Kamidogu: Kombat Lives Here

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Christopher and Toasty are joined by cosplayer Christina Rose, Kamidogu writer Nicole Hidalgo and YouTuber TotalMK to discuss Mortal Kombat 1’s playable kombatants and Kameo fighters ahead of the game’s official release this week.

Born in New Orleans, Larnell Stovall is a gifted martial artist, stuntman and actor who has lent his talents to a number of big productions. His involvement in film is mainly behind the scenes, having worked on both Mortal Kombat: Rebirth and Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series as a fight choreographer and stunt coordinator alongside director Kevin Tancharoen.

Samantha Win is a Canadian actress and martial artist with rich Chinese heritage, best known for her portrayal of Kitana in 2013’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series. Samantha started training in martial arts at the age of 4, beginning with Jiu Jitsu and eventually moving on to Wushu. Her love of martial arts would see her compete and win multiple medals at national, pan-American and international levels, including a stint representing Canada at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After spending some time as a stunt actress, Samantha’s aptitude saw her eventual casting in a number of television shows such as Lethal Weapon and Arrow. She has also starred in a number of blockbuster films, including Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, Justice League and Army of the Dead. Her newest project, The Dresden Sun, is currently in post-production.

Brian Glynn is an American bodybuilder and entrepreneur who famously portrayed Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3 and beyond. A man of many talents, Brian went on to play the Water God in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, as well as Warhead in Midway’s War Gods alongside Kerri Hoskins.

Born in the Philippines, Paolo Montalban’s family immigrated to the United States when he was just one year old. An incredibly gifted actor and singer, he has worked alongside some of the greatest names of our generation. Paolo starred as the main protagonist Kung Lao in all twenty-two episodes of 1998’s Mortal Kombat: Conquest television series alongside Daniel Bernhardt and Kristanna Loken. Just one year earlier he played the character of Prince Christopher in Disney’s Cinderella opposite Brandy, Whitney Houston and Whoopi Goldberg. He has since appeared on Broadway in a number of productions, released a self-titled album, and is set to grace our screens in the near future in Descendants: The Rise of Red on Disney+.

Deron McBee is an American actor and sportsman, best known for his iconic portrayal of Motaro in 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. Mortal Kombat aside, his larger than life stature, bulging muscles and flowing blonde hair intimidated countless contestants on 1989’s American Gladiators where he starred as Malibu.

Christopher and Christina Rose sit down to discuss their initial thoughts surrounding the gameplay trailer for Mortal Kombat 1, which premiered at Summer Game Fest last week.

Following the recent unveiling of Mortal Kombat 1, many within the kommunity have begun advocating for the return of characters from the 3D era, some of whom haven’t been featured in a game since 2006. One such iconic kombatant is Shujinko, the main protagonist from Mortal Kombat: Deception’s Konquest mode. Voiced by former Midway and NetherRealm Studios staffer Max Crawford, his iconic dulcet tones invoke pleasant memories, and we couldn’t be happier to have him with us to celebrate our milestone 50th episode. In addition to Shujinko, Max also voiced Shang Tsung and the Dragon King himself, Onaga.

With over 40 years of experience as an actor, Ronald M. Banks provided the voice talent for Quan Chi in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Mortal Kombat (2011) and Mortal Kombat X. His talent also permeates World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, where he played both Abedneum and Baron Sliver. Games aside, Banks has appeared in numerous opera and musical theatre productions, receiving multiple awards and accolades for his role as King Mongkut in The King and I, among others.

Christopher and Toasty are accompanied by four special guests to discuss their hopes and dreams for the yet to be announced Mortal Kombat 12. Joining us for our longest episode ever are cosplayers Christina Rose and Yeliz, as well as content creator DaIslandBoyz, and founder of the Netherkast: Cyborg.

