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[Village]

Although black rebel leaders seem to be the in thing since The Matrix, I'd say Paige from Fable 3 isn't a stereotypical representation:

Sorry if she has already been mentioned.



Ummmm... I dunno about that. Seems like she's straight out of some Allan Quatermain/Colonial sex fantasy to me.

What do you mean, Because she is black.

Or do you mean how she is dressed, If it is the latter, She is one of the least racist black things in street fighter. yeah... Yeah....

 

[ResidentDante]

How about Sam from Gears of War 3? She's Australian, but dark skinned.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

100% white features.

I disagree.

 

[Screaming Meat]

What do you mean, Because she is black.

Or do you mean how she is dressed, If it is the latter, She is one of the least racist black things in street fighter. yeah... Yeah....

Definitely the latter. Saying that is the least racist thing you've seen in Streetfighter is akin to claiming to be the world's tallest midget... at the end of the day, you're still a midget, right?

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

How about Sam from Gears of War 3? She's Australian, but dark skinned.

Sam aint that dark skin in the game man c'mon lol.

 

[ResidentDante]

Sam aint that dark skin in the game man c'mon lol.

True, she's lighter skinned in the actual game.

 

[Dereck]

Realize you're saying MORTAL KOMBAT looks silly.

Also, that's just putting on some makeup.

Also also she looks hotter evil anyways.

 

[The Spoony Hou]

Should we be offended because the idea of being classifed as Black offends them or should they be offended that we automatically classifed them as Black because they have skin tones similar to Black people? Easy way out to me is just to refer to them as Brazilian and keep it moving.

I just skimmed this topic and catched this discussion, so allow me to chip in without following all of it.

I'm a white Brazilian (no, my skin is not dark) and I have many black friends who have no trouble being called black. Now, I guess for some people being black is assossiated with being poor and not having good education, so they wouldn't appreciate it. Yes, I know that's racism.

Still, maybe as you said, they're not black but just a bit tanned? I say i'm white but I'm definitely not caucasian, so my skin is a bit yellowish (very light brown I guess). Though if you called me black I'd just give you weird looks.

 

[El Sloth]

If you're mixed, then you're black. I'm sick of people saying LOL SHE'S MIXED NOT BLACK or SHE'S HALF WHITE TOO.

Because even Frederick Douglas had a white parent. He was still a slave though. You couldn't own white people, only blacks.

This is a pretty U.S. centric world view. You most certainly could own light skinned slaves in many different parts of the world at many different points in history. Also, stuff like the One-Drop Rule are things that, as far as I know, are ways of thinking unique to the U.S. Every country and different ethnic groups have their own ways of thinking about and classifying race.

 

[Village]

Definitely the latter. Saying that is the least racist thing you've seen in Streetfighter is akin to claiming to be the world's tallest midget... at the end of the day, you're still a midget, right?

Oh yeah, of course. Tekken, is way better at that kinda of representation. Doa aswell( they have other issues that they need to worry about,), I think all the fighters in BlazBlue are japanese, and I have no Idea what goes KOF.

The my comment towards street fighter is an insult.

 

[Screaming Meat]

Oh yeah, of course. Tekken, is way better at that kinda of representation. Doa aswell( they have other issues that they need to worry about,), I think all the fighters in BlazBlue are japanese, and I have no Idea what goes KOF.

The my comment towards street fighter is an insult.

Ahhhh, my bad. I shut up now.

 

[Kyon]

Why does everyone pay Kat DUST? ;__;

 

[rakhir]

On some pictures she's more white skinned, but certainly Shantae could be called black (brown?).
But mainly she's a genie.

 

[MightyKAC]

I know you guys are gonna say it doesn't count but fuck it...

Adi Gallia,

Main protagonist in Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter

and selectable character in Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles

Pilot, Jedi Councilwoman and a lightsaber fighting badass.

 

[Dereck]

On some pictures she's more white skinned, but certainly Shantae could be called black (brown?).
But mainly she's a genie.

From..what game?

 

[The Spoony Hou]

From..what game?

lol

Shantae.

 

[Zoe]

Why does everyone pay Kat DUST? ;__;

Cause she's not black?

 

[Village]

Forget this double post

Let me offer you something

Tekken 6 has churches chicken ads in it

 

[Dereck]

Cause she's not black?

This.

