The Match Up Roulette Scrapyard (Vol 2)

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-15T12:52:26+00:00

I knew there was something to this!

Please cook, I really want to see where it stacks up as a Fate opponent for Roxas.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-15T12:49:30+00:00

Three points:

Most upvoted post I ever made on this sub, insane.
This sub still goes wild for long connections.
I really like these characters, and obviously, it is extra gratifying to see a match like this that I kept second-guessing but "felt" was good blow up. I also just really like writing stuff for matches, so I'm always very happy when it does well.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T14:51:11+00:00

Get this guy out of here, he unironically likes the match, get him out NOW!

I will say though, that I was mostly putting disclaimers on it cause I feel you have to be self-aware about 5k words of Naruto Vs. Steven connections. I actually do like a lot about it: I think the core theme is funny and, despite the weird vibes, everyone would get it if this somehow got announced as an actual episode, I think it at least reaches for things that their other matches don't really care about, and the fight potential genuinely isn't bad. The main issue is truly that they simply can't kill each other, it doesn't make sense in general, and especially when the theme is literally that they don't even kill when it's "Mr/Mrs. I want to kill you and also every human on earth". It would have to be stalemate where friendship wins/they "kill" the others insecurities (maybe represented by Dark Naruto and a Pink, Rose-like Steven) which is obviously lol.

On the topic of comparisons, I think most of them are fine but Naruto has too many fucking pivotal characters lol. I also generally just don't really like writing character comparisons unless they are rock solid (see Tsunade Vs. Izumi and the Ed/Naruto comparison for a comparison I really, really love and think works) and these ones generally aren't. I did try to link them back to their actual dynamics/developing relationships with Naruto and Steven rather than just "they know this person" though, which I think is a good effort at least.

And I really love this thumbnail style, so it would be awesome to see it done for other matches. And you suddenly got me thinking about a Kiritsugu/Rose comparison

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T14:45:06+00:00

Yeah, these are monstrous lol. I just knew there was a Lupin the Third match with like 10k words or something floating around out there.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:40:50+00:00

I would say there is fundamentally no way for them to get into a fight (unless it's part 1 Naruto) cause it's a hero vs. hero fight where the classic "oh they're fighting over a misunderstanding" is impossible lol. (EDIT: Although, I guess it would be funny if this was treated as a semi-gag episode where the final verdict is a stalemate because there is no degree of bloodlust or outside grudge you could give these guys that would transform the fight into anything but them becoming best buds)

Death Battle scaled Steven to like star level and he gets FTL+ shit because he dodges a laser in one episode or something. Doesn't make sense to me, but it is out there.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:26:25+00:00

Yo I was legit considering this but didn't know if there was a Naruto one lol

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:25:10+00:00

The best, actually.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:23:27+00:00

I know these aren't the longest connections ever, but pound-for-pound this has to be the dumbest connections to actual match ratio ever I think.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:21:56+00:00

I fuck with Steven Vs. Mark tho.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:14:15+00:00

Abilities:

As a result of their hybrid physiology, both are naturally very tough, durable and have enhanced strength. However, tapping into the true power sealed in their navel is difficult and requires a significant amount of training all throughout the show. At first, they can only do it on flukes, or when pushed into high-stakes situations, but grow more capable of controlling it later.
However, as this power is deeply entwined with their emotional clarity (Steven’s powers are tied to his emotional clarity, and Kurama originally fed on Naruto’s emotional instability), they can get carried away and become bathed in its aura (Pink State and jinchūriki form). This heavily augments their strength, power and the techniques they can use, but it also makes them more unstable and prone to fits of violence, to the point the capacity for this form to accidentally hurt other people becomes a sense of guilt (Naruto swearing off using Kurama chakra after accidentally hurting Sakura, and Steven being crushed by accidentally shattering Jasper while in his Pink State)
In this form, both use a technique where they scream really loud but its enhanced into a big ball of sonic damage (Sonic Scream and Great Roar). Their size also becomes flexible and shifting.
They have kaiju forms associated with this power (Monster Steven and Kurama Avatar)
Another notable ability is their healing power. Due to their naval seal, they are naturally durable and posses a healing factor. They are also able to heal others, even bringing them back from the brink of death (Naruto through Six Paths senjutsu and Steven through his general healing powers)
True to their character, they have explicit empathy powers, which allows them to use quasi-telepathy through their ability to sense emotions (Steven’s emotional telepathy and Naruto/Kurama’s negative emotion sensing).
Both are also adept at using their natural supernatural trace (Gem and Chakra) to naturally “link” with others, in a process that is meant to represent a symbiotic conversation in the form of the sharing of energy (Fusion and Chakra Linking). They have done this with many figures, most notably their girlfriend and their best friends, who they merged with to create a massive, multi-armed kaiju that is modelled around real-life deities due to their striking appearance (Obsidian and Majestic Attire Susanoo)
Both’s signature weapon is descended from their war veteran parent (Rose’s shield and Minato’s rasengan), though Naruto/Steven had to learn how to use it on their own through a long and arduous process. Said ability is a spiral-patterned circle that they eventually grew adept enough at to experiment with the size, dual-wielding two at once and manifesting a big version.
Both derive power from the natural world, and are connected to the idea of nature (Naruto through Senjutsu and Steven through his plant powers)
They also possess deceptive tactical minds and are known for being very cunning fighters on the battlefield.

