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Thread: "Here's Samus in Shorts!"

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    "Here's Samus in Shorts!"

    That's how a recent Nintendo press release concluded. They were announcing that she'll be appearing, and fighting, in this outfit in the upcoming installment of Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U due out this fall:

    Attachment 8705

    While gamers have always been rewarded with a screen showing Samus Aran in skimpy attire for completing Metroid games quickly (a fact that reveals who these games were always meant to appeal to: boys and men), if we apply the standard that basic respect means that women should generally be shown more clothed than not, then all games featuring Samus that came out between the years 1987 (when she was first introduced) and 2007 met this criteria, showing Samus primarily in her armored Varia Suit, and she was accordingly known mainly for being a strong, independent, heroic character. Since the first appearance of the 3D version of her Zero Suit in 2008's Super Smash Bros. Brawl, by contrast, Nintendo has opted to focus on upping Samu's sex appeal at the expense of her independence. 2010's Metroid: Other M transformed the once brave heroine into a mindless drone who slavishly does whatever she's told. (What a coincidence that a decrease in clothing should overlap with a decrease in autonomy!) She is today, as a result, primarily known not for her strength and heroism, but for her appearance. (If you don't believe me, try Googling "Samus" under Images and see how many pictures of her come depicting her in her armored Varia Suit.) At this point, the only thing that distinguishes Samus from the wholly forgettable brainless bimbos from the Dead or Alive games is the fact they've not yet opted to apply "breast physics" to her (and no, that's not a suggestion). As you can see at the link, at this point even most of Samus's overwhelmingly male fan base objects to her treatment.

    For those who seriously don't think there's anything sexist about all this, just ask yourselves how many Nintendo press releases you've seen conclude with lines like "Here's Luigi in shorts!" or "Here's Link shirtless!" You just don't see that happening because Nintendo's male characters are not valued primarily for their appearance. I think you get what I'm saying.
    Last edited by IMPress Polly; 08-27-2014 at 07:49 AM.

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