The Man Behind Akira Yuki

The CCTV network made a very interesting documentary on Wu Lianzhi, a Bajiquan master who is the prototype for the character Akira Yuki in Virtua Fighter.
The documentary tells the history of Master Wu's life, and his fight to elevate the name of Bajiquan. There's also footage of Master Wu with (then) Virtua Fighter producer and director Yu Suzuki.

You can watch the documentary after the break. If Virtua Fighter and martial arts are relevant to your interests, I suggest watching this!

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G4TV: Watching Fighting Games Like a Pro, Interview with Arturo Sanchez

Cassandra Khaw over at G4TV sat down with MLG|TS Arturo Sanchez during their Anaheim event to get a better idea as to what is going on during each match in the various fighting games that were on display. Arturo gives the rundown on the importance of zoning and match-ups in Mortal Kombat and explains how much different 3D fighters are compared to 2D fighters due to the frame data involved.

Arturo does a great job explaining the various mechanics and will probably help shed light on the genre for many of the uninformed, though is probably nothing new to most of you reading IPW.

She starts off the interview piece with one statement that stood out the most for me -- one that I found to conjure up a lot of hilarious imagery: "....there's a science to all of eSport's redheaded stepchildren." 

How do you guys feel about this statement? Do you think it's just poking fun or do you feel this is how larger outlets like G4TV see Fighting Games in the landscape of competitive gaming? Do you feel there is some truth in this statement as maybe Fighting Games don't receive the same treatment that other games do?  Hit the comments and let us know your thoughts. 

Yoshinori Ono: "Journalists and fans have the power to move Capcom - not producers"

Eurogamer published a very candid interview with Capcom Producer Yoshinori Ono today where he talks about the insane work schedule that caused the deterioration of his health in recent months. He gives a us a look back at his history with the company, making it pretty clear that the work load at Capcom has always been very intense, even in the early days well before Street Fighter 4. 

You would think a man who has been with the company for so long and works so hard would be able to call the shots, but interestingly enough he says that producers don't have the power to move Capcom -- it's the journalists and fans who do. He mentions that it was part of his plan to have the media and fans to make a lot of noise to get more support behind Street Fighter 4 before it was released.

All that being said, there isn't one mention of Street Fighter x Tekken in this interview which is a little suspect to say the least. SF x TK is quite the controversial game at the moment for a number of reasons, so maybe one day we will get to hear Ono's thoughts on the development of that game as well.

Check out the entire interview here. 

EG Ricky Ortiz Wants More Street Fighter x Tekken 1v1 Tournaments, Feels 2v2 Discourages Players

In a recent interview with his sponsor Evil Geniuses, Ricky Ortiz talks about how he is preparing for EVO2K12, thoughts on his recent tournament placings and life at the FGTV house.

He is also very vocal on how he feels about Street Fighter x Tekken, mentioning that he does not like the 2v2 format and would much prefer 1v1 to be featured at tournaments. Like many other fans of the game, he would like to see the game played as it is intended -- with gems and all! 

Do you agree with Ricky or do you still find 2v2 tournaments more interesting? Follow EG Ricky Ortiz on Twitter and hit him up with your thoughts! 

Hit the jump for an excerpt of the interview and click here for the full thing.

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Interview with Isaiah "Triforce" Johnson on E-Sports & the Evolution of the Fighting Game Community by Rykoshet

In the wake of Major League Gaming’s partnership with the Korean E-Sports Association, I am speaking with Isaiah-Triforce Johnson. - Rykoshet

Ryko: Now I know that the fighting game community has plenty of choice words with regard to the subject of “E-sports”, and are far from shy when it comes to sharing said words. Do you think that will be continued head-butting when it comes to the subject of fighting game competition, or do you feel that there will be some sort of amicable cooperation for the greater good of the FGC’s perceived legitimacy? 

