“Why Do JRPGs Have Such Stupid Weapons?”

A discussion criticising JRPGs for their oft times bizarrely armed characters has recently been causing waves.

The discussion started with a series of complaints by western gamers about how “stupid” some of the weapon designs in Japanese RPGs are at times:

I was recently playing through Skies of Arcadia, Tales of Symphonia, and watching FFX, when i realized that there are some freaking stupid standard weapons in JPRGs. What are your favorites? The ones off the top of my head are:
Genis (Tales of Symphonia): A ball in a cup toy. Really. He fights with a ball in a cup.
Vyse(Skys of Arcadia): Uses a cutlass like a tonfa, not as much stupid, as potentially suicidal.
Waka (FFX): A beachball. No comment.

It’s a game, relax…

I understand that, but I am kind of commenting on that Japan has a very different culture than us, a culture where a beachball could be considered a weapon. Still awesome though.

Anyone who creates and/or uses a giant key for a weapon is completely mental, so I’ll go with Keyblades.

Ball in a cup is the best weapon ever. Clearly you have never owned one.

Kanji Tatsumi in Persona 4 uses desks and chairs as weapons.
Leena in Chrono Cross uses frying pans.
The characters in Earthbound use bottle rockets, yo-yos and broken baseball bats.
And all those weapons are fucking awesome. At least they get the job done.

FFVII – megaphone; FFXIII – Snow’s coats; Eternal Sonata – umbrella.

Yes, yes, let’s all talk all kinds of shit about JRPGs. BOY they have some stupid weapons.
HEY I got an idea, why don’t we make a big list of all the different weapons found in Western games.
Number 1. Guns.
Number 2. …………….Oh wait. JUST GUNS.
Creative people sure are STUPID aren’t they???

JRPGs have shown me some of the strangest weapons I’ve ever seen. Why the zaniness was initially funny, it doesn’t help one suspend his disbelief.

Yeah, good point. Screw imagination, alternative ideas, and humor. Lets just strap everyone with 9mm pistols and SMGs, and call it a day. -_-

If everything had to bind by real life rules we’d have… oh wait we already do.
First person Shooters and WRPGs.

Real Japanese weapons are not much of an improvement at times:

Not for the first time, the criticism was introduced to Japanese gamers to a mixed but not entirely dismissive reception.

However, Japanese gamers presented with these complaints do point out western weapons, both fantastic and real, are hardly any better:

Those left with a lingering impression that Japanese weaponry is any more or less idiotic than armaments elsewhere need look no further than the weird weapons gallery to dispel it.