The Blue Raiden, also knowns Raiden β or Raiden Mk-IIβ is the blue counterpart of the protagonist ship the Red Raiden as the second playable ship. Like its original counterpart, it debuted in Raiden series.
In the original Raiden games, the Blue Raiden is simply a clone of its red counterpart, and can use the same weapons. In Raiden DX, Raiden II (Player 2) side starts with a stock of Cluster Bombs, as opposed to the Raiden II starting with the Thermonuclear Bombs.
In Raiden Fighters 2 and Raiden Fighters Jet, it moves faster than the Raiden II known as Raiden Mk-IIβ, and has the spread Vulcan with Awl Missiles. It uses the Cluster Bomb as its bomber attack. However, this ship has different capabilities and bomber than the Raiden Mk. II.
History[]
Raiden[]

In 2090 A.D., Earth was invaded by a mysterious alien force called the Crystals; this unknown enemy proved to be unstoppable, making it a difficult enemy for Earth's defenses to face off against. Worried that the planet might fall, the Vanquish Crystal Defense (VCD) begins salvaging parts from fallen Crystal fighters and studies them extensively in an effort to reverse-engineer the Crystal's technology. They then gather the world's best engineers and task them into developing an advance combat spacecraft codenamed Raiden, or Fighting Thunder. After performaning numerous vigorous tests, the fighter proved to be too difficult to handle for most of the pilots, and as such only two were selected to manned them.
The Raiden β, alongside its red counterpart the Raiden were subsequently launched to fight back the Crystals, they travel to various environments, battling numerous commanders along the way, before launching into space to eliminate the source: the Doreineji Core. The Raidens destroy the core, effectively ending the invasion and return back to base with their mission accomplished.
Raiden II / Raiden DX[]

Three years later in 2093 A.D., the Crystals regain their strength and launch yet another, larger invasion against Earth. The Vanquish Crystal Defense, now more prepared for their assault, develop a new, more advanced version of the Raiden fighter called the Raiden Mk-II, expecting an intense battle ahead, this new fighter is now equipped with a versatile plasma laser and a cluster bomb to counter the incoming Crystals.
The fighter, alongside its red counterpart the Raiden mk-II are launched into all too familiar environments, battling numerous Crystal forces just like the last time. After destroying the Black Bird that launch from a derelict base, the two fighters travel to space to locate the Crystals' base of operations. The locate the base, known as the Mother Haven and destroy it, once again successfully thwarting the Crystals invasion for a second time.
Raiden III[]

Sometime later, the Crystals once again emerge and launch yet another invasion of Earth, the Vanquish Crystal Defense once more counters this threat by building a new and improved Raiden Fighter dubbed the Fighting Thunder ME-02, which is then launched with its red counterpart to battle the Crystals yet again.
After eliminating the hostile forces on Earth, the two fighters travel into space where they locate and destroy a large fortified and heavily-armed base. Once the base is destroyed the threat posed by the Crystals is once again surpassed. The red Fighting Thunder then locates the wreck of a fallen craft, where it then transforms into a Fairy.
Raiden IV[]

After suffering numerous defeats, the Crystals launch a fourth invasion against Earth. The Vanquish Crystal Defense, no stranger to this threat, launches a refined version of their previous craft called the Fighting Thunder ME-02 Kai, which incorporates nearly all the weapons the Raiden fighters have used up to that point in their ongoing struggle against the Crystals.
The fighter and its red counterpart are launched to quell the Crystals once more and save the planet for a fourth time. They tackle the forces positioned across the planet before making their way to space and confronting the source of the invasion: a Crystal fortress codenamed Horda Gestorada. The two crafts destroy the fortress, ending yet another Crystal invasion before returning to Earth.
Raiden V[]

