Editing Ken Masters (section)

==Creation==
[[Capcom]] designer [[Takashi Nishiyama]] created Ken's character as he became ''Street Fighter'' director when coming up ideas with a project. Inspired by ''[[Spartan X]]'', Nishiyama took notes about the needs of ''Street Fighter''. Planner [[Hiroshi Matsumoto (game designer)|Hiroshi Matsumoto]] was influenced by martial arts which led to the usage of multiple styles. Nishiyama thinks the most regrettable experience of the game was the fact that, they had all these ideas for coming up with different playable characters that they wanted to put into the game, but due to budget concerns, scheduling concerns, among others, eventually that got reduced to only Ken and Ryu. Nishiyama would have loved to have more playable characters, but Capcom were only able to put in just the two of them.<ref name="creation">{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/7/7/21270906/street-fighter-1-oral-history-takashi-nishiyama|title=Street Fighter 1: An oral history|website=Polygon|access-date=September 14, 2024|date=July 7, 2020|author=Leone, Matt}}</ref> In the original ''Street Fighter'', Ken fought [[barefoot]] and wore yellow arm bands without gloves. Ken and Ryu shared the same moves despite their different races as a symbol of being rivals and fellow students but was given a more competitive personality than Ryu.<ref name="design">{{cite web|url=https://www.vidaextra.com/analisis/street-fighter-asi-nacio-mejor-saga-lucha-historia|title=Street Fighter, así nació la mejor saga de lucha de la historia|website=Vidaextra|date=6 August 2022 |access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> The special technique {{nihongo|[[Hadouken]]|波動拳|hadōken}} energy wave attack was based on the wave motion gun from the titular spacecraft in the sci-fi [[anime]] series ''[[Space Battleship Yamato]]'', which Nishiyama watched during the seventies. Ken and Ryu's other two techniques from the first ''Street Fighter'' game, {{nihongo|Shoryuken|昇龍拳|Shōryūken}} and {{nihongo|Tatsumaki Senpukyaku|竜巻旋風脚}} were inspired by actual martial arts moves, which were exaggerated for the character.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/the-man-who-created-street-fighter?pager.offset=1 |publisher=[[1UP.com]] | title=The Man Who Created Street Fighter |access-date=15 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122144917/http://www.1up.com/features/the-man-who-created-street-fighter?pager.offset=1 |archive-date=22 January 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> These three moves were reused in ''Street Fighter IV'' by master Gouken but stronger based on Kamei's desire to make the master more skilled in comparison.<ref>{{cite book |title=Undisputed Street Fighter: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective |publisher=Dynamite Entertainment |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-5241-0466-5 |page=243 }}</ref> Ken and Ryu develop stronger versions of the Hadoken due to a desire of Akira Nishitani and Akira Yasuda in regards to the size of the move in ''Street Fighter II''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Undisputed Street Fighter: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective |publisher=Dynamite Entertainment |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-5241-0466-5 |page=56 }}</ref> Shoei Okano animated the new Hadoken.<ref>{{cite book |title=Undisputed Street Fighter: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective |publisher=Dynamite Entertainment |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-5241-0466-5 |page=57 }}</ref>

===Development===
[[File:David Matranga (52814179687).jpg|thumb|left|David Matranga voices Ken in ''Street Fighter 6''.]]
In ''Street Fighter II'', Ken and Ryu were originally going to be Y.S.'s characters; however, he ended up taking over in the early stages. Okano remembers making the dot patterns for the Shoryuken and the Hadoken special moves first. After that, he moved away from game design and created a design room for the illustrations and manuals. Akiman recalls having drafts for most characters except Ken and Ryu. Y.S. eventually finished the characters. From there, the first move he made was the Hadoken. Ryu and Ken "are the so-called standard characters in the" game, and since they were coming from the first ''Street Fighter'' game, they could have the other characters be "weirdos". He gave them a stoic feel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://game.capcom.com/cfn/sfv/column/132595?lang=en|publisher=Capcom|title=Street Fighter II Developer's Interview|access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> Numerous spinoff products were made as well during the game's popularity: when Capcom licensed [[Hasbro]] to produce a line of [[action figure]]s, Ken was given the surname "Masters" to avoid trademark conflict with [[Mattel]]'s [[Ken (doll)|Ken dolls]]. The full name Ken Masters was used in the animated ''[[Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie|Street Fighter II]]'' movie and in the ''[[Street Fighter II V]]'' series before being canonized in the video games with ''Street Fighter Alpha 2''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/es-es/30-curiosidades-street-fighter-30-aniversario|title=30 años de Street Fighter II - 30 datos sobre el mítico juego de lucha|website=Redbull|access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref>

