I've said this twice in the thread already, what's wrong with my answer?I don't get it why do they need to be naked? What would having them clothed vs naked convey in this case? If you have the technology to have people reborn in pods, you don't have the technology to have them clothed?
I said this earlier but it's pretty basic. Kamitani said he started with the last scene first, with them waking up from the pods to explore a new world. It parallels a new birth of the human race on this new planet, and it adds to the newness of them experiencing real life for the first time ever. In a game laden with and utilizing sci-fi tropes it's also obviously paying homage to the Matrix.
As to the big boobs, I guess I just don't remember that but sure, a lot of the topic already covers that the art is more provocative and problematic than the intent.
They didn't find a justification for nudity, nudity can actually just be a part of any art. It's okay to seperate the plot element of nudity from the actual visual design when you talk about this stuff. Like there's really nothing wrong with the fact they're nude, that doesn't need to be "justified". What would need to be "justified" is why some of the characters seem to be particularly sexualized and for me I'm not going to do that besides saying it's obviously to pander to an audience that I'd rather just not exist.
So few critics of 13 Sentinels seem willing to budge from the fact that actually yes, the nudity might be critical to what they wanted to create in a non-sexual way, but problematic elements exist in the visual elements.
Like I'm totally willing to critique the game, but I have no idea why people have to lump in "they're catering to a horny otaku base" with this premise that nudity can actually serve a purpose, and that the problematic element of the game isn't that there's 16 year olds in the nude, but that they've sexualized the visual component. When people come in and say "well they don't have to be nude" that isn't a worthwhile critique because not only was it the artists intent to have and use that nudity in a meaningful metaphor for one of the games central themes, but is also justified by the plot itself as a logical component.
Saying that the portraits uncomfortably sexualize women is a great critique, saying that the activators are in unnecessarily gendered locations is great, talking about how the narrative itself can go male gazey with a couple of the offhand remarks Ogata makes that sexualizes women is a point I've mentioned before, etc. I think it's great to engage in what's problematic, and have in myself tried to do a "mega post" containing the most severe cases of problematic elements the game has so others could be aware (including what I consider the less well done parts of the LGBTQ aspect).
What I loved most about the game was the narrative. I think the narrative is better for having them nude because it makes sense and has a meaningful metaphor. I think the videogame as a whole is worse for sexualizing women and children, and could have been better. That's what it means to like something but be willing to engage with its core problems. If the cockpits would have been merely headshots (and yes, not had their hair/face accessories), I think it would have been a better game. They still would have been nude though.