Vsauce, I'm Jake and in video games one of the most famous fighting moves is the Shoryuken, also known
as the Rising Dragon Fist or Dragon Punch, from the Street Fighter series. It’s a jumping
uppercut that, when performed, lifts the opponent off the ground and
into the air. So let's figure out, scientifically, what would happen if
you were hit by one?
In the game, Ken can produce one of the most powerful shoryukens so for our calculations
we’ll use him as the one delivering it. And, for his opponent, let’s pick one of
my favorites the Russian wrestler Zangief.
So here to help us demonstrate are "Glen" & "Glangief".
In Street Fighter, particularly in Street Fighter II, when Ken uses the Dragon Punch
on a stunned Zangief...he lifts Zangief one full Zangief-height in the air or we can use the new
unit of measurement I just created called a Zangie.
Using that knowledge we can calculate that Ken’s velocity at launch is 26.3 mph. About
the same air speed velocity of an unladen swallow (It's a Monty Python reference, kids!) If Ken didn’t have
to share his kinetic energy with Zangief through the punch, Ken would be able to jump 23 feet
into the air...from standing. Which is impressive considering the world record for standing
high jump is 5 feet and 4 inches. But let’s get back to the dragon punch.
In the game, Ken does a crouching launch, making him about half his height, so he rises
2.5 feet (.76m) in the process of launching off the ground.
During this process he converts potential energy in his muscles into all of that kinetic
energy giving us 7,569.5 newtons of force...enough to lift 1,702lbs (772kg) off the ground. That’s
about 11 times the average weight of an adult male
So Ken could lift something the weight of a dairy cow….but what would this force actually
do to someone the size and strength of Zangief?
After being hit with the Shoryuken, Zangief accelerates upwards incredibly quickly, over
about .1 seconds.
If we use the average surface area of an adult male’s fist, that gives us 4in^2. If we
apply that we can calculate that Ken would be delivering 66lbs per square inch.
Let's also not forget that in Street Fighter the point of contact, where the strike lands,
is denoted by a blue impact star...and it tends to happen below the belt. Meaning
Zangief gets hit one zangie in the air by a punch to the groin.
But I mean yea know we could always just do the uppercut in a traditional place like under the chin...?
The closest analogy to an uppercut to the face is hanging. In the 1872 the "measured
drop" was introduced in Britain, and was designed to deliver 5,600 N of force. It consistently
and reliably broke the victim's neck. Now has a pretty thick Zangief's one, but Ken
can deliver twice the breaking force. Another consequence of the measured drop...was decapitation.
So what would happen to a normal size person with a normal size neck? If the average person
were hit with a Shoryuken not below the chin, let’s say you were hit in the chest. You
would fly about 17 feet into the air. Also, your insides would be crushed. If you were
hit right under the chin well things are looking up. Way up in fact because your head would
be severed from your body and fly 187 feet (60m) into the air.
If only there was a way to show what that would look like in real life...you ask. Well
fantastic question because we built a machine that shows just that.
So this machine has been designed to replicate the exact specifications of Ken's fist.
Including all the force and hopefully aftermath that will happen. Let's see what's going down.
Sorry dude!
That was awesome. And now typically when Ken does a shoryuken his fist is on fire.
But we're not doing that because this is California, there is a drought and we are responsible.
Let's knock another head off.
On our second attempt the fist just missed the bottom of the chin...degloving the face and taking off the top of the head.
And there's the brain.
Hi Brain. Hi Jake. How ya doing? I'm OK. How's the air? *brain mumbles*
So being hit by a Shoryuken would be...devastating even if you were someone as strong as Zangief.
If you were hit by one in real life it wouldn't be a KO it would be more of a KYHO...a knock your head off.
And, as always, thanks for watching!