| Mai Shiranui | |
|---|---|
| Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters character | |
 Mai Shiranui in The King of Fighters XIII | |
| First game | Fatal Fury 2 (1992) |
| Voiced by |
|
| Motion capture | Duan Yixuan (Destiny)[8] |
| Portrayed by | Maggie Q[9] Pan Chun Chun (Mad Blade)[10] |
| In-universe information | |
| Fighting style | Shiranui-ryuu Ninjutsu |
| Origin | Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Mai Shiranui (Japanese: 不知火舞, Hepburn: Shiranui Mai) (alternatively written しらぬい まい) is a character in the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series of fighting games by SNK. Introduced in 1992's Fatal Fury 2, the character was originally conceived as a male character named "Ninja Master", but when a request was put in to include a female character in the game they revised the concept entirely. For the game's sequel Fatal Fury 3 they considered replacing her with another female character, but due to heavy fan request she returned instead and has appeared in nearly every entry in both the Fatal Fury and King of Fighters series since.
Mai is a Japanese kunoichi and the inheritor of her family's ninjitsu fighting style. Deeply in love with the character Andy Bogard, she enters martial arts tournaments against him so he may see her as a warrior. In addition to the aforementioned series she has appeared in a multitude of other games including the SNK vs Capcom series and various collaboration events between SNK and other gaming companies. She has been voiced by various voice actresses including Akoya Sogi, Kotono Mitsuishi, Sarah Sawatsky, Lisa Ann Beley, Rebecca Rose, Kotono Mitsuishi, and Megumi Hayashibara. In live action media, she has been portrayed by American actress Maggie Q, as well as Chinese actress Pan Chun Chun.
Mai has been well received, seen as a mascot for SNK as a whole who has heavily promoted her in various video game crossovers and merchandise. Her portrayal which often emphasizes the swaying of her large breasts has been cited as one of the first examples of the concept of breast physics in gaming, and a significant element of her character's appeal. Other outlets have attributed some of her popularity to Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture's portrayal of her, while others have praised her personality and ownership of her sexuality. She has additionally been seen as a rival character to Street Fighter's Chun-Li, and symbolic of the rivalry between SNK and Street Fighter developer Capcom. She has also been cited as a frequent subject of cosplay, which her outfit in particular seeing frequent usage in China and Taiwan in promotions and media across both countries.
- ^ a b c d "Mai Shiranui - Fatal Fury - Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. July 18, 2011. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ^ Matsumoto, Maddie [@MaddieMatsumoto] (June 23, 2024). "Catch me (if you can) as the EN voice of SnK's MAI SHIRANUI in the newly released @HonorOfKings ! 🔥 Eternally thankful to @voicetraxwest for allowing me to play such an iconic role and Michael Sorich for the most fun sessions 🫶 Obtain her for FREE during the SnK Heroes event!" (Tweet). Retrieved July 16, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ 『餓狼伝説 CotW』不知火舞が新コスチュームで参戦決定。不知火流正統後継者にして現役のくノ一【gamescom2024】. Famitsu. August 21, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
- ^ 不知火舞. Neo Geo Freak (in Japanese). No. 66. November 2000. pp. 136–137.
- ^ 『KOF スカイステージ』不知火舞役の小清水亜美インタビュー. Famitsu (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 1, 2009. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
- ^ "Dengeki CD Bunko Best Game Selection 5 - Garou Densetsu ~Shukumei no Tatakai~ No.2 Kokou no Ookami". VGMdb. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ 千葉麗子デビューシングル発売中. B-Club: Characters Illustrated Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 102. May 1994.
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