Design Shop: FAT CHARACTERS
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- Опубликовано: 19 июн 2024
- A.B.I. breaks down one of the oldest design stereotypes in the book: the fat character.
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Still my favorite means of making a heavy character has to be
"Let's have him hit people with instruments."
"Okay, which instrument? Like a tuba or-"
"All of them."
"How would he-"
"Put a whole band under his coat!"
"Also squeeze in a little Dio there"
"Wait, what?"
"Give him a trumpet command that stops time"
"But Tuba-"
"Make him punch people really fast while yelling "TUBA" repeatedly"
Big band? 😂😂😂
And make his body an augmented iron lung!
You done funked
*up*
*_NOW!_*
Love the detail with the weight description they have. The game says Big Band is 5000 lbs but his real body is only 95 lbs. The iron lung he’s in and all those instruments makes the ground shake as he moves.
I don't love Bob aesthetically, but you can't hate a character that is so confident and proud about his physique.
Ikr?
He at least has good reason and control in combat for that and with that weight. I can like him very easily.
Good point. I love how fast and deliberate his moves are. It really flips your expectation on its head.
SPEED AND WEIGHT
the actual model for his animations was a really slim guy who did tricking/ninjitsu. but it somehow works. they somehow decided to make him fat so its still awesome. I prefer slim bob tho he just looks tons cooler
I know this video is 4 years old at this point, but now, we have another character that stands aside Bob as an actually good "Fat" type character, and that's Goldlewis Dickinson.
Came to make that comment. I guess he's also pretty strong since there's that one behemoth typhoon where he swings the coffin but his belly do jiggle.
@@MaestroAlvis He's beeg but he has the strength to back it up and i love it.
Such a good character design i've never even labelled him as a fat character
@@ashtar3876 Yeah, it's almost as if it's never brought up.
69 likes, make a wish!
Some fat characters can be gluttonous and still have great design if you actually give them a personality aside from it, even becoming iconic like King Dedede or Heavy Weapons Guy.
But KD is kind of a slob... Kind of...
Shady Fungus but he’s also a sort of anti villain who has a love hate relationship with Kirby and is mostly just determined to make the most powerful kingdom he can. His personality isn’t just “HUR HUR I AM FAT AND EAT TOO MUCH” he’s simplistic but he does at least have something.
Is Heavy Weapons Guy considered a slob?
I mean don't get me wrong, i know he loves his sandvich, but i always thought his size was implied to be mostly muscle mass.
@@TomboTime yea, I always thought it was his muscle mass too, considering the guy literally jogs around with a minigun that weighs hundreds of kilograms. He isn't even the typical dumb fat slob stereotype, the guy has a PHD in Russian literature or something.
Heavy Weapons Guy isn't so much fat as he is literally "Weighty".
He is "Fat" the same way a Sumo Wrestler or those world champion professional lifters are "fat"; they aren't actually packing fat, their bulk is deliberate controlled amassment of muscle and weight in areas to anchor them down and to literally make their body like a boulder; impossible to move, impossible to stop.
Heavy Weapons Guy literally wields, you know, Heavy Weapons. Some people would be strong enough to lift the gun itself, but to jog around with it? The sheer amount of weight would have you struggling to even walk. Naturally, if you make YOURSELF heavier to compensate, the gun doesn't have as much influence over how well you can move. HWG is even characterized as the game's classical strong-man in many of his taunts and other animations, all selling this idea that Large =/= Fat.
Scout of course refers to him as a "fat guy", but the Scout is ignorant about a lot of things so it's in character for him to make false assumptions.
Whenever Heavy eats, it's typically either the Sandvich or Banana. Bananas are great for you, and Sandwiches pretty much have everything you want in your diet slapped on them. Hell, he even says "SANDVICH MAKE ME STROOOONG!"
8:40 "Approximately 2% of my body weight is actually fat. Allow me to show you what 350 pounds of muscle is capable of."
Kingpin can fuck anyone up
I love that line
Kingpin, from Spider-Man, right?
Kingpin is this. And doesn't look any fatter than some of the worlds to heavy weight lifters.
Kingpin deserves his title
In fairness, pretty much every Street Fighter character is limited to a single personality trait. That's part of why every attempt to create a good story out of the game has been a disaster. They're mostly incredibly single-minded and thus shallow, even the heroic characters. Honda sumos. Ryu karates. Zangief wrestles. Dhalsim yogas. Guile soldiers. Nash soldiers tragically.
I wish Capcom would do a Baki style story where the focus is on the actual fighting and styles of all the characters. The biggest problem with SF stories isn't a lack of character, it's that no one cares about the world domination plot. Make it about the fighting and it would be way better.
@@fatherdex8174 I mean , the World Domination Plot is important because it shows an overly supernatural character that actually gives trouble for the characters in SF , which are generally capable of casting fire in their hands and whatnot.
If it's all about the fighting , every SF boss would be a copy and paste of Akuma.
The problem is that they loose too much focus on , think of King of Fighters or Tekken , there is always a tournament , but the tournament is just a fake-out for the world domination plot. The heroes discover this and needs to survive that tournament to buy some time for their investigation.
@@phantasosxgames8488 Yeah, but these stories arent much better. If you watch something like the Baki death row arc, a story where the SF characters develop through battle would be interesting. You dont need a super powered villain to make an interesting story. I mean half of the Street Fighter cast are already scary and powerful enough that you dont need good or evil, just their different philosophies and styles.
I see what your saying. I only care about ryu/ akuma plot. The m bison world domination thing is so insanely boring. The udon comics do a better job than the games with story but I still end up skipping all things shadoloo related
"Nash soldiers tragically".
Sadly, I agree.
Because of this video, I have a newfound respect and admiration for Bob.
Same here
I actually got bored with 7 and now I’m picking up Bob tomorrow to see if I can breathe new life into this old ass game.
@@Jetanium did you?
@@RigbyIsTheMan I got to red ranks with Bob.
Same, got to *Overlord(@@Jetanium
Finally somebody giving my boy Bob the recognition he deserves. Definitely the most underrated character to come out of T6
he was op in T6
Underrated? Man he was the most op and most used in that game ☠️
@@aileenamador3747 underrated mean good i think
@@techdream8587 dude that's the think he was past good he was god tier the joke was made that Bob has the best hellsweep
We finally got this totally right with Goldlewis in Strive, who I think is the first fat character in a video game I've seen that has no references to his weight or food, just that he's strong
He does have a thing for hamburgers, but it's more a "haha American" joke than a "haha fat guy" joke. But yeah, Goldlewis is the best. Dude's built like actual strong people instead of a bodybuilder.
Too bad Strive sucks.
@@FA-nd9uk Quiet, the adults are talking.
