History Main / Shotoclone

* Jimmy Zappa and Saryn of ''Capoeira Fighter 3''. Between the two of them are all of Ryu's basic moves.

The term {{Shotoclone}} comes from the English localization of ''StreetFighter II'' for the Super NES, which identified the fighting style used by Ryu and Ken as Shotokan Karate in the instruction manual. The martial art of Ryu and Ken has never been given a proper name in the Japanese versions (or in the games themselves), although the back-story in later games reveals that Gouken (Ryu and Ken's master) developed the fighting style from the original assassination art he learned with his brother Akuma from their master Goutetsu. For the record, Ryu and Ken's original moveset ''is'' largely based on Shotokan karate (no, not the special moves!), while in later games Ken's technique - notably his kicks - moved towards Kyokushin, in a textbook example of DivergentCharacterEvolution.

The Japanese term "Ansatsuken" (literally "assassination art", a martial art made for killing) has been [[BlindIdiotTranslation misinterpreted]] by English-speaking fans as the name of Ryu and Ken's fighting style and has replaced "Shotokan" in recent localizations as the name of Ryu and Ken's style. Despite this, "ansatsuken" is not the actual name of Ryu and Ken's specific fighting style but a Japanese neologism commonly used in many martial art-related fiction to classify any hand-to-hand style with the capability of causing the death of an opponent. Gen's distinctively non-"Shoto" style has also earned the "Ansatsuken" classification in the Japanese continuity. The term actually predates even the first ''Street Fighter'' game, being used in ''{{Fist of the North Star}}'' to describe Hokuto Shinken, the martial art used by Kenshiro to cause his opponent's heads to explode.

Perhaps the most basic form of FightingGame character. Usually JackOfAllStats, this fighter's two most notable {{Special Attack}}s are a fireball or other projectile attack, and a rising physical attack, usually an uppercut (the standard versions of these are the [[KameHameHadouken Hadou]][[EnergyBall ken]] and {{Shoryuken}}). Their third attack is either a Spin Attack or a Charging attack, or both (the standard version being HurricaneKick which can do both). Wearing a ''gi'' or headband is optional. As you may have guessed, this character is essentially "inspired by" Ryu, the protagonist of the ''StreetFighter'' series.

Perhaps the most basic form of FightingGame character. Usually JackOfAllStats, this fighter's two most notable {{Special Attack}}s are a fireball or other projectile attack, and a rising physical attack, usually an uppercut (the standard versions of these are the [[KameHameHadouken Hadou]][[EnergyBall ken]] and {{Shoryuken}}). Their third attack is either a Spin Attack or a Charging attack, or both (the standard version being HurricanKick which can do both). Wearing a ''gi'' or headband is optional. As you may have guessed, this character is essentially "inspired by" Ryu, the protagonist of the ''StreetFighter'' series.

Perhaps the most basic form of FightingGame character. Usually JackOfAllStats, this fighter's two most notable {{Special Attack}}s are a fireball or other projectile attack, and a rising physical attack, usually an uppercut (the standard versions of these are the [[KameHameHadouken Hadou]][[EnergyBall ken]] and {{Shoryuken}}). Their third attack is either a Spin Attack or a Charging attack, or both (the standard version being TatsumakiSenpuuKick). Wearing a ''gi'' or headband is optional. As you may have guessed, this character is essentially "inspired by" Ryu, the protagonist of the ''StreetFighter'' series.

Perhaps the most basic form of FightingGame character. Usually JackOfAllStats, this fighter's two most notable {{Special Attack}}s are a fireball or other projectile attack, and a rising physical attack, usually an uppercut (the standard versions of these are the [[KameHameHadouken Hadou]][[EnergyBall ken]] and {{Shoryuken}}). Wearing a ''gi'' or headband is optional. As you may have guessed, this character is essentially "inspired by" Ryu, the protagonist of the ''StreetFighter'' series.

* Parodied in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}: Dark Souls'' with Kon, a [[JokeCharacter 1-foot tall, sentient plush lion]] whose moves are almost exact copies of "Hadoken", "Shoryuken", and "Tatsumaki Senpyukyaku", even using the same commands.

* Batsu (and all versions thereof) and Hideo Shimazu in ''VideoGame/RivalSchools''. Sakura from ''Street Fighter'' also makes an appearance. In the original information for the game, Capcom said that Hideo copied Ryu's moves and claimed them for himself, but this seems to have been dropped in the final release.

The equivalent term of "Shotoclone" used by Japanese fandom is "Ryu/Ken-type"[[hottip:*:リュウケンタイプ, ''All About Capcom Head-to-Head Fighting Game 1987-2000'', page 285]] (or "Ryu-type" for simplification purposes).

-->-- '''Fei Long''' on Gouken, ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV Super Street Fighter IV]]''

** In ''VideoGame/StreetFighterEX'', there are Allen Snider and Kairi, though the former mixes in some kickboxing moves with the usual fireball and uppercut, while the latter has a Dan-style flying kick and [[DivergentCharacterEvolution gains a different fireball and supers in later games]].