17 years after the first Crystal war in Raiden, the Vanquish Crystal Defense, under the command of Richard "Max" Maxwell and communications officer Eshiria Portman fear that this new invasion by the Crystals is far bigger than the ones that the VCD has endured in the past. After receiving an attack order, VCD launches the newest model of the Raiden fighter line, which proceeds to suppress the Crystal Invasion in the United States.
After defeating the Crystals in New York City, the Raiden is then sent to the Middle East to quell a similar threat, there it discovers a Crystal Mine, and shipment of the specimens are shipped to France from examination. There, the specimens become sentient and begin contaminating the military vehicles located on the site. The Raiden successfully fends off the suprise attack.
The Raiden is then sent to the facility housing a Large Hadron Collider, where it proceeds to thwart an impending attack by the Crystals on the volatile site. However in a twist, a drone sent by a pirate mercenary named Valbarossa Hawkeye steals the Crystals that the VCD has stored on their flagship the Bellwether.
The Raiden tracks down the Hawkeye's flagship and engages in a battle against her. After gaining the upper hand however, the Crystals suddenly contaminate the ship, which then begins to battle the Raiden on its own will. The Raiden manages to defeat the ship, and Hawkeye joins forces with the VCD (as she reveals herself to be secretly working with them all along).
The Raiden travels to the SHIFT facility, where after a quarrel with Lieutenant Walter Erick Campbell, the VCD orders the Raiden to destroy the facility. Campbell then attempts to attack the Raiden craft, but is unsuccessful and arrested for his actions against the VCD.
Having confirmed Max's suspicions, the Raiden proceeds to leave Earth's atmosphere in order to locate the source of the Crystals at their homeworld. Upon arriving, the craft discovers that the planet has no signs of life. After discovering that the Crystals have the same composition as water, a disturbing revelation is discovered: the Crystals' constant attacks on Earth are no ordinary alien invasion, rather their true intention is to exterminate all life on the planet by polluting its atmosphere and contaminating its machinery (a goal similar to that of the ORN Empire from Thunder Force). It is then theorized that Earth was not the first planet that was invaded by the crystals, as they are assumed to have jumped from planet to planet in the past.
The Raiden destroys the Crystal base located on the homeworld, but Earth's fate is dependent on the ending:
- In the "Bad Ending", Earth is ultimately consumed by the Crystals.
- In the "Good Ending" the Bellwether sustains heavy damage that it is unable to return to Earth, however the planet is spared a grizzly fate for a fifth time. Max warns the VCD and Raiden to stay vigilant, as it is possible that the Crystals may one day return.
Variants[]
- Raiden β - The original fighter in the first Raiden game. It is made in 2090 to counter the Crystals invading Earth. It is capable of using the Wide Vulcan and Lighting Laser, as well as both homing rocket and awl missiles.
- Raiden Mk-IIβ - Introduced as a successor in the sequel set 3 years later in 2093. In addition to carrying its predecessor's arsenal, it is now given two new weapons: a lock-on laser beam called the Bend Plasma, and a variant of its normal bomb called the Cluster Bomb.
- Fighting Thunder ME-02β - Introduced in Raiden III, it has a smaller hotbox and retains most of the Raiden MK-II's arsenal, except that the Bend Plasma is replaced with a new weapon called the Proton Laser, which can be controlled like an arm. It also features a new weapon called the Radar Missile, which combines the Nuclear Missile's power with the Homing Missile's tracking system. Its bomb now deploys automatically.
- Fighting Thunder ME-02 Kaiβ - A modified version of the Fighting Thunder ME-02 used in Raiden IV, it regains the use of Bend Plasma.
- Azuma β - A unique craft created by Japan in an alternate timeline established in Raiden V, it was made with no special purpose, thus was given all-around combat specifications.
- Spirit of Dragon β - A unique craft created by the United States in an alternate timeline established in Raiden V, it is considered a "tank", being that it is slow, but provides extraordinary firepower and defense.
- Moulin Bleu - A unique craft created by the France in an alternate timeline established in Raiden V, it was built for speed above everything else. As such it is very agile, but lacks offensive capabilities.
Crossover Appearances[]
Raiden Fighters Series[]

