Today, let's talk about an iconic character in fighting games and cosplay: Mai Shiranui.
To ask why Mai Shiranui has such great charm, who can resist her enchanting dance? If you're a female cosplayer, as soon as you appear in Mai Shiranui's costume, all the cameras and audience will immediately surround you. Who wouldn't love such a cool experience? Cosplayers adore it.
It's not difficult to notice that like Chun-Li, Mai Shiranui is a big name in the cosplay community, and perhaps even more popular than Chun-Li. Who doesn't like beautiful and eye-catching girls? People desire her body just like they desire Chun-Li's. Mai Shiranui is a top-tier superstar in terms of popularity and fan following.
Mai Shiranui made her first appearance in the game "Fatal Fury 2" in 1993 as the wife of the secondary male character, Andy Bogard. Speaking of her early development, the original plan for "Fatal Fury 2" did not include Mai Shiranui as a character. The developers initially intended to create a male ninja, but the elder brother wanted to create an idol, so they rejected the idea of a male ninja and instead created a female ninja, which became Mai Shiranui. We should thank that elder brother, otherwise the gaming world would have missed out on this top-tier superstar. (And the fans would have missed their daydream goddess!)
Since her debut in "Fatal Fury 2," Mai Shiranui has captivated audiences with her large fan, red high-slit yukata, flowing ponytail, and revealing attire that highlights her ample bosom and curvaceous figure. Her seductive image as a "tempting female ninja" surpasses many ACG (Anime, Comic, Games) female characters, driving countless fans from the 80s and 90s into a frenzy. Her popularity remains strong even today.
To create Mai Shiranui as the second playable female character in "The King of Fighters," developers spared no effort. As a female fighter who rivals men, Mai Shiranui couldn't be too weak, but at the same time, she couldn't be too muscular. Ultimately, the developers chose to focus on her breasts and buttocks. According to the information released by Neo Geo Freak at that time, her breast prototype was based on Noriko Fujiwara, while her buttocks prototype was based on Ai Iijima. Both women were famous idols at the time.
This is Noriko Fujiwara, take a look for yourself:
As for Ai Iijima, I'm sure you're more familiar with her than I am, so I won't include a picture. Another theory suggests that it was also influenced by Mutoh Ran, but I believe many fans know more about her than I do.
Taking inspiration from these prominent figures, it's easy to imagine the impact of Mai Shiranui's appearance in the game. She leans forward, presenting her impressive bosom to her opponents, accompanied by seductive movements and alluring poses. Perhaps only resolute fighters can withstand her dancing-like ninja techniques.
At the same time, Mai Shiranui is the first character in the history of gaming to feature such bold breast movements. Among the female characters in the same series, there is the heavily endowed mature beauty, Mature, and the mildly provocative Yuri Sakazaki, who slaps her buttocks and performs direct rear attacks.
Mai Shiranui lacks these explicit actions. Moreover, her battle costume appears to reveal very little, but despite the intense battles, she never has any wardrobe malfunctions. Each time, she manages to cover herself appropriately (excluding the lower part of her outfit, which can be seen as a deliberate choice). Alternatively, as her background story suggests, her revealing costume may serve as a distraction during battles, while she herself is actually a well-behaved girl. This ambiguous and teasing demeanor leads me to recall how many fans repeatedly chose Mai Shiranui to be defeated just to catch a glimpse of her exposed moments!
Her hot outfit design was the first shot that made Mai Shiranui stand out. Beauty is synonymous with justice, and while it seems like she exposes everything during battles, she never reveals too much. This leaves countless fans with increased blood pressure. Perhaps this is the reason why Mai Shiranui's charm has lasted for so long.
Now, for the final question: Do you prefer Chun-Li or Mai Shiranui?
