QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Cage Match!
CAGE FIGHTER versus VEGA
The Bloodthirsty Prince: A Lust for Beauty and a Love Potion for Chun-Li (Group TAC/Capcom/Manga)
Where: Street Fighter II V Ep. 14 When: July 1995
Why: Gisaburō Sugii How: Kōji Tsujitani/Skip Stellrecht & Banjō Ginga/Peter Spellos

Quick Fix...
Ah, running behind schedule. It's like coming home.

As you would've gathered by now, I'm quite a fan of Street Fighter II V. Not only has it been a vital component in our weekend thematic look at the series which has now announced a brand new instalment in Street Fighter IV, but it's also just a TV show I look back on with a lot of fond memories. It's almost with a heavy heart that I recall absorbing it all on VHS ten years ago. Time seems to have gone by too fast.

Because of gaps in the comic series and so on, I wanted to maintain a sequential throughline for SFIIV. Being a convenient complete DVD set, we have been able to leapfrog effortlessly from episode to episode, taking a moment to pause on the battles between starring characters.

This marks our first departure from that formula, and I offer up good motivation. I mean, sure, part of my reasoning is the fact that finding two clean caps for a quick fix is a lot easier than rushing out a full entry. This also gives us an opportunity to take a bit of a breather as the series crosses the halfway mark, and begins to become more steeped in events surrounding Bison and his operations with Shadaloo.

I take the opportunity to remind the uninformed that SFIIV is surprisingly wile in it's story telling. The casual observer would be forgiven for assuming this was just thirty episodes of kicking and screaming, but the series manages to make subtle turns that lend an underlying sense of reality to the world faring antics of our teen protagonists; Ken and Ryu.

Episode two is the lynchpin on which the series is built. There's a faint sense of coming full circle come the finale, with the barroom brawl between Guile and Ryu giving the pair of fighters a measure for the fighting prowess they hope to attain. It not only prompts the travelling aspect of the series, but as inferred, provides an overall arc to the series which is revisited during the Dhalsim episodes.

Perhaps my favourite moments of the series are the adventure and escape from Kowloon Palace. These episodes [2 & 3] represent underground fighting in a way often ironically overlooked in Street Fighter, and marries it to shades of the Escape movies as Ken, Ryu and Chun-Li run from various themed gangs while they attempt to reach the perimeter fence of this decrepid portion of China.

Their association with Chun-Li; whose father plays the role of big game cop, instead of her; leads them to Fei Long, and further opportunities to touch upon facets of the film culture in martial arts, while also testing their skills against another keyframe opponent. Episode five marks the first, but not the last appearance of Fei Long in combat with another Street Fighter.

It's after foiling the revenge schemes of the drug running criminal organization called Ashura, that the story really begins to undergo a sense of perpetual motion. The Muay Thai technique used by the Ashura leads Ken and Ryu to Thailand, where Ryu is imprisoned after having drugs planted in his luggage by the group.
While Ken tracks down the names and faces responsible, Ryu has an encounter with the fallen emperor of Muay Thai -- Sagat.

Episode nine marks SFIIV's representation of one of the most famous battles in Street Fighter canon. Of course, with Sagat recast as a much more sympathetic victim of the Ashura, it culminates in a friendship between the two characters, rather than the rivalry that persists after their famous Street Fighter conclusion.

When Ryu is exonerated and freed from prison, Sagat is not far behind, and as a token of his appreciation he reveals the name of a secretive monk who can help Ryu foster his training in the hadou arts. We very recently featured the outcome of the pair's training with Dhalsim, which saw them unwittingly battling each other in episode twelve.

I'd love to elaborate more on all of the story that fills the gaps between the touchstones of character appearances we've looked at, but time is of the essence, so if you find yourself even remotely curious, you know there'll be an Amazon link a few lines down to steer you toward a convenient purchase.

Moving forward, our heroes leave behind their enlightening experiences in India to travel to lighter times in Spain. Interpol is giving out an award for the Ashura bust in which Ken and Ryu were vital, and they've been asked to receive the award along with Chun-Li's father, Chief-Inspector Dorai.

Any Street Fighter fan worth his salt knows exactly what Spain means: which brings us to this first battle for your pleasure. Actually, the circumstances of our fix share a vague parallel with the pageantry under which regular readers observe the Infinite Wars fights.

Episode fourteen opens with images vague and mysterious, as an unnamed fighter finds himself at the mercy of a blurring figure that makes speedy attacks. Suffering kicks, elbows and claw slashes, the fighter is soon on his backside.

The dull rumble of laughter begins to spill from the masked uppercrust that watch on from a balcony surrounding the cage. The besieged fighter finds himself now seemingly alone in the cage, but soon learns the contrary.

Dangling upside down from an elaborate chandelier, his eyes glaring from beneath the white mask that protects his face. The matador launches into a flipping tumble, coming down to strike his opponent with a claw slash that puts an end to him.

Vega represents a comparable foil for Ken, and signifies the turning point in the series as it begins to delve into the operations of Shadaloo and it's mysterious and powerful leader, Bison. The presence of Shadaloo is felt by the extension of Ashura, which serves as a small time tool of the International syndicate.

