The so-called video game movie curse has become a particularly dated term perpetuated by the internet. Sure, plenty of bad adaptations that don't do their original game properties justice or even make for worthwhile viewings exist. Yet, labeling every single rendition as terrible is unfair. In the hands of a good creative team, translating the world of gaming to film can be done well. Look no further than Gisaburo Sugii's action-packed anime feature “Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie.”
Gisaburo Sugii's career in anime goes far back, including involvement in the original “Astro Boy” show. He would, along with Kenichi Imai, write the screenplay of “Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie”. The now-defunct animation studio Group TAC would be tasked with animating, while Toei would distribute. For its overseas release, the feature would be distributed by 20th Century Fox with an English dub. Upon release, “Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie” was a huge success financially and critically, later spawning a loose adaptation with the series “Street Fighter II V,” which Sugii would also direct, and involve the same animation team. Ironically, this movie was released the same year as the live-action adaptation “Street Fighter.”
For the film's story, skilled fighter Ryu travels the world to challenge and meet other skilled warriors. While this is happening, the crime syndicate Shadowland is in operation, led by the evil M. Bison, who has goals of world domination. He seeks to find Ryu and his good friend and rival Ken, who's also a martial artist and is now trying to settle down with his girlfriend. In addition, Interpol agent Chun-Li and United States Air Force major Guille seek to take down M. Bison to avenge loved ones killed by him.
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Right from the opening scene, it's abundantly clear that “Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie” isn't trying to be some deep philosophical martial arts film. Its primary goal is to entertain and have fun with its lore and characters, and it certainly succeeds. It is also very faithful to the source material and shows what can be done with video game adaptations in movie format. There's a great balance of spectacular action and doses of humor, though it will occasionally present an effective dramatic moment. The feature does a solid job with its world-building, and while there are plenty of fight scenes, Sugii knows when to take a breather from time to time and let the characters play off of one another.
Now, while the world-building is a strength of the movie, it's also a weakness. There are primarily two storylines: the A plot focuses on Ryu and Ken, and the B plot on Chun-Li and Guile, both of which are intertwined with M. Bison. What the audience gets is good, but the movie could have gone the extra mile to develop its characters further if it had a longer runtime and if there weren't occasional random detours from the main stories to focus on cameos of some of the franchise's characters. Even if some of them have some connection to the narrative, they could have easily been written out in favor of further developing the already busy story. These cutaways also hurt the movie as there are plot threads set up that ultimately go nowhere. Perhaps the intention was to tease a possible sequel, but one never followed, making these moments more pointless. These aspects don't ruin the overall experience but could have been reworked to tighten the script further.
Much of the recognizable “Street Fighter” roster features here, but primarily, the lead heroes and the main antagonist get their time to shine and make for the film's best characters. Ryu and Ken share a touching friendship and mutual respect for one another while also having their own destined paths and unique personalities. Ryu remains in touch with his spiritual and martial arts practices while traveling the world to seek out worthy challengers, while Ken is trying to settle down with his girlfriend but still remembers his good friend. Chun-Li is both charming and funny while also having a coolness to her. She also plays off nicely of Guile's dead serious demeanor. M. Bison makes for an impressive villain who revels in his evil ways, delightfully over-the-top while still having an intimidating presence. He is certainly a force to be reckoned with in combat. It also helps that the voice acting in “Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie” shines both in its original Japanese language and the English dub.
Undoubtedly, the movie's strongest aspect is its stunning animation by Group TAC. “Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie” is a visual marvel from beginning to end. The beloved characters are depicted here with a stylish and colorful art direction, certainly helped by meticulous editing and Hiroaki Edamitsu's precise cinematography. The action is spectacular, with some of the most marvelous fight scenes depicted in an animated feature. The highlights would be Chun-Li's brawl with Vega and Ryu and Ken's final confrontation with M. Bison. Much of the choreography was made possible thanks to the involvement of real martial artist Kazuyoshi Ishii and professional fighter Andy Hug, who served as consultants for staging the fights. There's also plenty of enjoyable fan service with the inclusion of recognizable iconic moves of the franchise, like the Hadoken, Shoryuken, and Spinning Bird Kick.
Regarding the music, for the Japanese version, the score is composed by Yuji Toriyama and features J-pop tunes by Ryuko Shinohara, Big Life, and Alpha Lyla. For the English Dub, the music is composed by Cory Lerios and John D'Andrea and features songs by popular rock bands, including Korn and Alice in Chains. The two soundtracks are different but good in their ways. Toriyama's musical compositions are more subdued and atmospheric, while Lerios and D'Andrea's have a grungy alternative rock-oriented feel but also know when to dial down in specific moments.
While no masterpiece, “Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie” is a great time. Long-time fans of Capcom's “Street Fighter” franchise will love this film, and those merely looking for a fun action flick will also enjoy it. On top of that, it's gorgeously animated. It could have benefited from a longer run time and a few rewrites to the script, but enough redeeming qualities make for a worthwhile viewing experience. If anything, Gisaburo Sugii's entertaining anime martial arts epic proves that good video game adaptations are not impossible to make.
