There is no need to be worried about 'pandering' or 'dumbing down'

[BrightBow]

i do have to wonder at what point the japanese get tired of anime cliches.

Probably by the same time we get tired of Michael Bay movies, I'm afraid.

Although what probably makes Otaku pandering so effective is that they are an audience that, while not all that large, is willing to spend a large amount of money on their passion. Not just a few dozen bucks for a game but even more then that for a figurine of Tharja's ass and all the other merchandise.

There's no doubt in my mind that the whole otaku-pandering was a conscious marketing decision. From the 4Gamer interview in April:

- "In previous games we focused on creating a challenging SRPG, but since Awakening our priority has shifted to 'broadening the scope' of the series."

- "If you're playing FE for the first time, we want you to think of this game as an anime you can be a part of, without having to worry too much about the SRPG elements."

I think the fact that they were willing to accept a C rating from Cero also shows this. They are not trying to really "broadening the scope of the series" as they claim when they exclude children and most teenagers from playing their game. They are aiming for a specific adult audience that is willing to spend great amounts of money. At the same time, they try to keep the (now most definitely adult) veterans around with cheap fanservice like an appearance of Ike Jr. or the Deadlords and Holy Weapons from FE4. Or my personal favourite, a shamelessly sexualized clone of little Tiki who is totally 1000 years old, just not actually written that way.

Plus, it probably also works also well for the hard and especially long working adults who don't have that much time to get into the kind of experience that Fire Emblem used to be designed for. I never really thought about why IS felt that Fire Emblem was best enjoyed at a home console, but seeing the games actually designed the way they are now, I think I get it: A good story, good characters and deep gameplay simply takes dedication, something you can only really enjoy if you take your time with it. And this is something that a large part of the potential audience simply couldn't devote to it even if they would want to. Since that kind of game has no future, they decided that the most profitable thing would be to give the players the narrative equivalent of a blowjob. That is quick, simple and uncomplicated.

Edited June 5, 2015 by BrightBow

[IceBrand]

What makes you think the good story and characters won't be there? Even with a Cero rating that won't stop people from buying it. POR was a T rating when the other FE were E for everyone.

[BurningCandy]

Agh... I'm never gonna make this kind of topic again...

I feel bad now. I wonder if anyone noticed the 'sorry' tag...

Anyway, Icy Toast, I'm not really sure how I connected pandering and gameplay.

Could you tell me how? :/

Edit: Misread you.

I get it.

I think... I think i subconsciously connect the two.

My bad ^~^

Edited June 5, 2015 by BurningCandy

[BrightBow]

What makes you think the good story and characters won't be there? Even with a Cero rating that won't stop people from buying it. POR was a T rating when the other FE were E for everyone.

As a game with fantasy violence, it was probably pretty much impossible for the game to get a lower rating in the US. Sure, there is the E10+ rating now but that didn't exist back then. But more importantly, PoR was still rated A by CERO. And as a Japanese company, that's the one that Nintendo would give the most attention. And besides, the ESRB is not the only rating board. It got a 6+ rating over here and 7+ by the PEGI.

And maybe there will be a good story. After all, it's not like a good story would be downright contra productive. And I would really, really, really like to believe that IS has still the ambition to create something, so that even if it might not really earn them additional money, they might put some effort into it anyway. I mean, I am enjoying Code Name S.T.E.A.M. currently. That game definitely wasn't made because IS thought this was going to be Nintendo's new cash cow. (It's actually quite interesting how in total opposition the design of the game is towards Awakening. Not that I am saying that it shouldn't be easier to get into, just that it really surprised me that the current IS would be willing and capable to make a game with such a fundamentally different design concept. It really shows that the current direction of FE is a very calculated decision on their part.)

But I have little doubt that it will be secondary towards the goal of kissing the ass of the player character and the actual characters will be dehumanized for that purpose. Seriously, it can not be stressed enough how bad things are in that regard if the player can literally touch his servants without consequence, to the point were he doesn't even earn someone's temporarily ire. By all appearance, the world and it's people literally exists to serve Kamui's whim. This is a fairly save bet, considering what we know and how New Mystery and Awakening turned out. And I no longer expect a miracle.

Edited June 5, 2015 by BrightBow

[Aethin]

@OP: Pointing out that increased strategy ideas are being implemented alongside the fanservice-y ones does nothing to make me feel better about it because I don't believe the latter should be there in the first place, at least not in any significant amount. It should not exist, and so the fact that it does is troubling. As someone else said in another thread, "You're better than this, Fire Emblem."

