The dumbest part about this mentality is that only we (the black diaspora) would claim them, since dark skin world wide is seen as a blemish. Really search yourself, figure out why black folks identifying with something annoys you.
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Inkling Boy & Girl are the first black non-Mii characters in Mario Kart
- Thread starter Garrett Hawke
- Start date
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AtomskEater
Member
There's... nothing stopping people of other ethnicities from seeing brown squidkids as representatives of themselves? Just because someone "headcannons" it doesn't make it a roadblock to someone else interpreting it differently. Hell, wasn't there a Hispanic chap in here earlier also celebrating?
Massive Duck. C.M.
Banned
White lurkers are creaming themselves over minority posters getting angry at other minority poster for being happy about more representation
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
There was. Which makes this guy annoyance just plain boneheaded
Smiles and Cries
Member
What are you asking me?
You are quoting me as saying that Japanese developers are too white?
How does diversity mean too white?
Nintendo needs a Diversity push. Are you saying I am saying #NintendoSoWhite?
What I am saying is with new IPs coming out it would be the best time to add new characters of color, and show that they acknowledge other races exist more more often. It is a good chance to add new options for more of their fanbase. We buy their products too. Just give more options.
Is that clear enough?
Sega already beat Nintendo to having black people in their mascot racing game.
Hint:He's not Knuckles
Or Shadow
Of all the pictures to say this you choose THAT and not even a "hint" saying "He's not AiAi"
Bye
This is the most loaded post I think I have ever fucking seen on GAF. Holy shit.
foxuzamaki
Doesn't read OPs, especially not his own
This post
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
smh was it worth it?
I think we'll just have to agree to strongly disagree here. There's no significant segment of the human population that feel represented by Yoshis. At best they are lizard-people that come in no human complexion. No dark-skinned human looks anything like a Black Yoshi and no fair-skinned person looks anything like a White Yoshi. I feel the difference in the intent of the designs (Yoshis vs. Inklings) and what they have actually accomplished are pretty clear.
You did nothing wrong man. Perhaps saying PoC instead of Black would have been more inclusive but the people clutching their pearls right now would still be doing so anyway.
I mean if we are being honest with ourselves, we could say things like hair or noses but even then there is still a HUGE variety.
Seriously. It's not a hard concept. Some people just want to die on the weirdest of hills :/
I would love to see Nintendo automatically assign a skin colour based on questions. Can you imagine the landmines involved in that mechanic?
"Hey, hows it going. Whoa that skin tone is nice! It really reminds me of...
- Honey and peanuts
- Chocolate and coffee
- Olives and cashews
- Crackers and mayonnaise"
Lord_Byron28
Member
I'd say a lot of people that are of African descent to have certain unique facial features. Not all but just as any other race there are some facial features in addition to hair, eye and skin color that make it easier to identify different races and nationalities.
With all of that said this is a game where an Italian is represented by Mario; so I'm not sure what black identifying features he's expecting.
Garrett Hawke
Member
Thanks for the handwaving, loving the status quos being upheld here.
Spring-Loaded
Member
So?
Yes you do.
ShironRedshift
Member
You clearly care to at least some degree or else you would have just entirely ignored this thread. That you felt that need to post this at all shows you're definitely not completely indifferent and definitely have some degree of feelings concerning the topic, even if they don't seem to be positive.
Thank you, Ambassador of all People of Colour. Why slap down the choice?
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
olimpia84
Member
No, I don't. The absolute last thing that comes to my mind when scrolling through the character selection of Mario Kart (let me bold the game in question here just in case, Mario Kart) is whether I will find a Hispanic character or not.
Frozenprince
Banned
Remember folks.
Us fighting like this is what those that would break is want.
Dumb shit like this shouldn't be an argument.
So your goal in here was to let everyone know just how little you care about this?
Frozenprince
Banned
Everybody don't care but care enough to TELL everybody they don't care.
