So its about that time for me, where I revamp my current character list for debates. That includes CaVs, Tournaments, Scenarios, and every other miscellaneous method of debate on the forums. As with most lists, the characters will be relegated and sorted to their respective "tier", at least how I interpret them. Manga and non-manga characters will be grouped differently though. The former will have its own section and separated by series rather than overall tier.
So this part will be separated by series rather than tier since it gets pretty big from here on out. For each series I pictured my top five characters from each. They are the five I am best at using and have the most fun using. However I can use more than just those five characters from each series. Characters aside from the main five will be listed below them, non-pictured.
Naruto/Shippuden/Boruto:
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Character
Madara Uchiha
Obito Uchiha
Kakashi Hatake
Sasuke Uchiha
Naruto Uzumaki
Continiuty Version
All
All
All
All
All
Regular Battles
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Team Battles
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Prep Battles
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tournaments/Scenarios
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Others:
Hashirama Senju
Tobirama Senju
Minato Namikaze
The Akatsuki (As individuals or as a group)
Most other Naruto Characters
Bleach:
Gallery
Character
Toshiro Hitsugaya
Byakuya Kuchiki
Ichigo Kurosaki
Coyote Starrk
Ulqiorra Cifer
Continiuty Version
All
All
All
All
All
Regular Battles
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Team Battles
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Tournaments/Scenarios
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Others:
Sosuke Aizen
Yhwach
Grimjoww
Kenpachi Zaraki
One Piece:
Gallery
Character
Donquixote Doflamingo
Sir Crocodile
Monkey D. Luffy
Trafalgar D. Law
Roronoa Zoro
Continiuty Version
All
All
All
All
All
Regular Battles
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Team Battles
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Prep Battles
No
Yes
No
No
No
Tournaments/Scenarios
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Others:
Katakuri
Mihawk
Kuma
Various others
Assorted Series:
Not sorted because I don't use this guys often at all.
Akame Ga Kill:
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Esdeath: Any version, Composite
Tatsumi: Any version, Composite
Akame: Any version, Composite
Negima/UQ Holder:
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Evageline A.K Mcdowell: Any version, Composite
Fate Averruncus: Any version, Composite
Negi Springfield: Any version, Composite
Manga/Anime Characters I am Researching/Testing:
Gallery
Character
Goku Black
Cell
Escanor
Toriko
Continuity Version
Anime/Manga
Anime/Manga
Anime/Manga
Anime/Manga
Regular Battles
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Team Battles
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Prep Battles
No
No
No
No
Tournaments/Scenarios
yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Well that's that. Like I said lmk if something interests you! Maybe not at the moment but in the near future I'll be ready to do a new match. Best to you all!
The DC Cinematic Universe: Top 10 Greatest Moments
Intro: The DCEU So Far...
So I recently did a re-watch of the DC Extended Universe while I had some free time this week. While its not the best crafted story or set of movies, there are truly some moments that I realize that I have come to greatly love and appreciate. So I don't know fully know why I'm writing this as a blog. Maybe its because I don't think the DCEU deserves as much hate as it gets. Maybe its because I just want to highlight some moments that let me relive my childhood. Either way its something I want to share with you all...
One quick thing! Don't expect any Suicide Squad lol as I don't really have any standout moments from that movie,
With that being said, let's dive into the full list shall we?
Number 10: The Return of Superman & The Rise of the Justice League
With all due respect this should have been #1, at the very least top 3. It should be on the level of seeing the Avengers unite for the first time, creating that iconic round shot that is ingrained into our minds to this day. However it falls a bit flat due to the lack of a proper build up in my opinion. While this felt like the definition of rushed, it was still a beautiful sight to see some of the original heroes I grew up with be on the big screen finally as a united front. When I first saw the shot in the thumbnail I immediately got flashbacks to the JL cartoons and comics of old. My only wish is that we had a better path here.
Number 9: Wonder Woman Crosses No Man's Land
This is where Gal Gadot, and DCEU Wonder truly shined to me. The music, the cinematography, the climbing of the ladder, and most importantly, the inspiration. Diana really gave meaning to the name "Wonder Woman" here. The only reason this is so low is because in time I have come to love other scenes just a little bit more than this, and I also have to fault my comparative lack of interest in Wonder Woman as a kid. This is still a a beautiful scene though in all forms of the phrase.
Number 8: "He is Not Our Enemy"
In re-watching this scene, I have gained a brand new appreciation for it. There is the classic easter egg of Batman (and by extension Lex Luthor) using Superman's famous weakness against him. But what truly makes this scene great to me is it a nice display of just how broken Bruce Wayne has become over the years, and he has reached the point where the only thing he can outlet his rage and powerlessness on...Superman. Also what's not to love about Jeremy Irons as Alfred?
Number 7: Superman's First Flight
I was considering putting the ending to Man of Steel here instead, because the quiet flashback of kid Clark with his first cape and Johnathan watching on is a touching and quiet scene. In the end though, "First Flight" took this spot, because of a couple key things. One being Jor-El's speech, that in my opinion exemplifies everything Superman is supposed to be:
They will stumble, they will fall, but in time... In time they will join you in the sun...
The second is the pure spectacle of this scene. I found myself truly taken aback by the wonder of this scene and this was in a post "The Avengers" world. The sonic boom, the flight to space and back, the trial and error. I absolutely love this scene.
Number 6: Battle of Smallville
This was just a kick ass, awesomely shot, and well-crafted action scene. I don't have an overly profound reason for this inclusion or why its this high. I just absolutely love it. Faora just works even with her little screen time, while Nam-Ek is a silent, grunting powerhouse that just oozes menace. Plus it was Superman's first real challenge when he encounters beings who not only have his power, but are greater in skill as well. Plus that Faora speedblitz? Yeah just freaking badass all around
Number 5: The Death of Steve Trevor & Diana's Lament
My love for this scene is definitely in the latter half of it. However its still a great scene as a whole. What makes it special though is it cements the tragedy of Wonder Woman. She came into this world a naive and budding hero, and now learns of the cost, as well as seeing the dark side of humanity. Ares speech as she goes God Mode cemented this spot for me. And it leads to a wonderful crossroads for Diana to become the person she is today. Steve Trevor of course being a huge part of that as he saved the day, but sacrificed himself so Diana could one day save the world. His belief inspired her belief.
