Elena

• Debut: Street Fighter III: New Generation

Elena is one of the more popular additions to the Street Fighter franchise, likely due to how she appears. She debuted alongside several new characters in the New Generation game and became a fan favorite almost immediately. While her look was quite interesting, don’t let what she wears distract you. She is a capoeira fighter who loves to dance and will use that to destroy her opponents. However, Elena does not prefer to fight and wants to be everyone’s friend. This only makes her more likable even to the other characters. But if she must, she will throw down with the best of them.

Dudley

• Debut: Street Fighter III: The New Generation

Dudley oozes Britishness, so much so that it seems like the English flag itself gave birth to him. He’s a gifted boxer who loves the beautiful art of fighting. However, he absolutely hates fighting dirty and this well-mannered Brit will knock out anyone who decides to do it. Funny enough, many believe he is based on Chris Eubank. He was a Jamaican-English Champion that was a top name in boxing throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His trademark attire when coming to the ring included a monocle and bowler hat. Does any of this sound familiar?

Menat

• Debut: Street Fighter V – Second Season DLC

Menat is a newer character to the franchise, having debuted in the second season DLC of the fifth game. While originally from Egypt, she resides in Italy where she works as a fortune-teller within the Palazzo Mistero. She’s also an apprentice of Rose, who is teaching her the ways of the “Soul Power.” This is the opposite of Psycho Power, wielded by one major name we’ll get to later. She also often fights people while holding a crystal ball in her hands. That is someone who takes her craft seriously!

Ed

• Debut: Street Fighter V – Second Season DLC

Speaking of Psycho Power, another newer character in the franchise is Ed. He debuted at the same time as Menet. Well, at least for his playable debut. Ed actually made his official debut in Street Fighter IV as a non-playable character. He happens to be the protege of Balrog, and one of the wielders of Psycho Power. He was created to simply serve as a body substitute for M. Bison should he ever need it. While also operating as a minion of the Shadaloo. However, he was captured and is now in S.I.N.’s Laboratory. Ed might not be as strong as others, but he’s proving to be a pretty powerful figure.

Rashid

• Debut: Street Fighter V

Rashid is also newer to the franchise but was part of the main roster of the fifth game upon launch. While he is not technically the main character of his debut game, he does become the main protagonist of the sub-series. This Middle Eastern fighter doesn’t hide from his roots, as he dresses with the traditional white Middle Eastern Keffiyeh. He uses the wind as well as parkour as a part of his move style, yet he’s also a big fan of technology. Thus, he uses it to give him an extra edge whenever he needs to in combat.

Poison

• Debut: Final Fight, Ultra Street Fighter IV

The Poison character has had an interesting journey making it to the franchise. She first debuted for Final Fight but did not make her official Street Fighter playable debut until Ultra Street Fighter IV. However, she did show up in Alpha 2 in non-playable form. Her fighting style is also interesting, as she is a self-taught acrobatic fighter that even uses some wrestling moves too. She also happens to be the very first LGBTQ+ character of any kind in the franchise. However, she is controversial due to her provocative attire. While not the most conservative, those from the LGBTQ+ community do not want people making this assumption about them.

Q

• Debut: Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike

Q is a very interesting character for the franchise. His overall appearance is most certainly a direct rip-off of DC Comics’ superhero The Question. Capcom has given him a mysterious background, forcing us to wonder where he’s from, how old he is, and much more. Q has been spotted in various places all over the world and linked to world disasters wherever he’s been seen. Although he seems like a humanoid cyborg, many still question his origin and even his species. His fighting style shows he clearly has a deep knowledge of martial arts, making us assume he’s learned from many masters in his lifetime.

Ibuki

• Debut: Street Fighter III: New Generation

Ibuki is what most would call a reluctant hero, of sorts. She is a young ninja in training but truly wants to live the life of a regular Japanese girl. She is known for possessing kunai knives that can cut through people pretty well. While she is a gifted fighter who has really managed to master ninjutsu, she really dislikes the training and would rather go to the mall with friends. Most love to play as Ibuki in the games due to her specialized move-set. She stands out heavily due to her uniqueness, but also simply due to the fact that like any teenage girl…she does not want to be anywhere she finds boring.

