Just Keep Swimming

As a wealthy heiress born into a noble family, Juliana Everhart received advanced tutoring from a young age and developed a superiority complex in the process. She’s overbearing and feels that it’s her duty to lead, so she was happy to serve as class chair at a prestigious military academy. Juliana takes herself way too seriously, and this was apparent when she went to the swimming pool with her cadets. Everyone else was splashing around and having a good time, but Juliana insisted that they were wasting their time lollygagging when they could be studying instead. Her mild agitation turned to anger after one of the cadets accidentally removed her bikini top. Juliana was already the center of attention, and the wardrobe malfunction gave her cadets an even bigger reason to admire her form.

Most of the adults in Persona 5 are useless or outright corrupt, and the students at Shujin Academy have to deal with abusive teachers, unhelpful police officers, and apathetic parents. There were a few moments of levity during their adventure, however, and the class trip to Hawaii was especially noteworthy. The students were on a limited budget and couldn’t organize many activities, but they still found time to catch some rays. Everyone in the group wore swimsuits to Waikiki Beach, but no one created a bigger stir than Ann Takamaki. Ann had the proportions of a runway model, and her barely-there string bikini helped highlight her slender frame. One of her friends was so taken aback by the sight of Ann in a bikini that he began to pantomime a boob-grabbing gesture. Ann’s a cool chick, so she took everything in stride.

Granblue Fantasy has event stories every summer that take place at the beach, and 44 of the game’s characters have been given special summer outfits thus far. Each swimsuit design is completely unique, so it’s difficult to choose just one for this list. Heles isn’t the most popular girl in the game and her swimsuit is relatively conservative, but her outfit is a perfect reflection of who she is as a person. She’s a princess who smashed the old systems of rule in the name of freedom, and her summer outfit manages to be extravagant and unrestrictive at the same time. The swimsuit is underlined with ruffled edges and gold highlights, and its fit nicely with the shade hat, sun skirt, and thigh-high gladiator sandals. It’s arguably the most elaborate summer outfit in the game, but it never feels tacky or pretentious.

One of the features that was missing from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 upon its release was the ability to change your outfit. The first game was packed with diverse outfits and fashion accessories, but the sequel didn’t allow for this level of customization. Thankfully, Nintendo released free downloadable swimsuits for each of the main characters. These outfits were largely cosmetic, but you were almost always near water and there were many places where you could stop for a swim. The apparel ran the gamut from conservative to provocative, and each character was given a swimsuit that fit their personality. Pyra and Mythra were as radiant as ever, but I’m acknowledging Poppi because of how adorable she looked with her swimming cap and inflatable life preserver. The outfit was a perfect reflection of Poppi’s innocent nature.

Many fighting games feature swimsuits as alternate costumes, but we are seldom given a reason as to why the characters would be wearing them in the first place. No such explanation is needed in the case of Karin Kazuki since she was given her own beach stage to coincide with the release of her swimsuit. Located on the majestic shores of Malaysia, Kanzuki Beach is one of the most beautiful stage in the Street Fighter series. If you’re planning on splashing around in ankle-deep water, it only makes sense to throw on a swimsuit. Karin’s bikini accentuates her curves and highlights her high-end tastes. The swimsuit is adorned with pearls and gold, and the embroidered pattern looks expensive. To her credit, Karin is smart enough to wear sunglasses and a fancy shade hat. Her summer outfit is as practical as it is sexy, and that’s one to grow on.

Kira Daidouji is a child prodigy who was sent back to elementary school after earning her PhD. The sarcastic young girl had no social skills to speak of, but her knowledge of metaphysics was unrivaled and she decided to take over the world to retaliate against society. To that end, she controls a sentient bubble of ether that can grow limbs and change its shape in order to attack Kira’s opponents. Kira is usually waist-deep inside the watery bubble, so it’s only natural that she’d wear a swimsuit during her battles. She doesn’t hang out at the beach or the pool, but she still spends more time in the water than anyone else on this list. Her navy blue sukumizu is standard-issue swimwear for Japanese students, so it’s thematically appropriate for her situation. Dr. Kira doesn’t like being a student, but she certainly looks the part.

The Dead or Alive: Xtreme games focus on summertime activities, and many of the events take place in-and-around the water. Given the setting, it’s only fitting that the girls would be decked out in swimwear. There are literally hundreds of skimpy swimsuits in Xtreme 3, but the most dynamic ones were offered as free DLC to promote an anime called Keijo!!!!!!!! (Incidentally, the anime revolved around girls knocking each other into swimming pools by using their boobs and butts.) The Keijo!!!!!!!! swimsuits weren’t as revealing as some of the other outfits in the game, but they would explode upon impact! The modest swimsuits would be reduced to ribbons by the end of a heated competition, and that’s a good thing! All of the DOA girls have access to the Keijo!!!!!!!! outfits, so I’m acknowledging them together as a group.

The mainline entries in the Senran Kagura series are hack-and-slash action games that focus on female ninja groups from rival shinobi schools. Peach Beach Splash changed the formula, and it focused on a mysterious tournament where shinobi powers were prohibited. Instead, the buxom participants were encouraged to splash their rivals with water guns and other aquatic weapons. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s fun to slide around elaborate waterparks with state-of-the-art hydro-jetpacks. It would be unfair to single out an individual character, since the outfits can be customized for each girl. There’s no guarantee that any of outfits will be intact (or opaque) by the time a match ends, however, and the whole tournament feels like a glorified wet t-shirt contest. I’m beginning to understand why the girls were all given standard-issue white bikinis.

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was the fifth ruler of the Roman Empire, and his reign is usually associated with tyranny. In Fate/Grand Order, however, Nero has the utmost concern for the happiness of her people. (Also, in case you didn’t notice, the Fate version of Nero is an anime waifu instead of an ugly dude with a literal neckbeard.) Nero is self-indulgent and narcissistic, and she actually believes that her beauty exists for the sake of everyone. It’s not surprising that she puts her body on display, and her red-and-white bikini is bound to garner attention. The skimpy swimsuit highlights her slim figure and maximizes her under-boob, and it helps justify Nero’s inflated ego. Her outfit has inspired a myriad of pervy anime figures and lewd body pillows, and I’m sure Nero would appreciate the fan response.

Gaming’s most iconic figure has been swimming since Super Mario Bros. was released in 1985, but he rarely dresses for the occasion. He’ll sometimes dress up like a frog or a penguin, but the mad lad usually jumps into the water while wearing his overalls! In Super Mario Odyssey, Mario finally had access to appropriate swimwear. During his visit to the Seaside Kingdom, Mario can buy a pair of breezy swimming trunks that are adorned with a familiar mushroom-like pattern. Mario doesn’t wear any shoes or gloves with the outfit, so he’s ready for the ocean. He doesn’t wear a shirt with the outfit either, and his nipples became an instant meme. (The unveiling of his bare chest was an event 36 years in the making!) The girls from DOA and Senran Kagura could learn a lot from him. If you wanna be number one on this list, you gotta show your nips!