The Kunio-kun (くにおくん) series (typically localized as River City) is a video game series started by Technōs Japan. The series is now handled by Arc System Works who purchased all of the intellectual property rights from Technōs' successor, Million Corp. The first game in the series is fully titled Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun (熱血硬派くにおくん), which roughly translates to "Hot Blood Tough Guy Kunio", with Nekketsu being the name of the series' title character Kunio's high school. The kun suffix after his name is an informal Japanese honorific usually applied to young males. The series originated in arcades, before appearing on the Famicom console. Kunio later became Technōs Japan's main mascot, appearing on the company's logo in several games and television commercials.
| Kunio-kun | |
|---|---|
 Arcade flyer for Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, the first game in the series | |
| Developer(s) | Technōs Japan WayForward Technologies Almanic Corp. A+ Games Arc System Works |
| Publisher(s) | Technōs Japan SNK Million Corp. Atlus Arc System Works |
| Creator(s) | Yoshihisa Kishimoto |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Famicom, Game Boy, Mega Drive, X68000, PC-Engine, Super Famicom, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Virtual Console, iOS, Android, PlayStation 2, WiiWare, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Windows, Linux, MacOS |
| First release | Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun
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| Latest release | River City Girls 2
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A few of the early Kunio games for the NES were localized for the North American market. These include Renegade, River City Ransom, Super Dodge Ball, Crash 'n' the Boys: Street Challenge and Nintendo World Cup, which are heavily "Americanized" versions of the Kunio-kun games. Technōs Japan has released over twenty Kunio-kun titles for the Famicom, Game Boy, and Super Famicom in Japan. In addition, licensed ports of the games were made for other platforms such as the PC-Engine (through Naxat Soft), Mega Drive (through Pal Soft) and the X68000 (through Sharp).
Development
editThe original game Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun was created by Yoshihisa Kishimoto. He pitched a semi-autobiographical game based on his teenage high school years, with the protagonist Kunio-kun loosely based on himself. Kishimoto recalled his experiences as a high school student regularly getting into fights on a daily basis, which was partly triggered by a break-up with a girl who dumped him. Kishimito was also a fan of Bruce Lee's Hong Kong martial arts films, particularly Enter the Dragon (1973). He combined elements from Lee's Enter the Dragon with that of his own life to create the concept for Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun. He went on to design Double Dragon (1987), which was originally envisioned as a direct sequel to the original Kunio-Kun game, before becoming a new game with a different cast and setting.[1]
The game's title and its protagonist, Kunio (variously renamed "Alex" and "Crash Cooney" in the United States), were named after Technōs Japan's former president, Kunio Taki. Many of the later games in the Kunio-kun series, particularly those under the Downtown Nekketsu moniker, were the handiwork of two men: Mitsuhiro "Yoshimitsu" Yoshida and Hiroyuki "Mokeke" Sekimoto.
Renegade, the Western localization of Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun, spawned its own separate spin-off series developed by British company Ocean Software for home computers. There were two Renegade sequels: Target: Renegade (1988) and Renegade III: The Final Chapter (1989).
List of games
edit| Title | Details |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1986 – Arcade 2006 – PlayStation 2 2012 – Microsoft Windows |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1987 – Family Computer 2008 – Virtual Console |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1987 – Arcade 1988 – X68000 2008 – PlayStation 2 |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1988 – Family Computer 2003 – Microsoft Windows 2008 – Virtual Console |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1989 – Family Computer 1990 – X68000 1993 – PC Engine 2007 – Virtual Console |
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Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu: PC Bangai Hen Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1990 – PC Engine 2008 – Virtual Console |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1990 – Family Computer, X68000 2008 – Virtual Console |
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Downtown Nekketsu March: Super-Awesome Field Day! Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1990 – Family Computer 1992 – PC Engine 2007 – Virtual Console |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1990 – Game Boy |
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Nekketsu Kōkō Soccer Bu: World Cup Hen Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1991 – Game Boy |
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Downtown Special: Kunio-kun's Historical Period Drama! Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1991 – Family Computer 1993 – Game Boy 2009 – Virtual Console 2011 – Virtual Console (3DS) |
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Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu: Kyōteki! Dodge Soldier no Maki Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1991 – Game Boy 2011 – Virtual Console (3DS) |
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Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu: CD Soccer Hen Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1991 – PC Engine 2008 – Virtual Console |
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Go-Go! Nekketsu Hockey Club: Slip-and-Slide Madness Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1992 – Family Computer 2009 – Virtual Console |
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Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu: PC Soccer Hen Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1992 – PC Engine |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1992 – Family Computer 2011 – Virtual Console |
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Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Dokodemo Daiundōkai Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1992 – Game Boy 2012 – Virtual Console (3DS) |
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Shodai Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1992 – Super Famicom |
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Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu: MD Soccer Hen Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1992 – Mega Drive |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1992 – Family Computer |
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Kunio-kun's Nekketsu Soccer League Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1993 – Family Computer |
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Bikkuri Nekketsu Shinkiroku: Dokodemo Kin Medal Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1993 – Game Boy 2011 – Virtual Console (3DS) |
