Before there was Balrog, there was a quiet kid named Mike Bison. It’s shocking, seeing the difference between who he was and what he became. He wasn’t always that hulking thug, headbutting opponents and beating them near to death with his fists for money. In fact, he was once bullied by other kids in school. That all changed when Bison asked his father, a former professional boxer, to train him. The rest is history:
There used to be an embeded media player here, but it doesn't work anymore. We blame the Tumbeasts.
Balrog: Behind the Glory is a creation of Chubby Boy Films, and premiered at this year’s EVO on July 31st. It’s unusual in that it’s not a mockumentary like so many videos we see concerning different Street Fighter pasts; it’s set up as a real documentary. It has a couple of tongue in cheek moments, but never strays too far from center. It even covers more obscure aspects of the character, like his unique hair and the name differences between Street Fighter in Japan and here in the states.
It’s a high-quality piece of work, with a lot of attention to detail, and refreshing because it gives screen time to a less popular character and makes him interesting. Personally, I think Mike Bison’s dad steals the show by actually making you feel bad for how Balrog turned out. As this video has just been released, I’m not sure what’s next for Chubby Boy Films, but I know I want to see whatever it happens to be.
