Here’s your first look at Mai, as SNK’s fight-queen makes her arrival in Street Fighter 6 next month

Only the second ‘guest star’ in the history of the franchise, Mai Shiranui is almost here for Capcom’s Street Fighter 6.

Mai Mai

It’s still a little hard to believe that Street Fighter, as a franchise, has never had a guest-starring fighter. The iconic fight brand did in fact not have one though, until Terry Bogard arrived, from SNK’s King of Fighters and Fatal Fury series’. With him in the rearview mirror though, it’s time to talk about the second crossover battler.

That, as you can see here, would be Mai Shiranui. Hailing from the same set of games as Terry, Mai is an icon herself, and pretty far and away one of the most popular female fighting game characters of all time. And as of next month, she’ll be ready to lay the smack down on the World Warriors and crew.

Mai arrives for the game packing two costumes, including both her classic duds and a black leather outfit. The first one is a riff on the one you likely know, though players can add the optional second by way of two options according to Capcom, with either “Fighter Coins” or by “maxing out your bond with her in World Tour.”

Along with the visuals, she’ll also be bringing a move-set that’s based on her typical one, but with a twist as Capcom adds that fans should expect “modern touches of Street Fighter 6 mechanics”.

Here’s a taste of what she’ll bring to SF6:

• Kachousen: Mai throws her fan like a fireball. When used normally, the fan loses to other projectiles and your opponent’s strikes can knock them down. But when you hold down the input, they can no longer be neutralized by strikes. In addition, if the fan hits an opponent, it will pop up and fall down on them for another hit.
• Ryuuenbu: Spin forward in a fiery blaze for combos or to control space.
• Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi: Perform a cartwheel and fly towards opponents to elbow them. The OD version sends Mai into the air to follow up on the attack or to surprise opponents below.
• Hishou Ryuuenjin: Mai’s dragon punch, which works as an effective anti-air as she delivers a flying upwards kick bathed in flame.
• Kagerou no Mai: Mai’s Level 1 Super Art, she sets the immediate vicinity on fire, which can be useful as an anti-air move or combo ender. The move also gives Mai five Flame Stocks which give all of Mai’s special moves and Level 1 and 2 Super Arts special properties.
• Chou Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi: Mai’s Level 2 Super Art where she rushes forward in a blaze of glory that can get around projectiles.
• Shiranui Ryuu: Enbu Ada Zakura: Mai’s Level 3 Super Art, she flies like a butterfly and stings like a bee in a series of elegant fan strikes.

Capcom press release

Mai Shiranui is the third of four characters in this latest slate of fighters for Street Fighter 6. M. Bison and the aforementioned Terry are both out right now, with Street Fighter III’s Elena arriving in the spring. As for Mai though, she’s set to hit much sooner, and will land for all versions of Street Fighter 6 on February 5th.