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{{quote|"''[[Engrish|Long, long ago, there were a man who try to make his skill ultimate. Because of his bloody life, it's no accident that he was involved in the troubles.]]''"|Intro, ''Samurai Shodown 2II''}}
 
Known as ''Samurai Spirits'' in Japan, this SNK Playmore one-on-one [[Fighting Game]] series is set during the closing years of the Edo period. The first game was the debut of the Weapon Fighter subgenre, and the one of the first fighting games to introduce a super meter, the [[Turns Red|Rage Gauge]]. Once filled, this gauge increases the strength of attacks; starting with the second game, ''Samurai Shodown 2II'', each character also has a [[Limit Break|super move]] that empties the gauge after successfully connecting. ''Samurai Shodown 2II'' is also credited with introducing the first "parry" system.
 
Overall compared to its numerous fighting game brethren, Samurai Shodown stood out from the crowd namely by being more about finesse and less about chaining super combos. Specifically, thanks to the high damage output of singular moves, the battles here would run either incredibly quick or maddeningly slow. It leads to a more chess-like experience with a focus on hit-an-run tactics that makes play quite unlike most other 2-D fighters. However, for this very reason, its remained mostly in the cult favorite realm as high-speed super-combo-chaining fighters have taken nearly complete prominence. Also, on a lesser note, its rather bloody to say the least...it may not have focused on the gore aspect like say; Mortal Kombat, but it can fill almost as many buckets.
 
A total of six games were made for the original Neo-Geo (MVS and AES) system, with ''Samurai Shodown V Special'' being the last game to be released for the system. Other two games, ''Samurai Shodown 64'' and ''Samurai Shodown 64: Warriors Rage'', were released for the ill-fated Hyper Neo-Geo 64 in the late nineties, while a [[Distant Finale]] game, sharing the title (losing only the "64") ''Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage'' was later released for the Playstation, much to the confusion of the players; in Japan the games are known as ''Samurai Spirits 2II: Asura Zanmaden'' and ''Kenkaku Ibunroku - Yomigaerishi Soukou no Yaiba - Samurai Supirittsu Shinshou'' respectively. ''Samurai Shodown VI'' was released for the Atomiswave arcade board and ''Samurai Shodown: Edge of Destiny'' was released for the Taito Type X2.
 
Ports of most games existed—including two for the Neo-Geo Pocket—but were not numerous. A few [[Spin-Off|Spin Offs]] were made, like ''Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushido Retsuden'', (aka ''Samurai Shodown RPG'') for the Neo-Geo CD, ''Nakoruru [[Ano Hito kara no Okurimono]]'' for the PC, as well as a pachislot game. A few characters have appeared in crossover games like the [[Capcom vs. Whatever|Capcom Vs. SNK]] series, and the third ''Days of Memories'' game features only ''Samurai Shodown'' characters.
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Incidentally, the title is [[Inherited Illiteracy Title|deliberately misspelled]], a sort of [[Portmanteau]] of "showdown" and "shodo." That doesn't mean that the games' English translations aren't full of ''accidental'' misspellings and [[Blind Idiot Translation]], though...
 
It is in its own way, a sort of spiritual predecessor and inspiration for the current dominant weapons fighter-: ''[[Soul Calibur]]''. It even gets some small nods in various outfits for the characters that echo those found in '''Samurai Shodown'''.
 
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* [[Age-Appropriate Angst]]: Shizumaru, Mina
* [[A.I. Is a Crapshoot]]: Karakuri Hanma, since it runs amok some time after being created.
* ''[[Alien (franchise)|Alien]]'': Can be found being cooked in a pot in Gen-An's ''Samurai Shodown 2II'' stage. Apparently creators thought it was not enough, and used him as main mascot of Yuga - who has some alien-based symbolics (can be found on her 1st boss form clothes and on some arenas), and in her 2nd and 3rd boss forms she has an Alien growing out of her back (with his head growing from the back of Yuga's humanoid head and their mouth movements being synchronized).
* [[Alien Blood]]: Deku and Yuga have teal blood.
** Subverted by Karakuri Hanma who (being a robot) ''bleeds oil''.
* [[All Love Is Unrequited]]: Galford's feelings towards Nakoruru will mostly get unanswered due to her complete devotion to nature. {{spoiler|Then in ''Samurai Shodown 2II'', in his ending, he witnessed her DIE (or at least turn herself into the spirit of nature) protecting nature. [[Tear Jerker|They still got to talk one last time before she left his life forever]].}} Maybe his love of justice would get requited instead...
** Another example is that of Charlotte-Oshizu-Haohmaru. Charlotte and O-Shizu were both in love with Haohmaru, but he is a [[Celibate Hero]], dedicated entirely to fighting. While O-Shizu is depicted as being permanently interested in him and Haohmaru returning her feelings to a degree (he even kisses her in his ''Samurai Shodown 2II'' ending, though he also tells her she's better off without him), {{spoiler|Charlotte eventualy renounces to her feelings ([[Important Haircut]] and all) once she finds Haohmaru and O-Shizu together at the end of the second game.}}
* [[Already Done for You]]: Happens in ''Samurai Shodown IV'' - your rival kills the boss first if you don't reach the boss in time and you get the bad ending.
* [[Alternate Continuity]]: Games that were released by SNK Playmore, especially ''Samurai Shodown VI''.
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