8 min read


Context

Mr. Hibiki is a secondary character in the Street Fighter video games. He first appeared in 1995.

Dan’s always been a joke character. He’s a parody of a parody that gets little to no respect storyline wise. However if played correctly — and using his unique taunting ability — he can be fairly effective in a fight.

If nothing else he could lighten the mood by being comedy relief with his incompetence and overinflated ego.

Background

  • Real Name: Dan Hibiki.
  • Other Aliases: My father was strong, Rushing Burst! Strongest Road!
  • Known Relatives: Gou Hibiki (father, deceased).
  • Group Affiliation: None although he did briefly partner up with Sakura and Blanka.
  • Base Of Operations: Hong Kong, but often mobile.
  • Height: 5’11” (1.80m). Weight: 163 lbs. (73 Kg.).
  • Eyes: Brown. Hair: Brown.

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Powers and Abilities

Dan is a decent martial artist and acrobat. Although he’s certainly not world-class as he believes.

He no longer has the emotional issues that he was carrying around early in his career. But he is still blinded by delusions of grandeur.

Dan is so arrogant that his ability to annoy people with his taunts is arguably superhuman. It is the most valuable skill that he possesses.

Unfortunately Dan doesn’t realize this. He just thinks that the taunts he uses are for fun. Mr. Hibiki does not see the relation between him using taunts and goading people into rash courses of action.

Dan Hibiki (Street Fighters character) in another stupid pose and sneer

History

Dan’s father Go Hibiki was a famous martial artist. By all accounts, he was a world class up and comer. He even crossed paths with another sensational up and comer Muay Thai champion Sagat.

However, the match went poorly. Go accidentally gouged out one of Sagat’s eyes. The enraged Muay Thai fighter beat him to death in retaliation.

As befitting of the genre, his son swore revenge.

Dan was briefly a student at Gouken’s dojo alongside Ken and Ryu. But he was unceremoniously kicked out as he couldn’t get over his burning need for revenge.

Street Fighter Alpha 2

At the start of the tournament Dan sought Sagat. But he first crossed paths with Guy instead.

Both were interested in challenging strong fighters to improve, so they fought. It’s highly likely that Dan lost badly.

Mr. Hibiki eventually did encounter Sagat. He howled that the former champion was nothing but a cold blooded murderer, and attacked. However Sagat had grown to regret many of his previous actions – including killing Dan’s father.

Hibiki won. But only because his much stronger opponent threw the match. Sagat hoped that it would bring the troubled young man some closure.

Since Dan had become a rage fueled egomaniac the “victory” went straight to his head. He set off to make his own martial arts school the next big thing. But since the “fight” was a chance encounter with little to no witnesses, there was no recognition for this “upset.”

Dan Hibiki (Street Fighters)

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Hibiki apparently tried to make Sakura his student. He also had a reunion with his childhood friend, Blanka.

In his in-game storyline, Dan defeats Chun Li, Sagat again, Balrog, and then even Bison himself. This is clearly a delusion of his – none of this actually happened.

He *was* kind of there for the fall of Shadaloo and the destruction of the Psycho Drive. But it’s highly likely he was just bumbling around in the background somewhere while the real fighters took care of business.

Hibiki came to consider Sakura to be his number one student. But she actually has far greater potential than he does. It seems unlikely Dan has anything to teach her.

Presumably, Sakura just politely humors him so that she can travel the world with his resources and private jet while in search of her idol Ryu.

Street Fighter 4

Dan was extremely annoyed that he wasn’t able to participate in the SFII. It seems likely that he wasn’t important enough to be invited.

Meanwhile, his dojo had fallen into ruin and he had lost most of his family fortune. This was the result of his breath-taking incompetence. Such a spending large sums of money on TV ads, then forgetting to include his phone number.

(He did eventually include his phone number, but by this point it had been disconnected for failure to pay.)

The rest of his involvement in the main storyline is much as it was before. The adults in the room handle the grown up challenges while he struts around like a peacock, proclaiming his greatness.

Street Fighter 5

Dan was one of the early DLC characters. Yet, his story isn’t all that important to the rest of the game.

  • He appears in a bunch of the training simulations.
  • He announces some of the new characters and stages.
  • He make a few cameos in other DLC characters’ endings.

Mr. Hibiki presumably found a bunch of odd jobs to support his failing dojo, that were tenuously related to the tournament. Since no one seems to take him seriously enough as a fighter to invite him.

Where is he now?