Think back to the "fanservice" that existed in, say, Sacred Stones. The only things that come to my mind that could possibly be construed as fanservice are the handful of romantic paired endings and the comic relief of some characters/supports. That is the amount of class that I want in the media that I consume, and I have grown to expect that higher quality of media from Fire Emblem. I am willing to reserve final judgement until I play the game, but the potential for that to disappear in a series that I care about is cause enough for me to be somewhat concerned. That's just having basic standards.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Aethin

[NekoKnight]

Good post Icy Toast. I think your point on otaku pandering leaking into all parts of the game is spot-on.

I'm all for trying new things -- I always welcome drastic new additions to classic formulas -- but I can't help but cringe when things are so transparently being shoehorned in to accommodate market trends. This kind of stuff is "hot" in Japan right now (at least with the people who spend hella money), and it's unfortunate to see Fire Emblem compromising to target those "money whale" demographics, because I think this series is better than that. ADD MORE HOT SPRINGS, and ADD MORE FACE-RUBBING feels like a desperate lack of faith in their own product, and the kicker is that it's probably totally unnecessary, because I think this game is going to be rad. Corporate needs their numbers though, and I guess if this is what it takes to get another Fire Emblem made... so be it, I suppose. Call me a hater if you will, but I think I have the right to be slightly disappointed by the direction.

This is probably the most succinct and well said criticism of fanservice. "Can we make a game that people will praise for its story and gameplay? I don't know.. Maybe?...Well just in case, let's add in some hot-springs and self-insert romances. That always sells."

I think the fact that they were willing to accept a C rating from Cero also shows this. They are not trying to really "broadening the scope of the series" as they claim when they exclude children and most teenagers from playing their game. They are aiming for a specific adult audience that is willing to spend great amounts of money. At the same time, they try to keep the (now most definitely adult) veterans around with cheap fanservice like an appearance of Ike Jr. or the Deadlords and Holy Weapons from FE4. Or my personal favourite, a shamelessly sexualized clone of little Tiki who is totally 1000 years old, just not actually written that way.

I'm not sure why you think a C rating means only adults will be playing the game. Attack on Titan is about giants brutally killing people and yet the show is extremely popular amongst children (and the merchandizing is directed at them). Even if we were to presume that most of the player base is 18+ years old, IS is still "broadening the scope" by appealing to otaku and casuals more.

Agh... I'm never gonna make this kind of topic again...

I feel bad now. I wonder if anyone noticed the 'sorry' tag...

Why would you regret it? It generated some thoughtful discussion.

Edited June 5, 2015 by NekoKnight

[Icy Toast]

Agh... I'm never gonna make this kind of topic again...

I feel bad now. I wonder if anyone noticed the 'sorry' tag...

Anyway, Icy Toast, I'm not really sure how I connected pandering and gameplay.

Could you tell me how? :/

Edit: Misread you.

I get it.

I think... I think i subconsciously connect the two.

My bad ^~^

I'm sorry if my post came off a little harsh. It wasn't really meant as a criticism of the topic/first post, though. In fact I only wrote a long rant about it because I think this is a discussion worth that's worth having. So don't feel bad about making this topic!

[BrightBow]

I'm not sure why you think a C rating means only adults will be playing the game. Attack on Titan is about giants brutally killing people and yet the show is extremely popular amongst children (and the merchandizing is directed at them). Even if we were to presume that most of the player base is 18+ years old, IS is still "broadening the scope" by appealing to otaku and casuals more.

Isn't it normal that a Shonen series contains a level of violence that people overseas would not like to see "young boys" exposed to? But this game really did get a rating that would restrict anyone in that age group from buying it.

Anyway, I don't see how you think that releasing the game with the equivalent of the M-rating of the ESRB is not excluding anyone younger then that just because it's not literally impossible, since kids can still take advantage of irresponsible adults. That's like saying that if you lock a door, you don't want to keep people out just because the lock can still be cracked or broken down. Of course Nintendo would still be happy to take their money if the can buy the game somehow but since they are willing to make it so hard for them to hand over the cash in the first place, they clearly think that this money is negligible.

Edited June 5, 2015 by BrightBow

[NekoKnight]

Anyway, I don't see how you think that releasing the game with the equivalent of the M-rating of the ESRB

C Cero is ages 15 and up, so it's not the hardcore/graphic/controversial game for adults some people are hoping it is.

