How Eagle Became Street Fighter’s First Gay Character
Street Fighter characters generally have a gimmick that makes them stand out from anyone else the player might choose. It’s a look, an attitude, a martial arts style or perhaps a country of origin that’s otherwise not represented. In the case of Street Fighter II’s Blanka, it’s all of these and it works. In the case of Street Fighter IV’s Hakan, it’s all of these plus a big tub of body oil, and it doesn’t work, but you have to give Capcom credit for trying something no one else had done before.
This was not a rule that Capcom knew during the development of the original 1987 Street Fighter, and some of the characters Ryu and Ken must defeat just don’t have a lot going on. After all, what can we saw about Joe and Mike aside them being a generic white guy and a generic black guy who aren’t the guys duking it out in the attract mode of Street Fighter II? (That would be Scott and Max, a different generic white guy and black guy, respectively.) Aside from big bad Sagat, maybe the most standout opponent in the first street fighter is Birdie, the hulking British punk character — but even then, considering how much more bizarre-looking Birdie would become in Street Fighter Alpha, the original rendition seems downright boring by comparison.
Left: Original formula Birdie. Right: A more ripped, more punked-out brawler — and with a tan, no less.
Street Fighter offers another British opponent, however, and if Birdie were meant to represent the country’s punk scene, then Eagle represents the posher side of Britain. He is formally dressed, he’s rocking a neatly manicured mustache and he seems associated with the aristocracy, even if his official bio states that he merely works for some moneyed family as a bodyguard and bouncer.
Normally I’d make a gif of a fighter’s idle stance, but in Street Fighter 1 this is it: an unmoving neutral pose.
You can presume a little bit based on Eagle’s appearance, I suppose, but I’m not sure when Capcom actually disclosed his backstory, as there’s not a lot in-game text. He’s respectful enough in his dialogue, I guess, even if the British accent is most assuredly not on point.
Sharp-eyed players might have noticed that Eagle seems to be inspired by a character in the 1972 Bruce Lee movie Fist of Fury: Petrov (Robert Baker), a mustachioed brute who’s not explicitly a bodyguard or hired henchman but who is the guy Lee’s character must defeat before taking on the film’s “final boss.” As you can see in the clip, Petrov has different hair than Eagle and also fights barehanded, but Eagle’s outfit seems like a fairly direct lift from the film.
One by one other opponents from the original Street Fighter would be brought back for later sequels, including Adon, Gen and Retsu, but Eagle would have remained among the lesser-remembered one-offs had it not been for 2001’s Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001. Recently included in Capcom Fighting Collection 2, this is the second game pitting characters from Street Fighter against ones from SNK’s King of Fighters. Developed by Capcom, this game plucked Eagle from relative obscurity alongside Final Fight 2’s Maki and Rival Schools’ Kyosuke to represent the Capcom side of the game, and in order to give Eagle something to set him apart from everyone else, Capcom made the surprising decision to make him gay, specifically in a way the company had not attempted beforehand.
Okay, okay, okay — when I say “gay,” I don’t mean that Eagle was given a domestic partner or anything concrete to identify him as a man who’s into other men. However, by the standards of the time, Eagle does amount to the most gay-coded character to appear in a Capcom game, and any player with any awareness of the British rock band Queen would have noticed that Eagle’s in-battle dialogue aligns him with the frontman, Freddie Mercury. In the below clip, you can hear Eagle’s in-game taunts, the first of which references the song “We Are the Champions” and the second of which references the song “The Show Must Go On.” (The third one is usually interpreted as “Shall we dance?” That isn’t a specific Queen or Freddie Mercury reference that I can place, but it’s not exactly fighting the perception that Eagle is into dudes, especially given the fact that in most one-on-one fights, he’d be saying it to a male opponent. That said, it sounds to me like he’s actually saying “Shall we duel?”)
Queen wasn’t a gay band, exactly, and Mercury never actually identified as gay, but the void created by Mercury’s reluctance to speak publicly about his sexuality allowed many people to assume he was gay. His glam style, flamboyant stage antics and iconic mustache certainly played into a stereotype of how a gay man would look and act. Even today, when it’s better known that Mercury had relationships with men and women, he remains a shorthand for a certain brand of 1980s homosexuality, to the point that it’s hard to mistake Capcom’s use of Queen lyrics with Eagle as a suggestion of anything else.
Freddie Mercury: not gay but nonetheless riding on the shoulders of a sequin-bedecked Darth Vader, as one does.
In the English version of Capcom vs. SNK 2, the in-battle voice samples are the long and short of why Eagle is allegedly gay. Only one of his several win quotes — ”Kneel before me and devote yourself to me, your winner!” — could be considered innuendo, but only because the Freddie Mercury references have seeded the idea that Eagle might have more of an interest in male opponents beyond just sparring buddies. If any other fighter said this, it wouldn’t arouse much suspicion.
The Japanese version of the game offers a more colorful snapshot of our man with the mustache, however, where depending on whom he’s beating in a given match, Eagle offers more hints about his sexuality. What’s interesting about these Japanese win quotes is that they make it clear that Eagle’s schtick is more than just Freddie Mercury quotes, as neither Mercury nor Queen gets referenced in them. This makes an important distinction, at least in my head, because the Japanese version of the game makes it seem like Eagle is a gay character who drops a Queen reference here and there, rather than being a character whose gayness amounts only to those callbacks.
Because these aspects of his character just aren’t present in the English version of the game, I had Fatimah translate the entirety of the Japanese victory quotes collected in this video. Fatimah’s overall take was that there’s definitely a deliberate effort to hint at something here.
Overall, I would say the way he speaks can be interpreted as a bit suggestive, maybe making passes at people. Sometimes he feels like that older uncle who says things that are kinda inappropriate lol. I also feel like his bōjutsu and staff/stick weapons are innuendos sometimes. And it seems he shows disinterest in some of the female fighters but is making passes at some of the male fighters. I added notes to a few, but there are some that are pretty self-explanatory when it comes to their suggestive tones.
First, we have some general win quotes:
最高に楽しい気分だ。これを止める権利は、誰にもない！
What joy! No one has the right to put an end to this!
