N. Onymous
Smash Champion
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2012
- Messages
- 2,107
- NNID
- Midnuh
- Switch FC
- SW-5043-4045-6926
I think I know exactly what you're talking about in regards to the creepy things that were posted. I may not be doing as good a job at curating this thread as I'd like, but rest assured these kinds of ideas are the exception when it comes to Lippy's fanbase and not the rule. (On the Discord server, there is a general agreement to not draw or post racy artwork or comments about the girls who are implicitly underage, Lip included. It's kinda like the Dragon Maid fandom's pact regarding Kanna.)
Honestly though, Splatoon has exactly the same problem--there's all kinds of screwed-up artwork and stories out there drawn and written not just about the characters we know are adults, but about ordinary Inklings and Octolings, characters who are canonically 14. And it can't really hide behind the "they're already post-pubescent so I'll just say they're 18 and be done with it" excuse either, since a lot of this artwork plays up their youthfulness with flat chests and baby faces abound in an obvious attempt at catering to the loli crowd. That's a problem with the internet in general. You give them a female character, any female character, any one at all, and so long as they aren't ugly in an overt, exaggerated way (see: Big Mom from One Piece)--and even then--there will be all kinds of bizarre and disturbing crap made about them, regardless of their canon age. Poor Cream. Poor, poor Cream.
And don't even get me started on Shantae.
Sure, there's a lot of disturbing Splatoon artwork out there. Panel de Pon doesn't have quite as much on account of being a lesser recognized series, but you bet it's there. I wish it wasn't, for either fandom, but I just move along and ignore it as best I can. They don't stop me from loving the gameplay and they don't stop me from adoring the character designs. And they shouldn't stop anyone else either. Ignore the crazies and do your own thing.
As for Lip being a Nintendo all-star, well, yeah, in a perfect world she absolutely would be. And still could be, if Nintendo ever decides to revisit that world. I'm not sure if a series revival should be a puzzle game though. Definitely make one or two for the sake of older fans, but the sad truth is, as much as I might want to say otherwise:
1. Most puzzle games that aren't under the Tetris name flop these days.
2. At this point, the gameplay of Panel de Pon/Puzzle League isn't and arguably cannot be linked to any one series or universe. Even Nintendo seems to view the skin as something that can be interchangably swapped out without negatively affecting its mass appeal or identity as a series. This isn't new, either, it dates back to the franchise's inception in a way.
Fortunately, putting the characters in a new gameplay environment is almost comedically simple and I'm not sure why it wasn't done earlier. Remember how earlier in the thread, it was brought up that the fairy characters were originally designed for a canceled project but found new life in Panel de Pon? The girls have charm, they have character, they have legitimate personality, which is a little impressive considering how limited the dialogue is in these games. Many of them are or could be pretty good role models for young girls even by Western standards, which is notable since we all know how Japan can be about traditional gender roles. Putting them in a different style of gameplay to what their fans may be used to would at worst not be viewed as a step down at least, and at best would give this series the kick in the pants it needs to survive, to be relevant again. Seriously. It's called a spinoff, people. Lots of games have them! Mario probably has more spinoff games than main games at this point!
I've been very vocal about pushing for a new game in the Panepon universe to be an RPG, or an action-adventure game a la Zelda, or a text-heavy platformer in the vein of Shantae. Something with a lot of dialogue. I'd love to see Lippy and the others get better characterization and become more fleshed out and recognized in their own right, instead of just being background scenery, essentially, that can be pasted over with a frog or a mouse or a dog or even nothing at all without anybody batting an eye. And something that holds appeal outside of a traditionally feminine audience--gotta get boys into it too. Show them how tough and cool a bunch of candy-colored fairies can really be!
Really, though, there are very few genres you could put the fairies in without having them not gel at least reasonably well with the gameplay. Maybe a Panel de Pon FPS wouldn't be that great. I don't know.
Honestly though, Splatoon has exactly the same problem--there's all kinds of screwed-up artwork and stories out there drawn and written not just about the characters we know are adults, but about ordinary Inklings and Octolings, characters who are canonically 14. And it can't really hide behind the "they're already post-pubescent so I'll just say they're 18 and be done with it" excuse either, since a lot of this artwork plays up their youthfulness with flat chests and baby faces abound in an obvious attempt at catering to the loli crowd. That's a problem with the internet in general. You give them a female character, any female character, any one at all, and so long as they aren't ugly in an overt, exaggerated way (see: Big Mom from One Piece)--and even then--there will be all kinds of bizarre and disturbing crap made about them, regardless of their canon age. Poor Cream. Poor, poor Cream.
And don't even get me started on Shantae.
Sure, there's a lot of disturbing Splatoon artwork out there. Panel de Pon doesn't have quite as much on account of being a lesser recognized series, but you bet it's there. I wish it wasn't, for either fandom, but I just move along and ignore it as best I can. They don't stop me from loving the gameplay and they don't stop me from adoring the character designs. And they shouldn't stop anyone else either. Ignore the crazies and do your own thing.
As for Lip being a Nintendo all-star, well, yeah, in a perfect world she absolutely would be. And still could be, if Nintendo ever decides to revisit that world. I'm not sure if a series revival should be a puzzle game though. Definitely make one or two for the sake of older fans, but the sad truth is, as much as I might want to say otherwise:
1. Most puzzle games that aren't under the Tetris name flop these days.
2. At this point, the gameplay of Panel de Pon/Puzzle League isn't and arguably cannot be linked to any one series or universe. Even Nintendo seems to view the skin as something that can be interchangably swapped out without negatively affecting its mass appeal or identity as a series. This isn't new, either, it dates back to the franchise's inception in a way.
Fortunately, putting the characters in a new gameplay environment is almost comedically simple and I'm not sure why it wasn't done earlier. Remember how earlier in the thread, it was brought up that the fairy characters were originally designed for a canceled project but found new life in Panel de Pon? The girls have charm, they have character, they have legitimate personality, which is a little impressive considering how limited the dialogue is in these games. Many of them are or could be pretty good role models for young girls even by Western standards, which is notable since we all know how Japan can be about traditional gender roles. Putting them in a different style of gameplay to what their fans may be used to would at worst not be viewed as a step down at least, and at best would give this series the kick in the pants it needs to survive, to be relevant again. Seriously. It's called a spinoff, people. Lots of games have them! Mario probably has more spinoff games than main games at this point!
I've been very vocal about pushing for a new game in the Panepon universe to be an RPG, or an action-adventure game a la Zelda, or a text-heavy platformer in the vein of Shantae. Something with a lot of dialogue. I'd love to see Lippy and the others get better characterization and become more fleshed out and recognized in their own right, instead of just being background scenery, essentially, that can be pasted over with a frog or a mouse or a dog or even nothing at all without anybody batting an eye. And something that holds appeal outside of a traditionally feminine audience--gotta get boys into it too. Show them how tough and cool a bunch of candy-colored fairies can really be!
Really, though, there are very few genres you could put the fairies in without having them not gel at least reasonably well with the gameplay. Maybe a Panel de Pon FPS wouldn't be that great. I don't know.
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