Artwork and Sketches of the Book II Characters

[Interdimensional Observer]

24 minutes ago, Dandy Druid said:

I agree with you. I don't think making a character purposely "sexy" is a bad thing. But, it has to be done right, which is the tricky part. Look at your sig for example, Velvet is scantily clad and has a rather sexy design. However, she's in a situation where it's done right. Her design fits the game, with the whole late medieval fantasy aesthestic they were going for. Plus, her character was supposed to be very gypsy-like: she has no real home and she wields arcane magic. Her outfit, while sexy, also has a gypsy feel to it, and since she's one of the older main characters, the maturity of the outfit works well. Plus, it's designed in a way where nothing should fall out, but lightweight enough for good mobility.

However, in Loki's case, it just comes off a bit mix-matched. While the sexy image may fit Loki's reputation of being a trickster god (in this case, tricking by seduction). However, it's a war simulation game, and a sexy dress may not be the most suitable for battle.

But then again, this is Heroes, a fanservice gacha game. It's not that deep, so I'm not really mad at it. If it was a mainline FE, then I would raise my eyebrows at the design choice, but since it's Heroes, it should be given a pass.

True, don't be surprised about fanservice in a fanservice game. Heroes isn't all about being serious, so it isn't so offensive as Camilla in a way, where it had the potential to get in the way of the story Fates was telling.

As for Velvet, it's worth mentioning that the merchants do call her out as a hot chick from time to time, so it isn't like the game totally ignores her fanservicey potential. But Velvet herself is in no way sultry and never outside of said merchants is her appearance catcalled at. Her story is never about her looks and all about dealing with fate (including the potential coming of the apocalypse) and family issues- serious matters.

Furthermore, her mother might have worn a similar outfit, so it might just be Valentinian tradition then. Then we have the fact that good old grandfather Valentine liked to force her child self to dance for him, with the whip in hand just in case she didn't agree,. The outfit works as an exotic dancer's, but it isn't only an exotic dancer's, it's more than that, and representative of those bad memories. Ingway, a male Valentinian, has a midriff too so it isn't just the ladies who are scantily clad. Lastly, the Valentinians are described as being travelers from aboard- like actual gypsies, and they have strong magical powers- gypsies being stereotyped as fortune tellers and whatnot.

Overall, Velvet, while not 100% clear of being fanservice, is still overwhelmingly, say 95-99%, not just fanservice in her appearance. Which is about as good as you can get outside of more conservative attire devoid of any sexiness. Again, this is a complicated matter. But Velvet passes the "test" of being more than just boobs, skin, and butt.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Interdimensional Observer

[Dandy Druid]

16 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

True, don't be surprised about fanservice in a fanservice game. Heroes isn't all about being serious, so it isn't so offensive as Camilla in a way, where it had the potential to get in the way of the story Fates was telling.

As for Velvet, it's worth mentioning that the merchants do call her out as a hot chick from time to time, so it isn't like the game totally ignores her fanservicey potential. But Velvet herself is in no way sultry and never outside of said merchants is her appearance catcalled at. Her story is never about her looks and all about dealing with fate (including the potential coming of the apocalypse) and family issues- serious matters.

Furthermore, her mother might have worn a similar outfit, so it might just be Valentinian tradition then. Then we have the fact that good old grandfather Valentine liked to force her child self to dance for him, with the whip in hand just in case she didn't agree,. The outfit works as an exotic dancer's, but it isn't only an exotic dancer's, it's more than that, and representative of those bad memories. Ingway, a male Valentinian, has a midriff too so it isn't just the ladies who are scantily clad. Lastly, the Valentinians are described as being travelers from aboard- like actual gypsies, and they have strong magical powers- gypsies being stereotyped as fortune tellers and whatnot.

Overall, Velvet, while not 100% clear of being fanservice, is still overwhelmingly, say 95-99%, not just fanservice in her appearance. Which is about as good as you can get outside of more conservative attire devoid of any sexiness. Again, this is a complicated matter. But Velvet passes the "test" of being more than just boobs, skin, and butt.

Yeah that also helps her out too. The writing of her story was never centered around her looks- it was talked about, but it clearly wasn't the focus at all. She's a great example of how to make a sexy character. She shows a lot of skin, but the outfit itself was designed well- IMO Velvet should be the inspiration for IS when designing their dancers. A dancing gypsy, but with enough agency to ground and solidify her character. 

Also I'm totally on board with giving Odin's Sphere more love and attention.

[Ice Dragon]

10 hours ago, Dandy Druid said:

However, it's a war simulation game, and a sexy dress may not be the most suitable for battle.

If you have the magic capabilities to deflect physical attacks in the stead of armor and keep yourself from getting tangled in your own clothing (and Loki clearly has magic capabilities in spades), I don't see why it should matter at all what you wear into combat.

[Ae†her]

The 4th one is of the Sonya, Sonia Ursula archetype guaranteed.

[Silverly]

I only really like Fjorm. I love her winter inspired outfit (extra point for the thighs), and I’m admittedly impartial to anything snow and ice related. 

