Shun Goku Satsu

"Fool!"

- Akuma in Street Fighter X Tekken

The Raging Demon (瞬獄殺, Shun Goku Satsu, "Instant Hell Murder") is a technique commonly seen in the Street Fighter games. Usually, it is a super move that requires a full meter to execute, is unblockable, and inflicts heavy damage. It is normally associated with Akuma, although Ryu has been able to use it as well (only when he is fully under the influence of the Satsui no Hado). The motion for the move is usually Jab (LP), Jab (LP), Forward, Short (LK), Fierce (HP) tapped separately and rhythmically (although in Street Fighter IV, allows the last three inputs to be pressed simultaneously). In practical use, however, the first two jabs can be hidden during some other action to surprise the target.

History
The Raging Demon in the storyline is a very powerful, but fatally dangerous technique taught in the original principles of the martial art taught by Goutetsu. The move usually defeats the opponent instantly or kills them while destroying their soul.

While immensely powerful, some characters have survived its wrath. Gill faced a Raging Demon head on, but because of his Resurrection ability, he survived the encounter. Gen also managed to withstand the attack by emptying his soul in time before it could consume him, but it took a lot of power to do so. M. Bison faced it at the end of Super Street Fighter II Turbo, but kept a portion of his life force and soul within Rose, which allowed him to come back in Street Fighter IV. Gouken, Akuma's brother, has also been confirmed to have survived. This was due to his embrace to "emptiness" within his fighting style. It was most likely that Gouken performed a soul evacuation much like Gen but did not completely succeed, resulting in Gouken lapsing into a comatose state. However, this attack cannot work on people who have no souls, artificial life forms, or any person who has emptied their soul.

Concept
The actual attack of the Raging Demon is never displayed explicitly onscreen. When performed, the user glides towards the opponent and grabs them. Before anything else can be seen, the screen blacks out (or turns completely blank white in some game incarnations) as the character is relentlessly beaten, as showcased by a series of flashes. However, in Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, during his Raging Demon Mighty Combo, Akuma can be seen striking the opponent in different places as the screen flashes. Also, if one looks carefully, Akuma can be seen posing at the "camera" while wearing swimming trunks and goggles at certain points.

Appearances
Super Street Fighter II Turbo featured the first appearance of this attack, though it was not its first usable appearance; Akuma's introduction has him perform the attack on Bison just as he is about to face the player. It was Akuma's Super Combo in later versions of the game. The Raging Demon continued to be Akuma's trademark Super Combo throughout the Street Fighter Alpha series. As an extension, Akuma's Alpha series inspired appearance in Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix as a deformed character, also uses the Raging Demon with an altered input to accommodate the three button interface.

The Raging Demon returned along with Akuma in Street Fighter III: 2nd Impact as his secret Super Art, and one of two secret Super Arts in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. He could use it in a match no matter what Super Art had been selected, thus giving him access to more than one Super Art at any given time.

Naturally, the Raging Demon has also been Akuma's signature Super Combo in the various crossover games such as the Capcom vs. SNK, Marvel vs. Capcom and Street Fighter X Tekken series. It also makes its first ever CG appearance as well in Steve Fox and Hwoarang's ending after the latter has his wish to fight a hundred fighters at once unwittingly granted by Pandora by summoning a gauntlet of Akumas where they all attack at once.

The move made its second CG appearance in Asura's Wrath, Lost Episode 1: At Last, Someone Angrier Than Me; Evil Ryu and Asura used it on each other, but both are seen standing after the successful quick-time event, drawing the conclusion that the moves canceled each other blow by blow. In Lost Episode 2: The Strongest vs. The Angriest, Oni attempts to use the Raging Demon, but is interrupted and countered, resulting in Oni flying into the air.

Wrath of the Raging Demon
The Raging Demon is once again Akuma's Super Combo in the Street Fighter IV games. However, this series also gave him access to a far more powerful version of the attack known as Shin Shun Goku Satsu (真・瞬獄殺, "True Instant Hell Murder"), or alternately "Wrath of the Raging Demon", as his first Ultra Combo. It is essentially the same as the original, but when Akuma comes into contact with his opponent ("Prepare yourself!"), the camera briefly changes into first-person view (from the helpless opponent's POV, essentially facing towards Akuma) and four kanji appear in the corners of the screen ("Die one thousand deaths!"). The kanji that appear are '一瞬千撃', Isshun sengeki, "One instant, one thousand strikes", after which Akuma proceeds with the attack (but its actual content, as always, passes by completely obscured, showcasing only the flashes of impact from each strike), and the opponent screams in pain, in the same manner as if they were just knocked out. While the standard Raging Demon has 15 hits, the Wrath of the Raging Demon deals 27 hits to the opponent and with a full Revenge Gauge, is capable of taking off more than half of the foe's life bar. The input of the Wrath of the Raging Demon is almost the same as that of the Super Combo version, except that the player has to press away instead of forward to execute the Ultra Combo.

