Laura Matsuda
Capcom's Brazilian branch requested a new character for Street Fighter V in 2015. Director Takayuki Nakayama received the assignment to create someone other than Blanka to represent their country. Series producer Yoshinori Ono had visited Rio de Janeiro at the Brazil Game Show in 2011 and wanted a beautiful woman with capoeira-inspired movements. He aimed to show Japan's fanciful view of Brazilian women rather than an accurate one. Art director Toshiyuki Kamei built the concept around keywords like Brazil and Jiu Jitsu. Many potential iterations were considered from various backgrounds including a male soccer player who fought using ball-themed kicks. That design was scrapped because Nakayama felt it resembled Roberto from Rival Schools. Another early concept called Wild Rapunzel featured long fluffy blonde hair used to attack or shield herself. Other designs included a very tall woman with dreadlocks and a female physical therapist using extremely painful moves. Several designs were overtly sexual with body-wrapping bandages that exposed skin based on attack strength. A design dubbed Clumsy Cutie featured patchwork clothes that tore off gradually during combat. Nakayama explained his belief that Brazilian women develop larger posteriors when they exercise. He initially wanted her buttocks exposed for ease of movement. Towards the end of development they chose a doji martial arts outfit for an MMA themed focus. The initial design was more orthodox and casual before Kamei made it increasingly sophisticated. Sources of inspiration included Japanese hakama skirts and attire worn by professional wrestling divas. Her name came from Nakayama's nickname Lala which he felt gave her a Portuguese feel.
Laura stands 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) tall wearing a green sleeveless jacket tied up beneath her breasts. Matching doji pants, sandals, and a black martial arts belt across her waist complete her primary outfit. The color scheme highlighted her Brazilian femininity and Jiu Jitsu while bracelets acted as accents to the design. Her hairstyle is long and flowing on the right side while the left is styled into cornrow braids. This combination along with her voluptuous body was meant to give her a pronounced South American look. The initial plan had her rear exposed and covered only by a thong until Capcom Brazil objected. Black tights were added beneath the pants on the final model to cover the exposed skin. Laura received several alternative outfits featuring hotpants or swimsuits including a Christmas-themed outfit. One outfit modeled after Gloria from Devil May Cry 4 appeared alongside daisy dukes and a thong for Story mode. Nakayama oversaw the Story mode outfit adding tanlines despite initial worries they might be overkill. He decided to stick to his personal tastes regarding the design. Critics argued the character design was too sexualized particularly accusing it of pandering to the male gaze. Brazilian website Universo Online felt her hypersexualized design clashed with attempts to better portray women in gaming. Red Bull published an opinion piece stating she exemplified inappropriate stereotypes of Brazilian women as sensual and prone to dressing provocatively. The Daily Telegraph listed her as an example of porn-type heroines harming children. Christopher Hodges of Screen Rant said she was designed only to be hot and absurdly-dressed without depth.
Laura is a grappler-type character that utilizes various throws to attack the opponent. Similar to Blanka, she uses electricity in some attacks including an electric projectile. Her grappling attacks include moves that grab the opponent and slam their face into the ground. Originally Laura's design relied on using throws to pressure the opponent. Development team members felt this caused her to lack individuality amongst the cast since many other characters had similar attacks. Combat director Ryuichi Shigeno stated he hastily gave her a slow-moving projectile attack called Thunder Clap. He was ultimately pleased with the results after setting her apart from the rest of the roster. She looks for opponents to fight to promote her fighting style within the Street Fighter universe. Her grandfather trained her in the art of Jiu-Jitsu before she entered tournaments. She comes from a family with strong ties to both traditional Japanese martial arts and Brazilian Capoeira. In gameplay scenarios she combines these styles to create unique combat patterns against enemies. The electricity-based attacks serve as projectiles while physical throws dominate close-range encounters. Players must balance speed and power to utilize her full potential during matches.
