Street Fighter V is mostly making the news for all the right reasons. It looks gorgeous, it’s bringing back some of the most famous fighters in the franchise and, above all else, it looks to be a fantastic fighter. But being developed all the way in Japan, Street Fighter V does feature some tropes that audiences in the western world (and elsewhere) have taken to speaking out against.
Things like character R. Mika slapping her near naked bum as a visual taunt while you’re trying to overlook (or focus on) her more than revealing outfit.
The intro sequence was revealed alongside the character’s own trailer back in August, but it’s been subtly tweaked since then. The costume remains, but Mika’s moves no longer feature the infamous cheek slap – which is blatantly looked at and analysed in excruciating detail in the video below.
The video screams censorship, but the fact of the matter is that Street Fighter V is still in development and subject to all sorts of change. There is no doubt that the response to Mika’s reveal ultimately made developers Capcom rethink their stance with her, but they’re reiterated that nothing unequivocally forced them to make the change. Instead, they made that decision themselves.
So says Street Fighter boss Yoshinori Ono, who explained the change in a recent interview.
“We didn’t make any change because of external influences. Those changes came up internally. We decided to remove that because we want the biggest possible number of people to play, and we don’t want to have something in the game that might make someone uncomfortable.”
So yes, the outcry after the reveal definitely reached the ears of Capcom, making them reconsider if the animation was worth potentially making players uncomfortable and, more importantly, potentially losing sales. There’s a way to frame that as censorship if you’re really pedantic about it, but personally I like to see it as mutual evolution between consumers and developers understanding of them. Still, if you’re really pissed about it, you can still oogle at Mika’s costume. Doesn’t seem that’s changing.
Last Updated: December 9, 2015
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 13:35
I’ll be very disappointed if I don’t see at least one 3-page essay about this.
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 13:41
How’s about I give you 3 one page essays?
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 13:42
Then I’ll be very disappointed.
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 13:56
And if it is written on both sides of the page?
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 13:57
Is this a quantum mechanics joke?
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 13:59
I am too dumb to be a regular mechanic, Sir. Let alone some Quantum thingy Sir.
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:08
I indulged you.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 14:19
Yes & no – I was hoping more for some long rant about how Western civilisation is being destroyed because a stupid butt slapping animation was altered, with some mindless appeal to art being some immutable entity – and bonus points for hysteria. Then you went & said some stuff I can sort of agree with. :/
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:22
I tried. 🙂
Thinus Swart
December 9, 2015 at 14:28
It’s about ethics in art censorship, dammit! *grin*
D4RKL1NG
December 9, 2015 at 13:47
DAMN YOU ANITA SARKEE…wait what?
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 13:51
The internet responds…
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 13:55
Not 10 hours? Clearly the internet doesn’t care all that much. 😀
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 14:56
XD
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 13:56
B B B B B BUTT SLAP COMBO!!!
Jeez, I can understand DC censoring the jokers kill move by moving the gun to face scene off screen BUT this is just stupid.
I actually think the entire ordeal like the DOA Extreme game is reverse marketing at its finest. No way gamers are this sensitive. Is this game not a TEEN rating? Are you telling me that teens find this offensive?
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 13:57
Feminists find teen hormones offensive
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 13:58
They can all GITS. Bunch of muppets.
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 13:58
This is how the world ends: Feminists will finally perfect some way to prevent all men from looking at a woman and go “Wow. Pretty.” No sex will be had. Ever. Leading to the demise of the planet.
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 13:59
Not while porn is around
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 14:00
Porn will be the first thing outlawed. And all female porn stars tried for treason.
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 14:01
What about males? That would be sexist if they are excluded
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 14:02
They are drawn and quartered.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:07
Males are pussies.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:01
Thank God for porn. It stands by its human right of free speech and is the reason why its the highest grossing industry in the world.
Games will never come close. The childish kiddie stigma will always be attached to the hobby.
You can give a game the same 18 rating as porn but it still sits in kiddie land.
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 14:03
Inorite? Put age restrictions on games but give a child a mobile device with internet and Redtube is a click away.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:04
These feminists need to find a new cause. That is all they want, to piggy back on something and feel important. Go free Willy or hug a tree. Stop telling artists what they can and cant draw.