Number 4: "Must There be a Superman?"
So this scene comes in third place for the most rewatches. I absolutely love everything about this scene. To me, it is a great counter to thoughts like "Superman is boring", and "Superman is not relatable", etc. Superman inspires discussion, controversy, thought. These are entirely human and realistic reaction and consequent reactions to what is essentially a god showing up out of nowhere and changing our world. It shows the human fear of change, the desire to follow, the abhorrent fear of giving up our uniqueness.
Someone like Superman challenges that belief just by existing, and what's ironic is that all he wants is to be like us. Its truly a beautiful scene, only enhanced by each shot, and especially when you take into account that this version of Superman is trying to find his place in the world and we won't accept him.
Number 3: Batman's Warehouse Assault/Save Martha
Come on.. you know I couldn't make a list like this and not include Batman's assault on the warehouse. This scene has practically everything I love about Batman packed into about 5 minutes. The gadgets, the little pieces of prep & intelligence, the superior fighter, the menace of Batman, Alfred, and to top it off, the good side of Batman doing what he does best. Saving people. Not to mention its a truly kickass action scene. I know anyone who felt deflated by Batman v Superman thus fas was instantly brought back to life with this scene. This along with other scenes in the movie also silenced any doubts about Batfleck, at least for a time. Overall a truly masterful scene and one of my favorites.
Number 2: Superman destroys the World Engine/Superman vs Zod
These scenes take the number two spot not only for the list but also replays. I could go on about either scene for a very long time, but I'll try to sum it up in a few words. When it comes to the World Engine, this scene made me love Superman all over again. Partly because of what it represents. Despite his fear of being rejected , Superman chooses us, his adopted world to save over Krypton. What's even better is that we aren't at the point were everyone believes that Kal-El will save us all no matter what. All the people know is that they are about to die, and Superman on the other side of the world is fighting for their lives. Plus I think that shot of him holding up against the gravity of the World Engine is my singular favorite shot of any movie, also did I mention the nod to Christopher Reeves?
As for Superman vs Zod, I have to be honest, I was wowed by this fight more than what I had seen from even the Marvel Cinematic Univese thus far. To me this was truly a comic book battle brought to life and possibly the best action in sequence in the DCEU. There's a true motivation behind the conflict between Clark and Zod, the weight of two worlds. And at the end when Superman is forced to kill him, its not just Superman kills scene, its a scene that displays a godlike being understanding the responsibility he has chosen to take up, and the learning of a lesson he will never forget.
Number 1: The Trinity vs Doomsday
So I don't care how you personally felt about Batman vs Superman, Doomsday, Superman's death, or the DCEU as a whole. I absolutely adore this entire sequence from start to finish. The biggest part of that is that my very first comic book heroes are uniting on the screen for the first time in my life and many other's lives as well. Seeing them do battle with one of their greatest foes was truly a sight to behold that rivaled the epicness of Superman vs Zod before it. It also contains one of the best character introductions in modern cinema with Wonder Woman.
Not only that, but it has the key facets about these characters that I love. Superman, the defender of his world doing anything to protect the people and planet he loves. Taking on Doomsday with everything he has. Wonder Woman being the battle hardened and beautiful warrior showing why she is truly a wonder, outshining even the titular characters with her grace and prowess. Then there is Batman, a man doing battle with gods. Yet he still does all he can to make a difference and picks his battles showing why is the most dangerous man in the world.
Then there are just the awesome action shots of course, WW leaping headlong into battle, her smile, the Heat Vision battle, Batman's iconic pose from The Dark Knight Returns. There is honestly so much to love in this scene, and its purled together masterfully with the score something very prevalent throughout the entire DCEU, but at its best here. And to top it off, we have Superman dying for a world that hasn't truly accepted him yet, a woman he barely knows, and the man who just tried to kill him. Most importantly though he protects his world, sacrificing himself to destroy the last remnant of Krypton's curse truly cementing his place as Earth's Superman.
Final Thoughts: The Best is Yet to Come
Anyway that's the list though. Again this was something I wanted to talk about. Please feel free to give your thoughts as well, love or hate the DCEU. It was truly an epic look back at what we have so far, and hopefully a better path for the future!
I've decided to revamp my current CAV character list like I do every few months as well as adding some new characters and taking out some others. If you find something that interests you lmk and we can set something up. With that being said, like before I will be grouping my non-manga characters by tier and power level. I'm sure there will probably be a placement or two that you disagree with, but hey that's what a debating site is all about right? Just a disclaimer as well, I haven't joined the italics club lol, just makes the actual lists look a bit sharper in my opinion.
Comic Book Characters:
Street Level Characters:
So as the section header says, this is my area where all my street levelers are at. I have them further separated into Marvel & DC. They are not separated by low, mid, or high. Pretty much everyone here I can use in the same typical format of being: Standard Gear, Character, etc. Those with an asterisk are new additions that I have recently used, still reading or become very interested in because I feel that they are pretty powerful & underrated.
Black Panther(T'challa):616, Vibranium/Non-Vibranium
Hawkeye(Clint Barton):616
Winter Soldier(James "Bucky" Barnes):616, Winter Soldier/Captain America
Fantomex(Charlie Cluster-7):616
Wolverine(James "Logan" Howlett):616*
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Kraven the Hunter(Sergei Kravinoff):616*
Mister X:616*
Iron Fist(Daniel Rand):616
Mister Negative(Martin Li):616*
Erik Killmonger(N'jadaka): 616*
So as you can see most of my * are Marvel Characters. They are actually pretty cool all of these guys and have taken on some of the best of the street level tier. Let's move on to the next tier shall we?
Mid-Tier Level Characters:
So this is the least populated comics tier for me. I don't have it separated by publisher because of the amount of characters and it would just be unnecessary space.
