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{{Short description|Fictional character from Killer Instinct}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Black Orchid (''Killer Instinct'')}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Black Orchid (''Killer Instinct'')}}
{{Infobox video game character
{{Infobox character
| name = Black Orchid
| name = Black Orchid
| series = [[Killer Instinct]]
| series = [[Killer Instinct]]
| image = File:Black Orchid.png
| image = File:Black Orchid.png
| image_upright = 0.85
| image_upright = 0.85
| caption = Orchid in ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' (2013)
| caption = Orchid in her classic costume as seen in ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' (2013)
| firstgame = ''[[Killer Instinct (1994 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' (1994)
| firstgame = ''[[Killer Instinct (1994 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' (1994)
| creator = Kevin Bayliss<ref name=rg/>
| creator = Kevin Bayliss<ref name=rg/>
| designer = Kevin Bayliss (''KI'')<ref name=rg/><br>{{Nowrap|David Robert Donatuchi (''2013'')<ref name="artbook"/>}}
| designer = Kevin Bayliss (''KI'')<ref name=rg/><br>{{Nowrap|David Robert Donatucci (''2013'')<ref name="artbook"/>}}
| voice = [[Anzu Lawson]] (''2013'')<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Orchid Voice - Killer Instinct (2013) (Video Game) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Killer-Instinct-2013/Orchid/ |website=Behind The Voice Actors |access-date=13 June 2021|postscript=. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.}}</ref>
| voice = [[Anzu Lawson]] (''2013'')<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Orchid Voice - Killer Instinct (2013) (Video Game) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Killer-Instinct-2013/Orchid/ |website=Behind The Voice Actors |access-date=13 June 2021 |postscript=. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. |archive-date=13 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613023625/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Killer-Instinct-2013/Orchid/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| motion_actor = Kevin Bayliss (''KI''-''KI2'')<ref name=rg/><br>{{Nowrap|Louise Stamper (FMV, ''KI''-''KI2'')<ref name=rg>''Retro Gamer'' 123, page 59.</ref>}}
| motion_actor = Kevin Bayliss (''KI''-''KI2'')<ref name=rg/><br>{{Nowrap|Louise Stamper (FMV, ''KI''-''KI2'')<ref name=rg>{{cite magazine |magazine=Retro Gamer |issue=123 |pages=48–51 |title=Killer Instinct |date=September 2016}}</ref>}}
| portrayer =
| portrayer =
| origin = [[United States]]
| origin = [[United States]]
| nationality = [[Americans|American]]
| nationality = [[Americans|American]]
| lbl21 = {{nowrap|Fighting style}}
| fighting_style = [[Okinawan kobudō|Kobudō]]
| data21 = [[Okinawan kobudō|Kobudō]]
}}
}}


'''Black Orchid''' (often shortened to "'''B. Orchid'''" or just "'''Orchid'''") is a [[player character]] in the ''[[Killer Instinct]]'' [[fighting game]] series created by [[Rare (company)|Rare]]. Introduced in the original ''[[Killer Instinct (1994 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' in 1994, Orchid is featured as a playable character in all three installments. A mysterious spy and fighter, she is the female protagonist of the series, along with her younger brother [[Jago (Killer Instinct)|Jago]], and is one of the most popular ''Killer Instinct'' characters. Though, she's received some criticism for her stereotyped portrayal in the games.
'''Black Orchid''' (often shortened to "'''B. Orchid'''" or just "'''Orchid'''") is a [[player character]] in the ''[[Killer Instinct]]'' [[fighting game]] series created by [[Rare (company)|Rare]]. Introduced in the original ''[[Killer Instinct (1994 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' in 1994, Orchid is featured as a playable character in all three installments. A mysterious spy and fighter, she is the female protagonist of the series, along with her younger brother [[Jago (Killer Instinct)|Jago]], and is one of the most popular ''Killer Instinct'' characters, though her sexualized portrayal in the games has also been subject to criticism.


==Conception and design==
==Conception and design==
Created and designed by Kevin Bayliss for [[Rare (company)|Rare]], the character was originally a blonde woman called "Wanda" made for the fighting game ''Brutal Force''. Wearing a red leotard, matching knee-high boots and headband, and using a long pole as a weapon, she was described in the design document simply as "a fearless acrobat".<ref>{{cite AV media |via=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYOSruFjwEY |title=Rare Replay - The Making Of Killer Instinct |date=2015-08-07 |accessdate=2024-04-09 |time=0:45}}</ref> As the project changed to ''Killer Instinct'', she was changed to a darker skinned woman with black hair. Standing 5&nbsp;ft 7 in tall, her leotard covered more of her hips and was changed to green, her weapons changed to batons, and her background changed to a secret agent trying to infiltrate Ultratech, the game's antagonist.<ref name="gamesworld">{{cite magazine |magazine=Games World |page=20 |title=Animal at E3: Killer Instinct |issue=14 |date=August 1995}}</ref> Her design was modified for the game's sequel, the leotard changed to expose more skin while her weapons were changed to [[tonfa]]s.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Killer Instinct 2 Strategy Guide |magazine=[[DieHard GameFan]] |first1=Andrew |last1=Cockburn |first2=Frank |last2=Martinez Jr. |page=40}}</ref> Though Black Orchid's race is not mentioned in the games, when asked by ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'', Rare responded by stating she is "[[mulatto]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Interface: More Racy Issues|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=89 |date=December 1996|page=338}}</ref>
⚫
When creating Orchid's appearance for the 2013 reboot of the ''Killer Instinct'' franchise, the developers focused on a "rebel freedom fighter" motif for the character. To this end they focused on giving her attire a "military utilitarian" aesthetic, creating designs built around green armor, headgear and "a sense of danger". Art director David Robert Donatuchi incorporated her original goggles and batons into her design, and as it progressed he wanted to emphasize a panther aesthetic in her appearance. Her outfit was changed to a tank top and shorts, while grenades were added to give her a "rebellious dangerous side". While her clothing was meant to invoke the same imagery of her one-piece in the earlier games, the updated attire was meant to give a more "realistic" look of a spy fighting as a soldier of fortune.<ref name="artbook">{{cite book |title=Killer Instinct: Ultra Fan Book |pages=159-177 |isbn=9780804162760 |publisher=[[Prima Games]] |date=November 2013}}</ref>


