, commonly called , is a fictional character in the ''
Soulcalibur
is a weapon-based fighting video game franchise by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
There are seven main installments of video games and various media spin-offs, including music albums and a series of manga books. The first game in the series, '' ...
'' series of video games. Created by
Namco
was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Namco Taiwan in Kaohsiung, ...
's
Project Soul
is a weapon-based fighting video game franchise by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
There are seven main installments of video games and various media spin-offs, including music albums and a series of manga books. The first game in the series, '' ...
division, she first appeared in the original ''
Soulcalibur
is a weapon-based fighting video game franchise by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
There are seven main installments of video games and various media spin-offs, including music albums and a series of manga books. The first game in the series, '' ...
'' and its subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise related to the series. She was voiced in Japanese by
Yumi Tōma
, known professionally as , is a Japanese voice actress, narrator, author and singer from Chiba. She has been part of the singing group Goddess Family Club. Tōma once worked for Aoni Production before she founded her own agency ALLURE&Y. Becaus ...
between ''
Soulcalibur
is a weapon-based fighting video game franchise by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
There are seven main installments of video games and various media spin-offs, including music albums and a series of manga books. The first game in the series, '' ...
'' and ''
Soulcalibur III
is a fighting game, fighting video game produced by Namco as a sequel to ''Soulcalibur II'' and the fourth installment in the ''Soulcalibur'' series. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2005. An improved arcade game, arcade versi ...
'',
Kanako Tōjō
is a Japanese voice actress from Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. She voiced Karin in '' Naruto: Shippuden'' and Ivy Valentine in ''Soulcalibur
is a weapon-based fighting video game franchise by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
There are seven ...
between ''
Soulcalibur Legends
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console. It is a spin-off of Namco Bandai's successful ''Soulcalibur'' fighting game series and primarily features two of its most popular characters: Ivy and Siegfried.
Gameplay
The game features comp ...
'' and ''
Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny,'' and
Miyuki Sawashiro
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. She has played voice roles in a number of Japanese anime including ''Beelzebub'', Bishamon in '' Noragami'', Petit Charat/Puchiko in '' Di Gi Charat'', Mint in ''Galaxy Angel'', Sinon in ''Swor ...
in ''
Soulcalibur V
is a fighting game, fighting video game developed and released by Namco Bandai Games for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2012.
The sixth main installment in Namco's ''Soulcalibur (series), Soulcalibur'' series of fighting games, ''Soulcalibur ...
'', and ''
Soulcalibur VI
''Soulcalibur VI'' is a fighting game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Dimps and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows in 2018. It is the seventh main installment in the ''Soulcalibur' ...
''; in English, she was voiced by Renee Hewitt in ''
Soulcalibur II
is a 2002 fighting game developed by Project Soul and published by Namco and the third installment in the ''Soulcalibur'' series of weapon-based fighting games. It is the sequel to ''Soulcalibur'', which was released in July 1998. Originally in ...
'' and
Lani Minella
Lani Jean Minella (born July 28, 1950) is an American voice actress, voice director, and producer mostly working in the games industry. She is also the founder and owner of the voice-acting agency, AudioGodz.
Career
After college, Minella starte ...
for the remainder of the series.
In the game, she is the
illegitimate
Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as '' ...
daughter of undead pirate
Cervantes de Leon
, better known as just Cervantes, is a fictional character in the ''Soulcalibur'' series of fighting games. Created by Namco's Project Soul division, he first appeared in ''Soul Edge'' and its subsequent sequels, later appearing in various mercha ...
who was raised by a
noble
A noble is a member of the nobility.
Noble may also refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Noble Glacier, King George Island
* Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land
* Noble Peak, Wiencke Island
* Noble Rocks, Graham Land
Australia
* Noble Island, Gr ...
family until her father became obsessed with the cursed sword, Soul Edge, leading to his death and later her mother's. Desiring to destroy the sword, she creates a segmented, animated blade-whip, only to become Soul Edge's pawn and learn that it intends to use her as its next host. After an attack by Cervantes results in the loss of her soul, Ivy uses a temporary artificial one to keep herself alive, and continues after the blade.
