Ryu is the main protagonist of the Street Fighter series.
Introduced in the original Street Fighter in 1987, Ryu is a Japanese martial artist whose central goal is to become a stronger and more disciplined fighter. He travels from tournament to tournament seeking worthy opponents, while trying to control the dangerous Satsui no Hado, or Surge of Murderous Intent, within him.
Ryu’s closest counterpart is Ken Masters, his best friend, training partner, and friendly rival. In the first game, Ryu is the primary character for the first player, while Ken serves as the second-player counterpart. Their shared fighting foundation and contrasting personalities became a template for many later fighting-game rivalries.
Players sometimes mistake Guile, Sagat, or Ken for the protagonist because each has a major role in the series. Guile is a prominent military fighter, Sagat is a recurring rival and former tournament champion, and Ken is Ryu’s most important rival. Ryu, however, remains the series’ central lead and has appeared across the main games, spin-offs, adaptations, and crossover titles.