BLACK STIGMA News

Hello, Masters. I'm Kwon Dae Ho, the Executive Producer of Black Stigma.

Since February, we haven't been able to update players on testing or service schedules.
Today, we will inform you about the test dates that will showcase the developments of the past 6 months.



[h3]# New Test Ahead [/h3]

Based on the feedback and support we received from the past four alpha tests,
we have been putting a lot of effort into elevating the fun of "Black Stigma."
Now, we are planning to conduct a "Global Testing Tour" in order to share the results with everyone.



[h3]# What is a Global Testing Tour? [/h3]

A Global Testing Tour is a test that allows us to gather data
on the gameplay characteristics and methods of the playerbase for each country
by providing an optimal gameplay environment for different regions.

Through this test, we will make plans for Early Access services and attempt to provide a smooth
and pleasant gameplay experience for as many people as possible.

• Therefore, we have prepared testing plans for 5 regions, in which we will conduct the tests one by one.
  
• Starting at ASIA on October, we will proceed with the testing in the order of SEA->NA ->EU->LA.
  
• Anyone can participate by pressing the "Request Access" button under "Join Playtest" on the official Steam page.
  
• We are grouping countries with access to the game into regions to allow for a stable network environment (latency, ping, etc.). We ask for your participation in the tests during your region's testing dates.
  

[h3]# Main Content of the Global Testing Tour [/h3]

Since it has been 8 months since the last alpha test, we have additional content to showcase:
(1) New Masters (characters); (2) Expanded weapon grades; (3) New game modes and map arrangements.

(1) The addition of new Masters and the establishment of each Master's play style
We have added 6 new Masters on top of the 6 existing Masters we revealed up to the last test.
You will be able to play 12 different Masters on this test.

The 6 existing Masters were created with a solid base while reflecting the game's characteristics.
On the other hand, the 6 new Masters are focused on a different and fresh play style.
We highlighted each Master's unique traits during concept creation
and further developed them in a way to allow for more unconventional gameplay.

In addition, we categorized the Masters into four different groups and gave them stats accordingly. We recommend that you try playing with various Masters and find the one that suits your play style.

(2) Weapon grade limit expanded to "Legendary"
Along with the addition of new Masters, there will be new Legendary grade handguns,
which will be the highest tier for firearms.
The main features of Legendary grade firearms include the ability to equip laser sights
and extra ammunition attached compared to the same gun of a different grade.
Unlike crosshairs, the dot sights and laser sights in Black Stigma are optical aiming devices
that display the exact point at which the bullet will hit.

Furthermore, Legendary firearms have more ammunition compared to other guns.
Having more ammunition than the opponent will give you a clear advantage in long-range combat.
Legendary firearms have not only better performance but also in-depth expressions of stats
and stylish designs to fit the title "Legendary."

▲ Differentiate design by grade of the same gun implemented in real games
(left) 3D model of 'PFW30L' Rare grade gun; (right) 3D model of 'PFW30L' Legend grade gun

We take pride in the handgun gameplay of Black Stigma
and will therefore provide players with various firearms in-game.

(3) Different experiences provided through new game modes and additional maps
The main game mode will be the "Kill Them All" (elimination, "KTA") mode that we revealed in the last alpha test,
with the addition of a new PvP mode called "Team Deathmatch" ("TDM") and a PvE mode called "Challenge Mode."

▲ new maps; ‘Old Manor’ and ‘Abandoned Subway’

In the "Kill Them All" mode, which is a PvP mode where you win by killing all opponents in the enemy team,
we have added two new maps called "Decrepit Mansion" and "Abandoned Subway Station".

On the Decrepit Mansion map, players will battle in and out of a classic mansion,
whereas the Abandoned Subway Station features an all-indoors map
that will provide players with a different atmosphere.


"Team Deathmatch" is a game mode where two teams compete for higher kills on a respawn-enabled map.
Players killed by enemies will respawn in a safe location within a few seconds and can enjoy nonstop action without having to wait.


"Challenge Mode" is where players clear stages with AI bots.
This is a single-player mode where clearing a stage will enable players to enter stages of higher difficulty.