Ivy is considered one of the most prominent characters in the series as well as one of its mainstays, having appeared in every installment since ''Soulcalibur''. She is often referred to as the series'
poster girl. Since her introduction, Ivy has been regarded as an attractive and strong character by critics, and has been noted for her sex appeal. Critical reception varies, with some saying the character's oversexualization is unnecessary, while others have argued that her sexuality is an essential aspect of her character design and has allowed for her to be more recognizable.
Conception and creation
As a character introduced in ''Soulcalibur'', Ivy's
signature weapon
A signature weapon (or trademark weapon or weapon of choice) is one commonly identified with a certain group or, in the case of literature, epic poems, comics, and film, where it is a popular ''trope,'' for both heroes and villains to be associat ...
, a "snake sword" designed to be unique amongst the other weapons in the game, was selected before other elements of the character. Her design and concept were then built to revolve around it, starting with gender, then physical measurements, and lastly background details. After her appearance and movement were fleshed out by a
concept artist
Concept art is a form of visual art used to convey an idea for use in films, video games, animation, comic books, or other media before it is put into the final product. Concept art usually refers to world-building artwork used to inspire the de ...
, her character was rendered as a
3D model by a design team that worked solely on her, and then animated mostly by Naotake Hirata using
motion capture to create her in-game movements,
with Yasushi Shibue designing the animations for her throws, and several animations created without the use of motion capture for positions difficult for the actors. During this phase the team additionally worked with the ''Soulcalibur'' story creators, refining the character's own role in the plot as needed throughout development.
During development many alternatives for Ivy's design were considered, including a male ninja, a mummy, and a little girl, while the weapon remained constant, varying only in size.
With ''Soulcalibur II'', the development team chose her as their favorite character from the previous title. Producer Hiroaki Yotoriyama felt that her fighting style was not perfectly expressed in ''Soulcalibur'', and focused on Ivy from the start of the project to make her more "uniquely lethal". Namco has called Ivy one of the three most popular characters in the series in North American markets, alongside
Taki and
Nightmare. ''Soulcalibur V'' producer Hisaharu Tago emphasized this as a reason for the character's inclusion for the game, additionally citing her fighting style and role in the game's storyline.
Design
Ivy appears as a tall, large busted woman with short, white hair. A bluish-purple leotard covers her torso and arms, with patches of the fabric removed to expose her cleavage, buttocks and various parts of her abdomen. Similar leggings cover her legs midway below her thighs, connected to the leotard by
garters
A garter is an article of clothing comprising a narrow band of fabric fastened about the leg to keep up stockings. In the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, they were tied just below the knee, where the leg is most slender, to keep the stocking ...
at golden metal bands at their peak. A sleeve of the same material covers her right arm and hand, while armor covers her left arm, hand, and shoulder. A smaller pauldron covers her right shoulder, while high heels cover her feet, and a white glove covers her right hand. The left shoulder pauldron incorporates the
Tudor Rose
The Tudor rose (sometimes called the Union rose) is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the House of Tudor, which united the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The Tudor rose consists o ...
, a traditional heraldic symbol of England, while the plates of the armor were designed to resemble the links of her sword.
A mask covering the right side of her face and eye were considered but abandoned after the initial character concept. The outfit was designed with a motif of both thorns and two intertwining snakes in mind, and to have a high affinity with her weapon. While it has been altered slightly as the series has progressed, the concept has remained consistent throughout the series, with the exception of the removal of the glove in later designs. Ivy stands tall, making her the series' tallest female character,
and with a bust measurement of 100 cm (39 in) also the bustiest, though this was an aspect that the developers felt they had overdone by her appearance in ''
Soulcalibur IV
is the sixth installment in the '' Soulcalibur'' series of fighting games, released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2008. It features greatly improved graphics over the previous title, and includes three guest characters from the ''Star Wa ...
