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Best Rivals/Adversaries Tournament-Minigame


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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18135
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:28 am Reply with quote
NOTE: See here for details on the Minigame. The bracket to be used for it is on the preceding post to that one.

Conflict is at the heart of any dramatic story, where it be romance or action-oriented, and often pops up in comedy, too. It is a driving force which can define plot and characterizations. In some cases two particular groups or individuals can have an ongoing conflict or competition which steps well beyond simple, everyday strife. These are the ones that are best-suited for the Best Rivals/Adversaries Tournament.

Eligibility Standards
Participants in this tournament come in pairs, either individual vs. individual, individual vs. group, or group vs. group. (For purposes of this tournament, "group" includes any duo, team, family, clan, business, political entity, or other organization that consists of more than one individual.) Each pair of candidates must have an ongoing conflict which is clearly-acknowledged by both participants as a conflict; one-sided affairs do not count here. This conflict can be for any reason but must either be recognized as well-entrenched in the series' backstory or else progress and develop over the course of time in the source material. Conflicts which are ultimately resolved and change to something else are allowable as long as they take a long time to resolve, but ones which last only an episode or two generally are not. Conflicts which are not based on anything beyond a character being bitchy (such as in the case of a lot of tsundere behavior) do not count. A strong sense of rivalry or strong adversarial feelings must be present, so please keep this in mind when considering whether or not to nominate marginal candidates!

Nomination Standards
1. Any forum member not currently banned may nominate and vote for and/or against any number of candidates.
2. Each nomination or vote in favor scores one point. Each vote against scores -1 point.
3. The top 64 or 128 candidates, depending on the number of unique nominations made, will make the tournament, with negative votes used as tiebreakers. (High scores may also be used to help determine seeds, but that is not a transparent process.)
4. A list of active candidates and their scores will be updated on this post at least once per day. Candidates with a score of 0 on an update will be moved to the Cut List if their scores have not improved in 24 hours; candidates in this condition will be shown in red. Candidates with a negative score on any update will automatically be moved to the Cut List and won’t return to the active list unless they build to a positive score.
5. A voter/nominator must state “Nominate,” “Vote For” or “Vote Against” (as appropriate) in bold when taking any of these actions or the vote/nomination will not be counted. THIS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED THIS TIME! Using one of these as a heading before listing multiple votes of the same type is acceptable. Any vote change must be done both in the original post and in a new notice indicating that a change has been made or the change may not be counted.
6. Every nomination must be accompanied by a write-up (see below) and a link to a picture containing the rivals/adversaries or that nomination is not considered valid.
7. Votes in favor can be justified but don't have to be. Votes against must be justified or they will not be counted.
8. Nominations and voting will continue until the end of the day on June 16th, until 128 candidates have multiple positive votes, or until 24 hours passes without any new nominations or votes, whichever comes first.
9. No more than three pairs of rivals/adversaries from the same title/franchise can make the cut, so be selective in picking only the strongest possible choices from a particular series, movie, or franchise. In cases where a choice between a broad and specific conflict exists (such as in a lot of the Gundam titles), the narrower case is generally the better one.
10. A character or group may appear in more than one pairing.
11. Only series which have had at least one full season (typically 12-13 eps) released, or movies or OVAs which have been released in their entirety, by the beginning of June 2011 are eligible for consideration. (IOW, no title new for the current season is eligible.)

Write-Up
Each participating pairing will have its own Guide write-up for reference during the game. Doing these in advance is a massive time-saver for me and gives other voters a chance to familiarize themselves with characters or groups that they may not know. (An example of one from our Best Supporting Character tournament can be seen here.) Each write-up must include the following:

1. For individual characters, the proper name in English order. For groups, the name of the group (in English translation if there is one and it is commonly-used). They should be listed on the same line with a "vs." in between.
2. The source title/franchise, and what series/movies within that franchise the conflict between the rivals/adversaries appear in if it isn't all of them. (Use the official or commonly-accepted English title here if one exists.)
3. If groups are involved, a brief (one-sentence) description of the group with key members listed should be included. This should be skipped if only individuals are involved.
4. An identification of the type of rivalry or adversarial relationship the candidates have, including whether or not they're rivals or adversaries. Types of rivalries include (but are not limited to) familial, competitive, ideological, legal, political, professional, and romantic. Adversaries can also be vengeful, survivalist, and blood feud.
5. A description of the nature of the rivalry or adversarial relationship and what makes it interesting and/or special. (Please minimize spoilers here and do not use spoiler tags.)
6. A link to a .jpg format picture which shows each character and/or group involved. If a single picture cannot be found which includes both then use Paint or some other image-manipulating software to put two individual pictures together. (Contact me via email with the pic in question if you don't have a way to post it online.)

Two examples of the format expected are given below; these should also be considered official nominations. Please adhere as closely as possible to the formatting style shown, including the capitalization standards. Also be aware that those who make a consistently weak effort on their write-ups may be banned from making further nominations (but not votes).

