In the previous essay, I covered the events of Street Fighter 1, which had a straightforward plot centered on Ryu winning the tournament. After that, Capcom decided to flesh out the lore between Street Fighter 1 and 2 by releasing the spin-off Alpha series. This series expands the timeline, adds major characters, and introduces Shadaloo, the main villains of the Street Fighter universe. The Alpha series includes three games: Alpha 1, Alpha 2, and Alpha 3. Street Fighter Alpha 2 is essentially a remake of Alpha 1, while Alpha 3 serves as a direct sequel to the first two. Since Alpha 2 builds on Alpha 1 by enriching the lore and expanding the story, I’ll focus solely on Alpha 2 and its sequel, Alpha 3, as these two games essentially cover the full lore of the Alpha timeline.
In terms of plot and setting, both Street Fighter Alpha 1 and 2 are sub-sequels set six months after the events of the original Street Fighter but six years before the events of the Street Fighter II series, so the game features younger versions of established characters, as well as characters from the original Street Fighter, the Final Fight games, and a few newcomers to the series.
Before we get into the new characters, let's go over the story of the ones who were introduced in the first game in my previous essay.
Adon was Sagat's pupil. After losing to Ryu in the first tournament, Sagat disappeared from the fighting scene to train alone. Adon was disappointed that his master was unable to hold the "Muay Thai" title and attempted to locate and challenge him. He eventually tracked down Sagat and challenged him to a fight, which he won and earned the title "God of Muay Thai. "He was also supposed to fight a random fighter, who was killed by Akuma, so Adon searches for Akuma with the hope of challenging him and testing his strength.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, Adon traveled the world and encountered Ken, whom he managed to defeat. He also met Rose, who warned him that the path he was on would lead to his own destruction, but Adon ignored her advice. Determined to find Akuma, whom he believed possessed the greatest power, Adon continued his journey. Eventually, he met and fought Bison, who claimed his Psycho Power was the most powerful in the world. Bison defeated Adon, and just before delivering the final blow, Akuma appeared and saved him. Akuma then left, leaving Adon certain that Akuma was the fighter he had been seeking. More determined than ever, Adon vowed to find Akuma again and claim the power of the "Raging Demon" for himself.
Dan, as I mentioned in my first essay, was seeking vengeance for his father's death at the hands of Sagat. In the Alpha events, he eventually fought Sagat, who felt bad about killing Dan's father, so he let Dan win and exact revenge. Satisfied with his vengeance, he traveled the world, meeting new fighters. He also came across Guy (a Final Fight character) and challenged him to a fight. After traveling extensively, he settles in Hong Kong and establishes his own Saikyō-ryū Dojo.
Alpha Series 3 events:
Dan open his Dojo
As I previously stated in my previous essay, after losing the first tournament to Ryu, Gen retired due to leukemia and decided to run his restaurant, but his old foes were attempting to kill him. He realized that dying as a fighter is more honorable, so he returned to action and began looking for new fighters to challenge. He fought Akuma, but he lost to him. He also began to feel guilty because he was unable to save Chun Li's father, a close friend, due to his illness, so he decides to help and protect Chun Li while she searches for Shadallo and avenges her father's death.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, Gen once again challenged Akuma, and while the outcome of their battle remains unknown, Gen managed to survive. During the game's story mode, when the two face off, they exchange their signature moves before the fight officially starts, recreating the encounter from the past.
After losing to Ryu, Sagat left the fighting world to train alone in order to improve himself and exact revenge on Ryu. Adon, his student, attempted to locate him and challenge him to a fight, which Adon won, claiming the title of Myai Thai champion. Sagat also faced Dan during this time, when he felt guilty for killing his father and allowed Dan to win and exact his revenge. Sagat also joined Shadaloo after Bison promised to find Ryu and give him a rematch to exact his revenge. Sagat was one of Shadaloo's "Four Heavenly Kings," who guarded Bison. He eventually found Ryu and fought him again, but he realized Sagat hadn't fully recovered and let him win. After Sagat realized Ryu had let him win on purpose, he promised to train even harder and win in a fair fight. He also discovered Bison's evil plan, which he disagreed with, so he left Shadaloo.
Alpha Series 3 events:
Sagat realized that his scar was caused by the Satsui no Hado that had overtaken Ryu. He realized that true rivals shouldn’t be consumed by rage or hatred, and this clarity revealed Bison’s real motives. Still, Bison brought him a brainwashed Ryu, offering the rematch Sagat had long wanted. Disappointed to face a corrupted opponent, Sagat fought anyway, aiming to free Ryu from Bison’s control. He urged Ryu that a true warrior wouldn’t surrender to such deceit. Ryu broke free, rejected the Satsui no Hado, and drove Bison away for the time being. Sagat finally understood that rivalries have limits. He admitted to Ryu that corruption had nearly destroyed him and that he wasn’t ready for their fight yet. Ryu left, vowing to return as a true master, while Sagat accepted that defeating Ryu was his destiny—not for revenge, but for honor.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, Birdie sneaked into a Shadaloo data room and discovered the Psycho Drive machine, unaware that M. Bison was secretly watching him. Believing he could use it to overthrow Bison and take control of Shadaloo, he set off on his own mission to find and steal it. Bison sent Balrog to take Birdie out, but Birdie managed to talk Balrog into teaming up by promising the Psycho Drive would make them both powerful. Unfortunately, Balrog’s bumbling held them back, and Birdie failed to find the Drive before it exploded.