[h3]# What we encourage players to do during the Global Testing Tour [/h3]

Combat that can be enjoyed in various ways
Black Stigma is a "Killer Action Game". Within the world of Black Stigma, there are various killers who live their everyday lives in disguise. We aimed to provide players with a thrilling experience and create combat through each killer's unique shooting and fighting skills.

Unlike other shooting games where you have an excruciating learning period when your shooting and aiming skills are subpar, we want to provide players with an alternative combat method to face opponents. The 6 new Masters are especially focused on those aspects, so we hope you playtest all the Masters.

Adaptation to the game through the new PvE system
Since Black Stigma claims to be a PvP-focused game, we thought a system where players could prepare and practice for fair competition was required. Therefore, "Training Mode" and "Challenge Mode" were added.



"Training Mode," as can be commonly seen in fighting games, is where players can practice different skills on training dummies while switching Masters and equipment. "Challenge Mode" is where players clear stages by defeating the AI bots that charge toward the player.
Find the Master and gun customization options that suit you in Training Mode and Challenge Mode, and reap the results of training in PvP game modes.

Excitement alongside streamers
Starting with this Global Testing Tour, we aim to create opportunities for Black Stigma and small streamers to grow together. We are also considering streamer support events for this cause as well.

One of those events is the "Custom Game" feature, which is a spectator-inclusive mode that can be manually controlled. Streamers can create event games through the Custom Game feature, while viewers and players can enjoy the video content produced by it.

Along the lines of the event above, we plan to support small streamers so that a mutually beneficial cycle can start between our game and the streamers. We hope people can enjoy the game and share opinions by watching its content, even if they don't play Black Stigma.



[h3]# What we ask of the players + Future plans [/h3]

We hope the game is played and enjoyed by many players.
We worked hard to improve the aspects that we felt were lacking while going through the previous alpha tests. We are looking forward to players experiencing the three revamped game modes, various maps, and 12 unique Masters. Please give us feedback on your experience playing Black Stigma through the in-game surveys or our socials.

We plan to conclude the Global Testing Tour in December by showcasing the final Global Testing Tour build, which will be refined through the various feedback we will have received during the testing period.

We will collect feedback through various methods and use the feedback to quickly change/improve the parts that we can work on internally. We are also planning to showcase a refined, updated version in December, when all the regions of the Global Testing Tour will be coming to an end. We will unlock all content to prevent players from thinking, "How does this still not exist?" and provide an Early Access-adjacent version of the game.



[h3]# Lastly[/h3]

The developers of Black Stigma are committed to finding a "unique type of entertainment in a shooting game." The game strives to be a perfect blend of killer action, handgun action, and close combat, which isn't a common theme among other games. In order to provide an exquisite level of entertainment, we are seeking to conduct multiple tests to identify the specific points of the game that players like and the style in which they play.

We are happy and grateful to be showing you the fruits of our hard work and trial and error over the past several years. We ask for your feedback and support through the Global Testing Tour period.
Thank you.

Sincerely,
Producer Kwon Dae Ho

Hello, we are the developers of BLACK STIGMA.

[h2]BLACK STIGMA's new test service, Global Testing Tour, will begin soon.[/h2]

Starting in October, we will be conducting the Global Testing Tour.
Please refer to the following information to ensure smooth test participation.



[h3][ Global Testing Tour Region Schedules ][/h3]

For each region, testing will be conducted over a span of 2 weeks.
Please refer to the chart below for a detailed schedule for each region.



[h3]< Click here to check accessible countries by region >[/h3]


[h3][ How to Participate ][/h3]

1. Apply to participate and add to wishlist

Access Steam's BLACK STIGMA page through the link below,
then press the "Request Access" button below the "Add to your wishlist" button to participate in the test.

• Steam URL : https://store.steampowered.com/app/1277530/BLACK_STIGMA/

Also, please press the "Add to your wishlist" button to be notified when the game is released!




2. Confirming your participation status

Once you have requested access to the playtest, you will receive an email from Steam when the test begins.
You can also check your application status through the button on the store page.



Your application is complete if the "Request Access" button is not there.

Instructions for the game and authorization information will be provided in a separate announcement.