From a gameplay point-of-view, the previous properties of his Raging Demon have been divided between his Super and Ultra combo. The Super version is a zero frame grab, making it impossible to evade after the Super Flash in throw range. The Ultra version however gets the startup invincibility and high damage. Due to its telegraphed nature, 'Kara Demons' are nearly useless with the Ultra version. Instead the Ultra functions better as a counter, punish and anti-air.

Shin Akuma's Wrath of the Raging Demon uses a true Ashura Senku during the slide, has the ability to pass through attacks that would normally cancel the Raging Demon and grants them priority over almost all moves allowing to cancel them (including Ultra Combos). The speed of the slide is much faster than that of his playable counterpart, and the slide itself covers the entire screen.

Street Fighter

 * Shin Akuma - The form Akuma attains from absorbing Rugal Bernstein's Orochi powers in Capcom vs. SNK 2 possesses the most powerful known variant of the Raging Demon. Not only does this attack have the usual benefits of Shin Akuma's variant (very fast and much longer slide, priority etc.), it is a 33 hit attack that can cause up to 60-70% damage to the opponent's total health, making it even stronger than the Wrath of the Raging Demon. The unique kanji that flashes if Shin Akuma finishes an opponent with the Raging Demon means "godlike person" (神人, shinjin).
 * Cyber Akuma - The cybernetically enhanced version of Akuma seen in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter has his own variant of the Raging Demon, called the Shining Gou Shock. This variant has all the properties of Shin Akuma's, but is also the first to be usable in mid-air. It hits 24 times and deals much higher damage in comparison to the original (around 20% more). The kanji of "destruction" (滅, metsu) appears on Cyber Akuma's back if he finishes an opponent with the Shining Gou Shock.
 * Oni - Akuma, as Oni, possesses the regular version of the Raging Demon and, like Cyber Akuma, can perform the attack mid-air. The name of the technique is even more befitting, since Oni is a full demon. The kanji that appears in the background may be a composite of "god" (神, kami) and "demon" (鬼, ki), or "soul" (魂, kon).
 * Evil Ryu - It is the same as the original version, but the kanji for "destruction" (滅, metsu) appears instead. In the home versions of Street Fighter Alpha 3, his first appearance as a fleshed out character separate from Ryu, Evil Ryu has a weaker 12 hit variation of the Raging Demon. However in the later games, Evil Ryu has the standard variation with 15 hits.
 * Sakura - Sakura possesses this attack in her Dark (or "Sunburnt") form, but the attack is spelled with the kanji 春獄殺 ("Spring Hell Murder"), also pronounced "Shun Goku Satsu" in Japanese. Also, she can perform the attack in the Street Fighter EX series as her normal self. Finally, in her cameo in Rival Schools, Sakura's Team-Up Attack is the Shun Goku Satsu (with the same kanji as above), except that it's simply a conventional beatdown, with her ally holding the opponent down. In Marvel vs. Capcom 2, it is somewhat stronger than Akuma's, having 18 hits.
 * Go Hibiki - In Pocket Fighter, one of Dan's secret Super Combos has him call his father to perform the move, with the kanji of "father" ( 父, fu) appearing instead.
 * Dan - In addition to the above, Dan has a parody of this attack called the Otoko Michi (男みち, "Way of the Man"), and its command is the reverse of the Raging Demon. In most games, the attack's properties are almost the complete opposite of the original; it either takes away the user's health or does minimal damage. However, in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 it does high damage and takes priority even over Akuma's Raging Demon; the self damage is still present, though.
 * In the Street Fighter Comics by UDON Entertainment, Dan is implied to have some amount of Satsui no Hado infesting in him (likely from the feelings of revenge and hatred he harbours towards Sagat for killing his father) and thus is able to perform the actual Raging Demon. The above mentioned kanji of "father" ( 父) appears on his back, like the kanji of "heaven" (天, ten) on Akuma's. However the only time the dark power comes to fore is during a sparring session with Sakura and in true Dan fashion, Dan manages to trip over Sakura's schoolbag during the initial slide, abruptly ending the move.
 * Juni and Juli - Juli and Juni can perform the Death Cross Dance as a Level 3 tandem Super Combo in the Dramatic Battle Mode of Street Fighter Alpha 3, during which they team up on an opponent and deliver a 18-hit beatdown. Though it shares the same input as the Raging Demon, its first hit is an elbow strike instead of a grab, making the move blockable.
 * Kairi - Kairi's version is somewhat similar, but instead of sliding towards his opponent, he runs towards them. Also, at the end of the attack, he is seen holding his head in pain. Another thing that differs in Kairi's version is that whilst he is performing the attack, a lot of different Japanese symbols are shown appearing in a circle with every hit he does. In Street Fighter EX Plus α, the Shun Goku Satsu button input triggers the Kyouja Renbu (凶者連舞, lit. Chain Dance of the Wicked One) attack. Instead of sliding towards the opponent, Kairi runs to them and delivers a seven-hit combo which ends with him impaling the opponent through the stomach with his fist.
 * Hokuto - Hokuto uses the Kyouja Renbu attack in Street Fighter EX Plus α. Her method is the same as Kairi's: she runs towards the person and delivers a seven-hit punch/kick combo which ends with her impaling the opponent through the stomach with her fist.

