Strider Hiryu's Contest History

Who is Strider?
The lone Ninja of Capcom, he has much mystery about him, and much that surprises people. Strider actually didn't debut in a video game, in 1980 there was a manga in Japan starring Strider, he looked a lot younger (around 14) and had a different costume, but the books were very rare but had a cult fanbase, some of those being Capcom employees. For some reason, the producer disappeared and no more Strider comics were being made. Capcom refused to let Strider just die like that and made a platformer starring him and redesigned him a bit to look more mature and cool. Strider was second to only Ghosts n' Goblins as the most popular arcade side scroller. However, the team that made Strider also were the Street Fighter staff, with the popularity of Street Fighter 2 and Final Fight the staff almost forgot about Strider, they game him an NES game, but it was half assed and no where near as good as the arcade one. Strider then rolled in his grave when some European game company made a Strider game for the game gear that was god awful leaving a terrible taste in Strider fans. Strider was lost, but no for gone.

Capcom was making their fifth Marvel Comics fighter, since the first 2 vs games were Street Fighter characters vs X-men and Marvel Heroes/villians, Capcom wanted to expand on the Street Fighter side by no longer making it just Street Fighter, but use characters from other franchises. In an nostalgic rush, they decided to buy the rights to Strider and put him in the game. They redesigned him to look even more badass and gave him new moves and abilities. Strider then became one of the most popular characters in the game, as well as being the best tiered default character besides Wolverine. Strider's popularity expanded and Capcom decided to revive the series from the cold dirt the NES and Game Gear games left and make Strider 2 for the Arcade and Playstation. Strider 2 was a fantastic platformer with only 3 flaws, the game was way too short, the levels, while big, only have 5, the difficulty wasn't good, as you could continue form the place you died, and if you turn off the continues that game becomes too hard, since you don't have any extra lives, and the last boss is way too easy. The game has incredible art cutscenes while loading and during the conversations Strider has with a defeated boss. It also revealed that Strider is no ordinary human, when Strider defeats the last boss, he remember Strider from the first game, which took over 4000 years ago! And no, Strider isn't a decedent of himself.

Strider returned in Marvel vs Capcom 2, but was greatly weakened, he was still a force with Dr. Doom's Molecular Shield assist making this duo one of the most powerful in that game. Strider was going to be in Capcom's 3D crossover Capcom Fighting All Stars, but that game was canceled, twice. Strider also appeared in Namco X Capcom with his rival Thon Poo and Strider Hein (the only other last Strider other than Hiryu Who was also playable in Strider 2 after you beat the game). Hiryu was the only playable Strider character but he was a very powerful ally. Strider is a character while mostly known from Marvel vs Capcom, has a large fanbase for a character that has such little exposure.

"The only ones who belong to the Grandmaster are those who give up hope." - Strider Hiryu

(Writeup courtesy of Heroic Dr Wily)

Strider's Contest History
Win-Loss Record: 1-1

Summer 2002 Contest - South Division - 7 Seed
 * Southern Round 1 --- Defeated (10) Raziel, 30662 [52.57%] - 27661 [47.43%]
 * Southern Quarterfinal --- Lost to (2) Link, 17270 [24.23%] - 53992 [75.77%]
 * Extrapolated Strength --- 21st Place [24.23%]

Strider only being the Summer 2002 Contest makes absolutely no sense. He beat Raziel in that contest (granted, Strider's vote total there remains the lowest ever for the winner of a match), yet Raziel returned in Summer 2003 while Strider did not. Then in Summer 2004, Raziel's brethren Kain made the field while Strider again sat on the sidelines.

Summer 2005 comes along... nothing again. Granted Strider beat someone very weak and is likely only a midcarder at best, but the character that Strider beat returning to the field while Strider has yet to make it back is odd. Strider may have eventually gotten his ass whipped by Link in Summer 2002, but everyone gets their ass whipped by Link.

Though even when discussing Link, fun facts exist that make Strider's absence the past few years strange. Strider's percentage on Link was better than Scorpion's, yet it took until Summer 2005 for Scorpion to actually not make the bracket.

Will we ever see Strider in the field again?