Borderline High Street/Low Mid:
Luke Cage & Carnage*
I call these two borderline, because I have seen people call them High Street & also Low-Mid because of their respective abilities. I'm still reading a lot for both characters, but as it turns out they're pretty badass. Both are standard 616, unamped levels.
Vision, Clayface, & Midnighter*
These guys are my more straight up mid tiers who all are a bit more op in their own way. I'm still reading some of the appearances for most of these guys. Midnighter especially. I'm actually excited for this tier the most, as its the main one outside of manga/anime that I am least familiar with. Vision & Clayface would be at their normal levels. Midnighter will be Post-Flashpoint for now. Soon Wildstorm will be a part of that. As before, if you see an asterisk, I'm still doing a lot of reading/researching
High-Tier, Herald,Teambuster Level Characters:
So just like in the street tier section, these are the characters that operate on high tier levels. I have the following based, at least to the best of my knowledge/opinion in high tier, herald tier, then teambuster & above. In addition this also isn't, like the mid section by publisher.
So that pretty much wraps up the high tier section and the comic list in general. As you can see its more than the mid tiers, but less than street level. Granted you may not feel the same placements apply to mine, but this is where I think they stand. If its that disagreeable to you, lets have a CAV and we can settle it there haha. Like before Asterisk=reading/researching.
Manga/Anime Characters:
So this part will be separated by series rather than tier since it gets pretty big from here on out. Mind you those pictured are those I am best at/most interested in using. I can use many more from each series just lmk. This hasn't really changed all that much to be honest though, since these are the main manga I debate. Considering Toriko & God of High School though!
Naruto:
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Madara Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Obito Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Kakashi Hatake: Any version, Composite
Sasuke Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Naruto Uzumaki: Any version, Composite
Gallery
Nagato Uzumaki: Any version, Composite
Past Hokages: Any version, Composite
Zabuza Momochi: Any version, Composite
Kakuzu: Any version, Composite
Bleach:
Gallery
Toshiro Hitsugaya: Any version, Composite
Byakuya Kuchiki: Any version, Composite
Grimjoww Jagerjaques: Any version, Composite
Ulquiorra Cifer: Any version, Composite
Barragan Lousienbairn: Any version, Composite
Coyote Starrk: Any version, Composite
One Piece:
Gallery
Donquixote Doflamingo: Any version, Composite
Dracule Mihawk: Any version, Composite
Crocodile: Any version, Composite
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Monster Trio: Any version, Composite
Trafalgar Law: Any version, Composite
Fujitora: Any version, Composite
Akame Ga Kill:
Gallery
Esdeath: Any version, Composite
Tatsumi: Any version, Composite
Akame: Any version, Composite
Negima/UQ Holder:
Gallery
Evageline A.K Mcdowell: Any version, Composite
Fate Averruncus: Any version, Composite
Negi Springfield: Any version, Composite
Well that's that. Like I said lmk if something interests you! Maybe not at the moment but in the near future I'll be ready to do a new match. Best to you all!
So this is an update to my previous thread history. Like before I'm creating this so I can keep track of all the stuff I have done so far here on CV. This will include CAVs, RTs Completed and Upcoming, and Threads I have Created. If you are reading this, the I hope you find some interesting things here.
CAVs:
This list includes links to all the Challenge A Viners I have been a part of. They range from me having some pretty solid wins to getting utterly stomped in a debate. I have gained a lot of experience from debating all of these guys here along with tons of fun. Would love to debate or team-up with any of them in the future!
So I have overall 58 CAV matches under my belt. My current record is matches is 13 wins, 11 losses, 1 Draw, 6 Ongoing, and 27 Inconclusive (I need to get on my game with those). Pretty crazy to see how far I've come.
Respect Threads:
These are the RT's that I am currently planning or in the process of doing.I realize that some may already have some and I am not doing this to discount any of the work already done. These are usually made by me so I can better keep track of my characters feats and history.
Pretty self-explanatory. Just all of the threads I have made during my time on ComicVine. I think I have them all in order by date. Note that this will not include CAVs or RTs as they are already above.
Also fairly straightforward, just some big and small things I am planning to do in the future.
Finish as many of my inactive CAV's as possible! I need to get that number down. Honestly its pretty ridiculous.
Host a Street Contest of Champions Tourney
Host a Scenario (Still thinking of ideas)
All my RT's
So this has been one heck of an almost one year on Comicvine. I could go into the impact that its had on me, but that's a whole other blog and topic in itself and this one is big enough already. For I'll just say that I've had my ups and downs just like anyone else. But most importantly its been alot of fun! Can't wait to do more in my next year!
"You were wrong, Vic. The best thing I ever did was let him in. I still remember the fear when they surrounded me. I realized quickly that my plan was not going to work. I would not be able to affect the program in time. And when they grabbed onto me, started to spread through my entire body, I was foolish enough to scream in fear. That was the first thing my father fixed in me. He took my ability to feel fear away, my ability to feel sadness. You know, to that point I had spent my life obsessing over my lost birthparents, ignoring the one who was there right in front of me. I was free of that as well. Next came my weak, human flesh. It was growing older and more brittle by the day."
Character Biography & Background: Who is The Murder Machine?
On Earth -44, Bruce was the Batman of Gotham City. One day, Bane led a group of his enemies to the Batcave in the attempt to find Batman, where they ambushed and killed Alfred. After the death of his surrogate father, Bruce asked Cyborg for help.
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The Death of Alfred & Bruce's Plea (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Years ago, he had copied Alfred's mind into a program, but couldn't create a full A.I. out of it. Cyborg helped him, but the Alfred Protocol mutated into a virus, who killed all of Batman's rogues, with Bane being the last. Let into the Batcave in an attempt to shut it down by reasoning with it, Bruce was instead overcome as soon as he gave permission to enter.
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The Fall of Bruce Wayne (Batman: The Murder Machine)
The A.I. fused with Bruce, taking away his fear, his suffering, and his humanity and gave him cybernetic enhancements. Christened The Murder Machine by Cyborg, Batman then proceeded to kill the Justice League of Earth -44.
