Akuma (Street Fighter)

Akuma
'Street Fighter' character
File:Super X Gouki.jpg Akuma in Super Street Fighter II Turbo, drawn by Bengus.
First game	Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Created by	Noritaka Funamizu

Akuma (derived from the Japanese word for demon), known in Japan as Gouki (豪鬼, Gōki, "strong spirit", "strong demon" or "strong ogre"), is a video game character created by Capcom. Making his debut in Super Street Fighter II Turbo as a secret character and hidden boss, he has red hair, wears prayer beads around his neck, and wears a dark blue gi. He is the younger brother of Gouken, Ryu and Ken's sensei, and uses more powerful versions of Ryu and Ken signature techniques. The kanji 'ten' (天) - meaning "sky", "heaven", or "providence" - can be seen on his back when it appears during certain win animations. He has been voiced by Tomomichi Nishimura in many of the games in which he has appeared since the first Street Fighter Alpha, including the Street Fighter III and Marvel vs. Capcom series.

History

Street Fighter series

Akuma made his debut in Super Street Fighter II Turbo, the fifth and final arcade iteration of the Street Fighter II games, where he appears as a hidden character. After meeting certain requirements, Akuma appears prior to the player's final match with M. Bison and obliterates Bison before challenging the player. He can also be selected by the player via a secret code. In the Japanese arcade version of the game, Akuma would introduce himself to the player before the match. He also had two endings in the game as well: one for defeating M. Bison, and another against himself. While these endings were omitted from the overseas arcade version, they were edited into one ending and included in the English localization of Super Turbo Revival for the Game Boy Advance.

Akuma was characterized by Capcom as the younger brother of Gouken, Ryu and Ken's deceased master. Both trained under the same master, Goutetsu, who taught the brothers an unnamed martial arts originally made for assassination. Akuma embraced the killing aspects of the art, eventually killing his master, and later his brother, after which he waits for a suitable challenge, only taking challenges from those who are worthy.

While Akuma has a reputation as an evil character, he actually has an honor code. He sees no problem with killing in the heat of battle, but does not go around killing fighters. Instead, he only takes challenges, and then only against those he feels are worthy. He was been known to spare those he feels could yet improve (which he did after fighting Ken), or those who are weakened by outside forces (which he did with Gen, who was grievously ill when they first fought). He is known to help those in need, and, in fact, shows disdain for anyone who misuses their power, such as Bison, who he kills after Guile spares his life in Street Fighter 2.

Akuma appears in Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams once again as a hidden opponent and unlockable character. His backstory remains the same as in Super Turbo. Akuma was added to the immediate roster in Street Fighter Alpha 2 and Street Fighter Alpha 3, with a powered-up version of the character named "Shin Akuma" appearing as a hidden opponent. The character's relation with other Street Fighter characters begins to be fleshed out, establishing rivalries with Adon, Gen, and Ryu, who gains an alterego known as "Evil Ryu" who uses the same techniques as Akuma.

Initially, Akuma was not included in the first iteration of Street Fighter III, as the designers originally wanted to focus on a new cast of characters and it wasn't until the second game, Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact, that Akuma was added. Like in his debut in Super Turbo, Akuma is both a secret opponent who serves as an alternate final boss and unlockable character, with the CPU-controlled version being the "Shin Akuma" incarnation introduced in Alpha 2. He is a regular character in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

In the Street Fighter III games, Akuma now has white streaks on his hair. In his endings, he develops two new techniques: Kongō Kokuretsu Zan in 2nd Impact and Tenshō Kaireki Jin in 3rd Strike, the latter of which he isn't able to use during gameplay.

Akuma reappears in the arcade version of Street Fighter IV, once again as a hidden boss in the single-player mode.

Other games

Akuma has appeared in some form or another through many Capcom games outside the Street Fighter franchise. The first of these appearances was in the fighting game X-Men: Children of the Atom, where Akuma (in his Super Turbo incarnation) appears as a hidden character. He would appear in the later Marvel-licensed fighting games (see Marvel vs. Capcom series), including in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, where he also appears in mechanized form as "Cyber-Akuma". In Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, Akuma appears as an alternate fighting style of Ryu.

In the SNK vs. Capcom series, Akuma appears in Capcom vs. SNK and Capcom vs. SNK 2 as both regular Akuma and as version of "Shin Akuma". He also appears in Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Pocket Fighter, and in Cyberbots as a mecha named "Zero Gouki" in the console versions released in Japan. Also, various version of Akuma have appeared in the SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash series.

Shin Akuma

Shin Akuma, or Shin Gouki (真・豪鬼, Shin Gōki, "True Gouki"), is an alternate version of Akuma who appears as a secret character and boss. Shin Akuma is faster and stronger than his regular counterpart, and can throw two Zankū Hadokens at once. Also, his Shun Goku Satsu is much faster (making it harder to evade), and in some instances, inflicts more damage (e.g. Capcom vs. SNK 2). In some instances, Shin Akuma also has more life-threatening specials as well (e.g. Misogi). Shin Akuma's appearance is very similar to Akuma's; for example, in the Street Fighter Alpha series, Shin Akuma had a purple-blue gi instead of a black one.

Shin Akuma is a version of Akuma the players confront as a CPU opponent in Super Street Fighter II Turbo. To face Shin Akuma, the player must reach Bison without losing any rounds or using any continues (including having the second player join in) and achieving at least three perfect victories. He will then interrupt the final match by performing a Shun Goku Satsu (Raging Demon) on M. Bison, before challenging the player's character. As in his later incarnations, he has a purple gi instead of Akuma's standard black gi, is faster, and inflicts more damage. Yet, just like regular Akuma, his name is not displayed below the life bar and he does not have a super meter. Shin Akuma is, however, an unlockable playable character in the Game Boy Advance version of the game, Super Street Fighter II Turbo Revival, as well as the Japan-only Dreamcast version of the game, Super Street Fighter II X for Matchmaking Service. In the latter version, another version of Akuma referred to as Tien Akuma can also be selected, which is essentially Shin Akuma with a super bar. As expected, his super move is the Shun Goku Satstu.

