Who Is Akuma? ‘Street Fighter’s 2026’s Big Bad, Explained

Street Fighter (2026) isn't afraid to lean into the absurdity of the Capcom video game franchise, and it's all for the better. Funny, gnarly, and action-packed, the film gives us many iconic characters from the games, including the evil Akuma.

We all knew he would be in the film, but his presence and impact were genuinely surprising and worked well. But what makes this villain so evil, and why does he set his sights on Ryu? In reality, Akuma's villainous presence in the games is just as intense as M. Bison's and even more dangerous than the main villain.

Video Game Akuma Has a Rich History Beyond Ryu

For many, Akuma is a given in the Street Fighter franchise, as everything from his hair to his scowl is recognizable and iconic. But his history is just as interesting as his look of pure evil. The younger brother of Gouken, the two trained under their master Goutetsu, who informed them of a dangerous style that could corrupt them. Gouken eventually went his own way, but Akuma succumbed to his darkness and developed a love of combat.

After killing his master, he confronted his brother on multiple occasions while he was training a young Ken and Ryu. Akuma's thirst for a strong fighter has led him to face many opponents, including his brother, but he has always struggled to find his true match.

Akuma set his sights on Ryu with the hope that he could awaken his Dark Hado, and every time, the semi-canon character has never fully formed to defeat the Dark Hado master. Nevertheless, this hasn't stopped Akuma from pursuing Ryu and getting him to embrace his darker side. All the while, he continues to terrorize other fighters in an effort to find a worthy match.

Throughout all of this conflict, Akuma also lost his humanity and now operates more as a demon of sorts, fueled by dark energy and a thirst for fighting. For others like Ken and Ryu, Akuma is more of a cautionary tale before he became a tangible threat.

How Is Akuma Adapted in ‘Street Fighter’?

Street Fighter manages to give us a very bare-bones but incredibly engaging look at Akuma that doesn't tarnish the game's lore in any way. The story of his corruption and embrace of the Dark Hado is still a cautionary tale told by Gouken, but we never get the other brother's story. Instead, we get, through animated flashbacks, the truth that Akuma ambushed his brother and killed him because Ryu couldn't stop him with a Hadoken.

While Gouken puts himself in a coma to survive, the master is killed in the movie, and it makes the rift between Ken and Ryu that much more justified. From then on, Ryu remains in hiding, knowing that the Dark Hado is coursing through him and Akuma is kept at bay, waiting for a new champion to challenge and hoping it is Ryu.

When a champion is crowned, Akuma shows up and kills him, but Ryu returns to face him and, after nearly dying, embraces the Dark Hado and defeats the villain who only wanted a strong opponent. It kept the same lore of the games but also enhanced it by canonizing Evil Ryu and also making Akuma a primal force to be used by Bison for his Psycho Power.

Could Akuma Return in a ‘Street Fighter’ Sequel?

With Akuma defeated and Bison planning to use him as a battery so he can gain more power, the Street Fighter sequel has a great chance to show the deeper levels of Akuma, unless he dies early on. Considering he's also fought Bison in the games, it could also be a great chance to see them battle it out and for Akuma to berate Bison for stealing power.

Akuma has a chance to be challenged in a new world of other strong fighters, which also opens the door for Ryu to face him again. This time, Ryu has rejected his darkness while also being able to wield it at full power. For now, Akuma is nothing more than a plot device, but that could change.

Street Fighter, as a franchise, is all about momentum, with nothing stopping it. With Bison adding Sagat to his roster of villains, the jury is still out on Akuma. He could join the heroes in an attempt to escape, before turning on them later, or go his own path and seek revenge. Whatever path he takes, one thing is certain: Akuma easily had one of the best introductions for a villain in live-action.