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Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen'in Shūgō! Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1993 – Super Famicom |
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Nekketsu! Street Basketball: All-Out Dunk Heroes Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1993 – Family Computer |
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Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari: Yakyū de Shōbu da! Kunio-kun Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1993 – Super Famicom |
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Original release date(s):[2]
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Release years by system: 1994 – Super Famicom 2022 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows |
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Kunio no Oden Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1994 – Super Famicom |
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Nekketsu! Beach Volley da yo: Kunio-kun Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 1994 – Game Boy |
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Original release date(s): 1996 |
Release years by system: 1996 – Neo Geo |
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Release years by system: 2004 – Game Boy Advance |
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Kunio-kun Nekketsu Collection 1 (くにおくん熱血コレクション 1) Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2005 – Game Boy Advance |
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Kunio-kun Nekketsu Collection 2 (くにおくん熱血コレクション 2) Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2005 – Game Boy Advance |
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Kunio-kun Nekketsu Collection 3 (くにおくん熱血コレクション 3) Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2006 – Game Boy Advance |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2008 – Nintendo DS |
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Nekketsu Dodgeball Bu i (熱血ドッジボール部i) Original release date(s):[3]
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Release years by system: 2008 – i-mode |
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Nekketsu Kōkō! Kunio-kun Online (熱血高校！ くにおくん オンライン) Original release date(s): 2008 (closed), October 22, 2010[4] |
Release years by system: 2008 – Microsoft Windows |
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River City Dodge Ball All Stars!! Original release date(s):[5] 2007 |
Release years by system: 2007 – Microsoft Windows |
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Downtown Smash Dodgeball Original release date(s): |
Release years by system: 2009 – Xbox 360 |
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River City Super Sports Challenge Original release date(s): [7] |
Release years by system: 2010 – Nintendo DS |
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Original release date(s):[8] |
Release years by system: 2010 – Nintendo DS |
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Downtown Nekketsu Dodgeball (ダウンタウン熱血どっじぼーる) Original release date(s):[9]
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Release years by system: 2011 – WiiWare |
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Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-Kun Special Original release date(s): |
Release years by system: 2011/2012 – Nintendo 3DS |
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Riki Densetsu Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2012 – Nintendo 3DS |
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Release years by system: 2013/2016 – Nintendo 3DS |
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River City: Knights of Justice Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2014/2017 – Nintendo 3DS |
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Kunio-Kun no Nekketsu Street Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2015 – Android, iOS |
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Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2015 – Nintendo 3DS |
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River City Super Sports Challenge ~All Stars Special~ Original release date(s):[10] |
Release years by system: 2015 – PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows |
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River City: Rival Showdown Original release date(s): |
Release years by system: 2016/2017 – Nintendo 3DS 2023 - Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows (Steam) |
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Kunio-kun Nekketsu Complete: Famicom Hen Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2016 – Nintendo 3DS |
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River City Melee: Battle Royal Special Original release date(s): |
Release years by system: 2016/2017 – PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows |
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River City Ransom: Underground Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2017 – Linux, MacOS, Microsoft Windows (Steam, GOG.com) |
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Double Dragon & Kunio-kun Retro Brawler Bundle Original release date(s):[11][12]
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Release years by system: 2018/2020 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One TBA - Microsoft Windows (Steam) |
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Original release date(s):[13]
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Release years by system: 2019 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows (Steam, GOG.com) 2020 – Amazon Luna 2022 – PlayStation 5 2023 – Android |
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River City Melee Mach!! Original release date(s):[14]
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Release years by system: 2019 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows (Steam) |
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Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san! A River City Ransom Story Original release date(s):[15]
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Release years by system: 2019 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows (Steam) |
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River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Original release date(s):[16]
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Release years by system: 2021 - Nintendo Switch 2022 - PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows (Steam) |
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Original release date(s):
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Release years by system: 2022 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
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River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next Original release date(s):[17]
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Release years by system: 2024 – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows (Steam)
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Characters
editThe following is a list of characters appearing in most of the games, ordered by the games where they first appear.
