Ken Masters

Ken Masters
Home Country:	United States
Height:	5' 10" (178 cm)
Weight:	165 lbs. (75 kg)
Fighting Style:	Shotokan Karate (Ansastuken)
Blood Type:	B
Likes:	* Ryu Gouken Eliza Mel Sean Pasta (all kinds) Skateboarding Sports Cars
Dislikes:	* Akuma M.Bison Soap operas Pickled Plums Losing Fights
First Appearance:	Street Fighter

Story

• Pre-Street Fighter

Ken Masters was born of an American father and a Latina mother, and into wealth, his father being a hotel tycoon in America. Because of this, Ken was somewhat spoiled, his parents worried he would remain so for the rest of his life and just leech of the Masters' fortune. Soon after when young Ken turned 12, his parents drew the line on Ken's troublemaking and decided to send him to Japan and to Gouken who was a good friend of his father's. While reluctant at first, Ken soon comes to like and embrace Gouken and his adopted son, Ryu, and together they study under Gouken on his martial art, Ansatsuken. Ryu and Ken growing up together becomes best friends, so far as to be called as brothers. They are also each other's main rivals. Then, as both Ryu and Ken came of age, Gouken told them about a fighting tournament called "Street Fighter". But only the strongest of fighters compete in this tournament. So Gouken decrees that only one of them can be strong enough to compete. Ken tried his best but could not defeat Ryu. So, Ken goes to United States to compete in tournaments there.

• Street Fighter

While Ryu competes in the Street Fighter Tournament, Gouken's brother Akuma appears and challenges Gouken to a fight to the death (at the same time Ryu was fighting Sagat in the tournament). Then as Akuma used his "Raging Demon" Super Combo, Gouken was defeated. All of this takes place with Ken only just getting back, wanting to tell his master of all the martial arts bout he had won while overseas.

• Street Fighter Alpha Series

Continuing off of Street Fighter, Ken returns home (to Gouken) wanting to bring the good news of him winning the United States Martial Arts Tournament to his master. Upon returning to his former childhood training grounds, he is stricken with the image of his master's death, done by the hands of his (Gouken's) own brother, Akuma. Fueled by raw emotions, Ken goes on to attack Akuma, only to be struck down by only one blow. As Ryu returns from the Street Fighter Tournament (and is now the tournament's new champion), Ken approaches him, and tells what has happened to Gouken. Now, Ryu is consumed by vengence towards Akuma, and Ken tells that he can assist Ryu in his quest to find Akuma, but Ryu told Ken that this is *his* invesigation and decides to find Akuma alone, with that Ken and Ryu separated. As Ryu travels the world in search for Akuma, Ken returns to the United States and focuses on his martial arts skills, and even compete in tournaments. Ken quickly became the best American martial artist, and develops a fan service, he even meets a gorgeous woman named Eliza, and the two became romantically involved very quickly. However Ken quickly became bored of other fighters as he still considers Ryu to be the fighter that can fight him best, and he also develops a small jealousy mood towards Ryu as Ryu was able to fight in the tournament. But after Ryu's search for Akuma, Ken ventures to Japan to find Ryu, the two fought and because Ryu was still pre-occupied about what Akuma said to him, Ken defeats Ryu. Then, Ken asked Ryu about what is wrong with him, and Ryu explains his dilemma to Ken. Then, Ken gives Ryu a pep-talk and his red bandana. A few months have passed and Ken has been both training and spending time with Eliza. But as he hears about a criminal organization called Shadaloo, Ken involves himself into disocvering about this organization and what they are up to. During his adventure, he meets up with a high school student named Sakura who idolizes Ryu, then Ken fights and defeats Sakura, who joins him in her own search for Ryu, who has gone missing for some time. Ken and Sakura venture to Thailand where they find Ryu (now known as Evil Ryu, thanks to the leader M.Bison's influence on Ryu) and Sagat. Sagat fights Evil Ryu while both Ken and Sakura fight Bison. Though both Ken and Sakura lose to Bison, but Sagat triumphs over Evil Ryu. But while Ryu was on the ground, Ken Sakura and Sagat help Ryu overcome both the Psycho Power and the Sastui No Hadou within Ryu, and with it Ryu defeats Bison. Then as Ken, Ryu, Sakura and Sagat return to Japan Ryu thanks them all, and they even went their seperate ways once again, Ken returns to the United States and to Eliza.

• Street Fighter 2

A few years has passed and Ken still trains in his Ansatsuken and even spends time with Eliza. Then, Ken receives an invitation by Bison to compete in his own Street Fighter Tournament. Ken accepts this invitation as this is his chance to compete in the tournament. Ken fights many opponents and even Ryu, though Ryu would defeat Ken, but the both of them along with Interpol agent Chun-Li and former Air force pilot Guile fight M.Bison, as Bison defeats both Chun-Li and Guile, Ken and Ryu use their fighting skills to defeat Bison once and for all. Then, as the torunament draws to a close, Ken and Ryu go their separate ways once again. As Ken returns home, he and Eliza marry.

