View source for Talim (Soulcalibur)

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{{Infobox character
|name=Talim
|image=File:Soulcalibur-Talim.png
|caption=Talim in ''[[Soulcalibur II]]''
|image_upright = 0.66
|series=[[Soulcalibur]]
|firstgame =''[[Soulcalibur II]]'' (2002)
|designer=Aya Takemura and Takuji Kawano<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG-vETVBWUU&t=1m49s |author=Namco Bandai Entertainment America |title=SoulCalibur V - Behind The Game |website=[[YouTube]] |date=July 6, 2011 |accessdate=2023-04-26 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425164431/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG-vETVBWUU&t=1m49s |archivedate=April 25, 2023 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>
|voice={{Collapsible list|title=[[English language|English]]
|Julie Parker (''Soulcalibur II'')<ref name="behindthevoiceactors.com">{{cite web |title=Talim Voices (''Soulcalibur'') |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Soulcalibur/Talim/ |website=Behind The Voice Actors |accessdate=16 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620001423/http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Soulcalibur/Talim/ |archive-date=20 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><br/>[[Kira Buckland]] (''Soulcalibur VI'')<ref name="kirabuckland.com">{{cite web |title=resume.pdf |url=http://www.kirabuckland.com/resume.pdf |website=Kira Buckland Voice Actress |accessdate=15 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222184240/http://www.kirabuckland.com/resume.pdf |archive-date=22 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
{{Collapsible list|title=[[Japanese language|Japanese]]
|[[Yukari Tamura]]<ref name="behindthevoiceactors.com"/>
}}
|origin= [[Visayas|Visayan Islands]]<ref name="SC4Playersguide">{{cite book |title=Soulcalibur IV |last=Deats |first=Adam |author2=Joe Epstein  |year=2008 |publisher=[[BradyGames]] |isbn=978-0-7440-1006-0 |pages=136–143 }}</ref>
| nationality= [[Filipinos|Filipino]]
|weapon=[[Tonfa|Elbow blades]]
}}

{{nihongo|'''Talim'''|タリム|Tarimu|lead=yes}} is a character in the ''[[Soulcalibur]]'' of [[fighting game]]s. Created by [[Namco]]'s [[Project Soul]] division, she first appeared in ''[[Soulcalibur II]]'' and in most subsequent titles for the series. The Filipino daughter of a shaman and trained to be a Priest of the Wind, after encountering a fragment of the cursed sword Soul Edge she travels the world to return it to its rightful place. In English, Talim has been voiced by Julie Parker and [[Kira Buckland]], while in Japanese she is voiced by [[Yukari Tamura]]. 

The character has received positive reception since her debut, warmly received as the first Filipino character in video games and a popular subject of [[cosplay]] amongst fans. Her character design has also been praised, described as "almost too cute" for the franchise and for the attention to detail in her clothing. However, this has also received some backlash due to her young age, particular for how sexualized many of her outfits are. University of Delaware professor Rachael Hutchinson meanwhile examined Talim's design through the scope of Japanese views towards other Asian cultures, and also how players reacted to a shorter character against much larger opponents in the context of the ''Soulcalibur'' series.

