Taka-Arashi, Virtua Fighter’s Japanese sumo wrestler, apparently got his retirement announcement tucked into a Discord update. It’s a wonderfully low-key send-off for a series veteran: a message to the community, sandwiched between character teases.
The update, attributed to Virtua Fighter Crossroads producer and creative director Riichiro Yamada, says Taka-Arashi has already retired by the time of the new game.
A screenshot shared by fighting-game commentator Foxhound, and subsequently highlighted by Scotia, shows the message under the name VIRTUA FIGHTER OFFICIAL. The update is labelled “Producer Sneak Peek”, with Taka’s retirement saved as a little extra for the Discord crowd.
“Taka-Arashi has already retired in VIRTUA FIGHTER CROSSROADS,” the pictured message reads.
For anyone unfamiliar with him, Taka-Arashi is the series’ heavyweight sumo specialist. SEGA’s official character guide for Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage describes him as the heaviest fighter, with powerful close-range strikes and throws. His weight also changes how opponents fight him: unlike other characters, he doesn’t bounce when knocked down.
Yamada doesn’t spell out whether Taka has left professional sumo, tournament competition or fighting altogether. Whether he’ll still be playable is another matter—the post doesn’t say. For now, his retirement paperwork seems to have landed in Discord.
The surrounding message discusses both new characters and familiar faces appearing in different ways. That fits the broader approach Yamada described in a June interview with AUTOMATON: returning fighters have lived through the years between games, and their designs and roles reflect that passage of time.
Developed by RGG Studio, Crossroads combines a substantial single-player adventure with competitive fighting. SEGA has announced a 2027 release.
