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Description
Akuma (悪魔 Akuma?, "Devil"), known in Japan as Gouki

Akuma
(ゴウキ(豪鬼) Gōki?, "Fortitude", "Great Demon", "Great Devil" or "Great Ogre"), is a video game character and recurring antagonist of the Street Fighter series, first appearing in Super Street Fighter II Turbo as a hidden boss. He is an emotionless and powerful warrior fixated on mastering the Satsui no Hado.

Appearance
Akuma usually wears a dark-colored gi with the sleeves removed (similar to Ken and Ryu); it is often blue, black, or gray, but varies depending on the series or artwork. He has red hair with a topknot, sharp, pointed teeth, and is often bare-footed, though some games have him wearing brown sandals. Depending on the game or piece of art, he either wears a black belt at his waist or a length of rope. Over his hands he either wears brown training gauntlets or wraps his hands with rope as well (again, depending on the source). He has tanned skin and crimson eyes, and wears his deceased master Goutetsu's prayer beads around his neck, with a visible black "heaven" (天, ten) kanji on the center bead in some video games. In Street Fighter Alpha: Generations, he was seen having eyebrows when he was young.

This kanji is featured frequently in Akuma's appearances, most often at the end of a Raging Demon attack, where it burns itself onto the back of Akuma's gi top. It takes on a slightly different shape between the original Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV; the top stroke of the kanji is more narrow in Super Street Fighter IV than in the original, and may have taken this shape due to Akuma's 2nd alternate costume using exactly the same new shape on the back.

In his artwork for his Street Fighter V profile, Akuma's hair is completely white, and has grown out; he wears a dark yellow loincloth with a white sash on each side, going shirtless while retaining his gray karate pants. This is designed as a contrast to his older brother Gouken's outfit.

In his full appearance in Street Fighter V, his hair has grown out considerably, resembling a lion's mane, though he retains his familiar clothing. He also has the hair on top of his head tied into a pigtail. He also wears his prayer beads like a sash. The 神人 "shin" kanji used by Shin Akuma in Capcom vs. SNK 2 is seen on his back when performing the Shun Goku Satsu.

His first alternate costume is similar to Ryu's alternate costume in Super Street Fighter IV; where his tattered karate gi is hanging loose on his waist and his karate pants are also in tatters. His second alternate costume is his outfit in Street Fighter V artwork and his third and last outfit is his classic appearance in the Street Fighter games.

In the Street Fighter III series his hair is slightly grayed, hinting that Akuma, while seemingly inhuman, is still physically aging.

Concept
Satsui flag
Akuma's creation (and, indirectly, Gouken's) was inspired by an April Fools' joke published by the gaming magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly. Said hoax involved a "secret trick" for the original version of Street Fighter II that would allow players to fight Ryu and Ken's supposed master, Sheng Long (based on Ryu's mistranslated win quote.)

Akuma's appearance resembles that of a Nio, one of a pair of guardians that symbolically protects Buddhist temples and other establishments against negative influences. Akuma's belligerence is a direct, and likely deliberate, contrast to the purpose of the Nio. Both Ibuki's and Yun's winquotes against him in Second Impact reference the Nio; Ibuki is reminded of the similarly-themed Shishi lions, while Yun jokingly attempts to recall if he saw Akuma at a temple before the match. For his guest appearance in Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, his unique stage is adorned with Nio statues in the background to reinforce his connection to them.

His design may also borrow elements from another being of Buddhist origin, the Asura; Asura are demigod-like beings known for their indulgence in violence, and are cursed to live in a world of never-ending conflict. In SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos, Akuma and Shin Akuma make numerous references to the Asura in their intro battle dialogues.

The rope garments he starts wearing from Street Fighter III onwards is possibly a reference to the Japanese gods who wear rope belts to keep their powers in check. It may be a nod to the fact that he handicaps himself in combat to give his opponents a fighting chance.

Name Change
Capcom USA initially claimed Akuma was possessed by a demon, a detail that has not been reused since his first appearance; the character's name change from Gouki to Akuma for localization reflects Capcom USA's attempt to accentuate the demonic nature, as the word akuma (悪魔) means "devil" in Japanese. However, the appearance of Oni can be considered a revisiting of this, as he finally loses control of the 'demonic force' that is the Satsui no Hado in this form.

Personality
Akuma is a cold and extremely powerful warrior whose sole reason for being is to hone his fighting skills by battling and destroying strong foes. He rarely displays any sign of emotions or humanity, aside from occasional bursts of anger, and rarely smiles. He however will not engage in battle towards helpless people and in some cases may even defend them, either as a righteous calling or an afterthought of conquering major adversary. The only instance of humanity he has displayed after being drenched in the Satsui no Hado is with Kazumi Mishima, whom he respects, even in battle.

He takes his training very seriously and deals brutally with those who dare interrupt him, as seen in his Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike ending. Occasionally, he likes to test himself against worthy rivals (e.g. Gen, Oro). In later games, Akuma often refers to himself as a "denizen of hell" and "evil incarnate", and is seen as such by many. This may be a result of the Satsui no Hado ("Surge of Murderous Intent") taking a toll on his mind.

