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Vivian James: Difference between revisions
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Generally depicted as a red-haired, freckled female gamer wearing jeans and a striped sweater, Vivian at first glance seems like an unlikely figure to attract so much attention ([[Flame War|for good or ill]]). Still, she's seen as many things. Most notably, a symbol of [[Gamergate]]. But she's also an embodiment of both [[4chan]] and [[8chan]]'s /v/ boards. A representative of modern gamers - and gaming at large - as they are, rather than what certain elements wish them to be. A legitimate gamer girl who's not afraid to be who she is or fight for what she believes in, be it ethics in games journalism or video games in general.
In addition to Vivian's originally intended game, she has appeared in various image albums, fan/webcomics<ref>Most notably, ''[http://kukuruyo.com/comic/gamergate-life-1/ Gamergate Life]'' by Spanish artist Kukuruyo.</ref> and even cosplay. [https://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/4c1num/misc_an_introduction_to_vivian_james_her_family/ Over time], she's also been accompanied by [[Loads and Loads of Characters|a growing, colorful cast of characters]]. And is slated to be a major character in an upcoming{{when}} game called ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20160402035603/http://anomalousgames.tumblr.com/ Project SOCJUS]'' and a playable character in a [[Game Mod]]-in-progress for ''[[X-COM (Video Game)|XCOM 2]]''.<ref>Dragonpunk, the mod in question, [http://blogjob.com/oneangrygamer/2016/02/xcom-2-dragonpunk-mod-teases-vivian-james-theme-song/ is still slated for a 2018 release].{{Verify|reason=2018 was last decade.}}</ref>
{{creatortropes}}
* [[A Boy and His X|A Girl and Her Sea Lion]]: How her and Ethics are oft portrayed.▼
* [[Anthropomorphic Personification]]: After a fashion. Aside from being associated with the /v/ boards in both [[4chan]] and [[8chan]], she's sometimes affectionately used to symbolize modern gaming. And sometimes used as a [[Straw Character]] by anti-GG, [[Wimpification|corrupting]] her established [[The Stoic|carefree personality]].
** The original personification of /v/ is usually shown as Vivian's father as well.
** Some particularly "safe space"-y cons even banned '[https://web.archive.org/web/20160310094607/http://dashcon--2015.tumblr.com/post/120153572051/rules-and-regulations-how-to-have-a-safe all “vivian James” cosplay, no matter how subtle]'. How one can reliably tell "subtle" Vivian James cosplay from [[Ben 10|Gwendolyn Tennyson]] cosplay or a natural redhead in a sweater remains a mystery.
* [[Art Shift]]: The art styles used for her and others varies considerably, ranging from Macha-inspired portraits to photorealistic to [[Animesque]].
* [[Ascended Meme]]:
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* [[Boobs of Steel]]:
** Both DeepFreeze sisters are usually shown as very well-endowed.
** While not to the same degree as the DeepFreeze siblings, Vivian is sometimes depicted as being somewhat large-chested as well, [[Depending
* [[Breakout Character]]: Originally intended for the indie game ''Afterlife Empire'', Vivian has since taken on a life of her own, along a number of other personified characters. To the point that [http://imgur.com/a/GRknl cosplay exists] based on her.
* [[The Cameo]]: [[Hulk Hogan]] has gotten a few cameos in Vivian comics as his [[Real Life]] legal battle with Gawker intersected with [[Gamergate]]'s contempt of Gawker and its videogaming vertical Kotaku.
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* [[Generation Xerox]]: Sort of. Vivian takes quite a bit after her father, /v/, though she isn't quite as cynical or bitter as him. While Erika Polina is basically a female version of her dad, /pol/.
* [[Generic Cuteness]]: As Vivian's meant to look like an ordinary gamer girl, she's not "attractive" in the cliched sense but has a charm of her own. This is further lampshaded in the ironically titled [http://kevinbolk.deviantart.com/art/Everybody-Is-Beautiful-549995858 Everybody Is Beautiful] by Kevin Bolk, which also points out the hypocrisy of those preaching about "diversity."
▲* [[A Boy and His X|A Girl and Her Sea Lion]]: How her and Ethics are oft portrayed.
* [[Godwin's Law]]: "Uncle" /pol/ and his daughter, Erika Polina, who both look like Nazis in all but name, which is a nod to /pol/'s irreverent notoriety. Erika herself was originally a parody of Lillian Woods with the [[Unfortunate Implications|unintentionally Aryan elements]] taken [[Up to Eleven]] to the point of even dressing like she walked straight out of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_German_Girls League of German Girls].<ref>The female branch of the infamous Hitler Youth.</ref>
* [[Hair Decorations]]: A rather unusual example. Vivian's headband is actually there to identify either her origins on [[4chan]] or her transplanting to [[8chan]], depending on whether the hair dec in question depicts a 4 leaf clover or an infinity symbol respectively.
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** Lillian Woods was originally created as a Vivian James knock-off by anti-GG to both mock [[Gamergate]] supporters and create a "proper" representation of female gamers. Not only did it ironically result in Lillian looking very much like a [[Unfortunate Implications|veritable Aryan girl, blond hair, blue eyes and all]], but she was ultimately embraced by pro-GG as both Vivian's "rival" and a caricature of anti-GG.
** Ethics, the Sea Lion is a direct result of this as well, being a [[Take That]] to accusations of "sealioning."
** Attempts by various individuals, including publications like ''Vice'' to frame her as [https://archive.
* [[Image Boards]]: Aside from Vivian originating from them (more specifically, she's associated with both [[4chan]] and [[8chan]]), the personifications of /v/ and /pol/ are known to pop up.
* [[Ironic Echo]]: Among the logos displayed on the pro-GG KotakuInAction subreddit is Vivian done in the style of Kotaku's original logo and mascot, highlighting just how hypocritical that particular site is.
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** [http://vinnythecake.deviantart.com/art/Time-For-Ethics-532290245?ga_submit_new=10%253A1431297176 This image of Vivian] in particular is a direct homage to Kotaku's original mascot, and a sly [[Take That]] to Kotaku's (and Gawker's) hypocrisy.<ref>Another version of that picture appears rather prominently on the KotakuInAction subreddit.</ref>
** In some pictures, Vivian is shown riding a motorcycle not too dissimilar from the one Takeda uses in ''[[Akira]].''
** The premise and atmosphere of ''Project SOCJUS'' are a nod to ''[[Nineteen Eighty
* [[Significant Green-Eyed Redhead]]: Vivian, with [[Fanon|some speculating]] that she might even be of Irish descent.
* [[Straw Character]]: How some anti-GG critics and certain others view Vivian, though such opinions tend to be more projection and hypocrisy than anything else. Some anti-GG portrayals of Vivian also tend to reduce her personality and characteristics to that of a killjoy, stereotypical [[Gamer Girl]] or more in line to their own ideological preferences.
* [[Straw Feminist]]: Lillian Woods, whose views tend to be based on social justice warriors and radical feminists. Though it's somewhat subverted, given how even she starts realising how she might not be as superior or enlightened as she likes to believe.
* [[Streisand Effect]]: Another reason why Vivian really took off
* [[Stripperiffic]]:
** Defied in Vivian's case, as her general appearance was partially [[Trolling Creator|4chan's /v/ trolling everyone]] and partly intended to highlight how she's really made in the image of actual gamers.
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