せっかくの舞台だ。敗北も、被虐の喜びとして楽しみたまえ。
Finally, we’ve come to this stage. Savor in the delight of defeat and suffering.
格闘とは崇高な儀式だ。ときとして求愛の行為たらしむ。
Combat is a sacred ritual. On occasion, it is an act of courtship.
敗者とは従属者のだ。勝者にその身を、全て捧げなければならぬ。
The defeated are to submit. They must surrender themselves to the victor, body and all.
棒術のフルコース、まだ味わい足りぬかね？
I’ve prepared a full course of bōjutsu. Have you had your fill yet?
They basically get gayer as you move along, though I suppose the innuendo in that last one is only really apparent if you know that bōjutsu is the martial art of fighting with a stick or staff weapon and Eagle fights with a pair of batons. I don’t need to explain the symbolism of filling someone up, do I?
What’s really interesting about Capcom vs. SNK 2, however, is that characters can have specific messages for other fighters, so if you win a fight as Eagle, you can get a specific victory quote that references some aspect of the defeated character. Some of these quotes are wild! As a gay man who dislikes boring depictions of LGBTQ characters that are defined by their sexuality but not allowed to want to have sex, I really appreciate that someone at Capcom took the initiative to make Eagle a little horny and a little inappropriate.
I’m including Fatimah’s translation notes as well as inserting some of my own.
vs. Ryu
対戦者に対する敬愛を感じられた。君は素晴らしい男だ。
I can sense the respect you have towards your opponents. You’re a splendid man.
vs. Ken
ファンを大切にするのは悪くないが、闘いの間は私に集中してもらいたい。
There’s nothing wrong with cherishing one’s fans, but I wish you’d focus on me more during our fight.
vs. Chun-Li
君にわかるかな？私が今、どんな気持ちなのか？
Do you even know how I’m feeling right now?
vs. Guile
君のパトリオット（愛国心）では、私を貫くことは残念だが無理だな。
Unfortunately, it’s no use trying to penetrate me with your patriotism.
vs. E. Honda
私の双棒が反則ならば、君のその巨躯はどう説明するのかな？
If my dual batons are against the rules, then what do you have to say about your massive frame?
vs. Dhalsim
長ければいいというものではあるまい。
Longer isn’t always better.
vs. Blanka
野趣あふるるビター・テイスト….危険な感情がわいてくるよ。
This rustic, bitter taste… Risque feelings are welling up inside me.
Fatimah’s note: He literally says “dangerous feelings,” but we don’t really talk like that in English. I went with “risque” since his tone overall in these lines can be rather suggestive.”
vs. Cammy
失礼。お嬢さんには興味がないのだよ。
Pardon me. I’m not interested in young ladies.
vs. Zangief
フゥーム….申し訳ないが、その肉体には特別な感情は芽生えない。
Hmm… My apologies, but I don’t feel any particular way about your figure.
Fatimah’s note: Literally — no feeling is “budding/blooming” about their body.
vs. Eagle
まったく、やりにくいものだ。いったい何本あることやら….。
Goodness, that was a tough one. Just how many are there…?
vs. Yun
ヘイ、ボーイ。まだ腰が甘いぞ。攻めと受け、もっと使い分けなくてはね。
Hey boy, your hips are sloppy. You need to know how to utilize your attack and defense.
Fatimah’s note: This reads as one of the most suggestive ones to me. In Japanese, it literally means “Your hips are sweet,” but while 甘い literally means “sweet,” it often means “unskilled” or “naive” depending on how it’s used. Also in slang, 攻め seme (offense/attack) and 受け uke (defense/receive) can mean “top” and “bottom” in a homosexual relationship respectively. If I wanted to make the English suggestive as well, maybe something like “Hey boy, your hips are sloppy. You need to know when to go hard and when to be gentle.”
vs. Rolento
厳しく律するだけでは、人はなびかない。心地よくいざなうこともまた必要では？
People won’t listen if you’re strict and bossy. How about asking nicely?
vs. Maki
棍の扱いには慣れているようだが、さすがに私のモノは手に余ったようだね。
It seems you’ve gotten used to your sticks, but mine is beyond your abilities.
Fatimah’s note: The “mine” here is “my thing” literally, and it sounds a bit like he’s talking about his junk, if you get what I mean. It’s also written in katakana, which is emphasizing it.
vs. Dan
スラップスティック役者としてなら一流と認めるがね。
I have to admit, if you were a slapstick comedian, you’d be top-notch.
vs. Sakura
断言しよう。君は未精錬、かつ未成熟だ。
I must emphasize, you are unrefined and immature.
vs. Kyosuke
じらさないでくれ。君ならもっと、はじけられるはずだ。
Don’t tease. You should open yourself up more.
Drew’s note: I was going to say that this seems like Capcom winking at the perception that Kyosuke seemed gay, with the more out and proud Eagle encouraging him to just come out already, but I just looked around online and was surprised to find nothing. Did I just make up in my head that this guy seemed a little gay? Or was this an actual perception that existed back in the day when Rival Schools was an ongoing concern but has vanished from discourse now that everyone is a little more mature? Anyone?
vs. Morrigan
色香で惑わそうなど、無駄なことだ。理由？ 野暮な質問はよしてくれ。
Trying to seduce me with your charm is useless. Why? Don’t ask me such boorish questions.
vs. Balrog
私にとってこの棍棒は、君のグローブと同じ････魂であり、恋人なのだ。
My clubs are like your glove… Souls, like lovers.
vs. Vega
あくなき美に対する執着。それも一種のフェティシズムか。
And insatiable attachment to beauty. Perhaps that is a type of fetish as well.
