Gen

Gen(元) is a character in the Street Fighter series of fighting games. He was recently confirmed to be playable in Street Fighter IV.

Story
Gen was a friend of Chun-Li's father, and he briefly trained her in her youth. Gen's assassination style incorporates various Kung Fu styles, such as Mantis, Crane, Bear, and Tiger albeit having strikes that often targeted the opponent's vital parts hence making Gen's Kung Fu life-threatening. Gen also owned a restaurant called Genhanten.

Gen entered the first World Warrior tournament to find worthy opponents. When he did not, he went back to the streets of China. Later, he found that he was dying from leukemia. Unwilling to go out on his back, he went out and fought members of Shadoloo, hoping to find a worthy foe to fight to the death, but he could not. When he heard of Akuma, he sought him out. When Akuma grabbed him with the Shun Goku Satsu, Gen emptied his heart and mind, and thus the fatal attack failed to kill him. When Gen struck Akuma with his Zan'ei shadow fist, Akuma was unaffected. As they battled, Akuma realized that Gen was ill, and broke off the fight.

Insulted, Gen pursued Akuma until they fought for the final time, to the death. At some point, Gen trained Yang and Yun, the younger relatives of his friend Lee.

Techniques
In Street Fighter Alpha 2, Gen was given the ability to switch between two fighting styles during gameplay. The Sou-style (暗殺拳・喪流) and the Ki-style (暗殺拳・忌流). These fighting styles are also known as the "Mantis style" and "Crane style" respectively in the English localization of Street Fighter Alpha 2 (later games retained the original Japanese names). When he changes from one style to another, Gen's fighting stance, basic techniques, Special Moves and even Super Combos are changed.

In the Sou-style, Gen's Special Moves includes the Hyaku-Ren-Kou (百連勾), in which he strikes the opponent rapidly with hand stabs, and the Geki-Rou (逆瀧), a vertical jump kick which can be followed with another. His Super Combos while using the Sou-style includes the Zan-ei (惨影) and the Shitenshu (死点咒). When using the Sou-style, Gen can chain his basic attacks from lower to higher strength level, being the only character with this ability besides Guy.

In the Ki-style, Gen's Special Moves includes the Jyasen (蛇穿), and the Ouga (徨牙). His Super Combos includes the Jya-Kou-Ha (蛇咬叭) and the Kouga (狂牙).

When Gen is played on X-ism mode in Street Fighter Alpha 3, he loses the ability to switch between fighting styles. Instead, he has a blended style which uses techniques from both styles (except for the Ouga technique) and uses the Zan-ei as his sole Super Combo.

Other appearances
Gen appears as a main character the live-action movie, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, portrayed by Robin Shou. Depicted as a younger martial arts master, he serves as the leader of a secret anti-crime organization known as the Order of the Web. It is Gen who teaches Chun-Li her more advanced moves, including the Kikoken and accompanies her in the fight against Bison and Shadowloo.

His backstory also reveals he was a partner-in-arms with Bison in their earlier days as criminals, but Gen eventually left him, no longer tolerant of stealing from others.

Trivia

 * In Gen's stage in the original Street Fighter, there are a lot of signs in the background. Some of the signs include Southeast Asia Money Exchanger, Siu Wah Bargain (Bargain is misspelled as "Bargagain") Palace, Gou Norman French Cuisine, etc., which hints that his stage is in Hong Kong.


 * Gen is the only Street Fighter character that can change fighting styles in mid fight.


 * He is known for his quote in English, spoken to a defeated opponent: "You are a big fool!" Incidentally, Gen says this before his final battle against M. Bison in Alpha 3.


 * His restaurant is one of the backgrounds in Super Gem Fighter: Mini Mix (Pocket Fighter in Japan), where Fei Long, Dhalsim, Birdie, M. Bison, Victor von Gerdenheim, Rolento, Charlie, Sodom and Bishamon can be seen having lunch. Gen himself is seen on the leftmost side of the stage, slicing a duck.


 * When Gen and Akuma fight in Street Fighter Alpha 3, they perform their signature moves on each other before the fight begins, re-enacting the fight described above.


 * In the original Street Fighter, Gen uses an attack in which he kicks with both feet while balancing on one hand. Chun Li can be seen using this same attack both in Street Fighter II and Street Fighter III.


 * The Senkyutai special move used by Yun and Yang in Street Fighter III: New Generation is similar to two of Gen's special moves from Street Fighter Alpha 2 (i.e., his juggling kick special used in Sou style, and his rolling special used in Ki style).