Retsu

"Go to heaven!"

— Retsu, Street Fighter

Retsu (烈, lit. "Furious") is a non-playable character from the Street Fighter series who first appeared in the original Street Fighter game as one of the ten computer-controlled opponents.

Story

Just before the first game, Retsu was indefinitely excommunicated from his temple for using forbidden techniques,^[3] as well as his combative tendencies.^[4] His encounter with a young Ryu made him change his ways however, and he now lives as an ascetic martial artist.^[1]

Street Fighter

While Retsu has not appeared in most Street Fighter games since the original, he still forms part of the later games' backstories, being established as a friend of Ryu and Ken's teacher, Gouken. He is also a friend of Dhalsim and had met Oro in the past.^[1][5] Retsu also offered Ryu to taste of his two self-made yokan after their first fight, thus first introducing Ryu about Japanese sweets.

The Travels of a Monk Without a Cause

Some time before the events of Street Fighter 6, Retsu rested at the Genbu Temple and ate cake. When Miharu Abeno asked him to be more quiet, he announced that he was going to visit Metro City to pick up more sweets. He encountered a gang wearing televisions on their head and questioned their outfit. The gang attempted to mug Retsu and steal his jewellery, but Retsu easily fought them off while laughing. After defeating them, he asked where he could purchase sweets, and an onlooker informed him of the cafe in the Masters Foundation building. ^[6]

Street Fighter 6

Retsu appears as an opponent in the World Tour mode. While his base moveset is taken from Ryu, he also has a unique special move where he lunges forward with a jumping kick known as the Hakai Geri (破戒蹴り, Hakai Geri^?), referencing his behavior in the original Street Fighter. He also makes a cameo in the background of The Macho Ring stage and in Ryu's arcade illustration as well as a flashback illustration that took place shortly prior to the main event, where he, Ryu and Dan volunteered at a Japanese festival event. At this festival event, Sakura, Kei and Maki were present as spectators to cheer the three men's performances.

Other appearances

Street Fighter comics

Retsu appears in the UDON comic series of Street Fighter, where he is an assistant of Goutetsu at his dojo; he is first seen making food for an injured Akuma.

Retsu was sent by Goutetsu to pay a visit to Gouken in the mountains, informing him that he was the only other of Goutetsu's students who was able to stay in the mountains for fourteen days without food and water, informing him that he has reached enlightenment; Retsu then showed Gouken the village where the men who killed his father lived; after Gouken told him that he had no intention of seeking revenge against them, Retsu told him that his training was complete. When Gouken questioned who was the other student to pass the test, Retsu revealed that it was Gouken's brother, Akuma and he mentions that Akuma has come to an awakening of his own.

Retsu went out to look for Akuma after promising to find him for Gouken; he first went to Tokyo, only to find that he has no mailing address. He then goes to a village to ask other fighters about him, but was met with stories of how Akuma was the devil incarnate and an evil demon cast from the heavens to bring suffering to humanity; they described him as an inhuman killer of the highest order who revels in sending souls to hell, and a master of pain and death who has killed men, women, and even children. Retsu reports all of this back to Gouken, and suggests that he should forget about him.

At a later point in time, Retsu spars with Ryu to test the boy's skills, and is brutally beaten by Ryu under the influence of the Satsui no Hado, but is stopped by Gouken before Ryu could go too far. As Gouken supervises Retsu's recovery, he tells him that he is fine, and tells Gouken that his student is much stronger then he appears.

Drama CDs

He plays a role in a pair of Street Fighter II Drama CDs released only in Japan, "Mad Revenger" and "Portrait of the Magician", where he is voiced by Takeshi Aono.

Capcom Fighting Evolution

Retsu was supposed to make his playable debut in Capcom Fighting Evolution, representing the first Street Fighter game alongside Eagle (using his Capcom vs SNK 2 sprite) and a redesigned young version of Sagat without his chest scar. Due to time constraints, all three were cut from the game.^[7]

Trivia

• Although not connected to Retsu in any way, the character of Makoto is similar to him in terms of fighting style, involving traditional Japanese martial arts with no fireballs or seemingly any special abilities compared to other fighters, and her background in Street Fighter III is similar to Retsu's background from the original Street Fighter.

• In what was thought to be a piece of artwork for Ultra Street Fighter IV, Retsu can be seen behind Ryu, which sprung rumors that Retsu was set to be the fifth announced playable character. However, it turned out to be a piece of artwork from the Street Fighter 25th Anniversary artbook, released a year before.
• According to the Shadaloo C.R.I, his biggest weakness is candy sweets, which itself being his favorite food, primarily yokan (a Japanese confectionary), as evident where he served two yokans to Ryu after the fight in the latter's flashback segment of Street Fighter 6 World Tour.

Music

Gallery

• Street Fighter series
• Crossovers
• Comics
• Miscellaneous

• SF
• SFA
• SFV
• SF6

Street Fighter

Retsu in the original Street Fighter.

Retsu's stage in Street Fighter.

Ryu fighting against Retsu in Street Fighter.

Retsu artwork for the original Street Fighter.

Retsu's versus screen icon from the original Street Fighter.

Ryu using Hadoken on Retsu.

Promotional artwork by Kiyoshi Utata.

Street Fighter Alpha

Retsu next to a defeated Dan in concept art for Street Fighter Alpha.

Street Fighter V

Shadaloo C.R.I. profile art.

Artwork of Retsu, drawn by Street FIghter V director Takayuki Nakayama (TAXX).

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition: ending art by Bengus.

Street Fighter 6

Retsu in Ryu's arcade story illustration by Bengus.

A Bond With Ryu: 1

A Bond With Ryu: 3

Retsu in Ryu's Birthday Illustration.

Unused Retsu sprite for Capcom Fighting Evolution.

SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash.

Retsu (bottom right) featured in a variant cover for issue #3 of Street Fighter Unlimited by UDON.

Street Fighter II Mad Revenger Vengeful Warriors: Act 3 art by Urushihara Satoshi.

Street Fighter II Mad Revenger Vengeful Warriors: Act 4 art by Urushihara Satoshi.

Street Fighter II Portrait of the Magician: Act 2 art by Urushihara Satoshi.

Street Fighter II Portrait of the Magician: Act 9 art by Urushihara Satoshi.

Street Fighter II Portrait of the Magician: Act 10 art by Urushihara Satoshi.

Street Fighter 20th Anniversary DVD disc 2 art by Akiman.

Retsu (top right) featured in Shinkiro's artwork for SF25: The Art of Street Fighter.

Sprites

Stance

Misc.

References