Road to Street Fighter (2026) - Street Fighter Alpha Review

 

We're back to the Road to Street Fighter (2026), and this time we're going back to the animated Street Fighter movies.

Street Fighter Alpha, or as it's titled on-screen Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation and released in Japan as Street Fighter Zero, is a OVA (Original Video Animation) based on the video game of Street Fighter Alpha 2. It's not a prequel or sequel to the 1994 animated movie serving as only an independent entry. Production was done by Group TAC with distribution by Manga Entertainment. Reiko Yoshida wrote the story while Shigeyasu Yamauchi directed.

The story is, Ryu is struggling to control a dark power called the "Dark Hadou" and fearing he'll turn into his deceased master's brother Akuma who succumbed to it. Meanwhile a sinister force knows about Ryu's Dark Hadou and wants that power all to himself.

• Negatives

I gotta give to the villain, Dr. Sadler. He's just not a memorable villain as M. Bison, Akuma, or Vega are.

• Mix

It's the story. Much like the animated '94 film, the plot can be very simple. We do get some sort of depth what with Ryu struggling against the Dark Hadou to the point where he fears he'll lose control and will want his friend Ken to kill him. There's also a pretty good story with Sakura being inspired by Ryu and wanting to be a great fighter like him, but also getting a glimpse at the darker side of martial arts. However a lot of the story doesn't break any new ground. We once again get another story of someone going after Ryu for his powers.

• Positives

One praise I'll give is the animation. Once again the animation shines especially during fight scenes. Group TAC did a spectacular job with muscular physiques, expressive character designs, and dynamic movements. There's just so much kinetic delivery and impactful choreography to enjoy.

The last thing I'll touch on is the English dubbing. Now I don't think for one moment this one of the greatest dubbing jobs, but it is an improvement for the 1994 animated flick. Mainly because the actors are not only putting more effort in, and it also helps a lot of the voices fit and didn't feel a tad forced.

Overall while it has its issues, Street Fighter Alpha is another worthy entry to look into regardless if you're watching a sub or a dub like I did.

My final rating is, Good.

That's gonna do it for me. Come back on Saturday, Jul 11th, for my review of Evil Dead Burn. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.