Matic

Matic
Series Information
Name in Kana	マティック Matikku
Debut	Manga: Chapter 1 Game: Strider (NES)
Profile
Gender	Male
Hair Color	Blonde
Eye Color	Unknown
Nationality	British
Professional Information
Affiliation	Striders
Strider Rank	Vice-Director
Weapon	"Long" Cypher

Matic (マティック) is a character exclusive to the Strider Hiryu manga and its NES adaptation. He's the main antagonist of both versions, and retains the basic role almost identically between them, though the game shows him a bit more pro-active.

Matic is the Vice-Director of the Striders, and the one left in charge after Kuramoto stepped down from his duties. Matic is a cruel, coldhearted individual, who rules with an iron fist and does not hesitate to use violence. Matic is also a very ambitious man, who craves for power and control, and desires to rule the world. Even though he retains his rank as "Vice-Director", he is virtually the one in charge. But even then he desires Kuramoto's death so he'd truly take over his position within the Striders.

Matic's most recognizable feature is a large scar which runs across most of his face's left side. Matic's Cypher is also quite unique in that it is twice the size of a common Cypher. Matic's quite skilled with this weapon, capable of disarming even Hiryu with a well-placed strike. He's, however, also vulnerable to having his weapon shot out of his hands.

Story

Manga

Matic (Manga)

As the Vice-Director in charge of the Striders organization, Matic assumed leadership of the group when Kuramoto started showing signs of senility and stepped down from activity. His ambition led him to secretly join foces with the business organization Enterprise, and to support their ZAIN Project. However, Matic is only interested in ruling both organizations. With the Striders' military power and Enterprise's financial strength, world domination would be within his grasp.

After Kain is captured by Kazakh forces during a mission, Matic decides to force Hiryu out of retirement to find and eliminate him. Matic travels to Hiryu's home in Mongolia and at first requests him to take the mission, citing his friendship with Kain and that it'd be better to eliminate him out of pity rather than letting the enemy torture him. When Hiryu refuses to do it, Matic then threatens he civilians Hiryu has been living with, forcing Hiryu to reveal his superhuman skills in front of them. With Matic further threatening with obliterating the whole village, Hiryu has no other choice but to accept.

Matic corners Hiryu after Clay's death

This, however, proves to have been a grave mistake on Matic's part; Hiryu discovers the ZAIN Project and subsequently proceeds to destroy the Kazakh Institute and the ZAIN Terminal within. Matic sends his subordinates Arana and Kubira to stop Hiryu's advance, but they are unable to stop him. During a tour of Enterprise's headquarters with Yuri, Matic spots Hiryu and Kain disguised as repairmen. He reveals their identities but is unable to capture them as Kain causes an explosion to cover their escape. Matic finally faces Hiryu just moments after he has killed Faceas Clay. The Vice-Director then reveals he has been manipulating the events to benefit himself: he has known of the ZAIN Project for 3 years, and realized it was an once-in-a-lifetime chance to fulfill his ambition. He needed Clay eliminated, something Hiryu unwittingly did for him. Next, he would assassinate Kuramoto and frame Hiryu and Kain for the murder, eliminating all loose ends and claiming leadership of both organizations as well as the ZAIN weapon.

Matic and Hiryu engage in a violent battle, with Matic holding a slight advantage. Then, Matic notices many of the Striders standing behind Hiryu and, confident in his victory, orders them to attack. But no one answers his orders. Kuramoto appears from among the Striders and reveals he's retaken leadership of the group, and orders Matic to surrender. Not willing to give up even if cornered, Matic threatens all presents with a bomb switch, but just then he's victim of his own ambition when the Mother ZAIN lashes out with one of its cables, piercing Matic through the chest and killing him instantly.

Strider (NES)

Matic (NES)

Vice-Director in charge of the Striders after virtually stripping Chief Kuramoto of all his powers, Matic forces Hiryu out of retirement by threatening to eliminate innocent mongolian civilians if he didn't agreed to one last mission. Once on the Blue Dragon, Matic tells him that Kain has been captured, and that rescuing him now that he's known by the enemy is useless. He orders Hiryu to find and kill him. Hiryu, however, is not willing to accept those terms and rescues him instead, unveiling the ZAIN Project in the process.

During Hiryu's fight against The Syndicate and their ZAIN Terminals, one disk recording reveals Matic to be in league with the group's director, Faceas Clay. Later, after an appointment with Clay in Los Angeles, he (apparently) finds and eliminates Sheena within the Strider Headquarters, who was looking for the runaway Kain. Having been pursued by Kain himself into his base in the Red Dragon, Matic confronts and kills him as well. He's, however, able to reveal his hideout to Hiryu before dying.

Hiryu infiltrates the Red Dragon, and is greeted by Matic as he claims he can't defeat him. Hiryu makes quick work of every subordinate of his, and finally reaches him. After a long battle, Matic is defeated and killed by Hiryu.

Skills and Abilities

As the appointed Vice-Director of the Striders, Matic holds qualifications that are equal to an Special-A Class agent, thought he has no interest in fighting fair and will take any advantage he can in a direct confrontation, like facing an exhausted Hiryu while backed up by armed soldiers or ordering other Striders he believes obey him to kill him. He's a very cunning man, manipulating others into unknowingly doing as he wishes, like using Hiryu so he'd take care of Faceas Clay for him.

Matic's stance

In battle Matic uses a custom Cypher twice its normal size, which he can effortlessly wield with both hands for strength-focused strikes, as well as one-handed for faster continous attacks. In his game boss fight, however, he appears to wield it in a battôjutsu stance (despite the Cypher lacking a sheath), keeping his hand close to the grip and only doing a lightning-fast strike when Hiryu attacks him.

During the boss battle, Matic will always approach Hiryu until he's right next to him, at which point he will stand in place, or jump if Hiryu does so. If Hiryu attacks him normally, Matic will instantly counter-strike with an attack of his own, knocking the Cypher out of Hiryu's hands and leaving him defenseless until he recovers it. To defeat him, he must be struck with the Plasma Arrow technique or a projectile Trick: this will disarm Matic and send his Cypher flying across the room, leaving him open to damage as he attempts to recover it.

Design Notes

Matic is one of two manga characters who exists in Isuke's scenario draft, where he's given the full name Matic Leopard (マティック・レオパルド). Matic is part of one of the most prestigious and historical families within the Striders, having assisted the central family in both commanding and managing the other families, and it is said that they had been involved in all the major operations in the organization's story. Matic himself is described as Kuramoto's "adjutant" (副官).

Following his reestructuring of the Striders, Kuramoto became busy taking direct command in the battlefields of the Middle East and Africa while the Soviet Union was gaining power in the East, so he left Matic the duty of keeping tabs with the situation. It was around this time a mysterious "man" appeared in soviet circles and amassed power and influence. When Matic entered His territory, he was persuaded by His power and became his puppet.

In 2048, following the Man's world conquest and the Striders receiving the mission to eliminate him, Matic led a revolt within the Striders in his name. While Matic was swiftly beheaded by Kuramoto, the headquarters collapsed at the end and the Striders disbanded.

Gallery

Matic (upper left) in promotional artwork for the manga

Matic in a 2-page poster by Tatsumi Wada.

NES Sprite