Capcom

 * Zero Gouki - The mech based on Akuma from the console ports of Capcom's Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness can perform the Raging Demon. Its input of Attack1-Attack1-Forward-Weapon-Boost, is similar to that of the original.
 * Morrigan - Morrigan's Darkness Illusion was the first super move to use the button press sequence (LP, LP, F, LK, HP) that is now commonly associated with the Raging Demon.
 * Mrs. Orange - In Okami, Ms. Orange uses this to serve Amaterasu some cherry cakes. This is even jokingly referenced in Marvel vs. Capcom 3; if Amaterasu defeats Akuma/Gouki, Issun will comment on it.
 * Omega Zero - In Mega Man Zero 3 and Mega Man ZX, the end-boss uses a variation of the Raging Demon known as Ranbu (乱舞, "Boisterous Dance") as one of his most powerful attacks. He will use the technique when (depending on the mode in Mega Man Zero 3) either his health is below one bar; in Mega Man ZX, he can do it twice in succession at any given moment. However, the screen does not black out as Omega Zero instead leaps at the protagonist and repeatedly slices them in a nearly inescapable chain of seven slashes that ends with a rising slash should it connect. This is the only in-game appearance where a variation of the Raging Demon is visible when performed on the opponent.
 * In Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, a Hyper Combo called Ura Rasetsu-Giri (Reverse Silk Slicing Cutter) is used by Capcom character Hayato and uses the same animation. He dashes toward the user and impales them. Instead of blows being struck when the screen blacks out, sword slashes are heard and seen. There is no kanji seen before or after the move is performed. The move is oddly somewhat screen dependent, as Hayato rushes to the side where he first starts on a match after he completes the attack, no matter which side the move is performed from.
 * In Capcom's Breath of Fire IV, a learnable technique called Disembowel uses the same animation of attack and the Kanji right after the attack is done. However, it doesn't have the same power from fighting games versions, since it cuts the enemy's HP to 1 and rarely hits.
 * Asura - In Asura's Wrath's DLC Lost Episode, Asura and Evil Ryu attempt the move on eact other, ending in a draw. Not only does he use a different character, but his front is toward the screen instead of away from it.
 * Rogue - Marvel Comics character Rogue can utilize a variation of the Raging Demon (dubbed Demon Rage) by kissing Akuma during game play. A large X is superimposed on the background.
 * God/Ultimate Rugal (Capcom vs. SNK 2 only) - SNK character Rugal obtains this attack after absorbing Akuma's power. Dubbed Final Judgement. The "heaven" (天, ten) kanji appears in the background if this move is used as a finisher.
 * In JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future (an Capcom developed fighting game based on the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga series), characters Iggy and Pet Shop have Raging Demon-styled moves. Iggy's Super Move Sand Storm begins with him approaching the opponent then latching onto them while his Stand grabs their ankles. The camera becomes static while hitsparks are displayed and the camera returns to the opponent on the ground. Pet Shop's Raging Birdie (or Shun Birdie Satsu) has more in common to Akuma's super by name than function: it is not a throw, can be blocked and the animation is completely visible. Both Sand Storm and Raging Birdie use the same button input as the Raging Demon. These supers can be viewed here; Iggy's super can be seen at 6:57 while Pet Shop's begins at 3:29.

