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

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This list is hilarious !

Btw I don't understand the use of the word "race" when "human" is supposed to be one, not several, among other reasons of course.
From what I see in the different possible use of this world in the (French) dictionnary, it seems to be a mistake now.

Is it different in English or are people just using it because it's easier to just use a 4 letters word ?
 
Sizu Sizu said:
What has my avatar got to do with anything? I like Lollipop Chainsaw.
Click to expand...

I'm asking you why she needed to white when your putting all these qualifications and restrictions on minority characters in fiction. Since clearly if they don't it's pandering but when they're white or Japanese it's not.
 
Sizu Sizu said:
Who exactly is "you people"?



You seem quite bitter.

I note the lack of empathy towards other minority representation in gaming and media. It isn't all just about race.
Click to expand...

Not bitter, I just think "I don't see race/I don't mind characters not white but they gotta be done right and fleshed out" type arguments are dumb as hell, nonsensical, hypocritical, and remedial.
 
Waji said:
This list is hilarious !

Btw I don't understand the use of the word "race" when "human" is supposed to be one, not several, among other reasons of course.
From what I see in the different possible use of this world in the (French) dictionnary, it seems to be a mistake now.

Is it different in English or are people just using it because it's easier to just use a 4 letters word ?
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Because of the term racism

You're right in that the word sucks, but it's what we have and the semantics argument is the least important thing to talk about.
 
Izuna said:
Because of the term racism

You're right in that the word sucks, but it's what we have and the semantics argument is the least important thing to talk about.
Click to expand...
But isn't "racism" exactly what I'm saying. It's thinking there are obvious races...
So if you most people use the word as it shouldn't, doesn't it aggravate the situation in a way or another ?

And here I thought Splatoon was a fun game. Didn't know it was so serious.
 
Waji said:
But isn't "racism" exactly what I'm saying. It's thinking there are obvious races...
So if you most people use the word as it shouldn't, doesn't it aggravate the situation in a way or another ?

And here I thought Splatoon was a fun game. Didn't know it was so serious.
Click to expand...

As I said, this is a discussion that's least priority for race relations.
 
Waji said:
But isn't "racism" exactly what I'm saying. It's thinking there are obvious races...
So if you most people use the word as it shouldn't, doesn't it aggravate the situation in a way or another ?

And here I thought Splatoon was a fun game. Didn't know it was so serious.
Click to expand...

The term has cultural meanings rather scientifif as race is a cultural phenomenom. There's no point in going down to the scientfically accurate terminology when the majority of people ho use or are affected by it aren't well versed in that branch of science. There's great trouble disemining information equal intelligience levels amongst "races", do you really think anyone is going to able to completely alter the cultural construct itself.
 
I just think about kids (and adults) having fun playing a game where they feel they are represented and the community being more inclusive.

It is embarrassing people seem to want to look beyond that and I really fucking struggle to comprehend how something like this would lead to people carrying on about some of the long winded shit in this thread. The motivation behind why people would say this shit is beyond me.
 
Well, this thread is such a mess and since everything has a beginning...

That was my limit. I rarely pick a skin colour because of cultural/identity/whatever reason, but only as I feel like it.

It seems pretty weird to talk about that with Splatoon as an example. I would expect a game more... realistic to be at the center of that kind of "debate".
But that's just me.
 
Izuna said:
Your sexual partners has nothing to do with this, good god
Click to expand...

Even more so when you consider the fact that the argument is shitty and exclusionary when made by any person regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc.

If you're asking for minority representation to have a justification in media that doesn't exist for non-minority representation, you're asking for the perpetuation of a bigoted system.
 
Waji said:
Well, this thread is such a mess and since everything has a beginning...

That was my limit. I rarely pick a skin colour because of cultural/identity/whatever reason, but only as I feel like it.

It seems pretty weird to talk about that with Splatoon as an example. I would expect a game more... realistic to be at the center of that kind of "debate".
But that's just me.
Click to expand...

And yet people can't help themselves
 
Waji said:
Well, this thread is such a mess and since everything has a beginning...

