What to Expect From Street Fighter 6’s Mai

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 10, 2024 24 Views 7 Min Read
What to Expect From Street Fighter 6's Mai



Following the release of her official reveal trailer, Fatal Fury‘s Mai Shiranui has been confirmed to be coming to Street Fighter 6 in early 2025. As the latest guest character of the collaboration between SNK and Capcom, her inclusion represents a landmark moment of unity between fans of both franchises. After years of being relegated to first-party appearances, Mai seems primed to once again serve as a relatively faithful recreation of her home series incarnations.




After the successful integration of Terry Bogard, Mai is carrying on his momentum as the second SNK representative to join Street Fighter 6. The level of respect shown to Terry by giving him authentic moveset has led to optimism surrounding how Mai will be handled, and this trailer does indeed hint at a similar treatment. As Mai lays the groundwork for how Ken and Chun-Li’s own upcoming guest spots in the next Fatal Fury could play out, her trailer makes it seem likely that she will demonstrate a cross-franchise undertaking done right.

Kimberly and Luke facing off in Street Fighter 6

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On top of her accurate look despite the transition into a more photorealistic style, it also seems that Mai could be coming with an entire new stage based on her legacy in FF. Given that her trailer features an environment roughly resembling her Aokigahara-Sea of Trees stage from Fatal Fury 2, it seems reasonable to assume that this could be where she’s located as a Master in Street Fighter 6‘s World Tour mode. It initially seemed more likely that the upcoming Elena would be matched to an original stage instead, but Mai is poised to follow the example of Terry with her own.

Mai’s Revealing Design Has Been Reaffirmed

One of the aspects of the trailer that has seemingly generated hype among fans is the line “Don’t keep a good girl waiting” uttered by Mai. This may be a direct reference to Smash Bros. lead Masahiro Sakurai’s explanation as to why Mai Shiranui was excluded from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, stating that his series is for “good boys and girls of all different ages”. Through this apparent easter egg and the default outfit she’s set to have, it seems that Capcom is making a clear statement about its acceptance of the more provocative elements of its beloved roster members.


Mai Shiranui’s Reveal Trailer Cinematic Hints at Several Returning Moves

While she’s only been shown in what appears to be a World Tour mode cutscene in the trailer, Mai has already showcased some familiar special moves. With some of her animations directly referencing moves she’s had throughout the history of SNK games like King of Fighters, her SF6 iteration is embracing some classic techniques that she’s become associated with her over the years. Although Mai has been more offensively oriented in her most recent outings, the return of certain moves could mean that she will be more of an all-rounder character this time around. These haven’t been explicitly confirmed in a released moves list, but the fact she’s been animated to perform them means they probably won’t be going to waste.


Apparent Special Moves for Mai Shiranui Based on Her Trailer

  • Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi/Deadly Ninja Bees – Mai cartwheels into a flying elbow lunge attack.
  • Fuusha Kuzushi – Mai’s typical throw, she grabs the opponent’s neck using her legs before flipping herself to slam them into the ground.
  • Musasabi no Mai/Flying Squirrel – Mai jumps and bounces off the wall, diving at the opponent in a movement reminiscent of Lily’s Condor Dive or Vega’s Wall Jump.
  • Hishou Ryuuenjin – A rising backflip kick performed while engulfed in flames, this move has historically been her invincible reversal and represents powerful defensive coverage.


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