[Irysa]

the real conflict isn't 'pandering VS gameplay', it's 'pandering VS building a convincing world, a decent story and interesting characters'.

Your post is overall very lucid and summarises views many (including myself) have expressed about the direction of FE's narrative elements, but I'd just like to add one thing.

It's entirely possible to achieve these last 3 components regardless of if there are exaggerated elements within piece of media. Even if we stay within the realms of "otaku media" it's not hard to point to the differences between Giant Robo, War in the Pocket and Terra e... (although I suppose I'm using some "oudated" comparisons by contemporary standards). The first has "simpler" characters, and things are exaggerated in a fantastical way (along with awesome animation and choreography direction), the second has a massive emphasis on realism and complex characters (not without problems though but still), and the latter has complex characters and half-way realistic scenarios, but exaggerates elements in a highly melodramatic way. However they're all capable of achieving a high level of emotional connection with audiences, and all have the three things you outlined, despite having vastly different directions.

There is a certain slant that can be taken where it can be argued that they are all "pandering" to different people in different ways. But ignoring that, the key point is in how convincing or endearing a complete work is, and this is largely to do with how compelling the characters and scenarios are. Archetypes are just condensed, commonly used methods that tap into our basic human understandings to allow us to become invested, and there is nothing wrong with such concepts by themselves (even something as high class as Legend of the Galactic Heroes uses them!). The errors that New Mystery's remake only narrative additions and Awakening make are mostly related to how absurdly blatant they are about elevating the PC above all else, as this has a tendency to break suspension of disbelief (If is looking on track for continuing this). Combined with underdeveloped aspects such as creating discernable adversaries and having coherant overarching stories (and to an extent, the art direction), it's a great deal harder for people to become really invested in what's going on and who's saying what when looking at the game's narrative in a serious manner. And when the audience can't take stuff "seriously" (not in a realistic or believable sense, just in a "I'm immersed in this" sense), then their emotional investment behind dramatic climaxes and the like become far more muted.

I suppose what I'm getting at is that whilst my preference for Fire Emblem would be to return to it's semi-realistic-but-romanticised-with-some-gags old self, I'm not inherantly opposed to what Awakening did. A cornier, less serious tone is fine if it's innocent and geninue in that, ala Monster of the Week Sentai or something (should have talked about Precure instead of Giant Robo in retrospect...). A game like Grandia is very much the epitome of this for me, it's defined by it's youthful purity and endearingness, and it wholeheartedly believes to it's fullest that this it is the best adventure ever and stuff blatantly operates by the rules of drama and fantasy. Actually going by most of amielleon's translations and other discussions with JP fluent friends, this problem has a lot to do with the localisation messing with the tone. But I'm pretty convinced that the main story itself still has the same issues of juxtaposition in JP (or at least, would to me) due to how uncompelling Robin is, and how he/she negatively impacts the impression one gets of the rest of the cast (and the meta-narrative when your suspension of disbelief is out). Compared to something really basic and old that I've been playing lately (FE2), FE13's narrative actually suffers for having lots of "unsubstantial" dialogue. In a headcanon, fill-in-the-blanks way, I found it a lot easier to get on board with Alm and Celica's causes and get invested in the barebones narrative of that game than Awakening's. I had a similar experience with FE11, although that game's beautiful localisation and the english script's floweriness went a significant distance in helping with my impressions of the Archanean characters and universe. But the series has also gone past that, and I think it hit it's apex in FE9 in putting together a really fine balance of appropriate fantasy and adventure with relatable and real concerns.

BASICALLY (and I swear this post is getting near the end now), New Mystery and Awakening's narrative failings are not that "they are silly/unrealistic/exaggerated", it's that they couldn't even pull off this type of approach effectively! I'm partial to the lower key aspects of the older games, but I recognise that as a niche view, so having "more" in the script is progression. But with more script comes more chances for the script to make a mess of itself. People say "if has a proper writer now" but everything we've been given about the plot and scenario is played up to be very serious and grim, yet the art direction, voice direction, dialogue, and elements like the onsen and facerubbing nonsense are all profoundly pointing the other way. Is the writer actually in charge of anything but the main scenario? I'm pretty doubtful he is, and even IF the main scenario is well put together, I think that this game is going to have the same issue of it's flavour being the demise of it's own narrative. You can't have your cake and eat it when it comes to stuff like this, trying too hard to pull in opposite directions negatively impacts the whole. Fire Emblem's cohesiveness and purpose to me as of now seems to be pretty firmly rooted in, as you put it, and as I and others put it before; The Player's pleasure. Everything else is secondary. The game exists to let you be catered to and let you do whatever you want in a themepark of festivities, and that's why Kamui can molest his soldiers whilst they deify him/her. I don't think I've ever felt so revulsed at anything within a game than reading the translation of "It is an honor to be touched by you".

