Let's Watch The Street Fighter Cartoon - "The one where Ken annihilates Akuma!"

[@enriquepinero707]

Ken being thrown out of the stage and then hurricane kicking his way back to the platform; is the most Smash Bros thing I ever saw. They basically screamed his inclusion in Smash into existence.

[@dnmstarsi]

Well it is a reality in Smash. Maybe this show takes place in the Animated Smash universe. LOL

[@Geneolgia]

This is what truly inspired Sakurai to make Smash, forget about the KoF arcade story.

[@dnmstarsi]

​@@GeneolgiaI can buy it given what happened plus Guile being an assist over someone like Chun-Li or Cammy. Clearly, he loved this version of Street Fighter.

[@CushionSapp]

The reason why Ken was propped up as the greatest fighter is because his family funded this episode.

[@ssppeeaarr]

well it was made in america and guile was the hero. also loosely based off the live action van damme movie. so ya murica hype all the way. also another highlight is guile teaching fei long about chi energy. 😆😯 i always found this episode cool back in the day cuz it was first time akuma was shown outside of ssf2 turbo n alpha was still new. so this is what we believed until way later.... tho i always knew ryu was better fighter. thanks to bison. cuz their fighting potentials arent not the same!! sf2 anime goat.

[@dnmstarsi]

Makes sense given how that power up sequence is similar to his resurrection scene in Triad Enforcers.

[@kinoleogeo7998]

I can’t believe Matt called Crypto Ken years before SF6 manga.

[@numbafunk84]

"he needs the ancient medicines" is most random and top funniest line in the cartoon in general.

[@kaihedgie1747]

Something to note about the flashback at 6:23 is that Akuma doesn't have his beads yet It's kinda weird in hindsight how much of this episode other games would end up lifting up from The Raging Demon depiction used on Gouken would later be seen in his ending in Super Street Fighter IV Ken's Tatsumaku Senpukyaku being a recovery move in Smash Ultimate Ken's powerup almost comes off across as a predecessor to the Power of Nothingness introduced in one of the Street Fighter IV OVAs

[@MagmaMKII]

"Who animated this, Nethreealm?" Best quote

[@XellosNi]

They basically made Akuma the Shang Tsung of the cartoon, minus the transformations.

[@orlanzo2621]

Animations just as janky as NRS games lol.

[@TeruteruBozusama]

Funny how Ken (and everyone else) pronounces Ryu wrong but sensei right, it's quite jarring..!

[@davidromeroblaya7920]

"For the first time, everything is focus through me. Even the babes..." -Ken Masters, greatest fighter in the world.

[@MrLobran]

"Who animated it, Netherrealm?" That gotta burn harder than a Hadouken to the arm!

[@AlfredoFilmGeek]

It’s funny how whenever Guile is not around this actually feels like a Street Fighter cartoon

[@kamenrangerzeo8251]

This is got to be the one episode where they made Ken acted like Dante from DMC, againat the master of the fist Akuma.

[@Brawler1993]

It's so funny to me that they make Ken Akuma's archrival here when I don't think they've even had a conversation in the games.

[@dnmstarsi]

Nope but then again, neither did Guile.

[@Dekomata]

ken is only aware of akuma's existence. that's about it. storywise, they never threw hands.

[@sridrawings4510]

​@@Dekomatathey did tho in sf4

[@spoondip1]

Ken looks and sounds like he should say links line from Zelda cartoon - excuuuuuuUUUUUSE me princess

[@MagmaMKII]

You know, I always found it funny how Ken never struggled with the Satsui no Hado despite practicing the same martial arts as Ryu and how he never had a story with Akuma either.

[@kenwells-yk9hv]

i do find it funny that the closest we got is violent ken, just more aggressive thanks to bison lol

[@z-mac664]

@@kenwells-yk9hv SF6’s version of Evil Ryu is Crypto Ken.

[@Chadius]

Ken became a family man. No need for the Dark Hadou...