As I mentioned in Part 1, Akuma is the brother of Gouken, the master of Ken and Ryu. Akuma dedicated himself to mastering the "Satsui no Hado" dark technique in its entirety. He eventually masters it to the point where he takes on the Shin form, which represents Akuma fully immersed in the dark force and going berserk. He fought Gouken twice; the first time, he lost to his brother; the second time, he beat Gouken and left him for dead.
In the Alpha events, Akuma is looking for new fighters to challenge. He fought and defeated Gen, but he did not kill him after discovering that his opponent was actually sick. He also became obsessed with Ryu, believing that he had the ability to master the "Satsui no Hado" technique. Ryu encounters Akuma on his island, Onigami Isle, and they engage in a battle. However, Akuma tests Ryu's strength and instructs him to master the "Satsui no Hado" to become stronger before their next encounter.
Alpha Series 3 events:
During his time in the USA, Ken won many local tournaments while also falling in love with Eliza, Guile's sister-in-law (he is married to her older sister). After learning that Ryu defeated Sagat and became the champion, Ken returns to Japan to confront his old friend. Ken put aside his physical and Qigong training to fly back to Japan and fight his friend. When Ken meets Ryu, he questions what it means to be a true fighter. He wonders if he should use the same fist that defeated Sagat or the one that Akuma uses to murder people. Ken notices that Ryu has returned to his usual bad habit of overthinking things and fights him in an attempt to wake him up. After defeating Ryu, Ken realizes that he has been deeply troubled since his previous victory over Sagat. He reminds Ryu to keep fighting in order to find the answer and hands him his red hairband, telling him that whenever he feels lost, he should wear it as a reminder of their fight and to keep fighting to find the answer. Ryu gladly accepts the headband, and they part ways. Ken returns home and, with Eliza's encouragement, begins training harder, knowing, despite his recent feelings, that Ryu is always stronger than he appears.
Along the way to proving himself, he meets Karin, who wants to improve her fighting skills, and Sakura, her rival. Ken advises her that having a rival is beneficial, not for supremacy, but as motivation to train harder and improve.
Alpha Series 3 events:
Ken heads off to meet Sakura, and after a friendly match, he realizes Ryu was right all along. He and Sakura set out to find Ryu, but their journey leads them to the Shadaloo dictator, M. Bison. Ken confronts him but is quickly defeated and hypnotized. Under Bison’s control, Ken lures Ryu out of hiding, forcing a fight between them. Ryu wins and frees Ken from the mind control. Ryu then challenges Bison but is defeated and falls under the same Psycho Power. Sagat, furious at Bison’s actions, steps in to fight Ryu and break Bison’s hold. With help from Sakura, Ken attacks Bison, and together with Sagat’s presence, they bring Ryu back to his senses. Regaining his strength, Ryu faces Bison again. Sensing Ryu’s dark power, Bison tries to manipulate him, but with his friends’ support, Ryu resists and defeats Bison with a powerful Hadoken. Ken is overjoyed to reunite with his friend, and the two ways, promising another match in the future.
As previously stated, after winning the tournament against Sagat, Ryu resumed travelling and training to improve his skills. Akuma advised Ryu to master the dark technique of Satsui no Hado, which consumes practitioners of their shared fighting style (Shotokan) and drives them to win even if it means killing the opponent. It was later revealed that Akuma wanted Ryu to become influenced by the Satsui no Hado for a battle to the death. Akuma then uses his fist to smash the island with a single punch, leaving Ryu behind.
After leaving the island, Ryu confronts Sagat, but Ryu notices that Sagat has not fully recovered from his injuries, allowing him to prevail. Sagat realized Ryu had left him to win, and he promised to train even harder the next time to ensure a more even fight.
Ryuy is still troubled by what Akuma has told him, but Ken sees him again and notices that his old friend is troubled, so he helps by starting a fight, which Ken wins but gives Ryuy his headband, telling him that he should wear it whenever he gets into trouble and reminding him that he needs to keep fighting. Ryu even met Sakura, a longtime fan of his, and she asked him to be her pupil, but Ryu refused, saying that he has a lot to learn on his own.
****Note:** The final fight against Bison, in which Ryu, Ken, Sakura, and Sagat appear, is actually from Alpha 3, but I want to tell the entire story so that you can understand it better.
Alpha Series 3 events:
Ryu then meets Rose, and she warns him about Bison and his psycho power. He tells Ryu that he can't really win against Bison unless he fights him at the cost of his life. When Bison confronts Ryu, Bison defeats him despite him putting up a valiant fight. Bison takes the semi-conscious Ryu and begins brainwashing him, using the revelation that the Satsui no Hado—the dark power Ryu struggles to avoid using—is akin to Bison's own Psycho Power.
Before Ryu could find Bison, Ken and Sakura began searching for him to warn about the dangers of the dark technique, while Sagat was also on the hunt, knowing how dangerous the Satsui no Hado was and that Bison wanted that power from Ryu. Ken and Sakura ran into Bison, but Ken lost to him and was brainwashed. Bison then used Ken to lure Ryu, who appeared, and forced Ken to fight him. Ryu managed to free Ken from Bison’s control, but when Ryu faced Bison himself, he was defeated. Bison then used his Psycho Power to brainwash Ryu instead.
Sagat arrives at the battle and faces a brainwashed Ryu, determined to free him from Bison’s control, while Ken and Sakura distract Bison. Sagat succeeds in breaking Bison’s hold on Ryu, who, now recovered, challenges Bison once more. Sensing Ryu’s dark power—described by Bison as “the ultimate form of Psycho Power”—Bison tries again to corrupt his mind. Urged on by his friends, Ryu resists and defeats Bison with a powerful Hadoken. Ken is overjoyed to reunite with his old friend, and with a promise of a future rematch, the two go their separate ways.
