Does anyone think that Mithos could possibly upset Kefka? I have no idea how popular ToS is, and I firmly believe that Kefka does not deserve the seeding that he received.
---
"What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease." -- The Art of War

I tried to tease the idea, but considering my guess that Lloyd would barely beat Donkey Kong and that I've never heard of Mithos 'til the bracket was released (though I don't mind the spoilers that much), I can't see that upset happen.
---
Serious Reminder: Vote for Dr. Wily in 2k5
Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the contest-hype.

Kefka means more to FF3 than Mithos is to TOS imo. And FF3 > TOS
---
Smurf

"Two, Ridley will have to rely on bracket voting far more than Diablo will."

I'm thinking the opposite will be true here. Think Liquid Snake vs. Frog. Mainstream character gains higher bracket backing due to people expecting mainstream appeal to mean something while voters on gs being who they are the less mainstream character has the inherent advantage.

And most of these matches are friggin' hard. I'll list the ones for which I have reservations (which is basically everything right now)...

Sigma/Andross - Not because I believe Andross is strong, just that I don't think Sigma carries much of the MM weight around.

Wily/Ultros - If I've learned anything it's that the funny purple octopus is no laughing matter. Besides, FF6 is the only game to get two character in, in a manner of speaking. The only other characters that have to share "their" game with another competing villain are Master Hand, Liquid Snake, and the two FF6 villains. Not saying he'll win, or that I picked him, just that he may surprise us.

Vergil/Ghaleon - Fanboyism requires that I choose Ghaleon. Thankfully I have reservations about anybody not named Dante from a DMC game. Dante has had the fortune of being a mid-20's performer but a lot of that strength came from multiple games. Vergil doesn't have that, and frankly I don't think DMC3 will be held in high of regard as the first. The only problem is that I know Ghaleon made it on pure, unadulteed fanboyism strength and that Virgil doesn't have that. That being said, however, never underestimate an RPG character's ability to take down more mainstream character even when the brackets are against them.

Lavos/Mother Brain - I picked Lavos without much thought, though I nominated Mother Brain myself. Frankly Crono fandom murders anything from the older Metroid games.

Luca/Wesker - There has to be a reason we've seen Luca in the big show but we haven't seen Wesker. This is one match I'm highly undecided on, as I just don't think wesker is even remotely close to Jill. Still enough that the stats say Wesker without doubt... but then agaisnt Luca was on one of the worst parts of a very messy bracket.

Albedo/M Bison - I don't want to give the Pedo credit, but M. Bison isn't even the fourth choice character for most Street Fighter fans. I'd see Chun-li and Guile, at the least, in the big show before Bison.

Robotnik/Sin - Now here's a nasty mess if I've ever seen one. Robotinik is certainly not equal to Shadow... but then Sin is nothing compared to Tidus. If they are equally close to the aforementioned characters we have a damn fine match on our hands, but I just can't see it being that way. Sin shouldn't be clsoe to Tidus, it just doesn't feel right, but then Robotnik winning against an RPG related character doesn't either. Jesus, I think I may need some help here...

Kuja/Master Hand - If we assume Master Hand = Ness - Earthbound and Vivi - Black Mage = Kuja who is stronger. We know Earthbound doesn't account for all that much of Ness's strength (unfortunately for Kuja, and even us) so the question here is this... how much of Vivi's strength is from being a black mage?
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

Okay. I haven't read through all the bracket spec yet, I'll just post my first impressions.

Bowser vs. Pyramid Head
I want to know who was the 33rd villain in nominations was. If it was someone that's an awesome villain for my FFP purposes, I hit Inviso in head many times.

Bowser wins easy.

Sigma vs. Andross
Hmm. Mega Man is more popular as a series than Star Fox, and I see no reason that Andross should make up for that with a lot of people loving his character.

Going out on a bit of a limb: Sigma, by more than 60-40.

Revolver Ocelot vs. Nemesis
(Note: Biased ravings of a writer who is going to write fanfics about this whole deal.)
I hate Nemesis. I hate anyone who nominated him. That is all.

Ocelot wins easy.

Dr. Wily vs. Ultros
Hmm. I think Wily takes this one, because Mega Man is just too strong here. And Ulty just SCREAMS cult to me... A character that some diehard fans of FFVI will love, yes, but not someone that more than 50% of the voters will love.

Wily takes it.

