Sonya Blade, one of Mortal Kombat’s most well-known characters, has been brought into the real world by a brilliant cosplayer. For Mortal Kombat fans, one of the most recognisable “kombatants” is Sonya Blade, who was first introduced in the game’s third instalment. Fast-paced action and gory finishing moves have been the trademarks of the violent fighting game brand since its inception in 1992. Mortal Kombat cosplays have gained a cult following among individuals who enjoy dressing up as their favourite characters for a fight.
Mortal Kombat has been around for nearly 30 years, and it has established a wide range of playable characters that are still instantly recognisable. For each new sequel, the first instalment’s lineup of seven deadly kombatants, notably the opposing duo of Scorpion and Sub-Zero, is considered a safe bet. As well as Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Raiden from the original series, there have been other spin-offs and sequels that have brought even more unique designs. Prosthetics and makeup have been used to stunning effect to bring D’Vorah, the insectoid demon from Mortal Kombat X, to life. Mortal Kombat X heroine Mileena’s demonic jaws have been reproduced utilising film-worthy makeup effects in cosplay of the character’s look.
Tniwe, a Reddit user, dressed up as Sonya Blade from the first Mortal Kombat arcade fighting game. While the military-grade fighter has had a plethora of outfits over the years, this one is based on her 1992 suit. Everything from her haircut to her white sneakers to her armbands has been faithfully recreated by Tniwe. Tniwe stands kombat-ready with one fist out in front and the other ready to strike at her opponent, maintaining her character’s position.
Tniwe, a Mortal Kombat enthusiast, is one of many who stubbornly clings to the fighting game’s 1990s beginnings despite the series’ progress. A remake of the original Mortal Kombat trilogy is still desired by many gamers despite Mortal Kombat 11’s tremendous character customisation and virtually photorealistic graphics. In a recent petition, an independent game creator, Eyeballistic, provided 4K-rendered pictures of classic games as a proof-of-concept. It is claimed by the indie studio that Warner Bros. rejected the proposal five years ago, despite Ed Boon’s support. Tniwe and other cosplayers have shown that there is a strong desire for a remake of the original games.
There are a wide variety of characters and a large fighting game audience in Mortal Kombat’s 30-year history. Others, however, go the extra mile by dressing up as their favourite cosplayers as opposed to simply playing the game as them. In Tniwe’s Sonya Blade reconstruction, Mortal Kombat’s most lethal woman is brought into the real world as a throwback to the franchise’s historical roots.
