Live action TV
Description
Edmond Honda is a professional sumo wrestler of the highest rank and the proud proprietor of a public bathhouse in Japan. Driven by a deep-seated belief in the honor and power of his sport, he is often upset that sumo is not respected as a true martial art on a global scale. This central frustration fuels his primary motivation for entering the world of competitive fighting: to travel the globe and prove, through direct combat, that a sumo wrestler can stand among the greatest fighters in the world.
Honda is characterized by an honorable, friendly, and welcoming nature, often greeting others with warmth and respect. Despite his immense size and fearsome appearance, he is typically good-natured and easygoing. However, this does not diminish his immense pride or his strict discipline as a master of sumo. He is known to be a demanding teacher to his students, pushing them to reach their full potential out of a genuine desire to see them succeed. His deep reverence for sumo is reflected in his pre-fight rituals, such as throwing a handful of salt into the ring for purification, demonstrating that he views his matches as sacred contests rather than simple brawls. Alongside his dedication to sumo, he finds great pleasure in the simple, traditional comfort of a hot, steaming bath, and he is also a skilled businessman who successfully manages his own establishments.
Throughout the narrative, Honda serves as a supportive and dependable ally, often showing great generosity and loyalty. He shares a respectful camaraderie with fellow Japanese fighter Ryu, with whom he has sparred and traveled. He treats younger fighters like Sakura kindly, offering guidance and information to help her pursue her goals. Honda also forms a unique bond with the Russian wrestler Zangief, with the two powerful grapplers working together to destroy a base belonging to the criminal organization Shadaloo, an act that hints at a deep-seated opposition to the group's actions. His sense of honor extends even to his rivals; after defeating the gang leader Sodom in a sumo competition, he is nonetheless impressed by Sodom's effort and will.
In the anime film Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, Honda plays a more prominent role than many other supporting characters from the games. His personality remains largely unchanged, though his motivation is presented slightly differently, as he is shown fighting for cash prizes. He is first seen wrestling the Indian yogi Dhalsim in Calcutta. During the match, Dhalsim attempts to use his mental powers to subdue Honda, but the sudden appearance of Ryu distracts him, allowing Honda to regain control and win by forfeit. Demonstrating his honorable nature, Honda recognizes that Ryu inadvertently helped him, and because Ryu is a fellow Japanese fighter, he shares half of his prize money with him and offers him a place to stay.
Later in the film, while training with Ryu in the mountains, they are found by the American soldier Guile and the villainous M. Bison. As Ryu is forced to confront his brainwashed friend Ken, Honda fearlessly charges forward to take on Bison himself. Showing his bravery against overwhelming odds, he attempts to tackle the evil dictator, but Bison simply teleports out of the way, causing the charging sumo to stumble. He is then struck by the brainwashed Ken, sending him flying directly into the boxer Balrog, resulting in a fight between the two. Honda and Balrog battle fiercely, eventually falling off a nearby cliff. Demonstrating incredible resilience and strength, Honda recovers quickly from the fall and is later seen carrying the unconscious bodies of both Balrog and Guile back to safety just as the final battle concludes.
In combat, Honda is a formidable power-based fighter. His fighting style is a direct translation of authentic sumo techniques, adapted for brutal efficiency. His signature move is the Hundred Hand Slap, a rapid series of powerful palm strikes. He is also known for his powerful rushing attacks, most notably his Flying Headbutt, which he uses to launch his massive frame horizontally at his opponents. This attack was directly inspired by the animated film, where a sequence of Honda charging at M. Bison was later incorporated into his move set in the crossover fighting games. These abilities, combined with his immense physical strength, durability, and the unique angles of his attacks, make him a challenging opponent who can cover great distances quickly while absorbing significant punishment.
Honda is characterized by an honorable, friendly, and welcoming nature, often greeting others with warmth and respect. Despite his immense size and fearsome appearance, he is typically good-natured and easygoing. However, this does not diminish his immense pride or his strict discipline as a master of sumo. He is known to be a demanding teacher to his students, pushing them to reach their full potential out of a genuine desire to see them succeed. His deep reverence for sumo is reflected in his pre-fight rituals, such as throwing a handful of salt into the ring for purification, demonstrating that he views his matches as sacred contests rather than simple brawls. Alongside his dedication to sumo, he finds great pleasure in the simple, traditional comfort of a hot, steaming bath, and he is also a skilled businessman who successfully manages his own establishments.
Throughout the narrative, Honda serves as a supportive and dependable ally, often showing great generosity and loyalty. He shares a respectful camaraderie with fellow Japanese fighter Ryu, with whom he has sparred and traveled. He treats younger fighters like Sakura kindly, offering guidance and information to help her pursue her goals. Honda also forms a unique bond with the Russian wrestler Zangief, with the two powerful grapplers working together to destroy a base belonging to the criminal organization Shadaloo, an act that hints at a deep-seated opposition to the group's actions. His sense of honor extends even to his rivals; after defeating the gang leader Sodom in a sumo competition, he is nonetheless impressed by Sodom's effort and will.
In the anime film Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, Honda plays a more prominent role than many other supporting characters from the games. His personality remains largely unchanged, though his motivation is presented slightly differently, as he is shown fighting for cash prizes. He is first seen wrestling the Indian yogi Dhalsim in Calcutta. During the match, Dhalsim attempts to use his mental powers to subdue Honda, but the sudden appearance of Ryu distracts him, allowing Honda to regain control and win by forfeit. Demonstrating his honorable nature, Honda recognizes that Ryu inadvertently helped him, and because Ryu is a fellow Japanese fighter, he shares half of his prize money with him and offers him a place to stay.
Later in the film, while training with Ryu in the mountains, they are found by the American soldier Guile and the villainous M. Bison. As Ryu is forced to confront his brainwashed friend Ken, Honda fearlessly charges forward to take on Bison himself. Showing his bravery against overwhelming odds, he attempts to tackle the evil dictator, but Bison simply teleports out of the way, causing the charging sumo to stumble. He is then struck by the brainwashed Ken, sending him flying directly into the boxer Balrog, resulting in a fight between the two. Honda and Balrog battle fiercely, eventually falling off a nearby cliff. Demonstrating incredible resilience and strength, Honda recovers quickly from the fall and is later seen carrying the unconscious bodies of both Balrog and Guile back to safety just as the final battle concludes.
In combat, Honda is a formidable power-based fighter. His fighting style is a direct translation of authentic sumo techniques, adapted for brutal efficiency. His signature move is the Hundred Hand Slap, a rapid series of powerful palm strikes. He is also known for his powerful rushing attacks, most notably his Flying Headbutt, which he uses to launch his massive frame horizontally at his opponents. This attack was directly inspired by the animated film, where a sequence of Honda charging at M. Bison was later incorporated into his move set in the crossover fighting games. These abilities, combined with his immense physical strength, durability, and the unique angles of his attacks, make him a challenging opponent who can cover great distances quickly while absorbing significant punishment.