Support NeoGAF

[Nexas]

I think the "Link is a girl!" people are really setting themselves up for disappointment. This is Nintendo we are talking about here.

 

[Captain Europe]

I'm so happy this is its own thing and doesn't look like HD Twilight Princess.


And holy shit about people freaking out about Link!

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Net_Wrecker's buggin'

Tunic stays, female is welcome.

Nope.

Link either way, CLOAK ALL DAY.

Just imagine riding Epona through a thunderstorm with that thing on. Looks better than any Link design they've done. So mysterious. Much adventure.

 

[Yondy604]

I think this all adds up to this being Zelda, and not Link. I think the cloak she wears, which has the hylian coat of arms on it, is supposed to be the clue. And no sword in sight, Link always gets a sword, before even getting a quest. Aonuma mentions they were using The Legend of Zelda as inspiration, and the title card said the Legend of Zelda. Have we ever gotten a reveal without a subtitle that wasn't a tech demo?

If you marry this to Brave, it seems even more relevant.

Great post. Could be zelda not link

 

[Thunder Monkey]

It could just be Link straddling the line of androgyny... but some of those moments gave me an extreme tomboy vibe.

 

[Jagsrock]

If link is actually Zelda that would be cool. The hood and the use of a bow with no sword in sight is zelda like for sure but then again it could just be that you start with a bow this time and Link is just really pretty.

 

[TitusGroan]

...datgrass...

...DAT GRASS!!!!

 

[deadcelledo]

I'm glad they went with this style, looks beautiful!

 

[TheGreyHulk]

Omg...I got the chills from this and I have shingles..it hurts!! But it hurts so good!

 

[The Spoony Hou]

I can't believe I cried for a freaking cell shaded game.

 

[Mango The Magician]

I'm surprised that Link having slightly more hair than usual would cause people to think the character is a girl this time around. I'm not against a female Link so long as that's that Link and it's not just an option for that Link (as I like Link being an established character and not a blank generic create-a-character), but as someone who draws a lot of anime and similar Zelda art-styles I'm 100% confident Link is still a guy.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

GAF is apparently new to Japanese art styles.

Link has never been effeminate until now. Past few games you could have shown me Marcus Fenix and I would have told it you it was Link, now he's so damn girly.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Link is no grill, he's always been a pan.

 

[Roo]

I have to say I'm not a fan of Link's model, that's my only complain so far.
Everything else looks amazing.

Metroid exists, ya know...

Sigh.

It's so sad they keep holding back the IP
At this rate, I guess Nintendo will pull a N64 and there won't be a Metroid for Wii U

 

[TwilightPrincess]

looks absolutely fantastic. Loving the artstyle.

 

[Zomba13]

I think if that Link was actually a girl/Zelda they would have been more clear with it or mention it. It's a massive thing on the scale of the open world to change up the main character in the series. They would have made it obvious.

 

[Gahiggidy]

If it was a girl character, the lips would be painted red.

 

[poweredbykimchi]

Problem with that "Link" being the new Zelda is that it looks way too much like Link. If you make that "Link" into Zelda, how will the new Link look? Same with thicker brows?

I'm pretty sure Link is a guy here.

 

[Ito]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUFFVATu9Lg

GameXplain has a high quality version of the trailer. Posted yet?

OK, Link is a boy.

He screams when his horse starts running, and that's a male voice.

Not dissapointed, but it would have been cool.

 

[Version 3.0]

This looks absolutely incredible. I'm stunned.

 

[Aaron Strife]

I love androgynous Link. It's really interesting that Nintendo keeps making him more and more the opposite of what the bald space marine crowd would want.


Amazing art style.

That along with Pit being a little kid instead of Man Icarus like everyone wanted.

 

[maquiladora]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUFFVATu9Lg

GameXplain has a high quality version of the trailer. Posted yet?

Looks like the same quality as on the stream to me.

 

[Tetranet]

This started when people started saying Link being a girl would annoy or bother them. No one has said they're averse to Link being a boy.

You admit there's no good reason to be averse to Link being a girl though, so that's a start.

It started when the sentiment became "a boy shouldn't be like this, make Link a girl".

That's almost textbook-like sexism.

 

[trixx]

I'm actually thinking this is actually Zelda as well. You guys are convincing me.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

cg? are you kidding me guyz, the iq is too shitty to be cgi.

(Also that they confirmed it to not be CG)

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

My god this art....

Unbelievably awesome.

I'm more impressed with the animation, from the horse, the effects, Link's facial expression, the grass and environment, that one eyed thingy, the way the bridge explodes...absolutely astounding attention to detail.

Really, puts Skyrim to shame!

 

[EVIL]

this is one of the dumbest posts I've ever read on Neogaf and you should be ashamed of yourself for having written it.

Go shitpost somewhere else.

Fucking astonishing

lol whatever dude, I might have overreacted but I can't believe that the incredible looking The legend of Zelda on Wii U has been boiled down to a discussion about if link is Female or not

I dont think the legend of zelda tradition of link being male needs to change. Al this nonsense about link rescuing princess zelda as if she is a weak female victim is making me question if those people ever played any zelda game. She is a strong capable ruler who is both wise, cunning and powerful.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Why isn't "That's just the way it's been!" a good reason?

Because it assumes change is inherently bad. Why is it a good reason?

I feel like I'm hitting my head against a brick wall here, but to me, Link is a guy because for the past 28 years he's been a guy. Yes, his sexuality may not necessarily matter and at the end of the day it's as important as the color he wears (not very), but it's still something that, for me, makes Link immediately recognizable as Link.

