Akuma: Street Fighter 4 Character Guide
Last updated on Sept. 24, 2008
Unlocking and Selecting Akuma
To unlock Akuma there are two codes arcade machine owners can enter in the settings.
CPU Akuma: C5HSP3GN
Playable Akuma: CHNB9FGC
After the playable Akuma code has been entered, go to any character on the bottom row and press down or any character on the top row and press up. The cursor will disappear and Akuma will be the selected person.
Character Overview
The Demon is back and he's powerful. Akuma is most similar to his Street Fighter 3 Third Strike version. He does a lot of damage with his moves, has really good priority and his Super and Ultra border on being unfair.
So what's his weakness? He has really a low stamina rating — meaning that when he gets hit — it takes A LOT of his power off. He isn't going to win many hit trading scenarios. And people who use him to have to be very careful not to do dumb things, because you can lose a good portion of your life very quickly.
Despite these weaknesses, most people think he's one of the best characters in the game, and might be up for a nerf at some point.
Special Moves
• Gou Hadouken (Fireball) •
This is very similar to Ryu and Ken's fireball.
(In the air)
• Zankuu Hadouken (Air fireball) •
The punch button pressed determines the angle and speed of your air fireball. Light Punch flies the most vertical and goes slowest, while Hard flies forward the most and is the fastest. Medium is a mix of the two.
Because of the speed and angle of the Light Punch Fireball, many Akuma players will use it at the peak of their jump against opponents in the corner as they stand up. Then they'll land and follow up with a low attack, or his overhead hit as the fireball is coming in making it difficult to block correctly.
• Shakunetsu Hadoken (Red Fireball) •
This comes out much faster than the version seen in Street Fighter 3 Third Strike. Akuma briefly powers up, and then unleashes a fireball. Hard Punch hits three times, Medium hits twice and Light hits once.
• Hyakki Shuu (Demon Flip) •
The button pressed determines how far Akuma flips forward. Light flies the shortest distance, while Hard travels the farthest.
While you're in the air during the Demon Flip animation, you can do the following:
• Kicks do a Dive Kick.• Punch buttons result in a Hammer Fist which is his armor breaking move, this knocks down when it lands.
• Light Punch and Kick pressed together when close will throw.
• Pressing nothing at all will make Akuma do a fast slide kick when he lands.
• Tatsumaki Zankuu Kyaku (Hurricane kick) •
Knocks down if it hits, and the Medium and Hard versions of this move can hit multiple times.
The Light version can be used to juggle the other fighter if your next move has a short recovery time. For example, you can hit them with a Light Kick Hurricane Kick and go into a Hard Punch Shoryuken for a 4 hit combo.
(In the air)
• Tatsumaki Zankuu Kyaku (Air Hurricane kick) •
• Shoryuken (Dragon Punch) •
A high priority attack. The Punch button pressed determines the strength, range and number of hits for this move.
Light Punch has the smallest range, only hits once and does the least damage, but if you miss with it you're not as open to counter attacks as the heavier versions. This is usually good against jump in attacks and for countering pokes and tick throws.
Hard Punch has the longest range, hits 3 times and does the most damage. It's good for finishing off juggles and combos, and if your timing is really good, hitting people who jump in. If you miss with it though prepare to take a lot of damage.
Medium Punch is a mix of both Light and Hard version. It hits twice.
or 
• Ashura Senkuu (Teleport) •
The joystick motion may be reversed with either 3x punch or kick to teleport backwards.
The punch version of this move will take you forward a full-screen's distance away, and the kick takes you about halfway.
This move has a much faster recovery time than in SF3 Third Strike, making it more difficult to counter-attack Akuma as he's coming out of it.
EX Moves
• EX-Gou Hadouken (Fireball) •
A 2 hit version of his normal fireball, although some people claim this move isn't very useful because Akuma's Powerful Fireball can accomplish much the same thing, and it doesn't take Super meter.
• EX-Zankuu Hadouken (Air fireball) • (In the air)
This throws out two fireballs, somewhat like Shin Akuma in previous Street Fighter games. It's not a fireball that hits twice like other character's EX moves.
The two punch buttons you press control the angle. For example, pressing Light and Hard punch at the same time will make your fireballs come out at a different angle than Light and Medium punch.
• EX-Shakunetsu Hadoken (Powerful fireball) •
• Hyakki Shuu (Demon Flip) •
• EX-Tatsumaki Zankuu Kyaku (Hurricane kick) •
The EX-Hurricane kick makes you spin in place and will vacuum in the other fighter if they're close enough, hitting multiple times.
(In the air)
• EX-Tatsumaki Zankuu Kyaku (Air Hurricane Kick) •
• EX-Shoryuken (Dragon Punch) •
Super and Ultra Moves
• Shun Goku Satsu (Super -- Raging Demon) •
This move comes out FAST. Faster than in previous games. It does about 30% damage (character dependent), beats out most normal attacks and goes about a full screen's distance, but it does not go through fireballs.
Without doing a level 2 or 3 Focus Attack, there's no known way to combo into this move.
• Shun Goku Satsu (Ultra -- Raging Demon) •
Akuma's Ultra goes through fireballs, travels further than full screen's distance, does about 60% damage when fully charged and it might be nerfed at some point, because it's really powerful.
Like his Super, there isn't a known way to combo into this without doing a crumpling Focus Attack.
Combos
• Jumping Medium Kick, Hard Punch, cancel into Light Kick Hurricane Kick, juggle with Hard Punch Shoryuken •
Akuma's bread and butter combo. Great damage and not too difficult to pull off.
• Jumping Hard Kick, crouching Medium Kick, cancel into Hard Punch Fireball •
The classic combo is back. Easy to pull off and usually safe from counter attacks unless executed in the corner.
Normal Moves
Note this is not a complete list of all of Akuma's normal moves, just the ones we think are noteworthy.
• Overhead Chop •
Akuma's classic Overhead Chop is back. Hits twice.
(In the air)
• Dive Kick •
You must be jumping forward and near the peak of your jump to execute this move.
Contributions to this guide by Forgenjuro, Reno, SaBrE, FuguTabetai and Hellfromabove.
Posted by Diyomaro on September 10, 2008 at 6:55 p.m. #1
Does Akuma have his Raging Demon move?
Posted by CWheezy on September 14, 2008 at 11:07 a.m. #2
You know, right under where it says super / ultra moves, there's the raging demon
Posted by M-80 on September 20, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. #3
Akuma's ultra doesn't go through fireballs I was highly disappointed
Posted by yeesh on September 24, 2008 at 7:34 a.m. #4
The ultra goes through fireballs, the super doesn't.
Posted by M-80 on September 27, 2008 at 8:26 p.m. #5
The ultra doesn't.....I've been hit with a fireball and it stops it I swear 2 god and jesus that Akuma's Ultra DOES NOT go thru ultra's
Posted by Jr. on October 1, 2008 at 2:49 a.m. #6
another thing about his ultra, i just came from james games in upland and i wasnt able to hit the ultra. like when i pull it off it'll dash and literally PUSH the opponent across the screen so WTH is up with that?
Posted by !! on October 6, 2008 at 1:18 a.m. #7
non of his raging demon goes thru fireball . it sucks. and does anyone knows the requirement to fight akuma in arcade mode?
Posted by Daedalus on October 9, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. #8
Haven't tested it, but it probably goes only through 1 hitting fireballs (low punch)
Posted by A Kuma on November 8, 2008 at 12:04 a.m. #9
The Ultra raging demon will go through fireball before the levitating animation. Once he begins the Ashura Senkuu toward the opponent, he's vulnerable. Raging Demon is a high priority tackle.
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