Kasumi (Dead or Alive)

Template:Nihongo is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Dead or Alive fighting game series by Team Ninja and Tecmo (Koei Tecmo). Kasumi serves as the main protagonist of the Dead or Alive franchise since its premiere in 1996. She was a main character in the first, second, and fifth games of the series and in the film adaptation, DOA: Dead or Alive.

In the games' canon, Kasumi, also known as "The Kunoichi of Destiny", is a teenage ninja princess of the Mugen Tenshin Ninja Clan. Kasumi abandoned her clan, becoming an outcast and is pursued by her younger half-sister, Ayane. Throughout the series, there have been several boss characters who are clones of her. She also guest appeared in various other games, including Team Ninja's other flagship series, Ninja Gaiden, where she and Ayane play much bigger roles, as well as Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate and Warriors All-Stars as part of their playable roster.

Kasumi has become a symbol of the Dead or Alive franchise and is the personal favorite of Team Ninja's founder and the series' creator, Tomonobu Itagaki. She has been the subject of various merchandise and was also used to promote Xbox consoles in Japan. Kasumi is a popular sex symbol in video game culture and an iconic ninja character. Due to differences in cultural norms, she has attracted some controversy in the West involving eroticism and the use of underage female characters in video games.

Conception and design

Tomonobu Itagaki originally envisioned the character to be male, before changing her gender. As Kasumi became more and more kawaii, he decided to make her the lead character. The rest of his team was only half-convinced at first but warmed up to the idea eventually.<ref name=jp>Template:Cite book</ref> Her primary outfit was designed to keep "in mind of materials available to cosplayers at the time"<ref>Dead or Alive History Book, p. 54.</ref>

Kasumi is Template:Convert and with three-sizes of 35-21-33.<ref name=girls/> She is usually wearing a wakizashi in a small of her back. Her hair has been variously blonde, auburn and red, with hairstyle options including a ponytail, a braid, and loose hair. She wears many types of costumes through the series, including female ninja outfits, feminine casual clothes, Japanese schoolgirl uniforms,<ref>Dead or Alive 2 Schoolgirl Outfits Revealed Template:Webarchive, IGN, March 8, 2000.</ref><ref>Itagaki Speaks! Template:Webarchive, 1UP.com, 2005.</ref> and bikinis. Commonly, her default (and sometimes only, in most of her guest appearances) costume has been her blue-and-white "Brilliant Lapis" (originally white-and-red, later known as "Immaculate White"), made of a revealing and puff-sleeved Japanese tunic (later with swan-themed ornaments), a sash, thigh-high tabi, sandals with shin guards, hand guards with metal wristbands, and a choker. According to IGN, she had the best outfits of the characters in Dead or Alive UltimateTemplate:Mdashthe expanded compilation of the first two DOA gamesTemplate:Mdashin which "she looks great and her outfits are fantastic."<ref name=girls>Hilary Goldstein, Girls of DOAU: Kasumi | The buxom ninja is set to take on all combatants with deadly speed. Template:Webarchive, IGN, September 27, 2004.</ref> A planned new main costume for Kasumi in Dead or Alive: Dimensions upset some fans when the game was announced in 2010.<ref>Jim Sterling, Ayane & Kasumi's new costumes in Dead or Alive Dimensions Template:Webarchive, Destructoid, 09.27.2010.</ref>

