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Inkling Boy & Girl are the first black non-Mii characters in Mario Kart

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why has Bish forsaken us?

This is the "hero vanishes" timeline

That's the irony of all this. These characters can't black in a game that borrows heavily from African American culture. As in it pervades every aspects of it. No they're "tanned" east Asians not the people whose some of which culture they borrow heavily from.

What on earth are some of you guys smoking.

I don't even mind people interpreting them as representation of any other people with dark skin. The ridiculous part is people believing "black" can only mean Africa-American/of African descent/Aboriginal/etc., believing that calling them black means "fuck anyone who isn't this very particular type of black," and saying that they can't be interpreted as African-American representation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people

And just to humor you further, here's a question for you

If you use the say the "black person" to anyone during a conversation, in pretty much any country, what do you believe the chance is of them mistaking them for a southeast asian?

If you aren't asking for what like 90% of the population knows the word to mean, then why are you even asking at all.

From the wiki page you linked:

"Black people is a term used in certain countries, often in socially based systems of racial classification or of ethnicity, to describe persons who are perceived to be dark-skinned compared to other given populations."

There are black people all over the world. The southeast asian people you mention are black. No matter how narrow you're understanding of that concept is, no matter what you immediately jump to upon hearing the word "black," it doesn't change that there are inklings in Splatoon 2 and MK8D who are black.

Oh so like the others, you don't want to define black. You are acting as if were being coy yet you refuse to explain it.

Dude linked to the wiki page without reading the first sentence. Of course he's going to refuse to lock down his definition without scrutinizing every detail of his post first; just give him time
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
I didn't mention why because i never typed this nonsense

seriously, do any of you read before you start typing? Like, at all?

I'm arguing on the side of people who complain about the representation because they don't feel it's adequate. But I also mention compromise for those who generally don't care that much.



what part of "personal and ideal definitions do not count" are you not comprehending



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people

And just to humor you further, here's a question for you

If you say "black person" to anyone during a conversation, in pretty much any country, what do you believe the chance is of them thinking you're talking about a southeast asian?*

If you aren't asking for what like 90% of the population knows the word to mean, then why are you even asking at all. Are you planning on only ever discussing this on NeoGAF or something?
You were talking about fucking textured hair to represent black people in game that has squid hair. Did you even think that arguement through.

How exactly do you think a black person would be represented in such a world?
 

atr0cious

Member
I didn't mention why because i never typed this nonsense

seriously, do any of you read before you start typing? Like, at all?

I'm arguing on the side of people who complain about the representation because they don't feel it's adequate. But I also mention compromise for those who generally don't care that much.



what part of "personal and ideal definitions do not count" are you not comprehending



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people

And just to humor you further, here's a question for you

If you say "black person" to anyone during a conversation, in pretty much any country, what do you believe the chance is of them thinking you're talking about a southeast asian?*

If you aren't asking for what like 90% of the population knows the word to mean, then why are you even asking at all. Are you planning on only ever discussing this on NeoGAF or something?
In America, those folks will be "mistaken"as black. Which is why the term "black diaspora" exists. White people made dark skin a bad thing in society through culture and laws, so I'm sure they'll be less angry about being called black than you are.
From what I understand, Splatoon borrows more from Japanese youth street culture than western black culture.
Lol, if you think Japanese youth came up with all that on their own, and not copying another culture like they do with all the other trends.
 

LordKasual

Banned
Oh so like the others, you don't want to define black. You are acting as if were being coy yet you refuse to explain it.

It's a social definition, it means what society wants it to mean. Which also means it's inherently complex and context sensitive.

Which is probably why you desperately want me to attempt to explain in a few sentences a concept that has an entire wiki article dedicated to it.
 

Izuna

Banned
From what I understand, Splatoon borrows more from Japanese youth street culture than western black culture.

220px-Queenofhippop.jpg


People are trying so hard to remove any hint of blackness from things.
 

atr0cious

Member
It's a social definition, it means what society wants it to mean. Which also means it's inherently complex and context sensitive.

