Big Trouble In Little China Easter Egg - Chinese Character

I noticed those characters as well some years ago when I first saw the movie. I asked my co-worker (from Hong Kong) what they meant and he told me "carpenter". John Carpenter being the director of the film.

Has anyone noticed the similarities between this movie and some of the characters from Mortal Kombat? Like that guy that controls lightning and Raiden? What about the main villain and Shang Tsung? Kurt Russell's character bears a small resemblance to Johnny Cage. Maybe I'm just looking too deep here, but there is a strong resemblance between that lightning guy and Raiden.

There is more than just that one character. In the opening scene where the three storms are first being introduced, when lightning comes down the bolt about 3 or 4 other characters are formed in the bolt. I'm in no position to translate, but I would assume that some impromptu credit giving is going on here. Some of them may just be me seeing what I want to see, but at least 3 or 4 were probably there.

I may be wrong, but I thought Raiden the God of Lightning (or thunderstorms or weather or whatever) is an actual character from Chinese folklore, no? If so, there would be no real connection between BTiLC and the Mortal Kombat video game.

Actually, the characters mean "Stone" and "Bad". A reference, I think, to the statue being dropped on the poor Storm's head.

I've womdered about the Mortal Kombat similarities for a long time, but nobody else I know has even seen this movie. Maybe those characters are from chinese stories or legends, that's all I can think.

I'm sure to recieve numerous flames for this BUT... as to the connection between MK and BTILC, while I enjoyed both of these and continue to store a copy of each in my media archives. Both play to strong stereotypes. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with the usage in their context. But a video game that has elemental forces, including lightning/wind/earth/fire/ice using creatures or creatures whose entire being is intertwined with these elements? Hardly unique and hardly unpredictable. A movie involving mysticism (sp?) and folk magic including characters embodying elements of nature, someone who uses wind or earth as weapons/tools? Hardly unique and hardly unpredictable. The idea that a movie and a game with the above attributes and catering to stereotypes would have characters/story elements that run parallel to each other? Not necessarily an homage or connection. More like coincidence/similar minds thinking alike.

As for the MK and BTILC characters, I believe Raden was inspired by the film (but I do believe that Raden was really a Tie God and not Chinese. I can't prove it but it's not the only time. In Metal Gear, it is rummored that Solid Snake's name and attitude was inspired by Kurt Russel's role in "Escape From New York". Also, some of the voiced death sounds in Golden Axe was taken from the first "Rambo" movie (check out the history and making of Golden Axe online). Many non-movie related games did draw some insperation from film. Sorry for my spelling everyone. I'm getting lazy in my old age to revise... lol

Many have pondered whether Big Trouble In Little China and Mortal Kombat have anything in common. Yes, yes, yes... And for the last time yes. Raiden is the Chinese god of thunder and lightning... Lin Kuei means "Forest-Demon"... blah,blah,blah... So we have one guy shooting lightning(Raiden), one guy who really resembles Kung Lao(mk2), and when he's beaten, swells up and explodes(Bo' Rai Cho's hara-kiri mk6). On another note Shang Tsung(mk2) is based off the main villain(name i cant remeber), and the old decrepid Tsung of MK1 was his ethereal form.

Blayse, you are wrong. Raiden is not from Chinese folklore, he is Japanese. He is a Shinto God of Thunder. The character in Big Trouble is probably not based on him (he might be Lei Gong, a Chinese Thunder god), but the Raiden of Mortal Kombat is visually based on him, whilst being based on Raiden from Shinto.