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

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Beefy

Member
This thread is so fucked up. Some of you should be fucking ashamed, but nope can't have a brother or sister liking being represented in a game.
 

Crocodile

Member
My point was more so that the discussion of skin tone is irrelevant when it comes to the discussion of actual human representation when you're not talking about humanity or a direct fantasy analog to the human race, but not irrelevant to the notion of inclusion and diversity when you're talking about a completely fantastical race. Yoshis are obviously not meant to be direct human analogs and so I wasn't equating black yoshis to black humans at all. However, I really don't see anything offensive about someone relating to black yoshis as a fantasy-analog of their own racial background if it makes them happy and gives them a connection to the game. I feel the same way about inklings, though I will admit that inklings are obviously meant to be more human-looking than yoshis are. Even so, I see black inklings and black yoshis in a similar light: fantasy beings with different skin tones/colors illustrating that diversity is a thing and that all tones are participating and relating to each other equally. Why even give yoshis a range of skin colors if not to show that they are both members of different families and members of the same race/species and community? I don't think the comparison of yoshis to inklings is nearly as offensive as you think it is.

Yoshis are cute beasts of burden. They are basically smarter dogs or horses. Nobody praises a game that has a wide variety of dogs/horses as ethnically/racially/aesthetically inclusive. Inklings are clearly designed to be characters that human beings like you and me can identify with. That's a big reason why they are so customizable (clothes, skintone, "hair", etc.). They are squid people sure but they are clearly human proxies. This is NOT true of Yoshis regardless of how intelligent they may or may not be. That's why I feel your comparison fails badly. Hopefully I'm more clear?
 
It's a squid, too. That's what really kills me. Heaven forbid that a squid be BLACK. KingGilga must've clutched those pearls as soon as he read the thread title.

"Not in my shooter..."

What Kills me is Squids liking tans, no they don't.

Squid on a tanning bed
yteU63v.jpg


Black Squid
2JgakbX.jpg
 

Vidiot

Member
Shame on me for not thinking people would assume I meant the monkey as the black person when there's an actual black man on the roster.

That "joke" is overplayed.

I wasn't saying that's what you meant. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. You have to admit it's not the best choice of pictures to post in the context though.
 
Is the focus on black because gaf is mainly America? Because its always about the black race with these talks and never about other races.
Depends on who lost it, black means black
To others black means non-white and they are lazy to say POC
also black skin is way more noticeable to people who don't care/don't look
 
I'm sorry if I made the OP too specific or something, I'm not black so maybe I shouldn't have made an op that sounds so authoritative. I just wanted to celebrate something that I thought was a good thing but I'm sorry if my lack of understanding has caused any issues. I probably should've just used "PoC" instead of "black", as the former sounds less specific.

Representation is really important to me because as a gay guy seeing cool gay characters, whether it is in movies, tv, or games, is one of the few things that still makes me almost instantly happy.
 

atr0cious

Member
I'm sorry if I made the OP too specific or something, I'm not black so maybe I shouldn't have made an op that sounds so authoritative. I just wanted to celebrate something that I thought was a good thing but I'm sorry if my lack of understanding has caused any issues. I probably should've just used "PoC" instead of "black", as the former sounds less specific.

Representation is really important to me because as a gay guy seeing cool gay characters, whether it is in movies, tv, or games, is one of the few things that still makes me almost instantly happy.
Your intentions are probably the only thing keeping this piece of shit thread together and still open, don't blame yourself.
 
Fucks sake. Why the fuck do y'all have to just piss all over any and every opportunity for ANY character of color being interpreted as such.

What? I never said they aren't a PoC.

Just why they're black when they're literally the most ambiguous dark skinned things possible.

It's like as soon as a character with a tiny bit of melanin shows up people forget about every other non white in the world and jump straight to black.

I'm sorry if I made the OP too specific or something, I'm not black so maybe I shouldn't have made an op that sounds so authoritative. I just wanted to celebrate something that I thought was a good thing but I'm sorry if my lack of understanding has caused any issues. I probably should've just used "PoC" instead of "black", as the former sounds less specific.