Quote:
Goku vs. Vegeta, Dragon Ball Z/GT/Kai pic
Type of Conflict: Competitive Rivalry (once Survivalist Adversaries)
What It's All About: Goku and Vegeta are the last of the proud Saiyan warrior race, but one (Goku) is the son of a commoner and the other (Vegeta) of a king. They first meet when Vegeta comes to Earth to investigate why a comrade was having such a difficult time subjugating the planet and face off for the first time after Vegeta has killed some of Goku's friends. Vegeta does not take kindly to being seriously challenged by someone he regards as inferior, while Goku sees Vegeta as the strongest challenge he's ever faced. Over the course of time they fight each other occasionally and compete against each other to see who can top the other in strength; although Vegeta consistently seems more concerned about this, Goku also comments at various points that Vegeta is the one he wants to be able to beat.
Why They Should Win: Goku vs. Vegeta is arguably the defining shonen action rivalry. As their relationship evolves over time, the rivalry may go on the back burner but never goes away and can pop up strongly at unexpected moments, both for better and for worse.

Iga Tsubagakure vs. Kouga Manjidani ninja clans, Basilisk pic
Key Members-Kouga: Gennosuke, Danjou, Kagerou, Kisaragi Saemon, Muroga Hyouma, Kasumi Gyoubu, Okoi, Udono Jousuke, Jimushi Jubei, Kazamachi Shogen
Key Members-Iga: Oboro, Ogen, Yakushiji Tenzin, Akeginu, Chikuma Koshirou, Amayo Jingoro, Hotarubi, Mino Nenki, Azuki Rousai, Yashumaru
Type of Conflict: Professional Rivals, Blood Feud
What It's All About: in early 17th century Japan, the Kouga and Iga ninja clans have an uneasy peace after centuries of blood feud. The feud reawakens (with deadly consequences) when the two clans are used as proxies to decide a conflict over succession in the Tokugawa Shogunate. Even the love between young clan leaders Gennosuke and Oboro, whose impending marriage was supposed to end the feud for good, cannot prevent the bloodshed.
Why They Should Win: While these clans may be a rip-off of the Montagues and Capulets in Shakespeare's original Romeo and Juliet, they nonetheless execute their feud with a high degree of intensity, all manner of messy deaths, and little necessary provocation.


Let the nominations and voting begin!

Participant List - FINAL (for real this time!)
NOTE: A spreadsheet version complete with hyperlinks to the posted write-ups for most participants can be found here.