• Street Fighter 4

Some time has passed and Ken has (as always) been up to speed on his martial arts skills. Then, as he searches for Ryu, Ken receives a phone call from Eliza who announces that she is pregnant. This amazes Ken as he is proud to become a future father. As he searches for Ryu and before he could reach Japan, he meets a fighter named Rufus who holds a powerful grudge against Ken. Despite Rufus' surprisingly formidable fighting skills Ken defeats him. As Ken reaches Japan, he meets up with Ryu and they spar with each other, Ken is defeated by Ryu. However, both Ken and Ryu were shocked by their reunion with Gouken (who is alive). Ken was releived to see his master again, he even watched as Ryu and Gouken spared with each other, as Gouken defeats Ryu Gouken teaches Ryu the mysterious art of Mu (emptyness) which nullifies the Satsui No Hadou within Ryu. Ken then returns to Eliza, and a few moths later Eliza gives birth to a baby boy, who they name Mel.

• Street Fighter 3

Several years have passed and Ken has grown much since his last encounter with Ryu. He now has opened a school which teaches in Ansatsuken and has many students including Sean who is just as anxious as Ken was in his young days. He even teaches Ansatsuken to his son Mel. Then, Ken receives an invitation to another Street Fighter tournament. This time, from the radical organization known as the "Illuminati" run by the mysterious being named Gill, Sean also receives an invitation. Though Ken decided not to accept, but with Sean wanting to fight in the tournament, Ken accepts to guide Sean. Though, both Ken and Sean would not make it to the finals. Then, Ken goes back to his family and now focuses on raising his family and train his students in Ansatsuken.

Special Moves

Though, Ken has the same fighting style as Ryu and was taught the same special moves as him, but as he and Ryu went their separate ways, Ken trained his skills every single day and even focused his energy on some of his special moves as well, though he did negelct some of his moves when he trained by himself.

• Fireball (Hadouken)

As with Ryu, Ken learned to focus his energy into his hands and send out an energy ball. However as Ken and Ryu went their separate ways, this was the move he neglected to focus on, making it less developed than Ryu's.

• Dragon Punch (Shoryuken)

Ken was also taught on how to perform the Dragon Punch. This move quickly became Ken's favorite move, and as he left Ryu he focused his energy on this move and soon began to prduce energy flames from his fist and set anything it touches ablaze.

• Hurricane Kick (Tatsumakisenpukyaku)

Another move Ken learned from Gouken. As he left Ryu, Ken focused this move quite often (not as often as the Dragon Punch though) and can spin much faster than Ryu's Kick can and can hit his opponent up to 4 times.

Super Moves

• Rising Dragon Punch (Shoryureppa)

As the Dragon Punch became Ken's favorite special move, he concentrated all of his energy into using the rising motion as a move as well, he can use the rising motion up to 2 times and can hit his opponent up to 6 times.

• Dark Twisting Dragon Punch (Shinryuken

Along with using the rising motion as a move in on itself. Ken had also learned to use the twisting motion as a move as well. Along with the punch itself, Ken also twists in the air, hitting his opponent around 19 times.

• Mega Hurricane

Along with the punching moves, Ken also wanted to focus his power on his kicks as well to balance out his fighting skills. So, along with some of the kicking moves he developed himself, he learned to use them all at once along with a rising Hurricane Kick. This move hits Ken's opponent up to 17 times.

Character Relations

• Gouken~As Ken was heading to Japan for discpline, he met Gouken (as his father can afford any master he wanted) though he didn't get along with him at first, but grew to accept him in his life and now considers him more of a father than his own.

• Ryu~By training in Japan with Ryu, Ken developed a brother-like realtionship with Ryu. They'll have their occasional toils but are very good to each other.

• Guile~Because Ken's wife Eliza and Guile's wife Julia are sisters Ken and Guile are brothers-in-law. Ken tries to get along with Guile (who considers him a rich brat), but it seems hard at times.

• Sakura~Because she idolizes Ryu, she also forms a relationship with Ken (as their fighting styles are similar) and is good friends with Sakura.

• Karin~Somewhat of a fierce rival to Ken as their respective families (The Maters and the Kanzuki) are business rivals. But Ken and Karin respect themselves as good fighters.

• Sean~As being idolized by this wild fighter, Ken has a rough relationship with Sean as Sean remind Ken of himself when he was younger, but supports him during the World Warrior Tournamant sponsored by the Illuminati.

Anecdotes

• As his mother is Latina his hair is actually black, he just dyes it blonde to make it easier for Guken and other people to tell the difference between him and Ryu.

• Early on in the Street Fighter franchise, Ken was seen as just a carbon copy to Ryu (with the same fighting style and special moves). But as the franchise continued (as it began the tournament fighting craze of the 1990's), Capcom had worked on ken to make him more and more unique and developed towards Ryu, making him less and less of a carbon copy.

• Ken was given the last name Masters and a girlfriend Eliza to avoid copyright infringement lawsuits from the toy company: Mattel because Ken looks a lot like Ken Carson who was known in the Barbie doll toy line.

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Other Games

Ken will be appearing in the upcoming Nintendo Switch game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an echo fighter to his longtime friend Ryu, including his signature Flaming Dragon Punch as well as the Shinryuken and Shippu Jinraikyaku for his two Final Smash attacks.