The appeal and reviews of Street Fighter II V: Experience the origins of fighting games through anime

Street Fighter II V: The challenge of adapting a fighting game legend into anime

In 1995, the TV anime "Street Fighter II V" was broadcast, based on the worldview of the monumental fighting game "Street Fighter II". This work aims to be widely accepted not only by game fans but also by anime fans by adding new stories and characters while focusing on the popular characters of the original game. Below, we will introduce detailed information and reviews of this anime, as well as recommended points.

Overview

"Street Fighter II V" was broadcast on Yomiuri Television (YTV) from April 10 to November 27, 1995, every Monday from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. The series is made up of 29 episodes, each 30 minutes long. It is based on Capcom's popular fighting game "Street Fighter II," and while the anime adaptation is based on the worldview of the game, new storylines and characters have been added.

The film was directed by Gisaburo Sugii and produced by Group TAC, Amuse, and Yomiuri TV. The copyright is shared between Capcom, Group TAC, Amuse, and Yomiuri TV.

Cast and crew

The main cast includes Kenji Haga as Ken, Kouji Tsujitani as Ryu, and Chisa Yokoyama as Chun-Li. These voice actors made a strong impression on viewers with their performances that brought out the individuality of their characters to the fullest.

The main staff includes director Gisaburo Sugii, director Takuya Sato, producer Kenichi Imai, character designer and chief animation director Akira Kano, art director Junichiro Nishikawa, music producers and music directors Chage & Aska, sound director Shigeji Zanba, production companies Capcom and SEDIC, animation company Group TAC, scriptwriters Kusa Tonoyama and Masumi Hirayanagi, and animation directors Masaki Sato and Marisuke Eguchi. Together, these staff members recreated the worldview of the original game in the anime while bringing out new appeal.

Stories and episodes

The story of Street Fighter II V begins with Ryu and Ken's journey. As they travel the world, they grow as they battle powerful opponents. In each episode, characters from the original game appear, and the growth of Ryu and Ken is depicted through their battles and interactions with them.

Below are some of the main episodes.