Producer Yoshiki Okamoto noted that Ken ended up being far more powerful than Ryu in ''Street Fighter II'' despite having the same special moves. During testing locations, Capcom noticed the North American player had more victories. Although the staff had to say in interviews that the duo were equals, there was a cheat that made Ken stronger. This was due to a mechanic called Core. The way special moves were performed in 1991 gave characters a fragment of time they were more vulnerable. Because Capcom realized the mistake cause by Core, they removed it from the video game except Ryu. This was caused by a difference in the formation of the Shoryuken that left Ryu altered whereas Ken kept strong enough to perform two special moves in a row. This resulted in Ken being the stronger of the Karate duo.<ref name="designs">{{cite web|url=https://www.vidaextra.com/cultura/fin-debate-ken-mejor-que-ryu-street-fighter-ii|publisher=Capcom|title=Street Fighter II Developer's Interview|date=14 May 2024 |access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> Despite being an aggressive character, Ken is unnotable for aerial combat, making him weaker to Dhalsim, Sagat and Guile in this occasion. He becomes more offensive with the ''Alpha'' series.<ref name="book">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NWY9DwAAQBAJ&dq=street+fighter+alpha+ken&pg=PA159 |title=Undisputed Street Fighter: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective |publisher=Dynamite Entertainment |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-5241-0466-5 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=13 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313150531/https://books.google.com/books?id=NWY9DwAAQBAJ&q=Noritaka+Funamizu+akuma&pg=PA245#v=snippet&q=Noritaka%20Funamizu%20akuma&f=false |url-status=live |page=159}}</ref>

The first decision when making the prequel ''Street Fighter Alpha'' was keeping Ken, Ryu and Chun-Li. Capcom did not want to end up with just Japanese and Asian characters. As much as we could, they wanted to think in terms of creating a good balance, with all sorts of different skin colors. The secret of ''Street Fighter Alpha'' is the Ryu and Ken vs. Bison team up mode, where if word did not get out, we figured we would just stay silent. However, the staff spoiled it. While they found such idea fun, it eventually became a troublesome mode. This eventually inspired more team up fights involving characters who wear opposing colors like Ryu and Ken.<ref name="alpha">{{cite web|url=https://itsfantastic.moe/all-about-street-fighter-alpha-developer-interview/|title=All About Street Fighter Alpha – Developer Interview|website=Its Fantastic Moe|date=12 February 2021 |access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> Yasuda disliked the handling of Ryu and Ken as old characters, resulting in the creation of Sakura Kasugano as a response to a younger, cooler fighter that contrast the others especially in outfits.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NWY9DwAAQBAJ&dq=ken+masters+undisputed+street+fighter&pg=PA18 |title=Undisputed Street Fighter: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective |publisher=Dynamite Entertainment |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-5241-0466-5 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=13 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313150531/https://books.google.com/books?id=NWY9DwAAQBAJ&q=Noritaka+Funamizu+akuma&pg=PA245#v=snippet&q=Noritaka%20Funamizu%20akuma&f=false |url-status=live |page=41}}</ref> 

