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[bobbychalkers]

I really don't see the problem here. I haven't beaten the main story mode yet but I haven't seen anything offensive about her character.

You aren't going to get a highly detailed story with in depth character motivations in a Musou game but she does stand out by having that super gung-ho personality. She's death incarnate in gameplay.

 

[Dennis]

Yoshi my man, we love you, but you are way off base here.

It is harmless and they are just trying to give her a little personality and quirkiness.

 

[MatrixMan.EXE]

OP has never read a shounen manga confirmed.

Spoiler

This is nothing to do with her being female

 

[Haunted]

She's a Genki type character.

Without having played the game, the brief animations and cutscenes I've looked up paint her as a Genki Girl x The Ditz type of character. A fairly common trope.

 

[Saikyo]

So she is like Celica from BlazBlue? At least by your post she has a lot more of personality than her.

 

[Big One]

I think the point if Linkle is that she's kind of the opposite of Link. Female instead of male, has a map but is never able to find what she's looking for (Link ALWAYS is able to follow the map right), she thinks she's important while Link IS important. She isn't the definitive female Link by any means, because she isn't a hero (or heroine) like Link is. There doesn't need to be two Links running around from a storyline perspective, and Zelda already fills the role of important female (arguably THE most important character in the entire series with her being the reincarnation of the Goddess).

 

[Piers]

What i dont get is the posts saying that Link is humble, a big part of his character arc (he) in HW is that he becomes an arrogant dick then gets in trouble before and after getting the Master Sword

That was pretty much for just one stage, and it was one of the only really interesting parts of the story as a whole, actually.
Presumably Nintendo wanted to retain Link's thing of "He's YOU!" but that doesn't really work in a game where you're controlling other Zelda characters as well.

 

[Zero-ELEC]

In a story heavy game like Hyrule Warriors, having a five-episode story just about one trope is a bit much. Especially if that trope is boring and the execution is annoyingly bad.

That's fine if you find it annoying, but calling it

sexist

and claiming that

no one would depict a male not knowing where to go like this

is disingenuous. I mean don't get me wrong, the game does have problem with depicting female characters; I could go on a rant about Zelda's cleavage breastplate and armoured tigh-highs or Cia's... everything, basically, but this is not exactly the thing I'd call out.

 

[Yoshi]

Have you seen any family vacation comedy movie made in the last 40 years?

Family vacation comedy movie? I would guess no? Cannot remember watching any movie fitting that specific descriptor. Of course I know that men not knowing the direction is a common trope, but I don't see them saying "hng, hngg, JOSH" and running into oblivion. It's both, the content itself and its depiction.

Hyrule Warriors is not story heavy. Come on man. Just because there's a single player campaign does not mean that the story is dense or good. It's not. It's a dream match that makes very little sense.

I don't know why in the world you would come into this expecting the story to be good.

Expecting a videogame story to be good, no, I wouldn't be so wild, but HW spends so much time on story that it would be nice if the story wasn't giant series of cringe. The main story is not a good story, but it is also not that stupid.

 

[Pro from Dover]

I imagined Linkle to act just like Link. So basically Samus then.

 

[akidnamededdy]

Misa wasn't ever portrayed as dumb. She was portrayed as borderline obsessively into Light, but never dumb really

Maybe the manga was different, but I got the distinct impression from the anime that Misa was supposed to be on the dumb side. One particular instance I remember was her following Light home and tackling him after he explained to her that they need to not be seen together. L also takes a few jabs at her throughout.

In any case, and back on topic, this is a silly thing to be upset over. Linkle is portrayed as strong, assertive, and self-assured, but she has no sense of direction so FUCK THIS I guess lol

 

[SirPenguin]

(Link ALWAYS is able to follow the map right)

For some reason this sets up a great mental image of Linkle completing the Water Temple in like 90 seconds and just shrugging at Link. "Dunno what your problem was but I didn't get lost once"

 

[Yoshi]

OP has never read a shounen manga confirmed.