Okay, now let's look at the new characters introduced to the Alpha Series. I'll start with the characters from Final Fight, a spin-off game set in the Street Fighter universe. Final Fight is set in Metro City, which you play in Street Fighter 6, and it follows Haggar, the mayor of the city, as he saves his daughter, who has been kidnapped by the Mad Gear Gang, with the help of Guy and Cody. Guy (one of the protagonists), as well as Rolento and Sodom (one of the villains), will be introduced in the Alpha series. I won’t go into the details of these characters from the Final Fight events just yet, though I’m considering creating a special essay that explores the entire Final Fight storyline. For now, I’ll focus solely on their stories within the Alpha series events.
Guy was born in the USA to Japanese parents, but he actually grew up in Japan, where he met his master, Zeku, and learned Bushin-ryu ninpō (Spiritual Warrior School of Ninja Arts). After failing the university entrance exam, he decided to move to the United States on his own.
In 1987, Guy fought and defeated Bison, who vowed to take revenge on him. Six months later, Guy mastered the Bushinryu style, and Zeku acknowledged him as a true successor. However, since there can only be one grandmaster at a time, Guy faced and defeated Zeku, becoming the 39th heir to the Bushinryu art. Later, he encountered Rose, who told him he was strong but too arrogant, unaware of the great evil his master, Zeku, had been warning him about.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, a year after the final Mad Gear Gang incident and Cody's arrest, Guy returns to Metro City to catch up with his old friend Mike Haggar. After greeting each other, Haggar asks if Guy has discovered who’s disturbing the world’s balance. Guy admits he hasn’t, but recalls Zeku’s warning about a great evil approaching. Haggar describes a shady organization that’s infiltrated the city over the past six months, even taking control of Parliament. He’s been investigating drug trafficking, but his efforts haven’t improved the situation. When Guy wonders why Haggar doesn’t call Cody, Haggar explains Cody is in detention for injuring four people during an unrelated drug bust scuffle. Guy questions Cody’s actions, but Haggar compares it to his own deeds in 1988 and reflects on what true peace means. While believing everyone fights for their goals in their own way, Haggar remains concerned about Cody’s state, especially since he’s cut ties with Jessica.
Guy asks who’s still in the gym, and Haggar tells him it’s closed but still standing. After saying goodbye, he heads to 22nd Avenue, remembering a year ago when the sports gym was his home, where he’d share meals and company with Haggar and others. Upon arriving, he senses someone behind him and challenges them to a fight. Later, he meets Karin, who shares her knowledge of a prophecy, revealing that the evil Zeku warned about is Shadaloo. Teaming up, they set out to destroy it. During their investigation, Guy meets Rose, a mysterious woman bent on defeating Shadaloo’s leader, M. Bison. Despite his attempts to protect her by persuading her to stop, she refuses. Continuing his search for Shadaloo, Guy eventually crosses paths with Cody.
However, the reunion isn’t a happy one. Cody, a restless street fighter, can’t settle into a peaceful life. He’s become a ruthless vigilante, often jailed for his violent outbursts, and is now an escaped convict. Guy realizes Cody’s war on crime was driven less by justice and more by his love for fighting, which has become an addiction. The two clash, but once tempers cool, Guy accepts that his friend must live his own way. When asked if he’ll stay in Metro City, Cody says he still has traveling to do, and they part ways. Guy bids him farewell, knowing that deep down, Cody is still a good man.
After parting ways with Karin, who confronts Sakura for a promised rematch, Guy runs into Maki, challenging him for his title. Dismissing her as unworthy, he engages in a non-lethal fight, which ends with Maki conceding but vowing not to quit. Guy eventually finds Bison, but too late—Bison and Rose have already clashed, leaving Rose badly injured. Carrying her unconscious form in search of help, Guy is gripped by a strange fear. Unbeknownst to him, Bison has been killed but transferred his spirit into Rose. For now, she survives, but the peace won’t last—Bison will return.
In 1987, Rolento grows weary of being just a lackey for the Mad Gear Gang and decides to pursue his dream of creating a utopian nation. Sodom tries to convince him to rejoin Mad Gear, but Rolento refuses, saying he doesn’t need them anymore. Insulted, Sodom calls him an “arrogant moron” and challenges him to a fight. Later, Rolento encounters Guy, who mocks him for not learning his lesson and claims he hates slow learners, prompting Rolento to threaten to “rebuild his empire” on Guy’s face. In his ending, Rolento puts his plan into action, driving a tank through Metro City’s business district in an effort to found his new nation, forcing Mayor Mike Haggar to intervene.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, Rolento recalls Cody as a formidable fighter from the past and sets out to recruit him into his army. However, the Cody he finds is in a prison uniform and handcuffs, leaving Rolento disheartened by his downfall. Later, after stealing weapons from Shadaloo for his forces, Rolento discovers M. Bison's Psycho Drive. Learning it brainwashes people, he rejects using it, realizing a utopia can't exist without free will. Sodom, who had tracked him down despite their earlier disputes, hears this and understands Rolento has stayed true to Mad Gear's ideals. They reconcile and agree to work together to build a great utopian nation based on those values.
Sodom was a high-ranking member of the Mad Gear Gang, but he was defeated by Guy in Final Fight 1, leading to the gang’s dismantling. Afterward, he sought to recruit new members and revive the gang. Street Fighter Alpha 2 explains his absence from Final Fight 2, revealing he was searching for strong warriors to join. He clashed with Rolento, accusing him of losing sight of their ideals, but Rolento retorted that he was simply finding a better way to achieve them. They fought, and Sodom lost. He also tried to recruit E. Honda, challenging him to a sumo match, but failed in both the fight and the recruitment.
