5th Gen Black people

[dithyrambos]

Wow, we're bringing race into Pokemon?? That makes absolutely no sense at all. Pokemon is Japanese, therefore the characters are Japaense. That is the culture. In America we have so much diversity, so we integrate it into our games,tv shows moves,everything because that is out culture. But that is not Japanese culture, because they do not experience that diversity. Wow. This is a video game about creatures with elemental powers, why are we being racist about it? I don't get it.

It would be great to see more ethnicities in the game. But remember there was a time where these games were not even in colour, and there was a time that we could not play as female characters. We didn't complain then, why complain now. The game is still enjoyable either way.

And to those who want to play as a character of another ethnicity, that doesn't make sense either because the characters we play are characters from the anime. Like in D/P/Pl, the female character we play is Dawn. It wouldn't make sense to take the sprite of Dawn and make her dark skinned.

And don't call me racist, because I'm definitely not. I'm a white american, engaged to a filipino.

I think this thread should be locked. It has nothing to do with Pokemon.

It really should be. The conversation is going to go nowhere because people seem to not understand this is a Japanese game, and any dark-skinned characters are unlikely to be black but Indian, Pacific Islander, or from any such other country that is close to Japan. It really is a silly topic...

 

[shookie]

Well those were the times when us men did it all

:|

I never thought too much about the lack of diversity in Pokémon because it was never a big deal to me. It's never been a subject that was so game-breaking it altered the storyline or affected how I catch or battle with Pokémon. The games are all about that...getting gym badges and stopping whatever evil group is coming to do whatever. I couldn't care less if the player is white, black, purple, green or orange, it's not going to make a difference because Pokémon will always recycle a similar story formula, and any diversion from the norm will just cause an even bigger uproar.

 

[cystar]

I would love to see a more varied race in pokemon games

 

[Lord Varion]

Brock isnt blacked he's tanned

 

[Aro-kun]

Brock isn't black. He's probably hispanic and asian like Chad from bleach (he does do that one hispanic looking dance thing, dressed up...)
And pokemon has had black people in it. You can be black in battle revolution.

Oh, and look at the bottom of my sig lol...Thats why...

 

[Chaos Rush]

People are saying that it's a cultural thing, but think about it this way:

There are plenty of blonds in Pokemon. There are no blacks in Pokemon (except maybe Dahlia)

However, there aren't that many blonds or blacks living in Japan, so the cultural thing doesn't really make sense, since there are still blonds in Pokemon despite blonds being just as common as blacks.

 

[GoldvsRed]

I'd like to see more diversity in the games. With the new female professor, it looks like Game Freak is trying to put in more positively-portrayed kinds of people. They just have to be careful to avoid stereotypes, like any company... The U.S.A. can be pretty easily offended, like with Oil Man's color being changed between different translations of Mega Man Powered-Up (seriously, his design was supposed to be based on a duck!).

 

[MrsNorrington]

People are saying that it's a cultural thing, but think about it this way:

There are plenty of blonds in Pokemon. There are no blacks in Pokemon (except maybe Dahlia)

However, there aren't that many blonds or blacks living in Japan, so the cultural thing doesn't really make sense, since there are still blonds in Pokemon despite blonds being just as common as blacks.

Well, my fiance says that Japan takes a lot of aspects of European/Western culture into their animes and such.

Anyways does any of this matter? I think it's a ridiculous thing to argue over. When we played the original games (Red/Blue/Yellow) everything has a shade of Red/Blue/and Yellow! Did we complain that our person was "red"

 

[Sora's Nobody]

I think the reason they havent added Black people at this point in time, is because, some people would somehow make it look racist that they only appear after 15 years and it'll look like gamefreak have been pressured to do so.

 

[Kirbychu]

I haven't noticed it because I don't care about race. We're all human, we all originally came from Africa, so what difference does skin color/physical features make? The people who point this stuff out and complain about not "putting black people in it" are the racist ones because they think only about race. Sure, I wouldn't mind seeing black people in Pokemon, I think it would be cool, but that's not what I think about when I play Pokemon.

Talking about races does not make someone racist. >.>

I honestly think that if they have african americans, NOT blacks, in the game, it would be neat. Because if the african ameicans pick their ... enthincity... they don't have to be a ... caucasian.

There aren't going to be any African Americans in Japan. :I
-----
Anyone remember Barlow?

