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Laura Matsuda: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Laura Matsuda
Laura Matsuda first appeared on the world stage on the 8th of October 2015, revealed to the public at the Brasil Game Show as the newest addition to the Street Fighter V roster. She was a Brazilian martial artist who utilized electricity in her attacks, a trait shared only with the series veteran Blanka, yet she brought a distinct energy to the franchise. Her introduction marked a significant moment for Capcom, as she was the first character from Brazil to represent the country in the game, stepping out from the shadow of the green-skinned Blanka. The character was created by game director Takayuki Nakayama at the specific request of Capcom's Brazilian branch, who wanted a representative other than the established Blanka. Series producer Yoshinori Ono had been inspired by his visit to Rio de Janeiro's Brazil Game Show in 2011, and he wanted a character who embodied Japan's fanciful view of Brazilian women. This vision led to a character who was not just a fighter, but a cultural symbol intended to showcase the country's vibrancy and energy to a global audience.
Designs That Tore
The path to Laura's final design was paved with discarded concepts that ranged from the absurd to the overtly sexual. Early iterations included a male soccer player who fought with a ball, a concept scrapped because it resembled a character from another Capcom series, and a woman named Wild Rapunzel who used her long blonde hair as both a weapon and a shield. One particularly controversial design featured a girl in patchwork clothing that would tear off during combat, gradually revealing more of her body, a concept Nakayama considered for a standalone character later. Another version wrapped her body in bandages that would expose varying degrees of skin depending on the attack strength. The development team eventually settled on a mixed martial arts theme, but the initial focus remained heavily on her physical curves. Nakayama explicitly stated that he wanted to expose her buttocks because he believed Brazilian women developed larger posteriors through exercise, a belief that drove the design choices for months. It was only after Capcom Brazil objected to the plan to leave her rear exposed with only a thong that black tights were added to the final model to cover the skin.
The Sisterhood Of Jiu Jitsu
Laura's narrative was deeply rooted in her family history, establishing her as the sister of Sean Matsuda, a character who had appeared in Street Fighter III since 1997. This connection was forged to strengthen the background of the existing character and to provide Laura with a personal stake in the world of Street Fighter. She was trained by her grandfather in the art of Jiu-Jitsu and came from a family with strong ties to both traditional Japanese martial arts and Brazilian Capoeira. Her personality was built around the theme of everyday being Carnival, making her brash and playful while also sweet to the point of killing her opponents with kindness. Nakayama wanted her to have a cool personality and to understand her own sexiness without being sarcastic. In the game's story mode, A Shadow Falls, she joins the other heroes to stop the criminal organization Shadaloo, fighting alongside her brother and other legends. Her moveset was originally designed to rely heavily on throws to pressure opponents, but the team felt this made her lack individuality among the cast. Combat director Ryuichi Shigeno hastily added a slow-moving projectile attack called Thunder Clap to set her apart, a decision that ultimately pleased the development team.
When did Laura Matsuda first appear in Street Fighter V?
Laura Matsuda first appeared on the 8th of October 2015, revealed to the public at the Brasil Game Show as the newest addition to the Street Fighter V roster. She was the first character from Brazil to represent the country in the game, stepping out from the shadow of the green-skinned Blanka.
Who created Laura Matsuda and why was she designed?
The character was created by game director Takayuki Nakayama at the specific request of Capcom's Brazilian branch to provide a representative other than the established Blanka. Series producer Yoshinori Ono had been inspired by his visit to Rio de Janeiro's Brazil Game Show in 2011 and wanted a character who embodied Japan's fanciful view of Brazilian women.
What was the controversy surrounding Laura Matsuda's design?
The character's depiction as a sexualized figure with a highly suggestive outfit attracted significant commentary, with some arguing she exemplified inappropriate stereotypes of Brazilian women as being sensual and prone to dressing provocatively. Brazilian website Universo Online felt her hypersexualized design was at odds with attempts to better portray women in gaming, noting that other female characters were less sexualized by comparison.
Who are the voice actors for Laura Matsuda in English and Japanese?
G.K. Bowes provides the English voice and Yoko Hikasa voices her in Japanese. The English voice director, Johnathan Klein, worked to ensure that Laura's personality was built around the theme of everyday being Carnival, making her brash and playful while also sweet.
What is the relationship between Laura Matsuda and Sean Matsuda?
Laura Matsuda is the sister of Sean Matsuda, a character who had appeared in Street Fighter III since 1997. This connection was forged to strengthen the background of the existing character and to provide Laura with a personal stake in the world of Street Fighter.
