Balrog (Street Fighter)
Encyclopedia
Balrog is a character from the Street Fighter fighting game
series.
Balrog is depicted as an African American
boxer
wearing blue trunks with white trim and a torn white shirt under a blue tank top. He wears red boxing gloves and boxing shoes. His hairstyle consists of short hair cut in an odd pointing style in the front, similar to Mike Tyson
's haircuts from the time Street Fighter II
was made. Although usually removed when these illustrations are published outside Japan, some character illustrations feature his Japanese name, "Bison" on the waistband of his trunks. In Street Fighter IV, the waistband now reads "Champion".
. However, when the game was to be ported for worldwide audiences, under the suggestion that the character's name and likeness resembled Tyson to the point of infringement
, the developers rotated the names of three of the boss characters
for the English localization. As they felt the name Vega was better suited for the androgynous bullfighter
, they gave him the character's previous name, Balrog, and changed the name of the game's final boss to M. Bison. In Street Fighter Alpha 3
, Balrog tells some of his defeated opponents that he's going to "bite [their] ear off", a reference to Tyson's infamous "Bite Fight
" with Evander Holyfield
.
A character named Mike, who was also an African-American boxer, appears in the original Street Fighter
. Although recognized as a separate character, Mike is considered to be a prototype of Balrog due to their similar names (when one considers Balrogs Japanese name of Mike Bison) and backstories.
As a boxer, Balrog is unique in that he doesn't fight with his feet. Instead of possessing three punch attacks and three kick attacks like the rest of the cast, he has six punches, with the kick buttons generally (but not always) used for low blows while the punch buttons are used for high blows. At 6' 5", Balrog was one of the tallest fighters in Street Fighter beside Zangief
and Sagat
.
as the first of four CPU-controlled opponents at the end of the single-player tournament. Balrog would become a playable character in subsequent revisions of the game, beginning with Street Fighter II ': Champion Edition. Balrog is characterized as a ghetto
-raised boxer seeking the "American Dream
" and one of the "Four Devas" (Shitennou
"Four Heavenly Kings") of Shadaloo.
His next major appearance was in Street Fighter Alpha 3
. Balrog was a CPU-controlled sub-boss in the arcade version who faced only certain characters and was only playable after certain requirements were met, but also selectable as a playable character via secret code. He was made into a regular playable character in the arcade update and subsequent home versions and given his own in-game plot, home stage and endings. This incarnation of Balrog also appears in Capcom vs. SNK
and Capcom vs. SNK 2
. Balrog also appears in SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos.
Balrog appears in Street Fighter IV
, once more serving Shadaloo in the hopes of making easy money.
ranked Balrog at number fifteen in their "Top 25 Street Fighter Characters" article, noting his similarities to Tyson as well as his role as one of boxing's representatives in fighting games. GameDaily
named him one of "Gaming's Greatest Black Characters", noting that while not the deepest character on the list, he had significant longevity as a Street Fighter series character and received praise for representing boxing in the game "alongside flashier martial arts". Edge
stated however Balrog "seems a little useless" in light of Dudley, a boxer introduced in Street Fighter III
. UGO
ranked him #12 on a list of Top 50 Street Fighter Characters in 2010 In a list of "Gaming’s most satisfying uppercuts" by GamesRadar
, Balrog's Dash Uppercut is mentioned, with them stating "while it’s hardly Street Fighter’s most iconic or famous uppercut, the Dash Upper still packs a pretty nasty wallop.". Bleacher Report
listed Balrog as the 10th best fictional boxer, but criticized him by calling him "one of the worst video game bosses ever", citing that he could only punch.
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
series.
Balrog is depicted as an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
wearing blue trunks with white trim and a torn white shirt under a blue tank top. He wears red boxing gloves and boxing shoes. His hairstyle consists of short hair cut in an odd pointing style in the front, similar to Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
's haircuts from the time Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II
is a competitive fighting game originally released for the arcades in . It is the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter released in and was Capcom's fourteenth title that ran on the CP System arcade hardware...
was made. Although usually removed when these illustrations are published outside Japan, some character illustrations feature his Japanese name, "Bison" on the waistband of his trunks. In Street Fighter IV, the waistband now reads "Champion".