Its also bc his brother is the burger sheriff @Twisted_Logic
he has exactly two, in one scene at or near the end of the 4 hour story mode. another character chastizes him for eating too much fast food. And one victory line where he gets a pizza prank call and says "it's meal time anyway" (which I think fits his american cowboy deal more than the fat character thing) that is literally it, and I love it
it's not a defining character trait, just a believable mild habit that the character has. All of his fight dialogue is focused on him enthusiasm for UMA's (which I understand as effectively cryptids) or his role as the secretary of defense. He's allowed to have a character, and it's a great one
I am surprised no one has mentioned Wario. Wario is a slob, but him being fat does not define his charecter. He has demonstrated business savy and electronic skills.. Like Bob, Wario works out to maintain his big and muscular frame. This leads him to believe he is the most handsome and charismatic guy around.
And he funds a lot of people wanting to try new things in the world of tech and entertainment without a second thought
Agreed, unless it's the Smash one who is very much a Rufus.
@@majorghoul9017 Don't forget that he tries to run away with the profits made off of the backs of these entrepreneurial folks, again without a second thought
Wario is extremely selfish though. Pretty much everything he does it for money. Yes he exercises, works out, and despite being kinda porky is pretty agile and can duke it with the rest of them, and he's also pretty crafty and smart. But he also has little heroic traits to differentiate too far from usual "fat" characters. Plus some games do show up being a bit unsightly from time-to-time, not just in Smash.
Tbf Wario is meant to be a piece of shit, but unlike Rufus, manages to pull off his joke whilst being funny and even sometimes badass
Bo Rai Cho is an interesting case because he is both. In the story he is portrayed as the best martial arts instructor in all the realms, he tought Liu Kang the moves that allowed him to defeat Shang Tsung, trained Li Mei, and led the Edenian army to victory against a much bigger force. I was exited to see him return because, silly me, I expected them to drop the vomit and disgusting side of him, just as they did with many of the bad stuff of MK's 3D era, but no, instead they decided to double down on it. It's such a shame.
One thing you ignored about Rufus is that his skill is 100% legit. He didn't just watch Kung Fu movies he actually took Kung Fu classes and studied under various masters in China. Even Fei Long acknowledges Rufus is a legit Kung Fu Master.
I guess you can say that about him but he just doesn't portrait that at all, he's rude and loud and it shown eating or screaming most of the time
Of course it's acknowleged.
But should *we* acknowledge it?
His ego certainly doesn't deserve our respect.
@@Berd-Wasted. Dude has legit skills that allow him to cross fists with peoeple likee Ken, Ryu and the members of Shadaloo, his ego isn't unwarranted.
In Rufus' defense, he apparently went on a pilgrimage to various temples to actually learn what's fact & what's fiction. Likewise, he allegedly trained by, among other things, carrying a pair of motorbikes on his back while jogging. It's not all just "imitate while lazing on a couch," from what I heard.
I actually love Rufus' design. The way he wears that long braid makes him look like a cartoon bomb. That "short fuse" both underlines his unpredictability, (which is his most prominent gameplay strength) and his tendency to "go off" at a moment's notice (his most prominent character trait). Along with the ill-fitting Bruce Lee jumpsuit you mentioned, his look says everything there is to say about him in a manner that's both original and subtle. Just because a character's an asshole doesn't mean they're a bad character.
Joe Curry-Stodder ^
I think his point that is that while it is a well designed character, it does nothing to break a stereotype that's very harmful, and tbh, well designed characters that help prop up stereotypes are more harmful than badly designed ones, so him having that aesthetic actually causes more issues than not.
But there is people that is fat and have a chip on their shoulder because of it. Not every character should defy stereotypes, some can play with them and give them depth and a reason. There is truth behind some stereotypes, I think a complex character can be based off of one if it goes beyond the basic traits and first impression.
I don't exactly get what stereotype Rufus portrays, even after watching the video. Like... is it that he's a jerk? Is that a fat person stereotype? If you actually listen to and read his dialogue he's incredibly satisfied with his body, he has an attractive(although ditzy) girlfriend, and he believes he should be the best and actually put effort into becoming the best, even if it was the incredibly wrong way of doing it. If the stereotype is that he's ugly, again HE thinks he looks amazing. I thought he looked ugly too at first, but he grew on me. None of his moves or personality traits are about his looks at all, he just... looks that way, and he's proud of how he looks. He doesn't do anything like eat on the battlefield. In fact you never see him eating at all except for in his SSFIV artwork
Furthermore, nobody in the cast laughed at him, as far as I'm aware. Some people were against his personality, but nobody shamed him for his weight or anything. I think the closest was Fei Long's win quote where he just said "You're huge, man! Huge!" Honestly, Rufus would take it as a compliment towards his popularity anyway....
I can't really think of another vain, arrogant, but competent and light on his feet fat guy. Honestly they could just button up one of his buttons on his jumpsuit so he was less... revealing... and there wouldn't be any issues with him. Not every character has to be beautiful to be good.
... oh yeah, his girlfriend was named Candy. So, he's a fat guy who loves Candy... okay Capcom.
As a big dude I personally like Rufus a little bit more. Going with Joe's comment I want to add that I personally I like that he's a jerk, I like that he's a slob, I like that he makes crappy jokes. I don't associate all fat people like this. I associate it with Rufus. Bob is cool and all but he is honeslty he is a pretty bland person. Breaking stereotypes is cool and all but what use is that when you have the personality of a slice of white bread. I mean what other character is going to spin around hit you in the face and then proudly say "I'm sexy." Don't get me wrong I like the video, but this is a different view that should be voiced as well. Gameplay wise both of these characters are great. Personality wise, Rufus is more memorable than Bob.
As a fat person myself, I hate the stigma. I've always been fast, strong, and has always been athletic (even though I don't look it). I love sports, running in sand, and lifting weights. I have a love hate relationship with working out (except weight training or yoga) and have a bad relationship with food (my on and off eating disorders). I'm good at all I do, better than so many of the people I'm around. It just sucks that people only see me as fat even with all my hard earned muscle.
How can you be athletic and love sports if you are fat? If you exercise and live a healthy lifestyle like you claim you wouldn’t be fat, you’d be a healthy weight.
@@bab3419 you missed the point ☠️☠️☠️
@@bab3419 yeah because you only think fat people are fat because they're lazy ☠️☠️☠️
@@bab3419 This is patently untrue and ignores so many things like genetic conditions or a huge variety of other factors. I was very active as a child but got fat anyways because I have a genetic condition that created fatty tissue. Different types of exercise also target different things, and not every fat person is inherently unhealthy. That is false. You're looking at things too narrow mindedly without really considering if you actually know what you're talking about, as well as putting down someone who by all accounts does not need your opinion.
All the reasons you list why Rufus “doesn’t work” is exactly the reason why I liked him back in SFIV. I think he’s fun and goofy, and I like his character design.
I think Capcom could’ve developed his character in later games too, but they sadly kept him as a one note joke character.
They could’ve given him a character arc similar to Po from Kung Fu Panda, where he’s brash, clumsy, and dumb in the beggining, but overtime he becomes humbled, and maybe learns some real kung fu. I think that would’ve helped in making him a more likeable character to other people like you.
On the other hand Rufus was a very popular character due to his 'fuctions'
goober
His divekick function is so strong Keits made an entire parody game of it
Tell thay to evo 2011 bob v bob, tekken 6, and tekken tag 2 he was top tier for 2 games (maybe even tekken 7).
goober And Bob ruined a Evo.
Mislav Topić no fab and kor almost killed tekken at evo.
Bob was pretty stupid in T6 and I'm not here to say he wasn't, but most of the complaints about him at EVO 2011 was from armchair critics bitching about the lack of character variety in the top 8 for their own entertainment value.
These same critics are trying to apply the same logic to Jack in T7, and well, in reality, Jack is a long way off being top tier in that game.
There's a part of me that can't wondering if these two characters reflect a change in how Japan sees Americans. We went from Guile and Terry Bogard to Bob and Rufus.
Anyway, I agree with everything you said about Rufus. But I also think it's important to remember that he's a comedy character in the first place. Yes, he's dumb, loud, and obnoxious....but that's kind of the point.
But he's also really unfunny
Commenting on something from years ago, but I think Goldlewis Dickinson from Guilty Gear Strive is the best of both worlds as far as an American character depicted in a fighting game. Sure, he’s an overweight character, but this is overwritten by his sheer badassery, swinging around a metal coffin on a chain and firing a minigun like they were as heavy as children’s toys. He’s a fat American who likes to eat burgers but he’s also a figure commanding respect and admiration for his sheer strength and loyalty to his homeland. He’s great.
@@bigmeatball7467 Goldlewis does the "fat guy function" perfectly; he's a threat because he's huge, and he has the overwhelming offense of a guy who's got a weight class advantage over everyone in the cast other than Potemkin.
But if the comedy character fails at being funny the point is missed by a mile . . .
@@bigmeatball7467 that’s why Dickinson is awesome while Rufus is garbage
I always thought Choji was a fine fat character, using his size and weight as stored up energy to use in his ninjutsu, and always eating to both stock up & replenish simultaneously.
His daughter is also very confident in herself as a kid compared to her father who was much more keep-to-himself.
I’m so happy he found love. I would adore it if there’s a side story as to how he and Karui fell for each other 😍
but what makes Rufus great is that he doesnt give a damn and went his own way. Rufus is not trying to defy the stereotype, he is purposely diving straight in, and making it glorious.
Think of the life rufus has, he goes wherever he pleases, gets to fight to his heart's content, actually went to china to complement his observations and has a hot girlfriend who adores him. Isnt that enough compensation for being a "weird" fat guy?
Honestly I hope he comes back and has a sort of "redemption arc", kind of like Dan Habaki, who started out as a completely pathetic person personality wise to becoming unironically one of the best characters in the canon
The Bob montage was so hype.
I know I'm super fucking late, but do you know which song he used during the montage? I'm still new to fighting games, so I haven't played Any Tekken games yet
@@dr.jotarorobotnick813 Not to late! Its the "Electric Fountain" stage from Tekken 6
I personally think its the best track from Tekken 6. I personally like the soundtrack from tekken tag 1 (console version) and Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection (the psp version of tekken 5)
I love Bob! He’s an amazing character. The type i would love to be friends with in real life.
I also wish there was more fat female characters who are not are just there to be a scarecrow for male characters (like “ewwww look it’s fat woman so ugly run awaaaay”). And not just “thin waist + enormous hips” combo.
Someone fat and confident and likeable. We need more of that!
Yessss 100% agree with that
Big ups for Dulia-Chai from FFXIV: Shadowbringers. The circumstances surrounding her size aren't terribly dignified, representing a portrayal of decadent high society existing in immediate proximity to poverty and starvation, but it has little bearing on her actual personality, being a genuinely loving and honest character amid a sea of ignorant and unempathetic aristocrats. Ask anyone who's played through if they would die for her and the answer will universally be yes.
Entirely agreed
not a fighting game, but wild guns reloaded actually has a pretty cool fat woman character with lightning gauntlets and weird stun shit, and she genuinely might be the most fun character in the game and has a cool design.
@@xanious3759 oooo!! Thanks!! She looks cool!!
This video is fairly well produced, but I didn't particularly love the format or arguments. You spent very little of the video actually discussing the design of fat characters like the title implies. Instead, you talk almost entirely about two characters who _don't_ properly fit the archetype this video is supposedly about, and even then, most of what you have to say there is morality based rather than game design discussion.
Eh, when a character type is saturated with so much boring sameyness, it kinda makes the outliers the only ones worth talking about. I do agree that going into more of the actual physical designs would've been nice. But I would add that to the video, rather than having it replace anything. The morality thing is a thing, but it does bleed into design too, since audience association with certain design elements has an effect. Why IS Rufus's snail trail disgusting? Objectively it's just an off-yellow triangle, not even convincingly hairlike. But the association with him almost being like hanging his cock out of the undone zipper is what gives it that effect - it suggests something there's a morality connection to. So in the same way with the excessive and relentless stereotyping, while it's not the same thing, it's related. Also it's quite interesting to have a comparison where one subversion attempt succeeds dramatically while another subversion attempt fails dramatically. So I can understand why that was the focus. If you were to do a video on fat character design in fighting games, would you not focus on that comparison? Maybe not to as high a percentage as this video, but I feel it unrealistic to think you wouldn't. It's a bit of an intrigue gimme, in a sea of otherwise mostly utter drab.
Having said that, there are things to talk about in the more stereotypical examples though. As someone very obese myself (and athletic too), while I don't love his slovenly eating, I do love Birdie's walk cycles. That severe back pain posture is too real. In this way I think he even has a leg-up over the generally-excellent Bob - sure you can be graceful and speedy whilst fat but you do FEEL it and it does still show in how you move around. Before the lockdown I would throw myself around a wrestling ring doing rolls and dropkicks and such... but they're necessarily modified. They can't be the same rolls or jumps a thinner person does. Simple body dimensions don't allow it.
I think I would design a fat fighting game character with all that in mind. Then again, I think I would design a lot more of a grounded fighting game in general than most, as that's just simply my personal preference, and as a bonus it's also not something that's really done yet (outside of the hard moveset limits and actual people in MMA) so it'd fill a nice niche. Something brutal and fantastical, but in a more connected way to the real world. A midpoint. For a fat character, my thought is... there's a reason they're fat. There's a reason they're a fighter. Whatever those reasons are have to coexist, and to use maybe an unfortunate choice of words, one can't be allowed to eat the other. With Rufus, I feel like that's what fell down a hole - his reasons why he's fat completely devoured his reason why he's a fighter, and his fighting skill is left more out-of-nowhere magical-seeming than a bloody fireball. With Bob, they kept that balanced.
Sorry for rambling on, obviously only read all of that if you feel like doing so.
I love your videos
@@Torthrodhel Interesting, thank you for sharing your experiences.
He didnt even mention that rufus has some nice traits like his relationship between him and his girlfriend which imo is kinda cute.
MrMickio1 that’s not very important because it’s not a big part of his character overall
Despite the game not being very good, one of my favorite games in terms of story was Street Fighter x Tekken specifically for Bob and Julia's arcade mode. I liked it because it took Bob beyond his fighting style which does by association include his weight, and turned him into a protagonist of his own limited series, being a deceptively competent hero for hire who becomes altruistic and willing to give up money in order to help the altruistic Julia and her cause.
Why not both? They are fat with context. But not defined by how they look. Roadhog is dope, quiet, cool and aggressive with a lil hidden soft side in the odd taunt. Varied charecteristics, a flawed protagonist if you will, just like how junk rat is rude and irritating but confident, forgiving and not afraid to make fun of himself. I like this I think visuals should compliment charecter and not the other way around (this is challenging for games what with hit boxes so you kind of have to do it backwards)
So, create hitboxes, then make a character design around the hitboxes, and then add character (i.e. Personality).
@@flamaniax5728 When I'm designing characters for modding it's usually a back and forth process. I start with some base mechanical idea, let that inform the character design, let that inform specific attacks, feed that back to further refining the character, etc.
In all honesty I think you accidentally made a case about how Rufus is the best fat character comic relief trope instead of being a trainwreck of a design. Like, think about it:
Bo Rai Cho: Supposedly wicked powerful. Teacher of Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Holds a regular fighting stance. Farts and pukes in action...
Earthquake: Supposed to be a ninja, but it's the most easily recognizable character in the ENTIRE DAMN CAST. Extremely arrogant and unironically believes to be a great ninja. Has butt slams...
Raiden: Stereotypical henchmen. Since he's fat he has a poison breath.
Birdie: Used to be strong, turned to fat, changed focus to food/based abilities.
Rufus though, he doesn't have any pig-ish move. He's delusional, but most comic relief characters are regardeless of body type. His stance already conveys amauterism and his every animation reinforces the idea. He's not fat to make fun of fat people or to reinforce any stereotype, he's fat to further emphasize that he's a poser. Rufus might be an annoying character, but he's probably one of the most creative uses of a fat character design.
4 years later, Guilty Gear has joined in and given us another cool fat character not defined by his weight in Goldlewis Dickinson.
I think what makes Gold Dick better than these two is that sure, he's another fat American character who is kinda associated with food (but not really) but unlike Bob and Rufus he isn't defined by the "fat/fast" joke. Sometimes that design can feel like a workaround for not actually dealing with the design challenges of making a heavyweight character. Goldlewis has impeded mobility but makes up for it with his oppressive pressure and guard crush with his coffin, which is the main centerpiece for his character. He also uses a drone and heavy weaponry, fitting with his job title.
I also think designing an American character around a cryptid/area 51 is very clever due to how prevalent it is in US culture, as well as being really funny
That Capcom manager's reply is literally the mindset of the bad guys of the X-Men lmao, that all that matters about them is their powers and nothing else
I’ve always loved Bob, he immediately stood out as a fat character, even without knowing his full backstory it seemed he knew his differences to the other fighters and was all for it. Hands down my favorite fat guy next to Peter Griffin.
Rufus works because what he does matches his personality. Sometimes a person is a self-absorbed hothead that happens to eat too much. He cares more about trying to be cool, but he does not understand that cool is generally a side-effect of being highly successful.
Imma have to play devil's advocate when it comes to teaching oneself martial arts just by watching. Human beings can learn a LOT just by observing. In fact, some actors from Ramon Film Productions in Uganda did that EXACT thing and went on to be professionals. I believe they even went to tournaments too. Also Rufus seems to extend beyond the "hurr durr, I love to eat" cliche. At the very least, he trained himself to fight and did a dang good job if the clips you've shown mean anything.
Also, the design isn't too bad. Hard to forget a very rotund guy in yellow with a ridiculous topknot.
Plus, characters have been shown to be able to learn styles just by watching in fiction all the time. It's a very potent ability, and there's even a major marvel character who's main power is his photographic reflexes (Taskmaster)
You've convinced me Bob is the best fat character
There is now a line of Tekken players outside your door waiting to beat the shit out of you for saying that. Most Tekken players hate Bob for how overpowered he was in 6.
He was great but fair in Tag2 and completely fair and well balanced in T7, we forgave him. Cheap or not, he still has some of the best animations in the Tekken universe!
what about heavy from TF2 ?
Antigoni Tsarbopoulou TF2 is not a fighting game scrub.
He is kind of weak and rare to see in Tekken 7
Dont you mean THICC characters 😩😩😩💦
Flash thicc 😊
Flash what are you doing here
Extra thICC
Your really dumb
Bob's design and back story made me excitedly want to play him, and he quickly became one of my most favored characters in Tekken even though he was so new.
Thanks to you @SugarPunch, Bob Richards is one of my mains in Tekken now.😎👊🏾🔥
I mean Rufus is meant as a contrast to Ken, and is more an stereotypical American character:
- Obnoxious
- Dim-witted
- Boorish
- Arrogant
- Obese
Yet while you mention the win quotes and show cutscenes, those reveal that:
- He's rich
- His girlfriend is hot
- He lives a good life in general
- The other characters compliment his fighting style
So he seems to be made to contrast with the other more positive American characters like Ken (Who is not coincidentally his rival) and Guile. Also the Dark Souls example, Siegmward, Siegmeyer, and Smough are not fat, they just wear thick armor.
Great production and topics bro 😎
Kingpin: I'll have you know that my body is less then 2% body fat.
It feels good to see Bob in the spotlight every now and then. I remember picking him up and learning his moveset in arcades and on handhelds all those years ago, and eventually thanks to him I learned about Sammo Hung.
I think Bob was made to be a cool character, but Rufus is meant just to be a Goofy one that makes us laugh and look down on him, but the fact that he can back up all the bragging he does, unlike Dan, just make him a lot more interesting because of the shock value. He is a unconventional fighter and I love those types of characters. Not everyone needs to look "cool", beign unique is so much more important for me. I hope we see more of Rufus somewhere in the future (and hopefully throw away some of the shotos).
Exactly.
Rufus definitely didn't work for everyone, but I agree that there was definitely something there that would be worth salvaging and maybe refining for future use. The concept of a self trained fighter certainly isn't a bad one, I'd say a lot of fighting game fans, especially ones that practice the arts, were inspired by films or games and probably tried to emulate what they saw. Taking that to the extreme seems like a fine idea to me.
Oof.
5 years later and not a single sign of him as D.L.C
As *Sakamoto* said: "There are even heroes even among the overwight".
I hope we see more fat characters whose entire personality isn't just slob behavior. Being fat doesn't make you stupid, lazy, or weak.
Idk I just like to eat a lot I legit like running and moving. 🤷♀️🤷♀️ (I don't consider my self fat but by other people's standards I suppose I am)
I think the primary difference between these two is that, for the Tekken universe, Bob is a straight archetype with a twist and Rufus is a joke character. And I'm pretty sure the oldest design stereotype in the fighting game book is the Japanese karate guy whose entire life is about finding a strong opponent to improve his karate.
I actually relate to Bob a lot. I struggled with heavier people than me even when I have better technique and speed, I didn't use it, I was stubborn and wanted to stand my ground but got put in my place really easily. Thank god I know how to listen to advice nowadays
I don't really feel that Rufus is a bad character. I feel that Bob is supposed to be cool and respectable while Rufus isn't. I think you assume that Rufus is supposed to be serious.
Archbishop Mactasty yup
Well the problem isn't Rufus being a bad character it's the fact that he's the epitomy of a stereotypical fat character so he uses him as an example
Hold Guard true
I don't think *anyone* thinks Rufus is serious
Hold Guard Rufus is not meant to be a stereotypical FAT character, his obesity is incidental. He’s a stereotypical AMERICAN: Blonde, fat, oversexualized, reckless, rude, informed by movies, bombastic, red-faced, volatile and ignorant. He’s a caricature of how most other populations view Americans.
Roadhog is perfect blend of stereotypes about fat characters, even having a pig on his belly and doing the whole biker thing to boot.. he is aggressive and depraved (criminal)..
but he’s silent and holds an air of respectability, denotes traits of understanding and compassion as well as the deepest patience for junkrat buffoonery lol .. he’s shown to be way more clever then his appearance at first conveys.. its a nuance that makes him feel more real even with the fantastical elements he embodies and that trait oozes out of the entire cast and world.. overwatch has incredible character and world building.. a masterclass of simple yet deep game design
Hell, he made a drug that's able to get rid of radiation poisoning just by inhaling the stuff. He's a freaking genius who fought in a war, and he's earned his badassery.
Plus, you can see both his professionalism and his own personal flair when he takes down foes.
I'd honestly love it if Roadhog got into a fighting game as a guest character (especially if he were to go up against Bob or another large character).
Saw a clip about a parkour runner getting extremely sick and gained weight in the process. After recovery, he went back into parkour and doing flips while having a big beer belly. Incredible movements and speed.
I watch all you’re design shops and out of all of them, I think this is your best. Keep it up
I think roadhog is badass,he isnt just fatalny,he is really strong,besides,he is fat beacause of radiation
I somehow neglected to include footage of Roadhog in this video, even though I had some thoughts about him in regard to this topic. Overall I think Roadhog is a cool character compared to other fat characters; he's still big and slow, but his design cleverly conveys that he's the only tank character in the game that doesn't have armor or shields, hence having his big belly exposed all the time. More than that, there's a more prevalent theming to his design and function that enforces that he's not just big, he's scary. The heavy breathing under the gas mask, his extremely menacing scrap shotgun, and just the fact that his game function is to hook players means that just looking at Hog immediately informs a player that they should keep away from him. And yes he could have easily been a hulked out muscle man instead, but as you said his physical condition is reflective of his life circumstances; he's fat because he is in constant need of an extremely toxic gas that sustains him, a condition that reflects his origins in the harsh, nuclear Mad Max wasteland of Overwatch's future Australia. Beyond that, Blizzard has even gone out of their way to express a sort of 'cuteness' about Roadhog; not only are round, bulbous shapes naturally appealing and friendly-looking, but he has a few poses like his Tuckered Out sitting pose or his victory pose where he's huddling onto a bundle of stolen firecrackers adds charm to an otherwise monstrous character. -A.B.I.
SugarPunch Design Works wow honor for you for writing replay this long
SugarPunch Design Works
The cuteness comment is even more relevant with one of his more recent emotes in with he pull and squishes a Pachimari plushy.
roadhog is more pudge than heavy
Overwatch was inspired by TF2 the way a Grilled Cheese is inspired by Cheese. You take something good and make it great.
"hey let make a fat character that it's actually graceful and fast"
"So you mean hits hard and hits fast?"
"Yes"
"Wonderful design!"
More info in Bob made Tekken 6 a joke
"and let's give him literally everything a Tekken character could ever want"
@@lancergt1000 and gimp the rest cause why not
One of my favorite fat characters and one of my favorite characters in the Witcher is Sigismund Dijkstra. People usually think he's a big lumber dumb oaf but he's actually one of the smartest guys around, and witty to boot. Using his appearance in his character still without referencing food every twenty seconds.
I love your design-based videos, but this is one of the few times where I have to respectably disagree.
Your commentary assumes Bob is a popular, well-liked character, when he _really_ isn't - I remember the vitriol back in 2006 when Bob was first revealed, it was worse than the backlash Rufus received, since Street Fighter at least has a history of goofy, weird characters based on Punch-Out level stereotypes, and unlike Rufus, not many people were coming to his defense either. A lot of people, both then and now, just feel Bob looks incredibly out of place in a series where the only other overweight character is a sumo wrestler who A: Has actual real world reason to put on mass since sumo is a legitimate sport and mass is the _entire point_ of sumo, and B: Became a total joke after the 1st game anyways.
Bob is in a no-mans land as far as character goes since his *entire* character and personality is based on his weight, yet he's incredibly straight laced for the most part despite many fans believing his moveset and animations look so goofy that he bears closer resemblence to a cartoon character rather than the supposed "martial arts master" the story claims him to be. That, combined with his complete lack of storyline connections to anybody in the series makes it incredibly difficult to buy Bob as this so-called popular fighting prodigy when not even Paul, a man who competed in many of the same competitions you'd expect Bob to, knows who he is - at least Bo'Rai Cho, as much as he's hated by Mortal Kombat fans, is somewhat more believable as a martial arts master since he actually interacts with various characters in canon, including the likes of Raiden and Kitana.
Check any character popularity poll - you'll find that both Bob and Rufus almost always rank close to the bottom of both series' respective lists. A lot of people just dislike fat characters in their fighting games in general, and before this video, I hadn't seen anybody ever view Bob with anything more positive than complete indifference (outside of competitive viability), whereas Rufus at least served his purpose as comic relief. Even Bob's Tekken 7 reveal received a resounding fan reaction of "why is *he* back?" rather than any real positive response.
Additionally, I feel like your interpretation of Rufus misses a few key details - namely that him being able to move as quickly as he does _and_ achieve the accolades he has in canon allows players to grasp that even though he's a comedic goofball, he's not to be taken lightly. . He also didn't just train by stuffing his face and watching kung fu movies - he actually went to China and was tutored by various martial arts masters, and his ending in Street Fighter X Tekken also implies he "trained" in some capacity to achieve his physique as well, as both him and Zangief lose their physiques and become incredibly distraught over it in a manner eerily similar to Bob's Tekken 6 ending.
crashandcortex Yea. Bob sucks
Does that mean tekken doesn't have a history with goofy or cartoonish characters? I'm sorry but i'm pretty sure I will never find a Kangaroo boxer, a Raptor boxer, a Panda/Brown Bear, an Ancient Demon Ogre, a sentient wooden dummy, or a terminator-like robot in a real international fighting tournament lol respect your answer though so lets agree to disagree i guess
@@crashbandicoot5636 oof
i like your argument here, and your points do come across well,
but design wise i feel that rufus fits perfectly with his goals as a "street fighter" as in this exactly the type of common thug you'd see challenge you in the streets to fight, i do agree that his function and mechanics compared to his backstory and design just don't fit each other though,
What streets are you talking about, cause that shit ain’t common
@@shoganai2545 fictional Street Fights... like those stereotypical street fights Street Fighter is based
Rufus bares a remarkable link to Elvis, surprisingly.
Both were fat guys who are obsessed with martial arts. Elvis' white jumpsuit was even styled after a karate gi
Honestly I just watch this video occasionally just for that Bob montage, It's really well done!
Hey! I watched this video years and years ago, and i just wanted to say i think about it super often and it's a great video!
So po from kung fu panda?
Shrek?
RAZZA I like Po a lot. He's like Rufus (Kung-Fu fan who imitated his idols before receiving proper training) but less intentionally obnoxius and more comical
damn bob is one of my favorite fighter character ever. brilliant analyzation. just found your channel and im eager to stay. great content :3
Thing is, rufus is a joke, but unlike dan hibiki, he is fun to play as! I actually took the time to master him and ended up being really good at using him.
0:43 "This function, is a grappler."
No.
This function is M A G N E T
siegward of catarina isn`t fat. only the catarina armor makes it look that way. same thing with his daughter and the anor londo boss smough. smough is actually one of the buffest dudes in the whole dark souls series.
Moriarty I agree, even our character is (Assuming you pick the average option which is my head-cannon) But when they put on the Siegward or Smough armor on, they look like they're morbidly obese
I think there is an unnoticed difference between bad personality and bad chararcter design.
Why metanarrative of this video is: "it is ok to be fat if you have good personality or you just cool and stuff"?
Also both of this characters do not represent "fat character architype" or function or whatever. They're both acrobatic and fast. I know, there are some baloon like characters in fighting games but they more a mockery of fat people. So their more like "fat but weightless stereotype" which is not exactly just "fat stereotype".
Well I'm rambling.
Anyway. Not a best video on the channel.
also van
It’s because the creator feels personally attacked every time he sees Rufus lmaoooo
Agree with this, not every fat character should do justice to fat people like they're perfect. Rufus might be an idiot, but there ARE idiots in the world. And there are fat idiots too. The fact that there is a level of character development for him makes him more than just a stereotype for me.
Yeah, it's a well edited video visually, but the point presented in the narration, is very lacking of self awareness. The point is that Rufus is worse because he's weird and dumb, like any realistic person? Just fodder for the "analytical video" phase of youtube that's thankfully dying out
Perhaps it is not so much that Rufus alone is idiotic and fat, but because as far as fat characters go who don't get associated with either food/grossness/laziness/something similar, there aren't many.
Let's face it. Everyone has problems, but being fat is just a problem that people can see the easiest, compared to say an addiction to smoking or a mental disorder. Because people can see it with ease, they can call it out easier and ignore any good attributes a larger set person would have. You don't even need to have an addiction to food to get fat. Our modern lifestyles and such can easily get someone on the heavier end if they aren't careful enough, or their parents made poor lifestyle choices for them as a kid, and so on.
Having fat and stupid characters like Rufus won't be such a problem in the future by comparison if say, we get more larger set characters who's existence isn't just revolved around them being fat and having a bunch of negative traits. We just need more of a balance, is all.
Just because it's realistic doesn't make it enjoyable. Fat people should be positively represented as wanting to prove themselves
Seeing this again after having referenced it in my Tekken 7 stream. Great work, looking forward to future uploads ^^
"Bob would never make it to the tournament"😿
This video made me want to play Bob. I actively avoided him when I first booted up Tekken 7 because I thought he was going to be a Rufus sort of character. Really interested in him now that I know he isn't.
he's fun to play
I absolutely love this video. Bob is one of my favorite Tekken characters because of the fact that he became fat willingly and didn't sacrifice his speed. That whole concept is dope to me. Not to mention that he has a really cool and dynamic fighting style. He's my main in Tekken 7. Thank you for making this video.
Brandon Jackson
Same bro! Fucking love bob!
Character is a jerk/shows unfavorable traits=/=A trash fire that should have never been made.
Missing the point much?
Lily Leviton What point? The whole video is just talking about their backstory, personality, and fighting style. He never makes any point why Rufus fails at challenging the far stereotype or bob wins.
Also to play Devils advocate, Rufus is a better fat character than Bob. Bob relies on being fat to make his character engaging while It never mattered if Rufus was fat, he still would be a bombastic buffoon who watched Naruto for his fighting style.
That was the entire video... Fat people are often seen as messy, lazy, incompetent jerks. Rufus is the perfect incarnation of this stereotype while Bob is the opposite.
A good point, but not the topic at hand.
Lily Leviton Look at the intro to the video, a fat stereotype is a slow powerhouse who's character revolves around food. Rufus doesn't fit this criteria, his character isn't guy eats food and uses his weight to win, he watched a lot of kung-fu movies and sparked a drive to fight inside of him. Him being fat is supplementary, its only their to show that he would train by watching kung-fu movies so much he gained weight. He talks about Rufus' attire as if it wasn't perfectly fitting for him as a character, someone who idealizes kung-fu movies. The only reason why Sugar punch says Rufus is a bad fat stereotype is because Rufus' character doesn't idolize being fat, he has character flaws and rotten quirks. He completely ignores Rufus being part of a biker gang, something pretty notorious for housing bad characters. It feels like he is just butthurt that a fat character is portray in a negative light, even if it unjust.
That's not a fat stereotype. That's just the way fat characters are used in video games.
Rufus isn't just a rotten character. He has all the harmful stereotypes that are associated with fat people.
I LOVED this. Thank you
Your speach at the end got me all kinds of hype as a fan of various character types, a writer, and a slightly over weight 31 year old man. I still need to loose a 100 pounds, but that doesn't mean I can't, and shouldn't, be awesome as is.
I'm glad you showed the Kingpin at the end doesn't matter what version of him Ive seen but Ive learned you don't fuck with Kingpin
We need more chubby gals as well as guys, just saying. We can't just have plus-sized dudes, we need plus-sized girls as well.
This video gives me determination, thank you!
this is the only video I've seen from you and I'm already subscribing.
Your design breakdowns are fascinating, I'll surely have to run the CelesSteel characters past you one day!
The Kingpin from marvel is actually like 85% muscle.
He is a big boy
As someone who has been practicing martial art while beig "fat", bob is one hell of an exemple.
Hey, you mentioned you’re a GG fan, so I’d like your opinion on Goldlewis, seeing that he’s also a fat character. He does fall under the category of being a fat guy who’s a leader, but I personally love how strong willed the dude is, even willing to put himself on the front lines for his country. Sure, he can be a bit oblivious at times, but overall, I think he’s a well designed character, in terms of gameplay and personality.
I actually like E. Honda...and could care less about Bob, and hate Rufus.
Honda is a fun loving, yet honorable character.
Plus, he actually plays like a large character- and he's never presented as "fat' like Rufus or SFV Birdie, but rather just big- and plays as such.
He has multiple moves that involve jumping ass-first in his opponent.
Actually, rufus is the only gat stereotype function character I like, as he's honestly hilarious.
Sure he has a bit of gross traits, bit they aren't his focus most the time.
More so his focus is that he's great at fighting, able to perfect moves by merely watching them, but his moves chosen to copy are usually meant for style rather than practicality, but despite this he puts them to use, using his body as a means to use moves that otherwise would not be as effective, like is spin move more than likely uses his gut as a means to increase the momentum. And in spire of what seems like laziness, he clearly works put more than you'd think, as he pushed a motorcycle with his girlfriend it many MANY miles through the desert and came put walking fine, only needing a brief drench of water when he finally made it to the gas station. He just doesn't show his muscle like the freak of nature Honda does... abs don't work like that...
He's also lost in his own little world, as anyone who is blonde or wears a karate gi he mistakes for his rival, and is stuck thinking he's the protagonist of his own movie world, as he thinks DeeJay wants to be his apprentice. This is hilarious as he seems to go on a rant about how great he is or even just how his day went or how ninjas look.
His girlfriend also committed dine and dash, but because he learned from movies that a woman in distress must be innocent and in need of protecting, he beats up the wrong people, and Candy becomes his girl, because he looked cool doing it, and as a result, she constantly feeds into his delusions of the world.
All of this aligns into a bizarrely hilarious concoction that other fat archetypes only WISH they could be, and makes the world of streetfighter a more interesting place...
Now if only they'd give him a better outfit...
Not like he's gonna read a comment on a 4 year old video...
@@superkid2815 He probably won't, but the dude's still right. Rufus isn't really the bad fat character stereotype that Sugarpunch desperately wants them to be.
Another aspect od his moves that I feel works is that he was trained by legit kung fu masters, so they likely helped him to use a form of Kung Fu that plays to his major strength, that being momentum. You see a lot of his moves place an emphasis on movement.
@@hysterical5408I don't like Rufus having a weird delusion honestly.
Hard to respect when a trait like thay pops up.
I'm so happy you made this! When I finally saw promo material for the at-the-time "newest" King of Iro9n Fist offering, Bob was easily and instantly, along with the equally beguiling though less drastically designed Leo, my favorite addition to the large and ever expanding Tekken roster, filling a slot on the archetype and style bookshelf I hadn't even considered was in need of filling. And indeed, while most big characters in fighters tend to be lumbering hulks with huge damage outputs and grapples to be avoided at all costs, it was so inspiring to see Bob's brand of martial arts performed with his physique.
Namco have always been pretty good with making each new addition incredibly unique. It's elating that they undersood they had a fair few fellas of fountainous fullness filling their fighting flock thus far, and they, themselves, felt fairly varied. Ganryu filled that quintessential sumo archetype in fighting games; the various Jack android models offered a re-worked concept where unusual fisticuffs with alarming reach could be deployed,; they had god damn bears (Kuma/Panda) who provided further girth of a sillier nature, though no less lethal if not properly handled; and later on we got Marduk who picks up the pace a little, but is still just a brick shit house with tons of tools to mess u[p your day in various ways. And along comes Bob, flying about, throwing spinning kicks and flipping 'round his targets, keeping pace with the likes god damn Baek or Xiaoyu. It was inspiring! Yeah, sure, he throws his gut into someone now and again, but why wouldn't you if you trained specifically to have that weapon at your disposal?
Your channel is incredible and has inspired me to take a crack at animation. Thank you so much!
This was a great watch, easily subscribed
Actually, is E-Honda even fat? Judging by the artwork you've shown he's got pretty large fat-abs...
I think that's actually physically impossible? Fat grows over muscle, so it's impossible that there would be any abs shaping on *top* of the fat. -A.B.I.
...To be honest I'm not sure what they're going for there. Like, this thing looks so much like abs body fat...? Since it can't be muscle and it has to be fat, why on earth does it look the way it does? o_O
There is such a thing as fat that develops beneath the muscle, at least in the abdomen. It's common from certain kinds of diet, among other factors, and can (or so I've heard) actually be more of a health risk than fat that develops over the muscles of the abdomen. I'm not sure you can ever really have a significant enough impact on the distribution of fat above and below the muscle to have visible abs over a bulging gut, though. All examples I've seen of a rounded, yet ripped, abdomen have been due to an excess of muscle mass focused on the abdomen.
Actually I never assumed E. Honda was obese, I assumed he was built like an ultimate strong man. Meaning that he emphasized function over appearance. You know since only bodybuilders are generally the only ones concerned about body fat percentages since it can cause point deductions in competitions.
Actually on top of that may I add that sumo wrestlers in general ARE the anti-thesis of the stereotypical "lazy fat person?" After watching sumo wrestling matches I have learned that in order to win a match you have to be pretty darn smart, strong, and super flexible! Yeah, sure, they are hefty guys, the added weight helps in pushing people around. But actually HANDLE people that big? Yeah, you got to pretty strong yourself.
they are just a good and a bad american stereotype, I don't think rufus is that bad, but I clearly see that the guy from tekken has a lot of charisma and it's a badass.
Good video and analysis.
Gold Lewis snaps that stereotype in half and is just flat out cool as fuck.
Bobs motto is 'Speed and Weight!' For a reason. Also when people tried to say they wanted to play the skinny bob one of tekkens designers said 'why? Fat bob is cooler!'
However i just cant figure out how the flying hell Rufus can confuse Ryu Dan Posion and Cammey for Ken.
(Constructive Critism) The quality for this video is great but I honestly don't understand the message of the video. I watched all way thru and enjoyed it but for the most part the video was you telling the backstory of 2 (fat) characters from different games. It might be that i dont understand the type of videos you make. But Rufus is great at being a slob while Bob has a good backstory that makes sense (for the most part) The video was missing a very needed conclusion because I'm sure a lot of people were left in the dark by the end of your video. (I'm sure it's annoying to have a long comment like this pop up and see it's on an 11 month old video so I hope you are having a nice day :) Also this video did show me how awesome of a character bob is
bob is a very fun character to play as XD I love how deceptively fast he is!
Absolutely love this! Thank you so much for tackling the subject of how fat characters are treated in video games with intelligence and respect. You've earned a sub!
Too bad this video was made before Goldlewis Dickinson was made, he's probably the best fat character in a fighting game since he's not seen as a joke character.
he is FAR from a joke too! he is top tier
@@velvetdraws3452 I meant he isn't just a comic relief character like many other fat dudes such as Rufus or Ganryu
I always loved playing Rufus. he was my main for so many years playing SF4 and SFxT. So many years and I kinda miss him in the recent capcom game ^^'...
Tekken's Bob: "Sammo Hung" potrayal.
My favorite fat character is Earthquake from Samurai Shodown series (and SvC Chaos). He's a lout, a criminal, a gang leader who does the stereotypical fat bad-guy stuff outlined here, but he does it so well in both characterization and gameplay.
I think it comes down to the platform of the character. Street fighter is very much a fantasy fighter that uses blatant stereotypes to begin with, so IMO Rufus gets a pass despite how cheesy and annoying he can be. Bob's okay in Tekken too; he's a more grounded character for a more grounded fighting game.
This got you a subscriber. Great breakdown.
i feel like this video is pretty skin-deep in terms of exploring the design philosophy of fat characters.
a big pointer here is that both of these characters were created by japanese designers.
there is a long-standing cultural notion of fatness meaning great strength in their history; starting with sumo wrestlers, who are looked up to a great deal. characters in asian cinema continued this trend, with actors such as sammo hung, who displayed great stuntmanship besides his physicality and was astonishingly fit for his body type.
a wave of imposing fat characters came to japan with the exploding popularity of pro wrestling, and perhaps the most famous and notorious villain of the genre in asia, abdullah the butcher. if you ever see a fat guy in overalls, baggy pants and pointy shoes in japanese media, its a reference to him (for example, mr. heart of hokuto no ken is pretty much abdullah with different proportions). wrestlers like big van vader continued the trend. sumo wrestlers also become tangled in this world in a strange mix, with examples such as the former yokozuna akebono taro starting a career in puroresu after retiring from sumo. there have been many popular fat celebrities in the public's eye, as there are today. the japanese concept of the "Real" also works as such that eating great amounts of food is seen as manly feat. this is relevant in terms of fat female characters/people sometimes being perceived as less feminine, along with the "fat=strength" notion.
it is debatable if the huge surge of western influence in japan after ww2 had an effect on the perception of fat stereotypes in japanese culture, but americans certainly see a larger share of overweight people, and japan loves creating their stereotypes. for example, a generic american cop in japanese media seems to often be a pig-neck fatso chowing down on donuts.
for japanese people, being overweight is REALLY a deviation from the norm; an estimated 3-6% of japanese people are overweight (by the standards of a modern western bmi chart), compared to the 30-35% of american people.
there is, of course, negative association with fatness in japan, as there is in most cultures. the famous saying over there goes "the nail that sticks out will be hammered down"; the honor culture creates an environment where most people feel you are responsible for your own actions and decisions, which includes being overweight or not losing weight. comments about being obese, in terms of positivity, negativity or astonishment come up often with relevant persons. fat jokes are more common too. with both good and bad sides, it is not very taboo to openly speak of somebody's obesity.
so right away, the fatness of a character in japanese media often communicates their physical strength (more in fantasy material; morbidly obese and large-built doctor kosaku tokita from the film paprika is unusually portrayed as physically quite weak, although morally and intellectually much above average). you can see where this goes, and what the japanese designers thought when they made bob and rufus.
interestingly, both of these characters are american. even more tellingly of japanese values, both of them have blonde hair, blue eyes and facial hair, traits that are seen as stereotypically american. perhaps the idea is that the characters are meant to be seen as american first, morbidly obese second. i have no way to know, though.
as many posters have pointed out, rufus is a much less negative character than was insisted in the video. i have a hard time thinking of instances where his fatness is brought into a negative light; sure he acts like a hotheaded jerk, but it is not written to be inherent to his obese character. he is, in fact, written to be very proud of his body and appearance with great stamina and a hot chick.
the only other options whether rufus' obesity should be looked at negatively are 1. the designers are trolling and you are obviously meant to laugh at him, or 2. of course he is worthy of ridicule, he is fat. for option number 1, there is really nothing in terms of writing or story that suggests that rufus is to be despised because of his obesity more than his awful nature. he is shown eating, but not insane amounts, and he does make food puns and jokes. then again, so does el fuerte. number 2 is all on the audience to choose.
the complaint that "fat characters are shown as gluttonous" is weak. it is the same as a sickly thin character shown refusing food: one of a handful of mental quirks/choices that alters the way you appear physically. there is literally no other way to get fat other than eating more calories than you burn, unless you have a disease. after that it's an issue whether its relevant to the character design that rufus gets fat very easily because he has hypothyroidism.
last couple of notes: rufus and bob are both fantasy characters, who do impossible feats. in this case, their impossible feats are being morbidly obese and agile world-class martial artists. they exist within the same unrealistic fantasy as 50-year old dictators who fly around with psychic energy and underdressed body-ideal pro wrestler women who dominate you in public.
there's an argument that a character being fat should not matter at all. i wonder if this is meant in terms of both negative and positive aspects; if bob being fat does not matter, he cannot be proud of his body.
holy shit i wrote a lot about video game fat guys!!!
First video of yours I've watched, and the arguments are pretty poorly made, it kind of implies that any fat character who isn't perfect is "fuelling the stereotype", I'll watch more because the video quality is really good, but I have to dislike this one.
The Eternal Vanguard also it could be fat people are like that cause they make poor decisions.
Hopefully you've watched more vids on the channel. This one is not up to the standard of other stuff A.B.I. puts out.
I think he's saying that the overwhelming majority of the portrayal of overweight people is negative, akin to maybe how some women feel about their common over-sexualization in games. On top of this, Rufus is not really a great character, he's just like a 'Dan' character. No real person is just a walking punchline. Think of like Chris Farley in Beverly Hills Ninja, but as a deadly martial artist somehow.
MKG176 the reason being overweight is usually portrayed as negative is because being overweight isn’t exactly a good thing and is not a lifestyle that should be shown in a positive light.
@MegA I want you to go look up an old pro boxer nick-named "Butterbean." Then, look up an ex-Yokozuna, Hakuho Futahaguro. Finally, look up an ex-strongman named Zydrunas Savickas.
The point is, you look at any of these guys and you are the type of person to call them "overweight" or "undesirable," but once you actually look up their accomplishments tell me why they needed to be thin exactly?
I personally hate Bob and most of the characters that came from Tekken 6 but you’re absolutely right about this topic. Tekken did something unique with the fat character trope while Rufus just made it worse.
Your video essays (if u will) are entertaining af.
I remember meeting this capoeira master from Brazil that was literally nicknamed "mountain" for his size. You can imagine my surprise and awe when I witnessed this guy literally defying gravity in a fight. I rarely play Tekken or fighting games in general but I remember Bob as a nice breath of fresh air.
Makes me want to hear his thoughts on Goldlewis Dickinson.
Heavy will always be the king of this. He's big sure, but he's also compassionate and strong and the size itself is meant to show his role as the slow, tanky master of strength who can do as much damage with his bare hands as others need a sword for and hauls a gigantic minigun without a care in the world. He's also a family man who cares deeply about his mom and sisters
i love how you used a song from arms as the background in this video