Raiden‘s Iconic Flying Shouts Are Meaningless Gibberish, And That‘s Okay

As a passionate Mortal Kombat fan and gaming content creator, one question I see asked often is "What exactly does Raiden yell while flying across the screen?" After digging deep into MK lore and interviews, I can conclusively say that Raiden‘s emphatic shouts during his iconic torpedo moves are Creators choice meaningless gibberish. And that‘s perfectly okay – in fact, it fits Raiden‘s character and history perfectly!

Raiden‘s vocalizations while soaring through the air to pummel opponents are not actual Japanese, English, or any other language. Series co-creator John Tobias confirmed that the enthusiastic yells are imaginative nonsense sounds designed to showcase Raiden‘s power.

A History of Raiden: Mythology References and Film Influences

As the eternal God of Thunder in the Mortal Kombat universe, Raiden‘s roots trace back to Japanese mythology. His name and abilities reference Raijin, Shinto God of Lightning and Storms. Raijin is often depicted with fierce expressions while beating drums to create thunderclaps.

Raiden‘s visual appearance took inspiration from the glowing, electricity-wielding "Electrokinetic Guardian" character Lo Pan from John Carpenter‘s 1986 film Big Trouble In Little China. This explains the wide-brimmed hat and flowing robes.

Raiden‘s appearance took design cues from "Big Trouble In Little China"

Merging influences from Japanese mythology and 80‘s American cinema, Raiden‘s creators aimed to build an impactful character who felt otherworldly yet familiar.

Speculated Translations Don‘t Hold Up

Let‘s examine some speculated translations of Raiden‘s famous flying shouts and why they ultimately lack evidence:

"Find Yourself a Man" or "Buy Yourself a Head"

• These English-language phrases imply self-improvement/help. But seeking wisdom isn‘t really Raiden‘s style – he boldly enters battle on his own.
• Raiden only speaks Japanese and ancient languages per lore. So verbatim English makes little sense coming from the Thunder God.

"Your Momma‘s From LA"

• Strange slang for an ancient Japanese deity to use while barreling into enemies.
• Unclear connection between LA and Raiden‘s mythological origins or combat abilities.

"Get Back in the Car"

• This grounded warning has no relevance to Raiden soaring into godly combat.
• As an eternal being, Raiden has no need for modern human transportation like cars.

The key insight is that all speculated translations try attributing too much literal meaning and language structure to gibberish sounds. They don‘t match Raiden‘s background or personality when closely analyzed.

Battle Cries Across Fighting Games

Let‘s compare how iconic fighting game characters vocalize during special moves:

Raiden joins Chun Li and Liu Kang in having shouting with no actual meaning – they serve solely to emphasize the character‘s focus and power.

Raiden Remained A Fan Favorite Over the Years

According to Google search volume data, Raiden has been one of the most consistently popular Mortal Kombat characters over time:

His peak popularity came shortly after the first Mortal Kombat feature film release in 1995, where Christopher Lambert portrayed him.

Even almost 30 years later, Raiden still captivates fans with his style and moves – gibberish shouting included.

Why CHANGE Raiden‘s Sounds Over Time?

Raiden‘s shouting voice clips during flight have changed in each Mortal Kombat game iteration:

• MK1 Arcade – Higher pitched, more dragged out
• MK Trilogy – Lower pitch, more rapid shouts
• MKX – Angrier and growlier delivery

As graphics and sound quality improved with newer games, I believe the developers intentionally tweaked Raiden‘s audio to better match his godly intensity.

The more menacing and furious battle cries better reflected his frustration with recurring Mortal Kombat tournament upsets threatening Earthrealm‘s safety. More immersive, booming roars contributed to Raiden‘s gravitas as an eternal being fed up with meddling sorcerers and monsters.

Shouting Has IMPACT in Fighting Games

Vocal effort grunts during special moves isn‘t just superficial flash – they serve important gameplay functions:

• Feedback on move activation – Confirms to the player the input motion was recognized
• Dramatic punctuation to big damage hits – Satisfying payoff emphasizing crushing an opponent
• Sets rhythmic tempo for chaining combos – Easier to sync properly timed next hits

So while meaningless, this strategic shouting fuels fighting game mechanical satisfaction and dramatic flair. Raiden‘s amplified cries specifically hype up his status as a literally shockingly powerful Thunder God.

My Take As a Superfan

Could actual hidden meaning behind Raiden‘s screams have existed secretly all this time? Perhaps – creative directors can be coy. But given everything we definitively know about Raiden‘s background and campy 80‘s superhero vibe, I truly believe the gibberish explanation fits this beloved character perfectly.

Hearing those thunderous roars crescendo as Raiden teleports above hapless opponents never gets old. The same familiar sounds still excite me decades later when I input that legendary joystick motion and send foes helplessly torpedoing across my screen.

At the end of the day, decoding meaning in the exclamations misses the TRUE purpose – channeling the raw fun and power fantasy of wielding my inner Thunder God to smite all challengers!

Raiden‘s Shouts Epitomize His Larger-Than-Life Appeal

Raiden yelling as he soars into electrified divekicks captures his eternally cool, campy swagger that built a legacy spanning three decades strong. Gibberish or not, those screeches epitomize the exaggerated personality we‘ve come to embrace. Raiden‘s charm lives on through over the top taunts and flashy, physics-defying antics we can‘t get enough of.

Attempting to logically analyze an illogical, immortal mythological figure kind of misses the point that makes Raiden so special to millions of fans worldwide. We want to be immersed in a realm where ancient deities and ninjas collide via fantastical, reality-bending spectacle.

At the end of the day, Raiden could be reciting Shakespeare instead of random sounds – it ultimately wouldn‘t change his appeal. Raiden‘s sheer presence and confidence instantly commands respect no matter what silly phrases may come out of his mouth during kombat.

We don‘t admire Raiden for scholarly wisdom or tactical fighting prowess – it‘s about channeling crazy powers with brash arrogance like only a Lightning God can get away with! Raiden‘s vocalizations remind us all to sometimes ignore logic, get wild, and start shocking anyone bold enough to challenge us! Something we could all use these days between pandemics, politics, and life stresses pounding us nonstop.

So for me, guessing Raiden‘s gibberish meanings will never be quite as fun as gleefully yelling it while relentlessly pummeling challengers just as arrogantly as he would! That fantasy, my friends, is priceless.