Mileena - A Visual History

#mk #mileena #realtalk
Max breaks down all the existing Mileena designs through the years of Mortal Kombat, to decide which is the best.
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[@CyberDalek17]

When he brought up Mileena's mouth anatomically shouldn't be able to speak normally reminds me of that interaction with Kabal, "No way you can imitate Kitana. Not with that mouth." "*proceeds to talk like Kitana* Do you believe Now Kabal?" "How the hell does that work?"

[@HB-fq9nn]

At least the creators are self-aware about how little it makes sense.

[@deetsitmeisterjd]

The accurate version would just be the Predator roar.

[@djpegao]

MK11 Kabal was the closest to how a normal person would react to all the weird shit that happens on MK

[@NummyStudios]

She even has the same voice actress! It's crazy

[@seand7042]

That's why her 10 or X is the best design she has lips but is still tarkatan

[@magicm953]

MAX PLEASE KEEP DOING THESE I LOVE THIS SERIES

[@E8-ball-pro]

Agreed good series do Sonya next or kitana

[@dc-vengance5630]

Yes

[@kaynesantor8136]

Ya man. Shits pretty sweet. Let's go.

[@animal1nstinct394]

bet he won't do Tanya because it's gonna be hard to lie and claim her current design looks good

[@aka_dust]

Yes but not just MK…all the fighting games.

[@SuperRodimusPrime]

I agree wholeheartedly that default MKX Mileena is the best she’s ever looked. I love that design.

[@TheTriangle444]

I dont know but something seems off for her MKX. Without a doubt in terms of "beauty" MKX is top hands down, but I feel like it kinda holds down in a certain way? Like it's the only installment that tried to give her a humanly less monstrous face and I feel like the right way to improve is to maintain that monstrosity

[@ambercastillo7863]

Same. I love that design.

[@imsentinelprime9279]

​@@TheTriangle444highly disagree

[@cylondorado4582]

Everyone: Mileena needs lips to talk! Baraka: Think they’ll ever give me lips? Everyone: I dk, nobody cares.

[@anon2752]

Not everyone, people who think they need lips to talk must forget that some birds can talk without lips. Tarkatans presumably have a way in the throat to make certain sounds. the lips were lame and were just added for the kiss scene.

[@poransuki8203]

Everyone?

[@cylondorado4582]

@@poransuki8203 EVERYONE!!!!!

[@richie404]

This series of Max going through the Visual Evolution of the Fighting game characters is really Dope. Hope to see do one for Rain or Baraka.

[@mysticfeal]

MKX Rain best Rain

[@E8-ball-pro]

Rain whould be sick ngl

[@samurai_ionian]

NEED ONE OF RAIN🌧️💯

[@tillermarkets2063]

I second Baraka. Rain would be dope as well

[@raiseasato]

4:12 Mileena doing that weird-ass attack and Max's reaction had me rolling.

[@djpegao]

MK3/UMK3 had some bottom of the barrel fatalities for most of the kast

[@worfsonofmogh323]

Funnily enough, Kitana has a great ass-attack.

[@DonatelloKavehrsace]

This shit scared me when I was a kid

[@hauntedastolfobeanplushie1956]

The thing that I personally like about Mileena in mk11, is that she legitemately looks like Kitana when she has the mask on, specially with the skin that has the bun. And mk9 I like her mask on her default costume a lot, with the little fang design, it looks pretty neat.

[@Bynoe]

The conclusion I'm reaching after watching a few of these is that MKX definitely has my favourite visual design of the franchise overall.

[@DaviddeBergerac]

What's funny is that manbabies were crying bloody murder about the costumes showing less skin back in the day, when it's inarguably sexier that she shows less skin and has her messy hair and stuff.

[@Skorp4]

I remember being blown away by how big of a visual upgrade MKX was when it came out. While the graphics and presentation look very dated, the costume design still remains the best in the series (together with MK11).

[@venompool1490]

⁠​⁠@@DaviddeBergeracpretty funny how you just go the man babies are angry when mortal kombat had literally put mileena in a playboy mag and had the Jade stripper pole trailer it is exactly what they were aiming for then suddenly it’s harmful for women to show skin.