The rest I’m indifferent to. I don’t find what’s her face to be anything special and honestly I find her hair silly. Loki is just another scantily clad woman to me. Fire guy is fire Garon to me. Eh.

[Stroud]

I hope there will be a day on which we can get Laevateinn. It would be a waste to only have her on the enemy side T_T.
 

[DefyingFates]

On 11/17/2017 at 12:56 AM, CrimsonRaven said:

So like, whats Fjorms relation to Askr? Kinda confused on how she fits into the story, but I guess we'll see. Surtr and his subordinates make sense. Overall the designs are meh IMO laeviateinn looks okay. Norse mythology is a huge turn on for me, so I'm going to hopefully enjoy how they world-build here

 

On 11/17/2017 at 1:14 AM, Jingle Jangle said:

My guess is that Fjorm is the princess for a nearby allied kingdom near Askr . And Vericona allied with Surtr for a greater strength to invade Askr and the ice kingdom. With Loki and Lævateinn being Surtr's top lieutenants.

When announcing the Legendary banner, Feh says Fjorm comes from a kingdom "spoken of in Askran legend" and in the Paralogues Loki is looking for items in the different worlds to build a Rainbow Bridge to bring her King to Zenith. From that we can surmise that the ice and fire kingdoms are in another world that used to be connected to Zenith but no longer is (hence eventually becoming myths). Fjorm is probably drawn to Askr by accident due to Veronica siding with Surtr and they stick together because "the enemy of my enemy" and all that (and  because they're the obvious good guys in both realms).

You know, now that I think about it Sharena and Fjorm probably will end up as friends and that could be pretty funny and adorable, especially if the connection between their realms stays once Book 2 ends and/ or Fjorm stays with them. After all, if we get Fjorm for free - to represent her allying with the Order of Heroes - a further justification for her sticking around in your army afterwards would be nice.

[Lightchao42]

Based on the whole Norse theme, what are the chances that Fjorm's kingdom is named Niflheim (or some variation) and Surtr's kingdom is Muspelheim? They're the two "primordial worlds" according to Norse mythology so it would make sense for them to be subjects of Askr's legends.

[Stroud]

1 hour ago, Lightchao42 said:

Based on the whole Norse theme, what are the chances that Fjorm's kingdom is named Niflheim (or some variation) and Surtr's kingdom is Muspelheim?

I think Mupelheim is ok for reference. But I don't think the same about Niflheim, because it would fit more to antagonists.
And in my opinion Fjorm's attire has something of which fits to a valkyrie. (If I take Gwendolyn from Odin's Sphere as reference)

Even if "Kiran" is the one who is most likely a Valkyrie for recruiting heroes...

Also the weapon of Fjorm is named Leiptr.
Which is mentioned on this page as a river which has something to do with the Valkyrie Sigrún :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Élivágar

Élivágar is what the rivers like Leiptr are called. They lie in Ginnungagap, which is a place of void between greenland and vinland(America). 

 

Edit: I have to redeem my thoughts about Niflheim. It is fitting because the frozen rivers like Leiptr reside in Niflheim. 

Edited November 18, 2017 by Stroud

[DefyingFates]

1 hour ago, Lightchao42 said:

Based on the whole Norse theme, what are the chances that Fjorm's kingdom is named Niflheim (or some variation) and Surtr's kingdom is Muspelheim? They're the two "primordial worlds" according to Norse mythology so it would make sense for them to be subjects of Askr's legends.

Genius! I'm all in for that, even if Niflheim sounds like a villain's world.

33 minutes ago, Stroud said:

I think Mupelheim is ok for reference. But I don't think the same about Niflheim, because it would fit more to antagonists.
And in my opinion Fjorm's attire has something of which fits to a valkyrie. (If I take Gwendolyn from Odin's Sphere as reference)

Even if "Kiran" is the one who is most likely a Valkyrie for recruiting heroes...

Also the weapon of Fjorm is named Leiptr.
Which is mentioned on this page as a river which has something to do with the Valkyrie Sigrún :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Élivágar

Élivágar is what the rivers like Leiptr are called. They lie in Ginnungagap, which is a place of void between greenland and vinland(America). So it's a pretty frosty place I guess. 
So the place for Fjorm is an icy Kingdom.

So Leiptr is another Ice Wave (like "Fjorm" itself)?

[Stroud]

1 minute ago, DefyingFates said:

So Leiptr is another Ice Wave (like "Fjorm" itself)?

How could I miss that D=. Yeah, it is also another Ice wave.

meanwhile I read a bit more about the term Ginnungagap.
So Ginnungagap existed very early and it was the place between Muspelheim and Nifleheim.
Also the Ice waves flow from Nifleheim. So Leiptr and Fjorm are from Nifleheim and they flow through the Ginnungagap into Muspelheim there they began to melt. 

 

[DefyingFates]

21 minutes ago, Stroud said:

How could I miss that D=. Yeah, it is also another Ice wave.

meanwhile I read a bit more about the term Ginnungagap.
So Ginnungagap existed very early and it was the place between Muspelheim and Nifleheim.
Also the Ice waves flow from Nifleheim. So Leiptr and Fjorm are from Nifleheim and they flow through the Ginnungagap into Muspelheim there they began to melt. 

