A thought... is the ONLY place that has characterized the new costumes as "anime inspired" been that one magazine? we are all getting this divided over one reporters grouping of costume options that they apparently didn't care much about?
There already is an immense amount of costume options that could be considered "anime inspired" Anime covers a tremendous spectrum of genres. Anime is NOT a genre itself. Even the stereotypical "Big Eyes" is not present in all anime. Anime is produced by companies not just Japanese. There are Chinese companies that produce anime style. There are US companies that produce anime style (and I'm not meaning the ports of anime from other countries).
We already have immense options (30 hair styles for standard head on female btw). I have a lot of female characters that look nothing like dominatrix and still have awesome costumes. If you want to submit concept art, ASK if there is somewhere you can send it to... don't just complain. I'd consider the options we have to be absolutely outstanding already.
As far as trenchcoats not being much harder than capes, do you have ANY idea how much effort they put into capes?! They probably ARE working on trenchcoats and moving tails, and moving hair as best they can.
for free updates being promised: companies change their mission statements, they change the User Agreements (both without notice or consent to/from the community) I'm glad that hasn't happened to CoH yet. I'm glad they haven't made some of the significant design decisions I've seen that have SIGNIFICANTLY altered a game. The changes to Smoke Grenade, Integration/Instant Healing, Invincibility, Unyielding, etc combined have come nowhere close to the changed Asheron's Call underwent when they removed spell research... nor when they created a tinkering system... nor when they introduced imbues (I don't know what they've done since because I actually left eventually after I couldn't stand playing anymore)
Rev, I also don't see your replies as debate about the issue, they don't discuss the issue, they don't mention the issue... they just flame about how that person's viewpoint is irrelevant.
and then you jump to conclusion that JUST because someone has an anime-inspired avatar they plan to use anime-inspired costumes? It's like assuming that just because someone likes Marvel comics that they MUST be someone who clones Marvel characters. I certainly don't consider that attitude "more considerate"