Gen (Street Fighter)

Gen (元, Gen?) is a character in the Street Fighter series of fighting games. He first appeared in the original Street Fighter game. Stated by the official Street Fighter website to be in his 70s by the time of Super Street Fighter IV, Gen is a legend in the Chinese underworld, however, he has been diagnosed with a fatal illness, believed to be leukemia, and is seeking to die as he has lived: fighting.
He was voiced by (who also voiced Vegapunk in One Piece and Mimir in God of War) in Japanese.
==Biography==
Gen is a former assassin and mentor to Chun-Li. He is also a kung-fu master versed in an assassination style he created based on Chinese martial arts. Reappearing in Street Fighter Alpha 2, it is revealed he is dying of leukemia and seeks one last good fight before he passes on to the next world. This brings him to Akuma's attention and the two fight, but Akuma stops the fight, noticing Gen's illness and leaving, due to his principle of never fighting anybody who isn't at the top of their game. An insulted Gen goes after him, seeking to finish the fight. In IV, it is revealed that he was there when Chun-Li's father was abducted and killed by Shadaloo; his illness kept him from saving his friend, much to his chagrin. 
He appears in Akuma's story prologue in V, where their final battle is depicted. He is eventually defeated and killed by Akuma, receiving the epic fight to the death he had long awaited. 
==Appearance==
Gen is an elderly man who often has a stern look on his face. He is among the shortest male characters in the series, standing at just 5'5". Gen wears a loose, purple outfit with a red sash around his clothes, and red Chinese martial art shoes with white socks. He has white hair with a long, white beard. In the original Street Fighter, he had black pupils in his eyes, not to mention he didn't have the red sash, but in his more recent incarnations, his eyes are now completely white in color.
Prior to his recent appearance in Street Fighter IV, Gen had short hair. In the Street Fighter IV games, his hair not only has grown much longer but he also keeps it tied in a formal bun at the back of his head (the bun in the Street Fighter IV series has a traditional qipao similar to Chun-Li's ones, but is completely exposed in Street Fighter V artworks). In most recent games his skin also has aging wrinkles in his entire body, notably his face.
==Abilities==
One of Gen's more popular special moves (similar to moves by Chun-Li and E. Honda) is the Hyaku-Ren-Kou (百連勾, Hyakurenkō?, "Hundred Rapid Captures"), in which he strikes the opponent rapidly with hand stabs.
Gen is the only Street Fighter character that can change fighting styles in mid-fight. This gives him access to two different movesets, and knowing which is the best to use in the situation is the key to using him effectively. The Mantis Style focuses more on quick jabs and low-level, repeated damage, while his Crane style is slower but with more damaging, longer-ranged attacks. Overall, Gen excels at comboing moves together and executing 'air juggles' - moves that link together to keep the opponent off the ground.
==Other Media==
===Super Smash Bros.===
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Gen appears as an advanced-ranked primary neutral-type spirit who increases the user's fist attacks. His spirit battle it's a stamina battle against purple Lucario with increased aura power on the omega form of new pork city with reduced jump power.
==Gallery==
SFA3-Gen.png|Gen's artwork from Street Fighter Alpha 3.
Gen (Street Fighter).png|Gen's artwork from Super Street Fighter IV.
Gen (Street Fighter V).png|Gen's artwork from Capcom Fighters Network
==Trivia==
*Gen's restaurant is one of the stages in Super Gem Fighter: Mini Mix (Pocket Fighter in Japan) where Fei Long, Dhalsim, Birdie, M. Bison, Victor, Rolento, Charlie, Sodom and Bishamon can be seen having lunch, Gen himself is seen on the leftmost side of the stage, slicing a duck.
*In the UDON comics, Gen has stated that Akuma has not yet mastered his dark powers during his talk with Ryu.
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