Tira (Soul Calibur)
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character
in the Soul series
of video games. Created by Namco
's Project Soul division, she was a character in Soulcalibur III and its subsequent sequel
. In addition, Tira's likeness has been used on various merchandise related to the series. She is voiced in Japanese by Masumi Asano
and in English by Jennifer Hale
.
and working directly with the team, utilizing acrobatics and a hula hoop
to keep the animation unique and uniform while simultaneously fluid and feminine. During this phase the team additionally worked with the Soulcalibur story creators, refining the character's own story as needed throughout development.
In Soulcalibur IV, her attire was changed from green to red to emphasize her now dual-personality and the fact she was slightly more evil. In addition, her other features appear to have been redesigned completely for this purpose as well; she now has long black hair tied in lopsided pigtails, her eyes are now purplish-red, and she wears black eye makeup and red lipstick rather than all-green makeup.
s worked to locate a new body for Soul Edge and destroy its antithesis
, the sword Soul Calibur.
Through her and Zasalamel's machinations, Siegfried came to them and battled Soul Edge, but when it contacted Soul Calibur a burst of energy was released; Siegfried was wounded and Soul Edge cast into a warped dimension. Due to her proximity Tira's personality split
into two extremes, Jolly and Gloomy. When Soul Edge returned in Soulcalibur IV she resumed her service to him, manipulating Astaroth, Sophitia
and others into helping.
In Soulcalibur IV, Tira's fighting style was heavily modified, now consisting of two modes: "Jolly" and "Gloomy", indicated by her fighting stance and tone of voice. Though certain attacks could trigger a switch from one to the other, the switch could also occur randomly when hit or when performing certain attacks. Of the two, her Gloomy mode results in stronger and more offensive attacks, but many of these attacks will damage her as well upon usage regardless of whether or not they strike the opponent. Due to the nature of the switch between modes, several attacks can be chained together from their Jolly version to a Gloomy counterpart of another attack and vice versa. As a result, several attacks such as Ptarmigan Polka can be chained into defensive attacks, reducing the effectiveness of a counterattack by the opponent.
" was available, showing in-fight gameplay and background information for her. In 2006, Namco released a Tira figurine as part of a Soulcalibur III set based upon her promotional artwork for the game. While not posable, the PVC figure came with three interchangeable ring blades for it to hold; an alternate color version was later released in a secondary set. Yujin released a four inch tall immobile
figurine of Tira after the release of Soulcalibur III, based upon her artwork for the title as part of their "Namco Girls Series #6" line of gashapon
figurines.
editor Jeremy Dunham described her gameplay as having "plenty of bizarre and powerful moves mixed with a smattering of chained 'perma-moves'" GameSpot
's staff described her as different than the female character stereotype
of fast but weak, and a more deliberate fighting style and a "change of pace." At the 2005 Tokyo Game Show presentation of Soulcalibur III, the character was not received well by players, cited as difficult to control and light on damage. GameSpy
added that "the jury is out" regarding her attack style, describing her as difficulty to control. Impress Watch on the other hand praised her gameplay, stating her movements and fighting style made her quite unique in the series. Her English voice acting has been a source of criticism for the character, cited in Soulcalibur IV as "grating" and annoying. Criticism has also been made towards her mood-driven gameplay in Soulcalibur IV, due to the random and sometimes inconvenient nature of the shifts.
Tira was featured as one of the girls in GameDaily
's "Babes of the Week: Soul Calibur Hotties" article, describing her as "One of the more dangerous-looking women introduced in the Soul Calibur series" and "[a]n essential new addition to the series"; Tira was also included in their "Top 50 Hottest Game Babes" article at number nineteen, praised for her "part goth and part carnival performer" design as well as her revealing appearance, later drawing mention also in their "Babe of the Week: Chicks with Baggage" article due to her mental instability. UGO.com ranked Tira number six in their "Top 11 Soulcalibur Fighters" article, noting a liking of her weapon of choice and describing her as "a force to be reckoned with...also quite the hottie in a dangerous, 'forbidden fruit' sort of way." Mania.com named her one of the "Top 10 Hot But Mostly Bothered Video Game Females", placing fifth on the list and described as "unquestionably hot", though noted as frightening due to the character's fascination with death. Magazine publications have also featured her in a context revolving around her attractiveness, such as Play
' s "Girls of Gaming 5" annual publication
.
