Here are the characters introduced in Dead or Alive 2. Enjoy, and help out with the blurbs!
Also, beware of possible spoilers.
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Helena Douglas
Helena as she appears in Dead or Alive 6
Now do you understand, my dear?
Origin: France
Fighting style: Pi Gua Quan
Voiced by: note
An opera singer and Pi Gua Quan martial artist. She is the current leader of the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee, and the illegitimate daughter of Fame Douglas, the former head of the DOATEC, and Maria. She is also the half-sister of Kokoro. Helena enters the Dead or Alive Tournament to find the assassin who killed her mother. Although she was being manipulated by Victor Donovan, she ends up inheriting control of DOATEC after her father’s death. Feeling responsible for the crimes of DOATEC, Helena hosts the 4th tournament, intending to bring down the whole organization along with herself. She nearly succeeded, bidding farewell to everyone... until the last moments Zack saved her life.
Eventually, Helena returns and announced that DOATEC has been rebuilt and attempts to steer the company in a more peaceful direction. To prove that, she had Zack announce the 5th tournament, as well as removing any traces of Donovan, his crews and involvement in DOATEC.
- Alternate Company Equivalent: Basically one to Nina Williams from Tekken. However the personalities are opposite. While Nina Williams is a bonafide Jerkass Professional Killer that didn't manage to accomplish anything meaningful to the world at large, Helena is a Troubled, but Cute Bruiser with a Soft Center that ultimately has a noble intention of reshaping the MegaCorp that is the source of all her (and others) troubles.
- The Atoner: In DOA5.
- Benevolent Boss: To Marie Rose in 6.
- Berserk Button:
- If she thinks you are the one who killed her mother... run for your life!
- Gen Fu on at least two occasions has enquired into her affairs, irking her considerably. (On one occasion, it was even after she asked about his interest in participating in the tournament).
- Big Good: As she turns DOATEC into a more benevolent corporation, she essentially becomes one, to counter with Donovan.
- Big Sister Instinct: As shown in DOA6, she has become very protective of her half-sister, Kokoro, who she considers her only family member left.
- Broken Bird: Great losses in her life shaped her current personality, as did her involvement with DOATEC and Victor Donovan.
- But Not Too Foreign: Though French by nationality, she's half-American due to being the daughter of Fame Douglas.
- Byronic Hero: She takes over DOATEC to stop Donovan's schemes, but she crosses the line herself too. (For instance, she kills a woman — probably one of Fame Douglas's other mistresses — by shooting her in the head during a flashback in the ending cutscene of DOA4.)
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Defied; as of 5, she's genuinely trying to rebuild DOATEC under much better pretenses.
- Death Seeker: Her role in 4... if it wasn't for Zack, she was willing do go down with the building that she herself set to self-destruct.
- Deuteragonist: Kasumi's The Protagonist but there's no denying that Helena's place in the order of events is fairly massive (enough to where while the first four chapters of Dead or Alive: Dimensions Chronicle mode focus on the ninja characters and the stories of the first four DOA games, Helena has the entire final chapter of Chronicle mode to herself where it takes you through everything she did in DOA2 through DOA4). This is because she has the strongest story link to the Big Bad Victor Donovan.
- Everything Sounds Sexier in French: She gained a French accent in Dimensions and 5.
- Gorgeous Gaijin: Tall, blonde, buxom, gorgeous and French.
- Iconic Sequel Character: Debuted in 2 but thanks to her connection to DOATEC, has become an inseparable part of the series. Much of the series' storyline was established thanks to her involvement.
- In Name Only: Probably gets it the worst of all the characters in The Movie, where she's still the daughter of the former CEO of DOATEC and fights in the tournament, but that's where the resemblance ends.
- Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: She wears quite the number of evening gowns and dresses in her fights.
- Lady in Red: Ever since her debut, Helena Douglas has worn an elegant red tailcoat as one of her costumes. 6 adds a red Qipao to her wardrobe that can be unlocked.
