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Akuma (Street Fighter)
Encyclopedia
Akuma known in Japan
as , is a video game character
from the Street Fighter series of fighting game
s. Akuma made his debut in Super Street Fighter II Turbo as a secret character
and hidden boss
. In the storyline of the Street Fighter video games, he is the younger brother of Gouken
, Ryu
and Ken
's sensei. In some games he also has an enhanced version named Shin Akuma, or in Japanese.
, wears prayer beads
around his neck, a charcoal gray dogi and a piece of twine around his waist in lieu of an obi
. The kanji
'ten' (天) - meaning "sky/heaven", (all in the spiritual sense) - can be seen on his back when it appears during certain win animations. Shin Akuma's appearance is very similar to Akuma's; for example, in the Street Fighter Alpha series, Shin Akuma had a purple gi
instead of a gray one and marginally lighter tone. Akuma's introduction in Super Street Fighter II Turbo stemmed from the development team's desire to introduce a "mysterious and really powerful" character, with his status as a hidden character within the game resulting from later discussions. When asked by Game Informer
regarding the presence of Akuma as a secret character in several of Capcom's fighting games, Capcom's Noritaka Funamizu stated that while he did not personally support the concept, he supposed that "Akuma is a character that can fit in any game design nicely".
, the fifth 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 M. Bison before challenging the player. In the Japanese arcade version of the game, Akuma would introduce himself to the player before the match, proclaiming himself to be . He also has two endings in the game as well: one for defeating M. Bison, and another against himself. While these endings were omitted from the international releases of the arcade game, they were edited into one ending and included in the English localization of Super Turbo Revival for the Game Boy Advance
. 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 Gouki can also be selected, which is essentially Shin Akuma with a super bar.
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 Guy
, Adon, Gen, and Ryu. Shin Akuma, rather than "Final Bison", is Evil Ryu's final boss in the console versions of Street Fighter Alpha 3
.
Akuma and Shin Akuma were featured in Street Fighter EX
as hidden boss characters, where he is one of the few characters able to move out of the 2D playing field, during his teleport.
Akuma was featured in the Street Fighter III
sub-series beginning with Street Fighter III 2nd Impact: Giant Attack. 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: Fight for the Future. He performs a new move, unseen, during his ending, the Tensho Kaireki Jin. Akuma reappears in Street Fighter IV
, once again as a hidden boss in the single player as well as an unlockable secret character in both arcade and home console versions.
In Super Street Fighter IV
, Akuma uses a brand new move as his second ultra, Demon Armageddon (Tensho Kaireki Jin in Japan), possibly due to conflicting time-line issues if he had Kongou Koku Retsu Zan. In the move, Akuma kicks his foe into the air, and follows up with an intense Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku, with his trademark kanji appearing in the background. Shin Akuma also returns as a hidden boss, the ability to perform a double Zankou Hadoken without the need of an EX-Bar and the Shin Shun Goku Satsu goes faster and across the whole screen in addition to taking less damage yet dealing more.
Both secret boss and playable versions of a new form of Akuma, known as , were confirmed in Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition by leaked videos. Unlike Shin Akuma, Oni is the being that would consume Akuma after mastering the Satsui no Hadou. Some of his moves include the Zanku Hadosho, an air dash; Sekisei Jiraiken, where he leaps in the air to a smash the ground; and the Rakan Dantojin, in which he leaps forward to deliver a slashing attack to the opponent. Oni can perform his own version of the Raging Demon, which can also be used when jumping. His Ultra Combos include the Meido Gohadou, in which he throws a powerful fireball horizontally, vertically, or diagonally from the air; and the Tenchi Sokaigen, a powerful chop which emits a powerful wave of energy in front of him and, when hit properly, will launch the victim into the sky.
