Street Fighter II V

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Street Fighter II V
ストリートファイターII V
(Sutorīto Faitā Tsū Bui)
Genre Action, Adventure, Martial arts
TV anime
Director Gisaburō Sugii
Studio Group TAC
Network Flag of Japan Yomiuri TV
Flag of the United States Encore WAM, Sci Fi
Flag of the Philippines ABS-CBN, Hero TV
Flag of the Dominican Republic Telesistema Dominicano
Flag of Brazil SBT
Flag of Malaysia Astro Ria
Flag of Indonesia SCTV
Original run 10 April 199527 November 1995
Episodes 29

Street Fighter II V (ストリートファイターⅡ V Sutorīto Faitā Tsū Bui?, pronounced "two vee"), also known as Street Fighter II Victory, 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. As of September 2007, re-runs of the series that aired Mondays on Sci Fi have stopped. The series currently airs on IFC and Super Channel in Canada.

The series is a loose adaptation of the games, taking several liberties with the established canon of the games. The show follows the adventures of a young Ryu and Ken, as they go through a journey to improve their martial arts skills after they both experienced a brutal defeat at the hands of Guile. Other characters such as Chun-Li, Cammy and Sagat appear through the course of the series with radically different character designs and backstories from their original counterparts.

Contents

[edit] Story

Street Fighter II V takes place when Ryu, martial arts expert, is mailed an invitation from Ken, his friend who used to train with him when the both of them were kids. Ken now lives a life of luxury as he is rich. Ken and Ryu get into a scuffle with airforce leader Guile, and decide to travel around the world and see the different fighters the world has.

[edit] Characters

Street Fighter II V draws its cast of characters from the Street Fighter II series, with Super Street Fighter II Turbo being the latest game in the series at the time of the series' production.

