The ending in River City Girls...what the hell? (Open Spoilers)

[Dust]

Just finished it.
So we were playing as delusional yandere ex-girlfriends (if even that, stalkers)?
And these two crazy lunatics (Hasebe and Mami) are actual current love interests for Kunio and Riki?

Is this some in series joke that I am missing?
My mind is full of fuck, I did not expect such a TWEEST from a beat'em up.

 

[--R]

Have you found and destroyed all 25 statues? If not, do it and go back to the final boss arena.

 

[Murlin]

It is an in-series joke. Misako and Kyoko were only Kunio and Riki's girlfriends in one game (Kunio-tachi no Banka for Super Famicom). Mami has been Riki's girlfriend in several other games (localized as Cyndi) and while they've never been in a relationship in other games to my knowledge, Hasebe has a crush on Kunio. She was "Roxy" in River City Ransom, where she was Yamada/Slick's girlfriend.

When Wayforward pitched the game to Arc System Works, they planned on using Misako and Kyoko due to their previous playable appearance, not realizing that they were only the main duo's girlfriends in that one game. I'm guessing this ending is a way to poke fun at themselves for that choice.

 

[flashman92]

Someone told me the two you are playing are from a non canon JP exclusive game where they are the girlfriends. This is a reference to that, saying that in the real world they are stalkers. Or something like that

 

[Deleted member 48897]

Yeah a bunch of folks were (rightly) complaining about how dumb this twist was in the female character designs OT

 

[CeroMiedo]

I thought Kunio is always single, did Hasebe date Kunio at some points?

 

[Daniel Westlake]

I thought Kunio is always single, did Hasebe date Kunio at some points?

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I don't think they ever actually dated. I thought it was like a one-sided crush thing.
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Like first and foremost it's a comedic game so I think they just did something they thought was funny AKA these two lovable dumbasses completely misinterpreting their relationship with the normal series mainstays and there are several hints about the upcoming twist that are rather blatant.

But it's just weird and unnecessary and kind of messes up what was otherwise a cool kinda reversal of a normal action story mainstay.

 

[Richter1887]

I get what they are trying to do but honestly?

I wanted girls kicking ass and saving their boyfriends instead.

 

[LabRat]

i kinda like the twist but it feels like i'm the only one

 

[Deleted member 6730]

River City Ransom lore is fucked up.

 

[Gold Arsene]

Love the game, hate the ending. Especially since Hasabe and Mami are presented as nothing but completely terrible to the point we see them bullying Kyoko as children.

 

[Deleted member 17627]

River City Ransom lore is fucked up.

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Expected for a series that only had half its games localized, and somehow turning into Double Dragon in the process.
Or something along those lines the whole thing is confusing.

 

[Hexa]

I thought the twist was foreshadowed pretty heavily in that no one knew WTF they were talking about. I liked it though, though I'm fond of yanderes in fiction so I'm pretty biased I guess. I also know nothing about any of the other games so I don't know if this is character assassinating anyone, though I suspect it might be.

 

[Dust]

It is an in-series joke. Misako and Kyoko were only Kunio and Riki's girlfriends in one game (Kunio-tachi no Banka for Super Famicom). Mami has been Riki's girlfriend in several other games (localized as Cyndi) and while they've never been in a relationship in other games to my knowledge, Hasebe has a crush on Kunio. She was "Roxy" in River City Ransom, where she was Yamada/Slick's girlfriend.

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Jesus this is some Dark Souls lore shit.

 

[NotLiquid]

Was pretty bummed that the game's big conceit is treated as a meta deconstruction joke when said conceit was actually a really damn novel selling point. Sure, making a joke based on the series' continuity is okay and all but jeopardizing the entire game on the back of it is an absolutely boneheaded thing to do when many people were looking forward to playing a beat 'em up with women protagonists doing the saving.

I read theories that the characters somehow entered an alternate universe or whatever, and the presentation doesn't take itself too seriously, but that still doesn't change the fact that Kunio and Riki come out looking like total assholes and Kyoko and Misako come out looking like deluded crazies, which, is that really the angle you want to take for this? It's not like the Kunio-Kun is some super popular series in the west, this game will likely be the first big introduction of it to many western players - so it feels kinda patronizing to lean heavily into the meta. It was a really poor game to shoehorn a deconstructionist plot into, and this is setting aside that I actually really like both the game and the characters.