Akito/Naozumi, Kodocha
Alucard/Alexander Anderson, Hellsing franchise
Amuro Ray/Char Aznable, Mobile Suit Gundam
Arika/Nina Wang, My-Otome
Ash/Team Rocket Trio, Pokemon franchise
Asuna/Ayaka, Negima franchise
Ayeka/Ryoko, Tenchi Muyo franchise
Ban+Ginji/Dr. Jackal, Get Backers
Blast/Trapnest, NANA
Brandon Heat/Harry McDowell, Gungrave
Capulets/Lord Montague, Romeo x Juliet
Catians/Dogisians, Asobi ni Ikuyo!
Chika/Shito, Zombie Loan
Claudette/Leina, Queen's Blade
D/Meier Link, Vamp Hunter D Bloodlust
Dark Mousy/Krad, D.N. Angel
Digidestined/Myotismon, Digimon Adventures
Domon Kasshu/Master Asia, Mobile Fighter G Gundam
Dragons of Heaven/Earth, X TV
Edward Elric/Scar, FMA franchise
Elric Brothers/Homunculi, FMA franchise
Exorcists/The Noah, D Gray Man
Fate/Signum, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A
Full Moon/Wakamatsu, Full Moon wo Sagashite
Gai vs. Pizza/Soldat J, GaoGaiGar
Goddesses/Mara, Ah! My Goddess franchise
Goku/Piccolo Jr., Dragon Ball, DBZ
Goku/Vegeta, DBZ
Guts/Griffith, Berserk
Hikaru/Akira, Hikaru no Go
Himura/Aoshi, Ruroni Kenshin
Himura/Makoto, Ruroni Kenshin
Humans vs. Machines, Animatrix
Humans vs. Shiki, Shiki
Ichigo/Renji, Bleach
Ikuto/Tadase, Shugo Chara
Inuyasha/Koga, Inuyasha
Inuyasha/Sesshomaru, Inuyasha
Isamu/Guld Bowman, Macross Plus
Johan/Tenma, Monster
Jomy Marcus Shin/Kieth, Towards the Terra
Kai Ichinose/Shuhei, Piano Forest
Kamina+Simon/Viral, Gurren Lagann
Kaname/Zero, Vampire Knight
Kazuki/Papillon, Buso Renkin
Kazuma/Ryuohou, sCRYed
Kei/Miyako, ef ~ a tale of memories
Kenichi/Ragnarok, Kenichi:Mightiest Disciple
Kenji/Haruki, School Rumble
Kimimaro/Soichiro, C:The Money of Soul and…
Kira/Athrun, Gundam SEED
Kirino/Kuroneko, OreImo
Kouga/Iga ninja clans, Basilisk
Kyoko/Sho, Skip Beat
Le Secret du Roi/Rev. Brethren, Le Chevalier d'Eon
Lelouch/Suzaku, Code Geass
Light Yagami/L, Death Note
Light/Near, Death Note
Love Machine/Kenji+Jinnouchis , Summer Wars
Lucy/Bando, Elfen Lied
Lucy/Kurama, Elfen Lied
Lupin III/Zenigata, Lupin III franchise
Madlax/Limelda Jorg, Madlax
Makoto/Katsuhiko Jinnai, El Hazard
Marionettes/Saber Dolls, Saber Marionette J
Maya/Ayumi, Glass Mask
Miki/Megumi, Ramen Fighter Miki
Mink/Veena, Dragon Half
Mugen/Jin, Samurai Champloo
Nabuca/Shu, NTHT
Nagi/Zange, Kannagi
Nanoha/Fate, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
Nanoha/Vita, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A
Naruto/Sosuke, Naruto franchise
Nemo/Gargoyle, Nadia: Secret of Blue Water
Nereids/Criminal Siblings, Daphne in the Brilliant Blue
Noir/Soldats, Noir
Ouran HS Host Club/Zuka Club, OHSHC
Outlaw Star Crew/McDougals, Outlaw Star
Oz/Baskersvilles, Pandora Hearts
Pedro/That Man, Excel Saga
Porco Rosso/Donald Currtis, Porco Rosso
Princess Tutu/Princess Krahe, Princess Tutu
Ranka Lee/Sheryl Nome, Macross Frontier
Ranma/Ryoga, Ranma 1/2
Sadako/Kurumi, Kimi ni Todoke
Sailor Scouts/Queen Beryl, Sailor Moon
Saki/Koromo, Saki
San/Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke
Sanada/Date, Sengoku Basara
Saya/Diva, Blood +
Sayaka/Kyoko, Puella Magi Madoka Magika
Seishu HS/Ryuou baseball, Cross Game
Seishu Prefab Team/Daimon, Cross Game
Sekai/Kotonoha, School Days
Selecao, Eden of the East franchise
Sena/Seijiro, Eyeshield 21
Shiki Ryougi/Souren, Kara no Kyoukai
Shinku/Suigintou, Rozen Maiden
Shirou/Archer, F/SN: Unlimited Bladewks
Shizuo/Izaya, Durarara!!
Shunan/Nugan, Beast Player Erin
Sinon/Dui, Starship Operators
SNT Gatchaman/Galactor, SNT Gatchaman
Sousuke Sagara/Gauron, Full Metal Panic!
Speed Racer/Racer X, Speed Racer
Spike Spiegel/Vicious, Cowboy Bebop
Strike Witches/Neuroi, Strike Witches
Tamahome/Nakago, Fushigi Yugi
Team Dai-Gurren/Anti-Spiral, Gurren Lagann
Team Inuyasha/Naraku, Inuyasha
The Organization/yoma, Claymore
Togame/Hite, Katanagatari
Triela/Pinocchio, Gunslinger Girl
Utena/Ohtori Student Council, Revolutionary Girl Utena
Vash/Knives, Trigun
Vesper/Saint, Mahoromatic
Yakumo+Pai/Benares, 3x3 Eyes
Yang Wen-Li/Reinhard, LOGH
Yasuna/Tomrai, Kashimashi~Girl Meets. . .
Yugi/Seito, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Yuki/Kyo Sohma, Fruits Basket
Yuri/Tenshi, Angel Beats!
Yusaku/Shun, Maison Ikokku
Yusuke/Shinbo, Yu Yu Hakusho
Yusuke/Toguro, Yu Yu Hakusho
Zatch Bell/Brago, Zatch Bell
Zed/Noa, Kiba

Total Contestants: 128

Cut List
Sakura/Li, Cardcaptor Sakura
Creed/Saya, Black Cat
Miaka/Yui, Fushigi Yugi
Takuto/Sugata, Star Driver
Mahoro/Ryuga, Mahoromatic
Chaos/Hellmaster, Slayers Next
Conan vs. Black Organization, Detective Conan
Amu/Utau, Shugo Chara
Chiaki/Maron, Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne
Daisuke+J/Claire, Heat Guy J
Novis Noah/Reclaimers, Brain Powered
Photon/Papacha, Photon: The Idiot Adventure
Sky Girls/Vic Viper Squadron, Sky Girls
Eva Pilots vs. Angels, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Natsuru Senou x2, Kampfer
Signum/Zest, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
Astro/Atlas-Blue Knight, Astro Boy


