Will Final Fantasy XV's Cid be a Lady?

[Vyk]

Also, just found out something interesting which might further explain the attire of various characters in this game.

Tetsuya Nomura would be the director and character designer, but not costume designer, as Square Enix signed a contract with Japanese fashion brand "Roen" to promote their clothing designs in the game through different characters. Roen Creative Director Himuro Takahara serves as the game's costume designer.

I guess we should expect fashionable costumes for fashion stores and nothing but fashionable costumes for fashion stores. I expect with the limited number of females that pretty much every female will be dressed by Roen.

You know what? To me, that's a far more justifiable reason. We can never expect the fashion industry to get any more progressive. The male/female ratio is ridiculous there too, but they are quite transparent about objectifying men as frequently as they can. So at least it's a money and promotional issue, rather than some crusty old Japanese suits saying "Here's a female character... and now HERE'S HER BOOBS!"

[Ayen]

You want this changed?

Find any and all inboxes on the internet of anyone having anything to do with Square and send them a link to T-shirts made by this Fashion Designer who has designed the costume.

Do it all day every day until they change it.

There. Action.

Taking action and discussing these matters on forums aren't mutually exclusive.

[Spooniest]

You want this changed?

Find any and all inboxes on the internet of anyone having anything to do with Square and send them a link to T-shirts made by this Fashion Designer who has designed the costume.

Do it all day every day until they change it.

There. Action.

Taking action and discussing these matters on forums aren't mutually exclusive.

All I mean is that actions speak louder than words. Do something about it, or suggest that something be done, rather than simply saying that it upsets you.

If you really want to be a proper role model, do something about it. Otherwise it's a lot of protracted talk and nothing more.

[Ayen]

You want this changed?

Find any and all inboxes on the internet of anyone having anything to do with Square and send them a link to T-shirts made by this Fashion Designer who has designed the costume.

Do it all day every day until they change it.

There. Action.

Taking action and discussing these matters on forums aren't mutually exclusive.

All I mean is that actions speak louder than words. Do something about it, or suggest that something be done, rather than simply saying that it upsets you.

If you really want to be a proper role model, do something about it. Otherwise it's a lot of protracted talk and nothing more.

And all I mean is that it's possible to do both.

[Loony BoB]

I think what ToriJ means is that sometimes words are actions. Preaching the gospel, if you like. If nobody spreads the word, nobody hears about an issue and so forth.

As much as I do find it admirable to say "actions speak louder than words, let's make a real statement" - I wish I had the energy to do that for every little thing I believed in. xD I burn out from things fast enough right now. I don't blame people who don't do these kind of larger things, but I do appreciate what others do on larger scales (provided they do it the right way - no 2 terrorism etc).

[Tyson]

Wowzers this thread got out of control. I don't get the big deal really. She is very reminiscent of Rikku, who also dressed similarly even tho it didn't fit her job description. This is Final Fantasy for gods sake.

It's like complaining about Noctis's hair as it's unrealistic you'd want hair that long while swinging a sword around. Do we want everything to be 100% logical and PC in a JRPG? If you want that your probably better looking for a western RPG like Mass Effect.

This whole thing is very reminiscent of what just happened with the new Tekken game. The new character Lucky Chloe was announced (cleavage, pigtails, kawaii anime girl personality) and the western audience lost there trout. The game director eventually responded by saying on twitter "Hello small world. I'll make muscular & skinhead character for you"

Kind of a sharp dig at the western audience but I loved his response. Us westerners are so obsessed with making everything politically correct that we're stifling creativity. You create a character like Aerith and people complain that women shouldn't have to be seen as virginal or 'pure' So instead you create a confident female character that isn't afraid to show off her body but then you're being exploitive.....

[Ayen]

I think what ToriJ means is that sometimes words are actions. Preaching the gospel, if you like. If nobody spreads the word, nobody hears about an issue and so forth.

As much as I do find it admirable to say "actions speak louder than words, let's make a real statement" - I wish I had the energy to do that for every little thing I believed in. xD I burn out from things fast enough right now. I don't blame people who don't do these kind of larger things, but I do appreciate what others do on larger scales (provided they do it the right way - no 2 terrorism etc).

Close. I mainly mean it's possible to debate something on an online community and still perform the necessary action elsewhere. I'm sure there are plenty of protesters who also debate the same issues they're protesting online because internet has become a necessity and an easier means to communicate and share ideas. I remember people getting flak for simply saying "I'm praying for them" in response to a tragedy because their critics assume they weren't donating money or blood when one can easily do both things. The assumption that's it either one or the other needs to stop being made.

