However, I’d also argue that this says a lot about the quantity of non-white representation that Nintendo has offered over the years as much as it does about the quality. I love……….Splatoon bands/groups……❤️ #splatoon2 /gtACXC78Un Dark-skinned black women being hypersexualised and portrayed as antagonists is a common trope in media and it wouldn’t be surprising if Nintendo had fallen back on those in its attempts at being inclusive. Like Twintelle, she is more sexualised than the other, fairer-skinned characters in the game and unnecessarily so.Īlthough I am enthusiastic about Off the Hook’s inclusion in the game, I won’t dismiss the concerns brought up by other Splatoon 2 fans. She rocks a short, striped skirt and a black, (leather?), bikini-style top.
#Splatoon 2 marina fanart zip#
While Pearl wears a white dress with an oversized zip running down the front, a relatively modest look, Marina’s is more revealing. Marina being an Octoling does offer a lot of opportunity for interesting lore developments – why would Marina want to perform for Inklings? And can the groups we brought together through music? However, the implication that the main portrayal of a dark-skinned character in Splatoon 2 comes from a group that has traditionally been portrayed as the bad guys isn’t a good look. The argument from some is that Octarians have been portrayed as evil in the inky title and that making Marina an Octoling too is troubling. Marina is an Octoling, with the squid, Inkling, characters of the Splatoon universe having been at war with the Octarians for quite some time. Fans are also excited to see dark-skinned fans cosplay Marina as well.īut others are less enthusiastic, pointing to Marina’s clothing and her heritage as cause for concern. Nintendo has often caught flak for its representation (or rather the lack thereof) of dark-skinned characters in its games, with ARMS‘ Twintelle being another rare example, and many are delighted to see Marina’s star power shine. Marina in particular has seen an outpouring of love, with fanart (like that embedded below) already being made of the dark-skinned performer. Like the in-game crowd, which features many non-white characters, many non-white fans in real life are enthusing about the duo too (myself included). In a new trailer, the duo can be seen rocking out during a Splatfest event under their group name ‘Off the Hook’, pumping up the crowd and playing for their adoring fans. In Splatoon 2, Pearl and Marina are two of the coolest popstars on the scene. Splatoon 2: Why Nintendo is Catching Flak for Marina’s Portrayal Marina becomes the latest high profile Nintendo Switch game to feature a dark-skinned female character, with fighting game ARMS introducing Twintelle. But while most are glad about their inclusion in the game some have taken issue with the way that Marina, who is a dark-skinned woman of colour, has been portrayed. In a Nintendo Direct livestream for Splatoon 2, Nintendo introduced a new female duo named Pearl and Marina.