Sephiroth vs. Ramirez
I love this match. Honestly, I don't feel as bad for Ramirez here as some others probably do, I feel he was an extremely underdeveloped villain. It'll be a blast to write about, though, and Ramirez is a good character. Most of the eight seeds: I'm glad they made the cut.

Sephiroth by at least 80%.

Vergil vs. Ghaleon
DMC3 has gotten a lot of press round here of late, and it's a good game. Also, Ghaleon won't be a powerhouse character, as he's relatively similar to Luca Blight in strength. So I give the edge to the newbie.

Vergil.

Lavos vs. Mother Brain
This'll suck as a fanfic. Shame, cause individually, these two are pretty interesting as villains. Anyway, Lavos takes it, cause everyone loves his game.

Lavos.

Liquid Snake vs. Tenpenny
Goddammit, Ceej, can't you succeed in making some interesting sleeper matches here? Stick Liquid against Master Hand (cause Liquid will beat any 7 seed) and Kuja against Tenpenny. That'd be a ***** to predict. This match, however... No. Not even close, even though Tenpenny won't be too bad.

Liquid. But it won't be a blowout.
---
There is no looking back. There is nothing left for losers, so I must fight on. - Kratos Aurion
?????????????

Kefka vs. Yggdrasil
SPOILERS FOR FF7 AND ToS
Gee, I don't know why I bother with the spoiler warnings, cause Ceej sure didn't. I mean... What the hell? Call him Yggdrasil, put a pic up of the angel dude, and no one's the wiser. Next contest, is the bio of Aeris going to have "Aeris dies!" written in bold and italics.

I'm really happy Mithos is here, though. Good character.

Kefka still wins.

Luca Blight vs. Wesker
I'm going against the grain a lot in this division, from what I've seen in glances around the board. I'm taking Luca. Yes, Luca Blight was weak in 2k4. But are we really expecting great things from Wesker, an RE character?

Note: WHY IN GOD'S NAME ARE THERE TWO ****ING RESIDENT EVIL CHARACTERS!!!

Anyway. Luca Blight WAS up against another RPG character, and that likely caused some SFF. I'm dead sure here. Kefka vs. Crono? Aeris vs. Sora? I thought you guys learned your lesson with RPG SFF last year.

So Luca Blight wins in a close one.

Albedo vs. M.Bison
Albedo is relatively close to KOS-MOS, me thinks, especially with another Xenosaga game out, and since KOS-MOS wasn't the main character anyway. In contrast, there's no way M.Bison is anywhere near Ryu. And remember how close Ryu vs. KOS-MOS was? Not very close, but not as bad as we expected. At the very least, this will be a close one.

I'm takin Albedo.

Ridley vs. Diablo
This is getting way too much hoopla. If all the hoopla is true, then... k. Fine. But I'm gonna ignore it. I couldn't care less about this match anyway. So I'm just going with my first instinct.

Ridley.

Ganondorf vs. Giygas
I need to research Giygas's character, see if he's an interesting one. Either way, he's losing here.

Ganondorf.

Ansem vs. CATS
Kingdom Hearts is too strong to be taken down by CATS.

Ansem.

Robotnik vs. Sin
I hate Dr. Robotnik. I also think FFX is a bigger name than Sonic. And I can't see Robotnik being stronger than Tails. But... I can't see Sin being strong either.

Robotnik. Though I hope it goes the other way. I may switch it just so I can root for Sin, even if I have a perfect bracket at that point.

Kuja vs. Master Hand
Kuja. SSBM is strong, but it's a ****ing hand.

And if Master Hand goes past round one, I don't give a damn, I'm not going to write him as the winner.
---
There is no looking back. There is nothing left for losers, so I must fight on. - Kratos Aurion
?????????????

dude, Master Hand vs. Sin would be the most awesome FanFic ever.

*Sin floats by..............*

*Master Hand pimp slaps Sin out of the water*

---
VOTE FOR ULTROS!!! G'FHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Trivia XIV: MEATWADD SUCKS!!

This is getting way too much hoopla.

You're telling me.

---
As we struggle with the Great Poison, something stirs at the edges of our vision. It is the Hatchling Samus...

Kinda ironic how we're all over a match involving two villains that, put together, have only had one line, ever.

Dude, RPG SFF? That's digging way too far here. Wesker will crush Luca, I know it, you know it, everybody knows it. It's only the easiest match to predict in the whole damn division.
---
SpC2K5 Elite 8
BOWSER, Ocelot, SEPHIROTH, Liquid, KEFKA, Ridley, GANONDORF, Kuja

"Am I the only one who thinks Uncle Ulty is being severely underestimated here?"

