Determined high-schooler Sakura has vowed to emulate her idol Ryu and learn from as many different fighters as she can - leading to explosive encounters with the likes of E. Honda, Zangief, Rainbow Mika and her fiercest rival, Karin! But perhaps her greatest challenge lies in the pink-garbed wonder himself... the ever-determined and hopelessly over-confident, Dan Hibiki! Street Fighter Legends: Sakura bursts at the seams with equal parts martial arts thrills and zany, over-the-top spills! Whatever lies ahead for Sakura, one thing is sure - the streets of Japan will never be the same! Also includes an all-new 6-page story created exclusively for this volume!"
I love the Street Fighter comics by Udon because they're a lighthearted and cartoonish series in a sea of doom and gloom comics. They also have a nice anime-esque art style which fits well with the classic video games. While I enjoy the main comic line (albeit, have difficulty keeping track of the reading order), I think the Legends series is even better as they get to have a tighter focus on the main characters.
In the Sakura Legends series, we deal with Sakura Kusango, the fifteen year old BIGGEST FAN OF RYU IN THE WORLD. The book follows her attempts to find someone to teach her how to be a Street Fighter even if it's causing problems with her best friend. We have guest appearances by E. Honda, Rainbow Mika, Zangief, and Karin Kanzuki throughout. Also, some unexpected appearances by the Rival Schools characters who HATE when rich girls cheat at hot dog eating contests.
The only problem I have with this book is the treatment of Dan Hibiki. While Dan is meant to be the worst fighter in the world (or at least compared to the other World Warriors), Sakura is supposed to genuinely look up to him and consider him to be her friend. The comic has Sakura treat him just like everyone else does (i.e a complete loser) and that's not cool.
The art is spectacular and really leaps off the page so you think you're looking at anime cells rather than something which was produced for a comic book. The Street Fighter universe's exaggerated cartoon look lends itself well and it's eye-popping the way everything just flies at you scenery wise.
Overall, this book is awesome and I love Sakura and Karin. Get it for those reasons alone. You won't find anything particularly serious in these books as Sakura's adventures are as breezy as the wind on a cool morning but that's kind of the point. This isn't the book for Akuma vs. Ryu and whether the latter should turn to the Dark Hadou for revenge.
Udon's art is fantastic. This is just a fun, lighthearted series, but it really does the characters well in terms of personality and illustration. It's a great supplement to the world, and a breezy read.
Sakura is far from the most interesting Street Fighter character, but this is equally a Dan series, and it's interesting to see the franchise digging to a lighter tone than the main comics.
A fun lighthearted romp featuring the spirited tomboy herself. Even though the comedy didn't quite hit for me i still had a good time with this one, I love the art and it was nice to explore the world of street fighter outside of the games. If you are not familiar with Street Fighter or Sakura herself though you wont really get much insight here as there's no 'lore' in this book.
While not a Sakura fan, the stories in this light-hearted volume (ranging from an impromptu wrestling match to an underhanded hot-dog eating contest) make the character shine. Surrounded by a great supporting cast (especially Dan Hibiki, the world's worst street fighter), the comic has a warmth and charm to it that's lacking in the other Street Fighter comics. It's silly, low-stakes fun.
3.5- Okay, this was cute. Street Fighter Legends: Sakura has way more personality than Chun-Li. A fun, light read with lots of silly humor that had me chuckling throughout.
Ever since the late 1980s, I loved Street Fighter. With Street Fighter II: The World Warrior considered as the true innovator of the fighting game, it swept the world in popularity. To this day, it is constantly voted as one of the top ten most popular and important games in video game history. However, with all the many games that came out - which includes four in the main story and three before the first in the form of the Alpha Series - it is understandable if the story can be confusing. That is why I love these legends manga novels because it truly details the life of certain characters. The first one just happens to be Sakura.
First, I will admit that I love playing as Sakura because her moves, though not strong, are quick and easy to use. Hearing her story is even more interesting since it also crosses with other characters, including those that appear in the third installment in the series (which makes no sense on time). Ibuki and Elena also make appearances in this manga along with Dan (who is Sakura's teacher).
Without spoiling much of the story, I will state some things that stand out with Sakura's story. First, she likes wrestling and I found her signs parodied from famous quotes and catchphrases from wrestlers in the WWE, to be entertaining like Mika 3:16. Sakura's constant battles with Karen, another Street Fighter Alpha character, are entertaining too, especially during the hot dog eating contest.
In the end, this is a great story to thoroughly enjoy. It is very light in humor and the story does flow well, but underneath the entertainment, there is a serious story to be told which I feel readers will enjoy.
This is the predecessor in the Legends series to the superior Chun Li volume (which was technically volume 2). Unlike Chun Li's well-crafted story, Sakura's volume is a sit-com with some fighting thrown in, and some fun cameos from a few notable Rival Schools characters (since, after all, Sakura crossed over into the original Rival Schools game). This volume is pure fan service, but of the far goofier variety. There are moments that are genuinely funny, but for the most part, it doesn't really reel you in the way Chun Li's story does since so much of it is so ridiculous. The art and effects are really good, though, and the supplemental materials at the end are fascinating for fans and practitioners of the craft of drawing at all levels. Worth the price of admission if you're a Street Fighter fan (or just a fan of Sakura or even Udon), but for those who want some real storytelling to go with their art, Chun Li's book is the must-have.