==Conception and design==
As a character introduced in ''[[Soulcalibur II]]'', Talim's weapons, a pair of elbow blades, were decided upon before other aspects of the character were.<ref name="opm"/> Originally considered for the first ''[[Soulcalibur (video game)|Soulcalibur]]'', the weapons were selected to be unique amongst the others characters' weapons in the title.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soularchive.jp/tmr/soulcalibur/illust/02_misiyou/06_kaihatu1.htm |script-title=ja:開発者公募１ |language=Japanese |website=soularchive.jp |accessdate=2008-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605162515/http://www.soularchive.jp/tmr/soulcalibur/illust/02_misiyou/06_kaihatu1.htm |archive-date=2008-06-05 |url-status=live }}</ref> Her design and concept were built to revolve around them, starting with gender, then physical measurements, and lastly background details. Once established her appearance and movement were fleshed out by the team's concept artist Aya Takemura<ref name="opm" /> and rendered as a [[3D modeling|3D model]] by a design team that worked solely on the character.<ref>{{cite web |author=De Marco, Flynn |date=2007-09-20 |url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/tgs07/soul-calibur-director-katsutoshi-sasaki-on-weapons-characters-and-storyline-302211.php |title=Tgs07: Soul Calibur Director Katsutoshi Sasaki on Weapons, Characters and Storyline |website=[[Kotaku]] |accessdate=2008-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014025014/http://kotaku.com/gaming/tgs07/soul-calibur-director-katsutoshi-sasaki-on-weapons-characters-and-storyline-302211.php |archive-date=2007-10-14 |url-status=live }}</ref> Talim was then animated by a motion designer using [[motion capture]] and working directly with the team.<ref name="opm">{{cite web |date=2007-12-07 |author=Staff |url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3146108 |title=Behind the Game: Soul Calibur III |website=[[1UP.com]] |accessdate=2008-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060206210457/http://1up.com/do/feature?cId=3146108 |archive-date=2006-02-06 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Staff |date=2005-10-10 |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=127163 |title=Soul Calibur III Interview |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games|CVG]] |accessdate=2008-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825090359/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=127163 |archive-date=2007-08-25 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Talim's weapons were built around the concept of dual-weapon usage, with special emphasis that while bladed, the weapons themselves were not actual [[tonfa]], intended more as ritual items used in ceremonial dances. During development it was considered to allow them to transform and be sentient, however the idea was abandoned.<ref name="impress"/> In artwork of an early character lineup, her weapons were significantly larger and extending the length of her whole arm.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=masuooyama |first=Yoshinori |last=Takahashi |number=1257222654387351554 |trans-title=GW where you can't go out. In the hope that you'll enjoy it, I've released the treasured Caliber 2 initial setting image that I inherited from my senior. There are many differences from the final form, such as the absence of Mitsword and Taki (the samurai and ninja in the image are different people!), the graceful Cassandra, and Talim's huge weapon, which makes it very interesting. |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241024102308/https://x.com/masuooyama/status/1257222654387351554 |archivedate=2024-10-24|script-title=ja:外出ままならぬGW。何か楽しんでいただけるものでも、ということで先輩から継承した秘蔵のキャリバー2初期設定画を公開。御剣とタキが不在（画像内の侍と忍者は別人…！）、淑やかなカサンドラ、タリムの巨大武器など、最終形と色々と違っていて味わい深いですね。|language=ja}}</ref> The weapons were shortened as development progressed, due to concerns that their length should cause her "stomach to be sliced open" when she used them and how they restricted her character movement.<ref name="gutpunch">{{Cite tweet |first=Yoshinori |last=Takahashi |user=masuooyama |number=1257229689120145410 |script-title=ja:初期タリムは勝気な性格だったらしく、表情にも出ていますね。技のモーションも、一部にはその名残が見られます。武器サイズが変更された理由は主にモーション都合で、トンファーのように振り回した際に大きいな刃だと腹を切ってしまい、動作の制限が厳しかったためだと聞いた記憶があります。|trans-title=In the early days, Talim seemed to have a strong personality, and it shows in his facial expressions. Remnants of this technique can also be seen in some of the motions of the techniques. I remember hearing that the reason why the weapon size was changed was mainly to improve the movement of the weapon.If you swing it like a tonfa, a large blade will cut you in the stomach, so the movement was severely restricted. |language=Ja |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241024102442/https://x.com/masuooyama/status/1257229689120145410 |archivedate=2024-10-24}}</ref> However, this iteration made it farther into the design process, as finalized concept sketches of her outfit shown in ''The Art of Soulcalibur II'' feature the longer blades.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Art of SoulCalibur II |last=Davis |first=H. Leigh|year=2003 |publisher=BradyGames |isbn=0-7440-0295-8 |pages=56–57}}</ref>