- Lady of War
- Long-Lost Relative: Until DOA5, she didn't reveal to Kokoro that they're half-sisters, although she had dropped hints about it. Kokoro finds out in DOA6.
- Misery Builds Character: Helena states this belief to NiCO in DOA6 while condemning the latter's attempts to resurrect the dead. It's quite telling that Helena says this even after NiCO has apparently resurrected Helena's mother Maria.
- Missing Mom: Her mother was murdered.
- Not a Morning Person: Perhaps a mild example, but in the Xtreme series, she dislikes talking to anybody at the crack of dawn. Even if you're good terms with her, if you ask her to partner up, she will turn you down.
- Ojou
- Practical Taunt: You can use one of Helena's taunts to enter Bokuho stance, though it takes a little longer than just entering the stance normally.
- Rank Scales with Asskicking: She may be the CEO of DOATEC, but she's perfectly capable of throwing down in a fight.
- Retired Badass: As of Dead or Alive 5, she has officially retired from professional fighting, taking more of her time to run DOATEC (and organize its corresponding tournaments). She hasn't lost her touch at all, however, as shown during the moments where she does get an opportunity to fight.
- Sleeps in the Nude: In the opening cutscene of Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Vollyball Helena is seen sleeping naked in bed with a Modesty Bedsheet covering most of her body.
- Stance System: Her Bokuho stance.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Blancmange
, a French upper-class dessert befitting this Lady of War Ojou - True Blue Femininity: Helena's outfits include a blue dress, a blue tailcoat and a black-and-blue catsuit.
- Warrior Poet: She tends to wax lyrical after fighting.
- Younger Than They Look: Despite her considerably mature and elegant figure and personality, along with her being an opera diva and the CEO of a big corporation, you’d be surprised to know that Helena is merely 23 years old. Some fans still like to refer to her as “Mommy Helena” despite this, though.
Hayate / Ein
Hayate as he appears in Dead or Alive 6
Ein as he appears in Dead or Alive 5: Ultimate
"Shinobi of the wind!" I am a free soul!
My head aches...
Origin: Japan
Fighting style: Mugen Tenshin-style ninjutsu (Hayate) / Karate (Ein)
Voiced by: note
A shinobi and the eighteenth master of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan. He is eldest child and only son of Shiden and Ayame, making him Kasumi's older brother and Ayane's older half-brother. He is also friends and allies with Ryu Hayabusa. Although he was first mentioned in the first Dead or Alive, Hayate's official debut appearance was in Dead or Alive 2 as Ein, a amnesiac Karate master. He regained his memory during the second game and finally appeared as himself in Dead or Alive 3.
Last seen in Dead or Alive 4 as a bonus character, Hayate's "Ein" persona was not included in the original Dead or Alive 5, but returned as a separate character from Hayate (as a bonus again) in Dead or Alive 5: Ultimate.
- Amnesiac Hero: During DOA 2, as a result of a head injury he suffered from his duel with Raidou.
- Back-to-Back Badasses: He does this with Ayane a number of times.
- Badass in Distress: The first game had him actually caught by DOATEC to become the experimental subject of Project Epsilon. In 5, he fell to a sleep-suspension trap by Rig and nearly undergoes the Project Epsilon process again until Kasumi and Lisa bailed him out.
- Berserk Button: Whatever you do, do not badmouth Kasumi in front of him. Ayane learned this the hard way.
- Big Brother Mentor: Is this to Kasumi and seemingly more to Ayane. This doesn't translate to him being chivalrous towards them however, as when Ayane was drained and seriously injured he had Kasumi held Ayane walk while he chose to carry the similarly injured to Ayane Honoka instead. He also potentially can allow Ayane after said injuries to fight Raidou alone without helping her and not allowing Kasumi to interfere.
- Bridal Carry: Gives one to Honoka, his similarly injured baby sister Ayane could walk instead.
- The Bus Came Back: Ein, after his absence in the original Dead or Alive 5.
- Chick Magnet: Both his sister, Kasumi, and their half-sister, Ayane, have a crush on him. So did Hitomi, until DOA 5, where he politely turned her down.
- Cutscene Power to the Max: His ability to cut down helicopters in cutscenes unfortunately doesn't translate to gameplay.
- Decomposite Character: In-story, Ein is the persona Hayate takes up during the period of time he was suffering from amnesia. Once he regains his memories he resumes life as Hayate and the only remaining traces of his time as Ein being that he uses the same wardrobe when disguised as a civilian and Hitomi still calling him Ein sometimes out of affection. In the games however Ein is treated as a completely separate character with his own fighting style and a vastly different personality with Ein and Hayate even being able to fight one another.
- Flash Step: Seen during some of his counters and his super blow attack.
- Game-Breaking Injury: Pre-DOA1, his spine was broken and he was rendered crippled and comatose by Raidou. Thanks to Donovan's Project Epsilon, his mobility was restored.
- Guest Fighter: Ein is technically this in DOA4 and DOA5.
- Highly-Visible Ninja: He doesn't seem all that bothered having conversations with people when he's actively scouting an area.
- Incest Subtext: With both of his sisters, but more so with Ayane. It's more on their part than his, though.
- Informed Ability: Hayate's skill is said to be roughly comparable to Hayabusa's, but his performance throughout the series says otherwise.
- So far, he's lost in nearly every game: Raidou (prior to DOA1), Hayabusa (DOA2), and to Ayane (DOA3) to determine which of them would assassinate Genra.
- Prior to the events of DOA2, "Project Episilon"note was considered a failure. Further, it was determined that his younger sister, Kasumi, was a superior specimen.
- Hayate is also the only ninja character that has yet to win a tournament, whereas Hayabusa won the second the second tournament in addition to repeatedly routing the forces of darkness single-handedly. All of which makes it hard to believe that he's anywhere in Ryu's league, when he's even outmatched by both his younger sisters.
- While all of the previous is, or has been true, the retcons in Dimensions have now established that it was a joint effort by Hayate and Ayane that allowed for the defeat of Genra, though they still needed Hayabusa's intervention before the elder Ninja could be killed. Further, he appeared to fight evenly against Hayabusa until they were interrupted by Ayane in DOA2's revised canonnote . The retcons of DOA2 also establishes that he defeated Kasumi though, as with Hayabusa, its inferred that Kasumi likely held back as well given how easily she escapes from him later. And in DOA5, he and Ayane struggled to even subdue one of Kasumi's clones, despite the clone's hesitance to fight them at all. By contrast, Kasumi has fought and defeated her clones without need of assistance, including Alpha-152.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: After being kidnapped and experimented on by DOATEC, he was dumped out in the German wilderness with no clue as to who he even was.
- Lightning Bruiser: One of the quickest male fighters in the series, he can also string together some devastating combos.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: His decision to use the Torn Sky Blast on Raidou enabled Raidou to learn the technique, use it on him, and cripple him with it. To drive another nail in, Ayane even explicitly warned Hayate not to use the technique against Raidou, but Hayate didn't listen.
- Ninja
- One-Hit Kill: He takes out a blimp with a single exploding arrow!
- One-Man Army: We only get to see it in cut scenes, but still.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: Downplayed. It first appears that he's outmatched by both his younger sisters and his friend, Ryu Hayabusa, but Dimensions re-establishes him as still being Ayane's superior. The only ninja who are definitively stronger than him are: Raidou, Genra, Hayabusa, and Kasumi.
- Minor Major Character: As noted in the Informed Ability entry, he's the only ninja character who hasn't won a tournament, so far. Hayate is also the only one in their group to not make an appearance as a playable character in the Ninja Gaiden series, and is only mentioned briefly, by Kasumi, instead.
- Restraining Bolt: In DOA5, he is suddenly immobilized by shafts of light and Lisa captures him. DOA6 reveals that this is a feature of the Project Epsilon technology implanted into him, which allows him to be incapacitated by anyone at MIST, but Lisa is able to hack it temporarily so that he can shake off the effect.
- Ship Tease: He has some of this with Hitomi.
- Shout-Out: Apart from his net T-shirt, Ein's default costume is very reminiscent of Neo in the The Matrix movie. Not surprisingly, since DOA2 was released several months after the movie came out and it was at the peak of its popularity.
- Sibling Team: With Ayane and Kasumi in the climactic battle with Raidou in 6.
- Smoke Out: With raven feathers.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Sushi and sukiyaki
- Walking Shirtless Scene: As Ein, he has more than one costume that turns him into pure Mr. Fanservice. One of them even includes shackles, for some reason.
- He is an escaped Project Epsilon subject. We never see him with the shackles actually attached to anything, though.
- Worf Had the Flu: His poor track record across the games can oftentimes be chalked up to him not being in a good position to win either physically or emotionally. When he's running on all cylinders, he more than lives up to his role as the leader of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan.
- Would Hit a Girl: Out of nowhere, stands up and slaps Ayane when she sides with Shiden. He isn't called out on this, and the poor girl tries to kill herself afterwards.
Leon
Leon as he appears in Dead or Alive 5: Ultimate
Thought you could outbeat a professional like me?
Origin: Italy
Fighting style: Close Quarters Combat
Voiced by: note
A mercenary and Sambo martial artist. He first debuted in Dead or Alive 2, and shares many simularities and a history with Bayman. Leon entered the Dead or Alive Tournaments to prove that he was the strongest man in the world, to live up to the final words of his deceased lover, Lauren. He stopped entering the tournaments after Dead or Alive 3, but he was still a playable character until Dead or Alive 5. However, he'll be back for Dead or Alive 5: Ultimate.
- The Bus Came Back: He makes his return in Dead or Alive 5: Ultimate.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Zig-zagged. He was removed from the roster in DOA5, but high demand resulting him in returning for the Updated Re-release, DOA5 Ultimate. However, he's once again gone as of DOA6.
- Demoted to Extra: Leon suffers from this oh so much. In vanilla DOA2, Leon served as the effective replacement for Bayman, then Hardcore was released which added Bayman back into the roster with the story that the two were rivals using the same style. After Leon's story ended in DOA3, Leon's role was demoted to bonus character status with Christie taking over the role as Bayman's rival. Dimensions did little to help him, only appearing in a few cutscenes that were recycled from 2 and 3. Now in DOA5, Leon has been completely cut from the game and absolutely no mention of him is ever given.
- He returned as a bonus character in DOA5 Ultimate due to high fan demand, but never appears in the storyline. However, he is no longer present as of DOA6.
- Discard and Draw: His fighting style has switched from "Sambo" to "Close Quarters Combat" in Ultimate.
- Heartbroken Badass: His lover, Lauren died of unknown reasons. Lauren mumbled her final words to him: "The man I love is the strongest man in the world."
- Ambiguous Syntax: Lauren must have meant that she thought Leon was already the strongest man in the world, but he interpreted it to mean he needed to become the strongest man in the world in order to be worthy of her memory.
- Hunk: Just look at him.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Due to his status as a Shell-Shocked Veteran, Leon happens to be an abrasive Trash Talker, yet he happens to have a soft spot.
- Mr. Fanservice: Absolutely.
- Palette Swap and The Rival: Of Bayman, being Italian but using the same fighting style (Russian sambo).
- Shout-Out: He is similar to Léon from The Professional, an Italian hitman with a pot flower and a dead girlfriend.
- Silver Fox: At 44 years old, he's got gray hair and good looks that seemingly get even better with age!
- Trademark Favorite Food: Pizza fitting his Italian background
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Most of his costumes reveal his chest.
- We Meet Again: Says this to Zack in their fight in DOA2, although Zack doesn't know who he is. This was never touched on in later games.
Kasumi Alpha
Kasumi Alpha as she appears in Dead or Alive Dimensions
Let's play!
Origin: Japan
Fighting style: Mugen Tenshin-style ninjutsu
Voiced by: note
Also known simply as Alpha, she is one of the many clones of Kasumi. Created by Victor Donovan and the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee, Alpha was a product created during the early stages of Project Alpha, an experiment with the aim of creating the perfect fighter and human weapon. She was later transformed into the inhuman creature Alpha-152 as part of Project Alpha-2. For tropes about her after she was transformed into Alpha-152 see here.
- Ascended Extra: In her first appearance, she was an NPC that Kasumi fought, in Dimensions she is a playable character and has a bigger role in the story, by 4, she's the final boss of the game, and 5, she's the biggest threat to the world.
- Clone Army: She's only one of Kasumi's clones; Donovan has many more.
- Daddy's Little Villain: Considers Donovan to be her father, and is very protective of him.
- Evil Laugh: Prominently featured in the Attract Mode for DOA2.
- Evil Redhead: Just look at her.
- Evil Twin: To Kasumi.
- Moveset Clone: Zig-zagged. The real Kasumi's moveset had become very different by 4, which is what Dimensions is based on. Kasumi Alpha, therefore, uses her original moveset from 1 and 2.
- Palette Swap: Justified as she's a clone of Kasumi.
- Psychopathic Manchild: She acts very immature and childlike, to the extent that she breaks Kasumi out her cell at DOATEC Germany with the intent to kill her and have Hayate all to herself. Her entry on the Dead or Alive Wiki explicitly describes her as acting like "a misguided child with too much power."
- You Are Number 6: Clarifying comments by
Tomonobu Itagaki indicates that Kasumi Alpha is supposed to be the original product of the Alpha line, where Alpha-152 is the ultimate product (i.e. Kasumi Alpha is the Alpha-001 to Alpha-152).
Tengu / Gohyakumine Bankotsubo
Gohyakumine Bankotsubo as he appears in Dead or Alive Dimensions
EVERYTHING! IS MY! DELUSION!
Origin: Japan
Fighting style: Tengu-do
Voiced by: note
Gohyakumine Bankotsubo is a tengu who is a criminal in his own dimension, as he murdered Kuramasan Maouson - the leader of their race. Fearing punishment for his crimes and breaking tengu rules, he escaped into the human world. Considering the hopes and struggles of humanity to be insignificant, he decided to bring about ultimate disaster and calamity, covering the world in chaos. Ryu Hayabusa found out about his doings, and in the final match of the second Dead or Alive tournament, kills Bankotsubo despite the monster's incredible power and became the tournament winner. At officially 1500 years old, he's by far the oldest character to fight in the series.
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: You will hear him boast about his magnificence while reminding you of your own insignificance, with the skills to back it up. Comes with the territory of being a Tengu.
- Ambiguously Brown: For a Tengu, who are commonly depicted with red skin. His appearance in Dimensions did away with this.
- Blow You Away: With his giant ceremonial combat fan. In DOA2 Ultimate he can do this to change the weather.
- Giant Space Flea from Nowhere: Amidst his peers as a Dead or Alive boss, Tengu is remarkably out of place as he has no relation to the plot of the series or DOATEC.
- Revision: Dimensions slightly tempers his involvement with the series by revealing Genra/Omega had summoned him originally, meaning he maintains a tangential connection to the tournament, but only just.
- Final Boss: In DOA2.
- Jerkass: Just look at the character description. Plus, he enjoys all the disasters he causes.
- Large Ham:"EVERYTHING...IS MY...DELUSION!" (DOA2 Original)
"MY DECEPTION...RULES ALL...OF CREATION!" (DOA2 Ultimate and Dimensions) - Lightning Bruiser: A lot faster than his size would indicate, plus he has several attacks that wipe out a quarter of your fighter's health in one blow.
- Really 700 Years Old: His official age is 1500 years, but since his height and weight are given in medieval Japanese units, it's questionable if it's really 1500 Earth years.
- Sinister Schnoz: Which Gen Fu is after, believing the legends that it could cure his granddaughter.
- SNK Boss: Has the speed and strength to back up his boasts, and will read and counter your moves. See his entry on the page for more.
- Tengu: He's simply referred to this than his actual name.