[Pumpkin]

Wowzers this thread got out of control. I don't get the big deal really. She is very reminiscent of Rikku, who also dressed similarly even tho it didn't fit her job description. This is Final Fantasy for gods sake.

It's like complaining about Noctis's hair as it's unrealistic you'd want hair that long while swinging a sword around. Do we want everything to be 100% logical and PC in a JRPG? If you want that your probably better looking for a western RPG like Mass Effect.

This whole thing is very reminiscent of what just happened with the new Tekken game. The new character Lucky Chloe was announced (cleavage, pigtails, kawaii anime girl personality) and the western audience lost there trout. The game director eventually responded by saying on twitter "Hello small world. I'll make muscular & skinhead character for you"

Kind of a sharp dig at the western audience but I loved his response. Us westerners are so obsessed with making everything politically correct that we're stifling creativity. You create a character like Aerith and people complain that women shouldn't have to be seen as virginal or 'pure' So instead you create a confident female character that isn't afraid to show off her body but then you're being exploitive.....

I actually don't mind the new Tekken character, I think she looks fun to use. And I don't see her looking any worse than say... Anna who is walking sex. But Anna never bugged me because it fit her personality. Although I do dislike that the later Tekken Tag game got much more fanservicey and it made me uncomfortable to the point I don't want to play it anymore.

Also, I think part of the issue with this one is that they took a precedent and changed it in a sexual way because the gender changed. Cid was USUALLY an older, not super attractive guy. Now because Cid is a woman, she's suddenly overly sexy and aged down like 20 years. I know I would personally be reacting differently if they made most of the male Cid's young and sexy and then made a female Cid that way. It would be like "Well, yeah, that's Cid."

At BoB: I understand what you're saying for the most part of it not being huge in Final Fantasy, but there are still some cases. Like in XII, I can see Fran in her outfit, I really can. Ashe not so much. If you showed me her dialogue, told me her personality, I wouldn't be like "I bet she wears a tight pink mini-skirt that could pass for a really big belt". But maybe that's me. And also as for Penelo, I personally find her one of the more attractive FF characters, and while I would say her clothing isn't the most modest (I mean you'd have to be sewn in to that thing its so tight) it certainly isn't one of the more revealing anyways. Which also makes me wonder why sometimes we can't just make characters sexy without showing off everything. Or maybe different types of sexy. Not saying it never happens, again, just talking about the general.

Like you said and I said, I do enjoy looking at cute female character designs. Its probably a form of escapism because I think I look horrible so I can pretend while I'm playing the game that I can actually be pretty. But there are ways to do that without making them walking sex objects. Again, my goal while playing a video game is not to be sexually aroused, its to play a video game. There are sites I can go to for the other thing.

There's nothing wrong with a sexy or attractive character but A) make it suit the character, don't just make them a sex toy B) Have a variety of characters. Not everyone is a super thin, super attractive, D cup. And C) It's hard to not feel like this is a bit about sexism when male Cid's have looked a certain way and then suddenly its a female Cid and its all boobs, booty shorts, and thigh high boots (which, if she's getting hot enough at work to unzip her shirt like that, she really should invest in new boots because I can guarantee you those are pretty friggin warm in there)

[Loony BoB]

Totally understand where you're coming from, especially as I was never a massive admirer of my own looks (I'm not very self-conscious these days, though, probably just due to age and general confidence in myself despite my looks which I don't see as important) and I do agree that it's absurd what they've done with her since all the other Cids have generally been older guys. At least 30 I think? But yeah.

I guess I just kind of shrug these things off, because fiction and artistic licence are a thing that I don't mess with in general. And it's not about being massively aroused, for me, either. I don't think I've been aroused by a Final Fantasy character since I was a randy teen.

I'd be far more concerned if they put in a character who had a personality that was of major concern, personally. If they started making females a secondary gender in the games, stuff like that. That would be where I go "Woah, woah, woah, no."

But appearances and suitability to jobs and general sexualising? Pah, it's a multigender silly thing Square Enix does and I genuinely don't think they are the harmful ones in the video game industry in this regard. Could they do better by adding in more variety? Yeah, but I wouldn't want them to stop having sexy characters at all because I like sexy characters.

