| Characters |
Kirin (left), Jack Layzon (right) and Slaver (back)
This is a list of primary groups and characters featured in Kouichi Yotsui's Osman.
Teki[]
From top to bottom: Cannons, Kirin, Willf and Tianon, the four Teki
Teki (狄<テキ>) is a mercenary unit said to have inherited the mystic arts from the ninja of the past[1]. Known as the strongest warriors, members of Teki train their physique and agility to perfection, being capable of running up mountains with little effort[2] and move effortlessly in the most difficult of terrains[3]. They train themselves to a point their bodies can be called weapons, and sell their profession specifically as "weapons"[1][3]. The group consists of only four members.[4]
The kanji used in "Teki" (often translated as Barbarian) is a term used during the Zhou Dynasty to refer to tribes living in northern China. This may be tied with Kirin's Chinese origin.
While on his quest for revenge Kirin gets attacked by the three other Teki, each for their own personal reasons. It is also implied they may have been manipulated by the power of Slaver.[3]
Kirin[]
- Main article: Kirin
Cannons[]
Cannons of Teki (狄のカノンス) is the second member of Teki, a tall man wearing a long purple coat, black shades and a red cape. Highly neurotic and treacherous, Cannons would never stain his hands with murder[5], instead employing a giant robot to fight in his place. Although the complete opposite of Kirin in terms of spirit and technique, he's actually Kirin's "senior apprentice" (兄弟子)[5][6]. As a result Cannons greatly loathes Kirin, considering him an unrefined and stupid young man due to his "barbaric" appearance and insistence on fighting with his bare hands[7]. He also holds a particular feeling for Kirin's position as the strongest Teki.[5]
Cannons doesn't fight on his own, instead commanding a large, flying green robot with the ability to detach its parts. Depending on the pose Cannons performs, the robot will send its head (which flies up from below), its legs (which comes down from above) or its arms (flying from below and crossing paths) to attack Kirin either by themselves or in pairs. Cannons himself is the actual target (the robot can't be damaged), but he constantly teleports around the area to avoid being attacked.
Cannons and the other Teki later face Kirin together after Slaver ressurected them, having trained and developed a new combined formation in Hell they dub "Da Rudel Taktik".[8]
Tianon[]
Tianon of Teki (狄のティアノン) is the third and sole female member of Teki[9], a blond woman sporting a short ponytail, a purple undershirt, brownish-gold vest and shorts and multi-colored leg protections. She also wears a black cape around her waist as a skirt, which she takes out and uses during battle. Cheerful and bloodthirsty, Tianon only enjoys battles where life and death are at stake[9], and confronts Kirin for a chance to have such a confrontation against him, proclaiming a long-standing desire for this to happen[10]. However, other lines imply she may have feelings for him, referring to him as beautiful, valiant and stating his presence excites her.[11]
Tianon fights bare-handed using a style similar to Kirin's, described as using "kicks capable of creating a vacuum"[9], although unlike him she always generates a blade of energy with each attack. Tianon's blades are longer than Kirin's and she can also create them with her arms, twisting and turning her body around to attack him from any angled. She has two other techniques: she can ensnare Kirin in her cape and kick him upwards as well as generate a chain of explosions in a circular radius around her.
When killed as the last Teki, Tianon expresses a desire to be ressurected atleast once if only to fight Kirin again. Her wish is granted when Slaver ressurects her and the other Teki to fight Kirin in the final stage.
Willf[]
Willf of Teki (狄のウィルフ) is the fourth member of Teki, a white-haired man wearing a green and blue armor, clawed iron gloves and a large, alloy-made "kasa" hat he can ride as a platform or use as a weapon[12]. Jealous and brutal[12], Willf is the most aggressive and violent member of Teki, and openly declares he has never liked Kirin[13] and desires to defeat him and claim his title of strongest Teki for himself[12]. He also states a desire for all members of Teki to die so he can claim the title of "Strongest Weapon".[4]
Willf fights primarily with his clawed gloves, performing quick slashes and punches in front of him. He uses his kasa hat mainly as a boomerang weapon[12], spinning it over him quickly and throwing it at Kirin, with the kasa flying forward and then back at him. He can also use his kasa as a platform to move around or as an improvsied shield to block attacks. If not approached, Willf will dare Kirin to come fight him.
