Zack (Dead or Alive)

Zack
'Dead or Alive' character
Zack in Dead or Alive 6
First game	Dead or Alive (arcade, 1996)

For the currency of the same name, see Zack Dollars.

"Your heart is gonna be all mine, baby."

― Zack in Dead or Alive 5

Zack is a DJ from the Dead or Alive series, who first appeared in the original Dead or Alive. A self-taught Muay Thai boxer, Zack only enters the Dead or Alive Tournaments for money and fame.

While achieving a place in the top three in the previous three tournaments, either due to other contestants withdrawing or through his own efforts, Zack is the "winner" of the fourth tournament, as Helena Douglas gave up her title of winner to him.

He plays a huge role in the Dead or Alive Xtreme spin-off series, as he is the owner and creator of Zack Island, where the games take place.

History

The First Tournament

After hearing about the Dead or Alive tournament, Zack enters to increase his popularity and make a name for himself. He apparently succeeds in that endeavor, to an extent. He also earns a high enough ranking in the tournament to gain a prize of significant monetary value.

Zack in Dead or Alive 2

The Second Tournament

Zack entered the next tournament to please his fans and gain more money. Through the rounds, he had to face Tina Armstrong, who he took a fancy to, and tried to ask her out. Tina wasn't impressed and refused his advances, giving him a mirror and told him to "use it", hinting that she didn't like his appearance. Taking slight offense, the two fight it out.

As Zack went through the rounds, he meets Tina's father, Bass, who, being a protective parent, became enraged when he learned Zack liked Tina. He also meets Leon, who seems to know him, but Zack claims that he doesn't know the man at all (and pulls the same mirror insult on Leon that Tina did.) After the tournament, Zack once again succeeded in this task and returned to his life of leisure.

The Third Tournament

After exhausting all his financial reserves, Zack entered the third tournament to earn more money so that he can enjoy a Las Vegas vacation. During the tournament, he has to fight Gen Fu, who wants the prize money to pay off his granddaughter's hospital fees. Although Zack tries to tell him that if Gen Fu let him get the prize money, he could double it through gambling in a day, Gen Fu doesn't believe he can, and the two fight. He also fights Bass once more, and both fight over the who is going to win the prize money.

In the end, Ayane actually came first, but due to her departure after the tournament, Zack claimed the title by default, and got the prize money. With the winnings, Zack went to Las Vegas, and not only did he meet his future girlfriend and partner, Niki, but they also won a fortune from the Roulette tables together.

Forming Zack Island

Using the winnings they got in Las Vegas, Zack and Niki managed to buy a private island. He then sent out invitations to all the previous female contestants of the Dead or Alive tournament (as well as someone who wasn't previously a participant) that indicated that a new tournament was going to be held there. However, when they got there, they discovered the entire thing was a hoax. After two weeks passed, the dormant volcano unexpectedly erupted, with Zack being abandoned by Niki. Despite the fiery destruction of the island, he managed to survive, albeit bankrupt.

The Fourth Tournament

Despite public expectation, Zack went right on to his next conquest by attempting to climb the DOATEC Tritower during the fourth Dead or Alive Tournament. Despite nearly making it to the top, Zack was blown off the side of the building during the initial destructive explosions that were the result of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan’s attack on the corporation. After watching the explosion in shock and disbelief, he turns around to find Bayman who immediately confronts Zack. Still in shock, he fights Bayman.

When Helena activated the building’s self-destruct and attempted suicide by staying inside the building, Zack was the only fighter able to get to her. Having his extraction pilot fly through the blazing tritowers, he pulled her from the roof she was standing on seconds before the building’s detonation. Because of this, Helena gave her first place title to him.

Afterwards, Zack and Niki are reacquainted and go on an expedition to Egypt where they discover and explore a crypt, finding a large fortune, fighting off and fleeing an army of undead skeletons in the process.

