damage_over_time
A move which causes amounts of damage (usually small amounts) continuously for a duration. Commonly referred to by the acronym "DOT"
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stick_figure
Character is depicted in the easiest shorthand of drawing the human form.
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asymmetrical_roster
Games that, in versus and any other multiplayer mode(s), players are not given the same character roster to select from.
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monegasque
Born in, or a citizen of, the city-state/microstate of Monaco.
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crusteacean
Character is a crab, lobster, shrimp, etc.; usually an anthropmorph, or less likely, an actual regular version of that animal.
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thief
A character whose job/personality/existence revolves around stealing.
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shorinji_kempo
Practitioner of Shorinji Kempo, a Japanese pseudo-religious cult centered on martial arts. Not to be confused with Shaolin Kung-Fu, although it's supposedly inspired by it.
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xinyi-liuhe-quan
Uses the Xinyi Liuhe Quan (also known in Japanese as "Shini rokugo ken") chinese martial art, created by the Hui people. It was popularised in the manga Kenji as the main villain's fighting style.
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wing_chun
Uses Wing Chun, a traditional Chinese kung-fu style known for its extremely short range and speed. While the martial art was known to be one of Bruce Lee's foundational styles, it exploded in popularity after his master Ip Man's biopics.
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hung-ga
Uses the Hung Ga martial art, associated with Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-Hung. Part of its syllabus includes the Tiger-Crane fist and the famous Five Animal Fist (Snake, Dragon, Leopard, Tiger and Crane), popularised by Jackie Chan's "Spiritual Kung ...
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pi-gua
Uses Piguaquan, a palm-heavy martial art usually considered to be the softer counterpart of Bajiquan.
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mantis-fist
Uses the Northen Praying Mantis martial art vaguely inspired on the praying mantises' movements, or some other fictional equivalent.
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silat
Uses the martial art of silat (usually "pencak silat"), an art developed in Nusantara and used throughout Southeast Asia.
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baguazhang
Uses Baguazhang / Pakua chang, a Chinese martial art known for its circular walking-centered movements.
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amateur_wrestling
Uses some form of Olympic-oriented wrestling, such as freestyle / Greco-Roman / collegiate styles.
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kobujutsu
Uses some variant of Kobujutsu ("ancient Japanese martial arts", traditional combat drills used before mid-19th century). While the term can be used to define a pre-Kodokan Judo / Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu form of Jujutsu, it is usually used as a shorth...
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boxing
Game is based solely on fistfights and may include actual boxing trappings (punches only, dodge-centric, boxing rings) but otherwise fits the descriptor of fighting games, with quicker movement, special moves (usually done with typical fighting game ...
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self-defense
Uses the generic "Self-defense" (Goshin-jutsu) term as its personal martial art, probably referring to tactics used by law enforcement / military / security personnel.
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finnish
Born in, or a citizen of, the country of Finland.
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savate
Practitioners of the French martial art of savate.
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kancho
Moves that involve sticking two pointer fingers in the booty, a childish "prank" in Japan known as kanchō.
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reporter
Character's vocation involves reporting on news and events.
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new_zealander
Born in, or a citizen of, the island country of New Zealand.
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fishnet
Character wears fishnet or other netting-based clothing.
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polish
Born in, or a citizen of, the country of Poland.
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customizable
A unique character set aside in a game's cast who is customizable to a degree (usually just in unlockable moves), without the full create-a-character experience of building one from scratch. Physical customization, if any, is minimal.
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politics
This game's cast features politicians - world leaders, mayors, senators, governors, etc. and candidates to these positions - duking out. Usually done without any seriousness and the whole cast is treated either jokes or badasses.
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jewish
Adherent of the early Abrahamic religion of Judiasm.
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stun_gun
Brandishes a taser or other description of stun gun.
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3v3
Usually without rounds, allows you to control teams of three characters and tag / switch in between them freely.
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guest_characters
Features non-canon dlc or otherwise exclusive characters from other franchises.
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combo_break
Players possess the ability to stop being hit, usually in the form of a Burst or Combo Breaker. Sometimes has a special input or costs meter.
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half-breed
A character whose biological parentage consists of two different species.
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yellow_skin
Character's skin color is an unnatural yellow or gold.
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throwing
Games where the main, and likely only real attacking method, is grabbing and throwing objects. Any direct attacks from characters are likely special/super moves.
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hoofed
Characters with hooves, usually as a hoofed animal/antropomorph like a horse or deer, or as a devilish character.
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sleeping
Character has moves/attacks or just an in-game demeanor that involves sleeping.
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toys
The game is a tie-in to an existing toyline or, in uncommon cases, is focused on fictional toys.
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stamina
The game has some sort of gauge that limits the characters' abilities in some significant way.