While there can certainly be arcs recognised in the early episodes, it's here that the story progresses in smaller increments, and is more densly preoccupied with events developing in sequence.

Both military and Shadaloo agents converge on the series protagonists, and this allows more of SFIIV's deviation in character, recasting the roles of a character like Zangief, to be more along the lines of his American feature role.

That said, Vega fullfils much the same role as his depiction in the games, with the opportunity to flesh out the sadistic qualities of his fighting technique.

No doubt we'll feature more Street Fighter II V in the new year, but in the mean time, I've got a whole other section to phone-in. C'mon, it's the holidays, people! Give me a break!

The Fix: 4 The Episode: 6
Winner: Vega

You'll have to stay tuned if you want to see Vega in caged action as he goes up against his rival, Ken Masters, for the affections of an enchanted Chun-Li. It's a truly brutal battle, and hey, if you act now, there might be just enough time to make it yours for X-Mas!

---

VEGA versus RYU
Staff Meeting (Universal/Capcom)
Where: Street Fighter When: December 1994
Why: Steven E. deSouza How: Byron Mann, & Jay Tavare

Quick Fix...
It must've been around 2000 that I was on a big Street Fighter kick. The animated movie and SFIIV series were getting regular viewings, along with a wide array of Van Damme films, so when a triple threat of Van Damme films culminating in Street Fighter was on TV one summer's night, it was a good thing!

Sure, Street Fighter is one of the most maligned video game adaptations, deriving it's material from one of the most exciting and successful properties of the time. I'm not denying that. But in that evening seven years ago, it was a joy to spend the night out with friends, only to get home in time to catch the bulk of Street Fighter.

Okay, that thrilling trip down memory lane has killed a few paragraphs, so I suppose we should get to the "real" stuff.

Not so long ago we teased the possibility of coming back to the Street Fighter movie, but these probably weren't the circumstances I had in mind. A symptom of running behind, I'm afraid, but hey, it's all education!

During our last visit to the feature [Sagat/Vega vs Ken/Ryu] you probably won't have been able to appreciate the arc to the relationship of the four characters concerned. Of course, if you've seen the movie, that probably doesn't help you appreciate it any better, but I digress...

Early in the film we're introduced to Ken and Ryu as supporting characters that deviate dramatically from their established depiction in other media. In fact, while their hearts of gold are alluded to, the pair are actually little more than small time hoods trying to swindle gun smuggler, Victor Sagat, out of a few dimes in the renegade state of Shadaloo.

When the weapons Ken and Ryu are providing turn out to be toys, Sagat decides to throw them in the cage with his champion lapdog, Vega. Though it's never elaborated upon on screen, one might assume the money earned from the fight would make this an economical decision, but then again, you could just as easily assume Sagat is a total moron, because nothing onscreen contradicts that either.

Guile and his UN chronies burst in to arrest everyone before the cage fight between Ryu and Vega is able to kick-off. In it's own peculiar way, this manages to set up the basis for a feud between the two characters that not only lasts the duration of the ninety-seven minute running time -- but even makes sense in it's own context!

Vega gets his first opportunity at a second bite when a prison riot breaks out, as Sagat and his many goons attempt to intimidate and generally rough up Ken and Ryu.

Brandishing a makeshift replacement for his wrist mounted claw; Vega makes like a matador, entering the arena of combat atop fanciful feet.
Despite the apparent elegance of his character, Vega lunges at Ryu with his claw, setting the tone for what will be typical of their battle(s).

While chaos ensues around them (and the Damian Chapa's uninspiring Ken disarms a few faceless goons), Ryu and Vega exchange blows in punches and elaborate kicks. Their battle comes to a quick conclusion when Vega makes another sloppy lunge with his claw, getting it stuck in a wooden structure support.

Byron Mann attacks the claw with gusto, exploding it with a powerful jumping kick. Now, removing the claw from the fight is probably a fair choice, but it's hard not to note the elaborate stupidity of the move, given how average his battle with an animate entity has gone.

The fight is halted as UN troops again swarm in to spoil the fun, and ensure that none of the hodge-podge ensemble cast of the misplaced and unknown upstage Herr Van Damme, who will do his fighting at a more important junction.

It's at this point that one can't help but glance at the back of the DVD and read the promise of "... furious energy, awesome action and breathtaking stunts", and look forward to the alleged new feature that's in production for 2008.

Sure, there's a kitsch value to a movie like this, and when you haven't seen it for a while, I actually think just about anyone can get something out of the misplaced political commentaries, neon colour palettes, and surprise appearance by Simon Callow.

The Fix: 2 The Movie: 4.5
Winner: Inconclusive

If you feel the need to absorb this major motion picture rivalry in a more vivid context, you can find the DVD, like most other reviewed subjects, on sale on Amazon! Give the gift that keeps on giving! Street Fighter: "Ultimate Battle" starring Jean Claude Van Damme, and Kylie Minogue in a decidedly less sexed-up role than you'd expect!

