Friday, April 12, 2013

Skullgirls Fans Prefer Cute and Comedic Over Sexy

If you're a backer on Skullgirls Indiegogo fund, you probably saw the recent character popularity poll:

Out of the current character roster, which character is your favorite?
現在プレイ可能なキャラクターの中で、どのキャラクターが一番好きですか?

Filia / フィリア : 11.7%
Cerebella / セレベラ : 12.1%
Peacock / ピーコック : 19.2%
Parasoul / パラソール : 11.7%
Ms. Fortune / Ms. フォーチュン : 18.7%
Painwheel / ペインホイール : 6.9%
Valentine / ヴァレンタイン : 15.6%
Double / ダブル : 4.1%

(Source: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keep-skullgirls-growing)


It's expected that the ugly characters didn't see much love, but I am surprised to see Peacock at the top.  Not that Peacock is ugly, but she's not exactly a design that would be considered hot or sexy.

I'm also surprised to see Ms. Fortune beating Valentine and Parasoul.  Ms. Fortune's design is focused on being cute; as cute as a dismembered catgirl throwing her severed limbs around can be.  Her design is definitely closer to Peacock's in such that it's pretty wacky.

Actually, it makes perfect sense.  If I were in the demographic that wanted typical babes in a video games, I wouldn't be playing Skullgirls.  Could it be that the average otaku gamer is more attracted to cute and comedic designs over straight-up sexy?  Probably.  We're still into that moe stuff, right?

Sure enough, the poll itself confirms the Skullgirls audience:

In the next year, do you plan to attend an anime, comics or game convention?
今後1年間にアニメ・漫画/コミック・ゲームなどの会議・コンベンションに参加する予定はありますか?

Yes / はい : 69.5%
No / いいえ : 30.5%


Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a special snowflake sydrome I need to cure by playing the most moe team of all: Painwheel/Double.