Street Fighter 5 - Akuma

No news on Akuma for Street Fighter 5, and it seems as though we will not be getting him as a launch character this time around.

However it is unlikely that he will not be making an appearance at all, as he has become an important character and fan favourite from as far back as SSF2. And like previous chapters in Street Fighter history (like Street Fighter 3) that didn't include him on the first itteration and launch but was added later, it is quite likely that they will be including him in future character additions to come after launch.

The only chance of this not happening is that his story now is done with, that being he is no longer Akuma, but something else, deeming him as one of the remaining 3 new characters to be announced.

Highly unlikely though, since Akuma has many forms, like Shin Akuma, and of course since SF4, Oni. Oni being by the looks of it his final form perhaps, and thus making a new plot a little unlikely. I mean after all, how many versions of the same character can they possibly make? He was even called Shin-Oni in SF Assassins Fist.

All things considered, I think we are simply going to get us an updated version of Akuma, but not a complete remake the likes of Shin Akuma and Oni.

Being that the story seems to have moved on and into several years after Street Fighter 4 and possibly 3, evident enough with a grey-haired M Bison, evolved Ken, and fat Birdie, it is likely that Akuma too will be changed.

Street Fighter 3 saw to make him a little older, with the streaks of white in his hair, and now we can only imagine what awaits us with a new version of Akuma. The question, with such a character, is not "will he be included in the game" but rather "when, what will he look like and how will he play?"

What do you guys think his new look will be like? His skill set, and V-Mechanics? Surely it is an interesting enough subject to ponder on for any Akuma fan out there.

I myself simply had to go ahead and make a variety of likely versions of him in my mind for SFV, because well I am weird like that (as are we all that are fans of SF and Akuma... or should be).

Take your time... Do it right.

For starters, I think a late Akuma reveal after launch is perfect for such a character. SFV is shaping up into a great title, but as it goes on adding a new character each time will make balancing harder and harder.

Capcom seem to be going the right way about this by revealing each character 1 by 1 and testing them out, listening to feedback, and all this a long time ahead of launch.

With a character like Akuma, it is extra hard to make this balance right. The reason is that Akuma is and always has been an over-powered disadvantaged warrior. What this means as we have gathered thus far is that he is a very aggressive fast all-around fighter, with quite a few moves on him that allow him to play on defence as well (like backward flip and fireball). He dishes out more damage at times, and all this with the draw-back of having less health than other characters.

Till now, the only counter to balance him out was simply making him more punishable. There are some characters that can deal a good amount of damage of up to even 1/6th of Akuma's health-bar with a single good hit! Deal that hit in other words 6 times and you won the match!

All this is a good way to compensate for his advantages and balance him out, however this time around I am hoping they get a little more into it than that and do not resort to simply adjusting the health to balance him. This is something that will be adjusted regardless, as it has been for all other characters so far in SFV. But the rest of his playstyle is up for grabs and I foresee Akuma being one of those characters that will need excesive testing to get right.

On that note, I hope they take all the time they need to do it right. Not that adjustments cannot be done to him later on, but the closer they get to a final version of him on his launch the better.

Balancing Power Incarnate.

One of the main things behind SFV (evidently) is the V-Mechanic. Aside from that however how do you balance the warrior that is power incarnate?

The first thing as already mentioned is making his health more punishable. This makes sense and also fits into his story and characteristics. Akuma is like those aggressive warriors where the best defence is a strong offence. He cares less about surviving damage and simply chases his prey going in for the kill.

Aside from that however, another good way to balance him out whilst at the same time make him even more powerful, will be to alter his skills.

At this point he already is taking too much damage, and on the contrary we could do with him being a little more durable unless Capcom wants to push him into being a character for veterans alone.

His moves on the other hand are something that can be altered to cater to both advantages and disadvantages of the character.

If Ultra Street Fighter 4 Omega (damn that is long to write) is any indication of the direction they might be heading in then I have faith they will do him justice.

Just like the parry for Ryu that we saw in Omega which was again an indication and a testing ground for the direction they are heading in for SFV, Akuma has become the ultimate aggressor in USF-Ω.

One of the great things I liked about that edition was how Akuma was able to cancel more moves and do more combos (as most players could). Hard kick into Raging Demon along with a bunch of other moves that could also combo up into the Raging Demon is an indication of Akuma going that extra step with regards to offence. Meanwhile, his backflip and mid-air dragon ball is no longer possible.

This was something I frowned upon. It was a defensive tactic I used a lot with varying speed fireballs and heights in mid-air that I would execute those fireballs, making it in hard situations for me difficult for the opponent to close in on me. Taking this away crammed my style up. However, it makes sense and actually works. With this change his role becomes more evident and playing defensive is harder and new levels of balancing came over the character at that point.

The back-flip ex-version of a mid-air fireball is still possible, while that move is now stronger again, being a three-hit single fireball (unless my memory serves me wrong) yet now has a short delay in order to be used.