RYU versus KEN
The Deadly Phantom Faceoff: The Battle Spirit Hidden Between Body and Soul
(Group TAC/Capcom/Manga)
Where: Street Fighter II V Ep. 12 When: July 1995
Why: Gisaburō Sugii How: Kōji Tsujitani/Skip Stellrecht & Banjō Ginga/Peter Spellos

The story so far...
On a journey to hone their fighting capabilities, old friends and martial arts brothers, Ken and Ryu, embark on a journey across the globe to encounter different techniques and practises of the fighting arts.

These world warriors encounter and study men from China, Hong Kong, and the United States, but it's the advice of the fallen emperor of Muay Thai; Sagat; that leads the pair to jump aboard Ken's private jet to seek a secluded village in India. There, they hope to learn the teachings of the mysterious yoga master, Dhalsim; master of hadou.

Their arrival proves expected as Dhalsim denies the prophecized beasts the teachings he bestowed upon Sagat. Determined to prove themselves as more than mindless brutes, Ken and Ryu remain in the village despite Dhalsim's distance, and endear themselves to the villagers and children.

When bandits arrive at the village seeking the fabled treasure of the forbidden Cave of Ancients, Ken and Ryu rush to their rescue. It is here they face their greatest test as Dhalsim emplores them to not endanger the lives of the villagers unnecessarily. At the order of the surviving bandits, Ken and Ryu enter the tample that claimed the lives of other tomb raiders, walking in with Dhalsim's warning that the monster hidden within is merely a reflection.

Previous Form:
Ryu (#15): High rating victories over Balrog, Sagat, Zangief, & Vega.
Ken (#31): Victories over Sodom & Sagat; with ties against Fei-Long and Ryu.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Ryu 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Ken 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Draw 3 (Explosives)


- Ryu is a Japanese fighter who was orphaned and raised by the master of the mysterious unnamed ansatsuken fighting style, Gouken. A life of training would develop Ryu into one of the greatest fighters in the world, utilizing Gouken's fighting techniques and mastery over the hadou ki energies.

Ryu is an incredibly well rounded fighter capable of harnessing his ki for trademark attacks such as; the Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku hurricane kick, Hadou-ken fireballs, the Sho-ryu ken dragon uppercut, along with an array of variations of each.

- Ken Masters is a practitioner of the same unnamed ansatsuken martial arts technique mastered by Gouken, Akuma and Ryu.

The style is heavily identified with the mastery over ones ki energy, allowing them to summon powers by methods of hadou. Ken has mastered the hadou-ken fireball and sho-ryu ken rising dragon punch, with a particular flair for the latter.

Ken is a well respected United States tournament champion, having won many tournaments and gained many accolades in his native America. It is this encompassing success that drives him to seek new challenges across the world.

Additonal: Essentially identical in their earliest fighting appearances; Ken and Ryu have been the subject of fan-debate for decades. In previous encounters on the Infinite Wars, they have only ever tied against one and other, representing the continued struggle for superiority that traditionally is said to favour Ryu's power and dedication, despite Ken's highly regarded skill.

History: Draw (0-0-2)
The Math: Ken Masters The Pick: Draw

What went down...
Reluctantly Ken and Ryu enter the Cave of Ancients under the order of the ruthless armed bandit, who already witnessed the effects of the temple's "monster" when it claimed the lives of his two fellows.

With Dhalsim's warnings ringing in their ears, they wander into the darkness where they find themselves engulfed in smoke. Without warning the two are seemingly yanked from their physical bodies, experiencing an astral projection that sees their spirits careening out of control toward a cliff face.

When they awaken, each fighter believes himself to be alone. That is, until a beam of light ushers the entrance of the legendary guardian monster, who protects the treasures contained within the Cave.

The monster appears to both as a hulking, ancient clay warrior who towers over them phsycially and asthetically. Even so, Ken and Ryu both confront the demon with wanton regard for their own safety, concerned only for the fate of the villagers, and the lure of combat.

Ryu verbally assaults the monster with accusations of murder, before taking a ready stance that provokes the monster to break it's silence. The clay warrior sends a thundering echo through the ill-defined space as it charges toward it's prey, letting loose the roar of a warrior.

Elsewhere; Ken suffers the jab of his own monstrous opponent, who puts a halt to his charge with a stiff jab. Ken charges once more at the monster, leaping into the air with a flying kick, ultimately dodged by the surprisingly spry giant.

Ken follows with a barrage of secondary attacks that connect, while Ryu finds himself on the painful end of a combination of blows from the clay warrior.

The monster winds up, connecting with a harsh, direct punch to Ryu's face!
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Ryu refuses to back down, despite noting the guardian's speed and strength, surprising for his size. Likewise; Ken makes his own pledge with the commitment of his fist, which strikes at his foe.

While the pair of wandering fighters face their respective demons, Dhalsim grows despondent. Sensing their progress from outside the cave, he telepathically sends an echo of his cryptic warning, "Beasts, do not forget! The cave is only a mirror which reflects your own hearts!"

Too concerned with fighting, the pair of martial artists fail to ponder on the master's words, instead resorting again to the exchange of blows, over ideas.
To Dhalsim's dismay, the pair launch into another all-out attack.