Alpha Series 3 events:
After possibly facing E. Honda in a friendly rematch, the Japanese aficionado soon encountered Rolento again in Street Fighter Alpha 3, where he fought and lost to him in another clash of their similar yet differing ideals and values. Despite the defeat, Sodom tracked Rolento to Shadaloo’s base housing the Psycho Drive, where Rolento denounced it as a poor attempt to control people. Sodom realized Rolento had not abandoned Mad Gear’s ideals, and the two reconciled, deciding to work together toward creating a utopian nation. Sodom’s in-game ending, where he drives his truck into Bison’s base in a successful kamikaze attack and dies, is non-canon according to Ultra Street Fighter IV.
Now that we’ve wrapped up with the Final Fight characters, I would get to introduce new Street Fighter characters, some of whom are among the most iconic in the entire franchise, like Chun-Li, Bison, Dhalsim, and Zangief, who became hugely popular in Street Fighter 2. We also meet Rose, Charlie Nash, and Sakura, who even got her own manga and is a fan-favorite character.
In 1987, Rose, a fortune teller from Genoa, predicted Doomsday and blamed it on a powerful evil figure. Before her confrontation with M. Bison, she encountered Akuma and recognized that his power matched Ryu’s during the fateful Shoryuken against Sagat six months earlier in the World Fighting Tournament final. Akuma warned her to leave immediately, but when she realized who he was, he grew furious and told her to die. They fought, and Rose managed to survive. She later discovered that M. Bison was the true source of the evil and defeated him, believing she had ended his threat for good. However, her tarot cards revealed that M. Bison was still alive.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, a young man named Maggio approached Rose seeking help to find his sister, Aprile. Rose took him in as an apprentice, teaching him her powers. She later discovered that, although she was a natural-born human, she shared part of M. Bison’s soul. When facing Bison again, she drove her fist into his chest and poured all her Soul Power into him, but it had no effect. Bison struck her once, causing her to lose consciousness, and then temporarily made her the host of his soul by entering her body. Completely exhausted, Rose passed out and was later found by Guy, whom she had met earlier while he was chasing Shadaloo.
Charlie’s strong sense of justice was evident even from a young age. As a young U.S. Marine and university student majoring in psychology with a passion for martial arts, he quickly rose through the ranks, eventually winning the Pan-American Martial Arts Tournament. While investigating corruption in the U.S. Air Force, he was discovered by a high-ranking officer under the sway of Shadaloo’s dictator, M. Bison, and reassigned to a rural post. It was there that Nash met Guile, and the two became close friends after Charlie saved him from an enemy base.
Charlie and Guile went on a top-secret mission to Thailand, but it backfired, and they were captured and taken to a Shadaloo base in Cambodia. They managed to escape, but Nash became convinced the enemy had inside information from the US military and was determined to uncover who was behind the Thailand incident. He eventually discovered that many officers, including some of his superiors, were pushing drugs into the military and were connected to Shadaloo, using their positions and power to hide their corruption. Nash then began his investigation and teamed up with Chun Li to track down and take on Shadaloo.
In 1987, Nash was assigned a mission to track down Bison and expose Shadaloo soldiers within the American Army. Along the way, he encountered and defeated Rolento, who also sought to destroy Shadaloo for his own reasons. Eventually, Nash found and defeated Bison in Brazil, but just as he began interrogating him, his own backup helicopter fired on him. He fell into a waterfall but managed to survive.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, Charlie’s story has two possible outcomes. The main plot suggests he goes AWOL, but in reality, he’s working undercover to investigate Shadaloo and its ties to the military. By the time of Alpha 3, Charlie is believed to be incapacitated or dead, making his appearance non-canonical, with the endings treated as “what if” scenarios. In his primary ending, earned by completing the campaign as Charlie, he finds Bison, survives their fight, and destroys Shadaloo’s secret base. In the updated console versions of Alpha 3, Guile joins the roster, and in his story, he’s ordered to track down Charlie. Once Guile learns Charlie’s true mission, they team up to destroy Bison’s Psycho Drive. After Ryu destroys Bison’s body, the villain regenerates, forcing Guile to escape while Charlie stays behind to hold him off, sacrificing himself in a failed attempt to kill Bison for good. Charlie’s apparent death drives Guile to seek revenge in Street Fighter II, and in Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Guile is shown visiting Charlie’s grave.
Dhalsim is a yoga master who has dedicated his life to uniting his mind, body, and soul through the discipline of yoga, an ancient art developed by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India over 5,000 years ago. Blessed by his gods with special powers, Dhalsim now tests his bravery by using these gifts to save others and challenge his own fighting skills on his path to a higher state of consciousness. Through control of mind and body, he can extend his arms and legs incredible distances, though his greatest strength lies in his patience. Knowing he cannot win in a direct slugfest, he focuses on keeping enemies at bay and gradually wearing them down. While determined to win, Dhalsim never harms opponents more than necessary and will never take a life, remaining a devoted preacher, husband, and father.
In 1987, Dhalsim raised money to save his village and earned the respect of the locals, with some even calling him the "Great Yoga Master Dhalsim." He began to wonder what good could truly come from using his powers for violence.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, he sets out to take down the villainous M. Bison. Traveling across the globe, he encounters Rose and Birdie, using his mind control abilities to uncover the truth. He plays a key role in making Cammy White self-aware, freeing her from Bison’s grip. Teaming up with other street fighters, he eventually faces Bison and brings down the Shadaloo base.