Which is probably why you desperately want me to attempt to explain in a few sentences a concept that has an entire wiki article dedicated to it.
You have no clue what you're talking about and everyone is wishing you would just come out and say it so we can move on and hopefully the thread will die before more ignorance flares up.
 

Kebiinu

Banned
From what I understand, Splatoon borrows more from Japanese youth street culture than western black culture.

Japanese youth culture is heavily, heavily influenced by Urban African American culture. From the fashion, to performances and performers like Beyoncé, to the way they dance.

Splatoon draws its inspirations from both cultures, imo. Booya Base = Shibuya. The minority representation and diversity of black people in general. Callie and Marie as pop idols from Japan. The urban hip hop influence...
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
This is the "hero vanishes" timeline



I don't even mind people interpreting them as representation of any other people with dark skin. The ridiculous part is people believing "black" can only mean Africa-American/of African descent/Aboriginal/etc., believing that calling them black means "fuck anyone who isn't this very particular type of black," and saying that they can't be interpreted as African-American representation.



From the wiki page you linked:

"Black people is a term used in certain countries, often in socially based systems of racial classification or of ethnicity, to describe persons who are perceived to be dark-skinned compared to other given populations."

There are black people all over the world. The southeast asian people you mention are black. No matter how narrow you're understanding of that concept is, no matter what you immediately jump to upon hearing the word "black," it doesn't change that there are inklings in Splatoon 2 and MK8D who are black.



Dude linked to the wiki page without reading the first sentence. Of course he's going to refuse to lock down his definition without scrutinizing every detail of his post first; just give him time

My issue is more of the use of "tanned" east asians rather than the fact east asians can feel represented by these characters. Because it's not like east asians don't come in all sorts skin shades and who face their own problems of discrimination. No they're "tanned or ganguro" because they can't accept anything else.
 

Izuna

Banned
It's a social definition, it means what society wants it to mean. Which also means it's inherently complex and context sensitive.

Which is probably why you desperately want me to attempt to explain in a few sentences a concept that has an entire wiki article dedicated to it.

My man...

As a brit. Educate me on society's definition of Black please
 
If people had come into the thread to say that going by their personal understanding of "black" meant something other than what's said in the OP, this would've been different. There could've been an understanding reached about how different countries/regions generally have slightly different usages of "black" in regard to people.

What actually happened was a select handful of posters went straight into aggressive indignation mode and showed their asses trying to explain how these squid can't be black, or can't be considered representation of black people the world over. Ironically, they believe calling the squid kids black is exclusionary to certain people with dark skin in the real world even though these posters are themselves being exclusionary by saying these inklings are just tanned japanese people (squid mutants?).

Read that benign, innocuous OP and tell me it warranted any garbage like this

You were talking about fucking textured hair to represent black people in game that has squid hair. Did you even think that arguement through.

How exactly do you think a black person would be represented in such a world?

03dc2f682a83489344e3ae15a6ab7a101616843254.png


My issue is more of the use of "tanned" east asians rather than the fact east asians can feel represented by these characters. Because it's not like east asians don't come in all sorts skin shades and who face their own problems of discrimination. No they're "tanned or ganguro" because they can't accept anything else.

That's true; I hadn't even considered that angle.

It's a social definition, it means what society wants it to mean. Which also means it's inherently complex and context sensitive.

Which is probably why you desperately want me to attempt to explain in a few sentences a concept that has an entire wiki article dedicated to it.

Read the first sentence of the wiki page you linked, my man. Tell me how the thread title goes against that.
 

Kebiinu

Banned
My issue is more of the use of "tanned" east asians rather than the fact east asians can feel represented by these characters. Because it's not like east asians don't come in all sorts skin shades and who face their own problems of discrimination. No they're "tanned or ganguro" because they can't accept anything else.

Right. I have two Filipino friends who claim black. I don't knock em, fault em, or argue with them because they are black. They respect their blackness, and they wouldn't call themselves 'tanned'.
 

LordKasual

Banned
My man...

As a brit. Educate me on society's definition of Black please

My dude.

If you don't understand how nonsensical of a question this is, then i'm just not bothering replying to you anymore.