That was my limit. I rarely pick a skin colour because of cultural/identity/whatever reason, but only as I feel like it.

It seems pretty weird to talk about that with Splatoon as an example. I would expect a game more... realistic to be at the center of that kind of "debate".
But that's just me.
Click to expand...

The debate isn't about splatoon in and of itself. Game is fine. But finally in a Mario Kart game people can pick a skin colour like them.

Honestly that is all that ever needed to be said but people are getting their tits up about black people identifying with a black character.
 
Izuna said:
The debate isn't about splatoon in and of itself. Game is fine. But finally in a Mario Kart game people can pick a skin colour like them.

Honestly that is all that ever needed to be said but people are getting their tits up about black people identifying with a black character.
Click to expand...
Ha ha, really ? I saw a few other ridiculous sentences but missed this.

Can't wait for Black Mario. Could happen, we got silver and gold already.
 
Izuna said:
The debate isn't about splatoon in and of itself. Game is fine. But finally in a Mario Kart game people can pick a skin colour like them.

Honestly that is all that ever needed to be said but people are getting their tits up about black people identifying with a black character.
Click to expand...

What's even worse when they only think it's acceptable when they're up to their nose in racist sterotypes. Like there's been actual litteral arguements in this thread that black people in games can only be represented by those 50's cartoons sterotypes. Because there was nothing wrong or dehumanising about them at all....

It's like people wanting jewish characters to be represented by those racist jewish images. People in this thread are actually arguing for that.
 
Waji said:
No idea, it was just a joke (mostly about the silver and gold thing actually).
Click to expand...

Oh, okay.

Well, I just checked the images in the OP, and it looks like there are different skin tones the player can choose for inklings in MK8 Deluxe. There also are some in Splatoon 1 and there will be choices available in Splatoon 2.

What exactly did you consider to be ridiculous?
 
Spring-Loaded said:
Oh, okay.

Well, I just checked the images in the OP, and it looks like there are different skin tones the player can choose for inklings in MK8 Deluxe. There also are some in Splatoon 1 and there will be choices available in Splatoon 2.

What exactly did you consider to be ridiculous?
Click to expand...
Lots of stuff that has been said in this topic(didn't read everything at all and still saw a good amount). The last thing someone told me was :
"Some people having problem with others who want to identify with black characters".
 
Sizu Sizu said:
Nice assumption as you don't know my national background, the ethic background of current/previous partners or sexual orientation.

GG.
Click to expand...

Seriously mate, just leave it.

I think it's fine that this is just a simple skin color change. It's a good start for Nintendo.

Also to be honest the dark skin color should be main. Looks so good with the neon colored hair tbh.
 
Because so many of you admant posters in race topics on NeoGAF seem to be unaware of a few things, i'd like to just give my opinion on a few details:
----
  • If a developer really wanted to make a character "black", they could just include ethnic hair textures and slap literally any skintone options on that they wanted, and nobody would have to debate anything. Everything with brown/dark skin isn't "BLACK", please calm down.
  • Representation usually means "this character looks like it could be me". Not "this character shares features that could very vaguely be me but is also easily not me in more ways then it is."
  • It's okay to compromise to accept a win. That's cool. But when people point out that they still don't feel represented in a topic celebrating their representation...maybe you should quiet down, just accept the compromise, and then accept the criticism...besides, it was never about you in the first place.
  • Guys...it's okay to see color. Really, it is. Just don't be a douchebag.
  • "This isn't even that type of game" is also a really a sorry excuse, especially in a thread like this. Being cartoon / stylized doesn't mean the characters in question still aren't modeled after real life beings.
  • Every game isn't required to represent every race, just like every movie setting isn't required to include every culture. And if you think that should be the case, you're wrong.

Anyway, when it comes to representation, my personal easiest way to decide whether or not i've been represented is, "How easy would be it be for a person of this ethnicity to cosplay this character?"

When it comes to "black" characters, if the only feature they have in common is the skintone...that could be "black", or black with a wig / perm...or it could just be one of the very many southeast Asian ethnicities that naturally have brown skintones?????