Resurrecting Zack Island

Using the fortune Zack and Niki uncovered in Egypt, Zack, with help from extraterrestrials, resurrected Zack Island and renamed it New Zack Island. He then sends out fake invitations to the new Dead or Alive tournament to lure the girls over, although only Hitomi fell for the same trick twice, as the others had come over for their own reasons besides the tournament. Notably, Helena Douglas came over to see Zack with an offer. After two weeks had passed, Zack was about to propose to Niki, although a meteor shower set off the volcano again, sending it underneath the waves once more. Although Zack was assumed to have perished, he ended up being saved by the aliens he earlier made a deal with.

The Fifth Tournament

Zack is under Helena's employment during the two years after the fourth tournament. He is also the host of the fifth tournament, and during the reopening of DOATEC, Zack travels to give fighters invites to the fifth tournament.

He watches Kokoro fight Akira Yuki and comments saying "10 years. Time sure does fly". It is assumed that he was talking about Akira due to the fact that more than 10 years have passed by the timeline of Virtua fighter series.

Later on, Helena asks Zack to bring Hayate, Ayane, Ryu Hayabusa and Bayman to her on the Freedom Survivor to talk about personal business, specifically about Donovan and his new organization, MIST. Zack finds Hayabusa in New York, but is unable to convince him to go with him to Helena because of the Dragon Ninja's personal business and refusal to go on the helicopter. He somehow is able to recruit Ayane and picks up Hayate in the Middle East, but is unable to convince Bayman to join because he needed to go to other places and investigate about Donovan and Christie.

Resurrecting New Zack Island

Shortly after the fifth tournament, Zack decides to rebuild once again the New Zack Island after the last catastrophe two years ago. However, Zack is busy working on a something very important job (with not even Helena apparently being aware of what this job entailed), so he appoints a substitute to be the owner of the island while he's gone.

The Sixth Torunament

TBA

Endings

Dead or Alive 3 ending zack

DOA3 "The Richman"

Dead Or Alive 4 - Zack Ending - Great Quality !!

DOA4 "Zack! Zack!! Zack!!!"

Character

Appearance

Zack is a young African-American man who likes to keep up with his looks. As he keeps changing the style of his hair and dyes it constantly such as crimson red, neon green and turquoise, but his natural hair color is unknown though it is presumed to be black. Zack chooses to wear dark sunglasses and goggles with colored lenses that hide his eyes, but his eye color is dark brown as revealed in Dead or Alive 5 in his second costume: the player can see his eyes from the sides of his glasses.

Often seen wearing bright, colorful, and sometimes absolutely bizarre costumes in the tournaments, Zack has one of the most fancy appearances in the series, as well as being the only character that goes through the largest change of appearance every game, since he changes his hair so much.

Zack wearing his famous "alien suit".

One of his recurring costumes, and possibly his most iconic outfit, is a tight full-body "alien suit". Made from silver, reflective material, the suit comes with boots and gloves with neon green trim, a blue screen on his chest, as well as a hood with red goggles. The hood gives Zack "pointed ears", and a flowing antenna on his forehead, which can glow purple when he taunts other fighters.

In the latest installment, he has a completely bald head for the majority of his costumes, and has a more mature appearance. He has a naturally colored trimmed beard, and his skin is more normally dark. He wears alot more conservative costumes, such as suits, hoodies and jeans, but he still does possess the alien suit, and an even more outrageous Disco inspired jumpsuit and flowery afro wig, and platform boots.

Personality

Zack is a very flamboyant, perpetually happy, energetic and natural showman who lives to entertain and tries to never disappoint his friends. He is constantly smiling and bares a positive light about himself, simply shrugging off any setbacks and insults that may come his way. Wherever he goes, Zack often makes commotion and creates scenes. With his cheerful ways, clownish antics, and sometimes weird behavior, Zack is often a source of comic relief in the series. Owing to his more jovial nature, he sometimes instigates some hoaxes, which is evident with the first two Xtreme games where he attempted to lure the girls out for a vacation on islands by falsely claiming that the next tournament was being held on the island, and in Xtreme Venus Vacation where he was implied to have tricked Misaki into thinking the Zack statue belonged to the Venus Islands' god and that the Venus Festival was a religious ceremony dating back to ancient times.

