adamantypants
Member
This thread was doomed from the start.
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Who are your favorite black Nintendo characters?
- Thread starter KillerIsJed
- Start date
I get the feeling that was always the intention.
I imagine some people aren't. There's still quite a few people in the US that regard Christopher Columbus as a hero.
Well, someone was going to do it.
I used to take great offence in seeing pics like this, but now, pure admiration.
Beautiful full lips that most caucasoid women would shoot their husbands for.
And dat GOLD!
LOL
Necromanti
Member
If someone was asking about depictions of black people, I'm sure you could appreciate why posting any creature that happened to be of a black color in response could be seen as questionable.
SystemUser
Member
Why do they have pointy noses and European names? Is Link Japanese? I always thought he was white? Is Peach asian? What about Daisy and Rosalina?
Valjean Lafitte
Banned
Anime characters might usually be Asian, but most of them are not designed with typically Asian facial features.
Aaron-Lagann
Banned
Most of them aren't designed with human features.
HolyBaikal
Banned
Race is such a complicated subject. Who is black and who isn't, and things like that.
The words like black, white, and Asian, aren't really very good.
The words like black, white, and Asian, aren't really very good.
SilverLunar
Member
Because they are designed to be cartoons, the big, pretty eyes is an artistic choice to better display emotions.
i am an expert in Japanese culture etc etc
Aaron-Lagann
Banned
SystemUser
Member
What about the European names though? Sony had Brave Fencer Musashi who was clearly Japanese when compared to Link. When you say anime styled characters the first Nintendo anime styled character that pops into minds is Link.
I thought that Nintendo decided to make all white characters after the success of their Italian plumber. Until this thread I had no idea that any Nintendo characters were Japanese. Are they all Japanese other than Mario?
They certainly look happy.
That one on the right scares the hell out of me. And the one on the left ain't no oil painting either. Lol at the caption "im cute"
Valjean Lafitte
Banned
Certainly not Samus. Nintendo makes no claims about Samus' heritage, but in my headcanon there's reason to believe she's of Irish heritage.
Dr. Buni
Member
The only thing that wasn't completely terrible in Other M.
Yes, because Nintendo characters are totally anime-styled lol
Anthony might have turned out to be the only decent character in Other M; but his concept art is ...this. Though it is possible for Japanese developers to get this right - compare it with say, Kevin's concept art from Metal Gear Rising, which looks like an actual person and not a racist caricature.
MrNyarlathotep
Banned
I got end of paged'd so I'll post it again;
Dion Blaster, looks like a normal guy, is also english as opposed to generic urban american "sheeeeit" black dude and a main selectable character.
Honestly yes it is more important to get gender equality.
Black people are only around 5-10% of the demographics overall in the main markets for console games, while women are 50%. Both groups needs more representation, but I'd say it's a bigger priority when 50% are being excluded than the 5%.
Also many of Nintendos biggest characters aren't human. so race isn't really relevant, but they still have clear gender identities
MoGamesXNA
Unconfirmed Member
.
this is Nintendo's first Black Main ever?
Well, if you're counting that, surely you could also count Miis?
Valjean Lafitte
Banned
The only thing that wasn't completely terrible in Other M.
Yes, because Nintendo characters are totally anime-styled lol
Again, I must stress that this is solely my own head canon, and not in any way based on anything that the Metroid team ever said, but these are my reasons for thinking that Samus could be of Irish descent:
First Name: Samus is, as far as I know, not a real name. But it is awfully close to the male Irish name Seamus.
Last Name: Off the coast of Ireland are the Aran Islands. It's conceivable, therefore, that someone of Irish descent could have the surname Aran. This isn't the inspiration for her surname, though, at least according to Samus' character designer Hiroji Kiyotake who says he took the Aran from the "Arantes" in soccer legend Pele's full name.
Also, I'm probably pulling the significance of this right out of my ass, but in the Metroid mangas Samus' parents are named Rodney and Virginia. Pretty Irishy if you ask me.
its my own dumb head canon alright?!
Well, someone was going to do it.
Trivia: Wham Bam Rock's moveset laid the groundwork for Master Hand and Crazy Hand from Super Smash Bros.
In Kirby Super Star Ultra, his appearance was remade to this:
...And then they added Wham Bam Jewel, who looks like this:
Couldn't just leave that horrible thing behind, apparently.
The OP wasn't, though. Quite explicitly, given the examples given in the post.
BubbleSauce
Neo Member
I don't know if he counts as Nintendo yet, but Rodin is the fuckin' best.
Rhazer Fusion
Member
Lol and women complain about their representation or lack of representation in games.
tkscz
Member
Meh, I don't care whether I'm represented in a game made by Japanese people or not. It's not like there are a ton of black people in Japan and Nintendo games tend to have Japan's interest in mind before the rest of the world's.
Ehh... Ganondorf and the Gerudo thieves are more Middle-Eastern than Black.
MrNyarlathotep
Banned
And don't forget recurring character O'Ridley
Egypt is not in the middle east tho. At least Ganondorf's connection to Pyramids and their temple in OOT scream egypt to me. But yeah...still nothing black except Ganondorf's skin here.
Rhazer Fusion
Member
Actually, aren't most of Nintendo's main characters predominantly white though? Samus, Link, Zelda, Princess Peach, Mario(Italian), Luigi, Little Mac, Kid Icarus, Captain Falcon, Princess Daisy, Rosalina to name a few. I guess I reason I mention that is because I cannot really think of any asian protagonists in Nintendo games which I think is slightly strange unless they think they might not appeal to Japanese gamers.
SilverLunar
Member
Egypt is.
Which reminded me that the Middle East was something i learned about online.
It was always Egypt is Africa, and the rest is Aisa.
SilverLunar
Member
What?!
The term doesnt have a standard, haha!
I always took it to be very dark green.
Mr.Wreckless
Banned
I'm black so I mostly speak from that perspective but including the brown people from around the world, we make up much more than 5-10% of the gaming populace. Nintendo has been around for decades and not one notable minority main character? Really. And no, an Italian is not a minority.
Also I question that 50% figure when it comes to female console gamers. The study everyone pulls that number from includes cell phone and Facebook games. I'm not quite sure the audience for FarmVille and Candy Crush is the same as Far Cry and Assassins Creed. If we are using those metrics then my mom is also a gamer and literally the only games she plays are Candy Crush and Ms. Pac-Man.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Except Egypt is in Africa. It's literally northern Africa.
BlackClouds
Member
http://thinkprogress.org/culture/2014/03/25/3418600/video-game-makes-you-racist/
Read that article, and I think this is what Nintendo is trying to avoid. Just like they aren't embracing VOIP with their games with netplay. I'm not condoning it but a possible reason. Nintendo is a very safe company, way too safe than necessary and it's sad considering the amount of Black fans and sales that there's such a lack of good black characters. I wish demographic information in this industry was released to the public and people need to start being more demanding about real diversity. Can't knock people who just want to belong.
D
Deleted member 125677
Unconfirmed Member
JC look what you did