As for what this gives the implication of, this should make things more clear...
Intentional or not, this isn't Sakurai's first time with anti-Black content within or in close proximity to Smash Ultimate.
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Sakurai's recent Pic of the Day for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has anti-Black implications relating to use of water cannons on civil rights activists.
- Thread starter Chief Malik
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As for what this gives the implication of, this should make things more clear...
Intentional or not, this isn't Sakurai's first time with anti-Black content within or in close proximity to Smash Ultimate.
MAN, i entered the thread going to give him the benefit of the doubt
But fuck, that is so specific and out there that its so fucking sus
Like Rodin in particular???? out of nowhere???? with no kind of Bayonetta reference????? Hes just conveniently put in this situation, like bruh
But fuck, that is so specific and out there that its so fucking sus
Like Rodin in particular???? out of nowhere???? with no kind of Bayonetta reference????? Hes just conveniently put in this situation, like bruh
As I said in the main Smash thread, this continues to show that Sakurai could stand to educate himself better on these kinds of things. I wouldn't go as far as to say that he's racist, but rather ignorant in the sense that he doesn't think of such topics (which is still harmful in its own way). This tracks with the racist stereotypes for some of the spirits (as linked by the OP).
OP
OP
Birmingham, Alabama was a focus of the African-American Civil Rights activists during the 1950s/60s, whose peaceful protests were met with violence, such as having firehoses sprayed on them. There's more to it than that, but that's the gist of context needed here.
I see the connection folks can draw, but also I don't think Sakurai is trying to make a statement of any kind or implicitly/explicitly drawing any connection here.
I haven't heard of it either tbh. I'm on wikipedia now. I'm black but I'm not from or in the US.
It took me a while to recognize what character that even was until I saw the markings on his head. Yeah, it's uhh, something.
I'm confused because to me this just looks like Mario using his Fludd attack and I really don't see any similarities between the image you posted and the pic Sakurai did beyond that
I've literally never heard of the Birmingham campaign as someone in the US so I'm confused as to why this would be a reference to that specifically, given police hosing black people isn't even a particularly specific event historically
edit: Wanted to issue a correction. I definitely learned about this event in school, just forgot the specific name since it's been years since I learned about it and I don't tend to think of these events by names like that
I've literally never heard of the Birmingham campaign as someone in the US so I'm confused as to why this would be a reference to that specifically, given police hosing black people isn't even a particularly specific event historically
edit: Wanted to issue a correction. I definitely learned about this event in school, just forgot the specific name since it's been years since I learned about it and I don't tend to think of these events by names like that
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It's the fact that he's using the attack on Rodin, the only Black character who can participate in-game (albeit as an Assist Trophy).
The picture alone would feel like a stretch of an argument, but Sakurai's past makes this blatant.
Ok I don't think this is a reference to the Birmingham Campaign. I think it's suppose to be a reference to Mario Sunshine with him spraying down Shadow Mario and rescuing peach. Now that doesn't excuse the image because like... He still used a Black Man to represent Shadow Mario when you could have gotten the same effect with using the black color Mario costume. Man, race shit is fucked in Japan.
I just don't know why Sakurai would be expected to know about it. I'm curious how many non-Americans know about it. I live in the Caribbean, not exactly far away. We get US TV etc. I don't recall hearing anything about it before this thread.
This seems more likely, and if so, not a good look.
I mean even so, why would you assume that event specifically? Hoses being used to oppress people is hardly unique to that and so including that with this feels like a huge stretch if that's what you're trying to say. Like I really don't see how this is particularly damning as a statement of intent by Sakurai unless I'm missing something
I actually think Rodin is supposed to represent shadow mario. Note that while this is also racist I legitimately think that's what the intent is here, not what OP is describing.
You get one Black man (only kind of) in the game and that's what you use him for in your damn screenshot???
Like I get it's "one character has a wacky dodge while Peach casually dodges" I just don't know how the hell you land on Rodin on accident.
Tons of characters have wacky dodge animations, Banjo's is cartoony as shit, Bowser is actually in Sunshine and has a goofy spot dodge.
