Street Fighter V Concept Artwork For SFEX Characters, Kairi & Hokuto

Capcom's CFN Portal released four more Street Fighter V concept artworks and bios for Street Fighter EX characters, this time featuring Kairi and Hokuto (plus their alternate versions). After gazing at the new artwork, learn new details about these classic fighters through Capcom's commentary and official SFV bios. Will SFEX characters see a revival in future SFV seasons? We certainly hope so.

Name: Kairi
Height: 178cm
Weight: 77kg
Blood Type: Unknown
Birthday: January 14th
Home Country: Japan
Likes: Nothing special
Dislikes: Nothing special

Private Nakagawa: The youthful one-eyed man with a unique atmosphere who inherited the house of Suijin Kobojutsu. He lost his memory when he was thrown from a cliff [which actually contributes to his different appearance in EX2]. "You must challenge your limits." The power held in these words are what spur him to fight.

NIN: To differentiate him from all the other projectile characters, he is the one whose abilities rapidly changed throughout the series. The names of his Special Moves, at any rate, use excessive words or make full use of kanji. I get a nostalgic feeling thinking of the days of hard work flipping through pages of dictionaries.

Finally, here's a look at Kairi's alternate form that debuted in Street Fighter EX 2, that represents him succumbing to his demonic powers.

Private Nakagawa: Kairi's appearance has completely changed from the way he previously looked. He carries an ominous ki as he mercilessly defeats his enemies. What on earth happened to him!?

Name: Kairi
Height: 178cm
Weight: 77kg
Blood Type: Unknown
Home Country: Japan
Likes: Nothing special
Dislikes: Unpleasant Memories

Private Nakagawa: This man has walked the path of carnage, in order to regain his lost past, and in order to survive. He lost his memories and was thrown into the sea during a storm, by Shirase who had been burdened by a form of hypnosis placed upon her during childhood, until he finds himself exhausted after arriving at the cliff from which he fell. Furthermore, Hokuto's seal has been dispelled due to their fight to the death, which reawakens his own memories. Puzzling as to why his sister wants him dead, he attempts to find the end of his destiny as a warrior.

NIN: Well, I know my hair would probably turn white if I were thrown down. I kind of had the intention of making a somewhat epic backstory. I remember writing up until this point, but a better example would be the EX Drama CD... a continuation of this story is on the CD!

Name: Hokuto
Height: 162 cm
Weight: 51 kg
Blood type: A
Birthday: September 23rd
Home Country: Japan
Likes: Fashion
Dislikes: Machine Instruction Manuals

Private Nakagawa: A girl who inherited the blood of the Bushin family, and the old art of Mizukamiryū. ["Water God Style"] However, she doesn't adhere to either, fighting with a personal style that is not trapped in both schools. Informed she has an older brother that is still alive, she embarks on a journey to find him.

NIN: She was the character whose move inputs changed the most from the development phase. We had a hard time figuring out her new inputs, and the adjustment was difficult. I remember that the programmer had to do a fine tuning of the camera during her win pose, in order to show her cute face.

Next we move on to her darker alter-ego, that emerges when the Seal of Blood is removed: Bloody Hokuto! [Literally: "Hokuto whose Seal of Blood was removed."]

Private Nakagawa: The rightful successor of the ancient art of Mizukamiryū. Apparently, her name during childhood was Shirase. ["News of Death"] It seems there is a secret behind it...

Name: Hokuto
Height: 162 cm
Weight: 51 kg
Blood type: A
Birthday: September 23rd
Home Country: Japan
Likes: Nothing
Dislikes: Nothing

Private Nakagawa: The head of the Mizukami family confined in the "Seal of Blood," with the thought, "obliterate Kairi." Fearing the dissolution of the seal, Hokuto transferred the right of succession to her sister Nanase, and set off on a journey to confront her brother. The true form of the ancient Mizukamiryū, the original assassination fist. Hokuto is actually an illegitimate child, her mother being from the head house and her father from a branch family. In order to hide this secret, the head of the family raised her as Kairi's sister. But the grudge the branch family nursed for its mistreatment transferred into Shirase under the form of a suggestion, and on a stormy night, a Shirase possessed by that suggestion, threw Kairi into the sea, from the ship in which he was traveling.

NIN: I think I'll pass the whole task of explaining who this character is to the EX Drama CD, LOL.

✔See all previously released Street Fighter V concepts at TFG's SFV concept art gallery.