Professor Beef
Banned
"Hey, I think it's really cool of Nintendo to include dark skin tone options for a heroic humanoid character in their video game. Since media has traditionally portrayed dark skin as an undesirable trait, this is an appreciable notion."
and of course, in response to that comes
"UM ACTUALLY they're just tanned, and this is a very important distinction to make!"
...
"Also just so you know I don't care about this at all!!!"
wow if only there was a way to convey a general pattern of this sort of curiously strong negative reactions towards positive portrayals of dark skin tones
but in a way that wouldn't offend them, of course
and of course, in response to that comes
"UM ACTUALLY they're just tanned, and this is a very important distinction to make!"
...
"Also just so you know I don't care about this at all!!!"
wow if only there was a way to convey a general pattern of this sort of curiously strong negative reactions towards positive portrayals of dark skin tones
but in a way that wouldn't offend them, of course
See the thread title: "yeah, very cool"
See 13 pages: "oh, God dammit."
Hopefully Nintendo keeps introducing new IP that expands these opportunities. Or they could expand existing universes. I think increased diversity would do well to win some hearts and minds in the west.
See 13 pages: "oh, God dammit."
Hopefully Nintendo keeps introducing new IP that expands these opportunities. Or they could expand existing universes. I think increased diversity would do well to win some hearts and minds in the west.
Honestly its all up to interpretation. Mario games in particular (And Nintendo games in general) like to keep a lot of their ideas vague because they want people to project themselves on them. Is the reason Link still doesn't talk.
Do you feel the Inklings are black and represent you in the game? Sure, that sounds great and I am glad they make you feel included. Allowed.
Do you feel they are not "human" and not black but "tanned". Well, if you want to be adamant about it and see it as more a biological and fictional character, or feel that a canon distinctioin has to be made, sure, have it your way. You can do that. Just be assured that just because you think you are right doesn't mean you are, unless you are a developer at Nintendo, in which case where the fuck is Mother 3 you jerk.
Just don't be assholes and impose your opinions on others as facts. Also, as a rule of thumb, don't make fun or less of the ideas of others just because you have different values and education. People tend to make less of the real problems of minorities when they haven't see them for themselves, and sure, things nowadays ARE better, but there is still inherent racism and a clear solution doesn't exist, so it makes sense people get hurt when you make light of said issues. You never make dead baby jokes to a woman who had a miscarriage, even if said incident happened 50 years ago. It may be a weird comparison, but it has clear weight.
And full disclosure, I am mexican with a caucasian mexican father and a afromexican mother. We don't have the same racial issues in mexico as they exist in USA or other places in the world, but assuming they are not worth discussing or analizing just because you don't care or they don't affect you is, well, shortsighted.
In regards to Mario and Nintendo in general, they are a traditional company that is getting better about including more representation in their games. They also make weird decisions when it comes to them, based mostly in what feels right for the tone of the game. This is the same company that forgot Mario Sunshine existed when making Splatoon, and the same company that apologized for not including gay couples in Tomodachi Life (And promising in delivering them for a possible sequel). The same company who decided to include minish people on BoTW because they felt they wouldn't survive.
And, more importantly, they had no obligation to include different color skins for the Inklings on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. They could have just added orange girl and blue boy and be done. But they went above and beyond and added the option. That has to make it clear they wanted to make it an option, and one that made sense within the universe.
Do you feel the Inklings are black and represent you in the game? Sure, that sounds great and I am glad they make you feel included. Allowed.
Do you feel they are not "human" and not black but "tanned". Well, if you want to be adamant about it and see it as more a biological and fictional character, or feel that a canon distinctioin has to be made, sure, have it your way. You can do that. Just be assured that just because you think you are right doesn't mean you are, unless you are a developer at Nintendo, in which case where the fuck is Mother 3 you jerk.
Just don't be assholes and impose your opinions on others as facts. Also, as a rule of thumb, don't make fun or less of the ideas of others just because you have different values and education. People tend to make less of the real problems of minorities when they haven't see them for themselves, and sure, things nowadays ARE better, but there is still inherent racism and a clear solution doesn't exist, so it makes sense people get hurt when you make light of said issues. You never make dead baby jokes to a woman who had a miscarriage, even if said incident happened 50 years ago. It may be a weird comparison, but it has clear weight.
