I don't think it's useful to tut-tut at an entire country over Nintendo being shitty about its portrayal of Samus
I mean
Someone tut tutted the entire western world as not being woke enough to have non waifish females in games
And that's silly in the extreme, but my post works with regards to both statements. More, somebody saying something silly like that isn't a good reason to go "Ah, well, Japan, am I right?" as if the entire nation is a cultural hegemony without its own conversations and movements regarding the portrayal of women in media
On a similar note: I wouldn't use "females" when you mean "women"; in non-clinical contexts it's dehumanizing
It does work in regards to both statements, but you're not really directing it at the original statement about 2 continents worth of people being entirely sexist pigs.
Edit: Especially when all the problematic portrayals of Samus did not come from the only western dev to make a Metroid title. So far both Team Ninja and Nintendo have struck out. Hell, even the Nintendo Power comic from the 90s did a better job.
Fun fact: When I was 14 I made a rough outline for a Metroid animated series, and I recently found the files. Episodes included Samus infiltrating the F Zero circuit and a flashback montage of her training with the chozo after falling into a lightless cavern full of monsters.
I don't think I'm alone in this, but Battlestar Galactica era Katie Sackhoff was probably the closest thing to my mental image of Samus in a lot of levels.
It's intriguing that everyone's ideal Samus actress is so close to what people were hoping to play Captain Marvel.
You know what? Nanowrimo's cancelled on account of the world is stupid.
I dunno, to be honest I'd just want Samus to be female. Is everyone suggesting blonde actresses because the character is typically blonde? Michelle Yeoh would work pretty good. I figure you could go Gwendoline Christie big and the armor just goes on her, or smaller in stature and the armor has some odd joint articulation because her feet aren't actually in the feet and her hands aren't actually in the hands. Dunno that Hollywood would give two shits about such a thing.
Brie Larson isn't bad, but I do think Katee Sackhoff would have made a more interesting and lively choice? More rough and tumble? Dunno.
Brie Larson isn't bad, but I do think Katee Sackhoff would have made a more interesting and lively choice? More rough and tumble? Dunno.
Maybe it’s the stuff I saw her in but I wasn’t impressed with Brie Larson. She seemed wooden. Maybe she’d be perfect if they went with the Other M interpretation.
It does work in regards to both statements, but you're not really directing it at the original statement about 2 continents worth of people being entirely sexist pigs.
Edit: Especially when all the problematic portrayals of Samus did not come from the only western dev to make a Metroid title. So far both Team Ninja and Nintendo have struck out. Hell, even the Nintendo Power comic from the 90s did a better job.
As I said before: somebody else saying something silly (and it is silly in an Orientalist way) isn't a good reason to participate in the same sort of rhetoric directed at a more specific population, especially when that rhetoric is no better founded and has much more purchase in conversations on this side of the ocean
I'm not interested in litigating the relative righteousness of "oh that Japan!" jokes
It does work in regards to both statements, but you're not really directing it at the original statement about 2 continents worth of people being entirely sexist pigs.
Edit: Especially when all the problematic portrayals of Samus did not come from the only western dev to make a Metroid title. So far both Team Ninja and Nintendo have struck out. Hell, even the Nintendo Power comic from the 90s did a better job.
As I said before: somebody else saying something silly (and it is silly in an Orientalist way) isn't a good reason to participate in the same sort of rhetoric directed at a more specific population, especially when that rhetoric is no better founded and has much more purchase in conversations on this side of the ocean
I'm not interested in litigating the relative righteousness of "oh that Japan!" jokes
I dunno, to be honest I'd just want Samus to be female. Is everyone suggesting blonde actresses because the character is typically blonde? Michelle Yeoh would work pretty good. I figure you could go Gwendoline Christie big and the armor just goes on her, or smaller in stature and the armor has some odd joint articulation because her feet aren't actually in the feet and her hands aren't actually in the hands. Dunno that Hollywood would give two shits about such a thing.
Brie Larson isn't bad, but I do think Katee Sackhoff would have made a more interesting and lively choice? More rough and tumble? Dunno.
Pick a tiny actress and just use the same forced perspective tricks they used in Lord of the Rings to make her seem giant.