[h3][Official Channel][/h3]

• STEAM: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1277530/BLACK_STIGMA/
• DISCORD : https://discord.com/channels/981093001361231882/
• FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Black-Stigma/100084991233105/
• X(Twitter): https://twitter.com/PlayBLACKSTIGMA
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackstigmagame/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blackstigma

Thank you.

[h3]Black Stigma's Bombshell, Bestowed with the Art of Ballet[/h3]




Those who have played Black Stigma or have been in touch with the community will be familiar with this lady.

She is our one and only Ms. Nano.

Nano is praised as the most beautiful killer among the playable characters within the Black Stigma universe.
Born in Russia, she received strict assassination training from her father and professional hitman, Hardworker Zero.
The training between the two went on until Nano was 14 years of age.

The year Nano turned 14, Zero abandoned her and left under unknown circumstances. And for the first time in her life, Nano was free from her father's assassination training and indulged in a "normal life."

Ballet was the first thing that the youthful 14-year-old tried out in her attempt to live as an ordinary teenager.
She knew very well how beautiful she looked, so she would have wanted to erase her bloody past through hobbies that took advantage of her appearance.



[color]▲ Source: Russian State Ballet of Siberia performing "Swan Lake", 2022-[/color]

Frankly, ballet did not have a big influence on Nano's life and career as a contract killer after she reached adulthood.

It is rather that she was able to learn ballet with ease thanks to her physical abilities built from years of training.



[h3]Ballet from a Martial Arts Point of View[/h3]



[color]▲ Source: Masutatsu Oyama (Choi Bae-dal a.k.a Mas Oyama, 1923–1994), one of Japan's martial arts legends[/color]

Why would a photo of a karate master suddenly appear while discussing ballet?
It is because Mas Oyama is known as the first martial artist to argue that ballet is closely related to martial arts, which was quite a peculiar statement at the time.

Mas Oyama was a Korean martial artist who became and widely known as a karate master in Japan.
He was also famous for hosting bizarre events where he would take down a bull with just his bare hands, or battle masters from all around the world.
His reputation began to spread globally, attracting numerous martial artists from the western hemisphere to move to Japan and become his apprentices.

He was not only immensely powerful but also quirky in character, which later caused many movies, comic books, and media mix products to pay homage to him, including "Ryu" from the "Street Fighter" series.



[color]▲ Source: Various media mix characters influenced by Mas Oyama From left to right - (1) "Doppo Orochi" from "Baki the Grappler", (2) Mas Oyama as himself, (3) "Choi Bae-dal" from "Fighter in the Wind", (4) "Ryu" from the "Street Fighter" series[/color]

As a world-class fighter during the 1960s and 1970s, he would often argue that people who have pursued ballet hold a lot of potential for becoming martial artists.
Mas Oyama would stress the close connection between ballet and martial arts in various interviews and lectures, based on his experiences communicating with ballet dancers in the United States.

It is said that ballet not only requires muscles that can exert strength beyond one's weight restrictions but also flexibility and rhythm at all times.
These characteristics of ballet inspired Mas Oyama's way of training karate.
Mas Oyama once commented that one of his ballet-dancer friends was a very strong fighter, even though he did not receive any professional training.



[color]▲ Source: Japanese magazine "Power Karate Illustrated", December 1985, Excerpts remade from Mas Oyama's lecture held in Japan, May 1978[/color]



[h3]Ballet Training: Blood, Sweat, and Tears[/h3]



[color]▲ Source: Professional(?) ballerinas from "Scary Movie 5"[/color]

It is extremely hard to pursue ballet as a lifetime career.
One must first meet the physical measurement requirements of prestigious ballet academies in order to follow an elite course.



[color]▲ Source: Photo of the famous "Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet" and their admission criteria, Female dancers of 170cm must be under 47.2kg to pass.[/color]


[color]▲ Source: Students who failed the admissions for a prestigious ballet academy, The slender, if not skinny, girl on the right failed to enroll because she weighed 5kg more than the required weight.[/color]

Once they pass the harsh body measurement requirements, what lies ahead of them is a training even worse than the admission.



