Super Smash Bros. Director Reveals Surprising Character That Was Almost in the Game

Super Smash Bros. series director Masahiro Sakurai, has revealed a fairly random character that was almost in Super Smash Bros. Melee. More specifically, Sakurai revealed that he and the team almost added Ayumi Tachibana, a character Famicom Detective Club, before ultimately deciding to abandon the idea due to the character's lack of presence outside of Japan. In other words, because a majority of Super Smash Bros. Melee players probably would have no clue who it is.

"Well, I was thinking about it during the Melee days - Famicom Detective Club," said Masahiro Sakurai. "Ayumi even has her own trophy in that game. But in the end, there's no way she'd work overseas. But I do like Famicom Detective Club."

Whether the character will show up as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's final DLC character or in a future installment, who knows, but it's unlikely, as the reasoning for omitting her is just as relevant today as it was back then. Unfortunately, Sakurai doesn't divulge who ended up taking the spot that scrapping Tachibana presumably opened. 

For those that don't know: Ayumi Tachibana isn't even the protagonist of the Famicon Detective Club, but she may be the most popular, or at least the most recognizable, character from the series.

In the present day, the character lives on as a Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and as a costume in Super Mario Maker. And of course, with Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind releasing on Switch earlier this year, the character is probably as relevant as she's been in a long time, but still not relevant enough for a Super Smash Bros. roster spot.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to hit the comments section with your thoughts or, alternatively, hit me up on Twitter @Tyler_Fischer_ and let me know over there. Should Sakurai and co. added Ayumi Tachibana to Super Smash Bros. Melee or did they make the right call leaving her out of the final release and the subsequent releases since then? Meanwhile, for more coverage on all things Super Smash Bros, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Nintendo, click here.

H/T, Source Gaming.