I don't think it's useful to tut-tut at an entire country over Nintendo being shitty about its portrayal of Samus
I mean
Someone tut tutted the entire western world as not being woke enough to have non waifish females in games
And that's silly in the extreme, but my post works with regards to both statements. More, somebody saying something silly like that isn't a good reason to go "Ah, well, Japan, am I right?" as if the entire nation is a cultural hegemony without its own conversations and movements regarding the portrayal of women in media
On a similar note: I wouldn't use "females" when you mean "women"; in non-clinical contexts it's dehumanizing
It does work in regards to both statements, but you're not really directing it at the original statement about 2 continents worth of people being entirely sexist pigs.
Edit: Especially when all the problematic portrayals of Samus did not come from the only western dev to make a Metroid title. So far both Team Ninja and Nintendo have struck out. Hell, even the Nintendo Power comic from the 90s did a better job.
I realize they're held in varying regard, but more than one western developer has worked on Metroid:
Metroid Prime Trilogy, MP4 - Retro Studio
Metroid Prime Pinball - Silverball Studios (formerly Fuse Games)
Metroid Prime Hunters - Nintendo Software Technology
Metroid Prime: Federation Force - Next Level Games
Metroid: Samus Returns - MercurySteam
Fun Fact: More Metroid games have been developed outside of Nintendo's own internal studios, and outside of Japan, than within.
Like Mega Man Legends? Then check out my story, Legends of the Halcyon Era - An Adventure in the World of Mega Man Legends on TMMN and AO3!
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Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
I dunno, to be honest I'd just want Samus to be female. Is everyone suggesting blonde actresses because the character is typically blonde? Michelle Yeoh would work pretty good. I figure you could go Gwendoline Christie big and the armor just goes on her, or smaller in stature and the armor has some odd joint articulation because her feet aren't actually in the feet and her hands aren't actually in the hands. Dunno that Hollywood would give two shits about such a thing.
Brie Larson isn't bad, but I do think Katee Sackhoff would have made a more interesting and lively choice? More rough and tumble? Dunno.
Pick a tiny actress and just use the same forced perspective tricks they used in Lord of the Rings to make her seem giant.
Given that any worthwhile Metroid film is going to feature a minimum of people besides Samus and that Samus is going to be operating in a largely CG environment anyway, it shouldn't be hard to mess with scale to make her look pretty tall. You just need like one shot of some dead guy pinned to a wall with her towering over the body.
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AbsoluteZeroThe new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered Userregular
Ideally we would go back in time and get a young Sigourney Weaver to play Samus.
Samus was genetically modified by the Chozo so you can explain away the blonde hair with that if you need to.
Or just use the OG green hair
You know, Samus only had green hair with the varia. Without it her hair was brown. Most people didn’t see that since they only saw Samus without armor using the Justin Bailey code, which started with the varia.
I don’t have a special love for the green hair, but I always thought with Princess Peach being blonde and Zelda switching between brunette and blonde it’d be nice if Samus had a different hair colour. It’s kinda... suspect, you know? Not that they would have intended anything in the 80’s.
I actually think if I was designing her again I’d give the character dark hair and an undercut, like this:
Ideally we would go back in time and get a young Sigourney Weaver to play Samus.
Eh, I can think of at least a few modern actresses that would be a lot better showing off Samus's physical ability. Not only do they look a lot more athletic, but they do great work with making physical scenes look properly convincing.
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AbsoluteZeroThe new film by Quentin KoopantinoRegistered Userregular
Ideally we would go back in time and get a young Sigourney Weaver to play Samus.
Eh, I can think of at least a few modern actresses that would be a lot better showing off Samus's physical ability. Not only do they look a lot more athletic, but they do great work with making physical scenes look properly convincing.
Maybe. But the character of Samus Aran was inspired by Ellen Ripley.
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H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
Ideally we would go back in time and get a young Sigourney Weaver to play Samus.
Eh, I can think of at least a few modern actresses that would be a lot better showing off Samus's physical ability. Not only do they look a lot more athletic, but they do great work with making physical scenes look properly convincing.
Maybe. But the character of Samus Aran was inspired by Ellen Ripley.
While true, the roles are very different.
Ripley was a space trucker that stumbled into some horrific experiences, then got talked into trying to help some other people avoid it, then stumbled into another bad time, then died.
Samus lost her family as a child, and was raised by warrior monks. She then set out into the galaxy at large on a quest for vengeance, while working to protect the legacy of the culture that rescued and empowered her.