You're a brit? Excellent; go outside and strike a conversation with someone outside of a forum board for a change, then you'll have your answer, okay?

None of these people ever feel the need to say what they think it means but they have absolutely no problem discrediting someone elses.

Funny how that works.

The real funny thing is how you just assumed that my definition of "black" would be inherently offensive to you, for some unexplained reason.

I've discredited nobody's definitions of anything, you're just putting words in my mouth.

Some of you are way more into forming arguments then you are about being practical about anything.
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
If people had come into the thread to say that going by their personal understanding of "black" meant something other than what's said in the OP, this would've been different. There could've been an understanding reached about how different countries/regions generally have slightly different usages of "black" in regard to people.

What actually happened was a select handful of posters went straight into aggressive indignation mode and showed their asses trying to explain how these squid can't be black, or can't be considered representation of black people the world over. Ironically, they believe calling the squid kids black is exclusionary to certain people with dark skin in the real world even though these posters are themselves being exclusionary by saying these inklings are just tanned japanese people (squid mutants?).

Read that benign, innocuous OP and tell me it warranted any garbage like this



03dc2f682a83489344e3ae15a6ab7a101616843254.png




That's true; I hadn't even considered that angle.



Read the first sentence of the wiki page you linked, my man. Tell me how the thread title goes against that.

Japanese games have some of the worst of. In Hyrule Warriors there's a villain character that's dark skinned and sexual sorcesscess who has been corrupted by gannondorf. Once the influence is removed she becomes pure white and innocent sorceress (as in her skin colour physically changes). It's just so blatant and in your face. It's not even the first instance I've seen of it.
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
My dude.

If you don't understand how nonsensical of a question this is, then i'm just not bothering replying to you anymore.

You're a brit? Excellent; go outside and strike a conversation with someone outside of a forum board for a change, then you'll have your answer, okay?

Then why did you come into this thread imply he character was not suppsoed to Africans as well as any other darker skinned race by saying this.

If a developer really wanted to make a character "black", they could just include ethnic hair textures and slap literally any skintone options on that they wanted, and nobody would have to debate anything. Everything with brown/dark skin isn't "BLACK", please calm down.

You clearly have a very specific definition of what black means other you wouldn't have written that.

Pray tell why your having an issue now.
 
My dude.

If you don't understand how nonsensical of a question this is, then i'm just not bothering replying to you anymore.

You're a brit? Excellent; go outside and strike a conversation with someone outside of a forum board for a change, then you'll have your answer, okay?

Since anecdotal evidence is enough for you, what're your thoughts on this poster's experience?:

Right. I have two Filipino friends who claim black. I don't knock em, fault em, or argue with them because they are black. They respect their blackness, and they wouldn't call themselves 'tanned'.

And what are your thoughts on the conversations I've had with other black people in the U.S., from France, Morocco, Guinea and Mexico (as a black person, no less) in which they considered "black" to mean "people with dark skin"?
 
*reading last few pages....

Afro people?, Ethnic Hair Texture?

oh my....

I am East African and me and my family have straight or soft curly hair but are and identify as black

you have to realize that being black is a diverse spectrum and black people have either settled or have been settled (against their will) to multiple places in the world were they formed communities and ingrained societies


Africa alone is a massive continent with multiple black ethnicities

buki-gear_gear.png

2kg5xcS.jpg

tumblr_ojt3845WS11u3akyno1_1280.jpg

Nintendo isn't as stupid or clueless as some of your guys are making them out to be. They are not trying to represent tanning culture or ganguro, regardless of how committed you get to your faux expertise about japanese culture and societal views; those bits of knowledge are blinding you.

I mean idk what you would call this

okay maybe for some you can also say they are south Indian or Sri Lankan

but it feels like some people just don't want to say they can also be Black
 
Ethnic hair texture..lol. The fuck does that mean?

Brillo pads and the worst of sheep wool. It's the only way some people can identify black hair. The overt racism in this thread is amazing. You'd think people would be more aware, but nah. A black character in a Nintendo game is almost as bad as that black guy in the Shadow of War trailer.
 
