Smash Fans Ridicule Hungrybox for Deleting His Pyra Video
We know, we know. Another sword character in Smash. It’s not who most of us (probably any of us) at Esports Talk were expecting, that’s for sure. The reaction went quickly from groans and complaints about “yet another sword character” in Smash, to talk about the character’s bodies. Considering Hungrybox’s own history in the Smash community, he apologized and removed the Pyra video.
Smash Community: By Deleting Pyra Video Hungrybox “Bends a Knee”
How did the Smash community react? With open mocking and ridicule for the Smash player, of course. There is a lot of talk that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a “Waifu Game”. There is an absolute mountain of fanservice in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – that’s not something new or exciting. Much of last year, the Smash community was wrapped up in sexual assault/misconduct allegations. Being so openly disgusting about video game characters is pretty telling about how the community at large regards women.
Now, admittedly not all women feel this way. There are plenty that are just as open for fanservice as the guys are. But not everyone is. This kind of video and open ogling of a character can make many women uncomfortable. Hungrybox’s decision to remove the Pyra video sounds like it was the right one. He made the following statement on Twitter:
Hi all,
— hungrybox (@LiquidHbox) February 18, 2021
Earlier today I uploaded a video of me analyzing the trailer for Pyra/Mythra from last night along with a tweet.
However, in a quite tone-deaf fashion I decided to make a lot of boob / body jokes.
In doing so, I didn't consider the perspective & comfort of others.
“Given the events in the Smash community from last year and my own history, it should be far more obvious when to know what jokes are and aren’t appropriate. I or any other content creator shouldn’t encourage the objectification of women, even if it’s of a video game character. Because one step leads to another and then back to the same problems that led to a lot of pain for others.”
This led to people on Twitter yowling about how Hungrybox is bending a knee to women, calling him a simp, a white knight, you name it. It’s apparently not cool to consider the feelings of women. It’s really unfortunate to hear such a loud part of a community be so indifferent to how others feel about sexualizing/objectifying a character – real or not.
In my own personal friend circle, the reaction varies. It ranges from “Sure, I don’t mind the fanservice girl characters!” to “Make guys sexualized too; fair’s fair!” and of course, discomfort. Everyone is different, after all.
We, as people ought to take more time to listen to women and their feelings about things like this. If someone in your circle or someone on the internet is made uncomfortable about how you react to a character/person, maybe don’t mock them for being made uncomfortable. Growth is important, and Hungrybox deciding to remove his Pyra video is not the worst idea. Encouraging the objectification of women is pretty gross, and there has been far too much of it going around.
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