No relation to SendInTheClones. Do not confuse with {{Shotacon}}, and God help you if you do. Subtrope of FountainOfExpies.

** Gouken from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' is an aversion. Despite being the one who trained Ryu and Ken and practicing the same martial art as them and Akuma, his [[GameplayAndStorySegregation actual play style]] is very different. His Hadoken can be fired at different angles, his "Shoryuken" input is a horizontal dashing punch that travels through projectiles, and his Hurricane Kick travels straight upward. He can only use the Shoryuken proper as a Super Combo or Ultra Combo.

** Gouken from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' is a variation. Despite being the one who trained Ryu and Ken and practicing the same martial art as them and Akuma, his [[GameplayAndStorySegregation actual play style]] is very different. His Hadoken can be fired at different angles, his "Shoryuken" input is a horizontal dashing punch that travels through projectiles, and his Hurricane Kick travels straight upward. He can only use the Shoryuken proper as a Super Combo or Ultra Combo.

** Gouken from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' is a variation. Despite being the one who trained Ryu and Ken and practicing the same martial art as them and Akuma, his [[GameplayAndStorySegregation actual play style]] is very different. His Hadoken can be fired at different angles, his "Shoryuken" input is a horizontal dashing punch that travels through projectiles, and his his Hurricane Kick travels straight upward. He can only use the Shoryuken proper as a Super Combo or Ultra Combo.
** Sean is often compared as the ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII'' equivalent of Dan and while his story arc in the trilogy is somewhat comical in nature, especially in ''3rd Strike'' his skills in the first two installments was competent. In ''New Generation'' and ''2nd Impact'', Sean was a top-tier character, but is made nearly useless in ''3rd Strike''. Since ''3rd Strike'' is the last and most popular installment of the ''III'' series and was on the market for ten years before the release of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'', Sean's JokeCharacter status was cemented by then. And he somewhat subverts the mold, however slightly; he learned his moves by mimicking Ken but can't replicate them exactly, leading to relatively minor differences in many of his specials. He also doesn't have a proper projectile.

*** He originally suppose to be the Only Shoto of the 3 series, until Capcom gave into fan demand adding Ryu and Ken. Due to this a huge WhatCouldHaveBeen looms over him as potentially being the only Shoto and thus given more focus.

** Sagat shares Ryu's projectile/uppercut profile with his Tiger Shot and Tiger Upper/Tiger Blow, and like Ryu, it's frequently the bread-and-butter of his strategy. However, Sagat lacks any Hurricane Kick equivalent (his Tiger Crush is really more like a knee-based version of the Shoryuken) and can fire hit projectile low.

*** Ironically, considering he's the teacher of the other Shoto-characters, the fact that he performs those same moves differently implies that everyone else is performing them ''wrong''.
**** In martial arts, ''different'' does not mean ''wrong'', so long as it works.

* The TropeMaker, of course, is the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series itself. Ryu and Ken began purely as headswaps, and although rather more lethal, Akuma's style is not far from their own. Dan, who is considered a JokeCharacter, tends to at least share Ryu and Ken's basic techniques; although his specials are different, they tend to fit the fireball/uppercut/special-kick roles. Sakura may or may not be a Ryu-type; her unusual permutations of Ryu's special moves (and some different basic moves) shift her away from the model, but how different she is varies from game to game.
** In ''VideoGame/StreetFighterEX'', there are Allen Snider and Kairi, though the former mixes in some kickboxing moves with the usual fireball and uppercut, while the latter has a Dan-style flying kick and [[DivergentCharacterEvolution gains an entirely different fireball and supers in later games]].

** Sean is often compared as the ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII'' equivalent of Dan and while his story arc in the trilogy is somewhat comical in nature, especially in ''3rd Strike'' his skills in the first two installments was competent. In ''New Generation'' and ''2nd Impact'', Sean was a top-tier character, but is made nearly useless in ''3rd Strike''. Since ''3rd Strike'' is the last and most popular installment of the ''III'' series and was on the market for ten years before the release of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'', Sean's JokeCharacter status was pretty much cemented by then. And he somewhat subverts the mold, however slightly; he learned his moves by mimicking Ken but can't replicate them exactly, leading to relatively minor differences in many of his specials. He also doesn't have a proper projectile.

** Bonus-kun from the same game and ''VideoGame/WakuWaku7'' is a flat-out parody of Ryu, being basically a sentient punching bag with Ryu's headband and moveset. Also, from the second game, there's Rai, who has a ''Shoryuken''-like uppercut move, but a projectile move similar to Terry Bogard's Power Wave and Round Wave moves. And Arina.
* ''Astra Super Stars'': Test-kun from is another parody of Ryu, being basically a blue, hand-drawn stick figure.

