Is there specific dates for the timeline of the series?

[Disco Inferno]

Was stated by Team Ninja when took place every DOA tournament? You know like Street Fighter or Virtua Fighter series did.
I know the exact date of when the first game was released must not count anymore, because if it were like that Kasumi would have 37 years old and Hayabusa would be 43... But you know since in their wiki the VF characters keep having the original age for their characters. I ask if this counting for the DOA characters too now that VF characters were invited.

Also it seems the is two DOA tournaments every year or something like that, because for example Kasumi has grown frfom 17 to 19 in these five tournaments...

 

[KasumiLover]

No, the series takes place in a two year time span, with the two years mainly being used for DOA5 which aged up the fighters so they're all at least 18. The series takes place in an unknown time setting, and from what I can make out, DOA1 to DOA2 was a 1-2 month gap, DOA2 to DOA3 was a 1-2 month gap, and DOA3 to DOA4 was yet another 1-2 month gap, probably even a few days gap between tournaments since none of the fighters even age considering that if a set month goes by, at least one of the fighters would have gotten older but that doesn't seem to be the case, so the DOA1-DOA4 saga likely takes place within 1-2 months.

 

[Sotherius]

While we can't have specific dates of events, there are things that are known to us.

Dead or alive 1, 2, 3 and 4 happen in time span smaller than 1 year, the age of those characters don't change. Kasumi is 17 in all those games and ayane is 16.

There is a 2 year gap between 4 and 5, so Kasumi is 19, ayane is 18.

Now, this is when stuff starts to become interesting. The DOA verse is the same universe as Ninja Gaiden, and originally (before the release of ninja gaiden 1/black for xbox), the doa games were all after the NES trilogy of Ninja Gaiden games, now, that isn't quite true, and we don't know how much of these events are still canon, but, we have a somewhat clear connection between the 3d ninja gaiden games and Dead or Alive.

Ninja Gaiden 1/Black/Sigma, happens 2 years before DOA 1 ~4 (or dimensions, since it is the new canon), Ayane is at 14 in that game and Ryu is 21 years old.

Then, 1 year after that, there is Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (DS).

And between that and Dead or Alive Dimensions, we have Ninja Gaiden 2/Sigma 2.

Things that happen between sigma 2 and DOAD are unknown, but, some confirmed events is, Irene after meeting ryu in NG2, starts working with both ryu and ayane a lot, Raidou cripples Hayate, Kasumi becomes a rogue ninja.

There isn't also clear information on what happened between DOA 4 and DOA 5, or how much time kasumi spent on the hayabusa village, or how much time fake kasumi lived as true kasumi.

It could be that Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge happens in this gap, or that game could happen after DOA 5, or it could be even before DOAD, even if the models match the DOA 5 models making me think that it is in a similar time frame.

About what time it takes place in? I would say their own version of "today", today being the date of the game's release. both DOA and NG are series that have a lot of sci fi elements blended with also some mystical and cultural stuff, but there isn't a huge gap between games, and all happen in a very modern-looking but with tons of sci-fi elements settings.

 

[Hayabusiness]

Aren't the NES games very much non-canon to the Itagaki reboot/DOAverse?

 

[Sotherius]

Not exactly...

I couldn't find any statement on their canon-ness currently, but Dead or Alive Dimensions and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's edge kind of do the job to break the NES trilogy out of the canon.

But, with some minor retcons the NES trilogy could be "ported" over after all ninja gaiden games and DOA games.

And there is a bunch of retconned stuff already, so it wouldn't be surprising if they could fit the NES trilogy somewhere.

 

[KasumiLover]

They didn't, Itagaki disregarded the NES canon when he made his image of NG.

 

[Hayabusiness]

If you consider NG3:RE has the same writer as the NES trilogy (Masato Kato), I would say that, as of now, they're separate stories, but if TN wants them to be in the same universe, they have the power to do so.

 

[Sotherius]

I still have hope that it is made a modern ninja gaiden version of the NES trilogy, retconning stuff, but also for just the pure potential that this would bring.

