Ryu: Difference between revisions

{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y|ssbu=y}}

{{forfighter|SSB4=y|SSBU=y}}

:''For the Japanese smasher, see [[Smasher:Ryu]]''.

|name           = Ryu

|image         = [[File:Ryu.png|250px]]

|caption       = [[File:StreetFighterSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert-dark]]<br>Official artwork of Ryu from ''{{s|wikipedia|Street Fighter V}}''.

|universe       = {{uv|Street Fighter}}

|firstgame     = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Street Fighter|video game}}'' (1987)

|games         = ''[[SSB4]]''<br>''[[Ultimate]]''

|lastappearance = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics}}'' (2024)

|console       = Arcade

|species       = Human

|gender         = Male

|creator       = Takashi Nishiyama

|placeoforigin  = {{s|wikipedia|Japan}}

|englishactor   = {{s|wikipedia|Kyle Hebert}}

|japanactor     = {{s|wikipedia|Hiroki Takahashi}}

|interwiki     = wikipedia

|interwikiname = Wikipedia

|interwikipage = Ryu (Street Fighter)

'''Ryu''' ({{ja|リュウ|Ryū}}, ''Ryu'') is the main character from the {{uv|Street Fighter}} series of fighting games by [[Capcom]], and one of that company's most famous characters alongside the likes of [[Mega Man]] and [[Dante]]. He is a Japanese martial artist who continuously travels the world in search of opponents who can test his skills and better his own abilities. He was trained under the master Gouken in the Ansatsuken fighting style (albeit Gouken's nonlethal variant) alongside his best friend and rival [[Ken Masters]].

==Origin==

Ryu is considered to be the "main character" of the ''Street Fighter'' series. Appearing in all ''Street Fighter'' games, Ryu's moveset is designed to be simple and beginner friendly, with [[Hadoken|a projectile]] and [[Shoryuken|an anti-air move]]. Over the years, due to his simple play style, he has received many [[clone]]s, including [[Ken Masters|Ken]] and Akuma.

Orphaned at a young age, Ryu was raised and trained by master Gouken in the art of Ansatsuken, or Assassin's Fist. Gouken would later take on a second pupil, Ken Masters. Ryu and Ken became best friends and rivals as they trained together and eventually left Gouken's dojo. After leaving, Ryu entered the first World Warrior tournament, hosted by Sagat, the self-proclaimed King of Muay Thai. Ryu advanced through the tournament, and eventually came face to face with Sagat himself. The older Sagat nearly bested Ryu, but was defeated when Ryu was overcome with the desire to win, and thus opened himself to the Satsui no Hadou (the Surge of Murderous Intent), a force that grants its user great strength but slowly erases their humanity. This gave Ryu a second wind, and he took Sagat out with a powered up Shoryuken, which would leave a large scar across Sagat's chest.

Around this time, Gouken was murdered by his brother Akuma. Learning of the murder from Ken, Ryu traveled the world to search for Akuma. Upon confronting each other on a Japanese island, Akuma tried to persuade Ryu to give into the Satsui no Hadou as he had done. Ryu refused, and Akuma destroyed the island, leaving Ryu stranded. Ryu then sparred with Ken, who realized that his friend was not himself, and gave Ryu his red hairband as a reminder to stay focused. Ryu was also approached by a young fan of his named Sakura Kasugano, who asked him to take her on as a pupil. Ryu declined, believing he had much to learn himself. Ryu also had a rematch with Sagat, who longed for nothing more than revenge for the humiliation he was put through at the World Warrior tournament. Ryu quietly threw the fight, since Sagat had still not fully recovered from their last fight. When Sagat learned this, he vowed to fight Ryu again.

Two years later, Ryu was kidnapped by M. Bison of the Shadaloo syndicate. Bison wished to learn the secret of the Satsui no Hadou to further his own ambitions, and brainwashed Ryu. Ken, Sakura, and Sagat arrived to rescue Ryu, and Sagat fought him once again. Realizing the lengths he had gone to just to satisfy his revenge, Sagat, who was Bison's right-hand man at the time, managed to restore Ryu to his senses, and he defeated Bison.

Ryu entered the second World Warrior tournament, this time hosted by a revived M. Bison and his Shadaloo henchmen: disgraced American boxer Balrog, Spanish ninja assassin Vega, and Sagat. Ryu's motivation was solely to test his strength against a host of new challengers:

* Chinese Interpol agent Chun-Li, who sought to bring M. Bison to justice for, among other crimes, the murder of her father;

* United States Air Force Major [[Guile]], who also sought to avenge a close person murdered by Bison - in his case, his friend and superior, Charlie Nash;

* Japanese sumotori E. Honda;

* Russian wrestler Zangief;

* Indian yoga master Dhalsim;

* the bestial Blanka, hailing from the Brazilian rainforest;

* Cammy, an amnesiac agent of the British paramilitary organization Delta Red who was created as an assassin for Shadaloo and a replacement body for M. Bison;

* Hong Kong martial artist and movie star Fei Long;

* T. Hawk, a Native American who sought refuge in Mexico after Bison had his tribe's ancestral land ravaged for its resources; and

* Dee Jay, a Jamaican kickboxer and musician.