Conception and development
In Japan, the character of Balrog is named M. Bison, with the letter being an initial for "Mike", and is intended as a parody of real-life boxer Mike TysonMike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
. However, when the game was to be ported for worldwide audiences, under the suggestion that the character's name and likeness resembled Tyson to the point of infringement
Infringement
Infringement, when used alone, has several possible meanings in the English language.In a legal context, an infringement refers to the violation of a law or a right. This includes intellectual property infringements such as:*Copyright infringement...
, the developers rotated the names of three of the boss characters
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
for the English localization. As they felt the name Vega was better suited for the androgynous bullfighter
Vega (Street Fighter)
Vega is a fictional character from the Street Fighter fighting game series. Vega is a masked, claw-wielding warrior from Spain who uses a personal fighting style combining Japanese Ninjutsu and Bullfighting, earning him the nickname the "Spanish Ninja".Vega first appears in the original Street...
, they gave him the character's previous name, Balrog, and changed the name of the game's final boss to M. Bison. In Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3, known as in Japan and Asia, is a fighting game by Capcom originally released for the CPS II arcade hardware. It is the third game in the Street Fighter Alpha series, following Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams and Street Fighter Alpha 2...
, Balrog tells some of his defeated opponents that he's going to "bite [their] ear off", a reference to Tyson's infamous "Bite Fight
Holyfield-Tyson II
Holyfield-Tyson II is a name used to identify the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield on June 28, 1997, in which Tyson bit Holyfield's ear. The fight was originally billed as Holyfield-Tyson II: The Sound and the Fury and was a follow-up rematch of the first Tyson-Holyfield...
" with Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
.
A character named Mike, who was also an African-American boxer, appears in the original Street Fighter
Street Fighter (video game)
is a 1987 arcade game developed by Capcom. It is the first competitive fighting game produced by the company and the inaugural game in the Street Fighter series...
. Although recognized as a separate character, Mike is considered to be a prototype of Balrog due to their similar names (when one considers Balrogs Japanese name of Mike Bison) and backstories.
As a boxer, Balrog is unique in that he doesn't fight with his feet. Instead of possessing three punch attacks and three kick attacks like the rest of the cast, he has six punches, with the kick buttons generally (but not always) used for low blows while the punch buttons are used for high blows. At 6' 5", Balrog was one of the tallest fighters in Street Fighter beside Zangief
Zangief
is a fictional character in the Street Fighter series of video games. Created by Akira Yasuda for Capcom, Zangief first appeared in Street Fighter II, later appearing in other games, media, and promotions related to the Street Fighter franchise...
and Sagat
Sagat (Street Fighter)
is a boss character from the early editions of Capcom's Street Fighter fighting game series. He was later turned into a regular, playable character. Sagat is depicted as a well-renowned Muay Thai expert fighter known for his incredible power. He is often called the "Emperor of Muay Thai" in his...
.
In video games
Balrog appears in Street Fighter IIStreet Fighter II
is a competitive fighting game originally released for the arcades in . It is the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter released in and was Capcom's fourteenth title that ran on the CP System arcade hardware...
as the first of four CPU-controlled opponents at the end of the single-player tournament. Balrog would become a playable character in subsequent revisions of the game, beginning with Street Fighter II ': Champion Edition. Balrog is characterized as a ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
-raised boxer seeking the "American Dream
American Dream
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each...
" and one of the "Four Devas" (Shitennou
Four Heavenly Kings (disambiguation)
The Four Heavenly Kings are the Buddhist protective deities.Four Heavenly Kings may also refer to:Groups of four people:* Kōdōkan Shitennō, notable judo competitors of the early Kōdōkan, referring to Tsunejiro Tomita, Yamashita Yoshiaki, Yokoyama Sakujiro, and Saigō Shirō* Shitennō , retainers of...
