This is a topic I've actually wanted to create for a while, but first I think it's best to start off by explaining just what exactly I mean by Super Flying Sex Doll. It's actually something of an in joke between myself and some friends from the forum who tried to decide exactly what we should classify a certain character type as. It actually sprang from the character Inori Yuzuriha from Guilty Crown who was depicted as an almost custom made attractive female that could leap through the air and do all sorts of improbable feats of combat. Feel free to suggest a better term, but I mostly use it because I think it's an emerging trend and I don't know what else to call it at the moment.
Not all characters of the type fit Inori's personality and growth though (in fact they tend to be quiet the opposite) and I've actually come to jokingly apply the term to a type of female character that I feel we're seeing a lot more of lately and am not sure fits directly under the original definition of moe which as I recall has something to do with the feeling of wanting to protect something innocent. These characters tend to be amongst the more capable in the context of whatever it is they are trying to do, tend to be perceived as the most physically appealing amongst fans and even in the show but also as amongst the most interesting character and personality wise, but for all their big seasons showcasing martial prowess or general competence they also tend to get a lot of fan service scenes as well that show off their sex appeal, and development wise it could almost be argued that if viewed from a certain perspective they could be considered to be the actual leading heroes of their shows or at least equal to the male lead. In general they tend to really stand out and be the breakout characters for the series.
The question is is this still an
overtly sexist portrayal of women? Are these characters an example of stronger female leads that are independent and interesting in their own right (some complain there's not a lot of these in anime) or does the nature of their costumes and obvious design for sex appeal cancel out these particular qualities. Here are some examples from the past few seasons that I feel illustrate the type of character I'm talking about.
Akemi Homura (Madoka Magica)
Asuna Yuuki (Sword Art Online
Sakura Ichiko (Binbogami-ga)
Yui Takamura (Total Eclipse)
Kuroyukihime (Accel World)
Morgianna (Magi)
Hakaze Kusaribe (Zetsuen No Tempest)
Layla Malkal (Code Geass Akito The Rebellion)
Most of the female cast of Horizon On The Middle of Nowhere
I'm going to let this topic stand for a while and see where the conversation goes, but personally I'll say I think these are all pretty interesting characters that don't come off as particularly misogynistic or purely fanservice material and that they represent something of an upward trend in the portrayal of female characters at least as far as Action series go. I recognize that sex sells and this holds especially true when it comes to anime, but I don't necessarily think it cancels out anything positive about a character and consider this type something of a trade off. And with that I yield the thread.