Man, seeing how 'Sagat' has been dressed up and re-sculpted over the years is such a trip. Back when I first played 'Street Fighter II' in an arcade, his towering sprite was this intimidating, almost blocky silhouette — eyepatch, huge chest scar, Muay Thai shorts and taped hands. The limitations of pixels meant his proportions were exaggerated: long limbs, a narrow waist, and that scar (the one from Ryu’s Shoryuken in the lore) read loud and clear even in low-res. Artist illustrations around then leaned into the “fallen champion” vibe — very raw, very warrior-like.
As consoles evolved, so did his look. By the time we hit the 3D-era and games like 'Street Fighter IV', Capcom had the freedom to add muscle texture, realistic wraps, and richer costume details — more proper Muay Thai elements like prajioud armbands or the mongkol show up in certain artwork and alternates. His eyepatch, the scar across his torso, and the stoic, single-minded glare stayed constant, but the way light hit his model, his scars, and even his skin tone changed to reflect a shift toward realism. I love comparing sprite art to the cinematic promotional pieces and DLC skins; they all tell slightly different stories about who Sagat is at that moment in Capcom’s timeline.