, where Akuma (in his Super Turbo incarnation) appears as a hidden character. He also appears in Marvel Super Heroes
as part of the hidden character, Anita's arsenal as she can use a sword and summon one of Akuma's moves and his sprite from X-Men: Children of the Atom briefly appears as a special move is performed. 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 Japanese), a version of Akuma enhanced by Apocalypse
, acting as the final boss. Additionally, he can perform Shun Goku Satsu in the air, setting up devastating air combos. In Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
, he appears as an alternate fighting style of Ryu; Akuma himself would later appear as a playable character in its sequels: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
, and Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
. He is also an unlockable character in the humorously toned Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix
.
In the SNK vs. Capcom series, Akuma appears in Capcom vs. SNK and SVC Chaos as both regular Akuma and as a version of "Shin Akuma". In 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 , with the "Shin" character meaning "God" instead of the usual "True." 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.
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 (portrayed by Ernie Reyes Sr.). He also appears in the Capcom-developed home version of the same game as a hidden character. Akuma also made cameo appearances in Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
(where he can be seen in the Calcutta
scene), and in several episodes of the Japanese TV series Street Fighter II V
. Actor/martial artist Joey Ansah
played Akuma/Gouki in the short film Street Fighter: Legacy
.
Akuma's first speaking appearance 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 Japanese OVA
Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation, where Ryu's encounters with Akuma triggers the "Dark Hadou" in Ryu. Akuma is also the central focus in the 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, the character is addressed by his Japanese name Gouki, instead of Akuma like in the international versions of the games. In Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation Ryu and his supposed brother Shun are hinted to be the biological sons of Akuma. In Alpha: Generations it is made almost a certainty that Ryu is Gouki/Akuma's son, though there is no mention of Shun.
In "Imaginationland
", a three-part Emmy award
-winning South Park
episode, a representation of the character, along with Sagat, another character from the series, is included in several shots alongside other noted imaginary villains. In this episode he is defeated by Popeye
.
At DREAM 8
welterweight grand prix round one Lithuanian mixed martial artist Marius Zaromskis
dressed up as Akuma during his entrance for his fight with Seichi Ikemoto
. He went on to win a Unanimous decision and later the entire Welterweight tournament.
UDON Entertainment's line of Street Fighter comics sets Akuma into a role similar to the one he filled in Street Fighter Alpha 2, acting as an antagonist for Ryu's dark desires. Akuma begins the series by killing his brother and Ryu and Ken's master (Gouken) in battle. This action is what sets Ryu on the path of vengeance, swearing to find and fight Akuma in his master's name. Because of this, Ryu must confront his darkest and most hated side, which is something Akuma has hoped would happen. Akuma emerges at the end of the first arc (in issue #6) and engages Ryu and Ken, which he easily dominates. It is here that he first tastes Ryu's lust for victory and sees that his intent of bringing out Ryu's corrupt spirit is bearing fruit. Rather than kill him, he tells Ryu to seek him out at the next Street Fighter tournament. Prior to the series, Akuma had a skirmish with an assassin named Gen. Because this fight took place years ago, Akuma had yet to fully embrace his killing desire (the Satsui no Hadō) and could not overcome Gen. However, Gen's most powerful technique did not fell Akuma and because of this, he was spared out of pure intrigue. Akuma and Gen vowed to fight once more but due to time and disease crippling Gen, it was not to be (the two do meet one final time during the comics but it is not a full-fledged fight, as both participants note). Ryu seeks out Gen due to his connection to Akuma but determines that Gen's philosophies to not agree with his own. During the final series of comics, Street Fighter II Turbo, Akuma makes his final appearance at the grand finals of the Street Fighter tournament, stepping between Ryu and M. Bison. Bison is enthused at the potential of Akuma's power and chooses to fight him, which ends fatally for Bison when Rose's spirit interferes and Akuma seals his soul with his Shun Goku Satsu technique. With Bison out of the way, Akuma is free to fight Ryu, which he does as Shadaloo island begins to sink beneath the sea. The battle favors Akuma but as he is about to defeat Ryu, Gouken's spirit is returned to the living world and he intervenes to finish the fight. The end of this battle is not seen as Shadaloo island is consumed by the ocean and Ryu is transported from the island by Dhalsim
.