As for Penelo, I never liked her appearance at all. Like, anything about it. I don't like latex-style clothing. I don't like her hair. I don't even like her face much. Just a personal thing. Not my preference. I could say this about quite a few FF characters, really. Selphie. Not my cup of tea for physical apperances. Fran? What was it that one guy said about feather vs. the whole damned chicken? I prefer the feather. Krile? Eh, nah, don't like ponytails much. Not a fan of Aeris's look. Not a fan of Yuna. Not a fan of Lightning that much either. Everyone has their personal tastes, though. It's a good thing.

EDIT: As for personality not suiting clothing, I'm torn on it. My instinctive response is "I KNOW! Aeris and Tifa are the best example, I mean, Tifa is shy yet dresses like a confident girl, and Aeris is the opposite..." but on the other hand it goes back to "People can dress how they want to dress. I don't wanna judge people based on clothing!" so I try not be that way as best as I can, always giving people the benefit of the doubt, because exceptions are a thing.

[Mirage]

Name one universally positive, 100% non-exploitative female role model in the Final Fantasy series.

Good luck.

Why universally positive? I can give you non-exploited. Faris.

[Spooniest]

Name one universally positive, 100% non-exploitative female role model in the Final Fantasy series.

Good luck.

Why universally positive? I can give you non-exploited. Faris.

Male dancers in FFV are dressed reasonably, female not so much.

[Loony BoB]

Name one universally positive, 100% non-exploitative female role model in the Final Fantasy series.

Good luck.

Why universally positive? I can give you non-exploited. Faris.

Male dancers in FFV are dressed reasonably, female not so much.

Yeah, I find those ten or so pixels pretty freakin' sexy man.

PS. Galuf shows more skin.

[Spooniest]

People seem perfectly comfortable to discard the ethnocentrism argument out of hand.

Achievement: Made forum uncomfortable!

[Hannibal_Khan]

Originally Posted by Shlup you're just saying "Nah, I choose not to believe this information, therefore you're wrong."

I never said that I didn't "believe" the information. Neither did I call Ms. Heldman's credential's or credibility into question. I simply stated that the video you cited was not some kind of irrefutable scientific evidence that supports your claim the way you are presenting it to be. Sorry if you think i'm just being a stickler, or a "pedant"(you really searched your lexicon for that one, huh? lol I had to google it, but it's now my new favorite word of the day, so thank you) but, you know, Scientific Method and such(you should google this, maybe?). It's just kinda how my brain operate's.

Originally Posted by Shlup You sure put me in my place.

Here, you are directly implying that I'm some kinda of misogynist or something. Literally just one paragraph before claiming that you haven't. Also, claiming that I was dismissing Ms. Heldman's credibility is also implying that I am sexist/misogynist(because obviously i'm only doing that because she is a woman). And I don't appreciate that.

Originally Posted by Shlup You can't simultaneously make the argument that female characters in games aren't oversexualized all that much, and also the argument that oversexualizing a female characters is consistent with how characters in FF games are portrayed.

Seriously, are you confusing me with someone else? I never said; "female characters aren't oversexualized all that much". Nor did I say that oversexualizing female characters was consistent in FF games. I said, "Cid's outfit isn't inconsistent with how other FF characters are portrayed". You deemed it sexually objective, not me. HAHA I am also now thoroughly annoyed with the term "sexual objectification" as it is certainly a subjective matter.

Now i'm not going to call you "dense", the way you have to other's on this thread(quite rudely, I might add), because I know that your not(and I don't need to try and talk down to people in an attempt to get my point across). Your simply highly charged on the issue of the sexual objectification of girls/women, as well you should be, but no one on here is on the other side of that issue. But you do seem to be only hearing what you want to hear, as is evident in your multiple misquotes of me(but, hey, at least you were consistent with that).

Not satisfied w/ my retort? Then let me just say what you want to hear, that way you won't have to go outta your way to misquote me in order to make me out to be a sexist pig:

Originally Posted by Hannibal_Khan
- Jeez, hysterical much?
-Why am I arguing with you? You are woman, and therefore incapable of making any sense. I hereby dismiss you.
-Why are you on your computer when you should be in a kitchen making a man his dinner.
-hmm, geuss it's that time of the month again...
-Seriously, where's my dinner?

[Psychotic]

Hey Shlup, what about Relm (10) Krile (14) and Rikku (15) you dirty old woman