[color]▲ Source: A ballet student who got injured during an exam, He cries in pain but the coach yells at him to die backstage.[/color]

As seen in the documentary footage above, professional ballet training is an endless road of pain and endurance.
Those who make it past the agonizing training and exams are reborn as professional dancers, who not only bear extreme power but also delicate acting skills.



[color]▲ Source: The leg muscles of ballet dancers; It is hard to notice how muscular they are, as the legs are usually covered in tights or tutus during performances.[/color]



[h3]Modern Fighters in Pursuit of the Power of Ballet [/h3]



[color]▲ Source: WSOF (PFL) champion David Branch in ballet training[/color]

Sometimes we can see martial artists practicing ballet as part of their training.
David Branch, the PFL (mixed martial arts league; previously named WSOF) champion, is a good example.

Branch is an MMA champion who reigned over the middle to light heavyweight class from 2014 to 2015.
After conquering the WSOF, he began to develop an interest in ballet and its merits while studying various training methods.
He eventually launched a ballet training project with the famous ballet producer and former Bolshoi Ballet dancer, Dmitri Roudnev, where the entire process was made public through social media.



[color]▲ Source: Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme's signature "360 spinning kick"[/color]

Renowned actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is also a martial artist who is closely affiliated with ballet.
The climax of his action sequence is usually finished with a spinning kick that resembles a jump in a ballet performance.



[color]▲ Source: The Grand Jete, assumed to be the origin of Van Damme's 360 spinning kick[/color]

Van Damme has been a martial artist since his youth, when he started his career with karate.
His passion for karate was so deep that he won the European Karate Championship even before coming of age.

While pursuing karate, he also practiced Muay Thai, bodybuilding, and ballet to master his martial arts skills.
It is presumed that traces of ballet can be seen in his flashy mid-air kicks because he took ballet lessons for a total of 5 years, starting when he was 16 years old.



[h3]The Dev Team's Love for Nano, and Conclusion[/h3]


Since we've mostly talked about buff martial artists in this column, let's go back to our bombshell killer, Ms. Nano, and wrap up the story.



[color]▲ Source: Cases of attractive female spies/assassins, (Left) Scenes referring to the "Red Room" and "Natasha Romanov" from "Black Widow", (Right) "Yor Forger" from "Spy x Family"[/color]

- "Beautiful woman" + "Killer / Spy" + "Trained from an early age" etc...

These are the keywords that make up many attractive yet powerful female characters throughout various media and content in 2023.

As we continued writing the story for Black Stigma, we wanted to put as many "popular elements" as we could in Nano's character background.
Ballet was the last piece of her story that we pondered over until the end.
To sum up Nano's early life, it goes as follows:

* Mother goes missing right after Nano is born 😢
* Hitman father trains his only daughter to be a killer 😧
* Homeschooled (where the lessons were only about killing) until 14 😨
* (Perhaps we should put in "Ballet lessons as part of training," which resembles the "Red Room" from "Black Widow"... 🤔 )


At this point, we just wanted to give Nano happy memories that she could treasure.
We wanted her to enjoy ballet as the art form it is instead of as a method for killing or fighting.

We hope our little post provided you with a chance to see ballet from a new perspective.
We will be back with more interesting backstories about Black Stigma.
Thank you!



The Climax of Killer Action
BLACK STIGMA Team

Greetings.
I'm Lee Jin Seo, an AD (Art Director) with over 10 years of experience in military shooting game concept art.

The world of Black Stigma and its concepts are being built by all of us, and I'm in charge of the overall design.

Have you seen the backstory, concept art, and 3D models we've been uploading to the community page?
I would like to share the story of how this world and these characters were created and the incidents that happened in the process.



[h3][Joining the Black Stigma Project][/h3]

"Come visit some time, we're making a new game!"

That's how I met the Producer, and when they showed me their ideas for the game, it seemed like a new shooting/action game like never before, not to mention I was personally interested in the story as well.
It inspired countless ideas in my head, and it looked like I could try anything.
I thought that I could be imaginative and implement different ideas in the game, which led me to join the team.

And that game became Black Stigma.



