Ryu

As a big Street Fighter fan, I’m down for toys from most of the games. But options have been limited. SOTA Toys did the biggest run in the mid-2000’s, and those are easy to find. But between spotty QC and insane online prices, I can’t afford to chase anymore down at this time. SH Figuarts & Storm Collectibles have done a few, but they’re a little pricey ($80+, $100+ respectively) and mostly based on the newer games I don’t care about. So, I figured that’s that then, till I can afford more SOTA stuff.

But like an RKO out of nowhere, Jada Toys announced their own Street Fighter toyline in 2023, six-inch scaled for $25 each. Based on Ultra Street Fighter II, Ryu was one of the first two toys released.

The packaging is really cool, shaped like an arcade cabinet with buttons & joysticks for two players, health bars up top, and in-game character art as an anchor.

The sides have art of other characters, and one has specific info on who’s in the box.

The back has the full roster. Fei Long shipped at the same time as Ryu, but Chun-Li wasn’t released for a few more months.

Besides the character & accessories, each release comes with a cardboard tray depicting their stage. Ryu’s home turf is Suzaku Castle, a fictional abandoned castle somewhere in Japan. It could be in reference to a bird that’s a symbol of a Chinese constellation, or possibly one of two Japanese emperors. Or just something that sounds cool.

There’s a lot of sculpted detail to take in. Ryu has a ton of muscle definition, and he’s sort of average when it comes to Street Fighter. But his clothes got just as much attention. Everything is plastic, but his uniform especially looks like fabric. His belt is attached at the center, but otherwise separate from his top. And while his pants are solid, his top is very flexible. I wouldn’t try, but it’s probably removable with some effort.

Toy looks like Ryu, so that’s half the battle. But he’s from Street Fighter. Can he do the moves?

Yes. Yes, he can. He’s solid with heft, stable. And has all the joints you expect in a modern action figure. Hinge/swivel ankles, double-jointed knees & elbows, thigh & bicep swivels, ball-jointed hips, ball-jointed/butterfly shoulders, hinged/swivel wrists, and proper head & neck rotation.

He can do full splits, but more importantly, he can do most in-game moves and look good doing them.

Same goes for his special moves, though you may want a stand to assist. Alternate hands & an alternate head add to the feel, so he can do a good Dragon Punch/Shoryuken…

…and a good Hurricane Kick/Tatsumaki Senpukyaku.

Besides the alternate hands & head, each figure also comes with an effects part to simulate a signature move. Ryu has a Fireball/Hadouken and an articulated stand to mount it on.

In most versions of Street Fighter II, and even some other SF games, you actually see what look like hands or fists inside the Fireball. Fun fact I haven’t thought about in a long time, but awesome attention to detail.

And that sums this up. Jada Toys has made a really good Ryu action figure. Seemingly, he’ll be the first of many in their Street Fighter line. He’s not hard to get. And he’s only $25! So, if you’re a Street Fighter fan, this is worth your time, money, & attention.

If you’re not a fan, but like nice toys, he’ll make a good generic Karate man too.