The Globe and Mail
describes Tira as a character "who looks like a refugee from the Cirque du Soleil
", while Game Revolution
describes her as "a lithe little wench who apparently idolizes Uma Thurman's Poison Ivy", noting she "adds a needed gust of fresh air" to the series. IGN
included her in their "Babes of Soulcalibur" article stating "She immediately stands out...Whereas most of the SC women fight on the side of good, Tira is totally, deliciously evil." They also praised her outfits, calling them some of the best in the Soul series. The Escapist
online magazine stated "Tira's bi-polar hysterics match her ever-shifting stances and frenetic attacks," and added the aspect of her character brought her fighting style into sharp focus.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Soul series
Soul (series)
The is a weapon-based historical fantasy fighting game series by Namco Bandai Games. The series revolves around a sword that, after years of bloodshed and hatred, gained a soul of its own, the Soul Edge, and the sword forged to counter it, Soul Calibur. The series is special in that each character...
of video games. Created by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
's Project Soul division, she was a character in Soulcalibur III and its subsequent sequel
Soulcalibur IV
is the fourth installment in Namco's Soul series of fighting games. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on July 29, 2008, in North America, on July 31, 2008, in Japan, Europe, and Australia, and on August 1, 2008, in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.The game is notable for...
. In addition, Tira's likeness has been used on various merchandise related to the series. She is voiced in Japanese by Masumi Asano
Masumi Asano
is a Japanese voice actress from Noshiro, Akita who works for Aoni Production. She is also known by her nickname, Masumin.- Notable voice roles :Anime* Saga in A Little Snow Fairy Sugar...
and in English by Jennifer Hale
Jennifer Hale
Jennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...
.
Creation and conception
As a character introduced in Soulcalibur III, Tira's weapon was created before her own concept, a "ring blade" designed to be unique amongst the game's pre-existing weaponry. Her design and concept were built to revolve around it, starting with gender, then physical measurements, and lastly background details. Her appearance and movement were fleshed out by the team's concept artist Aya Takemura, who designed her with the intention of having the character appeal to European audiences. Afterwards, her character was rendered as a 3D model by a design team that worked solely on her, and then animated by a motion designer using motion captureMotion capture
Motion capture, motion tracking, or mocap are terms used to describe the process of recording movement and translating that movement on to a digital model. It is used in military, entertainment, sports, and medical applications, and for validation of computer vision and robotics...
and working directly with the team, utilizing acrobatics and a hula hoop
Hula hoop
A hula hoop is a toy hoop that is twirled around the waist, limbs or neck.Although the exact origins of hula hoops are unknown, children and adults around the world have played with hoops, twirling, rolling and throwing them throughout history...
to keep the animation unique and uniform while simultaneously fluid and feminine. During this phase the team additionally worked with the Soulcalibur story creators, refining the character's own story as needed throughout development.
Design
Her appearance is based on her emotional instability and madness, representing her mood through her trashed clothing and makeup. The instability is also represented in the game, such as sulking when she loses a match only to cheer up suddenly afterwards. In addition, emphasis was placed on her movements and attacks to give her the appearance of dancing while fighting.In Soulcalibur IV, her attire was changed from green to red to emphasize her now dual-personality and the fact she was slightly more evil. In addition, her other features appear to have been redesigned completely for this purpose as well; she now has long black hair tied in lopsided pigtails, her eyes are now purplish-red, and she wears black eye makeup and red lipstick rather than all-green makeup.
In video games
Tira first appeared in Soulcalibur III. Raised as a child as part of a powerful assassin organization known as the "Bird of Passage," she set out on her own after the group's leader went insane. Though she attempted a peaceful life in a quiet city, she found her urge to kill eventually uncontrollable and wandered until she learned of Soul Edge, a living sword using Nightmare's discarded armor as a body. Feeling it was a kindred spirit, she pledged her loyalty to the sword, and with a flock of ravenRaven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s worked to locate a new body for Soul Edge and destroy its antithesis
Antithesis
Antithesis is a counter-proposition and denotes a direct contrast to the original proposition...
, the sword Soul Calibur.
Through her and Zasalamel's machinations, Siegfried came to them and battled Soul Edge, but when it contacted Soul Calibur a burst of energy was released; Siegfried was wounded and Soul Edge cast into a warped dimension. Due to her proximity Tira's personality split
Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....
into two extremes, Jolly and Gloomy. When Soul Edge returned in Soulcalibur IV she resumed her service to him, manipulating Astaroth, Sophitia
Sophitia
is a fictional character in the Soul series of video games. Created by Namco's Project Soul division, she first appeared in Soul Edge and its subsequent sequels, as well as appearing in various merchandise related to the series.- Creation and conception:...
and others into helping.
Gameplay
Tira's fighting style was developed for intermediate-level players in contrast to the other new characters introduced in Soulcalibur III. In the game's storyline, her fighting style was explained as a "Dance of Death", intended to mesmerize an opponent before killing them.In Soulcalibur IV, Tira's fighting style was heavily modified, now consisting of two modes: "Jolly" and "Gloomy", indicated by her fighting stance and tone of voice. Though certain attacks could trigger a switch from one to the other, the switch could also occur randomly when hit or when performing certain attacks. Of the two, her Gloomy mode results in stronger and more offensive attacks, but many of these attacks will damage her as well upon usage regardless of whether or not they strike the opponent. Due to the nature of the switch between modes, several attacks can be chained together from their Jolly version to a Gloomy counterpart of another attack and vice versa. As a result, several attacks such as Ptarmigan Polka can be chained into defensive attacks, reducing the effectiveness of a counterattack by the opponent.
