Female plussize characters in Anime and Video Games

In one of my previous blog posts I talked about how plussize cosplayers are often bullied or critisized for their bodies. Often, people also ask: “Why don’t you cosplay characters who fit your body type?” Well, the problem is, what choices do I really have as a female? Can anyone name a plussize female anime character from any popular show? And Im talking real plussize here, not the Robyn Lawley kind.

Weight has been mentioned in several Anime really. In the first Season of Sailor Moon, Usagi Tsukino often complained about her weight. At least in the German dub, which I saw during my childhood. Yet oddly enough, she was portrayed as having the same perfect body type as all her fellow soldiers. Another character, who was once described on the slightly bigger side, and the emphasis here really is on slightly for me, is Miaka Yuuki from Fushigi Yuugi. She was even drawn as slightly bigger than her friend Yui, but even she was far from anything plussize. And honestly, I cannot think of any plussize Anime females, who are part of the main cast.

The gaming universe is a little kinder in that regard. Big game titles do contain ladies with curves, however, most of them are older women. You don’t really see any young plussize main characters. Well, at least almost. Thanks to a friend’s tumblr, I managed to stumble over this character:

I was surprised and delighted at th same time! This young girl is a MAIN character for a dating sim game! And no, she does not undergo any magical transformations and is completely true to herself! The other element that really had me researching into this game twice, is that Hachi Koi is an actual dating sim game, a genre which usually features only girls with perfect features. Basically females, which guys playing these games would find desirable and would dream of dating. Unfortunately I couldnt find any statistics on how popular Kurumi is within the game, compared to the other available characters, but the sheer fact that a plussize character exists in this genre already makes me happy!

Still, looking at the scene overall, there is a great lack of young female plussize characters out there. It doesnt really bother me per se, because I enjoy the series for the plots and animation, no matter what body size the characters have, but I just want people on the internet to be aware of the fact that plussize cosplayers cannot necessary just stick to characters their size, for the simple reason that there almost arent any.

And while I said that I essentially enjoy Anime for the plot, I would be over the moon if one day there was a short slice of life animation series with a plussize female as the main character, just following her through her every day life. I think it would find an audience out there, as well as maybe portray some of the struggles and prejudices the plussize scene faces. Of course, taking into account Japan’s attitude on bigger bodies, this is never going to happen. But a girl can always dream, right?

Cosplay – A community of utmost tolerance and sheer discrimination

In one of my last posts I talked about the paradox surrounding geek girls. Today, I wish to talk about another unusual community, which I am part of – Cosplayers. I am now simply going to assume that all of you know what it is. But if I have to give a very short definition of it, then I would say that it is the act of dressing up as your favourite fictional characters. No, I will no go into the disputet psychology behind this, but rather ask you to just take it for what it is. A hobby and an ever growing community. However, said community poses a few problems, which I wish to adress in this post.

To the outside world, the Cosplay community often appears as a peaceful whole. Cosplayers stick together against the outside world, who more often than not, labels them as freaks and outsiders. It is a pure us against them mentality, where everyone in the community is an ally. The Cosplay community also waves the “Everyone is welcome here” flag, suggesting that everyone can join and be part of the fun. Once you are inside however, you quickly realize that not all is flowers and happiness. In fact, the community can be downright discriminating.

Some could even call part of the community racist. How often have I seen black cosplayers being bashed for cosplaying a white character? It is in moments like this that I am almost ashamed to be part of such a community, which on one hand states that it is all about fun and being the person you idolize for a day, but on the other hand discriminates anyone who doesnt looke exactly like the fictional characters they are portraying.

The same shaming that happens of people of different ethnicity (minus the Asians of course), also happens to people of another body shape. Plussize cosplay is the most ridiculed aspect of cosplay and I have met extreme hate and hurtful comments ever since joining. Yes, there are also plenty of accepting people, but dont you dare post a picture of yourself in an open forum anywhere, because people will bash the hell out of you, feeling secure in the anymosity of the internet. The sad thing is, they ridicule people on the basis that they dont look like the characters. Hello! NOBODY looks like that. It´s like trying to be a barbie doll for heaven´s sake!

Not as bad as bashing people for their ethnicity and body size, but nevertheless a huge debate, is the question of costumes. Are the only real cosplayers those who make their costumes themselves? Why doesnt buying things count? Isnt it all supposed to just be fun and games? Yet so many turn it into a competition of skill and money.

Recently fame has also entered the picture. Now there are cosplay celebrities, who often seem to dictate what is considered good cosplay. However, I have noted that those cosplayers are usually females with perfect bodies wearing extremely tight or skimpy cosplays. This is not what I want to do and what I consider to be good cosplay. In fact, why should there be a quality measurement in the first place?

Why cant the cosplay community be what it portrays itself as to the outside world? The welcoming, open and tolerant place where everyone can get together and just enjoy their hobby and live out their fantasies of being their favourite character for a day. I am looking with sadness at the current ongoing developments in the community and I hope to see a change eventually.

I know that this is more of a rant than an analysis, but I just want to give an image of the community as I experience it as a plussize cosplayer.