Street Fighter 6 Ryu: Combos, Playstyle, & Costume

Ryu returns in Street Fighter 6 as one of the roster’s main characters, along with his entire repertoire from the previous games. The older and wiser Ryu is still just as easy to play but also very difficult to master, making him one of the most versatile characters of Street Fighter 6.

Key Takeaways

Ryu is an extremely versatile character in Street Fighter 6 who is great in all sorts of combat situations.
It is best to utilize his arsenal for punishers and counters as Ryu isn’t as fast as his peers, nor do he have high combo potential.
A close-defensive playstyle, where you drive the opponent into the corner and keep him/her there using Ryu’s special attacks and combos, is the one I recommend for this character.
Instead of only using special attacks like Hadoken, Shoryuken, and Tatsumaki Senpukyakus as combo enders, use them as a means to punish and counter your opponents too.
Ryu’s age is around 43-45 years old in Street Fighter 6.
Kyle Habert voices him in English and Hiroko Takahashi in Japanese.
Ryu’s classic Street Fighter 2 costume is confirmed for Street Fighter 6.

Who Is Ryu In Street Fighter 6?

Wandering Warrior — Ryu in Street Fighter 6 [Image Credits: eXputer}

Ryu is quite possibly the most popular character in the Street Fighter franchise, alongside Chun Li and Ken. He is an extremely versatile character, catering to all sorts of playstyles, but he is best played as a defensive character. That said, he also holds his own extremely well in a ranged battle too, thanks to his Hadoken blasts. Due to having a defensive playstyle, he doesn’t have extremely long combos compared to his peers, but where he excels are punishers and counters.

He is possibly the easiest character to pick in the entire roaster thanks to his beginner-friendly playstyle, but that also makes him vulnerable to counters since many others know how to play him too. But with the right approach and combos, you can easily take down your opponents with the wandering warrior, even if they see your attacks coming.

Best Ryu Combos In SF6

Punish attacks — Ryu Punishers [Image Credits: eXputer]

For Street Fighter 6 Ryu combos, I will discuss combinations that utilize normal attacks, special attacks, and Drive System Impact. Combos that use Ryu’s combat potential to its fullest and transform his attacks into a devastating onslaught for the opponent, eating up a hefty portion of their health bar.

Basic Combos

Jump HK > Crouch MP > Quarter Circle Back MK
Jump HP > Standing MP > Quarter Circle Back LK+MK > Dragon Punch
Jump HK > Crouch MP > Quarter Circle Forward MK
Jump HK > Crouch MP > Quarter Circle Back MP

Unique Combos

Ryu charge — Ryu’s Super Art [Image Credits: eXputer]

Double Dash MP > Jump HK > Crouch MP > Quarter Circle Back LP+MP > Quarter Cricle Forward LK+MK > Supar Art 3
Double Dash MP > Jump HK > Crouch MK > Quarter Cricle Back LP+MP > Qurter Cricle Back LK+MK > Super Art 1 [Corner]

Drive Impact

Cancel — Using Drive Reversal against Luke [Image Credits: eXputer]

Double Dash MP > Drive Impact > Crouch MP > Quarter Circle Back LK+MK > Super Art 2
Crouch HP > Quarter Circle Back + MP > Dragon Punch + HP [After DI corner stun]

Drive Rush

Double Dash MP > Jump HP > Standing MP > Drive Rush Cancel > Standing MP > Crouch MP> Quarter Circle Back LP+MP > Quarter Cricle Forward LK+MK > Super Art 3
Double Dash MP > Jump HK > Standing MP > Drive Rush Cancel > Standing MP > Drive Rush Cancel > Standing MP > Crouch MP > Quarter Circle Back MP > Super Art 1
Double Drive MP > Standing HP > Drive Rush Cancel > Standing MP > Crouch MP > Drive Rush Cancel > Standing MP > Crouch MP > Quarter Circle Back Mp > Super Art 3

Best Ryu Playstyle In Street Fighter 6

Corner — Driving opponent into the corner [Image Credits: eXputer]

Ryu is overall a pretty balanced character who excels at almost every playstyle but isn’t a master in any.

