Kairi

"You and I are not opponents! (貴様など俺の相手ではない!)"

- Kairi

Kairi (カイリ) is a video game character from the Street Fighter series, first appearing in Street Fighter EX as a secret character. He is Hokuto and Nanase's long lost elder brother from the Mizukami clan.

Appearance
In Street Fighter EX, Kairi appeared as a tall and muscular young man, with long black hair tied in a ponytail. His eyes are black with his left eye being scarred, possibly a relic of his duel to the death against his father. He wore a form fitting, sleeveless blue shirt, dark blue karate pants held by a black obi and wore blue handwraps and leg warmers.

In Street Fighter EX2 and onward, his appearance dramatically changed. His hair is no longer black but has become silvery-white, his eyes went from black to red and they seem to glow during certain special attacks or during some of his win poses. His body became covered in scars as a result of both him succumbing to his demonic powers and his endless string of battles. He wears white karate pants which are red near the top as well as a black belt. He no longer wears his shirt nor his leg warmers, his arms are covered in bandages and they are covered in blue flames whenever his power is at its highest point (gameplay-wise, when he has a full Super bar).

The Street Fighter V website has two different profiles for Kairi, based on his appearances in the first and second games. In his first profile, Kairi's karate pants are dark purple, he wears blue handwraps on both of his hands and his hair is black. In the second profile, he retains the same look he had in later games.

Personality
Kairi is the one can assume that due to his memory-loss and his father's last words, he is a serious warrior who is determined to make sense of himself and his life.

In Street Fighter EX2, Kairi became darker and more serious as a result of his new demonic power. Sometimes, Kairi holds his head in his hands and screams in pain (as seen after performing his Kyouja Renbu attack or his win pose), indicating that his new power is taking a huge toll on his mind.

Concept
During the development of the original Street Fighter EX game, Kairi's look was largely the same except that he had both eyes. He was originally named Shujinkou, which means "protagonist" or "main character", though this was likely a placeholder name.

Story
Kairi was born to the main house of the Mizukami family and was trained in the family's ancient art of hand-to-hand combat. However, in a stormy night, Kairi was thrown into the sea from the ship in which he was traveling and lost his memories. For ten years he has wandered the world, fighting without rhyme or reason. Only the words "you must challenge your limits" remained in his memories. Led by these words, Kairi thought that the only way to recover his memories was to follow the way of the Shura (修羅) and fight, replacing his lost memories with the nature of a demon. As he continued fighting, he eventually faced his younger sister Hokuto and was pushed down from a cliff. After the fall, Kairi's body got covered in scars. Despite the attempts of Nanase, the youngest of siblings to stop them, this has been an unavoidable fate for Kairi and Hokuto.

Street Fighter EX Ending (Japanese Version)


 * "It seems that you did not train thoroughly" The true meaning of a bloodstained lineage.  He follows the path of carnage by himself. What lies at the end? Will he become the master of the fist? Or something else? It won't be long before he begins his destined battle and only then we will know the true answer.

Street Fighter EX Plus α Ending (Japanese Version)


 * "It seems you did no train harder." A direct descendant of the founder of the original style of jiujutsu, he is man who makes a sport of his bloodstained destiny. What awaits him at the end? Manipulated by the remnant thoughts of an assassin... Will he ever find his relief?

In his Street Fighter EX3 ending, Kairi manages to defeat Hokuto in a battle. Seeing nothing but Kairi's broad back, she wonders if it is their father before losing unconsciousness.

Fighting Style and Gameplay
Most of Kairi's moves are similar to those of the Ansatsuken-style characters (i.e., Ryu, Ken, Akuma), as detailed below.


 * ​Shinku Hadoken -> Shinki Hatsudo (lit. Divine Qi Invocation)
 * Shoryuken -> Maryu Rekko (lit. Demon Dragon Rending Light)
 * Tatsumaki -> Moryo Kasen (lit. Spirit Goblin Vortex Whirl)
 * Tenmakujinkyaku -> Ryujin Kyaku (lit. Dragon Blade Leg; Street Fighter EX2)
 * Ashura Senku -> Maku Shihai (lit. Vacuum Control; Street Fighter EX2)
 * Raging Demon -> Kyoja Renbu (lit. Bane Wicked Chain Dance)

Also, in Street Fighter EX2, Kairi has inherited and succumbed to a power similar to the Satsui no Hado. Because of this, he has abilities and power similar to those of Akuma, and moves that resemble his techniques; (e.g. Zanku Hadoken and Raging Demon, Akuma's most lethal technique). An original ability from this power also exists, as having him surge with this power when his super meter is at Lv.3, allows his attacks to negate any projectiles.

Trivia

 * Kairi's voice actor, Kaneto Shiozawa, died in 2000, two months after the release of Street Fighter EX3. Shiozawa also voiced Vega in the EX series and Street Fighter II V, as well as Hyo Imawano from Capcom's Rival Schools series and Zato-1 from Arc System Works' Guilty Gear series.

Gallery
Street Fighter EX=

Street Fighter EX series

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