Spoiler

This is nothing to do with her being female

I can confirm this, but I have seen episodes of several anime that are called shounen (Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Hunter X Hunter - though here just one fight a friend almost forced me into watching - off the top of my head). Since then I have come to realise that I should just read "shounen" as "shit" and continue. I take it you are giving me the explicit advice to avoid shounen if I don't want to sit there being appaled by the writing ?

EDIT: I agree Misa was also incredibly shitty, but I did not care too much because luckily, her role was miniscule and not all too important to the main story. But yes, Misa's writing was awful, too. I'm fine with characters being stupid by the way, but not like this.

 

[Shift Breaker]

Okay, I came into this topic to make a point about HWL, but instead I've started watching Zoro clips on Youtube as I've never actually watched One Piece before.

There's always a positive to these kinds of topics.

 

[Big One]

For some reason this sets up a great mental image of Linkle completing the Water Temple in like 90 seconds and just shrugging at Link. "Dunno what your problem was but I didn't get lost once"

Lol well to be fair, what I meant was from a storyline perspective Link pretty much always clears all the dungeons and traverses all the maps properly. He's the hero, the avatar character so to speak.

Linkle is not that, she's a parody character.

I actually don't disagree with the notion of choosing genders in a Zelda game, but Linkle isn't meant to be the definitive female Link by any means.

 

[massoluk]

I thought getting lost and not reading a map is male stereotype.

You know... "Why don't men ever stop and ask for direction?"

 

[LegendofLex]

I think the point if Linkle is that she's kind of the opposite of Link. Female instead of male, has a map but is never able to find what she's looking for (Link ALWAYS is able to follow the map right), she thinks she's important while Link IS important. She isn't the definitive female Link by any means, because she isn't a hero (or heroine) like Link is. There doesn't need to be two Links running around from a storyline perspective, and Zelda already fills the role of important female (arguably THE most important character in the entire series with her being the reincarnation of the Goddess).

This is kind of a silly way to introduce a character for whom the only real possibility of significance to the original series is likely to be to let players choose the gender of their hero avatar in some future game.

The whole "she can't read a map" thing is especially tone-deaf given that in about eight months we're going to be getting a Zelda game where the prevailing novelty is that there's a huge world to explore and you'll have a detailed map to navigate it with.

 

[nkarafo]

Victory sequence made me cringe. What a terrible character.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

Family vacation comedy movie? I would guess no? Cannot remember watching any movie fitting that specific descriptor. Of course I know that men not knowing the direction is a common trope, but I don't see them saying "hng, hngg, JOSH" and running into oblivion. It's both, the content itself and its depiction.

She's looking at a map and yelling out "Yosh!", a japanese affirmative. If anything that's just an over-exaggeration to make her look cute. I'm not a fan of it, but come on dude.

 

[Kid Ying]

It's not just that, look at the sequence, no one would depict a male not knowing where to go like this. Well, normally I wouldn't expect it for a female either, but well, here it is.

I guess you are not used to anime, right?

EDIT: Damn, already posted.

 

[Oni Link 666]

What did you expect from Team Ninja?

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

OP, it sounds like you're just trying really hard to be unhappy. Maybe Linkle is a poorly written (and obviously poorly named) character, but decrying her as sexist solely because of it? Come on.

 

[Draxal]

In a story heavy game like Hyrule Warriors, having a five-episode story just about one trope is a bit much. Especially if that trope is boring and the execution is annoyingly bad.

Do you really believe this?

 

[Big One]

This is kind of a silly way to introduce a character for whom the only real possibility of significance to the original series is likely to be to let players choose the gender of their hero avatar.

Linkle has a clear and defined personality, with an unresolved character arc seemingly. There is a clear difference between that and a simple avatar character like Link is.

 

[sensui-tomo]

What did you expect from Team Ninja?

Team ninja does jack shit in Koei's musou line, Its team Omega force that did this.

 

[foxuzamaki]

Why did you do this

 

[LegendofLex]

Linkle has a clear and defined personality, with an unresolved character arc seemingly. There is a clear difference between that and a simple avatar character like Link is.

Yes, but I'm questioning the decision to draw such a clear difference between her and Link in that regard, aren't I?

The whole of Hyrule Warriors is insanely stupid (in the best way) so Linkle just sort of feels like she fits in with the general stupidity of everything in the game to me.

