Kasumi (Dead or Alive)

Kasumi (Japanese: かすみ) is a kunoichi of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan and the heroine and main protagonist of the series, who debuted in the first Dead or Alive. Kasumi became a "Runaway Shinobi" after she ran away from home in order to avenge her older brother, Hayate. She is also the older half-sister, and cousin of Ayane.
One of the first three females that appeared in the series (alongside Lei Fang and Tina Armstrong), Kasumi has become the main protagonist of the Dead or Alive series.
Kasumi is also the main protagonist of Dead or Alive and Dead or Alive 2. Her powers including teleportation and flight. She has the soul of Elysium.
She was formerly voiced by in Dead or Alive, and currently by in Dead or Alive 2 in Japanese and Lucy Kee in Dead or Alive 2, in Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, and in Dead or Alive 5 in English.
==History==
Kasumi is the sister of Hayate and half-sister to Ayane, and a practitioner of the Tenshinmon Style of Mugen-Tenshin Ninjutsu. They lived happily together until one day Raidou came for revenge and snapped Hayate's spine. That sends him into a coma that everyone thought to be permanent, so he's left for dead. Kasumi ran away from her village to avenge her brother, knowing full well the consequences of becoming a runaway shinobi: death.
After defeating Raidou, she enters the second tournament after hearing that her brother is alive and has been taken by DOATEC for use in Project Epsilon. She finds him suffering from amnesia and going by the name of Ein, and helps him recover his memory. In the 3rd tournament she remains on the run but encounters and fights her brother. By the time of the 4th tournaments she realizes that no assassins have been sent her way as of late, and discovers that they have gone to assault DOATEC and put an end to their evil schemes. She enters the 4th tournament to investigate and prevent her brother to enter in what she believes will be a bloodbath.
In the 5th game, Kasumi becomes Helena's 'ally'/'messenger' in order to hunt down the remaining Alpha-152, in a slightly reckless degree. This is because this Kasumi is actually a perfect Alpha clone that acts perfectly like the original. Hayate caught wind of this and along with Ayane, killed this clone. When Hayate gets into trouble, Hayabusa summons the real Kasumi  to come and help. Once she rescued Hayate and destroyed the clones, Kasumi swore to take down and defeat Donovan.
==Appearance==
Kasumi is a slender, physically-fit teenage girl of average height, although she has got a curvy figure for her age. She was designed to appear "soft" (based on the idea that Dead or Alive is softer in concept compared to Ninja Gaiden, thus making her symbolic to the series) so she has a round face, small facial features, and wide brown eyes. Originally, her waist-length hair appeared to be a dark brown color. However, since Dead or Alive 2, Kasumi's hair has lightened over the years to a copper shade. Today, her hair style is not fixed into one or two fashions like the other girls, as she now possesses four styles to choose from: loose, a low ponytail, a high ponytail tied with a long yellow ribbon, or a low braid tied with yellow bows.
She is usually seen in her trademark outfit: a blue, side-tie "shinobi dress" with short puffy sleeves, white trim, her name (written in Japanese) stitched in yellow on the back, and a light-colored bird pattern on the shirt, complete with white stockings, knee-high boots and arm-guards. As well as this outfit - and variations of said outfit - Kasumi sports other shinobi costumes. She also has modern, casual clothes, and Japanese school uniforms, suited for average, everyday girls. No matter what she wears, Kasumi is usually wearing feminine gear, such as skirts, and girly colors, like pink.
==Personality==
She is demonstrably family orientated and would like nothing more than to return home in peace. There were instances where she refused to show mercy though, as seen when she willingly goes to look for Raidou in the first game, fighting her clone in the second game, and also when facing Helena when the woman had almost shot her. Kasumi is portrayed throughout the Dead or Alive series as a more compassionate character than any of the other fighters. She is an honorable and kind spirit, and although a highly skilled kunoichi with deadly abilities, she does not enjoy or wish to fight. Many of the statements she makes in the game series before a round begins reflect her desire to avoid confrontation. Much of the reasoning behind this comes from the fact that in all appearances in the tournaments (with the exception of the first) her motive was not to fight or win, but to meet Hayate. However she is capable of killing in cold blood, as demonstrated when she defeated and killed Raidou.
==Powers and Abilities==
===General===
*Strength: Her strength level is that of a female human of her age and her incredible physical capability is the result of training as a ninja.
*Agility: Kasumi's speed exceeds that of both Ryu and Momiji, and is only surpassed by Ayane.
*Stealth: Like most ninjas, Kasumi has some ability in stealth, being able to mask her presence in smoke filled areas and assassinate enemies.
*Acrobatics: Like most ninja, Kasumi is able to easily move between platforms, jump off of and briefly run on walls.
*Hand to Hand: Kasumi has trained in Mugen Tenshin Ninjutsu (Tenjin Mon style), and is highly skilled with this style.
*Ninja Sense: A ninja ability that allows her to sense where she needs to go.
*Ki Manipulation: Like most ninja in the series, Kasumi possesses the ability to focus ki with her mind; she does so when performing her Art of Rending Wind or Torn Sky Blast ninpo.
*Spiritual Regeneration: Kasumi's ability to heal herself with her ki, until it is depleted.
*Heal Ally: Kasumi has the ability to heal an ally who is on the verge of death.
===Techniques===
*Slide: A basic evasive movement known by ninja.
*Shadowless Footsteps: A basic wall running technique, which Kasumi, like most ninja, has mastered.
*Sabaki: A technique which begins with Kasumi in a defensive position, and then countering with her own attack.
*Sakura Madoi: A special parry, known only to Kasumi, it causes the user to disappear in a flurry of cherry blossom petals and reappear behind the opponent whose attack was parried.
*Divine Water: Kasumi's "version" of the Izuna Drop, she begins by launching her foe in the air, and then repeatedly stomps on her foe until they hit the ground.
*Thunders of Tenjin: Kasumi's "version" of the Underworld Drop, she launches her foe in the air and wraps her legs around their necks and back flips downwards, smashing her target's skull to the ground.
===Ninpo===
*Art of Rending Wind: A powerful Mugen Tenshin technique that releases ki through an open palm. It also is known as the Torn Sky Blast technique.
===Weapons & Equipment===
*Shrouded Moon: An elegant blade, imbued with the mystical powers of the words "mist" and "moon."
*Windmill Shuriken: Kasumi's uses a variant on the windmill shuriken - it is six kunai formed to create on giant shuriken, named "Kunai Tempest."
*Kunai: Basic throwing knives; Kasumi uses a slightly different version however, as it is slightly curved and smaller, as well as releasing sakura petals as it flies through the air.
==In popular culture==
===Dead Fantasy===
Kasumi appears as a combatant in Monty Oum's fan-made CG movie series Dead Fantasy, where cast members of the Dead or Alive franchise fight cast members from the Final Fantasy franchise.
She fights with her wakizashi sword, utilizing her Tenjin Mon style and ninpo abilities to battle the Final Fantasy cast. Her main opponent is Yuna from Final Fantasy X. As of the fifth episode, Kasumi is with Ryu Hayabusa and Momiji, who are most likely getting aid for the wounds she received from her battle with the Kasumi Alpha clones.
Oum has also made two music videos that Kasumi features in: Obsessed to Mariah Carey's Obsessed and Dead Fantasy - Gee with the song Gee by Girls' Generation.
==External links==
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