Representation is really important to me because as a gay guy seeing cool gay characters, whether it is in movies, tv, or games, is one of the few things that still makes me almost instantly happy.

It's not you or your OP's fault for anything.
 
Shame on me for not thinking people would assume I meant the monkey as the black person when there's an actual black man on the roster.

That "joke" is overplayed.

I am sure you did your very best not to offend. You played it well. /Salute

It was the first one that popped up on google.

mmKNU8i.jpg

you know you could at least have captured what your search term was, it's not like we want to overreact and shit.

We just have to take your word for an overused racist joke.
 

Beefy

Member
I'm sorry if I made the OP too specific or something, I'm not black so maybe I shouldn't have made an op that sounds so authoritative. I just wanted to celebrate something that I thought was a good thing but I'm sorry if my lack of understanding has caused any issues. I probably should've just used "PoC" instead of "black", as the former sounds less specific.

Representation is really important to me because as a gay guy seeing cool gay characters, whether it is in movies, tv, or games, is one of the few things that still makes me almost instantly happy.

You did nothing wrong dude
 

Kebiinu

Banned
Y'all. Stop arguing with racists. These people have their heads shoved so far up their ass, they have to do spew out phrases like "tanned" and "ambiguously brown" to deal with the fact that PoC have representation for once.

Just let them die on their hill of dozens. And let's be stoked that baby steps are being made towards the bigger picture. That's the silver lining in this mess of a topic, lol.
 

NewGame

Banned
Same reason we had this thread about Clementine being black. Diversity is oppress to some.

Hnnng I remember this thread. Good (embarrassing) times.

One thing people should complain about is how the Animal Crossing racers can't be black when in the game being black was actually caused by hangin' out on a tropical island with no clothes on. Or playing the game 3 months of the year.

latest


They even used it as a promo in some of their art.
 

DarkKyo

Member
Yoshis are cute beasts of burden. They are basically smarter dogs or horses. Nobody praises a game that has a wide variety of dogs/horses as ethnically/racially/aesthetically inclusive. Inklings are clearly designed to be characters that human beings like you and me can identify with. That's a big reason why they are so customizable (clothes, skintone, "hair", etc.). They are squid people sure but they are clearly human proxies. This is NOT true of Yoshis regardless of how intelligent they may or may not be. That's why I feel your comparison fails badly. Hopefully I'm more clear?

You make a good point and I definitely understand what you're saying, though I think yoshis have come a long way since their first representations. Yoshi's Island made Yoshi the star, and showed that they have family, community, and culture. and after that I think they became more "people" than "beasts", but I suppose that's just one opinion. Mario may still ride yoshi but it's more of a partnership now. Yoshi, and his species, has since become a full-fledged character and race with his/their own abilities and personality. He may have once been just a tool but now he's an intelligent creature with his own personhood.

So basically I appreciate your point and get how you didn't like my comparison, but I think he's become way more than how you describe him, starting with when they made his race much more diverse, heroic, and interesting in Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Story.
 

Bahorel

Member
You make a good point and I definitely understand what you're saying, though I think yoshis have come a long way since their first representations. Yoshi's Island made Yoshi the star, and showed that they have family, community, and culture. and after that I think they became more "people" than "beasts", but I suppose that's just one opinion. Mario may still ride yoshi but it's more of a partnership now. Yoshi, and his species, has since become a full-fledged character and race with his/their own abilities and personality. He may have once been just a tool but now he's an intelligent creature with his own personhood.

So basically I appreciate your point and get how you didn't like my comparison, but I think he's become way more than how you describe him, starting with when they made his race much more diverse, heroic, and interesting in Yoshi's Island and Yoshi's Story.

I mean. Where exactly are you going with this.
 
I don't see how that inkling has a tan?

I mean a tan isn't that dark unless you did some freaky shit to yourself...