The guardian(s) continue to show considerable fighting prowess, evading the competent strikes of both fighters, only to deliver it's own with devestating precision! Each fighter suffers a succesion of punches and kicks, culiminating in two seperate uppercuts that rock both Ken and Ryu, respectively.

Ryu unleashes a violent spray of retaliatory punches, finishing with a roundhouse kick that puts the guardian on the back foot, but fails to topple it. The monster comes back strong with a spinning combination of back handed fists that finishes with a diving kick that sends the Japanese fighter airborne!

Exhausted, Ryu pauses on his knee for a moment, digesting the severity of his situation. Strategizing leads only to thoughts of the monster's incredible power, and his skilled fighting style which almost resembles that of his best friend, Ken. Recalling his absent friend, Ryu summons a second-wind to attack once more, demanding to know what the monster did with Ken!

Meanwhile, Ken finds his front blocked, only to be sent through the air with a stiff punch that takes the wind out of him. On the floor, Ken nurses ribs that are broken, and has his own moment of thought, recognising determination in the guardian that mirrors that of his friend, Ryu.

After another explosive exchange of blows, Ken and Ryu each seek a finishing blow with the last of their energies. Alas, both fighter is struck down simultaneously by their guardian opponent with comparable force, leaving them both down for the count, and severely injured.

The pause gives both fighters opportunity to further consider their positions.
As they both lie injured and exhausted, they notice the same unlikely reactions in their seemingly inexhaustible monster opponent.

Though unable to stand and blinded in his left eye by the monster's powerful kicks, Ryu begins to see clearer than before. Likewise, Ken begins to ponder the words of Dhalsim, and the predicament his astral trip has placed him in.
Considering the keys to victory, Ken notices the monster adopt a meditative position similar to that which he and Ryu had imitated from Dhalsim when they sought to prove patience to the Yoga monk.

It is this finally beat that breaks the illusion, and reveals to Ken and Ryu both, the identity of their monster: Each other!

With the test over, the two injured fighters struggle to travel to their goal. Nursing broken ribs, blinded eyes, and severe exhaustian; the two badly beaten fighters retrieved the statuette they were to sent to find, and gingerly stumble their way back to the villagers whose lives are threatened.

The hammer...
Y'know, one of the things I find really fun about a site like this is the accumulation of data. Drawing upon that sports league connection, we get a scenario like this, where two characters have met in combat three times, and each has resulted in a draw!

Some might call that a little tedious, but not only does it provide a wonderful comparison between two characters, but also makes the next confrontation all the more dramatic! Because, really, what we do here isn't much different, in many ways, to what you find in any professional fighting sport card around the world. Which is but one of the many charms to our little experiment here.

Much like the Sagat/Ryu encounter [Street Fighter II V Ep. 9]; this entry comes with an append-fix. After emerging from the Cave with their trophee; Ken and Ryu are met with a double cross by the raider who doesn't want to be identified by two city-slickers.

Having proven themselves worthy by surviving the test of the guardian; Ken and Ryu finally get a chance to witness the pacifist monk in action. Having stemmed the flow of ki in the bandit's last living cohort, Dhalsim goes about quietly disabling the armed men.

When the head bandit turns his guns away from the exhausted fighters to the meddlesome Dhalsim, he finds the Yoga monk holding his ammunition magazine with an eerie smirk. This precedes another pressure-point attack that paralyzes the bandit by restricting the flow of life energy through his body.

Much like the defeat of Nuchitt, we're going to tack this on as a bonus victory for Dhalsim. This may be a little generous, but heck, I have a real soft spot for the Yoga flamer, and it seems fitting, given that he has been announced along with screenshots of Ken and Ryu, for Street Fighter IV.

Despite noting the long standing unliklihood of a sequel, the Infinite Wars featured [apparently logical] speculation that a fourth instalment might finally arrive [The New Challengers!] came good. In October Capcom confirmed Street Fighter IV, accompanied by a brilliantly visual trailer for the game.

It was this week that the eager fanbase was finally privy to screenshots, answering many questions about visual direction, and the nature of the new generation's gameplay.

If anyone ever tries to tell you gamers are any different from [comics] fanboys, you can pretty comprehensively laugh in their face. The same kind of negatives exist in both realms, and they were out in full force with the release of images [like the above], which depict the new direction for the series.
Of course, as much as I'd love to act smug and superior, I'm not without my own minor qualms about recent developments.

First, I just have to say; the only thing more disturbing than Street Fighter fans desperately barking about keeping the games in the pixel arena of 2D fighters -- is the fact that a good many of them whole heartedly mean it!

Comics fans know all too well the perils of fanbases obsessively reluctant to progress. It's an attitude that can potentially render a company's attempts to move forward impotent, and given the odds that were put against SFIV ever happening, that's a concerning prospect. More so, considering that SFIV has revealed itself to be something many-a-fan, myself included, dreaded: another retread of the now classic (and devestatingly recycled) Street Fighter II.

