Virtua Fighter
Synopsis — from MyAnimeList
Akira Yuki has spent years honing his Bajiquan skills under the guidance of his grandfather. He yearns to see the constellation of the eight stars of heaven, which are only revealed to those with real strength. This burning desire urges him to embark on travels, so as to learn more about how to see the stars. Meanwhile, a nefarious robotics scientist, Eva Durix, desires to create the perfect soldier. Eva's group, Judgment 6, tracks down and kidnaps Sarah Bryant, a college student and close acquaintance of Akira who is investigating a mysterious accident concerning her brother. Akira must now fight his way to Sarah to save her from the clutches of Judgement 6, a perilous path sure to be paved with countless challenges.
Audience Consensus
Audience opinion on Virtua Fighter is quite divided. While fans appreciate the faithfulness to game characters, entertaining explanations of martial arts, and a good soundtrack, detractors are heavily put off by slow pacing, reliance on tired anime tropes, and flat art. The show is seen as a mixed bag, with enjoyment largely dependent on tolerance for its specific flaws.
Strengths
- Faithful character portrayals from the games with expanded personalities for most characters.
- Entertaining explanations of martial arts moves and styles.
- Catchy and well-representing soundtrack with good Japanese voice acting.
- Good action choreography when characters perform trademark moves.
- Simple comedy that lands effectively.
Weaknesses
- Pacing is too slow at times.
- Relies on sci-fi elements that detract from traditional martial arts feel.
- Ret-cons of established lore (e.g., Dural's origin).
- Flat art and childish character designs.
- Overuse of recycled fight footage and repetitive character speeches.
- Terrible English dub.
- Overreliance on stale and cringey anime tropes, especially with villains and the main character.