Ideally we would go back in time and get a young Sigourney Weaver to play Samus.
Eh, I can think of at least a few modern actresses that would be a lot better showing off Samus's physical ability. Not only do they look a lot more athletic, but they do great work with making physical scenes look properly convincing.
Maybe. But the character of Samus Aran was inspired by Ellen Ripley.
Nah, Samus is 100% inspired by Boba Fett. No character, cool helmet. Also why they call her a bounty hunter even though she isn't a bounty hunter.
I don’t have a special love for the green hair, but I always thought with Princess Peach being blonde and Zelda switching between brunette and blonde it’d be nice if Samus had a different hair colour. It’s kinda... suspect, you know? Not that they would have intended anything in the 80’s.
I actually think if I was designing her again I’d give the character dark hair and an undercut, like this:
Just putting out there that Peach Toadstool went from red to brown to blonde in the games. I think Zelda followed a similar path, too?
I like the green hair, though, Varia or no.
Like Mega Man Legends? Then check out my story, Legends of the Halcyon Era - An Adventure in the World of Mega Man Legends on TMMN and AO3!
I don’t have a special love for the green hair, but I always thought with Princess Peach being blonde and Zelda switching between brunette and blonde it’d be nice if Samus had a different hair colour. It’s kinda... suspect, you know? Not that they would have intended anything in the 80’s.
I actually think if I was designing her again I’d give the character dark hair and an undercut, like this:
Just putting out there that Peach Toadstool went from red to brown to blonde in the games. I think Zelda followed a similar path, too?
I like the green hair, though, Varia or no.
Zelda's a brunette in Zelda 1 (but blonde in the instruction manual, IIRC), and has been going back and forth between the two depending on the game. For example, Wind Waker has her blonde, Twilight Princess a brunette, Slyward Sword blonde again. It helps that they're actually different characters.
Peach was more of a hardware limitation, from what I understand, since she was always blond (or strawberry blonde in Japan) in official artwork - the NES palette wasn't all that great. From Super Mario World onwards she's been blonde, anyhow.
Also, fun fact: some Super Metroid promotional art has Samus with violet hair.
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Handsome CostanzaAsk me about 8bitdoRIP Iwata-sanRegistered Userregular
part Boba Fett, part Ellen Ripley, part Space Adventure Cobra, probably.
Ah yes, Boba Fett, that mysterious badass who lasted 5 minutes before accidentally rocketing himself into a wall and was then promptly consumed by a giant venus fly-trap for people.
part Boba Fett, part Ellen Ripley, part Space Adventure Cobra, probably.
Ah yes, Boba Fett, that mysterious badass who lasted 5 minutes before accidentally rocketing himself into a wall and was then promptly consumed by a giant venus fly-trap for people.
I'll never understand why some people are so resentful of the fact that a lot of Star Wars geeks like a character that was introduced in an interesting way in one film, then clumsily written out in the next.
I mean, I never really had an interest in the character as a kid. It wasn't until I started reading some of the books and comics, which tried to do a lot with him, that I saw him as being any less forgettable than all the other minor characters that show up in more than one of the films (like Wedge, who was similarly developed by the EU, or Piett, who wasn't).
part Boba Fett, part Ellen Ripley, part Space Adventure Cobra, probably.
Ah yes, Boba Fett, that mysterious badass who lasted 5 minutes before accidentally rocketing himself into a wall and was then promptly consumed by a giant venus fly-trap for people.
I'll never understand why some people are so resentful of the fact that a lot of Star Wars geeks like a character that was introduced in an interesting way in one film, then clumsily written out in the next.
I mean, I never really had an interest in the character as kid. It wasn't until I started reading some of the books and comics, which tried to do a lot with him, that I saw him as being any less forgettable than all the other minor characters that show up in more than one of the films (like Wedge, who was similarly developed by the EU, or Piett, who wasn't).
You're talking to someone who has an entire display case full of just Boba Fett merch. Trust me I get it. I just also happen to realize that he went out like a straight doofus and most of his badass moments were in Shadows or the EU.
H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
edited November 2019
I'm not trying to throw shade or start a fight, sorry. I've just noticed that anymore it seems like people can't even make a passing reference to the character online without someone taking the piss out of him.