And full disclosure, I am mexican with a caucasian mexican father and a afromexican mother. We don't have the same racial issues in mexico as they exist in USA or other places in the world, but assuming they are not worth discussing or analizing just because you don't care or they don't affect you is, well, shortsighted.
In regards to Mario and Nintendo in general, they are a traditional company that is getting better about including more representation in their games. They also make weird decisions when it comes to them, based mostly in what feels right for the tone of the game. This is the same company that forgot Mario Sunshine existed when making Splatoon, and the same company that apologized for not including gay couples in Tomodachi Life (And promising in delivering them for a possible sequel). The same company who decided to include minish people on BoTW because they felt they wouldn't survive.
And, more importantly, they had no obligation to include different color skins for the Inklings on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. They could have just added orange girl and blue boy and be done. But they went above and beyond and added the option. That has to make it clear they wanted to make it an option, and one that made sense within the universe.
olimpia84
Member
This is getting interesting, I'm even getting some insults thrown my way.
I don't have anything against Nintendo including characters with different skin tones like the dark toned inkling characters. For games that have character creation features like Animal Crossing, I think a skin tone option should be available (none of that tanning BS). For a game like Mario Kart I don't really care what's in the character selection, we are playing as Nintendo characters. Link is blonde, Mario is Italian, Toad is white, Peach is blonde...I'm perfectly fine with that. I honestly just don't care for the need of a black Toad or a Princesita Rosa to be created for their next games just for the sake of having diversity. Not sure if my message is coming through since English is not my first language.
I apologize if I offended anyone.
I don't have anything against Nintendo including characters with different skin tones like the dark toned inkling characters. For games that have character creation features like Animal Crossing, I think a skin tone option should be available (none of that tanning BS). For a game like Mario Kart I don't really care what's in the character selection, we are playing as Nintendo characters. Link is blonde, Mario is Italian, Toad is white, Peach is blonde...I'm perfectly fine with that. I honestly just don't care for the need of a black Toad or a Princesita Rosa to be created for their next games just for the sake of having diversity. Not sure if my message is coming through since English is not my first language.
I apologize if I offended anyone.
Yeah but some folks needs to accept that diversity != black people only. Sooner they accept this better it will be. Even this thread title is showing this example.
Frozenprince
Banned
I think most people have accepted that. I don't think anyone is advocating the exclusion of non-black, non-white characters. I also think some people are splitting hairs for whatever reason. I dunno. Is that really the argument to be had? Some interpret the inklings as black, some will interpret them as whatever they like. Everyone will interpret them as the first humanoid-esque characters in a Mario Kart game that would qualify as PoC. And, of course, some will come in here with that "who cares" bull shit.
If you really felt that these characters were something other than black, why didn't you start a " First _____ non-Mii characters in Mario Kart."?
I doubt you cared enough to do so but other people calling them black, that shit is infuriating.
Y'know, that is fair. I think the point of this thread (in intent, anyway) is to celebrate that inklings in MK8 (which at a basic level, are customizable avatars in a great MP game) have the option to be darker skinned. It allows couloured folk to have the option to put more of themselves into the game they play. What's even more cool is that Nintendo has even made an effort to make some of the 'default' inklings (ie like the ones used for amiibo/marketing of MK8 & Splatoon) coloured as well. It's just nice; in a way it says "Hey, inklings can have different skin tones and they all belong in Splatoon." I get that you don't want established characters to have those skin options; skin is an attribute that makes that character who they are, or can represent who made the game/character. But hey, its cool that coloured folk can represent themselves as kids
or squids.
EDIT: Also, why are people stressin' about "Why are these inklings black? What about -insert race here-?" It's about perspective. I am a brown dude. I use this skin tone in S2 and MK8. In my mind, he's a brown inkling dude and I will call him as such. A black dude will use the same skin tone and call him a black inkling because that is how he sees him as. It's not about "shutting out" other races (or it shouldn't be). I don't think that the skin tone is "black owned." and I don't feel that people are arguing that, reading in between the lines a tad.
