History Main / ShotoClone

Perhaps the most basic form of FightingGame character. Usually JackOfAllStats, this fighter's two most notable {{Special Attack}}s are a fireball or other projectile attack, and a rising physical attack, usually an uppercut (the standard versions of these are the [[KamehameHadouken Hadou]][[EnergyBall ken]] and {{Shoryuken}}). Their third attack is either a SpinAttack or an attack that [[DashAttack rushes forward]], or both (the standard version being HurricaneKick which can do both). Wearing a ''gi'' or headband is optional. As you may have guessed, this character is essentially "inspired by" Ryu, the protagonist of the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series.

The term Shotoclone (or "shoto") comes from the English localization of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' for the Super NES, which misidentified the fighting style used by Ryu and Ken as Shotokan Karate in the instruction manual. The martial art of Ryu and Ken has never been given a proper name in the Japanese versions (or in the games themselves), although the back-story in later games reveals that Gouken (Ryu and Ken's master) developed the fighting style from the original assassination art called Ansatsuken (literaly, "assassination fist"[[note]]Hence the name of the webseries, ''WebVideo/StreetFighterAssassinsFist''[[/note]]) he learned with his brother Akuma from their master Goutetsu. For the record, Ryu and Ken's original moveset ''is'' largely based on Shotokan karate (no, not the special moves!), while in later games Ken's technique - notably his kicks - moved towards Kyokushin, in a textbook example of DivergentCharacterEvolution.

** {{Averted}} by Satomi Yajima, who plays more like gender flipped version of [[Characters/TheKingOfFighters Kyo Kusanagi]] instead.
* [[TheHero Akatsuki]] from ''VideoGame/AkatsukiBlitzkampf'' is a rather curious case, in that he has quite the inklings of this, but by looking closely at his movelist and ''specially'' at his three-hit HurricaneKick, one can see that he takes more leaves from ''Kyo Kusanagi's'' book rather than the traditional Ryu/Ken emsemble. Additionally, [[StupidJetpackHitler Elektrosoldat]] has almost everything included in Guile's moveset. While his original, Adler can considered to be one as he's the Shoto Guile than Elektrosoldat's original Guile playstyle.
** The new protagonist, EN-Eins from EN-Eins Perfektewelt, he plays straight as has EN Pyrokinesis (a projectile), EN Teleport Raider (a screen traveling attack) and EN Levitator (a Dragon Punch with an additional input knocking the opponent down), though in practice he's more of a rushdown, combo-oriented character than a traditional Shoto.
** To degree; Kati can consider this as she has Roaring Karusell (a Tatsumaki) and Splendid Wirbel (Shoryuken)but it lacks fireball, due to the type of project that use her wand can be used as a whip and whacks her opponents like a baseball bat.

** Orange, mint and white represent this as a whole, each of them having one of the three signature shoto style moves, with mint having the [[KamehameHadouken Signature projectile]], white using the Shoryuken, and orange using the equivalent of the [[HurricaneKick dankuukyaku]].

** Ryo Sakazaki qualifies, as his moveset was almost directly copied off of [[Characters/StreetFighterRyu Ryu]], but with a few unique tools of his own. While he has the traditional projectile and anti-air uppercut, his Hien Shipuu Kyaku is a tad more different than a Tatsumaki. And even Ko'oh Ken varies between an actual projectile and a close-up burst attack. He's also got his classic [[RapidFireFisticuffs Zanretsuken]] which is a powerful close range tool, giving a little spice to the archetype mold.
** Robert's moveset changes [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the game.]] In the first two parts of ''Art of Fighting'', he was essentially the same as Ryo. While in games such as ''KOF 2000'', they're only loosely similar, due to Robert having charge motion inputs and different moves. And in ''KOF 2002'' and ''Neo Geo: Battle Colosseum'', his moveset consists almost entirely [[KickChick of kicks]], like Kim Kaphwan and [[DistaffCounterpart King]].

* ''Videogame/Asuka120Percent'' has the titular Asuka, who possesses a fireball and a rising anti-air punch, but lacks a traditional rushdown technique. Torami, meanwhile, is an actual shotokan karate practitioner and even wears a gi (not unlike Ryu or SNK's Ryo), but, despite possessing some of the usual specials like a fireball and rising uppercut, plays somewhat differently from the traditional archetype. The closest fit is Shinobu, who uses the same standard shoto playstyle and specials (fireball, hurricane kick and rising uppercut), and even looks like a {{Palette Swap}} of ''Street Fighter'''s Sakura Kasugano.

* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'''s male protagonists, Ragna the Bloodedge and Jin Kisaragi. Although Jin kinda subverts it by not having a rising uppercut move, though the moves he ''does'' have with the traditional input (Forward, Down, Down-Forward) functions the same anyway. Interestingly, they aren't the only pair like this as [[LittleBitBeastly Makoto Nanaya]] and [[LadyOfWar Tsubaki Yayoi]] have similar moves and functions. Both of their "Shoryukens" work in the traditional way, but their "Hadoukens" are different (Makoto needs to set hers and then launch it and Tsubaki's has a completely different input than the norm).
** [[CuteClumsyGirl Celica A Mercury]] debuting in the third entry of the series [[VideoGame/BlazblueChronoPhantasma Chrono Phantasma]] is a straight example as she was intentionally designed for newcomers. Her Type: Shooter "Breunor" and Type: Slasher "Griflet" function as her Hadouken and Shoryuken respectively and she even has a hurricane kick style rush move in the form of Lance Quiche. Her Shoryuken is different from the standard input though (236 + C like the hadouken motion rather than the traditional 623). Her fireball having an air version as well as a jumping command grab/overhead also makes her similar to Akuma's air fire ball and demon flip.
** Also Es who debuts in [[VideoGame/BlazblueCentralFiction Cental Fiction]] is a straight example. Her Arc Grillé and Hache Rotir function as her Hadouken and Shoryuken respectively and she even has a hurricane kick style rush move in the form of Type: Slasher "Mordred". Her Shoryuken, unlike Celica, has a standard 623 motion.

* In VideoGame/CapcomVs games, Ryu, Ken, Dan, Akuma, Sakura, Morrigan, and Batsu all put in appearances, as do ComicBook/{{Cyclops}}, ComicBook/SpiderMan, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, Ippatsuman, and the aforementioned Terry and Ryo.

*** In ''VideoGame/XMenChildrenOfTheAtom'', Cyclops fits this trope with his Optic Blast as his KamehameHadoken and the Gene Splice as his {{Shoryuken}}. Cyclone Kick is a reasonable HurricaneKick, though with a bit more limit on the range, but his LimitBreak mimics Ryu's later Shinnku Hadouken.
*** In ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'', both ComicBook/CaptainAmerica and ComicBook/SpiderMan are this, but they replace the HurricaneKick with their own rushing attacks - Charging Star for Cap and Web Swing for Spidey. These two follow this trope a lot more as Cap is a JackOfAllStats while Spidey is the FragileSpeedster.
*** ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomClashOfSuperHeroes'': [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Mega Man]] plays with the shotoclone archetype. The only shotoclone move that retains its original input is the Mega Upper, an obvious Shoryuken expy. His fierce punch is an automatic projectile with his Mega Buster (which can be charged), while his crouching fierce kick is his slide, which can hit enemies and dodge high attacks. His other special moves revolve around switching and using different Robot Master weapons.
*** Of the three Marvel heroes, Cyclops plays this trope the straightest with his own Hadouken (Optic Blast), Shoryuken (Gene Splice) and Hurricane Kick (Cyclops Kick), though he wouldn't gain this distinction until ''VideoGame/XMenVsStreetFighter''. Cap and Spidey would be distinct from Cyclops as both of them don't have actual Hurricane Kicks; Cap has the rushing Charging Star while Spidey's is the swinging Web Swing. As well, Spidey's Spider Sting slaps an opponent back down to the ground while most Shoryukens keep them airborne.
* Jimmy Zappa and Saryn of ''Videogame/CapoeiraFighter 3''. Between the two of them are all of Ryu's basic moves.

* The Typhoon power in ''VideoGame/CopyKitty'' gives Boki a basic shotoclone moveset, her default attack being a {{Shoryuken}} with a secondary Hadoken able to be performed the appropriate QCF input. The Yolomo of the Sun Fist - the enemy the Typhoon power is typically taken from - is basically Ryu as a squat, boxy robot, with all three of his trademark specials (though the kick is always performed in the air after a Shoryuken.)

