Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is Releasing Today
By John Giacomi and CJ (https://www.instagram.com/charleschopshop/)
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is releasing today, and I thought it would be appropriate to bring in some outside help to celebrate the occasion.
Charles and I met working together about 17 years ago. Through a chance conversation, we happen to find mutual interest in comic books. Both of us were separately interested in attending emerald City Comic-Con that year, but neither one of us had somebody to go with. That afternoon in an arcade and over a few beers, an amazing friendship was born.
Charles - like me - is a nerd of all flavors. But I have never met somebody in my personal life with a deeper appreciation for fighting games then this man. He's got all the games, the custom arcade sticks, the art books, the toys, everything. I had a fondness for fighting games, but his enthusiasm for them has been intoxicating. So when Capcom announced the release of Capcom Fighting Collection 2, we thought it would be fun to create a consensus top 10 list of our favorite fighters. Entirely subjective, of course. But if you disagree, you are wrong.
Enjoy!
1. Sagat
The original king of Muay Thai, Sagat’s towering presence and iconic Tiger moves defined early Street Fighter rivalries. He felt powerful in a force-of-nature way, not unlike Darth Vader did with Star Wars (not the prequels…sad panda). He sparked a mutual love for Thani boxing that exists to this day.
2. Akuma
Akuma is raw power unleashed. His character design has been through a number of distinct iterations, and all of them have been awesome. Unlike John, CJ reserves room on his body for a select few tattoos, and Akuma was the inspiration behind one of them.
3. Ryu
Ryu is Street Fighter—he’s the stoic, wandering warrior chasing perfection through hadokens and uppercuts. He’s the standard, the symbol, and the blueprint of fighting game fundamentals.
4. Chun-Li
The first lady of fighting games, Chun-Li brought lightning kicks and representation to arcades worldwide. Her speed, grace, and strength have kept her top-tier in both gameplay and legacy.
5. Morrigan (Darkstalkers)
Morrigan is seductive, stylish, and stacked with tools that made her an early zoning queen. She's the Darkstalkers poster child and arguably Capcom’s most iconic fighter outside of the Street Fighter franchise.
6. Elena
With her fluid capoeira style and unmatched elegance, Elena danced her way into our hearts. She’s proof that beauty and power can absolutely mix.
7. Charlie Nash / Guile
Whether you prefer Guile's American muscle or Charlie’s edgier, reanimated flair, both represent the classic charge fighter archetype. Their sonic booms and flash kicks are the bane of many in the competitive circuit.
8. Batsu (Rival Schools)
Batsu burns with that over-the-top anime energy that made Rival Schools a cult classic. With fire fists and raw passion, he’s the kind of main character you cheer for and love to play.
9. Demitri (Darkstalkers)
Demitri brought vampire nobility and raw power to Darkstalkers. He’s the Dracula of the fight game world—and he knows it.
10. Hayato Kanzaki (Star Gladiator / MVC2)
Hayato swings a plasma sword in a way that would make any Jedi jealous. He’s that deep cut pick that MVC2 (the best fighting game of all time IMO) fans love to flex with.