s "Top Ten Best Fighting Game Characters" Akuma was at the top for his powerful techniques. He was 11th in Game Daily's Top 25 Capcom Characters of All Time with comments from editor Robert Workman focused on his design and abilities. 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. In another article from the same site, Ryan Clements commented that Akuma had one of the strongest movesets from Street Fighter IV, noting his techniques, apart from being able to do a reasonable damage to the opponent, look stylish. He also ranked 9th in the "Top 20 Street Fighter Characters of All Time" from Game Daily, with the writer commenting how different is he from Ken and Ryu despite their similar appearances. GameSpy
named him one of the "25 Extremely Rough Brawlers" in video gaming, praising the brutality of his fighting style. GameSpot
commented that Akuma is "the most profilic character" in the Street Fighter series due the large number of appearances his character had since Super Street Fighter II Turbo. He was also noted to be the most powerful character to be added to such series, while his Shin Akuma state was commented to be "a truly unstoppable force" due to all the special moves he has. On the other hand, Akuma's powerful techniques in Super Street Fighter II Turbo
resulted in being listed as one of GamePro
's "most broken characters" in their article, where he was compared with Street Fighter III
s boss Gill. Jeff Keely from Gaming Age said Akuma's introduction in Street Fighter III 2nd Impact was a big improvement for the game, noting him to be "everybody's favorite bad boy". UGO Networks placed Akuma at #9 on their list of Top 50 Street Fighter Characters", stating "As a fighter-in-training, Akuma succumbed to the darker martial arts and embraced the "Killing Intent" martial art.".
Akuma's Oni incarnation has been commented for its appealing design resembling Gouken's and his powerful movesets. Deemed as one the Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Editions second strongest fighter, Oni was referred by IGN as an inmediate favorite character. However, GameSpot stated that since he uses modified versions from known techniques, he was one of the least interesting additions to the game.
Akuma artwork was featured on an officially licenced animated
Nubytech/UDON
joypad for the PlayStation 2
, and a Mad Catz
wireless joypad for the PlayStation 3
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as , is a video game character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Street Fighter series of fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
s. Akuma made his debut in Super Street Fighter II Turbo as a secret character
Secret character
A secret character can be a player character or a non-player character in a video game that must be unlocked by completing a goal within the game...
and hidden boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
. In the storyline of the Street Fighter video games, he is the younger brother of Gouken
Gouken
is a fictional character in the Street Fighter series. He is the martial arts master who trained Ryu and Ken, as well as the elder brother and former training partner of Akuma. Gouken is usually depicted as a bearded man who wears Mala prayer beads on his neck and a karate gi with the kanji mu , or...
, Ryu
Ryu (Street Fighter)
is a video game player character created by Capcom, the main protagonist of the Street Fighter series. Having premiered in the first Street Fighter in 1987, Ryu appears as the lead character from the game along with his best friend Ken Masters participating in the Street Fighter tournament...
and Ken
Ken Masters
, originally spelled in Japanese as , is a video game character created by Capcom. As a main character, he has appeared in all of the Street Fighter games along with his best friend and rival, Ryu...
's sensei. In some games he also has an enhanced version named Shin Akuma, or in Japanese.
Character design
Akuma has maroon hair, glowing red eyes with black scleraSclera
The sclera , also known as the white or white of the eye, is the opaque , fibrous, protective, outer layer of the eye containing collagen and elastic fiber. In the development of the embryo, the sclera is derived from the neural crest...
, wears prayer beads
Prayer beads
Prayer beads are used by members of various religious traditions such as Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Anglicanism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Bahá'í Faith to count the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions, such as the rosary of Virgin Mary in Christianity and dhikr ...
around his neck, a charcoal gray dogi and a piece of twine around his waist in lieu of an obi
Obi
Obi may refer to:* Obi , a sash worn with a kimono or with the uniforms used by practitioners of Japanese martial arts* Obi-Wan Kenobi, fictional character from the Star Wars universe...
