Skullgirls and Sexism

[LilithSlave]

People, nobody here is saying that this game shouldn't be made. I'm almost the only person around here saying that this feminist group actually has a point.

I, for one, am a huge Peacock fangirl. I also play Vanguard Princess. A game I think deserves more love.
The most similar game to Skullgirls ever. A completely freeware fighter by the way. If you're interested in Skullgirls, go pick it up right now, it's free.

Does it get a little bit crazy with that fanservice that you almost never see out of males in a video game? Yup. It has that flaw. It's also not going to be a major PlayStation Network title.

But hey, I'm just too complain-y. I can't wait for my Kingdom Hearts boy-spanking game I've always dreamed of of going mainstream. Or gee, when Tecmo going to make my Xtreme Bishounen Volleyball? Ha ha ha! Right. And when's the next time I can play as a female protagonist that isn't any more sexualized than Gordon Freeman? And when was the last time that happened? Portal 2?

 

[Some_weirdGuy]

so what I'm taking from this is... they all have to be fat and flat chested or else it's sexist?

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

People, nobody here is saying that this game shouldn't be made. I'm almost the only person around here saying that this feminist group actually has a point.

I, for one, am a huge Peacock fangirl. I also play Vanguard Princess. A game I think deserves more love.
The most similar game to Skullgirls ever. A completely freeware fighter by the way. If you're interested in Skullgirls, go pick it up right now, it's free.

Does it get a little bit crazy with that fanservice that you almost never see out of males in a video game? Yup. It has that flaw. It's also not going to be a major PlayStation Network title.

But hey, I'm just too complain-y. I can't wait for my Kingdom Hearts boy-spanking game I've always dreamed of of going mainstream. Ha ha ha!

I didn't know that game existed. Considering that I'm a whore for 2D fighters, I'm downloading this immediately. Thanks for the heads up. And have fun with the boy-spanking.

 

[Kopikatsu]

Skullgirls doesn't just have a couple girls with jiggle physics, like, say, Blazblue, it's the whole cast.

Peacock and Bloody Marie have jiggle physics? BI

I didn't know a delicious flatchest could jiggle.

...Wait...how old is Peacock again? Hopefully old enough that I can make that joke. Wait...how old is Bloody Marie? DAMMIT.

Edit: Peacock is 13, apparently. NEVERMIND. BACKPEDAL BACKPEDAL.

 

[Digitaldreamer7]

They are just marketing to the key demographic for this product.

 

[LilithSlave]

All right, almost the whole cast. But in Blazblue, it's just one lady, not 4 or 5 or more of them.

They really overdid it with Skullgirls.

 

[geK0]

-

I think this game would fall under the category of 'guilty pleasure' (same with skullgirls for that matter). They don't really seem any worse than these 'boy spanking' games you speak of, they just cater to a different audience.

edit:
misread, thought you were against this game..... wait if you like this game why are we even having this argument? -.-

 

[LilithSlave]

Because I'm not against the game. I just ended up getting into an argument here because I think that this feminist group has a point.

It's not like you can't like something while seeing flaws it may have or see it as being a part of a negative trend. I'm not sure there's too many games that don't have something I don't like about them.

I honestly felt kind of annoyed by how in Final Fantasy VII at the end of battles, they would so often focus the camera right on Tifa's boobs as she put her hands right behind her back and jutted them out. But it didn't stop me from playing and liking the game.

 

[geK0]

ah

I guess i was being over defensive then lol

 

[Grahav]

It may be slow but fiction and media attending to girls erotic and romantic needs have been growing in the later times.

You got yaoi fics, romantic novels, Twilight (bad written porn for women). this...

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/features/9252-Games-for-Girls

Heck, there is even talk of female orgasm!!!

And girls both american muscled hero and bishonen japanese hero looks are hard to get. Guys usually don't have that much hair in the top of their heads, instead we have it on our bodies, and getting strong without getting some muscles is beyond hard.

Anyway. I think the issue when there is a post regarding sexism against either gender is that it provokes the idea that there is a villainous gender.

Men are chaotic evil , body slaving, violent, idiotic, childish, raging, objectifying, sexist rapist dicks that are responsible for all the evil of the word.

Women are lawful evil manipulative, mind slaving, greedy, false, annoying, demeaning, treacherous, envious cunts that are responsible for all the evil in the world.

Can't we all agree that both genders are awful but in different ways?

I'm glad you liked the article, Grahav! Hope you enjoy the rest of the site too.

I will. By the way, do you have or can publish an article that shows the best and worst qualities of each gender? I find it easier to relate to people that are on the same level as me.

 

[Shinkicker444]

The game looks fun to me, people need to stop looking for things to be offended over. I didn't even notice the fan service when I saw the videos for this game (had to specifically look for it).

