Entertainment · Film · 4 hrs ago
Kitao Sakurai brings an offbeat style to 'Street Fighter'
Kitao Sakurai directed “Street Fighter,” now the number-one movie in America.
Sakurai grew up in Cleveland and appeared as a teenager in Kevin Smith’s 1999 film “Dogma.”
He later moved to New York to pursue independent filmmaking, first working as a music video cinematographer.
He teamed up with comedian Eric André to create “The Eric Andre Show,” which Adult Swim picked up in 2010.
Sakurai’s work has often embraced absurdity, including the hidden-camera comedy “Bad Trip,” starring André and Lil Rel Howery.
That willingness to defy conventional logic shapes his filmmaking, where unusual moments can work through their energy and feel.
His latest film’s success puts that offbeat approach before a wide audience.
Kitao Sakurai’s offbeat sensibility is on display in Street Fighter, which The Hollywood Reporter describes as the number-one movie in America.
Sakurai began as a teenage actor, including a role in Kevin Smith’s 1999 film Dogma.
He moved to New York at 19 to pursue independent filmmaking and started out as a music video cinematographer.
Sakurai and Eric André developed The Eric Andre Show, which Adult Swim picked up in 2010.
His films include Aardvark and Bad Trip, the latter released on Netflix in 2021.
- Who
- Kitao Sakurai, the director bringing his offbeat style to Street Fighter.
- What
- Sakurai’s unconventional filmmaking sensibility is on display in Street Fighter.
- When
- The Hollywood Reporter article was published on October 21, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- Sakurai says absurd elements can work when they contribute to a film’s overall energy and feeling.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Sakurai appeared as an enforcer in Kevin Smith’s film Dogma.
Adult Swim picked up The Eric Andre Show, and Sakurai premiered his feature directorial debut, Aardvark.
Bad Trip was set to premiere at South by Southwest, but the pandemic derailed those plans.
Netflix released Bad Trip.
The Hollywood Reporter published its article about Sakurai’s career and Street Fighter.
- Current film
- Street Fighter
- Director
- Kitao Sakurai
- Adult Swim series pickup
- 2010
- Feature directorial debut
- Aardvark (2010)
- Bad Trip streaming release
- Netflix, 2021
- Dogma role
- Enforcer in a blue Highlands Clamdiggers jersey
What people are saying
Sometimes things don’t necessarily need to make sense for you to lean in and love them.
There can be elements that are so ridiculous they might not track narratively or make sense conceptually, but because they’re part of an overall energy and feeling, they fit.
The events that transpired were definitely a bummer. It was meant to be seen with an audience.