In which case, that's a win for them, and yet another compromise for me. Which is still a win, but maybe you shouldn't cry if i have something to say about it.
 
LordKasual said:
Because so many of you admant posters in race topics on NeoGAF seem to be unaware of a few things, i'd like to just give my opinion on a few details:
----
  • If a developer really wanted to make a character "black", they could just include ethnic hair textures and slap literally any skintone options on that they wanted, and nobody would have to debate anything. Everything with brown/dark skin isn't "BLACK", please calm down.
  • Representation usually means "this character looks like it could be me". Not "this character shares features that could very vaguely be me but is also easily not me in more ways then it is."
  • It's okay to compromise to accept a win. That's cool. But when people point out that they still don't feel represented in a topic celebrating their representation...maybe you should quiet down, just accept the compromise, and then accept the criticism...besides, it was never about you in the first place.
  • Guys...it's okay to see color. Really, it is. Just don't be a douchebag.
  • "This isn't even that type of game" is also a really a sorry excuse, especially in a thread like this. Being cartoon / stylized doesn't mean the characters in question still aren't modeled after real life beings.

Anyway, when it comes to representation, my personal easiest way to decide whether or not i've been represented is, "How easy would be it be for a person of this ethnicity to cosplay this character?"

When it comes to "black" characters, if the only feature they have in common is the skintone...that could be "black", or black with a wig / perm...or it could just be one of the very many southeast Asian ethnicities that naturally have brown skintones?????

In which case, that's a win for them, and yet another compromise for me. Which is still a win, but maybe you shouldn't cry if i have something to say about it.
Click to expand...

What do you think "black" means?
 
LordKasual said:
What literally every educated person on earth thinks "black" means when they see the word used to describe another human. Probably.

personal and "ideal" definitions do not count in discussions like this, im afraid.
Click to expand...

Humor us and say what you think it means in regard to this topic

A handful of posters seem to think that calling the squid's who look black "black" somehow excludes anyone with dark skin who isn't African-American from identifying with those characters. That isn't happening and can't happen

Why do you think that's happening
 
Sizu Sizu said:
Sorry, being white is privileged? Complete nonsense. Perhaps I am misunderstanding your point. If so, I apologise.
Click to expand...

Lmfao. Just get out.

LordKasual said:
Because so many of you admant posters in race topics on NeoGAF seem to be unaware of a few things, i'd like to just give my opinion on a few details:
----
  • If a developer really wanted to make a character "black", they could just include ethnic hair textures and slap literally any skintone options on that they wanted, and nobody would have to debate anything. Everything with brown/dark skin isn't "BLACK", please calm down.
  • It's okay to compromise to accept a win. That's cool. But when people point out that they still don't feel represented in a topic celebrating their representation...maybe you should quiet down, just accept the compromise, and then accept the criticism...besides, it was never about you in the first place.
  • Every game isn't required to represent every race, just like every movie setting isn't required to include every culture. And if you think that should be the case, you're wrong.

Anyway, when it comes to representation, my personal easiest way to decide whether or not i've been represented is, "How easy would be it be for a person of this ethnicity to cosplay this character?"

When it comes to "black" characters, if the only feature they have in common is the skintone...that could be "black", or black with a wig / perm...or it could just be one of the very many southeast Asian ethnicities that naturally have brown skintones?????

In which case, that's a win for them, and yet another compromise for me. Which is still a win, but maybe you shouldn't cry if i have something to say about it.
Click to expand...

Ethnic hair? Black with a wig/perm? Every game isnt required to represent every race, when white is represented in almost every single game, media, and advertising? It was never about us? The people who Nintendo bothered adding skin color options for, to begin with?

If it wasn't about us, Nintendo would default Inklings to toothpaste white, and we would have rocked with it like we've done for years.

The 'few' PoC who have been claiming misrepresentation is not because of the Inklings, but of the word 'black'. They don't feel comfortable identifying with Inklings that are dubbed black. Which is ridiculous. Cause Black is so overarching and rooted in so many cultures, that arguing against it for the sake of semantics adds nothing. Saying, "I'm Hispanic, and I think these Inklings look more Spanish than black." is not the same as "I'm black, and I think these Inklings are more black, than anything."