ITJ: “In my opinion, the FGC, they don’t understand what E-sports is about. I use the term FGC loosely, I don’t wish to make a blanket statement because there are a number of independent players that understand that they play video games professionally. The word here is professional, they play the games as a job. It may be a fun job, but a job nonetheless. There’s a tear in the community, some people are for it, some people are adamantly opposed to the idea; some people don’t care as long as it helps the community. I feel that E-sports is the future, and there is nothing the detractors in the FGC can do to stop it from integrating into the community as a whole. It’s just a natural progression, just the course it takes.”

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Nuki Interviewed By Evil Geniuses

Before 2008 with Street Fighter IV, Nuki was considered one of the most popular Japanese players in the past couple of years. Today, Nuki still competes today with a mix of the old (Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Super Street Fighter II X Grand Master Challenge/Turbo) and the new (Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition Ver. 2012).

Nuki was interviewed by Evil Geniuses' own Antonio "CoolGrayAJ" Javier with help by Daichi Akahoshi. Nuki talked about his current activity organizing events for Super Turbo and 3rd Strike, the old and new waves of Japan's best players, and his reason for playing Seth instead of Chun-Li in AE2012.

If you want to hear Nuki deafen your left ear live, he will always be attending Game Spot Versus' weekly 3rd Strike Danisen every Wednesday or Thursday night. You can always follow him on Twitter too! (@nuki2)

Check out an excerpt of the interview after the jump!

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Creator of Street Fighter, Takashi Nishiyama, Speaks Candidly in 1UP Interview

Takashi Nishiyama may be the most important man in the history of fighting games. Ryu is named after him — the kanji for "Takashi" can also be read as "Ryu." He created Street Fighter, the Hadouken, the Shoryuken, and the six-button input scheme. He created Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, and Samurai Showdown. He initiated the discussions that led to Capcom Vs. SNK. His current studio, Dimps, was instrumental in Keiji Inafune's vision of reviving Street Fighter with Street Fighter IV. The entire fighting game community owes a great debt to the visionary Mr. Nishiyama, which makes 1UP's interview with the normally-reclusive legend a must-read.

Read about why Nishiyama left Capcom for SNK (spoiler: his boss was a jerk) after the break, and don't hesitate to check out the entire, extensive interview by Matt Leone over at 1UP.

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Daigo in SRK Interview: "Nothing and No One Can Defeat Me"

Shoryuken has a new interview with Daigo in which he talks about his efforts as a player and his increasing role as an ambassador for fighting games. Daigo recognizes that the international competition has gotten stronger, in part due to the efforts of EVO and its supporters. In order to stay competitive, he trains his body and his mind: Daigo works out two hours a day (weightlifting, jogging, and bicycling) and practices his games for nine hours a day.

Check out the full interview at SRK, and see how Daigo defines his fighting game goals (spoiler: he's a real-life Ryu) after the break!

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Giby from SNK-Capcom.com Interviews Haunts on the History of iPLAYWINNER, STA KOFXIII Streams and his Love For Bubble Pop

I met up with Giby from SNK-Capcom.com on eLive today where he interviewed me on a like, a ton of subjects and stuff and like, many apologies about my mic clipping and stuff but like, we do cover a number of really interesting topics such as the history of IPW, how like we got into streaming not to mention my love for Bubble Pop and stuff. Hope you like it.

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Don't Be a Scrub Podcast Interviews Brokentier IFC Yipes

You may know Brokentier IFC Yipes as a player and a larger-than-life commentator, but did you know that he loves everybody? Yipes told the Don't Be a Scrub Podcast, "I really appreciate every single person. And life form." He also talks about his entry into the fighting game scene with Marvel 2, how he got into doing commentary, and the surprising origin of his name.

