I very much appreciate the welcome! I’ve been an avid Street Fighter fan (game wise and lore wise) since earlier childhood! Of course, Ryu being my favourite character.
There has always been concepts and ideas that I would love to share and discuss with like-minded people and now that I’ve had such a chance, I couldn’t be more honored and excited! Thank you all for discussing with me and welcoming me here!
To touch upon Kage, to be completely honest. He has a neat concept. However, design choices (even down to some of the ways he’s animated) are a little underwhelming. I’d much prefer if he didn’t wear the headband like a little baby scarf… And his horns didn’t look like some sort of demon OC.
Story arc was a little underwhelming as well, I feel like people should FEAR Kage. He is the amalgamation of Ryu’s worst enemy, the only people who should be able to stand up to Kage is in fact Ryu and Akuma. Sagat is a big man, and even admittedly, Sagat should’ve at least been like “holy shit, you can’t fuck with this dude”. That’s just my own opinion!
The idea of Kage being plunged out of existence by Ryu just saying “I really don’t care about you” is kind of a letdown. After falling in love with Evil Ryu as a character I just wish they found a way to keep Kage relevant. His story began and concluded far too quickly.
Dang, the latest discussion is amazing, also welcome to the newcomers, I hope you enjoy your stay! I’ve made my point about Ryu known in the past, but I really am liking what I’m seeing here, from where Ryu needs to go, the discussion on how to truly gain enlightenment and more.
You pretty much made me excited for a Ryu we may never see in games. At first, hearing Ryu square off against G would make me howl at the moon in panic, but having him beat him philosophically and thus becoming a character that makes Ryu question himself, thus not needing to occupy the hero role and beat G, works fantastically. Using him as a springboard to change Ryu works also, because in my preferred headcanon, G ultimately would be akin to some versions of Dr. Doom where he is a villain, but can show compassion and love for his people, but ultimately his extreme drive to his end goal puts him in the villain category. So, G “helping” Ryu could be comparable to how Doom will fight to save his people and even show humanity (caring and protecting Valeria Richards, etc)
My issue with Ryu has been covered by a few of you. SF2:V & Kanzaki’s Ryu was what I liked (read the manga in elementary school, but sadly was missing some issues, so no Blanka fix for me). He can be still dedicated to the fight, but has personality, pulse and feels like a person rather than an archetype. I do want them to go with this Ryu going forward and as you said, Yagami, look outward again. He can’t keep worrying just about himself and the SNH. I LOVED that he had a brief, but older brother moment with the little Indian girl in the movie, and when she was hurt, he pulped the hell out of those thugs. Him wandering the world again, meeting and sharing ideas and philosophy with other fighters in the heat of battle, or even during quiet moments like post-fight with Fei Long in SF2AM would be great. Also, I dug his friendship with Honda, I’d like that to be made canon. They could nicely play off of each other.
Back to G, I’d like him to challenge most of the cast in different ways that alters their thinking and even can be a physical threat to others. Have him leave a lasting effect on folks and not have everyone need to beat him physically to progress. Heck, maybe even have some people dig his ideas but not his execution and possibly plant some division in the cast. Him being something flexible like this, makes him stand apart from Bison and Gill. He’d be a threat of a different type.
Bingo, that’s a big part of why I dug it. I keep remembering how when they’re all on the helicopter and jump out, it was like out of a dream. Sure the story has its issues, but I think, if they give it another shot in an expansion or SF6 they can do it right. The scenes were nice in showing that, yeah, these aren’t just random strangers fighting in a tournament. They’ve known and liked and hated one another, so having that connection there felt wonderful. Seeing Guile and Gief fighting Shadaloo punks, seeing Chun and Karin storming the base, seeing Chuckles and Rashid form a connection was nice.
Going forward, even if it’s not part of the main plot, I want to see more humanization in Ryu and others. Interactions, senses of humour and levity, aspects of a personal life being touched upon can do wonders.
Welcome back and yeah, I’d definitely like to see that being done with Akuma, instead of him sizzling in the background and being praised by his fans, let’s bring back more of the martial arts philosophy and show what’s wrong with him. As Daemos has been mentioning, SFV did show off a new direction in he and Ryu’s relationship. I feel that should continue.
I absolutely LOVE the sci fi elements of SF, but I think the increasing focus on Bison and Shadaloo world domination hijinks have distanced from the more overt martial arts philosophy a bit. I think with a new story, after the Illuminati saga is over, it’d be nice to get some elements of that back in front of the audience. Doesn’t mean I want Akuma and Ryu at the forefront, but a focus on martial arts philosophy like what Yagami has been mentioning, would be great.
Boom, that’s the best way to do it. Not everyone needs to be in the main plot, but that doesn’t mean everyone can’t shine across a storymode.
The problem of fantasizing so much of timeskip Ryu or a master of something. The only thing is that they are compromise on each other is that Ryu becomes an aged person mastering this and that, while the rest is conflicted from visual and life choices. Ryu dojo doesn’t even appear in google images along with many Ryu old man pics.
Think of that approach and it’s consequences if that would be continuous for years like 10 years
Is that the Ryu we would see every 10 years? or 20 years?
Everyone that envisioning those kind of Ryu, Are they the one that would be interested later in that kind of Ryu or it’s later evolution throughout the years?
It will also open the doors for numerous different version of evolution. What kind of evolution would you expect so-on and so fort. Once a radical change like conclusion happened be ready for more ever changing Ryu.
Some of the people that imagining this and that to Ryu… Are those people really like that kind of Ryu or they just want Ryu out of the picture?
