Sagat (1993 Street Fighter II)
One of the most brutal fighters in Capcom’s Street Fighter video games also made an appearance in the GI Joe line as part of its Street Fighter offshoot. Who knew that he was also the star of the alarmingly saccharine Full House and America’s Funniest Videos as well as being one of the most brutally foul-mouthed stand up comics in recent memory?
Everywhere You Look, this figure has muscles. Sagat sports one of the most ripped figure sculpts in the old line. I hear he even nicknamed his impressive guns Mary Kate and Ashley. Speaking of cut, check out the gaping wound on his chest. In the video game, it’s a scar from his original match with Street Fighter star Ryu. On the figure, it looks more like a fresh wound, albeit without blood. The exposed musculature has to be one of the grossest effects on a GI Joe figure. I think it’s pretty awesome.
Sagat is one of the tallest o-ring Joe figures, and towers over other figures in the line. Most of this is due to the length of his thighs, but his torso is also longer than other figures. He’s got the same sort of tall shoulders and high-sitting head issue that affects other figures with spring action features. Sagat’s feature is a swinging arm action labeled a Thai Chop. He’s also equipped with the usual bunch of martial arts weapons, although they seem to be pointless for a man who is supposed to be second only to M. Bison in deadly fighting ability.
I didn’t come here to talk about muscles and fighting, however, I came to talk about pants. How many GI Joe figures (and I know this guy is only tangentially GI Joe, but go with me on this) have worn shorts? I can think of the 2000s version of Alpine, but that’s about it. There was Kwinn in the comics, but we’re still waiting on his figure. I can’t think of many others, unless you count that 2000s BAT that looked like it was wearing bike shorts. Whatever the case, Danny Tanner here is wearing some mighty rare (but nice) pants.
And of course, the figure got repainted for the 1994 movie edition with his color scheme based on his 3rd palette swap option (and as the driver of the Devastator with his purple one). His waist and legs would also be used for the first Mortal Kombat Johnny Cage figure.
Also, it’s pronounced “Sah-gaht”. If they ever did a new US-produced Street Fighter cartoon, I could see Clancy Brown voicing him.
I once saw a custom of ‘Resort’ Destro. It was made from Sagats legs and Chuckles torso.
I only ever buy the street fighter stuff for fodder purposes. I wanted to make the famous group of young ninjas from that small mountain town in Colorado but the guy wanted $25.00 AU each for his crummy old Guile and Honda. No thanks. The ninjas will just have to wait
Man, that scar is mighty impressive for a kid’s toy line. I never paid much attention to the Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat stuff since I’d stopped collecting Joes a few years prior, but I’m seriously thinking about getting some of these figures if they turn up cheap on the Bay.
Sagat here might have made a great Dreadnok, even though the eye patch thing had been done twice in the vintage line by the time this dude turned up. Still an impressive fig, shorts and all.
@Clutch
Funny you should mention that–I forgot to say that Sagat’s head WAS used for a Dreadnok: the 2004 convention-exclusive Dreadnok Demolisher.
I never had this version but had the Street Fighter movie version and I think what honestly sold me was the detailing on that chest wound. It just looked wicked and made him look really intimidating. I’m pretty sure I used him as a stand in for Big Boa, whipping the Cobras into shape and whupping the butt of anyone who was crazy enough to take him on. However, I think he usually got pretty roundly beaten by my Roadblock, who was one of the few Joes I felt could consistently stand up to him.
Great mold!
This is another one of my favorites. They did a really good job on this and the likeness of the Street Fighter II character is very accurate. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I never thought the plastic on this was up to the high standards of the rest of the Joe line. Still, a great figure.
I LOVE FULL HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (but you probably could tell..)
How could I tell?