Double, double coil and trouble. AKI, the poison-loving maniac, will slide into the Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub in Street Fighter 6 starting September 27 on PS5 and PS4. Following her master’s orders, AKI injects poison into enemies who dare to come within striking distance, all while smiling. You can’t fix her, but she will fix you.
A new character to the Street Fighter series, AKI meanders through life just to please her outstanding and phenomenal master FANG from Street Fighter V. Under orders to delve into the remains of Shadaloo, she finds herself in love with the Powers That Be.
In World Tour, help AKI find her medicinal herbs in Tian Hong Yuan, a new area where you can increase your bond with her and learn her deadly moves. Use those moves in the Battle Hub in the ever-popular and wacky Avatar Battles. Explore how adding poison enhances your custom combos.
Game director Takayuki Nakayama talked about the team’s inspiration for designing a visually striking character like AKI.
“The character design we landed on was that of a pale-skinned female disciple with her fighting style being a combination of the Poison Hand and Fanged Snake Style martial arts. Therefore, we decided to proceed with AKI as a white snake carrying venom.
Her snakeskin Chinese dress has a beautiful sheen like a black mamba with a material that looks sinister when it glows and animates. The serpentine pattern seen from the chest to the stomach was meant to resemble the belly of a snake.
Her distinctive hairstyle was an idea that came from outside the design team, which incorporates the symbol of an assassin: “kasa” (Japanese for umbrella) through her hair. Based on this concept, we modified the way his eyes hide behind his hair and the overall silhouette. We took special care in making the silhouette of the neck and the way the eyes are hidden from it appear attractive when viewed from the side”.
AKI has learned the best uses of poison from her master, but her fingernails offer a twisted reminder that she is a different creature entirely. Excelling in long-range combat and with the ability to poison enemies through her cauldron of tricks, she AKI controls the stage waiting for her prey to blink.
Similar to FANG, once AKI poisons an enemy, their Vitality will slowly deplete for as long as the effect lingers. If AKI is hit, the poison will dissipate. From a distance, she can use Serpent Lash, sending her nails flying forward like a chain, poisoning enemies it hits. The OD version of Serpent Lash latches onto enemies, allowing AKI to leap forward to close the distance. When it hits an opponent who’s already poisoned with moves like Serpent Lash, it triggers a Toxic Blossom where the resulting explosion can open up enemies to subsequent attacks.
His fireball, Nightshade Pulse, sends a bubble forward that also poisons enemies on hit. He can hit the bubble with Nightshade Chaser to pop it early, increasing the area of effect. AKI can also use Orchid Spring to place a pool of poison in front of her, which affects opponents who step on it.
Snakes always lurk where their prey cannot see them. AKI can use Cruel Fate to spin backwards towards enemies, sending out her nails to attack from above. As a contortionist, she can instantly coil on the ground and under enemies with Snake Step.
AKI takes this even further with Sinister Slide, where you can slide from full screen to avoid threats as you go. From the Sinister Slide, she can perform three actions: Venomous Fang sees her leap forward to poison enemies, Heel Strike initiates combos on a successful hit, and Entrapment wraps her body around enemies to restrain them.
AKI’s level 1 super deadly involvement kicks enemies into the air and traps them in a gigantic poisonous bubble, knocking them to the other side of the stage. His Level 2 Super Contaminated Claws extend multiple claws forward and leave a large pool of poison in their wake that lasts for a significant amount of time.
During AKI’s level 3 Ya Zi Super Claws, she pierces various pressure points on the enemy’s body and injects a poison that detonates from within. Being bound to these chains will make you scream in agony.
AKI will be unlocked for owners of the Year 1 Character Pass, Deluxe Edition, or Ultimate Edition on September 27. Get a taste of his poison for an hour with a Rental Fighter Ticket, obtainable in a Fighting Pass. Put on AKI with a stylish additional outfit, which will also be available when it is unlocked.
Speaking of which, here comes the AKI! The Fighting Pass will launch on September 1 and contains cosmetic items to help prepare for AKI’s next brew.
Whether it’s his tongue or the poison brewing, the soft hiss gets louder and louder in late September when AKI is introduced to Street Fighter 6 on PS5 and PS4.
