Takuma Tsurugi
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character
and amoral anti-hero
in The Street Fighter
film trilogy, played by Japanese actor Sonny Chiba
. He is a martial arts expert and a mercenary for hire, usually employed by the Yakuza
, though at times he would get double cross
, leading him to exact revenge. Chiba's portrayal of the character has gain international cult notoriety during the chopsocky
boom in the 70's for his cold hearted and brutally violent depiction.
father and a Chinese
mother. At an early age, Takuma received martial arts
training from his father who was a great practitioner of karate
and somewhat experienced in Chinese boxing. During the Second Sino-Japanese War
, his father was branded as a traitorous spy based upon his Chinese marital affiliation, yet its an unjust accusation stemming from racial prejudice. Despite his pleas for a pardon, his father was executed by a firing squad in front of his very eyes. This traumatic event from his childhood had a significant impact on his personality, driving him to be wary of others, to only depend on no one but himself and to train hard to become the best fighter ever. Some unbeknownst time later, he employed his services through the use of his martial arts skills as a hired mercenary for criminal activities.
and throwing knife
s. On the field, he distinctly dons a black karategi
, wrapped with a leather belt rather than a traditional obi
(belt) and an armored wristbands to ward off sword attacks or deliver fatal forearm blows. He may also use disguise
s to infiltrate and reach his target undetected.
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...
and amoral anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
in The Street Fighter
The Street Fighter
, literally Clash, Killer Fist!, is a Japanese martial arts film released in 1974 and produced by Toei Company Ltd. It was released in the US by New Line Cinema and became one of the first films to be a commercial success for the distributor....
film trilogy, played by Japanese actor Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba
, also known as Sonny Chiba, is a Japanese actor, singer, film producer, film director and martial artist.Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience.- Early life :Born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka,...
. He is a martial arts expert and a mercenary for hire, usually employed by the Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
, though at times he would get double cross
Double cross
Double Cross may refer to:In film and television:* Double Cross , a film by Albert H. Kelley* Double Cross , a Bollywood action film* Double Cross , a Bollywood film...
, leading him to exact revenge. Chiba's portrayal of the character has gain international cult notoriety during the chopsocky
Chopsocky
Chopsocky is a colloquial term applied to a diffuse group of martial arts movies made primarily in Hong Kong and Taiwan during the 1960s and 1970s. The term was coined by the American motion picture trade magazine Variety...
boom in the 70's for his cold hearted and brutally violent depiction.
Fictional biography
Takuma Tsurugi was born from a JapaneseJapanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
father and a Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
mother. At an early age, Takuma received martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
training from his father who was a great practitioner of karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and somewhat experienced in Chinese boxing. During the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, his father was branded as a traitorous spy based upon his Chinese marital affiliation, yet its an unjust accusation stemming from racial prejudice. Despite his pleas for a pardon, his father was executed by a firing squad in front of his very eyes. This traumatic event from his childhood had a significant impact on his personality, driving him to be wary of others, to only depend on no one but himself and to train hard to become the best fighter ever. Some unbeknownst time later, he employed his services through the use of his martial arts skills as a hired mercenary for criminal activities.
Skills and abilities
Like his father, Takuma is a master of Karate. As a skilled assassin, he possesses intense fighting abilities who ferociously dispense brutal and deadly bodily harm towards his enemies, the most notable incident is castrating an assailant with his bare hands. On multiple occasions, he has fractured skulls from a single punch to the victim's head and has killed a man by ripping out his throat. He holds an incredible resilience to inflicted injuries, capable of withstanding from a bullet shot to his back and a stab wound in the abdomen all together. While he tends to engage in hand-to-hand combat with his enemies, he is also proficient in many Japanese weaponry arts including the SaiSai (weapon)
The sai is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon. The basic form of the weapon is that of a pointed, dagger-shaped metal truncheon, with two curved prongs called yoku projecting from the handle...
and throwing knife
Throwing knife
Throwing knives are knives that are specially designed and weighted so that they can be thrown effectively. They are a distinct category from ordinary knives....
s. On the field, he distinctly dons a black karategi
Karategi
Karategi is the Japanese name for the karate training uniform.A karategi is somewhat similar to a judogi as it shares a common origin, however the material and cut of the uniform is generally much lighter and looser fitting. The heaviest of Karategi are only 16 oz compared to some judogi at...
, wrapped with a leather belt rather than a traditional obi
Obi (sash)
is a sash for traditional Japanese dress, keikogi worn for Japanese martial arts, and a part of kimono outfits.The obi for men's kimono is rather narrow, wide at most, but a woman's formal obi can be wide and more than long. Nowadays, a woman's wide and decorative obi does not keep the kimono...
(belt) and an armored wristbands to ward off sword attacks or deliver fatal forearm blows. He may also use disguise
Disguise
A disguise can be anything which conceals or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, costume or other ways. Camouflage is one type of disguise for people, animals and objects...
s to infiltrate and reach his target undetected.