Sexualization in Smash

[Jack Kieser]

So, I was browsing DeviantArt (I know, a risky venture if there ever was one) and I came along this piece.

http://mecharm.deviantart.com/art/Newcomer-70074246

It isn't NSFW or anything, don't worry. But it does bring up a good point (in a cool way, I might add) in addressing the new sexualization of Samus with her ZSS counterpart. I know the discussion has (probably) been had before, but we've actually had hands-on with the character now (as well as an absolute PLETHORA of ZSS/Snake screenshots), so I thought we probably now have a better perspective than we did before on the subject.

Just to start the discussion off, personally I'm kind of against it, even if it is taking the character in a 'new' direction. As far as ethics is concerned, I'm against the sexualization of women in general in gaming (you'd think us nerds would have enough pr0n on our hard drives without having to fill our games with softcore these days : P), but in terms of canon, Samus was always portrayed as a strong woman because of circumstance more than anything (especially with the killing of her family and unwilling adoption by the Chozo), beautiful as a matter of coincidence. She certainly doesn't flaunt it (Power Suits aren't very sexy), but she doesn't need to, either. She, unlike so many female protagonists, gets the job done without using feminine wiles, which is why she is so respected. In those terms, having Samus as some scantily-clad blonde running around willingly in nothin' at all is kind of insulting to the character (especially considering the ZSS sequence in M:ZM was intended, I think, to be interpreted more as Samus being in distress than anything else).

Those are my thoughts for now. Discuss.

 

[orintemple]

That is what fan service is all about. Nintendo wants to get away from the idea that they are ALL for kids. They want to have a more balanced fanbase but still be suitable for kids.

Also, look at Snake's *** in his suit... fanservice?

 

[RedMage8BT]

I agree, except the power suit is very sexy.

Explanation for ZSS? Sakurai is a jerk-off, plain and simple.

 

[mzink*]

maybe to show that under all that armor beats the heart of a woman? i have no idea, im not sure where i stand on the subject. as for what she wears, its never really bothered me before, i just never really thought about it. i agree though, it doesnt seem like beauty would be something shed flaunt or use and she definitely is NOT the damsel in distress type.

 

[-Ran]

The reward for beating pretty much every Metroid quickly was seeing Samus in a Bikini/swimsuit. Be glad that they 'upgraded' the suit, which is based off of the Metriod Zero Mission, ie the 'first' Metroid game.

 

[TheMoonman]

I agree, except the power suit is very sexy.

Explanation for ZSS? Sakurai is a jerk-off, plain and simple.

Y'know....he probably is....

But still, it seems too weird of an addition for it to be labeled anything else but sexualization.

 

[fkacyan]

It used to be a two piece suit. Just go play Fusion and let yourself die, or beat the original really really fast.

That said, it's nothing the other games aren't doing, and nothing I really see many people including women complaining about.

 

[RedMage8BT]

Seriously, Snake has worn a skintight outfit forever and he's certainly not the type to flaunt his beauty either.

The only reason this issue even rises is because Samus is a woman, which defeats the purpose of the discussion.

 

[Morrigan]

Fighting games have always been like this. Especially if we are talking about female characters.
Did you know Peach was rated R in the early stages of Brawl?

 

[NoVaLombardia]

quit complaining and go look at pics of snake

shouldn't this be in the pool room or somethin?

 

[RedMage8BT]

Did you know Peach was rated R in the early stages of Brawl?

WTH? What do you mean by "Peach was rated R"? That makes no sense.

 

[NoVaLombardia]

WTH? What do you mean by "Peach was rated R"? That makes no sense.

her dress makes her *** look huge

she also attacks with it as well...

and let's not get started with wario vs peach

 

[LavisFiend]

...It's not sexualization people.

Why is it so hard for people to piece together that ZSS is an aesthetic representation that one can look good and still kick ass?

It is not for free ****. That is just stupid.

 

[Morrigan]

WTH? What do you mean by "Peach was rated R"? That makes no sense.