Talim's character concept was designed around the idea of introducing a young female character that the developers felt the series lacked, though due to her design some of the development team confused her for a boy.<ref name="impress">{{cite web |url=http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20011228/sc2.htm |script-title=ja:「''ソウルキャリバーII''」開発者インタビュー |trans-title=''Soul Calibur II'' developer interview |language=Japanese |website=Impress Watch |accessdate=2008-10-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430085431/http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20011228/sc2.htm |archivedate=2008-04-30 }}</ref> Early character drafts also gave her a more "determined" personality, emphasized by her facial expressions.<ref name="gutpunch" /> Her outfits were based on a "Priestess of the Wind" motif, and meant to represent attire worn by her village during rituals,<ref>{{cite tweet |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241024103616/https://x.com/soulcalibur/status/1404809711560663053 |archive-date=2024-10-24|user=soulcalibur |number=1404809711560663053 |title=Concept art for Talim. This is a refinement of a costume from ''SC2'', which is close to the period setting. The design is based on the "Priestess of the Wind" motif, and is designed as folk costumes that are used in the rituals of the Village of the Wind Deity. (1/2)}}</ref> while a "fairy" motif was also incorporated into her character to emphasize her individuality.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Monthly Arcadia]] |issue=76 |language=Japanese |page=169 |title=Soulcalibur III Arcade Edition |date=September 2006}}</ref> For her appearance in ''Soulcaibur VI'' they focused on a refinement of her costume from ''Soulcalibur II'', incorporating a large hat and ribbons into the design to better emphasize the wind theme.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=soulcalibur |number=1404809830469148691 |title=(2/2)In the rough draft stage, we considered several variations of the costume, crossing the better parts from past works. The big hat and the long ribbons that swept in the wind are the features of ''SC6''|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241024103600/https://x.com/soulcalibur/status/1404809830469148691 |archivedate=2024-10-24}}</ref> She stands at 144 cm (4 ft 8 in) tall, making her the second shortest playable character in the series, and has a bust size of 70 cm (27 in).<ref>{{cite book |title=SoulCalibur: New Legends of Project Soul |date=2014-05-16 |publisher=[[Bandai Namco Entertainment]] |isbn=978-1926778952 |page=155}}</ref>

== Appearances ==
Talim was introduced in ''Soulcalibur II'', growing up in a South-East Asian village in the Philippine [[Visayas|Visayan Islands]]. The only daughter of the local [[shaman]], she was trained to be a Wind Priestess, which relied on two elbow blades as part of its ceremonial dance.  When a stranger brought a shard of the cursed sword Soul Edge to her village, she sensed the danger from the fragment and left her village to return it where it belonged.<ref name="SC4Playersguide"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2018/07/soulcalibur-vi-adds-talim |title=''Soulcalibur VI'' adds Talim |date=2018-07-05 |accessdate=2024-05-05 |first=Sal |last=Romano |website=Gematsu}}</ref> Talim later appeared in subsequent entries in the ''Soulcalibur'' series with the exception of ''Soulcalibur V'', each time venturing to find the source of Soul Edge, or in the case of ''Soulcalibur IV'' preventing fellow character [[Yun-Seong]] from falling under its influence.<ref>{{cite web |website=[[NewsWeek]] |title={{'}}''SoulCalibur VI''{{'}} Characters: Talim Returns in New Gameplay Trailer |first=Philip |last=Martinez |accessdate=2024-05-05 |date=2018-07-05 |url=https://www.newsweek.com/soulcalibur-6-talim-trailer-1009352}}</ref><ref name=1up/> In English she was voiced by Julie Parker until the release of ''Soulcalibur IV'' where she was voiced by [[Kira Buckland]], while in Japanese for all appearances she is voiced by [[Yukari Tamura]].<ref name="behindthevoiceactors.com"/><ref name="kirabuckland.com"/>

