Street Fighter IV: The Ties That Bind (新たなる絆 Aratanaru Kizuna?) is an animated movie directed by Jiro Kanai that was featured in a bonus disc included in the Collector's Edition of Street Fighter IV for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. The cast is basically the same voice actors as in the game. In addition, the making of the movie and interview video of "Street Fighter IV" are also included as bonus videos.
The movie was made available as one of the DVDs included in the Street Fighter 25th Anniversary - Collector's Set, released in 2012.
Plot[]
Delta Red is investigating strange energy discharges coming from the Amazon, and Cammy believes that Shadaloo is behind it; however, everyone believes "it's history". The scene shifts to a village, where Chun-Li and someone else discuss the disappearances of fighters; another shift reveals the second person to be Guile, who is waiting for her as he talks about Charlie and the disappearances, believing Shadaloo is behind it.
The scene shifts to an Ch. 47 Chinnok owned by S.I.N., where Seth is talking to a scientist about the experiment in the Amazon, wanting to make it commercially viable. They are also tracking down Ryu, whose Satsui no Hado can power up BLECE.
Meanwhile, Ryu is training in the desert, and he remembers Akuma talking to him at one point, saying that seeking anything but power is foolishness of the highest order, and that "the blood flowing through your veins calls out to you". Akuma also threatened to murder Ryu if he did not give in to the Satsui no Hado.
After the opening credits, it shifts to the Masters Foundation headquarters, where Ken refuses to be interviewed by a woman named Maya. Later, he talks about his last fight with Ryu, the Satsui no Hado, and his personal life, now thinking he is no longer a fighter.
Later, Cammy and her squad are sent to the Amazon to find whatever remains of the energy discharge. Upon finding out it isn't a natural depression, Cammy remembers finding out the images were altered and they find dead animals, and later human corpses, presumed to be the missing fighters.
While Maya, who is actually Crimson Viper, is seen spying on Ken, the scene shifts to Ryu, who hears Akuma talking in his mind about submitting to the Satsui no Hado; he recalls Master Gouken's adoption of him and his "death", and vows to control it. Meanwhile, Eliza, Ken's wife and sister of Guile's wife, is shopping for baby stuff since she's pregnant, which Ken is unaware of, and meets Maya, talking about Ken and giving a doll to Eliza.
Meanwhile, Guile and Chun-Li discuss Delta Red's involvement and the dead fighters, as well as talking about the US Army and FBI's participation. They seem to be unsure if the CIA is involved, but are certain that some big organization is manipulating the Interpol and Delta Red. Cammy then calls to report about the dead animals, whose cells were "blown up", and Chun Li remembers being informed about some leads on their investigation.
At the Masters' manor, Eliza and a maid are talking about the doll, which is bugged, unbeknownst to them. The bug was planted by Crimson Viper, who catches a S.I.N. agent spying on her. She beats them soundly and tells them to contact "his boss". Later, she talks with the CIA about her mission to go after Ryu; she believes if Ryu is to be found, they will need Ken, because of their friendship and rivalry. Viper then pictures her daughter, who was seen throughout the conversation in a flashback, and then finds a "Happy Birthday Mom" on the mirror of her car.
Meanwhile, at an oasis, a tired and dying Ryu thinks about all that he has been through, musing that "all of mankind holds a power within, the power of life. This force is fragile yet eternal, life begets more life and the cycle continues. This force, this power, is what drives them all, but what is 'power'?". He continues on his way, still musing.
Guile and Chun Li find an old, yet heavily guarded castle, which holds a lab. Inside, they find another dead fighter and more valuable data, with Cammy joining them. At their hotel room, they find out about BLECE, the culprit behind the dead animals and their appearance, and find out Ryu is their target. They go to Ken in order to track down Ryu, but Cammy mentions that someone may beat them to it.
Back in the Masters' manor, a shadow passes by Crimson Viper's car, and Eliza sees a tired Ken. As talk about why Ken is so busy, their guards are beaten up by Sakura, who is the shadow seen earlier; she was visiting Ken to find Ryu. Ken then gets a phone call from Chun-Li about the disappearances of fighters, which Ken is totally ignorant of.
Later, in a rest-stop where Ryu stopped by to get a drink, a trucker greets him and talks about a fighter who disappeared and left his family behind, hinting it to be Ken, and the trucker is still looking for him.
