List of Manhunt characters

This is a list of characters who appear in the 2003 video game Manhunt.

James Earl Cash
The protagonist of the game, little is known about anything in his life before the games events. He was sentenced to death after being on death row for three years, but instead of a lethal injection, he was only tranquilized due to the work of Lionel Starkweather, who bribed the police and prison officials. After waking up, Cash is forced by Starkweather to participate in his "manhunt" snuff film, promising that "it will all be over before the night is out." At the end of the game, Cash's whereabouts are unknown. His voice was provided by Stephen Wilfong.

Lionel Starkweather
The man behind the whole scenario, the Director communicates to Cash through an earpiece until after the asylum. According to bonus material, he was once a prominent director who fell out of favor in Hollywood due to some unknown indiscretion and went insane, turning to slasher films and underground pornography to rebuild his funds and using it to turn his enemies into "extras", later using Valiant Video Enterprises as a front to distribute snuff films. He tells Cash where to go and sometimes gives special instructions on murdering certain people. He hides deep within his mansion where Cash confronts him, mutilating and killing him using Piggsy's chainsaw. His name may be a reference to the famous serial killer Charles Starkweather. His voice was provided by Brian Cox.

The Reporter
A reporter and journalist who has been researching Starkweather's activities for some time, and it is hinted that Starkweather is onto her. Cash must lead her back to her apartment so she can collect evidence on the snuff ring, protecting her from the police force along the way. If she is left on her own too long she will come running to find Cash, which puts them both in danger. She is last seen on the news doing a news bulletin exposing Starkweather's snuff film ring. A bonus soundfile of an audio transcript from the Manhunt website reveals that the aftermath has made her paranoid, unable to cope with witnessing so much violence and the whole concept of people willingly participating in such a depraved sport for the amusement of others. She is being interviewed by a doctor in a mental institution who says the reporter was found wandering the streets with a knife in her hand. There is a slight controversy as to what her name is. In the cutscene before Border Patrol, the prefix "Rob" can be scene if subtitles are turned on. Her name could possibly be Roberta or Robyn.

Ramirez
An African-American man with one eye and leader of The Wardogs, Ramirez is seen giving orders to various gangs throughout the game. He was Starkweather's leading man, since Cash was intended to be killed in "Kill The Rabbit". Cash encounters Ramirez at the apartment building with the Wardogs during "Divided They Fall". Ramirez has orders to make sure that Cash is killed, and by the end of the scene, Ramirez is killed by Cash as he attempts to request reinforcements.

The Tramp
In one scene Cash must lead the tramp through the city to the cemetery, protecting him from gang members along the way. He is an alcoholic homeless man and is constantly swigging liquor. He seems oblivious to the danger he is in. Bonus material in the game suggests that he is Kenneth Jesperson, the former leader of the Smileys who has the secret identity of Scarecrow.

Gary Schaffer
Though he never appears in person in the game, he is the chief of the Carcer City Police Department, and is in collusion with Starkweather. Upon the discovery of Starkweather's snuff film ring, and his involvement in it, the reporter claims that he plans to plead "not guilty" at what is presumably his upcoming trial. Though the results were not mentioned in the game, Gary Schaffer was ultimately found innocent. His voice may be heard during the cutscene before "Press Coverage". This wasn't the only game he was mentioned or heard in. On the Lips 106 radio station in Grand Theft Auto 3, a news jounralist talks about him getting free of charges since some witnesses disappeared without a trace before trial. This proves that he been in legal trouble before the events of Manhunt since Grand Theft Auto 3 happens during 2001 while Manhunt happens during 2003.

The White Rabbit
Found at the end of the asylum, he is a man in a white rabbit suit who holds the key needed to escape the asylum. He is a homage to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as well as the Bunnyman of Clifton, Virginia. The Rabbit is supposed to be the end of the line for Cash, and after he is killed, Starkweather stops giving Cash directions, effectively betraying Cash. He may be encountered during "Kill The Rabbit". An easter egg in Manhunt 2 shows the same white rabbit only hunged and dead. Maybe commited suicide or someone murdered him. He may be found during the episode "Broadcast Interrupted".

