Hyperdimension Neptunia's Strong Female Heroes and that one Neptune Pose

[Zenbe]

So I wanted to start off by saying, I think the development team has done a pretty great job with the cast of female hero's in Hyperdimension Neptunia. They are diverse, interesting, and compelling. From Blanc to Noire to Vert the female cast reflects a large spectrum of personalities and player fantasies.

With that being said, lets talk about Neptune. From a marketing standpoint, she's the star of the show. She's a great hero. When we look at the way she's portrayed in promotional media, lore, and art in game we know a few things about her..

She's Fast.
She's Silly.
She's Kind.
She's a good Friend.
Her body seems to be comprised of about 95% spunk.

Almost all of her art reflects this. She's got cool skins: http://hyperdimensionneptunia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Purple_Heart3.png

She's got fun poses:
http://hyperdimensionneptunia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Neptune4.png

She's got amazing transformation sequence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3fTu7IRm3M

All of this art reinforces the great character you've built around neptune.

Then out of seemingly no where we have this pose:
http://hyperdimensionneptunia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Neptune_beach.png

WHAT? What about this pose has anything to do with the character you're building in Neptune ? It's not fun, its not silly, it has nothing to do with being a fast elite heroine. It just reduces Neptune to another bland female sex symbol.

We aren't looking at a Vert pose here, this isn't a character who is in part defined by flaunting her sexuality. This pose says to the player base, oh we've got all these cool diverse characters, but at any moment we are willing to reduce them to sex symbols to help boost our investment game.

Getting art into a triple A game isn't a small task, it has to go through an implementer, a team lead, an art director, and a creative director. This is a team effort. And I believe the team is responsible for upholding the great example Hyperdimension Neptunia can set to the rest of the industry for creating strong female characters.

I have a young daughter that everyday when I wake up wants to watch the gameplay trailer again. She knows who neptune is, and as she grows up, she can grow up alongside these characters.

What I'm asking is that as you continue to add to the Hyperdimension Neptunia cast and investment elements, you double down on your commitment to create strong female characters. You've been doing a good job so far, but shipping with a neptune pose like this undermines so much of the good you've already done.

[匚闩丂丁仨尺]

gr8 b8 m8

[SQDizzy]

Hilarious and original.

[CrazyAvitus]

Absolutely Amazing, the one and the only.

[Arthur C.]

I see what you did there.

[cyxceven]

XO

[naru]

OMG U R RAIT!!! BAN NEP GAMES AT ONCE!!!
Only Noire's game is allowed!!!

[Unyaa]

The Neptunia series are B games. Neptune is actually the kind of girl you do see in a beach outfit. She's also a klutz, so being whacked and having a pose like that might not be too off. I get what you are saying though, especially since you don't typically wear something like that in a dungeon

A problem with Japanese culture is that sometimes companies will make characters based on tropes, and Compile Heart is incredibly guilt of this. On the other hand, the female characters sometimes are more interesting because they are have that vulnerable side. Male anime protagonists are sometimes incredibly boring and generic. Son Goku got ridiculous to where he became, what, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyajin or something.

Still, Neptune transforms into the coolest character. Does that transformation imply that silly people have that cool side? Neptune might not be the best role model though. She's very lazy and Planeptune would probably rot if she didn't have Nepgear by her side, but would make an amazing general.

Nepgear was more conseravtive in Rebirth;2 and was the lead character, but people didn't seem to resonate with her. I liked it though

[SQDizzy]

Originally posted by Unyaa:

The Neptunia series are B games. Neptune is actually the kind of girl you do see in a beach outfit. She's also a klutz, so being whacked and having a pose like that might not be too off. I get what you are saying though, especially since you don't typically wear something like that in a dungeon

A problem with Japanese culture is that sometimes companies will make characters based on tropes, and Compile Heart is incredibly guilt of this. On the other hand, the female characters sometimes are more interesting because they are have that vulnerable side. Male anime protagonists are sometimes incredibly boring and generic. Son Goku got ridiculous to where he became, what, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyajin or something.

Still, Neptune transforms into the coolest character. Does that transformation imply that silly people have that cool side? Neptune might not be the best role model though. She's very lazy and Planeptune would probably rot if she didn't have Nepgear by her side, but would make an amazing general.

Nepgear was more conseravtive in Rebirth;2 and was the lead character, but people didn't seem to resonate with her. I liked it though

This is a joke.

[Zenbe]

Originally posted by Unyaa:

The Neptunia series are B games. Neptune is actually the kind of girl you do see in a beach outfit. She's also a klutz, so being whacked and having a pose like that might not be too off. I get what you are saying though, especially since you don't typically wear something like that in a dungeon

A problem with Japanese culture is that sometimes companies will make characters based on tropes, and Compile Heart is incredibly guilt of this. On the other hand, the female characters sometimes are more interesting because they are have that vulnerable side. Male anime protagonists are sometimes incredibly boring and generic. Son Goku got ridiculous to where he became, what, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyajin or something.

Still, Neptune transforms into the coolest character. Does that transformation imply that silly people have that cool side? Neptune might not be the best role model though. She's very lazy and Planeptune would probably rot if she didn't have Nepgear by her side, but would make an amazing general.

Nepgear was more conseravtive in Rebirth;2 and was the lead character, but people didn't seem to resonate with her. I liked it though

Bruh. I wasn't even trolling, the whole thing is just satire. How you can read and write multiple paragraphs without realizing it is inconceivable.

[Grad]

Originally posted by Enzbe:

Bruh. I wasn't even trolling, the whole thing is just satire. How you can read and write multiple paragraphs without realizing it is inconceivable.

google 'the rape of ivy'

[\tg/ World Peace]

Originally posted by Unyaa:

The Neptunia series are B games. Neptune is actually the kind of girl you do see in a beach outfit. She's also a klutz, so being whacked and having a pose like that might not be too off. I get what you are saying though, especially since you don't typically wear something like that in a dungeon

A problem with Japanese culture is that sometimes companies will make characters based on tropes, and Compile Heart is incredibly guilt of this. On the other hand, the female characters sometimes are more interesting because they are have that vulnerable side. Male anime protagonists are sometimes incredibly boring and generic. Son Goku got ridiculous to where he became, what, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyajin or something.

Still, Neptune transforms into the coolest character. Does that transformation imply that silly people have that cool side? Neptune might not be the best role model though. She's very lazy and Planeptune would probably rot if she didn't have Nepgear by her side, but would make an amazing general.

Nepgear was more conseravtive in Rebirth;2 and was the lead character, but people didn't seem to resonate with her. I liked it though

Who needs bait when the fish are literally jumping into your boat?

[SQDizzy]

Originally posted by \tg/ World Peace:

Originally posted by Unyaa:

The Neptunia series are B games. Neptune is actually the kind of girl you do see in a beach outfit. She's also a klutz, so being whacked and having a pose like that might not be too off. I get what you are saying though, especially since you don't typically wear something like that in a dungeon

A problem with Japanese culture is that sometimes companies will make characters based on tropes, and Compile Heart is incredibly guilt of this. On the other hand, the female characters sometimes are more interesting because they are have that vulnerable side. Male anime protagonists are sometimes incredibly boring and generic. Son Goku got ridiculous to where he became, what, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyajin or something.

Still, Neptune transforms into the coolest character. Does that transformation imply that silly people have that cool side? Neptune might not be the best role model though. She's very lazy and Planeptune would probably rot if she didn't have Nepgear by her side, but would make an amazing general.

Nepgear was more conseravtive in Rebirth;2 and was the lead character, but people didn't seem to resonate with her. I liked it though

Who needs bait when the fish are literally jumping into your boat?