Video Game adaptations are a very hit or miss affair, unfortunately, more the latter than the former. We’ve seen many cherished franchises hacked into film with little resemblance to its source material, seemingly created with a pure focus of capitalizing on a growing fan base. We get our hopes up that, finally, an accurate representation of a beloved game will make it to the big screen, only to have it smashed it into the ground by creating a film loosely based on our beloved characters. However, there was a glimmer of hope on the horizon with the short film, Street Fighter Legacy, created by true fans of Street Fighter. This would later become the, “dress rehearsal,†as stated by series creator, Joey Ansah, for what would lead to the new series, Street Fighters Assassin’s Fist.
Street Fighter Assassin’s Fist is a series about Ryu (Mike Moh) and Ken Masters (Christian Howard) learning the ancient fighting style of Ansatsuken from their master, Goken (Akira Koieyama). The series delves into the bloody past of Ansatsuken, Ken and Ryu’s struggles as kids to master the ancient style and the victims of Ansatsuken. The show touches upon many beloved characters and is the strongest, most accurate depictions of the characters of the much cherished fighting game.
Having been able to watch through nine episodes of 12 prior to this post, it’s safe to say that Street Fighter Assassin’s Fist is a huge step forward for video game adaptations. Writer’s Joey Ansah (Akuma) and Christian Howard (Ken Masters) not only have a strong grasp of Street Fighter lore; they also have a deep passion for creating a true adaptation of the franchise. Their passion shows through in each episode of the show. From being able to recreate picture perfect characters from the game to on screen, to crafting a strong and, most importantly, believable story about two students learning the power of Ansatsuken, everything is absolutely on point.
The bad reputation that game adaptations receive is more than warranted. There have been plenty of questionable adaptations, from the original Street Fighter (1994) to Max Payne (2008), but in no way does this film fall into that trap. From what we’ve seen, Assassin’s Fist does everything right. Could this Web Series, which will later be released on TV in six episodes and shortly after that in cinemas, be the saving grace for other game adaptations? Is it the trailblazer for seeing your favorite franchise brought to life? It’s certainly possible with how well they have adapted Street Fighter to film.
Without further ado, enjoy the full series of Street Fighter Assassin’s Fist below. Also after the series checkout our interviews with the cast of Assassin’s Fist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyVO0NLoLWE&list=PLZLTS4u9M_2r89MGqgDNGGxQfmLuhtxqU&index=2