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undulation
Some or most stages in the game feature undulation (irregular height), instead of the traditional flat levels. This technological breakthrough would prove to be short-lived in 3D fighters for balance-breaking issues.
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hapkido
Practices the Korean martial art of Hapkido (합기도), a grappling and striking form adapted from Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu.
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bisexual
Canonly enjoys the romantic and/or sexual company of both genders.
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nepali
Born in, or a citizen of, Nepal.
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literature
Games based on novels, poetry, etc. basically most/all non-graphical written works.
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bovine
Any number of hoofed animals of the subfamily bovinae, including cattle, bison, buffalo, and antelope.
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soft_reboot
A favorite of long-runner franchises, some series decide to start over or ignore some of its previous games' events in favor of something new, but they don't quite wipe the slate 100% clean.
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piscine
Having qualities of a member of fish species - they are a fish, an anthropomorphic fish, look like a fish, etc. Includes sharks and other subspecies.
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coins
Utilizes coins as part of their moveset.
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victim_pov
Moves where the camera changes to the receiver's point of view (as in, as if from their eyes) when the move is performed. Normally relegated to super/desperation and finishing moves.
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size_change
Character possesses one or more attacks/moves/techniques to grow or shrink during battle.
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corpses
Hey kids, wanna see a dead body?
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hong_konger
Born in, or a citizen of, the "Special Administrative Region" of Hong Kong.
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canine
Character has strong association with dogs, such as being a dog or having a dog motif. This usually means a domestic dog but can apply to any non-wolf or fox canids.
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vulpine
Character has strong association with foxes, such as being a fox or having a fox motif.
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martial_arts
Written in katakana as "māsharu ātsu" (マーシャルアーツ). Fictional martial art loosely based on American kickboxing rules with an invented U.S. military origin in the style of CQC (Close-quarters combat).
It was created in the 1978 manga Shikakui Jungle...
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china
Game takes place exclusively (or almost) in mainland China or one of its territories (Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc.), usually in a historical_fiction or kung fu setting.
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flag
Character uses or fights with a physical flag or banner. Not to be confused with being adorned with flags on attire/tattoos (that's "patriot")
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shovel
Character wields or is otherwise equipped with a shovel.
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south_american
Characters from South American countries not covered by another tag.
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gravity
Characters who manipulate gravity to fight.
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jetpack
A character who embraces the future and actually has one of these neato contraptions.
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one-leg_stance
Is capable of standing with only one leg when in combat.
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book
Carries a book in combat.
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sibling
This character has a brother or a sister. Or both.
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road_signs
Road signs can be seen with this character. They can also use it in battle, wheter it is a melee weapon or just a projectile.
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broom
Carries a broomstick. Can also be used as a melee weapon.
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cell_phone
The character is equipped with a cell phone or a smartphone.
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headphones
Character prominently displays headphones on their person during the fight.
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hot_pants
Wears hot pants or anything short that expose the legs.
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converse
Wears Converse shoes or anything similar.
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waitress
Female character who serves food and drink to the customers.
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body_parts
Some parts requires to be destroyed in order to make progress or to win a battle, (usually but not always during boss battles).
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heart_effects
Heartshaped objects or special effect can be seen, whether it is a special move, a pose or a taunt.
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censorship
Regional difference or update on a specific character. A move was removed, age of the character were changed or hidden, clothes were adjusted to avoid nudity etc.
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unarmed
Character who, in a game otherwise centered around weapon combat, chooses to fight with his or her hands.
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teleporter
Able to warp about the battlefield, while his/her contemporaries are unable to.
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classical_music
The character has some arranged, classical background music, usually during battle.
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palindrome
The characters name can be read either forward or reversed.
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amnesia
Has either forgotten / lost their memories, or had them taken away somehow.
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bajiquan
User of Bajiquan (aka Hakkyokuken), a style of Chinese martial arts centered around explosive bursts of energy through elbow slams, haymakers, and shoulder checks.
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toriimon
Arena contains the Torii style of Japanese gate, associated with Shinto. Often red.
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no_multiplayer
These games fit all of the normal criteria for a fighting game, but do not offer multiplayer versus play. Excludes differing ports from the main release (such as handheld versions).
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fetus
Embryonic imagery is popular shorthand in visual media for the gestation stages of eldritch abominations.
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sports_visor
A crownless hat consisting simply of a visor or brim with a strap encircling the head for use in sunny outdoor sports.
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underwater
Arena is submerged in water, either enclosed in a windowed setting or floating with the fishes.
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haunted
The arena shows common signs of paranormal activity, like objects being moved by an unseen force, spirits of dead and apparitions.