Games should focus on something. FE:If is positively reeking to me of a game that thinks it can fufill everything and everyone at once, and will rely on sheer volume of quantity over quality to try to sate everyone's wishes. And doubtless, it will recieve acclaim exactly for being a gigantic chaotic mess of a videogame, as that's considered a positive now since depth and poignance appear to have been redefined by gaming critics to mean "things that satisfy me".

Plus, it probably also works also well for the hard and especially long working adults who don't have that much time to get into the kind of experience that Fire Emblem used to be designed for. I never really thought about why IS felt that Fire Emblem was best enjoyed at a home console, but seeing the games actually designed the way they are now, I think I get it: A good story, good characters and deep gameplay simply takes dedication, something you can only really enjoy if you take your time with it. And this is something that a large part of the potential audience simply couldn't devote to it even if they would want to. Since that kind of game has no future, they decided that the most profitable thing would be to give the players the narrative equivalent of a blowjob. That is quick, simple and uncomplicated.

hear hear

As you said, I'm also done hoping for a miracle. I think I let myself be decieved early on by the initial trailers but my position has been really reaffirmed and strengthened by the pre-release info on this game, and I now know there is definitely no hope for an improvement on this front.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Irysa

[Great Geargia Gateway]

Should bait characters like Camilla be added to 'Pandering'? Has someone said that already?

What about future 'Pandering' DLC like fe13?

[The DanMan]

I've started to think that My Castle was a bit of a waste of development resources that could be put towards the main gameplay and story.

I'm only concerned about S supports and fanservice designs (something I loved about the series was that the fanservice was kept to a minimum). Facerubbing is more of a "WTF" thing to me (I'm more worried about the buttkissing we hear during it).

[Icy Toast]

I'd just like to add one thing. (...)

That's a great point, and well put. While I, like you, would personally prefer for FE not to go for the cornier, less serious approach you describe, I must agree that it is not inherently wrong. If done right, that is.

People say "if has a proper writer now" but everything we've been given about the plot and scenario is played up to be very serious and grim, yet the art direction, voice direction, dialogue, and elements like the onsen and facerubbing nonsense are all profoundly pointing the other way. (...) I think that this game is going to have the same issue of it's flavour being the demise of it's own narrative.

I think you've really hit the nail on the head here. This pretty much says it all.

I don't think I've ever felt so revulsed at anything within a game than reading the translation of "It is an honor to be touched by you".

This doesn't detract from your point at large, but I'd like to point out that that is, in fact, a mistranslation. Harold isn't talking about being touched in a literal sense, he's talking about being honored to have the opportunity to socialize with Kamui. The word he uses (触れ合う) can mean both, but the context suggests the intended meaning here is the non-literal one. (Although the pun is, no doubt, intended!) Edited June 5, 2015 by Icy Toast

[Refa]

Fanservice is in this Fire Emblem, all's wrong with the world.

...But it's totally cool if that's your thing. It's just not really what I personally want out of Fire Emblem haha.

[Irysa]

This doesn't detract from your point at large, but I'd like to point out that that is, in fact, a mistranslation. Harold isn't talking about being touched in a literal sense, he's talking about being honored to have the opportunity to socialize with Kamui. The word he uses (触れ合う) can mean both, but the context suggests the intended meaning here is the non-literal one. (Although the pun is, no doubt, intended!)

I don't feel this really alleviates my disgust for that individual scenario, it just modifies it slightly. I'm still repulsed because it's meta to the point of being an in-joke from the scriptwriter about the nature of the feature, like this is something they clearly don't take seriously either. It just emphasises again that the player is the central focus here, that the feature (and the game at large) exists to empower the player and let them play with their "pets". Additionally, that kind of agency reducing subservient dialogue is obviously going to be a frequent re-occurance in Kamui's room, and there isn't really indication to believe that such blatant hero-worship will be any less toned down elsewhere across the game.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Irysa

[Lexington]

Well, if so many of you don't like all the "pandering" and "anime/otaku stuff", show IS by not buying the game.

Quite simple, isn't it?