Brillo pads and the worst of sheep wool. It's the only way some people can identify black hair. The overt racism in this thread is amazing. You'd think people would be more aware, but nah. A black character in a Nintendo game is almost as bad as that black guy in the Shadow of War trailer.

I legit want to know what a tentacle version of this would be. Hell, I'd actually want it to be in the game as a "hair" option.
 

Nepenthe

Member
The overt racism in this thread is amazing. You'd think people would be more aware, but nah. A black character in a Nintendo game is almost as bad as that black guy in the Shadow of War trailer.

We're talking about a community centered on spending thousands of dollars to stay indoors and press buttons all day. You really think these people get out, much less have actual meaningful relationships with black people, assuming any live where they do? Honestly, this shit is almost guaranteed.
 

En-ou

Member
People get really angry if black gamers identity with a character and will do their best to deny them that small bit of happiness lol.

Even trotting out arguments like "they're not even human" or "It doesn't take place on earth", well neither does Witcher but look how hard people argued why black people can't exist in that game. Amazing how "White" is super exclusive in real life but in videogames and anime everyone is assumed white regardless if the story takes place on earth, if they're human or otherwise.
is that really true?
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
lol I from all this silliness I forgot the fact that they actually don't have hair but tentacles on top of their head

It's the funniest thing they don't even have human hair and yet people are talking about afro's to designate black characters.

The fuck? Are you guys all high?
 
I legit want to know what a tentacle version of this would be. Hell, I'd actually want it to be in the game as a "hair" option.

lol I from all this silliness I forgot the fact that they actually don't have hair but tentacles on top of their head

This is the best part of it all

We're talking about a community centered on spending thousands of dollars to stay indoors and press buttons all day. You really think these people get out, much less have actual meaningful relationships with black people, assuming any live where they do? Honestly, this shit is almost guaranteed.


Of course they don't. They think we are rap videos in real life. Now we go and Sully their good fun by possibly existing in the world they paid to be in.
 

Nepenthe

Member
It's the funniest thing they don't even have human hair and yet people are talking about afro's to designate black characters.

The fuck? Are you guys all high?

It's that invisible checklist again.

White and by extension Japanese characters can look like anything. Black people? They can't just have dark skin now. They need more afro features.
 

Kebiinu

Banned
is that really true?

All you need to do is visit your local anime and race relations topic, and you'll see right away, "Japanese animate themselves in the likeliness of white people. Japanese don't have blonde hair and blue eyes like Naruto." and this argument repeats itself over and over throughout the entire topic. Black people are only black in anime, when they have "ethnic" hair and bulbous facial features, because black can't just mean, the amount of melanin you possess. This is what you'll find in those topics.

So yes, it's really true.
 

LordKasual

Banned
Then why did you come into this thread imply he character was not suppsoed to Africans as well as any other darker skinned race by saying this.

Me implying what my personal interpertation is in this context doesn't change the meaning of the word, nor does it inherently oppose anyone elses.

i'm guessing this thought has never crossed your mind? Or anyone else's mind who is adamant about arguing with me? You guys seem way more interested in an argument of semantics then you are about actually having a conversation about anything that's going to go anywhere.

Since anecdotal evidence is enough for you, what're your thoughts on this poster's experience?:

Right. I have two Filipino friends who claim black. I don't knock em, fault em, or argue with them because they are black. They respect their blackness, and they wouldn't call themselves 'tanned'.

And what are your thoughts on the conversations I've had with other black people in the U.S., from France, Morocco, Guinea and Mexico (as a black person, no less) in which they considered "black" to mean "people with dark skin"?

The same way I feel about my Cambodian friends who are all darker than me who do not identify as "black", would laugh in your face for trying it, and would rather be called "Cambodian".

or the conversations i've had with dark-skinned people from the Dominician Republic who DONT identify as "black" either. Who would only be "mistaken" for "black" in the states, and is a distinction that some people in the states actually would take offense to.

or some creoles in Louisiana, some of which i probably share relation with, who also do not identify as "black", and would rather be called creole.