Main characters
edit
- Kunio (くにお) (full name Kunio Fu'unji (風雲児 くにお, Fu'unji Kunio) in live-action series) – the protagonist of the series, Kunio serves as the guardian of Nekketsu High School against rival schools and is the captain of his school's Dodgeball team, although he excels at other sports (such as soccer and ice hockey). Kunio first appears in the original Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun, where he is described as a second year student at Nekketsu High School (in the Downtown Nekketsu sub-series, he is described as a third year student, establishing a loose continuity between later games). His surname is never revealed, but the live-action television series lists his surname as Fu'unji.[18] In some games (such as Nekketsu Hockey Club and Baseball Monogatari), he is the only student at Nekketsu to wear an all-white uniform, while at other games everyone at Nekketsu wears white. In the localized versions, he is known as a nameless vigilante in Renegade (Mr. K in the NES version), Sam in Super Dodge Ball, Alex in River City Ransom and some of its ports, and "Crash" Cooney in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge. While the protagonist of the series, Kunio also later became Technōs Japan's main mascot, appearing on the company's logo in several games and television commercials. Kunio is voiced by Ryō Horikawa in most of the games, Hiroyuki Satō in Dodgeball Bu: CD Soccer Hen, and Satoru Murakami in Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!. Takurō Ōno plays Kunio in the live-action series.
- Riki Samejima (鮫島 力, Samejima Riki) – often described as Kunio's eternal rival, Riki is the guardian of Hanazono High School and the second most recurring character in the series. In the original Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun, Riki appears as the first stage boss and serves as captain of the Hanazono dodgeball team. Downtown Nekketsu Story was the first game where Riki teams-up with Kunio (although chronologically speaking, Shodai comes first). Since then, Riki's relationship with Kunio evolved from enmity to close friendship, and he appears in the later beat-em-ups as a secondary playable character. Riki's birthdate is on May 5 and is repeating his third year in the Downtown Nekketsu sub-series. In the localized versions, he is known as Jack in Renegade and Super Dodge Ball, Ryan in River City Ransom, and Crusher in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge. Riki is voiced by Nobutoshi Canna in PC Engine version of Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari and Masaaki Okura in Nekketsu Dodgeball Densetsu. In the live-action series, he is played by Yukihiro Takiguchi.
- Misako (みさこ) – a Nekketsu High student and manager of its Soccer Club, introduced in Nekketsu High School Dodge Ball Club: Soccer Story (Nintendo World Cup) when she turns to Kunio for help after some of her teammates got hospitalized from food poisoning. In Kunio-tachi no Banka, she is Kunio's fighting partner and one-time love interest. She is one of the two protagonists of River City Girls. Misako is voiced by Yumi Tōma in Dodgeball Bu: CD Soccer Hen, Kayli Mills in River City Girls, and played by Kaho Takashima in the live-action series.
- Kyōko (きょうこ) - a Hanazono High student and Misako's best friend, introduced in Kunio-tachi no Banka as Riki's fighting partner and one-time love interest. She is one of the two protagonists of River City Girls, where she is voiced by Kira Buckland.
Sanwakai
editThe Sanwakai (三和会) are a ruthless Yakuza gang that serve as the series antagonists:
- Sabu: The Sanwakai head, he is introduced as a gun-wielding final boss in the original Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun. He returns as the main antagonist in Kunio-tachi no Banka, where he recruits his adiopted son Ken to frame Kunio for a hit and run accident. In Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-Kun SP: Rantō Kyōsōkyoku (River City: Tokyo Rumble), Sabu orchestrates a plan to conquer Tokyo and get revenge on Kunio for defeating him in the past by establishing the "Tokyo Lion Alliance". He is also a playable character in the Neo Geo version of Super Dodge Ball. Sabu is the only character not to change his name, nor his appearance, in Renegade. Sabu is voiced by Yukimasa Kishino in Nekketsu Dodgeball Densetsu. In the River City Girls games, he is revealed to have a daughter named Sabuko and becomes the antagonist of River City Girls 2.
- Ken: Sabu's adopted son who is introduced in Kunio-tachi no Banka, helping his father with his resemblance to Kunio to frame the latter for a hit-and-run accident that landed the real Kunio and Riki in jail before they escape and clear their names. In the River City Girls games, where he is voiced by Todd Haberkorn, Ken is hostile towards his sister Sabuko while helping their father take over the town and make the protagonists' lives miserable.
- Sabuko: The daughter of Sabu who is introduced in River City Girls, a martial artist armed with a katana and magic. Sabuko initially leads the Sanwakai during her father's imprisonment until he escapes from the prison upon learning that she lost to Misako and Kyōko.
Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun (Renegade)
edit- Hiroshi (ひろし) – Hiroshi is Kunio's best friend in the original Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun game. He enrolls into Nekketsu High School during his second year and gets picked on a lot by bullies. He becomes fast friends with Kunio after Kunio defends him from his tormentors. In the arcade version of Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun, he is beaten by a different gang at the beginning of each time, whereas in the Famicom he is kidnapped by Sabu (with no explanation given). In addition to the Nekketsu Renegade sub-series, he appears as a member of the Dodgeball Club in Dodgeball Club, as well as in Soccer Story and Hockey Club, where he shares the same sprite as the Sonokawa character from the Downtown Nekketsu sub-series (until he receives a new sprite in Kunio-kun Special). Actor Kōsuke Hatakeyama plays Hiroshi in the live-action series. He is the only character not to appear in the American versions of the Renegade games.