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The End of Earth-44 and the Justice League (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Notable Showings & Feats: The Power of the Murder Machine
Strength:
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Batman: The Murder Machine
Murder Machine is powerful enough to casually rip Earth -44 Cyborg's head and spine straight up and out of his body.
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Batman: The Murder Machine
Along with the other Dark Nights, MM bullies Cyborg, being strong enough to cleave his Motherbox/Promethium arm clean off
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The Flash Vol.5 #33
Murder Machine can not only casually life Steel over his head like its nothing, after one-shotting him with his tendrils but can also easily snap his hammer in two.
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Murder Machine's Tendrils are more than capable of restraining the Justice League, notably Hal Jordan, Aquaman, Barry Allen, and Wonder Woman.
Also as shown in Dark Nights:Metal #6, his tendrils again have once again shown the capability to overpower and restrain Hal Jordan.
Speed:
So MM, like the other Dark Knights has a lack of direct speed feats to accurately gauge his speed. He does have a couple that count at least to me. You may disagree. At the very least you can scale him to the other Knights and the Justice League since he was able to react and fight most of them just fine.
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Scan 1: Seems to react fast enough to Hal Jordan's attack to shift into his digital form. (Dark Nights: Metal #6)
Scan 2: Seems to move fast enough to create afterimages and fight at blur speeds. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Durability/Endurance:
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Scan 1: Tanks a hit from Steel's hammer, with no significant damage. (The Flash Vol.5 #33)
Scan 2: Tanks a hit from Cyborg, smiles afterward. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
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Scan 1: In his "digital form" Murder Machine tanks a blast from Hal Jordan and an Explosive T-Sphere from Mr. Terrific.( Bottom Right Corner) (Dark Nights: Metal #6)
Scan 2: Hal Jordan's construct going through him fails to faze Murder Machine. (Dark Nights: Metal #6)
Now the most controversial part of the Dark Nights durability comes from Dark Nights: Metal #3. It applies to all of the Dark Nights, but is a bit iffy in its interpretation/execution:
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Dark Nights Metal #3
According to the Devastator, the Dark Nights and beings from the Dark Multiverse have a different genetic makeup than the positive matter or Prime Multiverse beings. As such, beings made of Dark Matter can not be harmed by positive matter beings or at the very least it takes more damage than normal to hurt them. This is somewhat supported for Murder Machine considering that it took an Element X amp for any of the member of the Justice League to actually do any significant damage to him and the other Knights. (Dark Nights: Metal #6)
Versatility, Weaponry, & Technology:
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Scan 1: Has the capability to scan vitals and abilities of his foes. Uses it to determine Barry Allen by analyzing his speedforce connection. (The Flash Vol. 5 #33)
Scan 2: Can open boom tube like structures that are powerful enough to suck in GL, WW and Aquaman, Dr. Fate, and Mr. Terrific. (The Flash Vol. 5 #33)
Scan 3: Can technomorph his limbs into tendrils to access watchtower computers. Same Tendrils he uses to overpower and restrain his opponents. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Scan 4: Has the ability to create forcefields powerful enough to easily block Cyborg's energy projection. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Scan 5: Technomorphs the Watchtower to make tendrils & his arm into a knife powerful enough to cleave Cyborg limbs. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Scan 6-7: Has an energy cannon that is more than capable of one-shotting and KOing Cyborg.
Technopathy:
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Scan 1: Murder Machine's technopathy is good enough to control The Carrier, the base of operation of The Authority, allowing the Dark Nights to travel throughout the Multiverse. (Dark Nights Rising: The Wild Hunt)
Scan 2: Uses his technopathy/tendrils to tae control of and dominate Steel's suit. (The Flash Vol. 5 #33)
Scan 3: Uses his technopathic and technoforming abilities to corrupt The Watchtower to his image and take control. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Scan 4: Fools the Watchtower's sensors into believing that he is the Earth Prime Batman. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Robo-Alfred A.I:
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Scan 1: Robo Alfred's are capable of harming and killing the Earth -44 Justice League. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Scan 2: Alfred's are powerful enough to hold down Earth -44 Cyborg. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Scan 3: Alfred's can multiply and start massacring Detroit with an army along with corrupting tech they come across. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Scan 4: Are more than capable of keeping Cyborg busy and harming him. (Batman: The Murder Machine
Scan 5: Another showing of them being able to multiply and they have killed all of Earth -44 Batman's rouge gallery, the last being Bane. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Scan 6: Able to call the A.I to him extremely quickly. (Batman: The Murder Machine)
Recommended Reading: What to Read for the Murder Machine
So I realize that I'm a bit late for everyone who has already seen Episode VIII, and this would have come earlier but I wanted to take a step back, watch the movie a few more times and try and stay as objective as possible with my review and current thoughts. With that being said, this post will first dive into my thoughts on the movie's major facets and details. So from here on out I would advise that if you have not seen the movie click away from this post to avoid any spoilers. Here we go.
The Last Jedi: The Plot
Episode VIII had a lot to live up to. In terms of movie placement, it stood in the same place as not only Attack of the Clones, but also The Empire Strikes Back. In other words the sequel to the groundbreaking first entry into the franchise. As such the film had to tread lightly, as it could have been universally loved like Empire or almost universally panned like Clones. Instead, The Last Jedi finds itself somewhere in between and that isn't necessarily a good thing. One major thing I did not enjoy is the encroachment of the Disney formula where many moments are written off for laughs or jokes. The plot feels like a very peculiar and unnecessary mix of the original trilogy's major plot lines.
The entire Resistance Storyline before Crait feels like a super extended Tantive IV scene from a New Hope. The much more powerful First Order(Empire) led by a Dark Side User (Vader) chases down a down on their luck and depleted Resistance (Rebellion) led by Leia. Also she needs to find a wizened and mythical Jedi to save them in Luke (Obi-Wan). Even Finn and Rose going to find Benecio del Toro's character felt like a rehash of Luke and Kenobi going to find Han and Chewie on Tatooine.Somehow the First Order has a hyperspace tracker that sort of comes out of left field and creates the central conflict between the First Order and the Resistance. And funny enough just like Finn and Rose's storyline, it turns out to be pointless in the end because the resistance doesn't use that victory to really escape with their own fleet, but rather Rey, Chewbacca and the Millennium Falcon.
