Raikov Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Major Raikov first appeared in Metal Gear Solid 3 and, as the screen shot above shows, is the lover of Colonel Volgin (his commanding officer). Raikov is said to be a parody of Raiden (see here and here), and (unlike Raiden) is represented as explicitly gay. Although his sexuality is not actually stated, Raikov does seem to be intentionally coded as a gay character. For example, heterosexual pornography that can be used to stun most enemy NPCs has no effect on him. He is also often portrayed as wearing thong underwear with Volgin’s symbol, a lightening bolt, in the video on this page.

LGBTQ References in this series:

Metal Gear Solid (1998): Ocelot; Otacon

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001): Vamp; Scott Dolph; Raiden

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004): Raikov and Volgin

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010): Strangelove; Kaz

Citations:

  1. Are Raikov and Volgin gay? (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.ign.com/boards/threads/are-raikov-and-volgin-gay.146590869
  2. Brindle, J. (2013, April 6). How does it taste? The sexual politics of how Metal Gear Solid 3 treats Raiden. The Brindle Brothers. http://brindlebrothers.blogspot.com/2013/04/dress-up-games-with-naked-snake.html
  3. Fruit Brute. (2006, July 12). Top 20 Gayest Video Game Characters – #14 – Major Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov – Metal Gear Solid 3. GayGamer.Net. http://gaygamer.net/2006/07/top_20_gayest_video_game_chara_7.html
  4. Fruit Brute. (2008, June 25). Metal Gear Solid: Gay, Gay, Gay. GayGamer.Net. http://gaygamer.net/2008/06/metal_gear_solid_gay_gay_gay.html
  5. Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/Ivan_Raidenovitch_Raikov
  7. The H0m0erotic Undertones Of Metal Gear Solid. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gamespot.com/forums/system-wars-314159282/the-h0m0erotic-undertones-of-metal-gear-solid-27566847
  8. Fruit Brute. (2006, July 12). Top 20 Gayest Video Game Characters – #14 – Major Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov – Metal Gear Solid 3. GayGamer.Net. http://gaygamer.net/2006/07/top_20_gayest_video_game_chara_7.html
  9. Yevgeny Borisovitch Volgin. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://metalgear.wikia.com/wiki/Yevgeny_Borisovitch_Volgin