Back at the Master's residence, Sakura tells Ken, upon his request, what she knows about the disappearances, and Ken blames himself for not knowing. Sakura herself was looking for Ryu because the kidnappers are after him. Then, the trucker Ryu was talking to calls Ken and tells him where Ryu is, and Ken, Chun-Li and Sakura rush to get to Ryu.
Meanwhile, at the missing fighter's house, which is for sale, Ryu ponders about said fighter when Crimson Viper, who heard about Ryu's location through Ken's phone call via the bugged doll, ambushes him and fights till Cammy interrupts. She attempts to fend the secret agent off, but is defeated and tortured by Viper to force Ryu to give into the Satsui No Hado. When he does so, the power he exudes forces her to retreat.
Sakura runs up to Ryu, wrapping her arms around him, and manages to both keep him from pursuing Viper and return him to his senses, while Ken tends to the heavily-injured Cammy and contacts the rescue team. Ryu is left extremely shaken by this ordeal, and Sakura keeps him company.
Back in the Masters' manor, Guile and Chun-Li arrive. Ken informs that Cammy will survive, and they discuss BLECE and S.I.N. Meanwhile, Seth discusses BLECE with Viper, revealing that BLECE is used to allow access to fighting energy, which is the reason why S.I.N. abducted the fighters, and are now after Ryu. With their mastery of ki and the Satsui no Hado, they can create an army of undetectable yet overwhelmingly powerful assassins to plunge the world into darkness. Viper suggests that Seth come to see what Ryu is capable of personally.
Guile, Chun Li, Sakura, and Ken plan their next action until Crimson Viper calls them to inform them that they are holding Eliza hostage in exchange for Ryu. They plan to rescue Eliza without Ryu; however, Ryu decides to go along with them to try and control the Satsui no Hado in front of S.I.N.
Later, in a cruise ship owned by S.I.N, Viper keeps Eliza hostage. Sakura and Chun-Li come in as a diversion, while Ryu and Ken sneak on board. Guile heads off to call for help from the U.S. Coast Guard. As Ken goes to rescue Eliza, Ryu goes into the auditorium, where he encounters Seth. Ken confronts C. Viper, who refuses to tell him where Eliza is, regarding him as weak, and punches him with the same fist that sent Ryu reeling earlier. To her surprise, Ken blocks it with near invincibility, and C. Viper escapes, noting this power Ken showed is no slouch, even compared to Ryu's Satsui no Hado. Ken rescues his wife, finally finding out that she is pregnant; he realizes there is a power opposite of Satsui no Hado that is used to protect the ones he loves.
After all the guards are defeated, Ken, Sakura, and Chun Li find Ryu in a struggle with Seth, and losing. Seth speaks in length about obtaining ultimate power. Ryu realizes that the power he was looking for is not what he thought, and, indirectly through Seth's speech, found his purpose of seeking strength - to protect what is good and fight evil. Seth laughs and tells Ryu his speech is pure nonsense and attempts to attack him.
Ryu exhibits his new power, a result of rejecting the Satsui no Hado through his enlightenment (the same power Gouken uses and Ken used earlier, but even more powerful, his eyes glowing blue). His power burns the skin off of Seth's hand, and he defeats Seth with an unstoppable Metsu Hadoken, which burns through the android's muscles for a short period of time. After his defeat, Seth is rescued by S.I.N. members.
As Ryu collapses, Ken and Sakura defeat the guards and check on Ryu, while Chun-Li goes after Seth and the S.I.N. guards. Seth is eventually cornered by Guile, Cammy, and the U.S Coast Guard. however, A Shadaloo helicopter picks up Seth, with Balrog and Vega on board, the latter of whom tells Seth that Shadaloo is the real manipulator.
Later, back in the auditorium, Ken is impressed with Ryu's power. Ryu responds that he feels the same power within Ken and faints.
Sakura heads back to Japan, and Chun-Li, Guile, and Cammy discuss the event at the docks, discovering that the case was covered up. As they talk, Chun-Li sees Abel, mistaking him for Seth for a split second. Meanwhile, Ryu takes his leave and says goodbye to Ken, and promises they will meet again.
In a post-credits scene, Ryu and Ken would, in fact, meet again and engage in a sparring match, albeit in an unknown outcome.