Zangief was a well-known bodybuilder and strongman, but he decided to become a wrestler after watching a Slam Master live program on American television. He became friends with Haggar, who was also a wrestler, but also his rival. Determined to surpass him, Zangief trained by fighting dangerous animals like Siberian bears to sharpen his skills.
Zangief began his fighting career on the streets in 1987, earning fame as a national Russian hero known as the "Red Cyclone." The leader of the Soviet Union, referred to as "the President," promised him full government support in exchange for traveling the world to showcase Soviet strength—though Zangief was unaware it was also to boost the President’s image abroad. On his journey, Zangief meets Birdie, and the two exchange jabs about each other’s looks. Later, he seeks out America’s top fighter, Ken Masters, who insults him by calling him a “mama’s boy,” sparking a fight. After defeating Ken, the President appears to congratulate Zangief before sending him to train in remote Siberia with a limited budget. Interestingly, in most appearances, the President closely resembles former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, though he is never mentioned by name.
Alpha Series 3 events:
In 1989, under orders from the Soviet President, the “Red Cyclone” Zangief was sent to take on the forces of Shadaloo, which had begun spreading corruption into Russia. Along the way, he crossed paths with many fighters, befriending some like E. Honda and R. Mika. Some say he lost to Blanka before completing his mission to destroy the Psycho Drive; however, in his ending, he and Honda team up to take it down (though its canonicity is questionable). In R. Mika’s ending, she follows Zangief as he destroys the Psycho Drive, with Zangief shielding her as the base collapses. His story seems to be a blend of the two versions. Either way, the Psycho Drive is destroyed by someone, and Zangief returns to Russia content.
Sakura is a teenage girl who became fascinated with Ryu after seeing him fight on her way to school. Little is known about her early life, except that she’s best friends with her classmate Kei Chitose and grew up alongside Hinata Wakaba and Natsu Ayuhara (both characters from the Rival Schools game, which is also a spin-off set in the Street Fighter universe). Inspired by Ryu, she started participating in street fights and trained to mimic his style. She remembers her first two fights clearly: one against older bullies who stole Tsukushi’s portable game console, which she won back, and another when she stood up to a college upperclassman and his friends who were harassing Kei—a moment that caught the attention of Karin and Shibasaki.
She skipped school and set out on a journey to find Ryu. Along the way, she met Sagat, who noticed her fighting style was similar to Ryu’s and demanded she tell him where Ryu was. Offended by his rudeness, Sakura started a fight with him. Later, she met Ken, and together they confronted Bison. They eventually saved Ryu, who had been brainwashed, with Sagat’s help. She asked Ryu to be her mentor, but he refused as he had his own journey to complete. However, he agreed to take a photo with her.
Alpha Series 3 events:
At 16, she was still determined to keep fighting and set out to travel the world in search of Ryu, eager to truly understand what street fighting was all about. Starting in her homeland of Japan, she faced the sumo wrestler E. Honda, who mentioned Ryu had gone to places like India and Thailand. Traveling with her sensei, Dan, she met his friend Blanka and was promised a match. Along the way, she fought Maki again, earning praise for handling her Bushinryu style better than before, thanks to a fight with Guy. When Maki learned Guy was headed to Thailand, the two decided to go together. Their search for Ryu and Guy led them to Ken, Ryu’s friend and rival. Inspired by Sakura’s love for fighting to improve herself, Ken joined them, and the trio traveled to Thailand, where they found Karin Kanzuki with Guy. After a rematch with Karin—who won but admitted Sakura had improved—they discovered Ryu under M. Bison’s mind control. As Sagat battled Ryu, Sakura and the others took on Bison, and with her defense of Ryu and Sagat’s encouragement, Ryu broke free and, alongside Ken and Guy, defeated Bison. With the Psycho Drive destroyed by Karin’s satellite weapon, Maki and Guy went their separate ways. Ryu then told Sakura he wasn’t ready to train or fight her again, admitting he still had much to learn.
Chun-Li was inspired to become a martial artist from a young age, influenced by watching Peking Opera and Bruce Lee films. She first learned Tai Chi, but later her father, a renowned martial artist, taught her Hongquan and various exercises. Chun-Li continued to develop her skills, eventually creating her own fighting style that combined elements of capoeira, battle karate, and taekwondo. Following in her father’s footsteps, she became a detective at eighteen in hopes of finding her missing father. She later joined the I.C.P.O. (International Criminal Police Organization), also known as Interpol, as a narcotics investigator and anti-Shadaloo operative. Known as the “black sheep of the I.C.P.O.,” she investigated Shadaloo’s illegal narcotics and weapons trade, even as the organization infiltrated the upper ranks of Interpol.
In the Alpha series storyline, Chun-Li was an Interpol investigator determined to uncover the truth behind her father’s mysterious disappearance. During a friendly spar with her old teacher and her father’s friend, Gen, she learned of a possible lead—the notorious crime syndicate Shadaloo. Tracking down its leader, M. Bison, she demanded answers, only to be swiftly defeated when he attacked without warning. Before leaving in his jet, Bison coldly confessed to killing her father and warned that if she pursued him, she’d meet the same fate. The devastating truth she had been chasing was finally laid bare. Later, at the China Branch of Interpol, Chun-Li was appointed Special Investigator of Shadaloo. With tears in her eyes—vowing they would be her last—she swore vengeance.