Her movement and fighting style were designed around her culture and a bird-theme, emphasizing close horizontal strikes upon opponents as well as freedom of movement.<ref name="impress" /> Talim is very quick and evasive, with moves such as "Wind Sault" allowing her to close the distance between herself and the opponent quickly. She has additional moves that allow her to either stun the opponent temporarily or knock them down, with former allowing her to chain into subsequent attacks and apply consecutive stun. However this also makes her a more difficult character to use, and causes her gameplay to have to rely on tricks, gimmicks, and stuns to do significant damage.<ref name=1up>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/soul-calibur-plucky-tonfa-master |title=Soul Calibur 4 Character Spotlight: Talim |website=[[1UP.com]] |accessdate=2014-05-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304235009/http://www.1up.com/features/soul-calibur-plucky-tonfa-master |archivedate=2016-03-04 }}</ref>

==Critical reception==
[[File:San Diego Comic-Con 2012 - Talim (7585166932).jpg|thumb|Talim's design has made her a frequent subject of cosplay by fans]]
Described by ''The Art of Game Characters'' as having "hints of [[manga]] in those big eyes",<ref>{{cite book |title=The Art of Game Characters |publisher=Harper Design |first=Leo |last=Hartas |date=June 2005 |page=38 |isbn=9780060724313}}</ref> Talim has been positively received since her debut. In 2015 she was voted the most popular ''Soulcalibur'' character in the West in an official poll by [[Namco Bandai]],<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://shoryuken.com/2015/06/15/talim-taki-and-mitsurugi-top-project-souls-official-soulcalibur-character-poll/ |title=Talim, Taki, and Mitsurugi Top Project Soul's Official Soulcalibur Character Poll |website=Shoryuken.com |date=2015-06-15 |accessdate=2015-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701160237/http://shoryuken.com/2015/06/15/talim-taki-and-mitsurugi-top-project-souls-official-soulcalibur-character-poll/ |archive-date=2015-07-01 |url-status=live }}</ref> and has been cited as a popular subject of cosplay in literature.<ref>{{cite book |publisher=Scholastic Inc |date=2015 |title=Game On! 2016 |isbn=9780545850315 |page=158 |chapter=Top 6 Video Game Cosplays}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=1,000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay Ideas |date=May 2013 |first1=Yaya |last1=Han |first2=Allison |last2=DeBlasio |first3=Joey |last3=Marsocc |isbn=9781610587631 |publisher=Quarry Books |page=183}}</ref> ''[[GameSpy]]''{{'}}s Christian Nutt stated Talim's "unpredictable nature" made her interesting, though added "she's almost too cute to fit in" alongside the other characters.<ref>{{cite web |author=Nutt, Christian |date=2003-08-26 |url=http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/soulcalibur-ii/6114p1.html |title=Soulcalibur II Review |website=GameSpy |access-date=2008-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615145454/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/soulcalibur-ii/6114p1.html |archive-date=2012-06-15 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Tim Rogers (journalist)|Tim Rogers]] in a review for ''Insert Credit'' called Talim "the cutest of the young girl characters [in ''Soulcalibur II''] by ''far''," and stated a preference for her symmetrical outfits.<ref>{{cite web |author=Rogers, Tim |author-link=Tim Rogers (journalist) |date=2003-04-07 |url=http://www.insertcredit.com/reviews/scii/index2.html |title=Soul Calibur II Review |work=Insert Credit |access-date=2008-08-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029010716/http://www.insertcredit.com/reviews/scii/index2.html |archive-date=2008-10-29 }}</ref> Hungarian magazine ''MultiPlay'' described her fighting style as one of the most unique introduced in fighting games in the last quarter century, and felt her "lightning-quick" attacks made her the most interesting character in ''Soulcalibur II''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=''Soulcalibur II'' |language=Hungarian |magazine=Multiplay |date=May 2003 |pages=24–25}}</ref> The book ''The Rough Guide to Videogames'' meanwhile praised the physical diversity she brought to the cast compared to more voluptuous characters in thee series, feeling it was one of aspects that made ''Soulcalibur II'' great.<ref>{{cite book |page=186 |first1=Kate |last1=Berens |first2=Geoff |last2=Howard |title=The Rough Guide to Videogames |isbn=9781843539957 |date=September 2008 |publisher=Rough Guides}}</ref>