At this point I’m making my own character, but it’d be neat if [sci-fi protagonist] had a different hair, skin and eye colour every time they took off their helmet. Nanomachine dyers, lets say.
Back to Metroid, I’m really hoping for two things in the next Prime.
1. More bosses. An almost Dark Souls amount of them, like twenty.
2. In-Fighting. Any game that includes accidental friendly fire and occasionally rival factions fighting before you even get there are so exciting so me. I’d love to see some space pirates taking on some native wildlife, then you drop in the middle and wipe out whatever comes near you.
I would want a Metroid movie to be animated. Same with Zelda. I have reservations about Illumination handling Mario but at least they’re not making another misguided attempt at live action.
I'm not trying to throw shade or start a fight, sorry. I've just noticed that anymore it seems like people can't even make a passing reference to the character online without someone taking the piss out of him.
To be fair I recall him still doing better than anyone else in Jabba's posse in that fight. I'm honestly shocked that Disney hasn't gotten him out of that pit in the New Canon yet. Or did they and I just missed it?
You know what? Nanowrimo's cancelled on account of the world is stupid.
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Handsome CostanzaAsk me about 8bitdoRIP Iwata-sanRegistered Userregular
I'm not trying to throw shade or start a fight, sorry. I've just noticed that anymore it seems like people can't even make a passing reference to the character online without someone taking the piss out of him.
To be fair I recall him still doing better than anyone else in Jabba's posse in that fight. I'm honestly shocked that Disney hasn't gotten him out of that pit in the New Canon yet. Or did they and I just missed it?
part Boba Fett, part Ellen Ripley, part Space Adventure Cobra, probably.
Ah yes, Boba Fett, that mysterious badass who lasted 5 minutes before accidentally rocketing himself into a wall and was then promptly consumed by a giant venus fly-trap for people.
Point of order. Boba didn't rocket HIMSELF anywhere, his jetpack was broken by an unexpected sneak attack. Which is actually how Jango died as well. So... it's like poetry, it rhymes.
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Handsome CostanzaAsk me about 8bitdoRIP Iwata-sanRegistered Userregular
part Boba Fett, part Ellen Ripley, part Space Adventure Cobra, probably.
Ah yes, Boba Fett, that mysterious badass who lasted 5 minutes before accidentally rocketing himself into a wall and was then promptly consumed by a giant venus fly-trap for people.
Point of order. Boba didn't rocket HIMSELF anywhere, his jetpack was broken by an unexpected sneak attack. Which is actually how Jango died as well. So... it's like poetry, it rhymes.
He technically did rocket himself, with an assist from Han bumping him. Which is even more comical.
I think we can all agree, regardless of actor, live action or animated, you direct Metroid like a Western (which themselves are filmed like Samurai movies).
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It does work in regards to both statements, but you're not really directing it at the original statement about 2 continents worth of people being entirely sexist pigs.
Edit: Especially when all the problematic portrayals of Samus did not come from the only western dev to make a Metroid title. So far both Team Ninja and Nintendo have struck out. Hell, even the Nintendo Power comic from the 90s did a better job.
It was basically Samurai Jack.
It's intriguing that everyone's ideal Samus actress is so close to what people were hoping to play Captain Marvel.
Brie Larson isn't bad, but I do think Katee Sackhoff would have made a more interesting and lively choice? More rough and tumble? Dunno.
Maybe it’s the stuff I saw her in but I wasn’t impressed with Brie Larson. She seemed wooden. Maybe she’d be perfect if they went with the Other M interpretation.
As I said before: somebody else saying something silly (and it is silly in an Orientalist way) isn't a good reason to participate in the same sort of rhetoric directed at a more specific population, especially when that rhetoric is no better founded and has much more purchase in conversations on this side of the ocean
I'm not interested in litigating the relative righteousness of "oh that Japan!" jokes
Then maybe don't do that.
Pick a tiny actress and just use the same forced perspective tricks they used in Lord of the Rings to make her seem giant.
I realize they're held in varying regard, but more than one western developer has worked on Metroid:
Metroid Prime Trilogy, MP4 - Retro Studio
Metroid Prime Pinball - Silverball Studios (formerly Fuse Games)
Metroid Prime Hunters - Nintendo Software Technology
Metroid Prime: Federation Force - Next Level Games
Metroid: Samus Returns - MercurySteam
Fun Fact: More Metroid games have been developed outside of Nintendo's own internal studios, and outside of Japan, than within.