No, you aren't

"a relatively weak FF villian."

Has Vivi taught you people nothing? There is nothing weak about Final Fantasy 9. In fact, I'd easily put Kuja over Kefka given GF voter trends while I'd have a hard time putting Tails over Kefka... and Tails murder Robotnik. I'm not even sure eggman can baet sin, let alone scare Kuja.

"I want to know who was the 33rd villain in nominations was."

As a person who doesn't care for survival horror in the slightest even I think Silent Hill deserves some reppin'.

"Honestly, I don't feel as bad for Ramirez here as some others probably do"

I'm just cool with him seeing some play time.

"Also, Ghaleon won't be a powerhouse character, as he's relatively similar to Luca Blight in strength."

No evidence

"Shame, cause individually, these two are pretty interesting as villains."

Are they? I don't think Lavos is interesting at all, and I think Mother Brain's spot is only earned by status (even though I nominated her)

"So Luca Blight wins in a close one."

Sososososososososososo hard to choose...
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

actually, the easiest match to predict is Bowser over Pyramid Head. i mean, statistically. >_>

---
VOTE FOR ULTROS!!! G'FHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Trivia XIV: MEATWADD SUCKS!!

"Dude, RPG SFF? That's digging way too far here. "

And MM being SFFed by Link isn't? Hate to break it to ya, but that one is assumed to be true by the majority and those two game series have had less and less in common as time has gone by while RPGs will always stay the same. MM may have lost out to the old schoolers, but there's still a wider gap between Zelda and MM in terms of fan overlap then there is with any two random RPGs.
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

I'd just like to say that in comparing Luca Blight with Ghaleon, remember that Lunar SSSC sold ~500000 copies, while Suikoden 2 sold ~90000 copies. Not to mention the ~50000 copies for Lunar SS and the sales for Lunar EB and EBC. I wouldn't doubt that Ghaleon is far stronger than Luca.

You're right, I have no proof that Ghaleon is a little below Luca's level... But you have no proof in your thoughts on the matter too. Ghaleon and Luca, you really just have to go with your gut.

Wait, Wesker was in RE4? That changes things a bit.

But I still think it's a disgrace that RE is taking up 2 contest spots.
---
There is no looking back. There is nothing left for losers, so I must fight on. - Kratos Aurion
?????????????

Why are you comparing Luca and Ghaleon?

---
~ExquisiteSamurai~

because they are both really awesome fan-favorite villains from 2 lesser-known non-Square RPGs.

---
VOTE FOR ULTROS!!! G'FHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Trivia XIV: MEATWADD SUCKS!!

and just to add something

Suikoden II >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Lunar:SSSC

---
~ExquisiteSamurai~

Why are you comparing Luca and Ghaleon?

Both PSX villains in games that were a bit below the radar, and both beloved by a rabid fanbase but perhaps not as well known by the casuals. It's a bit similar.

I'm disappointed it's only 64, really. Yeah, this way we don't have as many fodder villains, but I think it would have been more exciting.

Question: Has Ceej posted on the board at all?
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There is no looking back. There is nothing left for losers, so I must fight on. - Kratos Aurion
?????????????

"But you have no proof in your thoughts on the matter too."

I never said Ghaleon was stronger than Luca though, all I said is that we lack any sort of evidence whatsoever.
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

"Suikoden II >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Lunar:SSSC"

You spelled "<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<" wrong.
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

True.

Lot more interesting matches than I thought, looking at this more closely. The only matches that are really locks one way or the other are the 1-8 matches and Ocelot vs. Nemesis.
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There is no looking back. There is nothing left for losers, so I must fight on. - Kratos Aurion
?????????????

You spelled "<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<" wrong.

I just giggled like a school-girl, damn you.
---
Serious Reminder: Vote for Dr. Wily in 2k5
Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the contest-hype.

i consider Sigma over Andross and Liquid over Tenpenny and Ansem over CATS to be much bigger locks than Ocelot over Nemesis.

---
VOTE FOR ULTROS!!! G'FHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Trivia XIV: MEATWADD SUCKS!!

Question: Has Ceej posted on the board at all?

Yes, he posted the bracket at board 8 first ..

---
~ExquisiteSamurai~

"I just giggled like a school-girl, damn you."

*blinks*
*looks around in a confused manner*

why?

