Hadouken

The Hadoken (波動拳, Hadōken, IPA: [hadoːkẽꜜɴ], literally "wave motion fist" or "fist of surge") is a special attack from Capcom's Street Fighter series of fighting games. Game designer Takashi Nishiyama credits an energy attack called Hadouho (lit. the "Wave Motion Gun"), from the 1970s anime Space Battleship Yamato, as the origin of Hadoken.[1] It is used by the characters Ryu, Ken, Sakura, Akuma (Gouki in Japan), and Gouken. The Hadoken and the Shoryuken are the two archetypal moves of these characters, as well as some of the most iconic and famous elements of the Street Fighter series or even video games in general.[2]

"Hadoken!" redirects here. For the band, see Hadouken! (band).

In Capcom games and merchandise

Simple drawing of a stick figure performing a Hadoken. Shown from left to right: charge and release

Street Fighter characters that use the Hadoken are Ryu and Ken since the first Street Fighter, later joined by Sakura, Gouken and Akuma. The move is achieved by the character thrusting their palms forward, sending a surge of spirit energy (or ki) towards the opponent ("chi blast"). Takashi Nishiyama, the creator of the original Street Fighter (1987), credits the 1970s anime Space Battleship Yamato and a super-weapon called the Hadouho ("Wave Motion Gun") as the origin of the Hadoken.[3] The move is achieved by the characters thrusting their palms forward, sending a surge of spirit energy, flying towards the opponent. It is normally performed by the player moving the joystick or D-pad a quarter circle forward towards the opponent from the down position, then pressing a punch button (so, for example, a character facing to the right would execute the move by pressing ↓, ↘, →, and then "punch" in a smooth motion). Although the execution has been always the same, the design, speed, damage, and other attributes of the technique vary in different games.[4]

Most fighting games of the sprite-based era used at least some characters with projectile special moves, and while the actual type of projectile launched varies from game to game and character to character, the execution and behavior of these attacks are often rather similar to the hadoken. The Hadoken can usually be performed in three different degrees depending on which type punch is used; these will affect its speed, damage caused on impact, amount of recovery frames, and sometimes its range. The Hadoken itself has many variations depending on the character in question that the move is associated with. For example, both Ryu and Akuma use a fire-based variant of the move called the Shakunetsu Hadoken (灼熱波動拳) or Blazing Surge Fist, which briefly engulfs its target in flames. Later titles in the series that use super combo moves ramp up the power of the Hadoken, evolving it into the Shinku Hadoken (真空波動拳 - Vacuum Surge Fist). This takes one of two forms depending on the game: an outsized fireball, or a blast of constant energy. Street Fighter III introduced the Denjin Hadoken (電刃波動拳), an unblockable, electrified version which could be 'stored' by holding down the punch key, for timing purposes. Introduced in the Capcom vs. SNK series, the "Evil Ryu" Kage's Satsui no Hadou Ryu[5] uses a more powerful version called the Metsu Hadoken (滅波動拳), which acts similar to Denjin Hadoken, being unblockable and stunning the opponent. Street Fighter IV brought back the Metsu Hadoken, though it instead acts simply like a more powerful variant of the Shinkuu Hadoken. The latest entry in the series, Street Fighter V, brought back the Denjin Hadoken, which can be performed by performing the Shinku Hadoken while in Ryu's V Trigger mode.

An unofficial "Rainbow Edition" of Street Fighter II gave the Hadoken abilities to all characters, possibly influencing later official games.[6] Since then, many others in the Street Fighter series have been given similar moves, but have their own names for it. For instance, Kairi and Allen Snider both have such a move, the latter calling it Fire Force. Dhalsim spits fire ("Yoga Fire), and Chun-Li eventually gained a projectile move she calls the Kikouken (気功拳, Chi-Gong Fist). In Street Fighter III, Sean has no routine Hadoken, but can employ a similar super-move named the Hadou Burst. Dan Hibiki utilizes a single-handed projectile called the Gadouken (我道拳, Self-Taught Fist), which has barely any range or power. Ace can also use the Hadoken in Street Fighter EX3 once the third set of usable arts is unlocked in Character Edit Mode.

