On pin-up art, Dead or Alive, and why it's not objectification

Digitally Downloaded writes: "The continuing saga of Dead or Alive Xtreme 3, and many other Japanese games that share a similar fascination with the female form, is interesting in itself, and worthy of continued discussion and analysis. Is a game like Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 exploitation or harmless entertainment? Is it problematic or progressive? Few games have managed to inspire such an aggressive debate (from all sides) as this one has, and in many respects that whole series has become the poster-child for games that make heavy use of sexuality as a core theme (for better or for worse)."

[Kalebninja]

Just a heads up those pictures of Miku and Rise are pretty out there since they're both suppose to be 16.

[MattS]

Completely irrelevant to the article.

And not true anyway. Miku can be whatever age you want her to be. That's the point. She's a canvas. People draw her at all kinds of ages. Her age is fluid even in the "official" art designs for her; Miku's western (English) voice bank has a different character design, and in that one she looks like she'd be around 20.

Risette, in Persona 4 Dancing All Night, doesn't have a stated age. At the very least she's 17, since it takes place at least a year after the start of Persona 4, where she was 16. She's clearly aged from that game. 18 is more likely.

[Kalebninja]

I don't follow persona but its wiki said she was 15-16, though for Miku go look it up absolutely everything says she's 16.

[DivineAssault]

In japan, 15 year olds are legal.. Completely different culture

[Kalebninja]

They were drawn by some woman in Illinois.

[Yui_Suzumiya]

16 is the most common legal age of consent. Canada, UK and 30 states in the U.S.

[DivineAssault]

@ Tiqila, even lower than i thought lol.. I stand corrected.. Still, theres cultural differences which is why its normal for the younger women to be sexualized..

[rainslacker]

Pretty sure since these pics aren't depicting sexual acts, the age of consent isn't an issue. Even in the US, I believe if they're 13 or older, they can be shown dressed provocatively so long as it's not nude or partially nude....and those pictures aren't considered partially nude by legal measures. Kind of like how it's illegal to do porn with someone under 18, but the age of consent in most states is 16.

Generally, younger models aren't dressed provocatively due to the backlash it receives....like whatever that clothing company that did it with young models a while ago was....forget the name.

[DivineAssault]

I just hope there arent any grown adult men putting up sexualized posters of girls that are supposedly underage.. Video game or not, thats chester (child molester) status imo..

[StifflerK]

That was a good article. A lot better then others I've read recently.

I've always thought that having a fully realized character who is also sexy/attractive does not necessarily mean she's being objectified/exploited.

The artist lady in the article has a much better definition then me, lol.

I also had a look at the article linked to it comparing MKX and DOA5 , both being games with extreme content presented in a satirical manner, and why people treat violence and sex differently. Another good article that got me thinking.

Over the years I've done truly awful things in videogames, like mass genocide, theft, extortion, murder, human sacrifice etc, things I would never do in the reality, - and non of that has had a negative affect on me, or anyone else I know in the real world.
In which case why would a bouncy ninja lady in a bikini be so 'detrimental to myself and society', lol. I don't see it.

[MattS]

Yep, exactly. In fact, when people start complaining about "sex" in games, I worry for them. That they are okay with the most horrific violence imaginable, but draw the line at a bikini, is a sign that they personally have a very significant problem with sex. And those are the kind of people you don't want hanging around your kids. Those are the kind of people that should never be allowed to go near a beach. Because those see "sex appeal" everywhere, and are threatened by it, because it stirs reactions in *them* that they lack the ability to handle.

Nothing titillates me about Dead or Alive. It's sexy, but in a satirical, fun sense. It's entertainment, not pornography. I'm the one looking at it from a healthy perspective. If another person looks at it and thinks that it's an attempt at titillation (and the only reason they could object to it is if that is how they see it), then they are the actual perverts here.

The actual content in many (not all, but many) examples of "sexy" games is fine. It's the general conservatism and immaturity in the community itself that the problem lies. It's time we called a spade a spade.

[HentaiMasterRace]

Rise looks like hot there