Xianghua

Xianghua's experience with the sword goes back to her childhood, and in her relatively short life she has developed considerable skill. Originally assigned by the Emperor to find and retrieve Soul Edge, she instead learned of the weapon's true nature and destroyed it. This marked the end of her career and her rank, but fortunately not her life. Xianghua later discovered that the Emperor's quest was not over, and that he was seeking the remaining fragments of the sword. She thus embarked on a new quest to track them down and destroy them first.

In battle, Xianghua takes advantage of her agility and nifty precise swordplay to confuse the enemy before attacking. She enjoys it too, cheerfully toying with her opponent and taunting and giggling at every feint.

Xianghua's previous imperial position has given her a taste for the decadent which carries over into her battle dress. Her light blue sleeveless cheongsam is visibly rich in fabric to catch the light, and is trimmed with gold piping. An impressively large black motif covers her chest, also trimmed with gold. At waist height sits a decal of an open flower, and below that two plumes of gold either side of a golden wall. On the (low cut) back are two "butterfly wings" also in gold. Her detached sleeves are flared at the wrist with a complex purple and gold cut cuff, with a smaller purple and gold band at the upper arm.

Her shorts are improbably tight but surprisingly conservative. They are of a similarly rich fabric, but are a darker purple than usual. A symmetrical gold design runs down the side of each thigh to the gold trim above the knee. Her light purple knee pads may be part of them, or may be separate. She wears a wide strip of blue fabric as a "belt," fastened either side of her hips with little purple bows. Another flower design decorates the free flowing ends. Finally, Xianghua wears simple purple and gold sandles with a purple ankle strap.

Her imperial look is emphasised with a highly detailed headdress which keeps most of her hair back, but allows two long strands to fall either side of her face. Large gold and purple teardrop earrings complete the ensemble.

Xianghua's second outfit keeps the gold and emerald trim motif but settles on a regal red for the main bodywork. The general shape of the collar and tail is the same as her standard gear, with similarly lush fabric. The back is now pleasantly full (though featuring a suggestively flesh-toned cutout) and even offers a shoulder jacket to protect her from the elements. Any modesty gained by these additions, however, is immediately lost by the revealing omg cleavage beneath a detailed green strap. As usual, the entire outfit is picked out with gold decals easier seen than described, and a faint geometric pattern dead centre. Sleeves, which may be separate, are nice and snug and extend to the wrists, leading into green fingerless (and palmless, for that matter) gloves patterned with a yin yang symbol.

Xianghua's shorts really are very short, and start low enough to expose midriff beneath her top. If that weren't enough are even cut slightly to the side to allow for easier high kicks. Leg protection is kept to a minimum, accomplished through a curious twist of decorated red fabric with heavy gold trim. On her right leg, it snakes around her knee as a shinpad, while her left is covered only around the calf. The resulting effect appears continuous when standing straight. Her red strapped platform sandals come with extravagant green petals arcing up around her ankles.

Accessory-wise, the headwear is a more conservative red and green headband which allows a lengthy fringe through, but keeps the rest of her shorter hair back in order to fall over it.

Xianghua's third costume is a sexy black number in keeping with her traditional style, with the white of the collar extending down her right side and across her back in an omega fashion. Flowers cover the design, from the large gold outline across her chest to the full colour vine snaking around the hiptular area. Unlike her first dress, she carries plain black elbow-length sleeves puffed around the shoulder and ending with a gothic lace trim. Chunky black wristbands finish it off.

The lolita effect continues with her thigh-high laced stockings which terminate in familiar anklets. Her many high kicks strike the enemy with simple black pumps with sporty white ankle straps.

Gone is the headband, but back are emerald earrings with two long dangly bits. Her hair, still short but now with a red tinge, is pulled back into a bun and fastened with arcane magick.

Xianghua uses a set of simple, straightforward swords, so there is little variation when it comes to appearance. Her unnamed default weapon has a long gold and green banded hilt with a large tassle to match her standard costume.

The blessed Soul Calibur has an unusual split blade, widened at the base, and held together at points along its length. The guard has a faintly angelic motif, picked out in aquamarine and featuring a twist as it reaches the blade itself.

Her third weapon of interest is the cursed version of the Soul Calibur, after its encounters with Soul Edge. The split blade remains, though it appears to have lost the joins near the tip. The hilt is identical but for a switch to a darker red and brown colour scheme. Most notable is the guard, whose wings have grown and taken on a more batlike appearance, and the central part now features an eerie single green eye.

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