''.
Ivy's alternate character designs in the games are a contrast to her primary designs, with the secondary from ''Soulcalibur'' to ''Soulcalibur III'' consisting of
count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
ess attire of either blue or red pants, vest, and jacket, with white boots covering her feet and her hair combed back. In ''Soulcalibur II'', a tertiary alternate design was added consisting of a red leotard and gloves with gold trimming, with red stockings on her legs; in addition, a fourth design resembling her appearance at the conclusion of ''Soulcalibur'' was considered, incorporating a cloak and the symbol of
caduceus on the front of her leotard cupping her breasts, but was unused. In ''Soulcalibur III'', a long, rose-themed dress with hat and veil was used as a tertiary alternate, one of several considered designs. For ''Soulcalibur IV'', a similarly themed black dress was used as her sole alternate design for the game.
Some versions of the original ''
Soulcalibur
is a weapon-based fighting video game franchise by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
There are seven main installments of video games and various media spin-offs, including music albums and a series of manga books. The first game in the series, '' ...
''
arcade game censored Ivy's default costume by covering her bare skin with a lavender
catsuit.
With ''Soulcalibur IV'', Ivy's look on the promotional artwork was modified on the English website to hide her
undercleavage
Cleavage is the narrow depression or hollow between the breasts of a woman. The superior portion of cleavage may be accentuated by clothing such as a low-cut neckline that exposes the division, and often the term is used to describe the low neck ...
, leading to suspicion of censorship in the American release of the game. When asked about the censoring, director Katsutoshi Sasaki stated he had heard of nothing of the sort having taken place. When released in North America it was shown that no actual censorship had occurred within the game.
Appearances
In video games
As introduced in ''Soulcalibur'', Ivy was raised by the Valentines, a
noble family
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...
in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Ivy's father became obsessed with the cursed sword Soul Edge, and worked himself to death. Her mother died shortly afterward, and revealed to Ivy that she was not their biological daughter. Becoming an
alchemist, Ivy learned of her father's obsession and decided to destroy Soul Edge. She created an animated, segmented sword, bringing it to life by unknowingly summoning Soul Edge's current host,
Nightmare, and was convinced to become one of his allies without realizing he wielded the blade she sought. After learning the truth, and that her real father was the sword's previous host
Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (; 29 September 1547 (assumed) – 22 April 1616 Old Style and New Style dates, NS) was an Early Modern Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-emin ...
and her to be its next, she departed. Continuing her quest to destroy the sword in later games, Ivy was attacked by Cervantes and her soul consumed in ''Soulcalibur IV''. Using an artificial soul to keep herself alive,
Ivy managed to defeat her father at Ostrheinsburg Castle at the end of the game. She also acts as a teacher to younger warriors when Soul Edge re-appears years later.
The new timeline of ''Soulcalibur VI'' retells Ivy's creation of her sword, her temporary alliance with Nightmare, and the revelation of her true father Cervantes. She also broke into the Money Pit guarded by
Voldo
is a fictional character in the ''Soulcalibur'' series of video games. Created by Namco's Project Soul division, he first appeared in ''Soul Edge'', and later in all games of the ''Soulcalibur'' series with the exception of ''Soulcalibur Legends' ...
to steal the notes of his master Vercci. Ivy later gave back the notes to the blind guardian after obtaining the information she needed.
Outside of the main series, Ivy appears in the
prequel ''
Soulcalibur Legends
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console. It is a spin-off of Namco Bandai's successful ''Soulcalibur'' fighting game series and primarily features two of its most popular characters: Ivy and Siegfried.
Gameplay
The game features comp ...
'', allying herself with the protagonist
Siegfried
Siegfried is a German-language male given name, composed from the Germanic elements ''sig'' "victory" and ''frithu'' "protection, peace".