Other special moves derived from the Hadouken include the Soul Fist of Morrigan in the Darkstalkers series. The Hadouken has been seen several times in the Capcom's Mega Man X platform game series. It was a hidden Easter egg ability in the first game (Mega Man X)[7] and its remake (Mega Man Maverick Hunter X). In Mega Man X4, Magma Dragoon uses the move (the copy of Magma Dragoon also uses the move in Mega Man X5). It was also available to the player in the Mega Man Xtreme games. The Tails Clan, a group of secret bosses in Mega Man X: Command Mission, use a move called "Annihilator Hadouken". There are also Hadouken emotes in the massive multiplayer role-playing video game Monster Hunter: World.[8] Among the official or licensed merchandise, Multiverse Studio made plush Hadouken balls in 2015,[9] Naked & Famous Denim produced the "Ryu Hadoken Selvedge" jeans pants in 2017,[10] and Everlast released cologne perfume named after the Hadouken in 2018.[11]

Homages

In other video games

• In Lunar: Eternal Blue, Jean has an attack named Haduken.
• In All New World of Lemmings, the Shadow Tribe Lemmings can perform the move while shouting out "Hadouken!". As described in the manual: "this is a fighting device - a weapon from an ancient Lemming Martial Art, Lemdo. Since it is magically empowered, it will throw out a fireball when used."
• Hadoken-inspired[12] Dragon Ball is one of the attacks in all installments of the Worms series.
• In Fallout 2, the boxers in New Reno's gym will sometimes shout "Hadoken!" while fighting.
• In Call of Duty: Black Ops, Japanese character Takeo from the Zombies Mode yells "Hadouken!" at certain times in the game.
• In Team Fortress 2, the Pyro class can perform the Hadouken as a taunt when equipped with a secondary weapon.

In other media

• In the comic Looking for Group, Richard is seen performing Hadouken while trying to escape from the plane where he is trapped along with his familiar.[13]
• Black Mage of the webcomic 8-Bit Theater also uses the move, spelled Hadoken. There are several parody Hadouken moves in the comic, including "Fighterdoken" (where Fighter is thrown at a group of enemies in the style of a Fastball Special), "me-doken" (like the Fighterdoken, only without Black Mage to throw him), "Boatdoken" (using the Hadoken to propel the ship the party is on like a rocket booster) and "Hadouyastopthis" (Red Mage mimicking the move after being hit with it, despite not fully understanding his new powers).
• Plastician's "Wake Up Call 2008 & 2009" mixes he uses the "Hadouken" sound sample repeatedly.
• Argentinian DJ duo Heatbeat released a 2010 track "Hadoken".
• In the Family Guy episode "Tiegs for Two", during the parody of Street Fighter II, where a fight is escalated between Peter and Mr. Washee Washee, Peter performs the Hadoken. Peter goes on to use the other two Ansatsuken techniques as well.
• In the film Ready Player One, Parzival uses the Hadoken against Sorrento during their battle.[14]
• Referenced in Litany's "Call on Me".[15]
• Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000's version of "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom".
• In the DC Extended Universe film Shazam!, one of the Shazam Family members, Eugene Choi (played by Ross Butler) utilizes a Hadouken against one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Other use

• Canadian professional wrestler Kenny Omega uses the Hadoken as one of his signature moves.[16]
• Hadoken!, the grindie/dance-punk band from Leeds, West Yorkshire, take their name from the Street Fighter move.
• Hadoken is a band from Amherst, Massachusetts, playing a blend of ambiance, melodic rock, jazz, and metal.[17]
• Hadoken is a beer brewed by a local brewer in the Twin Cities, MN.[18]
• An open source GitHub project Hadoken.[19]
• "Hadoken" or "Hadoken-ing"[20] was a 2013 social media meme popular in Japan[21] and elsewhere.
• MMA fighter Shane Campbell simulated a Hadoken attack during his victorious fight with Derek Boyle in 2015.[22]
• Manchester City Defender John Stones exclaimed "Hadoken!" upon watching a replay of his goal line clearance against Liverpool on January 3, 2019.

