, 1678[4]

Story

She is the daughter of Belial, one of the rulers of the Makai, or "demon world". She became head of the Aensland family after the death of Belial. Morrigan is a succubus and the adopted daughter of Belial Aensland. When she was born, Morrigan was extremely powerful (an "S Class" according to some Japanese source books), so much so that Belial sealed away part of her power, one-third in himself to be returned upon his death, and one-third in a pocket dimension, which eventually became a being of its own, a succubus named Lilith. Without knowing this, Morrigan grew up. She found her life in the Aensland castle dull, and so she visited the human world many times to look for some kind of entertainment. One night, she was drawn to a strange power (later identified as Pyron) and ventured into the human world once again.

After she returned from the human world, she was told that Belial had died and that she is the next successor to the throne of the Aensland family. Although she is rightfully the ruler of Makai, she keeps avoiding her responsibilities and continues her life as before. But when Jedah created the Majigen, she and her castle were pulled into Jedah's dimension. Sensing Lilith, Morrigan sets off hoping to find some sort of enjoyment. After she meets Lilith, the two become one again.

Gameplay

Morrigan has moves based primarily on Ryu and Ken from Street Fighter. Morrigan's Darkness Illusion was the first super move to use the button press sequence (LP, LP, F, LK, HP) that is now commonly associated with the Shun Goku Satsu.

One of the many running jokes (and points of criticism) among fans is that she has had the exact same sprite set as far as Capcom vs. SNK 2 (2001) as she did in the original Darkstalkers (1994). Her sprites looks especially out of place in the Capcom vs. SNK series as they gain a black outline in the borders.

Other appearances

Marvel vs. Capcom series

Morrigan was the original Darkstalker to break out of her original fighting game series and be transplanted in to the Marvel vs. Capcom series. In the first Marvel vs. Capcom game, not only was Morrigan present, but an alternate "Lilith-style" Morrigan was a secret character. In Marvel vs. Capcom 2, she is joined by fellow Darkstalkers Anakaris, B.B. Hood, and Felicia.

Namco X Capcom

Morrigan is one of the many protagonist characters in the game Namco X Capcom. She is initially introduced to the plot paying a courtesy call on Dimitri Maximoff, who initially wishes to fight her in a duel (as he would in a Darkstalkers/Vampire game), but she informs him of strange events causing dimensional disturbances in the Infernal World (an amalgam of the demon worlds from the Ghouls And Ghosts series and that of Darkstalkers/Vampire) and persuades him to look into it, where they soon meet up with the protagonist of The Legend Of Valkyrie, whom they assist in escaping a hopeless battle with Red Arremar (also of the Ghouls and Ghosts series, localized in America as "Firebrand") and his forces.

Soon after, they join forces with the other displaced warriors from different worlds and assist them in fighting the multitude of foes that threaten the fate of all their worlds.

Morrigan's role in the story is a major supporting role, as she is pivotal in securing Dimitri's cooperation with the other protagonists, and her reluctant acceptance of her duties to the house of Aensland (per her source canon) is a plot point.

Lilith Aensland is also connected to her story as a piece of her soul ripped away by the "Soul Edge" (the cursed sword from the Soul Calibur series), and she and Lilith are initially antagonists, but the connection that was binding Lilith to the Soul Edge is eventually broken and she persuades Lilith to join the protagonists.

Morrigan has a support attack with Dimitri called "Midnight Festival" and is one of the few people in the game who he tolerates speaking to him in a casual manner. Her "Super Attack" initially consists of herself and shadow clone of herself hitting an opponent with several powerful attacks, but after Lilith partners up with her over the course of the story, her "Super Attack" changes to have Lilith take the place of the shadow clone of herself.

A comment made by Dimitri to Morrigan at the end of the game confirms the events of Namco X Capcom are set after the final game in the main Darkstalkers/Vampire canon, and given Morrigan's reappearance in the upcoming Project X Zone alongside the two main heroes of Namco X Capcom (Reiji and Xiamou), the events of the Endless Frontier series by Bandai Namco take place during the interval between Namco X Capcom and Project X Zone.

UDON Comics

In the UDON Comics version of Darkstalkers, Morrigan is a brash 300-year-old succubus who wants nothing more than to visit the human world and have a good time, often at the expense of the men she seduces, and completely ignores her duty as future ruler of the Makai Realm; this annoys her father, Belial, and gets her two servants, Lucien and Mudo into heaps of trouble. Eventually she hears of Demitri's restoration, and goes to her father to warn him, only to find that he is in no position to fight. For the first time, she takes on the responsibility that she has often put aside, and returns to the human world to fight Demitri, and prove herself worthy of the Makai Realm and the power that Belial sealed away many years ago.

American Cartoon

Amongst the drastic character changes was Morrigan, who was changed into a villain, much to the dismay of fans of the games. Morrigan's character in the cartoon was a typical cartoon female villain (jealous, rude, power-hungry, and despised men). She was also stated to be a direct descendant of Morgan le Fay, and not the daughter of Belial or a resident of the Makai (let alone the ruler). Her appearance was also drastically altered, making her much older and less revealing.

