Real Bout 2 canonicity...

Let me begin by saying that I mean no offense to the cited article originators and thank them for their contributions. The intention of this write-up is to offer clarification with respect to an older data source. I have seen web resources over the years that state that Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 is not canon to the Fatal Fury timeline with some citing the "All About SNK" guide as the source for this statement:

http://snk.wikia.com/wiki/Fatal_Fury_(series)

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/fatalfury/fatalfury5.htm

However, this conclusion is contradictory to what is found in the guide and the book does not state that the events of Real Bout 2 do not take place at all. "All About SNK Taisen Kakutou Game 1991-2000" states that the following games have "no story" (therefore the events therein are not considered part of the timeline):

Fatal Fury Special

Real Bout Fatal Fury Special (which would include the Dominated Mind port)

In the same book, Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 does not receive the same "no story" designation.

The games' story is stated to focus on Rick Strowd. The events of Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 do not pertain to Geese or Krauser and are therefore treated like a side story in terms of timeline significance. This is similar to the treatment of Ryuuko no Ken Gaiden/Art of Fighting 3. Like a majority of the original cast members, Real Bout 2 newcomers Rick Strowd and Li Xiangfei did not make it into the roster of Garou Mark of the Wolves so it is easy to dismiss their debut as non-canon at a glance. However, there was another charcter introduced in Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 who did make it into Garou:


Lao in Real Bout 2 Intro



Lao in Garou MotW

It is interesting and a bit humorous that a character introduced in the intro of Real Bout 2 and only playable in its portable ngpc adaptation would become the only prominent character aspect of Real Bout 2 to make it into the future installment of the series.


Source:
All About SNK Taisen Kakutou Game 1991-2000; pg. 20, 47, 57, and 387.

Damn, son. Deep cut.

You should be a PI.

Personally, I just think it's Space Dandy having traveled back in time and bulked up. I could be wrong.

I've B.S.'ed with a friend before and I always believe the Real Bout series isn't canon. It stops at FF3 and continues with KOF. It's a fun conversation.

RBFF is the only canon Real Bout game which leads into MotW.

I think the designers most likely put the character in as a little easter egg and didn't give it much more thought than that. Leaving it to nerds to try and sort out the chaos.

Pulling hard by the strings, some things are just better being ignored. RB2 plays like a DM, feels like DM, looks like a DM, it must be a DM, but hey you do bring up a valid point...a throw away character makes all the difference...only SNK, lol.

Dr Shroom said:

RBFF is the only canon Real Bout game which leads into MotW.

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Eh, I think of it as it's own contained story (RBFF. RBFF2, Garou). I'm just glad the characters sometimes leak into the KOF storyline, but it would be nice to see that story continued.

Mr Bakaboy said:

Eh, I think of it as it's own contained story (RBFF. RBFF2, Garou). I'm just glad the characters sometimes leak into the KOF storyline, but it would be nice to see that story continued.

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but real bout 1 is canon. it's a part of the whole fatal fury story.

but i personally see the whole thing as canon . even the kof dream matches.

Are you saying that Shermie getting sweet heavenly beefy during KOF2k2 is not canon?????!

What about Geeser coming back to his AOF2 glory in KOF Neowave? That's not canon either?????!

My life is crumbling in shambles...

Bogard said:

but real bout 1 is canon. it's a part of the whole fatal fury story.

but i personally see the whole thing as canon . even the kof dream matches.

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If that's true then why is Geese alive and why is nobody freaked out that Geese is alive in the KOF universe?

Continuing the Fatal Fury universe then yes, RB1 is canon. However it's not if going by the KOF universe.

I never noticed that character being in MOTW, good eye!

Mr Bakaboy said:

If that's true then why is Geese alive and why is nobody freaked out that Geese is alive in the KOF universe?

Continuing the Fatal Fury universe then yes, RB1 is canon. However it's not if going by the KOF universe.

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because kof takes place in its own universe, seperate from the art of fighting/fatal fury one. same reason why ryo, robert etc. aren't fuck old in kof.

