See the most iconic promotional arts for Capcom games

Art direction is a fundamental element for the promotion of games, especially in past decades, such as in the 80s and 90s, when the work of different artists contributed directly to the aspirational aspect of these works, immortalizing the first memories that the consumer had with the product, when coming across the game cover or posters in stores and magazines.

I made a selection of some art from Capcom games, highlighting their respective artists and a brief description of each of them. Come with me to embark on this visual narrative!

Mick McGinty

Let’s open this selection with the only artist on the list who is not Japanese. Mick McGinty has numerous illustrations in the franchise Street Fighter, he was directly responsible for establishing the visual tone of Street Fighter II for the American market.

One of the most recognized fighting game covers of all time is by him. the classic illustration of white in his Rolling Attack striking pose, with Ryu falling and Chun-Li also on the board. This art was used in the version of SNES do game.

Another image with McGinty’s “signature” is the Street of Rage illustration.

The classic image from Street Fighter II Turbo is also his, with the Honda attacking Sagat

McGinty passed away in 2021, aged 69.

Akira Yasuda (AKIMAN)

Now, let’s move on to one of the most remembered names in Capcom’s illustration universe. Participating in the company’s projects since 1985, the Japanese AKIMAN is simply responsible for the famous art of one of the most beloved teams in retro games: the gang of Captain Commando. In fact, he is responsible for defining the aesthetics of the characters, the artistic path that resulted in what we know today.

Akiman is also the artist who created Chun Li’s look in Street Figther II.

AKIMAN has been a freelancer since 2003 and also has experience in the animation field. His resume is impressive, with direct participation in almost 40 games, acting as a cover artist or even developing character designs. His work is also present in other media, such as anime, with numerous arts for anime, such as Gundam.

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Tatsuya Nake (Daichan)

We come to the great work of Tatsuya Nake, the Daichanwhich stands out for portraying the characters with a more realistic approach. The art he created for Street Fighter Alpha 2with the iconic duo Ken e Ryuit’s memorable!

Kinu Nishimura

Nishimura is a master of composing poster-structured art. The image below makes this very clear:

The person who recruited him to work at Capcom was Akiman. He is also widely recognized for his talent in portraying female characters.

His work can also be seen in games outside the Capcom world, in titles such as Zero Scape, and also in anime. Sirus the Jaeger, available on Netflix, is one of them

Naoto Kuroshima (Bengus)

Another big name when it comes to art in Capcom games is the Japanese Naoto Kuroshimaknown by the pseudonym Bengus. He has worked with Capcom since the 90s and was responsible for creating the promotional arts and illustrations for the story mode. Street Fighter V.

Haruki Suetsugu

Our next name is Haruki Suetsugu, also known as Sensei. His work at Capcom ranges from Street Fighter to Mega Man and he also did beautiful illustrations in The Punisher, released in 1993.

Shoei Orano

Closing this selection, we have Shoei Oranowhose line style is unmistakable. He contributed his skill to games such as Cadillacs & Dinosaurs, Bionic Commando, Street Fighter II, Tiger Road, and Ultimate Ghosts ‘n Goblins.

Do you like the art of Capcom games? Which is your favorite? Leave your comment.