# Kitao Sakurai's Street Fighter Journey

> Kitao Sakurai built his film career with absurd humor and street-level action.
- Title: Kitao Sakurai's Street Fighter Journey | Shortify
- Summary: Kitao Sakurai built his film career with absurd humor and street-level action. Kitao Sakurai directed Street Fighter, the top American movie, using his early…
- Keywords: kitao sakurai, street fighter, kevin smith, dogma, cleveland cinematheque, independent filmmaking, Kitao, Sakurai's, Street, Fighter, Journey, The Hollywood Reporter
- Source: The Hollywood Reporter — https://hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/street-fighter-director-kitao-sakurai-ending-sequel-1236737763
- Author: Brian Davids
- Published: 2026-10-21T22:33:51+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kitao sakurai, street fighter, kevin smith, dogma, cleveland cinematheque, independent filmmaking
## Kitao Sakurai's early role
In 1999, demonic rollerblading triplets armed with hockey sticks laid cross-checks on Bud Cort and Chris Rock in Kevin Smith's Dogma.

> demonic rollerblading triplets armed with hockey sticks laid cross-checks on the likes of Bud Cort and Chris Rock in Kevin Smith’s Dogma
## Sakurai's filmmaking shift
By 19, he dropped out of college and moved to New York to pursue independent filmmaking after the Cleveland Cinematheque's programming diet of Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Robert Altman.
## Street Fighter success
Sakurai directed Street Fighter, the number-one movie in America, using his offbeat sensibility from early roles.
## Key takeaway

Kitao Sakurai directed Street Fighter, the top American movie, using his early roles in quirky films.