The Luke, Rey, Kylo, and Snoke storyline is a unequal synthesis of Dagobah, Cloud City, and the final confrontation on Death Star II. What bothers me most here is not the recycling of storylines, but rather the resolutions to plot threads set up in the previous film. I realize that Rey coming from essentially nothing is meant to make her all the better, but it feels cheap that we had all that build up and then have her humble past revealed as a throwaway line. Speaking of buildup, Snoke was a major letdown. I thought he would have more of an impact, but he did not portray half of the gravitas and mystery that was presented in The Force Awakens. I really wish we could have seen more of him and his story in this episode which could have been done instead of the half-hour given to Finn and Rose.
And finally we come to Crait, a blend of the Death Star Escape and Hoth. While I greatly enjoyed the moment between Luke and Leia and Luke's final stand (More on that later), this entire scene felt somewhat unnecessary as a way to extend the movie which was already long enough. The same escape ending could have been resolved by the Resistance finally escaping into lightspeed instead of Hoth remix, but I do get what was trying to be done here. To spark the flames of hope and rebuild the Resistance. Unfortunately for me, it falls short of expectations, which is something that can be said for the rest of the film and the expansion of canon lore.
The Last Jedi: The Characters
Rey & Kylo Ren:
The arguable eponymous Last Jedi. Rey was alright for me in this movie. She matched expectations for what I predicted for her in this movie. She teetered with the temptation of the dark side and Kylo Ren, clashed with Luke and ultimately helped inspire him along with Yoda, but in the end became one of the final beacons of hope for an exceedingly small Resistance. I felt like the film played it safe with her character arc. What I mean by this is her heritage. Overall she felt like a young again Luke Skywalker.
Kylo Ren was not as predictable for me. For one I did not expect him to be so conflicted in the first and second acts of the story. Unexpectedly, I did enjoy this though. However in the third act, his story arc became one of the two best of the film for me along with Luke. Its nice to see Kylo fully step into his role and become what he wants to be. I hope to see good things in Episode IX.
Rey and Kylo: 7/10
Finn and Rose:
This character arc I feel was the epitome of forced and unnecessary. Their plot line dragged down the events of the film and could have been much better had they been on the First Order ship the entire time. Why not just make Rose a hacker? Most of their story seemed to me to be just to create screen time for Benecio del Toro's character. I felt like John Boyega's talents were wasted here. Overall a very uninteresting plot line and one that could have been done much better.
Finn and Rose: 3/10
Snoke:
Ah man, what can I even say about this guy. Such a letdown. Maybe he shows up in IX
Snoke: 0/10
Poe, Leia, and the Resistance:
I enjoyed Leia's character, although she became very powerful in the Force all of a sudden. As far as her overall story I felt she did what she was meant to do and aside from her two big moments, didn't contribute as much to the overall plot. The rest of the Resistance? UNNECESSARY CONFLICT, everywhere. Poe and Holdo's back and forth was just stupid imo. Just talk to each other! That's what I wanted to scream at them the entire time. Holdo's final moment was pretty badass though and one of the great visual scenes of the movie.
Leia:6/10
Poe and the Resistance: 4/10
The First Order:
Passable, they were the bad guys, they did their jobs. Gwendoline Christie and Phasma were once again massively wasted though.
First Order: 4.5/10
Luke Skywalker:
IMO, the best character of the movie. You could feel that Luke had been damaged and traumatized by the events of his life and failures. However you can still see Luke though all of this. I feel we should have had much more time with Luke and his story. His final stand, while I wish he had some over the top amazing Force feats, his final projection and moment in the sun the reflected his first moment on Tatooine was beautiful. I still don't feel that he should've died.
Luke: 8/10
The Last Jedi: My Current Thoughts of the Franchise
So far I am not the biggest fan of the new sequel trilogy. They are decent movies, but they retread way too many plot lines and stories from the original trilogy. It seems as though they are afraid to branch out from the same stories and character interactions from before. The difference is, none of it is handled nearly as well as the story of the Skywalkers. Along with this, what continues to frustrate me is that they are afraid of exploring new ground when the had hundreds of stories to pull from in the Legends Canon. For me so far, I have not fully accepted the Disney Canon as the true extended universe canon. Call me a fanboy, a purist, or whatever you like, but I feel the Star Wars Franchise has lost its charm. And frankly its going to need something big to bring it back to its former glory. Hopefully they can find it.
Anyway that concludes my thoughts on the movie and how it impacts the franchise. I felt that it was overall disappointing, and not the best entry into the Star Wars lore. Perhaps Episode IX can remedy my feelings on this. Apologies that this is so long, but I wanted to get as much of my thoughts out as possible. Share your thoughts with me as well!
As part 2 of bringing in the New Year I've decided to revamp my current CAV character list as well as adding some new characters and taking out some others. If you find something that interests you lmk and we can set something up. With that being said, like before I will be grouping my non-manga characters by tier and power level. I'm sure there will probably be a placement or two that you disagree with, but hey that's what a debating site is all about right?