She was the youngest character in the original version of the first game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Itagaki said his "daughter" Kasumi "has been a main character of the Dead or Alive series, and please understand, she is like a Venus to me."<ref name=dm>"Alive & Heaving". Dreamcast Magazine issue 5, page 41.</ref> When asked if he was comfortable with sexualizing a 17-year-old character, Itagaki answered, "In Japan, that's okay. Maybe it's 20 in America."<ref name=qj>QuickJump QuickList: top ten Tomonobu Itagaki lines Template:Webarchive, QJ.net, November 12, 2007.</ref> He said, "I was 27 when I created Kasumi. I'm older now, but 17-year-old girls are still gorgeous."<ref name=xbn/> Itagaki said the Dead or Alive series contributed its character Ayane, rather than the "very soft" Kasumi, for a cameo appearance in 2004's Ninja Gaiden because Kasumi did not fit with the game's "very hard-edged" basis as "DOA is based on a 'softer' concept, and she is rather symbolic of the game as a whole".<ref>Itagaki: The Kikizo Interview 2005 Template:Webarchive, Video Games Daily, February 15, 2005.</ref> He said that if Ninja Gaiden had featured Kasumi, it would have become less a "story of [Ryu] Hayabusa and ninjas" and more a story of Kasumi ("Kasumi-den") and a "DOA action game".<ref>Christian Nutt, Tomonobu Itagaki on Ninja Gaiden - Page 5 Template:Webarchive, GameSpy, August 23, 2003.</ref> Itagaki has described himself as personally "a fan of Kasumi" as his favorite DOA character.<ref name=gs>Christian Nutt, Tomonobu Itagaki on Ninja Gaiden - Page 4 Template:Webarchive, GameSpy, August 23, 2003.</ref><ref name=gt>David Taylor, Tomonobu Itagaki at the Championship Gaming Series Final Template:Webarchive, Gaming Target, August 2, 2007.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also said he felt "responsible for her" and was "very close to her".<ref name=xbn>XBox Nation Magazine, Winter 2002.</ref> When hackers found a way to remove her clothing in DOA2, Itagaki felt this "was an attack on her".<ref name=qj/> Tecmo's lawyers sued software company West Side, the authors of the hack, for violating copyright, and won the case<ref>Tecmo Wins Against Nude DOA2 Hackers, GamePro, September 3, 2002.</ref> and damages of two million yen (over Template:USD).<ref>Tom Bramwell, Tecmo wins naked Kasumi court case Template:Webarchive, Eurogamer, 1 October 2004.</ref> Kasumi's nude model can be also accessed using a GameShark cheat device in the Dreamcast version of DOA2,<ref name="hardcoregaming2">Template:Cite web</ref> and one fan-made mod for DOA5 modified her training suit to remove most of the clothing.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2012, 16 years after her debut appearance, Kasumi was redesigned with an emphasis to look more "grown up" in DOA5.<ref name=new>Kasumi's New Look In Dead or Alive 5 Is A Bit More Grown Up Template:Webarchive, Siliconera, March 12, 2012.</ref> The game's art director Yuta Saito said, "From DOA4 we wanted to evolve the characters in a slightly realistic direction. The most difficult, and you don't have to ask, is Kasumi. Kasumi is the face of DOA and the eternal heroine. And for such a popular character like Kasumi, to change her form we really needed a lot of courage and it really was a big challenge. But if we didn't do that, we couldn't make DOA5 and we wouldn't be able to show you anything."<ref name=gr5/> Producer Yasuke Hayashi said the process of remodeling Kasumi has sparked most disputes in the development team, especially since she is "a character that is not so much out on the table, with hidden feelings, and it's been difficult to express such a 'hidden look'."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> GamesRadar+ noted that "the manga influences on her facial featuresTemplate:Mdashwhile still apparentTemplate:Mdashhave been scaled right back [a]nd her boobs seem less ludicrously unmanageable."<ref name=gr5>Matt Cundy, Dead or Alive 5: Check out the redesigned and more mature Kasumi (in a bikini) Template:Webarchive, GamesRadar+, August 29, 2012.</ref> In Dead or Alive 6, Kasumi's primary outfit was changed to an armored "full-body skin-tight catsuit with combat heels", with her original outfit included as an alternative one.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>)