Last edited by Key on Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:17 am; edited 10 times in total
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marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 4136
Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:05 pm Reply with quote
The Dragons of Heaven vs The Dragons of Earth, X-TV pic
Note: They are also sometimes known as the Seven Seals and the Seven Angels respectively.
Key Members - Dragons of Heaven: Kamui Shiro, Sorata Arisugawa, Arashi Kishu, Subaru Sumeragi, Seiichiro Aoki, Karen Kasumi, Yuzuriha Nekoi
Key Members - Dragons of Earth: Fuma Monou, Yuto Kigai, Satsuki Yatōji, Seishiro Sakurazuka, Nataku, Kakyo Kuzuki, Kusanagi Shiyu
Type of Conflict: Ideological Rivals, Fated Combatants
What It's All About: It's 1999 and the apocalypse is upon us and, as should be expected in anime, Tokyo is the epicentre for the battle that will determine the world's fate. On one hand you have the Dragons of Heaven, who fight to protect humankind. On the other you have the Dragons of Earth, who fight to protect the Earth itself, at the expense of the humans who are destroying it. The members of each team are chosen by destiny to fight each other and it is a destiny that is almost impossible to overcome.
Why They Should Win: The idea of two factions destined to fight each other is not original to X but these two groups are one of the best examples of it, each character showing different ways that such a rivalry can affect someone, with lots of awesome battles along the way.



The pic I found isn't the greatest quality-wise but it was the first I found that actually did have all fourteen characters represented. I can definitely make a version of it that is more like Key's picture for the Basilisk groups (with labelling) when I have a bit more time on my hands.

Edit: New pic has been substituted for the original.


Last edited by marie-antoinette on Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:17 am; edited 2 times in total
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Ggultra2764
Subscriber



Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 3862
Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:36 pm Reply with quote
Take a crack at this:

Ayeka vs Ryoko, Tenchi Muyo franchise pic
Type of Conflict: Love rivals, competitive rivalry
What It's All About: Regardless of whatever continuity from the Tenchi franchise you would want to refer to, all of them essentially have the same developments. Ayeka is the crown princess of planet Jurai and Ryoko is an infamous space pirate. Both of them wind up stranded on planet Earth for whatever reason and take a romantic interest in male lead Tenchi Masaki. The two do whatever they can to earn Tenchi's affections and angrily tear at one another whenever the other gets in the way of their romantic pursuits. When they get annoyed enough at one another, they quite often cause a good amount of collateral damage when making use of their powers to inflict harm on one another, all in the name of love.
Why They Should Win: The rivalry between Ryoko and Ayeka is the most defining within harem comedies and makes for much of the hilarity you would find within the Tenchi Muyo franchise.

Spike Spiegel vs Vicious, Cowboy Bebop pic
Type of Conflict: Personal rivals, blood feud
What It's All About: Spike and Vicious were former comrades in the Red Dragon crime syndicate. However, the unity between the two would fall apart thanks to a woman named Julia. While Julia was Vicious' girlfriend, she started up an affair with Spike and the two planned on ditching the Red Dragons to start a life together. Instead, Vicious would come to learn of the affair forcing Julia to choose between loyalty to him or her life. Julia abandoned both men and Vicious ordered hitmen to kill off Spike, who managed to survive the failed attempt on his life. While Vicious would continue to rise in the ranks of the Red Dragons while planting seeds of treachery throughout his rise, Spike became a bounty hunter with Jett Black as his partner. Any bounty that Spike comes across connected to Vicious will drive the man to abandon any bounty hunting to settle his personal rivalry with his former comrade with both men willing to kill one another whenever they cross paths.
Why They Should Win: The bloody rivalry between Spike and Vicious is one of anime's most well known personal feuds among fans with the altercations between the two serving as the best moments to see come out of Cowboy Bebop
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:48 pm Reply with quote
Hikaru Shindou vs. Akira Touya Hikaru no Go (pic)

Type of Conflict Competitive rivalry - board game

What It's All About: Eleven-year-old Hikaru becomes infused with the spirit of a Heian Go-master named Sai. One day Hikaru/Sai visits a Go parlor and encounters a boy Hikaru's age named Akira Touya. Hikaru, of course, has never played Go in his life, so Sai plays through him and defeats young Akira. This wouldn't be all that surprising if Akira weren't the son of the current top player in all of Japan and desirous of following in his father's footsteps. Hikaru, meanwhile, starts playing Go on his own and quickly develops into a talented player, in part because he plays against Sai at home. Akira becomes obsessed with discovering how an unknown boy could have defeated him in a match. The two later play a number of tournaments against each other with varying results. (Akira is one of the most obsessed characters I've ever seen in anime, with a stare that could stop a charging bull.)

Why They Should Win: It's hard to convey how powerful a drama Hikaru no Go can be when the entire field of conflict is limited to a Go board. Nevertheless the rivalry between Hikaru and Akira provides the underlying motivation for one of the best coming-of-age shounen dramas I've ever watched.
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Unicorn_Blade



Joined: 18 Jul 2010
Posts: 1151
Location: UK
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:34 pm Reply with quote
Nomination:

Saya and Diva, Blood + pic
Type of Conflict: familial rivals, blood feud
What It's All About: A war is going on between human beings and Chiropterans who feed on the blood of humans. Saya Otonashi, a high school student, belongs to an organisation known as the Red Shield, which aims at saving the humanity and at exterminating the bloodthirsty monsters. Diva on the other hand supports people standing behind the mysterious organisation Cinq Flèches, whose aim is to spread chaos on Earth and populate it with Chiropterans. The conflict will take many innocent lives and will last until one (or both) of the sisters die(s).
Why They Should Win: The conflict between two sisters might not be a ground-breaking idea, but it is extremely well executed within the series. The interactions between Saya and Diva are quite unique and as the series progresses, they get more and more intense resulting in a series of unexpected and tragic confrontations.


