AKJ's analysis
Aw yeah this is it, this is the match I've been looking forward to for at least a week. I feel like Sub Zero vs scorpion's "strength" was somehow artificially inflated this contest. Yeah, they're a cool 90s rivalry and all that, but when you get to the heart of the matter they just don't "feel" like legitimately "strong" characters. Ryu (and Ken I guess) are different though. These guys are actually relevant today. They're definitely more iconic. If you look at a picture of Ryu from 2011 and 1992 you can easily tell they're the same people - try that with Scorpion or Sub Zero. Ryu vs Ken came out of the gates putting up a devastating 81% on fodder, followed by a near doubling of a solid Nintendo icon. These guys are here for real. That's why Ryu vs Ken has a serious shot at this match.
None of that matters to me, though, because the Pokemon Trainers are the heroes of the contest for me. I've seen several people on board 8 over the weeks really nail down exactly what it is about this rivalry that makes it just so perfect. Maybe it has a lot to do with Blue being there from step 1, picking your pokemon's weakness, and either laughing at you when he beats you or shrugging off the practice match for not mattering if not. There's just no winning with this guy. He's always one step ahead of you, and people remember that! It's also reinforced by many of us having fond memories of the Pokemon anime after school 10+ years ago. Sure, Ash and Gary aren't Red and Blue, but they're close enough that some people associate the memories. (Not everyone can be a cultured voter that loves Red from the Pokemon Special manga!) So when Red vs Blue tripled Kerrigan in round 1, I figured that was about right. I had maybe even expected more, and remember this is coming from someone that took Kerrigan > Vincent back in the day. Just saiyan. But then round two happened and something so weird occurred. How in the WORLD does Red vs Blue hold LUIGI to the same-ish percent as Kerrigan? Luigi is not Kerrigan, and I don't care how much you blame Waluigi bringing down the team.
I think this has a lot to do with Oldschool Pokemon being somewhat ubiquitous among Gamefaqs gamers. I mean just look at the sales numbers. It's not an exaggeration to think of Red vs Blue, exposure-wise, of being in the same ballpark (probably a tier below, but close) as Mario and Link. E v e r y o n e knows these guys, and for all the aforementioned reasons many people have reasons to love them. For a comparison, look at someone like Solid Snake. For every die hard fanboy, there's someone like me that didn't like the games and only really "knows" Snake from Super Smash Bros. Or like me, who had to look up who Commander Shepard is. Or who only knows about Dante from previous Gamefaqs contests.
So do I think Pokemon will hold the Fighters to near 75% again? No, not exactly this time. I don't think it'll be in contention, but like I said in the beginning, Ryu has some serious strength and the two do have a great rivalry. In my bracket I have the Pokemon Trainers in the finals - it's not possible, I know that, but I want to believe just one round more!
AKJ predix Red vs Blue with 55.55%
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<Die the death>! <Sentence to death>! <Great equalizer is the death>!!