No worries! I was adding to your post, not reprimanding. :)
Aye. A good counter-example is Shining Force.
Shining Force had even more blatant sexualization and fanservice in the games after SF3, due to the new lead artist being a hentai artist (lol). However, they had no major budgets or significant marketing, they changed the gameplay formula for a more "modern" action style (some of them were still SRPGs I believe, but far from all), no real support from Sega, poor localization efforts, etc.
And guess what, it's not selling despite pandering like this shit. People still love the classic Shining games (Shining Force 1, 2, 3, Shining Force Gaiden/CD, and Shining in the Darkness/Holy Ark) but no one gives a shit about modern ones, because not only they suck, but all the fanservice in the world ain't enough to save it.
Wow.
The #1 "argument" from dudes barging in this thread is to tell women "vote with your wallet" or "buy something else". When someone literally said they do that, that's your answer? Really?
Oh my. I had no idea there was an actual... term for this. xD I just always called it the "no-pants" design.
You are right, it's overwhelmingly common. Even in designs that are almost decent and respectful, you get this stuff. All the playable female characters in Trails of Cold Steel have it -- no, seriously, ALL of them have either this zettai thing or are sexualized in some other way. The Kiseki games are pretty decent with gender representation for the most part, but they are becoming increasingly pandering (it's worse now than it was in the Trails in the Sky era). Hell, just for laughs I googled "Trails of Cold Steel cast" and found... this xD
LOL. I don't know who edited this pic, but I salute you.
"Ah, but!", said the hypothetical male countering this, "it's because they are students, and this is their uniform!". Correct, however, it's mighty convenient that the uniform for military students is so sexy for female students, hmm? Not to mention, I did say ALL playable female characters... and that includes the non-students. Behold, in order: the instructor, Sara; the new special student (who isn't wearing the school uniform -- oh, she's also like, 13), Millium; the not-so-secretly-badass maid, Sharon; the badass military officer, Claire... yeah.
And then there's the fact that in Cold Steel 2, they are no longer in school and therefore no longer wearing their school uniform, and yet... hmmmmm
Perhaps I should be ashamed of my words and deeds and I will find out in Cold Steel 3 that it's actually illegal for women and girls to wearing pants in Erebonia.... >_>
You could have a "power fantasy" type of female character doing things like... I don't know, getting naked in the shower with her lover? But yeah, most female protags don't even get to so much as kiss a dude, let alone engage in sexy acts with them. Unless they're Bioware games where you design your character and you get to see a goofy sex animation I guess. xD
I love the Hawkeye initiative. Wish it was still being updated.
Also I've noticed lately some male comics characters have started to get a little more fanservicey, such as Loki, Namor, and Peter Quill. Which is fun.
Guys do often complain when they are forced to see male characters with a hint of sexualization, and it's unfortunate.
Those are some pretty good examples of what I'd call a "female gaze", actually. Those men are sexualized, and not in a power fantasy way at all. They are pretty much drawn and angled to be eye candy for straight women (and gay men).
Absolutely. "Small" things like high heels, pigeon toes, no-pants, boobplate, corsets, etc. often ruin an otherwise really cool designs, like Shanoa, Ciri, etc. that just scream "look, she's a woman so she must be SEXY". Like the Cold Steel girls above. I mean, they aren't egregiously sexualized, but they still couldn't help themselves and give them mini skirts (and usually something else like a prominent chest, cleavage, or exposed midriff)... while the dudes all wear pants and closed shirts. Sigh.
Meg was terrible gameplay-wise. It's almost as if she was specifically created to be never used in your party and be the first character you dismiss for another one. :(I just realized with this Fire Emblem design discussion that Radiant Dawn also had Meg.
I remember back then that I thought Meg was the... "strangest" female character because all the other female characters were cute, pretty and attractive and then, there was her. And I'm going to be honest here, I didn't want her in my team. I only wanted badass-looking men and women, I didn't like her design.
I kinda feel bad today though, especially when I say we need more diversity in female character design. She looks kinda cute actually, but her body isn't something "common".I wonder if she was a good character to have in the team.
Well, interesting how he has full pants, full chest protection, proper boots, a normal confident stance, and practical hair. HmmmmmmNo idea, looks kinda like a 'scientist' archetype to me, so I suppose the random armor pieces are there mainly because they look cool. Then again, this is the male 'scientist'...
Last edited:
