True Rune Bearers...and Rock Stars? I'm sure a few of you might think that trying to connect some of the most beloved (and hated) characters in our favorite series to some famous Musicians is impossible, right? An RPG from Japan can't take much influence from mainstream artists from Europe and North America, right? Wrong. Some of the connections are a little bit questionable, and some are very shocking. I will look at Three examples, and I hope you enjoy.

1. Sierra Mikain (Blue Moon Rune) and Keith Moon (Late Drummer of the Who)

This one might look apparent at first: The similarity is in the name. Well, yes, that is something that is similar, but it's also irrelivant, since Vampires are often associated with the night and the moon, and Keith was obviously unable to control what his last name was. So what could a white haired Vampire girl and the 'Lunatic' Drummer of the legendary British R&B band have in common? I'll show you.

Keith Moon as 'Keith Normal'

We know that Sierra was the first vampire, and by some way came to have the Blue Moon Rune. Later, in the middle of a forest, she went on to start Blue Moon Village, a haven for gentle vampires. In an altar in the center of the village, she placed her Blue Moon Rune, so the vampires could bask in its aura and live peacefully.

Keith Moon was also a 'first': He was the first drummer to believe in the importance and need of a dynamic drummer. Before his time drummers were just replaceable session men, but during and after it their roles increased in importance. So where did Keith place his kit during the band's explosive live performances? Where else! in the center of the stage, so fans could bask in the aura of his sloppy, but innovative drumming.

2. Luc (Former of the True Wind Rune) and Maynard James Keenan (Lead Singer of Tool and A Perfect Circle)

These two share several things in common, though perhaps first and foremost their enigmatic nature. Luc is the talented Wind Mage whose motives are kept hidden until the third game. Maynard is the talented leader of one of the most dynamic and interesting bands to come out of the 90's. You can't deny that both of these men have a certain mystique about them.

Something else they both share is a dislike, even a hatred for God. Remember that in Suikoden the world was created from Darkness when Sword and Shield crashed and created the True Runes, which balance out the power in their world. Luc bore the True Wind Rune before he died, and when confronted at Brass Castle by Albert and the Flame Champion (Hugo) in Suikoden III, a very revealing dialogue happens.

Hugo - Why are you doing this?
Luc - ...
Albert - You wish to destroy God, is that it, killer priest?
Luc - Exactly

Luc wants to destory God to free himself, but several times in III he admits that he hates his True Rune, and therefore hates God. Maynard like Luc also seems to hate god, as this shocking verse from the song 'Eulogy' indicates:

"Ranting and pointing his finger, at everything but his heart, we'll miss him."

The problem of Religion is also a very predominant theme in 'Opiate' and 'Jimmy', as well. And yet another thing that the two have in Common: Both like to hide their appearances: Luc wore a mask for most of Suikoden III, and Maynard frequently hides/changes his appearance for the band's live sets. Here is Maynard before the show and Maynard during the show. 3. Hikusaak (Circle Rune) and Axl Rose (Former lead singer of Guns n' Roses)

This is the big one. We know that Hikusaak was (is?) once a great warrior, defeating the Kingdom of Aronia with the power of the Circle Rune. Around when this happened, he was clearly the man, then going on to place himself atop the most powerful kingdom in the Suikoworld and use his Circle Rune to govern everything.

Now rewind back to the late 80's. Much like the ancient Kingdom of Aronia is believed to have been, music was just bad...that's right, bad, no other word to describe it. Then suddenly in 1987 this band comes out of nowhere and brings chunky, beefy rock n' roll back into the mainstream. They enjoyed a few years of success, before disbanding in 1995. The similarities between Axl and Hikusaak are so strong that they can be listed and cross compared as such.

Traits of Axl Rose and Hikusaak

Death: - Hikusaak is suspected by some in the Suikoworld to be dead and have been dead for years. - When was the last time you saw Axl?

Prejudice and Inequality:
- Harmonia is run with a rigid, and at times unfair-seeming caste system that places high emphasis on birth right and nobility.
- In 1988 Axl wrote One in a Million, sparking national outcry for its views on Homosexuals, Blacks and Immigrants.
Reclusiveness:
- Hikusaak has never been seen in a Suikoden Game.
- Between 1994 and 1999, Axl didn't do one interview, and has been working on an album in secret for over seven years now.

Axl Rose After

Axl Rose Before

So as you can see it looks like Konami has been putting a little bit of Western flavor into Suikoden. Modeling some of the more important characters in the series after rock icons creates a sense of familiarity between the player and the game and draws the player in, further than the game already does on the strength of its stories...

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