Silentpony said:
Yes I understand that, but does that mean Bayonetta isn't sexist? That she isn't pure fap material?
Are we to just assume women can't objectify other women, or indeed write a character that strips naked to kill monsters and it's all on the up and up?
Forgive me, but that sounds an awful lot like the whole "I have a black friend" argument. And wasn't it Jim who said in the Earth year 2066 episode that you can't claim to have done something 'ironically' while still selling it for full price and whatnot. Is Bayonetta supposed to be an ironic parody of the over sexualization of women in games, or is she the personification of it?
How deep does the irony REALLY go? If it's a selling point, and the game needs to make a profit, my guess would be not that deep.
Also I'll let you in on a dirty secret. Dominatrix power fantasies? Yeah, the dominatrix has no power what so ever. That's what the safe word is for. She, the dominatrix, dances entirely to her 'victims' tune. She stops when the victim says so, otherwise she's just a torturer.
It's the same logic when porn scenes involves a women pretending to be a teacher. Yes, we pretend and what not, but everyone knows she's not really a teacher and that her 'strong female character' isn't why any of us are here.
if Bayonetta whips monsters because we press buttons, if she does splits in front of the camera because we hit the QTEs, if she dances around in fetish outfits because we bought the DLC,if she strips naked and dances around because her writer, a female, wrote that was her character...
how much power does Bayonetta REALLY have?
Yes... yes it does, because in my response to you, not everyone will find Bayonetta as fap material. Your argument here is removing the personal subjective view of art with the objective absolutist, didactic view... and even then you're basing that entire assumption that your view is "correct" (as correct as any statement about art can be).
Of course women can objectify women... and men can objectify men... and maybe just maybe, both men and women ALL objectify men or women to some degree, we all partake in dehumanising view points, but rather then being busy shouting down those that do, most of us just try to improve ourselves. Also your internal logic here seems faulty, you were arguing at one point that Boynetta is a literal object (she has no agency beyond that she is ascribed, effectively a toy) and saying treating the character as one is a negative viewpoint... even though by your own definition she is an object and it's impossible for her to have agency. It's a logic loop effectively (don't treat her like an object... she's an object... don't treat her like one).
Next you argue that the game, because of Jim's own opinions here which I feel you're misrepresenting and maybe Jim would like to jump in if he's still reading, that the ironic nature (even though honestly, the game isn't an ironic deconstruction, it's actually a campy send up along the lines of RHPS) he's talking specifically about non-games or games selling for full price with a lack of content being ironic statements of the games industry because of "fer teh kekz ayyy lmao"... not fully shipped and feature complete action adventure game. So again I'd say your argument there doesn't ring true either.
Next: What do dominatrix or teacher fantasies have to do with we're playing a game? In this situation the sexuality is so much window dressing over a mechanically engaging system, let's be realistic the action in the game is framed in such a way that you don't really have time to whip it out and start fapping during the unrepentant cheesecake shots, they are contextually more akin to a "Oo er missus" than an all out porn scene, you're comparing a few seconds of "that's a bit naughty" to hardcore sexual conduct in the players mind... it's an escalation of the debate that takes it WAY out of scale. Rocky Horror as I've said previously would be a better comparator in regards to the sexual content and the way it's presented in this game.
Finally if a female writes it, no I've not said nor have I ever said that it's a free pass (I know you weren't addressing me with that statement, but I feel strongly here, so I'll weigh in), however authorial intent, player interpretation and historical evidence will decide where this stands, is it a misogyny laden spank fest with gratuitous shots of clothed naughty parts? Is it an ultra camp sex comedy with combat mechanics? (which is where I stand on the series) or is it just another example of the objectification of women in video games and another talking point for a wider platform?
Interpretations a ***** ain't it?