PS: I realise the rivalry could be extended onto Red Shield and Cinq Fleches as a whole, but both organisations are centred around the two sisters, so unless anyone objects, I will leave it like this for now. Plus finding a picture of both organisations together = Mission impossible.



Nomination

Brandon Heat/Beyond the Grave vs Harry MacDowell GungravePicture
Type of Conflict: ideological rivals
What It's All About: Brandon and Harry used to be best friends, always inseparable. After joining the Millenion mafia, bright and charismatic Harry made it to the top with Brandon’s help in a short period of time. However, Harry’s priorities soon started changing, and his greed and lust for power pushed him towards making businesses that were against the organisation’s rules, which pushed Brandon to take decisions that will change their relationship forever.

Why They Should Win: Brandon and Harry are one of the most interesting anime rivals, and the relationships between them are complex and complicated, they can understand each other without words and love each other like brothers, but at the same time the differences in their mentality make it impossible for them to establish a common aim, which results in a bloody conflict.


Last edited by Unicorn_Blade on Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:31 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Aylinn



Joined: 18 Nov 2006
Posts: 1684
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:00 pm Reply with quote
Nominating:

Maya Kitajima vs. Ayumi Himekawa Glass Mask pic
Type of Conflict: Competitive rivalry - actresses

What It's All About: Maya is 13 year old girl when the story starts. One day she encounters a famous actress that instantly takes interest in her, because Maya turns out to have a rare talent for acting. The famous actress, Chigusa Tsukikage asks Maya to join her acting school and Maya becomes her disciple. As the time passes, Maya proves time and time again that she has an immense talent and her ability to captivate the audience is unparalleled. She is given a nickname ‘the stage storm’ and her teacher herself refers to Maya as 'the girl with a thousand masks'. Because of this talent, Maya is chosen as a candidate for a legendary stage play, the Crimson Goddess for which Chigusa Tsukikage holds rights. However, there is also one more girl that aspires to get this role and whose candidature Chigusa Tsukikage considers, Ayumi, a daughter of a famous actress and a famous director. Ayumi is an ambitious girl and she wants to prove that she is a good actress and her career has nothing to do with being a daughter of famous people. She also started her career much earlier, so in contrast to Maya, Ayumi is already a fairly experienced actress at the beginning of the story. Ayumi quickly realizes Maya’s potential. This discovery, however, does not evoke any ill feelings toward Maya in Ayumi and while both girls compete for the famous role of the Crimson Goddess, their rivalry is of a friendly type, because both wish to win fair and square.

Why They Should Win: Ayumi and Maya are the best shoujo rivals of all time. The story spins around their ambition to achieve their dream and both of them are portrayed in a sympathetic way, so it is hard to dislike them, which gives viewers a great story where it is hard to choose which one should get the role, making their struggles even more compelling to watch. Despite being from a shoujo manga, their conflict is purely professional and never takes a clichéd form of love rivals.


Last edited by Aylinn on Thu Jun 23, 2011 4:24 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18135
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 2:20 pm Reply with quote
Guys n' gals, try to limit the pictures to official anime character designs or actual screenshots; no fan art or manga pics if possible.

Unicorn_Blade: Your choice on Saya vs. Diva is exactly what I mean by favoring specific cases over general ones, and I will second it as a sign of approval.

I will also heartily second Ayeka vs. Ryoko. That was one that I had intended to write up myself.

I have several other obvious ones in mind but not the time to write them up right now. Expect more later.
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The Naked Beast



Joined: 26 Jun 2006
Posts: 1028
Location: A Blue Planet
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 3:15 pm Reply with quote
Nominating

Arsène Lupin III vs. Inspector Zenigata (full name Koichi Zenigata), Lupin III series, picture 1, picture 2, picture 3
Type of Conflict: Cop and Robber, Professional Adversaries/Rivals, mutual "frenemies"
What the Deal is: Zenigata's main goal in life is to personally arrest Lupin one day. Despite Lupin managing to escape from him every time, Zenigata passionately, almost to an obsession, will chase Lupin to the ends of the Earth. The two have a mutual agreement that they will never explicitly attempt to kill each other in their international game of cops and robbers.
Why They Should Win: While they may be on opposite sides of the law, Lupin and Zenigata will on occasion due to extenuating circumstance partner up to take down major criminals. Their cat-and-mouse chase is what makes them great "frenemies." Though this is a friendly rivalry the two have going, Zenigata is serious about putting Lupin behind bars.

The remnants of the Capulet family retainers and guards vs. Lord Montague, Romeo x Juliet, picture
Key Members (Capulets) - Conrad, Francisco, Curio, Antonio, Tybalt
Type of Conflict: power and rightful heir feud
What the Deal is: Lord Montague, in his younger days, was wronged by the Capulets is the shortest way to explain this feud without big spoilers. It culminated in Montague's ascension to power by the slaughter of almost all of the Capulets including Lord Capulet, Juliet's father.

