Akuma ("Devil",, Japanese) is a demonic entity in the body of Gouki ("Great Demon", Japanese), brother to Gouken, former sesei of Ryu and Ken. He, like Ryu, wanders the Earth in search of suitable competition. He seeks to eliminate all those who know the secret of the origin of his powers. He also seeks a final, fatal confrontation with Ryu, the only person alive that can possibly be his equal, and seeks to draw out his hidden potential so that the two may clash in a bloody, hellish battle, the only thing that can satisfy his bloodthirsty inclinations.

Akuma is the embodiment of an evil entity which held the key to a fearsome power called the Messatsu, which was sealed by a martial artist known as Goutetsu. The Shotokan fighting style which Goutetsu was trained with allowed its practitioners to kill with a mere strike. The secret of this deadly technique was the focusing of the powerful forces of destruction, called forth by beckoning the power of Akuma. Goutestu decided to banish the use of this, the Messatsu killing blow, and taught his two young sons, Gouken and Gouki a gentler version of the Shotokan arts he was trained in. However, it was apparent that Gouki was ruled by his emotions, and often fought with rage, while Gouken fought with a calm spirit. This rashness embedded into Gouki's character was his downfall, as he often trained in the forest, attempting to unearth and discover the secret techniques on his own. Upon venturing into the forest, he heard a distinct voice call out his name, beckoning him. He followed the call to a mysterious cave. Entering the cave, the voice asked him if he wished to learn all the secrets of Shotokan and be better than his brother. Not thinking of the consequences, Gouki agreed to the voices demands, and his body was taken over by the demonic force known only as Akuma. Returning home, he slaughtered his father Goutetsu with the Messatsu. Going through his father's belongings, he also learned that there was another who knew of the murderous powers, a man with whom Goutetsu sometimes trained, his friend Gen. But first, he sought out his brother, Gouken. Gouken and Gen were the only two alive who were aware of the secrets behind the evil power of the Messatsu killing technique.

After the first Street Fighter tournament, Ryu and Ken returned to Gouken's dojo to train. But they found their master locked in combat with Akuma high up in the mountains. They watched the apparent slaughter of their master with the Messatsu killing technique, the Raging Demon. Akuma merely swatted the boys aside as they attempted to avenge the death of their master, and told them to seek him out when they were strong enough.

He then proceeded to seek out the man known as Gen, in order to protect his secret from being discovered. In the first Alpha tournament, he watched from the shadows, but it was not till the second tournament that he met up with competition. He found Gen, and the two fought a cataclysmic duel. For a time, neither was able to gain advantage over the other. Finally, Gen admitted that he could not defeat Akuma. Gen's resolve weakened, and Akuma attacked him with all of his ferocity. Gen had lost, but surprisingly, Akuma permitted him to live as long as he told no one of his secret...Akuma realized that there were other worthy competitors in this world, as he came face to face with Ryu. In a valiant struggle, Ryu and Akuma fought to a standstill. Weakened by his battle with Gen, Akuma decided to retreat for now. Akuma told him that he had the potential to awaken the same great powers that Akuma himself possessed. He told Ryu to seek him out when he was strong enough, and proceeded to destroy his cave, to protect his secret yet again. Akuma realized that there were indeed powerful humans on Earth, such as Ryu, Gen, and M. Bison, who were perhaps capable of defeating him...

Akuma lurked in the shadows during the second Street Fighter tournament, watching until the man whom wished his presence was alone. Unfortunately for M. Bison, he wanted to try to lure Akuma out with the second Street Fighter tournament in hopes of turning him to the side of the Shadowloo. But Akuma found Bison at an inopportune time, as Bison, awakening from the ShoRyuKen which Ryu defeated him with, awoke to the sight of Akuma standing over him. Akuma allegedly used the Shun Goku Satsu on Bison, and left him for dead...

Akuma entered the third Street Fighter tournament to test his skills. He again sought to fight Ryu, and see if he had reached his full potential as of yet. His bloodlust had taken him around the world in search of more competition, but the demonic force within had now taken full control, and had unleashed the most deadly fighting technique attainable by destructive forces, the Kon Goku RetsuZan. Akuma knew that it would be only a matter of time before Ryu was ready for their final confrontation, as he watched from the shadows...