Defenders of the Legacy is an unofficial multimedia fanzine focused on Bloody Roar, the fighting game series that's captivated people all over the world for the past twenty years.
Message us at [email protected] with any questions!
This is an unofficial non-profit project made by fans for fans and has no association or affiliation with Hudson Soft, Eighting, Raizing, or Konami.
GUIDELINES
These guidelines are tentative and subject to change.
General Participation
Applicants must be at least sixteen (16) years old by the time of acceptance.
No previous zine work or familiarity with zines is necessary to participate.
This collaboration will be an inclusive project which encourages diversity, especially toward groups often marginalized in the gaming community. Disrespect towards other people's ethnicity, orientation, and personhood will not be tolerated.
Participation will require active communication and coordination. We respect our contributor's time and availability, so please respect everyone else's and be honest when you need more time to work on your piece, would benefit from feedback, or cannot complete your submission.
Applicants will be required to create at least one new piece of work for this project. Following the first piece's completion, they may work on other submissions as time allows.
Pieces made for this project will have a temporary exclusivity embargo placed on them until a certain time after the zine is released to the public. Once that time has passed, artists will be allowed to share their submissions on the platforms of their choice.
Portfolios may be submitted through a variety of methods, though a Google Drive folder is recommended. If the mods cannot view your portfolio, we will not be able to process your app and it will be discarded. Double check before submitting!
Because this is an [ESRB T / PG-16] project, portfolios should reflect a similar rating. Mods may require contributors to tone down certain types of content in their work if it is deemed too explicit for the scope of this particular zine.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Generative AI, whether it be for images, text, audio, or video, counts as plagiarism. Use of GenAI or other methods of plagiarism will result in a permanent ban from this and all future projects.
Mods reserve the right to deny contributions for infringement of these rules and to remove anyone that poses a danger to this project or its community.
Illustration Guidelines
Page Artists may complete single page illustrations, double page spreads, and possibly exterior covers. These will be the meat of the zine's submissions.
Spot Artists will also be sought to provide smaller illustrations around the zine, usually to accompany writing or accessorize a page that needs some extra pizzazz.
Bloody Roar has a total of 24 playable characters, with 2 singular game-specific variants and the optional reference of at least one character from the manga. Our hope is to give each of these iconic characters a little love, but we are well aware that some characters are vastly more popular than others and this will reflect in artist pitches.
PORTFOLIOS should include 5-10 examples of your strongest work that matches with the themes of this project and showcases the sort of work you would like to contribute to the zine.
Illustrations may be Traditional or Digital. Traditional artists will be required to submit a high-resolution scan of their image so we can properly format and showcase the artwork.
Portfolios should be SFW, as this is a SFW project. Non-sexual nudity will be allowed in the portfolio but will not be present in the zine itself. Blood, mild gore, and mild body horror is acceptable, but avoid including depictions of dismemberment, disembowelment, etc.
Portfolios need not include art of Bloody Roar (though they would be nice to see), but should generally reflect the type of image you are hoping to draw. For instance, if you want to draw beast forms then we should see a few examples of how you draw animals and werecreatures.
If you have examples of prior zine submissions, please include them and share the zine.
More specific guidelines will be available after Interest Check #2
Writing Guidelines
Short form (less than 500 word spot writing) and long form (one-shot prose stories, character / story analysis, meta articles) are all welcomed and encouraged.
Due to the nature of this project, narrative writings should aim to be canon compliant, not alternate universes (AUs) or too divergent with headcanon, and not involve OCs.
PORTFOLIOS should include 3-6 examples of your strongest work, idealy showcasing the type of writing that matches with this project and the sort of work you plan to contribute to the zine.
Each example should be between 500-2000 words and feature a complete idea or scene.
Portfolios should be SFW, as this is a SFW project. While the zine itself will have no focus on romantic pairings, AUs, or OCs, you are allowed to use them in your portfolio.
Portfolios need not include writings about Bloody Roar (though they would be nice to see), but should generally reflect the type of writing you hope to submit. For instance, if you want to write out a scene with combat between characters, we should see a few examples of that.
If you have examples of prior zine submissions, please include them and share the zine.
More specific guidelines will be available after Interest Check #2
Merch Guidelines
For this project we will be sticking to digital merchandise, things like icons/avatars, mobile and desktop wallpapers, etc, with an assortment printable add-ons like bookmarks and notepads.