Rare employee Louise Stamper performed the motion capture for Orchid including the game's cutscenes, which Bayliss described as necessary so Orchid "walked like a lady".<ref name=rg/> The motion capture suit itself was particularly difficult to use, and Bayliss himself performed the basic attack motions for all the characters, including Orchid.<ref>{{cite book |title=Beyond Donkey Kong: A History of Nintendo Arcade Games |first=Ken |last=Horowitz |date=2020 |isbn=9781476684208 |publisher=McFarland, Incorporated}}</ref> When doing her motion capture, he wore high heels and attempted to move "like a woman", though felt some of the resulting work as a bit "dodgy."<ref name=rg/> Several of her moves were also designed by him, such as a finishing move where she turns her back to the screen and flashes her breasts at the opponent.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Desert Island Discs: Martin Hollis |pages=80–81 |magazine=Retro Gamer |issue=46 |date=2008}}</ref>
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==Appearances==
{{summarize-section}}
In ''[[Killer Instinct (1994 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' (1994), Black Orchid is a 23-year-old enigmatic and lethal secret agent for a vigilante-oriented international spy organization. Posing as a secretary, she infiltrates Ultratech, the company which organizes the Killer Instinct tournament, to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearances related to it. In her ending, she successfully gathers enough information to defeat Ultratech.


⚫
When creating Orchid's appearance for the 2013 reboot of the ''Killer Instinct'' franchise, the developers focused on a "rebel freedom fighter" motif for the character. To this end they focused on giving her attire a "military utilitarian" aesthetic, creating designs built around green armor, headgear and "a sense of danger". Art director David Robert Donatucci incorporated goggles and her original batons into her design, and as it progressed he wanted to emphasize a panther aesthetic in her appearance. Her outfit was changed to a tank top and shorts, while grenades were added to give her a "rebellious dangerous side". While her clothing was meant to invoke the same imagery of her one-piece in the earlier games, the updated attire was meant to give a more "realistic" look of a spy fighting as a soldier of fortune.<ref name="artbook">{{cite book |title=Killer Instinct: Ultra Fan Book |pages=159–177 |isbn=9780804162760 |publisher=[[Prima Games]] |date=November 2013}}</ref> Director David Verfaillie stated that they wanted to focus less on her [[Sexual attraction|sex appeal]], and "bring out the more fight aspect of her," whilst still retaining her "femineity."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Verfaillie |first1=David |title=IGN Live: Killer Instinct Orchid Reveal |url=https://www.ign.com/videos/ign-live-killer-instinct-orchid-reveal |website=IGN |access-date=April 12, 2024 |date=October 31, 2013}}</ref>
⚫
In the sequel, ''[[Killer Instinct 2]]'' (1996), it is revealed that the now 24-year-old<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_092_Volume_08_Number_05_1996-05_IDG_Publishing_US#page/n102/mode/1up/ |title=GamePro - Issue 092 Volume 08 Number 05 (1996-05) (IDG Publishing) (US) |date=May 1996 |accessdate=2014-06-07}}</ref> Black Orchid has destroyed [[Eyedol]] (the first game's [[Boss (video gaming)|boss]]), which sent the Ultratech building two millennia into the past. Now she seeks to destroy [[Gargos]], and find a way home to start a new life.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_092_Volume_08_Number_05_1996-05_IDG_Publishing_US#page/n108/mode/1up/ |title=GamePro - Issue 092 Volume 08 Number 05 (1996-05) (IDG Publishing) (US) |date=May 1996 |accessdate=2014-06-07}}</ref> In her endings, the warrior [[Jago (Killer Instinct)|Jago]] is revealed as her younger<ref name=oxm>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/64824/killer-instinct-xbox-one-character-guide/?page=2 |title=Killer Instinct Xbox One character guide - which fighter suits you best? - Xbox 360 - The Official Magazine |publisher=Oxm.co.uk |accessdate=2013-11-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216073426/http://www.totalxbox.com/64824/killer-instinct-xbox-one-character-guide/?page=2|archive-date=February 16, 2015}}</ref> brother.


⚫
==Appearances==
Orchid appears in the series reboot, ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' (2013). Raised by her single father Jacob, a member of [[Seal Team 6]], Orchid exhibits emotional instability from a young age, once nearly burning down her school while placing blame on what she refers to as "the Firecat". Following this, Jacob takes her to an isolated mountain cabin for training, as Orchid had inherited the ability to summon the Firecat from her grandmother, who gained it following her participation in the Project Aries 9 experiment during World War II. Fearing the government or Ultratech would use her as a tool, he teaches her combat, weapons usage, and summoning the Firecat. Two years later, they are found by the Special Warfare Department, a covert sect of the U.S.'s Homeland Security, and Jacob is forced to return to service in exchange for her freedom, being killed in a suicide bombing a year later. Running from her new foster family and living on the streets, the teenage Orchid is eventually found by SWD commander Major Weaver, who reveals Jacob was in fact assassinated by Ultratech, giving her his journal, and asks her to join the organization. Orchid agrees and begins taking on missions for them, piecing together clues linking Ultratech to a terrorist cabal, while discovering from Jacob's journal that he had an affair and fathered a son.
⚫
As introduced in the 1994 fighting game ''Killer Instinct'', Black Orchid is a secret agent infiltrating the corporation Ultratech through its martial arts tournament, to discover the truth behind disappearances related to the company.<ref name="gamesworld"/> In the game's sequel ''[[Killer Instinct 2]]'', defeating Ultratech's champion [[Eyedol]] caused the building and combatants to be sent two millennia into the past. Upon discovering that fellow character [[Jago (Killer Instinct)|Jago]] is her brother, they work together to try and get back to present.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_092_Volume_08_Number_05_1996-05_IDG_Publishing_US#page/n108/mode/1up/ |title=GamePro - Issue 092 Volume 08 Number 05 (1996-05) (IDG Publishing) (US) |date=May 1996 |accessdate=2014-06-07}}</ref><ref name=oxm>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/64824/killer-instinct-xbox-one-character-guide/?page=2 |title=Killer Instinct Xbox One character guide - which fighter suits you best? - Xbox 360 - The Official Magazine |publisher=Oxm.co.uk |accessdate=2013-11-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216073426/http://www.totalxbox.com/64824/killer-instinct-xbox-one-character-guide/?page=2|archive-date=February 16, 2015}}</ref>