She has also been cited as the first visible Filipino character in video games, and has been described in a study of the series' characters as "created for the Philippine market".<ref name="hutchinson"/> The book ''Open World Empire: Race, Erotics, and the Global Rise of Video Games'' noted that her appearance and ability to control the wind gave her ethnic background "a campy cultural 'fragrance' that invites humorous parodies and irreverent performances as well as objectifying gazes," but due to the race's scarcity in video games, she also garnered pride.<ref name="openworld">{{cite book |page=56 |last=Patterson |first=Christopher B. |title=Open World Empire: Race, Erotics, ant the Global Rise of Video games |date=April 14, 2020 |publisher=NYU Press |isbn=9781479802043}}</ref> Game writer Pat Miller in an interview for ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' stated regarding her cultural background he "was really stoked to see that...I like having those points of identification". Himself part Filipino, he added that her inclusion made it easier to bring new people into the fighting game community.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2014/2/6/5361004/fighting-game-diversity |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |title=Why the Fighting Game Community is Color Blind |last=Bowman |first=Mitch |date=2014-02-06 |accessdate=2023-04-27 |archive-date=April 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428041713/https://www.polygon.com/features/2014/2/6/5361004/fighting-game-diversity |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Talim's image has also been utilized in material revolving around her sex appeal as a female character, by publications such as ''[[Play (UK magazine)|Play]]'' and ''[[PlayStation: The Official Magazine|PSM]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=''Soulcalibur'' |volume=5 |magazine=Girls of Gaming |publisher=[[Play (US magazine)|Play]] |issue=5 |page=17}}</ref><ref name="psm">{{cite magazine |date=June 2003 |title=Welcome to the 4th Annual PSM Swimsuit Special |magazine=[[PlayStation: The Official Magazine|PSM]] |issue=72 |page=44}}</ref> ''Gadget Review'' writer Kristie Bertucci stated that while she was the "girliest" character of the franchise, "that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a sexy side to her", naming her one of the hottest female characters in gaming due to being "built quite nicely with curves in all the right places" and her attire.<ref>{{cite web |first=Kristie |last=Bertucci |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808022724/http://www.gadgetreview.com/2012/07/20-hottest-female-video-game-characters.html |url=http://www.gadgetreview.com/2012/07/20-hottest-female-video-game-characters.html |archivedate=2012-08-08 |date=2012-07-05 |website=Gadget Review |title=20 Hottest Female Video Game Characters (list)}}</ref> Matt Sainsbury of ''DigitalDownloaded.net'' in multiple articles praised her, calling her "the perfect fighting game character" due to her high speed and how she added to the series' fanservice. He particularly praised her as a "nice, normal-proportioned girl who just happens to wear a harem-style outfit", a clothing style he felt represented "a sensuality and exotic sexuality that is simultaneously more subtle and more typical" of other examples in gaming such as bikinis and schoolgirl uniforms.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2018/07/bandai-namcos-finally-announced-most.html |title=Bandai Namco's finally announced the most important Soulcalibur VI character |first=Matt |last=Sainsbury |accessdate=2024-03-14 |website=DigitallyDownloaded.net |date=July 6, 2018 |archive-date=March 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314200216/https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2018/07/bandai-namcos-finally-announced-most.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2018/11/game-of-the-year-2018-best-fanservice.html |title=Game of the Year, 2018: Best fanservice |first=Matt |last=Sainsbury |website=DigitalDownloaded.net |date=2018-11-27 |accessdate=2023-04-27 |archive-date=April 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427165455/https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2018/11/game-of-the-year-2018-best-fanservice.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2017/05/the-friday-ten-the-ten-top-fighting-game-waifu.html |title=The Friday Ten: The ten top fighting game waifu |website=DigitalDownloaded.net |last=Sainsbury |first=Matt |date=2017-05-26 |accessdate=2023-04-28 |archive-date=September 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921214527/https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2017/05/the-friday-ten-the-ten-top-fighting-game-waifu.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2016/01/game-theory-the-harem-costume-where-it-comes-from-and-why-its-so-popular.html |title=Game Theory: The harem costume – where it comes from and why it's so popular |first=Matt |last=Sainsbury |website=DigitallyDownloaded.net |date=January 5, 2016 |accessdate=2024-03-14 |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323041812/https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2016/01/game-theory-the-harem-costume-where-it-comes-from-and-why-its-so-popular.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

