Is it just me, or are the characters a little fat?

[Verenti]

Especially in comparison to Japanese national norms, the illustrations seem way chubbier than the norms for that society? I'm not positive, but every time I look at the artwork it just seems off.

Keeping in mind that the average weight for women in Japan comes in just under 120lbs, compared to America where it is just under 170lbs. Is it just me? Am I going crazy, or can other people see this too?

[Sai Kyouji]

Some are. Some are unhealthily thin.

[SwordsNRoses]

I was actually very happy to see these illustrations of idols that weren't dangerously thin.

Also remember that the costumes IRL idols wear, especially the ones with big skirts, have layers and layers of material. So the frills and lace and layers create a heavier look.

[Andrew]

There are lots of "chubby" idols, though they would probably still be skinny by American standards. I think a lot of it is the costumes they are wearing too making them look bigger than they are.

[Spud the Spud]

I agree, many of them are a bit on the fat side. Which doesn't really fit with how idols normally are, they should be working hard to not be chunky.

[ItBeDefii]

/eyeroll

[stm8022]

Think it's just you. For the most part these are pretty standard anime style drawings, which is to say quite far from reality as it is. Couple of them has something thicker than twigs for arms, which may be throwing you off. But they're hardly approaching regular human figure, let alone being "fat".

[Verenti]

It's their waistlines, thighs and faces that caught my attention, especially in the screen shots.

[EpicD1CK]

It's not just you. A handful of the girls do look pudgy and a little unseemly even for anime.

[davidb11]

None of the people here in this game could ever be considered pudgy or fat.
Do people not know what that means?

[Verenti]

Originally posted by davidb11:

None of the people here in this game could ever be considered pudgy or fat.
Do people not know what that means?

One might consider that if there are definitions for those terms, they most certainly are cultural. If you are surrounded by people who pack on a bunch of weight, then I suppose they aren't. However, if the norm you are used to is fit people, then it is entirely possible. Most of the girls in this game probably weigh south of 100 lbs. If you weigh 80-90 lbs, then you probably don't have thick thighs or a round face, unless you are very, very short. Furthermore, these are highly active people. Anyone who does dance practice as a component for their job probably isn't going to resemble a "typical" North American. Especially not if their diet is Japanese.

By North American standards, these girls should seem really skinny.

[davidb11]

I'm a bit confused.
By any standard, none of the people in this game could be considered fat or pudgy. At all.
There is no cultural version of those words that could apply to the girls in this game.
That's just not how it works.

[Hobbes]

Originally posted by davidb11:

I'm a bit confused.
By any standard, none of the people in this game could be considered fat or pudgy. At all.
There is no cultural version of those words that could apply to the girls in this game.
That's just not how it works.

I guess that's a matter of a opinion then I guess.
A number of the designs make the girls seem a little pudgy. Not necessarily a bad thing, but they for sure look thicker.

[stm8022]

Originally posted by Verenti:

If you weigh 80-90 lbs, then you probably don't have thick thighs or a round face, unless you are very, very short. Furthermore, these are highly active people. Anyone who does dance practice as a component for their job probably isn't going to resemble a "typical" North American. Especially not if their diet is Japanese.

But none of the images in the game comes even close to the "typical North American" who is way more fat than you seem to think it is. They come somewhat close to average human, but that's quite different ballpark.

Exactly because the idols do dance practice frequently they're quite likely to be slightly more muscular than your typical anime stick figure. Also, the game uses its images for idols who are as young as 12, so it should be obvious why their faces aren't rendered as gaunt as those of fully grown adults.

here's some actual japanese idols without photoshop treatment (momoiro clover z)
https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/t_share/MTc0OTkyMDUyNjM4Mzk0MzM2/10-japanese-idol-groups-with-unique-or-weird-concepts.jpg
And they're precisely this kind of body type that you seem to think is "little chubby". Because yup, they're short, they work out *a lot*, and they're (still) very young.

[davidb11]

I don't see how anyone could claim they're chubby in that screenshot. But that's a good example.

Also, can we stop being mean to Americans. :P
I'm American. We're not all fat, you know. :P

And most of our women don't weigh beyond the normal weight limits for their heights.
As a 6 foot 2 man, I am a little overweight, but not as bad as I used to be. I've lost 60 pounds over many years. Not even trying to lose weight.
Thanks Diabetes, you did one thing good.

A woman at the height of 6 foot can be up to 170 pounds and not be categorized as overweight.
But that's pretty rare to find a woman who is 6 foot and weighs that much.
Even in America. Land of Fat people. :P

[Verenti]

Yes, of course, height determines weight tremendously and I wasn't trying to imply that a 6'0 woman should weigh 100 lbs. I'm Canadian, but I frequently live in Europe and Asia. It's pretty striking when I travel between North America and Europe or Asia. I'm not suggesting its because North Americans are lazy or inherently decadent or whatever. When I come back to Canada, I usually put on 10-20 lbs because the food contains so much sugar. Or whatever reason, I'm not a nutritionist. People here are fatter and this idea of a "realistic" body shape that North America seems to have developed while I was away, when forced onto people of other cultures, is a sort of invalidation of their lifestyles. Obesity is so rare in Japan. It exists, however, in Japan and other Asian countries, if you have "a little extra" weight, people will actually poke you in the stomach and make comments about it.

I'm not trying to tell anyone to feel bad for having a bit of extra weight, but at the same time, I don't think to place North American body standards on other cultures as a way of universalising our body norms is right either. I accept that people here disagree with this idea that these girls can be seen as a bit chubby, however, I am clearly also not alone in this assessment.