"i consider Sigma over Andross and Liquid over Tenpenny and Ansem over CATS to be much bigger locks than Ocelot over Nemesis."

Bigger locks, no. They are all basically guarenteed, but the way you word it implies that Nemesis has some outside shot that those other lsoers don't, and that's simply not the case.
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Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

Both PSX villains in games that were a bit below the radar, and both beloved by a rabid fanbase but perhaps not as well known by the casuals. It's a bit similar.

Yes, but Luca's only in one Suiko game, albeit the most popular. Ghaleon's in two Lunar games, the first of which loves to be remade (It's been on three systems already).
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It's a shocking match in Heavy this week, as Alexandrian knight Beatrix duels with the Silent Death, Crono, at www.rpgdl.com!

Grammatically correcting dozens of greater-than/less-than signs is always funny.
---
Serious Reminder: Vote for Dr. Wily in 2k5
Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the contest-hype.

Note to all concerned: Wily stands no chance of beating Ocelot, I'll say that right now. Sigma will outrank Wily in the stats by a good bit, methinks.
---
SC2K5 Nominations: Squall Leonhart, Tidus, Zidane, Serge, Musashi, Tifa Lockheart, Leon Kennedy, Kerrigan, Revolver Ocelot, Lloyd Irving

Well, he made a mistake, and I just thought he'd like to know. :)

Okay, it's all irrelevant and we should just leave personal bias out of this topic. If others can agree to try I'll do my best as well.

"It's a shocking match in Heavy this week, as Alexandrian knight Beatrix duels with the Silent Death, Crono, at www.rpgdl.com!"

Doma, Beatrix is going to stomp Crono into the ground so hard it's not even funny. Sure, it's the best match to advertise, but the only people who would be shocked are the Crono fanboys who see the results.
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

"Note to all concerned: Wily stands no chance of beating Ocelot, I'll say that right now. Sigma will outrank Wily in the stats by a good bit, methinks."

I'll agree with the first point strongly enough to say that Ocelot deserves a spot in the big game, while Wily doesn't... The second point however, I'm not so sure of.
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

Damn the Thunder Gloves! ;_;

---
As we struggle with the Great Poison, something stirs at the edges of our vision. It is the Hatchling Samus...

The second point however, I'm not so sure of

*points to Zero's tripling of Protoman*

Mega Man X is the big dog of the series and has been for a while. Sigma will rank higher without question.
---
SC2K5 Nominations: Squall Leonhart, Tidus, Zidane, Serge, Musashi, Tifa Lockheart, Leon Kennedy, Kerrigan, Revolver Ocelot, Lloyd Irving

Sadly, I agree with both of Leonhart's points.
---
Serious Reminder: Vote for Dr. Wily in 2k5
Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the contest-hype.

And what in the world is CJayC doing giving Yggdrasill such a picture? He looks like a girl. Give him a picture as Yggdrasill!
---
SC2K5 Nominations: Squall Leonhart, Tidus, Zidane, Serge, Musashi, Tifa Lockheart, Leon Kennedy, Kerrigan, Revolver Ocelot, Lloyd Irving

We don't know how much SFF Protoman suffered though...plus, I am confident Dr. Wily > Protoman and Zero > Sigma, so their distance should be nothing like Zero/Protoman's distance. It'll still be noticeable though.
---
Serious Reminder: Vote for Dr. Wily in 2k5
Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the contest-hype.

Oh, and I'll go out on a limb right now and say that Ocelot will be closer to Bowser than Wily will be to Ocelot.

And from the picture in the profiles, it looks like his pictures will be the old Shalashaska. Very good.
---
SC2K5 Nominations: Squall Leonhart, Tidus, Zidane, Serge, Musashi, Tifa Lockheart, Leon Kennedy, Kerrigan, Revolver Ocelot, Lloyd Irving

If Zero really SFF'd Protoman as bad as you guys are saying that doesn't give me much confidence in him after seeing Zero practically get no SFF against Megaman.

It's nice that we have some female characters in the contest, though. Kuja and Mithos nicely represent an area that I thought would be lacking.
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There is no looking back. There is nothing left for losers, so I must fight on. - Kratos Aurion
?????????????

I'm just saying the fact that Zero beat the living crap out of Protoman like that only seems to work toward the point that Sigma will outrank Wily.
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SC2K5 Nominations: Squall Leonhart, Tidus, Zidane, Serge, Musashi, Tifa Lockheart, Leon Kennedy, Kerrigan, Revolver Ocelot, Lloyd Irving

Yeah. The fact that Zero, an Mega Man X creation, got so close to Mega Man himself shows how much stronger MMX is in the contest setting.