Where did Laura Matsuda appear in live-action media and print?
She appeared in the web mini-series Street Fighter: Resurrection, a prequel to the events of Street Fighter V, where she was portrayed by Natascha Hopkins. In print media, she was featured in the Street Fighter V Free Comic Book Day Special issue of UDON Entertainment's Street Fighter comic series and on one of the covers of the Street Fighter Swimsuit Special 1 issue in 2022.
The reception of Laura Matsuda was deeply divided, with critics and fans alike debating the nature of her design and the intent behind it. Some reviewers, such as Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek, named her the worst addition to the base roster of Street Fighter V, describing her as incredibly annoying and merely Sean's less-interesting sister. Others, like Paste writers Suriel Vazquez and Eric Van Allen, considered her one of the most unique additions, praising her spunk and use of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu despite finding her story elements weak. The character's depiction as a sexualized figure with a highly suggestive outfit attracted significant commentary, with some arguing she exemplified inappropriate stereotypes of Brazilian women as being sensual and prone to dressing provocatively. Brazilian website Universo Online felt her hypersexualized design was at odds with attempts to better portray women in gaming, noting that other female characters were less sexualized by comparison. The debate extended to academic circles, where the Brazilian Society for Interdisciplinary Studies of Communication observed that her image and body were hypersexualized and objectified for the contemplation of players, particularly focusing on the emphasis on the band between her buttocks.
A Cultural Distortion
Despite the criticism, there were voices that defended Laura as a symbol of Brazilian identity and culture. Brazilian journalist Bianca Freitas argued that the claims of hypersexualization were misplaced, stating that Laura was no more sexualized than many of the male characters in the series. He pointed out that Brazil was a universe of cultures and that it was not uncommon to see women in the peripheral regions of Rio de Janeiro dressed similarly to Laura. The Animus Inter-American Journal of Media Communication studied the character and concluded that she could be interpreted as an iconic sign of sensuality, representing beautiful and sensual women where warmth and music are an integral part of life. They viewed her as a symbol of the country of Carnival, joyful, festive, and touristic. However, academic analysis also noted that her lighter skin tone compared to her brother Sean came across as an example of racial whitening to conform to eurocentric aesthetic standards. This tension between celebrating Brazilian culture and reinforcing stereotypes created a complex legacy for the character, with some seeing her as a positive portrayal of sensuality and others viewing her as a distortion of how the world pictured Brazil.
Beyond The Game
Laura's presence extended beyond the digital arena into live-action media and print, expanding her story and reach. She appeared in the web mini-series Street Fighter: Resurrection, a prequel to the events of Street Fighter V, where she was portrayed by Natascha Hopkins. Her role in the series explored her relationship with her family and her involvement with other characters, providing a narrative depth that the game's story mode sometimes lacked. In print media, she was featured in the Street Fighter V Free Comic Book Day Special issue of UDON Entertainment's Street Fighter comic series. In this story, she defeats her brother in a Brazilian martial arts tournament by deviating away from their family's Jiu-Jitsu techniques, much to Sean's anger. The character also became a collectible item, with a statue released in 2019 showcasing her in a blue and purple bikini, and she was featured on one of the covers of the Street Fighter Swimsuit Special 1 issue in 2022. These appearances kept her in the public eye, even as the debate over her design continued to evolve.
Voices And Vibes
The voice acting for Laura Matsuda brought her personality to life in two distinct languages, with G.K. Bowes providing the English voice and Yoko Hikasa voicing her in Japanese. The English voice director, Johnathan Klein, worked to ensure that Laura's personality was built around the theme of everyday being Carnival, making her brash and playful while also sweet. The Japanese voice, provided by Yoko Hikasa, brought a different energy to the character, capturing the nuances of her Brazilian heritage and her martial arts background. The character's design was further refined by art director Toshiyuki Kamei, who built the concept around the keywords of Brazil and Jiu Jitsu. Kamei made the design increasingly sophisticated as he worked on it, drawing inspiration from Japanese hakama skirts and attire worn by professional wrestling divas. The final outfit consisted of a green sleeveless jacket with yellow highlights tied up beneath her breasts, matching doji pants, sandals, and a black martial arts belt across her waist. The color scheme was meant to highlight her Brazilian femininity and Jiu-Jitsu, while bracelets were added to each wrist to act as accents to the design. Her hairstyle was long and flowing on the right side while the left was styled into cornrow braids, giving her a more pronounced South American look.