Rick Hunter needs your vote in the final four!

A tournament-style, knock-down, drag-out, free-for-all, battle royale featuring your favorite anime, manga and Japanese pop-culture characters!

Polls close May 8, 2012 at 11:59:59pm

http://geek-news.mtv.com/2012/05/03/battle-arena-otaku-luffy-one-piece-rick-hunter-robotech-ultraman-voltron/

We're near the end, fight fans, with the final two matchups taking place between the four challengers that you chose. And it's an interesting mix: a pilot and a pirate, and two giants. What's that all about? While we're still crunching the numbers to understand this recent round of choices, analyzing the data and getting it out to top men in their field—top men, we say—we've still got these last two contests.

How 'bout some analysis from our resident anime/manga experts, Charles Webb and Brigid Alverson?

Rick Hunter vs. Luffy

Charles: Time and again, you've chosen flyboy Rick Hunter—have you seen his jet, because it's also a robot—and Luffy, the hyper-flexible pirate from One Piece. Besides being guys (curiously, all of our final four are), these two characters couldn't be more dissimilar. Luffy is exuberant, inspiring, and sometimes a little dim, while Rick is introspective and a little wounded (emotionally) by the toll of a seemingly neverending conflict. So which will it be? Sensitivity or flexibility?

Brigid: It’s pilot vs. pirate in the penultimate round, and both have come through some amazing matchups already.  It’s a tough call, because Rick is the otaku’s favorite, but Luffy is still keeping it fresh, 60 volumes into his series. I’m giving this round to young and brash: Luffy D. Monkey for the win!