I find the art style to be somewhat amusing and refreshing from the more 'realistic' fighters. Like say SF, Soul Calibur or (lol) DoA - I guess we can expect articles like this when DoA5 is released, or have people given up on that as a lost cause. Even that game Lilith posted about should be more of a concern to those crusading about things like this (regardless of if its free or on the PSN). I think the characters are fun too, Ms Fortune is just hilarious.

Besides give time for the emerging female orientated games market to be exploited like the male one has been and we'll see how things stand.

 

[TheRealCJ]

Yeah... I don't see why the girl who has RIPPED HER OWN HEAD OFF is wearing a shirt that only covers half her boobs.

Sexist, and that' the long-and-short of it.

 

[Mr.Squishy]

I have a great idea! Let's just every character ever in full-covering armor from head to toe! Even grandparents and children! We don't want any dirty 'male gaze' now do we? No, Sir/Ma'am! Natural urges shouldn't play any part in anything ever! Because then you are an oppressive sexist!

 

[st0pnsw0p]

And here I thought that's what they were trying to parody.

 

[Lilani]

Are they inherently inadequate to whatever males are in the universe? Are they in some subservient position? No? Then let's get over it. From what I've been able to read about the characters their asses aren't their only assets, so it's fine. We don't get all uppity like this when the guy characters in fighting games are wearing nothing like a loincloth. So let's stop misusing the word sexism and get over it.

 

[Lilani]

Yeah... I don't see why the girl who has RIPPED HER OWN HEAD OFF is wearing a shirt that only covers half her boobs.

Sexist, and that' the long-and-short of it.

Yeah, THIS is what I'm talking about. And what everyone is talking about, really. Read my other post above. I am a WOMAN here, and I don't mind this. At all. They want to run around wearing skimpy outfits? Fine. Male characters in fighting games do it all the time. Lay off the sexist cries for when they start getting slapped and told to go to the kitchen. Skimpy outfits are not sexist.

Now, if their only traits were their boobs and asses, that would be a problem. But from what I can tell, these characters have a bit of a storyline. Yeah they're wearing skimpy outfits, but they aren't in subservient roles, they aren't being taken advantage of, and from what I've seen so far there is no implication that they are inferior to males. So please, spare us the pity. Save the word "sexist" for situations where it actually applies, lest the boy who cries wolf syndrome involving this stuff gets any worse.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

There's nothing WRONG with a little bit of sexualization, I have friends who perform in burlesque shows, or work as models at classic car shows.
I myself collect prints of WWII Bomber Girls. The point is that a healthy amount of sexy isn't hurting anyone.

And all of the things I mentioned previously are obviously intended to titillate and pander to the more base male urges.
But they do so in a manner that even at their most scandalous isn't nearly as pandering and offensive as any one of the DOA: Beach Volleyball or Rumble Roses games.

Is there a serious issue with the portrayal of female characters in video games? Yeah, there is and it's a topic that deserves discussion but it's not a binary problem and there are much worse offenders than this one.

Are the characters in Skullgirls wearing outfits that are more than a little fetishistic? Well yeah, I'm not blind of course they are. The point is that when I look at the character designs for Skullgirls, even a character like Valentine, who is clearly supposed to be the "Sexy" one (Essentially this game's Morrigan or Ivy) I don't really see anything that indicates that they are anything other than a series of supernatural fighters.

 

[Halo Fanboy]

When the vast majority of female characters have exaggerated proportions... it is sexist.

You can't honestly tell me that the majority of characters of either sex has remotely correct proportions in most games predating the Dreamcast era. Furthermore I don't see how you can expect realistic proportions from a cartoon inspired aesthetic.

 

[Kopikatsu]

Yeah... I don't see why the girl who has RIPPED HER OWN HEAD OFF is wearing a shirt that only covers half her boobs.

Sexist, and that' the long-and-short of it.

Actually, Ms. Fortune has the most reason to be wearing a skimpy outfit, because her body comes apart. It would probably be difficult to take advantage of that if you were wearing clothes that covered the joints, yanno?

I see no sexism.
A tad bit of over the top with the appearances but even then no line is crossed. I'm still waiting for Peach to get cries of sexism for being a pretty,blonde,useless,broad. I guess ladies like being recognized as useless more than sexy?

EDIT:OH WAIT. The MEN were complaining...WHY?
I mean why this game? This is far from new! On top of that Its only considered oversexualized if you notice/look for it. In other words the "DEFENDER'S OF WOMANKIND" are the real perverts.

Sexism is looking down upon a sex not imagining them to be a certain way.

Even in this thread, most of the people complaining are guys. Most of the women are telling them to get over themselves. =x