Probably we will have a future SF story reboot.
It creates restriction and conclusion to a mascot motivation and journey.
He would became edgy later on to sellout after numerous change of personality to win new audiences. hence SNH all over again.
We all know there are tons of different version of Ryu timeskip fanfics from pre SF4 and Sf5 of what he should be in the future and everything doesn’t compromise to each other even from the visuals.
Some you might even realized that most of this kind of thoughts are just trying to make a rational point to make Ryu be in the sidelines, out of the picture and a new generation of fighters to replace him.
What are the common reasons they want Ryu to be something else in the future?
They find him redundant(They find Ryu boring.)
They are curious. (With the what if should ifs of Ryu.)
Some just want something to relate themselves to the mascot.(youth)
Some just want reflect their age selves to the mascot (aged)
They want new storyline that didn’t involve Ryu anymore. (They want something different)
It’s like a narrative trying to fantasize a pop culture icon to quit and end a legacy rather making better narrative and plots to venture with. Remember Ryu is not just a video game character like Scorpion, Terry Bogard, Haohmaru, Siegfried and Kazuya. Ryu is a pop culture icon up their with Mario, Mickey Mouse that revolutionize an entire industry not just FGC.
The issue here with relate and reflect is that Ryu isn’t meant to be like that in the later in SF3 timeline. Where he was already a legend which is more meant to be idealize rather than relate and reflect with as a character in that game and also as a fictional character throughout.
What are Ryu common future fantasy
Ryu marrying.
Ryu mastering SNH and Mu.
Ryu having a new apprentice. For the sake of popular references
We had seen many attempts of this in the past that resort to reboots in several popular franchise in the 90s and prety much fail. because it only complicate and restricts further future expansion of the franchise because it gives people expectations of what should be or supposed to be in the future or not.
So what are the terrible RYU narratives that people used to point out.
Ryu finishing the bigmain Baddy
Ryu eternal struggle with SNH
Ryu centered/focus in the plot story or the secondary story
SNH being the major story again
Edge lords story for Ryu
Note this is not my dislike and likes. My only dislike is Ryu seeking validation, married Ryu and posses again SNH in past Sf3. I’m just pointing out common Ryu rants and fantasy.
Tbh i think he was handled perfectly in SF3
He barely scratch the big story there, lefting the spotlight to new characters, but still have a developing… defeat some, lose to Oro, start a new Ryu-arc without interfere with main plot
In SFV they got the chance to do the very same with Necalli (making that fight “bigger” and more meaningful), lefting Nash and others take on Shadaloo
SFA and SF1 was the time he needs to “prove” something to the world is also the time he needs to “validate himself”. It’s also the time of explorative and curious Ryu along with the inner struggle because of SNH, Which is the most relatable to the youth and early 20s person but that’s just another interquel that is SNH again conflict retold. Which probably a bad idea as a whole since people already dislike focusing on Ryu it’s redundant for some people that just want something different and new.
Creating a new bigger world or another world(otherworldly) for SF3-Ryu to explore with a new whole proxy or neo SNH with a different name will only worsen and complicate his (Sf3 version) as a character along with the whole SF establish narrative(same case of DB-Super Goku). Sf3 Ryu is already better and compromising with Ryu in SF3 that is matured and not the plot heavy guy.
Did people heavily complain about his 3rd strike role in the past? if there was it’s a niche and probably a BS Ryu fan because most are really satisfied with what he was in that situation than what in SF4 and SF5. The things is SF3 Ryu is pretty much done as a character whats left of him is concluding him or in other words ending his journey. As far we had been in different threads and encounter numerous fanfiction. No-one cites reasonably that SF3 3rdStrike is the worst Ryu narrative compare to the dozen of SNH Ryu stories in different games.
I myself is not a fan of Ryu to always do the finishing move in the big baddy villain. Ryu is not a superhero like Goku trying to save and protect planet earth or similar to Batman that has an oath and a vengeful motivation. He is a guy about his own growth, his not a person that doesn’t care but it isn’t his priority and motivation in life. He only involves in the conflict with other’s because it’s along his journey not something that he seeks and chased as a life goal. Which is a problem now because it seems the direction Capcom is routing Ryu in a way.
I’m virtually out of FM on PC. I have enough for Falke’s probably won’t be able to get Sagat’s. I’m not playing enough to do so. I have other games I’m playing right now.
Also regarding Kage, I hate the scarf. I wish he took the handband off and wrapped it around his fists. It’d be great visually because you could have the red trail of the scarf behind his most powerful attacks like a trail of blood and it’d be a good visual metaphor for Kage forsaking the keepsake given to him by his friend, signifying the change from it being something that held in a place of memory (at the brow) to something used to reinforce his violence (at his fist)
Have you seen Sugar Punch’s design shop on Kage? Because he actually touched upon the idea of having the headband wrapped around his fist! Super neat concept!
Kage has a lot of potential but sadly SFV didn’t quite take advantage of that.
I like the idea that the headband just kinda broke down and fell down his head to the neck, but the fact it’s so long does make it look too much like a scarf. On the other hand, too small would make it look like a choker or a loose necktie and that would be fucking stupid.
I like the idea, as I said, but I can’t see it in execution any way you cut it. Your idea is cool too, but I feel it leaves to little in the head area, considering the entire top is off. If I’d take up on your cue, I’d also add the Evil Ryu chest and back scars, tho I’d probably make them purple instead of orange for a bit more color coherence. @Cestus_II think you can photoshop that?