Appearances

In video games

Kasumi was introduced in the 1996 fighting video game Dead or Alive by Koei Tecmo, and alongside her brother Hayate is one of heirs apparent of their ninja clan. However after Hayate is seriously injured by series villain Raidou, she abandons her position to fight and kill him at the game's fighting tournament.<ref name="freaks144">Template:Cite book</ref> Now an outcast, she is pursued by her half sister Ayane.<ref name="freaks158">Template:Cite book</ref> Despite being victorious, she is captured and experimented on by the company DOATEC, which produces several clones of her she fights through the series. After she escapes, she reunites with her now-amnesiac brother. Kasumi helps him to recover his memories and restores him to the head of the ninja clan, though she remains an outcast.<ref name="freaks144"/> Living as a hermit in the mountains,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in Dead or Alive 6 she fights alongside Ayane and Hayate to defeat a revived Raidou.<ref>Template:Cite video game</ref>

Kasumi appears in the 2003 sports video game Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (DOAX). There, Kasumi is invited to a fourth DOA tournament; upon arriving she discovers the invitation is a hoax, and she and the game's other characters play beach volleyball. Kasumi also appears in the sequel, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (2006), and in the portable version Dead or Alive Paradise (2010). She is one of the first nine playable female characters in Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 (2015).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In this case, Kasumi, while reading her fortune, returns once again to New Zack Island, and she decides to spend some time in order to find of about her fortune. In mobile game The Girls of Dead or Alive: Blackjack (2009), Kasumi makes a non-player appearance as blackjack dealer.<ref>Mike Fahey, Tecmo Deals iPhone DoA Kasumi Blackjack Template:Webarchive, Kotaku, June 12, 2009.</ref>

Dead or Alive: Code Chronos, a DOA series' prequel game which was to star Kasumi and Ayane in the leading roles. Itagaki said in 2003, "the fact that we registered this trademark for Kasumi-den should tell you that we have a big plan for it."<ref name=gs/> Code Chronos was cancelled following Itagaki's departure from Tecmo

In the Ninja Gaiden series, Kasumi first made a cameo appearance at the end of 2009's Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. Kasumi appears as a playable character in the 2012 action game Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge, which was made available as free DLC for the Wii U, and was included in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. In it, she is armed with a long sword and kunai throwing knives and by default wears hooded black armor with a cape-like blue scarf;<ref>Dave Cook, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge gets Kasumi DLC screens Template:Webarchive, VG247, December 7, 2012.</ref> the player can also select three of her costumes from DOA5.<ref>Kasumi Has A Range Of Costumes In Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge Template:Webarchive, Siliconera, December 26, 2012.</ref> In 2013, Kasumi was featured in the smart phone action card game Hyakuman-nin no Ninja Gaiden,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in which Hitomi from Dead or Alive and Rio from Rio: Rainbow Gate! also appear dressed in Kasumi's DOA costumes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Kasumi appears as an optionally playable 'monster' in the games Monster Rancher 2 (1999) and Monster Rancher 4 (2003). Kasumi also appears as a playable character in a minor role in Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate (Musou Orochi 3 Ultimate, 2013).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She is a playable character in the crossover crowd-fighting game Warriors All-Stars (Musou Stars, 2017) in a larger role, including appearing on the game's cover art.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Her classic blue ninja getup is an unlockable costume for Arin in Super Swing Golf,<ref>Kasumi from Dead or Alive plays golf Template:Webarchive, Siliconera, June 12, 2006.</ref> and is an alternative costume of Mio Amakura in the Director's Cut version of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly for the Xbox (2004).Template:Citation needed It is also available for character avatars in Koei's social game My GAMECITY and in Sega's Phantasy Star Online 2 (added in 2017),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as well as for player characters in Game Arts' Ragnarok Odyssey Ace (2013)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and for Senran Kagura's Asuka in Shinobi Master Senran Kagura: New Link (a 2018 collaboration).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sega's free-to-play game Samurai & Dragons added a rare Kasumi card in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kasumi also appeared as a playable guest character in Netmarble/SNK's The King of Fighters All Star (a 2021 collaboration).