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:48
Watch this, This lady talks about what real feminism means. Seriously, Watch it.
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:54
Or listen in the background…
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:01
Not sounding rude. But I dont care, there are more important things in life to worry about like FF7 getting botched. 😛
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 15:03
No worries. This is aimed at people that need some sense pounded into their heads.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:06
You can try all you like but arrogance is pure bliss.
RinceThis
December 9, 2015 at 15:10
*ignorance, you ignorant fuck *runs
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:11
tehehehe
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 15:25
There is a thin line between arrogance and enlightenment. That lines is the people who are stupid as fuck not understanding the difference…..I kid.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:13
lol at least the educated older folk like Christina are observing what is really going on. The electronic kids need moderation.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:04
Ya, these socially privileged youngsters are darn scary. So much power but no brains. Its all hate.
RinceThis
December 9, 2015 at 14:36
It also stands in a certain place, you don’t get porn rammed down your throat when you are eating your corn/pornflakes ;P Time and place.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 14:42
Oh great. Now he’s going to complain about how he can’t get penis-shaped pieces of cereal. I hope you’re happy!
RinceThis
December 9, 2015 at 14:45
http://img.pandawhale.com/68674-Brent-Rambo-wins-Internet-gif-bFTn.gif
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:55
That kid bangs hookers now.
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:56
Who is that kid ?
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:58
lol I have no idea. Charlie Sheen?
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:59
Well, Charlie Sheen is somewhat………………….dodge in his ways. Poor sod.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:07
1 in 2.5 men has HIV
RUNS
RinceThis
December 9, 2015 at 15:10
Yeah, it all started with arse slapping in games!
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:15
That darn GTA. Even Hitler played GTA.
RinceThis
December 9, 2015 at 14:40
Which is why they are removing this, they want more sales, and selling a game to kiddies means you have to remove certain things.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:43
dafuq are you talking about? It was a teen rating with it in. They are removing it because they want advertising. I dont remember them removing Tammys Gusset move.
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:46
Hollywood is much the same. Noticed how clean movie have become. I kinda get it. But when the value of a wider audience is taken onto consideration, You can’t help the feeling that you are being robbed. #Lobo movie…
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 13:54
I have it on good authority the butt slap animation will return. Only it’s going to be episodic and spread over 7 discs.
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 13:59
I’d sell it as cosmetic DLC and create a butt slap for every single character. That way everyone gets offended. Equally
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 14:00
OH that is marketing gold right there!
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 14:02
Would love to see Zangief do a butt slap. Most manly butt slap ever.
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 14:03
Or a Dhalsim butt slap…
Hammersteyn
December 9, 2015 at 14:05
Or even Honda and I’m comfortable with that, so why the hubbub about Mika doing it? Back when she did it in SFA3 it was no big deal either because of 2D graphics or people still had balls back then.
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 14:12
Back then, we were a bunch of people that played a game, saw something funny, had a laugh about it (maybe in some cases a good wank) and moved on.
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 15:59
These days, Balls don’t drop.
Thinus Swart
December 9, 2015 at 14:29
With those arms, Dhalsim can slap anyone’s butt from any distance…
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:23
lol
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:05
I don’t like the word tropes……..Why you may ask. Well, It all started a long time ago. I was a happy slightly mentally unstable gamer. I reveled in my fantasy world and I was oblivious to the evils of our little blue rock. When I say evils, I am talking about the hidden nefarious attitude my species, The White Male Gamer (Scientifically known as Whiteness Privligeous ). Unfortunately, My oblivious world was smashed when the tree destroying heartless evil mobile information kiosk ( Nag ) started publishing stories on something called gamergate. It would seem that they somehow grew a conscious…And started going down the road of self loathing. I often wonder if this is why they eventually closed their doors, The privileged ones stopped using them for their nefarious information gathering on everything white and evil. There was a saint who revealed her purpose in life, That which is to destroy my species and turn me into tree hugging piece soulless programmable piece of meat that would offer no resistance to the cause…. After many minutes of self loathing and Introspection, I was hurt and almost ended my own existence. But, I started to believe that the dark side was better than a poke in eye with a stick…… I felt enlightened and I started to see through the doodoo and realised that I never actually ever did the things I was accused of. This saint used the word Tropes all too often. I started building a resistance to this word. Now, Every time I hear it I almost choke on self righteous indignation because I am a perpetrator of these maniacal schemes that I am accused of simply because I am not the right colour and sex…………allegedly. Henceforth, the word Tropes will forever be a source of evil and pain and should be resisted at all costs, For the survival of my species…
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:12
Now get your kit off 😉
http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/clapping.gif
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:15
I am slightly less evil then that bastard 😉
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:15
slightly 😉
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 14:16
In that case we won’t poison your wine.
