In the early summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to travel to Pretoria to watch the first major Street Fighter 6 tournament: Red Bull Kumite. While there, in addition to seeing the sights the city has to offer, I got to see Red Bull’s own Adele “Big Bird” Anoche claim victory and become the champion.
As one of the most recognized pro athletes the gameBig Bird is starring in a new competition to help other Street Fighter players improve their skills and break into the competitive scene.
Now, a few months after leaving South Africa, I sat down with Red Bull’s Big Bird to discuss Street Fighter 6, life after winning the Red Bull Kumite and his recent role as a Red Bull Raise Your Game mentor. Got a chance.
Life after the Red Bull Comet
When Red Bull’s own Big Bird won the Red Bull Kumite, he did it with a new addition to the Street Fighter roster, Marisa. But how has life been since capturing that victory?
“I’ve got a lot of eyes on me.” The big bird admits..
“I’m one of the underdogs in the tournament. So when I go to EVO, I feel like a lot of people are studying me and watching me. I don’t feel pressure but I’m being watched. .
And since the tournament, Big Bird has continued to use Marissa, leading her through the SF6 EVO tournament, with her friend and teammate Angry Bird claiming the EVO crown.
Street Condition (Fighter)
When it comes to Street Fighter, it’s safe to say that Big Bird knows his stuff. Having started playing during Street Fighter IV, competing with Street Fighter V, and winning the Red Bull Kumite with Street Fighter 6, he knows exactly what it takes to be a fighter. .
This is especially evident when it comes to his current mainstays: Marissa and Rashid, a returning character who became Street Fighter 6’s first DLC fighter. But I wanted to know how Rashid felt about this new game.
“He is more fun in this game than in Street Fighter 5. Anouche explains.
“He has more pressure and more freedom and he definitely has a lot more to work with than in SF5, where he was a bit tight and only had a game to back you into a corner. There was a plan.“
Street Fighter 6 is also a game in which many characters have changed their move sets from what the players were used to.
“A lot of the Rashid players I see now have different game plans. However, power-wise, he feels a little weak because he doesn’t have a stable anti-air. So you need to pay attention to the wind, but it’s a lot of fun“
- Be sure to check out our Marissa character guide to learn more about the character Big Bird won with Red Bull Comet.
Meeting with a mentor
While Street Fighter is certainly the name of the game, Big Bird was also here as a patron for business. Red Bull Raise Your Game The competition is hosting a special players’ workshop for the nationwide competition, which aims to give players the opportunity to train and play their game alongside pro gamers. It’s no surprise that Big Bird would be a Street Fighter sensei.
During our virtual chat, Big Bird was talking to me from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere, where he’ll be bootcamping in the run-up to the Red Bull Save Your Game. As a Red Bull player, we wanted to know how it felt to be able to play (and work) in a space dedicated to gaming.
“It’s really good” he said. “The environment feels amazing and it’s very cool with a dedicated gaming space. I’ve actually been to the Red Bull Gaming Space in Japan. There are only three in the world, here (United Kingdom)in Japan and Sweden and I wish we had something like this back home (in UAE).
When asked how he feels about the transition from player to teacher, Big Bird said.I’m here to answer a lot of player questions, many of the players here are world class and won’t need help navigating the game.“
And when he’s coaching, that doesn’t dampen his competitive spirit. “I’m ready to answer any question they have, ready to play with them and ready to deliver a beatdown if they need it.” Anusha said. “But I will still try to help people. Every day when we stream we have people coming up and asking questions and suggestions so we do our best to help.“
The future of Street Fighter 6
With Street Fighter 6 being one of the highest rated games of 2023, it’s clear that it has made a huge impact on the fighting game community. From new players starting out for the first time to the established competitive scene, it makes for a great entry point into the series and introduces a lot of new characters and mechanics to be excited about.
With Big Bird stepping into this mentor role, I wanted to get his thoughts on how Street Fighter 6 is shaping up, and anything (or anyone) he’d change along the way.
“I love Street Fighter 6. I still think it’s a lot of fun to play and watch.Anusha said.There are some mechanics. [I would change] Like Drive Rush. Make it easy to react and stop. And perfect Paris too. Find a way to make it a little less dangerous to use.”
Big Bird also has some changes when it comes to characters. “JP, obviouslyHe laughed.
“I’d like to see him adjust and tweak a bit. Ken too. Luke, Juri, basically all the higher ranks. Many of them could use a few tweaks. I don’t want them to fall to the ground, but some of these characters are much more powerful than the rest of the cast.“
At the time of writing, AKI is the latest character to join the Street Fighter 6 roster. As a difficult character, I wanted to know what Big Bird thought of her, and whether he would pick her up to play. “AKI is basically the same as FANG from SF5 and I wasn’t a big fan of FANG I definitely like AKI more from a design perspective, but the style isn’t really for me. I can hide with him for a while. I’m mostly an in-your-face kind of player.
Learning from the best
After I finished my first conversation with Big Bird after winning the comite, I asked him what tips he would give to new players picking up Street Fighter 6 for the first time. Now that he is stepping into this new role, I asked him what he would recommend for players making their competitive debuts.
“Choose the right character for them. There aren’t many characters, but find the character that’s best for you, whether it’s design, style, how they play, or how they look. If you find out, you can learn this whole character.
“You can even watch the top players on YouTube to get a template and see what to work with and how to work. And once you get them to a certain level, you can create your own. Will be able to raise the skills.
“But, the most important thing is to have fun. If you’re not enjoying the game, you’re not being productive.
Big Bird will be a mentor for Red Bull Raise Your Game. With winners announced on November 15, 2023, entrants have until October 31, 2023 to submit their entries and get a chance to learn Street Fighter techniques from one of the best.