In other media

Kasumi appeared as a lead character in the 2006 action-comedy film DOA: Dead or Alive, which is loosely based on the game series. In it, she was played by Devon Aoki, an American actress of mixed ethnicity who has previously portrayed the ninja Miho in the film Sin City. Itagaki later expressed a preference for a Japanese actress, ideally Kumiko Gotoh, but had no authority over the casting process.<ref>Andrew Alfonso, E3 2006: Tomonobu Itagaki Interview Template:Webarchive, IGN, May 8, 2006.</ref> According to Aoki, she was asked to go the film's casting interview by her 15-year-old brother. She played the game for the first time, after which she understood why Kasumi is so popular.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Aoki said about Kasumi in the film: "Yes, she's pretty badass ... and she's a princess. She's never been outside the palace walls. She's been very, very sheltered, because she's a princess and that's the way it is ... until the point where she actually decides to leave, she's basically been pretty sheltered but she's a capable fighter."<ref>"Rogue" Set Visit: Devon Aoki Dishes "DOA," Learning Japanese, and Buff RTers Template:Webarchive, Rotten Tomatoes, June 7, 2006.</ref>

According to Kung Fu Tai Chi, DOA: Dead or Alive "focuses its pugilistic mayhem on the eye-candy surrounding the mythos of Princess Kasumi".<ref>Dr. Craig Reid, DOA: "Dead or Alive," "Dead on Arrival," or "Drive Oonce Again?" Template:Webarchive, KungFuMagazine.com, 2007.</ref> In the movie, Kasumi escapes her clan and joins the tournament upon receiving an invitation. She fights against Leon and wins. Later, Kasumi stabs the villain Victor Donovan with an acupuncture needle. He is paralyzed and perishes in an explosion. In the end, she goes home with her brother despite being a runaway shinobi, but has to fight against her clan with her new friends to be allowed to stay.

In print media, Kasumi appears in several stories in the gag comic series Dead or Alive 2 Comic Anthology by DNA Media Comics.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> She was also featured in a gamebook for the ecchi series Queen's Blade, which utilized a stylized version of her original design.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Meanwhile, a picture book titled Dead or Alive Side A: Love! Kasumi was produced and sold in Japan, featuring images and poses of the character as seen in the Xtreme series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Promotion and merchandise

Kasumi has been featured in a wide range of merchandise, including figurines, statuettes and action figures that have been released by Tecmo,<ref>Anoop Gantayat and Jeremy Conrad, Dead or Alive 2 Strategy Guide: Cool Stuff Template:Webarchive, Snowball.com/IGNguides, 2000.</ref> Sega,<ref>Brian Ashcraft, Catch These Dead or Alive Figures! Template:Webarchive, Kotaku, September 4, 2008.</ref> Kaiyodo,<ref>Brian Ashcraft, Beautiful Kasumi Destroyed By Nasty Feet, Kotaku, August 18, 2006.</ref> Max Factory,<ref>Michael McWhertor, Finally, A Somewhat New Kasumi Figure Template:Webarchive, Kotaku, July 24, 2007.</ref> Kotobukiya,<ref>Michael McWhertor, DOAX’s Kasumi Paint Job Studied, Kotaku, April 2, 2007.</ref><ref>Luke Plunkett, Dead Or Alive, Kasumi’s A Pricey Figure Template:Webarchive, Kotaku, November 30, 2010.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Takara,<ref>Brian Ashcraft, Plastic Sexploitation Template:Webarchive, Kotaku, September 7, 2005.</ref> wall scrolls,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and others. One figure was bundled with a special edition of Dead or Alive Paradise for the PlayStation Portable (also sold separately<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>);<ref name=sexy>Brian Ashcraft, Dead or Alive PSP Game Bundled With Sexy Kasumi Statue Template:Webarchive, Kotaku, December 18, 2009.</ref> another exclusive figure was bundled with the magazine Hobby Japan in 2010.<ref>Tyler Nagata, Kasumi doll does battle in her underwear Template:Webarchive, GamesRadar, June 3, 2010.</ref> Some Kasumi figures can be stripped down to their underwear<ref>Tyler Nagata, Kasumi doll does battle in her underwear | PVC figure brings Dead or Alive's assets to life Template:Webarchive, GamesRadar, June 3, 2010.</ref> or stripped topless.<ref>Brian Ashcraft, Kasumi Toy Stripped Topless, Kotaku, February 1, 2008.</ref>