[@childishgoblino]

​@venompool1490 what is bro cooking 💀

[@ForzaTerra89]

MKX is very aesthetically polarising. Art wise to me I found it a really ugly entry in the series, though Mileena was one of the better ones in MKX

[@ender1546]

I always liked the MK X Mileena the most as well. Interesting take on the design + can actually pronounce words + kissable but still can bite like a piranha

[@lukario26]

Mileena’s MKX default costume is the best in the entire series in my opinion. Her first alternate is also an S tier. So glad I’m not the only one to think her aesthetic is perfect in that game

[@Mr.06_]

Deception Mileena is forever the definite design for her imo Looks unique and fitting for her at the same time

[@UMvsC3DPFWPW]

True to that, her Deception Outfit both Default and Alternate. It’s so beloved that it appeared on the PlayBoy Magazine and One of the Developers Computer Laptop!

[@meganinten0078]

I agree. The 3D era made wonders for Mileena's design. She became unique and no longer a 'purple Kitana' For years Deception Mileena was my favorite until MK9 Mileena came. But still, love both versions of Mileena! Such a shame that Mileena looks like a 'generic badass kunoichi' now

[@tubbylumpkins4885]

Boon said that costume is never coming back. NRS needs a major overhaul.

[@trtx84]

There's one reason she was in Playboy and it wasn't because she was "beloved."

[@XC11301991]

MK9 seems to be the favorite for artists and cosplayers. Generally all the MK ninja girls 9 design seem to be the most popular.

[@Garrettsamuel98]

Melina looked fantastic in all her MKX Costumes...

[@six7264]

Really wish they had used the tech that they got in MK11 to perfect Mileena's mouth rather than giving up on her MKX concept entirely. Having the ability to make the mouth fold and have her lips move while concealing her teeth would have been PEAK. Now we have Blade 2 Mileena with Baraka teeth.

[@anon2752]

Nah lips are weird and were just added for the kiss scene. I prefer a nasty set of tarkatan teeth and theyve looked the best they ever have in 11 and 1.

[@Wannabe_Baby]

I always thought the lips looked lazy. They made me picture a movie adaption of MK by people who don't care about MK; one producer would say to another "how do we make Mileena's freaky mouth work?" and another would say, "ehh, just glue some crappy teeth to her cheeks. They're only video games, nobody cares." I felt the same about Geras' MK11 design; all the weird, crazy designs they could have come up with for an MK character and they just have a guy with lines on his face and a jewel glued to his cleavage.

[@six7264]

@@anon2752 Respectfully disagree. Cannot stand the big baraka teeth. Her new design is inspired by Blade 2's reapers, but they still didn't even try to make that design fully fleshed out. It's just odd that they keep doing half steps.

[@six7264]

@@Wannabe_Baby Yeah they just didn't have the ability to model the teeth correctly. Their new face tech could do it, but since they keep doing so much crunch on their 3d artists, they never have time to polish anything. Which sucks because MKX Mileena executed well would be the best she's ever been.

[@ramenforlunch]

I watched this live and it was enjoyable to watch it slowly evolve into rate the mouth

[@Aaron-zl5gq]

MKX Mileena is my favorite imo, her long hair , her outfit , just love it, also had a lot of great alternative costumes, 2nd best is likely going to be MK1.

[@judecider]

Mileena is my favorite character and yes MKX is the best design mouth-wise for me. I love human/normal Mileena in MK 1 but the moment I saw that piece I was like, "no way, why?" NetherRealm please give her lips or make her human form a usable skin or something at least.😂😭

[@darthcerebus]

The hair I think really makes it. Take the messy, unkept hair and put it on other costumes would change the feel of them a LOT, and for the better.

[@KairiDivine]

I love MKX Mileena the most.

[@Samaelx.]

Finally. Someone with an actual brain

[@bloodycherri2798]

Costume, yes but the lips are horrible. Defeats the whole purpose of her character.

[@jamichealruiz]

Mkx Mileena is Fine 😍🥰

[@orgywithpigs6]

Even though I thought she was hot in MK9, I didn’t fall in love with the character until X

[@Redcripple]

@@Samaelx.nah deception > MKX

[@bilbobaggins3068]

I really dislike MkXs mouth but I adore the concept art at 14:06. Having flesh behind her side teeth while still having the centre of her mouth still be human-like looks cool as shit.

[@Igneeka]

Same the concept art looks freaky and sick af but in game she looks kinda silly

[@nikos731]

I have the exact same feelings and I think the root of my problem is in the actual animation. In the concept it seems like her entire jaw would move a lot when she is talking. In the animation though, it is almost only with the lips, making the rest of the teethed jaw almost aethetic only.

