If you sat down to watch the Street Fighter movie this weekend, you might have been treated to a blast from the past.
The opening sequence of Street Fighter depicts the events of the first World Warrior Tournament in a hand-drawn, classic anime style from the studio Titmouse (Star Trek: Lower Decks, DC's upcoming Mister Miracle).
The anime sequences are then sprinkled liberally throughout the movie, depicting Ken and Ryu's tragic backstory, Akuma's history, as well as offering up a tease of a possible sequel through the Street Fighter post-credits scene.
Instead of simply hopping on the anime hype train, director Kitao Sakurai said he included the animated scenes as part of his "bold approach" for Street Fighter – as well as avoiding the usual pitfalls that present itself in flashbacks.
"Usually, in a traditional movie to illustrate backstory, you'll have to de-age actors, or cast child actors, and none of that was feeling right," Sakurai tells GamesRadar+.
Sakurai continues, "So, during pre-production, we were like, hat if we actually honor, not just the game, but also the legacy of [1994's Street Fighter 2 – The Animated movie] and anime in general – the kind of things that I grew up on, like Ghost in the Shell, Akira and Dragon Ball Z. That just felt more fun."
On working with Titmouse, Sakurai says mirroring that hand-drawn '90s style was paramount to his vision.
"I felt very strongly about working with an animation studio that did everything by hand, like in the classic '90s way," Sakurai explains. "You feel that kind of '90s love and intensity in those scenes."
Street Fighter is now in cinemas. For a spoiler-filled breakdown, we have a guide to the Street Fighter ending. There's also a look at all the Street Fighter Easter eggs – yes, that bonus stage made the cut.