. The kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
'ten' (天) - meaning "sky/heaven", (all in the spiritual sense) - can be seen on his back when it appears during certain win animations. Shin Akuma's appearance is very similar to Akuma's; for example, in the Street Fighter Alpha series, Shin Akuma had a purple gi
Keikogi
or dōgi is a uniform for training, used in martial arts derived from Japan, or budō. . The prototype for the modern keikogi emerged in the late 19th century. The keikogi was developed by judo founder Kano Jigoro...
instead of a gray one and marginally lighter tone. Akuma's introduction in Super Street Fighter II Turbo stemmed from the development team's desire to introduce a "mysterious and really powerful" character, with his status as a hidden character within the game resulting from later discussions. When asked by Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
regarding the presence of Akuma as a secret character in several of Capcom's fighting games, Capcom's Noritaka Funamizu stated that while he did not personally support the concept, he supposed that "Akuma is a character that can fit in any game design nicely".
Gameplay
Akuma's play style incorporates the trademark techniques of Ryu and Ken, the series' protagonists, only noticeably stronger in comparison along with additional techniques. Akuma also has been one of the characters with the lowest health and stun meter in most of the games he has appeared in. As the franchise expanded, the three characters have been differentiated somewhat while still retaining their common techniques (e.g. different regular attacks, throws, Super moves).Street Fighter series
Akuma made his debut in Super Street Fighter II TurboSuper Street Fighter II Turbo
Super Street Fighter II Turbo, released in Japan as , is a competitive fighting game released for the arcades by Capcom in . It is the fifth arcade installment in the Street Fighter II sub-series of Street Fighter games, following Super Street Fighter II...
, the fifth 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
M. Bison
M. Bison, known in Japan as Vega, is a video game character created by Capcom. First introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, he is a recurring character in the Street Fighter series of fighting games, acting as the final boss and primary antagonist of the Street Fighter II and Street...
and obliterates M. Bison before challenging the player. In the Japanese arcade version of the game, Akuma would introduce himself to the player before the match, proclaiming himself to be . He also has two endings in the game as well: one for defeating M. Bison, and another against himself. While these endings were omitted from the international releases of the arcade game, they were edited into one ending and included in the English localization of Super Turbo Revival for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. 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 Gouki can also be selected, which is essentially Shin Akuma with a super bar.
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
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 2, known as in Japan, Asia and South America, is a fighting game originally released for the CPS II arcade hardware by Capcom. The game is both a sequel and a remake to the previous years Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams, which is itself a prequel to the Street Fighter...
and Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3, known as in Japan and Asia, is a fighting game by Capcom originally released for the CPS II arcade hardware. It is the third game in the Street Fighter Alpha series, following Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams and Street Fighter Alpha 2...
, 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 Guy
Guy (Final Fight)
is a video game character who first appears in the 1989 arcade beat-em-up Final Fight by Capcom. Guy would later reemerge, along with other Final Fight characters, as a fighting game character in Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams and its sequels...
, Adon, Gen, and Ryu. Shin Akuma, rather than "Final Bison", is Evil Ryu's final boss in the console versions of Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3, known as in Japan and Asia, is a fighting game by Capcom originally released for the CPS II arcade hardware. It is the third game in the Street Fighter Alpha series, following Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams and Street Fighter Alpha 2...
.
Akuma and Shin Akuma were featured in Street Fighter EX
Street Fighter EX
Street Fighter EX is a head-to-head fighting game with 3D graphics, originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for the Sony ZN hardware in . It is a spin-off of the Street Fighter series co-produced by Capcom with Arika and was the first game in the series to feature polygon graphics...
as hidden boss characters, where he is one of the few characters able to move out of the 2D playing field, during his teleport.
Akuma was featured in the Street Fighter III
Street Fighter III
is a fighting game in Capcom's Street Fighter series, originally released as coin-operated arcade game in . Street Fighter III was produced for the CD-ROM-based CP System III hardware, which allowed for more elaborate 2D graphics than the CPS II-based Street Fighter Alpha games , while revamping...
sub-series beginning with Street Fighter III 2nd Impact: Giant Attack. 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: Fight for the Future. He performs a new move, unseen, during his ending, the Tensho Kaireki Jin. Akuma reappears in Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter IV
is a fighting game produced by Capcom. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom since . The coin-operated arcade game was released in Japan on July 18, 2008, with North American arcades importing the machines by August...
