The Women in Girl Games1 and Bishoujo 2 Games
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Violence against Girls The Women in Girl Games1 and Bishoujo 2 Games Are video games really causing violence towards women? What follows is the perspective of a male 20-something gamer on the position of women in games. Kousuke Takahashi Let us consider the girl game and the but this serves as a symbol of their Bishoujo game genres to examine the portrayal dependence upon the player (an elder brother). of women in video games. If I were to define Opinions of people that actually have younger girl games, there are three defining traits. sisters vary. In reality, younger sisters are by Firstly, the main portion of the center screen no means dependent upon their older brothers, comprises of one or more images of female and thus as a symbol a certain impossibility characters. Secondly, a window is used for exists. conversing with the displayed character. In Bishoujo games with age restrictions Finally, the majority of the characters (users must be 18 or older), there is a similar appearing in the game must also be women. tendency that the goal of the game is to Bishoujo games contain an additional trait, that succeed in a relationship with girl characters in of concrete depictions of lustful acts. game. Kanon (2000, Visual Art's/Key) and The women in a girl game are usually ToHeart (1997, Leaf/AQUAPLUS) are good young and slender with large eyes and a small examples of this tendency and they would be nose; they have stereotypically attractive categorized somewhere between girl games appearances. Since this style is similar to and Bishoujo games. These games are romantic anime characters, the term “anime style” is comedies taking place in schools, but all of the used to describe it. This style was first used female characters in the games have some sort when the capability of game machines was of emotional suffering and the main character limited and only symbolic representations of (the player) is a healer for them. Although it characters could be used. The second and may sound awful, the main character often third traits represent the games’ purpose: to takes advantage of them in the process of talk with the female characters. These developing a relationship with the female conversations are often connected to romance characters. This act demonstrates the players’ and success of this romance is often one of hope or dream of “wanting to protect the main goals. women.” In addition to the above general What sort of characters is popular in story, characters’ personalities are also current games? In girl games, unusual distinctive to provide entertainment for the circumstances often abound, the most extreme player. example being “Sister Princess” (2001 Media One particularly popular character is Works). This is a communication game ToHeart’s Multi. She is an experimental robot involving 12 young sisters. “There’s no reason maid who is short with an obedient to have that many daughters,” one may believe, personality and is not a high performance 11 WOMEN’S ASIA 21 Voices from Japan No. 12 Winter 2004 Violence against Girls machine. Therefore, she is always consulting Looking at the above ideas, girl game the player for help, and when she is rewarded and Bishoujo game provide a certain fantasy for with a pat on the head and a “Good job, male buyers and producers. That is, Multi,” she becomes visibly happy. In the submissive women, who are not real, willingly story, she is discriminated against because she heal men and men can become closer to is not a human but a robot. Protecting Multi women as they spend time together; “If we’re is supposed to gratify the player. together we can grow closer.” On the other Generally, characters that are young, hand, where crime, confinement, and submissive, have few abilities, and violence’s cause is concerned, I doubt that dominated/protected by the player are these games are the sole cause. Rather, desire popular, and the corporations reproduce these and delusion rooted into modern male culture characters to satisfy the demands. As a result, create the demand for Bishoujo games. the number of female characters that are to be Innumerable events cause a crime to occur, protected increases, and a fantasized image of and concretely proving a causal relationship women is amplified. between violence against women and games is What further problems exist in games impossible. with goals of “erotic” pursuit? While I do not The problem lies in a gender-segregated have any experience with these games, I society. It is difficult for men to have direct consulted a friend who knew a lot about this communications with women and there is no type of games for this paper. I then tried adequate educational environment for Exile -Blood Royal 2- (2000, Cherry Soft). understanding and gaining knowledge of the According to my friend, games with opposite sex. confinement themes are relatively rare, but to The mass media portrays games as examine this issue I chose to try this game. villains, but the majority of comments seem to The story is that a cursed prince was shut away be of emotional nature. Games are another long ago, and to return to being human, true medium for expressing ideas. It is sad that love is required, causing princess to come and cultural developments suffer because of unjust sacrifice herself. On a side note, the story biases toward these new mediums. Criticizing author is said to be a woman. games is easy, but it is not sufficient, as the Without delving deeply into the story, a games are only scapegoat. We must question comment in the game, “the body is honest,” ourselves further to find out the root cause. symbolizes the expected “rape myth.” The archetypical fantasy of women is thus created. Kousuke Takahashi (College student) Again, while confinement occurs and communication is frequent, the princess begins to open her heart. When playing, one Translator notes: 1 These definitions differ slightly from those could really believe that the player can become used in the US gaming community. What close to the female characters only by being Takahashi calls girl games are often known as together. As this also applies to girl games, “Ren’ai” games or “Gal-games” (as opposed to the majority of games use this mechanism games marketed towards women). Bishoujo games as defined here are known as “H games” where the players can become closer with the or “Erogee.” See the MegaTokyo Ren’ai Forum female characters with frequent FAQ at communication. Thus, players are likely <http://renai.gwathyr.net/dsvn_faq_rev01.1.ht ml> for a popular introduction to these games in holding this belief, which differs from actual English. human relationships. 2 Literally, “pretty girl”. WOMEN’S ASIA 21 Voices from Japan No. 12 Winter 2004 12 .