Anime

The Japanese-produced Night Warriors: Darkstalker's Revenge anime featured Morrigan more like her game appearances, portraying her as a semi-innocent demon world inhabitant, a member of the royal family who was more interested in going to Earth than in her duties. The picture of idle rich, she would often leave at will out of mere boredom, much to the frustration of her guardians, elder men of the Aensland family. Morrigan's role as a hero was a focus, with her activities as a succubus downplayed; although the OVA depicts Donovan Baine as the main hero of the story, some say that Morrigan was also a little more stoic and pretentious than her usually upbeat personality depicted in the games. She is also shown fighting Jon Talbain in the episode intros for the first three episodes.

Fighting game appearances

  • Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors - 1994
  • Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge - 1995
  • Darkstalkers 3 - 1997
  • Vampire Savior 2 - 1997 (Japan only)
  • Vampire Hunter 2 - 1997 (Japan only)
  • Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes - 1997
  • Pocket Fighter - 1997
  • SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium - 1999
  • Vampire Chronicle for Matching Service - 2000 (Japan only)
  • Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes - 2000
  • Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 - 2000
  • Capcom vs. SNK: Pro - 2000
  • Capcom vs. SNK 2 - 2001
  • Vampire: Darkstalkers Collection - 2005
  • Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower - 2005
  • Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes - 2008 (Japan) 2010 (US)
  • Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2011)
  • Darkstalkers Resurrection (2013)

Non-fighting game appearances

  • Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo - 1996
  • Gunbird 2 - 1998
  • Namco x Capcom - 2005 (Japan only)
  • Cross Edge - 2008 (Japan) 2009 (US)
  • Project X Zone - 2012 (Japan only)

Reception

Morrigan is widely seen as the most iconic character of Darkstalkers. Sega Saturn Magazine praised both her design and abilities as "awesome".[5] Featuring Morrigan and Felicia in their girls of gaming special in 2003, Play Magazine wrote that the two are famous for how they "unified the haunting with the erotic, along with previously unseen level of animation and creature design."[6] The 2009 book 500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Helen McCarthy cited Morrigan as an example of the popularity of the Darkstalkers character designs, with fans frequently cosplaying as the character at various conventions since the original game's release.[7] In 2010, UGO's Chris Plante called her "Darkstalkers' most recognizable character [and] also wildly popular with cosplayers."[8] In 2011, GameFront's Phil Owen run a feature article showcasing some of Morrigan's (and Lilith's) cosplayers, calling it "probably the sexiest gallery I’ve ever posted."[9]

According to GameSpot, "Morrigan has been a mainstay in the Capcom crossover fighting games and is definitely a fan favorite."[10] In 1998, Morrigan was named the 17th best character of 1997 by the Japanese magazine Gamest.[11] Play Magazine featured her in the "Girls of Anime" special,[12] later regretting her absence in Capcom Fighting Evolution in their "Girls of Gaming" special.[13] In 2008, Morrigan was included on a list of top "chicks behaving badly" for her "penchant for magic and kick-ass fighting moves" by IGN's Scott Cullura, her outfit described as "one that would make even Jenna Jameson blush."[14] She was also featured in a list of ten "babes who shouldn't meet your mom" by GameDaily in 2008,[15] as well as in a list of ten "game girls you wouldn't dare to date" by Virgin Media in 2010.[16] Also in 2010, Game Informer chose Morrigan as one of the 20 Capcom characters they would like to see in a rumored crossover fighting game Namco Vs Capcom, her Namco side equivalent being Ivy Valentine.[17] In 2012, Complex Magazine ranked Morrigan as the 13th "most dominant" fighting game character for being "super sexual but also super deadly,"[18] also including "Capcom vs. DC Universe" as third fighting game crossover idea they would like to see the most, for a battle between Morrigan and Wonder Woman.[19] That same year, Lucas Sullivan of GamesRadar ranked Morrigan as the fourth best character in the fighting game genre's history, stating: "This sultry succubus is one of fighting games' leading ladies, striking a balance between the dignified seriousness of Chun-Li and the hyper-sexualized cleavage-heaving antics of Mai Shiranui" and adding that "besides her full-time gig as a male fantasy, Morrigan’s made quite a name for herself, showing up in almost every Capcom crossover and spin-off."[4] Also in 2012, MSN included her among the 20 "hottest women in video game history".[20]

