Why do we Western gamers always seem to like such "big, bad, and edgy" characters?

[SuperMillionaire]

I noticed that even though Japan likes their cutesy-cutesy characters, the majority of us Westerners like big, bad, and edgy characters, or "badass" characters, but I don't get why. Personally, unlike the majority of you on this forum, while I do like my share of "badass" characters, I also like my cutesy-cutesy characters too. Case in point: the Japanese liked the inclusion of Vaan in Dissidia 012, but the majority of Westerners wanted the more "macho" Basch. Of course, there is still a sizable minority here who do like their cutesy-cutesy characters too, but the majority here likes "badass" characters.

Also, another thing that I noticed is that while Japanese game players like cheeky, cutesy, and preppy J-Pop music, the majority of Westerners like big, bad, and edgy heavy metal. Of course, as with the case above, there is also a sizable minority here who likes cheeky American pop music by singers such as Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus and other American pop stars, but the majority of Western game players like edgy heavy metal acts such as Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Killswitch Engage, and Breaking Benjamin. Personally, I'm into a mixture of both cheeky pop and edgy metal, but please don't ridicule me for liking Disney Channel pop stars. I would have to guess that this would have to be due to the fact that while it is mainstream in Japanese pop culture, it is largely UNDERGROUND in Western pop culture. It's popular here, too, but it's underground in comparison to its force in Japanese pop culture, as video game references in American pop culture are VERY SELDOM in comparison to Japanese pop culture.

[Freya]

edgy heavy metal acts such as Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Killswitch Engage, and Breaking Benjamin

lol.

It's just our society. We like men with beards and alpha males. Japanese people like guys who look like chicks. *shurg*

[NorthernChaosGod]

the majority of Westerners like big, bad, and edgy heavy metal.

lol

[Timekeeper]

there is also a sizable minority here who likes cheeky American pop music by singers such as Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus and other American pop stars

while it is mainstream in Japanese pop culture, it is largely UNDERGROUND in Western pop culture.

The thought that Hannah Montana could be underground intrigues and amuses me.


But yeah, I guess it's just another variant of East vs. West differences. The museum at my uni actually had a special display on beards and how they've represented manliness in Western culture throughout antiquity

[Skyblade]

A lot of the complaints about Vaan aren't because he is a less masculine character, but rather that he is a nonentity that serves no purpose in the story. He wasn't even in the original story of XII, and it shows. He has no relation to the game's plot, while other characters, who relate to both the story and have actual connections to other characters, get left out.

People want Basch because he has a personality and could have an interesting character dynamic with Gabranth (and there are plenty of people who want Ashe for the same reasons). Vaan has no meaningful interaction with the character, and has no role in the plot that could be brought out as a focus for his role in Dissidia.

He was just a bad choice of character, and the fact that he is a whiny, scrawny, wimpy little kid is not the biggest problem people have with him.

[Meat Puppet]

I’m big in Japan

[kotora]

lol your premise doesn't make much sense with linkin park and hannah montana being underground and edgy


Anyway, the Japanese like them girly dudes so they won't have to feel as bad about their wieners being so small. Which of course was caused by the radiation of them bombs the white man dropped on their asses.

[Hot Shot]

I agree with Skyblade. If Vaan wasn't in XII there would be little to no difference in the plot. I would have liked any character in Dissidia over Vaan (except Penelo, she was even worse imo)

But I don't completely agree with you. I mean, you're right but you're generalising way too much. I personally don't like the "big, bad and edgy" characters. One of my favourite characters in Dissida and FF in general is Kuja and he's far from edgy. And all of my friends who play games none of them, including myself, don't listen to heavy metal (even though the bands you named aren't heavy metal at all) or that cheesy pop crap. We listen to all kinds of music. One of my friends is really into hip hop, the other dubstep and stuff like that and I'm into punk, indie, prog rock and pop punk mostly (I listen to most things really, but I listen to mostly rock genres)

[JKTrix]

Sure is some black and white over-generalization here. Are you basing your opinion that 'the majority of us here', on a Final Fantasy forum, like 'badass' characters just because people prefer Basch? Because of the Halo thread that keeps popping up? When it comes to Westerners and popular video games with manly, 'badass' characters, people rarely spend much time talking about the quality of the characters themselves.

One thing to consider about Japan's 'preference' is that there are a lot more girls who play Final Fantasy and are very vocal about it. If you look at your average male pop star in Japan, they are young and pretty men. So the female influence is strong in pushing the 'cutesy' look, as you call it.

There are psychosocial things to consider as well. Japanese people are stereotypically timid, so having a 'cutesy', accommodating, non-threatening character might naturally appeal to them. People in other cultures, particularly males, are more likely to prefer a 'badass' character that they can look up to and admire (or at least believe can take on an alien army) without feeling threatened by them. If they only had a choice between one or the other. There's a lot of middle ground that's being ignored here.

Speaking of 'ignored middle ground'; I won't ridicule your taste, but I am worried that your range of musical choices is so limited and extreme. And, dare I say, culturally ignorant. I understand the point you're trying to make, but when you try to support your point with extreme claims, you really expose yourself when you don't need to. You really didn't need to mention music.

I also don't fully understand what you meant by this:

...as video game references in American pop culture are VERY SELDOM in comparison to Japanese pop culture.

What video game 'references' are you talking about in Japanese pop culture? This is a (western) pop culture video game reference. I don't often hear popular Japanese songs talking about playing games. In Japan, video games come with theme songs from real artists. It's not so much a cultural reference as it is cross-promotion.

[Madame Adequate]

edgy heavy metal acts such as Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Killswitch Engage, and Breaking Benjamin.

[Psychotic]

why do japenes eat dogs when we westerns eat hampburgers??

is culture thing.......

[Hollycat]

I’m big in Japan

Thats true of all american guys.
lol.

[DMKA]

why do japenes eat dogs when we westerns eat hampburgers??

bcuz dog are imune to radation and cows are not i think.

[Depression Moon]

I don't see all this cute of femimine men in Japanese games outside of JRPGs really. That are plenty that don't fit that like.

Mario
Luigi
Wario
Ryu
Snake
Donkey Kong
Jack from Madworld
Travis from No More Heroes
Nathan Spencer
The guys from Contra
The guys from Metal Slug
The guys from Double Dragon
Guy
Cody
Haggar
Arthur

[Hollycat]

those are all nintendo, which is run by a gaymo