THE TOUGH LADIES OF STREET FIGHTER V
By Sarah Rodriguez
Names like Chun-Li and Cammy are synonymous with strong women in
gaming, but newcomers to Street Fighter V might not recognize some
of the other tough ladies on the character select screen. Here’s a brief
rundown of three “new” stars.
(The new is in quotations because Karin and R. Mika both appeared in
Street Fighter Alpha 3, but haven’t been in a Street Fighter game since
1998. That’s old enough to be considered new, in my book!)
Karin
Representing the stereotypical “ojou” (rich/popular snob anime
archetype), Karin is the rival of Sakura. Although she has the laugh of
an evil woman, she’s actually not that bad at this point in her timeline,
and has learned that winning isn’t everything. Her play style could be
described as resembling Chun-Li and Fei Long, with a focus on pacing
and speed.
Rainbow (R.) Mika
R. Mika is a professional wrestler known for her cheery disposition and
butt attacks. Yes, she launches herself butt-first at opponents. Hey, if
it works it works! She looks up to her idol, Zangief, and hopes to be
as strong as him one day. R. Mika is one of the most unpredictable
characters to play against in SFV. As a grappler, her style focuses on
setups and grabs.
Laura
Brand new for SFV, Laura is the older sister of Sean from Street Fighter
III and the heir to the Matsuda Jiu-Jitsu style. Like most Jiu-Jitsu, this
style involves grappling and breaking throws. She also has a lightning
attack, much like fellow Brazilian, Blanka.
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