Voiced by: Kôji Tsujitani (Japanese), Skip Stellrecht (English)
Ryu is the main character. He's very dedicated to his martial arts and is always trying to better his own skills. He was raised in the Japanese countryside, and is as such a sort of country bumpkin. He and his best friend, Ken, have been training together since they were little kids. During their travels, he learns how to use a chi-based power called Hadō in the form of the Hadouken. Ryu does not wear a headband and sparring gloves through out the series. Instead, he wears prayer beads on his hands, and has short spiky hair.
Voiced by: Kenji Haga (Japanese), Jimmy Theodore (English)
Ryu's best friend and the only son of the rich Masters family. Ken is extremely rich. He lives in San Francisco with his parents in a very large mansion - it takes twenty minutes to drive from the front yard to the main house! He too spends a lot of time training as well, but not as much as Ryu. Ken also rides a motorcycle. His mother is Japanese. Ken also learns to use the power of Hadō later on while being held captive by Shadowlaw. Only Ryu knows the Hadoken, while both he and Ken know the Shoryuken. Ken later upgrades the Shoryuken to the Hadou Shoryuken, and then shortens it to the Hadou Shoryu. Interestingly, in the English dub Ken still called the move Shoryuken while Ryu called it by its English translation; Rising Dragon Punch.
Voiced by: Tesshô Genda (Japanese), Kirk Thornton (English)
Guile is a Sergeant in the United States Air Force. He has pride in both the Air Force and his men, and frequently goes out drinking with them whenever they can. He and his partner, Nash, have served together for many years in various missions and military conflicts. As a military person he is regularly found working out and lifting weights. He has won at least one boxing tournament and probably others not mentioned in the show. His martial art style that he uses in combat is loosely based on US Military Combatives, the official martial arts styles that the US military teaches to its soldiers.
Voiced by: Chisa Yokoyama (Japanese), Lia Sargent (English)
Chun-Li first appears as a tour guide hired by Ken and Ryu upon their arrival in Hong Kong, however, she is soon revealed to be the daughter of the top inspector for the Hong Kong police. Her father trains her in the art of kung fu both as self-defence and as a part of her rearing. She accompanies Ken and Ryu throughout most of their journeys across Asia and Europe, but rarely engages herself in combat unless personally attacked or threatened. Chun-Li is not seen in her blue mini-qipao and white boots until the final episodes, where she is captive at Bison's base. Also, changes to this outfit include the absence of her hair-bun covers as well as her pantyhose being replaced with kneepads.
  • Inspector Dorai (銅昴 Dōrai)
Voiced by: Michael Forest
Chun-Li's father. His principle occuaption is as the Vice Squad Captain for the Hong Kong Police Department, and is routinely engaged in drug busts, sting operations, and various other police activities, and is no stranger to the risks of his work. His residence also doubles as a temple and training ground where he teaches his daughter and several other students. Shortly after a successful bust of a large cocaine-smuggling operation, as well the subsequent arrest of the Ashura kingpin behind it, Inspector Dorai is called to Barcelona to attend an Interpol conference concerning the investigation of the mysterious organisation called "Shadowlaw". During the investigation, Dorai is nearly killed by Cammy at the order of a Shadowlaw infiltrator, but his survival was kept secret by the Chief of Interpol until the person who ordered the hit could be identified. Unlike in the games, Dorai survives in the show.
Voiced by: Kazuki Yao (Japanese), Jim Taggert (English)
One of Dorai's best students, he is now an up-and-coming martial arts movie star whose insistence on "making the fight real" rapidly becomes detrimental to production, due mainly to damaged props and public property as well as injuries to the stunt doubles. Ken Masters briefly volunteers to be his opposite in a fight scene while touring Hong Kong with Ryu and Chun-Li, but the destruction caused by the fight forced the director to halt the filming and cut the scene completely. Later, upon learning of his Master's supposed "death", he become distraught with grief and seeks to avenge him. While visiting the hospital where Dorai was taken, the Chief of Interpol informs Fei-Long of the charade. Later still, Fei-Long with the assistance of Cammy (after a brief fight with her in Dorai's hospital quarters) identifies Balrog as the Shadowlaw operative who ordered the hit on Dorai.
Voiced by: Banjô Ginga (Japanese), Peter Spellos (English)
Sagat was the "King of Muay Thai", which is infamous as one of the most vicious forms of martial arts in the world. When he fought professionally, he was the champion of Thailand and everyone simply called him "Champ", but after refusing to throw a match for the Ashura syndicate, he was framed for selling drugs and was both imprisoned and disgraced. The Ashura syndicate's vendetta against Dorai, Ken and Ryu was carried out in a very poor manner by one of their men by planting heroin in Ryu's luggage at the airport in Bangkok, after which Ryu was imprisoned in the same prison with Sagat. The two of them gained each other's respect and were able to learn more about the Ashura from their experiences. After the Ashura kingpin was arrested, evidence of Sagat's innocence was "discovered" by the Thai police and he was released from prison. Unlike in the games, he does not have his trademarked scar on his chest (which he had since Street Fighter II) nor does he wear an eyepatch. His rivarly with Ryu is more of a friendly one in the show.