Literally having a connection towards a popular character for a specific race that is underappreciated and barely recognized in Japanese gaming or even gaming in general, unless it is a side character, or some joke character and even if it is a main character, it usually turns out to be a generic one dimensional brute of a man, but unfortunately for some it is too much if that said character is someone they are fond of or is overly popular without portraying the over the top black stereotypes such as braided hair or other styling aesthetics.


I mean this is literally tossing a bone to a fanbase that barely gets recognized but to some that are literally drowning in non-black characters in the media they just won't even allow them to have that.

Add to the fact that the inkling family has other skin tones to choose from as well, that the said user can fond over, seeing as in some way telling oneself that the said character is tanned would leave the individual satisfied and happy but alas even giving the opportunity or idea of that the said character may have a black option leads to distaste.
 

Izuna

Banned
Can I just...

I really don't think Galactic made this on purpose. It's a slip up like the NBA tshirt that had year of the monkey on it.
 
Please stop saying this, I'm pretty sure you don't know what this word means. Also, here's the reason why an English speaking/American focused forum world call squids wearing Nikes black.

Read up.

there is also a reason why most black would choose Inklings to be black. The culture is in the game already.

Stay Fresh and that whole hip hop dancing, and graffiti vibe is cultural regardless if they are Squids.

there is also a reason no self-respecting black person would make a thread claiming Donkey Kong as Nintendo's first black or a Black Yoshi for that matter.

There is just no connection, whereas the Inklings do dress, dance, and maintain a positive image that all people of any race can get behind. The lore in the story is that they are what is left after humans died off. Not really a big deal if they are accepted by all groups. This should have been something we all can celebrate. I don't really understand why anyone would feel the need to block that achievement.

Being hyped for a Taxi driver when half of the Haitian Immigrants I grew up around were taxi drivers ain't what I call progress. A Jamaican boxer? nope.

A cool new IP with all inclusive theme is progress, a direction the industry sorely needs to be done right.

Capcom is not helping with those new Halloween Customs the only black fighters wear but I am sure their sales will match the jokes we get around here.
 

Izuna

Banned
I think I might just make my icon B.D. Joe after all this whole mess.

My post was supposed to point out Sega doing something that Nintendidn't while also shutting down anyone who points out Knuckles (the Rastafarian idea people mention) or Shadow (black fur).

Please be mindful next time
 

Forkball

Member
Hnnng I remember this thread. Good (embarrassing) times.

One thing people should complain about is how the Animal Crossing racers can't be black when in the game being black was actually caused by hangin' out on a tropical island with no clothes on. Or playing the game 3 months of the year.

latest


They even used it as a promo in some of their art.

Tons of people complained about this. I thought it was pretty odd that they didn't let you change your skin color considering the game is all about living another life, but the series always had a roundabout way of actually customizing your character. You have to take a damn quiz to get a haircut. I bet the next AC will let you customize your skin color though.
 
Tons of people complained about this. I thought it was pretty odd that they didn't let you change your skin color considering the game is all about living another life, but the series always had a roundabout way of actually customizing your character. You have to take a damn quiz to get a haircut. I bet the next AC will let you customize your skin color though.
I haven't personally played it but apparently in Happy Home Designer you can select your skin tone, so hopefully they keep that in for the next AC. It's really sad that people had to resort to tanning or the mii mask thing just to get a skin tone on an avatar that's supposed to represent them.
Thanks.
 
Galactic Specter made a bad judgement lacking common sense, things like that do happen. Or he is simply dumb as fuck and not a racist which is also possible.

Or Galactic Specter is trying to say we are all dumb as fuck for not seeing the crazy taxi dude clearly enough from the photo he chose to represent him.

I miss Bish.

No matter how you played that shit off it just does not work on GAF not in a thread about Race of characters.

I would rather take a ban to call you out on that shit though because it is just not the kind of stupid we need to improve a community of gamers.

We all love this hobby, that is why we are here, some of you forget this is about a game.
 