In line with his martial arts philosophy, Akuma also believes in a certain principle of self-worth. Specifically, Akuma despises hubris (i.e. a perceived excess of self-worth), foolish behavior, and those who rely on means other than their fists to fight or gain power (both of which would indicate a lack of the same), as his various win quotes in the Street Fighter IV games indicate. He is also somewhat nihilistic by principle, as his search for worthy opponents often includes someone who would be able to kill him.

Akuma detests his brother Gouken for not giving in to the dark side of their arts which is, according to Akuma, the way they were intended to be used. He also blames Gouken for sealing off the darkness within Ryu, thus preventing Ryu from reaching his true potential. This forces Akuma to give up on his planned duel with Ryu, as he believes that only a fellow practitioner of Satsui no Hado can one day hope to defeat him.

Even as a Satsui no Hado wielder with seemingly amoral actions, Akuma upholds certain standards and outlook of how powers like the Satsui should be handled. It is for this reason he hold much disdain to sentient but soulless beings like Kage.

Moral Code
Most of the time, Akuma abides by the code of the warrior. He fights to improve his skills and defeat powerful foes - though on rare occasion, he does so to gauge the other's abilities. Although he killed his teacher and believed he did the same with his brother (Gouken), Akuma did so in combat, and thus can be said to have not transgressed on his principles.

In combat, Akuma almost never resorts to his true strength, especially if testing another fighter; he only fights warriors that he deems worthy, or the ones he believes have the potential to become such. During the events of Street Fighter Alpha 2, Akuma fought Ryu only to gain insight on Ryu's abilities, while in 3rd Strike, he faced Oro in order to test his own strength.

Although Akuma usually prefers an even bout (as he backed out of a duel with Gen once he found out that Gen was fatally ill), it is not uncommon for him to deliver a lethal sneak attack to an unprepared opponent (as he did with Bison, Gill, and Adon's unnamed rival), particularly if they are less than honorable. While the evil nature of Satsui no Hado itself may have corrupted Akuma's ways, it is worth noting that Akuma still upholds standards and a minimalist degree of morality and considers Bison a much more abhorrent type of evil.

His win quotes in 3rd Strike also imply Akuma has become much bloodthirstier and perhaps pay less regard to his own moral code, very much like Evil Ryu; it is possible that at this point, the Satsui no Hado's hold on Akuma has strengthened, being close to completely overtaking his mind and body, and that said win quotes reflect this state.

Description
Akuma (悪魔 Akuma?, "Devil"), known in Japan as Gouki

Akuma
(ゴウキ(豪鬼) Gōki?, "Fortitude", "Great Demon", "Great Devil" or "Great Ogre"), is a video game character and recurring antagonist of the Street Fighter series, first appearing in Super Street Fighter II Turbo as a hidden boss. He is an emotionless and powerful warrior fixated on mastering the Satsui no Hado.

Appearance
Akuma usually wears a dark-colored gi with the sleeves removed (similar to Ken and Ryu); it is often blue, black, or gray, but varies depending on the series or artwork. He has red hair with a topknot, sharp, pointed teeth, and is often bare-footed, though some games have him wearing brown sandals. Depending on the game or piece of art, he either wears a black belt at his waist or a length of rope. Over his hands he either wears brown training gauntlets or wraps his hands with rope as well (again, depending on the source). He has tanned skin and crimson eyes, and wears his deceased master Goutetsu's prayer beads around his neck, with a visible black "heaven" (天, ten) kanji on the center bead in some video games. In Street Fighter Alpha: Generations, he was seen having eyebrows when he was young.

This kanji is featured frequently in Akuma's appearances, most often at the end of a Raging Demon attack, where it burns itself onto the back of Akuma's gi top. It takes on a slightly different shape between the original Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV; the top stroke of the kanji is more narrow in Super Street Fighter IV than in the original, and may have taken this shape due to Akuma's 2nd alternate costume using exactly the same new shape on the back.

In his artwork for his Street Fighter V profile, Akuma's hair is completely white, and has grown out; he wears a dark yellow loincloth with a white sash on each side, going shirtless while retaining his gray karate pants. This is designed as a contrast to his older brother Gouken's outfit.

In his full appearance in Street Fighter V, his hair has grown out considerably, resembling a lion's mane, though he retains his familiar clothing. He also has the hair on top of his head tied into a pigtail. He also wears his prayer beads like a sash. The 神人 "shin" kanji used by Shin Akuma in Capcom vs. SNK 2 is seen on his back when performing the Shun Goku Satsu.

His first alternate costume is similar to Ryu's alternate costume in Super Street Fighter IV; where his tattered karate gi is hanging loose on his waist and his karate pants are also in tatters. His second alternate costume is his outfit in Street Fighter V artwork and his third and last outfit is his classic appearance in the Street Fighter games.

In the Street Fighter III series his hair is slightly grayed, hinting that Akuma, while seemingly inhuman, is still physically aging.