Other items include an Xbox 360 face plate,<ref>Anoop Gantayat, The Ultimate Face Plate: Kasumi gives you a good reason to buy a second memory card. Template:Webarchive, IGN, October 18, 2006.</ref> a PSP protective cover,<ref name=sexy /> swimwear for women,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 3D mousepads<ref>Brain Crecente, Play with Kasumi's Breasts for $25, Kotaku, February 15, 2005.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a "3D" mug,<ref>Brian Ashcraft, Dead or Alive Mugs With 3D Humps, Kotaku, December 5, 2007.</ref> trading cards,<ref>Brian Ashcraft, KOTAKU JAPAN: A Kasumi for a Randy Johnson?, Kotaku, July 11, 2005.</ref> and a "squishy pillow".<ref name=merch/> A life-size Template:Convert dakimakura "love pillow"<ref name=merch/><ref>Brian Ashcraft, Kasumi Pillows Overshadow 360 Console Template:Webarchive, Kotaku, November 24, 2005.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was bundled by Microsoft with the 5,000-unit "Kasumi-chan Blue" limited edition batch of the Xbox consoles sold in Japan with a matching Xbox Controller;<ref>Chris Kohler, Getting in Bed With the Customer Template:Webarchive, Wired.com, 02.06.04.</ref><ref>Lifesize Kasumi Pillow to be Included in DOA Ultimate Xbox Bundle, GamePro, February 3, 2004.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a bed sheet of Kasumi and Ayane was offered as part of the Deluxe Edition of Dead or Alive 6 in Japan.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Kasumi and Hitomi were also used in an iPhone digital clock application Bijin Tokei,<ref>Anoop Gantaya, Kasumi, Hitomi Appear on Bijin Tokei Template:Webarchive, Andriasang.com, 2010-03-31.</ref> and a Dead or Alive voice clock was bundled with a figure of either Kasumi or Ayane.<ref name=merch>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kasumi-themed credit cards were also released,<ref>Gavin Ogden, Get your DOA Kasumi credit card now! Template:Webarchive, CVG UK, 1st February 2007.</ref> while a 1/6 scale special limited figure was released in only 20 copies as part of the film's promotional campaign.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Dead or Alive 5 pre-order bonuses included an exclusive Kasumi-themed iPhone case from the online retailer ShopTo.Net.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Merchandise released for DOA5 include another Kasumi-themed 3D mousepad<ref>Dead or Alive 5 Gets 3D Mousepads Template:Webarchive, Anime News Network, 2012-10-20.</ref> and body pillow cases.<ref>Jenni Lada, Dead or Alive 5 pillow cases coming to Japan Template:Webarchive, GamerTell, December 11, 2012.</ref> Kasumi was featured on the covers of Dead or Alive 5 Postcard School Calendar 2013<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and on 2005's comic anthology companion for Dead or Alive Ultimate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate "Kasumi-chan Blue" limited edition includes Kasumi-themed 3D mousepad, playing cards, lifesize tapestry and bath poster; the game's collector's edition also contains a Kasumi 3D mousepad and playing cards.<ref name=package>Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate Gets Sultry (And Expensive!) Special Editions In Japan Template:Webarchive, Siliconera, July 5, 2013.</ref> There is also a life-size 3D mousepad of Kasumi from DOA Xtreme 3.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

First-print copies of Tecmo Koei's Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate (Japanese version of Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate) were bundled with DLC costume codes for Kasumi's special "Orochi" themed costume in DOA5 Ultimate.<ref>Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate Orochi DLC Costumes to Be Bundled with Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate in Japan Template:Webarchive, Shoryuken, August 30, 2013.</ref>