Placing it in this era presumably gives makers not only a familiar place to start with, but also a cast of characters already well exposed to much of the purchasing portion of the public. If one was to read between the lines, SFIV's tagline, A New Beginning, mind indicate that this will at least mark the definitive account of SFII, paving the way for regular sequels that pay more attention to progession of story, and satisfaction of experience. [Yes, that's setting myself up for disappointment, but I can dream!]

Still, for a negative, getting the opportunity to play as characters like the confirmed Dhalsim and Chun-Li, is anything but a punishment. Sure, it raises a lot of mathematical questions, but it gives us a chance to reexperience these characters in the ever-popular domain of cell-shaded polygons, which in this instance, carry a more detailed render than many cartoony predecessors.
It's a textured look that seems to be becoming something of a hallmark of next gen games, but really, it's both unlikely, and far too soon to consider this the status quo. For Street Fighter IV, it's the happy medium between progress, and the classic depiction of characters.

Not wanting to delve into the mire of more negatives, I close with a few notes. I would agree with some fans that there's work to be done in better identifying the characters, particularly in facial structure. That said, for all the iffy artwork, it was kind of interesting to see a pseudo-realistic depiction of Ryu that actually made me think Japanese! This pastiche of grimey realism and manga sensibility is just further indicative of it's SFII origins, which a good many newbies probably won't recognise.

The Fight: 4.5 The Episode: 6

And just in case the SFIV made you forget what brought us all here, maybe you want to do some last minute Christmas shopping on Amazon! You'll again note the many episodes between each feature from SFIIV, making it an ideal series to explore further, if you've enjoyed these reviews!

RYU versus SAGAT
The Superstar of Muay Thai: The Grand Prison Battle Symphony (Group TAC/Capcom/Manga)
Where: Street Fighter II V Ep. 9 When: June 1995
Why: Gisaburō Sugii How: Kōji Tsujitani/Skip Stellrecht & Banjō Ginga/Peter Spellos

The story so far...
After years apart, the martial arts brothers Ken Masters and Ryu are reunited when the wealthy Ken invites his Japanese friend to stay with him in the United States.

Together the two embark on a journey to hone and develop their fighting skills by making the uncontrolled environment of the world their dojo.
With the help of their tour guide, Chun-Li; Hong Kong delivers the pair gang violence at the underground fight club, Kowloon Palace, and a clash with martial arts actor Fei Long on the set of his newest action picture.

Ken and Ryu join forces with Fei Long at Chun-Li's father's dojo, where Thai mercenaries, hired by the Ashura, attack to assassinate the dojo master, police Captain Dorai, who has been assigned to take them down.

Though the Muay Thai mercenaries are comprehensively defeated, Ken and Ryu are excited by the unique qualities of the powerful joint-driven fighting style.
They soon take leave for Thailand to get a firsthand experience, but things go wrong when the Ashura seek revenge by planting drugs on Ryu. While Ken seeks out evidence for the masked man who framed him, Ryu is forced to face prison life, and the wrath of Sagat -- fallen Emperor of Muay Thai!

Previous Form:
Ryu (#27): Ranking victories over Balrog, Sagat, and Zangief.
Sagat (#180): Defeated at the hands of Dhalsim and Ryu, with a victory over Ryu also.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Sagat 4 (Steroid Popper)
Intelligence: Sagat 2 (Average)
Speed: Ryu 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ryu 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Ryu 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Ryu 3 (Explosives)


- Ryu is a Japanese fighter who was orphaned and raised by the master of the mysterious unnamed ansatsuken fighting style, Gouken. A life of training would develop Ryu into one of the greatest fighters in the world, utilizing Gouken's fighting techniques and mastery over the hadou ki energies.

Ryu is an incredibly well rounded fighter capable of harnessing his ki for trademark attacks such as; the Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku hurricane kick, Hadou-ken fireballs, the Sho-ryu ken dragon uppercut, along with an array of variations of each.

- Known as the Emperor of Muay Thai, Sagat is supremely skilled in the fighting style often referred to as the "science of the eight-limbs."
Revolving mostly around elbows, knees, fists, and kicks; Sagat's Muay Thai takes full advantage of his height and physical strength. Complimenting his furious style is the development of various ki attacks that stem from a fierce rivalry with hadou practitioner, Ryu. Many of these energy attacks not only rival the Japanese fighter's weapons, but also imitate them, ie; the tiger uppercut, and tiger fireballs.

Though he spent much time with the criminal element Shadaloo, Sagat's character is not traditionally evil. After a lengthy period seeking vengeance against Ryu, Sagat even came to regret impulsive violence, and found some degree of peace.
- Additional: Ryu and Sagat have a fierce rivalry dating back to the first Street Fighter, where Ryu's defeat of the Muay Thai master left him humiliated, and baring the scars of their battle. It was this result, along with an unexpected rematch, that has set the pair up with a record of 1-1-0 (a win each).

The Math: Draw The Pick: Ryu

What went down...
Having defended himself against prison toughs, Ryu garners the attentions of greatly respected and pampered prisoner, Sagat. A former Muay Thai fighting champion, Sagat's honor is seemingly replaced by the inevitability of a lengthy sentence and the traditions of inmate social politics.

