The latest Dead or Alive Xtreme Venus Vacation (DOAXVV) update brings a complete reformulation of the Honoka character. Update is part of the True Color Update (TC) series, which seeks to deepen the characters' personalities with new costumes, speeches and exclusive stories. Fubuki designer and producer Yasunori Sakuda led the development of the novelty, highlighting the unprecedented look and the surrounding plot of Honoka.
Honoka's evolution in the Doa franchise
Introduced in Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (2015), Honoka quickly won fans and became one of the franchise's most iconic characters. Unlike traditional fighters, she has a delicate appearance and charismatic behavior, which made her a popular choice among players.
In Doaxvv, Honoka maintains this essence, but now it receives a greater deepening in its history, allowing a more emotional interaction with players. The TC update reinforces Honoka's growth, adds new narrative elements and deepens its relationship with “Owner”, the player in the game.
The concept behind the new Cross The Line costume
The highlight of the TC update is Honoka's exclusive costume, named “Cross the Line”. The garment follows a more mature and sensual concept, running away from the traditional cute and colorful style that the character used so far.
The Fubuki designer explained that he wanted to show a more confident, determined Honoka and with a look that conveyed a new identity. The costume uses monochrome tones, with asymmetrical details, reinforcing a unique visual identity. The name “Cross the Line” reflects the proposal to show Honoka surpassing barriers in its relationship with Owner.
In addition, the team planned every detail to highlight the evolution of the character. Honoka linked the loop of the costume alone, leaving him slightly misleading. Thus, this choice reinforces the idea of a young woman trying to impress someone special, but without losing their authenticity.
Narrative and deepening in the relationship with the player
The TC update is not limited to the look of Honoka. The plot of the game was also expanded to bring a more immersive approach. The character's story now focuses on his emotional journey and the development of more intense feelings for Owner.
According to Sakuda, one of the team's challenges was finding a balance between Honoka's kind personality and his new more confident approach. The idea was to show that, despite the visual change, the character's essence remains the same.
Another significant element of the update is the introduction of a new affectionate nickname to players. Honoka now calls Owner "nā-kun", an affectionate diminutive, further reinforcing the proximity between character and player. This change follows the tradition of TC updates, where other characters also began to treat players more intimately.
The importance of updating for the future of DoaxVV
The Honoka TC update arrives at an important time for DoaxVV. In November 2024, the game turned seven, consolidating itself as one of the most lasting titles of the Dead or Alive franchise. To celebrate Marco, the team held face -to -face events and launched unpublished content, reinforcing fan engagement.
In addition, Doaxvv is expanding his presence with the new title Venus Vacation Prism, expected to be released in March 2025. The game promises a more immersive approach to the interactive romance genre, and Honoka will be one of the main characters.
The decision to launch its TC update before VV Prism's arrival may have been strategic, preparing players for a new phase of the franchise. According to Sakuda, the coincidence of dates was not purposeful, but ended up creating an interesting connection between the two games.
Expectations for future updates
With the success of TC updates, the expectation now falls on which characters will receive similar reformulations in the future. Honoka was a natural choice because of its popularity, but fans speculate that other characters like Nyotengu and Kanna may be among the next.
Producer Sakuda said the team always considers community requests and that new updates will depend on fans' reception. He also pointed out that Honoka feedback will be crucial to defining the direction of the next reformulations.
Meanwhile, players can already check out Honoka's new version in Doaxvv, exploring not only her new look, but also the narrative changes that make her an even more captivating character.
