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User:Kung Fu Man/Reiko

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Kung Fu Man/Reiko
Ridge Racer character
First appearanceRave Racer (1995)
Designed byKei Yoshimizu

Conception and design

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Reiko was designed for the Bandai Namco Entertainment racing video game series Ridge Racer by artist Kei Yoshimizu.[1] Introduced as an unnamed character in Rave Racer,[2] she was initially intended to act as solely a "number girl" for the games. However, the development team noticed how pretty she was and felt she made a good contrast to the game's tough racing element, and made her a mascot for the series.[1] As a result she was given an official name and expanded presence in the game's sequel, Rage Racer,[2] and furthermore in the follow-up title R4: Ridge Racer Type 4.[1]

When creating her appearance Yoshimizu was unable to find a face model to use for Reiko. He chose instead to use his own face, shaving and plucking his eyebrows before scanning his face into the rendering software for the character model.[3]

Apparances

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For Ridge Racer V, she was replaced with another character named Ai Fukami. However, after fan outcry including a petition, Reiko returned for subsequent entries in the series.[4]

In non-racing titles, she is prominently featured in a Ridge Racer-themed pachislot,[5] along with a PlayStation 2 port of the machine.[6] Outside of the Ridge Racer series, Reiko has appeared in several other games, including Anna Kournikova's Smash Court Tennis,[7] both the Super World Stadium series and Professional Baseball Famisuta 2011,[8] Namco Wonder Classic,[9] Pac-Man Fever,[9] and Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version.[10]

Promotion and merchandise

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Reiko's image has been used to significant promote the Ridge Racer series through media such as television commercials,[11] computer wallpapers,[12] and pinup calendars.[13] Promotional models dressed as the character have also been featured at gaming industry events such as E3 and Nintendo World.[14][15] Several figures of Reiko have also been produced, such as a gashapon figure as part of the "Namco Gals Collection" toyline.[16][17] In other media, her image has been used to promote soundtracks for the Ridge Racer games, including Ridge Racers Direct Audio[18] and Ridge Racer 20th Anniversary Remix.[19]

She has also appeared in promotions related to Sony Entertainment's PlayStation brand. In 1999, she was featured in Namco's E3 PlayStation 2 pre-launch real-time tech demo "Ridge Racer Girl" as part of the console's debut to the general public, with the demo receiving significant praise.[20][21][22] In other game promotions, a character using Reiko's likeness appears in Sony's Astro Bot,[23] while a poster of her appears as an in-game decoration for their game Mainichi Issho.[24]

Critical reception

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Reiko has been well received since her debut, with the staff of Next Generation magazine stating that "few things" represented Namco's success as a company than the character.[25] Australian Station's staff meanwhile described her as a symbol tied to the original PlayStation, citing her popularity and "wholesome sexiness" while voice particular praise for her Type 4 appearance.[26]

Hero omission from Ridge Racer V caused an outcry from series fans. While the staff of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine mocked the reaction by suggesting players had "somehow forgotten the girls they see in video games aren't actually real people",[27] they also celebrated her return to the series with the PSP Ridge Racer title, calling her "the best race queen" unlike "those skanks who replaced her."[28] The staff of Australian Station meanwhile considered her replacement in Ridge Racer V as a change that singelhandedly represed the increase in sexualization gaming had steadily seen. Describing Reiko as an "innocent, wholesome looking girl-next-door" compare to the "more wordly" Ai they felt was designed to emphasize sex appeal, the staff further emphasized how little Ai was used in the title and questioned why the change was even done in the first place.[29][30]

