It's been more than a decade since Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown hit Japanese arcades. Since then, the fighting game genre has changed dramatically, with series like Tekken pushing the genre forward with each new title. One thing that hasn't changed is the die-hard fan base that the Virtua Fighter franchise has attracted over the years. The original Virtua Fighter was the first 3D fighting game and its sequel used graphics chips from a military supplier to drive its arcade cabinet.
Back in the 90's, the series really was a groundbreaking juggernaut in the fighting game genre. Unfortunately, it lost its way a little in the years that followed. Fast forward ten years and the recently announced news of a Virtua Fighter eSports title has fans hoping that the series can recapture its former glory. Sega hasn't give too much away about Virtua Fighter X just yet. One thing is for sure though, it will include some of the best fighting game characters of all time.
10 Shun Di
Shun Di first appeared in Virtua Fighter 2 and is one of the series' oldest fighters. He's a Chinese martial artist and fights using the Zuì Quán fighting style – also known as Drunken Kung Fu. Series creator Yu Suzuki seems to be a big fan of the character, as shown by the images of Shun Di that he included in Shenmue 2.
Shun Di is at his best when he is up close and personal with his opponent. His fighting style makes him very difficult to defend against, which allows him to deal plenty of damage while receiving very little himself. His varied move set makes him a difficult fighter to master and so he probably isn't the best choice for beginners.
9 Kage
Kage is a Japanese fighter who uses the fictional fighting style Hagakure-ryū Jū-Jutsu. Although fictional, there are many similarities between his style and the Japanese martial art Jūjutsu. He is the only fighter in the series' lore to have won two Virtua Fighter tournaments and has appeared in every game to date.
Kage's biggest strength is his speed, which allows him to excel both offensively and defensively. Unfortunately, his damage output is a little lower than other top-tier fighters, meaning that he'll need to chip away at his opponent's health rather than blowing them away with big moves. That said, his Ryūgakuha move can deal decent damage when at maximum charge.
8 Jeffry
Jeffry has appeared in all of the main series Virtua Fighter games and is one of the series' most iconic fighters. He's an Australian who fights using a fighting style known as Pankration. It combines elements of wrestling, boxing, & kicking and was once an event at the Olympic Games. According to an unused bio discovered in 2016, developers had originally planned to call him Willie before eventually settling on Jeffry.
Jeffry is a great player for beginners, although getting the most out of him will require a fair amount of practice. He's fairly easy to control and can eat a fair amount of damage thanks to his size. He's particularly effective when near walls although is a little weak in the defensive department. His most powerful move is the attack throw Toe Kick Splash Mountain. It requires fairly complicated button inputs but is well worth the effort.
7 Brad
Brad first appeared in Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution and loves fighting & women. He's an Italian fighter who specializes in the Thai combat style Muay Thai. This style utilizes punches, kicks, knees, and elbows to overwhelm opponents – with the elbow strike typically considered to be the most deadly.
Brad's an incredibly versatile fighter although is probably better suited to advanced players. His throws are a little weak compared to some of the other fighters, but he more than makes up for this with his powerful kicks. His Middle Spin Kick is arguably the pick of the bunch, although his Pap Sawk Kao kick is not too far behind.
6 Taka-Arashi
Taka-Arashi is a sumo wrestler from Japan who made his first appearance in Virtua Fighter 3. He's the only fighter in the franchise to have been dropped from the series, although he did later return in Virtua Fighter 5 R. He's also one of the heaviest fighters, weighing in at just under 200 kilos.
Taka-Arashi often relies on brute strength and this is reflected in his move set. His Nodowa throw move is incredibly powerful and his Higumazume attack has the potential to dish out some devastating damage depending on how close he is to the opponent. He's not the fastest fighter in the game, but can block as well as anybody else.
5 Vanessa
When Vanessa first appeared in the fantasticVirtua Fighter 4, she was able to switch between two different fighting styles – Vale Tudo and Muay Thai. This made her the first fighter in the series that was able to use more than one style. In later games, she was limited to just Vale Tudo. It's likely that developers made this change to accommodate the new fighter Brad, who also uses Muay Thai.
Vanessa works best with defensive strategies, blocking and dodging until the right moment to strike reveals itself. When it does so, both her Wheel Kick and Back Charge Kick are great for punishing an opponent's mistakes and dealing some quick & significant damage.
4 Goh
Goh is a fairly recent addition to the roster, first appearing in Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution. He's a Japanese fighter that specializes in Judo and works as an assassin for a mysterious organization called Judgement 6. He loves to get into other fighters' head by taunting them and is an incredibly sore loser.
Judo might not be as exotic as some of the other fighting styles found throughout the series, but it can certainly pack a punch. Goh has a variety of powerful moves in his locker – although it's his Murakumo throw move that can deal the most damage. He might take a little bit of getting used to, but when used correctly, he can throw down with the very best.
3 Lion
Lion first appeared in Virtua Fighter 2 and has been a series regular ever since. He's a French fighter who uses a Chinese martial art known as Northern Praying Mantis. He's been learning it since he was five years old and hopes to win the Virtua Fighter tournament in order to prove his worth to his father.
In terms of raw strength, Lion doesn't have too many powerful moves. What he does have is a wide range of recovery moves that make him an incredibly versatile fighter for those who know how to use him. His Shuhō Teishitsu Rakkasō move is his most powerful, but when fighting with Lion, it's often easier to whittle an opponent's health bar down rather than trying to use brute force.
2 Jacky
Jacky is an American martial artist who fights using Jeet Kune Do, the fighting style famously developed by Bruce Lee. He's appeared in all of the Virtua Fighter games and is the brother of fellow series regular, Sarah. Despite being one of the better fighters in the series, he has never won a Virtua Fighter tournament.
Jacky is not too difficult to control in matches and has a variety of quick kicks that can help put opponents on the back foot. His most powerful move is his Somersault Kick and it's fairly easy to pull off. That said, his Smash Back Knuckle move is arguably far more useful. At maximum charge, it not only deals significant damage, but also removes an opponent's high guard.
1 Akira
Akira has appeared in every Virtua Fighter game to date and is the face of the series. He fights using a Chinese martial art known as Bājíquán, which is famous for using shoulder and elbow strikes. In the series' lore, he is one of only three fighters to have won the Virtua Fighter tournament. He also served as the inspiration for the Dead or Alive fighter Kokoro and Ryo Hazuki from the Shenmue series.
Akira isn't the easiest fighter to use, but in the right hands he can be deadly. His Bājíquán moves are able to melt through a health bar like a hot knife through a stick of butter. In particular, his Tetsuzankō is able to deal devastating damage depending on distance and timing and is easily one of the best moves in the franchise.