SNK VS Capcom Chaos Volume 2

By Mark Rodriguez

It's time to continue this wild ride that combines the characters from Capcom and SNK based on the so-so video game (Capcom VS SNK 2 will always be more fun). Where last we left our heroes, Ryu and Kyo have learned a new 'parallel world' tournament in which you must die to enter. You have three 'lives' in this, and if you die all three times, you're gone for good. There can only be one winner and that winner will get one wish granted. Meanwhile, in the living world, Bison wants to clone powerful fighters and already made an Orochi Iori clone, but still needs the original. Before this can happen, Iori finds out what happens to Kyo and kills himself to be able to continue his fight against his rival in the other world.

Volume 2 opens up in Japan, back in the pre-Meiji era, the time of the samurai. We see Genjuro Kibagami, from the Samurai Shodown games, contemplating how he only cares about mastering the art of killing and the way of the sword. He then kills himself, seppuku style, to enter the parallel world tournament.

Back in modern day Japan (or at least 2003 when the book was made), Bison freaks out upon seeing Iori dying. Bison is master of the crime organization Shadaloo, but his power is more powerful than his body is capable of maintaining and he might die soon. This is why his scientists are busy working on a new body, and a new Psycho Drive. Bison's plan was to implant his brain waves into the body of Orochi Iori, but he still needs DNA samples of the real Iori to finish this project.

As Bison reaches out to grab Iori, the Yagami clan member suddenly vanishes as he dies. Bison sees his own fate sealed as he is confused as to what happened. Chun Li watches, not knowing what to think of it. Bison then decides that if he's going to die, he'll take the rest of the world with him.

Bison flies off in his jet and Chun Li has a horrible feeling about this. The death of Iori has sparked the inevitable end to mankind.

In the parallel world, a meteor crashes down. Iori has arrived, in the parallel world Japan Temple 6:13 stage. Iori senses that this is a world with no morals or limitations. He bursts out laughing evily, and his power is felt by other in the world like Akuma, Mr. Karate, Demitri and even Kyo. Kyo is ready to continue their feud.

This pose looks kinda familiar, but I can't quite place it...

Iori stops laughing as he feels something near him. He turns to see cat, and takes the time to pet it. However, he soon feels the strong force coming closer, and it turns out to be Genjuro, a fighter out of time. Iori is caught by surprise and is cut by Genjuro's Crescent Moon Laceration.

Iori quickly counters with his Demon Scorcher 100 (burning uppercut) which Genjuro blocks with his sword. The samurai says he's surprised to find a descendant of the Yagami clan. Iori sees there's no turning back and this guy will be his first opponent and tosses a fireball at him. The samurai counters this with his Cherry Blossom Slice (it tosses a giant card made out of energy) which nullifies the flames. Iori reached out to attack, but Genjuro hits him with his Paulownia Smasher Lighting Wings (his own version of the rising uppercut, but using his sword) which chops Iori's arm off!!!!

Iori angrily uses his remaining arm for his super move, the Ura 108 Yasakaduki which engulfs the samurai in a huge pillar of purple flame. In the games, this move leaves you temporarily frozen in place, wide open for attack. However, due to Iori's injured state, he didn't have his full power behind it, and Genjuro was still able to move. As Iori reaches out to kill him, Genjuro runs Iori through with his sword.

Meanwhile, Kyo is tracking down Iori by his scent (wha...?) and suddenly runs into Bison, who has also just entered the Parallel World. Elsewhere, Chun Li lies in an open field and is awakened by Guile. The last thing they remember was a big explosion as they were trying to rescue Terry Bogard from Bison. They also see Terry Bogard is with them and Guile says he thinks they all died in the explosion. Terry says where they are now doesn't feel like reality. Just then, everyone's favorite bouncy ninja babe, Mai Shiranui also shows up confirming that they're 'not in Kansas anymore'. 

Back to Kyo and Bison, our Kusanagi hero tells him to get out of his way since he's looking for someone in this parallel world. Bison asks if this is the parallel world in which people have to die to get to. Kyo asks if he got there by dying. Bison tells him that he actually killed everything in the world. Since he was gonna die anyway, he fired off the Psycho Drive (from that weird statue straight out of SF Alpha 3) and wiped out most of the world's population. 

Here's a homage to SF Alpha 3

Kyo is enraged, thinking of all the innocents that died, especially his beloved Yuki, and tosses a fireball at him (simply called Dark Thrust this time, instead of that long-ass name from before). Bison however, phases right through it and appears behind him. Kyo predicted this and hit him with his combo flaming punches, (115 Poison Bite, 401 Recitation of Sins and 402 Verdict Demon Incinerator 100). 

