I am a child of Saturday morning, back when it was awesome: the late seventies and most of the eighties. I used to get up in the morning at 5:00 a.m and sit in front of the TV, curled up in a blanket with the TV remote control. I stayed there in front of the TV from five in the morning until noon, save only for a bathroom break during the commercials, or to get my breakfast--also during the commercials.
I'm old enough to remember what a snork is.
I am a child of comics. I collected them for years. An amalgam of Saturday morning cartoons and literature. What's not to love?
Shakespeare at it's finest!
I am also a child of video games. Though for me a video game experience is more about the story, the character I got to be, and, in those days, the female character I got to save.
Hang on, Daphne! I'm coming!
I was never into games enough to really feel comfortable calling myself a gamer. I tried to call myself a gamer. I really wanted to be one. But I never felt completely worthy of the title. When I played video games I always felt I should be doing something more. Not something else. Just something more.
When the first Street Fighter game came out back in 1987, I was 13 years old or so. It was one of the few games where I briefly held some status as skilled amongst my friends because, for a long time, I was the only one among them who was able to button mash and joystick wrench my way to a hadouken.
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Game machines back then were not the most responsive, particularly SF1, so this was no small feat.
When Street Fighter II came out in 1991, I wish I could say my gamer status changed, and I rose to the ranks of a hard core champion. But it and I didn't. The game actually intimidated me at first: too many buttons. Six buttons were a lot to deal with after dealing with only one or two buttons for so long.
But I eventually got over the button thing, dove into the world of Street Fighter, and I've stayed ever since. The game is great, and I'm ok at it. But my real love for the game, the thing that makes me follow the game from version to version, is the story.
Yeah, the story game-wise is messed up and really dumb in some places, but at its core, there is a Star Wars-like plot. If someone would just see that and make something awesome...
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Oh wait...someone finally has.
But there is still something missing...for me anyway.
You see, when I started playing Street Fighter II back in 1991, my "ship" came in.
Shipping, derived from the word relationship is the desire for two people, often fictional, to be in a romantic relationship.
Fiction-wise, and for the last 23 years, I've thought Ryu and Chun-Li would make the ultimate couple.
Ryu is a fictional version of the perfect man in my mind. He is strong and thoughtful in a way all men should be. Smart and wise enough to value learning, but naive enough to be surprised. He treats his body like a temple, putting nothing but good into it and keeping it in excellent shape. He lives outside the rat race and outside society’s expectations without hurting society. He embraces humanity’s penchant for violence, and he fights not to hurt, but to learn and better himself. He can also be a hero and fight evil and/or protect others when the situation demands it, but he isn’t a hero to the point where he can’t live his own life and do the things he wants to do. Trouble that only he can stop tends to find him, he never has to go out and look for it like other heroes.
Chun-Li is a fictional version of the perfect woman. She is strong and thoughtful in a way all women should be. Smart and wise enough to value learning, but naive enough to be surprised. She treats her body like a temple, putting nothing but good into it and keeping it in excellent shape. She lives outside the rat race and outside society’s expectations without hurting society. She embraces humanity’s penchant for violence, and she fights not to hurt but to protect. And, from my very male perspective, she encompasses everything beautiful and inspiring about women.
Now whether you are ready to agree with me, ready to fight me on the idea, or call the men in the white coats with the straight jackets and a nice padded room waiting for me, let me tell you: it is great to be passionate about something! It's a rare thing. And, I'm not alone. Since Street Fighter II came out in 1991, the niche of fans who want to see this story has grown. There is a ton of fanifiction and art out there to prove it.
True awesomeness would be if someone would step up and produce something more about these classic characters as a couple. Something that went beyond a text only story or a piece of fan art. No need to alter game canon, a speculative work would do. Something fans of Ryu/Chun-Li could go to and be satisfied.
Oh well. For all my wishing and wanting, CAPCOM (the company who created Street Fighter) and UDON ENTERTAINMENT (the company who holds the license to the Street Fighter comics) will never produce a Ryu/Chun-Li Story.
Sigh.
Fine. I'll do it myself.
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What? It's nice to make all my decades of cartoons, comics, and video games count for something: a digital non-profit fan-comic people will read all over the world.
Darth Vader:"(walks down the platform and greets Director Orson Krennic) Director Krennic."
Orson Krennic:"Lord Vader."
Darth Vader:"You seem unsettled."
Orson Krennic:"No, just...pressed for time; there's a great many things to attend to."
Darth Vader:"(sarcastic) My apologies. You do have a great many things to explain."
Orson Krennic:"(looking nervous, as Vader paces around him) I delivered the weapon the Emperor requested. I deserve an audience to make certain he understands its remarkable...potential."
Darth Vader:"Its power to create problems has certainly been confirmed. A city destroyed, an Imperial facility openly attacked?"
Orson Krennic:"It was Governor Tarkin who suggested the test."
Darth Vader:"You were not summoned here to grovel, Director Krennic."
Orson Krennic:"No, it's..."
Darth Vader:"There is no Death Star. The Senate has been informed that Jedha was destroyed in a mining disaster."
Orson Krennic:"Yes, my lord."
Darth Vader:"I expect you not to rest until you can assure the Emperor than Galen Erso has not compromised this weapon in any way. (turns and walks back up the ramp)"
Orson Krennic:"So...I'm still in command? (Vader stops walking, his back facing Krennic) You'll speak to the Emperor about... (stops breathing, and falls to the ground. Vader turns around with his arm partly raised, showing that he's Force-choking Krennic)"
Darth Vader:"Be careful not to choke on your aspirations, Director. (releases his Force grip and walks away, leaving Krennic gasping on the ground)"