Is the sexualization of Stellar Blade’s heroine between voluptuous and controversial forms a problem?

Gaming News Is the sexualization of Stellar Blade’s heroine between voluptuous and controversial forms a problem?

Stellar Blade is the next PS5 exclusive game, expected at the end of the month. A promising video game, as Jinxeb suggests in our preview, evoking nervous combat “that few titles can boast”, intuitive gameplay and an intriguing plot. Everything indicates that this video game experience will be more surprising than expected, with unexpected elements for a brilliant adventure. However, this title makes people shy away from one particular element: the physique of its main character. As soon as we hear about this title, from now on it will mainly be about the woman named Eve and the way the developers have highlighted her.

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What are the controversies surrounding Stellar Blade?

In the first images of Stellar Blade, Internet users were able to discover its female character. While this exclusivity, in the words of the director, could have fascinated by its dynamic gameplay or its story imbued with religious connotations and themes related to AI, all eyes are on the plasticity of Eve, modeling with the model in 3D became Shin Jae-eun. This isn’t the first time a video game character has had beneficial plasticity. The main example is, of course, Lara Croft, who fantasized an entire generation or even Bayonetta. However, the controversy also lies in the fact that the developers fully embrace and emphasize this choice. They spoke of the “back” or his back because that is where all the players’ eyes are. director Hyung Tae Kim has already commented on this issue, which, on the contrary, has not quieted the controversy.

When designing, we paid particular attention to the back of the figure, as the player always looks at the back of the figure while playing. That’s what he sees the most, so we thought it was very important.

From a certain point of view, his answer seems the most logical. It’s true that third-person video game players mainly see this particular body part, and it’s not particularly shocking to want to take care of this aspect. However, the heroine’s physique raises eyebrows among some Internet users and sparks a debate about the hypersexualization of female characters. Unfortunately, everything is confirmed by a multitude of horny Internet users who do not shy away from commenting on Eva. In fact, Stellar Blade has been labeled a “sexist” game

Unfortunately, the controversy doesn’t end there. In this context of the debate about the physique of this outstanding fighter, another scandal resurfaces. According to netizens on X (formerly known as Twitter), two Shift Up employees were fired for feminist statements. The latter criticized their company for the fan service aspect and emphasized too much on the character’s physique. This is not an isolated incident, as another employee was allegedly harassed after she posted a Twitter message with a feminist hashtag related to the Megalia movement.

In short, with a very sexualized character, 100% embraced by the developers, and old controversies related to female employees, the ground couldn’t be more fertile to make headlines in the video game world. How can we explain this phenomenon, which is becoming more and more important with the impending release of this title? The culture of beauty in South Korea is one of the most obvious answers.

Beauty, Feminism and South Korea

It’s no secret that Korean culture places a lot of emphasis on appearance. Beauty criteria are extremely precise and the uses of cosmetic surgery are numerous. K-pop stars or K-drama actors are revered for their beauty along with their talent, which perfectly matches the standards. Given this background, it is not particularly surprising that South Korean productions place great value on the plasticity of the characters in their video games.. Hyung-Tae Kim added this when talking about Eve’s looks.

Honestly, when I’m acting, I’d like to see someone prettier than me. This is what I want. I don’t want to see anything normal, I want to see something more ideal. I think this is a very important form of entertainment. After all, this is a hobby for adults.

In his opinion, it is important to see someone beautiful in video games. An answer that is not without meaning, but which is all the more interesting when viewed through the prism of an appearance-obsessed Korean society. You may have played MMORPGs from the Land of the Morning Calm, where women wear armor that barely protects their bodies. Although there are Korean studios that have created heroines that are far from extremely sexualized, it is still common to see them.

Furthermore, feminism is not well regarded at all in South Korea. For example, K-pop singers and dancers IreneLeader of the group Red velvetHe faced mass harassment because former fans filmed themselves
burning photos of her… All this just because she said she read a feminist book (“Kim Ji-young, born in 1982”). There are so many situations like this. Feminism is almost systematically associated with misandry, and some South Koreans believe such ideas are the cause of the demographic collapse they are experiencing. In short, between nuisance and taboo, South Korea is generally not particularly enthusiastic about feminism.

We can conclude this article by answering the following question: Why is Stellar Blade so shocking? In the times we live in, many battles are taking place to promote the image of women. So when a new video game comes onto the market with an uninhibited vision of the sexualization of its female characters, and also gains a foothold in a society where beauty is essential and feminist values ​​are frowned upon, it triggers a shock in the Western public.

“Should I buy Stellar Blade?”

Whether this situation is problematic depends on your perspective. On the one hand, it is true that playing an ordinary person in a video game is not particularly attractive and that is what the developers wanted to bet on. However, it is a shame to focus on this aspect and reduce this undoubtedly interesting character to his appearance. “It is, after all, a hobby for adults,” says the South Korean director, indicating that this title is aimed at people who appreciate voluptuous shapes. Whether we like it or not, this audience always responds. Proof of this: Stellar Blade is already selling very well and is in first place in current pre-orders on the PlayStation Store. In short: if this topic represents a moral problem for you, it is obvious that you will not feel comfortable playing it. Otherwise, it would be a shame to miss out on this PS5 exclusive, which seems to benefit from dynamic gameplay and an engaging storyline.

This debate will always come up in one way or another. If this title interests you, despite its controversies, it definitely is 26th of April that you can get it. As a reminder, it is reserved exclusively for PlayStation 5 owners.