I think the issue here is that for any male-oriented gacha game, they want the male MC to be a self-insert character that a large portion of the male audience can see themself as. This also extends to a lot of anime and LNs too, when you look at any isekai/harem LN-adaptation's MC. They all have a very generic design, with a lot of simple features to let the reader or viewer self-insert better. However for the female MC, the female playerbase is a more minor part of the game with fewer female players wanting to self-insert. They design the female MC to be very visually appealing to the same male playerbase who might pick the male MC, so that they can use the female MC but not self-insert. So it winds up that both MCs are designed for the male gaze first.
Otome games tend to have very generic female protagonists for the same reason - they want to capture a wide audience for self-insert so any particularly striking features would exclude a portion of the game's fanbase.
Very small variety that just follow archetypes, it's very rare to see anything original nowadays that isn't made with one and only purpose to sell easily and fast instead of making something good and hoyoverse is a great example. Look at Fate and then at Star Rail, if you think the characters are designed pretty much the same, then I'm not gonna bother explaining even further
I think the issue here is that for any male-oriented gacha game, they want the male MC to be a self-insert character that a large portion of the male audience can see themself as. This also extends to a lot of anime and LNs too, when you look at any isekai/harem LN-adaptation's MC. They all have a very generic design, with a lot of simple features to let the reader or viewer self-insert better. However for the female MC, the female playerbase is a more minor part of the game with fewer female players wanting to self-insert. They design the female MC to be very visually appealing to the same male playerbase who might pick the male MC, so that they can use the female MC but not self-insert. So it winds up that both MCs are designed for the male gaze first.
Otome games tend to have very generic female protagonists for the same reason - they want to capture a wide audience for self-insert so any particularly striking features would exclude a portion of the game's fanbase.
That's pretty much it, focusing money above any kind of quality
That's pretty much it, focusing money above any kind of quality
I don't really think the MC being generic or not has anything to do with quality. That is to say, I don't think making the MC "less generic" would inherently improve most examples much. The good ones would be just as good and the bad ones would still be bad.
That's pretty much it, focusing money above any kind of quality
Well ofc gacha games will always prioritize Money if you don't like that factor you shouldn't play gacha game at all to comment on why male gacha game protags mostly similar because man simply don't care about fashion as much as women that is simple gacha games have majority of male players especially in Asia so it is not wrong gacha games to cater them like this like the comment above said general audience matters
I think the issue here is that for any male-oriented gacha game, they want the male MC to be a self-insert character that a large portion of the male audience can see themself as. This also extends to a lot of anime and LNs too, when you look at any isekai/harem LN-adaptation's MC. They all have a very generic design, with a lot of simple features to let the reader or viewer self-insert better. However for the female MC, the female playerbase is a more minor part of the game with fewer female players wanting to self-insert. They design the female MC to be very visually appealing to the same male playerbase who might pick the male MC, so that they can use the female MC but not self-insert. So it winds up that both MCs are designed for the male gaze first.
Otome games tend to have very generic female protagonists for the same reason - they want to capture a wide audience for self-insert so any particularly striking features would exclude a portion of the game's fanbase.
Not only in otome games. Just look at how the Female Leads from Twilight, 50 Shades of Grey and 365 Days are all pretty much the same, just with different ages and professions
I don't really think the MC being generic or not has anything to do with quality. That is to say, I don't think making the MC "less generic" would inherently improve most examples much. The good ones would be just as good and the bad ones would still be bad.
How does all I said lead to "looks are what you need to know if some MC is good or not"?
I'll never understand why "relatability" seems to be such a universal standard of how to make a protagonist, especially such a high percentage also entails "relatability = basic bitch" both in design and personality.
I'd rather have a protagonist that's unrelatable but is entertaining to watch in themselves. Hell having a protagonist with no motivation used to be the #1 red flag of bad writing, now it's literally everywhere.
If anything, I find it insulting that writers think Mr. Generic Gary Stu is "relatable", like the average audience doesn't have any goals in life and only want power just for power's sake and their concept of "ideal relationship" is with a group of sycophants.
Though at least with games it's more understandable because at least you can shape a character with some actual personality through dialogue options.
How does all I said lead to "looks are what you need to know if some MC is good or not"?
That's not even remotely what I said. I'm honestly not sure how you could have gotten that from my comment. You likened generic MCs to a disregard for quality, and I'm saying that pick any anime or game and making the MC less generic isn't likely to make any real difference to how good or bad the work is.
That's not even remotely what I said. I'm honestly not sure how you could have gotten that from my comment. You likened generic MCs to a disregard for quality, and I'm saying that pick any anime or game and making the MC less generic isn't likely to make any real difference to how good or bad the work is.
Oh, my bad, should've specified, I wasn't only reffering to your comment, sorry.
The issue is that this entire idea falls flat because they didn't actual draw the male MCs from those games. Most of them don't even fall under the description listed, like Aether from genshin, being short, blonde, and in a crop top. As well most male MCs are designed to be counterparts to the Female MC, so they look similar, like the StarRail MCs and withering waves MCs, so by that standard it would make both genders designs kinda generic.
The issue is that people have different standards for male and female designs.
I think the issue here is that for any male-oriented gacha game, they want the male MC to be a self-insert character that a large portion of the male audience can see themself as. This also extends to a lot of anime and LNs too, when you look at any isekai/harem LN-adaptation's MC. They all have a very generic design, with a lot of simple features to let the reader or viewer self-insert better. However for the female MC, the female playerbase is a more minor part of the game with fewer female players wanting to self-insert. They design the female MC to be very visually appealing to the same male playerbase who might pick the male MC, so that they can use the female MC but not self-insert. So it winds up that both MCs are designed for the male gaze first.
Otome games tend to have very generic female protagonists for the same reason - they want to capture a wide audience for self-insert so any particularly striking features would exclude a portion of the game's fanbase.
The fact that they added Lumine when Aether breaks all the Male MC stereotypes (He is short, usually Happy/Playful, wears a top with exposed stomach, has long, braided hair, doesnt wear dark/black clothing). I still prefer Lumine over Aether, but the contrast between him and ZZZ/WuWa/HSR/FGO Male MCs it's hilarious lmao