[@shahs1221]

The "CHI-DI-KWOH!!!" bit had me CACKLING

[@genoveus]

12:35 I have to agree with Max on this one. The best version of Mileena for me is her MKX version, it shows that she is a clone of Kitana with her face and lips, but also has teeth to show her Tarkatan DNA instead of just full teeth; while I’ll concede that the teeth is her identity in the old games, in the new games, it can also be argued that while a having a lip with teeth protruding on her cheeks shows that Mileena is trying as best as she can to look like Kitana and eliminate her imperfections to replace Kitana as Khan/Queen, so her MKX appearance does also fit with her lore and identity; so I kinda wish we have at least one more game with Mileena having lips and teeth.

[@MrGalath]

For me, her MKX appearance is peak.

[@IntrigueAndWhimsy]

I always liked Deception Mileena's sleeves. They def made her stand out in ways other clones already had in some way

[@XXXFotyleggaXXX]

Over the years my knowledge of mortal kombat has faded a lot, but one thing i never forgot: MK9 mileena my beloved

[@DragonHeart613]

This is a very cool new series of vids from Max, examining & ranking the visual evolution of fighting game characters. I hope this becomes a regular series on Max's channel. Please do Liu Kang & Kitana next Max.

[@kingdomcomesuperman3669]

Wasn't expecting Mileena next, I feel she's been mostly consistent throughout, probably peaked in MKD but I have a soft spot for simpleness of MK9 or MKX. As for unmasked Baraka mouth in classic/Mk11 over having the lips.

[@PrinnyBaalGamer9000]

As much as I like her mk9 look, her default look for mkx is one of my favorite designs. She just looks so f*ckng cool

[@Shiirow]

"how does a baraka or mileena speak with no lips?" How does a ventriloquist speak without moving their mouths?

[@Hamzablue13]

"Well I wanna do some of the female ninjas." I feel that

[@ar_reactions612]

My Top 3 Mileena Designs are definitely: MK9, Deception, and MK1. I especially love her hair in MK1.

[@Lo0py]

To me her default MKX one is just perfect, best one imo.

[@daveonhammond4507]

Honestly Mileena was the one that really taught me looks don’t matter

[@dripsorrow5620]

i too like mileena for her wonderful personality.

[@deetsitmeisterjd]

A modern day Cleopatra.

[@harukami912]

Tell that to the society.

[@Joesmho23]

Mileena taught people to look past flaws for the bigger picture.

[@manbat4582]

kinda, because her only problem is from the neck up

[@justsomeguywithatophat6248]

I really love mk11 because she looks exactly like kitana with the mask. But when you take it off it just looks bizzarre, like something is out of proportion. Thats exactly how a genetically modified takatan-enhanced clone monstrosity should look like

[@obi-onekenerdi]

We need more of these videos Max!! I know you’re busy with MK1 but I think everyone would love this done for every MK character if not every major fighting game character who changes designs.

[@iamspoofy]

Kitana is the Chun-Li of MK

[@aryelrosa4829]

Exactly.

[@DIRTYSOUTHSHINOBI]

Nah that goes too Sonya.. Sonya is The first lady of the franchise

[@bloodycherri2798]

Mileena is the Juri of MK then.

[@Professor_Genki7]

​@@bloodycherri2798except juri came YEARS after mileena

[@saulofernandes4949]

Mileena's lore in MK1 and her costume mach perfectly, for me is 10/10

[@qunaqunowski]

Mileena having lips just takes away from one of the two key components of her character - and that is that she is fucking terrifying without a mask on. In MKX, she is genuinely just sexy and not creepy at all. Like, she has fangs on the sides, but it just makes her look "cooler" and sexier in a dangerous way. Her having a mutilated fucked up face is a must for me, otherwise it just doesn't feel like Mileena but just some random sexy vampire lady

[@Wadetheshiba]

I love these videos so much Max

[@itsyaboijordan415]

MK9 and MKX are definitely my favorite Mileena designs. I prefer the more traditional Tarkatan mouth with Mileena. MKX made her have human lips and it always felt weird to me. The predator mouth looks silly but at least it doesn't take the away that aspect of being hideous underneath the mask.

[@Jarrych83]

I always crack up about the OG movies. The first MK movie was all right, fun, nothing special. Solid action movie. Then you watch Annihilation and it suddenly felt like a masterpiece in comparison.

[@freakluvm]

Thank you. I love these!!

[@badatgamesguy5399]

Mkx will always be my favorite design.

[@Narutotar]

I still think they only gave Mileena lips in MKX was for the D’Vorah scene

[@bobjeezorham7658]

Highly agree with MKX being her best design. I've never really been a Mileena fan but this design is great, I love the hair. Not too big on the split mouth though, I prefer her having the full on Tarkatan mouth

[@adiris8827]

I think Kitana has more of a more popular reputation when it comes to the casual fandom. Mileena has a more hardcore fanbase which makes her fans more louder.