 

[Daniel Westlake]

Was pretty bummed that the game's big conceit is treated as a meta deconstruction joke when said conceit was actually a really damn novel selling point. Sure, making a joke based on the series' continuity is okay and all but jeopardizing the entire game on the back of it is an absolutely boneheaded thing to do when many people were looking forward to playing a beat 'em up with women protagonists doing the saving.

I read theories that the characters somehow entered an alternate universe or whatever, and the presentation doesn't take itself too seriously, but that still doesn't change the fact that Kunio and Riki come out looking like total assholes and Kyoko and Misako come out looking like deluded crazies, which, is that really the angle you want to take for this? It's not like the Kunio-Kun is some super popular series in the west, this game will likely be the first big introduction of it to many western players - so it feels kinda patronizing to lean heavily into the meta. It was a really poor game to shoehorn a deconstructionist plot into, and this is setting aside that I actually really like both the game and the characters.

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That it really. I get what they were going for but it's just all so unnecessary and puts a weird damper on what's otherwise a very sweet, fun, almost Bill & Ted esque game (sweet probably isn't the right word but eh).

 

[Deleted member 2793]

I read theories that the characters somehow entered an alternate universe or whatever, and the presentation doesn't take itself too seriously, but that still doesn't change the fact that Kunio and Riki come out looking like total assholes and Kyoko and Misako come out looking like deluded crazies, which, is that really the angle you want to take for this? It's not like the Kunio-Kun is some super popular series in the west, this game will likely be the first big introduction of it to many western players - so it feels kinda patronizing to lean heavily into the meta. It was a really poor game to shoehorn a deconstructionist plot into, and this is setting aside that I actually really like both the game and the characters.

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I didn't play it so I can't say much, but don't you think it's normal for developers to pay respect to the series actual lore? Like, I get that Kunio-kun is not a big deal to most people in the west, but Kunio-kun is a long running and beloved franchise, so just makes sense to me that they wouldn't "run over" the original series.

But well again, I didn't play, maybe it could be done better. I just think it makes sense for them to not change the franchise's perception completely to people who may get into it because of this game.

 

[Daniel Westlake]

I didn't play it so I can't say much, but don't you think it's normal for developers to pay respect to the series actual lore? Like, I get that Kunio-kun is not a big deal to most people in the west, but Kunio-kun is a long running and beloved franchise, so just makes sense to me that they wouldn't "run over" the original series.

But well again, I didn't play, maybe it could be done better. I just think it makes sense for them to not change the franchise's perception completely to people who may get into it because of this game.

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Like other than the meta-ish twist joke that it all builds up to if you're taking in if you're trying to take into account other games into the series there's a bunch of stuff that's incongruous with prior entries.

Like I said earlier I think the writers just thought this particular joke would be really funny and kind of built a lot of the writing and character interactions in the game around it not predicting necessarily that people would cotton on to the main characters like they did and feel that strongly about it.

 

[Dust]

Okay with info provided here, this still sucks (I only played the NES River City Ransom).
I did some googling and this looks kinda badass (picture below), would have been cool if Kunio&Riki were saved half way through and you would all team up to take down the big baddie.
Otherwise, I feel just "LOL TROLLED" from this whole game.

 

[Deleted member 4869]

 

[Murlin]

I guess I don't have a problem with Kunio and Riki having "jerks" for girlfriends--they're all delinquents so I would expect them to all be jerks, Kunio and Riki included.

 

[JCG]

I think the game needed more than one ending and this should have been only an optional outcome.

If they did that, then I imagine this obscure continuity joke would be easier to accept instead of being so controversial.

It certainly doesn't ruin the whole game or anything, in my view, but doesn't land too well even as an actual attempt at comedy either.

 

[NotLiquid]

I didn't play it so I can't say much, but don't you think it's normal for developers to pay respect to the series actual lore? Like, I get that Kunio-kun is not a big deal to most people in the west, but Kunio-kun is a long running and beloved franchise, so just makes sense to me that they wouldn't "run over" the original series.

But well again, I didn't play, maybe it could be done better. I just think it makes sense for them to not change the franchise's perception completely to people who may get into it because of this game.

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Kunio-Kun lore is inconsistent. It's why WayForward made the confusion in regards to the protagonist in the first place.

For the record, fighting Hasebe & Mami is a novel idea for a bonus boss. I like the idea of that as an easter egg to the Kunio-Kun faithful. Like I said, having meta jokes isn't the problem. But the ending no matter what is still the same; Kunio and Riki brush them off as crazy people.

