clowd
Pro Adventurer
What can I say
In my recent playthrough of VII I just finished rocket town. And guess what. Barret is hanging off the Tiny Bronco as it takes off. Anyone else remember Sazh, another black character hanging off of an airship in FF XIII?
http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfquy5wuWf1qgez8vo1_500.jpg
Though by far the oldest and most mature hero in XIII, Sazh is the butt of jokes and has an afro, a hair style about as flattering to a modern black male as a mullet is to a modern white male. Oh and a chocobo lives in it. Way to degrade a character.
Barret is treated similarly in VII. Though hes the game's initial leader he is found to be incompetent to lead not once, not twice, but three times.
Cloud, Tifa, and Cid are all seen as better leaders. Did Barret not mastermind the destruction of two massive reactors?
Barret is also punched in Corel, which reminded me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b47V4X6vjC0
Square, like Hollywood, plays into racial stereotypes. I dont think either are racist and have something against blacks, they simply play into racial stereotypes to please the audience. The mainstream audience is uncomfortable with an "average" black man. He has to be the comic relief, ghetto, nerdy, the president/King, or some other eccentric personality or high position to be accepted and found interesting. For example "Hancock" had to be a wreckless, unkempt, homeless, womanizing drunk to be seen as entertaining. Simply having super powers and doing good is not enough for a black super hero to be accepted by the mainstream audience.
The point is Im disappointed Barret's big role in FFVII has done little to bring more black characters into Final Fantasy games, or more importantly give black characters roles or looks that are not degrading or play into stereotypes.
Oh, is Marlene an adoptive child?
In my recent playthrough of VII I just finished rocket town. And guess what. Barret is hanging off the Tiny Bronco as it takes off. Anyone else remember Sazh, another black character hanging off of an airship in FF XIII?
http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfquy5wuWf1qgez8vo1_500.jpg
Though by far the oldest and most mature hero in XIII, Sazh is the butt of jokes and has an afro, a hair style about as flattering to a modern black male as a mullet is to a modern white male. Oh and a chocobo lives in it. Way to degrade a character.
Barret is treated similarly in VII. Though hes the game's initial leader he is found to be incompetent to lead not once, not twice, but three times.
Cloud, Tifa, and Cid are all seen as better leaders. Did Barret not mastermind the destruction of two massive reactors?
Barret is also punched in Corel, which reminded me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b47V4X6vjC0
Square, like Hollywood, plays into racial stereotypes. I dont think either are racist and have something against blacks, they simply play into racial stereotypes to please the audience. The mainstream audience is uncomfortable with an "average" black man. He has to be the comic relief, ghetto, nerdy, the president/King, or some other eccentric personality or high position to be accepted and found interesting. For example "Hancock" had to be a wreckless, unkempt, homeless, womanizing drunk to be seen as entertaining. Simply having super powers and doing good is not enough for a black super hero to be accepted by the mainstream audience.
The point is Im disappointed Barret's big role in FFVII has done little to bring more black characters into Final Fantasy games, or more importantly give black characters roles or looks that are not degrading or play into stereotypes.
Oh, is Marlene an adoptive child?
