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Finale Fireworker · Apr 21, 2017

I welcome greater race representation in all media. This includes all video games. This even includes games that are "just Mario Kart."

Because contrary to the belief of many disaffected, it's kind of a big deal that one of the biggest franchises of the generation has non-white characters in it for the first time.

Splatoon has been great about representation and I'm happy to see it elevating other franchises as a result. I wonder if they'll also eventually be the first non-white fighters in Super Smash Bros?

That would be cool.

It would also be cool if the Mario universe in general, with its large cast of human characters, expanded to non-white characters as well.

Forkball · Apr 21, 2017

Black people in Mario Kart: 2
Black people in Crash Team Racing: 0

Papo Swing · Apr 21, 2017

Aren't Mario and Luigi Italian plumbers? I know it is a debated term, but technically people of Italian decent, specially those with darker hair are not black....but then he has a black mustache and blue eyes. So Mario is not even human.

Still if it makes people happy I am all for it.

edit: Also if we are all for diversity when is the time for a chubby latino man to be represented in video games, not as a stereotype, because that has never happened.

Malice215 · Apr 21, 2017

It's a shame that people who say that they have no interest on the subject go out of their way just to crap on this. More skin tone choices are a good thing, and the brown-skin Inklings looks really good. It's not a tan when the eye color also matches the skin tone.

Can't wait for MK8D next week and Splatoon 2 when it drops. Stay fresh haters.

TheProphet · Apr 21, 2017

Bahorel said:
That inkling girl is most certainly black. That's not even disputable.

lol
by your definition, these girls are also black. they arent

https://tinyurl.com/jwgugwe

PSqueak · Apr 21, 2017

Forkball said:
Black people in Mario Kart: 2
Black people in Crash Team Racing: 0

If you think about it, was there any white person in CTR?

Papu Papu is tanned, and the scientists had weird mutant skin colors (Blue for N. Tropy, Purple for N. Gin, Yellow for N. Cortex)

OceanBlue · Apr 21, 2017

Garnox said:
I don't know what it's like being person of different race/ethnicity, but I feel kids with their innocence won't really care either.

I realize you're speaking specifically to Mario Kart, but I just wanted to say that minority representation affected me when I was a small child as well, but I didn't have the language to express it. It'd be small things like looking in the mirror after watching a lot of TV and randomly feeling dissonance because I looked different than people on TV. I remember specifically thinking that I forgot that I wasn't white. Obviously this is just my experience, but I don't think minority representation only matters to people at a certain age.

WarioFan63 · Apr 21, 2017

dan2026 said:
Are there even any black Mario characters?

Maybe in one of the RPGs.

The closest one I can think of is Kid from Mario Golf but that might not be the best example.

In the GBC game he looked like this

When you brought him to the N64 he looked like this

And then in the GBA game he looked like this

I have no idea why there wasnt any consistency and the N64 design having those lips is a little off putting.

Smiles and Cries · Apr 21, 2017

ChrisD said:
I didn't mean any offense with it. Was going to back out of the post entirely just in case it came across wrong with my bad wording, but didn't. Sorry about that.

Don't really want to edit it though as it'd look even worse, so I'll just add that I am really glad that they pulled the great diversity from Splatoon into Mario Kart in the process of bringing the Inklings over.

What you said, it is an opinion, but yeah you can say which inkling you design you like but in context of the thread when people are talking about race. It just makes sense you can't just say black looks better than white or the other way around.

Just saying, that is the wrong path you want to go.

PSqueak · Apr 21, 2017

WarioFan63 said:
[Mario Golf stuff]

Reminds me how when camelot brought Daisy back she used to have a tan, but now she's caucasian.

weemadarthur · Apr 21, 2017

This is a cool thing to take note of, Garrett. Thanks for making a thread on it. It's nice to see Nintendo taking steps toward more diverse characters. I find in most games when I have the option to choose or create a character, I go for people of color - probably because the industry was non-diverse for such a long time.

ChrisD · Apr 21, 2017

Smiles and Cries said:
What you said, it is an opinion, but yeah you can say which inkling you design you like but in context of the thread when people are talking about race. It just makes sense you can't just say black looks better than white or the other way around.

Just saying, that is the wrong path you want to go.

I edited it with a bit more (edit took longer to make than I thought, should have made a new post!) to explain what was in my mind when I posted the first, but yeah, my bad. I wasn't really thinking about the greater topic at hand being discussed here and how out of place the post was.

spindashing · Apr 21, 2017

jon bones said:
yeah i'm inkling boy all day

already have him as my switch avatar

Yessss, only the realest dudes have inkling boy as their switch avatar

Forkball said:
Black people in Mario Kart: 2
Black people in Crash Team Racing: 0

for real. WACK.

Bahorel · Apr 21, 2017

TheProphet said:
lol
by your definition, these girls are also black. they arent

https://tinyurl.com/jwgugwe

And is that inkling girl wearing ganguro makeup? No.

VeeP · Apr 21, 2017

Forkball said:
Black people in Mario Kart: 2
Black people in Crash Team Racing: 0

Let me know how many white people were in CTR, get back to me.