I can appreciate this, though. She fits in very well with the cast and story of Hyrule Warriors. I'm just really disappointed by the implementation of what was a very promising idea for the series at large.

 

[Not_Mario]

The whole of Hyrule Warriors is insanely stupid (in the best way) so Linkle just sort of feels like she fits in with the general stupidity of everything in the game to me.

 

[SparkleMotion]

Yes, but I'm questioning the decision to draw such a clear difference between her and Link in that regard, aren't I?

Because she's a different character?

 

[Neiteio]

I know we're in an age where everyone is morally outraged about everything, but I hope our fictional characters can still have endearing idiosyncrasies

 

[Newtype-001]

I can confirm this, but I have seen episodes of several anime that are called shounen (Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Hunter X Hunter - though here just one fight a friend almost forced me into watching - off the top of my head). Since then I have come to realise that I should just read "shounen" as "shit" and continue. I take it you are giving me the explicit advice to avoid shounen if I don't want to sit there being appaled by the writing ?

 

[Pokemaniac]

This is kind of a silly way to introduce a character for whom the only real possibility of significance to the original series is likely to be to let players choose the gender of their hero avatar in some future game.

The whole "she can't read a map" thing is especially tone-deaf given that in about eight months we're going to be getting a Zelda game where the prevailing novelty is that there's a huge world to explore and you'll have a detailed map to navigate it with.

Linkle clearly isn't being positioned as a potential replacement for Link. Her backstory makes this clear. She'll probably be a supporting character at best if she ever appears in a real Zelda game.

 

[akidnamededdy]

I guess you are not used to anime, right?.

Or any American sitcom produced in the last forty years.

 

[Lord of Ostia]

In a story heavy game like Hyrule Warriors, having a five-episode story just about one trope is a bit much. Especially if that trope is boring and the execution is annoyingly bad.

Yes, she is capable of using her weapons (as long as you are capable of mashing B). It's not a form of inclusion I would celebrate all too much though.

I'm not a gigantic anime fan, but there are quite a few I enjoyed, most notably Death Note, which is actually among my favourite stories whatsoever. But imperfect character does not mean "dumbness as the one defining character trait". Linkle does not have flaws, she has some exceptions to being a flaw.

I watch some anime, but this trope did not play any role in any of the ones I enjoyed.

Just because you found Linkle's lack of a sense of direction annoying doesn't make it sexist or offensive, as so many people have pointed out its a trope that more often than not applies to male characters, but isn't really tied to gender at all. I can assure you that Zoro, despite his lack of direction, is portrayed as a capable and powerful character in One Piece, his lack of direction is used for comedic effect. The same thing applies to Linkle; she's an incredibly capable fighter who just happens to be bad at following directions. Honestly I think they gave her this trait to be funny and also to provide an easy way to implicate her in the various scenarios that make up her missions in a way that can take place simultaneously to the main story of the game. Is it kind of dumb, or 'lazy' writing? Perhaps, but this is not a game that takes itself seriously. You looking for outrage where there is none to find. If you want to complain about something, complain about Cia's ridiculously over the top cleavage or something.

 

[Yoshi]

Do you really believe this?

Yes, it spends a lot of time with cutscenes, story rolls and even during the campaign itself they are always telling a bit of the story. Compared to most Nintendo games, this is story heavy.

 

[Anteo]

Yes, it spends a lot of time with cutscenes, story rolls and even during the campaign itself they are always telling a bit of the story. Compared to most Nintendo games, this is story heavy.

Yoshi pls.

The game story is "yeah this evil girl is evil, and you have a bunch of characters of other games that fight the evil girl. Then they fight gannondof, The end"

What i dont get is the posts saying that Link is humble, a big part of his character arc (he) in HW is that he becomes an arrogant dick then gets in trouble before and after getting the Master Sword

As oposed to WW Link, OoT link, Minish Cap Link....

 

[blankempathy]

Or any American sitcom produced in the last forty years.

Yeah not sure why people are just referring to anime. Home improvement has a whole episode about this where Tim doesn't want to stop for directions and eventually does stop and asks for directions and still gets lost ending up at that store again.

