Online petition asks Nintendo to change Link to a young black female in the next Zelda Wii U game

[Kakashi Hatake]

Saying he's supposed to represent the player was in reference to Aonuma and Miyamoto saying that he's supposed to represent the player.
 

You could make him pale skin, blonde hair, blue eyes, and green tunic but make him be a girl. It's clear that they can do that just based on the confusion over whether the new one was.

The last part is why I'm more okay with them not making him black. Although the comparison to cat people is odd considering black folks aren't a different species. You could also argue that several of the characters in Twilight Princess were of a different race, and the metal worker in Skyward Sword is most definitely black.

 

Yes yes, I get what you're saying but consider this:

 

 

We've already established black Link is evil. You wouldn't want Evil Link to have the power of the triforce, would you?

[Kazooie]

shalinkua is a strong, independant black woman who dont need no man

 

she got the sass to handle all da shit yall throw at her

[Just Crouton]

shalinkua is a strong, independant black woman who dont need no man

 

she got the sass to handle all da s*** yall throw at her

 

MmmmmmmmmHMM!

[The Amazing Avian]

For a while I've thought there should be a game where Link is a Gerudo and Ganondorf is his twin brother.

[Kyng]

What character? He's supposed to represent the player, who isn't always a guy, he never talks and he's constantly referred to with a title that does not denotate his gender, he's never the same Link, and reincarnation allows the diegetic means for him to be anyone.

I don't think it goes against anything for them to make him a girl in one game, or allow one some customization in his appearance.

The character being the Hero of Time, whom always seems to wear green, blonde hair, be a male character.

If he were to truly represent the player, the Green Outfit, Blonde Hair wouldn't be a recurring trait.

I don't think Link has ever meant to represent the player. He's very clearly his own character in all iterations.

[Just Crouton]

[spoiler=Had to be done]

[/spoiler]

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Shalinkua4Smash.

 

Seriously, Shalinkua is my favorite character now.

[Agro]

The character being the Hero of Time, whom always seems to wear green, blonde hair, be a male character.

If he were to truly represent the player, the Green Outfit, Blonde Hair wouldn't be a recurring trait.

I don't think Link has ever meant to represent the player. He's very clearly his own character in all iterations.

Except the creators have specifically stated that Link is supposed to represent the player.

 

I would argue that just because something HAS been the same every time does not mean it needs to be. Though, I certainly wouldn't put this same sort of idea on a character like Mario, since he's the exact same person every single time he shows up in the game. But Link is not, Link is a different person and a different character each and every time, and this story point actually allows for a female Link to be a possibility. One, I wouldn't mind seeing Nintendo take.

 

After all, critically looking at Zelda, it sends an odd message to say that "You can be the Hero in any time and any place, as long as you're blonde, pale skinned, and a male." Which, whether you like it or not, is a way to read what the game is saying in the context of the cultures it is being produced in. This is something I think people gloss over when they cry out "but it's just fantasy!" Yes, it's fantasy, but even fantasy stories are contextualized through how we see them in realistic, modern day. Just look at any good literary analysis of The Hobbit. The story may take place in the bubble of a fantasy world, but the creation of the story does not.

 

It's a lot more to ask of Nintendo, which is based in Japan- a country that is very much homogeneous in its population- to make Link a different race, which is why I don't really care one way or the other whether they'd ever decide to do so. However, to suggest he be reincarnated in a single iteration as a girl is very, VERY reasonable proposition, and one, while I don't really mind if they never decide to do, would wholeheartedly endorse if ever actually implemented.

 

Zelda being the main character would be okay, too, but Link being a girl is just so out-of-the-box and something no one really thought about until this past week, that I kinda really want that to happen at some point. It feels like such a Nintendo way of addressing concerns over how many more playable male characters they have over female– though props to them for having Samus. Samus is worth like 10 female playable characters. As long as we ignore Other M's existence. And, possibly, ZSS.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

I will agree that it would be fine to make Link a different race or gender. I just don't think anything is ruined by him staying what he has been. It's what people recognize. Link being male or female doesn't really make a difference. And you just know there will be people saying that they only made him female to make him appeal to men. Or on the other side, say that they're doing it because of pressure from female players. It would be interesting, but it could be more trouble than it's worth. Especially since they already have Zelda, who can be an awesome character on her own.

[The Amazing Avian]

[spoiler=Had to be done]

[/spoiler]

I died

[Kyng]

Except the creators have specifically stated that Link is supposed to represent the player.

I would argue that just because something HAS been the same every time does not mean it needs to be. Though, I certainly wouldn't put this same sort of idea on a character like Mario, since he's the exact same person every single time he shows up in the game. But Link is not, Link is a different person and a different character each and every time, and this story point actually allows for a female Link to be a possibility. One, I wouldn't mind seeing Nintendo take.
 
After all, critically looking at Zelda, it sends an odd message to say that "You can be the Hero in any time and any place, as long as you're blonde, pale skinned, and a male." Which, whether you like it or not, is a way to read what the game is saying in the context of the cultures it is being produced in. This is something I think people gloss over when they cry out "but it's just fantasy!" Yes, it's fantasy, but even fantasy stories are contextualized through how we see them in realistic, modern day. Just look at any good literary analysis of The Hobbit. The story may take place in the bubble of a fantasy world, but the creation of the story does not.
 