When fighting, he likes flashy, showy moves, and keeps up a constant patter of talk and laughter. His ego has led him to create autographs and statues in his image, even naming an entire island after himself. Zack used to be money-hungry; he entered the tournaments solely to win the prize money to fund his luxurious lifestyle, and he is a master at the casino table. However, by the time of Dead or Alive 5, Zack becomes a polite and reserved man; he may have learned this working under Helena. However, he does still retain a careless side to him, as in Dead or Alive 5, he initially mistakes Sarah Bryant for Tina Armstrong and he neglected to inform his replacement about what his specific job was at the Venus Islands in Xtreme Venus Vacation.

Zack does also care for other people; he saved Helena from committing suicide at the burning tower, and is willing to help Helena from building a new and peaceful DOATEC. In addition, Zack also accepted Diego's declining of the sixth tournament invitation upon learning about the latter's situation with his terminally ill mother.

Etymology

The English name Zack is a short form of Zachary, a form of Zacharias, which in turn is a Greek form of Zechariah. The name Zechariah is from the Hebrew name זְכַרְיָה (Zekharyah) which means "Yahweh (God) remembers".

Relationships

Tina Armstrong

Since Dead or Alive 2, Zack had an attraction to Tina Armstrong but failed many times to make Tina fall in love with him, mostly due to his loud, strange appearance, which Tina did not like the look of at all. After falling for Niki, Zack stopped chasing after Tina. In Dead or Alive 5 it's unknown if Zack is still with Niki, he may have a attraction to Tina, calling her "Tina babe" but in a more polite way. Zack is also often teased by Tina; if the two of them win a tag-team fight, Tina would high-five Zack, but as he does it back, she would jump to the side and let him fall onto the ground.

Niki

After meeting in Vegas in Dead or Alive 3, Zack fell in love with Niki and the two started dating. The two did break up after Zack Island’s initial destruction but reunited again during Dead or Alive 4 and the pair remained together during the resurrection of Zack Island and the island’s second destruction. Zack refers to Niki as his lucky charm and even named a beach on his island after her. The two of them share the same greed for money and luxury.

Hinted by the first chapter of Dead or Alive 5, Zack and Niki may have officially broken up based on him keeping a picture of Helena on his helicopter with hearts scribbled. However, the picture next consists of Niki, which is likely a memento to remember her, or he might still have mixed interests.

Bass Armstrong

Zack and Bass have formed a kind of rivalry since Zack’s "courtship" of Tina; Bass is highly protective of his daughter and saw Zack as a threat, although Tina was obviously not interested in Zack. Their rivalry was such that Zack even named a beachhead after Bass as a joke on Zack's Island. By the time of Dead or Alive 5 Zack is on more friendly terms with Bass and he even has a friendly fight with him.

Helena Douglas

Zack saved Helena from her attempted self-sacrifice suicide during the destruction of the DOATEC Tritower. Since then, the pair seem to have become business partners, with Helena visiting New Zack Island in order to discuss the possible resurrection of DOATEC, with it also being implied he might have galactic aims for restoring DOATEC, although Lisa implied this may have been an attempt at flirting when she overheard Helena mention this.

As of Dead or Alive 5, Zack seems to be working under Helena. A photo of Helena with hearts on it is also present in the helicopter Zack, implying that he may have a romantic interest with her.

Zack is something of a go-for liaison for Helena, having done most of the work to arrange the fifth tournament for Helena including scouting new talent as well as locating older fighters.

Helena also holds a certain unspoken fondness for Zack, comparing him to her father in DOA5 and stealing peeps at him from time to time when it seems nobody is looking.

In the opening to Xtreme 3, however, Helena briefly pondered what Zack was up to (as during that game, Zack was unable to do his usual role of manning New Zack Island due to having to do a massive project), implying that even she isn't necessarily privy to all of his activities.