Street Levelers:
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Batwoman (Kathy Kane)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Standard Gear
Orphan (Cassandra Cain)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Standard Gear
Batwing (Lucas Fox)- Post-Flashpoint, Standard Gear, Prep battle, Team Battles
Azrael (Micheal Lane)- Pre-Flashpoint, Standard Gear,
Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Standard Gear
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Talon (William Cobb, Calvin Rose, CoO)- Composite Talon, Standard Gear
Red Robin (Tim Drake)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Prep, Team
Robin (Damian Wayne)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint
Nightwing (Dick Grayson)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Standard, Prep, team, special gear
Red Hood (Jason Todd)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Standard, Prep, team, Special gear
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Prometheus (Original)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Standard, Prep, Team
Hawkeye (Clint Barton)- Hawkye and/or Ronin, 616, Standard, Special gear
Deathstroke (Slade Wilson)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Standard, Special Gear, Team, Prep
Black Panther (T'challa)- 616, Anything and Everything
Batman (Bruce Wayne)- Pre/Post Flashpoint, Anything and Everything
Mid Tier:
:( Nothing rn, see the Currently reading/researching section
High Tier:
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Vulcan (Gabriel Summers)- 616
Anti-Man (Connor Sims)- 616
Blue Marvel (Adam Brashear)- 616
Iron Man (Tony Stark)- 616, Anything and Everything, Any Armor, Composite
Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom)-616, Standard Armor, Iron Man armor, Prep, team
Superman (Clark Kent/Kal-El)- Pre/Post-Flashpoint, Standard, Team
Proxima Midnight- 616, Standard, Team
H'el- Post-Flashpoint Standard, team
Teambuster Tier:
Big Daddy err I mean Ultron-616, Composite, Any Version, Prep, Team
Manga/Anime:
So this part will be separated by series rather than tier since it gets pretty big from here on out. Mind you those pictured are those I am best at/most interested in using. I can use many more from each series just lmk.
Naruto:
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Madara Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Obito Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Kakashi Hatake: Any version, Composite
Sasuke Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Naruto Uzumaki: Any version, Composite
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Nagato Uzumaki: Any version, Composite
Past Hokages: Any version, Composite
Zabuza Momochi: Any version, Composite
Kakuzu: Any version, Composite
Bleach:
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Toshiro Hitsugaya: Any version, Composite
Byakuya Kuchiki: Any version, Composite
Grimjoww Jagerjaques: Any version, Composite
Ulquiorra Cifer: Any version, Composite
Barragan Lousienbairn: Any version, Composite
Coyote Starrk: Any version, Composite
One Piece:
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Donquixote Doflamingo: Any version, Composite
Dracule Mihawk: Any version, Composite
Crocodile: Any version, Composite
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Monster Trio: Any version, Composite
Trafalgar Law: Any version, Composite
Fujitora: Any version, Composite
Akame Ga Kill:
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Esdeath: Any version, Composite
Tatsumi: Any version, Composite
Akame: Any version, Composite
Negima/UQ Holder:
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Evageline A.K Mcdowell: Any version, Composite
Fate Averruncus: Any version, Composite
Negi Springfield: Any version, Composite
Currently Reading & Researching:
Street Level:
Winter Soldier
Daredevil
Lady Shiva
Wolverine
Spider-Man (Mid Tier as well)
Mid Tier:
Vision
Midnighter
Cyborg
Mass Effect Characters
Upper Tiers:
Thanos
Black Adam
Doctor Strange
Doctor Fate
Magneto
Sentry
Well that's that. Like I said lmk if something interests you! Maybe not at the moment but in the near future I'll be ready to do a new match. Best to you all!
Well 2017 has come and gone. Happy New Year everyone! 2017 was a big year for me, not only because of the ups and downs in my life, but also because I have had a rollercoaster relationship with one of the most beautiful, disgusting, fulfilling, and rage-inducing things to enter my life. Comicvine. Part of that experience have been my CAVs. So in a quick look back and celebration of reaching a 2000 post count I wanna give a look back at my top ten CAVs of 2017.
This list wouldn't be complete without my very first CAV. Here in Zetsumoto's Nemesis Team-up Tourney, I took on Shade555. Looking back on this now, this is probably an epic stomp in favor of the Prototypes, but I feel I made a solid argument as to how my Street Levelers could win, especially being composite and having non-standard gear. Take a look at the link above if you want to check it out. Both Shade and I have come a long way from this debate, and I would for us to have a rematch sometime in the future.
I think this was the very first match that I had where I branched out from my would-be main street level characters. I had always enjoyed Hawkeye but I never really paid attention to his feats until this match came up. Even though we didn't finish the match or at least had it go to voting, I had a lot of fun with this match and will appreciate the experience that got me out of my comfort zone of characters. I think because of this matchup, I have the confidence to use all the characters I use today.
What's funny is, I never thought I would put a match on here that I got absolutely destroyed in. But this match and ET taught me one of my most important lessons for debating on this site. Context. I think this CAV was one of the biggest things that helped shape me into the debater I am today. Looking back on this, this match should have been epic. Maybe one day ET and I will go back and redo this one. This time Superman and Wonder Woman won't lose!
A more recent CAV of mine. I met my good friend Causeimbatman through this match. What made this match so important to me is that I debated against one of my favorite characters of all time. I mean Batman has ben with me ever since I got into comic books and not only given a fictional character to admire but also relate to. CIB represented him extremely well and we had a great match. Maybe if he's down we can do another version of this in the future.
Thank God for prep time. That's what I saying to myself this entire match. This was the first match I had using characters that were very underpowered to say the least. If this were any other version or without prep, this would've been a stomp in Ruby and Watcher's favor. But I think we had a great debate and a great experience for me.
I knew coming into this list I needed to include these two matches. The thing is I just couldn't put one over the other. My first time really using Deathstroke, I learned from both matches that I couldn't just rely on a respect thread to give feats for characters. These along with my ET match like I said helped shaped me into the debater I am today. Even though I won one and lost the other, I am grateful to these two matches for giving me not only great debates, but also meeting two awesome viners as well.
Not only are these matchups with one of my good friends on the Vine, but Croc vs Suigetsu was also the fastest CAV I have ever completed. I mean we did this in one day. I remember impatiently waiting for that notification email and when it would finally come after what felt like days I would go right into it. It was an epic match that if ever animated would be awesome. Valor and I had a great time and I think helped us grow as debaters as well. Then we flipped sides as I took on his Tralfalgar Law with my Kakashi. That was also a unique match we did in that it was a two round fight, one that was h2h only and the other was all-out. Two great matches with my rival/friend. Look out for our upcoming Superman and Batman vs Sentry and Moon Knight!