Please stop saying this, I'm pretty sure you don't know what this word means. Also, here's the reason why an English speaking/American focused forum world say they're black.

Read up.

I knew about the one drop rule as a principle, but I didn't know it was actually a law, and one put in so recently, is it still in effect? That seems insanely fucked up. But my usage of ambiguously brown was in relation to the trope.

It just annoys me that the instant a non white character shows up it's instantly snatched up as black when there is no identifying feature other than having brown skin like most of the rest of the world.

Buy hey, fuck everyone else these are now black squidlings.

I have a question

I have a brother, who is as blit as Will Smith

He got a white dad, and a Mother who is at most 1/4 Jamaican

Is he black?

I'll give you an extension. No wrong answers, just provide your working for the solution.

I don't know. If he looks like will smith as you said I'd probably assume he was black or at least mixed if I ever met him. But I don't see how it's my place to say what he is or is not.
 

Sacul64GC

Banned
There are a shitload of other character select screens without a fucking monkey as the selected character, this shit was clearly intentional.
"Look how clever I am."

Just searched "sonic and sega all stars racing characters" and it was the first select screen shot so I don't know if you can say clearly intentional.

EDIT:

Are people saying Inklings of different color are not actually different colors?
 

Izuna

Banned
I don't know. If he looks like will smith as you said I'd probably assume he was black or at least mixed if I ever met him. But I don't see how it's my place to say what he is or is not.

Okay, so...

As you would assume he's black, we assume this Inkling is black for those same reasons.

If you care about people's self-identification, you don't need to for a video game character.

I hope that removes any confusion for you.

Just searched "sonic and sega all stars racing characters" and it was the first select screen shot so I don't know if you can say clearly intentional.

Intention doesn't matter in that it was lacking common sense to do, that does have to be pointed out.

But you know, if happened in every day conversation, it'd get weird looks and a complaint and we'll move on. Lessons will be learned. No need to create a new discussion over this mistake.
 

Kebiinu

Banned
I knew about the one drop rule as a principle, but I didn't know it was actually a law, and one put in so late, is it still in effect? That seems insanely fucked up. But my usage of ambiguously brown was in relation to the trope.

It just annoys me that the instant a non white character shows up it's instantly snatched up as black when there is no identifying feature other than having brown skin like most of the rest of the world.

Buy hey, fuck everyone else these are now black squidlings.

What annoys you, exactly? The fact that PoC label dark skinned Inklings as representatives of PoC? Cause that's the side I see in this topic, and then there's you, arguing your semantics of ambiguous brown inklings.

It honestly just seems like you have a problem with people calling them black, and if it helps that bubble you live in, let's called them SoC or Squids of Color.

Does this help your agenda?
 

Chindogg

Member
I'm sorry if I made the OP too specific or something, I'm not black so maybe I shouldn't have made an op that sounds so authoritative. I just wanted to celebrate something that I thought was a good thing but I'm sorry if my lack of understanding has caused any issues. I probably should've just used "PoC" instead of "black", as the former sounds less specific.

Representation is really important to me because as a gay guy seeing cool gay characters, whether it is in movies, tv, or games, is one of the few things that still makes me almost instantly happy.

You're fine man. Nothing wrong with giving everyone an option to play as a character that may or may not look like them. Shit I'm pale as hell and I prefer to pick the pale characters. That's just me. Nothing wrong with those with better melanin to get their options too.
 
I knew about the one drop rule as a principle, but I didn't know it was actually a law, and one put in so recently, is it still in effect? That seems insanely fucked up. But my usage of ambiguously brown was in relation to the trope.

It just annoys me that the instant a non white character shows up it's instantly snatched up as black when there is no identifying feature other than having brown skin like most of the rest of the world.

Buy hey, fuck everyone else these are now black squidlings.



I don't know. If he looks like will smith as you said I'd probably assume he was black or at least mixed if I ever met him. But I don't see how it's my place to say what he is or is not.
Youre annoyed...? yikes
 
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