[@similaritiesendhere]

Other, more serious SF content, hints that the Dark Hadou is a family curse that only affects the clan that created the fighting style. Even in the canon story, Ryu is an orphan adopted by Gouken. Ryu is Luke Skywalker and Akuma is Darth Vader basically. Ryu being related to Gouki and Gouken explains why Akuma is obsessed with him and Gouken adopting him.

[@sanguinecalamus191]

@@similaritiesendhere Well Lily of all characters seems to be connected to that storyline and I think that whatever story we get may hint at Ken with the Satsui no Hado.

[@LordQuadros]

It's hilarious to me that Gouken just having his chi stolen instead of being killed was made retroactively more accurate by the canon.

[@cameronbaker7279]

Ken: Gouken "send dudes".

[@sensoriko]

Ryu selling like Marty Janety so Ken can become the Shawn Michaels for this story.

[@fakeigniz13]

Can't believe Akuma turned it into a smash match when he's never been in the game, whilst Ken has

[@dnmstarsi]

He was a Spirit though.

[@Ranuyasha]

The only episode that feels like Street Fighter

[@jesusjuarez127]

16:59 "That's because America runs through my veins!!"

[@PsychoCrusher46]

15:08 This cartoon had the tatsu special to go back to the platform before smash ultimate.

[@Davethe3rd]

It had Air Tech Flipping before Alpha 3!

[@XainEisenhart]

"Oh, those smelly gas clouds are my ki..." I think that smell is actually from Akuma, Ryu, etc all training in the mountains for months and not bathing.

[@KJBlueAvenger]

That picture of Ryu though lmao 😂

[@marts4169]

OMG, Ken is just the coolest you guys and he doesn´t afraid of anything. I learnt so much character lore from this episode.

[@DarkstoryX]

They pushed Ken and Guile so much in the 94 movie and this show was because “America! fuck yeah!” Literally. Same reason why those same two both fought the main two bad guys in the live action movie

[@dnmstarsi]

Yeah though it is funny that both of them would become in-laws in the games and in Double Dragon, Ken and Guile's VAs are the Lee Brothers.

[@strippinheat]

Even as a youngling, I laughed at how they made Guile, the American, into the main character, and even in the pair of Ryu and Ken they had to make Ryu the sidekick and Ken, the American, the stronger of the two. AMERICA! FUCK YEAH!

[@dangerousdays2052]

Just shows now narcissistic Americans are.

[@aRedMage101]

19:32 Why is his head so small? This animation is something else.

[@sridrawings4510]

Part 1 ken

[@X_Gon_Give_It_To_Ya]

3:26 Akuma did that same exact Raging Demon punch to Gouken in his SF4 ending cutscene lol.

[@SteelBallRun1890]

Wow, what a Ken-booked match, Akuma was paid to job.

[@redcomet0079]

I remember watching this on the USA channel 3x in 1 day because I was hyped about Akuma. Never liked how Ken was the one who beat him

[@SoushinSen]

19:40 "I'll keep chi-ting" Nice pun!

[@joe718gt4]

Akuma sounds more like he should be in a Shakespeare play

[@dnmstarsi]

Or voice Jedah in a MvC game.

[@346436]

Steve Englehart wrote this? Man this show attracted a lot of comic book greats considering Len Wein and Marv Wolfman did earlier episodes.

[@Chadius]

Gotta start from somewhere. It's a blast watching old cartoons and noticing old writers.

[@Mezmero]

Holy shit seriously? The best run of Silver Surfer comics were done by Englehart.

[@dnmstarsi]

Good to know he and Will Meugniot wrote a prototype of the Power of Nothingness.

[@Xehanort10]

12:25 One slight shoulder punch is all it takes to beat Ryu apparently.

[@dnmstarsi]

Well, this version was said to be weaker than Ken. Not to mention his performance in previous episodes left a lot to be desired.

[@TheRADRAD]

14:49 Good Punish Counter throw from Akuma.

[@apollolux]

If there is any episode that must be remade by fans using SFM it's this one! XD

[@dnmstarsi]

Well that and the "YES, YES" one.

