# animal crossing is racist



## CatsAreSuperCool (May 29, 2016)

you can only be a white person in the game (tans don't make you a different race by the way).


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## Captain Crazy Chicken (May 29, 2016)

They fixed that in Happy Home Designer! Hence why I made a black player character.


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## CatsAreSuperCool (May 29, 2016)

Captain Crazy Chicken said:


> They fixed that in Happy Home Designer! Hence why I made a black player character.



oh yay


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## Duzzel (May 29, 2016)

I was super excited when they added skin tones in HHD. I have a few POC friends who play Animal Crossing, and I can only imagine how nice it feels to have that option now. I wonder if your skintone can still get darker in the summer though. that would be pretty interesting, or if your Mayor can freckle, haha. Maybe that'll be in the next game.

I'm not going to get into the politics of it, but I understand Japan to be a fairly racially homogenous country, with a preference for pale skin as well. So it's not that surprising that they hadn't paid much mind to other skin tones.


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## KaydeeKrunk (May 29, 2016)

Well I mean, if you go to Japan you aren't going to find a lot of dark skinned people. The charecters are Japanese so that's why they did that in all of the AC games. I do like that they changed it in HHD and I am thinking it's a trend that is going to stick where you will be able to decide how your character looks, at least to an extent.


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## Buttonsy (May 29, 2016)

KaydeeKrunk said:


> Well I mean, if you go to Japan you aren't going to find a lot of dark skinned people. The charecters are Japanese so that's why they did that in all of the AC games. I do like that they changed it in HHD and I am thinking it's a trend that is going to stick where you will be able to decide how your character looks, at least to an extent.



Even though the games are originally from Japan, I think that after the first game, they would have been aware that they have a pretty big fanbase overseas too. I think maybe part of it is that they base your looks off your conversations on the buses rather than having a character creator screen, and it would be very awkward for Rover to ask your race/skin tone for a number of reasons, but that still doesn't excuse excluding players who have darker skin tones from feeling represented, in my opinion.


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## Buttonsy (May 29, 2016)

Vertigo said:


> I'll first say this... I don't have anything against black people at all and it's nice to see different skin tones in HHD, but still. Isn't calling a children's video gaming series racist a bit too much?
> 
> But then again, I don't really want to argue about stuff like this. I am hopeless when it comes to debating.



I think it's important to include diversity in children's media so that they grow up being exposed to all kinds of people, or in the case of children with darker skin, can see themselves represented!! While there isn't anything that directly says anything anti-dark skinned people in the game, I think it can be harmful to grow up without representation of all sorts of people, and so it's a good idea for children's media to include many different kinds of people. The kind of messages we are exposed to at a very young age can be ones that stick with us for the rest of our lives, so I think it is important to pick apart children's media at times.

(BTW, not trying to start an argument of course, just stating why I think this is important!!)


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## treetops (May 29, 2016)

Buttonsy said:


> I think it's important to include diversity in children's media so that they grow up being exposed to all kinds of people, or in the case of children with darker skin, can see themselves represented!! While there isn't anything that directly says anything anti-dark skinned people in the game, I think it can be harmful to grow up without representation of all sorts of people, and so it's a good idea for children's media to include many different kinds of people. The kind of messages we are exposed to at a very young age can be ones that stick with us for the rest of our lives, so I think it is important to pick apart children's media at times.
> 
> (BTW, not trying to start an argument of course, just stating why I think this is important!!)



Ah, alrighty then. I tend to overlook that sort of stuff myself, but now that you mention it, I can now see why people want to see more diversity in children's media, especially in this day and age. I do think that it is time to move on forward and stop treating others like dirt just because for what they are. Thank you for the clarification! c:


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## StikkyEbi (May 29, 2016)

I suppose, technically you could be black once you open shampoodles on new leaf if you do the makeup function where you get to use your mii character.


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## Bwazey (May 29, 2016)

That's like saying the Legend of Zelda is racist because Link is always white.


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## Buttonsy (May 29, 2016)

Bwazey said:


> That's like saying the Legend of Zelda is racist because Link is always white.