In both ''SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos'' and ''Street Fighter II'', game designers created an alternate persona called "Violent Ken" with stronger moves than the regular Ken Masters. Despite similarities with Ryu's evil persona caused by not being able to control his dark powers, Violent Ken is the result of the villain [[M. Bison]] manipulating Ken with his Psycho Power. This exploits Ken's hidden side including fears or hatred, most notably his inferiority complex over Ryu and starts wielding purple flames alongside all of his attacks. Eventually, Ken recovers his original persona when seeing his best friend's red bandana which is a present the character gives him in ''Street Fighter Alpha 2''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://game.capcom.com/cfn/sfv/column-130246.html|title=洗脳されたケン|website=Capcom|language=Japanese|access-date=April 2, 2025}}</ref> Though Ken did not undergo several changes in ''Street Fighter IV'', he and Ryu Rufus were meant to be have an acrobatic bald slender black male wearing a ''gi'' named "King Cobra", meant to be a more, the character became Rufus.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Street Fighter IV |developer=Dimps/Capcom |publisher=Capcom |date=2008-07-18 |platform=Arcade |level=Character gallery, p. 204}}</ref> [[Reuben Langdon]] voiced Ken in ''Street Fighter IV'', ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' and ''Street Fighter V''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.qoo-app.com/en/post/118925/street-fighter-6-game-modes-trailer|title=Street Fighter 6 Unveils Returning Characters, New Game Modes, and CBT on October 7!|website=News Qoo App|date=15 September 2022 |access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> [[David Matranga]] took over in ''Street Fighter 6'', feeling responsibility for it as a result of the series' popularity. He also regarded Ken as iconic based on how he gets the chance to yell his attack's names which required lessons of screaming and grunting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uKUmMBtLJI|title=It's Interview Time with David Matranga!|via=[[YouTube]]|work=It's Recording Media Time|access-date=September 27, 2024}}</ref> 

The character's inclusion in the [[SNK]] fighting game ''[[Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves]]'' over Ryu was done because producer [[Yasuyuki Oda]] said in the ''Capcom vs. SNK'' crossover games, Ken's character was often promoted alongside [[Terry Bogard]], who originated in ''[[Fatal Fury]]'' in contrast to Ryu who instead is marketed alongside [[Kyo Kusanagi]] who originated in ''[[The King of Fighters '94]]''. This reasoning was also done with fellow character Chun-li who tends to be promoted alongside [[Mai Shiranui]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.famitsu.com/article/202409/19376|title=『餓狼伝説 City of the Wolves』小田泰之氏インタビュー。『スト6』からリュウではなくケンを選んだ理由、今後の参戦が希望されるキャラ、『カプエス』の可能性など今後の展望に【TGS2024】|website=Famitsu|access-date=April 2, 2025}}</ref>

===Designs===
{{multiple image
 | footer    = Originally too similar to Ryu, Ken has been redesigned by Capcom with new outfits for ''Street Fighter V'' (left) and ''Street Fighter 6'' to become more original
 | total_width = 330
 | image1    = KenMastersVdesign.png
 | alt1      = Ken MastersV
 | image2    = KenMastersix.png
 | alt2      = Ken Masters
}}
In the original ''Street Fighter'', Ken fought [[barefoot]] and wore yellow arm bands without gloves. Ken and Ryu were designed to be nearly identical and share the same moves despite their different races.<ref name="design"/> Y.S. was in charge of Ken and Ryu in ''Street Fighter II''. Ken has neck-length dyed-blonde hair, black eyebrows, and wears a red sleeveless [[keikogi]] with a black belt.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Molina |first1=Brett |title=Five things you didn't know about 'Super Street Fighter IV' |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/05/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-super-street-fighter-iv/1 |access-date=22 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109031705/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/05/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-super-street-fighter-iv/1#.X6i0tezP3UI |archive-date=9 November 2020}}</ref>

The Karate duo which coined the term Shotocon for sharing the same moves and similar designs. Shotocons were created in other franchises and more in ''Street Fighter'' follow ups. This includes the antagonistic [[Akuma (Street Fighter)|Akuma]], the young [[Sakura Kasugano]] and the parody character [[Dan Hibiki]].<ref name="designs"/> In the prequel ''Street Fighter Alpha'' Capcom did not want to end up with just Japanese and Asian characters. As much as we could, they wanted to think in terms of creating a good balance, with all sorts of different skin colors. The secret of ''Street Fighter Alpha'' is the Ryu and Ken vs. Bison team up mode, where if word did not get out, we figured we would just stay silent.<ref name="alpha"/>