My feelings are that language is complex and context sensitive. There is no 100% correct usage of the word "black people". Even this definition of "people with dark skin" is offensive to many people around the world, of whom i'm assuming you might have not known about. It requires context, and me assuming a context is no more of an offense then you assuming in broad strokes who it includes and doesn't include, just because you falsely think you're being more inclusive for it.



Somewhere, this thread has just flipped from arguing about accurate representation to the arguing about accuracy itself. I don't even know why I bothered.

Some of you live in this little bizarro bubble universe where only perfect labels (or no labels) exist. But it just makes you sound like you are only ever exposed to this shit on the internet. I would really love to see you discuss this with random people in society to see how they react, it would probably surprise you how varied it would be.
 
If you say "black person" to anyone during a conversation, in pretty much any country, what do you believe the chance is of them thinking you're talking about a southeast asian?*

If you aren't asking for what like 90% of the population knows the word to mean, then why are you even asking at all. Are you planning on only ever discussing this on NeoGAF or something?

oh for god's sake.

Stop using South East Asians in your argument, even more considering with the racial makeup over here you have a huge plethora of racial features ranging from indian, malayan, to chinese.

Also, as a (brownish) South East Asian, I would have no problems if someone puts me in the brown/black range..
 

Principate

Saint Titanfall
Me implying what my personal interpertation is in this context doesn't change the meaning of the word, nor does it inherently oppose anyone elses.

i'm guessing this thought has never crossed your mind? Or anyone else's mind who is adamant about arguing with me? You guys seem way more interested in an argument of semantics then you are about actually having a conversation about anything that's going to go anywhere.



The same way I feel about my Cambodian friends who are all darker than me who do not identify as "black", would laugh in your face for trying it, and would rather be called "Cambodian".

or the conversations i've had with dark-skinned people from the Dominician Republic who DONT identify as "black" either. Who would only be "mistaken" for "black" in the states, and is a distinction that some people in the states actually would take offense to.

or some creoles in Louisiana, some of which i probably share relation with, who also do not identify as "black", and would rather be called creole.

My feelings are that language is complex and context sensitive. There is no 100% correct usage of the word "black people". Even this definition of "people with dark skin" is offensive to many people around the world, of whom i'm assuming you might have not known about. It requires context, and me assuming a context is no more of an offense then you assuming in broad strokes who it includes and doesn't include, just because you falsely think you're being more inclusive for it.



Somewhere, this thread has just flipped from arguing about accurate representation to the arguing about accuracy itself. I don't even know why I bothered.
We're not asking for a general "definition" we're asking specifically for your definition. So tell us what it is.
 

Izuna

Banned
My dude.

If you don't understand how nonsensical of a question this is, then i'm just not bothering replying to you anymore.

You're a brit? Excellent; go outside and strike a conversation with someone outside of a forum board for a change, then you'll have your answer, okay?

Thanks for the laugh. No really.

Your definition of black requires me to talk to someone. Hmm, well I guess that isn't working for me. ELI5?

I really want to hear this complicated and sensitive answer for what black is.
 

kewlmyc

Member
If you don't see the characters in the OP as black, I'm confused as to why you would try to ruin it for the people who do and are happy with it. What do you gain from doing that?
 

gdt

Member
Of course this thread is 11 pages long. Of course



And lol at Dominican blacks taking offense at being called black.....black is bad in the DR. So they absolutely can't stand to be black because of the way Dominicans view it
 

Kebiinu

Banned
Me implying what my personal interpertation is in this context doesn't change the meaning of the word, nor does it inherently oppose anyone elses.

i'm guessing this thought has never crossed your mind? Or anyone else's mind who is adamant about arguing with me? You guys seem way more interested in an argument of semantics then you are about actually having a conversation about anything that's going to go anywhere.



The same way I feel about my Cambodian friends who are all darker than me who do not identify as "black", would laugh in your face for trying it, and would rather be called "Cambodian".

or the conversations i've had with dark-skinned people from the Dominician Republic who DONT identify as "black" either. Who would only be "mistaken" for "black" in the states, and is a distinction that some people in the states actually would take offense to.

or some creoles in Louisiana, some of which i probably share relation with, who also do not identify as "black", and would rather be called creole.

