One of the most thrilling matches at Evo 2025 was Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. The excitement ranged from KojiKOG's instantly meme-worthy, dramatic reaction to his Top 8 loss, to the incredible Grand Finals showdown between GO1 and ET, and every electrifying moment in between. It served as a fantastic reminder of just how entertaining the game truly is. While I couldn't connect with anyone from SNK at the event itself, Producer Yasuyuki Oda and Animator Masami Obari graciously answered several of my questions via email. We discussed Ken's release in City of the Wolves and other topics sure to interest SNK and fighting game fans.
One of my biggest surprises after playing Ken was how closely he mirrors his Street Fighter 6 version, despite this being a completely different game. Could you discuss the challenges of adapting such a beloved character from one series to fit an entirely new set of rules and mechanics?
Yasuyuki Oda, Lead Producer on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves: Our primary concern was integrating Ken into the Fatal Fury gameplay and world without losing his core identity. Our development team is filled with passionate Street Fighter fans, and I believe their love for the series shines through in all the subtle details we crafted for Ken. We methodically worked on incorporating his high speed and flashy flame-based attacks into the City of the Wolves system, constantly questioning ourselves: "What's missing?", "What can we improve?", "What are Ken's key strengths and how can we highlight them?" After extensive iteration, this version of Ken finally came together.
In Street Fighter 6, Ken is notably strong due to his ability to convert blocked normals into a Jinrai Kick mix-up, his plus-on-block Heavy Dragon Lash for pressure, and excellent neutral buttons. Were you concerned these traits might make him overly powerful in Fatal Fury?
Oda: You're correct—porting Ken directly from Street Fighter 6 would undoubtedly make him a top-tier pick in City of the Wolves. Naturally, we made careful adjustments during the adaptation process. Integrating systems like Braking and REV Accel was challenging, but we aimed to preserve what makes Ken unique while letting players explore his potential within our game's mechanics. We're eager to see how the community receives him and the strategies they develop.
With Terry and Mai in Street Fighter 6, Ken now in Fatal Fury, and Chun-Li on the way, is there interest in collaborating with Capcom again for another Capcom vs. SNK title? Or is that a distant dream?
That would be quite something, wouldn't it?“
Oda: That would be quite something, wouldn't it? However, I cannot comment on anything specific at this time. We always appreciate questions like this, as they highlight the fans' passion for another Capcom vs. SNK. It's a tremendous source of motivation for our team.
What is your overall perspective on guest characters in fighting games? Do you view it as a positive trend for the genre, and could we see more in future SNK titles or updates to Fatal Fury?
Oda: I believe it's an excellent trend. While respecting the original game's story and world is crucial, guest characters have great potential to create new "chemical reactions" for the fighting game community—sparking unexpected outcomes and birthing fresh experiences. For City of the Wolves, our current focus is on bringing back legacy characters before considering additional guests. Rest assured, we are fully dedicated to that goal. Even after Mr. Big's release, we have many new characters and game aspects in development, so please stay tuned!
While she's still some time away and Joe is up first, can you share any details about Chun-Li's implementation in Fatal Fury? Will you primarily draw inspiration from her Street Fighter 6 iteration, similar to the approach with Ken?
We have a few surprises and finer details we're planning to add. We're looking to make this version of Chun-Li a culmination of her past iterations.“
Oda: We are using her SF6 version as a foundation. However, since many of our team members are fans of the entire Street Fighter series, we're planning to include some surprises and refined details. Our goal is to make this version of Chun-Li, much like Ken, a celebration of her entire history. Please look forward to it.
For Obari-san, what was it like animating such an iconic character from outside SNK's world, like Ken? Were you able to add your own signature touches, or did you aim to stay as true to the source material as possible?
Masami Obari, Animator on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves: First, it was a tremendous honor to work on this project. I'm incredibly grateful to Capcom for the opportunity. Regarding original elements, the most effort went into redesigning these characters through my personal artistic lens. You could call it "Bari-Ken!" (Haha). Animating Ken within the visual style of the Fatal Fury anime was an absolute joy.
Are there any dream crossovers you'd personally love to work on, either within fighting games or from other genres?
I would be extremely happy to see a collaboration with a real pro wrestler.“
Obari: I'm a huge pro wrestling enthusiast, so a collaboration with a real wrestler would thrill me. Within fighting games, I'd be excited to see a crossover with Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer, a title I was originally responsible for in terms of story and character design!
Finally, from a canonical standpoint, who do you think would win in a fight between Ken and Terry?
Obari: Honestly, I believe Terry would win. While their raw power might be evenly matched, Terry carries significant burdens, and that forge an incredibly strong will within him. That said, as an anime director, I'd prefer not to decide and instead have them join forces to battle a common enemy.