Laura Matsuda was introduced in the 2016 fighting game Street Fighter V alongside her brother Sean Matsuda. She appears in the story mode A Shadow Falls joining heroes who attempt to stop the criminal organization Shadaloo. Her role explores her relationship with her family and involvement with other characters in the web mini-series Street Fighter: Resurrection. Natascha Hopkins portrayed Laura in that live-action adaptation where her family dynamics take center stage. In print media she appeared in UDON Entertainment's Street Fighter comic series during Free Comic Book Day Special issue. There she defeats her brother in a Brazilian martial arts tournament by deviating away from their family's Jiu-Jitsu techniques. This action causes anger in Sean who expects adherence to tradition. Johnathan Klein directed English-language voice acting for Laura building her personality around everyday being Carnivale. They wanted her to be brash and playful while also sweet enough to feel like killing you with kindness. Nakayama chose early on to make her the sister of an existing character to strengthen that background. He wanted her to have a cool personality understanding her own sexiness without being sarcastic. The narrative emphasizes her connection to Brazil through cultural references and personal history.
Laura debuted officially at the Brasil Game Show on the 8th of October 2015 four months prior to the game's release. Reaction to the character was mixed among critics and fans alike. Paste writers Suriel Vazquez and Eric Van Allen considered her one of the most unique additions to the series. They found story elements weak but praised her spunk and use of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as solid additions. Gavin Jasper at Den of Geek named her the worst addition in Street Fighter V's base roster despite praising potential. He described her as incredibly annoying and added she seemed to be just Sean's less-interesting sister. Brazilian journalist Bianca Freitas argued claims of hypersexualization were misplaced since no male characters were more sexualized than her. She felt reactions represented a distortion between how the world pictured Brazil versus how Brazilians viewed themselves. He pointed out that seeing women in peripheral regions of Rio de Janeiro similar to Laura was not uncommon. Ono's inspiration for such a character was indeed apt with that consideration in mind. The character has also been subject to academic study regarding race and feminism in gaming contexts. Brazilian Society for Interdisciplinary Studies of Communication observed her image and body were hypersexualized and objectified for player contemplation.
The Animus Inter-American Journal of Media Communication studied Laura and other Brazilian fighters in the franchise. They concluded that combining her race and outfits leads to interpreting her as an iconic quali-sign of sensuality. Her portrayal represents beautiful and sensual women where warmth and music are integral parts of life. In Laura is a symbol of Brazil Country of Carnival joyful festive and touristic. Critics noted emphasis on the band between her buttocks was purposely exposed so that the male gaze is met. It was neither practical nor did it suit her role as a fighter according to some scholars. However they acknowledged her outfit color and bracelets conveyed signs expressing sensuality joy sexualization miscegenation and Brazilian identity. When compared to Sean her lighter skin tone came across as an example of racial whitening to conform to eurocentric aesthetic standards. The Brazilian Society for Interdisciplinary Studies of Communication drew particular attention to these visual elements. They felt the design choices reflected broader societal issues regarding representation of women in video games. Some scholars argued she represented a stereotyped ideal of a country's culture like many other characters in the franchise. Others saw her as a more positive portrayal of sensuality and Brazilian culture despite the controversy surrounding her appearance.
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Common questions
Who created the Street Fighter character Laura Matsuda?
Capcom's Brazilian branch requested a new character for Street Fighter V in 2015 and Director Takayuki Nakayama received the assignment to create her. Series producer Yoshinori Ono had visited Rio de Janeiro at the Brazil Game Show in 2011 and wanted a beautiful woman with capoeira-inspired movements.
When was Laura Matsuda officially introduced to the public?
Laura debuted officially at the Brasil Game Show on the 8th of October 2015 four months prior to the game's release. She appeared in the story mode A Shadow Falls joining heroes who attempt to stop the criminal organization Shadaloo.
What martial arts styles does Laura Matsuda use in gameplay?
Her grandfather trained her in the art of Jiu-Jitsu before she entered tournaments and she comes from a family with strong ties to both traditional Japanese martial arts and Brazilian Capoeira. In gameplay scenarios she combines these styles to create unique combat patterns against enemies while using electricity-based attacks as projectiles.
Why did critics argue that Laura Matsuda's design was problematic?
Critics argued the character design was too sexualized particularly accusing it of pandering to the male gaze. The Brazilian Society for Interdisciplinary Studies of Communication observed her image and body were hypersexualized and objectified for player contemplation.
How tall is the Street Fighter character Laura Matsuda?
Laura stands 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) tall wearing a green sleeveless jacket tied up beneath her breasts. Her hairstyle is long and flowing on the right side while the left is styled into cornrow braids.