Promotion and merchandising
Tira was one of the two playable characters in Namco's E3 2005 public demonstration of Soulcalibur III alongside Mitsurugi; at the event a life-size promotional model of the character was also featured. Through the English website for the game, a promotional electronic "trading cardTrading card
A trading card is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing and a short description of the picture, along with other text...
" was available, showing in-fight gameplay and background information for her. In 2006, Namco released a Tira figurine as part of a Soulcalibur III set based upon her promotional artwork for the game. While not posable, the PVC figure came with three interchangeable ring blades for it to hold; an alternate color version was later released in a secondary set. Yujin released a four inch tall immobile
Motion (physics)
In physics, motion is a change in position of an object with respect to time. Change in action is the result of an unbalanced force. Motion is typically described in terms of velocity, acceleration, displacement and time . An object's velocity cannot change unless it is acted upon by a force, as...
figurine of Tira after the release of Soulcalibur III, based upon her artwork for the title as part of their "Namco Girls Series #6" line of gashapon
Gashapon
is a Bandai brand trademark widely used throughout the world for their capsule toys. It is also referred to as ." Both gashapon and gachapon are Japanese onomatopoeia, made up of two sounds: "gasha" or "gacha" for the turning of a crank on a toy vending machine, and "pon" for the sound of the toy...
figurines.
Critical reception
Tira's behavior in Soulcalibur III led to the suspicion of her having multiple personalities, as her mood and voice would shift suddenly and dramatically. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
editor Jeremy Dunham described her gameplay as having "plenty of bizarre and powerful moves mixed with a smattering of chained 'perma-moves'" GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
's staff described her as different than the female character stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
of fast but weak, and a more deliberate fighting style and a "change of pace." At the 2005 Tokyo Game Show presentation of Soulcalibur III, the character was not received well by players, cited as difficult to control and light on damage. GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
added that "the jury is out" regarding her attack style, describing her as difficulty to control. Impress Watch on the other hand praised her gameplay, stating her movements and fighting style made her quite unique in the series. Her English voice acting has been a source of criticism for the character, cited in Soulcalibur IV as "grating" and annoying. Criticism has also been made towards her mood-driven gameplay in Soulcalibur IV, due to the random and sometimes inconvenient nature of the shifts.
Tira was featured as one of the girls in GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
's "Babes of the Week: Soul Calibur Hotties" article, describing her as "One of the more dangerous-looking women introduced in the Soul Calibur series" and "[a]n essential new addition to the series"; Tira was also included in their "Top 50 Hottest Game Babes" article at number nineteen, praised for her "part goth and part carnival performer" design as well as her revealing appearance, later drawing mention also in their "Babe of the Week: Chicks with Baggage" article due to her mental instability. UGO.com ranked Tira number six in their "Top 11 Soulcalibur Fighters" article, noting a liking of her weapon of choice and describing her as "a force to be reckoned with...also quite the hottie in a dangerous, 'forbidden fruit' sort of way." Mania.com named her one of the "Top 10 Hot But Mostly Bothered Video Game Females", placing fifth on the list and described as "unquestionably hot", though noted as frightening due to the character's fascination with death. Magazine publications have also featured her in a context revolving around her attractiveness, such as Play
Play (US magazine)
Play was a U.S.-based magazine focused on video games, anime, manga, film, DVD, television, comics, music and media. Published by Fusion Publishing, Inc. since 2001, Play magazine also had a separate Internet presence on its website, Play Online...
Annual publication
An annual publication, more often called simply an annual, is a book or a magazine, comic book or comic strip published yearly. For example, a weekly or monthly publication may produce an Annual featuring similar materials to the regular publication....
.
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
describes Tira as a character "who looks like a refugee from the Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
", while Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
describes her as "a lithe little wench who apparently idolizes Uma Thurman's Poison Ivy", noting she "adds a needed gust of fresh air" to the series. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
included her in their "Babes of Soulcalibur" article stating "She immediately stands out...Whereas most of the SC women fight on the side of good, Tira is totally, deliciously evil." They also praised her outfits, calling them some of the best in the Soul series. The Escapist
The Escapist (magazine)
The Escapist is an online magazine covering video games, gamers, the gaming industry, and gaming culture. Published by the Themis Group, it was edited by Julianne Greer up to June 30, 2009, then by Russ Pitts through September 2011, and is currently edited by Steve Butts. The Escapist was first...
online magazine stated "Tira's bi-polar hysterics match her ever-shifting stances and frenetic attacks," and added the aspect of her character brought her fighting style into sharp focus.