Azure Striker Gunvolt's lead character received a pair of changes for its upcoming North America release, but now he is partially changing back.

Above and below (and in our announcement story) you can see the Japanese version of Azure Striker Gunvolt. For our release, his braid was removed and his midriff was covered. This change was noticed by Siliconera, and it reached out to developer Inti Creates CEO Takuya Aizu to ask why. The change came as the result of research done amongst the age group the game is being targeted for in North America, boys between 10 and 14 years old, and they didn't like braided ponytails and bared midriffs on their heroes.

Today, however, the official Azure Striker Gunvolt twitter account wrote that it decided to keep the braid, but keep the midriff covered. The new change came as a result of a conversation between Takuya Aizu and Keiji Inafune, who is directing the game's action.

Inafune-san and Aizu-san also discussed the character design of Gunvolt for US version. #gunvolt

— gunvolt_official (@GunvoltOfficial) April 16, 2014

Inafune-san concluded that Gunvolt keeps "braided hair" in US version too. Because he emphasises the design. #gunvolt

— gunvolt_official (@GunvoltOfficial) April 16, 2014

As for the "bare midriff", leave the Gunvolt's separate clothes design as it is, we decided to make him wear the black skin tights. #gunvolt

— gunvolt_official (@GunvoltOfficial) April 16, 2014

Azure Striker Gunvolt is coming to the 3DS eShop Summer. You can read more about the game here.

[Source: Siliconera, ‏@GunvoltOfficial]

Our Take
I always find the changes made to localize a game for different audiences interesting. I'm glad he's keeping the braid, just because it's an interesting, atypical look, but I'm not heartbroken that his midriff will remain covered. Exposed midriffs are so '90s.