A decade later, Weaver assigns Orchid to a deep cover operation at Ultratech posing as a scientist, where she first learns of the Pinnacle Protocol and that several SWD members are under ARIA's control. However, her cover is blown and she destroys the lab with her Firecat and escapes. Disbelieving her findings, Weaver claims that Orchid has become paranoid and unstable and dismisses her, but is killed in a bombing later that night. Accused of Weaver's murder, Orchid is branded a terrorist and forced to flee the country. Believing that Ultratech framed her, Orchid emigrates to the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe, where she forms an underground spy ring known as the Disavowed, made up of others wronged by Ultratech who seek to take them down.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/tgs/killer-instinct-exclusive-sadira-trailer-6414759/ |title=Killer Instinct - Exclusive Sadira Trailer |publisher=GameSpot |accessdate=2013-10-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Killer-Instinct-Adds-Orchid-Spinal-Roster-60306.html |title=Killer Instinct Adds Orchid, Spinal To The Roster |date=3 November 2013 |publisher=Cinemablend.com |accessdate=2013-11-03}}</ref> During her missions, she meets and befriends Maya and recruits Eagle to the Disavowed, sending him to infiltrate the Killer Instinct tournament. When Eagle is reported dead, Orchid takes on the Black Orchid persona and joins the tournament to find out what happened, where she is almost killed by Jago before realizing he is her brother, the two vowing to find out what had happened to Orchid's father and Jago's mother. Orchid later teams up with T.J. Combo to destroy an Ultratech laboratory and broadcast evidence of their crimes to the world. She joins Maya's rebel force alongside T.J. and Jago, but they are trapped by Ultratech forces while ARIA's plan to summon Gargos is brought to fruition. However, the attack is halted for reasons unknown, with Ultratech's forces ordered to retreat.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ultra-combo.com/the-firecats-summoning/|title = The Firecat's Summoning|date = 17 November 2015}}</ref> She and the other rebels are later forced to join ARIA's alliance in order to stop Gargos when he proves too strong to defeat alone.


In the series reboot, ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' (2013), Orchid exhibits emotional instability from a young age due to inheriting the ability to summon the "Firecat" from her grandmother, who underwent a secret experiment during World War II. Fearing the government or Ultratech would use her as a tool, her [[Seal Team 6]] father Jacob begins training her in combat, weapons usage, and summoning the Firecat. Two years later, they are found by the Special Warfare Department, a covert sect of the U.S.'s Homeland Security, and Jacob is forced to return to service in exchange for her freedom; he is assassinated by UltraTech a year later, prompting Orchid to join the SWD. A decade later, Orchid poses as an Ultratech scientist, learning that several SWD members are under its CEO ARIA's control. However, her commander does not believe her findings and dismisses her, but is murdered and Orchid framed for her death. Branded a terrorist, Orchid emigrates to the [[Carpathian Mountains]], where she forms an anti-Ultratech spy ring known as the Disavowed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/tgs/killer-instinct-exclusive-sadira-trailer-6414759/ |title=Killer Instinct - Exclusive Sadira Trailer |publisher=GameSpot |accessdate=2013-10-15 |archive-date=2013-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926002341/http://www.gamespot.com/tgs/killer-instinct-exclusive-sadira-trailer-6414759 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Killer-Instinct-Adds-Orchid-Spinal-Roster-60306.html |title=Killer Instinct Adds Orchid, Spinal To The Roster |date=3 November 2013 |publisher=Cinemablend.com |accessdate=2013-11-03 |archive-date=2013-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105011934/http://www.cinemablend.com/games/killer-instinct-adds-orchid-spinal-roster-60306.html |url-status=live }}</ref> When fellow Disavowed member Eagle is reported dead, Orchid joins the Killer Instinct tournament to find out what happened, where she is almost killed by Jago before discovering he is her half brother. Orchid later teams up with T.J. Combo to destroy an Ultratech laboratory and broadcast evidence of their crimes to the world. She joins Maya's rebel force alongside T.J. and Jago, but they are trapped by Ultratech forces while ARIA's plan to summon Gargos is brought to fruition. However, ARIA halts the attack when it becomes clear Gargos is too strong to defeat alone, and Orchid and the other rebels are forced to join ARIA's alliance to stop him.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.ultra-combo.com/the-firecats-summoning/|title = The Firecat's Summoning|date = 17 November 2015|access-date = 17 November 2015|archive-date = 30 April 2023|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230430115147/https://www.ultra-combo.com/the-firecats-summoning/|url-status = live}}</ref>
⚫
Outside of the game series, B. Orchid is featured in the 1996 ''Killer Instinct'' comics,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comicvine.com/b-orchid/4005-58309/ |title=B. Orchid (Character) |publisher=Comic Vine |accessdate=2013-11-03}}</ref> where she is one of the main protagonists. In 2008, Rare created Vision Cards based on her and other ''Killer Instinct'' fighters for use in their video game ''[[Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Ross |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/viva-pinata-vision-cards-fan-the-killer-instinct-flames/ |title=Viva Pinata vision cards fan the Killer Instinct flames |publisher=Joystiq |date=2008-10-16 |accessdate=2013-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820102733/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/viva-pinata-vision-cards-fan-the-killer-instinct-flames/ |archive-date=2014-08-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


