Kenkojuku student of Gichin Funakoshi. He was a member of Funakoshi's karate association the Dai Nihon Karate-do Shotokai. In 1942, Okano was given permission to start a karate research club named Kenkokai Karate-bu in his hometown of Hachiōji, Tokyo. The club was started with the help of Suzuki Shinjo, Kaneko Isamu and Takagi Yoshitomo. He renamed the dojo Kenkojuku Budokan in 1948. Okano's karate was influenced by both Gichin and Gigo Funakoshi, and eventually this branch of Shotokan became known as Kenkojuku Shotokan. He retained the Shotokai lineage as well as the name Shotokan. Okano was on the panel of Masters
Ryu (Street Fighter) and brainwashes Ken in Ryu's stead, which prompts Guile and Interpol to intercept Ryu before Bison can get to him, but Bison follows them and sets Ken on Ryu, who refuses to fight his controlled friend back. Eventually, Ken manages to break free of Bison's control and the two ultimately work together to defeat Bison. The final scene, however, makes it clear that Bison survived, and he ambushes Ryu, who prepares to fight him again. He was voiced by Kōjirō Shimizu in the Japanese version and Skip Stellrecht in the English dub. Ryu also appears in the American TV series