Akuma rages into Street Fighter 6 on May 22

Legend tells of a man so consumed by his pursuit of strength that his soul and body have now faded into nothingness. Though many wish he were a mere legend, Akuma will rise again in Street Fighter 6, to challenge foes worthy enough to face him on May 22. Will you harness the power of the Satsui no Hado or succumb to it?

Akuma made his debut in Super Street Fighter II Turbo as a hidden boss and playable character. In Street Fighter 6, Akuma’s thirst for strength has taken a maddening toll. He carves figures of the hundreds of opponents he has felled and places them in the cave he resides, their silence beckoning him to fall deeper into his path of inner strife.

Nakayama-san’s comments on his design: Akuma now has a more striking presence complete with gray hair. We also used Buddha statues and animals as references for his musculature in an attempt to give the character a more memorable aesthetic.

Like the rest of the Year 1 characters, Akuma can become your Master in World Tour. Find him in a new area, Enma’s Hollow, located on the island of Gokuento, but beware the effects of the Satsui no Hado lest you become tormented by its hunger. After increasing your bond with Akuma, he’ll teach you his demonic moves, which you can then assign to your avatar to be used in your World Tour travels or in Avatar Battles in the Battle Hub.

As a man who has spent his life honing his skills, Akuma’s move set will be familiar to long-time fans, but the Satsui no Hado has unlocked new abilities. His fast walk speed and long-reaching normals allow him to control space and the flow of the fight.

Let’s start with Akuma’s iconic moves that make him a well-rounded pursuer. His infamous fireball, Gou Hadoken is back, and can be charged up so that a “red fireball” is released instead, giving Akuma more options upon hit or block. Everyone’s favorite air fireball, Zanku Hadoken, can cover Akuma’s aggressive approach. His dragon punch, Gou Shoryuken, works as an anti-air or as a combo ender. Finally, Tatsumaki Zanku-Kyaku sees Akuma spinning forward in a series of kicks that change properties based on which kick button is pressed.

Like his previous iterations, Akuma uses Ashura Senku to glide on the battlefield cloaked in shadows. Be wary of using this ability since it can be stopped mid-way by an opponent’s attacks. However, Akuma has honed this move’s vulnerabilities and can now use Oboro Throw during the approach to surprise opponents.

Adamant Flame is one of Akuma’s new moves, where he performs a forward thrust engulfed in flames. This move is useful in combos and for exploiting vulnerable opponents due to its long reach. The OD version will wall splat opponents, opening up more opportunities in the corner.

Demon Raid is the Street Fighter 6 version of Hyakkishu. As Akuma leaps into the air with this move, choose to follow up with a low kick, overhead attack, dive kick, or to end the leap early. The OD version of Demon Raid unlocks two more follow-ups: an air fireball and an air tatsu.

Akuma’s Level 1 Super Art is Messatsu Gohado, where he fires a highly concentrated ball of Satsui no Hado. Like most Level 1s, this move is invulnerable on start-up. Akuma has a second Level 1 called Tenma Gozanku where he unleashes the fireball from the air.

Empyrean’s End is Akuma’s Level 2 Super Art where he turns the Satsui no Hado into a powerful flame and ignites it within the opponent. Using this move close to the corner will result in a wall splat where Akuma can continue his pressure or damage. Empyrean’s End is also invulnerable on start-up.

Akuma’s first Level 3 Super Art is Sip of Calamity, another move that is invulnerable on start-up! He throws opponents on the ground with their face and follows up with a single devastating blow.

Finally, the move you’ve all been waiting for: Shun Goku Satsu or the “Raging Demon.” This second Level 3 Super Art can only be performed when his Vitality is low enough for a Critical Art and can be used to end combos. This time, he allows you to see what happens during the one-second worth of nightmares.

Coming with this update is a new stage, Enma’s Hollow, where Akuma resides to continue his hellbent training. Year 1 Ultimate Pass owners will receive this stage on May 22.

Akuma’s Outfit 2 is inspired by his debut look in Super Street Fighter II Turbo. Speaking of outfits, Rashid, A.K.I., Ed, and Akuma will have their Outfit 3s also available for purchase when Akuma releases, and will automatically be distributed to all Year 1 Ultimate Pass owners.

One last thing before we sign off. With the Akuma update comes the major balance patch we mentioned in the past where all characters will receive changes. We’ll have more to share about this in the future as we approach May 22.

Get ready to unleash your inner demon when Akuma rages in!