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Team Ninja Head Wants To Class-Up Studio's Image & Games
Under former studio boss Tomonobu Itagaki, Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive developer Team Ninja carved out a reputation that included buxom female characters and violent action. However, new Team Ninja leader Yosuke Hayashi says he wants to move away from the simple use of sex and violence.
In an exclusive interview with Gamasutra, Hayashi was pretty upfront about the situation. "The old team was known for making games that just had two primary elements: Sex and violence. It was very obvious. The new team, we want to take it to a new level – to a direction that contains emotional experiences that can move players."
In Ninja Gaiden 3 (out March 20 for Xbox 360/PlayStation 3, and later for Wii U) Hayashi wants to "give meaning to [the] violence" and "make adults think." Perhaps the introduction of Ryu's cursed right arm and the game's attempt to humanize the character (and even spare enemies) can help achieve Hayashi's goals.
Similarly, for Dead or Alive 5 (out in late 2012 for Xbox 360/PlayStation 3) he says he wants to "show something that's more high class, that adult males of our generation could look at a woman [character] and be impressed with her as a woman, not just as a pin-up."
Hayashi and Team Ninja certainly have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to fulfill their aims, given not only the history of the franchises but the very nature of violence in video games and standard representations of women in the medium and in the world in general.
To get a look at how the games are doing, click on the titles above. For the full interview with Hayashi, head over to Gamasutra.
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