The German name has the Old Norse cognate ''Sigfriðr, Sigfrøðr'', which gives rise to Swedish ''Sigfrid' ...
, and shares an understanding with another of his allies,
Lloyd Irving
is an action role-playing game released for the Nintendo GameCube on August 29, 2003, in Japan. It was published by Namco and is the fifth core product of the ''Tales'' series. The game was localized and released in North America on July 13, ...
. In ''
Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny''s "Gauntlet" storyline, a
side story
In fiction, a subplot is a secondary strand of the plot that is a supporting side story for any story or for the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or thematic significance. Subplots often involve supporting ...
set after the events of ''Soulcalibur IV'', Ivy assists the character
Hilde and her party develop a cure for her father's ailment. When told that Cervantes' soul would be required as payment, they attempt to renegotiate, only for Ivy to use the protagonist's back as a chair while repeating her terms. She was also featured in as a guest character in ''
Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos'', utilizing her character design from ''Soulcalibur IV''. Ivy appears in ''
The King of Fighters All Star
''The King of Fighters All Star'' is a beat 'em up role-playing game developed by Netmarble Games and published by SNK. It was first released in Japan on July 26, 2018, for the iOS and Android. The game is a retelling of SNK's ''The King of Fight ...
'' in both her ''Soulcalibur VI'' design, and her "Aristocrat Catsuit" costume from ''Soulcalibur V''. In the story mode, Ivy is initially hostile to
Cassandra
Cassandra or Kassandra (; Ancient Greek: Κασσάνδρα, , also , and sometimes referred to as Alexandra) in Greek mythology was a Trojan priestess dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to utter true prophecies but never to be belie ...
, but later helps her to defeat
Saiki from ''
The King of Fighters XIII
''(KOF XIII)'' is a fighting game in ''The King of Fighters'' series, developed and published by SNK Playmore originally in 2010. ''King of Fighters XIII'' was released for Japanese arcades on July 14, 2010, while ports for the Xbox 360 and Play ...
''.
Designed as a weapon with the longest reach in ''Soulcalibur'', Ivy's sword Valentine consists of several smaller blades linked together by a chain, able to take either broadsword or
chain whip
The chain whip, also known as the soft whip, is a weapon used in some Chinese martial arts, particularly traditional Chinese disciplines, in addition to modern and traditional wushu. It consists of several metal rods, which are joined end-to-e ...
forms. These forms are represented by different
stances Ivy can use in the series, altering many of her attacks for each and applying different uses to either form of the weapon, with some, such as Spiral Lust, a component of an existing attack. In addition to these, the sword can also have the segments be split apart, in which case they will attack the opponent in different ways before recombining on the sword's chain. Due to her variety, Ivy has been noted as being able to attack from any range, but also difficult to properly use unless utilizing a range the opponent is weakest at. Some of her attacks, such as Summoning Suffering and Calamity Symphony, involve grappling with the opponent to damage them, though these utilize complex controller inputs that require them to be utilized in tandem with other moves.
Promotion and merchandising
![Ivy at Igromir 2011 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Ivy_at_Igromir_2011_2.jpg)
Ivy was featured amongst other characters for ''Soulcalibur II''
's arcade flyer, and has been featured in other printed advertisements for games in the series. She has appeared on the cover on every Sony-based console game in the series, as well as ''Soulcalibur Legends'' for the Nintendo
Wii. She is visible on the white
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
''Soulcalibur IV'' arcade
joystick alongside
Hilde and Siegfried, and the box art for Korean distributions of the
lilac-colored
PSP. In addition, the character has been used to demonstrate the graphical features of both ''Soulcalibur IV'' and its follow-up title, ''
Broken Destiny'' in a
tech demo
A technology demonstration (or tech demo), also known as demonstrator model, is a prototype, rough example or an otherwise incomplete version of a conceivable product or future system, put together as proof of concept with the primary purpose of s ...
and promotional flyer respectively.
