On one hand leads have never been famous folks insofar as I recall. Oh sure you interact with them, meet George Washinton, Da Vinci fixes up the blade at one point, but you the player were never really notable so to a very slight extent I can get wanting to preserve that.
On the other hand this is a game about using genetic memory to relive times hundreds to thousands of years in the past where ancient aliens are fighting a proxy war. You fight a minotaur and visit Atlantis in the greek one. With that in mind complaints about Yasuke just feel kinda lmao. Like… that is your big concern? That is whats destroying the game for you? Really?
I swear if the protagonist is Tom Cruise…
Subtitled Shadows, it follows dual protagonists – a ninja named Naoe and a samurai based on the historical Black samurai Yasuke.
Oh that’s cool. I don’t think I’ve seen much media focus on this figure.
The main grievance I have as an Asian American in games in regards to representation isn’t the lack of it — as evidenced by the Wikipedia page full of Asian fighters and ninjas and samurais — but rather is the lack of diversity therein.
Yeah, that makes sense. Type-casting, essentially. It’s not really representation if it’s so pigeon-holed.
He isn’t the focus but he is a boss in Team Ninja’s Nioh, a game that features an Irish pirate turned samurai as the main character.
Let’s not pretend historical accuracy or Asian representation is the problem, just the same problem Bayek another AC protagonist had to face.
Irish pirate turned samurai as the main character.
I wonder if that’s based on the real life William Adams (John Blackthorn from Shogun) or based on another real-world figure or just made up.
Let’s not pretend historical accuracy or Asian representation is the problem
Yeah, I’m expecting a much different issue as you noted. But the article takes a different angle and is defending the choice and saying that it’s not an issue not to have an asian samurai as the main character. And that asian people need more diverse representation. I assume because the writer didn’t want to address the more obvious expected outcry or felt knowledgeable enough.
You are correct, the protagonist of Nioh is based on William Adams.
Basically have eliminated every argument against the use of Yasuke in historical fiction so the only option left is that the vitriol directed at him is racially motivated.
a game that features an Irish pirate turned samurai as the main character
And I’m sure gAmErZ were also outraged by that, right? Right??
2017 feels like a lifetime ago but if I remember correctly there was some pushback on it but ultimately they were given a pass because Team Ninja is recognized as a premier Japanese developer and it’s their right to tell whatever survey they want.
On a similar tangent, Ghost of Tsushima devs to be made permanent ambassadors of the real island this happened only a couple of years ago. Sucker Punch famously being an American developer for those unaware.
There’s no leg to stand on when railing against Ubi’s choice for protagonist, just blatant racism.