Years later, Neo Verona is under the iron fist of of Lord Montague and his oppressive rule. The remnants of the Capulet family consisting of Juliet and her most loyal retainers and guards plan for the day for order to be restored to Neo Verona. Conrad and company will start this uprising by revealing the truth of Juliet's heritage. He reveals to the Capulet heir that she must bear a great burden that comes with wielding the family heirloom sword.

Why They Should Win: This feud was started by blood and Conrad wants to see Montague's reign end. The small group has stayed alive for many years by the trust they hold in their allies. These same collaborators are also supporters of the Capulet family share the same dream of a peaceful Neo Verona under a new rule. One way or another, blood must be repaid in full.

Domon Kasshu vs. The Undefeated of the East/Tohofuhai/Master Asia, Mobile Fighter G Gundam, picture
Type of Conflict: Former Master and Student, Philosophy and Ideals
What the Deal is: Domon was shocked to find out that his master was siding all along with his brother, Kyoji, and the Devil Gundam. Though Master Asia may have severed the bonds of master and student between them, he still looks out for Domon. Of course, his reasoning is that so he may defeat Domon to show how green he still is and has a ways to go away before he can even beat him in his dreams.

Nevertheless, their animosity and conflicting ideals are put to the test in the Gundam Fight Battle Royale Free-for-All Finals. The participants with the best records, including his Shuffle Alliance members and teammates, are placed on an island to fight to be the last man/Gundam standing to claim the title of Champion/Gundam of Gundams.
Why They Should Win: The "former" master and student may not understand each other through words but their feelings are perfectly conveyed through their fists. When Master Asia and Domon fight their epic battle to determine who is in the right, there can be only one standing in the end ... along with the rubble they leave in their wake. The final battle between the two is a sight to behold. The School of The Undefeated of the East also has a badass "fist bump."

EDIT: Added some alternative pictures for Domon Kasshu vs. The Undefeated of the East/Tohofuhai/Master Asia
EDIT 2: Changed pictures for all nominations, changed Romeo x Juliet nomination to Remnants of the Capulet family retainers and guards vs. Lord Montague, rewrote parts of the Romeo x Juliet nomination


Last edited by The Naked Beast on Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:09 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Ggultra2764
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Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 3862
Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:33 pm Reply with quote
Pitch a couple more ideas:

Yugi Mutou/ Yami Yugi vs Seto Kaiba, Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Monsters pic
Type of Conflict: Competitive rivalry
What the Deal Is: Yugi and Kaiba are the world's top players in the card game of Duel Monsters. With Yugi being one of the few players ever to beat him in a game, Kaiba desires to gain whatever means he can to beat his rival in a card game and often serves as an obstacle during dueling tournaments where Yugi tries to advance in taking on the major antagonist of an arc. Both Kaiba and Yugi share a mutual respect for one another for their capable skills and strategies in the game of Duel Monsters.
Why They Should Win: Yugi and Kaiba's rivalry is one of the more memorable ones to come off of an anime promoting a video game/ card game franchise. While a pretty standard character rivalry, Kaiba and Yugi are one of the few sets of characters to have a notable feud within their genre of series.

Naruto Uzumaki vs Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto franchise pic
Type of Conflict: Personal and Ideological Rivals (Formerly Competitive Rivals)
What the Deal Is: Naruto and Sasuke were former teammates within Team 7 with the two having different personalities. While Naruto was impulsive, mischievous and easygoing, Sasuke was level-headed, serious and indifferent towards others. Their rivalry started off being mostly competitive where the two expressed desire to improve their skills and spar with one another to see who was the better ninja. But as Sasuke came to realize Naruto's unique abilities were something he couldn't easily surpass, especially as he desired the strength to avenge the death of his family, the young Uchiha abandoned the Hidden Leaf Village to learn under the rogue ninja, Orochimaru. Years later, both Naruto and Sasuke have improved in their abilities where Naruto desires to apprehend Sasuke and return him to the Hidden Leaf while Sasuke now has no qualms about killing off his former comrade if he gets in the way of his quest to seek revenge for his family's behalf.
Why They Should Win: Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry is currently one of the prominent ongoing feuds occurring with the current shounen anime franchises. Their feud started off friendly yet has become increasingly personal due to the different paths of life the two boys chose to walk.
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Spastic Minnow
Bargain Hunter
Exempt from Grammar Rules


Joined: 02 May 2006
Posts: 4595
Location: Gainesville, FL
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:51 pm Reply with quote
Nominating:

Shinichi Kudo (Jimmy Kudo)/Conan Edogawa, and The Black Organization, Detective Conan (Case Closed) pic
Type of Conflict: Adversarial: Detective vs. Criminal Organization

