As you noticed with our cowl reveal yesterday, one of the iconic characters is a centerpiece of Avenue Fighter 6’s story. Ken Masters, one of many two authentic playable Avenue Fighter characters, steps again into the highlight with an all-new backstory. As quickly as his new look was unveiled, the Avenue Fighter neighborhood had a subject day pondering what occurred to place Ken within the tough state he appeared, with memes popping up deeming him “Hobo Ken.” Whereas at Capcom’s headquarters in Osaka, Japan, we spoke with Avenue Fighter 6 director Takayuki Nakayama and artwork director Kaname Fujioka to get extra particulars about what’s going on in Ken’s life across the time of Avenue Fighter 6.
Returning World Warriors like Ryu, Chun-Li, Dhalsim, and Blanka all sport new appears, however Ken is probably the largest departure from his traditional look. Longtime Avenue Fighter followers have seen his evolution from Ryu’s rival to husband of Eliza, father of Mel, and ex-vice president of the Masters Basis. Avenue Fighter 6 introduces the character to a brand new period with new motivations.
“All through the sequence, it looks as if his life has turn out to be increasingly more steady, and the workforce felt like he was shedding a purpose to battle,” Nakayama says. “However this can be a option to create that purpose for him to step up. We need to create that sort of plotline that explains why Ken is necessary and offers him that function. The story can be tied to these different characters near him.”
Sometimes sporting a pink gi and a clean-shaven face, Ken now rocks a jacket, boots, new pink pants, and in some depictions, a little bit stubble. Capcom’s fundamental objective, except for depicting an iconic character in a unique part of his life, was to deliver again the passionate nature that set Ken other than Ryu within the franchise’s early days.
“The title that left me with the largest impression was the Avenue Fighter II sequence and the way I see Ken within the Avenue Fighter II sequence is, compared to Ryu, who’s extra stern and severe, I see Ken as a fiery and explosive character,” Fujioka says. “All through the evolution of the sequence, there’s been totally different sorts of Kens as nicely. Within the Alpha sequence, he was a little bit extra playful and lighthearted in a manner. For six, we needed to deliver that fiery explosiveness again into it. As compared, Luke in Avenue Fighter 6 may be extra cheery and a sort of playful character. We needed to distinguish from that, so we needed to go along with this extra fiery kind of character. And there being the story behind Ken and there being a extra severe tone to him, we needed to precise that by way of the character designs as nicely.”
Regardless of the varied hints dropped throughout my time at Capcom, the studio stays tight-lipped on the particular narrative causes Ken is on this perilous state. “For gamers who begin up Avenue Fighter 6, they will count on that Ken is now on the run from one thing, and he’s not capable of see his son Mel for causes unknown,” Nakayama says. “He is in a tricky scenario that you’re going to be taught extra about sooner or later.”
The curtain can be pulled again on Ken’s backstory by way of a particular four-issue comedian sequence from longtime Capcom collaborator UDON Leisure. The storyline will give us loads of perception into what is going on on with Ken whereas setting the stage for Avenue Fighter 6’s story. Luke will even characteristic prominently on this sequence of comics, as will Ken’s son, Mel.
“That is the primary time that we’re doing this sort of comedian e-book sequence that is intently tied to the story of the primary recreation,” Nakayama says. “We’re working very intently with our companions at UDON. We’re offering the script and the storyline of what to anticipate earlier than the occasions of Avenue Fighter 6. They will be serving to us to create the storylines. Past that, they’re even working into attainable spin-offs as nicely, and collaborating with the scriptwriters on the workforce, so there could also be extra stuff past simply the preliminary comedian e-book sequence.”
Piecing collectively clues, it appears as if Ken is on the run in relation to a terrorist bombing. In a synopsis of the UDON comedian sequence, I be taught that Ken has misplaced each his standing and fame and is distributed on the run for a criminal offense he did not commit. Within the above nonetheless from the intro to Ken’s Arcade story, the authorities have seemingly apprehended him for interrogation, with questions being raised about “the champ.” Ken apparently will get away from the bushy scenario depicted within the first shot above and enters a transient life-style to maintain a low profile and stay off the radars of the police. That results in the extraordinary circumstances underneath which he is dwelling through the time of Avenue Fighter 6.
We can’t know for certain what is going on on with Ken till this comedian prequel sequence and Avenue Fighter 6 arrive, however for now, colour me intrigued. As a Ken fundamental, I really like seeing him put into totally different conditions, whilst tense as this one seems to be. Within the walkout animation for Ken, it appears as if he’s additional emotional on this title. Fujioka tells me he needs to deliver again Ken’s fiery character, and based mostly on my time with the sport, it seems they’ve achieved that mission. I am excited to see what else the story has in retailer when Avenue Fighter 6 launches in 2023.