In other media

 * In Bayonetta, a game made by former Capcom game director Hideki Kamiya, the secret boss, Father Rodin, has a move that directly resembles the Raging Demon. Instead of having his back to the screen, he simply lounges on the floor. This is one of the more powerful variations as it leaves the target with only single point of health left.
 * In Warriors Orochi 2/Musou Orochi: Maou Sairin, Orochi X has a move similar to the Raging Demon as his R1 special. However, it is mostly non-fatal, save on Chaos difficulty, where it is an instant kill.
 * In Square Enix's Final Fantasy XIII-2, optional DLC boss Amodar uses an attack called the Iron Bear Claw as his Full ATB Skill, which resembles the Raging Demon. In addition, the player can also use this attack as a Feral Link technique, which requires the same command input as the Raging Demon.
 * In Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Meta Knight has a Final Smash similar to the Raging Demon. However, it delivers below average knockback for a Final Smash and normally doesn't K.O. until the opponent's damage meter is above 100%.
 * In Namco Bandai Games' Soul Calibur IV, Mitsurugi's Critical Finish has a similar flash to the Raging Demon; he draws his sword and unleash two powerful slashes (similar to Akuma's attacks), and in the end, the opponent is down and burning.
 * In Touhou Hisoutensoku, Suwako's strongest Spell Card has an animation very similar to the Raging Demon.
 * In SNK's The King of Fighters 2001, Yuri Sakazaki has a DOA Thrashing (traditionally known as Desperation Move, or DM) that acts as the Raging Demon, except that she runs to her opponent at the start and does the "peace" sign with both of her hands at the end, but only if the attack connects.
 * In Sony's PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Toro Inoue has a move called Toro's dream comes true ^o^? that parodies of the Raging Demon move. In it Toro puts on his Oni costume and summons a club. It appears to take place on a floating platform made of clouds or rice cakes. Suddenly, Toro rushes towards the three opponents in the background while the screen goes black with slashes appearing on it. It then cuts to Toro standing victoriously with his back to the camera, a dark aura radiating from Toro, and a giant letter "T" carved into the ground.
 * In Marvel Avengers Alliance, Squirrel Girl has an attack called "Wrath of the Raging Squirrel" which is an obvious parody of Akuma's "Wrath of the Raging Demon" in both name and looks with the screen going dark and the target getting hit with an unseen barrage of attacks.

Trivia

 * In Gouken's ending in Street Fighter IV, the Raging Demon is shown as a mighty punch enveloped in crimson energy. Ironically, the Street Fighter US animated series predated this exact depiction, though the energy was violet-colored.
 * Coincidentally, in both cases, Akuma uses the Raging Demon on the same person: Gouken.
 * In the original Street Fighter RPG game, the Raging Demon and its user, Akuma, don't exist. But the fans of the game developed a version of the attack at "Street Fighter RPG Brasil".
 * The Wrath of the Raging Demon in the Street Fighter IV series has the kanji '一瞬千撃' in the background, in which Akuma also iterates, "Isshun sengeki." This translates to "One moment, one thousand strikes." The English translation mistranslates this, having Akuma say "Die one thousand deaths" instead.
 * In Touhou Hisoutensoku, the character Suwako Moriya has the strongest spell card, very similar in effect to the Shun Goku Satsu, seen here.
 * Akuma is the only character who uses the Wrath of the Raging Demon. This attack might have been perfected throughout his relentless training and will to kill other fighters.
 * Akuma, when fought as the secret boss in Street Fighter X Mega Man, will charge up his Revenge Gauge throughout the battle. He will use the Wrath of the Raging Demon Ultra Combo the moment his health bar fills up for the battle. It is an instant kill even at full health. And since the Ultra Combo goes all the way across the screen quickly and activates with a single delay frame, the player only has a second to jump out of the way.

Video
thumb|300px|left|Wrath of the Raging Demon (Japanese voices).