M. Bison

For the Street Fighter character known as "M. Bison" in Japan, see Balrog (Street Fighter).

M. Bison
Street Fighter series character
File:MBison cvsnk2.PNG Character profile of M. Bison from Capcom vs. SNK 2. Artwork by Kinu Nishimura.
First game	Street Fighter II

M. Bison, known as Vega (ベガ, Bega) in Japan, is a video game character created by Capcom. First introduced in Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, he is a recurring boss and antagonist of the Street Fighter series of fighting games.

A would-be world dictator, M. Bison's ambition is to control the world's governments through his covert crime syndicate, Shadaloo (シャドルー, Shadorū, sometimes spelled as "Shadowloo" or "Shadowlaw"). He serves as the host of Street Fighter II 's fighting tournament and is the last opponent fought in the game. Several Street Fighter characters—including Guile and Chun-Li—have a personal vendetta against Bison, and have entered the tournament in the hope of having a shot at him. M. Bison wields Psycho Power, an evil energy which manifests as blue or purple flames and electricity.

Conception and creation

In the original Japanese version of Street Fighter II, the game concludes with a series of duels against four bosses: M. Bison, a former pro boxer; Balrog, a masked Spaniard with a clawed gauntlet; Sagat, a returning character from the original Street Fighter; and Vega, the game's final boss. As Street Fighter II was being localized for the United States, concerns arose over M. Bison, who resembled an analogue of Mike Tyson. Believing the character to be a legal liability, Capcom chose to reshuffle the names of its characters. The Spaniard was renamed Vega, the boxer became Balrog, and Vega inherited the name M. Bison.

Fictional character biography

M. Bison's first chronological appearance is in Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams, which takes place in the years preceding Street Fighter II. He is the head of an elusive paramilitary enterprise known as Shadaloo. Throughout the Street Fighter series, Bison's headquarters is shown to be located in Thailand. His origin is a mystery, as is the source of his powerful telekinesis. At some point in the past, Bison discarded what he considered the "weakest" parts of his soul in order to master Psycho Power. These fragments later reshaped themselves into a woman named Rose, the physical manifestation of Bison's 'good' energy.

Bison is responsible for the murder of Chun-Li's father, an Interpol agent who was investigating Shadaloo. Seeking revenge, Chun-Li joins Interpol as an adult and vows to avenge her father's death. After Bison begins attracting attention from the U.S. military, two Air Force officers named Guile and Charlie infiltrate Bison's unit. Charlie is later killed in action, resulting in Guile's intense antipathy toward Bison later on.

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Bison grapples with his 'better half'

In Street Fighter Alpha 3, Bison constructs the Psycho Drive, a machine which will exponentially increase his Psycho Power. By this time, Bison's power has begun to exceed the limits of his own body. In searching for a new host, Bison orders his scientists to engineer a body for him to harvest. However, the result—a clone named Cammy White—resists Shadaloo's programming and escapes the facility. M. Bison then turns his sights to Ryu, one of the most powerful fighters in the world, as a possible host body. Bison captures Ryu and subjects him to intense mind control. When Sagat objects, M. Bison sets "Evil Ryu" loose on him, joking that Sagat will finally have his rematch. With Sagat's urging, Ryu regains his senses and fights off his brainwashing, forcing Bison to retreat into the Psycho Drive. The machine restores Bison's power, but only forestalls his inevitable deterioration.

In Street Fighter Alpha 3, Charlie and Chun-Li team up with Guile in an effort to demolish Bison's headquarters. In order to hold Bison off, Charlie continues to fight him even as the base is set to explode, eventually sacrificing his own life. With his body destroyed, M. Bison possesses Rose and inhabits her body until his scientists can forge a new one for him.

Bison reemerges in Street Fighter II with a newer, gaunt appearance, the result of transferring his mind into a new shell. His Psycho Power is severely depleted as a result. He is finally killed by Akuma, who slays him with the signature move, the Shun Goku Satsu. Bison is not heard from in Street Fighter III, and Chun-Li's mid-boss dialogue with Urien in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike suggests that Shadaloo was dismantled.

Characteristics

M. Bison's attire consists of a red military uniform with metal shoulder plates, wrist bands, and shin guards. On his cap is the skull insignia of Shadaloo. Before a match, Bison is seen sporting a grey cloak around his uniform, which he tosses aside once the fight begins. In all appearances following Street Fighter II , Bison is shown lacking pupils and irises, leaving his eyes ghastly white. Bison's signature move is the Psycho Crusher, which sends him spiraling through the air while wreathed in fiery energy. The resultant damage either immolates or electrocutes his victim. His other famous move is the Double Knee Press (also known as the Scissor Kick), a forward flip which sends him barreling toward his opponent.