However, Bath Spa University Professor of Ditigal Media James Newman in his book Videogames was critical of Reiko's usage in the games. Calling her "the epitome outmoded and outdated stereotyping" due to her use strictly in promotional material and limited involvement in the games, he cited her as an example of how female characters are often relegated to the background compared to their male or even non-human counterparts, in this case the cars in the Ridge Racer series.[31] He referenced her again in the book Teaching Videogames, suggesting that readers avoid using a character in such a manner as it could be considered offputting to female viewers, and posed the question to consider issues that may arise from such representation of women in media.[32]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Ridge Racer Type 4". Bravo ScreenFun (in German). No. 5. May 1999. p. 27. ISSN 0406-9595.
  2. ^ a b "The Drift King". The PlayStation Book Second Edition. Future Publishing. 2017. p. 154.
  3. ^ "Cartridge Racer". Incite Video Gaming. No. 3. February 2000. p. 69. ISSN 1526-2685.
  4. ^ "Ridge Racer 7". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. No. 1. Winter 2006. p. 41. ISSN 1752-2102.
  5. ^ 『山佐DigiワールドコラボレーションSP パチスロ リッジレーサー』人気機種のシミュレーターが登場. Famitsu (in Japanese). May 13, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  6. ^ バンダイナムコゲームス、最新パチスロ機をPS2で再現、PS2「山佐Digiワールド コラボレーションSP パチスロ リッジレーサー」 (in Japanese). Game Watch. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  7. ^ 第１回「スマッシュコート２の愉快な仲間たち」. Bandai Namco. January 27, 2004. Archived from the original on January 27, 2004. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  8. ^ 編集部 (March 31, 2011). ― 3DS「プロ野球 ファミスタ2011」，4Gamer限定壁紙第3弾は"如月千早"。ヒミツのパスワードと，強力なスター選手情報も追加公開. 4Gamer.net. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  9. ^ a b Davis, Ryan (September 4, 2002). "Pac-Man Fever Review". GameSpot. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  10. ^ "Ridge Racer's Mascot, Reiko Nagase, Speeds Into Taiko: Drum Master V Version". Siliconera. June 5, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  11. ^ "R4: Ridge Racer Type 4". Loading (in Spanish). No. 1. August 1999. p. 73.
  12. ^ "■ R4-RIDGE RACER TYPE4". February 9, 2005. Archived from the original on February 9, 2005. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  13. ^ "Namco Gets Your Hearts Racing". Official Australian PlayStation Magazine. No. 32. March 2000. p. 11. ISSN 1834-3805.
  14. ^ Rose, Alan (April 20, 2006). "Ridge Racer 7 for PS3 announced". Engadget. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  15. ^ 【Nintendo World 2011】『リッジレーサー3D』とリアル永瀬麗子 | インサイド. Inside-games.jp. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  16. ^ "Namco.Ch". Bandai Namco. December 15, 2006. Archived from the original on December 15, 2006. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  17. ^ ユージンSRフィギュアコレクション・2001初夏. Monthly Arcadia (in Japanese). No. 14. July 2001. p. 187.
  18. ^ 特別インタビュー「リッジレーサーズ ダイレクト・オーディオ」. Game Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  19. ^ 20周年記念「リッジレーサー 20th アニバーサリーリミックス」が5月23日に発売. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). May 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  20. ^ Nelson, Randy (March 2, 1999). "PS2: Demos to Die For". IGN. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  21. ^ Scammell, David (February 20, 2013). "A look back at some of PlayStation's historical reveal events". VideoGamer.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  22. ^ "Cutting Edge". Edge. No. 70. April 1999. pp. 8, 11. ISSN 1350-1593.
  23. ^ Tailby, Stephen (December 13, 2024). "Astro Bot: All Special Bots". PushSquare. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  24. ^ SCEJ、PS3「まいにちいっしょ」に永瀬麗子が登場!? 「リッジレーサー7」とのコラボレーションを実施 (in Japanese). Game Watch. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  25. ^ "Contents". Next Generation. No. 47. November 1998. p. 2. ISSN 1078-9693.
  26. ^ "Ridge Racer Evolution". New Zealand Station. No. 11. April 2000. p. 33. ISSN 1442-0740.
  27. ^ "Behind the Game: Ridge Racer". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 92. May 2005. p. 138. ISSN 1094-6683.
  28. ^ "PSP Mania". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. No. 89. February 2005. p. 52. ISSN 1094-6683.
  29. ^ "The PlayStation's Biggest Sex Scandals". Australian Station. No. 13. June 2000. p. 88. ISSN 1442-0740.
  30. ^ "Ridge Racer V". Australian Station. No. 13. June 2000. p. 53. ISSN 1442-0740.
  31. ^ Newman, James (November 2012). Videogames: Second Edition. Routledge. p. 50. ISBN 9780415669160.
  32. ^ Newman, James; Oram, Barney (February 2006). Teaching Videogames. British Film Institute. pp. 65, 67. ISBN 9781844570782.
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