Yeah.... if I can ever ignite my fist with magic fire as I throw a punch, I'm totally gonna yell out '402 Verdict Demon Incinerator 100'. The guy will hit the ground before I even have time to finish saying the move.

Bison flips back and lands on his feet. Angry, he flies into Kyo with his infamous Psycho Crusher (Capcom people have nice short attack names.... I love SNK and its fighters to death, but if Bison was a KOF character his moves would have names like the 115 Pyschotic Erradicator Fist of Flames 100'). Kyo manages to block the attack, but suddenly Bison pulls back as both fighters feel a powerful chi. It's none other than Geese Howard himself, standing atop of Mastodon.

Back to Iori and Genjuro, even while impaled, the Yagami still won't give up the fight. Genjuro yanks his sword out and continues the attack, but Iori goes insane with rage and says he will never lose unless he cut into tiny pieces. Genjuro liked the idea and tries to attack, but Iori catches him in the 3 stages of his super move, the Paulownia Smasher Lighting Wings that grabs the samurai by the face, slams him face down into the ground, and then, still grabbing him by the face, spins him like crazy in the air.

This only makes Genjuro's lust for battle grow stronger. The swordsman states that he is the one that killed the Yagami ancestors. Iori activates his MAX state and runs at him, but Genjuro is able to cancel all of his moves. Genjuro traps Iori in one his cards and sends him flying into the air. He then starts to hack and slash the hell out of him with the 'Reverse 5 Flashes' move. Iori is sliced to piece, hence killed, but Genjuro reminds him he has two more chances to come back for more.

Back to Geese Howard, his great power attracts other fighters to the area. Kyo turns to see Kim Kaphwan, Choi Bounge, Dhalsim, Tessa and Balrog all show up. Geese declares he must kill them all and fires off a Reppu Ken. The fireball goes right for Choi, which he tries to avoid using his spin attack, but the attack hits him and he is sent flying. Kim Kaphwan jumps in to avenge his disciple, but Geese impales him with his fist. As Geese tosses him away, Kim fades away. Just then, a stampede happens as Ken Masters also arrived in the Parallel World. 

We now go into Ken's past, apparently he started training since he was eight, and by ten he mastered every martial art known to man (so he's Batman???). By age thirteen he won the National Championships, but he was starting to get bored and went to Japan, looking for a real challenge. It was here where he met Ryu and Gouken.

Ken begs to be trained my Master Gouken, but he says he will do it if he can destroy a mountain in ten days. It seems like an impossible task, but after ten days of punching with all his might... there was no mountain. Ken grew up training alongside Ryu and is now as good as him. He returned to America, got married and had kids (thought he only had one son?) but there are times where he still feel unsatisfied and wants to be even stronger. 

Back to Geese, Choi jumps in to attack him with his Exceed Fatal Evisceration. Unfortunately, he forgot that his claws were broken off during when he got smacked earlier and has nothing to stab him with. Geese then defeats Choi with his Flying Solar Slice and sends his lifeless body into a nearby ocean. Dhalsim and Tessa team up against Geese. Dhalsim teleports while Tessa tosses her Chakra Wave. Geese smothers it with his Reppu Ken, and Dhalsim and Tessa take this chance to appear on either side of him.

Dhalism spits out his Yoga Inferno and Tessa fires off her Tricicle Edge attack. Geese uses his power to deflect the fire and ice attacks, and then unleashes his deadly Raging Storm, that kills both fighters. Geese is now ready to take on Bison, since he took over his criminal enterprise in his absence. Bison said Geese should defeat 'him' first, as Ken Masters finally arrives before them. 

Ken prepares to fight and raises a dark aura that somehow diminishes Geese's aura. The fight begins with Geese trying to hit Ken with his Evil Shadow Smash, but his opponent blocks it and hits back with the Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku. Geese blocks it, but one of the stray kicks manages to smack him in the face. Geese is impressed someone actually managed to strike him and fires off his Double Reppu Ken. Ken's Ha Do Ken nullifies the first wave, but the second still manages to hit him. Geese then jumps in to kill him the same way he killed Choi, but Ken sees it coming and hits him with his burning Sho Ryu Ken. Ken then sends Geese into the air with his Shippu Jinrai Kyaku.

Elsewhere, Iori is resurrected near a waterfall. He stares at his reflection, his confidence shaken by his defeat at the hands of Genjuro. However, it is not his reflection he is looking at in the waterfalls... it's the cloned Orochi Iori!! Riot of Blood Iori grabs the normal Iori by the neck... and decapitates him. This marks Iori's second death, making a third one... final.

OH COME ON! HE JUST CAME BACK TO LIFE HERE!! I know this will make Iori more desperate and dangerous for story purposes, but this is making him look like an unlucky wimp.

