No one would hold an axe like that even when holding it idle simply because it take too much strength to hold it like that, the weight of the head will make you use your muscles in your arm and wrist constantly to balance the axe. The best way to hold an axe, either it's idle or in a combat stance is to hold it where I marked. When you hold it idle you hold it with a lose grip and the axe is more hanging along your side, but you can also hold it very close to the head when carrying it. But in a combat ready stance it's natural to hold it where I marked in a tightened grip and in about the same angle as her right thigh. The stance you see in the picture is combat ready stance, not idle, the game doesn't have an idle stance where the character holds a weapon, but the grip on the axe and angle of it is completely wrong.
As for the staff.. I agree.. It's to late to change it, but I hope it can be changed from the "pole jumper" stance to a more natural mage stance in D:OS 2.