Urien

• Debut: Street Fighter III: Second Impact

Initially, Urien was part of the “Secret Society,” a group run by his older brother Gill. As a Disciple of the organization, he was known for his ruthless actions in their name. However, he eventually began to see the issues within the group and its supremacy. While his brother might run the Society, Urien is not a fan of the actions they have taken and has thus tried to betray them in the past. Part of the group or not, Urien is as cold-blooded and ruthless as they come in combat. With a “take no prisoners” attitude, do not expect him to be a day at the park.

Necalli

• Debut: Street Fighter V

When your name translates to “Battle,” most expect you to be quite the warrior. That is exactly what Necalli is too. He happens to be an ancient Aztec Warrior in search of powerful souls to consume. In some cases, he wants to consume the fighter as well as their souls. Though the reason for this is something of a mystery, Necalli is still a powerful foe for people to battle against. The problem is that he cannot actually do the very thing he wants or the brand might die. Thus, for most of the story mode in Street Fighter V, he is constantly having to lose. It is likely we’ll see him get a much bigger opportunity to shine in the future though.

Rose

• Debut: Street Fighter Alpha

Rose has an interesting backstory that might be a bit too long to go over here. While she is an Italian fortune-teller that wields the form of energy known as Soul Power, she happens to also be the “good” part of M. Bison’s soul. While she is her own living being, her connection to Bison is critical. Her life’s goal is to put an end to Bison once and for all. Yet in doing this, she would be sacrificing herself as well. This selfless suicidal concept is also what made her take on Menat as a student, for someone needs to wield soul power whenever she’s gone.

Gouken

• Debut: Street Fighter IV

Gouken has a long history in the franchise, dating back to the Street Fighter II Manga. He was eventually first playable in Street Fighter IV, however. He happens to be a master martial artist and brother of Akuma. Yet he’s also the mentor of Ryu and Ken Masters, helping to train them along the way. While one would assume that his fighting style would resemble that of his brother and students, it only slightly connects. Like many masters, he uses less movement than others to do his damage. He knows when and where to hit to give the most possible damage, allowing Gouken to truly be a force in combat.

Decapre

• Debut: Ultra Street Fighter IV

While she made her debut in the Alpha 3 game, Decapre made her playable debut in Ultra Street Fighter IV as a member of M. Bison’s elite guards. Shadaloo created several clones that did not work out well. Some might say Decapre was one of them, as she is essentially an imperfect clone of Cammy White. The sad part is that Cammy was Decapre’s friend, and every time there was an issue she told her things would be okay. Yet Decapre’s life is essentially torture, so when she finally meets Cammy in battle, all she remembers are the lies Cammy told her. Everything was not okay, it was misery, and she wants Cammy to experience the same pain.

Guy

• Debut: Final Fight, Street Fighter Alpha

While Guy might have a bland name, he’s a really tough opponent for pretty much anyone. This Japanese fighter a ninjutsu master who was taught in the special Bushinryu style of this martial art. The style is made up of real-world ninjutsu, combined with the fictionalized addition of spells and superhuman abilities. Of course, Guy is considered the greatest in this style. He has reached 39th Dan level, the highest of any character. Due to this, he can summon energy projectiles, teleport, and use Earth elements to help him defeat opponents.

Dhalsim

• Debut: Street Fighter II

While it might seem like Dhalsim has been part of the franchise from the beginning, he did not make his official appearance until the second game of the series. He has appeared in most of the games ever since then. He’s pretty easy to understand as well. Dhalsim is simply an Indian yoga master. It is important to remember the “master” part as this man can stretch his body in numerous different ways. Somehow, he also can conjure fire out of nowhere. We’re not sure how the two relate, but regardless, he’s an incredible character.

Edmond Honda

• Debut: Street Fighter II

Sure, there are more famous characters in this franchise. However, Edmond Honda is one of the most recognizable characters they have at this point. This is likely due to his unique appearance which allows him to stand out so well. Honda is a Sumo Master that is known for using his strength and overall size to beat opponents. Of course, he is also quite honorable too. He refuses to cheat, even though this might be common in the “pro-wrestling” community. Yet Edmund is no heel, he’s a babyface through and through.