Ivy was also featured alongside Siegfried in a
manga adaptation of ''
Soulcalibur Legends
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console. It is a spin-off of Namco Bandai's successful ''Soulcalibur'' fighting game series and primarily features two of its most popular characters: Ivy and Siegfried.
Gameplay
The game features comp ...
'' printed in the Japanese
shōnen ''
Kerokero Ace
was a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten. It directly focused on the ''Sgt. Frog'' series and other works promoted by Bandai such as Gundam. The magazine contained manga comics, computer game reviews, merchandi ...
''; the manga, written in a humorous tone, used a
running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are no ...
of Siegfried's annoyance that Ivy was significantly taller than him. In 2011, the Russian publisher of ''Soulcalibur V''
1C Company
1C Company (russian: Фирма «1С», ) is a Russian software developer, distributor and publisher based in Moscow. It develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer software, related services and video games.
In Russia, 1C is c ...
hired model Arina Ryabinina to portray the character at that year's
IgroMir
IgroMir (russian: ИгроМир, ''Gaming World'') is the first large-scale annual exhibition of computer and video games in Russia, organized in Moscow by the committee of the Russian Game Developers Conference (KRI) since 2006.
The exhibition ...
convention to promote the game's release. A 1999 advertisement for the
Dreamcast
The is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999, in Europe. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, Nint ...
port of ''Soulcalibur'' mainly focused on her visual appeal, depicting a man at a
drive-in theater
A drive-in theater or drive-in cinema is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor movie screen, a projection booth, a concession stand, and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movi ...
kissing his girlfriend but stopping to focus on Ivy. Two print advertisements for ''Soulcalibur V'' prominently featured close-up images of Ivy's cleavage and buttocks, respectively, along with puns about them, and were featured in various mainstream Japanese newspapers including
Nikkan Sports
is the first-launched Japanese daily sports newspaper founded in 1946.
It has a circulation of 1,661,000, and is an affiliate newspaper of the ''Asahi Shimbun''.
Companies and regions
;Nikkan Sports News (Tokyo)
:Tokyo HQ: 5-10, Tsukiji Sanc ...
.
Several action figures and figurines have been made bearing Ivy's likeness. Following the release of ''Soulcalibur'', a resin kit by Kurushima was released, alongside a figurine by
Kyosho
is a Japanese company based in Tokyo, which operates internationally under the name KYOSHO. The company's main office is located in Chiyoda, and the production headquarters are located in Atsugi, Kanagawa.
Established in October 1963, Kyosho cr ...
. Epoch C-Works released a 1/12 scale Ivy action figure of in a set of three for the title as well, featuring equipable weapons. In August 2003,
Todd McFarlane Productions
Todd McFarlane (; born March 16, 1961) is a Canadian comic book creator, artist, writer, filmmaker and entrepreneur, best known for his work as the artist on ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' and as the creator, writer, and artist on the superhero horro ...
released an Ivy
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...
amongst a set of five based on ''Soulcalibur II''. The immobile figure was modeled after her primary outfit and stood six inches tall with a base and retracted sword. Yujin released a four inch tall figurine based upon her ''Soulcalibur II'' artwork as part of their "Namco Girls Series #5" line of
gashapon
, also called , is a trademark of Bandai. Among the variety of vending machine-dispensed capsule toys that originated in the 1960s, it became popular in Japan and elsewhere. "Gashapon" is onomatopoeic from the two sounds "gasha" (or "gacha") fo ...
figurines. A twelve inch tall immobile
PVC figurine modeled after her ''Soulcalibur III'' appearance was released by
Enterbrain in September 2008, using a white version of her outfit and extended sword; a dark blue outfit for an "international color" version of the sculpture was also produced.