Blue Raiden makes its crossover debut in Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive as a guest character fighting for the side of Gun Dog squadron which seeks to protect the newly established government from an old regime led by a tyrannical dictator and his loyalists. In this game, Blue Raiden has a different weapon set from its red cousin and has supposedly the highest defense out of Gun Dog fighters: it is armed with powerful nuclear missiles that travel straight, and its main shot is a wide vulcan that travels in a very wide radius when fully upgraded. The ability unique to RF Series is that Blue Raiden is able to control Slave drones. Its weaknesses, however, are that it is as slow as its red cousin, its cluster emergency bomb is fortunately quick to deploy but sadly weak, and its wide vulcan has very poor rapid-firing capability.
In Raiden Fighters JET, Blue Raiden appears as a simulation fighter training pilots of the new government's newly built air force. The simulation training involves several levels of virtual battles occurred in the events of Raiden Fighters (the game Raiden Beat was absent of) and Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive. If a pilot performs poorly in his/her training, he/she is told to do better and the game ends prematurely. But if a pilot excels in his/her virtual simulation training with Blue Raiden, he/she will have an honor of driving the new air force's latest state-of-the-art jet fighter named Ixion. Should the pilot pass his/her virtual training, he/she is immediately ordered to go fight the remnants of enemy military - deployed to an actual combat. Blue Raiden is not seen again after that.
Weapons[]
The Raiden β is equipped with several primary and secondary weapons for use in various forms of combat.
Primary[]
- Wide Vulcan (Red) - the default weapon of the Raiden β, it fires a widespread vulcan cannon that covers a wide area. The shots can easily eliminate small enemies, but require lots of firepower to take down larger ones. Upgrading the weapon increases the spread and the number of shots fired.
- Lightning Laser (Blue) - fires a blue, penetrating laser. This weapons lacks a defensive spread, but deals a high amount of damage per shot, allowing it to eliminate medium to large enemies, as well as bosses much quicker than the vulcan. When upgraded, the number of lasers fired increases, and when fully upgraded, one large laser with greater width is fired.
- Bend Plasma (Purple) - initially, this weapon is fired in a similar manner as the Wide Vulcan, but as the fire button is continually eld, the shots merge to form a single laser beam. This beam will lock on to any enemy it hits, slowly draining its health over time, as well as damaging any enemy the beam passes through simultaneously. With further upgrades, the beam's width will increase, allowing it to hit more enemies at once. Although not present in Raiden III it subsequently came back in Raiden IV.
- Proton Laser (Green) - Made its debut in Raiden III. Fires a continuous laser beam that can be swung at an arc of up to 45 degrees. When upgraded, the width of the beam increases and damage increases.
Secondary[]
- Nuclear Missiles (M) - fires a pair of cruise missiles that travel straightforward, sometimes shifting horizontally. The missiles will explode dealing moderate splash damage. They have a high damage output, but a low fire rate. When upgrades, the number of missiles, as well as the speed of them increases.
- Homing Missiles (H) - fires a pair of homing missiles, which will target nearby enemies, these missiles travel faster and have a higher rate of fire, but deal less damage than the Nuclear Missiles. When upgraded, the number of missiles fired, accuracy, and speed increases.
- Radar Missiles (R) - fires a pair of semi-homing missiles, that will travel laterally to the nearest enemies, before flying straightforward. They deal a high amount of damage. When upgraded, the number of missiles fired increases.
Bombs[]
- Thermonuclear Bombs (Red B) - The Raiden will deploy a single bomb with a delayed detonation, which upon exploding, creates a large explosion radius that instantly destroys small enemies and projectiles, whilst also damaging larger enemies and bosses. The bomb has a limited number of uses, and must be used strategically.
- Cluster Bombs (Yellow B) - Deploys a volley of small bombs with a short delay, which upon exploding, creates numberous smaller explosions at random intervals that cover a wide area, destroying smaller enemies and projectiles, whilst damaging larger enemies and bosses. The bomb has a limited number of uses, and must be used strategically.
- Annihilation Bomb - Debuting in Raiden III, this emergency bomb inherits Cluster's quickness and persisting effect of Thermonuclear Bomb. Once activates it eradicates all lesser foes present quickly.
Gallery[]
[]
![]() | ||
Raiden Viper Phase 1 Raiden Fighters |