Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Controversy Rages As Square Enix Faces New Censorship Accusations: 'They’re Butchering Toriyama’s Legacy'
Aishe’s outfit has sparked heated debate after Square Enix 'toned down' her original look.
Summary
- Square Enix accused of censoring outfits in Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, including changes to Akira Toriyama’s original designs.
- Developers reportedly cut subplots and replaced them with new scenarios to streamline the story for modern players.
- Fans argue the remake disrespects Toriyama’s legacy, sparking debates over censorship, modernization, and creative freedom.
The conversation around censorship in video games refuses to die. The latest spark comes from Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, where Square Enix is being accused of toning down designs and rewriting story content.
Some fans are calling it modernization. Others see it as a corporate hand rewriting Akira Toriyama’s legacy with an oversized Sharpie.
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The debate is messy, emotional, and fueled by nostalgia. It also raises a bigger question:
Where exactly is the line between creative reimagining and censorship?
Outfit Changes
Reports suggest that one of the most noticeable changes involves the character Aishe (sometimes referred to as Asia in fan discussions), whose original warrior dancer design by Akira Toriyama has been altered.
In the new trailer, she appears more covered up compared to her 1997 counterpart.
And yes, apparently Square Enix has been making characters “more modest” in modern remakes, for example, the tweaks to Tifa in Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020).
To some players, a few strips of fabric might not sound like a big deal. But to those who track these changes closely, it’s another sign of publishers sanding down edges to avoid controversy.
The argument is less about how much skin a character shows and more about artistic intent. Toriyama’s work, often playful, cheeky, and yes, sexy, was a defining feature of the series.
Supporters of the original designs say adding fabric is like repainting a Picasso because the colors feel too loud.
Story Cuts
Beyond costumes, Square Enix has reportedly confirmed that the remake will cut or replace certain subplots.
Developers explained this as an attempt to streamline the story for modern players and keep the focus on the main narrative.
That explanation didn’t sit well with everyone. Some argue that those “irrelevant” subplots gave the game flavor and helped flesh out characters.
Losing them, critics claim, risks turning the adventure into a straight-line march instead of a sprawling, character-driven journey.
To complicate things, Square Enix also promised new scenarios. The official line is that the fresh content will provide a “deeper and more immersive” story experience.
Skeptics aren’t convinced. They suspect that what’s being sold as “new” might actually be a sanitized replacement for the odd, quirky, or messy side tales that gave the original its heart.
Pattern
The criticism isn’t limited to Dragon Quest VII. Fans have noticed similar moves in other Square Enix projects. The Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake faced pushback in Japan after players spotted female characters with noticeably toned-down designs.
The backlash reportedly led some to say Square Enix should “apologize at Akira Toriyama’s grave,” a dramatic line that reflects just how personal the issue has become.
Localization debates also pop up in other Toriyama-related works. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, for example, has been accused of inserting slang and modern lingo into translated scripts.
Some players argue this drifts too far from the tone of the original manga.
You can call it censorship, localization drift, or corporate polishing, but the pattern has made some fans deeply suspicious of how Square Enix handles classic material.
Why Change Anything?
From a business perspective, Square Enix is chasing a younger, broader audience. Allegedly, internal “ethics departments” review character designs and scripts to make sure nothing sparks outrage.
The idea is simple, avoid headlines, avoid lawsuits, avoid headaches.
The trade-off, according to critics, is that creative freedom gets handcuffed. Developers can’t take risks if a corporate committee is watching over their shoulder.
And while executives may argue they’re modernizing classics for today’s market, longtime fans see it as proof that nostalgia is being repackaged for cash, while the soul of the original work gets chipped away.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen this tension.
Hollywood has been in the same loop for years, reboot an old property, smooth out the “problematic” edges, and hope audiences won’t mind. Gaming is simply catching up to the same playbook.
Reactions
The response has been predictable but loud. On social media and YouTube, voices range from resigned sighs to full-blown outrage.
Some players argue that all censorship is censorship, no matter how small. If you let publishers cover a character’s midriff today, the worry is that tomorrow entire themes or tones could vanish.
Others roll their eyes at the outrage, suggesting that complaining about outfits in 2025 feels out of touch when there are bigger industry problems, like layoffs, monetization schemes, and unfinished releases.
And yes, character costumes might feel like a small issue. But it’s also true that once companies get comfortable rewriting history, they rarely stop at the first edit.
Legacy
Akira Toriyama’s death also amplified the sensitivity of the issue.
For many fans, his art wasn’t just decorative, it was the heartbeat of Dragon Quest and Dragon Ball. Changing his designs now, allegedly for corporate convenience, feels almost sacrilegious.
That’s why so many fans frame these changes not as modernization but as disrespect. They argue that Toriyama’s work should be preserved, not airbrushed.
Others push back, saying Toriyama himself wasn’t afraid of evolving designs over time, so calling every adjustment “disrespect” may be an exaggeration.
It’s a difficult balance. Preserving legacy while adapting to shifting cultural norms is never easy, and video games, unlike static art, live and breathe in new markets with new expectations.
Industry Context
There’s another layer here. The global gaming audience has exploded. Developers no longer design for a small, niche fanbase. They design for millions across cultures, ages, and sensibilities.
That’s the justification for why outfits get tweaked and subplots get trimmed. The idea is to make sure nobody bounces off the game for reasons unrelated to gameplay.
Still, this logic is flawed. Younger audiences aren’t as fragile as corporations assume. And some people point out that edgy, weird, and risky games often sell precisely because they don’t feel safe.
Look at the enduring popularity of titles like Elden Ring or even Grand Theft Auto. Players don’t always want the sanitized option.
For now Dragon Quest VII Reimagined remains in development. Square Enix insists the goal is to honor the original while making it more accessible.
Fans remain skeptical, and the internet outrage machine shows no signs of cooling off.
The real test will come at release. If the new content feels engaging and respectful, players may forgive the fabric and story changes.
If not, this remake could join the growing list of “corporate meddling disasters” that leave everyone wondering why publishers keep revisiting classics in the first place.
My 2 Cents
The phrase “creative freedom is dead” has been thrown around a lot in reaction to this remake. That might be overdramatic.
But the controversy shows how fragile trust between publishers and players has become.
When fans buy a remake, they expect better visuals, smoother gameplay, maybe even some bonus content.
What they don’t expect is the soul of the game being swapped out for something safer.
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