What It's All About: Brilliant high school detective, Shinichi Kudo (Jimmy Kudo), bears witness to a criminal transaction in an amusement park but is captured by the criminals, two "men in black" and is given a poison that is supposed to kill him and then abandoned. Instead the poison transforms his body to that of a child. Soon after he adopts the alias Conan Edogawa and lives with his childhood friend and her father, a private detective, in hopes that the cases they take on will lead to clues about the people who poisoned him and will lead to a cure for the poison. Over the course of the show he discovers that the two criminals that poisoned him are part of a large criminal group that he dubs "The Black Organization" and befriends a former member of the organization, Shiho Miyano, who was able to escape by taking the poison herself, shrinking and taking on the identity of Ai Haibara (Anita Hailey). And so Shinichi/Conan has to take on the Black Organization to help discover a cure for his condition, protect Shiho/Ai, and to generally discover what their plans are and twart their plans, he also gets help from his contacts and other groups that are trying to battle the group, most notably the FBI and CIASome other groups. For the most part the Black Organization necessarily does not know of Shinichi's adversarial role (if they did- they could target him specifically), they know his death was never reported and realize that there are groups after them but haven't connected everything yet. There is one senior member of the organization that does know his secret identity and motives but keeps this a secret from everyone else for reasons of her own, she refers to Shinichi/Conan as a possible "Silver Bullet" that could destroy the organization.


Why They Should Win:
These are adversaries with a long history and staying power, for 15 years in anime alone Detective Conan has been slowly letting out hints about what the BO is and what their plans are (don't think too hard that Shinichi was 17 when he was shrunk into a child). Conan gains information, they almost capture him and the audience keeps watching year after year. Sure, the rest of the cases are good and a big reason why the show keeps going but without this core conflict it'd be just another detective show with a gimmick.
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Unicorn_Blade



Joined: 18 Jul 2010
Posts: 1151
Location: UK
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 6:44 pm Reply with quote
Nomination

D vs Meier Link, Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust
Picture

Type of Conflict: Professional/ideological rivals
What it is all about: Meier Link is a powerful vampire who kidnaps Charlotte, a daughter of a wealthy family living somewhere on the Frontier. The family hires the legendary vampire hunter D (and a team of bounty hunters) to bring the girl back. As a vampire hunter, D’s job is to kill Meier Link and save Charlotte and he has all the reasons in the world not to believe the couple’s claim that they are in love.
Why They Should Win: because both D and Meier are amazing characters. Strong, powerful, charismatic, skilful. They both have their good reasons to do what they do which makes siding with either side difficult.



Kaname Kuran vs Zero Kiryū Vampire Knight/Vampire Knight Guilty
Picture, I could not find a better one without massive spoilers
Type of Conflict romantic rivals/ professional rivals
What it is all about Zero is an outcast, a vampire hunter with a tragic past and a grudge against vampires resulting from it, since his parents were slaughtered by vampires when he was a child, Kaname is a young and charismatic vampire, almost worshipped by his (human and non human) peers. What does not make their relationship easier is the fact that they are in love with the same girl, who ends up being torn apart between them herself.
Why They Should Win There is interesting dynamics between the two characters. They hate each other, but need each other as well to be able to fight their greater enemy, and since they both fight for the same girl, they need to keep their emotions under control not to hurt her.
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Raftina



Joined: 15 Mar 2011
Posts: 3282
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:39 pm Reply with quote
Nominating
Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala, Gundam Seed pic
Type of Conflict: Friends on the opposite sides of war
What It's About: They were fellow students. They were the best of friends. They supported each other in their times of need. Alas, the flames of war erupted around them. Kira is committed to the Earth Alliance, while Athrun is committed to the opposition ZAFT. The tides of war forced them to fight against each other, as they are the greatest champion of each side. Although reluctant to fight, their conflict escalated, embroiling their friends into the battles. With a death of their respective close friends and comrades, their conflict then takes a personal dimension. However, their history of friendship looms ever in the background, and they must come to terms with both their friendship and their respective loyalties.
Why They Should Win: This rivalry is an excellent example of the horrors of war, for it tears apart friendships and pits them against each other. Yet it is hopeful, for it gives us view of the powers of their friendship and the miracles they accomplish through it.

Arika Yumemiya and Nina Wang, My-Otome pic
Type of Conflict: Friends on the opposite sides of war
What It's About: They were fellow students. They were the best of friends. They supported each other in their times of need. Alas, the flames of war erupted around them. Arika is committed to Windbloom, while Nina is committed to the opposition Artai. The tides of war forced them to fight against each other, as they are the greatest champion of each side. Although reluctant to fight, their conflict escalated, embroiling their friends into the battles. With a death of their mutual friend, their conflict then takes a personal dimension. However, their history of friendship looms ever in the background, and they must come to terms with both their friendship and their respective loyalties.
Why They Should Win: This rivalry is an excellent example of the horrors of war, for it tears apart friendships and pits them against each other. Yet it is hopeful, for it gives us view of the powers of their friendship and the miracles they accomplish through it.

