Capcom has finally given a date for A.K.I., the latest Street Fighter 6 DLC character’s release but is openly warning players obsessed with the franchise’s newest bad girl that they can’t fix her and definitely shouldn’t try when she drops on Sept. 27.
At a glance, A.K.I. seems like a demented master of all things poison that focuses on fluid and unnatural movement. You can clearly see shades of F.A.N.G, in her use of toxic materials and quick-hitting motions—because she trained under him in some way and refers to a master during the trailer.
Her mobility looks incredible in its diversity and speed, letting her weave under, around, or even over various moves with snake-live movement. There are times when her body contorts or moves along the ground in ways that shouldn’t even be possible for a normal human, but look completely at home for A.K.I. and her playstyle.
Using her own version of the Poison Hand and fighting style, she relies on quick hits and mobility to overwhelm opponents. A.K.I. has a number of grabs that seem devastating and the way she can seamlessly move around the stage should help her speedy attacks lead to great cross-ups—not even taking into account her poison bubble projectiles and whip-like extending weapons.
Get ready to be aggressive against her because her poison status effect will drain your life away, all while she cackles and watches gleefully.
“A.K.I. has learned from her master about the best uses for poison, but her nails offer a twisted reminder that she is a different creature altogether,” SF6 director Takayuki Nakayama said. “Excelling at long-range combat and with the ability to poison enemies through her cauldron of tricks, A.K.I. controls the stage waiting for her prey to blink.”
We don’t know A.K.I.’s exact relation to F.E.N.G yet, but her wording in the trailers and use of poison point to her being his protege. Capcom actually released a short story for SFV that revolved around F.E.N.G traveling in China and offering to train a Chinese woman who attempted to extort him after she became enamored with one of his daggers.
That woman’s name was never given and F.E.N.G only referred to her as Phantom in the end, though it isn’t impossible that she and A.K.I. are one and the same. We should learn more about her lore in World Tour when she gets added in as a Master.
Her mysterious past paired with her obsessive and very violent personality has already made A.K.I. an obsession herself within the fandom, and even Capcom is warning players that “you can’t fix her, but she will fix you.” This is an ominous and somewhat joking addition to the other horny memes surrounding the character already, adding to the now-canon Sajam quote from Evo 2023.
“I saw a lot of people down there already saying I can fix her,” Sajam said. “No you can’t, don’t even try. It’s not worth it. Don’t recommend it. You can do better.”
Whether you want to try and fix her or not, you will need to fix your gameplay and prepare for some slithery new tech since A.K.I. is dropping on Sept. 27 as the second SF6 DLC fighter, joining Rashid who released in July. An “A.K.I. Arrives!” Fighting Pass will also go live on Sept. 1 with rewards themed around the newcomer to earn ahead of her release.
Next stop, Dangerous Poison Woman, followed by a future look at Ed for a Winter 2024 release.