Reception

Eurogamer's Wesley Yin-Poole claimed that most players of a "certain generation" had "ingrained in [their] psyche". Both Yin-Poole and The Escapist author Earnest Cavalli compare moves from non-Street Fighter games to the Hadoken technique.[23][24] GamesRadar included "Hadoken!" in their list of the 100 best video game quotes.[25] The PlayStation 4 received a "viral teaser" which featured a fake taxi service called Hadoken Cabs.[26] A card in Street Fighter-themed Monopoly game was based on the Hadoken.[27]

Game Informer's Kyle Hilliard included the Hadoken's cameo in Mega Man X in his list of his five favourite video game Easter eggs. He claimed that this was in part due to the fact that without Internet at the time, which prevented him from verifying whether it was true.[28] GamesRadar featured it in his list of the 100 best video game Easter eggs.[29]

As an Internet meme

A meme called "Hadoken-ing" became popular in Japan and later the United States, where one person poses as though he or she have fired a Hadoken, and another person poses as if he or she was struck by it.[30] Several celebrities have taken pictures of themselves performing the Hadoken meme. Community and Mad Men star Alison Brie performed a number of different Internet memes, one of which was Hadoken-ing.[31] The cast of The Good Wife also took a picture of the meme being performed.[30] Television personality Carrie Keagan also posed for this meme.[30] NY Daily News' Jacob E. Osterhout called it the biggest meme since the Harlem Shake.[30] Critics of the meme claim that the meme is in fact a depiction of the Kamehameha from Dragon Ball Z and was in fact a "marketing ploy" for Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods.[30]

References

1. "The Man Who Created Street Fighter". 2011-12-14. Archived from the original on 2016-05-26.
2. "HADOKEN! The story behind Street Fighter's most iconic move". gamesradar. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
3. "The Man Who Created Street Fighter". 1up.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
4. "Evolution of Hadoken". GameTrailers.
5. Crecente, Brian (2018-12-17). "'Evil Ryu' Kage Hits 'Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition' Monday". Variety. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
6. Snape, Joel (2014-02-21). "How hackers reinvented Street Fighter 2". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
7. Cole-Cocking, Tony (2018-07-25). "Mega Man X: How to Get Hadouken". Twinfinite. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
8. "Monster Hunter World Street Fighter event quest: how to get the Ryu armor, hadouken and shoryuken emotes and other bonus items". VG247. 2018-12-19. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
9. "Cosplayers Can Unleash Ryu's Hadoken With A Street Fighter Hadoken Plush Ball". Siliconera. 2015-10-08. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
10. "Street Fighter x Naked & Famous Denim Introduce World to Ryu, Guile Jeans". Hardcore Gamer. 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
11. "Street Fighter Cologne Makes You Smell Like a Hadouken". GameRevolution. 2018-10-15. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
12. Antliff, Alex (2013-05-31). "10 Greatest Weapons From Worms". WhatCulture.com. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
13. "Page 163". Looking For Group. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
14. "Ready Player One: Five Incredible Video Game Easter Eggs We Didn't See Coming". WWG. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
15. "Track Of The Day 31/7 - Litany". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
16. One, Henry Gilbert 2015-03-26T20:00:47 84ZXbox. "Meet Kenny Omega, the wrestler every gamer should know". gamesradar. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
17. "Hadoken". Hadoken. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
18. "Hadoken | Tiny Rebel Brewing". www.tinyrebel.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
19. "SD Times GitHub project of the week: Hadoken". SD Times. 2017-05-05. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
20. "What Is Hadokening?". ABC News. 2013-03-29. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
21. Giblin, Erinna (April 11, 2013). "Hadoken: the special martial arts move exploding on social media". news.com.au. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
22. "This MMA Fight Ended With A Hadoken". UPROXX. 2015-02-13. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
23. Yin-Poole, Wesley (2013-11-23). "Killer Instinct review". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
24. Cavalli, Earnest (2013-03-22). "Darkstalkers Resurrection Review". The Escapist. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
25. "The 100 best video game quotes of all time". GamesRadar. 2013-05-30. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
26. Cook, Dave (2013-11-08). "PS4 gets bizarre 'Hadoken Cabs' viral teaser, watch it here". VG247. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
27. Groen, Andrew (2012-09-07). "Street Fighter edition of Monopoly revealed". GamesRadar. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
28. Hilliard, Kyle (2014-04-20). "Kyle's Five Favorite Video Game Easter Eggs". Game Informer. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
29. Taljonick, Ryan; Gilbert, Henry (2014-04-18). "The 100 best Easter Eggs of all time". GamesRadar. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
30. Osterhout, Jacob E. (2013-04-07). "Latest Internet meme is hadoken, where people imitate midair fight movies from video game Street Fighter". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
31. Wright, Eddie (2013-04-16). "Alison Brie Is An Internet Meme". MTV. Retrieved 2014-05-04.