Disturbing the Peace #1 - Lightning's Boob Job

So I made the mistake of reading things on the internet yesterday, and I encountered this little gem in a sea of other malarkey. And this one, too. And the my head exploded.

And it's not really even the sexuality of it that pisses me off, because there are games where you KNOW that's what you're getting, like Dead or Alive, or Bayonetta, or even God of War. I write erotic romance for heaven's sake, so I am the LAST person anyone can or should call a prude.

But this?

To mess with Lightning, arguably one of the baddest of the bad ass and the one tolerable character in that freaking game? Uh, no.

Here's why:

Hi. I'm Tera. I wear clothes.

The Final Fantasy series (now in its 14th installment) hasn't had a female protagonist since 1994 when Final Fantasy VI came out. Though the designers had no real intention of having a main character, thus giving all the characters equal time, Terra became known as FFVI's protag because of her extensive use in the game's promotion. Terra and the game are now synonymous with one another. You don't think of one without thinking of its counterpart.

Now, there was that little...incident...known as Final Fantasy X-2, which featured an all-female team of Yuna, Rikku and Paine. However, the tone of the game #1) does not match its predecessor whatsoever and basically reduces Yuna to a steaming pile of stupid and #2) doesn't fit well with the FF series in its entirety, and though it was the first sequel EVER to a Final Fantasy game...well...




Dresspheres. That make crap like this happen:

Uuuh...huhh....

Because no enemy will ever shoot the bewbies.

So essentially, Lightning is the first female protagonist of a Final Fantasy game in almost 20 years.

As my wonderful friend James put it:

What's important to the developers about this character, who is the player avatar and main protagonist of this game and of the two games that preceded it? Personality, strength, determination, resourcefulness, tactical planning, preparation, force of will, overcoming adversity, her extensive backstory (not that it's a good or well-written backstory, but it's there), development from personal experience, interaction with others, combat effectiveness, fighting style, dialogue, acting? Nope, how she looks. What's being considered for how she looks? Practical considerations for her occupation while maintaining a unique visual identity that has some consistency with prior games but also reflects on her personality and experience as it has changed since, and because of, prior adventures? Nope, bigger gazongas and jiggle-physics. Gah. Disgusting.

That. That is what upsets me the most. Not that they've made a woman with big boobs that jiggle. But because they've made Lightning into that for NO REASON.

So, here's my proposition. I propose that also in said game, whatever male main protagonist you have, if it's Snow (ESPECIALLY if it's Snow) or some other dude, I would like to have an option that puts him in an outfit as follows: No shirt, even if the whole damn game is set in the wintertime; and leather pants, complete with bulge. May as well make it fair, right? Right. I mean, we got Kratos, but I'm offended by the amount of male protagonists who are always clothed.

I guess we shouldn't expect too much variety. But their no-no parts are covered.

I mean, I would love to get a much less clothed Nathan Drake or Dante or Auron or Alucard or Gabriel Belmont. I mean, if that amazing armor that looks like this:

Now with more vaj! +5 to "You Go Girl"

magically keeps women from dying in games via arrow through the boobs or arrow/sword through the stomach or arrow/sword through the thigh (or vaj, apparently), then why can't that work in the guy form of....basically metal boxer briefs. We could have added another member of the Village People! It would have been awesome!

Here is my point. If you want to make a sexy, exploitational game, fine. Whatever. Free country, First Amendment, whatever.

However, if you want to do that for the THIRD installment of a game series of a critically acclaimed line and take the PROTAGONIST of said game series and make her into little more than T&A, then THAT is when I get pissed.

Next time, we'll take a look at the other side of the coin--the muscular, overgrown men. Mostly used for comedic value or in a non-sexualized way, but there are a few. There are few...