Leon

In Dead or Alive 2, Leon claims that he and Zack had met before, although Zack says that he has never met him before. It is unknown if the men ever did meet before and Zack just forgot, if Zack is just denying it or if Leon confused Zack for someone else.

Bayman

Bayman and Zack have a complicated relationship. In the events of Dead or Alive 5, Bayman even gave a blunt remark that Zack "creeps him out." Despite this angering Zack, he accepted that he was not to convince Bayman otherwise nor to convince him to see Helena (which was the objective).

Kokoro

In Dead or Alive 5, Zack mentions knowing Kokoro for no less than 10 years suggesting Zack has known Kokoro since before the original Dead or Alive tournament.

Zack seems to assist Kokoro whenever possible such as when he flew her out to see her sister Helena. Kokoro seems to show no level of inhibition to being around Zack even when he is be socially clumsy. Kokoro is the only female to go to Zack island without any signs of coercion from Zack nor being asked into going such as when Helena Douglas asked Marie Rose to go. Kokoro also giggled when Zack introduced her to Helena as "the Beautiful Kokoro" and struggled repeatedly trying to not gaze at him affectionately after Zack said this. Kokoro will also go so far as to allow Zack to touch her physically in a casual way without any signs of protest whatsoever in spite of attacking both Brad Wong for trying to grab her and Lisa Hamilton for touching her accidentally, suggesting to two are highly close.

Honoka

It is unclear whether Zack and Honoka have ever actually met each other or interacted, although Honoka was at the very least familiar with him, as she sometimes calls out his name during a tag match. Presumably, she knew of Zack via various pro-wrestling shows she had watched. She presumably met Zack later on in Xtreme 3 when she got a raffle ticket from Zack at the shopping district in Japan to go to the island, although she admitted after arriving at the island that she recognized him from elsewhere, but couldn't put her finger on where exactly.

Misaki

Although they are never actually seen interacting, Misaki is implied to work for Zack at New Zack Island, or more specifically, the Venus Islands. She also seems to be somewhat aware of his more sloppy handling of things, as she complained that he was so incompetent when she learned that the Owner who arrived to take over duties in his place had arrived without even knowing what his job entailed. She also was creeped out by the "Island God" statue's likeness, being unaware that the "god" was a hoax.

Gameplay

Zack vs. Hayabusa

Zack's main strength lies in his quick strikes and mix-up game. His lifter rising knee is an excellent combo starter and leads to many juggling possibilities, such as the belial rush and the demon rush combo strings. His combo's can be slow to perform, but his strength makes up for that. His single strikes (such as the long bazooka) are powerful, but leave him open for attacks and throws. Overall, Zack's moveset concentrates on keeping the opponent speculating as to the next move, while his speed makes him a decent strike character as well. Zack is also the fastest male fighter to run across the stage in the series.

Stats

The following are Zack's official stats as listed in the games.

Game	Strike	Throw	Hold	Power	Speed	Moves
Dead or Alive 5 (5+)	5/5	2/5	2/5	2/5	5/5	4/5
Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate Dead or Alive 5 Last Round	5/5	2/5	2/5	3/5	4/5	4/5

Appearances

Dead or Alive series

• Dead or Alive games (playable, 1996-98)
• Dead or Alive 2 games (playable, 1999-2000)
• DOA2: Hardcore games (playable, 2000)
• Dead or Alive 3 (playable, 2001-02)
• Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (non-playable, 2003)
• Dead or Alive Ultimate games (playable, 2004-05)
• Dead or Alive 4 (playable, 2005 - 2006)
• Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (non-playable, 2006)
• Dead or Alive Paradise (non-playable, 2010)
• Dead or Alive Dimensions (playable, 2011)
• Dead or Alive 5 (5+) (playable, 2012-13)
• Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate (playable, 2013)
• Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate Arcade (playable, 2013)
• Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (playable, 2015)
• Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 (non-playable, 2016)
• Dead or Alive 6 (playable, 2019)

Dead or Alive-related media

DOA: Dead or Alive

Brian J. White as Zack, with Jaime Pressly as Tina Armstrong in DOA: Dead or Alive.

