Hayato Kanzaki

Hayato Kanzaki is the main character of the Capcom series, Star Gladiator. He is a rebellious young Japanese man from the year 2348, where mankind is capable of intergalactic travel and established contact with extraterrestrials. 
Living on his own and caring about others - especially the children living in the orphanage in which he was raised, and his close friends June, Saturn, and Gamof, this care for people is the driving force that prompts him to go against Bilstein, a mad scientist bent on taking his revenge on Earth. 
He is the only character in the series to cross over and become playable into another Capcom game; in this case, Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. Aside from this, Hayato has also made an appearance in Tekkaman Blade's ending in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (in which he saves Tekkaman Blade from being attacked by Bilstein's ghost). 
In Star Gladiator, he is voiced by , who has voiced Knuckles the Echidna from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Guts from the Berserk franchise, Hiten from the Inuyasha franchise, and Yuji Okusu from Slam Dunk, as well as Takaya Sakaki from Persona 3 and Bob from Policenauts. In Plasma Sword and Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, he is voiced by , who has voiced Minato Namikaze from the Naruto series, Ryu from the Street Fighter series, Takaya Aiba in the Tekkaman Blade series, Cyclops from the Marvel Universe, and Dante from the Devil May Cry video game series, as well as Hayato’s evil form; Black Hayato, in Plasma Sword and Anji Mito from the Guilty Gear video game series.
==Appearance==
===Normal===
Hayato is a young man who has spiky hair, a gray headband, a white tanktop, red boots, fingerless gloves with gray plates, two large different-colored belts and a sleeveless black spandex suit that’s damaged. He also has a scar on his right cheek.
===Black Hayato===
As Black Hayato, Hayato has green hair, a metal eyepatch on his right eye and wears a metal suit that covers the top of his body and black pants. He also wears the same shoes from the first game.
==Personality==
===Normal===
Hayato is a rebellious bounty hunter who has a strong sense of justice and is willing to protect his comrades to the end and even help out his orphanage in anyway he could.
===Black Hayato===
As Black Hayato, Hayato is an incredibly cruel and ruthless individual with an emotionless expression on his face and is willing to annihilate those who dare stand in his way.
==Backstory==
Abandoned on the streets of Neo Tokyo when he was a child, Hayato Kanzaki was taken in by a foster home, owned by a loving caretaker. As he grew older, he noticed that the caretaker was in heavy debt, and wanted to clear it as means of repaying her for her kindness. Unable to find any form of work, Hayato was forced to become a bounty hunter- A line of work that he despised and knew that would go against his fierce sense of justice.
As Bilstein escaped from his orbital prison on Zeta and established the dreaded Fourth Empire, the Earth Federation would start the Project: Star Gladiator as its last stand against the madman.
Hayato, hearing of this project, sets out to join Star Gladiator to save his home planet and everyone he loves.
In the sequel Plasma Sword, Hayato peacefully spends time rebuilding the orphanage with the many bounties he's collected, but sets out once more when he realizes one of his closest friends ends up missing.
==Powers & Abilities==
===Powers===
Plasma Power is an energy source that is powered by Hayato’s mind, which he transfers into his plasma sword. This energy can be charged into his sword, extending its length as needed. When fully charged, his entire body glows until the energy is released.
===Abilities===
Hayato is exceptionally skilled in using a Plasma Sword and he’s good at hand to hand combat, as he’s able to utilize kicks, punches and even headbutts for a much more versatile form of combat while fighting with his Plasma Sword.
==Fighting Style==
Hayato’s fighting style makes use of an unknown school of Kenjutsu that also utilizes hand to hand attacks like kicks, punches, and even headbutts for a versatile form of combat that’s apparently derived from his experience as a bounty hunter.
In Star Gladiator, Hayato can be considered as the “Ryu” of the roster, as he is a balanced character that has moves and attacks capable of handling head on and direct offensives while conditioning his opponents via distancing and psychology, as a variety movepool that’s able to mix up his output. Even though he typically relies on his Plasma Blade, it’s able to bear increased adaptability, interactivity and even his balance from not just his A and B attacks, but also kicks, with a greater deal of 5 hit strings and general strings with his Plasma Combos.
