Zoku: The Legend of Bishin

Overview

Bishin Densetsu Zoku: The Legend of Bishin, or simply Zoku: The Legend of Bishin, is a combination brawler/vehicular combat game from Magifact. The player can choose between two characters, male or female, and must rescue the one they didn't choose. The antagonists are the all-female Bishin (meaning "beautiful" or "graceful") gang, who control the dystopian Japanese capital Neo-Tokyo.

The game was released exclusively for the Super Famicom in Japan.

Story

In the year 2020, Mount Fuji catastrophically erupts, destroying much of the Tokyo metropolitan area. The city survives and is repaired, but is marginalized and becomes overrun with gangs. One gang stands above the others, the entirely female Bishin gang led by the fierce Ryoko. Kouji and Risa won't stand for this, and are going to take the Bishin down through a combination of racing and violence!

Gameplay

Depending on which character is selected at the beginning, either Kouji or Risa will be kidnapped by the Bishin and the player character will be beaten senseless and dumped some distance from the city. The player then has to race their way back through various areas with various events occurring to make it back. During the racing sequences, nitro tanks which can be used to boost speed and repair kits which repair the car are found on occasion. Along the way the player character will have to fight several bosses of the Bishin gang. If they crash their vehicle too much, they are thrown from it and must fight a number of gang members in a typical brawler mode of gameplay. This same mode is also used for the various boss battles.

Characters

Kouji

Kouji: The male protagonist. He was apparently a professional boxer at one point before falling from grace. His car is a "Cobra 429 custom". He gets kidnapped if the player select Risa at the beginning.

Risa

Risa: The female protagonist. She was offered a position in Bishin because she's strong, but apparently refused, setting off the conflict. She gets kidnapped if the player selects Kouji at the beginning. She simply uses Kouji's car if he is kidnapped.

Lidera

Lidera: A huge, ugly woman and a low officer of Bishin. She is the boss of the forest area. She is not playable in the versus mode.

Roller and Dozer

Roller and Dozer: Sharing a palette-swapped sprite, these fat women are the bosses of the desert area and developing area respectively. They are also unplayable in the versus mode. Watch out for their Blanka-ball attacks and body splashes.

Lei-Fan

Lei-Fan: An out-of-place member of Bishin, she is fought in the lava area and on the super highway. She is beaten senseless by Flare near the end of the game after she reveals Flare was cheating. She is playable in the versus mode.

Miki & Aki

Miki and Aki: Twins who fight together, they are the boss of the super highway along with Lei-Fan. They have a team-up attack, "crossing shadow". They are playable in the versus mode.

Miyabi

Miyabi: A sadistic, cultured gang member who loves red wine and is armed with a fencing foil. She is the boss of the Bayside highway. She is playable in the versus mode.

Flare

Flare: The number 2 boss of Bishin, she is the first boss in the final stage. She cheats the first time the player fights her and is invincible. She is playable in the versus mode.

Ryoko

Ryoko: The leader of Bishin gumi. She is the final boss, and has the ability to fire projectiles. She is playable in the versus mode.

Stages