Tong Pooh (東風, lit. East Wind), also romanized Ton Pooh and Tong Poo, is a recurring character in the series, appearing in most version of the first Strider game, and returning for its two official sequels. She's also the character with the most exposure in the series besides Hiryu himself.
Tong Pooh is the middle sister[2][1] of the bounty hunter and assassin trio known as the "Four Winds" (Kuniang M.A. Team). She acts as the team's leader[2][1], recognized from her sisters by her green clothes and unique hairstyle, two braided pigtails. The most skilled among her sisters, Tong Pooh combines her mastery of martial arts and acrobatics with kenjutsu ("sword arts"), fighting with a Chinese Rinkaku (Unicorn's Horn) Sword (麟角刀; "Rokkaku" butterfly sword in English). Though Rinkaku swords are usually wielded in pairs, Tong Pooh uses a single one with incredible dexterity.
The most influential of the three sisters, she has a strong-minded personality that pushes the team forward during battle[1]. Upfront and confrontational, Tong Pooh has a fiery temper that tends to make her the most vocal of the sisters when they act together, being the one who taunts Hiryu after their eventual defeat. When in battle, she's fueled by rage as she exterminates her targets, drawing strength from "surging waves" of anger[1]. Her devotion to Grandmaster Meio is also notably pronounced in her speech, making her one of his most passionate subordinates.
Story
Strider (CPS-1)
The Kuniang M.A. Team was contracted by Grandmaster Meio to stop Hiryu on his advance, after he single-handedly brought down his base at St. Petersburg. Leading her sisters aboard the Russian Sky Thunder Mk-II, they were flying over Siberia when Hiryu boarded it, intent on hijacking it. The three sisters sprung into attack, but Hiryu claimed victory against all three in the end.
Hiryu confronts the defeated Ton Pooh about her boss, but she only answers with taunts, calling him an idiot while assuring that they are invincible as long as the Flying Battleship Balrog is active. This, however, only prompts Hiryu to assault and eventually destroy the flying fortress by himself.
Strider 2
Tong Pooh and her sisters join in the Chinese Mafia's terrorist strike on Neo Hong Kong City, likely orchestrated by Light Sword Cypher. She and her sisters confront Hiryu in the high society residential area, on a speedway crowded by flying cars. Jumping from car to car, Hiryu faces the three acrobatic assassins and defeats them at the end.
Following Hiryu's destruction of the Emperor Dragon, a defeated Ton Pooh taunts him with his foolishness in believing he can take "her Lord", and that the whole world (and Hiryu himself) belongs to him. Hiryu retorts that she's the only one that will always be Meio's servant, and leaves her behind.
Strider (2014)
Tong Pooh
Tong Pooh is the team leader of the Winds, a martial arts trio trained by the mysterious and powerful Xi Wang Mu. Loyal to a fault, they serve Grandmaster Meio as his personal assassin unit. After Hiryu infiltrated Kazakh City, they pursued him across the city complex.[3]
Tong Pooh enters into scene after her two sisters failed to defeat Hiryu together. She awaits for him deep within Kazakh City's Processing area in the Underground, taunting him and encouraging General Mikiel's troops through the broadcast system. When Hiryu finally arrives at her location, he's greeted by the three sisters. Tong Pooh fights him first on her own, commending him for causing her sisters trouble. As it becomes obvious she alone can't handle him, her sisters assist her individually and finally all three together join to fight him with her combined might.
In the end, however, the three Wind sisters are unable to defeat Hiryu and are defeated. Tong Pooh angrily shouts at Hiryu to revel in his "false victory", claims they will "raise again", and taunts that he'll never defeat "[their] lord", who "is everything" and rules over everything, including him. Hiryu simply replies that she's the one who will always be his servant and proceeds with his mission.
Some time later, Xi Wang Mu confronts Hiryu while claiming revenge over her students' demise, implying the three eventually died at some point afterwards.
Skills and Abilities
While their true strength is found in their combined team attacks, each sister is an expert martial artist in their own right. The most skilled among her sisters[1], Tong Pooh displays graceful acrobatics and nimble movements in her attacks, her technique said to "mesmerize anyone who observes it" right before she finishes her targets off in the blink of an eye[1]. She combines this mastery with the incredible strength of her legs, capable of creating deadly whirlwinds of plasma, and her amazing speed of movement and reflex.
When the three sisters fight as a team, she carries the position of "main attacker", leading the battle straight ahead as her sisters support her from behind[1]. Covered by Nang Pooh's defense and Pei Pooh's support fire, she lunges forward against her targets with an all-out offensive strategy.
Attacks
Note: This list her individual moves. For attacks when the sisters are together, see the Kuniang article.
- Back Kick: Her signature technique. Tong Pooh does a small hop forward, and quickly spins in mid-air. Once her back is facing the opponent, she does a back kick with enough strength to generate a long arc of plasma energy. Absent in the 2014 game.
- Spin Dive: Tong Pooh prepares herself and dives forward, spinning around with her sword stretching outwards, turning herself into a green whirlwind.
