If you would like to be interviewed here by Vega then just send one of the staff here a message and a description about yourself in order to have suitable questions relevant to you. If Vega thinks you are an ideal candidate, he'll ask you all the interview questions.

    You don't need a site to be interviewed but it is preferred if you are a Street Fighter fan since it will be easier to ask the questions.

Today's interview is with Mad Spence (Dan's Super Dojo)! Mad Spence, why did you decide to build a Dan site? Was there something really special about him that caught your attention?


<Mad Spence> When I first started playing the Alpha Street Fighter games, Sagat was my character of choice. I started playing Dan awhile after Alpha 2 had been released, just for sheer variety at first. After playing as Dan for some time I found myself becoming intrigued with his unusual and unique style - I also enjoyed the challenge of trying to prove my might with a character that was universally condemned as "lame" by everyone I cared to ask!

Once I started looking into Dan’s backstory and discovered the SNK parody link, I knew that this was a character who clearly deserved his own website. The background to Dan is just so funny and bizarre I couldn’t resist diving into it. Combined with the fact I found him a very fun character to use in the game, I was hooked!


If Dan really did have a Saikyo dojo would you join and learn the arts of Shotokan along with taunting?


<Mad Spence> *laughs * Hmmm, interesting question. I’ll hedge my bets on this one and say no - I bet Dan’s Saikyo Dojo would be so famous that the membership subs would be way too much for me to afford! ^_~


Since you are a martial artist yourself, does that help you to play fighting games? In any ways are you like Dan?


<Mad Spence> I annoy my friends sometimes by pointing out what martial art style a certain move in the game comes from, usually distracting them just before they try and pull off a complicated combo, so maybe it helps! ^_^ Seriously, there’s more crossover from game to life than the other way around. Standing over an opponent with forearm shaking, yelling "Oyaaaaaaajiiiiiiiii!" draws some strange looks but is worth just for the coolness. Now if only I could recycle my tears in the way Dan does.... Apart from the taunts, I’m happy to say I share very little in common with Dan. Although I have been tempted to grow a ponytail from time to time.... ^_~


How do you respond to the fact that some people think that Dan is nothing more than a joke character?


<Mad Spence> I always ask them to explain why Dan has appeared in so many games since his debut in the Alpha series. Of the new characters introduced in the Alpha series, only Dan and Sakura (you could perhaps argue Charlie too) have gone on to become a firm part of the Streetfighter 2 universe. That’s a great deal of longevity for an obscure joke aimed at SNK.

I think you hear the accusation levelled at Dan less now than you did a few years ago. I find that even players who don’t especially like Dan to use in the game can’t help themselves but laugh at his antics and cut scenes - his appearance in CvS: Chaos is probably his best yet in that regard.

For those die hard haters who still dismiss Dan, I’d urge you to put down Akuma and Iori for a moment or two and actually give Dan a whirl as a character. He’s not easy to master but is immensely rewarding if you give him the time - and you’ll have plenty of laughs on the way. ^_^


Do you have anything to say to all your fans?


<Mad Spence> Keep the taunting strong and support your local SF site! ^_^ Cheers and Best Wishes


That's all the questions I have for you. Thank you for participating in the interview!