Sagat rises from his extravagant corner of the prison, sending a wave of betting through prisoner and guardsman alike. One of the prisoners brings Sagat his ceremonial Mongkon head circlet, and gloves for each of the fighters, adding a touch of ceremony to the occasion.

Delighted by the prospect of a genuine one-on-one with a greater Muay Thai fighter, Ryu straps the gloves on and takes a Thai stance. Sagat is amused by the Japanese upstart's intentions to meet him on his own terms. He quickly introduces Ryu to his style, throwing a kick to knock him off balance, before hitting a devestating diving blow!

The blow leaves Ryu in a spin and sends a brief hushed awe through the crowd of inmates. Sagat follows it with another stiff kick to the head that makes good use of his reach advantage, before connecting with another string bone-shattering blows - kicks, elbows and knees all included!

Struggling desperately against the barrage of Sagat's explosive attacks, Ryu desperately launches his own counter effort. Though he forces Sagat into defensive blocks, it's not long before the master reasserts himself with yet another knock-out blow, this time an uppercut!

As Ryu continues to get knocked around by the much larger fighter, the action finally draws the attentions of corrupt prison warden, Nuchitt.

The warden watches on with sadistic delight as Ryu again makes an attempt to fight back. He displays a basic mastery of Muay Thai fundamentals that shocks even Sagat! With Ryu's skill level advancing, Sagat unleashes his fully fury with a string of blows that culminate in the legendary tiger knee crush!

The move sends Ryu hurtling back into the prison wall, where he leaves a smearing blood stain as his body slumps lifelessly to the ground.

Believing the Japanese fighter defeated, Sagat walks away to the cheers of the inmates, only to hear a shocking voice from behind! Sagat turns to find his opponent standing and at the ready, showing strength and determination far beyond the young fighter's years.

Ryu acknowledges that Muay Thai has many further levels to be mastered, and removes his gloves to display a more familiar technique. Sagat charges him, and gets an immediate taste of the finesse of Ryu's trained feet.



Ryu unleashes his own flurry of kicks and punches, evening the scores by spraying the champion's blood. Despite the impressive power of his attack, Sagat remains standing, and impressed by his opponent's skill and honor, he reveals the predicament that brought him to be imprisoned.

Sagat reveals common themes beyond their fighting spirits.
Having refused to throw a fight to end his dominance as champion, Sagat found himself at the centre of an Ashura plot to frame him for drug possession. His passion rekindled, Sagat calls an end to the fight, and promises Ryu protection.

With the intentions of taking half the kitty from betting, the warden steps in to demand the fight continue. Despite the threat of reprieve, Sagat defiantly throws down his gloves and walks away. The corrupt warden draws a chain and intends to attack Sagat from behind, but Ryu intervenes.

Disrespected, the warden draws a pistol, eager to take revenge on the only two inmates to have resisted his tortures without a scream.

As the warden prods the gun barrel at Sagat's stomach, he hatches a scheme to disguise the murder as the result of a riot attempt. Ryu obliges the claims, leaping into the air before Nuchitt can pull the trigger. He kicks the gun from his hand, giving Sagat an opening to pound his powerful fist against the warden's face.

The pair double team the podgy warden, putting an end to his threats.
Ryu and Sagat salute each other in triumph as the crowd of inmates cheers the decimation of their torturous warden.

The hammer...
Well, I guess you could call this one a double feature.
It was a tough call to make, but while the expected battle of Sagat/Ryu ends in a draw, I think we could call their battle with Warden Nuchitt a seperate, and victorious affair.

So, if by now you haven't figured it out: I like Street Fighter.
Truth be told, I may very well love Street Fighter, in a strictly non-prison movie fashion, which sort of brings things awkwardly full circle, eh?
Shades of Midnight Express collide with the martial arts standard of learning fighting techniques from wrongly accused inmates, but the influences of this particular episode of Street Fighter II V aren't one-way.

It's interesting to note that Sagat, learning of Ryu's contemplations of hadou, sends him in the direction of India to seek out the wisdom of the yoga master, Dhalsim. Eagle-eyed fight watchers will recall a similar scenario in the previously featured Street Fighter II #2, where Sagat and Ryu meet up on that same path.

To the best of my knowledge there's nothing in the games to connect these events, so it does lead one to wonder if this might be another case of UDON absorbing various influences from the Street Fighter medias.

It's interesting to observe Sagat as a purely heroic figure.
Certainly in the tradition of the games he has served the role of inadvertant villain as boss and sub-boss in the first two installments. A menacing appearance and association with Shadaloo and Bison further defined a dark path for the character, but ultimately his arc in the games represents much the same philosophies as Ryu's struggle with dark hadou.

A serious of obstacles delays the purity of Sagat's vengeful confrontations with Ryu, and ultimately he comes to renounce such a bitter goal. Even so, sins of the past continue to dog him as Dan Hibiki, in a parody of common SNK themes, seeks revenge for the death of his father, who was responsible for Sagat's eye damage. Like the recent Wizard debacle, this parody proves all too feasible in the Street Fighter world, and may be lost on many.

