Digital Woman Review: Taki of Soul Calibur 2

[Circe]

WG contributor <a href="http://www.womengamers.com/members/bio.php?handle=razoras">Razoras</a> has a Digital Woman review of <a href="http://www.womengamers.com/dw/takireview.php">Taki</a> from Soul Calibur 2.

"Despite the obvious sex-appeal role Taki has taken on in Soul Calibur 2, most paper and television advertisements don't portray her as a sexual object. They also don't go out of their way to portray the female characters as any more important than the males, instead giving more or less equal attention to all the characters. The focus has mostly been on advertising the fact that a long awaited sequel has finally arrived and that the X-box, Gamecube, and Playstation have different "guest" characters."

[Onar]

Just a guys 2 cents on the Taki model. And for the record, I'm 20.

I very much dislike the ample amount of chest given to this poor girl. Well, fierce ninja- but that's beside the point. It's pointless and uninspired- and frankly it doesn't appeal to me. I've hated big-breasted game models ever since Tomb Raider- when it was quite obvious that was the games primary selling point. *sigh*

I really don't need nor want my female characters to be top heavy. It's disturbing to think that anyone would. It's unatural and a blatant attempt to attract young impressionables. Oi.

[qirien]

I don't think your opinon is that strange, Onar -- my husband feels the same way.

Hmmm, someone really should do a DW review of Shion from Xenosaga . . . maybe I will . . .

[Hentaiman1]

Oh wait i know!

She's one of the Worst Characters in the Game! OF course now everythign makes sense!

[DavPilky]

Oh wait i know!

She's one of the Worst Characters in the Game! OF course now everythign makes sense!

Heh, and here I'd think a guy named hentaiman would be all about the bresatesses. Goes to show you never can tell. I agree though. Taki's rather lame, and that's coming from a guy who usually like the female characters best (Okay, okay, Sophitia's my favorite).

--DP

[Hentaiman1]

Yea, "hentai" is commonly miscontrued. It literal Japanese it means "metamorphosis" or "Transformation." It got slipped into anime connatations because it was somethign completly different then what was going on b4.

[RekrahTheWise]

I'd have to agree with Hentaiman, Taki has to be one of the lamest characters in Soul Calibur/Blade history, I don't know why she keeps coming back. But I think if you want to have qualms about an objectified female character in Soul Calibur 2, I think you should take a look at Ivy. Not only does she wear next to nothing, but the few blurbs she gets in the game just don't seem related with things like "Are you satisfied?" in the sultry, yet dominate, German accent.

I also agree with Onar, top-heavy female characters are really sorta pointless, and somewhat bothersome, because when they are top-heavy, they are usually terrible characters, like in Tomb Raider (I hated that game with a passion) and even in Breath of Fire 5 with Lynn, she was next to worthless(With only few exceptions like Kasumi or Helena from the DOA series). But oh well, I guess making characters with big breasts add an extra few thousand to sales huh? But at what cost...

And all this, from a 16 year old boy, Lmao.

[qirien]

Despite what "hentai" may have meant in the past, I wouldn't go around saying it unless you really do mean perverted. Just like I wouldn't go around calling people "queer" unless I really meant the more common modern usage of the word.

If you're looking for a word that means transformation, "henshin" also means that, but without the perverted meaning.

[Hentaiman1]

Yea, hentai is so missconstrued nowadays u can't say in around anime fans without people looking at u funny. But more along the lines of the overly shaped women...One of the best characters in that game is Talim, and she has next to no breast size at all, or at least nothing that would draw attention to it and wears mostly conservative outfits. And she kicks ass! Killed Inferno like nobodys business with that girl. What i'm trying to say, is that a chick doesn't have to be incredibly top heavy to kick mad ass. Tomb Raider sucks anyway, so did the movies.

[Gundomexcalibur]

(Man i hope i write this without regret.)

ok. from an artistic view i can see nothing wrong with Taki.
From a male prospective i see nothing but flaws.

I used her in the game and I saw no flaws in her ability to compete
for the soul calibur/bir.
I also take into consideration that the game she eminated from is not
all that realistic. Am i rong to say that outer apearance isn't everything ?
Or is that just for the ugly men and wemon? taking into consideration that
she is just a game charictor why do we point out her flaws? (besides the fact that her breasts are bigger than her head) well one reason is because we are human... the other is that we are at a level of straight defiance of beauty. We can't compete with somthing that doesn't exist...

do i make sence or has gaming and my prospective on life finally got to me...

[Lunarhound]

I've decided that Taki is the best character in the game and that everyone who doesn't think so just can't figure out how to use her correctly. Out of a series of 56 battles over the course about a week and a half (and that's just counting the official ones) fought with 12 different people, the majority of whom I feel safe saying are pretty dang good, I've not lost a single five round match. A round or two, yes, but no matches. She's fast, she's versatile, she does a generous amount of damage if you pick the right weapon, she has great circling moves, easy ring-out moves, and she can quickly and easily flip right over anyone's head to attack from behind if the heat is on. It's gotten to the point that everyone refuses to play if I use Taki. I really wish I could take my game online and test this.

[razoras]

I definately don't feel taki is the worst character. She's never been someone you could be good with right from the start, but with enough practice you can really whup some butt.

[razoras]

Oh, and regarding an Ivy review, go right ahead. I'm planning on contributing a review of all the women of Soul Calibur 2, except perhaps Sohpitia. She really hasn't changed in appearance or behavior at all.

[markspace]

Hmm, interesting topic. I've been rounding out my dreamcast collection of games before it's too late (some good bargins out there now ), and I've recently purchased Dead or Alive 2. (Sorry to change the subject a bit but I've never even seen SC2 played, at least not that I remember.)

First, yes the women are over endowed and gorgeous. Typical video game babes. And I have to admit that I like looking at them, it would simply be disengenous for me to say otherwise.

At the same time, the women seem fairly represented. It's not like the men have realistic body types. (Note: the men are mostly well "ripped", which is what you might expect from a well trained martial arts fighter. It seems that the women should also have low body fat, esp. their chests, but we'll let that one slide).

The women in DAO2 are just as tough as the men. I don't think they have as many "power" styles, but as playable characters in a video game they rank right up there with the guys. Most of the women have fast styles that are very advantageous in the combat game, and they all have well developed moves that do not make them feel like second class citizens. Also, the "breast action" is understated. It's there, but I never thought to myself, "Hmm, she's got to have a sore back from that." They are all tucked well inside their outfits, and don't display much more than "normal" clevage. The "extra" costumes that I've unlocked so far are if anything less revealing that the standard ones.

So does someone want to give me a yardstick to measure my ideas? How sexist do you think DAO2 is? I rate as "a little sexist but not really more than an average Hollywood summer movie" and I think DOA2 is a pretty acceptable game, socially.

Opinions?

[Style 69]

Hey Buds.

I'm not sure about you guys, but when I play a fighting game, I'm more interested in the "Character" of the woman rather than her Joy-joy pillows. Is she sassy, brave, noble or whatever?

What about the victory sequences for the fighters? The sexy wiggles, cartwheels etc. the characters do when they've won their bout? Slightly off topic but isn't the most sexy/sexist "Anna from" Tekken Tag Tournament on PS2? I grin wildly and my Girlfriend rolls her eyes everytime she does the "bum wiggle" victory pose...