Raiden (Metal Gear)

Raiden (Metal Gear)

Raiden (Japanese: 雷電?), whose real name is Jack (ジャック, Jakku?), is a fictional character from Konami's Metal Gear series. Created by Hideo Kojima and designed by Yoji Shinkawa, Raiden was introduced in the series as the main playable character of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, appearing as a trained member of the FOXHOUND special forces, and participating in his first mission. Raiden reappears as a supporting character in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and is scheduled to be the main character of the next game in the series, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

The idea of creating Raiden originated from Hideo Kojima's desire to view the series' protagonist Solid Snake from a different point of view, inspired by the Sherlock Holmes stories. Raiden's inclusion in the game remained a secret to gamers before the release of Metal Gear Solid 2; despite some players' reactions, the staff liked his character. He was voiced by Kenyu Horiuchi in the Japanese versions of the games and by Quinton Flynn in the English adaptations.

Raiden's role as the protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2 was controversial for two reasons: the unexpected substitution of the established hero, Solid Snake, and Raiden's androgynous appearance. Some critics have defended the character, stating that fans were merely angered by Snake's removal and that Raiden was appealing. Despite this mixed reception, Raiden has been highly praised for his role and his redesign in Metal Gear Solid 4.