Hobby Japan
is a Japanese publishing company known for publishing and releasing books, magazines, light novels, games, and collectibles. Founded in 1969, the company owns and distributes such publications as the eponymous ''Hobby Japan'' magazine, as well ...
created a
mail order
Mail order is the buying of goods or services by mail delivery. The buyer places an order for the desired products with the merchant through some remote methods such as:
* Sending an order form in the mail
* Placing a telephone call
* Placing ...
exclusive 1/8 scale PVC figure of Ivy in 2011 in honor of her appearance in ''Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos''.
In 2012, an Ivy
bobblehead
A bobblehead, also known by common silly nicknames such as nodder, wobbler, or wacky wobbler, is a type of small collectible action figure. Its head is often oversized compared to its body. Instead of a solid connection, its head is connected t ...
was created by toy company Bobble Budds depicting her in her standard outfit was given to those who pre-ordered both the regular and Collector's Edition versions of ''Soulcalibur V''.
Reception
Although commonly cited as one of the most difficult characters to play as in the ''Soul'' series, Ivy has received a great deal of positive reception and has been described as one of the series' best characters, as well as one of the most important and memorable characters in fighting games overall. In
a 2015 community poll on the official ''Soulcalibur''
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
page, Ivy was voted the fourth most popular character in the series among fans. Among the outlets that have ranked her among the top characters in the series are ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'', which ranked her second and stated "Few, if any, ''Soul'' fighters so aptly sum up what the series is about as Ivy Valentine,"; ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'', which ranked her seventh; Fanbyte, which ranked her ninth, saying she was the series' "poster girl" and called her a "squarely
Machiavellian
Machiavellianism or Machiavellian may refer to:
Politics
*Machiavellianism (politics), the supposed political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli
*Political realism
Psychology
*Machiavellianism (psychology), a personality trait centered on cold an ...
jerk"; and ''TheGamer'', which ranked her sixth, praising her strength as a fighter.
In 2009, she was featured on the cover of French magazine ''Ig'' alongside other female video game characters as one of the top heroines of gaming. Ivy was cited in the book "Disconnected America" as an example of ''Soulcalibur II''
's contrast to titles including ''
Mortal Kombat'' and ''
Street Fighter
, commonly abbreviated as ''SF'' or スト (''Suto''), is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting video and arcade games developed and published by Capcom. The first game in the series was released in 1987, followed by six ...
'' in terms of a comparable real-world experience. ''
Play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* P ...
'' magazine called her one of the "finest females in all of 3D fighting", adding of the characters in the series she was the one they enjoyed playing as the most.
''
Tom's Games'' named her one of the fifty greatest female characters in video game history, stating that as "an anti-hero who frequently clashes with other Souls, Ivy is a fascinating character for a fighting game".
UGO.com
UGO Entertainment, Inc. was a website that provided coverage of online media in entertainment, targeting males aged 18–34. The company was based in New York, New York, United States.
History
The company started in 1997 as Unified Gamers Online ...
placed her sixteenth on their list of the "Top 50 Evil Women", noting her role as an antagonist in the first ''Soulcalibur'' while adding that it could be "difficult to truly appreciate
ervillainy" due to her attractiveness, and adding that her appearance and attitude made her "a feared competitor". IGN also included her in their list of guest characters they would have liked to have seen for ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 crossover fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, it was announced at a pre-E3 2005 press conferenc ...
''. ''
GameSpy'' named her one of the "25 Extremely Rough Brawlers" in video gaming, praising the brutality of her fighting style and weapon.
GameDaily
GameDaily (GD) was a video game journalism website based in the United States.
It was launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads. The site changed its business model from a flat fee ...
named her, among other female characters in the ''Soul'' series, as an example of a strong and iconic female character in video gaming. The ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' felt her appearance came from the same "Goth cyberaesthetic
..that gave us ''
The Matrix
''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...
''", one they felt was already becoming outdated.