These are great additions to make the character still have options, however making certain conditions for him harder (like defensive play) which ultimately results in players needing to play Akuma according to his character. That being, going in for the kill.

This, aside from making his health less, is one of the best ways to balance the Power Incarnate. The next aspect to balancing him out will be of course his V-Mechanic.

V-Trigger and V-Skill Ideas.

This is probably one of the most fun parts to making a new Akuma. Deciding on his V-Mechanics and how they will work. The options could fall close to our own predictions, or they could end up being something completely different that we have not though of at all. My take and some ideas on how the V-Mechanics to Akuma could work and be fun include the following.

V-Skill

My first idea for this was seeing an Akuma with a V-Skill which is a taunt. The likes of the same taunt we get in previous titles. The Metsu Stance and flames coming over him. The idea is that there is nothing to it other than Akuma simply gathering power. It has no offensive nor defensive properties.

Aligning with his character, it is a means of him gathering power for his kill whilst striking fear into his foes, hence he cares little of its efficiency or use in combat. This could be a great way to also keep him balanced, by giving him a V-Skill that cannot help him in the combat a player will need to down the enemy or distance themselves to activate it. At which point it can effectively be a choice that will give the opponent time to gain ground again as an extra means to balancing. Whilst, holding down the the buttons will keep Akuma longer in the channelling state and charge his V-Gauge faster.

Another idea to this could be that when he taunts, Akuma indeed strikes fear into his foes and their stun-gauge is filled up with more ease.

Another cool idea for his V-Skill would be an offensive attack. Fitting for his style and a move that can make him even more aggressive for combo-making, kind of like Ken. Said move could even be a kick that juggles the opponent in the air leaving them open for a range of attacks after that. Each successful V-Skill increases the V-Guage more.

The offensive move at this point could be anything really, and it can also substitute one of his older moves. Like the dive-kick, being among the few or the only V-Skill that needs to be performed in midair.

V-Trigger

So what happens once he has channelled this energy and reached a maximum V-Gauge?

One thought is for his V-Trigger to be a tactical or offensive move. A single use move that depletes the gauge. Perhaps his Kongou Kokuretsuzan. This version in SFV can either be a really powerful Critical Art that needs to be timed right, or it can take a completely new approach this time around. That being, a move that deals no damage, is completely unblockable, allows Akuma to get out of harms' way when activating it, and upon him striking his enemy the foe is rendered immobile (like a stun phase) leaving them open to an offensive from Akuma (including a Raging Demon Critical Art).

On the other hand, it would be equally cool to see that Akuma has a different Critical Art altogether as opposed to a Raging Demon.

In this case there is another cool idea for his V-Trigger. Akuma enters the state of Satsui no Hado, consumed by power, the likes of Ken, Ryu and Chun-Li, and it is in this state that he has access to the Raging Demon.

This second approach of having his V-Trigger turn him into a flaming demon is probably one of the most fitting ways to go about it. Some have suggested even that this could be his Oni form.

If something like this does happen, will his Oni form be permanent like Necalli? And thus will the entire skill set change once in Oni form?

I personally would prefer he simply turned up the heat a little instead of turning into Oni. Lets say he simply turns into Shin Akuma. Something between the two. In which state he could have some variations in his moves, and the soul purpose of this state being more power, faster attacks, and more combo chains.

To compensate for this, a cool idea could be that Akuma now takes damage constantly as long as he is in this state. A sacrifice in a way for more power to kill off his opponents. With the right balancing this can end up being an effective V-Trigger. Whilst being able to kill off your opponent much easier, you are also constantly forced by time to do so fast before you die. Making your play open to more mistakes, and giving the opponent enough leverage to even the scales and not make it ridiculously unfair.

The mode could also be a one time thing for Akuma. As in he cannot exit the V-Trigger state once he has entered it. So it is a fight to the death at that point.

A Ridiculous Thought...

But whilst we are at it and coming up with possibilities to how Akuma will play in SF5, why not have some fun with it? Here is a completely ridiculous idea for the V-Trigger.

Activate it the first time, and he becomes Shin Akuma. His moves change he becomes stronger and his form is permanent for the entire match-up. With added Critical Arts it is pretty much the Satsui No Hado form I already mentioned yet permanent and with no damage being taken. You can at that point build the V-Guage again and activate it once more to turn into Oni!

New skill set, more power, different Critical Arts, even crazier offensive, and again a permanent form. And whilst we are at it and having fun with ridiculous ideas, then lets add a third transformation. A third V-Trigger activation turns him into Shin Oni... With a skill set the likes we have never seen.

Doubt any opponent will even be alive by this point and all rounds will be over, but wouldn't that be an overkill and a lot of fun? :P

So what are your thoughts guys? What would you like to see for Akuma in Street Fighter 5 and how do you expect Capcom will go about it? With all the satisfying character development they have managed thus far I think it is hard to believe that Akuma will not turn out to be a really interesting take whichever way they go about it.