Becasue then there would be a lot of pointless thread about when every race/skin etc represented in a video game.
So you thought about the darker Inklings in Mario Kart as being something other than black before this thread?
Edit: You know what, I don't even care. This is a ridiculous discussion.
They're not black, happy?
AtomskEater
Member
There are absolutely 0 people saying that diversity is only present when there is a black character. Present receipts for these folks who have said so.
The person who made the topic is black and created it from his (or her?) perspective.* A Hispanic dude was already in here cheering about the inclusion of darker skin tones as well. Nothing about the thread prevents brown people of any ethnicity from seeing themselves represented in the squidkids. It's so infuriatingly pointless to have people in here trying to shout down folks happy about this because "how dare you assign a race to these fictional beings that are first and foremost a customizable player avatar," "well you see they aren't REALLY black unless they have thick lips and cornrows," and "well you didn't mention every other ethnicity by name in the title so I'm just going to threadshit."
*It has been brought to my attention that the OP actually said he was not black, so strike that sentence. The rest of it still stands.
GiantBreadbug
Member
There are three skin tone choices per Inkling right? Thought I'd seen that in a video.
In any case, I love how the Inklings of color are pushed pretty hard by Nintendo in promotion materials (even getting Amiibo). Also the Inklings just fit so perfectly in MK. Fantastic inclusion.
In any case, I love how the Inklings of color are pushed pretty hard by Nintendo in promotion materials (even getting Amiibo). Also the Inklings just fit so perfectly in MK. Fantastic inclusion.
MegamanPoweredUP
Member
HAHA, jokes on you! I'm Italian so I'm represented by the protagonist itself (and his brother too!).
Jokes aside, many italians (like myself) have a very dark compexion, wich is the result of centuries of racemixing.
I've never seen a dark skinned european character. Japanese developers go straight to white-blonde or black.
Jokes aside, many italians (like myself) have a very dark compexion, wich is the result of centuries of racemixing.
I've never seen a dark skinned european character. Japanese developers go straight to white-blonde or black.
Ah, so we're moving to the "what about *insert PoC group here*?" argument. Like you give a fuck besides trying to find an angle to threadshit.
Principate
Saint Titanfall
She is on the darker spectrum he is on the lighter spectrum notice how you haven't mentioned him at all. There's good reason why she is the focus. As far as black (specifically African people) go she's on the darker end which is why people in this thread identify her as black you can identify her as whatever you want. The fact you have a problem with with what other people identufy her as is entirely on you.
Black people are rare in Japanese games far far far far far rarer than any non white erhinicity proprtionally. The fact your claiming offense that people are identifying with her as black is extremely weird in itself.
You having a Star Trek character as an avatar is a goddamn shame.
I can't see why Inkling Boy couldn't be a "dark" skinned european.
AtomskEater
Member
Established characters vs. avatar characters that are highly customizable in their original games...
I would love to see Nintendo automatically assign a skin colour based on questions. Can you imagine the landmines involved in that mechanic?
"Hey, hows it going. Whoa that skin tone is nice! It really reminds me of...
- Honey and peanuts
- Chocolate and coffee
- Olives and cashews
- Crackers and mayonnaise"
this post is silly but in happy home designer the early access version of the terrible mobile app that ac is slowly being developed as you just create a character with whatever eyes and hair etc you want.
anyways I wouldn't be at all opposed to when they torch the racist fucking stereotype accent out of mario games and make his voice generic just letting you play as black tan hispanic darker tone whatever mario. its not like the character is at all iconic because of his skin tone or even explicitly red and blue. My favourite marios wear a huge yellow cape or wear purple when theyre made of paper. a multitude of skintones wouldnt hurt the shell of a character or the gameplay
all the inklings look fantastic in both games and I was glad to have the option of darker tones available even though i always pick hasnt-seen-the-sun-in-3-months vampire bleach
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