* Han Baedal and Kim Hoon from ''[[VideoGame/FightFever]]''; however, due to Fight Fever being modeled after ''Fatal Fury 2''/''Fatal Fury Special'' and ''Art of Fighting'' both than ''Street Fighter II'', they appear to also mock Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia by having flying kicks and exclusive special rapid moves (Han's is a rapid punch move like Ryo Sakazaki's, while Kim's is a rapid kick move like Robert Garcia's). And while Han Baedal is Korean, he seems more faithful to the legendary Karateka also from South Korea, [[http://fightingstreet.com/folders/variousinfofolder/ripofffolder/ripoffpage1.html Masutatsu Oyama than Ryu is]]. For Kim Hoon, his look and stage match Ryo Sakazaki more than Ken Masters. In fact, Fight Fever's developer Viccom was SNK's Korean distributor who exchanged ideas with SNK while KOF '94 was in development at the same time and had the ''Art of Fighting'' characters' stage take place in Mexico (Which is likely why Kim Hoon is Mexican in spite of being named Kim Hoon).

* Han Baedal and Kim Hoon from ''Fight Fever''; however, due to Fight Fever being modeled after ''Fatal Fury 2''/''Fatal Fury Special'' and ''Art of Fighting'' both than ''Street Fighter II'', they appear to also mock Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia by having flying kicks and exclusive special rapid moves (Han's is a rapid punch move like Ryo Sakazaki's, while Kim's is a rapid kick move like Robert Garcia's). And while Han Baedal is Korean, he seems more faithful to the legendary Karateka also from South Korea, [[http://fightingstreet.com/folders/variousinfofolder/ripofffolder/ripoffpage1.html Masutatsu Oyama than Ryu is]]. For Kim Hoon, his look and stage match Ryo Sakazaki more than Ken Masters. In fact, Fight Fever's developer Viccom was SNK's Korean distributor who exchanged ideas with SNK while KOF '94 was in development at the same time and had the ''Art of Fighting'' characters' stage take place in Mexico (Which is likely why Kim Hoon is Mexican in spite of being named Kim Hoon).

** [[Characters/StreetFighterOtherMedia Sheng Long]], Ryu and Ken's supposed master made his first canonical appearance in ''VideoGame/StreetFighter6'' and his moves are ripped straight from Ryu.

* ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasyVersus'' has three shotos: Gran, Katalina, and Djeeta. All 3 have a fireball, standard uppercut motion and invul, and some kind of rush move (Grans' boot, Katalina's forward stab, and Djeeta's rekkas where she kind spins while swinging.
* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear''':

** While Kyo's moveset has changed across the series several times, SNK introduced the Kyo Clones in the NESTS arc that were identical to Kyo and their movesets were based from previous incarnations. ''KOF 2002'' and ''KOF 2003'' added another clone named Kusanagi to give players the alternative of a Classic Kyo.
** Iori lost this status in ''XII'' and ''XIII'' due to [[BroughtDownToNormal losing his powers at the hands]] of Ash Crimson (who is actually a Guile/Charlie/Remy knockoff, particularly the latter) and switches to a moveset centered around his [[WolverineClaws slashing hands]], [[spoiler:but he gains said pyrokinetic abilities back at the end of ''XIII''.]] A DownloadableContent version of his traditional moveset is available in ''XIII'', complementing Kyo's switch back to his ''[==]'95'' fighting style (conversely Kyo has a DLC variation that gives him back his ''[==]'96'' attacks).

* The TropeMaker is the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series itself. Ryu and Ken began purely as headswaps, and although rather more lethal, Akuma's style is not far from their own. Dan, who is considered a JokeCharacter, tends to at least share Ryu and Ken's basic techniques; although his specials are different, they tend to fit the fireball/uppercut/special-kick roles. Sakura may or may not be a Ryu-type; her unusual permutations of Ryu's special moves (and some different basic moves) shift her away from the model, but how different she is varies from game to game.

** Sagat shares Ryu's projectile/uppercut profile with his Tiger Shot and Tiger Upper/Tiger Blow, and like Ryu, it's frequently the bread-and-butter of his strategy. However, Sagat lacks any true Hurricane Kick equivalent (his Tiger Knee/Tiger Crush is really more like a knee-based version of the Shoryuken, though it moves forward a lot more) and can fire his projectile low. Canonically the Tiger Uppercut is his answer to the Shoryuken, being the move that left him with the chest scar and he uses it to mock the Shoryuken.