And if you don't understand the difference between the two statements, then this topic is not for you. With a post like that, I doubt you were here to shed some third eye wisdom.

Deadass, take your own advice.
 
LordKasual said:
[*] Guys...it's okay to see color. Really, it is. Just don't be a douchebag.
Click to expand...

So that's what this is about.

Minorities should stfu about how they feel about race. Less we be one of the good ones that don't see colour.

I'm so sorry black people celebrating seeing themselves in an k kling has you so worked up. "Not in my Nintendo games" amirite?
 
Spring-Loaded said:
Humor us and say what you think it means in regard to this topic

A handful of posters seem to think that calling the squid's who look black "black" somehow excludes anyone with dark skin who isn't African-American from identifying with those characters. That isn't happening and can't happen

Why do you think that's happening
Click to expand...

You have access to google just like I do, i'm not wasting my time humoring anyone with semantics.

And uh, my guess is that it's probably happening because OP decided to say "first black non-mii characters" instead of "Inklings can choose a darker skin tone in Mario Kart."

Izuna said:
So that's what this is about.

Minorities should stfu about how they feel about race. Less we be one of the good ones that don't see colour.

I'm so sorry black people celebrating seeing themselves in an k kling has you so worked up. "Not in my Nintendo games" amirite?
Click to expand...

did you read anything in that post before you decided to type this?
 
Waji said:
Well, this thread is such a mess and since everything has a beginning...

That was my limit. I rarely pick a skin colour because of cultural/identity/whatever reason, but only as I feel like it.

It seems pretty weird to talk about that with Splatoon as an example. I would expect a game more... realistic to be at the center of that kind of "debate".
But that's just me.
Click to expand...

Nintendo doesn't make a whole lot of realistic games
 
LordKasual said:
You have access to google just like I do, i'm not wasting my time humoring anyone with semantics.

And uh, my guess is that it's probably happening because OP decided to say "first black non-mii characters" instead of "Inklings can choose a darker skin tone in Mario Kart."
Click to expand...

"of any human group having dark-colored skin, especially of African or Australian Aboriginal ancestry."

I'll screenshot it in a bit.
 
LordKasual said:
Because so many of you admant posters in race topics on NeoGAF seem to be unaware of a few things, i'd like to just give my opinion on a few details:
----
  • If a developer really wanted to make a character "black", they could just include ethnic hair textures and slap literally any skintone options on that they wanted, and nobody would have to debate anything. Everything with brown/dark skin isn't "BLACK", please calm down.
  • Representation usually means "this character looks like it could be me". Not "this character shares features that could very vaguely be me but is also easily not me in more ways then it is."
  • It's okay to compromise to accept a win. That's cool. But when people point out that they still don't feel represented in a topic celebrating their representation...maybe you should quiet down, just accept the compromise, and then accept the criticism...besides, it was never about you in the first place.
  • Guys...it's okay to see color. Really, it is. Just don't be a douchebag.
  • "This isn't even that type of game" is also a really a sorry excuse, especially in a thread like this. Being cartoon / stylized doesn't mean the characters in question still aren't modeled after real life beings.
  • Every game isn't required to represent every race, just like every movie setting isn't required to include every culture. And if you think that should be the case, you're wrong.

Anyway, when it comes to representation, my personal easiest way to decide whether or not i've been represented is, "How easy would be it be for a person of this ethnicity to cosplay this character?"

When it comes to "black" characters, if the only feature they have in common is the skintone...that could be "black", or black with a wig / perm...or it could just be one of the very many southeast Asian ethnicities that naturally have brown skintones?????

In which case, that's a win for them, and yet another compromise for me. Which is still a win, but maybe you shouldn't cry if i have something to say about it.
Click to expand...
Your arguement is nonsense they have tentacles for hair. No-one is saying these characters are explicitly represent Africans but to argue a black individual of any descent can't feel they represent them (much like any darker skinned individuals) without mentioning why not makes very little sense.