This is a good bracket, actually. I just can't believe two things: That Liquid Snake is in Sephiroth's division, and that Ganondorf and Bowser won't ever be set up to meet. That will take a lot out of the final matches of the contest.
---
There is no looking back. There is nothing left for losers, so I must fight on. - Kratos Aurion
?????????????

Even more disappointing is that Kuja isn't in Kefka's division. I really wanted to see that match.
---
SC2K5 Nominations: Squall Leonhart, Tidus, Zidane, Serge, Musashi, Tifa Lockheart, Leon Kennedy, Kerrigan, Revolver Ocelot, Lloyd Irving

I'd have taken Bowser/Liquid, too.

On another subject, the first tally of the BOP is now up at www.freewebs.com/slowflake/spc2k5.xls. There's nothing really close aside from the Ridley/Diablo confrontation, which is tied at 7 as of now, and for the rest I have the exact same picks as the BOP. Something that, surprisingly, never happened before.
---
SpC2K5 Elite 8
BOWSER, Ocelot, SEPHIROTH, Liquid, KEFKA, Ridley, GANONDORF, Kuja

"Mega Man X is the big dog of the series and has been for a while. Sigma will rank higher without question."

But in a direct match SFF was sure to rear its ugly head. I am absolutely certian that Proto is closer to Tommy Vercetti then he is to Max Payne. Sure, that's not saying Sigma won't out rank Wily, but the jury is still out. Frankly, we all expected (or should have) massive beatown in Proto vs. Zero. Even as a non-X fan I have to admit that Zero is the cooler sidekick/rival while I can't say the same for Sigma. I'm thinking it'd be way closer then SFF free Zero/Proto.

"And what in the world is CJayC doing giving Yggdrasill such a picture? He looks like a girl. Give him a picture as Yggdrasill!"

You tihnk thats bad? Look at poor Ghaleon. That's about the worst pic Ceej could have used.

"Oh, and I'll go out on a limb right now and say that Ocelot will be closer to Bowser than Wily will be to Ocelot."

A more than fair statement.

"I'm just saying the fact that Zero beat the living crap out of Protoman like that only seems to work toward the point that Sigma will outrank Wily."

I won't say its unlikely, I'll just say your reasoning is a bit lacking.
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

I just don't see any reason why Wily would be stronger than Sigma. Even with the release of MMAC, Wily's been out of the spotlight for too long. Besides, Sigma has the "cool" character appeal and the "bad boy" character design that the casuals love.
---
SC2K5 Nominations: Squall Leonhart, Tidus, Zidane, Serge, Musashi, Tifa Lockheart, Leon Kennedy, Kerrigan, Revolver Ocelot, Lloyd Irving

"and that Ganondorf and Bowser won't ever be set up to meet."

But the beauty is we get to see how they legitimately compare. It is sad that every one of the tier one characters has to face tier 0 himself, but barring the poorly conceived notion that Sephiroth causes statistical anomalies in all of his matches (it's just some of them) we do get a very clear picture of how so many of these characters stand.
---
Not to put too fine a point on it, Say I'm the only bee in your bonnet. Make a little birdhouse in your soul.

I just wanna point out that DMC still maintains the 4-seed reputation. Dante's had it three times, and now Virgel's got it.
---
Serious Reminder: Vote for Dr. Wily in 2k5
Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the contest-hype.

CJay should've broken his rule and allowed Knuckles in, I know he wanted Knuckles/Liquid Snake.
---
The Xbox has two modes: Off and Halo. Sony has everything else. ~UltimateralizerX

[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

Just finished my bracket...only 2 upsets as of now.
---
Moltar's Comics - http://www.stripcreator.com/comics/Moltar
Moltar Fact 17: Moltar is on the team ???????????? for Trivia.

I just wanna point out that DMC still maintains the 4-seed reputation. Dante's had it three times, and now Virgel's got it.

We've also had 4 character contests of FFX vs. Sonic Team now. Robotnik vs. Sin...I wonder if CJayC does it on purpose...
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SC2K5 Nominations: Squall Leonhart, Tidus, Zidane, Serge, Musashi, Tifa Lockheart, Leon Kennedy, Kerrigan, Revolver Ocelot, Lloyd Irving