Drew’s note: Just based on how he dresses in every day life, I legit shudder to think what kind of fetishes Vega would be into.
vs. Sagat
噂に高い猛虎の攻め、楽しませてもらった。思わず全てを委ねてみたくなったよ。
The attacks of the renowned fierce tiger were a delight. I couldn’t help but want to submit everything to you.
vs. M. Bison
君に与えたのは屈辱ではない。退廃的快楽のはずだよ。
It is not humiliation I’ve inflicted upon you. Rather, a depraved pleasure.
vs. Akuma
地獄のオーガとは君のことを指すのだな。
“Demon from hell” would refer to you.
vs. Evil Ryu
破壊衝動がもたらす超人的なパワーか。華を求める私には無用のものだな。
A superhuman power bringing with it a destructive urge. I’m looking for the best, so this is of no use to me.
vs. Shin Akuma
････なんというエナジーだ。脈々とたぎる、この熱さ････おお！
…Such energy. Endlessly cascading, such warmth… Ooh!
vs. Kyo
秘術とてそう幾度も晒せば、弱点などおのずと見えてくるのだ。
Using your secret technique over and over will eventually expose your weaknesses.
vs. Iori
それが復讐と憎悪の炎か････いいね。ゾクゾクするよ。
So, these are the flames of vengeance… Wonderful. How thrilling.
vs. Mai
確か「オイラン」････日本では君のような娘をそう呼ぶと聞いたが、違うのかね？
I believe… in Japan, girls like you are called ‘oiran, correct?
Drew’s note (but I’m sure Fatimah knew this): Oiran (花魁) were high-ranking courtesans in Edo-period Japan. But I can’t tell if he’s negging Mai for showing too much or calling her classy and beautiful.
vs. Ryo
肉体だけでなく精神も鍛えているのか。なるほど････君に興味がわいてきたよ。
You’ve trained not only your body, but your mind as well. I see… I’m deeply interested in you now.
vs. Yuri
君に勝っても面白くない。なぜなら････そう、屈服感がない。
I’m not satisfied with beating you. It’s because… It doesn’t feel like you’ve submitted to me.
vs. Athena
フーム、君のペースには乗りきれないな。もっとリズミカルなのが好みだ。
Hmm, I can’t keep up with your pace. I like to have more rhythm.
vs. King
レディには踏み込めない不可侵領域。紳士の世界は、かくも奥深いものなのだ。
This domain is off limits to ladies. The world of gentlemen is deeply profound.
Drew’s note: This one is extremely interesting for reasons I’ll get into. I was initially going to explain all this in the miscellaneous notes section, but the more I wrote the more I felt like I was stretching out an already overlong post, so I’ll write up the weird parallels between Eagle and King in a separate post in the not too distant future. Regardless, I read this win quote as Eagle being very gender-essentialist to a non-gender-conforming opponent that he should be buddies with. What a drag.
vs. Benimaru
黄色い声援など、どれほどのものかね。男にしか解らぬ愉悦に、かなうべくもない！
The shrill cheers of women don’t do much. A joy only men can understand!
Drew’s note: I can say this because I’m gay, but even though he’s a heterosexual character as far as I’m aware, Benimaru Nikaido looks super gay. He’s not supposed to be. In fact, he’s supposed to be a twist on Polnareff in the same way that Guile is. But I feel like a westerner would be very likely to read him as gay, just based on his clothes and his mannerisms. This might be an instance of culture clash, but I’m pretty sure that Eagle, based on this victory quote, is also assuming that Benimaru is gay. (EDIT: I posted a thread about this phenomenon on Bluesky.)
vs. Terry
ずいぶんと大人しい狼だね。食いちぎる程のパワーを期待したのだが。
You’re a docile wolf. I was expecting a strength able to bite one to shreds
vs. Rock
まだ若い君には、いろいろな経験が必要だ。いろいろとね････！
You’re still young and need all kinds of experience. ALL kinds!
Drew’s note: I think it’s pretty clear that this quote is Eagle declaring his intentions for Rock, whom he has decided is the trade of this game’s roster.
vs. Kim
正しさよりも、気持ち良さのほうが肝要だ。こと私の闘いにおいてはね。
Feeling good is more important than being correct; in my fights that is.
vs. Chang
なにも心配することはない。私は外見で人を判断したりはしないよ。
There’s nothing to worry about. I don’t judge people based on outward appearances.
vs. Joe
君との闘いには手応えがない。しかし口答えは、実に達者だな。
I don’t feel any reaction in your fighting. However, you’re skilled in back talk.
Drew’s note: It’s probably not this at all, but “you’re skilled in back talk” is an interesting choice of words given Joe Higashi’s tendency to show his bare ass as a taunt.
vs. Todo
その様子では、護身など叶わぬだろう。好きなように攻めてくれといわんばかりだ。
You can’t practice self defense like that. It’s as if you’re telling me to pounce on you however I please.
vs. Raiden
愚か者はいつも、最後の詰めに無神経だ。
Fools are always insensitive until the very end.
vs. Haohmaru
カタナの切れ味、楽しめたよ。次はぜひ、サムライの神秘に迫りたい。
I’ve enjoyed the sharpness of your blade. I would love to get closer to the mysteries of the samurai next time.
vs. Nakoruru
格闘にエコロジストの思想はノーサンキューだ。
I’m not interested in an ecologist’s philosophy in a fight.
vs. Hibiki
フェンシングの速さにも劣らぬ剣技だね。私の双棍にはまだ及ばぬようだが。
Swordsmanship so swift, it’s on par with fencing. However, not on par with my sticks.
vs. Vice
破壊が目的の加虐趣味、か。レベルの低い自慰行為だ。
Your sadistic hobby is to destroy? Such an uncouth way to pleasure oneself.
vs. Rugal
畏怖による隷属など、無粋の極みだ。互いに昇華してこそ「愛」ではないかね？
Subordination based on fear is most vulgar. Isn’t ‘love’ simply mutual sublimation?
vs. Yamazaki
なかなかの悪漢ぶりだ。久々の征服感にしびれたよ。
You’re quite the scoundrel. It’s been a while since I’ve felt the numbness of subjugation.
vs. Geese
まず喜びを享受することだ。勝敗など、単なる結果に過ぎないのだから。
First, you must take pleasure in this joy. Victory or defeat are merely outcomes.
vs. Orochi Iori
絶望もまた人生における１つの享楽。君の生き方、否定はしない。
Dispair is also one of life’s pleasures. I won’t criticize your way of life.
vs. Ultimate Rugal
奇跡でもなんでもない。己が欲望に、より忠実な私の勝ちだ。
This is no miracle. I’m victorious because I am devoted to my desires.
If that weren’t enough victory quotes, Capcom vs. SNK 2 does this extra thing in which the player can hold certain buttons after winning a match to see a conversation between the characters on your team. For the sake of completeness here are all those — again, in order that they appear in the video. In each of these, the first character listed is the one who speaks first. The second line is their teammate responding.
