| Sofia | |
|---|---|
| Battle Arena Toshinden character | |
 Sofia inBattle Arena Toshinden, as drawn by Kotobuki. | |
| First game | Battle Arena Toshinden (1995) |
| Created by | Shintarō Nakaoka[1] |
| Designed by | Miho Furukawa[1] Tsukasa Kotobuki[2] |
| Voiced by |
|
| Portrayed by | Jazuli (Toshinden 2)[6] |
| In-universe information | |
| Weapon | Whip |
| Origin | Russia |
Sofia (Japanese:ソフィア) is a character introduced in the 1995fighting gameBattle Arena Toshinden, produced byTamsoft.
WhenTamsoft was initially development their 3Dfighting gameBattle Arena Toshinden, when first developing the cast director Shintarō Nakaoka started with a basic concept taking inspiration from the duality ofRyu andKen Masters ofCapcom'sStreet Fighter series. Working with character designer Miho Furukawa, he then followed with developing certain character archetypes to provide a variety of physiques to the game, such as the "big man", the "guru", and the "lolita". As development progressed others added their own elements, such as programmers adding unique animations to characters to give them more visible personality, while one core person was assigned to each character to assist with the planning stage.[1]
The character designs were finalized and drawn byTsukasa Kotobuki, who also provided input on the development process.[7] The game's publisherTakara initially sought to haveMasami Obari for this role, but he was unable to due to obligations on another project and suggested Kotobuki instead.[2] According toBattle Arena Toshinden URA director Norihiro Hayasaka, with the original game there was a noticeable discrepancy between the Kotobuki's artwork and the character models themselves, particularly in how he drew the female characters as slender with large breasts. Hayasaka pushed for the models to be closer to Kotobuki's art in terms of silhouette as a result, but also keep sharp edges to retain a style unique forToshinden.[5]
Sofia stands 172.5 cm (5 ft 8 in) tall and hasmeasurements of 90-56-88 cm (35-22-35 in).[8] She is dressed like adominatrix, described as a "queen" in-game, wearing a leotard that exposes her cleavage, torn leggins that connect to high heel boots, and similar fingerless gloves that extend to her elbows. She wears a large earring on each ear, which was intended to bring a sense of charm to her character. Her blonde hair is held up in a long ponytail held in place with a red hairband, while arching bangs frame her face in the front.[9]
Sofia's design was mostly decided upon early on, with most changes relating to her outfit,[9] though the earliest versions of her character design lacked bangs.[10]
Sofia is a Russian introduced in the 1995fighting gameBattle Arena Toshinden. A former member of theKGB, she is skilled in magic and works as a private detective inTokyo. She enters the fighting tournaments to follow clues regarding the secret society puppeteering the series' events, and learn more about her past.[9]
Outside of the games, Sofia also appears in the two audio-only CD dramas that act as continuations of the game's story, and the sequelOVA series.[11] An additional, more comedic chapter titled主役は誰なんだ編 (lit. "Who is the Lead Role?") was also released on cassette tape.[12] In print media, anthology comic collections by various authors featuring the character were compiled in two separate books, one for the first and the other for the second game.[13][14]
She was originally voiced byYoko Teppouzuka in Japanese,[4] withYumi Tōma voicing her in the OVA and later the games starting with the release ofToshinden URA. Hayasaka praised her performance, stating it was "so sexy he was a little embarrassed.[5] In English, her voice actress for the firstToshinden and its remakeToshinden Remix is uncredited, whileDebbie Rabbai voiced her in the OVA.[3] Meanwhile, a live action actress was usedBattle Arena Toshinden 2's opening sequence and commercials related to the game, which were performed by a Western model named Jazuli.[6]
During the debut of the PlayStation, early advertisements were run forToshinden that focused on Sofia's inclusion in the game, using the then-intended North American mascot for the console,Polygon Man.[16] However, after Sony's Japanese branch reacted negatively to the Polygon Man character, the campaign briefly shifted to Sofia exclusively,[17] who was used to market the PlayStation directly in a "Sofia Says" ad campaign where she would bark orders at the reader in the manner of a dominatrix.[15] Later, a similar campaign was run bySega on their website whenToshinden was released for theSega Saturn, putting "BecauseToshlnden's Sofia says so" at the top of a list of reasons to purchase the gaming console.[18] She was also featured in television ads forBattle Arena Toshinden, with the words "Like to be humiliated by women? Here’s your dream date. Worship me" included.[19]
In Japan, models representing Sofia and fellow character Ellis were featured at promotional events for the game's release.[20] Takara Amusement also produced two varieties of character-themed clocks.[21] Takara also released a doll of the character in 1997, based off her appearance inBattle Arena Toshinden 2.[22]