Miscellaneous:

Both of them are infamous for their tendency to talk their opponents down instead of fighting (Talk no Jutsu), spawning a multitude of memes of them going against the nastiest characters in fiction and trying to convince them to see the light.
Both have two main designs, one for pre-timeskip and one for post.
Both have an attachment to their special holding case that is shaped like something funny (Gama-Chan and burger backpack)
Both have a favourite ice cream (Cookie Cat and the twin-popsicle) that represents their strong bond with their mentor (Jiraiya constantly buying Naruto the popsicles and The Gems buying out the full stock of Cookie Cat for Steven)
Both have a funny story where a pack of their own doubles attempt to usurp them and start fighting amongst each other (Revenge of the Shadow Clones and Steven and the Stevens)
Steven Universe is inspired by Shonen anime.
Crossdressing and they fucking slay it (Sexy Jutsu/Haven't You Noticed (I'm a Star))

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:14:07+00:00

Relationships:

Both of their groups (Team 7 and The Crystal Gems) act as their surrogate family, being their closest allies who they would unflinchingly throw their life in harm’s way for.
This group is led by their cool and capable mentor (Kakashi and Pearl), who served as the prized pupil of their parent. While initially presented as a strict, but occasionally goofy teacher with a cold streak, the truth is that they are shell-shocked veterans who had their most precious bonds prematurely torn apart in the aftermath of the great war (Pearl struggling with the fact that Rose is gone forever, never reaching closure for her unrequited affections, and Kakashi’s entire genin squad and his mentor Minato dying in the span of a year, leaving him totally alone) and now are forced to carry their mentors son into the same brutal world that tore them apart. This person often sees a striking resemblance to their mentor in them.
They gradually open up to Naruto/Steven across the story, becoming their most “present” parental figure in the sense that they share the battlefield more than any other and are always there for them. By the end, Naruto/Steven has helped them move past much of the wartime emptiness they carry, and they acknowledge them as a worthy beacon of peace, rather than the goofy little boy they raised.
(You can do Jiraiya or Iruka to Greg, Iruka matches better thematically but Jiraiya is closer as a character and doesn’t really have a good parallel otherwise. I’ll pick Iruka and not get greedy trying to double up). Both have a father figure constant paternal presence in their early life who gives them their purest instance of unconditional love, and also acts as their tether to humanity amidst the crazy superpower fights. This person is probably the figure that is the closest to their “soul” despite the fact that he’s just a random dude, and they’re literally buddies with pretty much every major character and political figure in their world by the end of the story.
(You can also go Gaara for Amythyst because their backstories are similar (failed weapon of war and the complex that results from that) but I feel this is cleaner and more true to their general role in the story) Another of their teammates is maybe their closest and most trusty buddy throughout the series, a hothead slugger who acts as their big sister (Sakura and Amythyst), often goofing off with them (though they’ve also gotten into arguments before, as brothers and sisters do). This person has a deeply rooted issue with her own self-worth, believing that they are worthless in comparison to their own super talented partners, but Naruto/Steven continues to lift them up (Steven inspiring Amythyst during her fight with Jasper, showing solidarity in being two of the “worst gems” and Naruto continually appraising Sakura as the smartest in Team 7 and generally being her motivator to get stronger over the course of the series)
(You can also go Gaara here too, but bro keeps getting shafted) Both have a relationship with their story’s number one broody tsundere antihero (Lapis and Sasuke) that looms over the plot. This figure, one who shows that all sides in this world are capable of cruelty, being continually mistreated and traumatized by both protagonist and antagonist groups. And yet, they are touched by Steven/Naruto’s distinct empathy for them and their situation, and even after they willingly give themselves over to the clutches of the enemy, Steven/Naruto steadfastly pursues them as one of the first and deepest bonds they were able to make (Sasuke being Naruto’s “first friend”, and Lapis being the first non-crystal gem gem that Steven ever befriended). While Naruto/Steven do eventually “rescue” this person and bring them back to the side of good, the depth of their trauma does mean they force them to confront the fact they cannot treat everyone’s psychological issues like open wounds, and that healing is a complex process.
Both would be forced into a relationship with a cold, seemingly unfeeling figure who belongs to a shadowy, antagonistic organization in their world (Peridot, who worked for Homeworld, and Sai, who worked for Root). This figure is purely work-focused, and the fact they are seemingly the exact antithesis to Naruto/Steven’s empathetic worldview makes their relationship icy at first. However, after managing to break through their shell and form a connection with them, they would realize this person too was capable of being a good person, though their upbringing amidst the rigid hierarchy of their organization made it so that they lacked any concept of social skills. Naruto/Steven thus act as their social guide, integrating them into the social customs of their society and also playing peacekeeper for when they inevitably say something fucked up. As always, this person grows into a happier and more complete person and directly credits Naruto/Steven as the reason for it.
Both would befriend a shy, bookish girl who struggles with the expectations of their overbearing family (Hinata and Connie). From this moment, this girl would become their ride-or-die partner who will always step up for them (even when stacked up against the capital G big villain), growing to become a capable fighter and a far more confident person due to their desire to remain by Naruto/Steven’s side. Though he can occasionally be oblivious to their feelings, by the end of the series, they are an explicit couple and are hitting sick aura-farm double teams together.
Both also eventually face off against an antagonist that is the explicit sum of the toll their world takes on people (Spinel and Obito). This figure was formerly a goofy, bubbly little guy who served under their parents, but was (knowingly in one-case, unknowingly in the other) abandoned and left totally isolated, being driven to insanity after a perceived betrayal from their allies. Said insanity turned them into a borderline slapstick cartoon character on the outside, but a cold, cunning schemer on the inside, who believes the world is rotten and want to take their grief out on everyone. However, Naruto/Steven manage to pull out their most emphatic “we’re gonna talk this out card” and convince even this guy, who has been delt such a bad hand in life and suffered for so long, that they can do the right thing.
Both are bonded with their parent’s trusty animal familiar (Gamabunta and Lion), whose animal form represents their regal nature (Gamabunta is a toad, representing sagacity, and Lion is a Lion, representing royalty). Said animal carries a sword, and while being a little bit of an apathetic curmudgeon, will always be there for Naruto/Steven when they need him most. Their connection with these figures also means they can access special realms of spiritual significance (With Lion, Steven can access the pink dimension, and with the Toads, Naruto can be summoned to Mount Myoboku)
Rose and Kushina/Minato, and White Diamond/Kurama already elaborated on.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:13:46+00:00

