It's definitely right to presume that it's up to the individual on how dirty and gritty they want their character to look. Some of us just prefer a sense of realism in our fantasy. Despite playing half a dozen Final Fantasies, I've never been a fan of anime or the stylized Japanese look. I've always been more of a Western Fantasy type of person, and in much of the stories I read, play, or watch, there's a sense of "Yes, this is fantasy, but we're not making excuses for our world. People still get dirty and beaten." which I admire. No one has to be gritty and realistically filthy if they don't want to be, but I choose to bring that feel to my character.