Willf is later ressurected alongside the other Teki by Slaver to confront Kirin during the final stage.
Federal Government[]
The Federal Government (連邦政府) or Federation is the singular entity ruling over the world[1], an overbearing capitalist government who oppresses its people and crushes any artistic values while touting false "freedom"[14]. It's capital and center of power is the Federal Capital City of Prague.
Jack Layzon[]
Jack Layzon (ジャック・レイゾン) is the Federal attorney general (連邦法務長官). Tired of the Slaver cultist having invaded one of his cities, he contracts the services of Kirin to get rid of them[1][2][15]. This, however, turns out to be a setup to give Layzon a legal reason to arrest the cultist by taking advantage of all the chaos the cult's fight with Kirin generated[16]. Having no further use for Kirin afterwards, he orders his execution and leaves him to die in a scorching desert, being chained to a large rock formation.[17]
Kirin, however, survives and finally arrives at Prague to get revenge on him. Shocked to see Kirin has survived, Layzon backs aways as the Teki approaches for the kill, but when they reach the balcony Slaver's sword suddenly appears and pierces Layzon, obliterating him.
Pirates[]
The five men
A group of five men who opposed the Federal Government and were sent to the mining complex under the desert of Bafua (Cabil), a forced labor station for government dissenters, to mine out "Flying Ore" (飛鉱石)[18], large minerals with their own gravity force. Kirin finds them after defeating the first Teki, in the process of stealing a Federal-branded submarine and a large torpedo. They receive Kirin with open arms and help him cross the Indian Ocean to reach the mainland, and Kirin assists them in taking down a large Federal warship pursuing them.
Slaver cult[]
The Ideological Terrorist Group Slaver (思想テロ集団スレイヴァー) is a fanatical cult with terrorist-leaning ideologies that has taken over the Gulf City of Gran[1][2]. Its followers worship a deity of the same name, also known as the "God without Shape" (姿なき神)[1][2]. The cult is also in possession of an armed military force[19]. The cultists profess a belief that humans are vulgar pigs driven by desire who must be "tamed" by their goddess.[20]
There are some hints suggesting a secret connection between the cult and the government, such as cult markings in the Federal concentration camp in stage 3[19], the cult's access to Flying Ore or that cult soldiers are identical to government ones[21]. One possibility is that the government was using cults like Slaver as a way to control the citizens, until Slaver became too powerful for them to control[19]. This was originally planned to be displayed clearly in-game, but time constraints prevented it.[19]
Herio[]
Herio (ヘリオ) is a mysterious fire entity faced inside the cult's temple, being apparently worshipped by the cultists. Not much is known about this being, although it could be the head of the cult or even an embodiment of Slaver or her powers, given its appearance and fire motif.
Herio presents itself as a human-shaped being of fire capable of raining fire over Kirin and summoning two energy hands to float around the circular stage and attempt to grab and damage Kirin. Upon receiving enough damage, Herio's appearance distorts into an angry visage and he starts attacking by turning into a fireball and quickly spinning toward Kirin. He's later ressurected by Slaver in the final stage in an unsuccessful attempt to pacify Kirin's bloodlust.
Fake[]
Fake or Fake Kirin (偽麒麟) is a clone of Kirin summoned by Slaver to protect herself, created from Kirin's mirror image. Fake appears as an identical copy of a full-powered (black pants) Kirin except for his darker skin. In battle, Fake constantly pursues Kirin and attacks with full-powered standing and jumping kicks. Unlike Kirin, however, he doesn't generate energy doubles of himself and makes no use of any of his other skills.
Slaver[]
Slaver (スレイヴァー) is the central goddess of the cult of the same name. Slaver initially appears in the form of a large golden avatar with pointy ears wearing a long dress, a turban and carrying a blue sword, but her true form is that of a woman with wild, fire-like hair and a similarly-colored dress with an eye symbol. Slaver's true nature and intentions are a mystery, although it's implied she wants to "tame" (or enslave, given her name) humans and that the world at large is under her influence. Slaver possess a host of divine powers including control over energy and matter, levitation and flight, onmipresence, apparent omniscience and the ability to ressurect the dead, an act described as "borrowing life" from her.