My feelings are that language is complex and context sensitive. There is no 100% correct usage of the word "black people". Even this definition of "people with dark skin" is offensive to many people around the world, of whom i'm assuming you might have not known about. It requires context, and me assuming a context is no more of an offense then you assuming in broad strokes who it includes and doesn't include, just because you falsely think you're being more inclusive for it.



Somewhere, this thread has just flipped from arguing about accurate representation to the arguing about accuracy itself. I don't even know why I bothered.

Your logic was terrible the moment you tried to argue with "ethnic hair" and "black people with a wig/perm".

Also, Black =/= Ethnicity. Dominicans are black, lol. They're Spanish speaking black people, they share an island with Haiti for goodness sake.

It just sounds like you and your black friends feel uncomfortable claiming their blackness. If someone from Egypt called themselves black, I wouldn't go, "No you're EGYPTIAN!" just like if someone asked me my race, I wouldn't say, "Brazilian." I'd say I was AfroLatino/AfroBrazilian or Black.

People are triggered by the word black, because it has negative connotations, stigmas, and prejudices throughout ALL cultures. So of course many people will gasp at the idea that they could possibly be grouped in with "those blacks."

You're literally proving everyone's point, lol.
 

Nepenthe

Member
We don't need to directly ask LordKasual what black means to him because he already told us in his first post:

"ethnic hair textures"

Any range of skin color is fine but so long as you have "ethnic hair textures" then it obviously it's a black character (if the characters happen to lack design traits that would allow for something akin to human hair to be displayed, lol, sorry black people but you're SOL, even with that dark skinned character. You do not get to feel represented.)

It's weird how black people apparently cannot lay any claim to dark skinned characters now, but our high range of hair textures and styles are being artificially limited to what people consider "ethnic textures."

I mean fuck. By that measure I guess I'm not fucking black then.
 

atr0cious

Member
or some creoles in Louisiana, some of which i probably share relation with, who also do not identify as "black", and would rather be called creole.
Now we trying to get deep. As a cajun creole, I identified as black until recently when I did some more reading and found out how Africans see us, as those taken away, so I identify as African American now, but I'm still black and proud in a country that​ is systematically trying to erase anything about my people while reaping the rewards of our labor to build this shit hole of a nation. But you're ​not talking about this, because you don't know shit.

To touch on why your words hurt and why people will continue to get frustrated with your stupidity (we're past ignorance now)One of my creole grandmas identifies so deeply with "black," literally hates light skinned black folks, will constantly talk trash if they show up on TV, and we're light skinned and she's lighter than Pharrell. But because of words like yours and the rest of the world, she must continue to prove her blackness to other blacks, all the while being punished by the rest of society for looking like us.

So kindly fuck off.
 

LordKasual

Banned
Your logic was terrible the moment you tried to argue with "ethnic hair" and "black people with a wig/perm".

Also, Black =/= Ethnicity. Dominicans are black, lol. They're Spanish speaking black people, they share an island with Haiti for goodness sake.

It just sounds like you and your black friends feel uncomfortable claiming their blackness. If someone from Egypt called themselves black, I wouldn't go, "No you're EGYPTIAN!" just like if someone asked me my race, I wouldn't say, "Brazilian." I'd say I was AfroLatino/AfroBrazilian or Black.

People are triggered by the word black, because it has negative connotations, stigmas, and prejudices throughout ALL cultures. So of course many people will gasp at the idea that they could possibly be grouped in with "those blacks."

You're literally proving everyone's point, lol.

Holy shit, do you know what an anecdote is?

You guys really aren't reading these posts. This is ridiculous

by all means, go find these people and tell them how they're wrong. I'm sure they'll thank you for the correction and be your bestest friend afterwards.

Thanks for the laugh. No really.

Your definition of black requires me to talk to someone. Hmm, well I guess that isn't working for me. ELI5?

I really want to hear this complicated and sensitive answer for what black is.

We're not asking for a general "definition" we're asking specifically for your definition. So tell us what it is.

I've posted more than enough times for you to use your reading comprehension skills to piece together a general answer for your question. But I don't have much faith in that, nor am i going to waste time trying to fix it.
 
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