Morrigan was often noted as one of the most sexy characters of fighting games and gaming in general. In 2003, GameSpy's Bryan Johnson ranked Morrigan as the third top "babe in games", calling her Capcom's answer to SNK's Mai Shiranui.[21] UGO included Morrigan on their 2008 list of 11 "hottest babes to ever hit the video game world", stating that "her appearances across the Capcom fighting franchises prove that the company has an excellent eye for the female form",[22] as well as in the 2011 list of 50 "hottest girls in games", adding that "with a body like that, we can ignore those wings coming out of her head."[23] In 2009, Gelo Gonzales of FHM listed the "undeniably seductive" Morrigan among the nine sexiest "bad girls of videogame land",[24] while Manolith included her on the lists of top ten "sexiest video game women" and 25 "hottest female video game protagonists".[25][26] In 2010, Johnny Firecloud of CraveOnline featured her on the list of ten "hottest video game girls of all time", commenting: "The iconic succubus [...] is more than just an anatomic wonder - she's also one of the single most sexually stylistic ladies in gaming land."[27] In 2011, UGO ranked her as the fourth in their list of the "foxiest fighting females to ever be pixelated,"[28] while GameFront featured her twice on the list of "greatest boobs in video game history", as 37th (for the Darkstalkers version, called the "reason 12 year olds packed arcades into the late 90s") and 11th (for the Marvel Vs. Capcom version, being "50% of all Comic Con costumes").[29] That same year, Japanator.com's Bob Muir included her on the list of "Japanese gaming's top ten hottest girls", stating: "In fact, Morrigan is so popular that many people know of her sultry looks who have never touched a Darkstalkers game."[30] In 2011, Rich Knight of Complex pitted her against Agent Rayne in the "battle of the beauties" feature, comparing them to "the sexy goth girls you were too afraid to ask out in high school" and choosing Morrigan.[31] In 2012, Larry Hester of Complex ranked also her as the third "hottest" character video game in video game history,[32] while K. Thor Jensen of UGO included her among the 99 "hottest" fictional women of 2012, calling her as "the best thing" in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3.[33]

Gallery

See Also

Notes

  1. Sometimes, her name is alternatively written in English as "Aenslaed".[1]

References

  1. Keith Busby, Arthurian Literature XVIII, 2001 (p. 250)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Darkstalkers Graphic File: "The Libido Roaming the Shadows"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Voice Compare: Darkstalkers - Morrigan Aensland, Behind The Voice Actors
  4. 4.0 4.1 Lucas Sullivan, The Top 7… Best fighting game characters, GamesRadar, September 10, 2012
  5. Yeo, Matt (June 1998). "Bite Me!". Sega Saturn Magazine (32).
  6. Play magazine presents: girls of gaming #1
  7. McCarthy, Helen (2009). 500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide. Collins Design.
  8. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named sp
  9. Phil Owen, 50 Morrigan Aensland Cosplayers (WAY SEXY PICS), GameFront, February 14, 2011
  10. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gs
  11. Staff (30 January 1998). "ベストキャラクター賞". Gamest (212).
  12. Halverson, Dave; Mike Griffin, Heather Anne Campbell, Matt Cabral, Eric L. Patterson. "Girls of Anime". Play 1: 20.
  13. Halverson, Dave; Mike Griffin, Heather Anne Campbell, Matt Cabral, Eric L. Patterson. "Girls of Gaming". Play 2: 67.
  14. Scott Cullura, Top 50 Chicks Behaving Badly: Round 1, IGN, March 31, 2008
  15. Don't take her to mom: Morrigan (Darkstalkers series), GameDailyTemplate:Deadlink
  16. Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers) - Bad Date, Virgin Media
  17. Tim Turi, 20 Namco Vs Capcom Matches We'd Love To See, Game Informer, July 20, 2010
  18. Elton Jones, The 50 Most Dominant Fighting Game Characters, Complex.com, May 17, 2012
  19. 10 Fighting Game Crossovers We Want To See, Complex.com, April 10, 2012
  20. The hottest women in video game history, MSN, 21 September 2012
  21. Bryan "Sir Crossforge" Johnson, Top 10 Babes in Games, GameSpy, May 4, 2003
  22. UGO Team, Top 11 Girls of Gaming, UGO.com, January 15, 2008
  23. UGO Team, Top 50 Videogame Hotties, UGO.com, October 27, 2011
  24. Gelo Gonzales, The bad girls of videogame land, FHM, September 11, 2009
  25. Akela Talamasca, Top 10 Sexiest Video Game Women, Manolith, July 30, 2009
  26. The Manolith Team, 25 Hottest Female Video Game Protagonists, Manolith, December 9, 2009
  27. Johnny Firecloud, The Hottest Girls in Gaming, CraveOnline, November 16, 2010
  28. Aubrey Sitterson, Fighting Games' Finest Female Fighters, UGO.com, January 14, 2011
  29. The Greatest Boobs In Video Game History (Gallery) | GameFront
  30. Bob Muir, Japanese Gaming's Top Ten Hottest Girls and Guys, Japanator.com, 01.23.2011
  31. Rich Knight, Battle of the Beauties: Gaming's Hottest Female Characters Face Off, Complex.com, November 9, 2011
  32. Larry Hester, The 50 Hottest Video Game Characters, Complex.com, Jun 27, 2012
  33. K. Thor Jensen, Morrigan Aensland - The 99 Hottest Fictional Women Of 2012, UGO.com, February 1, 2012

External links