Like Mega Man Legends? Then check out my story, Legends of the Halcyon Era - An Adventure in the World of Mega Man Legends on TMMN and AO3!
Given that any worthwhile Metroid film is going to feature a minimum of people besides Samus and that Samus is going to be operating in a largely CG environment anyway, it shouldn't be hard to mess with scale to make her look pretty tall. You just need like one shot of some dead guy pinned to a wall with her towering over the body.
Or just use the OG green hair
You know, Samus only had green hair with the varia. Without it her hair was brown. Most people didn’t see that since they only saw Samus without armor using the Justin Bailey code, which started with the varia.
I actually think if I was designing her again I’d give the character dark hair and an undercut, like this:
Eh, I can think of at least a few modern actresses that would be a lot better showing off Samus's physical ability. Not only do they look a lot more athletic, but they do great work with making physical scenes look properly convincing.
Maybe. But the character of Samus Aran was inspired by Ellen Ripley.
While true, the roles are very different.
Ripley was a space trucker that stumbled into some horrific experiences, then got talked into trying to help some other people avoid it, then stumbled into another bad time, then died.
Samus lost her family as a child, and was raised by warrior monks. She then set out into the galaxy at large on a quest for vengeance, while working to protect the legacy of the culture that rescued and empowered her.
Nah, Samus is 100% inspired by Boba Fett. No character, cool helmet. Also why they call her a bounty hunter even though she isn't a bounty hunter.
My headcannon is Samus carries a cigar specifically for blowing smoke in Adam's face whenever he tries to give her an invariably stupid order.
Just putting out there that Peach Toadstool went from red to brown to blonde in the games. I think Zelda followed a similar path, too?
I like the green hair, though, Varia or no.
Like Mega Man Legends? Then check out my story, Legends of the Halcyon Era - An Adventure in the World of Mega Man Legends on TMMN and AO3!
Zelda's a brunette in Zelda 1 (but blonde in the instruction manual, IIRC), and has been going back and forth between the two depending on the game. For example, Wind Waker has her blonde, Twilight Princess a brunette, Slyward Sword blonde again. It helps that they're actually different characters.
Peach was more of a hardware limitation, from what I understand, since she was always blond (or strawberry blonde in Japan) in official artwork - the NES palette wasn't all that great. From Super Mario World onwards she's been blonde, anyhow.
Also, fun fact: some Super Metroid promotional art has Samus with violet hair.
Ah yes, Boba Fett, that mysterious badass who lasted 5 minutes before accidentally rocketing himself into a wall and was then promptly consumed by a giant venus fly-trap for people.
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
I'll never understand why some people are so resentful of the fact that a lot of Star Wars geeks like a character that was introduced in an interesting way in one film, then clumsily written out in the next.
I mean, I never really had an interest in the character as a kid. It wasn't until I started reading some of the books and comics, which tried to do a lot with him, that I saw him as being any less forgettable than all the other minor characters that show up in more than one of the films (like Wedge, who was similarly developed by the EU, or Piett, who wasn't).
You're talking to someone who has an entire display case full of just Boba Fett merch. Trust me I get it. I just also happen to realize that he went out like a straight doofus and most of his badass moments were in Shadows or the EU.
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
Back to Metroid, I’m really hoping for two things in the next Prime.
1. More bosses. An almost Dark Souls amount of them, like twenty.
2. In-Fighting. Any game that includes accidental friendly fire and occasionally rival factions fighting before you even get there are so exciting so me. I’d love to see some space pirates taking on some native wildlife, then you drop in the middle and wipe out whatever comes near you.
To be fair I recall him still doing better than anyone else in Jabba's posse in that fight. I'm honestly shocked that Disney hasn't gotten him out of that pit in the New Canon yet. Or did they and I just missed it?
We know his armor made it out at least.
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
Point of order. Boba didn't rocket HIMSELF anywhere, his jetpack was broken by an unexpected sneak attack. Which is actually how Jango died as well. So... it's like poetry, it rhymes.
He technically did rocket himself, with an assist from Han bumping him. Which is even more comical.
BOBA FETT, WHERE?!
Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.