UGO
Ugo is the Italian form of Hugh, a widely used name of Germanic origin. Its diminutive form is Ugolino.
It is also a Nigerian Igbo first name.
It may refer to:
People
* Vgo (stonemason), medieval stonemason
* Ugo Bassi, a Roman Catholic prie ...
named her one of the top eleven girls of gaming at number ten and one of the top eleven video game heroines at number eight, stating "What can you say about a chick that carries a whip? If you're talking about Ivy from the ''Soul Calibur'' series, you could say she's pretty intimidating."
''
GameCentral'' said that Ivy is such a favorite of the series that "it’s impossible to imagine the game without
er.
Sex appeal
Ivy's appearance, body, outfit, and demeanor have all been at the center of discussions about the character, and have been attributed as reasons owing to her status as a fan favorite. She is commonly compared to or described as a
dominatrix
A dominatrix (; ) or femdom is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are known for infli ...
, and has been noted both as the series'
sexiest female.
She has been displayed in various third-party media, her likeness appearing in material including magazine
swimsuit issue
pin-ups
A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model (person), model whose mass produced, mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously ...
and
periodicals
A periodical literature (also called a periodical publication or simply a periodical) is a published work that appears in a new edition on a regular schedule. The most familiar example is a newspaper, but a magazine or a journal are also exampl ...
such as ''
Play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* P ...
''
's
annual
Annual may refer to:
*Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year
** Yearbook
** Literary annual
*Annual plant
*Annual report
*Annual giving
*Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco
*Annuals (band), ...
"Girls of Gaming" series.
Other media outlets have compared her and
Lara Croft
Lara Croft is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the video game franchise ''Tomb Raider''. She is presented as a highly intelligent and athletic British archaeologist who ventures into ancient tombs and hazardous ruins around th ...
in terms of attractiveness and sexualization. Other sources have used her as a standard for a character
archetype
The concept of an archetype (; ) appears in areas relating to behavior, historical psychology, and literary analysis.
An archetype can be any of the following:
# a statement, pattern of behavior, prototype, "first" form, or a main model that ...
, comparing later created female characters to her design and appearance.
From her ''Soulcalibur II'' appearance, Ivy was nominated in
G4's 2004
G-Phoria awards show under "Hottest Character", alongside
Vanessa Z. Schneider and
Rikku
Rikku is a fictional character in the ''Final Fantasy'' series, created by Tetsuya Nomura. Rikku first appears in '' Final Fantasy X'' as one of its protagonists, where she accompanies her cousin Yuna and others on a journey to defeat the monste ...
; she was further a character in their 2005 ''Video Game Vixens'' awards show, winning in the category of "
Kinkiest Accessory". Several other "Top Ten" lists have also featured Ivy in similar context, including those by ''
Team Xbox
''TeamXbox'' was a gaming media web site dedicated to Microsoft's Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One platforms. While the majority of content was Xbox and Xbox 360 related, the site occasionally covered general technology and other video game news.
...
'',
''
Machinima.com
Machinima, Inc. was an American multiplatform online entertainment network owned by WarnerMedia. The company was founded in January 2000 by Hugh Hancock and was headquartered in Los Angeles, California.
It originated as a hub for its namesake, m ...
'', and ''
Spike TV''. Ivy appeared several times in ''
GameDaily
GameDaily (GD) was a video game journalism website based in the United States.
It was launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads. The site changed its business model from a flat fee ...
''s "Babe of the Week" series of articles, including as a stand-alone article and at eleventh place in their "Top 50 Hottest Game Babes" article. UGO.com ranked her eighteenth in their "Top 50 Videogame Hotties" article, stating "However much she instills fear in our hearts, we revel in the opportunity to stare at her from the safety of our television sets."
Reception of the character's sex appeal has been varied, however, with many outlets describing her outfit and appearance as oversexualized and unrealistic. In a 2016 study done by researchers at
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universi ...