Gill

• Debut: Street Fighter III

Gill happens to be the man leading the Secret Society. This half-red/half-blue cult leader turned monarch is a major villain in the franchise. His society is known for kidnapping, brainwashing, coercing, and using extreme violence against his subjects. The “chosen people” might even have their DNA manipulated if Gill sees fit for this to occur. He’s made to appear like a Greek God in his overall appearance, outside of the weird coloring. He needed to appear like a God, while truly being nothing more than a humanoid, like the rest of us. He’s a terrorist and serial killer who needed to be stopped.

Oro

• Debut: Street Fighter III: New Generation

Oro is a really interesting dude, frankly. As of the events of Street Fighter III when he first debuted, he was 140 years old and seemed to master the secret of immortality. However, he’s not exactly willing to let us in on that. Oro is essentially a hermit who does not like to be disturbed. In fact, he lives in the middle of nowhere to avoid having to deal with people. Therefore, if he takes the time to speak with or better yet mentor you, it is an honor. Even Akuma respects this man. Oro is a skilled fighter too and often uses just one arm in combat, mostly a personal handicap, in order to not accidentally kill his opponent.

Balrog

• Debut: Street Fighter II: Champion Edition

Balrog is a lover of gambling, good booze, and pretty much any woman he can find. The greedy American boxer is a very skilled fighter who can throw down with the best of them. His abilities were so well known that M. Bison made him his personal bodyguard. It helped that Balrog was also banned from his beloved sport of boxing for severely injuring opponents, even killing one. Sure, a lot of those blows he took in the ring over the years might have done a number on his brain, causing him to be a bit dumb. Yet in spite of his ignorance, he’s a striking master that you do not want to mess with.

Juri Han

• Debut: Super Street Fighter IV

Juri Han is the biggest wildcard in the franchise. While still relatively new, she has already become a fan favorite. She is a South Korean taekwondo expert who takes great pleasure in hurting her opponents as well as anyone else she just wants to hurt. Juri might be Chun-Li’s ultimate enemy, but her motives as a “bad girl” are quite interesting. The Shadaloo took her father, which might result in Juri joining with the law to get her father back. Yet she ended up becoming a very violent psychopath, joining SIN in an attempt to take M. Bison down from the inside. She’s loyal to no one and takes pleasure in causing pain, making her a massive threat to all!

Zeku

• Debut: Street Fighter V

When you come across grandmaster types in this franchise, it can be kind of weird. There are so many martial arts masters that adding yet another only makes us want to scoff with an uncaring attitude. However, Zeku is a bit different. He was the 38th Grandmaster of the Bushinryu Ninjutsu school but decided to leave his former pupil Guy in charge as he went on a journey of self-discovery. Zeku evolved as a ninjutsu expert and made his style something completely different, even managing to briefly become younger. Unlike other masters who are fine with what they learned, Zeku chose to evolve, as all masters should.

Karin Kanzuki

• Debut: Street Fighter Alpha 3

While her name was formed nearly 20 years ago for the franchise, Karin Kanzuki could not have a better name right now. She was first seen in the Sakura Ganbaru! manga from 1996 but became a playable character in Street Fighter Alpha 3. Karin is an elitist character and rival to Sakura. She is the head of the Kanzuki Zaibatsu, which technically means she runs one of the largest enterprises in Japan and is very wealthy. Like any rich girl, she has an ego far too big. While she has learned humility at times, she is not a terrible person overall. Plus, she’s a relatively gifted fighter who uses her family’s specialized fighting style.

Guile

• Debut: Street Fighter II: The World Warrior

Guile at one point was considered to be the most promoted star of the franchise due to his “American” appeal. He is a major in the United States Air Force, and his entire goal in the franchise has been to take down the Shadaloo. This led to him being one of the main characters in initial storylines when he debuted, as well as the main character in the Street Fighter movie. In fact, Jean-Claude Van Damme played him in the film. While Guile’s cool factor has diminished a bit, he’s still incredible to play as in the games. He also remains a central figure in the franchise to this day.