- Shinji – the leader of a bōsōzoku gang known as "Yokohama Funky" in Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun (where he is the second stage boss) and the "Blue Emperor" in Kunio-tachi no Banka (where he is a recurring boss). He also appears as a playable character in the Neo Geo version of Super Dodge Ball as well as in River City: Tokyo Rumble. His counterpart in Renegade is named Joel. Shinji is voiced by Hisao Egawa in Nekketsu Dodgeball Densetsu.
- Misuzu (みすず) – a giant sukeban from the all-girl Taiyō Academy, first appearing as a stage 3 boss in Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun. She reappears as Sabu's bodyguard in Kunio-tachi no Banka, a stage 1 boss in River City Girls, and is a playable character in the Neo Geo version of Super Dodge Ball and in River City: Tokyo Rumble. Her counterpart in Renegade is named Kim. Misuzu is voiced by Keiko Yamamoto in Nekketsu Dodgeball Densetsu. Shu Hamada plays Misuzu in the live-action series.
- Tadokoro (田所) – an original character from the live-action series. A student of Nekketsu High for many decades, he leads a small group of delinquents who constantly harass Hiroshi until they are all defeated by Kunio. He is played by comedian Donpei Tsuchihara.
Nekketsu High School Dodge Ball Club (Super Dodge Ball)
edit- Shinichi
- Kōji – in Kunio-kun Special, Koji is the captain of Nekketsu High's Soccer Team, but would later surrender his position to Kunio. He reappears in Shodai Nekketu Kouha Kunio-kun as among the students visiting Osaka.
- Mitsuhiro
- Heilman – captain of the Iceland team.
- Njomo – captain of the Kenya team.
- Moldoff – captain of the USSR team who debuted in the Famicom version of Dodgeball Club.
Downtown Nekketsu Story (River City Ransom)
edit- Mami Shimada (島田 真美, Shimada Mami) (Cyndi in River City Ransom) – Mami is a 2nd Year High School Student of Hanazono High and its team's cheerleader. In River City Ransom, she is Riki's girlfriend who is kidnapped by Yamada when he and his gang took over River City. She also serves as a nemesis of Kyoko in River City Girls, voiced by Sarah Anne Williams.
- Kazumi Hasebe (長谷部 和美, Hasebe Kazumi) (Roxy in River City Ransom) – Hasebe is a 3rd Year Student Vice President of Reihou Academy and Yamada's girlfriend, warning Kunio and Riki of the Hattori Twins. In Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari, she plays as the sports commentator for the game. It is said that she, Kunio, and Yamada used to attend the same school together before Kunio transferred to Nekketsu High. She also serves as Misako's nemesis in River City Girls, voiced by Cristina Valenzuela.
- Kaoru Sonokawa (園川 薫, Sonokawa Kaoru) (Harry in River City Ransom, Conan in River City Ransom EX) – 2nd Year student of Senridai High School. In an effort to make a name for himself and his school, he attacks Hanazono High, but is constantly defeated by Riki. In other Kunio-kun games, he plays as Kunio's sidekick.
- Tsuneo Kamijō (上條 恒男, Kamijō Tsuneo) and Noriyuki Yamamoto (山本 憲之, Yamamoto Noriyuki) (Benny and Clyde in River City Ransom) – co-leaders of Kagemura Academy.
- Yasuo Sawaguchi (沢口 靖夫, Sawaguchi Yasuo) (Moose in River City Ransom) – self-proclaimed No. 2 man of Hakutaka Industry High School. He is the game's first boss.
- Naritaka Nishimura (西村 成孝, Nishimura Naritaka) (Rocko in River City Ransom, Baldy in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge) – the No. 1 man of Hakutaka Industries High School. Despite his plump size and wearing large glasses, Nishimura is a formidable fighter.
- Masao Kobayashi (小林 政男, Kobayashi Masao) (Thor in River City Ransom, Monty in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge) – leader of the "Four Devas" (Zombies in the English version), a group of some of the most feared fighters from Reihou Academy under Onizuka. He is the main character in spin-off Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!, voiced by Ryūichi Kijima.
- Shun Mochizuki (望月 駿, Mochizuki Shun) (Turk in River City Ransom, Wheels in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge) – one of the "Four Devas" of Reihou Academy, he is known for his quickness in combat.
- Kiyofumi Taira (平 清文, Taira Kiyofumi) (Mojo in River City Ransom) – one of the "Four Devas" of Reihou Academy.
- Tadashi Kinoshita (木下 忠, Kinoshita Tadashi) (Blade in River City Ransom) – one of the "Four Devas" of Reihou Academy, he also controls Hakutaka Industries High School.