In the Street Fighter Alpha series, Bison's physical stature is larger and more imposing. He wears a gray-colored cape at all times, including battles. Bison's repertoire of moves was changed to reflect his 'new' appearance: Among his new abilities is the Psycho Shot, a previously-unseen projectile attack. Bison also demonstrates greater mastery over his Psycho Power, able to teleport across the screen and hover in the air.

In the Capcom vs SNK series, Bison's physical appearance is much leaner, one reminiscent of his role in Street Fighter II. As before, he removes his cloak before battle. He gains a move called the "Psycho Banish" which allows him to negate projectiles.

Shin M. Bison

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M. Bison as he appears in the Street Fighter Alpha and EX series

Shin M. Bison (also known as "Final M. Bison" and "Dark M. Bison") is a palette swap of Bison who serves as a non-playable boss in several Street Fighter games. Like Shin Akuma, this modified version of Bison depicts him at the height of his power. Shin Bison first appeared in Street Fighter Alpha 3 as the last opponent of the game. He has also appeared in both Street Fighter EX2 Plus (listed as "Bison II"), and Street Fighter EX3 as a hidden boss.

While in this form, Bison emits plumes of blue energy each time he throws a punch. In Street Fighter Alpha 3, his ultimate move is the Psycho Drive Crusher, a modified form of his signature move; this attack fills the entire screen with a streak of intense energy. This special move cannot be blocked in the air, and does severe damage even when blocked.

In Street Fighter EX 2 Plus and Street Fighter EX 3, Shin Bison appears with pale, indigo-tinted skin and a white uniform.

Games

M. Bison has appeared in nearly every Street Fighter title since his debut in The World Warrior. Though he began as a computer-only boss character, he was made playable in the re-release, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition. Bison remains playable in later editions of Street Fighter II, while simultaneously serving as the game's final boss. Paradoxically, if the player chooses Bison as their character in Street Fighter II, the final boss of the game will be a palette swap of Bison himself. This is not the case in subsequent games: During the final round of Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Akuma will occasionally rush into the arena and kill Bison, thereby replacing him as the final opponent. Street Fighter Alpha sees Bison square off against Rose during their final battle. In Street Fighter Alpha 2 and 3, Bison's final opponent will be Ryu.

M. Bison's first non-canon game appearance is in Street Fighter: The Movie, a 1995 video game adaptation of the 1994 film. The game plays in a similar way to the Mortal Kombat, with each character represented by digitized sprites of the film's actors. M. Bison's portrayer, Raúl Juliá, had intended to participate in the project but bowed out due to health problems. Consequently, Bison's fight animations were performed by actor Darko Tuscan. Film clips of Juliá as Bison are included within the game's cut scenes.

Bison is featured as a hidden character in the 1994 game Street Fighter EX, the first 3D entry in the series. He appears in a similar fashion in Street Fighter EX Plus (1997) and Street Fighter X2 (1998, though he is not playable. In Street Fighter EX2 Plus (1999, a modified character known as "Bison 2" (aka Shin M. Bison) is the final boss of the game.

In the Marvel vs. Capcom series of crossover fighting games, M. Bison is frequently included among the ranks of Capcom characters. Both X-Men vs. Street Fighter (1996) and Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997) feature M. Bison as a playable character. Bison's character sprite is identical to that of his Street Fighter Alpha incarnation. He is noticeably absent from Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (1998), though he appears in several of the game's ending sequences. In Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000), the Alpha version of Bison is once again a playable character, though he must be unlocked before he is made available.

Bison underwent a makeover for his role in the SNK vs. Capcom series, reverting to the slimmer appearance of his Street Fighter II debut. He has regularly appeared in each entry of the series, beginning with SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (1999) and its sequels, Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 and Capcom vs. SNK 2 (2001). Bison appears at the halfway point of each game as a mid-boss (along with Geese Howard) if the player has accumulated enough points. Most recently, he was included as a playable character in SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos (2003).

M. Bison latest appearance in a fighting game is in the Capcom Fighting Jam (2004), which features an assortment of characters from each individual series published by Capcom.

Outside of the fighting game genre, a super deformed version of M. Bison has also appeared in the handheld collectible card game SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash (1999). He also appears in the Japanese action/tactical RPG hybrid Namco × Capcom.