Oops. Spoiler. *run*
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:17
The females weapon of choice. Oops, Im sorry, was that sexist?
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 14:22
I don’t know, I haven’t had that many women trying to kill me – so I’ll defer to your experience. 😀
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:23
sexist. So you are saying its only men who want to kill? #Gamerdoor
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 14:24
No, that’s what you’re saying. So if it’s sexist, then you’re being sexist. #Gamerjumprope
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:27
FCUK YOU YOU SEXIST PIG 😛
#GamergillsGITS
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 14:30
A Hideo Kojima game. #GamerWhitePicketFence
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:40
Quiet
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 14:49
#breathablefabricsexist
RinceThis
December 9, 2015 at 15:11
lol
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 16:03
Actually, #GamerEnglishWhitePicketFence
Ir0nseraph
December 9, 2015 at 14:22
XD
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 14:39
LOL. You can try, I have the constitution of a Horse, I’ll drink the Wine and the poison will die.
RinceThis
December 9, 2015 at 14:37
Best marketing ever. Such a load of crap. But then again, if you are trying to come across as more mature than some asian devs on a stage giggling like girls because of jiggle mechanics you may want to do this.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:45
It is the best marketing. I actually think the reverse Scpyscology of what came from not bringing DOA extreme to the west was an accident but marketers have taken note. Watch more of this shit happen.
Jan Prins
December 9, 2015 at 14:46
I just want DOA extreme. 🙁
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:53
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBS
Or ESPN Beach volleyball 🙂
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 14:52
I heard EA wanted to release a gold bikini Leia hero character in SW BF Lite but were scared SJWs would ban the game and prevent it from selling well. And it’s working!
Now EA owes me a few million $s.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 14:54
bwahahaha
RinceThis
December 9, 2015 at 15:09
Good luck collecting that lol
Viking Of Science
December 9, 2015 at 15:03
TLDR: SJWs Ruin Everything *RABBLE RABBL RABBLE*
Charl van der Merwe
December 9, 2015 at 15:08
ugh, Social Justice Warriors ruining it for everyone again, get a life.
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 15:18
Something has occurred to me. There has always been a conversation in the background about Woman’s rights and work equality, Ever since I can remember I have been aware of this. But it never really impacted my life. I have always held a respectful view of the basic human rights of everyone. But somehow, In the last few years, The topic of feminism has somehow managed to whittle it’s way into my life in a unexpected manner. It has become a stain on something I enjoy. Surely, For us to embrace something, We should be inspired to do it as opposed to shamed into doing it. That raises another important question, As I was was raised by a morally sound father with the foresight to instill values that represent a modern way of thinking, Does this not fall into the realm of parenting and not SJW’s to ensure we are relatively free of these evils ? The inability of others to think for themselves is a character flaw, When in this context, I find highly weak and unacceptable because to be weak of character is worse than pretty much anything else in life.
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:26
… you are making too much sense today. My brain hurts.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 15:26
Doesn’t it always? *run*
oVg
December 9, 2015 at 15:28
Normally its my head that hurts.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 9, 2015 at 15:29
Were you playing MGSV again?
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 15:27
Yeah, I have one final push to my Holiday and I am chillaxing before my inevitable all nigher.
Fighunter
December 9, 2015 at 15:31
Please do point out to me this “outcry” of people offended at Mika. And what exactly tells me they are consumers?
Did the people who cried out against GTA in the past decade in any way shape or form inspire you to think they were consumers?
Darren Peach
December 9, 2015 at 15:56
Last thing, I promise. Both me Granddads fought in this war.