C'mon now

 

[Screaming Meat]

Forget this double post

Let me offer you something

Tekken 6 has churches chicken ads in it

I like chicken.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

"I think not being racist, is the new racist" hahahaha


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr-F40mnul8

 

[Versipellis]

Ellen from I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.

 

[Diamond]

The girl from Broken Age is black.

Also beaten with Ellen in I have no mouth. Great character with a terrifying backstory by the way.

 

[Screaming Meat]

Ellen from I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.

Woah woah woah... Did I miss a memo or is that an actual videogame of the Ellison story....?!

 

[Diamond]

Woah woah woah... Did I miss a memo or is that an actual videogame of the Ellison story....?!

Actually Ellison himself was actively involved in the creation of the title. That's one of the greatest adventure games ever made, you should play it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_No_Mouth,_and_I_Must_Scream_(video_game)

 

[Kasumi1970]

Jade from Beyond Good and Evil.

Jade from Beyond Good and Evil is not Black. She native american.

 

[mokeyjoe]

My Shepard from Mass Effect.

(Doesn't count I know).

She's a bitch though.

 

[Screaming Meat]

Actually Ellison himself was actively involved in the creation of the title. That's one of the greatest adventure games ever made, you should play it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_No_Mouth,_and_I_Must_Scream_(video_game)

That's very damn cool, especially because it is a point n click. I shall keep an eye out. Thank you both for the head's up!

 

[Evilisk]

Commenting the PS2 games only:

Eh, I think they count, since for all intents and purposes "Haseo", "Kite", and "Blackrose" are the characters that the players identify with, not the persons behind them.

While that's obviously the way we identify with them in the game, stuff like emailing other players/characters in the game outside of the World or just simple interactions like saying they're going to log out, helps stick out in my mind that there's more to the character than just their avatars.

That's just for me though.

Also I did some digging and there's a fair number of characters that I don't think have been brought up yet. Also not sure whether they'd count, especially Uriel since she isn't human or even the main character but meh.

Simone from Cannon Spike

Uriel from Darksiders

Pullum Purna from Street Fighter EX

Rouge from Power Stone

Now that I think about it, with these three (Simone, Purna, Rouge) and others (Nilin, Sheva, Elena) Capcom has a pretty good record.

 

[Rafterman]

Jade from Beyond Good and Evil is not Black. She native american.

No, she's not.

First off, you can't be Native American when you are from another planet. Secondly, they've never said what she was and always left it up to interpretation. Based on concept art, she was most certainly black at some point, but later moved to the release version in which she could be nearly anything.

 

[mokeyjoe]

Isn't Rouge more Arabic/Persian though? Going by what she's wearing.

 

[Screaming Meat]

Now that I think about it, with these three (Simone, Purna, Rouge) and others (Nilin, Sheva, Elena) Capcom has a pretty good record.

Is that Elena from SF3? Someone else mentioned her in this thread. How is she not a racial stereotype exactly? Streetfighter is one of the worst games for it!

 

[Parallax]

Now that I think about it, with these three (Simone, Purna, Rouge) and others (Nilin, Sheva, Elena) Capcom has a pretty good record.

Pullum and rouge are not black

 

[Wynnebeck]

Is that Elena from SF3? Someone else mentioned her in this thread. How is she not a racial stereotype exactly? Streetfighter is one of the worst games for it!

What!? Elena is a blue-eyed, white hair princess from East Africa whose father is not only chief of the region, but has a doctorate in medicine in France where she has studied. Then she was an exchange student in Japan and traveled the world. Her Capoeira fighting style is actually native to West Africa before slaves from the region were brought to South America where it flourished and is mostly known for today. Furthest thing from a stereotype if I ever saw it. Now Birdie and Balrog? Fucking thugs lol.

 

[Screaming Meat]

What!? Elena is a blue-eyed, white hair princess from East Africa whose father is not only chief of the region, but has a doctorate in medicine in France where she has studied. Then she was an exchange student in Japan and traveled the world. Her Capoeira fighting style is actually native to West Africa before slaves from the region were brought to South America where it flourished and is mostly known for today. Furthest thing from a stereotype if I ever saw it. Now Birdie and Balrog? Fucking thugs lol.

Ummmmm... tacked on backstory non-withstanding...

...I'm gonna stick.

 

[jaxword]

Is that Elena from SF3? Someone else mentioned her in this thread. How is she not a racial stereotype exactly? Streetfighter is one of the worst games for it!

Wynnebeck already answered, but Elena is not a stereotype--unless, of course, you have a specific vision of what people from Africa should be like?