PORTFOLIOS should include 5-10 examples of your strongest work that matches with the themes of this project and showcases the sort of work you would like to contribute to the zine.
Merch Portfolios must include digital art, as this will be our main merch focus. It is recommended that you are familiar with how to color correct and adjust your art for physical printing but not a requirement as our Merch Mod will assist you with printables.
Portfolios should be SFW, as this is a SFW project. Non-sexual nudity will be allowed in the portfolio but will not be present in the zine itself. Blood, mild gore, and mild body horror is acceptable, but avoid including depictions of dismemberment, disembowelment, etc.
Portfolios need not include art of Bloody Roar (though they would be nice to see), but should generally reflect the type of image you are hoping to draw. For instance, if you want to draw beast forms then we should see a few examples of how you draw animals and werecreatures.
If you have examples of prior zine submissions, please include them and share the zine.
More specific guidelines will be available after Interest Check #2
Other Guidelines
COMICS: Short comedic four panel comics (4koma) are highly desired. Longer form multi-page doujin-style comics are also wanted! This zine will not require more than 5 pages in this style, with the amount of polish required matching that level of output (so, if a comic artist produces 5 pages, they may not be required to do any more polish than basic linework compared to a 2 page comic that we would like to see in color, or a 1 page comic with some level of rendering).
COMICS PORTFOLIOS: Please reference Illustration Guidelines for the time being.
SONGS: Music is deeply important to Bloody Roar's identity with its late 90s hard rock edge. Tracks somewhere between ~1-3 minutes long, whether they be original or remixes from BR's soundtrack, would be a wonderful addition!
MUSIC PORTFOLIOS: Should include 3-6 completed audio tracks in the length and style of what you plan to submit to the zine. Musicians must have a working knowledge of their programs, as we do not currently have any Music Mod to assist with finalizing submissions.
More detailed guidelines for all sections will be available after Interest Check #2
Some tentative options for additional media we will accept submissions of include:
Cosplay Photography
Scene/Comics using model rigs
Emulation Guides & Gameplay Tutorials
Texture Packs for Game ROMs
Modding Guides & Resources
Nostalgic Articles from within the community
Upcoming Tournament Schedules (Online/Offline)
Tips for keeping the BR fandom alive, in and out of the FGC
F A Q
If your question isn't answered here, send an email to [email protected]!
Q: What is Bloody Roar?
A: Bloody Roar is a 3D fighting game series that revolves around its cast of characters all having an animal alter-ego and swapping between human or beast form in order to get an edge in combat. It is also much more than that.Bloody Roar takes many cues for its story and worldbuilding from civil rights, humanitarian, and environmentalist causes similar to the X-men, packs them together in a grungy late 90s/early 2000s urban sci-fi lite setting that embraces the virtues of community, found family, and the pursuit of peace through compassion in an effort to break the cycles of hatred and violence.Q: What is a zine?
A: Zines (pronounced zeen) are unofficially published booklets similar to magazines, hence the name. They are either digital or physically printed, made by non-professionals, and often produced as fanworks that use visual art and writing to express ideas about or appreciation for certain topics.Q: What is the focus/theme of this zine?
A: We're focusing on the series as a whole to celebrate this underrated classic, and show that interest in Bloody Roar still remains strong over twenty years later.Q: I'm new to Bloody Roar. Can I still participate?
A: Please do! Part of keeping this series alive is finding new people who can love it just the same, so if you find anything that appeals to you here then you're not only welcome to join the fun, we implore you!Q: Where do I start as a newcomer to the series?
A: There's a few places, really. Since this is an older series, if you want to play the games yourself you'll most likely have to emulate them. The BR FGC Server on Discord has detailed instructions for how to do this. If you want to jumpstart learning about the characters, story, and setting, then the BR Wiki is a good springboard, but Mod Snoof has been working on compiling canon information from the games for the past few years which can be found in this document here. There is also SCXCR's Bloody Roar Retrospective series on YouTube, which continues to be the most thorough and accurate to date.Q: How will this zine be distributed?
A: Hosted on itch.io for free, available to anyone who wants it.Q: Does the artwork need to be digital?
A: No! While the zine itself will be compiled and distributed digitally, contributors will be able to submit traditional art and even physical handcrafts. All we'll need to showcase them in the zine's PDF is a high resolution image or scan of your art.
Check the Guidelines button from our home screen here for detailed specs.Q: What are the content limitations?