Keith Cooke Hirabayashi is an American born martial artist, actor and fitness fanatic with Japanese heritage. Keith has been teaching martial arts for over 45 years, and is a former world champion and three-time Competitor of the Year. He is best known for portraying Reptile in 1995’s Mortal Kombat and Sub-Zero in its sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. Martial arts aside, Keith is currently heavily invested in the world of fitness, pioneering a total physical training system dubbed The Ring Workout.

Marjean Holden is an American actress, stuntwoman, martial artist and director, who made her professional acting debut in 1987’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. She is best known in the world of Mortal Kombat for her portrayal of Sheeva in 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.

Tracy Douglas’ acting career began when she was cast as an extra in Boomerang, a film starring Eddie Murphy. She would later go on to play a number of minor roles in series such as The Watcher and As The World Turns, before eventually being cast as the iconic Vorpax in Mortal Kombat: Conquest. Acting aside, Tracy has also worked as a model, writer, producer and a spokesperson. She is currently a practising mental health therapist.

Eric Jacobus portrayed Kurtis Stryker in season two of Kevin Tancharoen’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series. Acting aside, Eric is best known for his incredible contribution to the world of stunts and motion capture, having lended his talent to a number of productions including Mortal Kombat 11 (Johnny Cage, Raiden, Kano, Jax, Erron Black, Kotal Kahn, Shao Kahn and Kollector), God of War, God of War: Ragnarök and The Last of Us Part II. He is also co-founder of SuperAlloy Interactive, a business focused on motion capture, virtual production and action design.

Ho-Sung Pak portrayed the Shaolin monk Liu Kang in the first two Mortal Kombat games, introducing us to Earthrealm’s greatest warrior and changing the scope of the word ‘hero’ forever. A highly talented martial artist with incredible skill across a variety of forms, Ho-Sung also served as a stunt coordinator and stunt double for Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. He later reprised his role as stunt double in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, and starred as Henry in Jackie Chan’s The Legend of Drunken Master.

Mortal Kombat X: Generations was a companion web series due to release shortly before the launch of Mortal Kombat X in 2015. Directed by Garrett Warren, its intended purpose was to introduce audiences to both new and returning kombatants, given the events of the game take place 20 years after its predecessor. Although it featured prominent names such as Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Lewis Tan, Casper Van Dien, Ray Park and Pepi Sonuga, it was ultimately cancelled due to time constraints and never released to the public. To learn more about this incredible project, we are joined by cinematographer Nathan Haugaard who guides us through uncharted waters. In this exclusive interview, we share numerous high quality images and hear stories attached to each in Nathan’s own words.

Born and raised in a small town in Missouri, Angelica Bridges is an actress, singer and model. Starring in a number of soap operas such as Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless, Angelica’s big break came when she landed the role of Lt Taylor Walsh in the hit television series Baywatch. One year later Angelica would portray the alluring and often unpredictable sorceress Omegis in Mortal Kombat: Conquest. Acting aside, Angelica has appeared in Playboy magazine, and has also been listed in numerous publications as one of the sexiest women in the world.

“Those were $500 sunglasses, asshole!” This iconic line was improvised by none other than Linden Ashby, whose portrayal of Johnny Cage in 1995’s Mortal Kombat was nothing short of incredible. A skilled martial artist, Linden held his own in a number of fight sequences as he battled to survive Shang Tsung’s tournament. Mortal Kombat aside, Linden is a keen surfer, and has since appeared in a number of movies and hit television shows, most notably as Noah Stilinski in MTV’s Teen Wolf. Linden is set to reprise his role in Teen Wolf: The Movie, due for release on Paramount+ on 26 January 2023.

Christopher and Toasty are joined by members of the Mortal Kombat kommunity to share some of their holiday memories, as well as their best wishes for 2023. Guests include (in order of appearance): Beata Poźniak, J Gleez, Daniel Pesina, Paul Neimeyer, Anthony Marquez, Phillip Ahn, MD, Tim Kitzrow, Elizabeth Malecki, Jay Saint G, MadMike, Tom Choi, Deliya and GoldieMilrose.