Even with the more androgynous incarnations of the character? Hyrule Warrior's Link could be a girl at first glance at the artwork. What about that design relies on him being a guy?

Was the masculine looking OoT Sheik ruined in Super SMash Bros Brawl when they gave Sheik (Zelda in disguise) a more feminine figure?

 

[Burning Justice]

Some of you guys really think Link looks like a girl? That face doesn't really look feminine at all to me.

 

[MisterGrey3000]

I hope Link is a drag queen in a future game just to spite you "Link is too girly! Waaaaaaah!!" posters.
:/
I quite like feminine men.

 

[martino]

I respectfully disagree. Lore wise, yes, it's different Links, but branding wise Link is Link. He's a male, he has green clothes at one point or another, and he has a sword. If I show someone a picture of Link, it will be a guy (probably) wearing green clothes who has a sword.

To me, Link is a guy. Zelda is a girl.

I DO like the idea (and thought of) the person in the trailer being Zelda and I DO like the idea of being able to play as her, but I DON'T like the idea of switching around their sexes just for the sake of doing so.

Again, if Nintendo is wanting to create a strong female heroine, why not create a new IP? Like I said before, I think it's great if they want to appeal to a larger demographic. I don't think messing with established characters and IPs is the right way to do so.



Art style may have changed, but all of these Link's are still males who wear green clothes (outside of the OOT one, and we all know he wears green in that) with swords. Art style may have changed, but the traits that make Link Link didn't. It's because of these that they can switch around the art and we can immediately look at Link and say "yep, that's Link".

maybe it's not link....maybe it's the gear of the game beginning (and it's not the one of the hero of time in the last games)

 

[Chaos17]

Originally Posted by Spring-Loaded

Okay, but why not have Link be a girl?

 

[Holy Order Sol]

No it's not.

In fact, considering that his quest in previous games is saving Zelda solidifies it even more. It's part of the "hero on a quest to save a princess/maiden" formula.

That... doesn't make it important?
Tropes get played with all the time. For every straight textbook application you're bound to see a variant of some sort somewhere.

 

[Solid Samus]

lol whatever dude, I might have overreacted but I can't believe that the incredible looking The legend of Zelda on Wii U has been boiled down to a discussion about if link is Female or not

I dont think the legend of zelda tradition of link being male needs to change. Al this nonsense about link rescuing princess zelda as if she is a weak female victim is making me question if those people ever played any zelda game. She is a strong capable ruler who is both wise, cunning and powerful.

The whole fap comment just rubbed me the wrong way, like, that's the only reason anyone on this earth could possibly find it interesting to play as a female Link or whatever. you know? I totally overreacted, no doubt, but come on, that was not a good direction to take the post in

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

It just looks like Link in different clothes.

Anyhoo, game looks promising. Not usually a 3D Zelda fan, but if they change the formula up a bit(and by a bit, I mean a lot) that could change.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Pretty sure that wasn't Link or Zelda, I think it's Marin from Link's Awakening.

 

[akidnamededdy]

Oh god does every thread have to turn into a discussion on sexism now?

 

[ZiZ]

is it just me or is the shading a bit... off?

 

[stufte]

Who cares if it's a boy or a girl. I'll enjoy it if it's a girl, I'll enjoy it if it's a boy. Calm the fuck down and just enjoy it. You guys always make awesome announcements like this into these shitty battles. It's just a video game. Fucking ugh.

 

[RoadHazard]

Will we get proper, explorable forests rather than just forest-styled labyrinths this time around? Sure looks like it, which is awesome!

 

[EVIL]

The whole fap comment just rubbed me the wrong way, like, that's the only reason anyone on this earth could possibly find it interesting to play as a female Link or whatever. you know? I totally overreacted, no doubt, but come on, that was not a good direction to take the post in

Yeah that was stupid and I didn't think it trough. I was getting annoyed, Sorry..

 

[Firemind]

Whoever said it has influences of Princess Mononoke are spot on.

I said wow.

 

[Delstius]

Loving the art, the return to an open world game, the Princess Mononoke vibes, everything.

 

[Xemnas89]

Wow this game looks beautiful. Glad to hear about just how open the world is. Wish there was more to see but I'm happy with what we got. Hope we don't have to wait till next E3 for more footage.

 

[Sai-kun]

Link's gender is not what makes him Link.

That the hero uses a sword and decorated shield, a boomerang, a hookshot, bombs, wears a green tunic, that's what makes them Link.

 

[eddfromtheriver]

I like Link's character model in this a lot more than the Skyward Sword one.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Some of you guys really think Link looks like a girl? That face doesn't really look feminine at all to me.

Looks almost exactly like one of my cousins circa her 14th year.

I'm not saying either way. Given androgyny is a Link thing, I'm betting it's more likely that Link is a guy. I would not be averse to them upending that tea-table though.

 

[zma1013]

Some of you guys really think Link looks like a girl? That face doesn't really look feminine at all to me.

The eyes remind me a bit of the various Disney princesses' eyes.

 

[-Horizon-]

I'm fine if that Link is actually just really bishounen. I'm just saying I think he is actually a she. I could be wrong, I could be not.

 

[ED Cantu]

The teaser looked stunning, the art style and the graphics were amazing, can't wait for 2015 and this game to come.

And it's funny seeing so many people being confused about link and if it's a girl or a boy, I blame Game Trailers and Mike Damiani lol.

He looks very effeminate but this image convinced me he's still a guy:

But I know people will continue arguing about it until we have confirmation, but my money is on Link still being a dude, just a more younger and effeminate one.