Is the Legend of Zelda Racist? Why Can't I Change My Skin Color in Animal Crossing?

In this episode of the Polygonal Slant show, I finish up my talk with Dr. Cicchirillo about Race in Games. We discuss topics from skin color in Animal crossing, how people of Asian descent reacted to playing Homefront, to cultural voyeurism in the Grand Theft Auto Series.

[Mr_Nuts]

Maybe that version of the human race in Animal Crossing are only white...basically what I'm trying to say it shouldn't be a massive issue

If they included skin color in the next game great but we shouldn't play on it. Hell it's made by Japanese developers, you can't really call them racist can you, not like the characters in AC are Japanese

[matgrowcott]

It's not so much that it's racist, it's just a massive oversight.

If I'm black, and the only way for me to make my character black, in a game that's literally about crafting a world in exactly the way I want it to be, is to sit out in the sun too long, there's something wrong.

http://www.gamesreviews.com...

[-Mika-]

Animal crossing is a japanese developed game. Im guessing they honestly did not think about different skin colors since most people in japan are pale.

[TongkatAli]

They're either lazy or don't give a f, pick one. In a create a character you should always have different color skins. I don't give a f what the excuse is.

That disagree can say i'm saying its racist, but i know its not.

[matgrowcott]

" Im guessing they honestly did not think about different skin colors since most people in japan are pale."

Most people in the world aren't. They're releasing worldwide. They have offices in countries around the world.

Not a single person said "Hey, how about some black characters?"

@TongkatAli

It's an oversight. It's an oversight they've been making since the series began. If you only just got angry, when someone actually told you that it a thing, YOU'RE the problem.

[3-4-5]

ahh so every game where you can't be multiple colors must be racist...

What dumb logic and a stupid video. Won't even click on it.

[RedHawkX]

japan was on the nazis side in world war 2. they are not gonna get a pass for this. they need skin color option in this game. they better patch it in as dlc.

[matgrowcott]

Japan were on their own side in World War 2. That's why their little portion of the war began two years before anybody else's.

[DarkHeroZX]

Even Pokemon X and Y are trying to diversify a little. There is no excuse for a game like Animal crossing.

[ExCest]

Is the playable character even human? It's (his/her?) species is quite questionable.

Every other character is an animal so...

[kingdip90]

Personally I am visually white, my father is black and my mother is white. I say this so my comments are not interpreted as racist as I don't want to offend anyone.

Creating a videogame world thay may not be earth with no black people on it is not racist, black people may not exist their. If everyone were blue no one would bat an eye as that's just the color of that worlds people and its just not as varied as our world in that respect

I get that everyone wants to feel that their "race" is represented in game and they want a character they can identify with but some people create these imaginary world with very specific idea's about how their characters should look and to suggesting that someone is racist because of what they create without knowing the intentiom behind the idea's in a game is a little silly.

Now if nintendo said that link was always white because he is a hero and we all know the hero is white that would be an entirely different story but unless that day comes we can't begin to presume why nintendo made that choice.

I honestly don't think I ever saw a black hylian in any of the games... black people mayne but never with pointy ears ect

[admiralvic]

Part of the problem with ALL of the sexist / racist /discrimination topics today, is the fact that they're usually founded by someone going into an experience looking for it.

One game I love to reference is The Saboteur, where you play as a drunk Irishman who does various missions for the French in exchange for liquor (even your main base was a strip club if I recall correctly). Now this could easily be an attack against Irish people if you WANT to look at it like that or you can look at him as a single drunk who just so happens to be Irish. That's how a lot of these things are founded and the irony is that these people only think in their bubble.

Nintendo is a Japanese company and in turn are not really applicable to what the US or EU considers politically correct (see Captain Rainbow...). Considering the Japanese are xenophobic people, it isn't uncommon to see why Nintendo (a very traditional Japanese company) would shy away from implementing these things. Not saying adding a skin tone would kill them (as it's fairly simple to add and would shut people up), but again, that doesn't show any respect to their culture, so why should they respect yours?

[kingdip90]

Yeah I agree with what your saying. Like I said in my original post we would only ever know if something in a game was racist is if we knew the developers intent with the game. If the devs intent was racist then its racist if not it isn't.

People will find racism everywhere if they look hard enough and if they are so insistant on believing they are percieved by anyone as less because of their race based on the race of the person accused of racisms race then that is racism (sorry if that was hard to follow :/)

I think people should see just one race, the human one :p but I can't control that

[AWBrawler]

ummm Gannon is black.... no wait he isn't hylian tho. Gerudo

[Dan_scruggs]

In other news. Is Nathan Drake a racist for being white and killing lots and lots of non white people? Is Sony racist for casting a black man to voice Kratos then turning his skin white like Micheal Jackson? Probably. Parappa the Rapper seems pretty racist too. Why? Hell if I know. It's the internet I can write whatever I want. How many of the Wonderful 101 are not white? Answer. Not enough.

[matgrowcott]

There's a big difference between the stuff you're saying and making it a requirement for people who want a black character to have to go sit in the sun until they "tan" enough.

[Len]

My shirt is white.I must be racist.

[MysticStrummer]

The title made me think of being able to create a character, then making my way through an epic quest to save the princess, then having her refuse to be rescued by me because of my skin color.

[PolygonalSlant]

Love the discussion here, but what did you guys think of the video? Did you find it informative?

[ziggurcat]

no because who cares, it's just a video game.

[kingdip90]

I found that video to be pretty interesting actually although I have one criticism that comes from a personal gripe of mine and that's that the internet is a multinational place and when I use verbage to describe someone I try to be as inclusive as possible as to not accidentally make people feel left out. There are black people the world over and not all of them are" african american" or "japanese amareican" I know some people hate the word black in describing people of african descent (myself included) its way more inclusive than african american.

