Plot: What’s it about?
As if the adventures shown in a few animated movies, a live action feature film, and a slew of video games weren’t enough, now you can check out more action from the Street Fighter characters. This series is made up of half hour episodes, each of which is packed with new and old faces, all in search of elements to make them the best. Of course, the series goes down many different paths, but the main focus seems to be on Ryu and Ken, as they trek across the lands to improve their skills and learn from those willing to teach them. As you can imagine, the two often bicker with each other and various others, which means some butt kicking is always bound to surface. But the action never ceases here, from fights, to difficult journeys, to mystical forces, it seems as though time stops for no man, even in a cartoon series. This is the third disc, which means episodes 8-14 are presented are and my opinion, the series continues to improve. The episodes included here are Trap Prison And The Scream of Truth, The Superstar of Muay Thai, Dark Omen, Visitation of the Beasts, The Deadly Phantom Faceoff, The Legend of Hadou Ken, and The Bloodthirsty Prince.
I really liked the first installment of episodes in this series, so I was primed when this second release arrived. I had hoped these next episodes would be as good as the prior ones and as it would turn out, these were even better, at least I think so. I think the storylines are pretty good, given the nature and length of each episode, plus it was nice to see a wide variance between episodes as well. I was also pleased to find some of the cooler characters introduced, even though some old favorites are still absent from the series thus far. The animation is on the same level as most morning cartoons, which means decent enough, but by no means dazzling to the eyes either. I also like the treatment given to this series by Manga, which includes both English & Japanese language tracks, as well as a total of seven episodes. Not much in terms of extras to be seen, but with three and a half hours of content, you have to be pretty pleased in the end. I know this series has hooked me and I look forward to more episodes, so I am giving this release a solid recommendation, especially for fans of Street Fighter who need a quick fix.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame form, which is how they were shown on television, so all is well. I wasn’t blown away by these presentations, but I think the image is more than adequate and does the animation justice. The prints used look clean enough, so no elements are thrown off there, which is the start of any good transfer. The colors look bold and error free, while contrast is stark and more than solid at all times. I did see some edge enhancement at times, but not enough to knock the score more than a shade.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc includes dual stereo tracks, with both English and Japanese languages covered and as such, both camps should be pleased. I think these tracks more than equal the television audio I’d expect, but crisper and a little more refined. So the difference is not worlds apart, but I do think this disc offers a solid improvement over seeing the series on normal television. The music is richer than you might expect, sound effects kick when they need to, and dialogue is always easy to understand, which leaves me with little to complain about. This disc also includes English subtitles, in case you’ll want to turn those on as you watch.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You’ll find a remixed edition of the series’ theme song, but no other title specific extras were included, though the usual Manga related items are present.