Geese and Ken continue to fight until a UFO suddenly appears and one of the Mars People (from the Metal Slug series) shows up with a ray gun. Kyo, Bison, Ken and Geese are confused by this strange being, but Ken agrees that if he wants to continue fighting, they have to get ride of it. The alien draws its gun at Ken and Geese steps out of the way. The gun fires off a strange bubble that goes incredibly fast towards Ken, but he cancels it out with his Ha Do Ken.

Just then, Guile, Chun Li, Mai and Terry all arrive on the scene.Guile and Chun Li are surprised to see Bison, and Terry is surprised to see Geese, since apparently he was the one that killed him. The alien sees itself outnumbered and phones home. The spaceship arrives and beams him back up and out of the fight. 

Ken calls the alien a coward for running away. Just then Ryu appears and tells him that it seems the alien meant to drive everyone to this place. The others notice that more and more fighters start showing up, like Sagat, Shiki, Earthquake, Hugo, Poison and Genjuro. Kim, Dhalsim, Choi and Tessa also show up, and Kyo wonders where Iori is, since he doesn't know he has died twice already. Suddenly a beam of light shines from the heavens and three people show up. They are Shin, Cap and Goddess Athena, the protector of Heaven and her personal angel.

Athena welcomes everyone to tournament and explains that everyone has three chances at these death matches. There are also a few more fighters that haven't shown up yet. Athena then tells them that there can only be one winner and that winner will get a wish granted. Bison says this is a waste of time and decides to kill her now and get his prize. He flies into her with his Psycho Crusher. Shin and Cap want to protect her, but Athena tells them to let him try. 

Athena transforms into an Amazon and rides a giant lion that fires off a huge fireballs at Bison. The Master of Shadaloo gets knocked back as if he were nothing. Athena says the fighters will be sent to different places and she wishes them luck as she leaves with Shin, Cap and the angel. The ground starts to fall apart from under everyone's feet and the fighters spread out and jump for safety. The sky also shatters and soon everything is consumed by darkness.

Bison soon wakes up near Vega in some sort of abandoned industrial area. Vega says there doesn't seem to be anyone around, but Bison already senses someone more evil than him behind them. They turn to see Red Arremer, the guardian of Hell, and also a villain from the Ghosts and Goblins games.

He looks much more bad ass here than in any game

Bison is quick to start a fight, but that's not what the demon came for. Red Arremer offers Bison a deal, to make sure he is the last survivor and gets the wish. Bison says he's listening. Meanwhile, Ryu and Kyo found each other again and are starting to fight. 

My Opinions

Wow, a lot of epic fights in this issue, and we're starting to see more and more of the other characters begin to gather around. Of all the characters, Ken seems to be given more of an original backstory, since we do know he trained with Ryu as a kid, but we never knew the precise details as to when or how he got to be Gouken's pupil.

I guess the main thing on my mind here is Iori and his bad luck. I mean, the dude just killed himself to get to Kyo... and he runs right into a samurai that slices his hand off, and eventually slices him to pieces. Right off the bat, the first opponent he faced killed him. Now I can't really say much here, since the fight was pretty awesome, and even after being impaled and losing an arm, Iori still fought to the very end. But wow, when he came back to life... he was killed again almost instantly against Orochi Iori. Just snapped his head right off. Wow, already arrived and died twice already. That's like... all kinds of cheap... and also I recently found out that this story has 8 volumes. With one life left to go.... I wonder if Iori will be able to finish his fight with Kyo this time. He's one of KOF's major characters, it would be a surprise to see him be the first one to go. 

Bison destroys the world in this one, which helps bring in basically everyone else, like Terry, Chun Li, Hugo, Poison, etc. I wonder if Poison will fight or not in an upcoming volume, since at the time she was only Hugo's manager in SFIII before she became an actual fighter with special moves in Street Fighter X Tekken and Ultra SF4 (if you don't count Final Fight Revenge, of course). 

. I do wonder how the 16th century characters fit into this. Yeah, yeah I know the Samurai Shodown characters are in the game too, but I mean... how does Genjuro killing himself in his pre-meiji era somehow bring him into the Parallel World in the present time. Like... what? Considering that if we take real-world time into account, Iori killed himself several centuries later... how did they both arrive in the Parallel World at the same time? Hell, was this tournament around way back in pre-Meiji era Japan? Um.... I guess so. I know, I know, overthinking. But it does look like people arrive in this world moments after their deaths, so someone killing himself centuries before.... I don't know. Also... does this mean that Eathquake and Shiki also killed themselves? Are they stuck wandering around in this purgatory for centuries until modern day fighters enter to challenge them?

Here's the pic Kyo was referencing. Assuming the comics are mirrored for translation purposes, it would be the exact same pose.

To read the next part hop on over to SVC Chaos Volume 3