• Episode 1 "Departure" (April 10, 1995): The episode that triggers Ryu and Ken to set out on their journey. It depicts their farewell to their master Gouken and their determination to embark on a new journey.
• Episode 2 "King of the Air Force" (April 17, 1995): Ryu and Ken face off against elite air force pilots in this episode, depicting the thrill and excitement of aerial combat.
• Episode 3 "Hong Kong Battle Night" (April 24, 1995): Set in the night of Hong Kong, this episode is where Ryu and Ken meet Chun-Li. Chun-Li's strength and beauty are impressive.
• Episode 4 "Midnight Fugitive" (May 1, 1995): Ryu and Ken are pursued and go on the run. The tense plot is fascinating.
• Episode 5 "Is He a Movie Star?" (May 8, 1995): Ryu and Ken meet movie star Philip, whose glamorous world intersects with the world of martial arts.
• Episode 6 "The Awakening of Hado" (May 15, 1995): This is the episode where Ryu awakens the power of his Hadoken. The mysterious power of the Hadoken is depicted.
• Episode 7 "Four Assassins" (May 22, 1995): Ryu and Ken face off against four assassins in this episode. A tense battle unfolds.
• Episode 8 "Ryu in Prison" (May 29, 1995): Ryu is captured and fights in a prison cell, testing his strength and mental fortitude.
• Episode 9 "Prison Prism" (June 5, 1995): Ryu continues his fight in prison. The harsh conditions of prison and Ryu's fighting spirit are depicted.
• Episode 10 "Trap, Prison, Cry of Truth: Proud Ryu" (June 12, 1995): In this episode, Ryu fights for the truth while being trapped. Ryu's pride and beliefs are put to the test.
• Episode 11 "Muay Thai Giant, Fierce Prison Battle Symphony" (June 19, 1995): Ryu faces off against the Muay Thai champion. A fierce battle is depicted.
• Episode 12 "Dark Omen: The True Ruler Shrouded in Darkness" (June 26, 1995): In this episode, Ryu and Ken confront the forces of darkness. The existence of the true enemy is revealed.
• Episode 13 "The Beast Comes: A Holy Monk's Advice to a Young Warrior" (July 3, 1995): Ryu and Ken face off against a strong, beast-like warrior in this episode. A fierce battle is depicted.
• Episode 14 "The Phantom Battle: The God of Fighting Lurking Between Mind and Body" (July 10, 1995): This episode shows Ryu fighting beyond the limits of his mind and body. It also depicts the existence of the God of Fighting.
• Episode 15 "The Legend of Hadoken: All Creatures, the Fruition of Energy" (July 17, 1995): This is the episode where Ryu masters the true essence of the Hadoken. The power of the Hadoken is shown.
• Episode 16 "The Bloodthirsty Prince, Obsession with Beauty, Aphrodisiac for Chun-Li" (July 24, 1995): An episode in which Chun-Li confronts a prince who has an obsession with beauty. This episode shows Chun-Li's strength and beauty.
• Episode 17 "The Clash of Two Heroes: A Deadly Battle for Pride, Life, and Cinderella" (July 31, 1995): An episode in which Ryu and Ken fight for their pride. The strength and friendship between the two are depicted.
• Episode 18 "The Unveiled Ruler: The Terrible Desire to Conquer Begins to Run Wild" (August 7, 1995): This is the episode where the true identity of the enemy is revealed. The terrifying power of the ruler is depicted.
• Episode 19 "Terror, the Tyrant's Command: A Creeping Scheme, an Impending Crisis" (August 14, 1995): In this episode, Ryu and Ken confront the tyrant's schemes. A crisis-filled plot is depicted.
• Episode 20 "Beautiful Assassin: Green Eyes, Terror of the Cross" (August 21, 1995): Ryu and Ken face off against a beautiful assassin. The horror of the assassin is depicted.
• Episode 21 "Special Mission for Tetsujin: The Strongest Helper Takes Off to Rescue" (August 28, 1995): This is the episode where Ryu and Ken fight to rescue Tetsujin. The story depicts the exploits of the strongest helper.
• Episode 22 "The Captives" (September 4, 1995): Ryu and Ken are captured. The two work together to try to escape.
• Episode 23 "Forced Obedience: Cyberchip, a Challenge to Brain Control" (September 11, 1995): Ryu and Ken face off against the cyberchip's brain control. The horror of cyber technology is depicted.
• Episode 24 "Shoryu Takes to the Sky: The Peak of Rage, Awakening Hado" (September 18, 1995): This is the episode where Ryu awakens the power of his Shoryuken. The power of Hado is depicted.
• Episode 25 "Frozen Gaze: The Hero Enthralled by the Devil" (October 16, 1995): In this episode, Ryu is possessed by the power of the devil. The hero's suffering is depicted.
• Episode 26 "Devil's Reunion: A Painful Call, a Closed Consciousness" (October 23, 1995): This is the episode where Ryu reunites with the devil. A pained call is depicted.
• Episode 27 "Deadly Battle (Chapter 1) Fierce Triple Battle Command" (October 30, 1995): This episode depicts a fierce battle between Ryu and Ken.
• Episode 28 "Deadly Battle (Chapter 2) - The Deaththroes of a Best Friend Running Out of Strength" (November 6, 1995): Ryu and Ken fight for their best friend's life. The deaththroes of the best friend are depicted.
• Episode 29 "Deadly Battle (Chapter 3) Critical Point, the Clash of the Limits of Wave Energy" (November 13, 1995): In this episode, Ryu and Ken challenge the limits of wave energy. The power of waves is depicted.
• Episode 30 "Deadly Battle (Chapter 4) The Overlord Vega, His Overwhelming Destructive Power" (November 20, 1995): Ryu and Ken face off against the Overlord Vega. Vega's overwhelming power is depicted.
• Episode 31 "The Final Battle of the Deadly Battle" (November 27, 1995): The final battle between Ryu and Ken.

Rating and Recommended Points

For fans of the original game, Street Fighter II V offered a fresh appeal with the addition of new storylines and characters, while anime fans were deeply moved by the grand story based on the world of the fighting game and the portrayal of the characters' growth.

The following points are particularly worthy of praise:

• Character Growth : The growth of Ryu and Ken was carefully depicted, and the viewers empathized with them. In particular, the inner lives of the characters were explored in depth, such as the awakening of Ryu's Hadoken and Ken's battle with his pride.
• Quality of the battle scenes : As it was based on a fighting game, the quality of the battle scenes was very high and had the power to draw the viewer in. There were many tense scenes, especially the aerial battles and prison battles.
• Music : The music by Chage & Aska enhanced the atmosphere of the entire series. The opening and ending themes in particular left a strong impression on viewers.
• Story development : While based on the worldview of the original game, new storylines and characters were added, and the story continued to keep viewers interested. The deadly battle series in the latter half in particular had the power to draw viewers in.

The recommended points include the following:

• Fighting game fans : For fans of the original game, the addition of new storylines and characters will provide a fresh appeal. It will also be exciting to see how the characters from the original game are portrayed in the anime.
• Anime fans : The epic story based on the world of fighting games and the growth of the characters will leave a deep impression on you. The quality of the battle scenes is also high, drawing viewers in.
• Action fans : This is a must-see film for action fans, as it contains many tense battle scenes, especially the aerial battles and prison battles.
• Music Lover : The music by Chage & Aska enhances the atmosphere of the entire series. The opening and ending themes in particular leave a strong impression on viewers.

summary

"Street Fighter II V" is a work that has been widely accepted not only by fighting game fans but also by anime fans, thanks to its grand story based on the worldview of the original game and the growth of the characters. The quality of the battle scenes in particular and the music by Chage & Asuka enhance the appeal of the work as a whole. This is a work that I would highly recommend to anyone who likes fighting games, action games, and music.