Why do Japanese video games mainly have American-looking characters in them?
December 30, 2009
Why wouldn’t a Japanese video game designer make video games starring Asian characters? Obviously there are exceptions, but to me it seems that the overwhelming majority of video games that come out of Japan feature characters that are white or of other non-asian races.
Hi. I’m Japanese. I often play Final Fantasy.
First it has something to do with criterion of beauty.
In Japan, criterion of beauty is "double-edged big eyes" and "beautiful long nose" Exactly these features are characteristic of Caucasians looking. But please watch the characters well.
They are not Caucasians.Caucasians have maturer looking than them.
And skins are not so white. Characters have just "big eyes" and "beautiful nose". They don’t belong any races.
Second, when we play video games, we want to go in "dream world".
I mean, far from real world.Things are changing and these days I can see many foreign people in my town but still now, for Japanese Westerners are rare. If video game characters are "Sato" Suzuki", it’s too real. so we don’t really like it.
I hope you can understand my English. Thank you.
The real truth to this is quite disturbing but part of it has to do with the fact that Japanese men find white women very attractive.
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That was exactly what I was thinking. everyone seems to be white. and in the Ubisoft game the main character is asian
ubisoft is canadian right?
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Japanese have a thing for all things Western, so that’s the reason why so many Japanese games have Caucasians.
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Because most Japanese people long for American(European) look.
Especially young people.
If they made a video games with Asian characters, they (we) feel like it’s old fashioned.
And it wouldn’t be a popular.
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a native Japanese, live in Japan.
Hi. I’m Japanese. I often play Final Fantasy.
First it has something to do with criterion of beauty.
In Japan, criterion of beauty is "double-edged big eyes" and "beautiful long nose" Exactly these features are characteristic of Caucasians looking. But please watch the characters well.
They are not Caucasians.Caucasians have maturer looking than them.
And skins are not so white. Characters have just "big eyes" and "beautiful nose". They don’t belong any races.
Second, when we play video games, we want to go in "dream world".
I mean, far from real world.Things are changing and these days I can see many foreign people in my town but still now, for Japanese Westerners are rare. If video game characters are "Sato" Suzuki", it’s too real. so we don’t really like it.
I hope you can understand my English. Thank you.
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none of you are right. It is because Americans are there biggest costumer and they want our MONEY. ddduuu
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