⚫
Outside of the game series, B. Orchid is featured in the 1996 ''Killer Instinct'' comics,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comicvine.com/b-orchid/4005-58309/ |title=B. Orchid (Character) |publisher=Comic Vine |accessdate=2013-11-03 |archive-date=2013-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618171637/http://www.comicvine.com/b-orchid/4005-58309/ |url-status=live }}</ref> where she is one of the main protagonists. In 2008, Rare created Vision Cards based on her and other ''Killer Instinct'' fighters for use in their video game ''[[Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Miller |first=Ross |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/viva-pinata-vision-cards-fan-the-killer-instinct-flames/ |title=Viva Pinata vision cards fan the Killer Instinct flames |publisher=Joystiq |date=2008-10-16 |accessdate=2013-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820102733/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/viva-pinata-vision-cards-fan-the-killer-instinct-flames/ |archive-date=2014-08-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Though Black Orchid's race is not mentioned in the games, when questioned on the issue Rare stated that she is [[mulatto]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=More Racy Issues |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=89 |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=December 1996|page=338}}</ref>


===Gameplay===
===Gameplay===
Black Orchid's fighting style emphasizes [[Arnis|Kali (aka Eskrima) stick fighting]] in the original ''Killer Instinct'' and the 2013 game, and Okinawan [[tonfa]] in ''Killer Instinct 2''. In all games, she also uses kicks,<ref name=oxm/> including one special move that resembles [[Chun-Li]]'s Spinning Bird Kick. In ''Killer Instinct'', one of her special moves has her morph into a "fire cat".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/23/4760866/b-orchid-and-sadira-the-latest-killer-instinct-fighters |title=Killer Instinct's latest fighters include Black Orchid and Sadira |publisher=Polygon |date=2013-09-23 |accessdate=2013-11-03}}</ref> In ''Killer Instinct 2'', Orchid was given a complete gameplay overhaul,<ref>''Video Games The Ultimate Gaming Magazine'' 90 (July 1996) page 43.</ref> which included losing her tiger morph special move.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_090_Volume_08_Number_03_1996-03_IDG_Publishing_US#page/n39/mode/2up/ |title=GamePro - Issue 090 Volume 08 Number 03 (1996-03) (IDG Publishing) (US) |date=March 1996 |accessdate=2014-06-07}}</ref>
Black Orchid's fighting style emphasizes [[Arnis|Kali (aka Eskrima) stick fighting]] in the original ''Killer Instinct'' and the 2013 game, and Okinawan [[tonfa]] in ''Killer Instinct 2''. In all games, she uses a special move that resembles [[Chun-Li]]'s Spinning Bird Kick. In ''Killer Instinct'', one of her special moves has her morph into a "fire cat".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/23/4760866/b-orchid-and-sadira-the-latest-killer-instinct-fighters |title=Killer Instinct's latest fighters include Black Orchid and Sadira |publisher=Polygon |date=2013-09-23 |accessdate=2013-11-03 |archive-date=2013-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029032850/http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/23/4760866/b-orchid-and-sadira-the-latest-killer-instinct-fighters |url-status=live }}</ref> In ''Killer Instinct 2'', Orchid was given a complete gameplay overhaul,<ref>''Video Games The Ultimate Gaming Magazine'' 90 (July 1996) page 43.</ref> which included losing her tiger morph special move.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_090_Volume_08_Number_03_1996-03_IDG_Publishing_US#page/n39/mode/2up/ |title=GamePro - Issue 090 Volume 08 Number 03 (1996-03) (IDG Publishing) (US) |date=March 1996 |accessdate=2014-06-07}}</ref>


One of Orchid's original finishing moves has her giving a defeated enemy a heart attack by stripping and showing her breasts to them. It was featured only in the first game for the arcades and SNES; the [[Game Boy]] version features only the other one, where she turns an enemy into a frog and then stomps on it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_170_1996-01_EMAP_Images_GB#page/n65/mode/1up/ |title=Computer and Video Games - Issue 170 (1996-01) (EMAP Images) (UK) |date=January 1996 |accessdate=2014-06-07}}</ref> Orchid turns her back to the player when performing the flashing move. A popular rumor stated that by positioning her in front of a mirror and performing this finishing move, the player could see her breasts reflected in the mirror. In response to this rumor, designer [[Ken Lobb]] pointed out that there is no mirror in any of ''Killer Instinct''{{'}}s stages.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Orchid Flasher? Killer!|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=26|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=February 1997|page=46}}</ref>
One of Orchid's original finishing moves has her giving a defeated enemy a heart attack by stripping and showing her breasts to them. It was featured only in the first game for the arcades and SNES; the [[Game Boy]] version features only the other one, where she turns an enemy into a frog and then stomps on it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_170_1996-01_EMAP_Images_GB#page/n65/mode/1up/ |title=Computer and Video Games - Issue 170 (1996-01) (EMAP Images) (UK) |date=January 1996 |accessdate=2014-06-07}}</ref> Orchid turns her back to the player when performing the flashing move. A popular rumor stated that by positioning her in front of a mirror and performing this finishing move, the player could see her breasts reflected in the mirror. In response to this rumor, designer [[Ken Lobb]] pointed out that there is no mirror in any of ''Killer Instinct''{{'}}s stages.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Orchid Flasher? Killer!|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=26|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=February 1997|page=46}}</ref>