As we roll on to Street Fighter IV in 2008, a lot of fans are clamouring for the return of their favourite characters. I myself would delight at the opportunity to play Sagat in what is expected to be a technological revolution for the series, but at the same time, regret the potential shift in character that might incur.

We're still running considerably behind on updates, so I might leave the pondering to you, the reader. If you've got any thoughts on Sagat, or anything else Street Fighter, feel encouraged to drop a comment. Otherwise, stay tuned!

The Fight: 5.5 The Episode: 5.5

It can be surprising how often a fanbase can completely miss something as prominent as a thirty episode series. If you're among the uninitiated and are enjoying getting a sneaky look at "Street Fighter II V", stay tuned as it maintains a backbone to our Saturday Street Fights. Though as thorough as possible, note that our episode reviews leave plenty of gaps, so if you're looking for DVD set this Christmas, head over to Amazon and think about checking it out!

KEN MASTERS versus FEI LONG
Hot-Blooded Fei Long: Super Battle Action Movie (Group TAC/Capcom/Manga)
Where: Street Fighter II V Ep. 5 When: May 1995
Why: Gisaburō Sugii How: Kenji Haga/Jimmy Theodore, Kazuki Yao/Sean Mitchell

The story so far...
After years apart, the martial arts brothers Ken Masters and Ryu are reunited when the wealthy Ken invites his Japanese friend to stay with him in the United States.

It's not long before the two martial arts enthusiasts find their way into trouble, clashing with a group of young Air Force cadets. After their drill sergeant, Guile, manhandles Ryu and Ken both, the pair find inspiration to develop their techniques. Thus, Masters charters a plane to Hong Kong where they will hone their skills within one of the world's martial arts capitals.

Having survived the martial arts underworld of Kowloon Palace; Ryu and Ken, accompanied by their guide Chun-Li, come in contact with the legitimate face of Hong Kong's fighting stars -- Fei Long! With a visit to the set of his newest action picture, Ken and Ryu get a taste of the big time.

Previous Form:
Ken Masters (#61): Victory over Sodom, with sparring ties with Ryu.
Fei Long (#125): Victorious over a group of gangsters.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Ken Masters 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Ken Masters 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Fei Long 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Fei Long 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Ken Masters 3 (Explosives)


- Ken Masters is a practitioner of the same unnamed ansatsuken martial arts technique mastered by Gouken, Akuma and Ryu.

The style is heavily identified with the mastery over ones ki energy, allowing them to summon powers by methods of hadou. Ken has mastered the hadou-ken fireball and sho-ryu ken rising dragon punch, with a particular flair for the latter.

Ken is a well respected United States tournament champion, having won many tournaments and gained many accolades in his native America. It is this encompassing success that drives him to seek new challenges across the world.

- Fei Long is an accomplished martial artist and film start in Hong Kong.
His mastery of the Hitenryu Kung fu style earned him great attention in the film industry, with his performances best known for fast, furious and genuine fight scenes. At his heart, Fei Long is an honorable fighter who does not wish to compromise his integrity of spirit, despite a flair for showmanship.

The character, quite obviously inspired by the late film legend Bruce Lee, does not typically possess chi based attacks, best known for his prowess and speed.

The Math: Draw The Pick: Ken Masters

What went down...
Having escaped the murderous criminal underworld of the decrepid sectioned off part of the city known as Kowloon Palace; Ken and Ryu look forward to meeting famous Hong Kong film star Fei Long, an old friend of their tour guide, Chun-Li.

When the gang arrive on the set of Fei Long's latest film, they discover the set in disarray as Fei Long struggles to work with stuntment with insufficient skill and training to keep up with him in fight scenes. Ken and Ryu's newly established reputation proves to be the perfect curriculum vitae, and Ken is hired on the spot for a scene as a slumlord on Chun-Li's recommendation.

Forced to watch from the sidelines, Ryu watches his friend encounter Fei Long's fast moving fists and elaborate kicks. Ken provides minimal resistance to the skilled offensive, much to Ryu's vocal chagrin.

Having suffered through kicks and hits, Ken evades a series of jabs before being instructed by the director to amp the action up. Challenged to give it everything he has, Ken leaves behind the role of costumed actor, and begins to view Fei Long as an opponent to be beaten.

Ken quickly establishes an offensive, successfully landing a strike on a closing Fei Long, before evading the return attack to finish with a throw. The move sends Fei Long hurtling out of control into a golden decorative wall with a thud.

With Ryu egging him on, Ken makes his first out-right offensive, charging with his own combination of punches and kicks, all of which Fei Long manages to avoid. From the duck position he launches his own attack, a devestating kick!
Ken rolls with it, and narrowly avoids a descending flying kick from the Hong Kong star. Ken puts distance between the two of them with his own push kick.

As the director prepares to call a cut, an impressed Fei Long expresses a stoic respect for Masters. Ken returns the compliment in kind, noting Fei Long's skills, but backs himself to win the cinematic showdown.

The two fighters renew their attacks, launching into a familiar exchange of stiff punches, kicks and blocks. Each fighter connects with a range of maneuvers.