In other words...she was WAY sexier than Melee. If you know what I mean. (I don't know if it was because of the ESRB people or Nintendo wanting to keep her traditional look)

It is said that's the reason it took them so long to announce her in the Dojo, considering she's a pretty common Nintendo character.

 

[salaboB]

The only reason this issue even rises is because Samus is a woman, which defeats the purpose of the discussion.

And because it seems like they gave her a figure that would take a little...well, cramming...to fit into her power suit. Just a touch uncomfortable (And come to think of it, I'm pretty sure in Super Metroid her hips actually wouldn't *fit* into the power suit at all, so some of that morph ball technology must be used on her physique just to get her to fit.)

I would have been fine with her being a bit less buxom though.

 

[Crooked Crow]

if they are going to add in a female character that was meant to be in a skin tight suit, they might as well make her look good
right?

 

[Kayzee]

 

[kingofwaddles]

the zero suit is from a gameboy advance game i believe, they didnt just say "hey lets add bewbs & awss to get some dix up"

NO, they took character designs from previous games

 

[Chidosengan]

How can there be a lot of sxualization in Smash? There are hardly any girls!

 

[Morrigan]

if they are going to add in a female character that was meant to be in a skin tight suit, they might as well make her look good
right?

This. Also I don't understand the drastic change between Melee Peach and Brawl Peach.

Brawl Peach resembles Mario Party Peach while Melee's was more like mature. I even think she was taller and her legs were more "fit".

 

[IvanEva]

Sexualization? I strongly doubt it. Apart from her breast conforming suit, there isn't too much sexiness going on here. She's no more sexy than Shiek. Both women act, in Brawl, as if they're only there to kick some ***. Samus especially has some very aggressive, ridiculing taunts. Even if she was in her fusion two piece (which I think would look cooler) she still wouldn't be overly sexual. She's a women, they have breasts and such. There's no more need to completely hide them than there is to completely hide, say, Captain Falcon's muscles. Either way, It's not so much what they wear as it is what they do. Take Lara Croft as an example. She was only made into a sexual object AFTER the first game (something that caused the creators to leave). In the first game she's strong, not sexual (this is mostly refering to promotional artwork.

If you're looking for sexualization in Brawl, the most you'll find is ZSS in that ONE pose with her knee up (the one that that picture is based off of). I don't agree with it and really wish that she was always pictured in more military-ish, combat poses.

 

[RedMage8BT]

Brawl Peach resembles Mario Party Peach while Melee's was more like mature. I even think she was taller and her legs were more "fit".

Melee's looks more mature? I think Melee's looks more childish...

But don't get me started on those legs...

@Chidosengan - You don't need a lot of girls for sexualization

 

[hippochinfat!!]

She wears a bikini in the original Metroid if you beat it in under 3 hours.

It annoys me when people say "OMG they're making Samus into a sex symbol in Brawl!!!" Guess what? It's always been like that.

 

[goodoldganon]

The difference between Snakes "tight butt" you guys keep bringing up and ZSS is how Nintendo treats. Someone find that SSE clip when ZSS was introduced. That enough right there is proof of what Nintendo wanted the character to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNVJ9BXUQEs (edit: found it)

I don't mind sexualization of Women (or Men I guess) I mind the sexualization of Samus. It would be like if one your best friends who is incredibly smart (4.0 GPA lets say) decides instead of using her/his brain power, they use their good looks and never do anything productive with their job, work, etc.

 

[barnes]

i lol'd when i first saw the picture of her, the lines on her butt makes it look like a thong

 

[D13]

I loved the part in Zero Mission when samus was in the zero suit. She goes all mission impossible style and runs through a space pirate ship with just a pistol. I don't think it's sexualization.

 

[RedMage8BT]

The difference between Snakes "tight butt" you guys keep bringing up and ZSS is how Nintendo treats. Someone find that SSE clip when ZSS was introduced. That enough right there is proof of what Nintendo wanted the character to be.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNVJ9BXUQEs (edit: found it)

I didn't really find anything specifically sexual about that clip. Every time you use Snake's FS you get a clear shot of his butt (this is even shown on the Dojo)

 

[Kayzee]

Sexualization is not limited to the women of smash. Captain Falcon is a good example of this.

