New Street Fighter Movie to Feature Animated Sequences

The creators of the new Street Fighter movie have been hiding a secret. A surprising amount of the film relies on traditional 2D animation as part of its distinct throwback style. Capcom and Legendary designed the production as a period piece set in 1993, which is the exact year Capcom launched Super Street Fighter 2: The New Challengers in arcades.

For a project steeped in the sights and sounds of the 1993 era, utilizing sequences inspired by Japanese animation fits the narrative tone. Director and co-writer Kitao Sakurai notes that this approach prevents key emotional scenes from feeling cheesy.

The film primarily features animation during flashback sequences. These moments follow Ken and Ryu training under their sensei, Master Gouken, who is played by Don Lee. The movie opens with an animated sequence recounting the first World Warrior tournament and the history behind two major rivalries in the lore.

Sakurai explains the reasoning behind mixing 2D animation into a live-action production. When writing the script, the creators realized they needed to establish the emotional backstories of Ken and Ryu to anchor the core narrative. De-age actors or casting child actors did not fit the desired tone.

Sakurai views the stylistic choice as a natural fit for the franchise. He points out the deep historical connection between Street Fighter and anime, which justified taking a bold risk with the backstory sequences to deliver bursts of energy.

The production turned to Los Angeles-based studio Titmouse for the 2D animation work. Operating for over 25 years, Titmouse has contributed to projects like The Legend of Vox Machina, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. The studio recently animated the video game adaptation Golden Axe and collaborated with the franchise on Overwatch.

Sakurai wanted to honor the films he loved growing up, citing Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie as key inspirations. Titmouse embraces traditional hand-drawn techniques, resulting in every single frame being drawn by hand by a person. Fans of Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie may spot direct nods to that adaptation when the new film arrives in theaters on Oct. 16.

The new Street Fighter trailer is full of fun Easter eggs (and one bizarre one)

Source: Polygon