Sakura Kasugano is a schoolgirl at Tamagawa Minami High in Japan who, rather than idolize rock stars or actors like her classmates, has a fascination with World Warriors, particularly Ryu. Surprisingly, she has managed to duplicate many of the Shotokan techniques, even if they are raw and less effective. She has begun to deliberately pick fights with older, larger fighters to improve her skills. She thinks street fighting is for fun and is not very serious about it. Her classmate and archrival Karin Kanzuki is also into martial arts but in a bit more serious manner.

Knowing Ryu will be in the Street Fighter tournament (she is his number one fan!), Sakura joins the fray to meet him for the first time, hoping he will be her master and train her. When she finally does meet him, he defeats young Sakura, withholding his true might, and explains that he cannot train her because he is still learning himself. Ryu feels awkward, yet amazed, that the young girl before him has learned so much in so short a time without help and is tempted to guide her dangerous "hobby" to a more spiritual end.

Sakura is crushed when Ryu dismisses her, but she still takes a picture of Ryu for a souvenir. She is confused by what Ryu meant by the spirit of the fight, because fighting is for fun, right?

Notes: Sakura learns the true meaning of the fight in her guest appearance in Rival Schools: United by Fate and also stars in the manga (comic) Sakura Ganbaru.

Most Similar To: Ryu, Dan, and Ken

Appearances:
Street Fighter Alpha 2/Street Fighter Zero 2
Street Fighter Zero 2 Alpha
Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Pocket Fighter
Rival Schools: United by Fate
Marvel vs. Capcom 2
Street Fighter EX3
SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium
SNK vs. Capcom: Millennium Fight 2000

Next: Sean