Leotards

The benefits of leotards are pretty obvious. They’re streamlined, they don’t restrict mobility, and they prevent certain body parts from flopping around and going into business for themselves. Leotards are ideal for almost any type of physical activity, but most of these benefits are negated in Fortune’s case since the rest of her clothes are so baggy. She drapes a large trench coat over her shoulders, her belt hangs loosely off her waist, and she doesn’t even bother to tie up her boots! Incidentally, Fortune isn’t overly concerned with mobility. As a leading member of a Navy SEALs anti-terrorist unit, Fortune has an apparent supernatural ability to dodge incoming bullets. She’s agile enough to avoid enemy fire, so her leotard should be viewed as reflection of her personal taste rather than a utilitarian garment.

Incarnations of her character have appeared in every Breath of Fire game thus far, but we’re focusing on the original Nina in this case. As a member of the seclusive Wing Clan, Nina is defined by her majestic wings and her shy personality. Members of her tribe apparently have the ability to transform into birds, but Nina’s appearance is more akin to an angel when we first meet her. The red leotard she wears is a logical choice for someone in her position. Pants would add extra weight and bulk, so they would not be conducive to flying. Skirts and dresses are pretty much out of the question too, and someone as classy as Nina probably wouldn’t want to flash her panties to everyone. Leotards can be considered a form of fanservice in many situations, but Nina’s outfit looks comfortable, stylish, and practical.

With an ivory-ether body powered by the revolutionary “celestial drive,” Mei-Fang was created to be the ultimate artificial life form. She sometimes has trouble understanding human behavior and emotions, but she was programmed with an intimate knowledge of martial arts and came pre-loaded with 4,000 years of Chinese recipes! Mei-Fang pretty much excels at everything and was intended to be the perfect creation. She doesn’t understand why humans insist on settling things with her fist, but she can hold her own if she gets dragged into a fight. Her outfit is ideal for these situations since it doesn’t inhibit her martial arts moves. As an added bonus, the white leotard highlights her impossible hourglass figure. There’s no point in engineering a body like hers if you’re just going to cover it up.

There must have been a law in the 1990s stating that every fighting game had to have a token hot girl in a leotard. Black Orchid filled that role in Killer Instinct, and her neon green outfit contoured every curve of her oddly-proportioned body. Orchid’s fighting style is highly acrobatic in nature, so it makes sense for her to wear something that promotes flexibility. The leotard was exceptionally tight, however. You’d think it was painted on if not for the fact that she occasionally took it off to flash her breasts. Orchid’s original leotard clung to her booty like spandex hotpants, but she donned a revealing thong-inspired leotard in the sequel. She stopped exposing her breasts in Killer Instinct 2 too, so maybe she figured her exposed butt cheeks were a suitable replacement.

Most princesses wear elaborate gowns made by reputable designers, but Kitana has no time for pageantry. Her wicked step-father raised her to be a prolific assassin, and the perilous gig obviously requires an outfit that won’t restrict mobility. There’s a reason you don’t see many hit men wearing ballgowns, after all. Kitana is over 10,000 years old, but her blue leotard from Mortal Kombat II looks like something a preteen gymnast would wear. Her outfits were more revealing in the sequels, however, and her newer leotards were specifically designed to accentuate her cleavage. A number of women in the Mortal Kombat universe dress exactly like Kitana does, so she’s something of a trend setter in her realm. If you didn’t know better, you’d almost think that leotards were standard-issue for female ninjas.

Rika is the product of thousands of years of genetic engineering. This research mostly focused on the enhancement of mental abilities, so Rika’s race is generally known for its intelligence rather than its physical prowess. Although she could pass as a teenager, Rika is technically only a year old. Her lack of experience (in life and in combat) is an obvious hurdle that she has to overcome, but you’d never assume that Rika was vulnerable by looking at her. You can’t wear thigh-high boots and a cape without confidence, and you certainly can’t wear a skin-tight leotard. Rika is obviously fascinated by the outside world, and she dresses like someone who wants to take it over. No matter what kind of armor she’s equipped with, her sprite is always rocking the leotard.

Sofia is an amnesiatic private detective from Russia who enters a fighting tournament to gather clues about her mysterious past. I don’t fully understand her logic, but applaud her decision to wear a skimpy leotard. The outfit is a few sizes too small for her, but that’s the price you pay for being well-endowed. If the leather leotard didn’t make her look like a dominatrix on its own, Sofia completes the look by wielding a whip in battle. It’s no wonder she picked up EGM’s prestigious “Babe of the Year” award in 1995. Battle Arena Toshinden was promoted as Sony’s answer to Virtua Fighter when the PlayStation and Saturn launched, and Sofia was featured in numerous advertisements for Sony’s newly-minted console. She had a mature look for mature gamers, and she was exactly what Sony was looking for.

Although she’s a battle android, YoRHa No.2 Type B (or simply 2B) obviously has an eye for fashion. Her primary purpose is to fight hostile alien robots, but you should always try to look your best. 2B typically wears an elegant black dress, and it’s not immediately apparent that she’s wearing a leotard underneath it. It’s easy to peek under her skirt – players are encouraged to do so, in fact – but 2B’s white leotard could easily be mistaken for panties to the untrained eye. After her dress is inevitably damaged in battle, however, 2B will have no choice but to carry on in her leotard. The lustrous leotard is a perfect match for her white wrist guards and platinum locks, so 2B manages to look fashionable even when her clothes are destroyed! Honestly, the dress kind of ruins the view and I like her better without it.

The ending of Metroid produced one of the most well-known plot twist in gaming history, and the revelation that Samus Aran was a chick the entire time came as a huge surprise. As a reward for finishing the game in a timely fashion, players could catch a glimpse of the legendary bounty hunter without her trademark power armor. She appeared in various stages of undress in accordance to how quickly the game was finished, and the best ending saw her stripping down to a two-piece bikini. The leotard she wears in the second best ending is arguably more iconic though, since she can actually wear it during gameplay. If players enter the correct password, Samus can wear her leotard throughout the entire game! Gaming’s greatest heroine wears a leotard, and that pretty much validates this entire list.

R. Mika’s wrestling leotard is worth a mention, but Cammy is the right woman to represent Street Fighter on this list. When she joined the series, there was only one other female character on the roster. The guys outnumbered the women 7:1, and this all-but guaranteed that Cammy would get a lot of attention. Following in the footsteps of Chun Li was no easy task, but Cammy found a way to step out of her shadow. While Chun Li had the whole “thunder thighs” gimmick down pat, Cammy had a style of her own. Her braided hair and camouflaged legs helped her stand out, but it was the gratuitous ass shots that made her so popular. Cammy’s thong leotard was designed to give an optimal view of her behind, and she was always kind enough to show it off. Not all heroes wear capes.