The two fighters pull out all the stops to impress one and other, launching into massive airborne assaults. Fei Long flies with a kick that breaks part of the ornate gold wall, while Ken misses his target to shatter a chunk of decorative stonework along the garden path.

Director and fighters alike show wanton disregard for the invaluable scenary of Hong Kong's famous Tiger Balm Garden. The raging bulls barge through film equipment and leap their way to higher levels of the garden.

Ken gets the edge over his opponent with a stiff set of punches, but Fei Long manages to turn things around abruptly with a knee to the head. The move knocks Ken's ridiculous slumlord wig off, again prompting on-the-fly changes, as the director and film crew struggle to keep up with the action.

Perched like statues of two ancient, warring gods, Ken and Fei Long continue to destroy priceless scenery, before coming to another stop. Deeply entranced in the heat of the fight, the pair plays for keeps as Fei Long launches into a string of high flying kicks, coming back to earth with a 360 flurry.

Ken survives the onslaught and unleashes his own, taking advantage of Fei Long's open torso with a barrage of body rips that end with a spectacular dragon punch! The devestating blow sends Fei Long airborne, leaving him wide open for a flying roundhouse kick, much to the horror of the director and his aid!

For but a moment Fei Long appears finished, but he leaps back from his fall ready to continue. Alas, despite the fight's initial integrity, Hollywood rules prevail as the director calls a cut after Fei Long's face is struck.

Fei Long is unwavering in his integrity, decrying the director's imposing "pretty boy" treatment. Even so, the director wins out, leaving Fei Long to express his honor and admiration for Ken and his impressive fighting skills.

The hammer...
If the fight had continued Ken had definitely earned himself a strong position, but with Fei Long still match-ready, it's impossible to call it either way. So, after all of that, we wrap this one up to call yet another draw! Bummer!

So, if you're one of the few readers who salivates for their weekly Street Fighter fix, yeah, apologies for the lateness. No sooner than I dedicate some assemblance of daily posting than I get wrapped up in other obligations, and energy draining activities. Hopefully we'll keep the ship steady as we come in to dock at the end of the month on Wednesday.

Thursday's Punch-Up will feature a round-up of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance Monday posts, which will conclude with "tomorrow's" final entry of Doom!
That'll also feature the latest Super Stock update where you'll be able to assess the progress of our Sunday sponsoring of the Street Fighters. The challenge is for one Street Fighter character to beat out their Marvel contemporaries to reach a spot in the coveted Infinite Wars Top Five in '07. Will it happen? Stay tuned!

Being that I'm running late now, I probably don't want to loiter too much, but this feature casts a prime example of something we've been talking about, in regards to Street Fighter.

It's my opinion that the most epic of failures in more recent Street Fighter endeavours has been the design and widespread infiltration of new characters who resemble very little that makes the Street Fighter mould so great.
We talked a bit about the fight culture that exists in Street Fighter in our last instalment [Sadler's Tournament], and this kind of emphasises that to a degree.

Working hand-in-hand in the original Street Fighter II successes are a lot of real world reference points that build on professional competition, street fighting, and cinematic influences on martial arts culture. Here we see the Bruce Lee/film influence, which is presented throughout Street Fighter history in a slightly cartoony manner, but helps anchor the asthetics in a stylized realism.

The film aspect, along with things like Ken's status as an official US organization champion paint a stark contrast to later additions that featured wacky robots, mutated experiments, ancient wargods, and wannabe superheroes.

Likewise, basing this fight in the realworld location of Tiger Balm Garden (not coincidentally Fei Long's in-game background in SFII) again helps provoke that sense of realism, and the intrinsic connection to a characturized international flavour. The world stage has always been a big part of this, and as much as fight culture has been crucial to shaping the characters and franchise, so too has world culture. Yes, especially for the more closetted students, there is a shred of teaching to be taken from this beat 'em up series!

That about wraps it up here, as I type desperately to close things up as the clock ticks later and later. I'll make a closing reference to the Amazon paraphernalia that's popping up around the website.

You'll probably have noticed that, despite the distraction of my lengthy rantings, this site model is far better lent to assessing and encapsulating the zeitgeist of the year through weekly new comic reviews. Unfortunately that just isn't a financial burden I can meet, and while this probably won't help things, I get a small percentage credit from Amazon any time you make a purchase via one of these links. So, if you've read a review and fancy checking it out for yourself, keep an eye out for an Amazon plug at the bottom of the page!

That's about all the pitiful dirt merchant whoring I can stand for one night. Stay tuned for "tomorrow's" post of Doom, and marvel at how bad one man can draw with "today's" earlier cartoon post that people almost certainly won't get, or won't think is funny. More of that kind of diversity to come.

The Fight: 6.5 The Episode: 5

[If the Infinite Wars have sufficiently prepared you for a whole lot of dumb fun, and you want to check out these episodes in full, then you can't pass up the value of the Street Fighter II V complete twenty-nine episode box set! Only on the DVD will you be able to catch the complete showdown in Kowloon Palace, and all the in-between stuff we don't show you! Mmm, sales!]