Spoiler:

There aren't really that many white people either. The Japanese tend to somewhat distance themselves from other countries. As you've probably noticed, when a character is not Japanese they're foreigners and a complete stereotype. It's pretty obvious too. Look at Lt. Surge. He's the blonde hair, blue eyed, soldier known as "The Lightning American!" I believe Fantina is American too (In Japan). Whenever there is a non-Japanese person, it's pretty obvious.

It doesn't really matter anyways. I doubt there's someone working on the games that demands that there be no black people. They most likely don't really pay it any mind. Hey, they've made it this far without any significant criticism for it.

Why aren't there any handicapped people in Pokemon?

 

[MrsNorrington]

I think everyones taking all of this a bit too seriously. It's a game. It's a sprite.

 

[Kirbychu]

I think everyones taking all of this a bit too seriously. It's a game. It's a sprite.

But it's an interesting discussion nonetheless.

 

[vietazn654]

Wan't Dahlia in Sinnoh black? o.o or was she tan. =\ But the Pokemon Ranger games had some. Like I think Chris in the first game. And there was one in the second also. Wait... Barlow, right?

 

[MrsNorrington]

But it's an interesting discussion nonetheless.

Yea, it is. But I don't think we should be getting angry over it. I don't think it should be some sort of hill to die on.

I was never upset when I had to play the original game as a male.

And my (filipino) fiance has no problem with playing as a white sprite in the Pokemon games..

 

[Kirbychu]

Yea, it is. But I don't think we should be getting angry over it. I don't think it should be some sort of hill to die on.

I agree. This is definitely nothing to get mad about. Game Freak is not a racist company.

You guys, Dahlia could have easily been Hispanic as well. Dahlia is a type of flower in Central and South America. She also uses Ludicolo. It's hard to determine someone's ancestry just from skin color.

 

[dieter57]

isn't dahlia in the battle arcade black?

and brock is black, you would know if you looked at his dad!

but race doesn't matter in pokemon at all in my opinion.

 

[Tanaki]

I think it's for the best that they keep it relative to japan. You have the promiscuously foreign team rocket guy who talks in shattered english, Fantina is French and they make references to surrendering, Lt. Surge is somehow the "Lightning American" despite the lack of an American continent in pokemon(I think). Pokemon would turn into a volatile lightningrod of controversy if they attempted to portray African-Americans. Much like Americans have a bad tendency to allow every Asian culture to run together, Japan often tends to portray all Americans as white, blond-haired, blue-eyed and often times with a new york accent. They're overall just better off to avoid the subject in general and pay it no mind ever or someone will have something nagative to say about the addition. And then the overprotective parents of America will just band together and pick apart pokemon, doing the less mature act of trying to get the game banned for intolerance rather than just not buying it for their kids. And then the fun is ruined for all of us.

 

[FieryGrave]

All the games before this have been based in a Japanese location, in Japan its rare to find people of other races. This game seems to be based else where and it seems like in the state where there is a much larger amount of mixed races

 

[PiPVoda]

I honestly think that if they have african americans, NOT blacks, in the game, it would be neat. Because if the african ameicans pick their ... enthincity... they don't have to be a ... caucasian.

No offense but that makes no since whatsoever. African Americans are black, and if they were to let you customize your character then they wouldn't limited to AAs considering there are plenty of black people who play pokemon but live outside of the United States. Heck then wouldn't even have an option that said 'African American' it would just more than likely be a few boxes with diff. shades in them and you touch one and puff your character is that color. :D

If Nintendo ever makes an MMORPG then yes I can definitely see them putting black people, and people of other races/ethnicities, in as well.

I think it's for the best that they keep it relative to japan. You have the promiscuously foreign team rocket guy who talks in shattered english, Fantina is French and they make references to surrendering, Lt. Surge is somehow the "Lightning American" despite the lack of an American continent in pokemon(I think). Pokemon would turn into a volatile lightningrod of controversy if they attempted to portray African-Americans. Much like Americans have a bad tendency to allow every Asian culture to run together, Japan often tends to portray all Americans as white, blond-haired, blue-eyed and often times with a new york accent. They're overall just better off to avoid the subject in general and pay it no mind ever or someone will have something nagative to say about the addition. And then the overprotective parents of America will just band together and pick apart pokemon, doing the less mature act of trying to get the game banned for intolerance rather than just not buying it for their kids. And then the fun is ruined for all of us.

couldn't have said it any better me'self.

 

[spider-freak123]

this isn't really a average question,i mean despite the fact the japanese made this game,doesn't mean that the japanese are racised,maybe they didn't think of it at the time the game was being created.