Capcom released its Street Fighter V character usage stats for the month of August 2021, revealing that Akira Kazama was the second most used. Akira was released on August 16, 2021 as DLC and in less than a month beat out every other character in the rankings, save for Ryu himself. The data itself is gathered from all online modes, including Ranked Match, Casual Match, and the Battle Lounge.
Akira had a ranking percentage of 8.646%, which was higher than Ken’s 6.487% and barely beaten by Ryu’s 9.437%. Oro, another August 2021 DLC fighter, also made the top five most used with a ranking of 4.633%. Guile, normally in the top five, had been pushed out of his spot by both Akira and Oro’s inclusion. Whether both characters will retain this level of popularity in the coming months is the question, since newcomers often bleed usage over time.
As shown in her debut trailer, in Street Fighter V Akira uses Bajiquan, a Chinese martial art well-known for its powerful elbow and shoulder strikes. Her moveset is based on the original Rival Schools and includes parts of the “Powered” form from its sequel Project Justice.
Street Fighter V: Championship Edition is currently available for the PlayStation 4 and PC. Players can purchase Akira’s DLC separately or as a part of Street Fighter V‘s Season 5 Premium Pass and Character Pass.
