Introduction
Ever training, this martial artist seeks true strength. Well-mannered and sincere, Ryu travels the globe in search of worthy opponents. Having overcome the Satsui no Hado, he now seeks yet greater heights.
Ryu is the definitive Street Fighter character, and not just because he's been the protagonist for thirty years. As the original shoto character, Ryu embodies all the meaningful aspects of Street Fighter gameplay in one concise package. Ryu emphasizes a patient playstyle with strong defensive tools.
While they probably need no introduction, Ryu's signature moves are Hadoken and Shoryuken, the original fireball and DP combo. Hadoken is a good projectile with variable speeds and decent reward on hit or block, while Shoryuken is a very useful anti-air uppercut that has utility as a reversal with the OD version. From these two moves, a simple gameplan of "Hadoken or Shoryuken" emerges, informing the rest of Ryu's gameplan. Ryu pesters his opponents with his long reaching 2MK and 5HP alongside his jabs and Hadoken. When they jump in frustration, Ryu Shoryukens them back out and starts it all over again. While system mechanics have weakened this playstyle in SF6, it still retains effectiveness if Ryu can tap into system mechanics such as Drive Impact and Drive Parry.
New to Ryu's kit are Denjin Charge and Hashogeki. The former allows Ryu to stock a single charge of a resource called Denjin. When Ryu uses certain specials or supers, Denjin is spent to empower them greatly, giving them added utility on block or hit. Hashogeki is a combo tool and pressure tool, giving Ryu a new way to end blockstrings or even reset pressure completely. Ryu also has Tatsumaki, an advancing spinning kick that is invulnerable to projectiles. When combined with the Drive System, Ryu becomes a highly versatile character who can handle any situation. Ryu is consistent in almost every aspect, getting good return out of every successful play. He does great damage, has good okizeme off of most combo routes, and his versatile kit ensures he can handle any matchup.
Ryu's only weakness is, ironically, his greatest strength- in his commitment to fundamentals, Ryu completely lacks any major gimmicks outside of Denjin (and that is barely a gimmick unto itself). This can make it somewhat difficult for him to steal rounds and effectively demands that he play to said fundamentals at all times. Even still, Ryu is a formidable character that can easily show you the ropes of Street Fighter while also holding his own beyond that. If you want a fundamentals-oriented character who rewards patient and considerate play, then walk the path of student to master with Ryu.
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