- Tsuyoshi Gōda (豪田 剛, Gōda Tsuyoshi) (Ivan in River City Ransom, Sprecks in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge) – student of Horyou High School, he guards the entry gates of Reihou Academy. Although a tough fighter, he has a kind heart and has a sense of justice.
- Takashi Onizuka (鬼塚 崇, Onizuka Takashi) (Otis in River City Ransom) – guards the Gymnasium of Reihou Academy. He is the former Student President of Reihou Academy and leads the "Four Devas".
- Susumu Godai (五代 奨, Godai Susumu) (Tex in River City Ransom, Clint in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge) – boss of Tanihana High School, he guards the school hallways leading to the floor where Mami is held. He admires Goda's persona. In other Kunio-kun games, he is a friend to both Kunio and Riki.
- Ryūichi Hattori (服部 竜一, Hattori Ryūichi) and Ryūji Hattori (服部 竜二, Hattori Ryūji) (Randy and Andy in River City Ransom) – the Hattori Brothers, they are also known as the "Double Dragon Twins" due to not just their resemblance to Billy and Jimmy Lee, the protagonists of the Double Dragon games (being twin brothers, having the same special moves, and having the Double Dragon theme song played whenever they appeared), but also because of their names (Ryuichi and Ryuji can be translated as "First Dragon" and "Second Dragon"). They are the strongest fighters of Reihou Academy and are the fiercest opponents of Kunio and Riki. Aside from River City Ransom, the twins appeared in other Kunio games either as bosses or representing Reihou Academy as co-team captains.
- Taiki Yamada (山田 大樹, Yamada Taiki) (Slick/Simon in River City Ransom, Skip in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge) – the main antagonist of River City Ransom and former Student President of Reihou Academy, revealed to be Kunio's timid childhood friend before transferring schools. Yamada desires revenge on Kunio for overshadowing him and having the attention of Hasebe, whom he has a crush on. Having dabbled in the dark arts, he kidnaps Mami in a scheme of getting rid of Kunio and replacing him as the number one delinquent and the franchise's new main character. In other games, Yamada plays more of a comical sidekick to Todou and the stage 2 boss of River City Girls. Yamada is voiced by Wataru Takagi in the first two Downtown Nekketsu games for the PC Engine Super CD-ROM2.
Nekketsu High School Dodge Ball Club: Soccer Story (Nintendo World Cup)
edit- Takashi (たかし) – goalkeeper for Nekketsu High's Soccer Team, he and Misako sought Kunio's help in leading the team to the championship.
- Masa (まさ) – a 9th member of Nekketsu High's Soccer Team.
- Gen'ei (げんえい) – the last member of Nekketsu High's Soccer Team, who joins Kunio and his team after they won in semi-final match. He reappears in Shodai Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun as among the students visiting Osaka.
- Takayuki Yoritsune (よりつね たかゆき) – captain of Hattori Academy's Soccer Team from the semi-final match. He, and other team captains from the game, would later join Kunio to represent Japan in Nekketsu Soccer League. His handsome looks and superb skill has made him popular among female students. The same guy later returns in Super Sports Challenge as an unlocking team and again, reprises his role as the member of Nekketsu FC team in Soccer Hooligans. He also appears in Kunio-kun Special.
Downtown Nekketsu March: Super-Awesome Field Day!
edit- Mamoru Tōdō (藤堂 護, Tōdō Mamoru) (Todd in Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge, Titus in River City Ransom EX) – the current Student President of Reihou Academy. A man of extreme wealth, he has a huge dislike for Kunio and makes attempts to humiliate him in Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku, and Crash n' The Boys Street Challenge. He is Yamada's superior after the latter surrendered his title of Student President to him in the aftermath of River City Ransom. Tōdō is voiced by Hikaru Midorikawa in Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku (PC Engine Super CD-ROM2 version).
- Sanjūrō Sugata (姿 三十朗, Sugata Sanjūrō) (Cheese in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge, Gary in River City Ransom EX) – 2nd Year Student of Nekketsu High. Like Hiroshi, he is a friend of Kunio and looks up to him for inspiration. He becomes the protagonist in Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari as the leader of the Nekketsu High Baseball team.
- Haruka Nanase (七瀬 遥, Nanase Haruka) – 2nd Year Student of Nekketsu High, he is Sugata's classmate. In Baseball Monogatari, he becomes the vice-captain of the Nekketsu High Baseball team when Sugata replaces Tachibana as team captain.
- Noboru Takamine (鷹峰 昇, Takamine Noboru) – Freshman from Nekketsu High and member of the school's Judo club.
- Kenichi Morimoto (森本 健一, Morimoto Kenichi) – another Freshman from Nekketsu High and a member of the school's Drama club.