CTR proves why it's the GOAT once again.

Daouzin · Apr 21, 2017

Bahorel said:
And is that inkling girl wearing ganguro makeup? No.

They're a child and are insistent that they are:

Bahorel said:

Garrett Hawke · Apr 21, 2017

TheProphet said:
lol
by your definition, these girls are also black. they arent

https://tinyurl.com/jwgugwe

Thanks for this disingenuous post.

Panthalassic · Apr 21, 2017

TheProphet said:
they arent black. just tanned

Black people come in many different shades you know.

Smiles and Cries · Apr 21, 2017

I want to dismiss the notion that the Inklings are just tanned by pointing out that the green ink one has an even lighter skin going for the porcelain pale side which also needs representation and I feel is a really nice touch. It shows they were aware of the changes

could you even choose one that white in Splatoon? I have to go check.

Jawbreaker · Apr 21, 2017

TheProphet said:
lol
by your definition, these girls are also black. they arent

https://tinyurl.com/jwgugwe

You must really hate the idea of there being black characters in the game.

BitStyle · Apr 21, 2017

Bahorel said:
And is that inkling girl wearing ganguro makeup? No.

It's just better not to engage that.

There is no proof that the vast multitude of darker skin colors that inklings can choose from in Splatoon is just variations ganguro. It's just a lazy "can't possibly be black" argument

ChrisD · Apr 21, 2017

Smiles and Cries said:
I want to dismiss the notion that the Inklings are just tanned by pointing out that the green ink one has an even lighter skin going for the porcelain pale side which also need representation and I feel is a really nice touch. It shows they were aware of the changes

could you even choose one that white in Splatoon? I have to go check.

I'm pretty sure every skin tone you see there you can also use in Splatoon itself. I feel like I've seen them all in-game, for sure.

Though I haven't looked at the Character Creation in over a year so don't quote me on it.

Spinosaurus · Apr 21, 2017

I was actually thinking about this a few days ago, but I didn't know you could pick black Inklings. That's really neat!

Mihael Mello Keehl · Apr 21, 2017

TheProphet said:
lol
by your definition, these girls are also black. they arent

https://tinyurl.com/jwgugwe

Then what are the default inkling then? White? Are the black inkling tanned White Inklings?

Yall jumpin through hoops tryna fight the power.

aadiboy · Apr 21, 2017

You realize they're actually tanned Japanese characters, right? Japan usually makes it clear when characters are black.

Smiles and Cries · Apr 21, 2017

ChrisD said:
I'm pretty sure every skin tone you see there you can also use in Splatoon itself. I feel like I've seen them all in-game, for sure.

Though I haven't looked at the Character Creation in over a year so don't quote me on it.

the ink colors sure they rotate but was not sure if the Skin went that light before could be wrong though Splatoon did a really good job at representation though.

Linkstrikesback · Apr 21, 2017

TheProphet said:
lol
by your definition, these girls are also black. they arent

https://tinyurl.com/jwgugwe

Go on then.

What exact shade does a squid-kid person need to be to count as black? I want to know.

BitStyle · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You realize they're actually tanned Japanese characters, right? Japan usually makes it clear when characters are black.

Give me examples of how they "make it clear"

Smiles and Cries · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You realize they're actually tanned Japanese characters, right? Japan usually makes it clear when characters are black.

How do they do that?

aadiboy · Apr 21, 2017

Linkstrikesback said:
Go on then.

What exact shade does a squid-kid person need to be to count as black? I want to know.

You kind of get a sense of what characters are black by watching anime. These characters are not black. It's fine if you pretend that they are, but don't act like Nintendo is actually providing diverse representation in this game.

Garrett Hawke · Apr 21, 2017

Panthalassic said:
Black people come in many different shades you know.

Yup. Both of the people in this photo are black:

Jawbreaker · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You kind of get a sense of what characters are black by watching anime. These characters are not black. It's fine if you pretend that they are, but don't act like Nintendo is actually providing diverse representation in this game.

They're ... squid kids. How do you denote whether they're black aside from skin color? Do you want them to give the darker skinned characters exaggerated features and afros?

Garrett Hawke · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You kind of get a sense of what characters are black by watching anime. These characters are not black. It's fine if you pretend that they are, but don't act like Nintendo is actually providing diverse representation in this game.

Go on...

BitStyle · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You kind of get a sense of what characters are black by watching anime. These characters are not black. It's fine if you pretend that they are, but don't act like Nintendo is actually providing diverse representation in this game.

From anime? lol
Once again, give me examples

Smiles and Cries · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You kind of get a sense of what characters are black by watching anime. These characters are not black. It's fine if you pretend that they are, but don't act like Nintendo is actually providing diverse representation in this game.

Anime logic says every dark skin character has to have white hair

Gentleman Jack · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You kind of get a sense of what characters are black by watching anime.

...huh?

Kebiinu · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You realize they're actually tanned Japanese characters, right? Japan usually makes it clear when characters are black.

You realize that Inklings aren't humans, right? There's no Japanese, American, or English. We're talking about representation of people of color, in general. So no they're not "tan Japanese" they're black/brown Inklings.