 Although your mayor is supposed to be a representation of you, while Link is an established character that you control but is not literally supposed to be you, if I'm not mistaken?


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## Zane (May 29, 2016)

Bwazey said:


> That's like saying the Legend of Zelda is racist because Link is always white.



no it's not because zelda isnt a simulation and Link can't be customized, he's the same guy who just gets reborn all the time. When you're given the option to create your own character (and many, not all but many, people want to make it a representation of themselves) you should have skin tone choices that don't involve having to stand on an island for 20 minutes every day just to have dark skin. 

Although I heard the issue was solved in HHD so this whole discussion is kind of old.


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## Mints (May 29, 2016)

Yeah that's what I thought at first, but if would be pretty awkward for Rover to ask you what your skin color is.


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## visibleghost (May 30, 2016)

yeah i agree. i hope they will change that in future games (like they have in hhd)



Bwazey said:


> That's like saying the Legend of Zelda is racist because Link is always white.



uh no.


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## Cudon (May 30, 2016)

Mints said:


> Yeah that's what I thought at first, but if would be pretty awkward for Rover to ask you what your skin color is.


That'd be pretty funny. He'd have to have confirm dialog for it too. "Are you sure you're 25% brown?"


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## Rabirin (Jun 3, 2016)

Thats a bit of a broad statement, but I see where you're coming from. But keep in mind that the game was originally released in japan and intended for Japanese release only, and usually in video games with customisation people want to be able to play as somebody who looks just like them. For the most part, I imagine that in japan the skin tone of most would be white. (correct me if i'm wrong) and since it's a life simulator, they'd obviously want it to be as close to real life as possible starting with the character. It doesn't necessarily make nintendo racist, because they saw this was a problem for many and simply fixed it in games like animal crossing happy home designer and pokemon. 

If they were racist they'd ignore what the audience wants/is telling them and just keep things how they are. Nintendo want to appeal to all, so I doubt they'd single out racial minorities because that's not really what they're actually aiming for as a company and if they were I doubt they'd make as many sales as they do today as that's just bad for business. Its got nothing to do with being racist in my opinion, it was just trying to stay true to the Japanese port and now obviously with the game becoming popular in the west - they've noticed they need to change more to their western audiences needs and wants as well.


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## Koden (Jun 3, 2016)

I always wondered that, but how would they implement that into a question without making it offensive to at least some people?


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## Dim (Jun 3, 2016)

It's actually pretty dumb how you still have to go out in the summer sun to get a tan. What's worse is that you have to do it DAILY. :/


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## Ichigo. (Jun 4, 2016)

i'll agree that they should've included more options for skin tones but i hope you do realize white people aren't the only race with pale skin tones lol


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## smolfriskeh (Jun 4, 2016)

I know a guy who made an action replay code that turns your character black.
Like black like this word.
Just saying pls dun hurt meh


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## pika62221 (Jun 5, 2016)

More like it WAS racist, 15 years later, you can change the hue of your character to whatever race you want, light, dark, or anywhere in between.


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## Dim (Jun 5, 2016)

Does HHA even have wifi?


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## Mary (Jun 5, 2016)

I wouldn't call it deliberately racist. I just think that no one at Nintendo assumed that anyone would be upset about it. An oversight, for sure, but racist? I'm not sure.


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## dudeabides (Jun 5, 2016)

A million games are racist if it's true that the only characters you can control are from the white race.


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## etsusho (Jun 6, 2016)

Dinomates said:


> That'd be pretty funny. He'd have to have confirm dialog for it too. "Are you sure you're 25% brown?"



That would be great.  
I actually think it would be a little funny if he based your skin color on how you answer other questions (although it would end up being even more racist, but I think some really random/awful stereotypes can be funny if not used seriously).  I would think of an example, but I don't want anybody to get mad at me.

---

And I'm happy to hear that Happy Home Designer has more appearance options.  Maybe I'll have to check it out sometime.


