The Real Reason Mai is Not in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Art by Mediamaster_127

Terry Bogard has landed and he's brought with him a plethora of stuff. That King of Fighters stadium is crazy awesome. Then you've got a killer selection of 50 tracks from SNK's to battle to or just jam out to. If that weren't enough, the some cast members from Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters, Ikari Warriors and Art of Fighting will appear in the King of Fighters stadium stage to watch the fight (excerpt Iori, who is far too edgy to be bothered watching). By far the series to get the most characters is Fatal Fury, understandable since that is the game Terry is originally from. Like the tag line for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate says, when it comes to the fighters from Fatal Fury, everyone is here. Well, everyone except Mai Shiranui.

Anyone that had no idea who Mai was probably did a Google search and was was like "Oh. Yeah, that's why she didn't make it." Of course others were quick to point out that Bayonetta is already in the game that is a character that drenched in body flaunting with her attacks in her own games. She was toned down for the Smash games, so why can't the same be done with Mai? Blue Mary also has a large bust but she isn't parading those suckers around like Mai. So what gives? It isn't just Mai's outfit other fact that she is quite buxom, though those are more than likely reasons for her exclusion. I think the main reason Mai didn't get to spectate in the stadium with the rest of the SNK gang can be addressed with two words: jiggle physics.

Play a Fatal Fury game, heck play any fighting game that features Mai. The first thing you're bound to notice are Mai's large, bouncing breasts. When she isn't attacking or being attacked, her idle animation shows her in a bent over stance, displaying those cans so openly that I'm pretty sure they can be viewed from space. That stance is a much a part of Mai as Terry throwing off his hat or shouting OK in broken English. If Terry did neither of those in Ultimate, fans would riot. "But she's not a playable character in Ultimate!" I hear some of you say. Neither are any of the spectators in Terry's stage, but they are all represented in a way that is true to their character. Geese has an intimidating stance with his arms folded, Joe is vibrant and energetic as he looks on, throwing out fist pumps, Athena is very happy go lucky with her V posing and so on. Each of these characters are also wearing their iconic outfits. For Masahiro Sakurai to have Mai in the game without her most recognizable outfit and signature stance would be a betrayal to the character for him. Apparently he butted heads with CERO, the Japanese equivalent to the ESRB over Bayonetta and Palutena in the previous Smash game. Not only Mai wearing less than those two, her assists are quite animated and there is no way she could be in the game without upping the rating.

Dead or Alive games are known for their busty females but long before that cast of female fighters came along, we had Mai and while Dead or Alive took bouncing boobs to the extreme, I'm pretty sure Mai invented jiggle physics, at least when it comes to melons, anyway. So as disappointed as some people are that Mai isn't in the background with the rest of the SNK crew, you gotta respect the man for wanting to do right by Mai.