Alpha Series 3 events:
Chun-Li teamed up with U.S. Air Force member Charlie Nash to track and take down Shadaloo, but unexpectedly crossed paths with Charlie’s close friend and fellow lieutenant, Guile. When she warned him not to get in over his head and to leave them be, she learned he had orders to bring Charlie back. She tried to stop him by force, but Guile held her and told her she couldn’t stop Charlie from doing what was right and for good intentions. Still, she insisted they be left alone, to which Guile replied he would never abandon friends in need. Later, after discovering that Bison had tricked the Air Force into canceling the bombing of Shadaloo’s main base, Chun-Li rushed to tell Charlie and Guile they’d have to handle it themselves. Together, they went to the Thailand base to plant bombs, while Charlie and Guile went inside to destroy the Psycho Drive—until Guile came racing out, pulling Chun-Li away and telling her Charlie had urged them both to escape.
Meanwhile, Ryu was battling M. Bison. Along the way, Chun-Li spotted a young girl escaping with several others, who turned out to be Cammy. She reunited with Ryu, and together they made their escape. Later, Guile informed her that Charlie had been inside the Shadaloo base during the explosion, which apparently claimed his life. Although initially distraught by the lack of evidence to expose Shadaloo’s crimes, Chun-Li ultimately managed to bring down the operations of the evil empire.
We don’t know much about Bison’s past except that he was once a highly skilled martial artist who mastered Soul Power, which he also taught to Rose, his disciple. However, determined to be the best in the world, Bison murdered his own master, who was known as the only one to have mastered Psycho Power. That master passed the dark art to only three students, with Bison being one of them. Later, Bison entered various tournaments to prove himself as the world’s greatest, and eventually founded his criminal organization, Shadaloo, to dominate the world and seek out the strongest fighters.
Shadaloo was a criminal and paramilitary organization founded by Bison, with two major base camps in Thailand and Brazil. In these locations, Bison had advanced technological equipment for experiments involving biological weapons, biochemical drugs, and other weaponry. M. Bison also commanded a massive VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) jet and employed scientists to develop cyborgs, clones, human experiments, mind-control devices, satellites, powerful arms, large-scale attack robots, and the Psycho Drive.
At one point, M. Bison caught wind of rumors about an assassin’s fist and sought out Gouken, the heir to the Ansatsuken. Gouken had anticipated Bison’s arrival but chose to face him using only his fists, avoiding techniques like the Hadoken and Shoryuken, which ultimately led to his defeat. Noticing this, Bison cursed Gouken for holding back his true power, remarking that his students seemed more willing to unleash the full strength of Ansatsuken, before walking away.
Bison runs into Charlie Nash, who’s dead set on taking him down. Bison wins their first fight, but later by a waterfall, Charlie shows up again, warning that a helicopter will arrive in five minutes. Bison coldly tells him to enjoy them—they’ll be his last. They clash, and though Charlie gets the upper hand, he’s shot in the back by a military helicopter. Bison finishes the job with a vicious punch through the chest, sending Charlie’s dog tags to the ground as he falls toward what looks like his grave. When an Air Force soldier asks if Charlie might survive, Bison says even if he did, there’s no coming back—Charlie now knows everything has a price.
Alpha Series 3 events:
By the time Street Fighter Alpha 3 takes place, M. Bison’s Psycho Power is pushing his body to its limits. Anticipating this, he had his scientists create a new body to transfer his essence into, embodied in Cammy—a genetically engineered girl based on his DNA and a member of his elite group, the Dolls, brainwashed young women who serve as assassins. Over the course of Alpha 3, Cammy starts to gain self-awareness and goes rogue. Bison sends Vega to bring her back, and when that fails, he dispatches Juli, another Doll. Looking for alternatives for his spare body, Bison sets his sights on Ryu, one of the world’s strongest fighters and the personal rival of his right-hand man, Sagat.
On his quest to find Ryu, M. Bison discovers Akuma, a lone warrior with fighting techniques similar to Ryu’s and an aura of evil energy. In his story, after defeating Akuma, Bison dismisses the Satsui no Hado as “less than nothing” and says it’s only a matter of time before he takes Ryu’s body. This could explain why, in Adon’s storyline, Bison is aware of the Shun Goku Satsu and calls it a “pitifully weak move.”
In Ryu's storyline, M. Bison sends Juni, another Doll, to gather information on him. To draw Ryu out, Bison kidnaps his best friend and rival, Ken Masters, brainwashing him into fighting Ryu. Fueled by anger, Ryu defeats Ken and frees him from Bison’s control. Ryu then challenges Bison but loses despite giving his all, falling victim to Bison’s Psycho Power. Witnessing this, Sagat objects, prompting Bison to offer him the long-awaited rematch with Ryu. As Sagat urges Ryu to break free from the hypnosis, Ken and Sakura attack Bison, distracting him long enough for Ryu to regain his senses. Ryu faces Bison again, and a strange link forms between Bison’s Psycho Power and Ryu’s Satsui no Hado. Realizing their similarity, Bison tries once more to control Ryu, but with his friends’ encouragement, Ryu resists and lands a crushing Metsu Shoryuken, temporarily incapacitating Bison, who retreats to the Psycho Drive to recover.
Meanwhile, Cammy, acting on her own, gathers the remaining Dolls and turns them against their master. A revitalized M. Bison appears, declaring the Dolls useless and ordering their disposal. The Dolls fight back, but Bison warns that if he dies, their psychic link means they’ll share his fate. Despite this, they escape the Shadaloo base as their minds begin to deteriorate. With little time left, Cammy uses her genetic similarity to Bison to operate the Psycho Drive, removing the psychic fail-safe and saving them.