Another Kasumi figure was released for her Queen's Gate appearance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Critical reception

Kasumi was well received upon her debut. Brian Ashcraft of Kotaku called her one of the most iconic characters in Japanese gaming, praising how cosplayers leaned into the character's strengths and how instantly recognizable her outfit had become, further calling her the face of the franchise and stating "She isn't merely in Dead or Alive; she is Dead or Alive."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The staff of Wirtualna Polska meanwhile stated she has "become almost a legend, becoming one of the most iconic heroines not only in games, but also in pop culture in general", noting the large amount of merchandise and memorability regarding the character.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The book She has also been cited her as a popular subject for cosplay,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> with Everybody Cosplay! author Jan Kurotaki voicing her approval for the "cool, really flashy costume that gets you a lot of attention!"<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Princess Weekees of The Mary Sue stated that while "her conception was filled with ecchi ideas", she enjoyed how Kasumi evolved as a character during the course of the series. Calling her a sex symbol, she appreciated that the character's redesign in Dead or Alive 6 was her favorite, "providing full coverage, but the tight design of it still looks sexy".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In another article she cited Kasumi as an example of a "badass wish-fulfillment" character she felt women often enjoyed playing as a form of power fantasy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Manga artist Kōsuke Fujishima praised how she represented the series as a protagonist, finding it "refreshing" to see in the fighting game genre. He additionally enjoyed that her movements were "expressed in a feminine manner", noting that it was a rarity in the time of Dead or Alive 2Template:'s release.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

James Hawkins of Joystick Division stated that while all the female characters of Dead or Alive were sexy, "there is something [...] about Kasumi that the other characters in the series seem to be missing", citing her compassionate character and "appealing vulnerability in the way she carries herself", but also how her character seemed more realistically proportioned compared to other members of the cast.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The staff of Sina.com.cn it was "extremely easy to be intoxicated" by her "quiet and delicate appearance", and felt this along with her temperament made her extremely popular with male and female players.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kurt Kalata of Hardcore Gaming 101 on the other hand criticized her as an "insufferable Mary Sue," particularly in Dimensions and cited her as an example of poor writing in the series.<ref name="hardcoregaming2"/> The staff of Kakuchopurei noted that while she was an important character to and often the driving force of the Dead or Alive series, they disliked her lack of personality and that her only perceived motivation seemed to be due to her role as the series protagonist, stating "That’s a goal, not a character trait."<ref name=Kakuchopurei>Template:Cite web</ref>

Kasumi's character design and its sexualization have been discussed in various publications.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The book Data Made Flesh cited her as an example of how video game characters tend to lean towards a "hyperreal" depiction that aimed to create "a unique aesthetic for perfection".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Matt Cundy of GamesRadar+ meanwhile praised how she was changed aesthetically for Dead or Alive 5, citing how the "manga influences" in her face were present but reduced, and particularly noted her breasts were shown as more manageable compared to previous incarnations. While he called her outfit "a questionable state of undress", he stated "at least she looks more tasteful while doing it. So that's definitely probably more mature."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Emanuel Maiberg of Vice voiced approval for her redesign in Dead or Alive 6, citing it as an example of how the game series could be seen as "growing up".<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Kasumi has also been the subject of various third-party productions, many of which erotic media such as hentai doujins and machinima,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the latter of which has been the subject of academic discussion regarding the treatment of women in such media.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Meanwhile, Japanese company Thrust released an unlicensed pornographic film of the character titled "Kazumi" in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also in 2007, Doujin company C-Cube released a unofficial "breast stimulation" erotic soundtrack CD using the character's likeness in Akihabara stores.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kasumi's popularity also led to a large amount of poor quality bootleg figurines in Japan, to the extent shop owners would post comparison pictures to help shoppers identify them.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Ninja in popular culture