Shin Akuma reappears in Street Fighter Alpha 2 as a hidden boss in the arcade version, who faces the player in the single player mode before the final opponent (unless the final opponent is Akuma, in this case Shin Akuma replaces the regular Akuma). He was made into a selectable hidden character in the console versions of Alpha 2. Shin Akuma also appears Street Fighter Alpha 3, where his name is displayed as "Shin Akuma" onscreen. Storywise, Shin Akuma is merely Akuma using the full extent of his power, compared to the "in-game" version which is Akuma voluntarily holding back his power to avoid ending fights prematurely. Shin Akuma, rather than "Final Bison", is Evil Ryu's final boss in the console versions of Street Fighter Alpha 3.

Shin Akuma reappears in Street Fighter III: Second Impact as a secret boss. Despite being displayed as regular Akuma, he has Shin Akuma's abilities.

In Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Shin Akuma is replaced by Cyber-Akuma (Mech-Gouki in Japan), a version of Akuma enhanced by Apocalypse. Cyber-Akuma featured most of Shin Akuma's attacks in the Capcom "versus series" style as well as attacks involving the launching of his mechanical left arm.

In Capcom vs. SNK and Capcom vs. SNK 2, a different form of Shin Akuma appears. This form of Akuma achieves a new level of power when a dying Rugal Bernstein pours his Orochi power into him. His name is spelled in Japanese as 神・豪鬼, with the "Shin" character meaning "True".

Gameplay

Akuma has the same moves as Ryu and Ken, only in a more balanced way; while Ryu is slower but stronger, and Ken is faster but weaker, Akuma sits in the middle of both. Akuma can perform the Hadōken (Gō Hadōken--Strong Surge Fist), including one performed mid-air (Zankū Hadōken--Air-Cutting Surge Fist). His Tatsumaki Zankūkyaku (Air Slashing Kick) knocks the opponent down instantly and can also juggle, his Shōryūken ( Gō Shōryūken, -- Strong Rising Dragon Fist) knocks down his opponent at the first hit and does 4 hits up close in Super Turbo and 3 in every appearance afterwards. He can also juggle with a single Shōryūken in certain instances. Akuma also cannot be stunned in his first few appearances. To compensate for these advantages, he is usually saddled with extremely low stamina, and in 3rd Strike, he has an extremely short stun meter and no EX moves. These "flaws" reflect Akuma's ability to hold back his power so as to give opponents a fighting chance.

Akuma has other notable special moves that Ryu and Ken normally lack. The Ashura Senkuu is a teleport move with very short startup and recovery which allows him to escape the corner almost at will. The Tenma Kuujinkyaku is a downwards-angled kick that he can use at the peak of his jumps; it's very fast, hard to punish, and allows for combos afterward. The Hyakki Shuu is a flip attack, similar to Cammy's Hooligan Combination, that allows Akuma to either attack or grab an opponent while moving forward. He also has the Zenpou Tenshin in the Alpha games, which makes him hop and roll forward a short distance.

Akuma's super moves consist of the Messatsu Gō Hadō (Destructive Strong Surge Fist), which is simply a high-powered Shinkū Hadōken; a Tenma Gō Zankū, a mid-air version of the Shinkū Hadōken; the Messatsu Gō Shōryū (Destructive Strong Rising Dragon Fist), which is similar to Ken's Shōryū Reppa without the scorching effect; and the Messatsu Gō Rasen, an upward spiraling hurricane kick attack. There are also two other moves: in 3rd Strike, he has one named Kongō Kokuretsu Zan where Akuma pounds the ground producing waves of energy. Akuma's most well known super move is the Shun Goku Satsu i.e. 'instant hell murderer' or 'Raging Demon', traditionally one of the strongest super moves in any game Akuma appears in.

There are a couple of moves exclusive to only Shin Akuma. Shin Akuma can do two Zankū Hadoken at once instead of one. In Capcom vs. SNK 2 and SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom, he has the Misogi, where he teleports above the opponent and delivers a fierce descending strike; this move homes in on the opponent's location.

In other media

Although the character was not featured in the 1994 live action Street Fighter movie, Akuma appears in Street Fighter: The Movie, the arcade game based on the movie developed by Incredible Technologies as a regular selectable character. He also appears in the Capcom-developed home version of the same game as a hidden character. The character also made cameos in 1994's Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, and in several episodes of the 1995 Japanese TV series Street Fighter II V.

Akuma's first speaking role in animation was in an episode of the American Street Fighter animated series titled "Strange Bedfellows", in which Akuma traps Guile and M. Bison on his island, forcing the two sworn enemies to team up. He reappears in another episode, "The World's Greatest Warrior", in which he defeats Ryu and Ken's master Gouken, and challenges Gouken's two students to a duel.

Akuma also figures prominently in the 1999 Japanese OVA Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie, where Ryu's encounters with Akuma triggers the "Dark Hadou" in Ryu. Akuma is also the central focus in the 2005 OVA Street Fighter Alpha: Generations, which explores his past and ties the character's past with Ryu's. In the English dub of Alpha: Generations, Akuma is referred by his Japanese name Gouki.

Promotion and reception

IGN ranked Akuma at number five in their "Top 25 Street Fighter Characters" article, noting his role as a recognizable "bad guy" in the series.

External links

• Akuma's SF2, SFA, SF3, SFEX, and MvC entries at StrategyWiki.org

Akuma is also a large MP3 music platform