Released as part of the 25th anniversary for the Street Fighter franchise, SF25: The Art of Street Fighter features 448 pages of artwork and notes from several of Capcom's most famous artists. It spans the entire series — including the numerous spin-offs — as well as some works done exclusively for the book.
This art book contains examples of the following tropes:
- After-Action Patch-Up: The Gemaga April 2012 cover has Chun-Li, Cammy, Julia, and Lili collapsed on the ground, covered in bruises and band-aids.
- All There in the Manual: One of the character sketches for Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie reveals that Balrog (Boxer) is 21, and is the second-youngest character after Cammy.
- The Shadaloo base has its own version of Mount Rushmore, but with the bosses' faces instead.
- Kinu Nishimura explains how her Capcom Design Works cover includes Nemesis holding a tiny flower, which is intended for Jill Valentine.
- The Street Fighter II Anime sketches include a note about the Delta Red emblem on Cammy's beret, which is apparently Arabian in origin.
- Anime Hair: Think Birdie's cheese-mohawk looks silly? An alternate sketch reveals he could have had droopy, plant-like hair.
- Art Evolution: All of the artists, but especially with Bengus. His first colored drawing of Chun-Li looks completely different from modern incarnations.
- Art-Shifted Sequel: Inevitable, as Street Fighter games have appeared on several consoles and drawn by different artists. This is especially evident in the change from Street Fighter II to the Alpha games; M. Bison was redesigned with bigger muscles (inspired by his depiction in II: The Animated Movie) to give him more personality.
- Badass Crew: The Cannon Spike team, which comprises of multiple Capcom series crossovers, including Cammy and Charlie from Street Fighter, Shiba Shintaro from Three Wonders, Arthur from Ghosts 'n Goblins, Mega Man, and a few others.
- Beach Episode: The entirety of
◊ the two-page Street Fighter II SF II Museum Retail Poster. Plenty of Chun-Li and Cammy bikini fanservice, while Hilarity Ensues with the other characters in the background. - Blood-Splattered Warrior: Vega's claw and tights are spattered with blood in one of the CD book illustrations.
- But Not Too Foreign: Defied with Cammy. There's a small section of the Street Fighter II Anime reference manual explicitly breaking down how to make Cammy look different from Chun-Li. It's even titled, "Plans To Make Cammy More Foreign."
- Clothing Switch: Nishimura drew Cammy in Chun-Li's iconic outfit, albeit in pink.
- Color-Coded Multiplayer: Lampshaded in a work that portrays every color variation of II Chun-Li riding a single bicycle. The one on top of the pile is even doing a Spinning Bird Kick.
- Color Motif: Bengus based a Capcom Girls Calendar 2012 piece on yellow and blue. Appropriately, he chose the Alpha versions of Sakura, Cammy, R. Mika, and Chun-Li as the group subjects.
- Concept Art Gallery: The biggest Street Fighter one to date. It features drawings and sketches from every game in the franchise, from the original arcade game through the various spin-offs and crossovers.
- Crossover Punchline: Inevitable, given how many games exist. Special mention goes to a SNK vs. Capcom drawing with Kyo Kusanagi and Sakura playing against each other with Neo Geo Pockets and a link cable. Judging by their expressions, Sakura is winning.◊
- Elaborate Underground Base: Akiman's portrayal of the Shadaloo base in a CD book. Aside from M. Bison's shrine stage, there are multiple temples, a room-sized globe, a submarine dock, a skull-shaped satellite, and a Four Heavenly Kings version of Mount Rushmore. Akiman admits he might have went too far into parody and disappointed everyone.
- Expy: Balrog might've been based on Mike Tyson, but the side notes in the Street Fighter II Anime sketches state he should be built like George Foreman.
- Eyelid Pull Taunt: Yuri Sakazaki pulls one on Sakura◊ in a Capcom vs. SNK Dreamcast cover. Fitting, considering the girls are Alternate Company Equivalents who are presented as in-game rivals.
- Fanservice: With Capcom, it goes without saying; one of the first works is a detailed two-page spread of Chun-Li in a bikini.
- Funny Background Event: All over the place. Ryu going to a laundromat to wash his gi — apparently he wears tighty-whitey briefs — and the other customers staring at him in confusion.
- The Street Fighter II crew in a Beach Episode, complete with◊ Dee Jay buried up to his neck in the sand, Vega using his mask as a codpiece while Poison gives him a rubdown, Sagat putting a hole in the roof of Dhalsim's surf shop, Guile as the on-duty lifeguard with a sniper rifle and bazooka, and Blanka applying suntan lotion on Eliza while Ken stares in shock.
- Nishimura's Super School Fighter II has Ryu eating ramen and reading an English instructional book upside-down.
- The Street Fighter III crew crashing Sean's home when he's sick, and Ibuki clearly drunk on sake while Poison nonchalantly reads and smokes in a corner.
- The Capcom Girls Calendar 2011 cover includes Cammy building a Mega Man snowman, a mahjong game between Poison, R. Mika, and Devilotte, and Jill Valentine utterly dumbfounded at being surrounded by Darkstalkers monsters asking for her Halloween candy.
- The Capcom Girls Calendar 2012 cover features the characters in unlikely outfits, including Jill Valentine in a bikini and her cap and gun holsters.
- Sagat's Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness sketch has him holding a Ryu plushie.
- An Alpha character sketch portrays the aftermath of Retsu curbstomping Dan. Bengus admits he was looking forward to drawing Retsu more than Dan.
- Akiman's Zangief is spouting blood and has a huge, hilarious scowl on his face. The artist says it's funnier if you think Zangief is angrier at his own clumsiness than his injury.
- The Street Fighter II crew in a Beach Episode, complete with
- Go-Karting with Bowser: Frequently, given the number of characters and games involved. Special mention to the Capcom Heroes Calendar 2012 cover, which includes Chris Redfield and Leon Kennedy getting drunk and sharing a bento with Nemesis.
- High School AU: Nishimura's Super School Fighter II, complete with Sagat as a hulking delinquent, prankster Dhalsim, Zangief with swirly nerd glasses and a book, Cammy in sailor fuku, Akuma as a janitor, and Chun-Li as a Hot Teacher.
- Intimate Lotion Application: One of the artworks has the entire crew hanging out at the beach, where Blanka can be seen lecherously applying suntan lotion on Eliza while Ken stares in shock.
- Kimono Fanservice: Chun-Li dons an orange one for a Gamest '95 New Years postcard.
- Leg Focus: Chun-Li's Amazonian Beauty proportions have always focused on her legs from the start due to being a Kick Chick, and Nishimura's Street Fighter IV work also put heavy emphasis on them.
- Nice Guy: E. Honda, of all people. There's a sketch of him meeting and complimenting Chun-Li on her name, and the notes explicitly state he's being genuinely nice, not hitting on her.
- Out-of-Character Moment: The Street Fighter Saga Kakutou Bushinden DVD package has the main cast hiding in a dark alley waiting for M. Bison to show up. Ken is playing with a Sakura figurine, Blanka is chatting on a cell phone, E. Honda is stern and dressed in a business suit, and Zangief has donned some glasses and is reading a book.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Akiman has a few sketches of Sagat dressed up as a businessman, a scientist, and a chef. There's even a sketch of him trying to sell watermelons to Blanka!
- Rage Against the Reflection: A Street Fighter II CD book art shows a bloodied, mask-less Vega punching a mirror.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Four Heavenly Kings in Bengus's Street Fighter IV: Volt pieces. A closer look reveals Ryu and Akuma's silhouettes in the background.
- Right Behind Me: Karin finds Akuma of all people standing behind her in a Street Fighter Saga Kakutou Bushinden liner.
- Self-Deprecation: Nishimura freely admits that she's the biggest crybaby of the group, and that she tries to live up to Akiman's artistic standards.
- Shirtless Scene: Bengus drew an Alpha Akuma with a tattered shirt and broken beads.
- Sleepyhead: Some of the Street Fighter and Darkstalkers girls get together for the '98 Capcom Official New Year Postcard. They're all awake and chatting, while Devilotte has fallen asleep under the table.
- Smart People Wear Glasses: Vega in his Anime sketches has them. It shifts to Four Eyes, Zero Soul once he gets angry.
- Slice of Life: Several works, including Ryu at the laundromat, Blanka buying five ice cream cones, and Ibuki and Elena on a picnic.
- Training from Hell: All of the characters, but Chun-Li is specifically sketched having a tough training regimen, doubling as Workout Fanservice. The notes indicate that she's constantly pushing herself so as to avoid a Can't Catch Up scenario.
- What Measure Is a Non-Cute?: Discussed in Blanka's Anime profile sketches. The notes recommend that he look reasonably intelligent and handsome.
- Victoria's Secret Compartment: One of Bengus's drawings of Alpha Rose has her stick a tarot card between her breasts.
- Visual Pun: Birdie's Alpha profile has him looking at a bird that landed on his chain.