While Orchid retains many of her classic moves in the 2013 title, she has also been given several new skills, such as the ability to use her Fire Cat as a projectile in Instinct Mode and as part of her Shadow moves.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/65241/killer-instincts-orchid-gameplay-trailer-revealed-spinal-teased-as-next-new-character/ |title=News: Killer Instinct's Orchid gameplay trailer revealed, Spinal teased as next new character - Xbox 360 - The Official Magazine |publisher=Oxm.co.uk |accessdate=2013-11-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Cajili |first=Adrian |url=http://techgeek.com.au/2013/11/01/killer-instinct-orchid-revealed-spinal-teased/ |title=Killer Instinct: Orchid revealed, Spinal teased |publisher=TechGeek |date=2013-10-30 |accessdate=2013-11-03}}</ref> Her classic "retro" costume was included as [[Unlockable (gaming)|unlockable]] content in a [[Patch (computing)|patch]] for the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://playxbla.com/have-killer-instinct-ultra-edition-unlock-orchids-retro-costume-now/ |title=Have Killer Instinct Ultra Edition? Unlock Orchid's Retro Costume Now! |publisher=playxbla.com |accessdate=2014-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322043721/http://playxbla.com/have-killer-instinct-ultra-edition-unlock-orchids-retro-costume-now/ |archive-date=2014-03-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to [[Prima Games]], Orchid is a very balanced character who "lives and dies by the 50/50 mix-up".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.primagames.com/games/killer-instinct/tips/killer-instinct-beginners-tips |title=Killer Instinct Beginner's Tips &#124; Tips |publisher=Primagames.com |accessdate=2014-05-18}}</ref> While Orchid "seems lacking compared to the other characters" in that "her special moves are mostly unsafe and she doesn't have that one abusive tactic that most of the other characters seem to possess", she has the fastest movement speed and her Instinct mode is one of the best in the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.primagames.com/games/killer-instinct/tips/killer-instinct-orchid-advanced-tips |title=Killer Instinct: Orchid Advanced Tips &#124; Tips |publisher=Primagames.com |accessdate=2014-05-18}}</ref>
While Orchid retains many of her classic moves in the 2013 title, she has also been given several new skills, such as the ability to use her Fire Cat as a projectile in Instinct Mode and as part of her Shadow moves.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oxm.co.uk/65241/killer-instincts-orchid-gameplay-trailer-revealed-spinal-teased-as-next-new-character/ |title=News: Killer Instinct's Orchid gameplay trailer revealed, Spinal teased as next new character - Xbox 360 - The Official Magazine |publisher=Oxm.co.uk |accessdate=2013-11-03 |archive-date=2013-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104165535/http://www.oxm.co.uk/65241/killer-instincts-orchid-gameplay-trailer-revealed-spinal-teased-as-next-new-character/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Cajili |first=Adrian |url=http://techgeek.com.au/2013/11/01/killer-instinct-orchid-revealed-spinal-teased/ |title=Killer Instinct: Orchid revealed, Spinal teased |publisher=TechGeek |date=2013-10-30 |accessdate=2013-11-03 |archive-date=2013-11-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101180135/http://techgeek.com.au/2013/11/01/killer-instinct-orchid-revealed-spinal-teased/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Her classic "retro" costume was included as [[Unlockable (gaming)|unlockable]] content in a [[Patch (computing)|patch]] for the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://playxbla.com/have-killer-instinct-ultra-edition-unlock-orchids-retro-costume-now/ |title=Have Killer Instinct Ultra Edition? Unlock Orchid's Retro Costume Now! |publisher=playxbla.com |accessdate=2014-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322043721/http://playxbla.com/have-killer-instinct-ultra-edition-unlock-orchids-retro-costume-now/ |archive-date=2014-03-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to [[Prima Games]], Orchid is a very balanced character who "lives and dies by the 50/50 mix-up".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.primagames.com/games/killer-instinct/tips/killer-instinct-beginners-tips |title=Killer Instinct Beginner's Tips &#124; Tips |date=November 21, 2013 |publisher=Primagames.com |accessdate=2014-05-18 |archive-date=2014-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518223853/http://www.primagames.com/games/killer-instinct/tips/killer-instinct-beginners-tips |url-status=live }}</ref> While Orchid "seems lacking compared to the other characters" in that "her special moves are mostly unsafe and she doesn't have that one abusive tactic that most of the other characters seem to possess", she has the fastest movement speed and her Instinct mode is one of the best in the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.primagames.com/games/killer-instinct/tips/killer-instinct-orchid-advanced-tips |title=Killer Instinct: Orchid Advanced Tips &#124; Tips |date=December 18, 2013 |publisher=Primagames.com |accessdate=2014-05-18 |archive-date=2014-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519002141/http://www.primagames.com/games/killer-instinct/tips/killer-instinct-orchid-advanced-tips |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Critical reception==
==Critical reception==
Lucas Sullivan at ''[[GamesRadar]]'' claimed "For some old-school gamers, B. Orchid stands above Chun-Li as the iconic First Lady of fighting games." Sullivan examined her appearance in the 2013 ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' game, stating "Orchid's attire this time around actually matches her profession: secret agent, looking to expose UltraTech as the evil megacorporation that it is."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/killer-instinct-roster/|title=How does the old Killer Instinct compare to the new one?|first=Lucas|last=Sullivan|date=November 21, 2013|website=GamesRadar|access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref> In a review of the aforementioned 2013 game by ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'', Arthur Gies stated "It can be a little hard to handle some of the more blatant stereotypes and overt sexualization of Killer Instinct's currently available roster of characters," highlighting Orchid and Sadira as examples. Gies attributes Orchid's sexualized pre-fight cutscene as a reason for this.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/10/5198018/killer-instinct-review|title=Killer Instinct review: original sin|first=Arthur|last=Gies|date=December 10, 2013|access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref> Rob Bricken at [[Village Voice Media|Topless Robot]] included her as one of the ten "most ridiculously stereotyped fighting game characters," who praised her design, but also felt that she "[may be] the fighting-game world's most blatantly objectified female character."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/04/the_10_most_ridiculously_stereotyped_fighting_game.php|title=The 10 Most Ridiculously Stereotyped Fighting Game Characters|website=Topless Robot|access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref>
Lucas Sullivan at ''[[GamesRadar]]'' claimed "For some old-school gamers, B. Orchid stands above [[Chun-Li]] as the iconic First Lady of fighting games." Sullivan examined her appearance in the 2013 ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' game, stating "Orchid's attire this time around actually matches her profession: secret agent, looking to expose UltraTech as the evil megacorporation that it is."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/killer-instinct-roster/|title=How does the old Killer Instinct compare to the new one?|first=Lucas|last=Sullivan|date=November 21, 2013|website=GamesRadar|access-date=April 5, 2024|archive-date=May 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230503005956/https://www.gamesradar.com/killer-instinct-roster/|url-status=live}}</ref> In a review of the aforementioned 2013 game by ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'', Arthur Gies stated "It can be a little hard to handle some of the more blatant stereotypes and overt sexualization of Killer Instinct's currently available roster of characters," highlighting Orchid and Sadira as examples. Gies attributes Orchid's sexualized pre-fight cutscene as a reason for this.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/10/5198018/killer-instinct-review|title=Killer Instinct review: original sin|first=Arthur|last=Gies|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=December 10, 2013|access-date=April 5, 2024|archive-date=April 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403102622/https://www.polygon.com/2013/12/10/5198018/killer-instinct-review|url-status=live}}</ref> Rob Bricken at [[Village Voice Media|Topless Robot]] included her as one of the ten "most ridiculously stereotyped fighting game characters," who praised her design, but also felt that she "[may be] the fighting-game world's most blatantly objectified female character."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/04/the_10_most_ridiculously_stereotyped_fighting_game.php|title=The 10 Most Ridiculously Stereotyped Fighting Game Characters|website=Topless Robot|access-date=April 5, 2024|archive-date=March 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327090749/https://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/04/the_10_most_ridiculously_stereotyped_fighting_game.php|url-status=live}}</ref>