Blanka

• Debut: Street Fighter II

While he’s not the greatest character to hit the franchise, Blanka is one of the most recognizable to old-school Street Fighter fans as well as many newer fans. The trademark green skin and wild orange hair are hard to miss for sure. What you might not know about the character is that his real name is Jimmy. He went feral in the Brazilian jungle and somehow became the “Blanka” we know today. With his ability to generate electricity, he is a powerful enemy as well as a potentially powerful ally as well.

Cammy White

• Debut: Super Street Fighter II

Possibly one of the most popular characters ever in the cosplay industry, Cammy White is well-known for her…”interesting” outfits. The most notable is a weirdly skimpy Green Beret type of outfit. Pretty much all of them are skimpy in some way or another, especially when it comes to showing off her legs. She was actually only the second female character introduced years ago. She is a Black Widow type of character, who now works for MI6 as an operative after working as a cloned assassin for the Shadaloo.

G

• Debut: Street Fighter V – Third Season DLC

G is the name of a man who believes himself to be the “World President.” Of course, it is hard to tell this purple-eyed man he’s crazy without getting annihilated. He stands at 6’7 and weighs in at 330lbs. We’d call him the World President too! He really pushes the patriotic nature of Earth pretty hard. He even acts almost like a minister as he enjoys giving helpful advice to his enemies. G also takes the “politician” concept to new levels, as he sees antagonists as potential allies and not as a threat to mankind overall. It’s clear G is walking a fine line between crazy and genius.

Adon

• Debut: Street Fighter I

Adon made his official debut in the original Street Fighter game as an opponent but was not playable. He’d make his playable debut in Street Fighter Alpha and has often been a mainstay in the franchise ever since. Most assume he’s some sort of kickboxer, which is sort of true. Adon is a master of Muay Thai and is seeking to become the Emperor of Muay Thai as well. Yet most feel this is a bit off, considering he’s from Thailand and likely wants to be the nation’s Emperor in all reality. Either way, attempting to stop him will result in a kick to your face.

Alex

• Debut: Street Fighter III: The New Generation

In an attempt to freshen up the franchise, Capcom released a “New Generation” game with several new characters in 1997. While it also took its name from the new mechanics and graphics, the roster was almost completely made up of new characters. Alex led the list of the big new names, serving as the main protagonist in his debut game. The main antagonist of the game, Gill, injures his best friend. To get his hands on him, he finds out Gill is sponsoring a World Warrior Tournament. Alex, an experienced wrestler and kickboxer, enters it to seek his revenge.

Charlie Nash

• Debut: Street Fighter Alpha

Charlie Nash is a former U.S. Air Force Captain (though he reaches First Lieutenant) who also took part in U.S. Special Forces units. The assumption for quite some time was that he was long since dead, but similar to Marvel’s Winter Soldier, we later find Nash is alive. He is essentially a puppet for the Secret Society, who brought him back to the world of the living. His armed forces training makes him a legit combat threat, yet he’s also a master tactician too. His hatred now drives him, and stopping a man like this is almost impossible.

Zangief

• Debut: Street Fighter II

Zangief is a very interesting character in the franchise. Known as the Red Cyclone by some, he is considered to be a national hero in his native land of Russia. Pretty much everything he does, his entire goal for fighting, is simply to bring glory to mother Russia. It is easy to see Zangief as the villain of the franchise, but he really isn’t one. He loves competition and chooses to stop your skull into the ground just for that alone. He’s a big, burly wrestler who once wrestled a bear to train. That is the guy you’re getting here. Clearly, he is one heck of a character.

M. Bison

• Debut: Street Fighter II: Champion Edition

M. Bison is the main villain or antagonist in the franchise, and leader of the infamous Shadaloo we’ve referenced a lot. This self-imposed dictator and narcissistic maniac has but one goal, to achieve world domination. He does not care how he has to do it or who he has to kill to make it happen. Nothing is below him when it comes to achieving his goal. He has quite a force to take on but Bison himself is no pushover. He wields the “psycho power,” which makes him incredibly dangerous and very hard to stop.

Sakura Kasugano

• Debut: Street Fighter Alpha 2

We all knew when Ryu became a top figure in the world of the franchise, he would have his fans. Yet one fan, in particular, became obsessed with him, Sakura Kasugano. Her intense love for him made her want to be around him all the time, but she was but a Japanese school girl. She wanted to prove herself to him, so she watched and learned many of his techniques, then chased him around the world in hopes of proving herself. Due to learning so much, she became an amazing fighter in her own right. Of course, her outfit was clearly inspired by developer fantasies of the time so her costume has changed up some throughout the years.