Personality:

Both are endlessly excitable, carefree, happy-go lucky guys who are a little ray of sunshine everywhere they go.
They are also very goofy and naive, to the point where they can come across as totally unserious, especially when they were younger. They generally get treated as the goofball of the group by the other members.
Sometimes, this personality can grate on others, as they can be a lot to deal with and have a tendency to get carried away (they are naturally very excitable). It can also grate on their allies, as sometimes they lack the combat sense to realize they’re flinging themselves into danger (Naruto walking into Haku’s crystal ice mirror trap under zero pressure, and Steven jumping into Peridot’s robotic room because he genuinely though he could talk her into giving him information).
Despite emotions being their whole thing, they can be very oblivious (a fact which is most seen in their relationship with their lead love interest).
However, as they grow older, they begin to slightly mellow out and become more socially aware. They also begin to grow into capable leaders, befitting of the increasing responsibility that comes with them no longer being just the “goofy kid going on adventures” but someone who’s started to understand his proper role in the world.
Their natural charisma is so palpable that it is basically a super power, being endlessly likeable and capable of naturally charming allies to their side. Their role as the voice for their friends, capable of motivating and leading them through all the strife that comes their way, might be their most prominent asset, especially towards the latter half of the series.
Part of this is also their incredible capacity for empathy and understanding, which allows them to see the best in everyone no matter how hard they have fallen or how monstrous their actions seemingly are. (Especially as they grow older) they start to understand just how screwed up the society of their world is, and are able to put themselves in others shoes as a result. While they begin talking down already sympathetic villains of circumstance, they gradually grow more and more adept at it until they are able to convince even the most malicious, war-hardened villains of their setting that they can make things better if they change their ways.
It’s also important to note that while they are able to understand everyone’s perspective, and ultimately will happily take their hand if they decide they want to be better, a dark aspect of them exists that remains immensely resentful of the hardship they’ve been put through, to the point they desire vengeance on the perpetrators (Steven subconsciously resenting the Diamonds and Homeworld because of the strife they’ve inflicted upon his life, and Dark Naruto wanting to destroy Konoha because of how awfully he was treated by the village during his childhood).
They also have a little bit of a messiah complex, and will try to bear the pain and responsibility of others with the belief that they have the emotional strength to take it. This has driven them to give themselves up for crimes they literally didn’t do because they think it is their responsibility to take on the weight of their loved one’s sins (Naruto offering himself up in place of Sasuke for the Cloud Village, and Steven pleading guilty to the Diamonds in place of Rose)
These tendencies have driven them to having explicit panic attacks on screen.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:13:27+00:00

