"Street Fighter V" fans have been waiting for the arrival of Akuma in the game. After the teaser video seen during the Red Bull Battle Grounds, players speculated that the character was definitely Akuma. The game's director Yoshinori Ono apparently tried to mislead fans by claiming that they never confirmed his appearance in the game.
Fast forward to the "Playstation Experience 2016" event, Capcom finally releases the full trailer that shows Akuma in action. According to Shoryuken, the character is the first season 2 DLC to be released. Moreover, the silhouettes of the five other "Street Fighter V" season 2 DLC characters are seen in the end of the video.
The character trailer reveals a new look for Akuma in Street Fighter V. The fighter now sports a beard and hairstyle that is designed akin to a lion's mane with a topknot towards the front. His iconic prayer beads are now worn over his shoulder. He still rocks his trademark purple gi with a thick rope serving as its belt. Additionally, he continues to wear a pair of sandals and uses ropes around his fists instead of fighting gloves.
An article by EventHubs claims that the transition to the "Street Fighter V" and its fighting system also introduces new moves for Akuma. His "V-Skill: Rakan" has him perform a defensive pose that parries incoming attacks, which allows him to follow-up with a kick that launches opponents upward or a palm strike. Akuma's "V-Trigger: Dohatsu Shoten" gives him enhanced moves like two air fireballs, far-reaching ground fireballs and a downward attack after his "Goshoryuken." His "Critical Art: Sekia Koretsuha" has him punch the ground, then hits the opponent with a pillar of energy. He also sports his iconic move the "Critical Art: Shun Goku Satsu," but requires him to be in his "Dohatsu Shoten" mode in order to execute the move.
The "Street Fighter V" 2017 season pass is now available for pre-order. Akuma will be available for download on Dec. 20 along with the usual software update.