"Four Heavenly Kings") of Shadaloo.
His next major appearance was in Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3, known as in Japan and Asia, is a fighting game by Capcom originally released for the CPS II arcade hardware. It is the third game in the Street Fighter Alpha series, following Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams and Street Fighter Alpha 2...
. Balrog was a CPU-controlled sub-boss in the arcade version who faced only certain characters and was only playable after certain requirements were met, but also selectable as a playable character via secret code. He was made into a regular playable character in the arcade update and subsequent home versions and given his own in-game plot, home stage and endings. This incarnation of Balrog also appears in Capcom vs. SNK
Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000
is a head-to-head fighting game produced by Capcom originally released as a coin-operated arcade game for Segas NAOMI hardware and later ported to the Dreamcast...
and Capcom vs. SNK 2
Capcom vs. SNK 2
Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001, known as Millionaire Fighting 2001 in Japan, is a sequel to the fighting game Capcom vs. SNK. This game was released on NAOMI hardware in the arcade...
. Balrog also appears in SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos.
Balrog appears in Street Fighter IV
Street Fighter IV
is a fighting game produced by Capcom. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom since . The coin-operated arcade game was released in Japan on July 18, 2008, with North American arcades importing the machines by August...
, once more serving Shadaloo in the hopes of making easy money.
In film and animation
- In the 1994 Street Fighter II: The Animated MovieStreet Fighter II: The Animated MovieStreet Fighter II: The Animated Movie, known as in Japan and Australia, is a 1994 Japanese animated film adaptation of the Street Fighter II fighting games written by Kenichi Imai, directed by Gisaburō Sugii and animated by Group TAC. The film, originally released in Japan on August 8, 1994, has...
, Balrog is portrayed as one of Bison's three top men like in the Street Fighter II games, serving as a representative and informant for Bison during a drug deal in Las Vegas and ends up fighting against E. Honda during the final battle. He wears dark green cargo pants instead of his boxing trunks and never actually gets to wear his boxing glove in the film. Balrog was voiced by George Nakata in the Japanese original and Joe RomersaJoe RomersaJoseph M. Romersa is an American song writer, drummer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, sound engineer and vocalist....
in the English dub.
- In the 1994 live action film version of Street FighterStreet Fighter (film)Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na...
, Balrog was portrayed by veteran actor Grand L. BushGrand L. BushGrand Lee Bush is an American actor of stage, television and major motion pictures.-Personal life:Bush was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Essie and Robert Bush, who was an actor...
and was one of the heroes, more specifically the videographerVideographerStrictly speaking, a videographer is a person who works in the field of videography, video production — recording moving images and sound on video tape, disk, other electro-mechanical device. News broadcasting relies heavily on live television where videographers engage in electronic news...
in Chun-LiChun-Liis a video game character produced by Capcom. First introduced in Street Fighter II, she has since appeared as a player character in nearly all subsequent games....
's news crew. Like the other members (Chun-Li and HondaEdmond Honda, more commonly known as E. Honda, is a video game character created by Capcom for the Street Fighter series of fighting games. Introduced in Street Fighter II as part of the starting lineup, he has appeared in Street Fighter Alpha 3, Street Fighter IV, and the Capcom vs. SNK series, as well as...
), Balrog held a grudge against Shadaloo for ruining his boxing career, after refusing to throw a match for the Shadaloo Tong. Near the end of the film, he dons his regular outfit from the games. He also appears in the arcade and home versions of the Street Fighter: The MovieStreet Fighter: The MovieStreet Fighter: The Movie may refer to:* Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, a 1994 Japanese animated film...
game.
