30 years of Street Fighter: 30 years of Characters #5

Street Fighter is nothing without its star. Where some people may see a bland, almost generic character, I see one of the great fighting game archetypes. Yesterday we celebrated Sagat, the villain of the original game and the strongest fighter in the world. Today we look at Ryu the young star of the series and arguably the new strongest fighter in the entire universe. I say arguably because we also have to consider the strength of his best friend Ken Masters, the cursed siblings Kairi and Shirase, and of course the wrestling legend Victor Ortega. Thirty years ago Ryu was a young red-haired kid wearing slippers and wandering from town to town in the first Street Fighter tournament. Today he is a grown man, old enough to mentor several young prodigies. He is still evolving and becoming more powerful. Perhaps he has yet to reach his full potential and that is a scary thought.

Ryu began his path while still a student, his master Gouken had just been murdered and Ryu felt that he still had many lessons to learn. The only way he could continue on his path was by fighting the best masters he could find. It didn't matter what school or style they studied. Nobody assumed that he would manage to beat Sagat for the recognition as world's best. The game series, manga, comic books, anime and movies that followed all expanded on the legend of Ryu. They gave us an insight to the character. Where were his passions, who were his friends, what did he find in each battle? Fans of the series watched the fighter literally grow up before their eyes. In 30 years we saw his greatest triumphs, his biggest defeats and the hardest lessons he could have ever learned. Those that were there from the beginning felt a particular connection to the man. His most beloved story arc was on of the crown jewels of the series, Street Fighter Zero / Alpha 2. When he almost became a villain.

We discovered that the only reason Ryu was able to beat Sagat was because he fought with murderous intent. The dark hadou, an evil energy, had possessed the man and tried to turn him into a killer. Sagat survived thanks to his strength and size. But the revelation made Ryu more complex. His evil personae was just below the surface, he had to face it and defeat it if he wanted to remain in control of his destiny. It was an amazing period for the man and the series. Many fans like to revisit the character and ask themselves "what if?" The only thing we know for certain is how far Ryu has come. I look forward to growing old with the character. If you are a fan of Ryu let's hear your favorite version in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!