- Hayato Ichijou (一条 勇人, Ichijou Hayato)
- Satomi Momozono (桃園 里美, Momozono Satomi) – 2nd Year Student of Nekketsu High, she is the school's cheerleader and is also a childhood friend of Sugata. Like many of the franchise's female characters, she too has an interest in Kunio. She is a playable character in Nekketsu! Beach Volley da yo: Kunio-kun.
- Hikaru Saotome (五月女 光, Saotome Hikaru) (Nate in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge) – 2nd Year Student of Hanazono High, he is known for his handsome looks and is Sugata's rival.
- Tōru Maeda (前田 亨, Maeda Tōru) (Rick in River City Ransom EX) – 3rd Year student of Hanazono High and former rival of Riki.
- Mitsuaki Yoshino (吉野 光明, Yoshino Mitsuaki) (Dove in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge)
- Shoji Washio (鷲尾 修二, Washio Shoji)
- Kouichi Shimizu (清水 浩一, Shimizu Kouichi)
- Ryōma Hayasaka (早坂 良麻, Hayasaka Ryōma) (Knors in Crash n' the Boys: Street Challenge, Jesse in River City Ransom EX) – a student of Reihou Academy and a close friend of Shun Mochizuki.
- Kyosuke Otonashi (音無 京助, Otonashi Kyosuke)
- Shizuka Aihara (藍原 静, Aihara Shizuka) – 2nd Year student of Reihou Academy and is the team's Cheerleader. She has an older sister named Megumi, who is an art teacher at Nekketsu High.
- Jūzō Kumada (熊田 重蔵, Kumada Jūzō) (Barns in Crash n' The Boys Street Challenge, Ted in River City Ransom EX) – a member of the Judo club from Torashima Industries IV High School, he is in his 3rd Year.
- Takeshi Hayami (速水 武士, Hayami Takeshi) (Milo in Crash n' The Boys: Street Challenge) – 2nd Year student of Hayabusa High.
- Yūko Kirishima (霧島 裕子, Kirishima Yūko) – 2nd Year student of Horyo High and is the cheerleader of the School Alliance team. She has a close relationship with the Gouda siblings.
Shodai Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun
edit- Yoshihiro (よしひろ) – the main antagonist of Shodai, an exchange student from Osaka studying at Nekketsu High, he invites Kunio and the gang to Osaka as part of a school trip during their second year. After Hiroshi was beaten by the students of Union at early in the game, Yoshihiro joins the Osaka Alliance to avenge him, but it is later revealed that Yoshihiro is a new leader of Osaka Student Union and the mastermind behind who obey the gang to dominate and taking over Japan. After he betrayed both Nekketsu High and Osaka Alliance, he is also revealed to be responsible for locked Union's old leader and orders Urabe (from Ebisu High) to capture Miho during the sewer basement.
- Miho Yanagisawa – 2nd year student of Sakurakyou High School. A friend of Hiroshi's, she warns Kunio of the Osaka Student Union, a gang of juvenile delinquents, and their plan to take over Japan.
- Masaki Yanagisawa – one of the four Osaka Student Union's heavenly kings, and Miho's older brother.
Go Go! Nekketsu Hockey Club: Slip-and-Slide Madness
edit- Yōichi – the team captain of Nekketsu High's Hockey Team, he seeks Kunio's help in improving and strengthening the Hockey Team and win the championship. He also makes a cameo appearance in the opening intro of Nekketsu Kakutō Densetsu.
- Kaori – reporter for Nekketsu High's school newspaper, she provides reports of the Hockey Team's progress in the game and is secretly in love with Yoichi.
- Tooru – captain of Nekketsu High's Kendo Club.
- Youko – captain of the Yurikaoka Hockey Club as well as the Association of Magic. A hard working student, she is a good friend of Kunio and accepts the latter's challenge to a hockey match.
- Tobiyama (とびやま) – captain of the Daisetsuzan High School Hockey Club, he and his team fought against Team Nekketsu during the final match in Scenario Mode. His extraordinary skill allowed him to be drafted as a professional player for the Canadian Team. This character would later appear in Super Sports Challenge, and Kunio-Kun Special.
Surprise! Nekketsu New Records! The Distant Gold Medal / Crash 'n The Boys: Street Challenge
edit- Johnny (ジョニー, Jonī) – student and captain of the Oklahoma High School team, he reappears in Nekketsu Dunk Heroes as one of the participants and as a friend to Kunio and Riki.
- Raphael (ラファエル, Rafaeru) – an African American student of the Oklahoma High School team and Johnny's co captain.
- Jimmy (ジミー, Jimī) – also a student of the Oklahoma High School team, he shares the same sprite and moveset as the Hattori Twins, though with a different color. In Super Sports Challenge, his design was completely different rather than shares as Hattori Twins. It is unknown if he is actually Jimmy Lee, one of the protagonists of Double Dragon.