[@Luke973T]

I agree. She has a more cult like following but I clearly remember kitana always being more popular since mk2. Kitana has been in more games and fans of mileena are louder because kitana fans had no reason to be loud.

[@nwobw]

Agreed. Mileena isn't more popular, it's another case of Twitter and social media amplifying the loudest voices. I would like all DLC to be MK characters, the MK fanbase is loud and vocal about not liking guest characters, but Ed has stated guest characters sell the best.

[@Luke973T]

@@nwobw exactly. I was excited for shang tsung in mk11 and getting an expansion with him as the star plus his original mk movie likeness was great. Characters like leather face though? Just dumb but that stuff rakes in the money.

[@JUANxxTNAFAN]

@@Luke973TNah, when I started playing MK, Mileena was the favorite of the women. So I guess it depends when you started playing (Deception for me). Older fan’s probably go for for Kitana or Sonya while younger fans go for Mileena

[@Luke973T]

@JUANxxTNAFAN you're saying "nah" but I was playing since day 1 when mk1 hit the arcades. The context is that mileena was always more popular and that's just not true. Deception is 10 years later and that era was the least popular for mk overall.

[@christopherhart4058]

God I love this series please do more!

[@Delboy178]

Goated series! Have been following along happily and would love to see Cyrax/the Cyber Lin Kuei

[@saylosrelyks8645]

MK Deception Mileena is best Mileena, her alternate sling looking outfit is just awesome, love the hair brushed to the side and Mileena is peak sex appeal too, the sling outfit just amplifies it.

[@nem3732]

I don't know why they keep giving her masks in every design tbh. The veil just suits her perfectly and fits more with her theme. It also explains how she's able to bite you instead of a mask literally disappearing.

[@assassin8636]

Because it's somewhat of her character but I do know that she's wearing her mask to hide her Tarktan teeth

[@cormoran2303]

She has an amazing porcelain mask in MK11 that looks like a normal face.

[@stereotypicalemousername9507]

i think with mileena deception costume my favorite bit on it is the sleeves i’ve always loved long flowy sleeves on characters

[@Kanxha00]

Love this series pleas keep going.. 👍🏽💪🏽

[@doja4134]

Wasn’t expecting a Mileena one so soon! Thank you Max 💕

[@CMWaters]

I know Kitana is probably next...but I kinda wanna see Sonya next since her outfit styles really shifted as the games went on (save for when they pull out the klassics)

[@undeadmockingjay2000]

Immediately stopped what I was doing for Mileena

[@thetruej7872]

You ain't the only one

[@bug5317]

These are SO MUCH FUN!! What a fun Series!

[@MyUniqueHandle.]

14:04 Wow that MKX Mileena concept art is amazing

[@grayredface8793]

I feel so incredibly validated by you saying MKX is Peak Mileena

[@tehdog123]

Max has me questioning his manhood over here

[@LMBlueman]

Max. I love this series. Don't stop after mortal combat

[@Mistheart101]

11:28 MKX Mileena was peak, I miss her so bad 14:05 YEAH THE CONCEPT ART IT'S SO GOOD

[@Gamefreak175]

There's something about MKX Mileena that reminds me of the Prince in PoP: Warrior within, still one of my favourite videogame characters. Both their hair changes from being more glossy in the previous game to being pitchblack, more unkempt. And once that was in my head, even their clothing seemed kinda similar - since WW Prince also wears leather armor and even has his abs peeking out between some straps

[@mercythebuzzard3134]

Found you last night through Matt McMuscles. How often are you doing this series? I absolutely am loving it, I'd love to see you finish MK and then go through like Street Fighter or just keep continuing it,

[@codytoeung5089]

The arc of her mouth design in the Netherrealm trilogy is her appearance in 9 being too Tarkatan and her appearance in X being too human (though that’s probably still her best design). And then 11 found the balance of the two

[@constructionskeleton8030]

love this series

[@shinywhimsicott3047]

Should definitely do Raiden or Shang Tsung visual history.

[@darthcerebus]

Both would be great because each game they get varied between each game practically and add on more detail/variety.

[@theprince09]

Looking forward to the Baraka review

[@HiroesX81]

Max needs to do an MK Annihilation watch party. Seriously convinced

[@theoutlawking9123]

Next MK Character visual history has to be Baraka or the Cyborg ( Cyrax & Sektor ) max.

[@SaintMarianne]

Ooh I’ve been waiting for this one!

[@TaigaHolic]

bro did the MK11 outfits so dirty

[@ivanafilova6126]

we love you max!!!!!

[@LucarioGameboy]

Dude I seriously can not wait for his review on Jade MK9 jade outfit Is my personal favorite

[@obi-onekenerdi]

We need a video like this for every character!! Raiden, Johnny, Lui Kang! Do em all!

[@PedroARCruz]

I think you should do raiden, personally love his deadly alliance costume

[@scavenger2561]

Love this...waiting for another vid

[@lexfrenchy8159]

The MK1 mouth reminds me more of the creepy vampire mutant things from Blade 2 than Predator, to be honest

[@StunnaChoppa]

Clicked so damn fast to listen to Max about mileena

[@bigloc3442]

Man this series is genius !!! It's so many characters from different games that we can look back on and see their visual changes. Dope fucking series. Keep it going

[@TheAAJYu]

MKX Mileena inexplicably developing lips only to lose them in MK11 makes me believe NRS only gave her lips so they could have that kissing scene. 💀

[@TheUnspokenKibbles]

MKX Mileena has a great costume, yes, and the face does look pretty good as a balance between "able to talk" and "monstrous," but I can't get the thought out of my head: did they give her lips just so she could be makeout-murdered by D'Vorah? Even if not, I have to wonder how that conversation went internally. "You know what would make a great combination for this character's death? Sexual assault and bees!"

[@frankiecedeno3724]

20:28 not gonna lie, when Max said “sais” I thought he said “size” and immediately agreed thinking, “yeah she’s got some huge honkers and I wouldn’t know otherwise either.”

[@JoshCanDraw]

I feel like Johnny’s costume stayed relatively the same, same with Lui. Raiden might be interesting to look at next.

[@supasayajinbone2481]

Love this series do akuma next

[@astealthyfish]

That one pic of her in deception where she is covering herself with the sai did something to me as a wee lad

[@kaigen999]

MKX Mileena was my favorite for a while. MK1 might be my new favorite

[@mikeveselov]

More like SHIN MILeena, because how the jaw splits in half. I dont like it, it reminds of SHIN GODZILLA and how that version's design split his jaw in half.

[@kaigen999]

@@mikeveselov I think of the super vampires in Blade 2 haha

[@ClicheGamer_]

MK9 Mileena is my favorite design-even the mouth portion its iconic for being tarkatan. Also I didn't know her mouth functions like that in MK1, I thought it was a Photoshopped image at first when Max brought it up. 😂

[@PyroKitsuna11]

Okay the new New mill is adorable with that maw

[@chrisv9000]

Even in movie clips Max is watching the frame data

[@Syfcobra8549]

MK9 Millena is THE Mileena costume, just as iconic as SF2 Cammy costume Cant tell you how much i seen girls doing MK9 cosplays at Cons its by far her most popular costume

[@JCSpyzer]

I like the street fighter amv at the top recommended having been seen already. With a track that was used in the MK Annihilation movie.

[@MarlonDali21]

Would love to see a Baraka visual history!

[@mirandamalone6060]

I love the different mask design with deception mileena

[@roderickdelgardo1881]

Max!!! The hand was literally a thing scorpion is literally got the the same hand thing… an honestly I don’t really know why but I love it

[@mike91mdk45]

Deception was prob my favorite look

[@JoshuaSAlt31]

I absolutely love the UMK3 Fatalties and I am so glad that some of the MK1 Assist Kharacters have them. I want more😂

[@TheCreepypro]

I have been maining this character since MK2 and I still forgot about some of these

[@Spedatr0n]

She’s so cool! I also love the Stans of hers.

[@immortaliron2475]

You know we should probably give props to the deception modelers for making that mileena design with one hand

[@Artista_Frustrado]

Mileena is one of those characters in which the Stripperella works & makes sense, she is supposed to tempt you & then WHAM!! monster mouth. so yeah her Deception & MK9 battle bikini are the best of the bunch ... and yet her MKX giving her pants & dressing her up still works, also that is her best monster mouth, because is not full Trakatan cartoon mouth & i wish they kept it, maybe make the lips slightly less human but still be functional

[@Artista_Frustrado]

i kinda like the IDEA of MK11 Mileena's mouth being back to Tarkatan mouth because she ripped her lips off, but the lack of the MKX shape undermines it... the modern movie actually does it right I'm not sure about the mouth flaps in M1K tho

[@Jamal-wk6fy]

I really like this series you should do every character if you can

[@Voidaram]

6:34 I'm CRYING 😂😂😂😂

[@vibezzz7211]

4:07 lmao the timing