, once again as a hidden boss in the single player as well as an unlockable secret character in both arcade and home console versions.
In Super Street Fighter IV
Super Street Fighter IV
is a 2010 fighting game produced by Capcom. It is an updated version of Street Fighter IV and has been said to mark the definitive end of the Street Fighter IV series. Having been deemed as too large an update to be deployed as DLC, the game was made into a standalone title, but given a lower price...
, Akuma uses a brand new move as his second ultra, Demon Armageddon (Tensho Kaireki Jin in Japan), possibly due to conflicting time-line issues if he had Kongou Koku Retsu Zan. In the move, Akuma kicks his foe into the air, and follows up with an intense Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku, with his trademark kanji appearing in the background. Shin Akuma also returns as a hidden boss, the ability to perform a double Zankou Hadoken without the need of an EX-Bar and the Shin Shun Goku Satsu goes faster and across the whole screen in addition to taking less damage yet dealing more.
Both secret boss and playable versions of a new form of Akuma, known as , were confirmed in Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition by leaked videos. Unlike Shin Akuma, Oni is the being that would consume Akuma after mastering the Satsui no Hadou. Some of his moves include the Zanku Hadosho, an air dash; Sekisei Jiraiken, where he leaps in the air to a smash the ground; and the Rakan Dantojin, in which he leaps forward to deliver a slashing attack to the opponent. Oni can perform his own version of the Raging Demon, which can also be used when jumping. His Ultra Combos include the Meido Gohadou, in which he throws a powerful fireball horizontally, vertically, or diagonally from the air; and the Tenchi Sokaigen, a powerful chop which emits a powerful wave of energy in front of him and, when hit properly, will launch the victim into the sky.
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 AtomX-Men: Children of the Atom (arcade game)
is an arcade game that was produced by Capcom and released on the CPS-2 arcade system in 1994. It is the first fighting game produced by Capcom using characters under license from Marvel Comics, widely praised for its faithfulness in capturing the spirit of its namesake comics, by using colorful...
, where Akuma (in his Super Turbo incarnation) appears as a hidden character. He also appears in Marvel Super Heroes
Marvel Super Heroes (arcade game)
is a fighting game developed by Capcom. Originally released in the arcade in 1995 on the CPS-2 arcade system, it was later ported to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation in late 1997...
as part of the hidden character, Anita's arsenal as she can use a sword and summon one of Akuma's moves and his sprite from X-Men: Children of the Atom briefly appears as a special move is performed. He would appear in the later Marvel
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
-licensed fighting games (see Marvel vs. Capcom series), including in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
is the fourth Marvel Comics-licensed fighting game produced by Capcom . It is a sequel to X-Men vs. Street Fighter which replaces most of the X-Men characters with characters from Marvel Super Heroes. In an attempt to balance the previous games' problems, the game engine was altered, although it...
, where he also appears in mechanized form as "Cyber Akuma ( in Japanese), a version of Akuma enhanced by Apocalypse
Apocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
, acting as the final boss. Additionally, he can perform Shun Goku Satsu in the air, setting up devastating air combos. In Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
is the fifth Marvel Comics-licensed fighting game by Capcom and the third game in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. In contrast to X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, the game features characters from numerous Capcom franchises such as Mega Man and Strider, rather than...
, he appears as an alternate fighting style of Ryu; Akuma himself would later appear as a playable character in its sequels: Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
is a fighting game, developed and published by Capcom. It is the fourth game in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. With the fourth installment of this series, Capcom simplified the controls to make the gameplay more accessible for casual players. The button configuration was trimmed down to 4 main...
, and Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom. It features Capcom's own characters and characters from American comic book company Marvel Comics. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel vs...
. He is also an unlockable character in the humorously toned Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix
Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix
Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, released in Japan as , is a fighting game released by Capcom in September 1997 for the CPS II arcade system. It was ported to the PlayStation , Sega Saturn, and WonderSwan, as well as PlayStation 2 as part of the Street Fighter Alpha Anthology.The game uses the same...