 

[khaaan]

I thought it's quite common (regardless of gender) to have a hard headed character insisting that they know where they're going, don't need a map or stop for directions, and have the situation under control, only for the opposite to be *really* true.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

As oposed to WW Link, OoT link, Minish Cap Link....

Man, WW Link just wanted to save his sister, didn't sign up for this sunken kingdom bs.

 

[Neiteio]

To be fair, Zelda is a series where the male protagonist is such a dummy that he couldn't tie his own shoes without a fairy/talking boat/talking cap/imp/sword spirit telling him what to do.

 

[Anteo]

Man, WW Link just wanted to save his sister, didn't sign up for this sunken kingdom bs.

Yeah, but he did try to fight Ganondorf way too early and his friends had to save him. Kind of like this Link.
Courage sometimes works against him.

 

[Big One]

Yes, but I'm questioning the decision to draw such a clear difference between her and Link in that regard, aren't I?

Probably due to the implementation of her into the game as a side character rather than having a focal role in the story. The Koei-Tecmo team wanted to do something like you're suggesting and have her be Link's little sister, but Aonuma shut it down due to continuity clashing with Aryll in Wind Waker (which is silly since this is a different incarnation of Link anyway). So what we got is rather last-minute more or less.

 

[LegendofLex]

Linkle clearly isn't being positioned as a potential replacement for Link. Her backstory makes this clear. She'll probably be a supporting character at best if she ever appears in a real Zelda game.

I know.

I'm saying this was a really dumb way to introduce a "female Link" character, given the climate around female characters always getting shoved into supporting roles in tentpole media franchises.

The only way anyone involved in this game should have even thought about actually doing this is if they could position her as just as "hero" as Link. The whole "ditsy" thing doesn't demolish that potential by itself, of course, but if the way her story ends doesn't resolve that idea (I haven't finished it yet) in a satisfying way, they're sending the exact wrong message with this character.

 

[claude.labonte]

I'm sorry you didn't like the character. I don't really agree with what you're saying, but it really sucks that Linkle made you feel this way. Hope we'll eventually get a Linkle you like!

 

[Glitchesarecool]

A+ thread OP. Gave me a good chuckle.

 

[Galang]

What the heck? There's never any winning is there? I don't agree at all. It's not like Link isn't without his quirks either.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

This is kind of a silly way to introduce a character for whom the only real possibility of significance to the original series is likely to be to let players choose the gender of their hero avatar in some future game.

The whole "she can't read a map" thing is especially tone-deaf given that in about eight months we're going to be getting a Zelda game where the prevailing novelty is that there's a huge world to explore and you'll have a detailed map to navigate it with.

As tone deaf as that one series that has a 10 year old kid propped us as the only hope against a God-empowered evil warlord. Or the one that had him being the sole person capable of saving the lives of a town of people from the Moon falling, using such awesomely powerful tools such as bunny ears and a fox mask

Probably due to the implementation of her into the game as a side character rather than having a focal role in the story. The Koei-Tecmo team wanted to do something like you're suggesting and have her be Link's little sister, but Aonuma shut it down due to continuity clashing with Aryll in Wind Waker (which is silly since this is a different incarnation of Link anyway). So what we got is rather last-minute more or less.

Being Link's younger sister would have been the definition of supporting/side character. It was much better that she's her own person. No one wants another Luigi type (always living in his more popular brother's shadow)

 

[Neuromancer]

It's not just that, look at the sequence, no one would depict a male not knowing where to go like this. Well, normally I wouldn't expect it for a female either, but well, here it is.

I watched it. It was certainly very silly, but it didn't bother me.

You're definitely within your right to be annoyed. I'm just not sure it's sexist. The reason that wouldn't happen to Link probably isn't because Link is a boy but because that's not an aspect of his character.

 

[CaptainGyro]

thread backfires are the best

 

[Astral Dog]

Yoshi pls.

The game story is "yeah this evil girl is evil, and you have a bunch of characters of other games that fight the evil girl. Then they fight gannondof, The end"



As oposed to WW Link, OoT link, Minish Cap Link....

Ok but we are talking about Hyrule Warriors here, the other Links dont matter.