Voiced by: Shôzô Îzuka (Japanese), Steven Blum (English)
Dhalsim is a monk who lives in a remote village in India. Sagat had earlier instructed Ryu to seek Dhalsim for advice about the Ways of Hadou. Sagat had been turned down years before when he sought Dhalsim's wisdom, but had figured that Ryu might be found more worthy. Dhalsim is a practitioner of yoga and has some psychic abilities, and although he knows much about Hadou, he was unable to train Ryu to use the Hadouken, which was inadvertently triggered in Ryu's body during a lesson.
  • Vega (Balrog in Japan)
Voiced by: Kaneto Shiozawa (Japanese), Richard Cansino (English)
His surname on the show is Fabio La Cerda. Vega is the popular bullfighter in Barcelona with a lust for blood and no value for life. He also moonlight's as a cage fighter for rich socialites. During a bullfight attended by Ken, Ryu, and Chun-Li, Vega develops an obsession for Chun-Li, and uses a strange "love potion" drug to induce a trance in her. While in the trance, she watches Vega and Ken fight each other in a steel cage at a secretive ball they were invited to attend. Vega was defeated, despite having stabbed both of Ken's feet and elsewise having the advantage of dropping down from above with his signature attack. The fate of Vega is not clearly known, but was last seen being carried out of the steel cage on a stretcher after having hung from the cage ceiling unconscious and then diving downward in a "final attack" where Ken caught him on his shoulders, instead of finishing him off.
Voiced by: Kenji Utsumi (Japanese), Tom Wyner (English)
Very little is known about Bison. Except that he is the head of Shadowlaw. In contrast to Ken and Ryu's Hadou (which is based in chi), Bison's powers are based in his rage and hatred, and are referred to as his "Psycho Power". Usage of his "Psycho Power" usually causes him to lose his ability to reason, and in one instance nearly strangles Chun-Li while enraged only to regret his actions for a moment when he resumed his previous cognitive state... the only scene in which he ever shows a capacity for human emotion. As the leader of the secretive Shadowlaw, his only known goal is world domination, and most of his activities are financed through a variety of underground operations such as the Ashura syndicate. For all of Bison's power and ambition, it is suggested that much of his work may be the result of semi-telepathic influence originating from a silver idol in the form of an eagle's head, which is shown on at least two occasions to "communicate" with him.
  • Zoltar
Voiced by: Milton James
Bison's personal assistant. Little is really known about Zoltar, though he does seem to be fairly knowledgeable in the subject of supernatural forces.
Voiced by: Tomomichi Nishimura (Japanese), Joe Romersa (English)
Balrog is an executive officer of Interpol, but unbeknownst to the other members of Interpol he works for Shadowlaw as an informant. Suspicisions had been raised when Inspector Dorai's failed assassination suggested that only a senior officer of Interpol would have been aware of his investigations into the Shadowlaw organization. Ultimately, Balrog's secret is discovered by Fei-Long and Cammy after his cover story's inconsistencies were compared. Before being placed under arrest, Cammy took revenge against Balrog for giving her fraudulent reason's for the assassination. Balrog isn't portrayed as a fighter in the show and only shows up in his boxing gear during the second opening credits.
Voiced by: Yôko Sasaki (Japanese), Debra Rogers (English)
Cammy White is a former agent of MI6 who now makes her living as a mercenary assassin. Being a devout Roman Catholic, she always prays for forgiveness before and after each hit. She takes much pride in the quality of her work, and believes when she's hired for a job, the death of her target must come from her hand and not as an accident or incidental occurrence, such is to the extend that she will even protect her target from harm until she is ready to strike. Also as a matter of pride, she refuses to act on false pretexts for employment. Cammy's character design is radically different compared to any other appearance. She wears a black halter top, black spandex tights, and a choker decorated with a crucifix, the latter which she used to conceal a deadly, retractable, metal wire to assassinate her victims. In fact, some fans have linked Cammy's appearance to look more like Nina Williams or Sarah Bryant from Tekken and Virtua Fighter. Interestingly, in an old picture of hers, she looks just like she does in the games, albeit without the scar on her face.
Voiced by: Ryôichi Tanaka (Japanese), Dean Elliot (English)
Guile's best friend, who has served alongside of him in several combat situations. Nash dies during the mission to rescue Ken from Bison's fortress. Since the show was produced before the development of Street Fighter Alpha, he does not resemble his in-game counterpart at all. In the show, he holds an impressive similar appearance to Jean Reno. While Nash is known as Charlie in the English localization of the games, Nash retains his Japanese name for the English dub of the show (except in one scene where Guile calls him by Charlie).
Voiced by: Yasurô Tanaka (Japanese), Michael Sorich (English)
He is a Russian bear-wrestler who frequently works as one of Shadowlaw's strong-men. He doesn't seem to have any particular desire or inclination to injure or kill anyone, but he's not above using his strength in full against someone should his orders require him to. Zangief can be seen wearing a loincloth-like shirt, whereas in the games he appears topless. He also works for Shadowlaw, despite the fact that he is unaffiliated with them in the games.