 

[Issen]

I really, really liked the premise of "kick ass and save your boyfriend" and WayForward blew it so goddamn hard.

I still love the game. The ending is pretty much my only complaint. But it was a completely unnecessary, nearly catastrophic fuck-up. Massive missed opportunity.

 

[kyorii]

I guess I don't have a problem with Kunio and Riki having "jerks" for girlfriends--they're all delinquents so I would expect them to all be jerks, Kunio and Riki included.

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It is an in-series joke. Misako and Kyoko were only Kunio and Riki's girlfriends in one game (Kunio-tachi no Banka for Super Famicom). Mami has been Riki's girlfriend in several other games (localized as Cyndi) and while they've never been in a relationship in other games to my knowledge, Hasebe has a crush on Kunio. She was "Roxy" in River City Ransom, where she was Yamada/Slick's girlfriend.

When Wayforward pitched the game to Arc System Works, they planned on using Misako and Kyoko due to their previous playable appearance, not realizing that they were only the main duo's girlfriends in that one game. I'm guessing this ending is a way to poke fun at themselves for that choice.

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Actually Kyoko and Misako were featured as main gfs In a second game really recently in Tokyo Rumble. Re Hasebe. They actually retcon her being Yamadas GF in Rival Showdown

Re: kunio and riki being jerks. Kunio treats his teacher in a delinquent disrespect kind of way pretty bad. Calling her babe and gorgeous, and asking her on dates in the middle of class haha.

Kunio-Kun lore is inconsistent. It's why WayForward made the confusion in regards to the protagonist in the first place.

For the record, fighting Hasebe & Mami is a novel idea for a bonus boss. I like the idea of that as an easter egg to the Kunio-Kun faithful. Like I said, having meta jokes isn't the problem. But the ending no matter what is still the same; Kunio and Riki brush them off as crazy people.

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It's hinted thru out the game that the Girls were off with someone even saying "they ditched you again?"

 

[Sixfortyfive]

i kinda like the twist but it feels like i'm the only one

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I think it's funny.

 

[Gold Arsene]

I guess I don't have a problem with Kunio and Riki having "jerks" for girlfriends--they're all delinquents so I would expect them to all be jerks, Kunio and Riki included.

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There's "likable jerks" and "jerk jerks."

Yusuke Urameshi is a 'likable jerk" Hasebe and Mami are "jerk jerks."

 

[orlock]

i kinda like the twist but it feels like i'm the only one

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youre not the only one. i wont say i "loved" the twist, but i certainly didnt hate it, and i say that as someone who - while enjoying the Kunio-kun series in general - was primarily interested in this game because of the reversal of the common damsel in distress trope.

overall, i totally get that the ending can be read as problematic and that WayForward was probably (read: actually) a little tone-deaf in going for it just because it was a cute meta/franchise/lore reference, but it also kind of falls flat because... most people arent going to have any idea where its coming from. so the tonal whiplash at the end could be a little shocking and disappointing, for sure. at the same time, they did a reasonably good job at telegraphing what the scoop was throughout the whole game - no one knew that Kunio and Riki were even gone, who couldve kidnapped them and why, and Hasebe and Mami certainly werent super subtle their thoughts re: Misako and Kyoko saying they were the girlfriends.

anyway, i certainly dont think its a catastrophe or anything and got a pretty good laugh out of it when i finished the game (and some pretty nice catharsis during the secret boss fight).

 

[Akira86]

That's novel. and amusing, lol.

I was confused reading about the game and noticing that all 4 girls were in this one.

 

[Jonathan Lanza]

It seems like it was an attempt at humor that fell flat on its face. Why betray your own appealing premise for a dumb joke? The world may never know. All it does is re-contextualize the game so that you're playing as 2 very unlikable violent crazy girls.

 

[Deleted member 59339]

The problem with the ending is that it requires way too much deep-cut lore knowledge to fully appreciate what they were going for, and without all that context, it just reads as kinda sexist, given that the "crazy ex" thing is a sucky trope.

 

[kyorii]

The problem with the ending is that it requires way too much deep-cut lore knowledge to fully appreciate what they were going for, and without all that context, it just reads as kinda sexist, given that the "crazy ex" thing is a sucky trope.

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I suppose it's more for Kunio fans. Especially since it's behind the secret boss.