.
In the SNK vs. Capcom series, Akuma appears in Capcom vs. SNK and SVC Chaos as both regular Akuma and as a version of "Shin Akuma". In Capcom vs. SNK 2
Capcom vs. SNK 2
Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001, known as Millionaire Fighting 2001 in Japan, is a sequel to the fighting game Capcom vs. SNK. This game was released on NAOMI hardware in the arcade...
, a different form of Shin Akuma appears. This form of Akuma achieves a new level of power when a dying Rugal Bernstein
Rugal Bernstein
is a video game character created by SNK. First introduced in The King of Fighters '94, he is a recurring boss in the The King of Fighters fighting game series. As the host of the tournaments from The King of Fighters '94 and 95, Rugal plans to turn all the competitors from the tournament into...
pours his Orochi power into him. His name is spelled in Japanese as , with the "Shin" character meaning "God" instead of the usual "True." He also appears in Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, released in Japan as and commonly referred to as Puzzle Fighter, is a one or two player puzzle game first released in the spring of 1996 by Capcom on the CPS II arcade system...
, 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
SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash
SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash is a series of SNK Playmore games between 1999 and 2006 for hand-held consoles.This game has a CCG theme, spun off from the popular series of fighting games by SNK and Capcom, and also including references to many other kinds of games from both companies. The...
series.
In other media
Although the character was not featured in the 19941994 in film
1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
live action Street Fighter movie
Street Fighter (film)
Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na...
, Akuma appears in Street Fighter: The Movie
Street Fighter: The Movie (arcade game)
Street Fighter: The Movie is a head-to-head fighting game released as a coin-operated arcade game. The game is based on the 1994 live-action Street Fighter movie and uses digitized images of the films cast posing as the characters in the game...
, the arcade game based on the movie developed by Incredible Technologies
Incredible Technologies
Incredible Technologies , based in Arlington Heights, Illinois is a US-based designer and manufacturer of coin-operated video games. Some of their games include Silver Strike Bowling, Power Putt, Target Toss Pro: Bags/Lawn Darts, and Golden Tee Golf...
as a regular selectable character (portrayed by Ernie Reyes Sr.). He also appears in the Capcom-developed home version of the same game as a hidden character. Akuma also made cameo appearances in Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, known as in Japan and Australia, is a 1994 Japanese animated film adaptation of the Street Fighter II fighting games written by Kenichi Imai, directed by Gisaburō Sugii and animated by Group TAC. The film, originally released in Japan on August 8, 1994, has...
(where he can be seen in the Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
scene), and in several episodes of the Japanese TV series Street Fighter II V
Street Fighter II V
, is an anime series based on the fighting game Street Fighter II. Directed by Gisaburo Sugii , the series first aired in Japan in 1995, from April 10 to November 27, on YTV...
. Actor/martial artist Joey Ansah
Joey Ansah
Joey Ansah is a British actor and martial artist.-Early life:Joey Ansah was born in London, England of mixed ethnicity, the second son of celebrated Ghanaian fashion designer Kofi and his Devon-born wife Nicola. He lived in London for the first 10 years of his life before emigrating with his...
played Akuma/Gouki in the short film Street Fighter: Legacy
Street Fighter: Legacy
Street Fighter: Legacy is a live-action short fan film based on Capcom's popular fighting game series Street Fighter.The film is a Streetlight Films production, co-directed by Joey Ansah and Owen Trevor, produced by Jacqueline Quella and stars Jon Foo as Ryu, Christian Howard as Ken, and Ansah...
.
Akuma's first speaking appearance in animation was in an episode of the American Street Fighter animated series
Street Fighter (TV series)
Street Fighter is an American animated series produced by InVision Entertainment based on the Street Fighter live action movie, which was in turn based on the Street Fighter video game franchise. The series aired as part of the USA Network's Cartoon Express and Action Extreme Team lineups...
titled "Strange Bedfellows", in which Akuma traps Guile
Guile (Street Fighter)
is a fictional character in Capcom's Street Fighter series of fighting games.-Street Fighter series:Guile made his first appearance in Street Fighter II as one of the eight selectable characters featured in the first release of the game...