, Ivy was found to be the most sexualized character out of 571 playable female video game characters created between 1989 and 2014. The study used a character's "nudity, over-enlarged breasts or hips and unrealistically narrow waists" as "signs of hypersexualization". ''
Giant Bomb
''Giant Bomb'' is an American video game website and wiki that includes personality-driven gaming videos, commentary, news, and reviews, created by former ''GameSpot'' editors Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis. The website was voted by '' Time' ...
'' lists her as the most famous example of a sexualized woman in gaming. Books and studies written about Ivy have cited her sexualized design as the result of cultural standards for female characters in video games, which some say stems from the
male gaze
In feminist theory, the male gaze is the act of depicting women and the world in the visual arts and in literature from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that presents and represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the heteros ...
.
Her bodily proportions, specifically her bust and buttock size, have been criticized as over-the-top, unrealistic, and unnecessary by publications such as ''Joystiq'', ''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'', ''
VentureBeat
''VentureBeat'' is an American technology website headquartered in San Francisco, California. It publishes news, analysis, long-form features, interviews, and videos.
History
The ''VentureBeat'' company was founded in 2006 by Matt Marshall, ...
'', ''
The Spinoff
''The Spinoff'' is a New Zealand online magazine and news website that was founded in 2014. It is known for current affairs coverage, political and social analysis, and cultural commentary. It earns money through commercial sponsorship and su ...
'', ''
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'', and ''
Kotaku''. Her outfits have also been a point of contention, with ''
MSNBC
MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and politi ...
'' calling them "the pinnacle of preposterous", while ''
GameCentral'' referred to them as "problematic". Writers from ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' and ''
Bleeding Cool
Bleeding Cool is an Internet news site, focusing on comics, television, film, board games, and video games. Owned by Avatar Press, it was launched by Rich Johnston on March 27, 2009. Avatar Press also publishes an associated magazine, ''Bleeding ...
'' remarked upon the inverse relationship between her bust size, which increases, and the amount of clothing she wears, which decreases, with each new installment.
Other criticisms have been leveled towards her relatively youthful appearance in later installments despite technically being middle-aged. At the 2011
PAX East
PAX (originally known as Penny Arcade Expo) is a series of gaming culture festivals involving tabletop, arcade, and video gaming. PAX is held annually in Seattle, Boston and Philadelphia in the United States; and Melbourne in Australia. PAX wa ...
convention, an all-female journal panel led by ''The Escapist''s Susan Arendt agreed that while the character was strong and difficult but rewarding to master in the original ''Soulcalibur'', she was reduced to "a nice ass bouncing around the room" in later games.
In contrast, some publications, including ''
CVG'', ''IGN'', and ''GameSetWatch'' have suggested that her sexualized appearance makes her experience as a playable character more enjoyable. Other discussions of the character have identified her sex appeal as having the potential to be empowering and relatable to women, while others have said it serves as an essential aspect of her character.
Writers have also questioned the discrepancy between the apathy towards the sexualization of underage characters in the series, such as
Talim and
Seong Mi-Na
The following is a comprehensive list of characters from the ''Soulcalibur'' series of video games, beginning with ''Soul Edge'' (''Soul Blade'') in 1995.
Overview
The ''Soulcalibur'' series is a weapon-based fighting game franchise developed b ...
, as well as that of male characters in the series, such as
Mitsurugi, and the outrage towards Ivy's sexualization on the basis of her large breasts.
See also
*
List of ''Soulcalibur'' characters
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valentine, Ivy
Fantasy video game characters
Female characters in video games
Fictional alchemists
Fictional British people in video games
Fictional English people in video games
Fictional Spanish people in video games
Fictional people from London
Fictional flexible weapons practitioners
Fictional offspring of rape
Fictional swordfighters in video games
Soulcalibur series characters
Video game characters introduced in 1998
Video game mascots
Nobility characters in video games
Woman soldier and warrior characters in video games
Namco protagonists