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clockwork
Applies to arenas with objects such as gears, a mechanical clock or any device that operates in a similar fashion.
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free_to_play
A game or that has at least an optional version, if it's not the main/only version, that gives players the game itself plus one or more fighters for free, with additional modes and characters available for a price.
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chair
Character wields a chair, likely in a pro wrestling context, or otherwise utilizes one to hurt the enemy with.
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rapid_weapon
An attack that consists of repeated strikes with a melee weapon.
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dlc_stage
A stage delivered to the consumer after the game's release via download. May also be offered as a pre-order incentive.
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imposter
A person who pretends to be somebody else, who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another character for trying to assume his identity .
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arc_projectile
A projectile thrown or launched with a distinctive arc, often with a rainbow-like trajectory.
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eyepiece
Wears a non-monocle eyepiece over one eye, which may be a technological device used to aid in combat. May also include eyepatches that have a function other than obscuring a missing eye.
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butterfly
Associated with butterflies; summons or utilizes butterflies in some way; butterfly-motif in costume, has butterfly wings, etc.
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homing_projectile
A projectile that tracks and follows the opponent's movement to some extent in an attempt to collide with them.
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extra_mouths
Character possessing more than one mouth. Often on the belly or another unusual places.
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orphaned
Both of the character's biological parents are deceased.
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imprisoned
Has been arrested or kept in captivity at one point or another, or in some cases, is still in either situation.
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spiked
Body or clothing is heavily covered in spikes.
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retooled
A game that has undergone significant changes before its release in another country, to the point where it is a completely different game. This may include complete cast replacements or reusing an engine wholesale to release a different product overs...
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ecologist
The character is concerned with ecosystems as a whole (people, plants, animals) and want to protect the environment.
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blank_eyes
Neither of the character's eyes have pupils.
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eyes_closed
Not blind (probably), but is always depicted with closed or hidden eyes.
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extra_eyes
Character has more than the standard number of eyes for their species (normally this is three or more).
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skull_head
The character has a skull for a head, or his head look like a skull. In all cases, the rest of the body is relatively normal, so the character is not an animated skeleton.
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drill
Character wields/uses a physical drill in combat, likely as part of a bigger weapon (like a polearm), or due to being a robot/mecha.
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tibetan
Born in, or a citizen of, Tibet.
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dojutsu
Possesses one of the four eye-based techniques of the Naruto world (Sharingan/Rinnegan/Byakugan/Jibakugan).
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swedish
Born in, or a citizen of, Sweden.
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backpack
Wears/carries a backpack, purse, satchel, or some other holding bag during combat.
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artist
Is involved in the arts somehow as a profession, usually as a painter or sculptor. Often brings his or her work into their fighting style in some way.
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petals
Move is accompanied by imagery of flower petals or utilizes them as a weapon. The most common flower, especially in Japanese-based games/characters, is the cherry blossom (sakura), whereas western characters may be more apt to use roses.
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monkey_fu
use the fighting style of Monkey Kung Fu or Monkey Fist.
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romanian
Born in, or a citizen of, Romania.
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mongolian
Born in, or a citizen of, Mongolia.
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forest
Any area with a high density of trees. It can include variations such as taigas, rainforests, and temperate forests.
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luchador
Uses the lucha libre style of athletic wrestling.
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dutch
Born in, or a citizen of, the Netherlands.
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ground_strike
A move that hits the arena's floor and affects standing/crouching opponents (i.e. those that are not in the air). Usually are unblockable.
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cancel
A move which has the purpose of halting previous moves before they are carried out, or to cease a special movement such as a different stance or flight.
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ring_weapon
Wields a hula-hoop or chakram style weapon.
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paper_talismans
Uses paper talismans ("ofuda") adorned with various mystic symbology, often used by Eastern mystics and onmyoji in games and anime.
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skyscraper
characterized by tall multi-story buildings
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bisecting
A move (often a finishing move) that cuts or rips the opponent in half at the waist.
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ursine
Exhibits qualities of any number of species of bear, including being a bear/part bear, sporting bear-themed attire or weaponry, accompaniment by a bear, bear transformation, et cetera.
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torii
A Japanese gate, commonly found at an entrance or within a Shinto shrine
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skulls
Arena contain skulls or artistic depiction of skulls (such as painting or sculpture).
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vertical_blast
A move that creates a vertical column or geyser of energy. Likely able to absorb projectiles.
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cannibal
A character who enjoys the taste of the flesh of his or her own species.
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duotoned
Character wears an outfit or has skin that is two different colors split down the middle vertically.
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irish
Born in, or a citizen of, Ireland.
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afterlife
The fight takes place in one of the three kingdoms of the afterlife (heaven, hell, purgatory) or a variation of either.