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 Japanese OVA
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation, where Ryu's encounters with Akuma triggers the "Dark Hadou" in Ryu. Akuma is also the central focus in the OVA Street Fighter Alpha: Generations
Street Fighter Alpha: Generations
Street Fighter Alpha: Generations is a 2005 Japanese animated film produced by Studio A.P.P.P. and released by Manga Entertainment based on the Street Fighter Alpha video games by Capcom. Its production is unrelated to 1999's Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie, which was produced by Group TAC...
, which explores his past and ties the character's past with Ryu's. In the English dub of Alpha: Generations, the character is addressed by his Japanese name Gouki, instead of Akuma like in the international versions of the games. In Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation Ryu and his supposed brother Shun are hinted to be the biological sons of Akuma. In Alpha: Generations it is made almost a certainty that Ryu is Gouki/Akuma's son, though there is no mention of Shun.
In "Imaginationland
Imaginationland
"Imaginationland" is a three-part episode of the American animated television series South Park.*Episode I*Episode II*Episode III...
", a three-part Emmy award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode, a representation of the character, along with Sagat, another character from the series, is included in several shots alongside other noted imaginary villains. In this episode he is defeated by Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
.
At DREAM 8
Dream 8
DREAM.8: Welter Weight Grand Prix 2009 First Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion Dream on April 5, 2009. Unlike Dream's past tournaments, the Welter Weight Grand Prix is only scheduled to have eight participants...
welterweight grand prix round one Lithuanian mixed martial artist Marius Zaromskis
Marius Žaromskis
Marius Žaromskis is a Lithuanian welterweight mixed martial artist. After fighting the majority of his career for British promotion Cage Rage, he signed with DREAM in 2009 and then, later that year, with Strikeforce. With DREAM, Žaromskis won their 2009 Welterweight Grand Prix and became their...
dressed up as Akuma during his entrance for his fight with Seichi Ikemoto
Seichi Ikemoto
is a Japanese mixed martial artist, with a professional MMA record of 20-17-5. He is a veteran of Shooto, PRIDE and DEEP. His speciality is a "double punch", in which he puts his hands together and throws them at his opponent.-Biography and career:...
. He went on to win a Unanimous decision and later the entire Welterweight tournament.
UDON Entertainment's line of Street Fighter comics sets Akuma into a role similar to the one he filled in Street Fighter Alpha 2, acting as an antagonist for Ryu's dark desires. Akuma begins the series by killing his brother and Ryu and Ken's master (Gouken) in battle. This action is what sets Ryu on the path of vengeance, swearing to find and fight Akuma in his master's name. Because of this, Ryu must confront his darkest and most hated side, which is something Akuma has hoped would happen. Akuma emerges at the end of the first arc (in issue #6) and engages Ryu and Ken, which he easily dominates. It is here that he first tastes Ryu's lust for victory and sees that his intent of bringing out Ryu's corrupt spirit is bearing fruit. Rather than kill him, he tells Ryu to seek him out at the next Street Fighter tournament. Prior to the series, Akuma had a skirmish with an assassin named Gen. Because this fight took place years ago, Akuma had yet to fully embrace his killing desire (the Satsui no Hadō) and could not overcome Gen. However, Gen's most powerful technique did not fell Akuma and because of this, he was spared out of pure intrigue. Akuma and Gen vowed to fight once more but due to time and disease crippling Gen, it was not to be (the two do meet one final time during the comics but it is not a full-fledged fight, as both participants note). Ryu seeks out Gen due to his connection to Akuma but determines that Gen's philosophies to not agree with his own. During the final series of comics, Street Fighter II Turbo, Akuma makes his final appearance at the grand finals of the Street Fighter tournament, stepping between Ryu and M. Bison. Bison is enthused at the potential of Akuma's power and chooses to fight him, which ends fatally for Bison when Rose's spirit interferes and Akuma seals his soul with his Shun Goku Satsu technique. With Bison out of the way, Akuma is free to fight Ryu, which he does as Shadaloo island begins to sink beneath the sea. The battle favors Akuma but as he is about to defeat Ryu, Gouken's spirit is returned to the living world and he intervenes to finish the fight. The end of this battle is not seen as Shadaloo island is consumed by the ocean and Ryu is transported from the island by Dhalsim
Dhalsim
, is a video game character from the Street Fighter series of fighting games.Dhalsim made his debut in the original Street Fighter II as one of the games original eight main characters. In his backstory, Dhalsim is characterized as a pacifist who goes against his beliefs by entering the World...