Pedro Vázquez-Miraz, author of the study ''Review Of A Recent Article By Díez-gutiérrez (2014) And Qualitative Review Of The Video Games Analyzed In Díez-gutiérrez Et Al. (2004)'', noted her as "hypersexualized", while reasoning "she is dressed with tight and provocative clothing, representing the stereotype of the femme-fatale."<ref>{{cite book |author1=Pedro Vázquez-Miraz |title=Review Of A Recent Article By Díez-gutiérrez (2014) And Qualitative Review Of The Video Games Analyzed In Díez-gutiérrez Et Al. (2004) |publisher=Universidad de A Coruña- España |url=https://ruc.udc.es/dspace/bitstream/handle/2183/19555/Articulo%20Videojuegos.pdf |access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref> ''Retropolis'' magazine author Trev was negative of her being the only female character in the original ''[[Killer Instinct (1994 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' game, due to "[boosting her] sex appeal to 300%," and estimated her measurements to be "around 100-40-90."<ref>{{cite book |author1=Trev |title=Retropolis (jeux rétro) |url=https://archive.org/details/retropolis/Retropolis%2027/page/n47/mode/2up |access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref> David Surman, author of ''Gaming, Uncanny Realism & Technical Demonstration'', mentioned the game ''Killer Instinct'' "set a precedent for the promotion of games using still images of highly rendered computer-generated representations of the games player-characters. Debates around the realism and function of hyperreal game characters were yoked to this new marketing strategy," while citing Orchid as an example, due to her "large breasts and oriental 'mystique' made her the first of a succession of clichéd fantasy images to occupy this new gaming image culture." Surman also considers [[Lara Croft]] of the ''[[Tomb Raider]]'' series to be Orchid's "[successor to] this phenomenon."<ref>{{cite book |last1=David |first1=Surman |title=Gaming, Uncanny Realism & Technical Demonstration |url=https://gibsonmartelli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/DavidSurman.pdf |access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref> Game design Celia Pearce, writing for ''Playing Dress-Up: Costumes, roleplay and imagination'', listed Orchid as one of the four examples of female characters who "reveals a male fantasy about watching women in battle, rather than a female fantasy of empowerment."<ref>{{cite book |author1=Janine Fron |author2=Tracy Fullerton |author3=Jacquelyn Ford Morie |author4=Celia Pearce |title=Playing Dress-Up: Costumes, roleplay and imagination |publisher=University of Modena and Reggio Emilia |url=https://gamephilosophy.org/wp-content/uploads/confmanuscripts/pcg2007/Pearce_PaperPCG2007.pdf |access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref>
Pedro Vázquez-Miraz, author of the study ''Review Of A Recent Article By Díez-gutiérrez (2014) And Qualitative Review Of The Video Games Analyzed In Díez-gutiérrez Et Al. (2004)'', described her as "hypersexualized", while reasoning "she is dressed with tight and provocative clothing, representing the stereotype of the femme-fatale."<ref>{{cite book |author1=Pedro Vázquez-Miraz |title=Review Of A Recent Article By Díez-gutiérrez (2014) And Qualitative Review Of The Video Games Analyzed In Díez-gutiérrez Et Al. (2004) |publisher=Universidad de A Coruña- España |url=https://ruc.udc.es/dspace/bitstream/handle/2183/19555/Articulo%20Videojuegos.pdf |access-date=April 5, 2024 |archive-date=March 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240317205343/https://ruc.udc.es/dspace/bitstream/handle/2183/19555/Articulo%20Videojuegos.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Retropolis'' magazine author Trev was negative of her being the only human female character in the original ''[[Killer Instinct (1994 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'' game, due to "[boosting her] sex appeal to 300%," and estimated her measurements to be "around 100-40-90."<ref>{{cite book |author1=Trev |title=Retropolis (jeux rétro) |date=January 2010 |url=https://archive.org/details/retropolis/Retropolis%2027/page/n47/mode/2up |access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref> David Surman, author of ''Gaming, Uncanny Realism & Technical Demonstration'', mentioned the game ''Killer Instinct'' "set a precedent for the promotion of games using still images of highly rendered computer-generated representations of the games player-characters. Debates around the realism and function of hyperreal game characters were yoked to this new marketing strategy," while citing Orchid as an example, due to her "large breasts and oriental 'mystique' made her the first of a succession of clichéd fantasy images to occupy this new gaming image culture." Surman also considers [[Lara Croft]] of the ''[[Tomb Raider]]'' series to be Orchid's "[successor to] this phenomenon."<ref>{{cite book |last1=David |first1=Surman |title=Gaming, Uncanny Realism & Technical Demonstration |url=https://gibsonmartelli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/DavidSurman.pdf |access-date=April 5, 2024 |archive-date=April 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403093944/https://gibsonmartelli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/DavidSurman.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Game designer Celia Pearce, writing for ''Playing Dress-Up: Costumes, roleplay and imagination'', listed Orchid as one of the four examples of female characters who "reveals a male fantasy about watching women in battle, rather than a female fantasy of empowerment."<ref>{{cite book |author1=Janine Fron |author2=Tracy Fullerton |author3=Jacquelyn Ford Morie |author4=Celia Pearce |title=Playing Dress-Up: Costumes, roleplay and imagination |publisher=University of Modena and Reggio Emilia |url=https://gamephilosophy.org/wp-content/uploads/confmanuscripts/pcg2007/Pearce_PaperPCG2007.pdf |access-date=April 5, 2024 |archive-date=November 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114182115/https://gamephilosophy.org/wp-content/uploads/confmanuscripts/pcg2007/Pearce_PaperPCG2007.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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Revision as of 19:24, 15 November 2024

