View Full Version : why does balrog wear gloves?
pragmatic insanester
11-04-2006, 10:43 PM
i just thought of this. why do balrog and later dudley wear boxing gloves in a fighting tournament? gloves are worn to limit the damage to the boxers and prolong the match so the spectators don't get ripped off. to make matters stranger, other combatants in the series have stuff like steel claws on their hands or the ability to shoot fireballs and electricity. has anyone else ever considered this to be a little unfair against the gloved boxers?
gepeto
11-04-2006, 10:45 PM
At the time. I believe his character was influenced by mike tyson down to the gapped tooth.
Rev. Link
11-04-2006, 10:51 PM
i just thought of this. why do balrog and later dudley wear boxing gloves in a fighting tournament? gloves are worn to limit the damage to the boxers and prolong the match so the spectators don't get ripped off. to make matters stranger, other combatants in the series have stuff like steel claws on their hands or the ability to shoot fireballs and electricity. has anyone else ever considered this to be a little unfair against the gloved boxers?
You know, I never really thought of that. It is kind of unfair, isn't it? LOL
Octane06
11-04-2006, 10:52 PM
Yep, that's correct. Balrog is given M. Bison's name in the Japanese versions of SF2, which is an obvious take on Mike Tyson. The name changes between US and Japan releases are (US to Japan):
Balrog=M. Bison
Vega=Balrog
M. Bison=Vega
Octane06
11-04-2006, 10:53 PM
Just to note, I was obviously referring to the second post... I'm always too late in typing.
pragmatic insanester
11-04-2006, 10:57 PM
Balrog or whatever you wanna call him is probably the most realistic character in the series. i'm not a huge player of the SF franchise, but he doesn't have any real outlandish moves like gravity defying spinning kicks (i know he doesn't kick) or 773587 punch a second moves, does he?
Kitsune Sniper
11-04-2006, 11:08 PM
Because gloves are meant for their protection, too. Why do you think Ryu and Ken wear partial gloves on their hands?
drewbrim
11-04-2006, 11:30 PM
Because gloves are meant for their protection, too. Why do you think Ryu and Ken wear partial gloves on their hands?
I was going to mention this as well. A boxer wears gloves to protect his hands more than to protect the other guy's face.
Those boxing gloves were supposedto be loaded wiht metal as well.
cyberfluxor
11-04-2006, 11:59 PM
Those boxing gloves were supposedto be loaded wiht metal as well.
Sounds enjoyable!
Neo Rasa
11-05-2006, 12:56 AM
Yeah the storyline is that he was boxing with "enhanced punching power" so he lost his right, then became an enforcer for M. Bison/Vega's syndicate.
Ed Oscuro
11-05-2006, 04:28 AM
Because gloves are meant for their protection, too. Why do you think Ryu and Ken wear partial gloves on their hands?
I was going to mention this as well. A boxer wears gloves to protect his hands more than to protect the other guy's face.
Thirded...gloves don't do much to protect your opponent when every punch is the equivalent of dropping a 250 pound weight on them LOL Gloves and tape are meant to prevent them from breaking their hands. If your livelihood depends on being able to punch things, don't you think you'd protect your hands as well? Ditto for kickboxers and taped feet.
Ed Oscuro
11-05-2006, 04:28 AM
Nevermind, missed the part about how he was using loaded gloves. LOL
qbertandernie
11-05-2006, 04:53 AM
here i expected some corny answer like "to keep his hands warm!"
*sigh*
Kitsune Sniper
11-05-2006, 05:09 AM
Where, exactly, was it said he used "loaded gloves"? I've played Street Fighter II since I was twelve years old, and read many different storylines - and NONE mentioned this. They all said he was just a very brutal boxer.
Explain, please.
50TBRD
11-05-2006, 07:48 AM
The gloves are supposed to associate him with the boxing industry. If he didn't wear them he would look like just a big guy. It gives him a background and lets you identify him.
Massimiliano
11-05-2006, 08:13 AM
The glove also increases the contact surface, making repeated punches more efficient (when one knocking punch is more efficient with no glove)
Where, exactly, was it said he used "loaded gloves"? I've played Street Fighter II since I was twelve years old, and read many different storylines - and NONE mentioned this. They all said he was just a very brutal boxer.
Explain, please.
I thought I read it in the original instruction booklet or possibly the Nintendo Power that covered it at the time.
From what I can tell Balrog has no wekanesses with gloves, he's still just too beastly. Check him out in action -
he makes an appearance at 4:10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnG-OBPYa2I
jajaja
11-05-2006, 12:34 PM
Because hes a sissy! LOL Seriously tho, i think its because if he didnt have the gloves he would just be a normal fighter. With the gloves you know hes a boxer.
XYXZYZ
11-05-2006, 09:22 PM
Dear Balrog,
How do you type with boxing gloves on your hands?
Crapfully crap,
XYXZYZ
Kitsune Sniper
11-05-2006, 11:34 PM
Where, exactly, was it said he used "loaded gloves"? I've played Street Fighter II since I was twelve years old, and read many different storylines - and NONE mentioned this. They all said he was just a very brutal boxer.
Explain, please.
I thought I read it in the original instruction booklet or possibly the Nintendo Power that covered it at the time.I don't trust game magazines for game background stories, to be honest. I owned SF2 Turbo and I definitely don't remember any 'loaded gloves'.
Neo Rasa
11-06-2006, 01:30 AM
To clarify, they did redo a lot of the continuity concerning him.
In Japan his storyline is simply that he was extremely violent.
In the US he had no storyline until the home ports, which had him toned down to being a greedy cheat rather than a psycho (his win quote was even changed from "My fists have your blood on them." to "Get up you wimp." to remove the word blood.
His desire for wealth is his only character trait in most of the US home games up until the late nineties (the "My fists have your blood on them." quote in the arcade versions being the only thing that alludes to something more).
evildead2099
11-06-2006, 02:56 AM
I owned a copy of SF2: Special Champion Edition for the Genny (Great port, by the way), and remember reading something in the manual about Balrog having steel packed inside of his boxing gloves.
Can anyone confirm this? Or did I read that in Gamepro instead?
Push Upstairs
11-06-2006, 05:08 AM
here i expected some corny answer like "to keep his hands warm!"
*sigh*
They keep his hands warm and they are the latest trend on the catwalks in Paris.
Happy now? :P
Retsudo
11-06-2006, 11:06 AM
I owned a copy of SF2: Special Champion Edition for the Genny (Great port, by the way), and remember reading something in the manual about Balrog having steel packed inside of his boxing gloves.
Can anyone confirm this? Or did I read that in Gamepro instead?
I never read that. I know T.J. Combo from Killer Instict was kicked out for having metal enhanced hands. Maybe thats the confushion?