Eagle: 強さへの憧れは、時に己を盲目にする。
Ryu: その通りだ。自分を見失ってはいけない。
Eagle: Yearning for strength can at times blind oneself.
Ryu: Exactly. Careful not to lose yourself.
Ryu: お前の闘魂、しっかり受け止めたぞ！
Eagle: 体で語りあう、か。素敵なことじゃないか。
Ryu: I fully embrace your competitive spirit!
Eagle: So you let your body do the talking? Magnificent.
Eagle: 悔しそうだね。私への嫉妬心かな？
Ken: ････思いっきり勘違いだと思うぜ。
Eagle: You seem frustrated. Are you jealous of me?
Ken: …You got it all wrong.
Ken: いつだって圧勝パワーで行くぜ！
Eagle: 君の本気に、私も酔いしれてしまいそうだ。
Ken: I always go all out!
Eagle: I can’t help but get swept up in your commitment.
Eagle: 敗者よ！ 私の前に、ひざまずくがいい。
Chun-Li: なんか････ヤな過去を思い出した気が････。
Eagle: Your loss! Now, kneel before me.
Chun-Li: It’s like… I feel a shiver from the past…
Chun-Li: 何年も続けてきた自信があるのよ！
Eagle: 継続は力なりだね。愛を育むもまた同様だ。
Chun-Li: My confidence is backed by my years of experience!
Eagle: Your perseverance is your strength. It’s the same as fostering love.
Eagle: どうかね？ 盲従に値する棒術だろう？
Guile: 敵を見ろ。俺は見るな。
Eagle: What do you think? My bōjutsu merits blind obedience, no?
Guile: Focus on the enemy, not me.
Guile: 迅速に任務を遂行しただけのことだ。
Eagle: なに、実にシャープでエレガントだったよ。
Guile: I simply carried out my mission promptly.
Eagle: No, you were truly sharp and elegant in your execution.
Eagle: もう少し驚かせてくれると思ったが。
E. Honda: ネコダマシすらも、出なかったでゴワスな。
Eagle: I thought you’d surprise me a bit more than that.
E. Honda: I didn’t even get to use my nekodamashi.
Drew’s note: E. Honda is referring to a sumo move in which one wrestler claps in the other’s face.
E. Honda: 低く構えて、早く突く！ これじゃい！
Eagle: 焦らず、じらさず。さじ加減も重要だ。
E. Honda: Stay low and strike fast! That’s it!
Eagle: No need to rush or tease. Everything in moderation.
Eagle: 神をも欺くだろう。この享楽のためならば！
Dhalsim: 欲望を自制せねば、人は堕落して朽ちる。
Eagle: For such pleasure, I would deceive even God himself!
Dhalsim: If you do not control your desires, you will fall into ruin.
Dhalsim: 奥義、いまだ片鱗しか見せておらぬ。
Eagle: 私に遠慮かね？ さらけ出したまえ！
Dhalsim: You’ve only shown a glimpse of your secret techniques.
Eagle: Have you no restraint towards me? Reveal yourself!
Eagle: この際、出せるものは全部出す気でこい。
Blanka: ぐうが、ぐわれるがだ！
Eagle: At this point, give us everything you’ve got.
Blandka: Iz ead or be eaden!
Blanka: どっがらでも、ぜめでごい！
Eagle: なんとも期待をあおる誘いではないか。
Blanka: Come ad me!
Eagle: Enticing and fanning the flames of my anticipation.
Eagle: 分析などせずとも、どこが弱点かは解るよ。
Cammy: 個体により差はある。一点のみは狙えない。
Eagle: I don’t need to analyze anything to figure out your weaknesses.
Cammy: Everyone is different. You can’t just aim for one point.
Cammy: 熱反応低下。危険レベルＣに減退。
Eagle: 萎えるのが早すぎる。これでは楽しめん。
Cammy: Thermal response decreasing. Lower danger status to level C.
Eagle: It’s no fun when you wither so quickly.
Eagle: 紳士の魅力とは、肉体だけではないのだ。
Zangief: だが、鍛えといて損はないぞ！
Eagle: A gentleman’s charm isn’t limited to his body.
Zangief: But there’s no harm in training!
Zangief: 今さらながら、惚れ惚れする筋肉だ！
Eagle: もう少し洒脱さが欲しいところだが。
Zangief: After all this time, I’m still in love with these muscles!
Eagle: I’d like something a little more sophisticated.
Eagle: 修練のみでは、このラインは描き出せん。
Yun: その、意味ありげな腰つきはやめろよ。
Eagle: One cannot draw the line through training alone.
Yun: Cut it out with that suggestive posture.
Yun: ・・・・おっさん、何ジロジロ見てんだよ。
Eagle: いやなに、クンフーの柔軟性に興味が、ね。
Yun: …Hey old man, what’re you oogling at?
Eagle: Oh, nothing. I simply have an interest in the flexibility of kung-fu.
Eagle: あえて敵を魅了することも、また兵法。
Rolento: たわけッ！ 発見即排除が白兵戦の基本ッ！
Eagle: Charming an enemy is an art of war.
Rolento: Fool! Eliminating the enemy on sight is one of the fundamentals of hand-to-hand combat!
Rolento: フン、萎縮しおって！ 経験の差だなッ！
Eagle: 初めは誰しもチェリーボーイさ。
Rolento: Hmph, the difference in skill is pathetic!
Eagle: Everyone is a virgin at first.
Fatimah’s note: The Japanese uses the loanword チェリーボーイor cherī bōi — “cherry boy.” Specifically refers to a male virgin. I’ve seen it used in Japanese media with queer themes, but I can’t remember where right now. There is a very popular BL called Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! That’s the English localized title though, the Japanese title just says 童貞 or doutei — “virgin.” I also found an example in the Beastars manga here. And this substack mentions it being slang in the gay community. In some definitions, it can have the nuance of a man who has never had anal intercourse. In its modern use, as far as I know, it can be used for either gay or straight male virgins.
Eagle: 私の棒術、感想を聞かせて欲しいね。
Maki:「あたしのほうがすごい」おしまい。
Eagle: Tell me what you think of my bōjutsu.