In Plasma Sword, Hayato is now revamped to be more of a speedy and agile combatant that has an emphasis on punishing mistakes and off balance vulnerabilities, as his A and B special moves gain aura effects that slightly increase their range, while his movement speed is made much faster to allow him to zero in on his opponents. In order to compensate for a lack of a projectile move, Hayato’s Engetsu attack is now reworked as a Hyper Plasma Combo that unleashes an energy wave that travels on the ground, and his Plasma Field has a constant Shurado effect that expands his Plasma Blade into a large form and allows him to toss out slicing waves with every attack performed during the effect before time runs out.
In general, Hayato is immensely centered on speedy sword strikes, close range blows and a steady stream of combos, but he requires a great deal of tactical familiarity and practice with his moves to ensure that he’s able to cover other fields of combat so that he can set up his rushdowns and meet his full potential.
==Techniques==
===Normals===
* Hien - Hayato performs a leaping spin slash with his plasma sword.
*Dokuryū - Hayato performs a quick dashing slash attack with his plasma sword, as he moves past the opponent in the process.
**Sōryū - A follow up to Dokuryū, causing Hayato to follow up with another slash from behind after passing his opponent with his plasma sword.
*Dai Oiuchi Kōgeki - While airborne, Hayato dive stabs downward in midair with a sword-plant.
===Special Attacks===
*Shiden - Hayato dashes forward with a slash before following up with a diagonal downwards swing with his plasma sword.
* Guren - Hayato leaps vertically while slashing upwards with his plasma sword. Plasma residue is visible during this attack. 
**Guren Tempa (Black) - Like Guren, except fully charged. Black Hayato also spins during the attack and jumps higher, allowing for more hits.
*Byakkohō - Hayato grabs the opponent before smashing them high into the air with an upward-angled elbow.
*Plasma Combos - Sets of attacks that are unique to Hayato, which come in the form of different combinations of Plasma Sword slashes and physical strikes.
===Hyper Combos=== 
*Ransetzuzan - Hayato charges his Plasma Sword with energy and attacks with seven powerful strikes.
*Engetsu - Hayato charges his Plasma Power into one downward strike. This causes five plasma shockwaves to rise from beneath the ground in a straight line.
*Plasma Field - Hayato gathers energy and releases a spherical plasma field around him. Aside from acting as an attack, landing the attack successfully grants Hayato an unlimited Hyper Combo Gauge for a brief duration.
*Black Hayato: Ura Rasetsuzan - Hayato lunges at the opponent and stabs right through their chest with his Plasma Sword. He then transforms into Black Hayato, unleashing a series of deadly attacks faster much faster than before, before passing by the opponent with one final slash. After this attack, Hayato will revert to base form.
==Transformation(s)==
*Black Hayato - Bilstein managed to implant a "genotype" microchip into Hayato. When this microchip takes control, Hayato transforms into Black Hayato: an evil version of himself who is much more morally flexible in battle.
==Trivia==
* Due to the nature and cosmetics of his sword, Hayato may have been inspired by the Jedi of Star Wars fame. How he is a bounty hunter, also matches the career of main supporting character Han Solo, while his aspects of Jedi like qualities bear resemblance to main protagonist Luke Skywalker. The fact that Star Gladiator was originally supposed to be a Star Wars game also support this.
==Gallery==
File:Hayato Sprite (MVC2).gif|MVC2 Sprite
File:Hayato Hyper Combo Portrait MvC2.jpg|Hyper Combo
File:Hayato and Wolverine MVC2 Ending.png|Hayato and Wolverine in the ending of MVC2.
File:Hayato Apprehended UMvC3 Poster.jpg|Hayato labeled as “Apprehended” in Days of Future Past in UMvC3.
File:Hayato Heroes and Heralds Card.png|UMvC3 Heroes and Heralds Card.
File:Hayato and Tekkaman Blade vs. Bilstein.png|Hayato’s Cameo in Tekkaman Blade's ending in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom.
==External Links==
*
*
*
**
Category:Male
Category:Honorable
Category:Protectors
Category:Guardians
Category:Video Game Heroes
Category:In Love
Category:Brutes
Category:Retired
Category:Wise
Category:Psychics
Category:Mercenaries
Category:Dissociative
Category:Self-Aware
Category:One-Man Army
Category:Successful
Category:Fallen
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Warriors
Category:Sophisticated
Category:Charismatic
Category:Obsessed
Category:Stalkers
Category:Strong-Willed
Category:Lethal
Category:Redeemed Villains
Category:Anti-Heroes
Category:Archenemy
Category:Possessed/Brainwashed
Category:Bond Protectors
Category:Crossover Heroes