For ''Street Fighter III'', Capcom, had planned to add more moves for Ken, but his special was already qualified as Shoryuken so strong, he kind of became a "one-trick pony character". Even if players had problems with him, he was still strong enough to defeat several other characters. Capcom noted Ken and Ryu have a more American style of Karate, so they created fellow fighter [[Makoto (Street Fighter)|Makoto]] to have a more Japanese style. They tried to make her moveset and controls reflect that, too. Ken remained as one of the most requested characters in location tests of the games.<ref>{{cite web|author=blackoak|url=http://shmuplations.com/sfiii/|publisher=Shmuplations|title=The Making of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike|access-date=August 26, 2017|archive-date=August 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826193804/http://shmuplations.com/sfiii/|url-status=live}}</ref> With ''Street Fighter IV'', the producer said that while Ryu comes across as an ordinary man, Ken contrast him with a more well-defined face. Furthermore, they said he has "a cool, fun-loving guy." which made him easier to design.<ref>{{cite book|title=Super Street Fighter IV Official Complete Works|year=2011|publisher=Udon Entertainment|url=https://archive.org/details/super-street-fighter-iv-official-complete-works/page/n23/mode/2up}}</ref> For the crossover game with ''[[Tekken]]'', ''[[Street Fighter X Tekken]]'', Ken was given an alternate costume based on ''Tekken'' fighter [[Lars Alexandersson]], while several fashionable American-like clothing was scrapped.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NWY9DwAAQBAJ&dq=ken+masters+undisputed+street+fighter&pg=PA18 |title=Street Fighter X Tekken - Character Profiles and Development Concept Artwork: Street Fighter Characters|work=Capcom|publisher=Dynamite Entertainment |year=2021 |isbn=978-1-5241-0466-5 |access-date=April 2, 2025|page=3}}</ref>

By the time of ''Street Fighter V'', Ken's appearance underwent a design change. Ken's gi top now hangs around his waist and he wears a black v-neck training shirt with several red linings in its place. He sports black sparring gloves and has his hair tied back in a topknot instead of hanging loose which it was grown into medium length after the events of ''Street Fighter III'' series and now wears black ankle wraps with red linings instead of barefoot. For this game, Capcom wanted to differentiate Ken and Ryu's moves since they have been seen as "clones". According to ''Street Fighter V'' Senior Manager Matt Dahlgren, "Ken's more of the hothead. He's the one that's gonna rush you down and be in your face, so his V-Skill is a run move that can be used to constantly pressure your opponent."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2015-08-03/street-fighter-v-peter-rosas-and-matt-dahlgren/.90689|title=Interview: Street Fighter V's Peter Rosas and Matt Dahlgren|publisher=Anime News Network|access-date=August 4, 2015|archive-date=2015-08-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150804204502/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2015-08-03/street-fighter-v-peter-rosas-and-matt-dahlgren/.90689|url-status=live}}</ref> In ''Undisputed Street Fighter: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective'', it was noted that while Ken was already a popular character in previous games, his redesign in ''Street Fighter V'' helped to improve it thanks to its more original take. This also was helped by the fact that Ken's special moves have flames in contrast to Ryu's electric Denjin Hadoken. After 30 years in ''Street Fighter V'', the moves and new designs help Ken look his own.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NWY9DwAAQBAJ&dq=ken+masters+undisputed+street+fighter&pg=PA18 |title=Undisputed Street Fighter: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective |publisher=Dynamite Entertainment |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-5241-0466-5 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=13 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313150531/https://books.google.com/books?id=NWY9DwAAQBAJ&q=Noritaka+Funamizu+akuma&pg=PA245#v=snippet&q=Noritaka%20Funamizu%20akuma&f=false |url-status=live |page=156}}</ref> 

While still performing similar moves in ''[[Street Fighter 6]]'', Ken and Ryu were designed to play different; Ken became more aggressive and dynamic whereas Ryu was more defensive and strategic.<ref name="designs"/> By this game, Capcom decided to alter Ken's design far more than in ''Street Fighter V'' dropping his red gi. Takayuki Nakayama and art director Kaname Fujioka addressed this change in the character claimed that with every installment Ken's life became more stable and wanted to create a reason. When comparing the two heroes in ''Street Fighter II'', Fujioka says "Ken as a fiery and explosive character" when compared to the serious Ryu. In the ''Alpha'' series, he was a little more playful and lighthearted in a way. Capcom wanted to contrast Ken to the new lead Luke. As a result, Capcom decided to give Ken a more serious situation in the story compared to his previous appearances as he can no longer see his family. In writing this, Capcom closely worked with Udon Entertainment to write Ken's decay. Fujioka believes the team were successful at changing Ken's character.<ref>{{cite magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228173742/https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2022/11/09/a-deep-dive-into-kens-new-look|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2022/11/09/a-deep-dive-into-kens-new-look|title=Street Fighter 6|magazine=Game Informer|archive-date=February 28, 2023|url-status=live|access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref>