When Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues released in October, it had been 33 years since the last Karate Kid video game. During that time, a lot changed. Series like Tekken and Street Fighter introduced gamers to a wide range of martial artists, some of whom possess abilities that mere mortals can only dream of. The grace with which they throw their punches is matched only by the power that they’re able to put behind them. They really are on another level.
Becoming the All-Valley Karate Champion is certainly an impressive achievement, but Daniel and Johnny have some work to do if they ever hope to be crowned best video game martial artist. They are undoubtedly talented, but there is some serious competition out there.
10 Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden)
Although Ryu predominantly wields the Dragon Sword in combat, he is just as deadly with his fists as he is with a katana. He was trained in the ways of Hayabusa Ninjutsu from a very early age and continues to study the martial arts throughout the events of the Ninja Gaiden series.
His training as a ninja makes him a fearsome opponent as his stealthy approach can often help him to catch his enemies off guard. He also possesses great strength, as demonstrated by his ability to slice through steel. That he’s able to make his way through the events of the first few Ninja Gaiden games is a testament to his ability as a martial artist, as many consider them to be some of the toughest games ever made.
9 Billy Lee (Double Dragon)
Billy Lee is a man of many names. When Double Dragon first came to the West, the localization team gave him the nickname ‘Hammer’ and, thanks to an infamous translation error in a later game, he’s also been known as ‘Bimmy.’ While his name may be subject to change though, there’s nothing inconsistent when it comes to his ability as a martial artist.
It usually takes a lifetime to earn the title of Master, but Billy had done so by the age of just 20. He spent much of his childhood studying the fictional martial art of Sou-Setsu-Ken, which is loosely based on Jeet Kun Do. After mastering the art, he and his brother Jimmy have worked tirelessly to overcome the evil Shadow Warriors. They’ve bested them consistently throughout the games and the cartoon series.
8 Sabin Figaro (Final Fantasy VI)
Yang and Tifa are just two of the many great martial artists found throughout the Final Fantasy series. It’s the young prince of Figaro though who really leads the way. For starters, he’s incredibly strong, as shown by his ability to hold up a collapsing house or lift a train into the air. This strength is backed up with a wide range of martial arts techniques that help turn his fists into deadly weapons.
Sabin’s fighting style is incredibly similar to Kyokushin, which many consider the strongest style of karate. He trained under a great martial arts master named Duncan for many years and learned all of his master’s best techniques. By besting Vargas, the man responsible for defeating his master, Sabin proves himself as not only the best martial artist in Final Fantasy VI, but also the entire series.
7 Kasumi (Dead Or Alive)
Kasumi is the series mascot for Dead or Alive and there is good reason for that. In a franchise that’s full of morally bankrupt fighters, she stands apart as being one of its few wholesome characters. That’s not to say though that she isn’t dangerous. Kasumi is a fearsome fighter and emerged victorious from the inaugural Dead or Alive tournament.
She is highly trained in the art of ninjutsu and is driven by a thirst for revenge. Throughout the series, she has been able to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and defeated fighters nearly twice her size. Although some have been able to get the better of her, she always picks herself back up from the mat and continues to push herself to higher levels.
6 Kazuya Mishima (Tekken)
The Mishima family plays an integral role throughout the events of the Tekken series and they are all incredibly adept when it comes to martial arts. They fight using the Mishima style of karate, which is based primarily on some of the styles found in Okinawa like Shitō-ryū and Gōjū-ryū. Gōjū-ryū translates to ‘hard-soft style’ and is the style which Mr. Miyagi teaches to Daniel in the Karate Kid movies.
Whether Kazuya or Heihachi is the stronger of the Mishima men is a little difficult to determine though. Their record against each other is fairly even, but Kazuya arguably possesses more of the qualities needed to adhere to the guiding precepts of martial arts. He’s also possessed by the devil and survived being thrown into an active volcano, albeit with a little help from G-Corp.
5 Chun Li (Street Fighter)
When it comes to kicking ass, few have better legs for the task than Street Fighter’s Chun Li. The speed with which she’s able to unleash her kicks is frightening, as is the power which she puts behind them. Her Spinning Bird Kick move is one of the most visually impressive in all of gaming and just one of the many reasons that she’s up there with the very best.
Chun Li fights using the Japanese art of Nippon Kempo. It was derived from Judo and is so deadly that practitioners usually wear protective gear. In a genre that’s so heavily dominated by men, Chun Li serves as a reminder that women are just as capable fighters and one of the very few examples of a female fighter done well.
4 Lan Di (Shenmue)
Ryo Hazuki has encountered some pretty formidable martial artists throughout the events of the Shenmue games. None are as deadly as Lan Di though. He’s first introduced at the very beginning of the first game and is able to brutally murder Ryo’s father without breaking a sweat. That Iwao Hazuki was an incredibly adept martial artist only adds more weight to the idea that Lan Di is truly untouchable.
He fights using the Tiger Swallow Style, which is derived from a Chinese martial art known as Mizongyi. It’s a style that focuses on striking and is so deadly that it was said to be feared by emperors. Despite Ryo’s rigorous training across the first three games, he’s still unable to land a single blow when the two face off during the third game’s climax.
3 Akira Yuki (Virtua Fighter)
Ryo Hazuki might not have what it takes to defeat Lan Di right now, but Akira Yuki certainly does. This may seem like a random observation, but what many people might not realize is that the two men are actually one and the same. The Shenmue series originally started life as a Virtua Fighter RPG and Akira was planned to be its main protagonist. As such, he represents Ryo after his training and quest for vengeance have been completed.
Akira uses the Bajiquan fighting style, which utilizes devastating elbow and shoulder strikes to incapacitate foes. Many of these moves were learned throughout the events of the Shenmue games, including his signature move. The Tetsuzankō was taught to him by Master Sun in Bailu village and is one of the most powerful moves in both the Shenmue and Virtua Fighter series.
2 Liu Kang (Mortal Kombat)
There are plenty of great martial artists found throughout the Mortal Kombat series, but Liu Kang is by far the most skilled. He’s emerged victorious from every Mortal Kombat tournament that he’s participated in and has the determination needed to persevere even when the odds are stacked against him.
Liu Kang is proficient in a number of different fighting styles, but his signature style, Jun Fan, is probably the most effective. It’s a variant of the Jeet Kune Do system developed by legendary martial artist Bruce Lee that incorporates elements from Western boxing and fencing. It’s helped him to overcome many powerful enemies, including the soul-stealing sorcerer, Shang Tsung.
1 Ryu (Street Fighter)
In a game with so many fantastic fighters, to continuously come out on top requires considerable talent. Ryu has demonstrated this on countless occasions. When it comes to video game martial artists, few can even come close to matching Ryu’s level, let alone stake a claim for his crown. He’s dominated the Street Fighter landscape since the very beginning and has overcome every obstacle on his path to the top.
He fights using Shōtōkan, an Okinawan style of karate which has been around for nearly a century. Other famous practitioners of the style include actors Jean-Claude Van Damme and Wesley Snipes with the latter actually being the more accomplished of the two. As a 5th dan black belt, Snipes may be one of the few people alive who could give Ryu a run for his money.
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