The Cerberus Leader
The Leader of the Cerberus. During parts of the game, he and his team capture Cash and place him in a different location. He is killed by Cash, trying to hide from both him and Piggsy in Starkweather's mansion during "Key Personnel".

Piggsy
Piggsy is the final boss in the game. He wears a pig mask (hence the name) and uses a chainsaw to kill his victims. He was Starkweather's main star before Cash and has since been kept in Starkweather's attic. He is killed by Cash in "Deliverance".

The Cash Family
Not much is known about the Cash family, it is believed that they represent his mother, father, brother and sister. Through Starkweather we find out that Cash and the rest of his family weren’t exactly what you would call ‘close’. The Cash Family are captured by the Wardogs in the scene "Strapped For Cash". Despite the family not being close, Cash does seem to express an assertive concern for the well-being of his family members, telling them sharply and snappishly to run and to trust no one. The player is only required to save one of the Family members. Regardless of how many family members Cash rescues, all of them are killed off by the beginning of "View of Innocence".

Mr. Nasty
The ever evasive Mr. Nasty is the man behind it all, he is believed to be the financial backer and producer of the snuff ring under his company name; Valiant Video Enterprises. He runs his business under strict scrutiny, reserved strictly for members, selling all manner of things from gimp masks to explicit movies from the hunts. Not much information is known of Mr. Nasty but he appears to like to dress up like a member of the Hoods. On the project manhunt website, it said that Mr. Nasty shows up at the end of "Doorway To Hell".

The Hoods
The Hoods are "weekend warriors" who are mostly in the hunt for money, and thus not as aggressive as the other gangs. They consist mostly of off-duty police officers and local thugs whose appearance consist of dark colored clothing, as well as balaclavas and tights worn over their heads. They can be heard talking about things which have nothing to do with the hunt on hand, thus further evidence that they are under-estimating the danger they are really in. They are generally unorganized and unfocused, and do not always work together, making them easy to pick off one by one. They are the first gang Cash encounters.

The Skinz
A gang of white supremacists and neo-Nazis, they are often heard shouting derogatory racial remarks about Cash's supposed mixed-race heritage. They are armed with knives, nail guns and metal baseball bats and are found throughout the junkyard. Some members have the stereotypical skinhead look wearing form fitting t-shirts, army boots, shaved heads and suspenders, while others wear a hockey mask, and are covered in tattoos. Some even wear what looks like a swastika on the back or front of their shirts. It has a red background with a white circle and a complex black design in the white.

The Wardogs
A group of war veterans, hunting enthusiasts, and survivalists who are among Starkweather's most efficient killers, using tactics such as flanking, baiting, and full frontal assaults. They are outfitted in camouflage along with ghillie suits, combat boots, and face paint, although some wear scarves over their faces, and carry tranquilizer rifles, machetes and knives.

The Innocentz
A gang located in the shopping mall and various other parts of the city. They are the first gang encountered who use firearms, but are also armed with knives, hatchets, and sickles. The Innocentz have two different types of gang members: the Skullyz, a group of Latino-style goths who wear skull masks and hoodies, and the Baby Faces, who are fat and wear bright flowered shirts and doll-like masks.

The Smileys
The Smileys are a group of crazed psychotics who make their turf in the derelict Darkwood Penitentiary. They wear yellow smiley face masks, usually with things such as "kill" and "please stop me" scrawled messily across them in blood. They are covered in tattoos and blood stains and sometimes wear blouses and dresses. Some of them tend to be topless, donning tattos of words and phrases (inked in the opposite color of their skin tone, depending on white or black) such as "Kill Me", elaborate face paint and mohawks. Many of them can be heard screaming and ranting talking about a chaotic dinner party and an unfaithful drunken husband named "Barry", who it is implied they have killed for cheating. Some even mumble on about their shoes being stolen, thus further evidence that the Smileys are bordering on total lunacy. They also seem to have an obsessive fascination with what they call "head juice." This is most likely a reference to brain matter and blood. In and after chases, The Smileys can be heard screaming "head juice" and mentioning how Cash is leaving behind a trail of head juice. The Smileys occupy the Darkwoods Penitentiary mental asylum carrying meat cleavers, knives, pistols, and shotguns.