Why do you think the characters come shades of Brown to white rather than red and blue. Do you believe that's by accident and not a purposeful intension? The same game that borrows very, very heavily from African American urban culture and has a marketing phase of describing things as "fresh".

Do you have no self awareness whatso
ever?
 
We should be celebrating that people of color are being represented more in video games, especially a big franchise like Mario Kart but we're debating over trivial things like what black means?

It's depressing seeing the thread go into such a toxic direction, even more so as a person of color.
 
LordKasual said:
What literally every educated person on earth thinks "black" means when they see the word used to describe another human. Probably.

personal and "ideal" definitions do not count in discussions like this, im afraid.
Click to expand...

You're the third person who claims to know the definition of black

Be the first to tell me

LordKasual said:
did you read anything in that post before you decided to type this?
Click to expand...

Thrice, because that's how shocking your post was.
 
LordKasual said:
You have access to google just like I do, i'm not wasting my time humoring anyone with semantics.

And uh, my guess is that it's probably happening because OP decided to say "first black non-mii characters" instead of "Inklings can choose a darker skin tone in Mario Kart."
Click to expand...

rSpcN0g.png


I wasn't asking for what people actually understand "black" to mean. I was curious what strange, limited definition you're going by. Going by google—which I have access to just like you do—it does not preclude dark skinned people of African or Aboriginal Australian ancestry.
 
atr0cious said:
Splatoon features more highlights on black culture then most games, from some of the music to the style of the game, clothes and vernacular used.
Click to expand...
That's the irony of all this. These characters can't be black in a game that borrows heavily from African American urban culture. As in it pervades every aspects of it. No they're "tanned" east Asians not the people whose some of which culture they borrow heavily from.

What on earth are some of you guys smoking.
 
Principate said:
Your arguement is nonsense they have tentacles for hair. No-one is saying these characters are explicitly represent Africans but to argue a african of amy descent can't feel they represent them (much like any darker skinned individuals) without mentioning why not makes very little sense.

Why do you the characters come shades of Brown to white rather than red and blue. Do you believe that's by accident and not a purposeful intension? The same game that borrows very very heavily from African American urban culture and has a marketing phase of describing things as "fresh".

Do you have no self awareness whatso
ever.
Click to expand...

I didn't mention why because i never typed this nonsense

seriously, do any of you read before you start typing? Like, at all?

I'm arguing on the side of people who complain about the representation because they don't feel it's adequate. But I also mention compromise for those who generally don't care that much.

Izuna said:
You're the third person who claims to know the definition of black

Be the first to tell me
Click to expand...

what part of "personal and ideal definitions do not count" are you not comprehending

Spring-Loaded said:
rSpcN0g.png


I wasn't asking for what people actually understand "black" to mean. I was curious what strange, limited definition you're going by. Going by google—which I have access to just like you do—it does not preclude dark skinned people of African or Aboriginal Australian ancestry.
Click to expand...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people

And just to humor you further, here's a question for you

If you say "black person" to anyone during a conversation, in pretty much any country, what do you believe the chance is of them thinking you're talking about a southeast asian?*

If you aren't asking for what like 90% of the population knows the word to mean, then why are you even asking at all. Are you planning on only ever discussing this on NeoGAF or something?
 
Principate said:
That's the irony of all this. These characters can't black in a game that borrows heavily from African American culture. As in it pervades every aspects of it. No they're "tanned" east Asians not the people whose some of which culture they borrow heavily from.

What on earth are some of you guys smoking.
Click to expand...

From what I understand, Splatoon borrows more from Japanese youth street culture than western black culture.
 
Shang said:
From what I understand, Splatoon borrows more from Japanese youth street culture than western black culture.
Click to expand...

It's main catchphrase is the word fresh. Among every other design that apes nighties America. Where on earth do you think that stuff originated from. Even if some if has influenced Japanese youth culture as it has most of the western world the game doesn't pretend to hide what influenced it.
 
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