[@geardog24]

*Ken defeats Akuma?!* What next, Dan beating up Bison?

[@dnmstarsi]

Or Yun and Yang defeating Gill? Or Rufus defeating Seth?

[@oak8194]

If Gouken had debut at the same as Akuma in-game back then, I wonder if they would have kept it as Gouki and Gouken as it should be or would they have changed both of their names. LOL

[@juarezamorim]

This must be Max favorite episode since is a Ken centric episode

[@MisterFael]

18:15 I keep comparing this pose to Sean's Third Strike art.

[@trevorghalt1881]

Fine blend of tradition and thuggery is gold😂😂 also Gouken looks pretty good in this and the story is kind of great beside Ryu getting done dirty

[@Iamafishproductions]

You may not know much about Goutetsu (I'm an expert), but Tradition and Thuggery are huge parts of it.

[@beesforbreakfast]

I’d love to hear Matt’s take on Assassin’s Fist, which I thought handled basically this plot really well

[@orlanzo2621]

Assassin’s Fist was amazing. Easily my favorite live action adaptation of SF ever.

[@Endocrom]

Akuma just did the Superman 2 plastic S trick

[@MysticMan1993]

The only time Ken has tap into the power of nothingness.

[@Nightroadtube]

This was bonkers, but my favorite is still the epic roast Ken serves Fei Long.

[@Kinshinobi]

Cause I'm a simpleeeeee kind of mannnnnn...that sees M.C. Musclepants post a new SFTAS watch along, I click

[@MagmaMKII]

So Akuma can just produce bubblegum from his palms?

[@pcharl01]

I never realized Gouken got his name so early. Would have thought he would have been referred to as Sheng Long still.

[@RGF91]

5:14 today is Thursday, Ken 12:32 maybe when they're on drugs

[@Sejscube]

Oh man, I wish MY style was a fine blend of tradition and thuggery.

[@orlanzo2621]

Man even as a kid who absolutely loved SF, this episode was hard for me to watch. They got SO much wrong that it’s actually hilarious: Ken being the “chosen one” over Ryu, Akuma being completely out of character and having a weird obsession with “stealing souls” like he’s Shang Tsung, the terrible “fight” animations. It was all an awful train wreck. So so so bad, lmao. To think, I used to wake up early on weekend mornings to watch this religiously along with the Mortal Kombat cartoon (which also sucked)

[@dnmstarsi]

Honestly, as dumb as this setup is, this is personally one of the better episodes since this has nothing to do with Guile and SF missions in general. I think the only issue I once had was Ken being the better fighter since I do recall Ryu being beaten by Ken or similar to that in the Alpha games. Sure, the two were always equals in the games but it's believable that this version of Ken is better than this Ryu though we do get Second to None and its lesson for Ken.

[@acarr9377]

Since Mortal Kombat is relevant again, would you ever consider watching episodes of Defenders of the Realm? We'd all love to see your reactions to 'KOMBAT TIME!', Jax's sad fat kid story, and Ron Perlman as everyone's favourite mall cop Stryker.

[@dnmstarsi]

He's only gonna cover that if the Button Bashers vote for that after he's done with Darkstalkers. And keep in mind that DOTR has competition as most voters preferred DS and Mega Man.

[@joechill9964]

5:06 animators didn't color in ryu's hair

[@MrDman21]

Lol 😆 those pictures. Ken's hair has never been that blonde in this whole series.

[@finalunusedname]

"Super-Ken-God-Super-Ken." No, this is even further beyond..! This is... *Ultra Kenstinct!!* siiiiigh.....

[@dnmstarsi]

More like Ultra Ego. :P

[@silverroddo1468]

They should have a tank to destroy in a bonus stage like Chun Li does in the intro. Also, why doesn’t Guile comb his hair in the intro? He should be combin’, not scratching an itch. Wtf

[@7sidedfilms438]

Also in the animated movie, if memory serves. In the final fight, Ryu’s arm was also hurt and couldn’t fight Bison well, Ken who recently broke the mind control had to come and basically save Ryu. Then together they beat bison. So parallels is what I’m getting at

[@ianhadlock2405]

Lol "Dropped him in the middle of the cell games?" I really appreciate that laugh. I needed it.

