Necrid

Necrid (ネクリッド) is a character in the Soulcalibur series of fighting games. Designed by comic book artist and toy designer Todd McFarlane in collaboration with Namco, he first appeared in the console versions of Soulcalibur II and later as part of an action figure set by McFarlane Productions. While McFarlane designed and named Necrid, his concept and physique were outlined by Namco to appeal to North American audiences. Necrid's backstory is that he was once a human warrior who sought the cursed sword Soul Edge, but was pulled into the dimension of the sword's spirit. He escaped with his body drastically mutated and his memories and sanity lost. He now wields various forms of energy as weapons, seeking fragments of the shattered Soul Edge to soothe the pain caused by his separation from the dimension's energies. Necrid's spoken lines are unintelligible, and no voice actor is credited. His inclusion in Soulcalibur II made him a divisive character, with some critics finding his design clashing with the game's aesthetic, while others praised his visual appeal in motion. Necrid's fighting style, described as having “horrific splendor,” combines moves from other characters and includes unique energy-based attacks. Although absent from later games due to initial copyright issues, he remains a memorable character in the Soulcalibur series.