Slaver first notices Kirin when he irrupts into her temple. She takes an interest in Kirin and his desire for revenge and murder and eventually appears before him, noticing his desire to kill and giving him her permission to "take away life freely"[22]. Slaver later appears just as Kirin has cornered Layzon and murders him instead, denying Kirin his revenge. Apparently believing she has "tamed" Kirin, she asks him to come with her, "his master"[23], but this finally seals her fate as Kirin's unsatied bloodthirst makes him target her instead[24] and Slaver ends up killed by Kirin in a battle to determine the strongest and the fate of Earth.
Slaver fights in a small area overlooked by a giant image of herself. The background Slaver will zoom in as she takes damage, marking three distinct boss phases. In all phases, she flies around the stage and shoots small laser beams at Kirin.
- Phase 1: Slaver summons a large number of black orbs which fly off toward Kirin.
- Phase 2: Slaver generates a ring of projectiles shaped like DNA strands, which spins and spread out.
- Phase 3: Slaver sends a miniature Earth as a projectile toward Kirin.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Iseneko (October 1, 1988). "Cannon Dancer". Gamest (151). Pg. 242
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Game Area 51 (May 29, 2011). "Utata Kiyoshi Artdot Works" (Japanese). Pg. 16.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Game Area 51 (May 29, 2011). "Utata Kiyoshi Artdot Works" (Japanese). Pg. 14.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Willf of Teki (Stage 4): "Teki are 4 people. Now only 3 remains. Soon two will be death. In any case, I’ll be the one remaining, and I’ll obtain the title of strongest weapon"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Game Area 51 (May 29, 2011). "Utata Kiyoshi Artdot Works" (Japanese). Pg. 24.
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Cannons of Teki (Stage 4): "Fighting your senior? Very well, the path of blood is well-suited for us"
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Cannons of Teki (Stage 3): "You've always been an unrefined and stupid young man, using your own hands."
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Cannons of Teki, Willf of Teki, Tianon of Teki (Stage 6): "Look at our invincible encirclement formation forged in Hell, Da Rudel Taktik."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Game Area 51 (May 29, 2011). "Utata Kiyoshi Artdot Works" (Japanese). Pg. 29.
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Tianon of Teki (Stage 3): "I’ve been looking forward for the day we’d have a match to the death."
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Tianon of Teki (Stage 4): "Kirin, your beauty alone fuels my fire."
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Game Area 51 (May 29, 2011). "Utata Kiyoshi Artdot Works" (Japanese). Pg. 26.
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Wilf of Teki (Stage 3): "All the way, I’ve never liked you, never!"
- ↑ Robson, Daniel (October 2014). "The Making of...Strider". Edge (271). Pg. 96-99.
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Jack Layzon (Stage 1): "I want you to recapture the city from those detestable Slaver worshipers."
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Jack Layzon (Stage 2): "What is all this disturbance!? Slaver, I should have known! Arrest these fanatics."
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Jack Layzon (Stage 2): "Kirin, you'll be generously rewarded for your troubles."
- ↑ Twitter post published February 6, 2016 (Japanese). Game Area 51's official twitter.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Game Area 51 (May 29, 2011). "Utata Kiyoshi Artdot Works" (Japanese). Pg. 14.
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Cultist (Stage 2): "You are a vulgar pig driven by desire, let Slaver tame you."
- ↑ Game Area 51 (May 29, 2011). "Utata Kiyoshi Artdot Works" (Japanese). Pg. 36-37.
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Slaver (Stage 4): "This man, what is he doing? Were you cast away? You want to kill? You may take away life freely. I desire its destruction."
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Slaver (Stage 5): "Come over, Kirin. My beautiful murder weapon. Come over here. I'm your master."
- ↑ Mitchell Corp. (February 1996). Cannon-Dancer (Japanese). Slaver (Stage 6): "This bloodthirst! You intend to fight me?"