Goutetsu

Goutetsu (ゴウテツ) is a non-playable character in the Street Fighter video game series. According to the backstory introduced in Super Street Fighter II Turbo, he was the martial arts master of Gouken and Akuma, who trained them in the martial art style they used. The style would become the basis of Ryu and Ken's fighting style.

Appearances
Like Gouken, Goutetsu can be seen in Akuma's ending in the original Street Fighter Alpha, in his first and only on-screen appearance in the series.

Pre-Street Fighter
Goutetsu was challenged and killed by his own student, Akuma, at his full potential, who performed the Raging Demon on his soul in a fight to the death. Goutetsu gladly died, happy to see that his student surpassed him in the art. The prayer beads that Akuma wears originally belonged to Goutetsu.

In the non-canonical Street Fighter Assassin's Fist series, Goutetsu reveals his brother was also consumed by the Satsui no Hado but does not give his name and says no one knows if he is alive or dead.

It is revealed that he is skilled in both Ansatsuken and Bōjutsu, as well as possessing a secret arsenal of techniques he had kept hidden away from his students; Goshoken - 轟衝拳（掌底を繰り出し波動で吹き飛ばす）"Roaring Fist Punch", Sensoshippukyaku 閃双疾風脚（鋭い横跳び蹴り）"Dual Flash Rapid Wind Kick", Sensokyujinkyaku 閃双空刃脚（上空から強襲する蹴り）"Dual Flash Sky Blade Kick".

UDON
Goutetsu appears in Street Fighter Origins: Akuma. During the winter in Japan, he and Retsu found a young Akuma who was badly wounded from a bear attack. he took Akuma back to his dojo to help heal him, as Akuma woke up, he asks him where is he, Goutetsu tells him that he has no where to go, and that he heard about Gyuki, his father's murder, Goutetsu told Akuma that he once trained his father, after a long talk, Goutetsu told Akuma that he would find his brother, Gouken, Akuma however told him that Gouken did not want to be found, and that Akuma wanted to know all about Ansatsuken and its techniques. Goutetsu agreed to train him, before he did so, he asked Akuma what is it he wanted to seek, Akuma told him that he wanted a path of his own.

Many years later, a business man who hosts tournaments came to Goutetsu's dojo in order to find Akuma, Goutetsu told him where to find Akuma. Later that night, Goutetsu noticed that Akuma was troubled, and he asked him to come inside the dojo to tell him what is wrong, Akuma told him that he wanted to know more about himself, and left the dojo in order to find himself the very next day. Gouken appeared right in front of Goutetsu and his dojo to thank him, and asked him to train him in order to grow stronger as a person, which Goutetsu agreed to.

Five years later, Akuma came back to Goutetsu and the Dojo to train again in order for him to become the perfect warrior, Goutetsu told him that he must go into the mountains in order for him to find out who he truly is. When Goutetsu was training other young students on the art of Ansatsuken, a demonic-looking Akuma under the influence of the Satsui no Hado looks at him with rage, Goutetsu told Akuma to abandon the power like his father did before it corrupts him completely, Akuma told him that he finally knows about how his father was killed, and tells Goutetsu's time has come, the two engaged in a fight, as Goutetsu told him about how dangerous the Satsui no Hado was if fully embraced, and told him that he cannot stop fighting. He pleads him to stop and asks him what he truly wants from this fight, only for Akuma to reply that he wants him to prepare for death. Akuma kicks him in the air with the Demon Armageddon, kicking Goutetsu through the dojo roof, killing him.

As a vestige of gratitude for all the years spent under him, Akuma takes his body to a mat under a tree and respectfully lies him down.

Other appearances
Goutetsu had an important role in the Street Fighter Alpha: Generations movie. He is shown fighting Akuma at the beginning, and is revealed that he has tried in vain to dissuade his student from delving deeper and deeper into the power of Satsui no Hado; while Goutetsu himself proved able to tap into its power, unlike Akuma, he didn't seem to suffer from its side-effects, likely because of his more balanced approach and rarer use. He is depicted as having short hair and a very small stature.

Goutetsu also had a relevant role in Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist. In keeping with his established backstory and depiction, he is shown as the old and diminutive master of Gouken and Gouki (the original name of Akuma), teaching them in the "old ways" of Ansatsuken to overcome and destroy the opponent, but also preaching about finding balance between the light and the darkness. As Gouki immersed himself in the study of the Satsui no Hado, Goutetsu ordered him to leave the dojo; when Gouki resurfaced as Akuma, Goutetsu challenged him to try and stop him, but was defeated and killed by his former student. He is also depicted as having a niece, Sayaka, who served as a love interest for both Gouken and Akuma.

Voice actors

 * Michael McConnohie (Street Fighter Alpha: Generations) (English)
 * Tadashi Saito (Street Fighter Alpha: Generations) (Japanese)

Live action actors
Japanese actor Togo Igawa portrayed Goutetsu in Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist.

Trivia

 * Goutetsu's name comes from Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (which was produced at the same time as Super Turbo), where it is the name given to Ryu and Ken's master. Capcom adapted the name Goutetsu for Gouken and Akuma's master, instead of being another name for Gouken.