In the retconned version of Guile’s ending, US military officers Charlie and Guile infiltrate a base to stop the dictator, with Chun-Li joining their mission. When they discover the planned bombardment of Shadaloo has been called off due to Interpol’s corruption and M. Bison’s manipulation, Chun-Li realizes they must destroy the base themselves. As she and Guile escape the explosives-rigged facility, Charlie stays behind to battle the resurrected Bison, seemingly sacrificing himself to ensure their survival. Meanwhile, Bison remains within Rose’s body until Shadaloo scientists create a new one for him, after which he frees her, leaving her to awaken at home with only faint memories of the ordeal.
Okay, now we’ll dive into the events of the sequel, Alpha 3. I’ll update the information for the existing characters from Alpha 2 and also introduce all the new characters that appeared in Alpha 3.
Karin is the daughter of Daigenjuro and Nadeshiko Kanzuki, with Ishizaki as the family butler and Shibazaki as the steward. Daigenjuro is a strict father who constantly pushes Karin to become a worthy heir to the Kanzuki fortune, as he had always wanted a son. The wealthy Kanzuki family lives by mottos like “All you need is victory” or “The worst we’ll ever be is the best,” with some manga even adding, “Victorious, therefore Supreme! Supreme, she is Karin Kanzuki!” Their massive private estate spans 200 miles, complete with its own unique geography and climate, and they’re so rich they even have their own satellite, the “Red Spider-Lily.” Karin was raised like a son because her father wanted a male successor for his conglomerate.
Karin sees herself as Sakura’s rival, ever since Sakura beat her in an early challenge. When the Kanzuki corporation comes under threat from Shadaloo’s demands, she uses her family’s wealth to track them down, crossing paths with Sakura again for another bout. Along the way, she meets Blanka, defeats him in a friendly match, and marvels at how vast the world must be for such a creature to exist. She also faces R. Mika, and is so impressed by her skills that she offers to sponsor the wrestler. Eventually, Karin defeats Sakura, but realizes the win was a fluke, and that the fight itself matters more than victory or defeat—something Ken Masters had told her before.
In 1987, Sodom, the Mad Gear Gang leader obsessed with Japanese culture and reviving the gang, tries to recruit sumo wrestlers, admiring them as strong warriors. To do so, he enters a sumo competition and faces Fuji-no-miya, revealed to be Edmond Honda. They agree that if Sodom wins, Honda will join Mad Gear, but Honda defeats him, though impressed by his effort as seen in their Alpha 3 dialogue. By 1989, Honda travels the world seeking strong opponents and promoting sumo wrestling. He spars with Ryu, points Sakura toward him, and later has another friendly match with Sodom. His journey leads him to Shadaloo’s base, where he teams up with Zangief to help destroy it. Afterwards, he takes in some of Bison’s Dolls, giving them shelter until they can regain their memories, though which ones remain unknown.
Since childhood, Mika Nanakawa dreamed of becoming a star in Japanese professional wrestling and began training at a young age to make it happen. After graduating from a local junior high school, she set her sights on becoming a female wrestler under the guidance of Yoko Harmageddon. After several years of training, Rainbow Mika was ready to debut as a pro wrestler. She came up with the perfect marketing gimmick to promote herself—traveling the world and taking on street fighters in spontaneous matches.
During her publicity journey, R. Mika meets the legendary Zangief and teams up with him on his mission to destroy the Psycho Drive, with help from E. Honda in rescuing people along the way. Afterward, Mika keeps training as a pro wrestler, determined to meet Zangief again someday. She later encounters Karin, and after an impressive fight, Karin offers to have the Kanzuki Zaibatsu sponsor her once she becomes a first-class wrestler. Six months after the Psycho Drive’s destruction, Zangief faces Mika in a public match at her home stage, defeating her in under 20 minutes with a Final Atomic Buster. Despite the loss, Mika deeply respects him, and Zangief notes she still has a tough climb ahead. Karin’s sponsorship of Mika is later confirmed in Street Fighter Eternal, where Mika has earned her reputation as a pro wrestler.
Cody broke out of prison (where he ended up during the Final Fight Revenge story after being jailed for reckless street fighting following his breakup with Jessica) during a riot. On his journey, he ran into Edi. E, who was trying to capture him, as well as Rolento and even his old friend Guy. Rolento tried to recruit him into his militant movement, but Cody refused after a heated exchange, though it’s unclear if they actually fought. Guy, on the other hand, hoped to steer Cody back onto the right path, but Cody insisted he wasn’t a hero and lived only for the fight. The two clashed, but after cooling down, Guy accepted that Cody had to live his own way. When Guy asked if he’d stay in Metro City, Cody said he still had traveling to do. They parted ways, with Guy bidding him farewell, knowing that deep down, Cody was still a good person.
When Blanka was a young boy in the early 1970s, he was on a plane hijacked by Shadaloo in an attempt to assassinate a minister on board. A sudden storm struck from the heavens, lightning hitting the terrorists and causing the plane to crash. Everyone survived except the hijackers. Separated from his mother after the crash, Blanka grew up in the wild Amazon jungle, though he maintained ties to a nearby village. Over time, his most striking feature became his green skin, initially thought to be from eating chlorophyll-rich plants to blend into his surroundings, a change that became permanent. Along the way, he developed extraordinary abilities. After an encounter with electric eels, he gained the power to generate electricity, and being raised by wild animals sharpened his animalistic combat skills and superhuman strength, which he tested against Capoeira fighters and dangerous predators alike.