** Seth from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' certainly counts, having both a Quarter-Circle Forward projectile and a Dragon Punch.
** Sean, like Gouken, is a subversion. Despite having learned his moves by mimicking Ken, and being a straight up head swap of Ryu and Ken, his only projectile is one of his Super Arts.
*** Accounting for the three games, Sean would more accurately straddle the line between Sakura (what with being to Ken what she was to Ryu) and Dan.
*** He was likely supposed to be the only Shotoclone of ''New Generation'' as Ryu was originally going to be the only returning character, but due to the roster not being filled out enough, Ken was added.
** Oni is like Akuma only [[DemonicPossession really far gone]]. As such he retains the standard "Shoto" moves (fireball, jumping uppercut, and spinning kick) but with some variation (his Hadokens won't travel full screen unless they are charged and his Shoryuken can become a Shin Shoryuken-like move if done up close). He also has some non-standard moves like a jumping chop or a mid-air ki burst while at the same time lacking some of Akuma's unique moves (teleport and air fireball).
** An interesting case: prior to ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'', Cody could have been considered this, as he had a projectile, an anti-air uppercut, and a kick-based attack. However, he played nothing like the other shoto-clones of the series, so he is generally not grouped with the shotos, and as of SFV, his moveset is changed to the point that he could no longer even be mistaken as a shotoclone.
** In ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'', the newcomer Luke, who is later made the main character of ''VideoGame/StreetFighter6'', ticks all the boxes, as he has a projectile move (Sand Blaster), a Shoryuken-style attack (Rising Rocket), and an attack that allows him to quickly shorten the distance between himmself and the opponent (Flash Knuckle).
** [[Characters/StreetFighterOtherMedia Sheng Long]], Ryu and Ken's supposed master made his first canonical appearance in ''VideoGame/StreetFighter6'' and his moves are inspired by Ryu.

* ComicBook/ShangChi usesa KamehamehaHadouken in VideoGame/MarvelContestOfChampions.

** In the original game, Yuka Takeuchi and Chiho Masuda had the same basic moveset, with Yuka being the more balanced one. However, the sequel introduced Tamao Mitsurugi (essentially TGL's rendition of Sakura), making her the series' new secondary Shoto character. So Chiho's old moveset was scrapped in favor of making her more like a traditional ninja. %Needs context

** {{Averted}} by Satomi Yajima, who plays more like gender flipped version of [[Characters/TheKingOfFighters Kyo Kusanagi]] instead. %Needs context

* ''[[VideoGame/AdvancedVariableGeo Advanced V.G.]]'':%** In the original game, Yuka Takeuchi and Chiho Masuda had the same basic moveset, with Yuka being the more balanced one. However, the sequel introduced Tamao Mitsurugi (essentially TGL's rendition of Sakura), making her the series' new secondary Shoto character. So Chiho's old moveset was scrapped in favor of making her more like a traditional ninja. %Needs context

* ''Videogame/Asuka120Percent'' has the titular Asuka, who possesses a fireball and a rising anti-air punch, but lacks a traditional rushdown technique. Torami, meanwhile, is an actual shotokan karate practitioner and even wears a gi (not unlike Ryu or SNK's Ryo), but, despite possessing some of the usual specials like a fireball and rising uppercut, plays somewhat differently from the traditional archetype. The closest fit is Shinobu, who uses the same standard shoto playstyle and specials (fireball, hurricane kick and rising uppercut), and even looks like a {{Palette Swap}} of ''Street Fighter'''s Sakura Kasugano.

%%* ''[[VideoGame/AdvancedVariableGeo Advanced V.G.]]'':
%%** In the original game, Yuka Takeuchi and Chiho Masuda had the same basic moveset, with Yuka being the more balanced one. However, the sequel introduced Tamao Mitsurugi (essentially TGL's rendition of Sakura), making her the series' new secondary Shoto character. So Chiho's old moveset was scrapped in favor of making her more like a traditional ninja. %Needs context
%%** {{Averted}} by Satomi Yajima, who plays more like gender flipped version of [[Characters/TheKingOfFighters Kyo Kusanagi]] instead. %Needs context

%%** There's also Sho Shinjo, who is the Akuma of the series.

* ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'': Haohmaru is the samurai equivalent of Ryu, possessing a projectile and rising uppercut that use the same inputs as the hadouken and shoryuken. The key difference is that these moves are done with a katana instead of punches or kicks.

* ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'': Haohmaru is the samurai equivalent of Ryu.

* ''VideoGame/AstraSuperstars'': Test-kun from is another parody of Ryu, being a blue, hand-drawn stick figure.

* ''Galaxy Fight: Universal Warriors''

* "Among us Arena: ultimate edition"

* [[TheHero Akatsuki]] from ''VideoGame/AkatsukiBlitzkampf'' is a rather curious case, in that he has quite the inklings of this, but by looking closely at his movelist and ''specially'' at his three-hit HurricaneKick, one can see that he takes more leaves from ''Kyo Kusanagi's'' book rather than the traditional Ryu/Ken emsemble. Additionally, [[StupidJetpackHitler Elektrosoldat]] has almost everything included in Guile's moveset. While his original, Adler can considered to be one as he's the Shoto Guile, then Elektrosoldat's original Guile playstyle.
** The new protagonist, EN-Eins from EN-Eins Perfektewelt, he play straight as has EN Pyrokinesis (a projectile), a screen travelling attack and EN Levi-Slasher (a Dragon Punch with an additional input knocking the opponent down), though in practice he's more of a rushdown, combo-oriented character than a traditional Shoto.

No relation to SendInTheClones. Do not confuse with [[LoliconAndShotacon shotacon]], and God help you if you do. Subtrope of FountainOfExpies and MovesetClone.

*** He was originally supposed to be the only Shoto of the 3 series, until Capcom gave into fan demand by adding Ryu and Ken. Due to this, a huge WhatCouldHaveBeen looms over him as potentially being the only Shoto and thus given more focus.

** In ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'', the newcomer Luke, who is later made one of the main characters of ''VideoGame/StreetFighter6'', ticks all the boxes, as he has a projectile move (Sand Blaster), a Shoryuken-style attack (Rising Rocket), and an attack that allows him to quickly shorten the distance between himmself and the opponent (Flash Knuckle).

* [[TheHero Akatsuki]] from ''VideoGame/AkatsukiBlitzkampf'' is a rather curious case, in that he has quite the inklings of this, but by looking closely at his movelist and ''specially'' at his three-hit HurricaneKick, one can see that he takes more leaves from ''Kyo Kusanagi's'' book rather than the traditional Ryu/Ken emsemble. Additionally, [[StupidJetpackHitler Elektrosoldat]] has almost everything included in Guile's moveset.

** Sol Badguy plays with this trope. He as a ground-travelling fireball, jumping uppercut and advancing spinning kick. However, instead of being a JackOfAllStats, Sol is more based around rushdown and getting opponents to the wall so he can wail them in even further. This makes him easy to grasp for beginners but with a really high skill ceiling.

* ''VideoGame/Tekken7'' finally puts an official Shotoclone for the ''Tekken'' franchise in the form of [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Eliza]] (she was actually introduced in ''Tekken Revolution'', but in that game she lacked the {{Shoryuken}} to properly qualify as a Shotoclone), and Akuma from the ''Street Fighter'' series is also present as a GuestFighter.

** Orange, mint and white represent this as a whole, each of them having one of the three signature shoto style moves, with mint having the [[KamehameHadouken]], white using the [[Shoryuken]], and orange using the equivalent of the [[HurricaneKick]].

* Most ''VideoGame/{{MUGEN}}'' characters fall into this, whether it's from [[SturgeonsLaw laziness]] or for the sake of [[DamnYouMuscleMemory familiar controls]].

[[quoteright:300:[[VideoGame/StreetFighterII https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Hadoken_Shoryuken_by_el_grimlock.jpg]]]]

* Demitri Maximoff and Morrigan Aensland of the ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'' series pull it off as well, but also remain distinctive. The fact that one is a Vampire and the other a [[HornyDevils Succubus]] helps a lot. Lilith (from the third game) also counts as one, but being born out of a part of Morrigan's life force, her projectile attacks aren't as powerful.

* ''VideoGame/DinoRex'': Hilariously enough, the [[Creator/{{Taito}} Rastan]]-like dinosaur trainers (which can only be played after a draw or [[UnexpectedGameplayChange against the final boss]]) have the basic Shoto repertoire, including ''[[StockDinosaurs Rhamphorhynchus]]'' projectiles. Given their lack of animations and oddly misplaced gameplay, it's safe to take it as an AffectionateParody of ''Street Fighter II''.