Maki: “I’m better than you.” Period.
Maki: あんたのその棒も、使うと面白そうだね。
Eagle: フフ、お嬢さんには持て余すシロモノだよ。
Maki: That stick of yours could be fun to use.
Eagle: Hmm, it’s more than you can handle, young lady.
Eagle: 運不運で語るほど、拮抗していたかね？
Dan: オレはいつでも出たとこ勝負だコラァ！
Eagle: Were we such a close match that it came down to luck?
Dan: Hey, I’m always leaving it up to chance!
Dan: 挑発一つ満足にできねえヤツにや負けねえ！
Eagle: 君の価値基準は、謎だな。
Dan: I ain’t losing to someone who can’t get me worked up!
Eagle: The things you value are a mystery to me.
Eagle: 次も私のステージだ。君は待機したまえ。
Sakura: もー闘いたくってうずうずしてるのに～っ！
Eagle: My stage is next. You standby.
Sakura: Aw, but I’m itching for a fight!
Sakura: あたしも何か武器使っちゃおうかな？
Eagle: 君には、ベアナックルが似合うだろう。
Sakura: Maybe I should use a weapon too?
Eagle: Your bare hands suit you.
Eagle: 優勝の暁には、君と祝杯の夜を明かそうか。
Kyosuke: ････チーム解散を検討したほうがいいな。
Eagle: We’ll party all night when I win the championship.
Kyosuke: …You should consider disbanding the team.
Kyosuke: そろそろあなたの腕を見せてくれないか？
Eagle: 腕だけでいいのかね？ 遠慮はいらんよ。
Kyosuke: Come on now. It’s about time you show me your stuff.
Eagle: Oh, I’ll show you my stuff. No need to be shy.
Fatimah’s note: In Japanese, “show me your arm” means to show someone’s skill. The second line literally says “Just my arm? Don’t hold back.” This doesn’t really make sense in English, so I said “show me your stuff” and then made the second line kind of suggestive like the Japanese line.
Eagle: この最後の一撃････至福だ。
Morrigan: あら、そんなので満足なの？ 淡白なのね。
Eagle: That last blow… Pure bliss.
Morrigan: Oh, did that satisfy you? It was just a love tap.
Morrigan: 見込み違いだったかしら。つまらないわ。
Eagle: どうやら私とデュエルをお望みのようだ。
Morrigan: That wasn’t what I was expecting. How boring.
Eagle: Seems you’re looking to duel me.
Eagle: プレッシャー負けかね？情けない。
Balrog: 素直に、オレ様にビビったって言えよコラ！
Eagle: Can’t handle the pressure? Pathetic.
Balrog: Just admit you were scared shitless of me!
Balrog: 次のバカは誰だ！ ３秒でＫＯするぜ！！
Eagle: 気性の激しいパートナーも、悪くない。
Balrog: Who’s the next idiot to get his ass beat? I’ll knock your lights out in three seconds flat!
Eagle: I wouldn’t mind a partner who’s a bit rough.
Eagle: この程度ではね････沸き立たぬのだよ。
Vega: 望みなら、私が深淵に沈めてやる。
Eagle: This isn’t enough to get me worked up…
Vega: I’ll sink you to the depths if that’s what you want.
Vega: 果てつつ仰げ、紅のカーテンを！
Eagle: 敗者には勿体ない、荘厳なヴィジョンだ。
Vega: Gaze upon your defeat before the red curtains!
Eagle: A sublime view, wasted on the defeated.
Eagle: 君の拳と同様、この双棍は私の命だ。
Sagat: 帝王の拳に較べるものなど、ないがな。
Eagle: My sticks are my life, like your fists are yours.
Sagat: Nothing can compare to the fists of an emperor.
Sagat: 一撃の重さ、身にしみたか？
Eagle: 仰け反るほどに、効いていたようだな。
Sagat: Did you taste the weight of that blow?
Eagle: It was so effective I was blown away.
Eagle: 背徳の快感？ そんなもの求めてはいない。
M. Bison: 己の異常さに気づかぬフリか？
Eagle: The pleasure of immortality? That’s not what I seek.
M. Bison: Are you feigning obliviousness to your own eccentricities?
M. Bison: 全身を戦慄の色に満たしてやる！
Eagle: 律動に身悶えする姿が浮かぶよ。
M. Bison: I’ll have you cowering from head to toe!
Eagle: I can picture you writhing in agony to the rhythm.
Eagle: 強者にひかれるのは、男なら当然のことだ。
Akuma: 唾棄すべき意馬心猿、愚かなり！
Eagle: It’s only natural for a man to be charmed by the mighty.
Akuma: Succumbing to your desires, how foolish!
Eagle: 闘いとはね、愛を語るようなものなのだよ。
Kyo: ････おい、誰かこいつの目を覚ましてやれ。
Eagle: Fights are akin to conversing about love.
KyoL …Hey, someone get this guy to snap out of it.
Kyo: 黙ってやられてりゃいいんだよ！
Eagle: 反応がないというのも寂しいものだ。
Kyo: Shut up and let me at ‘em!
Eagle: It’s a little sad not getting a reaction out of you.
Eagle: この勝利、君に捧げよう。
Iori: よけいな世話だ！
Eagle: I dedicate this victory to you.
Iori: I ain’t none of your concern!
Iori: 何もかも････炭にしてやる！
Eagle: フフフ、ずいぶんと嫌われたものだな。
Iori: I’ll burn everything to a crisp!
Eagle: Heh heh heh, so you loathe me greatly.
Eagle: 恥じることはない。屈服したまえ。
Mai: なーに、あれ？ 恥ずかしいったらないわ！
Eagle: There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Surrender yourself.
Mai: Say what? I’m not ashamed!
Mai: 最強ボディにノックダウンってとこね！
Eagle: まだまだ世界を知らないようだね、レディ。
Mai: You’ve been knocked out by the strongest figure!
Eagle: There’s still much of the world for you to learn, young lady.
Eagle: 制するには、ときに強引さも必要だ。
Ryo: ウジウジしてるヤツは、ガツンといけ！
Eagle: At times aggression is necessary in order to have control.
Ryo: Don’t be wishy-washy, go for it!