Zack appeared in the 2006 movie, DOA: Dead or Alive, portrayed by Brian J. White. Taking part in the tournament, Zack often teases and talks-down to Tina as she was a professional wrestler, a style of mock combat, and therefore not a "real fighter". Despite his playful bullying, Zack is also attracted to Tina, as he is in Dead or Alive 2, and often tries to flirt with her, although Tina always tries to tell him she isn't interested and gets back at him through pranks and beating him up.

During the second round, the two of them come face to face, and Tina defeats Zack, gaining her place in the quarter-finals, and a lot more respect from Zack, who sees that Tina can actually fight.

Fighting quotes

• Dead or Alive/Dead or Alive 1 Ultimate
• Dead or Alive 2/DOA2: Hardcore
• Dead or Alive 3
• Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate
• Dead or Alive 4
• Dead or Alive Dimensions
• Dead or Alive 5
• Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate
• Dead or Alive 5 Last Round
• Dead or Alive 6

Music themes

The following are the music themes used for Zack throughout the series.

Note that both the Dead or Alive++ and Dimensions themes have no official names.

Theme	Game appearances
"NO MONEY"	Dead or Alive (arcade, 1996) Dead or Alive (Sega Saturn, 1997; Arcade Mode) Dead or Alive 1 Ultimate (Arcade Mode) Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (optional theme)
"Gonna Make You Gasp"	Dead or Alive (PlayStation, 1998; Tournament Mode) Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (optional theme)
"Zack's theme"	Dead or Alive++
"B-boy no "B" ~evolved from ++~" (or "B-boy no "B"")	Dead or Alive 2 and DOA2: Hardcore games Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate Dead or Alive Online Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate (optional theme) Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (optional theme)
"I don't believe it!"	Dead or Alive 3 Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate (optional theme) Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (optional theme)
"Zack (or B-boy No "B") Remix"	Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate (Ray House; as "Zack Remix") Dead or Alive 4 (Crash Club; as "B-boy No "B" Remix")
"Zany Zapper"	Dead or Alive 4 Dead or Alive 5+ Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate (default theme) Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate Arcade Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (default theme)
"Zack's theme"	Dead or Alive Dimensions
"Cheerful Buddhist Priest"	Dead or Alive 5 (Story Mode) Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate (Story Mode) Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (Story Mode)

Gallery

See: Zack gallery

Trivia

• In prototypes of Dead or Alive, there was a Muay Thai fighter named Kelly, who later became Zack. In the Sound Test of Dead or Alive and Dead or Alive 2 arcade versions, Zack's BGM and dialogue still use the two-letter code "KL".
• Zack is the only male character to physically appear in the Dead or Alive Xtreme sub-series.
• Zack is a regular customer at Hayabusa's curio shop, shown through the items shown in Dead or Alive Xtreme 2.
• Zack's appearance is based off of the famous basketball player Dennis Rodman in 1996's Double Team. Rodman provides his voice in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball.
• In Kokoro's Dead or Alive 4 cinematic ending, Zack can be seen towards the end, sticking himself out of a carriage to shout after her.
• Zack has the most character themes present in Dead or Alive 5 with a total of three.
• Zack is the first male to be shown to have pierced ears.
• In the original Dead or Alive, Zack is shown to have a tattoo on his left upper arm and his right wrist.
• Although Zack himself does not make a physical appearance in Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation, his statue does. He presumably was also the voice heard in the first main episode welcoming the Owner to Venus Island. Misaki also indirectly refers to him in the second episode by mentioning that her boss walks around in sunglasses while complaining about never getting it right. In addition, both Ayane and Misaki indirectly refer to him when discussing the oversized statue's likeness to him, with the latter claiming that the statue was the Island's god from ancient times (which Ayane suspected was a hoax pulled off by Zack).

Notes and references

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