So, I'll be the first to say that I dislike most JRPGs for various reasons. One of the main ones being the stories. But whenever I see people talking about why they dislike JRPGs a lot of people reply with, "Anrogynous characters"

Why is that a problem? Why does a male character being feminine in appearance annoy people? Are they just insecure, or is there another reason?

Also, just to point out, this isn't a thread to hate on JRPGs or specific characters. I just want to know why people point this out as a negative when it has no affect on the character.

You're basically asking a western culture vs eastern culture question. What appeals to one doesn't necessarily appeal to another.

But it's such an insignificant thing that I barely even noticed it until it was pointed out to me. I just wanna know why western culture has such problems with it.

Because characters are easier to connect with if they can either represent your hero fantasy (same gender), or are attractive (opposite gender).

There is nothing wrong with that, because no real humans are being discriminated against.

Maybe it's just me. I don't see male and female, I just see the characters as individuals, so their genders and appearances are completely detached for me. But you do make a very interesting point! :)

The recent trends of journalists and indie devs to constantly push gender roles on every game is disappointing to me. Like they jump on the Lead Designer of the Blizzard Dota game asking, "why are your characters so sexualised?" as if to make an example of it. As if to say every game should be making statements on gender above being entertaining. And they'd do so irrespective of what players actually want out of a game (often fantasy fulfillment/escapism).

http://25.media.tumblr.com/7b444c3492737b1c518a979c343f1cfb/tumblr_mg4nvurjkn1rlo1q2o1_1280.jpg

Exactly! I had a massive raging discussion to my fiance about that a few days ago. Blizzard games, World of Warcraft in particular are escapism in it's finest form. It does bug the hell out of me where in a game where we have time traveling orcs, walking talking cows, and little thrifty green people running about, they're gonna focus on the unrealistic proportions of the female characters. Bloody ridiculous! 

I do not look up to androgynous people in real life. I do not want to vicariously go on a deadly adventure with some man/woman. They should be distictly feminine or masculine. Japanese culture kind of wiggs me out in general. I feel no shame for this.

That's a pretty narrow way to look at people imo. Some men look feminine. Some women look feminine. It's how the world is. If men want to look feminine then that too is fine. Hell, if a man wants to cross dress, that too is fine. Society needs to stop looking at "Men" and "women" and start judging people by who they are and not their genitals.