Do any of you have such a passion for your videogaming, that not only do you think about gaming all day long, but actually allow it to enter your real world?  This is how I am with Street Fighter.

Ever since I first played the original Street Fighter in the arcades, back in the late 80's, I knew that I'd be hooked for life.  And...like most, it really was Street Fighter II that did it for me, and made me actually want to purse being a "World Warrior", by learning different martial arts, but at least I can say that I was actually around for the original, as well.

If you look at my profile, you'll see that two things run a parallel course in my life: videogames and martial arts.  I began both at just 4 years old, via playing NES and learning how to wrestle through my dad and grandpa, but in 1989, I began official martial arts practice through a studio with Tae Kwon Do and by getting my own Nintendo system.

Over the last two decades I would learn various styles of martial arts, chronicling up to the last 6 years, being in Shotokan Karate (the art style most popularly known for by Ryu and Ken from Street Fighter fame), in which I'm just a few days away from competing in my 3rd World Tournament, representing United States (this April 4th weekend).  The last two world tournaments I competed in, I placed 5th both times...so we'll see how this one goes.

I will be competing as a Black Belt in the Men's 18-35 year old division, and am currently 26.  This June, if all goes well, I will go for my 2nd Degree Black Belt in this fighting style.  All of what I just said came from a few inspirations in life, but the strongest influence was from playing Street Fighter.  Some people I'm sure, have never ridden an actual skateboard or snowboard, until they played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater or SSX for the first time.  Some people probably see Tetris pieces falling from the sky and in buildings' windows.

For me, I get most of my inspiration from Street Fighter.  I would love to hear your stories, on what kind of super fandom you have.  Note, it doesn't have to be you trying to become and live out your life as a character, but it could be your videogame artwork, pumpkin carving, costume making, etc.  Just feel free to share your stories.  Below I've included some of my Street Fighter passion.


 
http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/28725
Here's a brand new video I made, featuring my Street Fighter Car!  Either the YouTube video itself or the GameVideos link should work.


If I really want to "be" like Ryu, I should train my ass off, and that's just what I've done and will forever continue to do.



My 2008 Dodge Charger is Red like a certain type of Hadouken, and my license plate reads HADOKN 7 (the 7 being there because I was born on 07-07).  It's really cool when I get off of my martial arts practice and am driving with my girlfriend, when a group of guys drive alongside me, start yelling out loud, "Hadouken!" over and over again, until I catch up to them and yell back.



Honestly, you can blame this photo all on Ryu and Ken, because this is the kick that I thought was so awesome, in Street Figther II...well, when I wasn't flipping Chun Li over in the corner, to pause it and see her butt show!  :)



Here's one of the three photos that got featured in Udon's Street Fighter II Issue #7.  I'm 5'11", so that top foot is pretty up there.


One of my more relaxing hobbies that doesn't involve burning every muscle in my body, is painting and drawing.  Here's me in my backyard with a Ryu piece I created.


 
Above is a video of my Ryu pumpkin I created a couple years ago.



In 2008, I carved a Ryu themed pumpkin, completely from scratch.  Some of you might have already seen this picture, if you saw my Halloween pumpkin carving article from last October (which chronicled my dozen years of creating videogame themed pumpkins).



I'm a Street Fighter fan because I love the series, so much so that Capcom invited me to their Street Fighter IV Launch Party in Los Angeles, California, in February 2009.  Here I am busting a Hadouken with Mr. Yoshinori Ono.



Perhaps my proudest moment is this one right here.  I was one of the 8 people chosen around the world, to be made into a character in Capcom's Street Fighter IV.  They scanned my face and put me in the game's European Cruise Ship Stage.  I'm the guy in the blue suit on the right.  :)  Thank you, Capcom!


 
I have gained enough power through all my years of training, to be able to create my own, real, fireball.



For more pictures of this tasty dish, head on over to http://www.capcom-unity.com/s-kill/blog/2008/11/10/worlds_toughest_gingerbread_man  There you will also find a Street Fighter poem I made.



Here I am, listen on http://www.streetfighter.com/flash/#/community//en listed as the #1 Street Fighter Fan.


Well, that's not everything, but it's enough for now.  I've been in some magazines like Electronic Gaming Monthly and Nintendo Power, and some websites like GoNintendo.com and 4ColorRebellion.com for my Street Fighter work, as well as 1up.com for my major Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix threads. 

I have to thank all of the people that have helped me get published, etc., along the way, from Seth Killian and Taki Enomoto at Capcom, to Dan "Shoe" Hsu, Crispin Boyer, James Mielke, and Mark MacDonald, to Kevin Cassidy at GoNintendo, Edgar Doiron at 4CR,  Giles Hendrix, Erik Ko at Udon Comics, Nintendo Power, what was EGM, 1up, and man...so many more that I have to stop now or I'll need to create a whole other article!  Hopefully you were a little entertained through all of this and maybe even inspired to go ahead and live out your own videogame passions...as long as it doesn't involve shooting people.  Thank you.