[@dnmstarsi]

Suddenly, I'm reminded of TFS's Cell vs Ken and Ryu.

[@XellosNi]

There's a future Episode where Ryu opens up to having an inferiority complex comparing himself to Ken that apparently takes place in a flashback to the First World Warrior Tournament. And then it seems to come surging back when he fights Sagat in the present of said episode.

[@aceofhearts573]

I think Kens voice actor is the same guy that voiced Duo from Gundam Wing

[@dnmstarsi]

It is the same dude. Guy voiced a shit ton of characters.

[@khalidibrahim7726]

14:12 What if Akuma give us Thanos infinity gauntlet defeat ryu green soul gem new world god badass!

[@Geneolgia]

Ok so basically Akuma lost to a ball of mud thrown to his face. To be fair that's really embarrassing, even for a demon man.

[@jcace13]

“Any man can lose to a superior man.” Words to live by really.

[@dnmstarsi]

No wonder he's a Master in SF6.

[@jamcalx]

Ken used a Tatsumaki recovery back to the stage... What is this, SMASH?!

[@dnmstarsi]

Probably. Though, side note, there was this one artist in Instagram that drew Smash Bros Ken and Ryu in the style of this show (Season 1 ver.).

[@SOK39]

I feel like if the raging demon was animated in this, it’d probably be a seizure warning

[@silverroddo1468]

Cool, Ken built up his Super Double Dragon power meter. They pushed Ken super hard in this one.

[@dnmstarsi]

Well he and Guile are the Lee Brothers. LOL

[@theliveliestcorpse2997]

This is probably one of the better executed episodes, particularly in regards to its themes. The whole duality aspect it well done, and Ken’s speech during his fight is dare I say: good.

[@OctoberRaven]

Ken: I'm the only one who can walk on both sides. I'm Ghost Rider.

[@markuyehara7880]

They were determined to nerf Ryu into Dan.

[@macjack5978]

Damn. The opening 😮 Matt Mcbussy

[@kingbrahma5005]

The intro 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I love it!!!!!!!!

[@BlackPopeye44]

5:09 Ryu"s hair isn't colored in 5:18 Akuma is wearing a white belt 15:04 Ken did a Super Smash Bros

[@Xehanort10]

In the games Akuma only wants to fight strong opponents and only kills in agreed on fights to the death not for kicks like Bison. But in this he's a generic bad guy.

[@dnmstarsi]

Either that or a kid friendly prototype of Necalli.

[@Totavier]

So Akuma is like Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat?. But instead of steal souls, Akuma steal chi, lol!.

[@VBrancoPT]

Heart full of joy? This ain't Kingdom Hearts, Gouken.

[@captainautobots]

I'm sure they made ken the strongest because he's American. This episode is utter crap, but ken helicoptering to get back on the rock was good.

[@Endocrom]

Ken discovers Unga Bunga

[@cosmicspidermanx9569]

Street fighter ii V is still my fave street fighter series

[@robertmanes9333]

This is god tier you laugh you lose

[@alexofthecolossus2468]

This really was inspired by GI Joe, including the dumb trope of "white guy excels at ancient Asian martial art"

[@TupocalypseShakur]

The trope is called Mighty Whitey, when the white person excels beyond the natives ability in their own things

[@WilfredCthulu]

You know how V had "The Master" Ryu boss? Kinda interesting to see an alt take where it's Ken instead.

[@dnmstarsi]

Same. Also would've loved a "The Master" Blanka boss except it's a nod to the Blanka arc in this show.

[@stephenaremu78]

7:24 dsp reference

[@MiguelRamirez-nl9dl]

Can we have a series like this, but for the other Capcom cartoons?

[@flophouseplays]

There is. Currently on my Patreon with Darkstalkers.

[@dnmstarsi]

I kinda wish we had more Capcom toons. Would've loved to see cartoons of Strider and Captain Commando. Also Cyberbots.