However, some criticisms were raised against the character's sexualization. Brazilian Professor Georgia da Cruz Pereira stated that despite representing "a bit of differentiation compared to most of the characters in the game" due to a lack of breasts and hips coupled with her young age, "she is still inserted within a context of sexualization and standardization of the female body" in the series.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Não se preocupem queridos, a cavalaria chegou: análise crítica do design das personagens de Overwatch |journal=Anais do Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital |year=2017 |last1=Araújo |first1=Guilherme Pedrosa Carvalho |last2=Pereira |first2=Georgia da Cruz |language=Portuguese |volume=16|issn=2179-2259|trans-title=Don’t Worry Darlings, the Cavalry Has Arrived: Critical Analysis of ''Overwatch''{{'}}s Character Designs|url=https://www.sbgames.org/sbgames2017/papers/ArtesDesignFull/173540.pdf |accessdate=2024-10-24}}</ref> ''[[The Village Voice]]'' described her as "mixing it up in see-through pants and a bra top", further calling her a "troubling" example of over-sexualization and costume fetish in the game.<ref>{{cite web |author=Hodges, Gary |date=2008-08-06 |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-08-05/screens/lightsabers-and-tits-in-soul-calibur-iv/ |title=Lightsabers and Tits in Soul Calibur IV |website=[[The Village Voice]] |access-date=2008-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012131831/http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-08-05/screens/lightsabers-and-tits-in-soul-calibur-iv/ |archive-date=2008-10-12 |url-status=live }}</ref> Maddy Myers in an article for ''Kotaku'' echoed these concerns, stating in ''Soulcalibur VI'' she "wears a tiny X-shaped tube top that criss-crosses over her nipples and a string bikini bottom that pokes out of low-slung shorts. Putting the series’ [...] youngest and most innocent characters in bikinis seems unnecessary."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Myers |first1=Maddy |title=The Inexplicable Sexiness Of Ivy Valentine |url=https://kotaku.com/the-inexplicable-sexiness-of-ivy-valentine-1830565103 |website=Kotaku |date=2018-11-20 |access-date=2023-04-26 |archive-date=May 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501000207/https://kotaku.com/the-inexplicable-sexiness-of-ivy-valentine-1830565103 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Contrary to both viewpoints, University of Delaware professor Rachael Hutchinson noted elements of her design suggest innocence, namely the pink ribbons in her hair, and observed that Talim's costume was not as revealing as other female characters within the series. While discussing her design, she stated that as the series progressed Talim's black hair shifted to a more blue hue, and believes this was meant to signify her as the "Other" to Japanese viewers: Asian, but not Japanese.<ref name="hutchinson">{{cite book |last1=Pulos |first1=Alexis |last2=Austin |first2=Lee |date=2016-12-24 |title=Transnational Contexts of Culture, Gender, Class, and Colonialism in Play: Video Games in East Asia |publisher=Springer |page=172 |isbn=978-3-319-43817-7}}</ref> In another study, Hutchinson emphasized Talim's height against the series' much taller male characters, stating that being able to fight them with her "inverts stereotypical gender expectations and provides entertainment through deviation from the norm", due to the expectation male opponents should win due to their superior size.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Performing the self: Subverting the binary in combat games |journal=Games and Culture |volume=2 |issue=4 |date=2007 |pages=283–299 |last=Hutchinson |first=Rachael|doi=10.1177/1555412007307953 |s2cid=10067087 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|}}
{{Soul characters}}

[[Category:Fantasy video game characters]]
[[Category:Female characters in video games]]
[[Category:Fictional Filipino people]]
[[Category:Fictional tonfajutsuka]]
[[Category:Fictional priests and priestesses]]
[[Category:Fictional shamans]]
[[Category:Religious worker characters in video games]]
[[Category:Soulcalibur characters]]
[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2002]]
[[Category:Teenage characters in video games]]