Ryo: 誰が相手だろうと、俺は挑戦を受ける！
Eagle: ほう、なかなか幅広い趣味をしているな。
Ryo: I’ll accept any challenge, no matter who it may be!
Eagle: Oh? You have a wide assortment of pastimes.
Eagle: 熱い勝利、この手に握り締める････ンンッ！
Yuri: そ、そのアヤシイ手つき、やめてー！
Eagle: I will grasp this fiery victory with my own hands… Mmm!
Yuri: Stop doing that with your hands!
Yuri: いっくぞぉ、勝利の乱れ打ち～！
Eagle: 返したまえ！ 棍棒は楽器ではない！！
Yuri: Here comes the drum beat of victory!
Eagle: Give that back! My sticks are not for music!
Eagle: 歌ってくれるかね？ この勝利に！
Athena: ゆ、優勝を決めてからにしましょう。
Eagle: Would you sing to me, about this victory?!
Athena: L-Let’s see who takes the win first.
Athena: 次の相手は誰かな？ 楽しみ！
Eagle: 活きのいい若者だとよいがね。
Athena: I wonder who I’m up against next? I’m psyched!
Eagle: Hopefully it’s a spirited youngster.
Eagle: これ以上は楽しめんな。さらばだ。
King: あんたたち、出直さなくていいよ。
Eagle: My enjoyment has reached its limit. Farewell.
King: You guys don’t need to come back.
King: 一方的すぎて、逆に引いちまったよ。
Eagle: ワンマンショーは相手に嫌われるぞ。
King: It’s so one-sided, I’m actually taken aback.
Eagle: Our opponents aren’t fans of one-man shows.
Eagle: ファンは男女の隔てなく大事にすべきだよ。
Benimaru: ま、お互い様ってことで。
Eagle: Fans should be valued regardless of gender.
Benimaru: Well, that’s something we both agree on.
Benimaru: 優しさの中に情熱を。戦いのアクセントさ。
Eagle: 心惑わすビビッドな風味だ。テイスティー！
Benimaru: Passion enveloped within kindness; the highlight of a battle.
Eagle: What a captivating, vivacious flavor. How scrumptious!
Eagle: 同朋の勝利を、抱擁で迎えてはくれぬのか？
Terry: ････親密すぎるつきあいは、よそうぜ。
Eagle: Won’t you celebrate your comrade’s victory with an embrace?
Terry: …Let’s not get too chummy.
Terry: アップテンポで駆け上るぜ！
Eagle: 早々に力を出し尽くしてしまわんようにな。
Terry: Let’s ramp up the tempo!
Eagle: Take care to not wear yourself out too quickly.
Eagle: まろやかな勝利だ。いかがかね、ロック君。
Rock: あんたと趣味が合わないってのは解ったよ。
Eagle: A modest victory. How about you, Rock?
Rock: I’ve realized we’re very different people.
Rock: 一方的に攻め続けるのも、疲れるな。
Eagle: 激しいこと、それ自体は歓迎すべきだがね。
Rock: I’m tired of my opponents constantly trying to penetrate through.
Eagle: Intensity is something that should be welcomed.
Drew’s note: Rock is really just setting Eagle up to make another inappropriate comment here, isn’t he? Come on.
Eagle: 愛あればこそ、正義も意味を成すものだ。
Kim: いや、まず正義です。全ての根源ですから！
Eagle: It is through love that justice gains its meaning.
Kim: No, justice comes first. It is the source of everything!
Kim: 常識を知らぬから、そういう結果になる！
Eagle: まったくだ。倫理観というものに欠けるね。
Kim: That’s what you get when you don’t use common sense!
Eagle: Truly. What a lack of ethics.
Eagle: その痛みこそ、楽園への入り口だ。
Chang: 棒で、ツボでも刺激してるでヤンスか？
Eagle: That pain is the gate to paradise.
Chang: Are the sticks for pressing on pressure points?
Chang: 協力してやってんだ、報酬ははずめよ！
Eagle: めくるめく背徳の歓喜など、いかがかな？
Chang: I played along, so I should get some compensation!
Eagle: How about some dizzying, immoral pleasure?
Eagle: 君の勇姿に励まされたよ、ジョー君。
Joe: おっさん、目線がずいぶん下だぜ････。
Eagle: Your bravery was most inspiring, Joe.
Joe: Hey gramps, eyes up here…
Joe: なんだよ、あの目は！ バカにしやがって！
Eagle: テクニック不足に嘆いていたのかも知れん。
Joe: What’re you lookin’ at? You makin’ a fool of me?!
Eagle: Are you perhaps bemoaning your lack of technique?
Eagle: まともなステップも踏めんとは。
Todoh: 昨今は正座もままならん若者も多いしのう。
Eagle: They couldn’t take a proper step.
Todoh: Many young people can’t even sit up straight.
Todoh: 男の強さとは何か、わかったか！
Eagle: よければ私が教えよう。一晩かけてね。
Todoh: Do you understand the strength of a man?!
Eagle: If you’d like, I could teach you, all night long.
Drew’s note: You really can’t get more blatant than this. I just really wish Todoh had a response.
Eagle: 私と組んで損はなかったと思うが？
Raiden: 試合に関してはそう思うぜ。あくまでも。
Eagle: Partnering with me wasn’t so bad, yes?
Raiden: When it comes to battle, sure. I’ll give you that.
Raiden: 相棒にするなら、頑丈なヤツがいい。
Eagle: 君のタフネスぶりを、ぜひ試してみたいね。
Raiden: It’s best to have a partner who’s tough.
Eagle: I’d like to test out just how tough you are.
Fatimah’s note: This line has the energy of “I’d like to take you out for a spin,” wink wink
Eagle: これぞデュエル、双棍のアンサンブルだ。
Haohmaru: 二刀････いや、二本流だな。
Eagle: This duel is a two stick ensemble.
Haohmaru: Dual-sword… No, dual-stick style.
Haohmaru: 豪快に勝ってこそ武士(もののふ)よ！
Eagle: その大胆さが、私の心をも揺さぶるよ。
Haohmaru: Glorious victories are marks of a true warrior!
Eagle: Your boldness sets my heart aflutter.
