Ahhhh, Ryu and Ken! The best of friends, and the most competitive of rivals! It’s a complex relationship between two uber-macho practitioners of Shotokan Karate, and their longstanding bond is dwarfed only by their intense rivalry.
On the surface, Ryu and Ken might seem like carbon copies of one another, but both fighters have distinct differences that set them apart. Today we’re going to look at 5 reasons why Ryu is the best Street Fighter, and 5 reasons why it’s Ken. The match is set. Fight!
10 RYU - HE’S CALCULATED
Ryu is an introvert with a mind focused on perfecting his fighting skills so that he can achieve his own personal best ranking. He’s a spiritual fighter who recognizes the link not just between dedication and discipline, but also strength and compassion.
In a fight, Ryu is analytical, adaptable and cool-headed. He sees beyond the confrontation, and what it means to emerge victorious. It’s not about defeating your opponent, but defeating one’s own weaknesses.
9 KEN - HE’S UNPREDICTABLE
In many ways, Ken is the opposite. He’s a full-on extrovert who loves attention, craves the spotlight, and enjoys the heat of the fight. Many fighters in his place might feel overconfident to their own detriment, but Ken still realizes the importance of staying focused during a match.
He’ll taunt, he’ll grin, and he’ll brag about his victories, but Ken is a fighter who realizes how large a role discipline plays when it comes to winning. His unpredictability manifests in his attacks, from his eggbeater-style hurricane kick, to his flamboyant kicks.
8 RYU - HE’S RESPECTED
Ryu has few true enemies, and even those who serve as his chief rivals know better than to disrespect him. Ryu is not a braggart, nor does he belittle his opponents. Instead, he accurately exposes their shortcomings and gives dire warnings about rectifying their behavior if they wish to broaden their horizons.
Even Sagat, who bears a large chest scar inflicted on him by Ryu, knows that the fighter is honorable at heart. It is this sense of honor that forced Sagat to eventually banish his own hatred of Ryu, and pursue a return to nobility.
7 KEN - HE’S CHARISMATIC
Ryu won’t win any awards for his stage presence, but Ken is just the opposite. While arrogant and brash, Ken does possess a charisma and boyish charm that makes him a hit with the ladies, and a close pal of other fighters like Sean Matsuda, Chun-Li, and Fei Long.
He’s the guy you’d love to hang out with on a Saturday night, and definitely the life of a party. He lacks Ryu’s introspective wisdom and intellectualism, but he’s guaranteed not to bore you to death!
6 RYU - A MASTER OF HADOUKEN
Ryu and Ken are both masters of the mystical art known as Hadou, but Ryu specializes in the use of the Hadouken fireball. Early Street Fighter games made little distinction between both fighter’s use of the ability, but later games would accentuate Ryu’s fireball attack to show a clear difference.
One of Ryu’s most popular super-moves is the Shinku Hadouken, a supercharged fireball with a wide blast radius that can devastate an opponent and quickly put an end to any fight.
5 KEN - A MASTER OF SHORYUKEN
By contrast, Ken took the opposite path, and focused his talents specifically on the Shoryuken Dragon Punch. Both fighters use this ability well, but only Ken has mustered enough raw talent to turn the attack into a devastating fire-tinged blow that can deliver enormous damage.
Ken’s Shoryureppa is a triple-dragon punch that finishes opponents off in spectacular style while generating enough raw force to create fire. Clearly, Ken has put in the extra time at the dojo!
4 RYU - HE LURES HIS OPPONENTS IN
Ryu plays the game with a bit more strategy than Ken does. This is demonstrated in his fighting style, which plays keep-away with fireball attacks in order to draw in opponents with jumps, leaving them off guard.
Any fighter who tries to get Ryu on the ropes will soon realize that they’ve bitten off more than they can chew! He’s a fighter who knows how to handle himself in close quarters, and by throwing opponents off with push-back tactics, he whittles them down for the eventual close-up brawl.
3 KEN - HE’S A GO-GETTER
Ken is a different kind of fighter entirely. He will close the gap between himself and his opponent as early as possible, and execute a series of rapid-fire attacks that pummel the enemy and make it hard to counter-attack.
Ken will unleash a heavy burst of energy at the start of a fight in order to get in those first vital shots, and he’ll use everything but the kitchen sink. His hurricane kick can raze his opponents to the ground if they’re not careful, and it usually leaves them open for a dragon punch. Where Ryu likes to keep opponents guessing, Ken prefers to leave them speechless.
2 RYU - HE RECOGNIZES HIS WEAKNESSES
While Ryu is undoubtedly one of the most powerful fighters on the face of the planet, he’s not without his own shortcomings. Thankfully, this is one warrior who knows his own limits, and relies on others to help keep him grounded.
Especially dangerous is the Satsui no Hadou, or “surge of murderous intent” that germinates within him. Ryu saw first-hand what this dark side could lead to when he first met Akuma, and he’s come dangerously close to falling down the same slope. His quest to become the best at his martial art always leaves the Satsui no Hadou free to manifest, but his ongoing struggle may one day defeat it once and for all.
1 KEN - HE’S PURE OF HEART
Ken might be a raging egotist, but he’s also kind, loyal and appreciative of those within his life. He’s a dedicated husband, father, and comrade, which helps keep him focused on his future.
His desire to win is potent, but it’s always overshadowed by his willingness to help those who mean the most to him. That means he’ll walk away from a fight if someone is in need, where normally he would take on any and all challengers. This goodness gives Ken an inherent strength that makes him the fighter he is.
NEXT: Dead Or Alive: 10 Most Powerful Characters In The Series, Ranked