[@RandellIzBklyn]

@FlaphousePlays Gouki is his original name. Would make sense to use his real name due to "Street Fighter " being a Japanese game.

[@dnmstarsi]

He knows but Capcom USA didn't like the name so we got Akuma, a name that's identical to Gouki' in terms of meaning.

[@XellosNi]

17:15 "YOU'RE A LOSER!"

[@SAPProd]

9:25 Matt predicted Hard Luck Ken of Street Fighter 6!

[@akilcharles3473]

I'm sorry but that last scene where Ryu & Ken were hugging kinda looks like they were making out lmao. 19:49

[@emperortrevornorton3119]

Leif Masters I mean Ken Masters dude Ken looks like a cartoon version of Leif Garrett were is Ken's leisure suite lol

[@ScatterbrainPete]

5:02 Uh-oh. Angry Joe's Rambo review memories coming back. He's a man, not a god! Come on, comrades! He's a man, not a god! Come on, comrades! He's a man, not a god! Come on, comrades!

[@nodood]

Love that opening xD

[@dariocampanella7992]

Nobody told them they have to hold back to block.

[@Ktotwf]

Bring back the Satin Hammer imho

[@Bloodletter8]

"So we're going to put in how Ryu struggles with the Satsui no hado and Akuma encourages his dark sude, rught? That sounds cool." *Fuck that. Ryu gets a bad shoulder. Ken gets stuck in a condom. Other bullshit ensues. Writing is easy*

[@dnmstarsi]

Honestly, I don't mind their attempt at making a Ken focused story with Akuma. I get you but once you think about how Ken was able to beat Ryu at times in their youth and the fact that this is a universe that has its own continuity and BS lore as well as give Ken more attention and character than Ryu, the story sort of works here.

[@z-mac664]

Did fucking Russo book this?

[@Cohult]

Matt's intro has me lost in the time line.. "October's a busy month", but... Is June? Right? Guys??

[@flophouseplays]

This series was a patreon exclusive for years. So these are pretty old recordings.

[@Davethe3rd]

​@@flophouseplaysEver thought of doing this with Street Fighter II V or the Mega Man or Darkstalkers cartoons?

[@dnmstarsi]

@@Davethe3rd He's currently doing Darkstalkers. He even uploaded the first episode for public viewing last year.

[@twelfthknight]

This isn't good - in many ways - but I wouldn't mind if the series was this rather than the G.I. Joe/Ninja Turtle/X-Men mash-up they were apparently going for. Make a series full of martial arts media cliches, with Ryu and Ken going out like David Carradine in Kung Fu to solve problems around the world and having a new Street Fighter character cameo every other episode. It would still be plenty generic obviously, and if the animation was this consistently bad I couldn't imagine finding much entertainment really, but it would still be closer to what kid-me imagined when playing Street Fighter rather than just cribbing from the popular cartoons of the last 5-10 years. Though, the ideal Street Fighter series is just Jojo. Jojo with a tournament arc, I guess.

[@lavernebennet7395]

Wait but isn't chi, like, life energy? So that would still kill Gouken, wouldn't it? Like that's how jiangshi get people, they steal your chi.

[@warrendesenberg]

I feel like they messed up by not letting Guile beat Akuma with a sonic boom

[@dnmstarsi]

Eh, I disagree. Sure, Ken is a joke but Akuma was always an antagonist for the Shotos, Guile has Bison to deal with and if you think about it, this episode was Ken's chance to prove that he has what it takes to be the best. Something that Guile brought up in the first episode.

[@crashtefano]

Is it me or we don't see Ryu and Ken that much in these Street Fighter episode? I thought they were, like, main characters in the series.

[@dnmstarsi]

Not in this continuity. Here, it's Guile along with Chun-Li and Blanka.

[@Iceteague1]

David Kaye as Akuma in this episode

[@MashieMutt]

If anyone can beat Akuma its Ken "Firelegs" Masterbaiter

[@jeffersontorres7102]

Lol wow this was gold. It was dumb but fun dumb