Dr Shroom said:

RBFF is the only canon Real Bout game which leads into MotW.

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There has been no documentation presented that supports this claim. The events of Real Bout 2 are stated to center around Rick Strowd and are treated as a "gaiden" side-story in terms of plot significance. This does not mean that the events do not occur at all in the timeline.

I added additional MotW Lao appearance images to the original post, and wanted to add that the guide confirms that the appearances in Real Bout 2 and Garou MotW are indeed the same character (pg. 387).

Lao is canonically stated to be a member of B. Jenet's crew and is present in the plot. Additionally, his presence in more than just the opening clip marks his presence in MotW's world as intentional and a bit more than just a quick cameo.

Dr Shroom said:

same reason why ryo, robert etc. aren't fuck old in kof.

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Not that they'd have actually tried this, but it might've been an interesting idea to age them for KOF. If Terry can do it like a fine wine, so could the AOF crew.

BlackaneseNiNjA said:

There has been no documentation presented that supports this claim. The events of Real Bout 2 are stated to center around Rick Strowd and are treated as a "gaiden" side-story in terms of plot significance. This does not mean that the events do not occur at all in the timeline.

I added additional MotW Lao appearance images to the original post, and wanted to add that the guide confirms that the appearances in Real Bout 2 and Garou MotW are indeed the same character (pg. 387).

Lao is canonically stated to be a member of B. Jenet's crew and is present in the plot. Additionally, his presence in more than just the opening clip marks his presence in MotW's world as intentional and a bit more than just a quick cameo.

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Dude, IMHO you're loosing karma points with this, big time.

ElectricGrave said:

Dude, IMHO you're loosing karma points with this, big time.

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That is fine. I'm simply sharing content from a 15 year old japanese guide. If the guide contradicts what some fans have held to be true for that long then they can simply ignore it. Its all just made-up video game story, but if this isn't the place to discuss it, then where?

It is the place to discuss it, of course, by all means.

Doesn't change the way it comes across though.



It pretty much sets you in this territory, to each its own.

BlackaneseNinja, fuck ElectricGrave, this is fun as hell. Keep these threads coming brodeo, that's why you're neo-geo.com's 2016 noob of the year.

lol, yeah don't listen to me, lonesage is right, this is amazing! I wonder what's the saga behind this very transcendental character??? Did he ever mop the deck? Could he have done a little peeping tom on B. Jennet?! These are all questions that need answers, inquiring minds must know, lolololol

ElectricGrave said:

It is the place to discuss it, of course, by all means.

Doesn't change the way it comes across though.

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Thanks as always EG. My intention is too share and discuss snk information, not offend. I'll take note.

LoneSage said:

BlackaneseNinja, fuck ElectricGrave, this is fun as hell. Keep these threads coming brodeo, that's why you're neo-geo.com's 2016 noob of the year.

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I'll keep contributing as I find more bits to share or talk about. There has been a vast amount of snk information discovered/shared within the long history of this site that has to be respected. I just think that there is always room for more discovery and discussion.

I thought real bout 2 was not cannon because geese is in it.

Evan said:

I thought real bout 2 was not cannon because geese is in it.

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Sup Evan! When the game is beaten with Geese it's revealed (in a rather humorous way imho) that he is not alive at all.

BlackaneseNiNjA said:

Thanks as always EG. My intention is too share and discuss snk information, not offend. I'll take note.



I'll keep contributing as I find more bits to share or talk about. There has been a vast amount of snk information discovered/shared within the long history of this site that has to be respected. I just think that there is always room for more discovery and discussion.

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No offense taken or given. You're always a gentleman without doubt. It's just my opinion on the subject, nothing more.

Mr Bakaboy said:

If that's true then why is Geese alive and why is nobody freaked out that Geese is alive in the KOF universe?

Continuing the Fatal Fury universe then yes, RB1 is canon. However it's not if going by the KOF universe.

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geese is alive in kof 96 because the story takes place before the real bout games. kof 98 um and 02 um don't count.

Another mentally ill moment shared by our beloved electricgrave! very helpful there.