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[ChoosableOne]

If a JRPG does this, do we just say it's normal? Let's talk!

Update:
-Another example, Miquella, suggested by another user, added(erased the user's name because he used "triggered" emoji lol).
-Miquella's face added.

 

[killatopak]

My guy, look at Asian male idols.

There you go.

 

[llLeonhart]

What a weird rant

 

[Yoshichan]

you're one of those fuck heads that complained about raiden back in 2001 lol

 

[adamsapple]

Most of those are supposed to be fresh-faced teenagers, so it's kinda understandable if they don't have stubble, scars etc.

 

[Magic Carpet]

What is the old Anime rule? If your not sure if it's a guy or a girl, It's a guy.

 

[Pelao]

 

[Woggleman]

Nobody makes a big deal about how male characters look at all.

 

[TheCed]

Ever heard of Japan ?

If you don't like it, it's fine, but Japan isn't the USA, they have different trends there and thats fine.

 

[chakadave]

It’s super annoying. But it’s also been standard for Japanese media for a long time. It’s also because the characters are usually young.

 

[Outlier]

I don't like it either.
I've wondered if it's a inner desire to remain very young, in a society pressured with unrelenting adult responsibilities.

 

[Generic]

I recall Vann being heavily mocked when Final Fantasy 12 got released.

 

[Danjin44]

If a JRPG does this, do we just say it's normal? Let's talk!

They are heavily stylized, also same way most western games likes make them old and beat up, Japan likes to make them young and pretty.

 

[kruis]

You might have had a point if there was a trend of Japanese game makers demasculating all male characters. Unfortunately for you, that's not the case.

 

[RoboFu]

Show me a game where a gay male character has ever preached about gender identity.

 

[SmokedMeat]

That’s because they all do.

 

[Mister Wolf]

I don't like that either. The protagonist of DQXI does not look feminine.

 

[Duchess]

LOL! Why is Cloud in the top image? He doesn't look like a ... oh wait, never mind.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

With all due respect to the girls and women.

But he looks like a woman.

 

[Rush2112]

What is there to talk about? They look like girls.

 

[Nonehxc]

If a JRPG does this, do we just say it's normal? Let's talk!

Because...

 

[Three]

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

We used to make fun of this shit all the time. I think it’s gone on for so long that people just stopped caring.

 

[Shubh_C63]

It's Anime
Everything and anything is a go.

 

[diffusionx]

it's a japan thing, you know who also looks like girls in their games? the girls

 

[ChoosableOne]

you're one of those fuck heads that complained about raiden back in 2001 lol

Raiden was cool, it's not the same thing.

Most of those are supposed to be fresh-faced teenagers, so it's kinda understandable if they don't have stubble, scars etc.

I've never seen a male teenager like these.

 

[intbal]

The last JRPG I played was in 1986.
They didn't look like anything back then.

 

[squidilix]

Yeah, perfect representation of a man for girl.

 

[EN250]

Never complained because western devs used to be the counterweight creating manly af characters till the point we reached stupidity and every male character ended up being some roided up bald mfer stoic to the level you'd think too many fights messed up with his speech patern

 

[DeepEnigma]

This has always been a thing.

 

[chakadave]

But at the same time we have Yakuza and other manly characters in those games.

 

[Astral Dog]

(Except for the first picture maybe), at most they look somewhat effeminate,but they clearly don't look,act like girls or dress like one, they are just pretty guys,wich is a staple of jrpgs

 

[Generic]

You might have had a point if there was a trend of Japanese game makers demasculating all male characters. Unfortunately for you, that's not the case.

It's a decades-old trend in Japan, not only for videogames, but the whole culture in general.

 

[duck_sauce]

Ever heard of Japan ?

If you don't like it, it's fine, but Japan isn't the USA, they have different trends there and thats fine.

That’s true. Japan has feminine guys and the west has masculine girls.
Different trends and that is fine.

 

[Varteras]

 

[Filben]

Yeah, I thought at first the protagonist in Metaphor was a girl until I heard the voice. Uhm... okay. Thought the same of the dude from Visions of Mana when I saw the portrait only with that ridiculous hairstyle (it's only OK for me if women have these, like Gemma in MH: Wilds). The muscles and body proportions gave it away, though.

But androgynous looks exists in these games since day one, so guess it's just a Japan and JRPG thing.

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

the types of games you dont let your parents see you playing

 

[Setsuna Mudou]

OP learning about anime in the year 2024...

 

[captainpat]

Because they all look like cute girls. If they're gonna make a female character look male at least make then look handsome.

 

[Kataploom]

Because anime fans have always had inclusive characters and entire genres and nobody gave a shit, you always have options or even those designs are part of the appeal. The way the west does inclusiveness is what's problematic.

 

[Wildebeest]

It is because in Japan, the guys who look like this are the ones who are actually having sex.

 

[mrcroket]

The main reason is that Japanese people associate femininity with beauty, unlike in the West where we have reached a point where femininity and beauty (especially female beauty) is seen as something bad due to the pressures of certain groups of self-conscious and victimised people.

 

[KungFucius]

If a JRPG does this, do we just say it's normal? Let's talk!

Are all of these characters supposed to be males? The FF12 dude is definitely a male slut. To his left and right, they look like flat chested chicks.

 

[tmlDan]

pretty valid point and i love anime/japanese aesthetic most of the time lol

 

[poppabk]

(Except for the first picture maybe), at most they look somewhat effeminate,but they clearly don't look,act like girls or dress like one, they are just pretty guys,wich is a staple of jrpgs

It would help if you or the OP could post some pictures of these male characters.

 

[RaduN]

Nah...doesn't fit their narrative.

 

[PeteBull]

One of the reasons Guts from Berserk manga/anime/games is so popular is that he is opposite of ur standard japanese protagonist aka teenage womenly boy:

Both in looks and mindset, he is actually adult male.

 

[Astral Dog]

It would help if you or the OP could post some pictures of these male characters.

I thought i did there also a picture in the op

 

[Muffdraul]

This was talked about non-stop 20 years ago. Sorry you missed the party.

 

[llien]

My guy, look at Asian male idols.