Lawless
“"Who am I?" Isn't it obvious? I'm a local businessman!
”
—Matsu to the Crusaders
Kenichi "Lawless" Matsui, also known as Matsu, is a major character and party member from the Near Future chapter, The Outsider. He is a tough-as-nails biker that sells taiyaki in the public park. He is Akira's best friend and older brother figure, and the boyfriend of Taeko, the matron of Bright Sparks Orphanage.
Profile
Appearance
Matsu is a tall and muscular man. He has dark green hair which stands straight up. He wears a pair of slick, dark sunglasses and has multiple scars; one through his right eye and a cross shaped one on his chest. He wears a black biker jacket with a flame pattern, with the Kanji 男 (man) on the back. He wears a pair of tight fitting biker pants and a pair of knee high boots. Around his neck is an orange bandanna.
Personality
Despite his appearance, Matsu is a very caring, principled person. Compared to the hot-blooded Akira, Matsu is a more mature and collected figure, who puts on the image of a lone renegade. He enjoys taking of the role of a leader, and being respected and looked up to by his peers. However, if someone harms anyone he is close to, such as Akira, Taeko or the Bright Sparks' orphans, Matsu will not hold back in punching their face in. Above anything else, Matsu is a man of immutable determination. Should he set his mind to something, he will do all in his power to see it accomplished.
Matsu has a very close relationship with Akira and Kaori, acting as a surrogate brother. He protects the brash Akira from attackers and encourages him to take up a part-time job. He also cares immensely for the sickly Kaori, going as far as to confess to her his plans to infiltrate the Tsukuba Research Facility at the risk of his life.
History
The Near Future: The Outsider
In the past, the man known as Lawless was once the leader of the anarchist biker gang, the Crusaders. Under Matsui's leadership, the Crusaders fought savagely against societal oppression. He and his gang would often butt heads with the city's riot police, led by Captain Tadashi Tadakoro, and the two would become very familiar with each other. On one particular night, Matsui and Tadashi confronted each other alone at the city harbor. Both men refused to back down, and each drew their gun. Matsui's hand found itself quicker, however, and with a single shot ended Tadashi's life. The biker hastily fled the scene after Tadashi's son, Akira, suddenly arrived.
Wracked with regret, Matsui stepped down as the leader of the Crusaders shortly after, cutting all ties with the group. Taking on the name of "Lawless" Matsu, he began to look after Tadashi's orphaned children, Akira and Kaori, as they grew up at the Bright Sparks Orphanage. He picked up an honest job selling taiyaki at the public park, and took part in keeping the orphanage afloat. The children of the orphanage soon began to look up to Matsu as a hero and protector.
Matsu is first seen in-game cruising into the park on his motorcycle, just as Akira is being jumped by members of the Crusaders. Incredulous that the Crusaders are abducting kids, he and Akira fight them off. After the fight, Matsu begins to personally suspect that the Crusaders are the culprits behind the recent kidnappings plaguing the city. He gives Akira a ride back to the orphanage on his bike to the tune of "Go! Go! Steel Titan!" before speeding off again, before even saying hello to Taeko.
After Akira leaves the orphanage, he can find Matsu working at his taiyaki stand at the park. At Matsu's behest, Akira can also take a spot behind the stand, where he must sell taiyaki to customers at varying prices. Depending on what is chosen, Matsu will either scold Akira for a mistake, or give him a taiyaki as a reward.
When Kazu, one of the children of Bright Sparks, is abducted by the Crusaders, Matsu springs into action. Followed by Akira and Taroimo, he tails the kidnappers across the city and into the harbor, where the heroes pummel them into submission and rescue the boy. Matsu demands to know the meaning behind the abductions, but the kidnappers refuse to confess. When Akira uses his psychic powers to discern the Crusaders are working under the Tsukuba Research Facility, Matsu is shaken. Making up his mind, he drops Kazu off at the orphanage before making his way to Tsukuba alone.
Matsu successfully infiltrates the research facility, where he once again runs into Akira, who followed after him; their meeting may occur either in the SE1 wing bathroom, or immediately after another brawl with the Crusaders. Forcing their way through, they at last encounter the Conspirators, who reveal to the intruders their plan to summon their god, Odeo, into the physical world, and subjugate the human race. After being forced to demolish the Liquid Human W-1 combat robot, Matsu urges Akira to retreat, lest they be overwhelmed by incoming troops.
The heroes convene at the orphanage to discuss their options, and come to realize their only hope lies in the Steel Titan, a colossal mecha only operable through psychokinetic energy. After watching Kaori volunteer to be liquefacted in order to power the Titan, Matsu vows to the group that he'll get it running. However, he is only a normal human, and as such is unable to maneuver the robot even slightly; he withdraws to Matango Paradise for a moment in shame. Unable to be deterred for long, however, Matsu comes up with a last-ditch effort to save the day. Returning to the Steel Titan, Matsu consumes a lethal amount of Matango to improve his concentration and takes the controls once more. Through sheer might of will, enhanced by the Matango in his system, Matsu is able to bring the Steel Titan to life.