NOTE: E. Honda, Blanka, Dee Jay and T. Hawk are the only characters from Street Fighter II series who do not appear in the series. A T. Hawk-like character can be briefly seen during the second opening credits.

[edit] Other characters

  • Ryu's Sensei - Ryu's sensei, not to be confused with Gouken from the games, is never actually named in the series. He lives and works on Mikunai Island off the shores of the Japanese mainland as a logging foreman, but in his spare time trains Ryu in the martial arts. Although never explicitly stated, it is implied that he trained Ken as well several years earlier. His appearance is very similar to Retsu from the original Street Fighter.
  • Rinko
Voiced by: Wendee Lee
Seen only in the first two episodes, Rinko is a dark-skinned girl whose deep crush on Ryu goes largely unnoticed. She lives on the mainland and regularly travels by ferry to the small island Ryu trains on to bring him his lunch and his mail.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Masters - Ken's father is an extremely wealthy American (presumably a philanthropic industrialist of some sort) whose fortune is the envy of Bison. After Ken's cage-battle victory against Vega, Bison abducts him and holds him for ransom to the sum of $1 Billion. Immediately after the ransom demand was made, Mr. Master's used his contacts in the United States Government to conduct a rescue mission in an attempt to retrieve Ken and Ryu. Mr. Master's is also very fond of all things Japanese, and besides a large collection of Japanese antiques and fixtures, also has a Japanese wife. News of their son's abduction was kept secret from her so as to not cause her worry.
  • Attilla - Ken's guard dog. It seems to like Ryu.
  • Dorothy - She appeared in second episode called "King of the Air Force". Also she helped Ken Masters to find Guile, and she send card and flowers after Ken fought with Guile.
  • Hector - He appeared in 3rd episode called "Landing on Hong Kong". He is hotel manager where Ken and Ryu stayed in Hong Kong
  • Tyler
Voiced by: Steve Areno
The helicopter taxi pilot who transports Ken, Ryu, and Chun-Li around Hong Kong. He also brought the Hong Kong Police to rescue them from Kowloon Palace, during their escape. Although concerned from the start at their insistence on visiting the infamous Devil's Battle Cave at Kowloon Palace, his worries are especially raised when he is unable to contact them through Ken's cellphone, which was dropped somewhere on the floor on the Devil's Battle Cave during the riot.
  • Mr. Damned - The champion fighter of the Devil's Battle Cave in Kowloon Palace. His reputation as "undefeated" ended when Ryu fought him in the ring as a volunteer to win prize money (and Ken's betting returns).
  • Lean - The don of Kowloon Palace. When Ryu's victory over Mr. Damned caused a loss of face (not to mention a heavy sum of betting money), Lean ordered a bounty for Ryu, Ken, and Chun Li. He was arrested at the edge of the Kowloon slums by Chun Li's father, Inspector Dorai.
  • The Flying Black Snake Clan - Led by Kokuja Black Snake, this was the first of two resident gangs in the abandoned Kowloon Palace to attempt to kill Ryu, Ken, and Chun Li in order to collect on Don Lean's bounty. It appears that besides Kokuja himself (dressed in purple) there are only twelve other members in the group (all dressed in blue). All of them are expert users of Nunchaku, but their signature attack is the "Flying Death Attack", which primarily involves a series of fighter-pairs using flight-like lunges to maneuver around an opponent, followed by a choke-hold using their nunchaku performed by whoever gets behind their opponent, thus giving the other fighters an easy target. They are also fairly skilled at using the ruins of old buildings in the area as a means of cover from which to launch unseen attacks. All twelve of Kokuja's fighters were fell by simple kicks and punchs, albeit after successfully delivering several painful blows to Ken and Ryu. Kokuja himself, however, is a more able fighter but he is taken down by Ken and Ryu's whirlwind kick.
  • The Hockey Blades - The second of the two resident gangs in the abandoned Kowloon Palace who make an attempt to kill Ryu, Ken, and Chun Li, but they seem to derive more motivation from the simple pleasure of killing than the prospect of collect on Don Lean's bounty. Besides intimidation tactics such circling their prey, they also use their sticks as striking weapons and their pucks as projectiles. They, move around on rollerblades, and their hockey armor has been modified and is covered with spikes and additional plating, moreover, their wild-grown hair can be seen sticking out from behind their masks. Altogether, they are more skilled at invoking fear than actual fighting.
