Profiles in Play: Hokuto
Original image by slainv, Edit by Necio. Image provided by Hokuto.
We’re back today with another Profile in Play, here to broadcast the backstories and future goals of some of our most recognizable players. Coming at you from Mexico is Raul “Hokuto” Delgado, our resident Manon specialist. He’s been a long time fighting game fanatic, and his presence has been gracing our stage since this past January. His first season with CFGC has been an explosive success, and we can’t wait to see where his passion for competition will take him in tournaments yet to come.
Competitive spirit and positivity are key here at CFGC. Many players can grow into their skills through brute-force labbing or climbing through brackets, but it really takes a unique kind of person to blend mechanical prowess with this level of goofy positivity. Hokuto’s time in CFGC so far has been incredibly impactful in the best of ways.
Video courtesy of Mexican Mash Series via X (formerly Twitter)
The Early Days
Hokuto started playing video games really young, at about four years old. He remembers gaming as a family activity, usually running platformers with his mom during childhood. He started fighting games with Street Fighter II, playing both World Warrior and Champion Edition in the arcades. His player name came from a character he saw in an arcade, funnily enough. A Street Fighter EX cabinet became a core memory for him, eventually shaping his identity in gaming to this day.
When we asked him how he knew fighting games were his genre, he said it came down to the rush. Sure, there’s satisfaction in beating an RPG boss or landing a risky jump in a platformer… but that doesn’t compare to the adrenaline of upbeat music, high-energy visuals, and finally knowing you just outplayed someone, one-on-one. That rush is what keeps so many players in the FGC coming back for more, sometimes even decades into their competitive careers.
He started his competitive journey by finding online communities around older fighting games. Once he learned about offline tournaments, he knew exactly where he needed to be: on that stage, soaking in the energy of a live crowd. The infamous Justin Wong vs. Daigo EVO 2004 moment became his muse.
Where He’s Been
Hokuto joined CFGC at the start of last season. He really values the opportunity to engage in organized play with people from across the country. Seeing how the players in our league play, going up against different philosophies of play (and sometimes, some rarely-seen characters) has given him a great opportunity to polish his skills and keep him well-rounded.
Looking back, he said some of his most valuable experiences related to fighting games have been at tournaments. He’s met some great people, including one that changed his life. Hanging out with his friends online is one thing, but meeting up at tournaments is an experience he wouldn’t trade anything for. He also looks back fondly on some of the experiences he’s had abroad thanks to his time spent competing, which has taken him across the continent, but also across the ocean to tournaments in Japan.
When asked what one of his hardest fighting games habits to break was, he mentioned that he used to rely too much on jumping. He lamented the matches he’s lost from his urge to aim high, but said that he’s gotten that under control through a lot of heartbreaking losses over the years.
Video Courtesy of Hokuto on X (formerly Twitter)
Where He’s At
Hokuto lives rent-free in the heads of his opponents and the hearts of our community. His Manon clips are iconic, and his playstyle is as aggressive as ever. While his main might not be at the top of most tierlists, he’s always at the top of his game. In his first and most recent season of CFGC, he landed a sweet second-place spot in our SF6 tournament.
He’s been involved in the larger FGC as a whole, since he’s been participating in tournaments for over a decade. In his long history of competing, though, one thing has remained constant: his dedication to his craft. Hokuto cares about the success of others while maintaining his own; he mentioned that one of the most fulfilling memories he’s had involves helping a couple of people that came to him for advice as the season went on.
Hokuto’s Recommendations for New Players
When we asked Hokuto if he suggested labbing or heading straight to ranked, he said:
“A mix of both, but definitely more grinding ranked or playing tournaments, since this is the only way you’ll get to play against other human-controlled characters. This way you can get exposure to different playstyles, characters that maybe are not usually seen, and situations that will happen on the fly that cannot be replicated easily in training mode.”
Hokuto also recommended putting an emphasis on keeping your mental cool and not overthinking everything. Sometimes, in fighting games and life in general, you just have to trust your gut. That instinct might be what keeps you from dying to an insane combo, or pushes you to make the career jump that takes you to your dream job. There’s no way of knowing if you sit on the sidelines.
Where He’s Going
We asked him what his goals were overall for himself, competition-wise, and his response was short and sweet:
“Just try to become the best or one of the absolute best in whatever game I’m taking seriously.”
There’s honestly something pretty refreshing about his take; it’s straight up ambition. He’s not just looking for one specific outcome, with one tournament he’s set his sights on. Instead, he wants greatness. Putting this with his commitment to helping others, it’s hard not to see why we consider him one of the most impactful players in our scene. He’s played titles across the series, and been successful in a large number of them, including his recent win in SF2 Turbo.
While Street Fighter 6 might be his focus right now, who knows what game he’ll end up playing? CFGC recently announced its upcoming support of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, so maybe we’ll be seeing him at the top of those brackets next season.
Wrapping Up
Hokuto’s story might be one a lot of us can relate to: starting the game young, getting a bit of the rush, messing up, learning, and persevering. What makes him a stand-out player isn’t just his mechanics or competitive prowess though; he shows up for others in the scene, and offers a helping hand when it’s needed most. He plays with his heart on his sleeve, and he doesn’t let up. Hokuto will always be looking for the next way to raise the bar.
With next season coming up, be sure to keep an eye on him, along with the brackets. Who knows? They might end up being in the same place. He might be taking down his opponents in the brackets, but he also has been key to building up our community. His kind sense of humor and talent on the stage has been a great help, and CFGC is better for having him.