That was when I first started DOA so I didn't look at or even considered the details you are describing. I just needed something obvious to learn who was who. For example, Ayane is the purple hair ninja, Kasumi is the brown hair ninja in blue, Mila has red hair, etc. DOA5 was the first and only game where I had an issue differentiating characters from one another. Now that I think about it I'm surprised that the issue can even exist.
yep, characters in this series aren't very varied in terms of personality, occupation AND face. it just turns into a big blur eventually.
and if you're using color to distinguish them, it's no surprising that a game that toned down the colors is giving you trouble. don't get me started on 6 making hitomi's hair almost black for some reason. NOW i'm gonna have trouble telling her from kokoro for sure.
People have their own views about their games. Some people think Honoka and Marie were too out there and didn't fit DOA. I just saw them as some good looking females being added to a game that has been doing exactly that for a while. I didn't want a blonde loli and a schoolgirl but it wasn't strange at all for them to be added. Also, contradictions are just a part of fighting games.
yeah. well, with utmost respect, those people have brain problems. we had two schoolgirls acting cutesy and hopping around before. i think you have the right idea of what's going on here. the DOA formula is simple
character = conventionally attractive design/trope (+ big tits) + fighting style
and that's not what they've been doing "for a while", either. itagaki dug the series' own grave by not only sticking to the formula from the start, but making the part in the parentheses mandatory for every goddamn character by giving all of them kasumi's body. years, decades of this have induced severe brain rot in people who are content with more of the same. until ultimate arcade dropped a nuclear bomb that caused the world to go apeshit in different ways, ranging from "why is this not following the formula?" to "oh this series is doing something new for once" from the neighboring communities.
interestingly, after a time of "it's too different!" people's schtick has changed a little. now SIMILAR is bad! let's take a look at the new bitch
not a schoolgirl/ninja, but a scientist
not an authentic martial arts practitioner
not a hair color that's been used before
not a body type that's been used before
...wait
"d-d-dude the trailer says she's EIGHTEEN!!!!1111!!!! i saw this number a few times before how dare them!!!!1!1"
just shut the fuck up man
other fighting games don't have much of this issue. why? because they didn't cripple their own variety and establish a strict formula from the get go. you can safely introduce any new character without inciting a shitstorm, aside from a few incidents pointed out by Xhominid which are more like spontaneous mass stupidity (or just a bunch of angry waifufags) than anything.