The Vivian Nguyen Street Fighter Kids imagines the iconic video gamer characters in their earlier years. The series was created by the Arizona-born artist Vivian Nguyen, who is currently working as a Flash illustrator and animator for Nickelodeon Games.The adorable illustrations mix watercolor and pencil in order to document the infantile state of the characters.
Each of the drawings reflect near-normal children, except their obvious fighting tendencies, in rooms filled with teddy bears and toys. With the characters showing the beginning of their famous moves we see the "Spinning Bird Kick" when it was only the "Spinning Plush Kick!" or the famous "Hadouken" start off as the "Ha-Broken!"
The only problem with the series, is it only documents three of the many Street Fighter characters, Nguyen only depicts Ryu, Chun-Li and Blanka.
Adolescent Gamer Characters
The Vivian Nguyen 'Street Fighter Kids' Illustrations Kick Butt
Trend Themes
1. Childhood Characterization - Opportunity for video game companies to create spin-off games and merchandise that show beloved characters in their youth.
2. Alternate Universes - Opportunity for artists and creatives in related media industries to imagine alternate universes of beloved characters outside of their established storylines.
3. Nostalgia Marketing - Opportunity for marketing agencies to use popular childhood characters to promote products and services, leveraging nostalgia as a marketing tactic.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming - The gaming industry can leverage the trend of childhood characterization to connect with their audience on a more personal level.
2. Animation - The animation industry can take inspiration from these illustrations to create compelling and engaging stories featuring beloved characters in new and creative ways.
3. Merchandising - The merchandising industry can capitalize on the nostalgia marketing trend to create products featuring classic and iconic childhood characters, appealing to both adults and children.