- Kounosuke Todou – father of Mamoru Todou and President of the Toudou Group. Upon hearing of his son's defeat by Kunio, Kounosuke helped organize the tournament in Bikkuri Nekketsu Shin Kiroku.
Nekketsu Fighting Legend
edit- Toraichi and Toraji – they head the tournament in Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu waiting to fight the strongest opponents in the game. They are also called the "Double Tiger Brothers" and "Saber Tigers" because of them being both twins and wear Tiger Masks in combat. They later show up in Super Sports Challenge as the captains of Martial Arts team, and Kunio-kun Special. Before arrived in Modern-era, they also make a small cameo appearance in Kunio no Oden in the Vs. Mode screen.
Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari
edit- Tatsumi Tachibana (立花 辰巳, Tachibana Tatsumi) – an honor student and a superb athlete, he is the team captain of Nekketsu High's Baseball team. An injury on his shoulder bars him from leading Nekketsu High to Japan's National High School Baseball Tournament. This serves as a catalyst for Sugata to take his place as team captain.
- Rika Asano (浅野 里佳, Asano Rika) – Rika is referred to by her given name. She is the team manager of Nekketsu High's Baseball team and is Tatsumi's girlfriend. News of Tatsumi's injury leaves her heartbroken and unable to fulfill her duties as team manager. This motivates Sugata, who has a crush on her, to lead the Nekketsu team in the baseball tournament.
- Kuniko Ashino (芦野 久仁子, Ashino Kuniko) (Shel in River City Ransom EX) – Kuniko is referred to by her given name. She takes over Rika's place as team manager of Nekketsu High's Baseball team. She is also Kunio's biggest fan and chases him whenever the opportunity arises. She has a rivalry with Hasebe.
- Kōjirō Murasaki (紫 小次朗, Murasaki Kōjirō) – 3rd Year student of Horyo Academy, his flowing violet hair and skills with the sword earned him the nickname "The Beautiful Swordsman". Gouda's sister, Saori, is in love with him.
- Raiji Tsuge (柘植 雷二, Tsuge Raiji) – 3rd Year student of Fukubu Academy, he is Murasaki's childhood friend as well as his rival in terms of skills with the sword. His skill in the martial arts also rivals that of the Hattori Twins.
- Tsukasa Mochizuki (望月司, Mochizuki Tsukasa) – Freshman student of Fukubu Academy, he is the younger brother of Shun Mochizuki, one of the bosses in River City Ransom.
Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX (River City Ransom EX)
edit- Shō Himada (火間田 翔, Himada Shō) (Rex in River City Ransom EX) – a member of Torashima Industries IV High School's Cheerleading Club.
- Saori Gōda (豪田 砂織, Gōda Saori) (Abby in River City Ransom EX) – Saori is referred to by her given name. She is a younger sister of Tsuyoshi Gōda.
- Shōko (Jenny in River City Ransom EX)
Kunio-kun no Chou Nekketsu! Daiundoukai
edit- Michael Tobioka – the founder of the Tobioka Conglomerate, who sends a challenging letter to Kunio after reading about him on the Internet. He later appears in Soccer Hooligans alongside Sierra and Stanislav.
- Tomorin (ともりん) – an idol working for Arc TV.
- Sierra (シエラ) – an aide of Michael Tobioka.
- Stanislav – a scientist working for Tobioka Conglomerate.
Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-Kun Special
edit- Yuya & Toshio – students of Class 2-E from Nekketsu High, they are first seen bullying Hiroshi at the back of the school in the beginning of the game. After suffering defeat by Kunio twice, they seek help from Hanazono High.
- Madoka – Kunio's teacher from Nekketsu High.
- Kouchyo – principal of Nekketsu High.
- Wataru – the No.2 man of Hanazono High, he is approached by Yuya and Toshio who seek help in defeating Kunio.
Riki Densetsu
edit- Sakata – 3rd Year Student of Hanazono High, serves as a subordinate of Riki.
- Megumi & Gonda – teachers of Hanazono High.
- Mikoto – a subordinate of Shinji and member of the Blue Emperor gang.
- Okada – leader of the "Mushamonzen" (武赦紋漸) gang consisting of 50 people, he is believed to be responsible for Riki's frame-up in the game.
Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-Kun SP: Rantō Kyōsōkyoku (River City: Tokyo Rumble)
edit- Shirogane – member of the Tokyo Lion Alliance who holds the title "Silver Lion". He originally ran in Shinji's Blue Emperors until his close friend died in a motorcycle crash.
- Oda – member of the Tokyo Lion Alliance who holds the title "Demon Lion". A muscular man wearing a hockey mask, Oda does not talk much but lets his strength speak for itself.
- Benibayashi – member of the Tokyo Lion Alliance who holds the title "Rouge Lion". The only female leader, she uses her beauty and ballerina-trained movements to beguile enemies.
