Here Comes a New Challenger

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HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!

Or not. 

That proclamation is the title of a documentary that debuted on Blu Ray last year and is now on Amazon Prime. It's the latest documentary by British Youtuber Oliver Harper, who frequently produces longform retrospectives of numerous cult classics (most recently on David Lynch's Dune) or their video game adaptations (his latest, on Alien 3, debuted Monday). What do I think of it after it's been advertised these last few years on his videos?

It's not bad.

This takes a look at the origins and legacy of the definitive fighting game, Street Fighter II. Before its creators, Capcom, even released Street Fighter One, fighting games were rather simplistic affairs that were about getting the highest scores. Capcom refined the formula to emphasize its unique characters, even if players were limited to two characters - series mainstays Ryu and Ken - while the rest were computer opponents. After that, a few of its programmers left Capcom for rival SNK, who would later produce Street Fighter's closest rival, King of Fighters. A few newcomers were tasked with creating a follow-up, Street Fighter '89, which instead became the start of its own franchise, Final Fight. These developers were tasked with creating the actual Street Fighter II and its many updates. Harper interviews various figures, from developers to artists to players, for their perspectives on the game.

I've heard quite a few of its anecdotes before. It was still engrossing to hear the interviewees tell them themselves. For example, the original cabinet for Street Fighter One initially had two buttons - punch and kick - and the stronger you hit them, the stronger your characters hit. It was changed to six buttons - with three strength levels for punch and kick - because the earlier design led players to injure themselves or the machine. Cinematographer Christopher Stratton perfectly simulates the potentially hazardous gameplay on the original model with frenetic zooms on the buttons. While former marketing head Jeff Walker found the game change confusing, he admits it was the right call, and you'll certainly agree after that montage.

It also elaborates on a few other tales. I was aware that designer James Goddard created the Jamaican kickboxer Dee Jay to replace a palette swap for Bruce Lee homage Fei Long in Super Street Fighter II. But I wasn't aware that he also helped refine Native American grappler T. Hawk from his original stereotypical design. I also didn't know that a hardware shortage caused the first Street Fighter II to lack the ability for "mirror matches" or to play as the four boss characters, all rectified in later installments. I wasn't also privy to the fan demand that led to those changes. In fact, Goddard's interview segments emphasize how later updates were shaped by fan interactions - and even a bootleg, Rainbow Edition.

The documentary also touches on various bits of often silly merchandising. Its action figures - remolded from GI Joe figures - helped pave the way for its 1994 live-action film. I find that film corny fun even if director and writer Steven E. de Souza doesn't really see it that way. An anime film was released that same year, and Harper contrasts the English and Japanese releases' differing soundtracks. The mood whiplash you'll get from that segment is so extreme it's funny. Harper spotlights various conversions of the game, which range from great if not perfect (SNES) to abysmal (Commodore 64). Oh, even if I didn't own all of them, that segment is still nostalgic; I even vividly remember its Where's Waldo book!

Is there anything it missed? I'll list a few. It didn't mention the problems with naming the boxer boss Mike Bison; it mentions the game featuring in a fight scene in 1993's City Hunter, but not the same year or director's ludicrous knock-off Future Cops; there's only one mention of Capcom's monster fighter Darkstalkers amidst several other fighting rivals getting featured a bit. I'll admit, those are minor gripes, considering that the documentary is 140-minutes. But they were certainly noticeable. The troubled production of the live action film gets a relatively short segment, but I think it deserves a full documentary.

This is quite illuminating for anyone too young or simply unaware of Street Fighter II's place-in-history. Its talking heads are compelling as they tell tales fans may have heard a hundred times before. Its animated opening credits make stunning use of the game's sprites and backgrounds. I can go on, but like this documentary, I can't. Simply see it however you can, whether on streaming or Blu Ray. I think it's worth how many quarters you have to spend on it.