Eagle: ほとばしるこの歓喜！ 闘いへの愛ゆえか！
Nakoruru: 愛することは、素晴らしいですものね。
Eagle: Such delight welling within me! It must be the love of the fight!
Nakoruru: To love is a wonderful thing.
Nakoruru: はやくみんなが仲良く暮らせますように。
Eagle: 適度なスリルと緊張感をたたえて、ね。
Nakoruru: May everyone live in harmony in the near future.
Eagle: With a touch of thrill and tension.
Drew’s note: It seems like a real missed opportunity not to have made a joke about the fact that Eagle is named after a bird and Nakoruru fights with a bird.
Eagle: この棍さばきの前には、誰もが膝を折る。
Hibiki: 業師の腕、拝見させていただきました。
Eagle: All will bend at the knee when I cast judgement with my sticks.
Hibiki: I have witnessed a master of his craft.
Hibiki: 欲を律し、居住まいを正すが剣士の嗜み。
Eagle: 正論だ。だが時に欲に身を任すも一興だよ。
Hibiki: Mastery of the blade requires control of one’s desires.
Eagle: Well said. But sometimes it’s nice to let loose.
Eagle: むしろロマンだよ。相手を制する行為はね。
Vice: 夢見てんじゃないよ。寝ぼけてると死ぬよ！
Eagle: It’s rather romantic to control your opponent.
Vice: Get your head out of the clouds before you wind up dead!
Vice: ほら、ゾクゾクしてこないかい？
Eagle: 私の求める快感は、君とは対象が異なる。
Vice: See, doesn’t that give you the chills?
Eagle: The pleasure I seek differs from yours in scope.
Drew’s note: Is he kinkshaming her?
Eagle: 私には世界支配などどうでもいいのだが。
Rugal: 愚者は、矮小な我欲で満足しておればよい。
Eagle: I care not about world domination.
Rugal: Fools ought to be content with their petty vanities.
Rugal: どの技もみな、見飽きたものばかりだ。
Eagle: かなり豊富な経験をお持ちのようだな。
Rugal: I grow tired of all of your moves.
Eagle: You seem to have a wealth of experience.
Eagle: どうした？ 物欲しそうな顔をして････。
Yamazaki: 早く狩らせろ！ テメエから死んどくか！？
Eagle: What is it? You have a ravenous look on your face…
Yamazaki: Lemme hunt ‘em down already! Or do ya wanna die first?!
Yamazaki: オラ！ タマぶっ潰す気合で来てみろや！！
Eagle: オウ････思わず縮み上がってしまう台詞だ。
Yamazaki: Hey! Come at me like yer tryin’ to crush my balls!
Eagle: Oh… Hearing that made me subconsciously shrivel up.
Eagle: グッド！ 満足のいく結果だ。
Geese: 最低レベルの安い勝ち方だがな。
Eagle: Excellent! A satisfactory result.
Geese: That was the lamest and cheapest way to win.
Geese: いい加減うんざりだな、素人の相手は。
Eagle: 初々しい反応もたまにはいいがね。
Geese: I’m sick of these nobodies.
Eagle: On occasion, these newbies react quite nicely.
And that’s it! I have to say, I’m genuinely impressed with how much dialogue was written for Eagle — and for every character, honestly, because all of them get as much to say. But taking all of Eagle’s dialogue in total, you get a better feel for what kind of man Eagle is. Again, his sexuality is not limited to a handful of Freddie Mercury quotes, even if that’s basically all we got in the English localization of the game. Looking at all this also makes it harder for anyone to make the argument that Eagle isn’t actually gay so much as he is just a Queen fan — and yes, that is an argument that people made back in the day. All these remarks to the other characters prove that he’s a Queen fan *and* he is gay.
Because SNK vs. Capcom 2 created a new sprite for Eagle, he next appeared as a playable character in an update to Street Fighter Alpha 3 alongside Maki, Yun and then also the mysterious Ingrid, whose sprite was taken from Capcom Fighting Evolution. Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper was also included in Capcom Fighting Collection 2, and I suspect that Capcom was keen to remind players who Ingrid was, since it was recently announced that she would be joining Street Fighter 6. But its inclusion also allows players to see how the newly gay Eagle was re-incorporated into the Street Fighter series proper, no longer just a one-off throwback in a crossover game. To be honest, there’s not all that much gay in the English version of the game, and what’s present in the original Japanese is somewhat muted, both in the amount of dialogue given and in the flamboyance of innuendo. But there are a few lines that remind you that Capcom did in fact kick Eagle out of the closet.
vs. Akuma
私の心がざわめくのは この男の力ゆえか？
Is the source of my heart's stirrings coming from this man’s power?
vs. Birdie
品の無い男には興味が湧かぬのでね 失礼する
A man who lacks integrity doesn’t pique my interest. I’ll be on my way now.
vs. E. Honda
サバオリ・・・・激しい抱擁だった 天国、いや地獄が垣間見えたよ
Saba-Ori ... It was a violent embrace to experience. I saw a glimpse of Heav... no, Hell.
Drew’s note: Eagle is referring to E. Honda’s move where he grabs an opponent and squeezes them in a bear hug.
vs. Eagle
その棒さばきにはいたく感服した ツボを心得ているじゃないか
I’m quite chuffed at your handling of sticks. A man of refined culture, I take it?
vs. Fei Long
私も映画に出れないものかね？君との絡みは受けると思うが
I suppose it wouldn’t be too far-fetched for me to make an appearance in a film? It would be needed for us to establish a rapport first, though.
Drew’s note: This is fairly clearly a nod to the fact that Eagle was based on a character in a Bruce Lee movie, because Fei Long is himself based on Lee. The comment about establishing a rapport probably refers to the fact that Robert Baker, who played the character, was Lee’s disciple in real life. If you don’t know this fact, it reads like Eagle just hitting on Fei Long.
vs. Ken
負けたというのに、何という目だ 見苦しいぞ！
What eyes you have despite losing. How poignant!
Unless I missed one, the only of his character-specific win quotes in the English version that hints at anything gay is the one he offers upon defeating Dee Jay in battle: “Music may make the people come together, but you came apart!” I’m fairly certain this is a reference to the Madonna song “Music,” which was released shortly before Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper first hit arcades. And if that’s true, then our boy Eagle apparently doesn’t *only* listen to Queen.
