Jago (Killer Instinct)

Jago
Killer Instinct series
Jago in Killer Instinct (2013)
First appearance	Killer Instinct (1994)
Designed by	Kevin Bayliss (KI)
Voiced by (English)	Mike Willette (KI3)
Fictional profile	class=" infobox hproduct" style="float:right; width:264px; font-size:90%; text-align:left;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3"
Fictional profile
Nationality	Tibetan
Fighting style	Tiger spirit
Weapon	Dadao
Weapon name	Dadao
Occupation	Monk

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Jago is a player character in the Killer Instinct fighting game series created by Rare. Introduced in the original Killer Instinct in 1994, he has appeared in every entry in the series to date. A monk who fights with the aid of a mysterious tiger spirit, Jago is one of the protagonists of the series, along with his sister Orchid.

Appearances

Jago is a Tibetan monk, following the Tiger Spirit (which becomes Gargos in Killer Instinct 2), who is on a path of enlightenment to defeat the evil within him. He believes it is his destiny to destroy Ultratech. In the sequel, Jago succeeded in destroying Fulgore in the first tournament after being possessed by the Tiger Spirit. He was soon betrayed by the latter, which turned out to be the demon Gargos in disguise. Gargos used Jago to gain entrance to the physical world, and Jago seeks revenge for Gargos' manipulation. It is revealed at the end of the game that Orchid is his sister; they were orphaned and separated at birth.

In the third game, Jago is suffering a crisis of faith following the discovery that the Tiger Spirit was Gargos all along, and hopes to purge the last remnants of Gargos within him in battle. This crisis of faith is symbolized through his new costume, which consists of various materials cannibalized from the now abandoned Tiger Shrine, including tiles (arm guards), bits of broken statues (knee pads), drapery, and ropes from a chandelier (leg bindings and harness). At one point, the presence of Gargos' influence allows Jago to be possessed by Omen, transforming him into Shadow Jago. Jago's will proves too strong for him to be fully corrupted, and Omen is forced to abandon Jago's body, though his time spent in Jago's body gives him enough strength to manifest on the mortal plane.

Shadow Jago

The 2013 game also features a new version of the character called Shadow Jago. It is an altered and presumably evil version of Jago, having the same set of attacks but with very slight differences, most noticeably in visuals. He appears as a secret boss in the game's arcade mode, possessing both new moves and an Ultimate Combo. He is available as a playable character for those who purchased a 12-month Xbox Live membership during the launch of the Xbox One, but will be made available for purchase by all users at a later date.

Gameplay

Jago has many of the same moves as Street Fighter's Ryu and Ken characters, including a fireball (which he calls "Endokuken"(炎独拳)) and a spinning uppercut.

Reception

The character was well received. According to GamesRadar, "this sword-wielding warrior monk is basically the Ryu of KI: a poster boy with an accessible move set and a noble cause. Jago's specials will be instantly recognizable to any fighting game fan." Jago was ranked as the tenth top ninja in gaming by GameTrailers in 2007. Complex ranked him ninth-swiftest ninja in video games in 2012, and WatchMojo.com ranked him as the sixth top playable game ninja in 2013.

References

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