Written by. Nick Mosier based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2022-02-22 18:33 JST)

Capcom officially announced Street Fighter 6 on February 21. But among the many fans excited by the long-awaited announcement, some just couldn’t take their eyes off Ryu’s physique.

Street Fighter 6 is the latest title in the popular fighting game series. While details are largely unknown, we do know that Yusuke Hashimoto, known as the producer of Bayonetta and for their work on many other titles, is involved with the project as one of the game designers. In the trailer we see series staple Ryu facing off with newcomer Luke, who was added as the final character in Street Fighter V. The trailer also gives us a glimpse at just how detailed the graphics will be.

It has been revealed that the trailer uses the same game engine as the Street Fighter 6 game itself. If you look at the footage, the first thing you’ll notice is likely the incredible detail, especially in the rough texture of the cloth. But what I want to draw attention to is the physique of these characters. Ryu’s skin is shown down to the wrinkles, and you can even see the movement of the muscles. In addition to bulking up a bit, his beard also gives him a kind of wild looking appeal.

We also can’t look past the fact that he isn’t wearing any clothing above the waist. While Ryu’s trademark karate uniform normally left his chest exposed, he did at least have his arms going through some torn sleeves. But besides his headband, Ryu has his upper body out for all to see. This means we can see his chiseled pecks and nipples, each cultivated through decades of battle. The increased realism combined with Ryu’s daring look seems to have left a big impact on fans.

After the trailer was released, Ryu was put under the microscope of social media’s gaze and bewilderment. The most enthusiastic fans seemed to be on Reddit and ResetEra. On Reddit, one user was quick to point out that Ryu had bulked up a bit with the comment, “w i d e r y u.” Some were also saying he’s as big as Zangief and jokingly speculated at just how big Zangief will be in the game. Another joked that it’s actually Chris Redfield from the Resident Evil series in cosplay. At any rate, Ryu’s width did not go unnoticed by viewers.

But more than a few viewers also took notice at what Ryu looked like below the waist. That’s because the Ryu model in the trailer is so detailed it looks to include a certain something players may not have been expecting. During the low shot with the upward camera angle, if you take a close look, you’ll be able to see the outline of a pretty hardy bulge. In other words, while not exposed, Ryu’s Ryu isn’t trying to hide from anybody. It’s so defined that if you squint your eyes, you might think it’s visible, and fans haven’t been able to take their eyes off it.

On ResetEra, one user commented that it looks like he’s hiding a gun and uploaded a screenshot from the trailer as proof. Certainly, the more you look, the more it looks like Ryu is concealing some sort of weapon down there.

Other users also left plenty of comments like, “will it have jiggle physics?” and, “That’s Satsui no Hado.” And there’s no shortage of praise for Ryu’s nether regions either as users are leaving gifs, saying it looks like a hammer, and that he looks healthy. At any rate, a certain something about Ryu has fans’ attention.

Some are also calling this Ryu “hot Ryu,” which is what many fans called the bare-chested Ryu skin in Street Fighter V.

Ryu has had a number of looks throughout the series. The previous title’s “Battle Outfit 1” skin was also a bare-chested Ryu with a beard, like his new look in Street Fighter 6. The official website even acknowledges his status as “hot Ryu” among fans. With this look already being popular with fans, many likely welcome an even hotter version for the upcoming title.

Behind all this attention Ryu is getting is proof of how detailed characters are being depicted in Street Fighter 6. We may even see sweat droplets flying about and detailed muscle movements during the white-knuckle bouts that are sure to unfold.

It hasn’t been revealed which platforms Street Fighter 6 is coming to, but more information is scheduled to be revealed this summer.