Sakura Kasugano | |
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Street Fighter character | |
Sakura in Street Fighter IV
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First game | Street Fighter Alpha 2 (1996) |
Voiced by (English) |
Saffron Henderson (Street Fighter cartoon) Michelle Ruff (Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation, Street Fighter Alpha: Generations) Hannah Church (Street Fighter motion comics) Brittney Lee Harvey (Street Fighter IV, Street Fightter X Tekken, Street Fighter V) |
Voiced by (Japanese) |
Yuko Sasamoto (Street Fighter Alpha series, Street Fighter EX series, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Marvel vs. Capcom series, Pocket Fighter, Rival Schools: United by Fate, Capcom vs. SNK series, Capcom Fighting Evolution, Namco × Capcom) Chiaki Osawa (Street Fighter Alpha: The Animation) Mao Kawasaki (Street Fighter Alpha: Generations) Misato Fukuen (Street Fighter IV, Street Fighter X Tekken, Street Fighter V) Aya Hisakawa (SFA2 drama CD) |
Fictional profile | |
Birthplace | Tokyo, Japan |
Nationality | Japanese |
Fighting style | Self-taught imitation of Ryu's Ansatsuken fighting style |
Occupation | High school student |
Sakura Kasugano (春日野 さくら Kasugano Sakura?), better known as just Sakura, is a fictional character in the Street Fighter series. The fourth female fighter of the series, she made her first appearance in Street Fighter Alpha 2 in 1996. Sakura is a young Japanese schoolgirl fighter who idolizes Ryu, by whom she wants to be trained. Often appearing in other games including many crossover titles, Sakura has quickly became a firm fan favourite in Japan and has been also well received in the West as well.
Sakura first appears in Street Fighter Alpha 2, where she participates in street fighting after watching Ryu win the first World Warrior tournament. She searches for him and wishes for him to train her to be a better fighter. She eventually comes across Ryu who tells her he could not train her as he still has much to learn himself shortly after a sparring. In Street Fighter Alpha 3, Sakura decides to travel the world to find Ryu; after trying to save him from the evil M. Bison, Ryu promises her a rematch (at around the same time, she met and formed a rivalry with Karin Kanzuki).
Sakura is also playable in the Street Fighter EX series' fighting games Street Fighter EX Plus α and Street Fighter EX3. She would also appear as the only non-Street Fighter II character in the proposed but never realized game Street Fighter IV: Flashback. She is featured in the spin-off games Street Fighter: Puzzle Spirits and Street Fighter Battle Combination.
In Street Fighter IV, years have passed since Sakura last saw Ryu, so she decides to find Ryu again for a match in the new worldwide tournament. In introduction sequences of Super Street Fighter IV, she is often seen in a group of three with Dan Hibiki and Blanka. She eventually finds Ryu. After the tournament, they exchange goodbyes and she realizes that it was love that she felt for him. In her ending, a slightly older-looking Sakura sees Ryu approaching. Her rivalry with Karin continues in Street Fighter V.