I can conceivably believe a guy who doesn't know shit about American history would do this thoughtlessly but Smash is a global product and as such it shouldn't land on a visual where every person in the US and Canada would see it the exact same way.
Like between Game & Watch's Fire sprite and those Spirits that use Diddy and Donkey Kong it would seriously benefit the game to have someone do a once over before this shit happens.
Shadow Mario is in this game too! He's got a model! Or just use Bowser Jr.!
Tons of characters have wacky dodge animations, Banjo's is cartoony as shit, Bowser is actually in Sunshine and has a goofy spot dodge.
I can conceivably believe a guy who doesn't know shit about American history would do this thoughtlessly but Smash is a global product and as such it shouldn't land on a visual where every person in the US and Canada would see it the exact same way.
Like between Game & Watch's Fire sprite and those Spirits that use Diddy and Donkey Kong it would seriously benefit the game to have someone do a once over before this shit happens.
Oh Jesus I didn't even think about that interpretation, fuck.
Shadow Mario is in this game too! He's got a model! Or just use Bowser Jr.!
User Banned (3 Days): Inappropriate Commentary in a Sensitive Thread
Super Mario says NO to white genocide
Is there something recent going on that brought the Birmingham Campaign to the forefront of the news ? Because otherwise for better or worse I really doubt he knows or had this story in his mind.
Hell I'm Black and probably much more in tune with the US and it's past and I didn't even know what I was looking at in the OP.
It's kinda a bummer with people asking for more PoC representation in Smash Bros. but then even some wacky screenshots like this will be taken to the worst possible implication.
I get it in some level but at the same time it's wild, most people wouldn't make this kind of connection. So the issue is him using a Black Assist trophy instead of the random other ones ?
Hell I'm Black and probably much more in tune with the US and it's past and I didn't even know what I was looking at in the OP.
It's kinda a bummer with people asking for more PoC representation in Smash Bros. but then even some wacky screenshots like this will be taken to the worst possible implication.
I get it in some level but at the same time it's wild, most people wouldn't make this kind of connection. So the issue is him using a Black Assist trophy instead of the random other ones ?
I don't think whoever took this screenshot was trying to be racist, but I also can't for the life of me figure out what else they could've possibly been going for. It took me a few seconds to even parse that it was a Rodin assist trophy.
Or even better, just use Mario with a Metal Box. I guess this is plausible though.
This seems more in line with Sakurai's referential tendencies. But still, it's really, really not great.
I agree with this post, also Shadow Mario is BLUE in sunshine, which makes this worst =P
but not "referencing something he probably don't know" worst
Even if you have no idea what the Birmingham Campaign was, the implication here is still that Mario is hosing down a black man from stealing his white woman. Like, why?
Do you think it's because Rodin is black so he is a stand in for shadow mario? That would be pretty bad if that's the intent
I mean, when you put it like that, it's kind of sus. I don't know who this Roden is, but he ain't the only black person. What about the squid people from splatoon? Inklings I think. Unless the dark skin alts are just that - alts? Because the actual Inkling reps are white? Idk. I'm already thinking too much into this.
I don't think I buy that it's referencing a specific event from American history, but I don't think that's necessary for it to be offensive, either. It also doesn't have to be intentionally offensive if it still invokes similarly painful imagery and causes the same reaction. If nothing else, Nintendo subsidiaries like Nintendo of America should have the resources to identify and press out issues that Japanese developers may not be as in tune with.
Click on the link in the op.
FFS I didn't even think about that...
To be clear I think using Rodin is definitely a bad look and I feel it's incredibly valid and important to point that out, but a highly doubt this was done out of anything but ignorance. I also don't think Sakurai will see any feedback from us though unfortunately. I doubt he looks at his twitter replies anymore given I can only imagine the toxic shit he gets sent constantly by smash fans unhappy with the roster
if he's using dev tools, there's a shadow mario model in Bowser Jr.'s final smash ...
seems highly sketch no matter how you slice it. The ONE black character model in the game
If you think this is an intentional reference, then Sakurai is basically as racist of a person as you can possibly be, and Nintendo is continuing to place him in a position of power.
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