I also am the minority that desires that the setting of DOA and NG mix up more. As they are right now, they're just 2 sepparate stories in the same universe, i wish the story of one would affect the other in various ways.

 

[P2p1mbs]

They didn't, Itagaki disregarded the NES canon when he made his image of NG.

That's his version. He has no control of the franchise any more so for all we know, they are canon again. I personally, have always thought they were.

 

[KasumiLover]

That's his version. He has no control of the franchise any more so for all we know, they are canon again. I personally, have always thought they were.

That's still up for debate since Hayashi is still likely following his general direction.

 

[Sotherius]

Well, Team Ninja Games always retcon stuff.

NG2 and NGDS retconned events of Ninja Gaiden 1/black/sigma.

Dead or Alive Dimensions changes a bunch of stuff of the original 4 dead or alive games.

We know that DOA 5 doesn't have its initial story (though i would like that idea into one of those games, imagine Ayane carrying Miyako's head in a bag and going to kasumi: yo sis, we're going to destroy doatec for good now).

Ninja Gaiden sigma 2 changes stuff from Ninja Gaiden 2.

Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor's edge changes some of the plot of the original Ninja Gaiden 3, and so on.

The only way to fit the NES games in the timeline, is if those games are after DOA 5 and NG3RE, and they would still have to change some minor things, like Ryu already being partner of Irene Lew (in more ways than one would think).

 

[KasumiLover]

I wouldn't say Dimensions changed too much tho, DOA1-4 was a mess narrative wise so Dimensions added some clarity and better assembled parts of the story so that you knew what was going on and who won what, the games before it didn't do that and the story arcade ladders were always vague and the endings never really told you what happened continuity wise.

 

[HHH816]

the story still on the premise of creating bunch of kasumi clones and the ninjas clean the mess up, Does the bad guys got any other plans.

 

[DestructionBomb]

I also am the minority that desires that the setting of DOA and NG mix up more. As they are right now, they're just 2 sepparate stories in the same universe, i wish the story of one would affect the other in various ways.

Well you are quite right about being the minority on that matter. Simply put is that the NG universe is much more gruesome than DOA's storyline. Mixing it far too much will make the other characters much more minor with the exception of the ninjas, shrine maiden, as well the fiend hunter.

For example, NG's entire concept revolves around the story of something that is far greater in role and likely too much to handle with DOA's roster of characters, so you ask the super ninja to handle it. We don't want to make it a situation where Hitomi dies from a generic fiend roaming about. (If she survives? it's because the fans don't want her to die so she survives by the power of fan service and makes things little sense than it has to be because in a reality sense she "could" actually die by generic monsters and fiends roaming about.) though what you consist is putting more NG concept into DOA but it's merely you liking NG far too much than it has to be really. I love NG, but typically for their own story applied to the core games itself. Throwing 1-2 more characters will always be cool here and there, but not a constant idea of it.

Overall it really depends on character development for DOA entry.

 

[Hayabusiness]

Well, I wouldn't want the two to fully mix (Itagaki talked about this very well when EMPEROR_COW interviewed him), but more nods to NG? It would be rather cool.

 

[P2p1mbs]

Well, I wouldn't want the two to fully mix (Itagaki talked about this very well when EMPEROR_COW interviewed him), but more nods to NG? It would be rather cool.

Seeing as how they already added 2 characters from NG into doa, more connections between both series will be very likely.

 

[KasumiLover]

NG are already apart of each other's worlds, Ayane has been in the game for example since the first one came out, and Ryu has been in DOA since DOA1.

 

[DestructionBomb]

Seeing as how they already added 2 characters from NG into doa, more connections between both series will be very likely.

Character-wise for random toss up with no relation to the story? Yes. As part for the NG true story? No.

 

[Sotherius]

Simply put is that the NG universe is much more gruesome than DOA's storyline.

That is the part that feels wrong to me, at least from a retroactive approach.

Yeah, i won't argue that there is stuff that ryu faces in those games only he would be able to handle.

But if you think about it, there is a lot of events in the Dead Or Alive part of the timeline, that would just as well suited for the gruesome and more action based nature of Ninja Gaiden.