[h3][Struggles of the AD: "We want the graphic style to be changed within a year"][/h3]

When I joined the Black Stigma Project as an AD, the game development was focused on the game's core system and enjoyment.

The artwork they had before was a very simple rough draft, so I had conflicting feelings of both comfort and pressure, from "Whatever I do, it'll definitely be an improvement from this" to "When am I ever going to revise all this?"

However, there is no doubt that it was quite a weight on my shoulders to have to redefine the art style within 3 months.

[color]< Early character design of Mr. TEN >[/color]


In shooting games with PvP modes,
there should be a fixed set of rules for each character's proportions in order to make the game fair and balanced.
Furthermore, the design must have a serious and realistic tone to match the realism and ambience that shooting games strive to generate.

However, Black Stigma is a shooting action game with many different killers.
so we had to put a lot of effort into making characters with different silhouettes and emphasizing their unique traits.
We had to overcome the limits of creating new character designs while abiding by the restrictions on creativity.

Therefore, rather than following the existing pattern of FPS characters doing melee combat, we've decided to have characters in the style of Street Fighter or Marvel Comics using firearms.
Considering the given deadline, current artwork, and resources from in and outside the team, we came to the conclusion of using "Toon Shaders."

[color]※ Shading: One of the processes of surface-treating a manufactured 3D model (≒frame or surface structure) according to the situation and setting (=Rendering), which refers to the process of processing lighting/light source/chromaticity/light/reflection/blur, etc.[/color]

[color]< Lecture on the use of Toon Shader in Unreal Engine (YouTuber 'underscore00') >[/color]


However, I fell into despair as I got feedback after suggesting it to the team.

"It's going to be difficult to make an FPS game immersive with the toon shaders."
"Toon style? I'm afraid it might miss the mark on evoking a deep, breathtaking vibe in a killer action game."
"The downside of the toon shading is that it's going to look too simple and messy."

Even an acquaintance who worked on countless graphic design projects discouraged me by saying,
"I've seen a lot of developers try toon shading and fail."



[h3][We just wanted to do something unique.][/h3]

While it is not difficult to see games with toon shaders, FPS and TPS games rarely use them.
This is because shooting games prioritize realism, and also because the players' fatigue level rises if the toon shaders are not applied neatly.
In addition, toon shaders might make it difficult to distinguish characters from backgrounds, which would be an issue in a game where the contrast between friend and foe is important for fair competition.
"There were so many reasons not to do it, but I still wanted to try."
I thought it would be perfect for establishing unique visuals if we could blend the art style of Marvel Comics with the creativity-inspiring world lore of our game.

Just like everyone knows what game the image below is from, we were hoping that players would recognize the art style and say, "Is that a new Black Stigma character?"


[color]< The art of 'League of Legends' featuring a unique fantasy style >[/color]


Additionally, we've combined the PD and the team members' ideas to come to the following conclusion for our game's character design:

"A sharp, noir art style that fits the contract killer world"
"The base of a North American art style with the clean look of Japanese animation art"
"Unique and trendy characters"



[h3][Graphics unique to Black Stigma][/h3]

We applied different shaders to the background while maintaining the existing work as much as we could, but the characters' visuals had to be reworked from the ground up.


[color]< Before making changes to the background >[/color]


[color]< After making changes to the background >[/color]


We used many different shooting and fighting games, such as Street Fighter and Tekken, as references and were inspired by the animated Spider-Man film while working on the shaders.

[color]< The case that inspired the Toon shading challenge, Spider-Man’s Spider-verse animations >[/color]


It was a casual art style, but I believed it could work with the game, so I modified some of the elements and added it to the shaders. It looked decent when the characters and background were viewed together. I thought it had potential.

After discussing the work in progress with our new Technical Artist, we created a final "Black Stigma Style Shader."




In terms of character design, we were heavily inspired by the movie "John Wick," which gamers who are interested in killer action genres would have seen before.

"Mr. Parabellum" is an homage to the character "John Wick."




Thus, were born the three Masters: Mr. Parabellum, Mr. Ten, and Mr. Hollowpoint.

The idea was that all three of them wore classic suits, but the more classic they were, the harder it was to make each character stand out.




