After a moment of floating about writing's intentions, I found his story greatly endorsed by the game, as everything around him (spell, clothes, intervention etc.). I think about him as a positive char, and refreshing in an heroic fantasy world.
I'm gay, Sylvando is simply amazing, he doesn't mock gay people, he is practically a celebration of feminine gay men, he is loved by the characters and by his father.
He is not a joke character, he is not weak, he has an arc about acceptance.
I love Sylvando.
I'm queer and I love seeing queerness in video games (well anything really), but I get the unease when it comes to the creator's intent. For one, I love our stereotypes, and think femininity and flamboyance are lovely traits, so I find Sylvando to be refreshing and inspiring considering the medium.
If the creator's intent was to make his flamboyance a punchline, then the joke's on him/her, because flamboyance is wonderful to me. It's important to call out characterizations that are harmful, but calling out characterizations just because they're feminine or flamboyant does nothing but reinforce the idea that those traits are wrong.
I guess the question to ask is how Sylvando's perceived in the game. Is he celebrated and accepted? Do the "straight" characters play along with the "gay" character, or are they uncomfortable by him? Is he a joke character or do his actions have consequence in the story? If the characters in this universe are totally accepting of him, then there's your answer.
It's really great that he doesn't serve as an inconvenient "sex talk only" character. This is really refreshing.Sylv is an incredibly plot-important character and the driving force of a lot of scenes. He's a camp boy, but he's never inappropriate with his fellow adventurers and they all regard him as a true and loyal friend. He's absolutely not the butt of the joke, he cracks a lot of jibes himself. It's so damn refreshing, really.
It's really great that he doesn't serve as an inconvenient "sex talk only" character. This is really refreshing.
Interesting point indeed, on a negative stance it could be the devs avoiding the subject in fear to upset anyone but on the positive it could also just be the normal circumstance that not everyone clarifies their sexual attractions for a sex or the other when meeting/hanging out with people.This does raise an interesting question: does a character need to call attention to their sexuality to be a positive portrayal? Sylv never really seems to want to dwell on things that aren't the mission, and he's not really a flirty person in general, but at the same time, I don't remember him ever actually confirming his sexuality in any way, which could itself be a means of the devs trying to avoid taking a firm stance on the whole thing.
His whole acceptance arc is pretty much an allegory to gay acceptance.This does raise an interesting question: does a character need to call attention to their sexuality to be a positive portrayal? Sylv never really seems to want to dwell on things that aren't the mission, and he's not really a flirty person in general, but at the same time, I don't remember him ever actually confirming his sexuality in any way, which could itself be a means of the devs trying to avoid taking a firm stance on the whole thing.
It's interesting so many people seem say he's so stereotypical. I think I'd strongly disagree with that. Just being flamboyant is not stereotypical. Many people are actually like that. You can be flamboyant and have other important character traits too. He is essentially the emotional core of the team and is even focused in on cut scenes about how courageous he is which I think is about the least stereotypical thing you can do for a flamboyant male character.
This. He is fantastic!One of the strongest knights in the world? Check.
The best entertainer in the world? Check.
Incredibly charismatic leader? Check.
He is far from a joke character. He truly is just awesome.
Right, but in this case I don't think I ever once felt like those things were supposed to be laughed at in the game world, which is where things go south really quick. If people feel uncomfortable about it it's probably because of so many bad portrayals in real life that ARE supposed to be laughed at that it can be uncomfortable to see those things in a different context. Maybe others would disagree but that's how I felt about it.His mannerisms are stereotypical as far as cheap/problematic tropes go in works of fiction. Of course that's not to say that portrayal of flamboyant men in general is inherently problematic.
This does raise an interesting question: does a character need to call attention to their sexuality to be a positive portrayal? Sylv never really seems to want to dwell on things that aren't the mission, and he's not really a flirty person in general, but at the same time, I don't remember him ever actually confirming his sexuality in any way, which could itself be a means of the devs trying to avoid taking a firm stance on the whole thing.
Right, but in this case I don't think I ever once felt like those things were supposed to be laughed at in the game world, which is where things go south really quick. If people feel uncomfortable about it it's probably because of so many bad portrayals in real life that ARE supposed to be laughed at that it can be uncomfortable to see those things in a different context. Maybe others would disagree but that's how I felt about it.
His whole acceptance arc is pretty much an allegory to gay acceptance.
His father wanted him to be a knight and he didn't want that.
You can take this as his father disappointed that he wasn't straight but in the end coming in terms with it and embracing who his son really is.
That was my interpretation of it.
They could've, but this is Japanese media we're talking about and they're not known to be open about these topics, so the way this was presented in the most successful game in Japan, a game with a shonen demographic, is mind glowing.The point is that if homosexual representation and experiences have to be hidden behind allegory, as if homosexuality is an "adult topic" unsuitable for all ages, then that's stigmatizing even if their heart is in the right place (as it seems to be here).
Even if he isn't flirtatious, or in a relationship, or anything, his sexuality could still be made overtly but respectfully clear, rather than implied. Gay people have constantly had to settle for subtextual representation and relationships, and that needs to stop. Homosexuality isn't an adult topic — it's a human topic.
Sylvando seems to be great and all, certainly a positive character, but they could have gone all the way.
As a queer person playing this videogame, I think Sylvando is part of an extremely short list of unapologetically camp and vaguely feminine yet macho action heroes. The only other example I can think of off the top of my head is Shore Leave from Venture Brothers. He fulfills a small laundry list of tropes, but is treated with respect by the world and all the characters around him, and his arc with his father may not have broken a lot of new ground in queer fiction, but it definitely made my heart swell with how sweet it was.
I played the whole game, I LOVE Sylvando.
My problem is assuming his sexual orientation just because of the way he is, did I miss the moment in which it's said that he's gay or bisexual? I don't recall any moment with that, I mean... "I get it", but still.
At least as far into the game as I am (right before Big Moment #1), he's never actually acknowledged it directly. I'm willing to chalk it up to just being that it never really comes up in conversation, but I can also see it as the developers just trying to be cagey and not actually say it so they can preserve deniability.