Emboldened by his righteous high, Matsu pilots the Titan to the Bright Sparks Orphanage, which had in the interim been set ablaze by more members of the Crusaders. He heroically rescues the trapped Akira and Kaori within and fends off the attackers, but he soon reaches the limit of his strength, and his body is completely drained. As he gasps for breath, unable to speak, Akira reads his mind through his psychic abilities; in their silent bond, Matsu confesses his past to Akira, and acknowledges that he could never have been forgiven. As Taeko begs Matsu to rest, he weakly insists that they must pilot the Titan to Odeo Temple, but it is too late for him; he passes away at that moment, his body still grasping the Titan's controls.
Despite failing in his final goal, Matsu's death was not in vain. Akira, invigorated by his friend's deeds, is able to command the Steel Titan in his stead. Matsu's body remains within the Titan's cockpit as it flies to Odeo Temple and destroys the Odeo's vessel, the Inko Buddha Statue, his iron will seeing them through.
Gameplay
Strategy
As a playable character, Matsu only has access to close-range physical techniques, in contrast to the extended range of Akira and Taroimo, which can limit his effectiveness. To accommodate for this, his Physical Attack stat is the highest of any character in the chapter; if he can get up in his opponent's face, he'll be a force to be reckoned with. Notably, Matsu gains almost nothing upon a level-up; he may learn no new moves, and only his HP, Accuracy, and Evasion stats may increase, and in small amounts.
Abilities
| Name | Info | Description | Name | Info | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning Uppercut (Lightning Upper) |
Default | Deck an enemy with a punch to the jaw and leave them disoriented. | Badass Kicks (Guts Kick) |
Default | Send an enemy flying with a flurry of push kicks. |
 |
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| Fists of Rage (Pissed Fist) |
Default | Get mad at enemies and punch the hell outta them. | Gut Punch (Heavy Blow) |
Default | Soften up an enemy and lay them out with a blow to the liver. |
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Stats
| Original | Remake |
|---|---|
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Etymology
In the Japanese version, his real name is マツイ・ケンイチ (Matsui Kenichi). He is called by the nickname 無法松 (Muhōmatsu Wild Matsu), in reference to the Japanese title of the film Rickshaw Man, 無法松の一生 (Muhōmatsu no Issho The Life of Wild Matsu). The kanji used to write Matsu in his nickname, 松, means "pine tree." The name Matsui Kenichi has only ever been written in katakana in official material, so the kanji used to write it, if any, are unknown.
Kenichi is a common Japanese first name. Taeko is the only person in the game who calls him by his first name, as she is very close to him. The Aeon Genesis fan translation changed both his last name, Matsui, and his nickname, Muhōmatsu, to simply Matsu.
Gallery
1994 artwork for Matsu
Matsu and Akira at the taiyaki stand (SFC)
Matsu interrogates the Crusaders (SFC)
Matsu and Akira ready to fight the government (SFC)
Matsu vows to activate the Steel Titan (SFC)
Matsu drinking Matango at the bar (SFC)
Matsu's past as the leader of the Crusaders (SFC)
Artwork by Kazuhiko Shimamoto for Live A Live A Live 2019
Promo art depicting The Outsider for the remake
LINE sticker for remake
LINE sticker for remake
Note by Kazuhiko Shimamoto celebrating the release of the remake.
Artwork celebrating the release of the PlayStation/Steam versions
Trivia
- Matsu's appearance is based off of Yūsaku Matsuda, a japanese actor known for his role in action films.
| The Near Future: The Outsider |
|---|
| Characters |
| Akira • The Steel Titan • Lawless • Taroimo • Kaori • Doc Tobei • Taeko • Tadashi • The Crusaders • Conspirators • Odeo |
| Locations |
| Bright Sparks Orphanage • Timeless Wonders Antiques • Public Park • City Docks • Tsukuba Research Facility • Matango Paradise • Odeo Temple |
| Enemies |
| Crusader Thug • Crusader Enforcer • Crusader Road Captain • M-1 RC Car • M-1 Lariat Unit • M-2 RC Car • M-1 Kyokushin Unit • M-1 Komatsu Bulldozer • M-3 Lariat Unit • M-1 Hebel Slab • M-1 Psycher • M-2 Kyokushin Unit • Tense Suit • Dobermann Alpha • Private Security • Commander • M-93 MBT • Roaring Thunder • LH Combat Unit W1 • Vengeful Dragon • The Great Inko |
| Music |
| Go! Go! Steel Titan! • Wait for Truth • Playing with Psychos • Playing with Psychos on Matango |
| Transcripts |
| 2022 (English) • 1994 (English, Japanese) |