Five Best Female Character Designs In Street Fighter

Character designs in any video game is important, but I would argue that there is no genre where they are more important than in fighting games. This is because a player’s character of choice tends to be the same one they stick with for the entire duration of playing the game. This means that if the design doesn’t click with the player, then there is no reason for them to use the character. 

Street Fighter’s rich history has seen a fair share of women in their games with varying designs. Many are iconic and their designs stand out due to how remarkable they are. This list of 5, is by no means exhaustive, but showcase some of the very best of what Street Fighter has to offer. 

Rose 

Rose is an enigmatic character that was first introduced in Street Fighter Alpha. A fortune teller, Rose is able to sense different energies and has the ability to see into things to come. Rose is iconic for a lot of things, but one of the most iconic things about her is her design. She wears a red evening gown with buttons and pairs it with her ever-present scarf with which she channels energy and fights opponents. 

Rose’s design is well-known to have been modelled after the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures’ character Lisa Lisa, with the two sharing a flair for fashion and love for a particular scarf. In fact, Rose’s stage is set in Venice which is the same location in which Joe Joestar meets Lisa Lisa in the story. 

Rose hasn’t appeared in too many games, but was prominent in both Street Fighter IV and V where in the former she was featured with black hair and in the latter she sort of reverted to type with her purple hair. 

Marisa

Marisa is a character who was introduced in Street Fighter 6 when the game launched in 2023. She holds the distinct honor of being the first openly bisexual character in the Street Fighter series. Among other things, one of the most interesting aspects of Marisa is her striking design. Standing at an impressive 6 feet 8 inches, Marisa is what many would call a “whole lot of woman.” Her black outfit with gold trims and her vivid red hair, styled like a Corinthian helmet, introduced a bold new aesthetic to the Street Fighter universe.

What’s most impressive about Marisa is how Capcom portrayed her with depth and range. Yes, she is muscular, tall, and strong—but her design also radiates femininity. For example, the Korean heart sign is incorporated into several of her moves, from her taunt to even her Level 3 Super. Her story also revolves around her search for a life partner, regardless of gender. This fearless blend of traditionally masculine traits with a clear, feminine charm makes Marisa truly one of a kind. She is effortlessly stylish, as both her second and third outfits demonstrate.

In her second outfit, Marisa wears a sharp suit paired with a scarf in the colors of the Italian flag draped across her shoulders. She completes the look with stylish flat shoes and gold bracelets on her right arm. For her third outfit, Marisa dons a sleeveless wedding dress adorned with silver jewelry across her head, reminiscent of a warrior’s plume. While her second outfit accentuates her more masculine traits, her third outfit is elegant and highlights her softer, more feminine side.

Kimberley

Kimberley is another new character introduced in Street Fighter 6. She is a student of Guy and the 39th successor of the Bushinryu style. As an African-American character, Kimberley’s design draws significant inspiration from her cultural roots. This is evident in everything from her hairstyle to her clothing. She wears a red outfit reminiscent of Guy’s attire from Street Fighter IV, paired with athletic pants that are somewhat similar to those worn by Ibuki, also from Street Fighter IV. Her headband and scarf feature African prints, and her hobby as a graffiti artist further reflects her cultural background.

One of her most notable accessories is her cassette player, which is attached to her hip and even plays a role in her fighting style within the game. It has been speculated that the color palette of her primary outfit—featuring black, green, red, and yellow—pays homage to the Pan-African flag.

For her third outfit, Capcom went all out, especially with her hair, which reflects the natural curls characteristic of African hair. Her bubbly and fearless personality is also inspired by traits commonly celebrated in African women.

For many fans, Kimberley is considered one of the best-designed Black women in a fighting game, and with good reason.

Chun-Li

Chun-Li is arguably one of the most important characters in video game history. She was the first-ever female playable character in a fighting game and has remained a central figure for over 30 years, from the original Street Fighter II to the current iteration in Street Fighter 6.

Over that time, Chun-Li’s design has not changed drastically, but it’s impossible to deny that her original look from Street Fighter II is iconic. Designed by the legendary Akira Yasuda, she was reportedly inspired by Tong Pooh, a character from Strider.

Chun-Li was initially introduced wearing a traditional Chinese qipao with gold trimmings, puffed sleeves, and a pair of white combat boots. She also famously wore large spiked bracelets.

Remarkably, she was originally conceived as a generic character meant simply to "look Chinese." However, over time, she was developed into a more fully realized figure, eventually becoming “the strongest woman in the world.”

In Street Fighter 6, Chun-Li appears more mature and conservatively dressed, which aligns with her canonical status as an older and more experienced character. Still, many fans believe nothing quite compares to her original design, which masterfully balanced her femininity with the strength and discipline she embodied. As an Interpol officer and a young Chinese woman seeking to avenge her father, Chun-Li’s character brought together personal and cultural elements that have gone on to inspire countless other video game heroines.

Juri Han

Juri is a character who was introduced in Street Fighter IV and holds the distinction of being the first Korean character in the series.

She was also the first openly evil female character in Street Fighter history, offering a stark contrast to Chun-Li. This contrast was emphasized in her design, where Chun-Li was more conservative and disciplined, Juri was provocative, chaotic, and morally unbound. Her character archetype is that of a rogue with no real allegiance to anyone but herself.

Juri typically wears a dudou (a traditional Chinese undergarment), styled with straps that meet at her back to form a spiderweb-like pattern. The spider motif is key to her design: it not only enhances her sensuality but also reinforces her identity as a dangerous, villainous figure.

Her hairstyle is also iconic—two horn-like buns at the top of her head give her a devilish appearance, further playing into her chaotic and malevolent persona.

Juri’s sensuality is an intentional and notable part of her character. She combines the look of a femme fatale with a sadistic edge, making her both alluring and terrifying. Her design layers sexuality with danger, and she revels in pain and domination, often taunting her opponents with sadistic glee.

It’s no wonder she has developed a cult following of fans, many of whom joke that they could “change her” if given the chance. Capcom truly hit it out of the park with Juri's design, creating one of the most memorable and complex female villains in fighting game history.