Pure fun. That was the theme and message of this match for me. BlackSpidey sent me a pm and we went at it. The rest was history. What made this great for me is that I really got to rep my favorite Marvel character for the first time and in a prep battle no less. BS also represented his flagship character. It was also an honor to be apart of his first full CAV. Even though I lost this one, this is also the biggest rematch that I want, as I feel with the experience and reading I have done now, this may just be a different story. Hopefully BS indulges me in the future.
Damn... What can I say about this matchup man, this has been epic. Krle has pushed me to my absolute limit. He's an awesome debater, his knowledge of Iron Man is insane, and his knowledge on Madara is equally amazing. He has pulled out all the stops and has displayed why he is a HOF debater. This matchup also has a lot of big things for me too. Its the template that I match all of my current CAV formats now, improved my debating for one, and taught me things about how to debate, and both the characters involved. I find myself thinking of new and creative strategies every time I look at this match. Funny thing, this is the only ongoing match that is on this list. It is just that good. For everyone on ComicVine, I hope you all have a match that pushes you and helps you break your limits and go Ultra Instinct as a debater!
Anyway this has been my top 10 CAVs of 2017, I hope to continue to have more great matches and a great experience on this site! Happy New Year everyone! Let's make 2018 our year.
As many people know, Naruto is one of my favorite anime/manga. I imagine it is the same for many people here, in that for its 15 years of serialization, we followed it for much of that time. One part of what made it so great were the antagonists that made and pushed the story along. These people were key the history of Shinobi and I feel deserve their own list.
Now a few disclaimers:This is my opinion, you may or may not disagree. There will be some entries were I put more than one person as an entity. With that being said lets kick this bad boy off.
Honorable Mentions:
Akatsuki
Sasuke Uchiha
Sound Five
Number 10: Kaguya Otsutsuki
"All chakra… belongs to me. Once again, all chakra shall become one!!!"
Many people did not enjoy the twist that Kaguya forced into the climax of the series, which is quite understandable. After all Madara had been built up for so long, and the confrontation between him, Naruto and Sasuke was also set up to be monumental as well. But Kaguya is the progenitor, and like many of those on this list desired for peace. In the end, she was consumed by her hunger for power and became corrupted in her desires. Kaguya's story is one of how absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Number 9: Danzo Shimura
"Hiruzen… it looks like it's my turn next… but I… never did become Hokage… no matter how far I went I could never catch up with you… you are the leaves bathing in the sun. I… am the roots that grow in the dark. Hey, Hiruzen… what do you think of me? What am I to you…?"
Danzo Shimura was the despicable human, that everyone loved to hate. From creating the events that led to the suicide of Shisui Uchiha and even the Uchiha Massacre itself, Danzo could easily be seen as a vile scumbag. I don't fully see him that way. Danzo was one who believed that he lost his chance to protect from the light, and so chose to defend from the shadows. It is strange to see that similarities between Danzo and the shadows our own real-life governments operate from.
Number 8: Kabuto Yakushi
"You're right that Obito and I were convinced that we didn't have a place in this world, and we ended up involving everyone else. But now I know who I am and what I have to do."
For me, while I feel Kabuto was focused on for a bit too long, he was a necessary story to complete and why he takes this spot. There are times where all of us lose our way, and have no idea how to get back. The same goes for Kabuto. He is someone who only wants to find himself, but is trying to go about it in all of the wrong ways. It is thanks to Itachi, that Kabuto could find his path and begin his journey to forging a new identity.
Number 7: Orochimaru
"I want to obtain all the techniques and gain a true understanding of everything in this world. The first one to mix blue and yellow called the new colour "green". I want to do something similar to that. If blue is the chakra, then yellow is the seal, and green is the technique… Just as there is no end to the variety of colours, there are so many thousands… tens of thousands of techniques in the world as well. But in order to obtain every possible technique and truth, it would require an eternity. Only one who understands everything after spending such time on this can be fittingly called the Ultimate Being."
What happens when we just want more? How do we get it, and can we ever be satisfied? That is the question I ask myself every time I think of Orochimaru, some would say the antagonist that started it all. And truth be told Orochimaru is essential to the series. Without him much of Sasuke's and consequently Naruto's development would have become stagnant or at least not with as much drive as they originally had. Without Orochimaru, we could never have fully grasped the concept of the Will of Fire passed down from generation of Konoha villages and through the Third Hokage himself.
Number 6: Obito Uchiha
"Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash! If I'm going to be called trash either way, I'd rather break the rules! And if that somehow makes me anything less than a real shinobi, then I'll crush all of the so-called "real" shinobi!"
There is a saying that the kindest people are often the loneliest, and that they are kind because they do not want others to share that same pain. Now take that saying, corrupt it, and twist it. Now we have what became of Obito Uchiha. He was just a boy in love who lost his entire world, and everyone he felt could depend on. And so in order to bring peace to the world, and fill his hole, Obito became the one who would bring this world into the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Number 5: Gaara
"I am a relic they want to get rid of, so why do I exist and live? In order to exist, you need a purpose. To exist for no reason is the same as being dead… Then I came to the conclusion that I would love only myself and fight for only myself. If all other people exist to magnify that love, then there is no more a splendid universe than this one… My existence will not vanish."
The Gaara that we were introduced to, and would be with us up until the end of the Konoha Crush arc, was what Naruto could have become if not for Iruka, Teuchi, and Team 7. A perfect foil to the main protagonist's suffering, Gaara was the embodiment of the grass always being greener on the other side. Without Gaara, Naruto would have missed on some key self-reflection that would come to shape his worldview.
Number 4: Itachi Uchiha
"If I had been open with you from the start… and looked you straight in the eyes and told you the truth, then I wouldn't have had to stand before you, from above, as a failure, telling you all of this. So this time, I want to impart this truth to you… You don't even have to forgive me. And no matter what you do from here on out, know this… I will love you always."
