Hey there fellows G1's Raze here with another blog to talk and examine about Fighting games and what it is we seem to be expecting from them. Also the reason I used pictures like those were to prove a point, NOT because I thought they were the hottest (although if you think that way go right ahead) and trust me there were some pretty perverted ones I came across. So, hope you enjoy and as always comments are appreciated, thanks! ********************************************************* ah yes, 2009, what can we say happened so far in this year? after all we're 8 months in, and more than likely these next 4 months will fly by like nothing. Well we can definitely admit that it was the year of the Fighters. Street Fighter IV, Blazblue, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, KOF XII, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, and to think we still have 2 more fighting games coming out (Final Fantasy: Dissidia, and Tekken 6) Talk to about a crazy year huh? and who could argue? fighting games are an awesome genre. Dishing out combos, beating your opponent, finding your favorite character and loving them for how they kick ass. Speaking of Characters, in Fighting games you know that there's always to be expected of something and that is the hot girl (or guy if you're a girl yourself). And don't deny it you know it's true, whether you're gushing over Chun-li and her thighs or Litchi-Faye-Ling and her "steamed buns", but here's the thing, although it's nice yes that fighting games expand to both genders in their games but the way they're dressed, is it really that necessary? especially when fighting out of all things? more importantly do we really need it in order to think a game is good? This caught my curiosity after hearing out what everyone had to say about KOF XII and yes I'll admit I was disappointed but not from the combat, so much so, from the lack of content (come on...5 stages? that's it??)but the lack of content other people were whining about was a certain character..a certain ms. Mai Shiranui to be precise. Now I can understand why people would miss her for her fighting style and because she was a main staple to the series, but they whined because, well you guessed it, no eye candy for the fanboys like we really need some...hot fighter with big gozongas to entertain us >.>..preposterous Now yes, I know the game was mainly bashed on for the lack of content but when hearing this, I began to wonder and realize that fighting games always have some hot poster girl to promote it...or two...or three...or a whole female cast as a matter of fact. some examples.... Chun-li (Street Fighter) I think we all know why we gush for her by now, as Jared said it himself "It would be the worst pain imaginable....or the best ;D" Cammy (Street Fighter) (you don't wanna know the other pictures I found...seriously) Obviously she appeals to the guys because..well lets face it, if you ever wanted a girl to fight in a thong this is as close you'll ever get Sakura (Street Fighter) Hey if anything she's the definition of panty-shot character plus not to mention she's a school girl that kicks ass, (yes I know not the most original idea now-a-days) but still that's something Dizzy (Guilty Gear) Hey with her cleavage exposed like that, it's amazing how many girls actually cosplay as her, and who knows maybe it's because of that guys overlooks her weird wings and tail >_> Bridget...lolwut? (Guilty Gear) come on I had to XD, and you have to admit you had the same reaction as everyone else when you found out it was a dude Litchi-Faye-Ling (Blazblue) You know it could be coincidence but I'm pretty sure the people at AKSYS games are specialists in sexual appeal...well except for you know who XD *points to last entry* Noel-Vermillion (Blazblue) hey she's a girl and has guns, if anything that's two of the things gamers today love most Seung-Mina (SoulCalibur) hey with a picture like this you can hear the fanboys saying "just a little more...little more" Ivy (SoulCalibur) ....Do I even NEED to explain?..honestly, I'm surprised they hadn't made her naked by now Every girl from Dead or Alive (DOA) yes I had to use this picture because I swear this is the safest one I can go to because the rest is just hentai after another well that's enough other wise this could go on longer than need to be, but just looking at these pictures, you realize, yes almost every fighting game (if not everyone) has sex appeal to it, even smash! and you all know who I'm talking about...I'm not looking for that because it'll take me another half hour like the last entry to look for a safe picture of Zero Suit Samus. But what is it about fighting games that have to deal in less clothing for girls in the first place? well one reason being since it is a fighting game we're talking about here, more than likely all the females are gonna thin to begin with and developers take advantage of that to please fans and begin artwork flowing. Another reason could be due to the Dead or Alive series which we all know brought the one thing that might have started all this, the Jiggle Physics. When gamers saw that, they might have been craving for more bouncing action from a female character in a fighting game or it could be developers trying to compete with others to make their female cast look the sexiest of all. But the kicker is, what's important about a fighting game?...THE FIGHTING, and don't get me wrong most of these women have some awesome combos and memorable movesets, Chun-li and her fast kicks, Ivy and her extension range, Kasumi and her teleportation specials, the list could go on. And trust me there is no such thing as a broken character in fighting games...unless the designer made them that way but what matter is the fighting, how well the character controls and their Tier position (if you're really hardcore). And I can give respect if for say one of these characters were taken out and people got mad because they were good with that character, and mastered their combos. What pisses me off, is when people whine because they don't have anymore eye-candy to ogle when they didn't even play as the character in the first place. It could be because the nation is becoming more and more perverted, and we can gain access to see what we want to see so easily. It could also be because when it comes to sex or just the female gender and the media, they try to make everything as sexified as possible, and while it can work to please the hardcore who just want to enjoy a game for the game and still make a character look hot (Chun-li), it sometimes fails and ends up badly (Megan Fox if you scream one more time in the that movie my ears are gonna explode). So in truth it doesn't seem like we NEED to have sex appeal in fighters, but it does seem to please those who enjoy the "viewing pleasure" and "ARTWORK" *cough*hentai*cough*. But hey it seems now-a-days everything has a sex appeal to it, but not everything has to have it in order to be a great game, games like Pikmin, Braid, or Half-life have none of that (no gamers I am NOT counting Alex Vance's ass) and they happened to be great games that most people enjoy I guess really when it comes to fighting games, Sex Appeal is just one of those things that's added into the mix now-a-days along with things like online, score-attack, and artwork galleries, but I think it's because we expect that now in fact we expect more than that from a fighter, we expect - The guy who can projectile spam - The huge dude focused on grabs and looks like he (or she...you never know) can eat you for lunch -The young one that more than likely can jump and has quick combos -The weird one...nuff said -The dark evil one that might or might not piss you off and of course.. -The incredibly cheap bastard that you've got to learn to beat because people never stop choosing that character...if the game has one that is All these things we expect yeah but, it's the way each fighting game manages to pull it off is what makes each one unique to each-other and have a favorite or a non-favorite even, well that's all I gotta say this time G1's but if you've got any comments be sure to leave your comments and tell me what you think, now if you excuse me, I'm gonna go train some more in BlazBlue, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, and DOA 4, later!