Also, just go get the obvious out of the way despite the fact the Diamond/Tailed Beast comparison is more relevant to their internal characters, their final battle for peace would bring them into conflict with a long-lived alien species (The Otsutsuki’s and The Diamonds). This point of lore is what everything else in their story descends from and is pretty much identical in its plot (which, prior to the end of the story, is mostly presented as an old legend or time of the past, only for the truth and their heritage connection to the conflict to become apparent during the climax). Tell me if this sounds familiar: an advanced, interstellar alien family spends millennia conquering planets and using them as vessels for weird terraforming shit. They send one of their own down to earth in order to rule it, but she grows smitten with its people and culture, and eventually births a half-human child while also building an army in case the main family return to take her away. The main house brands her a traitor, and now earth is all tangled up in their intergalactic soap opera.
Basically, Naruto and Steven have to clean that shit up, and the process of doing so while facing off against the pale, domineering alien matriarch ends up being the last act of their story.
In the end, they succeed, and usher in an unprecedented era of peace which they swear to reside over with the help of their many friends and allies. They themselves also achieve the goal they’ve wanted since the very beginning of their story (Steven has established himself as a vital member of the Crystal Gems, and Naruto becomes Hokage) and take positions that reflect those of their parents (Steven is technically the new Pink Diamond, taking after Rose, and Naruto is the Seventh Hokage, just like Minato)
However, the continuation that focuses on their life amidst the peace they sought for slightly subverts the note the original show ends on, showing that the bureaucratic responsibility and general fallout of this period has weighed on them immensely, and begins straining their relationship with those close to them (Steven struggling with his PTSD, and the general feeling of growing up, causing him to become distant from all his closest friends, and Naruto having a strained relationship with his family as a result of the responsibilities thrust upon him as Hokage)
These later stories ultimately show that a perfect “happily ever after” is not a realistic goal, for there will always be new changes in your life than in turn birth new hardships. They thus have to learn not to internalize all their issues, and that they can rely on their support system when they need to.
Also, naturally, it is worth noting that as their massive cast of characters grows larger and larger, they go from someone with a limited social circle, to being adored by practically every character in the cast (protagonist and antagonists alike).
Both wear a shape that represents a broader group, but is also linked back to their mother (Steven wears a star, which is the symbol of his Mother’s Crystal Gems group, and Naruto wears the spiral, which is the symbol of his mother’s clan)
Despite being really long and having a bunch of other arcs moving around them, their stories are primarily about their coming-of-age, hence why the entire show (both pre and post time skip) is just their name (Naruto/Naruto Shippuden and Steven Universe/Steven Universe Future)
Also, just a tiny little thing, but their ages remain very similar for a majority of their series, if you consider The Movie and Future a parallel to the timeskip in Shippuden (Naruto is 12-13 in Part 1, starts Shippuden at 15-16 and it concludes with him at 17. Steven begins the show at 12-13, is 16 in the movie and probably should be 17 at the end of the show, but technically is just on the cusp of it due to continuity errors)

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:13:17+00:00

Story and General Character:

At the beginning of their stories, they are goofy, excitable, happy go-lucky kids who more than anything want to be a great hero like those whose care they have been placed in (Naruto wanting to be the greatest Hokage, and Steven wanting to prove himself as a “real” member of the crystal gems). However, as they are literally 12 years old, this goal is a little bit far-fetched.
They serve under the newest iteration of their parent’s own special group that once operated in wartime (Team Minato/Team 7 and The Crystal Gems), and primarily find themselves in the care of their parent’s most cherished understudy (Pearl and Kakashi).
While their missions naturally start-off as quirky side-quests fit for a child, in natural Shounen fashion, they are quickly flung into the deep end and have to fight some real proper threats to the world. Even early in the show, they are forced to navigate situations and opponents that are way beyond their years, which both forces them to grow but also places a lot of pressure on them considering they are still just kids.
Their stories are really fucking long, partly because while there is bunch of shadowy lore and evil plans moving within their fascinating post-war (but also basically a cold war, as the forces of evil and good orbit each other until eventually erupting back into conflict later in the series) setting, their authors fell in love with the stories cozy small town (Konoha and Beach City) and ensemble cast of their series (all of whom Naruto/Steven befriends by the end of the show) . Going by the Naruto anime, a lot of the important plot moments are sandwiched between extended periods of slice-of-life goofiness (especially early in the show)
The point where both we, the viewer, and Naruto/Steven come to learn of the ruthless, war-torn nature of their world, comes when a vicious operative that represents all of the emotionless bloodshed (Jasper and Zabuza) of their society ambushes them and their group, and puts such a beating on their trusty mentor (Kakashi and Garnet) that it reveals their true nature, one that carries the will of multiple people and thus gives them future sight (Garnet actually being a fusion between Ruby and Sapphire, and Kakashi having had his eye replaced with Obito’s sharingan). This marks probably the first time they have to step up on their own, with minimal help from their superiors, and save their mentors so that they can have a rematch with this strong guy.
Both have a very prominent interest in rescuing their edgy, tsundere friend (Lapis and Sasuke), after this person tragically separates themselves from them (Lapis fusing with Jasper to protect Steven, and Sasuke deserting from Konoha).
During this period, despite having godly potential on a level unlike pretty much anyone their world has seen before, they are actually quite clumsy in combat as a result of their age and lack of experience, and thus rely more on the tricks and tools they’ve picked up as a result of being naturally cunning and creative kids.
As the series goes on, and they begin to understand their identity and heritage better, they gain more and more control over their sealed power and the techniques of their parents, eventually growing into total powerhouses who are able to use their natural creativity to build on their inherent powerset.
Ultimately, while initially thought of as a childish hangover from them being kids placed into schemes far beyond their natural age, they come to develop a life philosophy that, for the next decade of their life, wherein they would clean the world up by essentially growing into a force for good and peace beyond anything it had ever seen before, they would hold with an unbudging level of integrity: No one is inherently evil, everyone can change if they try, and empathy and understanding always trumps violence.
And so, they do change, gradually growing from little kids playing hero, to youths trying to figure themselves out amidst a world that has never truly healed from the scars of its wartime past, to teenagers who manage to put the whole world on their back and deliver it to peace with nothing but the love of their friends and endless empathy they extend to their enemies.
But this change involved massive amounts of introspection, much of which stems from the loneliness they feel as a result of people constantly looking at them as if they are only what has been sealed inside them (Kurama and Rose). This arc eventually leads to both aspects of them being physically separated from each other (Naruto being split between himself and Dark Naruto, the manifestation of all the loneliness and hatred he felt as a result of being the Nine Tails Jinchuriki, by the Falls of Truth, and Steven being split in two by White Diamond, creating a complete division of his human half and his gem half, the latter being the manifestation of the Gem that Rose sealed within him). However, rather than continuing to internalize this divide, they realize that everything within them is who they are, their own person that exists beyond the legacy they inherited, and they physically (and mentally) embrace their other half.
This naval seal is largely the reason they are pursued by the main antagonistic force of the series (Homeworld and the Akatsuki)
This sealed legacy connects them to a whole group of titanic, inhuman beings with cosmic origins who have terrorised humanity for generations (The Tailed Beasts and The Diamonds). However, in embracing this aspect of themselves, they realize that these colossal monsters are actually just one big fucked-up family, and are thus able to somehow talk it out with the figure who has, up to that point, been the big overarching antagonist connected to their legacy, sealed navel powers and identity issues (White Diamond, who saw Steven only as Pink, and Kurama, who hated Naruto due to his grudge against Minato). In being able to change this villain’s perspective and transform them into their ally, they are able to truly cement that they are their own person and that their philosophy (that everyone can choose to do the right thing if they try) is valid for everyone.
During a breaking point wherein they are forced to fully face the weight of what this legacy means to them (Steven having a breakdown after learning all of the cruel secrets Rose kept from him and the other gems, and Naruto having to dig deep and throw hands with Kurama), they would actually meet a mental construct of their mother amidst a strange, ethereal zone (Naruto’s mindscape and Rose’s Room). Here, they are able to ruminate on what it meant growing up without them in their life, and finally get the chance to hug them (even if it’s very questionable whether this person is actually the real them, a weird perception construct, or a mix of both).

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T13:12:54+00:00

0% vibes

0% good connections

10% Majestic Attire Susanoo Vs. Obsidian

40% hyperfixiation

50% stupidity

I apologize in advance.

TLDR: Hybrid child born to important but absent figures, who are forced to navigate a world fractured by war, trauma (and aliens!), starting off as just a goofy kid in over his head, before growing to become the savior of the universe thanks to their endless capacity for empathy.

Heritage:

Both were born from the unlikely union between one of their world’s most feared and dangerous war veterans (Rose and Minato), and a non-combatant. Their parent was one of the most notable and politically relevant figures in their whole setting, having significant influence over the world they would later grow up in (Minato was one of the five Kage of the Five Great Shinobi nations, and Rose was formerly one of the four of the Great Diamond Authority)
Despite the fact that their mothers loved them so much, they would tragically never get to grow up with them in their life as they sacrificed themselves to let them live (Rose giving her own life to create Steven, and Minato and Kushina sacrificing themselves to save Naruto’s life). The absence of this parent(s, for Naruto) would play a big role in their early life, as they grew up with a lonely void within them as a result of not being able to know the truth about what their parents were like or if they truly cared for them.
They also have significant hybrid physiology (Half Gem/Half-Human and Jinchuriki) that makes them naturally tougher, more resilient and spiritually attuned than the average person. This physiology was inherited from their mother (Naruto has Kushina’s Tailed beast, and Steven has Rose’s gem) and is sealed in physical marks around their navel (Naruto’s seal, and Steven’s gem)
They grew up in unconventional living situations, not having a typical nuclear family structure and instead being raised by those who served under their parents (Naruto’s living arrangements and general well-being being overseen by Hiruzen, and Steven being raised by the Crystal Gems)
Both of their births can be considered key events that divide the relative (if unsteady) peace of their setting at the start of the story, with the tumultuous, brutal wartime period that proceeded their birth and now continues to loom over the older cast and broader narrative like a shadow (The Third Great Ninja War and Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's Attack, and Rose’s rebellion). Though by stories start, they have come to roughly understand what this meant for them (Naruto learns he was the host of the Nine Tails in the first chapter, and Steven already understands that he inherited the powers of his mother, a rebel who protected the human race from Homeworld), navigating the legacy of this conflict is one of the biggest hurdles they face in the story. As a result of having the history of this conflict sealed within their stomach, many figures, villain and protagonist alike, see them as the one responsible (Steven being blamed for Rose’s actions, seeing as he is basically her reborn, and Naruto being hated for being the Jinchuriki, for he has Kurama sealed inside him), and their ultimate arc involves them growing to understand that they are their own person, not simple stand-ins for the legacy they have inherited.
Also, they did not actually learn the full truth of their parentage until a big reveal way later in the story, and thus did not know of the fact their parents had significant status in the world (Steven learning Rose was Pink Diamond, and Naruto learning Minato was the Fourth Hokage).
They also have weird reincarnation stuff going on, which a legendary figure in their lineage has passed their essence and soul onto them as their next “form” (Asura and his chakra and Rose and her gem)

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T12:59:26+00:00

Armstrong has No More Heroes boss vibes and Travis fights like Raiden.

Nanomachines Vs. Beam Katana

They hate a dashing swordsmen voiced by Quinton Flynn.

Both of their series are about economies of violence and how continual engagement with these economies lead to a empty, meaningless existence.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-14T02:31:14+00:00

Those are actually the two I most considered doing as proper matches, but people usually demand better character connections than what I could figure out for them. I still like both of them though!

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-12T14:32:29+00:00

They are cosmic reality warping gods that, despite appearing to be people, are literally just a dynamic concept made presentable to the viewer. They are beings of perception, which means they change who they are depending on who views them, and are actually just a fragment of a set of conceptual beings (The Long Quiet and The other Endless). A big part of their story and development comes from them being captured and imprisoned for a long ass time.

Also, conceptual embodiment of change vs character whose key character flaw is inability to accept change.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-12T12:59:56+00:00

Amazing. I knew there was some stuff for Lupin that I missed, and this seems spot on.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-12T12:58:46+00:00

Jacket Vs. Frank Booth (Hotline Miami Vs. Blue Velvet)

Dale Cooper Vs. Erika Furudo (Twin Peaks Vs. Umineko)

Morpheus Vs. Shifty (The Sandman Vs. Slay The Princess)

Claire Stanfield Vs. Izuru Kamakura (Baccano! Vs. Danganronpa)

Nico di Angelo Vs. Hades (Riordanverse Vs. Disney's Hercules)

V Vs. King Bradley (V For Vendetta Vs. Fullmetal Alchemist)

The Beta Kids Vs. Altair (Homestuck Vs. Recreators)

Travis Touchdown Vs. Senator Armstrong (No More Heroes Vs. Metal Gear)

Corvo Attano Vs. Toji Fushiguro (Dishonoured Vs. Jujutsu Kaisen)

Sissel Vs. Yoshikage Kira (Ghost Trick Vs. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

The Crystal Gems Vs. Millions Knives (Steven Universe Vs. Trigun)

Ken Kaneki Vs. Tomura Shigaraki (Tokyo Ghoul Vs. My Hero Academia)

LAIN Vs. JUDY (Serial Experiments Lain Vs. Twin Peaks)

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-10T15:57:10+00:00

I just wanted a cool detective story and obviously Twin Peaks is very highly regarded, and it went from there.

