Street Fighter 6 Preview – A Deep Dive Into Ken’s New Look

Street Fighter 6’s central character, Ken Masters is one of our most memorable characters. Ken Masters, one of the two original playable Street Fighter characters, steps back into the spotlight with an all-new backstory. As soon as his new look was unveiled, the Street Fighter community had a field day pondering what happened to put Ken in the rough state he appeared, with memes popping up deeming him “Hobo Ken.” To find out more about Ken’s past, Capcom headquarters were in Osaka Japan. We talked to Takayuki Yama, Street Fighter 6 director and Kaname Fujioka.

The new look is a departure for Ken, who unlike his old appearance, has a lot to do with the World Warriors Ryu, Chun Li, Dhalsim and Blanka. Street Fighter veterans have witnessed his transformation from Ryu’s opponent to the husband of Eliza and father of Mel. Street Fighter 6 brings the character into a new age with new motivations.

Nakayama explains that it seemed like his life was becoming more stable over time and the team lost motivation to fight. This is an opportunity to give him the motivation to rise to the occasion. The goal is to give Ken the purpose and explain why Ken matters. This story will tie in with the other characters who are close to Ken.”

Ken is known for wearing a red gi, with a clean-shaven appearance, but he now wears a jacket and boots. Some depictions even have a bit of stubble. Capcom wanted Ken to be able to show his passion again, and that was the main objective of the film.

Fujioka states that Street Fighter II was the title that made me the most impression. “In comparison to Ryu who is more serious and serious, Ken is a fiery, explosive character.” “There have been different types of Kens over the course of the series’ evolution. The Alpha series saw him be a bit more lighthearted and playful. Six was a project we wanted to bring back that firey explosiveness. Luke, Street Fighter 6, might seem more cheerful and playful than Luke. This personality is more fiery and we tried to distinguish it from the rest. Because Ken has a story and has a serious tone, we decided to show that in the character designs.

Despite the various hints dropped during my time at Capcom, the studio remains tight-lipped on the specific narrative reasons Ken is in this perilous state. Nakayama states that Street Fighter 6 players can anticipate Ken running from some kind of danger and is unable to visit his son Mel. He’s in an extremely difficult situation, which you will learn more about later.”

Through a four-issue special comic series by UDON Entertainment, Ken’s past will be revealed. This storyline will provide a lot of information about Ken and set the scene for Street Fighter 6’s story. This comic will feature Luke and Mel, Ken’s children.

Nakayama says, “This comic book series is unique in that it’s so closely connected to the main game’s story.” We are working closely with our partners at UDON. The script and the storyline about what Street Fighter 6 will look like are being provided by us. We’ll be working with them to develop the stories. They are also working on possible spin-offs, as well as collaborating with scriptwriters, so that there could be more than just the original comic book series.

Looking through clues it appears Ken might be on the loose in connection to a terrorist attack. A summary of the UDON comics shows that Ken is on the run from a crime he did not commit. In the above still from the intro to Ken’s Arcade story, the authorities have seemingly apprehended him for interrogation, with questions being raised about “the champ.” Ken seems to get away from the tense situation in the second shot. Instead, he adopts an apparently temporary lifestyle to maintain a low profile while also keeping the police off his radar. This leads to his extraordinary living situation during Street Fighter 6.

Although Street Fighter 6 will be out soon, and this prequel comic series, Ken’s true identity won’t be known for certain, I am intrigued. Ken is a Ken main and I enjoy seeing him in different situations. Even though this situation appears stressful, it’s a great way to see Ken. Ken seems to be more emotionally involved in the title’s walkout animation. Fujioka tells me he wants to bring back Ken’s fiery personality, and based on my time with the game, it appears they’ve accomplished that mission. Street Fighter 6 is set to launch in 2023.