For Ryu, staying close to your opponent and keeping your defense up until they make themselves vulnerable to Drive Reversal, Punish, or Counter is recommended.
Ryu’s special attacks can be a deal breaker in many situations as they can be used to punish and attack players in all sorts of situations and can even be used as combo finishers.
Hadoken is Ryu’s main fireball attack that can be used for zoning and keeping opponents at bay.
Tatsumaki Senpukyakus is Ryu’s Hurrican Kick attack that allows him to cover distances, hit opponents multiple times with roundhouse kicks, and end many combos with devastating damage in Street Fighter 6.
Lastly, Ryu’s uppercut attack, ” Shoryuken,” can punish and interrupt airborne opponents.
Ryu has a very beginner-friendly playstyle and is very useful for learning the basics of Street Fighter 6.
Ryu is a slower character than its peers, so using Drive Rush is recommended to cover distance and get in range of your opponent’s hitbox.

What Is Ryu’s Age In Street Fighter 6?

While Capcom has not officially confirmed Ryu’s age in Street Fighter 6, I can make a calculated guess based on established facts. It is officially confirmed that Ryu was 33 years old during the events of Street Fighter 3, which now serves as a prequel to Street Fighter 6, according to game director Takayuki Nakayama.

"Although Street Fighter 6 occurs after the Street Fighter III series, Ryu still feels that he's "not there yet" – though he seems to have gained some dignity. The way he wears the kasaya (Buddhist robe) is reminiscent of his master, Goken."
-Game Director, @takaNakayama pic.twitter.com/yFdzRHsPVp
— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) June 6, 2022

Mel Masters, son of Ken Masters, is 3 years old in Street Fighter 3, and in his most recent appearance – Days of the Eclipse Comic, a comic prequel that leads to the events of Street Fighter 6 – he looks like a teenager.

Moreover, Li-Fen, the adopted sister of Chun Li, seems to have grown up a lot as well in Street Fighter 6. She was around 6 to 8 years in Street Fighter 3 and now looks like a teenager in Street Fighter 6.

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Important: Based on these facts, it is safe to say that Ryu is somewhere between 43 to 45 years old during the events of Street Fighter 6.

Even just based on physical appearance, it is visible that Ryu has grown a lot. He now wears a Kasaya, has a beard on his face, and seems to have attained inner peace. A calmer and wiser look means he has aged quite a lot between the events of the two games, both physically and spiritually.

Ryu’s Voice Actors In SF6

English Voice Actor — Kyle Hebert as Ryu

Kyle Habert returns as the voice actor for Ryu in Street Fighter 6. He has breathed life into this character since Street Fighter 4, and he also brings the same energy and charm in Street Fighter 6.

Known Works

Gohan in Dragon Ball Z
Ragnar in Vinland Saga
Souske Aizen in Bleach
Ryu in Wreck-It Ralph

The Japanese voice actor for Ryu in Street Fighter 6 is Hiroko Takahashi. He has previously provided the voice for Ryu on 17 separate occasions ranging from main-line games to spin-offs and anime.

Known Works

Impmon in Digimon Tamers
Katsuya Jonouchi in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Masters
Queen in One Piece

Is Ryu’s Classic Costume Present In Street Fighter 6?

Yes, Ryu’s Classic Street Fighter 2 costume is back in Street Fighter 6. A proper look at the classic costumes of some of the roster’s main characters was revealed by Capcom on July 23, 2022.

Ryu, Chun-Li, and Guile's classic looks make their return in #StreetFighter6! Perfect to remind everyone what legends they are. 🥋 pic.twitter.com/mihmRqH2qe
— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) July 22, 2022

Here is a proper look at Ryu’s classic costume in Street Fighter 6:

Conclusion

After spending some time with Ryu, you’d obviously want to switch to a more complex character with bigger combo potential. For that, consider going through our guides on Blanka, Juri, E.Honda, Cammy, and Guile in Street Fighter 6.

While every character in Street Fighter 6 is extremely good and feels fun to play, consider reading our SF 6 best characters guide for a definitive ranking list.

This concludes my Street Fighter 6 Ryu guide, in which I have entailed all the necessary information about the character’s voice actor, classic costume, age, and combos. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below.

Next: Street Fighter 6 Tier List: All Fighters Ranked

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