So, it's been nearly a month since we first got a few screens from Suda51's new game, Lollipop Chainsaw. To be blunt...my first thought was...wow, it's Buffy done in an Anime Style.
Today, the first trailer for the game was released at GamesCom. Now, I not only stand by my original statement, I'm debating calling shenanigans.
Before we get in depth about the trailer and the images though...we need to discuss something much more important, something I've been waiting for a while to get to (mostly, until it became relevant). I am a Buffy fan. As such, I could spend an entire series of blogs talking about nothing but the main series, the comic follow ups, the spin off, the really cheesy film, the book and comic apocrypha, character relationship, cast and crew projects (which is where I originally thought this was gonna come up as we got closer to the Avengers), everything about the California Vampire Slayer.
For those who haven't seen a single episode of the series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is about Buffy Summers, a fifteen year old high school cheerleader from L.A. who was called to become the new slayer, a mythical demon hunter possessed of preternatural powers. However, I doubt I could do it as much justice by just explaining it...so, here's this.
Yeah, that's Season 1 of the series in a nut shell. Since, I do want to eventually come back and revisit the series as a blog of its very own...let's focus on the things that are easily related to the new Suda51 game, Lollipop Chainsaw, so, what we know about the setting and the characters.
Buffy
- Cheerleader
- High School
- California Girl
- Slays Vampires
- Unconventional Relationship with Boyfriend (in her case, Vampires)
- Helped by friends, family, and her Watcher
Juliet
- Cheerleader
- High School
- California Girl
- Slays Zombies
- Unconventional Relationship with Boyfriend (he's a disembodied head)
- Helped by family members
Granted, this is an archetype started before Buffy that Whedon and company perfected, but it's still suprisingly similar. Especially given with the setting. San Romero High (as it George, of Night of the Living Dead) and Sunnydale High have a very similar look to them. So much so, that the gym and classroom settings could be HD upgrades of the Xbox Buffy the Vampire Slayer game. Take into account that Torrance High School's, the shooting location for Sunnydale, mascot is the Tartars (Russian Knights) and San Romero's appears to be the Knights...it's kinda starting to appear a bit sketchy.
Then there's the nail in the coffin. Filmmaker James Gunn's involved. For those of you unaware who this is, he wrote the remake of Dawn of the Dead as well both Scooby Doo live action films (which starred Buffy's actress, Sarah Michelle Gellar), and wrote, directed, and acted in Slither (which also starred Whedon actor, Nathan Fillion).
While the idea of an Anime-esque Buffy does sound pretty fucking awesome...there's also the issue of what that means to the iconic character. This is a character easily connected to modern feminism, and now we're making sure we get to see her panties in every shot. I know, I know, Japan has a different outlook on this, and that Juliet isn't Buffy, though any argument that she's not at least inspired by her would be heavily doubted. However, even with that, this subversion is a very peculiar element of the game. I can only hope that it at least makes mention of Buffy (either, a special thanks nod to Joss Whedon or some reference to it at least, possibly even Gellar herself voicing Juliet since she's on the payroll of the WB now).
Also, if you've never seen Buffy at all, go check it out on Hulu or Netflix. It's well worth it.
-Sara
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