The ad campaigns featuring Sofia for the PlayStation drew a variety of discussion. The staff ofGameFan remarked that female readers of its magazines wrote in to complain about the ad, stating that they themselves felt that it was a bizarre ad that insulted both "mature gamers" and female gamers.[23] Scott Taves ofWired meanwhile noted that while she was an early contender for a mascot for the PlayStation brand, she was quickly replaced withCrash Bandicoot, something he attributed possibly due to "S/M attire".[24]Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine in a retrospective felt that the ad campaigns alongside with its design helped paint the PlayStation as a console for more mature audiences instead of a toy for children, helping to make gaming as a whole appear "cool", though pointed out the low resolution of her character model "kept the smut-meter down".[25]
The "Sofia Says" advertisement in particular was analyzed in the bookThe Ethics of Playing, Researching, and Teaching Games in the Writing Classroom by Professors Victoria L. Braegger and Ryan M. Moeller. The cited it as an example of how video game advertising tended to focus on the "hardcore gamer", using in this case the imagery of a dominatrix and binding the player to the rules of the gameSimon Says. This not only put an imperative in the reader's mind, while prodding the reader's masculinity by encouraging them to be "man enough" to hurt for the character, in this case financially.[15]
Sofia was well received since her debut. The staff ofComputer Games Strategy Plus described her as "a tall leggy blonde with porn-star good looks and a disarming giggle", and felt she was an example ofsex sells for the franchise, her presence in it helping to ensure games would be financially successful.[26] The staff of German magazineVideo Games cited her alongsideMai Shiranui as examples of how female characters in fighting games illustrated an increase in mature content in video games, something they wanted to see more of.[27] Another German magazine,Bravo Screenfun, cited her as an example of the rise of strong and sexy female characters in video games that countered the notion of women being "the weaker sex".[28]
Other outlets offered their own praise. The staff ofVideo Games: The Ultimate Gaming Magazine cited her as the character they tended to gravitate to the most when playing the game and an integral part of the PlayStation's appeal. Additional praise went to her outfit and characterization, with the staff further describing her as " the hottest videogame character to come around sinceStreet Fighter II'sChun-Li".[29]Ultra Game Players featured her in their video game character swimsuit issue, calling her one of the most memorable characters on the PlayStation during its early years.[30]Complex writer Larry Hester remarked that she stood out as a Russian character in an industry he felt focused exceedingly on "vodka swilling war criminals with fur hats," feeling that she made a significant impact on the fighting game genre.[31]
She was also popular in Japan, with magazinesGame Yuu II andGame Charge citing her as a frequent subject ofcosplay.[32][33] MagazineJugemu found she was popular with men inTokyo'sShibuya district, particularly due to her revealing attire and sexualized behavior but also her strong-willed character.[34] Meanwhile,Virtual Idol magazine ran a six-page article on her and fellow character Ellis, examining both of them and feeling that their appeal arose from both how theToshinden franchise had expanded their characters through supplemental media, but also how their 3D models made them viewable from every angle. They heavily praised the sex appeal of her design too, particularly the contrast between her large bust and slender figure, particular how the former made her feel visually overwhelming. While describing her as brutal, they felt she fit a "big sister" type of character too, and stated that while her personality was portrayed as a "queen" archetype her attacks also gave her a sense of elegance.[8]
In an article forGame On! USA discussing the similarities between Sofia and fellow blonde female fighting game charactersSarah Bryant ofVirtua Fighter andNina Williams ofTekken, Roger Miller described her as the "prima donna of her game". Regarding her character design, he noted that while some had criticized her for having broad shoulders, he felt it was a welcome change to see more muscular women andfemme fatale characters in gaming. He further observed that while her outfit had been criticized by some, it did not feel out of line when compared to how female characters in similar games dressed, referencing Chun-Li's attire directly by stating "At least Sofia doesn't have pom-poms on her head!"[35] WebsiteKakuchopurei made a similar comparison, describing her as an answer to Sarah Bryant "but Russian" to compete directly withVirtua Fighter. They furthermore saw her as bringing diversity to the game, and the aspect that madeToshinden as a series truly memorable.[36]
In contrast,Electronic Gaming Monthly used her as an example of how female characters in video games were often sexualized for the sake of marketing, and how such painted an image of the video game industry as male-dominated.[37] Meanwhile,Honest Gamers writer Joseph Shaffer felt that she was the only standout character ofToshinden's cast, which he felt spoke poorly of the quality of them as a whole when a "sexual selling point" was the standout.[38] Todd Ciolek in an article forTopless Robot considered her a stereotype that presented Russian women as "either babushka-wearing hags or icy blondes armed with predatory sex drives and cackling disdain",[39] and in an article forAnime News Network emphasized that theToshinden series was better off distancing itself from its old cast, particularly Sofia.[40]
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