This Street Fighter 5 Tier List For 2021 Might Be Controversial…[Update]

Just because your main characters in a fighting game received a ton of buffs & changes doesn’t mean their match-ups may have improved somewhat. That’s what Topanga TV in Japan has assessed based on its recent Street Fighter 5 tier list.

Top Japanese fighting game pro Mago posted the list on Twitter, and it may be causing the fighting game community worldwide to question it. Keep in mind that Topanga TV consists of the top fighting game players and is based in Japan, which is a country regarded for its high-level scene.

Despite having an infinite, Dan Hibiki is rated as the roster’s weakest fighter. Ryu, who has seen the most improvements, is mid-tier. Alex is still at the bottom tier despite his great improvements. Zoners like Menat end up at the top of the list due to the V-Shift changes. And despite Abigail being nerfed and susceptible to V-Shift, Japan still regards the character as a top-tier pick.

Here’s the breakdown; keep in mind that it’s only been a month or so since the update, so the meta can always change in the next few months:

S Tier

Abigail, Menat, Cammy, Rashid, Urien, Guile, Karin

A Tier

Dictator, Boxer, Poison, Zangief, Kolin, Akuma, Chun-Li, Sakura

B-Tier

Laura, Seth, Sagat, Ryu, Cody, G, birdie, Ed, Falke, Juri, E.Honda, Zeku

C-Tier

Necalli, Dhalsim, Ibuki, Blanka, R.Mika, Vega, F.A.N.G., Ken, Kage, Lucia

D-Tier

Nash, Alex, Gill, Dan(?)

If you want a more nuanced tier hot take, look no further than fighting game content creator Bafael and his Street Fighter 5 Season 5 tier list. Keep in mind that the following tier list takes into account each character’s kit and how they benefit from V-Shift and other Season 5 changes. Long story short, SF5 is the most balanced in its current state.