That is where Eagle’s story ends, at least for now. I, for one, would be happy to see him show up in a future installment, especially since Capcom seems even more comfortable exploring LGBTQ themes in Street Fighter, even if they’re not always ready to be more explicit. Poison is, after all, not officially trans despite all signs pointing toward this. Juri reads as fairly bi, but she might just as easily be an equal-opportunity flirt in an effort to psych out her opponents. In Street Fighter 6, however, Marisa is explicitly into all genders and equally down to pursue both Zangief and Manon as romantic partners.
In researching this subject, I ended up reading old message boards and the like from when people were just figuring out what it meant that Eagle was quoting Freddie Mercury. Posts asking something like “Is Eagle supposed to be gay?” would routinely get responses such as “Why does it matter?” or “Why are you even asking? It’s just a video game.” Because these conversations were happening in the early 2000s, I assume most of these responses were coming from homophobic gamers who didn’t like the idea of LGBTQ representation creeping into their beloved franchises, though I suppose the original poster could have just as easily been the homophobe, with the same responses asking why he was complaining about one gay-coded character in a long-running series that had featured dozens and dozens of apparently straight fighters. Maybe all parties engaging in the discussion were equally homophobic. It was the early 2000s. This is just how people talked in online gaming spaces.
Regarding the “Why does it matter?” response, I think it’s pretty obvious that I, at least, think it matters a whole lot that Eagle turned out to be a gay character. And I think anyone else who’s seen some aspect of themself rendered in a playable, selectable video game character for the first time would agree that it’s heartening to feel included. Eagle being gay doesn’t affect gameplay at all, and I guess if you’re just picking a character that suits you mechanically, then you wouldn’t care about all the cosmetic qualities one way or the other. However, I’m willing to bet the vast majority of people playing games like Street Fighter actually do care, and there’s something special in the idea of a gay-coded character such as Eagle going toe-to-toe with all the heavy hitters in the series, homosexuality be damned. It’s all the more meaningful that he can do that without having to hide who he is, who he’s attracted to or a deep-down love of the musical stylings of Freddy Mercury.
Miscellaneous Notes
Yes, this is my pride month post. Technically, last year’s was my complete history of Birdo’s gender, but I didn’t actually publish that one until July, so in this case, I’m just stoked to get something out before the end of June. And yes, I do really need to give Poison the same lovingly detailed history, but this impetus to do Eagle first was sparked by Diamond Feit while xe were prepping the Retronauts episode about SNK vs. Capcom franchise and realized that the depiction of Eagle’s sexuality was more extensive than most English-speaking Street Fighter fans realized. I can’t say no to a good idea for a post.
Capcom vs. SNK 2 was supposed to feature Linn Kurosawa from the 1994 Capcom game Alien vs. Predator, but rights issues ultimately prompted Capcom to scrap this idea and replace her with Maki from Final Fight 2. As a result of this, there’s some sense that the inclusion of Eagle, Maki and Kyosuke in Capcom vs. SNK 2 somehow doesn’t constitute a “real” appearance in a Street Fighter game in the same way that it’s breaking the rules that SNK’s roster includes Samurai Shodown’s Nakoruru and Haohmaru and Last Blade’s Hibiki. Regardless, Eagle and Maki showing up in Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper gets them both back into the mix, and I’m grateful this happened because it more or less officialized Eagle being gay, though I suppose we will have to wait until he shows up in another installment. I don’t know why Kyosuke didn’t make the cut, as his series Rival Schools is very much a sister series to Street Fighter. And it will be interesting to see how fellow Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper fighter Ingrid fares in Street Fighter 6, as she’s more often been considered a crossover character and not a character who “belonged” in Street Fighter. For what it’s worth, there are some compelling theories that Street Fighter III’s Ibuki inherited quite a few qualities from Linn and that her fellow teenage ninja friend Sarai Kurosawa is Linn’s ancestor, making Linn Street Fighter canon after all.
For a while, there was speculation that Zangief was actually supposed to be gay. He’s not, but that perception still lingers to a degree. I think this resulted from a combination of his Street Fighter II bio noting “young, beautiful women” among his dislikes and the fact that as a musclebound man in a speedo, Zangief fits a certain Japanese stereotype for a type of hypermasc gay man along the likes of Mukki from Final Fantasy VII. Zangief also famously wrestles bears, but in this case it’s actual ursines he’s tussling with and not members of the gay subculture. Later Street Fighter games have showed Zangief in the company of Laura and R. Mika, however, both of them being young, beautiful women, and his bio has been reworded slightly to say that he dislikes “beautiful women of marriageable age,” though I’m not sure what his objection is, exactly. Maybe the greatest piece of evidence tossed around online in the debate over whether Zang was into dudes is a scene from his ending in Super Street Fighter II Turbo, where he’s seen flexing his muscles in front of a mirror to which he’s pinned a photo of Vega.
It certainly looks gay, says me, but this is a misread of what’s going on here. Zangief has actually defaced Vega’s photo with バカ or baka, “idiot,” and プー or pū, a fart noise. The implication here isn’t that Zangief is in love with Vega but instead that he strongly dislikes him to the point that their rivalry is fueling Zangief’s training. As a beautiful man whose fighting style emphasizes grace and showmanship, Vega embodies qualities that are antithetical to what Zangief holds most dear, so it’s not surprising that he’d arouse such strong feelings. Anything gay is purely the stuff of fanfiction, I guess.
In the original Street Fighter, the only thing of interest I can say about Eagle’s stage is that a crumbling castle looms in the background. Some people have guessed that this might be the same castle appearing in the background of Cammy, another British fighter, but I don’t think there’s anything in-game that actually proves this. After all, have you been to England? They’ve got lots of old castles, many of them overlooking valleys that contain bodies of water, I’d guess.
And the background music for this stage is just whatever. However, a 1988 TurboGrax-CD port of the game, inexplicably dubbed Fighting Street, features an arranged soundtrack and Eagle’s theme is much improved.
I really like that an ’80s music-loving gay character was given something both grand and synthy. I hope if Eagle ever returns to a future Street Fighter game, some version of this BGM comes with him.
Street Fighter character deep dives, previously: