Artistic influences on MK1 (and other MKs)

[Felipe_Gewehr]

Sup everybody. I figured it would be cool to discuss how some characters have artistic influences on their design - sometimes not so clearly.

Raiden, in MK1, has nods to the Japanese thunder god Raijin while charging his bolts:

Mileena (Union of Light) seems to be inspired somewhat by The Birth of Venus:

(Seashell bikini and all of that).


Speaking of Mileena, her Order of Darkness skin seems reminiscent of a Geisha:

What other characters have these cool inspirations?

 

[TarkatanPeriodontik]

@Felipe_Gewehr have you seen Big Trouble in Little China yet? That should be a must. It has Samantha from Sex and the City in it in an earlier role

 

[Felipe_Gewehr]

@Felipe_Gewehr have you seen Big Trouble in Little China yet? That should be a must. It has Samantha from Sex and the City in it in an earlier role

As a matter of fact, I am yet to watch it! I do know there is character in it that is basically Raiden, though.

 

[Art Lean]

This is basically all of the original Mortal Kombat, though I admittedly don't know if any particular ninja movie inspired Scorpion and Sub Zero (so I just threw in one with multiple ninjas on the cover, but from the mid-80s through to the mid-90s was there was a massive ninja craze so it may be they weren't based on any other property in particular).

Terminator's damaged face inspired Kano, Liu Kang was Bruce Lee, the lightning god from Big Trouble in Little China was Raiden, Jean Claude Van Damme in Bloodsport was Johnny Cage, Cynthia Rothrock inspired Sonya and Lo Pan from Big Trouble in Little China was the basis for Shang Tsung.

 

[TarkatanPeriodontik]

I’m not sure if she’s the inspo but Vampirella is a vampire from another planet that’s full of extinct vampires… could be a coincidence (coming up with a sexy vampire girl isn’t exactly creative)

 

[Marlow]

ArtButMakeItMK.

https://x.com/ArtButSports

 

[Marinjuana]

Maybe not quite what we were looking for in this thread but

MK1 Rain the Watermancer and Mera

MK11/MK1 Geras and Soul Calibur's Zasalamel (Geras seems inspired by Zas they both stop time, similarities in visual design and even backstory)

Li Mei's Spirit Animal thing and the Chinese Parade Dancing Lion(Couldn't find a picture of Li Mei but here's nice art)

While I'm at it, MK11 Jade always struck me as being a Woodelf, particularly Warcraft's Nightelves

And then there's more talked about ones like Quan Chi with his Pinhead qualities which show off especially with some of his skins and Ermac is very lich-like these days

 

[Felipe_Gewehr]

Maybe not quite what we were looking for in this thread but

MK1 Rain the Watermancer and Mera

MK11/MK1 Geras and Soul Calibur's Zasalamel (Geras seems inspired by Zas they both stop time, similarities in visual design and even backstory)

Li Mei's Spirit Animal thing and the Chinese Parade Dancing Lion(Couldn't find a picture of Li Mei but here's nice art)

While I'm at it, MK11 Jade always struck me as being a Woodelf, particularly Warcraft's Nightelves

And then there's more talked about ones like Quan Chi with his Pinhead qualities which show off especially with some of his skins and Ermac is very lich-like these days

I never realized Zasalamel and Geras looked so alike, interesting. Also, I 1000% agree that Quan Chi is MK's Pinhead (specially how in MK1 he has a bloody make-up gear option). I am surprised how NRS has never made a "we have such sights to show you!" intro dialogue for him, considering how they love to throw little nods to their inspirations.

 

[Felipe_Gewehr]

Ressurecting this thread because I just realized something cool:

First time I saw Titan Havik, I found it a little weird how his headpiece was something somewhat Aztec-like. I thought maybe it was a play on that whole "multiverse mixed characters" with Havik stealing some aspects from Kotal Kahn.




Turns out, there could be another explanation: he could be a nod to Xipe Totec, the Flayed one - an Aztec god of ritual flaying and agriculture, lord of seasons, regeneration and crafts, patron of goldsmiths. Xipe Totec is described as wearing his own removed skin as a piece of clothing over his flayed, red body. He is also associated with some diseases like blisters and is said to be the god who invented war.

This particular artistic rendition has very clear parallels to Titan Havik:

 

[TarkatanPeriodontik]

that’s a good catch! For the havik season of invasions I got a very Return of the Living Dead vibe for the costumes: ROTLD is the most famous punk rock zombie movie. The other zombie movie that Havoc reminds me of is Peter Jackson’s early film Dead Alive (where slicing up zombies is like slicing up starfish, now you have two half zombies trying to kill you!)