Hitomi (Dead or Alive)

Hitomi (ヒトミ) is a player character in the Dead or Alive fighting game series by Team Ninja and Tecmo (Tecmo Koei). She was introduced in Dead or Alive 3 in 2001.

In video games
Hitomi is a half-Japanese German who enters the DOA3 Tournament in order to test her karate skills against other martial artists. Hitomi is the one who found the amnesiac Hayate (known to her as Ein) following the events of the first game. During the tournament she crosses paths with Jann Lee, who also shares a keen passion for martial arts. In the later stages, she finally meets with Ein who has regained his memory in the mean time. She tries to convince him to come back to her father's dojo in Germany, as well as prove to him her martial arts skill.

In Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, Hitomi was invited to Zack Island for the fourth Dead or Alive tournament. However, that was only a ruse concocted by Zack to lure the girls of DOA to a two-week tropical vacation. Hitomi later returns in the sequel to the island to participate in the fifth Dead or Alive tournament after receiving another false invitation from Zack. Hitomi is the only one to fall for Zack's ruse a second time, as the rest of the girls had their own motives for coming.

In Dead or Alive 4, Hitomi's father was struck with a sudden illness. Although he has recovered, the dojo's business is now in financial trouble. To save the dojo, Hitomi joined the DOA4 tournament to win the cash prize. During the tournament, she defeats Leifang after a dispute over a cabbage, and again faced Jann Lee after he "rescues" her from a T-Rex (she found it "cruel" of him to attack the dinosaur despite its attempt to eat her).

Hitomi makes an appearance in the Ninja Gaiden series smart phone action card game Hyakuman-nin no Ninja Gaiden.

Other appearances
A range of merchandise items featuring the character has been created, including several figurines, statuettes and action figures of various types and scales. Hitomi was used in the iPhone digital clock application Bijin Tokei and a Dead or Alive voice clock. Hitomi themed special "3D" mugs, body towels and mousepads, "3D "mousepads, body pillow cases, and credit cards were also released as well, along with a hoodie of the design worn by Hitomi in DOA5.

Reception
The character has been often noted for her sex appeal. GameSpy's Bryan "Sir Crossforge" Johnson collectively ranked her along with the other Dead or Alive girls at second spot on their 2003 list of "top babes in games," using Hitomi's picture to illustrate it. The staff of Team Xbox ranked "knockout Hitomi" as the forth top "Xbox babe" in 2004, higher than DOA icon Kasumi. In 2009, Fakt showcased her among some of the sexiest "babes of computer games [sic]". Jeremy Render of Cheat Code Central featured her on his 2011 list of top ten sexiest female video game characters, where Hitomi shared number six spot with her fellow DOA fighter Ayane.

Gavin Mackenzie of PLAY joked that that her breasts are two of the top ten best things one could expect to see in Dead or Alive 5, commenting: "These breasts are slightly smaller and rather less showy than some of the other breasts in the DOA series, but they’re still popular with those who value a little, but really only a little, more modesty." IGN stated that "Hitomi approaches each new day with characteristic optimism. Some of the other DOA babes could learn a thing or two from her."