The FEH world builds itself from that! Can't wait to see how the story adapts this!

[eclipse]

The hell is up with Loki's design?  How does she move her arms without choking herself?  And don't get me started with that skirt, that design is beyond impractical.

Fire Guy's basically Fire Garon, and Twintails is the least objectionable.  Fjorm is missing a pair of pants (seriously, Kozaki, women can and should wear pants when appropriate).

[C. Turtle]

20 minutes ago, eclipse said:

(seriously, Kozaki, women can and should wear pants when appropriate).

Actually, to my knowledge Kozaki isn't the one who designed the Book II OCs, but rather, they're the product of Shigeki Maeshima. They say so on their Twitter.

 

Edited November 18, 2017 by C. Turtle

[eclipse]

1 minute ago, C. Turtle said:

Actually, to my knowledge Kozaki isn't the one who designed the Book II OCs, but rather, they're the product of Shigeki Maeshima. They say so on their Twitter.

 

It's a long-running theme in Kozaki's FE characters. . .unless the same art director was in charge of Fates as well.

The lack of pants is really stupid.  Hated that in Fates, hate it here as well.

[Sentinel07]

43 minutes ago, eclipse said:

It's a long-running theme in Kozaki's FE characters. . .unless the same art director was in charge of Fates as well.

The lack of pants is really stupid.  Hated that in Fates, hate it here as well.

Pretty sure it was established long ago that the art director makes out the clothing/armor designs while Kozaki just does the character in them.

Toshiyuki Kusakihara was the art director for Awakening and Fates while Mai Kusakihara did it for Heroes.

[eclipse]

28 minutes ago, Sentinel07 said:

Pretty sure it was established long ago that the art director makes out the clothing/armor designs while Kozaki just does the character in them.

Toshiyuki Kusakihara was the art director for Awakening and Fates while Mai Kusakihara did it for Heroes.

Ah, thanks!

Alas, this means I shall have to make this my crusade be disappointed.  I will hope for the day that equal-opportunity pants (or lack thereof) arrives!

[Zangetsu]

28 minutes ago, eclipse said:

Ah, thanks!

Alas, this means I shall have to make this my crusade be disappointed.  I will hope for the day that equal-opportunity pants (or lack thereof) arrives!

He-Man, Tusk, Zangief, & Conan says hi.

 

Soon, sister the pantless men will come in arms.

[eclipse]

2 minutes ago, Zangetsu said:

He-Man, Tusk, Zangief, & Conan says hi.

 

Soon, sister the pantless men will come in arms.

I'm holding out for pantless Marth and Gordin.  It has happened in FE before!

Actually, it would be hilarious if there was a banner featuring women with pants and men without.  Maybe there can be an alternate art of Fjorm with a good set of trousers.

[Stephen the Great]

4 minutes ago, eclipse said:

I'm holding out for pantless Marth and Gordin.  It has happened in FE before!

Actually, it would be hilarious if there was a banner featuring women with pants and men without.  Maybe there can be an alternate art of Fjorm with a good set of trousers.

And just why do you want that?

Edited November 19, 2017 by Sigismund of Luxemburg

[eclipse]

24 minutes ago, Sigismund of Luxemburg said:

And just why do you want that?

Misery loves company.

[Stephen the Great]

1 hour ago, eclipse said:

Misery loves company.

Wait, what?

[YingofDarkness]

Fjorm looks nice although severely under dressed for someone who is supposed to be running and ice kingdom, but if they didn't give the pegasus knights from the kingdom so cold they have to rely on mercenary work to survive I don't expect any other women to be given pants if they come from a cold country. I feel like her personality is going to be similar to Alfonse's. She is going to be more serious and proper.

Surtr looks like a generic bad guy. In fact I swear I've seen somebody similar to this somewhere else before, but I can't remember where. Probably going to be either serious or pure in your face EVUL!!! Because we don't have enough villains like that.

Laevateinn has my favorite design of the bunch tbh. She looks like she has a bored with everything and couldn't give much of a damn personality as well from her expression.

Loki's outfit makes no sense, and I hate it. It is obviously going the cheap fanservice route, and I really hope they dial it back in the Switch game. Looks like she is going to be the classic seductress too.

[eclipse]

1 hour ago, Sigismund of Luxemburg said:

Wait, what?

Y'know that vaguely uncomfortable feeling that you'd get if you stared at the legs of the gender you're not interested in?  That's how I feel when I see clothes that are blatantly fanservice-y.  Loki/Fjorm fall under this, though I feel much worse about Loki.

[Stephen the Great]

7 minutes ago, eclipse said:

Y'know that vaguely uncomfortable feeling that you'd get if you stared at the legs of the gender you're not interested in?  That's how I feel when I see clothes that are blatantly fanservice-y.  Loki/Fjorm fall under this, though I feel much worse about Loki.

Ah. Now I kind of get it.

Don't you think this kind of nonsense is rather befitting the two villains' characters?

Edited November 19, 2017 by Sigismund of Luxemburg