Black Orchid
Killer Instinct character
Orchid in her classic costume as seen in Killer Instinct (2013)
First gameKiller Instinct (1994)
Created byKevin Bayliss[1]
Designed byKevin Bayliss (KI)[1]
David Robert Donatucci (2013)[2]
Voiced byAnzu Lawson (2013)[3]
Motion captureKevin Bayliss (KI-KI2)[1]
Louise Stamper (FMV, KI-KI2)[1]
In-universe information
OriginUnited States
NationalityAmerican
Fighting styleKobudō

Black Orchid (often shortened to "B. Orchid" or just "Orchid") is a player character in the Killer Instinct fighting game series created by Rare. Introduced in the original Killer Instinct in 1994, Orchid is featured as a playable character in all three installments. A mysterious spy and fighter, she is the female protagonist of the series, along with her younger brother Jago, and is one of the most popular Killer Instinct characters, though her sexualized portrayal in the games has also been subject to criticism.

Conception and design

Created and designed by Kevin Bayliss for Rare, the character was originally a blonde woman called "Wanda" made for the fighting game Brutal Force. Wearing a red leotard, matching knee-high boots and headband, and using a long pole as a weapon, she was described in the design document simply as "a fearless acrobat".[4] As the project changed to Killer Instinct, she was changed to a darker skinned woman with black hair. Standing 5 ft 7 in tall, her leotard covered more of her hips and was changed to green, her weapons changed to batons, and her background changed to a secret agent trying to infiltrate Ultratech, the game's antagonist.[5] Her design was modified for the game's sequel, the leotard changed to expose more skin while her weapons were changed to tonfas.[6] Though Black Orchid's race is not mentioned in the games, when asked by Electronic Gaming Monthly, Rare responded by stating she is "mulatto".[7]

Rare employee Louise Stamper performed the motion capture for Orchid including the game's cutscenes, which Bayliss described as necessary so Orchid "walked like a lady".[1] The motion capture suit itself was particularly difficult to use, and Bayliss himself performed the basic attack motions for all the characters, including Orchid.[8] When doing her motion capture, he wore high heels and attempted to move "like a woman", though felt some of the resulting work as a bit "dodgy."[1] Several of her moves were also designed by him, such as a finishing move where she turns her back to the screen and flashes her breasts at the opponent.[9]

When creating Orchid's appearance for the 2013 reboot of the Killer Instinct franchise, the developers focused on a "rebel freedom fighter" motif for the character. To this end they focused on giving her attire a "military utilitarian" aesthetic, creating designs built around green armor, headgear and "a sense of danger". Art director David Robert Donatucci incorporated goggles and her original batons into her design, and as it progressed he wanted to emphasize a panther aesthetic in her appearance. Her outfit was changed to a tank top and shorts, while grenades were added to give her a "rebellious dangerous side". While her clothing was meant to invoke the same imagery of her one-piece in the earlier games, the updated attire was meant to give a more "realistic" look of a spy fighting as a soldier of fortune.[2] Director David Verfaillie stated that they wanted to focus less on her sex appeal, and "bring out the more fight aspect of her," whilst still retaining her "femineity."[10]

Appearances

As introduced in the 1994 fighting game Killer Instinct, Black Orchid is a secret agent infiltrating the corporation Ultratech through its martial arts tournament, to discover the truth behind disappearances related to the company.[5] In the game's sequel Killer Instinct 2, defeating Ultratech's champion Eyedol caused the building and combatants to be sent two millennia into the past. Upon discovering that fellow character Jago is her brother, they work together to try and get back to present.[11][12]