A: Bloody Roar is a teens and up series, so we'll follow canon typical limits. This means you may include foul language (swearing), blood and violence, mild body horror (such as partial transformations), and allude to mature themes as they pertain to canon, such as human experimentation. You will not be allowed to include nudity, sexual content, gore (dismemberment), viscera (entrails), or major character death.Q: Can we portray any pairings?
A: Pairings/couplings and shipping as a whole will not be a focus of the zine so we would prefer to avoid overt romantic content. That said, we do want to see characters interacting! So if you have a ship you really like, it is okay to draw them together in the same piece and hint at it (canon examples include Alice hugging Yugo, Gado and Jenny sharing glasses of wine), we would just prefer if the overall tone of the zine be kept on the platonic or antagonistic side to highlight canon rivalries and found family.Q: Will OCs be allowed?
A: This project is a celebration of canon so no OCs will feature in this particular zine. However, if there is enough interest on this first volume, a separate BR OC zine could become a reality in the future!Q: What about crossovers?
A: Same answer as above.Q: Will contributors receive any compensation?
A: This is a passion project put together purely for the love of the game. Everyone who contributes is doing so on a volunteer basis with full knowledge that this is just for fun.Q: Will mods be allowed to contribute?
A: Yes, mods will be allowed to contribute if they wish! Though they will also be considered among our other pinch hitters if we end up with less contributions than we need further into our production cycle.Q: Can I apply for more than one position?
A: You can! But you must prioritize which positions you want most. Applicants will be held to their most desired position until they complete their first contribution, then they can consider additional pieces.Q: Can anyone apply?
A: Everyone who follows the guidelines is welcome to apply!
You can find a detailed list of guidelines from the home page that goes over art, writing, and other submissions.Q: Do I need any previous experience with zines?
A: Not at all! I bet most applicants haven't participated in a zine before either.Q: Is this an English-only project?
A: This is an ESL and other language-friendly zine! English and Spanish will generally get the best results in extended communication but we will do all that we can to accommodate anyone who expresses interest in this project from anywhere in the world, so please don't hesitate to reach out! We don't want language to be a barrier.Q: Will contributors need to join a Discord server to participate?
A: This zine will have a Discord server set up for ease of organization between many contributors, but its use will not be required. We recognize that not everyone can use it for any number of reasons, so we will be sure to coordinate with contributors who are unable to join the server and ensure they are able to participate nonetheless.If you have any concerns about being able to participate due to this or other reasons, please send us an email and we can discuss further details.Q: Why does this project not allow GenAI?
A: GenerativeAI in its current state is little more than a derivative resource that siphons the works of other artists without their permission and plagiarizes them. There will not be moral debates about the principles of art with regards to this project, but in addition to this already existing problem there is the environmentalist concern of how harmful the technology currently is with regards to energy consumption. Baseline, the harm GenAI poses to the planet in its current form goes against the core concerns that Bloody Roar itself poses with how humans treat the Earth, so we will not allow GenAI to be used with respect to other artists and the series' own ethos.
SCHEDULE
INTEREST CHECK #1
Oct 1st - Nov 1st 2024INTEREST CHECK RESULTS
November 15th 2024PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT
December 2024INTEREST CHECK #2 & MOD APPS
Jan 1st - Feb 1st 2025INTEREST CHECK #2 RESULTS
February 15th 2025MOD APP RESULTS
February 2025CONTRIBUTOR APPS
March 2025APP REVIEWS
April 2025CONTRIBUTOR EMAILS
April 2025PITCH SUBMISSION
May 2025PITCH REVIEW
May 2025SUBMISSION ASSIGNMENTS
May 2025WORK BEGINS
June 2025CHECK-IN #1
July 2025CHECK-IN #2
August 2025CHECK-IN #3
September 2025FINAL SUBMISSION
TBAFORMATTING
TBAPROJECT COMPLETE
TBA
MEET THE MODS
MOD SNOOF
Head Mod / Writer / Spot Artist
Hey there! I'm Snoof (she/her), also known as five5sixers. I've been in love with Bloody Roar since the first game released in 1997 and learned there was still an active following around 2019. This is my first attempt at running a zine or any collaborative project of this size and scope, but I have participated in a few zines before and I'm excited to share love for Bloody Roar any way I can!Check out my work on BlueSky - Tumblr - AO3 - Beast Drive
Mod Applications TBA