Zeku/Pop Culture

This is a page listing Zeku's references in general pop culture since his debut in Street Fighter V.

Capcom games

• Ginzu the Ninja from Captain Commando can utilizes the Bushinryu Ninjutsu like both Zeku and his pupil Guy when he used some shoulder or overhead throws and kicks to his opponents' stomach but relies on using the style of Kenjutsu with his kodachi, Iaizuki.
• Hokuto from the Street Fighter EX series and Fighting EX Layer in her Shadaloo C.R.I. profile states that her fighting style combines between Mizugami Kobudo and Bushinryu Ninjutsu used by Zeku as her current fighting style is labeled as "Mizugami-ryu Kobujutsu". Therefore, Hokuto's movesets are completely different when she utilizes her fighting style.
• As noted in his biography section, Zeku's current appearance shares many resemblances with Hiryu from Capcom's Strider series. It is theorized that Zeku may have been the founder (or at the very least, a conceptualizer) of the Striders.
• Zeku also shows some possible references to other characters from Strider:
  • Zeku's position as the possible founder of Striders is shared by Kuramoto from the NES version of Strider and the original manga. Zeku's costume is loosely similar to Kuramoto's, and Zeku's kicks are stated to be based on the "Iai sword fighting style", the fighting style used by Kuramoto in the manga.
  • While inspired by Hiryu's basic attack motion, Zeku's energy kicks also greatly resemble the fighting style of the Kuniang trio, whose kicks are stated to be identical in strength to the plasma arc created by Hiryu's basic attack.

Other video games

• In Time Crisis 5 and its True Mastermind edition, Keith Martin from Time Crisis 2 is able to utilize Taijutsu as a boss character when he knocks his former partner and main antagonist Robert Baxter twice. Two of his kicks are similar to Zeku's basic attacks in the game.
• According to Street Fighter V director Takayuki Nakayama, part of Zeku's design and techniques pay respect to Osman, a 2D side-scrolling video game from 1996 that was developed by Kouichi Yotsui and is considered a spiritual successor to Strider. The visual references can be mostly seen in young Zeku's standard uniform (specially in the similar backless, sleeveless shirt he and Osman protagonist Kirin both use). Two techniques were also confirmed to be named as nods to Osman: Bushin Gram - Teki (Teki being the name of the mercenary group Kirin belongs to) and the Bushin Kirinkyaku (named after the main protagonist). As Kirin was designed after the Kuniang of Strider, Zeku's energy kicks also closely resemble Kirin's powered-up kicks.

Comics

• Zeku's transformation between both his old and young forms is similar to Genkai from the manga/anime series, YuYu Hakusho when she uses her Reihado-Ken during her demonstration of her Spirit Gun towards the main protagonist Yusuke Urameshi and her battle against Shishiwakamaru in the semi-finals of the Dark Tournament. During her battle with Shishiwakamaru who wants her to be disqualified in the tournament for cheating, Younger Toguro tells them that Yusuke's team did not cheat and also noticed her ability to transform into both of her forms when he explains to the audience about her.
• Silva from the manga/anime series Jibaku-kun has the same ability as Zeku's with the use of her Telepathic ability to transform from her elderly appearance to her younger form while angrily confronts the recurring villain, Hail.
• In the manga/anime series Naruto, both Rock Lee and Might Guy utilizes Taijutsu as their current fighting style as Zeku incorporates Taijutsu to his fighting style Bushinryu Ninjutsu.
• In the manga/anime series Fushigi Yuugi, both Tokaki and Subaru are able to transform to their younger forms with the use of Subaru's enchanted spell, but at the cost of their own lives as a high price.
• In Pokémon the Series: XY, Ash's Greninja and both its pre-evolved form and his Ash-Greninja form utilize Taijutsu with the use of Aerial Ace. Some of his moves are nearly similar to Zeku when he incorporates his Taijutsu to his fighting style Bushinryu Ninjutsu.

Television and Animations

• In Cyber Team in Akihabara, during Episodes 23 and 24, Christian Rosenkreutz remains in his younger appearance as his present age is below 500 years old due to his drinking the Elixir in 1541, but when Crane Bahnsteik reveals his true colors, he rapidly ages while suffering to his death. His elderly appearance is similar to Zeku as both men had long gray/white hair as Christian's long hair is tied in a low ponytail.

Movies

• In Disney's 2010 film Tangled, the main antagonist Mother Gothel remains in her young form, but when Eugene Fitzherbert cuts Rapunzel's very long golden blond hair into short to show her natural brown hair during the climax of the film, she rapidly ages until she turns into dust. This scene is a reverse version of Zeku's transformation between both his old and young forms.
  • Before Tangled's release, The Evil Queen from the 1934 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Queen Narissa from the 2007 film Enchanted can turn their youthful selves into old but different in both films. The Evil Queen can turned into a disguised old witch by drinking a mixed potion while Narissa can transform into any other forms such as both old and dragon form.

• In the 2018 Philippine remake Miss Granny, Fely Malabano (portrayed by Philippine veteran actress and comedian Nova Villa) transforms to her younger self (portrayed by singer and actress Sarah Geronimo) after taking a photo by a mysterious photographer at the Forever Young Photo Studio. However she can revert back to her old self when she gained minor cuts or donating her blood to her grandson Jeboy Malabano (portrayed by Phillipine actor James Reid) after he got an accident by getting bump by the jeep and hit his head while on his way to the concert. At the end of the film, her friend Bert (portrayed by veteran actor and one of the members of APO Hiking Society Boboy Garovillo) also transforms into his younger self after her. Their transformation from old and young are similar to Zeku's but based on camera shots.