Street Fighter is a series that’s received tons of play in our music posts, and with good reason. Some of its most famous characters have iconic themes that have resonated for almost 30 years now (and yes, that number does make me sad).

One of the arguments I’ve seen about Street Fighter V’s soundtrack is that in the case of the character themes, some people are tired of hearing the same melodies and wish that all the returning cast members had new music. With all due respect (and I certainly understand the argument), these people can blow it out their ass. I’m not sure how much respect that entails, but…I’m sure we’ll figure it out.

My favorite element of each new SF game is seeing familiar faces mix with new, and how each of the mainstays has changed over time. Ryu grew a beard and added a shredding guitar and more persistent bass in his drums, for example. Other folks like Karin finally reappeared after what feels like forever, and have clever themes that mix old with new. All of this is great. Giving Ryu some brand-new background music doesn’t make him “fresh” anymore than putting him in a polka dot tuxedo instead of his trademark white gi. It’s Ryu. That’s what we signed up for.

We’ve talked about Ryu’s theme and its importance in getting me into video game music before, so instead of rehashing any of that stuff, let’s just enjoy the latest (and IMO greatest) iteration we’ve heard yet.

Music to My Ears covers soundtracks or individual songs from video games. You can view all posts in the series by clicking here.