SNK on Fatal Fury's Ken, Chun-Li DLC, and Capcom Rivalry at Evo 2025

One of the most thrilling matches to watch at Evo 2025 was Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. Highlights included KojiKOG's memorable and dramatic reaction to his top 8 loss, the incredible grand finals showdown between Go1 and ET, and countless other exciting moments throughout the event. It was a powerful reminder of how enjoyable the game truly is. Although I didn't get a chance to speak with anyone from SNK at the event, Producer Yasuyuki Oda and Animator Masari Obari generously answered several of my questions via email. We discussed the arrival of Ken in City of the Wolves and other topics sure to interest SNK and fighting game enthusiasts.

When I first played Ken, I was surprised by how much he resembles his Street Fighter 6 version, even though this is a completely different game. Can you discuss the challenges of adapting such a beloved character from one series to fit into an entirely new set of game rules and mechanics?
Yasayuki Oda, Lead Producer on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves: Our primary concern was integrating Ken into the Fatal Fury gameplay and world while preserving his core character identity. Our development team is filled with passionate Street Fighter fans, and their dedication to the franchise is reflected in the meticulous details we incorporated for Ken. It was a gradual process to blend Ken's high speed and flashy flame-based attacks into the City of the Wolves system. We continuously asked ourselves questions like, "What's missing?", "What can be improved?", and "What are Ken's key strengths and how can we best utilize them?" Through repeated testing and refinement, this version of Ken finally came together.

Ken has always been a powerful character in Street Fighter 6, largely due to his ability to convert regular blocked hits into a Jinrai Kick, forcing defenders into risky guesses. He also has a plus-on-block gap closer with his Heavy Dragonlash Kick, along with excellent neutral buttons and a well-rounded tool kit. Were you ever worried that including these traits might make him overpowered in Fatal Fury?
Oda: As you noted, directly porting Ken from Street Fighter 6 would certainly make him a dominant character in City of the Wolves. We made careful adjustments as we adapted him. Incorporating mechanics like Braking and REV Accel was challenging, but we believe we've successfully highlighted what makes Ken unique while letting players experience a fresh playstyle within our game's systems. We're eager to see how fans react and explore this new iteration of Ken.

With Terry and Mai appearing in Street Fighter 6, Ken joining Fatal Fury, and Chun-Li on the way, is there any interest in collaborating with Capcom again for another Capcom vs. SNK title? Or is that just a distant dream at this point?

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Oda: That would be quite something, wouldn't it? However, I can't share any details at this time. We always appreciate receiving questions like this because it shows the fans' passion for another Capcom vs. SNK game. It's a tremendous source of motivation for our team.

What is your overall perspective on guest characters in fighting games? Do you see it as a positive trend for the genre, and can we expect to see more guest fighters in future SNK titles or updates for Fatal Fury?

Oda: I believe it's a fantastic trend. While it's crucial to respect the story and world of other games, introducing guest characters holds great potential for creating exciting "chemical reactions" in the fighting game scene—leading to unexpected outcomes and the birth of something new.

As for City of the Wolves, our current priority is reintroducing legacy characters before considering additional guest fighters. Please be assured that our main focus is on that right now. Even after the release of Mr. Big, we're actively developing many new characters and additional game features, so stay tuned for future announcements!

I know Chun-Li's release is still a while off, with Joe arriving first, but can you share any insights about her inclusion in Fatal Fury? Will her design follow a similar approach to Ken's, drawing primarily from her Street Fighter 6 incarnation?

We have some surprises and intricate details planned. Our goal is to make this version of Chun-Li a celebration of her entire history.“

Oda: We are using her Street Fighter 6 version as a foundation. However, since many of our team members are long-time fans of the entire Street Fighter series, we have some special surprises and finer details in the works. We aim for this version of Chun-Li, much like Ken, to represent the culmination of all her past iterations, so please look forward to it.

Obari-san, what was the experience like animating such an iconic character from outside SNK's universe, like Ken? Were you able to add any personal signature touches, or did you strive to remain as faithful to the original source material as possible?

Masami Obari, Animator on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves: First, I must say it was a tremendous honor to work on this project. I'm incredibly grateful to Capcom for this opportunity. Regarding original elements, the most significant effort went into interpreting these characters through my personal artistic style—I'd even call it "Bari-Ken!" (Haha). It was an absolute joy to draw Ken within the distinctive style of Fatal Fury's anime aesthetic.

Are there any dream crossovers you would personally love to work on, either within the fighting game genre or from other media?

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Obari: I'm a huge pro wrestling fan, so I would be absolutely thrilled to collaborate with a real professional wrestler. In the realm of fighting games, a crossover with Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer, a title I was originally responsible for in terms of story and character design, would be incredibly exciting!

Finally, from a canonical perspective, who do you believe would win in a fight between Ken and Terry?

Obari: To be perfectly honest, I think Terry would come out on top. While they are evenly matched in raw power, Terry carries significant burdens, and that fuels a stronger will to fight.

That said, as an anime director, I'd rather not decide and instead have the two join forces to battle a common enemy.