It's a lot more to ask of Nintendo, which is based in Japan- a country that is very much homogeneous in its population- to make Link a different race, which is why I don't really care one way or the other whether they'd ever decide to do so. However, to suggest he be reincarnated in a single iteration as a girl is very, VERY reasonable proposition, and one, while I don't really mind if they never decide to do, would wholeheartedly endorse if ever actually implemented.
 
Zelda being the main character would be okay, too, but Link being a girl is just so out-of-the-box and something no one really thought about until this past week, that I kinda really want that to happen at some point. It feels like such a Nintendo way of addressing concerns over how many more playable male characters they have over female– though props to them for having Samus. Samus is worth like 10 female playable characters. As long as we ignore Other M's existence. And, possibly, ZSS.

I'm still not convinced by your argument, specifically because whereas you're stating Link is to be associated with the player, I believe he is unique to himself, not the player, having had several incarnations in each game he's featured with recurring features.

If it were under your argument, I would have no quarrel whatsoever as to how Link's appearance, race, and sex changes. However, I don't believe Link is associated with the player, but rather like Mario and other Nintendo main characters, is his own character in his own right. Under this belief, such changes would simply be inappropriate at best.

Show me this specific statement, please. Give me the source, and I'd be convinced.

[Kazooie]

I'm still not convinced by your argument, specifically because whereas you're stating Link is to be associated with the player, I believe he is unique to himself, not the player, having had several incarnations in each game he's featured with recurring features.

If it were under your argument, I would have no quarrel whatsoever as to how Link's appearance, race, and sex changes. However, I don't believe Link is associated with the player, but rather like Mario and other Nintendo main characters, is his own character in his own right. Under this belief, such changes would simply be inappropriate at best.

Show me this specific statement, please. Give me the source, and I'd be convinced.

 

“I don’t want people to get hung up on the way Link looks because ultimately Link represents the player in the game. I don’t want to define him so much that it becomes limiting to the players. I want players to focus on other parts of the trailer and not specifically on the character because the character Link represents, again, the player.”

Read more at http://nintendoeverything.com/aonuma-confirms-that-link-was-the-character-featured-in-zelda-wii-us-debut-video/

[Kyng]

“I don’t want people to get hung up on the way Link looks because ultimately Link represents the player in the game. I don’t want to define him so much that it becomes limiting to the players. I want players to focus on other parts of the trailer and not specifically on the character because the character Link represents, again, the player.”[/size]

Read more at [/size]http://nintendoeverything.com/aonuma-confirms-that-link-was-the-character-featured-in-zelda-wii-us-debut-video/

Okey-dokey, I'm convinced.

[Kazooie]

Okey-dokey, I'm convinced.

 

whoo i did it! :'D

[Agro]

I will agree that it would be fine to make Link a different race or gender. I just don't think anything is ruined by him staying what he has been. It's what people recognize. Link being male or female doesn't really make a difference.

This, I completely agree on.
 

And you just know there will be people saying that they only made him female to make him appeal to men. Or on the other side, say that they're doing it because of pressure from female players. It would be interesting, but it could be more trouble than it's worth. Especially since they already have Zelda, who can be an awesome character on her own.

I think the prior side would only really show up if their portray a female Link continuously falls within the tropes that female characters get put under in a variety of different games and media. If they portray female Link in a similar fashion to how they portray a male Link, there won't be a problem. And if there is, it's either idiots or trolls like those who started the #EndFathersDay thing, who I suppose are also idiots.

I don't necessarily think that the latter argument is problematic. Even if they're pressured, there's really 2 reasons they'd change it. 1. Because they feel they'd lose significant sales if they don't, which we, and they, KNOW won't happen. Or 2. Because they agree with the idea. Part of the reason people want Link to be female for ONE game is BECAUSE some worry it will be trouble. Because there shouldn't really be a reason that it would cause trouble. If people like the game of Zelda, why should they care if Link is a girl in one of the games? You do it because it shouldn't cause trouble, and if it does, doing it could do something to make sure anyone else doing it wouldn't cause trouble again.

But again, I wouldn't mind Zelda starring as well, it's just that this idea of female Link is so weird and strangely possible that I want to see it happen.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

I doubt the issues would really become big issues but it's one reason I can see them being leery about doing it. Because as you know people are idiots and idiots are vocal.

 

I'd be fine with female Link....To be honest now I really want a game with mostly Zelda as protagonist. Partially because there aren't enough adventure-style games with magic-using characters.

[Agro]

I think just changing Link is something they're wary of doing. All their changes have been pretty low-key, yet everyone really talks about them and discusses whether they like or dislike them. (see ponytail and anime-eyes) Although making Link a girl could be just as subtle, but people would definitely key it up a lot harder. So yeah, I agree. There's a bunch of different reasons they likely won't change it, mostly stemming from not changing up things that have been the same and people like. Though Aonuma, in a Direct last year, did state that he wants Zelda to be a game that you can immediately recognize as Zelda even if the characters, land, and possibly even gameplay are completely different than what we're used to. I think that's part of the reason he really got behind Hyrule Warriors.

Only thing with Zelda is I wonder if they're gonna just make her like a Sheik-like character rather than magic-oriented just-Zelda.