Set in 1989, the story follows Blanka, who, after eating a melon on a poacher’s truck, accidentally travels to civilization for the first time. Along the way, he faces his old friend Dan Hibiki as a mid-boss, then battles Zangief as his second mid-boss, unintentionally stopping him from aiding in the destruction of the Shadaloo criminal organization. Blanka then goes up against Shadaloo member Balrog before confronting M. Bison. After Bison’s defeat, Blanka teams up with Dan and Sakura to destroy Bison’s Psycho Drive.
Julia was a young German girl living on the Thunderfoot reserve until she was captured by Shadaloo and brainwashed into joining the Dolls, M. Bison’s elite assassins and bodyguards. Completely loyal to Bison, they spoke and acted like robots, ranking just below him and the other Grand Masters: Balrog, Vega, and former member Sagat. As Juli, she became the second oldest of the Dolls, often sought out by the others for advice. Known as the most rational among them, she could also be ruthless at times, likely due to having her memory wiped multiple times. T. Hawk, a member of the Thunderfoot tribe, made it his mission to find her.
All of the Dolls were teenage girls around 16 years old, kidnapped by Shadaloo and brainwashed to serve as M. Bison’s assassins and bodyguards. Cammy, a female clone of Bison, was the same age and behaved like the others, though it was later revealed she could control the Psycho Drive. The Dolls were utterly loyal to Bison, speaking and acting like robots. They held high ranks within Shadaloo, second only to Bison and the other Grand Masters: Balrog, Vega, F.A.N.G, and former member Sagat.
In the arcade version of Street Fighter Alpha 3, Juni and Juli are sub-bosses the player faces before the final battle with M. Bison. They appear together in a two-on-one fight similar to the Dramatic Battle mode from the original Street Fighter Alpha. While unlockable in the arcade version, they have no storyline there. In the home console ports, however, they were added to the default roster and given individual stories—Juni tasked with tracking down Ryu, and Juli assigned to pursue Cammy.
Originally, the Dolls couldn’t survive if Bison died, as his brainwashing had damaged them so severely they would collapse. Cammy eventually broke free from his control (with apparent help from Dhalsim) and freed the others as well. When Bison returned, they attacked him together. During the fight, Bison revealed to Cammy that she was his clone and that her life, along with the Dolls’, depended on his survival. Despite this, Cammy resisted his psychic probing and used the Psycho Drive to release them from his control. She led them out of Shadaloo’s base before falling unconscious, leaving the Dolls with amnesia.
Later, Juni and Juli appeared in E. Honda’s ending, meeting the sumo wrestler without knowing their own names. In time, Honda took them to his dojo and trained them.
Rising from a childhood of poverty in a tough neighborhood, Balrog became a celebrated boxing champion and prizefighter, fighting his way to the top. However, his ruthless and cutthroat nature, shaped by his time on the streets, led to a ban from boxing later in his career after he permanently injured opponents, accidentally killed one, and used illegal moves like headbutts. Despite his fame, especially in Las Vegas where he lived, he valued money over glory, which ultimately drove him to join the Shadaloo criminal organization, where he rose to become M. Bison’s chief enforcer.
While running errands for Bison, he took down Dhalsim's elephant with a single Gigaton Punch. On another mission, Balrog was sent to eliminate Birdie, though he wasn’t sure why. Birdie mentioned the Psycho Drive, and Balrog decided to help him track it down, hoping to make some cash. When the Psycho Drive exploded, Balrog suddenly realized he hadn’t been paid in a while.
Vega was born into a privileged noble family in Spain, but for unknown reasons, their status declined, leading his mother to remarry for financial security. Raised with a passion for hunting, he later took up bullfighting, a cultural tradition he found thrilling and honorable, relishing the chance to face his prey up close with his own strength. Eventually, he traveled to Japan to learn ninjutsu, a style he felt complemented his natural grace and agility. Blending bullfighting with ninjutsu, Vega entered the underground cage fighting scene and quickly rose to prominence. When his cruel stepfather murdered his beautiful mother out of spite, Vega avenged her by killing him. The tragedy fractured his mind, giving rise to a dual personality: a refined nobleman by day and a sadistic killer by night. It also fueled his obsession with beauty and his conviction that ugliness was an evil to be eradicated.
Vega oversaw assassination operations for Shadaloo and worked alongside Cammy and the other Shadaloo assassins known as the Dolls. When Cammy went rogue, Vega was tasked with bringing her in, but failed. Cammy eventually returned on her own, defeated M. Bison, and freed herself and the other Dolls from his brainwashing. The strain of breaking free, along with a built-in dead-man’s trigger meant to kill them if they betrayed Bison, caused Cammy and the Dolls to collapse. Vega rescued them from the burning Shadaloo base, believing that something as beautiful as they were should not be allowed to die.
Cammy was sent to assassinate Dhalsim, but he used his spiritual powers to awaken her self-awareness, making her realize Shadaloo had been controlling her. M. Bison then sent Vega to keep an eye on her. When Vega confronted Cammy, he revealed she was just an “experiment” and no longer of use. In his own storyline, Vega began questioning whether he truly only valued worthy opponents, and after a fight in which he admitted underestimating her, he let her go. Still, he warned her that Shadaloo’s hit squads were on their way. Cammy couldn’t understand why Shadaloo wanted her gone, as she had never knowingly opposed them.
That’s a wrap for Part 2, which covered the events of the Alpha Series. Next up, I’ll dive into Street Fighter 2, 4, and 5, which make up the Shadaloo Saga. Interestingly, the main game timeline is a bit jumbled, with the correct order being Street Fighter 2, 4, and 5, all serving as a prequel to Street Fighter 3, while Street Fighter 6 follows 3 as the last chapter of the franchise.
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