 

[Swiggins]

It's Spec Ops the Line all over again.

"Do you feel like a hero?"

 

[Murlin]

Jesus this is some Dark Souls lore shit.

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The problem with the ending is that it requires way too much deep-cut lore knowledge to fully appreciate what they were going for, and without all that context, it just reads as kinda sexist, given that the "crazy ex" thing is a sucky trope.

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Yeah, this is part of why I had hoped maybe we would get some sort of new localized versions of all the games in Kunio-kun World Collection but that was a silly thing to expect honestly.

 

[NotLiquid]

It's hinted thru out the game that the Girls were off with someone even saying "they ditched you again?"

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The issue isn't that it wasn't foreshadowed, however little, the issue is why it even had to be there at all. It feels hackneyed.

It would've been great to put in some of these meta gags about the continuity in more hidden passages - that's basically what the secret boss is and it's funny to just have that - but compromising the game's entire premise on something only a select few will understand in both endings is pretty self-aggrandizing to be honest.

 

[Deleted member 3294]

The problem with the ending is that it requires way too much deep-cut lore knowledge to fully appreciate what they were going for, and without all that context, it just reads as kinda sexist, given that the "crazy ex" thing is a sucky trope.

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Even with that context, it's still that trope, just with a meta joke being there on top. It still sucks.

 

[JCG]

I suppose it's more for Kunio fans. Especially since it's behind the secret boss.

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I was initially wondering about that too, when people first started talking about it, but as far as I know...the ending itself doesn't really change.

 

[Woozies]

Didn't Kyoko and Misako take bullets for Kunio and Riki in their original game?

That's how you gonna do them, Wayforward?

 

[sweetmini]

Yes, i am not deep into the lore, and so to me i was not a kickass savior, i was just a crazy punching lunatic :(
kinda like real life in fact (only punching pillows though) , that's a bummer.
You'll see that since i was playing alone and they kept acting as if i was assisted by an AI with constant banter, people thinking they've been beaten by multiple people, i was in fact completely nuts and imagined it all hence the plot holes of my journey.

 

[Woozies]

Apparently the japanese version's ending is different.

 

[Dust]

So I went down the Kunio Kun's Cinematic Universe Wikia hole and now I am reading that Mami was orginally a sweet and innocent girl that saw through Riki's tough guy mask?

Nothing makes sense lol.

 

[Weiss]

It's a shame that the novel subversion of damsel in distress was thrown out for Deepest Kunio Lore.

 

[JCG]

Apparently the japanese version's ending is different.

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I've just looked around..It seems like they made a small alteration though, rather than a whole other ending. Not that it's confirmed either way.

 

[Woozies]

I've just looked around..It seems like they made a small alteration though, rather than a whole other ending. Not that it's confirmed either way.

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I think that alteration does a lot to make the protagonists look better, if at the expense of the guys. Assuming it's true.

 

[Weiss]

I think that alteration does a lot to make the protagonists look better, if at the expense of the guys. Assuming it's true.

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Well don't leave us hanging.

 

[Woozies]

Well don't leave us hanging.

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It's basically the same, with the exception that they change why the guys ditched them. In japanese apparently, they're not crazy ex-girlfriend stalkers. They are Kunio and Riki's girlfriends, but it's revealed that Kunio and Riki cheat on them and are pretty flippant about it.

 

[kyorii]

I can see them doing that

 

[Weiss]

It's basically the same, with the exception that they change why the guys ditched them. In japanese apparently, they're not crazy ex-girlfriend stalkers. They are Kunio and Riki's girlfriends, but it's revealed that Kunio and Riki cheat on them and are pretty flippant about it.

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Huh. That is a little better I guess, albeit at the expense of the franchise's main character.

I still wish it was just "girls save their boyfriends" though.

 

[Woozies]

Huh. That is a little better I guess, albeit at the expense of the franchise's main character.

I still wish it was just "girls save their boyfriends" though.

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Yeah, it's not great, but I'd say it's leagues better than the alternative.

 

[Gold Arsene]

It's basically the same, with the exception that they change why the guys ditched them. In japanese apparently, they're not crazy ex-girlfriend stalkers. They are Kunio and Riki's girlfriends, but it's revealed that Kunio and Riki cheat on them and are pretty flippant about it.

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Don't know if that's better or worse.

Curious how they play the meta gag in the secret ending in that case.