After overcoming a big hurdle, we finalized the three female characters from M.A.I.D. as well: Ms. Nano, Ms. One, Ms. Twin.
These were the six Masters we were able to reveal so far.





[h3][The first alpha test where the characters were revealed to the public][/h3]

We were short on time, and we had to make decisions on the spot and push through.
I tried harder, knowing that everyone discouraged me from working with this style.

Time passed, and the first alpha test was scheduled. I couldn't sleep the night before the test.
Even within the team, I'd heard no comments such as "this looks good" or "this looks cool" before the game's release.
I was only hoping to avoid extremely negative feedback.

Thankfully, there were no mentions of the graphics disrupting the gameplay, and most of the players who participated in the test gave the graphics a passing grade.

It seems like they were satisfied with the characters themselves as well.

This was when I started feeling confident about the graphics.



[h3][Mass production][/h3]

Thanks to the positive feedback we received regarding the graphics of Black Stigma, we have settled on the art style and are now in the process of creating various unique characters.

There are already 18 different drafts for the world and Masters of Black Stigma, and there will be 24 more characters in the future, including the ones already released.

From a rough draft, like the one shown in the image, it takes 2 weeks to add details and settle on the design, skills, and equipment. Afterwards, the 3D modeling and animating team starts working on it, making the whole process take about 3 to 4 months total.




Recently, we've been doing a better job of dividing the responsibility, which has resulted in a faster work process.
If only the concept art could be finished sooner...

But, coming up with new characters is causing creative block...😔




There are six characters that have been finalized and are waiting to be released.

We are planning to showcase three characters each from the two unrevealed contract killing organizations: AB: Gray Crows and AB: Hardworkers.

We've prepared trendy, stylish characters who have various traits and use rare weapons to perform action moves.


[color]< Part of the rough draft for Hardworker Zero, a member of AB: Hardworkers >[/color]


[color]< Part of the rough draft for Gray Paper, a member of AB: Gray Crows >[/color]



[h3][Collaborating with an artist][/h3]

This is the first reveal of our collaboration with a very famous artist who is active in both the U.S. and Korea.
I'm putting extra effort in because I'm a huge fan of this artist and I'm excited to be collaborating with them.

In some games, you see a character or costume based on a celebrity that only feels like the shell of the model.
In Black Stigma's artist collaboration, even the artist's personality and history were taken into account when creating this unique character that seamlessly blends in with the world and whose costumes and concepts will also be implemented in the game.

We can't reveal it now, but be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

[color]< Our business manager told us not to reveal who it was, so here's just a little silhouette of the character >[/color]



[h3][Lastly][/h3]

As a start-up company, we are going through many issues and attempts in development, but we have a hunger to make Black Stigma a great game.
We hope for your support and honest feedback.
We are ready to hear any kind of opinion from the playerbase.

Even today, I pressed our business manager to set a date.
I heard that there's a test scheduled not too far in the future, so if you haven't played Black Stigma yet, we hope you participate in the test and give us feedback.


Thank you for reading. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or upload a post on the community page.
We will make sure to get back to you.

Thank you.



Sincerely, Art Director Lee Jin Seo

[h3]Greetings, everyone! Do you like MMA?[/h3]


If so, can you find a commonality among the athletes below?


[color]Starting from the left: Yoshihiro Akiyama, Vitor Belfort, Dong Hyun Kim, Ronda Rousey[/color]


What all these fighters have in common is that they are famous MMA fighters who learned Judo.




Judo, as many of you are aware, is one of Japan's signature martial arts.
Since its inception in 1882, Judo has been an internationally recognized martial art that has been an official Olympic sport since 1964.
It is estimated that more than 40 million people practice this sport due to its popularity.




[color]▲Martial arts derived from Judo. Starting from the left: Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo[/color]

Judo focuses on throwing and grappling techniques in close matches, and its effectiveness and popularity have inspired the development of martial arts such as Jiu-Jitsu and Sambo.

Judo was regarded as the foundation for the ground techniques of mixed martial arts (MMA), which eschews the rules of individual combat sports in pursuit of realistic combat. MMA is about realistic situations, and throwing techniques that employ gravity to inflict heavy damage, or grappling techniques that subdue the enemy by targeting joints or vital points, are highly dangerous and threatening.