Carcer City Police Department
After Cash evades the Wardogs for the last time, Starkweather has the chief of the Carcer City Police Department, Gary Schaffer, who is working for Starkweather, send out his men to capture Cash and the reporter. The CCPD could almost be considered innocent Starkweather's pawns as they have no knowledge of the snuff film ring, the chief's involvement in it, or even of Cash's true identity (they're under the impression that they're hunting a homeless man). There are hints that the police are quite brutal in their methods, being heard bragging about past "hobo hunts," complaining about "liberal" cops, and mentions of shooting first and asking questions later. They are armed with nightsticks, handguns, shotguns, and sniper rifles. Normally they will chase after the player, but if they find one of their own dead, they will shoot on sight.

SWAT team
The SWAT team is armed with Desert Eagles, MAC-10s and shotguns. They also wear body armor and can take more bullets than the average cop. They have been dispatched during "Wrong Side Of The Tracks".

The Cerberus
A group of mercenaries on Starkweather's payroll, they are the most dangerous enemy in the game. The Cerberus are equipped with Desert Eagles, shotguns and M16 rifles. They usually work in groups. Over the course of the game, they ambush Cash and bring him to a new area, taking his weapons when they do so. They guard Starkweather's mansion and the grounds, and also make an appearance at the end of the asylum. Unlike the other gangs, the Cerberus know what Cash is capable of, having watched him kill many people, and some express fear or admiration of his abilities.

The Monkeys
A maniac group of men in monkey suits appearing in the zoo in a bonus game, "Monkey See, Monkey Die." The story has it that they are indeed real monkeys and have an appetite for flesh due to banana shortage. They are extremely fearful, carry shotguns and machetes, and go berserk upon spotting the player or hearing noise.

Binbag
The leader of the Lost, not much is said about him, other than the fact he was originally intended to be a boss character for the Lost and very aggressive. He was dressed in trash bags, hence his nickname.

Scarecrow
Once the headhunter of the Smileys, Scarecrow was ultimately stripped of his rank following the unexplained "Piggsy debacle." He now desperately sleeps in the slums of the arena in the far off chance that he can confront Piggsy again and kill him to redeem himself. It is hinted that the tramp Cash must escort is in fact Scarecrow himself. In the bonus features, Scarecrow is shown holding a makeshift, sickle-like weapon that is a wooden stick with a curved metal blade tied to it.

The Clowns
The most notable gang that was ultimately dropped from the game, they were described as being "as vicious as the hunt allows." They were supposedly replaced by the Smileys, as in the bonus content the description said the Smileys had been barred due to gross disobedience, and also mentioned a fierce rivalry between the Clowns and the Smileys (with the Smileys being the dominant hunters in the rivalry). They snort amphetamines, although it is debatable whether or not this would enhance their performance.

They are sponsored by James W. Gacy, head of Carcer City's art galleries and museums. It is notable that he has both the same initials and surname (Gacy) of real-life American serial killer John Wayne Gacy, nicknamed "The Killer Clown."

The Jury
Another gang that didn't make the final cut, the concept of a gang whose members don hockey goalie masks was recycled for the Skinz.

The Lost
The original Junkyard gang that was ultimately dropped from the game in favor of the Skinz (though this was not necessarily a replacement as the Skinz were already a confirmed featured gang at this time in development). They are depicted as resourceful, using anything in the Junkyard to their advantage, such as metal plating for armor, and lead pipes for weaponry (the pipe was also a dropped weapon that was shown in early artwork). Their armour assembled from scrap metal makes perfect camoflauge for their environment, but on the downside, their armour is also very heavy and noisy, making it hard for them to pursue Cash.