This study examines how ethnicity and nationality are visually constructed and communicated in the design of female fighters in digital fighting games, from a visual communication design (VCD) and semiotic perspective. Fighting games constitute a particularly explanatory genre for representational studies because character identity is communicated through highly dense visual systems such as costume, body silhouette, movement, color, iconography, sound, and narrative framing. Drawing on a broad interdisciplinary literature from game studies, visual semiotics, media representation, and gender studies, the study synthesizes previous empirical findings with design-oriented analytical frameworks.

The analysis highlights recurring patterns of representation, such as the overrepresentation of Western and white-coded female characters, the persistence of ethnic stereotyping, and the tension between sexualization and perceived autonomy. It explores how cultural meaning is encoded not only through static visual elements but also through kinesiotic dimensions such as gesture, posture, fight choreography, and voice acting.

The article argues that in female fighter design, ethnicity and nationality function as semiotic systems rather than neutral descriptors, shaping player perception, identification, and ideological meaning. The study proposes design-focused implications for researchers and practitioners by highlighting culturally informed, ethically mindful, and multi-choice character design approaches that support autonomy, narrative consistency, and inclusive representation while avoiding reductive stereotypes in contemporary fighting games.