 

[Flayl]

Her bosom is larger in brawl than in the metroid prime endings

They also over-emphasize her breasts in one of the SSE cutscenes, it's pretty funny.

 

[Steck]

Sexualization is not limited to the women of smash. Captain Falcon is a good example of this.

No...just no...

Do not tarnish "Show me your moves!" with any extra meaning

 

[Morrigan]

Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t8X-XWro2E

 

[I_R_Hungry]

you have to admit it would be humorous in many ways if ZSS was ugly >_>

 

[Morrigan]

An ugly video game girl? That's something in extinction lol.

Beauty sells.

 

[barnes]

Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t8X-XWro2E

lolol i was checkin out the related videos from that other video and it was pretty funny

 

[6footninja]

that deeply disturbed me

 

[I_R_Hungry]

An ugly video game girl? That's something in extinction lol.

Beauty sells.

well I doubt anybody actually bought brawl for zss but point taken regardless

 

[Marie_54]

Atleast she is wearing clothes... Some fighting games feature women in thongs...


Anyways Zamus doesn't resort to who**ing to attack like Peach or Rouge the Bat from Sonic games...
So she kind of gives the message that women can be sexy and use their brains and not resort to who**ing, because of that i'd rather play as Zamus any day over the other 2 umm 2 and a half potatoe!

Atleast be glad Zamus is not a 40/50 year old hairy woman wearing tight clothes with a disturbing @$$ *coughSnakecough*


Ooh and men are used too...*coughPit'slegsandtightpantsaresexylolcough*

 

[NESJake]

I agree, except the power suit is very sexy.

Explanation for ZSS? Sakurai is a jerk-off, plain and simple.

The trailer was shown before sakurai even knew that there were plans for a new smash bros.

 

[Jack Kieser]

Hey all; sorry I haven't contributed much outside of the OP (I was out seeing 'Harold and Kumar'; A++, by the way).

I think it's interesting that Zelda and Peach were brought up because neither of them are particularly sexually charge characters. They are presented as 'pretty' (which one would expect from the damsel in distress), but Zelda's actions are all very dainty and deliberate, while Peach's are more along the lines of 'girlish', the same way one would describe a bubbly high schooler. Zero Suit, however, is taken along a very different line. She is limber, but not like Shiek; Sheik may be Zelda, but she is Zelda under the guise of a man, and as such, Shiek's movements are more along the lines of a martial artist, whereas Zero Suit's are very flaunty by comparison, full of showy stretches.

And, on the subject of Snake, I feel that he is the male equivalent of Zero Suit. To borrow from Yahtzee, he is Smash's ruggedly handsome, white-as-the-driven-snow character (par for the Metal Gear course, naturally), very different from classic Nintendo heroes but VERY similar to, say, every post Duke Nukem-era protagonist. Hell, his entire ZSS CODEC sequence is one big innuendo.

Note that I'm not necessarily saying that this trend doesn't have its place... but I (personally, and in my opinion) find it... interesting that Nintendo pandered like that, even as early on (comparatively) as M:ZM. It's obvious that a female character can be portrayed as strong-willed and capable without making her unattractive but while refraining from over sexualization. Again, I just find it interesting. Maybe I'll add to/edit this when I'm a little less tired and can think a little more clearly.

 

[R i p]

post Duke Nukem-era protagonist

Snake predates Duke Nukem... and so do many games. I think what your trying to say has more to do with movies.

Sakurai didn't create Zero Suit Samus, I really hope there isn't anyone ignorant enough to hate him for it. It would be funny since that person obviously doesn't follow the series enough to be a real fan.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the character change, but I don't really care either because there is more to be sexualized than wearing a skin-tight suit. There's porn of everything, there's not much you can do about it.