  • Sodom & Gomorrah - Lean's hired muscle. Presumably stronger than Mr. Damned, but never fought in the ring. They are named after the biblical cities of the same name. The Sodom in this series is unrelated to the Sodom featured in Final Fight and Street Fighter Alpha.
  • Film Director - A man who directs Fei Long's movie.
  • Yo Sen Kai
Voiced by: William Knight
Also known as "Yo of the Teashop". Formerly a resistance fighter and bodyguard for government officials. Although now in old age and failing health, he was quite taken by Ryu and taught him a few basics of controlling his chi. Dorai was once one Yo's students, and was greatly surprised to discover that he had revealed one of his secrets to Ryu.
  • Dorai's Students - Lo Yang, Lin, and Wong. They help Fei Long stall off the Ashura, but get seriously injured by Muay Thai fighters.
  • The Ashura - A crime syndicate that is connected to Shadowlaw. Their main hideout is located at the Racha Burai Forest.
    • Rose
Voiced by: Barry Stigler
The underboss of the Ashura's Hong Kong syndicate (unrelated to Rose, a female character, from Street Fighter Alpha).
    • Li Yang -
Voiced by: Dougary Grant
Info coming soon.
    • Mohawk -
    • Donu
Voiced by: Steve Bulen
A fairly high-ranking member of the Ashura syndicate who directs "enforcement" operation for the Ashura. He is moderately skilled in the art of Muay Thai fighting, but was easily defeated by Ryu and Ken. In retaliation both for Dorai's major drug bust at the Hong Kong shores, and later the failed invasion of Dorai's residence, he attempts his revenge by planting a package of heroine in Ryu's Luggage at Bangkok International Airport. Although this act results in Ryu's arrest, he is scolded by his superior, Zochi, for his recklessness. Ken's own search for Donu over this matter eventually lead to the Ashura's downfall.
    • Han -
    • Soong - Killed Donu to keep Dorai and Raja from questioning him.
    • Zochi
Voiced by: Richard Epcar
The leader of the Ashura drug syndicate. It is never explained how he lost his left hand, but he has made a collection out of the left hands of various persons who have crossed him over the years.
  • Raja -
  • Warden Nuchitt - The warden in charge of the Thai prison Ryu is incarcerated in. A sadistic thug (undoubtedly inspired by characters from Midnight Express) who spends most of time torturing prisoners with a whip, he also insists on taking large cuts from the wagers made by the prisoners whenever a fight breaks out. Ryu and Sagat are the only two prisoners who ever been known to resist his brutality and live.
  • Kikun - One of the prisoners that pick a fight with Ryu. Ryu gets angry a his taunting and beats him up.
  • Mickey - Sagat's Manager
  • Dr. Hanna
Voiced by: Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
A female doctor trying to help the sickly in India. After hearing her predictament, Ken buys the land for her and (supposably) turns it into a full functioning hospital.
  • Mhenu - A young girl who lives in the same village as Dhalsim.
  • Chief Barrac - The chief of Interpol.
  • Ortega - He is Mr. Masters's friend from college. He later became head of the CIA.
  • General Chandler - General Chandler the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who sent Guile and Nash to aid in the rescue of Ken and Ryu. He is never actually seen in the series, and only mentioned by name in passing.
  • No. 27610 - A test subject for a new improved version of the mind chip. He dies shortly after being told to blow his head against the wall.
  • The Eagle Head - Not really a character, but presents a great deal of importance toward M. Bison. He referes to it as his "friend".
  • Akuma - Although he has no lines or plays no role whatsoever, Akuma made several cameo appearances on the show. He can be seen:
    • Among Donu's men when they arrive at Dorai's dojo.
    • At the Thailand airport when Ryu is accused of possession of heroine.
    • At the airport when Ken tells Dorai about the Ashura framing Ryu.
    • At the airport when Dorai arrives.
    • Near a stand in Culcutta, India.
    • On the shore with Dhalsim and the villagers as Ryu and Ken are leaving India.
    • In the audience at Vega's party.
    • At the hospital when Fei Long visits Dorai.
    • At the Barcelona airport when Cammy makes her first appearance.

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Themes

Japanese

  • Opening Themes
  1. "Kaze Fuiteru" by Yuki Kuroda (eps 1-19)
  2. "Ima, ashita no tame ni" by Shuji Honda (eps 20-29)
  • Ending Themes
  1. "Cry" by Yuki Kuroda (eps 1-19)
  2. "Lonely Baby" by Shuji Honda (eps. 20-29)

English

  • Opening Theme
  1. U.S. Opening Theme

[edit] Cast

[edit] Japanese version

[edit] English version (Animaze Dub)

[edit] External links