How far would you go to protect the home you love, how about the peace that you so desperately desired everyone to enjoy? Would you sacrifice everything, your reputation, your friends, and even your family? These are the questions that I ask every time Itachi pops into my head. There is a reason Itachi is such a fan favorite after all. As one of the best written characters in the series, Itachi did what he did out of love, his only flaw being that he tried to do it all alone. Had he been able to rely on others, his story may not have been so tragic.
Number 3: Madara Uchiha
"This world is full of things that don't go as you wish. The longer you live the more you realise reality is just made of pain, suffering, and emptiness… Listen… In this world, whenever there is light, there are also shadows. As long as the concept of winners exist, there must also be losers. The selfish desire of wanting to maintain peace causes wars and hatred is born to protect love."
The man known as Madara Uchiha saw a world ravaged by war and the culture of the shinobi. Lost brothers, fathers, mothers, sisters. It was all the same, all of the time. No end in sight. Even Madara's own family was lost to him. As such he endeavored to put an end to it. Creating the Eye of the Moon Plan, was his dream, his way of creating peace. Why watch everyone struggle, kill, and suffer when you can just give them their heart's desire? In the end, it seems Madara's dreamis on its way to fufillment as his plan ended up uniting the shinobi world in an effort to save it, creating a new era of peace.
Number 2: Nagato Uzumaki
"We're both of the same breed, after all… motives for war are of no concern. Religion, ideology, resources, land, grudges, love, or just because… No matter how pathetic the reason, it's enough to start a war. War will never cease to exist… Reasons can be thought up after the fact. Human nature pursues strife."
One of the many reasons that people always fight and hurt each other, is that we do not understand each other's pain. And that was Nagato's goal. He believed that if people could know and understand pain, they would learn to stop pursuing suffering and causing harm to one another. After all it was due to war that he lost his family, and led him down the path of darkness. It was thanks to his sibling disciple that Nagato would learn that causing everyone pain would not be the way to creating peace, but rather allowing others inside your heart and sharing the burden of pain can a new understanding be formed.
Number 1: Zabuza & Haku
"…You don't need to say any more… It pained him to have to fight you… Haku fought not only for me… he fought for you guys too. He was too kind. I'm glad I got to face you guys in the end. You may be right… a shinobi is still a human… we may not be able to become emotionless tools…"
It is my firm belief that without Zabuza and Haku, the character of Naruto Uzumaki, and consequently the series would not be the same. This was the first true exposure that we received to how cruel the ninja world is. In most eyes, the shinobi are meant to be no more than tools, weapons of war to gain power. When raised in a culture and environment such as these, it is easy to forget that they are human as well as shinobi. The Battle at the Great Naruto Bridge was an extremely important that would come to shape Naruto into who he would become, and because of that allowed him to become the so-called Child of Prophecy that would save the world.
I've seen other users do this, most recently Krlevenger who had a very nice version of this. As such I am also going to put my list here. If you see something you like comment here, PM me, or comment in the CAV thread. Here we go!
Comics:
Mid/High Street-Low-Mid Tier:
I'm pretty confident with these guys and can cite issues/context for scans used for everyone except Panther, but I am working on that. Open to using these guys for anything honestly as they are pretty versatile, even against tiers normally out of their league.
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Black Panther: Standard 616
Hawkeye: Standard 616
Deathstroke: Post-Flashpoint/Rebirth or Composite
Red Hood: Post-Flashpoint/Rebirth
Batman: Post-Crisis, Post-Flashpoint/Rebirth, or Composite
Mid Tier:
I am not confident in using anyone here yet, but I am working on these guys, to find a balance between low and high tiers for future use. If you any good starting points for these guys let me know!
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Invisible Woman: Likely standard 616 (She may end up in high tier, once I actually go through her material)
Most of the guys here I can use with confidence aside from Ultron, also this section will include the entire high tier spectrum as I don't have many characters in the separate divisions.
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Martian Manhunter: Post-Crisis, Post-Flashpoint, or Composite
Dr. Doom: Standard 616
Ultron: Standard 616, most forms, or composite
Manga/Anime:
So this part will be separated by series rather than tier since it gets pretty big from here on out. Mind you those pictured are those I am best at/most interested in using. I can use many more from each series just lmk.
Naruto:
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Madara Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Obito Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Kakashi Hatake: Any version, Composite
Sasuke Uchiha: Any version, Composite
Naruto Uzumaki: Any version, Composite
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Nagato Uzumaki: Any version, Composite
Past Hokages: Any version, Composite
Zabuza Momochi: Any version, Composite
Kakuzu: Any version, Composite
Bleach:
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Toshiro Hitsugaya: Any version, Composite
Byakuya Kuchiki: Any version, Composite
Grimjoww Jagerjaques: Any version, Composite
Ulquiorra Cifer: Any version, Composite
Barragan Lousienbairn: Any version, Composite
Coyote Starrk: Any version, Composite
One Piece:
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Donquixote Doflamingo: Any version, Composite
Dracule Mihawk: Any version, Composite
Crocodile: Any version, Composite
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Monster Trio: Any version, Composite
Trafalgar Law: Any version, Composite
Fujitora: Any version, Composite
Akame Ga Kill:
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Esdeath: Any version, Composite
Tatsumi: Any version, Composite
Akame: Any version, Composite
Negima/UQ Holder:
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Evageline A.K Mcdowell: Any version, Composite
Fate Averruncus: Any version, Composite
Negi Springfield: Any version, Composite
Dragon Ball:
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Piccolo: Any version, Composite
Cell: Any version, Composite
Majin Buu: Any version, Composite
Star Wars:
I have Darth in my name, and have yet to use any sort of Star Wars Characters. That is a shame, and the reason is that I have to actually learn how to debate them. If anyone can give me tips I am more than open. But right now these are the characters I am interested in.
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Boba Fett
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Revan
Hope you enjoyed this list so far and it will be likely to be updated within time. Some others I am no way ready for but plan to learn for the future:
Iron Man
Superman
Gilgamesh (Fate)
Misogi Kumagawa (Medaka Box)
Again if you see anyone that interests you, pm, or comment and we can set something up! Thanks everyone!
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