Find out what Bugs Bunny has to do with Yipes after the break, and read the full transcript (or download the audio) at Being a Scrub!

via SRK

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Giantbomb Interviews Rising Star Noah Solis (and His Father)

Giantbomb's Patrick Klepek interviewed the winner of this year's EVO Rising Star award, the eight-year-old Noah Solis. Noah himself doesn't have too much to say, but his father describes his son's talents and passion for fighting games. Noah's favorite thing about Super Street Fighter IV? Bison's purple hand. Finally, Mr. Solis teases an upcoming announcement from little Noah. 

Check out an excerpt below and read the whole interview at Giantbomb!

Photo by Kara Leung

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EVO 2011: Cross Counter Asia Interviews Momochi and Chocoblanka

Zhi from Cross Counter Asia interviewed quite a few international players at EVO 2011. The world warrior interview series continues with the power couple of Momochi and Chocoblanka. They discuss hype levels at EVO, the strongest players in America, and some personal details of their relationship. 

Find out whether or not Momochi plans to share his ninja DNA with Chocoblanka, after the break!

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G4: Interview with Noah the Prodigy

Easily one of the biggest surprises and best moments to come out of EVO2K11 was Noah the Prodigy busting heads all the way through top 64 -- even on the main stage -- in Marvel vs Capcom 3. G4's Ernie Moreno caught up with not only Noah to talk to him about how he got his start and why he plays, but also notable names within the community to get their thoughts on his performance. I think it's safe to say that we all echo Flash Metroid's sentiment of "I wish I was that good when I was 8 years old."

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EVO 2011: Cross Counter Asia Interviews Gama no Abura

Zhi from Cross Counter Asia continues his EVO interview series with international players. This interview is with the creator and host of Nagoya Street Battle, Gama no Abura. They discuss sponsorship, the decline of arcades in Japan, live-streaming and more.

Hear about the oily origin of Gama no Abura's name and his lifelong love of frogs after the break!

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3 Green Bars Series 3 Trailer

CptMunta just sent over the trailer for the next series of 3 Green Bars where he covers areas that a bit more close to home than his previous adventures. Check out the full trailer and a small blurb after the break!

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EVO 2011: Cross Counter Asia Interview with Infiltration and Laugh

Zhi from Cross Counter Asia interviewed two top Korean players, Infiltration and Laugh. They discuss sponsorships, Korean nationalism, and Korean dominance of StarCraft. Laugh also talks about his Korean arcade parts store, eTokki.

Learn what Laugh thinks it will take for Street Fighter to be televised in Korea, after the break!

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EVO2K11: Cross Counter Asia Interview with Kindevu

Zhi from Cross Counter Asia recorded a 30-minute interview with Kindevu, who later placed 5th in SSF4:AE at EVO 2011. The multi-character master discusses the origin of his name, his friendship with Kayo, the type of girls he likes, his opinion on AE, and much more.

If you want to learn more about the "Golden Fatty," check out the interview below!

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Sp00ky on Live On 3 Recaps EVO2K11 (Replay)

Sp00ky made an appearance on Live On Three with djWheat, SirScoots and Slasher. This is a really good recap of EVO2K11 with Sp00ky talking a bit about the production itself, his favorite matches among a few other topics. It's only like 20-something minutes long so be sure to check it out when you get a few!

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EVO2K11: Destructoid Interviews with Seth Killian, Yoshinori Ono, Alex Valle & More

Our good friend Jesse Cortez and Dragon Lounge regular put together a ton of awesome interviews straight from EVO2K11 for Destructoid! These interviews feature some well known faces from within the community and industry such as Yoshinori Ono, Seth Killian and Alex Valle. There is a lot of great bits of info in these about SF x Tekken, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 and the history of EVO so be sure to check them out!

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Complexity CrossCounter Interview with Gamerbee

GamerBee takes a few minutes to talk with Complexity CrossCounter's Gootecks about his recent performance at Shadowloo Showdown 2011 in Melbournce Australia. We talk about his team winning the team tournament, how he deals with Yun, the scene in Taiwan, his performance in singles as well as future plans for Evo.

It's a good interview, so check out the video.

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