Lelouch Lamperouge and Suzaku Kururugi, Code Geass pic
Type of Conflict: Friends on the opposite sides of war
What It's About: They were fellow students. They were the best of friends. They supported each other in their times of need. Alas, the flames of war erupted around them. Suzaku is committed to Britannia, while Lelouch is committed to the opposition Black Knights. The tides of war forced them to fight against each other, as they are the greatest champion of each side. Although reluctant to fight, their conflict escalated, embroiling their friends into the battles. With a death of their mutual love, their conflict then takes a personal dimension. However, their history of friendship looms ever in the background, and they must come to terms with both their friendship and their respective loyalties.
Why They Should Win: This rivalry is an excellent example of the horrors of war, for it tears apart friendships and pits them against each other. Yet it is hopeful, for it gives us view of the powers of their friendship and the miracles they accomplish through it.

Voting For
Saya and Diva, Blood+
Yugi Motou and Seto Kaiba, Yu-Gi-Oh


Last edited by Raftina on Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:05 am; edited 2 times in total
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Errinundra
Moderator


Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Posts: 6516
Location: Melbourne, Oz
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:23 pm Reply with quote
3 nominations.

Rue / Princess Kraehe v Duck / Princess Tutu, Princess Tutu Pic 1 Pic 2

Type of conflict: Rivals in love & dance

What it's all about: On the surface, Rue and Duck are students at a private ballet school competing for the affections of another student, Mytho. In truth, they are characters in a story devised by the mysterious Drosselmeyer. Not only are the two trying to win the heart (literally) of their love, they are in a battle for the hearts and souls of the townsfolk in a plot that is far bigger and more frightening than they first imagine.

Why they should win: This rivalry transcends the usual winner / loser scenario. Not only do we rapidly fall for the endearing heroine, Princess Tutu, but we also come to have enormous sympathy for the supposed villain, Kraehe. Their rivalry is played out in the most joyful way - dance - even though there is so much at stake for both of them and their townsfolk. Best of all, the rivalry is finally resolved in a most unconventional way that is unexpected and bittersweet but entirely appropriate.

**

Madlax v Limelda Jorg, Madlax, Pic

Type of conflict: Opposing assassins

What it's all about: The nation of Gazth-Sonika is engulfed in a ten year civil war and the govenment's military forces are frustrated by the actions of the free agent, Madlax. Military dog and top sniper, Limelda, is ordered to dispose of the nuisance. Limelda has her own grudge against Madlax and the two face off in a series of memorable encounters.

Why they should win: For a fan of "girls with guns" this rivalry stands out above all others in the genre because the combatants are not only cool, sexy and extremely capable in the art of killing, but they complement each other perfectly and never overstep the boundary into cliched excess as some others of the type do. Particulary satisfying is the way the villain, Limelda, develops over the course of the rivalry and comes to an entirely new outlook on the war and her world.

**

Johan v Tenma, Monster Pic

Type of rivalry: metaphorical demon and angel; battle between evil personified and good personified.

What it's all about: Brilliant surgeon Tenma saves the life of a boy who grows to become a ruthless, ambitious, psychopathic killer. Tenma is not only suspected of perpetrating Johan's crimes but also feels profoundly responsible for them. In a contest that spans many years and much of central Europe, Tenma hunts for Johan to rid the world of his crimes.

Why they should win: Despite the seeming black and white characterisation of Tenma and Johan or the Nietzschean overtones, this compelling anime (even at 70+ episodes) is a wonder because of the way the two rivals are developed and portrayed. Johan's genius and charisma make him the most chilling villain I have ever had the pleasure of shivering to, while Tenma is much, much more than a knight in shining armour. The stakes are high - what makes us civilised and human - and the odds are stacked against the lone crusader from the very beginning.


Last edited by Errinundra on Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:42 am; edited 10 times in total
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Ggultra2764
Subscriber



Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 3862
Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:54 pm Reply with quote
Yuki and Kyo Sohma, Fruits Basket pic
Type of Conflict: Family rivalry
What the Deal Is: These two cousins absolutely can't stand one another as they regularly treat one another as a nuisance, no different from the legend about the cat and mouse which Kyo and Yuki can transform into respectively as part of their family curse. With the cat being the outcast of the Sohma family, Kyo desires to be accepted by the family and accepted a bet that beating Yuki in a fight would allow him to be officially accepted into the family. As a result, Kyo frequently tries to pick a fight with Yuki yet with his cousin being a better martial artist, Kyo always winds up being defeated when fighting. The two boys also happen to be envious of the personalities of one another. Kyo envies Yuki for naturally being able to draw others to him while Yuki envies Kyo for being able to express himself openly. While they can't stand being near each other, the two will often set aside their differences when dealing with a situation concerning Tohru Honda, as her influence helps soften the personalities of the two boys.
Why They Should Win: The rivalry between Kyo and Yuki allows Tohru to better understand the personal issues faced with the two Sohmas and to better know them. Their chemistry also makes for some of the comedic highlights to be found in Fruits Basket when they argue and get into fights with one another.
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nightjuan



Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 1473
PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 9:27 pm Reply with quote
Raftina:

I'm not quite sure if this is just supposed to be a glorified in-joke...but it seems all three of your nominations are basically using the same exact write-up, which isn't a very good idea. Laughing

All kidding aside, I'll have to be blunt now. Would you mind if someone offered to help re-write those? As they currently stand, I'm not even certain Key would accept them for tournament use, let alone interest any voters who aren't already familiar with the characters involved.
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