Kojima Treated Death Stranding 2 Female Characters Right

Whenever I head into a Hideo Kojima game, I wonder what will happen with the women within them. The titles can feature a lot of fanservice paired with flimsy excuses for that capitulation. (Quiet needs to wear a bikini and not talk for story reasons.) The original Death Stranding wasn’t immune, thanks to a scene in which Fragile runs through pouring rain in a white tiny tank top and bikini-style underwear. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach marks a complete turnaround and pleasant surprise for all of its female characters, as they all are strong women who are handled well and wear reasonable outfits.  

Editor’s Note: There will be some spoilers for characters in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, but major ending reveals after Episode 13 do not appear.

Speaking of Fragile, Kojima Productions handles every element of her storyline in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach extraordinarily well. She remains an incredibly strong individual, even though Jumpshock keeps her from using the Beach for her teleporting. The story begins with her still working and in a position of power, even as Sam withdrew to devote himself to raising his daughter Lou. While she considers herself responsible for a tragedy early on tied to the child, she doesn’t let that stop or change her. She’s CEO of the company Drawbridge, which is now in charge of the Chiral Network expansion project. She is the leader onboard the DHV Magellan. 

As part of that role, Kojima Productions goes out of its way to not only tell us all she’s accomplished, but make her role a pivotal one in the stories of nearly every member of Drawbridge on the DHV Magellan. She is head of the company. She found Rainy, helped realize the exact nature of her DOOMS ability, and give her a new sense of place and purpose. She found Dollman, keeping him from being trapped in a tar pit for eternity. Once Tomorrow boards the ship, it is Fragile who ensures she is welcomed, aids Tarman in extracting her from the crysalis even though it puts her at risk, educates her alongside Rainy, and even works alongside her on a supplemental mission. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Fragile is more important to members on the crew than Sam, the “hero” of the adventure.

Rainy, though underutilized, is also a ray of sunshine in the cast. Her DOOMS means that timefall begins whenever she steps outside. However, the rain immediately in her vicinity features a unique property. Rather than hurting, it heals. It’s why Fragile’s body, aged from Timefall as a result of running nearly naked through a storm due to Higgs’ machinations in the original Death Stranding, is completely recovered here in Death Stranding 2. While she is perpetually stuck at being seven months pregnant in the game due to the effects of the original game and current disruptions between the real world and the Beach, she’s never shown to be a sidelined as a result. She’s working in her own lab when we pick her up to join the crew. During major fires, she’s making appearances on deck to assist. When Fragile and Tomorrow head out on a supply mission, she goes along. She may be pregnant, but she’s an active, educated, capable individual doing fieldwork. 

Speaking of pregnant women, I feel like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach handles the idea of motherhood and pregnancy than Kojima Productions did with Mama in Death Stranding. Even though Malingen ended up being a major scientist whose discoveries helped keep Sam going, she didn’t get to be known by a name that highlighted that defining trait and skillset like many other characters. She was “Mama” because of the baby BT anchored to her. We meet multiple pregnant individuals as a result of the condition affecting some infants, and The Motherhood is a haven for them and The Doctor, a former member of Bridges who worked with Bridge Babiess and is able to use her DOOMS condition to assess the condition of these children and even allow their parents to briefly see and interact with them via BB pods. The people there are armed and capable of defending themselves. They have hope for tomorrow. They are the impetus for a mission to take down a factory to stop the flow of weapons into the region. I personally liked seeing some good come out of the BB and stillmother program, since the tools were being implemented here to allow desperate families reassurance that their babies were okay while waiting for a solution.

Speaking of the BBs, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is more critical of Bridges, stillmothers, and the system in a way I appreciate. I acknowledge the BBs ended up being a necessary evil in the original game for the sake of survival, but I also felt like it normalized that abuse. Here, there’s no dispute about how problematic and horrific the program was. The segments with Neil Vana and his therapist Lucy show him breaking down over committing the monstrous act to survive, and we see him fight back against a Bridges authority and express his distaste and disgust for it. Similarly, Lucy’s response to it all also highlights the sins Bridges committed. 

I realize in all this that I haven’t gotten to Tomorrow yet, the sole female member of the Death Stranding 2: On the Beach cast of characters with an outfit that isn’t always appropriate for the setting. When found, she’s in a white dress. Hardly conventional for exploring a country after an apocalypse or when fighting against enemies with tar-diving capabilities. However, she’s never cast as a sex symbol. The outfit honestly provides sufficient coverage, not to mention she’s also quickly covered in so much tar that it acts as a second skin. Once she’s brought onboard the DHV Magellan, she’s given a wardrobe of more appropriate attire for every situation, so we’re honestly usually seeing her in an oversized jacket. 

Moreover, Tomorrow ends up being one of the most physically strong and combat-ready members of the cast. Rainy points out at one point that she’s the most adept shooter due to her time spent in the VR simulator. At one point when she briefly steps off the ship alone, we see that even though she did come from an otherworld, Beach-type setting, she’s more than capable of using ladders and Timefall Shelters to stay safe in and traverse a hostile environment. For much of the game, she is the one beating up Higgs and other ghost mechs in a way Sam can’t and isn’t. One of my favorite lines and moments in the game is when she’s heading out on a supply run mission with Fragile and Rainy. Sam expresses concern, since he’s going out on a separate task far away from them. She assuages any concerns and points out “we’re stronger than you are.” Which is proven true for all three of these women throughout Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Each one’s DOOMS abilities and other character traits mean they’re stronger than Sam in different ways.

And in many ways, you can say that about a lot of the female members of the Death Stranding 2: On the Beach cast, as the women we meet throughout the campaign are all extraordinary individuals. Kojima Productions handled them well and with care. I think anyone who had concerns about portrayals after games like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and the original Death Stranding will be pleasantly surprised with how people are handled.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is available for the PS5.