In the series reboot, Killer Instinct (2013), Orchid exhibits emotional instability from a young age due to inheriting the ability to summon the "Firecat" from her grandmother, who underwent a secret experiment during World War II. Fearing the government or Ultratech would use her as a tool, her Seal Team 6 father Jacob begins training her in combat, weapons usage, and summoning the Firecat. Two years later, they are found by the Special Warfare Department, a covert sect of the U.S.'s Homeland Security, and Jacob is forced to return to service in exchange for her freedom; he is assassinated by UltraTech a year later, prompting Orchid to join the SWD. A decade later, Orchid poses as an Ultratech scientist, learning that several SWD members are under its CEO ARIA's control. However, her commander does not believe her findings and dismisses her, but is murdered and Orchid framed for her death. Branded a terrorist, Orchid emigrates to the Carpathian Mountains, where she forms an anti-Ultratech spy ring known as the Disavowed.[13][14] When fellow Disavowed member Eagle is reported dead, Orchid joins the Killer Instinct tournament to find out what happened, where she is almost killed by Jago before discovering he is her half brother. Orchid later teams up with T.J. Combo to destroy an Ultratech laboratory and broadcast evidence of their crimes to the world. She joins Maya's rebel force alongside T.J. and Jago, but they are trapped by Ultratech forces while ARIA's plan to summon Gargos is brought to fruition. However, ARIA halts the attack when it becomes clear Gargos is too strong to defeat alone, and Orchid and the other rebels are forced to join ARIA's alliance to stop him.[15]

Outside of the game series, B. Orchid is featured in the 1996 Killer Instinct comics,[16] where she is one of the main protagonists. In 2008, Rare created Vision Cards based on her and other Killer Instinct fighters for use in their video game Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise.[17]

Gameplay

Black Orchid's fighting style emphasizes Kali (aka Eskrima) stick fighting in the original Killer Instinct and the 2013 game, and Okinawan tonfa in Killer Instinct 2. In all games, she uses a special move that resembles Chun-Li's Spinning Bird Kick. In Killer Instinct, one of her special moves has her morph into a "fire cat".[18] In Killer Instinct 2, Orchid was given a complete gameplay overhaul,[19] which included losing her tiger morph special move.[20]

One of Orchid's original finishing moves has her giving a defeated enemy a heart attack by stripping and showing her breasts to them. It was featured only in the first game for the arcades and SNES; the Game Boy version features only the other one, where she turns an enemy into a frog and then stomps on it.[21] Orchid turns her back to the player when performing the flashing move. A popular rumor stated that by positioning her in front of a mirror and performing this finishing move, the player could see her breasts reflected in the mirror. In response to this rumor, designer Ken Lobb pointed out that there is no mirror in any of Killer Instinct's stages.[22]

While Orchid retains many of her classic moves in the 2013 title, she has also been given several new skills, such as the ability to use her Fire Cat as a projectile in Instinct Mode and as part of her Shadow moves.[23][24] Her classic "retro" costume was included as unlockable content in a patch for the game.[25] According to Prima Games, Orchid is a very balanced character who "lives and dies by the 50/50 mix-up".[26] While Orchid "seems lacking compared to the other characters" in that "her special moves are mostly unsafe and she doesn't have that one abusive tactic that most of the other characters seem to possess", she has the fastest movement speed and her Instinct mode is one of the best in the game.[27]

Critical reception

Lucas Sullivan at GamesRadar claimed "For some old-school gamers, B. Orchid stands above Chun-Li as the iconic First Lady of fighting games." Sullivan examined her appearance in the 2013 Killer Instinct game, stating "Orchid's attire this time around actually matches her profession: secret agent, looking to expose UltraTech as the evil megacorporation that it is."[28] In a review of the aforementioned 2013 game by Polygon, Arthur Gies stated "It can be a little hard to handle some of the more blatant stereotypes and overt sexualization of Killer Instinct's currently available roster of characters," highlighting Orchid and Sadira as examples. Gies attributes Orchid's sexualized pre-fight cutscene as a reason for this.[29] Rob Bricken at Topless Robot included her as one of the ten "most ridiculously stereotyped fighting game characters," who praised her design, but also felt that she "[may be] the fighting-game world's most blatantly objectified female character."[30]

Pedro Vázquez-Miraz, author of the study Review Of A Recent Article By Díez-gutiérrez (2014) And Qualitative Review Of The Video Games Analyzed In Díez-gutiérrez Et Al. (2004), described her as "hypersexualized", while reasoning "she is dressed with tight and provocative clothing, representing the stereotype of the femme-fatale."[31] Retropolis magazine author Trev was negative of her being the only human female character in the original Killer Instinct game, due to "[boosting her] sex appeal to 300%," and estimated her measurements to be "around 100-40-90."[32] David Surman, author of Gaming, Uncanny Realism & Technical Demonstration, mentioned the game Killer Instinct "set a precedent for the promotion of games using still images of highly rendered computer-generated representations of the games player-characters. Debates around the realism and function of hyperreal game characters were yoked to this new marketing strategy," while citing Orchid as an example, due to her "large breasts and oriental 'mystique' made her the first of a succession of clichéd fantasy images to occupy this new gaming image culture." Surman also considers Lara Croft of the Tomb Raider series to be Orchid's "[successor to] this phenomenon."[33] Game designer Celia Pearce, writing for Playing Dress-Up: Costumes, roleplay and imagination, listed Orchid as one of the four examples of female characters who "reveals a male fantasy about watching women in battle, rather than a female fantasy of empowerment."[34]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Killer Instinct". Retro Gamer. No. 123. September 2016. pp. 48–51.
  2. ^ a b Killer Instinct: Ultra Fan Book. Prima Games. November 2013. pp. 159–177. ISBN 9780804162760.
  3. ^ "Orchid Voice - Killer Instinct (2013) (Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  4. ^ Rare Replay - The Making Of Killer Instinct. August 7, 2015. Event occurs at 0:45. Retrieved April 9, 2024 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ a b "Animal at E3: Killer Instinct". Games World. No. 14. August 1995. p. 20.
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