 

It is not known how far Ryu advanced in the tournament, but his ending shows him winning the tournament, and quietly leaving before the awards ceremony in order to get back to training. Later ''Street Fighter II'' editions also feature Ryu visiting Gouken's grave in his ending. Adaptations in other media depict Ryu advancing to the end of the tournament, but his fight with Bison is interrupted by the arrival of Akuma, who seemingly kills Bison and challenges Ryu to another duel.

 

 

 

 

 

Several years later around mid-2000s, Ryu, while finding a new purpose to seek greater heights since being freed from Satsui no Hado, now lives at Genbu Temple and often doing Japanese event activities in his home country for his living. Ryu begin to grow a beard while volunteering with Dan Hibiki and Retsu at a Japanese festival. Sometimes later, Ryu learns about the Nayshall incident caused by a certain conspirator who framed Ken for the crime he never commit.

Ryu appears as [[downloadable content]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', being the first newcomer and third-party character with that distinction. He is also the second Capcom character to be introduced to ''Smash'', the other being {{SSB4|Mega Man}}. His design and aesthetics are largely based upon ''{{s|wikipedia|Street Fighter IV}}''. Ryu possesses unique mechanics that emulate controls in his home series, such as tapping the attack button for weak attacks and holding it down for strong attacks, along with special directional inputs he can use to power up his signature special moves, [[Hadoken]], [[Tatsumaki Senpukyaku]], and [[Shoryuken]]. Finally, his down special [[Focus Attack]] allows him to negate a single attack and retaliate with a crippling blow, leaving opponents open for counterattacks; he can also cancel the move into movement options.

 

 

|desc-ntsc=Ryu visits from the Street Fighter series! Ryu's fighting style is based on karate, but he's mixed in some other martial arts to make his own unique style. In Smash, he will perform either weak or strong attacks depending on if you press or hold down the buttons. His special attacks also have three power levels!

|desc-pal=Ryu makes his Super Smash Bros. debut! His fighting style is based on a form of karate, but he's mixed in some other martial arts to make his own unique style. Here his attacks can be weak or strong depending on whether you press or hold the buttons. Each of his specials have 3 levels of power using the same method.

 

|desc-pal=Ryu's down special, Focus Attack, allows him to withstand a single attack and then unleash a counter. The longer you hold the button, the longer a standing enemy will be stunned if you hit them. An enemy in the air will fall slowly, defenceless. When that happens, cancel the Focus Attack and go for the knock-out!

 

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==

{{Main|Ryu (SSBU)}}

[[File:Ryu SSBU.png|thumb|200px|Ryu as he appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.]]

Ryu returns as a playable character for the second time in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', this time as an unlockable character. His design bears a closer resemblance to his appearance in ''Street Fighter V''. He borrows even more mechanics from ''Street Fighter'': Ryu always faces his opponent if there is only one left on the field (teammates included if Team Attack is on), and many of his normal attacks can be canceled into his special moves.

 

{{clr}}

 

SSBU spirit Ryu.png|977. '''''Ryu'''''

! Max [[File:Equipment Icon Protection Badge.png|20px|Defense]]

| 1,513 || {{SpiritTableName|Evil Ryu}} || {{SpiritType|Neutral}} || ★★★★ || 0 || 4,826 || 12,068 || 3,249 || 8,123 || 1,392 || 3,481 || Fist Attack ↑ || ''Street Fighter'' Series

 

}}

*With Ryu's release, [[Capcom]] became the first third-party company to have more than one playable fighter in ''Smash'', the first Capcom character being [[Mega Man]].

**Ryu's English voice actor portrayed [[Wario]] in the Super Smash Bros.-based webseries ''There Will Be Brawl'', which also featured Matthew Mercer (the voice of [[Chrom]]).

*Ryu, along with [[Banjo]] & [[Kazooie]], [[Terry]], and [[Min Min]], are the only DLC newcomers in the series who do not have a costume that change their models.

*Ryu is the first fighter to have more than one Final Smash in the same game.

*Ryu is the only fighter to not make any appearances in animated portions of trailers or in-game cutscenes in any way.

**If [[Mario]] and [[Dr. Mario]] are considered separate characters, then Ryu shares this distinction with Dr. Mario.

**This also makes him (alongside Dr. Mario) one of few characters to not receive a CGI model, the others being [[Joker]] and [[Terry]].

[[Category:Ryu| ]]

[[Category:Third-party characters]]

[[es:Ryu]]