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braid
Hair has one or more braids
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delayable
Timing of attack can be momentarily stalled
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shortrange_projectile
An attack that has projectile properties but doesn't go much farther than a standard attack.
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swiss
Born in, or a citizen of, Switzerland.
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cave
The battleground is an underground space enclosed by earth or stone, either natural or man-made.
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stretching
Able to attack with one's own limbs from a greater distance than normal, either by means actually stretching or telescoping by cybernetic parts.
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canonized
Created in side stories or spin offs, but eventually added to series canon.
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rapid_kicks
The move involves a quick succession of kicks.
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training
a gym, dojo, or any place where people gather hone their skills and improve their physical fitness
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waterfall
A waterfall is visible in the background.
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performing_arts
The fighting takes place on or near a stage set aside for performing arts such as dancing, music, and theater.
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garden
A plot of land set aside for displaying and cultivating plants
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on_fire
There is a presence of fire burning in the background.
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spikes
This arena features sharp, pointy projections.
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bonus_stage
This stage is associated with an extra objective outside of the main game.
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fog
A mist or fog pervades the atmosphere.
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glass
There is a large presence of glass objects or surfaces in this arena.
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environmental_hazard
It's not just your opponent you have to worry about...the surrounding environment also poses a threat to the player in some way. It can range from a edge of the arena to deadly traps.
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statues
Three-dimensional figures of any material are on display here.
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bamboo
Bamboo trees grow here.
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mountain
Mountains can be seen in background or the battle actually takes place on a mountain.
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wetland
Area of land that saturated with moisture, may be covered with bodies of shallow water. Can include swamps, bogs, and marshes.
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battlefield
There is a battle taking place in the surrounding area.
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industrial
A factory, plant, mill or any other place used to manufacture or process goods on a large scale.
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aviation
Presence of aircraft and other flying structures. They may make an appearance in the background or the characters may actually be on or inside one.
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artwork
Wall-based artwork (paintings, murals, etc) is on display here.
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high_school
Most of the characters are highschoolers, any adults in the cast are likely faculty members.
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speedster
A character that is noted for having superhuman speed, which often is reflected in his or her fighting style.
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construction
The battle takes place in or near a building that is in the process of being built. Steel girders and brawny men with hard hats are likely sights.
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pre-rendered
2D sprites with a "3D" appearance, rendered by computer. Rendering is not done real-time by hardware.
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place_of_worship
Can be a church, temple, pagoda, cathedral, synagogue, or any structure that is used for a religious function
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grassland
Area where vegetation is dominated by grass and other herbaceous plants
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cocky
This type of character is very confident (even if it's not justified) in his/her abilities, and not afraid to boast about it.
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transition
Some function of this stage allows players to travel to a completely new stage.
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boss_stage
This stage serves primarily as the domain for one or more boss characters (although other characters may be fought here).
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sewer
The stage takes place in a sewer.
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practice_stage
An arena, largely nondescript in most cases, that functions normally as a training facility for the player. May or may not be accessible during normal gameplay.
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buddha
Features visual representation of a venerable Buddha, whether it be the traditional Siddhartha Gautama, or the "fat/laughing Buddha" known as Hotei or Budai.
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desert
An arid landform known for its extreme temperatures, low precipitation, and largely devoid of flora and fauna.
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moving
The surface the fighters are standing on is in motion, displaying a constantly changing background. Often an elevator or raft.
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string_tie
Wears a thin, stringy tie, often in a manner similar to a bow tie or bolo.
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feline
Exhibits qualities of any number of species of cat, including being a cat/part cat, sporting cat-themed attire or weaponry, accompaniment by a cat, cat transformation, et cetera.
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dlc
Sports downloadable content to enhance gameplay or aesthetics, such as new characters, costumes, arenas, weapons, et cetera (does not include standard patches and stability updates available to most modern games).
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aura
Surrounded by a glowing aura or field of power.
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depowered
A character who has had his or her moveset drastically changed for one or more game(s) due to a storyline element that involves the character losing his or her well-known "powers". Also may include alternate forms of a character without these powers.
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body_shaped
A projectile that is shaped like a body part (hand, foot, head, skull) or has that shape somewhere in it.
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decapitation
A move that detaches an opponent's head from their body.
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short_skirt
Lower body attire consists of a short skirt, often in the Japanese schoolgirl style. Expect panty shots.
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flame_pattern
Traditionally is seen wearing images of flames on his or her clothing.
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single_style
All characters in this game use the same fighting style, or some derivative thereof.
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realistic
Lacking many of the more common fantasy tropes found in fighting games such as visible ki projectiles, characters being frozen or burned, teleportation, etc.
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ex-champion
Former king of the hill, stripped of his notoriety in the wake of scandal.
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