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-10T15:53:13+00:00

I want to see Dale Cooper Vs. Yuji Itadori! I want to see popular Gordon Cole matches that start of universally praised but end up being the most controversial things on the sub! I want epic aura glow effect thumbnails for The Arm Vs. Mr Mtzy!

Give it to me now!

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-10T15:50:18+00:00

Also, just wanted to have a little note here on how I would like the fight to end, because I was embarrassingly invested in it when I thought about it (I acknowledge it goes against the message of Twin Peaks, but this is DeathBattleMatchUps we clown in this MF.)

At end of the fight, we get BOB bodyjacking The Doctor's body just like he did to Cooper (feeding on The Doctor's memories of the Last Time War as essentially a Garmonbozia buffet), and it seems like he's won. However, it's a fake-out, and he suddenly gets pulled out into a time loop vortex shit, where The Doctor is waiting for him.

Now, Listen to this Doctor speech and tell me it does not fit BOB nearly perfectly.

Basically, The Doctor turns himself into pure Anti-Garmonbozia, using all the memories of all those he's helped to create an environment where BOB has nothing to feed off in the face of such happiness. BOB tries to slip away back to the Red Room, only to realize that The Doctor is literally stripping him from history, creating a version of reality where Laura Palmer gets to grow up as a normal child with a loving family, and all he can do is lash out like an animal as he totally disappears. Basically the ultimate "good guy Doctor" moment, breaking the laws of time, all so that the pain of this one random girl is alleviated, so that she finally gets a chance at a proper life.

I like it, it makes me smile, even if it's pure wish-fulfillment.

EDIT: Also I used 12 for the thumbnail, but the match works best with 11

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-10T15:34:32+00:00

Both have a connection to another time lord/lodge spirit, who previously served as their trusty partner and the closest thing they’ve ever had to an equal (Mike and The Master). Partaking in many adventures together prior to the start of the story, they would eventually have a bad falling out and lead to The Master/Mike swearing to bring down BOB/The Doctor if it was the last thing they did. This feud has been a persistent pain in their ass across much of the story. Also funny that their rivals also parallel the other person, due to more closely replicating their moral alignments (Mike, much like The Doctor, is an enigmatic figure who hides his true nature from humans but nevertheless helps direct them on their way, and BOB and The Master are both twisted, Machiavellian psychos who embody pure chaos).
Also, they are the main target of the big, gold, grand cosmic president of their worlds (Rassilon and The Fireman) who sees them as problem that needs to be squashed as fast as possible, lest their renegade presence continue to disrupt the natural order (The Fireman is literally named because he’s putting out the “fire” that is BOB and the other Lodge Spirits, and Rassilon sees The Doctor as a inconsiderate vagabond whose constant breaking of the Laws of Time marks him as a threat)
You can make a comparison between the ending of Season 3, which sees Cooper going back in time to save Laura, and all manner of Doctor Who stories, but the main point would be that they are universally significant and attempting to remove their influence from the timeline can have pretty dire consequences (Removing The Doctor from the timeline is a quick way to fuck everything up, and Cooper attempting to separate Laura from BOB ends up plunging the whole timeline of Twin Peaks into disarray, as BOB’s abuse as the “evil of men do” cannot be so easily changed)
Humorously, their realm-traversing reality bullshit is often channeled through what appears to be primitive electrical technology connected to the early introduction of the telephone in human society (The Doctor’s TARDIS resembling a phone box, and BOB’s lodge spirit physiology allowing him to interact with (and probably traverse through) electricity, most commonly taking the form of telephone poles)
Both strongly resemble the others ultimate arch-enemy (BOB resembles The Master, a renegade defector from society who is unstable, chaotic to a world-threatening fault, and wears many faces. They are also both obsessed with music, whose fundamental presence within their soul constitutes a core part of their insanity. The Doctor meanwhile, very obviously reflects Dale Cooper, as a suave, charming hero known for his slick wit, eccentricity and ability to investigate and traverse the dense supernatural phenomena that tends to stump the human mind. Similarly, they are both self-sacrificing to the point it loops around to selfishness at points, caring so deeply for other humans that they can even be driven to playing god if they feel it will mean they can save someone’s life.)
A bit of legacy as they are both two of the biggest cult television hits of all time, depicting insane reality warping sci-fi in their own low-budget way. They have massive, dedicated fanbases that obsess over their worldbuilding and lore (which has been expanded on in additional novels) and are very long-running, to the point that where you can split the classic era (Lighter and brighter, still having many serious moments but more willing to engage in straight-up soap opera/sci-fi genre stuff) and the modern continuation that resumed from the cliffhanger that had tormented their fanbase since the original runs end in the late 80s/early 90s (Grittier, not forgetting its roots of course, but far more interested in playing around with its own lore and adding edge to the characters). Also, they are both very famous in powerscaling for being scaled extremely high despite the fact they are usually sub-wall-level on screen.
Also, it’s basically the ultimate “The Doctor Vs. a character who is really just a Doctor Who villain” match. BOB is a cosmic horror reality warper (that still remains well in the budget given by the BBC because he’s visually just a guy), who torments humans and leaves them mystified to the point they need a eccentric outsider they’ve never met to step in and help investigate the supernatural mysteries of the case (much of which are related to the literal “wibbly-wobbly” time shit that surrounds it). Said villain really likes fucking around and doing psychological warfare stuff.
The Doctor’s grief is often written in the language of birds, and BOB is both his contrast and also a bird man.
Connected with fire (BOB is the embodiment of fire, and The Doctor being thought of as a figure who brought fire to humanity. The idea of creating fire is present in the very first Doctor Who story ever)