And if "makes it clear" meaning they stereotype the shit out of black people, like Mr.Popo and Jynx, then lol.

Deadass, what are y'all even tryna argue here? Inklings can't be black, just too much time in the sun? Get the fuck outta my face with that.

ChrisD · Apr 21, 2017

Smiles and Cries said:
the ink colors sure they rotate but was not sure if the Skin went that light before could be wrong though Splatoon did a really good job at representation though.

I was talking about the skin, not ink.

Also, reading your whole above post, I see that I'm also in the wrong on the "white white," as well. I'm honestly ashamed to say, but I never really thought of the fact that some people will connect the most with the most porcelain pale (just going to use the same terminology) in the game. Me saying one skin tone looks better than the other, no matter which ones I'm talking about, was definitely the wrong road. Especially so in a thread about race.

My apologies again, but mostly thanks for calling it out. That's something I'll definitely remember.

foxbeldin · Apr 21, 2017

Garrett Hawke said:
Yup. Both of the people in this photo are black:

The difference of scales in this picture has LOTR levels of eye trickery.

Basketball · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You realize they're actually tanned Japanese characters, right? Japan usually makes it clear when characters are black.

It kind of looks that way

There are lots of anime/manga characters with the same shade of skin but it's just a tan. It was an pretty obvious when there was the usual beach episode. Older characters in bikinis etc lewd things

Stupid Anime boys

proto · Apr 21, 2017

TheProphet said:
lol
by your definition, these girls are also black. they arent

https://tinyurl.com/jwgugwe

Jawbreaker said:
You must really hate the idea of there being black characters in the game.

For real, once you start employing such facile arguments to disprove these characters are black, how are we not supposed to think that you simply just don't like black characters in video games?

Mihael Mello Keehl · Apr 21, 2017

aadiboy said:
You kind of get a sense of what characters are black by watching anime. These characters are not black. It's fine if you pretend that they are, but don't act like Nintendo is actually providing diverse representation in this game.

Yall officially tripping, they make it clear by doing...?

Dynomutt · Apr 21, 2017

Smiles and Cries said:
Anime logic says every dark skin character has to have white hair

For real people try to tell me Uub in GT was black because of his poor village and tone but this due had a KISS Mohawk.

Ambitiously tan should not automatically check the Black character check box. Put some thought and culture into it.

Smiles and Cries · Apr 21, 2017

This whole 'they are just tanned' defense sounds like what a white supremacy nut would say to justify the game as being 'okay'

Nintendo is not trying to plant a flag in one camp or the other, they are just trying to sneak in some diversity. The Inklings Break Dance and Pop most of their time, their gear borrows a lot from early Hip Hop and other urban cultures. And borrows a lot from Japan as well.

Stop killing the dreams of some black and brown kids who want to grow up with these new heroes.

Huge Succeeded · Apr 21, 2017

freethoughtbubble said:
It is cool. It would have been even cooler when I was a kid, believe it or not.

it should still be pretty cool to you even though you're a squid now

allenpergallon · Apr 21, 2017

Finale Fireworker said:
I wonder if they'll also eventually be the first non-white fighters in Super Smash Bros?

Surely Ganondorf counts? Assuming he's seen as human/Gerudo instead of a form of the beast Ganon.

TheProphet · Apr 21, 2017

Linkstrikesback said:
Go on then.

What exact shade does a squid-kid person need to be to count as black? I want to know.

how about we stop labeling fictional video game characters are certain races, and come to realize that not all video game characters need to have HUMAN ethnicities?

the fact of the matter is that inklings are NOT human, and therefore human ethnicities do not apply to them.

OUYA FROOYA

Smiles and Cries · Apr 21, 2017

ChrisD said:
I was talking about the skin, not ink.

Also, reading your whole above post, I see that I'm also in the wrong on the "white white," as well. I'm honestly ashamed to say, but I never really thought of the fact that some people will connect the most with the most porcelain pale (just going to use the same terminology) in the game. Me saying one skin tone looks better than the other, no matter which ones I'm talking about, was definitely the wrong road. Especially so in a thread about race.

My apologies again, but mostly thanks for calling it out. That's something I'll definitely remember.

man it would be a better world if we could just say what we feel and think freely without others being offended.

I wish this thread never needed a reason to exist. The reason it exist is because something is lacking in the representation that some people like myself felt left out in.

I love the fact that I live in a world where skin color is as diverse as the palest white to the darkest black. I personally find beauty in all of it. The hate is real though and we can't encourage it.

I do not think you meant anything by your post that is why I said the wrong direction.

Mihael Mello Keehl · Apr 21, 2017

TheProphet said:
how about we stop labeling fictional video game characters are certain races, and come to realize that not all video game characters need to have HUMAN ethnicities?

the fact of the matter is that inklings are NOT human, and therefore human ethnicities do not apply to them.

OUYA FROOYA

This is like saying the 1000 year old dragon girls arent little girls because technically****

Garrett Hawke · Apr 21, 2017

foxbeldin said:
The difference of scales in this picture has LOTR levels of eye trickery.

LOL I just noticed that

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