- Ukyo Azuma & Sakyo Azuma – members of the Tokyo Lion Alliance who hold the title "Twin Lions". They are identical twins (save for Ukyo's facial scar) who move and fight in perfect sync.
- Kaneda – member of the Tokyo Lion Alliance who holds the title "Gold Lion". A successful businessman with a love for fighting, he joined the Lion Alliance solely for personal amusement.
- Shigematsu – leader of the Tokyo Lion Alliance who holds the title "Ultra Lion", he plans to lead the Lion Alliance into ruling all of Tokyo.
- Lee – Sabu's older brother, who runs the Triads in Hong Kong, he and Sabu orchestrate a plan to get revenge on Kunio for his previous humiliation of the Sanwakai by establishing the Tokyo Lion Alliance.
River City Girls series
edit- Hibari: A fashion designer who runs a clothing line in Uptown, she dons a Gothic-themed Kimono as her outfit and is the game's 3rd boss.
- Noize: A rock star who Kyoko befriended in the past and is the game's 5th boss. Her real name is Nozomi.
- Marian Kelly: A character from the Double Dragon series, a student and love interest of the martial twins William "Billy" Lee and James "Jimmy" Lee before she worked out to cease being their damsel in distress. She joins Misako and Kyōko after they snapped her out of the yakuza's brainwashing.
- Provie: A character originally introduced from River City Ransom: Underground, she attacks Misako and Kyōko after mistaking them as Sabu's henchmen and believing they kidnapped her friend Chris. After Misako and Kyōko defeat her and clear up the misunderstanding, Provie joins them to help free River City from the Yakuza.
- Tsuiko: An influencer that Sabu's gang paid to hack into Misako and Kyōko's accounts.
- Blaire: An anti-social witch that Sabu's gang paid to brainwash people into doing their dirty work.
- Primo: A famous celebrity chef hired by Sabu's gang to cook special food to mind control the students of River City High.
Manga
editA gag manga based on the video games was produced titled Ore wa Otoko Da! Kunio-kun (おれは男だ! くにおくん). The manga was illustrated by Kosaku Anakubo and was serialized in the monthly anthology CoroCoro Comic from 1991 to 1996, lasting 11 collected editions. Ore wa Otoko Da! was awarded the Shogakukan Manga Award for children's manga in 1995.[19]
References
edit- ^ Leone, Matt (12 October 2012). "The man who created Double Dragon". Polygon. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
- ^ "River City Girls Zero announced for Switch, additional platforms". Gematsu. 14 June 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ^ "Yahoo!ゲーム – iアプリ『熱血高校ドッジボール部対戦版』が本日配信スタート！" (in Japanese).[permanent dead link]
- ^ 熱血高校オンライン:山田の復讐 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2010-12-26. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
- ^ "体験版を独占配信！ 熱血硬派ACTの名手・よしみつ吉田氏が本格始動!!" (in Japanese).
- ^ "Miracle Kidz／ミラクルキッズ！ ダウンタウン ドッジボールだよ全員集合!!" (in Japanese). 14 June 2024.
- ^ "[NDS] くにおくんの超熱血! 大運動会 [NDS] / ゲーム – Neowing" (in Japanese).
- ^ "KunioKun – Kunio-Kun no Chou Nekketsu Soccer League Plus". Kunio-kun. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "ダウンタウン熱血どっじぼーる Wii Ware (ARCHIVED)". Nintendo Japan. Archived from the original on 2013-10-24. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "River City Super Sports Challenge ~All Stars Special~ Arrives On The PlayStation Store Wednesday". Siliconera. 26 October 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Kunio-kun: The World Classics Collection Official trailer". Gematsu. 8 November 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Double Dragon & Kunio-kun Retro Brawler Bundle coming west for PS4 and Switch on February 20". Gematsu. 5 February 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- ^ "River City Girls – eight minutes of off-screen gameplay". Gematsu. 15 July 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Nintendo Direct 2019.2.14". YouTube. 13 February 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!: A River City Ransom Story announced for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. 5 September 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- ^ "Kunio-kun no Sangokushi dayo: Zeiin Shuugou! announced for PS4, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. 7 September 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
- ^ "Arc System Works Announces 'River City Saga: Three Kingdoms" Sequel For Switch". Nintendo Life. 2024-07-19. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
- ^ "Renegade Arcade Game Gets Live-Action Movie, TV Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ 小学館漫画賞：歴代受賞者 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
External links
edit- Kunio-kun series portal at Arc System Works (in Japanese)
- Kunio-kun series at Jap-Sai
- Miracle Kidz – a dōjin soft developing team founded by Mitsuhiro Yoshida and Hiroyuki Sekimoto, the original developers of the Downtown Nekketsu series (in Japanese)
- Yoshihisa Kishimoto's personal website Archived 2021-08-13 at the Wayback Machine (in Japanese)