- The 1995 Japanese animated series Street Fighter II VStreet Fighter II V, is an anime series based on the fighting game Street Fighter II. Directed by Gisaburo Sugii , the series first aired in Japan in 1995, from April 10 to November 27, on YTV...
features a significantly altered depiction of Balrog where he is a Shadowlaw spy who has infiltrated the FBI. Balrog hires Cammy to assassinate Chun-Lis father Dourai, under the false pretense that Dourai is the Shadowlaw spy. Unlike in the games, Balrog never actually fights in the TV series and only appears in wearing boxing gear in concept art and during the show's second opening animation. He was voiced by Tomomichi NishimuraTomomichi Nishimurais a Japanese voice actor who works for Arts Vision. He is most known for the roles of the narrator of YuYu Hakusho, Anzai-sensei , Shibaraku Tsurugibe , and Jamitov Hymem...
in Japanese and once again by Joe Romersa in the English dub.
- In the 1995 American-produced Street FighterStreet Fighter (TV series)Street Fighter is an American animated series produced by InVision Entertainment based on the Street Fighter live action movie, which was in turn based on the Street Fighter video game franchise. The series aired as part of the USA Network's Cartoon Express and Action Extreme Team lineups...
animated series, Balrog appears as a computer programmer working for Bison. He appears in one episode only ("Medium is the Message"), where he was voiced by Paul Dobson
- In the 2009 Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-LiStreet Fighter: The Legend of Chun-LiStreet Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li is the second live-action film based on the Street Fighter series of video games. It follows the quest of Street Fighter character Chun-Li, who is portrayed by Kristin Kreuk. The story follows Chun-Li's personal history and her journey for justice. The film...
Balrog is played by Michael Clarke DuncanMichael Clarke DuncanMichael Clarke Duncan is an American actor, best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.- Early life :...
, Balrog served as Bison's bodyguard and not a boxer.
- Balrog appears in the Shadaloo helicopter near the end of "Street Fighter IV: The Ties That Bind", where Seth escapes to.
Gameplay
Being a boxer, Balrog only uses punch attacks, even when the kick buttons are pressed and has no projectile attacks, unlike many Street Fighter characters. Many of his special attacks, super combos and ultra combos consist of dash punches. Balrog use has a Turn Punch attack, which can pass through projectiles.Promotion and reception
Balrog was voted 18th in Capcom's own popularity poll of 85 characters for the 15th anniversary of Street Fighter. IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
ranked Balrog at number fifteen in their "Top 25 Street Fighter Characters" article, noting his similarities to Tyson as well as his role as one of boxing's representatives in fighting games. GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
named him one of "Gaming's Greatest Black Characters", noting that while not the deepest character on the list, he had significant longevity as a Street Fighter series character and received praise for representing boxing in the game "alongside flashier martial arts". Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
stated however Balrog "seems a little useless" in light of Dudley, a boxer introduced in Street Fighter III
Street Fighter III
is a fighting game in Capcom's Street Fighter series, originally released as coin-operated arcade game in . Street Fighter III was produced for the CD-ROM-based CP System III hardware, which allowed for more elaborate 2D graphics than the CPS II-based Street Fighter Alpha games , while revamping...
. UGO
UGO
UGO Entertainment, Inc. is a website providing coverage of online media in entertainment targeting males age 18–34. The company is currently based in New York, New York, United States. On July 24, 2007 it was announced that Hearst Corporation would acquire UGO Entertainment...
ranked him #12 on a list of Top 50 Street Fighter Characters in 2010 In a list of "Gaming’s most satisfying uppercuts" by GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
, Balrog's Dash Uppercut is mentioned, with them stating "while it’s hardly Street Fighter’s most iconic or famous uppercut, the Dash Upper still packs a pretty nasty wallop.". Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report
Bleacher Report is a website that provides news and fans' opinions of sporting events.The website was launched in February 2008 by California-based entrepreneurs Dave Finocchio, Zander Freund, Bryan Goldberg, and Dave Nemetz...
listed Balrog as the 10th best fictional boxer, but criticized him by calling him "one of the worst video game bosses ever", citing that he could only punch.
External links
- Balrog's Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha, and Street Fighter IV entries at StrategyWiki.org