She's got a vaguely British accent, is very world-travelled, has friends across the globe, internationally educated, and is a protagonist in the Street Fighter storyline.

In fact, Elena fits this thread best, because she CAN be the main protagonist for the player.

If you're bothered by the fact she's not wearing a lot of clothes, that says more about your own prejudices...

 

[Jaded Alyx]

Jade from Beyond Good and Evil is not Black. She native american.

lol what? Where'd you even get this from?

 

[Screaming Meat]

Wynnebeck already answered, but Elena is not a stereotype--unless, of course, youhave a specific vision of what people from Africa should be like?

She's got a vaguely British accent, is very world-travelled, has friends across the globe, internationally educated, and is a protagonist in the Street Fighter storyline.

In fact, Elena fits this thread best, because she CAN be the main protagonist for the player.

If you're bothered by the fact she's not wearing a lot of clothes, that says more about your own prejudices...

I understand you are likely a fan of the series, but come on, what is with the passive-aggressive insinuations...?

The design seems very obviously ripped from Allan Quatermain's wet dreams. If anything, that backstory is more like a quick-fix to cover for the design team (story not being one of the fighting genres strengths... oh, and the fact that design comes first in this instance). Anyone could easily make up a (visually) racial stereotype and come up with a convoluted (and arguably unnecessary) backstory to cover for it.

....in the Street Fighter storyline.

Slightly overstating it.

 

[jaxword]

I understand you are likely a fan of the series, but come on, what is with the passive-aggressive insinuations...?

The design seems very obviously ripped from Allan Quatermain's wet dreams. If anything, that backstory is more like a quick-fix to cover for the design team (story not being one of the fighting genres strengths... oh, and the fact that design comes first in this instance). Anyone could easily make up a (visually) racial stereotype and come up with a convoluted (and arguably unnecessary) backstory to cover for it.

Slightly overstating it.

Dismissing a character's story solely to attack one aspect is really intellectually dishonest, and I think you know that. Sure, SF is not known for its storyline, but that doesn't negate the existence of it. You may as well say that any weak writing immediately negates any argument about the work, which would pretty much eliminate the entire thread and any other thread about video game characters.

 

[Kopite]

Have there been any black female slightly important characters in JRPGs? Struggling to remember any.

 

[jaxword]

Have there been any black female slightly important characters in JRPGs? Struggling to remember any.

Fran has been mentioned several times, but apparently does not count because of the ears or something?

 

[Screaming Meat]

Dismissing a character's story solely to attack one aspect is really intellectually dishonest, and I think you know that. Sure, SF is not known for its storyline, but that doesn't negate the existence of it. You may as well say that any weak writing immediately negates any argument about the work, which would pretty much eliminate the entire thread and any other thread about video game characters.

I never said anything about the "weakness of the writing" (the pointlessness of it, sure ) and I can comment on the design only without being "intellectually dishonest" (which is an absurd accusation, especially when it's levelled at me by someone who enjoys ad hominem attacks!). The backstory figures so very little into gameplay or design considerations in the majority of fighting games, that whether it is there or not, it doesn't negate the fact that the design is very much a Colonial racial stereotype that I had long thought dead.

 

[Zoe]

Pullum and rouge are not black

Yeah, that's quite a reach.

Dark skin != black

 

[Sixfortyfive]

In fact, Elena fits this thread best, because she CAN be the main protagonist for the player.

I think fighting games and other games with an ensemble cast that don't exactly have "main" characters are kind of a stretch for this thread.

 

[Hoya Destroyer]

Lisa from DoA5.
FYI, she is a scientist.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

??

 

[DarkKyo]

She'll punch a hole through your stomach before kicking your head off!

 

[kodt]

For my reply, I was more referring to the "brown" protagonist part, but I do also associate the word with Native American because of how it's translated in French.

Indians (people from India) often refer to themselves as brown people, so I thought it was clear.

 

[Evilisk]

Yeah, that's quite a reach.

Dark skin != black

Meh this has been a confusing thread. Didn't know they weren't the right fit for this though since I was scrolling around when I noticed them.

 

[Kimaka]

black female is the double credit of diversity pandering.

Why is every character not a white male considered pandering? Who would they even be pandering to? Its not like there is a large group of gamers demanding black women in video games.

Have there been any black female slightly important characters in JRPGs? Struggling to remember any.

Lenora, a gym leader from Pokemon Black and White.