That said I found what was said about developers creating characters that they can identify with being the reason for a predominantly white character pool in the industry to be spot on.

I also liked they gender swapping topic, people do love to role play and I was wondering if you think that game devs in the past also felt the need to role play with their characters and if this means that maybe devs tried in the past to role play as black or female characters in their imagined words but were stopped by marketing bigwigs who may have felt that a character like that wouldn't be identifyable by the majority of the market?

[PolygonalSlant]

Thanks for the compliment. When actually interviewing Dr. Cicchirillo, I realized that there were many more practical reasons for the decisions made in games.

@ziggurcat - People do care, as evidenced by my video. People are willing to get doctorates and teach this stuff at the university level.

[_FantasmA_]

And here comes Fail Sharpton... Why is it only racist when there's no black people? I don't hear any other minorites complain when they aren't in a movie, TV show or game?

[Stsonic]

Give it a rest. Surely more important things to worry about that is animal crossing racist. How does one come to a conclusion like this? You must literally walk around asking yourself what is racist.

[Len]

I guess a black mayor on Animal Crossing would have been like Blazing Saddles: The Game. xD
Tom Nook: The mayor is a nig- *church bells ring*

[AWBrawler]

lol thats why i write stories where i include every major race in all of them. blacks, whites, hispanics, asians, idians, russians, french, i even have a secondary character thats from czech

[Stsonic]

Don't lay down to the politicly correct brigade. It is not racist to not include all races in your story's and I am sure this makes them less credible.

[AWBrawler]

actually i just do it to add realism. cos i always meet people from other countries everywhere i go

[Kevlar009]

Lack of Races in Animal Crossing is a valid point, but definitiely not a sign of racism.

To the devs it just may not be important, that it doesn't matter what color the villager's skin is, what matters is how you dress, build your house, and run the town

[TongkatAli]

It's not "racist" It's is cutting corners.

[RedHawkX]

a game about customization and you running sh*t needs color option. japan might try and attack pearl harbor again with hitler if we dont make sure they know and remember racism doesnt pay.

[solar]

ffs

[dcj0524]

I only complain if its a customizable rpg. Like if I can change my hair, clothes, eyes but no change my skin color then I'd be a little upset and it breaks the immerson. In a game like mgs I'm not going to be mad sayingOMFG WHY ISNT SNAKE BLACK. Thats stupid. But In a game like soul sacrifice, its a problem.

[vakarian75]

@TongkatAli They're either lazy or don't give a f, pick one. In a create a character you should always have different color skins. I don't give a f what the excuse is.

There is no character creation in Animal Crossing.

[vakarian75]

Why is it a problem for Animal Crossing but not for the Fable games?

[goldwyncq]

I love white chocolate more than black chocolate. Is that racist?

[Trunkz]

No but you were presented with the option to choose unlike Animal Crossing.

[Lykon]

Interesting video. I like to see all races , cultures , genders, sexualities etc represented in video games if it's in context. However , personally I do not like African American gang culture. It feels like it has been quite a dominating influence in recent years and specifically promotes crime and violence and a set of characteristics I find repulsive. I did enjoy San Andreas although I turned off all the rap and R and B radio stations.

[Tewi-Inaba]

Why would link be black?
He's a freaking elf

even if he had dark skin
He'd be a dark elf or somesh*t

Seriously though his has got to be the stupidest thing I've seen in a long while.

[DarkHeroZX]

Shadow link is advanced blackness. If he's suppose to be Links opposite I'm pretty sure he counts as a black guy.

[Groo]

Really? Jesus man...

[Groo]

This stupid Racist claiming shit needs to end.. its freaking ANIMAL CROSSING for christ sake. If someone is upset about skin color options I really feel sorry for you and you are taking the GAME way too seriously, completely out of context..

[Groo]

While we are on the subject I think BET is racist but does anyone give a crap? no

[DarkHeroZX]

Have you watched BET? They have whites and Hispanics up there. BET is also currently owned by a white male. The whole point of BET when it first aired was to give black actors a chance to make it in Hollywood which was less common.Remember just like schools and most other public setting blacks weren't allowed to do or go anything they pleased so building your own TV station, colleges, etc. was mostly a means to stay civil. In HW the only role most blacks could get before was a maiden, a slave, or some no one BET just leveled the playing field. Heck even to this day its used as an outlet to boost the career of black actors so they can make it elsewhere.

[Groo]

Its 2013, not 1962.. please..

[DarkHeroZX]

What does the times have to do with anything? Sure things have gotten better but things still aren't completely done away with. There are still places in the south I have to avoid because of skin color. And like it or not we still have media that caters to specific groups of people. MTV targets more young white males, BET mostly targets blacks, we have Spanish stations, there are channels for different Asian groups, and if you wanna get more into it we also have religious stations that are allowed to disrespect the cultures and religions of other people. Times change yes, but all that means is the situation puts on a different face. Every period in time has had a time of great division of race and culture then comes the "unity," and soon after we are right back where we started with the division again. Time is really irrelevant.

[Nodoze]

Simple solution.....DON'T PLAY IT! If it offends you that much walk away. Why must everyone be made to feel included at all times. A game is like a movie, it is artistic expression. Do you not see movies with white lead characters?

Why are there no shows I can identify with on BET?

Oh and for the record, you can get a makeover and import your Mii characters face. I am pretty sure this solves said issue.

[DarkHeroZX]

I really don't know what to say. I know a lot of the JRPGs I play like Ragnarok and God eater allow me create a black character if I so choose. Only games where there is no customization don't have much which isn't an issue. I do think for a game that promotes character customization or has an online community in which your character is suppose to interact with others should include different skin colors and hair types.