A good example of that would be Dead or alive 2, where ryu faces the tengu. I don't think that would be a fistfight.

I honestly think that Tengu (DOA2 and Nyotengu), Alphas, Phase 4, Omega were all threats at least on the level of a greater fiend, and i mean, alma/elizebet status.

But honestly, it is kind of nonsense how ninja gaiden events destroys my perception of DOA power levels. If the DOA roster was of "normal humans", Ryu would be able to destroy doatec alone, but he isn't. And if you're consider ninja gaiden sigma 2 as the canon version of ng2 (which it is), you also had ayane killing a greater fiend before the very first DOA tournament.

But this is just my imagination being too creative, i guess.

But think about this, i want more Ninja Gaiden, with ryu doing what he does best, and i want more Dead Or Alive, but i also want something in the middle, a third entity.

 

[DestructionBomb]

But if you think about it, there is a lot of events in the Dead Or Alive part of the timeline, that would just as well suited for the gruesome and more action based nature of Ninja Gaiden.

As far as I can tell, the most gruesome in direct had to be Genra compared to it all (or Raidou but it was really hard to tell because of old plot). In physical combat sense, he was pulling ethereal swords that can probably slice someone in half.

A good example of that would be Dead or alive 2, where ryu faces the tengu. I don't think that would be a fistfight.

Well that's more of a direct response of DOA being a fighter. In a real event sense Ryu Hayabusa would of enabled weaponry to handle it but developers want you to do it in it's fighting genre. Basically any NG involvement will make the DOA hand-to-hand physical combat roster of characters who are not superhuman to be less relevant than the standard cast of ninjas. They want you to experience a fighting game. In actuality Ryu Hayabusa could of pulled the sword, but it is unknown how strong Bankotsubo truly was since the Tengu bros in NG were faced with weaponry while he wasn't.

I honestly think that Tengu (DOA2 and Nyotengu), Alphas, Phase 4, Omega were all threats at least on the level of a greater fiend, and i mean, alma/elizebet status.

It is unknown to truly determine their power for comparison, but the villains in NG have roles that are far more intense than DOA's plot villains to compare to because the NG villains can "actually" do it, as well as the NG timeline being quite much different that it requires the full strength of such characters to accomplish their goals. The issue is the standard characters that are in the DOA roster, they will be less relevant for mixing too much of NG's initial time history into DOA. DOA is mostly a tournament with an evil plot behind it that's likely a country threat level. NG is far bigger than that since the entire world is at stake. It's not something that Leifang, Zack, Tina and so on and on can handle but they can possibly be minor characters within the NG universe but far less relevant if putting too much emphasis of NG concepts into DOA itself.

But honestly, it is kind of nonsense how ninja gaiden events destroys my perception of DOA power levels. If the DOA roster was of "normal humans", Ryu would be able to destroy doatec alone, but he isn't. And if you're consider ninja gaiden sigma 2 as the canon version of ng2 (which it is), you also had ayane killing a greater fiend before the very first DOA tournament.

He "can" destroy DOATEC alone. It's the series down scaling him to a level that keeps his role while making the other characters relevant. DOA5's story is less in depth for explaining such thing, however him pulling the Dragon Sword increases himself ten-fold without the need of hand-to-hand combat. It's just that the series is putting more direct to physical combat because it's a "fighting game".

He can totally kill Alpha believe it or not in possibly matter of minutes, but what good will it do for making such an early ending? with the way things are going on plot, he is willing to let Kasumi and the others handle it because it's actually "her" battle to decide per say, but if she fails then Ryu has no choice but to release the holy grail of weaponry and call it a day, yet that would of been one of the worst endings for DOA because a major character (Kasumi) failed to defeat Alpha/Clones and Ryu broke the DOA rules by using his weapons. Seriously, Ryu Hayabusa has seen far worse.

If you want more NG mix, it's best if Team NINJA create a side fighting game project in similar to Soul Calibur. Namco has a 2nd fighter so that isn't a bad option and I would be up in it with full NG lore and future NG lore with such a game. Even dead major characters in NG.