Senran Kagura 2’s equal opportunity fanservice

Senran Kagura is a series known for women willingly and unwillingly finding themselves in various states of undress, but Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson dares to be different. Murasame may be a joke, but his inclusion isn’t. It marks the first appearance of a playable male character in the series’ history and he’s treated the same way as the female characters. Like his sister Ikaruga and her colleagues, taking damage sends him halfway to naked town.

Murasame is an inept ninja, which is why his little sister Ikaruga will be head of their family, rather than him. He wields a kusarigama, a sickle with a chain attached, but is horrible at it. As a result, his combos lead to him falling and tripping all over himself. This still damages enemies, but is simultaneously a hilarious and character defining action.

The fact that he takes damage in the same way as his female counterparts isn’t so funny. Rather, it’s refreshing. It lends an unbiased edge to a series that has long been pointed out as one of the most blatant and bad examples of fanservice in the industry. It’s still blatant, but at least Murasame’s inclusion in Senran Kagura 2 shows no one is exempt from the series’ trademark mechanic. Play poorly and he’ll be stripped to his skivvies in no time.

But how do you get Murasame in Senran Kagura 2? It’s quite easy. If you’ve purchased the original Senran Kagura Burst, the save data from that game will unlock him in the sequel. Once you’ve passed a certain point in the story, you can start using him. Those who didn’t grab the first title from the eShop will be able to purchase DLC that unlocks the character. XSEED hasn’t announced a price for him yet.

If you want to see equal representation in Senran Kagura, then do what it takes to add Murasame to the cast.