Cody Travers

• Debut: Street Fighter Alpha 3

Cody Travers first appeared in that old Final Fight game from years ago before debuting in this franchise in the Alpha 3 game. When he first arrived, he was known as a vigilante who unlike the likes of Batman, ended up being reckless with his actions. Thus causing him to be caught, especially since he had to fight just to survive in the slums of Metro City from childhood into adulthood. After serving time for some of his actions, especially on trumped-up charges, he finally got out. Now on a mission to fix the system of oppression, Cody became the new Mayor of Metro City.

Vega

• Debut: Street Fighter II: Champion Edition

Vega is yet another interesting character that also served as a bodyguard for M. Bison at one point. While Vega is obsessed with his own beauty, he’s also obsessed with messing up the beauty of those he fights. This is a true narcissist who only really cares about himself unless you pay him to care about you, of course. While we’ve never heard of Spanish Ninjitsu, Vega seems to be an expert in this martial art. The Spaniard is a skilled fighter who uses his unique brand of ninjutsu as well as a trademark claw to defeat his enemies. He also has an impressive mask that has since become pretty iconic.

Ken Masters

• Debut: Street Fighter

Ken Masters is one of the most popular characters in franchise history. He is particularly interesting due to being so similar yet so different from the likes of Ryu. In a world of Asian martial artists, Ken stood out as the lone American ninja. This allowed him to become essentially the co-main character of the franchise for quite a long time. Although Ryu is his best friend, he is also Ken’s biggest rival. In fact, Ken’s entire goal is to test his power and abilities against every major fighter to become a stronger combatant. However, while he used to eat, sleep, and breathe fighting…he settled down due to his family in recent years and fights for the thrill.

Chun-Li

• Debut: Street Fighter II

Perhaps the most popular female video game character after Lara Croft, Chun-Li is now an icon in the video game industry. Like Cammy, she is a popular character in the cosplay community. Due to her bad*** energy and fighting ability, she has become one of the most beloved characters in the franchise. Trained in Chinese martial arts, she is currently an Interpol Officer seeking to take down M. Bison for the death of her father. Chun-Li is the very first female the franchise produced, making her a key figure in the series. Her popularity has since made her a must-have in every game since her debut.

Sagat

• Debut: Street Fighter

While Adon might be seeking to be the “Emperor of Muay Thai,” Sagat holds that title. The former Shadaloo member was once the main antagonist in the original version of the series. In fact, he was the final boss in the original game and one of the main bosses in the following game. Since then, he changed sides, turning on M. Bison and the Shadaloo entirely. In his quest to seek redemption, and has become essentially an antihero in the franchise. Everyone loves a good redemption story of a bad guy trying to be good, and Sagat has done this in an impressive way.

Ryu

• Debut: Street Fighter

Ryu is Mr. Street Fighter, without a doubt. Whenever someone thinks of this franchise, they will always think of Ryu right away. He is the main protagonist in the franchise and has been in every game since the beginning. This includes every crossover game, as well as special appearances in several others. While Ryu seems like he’d be a ninja of some kind, he’s actually mostly known as a karate master. However, he’s also an expert in Ansatsuken, also known as the assassination martial arts. It is really hard to dislike the man, as he’s always fun to play as.

Akuma

• Debut: Super Street Fighter II

Akuma is similar to Ryu and Ken, except so much cooler. His name essentially translates to “devil,” and his look certainly displays that. He is an emotionless warrior, known for his powerful attacks and abilities. He’s also seemingly addicted to mastering the Satsui no Hado, or “Dark Hado.” This is a dark energy force, and the opposite of the Power of Nothingness or “Sacred Hado.” You’ve likely seen Akuma in Tekken 7 too, this is due to Capcom needing a lot of help to revive Street Fighter for its fifth installment. Bandai Namco, owners of Tekken, was nice enough to help them out. Now Capcom has allowed Akuma to appear in their universe.

Where do We Find This Stuff? Here are Our Sources:

Capcom

Bandai-Namco Entertainment

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Nintendo