The Red Cyclone, 1 of 2

I recently saw a trailer for the newest animated Disney film.  In the scene where the main character meets with his fellow video game bad guys, one of the villains really caught my eye — the shirtless, hairy-chested brute dressed in red pro trunks and boots.    “Wow, who is that big, hunky pro wrestler??”, thought I.

After a little Googling, I learned that this masculine bad-ass bear is from the Street Fighter series of video games.  He is a Russian pro wrestler who enjoys grappling and using pro style moves such as Backbreakers and Piledrivers.  Nice, I love seeing pro wrestling holds in fight scenes!

In the Street Fighter pantheon, this big Russian is meant to represent violent, unrestrained masculine strength and dominance — the fulfillment of the Male Power Fantasy.  He represents what young men aspire to be — aggressive, intimidating, verile, and hyper-masculine.

The appeal of interactive fighting games like Street Fighter (as opposed to simply watching a fight) is that they allow the player to “become” the on-screen character, to join in the violence themselves, to co-opt the character’s strength, confidence, and ability to inflict pain.  Being part of the action creates a more realistic and enjoyable fantasy experience.

Many artists have drawn or painted the big Russian’s hulking body and aggressive attitude, playing up his hyper-masculine physique.  These artists understanding that men want to gaze upon other powerful men —  that the myth of masculine dominance and omnipotence is the whole reason we enjoy playing video games and watching pro wrestling: to observe raw, unbeatable strength in action.

Several trademark icons reveal this massive wrestler’s identity: a chunky gold belt and pro-style trunks and boots (usually in Russian red, but sometimes other colors); over-sized physique (stripped to the waist); a mohawk, beard, and triangular patch of thick chest hair, with tufts of hair growing from his shins (?).  He is normally drawn in a threatening pose, as if he’s itching to crush somebody like a grape.

In the Street Fighter video game, his trademark move is the Spinning Pile Driver.  He supposedly learned this move while executing a Pile Driver on a bear when a cyclone picked them up and dropped them.  (Awesome.)

You can check out a video on YouTube featuring dozens of his victims defeated by the Spinning Pile Driver and other sweet moves (although the action is a bit too fast and furious for lovers of slow-paced, sensual pro wrestling holds like myself…)

I believe the reason a pro wrestler was included as a character in Street Fighter was to offer some eye-candy to the (primarily male) viewers.  Sex sells, after all.

Whether you’re a dude who gets turned on by the thought of knocking boots with a big hunk like him, or you’re excited by the idea of embodying macho power and potency yourself, adding a big hairy shirtless hunk increases the sex appeal of the game (or movie) and therefore makes it more enjoyable.

This is also why many pro wrestlers also have massive physiques, bulging trunks, and cocky attitudes — to present to the male viewer the ideal of masculinity — the power and strength we all want to possess.

To Be Continued…