In other media

Live-action

Street Fighter

M. Bison is portrayed by Raúl Juliá in the 1994 live-action film Street Fighter. At one point during the film, Bison quotes the video games by saying "Anyone who opposes me will be destroyed", while Van Damme quotes the line "Are you man enough to fight with me?" In the film, Bison is a crazed warlord who plans to mass-produce supersoldiers to take over the world. He is depicted as a mediocre fighter, with no super powers whatsoever. Instead, his uniform contains powerful electromagnets which allow him to levitate, as well as shoot lightning from his hands. During the film's climatic fight, Bison challenges, "You come to fight a madman, and instead find a god? Do you still refuse to accept my godhood? Keep your own God! In fact, now may be a good time to pray to Him! For I beheld Satan as he fell from Heaven like lightning!" (cf. Gospel of Luke 10:18: "And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." KJV)

A very arrogant man, Bison adorns his quarters with comically-heroic portraits of himself. Hanging on his wall is an edited version of Jacques-Louis David's painting, 'Napoleon Crossing The Alps'. The original painting depicted Napoleon Bonaparte posing on a white horse; Napoleon's body is replaced by an image of Bison in the same pose.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li

Main article: Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li

M. Bison is slated to appear in the upcoming movie focusing on Chun-Li. He will be played by Neal McDonough.

Animation

Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie

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M. Bison ("Vega" in Japan) as depicted in the movie

M. Bison features prominently in the Japanese anime film Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, which closely follows the plot of the video games. Bison is the main antagonist of the film and a shared enemy of several other fighters, mainly Chun-Li and Guile. He is voiced by Takeshi Kusaka in the Japanese version, in the English dub he is voiced by Tom Wyner and Antônio Moreno in the Brazilian dub.

Bison's organization, Shadowlaw, is stated as being an international terrorist organization. It employs a great deal of sci-fi technology, including cyborgs (known as "Monitor Cyborgs") which pose as human while broadcasting live images to Bison. The name "Shadowlaw" only appears in the English dub; in the original release, it is referred to as "Shadowloo". Ken, Ryu's old friend, is brainwashed by Bisons "Psycho Power" after the terrorist leader easily outmatches him in a fight. With Ryu's help, Ken shakes off Bison's influence, and the two of them destroy Bison's VTOL fighter jet with a combined Hadouken fireball. Though Bison is thought to have perished, he reappears at the helm of a semi truck bearing down on Ryu before the film ends. Ryu leaps towards the truck ready for another battle, and the end credits roll.

Street Fighter: The Animated Series

Bison's portrayal in the US Street Fighter series is considerably close to the potrayal of him in both the live-action movie and significant aspects of the video game. His primary nemesis is Guile, as in the movie. In the first season, Bison's attack on Chun-Li's village (referenced in the movie), appears in a flashback, revealing how he killed Chun-Li's father, who attacked him in futile defiance.

The second season explored Bison's relationship with Cammy in the same manner as the games and in the anime movie, with Cammy being triggered as a "sleeper agent" in the opening episodes. She discovers the truth about Bison in the series finale, but not before she reestablishes her romantic bond with him.

Bison seems to worship a Thai deity that instructs him on what to do with his resources, and in the finale, Bison convinces himself he has been told to destroy the Earth through the launching of nuclear missiles. A final battle with Guile, Cammy, Chun-Li, Sagat, and Cammy's former teammates concludes with Bison being eaten alive by his own computers, aborting the launch and seemingly killing him.

Shadaloo

Shadaloo is a fictional crime organization which is run by M. Bison. Its insignia is a winged skull with a lightning bolt—forming an "S" for Shadaloo—etched onto its forehead. The symbol can be seen on Bison's cap, as well as in numerous cut scenes. The Grand Masters of Shadaloo (known as Shitennō, or "four heavenly kings" in the Japanese version) include Balrog, Vega, Sagat, and Bison himself. Both Balrog and Vega are fighters who were recruited under the promise of wealth, whereas Sagat was motivated by the prospect of revenging himself on Ryu. In Street Fighter II, Bison ostensibly hosts the game's fighting tournament to seek out new talent for Shadaloo.

Bison and Shadaloo feature more prominently in the Alpha series of games. New Shadaloo henchmen are introduced, including the The Dolls, a group of female fighters who are programmed to serve Bison. Cammy White was bred as a member of this group, but eventually regained her senses and fled to England. In Street Fighter Alpha 3, Bison's headquarters is located in the interior of a Thai statue depicting a female deity. During the game over sequence, the face of the statue crumbles away, revealing a skull-like robotic head. The robot's eyes fire a laser into the stratosphere, which is intercepted by Bison's satellite and deflected back toward Earth.

In the 1994 live-action Street Fighter film, Shadaloo (spelled as Ŝadoluo in Esperanto) is a hostile dictatorship. According to maps shown during the film's opening, it is a fictitious country located in a segment of present-day Burma.