.
Promotion and reception
In the January 30, 1997 issue of Gamest magazine in Japan, Akuma appeared in the Top 50 Characters of 1996. He ranked at No. 37 sharing the spot with two other characters. In Game InformerGame Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
s "Top Ten Best Fighting Game Characters" Akuma was at the top for his powerful techniques. He was 11th in Game Daily's Top 25 Capcom Characters of All Time with comments from editor Robert Workman focused on his design and abilities. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
ranked Akuma at number five in their "Top 25 Street Fighter Characters" article, noting his role as a recognizable "bad guy" in the series. In another article from the same site, Ryan Clements commented that Akuma had one of the strongest movesets from Street Fighter IV, noting his techniques, apart from being able to do a reasonable damage to the opponent, look stylish. He also ranked 9th in the "Top 20 Street Fighter Characters of All Time" from Game Daily, with the writer commenting how different is he from Ken and Ryu despite their similar appearances. GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
named him one of the "25 Extremely Rough Brawlers" in video gaming, praising the brutality of his fighting style. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
commented that Akuma is "the most profilic character" in the Street Fighter series due the large number of appearances his character had since Super Street Fighter II Turbo. He was also noted to be the most powerful character to be added to such series, while his Shin Akuma state was commented to be "a truly unstoppable force" due to all the special moves he has. On the other hand, Akuma's powerful techniques in Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Super Street Fighter II Turbo, released in Japan as , is a competitive fighting game released for the arcades by Capcom in . It is the fifth arcade installment in the Street Fighter II sub-series of Street Fighter games, following Super Street Fighter II...
resulted in being listed as one of GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
's "most broken characters" in their article, where he was compared with Street Fighter III
Street Fighter III
is a fighting game in Capcom's Street Fighter series, originally released as coin-operated arcade game in . Street Fighter III was produced for the CD-ROM-based CP System III hardware, which allowed for more elaborate 2D graphics than the CPS II-based Street Fighter Alpha games , while revamping...
s boss Gill. Jeff Keely from Gaming Age said Akuma's introduction in Street Fighter III 2nd Impact was a big improvement for the game, noting him to be "everybody's favorite bad boy". UGO Networks placed Akuma at #9 on their list of Top 50 Street Fighter Characters", stating "As a fighter-in-training, Akuma succumbed to the darker martial arts and embraced the "Killing Intent" martial art.".
Akuma's Oni incarnation has been commented for its appealing design resembling Gouken's and his powerful movesets. Deemed as one the Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Editions second strongest fighter, Oni was referred by IGN as an inmediate favorite character. However, GameSpot stated that since he uses modified versions from known techniques, he was one of the least interesting additions to the game.
Akuma artwork was featured on an officially licenced animated
Lenticular printing
Lenticular printing is a technology in which a lenticular lens is used to produce images with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from different angles...
Nubytech/UDON
UDON
UDON Entertainment Corporation is a studio of Asian-influenced comic book creators that provides creative services to the entertainment industry. The company is a publisher of comic books, graphic novels, and art books, as well as English editions of Japanese manga and Korean manhwa titles. Erik...
joypad for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and a Mad Catz
Mad Catz
Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. is a peripherals manufacturer for various video game consoles headquartered in San Diego, California. It produces a wide range of accessories including control pads, memory cards, connection cables, headphones and other human interface devices.- History :The company was...
wireless joypad for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
.