KEN DOB: February 14, 1964 Height: 5'10" Weight: 169 lbs. Blood Type: B Nationality: American Discipline: Shotokan Karate "The flame of my fist won't be put out so easily!"

Ken, the son of wealthy parents, grew up a risk-taker. He was constantly performing bigger and more dangerous stunts and just barely escaping death. Concerned for his welfare, his parents sent him to Japan to learn discipline from the Shotokan master Gouken. The reclusive master did not just take anyone in as a pupil, and he had never met Ken's parents before so he owed them no special favor. However, he sensed that Ken had great potential and agreed to train him.

At the time of his arrival, Gouken only had two other students. Retsu was an old man who could not seem to grasp the more advanced techniques. The young man named Ryu, however, was clearly a quick learner. Ryu and Ken were roughly the same age, and Gouken made them training partners. The two became good friends and formed a friendly rivalry, often competing to see who could master a technique first. While Ryu tended to think things through, Ken preferred a more reckless approach to fighting. He trained long and hard to perfect his dragon punch, and mastered it so well that his chi caused his fist to burst into flame whenever he used the technique. Ryu was amazed at this ability, and he was unable to duplicate it. Ken was clearly the stronger fighter, but Ryu's techniques were more focused, and more often than not their matches ended in stalemates.

After several years, Ken and Ryu's training came to a sudden and tragic end. They returned from practicing in the countryside to find master Gouken fighting with a mysterious warrior. They watched in horror as the fighter used a powerful technique to kill Gouken, and as he turned to leave they raced after him and attempted to subdue him. The fighter merely swatted the two aside, and left for parts unknown. Ken swore to someday find this fighter and avenge his master's death.

Following the tragedy, Ken and Ryu went their seperate ways. Ken returned to America and began to compete in tournaments. His success and flair for the dramatic led him to become a wealthy action movie star. Although he enjoyed the fast-paced Hollywood life, he also yearned for some worthy competition. When he heard of the World Warriors tournament being held in Thailand, he immediately entered seeking a challenge. Upon arrival, he discovered that Ryu had entered as well, and the two talked about their experiences in the past few years until the tournament began. Ken tore through the weaker competition, and soon found himself facing Ryu. As skilled as Ken was, Ryu was more focused than ever before and Ken was defeated. Much to Ken's delight, Ryu went on to defeat the Grand Master Sagat and became the world champion. The two warriors parted ways once again, and Ken returned to America.

The World Warriors tournament was not the last competition Ken would enter. After he returned home from Thailand, he began to enter more and more of the events in order to prove his skill. He became the U.S. karate master by defeating Allen Snider, a self-taught fighter who had held the title for many years. After the spectacular fight, Ken met a beautiful woman named Eliza and fell in love. Over the course of the next few months, their relationship grew and Ken began to neglect his training. He began to appear at local tournaments less frequentlyt, and although he always came out on top, it was not with his usual ease and style. He and Eliza spent the better part of a year lounging on the beach while Ken's skills decayed.

Ken's beach days were interrupted when he recieved a challenge from Ryu. His former training partner was in the area, and wanted to spar again just like old times. Ken realized that his skill had degraded, and was afraid that Ryu would completely embarrass him. Much to Ken's surprise, Ryu was distracted and distant during the fight and Ken beat him with ease. Ken realized that Ryu was not himself and thus took no pleasure in the victory. He asked Ryu what was bothering him, and he learned that Ryu had not come to make a friendly visit, but to deliver news. He had recently been confronted by a renegade Shotokan warrior named Akuma, who as it turned out was their master's killer. Ryu left to continue his search for this villain, and Ken gave Ryu his red headband as a reminder of the fight. After this incident, Ken realized that even he required constant practice in order to stay in top shape. With Eliza's assistance, Ken began his training anew to prepare for the day he and Ryu would spar again.

Some time after this, Ken learned of a second World Warriors tournament being hosted in Thailand by M.Bison. Knowing that Ryu would be there, Ken quickly signed up and traveled to Thailand to test his strength. Although his skills were still not what they used to be, Ken tore through the opposition until he found himself facing Sagat. The Muay Thai master had just dispatched a strong warrior named Guile, and after a long battle Ken too was defeated. Ken watched as Ryu once again defeated Sagat and then Bison to win his second World Champion title. Although he had been defeated, Ken's day was not a total loss. Eliza had followed him to Thailand, and after the tournament asked him to marry her. Ken and Eliza were married in a beautiful ceremony, and returned to live on the California coast.

Ken retired from competition, and he and Eliza eventually had a son named Mel. Although not participating in tournaments, Ken still practiced hard and had returned to his peak skill level. He lost track of Ryu, but knew that when the time was right they would meet again. Mel grew up to be a strong boy, and Ken hoped to teach him in the ways of Shotokan karate. When Mel was three years old, Ken was approached by a Brazilian youth named Sean who asked Ken to train him. Ken agreed, hoping Sean would be practice for his later training of Mel. During the boy's training, Ken learned of a third World Warriors tournament. Feeling that he could surely find Ryu there, Ken desired to enter the tournament. Eliza had asked him to give up tournament fighting, but they had an understandin wherever Ryu was concerned so she gave him permission to go. He left home for the tournament, and took Sean along to further his studies.

Despite having been absent from competition for several years, Ken shone in the tournament. He still retained some of his reckless brilliance, but years of marriage and fatherhood had matured him and now he was incredibly focused. With Sean watching, Ken defeated Urien, the brother of the tournament's host Gill. After his victory, he and Ryu had a chance to catch up on old times, and before leaving he made Ryu promise to visit periodically. He returned home alone, having suggested that Sean follow Ryu to learn true control. Ken decided it was time to train Mel, and now devoted himself to doing just that.

-Ken appeared in Street Fighter 2010, a futuristic sidescroller that had nothing to do with the Street Fighter series. The intro to the game read like this: "Ken had no interest in the frontier. Then his partner Troy was killed. Someone broke into their lab, stole their invention, and left Troy as a pile of jelly on the floor. It's been 25 years since Ken was king of the Street Fighter circuit, but that's nothing some good bionics can't fix."

APPEARANCE LIST
1.  Street Fighter
2.  Street Fighter 2
3.  Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition
4.  Street Fighter 2 Turbo
5.  Super Street Fighter 2
6.  Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo
7.  Street Fighter Alpha
8.  Street Fighter Alpha 2/Alpha 2 Gold
9.  X-Men Versus Street Fighter
10. Street Fighter EX/EX Plus/EX Plus Alpha
11. Street Fighter 3
12. Street Fighter 3:2nd Impact
13. Marvel Super Heroes Versus Street Fighter
14. Street Fighter EX 2/EX 2 Plus
15. Street Fighter Alpha 3
16. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
17. Marvel Versus Capcom 2 (arcade secret character)
18. SNK Versus Capcom