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## Bowie (Jun 6, 2016)

There are very few black people in Asian countries, you see, so this can be tricky for developers when their target audience is Asia, but they've still gotta appeal to people in other continents. This is also why almost all video game characters developed by Nintendo have anime style physiques, which are (at least historically) Asian.

Nintendo have always been pretty bad at exporting. A lot of stuff gets lost in translation and it's impossible to make your game culturally relevant to every part of the world. The sooner people understand that the better.


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## CatsAreSuperCool (Jun 6, 2016)

oh hey! I just came back to check on this thread and I'm glad to see it's still alive haha didn't expect it to stay active for as much as a day.


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## Suyeon (Jun 7, 2016)

Considering how most Nintendo games are made for Japanese audiences first, it's not a surprise that they adhere to beauty standards that those of us in America would consider Anglo-centric (pale skin, light hair, light eyes), but pale skin has always been a mark of beauty in Asia. Doesn't make them racist, so much as culturally insensitive or out of touch. Most people who make the media we and our kids consume are middle aged males (often without children themselves), so they often don't think about the potential impact lack of representation (or worse: representation that portrays negative stereotypes - a lot of African-American centered media) can have.


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## skylucario (Jun 7, 2016)

Dinomates said:


> That'd be pretty funny. He'd have to have confirm dialog for it too. "Are you sure you're 25% brown?"



I feel like using your Mii as a reference for a skin color (AND FRECKLES, HINT HINT) would be the best way to implement that without actually asking questions,
but at the same time, the skin color options on Mii Maker aren't all that great. Like, they're diverse, but my skin color isn't on there; the closest one to my tone is that weird orangey-yellow one, so I've stuck with it... xD There's no in-between!


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## Buttonsy (Jun 7, 2016)

pika62221 said:


> More like it WAS racist, 15 years later, you can change the hue of your character to whatever race you want, light, dark, or anywhere in between.



I think we still need to wait for the next main series game to confirm that. HHA is a spin-off game that has a character creation screen, we still need to see how they fit skin tone into the next main series game when your appearance is based off of your conversations with Rover or Kapp'n or whoever.


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## Dim (Jun 7, 2016)

They could probably be all "you look like you've been in the sun" and ask how long you've been in the sun. Idk lol


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## skylucario (Jun 8, 2016)

Ju





skylucario said:


> I feel like using your Mii as a reference for a skin color (AND FRECKLES, HINT HINT) would be the best way to implement that without actually asking questions,
> but at the same time, the skin color options on Mii Maker aren't all that great. Like, they're diverse, but my skin color isn't on there; the closest one to my tone is that weird orangey-yellow one, so I've stuck with it... xD There's no in-between!



Just gonna bump this since so many people seem to be wondering


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## debinoresu (Jun 8, 2016)

Buttonsy said:


> I think we still need to wait for the next main series game to confirm that. HHA is a spin-off game that has a character creation screen, we still need to see how they fit skin tone into the next main series game when your appearance is based off of your conversations with Rover or Kapp'n or whoever.



im thinking maybe the train could lose power in a tunnel or something and it gets dark and rover has to ask what you look like before the lights come on or something. i know they try to make the beginning character creation immersive/somewhat random, but i think skin color should be something that isnt left to randomizing, nor should i think you should have the ability to change it later, bc thats sorta... iffy... so i think either blinding rover or turning out the lights at one segment are the best way to make an immersive way to describe yourself



Nox said:


> They could probably be all "you look like you've been in the sun" and ask how long you've been in the sun. Idk lol



but then that still gives the implication of a tan as opposed to naturally dark skin


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## skylucario (Jun 9, 2016)

debinoresu said:


> im thinking maybe the train could lose power in a tunnel or something and it gets dark and rover has to ask what you look like before the lights come on or something. i know they try to make the beginning character creation immersive/somewhat random, but i think skin color should be something that isnt left to randomizing, nor should i think you should have the ability to change it later, bc thats sorta... iffy... so i think either blinding rover or turning out the lights at one segment are the best way to make an immersive way to describe yourself
> 
> 
> 
> but then that still gives the implication of a tan as opposed to naturally dark skin


That's a cool idea, but did you see mine? .u."


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