Daigo IKENO and the story of Street Fighter's design
All the fighting games’ addicts gathered this afternoon to fill all the area around the Video Games’ stage. With watchful eyes and an enchanted glaze, it’s Daigo IKENO, Street Fighter’s illustrator, who was awaited by everybody!
A whirlwind of emotions hovered over the surroundings of the Video Games’ stage, which welcomed one of the most important figures of Capcom: the illustrator and chara-designer Daigo IKENO, known above all for his work on Street Fighter, for over 20 years now. Amongst others, he worked on the colossal Street Fighter™ III 3rd Strike: Fight for the Future and Devil May Cry™ 3, and also more recently on Dragon’s Dogma™ and Street Fighter™ IV.
The audience cheers enthusiastically IKENO, who commits to a live drawing session for his fans. But before he even starts the conference, he timidly admits: “I’m not used to doing such things in front of that big an audience, so I admit I’ve got a bit of a stage fright”. And once again, a round of loud applauses bursts to encourage him and to show him the most sincere support. Such an atmosphere!
Heartened and energized, he starts the conference by presenting not only boards and sketches of his own creation, but also coming from other illustrators he respects, such as Akira YASUDA, also known under the pen name “Akiman”. Akiman was part of the Capcom team before he left and became an independent designer. Images showing the design of characters from the world of Street Fighter and of the series Vampire (Dartkstalkers) unfold on the screen before our eyes.
Between anecdotes and explanations about the development of the game sketches throughout the years, IKENO asks for his audience’s sincere opinion on all of this. Really endearing, don’t you think?
And the conference goes on: we learn for example that at the time of Street Fighter II, the team took their inspiration on cinema posters to make the boards we see on the screen, or that using purple as a drawing technique for the characters’ shadows was something entirely new developed by the creators of Street Fighter, although many other illustrators have tries to reproduce the same technique. And of course, Capcom is a company that loves muscles; its characters are known for their voluminous muscles and for their severed and bloody faces after a fight.
Then comes the long anticipated moment: the live drawing session! IKENO asks his fans what they would like to see drawn out on paper. And everyone had to be prepared to scream the name of their favorite character! A surge of screams sounded in the entire stage but you could still hear some names amongst all this hubbub: Ken, Ryu, Sagat, Akuma, M. Bison, Chun-Li, Vega… It finally is Ryu, and then Chun-Li, the timeless stars of the game, who IKENO decides to draw.
As for the game’s future, he gives us a lead: on the screen appears a drawing of Zangief, with corporal outlines that remember those of Greek statues. What could that possibly mean? At the end of this mesmerizing live drawing performance, he adds: “I hope I will be able to produce projects as good as those of my ancient colleagues, who have made a remarkable work. And I hope that you will continue to encourage Capcom. Take care and have fun!”
Were you there? What did you think of it?
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