- Satellite Drones: Tong Pooh crouches down, then jumps upwards while spinning. As she does so, two green Option-A drones appear besides her, shooting green orbs forward.
- Dive Attack: Tong Pooh jumps upwards and descends at an angle with a powerful, plasma-engulfed attack. Usually all three sisters use this technique when together to diminish Hiryu's moving space.
- Blade Block: By shielding herself with her weapon, Tong Pooh can defend from Hiryu's attacks for a short time.
- Backflip: A dodge maneuver. Tong Pooh does a backwards backflip to move away from Hiryu.
- Spin Dodge: A dodge maneuver used to move around Hiryu. Tong Pooh moves while spinning in place.
Design Notes
- Main article: Kuniang#Design Notes
Other Appearances
Game Appearances
Ton Pooh appears in the fighting game as one of several "Special Partners", characters which can be called forth during battle to deliver a quick attack and then leave. Upon being called, Ton Pooh jumps into the screen and delivers her signature back kick attack, which covers the full length of the screen.
Tong Pooh appears as a minor enemy alongside Solo and Strider Hien, and uses the Back Kick and Somersault Kick as her attacks. She serves Grandmaster Meio and protects the Third Moon. She's portrayed as blindly loyal to Grandmaster Meio, and very aggressive against her enemies, specially towards Hiryu. She's entirely focused on killing anyone opposing her master.
She confronts the main party at several points, often accompanied by Meio's other subordinates or by a group of Nam Pooh soldiers, grey-clothed clones of herself. She finally dies, along Meio's entire entourage, in Chapter 44.
SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters
Tong Pooh appears in two of the three games in this card-themed crossover series. In the second game (Card Fighters 2), she and her sisters appear in the art for a Reaction Card (a type of counter card) named "3 Sisters" (3しまい). In the third game (Card Fighters DS), she's an actual character card alongside Hiryu. She's a card of "C" Rarity (common) with 400 hit points and no special ability. Interestingly enough, her card profile states she's "the daughter of Meio", but when taking into account the game's rather sloppy translation, this was likely a mistranslation.
Street Fighter × All Capcom
Tong Pooh appears as one of the 500+ character cards found in this crossover mobile phone game. She appears in a single card of "R" (mid) rarity standing in her classic "leaning down" pose.
Cameos
Strider Returns
While Tong Pooh is not seen at all at any point in the game, she's shown talking to Strider Hinjo in the cutscene at the end of the second stage, stating "The Master has many ways".
Capcom Fighting Evolution
Tong Pooh makes a minor background cameo in the comic book-styled ending of Felicia from Darkstalkers fame. Tong Pooh appears in the last panel dancing alongside Felicia and a host of several other Capcom female characters.[4]
Dragon's Dogma Quest
As part of a limited cross-promotion with the Vita port of this Dragon's Dogma spin-off, Tong Pooh appears as a character card alongside her sisters and Hiryu, sporting an unique job class. She appears in her 2014 design.
Gallery
![Ton Pooh, by Mine Yoshizaki[5]](/wiki/File:Tonpooh_capcombishoujo.png "Tonpooh capcombishoujo.png (272 KB)")
Trivia
- In Japan, Tong Pooh was one of the more popular characters during the game's early life.Gamest magazine in special ranked her 13th Best Character of 1989[6], 15th "Top Game Gal" in 1990[7] and 28th "Top Game Gal" in 1993[8]. She leaving a strong impression in the Marvel vs. Capcom staff (or more than likely in its director, Atsushi Tomita) was a factor in her inclusion in the game as well, despite not being a protagonist/playable character.[9]
- Reportedly, the design of Street Fighter's popular Chinese warrior Chun-Li was inspired by Ton Pooh.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Capcom (February 2014, multi). Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Character Intel #21: Tong Pooh
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Capcom (24 Oct 2006, PlayStation). Gamebook: Strider Hiryu (Japanese). Pg. 42. ISBN 4-86233-076-2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Capcom (2013). "Character: Ton Pooh Three Sisters". Capcom's official Strider site (Japanese). Retrieved 20 Dec 2013.
- ↑ Udon Staff (June 25, 2007). Fighting Evolution - FELICIA. UDON's DeviantArt page. Accessed 13 March, 2014
- ↑ Shinseisha (August 10, 1995). Capcom Bishōjo Senshi Comic Anthology (Japanese). Capcom Gals Fighter: The Dream Battle (pg. 6). ISBN 4-88199-188-4
- ↑ Staff (27 Dec 1989). "3RD Gamest Grand Prix". Gamest (41). Pg. 68-79.
- ↑ Staff (May 1990). "Game Gals Top 30". Gamest (45). Pg. 2.
- ↑ Staff (March 1993). "Game Gals Top 30". Gamest (87). Pg. 44.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Capcom (1998). Official Marvel vs. Capcom website (Japanese). Support Characters Introduction. Retrieved from Archive.org. Accessed 13 March, 2014.
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