* Eiji Shinjo and Kayin Amoh from ''VideoGame/BattleArenaToshinden'' are basically Ryu and Ken with swords. Kayin even incorporates more kicks in his style like Ken does in later ''Street Fighter'' games. There's also Sho Shinjo, who is basically the Akuma of the series.

** In ''Nekketsu Seisyun Nikki 2'', Hinata Wakaba claims to be a student of the "Masters style of Karate", a reference to Ken Masters of course, which explains why some of her special moves have a flame effect to them.

** ''X4'' features Magma Dragoon, who is basically an {{Expy}} of Akuma and uses many of the latter's moves, actually shouting the names for the attacks.

* ''Arm Joe'' features a nameless, rank-and-file Policeman as one of the playable characters, and his moves are heavily based on Ryu, Ken, and Akuma, with even a little bit of Ryo Sakazaki thrown in for good measure; he has the fireball, the rising uppercut, super versions of both, and even does Akuma's signature Shun Goku Satsu. This is probably a parody; as noted, the Ryu-type in this game is a nameless policeman and not remotely the main character.
* ''SuperCosplayWarUltra'' features Rario, who is basically Ryu and Mario put into [[TheFly the Brundlefly machine]].

* Pretty much the joke behind [[http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb188/kharsajuuk/RyuMachida.png this picture of Lyoto Machida]], being the only high-profile [[UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts MMA fighter]] with a Shotokan karate background, much less actually using any of it in the cage.

* The [[http://read.homeunix.com/onlinereading/?image=Sasameki%20Koto/Sasameki%20Koto%20c006/06_15.png&server=nas.html Murasame brothers]] from SasamekiKoto are clearly modeled after Ryu, and are pretty much copypasted as if they were on an assembly line, right down to their expressions and poses.

* WordOfGod states that this is Filia's intended fighting style from ''{{Skullgirls}}''. Although in reality, she plays quite differently. While her {{Shoryuken}} is pretty much identical to that of Ryu or Ken's, her [[KamehameHadoken "fireball"]] isn't even a true projectile, instead being an attack that comes up off the ground in a different areas depending on the button pressed, a la [[StreetFighterIV C. Viper's Seismic Hammer]], and her "HurricaneKick" is closer to [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Felicia's Rolling Buckler]] in properties.

* Mario, Luigi, and Dr. Mario in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' have the coin block punch for the jumping uppercut, fire balls, and a tornado slap instead of hurricane kick in the propeller spin from Mario 64. Less in Brawl after Mario dropped his spin for FLUDD and Doc was removed.
** Mario's spin was merely remapped from a down-special to down-air normal. Luigi preserves it.

The term {{Shotoclone}} comes from the English localization of ''StreetFighter II'' for the Super NES, which identified the fighting style used by {{Ryu and Ken}} as Shotokan Karate in the instruction manual. The martial art of Ryu and Ken has never been given a proper name in the Japanese versions (or in the games themselves), although the back-story in later games reveals that Gouken (Ryu and Ken's master) developed the fighting style from the original assassination art he learned with his brother Akuma from their master Goutetsu. For the record, Ryu and Ken's original moveset ''is'' largely based on Shotokan karate (no, not the special moves!), while in later games Ken's technique - notably his kicks - moved towards Kyokushin, in a textbook example of DivergentCharacterEvolution.

* The TropeMaker, of course, is the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series itself. RyuAndKen began purely as headswaps, and although rather more lethal, Akuma's style is not far from their own. Dan, who is considered a JokeCharacter, tends to at least share Ryu and Ken's basic techniques; although his specials are different, they tend to fit the fireball/uppercut/special-kick roles. Sakura may or may not be a Ryu-type; her unusual permutations of Ryu's special moves (and some different basic moves) shift her away from the model, but how different she is varies from game to game.

*** He originally suppose to be the Only Shoto of the 3 series, until Capcom gave into fan demand adding RyuAndKen. Due to this a huge WhatCouldHaveBeen looms over him as potentially being the only Shoto and thus given more focus.

* Eiji Shinjo and Kayin Amoh from ''VideoGame/BattleArenaToshinden'' are basically RyuAndKen with swords. Kayin even incorporates more kicks in his style like Ken does in later ''Street Fighter'' games. There's also Sho Shinjo, who is basically the Akuma of the series.

* [[RyuAndKen Yuka and Tamao]] from the ''VideoGame/AdvancedVariableGeo'' series. Like Billy and Jimmy Lee in the Double Dragon fighting game, Yuka and Tamao also have their own enhanced versions of the Hadouken and Shoryuken-style moves.

* Neo and Geo in ''Joy Mech Fight'', but with rapid kicks like Chun-Li's Lightning Kick. However, Joy Mech Fight appears to be paying tribute to Capcom's Mega Man and Street Fighter franchises.

* Kazuya from ''Kaiser Knuckle'' and its updated version, ''Dan-Ku-Ga''; however, his uppercut slides first before going upward.