[spoilers] So what's this about dating/romancing an 11-year old girl in the new Fire Emblem Engage?

[Vex]

View: https://twitter.com/JonComms/status/1616805578696757248

Felt like this needed it's own topic because we are still doing this in 2023 apparently. This is kinda blowing up on twitter rn. What I'm talking about is the FE character named "anna". She has many incarnations, but in this game she is "11". Why is this a problem? Well, read the right side text. That's the original romance text apparently. The MC appears to be grooming the 11 year old girl? I haven't made it that far yet.


Why do these games even have to go there with the creepy stuff for? Im glad the western localization team came through as the MVP but you have to wonder why this even came up in the original as an idea in the first place? ERA, I swear to God... of all the times you all use the "C word" (Creepy) you better use it now. Because. this. is. yikes. 😬


Update:
GSR has done the ERA investigation:

Video link for reference

Alear: Anna, today's Lover's Day, right? How's your new merchandise selling?
Anna: Heheh, it totally sold out!
Alear: Really!?
Anna: Really! It went flying off the shelves!
Alear: Congrats, Anna!
Anna: It's all thanks to you, Divine Dragon!
Alear: Still, I would've liked to see some of it for myself...
Anna: Well, actually... I did hold one back. Here.
Alear: Whoa, this is really well made! I can see why everyone wants one.
Anna: You can keep it if you like.
Alear: Huh? But...
Anna: That one wasn't for sale anyways. It's my best work, made just for you.
Anna: I'd be happy if you took it.
Alear: Your best work? Are you sure I can have it?
Anna: Ugh, you're slow. Think about what I'm trying to say here!
Anna: Today is... a very special day, right?
Alear: !
Anna: I'm still a kid, so I guess I'm a little too young for a day like today, but...
Anna: Let's just call this a symbol of our friendship!
Alear: Haha. I'm glad. I'd be happy to have it. Thank you.
Alear: Here, you should take this in return. The Promise Ring.
Anna: Huh!? Why would you give me something so important?
Alear: It's because it's important that I want you to have it.
Alear: It's too soon for you to be anybody's lover, but... we can still be partners, right?
Anna: That's true... I mean, we're already partners who've made some amazing new merch together!
Anna: Thank you! I'll happily take this ring!
Alear: I'm glad too.
Anna: Alright, I'm gonna be real busy from tomorrow on!
Anna: I've gotta reach out to an expert and start mass production on that necklace!
Anna: After all, a necklace with the Divine Dragon on it is gonna sell like hotcakes!
Alear: You never miss a business opportunity, huh Anna? I'll be cheering you on as always.
Alear: After all, I am the great merchant Anna's partner.
Anna: If I've got you on my side, I really could become a great merchant, huh. Someday, if I can find my family... I'll introduce you as a very special person in my life.

[Their Days Together]
They spent their time together happily swapping ideas for new merch and looking for the next big hit. They celebrated the anniversary of the day they became partners more joyfully than even their own birthdays. The ring was a bit too big, so she tied it on a chain and wore it on a necklace.

[Shared Ending]
The Divine Dragon Alear ascended as the new Divine Dragon King. The strong bonds he formed with his friends across the world led to a new age of peace. His partner Anna found her family after the war. After she grew up, they created the merchandise she'd dreamed up with him and became a world-famous saleswoman.

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[apathetic]

The only reason why I'm against localization changes like this is so that shit can be on full view in every region and put on more full blast/have more reason to just not do it in the first place.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

As I mentioned in the OT, thank the gods for the localization team. The original script writers should be ashamed of themselves for writing this into the game, though.

 

[Helix]

dw, she is 1000 year old dragon. It's all OK.


/s if it wasn't obvs

 

[Whoami]

Are you sure she isn't a 3000 year old dragon?
/s


Beaten.

 

[Sparkedglory2]

Glad it got changed in the localization, but good lord I can't believe Nintendo let this fly. Especially with Anna of all characters.

 

[Kyari]

Fire Emblem does creepy stuff all the time, its like they don't get that they're making a game with a global presence. Its wild.

 

[Zebesian-X]

there sure are a lot of people outing themselves in the replies of that quoted tweet 🙃

 

[Rahkeesh]

There's a bunch of sub-18 characters and the S-rank conversations for almost all of them reportedly go similar in the Japanese. Romance is more or less the point of the S-rank convos. And it's generally been scrubbed in English.

There's some similar shit in Xeno 2 but people are aware enough of that game being sketchy as-is.

 

[AEF1907]

What. The. Fuck.

 

[wolfshirt]

Jesus Christ

 

[SirKai]

Eleven years old. What the fuck, Nintendo.

 

[Vex]

there sure are a lot of people outing themselves in the replies of that quoted tweet 🙃

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I forgot to mention to you guys not to read the comments whoops

 

[Zebesian-X]

I forgot to mention to you guys not to read the comments whoops

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nah you're good, that one's on me lol

 

[Sparkedglory2]

Eleven years old. What the fuck, Nintendo.

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Memes aside. MC is 1000+ year old dragon with a physically 18 year old appearance.

 

[TubaZef]

If you CAN romance her, that's absolutely awful.

If not, I don't know the full context there, but it seems to me like it's something like "You're too young for me now, but in the future..." in a less serious way, pretty common cliché in movies. Still a bit creepy though.

EDIT: Ok, after analyzing that text a bit more... it's very creepy!

 

[Nintenleo]

I opened the thread with a "sure, Resetera is overeacting at something again" mindset and then I actually gasped "Holy shit" in real life

What the fuck

 

[dgamemaster]

It's even worse when you realize your player character is 17.

It sucks because this Anna is genuinely the most amazing iteration of the character but now this is going to haunt it forever.

Oh well, if anything I blame the writers at IS for deciding "hey the player should be able to romance anyone" and not really thinking things through (or worse, not caring about the implications)

 

[Beelzebufo]

What in the fuck? I mean, I know there are plenty of games that have pulled similar stunts, but….it's literally saying out loud in plain text "I am a child but let's date anyway"

What the fuck? How is this even allowed?

 

[The Deleter]

Ah yes, the breakout hit series Fire Emblem by Intelligent Systems, published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch

What the fuck

 

[Radline]

That's just plain gross. Don't even pull up the "But in Japan" card, you can still judge another's customs/niches, and this is one of those moments.

Edit: If this is a fake translation, and the real text is less weird, then that's a relief. Sort of. Never been comfortable with Fire Emblem having romance among units.

 

[Viale]

Localization team doing good work, but damn, that's uhhh certainly something.

 

[Enduin]

It's really weird and really gross. Everything about the female character designs in this game are just major red flags all around really. Quite a few of the girls in the game are designed to look extremely young, even though they're technically like 17(yet even then still underaged!), while also wearing pretty horrendous and questionable outfits. Celine being probably the worst offender.

When I first heard about this it made my not purchasing the game feel that much more correct a choice.

 

[Reyes]

Creepy anime bullshit, that's what.

 

[Dupr Dog]

I don't play anime games so it's a bit shocking to see this is a thing.

 

[BasilZero]

Oh wow, they made Anna younger in the game (and I didnt realize Engage is a prequel) - I thought she didnt age unless all the FE games she appeared in all take place within a few years....(I thought Awakening and Fates were over hundred years apart).

She's one of my most favorite characters too - always add her to my party when I played Awakening and Fates.

 

[St. Elmo's Fire]

 

[Ovvv]

WOW that fucking comments section!!

 

[Mullet2000]

I can just picture the localization team reading the Japanese text for the first time and going "Good god not again."

 

[jon bones]

Fire Emblem does creepy stuff all the time, its like they don't get that they're making a game with a global presence. Its wild.

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i mean, this SHOULD be weird in japan too

 

[hydrophilic attack]

yeah that's a good localization job

and wtf at the original text

 

[Deleted member 22750]

 

[Death Penalty]

If you CAN romance her, that's absolutely awful.

If not, I don't know the full context there, but it seems to me like it's something like "You're too young for me now, but in the future..." in a less serious way, pretty common cliché in movies. Still a bit creepy though.

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Even if this is as far as it goes, this is grooming and it's very disturbing.

 

[WeWereGiants]

It's like a monkey paw moment, they finally made Anna romance-able but then had to turn her into a child.

Gross beyond words

 

[Katbobo]

lmao that's blatant. they're not even trying to dance around it, it's just straight up here's an 11 year old saying they want to introduce you as their SO.

 

[Dead Man Typing]

Is there any chance that this is a fake image and the Japanese version doesn't actually say that?

Grasping at straws over here.

 

[nintendoman58]

Yeah, editing this out was the correct choice.

It's really weird and really gross. Everything about the female character designs in this game are just major red flags all around really. Quite a few of the girls in the game are designed to look extremely young, even though they're technically like 17(yet even then still underaged!), while also wearing pretty horrendous and questionable outfits. Celine being probably the worst offender.

When I first heard about this it made my not purchasing the game feel that much more correct a choice.

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Should be noted that the character designs were done by a woman.

I know that can be easy to forget but when it comes to character designs, the actual designer for said characters should be made aware of.

 

[Lord Vatek]

That image is deliberately misleading and comes from 4chan.

The Japanese Support is platonic too.

But I'm sure no one will actually pay attention to this and keep on being indignant.

 

[affeinvasion]

Even if there was no sexualization, there is no reason to have a game about a bunch of child soldiers. It's absolutely my least favorite non fan service trope. I never want to see children as combatants.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Oof

One of the few instances where censorship is warranted.

Reminds me of the pedo shit in Final Fantasy VI back in the day

 

[Starlatine]

the worst thing is that in every other game Anna is an adult (or at least "old teen", i'm not up to official ages of every game) and in most shes not a "romance option"
but in this one, where shes specifically made a child for no goddamn reason other than creepy shit, she is.

boggles the mind in the worst way possible

 

[Dark Ninja]

That image is deliberately misleading and comes from 4chan.

The Japanese Support is platonic too.

But I'm sure no one will actually pay attention to this and keep on being indignant.

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Makes sense since that is supposed to be Anna the weapon merchant? If I remember right she always appears in the games and may look different or is a different person each time?

 

[Yata]

You can tell it's fucking bad when even some of the most "muh censorship bad!!!" fuckers aee backing off from this one.

 

[SilverX]

Disturbing, I cant believe they do this

 

[Gunny T Highway]

Thank God that the localization team knew how wrong that was and fixed it. Still the original intent is mind boggling and even weirder with how Anna in this game is a kid when in every other entry she has been an adult.

 

[ErichWK]

Why even have any party member to be 11 years old.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

That image is deliberately misleading and comes from 4chan.

The Japanese Support is platonic too.

But I'm sure no one will actually pay attention to this and keep on being indignant.

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The Japanese lines in your image aren't even the same lines in the OP. Which are real? Or are your lines from a different support conversation?

 

[cw_sasuke]

I didnt even know u can date people in the game in i played it for 4-5h already.

Even if there was no sexualization, there is no reason to have a game about a bunch of child soldiers. It's absolutely my least favorite non fan service trope. I never want to see children as combatants.

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Link is a child in many Zelda games. Kids being heroes isnt really something new or an issue lol.
Most kids play video games, guess they would rather not control some adults in every game.

 

[Starlatine]

Why even have any party member to be 11 years old.

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dont worry theres a 10yo too

 

[Fuchs]

Good on the translation team.

Is there any chance that this is a fake image and the Japanese version doesn't actually say that?

Grasping at straws over here.

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Nope. Unfortunately this is a real convo in the game.