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Here's Blanka electrifying Street Fighter 5

Seeing you in action is a joke.

Capcom's released the first gameplay of Blanka in Street Fighter 5. He's available to download from 20th February.

The fighting game's next DLC character is one of the original eight world warriors who starred in Street Fighter 2. The video, below, shows his Street Fighter 5 incarnation retains the electricity-based attacks Blanka is famous for. You can mash a punch button for Electric Thunder, and charge for rolling attacks.

Blanka has plenty of attacks which hit his opponent from behind, so he should have decent mix-up potential (a command grab called Wild Hunt, which sees Blanka leap forward, will help here). He can hop forward quickly, landing on the other side of a falling or downed opponent. And the video shows how Blanka is able to jump over and slide under projectiles. I get the impression he'll be a tricky character to master, a fun character to play as and an annoying opponent, which is just how Blanka should be.

He's also got a backstory. Here it is, courtesy of Capcom Unity:

"In SF5: AE, Blanka is living peacefully with his mother, and has adapted well to being introduced back into society. One day, a suspicious salesman approaches him and offers a way to make Blanka famous by mass producing a doll made in Blanka's likeness. Will it work? Find out in his character story mode."

Cover image for YouTube videoStreet Fighter V: Arcade Edition - Blanka Gameplay Trailer

Blanka is the second of six DLC characters for Street Fighter 5 in 2018, and follows the already-out Sakura. Falke, Cody, G and Sagat come out later.