The Upcoming Anime That’s Making Everyone Want to Play Street Fighter 6

I’ve hovered over the install button for Street Fighter 6 more times than I can count.

I’ve seen the tournament clips, the EVO hype, and all the insane high-level reads on Twitter—but I never really thought it was for me, until now. Because apparently, all it takes to finally nudge me into throwing fireballs is a proper anime adaptation of a manga called Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games.

Yes, that’s the actual title. And yes, it absolutely piqued my interest.

Fighting Games… at an All-Girls Academy?!

The upcoming anime is based on Eri Ejima’s manga about prim, rule-bound schoolgirls at the elite Kuromi Girls’ Academy, where the only thing more frowned upon than fighting games is probably open rebellion. The main character, Aya, is a scholarship student trying to fit into a world of etiquette and tradition—until she discovers that the seemingly perfect, refined Shirayuri is secretly obsessed with arcade brawlers.

What follows is an almost absurdly earnest journey into underground fightclubs, and the awkward joy of learning matchups with your crush.

Studio Diomedéa and Capcom Are in on It

This isn’t just a passion project anime with off-brand fighting games. The adaptation, produced by Studio Diomedéa (known for Ahiru no Sora, Aho-Girl, and Kantai Collection), is officially working with Capcom to include actual Street Fighter 6 footage. You can see it in the teaser trailer—Ryu landing a raw super, Cammy pressing in under cherry blossoms, the character HUD fully intact. It’s not “inspired by” or “loosely based on”—it’s literally SF6.

And that hit me harder than I expected. I’ve watched anime about basketball, cycling, music production, even artistic journeys. But none of them made me want to pick up the hobby they showcased the way this one just did.

A Weirdly Perfect Time for Street Fighter 6

Part of what makes this whole thing click is timing. Street Fighter 6 is in a really good spot right now. It had a huge showing at EVO Japan 2025, and its pro scene is alive and kicking with strong developer support, regular updates, and a community that seems genuinely excited about teaching and growing the game.

Compare that to Tekken 8, which has been catching flak lately for some awkward balance issues and a bit of an identity crisis. It’s not down for the count or anything, but SF6 feels more accessible and, well, inviting right now. And this anime just adds to that momentum.

A Love Letter to the Learning Curve

What really pulls me in is how Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games doesn’t treat gaming like some background quirk—it treats fighting games as a serious, emotional, and kind of beautiful way to connect with people. It’s not about being the best in the world. It’s about the nerves before a match. The thrill of landing that first combo. The smug satisfaction of yelling “hold this mix!” even if your opponent has no idea what you’re talking about.

And as someone who’s always been low-key intimidated by the learning curve, this story makes it feel doable. Like I can screw up inputs and still have fun. Like I can care about improvement, not perfection.

So Yeah… I’m Probably Installing SF6 Tonight

Maybe this anime won’t revolutionize the genre. Maybe it won’t even be that big. But for people like me—who’ve watched the scene from the sidelines, admired it, feared it a little—it’s kind of a gift. It makes the idea of fighting games feel warm, exciting, and personal.