Personally I'll see how the features, characters, story etc. actually play out before making any judgements.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Lexington

[Aekenon]

Really, the best case for the FE Amie feature is that it's crammed somewhere out of the way like the Hubba Tester -- where it has no actual context in the game, and it's treated like some goofy side show. A tongue-in-cheek omake, if you will. Granted, evidence seems to point to the contrary, seeing as how it apparently provides actual in-game bonuses...

To be fair, it's hard to say from here just how much these features will effect the game. They leave a bad impression, and I don't like the direction... but the writing could well be good in spite of these transgressions, so I'll keep an open mind. I'll react to what I see, but I don't want to make sweeping judgements just yet.

[ClassyWolf]

About the hot springs: I don't find them that strange, since Hoshido is supposed to be based on Japan, hot springs fit in fairly well, after all, if I'm not completely wrong, hot springs has a certain religious meaning in Japan with cleansing body and soul I believe.

About saunas, i believe they are not that common in all of Europe, honestly, only really common in Finland, sure you can find them in places like Sweden, Germany or Russia, but they are more of an exception than the rule, while in Finland it's almost every household that has a sauna, and honestly, if you want something equivalent of hot springs for Nohr that would fit the theme better than hot springs, I would say roman bathhouses.

Not gonna comment that much in the face poking since I find it weird, though it may be a cultural thing.

[Aekenon]

Well, if so many of you don't like all the "pandering" and "anime/otaku stuff", show IS by not buying the game.

Quite simple, isn't it?

Maybe this isn't how you intended it, but I'm always put off by this pithy "if you don't like it, go away" kind of remark, since it's usually as if to say "you're not allowed to criticize something you like." It's important to remember that it's always fans on either side of these conversations, who just want the best for the thing they love. Even if they can't agree on what this means, it's hard to be mad when you keep in mind that everyone's heart is in the right place.

As to the actual talk-with-your-money argument there... hey, it's not a bad sentiment to have. All the power to anyone who does so, I guess. But even if opponents of "THE PANDERALYPSE" took the super extreme length of boycotting this game -- and it somehow had an effect -- the message that the business folks'd interpret from low sales would be "welp, I guess Fire Emblem just isn't popular," and then we'd just see the series slip back into limbo for awhile. Which, if you're a fan, isn't exactly desirable either.

And let's be real here, most of the people here who have a problem with this stuff are still excited enough about other features to want to get the game anyway. They're fan enough to be on a message board, after all. But it's still perfectly reasonable to discuss and criticize the elements they're not so fond of. Potentially productive, even.

[BrightBow]

As to the actual talk-with-your-money argument there... hey, it's not a bad sentiment to have. All the power to anyone who does so, I guess. But even if opponents of "THE PANDERALYPSE" took the super extreme length of boycotting this game -- and it somehow had an effect -- the message that the business folks'd interpret from low sales would be "welp, I guess Fire Emblem just isn't popular," and then we'd just see the series slip back into limbo for awhile. Which, if you're a fan, isn't exactly desirable either.

Yeah, that's always an important point to consider with this argument.

Money only allows you to give a binary answer towards a question that is far more complicated. "Why didn't you like our game?" simply isn't an question that can be answered with YES and NO. One needs to find a way to communicate why they didn't buy it.

Edit: Besides, it's not like you know if you like a game before you played it. And I can not go back in time to stop myself from paying money for Awakening. As far as Nintendo knows, I totally liked that game and nothing could be further from the truth.

Edited June 5, 2015 by BrightBow

[Lexington]

Maybe this isn't how you intended it, but I'm always put off by this pithy "if you don't like it, go away" kind of remark, since it's usually as if to say "you're not allowed to criticize something you like." It's important to remember that it's always fans on either side of these conversations, who just want the best for the thing they love. Even if they can't agree on what this means, it's hard to be mad when you keep in mind that everyone's heart is in the right place.

As to the actual talk-with-your-money argument there... hey, it's not a bad sentiment to have. All the power to anyone who does so, I guess. But even if opponents of "THE PANDERALYPSE" took the super extreme length of boycotting this game -- and it somehow had an effect -- the message that the business folks'd interpret from low sales would be "welp, I guess Fire Emblem just isn't popular," and then we'd just see the series slip back into limbo for awhile. Which, if you're a fan, isn't exactly desirable either.

And let's be real here, most of the people here who have a problem with this stuff are still excited enough about other features to want to get the game anyway. They're fan enough to be on a message board, after all. But it's still perfectly reasonable to discuss and criticize the elements they're not so fond of. Potentially productive, even.

