Handsome anime-style archer is sure to defeat all his foes…as long as “nice abs” are a weapon.
There’s long been a stereotype that male fans of anime and video games with anime-style artwork are just there for the eye candy. If the female character who’s placed front-and-center has the right mix of cute and sexy design elements, it really doesn’t matter what else the artist does, detractors say.
But in the modern era, female anime fans are not only often as passionate as their male counterparts, but equally likely to have sexy but unpolished fan service pitched to them. Take, for example, this illustration from Fire Emblem Heroes, a mobile game based on Nintendo’s Fire Emblem series of strategy role-playing games. The shirtless archer’s hair is styled, his abs sculpted, his calves taut, and his shorts low-slung.
But while he himself may look perfect, there’s a pretty big artwork error in the picture too.
https://twitter.com/hibi_kono/status/885063482558873601Specifically, there’s a problem with his weaponry. Well, several, if you count his bow being seemingly made out of desserts and his substitution of a Gari Gari-kun popsicle for an arrowhead. But by far the biggest tactical mistake going on here is that the arrow isn’t notched, and Mr. Shoot-an-Arrow-Straight-Into-the-Fangirls’-Heart isn’t even bothering to draw back the bowstring.
This isn’t the only trouble Fire Emblem Heroes has had depicting its archers. In the illustration shown on the right below, the archer with the pointed bangs seems to be wielding a bow with a string that’s simultaneously in front of and behind him, suggesting that either he has the string looped around the back of his neck (in which case that arrow isn’t flying anywhere when he lets it go) or that M.C. Escher had a side gig as his village bowyer.
顔に被って云々はちゃんと工夫されてたり被ってても違和感ないキャラもいますよ pic.twitter.com/Hzd9thWm0R
— このはるか (@hibi_kono) July 12, 2017
Though, to be fair, it’s not just the steamy male archers who don’t really seem to grasp how their weapons of choice work, as this female cohort of theirs seems to be unaware of the necessity of stringing her bow entirely.
https://twitter.com/neohapina/status/885100368119472129Granted, one could say the illustrations succeed at their purpose, which, as with many lavish pieces of anime and game artwork, is to be visually appealing. Still, it’s a little weird to have the artwork itself tell you that these heroes are literally doing nothing other than posing for the sake of looking cool.
Source: Hachima Kiko, Twitter/@hibi_kono
Follow Casey on Twitter, where he thinks he really should take a break and do some ab work.

Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Why is Yoshinoya called Yoshinoya?
Yokohama restaurant serves fried axolotl, along with giant isopod, camel, and crocodile
Why Sensoji temple in Asakusa is better at night
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Why is Yoshinoya called Yoshinoya?
Yokohama restaurant serves fried axolotl, along with giant isopod, camel, and crocodile
Why Sensoji temple in Asakusa is better at night
New Travelling Bento pouches turn your luggage into a Japanese lunch box
Japan to release Gundam and Char’s Zaku into space to orbit Earth, ahead of Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
The tragedy of Mononofu, the functional two-and-a-half-story bipedal robot【Pics & Video】
Flipping genius? Japan is getting a new flip phone/smartphone hybrid【Photos】
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view