Likely doing more of the same in:

  1. Trying to promote his own dojo through his delusions of grandeur.
  2. Doing various odd jobs.

Despite being a joke character his legacy has been somewhat enduring. So it’s likely he’ll make an appearance in the recently announced Street Fighter 6.

Dan Hibiki (Street Fighters) screaming with fists raised

Description

Dan is an athletic Asian man. He typically dresses in a pink karate gi with the sleeves ripped off. He also wears a black T-shirt underneath it, as well as brown forearm guards.

His hair is shoulder length and always worn in a ponytail.

His most memorable trait is that his face is almost always contorted into some sort of goofy comedic expression, no matter what he’s doing.

Personality

Prior to fighting Sagat Dan had serious anger issues. These likely stemmed from his personal insecurities.

After he “beat” Sagat his own ego defense mechanism went into overdrive. Thus, Dan proclaimed himself the greatest martial artist in the world.

It doesn’t matter that no one else believes this or gives him any respect. Dan’s ego will work overtime to do mental gymnastics and backward rationalize everything to keep his delusions of grandeur intact.

Dan Hibiki (Street Fighters) gazing at the horizon

Quotes

Gouken: “Ahem Dan, what is it that you desire of your fist ? Dan, with what are you being burdened ?”
Dan: “Just, only strength !”
Gouken: “Then your fist, don’t only close it up. I perhaps was mistaken… Dan, depart from before me…furthermore, abandon your fist !”

(While having a nightmare) “Is that…my… dad ? That’s right, that’s the form of my dad challenging the Muay Thai champion. And, this happening ! No…stop, stop it !!” (Wakes up.) “Again, that dream ?”

“Orahorahorahorahoraaahh !!”

“Koouryuukennn !!”

DC Universe Adaptation

(This section proposes ways of using this character in DC Universe stories).

Why not? If you’re in the mood then Dan can lighten up any campaign with comic relief.

He does need a “Sagat-type” counterpart to work though. Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley) seems like a likely choice. Perhaps Jean Paul killed his father before he fully reformed. Really though any bad ass evil martial artist who later reformed would do.

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DC Heroes RPG

Dan Hibiki

Dex: 06 Str: 04 Bod: 05
Int: 04 Wil: 03 Min: 04
Inf: 04 Aur: 03 Spi: 05
Init: 016 HP: 020

Powers:

Adrenaline Surge: 07, Energy Blast: 04, Gliding: 02, Jumping: 02

Bonuses and Limitations:

  • Adrenaline Surge works all powers and any attributes that may be used in taunting.
  • Energy Blast is range of touch only, however if Dan applies Adrenaline Surge to and spends Hero Points on a push attempt then he can gain range of 0APs (10 feet) with it.

Skills:

Martial Artist: 05

Advantages:

Omni-language, Languages (Japanese, Thai, Mandarin, Cantonese, Portuguese), Schtick (Provoked attack, Taunting).

Connections:

Blanka (High), Sakura Kasugano (Low, but thinks it’s High).

Drawbacks:

SIA (overconfidence), MPI (delusions of grandeur), Socially Inept (Minor), Arrogant.

Motivation:

Thrill of adventure.

Occupation:

Martial arts instructor.

Wealth:

002


Marvel vs. Capcom statistics

Dan, like all the other characters, got a big boost in the Marvel versus Capcom series, but was still a joke character.

Dex: 07 Str: 04 Bod: 05
Int: 05 Wil: 04 Min: 05
Inf: 05 Aur: 04 Spi: 06
Init: 019 HP: 030

Powers:

Adrenaline Surge: 13, Energy Blast: 04, Jumping: 02, Projectile Weapon: 02

Bonuses and Limitations:

  • Adrenaline Surge works all powers and any attributes that may be used in taunting.
  • Energy Blast is range of touch only, however if Dan applies Adrenaline Surge to and spends HPs on a push attempt then he can gain a range of 0APs (10 feet) with it.
  • Projectile Weapon requires an object of opportunity (paper).

Skills:

Acrobatics (Dodging, gymnastics): 05, Martial Artist: 06

Motivation:

Thrill of adventure.

Occupation:

Martial arts instructor.

Wealth:

009


Previous Statistics

Prior to the events of SFZ2 Dan was carrying around a lot of emotional baggage and had Catastrophic Rage, SPI (anger issues), SIH (Sagat), CIA (avenging his father).

Once he “beat” Sagat, all this went away. He was able to buy off all these Drawbacks with the HP earned from completely a lengthy subplot and the other adventures he had.

However, he did gain his current SIA (overconfidence).

Writeups.org writer avatar Tom Eilers

By Tom Eilers.

Source of Character: Street Fighter.