It was partially meant like that.

Of course you're allowed to criticize stuff you like, few things in life are perfect. But a lot of people around here seem to have already made up their minds about a lot of these features without ever having them experienced for themselves.

Why would you do that? Why not wait until you actually see it for yourself? Are you actively trying to dislike them?

If you plan on buying the game despite these features, try to give them a chance before judging them so harshly. But if you think this actually ruins the game and destroys your whole experience, don't buy it.

And I don't see the productiveness in saying "this sucks, they shouldn't do that and the other thing was better in the older games". I know, that's not everyone, but it still irks me.

As for "not buying won't help the series change for the better", yeah, neither will buying the game, because then they will think you like the anime/otaku features and keep adding on them. Basically the only way to actually do that is for your opinion to somehow reach the ears of the developers and that's probably not going to happen via this board.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Lexington

[CrimsonRaven]

Really, the best case for the FE Amie feature is that it's crammed somewhere out of the way like the Hubba Tester -- where it has no actual context in the game, and it's treated like some goofy side show. A tongue-in-cheek omake, if you will. Granted, evidence seems to point to the contrary, seeing as how it apparently provides actual in-game bonuses...

This, the trailer had me cringing very uncomfortably at the face rubbing scenes, I really hope its just not required to get an S rank...I can deal with it if it's kinda like the barracks in awakening, where it was kinda unrelated in the grand scheme of things.

Also is it just me or are they just reusing the faces from awakening and just splicing/editing them to make new ones? Especially Luna. I mean come on, really?

Other than ranting, I'm very excited to see these new classes and the My Castle seems pretty cool. Does anyone know the stats of each new class? It feels like they would just rename the assassin class to shinobi and be done with it same goes for the others

[Aekenon]

words

If you shouldn't discuss something in a game before playing it for yourself, then most of us should probably vacate this board until next year. I mean, I'm totally with you when it comes to reserving judgement, but I also don't believe everyone should have to qualify their statements with "...but, you know, I could be wrong. We'll see." It should go without saying. I totally partake in pointless qualifying all the time anyway, but I'm also just disgustingly neutral in most things. So, hey. Maybe that's why I can respect people with more pronounced opinions on any side of the spectrum.

I certainly have beef with people who bang their drums too loudly, but I also take issue when people take the "fall in line or shut up" approach, as it's equally antagonizing, and especially out of place when most discussion has been relatively civil (at least on these boards). People are allowed their grievances, and it's good to have an avenue with which to discuss them. This is a topic for that, after all.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Aekenon

[Yunanuy]

I don't mind the new changes honestly (outside of the petting...it's a bit creepy). The hot springs make sense culturally, and I consider My Castle to just be the new status screen between chapters that we had in pre-Awakening games + Barracks among other new tidbits.

It's nice, it's new, it's fresh. But I think that the fact that it is something new, is why most players are worried. Most people don't think that the feature will be balanced, and that Amie Emblem will take precedence over Fire Emblem, and I'm part of that as well. Although I don't like it, I accept it. I do have high hopes for My Castle though, and I wholeheartedly expect that it will be a feature I enjoy.

also, here's to hoping characters will be a bit more fleshed out, and not be entirely based on their tropes.

[Shrouded In Myth]

If you plan on buying the game despite these features, try to give them a chance before judging them so harshly. But if you think this actually ruins the game and destroys your whole experience, don't buy it.

I don't like this sort of logic because it invalidates the opinion of critics. So if the critics did what you said and don't buy the game because they don't like certain features, then when the game is actually released and they criticize the game for those features people would just say that they can't judge a game they haven't played.

As for "not buying won't help the series change for the better", yeah, neither will buying the game, because then they will think you like the anime/otaku features and keep adding on them. Basically the only way to actually do that is for your opinion to somehow reach the ears of the developers and that's probably not going to happen via this board.

The best way to tell IS that these features are not welcome to to buy an alternative game without those features. The problem is there is none; Fire Emblem is really the last of its kind, all similar games have died out. Front Mission is dead, Valkyria Chronicles is missing in action, Shining Force has been replaced by the other titles in the series, Super Robot Wars is never getting out of Japan. Langrisser is getting a new game and I will keep up with it to see if it is any good.

Either way Nintendo makes surveys in which players can give their thoughts on their games. So going on boards like this could actually help because people can tell the fanbase their grievances and some might change their opinion to not being okay with these features. Mass Effect 3 ending didn't change because of poor sales, it changed because everyone was complaining about the ending.