AMERICAN OTAKU

Hadoken (Moving Flying Fist)!  Shoryu-ken (Rising Dragon Fist)! Tatsumaki-Senpu kyaku (Tornado Whirlwind Kick)!!!!  Obviously (or maybe not?) they are the Ryu and Ken’s special techniques.  But where did they learn these skills from?  Who taught them?  Of course, their sensei.  But there has been a cloud of rumors as to who that sensei is.  In the most recent installment of Street Fighter, Street Fighter IV, sensei’s identity has been revealed:  Gouken.

Ryu subtly implied his sensei’s name with his winning quote in the English version of Street Fighter II:  “You must defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance.”  However, it turned out that “Sheng Long” was a mistranslation of his special technique move, Shoryu-ken.  “Sheng Long” was still used to refer to Ryu’s sensei in the SNES version’s manual, the American Street Fighter comic book by Malibu Comics, and the arcade game Street Fighter:  The Movie.

(Confrontation between Gouken and Vega. Scene from Street Fighter II Ryu manga)

 

Several characters were suggested to be Ryu and Ken’s sensei.  Goutetsu from the Japanese animated Street Fighter II Movie, and Gou-un from the 1995 manga Street Fighter II V Retsuden.

Gouken is believed to have trained with his brother Gouki (also known as “Akuma” in the English version) under the master Goutetsu (the same name previously associated with the mysterious identity of Ryu’s master).  Gouki then murdered his master, Goutetsu, and there was evidence to suggest that he also killed Gouken prior to the events of the Street Fighter Alpha series.

Gouken survived and returned to Street Fighter IV.  Check out his appearance in the newest installment of Street Fighter!!!

Gouken also trained Dan at one time, but then banished him after seeing that Dan was motivated by hatred.

Source: Wikipedia