When it comes to dealing with dangerous situations where guns aren't an option, the characters of BLACK STIGMA rely on their own unique styles of martial arts.

Ms. One, the leader of the all-female organization M.A.I.D., favors tactical and strategic combat. Her interest in chess, another charming quality of hers, also demonstrates her intelligence.
She has been using the close-quarters fighting skills she learned in Judo to protect herself and assassinate enemies. In most people's minds, the word "Judo" conjures up images of bulky, built figures. Therefore, it may be challenging for people to associate Ms. One, who is the brains of AS, and her average figure with this image of Judo.

Then, let's take a look at Ms. One's choice of martial arts: Judo.




[h3][color]< Active Skill 1 : (EN) Hip-Sweep, (JP) 払腰[Harai-goshi] >[/color][/h3]



This is Ms. One sweeping her opponent up on her back and throwing them to the ground.
This skill is a recreation of a real Judo move called "Harai-goshi," or "Sweeping hip throw."



[color]▲ Source : Japan KODOKAN Official YouTube[/color]

Leverage is the foundation of this technique, allowing for even the heaviest of foes to be slammed to the floor with relative ease. To easily flip her opponent over, she uses her waist and hips as a lever to pull their upper body with two arms, and lift their lower body with one leg.



Although Ms. One has honed her skills over many years and is considered a veteran Master, there are definitely physical limitations to her slender physique.
As a result, she employs these techniques when pursuing male targets at least twice her size.




[h3][color]< Active Skill 2 : (EN) Foot-Sweep, (JP) 送足払[Okuriashi harai or Okuri ashi barai] >[/color][/h3]



This is Ms. One's skill, where she runs up to her opponent, grabs their collar, then trips them using her foot.
This skill is a recreation of a real Judo move called "Okuri ashi barai," or "Foot sweep."



[color]▲ Source : Japan KODOKAN Official YouTube[/color]

It is also a clever skill that Ms. One utilizes to overcome her physical limitations.

Falling to the ground during a fight will almost certainly result in defeat. As you fall, you are vulnerable to both your opponent's attack and gravity's, which could result in a disastrous situation.




For this reason, most martial arts masters tend to keep their center of gravity low, both to avoid being caught off guard and to maximize the impact of their attacks when pushing down with their feet.

However, due to the fact that foot sweeps tackle opponents at their feet as their center of gravity is raised, it is easy to knock them down with less force.



When you grab an opponent's collar and lift or sway their upper body, their center of gravity rises momentarily.
If you sweep the victim's legs immediately after, the victim may appear helpless to onlookers.



[color]▲ Source : Olympic medalists Jo Joon-ho and Jo Joon-hyun on 'Hanpan TV'[/color]

Similar uses of this principle have been observed in actual street fighting, where one fighter shifts their opponent's center of mass while sweeping their legs.

Ms. One is aware that it is difficult for her to lift a larger and heavier opponent with only her strength. Since she is too weak and lightweight to make her opponents stumble, her strategy consists of sprinting towards her opponents to push them back, thereby creating an opening to sweep their legs while their center of gravity is momentarily elevated.

Although she chose Judo to overcome her weight class with intelligence, she is hesitant to use certain skills on missions. Those are "grappling techniques," which include pins, chokes, and joint locks.




Successful grappling techniques can overcome a weight class difference to some extent.
However, Ms. One uses them sparingly. This is due to the fact that they typically do not work against opponents who are significantly heavier or more muscular than her, and can result in counterattacks.




After accumulating a vast amount of combat experience, she had reached one conclusion.
Her formula for winning is to use Judo techniques to quickly take down her opponents, then finish them off with a gun.



Did you enjoy reading about Ms. One?
As one of the most intelligent members of AS, you can't help but notice how methodical she is, even in close combat.

Likewise, each of our characters has a theme that draws inspiration from or pays homage to real fighting techniques.
Stay tuned for more martial arts stories from our other characters following Ms. One!



The Climax of Killer Action
BLACK STIGMA Team