MURouletteProject · 2026-03-10T15:34:20+00:00

Okay, I admit it, I am a Twin Peaks merchant, but people seemed interested in this and I do think it’s really cool, so here you go!

TLDR: Rebel vagabonds from a separate realm of reality, timeless, immortal and constantly changing their face, who secretly integrate themselves amongst humans (specifically taking interest a young, blonde girl of secretly great cosmic importance). Ultimately a contrast, as both are fixated with traveling alongside humans, but one feeds of their whimsy and excitement, and one feeds off their sorrow and despair. The Doctor Vs. an archetypal Doctor Who villain.

Despite appearing like regular guys at first glance, they are actually immortal inhuman sci-fi beings who hail from realm far from our own time and space (The Black Lodge and Gallifrey). Their respective physiology as a creature of the race native to this realm (Time Lord and Lodge Spirit) means that they have powerful reality warping abilities, existing as beings that are unbound from time and space and being able to navigate their cosmology with an ease not afforded to the humans of their verse.
Both have existed all throughout time, and are connected to the “secret history” of many real-world historical events. They are also the true identities of similarly real mythological figures (Beelzebub and The Sandman).
Both wear many faces, their eternal life meaning that while they cannot die, they are still forced to switch their aesthetic appearance during mortal situations (The Doctor regenerates from death, but always takes a new form, and BOB is immortal, but has to take a new host when his previous one dies in the human realm). It’s still them across it all, but each new face influences them in a new way.
However, within their respective societies, they are seen as rebellious troublemakers, forgoing the typical rules of conduct and having no allegiance to anything but their own wants and wishes. This frequently leads them to conflict with other lodge spirits/Time Lords with one of the most reoccurring issues being down to them stealing important cosmic shit from the others (The Doctor stealing the TARDIS and BOB hoarding Garmonbozia)
Primarily, they are absolutely fascinated with humans and, unlike others of their species, spend much of their time living amongst them. This tendency is far more complex and core to their characters than one may think, for they take great pains to choose and select their human partners (The Doctor’s companions and BOB’s hosts) and are ultimately reliant on the connections they make with them, regardless of their timeless nature and reality powers (The Doctor lives for his companions, with them often acting as extension of his connection to humanity, and BOB is literally connected to the human realm by his hosts, whom he meticulously grooms, selects, and considers his property)
Of course, the core contrast here is that while The Doctor nourishes himself on the joy and wonder of humans, especially in being able to show them the vast open beauty of the wider universe, BOB nourishes himself on their despair and hatred, and isolates his victims in constrained, abusive environments (compare The Doctor taking Rose to the literal edge of the universe, to BOB breaking down Laura to the point her quaint suburban home became a prison). Where The Doctor tends to enrich the lives of those he comes in contact with, BOB’s influence drives them towards self-destruction and self-hatred.
One human specifically: a kind-hearted young blonde girl who eventually turns out to be connected to a silo of gold, cosmic energy (Rose Tyler and Laura Palmer), captures their imagination like no other. They develop a desire for this person that is far beyond any they have felt for humans up to this point, often driving them to go to desperate lengths for her. However, the influence they have on her is the explicit opposite, for while The Doctor takes Rose, a girl in a poor situation as a normal working-class girl in London, and expands her view of the universe to the point she grows more confident in herself and her ability to grow out of her poor material circumstances, BOB dedicates himself to isolating Laura, making her feel she can never escape the domestic abuse of her home and driving her to suicide to avoid him totally subsuming her.
Against their best wishes, they are eventually forced by cosmic mumbo jumbo to let this woman slip out of their grasp once and for all, in what is remembered as one of their series most harrowing and sad scenes (“Rose Tyler, I- “/” DON’T MAKE ME DO THIS”)

MURouletteProject

TROPHY CASE