Concept
Satsui flag
Akuma's creation (and, indirectly, Gouken's) was inspired by an April Fools' joke published by the gaming magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly. Said hoax involved a "secret trick" for the original version of Street Fighter II that would allow players to fight Ryu and Ken's supposed master, Sheng Long (based on Ryu's mistranslated win quote.)

Akuma's appearance resembles that of a Nio, one of a pair of guardians that symbolically protects Buddhist temples and other establishments against negative influences. Akuma's belligerence is a direct, and likely deliberate, contrast to the purpose of the Nio. Both Ibuki's and Yun's winquotes against him in Second Impact reference the Nio; Ibuki is reminded of the similarly-themed Shishi lions, while Yun jokingly attempts to recall if he saw Akuma at a temple before the match. For his guest appearance in Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, his unique stage is adorned with Nio statues in the background to reinforce his connection to them.

His design may also borrow elements from another being of Buddhist origin, the Asura; Asura are demigod-like beings known for their indulgence in violence, and are cursed to live in a world of never-ending conflict. In SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos, Akuma and Shin Akuma make numerous references to the Asura in their intro battle dialogues.

The rope garments he starts wearing from Street Fighter III onwards is possibly a reference to the Japanese gods who wear rope belts to keep their powers in check. It may be a nod to the fact that he handicaps himself in combat to give his opponents a fighting chance.

Name Change
Capcom USA initially claimed Akuma was possessed by a demon, a detail that has not been reused since his first appearance; the character's name change from Gouki to Akuma for localization reflects Capcom USA's attempt to accentuate the demonic nature, as the word akuma (悪魔) means "devil" in Japanese. However, the appearance of Oni can be considered a revisiting of this, as he finally loses control of the 'demonic force' that is the Satsui no Hado in this form.

Personality
Akuma is a cold and extremely powerful warrior whose sole reason for being is to hone his fighting skills by battling and destroying strong foes. He rarely displays any sign of emotions or humanity, aside from occasional bursts of anger, and rarely smiles. He however will not engage in battle towards helpless people and in some cases may even defend them, either as a righteous calling or an afterthought of conquering major adversary. The only instance of humanity he has displayed after being drenched in the Satsui no Hado is with Kazumi Mishima, whom he respects, even in battle.

He takes his training very seriously and deals brutally with those who dare interrupt him, as seen in his Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike ending. Occasionally, he likes to test himself against worthy rivals (e.g. Gen, Oro). In later games, Akuma often refers to himself as a "denizen of hell" and "evil incarnate", and is seen as such by many. This may be a result of the Satsui no Hado ("Surge of Murderous Intent") taking a toll on his mind.

In line with his martial arts philosophy, Akuma also believes in a certain principle of self-worth. Specifically, Akuma despises hubris (i.e. a perceived excess of self-worth), foolish behavior, and those who rely on means other than their fists to fight or gain power (both of which would indicate a lack of the same), as his various win quotes in the Street Fighter IV games indicate. He is also somewhat nihilistic by principle, as his search for worthy opponents often includes someone who would be able to kill him.

Akuma detests his brother Gouken for not giving in to the dark side of their arts which is, according to Akuma, the way they were intended to be used. He also blames Gouken for sealing off the darkness within Ryu, thus preventing Ryu from reaching his true potential. This forces Akuma to give up on his planned duel with Ryu, as he believes that only a fellow practitioner of Satsui no Hado can one day hope to defeat him.

Even as a Satsui no Hado wielder with seemingly amoral actions, Akuma upholds certain standards and outlook of how powers like the Satsui should be handled. It is for this reason he hold much disdain to sentient but soulless beings like Kage.

Moral Code
Most of the time, Akuma abides by the code of the warrior. He fights to improve his skills and defeat powerful foes - though on rare occasion, he does so to gauge the other's abilities. Although he killed his teacher and believed he did the same with his brother (Gouken), Akuma did so in combat, and thus can be said to have not transgressed on his principles.

In combat, Akuma almost never resorts to his true strength, especially if testing another fighter; he only fights warriors that he deems worthy, or the ones he believes have the potential to become such. During the events of Street Fighter Alpha 2, Akuma fought Ryu only to gain insight on Ryu's abilities, while in 3rd Strike, he faced Oro in order to test his own strength.

Although Akuma usually prefers an even bout (as he backed out of a duel with Gen once he found out that Gen was fatally ill), it is not uncommon for him to deliver a lethal sneak attack to an unprepared opponent (as he did with Bison, Gill, and Adon's unnamed rival), particularly if they are less than honorable. While the evil nature of Satsui no Hado itself may have corrupted Akuma's ways, it is worth noting that Akuma still upholds standards and a minimalist degree of morality and considers Bison a much more abhorrent type of evil.

His win quotes in 3rd Strike also imply Akuma has become much bloodthirstier and perhaps pay less regard to his own moral code, very much like Evil Ryu; it is possible that at this point, the Satsui no Hado's hold on Akuma has strengthened, being close to completely overtaking his mind and body, and that said win quotes reflect this state.