Mortal Kombat (Anime)

Mortal Kombat is a 2011 anime adaptation of the popular Mortal Kombat fighting game series, created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. Created by Boon, Masashi Kishimoto and Frank O'Connor, it premiered on October 3, 2011, and ran for 220 episodes until its conclusion on February 8, 2017. Most seasons are adapted from the first seven games of the series, while eighty episodes are original episodes that utilize plot elements not seen in the original series. The original Mortal Kombat anime began a rerun on Wednesdays and Thursdays (until the fourth week September 2011 when it changed to just Wednesdays). It was remastered in HD, with new 2D and 3D effects, under the name Mortal Kombat Anime: Unchained. It included never before scenes and many non-canon materials was cut to make it more faithful to the original games. In addition, it contains openings and endings different from the original series.

Plot
Much like the original games, the series takes place in a fictional universe consisting of six surviving realms which were created by the Elder Gods: Earthrealm, home to such legendary heroes as Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Jax, and also under the protection of the Thunder God Raiden; Netherrealm, the fiery depths of which are inhospitable to all but the most vile, a realm of demons and shadowy warriors such as Quan Chi, Noob Saibot and it's ruler, Shinnok, the Fallen Elder God; Outworld, a realm of constant strife which Emperor Shao Kahn claims as his own; Seido, The Realm of Order, whose inhabitants prize structure and order above all else; Chaosrealm, The Realm of Chaos, whose inhabitants do not abide by any rules whatsoever, and where constant turmoil and change are worshipped; and Edenia, which is known for its beauty, artistic expression, and the longevity of its inhabitants." The Elder Gods decreed that the denizens of one realm could only conquer another realm by defeating the defending realm's greatest warriors in ten consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, which Outworld is victorious at, the other five are the only ones who did not fall in his hands.

Season One takes place in Earthrealm (Earth) where different warriors with their own reasons for entering participated in the tournament with the eventual prize being the continued freedom of their realm, threatened with a takeover by Outworld. Among the established warriors were Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Johnny Cage, Jaxsd, Nightwolf and Sonya Blade. With the help of the Thunder God Raiden, the Earthrealm warriors were victorious and Liu Kang became the new champion of Mortal Kombat.

In Season Two, unable to deal with his minion Shang Tsung's failure, Outworld Emperor Shao Kahn lures the Earthrealm warriors to the Outworld where he promises that if they win one more time against Outworld, Earth will be forever free. After fighting and training hard, Liu Kang eventually does so, and Earthrealm is at a seemingly peace.

By the time of Season Three, Shao Kahn revives Edenia's (at this time a part of his Outworld domain) former queen Sindel in Earthrealm, combining it with Outworld as well. He then attempts to invade Earthrealm but is ultimately defeated by the Earthrealm warriors again. After Kahn's defeat, Edenia was freed from Kahn's grasp and returned to a peaceful realm, ruled by a now restored Queen Sindel and her daughter, Princess Kitana.

The following season, features the Fallen Elder God Shinnok attempting to conquer the realms and attempting to kill the Thunder God Raiden and Wind God Fujin. However, he is also defeated by Liu Kang, with the aid of old and new warriors.

In Season Five, the evil sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung join forces to conquer the realms, killing both Liu Kang and Shao Kahn. Planning to unleash the ancient army of the long-forgotten Dragon King, they end defeating all of Earthrealm's warriors in the process.

By Season Six, after several fights, the sorcerers emerge victorious, until Raiden steps forth to oppose them. The Dragon King Onaga, who had been freed by Reptile at the end of Season Five, had deceived a old warrior named Shujinko his entire life into searching for six pieces of Kamidogu, the source of Onaga's power. Onaga then confronted the alliance of Raiden, Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi, where Raiden killed himself in a failed attempt to destroy Onaga. Onaga then obtains the Amulet of Shinnok, the final piece of his power. Only a few warriors remained to combat against the Dragon King and his forces. Shujinko eventually triumphed over the Dragon King and removed his threat to the universe.

In Season Seven, the final season of the original series, the catastrophe known as Armageddon starts. Centuries before the first Mortal Kombat, Queen Delia foretold the realms would be destroyed because the power of all warriors from all the realms would rise to such greatness it would overwhelm and destabilize the realms, triggering an all-destructive chain of events. Argus had his sons, Taven, and Daegon, put into incubation who would one day be awakened to save the realms from Armageddon by defeating a firespawn known as Blaze. In the end, however, Shao Kahn is the one who defeats Blaze, causing Armageddon.