Street Fighter 5’s rejected characters include a fighting president, ‘literary master’ and more

Some of the earliest character concepts for Street Fighter 5 were some of the game’s most bizarre, including a fighting politician, a fighting "literary master" and a character who constantly shed clothing due to their "clumsiness."

Street Fighter 5 director Takayuki Nakayama outlined some of the game’s rejected and reworked characters in a recently translated post on the Capcom Fighters Network website. Few of those characters actually have names; instead they’re often listed as "The Teacher" (an early version of FANG) or "Soccer Fighter" (a Brazilian soccer player who could kick fireballs, but was too close to another Capcom fighter, Roberto from Rival Schools.)

Nakayama describes the scrapped "Fighting Literary Master" as a pensive but grumpy old man. It’s not clear how he would have fought, though perhaps he threw manuscripts or harsh editorial suggestions at his opponents. The "Fighting President" was just that: a politician with fighting skills. Final Fight mayor Mike Haggar already has that ground covered.

Thankfully, the "Clumsy Cutie" was cut before she made it into Street Fighter 5. Here’s Nakayama’s explanation of the unnamed fighter: "When this cutie starts fighting, her clothes start becoming more tattered due to her clumsiness." Maybe she’ll slum it in a Senran Kagura game someday...

Finally, Capcom considered including a young disciple of Gen — who first appeared in 1987’s Street Fighter — who would serve as a replacement for the ill, elderly fighter. An earlier version of Laura — a more muscular woman named Miss Babo — was also left on the cutting room floor as was an Alien vs. Predator-inspired Shadaloo soldier.

Street Fighter 5 story expansion trailer